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White House and Biden allies have taken aim at Hur for what they view as a gratuitous characterization of the president. White House Counsel Ed Siskel and Robert Bauer, the president’s personal attorney, were in the White House Map Room for the president’s interview with Hur, people briefed on the matter said. It was a mistake for the White House to “put him out on weakness and not strength,” one administration official said. White House officials stood by the forcefulness of the White House’s pushback to Hur’s report, saying not only did Biden take questions from reporters Thursday night, but the next day, White House counsel spokesman Ian Sams joined the press briefing. The White House has also sent a letter to the White House Correspondents’ Association taking issue with news coverage of the Hur report, the officials pointed out, while the Biden campaign has pointed to allies and legal experts questioning aspects of the report that the White House sees as problematic.

Persons: Joe Biden, Robert Hur’s, Hur, Biden, They’re, Donald Trump, Mr, Ed Siskel, Robert Bauer, Robert Mueller’s, Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump’s, ”, “, –, Beau, Karine Jean, Pierre said, Anita Dunn, Mike Donilon, Jeff Zients –, Ian Sams, CNN’s Edward, Isaac Dovere Organizations: CNN —, missteps, White, Biden, ”, National Archives, FBI, White House, Justice, CNN, Trump, Justice Department, Democratic, Hur’s, ’, CBS News, TikTok Locations: Israel, Surprise

☆ US raises concerns about cozying relations between Russia and North Korea
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In January, high-ranking North Korean and Russian diplomats met in Moscow in advance of what North Korean state media says is a forthcoming visit to Pyongyang by Russian President Vladimir Putin himself — his first in more than 20 years. Trade with Russia could also further weaken the sanctions regime the US has placed on North Korea, also accelerating its economy and potentially bolstering its arms development program. As always with North Korea, deciphering how the hermit kingdom may respond is like reading chicken bones. For weeks, a blog post on an influential North Korea watchers website written by two former analysts circulated within the US government. If anything, some analysts believe, North Korea’s public statements signal that North Korea is abandoning its reunification policy in pursuit of peace on the peninsula.

Persons: Kim Jong, Vladimir Putin, —, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Kim, ”, “, ” Jeffrey Lewis, Lewis, ” Lewis, Sydney Seiler, Seiler, ” Kim doesn’t, “ That’s, “ Kim, it’s, We’re, ” Seiler, we’ll Organizations: CNN, North, Russia, Intelligence, White House, DPRK, Democratic People’s, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, North Korean, National Intelligence Council, US Locations: North Korea, Washington, South Korea, Russia, Moscow, Pyongyang, Russian, Korea, Democratic People’s Republic, Soviet Union, United States, North, China, Beijing, Japan, Korean

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is calling for a shakeup at the highest levels of the Republican National Committee. The new co-chair, Trump said, should be his daughter-in-law Lara Trump. The Republican National Committee is the governing body of the national Republican Party and runs the GOP's political machine. But make no mistake, Trump — not McDaniel — has been the real leader of the Republican Party over the last eight years. That's because the Republican president — or the Republican presidential nominee — effectively controls the RNC.

Persons: — Donald Trump, Ronna McDaniel, McDaniel, Michael Whatley, Trump, Lara Trump, Donald Trump, handpick Ronna McDaniel, Utah Sen, Mitt Romney, she's, Trump —, McDaniel —, Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, Vivek Ramaswamy, MAGA, Trump's, That's, ”, Joe Biden, —, Nikki Haley, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner Organizations: Republican National Committee, Trump, South, North, North Carolina GOP, RNC, Republican Party, Republican, White, GOP, Department, U.S, Senate Locations: North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah, Michigan, Iowa, New Hampshire, South

WASHINGTON (AP) — Colin Jost, the co-anchor of Saturday Night Live's “Weekend Update,” will get a chance in April to roast leading political and media figures as the featured entertainer at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents’ Association. “His smart brand of comedy and keen observation will turn up the heat on the national news media and across the political spectrum,” said Kelly O’Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and NBC News Senior White House Correspondent, in a statement. A writer and comedic performer, Jost has written for the long-running NBC late night comedy franchise since 2005. He began co-anchoring the show's news parody in 2014 with co-anchor Michael Che. Jost is married to actress Scarlett Johansson.

Persons: — Colin Jost, ”, Kelly O’Donnell, Jost, Michael Che, Tom, Jerry, ” Jost, Pete Buttigieg, Scarlett Johansson Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, ’ Association, NBC, White House, “, New, Staten Island, Harvard University, Transportation Locations: New York City, Staten

☆ ‘Saturday Night Live’ star Colin Jost selected as White House Correspondents Dinner headliner
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Colin Jost will be live from Washington, DC — not New York — on the final Saturday night of April. The “Saturday Night Live” comedian, featured in the “Weekend Update” segments, was selected by the White House Correspondents’ Association as the entertainer for the press organization’s 2024 dinner, set to take place on April 27. “Colin Jost knows how to make Saturday nights funny, and I am thrilled Colin will be live from the nation’s capital as the headline entertainer for this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” said Kelly O’Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and NBC News senior White House correspondent. Throughout his career he has nabbed five Writers Guild Awards and two Peabody Awards, in addition to 14 Emmy Awards nominations. After Wolf ignited controversy for a joke she made about then-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House Correspondents’ Association pivoted to a non-comedian headliner, inviting presidential biographer Ron Chernow to helm the dinner.

Persons: Colin Jost, Donald Trump, “ Colin Jost, Colin, ”, Kelly O’Donnell, Jost, Jamie McCarthy, PEN America “, ” O’Donnell, Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, Michelle Wolf, Wolf, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Ron Chernow, Roy Wood Jr Organizations: CNN, White, ’ Association, NBC News, White House, Peabody, PEN America, ’ Locations: Washington, New York

☆ Opinion: The border compromise would’ve helped—a lot
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Fareed Zakaria | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Today, people come to the border and rather than running away from the law they run toward it. “He is enforcing the laws; the problem is that the laws need to change.”It’s not just the laws. But again, that requires changes to asylum laws. Were it to pass, it might well solve large parts of the border problem — which would not serve him politically. He wrote on social media, “This Bill is a great gift to the Democrats.”The rest of the West is facing a similar challenge and is grappling with how to adjust immigration and asylum laws.

Persons: Fareed Zakaria, Fareed, Read, CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Greg Abbott, Ron DeSantis, Elon Musk, Steve Scalise, ”, Trump, “, Oklahoma Sen, James Lankford, ’, ’ ” Trump, David Frum, ” Frum, ” It’s Organizations: CNN, Fareed’s, Democratic Party, Republicans, Texas Gov, Florida Gov, Elon, Oklahoma, Customs Enforcement, Senate, White House, Democratic Locations: Texas, Florida, America

Washington CNN —Special counsel Jack Smith’s office is defending how the federal government during Joe Biden’s presidency sought to repossess White House records Donald Trump took, and how the case evolved into a federal investigation. The prosecutors say Trump’s legal team has attempted to distort the events in his favor – including by claiming he had a security clearance that extended past his presidency. But the prosecutors on Friday wrote Trump’s team “not only knew” of the Biden White House being part of the discussion, they also approved of it. On Friday, the special counsel’s office argued the case’s evolution followed Justice Department protocol, including in how White House employees spoke with DOJ officials. According to the filing, there has not been any communication between prosecutors and Biden or senior White House political officials either about the investigation or otherwise.

Persons: Jack Smith’s, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, “, ”, Trump, they’ve, Jonathan Su, Biden, –, Intelligence Community “, Trump’s, ” Smith’s, it’s Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, National Archives, Justice Department, Biden White House, Department of Energy, White House, Biden White, Counsel’s, DOJ, Department, White, ” Prosecutors, . Prosecutors, of Energy, DOE, Intelligence, Department of Defense, Prosecutors, Trump Organization, FBI, Defense, Service, Mar, FBI Headquarters, Biden, NARA, National Security Council, Records Management, Intelligence Community Locations: Trump’s Florida, Florida, Mar, Lago, magnetometers

☆ US sees signs Iran is worried about escalating proxy attacks amid heightened tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Officials cautioned that there is no sense that Tehran’s growing wariness is likely to change its broader strategy of supporting proxy attacks on US and Western targets — although it could signal adjustments around the margins. But officials do believe that Iran is pursuing a calibrated approach to the conflict that is designed to avoid sparking all-out war. But some current and former US officials are skeptical that Iran will substantively change its tactics. ‘Varying degress of loyalty’The escalations also underscore the varying degrees of control that Iran actually has over its proxy groups. Among the groups, Iran has the least amount of operational control over the Houthis in Yemen, multiple officials told CNN.

Persons: Biden, Bill Burns, Norm Roule, Roule, “, Fadel, Ahmad Al, Jonathan Lord, ”, ” Lord, Israel “, Hossein, Mohammed Hamoud, Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan, Iran ”, we’re Organizations: Militant, Iranian, CNN, White, CIA, Foreign Affairs, Getty, Middle East Security, Center, New, US Navy, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, US, Anadolu Agency, Command, UN, Chinese Foreign, White House Locations: Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, United States, Tehran, China, India, Gaza, Europe, Baghdad, AFP, New American, Israel, Africa, Beijing, Bani, Sanaa, Red, Somalia, Bangkok, “ Beijing

☆ 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

☆ The Red Sea crisis tests China’s global ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

China’s responseThe Houthi rebels in Yemen started firing missiles and drones at ships in the Red Sea in mid-November, in what they say is an act of solidarity with Palestinians. Chinese officials repeatedly stressed that the Red Sea crisis is a “spillover” from the conflict in Gaza, citing an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as the top priority. Beijing’s reluctance to wade into the Red Sea crisis reflects these geopolitical calculations. The Chinese government readout of the meeting between Wang and Sullivan did not mention the Red Sea. Egypt is losing millions of dollars per day from the reduced traffic at the Suez Canal at the northern end of the Red Sea.

Persons: Houthi, “, ”, Mordechai Chaziza, Xi Jinping, Israel, ” Chaziza, Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan, Iran ”, we’re, Wang, Sullivan, Ebrahim Raisi, Yan Yan, OOCL, Kuehne + Nagel, Jonathan Fulton, “ can’t, ” Fulton, William Figueroa, Xi Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Ashkelon Academic College, Beijing, Iran, People’s Liberation Army Navy, Britain, United Nations Security Council, Global, Western, Chinese Foreign, White House, Reuters, Chinese Foreign Ministry, China, Shanghai Shipping Exchange, Atlantic Council, University of Groningen, Xi’s Global Security Initiative, GSI, Hamas Locations: Hong Kong, Red, Israel, Ashkelon, United States, China, Europe, Yemen, Gulf, Aden, Djibouti, Beijing, Gaza, Bangkok, Iran, Tehran, Africa, Switzerland, Francisco, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Suez, Sea, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands

☆ Five takeaways from the New Hampshire primary
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But she’ll be battling history: In modern presidential campaign history, no non-incumbent has won the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary without going on to win his party’s nomination. Here are five takeaways from the New Hampshire primaries:Trump wants Haley out — nowIn what were expected to be celebratory remarks Tuesday night in New Hampshire, Trump instead sounded annoyed that Haley had not yet dropped out of the Republican primary race. There are dozens of states left to go,” Haley told supporters in her election night speech Tuesday in New Hampshire. Haley waves to the audience as she speaks at a New Hampshire primary night rally, in Concord, New Hampshire, on Tuesday. (Trump skipped all five Republican primary debates, and has shown no indication he’d consider participating in one.)

Persons: Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Haley, she’ll, Trump, seethed, “, Joe Biden, —, ”, Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, ” Ramaswamy, Haley’s, “ megadonors, Scott, Tim, ” Trump, ” Scott, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, won’t, ” Haley, What’s, Ron DeSantis, Mark Harris, Charles Krupa, Biden, Haley outperforms, ” Biden, Biden’s, Evelyn Hockstein, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, Jen O’Malley Dillon, Mike Donilon Organizations: CNN, New, South Carolina Gov, Republican, Trump, White House, Republicans, America, South Carolina Republican, Senate, ’, South Carolina —, Florida Gov, —, Haley, SFA Fund, Republicans ’, South, Trump’s, New Hampshire Republican, Democratic, Democratic National Committee, Hylton Performing Arts Center Locations: New Hampshire, South Carolina, Iowa, Virginia, “, “ New Hampshire, Nevada, Florida, North Charleston, Concord , New Hampshire, CNN’s, America, Manassas , Virginia, Minnesota, Wilmington

The move comes as the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. In its waning days, the Trump administration designated the Houthis a foreign terrorist organization over the strong objections of human rights and humanitarian aid groups. Yemen, on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula bordering the Red Sea, is the poorest country in the Arab world. While supporters of broad sanctions argue it’s possible to shape any enforcement mechanisms so to exempt food and humanitarian aid, aid organizations worry that fears of running afoul of U.S. regulation could scare away shippers, banks and other players vital to Yemen’s commercial food supply. The Red Sea attacks have already caused significant disruptions to global trade.

Persons: —, Biden, Antony Blinken, Trump, Blinken, ”, Scott Paul, “, Yemen’s Houthi, Jake Sullivan, Linda Thomas Greenfield, Brent, Houthis, Sullivan, Joe Biden's, ” Sullivan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Al Thani, Mohammed Shia, Masrour Barzani, Jon Gambrell, Edith M, Lederer, Ellen Knickmeyer Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, U.S, Nations, Oxfam America, White House, House, Economic, British, United Nations, Consulate, Islamic, Tuesday, ___ Associated Press Locations: Yemen, Red, Gaza, Israel, Yemenis, U.S, Davos, Switzerland, Iran, Malta, Tehran, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al, Qatar, Kurdish, House, Irbil, ___, Jerusalem, Washington

☆ As calls grow for a tougher response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea ships, Biden officials meet to discuss military options
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Courtney Kube | Carol E. Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

According to the officials, U.S. Central Command provided Pentagon leaders with options for an additional military response after the incident, and the Pentagon sent those options to senior White House officials. Biden was updated multiple times on the situation in the Red Sea while on vacation. An administration official denied that there have been disagreements between White House and U.S. military officials about responding to the Houthis. On Tuesday, Houthi rebels fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the southern Red Sea, the 24th attack against ships in the area since Nov. 19. The USS Laboon and U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets shot down the drones and missiles, and no ships were damaged.

Persons: Joe Biden, Houthi, Jon, Biden, CENTCOM, Al Jasrah, Carney Organizations: Galaxy, WASHINGTON, White, U.S ., U.S . Navy, U.S . Central Command, Pentagon, White House, . U.S . Navy, U.S, Iran, Maersk, Hornets Locations: Iran, Yemen, Red, U.S, St . Croix, White House, ., Gulf of Aden, Gaza

☆ US, European officials crack down on crypto service accused of laundering money for North Korean leaders
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —The US Treasury Department on Wednesday sanctioned a cryptocurrency service accused of helping launder millions of dollars for the North Korean regime. The FBI and European law enforcement agencies have also seized the website of the crypto service, known as Sinbad, according to a notice that appeared on the website Wednesday. Analysts say North Korea has leaned heavily on mixers to move money amid greater scrutiny from law enforcement agencies from the US, South Korea and elsewhere. The North Korean regime has also used thousands of IT workers working overseas, sometimes posing as other foreign nationals, to quietly raise revenue, according to US officials and North Korea experts. “The laundering tactics of North Korean cyber criminals continued to evolve,” Nick Carlsen, who was an FBI intelligence analyst focused on North Korea until 2021, told CNN.

Persons: Joe Biden, Sinbad, Nick Carlsen, Carlsen, “, ” Organizations: Washington CNN, US Treasury Department, Wednesday, North, FBI, cyberattacks, White House, US, CNN, US Treasury, Treasury, TRM Locations: launder, Korea, South Korea, cryptocurrency, North Korea, North Korean, North Koreans, Korean, Koreans

☆ Trump legal team lays out strategy to argue he was right to doubt results of 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Trump’s defense team is asking for information from several past government investigations, including around the election results and about the recent classified documents probe into his former Vice President Mike Pence. Multiple investigations have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. The Pence investigation ended with no criminal charges in June. Pence testified to a federal grand jury in the 2020 election investigation in the spring. Pence’s confidential testimony in the Trump 2020 election case, some of his aides testified, was under oath before a federal grand jury, and a judge decided he must answer questions under subpoena.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Mike Pence, Trump, ”, “, Biden Administration’s, ’ ‘, ’, ‘ Department of Homeland Security’s, ’ ” It’s, Pence Organizations: CNN, Trump, “, ‘, White House Attorneys, Justice Department, Intelligence, ‘ Department of Homeland, Infrastructure Security Agency Locations: Russia

☆ Trump's pardoning of a Kushner-linked drug smuggler undercut a larger DOJ investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Donald Trump pardoned Jonathan Braun, a convicted drug smuggler, on his last day in office. Meanwhile, the DOJ hoped to use Braun in a separate probe into the predatory lending business. AdvertisementDonald Trump's pardoning of a convicted marijuana smuggler with ties to the Kushner family threw a wrench in the Justice Department's larger probe into the predatory lending industry, The New York Times reported. He spent nearly the next decade leading a predatory lending operation as a "principal" of Richmond Capital group, prosecutors said in court documents seen by Business Insider. AdvertisementIn a telephone interview with the Times, Braun denied any wrongdoing as a lender.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jonathan Braun, Braun, —, Donald Trump's pardoning, Kushner, Trump, Jared Kushner, Ivanka, Jared Kushner's, Nicole, Isaac Wolf, Braun's, Charles, Alan Dershowitz, Dershowitz Organizations: DOJ, Service, New York Times, Trump's, Times, Richmond Capital, Business Insider, Prosecutors, Bloomberg, NY, AG, Justice Department, Trump, White, Trump Administration, Kushner Yeshiva High School, US Locations: Staten Island, New York, Manhattan, Livingston , New Jersey, Pennsylvania

President Biden will not attend a major United Nations climate summit that begins Thursday in Dubai, skipping an event expected to be attended by King Charles III, Pope Francis and leaders from nearly 200 countries, a White House official said Sunday. The official, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss the president’s schedule, did not give a reason Mr. Biden will not make an appearance at the two-week summit, known as COP28. But senior White House aides suggested that the war between Israel and Hamas had consumed the president in recent weeks and days, as he pressed for a pause in fighting and release of hostages held by Hamas. “They’ve got the war in the Middle East and a war in Ukraine, a bunch of things going on,” John Kerry, Mr. Biden’s special envoy for climate change, said last week. Mr. Kerry and his team will be in Dubai.

Persons: Biden, King Charles III, Pope Francis, “ They’ve, ” John Kerry, Biden’s, Kerry Organizations: White Locations: United Nations, Dubai, Israel, Ukraine

Biden vowed that he would not relent until all American hostages in Gaza were released. Biden had his own demand throughout the talks: Humanitarian assistance had to reach Gaza, regardless of a deal. Israel’s ground invasion plans were revised so fighting could be paused if a hostage deal came together. Talks resumed last Friday, and in another conversation with the Qatari emir, Biden told him it was the last shot at a hostage deal and he had to close it now. Officials also crafted a way to try to entice Hamas to release more hostages than the 50 already agreed to.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Brett McGurk, Joshua Geltzer, McGurk, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Israel —, “, ”, Netanyahu, – Natalie, Judith Raanan –, Natalie’s, wouldn’t, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Israel, Al Thani, ” Netanyahu, — — Kim, Magdy, Frankel Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S ., White House, U.S, Israeli, White, National Security, CIA, Hamas, ., Israeli Defense Forces, Shifa Hospital, Qatari Locations: Qatar, United States, U.S, Egypt, Gaza, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Israel, Doha, Cairo, Nantucket , Massachusetts, Jerusalem

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A United Nations team said Sunday that 291 patients were left at Gaza’s largest hospital after Israeli troops had others evacuate. Those left included 32 babies in extremely critical condition, trauma patients with severely infected wounds, and others with spinal injuries who are unable to move. The team was able to tour Shifa Hospital for an hour after about 2,500 displaced people, mobile patients and medical staff left the sprawling compound Saturday morning, said the World Health Organization, which led the mission. It said more teams will attempt to reach Shifa in coming days to try to the evacuate patients to southern Gaza, where hospitals are also overwhelmed. “We left at gunpoint,” Mahmoud Abu Auf told The Associated Press by phone after he and his family left the crowded hospital.

Persons: KHAN YOUNIS, ” Mahmoud Abu Auf, Ahmed Radwan, Yassin Sharif, ” Radwan, Khan Younis, …, Brett McGurk, Yoav Gallant, ”, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, —, ___ Magdy Organizations: United Nations, Shifa Hospital, World Health Organization, Shifa, Hamas, AP, WHO, Associated Press, “, White House, White, National Security, UNRWA, Defense, The Washington Post, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Israel Locations: Gaza, Gaza’s, Israel, gunpoint, ”, Shifa, United States, Persian, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Gaza City, The Washington, The Washington Post , U.S, Palestinian, Cairo, ___, israel

☆ Ransomware targets will pay one way or another
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Anita Ramaswamy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The White House has even considered an outright ban on firms making ransom payments. If companies can’t pay ransom, there’s no point in asking for it. ICBC’s self-identified attacker, a gang of digital extortionists called Lockbit, says ICBC paid up. Follow @AnitaRamaswamy on XCONTEXT NEWSThe Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s U.S. arm was hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted some trades in the U.S. Treasury market on Nov. 9. A senior White House official said on Oct. 31 that the U.S. government planned to lead an alliance of 40 countries in a pledge to never pay ransom to cybercriminals.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, cybercriminals, it’s, there’s, ICBC, –, reckons, John Foley, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: Reuters, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, SS, Treasuries, Companies, Caesars Entertainment, Commercial Bank of China’s, U.S . Treasury, White House, ., Thomson Locations: U.S, United States, Commercial Bank of China’s U.S

WOODSIDE, Calif. (AP) — President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping greeted each other with a warm handshake Wednesday as they met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperative conference. The two leaders last spoke a year ago, and since then, already fraught ties between the nations have been further strained. Biden and Xi were speaking behind closed doors at the Filoli Historic House and Garden, which features a Georgian revival-style mansion and a formal, English Renaissance-style garden. The pair opened their face-to-face meeting in the San Francisco Bay area with a solid handshake. The two leaders made the comments Wednesday after shaking hands in their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Xi, Biden, Michael Douglas, Bourn, Roth, David Fincher’s, Douglas, ’ “ I’m, ”, “, haven’t, ” Biden, ” Xi, they’re, Wednesday's, Aamer Madhani Organizations: Pacific Economic Cooperative, APEC, Biden, Trust for Historic, Biden Biden, U.S, Moscone Center, Tibet, CCP, Chinese Communist Party, White, Xi, Associated Press Locations: WOODSIDE, Calif, Asia, East, Europe, Taiwan, China, Francisco, Woodside , California, San Francisco, United States, San Francisco Bay, Hong Kong, “ Tibet, Bali

He ordered up an economic analysis and spoke to company officials about the plant, according to White House officials. On Thursday, Biden will visit Belvidere to showcase that same auto plant, which has reopened as part of the settlement of a targeted strike by the United Auto Workers union. O'Malley Dillon said the UAW contracts and the auto plant reopening reflect a larger focus on workers by the president. The contracts, if approved by 146,000 union members in the coming weeks, would dramatically raise pay for auto workers. Top assembly plant workers would earn roughly $42 per hour.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, he's, ”, Jen O’Malley Dillon, White, O'Malley Dillon, Donald Trump, Gene Sperling, Trump, Shawn Fain, J.B . Pritzker, Stellantis Organizations: WASHINGTON, Biden, White, United Auto Workers, Dodge, UAW, Labor, White House, Illinois Gov, Motors, Ford, Republican Locations: Chicago, Belvidere, China, United States

Dearborn, Michigan CNN —In 2020, Eman Hammoud was one of thousands of Michigan Muslims who helped President Joe Biden beat Donald Trump. A month ago, the Palestinian American immigration lawyer had no doubts she would support his campaign again in 2024. Michigan has more than 200,000 Muslim American voters — 146,000 of whom turned out to vote in 2020 –— according to an analysis by Emgage, an organization that seeks to build the political power of Muslim Americans. “That just proves that the Biden administration needs the Muslim vote to win,” said Nada Al-Hanooti, the Michigan executive director of Emgage Action. “We felt that the rhetoric, including from the White House, was very unhelpful and in fact potentially dangerous,” Alzayat said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, she’s, “ He’s, ” Hammoud, that’s, Hammoud, Biden, ”, Nada, Fayoume, ” Biden, Ammar Moussa, “, Donald Trump’s, Abbas Alawieh, Rashida Tlaib, Tlaib, Israel, Abdullah Hammoud, “ We’re, Israel isn’t, —, Beau, Adam Abusalah, John Kirby, he’s, Robyn Patterson, “ We’ll, White, Jeff Zients, Anita Dunn, Wa’el Alzayat, ” Alzayat, Antony Blinken, Sam Baydoun, Baydoun, ” Baydoun, didn’t, ” Hussein Dabajeh, ” Dabajeh, ” Lexi Zeidan, “ We’ve, Zeidan, CNN’s Denise Royal Organizations: Michigan CNN —, Biden, CNN, Michigan, American, Michigan —, Arab American, GOP, MAGA, Democratic, Dearborn, Muslim American, Palestinian, Congress, Rep, Muslim, Israel, West Bank, US, UN, House, Hamas, Gaza Ministry of Health, White House, White, Office, UN Security, Trump Locations: Dearborn, Michigan, Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, —, Detroit, Eastern, Arab American, Palestinian American, Hammoud, Tel Aviv, Minneapolis, Wayne County , Michigan, Lebanon, Habib’s, Lebanese, American, Palestine

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal agents on Thursday raided the home of a top fundraiser and longtime confidante to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who abruptly ditched a planned White House meeting and flew home from Washington. The official declined to say whether Suggs was the target of an investigation. Vito Pitta, an attorney for the Adams campaign, said the mayor was not contacted as part of the inquiry. A spokesperson for City Hall declined to comment on the cancellations, deferring comment on the raid to the Adams campaign. In July, six people were charged in a straw donor conspiracy scheme to divert tens of thousands of dollars to Adams’ campaign.

Persons: Eric Adams, Brianna Suggs, Suggs, Vito Pitta, Adams, ” Suggs, Christopher Burwell, FBI windbreakers, Nicholas Biase, –, Eric Ulrich, Ulrich, ___ Balsamo Organizations: —, New York City, Agents, Associated Press, Washington D.C, White House, City Hall, Brooklyn Borough, FBI Locations: New York, Washington, Brooklyn, New York City, Denver, Chicago, Chinatown, Sugg’s, Manhattan

Election Day is a year away, but key allies of former President Donald J. Trump are already thinking about staffing a potential administration, including by filling White House and agency legal positions with aggressive and ideologically like-minded lawyers. Trump allies are preparing to populate a new administration with a different breed of lawyer — a departure from the type that stymied part of his first-term agenda and that despite their mainstream conservative credentials are seen as too cautious by people close to the former president. They are seeking lawyers in federal agencies and in the White House committed to his “America First” ideology and willing to use edgy theories to advance his cause. It is too early to say with any certainty whom Mr. Trump would select were he to win a second term starting in 2025. But several conservative nonprofits, staffed by people who are likely to take on senior White House positions if there is a second Trump administration, have been putting together lists of prospects.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, — Organizations: White

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