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The News Roundup — International

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken departs after gives a press conference in the Jordanian capital Amman.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken departs after gives a press conference in the Jordanian capital Amman.

Government officials in Belarus forced a commercial airplane to land this week. A journalist critical of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime was escorted off the plane. Now airlines are instructing flights to avoid the country’s airspace, and many flights to Belarus have been canceled.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with government officials in Israel to advocate for a continued ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza. The U.S. plans to reopen its consulate in Jerusalem, a move some say is a bid to warm relations with the Palestinians.

President Joe Biden also urged another ceasefire this week, this time in the Ethiopian region of Tigray. A civil war has devastated the region since late last year. President Biden also called for humanitarian access to the Tigray region and for the withdrawal of Eritrean and Amhara forces.

We cover the most important stories from around the world on the international portion of the News Roundup.

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