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☆ Niger response: 'Washington has to thread a very difficult needle'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The United States and its Western allies are faced with a difficult conundrum as they navigate potential responses to the military takeover in Niger if democratic rule is not restored. Experts told CNN that punitive measures could push Niger toward Russian mercenary groups like Wagner and away from its partners in the West. US officials have said there are no indications that the organization was involved in the military takeover. We don’t really know who this new general is” who has seized power, she told CNN. Felbab-Brown told CNN that Prigozhin is trying to “personally” take advantage, given his “precarious” place following his failed revolt.

Persons: Biden, Vedant Patel, John Kirby, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ”, Cameron Hudson, ‘, Antony Blinken, Vanda Felbab, Brown, Bob Menendez, Jim Risch, Kirby, Mohamed Bazoum, Gen, Abdourahamane Tiani, Bazoum, “, ” Hudson, Kamissa Camara, Camara, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, We’re, ” Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, “ It’s, Prigozhin, Putin, shouldn’t, ” Kirby, Blinken, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Kamala Harris, Bola Tinubu, African Affairs Molly Phee, Hassoumi Massoudou, Mahamadou Issoufou “, Patel Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Nigerien, State Department, National Security Council, Experts, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Central African, West, Brookings, Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, US Institute of Peace, Russian Foreign Ministry, African Union, Economic, West African States, United Nations, African Affairs, Nigerien Foreign, ” State Department Locations: United States, Niger, Russian, Africa, “ Washington, Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Niamey, “, Hudson, Russia, St . Petersburg, Moscow, Sudan, New Zealand, Nigeria

Long before moving into the White House, President Biden compared the relationship between the United States and Israel to that of close friends. For months, Mr. Biden refused to invite Mr. Netanyahu to Washington, which prevented at least some meetings between lower-level officials. Despite recognizing Israel, Mr. Truman refused to sell the new state offensive arms, as did his two successors. Mr. Biden’s relationship with Mr. Netanyahu has been scratchy going back years. “I don’t think the Jewish American community needs to be overly involved in this,” she said.

Persons: Long, Biden, “, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Nathan J, Diament, Isaac Herzog, Robert B, Harry S, Truman, —, Israel —, Israel, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, State James A, Baker, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald J, Trump, Mr, “ Bibi, Biden’s, Netanyahu’s, Kamala Harris, ” —, Eli Cohen, Yair Lapid, Netanyahu “, Satloff, Thomas L, Friedman, Jake Sullivan, “ It’s, ” Mr, Sullivan, Chris Coons, James E, Diana Fersko, Rabbi Fersko Organizations: Israel, Orthodox Union, American Orthodox, Democratic, Washington Institute for Near East, State, State Department, Mr, New York Times, Aspen Security, Republican, Foreign Relations, Jewish, American Jewish, American Locations: United States, Israel, Washington, American, U.S, Egypt, Suez, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Manhattan

Long before moving into the White House, President Biden compared the relationship between the United States and Israel to that of close friends. For months, Mr. Biden refused to invite Mr. Netanyahu to Washington, which prevented at least some meetings between lower-level officials. Despite recognizing Israel, Mr. Truman refused to sell the new state offensive arms, as did his two successors. Mr. Biden urged Mr. Netanyahu “not to rush” his changes and “to seek the broadest possible consensus here.”Aides insist Mr. Biden is not trying to engineer a specific outcome in an ally’s internal politics. “I don’t think the Jewish American community needs to be overly involved in this,” she said.

Persons: Long, Biden, “, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Nathan J, Diament, Isaac Herzog, Robert B, Harry S, Truman, —, Israel —, Israel, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, State James A, Baker, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald J, Trump, Mr, “ Bibi, Biden’s, Netanyahu’s, Kamala Harris, ” —, Eli Cohen, Yair Lapid, Netanyahu “, Satloff, Thomas L, Friedman, . Biden, Jake Sullivan, “ It’s, ” Mr, Sullivan, Chris Coons, James E, Diana Fersko, Rabbi Fersko Organizations: Israel, Orthodox Union, American Orthodox, Democratic, Washington Institute for Near East, State, State Department, Mr, New York Times, Aspen Security, Republican, Foreign Relations, Jewish, American Jewish, American Locations: United States, Israel, Washington, American, U.S, Egypt, Suez, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Manhattan

☆ NATO unity will be tested at upcoming summit. Ukraine's possible entry may be the biggest challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Patriot long-range air defence systems of the German Bundeswehr armed forces are deployed at Vilnius Airport ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 7, 2023. "I don't think it's ready for membership in NATO," President Joe Biden told CNN in an interview airing Sunday. More than two-thirds of alliance members have banned the weapon because it has a track record for causing many civilian casualties. As for Ukraine's possible entry into NATO, the alliance said in 2008 that Kyiv eventually would become a member. "That's an issue that will cause tension and dissent, and that's not what the Vilnius summit is all about," he said.

Persons: NATO's, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Douglas Lute, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Lute, Mitch McConnell, Putin, Daniel Fried, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finland, Erdogan, It's, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Max Bergmann, They've, Bergmann, Viktor Orban, Idaho Sen, Jim Risch, aren't, Risch, I'm, we've, Jens Stoltenberg, who's, Mette Frederiksen, Stoltenberg, Rasmussen, Skip Davis, that's Organizations: German Bundeswehr, Vilnius Airport, NATO Summit, NATO, CNN, Republican, Kentucky, Associated Press, Putin, Atlantic Council, Ukraine, State Department, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Senate Foreign Relations, Danish, Center for Locations: German, Vilnius, Lithuania, Russian, Ukraine, Sweden, Eastern Europe, United States, Israel, Moscow, Finland, U.S, Russia, Kyiv, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Stockholm, Idaho, Hungary, Baltic, Norwegian, Danish

☆ Here's why Ukraine needs the US Army Tactical Missile System to win the 'deep battle' against Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US is considering providing ATACMS to Ukraine, according to a WSJ report. Kyiv has long sought ballistic missiles, which could strike targets far beyond the front lines. Kyiv has long been asking the US for the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, which has a range of about 190 miles and could be used to strike Russian targets far beyond the front lines, including Crimea. "ATACMS is a long-range guided missile that gives operational commanders the immediate firepower to win the deep battle," says its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution last week calling for ATACMS to be sent to Ukraine immediately.

Persons: Biden, Ben Hodges, Sergei Shoigu, Hodges, Lockheed Martin, Putin, ATACMS, Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Brendan Smialowski, Abrams, James Risch Organizations: Kyiv, Washington DC, Service, Wall Street, Army Tactical Missile, Army, Russian, The Telegraph, British Storm Shadow, US High Mobility Artillery, Lockheed, Black, White, Getty, Politico, US, Pentagon, Foreign Affairs, GOP, Reuters Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Crimea, Army Europe, Kherson, Kerch, Russia, Ukrainian, Odesa, Sevastopol, Washington , DC, Washington

☆ The US is close to approving the supply of ATACMS to Ukraine, a report said. Here's why Kyiv need them to win the 'deep battle.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The US is considering providing ATACMS to Ukraine, according to a WSJ report. Kyiv has long sought its ballistic missiles, which could strike targets far beyond the front lines. "ATACMS is a long-range guided missile that gives operational commanders the immediate firepower to win the deep battle," says its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. The Pentagon said on Thursday that it was not aware of any imminent decision to send ATACMS to Ukraine following the Wall Street Journal report, per Reuters. However, US and European officials say that behind the scenes, the tone in Washington has recently shifted, and there appears to be a greater appetite to send Ukraine more advanced weapons, per the Journal report.

Persons: Biden, —, Sergei Shoigu, HIMARS, Ben Wallace, Lockheed Martin, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Brendan Smialowski, ATACMS, Abrams, James Risch, General Kyrylo Budanov Organizations: Kyiv, Washington DC, Service, Wall Street Journal, Army Tactical Missile, Russian, The Telegraph, British Storm Shadow, US High Mobility Artillery, Lockheed, White, Getty, Politico, US, Pentagon, Foreign Affairs, Reuters, Military Intelligence Locations: Ukraine, Crimea, Kherson, Kerch, Russia, Washington , DC, Washington

☆ New Senate legislation seeks to revise national labor law, targeting port union workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The legislation, sponsored by Idaho Republican Senator Jim Risch, would amend the National Labor Relations Act and the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 to deter labor slowdowns and prohibit labor organizations from blocking the modernization of ports. It estimated a more widespread strike along the West Coast could cost approximately $1 billion per day. The recent union workers slowdowns impacted key transportation operations, including truckers, the freight rails and ocean vessels. As a result of the slowdowns, $5.2 billion in cargo was stuck off the West Coast ports. "The PLUS Act takes the important step of making intentional labor slowdowns an unfair labor practice.

Persons: slowdowns, Jim Risch, Ted Budd, Mike Crapo, Biden's, Julie Su, Risch, Biden, AB5, Budd, Crapo Organizations: Warehouse Union, Senate, Idaho Republican, National Labor Relations, Labor Management Relations, Pacific Maritime Association, U.S . Chamber, Commerce, Union Pacific, CNBC, Labor, California Labor, Workforce Agency, Capitol, Big Labor Locations: West Coast, West, Idaho, U.S, Los Angeles, Long, Port, Seattle, United States, North

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress introduced legislation on Thursday that would make it easier for Ukraine to fund its fight against Russian invaders by using seized and frozen Russian assets. The U.S. Congress has approved more than $100 billion in military, humanitarian and economic aid for Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. It also would bar the release of funds to sanctioned Russian entities until Russia withdraws from Ukraine and agrees to provide compensation for harm caused by the war. The bill's other Republican sponsors include Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Representatives Joe Wilson, Thomas Kean and Brian Fitzpatrick. Democratic sponsors include Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Marcy Kaptur, a co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, as well as Representatives Steve Cohen and Mike Quigley.

Persons: Jim Risch, Michael McCaul, Joe Wilson, Thomas Kean, Brian Fitzpatrick, Sheldon Whitehouse, Marcy Kaptur, Steve Cohen, Mike Quigley, Patricia Zengerle, William Maclean Organizations: Republican, Democratic, U.S . Congress, U.S, Congress, Moscow, Senate Foreign Relations, Opportunity, House Foreign Affairs, Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, United States

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

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

☆ Bombing of herders highlights deadly air attacks by Nigerian military
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +19 min

The letter said the Nigerian Air Force is committed to human rights and “further deliberations” on the issue, according to the report. “The absence of details raises the question of whether the air force carried out the air strike based on mere suspicion,” Human Rights Watch said. The U.S. State Department and the Pentagon had no immediate comment about the airstrike or the U.S. relationship with the Nigerian Air Force. Before now, neither the Nigerian government nor the military had provided any public explanation for what happened on Jan. 24. ACLED data show Nigerian Air Force strikes continued to claim the lives of noncombatants, inside and outside the northeast.

Persons: Ibrahim Muazu, “, ACLED, D.D, Pwajok, ”, Sara Jacobs, herdsmen, Oladayo Amao, Amao, “ miscreants, Muhammadu Buhari, Bola Tinubu, Jan, Muazu, Lamido, Nigeria’s, Sanusi, Buhari, Rand Paul, Cory Booker, Rex Tillerson, Lai Mohammed, Jacobs, Jim Risch, Chris Smith, Antony Blinken, Biden, Risch, brazenly “, ” Abubakar Bello Rukubi, ” “, Yemi Osinbajo, cc’d, Samuel Ortom, herder, ” Muazu, Humeyra Pamuk, Daphne Psaledakis, Idrees Ali, Jarrett Renshaw, David Lewis, Reade Levinson, Simon Newman, Catherine Tai Design, Eve Watling, Julie Marquis, Alexandra Zavis Organizations: herder, Reuters, Air Force, Nigerian Air Force, Human Rights Watch, Air, Rights Watch, Ministry of Defence, Nigerian Air, House Foreign Affairs, ” Reuters, ACLED, Planet Labs PBC, U.S . State Department, Pentagon, ”, Muazu, Congress, San Frontieres, Republican, Punch, UK, Nigeria –, Systems, U.S, Super, International, Development, Rights Initiative, Benue State Livestock Guards, Human Rights, Daily Trust, Nigeria’s Locations: Nigerian, Nasarawa, Akwanaja, United States, U.S, Nigeria, California, Kano, Rann, Cameroonian, Zamfara, “, Benue, ” Benue, London, Makurdi, Naka, Washington, Philadelphia

☆ Liechtenstein to allow payment for certain state services in Bitcoin - Handelsblatt
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 8 (Reuters) - Liechtenstein plans to allow Bitcoin payments for certain state services, Prime Minister Daniel Risch told the German business daily Handelsblatt in an interview. "A payment option with Bitcoin is coming," Risch said in the interview on Sunday, without giving a specific timeframe. Risch, who is also Liechtenstein's finance minister, said the country plans to accept deposits in Bitcoin and immediately exchange them for the Swiss franc, the national currency. The prime minister said there was no plan for any big risks with state money but added he was open to investing state reserves in Bitcoin in the future. The state's reserves, which are primarily invested in the capital market, currently amount to 2.23 billion Swiss francs, ($2.51 billion), Handelsblatt reported, citing the finance ministry.

Florida lawmakers sent DeSantis a bill that would let him stay governor while running for president. "I don't think we have seen a six-month stretch that has ever been this productive in the history of our state," DeSantis said at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee on Friday. Should DeSantis be successful in a presidential run, he would follow in the footsteps of Democrat Bill Clinton and Republican George W. Bush. Ron DeSantis speaks during an election night watch party at the Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, on November 8, 2022. During a press conference in Panama City, Florida, on Thursday, DeSantis continued to play coy about his intentions.

CNN —The violence that has exploded in Sudan as the country’s two top generals grapple for power has unfolded at a terrifying, breakneck speed. Hemedti uses this discourse as a bloody shirt to maintain his influence and military forces for future use,” Fareid said. Marwan Ali/APFrom a subclan of the Mahariya Rizeigat tribe, nomadic people that herded camels in Darfur, Hemedti got his start as a commander of the Janjaweed. Unlike Sudan’s former dictator, Hemedti has not faced charges from the International Criminal Court. The general’s shared sense of impunity was underlined in October 2021, when they staged a coup, arresting Hamdok and his cabinet.

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - British pop star Elton John urged U.S. senators on Wednesday not to ease up on the fight against HIV and AIDS, as Congress faces a September deadline for reauthorizing the multi-billion-dollar U.S. program to fight the disease. Congress must reauthorize PEPFAR for another five years before Sept. 30. REUTERS/Anna GordonA set amount has not been set for the reauthorization, but Congress typically has approved $6.5 billion to $6.9 billion for PEPFAR each year. Global AIDS Coordinator John Nkengasong told the committee PEPFAR has saved 25 million lives and created health networks that have helped fight outbreaks of Ebola and the COVID-19 pandemic. "I urge my colleagues to join me in working to reauthorize PEPFAR without delay and without new mandates and directives," said Senator Jim Risch, the panel's top Republican.

☆ Josh Hawley splits Senate GOP over 'duplicative' idea to create a new office tracking US aid to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Senate rejected a bill from Josh Hawley to establish a new office to oversee Ukraine aid. Many Republicans said they were confident in the Biden administration's aid tracking efforts. "We already have a very extensive operation to oversee spending in Ukraine," said Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah. Hawley's bill did win over at least one Republican who's a vocal supporter of aiding Ukraine: Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. The underlying AUMF repeal bill, which is backed by a large bipartisan majority of senators and has been endorsed by the White House, is expected to pass the Senate on Wednesday.

☆ 'Hotel Rwanda' figure Rusesabagina to be freed from prison -Rwanda government
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Philbert Girinema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The announcement of his release follows intense diplomacy by the United States, where Rusesabagina has permanent residency rights. "This is the result of a shared desire to reset US-Rwanda relationship," Stephanie Nyombayire, spokesperson of Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, wrote on Twitter. Rusesabagina was sentenced in Sept. 2021 over his ties to an organization opposed to Kagame's rule. "If any individual benefiting from early release repeats offences of a similar nature, the commutation can be revoked and the remainder of the prison sentence will be served," Rwanda's justice ministry said. In a handwritten letter to Kagame released by the justice ministry, Nsabimana said he had apologised to all Rwandans and especially those affected by attacks by FLN fighters.

☆ Republican lawmakers press Biden to send cluster bombs to Ukraine -letter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - Four Republican members of Congress urged U.S. President Joe Biden to send cluster munitions to Ukraine, alleging in a Tuesday letter to the White House that the administration fears doing so would be seen as an escalation by Russia. Kyiv had urged members of Congress to press the White House to approve sending the weapons. The letter criticized Biden for "reluctance to provide Ukraine the right type and amount of long-range fires and maneuver capability to create" a breakthrough against Russian forces. It urged Biden to send the Dual-Purpose Conventional Improved Munitions (DPICM) found in several types of U.S. munitions, including 155 millimeter artillery, GMLRS and ATACMS. Cluster munitions, banned by more than 120 countries, normally release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area, threatening civilians.

☆ Dozens of Senate Republicans oppose overturning the law that made the disastrous 2003 Iraq invasion possible
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Bryan Metzger | John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Senate began the process on Thursday to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Iraq War AUMFs. "It should be easy to remove," quipped Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a supporter of repeal. "I don't want to do anything that reduces the President's ability to kill somebody like Soleimani," said Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida. For Sen. Paul, repealing the Iraq War AUMFs — which he called "symbolic" — isn't going far enough. The 2001 AUMF opened the door for the invasion of Afghanistan, launching the longest war in US history.

WASHINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - Forty of the 100 U.S. senators co-sponsored a resolution on Wednesday urging a strong U.S. government response to any Chinese efforts to clamp down on dissent in Hong Kong, including the use of sanctions and other tools. The resolution is non-binding, but is intended to convey a strong sense that lawmakers are closely watching events in China and will respond. China imposed a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 outlawing acts including subversion with up to life in prison. The law has been criticized by some Western governments as a tool to crush dissent, but the Chinese and Hong Kong governments say it has restored stability to the city after protracted pro-democracy protests in 2019. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ US would handle an extradition request for Brazil's Bolsonaro 'expeditiously' - official
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. official declined on Wednesday at a Senate hearing to comment on the status in the United States of former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, but said any such request from Brazil would be handled "expeditiously." Speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the future of relations with Brazil, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols said: "We would handle any request from the Brazilian government expeditiously." Committee Chairman Robert Menendez said Bolsonaro "continues to spew disinformation about Brazil's election" from Florida. The United States is expected to join the multilateral Amazon Fund to help sustainability projects in the Amazon. Following Lula's visit to Washington, the U.S government plans to make an initial donation of $50 million to the fund.

☆ A Senate hearing on drug trafficking shows how meaningless the world 'cartel' has become
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Steven Dudley | Insight Crime | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

During a recent Senate hearing on fentanyl trafficking, lawmakers and officials used the word "cartel" 90 times. InSight Crime analysisA Sinaloa Cartel leadership chart from November 2015 with "El Chapo" Guzmán and two of his sons, Ivan Archivaldo and Jesus Alfredo. The Sinaloa Cartel, for instance, has at least three major poles of power, each of which is controlled by different leaders. Sinaloa cartel chief Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman arrives in New York after his extradition in January 2017. Milgram, for instance, pointed to the DEA's laser focus on the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG as the path to success.

☆ Senators urge halt to Chinese carriers overflying Russia on U.S. flights
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Al Drago/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoFeb 23 (Reuters) - The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the committee's top Republican urged the Biden administration to halt Chinese airlines and other non-American carriers from flying over Russia on U.S. routes. U.S. airlines and other foreign carriers are barred from flying over Russia. Russia banned airlines from the United States from overflights after the U.S. barred Russia flights in March 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine. U.S. air carriers currently serve Shanghai from the United States through a stop in Incheon, South Korea, while Chinese carriers serve the United States directly, flying through Russian airspace. The senators want the Biden administration to prohibit U.S. government personnel on official travel from taking flights known to use Russian airspace.

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

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

☆ Elderly senators have mixed feelings about Nikki Haley's call for 'mandatory mental competency tests' for politicians over 75
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Nikki Haley is calling for "mandatory mental competency tests" for politicians over the age of 75. Over a sixth of the US Senate is age 75 or older. "We'll have term limits for Congress, and mandatory mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years old." "I think she should test her own mental competency," said Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, who recently turned 75. Republican Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho said he'd take a mental competency test Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesSome aging lawmakers expressed general openness to taking the test.

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