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☆ U.S. Mends Fences With El Salvador's Bukele as China Lurks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

Now, more than ever, the U.S. needs Central American nations like El Salvador to curb migration to the southern border. In October, the State Department's top Latin America diplomat, Brian Nichols, visited El Salvador and posed for photos with Bukele. WAITING IN THE WINGSAt the same time, there are growing ties between China and El Salvador. Although of limited commercial importance in itself, El Salvador offers China a foothold in Central America, and in 2017 broke relations with Taiwan in favor of China. "El Salvador wants to do trade with everyone," Bukele said during his victory speech on Sunday night.

Persons: Diego Oré, Sarah Kinosian, Nelson, Nayib Bukele, Jean Manes, Bukele's, Brian Nichols, Antony Blinken, Bukele, Manes, Ana Maria Mendez, Salvadorans, El Salvador, El, Margaret Myers, Diego Ore, Nelson Renteria, Christian Plumb, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: SALVADOR, Reuters, El Salvador, Central American, U.S, U.S ., Central, State Department's, El, U.S . State Department, Washington Office, U.S . Customs, USAID, The U.S, Inter, Huawei, Washington, Diego Locations: United States, U.S, El Salvador, Latin America, America, China, Honduras, Washington, China's, San Salvador, Central America, Taiwan, Mexico City

But in remarks on social media, she described the U.S. Embassy as a place she “HAD to visit.” Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard now runs it as a museum. Photos You Should See View All 45 Images“I'm sharing exhibits from a museum that are never seen," Wright wrote on Instagram. Masih Alinejad, a U.S.-based activist who has faced assassination and kidnapping attempts by Iran, also denounced Wright's visit. But there's been no media coverage of Wright's visit inside Iran, likely a sign of how tightly controlled journalists are after the 2022 demonstrations. Iranian state media have seized on the U.S. support of Israel to criticize the U.S. and opponents of its theocracy.

Persons: Whitney Wright, Narges Mohammadi, Mahsa Amini, Wright, “, ”, Ruhollah Khomeini, Nasser Kanaani, Setareh Pesiani, Iran's, Pesiani, Instagram, Masih Alinejad, Wright's, Rosa Parks, Alinejad, Candy, there's, Abdolreza, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mia Khalifa Organizations: JERUSALEM, U.S, Embassy, Associated Press, Revolutionary Guard, United Nations, Iranian Foreign Ministry, Israel, Islamic, U.S . State Department, AP, Washington, State Department Locations: Iran, Tehran, U.S, Oklahoma City, Islamic Republic, British, Gaza, Israel, Islamic Republic of Iran, East

CNN —US officials said Monday that Iraq was not notified ahead of a series of strikes on Iran-linked targets in the country, contradicting earlier statements that the Iraqi government was notified before the strikes occurred. We informed the Iraqis immediately after the strikes occurred,” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a briefing on Monday. “Iraq, like every country in the region, understood that there would be a response after the deaths of our soldiers,” he noted. In a statement to CNN, Kirby said he “responded with information that I had been provided at the time” after the strikes on Friday. “For operational security reasons, we did not provide any kind of official pre-notification with specific details on these strikes,” the spokesperson said.

Persons: Vedant Patel, ”, John Kirby, Kirby, “, Pat Ryder, ” Ryder, we’ll Organizations: CNN, ” State Department, National Security, State Department, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, United, Pentagon Locations: Iraq, Iran, “ Iraq, Syria, Jordan, United States, Anbar Governorate, Iranian

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken began a diplomatic push in the Middle East on Monday for a deal that would pause the war in the Gaza Strip and release the hostages there, even as a drone struck a military base used by American troops and allied forces in eastern Syria. Mr. Blinken, making his fifth trip to the region since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, met in Riyadh with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in the first stop on a trip that will also include meetings in Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank. Speaking with the crown prince, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Mr. Blinken “underscored the importance of addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza and preventing further spread of the conflict,” the State Department said. It added that they discussed “an enduring end to the crisis in Gaza that provides lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

Persons: Antony J, Blinken, Mohammed bin Salman, Blinken “, ” Organizations: West Bank, State Department Locations: Gaza, Syria, Israel, Riyadh, Saudi, Egypt, Qatar

WASHINGTON (AP) — The massive $118 billion Senate border bill not only contains once-in-a-decade border security legislation and wartime aid to Israel and Ukraine, but also offers a chance for the U.S. to keep its promise to Afghans who worked alongside U.S. soldiers in America’s longest war. Tucked inside the sprawling package is a measure that would provide a long-awaited pathway to residency for tens of thousands of Afghan refugees who arrived in the U.S. on military planes after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. Conservatives have said the package does not go far enough in limiting the number of daily migrant crossings at the southern border. Both Republican and Democratic senators and their staff worked to bridge the divide and produce legislative text that both sides could support. Republican leaders in the House have declared the bill a non-starter, and even passage through the Senate, where the deal was negotiated, is an uphill climb.

Persons: there’s, Democratic Sen, Chris Coons, ”, they’ve, Shawn VanDiver Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Republican, Democratic, Associated Press, Allies, Navy, Senate, State Department Locations: Israel, Ukraine, America’s, U.S, Afghanistan, Kabul, Cuba, Vietnam, Iraq, Chris Coons of Delaware, United States

☆ US citizens planning to visit Jamaica should reconsider due to the threat of violent crime and sexual assaults, the State Department said
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The State Department has raised the advisory for Jamaica to "Level 3: Reconsider Travel," citing concerns over crime and unreliable medical services. The US embassy in Jamaica warned of home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides. AdvertisementSexual assaults have been reported at all-inclusive holiday resorts, said the State Department's Jamaica travel advisory. The "Over the Hill" area of Nassau has seen heightened violent activity as a result of gang-on-gang violence, per the State Department travel advisory. AdvertisementThe State Department also warned against water-based activities, such as tours on commercial, recreational watercraft, stressing that these are not consistently regulated.

Persons: —, Juan Silva Organizations: State Department, State, Government of, CBS, Department Locations: Jamaica, Bahamas, Government of Jamaica, Caribbean, Nassau

☆ Who are Israeli settlers and why are they so controversial?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Abbas Allawati | Abbas Al Lawati | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

On Thursday, the State Department announced the first round of sanctions targeting Israeli settlers accused of perpetrating violence in the West Bank. There are more than 450,000 Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank. Settlers in the West Bank fall under Israeli civilian rule and have their own road and transportation networks, while Palestinian residents fall under Israeli military rule, are forced to go through Israeli military checkpoints, and are largely barred from entering Jewish settlements. And in Area C, which is 60% of the West Bank, Israel retains full security and administrative control. The report rejected the applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention to the West Bank, arguing that the West Bank was never a legitimate part of any Arab state.

Persons: Biden, Israel, Israel’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ronaldo Schemidt, –, Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, State Department, West Bank, White, Israeli, Getty, The West Bank, Oslo Accords, Bank, West, West Bank . Settlers, Palestinian Authority, Israel, Geneva Convention, United Nations Security, Fourth, Fourth Geneva Convention Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Huwara, Nablus, AFP, West, Jordan, Sinai, Egypt, Syria, Oslo, Hebron, West Bank, Oslo Accords, Ramallah, United States, Fourth Geneva, Judea, Samaria

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the state elections commission not to transmit the presidential primary ballot to county clerks as it ponders an attempt by Democratic U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips to get added as a candidate. The order comes six days after Phillips asked the court to intervene and have his name added to the ballot in the battleground state after state Democratic leaders on a presidential selection committee did not include it. The Supreme Court's one-sentence order Thursday directed the Wisconsin Elections Commission not to transmit the ballot until further notice. The court has yet to decide whether it will rule in the case, but it has accepted arguments from Phillips, the elections commission and the presidential selection committee. Attorneys from the state Department of Justice representing the elections commission and the presidential selection committee said in court filings Wednesday that Philllips' challenge should be rejected because he brought it too late.

Persons: Dean Phillips, Phillips, Joe Biden, feasibly, ” Phillips, Biden, Donald Trump Organizations: Wisconsin Supreme, Democratic U.S . Rep, Democratic, Democrat, Department of Justice, Republican Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Congress

The United States issued financial sanctions on Thursday against four Israelis accused of escalating violence against civilians, intimidating civilians or destroying property in the West Bank. “The United States has consistently opposed actions that undermine stability in the West Bank and the prospects of peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. A few days later, an Israeli court later shortened his detention by a month. In 2013, Mr. Chasdai was detained for assaulting a taxi driver, according to an Israeli legal database. The court decided not to extend Mr. Chasdai’s detention, as requested by police, citing a lack of evidence.

Persons: David Chai Chasdai, Chasdai, Chasdai’s, Dafna Hasdai, Yoav Gallant, Itamar Ben Organizations: United, West Bank, U.S . State Department, State Department, The New York Times Locations: United States, Huwara, Israel

☆ Group of Palestinian-Americans skip Blinken meeting over Biden admin’s support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

More than 26,000 have been killed, hundreds of thousands have been displaced, and Gaza is on the brink of famine. ‘Soul-searching’One of the invitees to the roundtable, Dr. Tariq Haddad, said in an intensely personal, 12-page letter to Blinken that he initially intended to go to the meeting. “My family are subsisting on animal feed, Secretary Blinken, because of your policies,” he said. Public oppositionAnd while Blinken was quietly confronted behind closed doors about the administration’s policy toward Gaza on Thursday, members of the administration, including Blinken, have also faced public displays of opposition. “And we are working 24/7 to try to dramatically expand the flow of food, medicine, shelter – I mean, so much is needed.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Joe, Biden, ”, “, Tariq Haddad, ” Haddad, Haddad, –, Matt Miller, ” Miller, Samantha Power, Power, doesn’t Organizations: CNN, Biden, Middle East, State Department, State, Palestinian, US Agency for International Development, USAID, Agency, USAID Missions Locations: Gaza, Israel, United States, Thursday’s, ”

☆ Russian Court Extends Pre-Trial Detention of U.S. Journalist Kurmasheva
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

KAZAN, Russia (Reuters) - A Russian court on Thursday extended the pre-trial detention of Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist who is accused of violating a law on "foreign agents". A Reuters reporter in court in the city of Kazan said Kurmasheva's custody was extended until April 5. Kurmasheva is the second U.S. journalist to be arrested and charged in Russia since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022. According to court documents, Kurmasheva was fined 10,000 roubles ($103) on Oct. 11 for failing to register her U.S. passport with Russian authorities. That case has yet to come before the Kazan court.

Persons: Alsu, Evan Gershkovich, Kurmasheva, Kurmasheva's, Pavel Butorin, Paul Whelan, Mark Trevelyan, Guy Faulconbridge Organizations: Reuters, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, RFE, U.S . Congress, Wall Street, U.S, Kurmasheva, ., The State Department, Wall Street Journal Locations: KAZAN, Russia, Russian, American, Kazan, Prague, Radio Free Europe, Ukraine, Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday approved a nearly $4 billion sale of drones and military equipment to India that are meant to be used to improve its maritime safety and surveillance. The approval comes at a time when Washington is courting New Delhi to increase its cooperation with the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, which is largely focused on countering China’s influence in the region. The State Department notified Congress of the $3.99 billion sale that will include 31 Sky Guardian drones, 170 Hellfire missiles, 310 small-diameter bombs and related support material. “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defense partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region,” the department said in a statement. It "will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation,” it said, adding that India “has demonstrated a commitment to modernizing its military and will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.”Photos You Should See View All 45 Images

Persons: —, Biden, India “ Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, The State Department, Guardian Locations: India, Washington, New Delhi, United States, U.S, South Asia

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is expected to issue an executive order targeting Israeli settlers in the West Bank who have been attacking Palestinians in the occupied territory, according to four people familiar with the matter. Biden has spoken out against retaliatory attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks against Israel on Oct. 7. The executive order is expected to set the ground for imposing sanctions on individuals who have engaged in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Attacks by Israeli settlers have intensified since the war started, and some Palestinians have been killed, according to Palestinian authorities. Biden's expected order was first reported by Politico.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, ” Biden, Biden's Organizations: WASHINGTON, West Bank, Politico, Michigan, Democratic, Hamas, The State Department Locations: Israel

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden plans to issue an executive order targeting violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank whom he has said have undermined stability in the area, a US official and source familiar with the matter told CNN. Officials said they had compiled evidence they said offered proof of the individuals’ role in the West Bank violence that would withstand judicial review, including information from public reporting. The State Department can apply the policy to both Israelis and Palestinians who were responsible for attacks in the West Bank, Blinken said at the time. Dozens of Palestinians were killed in the West Bank in the weeks immediately following the Hamas attack as settler violence intensified. An estimated 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Matt Miller, ”, ” Biden, “, “ we’re, Jennifer Hansler Organizations: Washington CNN, West Bank, CNN, Politico, White House, The State Department, ”, Bank Locations: United States, West, Gaza, Huwara, “, Israel, East, America

☆ Biden Orders Punitive Sanctions on 4 Israelis Accused in West Bank Attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Michael D. Shear | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Mr. Biden authorized the sanctions with an executive order that goes further than a directive issued in December by the State Department, which imposed visa bans on dozens of Israeli settlers who have committed acts of violence in the West Bank. They also will be prevented from traveling to the United States or engaging in any commerce with people in the United States. For Mr. Biden, the order served a dual purpose: It was a sharp diplomatic notice to Israel’s government at a time when the United States is pressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for restraint. American officials fear a recent surge in attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank could set off even wider violence, making an already combustible situation worse. But there are also deep tensions in the West Bank, a much larger area that Israel has occupied since 1967.

Persons: Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Jake Sullivan Organizations: West Bank, Arab, State Department, Hamas Locations: United States, Gaza, Israel, East

☆ The US, Russia and China are in a race to dominate new-wave nuclear energy — and win global influence
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Angela Dewan | Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Russia's floating nuclear power plant, Akademik Lomonosov, leaving the service base Rosatomflot on August 23, 2019. For some experts, nuclear energy — in all forms, large or small — has an important role to play in that transition. Globally, the construction of conventional nuclear power plants dipped following the Chernobyl meltdown in 1986. Russia has already built or designed nuclear plants — the traditional type — for China, India, Bangladesh, Turkey, Slovakia, Egypt and Iran. “It certainly dampens the excitement abroad,” said John Parsons, a senior lecturer at MIT and a financial economist focused on nuclear energy.

Persons: Akademik Lomonosov, Biden, Lomonosov, Maxim Shemetov, “ There’s, ”, Josh Freed, China —, Vladimir Putin’s, Bill Gates ’, Luo Yunfei, Kirsten Cutler, they’re, Cutler, ” Cutler, They’re, John Parsons, John Kerry, Thomas Mukoya, Way’s Freed, “, ” Parsons, Mohammed Hamdaoui, ” Hamdaoui, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Reuters, European Union, International Energy Agency, Energy, World Nuclear, IEA, US, SMR, US Export, Import Bank, International Development Finance Corporation, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, China, Changjiang, China News Service, Nuclear Energy, US State Department, “, MIT, InfluenceMap, The State Department, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, Rystad Energy Locations: Alaska, Russian, Russia, China, European, Japan, India, South Korea, Europe, Dubai, America, Poland, North Carolina, Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, Turkey, Slovakia, Egypt, Iran, Lomonosov, Siberia, Russia’s, Washington, Bill Gates ’ TerraPower, Wyoming, Changjiang Li Autonomous County, Hainan province, United States, Oregon, Idaho, United Arab Emirates

☆ State Dept Says US Actively Pursuing the Creation of a Palestinian State
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Simon Lewis and Humeyra PamukWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is actively pursuing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel and exploring options with partners in the region, the State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday. "We are actively pursuing the establishment as an independent Palestinian state, with real security guarantees for Israel, because we do believe that is the best way to bring about lasting peace and security for Israel, for Palestinians and for the region," Miller said. War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 ImagesAxios reported earlier on Wednesday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had asked the State Department to conduct a review and present policy options on possible U.S. and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron also told a group of UK lawmakers that the UK government and its allies "will look at the issue of recognizing a Palestinian state, including at the United Nations," the BBC reported on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is at odds with the Biden administration over the creation of an independent Palestinian state, saying at the weekend that he would not compromise on "full Israeli security control of all territory west of the Jordan River".

Persons: Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk, Matthew Miller, Joe Biden's, Miller, Antony Blinken, David Cameron, . Washington, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Israel, State Department, United, United Nations, BBC, U.S Locations: Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON, United States, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Gaza . British, ., Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Davos, Israeli

Presumptive Medicaid eligibility during pregnancy would be based on questions about income, asked by health care providers such as employees of county health departments. In Mississippi, Medicaid coverage for pregnant women 19 and older is based on income. Mississippi Medicaid coverage is available to all income levels for those who are pregnant and younger than 19. Democratic Rep. John Hines Sr. of Greenville said earlier eligibility for Medicaid coverage during pregnancy could help the state in recruiting OB-GYNs. In 2023, Mississippi extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from two months to a full year, with Republican Gov.

Persons: JACKSON, “, Missy McGee, McGee, John Hines Sr, Hines, Tate Reeves, Michael Goldberg Organizations: Medicaid, Mississippi, of Health, Democratic, OB, Senate, Republican Gov, Associated Press Locations: Miss, Mississippi, Hattiesburg, U.S, In Mississippi, Greenville, Louisiana

☆ Oklahoma teachers who mistakenly received $15,000 to $50,000 in bonuses are now being told to give it all back
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some teachers in Oklahoma are being told to return tens of thousands in bonuses they got by mistake. At least nine teachers received letters demanding they return bonuses of up to $50,000 each, nonprofit news organization Oklahoma Watch reported Thursday. The bonuses can be bigger if the teachers commit to a rural or poorer school, though the maximum is $50,000, per the state department website. This was the source of confusion for several teachers like Bojorquez, a teacher in Oklahoma last year but still received the money, Oklahoma Watch reported. A spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours by Business Insider.

Persons: they've, —, Kay Bojorquez, she'd, Kristina Stadelman, She's, It's, Ryan Walters, Walters, Bojorquez Organizations: Service, Oklahoma Watch, Associated Press, Oklahoman, Oklahoma State Education Department, Business Locations: Oklahoma

☆ John Podesta will take over for John Kerry as top US climate diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —John Podesta, a senior White House adviser focused on clean energy and climate, will take over as US climate diplomat after John Kerry steps down this spring, according to a source familiar with the move. Podesta first came to the Biden White House in September 2022, when he was tasked with implementing the climate measures in the Inflation Reduction Act. Podesta also previously served as a top climate adviser to former President Barack Obama, where he was involved both in domestic and international climate policy. Podesta will inherit a more favorable international climate landscape than Kerry did when he took the role in 2021. And Kerry prioritized restarting international climate talks between the US and China, after China abruptly halted cooperation over other geopolitical issues.

Persons: CNN — John Podesta, John Kerry, Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s, Biden, Barack Obama, integrally, Kerry, Jeff Zients, John Podesta, ” Zients, “ John, –, ” Kerry, ”, “, “ We’ve, Biden’s, John, “ He’s, Donald Trump, “ We’re Organizations: CNN, White, Democratic, White House, State Department, Biden White House, Obama, Dubai . White, COP28 Locations: Paris, Dubai ., Glasgow, Sharm el, Dubai, China

☆ Group of Democrats call on Blinken to provide answers on bypassing Congress to approve arms sales to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A group of 19 predominantly Democratic lawmakers is calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to provide answers about why he bypassed Congress last month to approve arms sales to Israel. The top US diplomat made two emergency determinations in December to immediately approve the transfer hundreds of millions of dollars in military equipment to Israel. In their letter, the lawmakers noted the rarity of administrations using emergency declarations to immediately approve arms sales without congressional approval. “Use of a national emergency waiver does not exempt the U.S. government from assessing whether arms sales are consistent with” those standards, they wrote. I would say that the process that the secretary followed and the process that we follow here at the State Department is the process that the law actually prescribed,” Miller said at a State Department briefing.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Joe Biden, Independent Sen, Bernie Sanders, Democratic Sens, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley, Peter Welch, James McGovern, Earl Blumenauer, Joaquin Castro, Judy Chu, Raúl, Pramila Jayapal, Barbara Lee, Betty McCollum, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Jill Tokuda, Maxine Waters, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Leahy, credibly, “ Israel, ”, ’, “, Matt Miller, ” Miller Organizations: CNN, UN, Independent, Democratic, State Department, Leahy, ”, Department Locations: Israel, Gaza, Hamas

☆ Frozen U.S. Spending for U.N. in Gaza Is Minimal, State Dept. Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

More than 99 percent of American dollars approved by Congress for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA, has been sent to the agency, the State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller, said on Tuesday. The State Department paused the money “temporarily” on Friday after accusations by Israel that a dozen UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, with some holding hostages within Gaza. At least 17 other donor nations have also suspended their funding to the agency, according to the group U.N. Watch. Human rights groups and progressive Democrats in Congress have denounced the move, saying that it will deprive innocent Palestinians of desperately needed aid. But Mr. Miller said the State Department had sent all but $300,000 of about $121 million budgeted for UNRWA to the agency, suggesting that the near-term effect of the U.S. action within Gaza will be minor.

Persons: Biden, Matthew Miller, “, Miller Organizations: State Department, Congress, United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA Locations: Gaza, Israel

☆ Is It Safe to Travel to the Bahamas? Here’s What You Need to Know.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Shannon Sims | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Drawn by clear turquoise waters and miles of white-sand beaches, around seven million travelers visit the Bahamas each year, but a new warning about increased violence on the island nation has raised alarm over the safety of visiting there. On Jan. 24, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, issued a security alert advising U.S. citizens “to be aware that 18 murders have occurred in Nassau since the beginning of 2024. On Jan. 26, the State Department issued a travel advisory increasing the Bahamas’ security risk assessment from Level 1 (“Exercise normal precautions”) to Level 2 (“Exercise increased caution”). Many tourism-reliant countries, including Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, currently have Level 2 warnings, and most travelers experience safe and enjoyable vacations. The tourism industry in the Bahamas contributes around 70 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, and employs half the country’s work force.

Persons: “ Organizations: U.S, Embassy, State Department, U.S . Department of Commerce Locations: Bahamas, Nassau, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic

☆ The US ramped up arms exports by more than 50% in 2023, cutting into Russia's own weapons trade: Politico
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US increased its arms exports by more than 50% in 2023, compared to 2022, while also damaging Russia's own defense trade, Politico reported . In a fact sheet citing the numbers, the Department of State specified that arms exports rose to $80.9 billion in 2023, a 55.9% increase from $51.9 billion in 2022. "We see that because Russia's defense industry is denied the resources that come from exports, that helps to contribute to Russian strategic failure on the battlefield," she said. Resnick cited a $1.8 billion arms deal that the US struck with India last year, and "real tough decisions" in Global South countries about abandoning Russian equipment. Since the early 2010s, Russian arms exports have declined in part due to China and India's efforts to ramp up their own domestic arms production, along with earlier Western sanctions packages meant to dissuade third countries from buying Russian weapons.

Persons: Mira Resnick, Resnick Organizations: Politico, NATO, Department of State, Reuters, State Department, Department's Office, Regional Security, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Moscow, India, Global South, Stockholm, China, Russia

☆ Bahamas travel warning updated amid violent crime wave
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Marnie Hunter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The US State Department on Friday posted a travel advisory update urging Americans to “exercise increased caution” in the Bahamas, citing crime. The State Department said Tuesday that the advisory level did not change in its January 26 update. In the travel advisory updated two days later, the State Department again urges travelers not to resist any robbery attempts and cautions against opening doors to strangers. The Bahamas isn’t the only Caribbean destination with an updated travel alert. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts,” the State Department advisory for Jamaica reads.

Persons: Philip “, ” Davis, “ Organizations: CNN, US State Department, State Department, Embassy, New Providence, Bahamian, Tribune, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Locations: Bahamas, New Providence, Nassau, Freeport, Providence, U.S, New, Jamaica

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