DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Eyeing China, Senior US Lawmaker Vows to Back Funding for Pacific Islands
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

The Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau agreed to new 20-year funding programs with the United States last year under which Washington provides economic assistance, while gaining exclusive military access to strategic swaths of the Pacific that China covets. McCaul said he has advocated for a $900 million package for COFA, but was open to other numbers. The U.S. Senate this week passed a $95 billion foreign aid supplemental spending bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that did not include the COFA funding. McCaul said he would work to ensure the money was included in whatever is voted on in the House, likely in mid-March. We're not just going to rubber-stamp the Senate supplemental," he said.

Persons: Michael McCaul, McCaul, Patricia Zengerle, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, U.S . House, Representatives Foreign, U.S, Christian Science Monitor, Federated, United, Washington, Free Association, Senate Locations: Pacific, China, Federated States, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, United States, Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan

☆ Senior Senate Democrat Threatens to Block Military Aid to Egypt on Human Rights Grounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Matt Spetalnick and Patricia ZengerleWASHINGTON (Reuters) -The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee vowed on Saturday to block military aid and arms sales to Egypt if it does not take concrete steps to improve human rights in the country. Senator Ben Cardin issued the threat in a statement, saying "it is imperative that we continue to hold the government of Egypt, and all governments, accountable for their human rights violations." Much of the aid has been withheld in recent years over concerns about human rights abuses under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. But President Joe Biden's administration announced this month it had decided to waive human rights restrictions on $235 million of the aid, citing security benefits to the U.S. It is currently withholding $85 million of the aid, a fraction of the $1.3 billion a year allocated for Egypt.

Persons: Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Ben Cardin, Gregory Meeks, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Cardin, Abdel Fattah al, Joe Biden's, Patricia Zengerle, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S . Senate Foreign, Democratic U.S, U.S, Representatives Foreign, State Department, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic, Washington, Egypt Locations: Egypt, Washington, Israel

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) speaks at a committee meeting after assuming the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the U.S. Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Craig Hudson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee vowed on Saturday to block military aid and arms sales to Egypt if it does not take concrete steps to improve human rights in the country. Much of the aid has been withheld in recent years over concerns about human rights abuses under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. But President Joe Biden's administration announced this month it had decided to waive human rights restrictions on $235 million of the aid, citing security benefits to the U.S. It is currently withholding $85 million of the aid, a fraction of the $1.3 billion a year allocated for Egypt.

Persons: Ben Cardin, Craig Hudson, Gregory Meeks, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Cardin, Abdel Fattah al, Joe Biden's, Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Senate Foreign, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Senate Foreign, Democratic U.S, Representatives Foreign, State Department, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic, Washington, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Egypt, Washington, Israel

☆ US delegation to discuss Putin's war crimes warrant in The Hague
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The delegation led by Representative Michael McCaul, Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, will talk with ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan - the latest sign of improving ties between Washington and the world's top war crimes court. The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Putin in March accusing him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied its forces have engaged in war crimes, or forcibly taken Ukrainian children. In July, U.S. President Joe Biden asked his administration to begin sharing evidence of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine with the ICC. It has supported the ICC's work in investigating war crimes in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February of 2022.

Persons: de, Vladimir Putin, Michael McCaul, Karim Khan, Putin, McCaul, Washington, General Merrick Garland, Joe Biden, Trump, Anthony Deutsch, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Criminal, REUTERS, Representatives Foreign, Committee, ICC, Russia, West, NATO, Thomson Locations: The Hague, Netherlands, Washington, Ukraine, Russia, indoctrinated, Hague, United States, China, Nazi, Europe, Sweden, Finland

Taiwanese flags are seen at the Ministry of National Defence of Taiwan in Taipei, Taiwan, December 26, 2022. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has approved a military transfer to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing, or FMF, program normally used for sovereign states, according to a notification sent to Congress. The Taiwan notification was first reported by the Associated Press. FMF, the largest military assistance account managed by the State Department, provides primarily grant assistance to foreign governments for the purchase of U.S. defense equipment and military training under the Foreign Military Sales program. The United States, Taiwan's most important arms supplier, last month announced a Taiwan weapons aid package worth up to $345 million.

Persons: Ann Wang, Joe Biden's, Michael McCaul, McCaul, FMF, Patricia Zengerle, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Ministry of National Defence, REUTERS, Rights, Foreign, Reuters, Associated Press, Representatives Foreign, Chinese Communist Party, State Department, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Taipei, Beijing, Washington, China, United States, U.S

☆ 'Under no circumstances': John Kerry rules out U.S. paying climate reparations to low-income countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry ruled out paying into a global fund to help poorer nations stricken by the devastating impacts of the climate emergency, saying that "under no circumstances" would the White House consider delivering on reparations. It comes at a time when countries acutely vulnerable to climate-fueled disasters are pushing for wealthy nations — that have the greatest historic responsibility for the climate crisis — to pay for past greenhouse gas emissions. It remains unclear, however, exactly how much richer countries will pay into the fund. Climate reparations is a highly divisive and emotive issue that is seen as a fundamental question of climate justice. Asked during a hearing before a House of Representatives foreign affairs oversight subcommittee on Thursday whether he intended for the U.S. to pay climate reparations, Kerry replied, "No, under no circumstances."

Persons: John Kerry, Kerry, Brian Mast

☆ US 'under no circumstances' will pay climate reparations, Kerry says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - The United States will not pay reparations to developing countries hit by climate-fueled disasters, John Kerry, the U.S. special envoy on climate change, told a congressional hearing on Thursday. Kerry, a former U.S. secretary of state, was asked during a hearing before a House of Representatives foreign affairs oversight subcommittee whether the U.S. would contribute to a fund that would pay countries that have been damaged by floods, storms and other climate-driven disasters. "No, under no circumstances,' Kerry said in response to a query from U.S. Representative Brian Mast, the Republican chair of the subcommittee. Kerry was testifying at a hearing on the State Department's climate agenda just days before he was scheduled to travel to Beijing for renewed bilateral talks with China on climate change. Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: John Kerry, Kerry, Brian Mast, Valerie Volcovici, Paul Simao Organizations: U.S, United, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Beijing, China, Egypt

Senator Tim Kaine and Representative Barbara Lee raised concerns on Sunday over the decision by President Joe Biden's administration to send cluster bombs to Ukraine to combat the Russian invasion. "Cluster bombs should never be used. That's crossing a line," she told CNN on Sunday, adding the United States risked losing its "moral leadership" by sending cluster bombs to Ukraine. He added that Russia is using cluster munitions in Ukraine and "indiscriminately killing civilians," while the Ukrainians will be using them to defend their own territory. U.S. Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said Ukraine's counteroffensive was going slowly and that the cluster bombs could be a "game changer" for the Ukrainians.

Persons: Gabriel Jenko, Tim Kaine, Barbara Lee, Joe Biden's, Antonio Guterres, Kaine, Biden, Lee, John Kirby, Kirby, Michael McCaul, McCaul, Kanishka Singh, Joey Roulette, Doina Chiacu, Scott Malone, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Munitions, U.S . Army, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Democratic U.S, United, United Nations, Fox News, Senate Armed Services Committee, White, Cluster Munitions, CNN, White House, Democratic, Republican, U.S, Representatives Foreign, Sunday, Thomson Locations: Hovey, South Korea, Handout, Ukraine, Russian, United States, Russia, United

Cluster munitions could boost Ukraine's counteroffensive to reclaim territory seized since Russia invaded in February 2022. Cluster munitions typically release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area. Germany is one of 111 states party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a pact that does not include the United States. Biden waived prohibitions around the munitions, just as his predecessor Donald Trump did in 2021 to allow the export of cluster munitions technology to South Korea. 'VERY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION'Ukraine previously had urged U.S. lawmakers to press the Biden administration to approve sending cluster munitions.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Joe Biden's, Sullivan, we've, Biden, Bradley, Antonio Guterres, Annalena Baerbock, Biden's, Donald Trump, Mykhailo Podolyak, Podolyak, Mike Stone, Nandita Bose, Steve Holland, Will Dunham, Grant McCool Organizations: United States, Pentagon, Russia, U.S . National Security, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Stryker, Human Rights Watch, Cluster Munitions, Republicans, U.S . House, Representatives Foreign, U.S, Army Tactical Missile, Munitions, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, U.S, Ukrainian, Germany, United States, Britain, South Korea, Russian

WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - The top Republican on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Wednesday he was blocking a $735 million arms sale to Hungary because its government has refused to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO. "Hungary should take the actions necessary to allow Sweden into the alliance, and soon," he said. Under U.S. law, major arms deals are reviewed by the top Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. Sweden applied last year to join NATO as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Objections from Turkey and Hungary have delayed the bid and Sweden now hopes to join by a NATO summit in Lithuania next month.

Persons: Jim Risch, Jens Stoltenberg, Joe Biden, Patricia Zengerle, Gergely Szakacs, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Republican, U.S . Senate Foreign Relations, NATO, U.S, Republicans, Senate Foreign Relations, Representatives Foreign, Committee, Washington Post, Hungarian Defense Ministry, White, Thomson Locations: Hungary, Sweden, Washington, U.S, Ukraine, Turkey, Lithuania, Budapest

“Please note, however, that the subpoena remains in full force and effect, and the acceptance of this accommodation does not waive any of the Committee’s rights regarding the subpoena," McCaul wrote. McCaul had scheduled a committee meeting next week to consider a contempt of Congress charge against Blinken over his refusal to release the cable despite the subpoena. In his letter, McCaul said he still wanted every member of the foreign affairs committee to be able to view the cable, something the State Department has resisted to protect the integrity of its dissent channel system. McCaul is investigating the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on McCaul's letter.

WASHINGTON, May 8 (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee threatened Secretary of State Antony Blinken with contempt of Congress if he does not comply with a subpoena seeking a classified cable related to the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The "dissent channel" allows State Department officials to communicate directly with senior officials. A Wall Street Journal article in August 2021 said the cable warned top officials of the potential collapse of Kabul soon after the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The State Department has said some information can only be shared with senior officials to protect the identity of those expressing dissent. Asked for comment about McCaul's letter, a spokesperson said the department would provide Congress information needed to do its job while protecting the ability of State Department employees to do theirs.

[1/2] Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget at the Capitol in Washington, U.S., April 26, 2022. The bill is led by Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. Under U.S. law, the chair and ranking member of the Foreign Relations and Foreign Affairs committees review major weapons transfers. They often take human rights into account and at times seek to delay or block planned sales. For example, Menendez opposes the sale of Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft to Turkey for reasons including its record on human rights.

☆ US House committee chair signs subpoena for State Dept Afghanistan documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Anna VoitenkoMarch 27 (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday said he signed a subpoena to be delivered to Secretary of State Antony Blinken for documents related to the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Michael McCaul has launched an investigation into the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan under Democratic President Joe Biden and events in the country since. McCaul has given the State Department until Monday to produce the documents. "Unfortunately, Secretary Blinken has refused to provide the Dissent Cable and his response to the cable, forcing me to issue my first subpoena as chairman of this committee," McCaul said in a statement. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on Monday evening.

☆ U.S. House committee chair signs subpoena for State Department Afghanistan documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

People queue up to board a military aircraft of the United States and leave Kabul at Kabul airport, Afghanistan, Aug. 22, 2021. The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee said on Monday he signed a subpoena to be delivered to Secretary of State Antony Blinken for documents related to the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Michael McCaul has launched an investigation into the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan under Democratic President Joe Biden and events in the country since. Republicans — and some Democrats — say there has never been a full accounting of the chaotic operation, in which 13 U.S. service members were killed at Kabul's airport. McCaul had given the State Department until Monday to produce the documents.

And I'm prepared to serve this," Representative Michael McCaul told Secretary of State Antony Blinken as he testified to the committee about the department's budget request. McCaul has launched an investigation into the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan and events in the country since. McCaul sent a letter to Blinken this week requesting the information before Thursday. Blinken responded at Thursday's hearing that the department is working to provide as much information as possible. Blinken told the committee that several Americans were being held in Afghanistan, but they were not being identified at their families' request.

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee threatened to issue a subpoena if the State Department does not produce documents it has requested related to the August 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the committee said on Tuesday. Representative Michael McCaul sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting the information before Blinken's testimony to the committee on Thursday. Blinken is due to testify to congressional committees in both the Senate and House this week. Republicans have launched a series of investigations of Democratic President Joe Biden's administration since they took control of the House in January. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, additional reporting by Simon Lewis; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that while Washington was not directly involved, Saudi Arabia kept U.S. officials informed of the talks with Iran. NUCLEAR TALKSThe agreement comes as Iran accelerates its nuclear program after two years of failed U.S. attempts to revive a 2015 deal that aimed to stop Tehran producing a nuclear bomb. "Saudi Arabia is deeply concerned about Iran's nuclear program," he said. "If this new opening between Iran and Saudi Arabia is going to be meaningful and impactful, it will have to address the concerns about Iran's nuclear program - otherwise the opening is just optics." Friday's agreement also offers hope for more durable peace in Yemen, where a conflict sparked in 2014 has widely been seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

☆ US approved 192 licenses for exports to blacklisted Chinese firms early 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Karen Freifeld | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 3 (Reuters) - The Biden administration approved 192 licenses worth over $23 billion to ship U.S. goods and technology to Chinese companies on a U.S. trade blacklist in the first quarter of last year, according to a document released by a U.S. congressional committee on Friday. The 192 licenses granted were out of 242 license applications decided between January and March 2022, a chart showed, and 115 of those approved contained controlled technology. Nineteen, or 8 percent of the total number of applications, were denied, and 31 were returned without action. "This critical U.S. technology is going to the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance and military efforts," he said. BIS also noted that licenses for some well-known Chinese companies are reviewed under policies set by the Trump administration that do not carry presumptions of denial.

Feb 28 (Reuters) - The Biden administration approved more than $23 billion worth of licenses for companies to ship U.S. goods and technology to blacklisted Chinese companies in the first quarter of 2022, a Republican lawmaker said on Tuesday. The data comes amid growing pressure on the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden to further expand a broad crackdown on shipments of sensitive U.S. technology to China from Republican lawmakers, who now control the House of Representatives. The data comes a week after the Biden administration added new Chinese companies to the trade blacklist for aiding Russia’s military and months after announcing a sweeping new policy aimed at dramatically curbing shipments of chips and chipmaking tools to China. Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd was added to a trade blacklist known as the entity list by former Republican President Donald Trump in 2019, amid allegations of sanctions violations, spying capabilities, and intellectual property theft. Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Marguerita Choy and Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"Beijing will have to make its own decisions about how it proceeds, whether it provides military assistance - but if it goes down that road it will come at real costs to China," Sullivan told CNN's "State of the Union" program. The United States and its NATO allies in recent days have been scrambling to dissuade China from such a move, making public comments on their belief that China is considering providing lethal equipment to Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said China has been providing nonlethal assistance to Russia through its companies. The United States has been by far the largest supplier of military assistance to help Ukraine repel better-equipped Russian forces. Russia and China signed a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 shortly before Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

"Beijing will have to make its own decisions about how it proceeds, whether it provides military assistance - but if it goes down that road it will come at real costs to China," Sullivan told CNN's "State of the Union" program. The United States and its NATO allies in recent days have been scrambling to dissuade China from such a move, making public comments on their belief that China is considering providing lethal equipment to Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said China has been providing nonlethal assistance to Russia through its companies. Putin has alluded to a Xi visit but the timing has not been confirmed by Russia or China. Russia and China signed a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 shortly before Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

☆ U.S. Republicans ask Biden to boost Taiwan in his budget request
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Stephen LamWASHINGTON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The top Republicans on U.S. congressional foreign affairs and armed services committees pressed Democratic President Joe Biden on Thursday to include $2 billion in military assistance grants for Taiwan in his upcoming budget request. Congressional aides said they expect Biden to release the budget on March 9. They stressed the need to support Taiwan, an independently ruled island that China views as a breakaway province. Congress late last year overwhelmingly approved legislation authorizing $10 billion - or $2 billion per year for five years - of annual FMF grants for Taiwan. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.

☆ U.S. Congress members seek halt to $1 billion Nigeria weapons deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We write to express our concern with current U.S. policy on and military support to Nigeria," the lawmakers said. The United States has paired security assistance to Nigeria with training focused on compliance with international law. Nigerian military leaders denied the program has ever existed and said Reuters reporting was part of a foreign effort to undermine the country's fight against the insurgents. Nigerian military leaders told Reuters the army has never targeted children for killing. Amid international outcry, Nigeria’s defense ministry agreed to cooperate with an investigation by Nigeria’s Commission on Human Rights, which is underway.

Following are some of the guests expected to attend:* Brandon Tsay: Tsay was called a hero by authorities for disarming a gunman who shot dead 11 people during a celebration of the Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California. The White House called it a "recognition of sustained U.S. support for Ukraine nearly a year after Russia launched its unprovoked attack." * The White House has also invited Paul Pelosi, husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "The attack reportedly was politically motivated, with the intruder's alleged intent to harm and kidnap the former Speaker," the White House said. The United States completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 after a 20-year war.

Search resuls for: "Representatives Foreign"

25 mentions found