Outgoing US Secretary of State Blinken’s last press meet turns chaotic as Gaza issue comes up
Washington DC: The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s farewell press conference witnessed two senior journalists being dragged out of the hall for heckling Blinken with questions on the ‘genocide’ in Gaza due to the Israel-Hamas war in West Asia.
The event held on Thursday turned chaotic as journalists Max Blumenthal of Grayzone News and Sam Husseini accused Blinken of turning a blind eye towards the suffering of the residents of Gaza due to the war that has been continuing for more than 15 months. Both the journalists were physically removed from the conference room in spite of their protests.
Husseini shouted at Blinken, saying that the US diplomat was asking the world to respect the process although all prominent institutes of the world, ‘from Amnesty International to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’, had said that Israel is running a genocide and extermination. Further, he angrily called Blinken a criminal, asking the diplomat to go to The Hague, in reference to the ICJ.
The security guards at the conference intervened as he continued to heckle Blinken and, lifting him off his feat, took him out of the room.
Blumenthal, who was seen reacting next, although Blinken remained calm through the drama, asked why the US stuck to the bomb supply, although a deal had been struck in May.
Even as he was taken out of the conference hall, Blumenthal continued shouting towards Blinken, mocking the diplomat by asking if he felt comfortable and happy to have genocide as his legacy.
Blinken admitted during the press conference that the US had differences with Israel regarding defence of its people, adding that the concerns had been shared privately in order to prevent undermining truce negotiations.
Even in the backdrop of increasing protests, including outside his house, and also vandalism of his own vehicles, the diplomat has defended the US policy on Gaza.
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Rain washes out Super Eights match between New Zealand and Pakistan
Pallekele (Sri Lanka) (PTI): New Zealand and Pakistan shared a point after incessant rain forced the abandonment of the opening T20 World Cup Group 2 Super Eights match here on Saturday.
Amid a slight drizzle, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first.
But the steady droplets soon transformed into relentless pouring, forcing the officials to call off the match without a ball being bowled.
Before the skies opened up, Pakistan made one change to their eleven, bringing in Fakhar Zaman in place of Khawaja Nafay.
New Zealand made three changes with skipper Mitchell Santner back after missing the last match against Canada due to a stomach issue and Lockie Ferguson and Ish Sodhi also found a place in the XI.
But all those calculations and combinations will have to wait for another day, as Pakistan will now face England here on February 24.
New Zealand will make a light travel to Colombo to face home side Sri Lanka on February 25.
The washout has also placed both the Kiwis and Pakistan in a relatively tighter place ahead of their remaining two Super Eights matches.
A similar result in any of the following matches, a possibility considering Sri Lanka’s weather pattern, or a defeat can put their semifinal ambitions in serious jeopardy.
