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☆ China rebukes US in phone call ahead of Blinken's planned Beijing trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to members of the media in the Treaty Room of the State Department in Washington, U.S., June 12, 2023. Qin told Blinken to respect China's core concerns, such as the Taiwan issue, in an effort to arrest declining relations between the superpowers, according to China's foreign ministry. The Chinese foreign ministry has yet to reveal information on Blinken's trip, but a U.S. official last Friday said Blinken would be in Beijing on June 18, giving no other details. Blinken cancelled a planned trip to Beijing in February over a suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew over the United States. The United States should "stop interfering in China's internal affairs, and stop harming China's sovereignty, security and development interests in the name of competition," Qin added.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Mandel Ngan, Qin Gang, Antony Blinken's, Qin, Blinken, Joe Biden's, Bernard Orr, John Geddie, Muralikumar Anantharaman Organizations: State Department, REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, Beijing, Taiwan, U.S, China, Washington's, Lincoln

[1/3] Paramedics display a dose of the opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan, or Naloxone Hydrochloride, in an ambulance in Peabody, Massachusetts, U.S., August 8, 2017. The figure is up 0.7% from 108,825 overdoses recorded in the 12-month period ending January 2022, according to U.S. data. The U.S. drug overdose death toll crossed the 100,000-mark for the first time in 2021, as the COVID pandemic disrupted medical care and increased mental health problems. U.S. drug overdose deaths rose 13.7% between January 2021 and January 2022 and by 31.4% in the prior 12 months at the height of the pandemic. But the surge in overdose deaths began before the pandemic took hold due to abuse of prescription opioid painkillers and illegal drugs like heroin.

Persons: Brian Snyder, Joe Biden's, Biden, Tom Britton, Stacey McKenna, McKenna, Nandhini Srinivasan, Khushi, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, American Addiction Centers, U.S, R Street Institute, D.C, CDC, Thomson Locations: Peabody , Massachusetts, U.S, China, Mexico, Washington, Bengaluru

[1/4] The motorcade former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Courthouse in Miami, Florida, June 13, 2023. Tuesday's appearance in Miami was on federal charges. Supporters wearing Make America Great Again hats and carrying American flags chanted "Miami for Trump" and "Latinos for Trump" as the motorcade paused outside the courthouse. The indictment of a former U.S. president on federal charges is unprecedented in American history. Trump accuses Democratic President Joe Biden of orchestrating the federal case to undermine his campaign.

Persons: Donald Trump, Wilkie, Ferguson Jr, Brendan Mcdermid MIAMI, Trump, Walt Nauta, Francis Suarez, Joe Biden's, Jack Smith, Smith, Nauta, Trump's, Vivek Ramaswamy, Aileen Cannon, Jonathan Goodman, Joe Biden, Biden, Rami Ayyub, Sarah N, Lynch, Susan Heavey, Julia Harte, Tyler Clifford, Doina Chiacu, Luc Cohen, Andy Sullivan, Howard Goller Organizations: United, REUTERS, Former U.S, Trump, Miami, Authorities, U.S . Capitol, Democratic, White, Mar, REPUBLICAN, LINE, TRUMP, Republican, Reuters, Trump's Republican, Thomson Locations: Miami , Florida, Former, Miami, New York, USA, Lago Florida, New Jersey, U.S, Esperanza

[1/3] People and members of the media gather outside The Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Courthouse, on the morning former U.S. President Trump is to appear there on classified document charges, in Miami, Florida, June 13, 2023. Several dozen protesters and journalists mingled outside the courthouse while helicopters hovered overhead. He called Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the prosecution, a "Trump hater" on social media on Tuesday. Outside the courthouse, a woman carried a sign reading, "I Stand With Trump." Legal experts say the evidence amounts to a strong case, and Smith has said Trump will have a "speedy" trial.

Persons: Wilkie D, Ferguson Jr, Trump, Marco Bello MIAMI, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Jack Smith, Trump's, Biden, Vivek Ramaswamy, Smith, Aileen Cannon, Jonathan Goodman, Joe Biden, Rami Ayyub, Sarah N, Lynch, Susan Heavey, Luc Cohen, Andy Sullivan, Howard Goller, Nick Zieminski Organizations: United, REUTERS, Trump, Security, Democratic, Republican, Reuters, U.S . Capitol, White, Thomson Locations: Miami , Florida, Miami, New York, New Jersey, Esperanza, Lago Florida

Here's what some Republican lawmakers are saying today about Trump:Sen. Lindsey Graham acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations of mishandling of classified documents laid out in the federal indictment of Donald Trump. Graham also invoked classified documents investigations into President Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Graham said he would continue to support Trump, but would not clarify if he'd keep supporting Trump should the former president be convicted. "I intend to support the president," Graham, adding he doesn't think the case will go to trial before the election. Sen. Eric Schmitt, a Republican from Missouri, attacked the Biden administration ahead of the arraignment of Trump this afternoon.

Persons: Steve Scalise, Francis Chung, Donald Trump, Sen, Lindsey Graham, Graham, Biden, Hillary Clinton, CNN's Manu Raju, Trump, Thom Tillis, “, ”, Tillis, Donald J, Chuck Grassley, ” Scalise, Scalise, Joe Biden's, Eric Schmitt, ” Trump, Schmitt, ” Schmitt Organizations: Republican, Trump, Presidential Records, Presidential, ”, United, Biden Locations: United States, Missouri, Trump

WASHINGTON, June 13 (Reuters) - The United States will extend deportation relief and work permits through 2025 for more than 300,000 immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal but will not expand the program to cover additional people, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Tuesday. Biden's Democratic administration is rescinding Trump's earlier decisions as part of the process of extending the relief for immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal. The latest decision by the Biden administration will allow TPS renewals for 239,000 Salvadorans who have resided in the U.S. since 2001. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua living in the U.S. illegally will not be covered by the TPS extension since they arrived after the cutoff dates. Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Mica Rosenberg, Aurora Ellis, Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Donald Trump, rescinding, Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden, Eric Adams, Ted Hesson, Mica Rosenberg, Aurora Ellis, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: U.S . Department of Homeland Security, TPS, Democratic, New York City, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: United States, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, U.S, Mexico, Washington

☆ US Senate leaders unveil $107 bln aviation policy bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, June 12 (Reuters) - Leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee on Monday introduced a bipartisan aviation policy bill that would boost runway safety, track high-altitude balloons and prohibit airlines from charging fees for families to sit together. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, a Democrat, top Republican Ted Cruz and the aviation subcommittee leaders -- Senators Tammy Duckworth and Jerry Moran -- proposed a $107 billion five-year Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill. The Senate bill "requires the FAA to increase runway safety by deploying the latest airport surface detection equipment and technologies." The Senate bill would ban family seating fees as does the House bill. The Senate bill would require refund request buttons at the top of their websites and double USDOT statutory civil penalties for aviation consumer violations from $25,000 to $50,000 per violation.

Persons: Maria Cantwell, Ted Cruz, Tammy Duckworth, Jerry Moran, Cantwell, Joe Biden's, Mark Kelly, David Shepardsond, Jonathan Oatis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Senate, Democrat, Aviation Administration, FAA, Washington National Airport, National Transportation Safety Board, Transportation Department, airline, Airlines for, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, U.S, Thomson Locations: Airlines for America

MEXICO CITY, June 12 (Reuters) - U.S. asylum appointments at a dangerous Texas-Mexico border crossing can no longer be scheduled via an online app following reports that migrants face extortion in Mexico. A website for the app, called CBP One, no longer lists Laredo as a city where asylum seekers can schedule appointments. Nuevo Laredo has long been notorious for widespread kidnapping and extortion of migrants. An advocate in Nuevo Laredo, who requested anonymity due to safety fears, said criminals have demanded as much as $500 per person. Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden, Daina Beth Solomon, Ted Hesson, Richard Chang Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Reuters, Nuevo, U.S . Customs, Border Protection, U.S, Associated Press, Strauss, University of Texas, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Texas, Mexico, Mexican, Nuevo Laredo, Laredo, U.S, Austin, Mexico City, Washington

☆ Factbox: Top US-China exchanges since Biden took office
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Below is a list of some of the other high level U.S.-China exchanges since then. FIRST TRADE TALKS - May 26, 2021U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and China's then Vice Premier Liu He held talks virtually, the first such high level trade talks between the world's two biggest economies since Biden took office. DIPLOMAT VISITS CHINA - July 26, 2021Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman held talks with State Councillor Wang Yi, in Tianjin, China. DEFENCE CHIEFS HOLD FIRST TALKS - April 20, 2022U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a call with China's then defence minister Wei Fenghe, the first talks between the two officials since Biden took office. BIDEN AND XI MEET IN BALI - November 14, 2022Biden and Xi held their long-awaited first face-to-face leadership talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, BIDEN, Biden, Xi Jinping, Xi, Jake Sullivan, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, Katherine Tai, China's, Liu, Wendy Sherman, SULLIVAN, YANG, Sullivan, Yang, Lloyd Austin, Wei Fenghe, WANG, Wang, Nancy Pelosi, HARRIS, Kamala Harris, Gina Raimondo, Wang Wentao, National Defense Li Shangfu, Li, Martin Quin Pollard, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: U.S, FIRST, National Security, . Trade, CHIEFS, . Defense, General Assembly, BIDEN, IN, Economic Cooperation APEC, CHINA COMMERCE, . Commerce, Commerce, Washington D.C, China's, National Defense, Pentagon, Austin, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Anchorage , Alaska, Blinken, CHINA, Tianjin, Taiwan, North Korea, ROME, Russia, Ukraine, Beijing, New York, IN BALI, Bali , Indonesia, BANGKOK, Asia, Thailand, MUNICH, Munich, WASHINGTON, Washington, Singapore

Jack Daniel's Properties Inc is owned by Louisville, Kentucky-based Brown-Forman Corp (BFb.N). The dispute pitted the whiskey brand's trademark rights against legal protections for creative expression - in this case a send-up by Phoenix-based VIP Products of Jack Daniel's Old No. Jack Daniel's spokesperson Svend Jansen said the company was pleased with the decision. "Jack Daniel's is a brand recognized for quality and craftsmanship, and when friends around the world see the label, they know it stands for something they can count on. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020 ruled in favor of VIP Products on two grounds.

Persons: Jack, Read, Jack Daniel's, Elena Kagan, Brown, Kagan, Svend Jansen, Jansen, Ginger Rogers, Ginger, Fred, Federico Fellini, Fred Astaire, Rogers, infringer, Joe Biden's, John Kruzel, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, VIP Products, Inc, Forman Corp, VIP, Rogers, New, Circuit, Appeals, Hollywood, Thomson Locations: Washington, WASHINGTON, Louisville , Kentucky, Phoenix, Tennessee, New York, San Francisco

He said the United States has had "real concerns" about China’s relationship with Cuba and was closely monitoring it. Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, a U.S. Defense Department spokesperson, said: "We are not aware of China and Cuba developing a new type of spy station." If such a facility is built, the Chinese will use Cuba "as a beachhead for collection against the United States," said Daniel Hoffman, a former senior CIA undercover officer. Cuba, an old Cold War foe of the United States, has long been a hotbed of espionage and spy games. It backed down and removed the missiles, but it is widely regarded as the moment when the United States and the Soviet Union came closest to a nuclear confrontation.

Persons: Fort Bragg, John Kirby, General Patrick Ryder, Jose Cabanas, Washington, Joe Biden's, Antony Blinken, Washington's, House's Kirby, Bob Menendez, ”, Daniel Hoffman, Biden, Vladimir Putin, Matt Spetalnick, Jonathan Landay, Doina Chiacu, Trevor Hunnicutt, David Brunnstrom, Patricia Zengerle, Dave Sherwood, Michael Martina, Kanishka Singh, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Nick Zieminski, Alistair Bell, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Wall Street, White House, Pentagon, U.S, U.S . Central Command, Tampa . Fort Liberty, Fort, White House National Security Council, Reuters, U.S . Defense Department, Embassy, Senate Foreign Relations, CIA, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Cuban, Moscow, Soviet Union, Thomson Locations: China, Cuba, Florida, Beijing, U.S, Tampa . Fort, North Carolina, United States, Washington, Cuban, America's, Coast, South, Taiwan, South China, Havana, Soviet, Lourdes, Russian

The lower court ordered Alabama to configure a second House district where Black voters could hold a majority or close to it. Conservative states and groups had previously succeeded in prodding the Supreme Court to limit the Voting Rights Act's scope. In the ruling on Thursday, two consolidated cases before the Supreme Court involved challenges brought by Black voters and advocacy groups accusing the state of violating Section 2. Alabama then appealed to the Supreme Court. In a major 2019 ruling, the Supreme Court barred federal judges from curbing the practice, known as partisan gerrymandering.

Persons: Michael A, McCoy, John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Roberts, Abha Khanna, Khanna, Joe Biden's, John Kruzel, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: Selma Fire, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, U.S, Supreme, Black, Republican, Supreme Court, . House, Conservative, Republicans, U.S . House, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Selma, Selma , Alabama, U.S, Alabama, Black, Arizona, Constitution's, Washington

[1/6] U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken looks on, as he attends a joint press conference with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 8, 2023. "And we’re also collaborating with countries in the region to widen and deepen the normalisation of relations with Israel." Saudi Arabia went the other way in April in restoring ties with Iran, its key regional rival and Israel's arch-enemy, in a Chinese-brokered deal. Other rows have simmered over the Saudi intervention in Yemen's devastating conflict, China ties and oil prices. Saudi Arabia and other OPEC states say the organisation is not politicised and only seeks to stabilise energy markets.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Faisal Bin Farhan, Ahmed Yosri, Jake Sullivan, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Karim Benzema, Blinken, we’re, Aziz Alghashian, Joe Biden's, Alghashian, Biden, Jamal Khashoggi, Blinken's, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Vladimir Putin, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Humeyra Pamuk, Maha El, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Saudi Foreign, Intercontinental, REUTERS, U.S, Saudi, White House, Crown, Gulf Cooperation Council, Al, Blinken, MbS, GCC, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Israel RIYADH, U.S, Iran, Washington's, Al, French, Jeddah, Al Ittihad, Yemen, Sudan, Israel, East, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Gulf, Israeli, Russia, China, Istanbul, OPEC, Ukraine

Section 1983 gives people the power to sue in federal court when state officials violate their constitutional or statutory rights. In a 2019 lawsuit, his wife, Ivanka Talevski, said Talevski was subjected to harmful psychotropic drugs and unlawfully transferred to an all-male facility. A law called the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act places limits the use of physical or chemical restraints and on transferring patients. President Joe Biden's administration had urged the justices to reject a broad limitation on lawsuits pursued under Section 1983. Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Additional reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ketanji Brown Jackson, Gorgi, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Ivanka Talevski, Talevski, Joe Biden's, Nate Raymond, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Indiana, Health, Hospital Corp, Ku Klux Klan, Americans, Conservative, Valparaiso Care, Rehabilitation, Health and Hospital Corp, Federal Nursing Home, Thomson Locations: Indiana, Marion County, Valparaiso, Boston

☆ Iran presents its first hypersonic ballistic missile, state media reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, June 6 (Reuters) - Iran presented what officials described as its first domestically-made hypersonic ballistic missile on Tuesday, the official IRNA news agency reported, an announcement likely to heighten Western concerns about Tehran's missile capabilities. "The precision-guided Fattah hypersonic missile has a range of 1,400 km and it is capable of penetrating all defence shields," Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards' aerospace force, was quoted as saying by Iranian state media. Last year, the Islamic Republic said it had built a hypersonic ballistic missile which can manoeuvre in and out of the atmosphere. "It can bypass the most advanced anti-ballistic missile systems of the United States and the Zionist regime, including Israel's Iron Dome," Iran's state TV said. Despite U.S. and European opposition, the Islamic Republic has said it will further develop its defensive missile programme.

Persons: Ebrahim Rahisi, Donald Trump's, Trump, Joe Biden's, Parisa, Andrew Heavens, Angus MacSwan, Christina Fincher Organizations: Revolutionary Guards Corps, Guards, Zionist, U.S, Trump reimposed, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iran, Republic, United States, Islamic Republic, Tehran, U.S, Israel

Statements from Washington and Beijing on meetings between Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Chinese officials including Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu were positive, describing the talks as candid and productive. But critics have questioned U.S. overtures to China, arguing that past decades of engagement have failed to change Beijing's behaviour. "We're working hard to manage the relationship as best as we possibly can," said Kritenbrink, when asked by reporters in Beijing on Tuesday about the current state of bilateral ties. Asked if Blinken would visit China soon, Kritenbrink said: "We'll see, I have nothing to announce." Reporting by Ryan Woo and Ella Cao; Editing by Kim Coghill and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Daniel Kritenbrink, Ma Zhaoxu, Kritenbrink, Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden's, Antony Blinken, Washington, Blinken, Biden, Xi Jinping, Ryan Woo, Ella Cao, Kim Coghill, Michael Perry Organizations: U.S, East Asian, Pacific Affairs, Foreign, U.S ., . Defense, U.S . State Department, ., Global Times, Economic Cooperation, APEC, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Beijing, Washington, U.S, Chinese, Taiwan, South China, United States, Asia, San Francisco

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - The White House said on Monday recent dangerous encounters between U.S. and Chinese forces in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea reflect a growing aggressiveness by Beijing's military that raises the risk of an error in which "somebody gets hurt." It also follows a May 26 incident in which a Chinese fighter jet carried out what the United States called an "unnecessarily aggressive" maneuver near an American military plane over the South China Sea in international airspace. "Sadly, this is just part of, again, a growing aggressiveness by the PRC (People's Republic of China) that we're dealing with, and we're prepared to address it," White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters amid deteriorating ties between Washington and Beijing. In Beijing, Wang Wenbin, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said that "the measures taken by the Chinese military are completely reasonable, legitimate, and professional and safe." Kirby said the United States would continue to stand up for the freedom of navigation in the air and sea.

Persons: we're, John Kirby, Kirby, Wang Wenbin, Heck, it's, Vedant Patel, Joe Biden's, Biden, Patel, Chung, Hoon, Wang, Derek Grossman, Andrea Shalal, Daphne Psaledakis, Matt Spetalnick, Jasper Ward, Will Dunham Organizations: PRC, People's, American, U.S . State Department, Montreal, U.S . Navy, RAND Corporation, Thomson Locations: Taiwan Strait, South China, U.S, Taiwan, Ukraine, United States, American, South, People's Republic of China, Washington, Beijing, China, Canadian, Hainan, Jasper

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged continued U.S. commitment to both Israel's security and a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict on Monday, but said the expansion of Jewish settlements would be an obstacle to peace. "Settlement expansion clearly presents an obstacle to the horizon of hope that we seek," Blinken said to muted response from the audience. They also undermine the basic daily dignity to which all people are entitled," Blinken added. "The United States has a real national security interest in promoting normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia," Blinken added. Reporting by Simon Lewis and Doina Chiacu; editing by Rami Ayyub, Bernadette Baum and Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Joe Biden's, Israel's, Simon Lewis, Doina, Rami Ayyub, Bernadette Baum, Will Dunham Organizations: Israel, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Israel, Jerusalem, Israel's, Washington, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United States

House Republicans wanted to add work requirements for some American adults receiving Medicaid, but the debt ceiling bill doesn't include them. Currently: There is no federal work requirement. Former President Donald Trump's administration granted waivers to several states to impose such a mandate on certain enrollees. Unchanged: There is no federal work requirement. But states would have picked up the full tab for about 900,000 of them, leaving around 600,000 uninsured.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Joe Biden's Organizations: Republicans, Congressional Locations: Georgia

☆ House lawmakers urge US to rally allies over China Micron ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The move came a day after leaders of the G7 industrial democracies agreed to new initiatives to push back against Chinese economic coercion. McCaul and Gallagher urged Raimondo to work with Japan and South Korea to ensure that companies from those countries "do not take market share lost to the ban and undercut Micron." The lawmakers added that China "lashed out with an arbitrary economic embargo against one American company. Raimondo on Saturday said the United States will not tolerate China's action and is working closely with allies to address such "economic coercion." Reuters has reported Gallagher previously urged Raimondo to put trade curbs on Changxin Memory after Beijing's actions against Micron.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Michael McCaul, Mike Gallagher, Gina Raimondo, Gallagher, Raimondo, Saturday, McCaul, David Shepardson, Will Dunham Organizations: Micron Technology, Foreign Affairs Committee, Chinese Communist Party, . Commerce, Micron, Commerce Department, Embassy, Technologies, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Japan, South Korea, China, Washington, Beijing, United States, People's Republic of China, U.S

WASHINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) - CIA director William Burns visited China last month for talks with Chinese counterparts, two U.S. officials said on Friday as Washington seeks to boost communications with Beijing. Burns, a veteran U.S. diplomat before leading the CIA, has made dozens of sensitive overseas trips as head of the agency, including to hold talks with Russian counterparts, as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan. The CIA, which does not regularly announce such visits, declined to comment on the China trip. Ties between the world's two largest economies are strained over issues ranging from Taiwan and China's human rights record to military activity in the South China Sea. "That's why we're also ready to engage China without preconditions, helping ensure that competition is managed, and that competition does not veer into conflict," Sullivan said.

Persons: William Burns, Burns, Joe Biden's, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Gina Raimondo, Biden, Lloyd Austin, National Defense Li Shangfu, Li, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, we're, Wang Yi, Michael Martina, Jonathan Landay, David Brunnstrom, Susan Heavey, Tim Ahmann, Alistair Bell, Matthew Lewis, Don Durfee Organizations: CIA, Washington, Reuters, Financial Times, Russian, Blinken, U.S . Defense, China's, National Defense, Pentagon, White House, People's, Arms Control, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, Washington, Afghanistan, U.S, Taiwan, South China, . U.S, Singapore, Austin, People's Republic of China, Vienna

WASHINGTON, June 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday gave a boost to whistleblowers in their bid to revive lawsuits accusing pharmacy operators of knowingly overbilling government health insurance programs for prescription drugs at taxpayers' expense. Whistleblower advocacy groups as well as a number of states had said a Supreme Court ruling against the whistleblowers would make it easier for fraudsters to evade accountability for filing false claims to the government and risked undermining state-administered Medicaid programs. They also said both companies knew they were defrauding the government and worked to conceal their pricing practices. President Joe Biden's administration backed the whistleblowers in their appeal to the Supreme Court. Lawyers for the administration urged the justices to reverse the 7th Circuit, saying the ruling undermined the False Claims Act.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Thomas Proctor, Tracy Schutte, Michael Yarberry, SuperValu, Joe Biden's, John Kruzel, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Safeway Inc, Albertsons Companies Inc, SuperValu Inc, United Natural Foods Inc, Government, Conservative, Safeway, Circuit, Lawyers, Thomson Locations: Chicago

Glacier Northwest is a unit of Japan-based Taiheiyo Cement Corp. (5233.T)Glacier Northwest filed a lawsuit in Washington state court accusing the union of intentional property destruction during a 2017 strike. The Washington state Supreme Court in 2021 ruled that the company's claims were preempted by a statute called the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), saying the company's loss of concrete was incidental to a strike that could be considered arguably protected under federal labor law. The Supreme Court, with its 6-3 conservative majority, has leaned toward curbing the power of labor unions in rulings in recent years. Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said the Supreme Court had "again voted in favor of corporations over working people." While the Supreme Court has found that labor unions can be sued in state court for violent or threatening conduct, the union had argued, this narrow exception should not be expanded to permit property damage claims brought under state law.

Persons: Amy Coney Barrett, Barrett, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Noel Francisco, Sean O'Brien, O'Brien, Joe Biden's, John Kruzel, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Glacier Northwest Inc, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, National Labor Relations, Taiheiyo Cement Corp, Conservative, Liberal, Teamsters, Thomson Locations: Washington, Japan, California

[1/3] A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet ( C foreground) is seen between U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II fighter jets at Incirlik airbase in the southern city of Adana, Turkey, December 11, 2015. "Now what's important is how does Erdogan want to move into the future with Turkey. NATO member Turkey requested in October 2021 to buy $20 billion of Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernization kits for its existing warplanes. President Joe Biden's administration has said it supports the sale and has been in touch for months with Congress to win its approval. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Turkey on Tuesday to immediately finalize Sweden's accession to NATO, and rejected the suggestion that the Biden administration is linking Turkey's approval of Sweden's NATO accession to the F-16 sale.

Persons: Bektas, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, he's, Bob Menendez, we've, I've, Menendez, Joe Biden's, Biden, Washington, Sweden's, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Patricia Zengerle, Stephen Coates Organizations: Turkish Air Force, . Air Force, REUTERS, NATO, Senate Foreign Relations, Turkey, Lockheed Martin Corp, House Foreign, Thomson Locations: Adana, Turkey, Bektas WASHINGTON, Turkish, Sweden, Ankara

May 31 (Reuters) - American Airlines Group (AAL.O) will appeal a U.S. court decision requiring it to end an alliance with JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O), American CEO Robert Isom said on Wednesday. "We've got a legal system that allows for appeal, and we're going to do that," Isom told the Bernstein Conference. American is the largest U.S. airline by fleet size and low-cost carrier JetBlue is the sixth largest. Even as the Texas-based carrier prepares to appeal the ruling, Isom said it will have to work with the Justice Department and JetBlue to figure out what it does in the interim. American, which reiterated its full-year profit forecast Wednesday, doesn't expect the court ruling to have a material impact on its earnings.

Persons: Robert Isom, Leo Sorokin, We've, Isom, Sorokin, Joe Biden's, doesn't, Rajesh Kumar Singh, David Shepardson, Diane Bartz, Deepa Babington, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: American Airlines Group, JetBlue Airways Corp, . U.S, District, Bernstein Conference, JetBlue, U.S . Justice Department, U.S, Justice Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, American, ., Boston, New York, Texas, Chicago, Washington

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