DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ The First Republican Debate Starred Eight Candidates and a Ghost
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( James Poniewozik | More About James Poniewozik | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who short-circuited Marco Rubio in a 2016 debate, entered the race with the goal of hammering Mr. Trump over his attempts to overturn his loss in 2020. Initially, he went after Mr. Ramaswamy as the next best thing, saying that he “sounds like ChatGPT” and likening him to Barack Obama; Mr. Ramaswamy reminded Mr. Christie that the then-governor notoriously hugged Mr. Obama in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, just before the 2012 election. Around an hour in, Mr. Baier finally invoked Mr. Trump — “the elephant not in the room” — and his indictments, to the boos of the crowd. The hand raise began with Mr. Ramaswamy and moved across the stage like a sluggish wave at a stadium, stopping at Mr. Christie. But Mr. Trump was not there to make his own noise, which left more room for one of the main goals of a first debate: to let candidates introduce themselves to a broader audience.

Persons: Chris Christie, circuited Marco Rubio, Trump, Ramaswamy, Barack Obama, Christie, Obama, Baier, —, “ Rich Organizations: New, Mr, Fox, North, Richmond ” — Locations: New Jersey, Hurricane

☆ Opinion | Winners and Losers of the First Republican Debate
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +22 min

Welcome to Opinion’s commentary for the first Republican presidential primary candidate debate, held in Milwaukee on Wednesday night. Gail Collins: She seemed generally reasonable and wow, when the debate turned to education and she actually brought up reading. If there’s any life left in the old G.O.P., Haley gave it hope. Perhaps more important, in taking on the glib and callow Ramaswamy on Ukraine, she showed anger and dominance, essential qualities in a Republican debate. Any debate that doesn’t feature Chris Christie at the front of the highlight reel is a bad night for Christie.

Persons: Jamelle, Nikki Haley, Haley, Gail Collins, Matthew Continetti, G.O.P, Michelle Cottle, —, Trump —, Ramaswamy, suburbanites, Ross Douthat, David French, Reagan, Michelle Goldberg, callow Ramaswamy, Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Katherine Mangu, Christie, “ Trump, “ Donald Trump, Daniel McCarthy, Vivek, Bret Stephens, Mike Pence’s, Mike Pence, Pence, Mike, Vivek ”, Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump, ”, he’ll, Jesus, Ramaswamy —, ChatGPT —, you’ve, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, He’s, Joe Biden, Martha MacCallum, Ron DeSantis, Hunter Biden, DeSantis, Donald Trump, MAGA, pander, smartly, Sharp, Biden, refighting, Ron, Hutchinson, clearheaded, Still, Scott, Tim Scott, Meh, ” Daniel McCarthy, Pleasant, Donald Trump’s, wasn’t, I’d, Ramaswamy’s, callow, I’m, insufferable, Preening, Doug Burgum, Achilles, Burgum, he’s, Asa Hutchinson, Trump’s, Asa Hutchinson didn’t, didn’t Organizations: Republican, Republican Party, Trump, Ramaswamy, Pence, Pious, Trump Republicans, MSNBC, Fox, Department of Justice, United Nations, Energy, Department of Education, Republicans Locations: Milwaukee, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ukraine, America, Mexico, Florida, Covid, China, MAGA, Arkansas

But in advance of this debate, I did go back and watch the 2015 Republican debate. michelle cottleOK. I’m going to jump in here with the message may be great, but the messenger was absolutely atrocious. But I thought it was really, really interesting. carlos lozadaNo, no, no, but no, here’s what — no, I mean, I’m not inclined to. And then, I’m going to put the interests of Americans first, which is just an America first riff.

Persons: lydia polgreen, ross douhat Bemusement, michelle cottle, polgreen Wow, ross douhat, lydia polgreen Carlos, carlos lozada Darkness, carlos lozada, Mike Pence, Lydia Polgreen, michelle cottle I’m Michelle Cottle, ross douhat I’m Ross Douthat, carlos lozada I’m Carlos Lozada, you’re, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Pence, carlos lozada That’s, Lydia, Prince, carlos lozada —, Tucker Carlson, Carlos, John Kasich, Scott Walker, Jeb Bush —, Ross, ross, It’s, he’s, Trump, lydia polgreen We’re, ross douhat Punditry, yammering, He’s, Michelle, that’s, — michelle cottle, she’s, She’s, lydia polgreen —, michelle cottle He’s, I’m, Obama, —, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Haley, michelle cottle ChatGPT, carlos lozada ChatGPT, ross douhat We’ve, — carlos lozada There’s, Pudding Fingers, DeSantis, unquote, ”, it’s, Christie, Tim Scott —, hasn’t, carlos lozada DeSantis’s, George Soros, — carlos lozada —, I’ve, ross douhat Totally, Donald Trump, — ross, Chris Christie can’t, ross douhat Trump, Tim Scott, Vivek’s, carlos lozada He’ll, — ross douhat, Tucker, Jeffrey Epstein, polgreen, Epstein, Biden, lydia polgreen He’s, They’re, Asa —, carlos lozada It’s, michelle cottle That’s, michelle cottle Oh, we’re, you’re Donald Trump, carlos lozada Well, who’s, Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Caroline Alexander, — carlos lozada, michelle cottle Aw, ross douhat It’s, David Grann, MOO, we’ve, “ MOO, ” ross, “, somebody’s, michelle cottle I’m Organizations: Indigo, Twitter, lydia polgreen From New York, Trump, Republican Party, Republican, Harvard, Ivy League, Fox, Fox News, Republican National Committee, Biden, Democratic, Trump Republican Party, Iowa Locations: United States of America, lydia polgreen From New, Trump, America, Washington, UN, New Hampshire, Ukraine, Iowa, Florida, Panama, China, Milwaukee, Lydia, There’s

☆ Four takeaways from the first 2024 Republican presidential debate
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and former biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy debate each other across Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at the first Republican candidates' debate of the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. August 23. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Eight contenders for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination jockeyed for voters’ attention on Wednesday at the party’s first debate, while the front-runner Donald Trump, the former president, bypassed the event. Here are four takeaways from the debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:NEW KID IN TOWNIn his first political debate, Vivek Ramaswamy, 38, was widely expected to be a wild card. “Can't we all agree that we're not going to put a woman in jail or give her the death penalty if she gets an abortion?” said Haley, the only woman on the debate stage. For the candidates on the debate stage, it was by talking about on how regular Americans are struggling with the cost of items such as groceries, fuel and cars.

Persons: Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Brian Snyder, Donald Trump, Ramaswamy, howls, Ron DeSantis, ” DeSantis, Pence, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, I've, ” Christie, Christie, Barack Obama, ”, Tucker Carlson, Bret Baier, Trump’s, Trump, Nikki Haley, Haley, we're, DeSantis, ” Pence, “ It’s, ” Haley, “ Don’t, Biden, it’s, Joe Biden’s, Hunter Biden, James Oliphant, Colleen Jenkins, Howard Goller Organizations: U.S, Florida Governor, Republican, REUTERS, Rights, Trump, Twitter, Fox News, Congress, Ukraine, Former South Carolina, Biden, Democratic, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Florida, Milwaukee , Wisconsin, U.S, New Jersey, Russia, America

☆ Central America parliament expels Taiwan, makes China permanent observer
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Ismael Lopez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 21 (Reuters) - The Central American Parliament on Monday voted to expel Taiwan after more than two decades as a permanent observer and replace it with China, whose growing economic influence in Latin America has increasingly marginalized Taipei. The six-nation parliament, known as Parlacen, met in the Nicaraguan capital Managua where local legislators proposed adding China, which claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory. Beijing has expanded its influence in Central America with Parlacen members Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and the Dominican Republic breaking off diplomatic ties with Taiwan in recent years. Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America, is the only Parlacen member that still recognizes Taiwan. The United States recognizes China diplomatically but has unofficial ties with Taipei, and the Biden administration has said it opposes efforts to change the status quo in Taiwan.

Persons: Parlacen, Senators Tim Kaine, Marco Rubio, Biden, Ismael Lopez, Ben Blanchard, Sarah Morland Organizations: Central American, United Nations, U.S, Senators, Democrat, Republican, Foreign, United, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, China, America, Taipei, Nicaraguan, Managua, Parlacen, Beijing, Central America, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Xinjiang, U.S, Belize, Paraguay, Americas, United States

☆ Trump seeks to steer attention away from first 2024 GOP debate as rivals make final preparations for Milwaukee
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

As his rivals prepare for the two-hour showdown on Fox News, Trump’s campaign is attempting to counter-program the debate. But Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. and other surrogates planned to travel to Milwaukee, where they would have had opportunities to weigh in on national broadcasts before and after the debate in the spin room. Ahead of the debate, some candidates are offering previews of their lines of attack – including criticizing Trump for choosing not to participate. “Every one of us who have qualified for that debate stage ought to be on the stage willing to square off and answer those tough questions,” Pence said. Overall, 42% say Trump is their first choice, followed by 19% supporting DeSantis.

Persons: he’s, Donald Trump, Trump, Tucker Carlson, Carlson, Donald Trump Jr, Kari Lake, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Jason Miller, Steven Cheung, Chris LaCivita, Ron DeSantis, “, ” DeSantis, DeSantis, DeSantis –, –, “ We’ll, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, it’s, Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Haley, Russell Brand, Vivek —, ” Haley, ”, Christie, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, Rubio, ” Christie, Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Mike Pence, ” Pence, Iowa GOP caucusgoers, Scott, Pence, Doug Burgum, Will Hurd, caucusgoers, Chris Sununu, Sununu, “ Trump Organizations: CNN, Republican, GOP, Fox News, Former Arizona, RNC, Trump, Florida Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, PAC, South, United Nations, Twitter, ABC, Des Moines Register, NBC, Iowa GOP, North Dakota Gov, Texas Rep, Selzer, New Hampshire Gov Locations: Milwaukee, Bedminster , New Jersey, Florida, Georgia, Fulton County, New Jersey, South Carolina, Israel, America, Miami, Tallahassee, Carolina, – Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, Des, Iowa, By New Hampshire

☆ The 6 Kinds of Republican Voters
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Nate Cohn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

But if the Republican Party is no longer in Reagan’s image, it’s not necessarily a populist-conservative MAGA monolith, either. But if the Republican Party isn’t quite a MAGA monolith, what is it? The groups were defined by how Republican-leaning voters felt on the issues — not how they felt about Mr. Trump. In fact, Mr. Trump leads Mr. DeSantis among every group of Republican voters identified in the analysis. They’re the smallest group of Republicans today, but this group of relatively moderate but anti-woke voters might play an important role in the Republican Party in the years ahead.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Ronald Reagan’s, it’s, MAGA, Trump’s, Mr, They’re, ” They’re, it’s Mr, ”, —, Trump’s MAGA, don’t, Ron DeSantis, Susan Collins, Charlie Baker, Chris Sununu, Reagan, Bush, Biden, John Kasich, Marco Rubio, DeSantis, Rick Perry, Tim Scott, Rubio, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Romney, Liz Cheney, Roe, Wade, Ted Cruz, Newt Gingrich Trump, It’s, likeliest, Cruz, Rudy Giuliani, Paul LePage, Lou Barletta, Michael Grimm Trump, ” Reagan, Rand Paul, Jason Chaffetz, Dave Brat Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, President Biden, they’re, “ Organizations: Right, Libertarian Conservatives, Moderate, Republican Party, New York Times, Siena College, Republican, Times, Mr, Conservatives, Fox, Trump, Blue, Trump Republican Party, Freedom Caucus, Fox News, Trump —, Republicans, Radicals, ” Reagan Democrats, Obama, Trump voters, President Locations: Ukraine, Siena, America, New York City, It’s

☆ U.S. SEC says will continue to carefully review China IPO prospectuses
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The seal of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is seen at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 12, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. securities regulator will continue to carefully review issuer filings, it said on Wednesday in response to a Reuters report that Chinese offshore issuers are toning down China-related business risks in their listing documents. "Our staff will continue its long-standing practice of carefully reviewing issuer filings and commenting to the issuer when appropriate." China's securities regulator last month asked domestic law firms to refrain from including negative descriptions of China's policies or its business and legal environment in initial public offering prospectuses, Reuters previously reported. China law firms are now scrambling to comply with that guidance.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Marco Rubio, Gary Gensler, Michelle Price Organizations: U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Rights, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Reuters, Foreign Relations, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, U.S, China

The order is aimed at preventing American capital and expertise from helping China develop technologies that could support its military modernization and undermine U.S. national security. China said on Thursday it is "gravely concerned" about the order and that it reserves the right to take measures. The White House said Biden consulted allies on the plan and incorporated feedback from Group of Seven nations. "Today the United States is taking a strategic first step to ensure American investment does not go to fund Chinese military advancement." Last year, total U.S.-based venture-capital investment in China plummeted to $9.7 billion from $32.9 billion in 2021, according to PitchBook data.

Persons: Joe Biden, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden's, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Marco Rubio, Emily Benson, David Shepardson, Andrea Shalal, Stephen Nellis, Max Cherney, Krystal Hu, Karen Freifeld, Idrees Ali, Liz Lee, Lincoln, Jonathan Oatis, Cynthia Osterman, Michael Perry Organizations: White, REUTERS, Wednesday, U.S, Treasury, Biden, Chinese Commerce Ministry, Seven, Democratic, Republicans, REPUBLICAN, The Semiconductor Industry Association, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, WASHINGTON, China, U.S, Japan, Netherlands, United States, Washington, Beijing

The order is aimed at preventing American capital and expertise from helping China develop technologies that could support its military modernization and undermine U.S. national security. The White House said Biden consulted allies on the plan and incorporated feedback from Group of Seven nations. "Today the United States is taking a strategic first step to ensure American investment does not go to fund Chinese military advancement." Last year, total U.S.-based venture-capital investment in China plummeted to $9.7 billion from $32.9 billion in 2021, according to PitchBook data. The restrictions will hurt both Chinese and American businesses, interfere with normal cooperation and reduce investor confidence in the U.S., he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Marco Rubio, Emily Benson, David Shepardson, Andrea Shalal, Stephen Nellis, Max Cherney, Krystal Hu, Karen Freifeld, Idrees Ali, Lincoln, Jonathan Oatis, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: White, REUTERS, Wednesday, U.S, Treasury, Biden, Seven, Democratic, Republicans, REPUBLICAN, The Semiconductor Industry Association, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, WASHINGTON, China, U.S, Japan, Netherlands, United States, Washington

☆ Four Major Challenges Facing Ron DeSantis’s Campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Trip Gabriel | More About Trip Gabriel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Solving the Trump problem is the master key to this election, and no one has found it. Mr. DeSantis, like almost every other Republican in the race, adopted a strategy of never criticizing Mr. Trump, for fear of alienating his ardent base. The theory was that at some point Mr. Trump would disqualify himself, and Mr. DeSantis would be positioned to inherit his supporters. But now, after three criminal indictments have failed to dent Mr. Trump’s popularity with Republican voters, pressure is mounting on Mr. DeSantis to stop pretending Mr. Trump isn’t in the race and take him on directly. “Trump is the de facto Republican incumbent, and in order to beat an incumbent you have to give voters a fire-able offense,” said Terry Sullivan, who managed Senator Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign in 2016.

Persons: DeSantis, Trump, ’ ’, Barbara Comstock, “ Trump, ”, Terry Sullivan, Marco Rubio’s Organizations: Trump, Republican Locations: Virginia

☆ A GOP divide in Iowa over Trump -- and over the truth
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( John King | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Mudd does not dispute this but says he would have more confidence if states followed the same procedures. “Nothing about that deal is the American way, I don’t think,” Mudd Sr. says of the latest Trump indictment. And it vividly captures the country’s red state-blue state divide, which includes what you think of Trump and where you get your news. Taylor supported Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2016 caucuses, but voted for Trump in November 2016 and again in 2020. Shopping around is an Iowa tradition, but both understand that a splintered field eventually helps Trump, as it did in 2016.

Persons: John King’s, “ Anderson Cooper, Chris Mudd, ” Mudd, “, Joe Biden’s, Mudd, Donald Trump, Donald Trump’s, I’m, Trump, John King, Allison Malloy, CNN “, ”, Biden, Jim Mudd, Republicans don’t, Ronald Reagan, Tracey Mudd, Chris ’, Rob Mudd, that’s, Hunter Biden’s, Tucker Carlson, Hunter Biden, ” Rob Mudd doesn’t, Volodymyr, Zelensky, Vivek Ramaswamy’s, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, ” Chris Mudd, Priscilla Forsyth, Howard Dean, John Edwards, ” Forsyth, ” She’s, isn’t, doesn’t, Forsyth, King, Jaclyn Taylor, Taylor, Texas Sen, Ted Cruz, sighs, Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, CNN Betsy Sarcone, ” Sarcone, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton, Sarcone, “ We’ve, ” Taylor Organizations: Waterloo , Iowa CNN, Republican, GOP, CNN, Republicans, America, Fox, today’s Republican, Trump, NATO, RFK, Texas, Biden, Former United Nations, Florida, Biden –, Republican Party, Iowa Locations: Iowa, Waterloo , Iowa, Cedar Falls , Iowa, Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Cedar Falls, American, Ukraine, Sioux City, Woodbury, Des Moines, Metro Des Moines, Waukee, ”, Carolina, Clive , Iowa, Urbandale, Florida

Complicating the matter for DeSantis: Trump, the front-runner in the race by far, appears unwilling to provide him with a target. Rival campaigns smell blood in the water as DeSantis has faced questions over profligate campaign spending and his readiness for the national stage. In the most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, released last week, Trump held 47% of the Republican vote nationally, with DeSantis dropping six points from July down to just 13%. Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator and Republican presidential candidate who participated in a series of debates in the 2012 election, said DeSantis will need to be ready for an “onslaught” of attacks. “If I was on that stage, I would be going after Trump,” Santorum said.

Persons: Ron Desantis, Tucker Carlson, Scott Morgan, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Trump, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, ”, Robert Bigelow, Rick Santorum, Santorum, “, ” Santorum, Justin Sayfie, Jeb Bush, ” Sayfie, Charlie Crist, Haley, Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Pence, Pence, Christie, “ That’s, ” Aaron Kall, It’s, ” Kall, Marco Rubio, James Oliphant, Gram Slattery, Colleen Jenkins, Alistair Bell Organizations: Former Fox, Iowa Events Center, REUTERS, Florida Governor, Trump, Republican, United Nations, Reuters, Harvard Law School, TRUMP, New, University of Michigan, Thomson Locations: Florida, Des Moines , Iowa, U.S, Milwaukee, Haley , North Dakota, New Jersey

[1/3] Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks at the Republican Party of Iowa's Lincoln Day Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., July 28, 2023. China is mentioned daily at campaign stops, in digital ads and in policy speeches by the various Republican candidates. Some 50% of Americans identify China as the greatest threat to the United States, according to a Pew Research poll released in late July. On the stump, they have said the United States must stand by Ukraine. If the United States does not confront Russia, they say, China will feel emboldened.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Scott Morgan, Democratic Biden, DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Tim Scott, Trump, Terry Sullivan, Marco Rubio's, Joe Biden, Pew, Haley, Scott, Jamieson Greer, King, Wendy Cutler, Mike Pence, Gram Slattery, David Lawder, Michael Martina, Ross Colvin, Alistair Bell Organizations: Florida Governor, Republican, Republican Party of Iowa's, REUTERS, Democratic, East, Newsweek, Justice Department, Pew Research, Trade, Spalding, U.S . Trade Representative, Trump, Heritage Foundation, Russia, China, American Enterprise Institute, Thomson Locations: Des Moines , Iowa, U.S, ROCHESTER , New Hampshire, China, United States, America, Communist China, Russia, Iran, Beijing, Washington, Ukraine

☆ Ron DeSantis' newest problem: The majority of likely Republican primary voters don't want a candidate devoted to fighting 'woke'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

GOP presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Likely Republican voters, however, told the New York Times they'd prefer the government stay away from limiting what corporations can support. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign is in hot water after a majority of likely Republican voters said they want the government to stay away from influencing what corporations can and can't support. As he continues to double and triple-down on his anti-woke schtick, it doesn't seem like it's doing him many favors in the race to become the GOP presidential nominee. But as his presidential campaign falters and likely GOP voters make it clear that fighting "wokeism" isn't a priority, DeSantis keeps belaboring the point.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Bud Light, it's, Donald Trump, falters, Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light's, Sen, Marco Rubio Organizations: Florida Gov, Republican, New York Times, Service, GOP, AB InBev Locations: Wall, Silicon, Florida

☆ U.S. will not invite sanctioned Hong Kong leader to APEC in November
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, who faces sanctions in the U.S., will not be invited to San Francisco during November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The U.S. is set to host this year's gathering of leaders of APEC, of which Hong Kong is a member. Hong Kong's top official John Lee was placed under U.S. sanctions in 2020 because of his role in implementing what Washington deems a "draconian" Hong Kong national security law when he was the city's security secretary. A State Department spokesperson, asked about the decision, said the participation of all delegations in APEC events will be "in accordance with U.S. laws and regulations and on the basis of the spirit and principles of APEC." "We will work with Hong Kong, China to ensure appropriate participation in San Francisco," the spokesperson said, adding without giving details that U.S. President Joe Biden had begun sending invitations for the event.

Persons: John Lee, Hong, Hong Kong's, Marco Rubio, Lee, Rubio, Hong Kongers, " Rubio, Joe Biden, Liu Pengyu, Biden, Xi Jinping Organizations: San, Economic Cooperation, APEC, Washington, Hong, Reuters, Republican, U.S . State Department, U.S, The Washington, State Department, U.S . Treasury Department, China's Locations: Hong Kong, U.S, San Francisco, November's Asia, United States, China, Washington

☆ US senators seek to reverse 'Buy America' waiver for EV charging stations
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, July 26 (Reuters) - Four Republican U.S. senators on Wednesday sought to reverse a Biden administration decision to waive "Buy America" requirements for government-funded electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Senators Marco Rubio, Roger Marshall, Rick Scott and Kevin Cramer said the Federal Highway Administration waiver of U.S. content requirements for steel, iron and construction materials would result in U.S. taxpayers subsidizing Chinese-made products. It said in February that the short-term waiver would enable "EV charger acquisition and installation to immediately proceed." EV chargers require iron and steel for some of their most crucial parts, including the internal structural frame, heating and cooling fans and the power transformer. U.S. states and companies had warned that global demand for EV chargers is straining the supply chain, making it difficult, if not impossible, to meet made-in-America standards and expedite construction of new chargers.

Persons: Marco Rubio, Roger Marshall, Rick Scott, Kevin Cramer, Rubio, Biden, David Shepardson, Leslie Adler, Richard Chang Organizations: Republican U.S, Federal, Administration, EV, Kansas Department of Transportation, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, United States, America

☆ DeSantis is unhurt in a car accident in Tennessee while traveling to presidential campaign events
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Republican White House hopeful was not hurt, police and DeSantis campaign spokesperson Bryan Griffin said. A female DeSantis staff member suffered a minor injury and was later treated at the campaign event, police said. Representatives for DeSantis' campaign did not answer questions about who was driving the governor or reveal details about the accident. It's clear it needs to," said Republican strategist Terry Sullivan, who managed Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign. DeSantis' team has quietly expressed confidence for months that voters would eventually tire of Trump's escalating legal troubles and personal baggage.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Bryan Griffin, DeSantis, Andrew Romeo, Donald Trump, Terry Sullivan, Marco Rubio's, they're Organizations: Florida Gov, Republican White House, Florida, Florida Department of Law, GOP, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Republican, Hamptons, Trump Locations: Florida, Rio Grande, Eagle Pass , Texas, Tennessee, Chattanooga, Nashville ., Knoxville, Franklin, Utah, New York, U.S, Nashville

☆ Pro-Chinese online influence campaign promoted protests in Washington, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A Chinese marketing firm likely organized and promoted protests in Washington last year as part of a wide-ranging pro-Beijing influence campaign, according to new research. One of the protests only attracted roughly a dozen people but it showed the scope and ambition of the pro-China efforts. The hired protesters, who included self-proclaimed musicians and actors in the Washington, DC, area, apparently had no idea they were being enlisted in a pro-China influence campaign, the Mandiant researchers said. Haixun, the Chinese firm, distributed videos of the protesters online to further the influence campaign, according to Mandiant. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said he was unaware of the details of the research.

Persons: Mandiant, ” Ryan Serabian, Liu Pengyu, ” Liu, Joe Biden, Republican Sen, Marco Rubio Organizations: CNN, China, Shanghai Haixun Technology, Embassy, Washington Post, stoke American, FBI, Republican Locations: Washington, Beijing, China, Xinjiang, DC, Shanghai, Mandiant, Russia, Marco Rubio of Florida

☆ It's not just JD Vance: Republican senators are open to criminalizing gender-affirming care for minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sen. JD Vance introduced a bill to criminalize providing certain treatments to transgender minors. Other Republican senators told Insider that they're open to the idea as well. Asked about potentially harmful effects on transgender people who are already receiving care, Vance conceded that the bill is largely a messaging device for now. "But it doesn't have any effect on the capacity of people to receive this care if they're adults. While the bill has the support of 46 mostly hard-right House Republicans, Vance just has one official co-sponsor in the Senate: Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.

Persons: Sen, JD Vance, Vance, Vance isn't, Marjorie Taylor Greene, that's, Joseph Zeballos, Tommy Tuberville, aren't, Marco Rubio, Ron Johnson, Josh Hawley, who's, Ted Cruz of, he's Organizations: Service, Ohio, Senate, Republicans, Human Rights, House Republicans Locations: Wall, Silicon, Georgia, Alabama, America, Marco Rubio of Florida, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas

All eyes are onJudge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the first pretrial hearing Tuesday in the DOJ's prosecution of Donald Trump. Since the confirmation, a least one other Cannon case made national headlines. Judge Aileen Cannon gave her confirmation testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee over Zoom on July 29, 2020. There, she prosecuted cases involving narcotics, fraud, firearms, and immigration cases, according to her Senate confirmation document. Cannon during her confirmation hearing thanked Rubio as well as fellow Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida for their "continued support."

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump, Cannon, Nancy Pelosi, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Department's, Trump, Jack Smith's, Bill Barr, behead, Mercedes Cubas, Federalist Society —, Steven Colloton, Gibson, Dunn, Crutcher, Josh Lorence, Ron DeSantis, Lynne Sladky, Lorence, Bobby Flay, DeSantis, Republican Sen, Marco Rubio, Rubio, Rick Scott of, " Rubio, Democratic Sen, Dianne Feinstein, they'd, Pelosi, Paul Hoeffer, Hoeffer, Cannon's, Fort, Paul G Organizations: Trump, Lago, Service, US, Justice Department, Department, FBI, Fox News, Senate, Democratic Rep, Zoom, Committee, Duke University, El, El Nuevo Herald, Miami Herald, University of Michigan Law School, Federalist Society, Crutcher LLP, Southern, Southern District of, GOP, White, Republican, Democratic, Rogers, CNN Locations: Mar, Wall, Silicon, Trump's, Lago, Florida, Alexandria, Cortez of New York, Cali , Colombia, Miami , Florida, Cuba, Spain, El Nuevo, Iowa, Washington ,, Southern District, Southern District of Florida, Athens, Greece, Vero Beach , Florida, Marco Rubio of Florida, Rick Scott of Florida, Cortez, Fort Pierce , Florida, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - Democratic and Republic senators renewed an effort to block any U.S. president from leaving NATO on Wednesday, as leaders of the alliance attended an eventful summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The joint resolution, seen by Reuters, is a fresh effort by Congress to prevent the president from withdrawing from the alliance without the Senate's approval. Lead sponsors include Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, and Republican Senator Marco Rubio, vice chairman of the intelligence committee, who is also a senior member of the foreign relations panel. The current president, Democrat Joe Biden, has been a strong supporter of NATO, backing its expansion and working with other members, especially on the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He is expected to celebrate its unity over Ukraine in a speech at the Vilnius summit on Wednesday.

Persons: Tim Kaine, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Kaine, Joe Biden, Patricia Zengerle, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Democratic, NATO, Reuters, Atlantic Treaty, Congress, Foreign Relations, Armed Services, Republican, Thomson Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, United States, Atlantic, Washington, DC, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ DeSantis donors privately worry about campaign as Florida governor lags in 2024 polls
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis waves to a crowd at a campaign event on June 2, 2023 in Gilbert, South Carolina. "He has a tremendous record as governor of Florida, and our country would be well-served by him as president," Griffin said then. Braman's company, Braman Motors, contributed $100,000 to the state-based DeSantis PAC, as well, according to the records. Andrew Romeo, a spokesman for the DeSantis campaign, did not deny any element of this story. "You could wallpaper the governor's residence with the amount of premature political obituaries written about Ron DeSantis.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch, They're, Trump, DeSantis, Ken Griffin, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Sen, Tim Scott of, Nothing's, Zia Ahmed, Griffin, Semafor, Norman Braman, Clive Fields, Robert Bigelow, Braman, Marco Rubio, Fields, Griffin's, Andrew Romeo, Joe Biden, Romeo Organizations: Florida, Florida Gov, Fox Corp, News Corp, Trump, Citadel, GOP, South Carolina Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, Politico, New York Times, Republican, Philadelphia Eagles, Braman Motors, PAC, CNBC Locations: Gilbert , South Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, Tim Scott of South Carolina

☆ Opinion | Jersey Boy Takes On Florida Man
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Maureen Dowd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“I think that he’ll show up at the debates because his ego won’t permit him not to,” Christie said. He won’t deal well with that.”I warned that Trump is an asymmetrical fighter, so it’s hard to know how to go at him. He’s never run against somebody from New Jersey who understands what the New York thing is and what he’s all about. He knows I know what his game is.”He said he isn’t running to get back at Trump for giving him a horrible case of Covid. And he said he isn’t seeking payback because Trump didn’t make him attorney general.

Persons: Trump, “, ” Christie, ”, Clinton, Marco Rubio, I’ve, He’s, who’ve, Christie, Jared Kushner, Kushner’s Organizations: Republican, Fox News, Trump Locations: Milwaukee, New Jersey, York

☆ He Tried to Save a Friend. They Charged Him With Murder.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Eli Saslow | Erin Schaff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Instead, they arrested and charged only one person, Askins, who had a criminal record of nonviolent drug offenses. His file showed that he had depression, anxiety and PTSD from being raped by a neighbor when he was 9. Mai left private practice and took a 40 percent pay cut to become a public defender in his home state because he wanted to work cases like this. He had imagined himself fighting for the underdog, standing and delivering in front of a jury like his idol, Clarence Darrow, whose trial victories helped advance the civil rights movement. In his almost two years as a public defender, he had never once taken a case to trial.

Persons: Greg Abbott, “, Marco Rubio, Mai, Suge ”, Drake, Askins, he’d, Clarence Darrow Organizations: Gov, Prosecutors, Republican, Oklahoma City Locations: Oklahoma, Texas, ”, Arkansas, Alaska , California, Florida, Tennessee, Indiana, Missouri, dumpsters

Search resuls for: "Marco Rubio"

25 mentions found