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☆ US imposes sanctions on more than a dozen companies in China for support of Russia’s war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The United States imposed sanctions on more than a dozen companies in China and Hong Kong for their support of Russia’s war in Ukraine as part of a tranche of nearly 300 new sanctions unveiled Wednesday. “The almost 300 targets being sanctioned by both Treasury and the Department of State include sanctions on dozens of actors that have enabled Russia to acquire desperately needed technology and equipment from abroad,” the Treasury Department said in a news release. The sanctions also hit targets within Russia, as well as Azerbaijan, Belgium, Slovakia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The sanctions are aimed at cracking down on sanctions evasion and support for Russia’s military-industrial base and its biological and chemical weapons programs. The Treasury Department also targeted those involved in providing precursor materials to Russia used in explosives.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, “ Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, Treasury, Department of State, Treasury Department, United, United Arab Emirates Locations: United States, China, Hong Kong, Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Slovakia, Turkey, United Arab

☆ Blinken to travel to Saudi Arabia amid stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia next week to meet with regional partners as talks between Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked, the State Department announced Saturday. Hamas said Saturday it had received a response from Israel over its position on the ceasefire talks. “The movement will study this proposal, and upon completion of its study, it will submit its response,” it said in a statement. Blinken’s trip, set for Monday and Tuesday, comes after he met with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last month in Jeddah to discuss efforts to release the hostages held by Hamas. CNN’s Simone McCarthy, Jeremy Diamond, Eugenia Yosef, Alex Marquardt and Mostafa Salem contributed to this report.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Matthew Miller, ”, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ” Blinken, Kylie Atwood, there’s, CNN’s Simone McCarthy, Jeremy Diamond, Eugenia Yosef, Alex Marquardt, Mostafa Salem Organizations: CNN, State Department, ”, Israel, Saudi Arabian Crown Locations: Saudi Arabia, Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Egypt, Jeddah, American

☆ Republican Party asks Secret Service to keep protesters further away from where convention is set to take place
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Shania Shelton | Daniel Strauss | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Republican National Committee is asking the Secret Service to keep protesters farther back from the July convention in Milwaukee than is currently planned. Alexi Worley, spokesperson for the Secret Service, said in a statement that the agency is “not formally in receipt of the letter” and will “respond through appropriate channels” if it receives one. “The operational security plan for national special security events, to include the 2024 Republican National Convention, is developed and approved through an executive steering committee made up of representatives from the Secret Service, as well as supporting federal, state, and local agencies,” Worley said. The RNC announced in 2022 it would host this year’s convention in Milwaukee, and the city’s Democratic mayor, Cavalier Johnson, dismissed security concerns at the time. “Our police department is well-versed, and I think they are prepared for the convention,” Johnson said in 2022, noting that Milwaukee was supposed to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention before it switched to a virtual format amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Persons: Todd Steggerda, …, Kimberly Cheatle, Alexi Worley, ” Worley, Cavalier Johnson, ” Johnson, Samantha Waldenberg Organizations: CNN, Republican National, Service, Secret, Republican National Convention, RNC, Democratic, Convention Locations: Milwaukee, Milwaukee’s, detainments

“Thank you, America!” Zelensky wrote on his Telegram on Saturday, shortly after the House of Representatives passed the long-delayed Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act by a vote of 311-112. The bill was part of a wider $95 billion package providing foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific region. Meanwhile, the House passed the Israel Security Supplemental with a vote of 366-58. Lawmakers wave Ukrainian flags after the House passed the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act. “For people who want to defeat the enemy, this news is a great morale booster.”He went on: “To win, we need ammunition … we really need artillery shells because we have an artillery hunger.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Zelensky, Zelensky, ”, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Mahmoud Abbas, Joe Biden, “, Dmytro Kuleba, Vladimir Putin, ” Kuleba, Maria Zakharova, Dmytro Kurylovich, Bankir Organizations: CNN, Israel, Palestinian, Senate, Getty, Russian Foreign, 110th, National Guard, Artillery, “ Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Russia, Europe, United States, “, Taiwan, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Avdiivka, Russian

☆ White House says it’s very concerned by China’s actions in the South China Sea ahead of key trilateral meeting
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —The White House is very concerned by China’s actions in the South China Sea, a senior administration official said, as President Joe Biden prepares to draw two Asian allies closer at a historic meeting on Thursday. Japan and the Philippines both have separate territorial disputes with China, in the former’s case the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and in the latter’s areas of the South China Sea. Meanwhile, China claims the shoal, which is in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, as its sovereign territory, as it does much of the South China Sea, in defiance of an international arbitration ruling. CNN has previously reported that the three leaders will hold private discussions on the South China Sea. A senior administration official also said that on Thursday the White House will be announcing a new infrastructure project in the Philippines.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Fumio Kishida, Thomas, Kishida, Marcos, Rodrigo Duterte, “ We’re, ” Biden, Australia –, ”, Brad Lendon, Arlette Saenz, Kayla Tausche Organizations: Washington CNN, Japanese, East China, China Coast Guard, CNN, American, White, Clark Air Base, Subic Naval Base, Coast Guard Locations: South China, Japan, Philippines, China, East, Philippine, Palawan, Taiwan, South, North Korea, Russia, Kishida, Ukraine, Manila, Asia, Pacific, United States, Beijing, India, US, Australia

☆ Republicans slam Biden for proclaiming Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter, though it’s yearly observed on March 31
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Republicans are taking aim at President Joe Biden for proclaiming Easter Sunday as the Transgender Day of Visibility, though the two days only coincided this year by chance. The Transgender Day of Visibility, which was started in 2009 as a day of awareness to celebrate the successes of transgender and gender-nonconforming people, is held annually on March 31. “It is appalling and insulting that Joe Biden’s White House … formally proclaimed Easter Sunday as ‘Trans Day of Visibility,” former President Donald Trump’s campaign said in a statement. House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Biden administration had “betrayed the central tenet of Easter” in a post on X. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit,” Bates said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Joe Biden’s, …, Donald Trump’s, Mike Johnson, Biden, “, ”, Andrew Bates, ” “, ” Bates, ” Biden, Trump Organizations: CNN, Republicans, Republican, GOP

☆ Biden signs government funding bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Clare Foran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —President Joe Biden on Saturday signed into law the $1.2 trillion legislation that completes the funding of federal agencies through the fiscal year, which ends September 30. The House passed the package on Friday, and the Senate passed it early Saturday morning. The bill addresses a slate of critical government operations, including the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State and the legislative branch. This legislation is the second part of a two-tiered government funding process. A separate six-bill funding package, which was signed into law earlier this month, included funding for the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, as well as the Food and Drug Administration, military construction and other federal programs.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden —, —, ” Biden, Republicans ”, isn’t, ”, Kevin McCarthy, Samantha Waldenberg Organizations: CNN, Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health, Human Services, Education, State, Republicans, Administration, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Housing, Urban, and Drug Administration Locations: Wilmington , Delaware, “, Transportation

☆ Harris says it’s absurd and unfair that marijuana is treated more seriously than fentanyl under federal law
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Michael Williams | Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday that it is “absurd” and “patently unfair” that marijuana is treated the same as heroin and other Schedule I drugs – and more seriously than fentanyl – under federal law. “Marijuana is considered as dangerous as heroin and more dangerous than fentanyl, which is absurd, not to mention patently unfair,” Harris said during a roundtable on the administration’s plans for cannabis reform. The administration began the process of reconsidering how marijuana is treated under federal law just before the midterms in 2022. Andy Beshear - and alluded to her own role in what she described as an unequal criminal justice system. Harris’ own feelings on marijuana reform have evolved in line with her career.

Persons: Kamala Harris, ” Harris, “ I’m, Biden, Harris, Joe Biden, Xavier Becerra, Fat Joe, Andy Beshear, ”, “, ” Biden, Bill Clinton’s, CNN’s Holmes Lybrand, Kevin Liptak Organizations: Washington CNN —, White, Black, Democratic, US Health, Human Services, Kentucky Gov, Union, Los Angeles Times Locations: California, Francisco’s

CNN —Vice President Kamala Harris went to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minnesota on Thursday, the first time a sitting US president or vice president is believed to visit an abortion provider. The visit was a part of Harris’ efforts to highlight an issue the campaign believes will galvanize moderate voters in November. The vice president traveled to Minnesota for the sixth stop of her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour. The issue has been top of mind for the vice president, dating back to 2021, when she held a reproductive rights roundtable. The vice president has drawn on testimonials to underscore the impacts of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Harris, “, ” Harris, she’s, Tim Walz, Biden, Joe Biden, Roe, Wade, It’s Organizations: CNN, Freedoms, Union, Minnesota’s Democratic, Biden Locations: Minnesota, Wisconsin, California , Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, president’s State, Gaza, United States

☆ Anecdote from Sen. Katie Britt’s criticism of Biden’s border policies appears to be from before he was president
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But the story she seemed to describe didn’t take place during Biden’s time as president or vice president, nor did it happen in the United States. I traveled to the Del Rio sector of Texas, where I spoke to a woman who shared her story with me. She had been sex trafficked by the cartels starting at age 12. Jacinto Romero has shared her story publicly, including in a 2015 hearing on sex trafficking held by the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Global Human Rights. Along that journey, children, women, and men are being subjected to gut-wrenching, heartbreaking horrors in our own backyard,” spokesperson Sean Ross said.

Persons: Alabama Sen, Katie Britt, Joe Biden’s, ” Britt, ”, Jonathan Katz, Britt, Biden, Katz, Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Cindy Hyde, Smith, –, Karla Jacinto Romero, “, Jacinto Romero, Jacinto, Sean Ross Organizations: CNN, Alabama, Del, House Foreign, Rights, Capitol Locations: United States, Del Rio, Texas, Alabama, United States of America, Biden’s, Mexico, Sens, Eagle, , Texas

☆ Biden signs key government funding bills into law averting shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Clare Foran | Ted | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —President Joe Biden signed a package of six government funding bills into law Saturday, a day after lawmakers raced to fund critical government departments and agencies through the remainder of the fiscal year. The White House thanked top congressional lawmakers from both parties “for their leadership” in getting the bills to the president’s desk. The Office of Management and Budget said late Friday that agencies would continue their normal operations and had ceased shutdown preparations after Congress finally passed updated funding legislation. But the work isn’t over yet: Lawmakers still need to finalize and pass a second slate of funding bills ahead of a March 22 deadline. The package also includes funding for rental assistance and other child nutrition programs, including the school lunch program.

Persons: Joe Biden, “, Biden, Mike Johnson, ”, Samantha Waldenberg Organizations: CNN, Republicans, Management, Budget, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Veterans Affairs, Energy, Housing, Urban Development, and Drug Administration, House Republicans, WIC, Department of Justice, Biden, ATF, FBI, Biden Administration, Caucus Locations: Transportation, China

☆ US and Jordanian forces airdrop aid into Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Oren Liebermann | Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“These airdrops are part of a sustained effort to get more aid into Gaza, including by expanding the flow of aid through land corridors and routes,” CENTCOM said. People watch as the US military carries out its first aid drop over Gaza on March 2, 2024. Biden said Friday he would “insist” that Israel allow more trucks and routes for aid into Gaza. “Innocent lives are on the line, and children’s lives are on the line.”Other countries, including the United Arab Emirates and France, have air-dropped aid into Gaza. But Saturday’s operation was a first for the US.

Persons: Joe Biden, CENTCOM, ” CENTCOM, ”, Kosay Al Nemer, Saturday’s airdrops, Biden, Giorgia Meloni, “ We’re, “, Richard Gowan, CNN’s Camila DeChalus, Sophie Tanno Organizations: CNN, Command, US Air Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, White, Saturday, Defense Department, Italian, Office, United Arab, United Nations, Crisis, UN, “ Locations: United States, Gaza, Israel, United Arab Emirates, France

CNN —The Israelis have “basically accepted” a six-week ceasefire proposal in Gaza, a senior Biden administration official told reporters Saturday. On Thursday, a Hamas official warned, however, that the negotiations could be affected. Negotiators from the US, Israel, Egypt and Hamas are expected to attend, a diplomatic source familiar with the discussions said. Discussions between Israel and Hamas would be indirect, in separate rooms. Israel has asked Hamas for a list of the hostages, including who is living and who is dead.

Persons: “, Ramadan –, –, Joe Biden, ” Biden, Giorgia Meloni, It’s, Kamala Harris, Benny Gantz, Harris, Gantz, Jake Sullivan, Biden, there’d, it’s, CNN’s MJ Lee, Oren Liebermann Organizations: CNN, Biden, Hamas, White, Italian, Gaza, Command Locations: Gaza, Israel, Gaza City, Paris, Doha, Qatar, Egypt, Cairo, Qatari

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden is fit for duty, his doctor reported Wednesday following the president’s annual physical, in what is expected to be the last update on Biden’s health before November’s election. Dr. Kevin O’Connor said in a memo there are “no new concerns” with the president’s health revealed by this year’s physical. The White House said earlier Wednesday that no cognitive test was administered as O’Connor did not find it necessary. The procedure was “successfully completed” at the White House by a team from Walter Reed, O’Connor said. Reports from the White House physician over the last several decades have consistently described the office-holder as fit to serve.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin O’Connor, ” O’Connor, Biden, ”, SSRS, Karine Jean, Pierre, “ doesn’t, Donald Trump, Jonathan Reiner, ” Reiner, that’s, O’Connor, “, Biden’s, ” Biden, Lou Gehrig’s, Robert Hur, I’ve, –, seething Biden, “ I’ve, NBC’s, Seth Meyers, ” Wednesday’s Walter Reed, Walter Reed, CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Mira Cheng Organizations: Washington CNN, O’Connor, “, State, CNN, Quinnipiac University, White, US Preventive Services, Force, Medical Unit, American Medical Association, National Institutes of Health, White House Locations: Beverly Hills , California, United States

☆ Biden calls Putin a ‘crazy S.O.B.’ and criticizes Trump’s Navalny comments during fundraiser
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin “a crazy S.O.B.” in a fundraiser Wednesday in San Francisco, according to the pool reporters traveling with the US president. But the existential threat to humanity is climate,” Biden told those gathered at the fundraiser. Biden also criticized former President Donald Trump’s comments likening his legal troubles to the death of Russian opposition leader and Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny. Where the hell does this comes from,” Biden said, according to reporters in the room. These guys do not believe in basic democratic principles,” Biden said according to the pool traveling with him.

Persons: Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin “, “, Putin, ” Biden, Biden, Donald Trump’s, Alexey Navalny, ”, Navalny, …, Trump, ” Trump, Dmitry Peskov, Strom Thurmond, “ I’ve, I’ve, “ You’ve, ‘ You’ve, Nancy Pelosi, John Doerr, CNN’s Kate Sullivan, Kaanita Iyer, Anna Chernova Organizations: CNN, Republican, NATO, Putin, Russia, Kremlin, Republicans, ”, White Locations: San Francisco, United States, Russia, U.S, United States of America, South Carolina, Los Altos Hills , California

Washington CNN —Special counsel Robert Hur released a searing report Thursday that concluded President Joe Biden willfully retained and disclosed classified military and national security information but recommended he not face charges after a yearlong investigation into his handling of classified documents. According to the report, Biden – during the 2023 interview – did not remember when his son Beau died nor the years he was vice president. US Department of JusticeDifferences between Trump and Biden classified documents investigationsThe report’s findings drew harsh criticism from Trump, who is preparing for a general election rematch with Biden in November. “Most notably, after being given multiple chances to return classified documents and avoid prosecution, Mr. Trump allegedly did the opposite,” Hur wrote. “We do not believe that the report’s treatment of President Biden’s memory is accurate or appropriate,” Sauber and Bauer wrote.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden, “, ” Hur, ”, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Hur, wouldn’t, he’s, Hur “, Biden –, –, Beau, Joe Biden's, US Department of Justice “ Mr, Biden “, seething Biden, I’ve, ” Biden, Biden’s, Jack Smith, Richard Sauber, Bob Bauer, Bauer, ” Bauer, Sauber, General Merrick Garland, Biden's, Investigators, Steve Ricchetti, Kathy Chung, CNN’s Betsy Klein, Nikki Carvajal, Samantha Waldenberg Organizations: Washington CNN, of Justice, Republican, US Department of Justice, House, Trump, FBI, US Department of, Republicans, White, Biden, National Archives, Department of Justice, flouted, ” Sauber, CNN, Congressional, Justice Department Locations: Joe Biden's Delaware, Israel, Biden’s Wilmington , Delaware, Afghanistan, Florida, Delaware, Washington , DC, Ukraine, Iran, United Kingdom, Biden's Delaware

Washington CNN —The United Auto Workers union on Wednesday endorsed President Joe Biden, a long-awaited announcement that is an important pickup for the president. Biden won the endorsement of the UAW in the 2020 campaign, even though many rank-and-file members supported Trump. Ahead of endorsing Biden, UAW President Shawn Fain said the choice union workers face in 2024 “isn’t about who you like. … Donald Trump stands against everything we stand for as a union – as a society.”The choice between Trump and Biden, Fain said, was clear. Trump has found support among the rank-and-file of the UAW despite Fain’s strong criticisms and union leadership’s consistent support of Democratic candidates.

Persons: Joe Biden, “, ” Biden, Biden, Donald Trump’s, Shawn Fain, isn’t, It’s, “ Donald Trump, ” Fain, that’s, … Donald Trump, Fain, “ Joe Biden, Donald Trump, ”, ” Trump, I’ve, Trump, –, Biden –, ” Shawn Fain, Ting Shen, Dan Kildee, ” Kildee, CNN’s Poppy Harlow, Joe Biden’s, Kildee Organizations: Washington CNN, United Auto Workers, Republican, GOP, UAW, Trump, Democratic Party, Great, Bloomberg, Michigan Democrat, Democratic, CNN, GM Locations: Washington ,, New Hampshire, Michigan, America, Israel, Gaza, Great Lakes State, Detroit

☆ Two US Navy SEALs missing off the coast of Somalia are dead, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The two US Navy SEALs who went missing off the coast of Somalia on January 11 are dead, US Central Command said after searching for them for 10 days. “We regret to announce that after a 10-day exhaustive search, our two missing U.S. Navy SEALs have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased,” Central Command said in a statement Sunday. Our prayers are with the SEALs’ families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, US CENTCOM commander. “We mourn the loss of our two brave Navy SEALs, and our hearts are with their families,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement Sunday. In addition to training Somali forces, the US has also coordinated with the Somali government to carry out strikes against al-Shabaab.

Persons: ” CENTCOM, “, ”, Michael Erik Kurilla, Lloyd Austin, CNN’s Oren Liebermann, Haley Britzky, Natasha Bertrand, Katie Bo Lillis, Jim Sciutto Organizations: CNN, US Navy, US, Command, U.S . Navy, ”, Special Warfare, Navy, US Africa Command Locations: Somalia, Japan, Spain, Shabaab, Somali, “ Al, U.S

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