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☆ Biden tells Trudeau he plans to travel to Canada in March -White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he plans to travel to Canada in March, the White House said. Biden made the comments in a bilateral meeting with Trudeau on the sidelines of a three-way summit with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico City. Reporting by Paul Grant; Editing by Tim AhmannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. announces over $3.75 billion in new military assistance to Ukraine, other countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - The United States will provide more than $3.75 billion in military assistance to Ukraine and countries affected by the Russian invasion of its neighbor, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Friday. That authority allows the United States to transfer defense items like Humvees, trucks and munitions from stocks quickly without congressional approval in response to an emergency. RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles, used for air defense, will also be sent to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has stressed the need for better air defenses to curb Russian missile strikes that have damaged the country's energy infrastructure during winter. The United States and Germany have also pledged to send Patriot missile systems to repel Russian missile and drone attacks.

☆ Forget politics, Biden urges Americans to embrace the Christmas spirit
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden urged Americans on Thursday to cast aside the partisan politics that have divided the nation and embrace the caring spirit of the holiday season. In a short holiday speech, Biden said Americans are emerging from a brutal couple of years where the COVID-19 pandemic robbed people of loved ones and new memories. U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a Christmas speech at the White House in Washington, U.S., December 22, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis"I sincerely hope that this holiday season will drain the poison that has affected our politics that has set us against one another. I hope this Christmas season marks a fresh start for our nation," Biden said.

☆ Biden signs Defense Authorization Act, but voices concerns
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday signed the Defense Authorization Act, but he voiced concerns about several of its provisions, including one that he said could hamper the administration's prosecution of Guantanamo Bay detainees. "I urge the Congress to eliminate these restrictions as soon as possible," Biden said in a statement, referring to a provision barring the use of funds to transfer certain detainees into the United States. Reporting by Paul Grant; Editing by Tim AhmannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S., partners condemn Taliban decision to ban women from universities -statement
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - The United States, the European Union and 11 foreign ministers condemned the Taliban's decision to ban women from universities in Afghanistan, according to a joint statement issued on Wednesday. Foreign ministers for Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom joined Washington and the EU in condemning the Taliban's decision, announced on Tuesday evening in a letter to universities from the higher education ministry. "The Taliban’s oppressive measures against Afghan girls and women have been relentless and systemic," according to the statement, issued by the U.S. State Department. Reporting By Paul Grant; Editing by Caitlin WebberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden next week will announce U.S. support for the African Union's admission to the G20 group of the world's largest economies as a permanent member, a White House official said on Friday. Biden will make the announcement during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington next week, White House adviser Judd Devermont said, when Biden will meet presidents of African countries. Devermont said the move, first reported by the Washington Post, comes after requests from African Union Chair and Senegalese President Macky Sall and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. South Africa is the only G20 member from Africa. But Biden has struck a different tone from former President Donald Trump, who disparaged some African nations and barred travel from six of them.

WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved a potential sale of 116 General Dynamics (GD.N) made M1A1 Abrams tanks, other vehicles and munitions to Poland in a deal valued at up to $3.75 billion, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. The sale comes just months after Poland was authorized to buy 250 M1A2 tanks by the same maker. The package would include vehicles to recover disabled tanks, eight assault bridges and other vehicles. It would also provide thousands of rounds of advanced munitions including armor-piercing rounds, spares and technical support, the Pentagon said. Despite approval by the State Department, the notification does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that negotiations have concluded.

☆ U.S. FCC partially grants SpaceX's application for second-gen satellite system
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Dec 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday it had partially granted SpaceX's application for a second generation broadband satellite system. Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; editing by Paul GrantOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/3] U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) waves after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, U.S., August 6, 2022. REUTERS/Brian SnyderNov 18 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert, the polarizing Republican who gained national notoriety during her first term with her combative brand of politics, won re-election in a surprisingly close race after her Democratic opponent conceded on Friday. House Republicans will be able to block much of Democratic President Joe Biden's agenda. She went on to defeat a five-term incumbent Republican in that year's primary and won the seat in the general election. On Friday, Boebert wrote on Twitter that Frisch had called her to concede and added, "I look forward to getting past election season and focusing on conservative governance in the House majority.

☆ U.S. Senate Republicans vote to keep McConnell as leader, spokesperson says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans, who failed to win control of the chamber in last week's midterm elections, on Wednesday voted to keep Mitch McConnell as their caucus leader, a spokesperson said. McConnell fended off a challenge by Senator Rick Scott, who had run the Republicans' election organization. Reporting by Gram Slattery David Morgan; writing by Katharine Jackson; editing by Paul GrantOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ State Dept OKs potential sale of Patriot missiles to Switzerland, Pentagon says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of Patriot missiles and related equipment to Switzerland for an estimated cost of $700 million, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. The prime contractor will be Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), the Pentagon said. Reporting by Paul Grant; Editing by Eric BeechOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. official says Russian missiles hit Poland, killing two -Associated Press
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. intelligence official said Russian missiles crossed into Poland, killing two people, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation, the AP reported. Firefighters in Poland said on Tuesday two people died in an explosion in Przewodow, a village in eastern Poland near the border with Ukraine. read morePolish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has called an urgent meeting of a government committee for national security and defense affairs, the government spokesman said on Twitter. Reporting By Paul Grant and Costas Pitas; Editing by Tim AhmannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a rally to support Republican candidates ahead of midterm elections, in Dayton, Ohio, U.S. November 7, 2022. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday set the date for the arguments. The department has asked the 11th Circuit to reverse Cannon's appointment of Dearie, who is a U.S. district judge. Trump's attorneys sued two weeks after the search and sought the appointment of a special master to independently review the records. Trump last week asked the 11th Circuit to keep Dearie's review in place.

☆ Ukraine minister: GDP contraction of 39% expected in 2022 vs earlier forecast of 35%
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Ukrainian economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Russia’s destruction of civilian infrastructure in recent weeks was expected to result in a 39% contraction of gross domestic product in 2022, down from an earlier forecast of a 35% drop. Asked about recent comments from Republican leaders in Congress suggesting they would curtail U.S. aid to Ukraine, Svyrydenko said Ukraine's fight against Russia was an existential one, and that the entire world order would change if it lost. She said Ukraine is also seeking a yearlong extension of the suspension of U.S. steel tariffs to help Ukrainian steelmakers, which have been hit hard by Russian missile attacks. Svyrydenko said she discussed the issue with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai during a meeting in Washington earlier on Wednesday. She also met on Tuesday with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who pledged continued strong support for Ukraine, including efforts by the U.S. government and private sector to help rebuild Ukraine's civilian infrastructure.

☆ U.S. State Dept OKs potential sale of missiles, equipment to Belgium -Pentagon
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment for a total estimated cost of $380 million, the Defense Department said on Tuesday. The principal contractor will be Raytheon Missile Systems of Tucson, Arizona, the Pentagon said. Reporting By Paul GrantOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ FBI warns New Jersey synagogues of 'credible threat'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The FBI warned on Thursday that there was a credible threat to synagogues in New Jersey, asking that they take security precautions to protect their communities and buildings. The statement shared no specific details about the threat. Less than 3% of Americans are Jewish, and synagogues across the United States have long been wary of the threat of anti-Semitic attacks. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned in February of heightened threats from extremist groups against synagogues, churches and historically Black colleges and universities. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a statement that his office was "working with local law enforcement to ensure that all houses of worship are protected."

☆ U.S. Capitol police chief: attack on Pelosi's husband bolsters case for more security
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The attack on U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband highlights the need for more money to protect lawmakers in a bitterly divided political climate, the head of the Capitol Police said on Tuesday. "We believe today’s political climate calls for more resources to provide additional layers of physical security for members of Congress," Manger said. Pelosi and other top leaders of Congress get full-time guards and other enhanced security measures. The Capitol Police has opened regional field offices in California and Florida, with plans to open more soon to help investigate threats to lawmakers, Manger said. Lawmakers can also use their regular office expense accounts to buy bulletproof vests and other security equipment and Capitol Police have been increasing coordination with local law enforcement agencies.

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Highly sensitive intelligence on Iran and China was in some of the documents recovered by the FBI during an August search of former U.S. President Donald Trump's home in Florida, The Washington Post reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The release of information in these documents would pose multiple risks, including endangering people helping U.S. intelligence efforts and compromising collection efforts, the newspaper cited experts as saying. The Justice Department is investigating whether Trump broke the law by taking government records, including about 100 classified documents, to his Florida estate after leaving office in January 2021. The department is also looking into whether Trump or his team obstructed justice when the FBI sent agents to search his home, and has warned that more classified documents may still be missing. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting By Paul Grant; Editing by Doina Chiacu and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. grants Temporary Protected Status to Ethiopians fleeing conflict
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Katharine Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday granted Temporary Protected Status for 18 months for Ethiopians currently residing in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security said. "The United States recognizes the ongoing armed conflict and the extraordinary and temporary conditions engulfing Ethiopia, and DHS is committed to providing temporary protection to those in need," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement announcing the designation. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions and left hundreds of thousands on the brink of famine. An estimated 27,000 Ethiopians in the United States will be eligible for TPS under the new designation, a Homeland Security department spokesperson said. To qualify for the program, Ethiopians in the United States will have to show they have been continuously resided in the United States since October 20, 2022, and those who attempt to travel to the United States after that date would not be eligible, the department said.

☆ Biden says prices “too high” as inflation rises before midterms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Jarrett Renshaw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The consumer price index rose 0.4% last month after gaining 0.1% in August, the Labor Department said in its report. Biden said the consumer price index report shows some progress in the fight against higher prices but there is more work to do, according to a statement issued by the White House. The White House noted that inflation over the last three months has averaged 2% at an annualized rate, down from 11% in the prior quarter. Fighting the global inflation that is affecting countries around the world and working families here at home is my top priority," Biden said in statement. Biden has tried, with modest success, to curtail an inflation surge caused by a U.S. economy emerging from COVID lockdowns and oil-rich Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

☆ NASA looks to launch Artemis lunar test flight again on Nov. 14
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oct 12 (Reuters) - NASA has targeted Nov. 14 for a third attempt to launch its big, next-generation rocketship, the U.S. space agency said on Wednesday, after weeks of technical setbacks and foul weather delayed the uncrewed inaugural Artemis mission to the moon. Plans call for rolling the 32-story-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and its Orion capsule back out to Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as early as Friday, Nov. 4 to renew final flight preparations. The newly targeted 69-minute launch window for the Artemis I mission on Nov. 14 opens at 12:07 a.m. EST (0407 GMT), with backup launch opportunities of two hours each set for Nov. 16 and Nov. 19, NASA said. Artemis I, aimed at launching the Orion capsule on an uncrewed test flight to the moon and back, would mark the debut voyage of both the SLS rocket and Orion a half century after the final lunar mission of Apollo, forerunner of the Artemis program. NASA ultimately plans to establish a long-term lunar base of operations as a stepping stone to even more ambitious human voyages to Mars.

An American flag waves outside the U.S. Department of Justice Building in Washington, U.S., December 15, 2020. REUTERS/Al Drago/File PhotoNEW YORK/WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Bernard Madoff's victims will soon receive another $372 million to help cover their losses, nearly 14 years after the swindler's capture for running a massive Ponzi scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Wednesday. The payout from the government's Madoff Victim Fund will go to 27,219 victims, including more than 400 who had yet to recoup a penny from any source. Wednesday's payout is the eighth from the government fund, with victims recouping an average 88.35% of their losses. It originally held $4.05 billion, but has grown because the Justice Department has recovered additional assets.

☆ Another $372 mln on way to Bernie Madoff victims, Justice Dept says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Victims of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme can expect to soon receive another $372 million to help cover their losses, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Wednesday, putting total recoveries above $18.5 billion. Payouts to over 27,000 victims will come from the Madoff Victim Fund, a $4.05 billion government fund set up in 2013 and overseen by former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Richard Breeden. Following the latest distribution, the fund's eighth, victims will have received over $4 billion, covering some 88% of their losses, the department said. More than 40,000 claimants have been compensated through the victim fund, the Justice Department said. Another $14.5 billion has been recouped for customers of the former Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC by the court-appointed trustee liquidating that firm in bankruptcy.

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