New today: The US imposed sanctions on more than a dozen companies in China & Hong Kong for their support of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Quick moves after Blinken warned China last wk of US action on this front if China did not move to cutoff the critical dual-use support to Russia.

A Bystander to ’60s Protests, Biden Now Becomes a Target: For the president, the campus unrest over the Gaza war recalls peace protests of his youth. But this time he cannot easily bypass the turmoil. nytimes.com/2024/04/30/us/…

“There is so much anger among the victims right now,” said Marc Polymeropoulos, himself a victim and an outspoken advocate for those struck by what the government terms “anomalous health incidents,” or AHI. A deep dive here on ongoing Havana Syndrome tension from Katie Bo Lillis.

The US military has withdrawn troops from a French military base in Chad after the country demanded they leave last month, and have relocated to Germany, a Pentagon spokesperson and other sources familiar with the matter told CNN on Wednesday. cnn.com/2024/05/01/pol…

Sec Blinken says there is an agreement that if a deal on a ceasefire and hostages is struck “we will look for ways to build on that” and towards “something sustainable over time.” He says that was discussed w PM Netanyahu today.

Sec Blinken visited Kerem Shalom on his visit to Israel today. He got briefed on the ongoing humanitarian assistance going into Gaza and the deconfliction efforts, per the pool traveling w him.

The first shipments of aid to Gaza via Erez crossing are leaving from Jordan Tuesday, Secretary Antony Blinken says. He says there has been “real, important progress,” but “more still needs to be done, and in particular, we have to make sure that our focus is not only on inputs but on impact”

'Where our focus is now is getting a ceasefire and hostages home,' Blinken says.

On the latest ceasefire/hostage release efforts Sec Blinken cites a desire to see an agreement manifest in the coming days. 'No more delays, no more excuses,' he says, adding that Israel has demonstrated a willingness to compromise.

Sec Blinken says the US view on Rafah is well-known but he does not answer directly when asked, while in Jordan, if the US has a commitment from Israel that they won't proceed w/ a Rafah operation until they present the US with updated and detailed humanitarian plan.

Saudi's foreign minister says for normalization they want to see 'truly a pathway to a Palestinian state...credible, irreversible. That is the only way it's going to work.'

This means that all 5 of these Israeli security units continue to receive US arms.

There is a standard for remediation on the Leahy law, says Vedant Patel. But he also says the remediation process is diff on a country-by-country basis & notes the longstanding US-Israel security agreement, undermining that statement that it is the same across the board.

New: State Dept determined 5 Israeli security units committed gross violations of human rights prior to October 7. The Israeli govt took remediation steps on 4 units. W/ 1 unit there are ongoing consultations w/ Israelis, US decision to come when talks complete. No timeframe tho.

Today in Saudi Arabia Sec Blinken says that Hamas has been presented with a ceasefire proposal that is 'extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel' & says Hamas has 'to decide and they have to decide quickly' to accept it.

Blinken drops by Beijing record store whose owner plays him vinyl by classic Chinese rocker Dou Wei. Blinken buys it — and Taylor Swift’s “Midnights,” which he describes as a successful American export

Blinken says in some instances the pro-Palestinian protests have made expressions of antisemitism, but “protests in & of themselves are not antisemitic.” Says admin listens to the American people; does not explain how/if the protestors would impact policy. cnn.com/2024/04/26/pol…

News: Blinken says it's possible to roll out a framework for the normalization of relations btw Israel & Saudi Arabia along w/ a 2-state solution proposal before a Gaza ceasefire in place -- a reversal in the order of events US officials previously cited. cnn.com/2024/04/26/pol…

Exclusive: Sec Blinken said the US has seen evidence of Chinese attempts to “influence & arguably interfere” with upcoming US elections, despite an earlier commitment from leader Xi Jinping not to do so. He warned them against it - again - during his mtgs. cnn.com/2024/04/26/pol…

Tune into CNN this hr for a piece of my intv w/ Sec Blinken in Beijing. He said there’s evidence of China attempting “to influence & arguably interfere” in US elections.. & “it’s a concern” that China is seeking to mirror Russia’s playbook of influence campaigns in the US.