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☆ New FTC transcript reveals juicy details on how Jeff Bezos and other top Amazon execs used disappearing messages
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

In the past, he set Signal messages to automatically delete after one week. "I never would have used Signal under any circumstances with disappearing messages on or off to discuss any complicated business issues. Associated PressJEDI ContractThe FTC lawyer also showed Bezos a log of Signal messages that were used with the disappearing message feature activated. He said he "did not" know Signal messages were covered by those legal guidelines. The company was "unable to determine" why that's the case, but said it's possible Signal messages were deleted when they got new phones.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Bezos, Mike Hopkins, —, Andy Jassy, Amazon's, Jassy, Donald Trump, there's, I'm, Jeff Blackburn, Hopkins, Blackburn, Blackburn wasn't, Blackburn's, Max Organizations: Federal Trade, Amazon, Business, FTC, Associated Press, Defense Department, Microsoft, Department of Defense, Blackburn, Bezos Locations: Bezos, Blackburn

☆ Supreme Court rejected military chaplains' lawsuit saying their careers were ruined after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Patricia Kime | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Supreme Court denied military chaplains' lawsuit claiming retaliation for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. The appellate court ruled that the Defense Department's decision in January 2023 to rescind the vaccine mandate rendered the chaplains' case moot. The Defense Department was later ordered to pay $1.8 million in legal fees as settlement for two lawsuits over the mandate. An aeromedical technician fills a syringe with the COVID-19 vaccine at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station in Pennsylvania. US Air Force photo by Joshua J. SeybertThe Defense Department began requiring service members to get the COVID-19 vaccine in August 2021.

Persons: —, recrimination, Mauricio Campino, Israel Alvarado, Joshua J, Johnson Organizations: Defense Department, Service, Appeals, Fourth Circuit, Defense, Airmen, Dover Air Force Base, US Air Force, Austin, Pentagon, Navy, Fifth Circuit, US, The Defense Department, Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve, Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson, Air Force, Space Force Locations: Delaware, Israel Alvarado et, Pennsylvania, COVID, China

☆ Woman was denied top-secret US security clearance for being a close relative of dictator
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —An unnamed woman was denied a top-secret security clearance this year due to being a “close” relative of an authoritarian dictator of an unnamed country, according to a publicly available document from the Defense Department’s Office of Hearings and Appeals. The judge said that Country X “supports international terrorism, and it conducts cyberattacks and espionage against the United States.”“Applicant was born a citizen of Country X,” the record says. “A close family member (cousin, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew) is the dictator of Country X. Applicant’s parents and their children, including Applicant, immigrated to the United States in the 1990s when she was young. Administrative decisions on security clearance eligibility are regularly posted publicly by the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals. “One thing people forget is it’s not like you get the keys to the kingdom,” Posard said of a secret clearance, which is the second lowest level security clearance available.

Persons: —, ”, “, ’, Edward Loughran, credibly, Loughran, Marek Posard, Kim Jong, ” Posard, ” Loughran, Posard, it’s, It’s Organizations: CNN, Defense Department’s, Defense, RAND Corporation, The Washington Locations: United States, American, Country, North Korea, DPRK, Cuba, Iran, Syria, The, Loughran

Arm Ukraine With Fanfare and Israel in Secret? That package will pay for billions of dollars of arms flowing to Ukraine, Israel and other nations. As soon as the bill became law, the administration issued new announcements about weapons shipments to Ukraine, but not about transfers to Israel. Press releases about military aid for Ukraine and Israel Since both wars began, the U.S. government has issued at least 126 press statements or updates describing military aid sent to Ukraine and just three describing military aid sent to Israel. Information on maritime support sent to … Ukraine IsraelInformation on air-based weaponry and drones sent to … Ukraine IsraelThere is another distinction worth noting.

Persons: Biden, Jonathan Ernst, Antony Blinken, ”, Josh Paul, Israel —, Ukraine Israel “, Daniel C, it’s, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Reuters, Israel Defense Forces, Israel . Press, U.S . Department of State, U.S . Department of State ; U.S . Department of Defense, Internet, State Department, Defense Department, State and Defense, Washington Post, Ukraine authorizations, Democratic Party, West Bank, White, New York, Facebook Locations: Israel, Ukraine, U.S, U.S . Department of State ;, Ukraine Israel, Gaza, American, Egypt, Russian, Rafah, Lebanon, Iran, Iranian, Syria, United States

☆ Army Begins Building Floating Aid Pier Off Gaza’s Coast, Pentagon Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Helene Cooper | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The construction is meant to allow humanitarian aid to bypass Israeli restrictions on land convoys into the besieged strip. The facility is meant to include an offshore platform to transfer aid from ships, and a floating pier to bring the aid to shore. But aid workers say, and defense officials have acknowledged, that the maritime project is not an adequate substitute for land convoys. The floating pier is being built alongside an Army ship off the Gaza coast. Army ships are large, lumbering vessels, so they have armed escorts, particularly as they get within range of Gaza’s coast, defense officials have said.

Persons: Patrick S, Ryder, General Ryder, Biden Organizations: Defense, Pentagon, ., U.S, Army Locations: Gaza, U.S

☆ Inside the White House’s monthslong push for Ukraine aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Sullivan followed up four days later with a call to Johnson to highlight the measures in place to track aid in Ukraine. They spoke often with Johnson’s staff, including meetings at the White House and on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients, Ricchetti and Goff spoke with Schumer and Jeffries and their staff almost daily to strategize on how to push Ukraine aid forward. Biden and Johnson spoke by phone the next day as the speaker briefed him on his plan to move the aid package forward. “We discussed the contents of the next US military aid package,” Zelensky said.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Joe Biden, Johnson –, speakership, Biden, Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Jake Sullivan, Shalanda Young, Sullivan, Taiwan –, Hamas, Putin, ” Biden, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, “, ”, Steve Ricchetti, Richetti, Shuwanza Goff, Ricchetti, Goff, Jeff Zients, Schumer, Jeffries, Young, McConnell, Michael McCaul, Intelligence Michael Turner, Bill Burns, Ukraine Bridget Brink, Chip Roy, Texas, Ralph Norman of, Biden’s, Anita Dunn, Jon, Lloyd Austin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Donald Trump’s, Burns, ” Zelensky Organizations: Washington CNN, Ukraine, White House, GOP, Management, Senate, Biden, Russia, House Democratic, White, Capitol, House Foreign, Intelligence, CIA, Republican, The Defense Department, House Republicans, National Intelligence, Democratic, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Russia, Israel, Taiwan, Ricchetti, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Washington ,, Johnson’s

☆ Fact check: Biden makes false and misleading claims during Pennsylvania campaign swing
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden spent three days this week campaigning in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania. (The White House corrected the official transcript of Biden’s speech to make clear Biden should have said 2025 instead of 2024.) In other words, there will clearly still be some big and profitable corporations paying no federal income tax despite the existence of the new Biden tax. The center found that the top 0.1% of households paid an average effective federal tax rate of about 30.3% in 2020, including an average income tax rate of 24.3%. “The deficit is a trillion dollars lower, roughly, than when President Biden took office.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ambrose Finnegan, Biden, Jill Biden, PolitiFact, they’ll, it’s, “, Tami Luhby, —, ’ They’ve, Fuxian Yi, Yi, “ It’s, Derek Scissors, Trump, ” Biden, Biden’s “, Matthew Gardner, ” Howard Gleckman, Gleckman, Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman “, ”, I’ve, Donald Trump, ” Marc Goldwein, Goldwein, he’s, Afghanistan Biden, Biden’s, Finnegan, Finnegan “, Donald Judd, spokespeople, Andrew Bates Organizations: Washington CNN, Defense, Medicare, China, University of Wisconsin, Madison, American Enterprise Institute, CNN, Taxation, Economic, US, Biden, White, Urban, Brookings Tax, Urban Institute, University of California, Tax, Center, Trump, Federal Budget, Washington Post, Defense Department, Defense POW Locations: Pennsylvania, China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Scranton, Pittsburgh, America, Berkeley, “, New Guinea, ” New Guinea

☆ A US Navy transport ship deployed to help operate the floating port in Gaza returned home after an engine fire
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Konstantin Toropin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A US Navy ship deployed to help build a floating pier in Gaza returned home after an engine fire. USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo deployed to transport equipment to operate the temporary port. AdvertisementAn M1A1 Abrams tank is off-loaded from the USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo off the shore of Pohang, Republic of Korea. AdvertisementUSNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo and USNS Pililaau anchor off the coast of Pohang, Republic of Korea. Australian dock workers secure USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo while members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Australian Defence Force begin offloading.

Persons: John P, Bobo, —, Pat Ryder, Cpl, Mark W, Stroud, MV Roy P, Baldomero Lopez, Sal Mercogliano, Military.com, Frank S, Besson, Joshua Fulton, Mercogliano, horrendously, I've, You've, Scott Reel, Ryder Organizations: US Navy, USNS, Service, Navy, Pentagon, Army, MV, sealift, Naval Beach, USNI News, U.S . Navy, Marine Corps, Australian Defence Force, Defense Department Locations: Gaza, Jacksonville , Florida, Pohang , Republic of Korea, Tenerife, Africa, Azores, Souda, Greece

☆ Executive Edge: GOP concerned about Chinese firms
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailExecutive Edge: GOP concerned about Chinese firmsCNBC's Emily Wilkins joins 'Squawk Box' to report on the group of lawmakers encouraging Nasdaq to delist Chinese companies that the Defense Department has blacklisted.

Persons: Emily Wilkins Organizations: Nasdaq, Defense Department

☆ Biden administration agrees to provide $6.4 billion to Samsung for making computer chips in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration has reached an agreement to provide up to $6.4 billion in direct funding for Samsung Electronics to develop a computer chip manufacturing and research cluster in Texas. The government support comes from the CHIPS and Science Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2022 with the goal of reviving the production of advanced computer chips domestically. Samsung's cluster in Taylor, Texas, would include two factories that would make four- and two-nanometer chips. In addition to the $6.4 billion, Samsung has indicated it also will claim an investment tax credit from the U.S. Treasury Department. The government has previously announced terms to support other chipmakers including Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. in projects spread across the country.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, Gina Raimondo, Raimondo, Lael Brainard Organizations: Samsung Electronics, Commerce Department, Texas, Samsung, White, National Economic Council, Defense Department, U.S, U.S . Treasury Department, Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Locations: Texas, United States, Taylor , Texas, Austin , Texas, Austin, China

Editor’s Note: In this appeal to Congress, more than 35 artists, activists, scholars and others call for funding for Ukraine. On territory that Russia occupies, it tortures Ukrainian citizens, kidnaps Ukrainian children and murders Ukrainian leaders. By fighting Russia alone, they protect Europe. By fighting a conventional war against a nuclear power, they are making nuclear proliferation and nuclear war less likely. Together we call upon Congress to do the right thing – right now.

Persons: Read, Stringer, Abrams, José Andrés, Gabrielle Carteris, Mona Charen, Misha Collins, Rosario Dawson, Felicia Day, Doug Fears, Jonathan Safran Foer, Francis Fukuyama, Mark Hamill, Gale Anne Hurd, Dara Khosrowshahi, William Kristol, Eric Edelman, Scott Kelly, Daniel Lubetzky, Michael McFaul, Kate McKinnon, Alyssa Milano, Viggo Mortensen, Patton Oswalt, Phillips O’Brien, Brad Paisley, Sean Penn, Serhii Plokhii, Ivanna Sakhno, Eric Schmidt, Liev Schreiber, Timothy Snyder, Terrell Jermaine Starr, Barbra Streisand, Hilary Swank, Peter Wehner, Katheryn Winnick Organizations: Ukraine, CNN, Getty Locations: Russia, Russian, Crimean Tatars, Ukrainian, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Aleppo, Grozny, Europe, Donetsk, Ukraine, AFP, China, Beijing, Asia, East, Africa, United States

☆ Exclusive: State Department officials told House investigators they created Afghanistan withdrawal plans from scratch
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Kylie Atwood | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The State Department has continued to publicly defend its decision making around the NEO as well as the ending of the war. Milley and retired Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, who were in charge of the US military during the withdrawal, blamed the State Department for not ordering a NEO sooner. The State Department officials did not weigh in on whether calling a NEO sooner would have had a substantial impact, as this would have preceded their arrival in Afghanistan. Although the State Department has faced sharp criticism from the Defense Department – most recently in a congressional hearing with retired Gens. Coordination with the militaryAnd on the ground, as they grappled with the frenzied and fluid situation, State Department officials and service members at Hamid Karzai International Airport were regularly coordinating.

Persons: John Bass, Jim DeHart, Jayne Howell, Michael McCaul’s, McCaul, Biden, ”, Mark Milley, ” Howell, DeHart, ” Bass, Hamid, Bass, Wendy Sherman, Washington . Howell, I’m, Howell, “, Trump, Anna Moneymaker, Milley, Kenneth McKenzie, McKenzie, Vedant Patel, “ It’s, Defense Department –, Gens, Kenneth McKenzie –, ” DeHart, didn’t Organizations: CNN, State Department, House Foreign Affairs, Republican, Department, Foreign Affairs, Chiefs, House Foreign, ”, DC, State, Department of Defense, Airport, Foreign Service Institute, Pentagon, Biden, Joint Chiefs, Staff, US, US Central Command, ” State Department, Defense Department, Hamid Locations: Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghan, Ukraine, Kabul Afghanistan, Washington ., Turkey, Rayburn, Washington , DC, extremis

But the Pentagon was reluctant to use that funding, because there was no replenishment money left to refill the US inventories. The second official gave one example of being able to buy 25mm ammunition at a cheaper cost than originally expected after contract negotiations with the vendor. And we certainly can’t count on this as a way of doing business.”“We weren’t broke at the time, but now we are.”The last Ukraine aid package from the US was announced in late December. Last year, the Defense Department announced that it had discovered an accounting error that led to DoD overvaluing the amount of aid it was providing to Ukraine by $6.2 billion. “We believe that the support is still there if the House is allowed to vote,” said the second defense official.

Persons: CNN —, “, ”, Defense Department “, Biden, “ You’ve Organizations: CNN, Biden, Defense Department, Pentagon, Ukraine, DoD, Republican Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Avdiivka

☆ Former U.S. official's work for Chinese client stirs concern over disclosure loopholes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Advocating for foreign clients is legal and U.S. law includes a public disclosure exemption for lawyers. The Paul, Weiss law firm declined to comment on the letter, and Lynch did not respond to Reuters emails. The U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments say DJI supported biometric surveillance and tracking of Muslim Uyghur minorities in China. "It is appalling that former senior U.S. officials use their connections to serve the interests of U.S. adversaries," Risch said. Others argue that stricter FARA rules on disclosure could give authoritarian countries like Russia and China cover for their own stifling of free speech.

Persons: Loretta Lynch, Obama, Lynch, Paul, Weiss, DJI, FARA, Jim Risch, Risch, Jonathan Turley, Turley Organizations: U.S, senior Defense Department, SZ DJI Technology Co, U.S . Department of Justice, Reuters, Department of Defense, China's Communist Party, U.S . Treasury, Commerce, The Defense Department, Pentagon, Justice, Republican, Senate Foreign Relations, American Civil Liberties Union, Justice Department, George Washington University Locations: FARA, U.S, China, WuXi, Russia

☆ This veteran investor is buying 'old economy' stocks that are embracing AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Tengler named several attractively valued stocks she called the "picks and shovels" of AI, including Emerson Electric , L3Harris Technologies , Visa , Walmart and McDonald's . These companies are expected to boast continued strong growth and stock performance, aided by AI, she said. "Generative AI is much more compelling of a story than then the internet was in many ways," in terms of fueling productivity and growth, Tengler said. Walmart, another of Tengler's top "old economy" AI plays, has gained 14.4% so far this year, double the broader market. "They've benefited from embracing not just robotics and digitization, but generative AI in their e-commerce business and in improving margins," Tengler said of Walmart.

Persons: Nancy Tengler, Tengler, Berenberg, Emerson, L3Harris, Seth Seifman, They've, they've Organizations: Investments, Nvidia, Meta, Emerson Electric, L3Harris Technologies, Visa, Walmart, Aerospace, Defense Department, JPMorgan, Broadcom, Amazon, Microsoft Locations: Arizona, Friday's, Melbourne , Florida

☆ 3 Killed in National Guard Helicopter Crash Near Mexican Border
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( John Yoon | More About John Yoon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Three people were killed and one was critically injured after a helicopter carrying National Guard members and a Border Patrol agent crashed in southern Texas on Friday while following people who were crossing the border with Mexico, officials said. The helicopter, which crashed at 2:50 p.m., was conducting an operation near Rio Grande City, according to Joint Task Force North, an operation under the Defense Department that supports Customs and Border Protection with National Guard units. Two of the dead were soldiers, and the third was a Border Patrol agent, Joint Task Force North said in a statement, adding that it would not share the names of the victims because their families had not been notified. The National Guard confirmed in a statement that its members on board were part of the Army National Guard. That model has served as the U.S. Army’s light utility helicopter since 2006, according to Airbus, the manufacturer.

Organizations: National Guard, Border Patrol, Task Force, Defense Department, Army National Guard, UH, Lakota, Airbus Locations: Texas, Mexico, Rio Grande City

CNN —The Defense Department is analyzing a balloon discovered by fishermen off the coast of Alaska last week to determine whether it was a spy balloon, a spokesperson told CNN. Upon reviewing photographs taken by the fishermen, officials became concerned it could be another spy balloon, and FBI agents went to meet the boat when it returned to port. But the FBI determined that it was similar enough in appearance to a foreign government-owned surveillance balloon that it warranted further investigation. The existence of high-altitude surveillance balloons burst into US consciousness last year, when a Chinese spy balloon appeared to blow off course and transited across the continental US. The US assessed that the spy balloon was part of an extensive surveillance program run by the Chinese military, as CNN reported at the time.

Persons: Sue Gough, “, ” Gough, Biden Organizations: CNN, The Defense Department, Joint Base Elmendorf, Defense Department, FBI Locations: Alaska, Richardson, China, Taiwan, Beijing

☆ 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

☆ Republicans slam Defense Secretary Austin's 'unacceptable' handling of hospitalization
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Ryan Anastasio | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testifies before a House Armed Services Committee hearing about his failure to disclose his cancer diagnosis and subsequent hospitalizations, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 29, 2024. Republicans grilled U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at a hearing Thursday about the handling of his January hospitalization following his cancer diagnosis. Thursday's hearing centered around why the Deputy Defense Secretary and the White House were not immediately informed that Austin was hospitalized after complications arose from surgery to treat his prostate cancer. ... As you know, I've apologized, including directly to the president, and I take full responsibility," Austin said at Thursday's hearing. The Defense Department's inspector general is also conducting a review of the incident.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Defense Lloyd Austin, Mike Rogers, Austin, Michael Waltz, she's, you've, I've, Joe Biden, Jim Banks, Adam Smith Organizations: Defense, Armed, Capitol, Pentagon, House Armed Service Committee, Deputy Defense, White, Republicans, Armed Services Committee Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, Ukraine

☆ Pentagon considering tapping last source of Ukraine military funding as Congress stalls on additional aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Defense Department still has around $4 billion in presidential drawdown authority funds available for Ukraine, which allows the Pentagon to draw from its own stockpiles to send military equipment to Kyiv. But it would not be unprecedented for the Pentagon to find additional, unexpected sources of funding. Last year, the Defense Department announced that it had discovered an accounting error that led to DoD overvaluing the amount of aid it was providing to Ukraine by $6.2 billion. Asked on Tuesday whether the department was considering spending some of the remaining money, Pentagon press secretary Gen. Patrick Ryder said he had nothing to announce but that the Pentagon was continuing to explore ways to keep supporting Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN this week that Ukraine will not win the war without continued US support.

Persons: Garron Garn, Patrick Ryder, “ We’re, ” Ryder, Ryder, ”, “, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: CNN, The Defense Department, Pentagon, Defense, ”, Defense Department, DoD, Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, “ Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Avdiivka

☆ Biden Summons Lawmakers to White House as Shutdown Deadline Looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Erica L. Green | Catie Edmondson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden will try to break through a deadlock on Capitol Hill over keeping the government running and providing aid for Ukraine and Israel as he convenes the top four leaders of Congress at the White House on Tuesday. Lawmakers are running out of time to strike a deal to avert another partial government shutdown. “A basic, basic priority or duty of Congress is to keep the government open,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said on Monday. He’ll have those conversations.”Separately, Mr. Biden will ask the leaders to pass critical emergency aid for Ukraine. The administration has spent months pushing for additional funding, arguing that Ukraine is running out of artillery, air defense weaponry and other munitions.

Persons: Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre Organizations: Capitol Hill, White, Defense Department, White House Locations: Ukraine, Israel

☆ U.S. and Britain Strike 18 Houthi Targets in Yemen
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Helene Cooper | Eric Schmitt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Houthi militants have launched attack drones and cruise and ballistic missiles at vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The United States and Britain carried out another round of large-scale military strikes Saturday against multiple sites in Yemen controlled by Houthi militants, U.S. officials said. On Monday, Houthi militants fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a cargo ship, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The ship, called the Sea Champion, continued on to its destination at the port of Aden in Yemen, the statement added. The American-led retaliatory air and naval strikes against Houthi targets began last month.

Persons: ”, Houthi, Mason, Lloyd J, Austin III Organizations: Houthi, British, Defense Department, Associated Press, “, Yemeni Armed Forces, U.S ., U.S . Central Command, Central Command, Command, Iranian Locations: Aden, The United States, Britain, Yemen, Iran, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, “ U.S, U.S, Red Sea, Palau, Gaza, Israel, United States, Africa, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia

☆ U.S. and British Warplanes Again Strike Houthi-Linked Targets in Yemen
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Helene Cooper | Eric Schmitt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States and Britain carried out another round of large-scale military strikes Saturday against multiple sites in Yemen controlled by Houthi militants, U.S. officials said. The strikes were intended to degrade the Iran-backed militants’ ability to attack ships in sea lanes that are critical for global trade, a campaign they have carried out for almost four months. American and British warplanes hit missile systems and launchers and other targets, the officials said. Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand provided support for the operation, according to a joint statement from the countries involved that was emailed to reporters by the Defense Department. The strikes, which the statement called “necessary and proportionate,” hit 18 targets across eight locations in Yemen associated with Houthi underground weapons storage facilities, missile storage facilities, one-way attack unmanned aerial systems, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter.

Persons: ” Organizations: Houthi, British, Defense Department Locations: States, Britain, Yemen, Iran, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand

☆ Speaker Mike Johnson once again stuck in the middle as funding deadline looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Lauren Fox | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“Now, we are in a fully Johnson-run House, and he’s got to own all the decision making in the 12 appropriations bills. Probably not best for public policy either,” Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said. Johnson is facing pressure from members of the House Freedom Caucus to include dozens of policy riders that would never pass in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Just a week later, funding for the rest of the government will also lapse. I think we will see another omnibus appropriation bill.”Asked if that causes a problem for Johnson, Bishop argued, “The speaker didn’t create those problems.”

Persons: Mike Johnson, Senate appropriators, Johnson, he’s, That’s, Patrick McHenry of, “, imploring, Alejandro Mayorkas’s, they’ll, can’t, Chuck Schumer, –, Kevin McCarthy, ” Rep, Don Bacon, “ It’s, Mayorkas, Warren Davidson, ’ ”, Davidson, Andy Biggs, “ We’ve, ” Biggs, Dan Bishop, ”, Bishop Organizations: Republicans, Senate, ” Republican, Financial Services, Caucus, Democratic, Homeland, FBI, HFC, Department of Agriculture, Veteran’s Affairs, Transportation, Housing, Energy, Water, CNN, Congress, ”, Republican, Defense Department, Foreign Intelligence, GOP, “ Locations: Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Florida, Nebraska, Ukraine, Ohio, North Carolina

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. lawmakers are raising alarms about what they see as America’s failure to compete with China in biotechnology, warning of the risks to U.S. national security and commercial interests. Bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to bar “foreign adversary biotech companies of concern” from doing business with federally funded medical providers. Photos You Should See View All 33 ImagesCritics of the legislation warn that restrictions on Chinese companies would impede advances that could bring a greater good. “It’s not just a supply chain battle or a national security battle or an economic security battle; I would submit it’s a moral and ethical battle,” Gallagher said. He said any restrictive U.S. measures should be tailored to address military concerns and concerns about genomic data security.

Persons: walling, ”, Abigail Coplin, Rachel King, Mike Gallagher, Gallagher, “ It’s, ” Gallagher, “ we’re, Biden, Tom Bollyky, Bollyky, Ray Yip, Yip, “, Anna Puglisi, Puglisi, ” Puglisi, BGI, WuXi AppTec, Dake Kang Organizations: WASHINGTON, — U.S, Biotechnology, Bills, Embassy, Biden, Vassar College, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, National Security Commission, Emerging Biotechnology, U.S . Senate, Chinese Communist Party, Wisconsin Republican, “, Bloomberg, Council, Foreign Relations, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Georgetown University’s Center for Security, Emerging, The Defense Department, Commerce Department, Associated Press Locations: China, U.S, ”, South China, Wisconsin, Boston, United States, WuXi, Beijing

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