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He had been scheduled to take a tour of CS Wind, the world’s largest facility for wind tower manufacturing. The official, who was not authorized to comment about the president's potential visit, said a final decision to visit Israel hasn't been made. Blinken was in Israel on Monday for his second visit in less than a week for talks with Israeli leaders. He has been crisscrossing the Middle East with stops in Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It’s the deadliest war for Israel since the 1973 conflict with Egypt and Syria.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Abdel Fattah el, Mohammed Shia, Olaf Scholz, Harris, Jeff Zients, Jake Sullivan, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Bill Burns, Israel hasn't, idled, Sissi, Antony Blinken, Blinken, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Matthew Miller, Israel, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Chuck Schumer, “, ” Schumer, Schumer, Kevin McCarthy, Jacob Lew, — Lee, Jon Gambrell, Mary Clare Jalonick Organizations: WASHINGTON, National, National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, CS, U.S, Union, United, United Arab Emirates, Israeli, ”, “, Israel, Air, Hamas, Israeli Ministry of Defense, United States Senate, Foreign, AP Locations: Gaza, Israel, Iraqi, Pueblo , Colorado, Egypt’s, Cairo, Europe, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanon, U.S, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Washington

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) delivers remarks during the AIPAC convention at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, U.S., March 2, 2020. REUTERS/Tom Brenner/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday the Senate will seek within days to pass a resolution supporting Israel, approve additional funds for Israel and confirm a new U.S. ambassador to the Jewish State. "That means military assistance, intelligence assistance, diplomatic assistance and humanitarian assistance to care for innocent civilians. Schumer said he thought Senate passage of a strong pro-Israel legislation might encourage the House of Representatives to act, despite its leadership impasse. Schumer called Lew "capable and strong" and urged the committee to approve Lew as soon as possible, so the full Senate can confirm him "in all due haste."

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Tom Brenner, Schumer, Kevin McCarthy, Israel, Jack Lew, Joe Biden's, Lew, Antony Blinken, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Defense Lloyd Austin, Staff General C.Q, Brown, Patricia Zengerle, Katharine Jackson, Sandra Maler Organizations: Democratic, Washington Convention Center, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic U.S, Israel, Jewish State, Hamas, U.S . Congress, Republican, Foreign Relations, National Intelligence, Defense, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel, U.S, Ukraine

☆ Blinken highlights the human toll of Ukraine war as Biden admin seeks to maintain support for Kyiv in Washington
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Children, parents, husbands, and wives were forced to spend hours next to the corpses of their loved ones,” he continued. Last month, the Biden administration asked Congress to approve an additional $24 billion in emergency spending for Ukraine and other international needs. Zelensky, in his remarks, criticized the UN body – in which Russia has veto power – for failing to do enough to stop the war. “Ukrainian soldiers now are doing at the expense of their blood what the UN Security Council should do by its voting. They’re stopping aggression and upholding the principles of the UN Charter,” he said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, “, ” Blinken, Sergei Lavrov, …, Blinken, ”, Biden, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Bill Burns, Joint Chiefs Mark Milley, Defense Lloyd Austin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Kevin McCarthy, Zelenskyy Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Nations Security, Russian, National Intelligence, CIA, Joint Chiefs, Defense, UN, CNN, Republican, ABC News, UN Security Council, United Nations Locations: New York, Kyiv, ”, “, Ukraine, Washington, Russia, Moscow, Iran, North Korea

Chinese officials have repeatedly said they want those sanctions, imposed in 2018, dropped to facilitate discussions. This scuppered planned talks between theatre-level commands, regular defence policy co-ordination and military maritime consultations, which included operational safety issues. Diplomats and Chinese analysts say military attaches at embassies Beijing and Washington are still able to meet officials - an important element of routine communication. Senior Chinese military intelligence officials also participated in a secret meeting of regional spies in Singapore earlier this month - a session that included U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines. The official said some lower-level interactions with the Chinese military had continued.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu, Li, Nancy Pelosi's, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Austin, Zhou Bo, Yang Tao, Admiral John Aquilino, General Lin Xiangyang, Greg Torode, Tian, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Gerry Doyle Organizations: . Defence, China's Defence, Taiwan, Pentagon, Diplomats, National Intelligence, PLA, Beijing's Tsinghua University . Senior, Reuters, U.S, Pacific Command, Eastern Theatre, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, East Asia, China, United States, Beijing, Singapore, U.S, Taiwan, Washington, Hong Kong

☆ Newly declassified report shows U.S. intelligence community remains divided over likely origin of Covid
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Zoë Richards | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

(L-R) Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, Director of the National Security Agency Gen. Paul Nakasone, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, CIA Director William Burns and FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a House Select Committee on Intelligence hearing concerning worldwide threats, on Capitol Hill March 9, 2023 in Washington, DC. The leaders of the intelligence agencies testified on a wide range of issues, including China, Russia, Covid-19 origins, and TikTok. "All agencies continue to assess that both a natural and laboratory-associated origin remain plausible hypotheses to explain the first human infection," the 10-page declassified report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said. But "almost all" intelligence agencies agreed that the virus wasn't genetically engineered, and all agencies agreed that Covid was not manufactured as a biological weapon. The spokesman added that "getting to the bottom of the origins" of Covid remains a top priority for the president.

Persons: Scott Berrier, Paul Nakasone, National Intelligence Avril Haines, William Burns, Christopher Wray, Covid, Joe Biden Organizations: Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, National Intelligence, CIA, Capitol, Intelligence, National Intelligence Council, Department of Energy, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Wuhan Institute, Virology, White House National Security Council Locations: Washington ,, China, Russia, Covid, Wuhan, U.S

☆ World's spy chiefs meet in secret conclave in Singapore
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Senior officials from about two dozen of the world's major intelligence agencies held a secret meeting on the fringes of the Shangri-La Dialogue security meeting in Singapore this weekend, five people told Reuters. A spokesperson for the Singapore Ministry of Defence said that while attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, "participants including senior officials from intelligence agencies also take the opportunity to meet their counterparts." The United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand operate what is called the Five Eyes network to gather and share a broad range of intelligence, and their intelligence officials meet frequently. Ukraine's deputy defence minister, Volodymr V. Havrylov, was at the Shangri-La Dialogue but said he did not attend the intelligence meeting. Haines was among the official U.S. delegates to the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Persons: National Intelligence Avril Haines, Samant Goel, Volodymr, Anthony Albanese, Defense Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu, Haines, William Burns, Biden Organizations: Reuters, National Intelligence, Research, Singapore Ministry of Defence, U.S, Embassy, New Zealand, Australian, Defense, Chinese Defence, CIA Locations: Singapore, U.S, China, United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, New, Ukraine, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Beijing

SINGAPORE, June 4 (Reuters) - Senior officials from about two dozen of the world's major intelligence agencies held a secret meeting on the fringes of the Shangri-La Dialogue security meeting in Singapore this weekend, five people told Reuters. "Participants have found such meetings held on the sidelines of the (dialogue) beneficial." The United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand operate what is called the Five Eyes network to gather and share a broad range of intelligence, and their intelligence officials meet frequently. Ukraine's deputy defence minister, Volodymr V. Havrylov, was at the Shangri-La Dialogue but said he did not attend the intelligence meeting. Haines was among the official U.S. delegates to the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Persons: National Intelligence Avril Haines, Samant Goel, Volodymr, Anthony Albanese, Defense Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu, Haines, William Burns, Biden, Xinghui Kok, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Greg Torode, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, National Intelligence, Research, Singapore Ministry of Defence, U.S, Embassy, New Zealand, Australian, Defense, Chinese Defence, CIA, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, U.S, China, United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, New, Ukraine, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Beijing

☆ Asia security summit kicks off amid US-China tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Joe Brock | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Shangri-La Dialogue, which attracts senior military officers, diplomats, weapons makers and security analysts from around the globe, is taking place June 2-4 in Singapore. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will deliver the keynote address on Friday evening, before U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and China's new Defence Minister Li Shangfu are expected to trade barbs in speeches over the weekend. Li, who was named China's new defence minister in March, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 over weapons purchases from Russia. The United States is Australia's biggest security ally, and Beijing has criticised a deal announced in March to buy U.S. nuclear-powered submarines. Australia’s defence chief has said that as great power competition in the region persists, his country is focused on deterring conflict and deepening engagement with partners, including Pacific island and South East Asian nations.

Persons: Dr Ng Eng Hen, Lloyd Austin, Anthony Albanese, Li Shangfu, Li, Austin . Li, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Zhu Qichao, Joe Brock, Greg Torode, Kanupriya Kapoor, Xinghui Kok, Chen Lin, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S . Defense, Singapore Ministry of Defence, REUTERS, Singapore . Australian, U.S, Defence, Austin, National Intelligence, China, New Zealand, Albanese Labor, ASEAN, South East, Thomson Locations: Singapore, REUTERS SINGAPORE, United States, China, Taiwan, South China, Washington, Beijing, U.S, Russia, American, ., AUSTRALIA, Australia, Britain, Canada, New, Pacific, South

Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser, speaks during an interview at an Economic Club of Washington event in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, April 14, 2022. The White House described the meeting between Biden's national security advisor Jake Sullivan and China's top diplomat Wang Yi as "candid, substantive and constructive." The White House said it aims to keep up open communication with China, as Washington increasingly sharpens its rhetoric around Beijing's policies around the globe. The White House has said that it has not observed Beijing providing military assistance to the Kremlin for its fight in Ukraine. Such brinksmanship weakens our national security," the former Pentagon chiefs wrote in a letter.

☆ Russia's army took just 6.8 square miles of Ukrainian territory in April, less than a 0.02% increase, US think tank says, as military losses mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia increased its Ukraine territory by 0.016% in April, the Institute for the Study of War told Insider. That's just 6.76 square miles, as its troop losses continue and Ukraine readies for a counterattack. Washington DC-based think tank Institute for the Study of War told Insider that Russia held just 6.76 square miles more Ukrainian territory on April 31 than it did in April 1, according to its mapping data. Russia saw territorial gains of 0.039% in February, the think tank previously told Insider, followed by 0.28% in March, the equivalent of 115.9 square miles. Ukraine's prime minister told Sky News last week that the offensive will start at the "proper time, when it will be absolutely ready."

☆ Russia's irregular commanders, like the Wagner boss, are trying to force a top general's hand and risking throwing operations into chaos, war experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Irregular commanders, like Prigozhin, appear to be calling more of the shots in Ukraine, war experts say. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group's founder, and his fighters have routinely criticized Russia's top military officials over their handling of Russia's faltering war in Ukraine. In threatening to do so, the two "likely effectively blackmailed" Russia's military command into giving resources to Wagner, the ISW said in a Monday assessment. Graves of Russian Wagner mercenary group fighters are seen in a cemetery near the village of Bakinskaya in Krasnodar region, Russia, on January 22, 2023. Meanwhile, Prigozhin marked the occasion by feuding with Russia's military leadership, attacking their ability to defend the country.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will meet with congressional leaders Tuesday as Washington scrambles to lift the debt ceiling with less than a month before the federal government is set to run out of money. Lifting the debt ceiling is necessary for the government to cover spending commitments already approved by Congress and the president and prevent default. But House Republicans have said they will not lift the limit if Biden and lawmakers do not agree to future spending cuts. The White House has stressed that while it is open to discuss spending cuts, it will not negotiate with Republicans on the debt ceiling. If the meeting is indeed a negotiation, then the bill House Republicans passed last month effectively serves as the GOP's opening offer to the White House.

☆ Confused about the debt ceiling? Here's what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

What is the debt ceiling? Unlike a credit card, though, the expenses were already approved by Congress, so the debt ceiling does not pertain to new spending. The debt ceiling was last raised in December 2021 by $2.5 trillion, capping the limit at $31.381 trillion. If Congress does not agree to lift the debt ceiling, the government will not have money to pay its bills and will default on its debt. The White House has remained steadfast that it is Congress's responsibility to raise the debt ceiling without conditions, as was done three times under the Trump administration.

Drone footage shows clouds of black smoke over Bahri, also known as Khartoum North, Sudan, in this May 1, 2023 video obtained by REUTERSThe International Rescue Committee anticipates "a secondary humanitarian crisis" as refugees pour into neighboring countries escaping the escalating conflict in Sudan. Around 45 million people remain in Sudan, facing acute shortages of fuel, food, water and medical access. Multiple ceasefires have quickly dissolved into further violence, making it difficult for international bodies and NGOs to get humanitarian aid into the vast, sprawling country. According to the IRC, 30,000 refugees have crossed the border from the Darfur region in western Sudan into Chad since April 15. A further 15,000 have fled to South Sudan, many of whom are returnees that had previously fled their own country's conflict south of the border, while several thousand have also crossed into Ethiopia.

☆ Ukraine's risky gamble in Bakhmut may be paying off as infighting in Russia's ranks threatens its hopes of capturing the city, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Jake Epstein | Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The battle has hurt Russian forces, and Wagner Group mercenaries are threatening to pull out. Wagner's withdrawal, however, suggests that Ukraine's risky decision to stay may be paying off, Russia experts told Insider. Ukrainian army snipers change their position facing Russian troops near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Tuesday, May 2, 2023. Russian forces, including Wagner mercenaries, steadily surrounded Ukrainian positions, leaving only one road out of the city. Ukrainian army Grad multiple rocket launcher fires rockets at Russian positions in the frontline near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - Russia is very unlikely to use its nuclear weapons, the top U.S. intelligence official said on Thursday, despite past saber-rattling from the Kremlin and the heavy casualties that eMoscow is enduring in its invasion of Ukraine. Nuclear tensions between Russia and the United States have increased since the start of the conflict with Ukraine with Putin repeatedly warning that Russia is ready to use its nuclear arsenal if necessary to defend its "territorial integrity." U.S. officials for months have said they have not seen signs Russia was preparing to employ nuclear weapons but also cautioned that they were staying vigilant. Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman pointed to Putin's March 25 announcement that Russia was preparing to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus "is his effort to use this threat in a managed way." Last week the Kremlin played down the idea that Russia might be preparing to carry out a nuclear weapons test, saying all nuclear states were abiding by a moratorium on the testing of nuclear weapons.

Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines testifies during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on "Worldwide Threats" at the U.S. Capitol in Washington May 10, 2022. In January, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified Congress that the U.S. government started to use extraordinary measures to fend off default. Since 1960, Congress has raised the debt ceiling 78 separate times under both Republican and Democratic presidents. Read more: What is the debt ceiling? Such brinksmanship weakens our national security," the former Pentagon chiefs wrote in a letter.

☆ Top US spy says Chinese invasion halting Taiwan chip production would be 'enormous' global economic blow
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

She noted that the advanced semiconductor chips produced by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd (TSMC) are used in 90 percent of "almost every category of electronic device around the world." If a Chinese invasion stopped TSMC from producing those chips, "it will have an enormous global financial impact that I think runs somewhere between $600 billion to $1 trillion on an annual basis for the first few years," she said. "It will also have an impact on our (U.S.) GDP if there was such an invasion of Taiwan and that (TSMC's production) was blocked," Haines continued. "It would also have an impact, if they stopped making chips, on China's economy." Reporting by Jonathan Landay; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia likely won't be launching any 'significant' offensive operations this year if it can't find more troops and weapons, US intel chief says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russia and Ukraine appear to be gearing up for a Ukrainian offensive, the US intelligence chief said. She suggested Thursday that Moscow won't be able to carry out future operations without more troops and weapons. Russian forces launched an offensive earlier this year, but it faltered. Even a limited offensive could be difficult given the current situation for the Russian military. Though the figures are for all of Ukraine, the fighting in Bakhmut specifically is believed to have claimed thousands of lives.

CNN —President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden capped South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s official state visit with a glamorous state dinner at the White House Wednesday night to celebrate the two nations’ 70-year alliance. May we do it together for another 170 years.”But Biden wasn’t the only leader who took the mic. Following a round of musical performances, his South Korean counterpart joined him on stage to give his own – a karaoke rendition of Don McClean’s “American Pie” – which received a standing ovation from the crowd. The elaborate dinner is the result of weeks of careful diplomatic preparations, with each detail meticulously planned by a team of White House chefs, social staff, and protocol experts. U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden pose with South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee in front of the Grand Staircase of the White House before an official State Dinner, in Washington, U.S. April 26, 2023.

☆ Biden signs legislation to declassify certain intelligence on Covid pandemic origins
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

President Joe Biden on Monday signed legislation requiring the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify information on any possible links between a lab in China and the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines now has 90 days to declassify all information on possible links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of Covid. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also concluded that the pandemic likely began with a lab incident in Wuhan, China, the agency's director Christopher Wray told Fox News. The pandemic began three years ago in Wuhan, China, though it's still unknown how Covid spread to people. The intelligence community was divided in a 2021 report ordered by Biden that reviewed information on the pandemic's origins.

☆ The US military has been testing pulsed energy on animals trying to recreate the mysterious 'Havana Syndrome' symptoms: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US military has been carrying out and funding testing on various animals. The testing is aimed at seeing if radio frequency waves cause the mysterious sickness known as "Havana Syndrome." US intelligence determined last week that the ailment is likely not caused by a foreign adversary or weapon. A defense official told Insider that the Department of Defense, in accordance with congressional requirements, "continues to address the challenges posed by" anomalous health incidents, "including the causation, attribution, mitigation, identification, and treatment for such incidents. The official did not comment on the reported testing on primates but said that the testing at Wayne State University is aimed at alleviating "the deficits associated with traumatic brain injury."

Since the Senate on March 1 passed the bill - by unanimous consent - it now goes to the White House for Biden to sign into law or veto. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his intentions. The debate was refueled last month, when the Wall Street Journal first reported that the U.S. Energy Department had concluded the pandemic likely arose from a Chinese laboratory leak, an assessment Beijing denies. Four other U.S. agencies still judge that COVID-19 was likely the result of natural transmission, while two are undecided. Representative Mike Turner, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said as he urged support for the measure.

☆ House votes unanimously to declassify intelligence on origins of Covid pandemic, sending bill to Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The House of Representatives on Friday unanimously voted to declassify information on possible links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Covid-19 pandemic, sending the bill to President Joe Biden. The Senate also voted unanimously earlier this month to require Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to declassify such information. President Joe Biden ordered the intelligence community in 2021 to provide an updated analysis of how the pandemic emerged. The intelligence agencies were divided on how Covid started spreading among humans, though they said a natural original and a lab leak were both plausible. The intelligence community agreed that Covid was not developed as biological weapon, and most agencies assessed that the virus was not genetically engineered.

☆ Russia can't make new missiles fast enough to keep up its attacks, so massive strikes are becoming rarer, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia can't make new missiles fast enough, leading to less frequent attacks on Ukraine, UK intel says. The intelligence suggests Russia is struggling to "stockpile a critical mass" for larger strikes. US and UK officials have previously said Russia is using munitions faster than it can produce them. UK intelligence said Russia fired "an unusually large number" of Kh-47 Kinzhal ballistic missiles. A top UK envoy, meanwhile, said in late 2022 that Russia was working to obtain ballistic missiles from Iran to bolster its stockpile.

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