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Toeing the line in Miami BeachAmerica’s corporate elite were everywhere in Miami at the Future Investment Initiative conference, Saudi Arabia’s latest bid to showcase its extensive wealth and deepen ties with Western business. DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch was on hand to report on the financiers and Hollywood A-listers who made the trip. The Saudis are using their vast oil wealth to become one the world’s biggest investors and forge closer relationships with Wall Street, Silicon Valley and more. (So too did former Trump officials including Steven Mnuchin, the former Treasury secretary; Mike Pompeo, a previous secretary of state; and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.) Attendees mingled over wine, which is banned in Saudi Arabia, and Carbone’s spicy rigatoni.

Persons: Jamal Khashoggi —, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch, Steve Schwarzman, Blackstone, Barry Sternlicht, Alex Karp, Brian Grazer, Gwyneth Paltrow, Steven Mnuchin, Mike Pompeo, Jared Kushner, Trump’s Organizations: Future Investment Initiative, Saudi, Hollywood, Starwood, Palantir, Trump, Treasury Locations: Miami Beach, Miami, Silicon Valley, Saudi Arabia

☆ Exclusive: Russia-linked smear campaign against Hunter Biden began earlier than previously thought
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The man pushing the thumb drive was a citizen of an Eastern European country and a guest of Claremont. That evening, Rollie passed a thumb drive containing disinformation about Hunter Biden and Burisma to a Pompeo aide. Smirnov was indicted last week for lying to the FBI about Hunter Biden. The revelation about Rollie's thumb drive comes shortly after the indictment of Smirnov, for allegedly making false statements about Hunter Biden in June 2020. Like Smirnov, Rollie's materials accuse Hunter Biden of involving his father in Burisma's business and committing a vast off-the-books fraud.

Persons: Mike Pompeo, Hunter Biden, Rollie, Pompeo, Burisma, BI Rollie, I'm, Rollie's, Biden's, Josef, Johnathan Buma, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Peter Schweizer, Rudy Giuliani, John Solomon, Hunter, Giuliani, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Biden, David Weiss, Smirnov's, Joe Biden, GOP Sen, Charles Grassley, MAGA, Jack Posobiec, Buma, Anastasiia Carrier Organizations: Claremont Institute's, Claremont, Business, BI, KGB, Department, Claremont Institute, FBI, New York Times, Prosecutors, GOP, State Department, Justice Department, Anastasiia Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Beverly Hills, Eastern, Soviet, Los Angeles, Russian, Delaware, Ukraine, The Hill, East, West, Eastern Europe

CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday declared that any expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank would be inconsistent with international law - reversing a Trump era position that broke with longstanding US policy. “They’re also inconsistent with international law. The Trump administration had reversed US policy to declare that settlements did not violate international law. The top US diplomat said he was “disappointed” by reports that Israel would expand the settlements in the occupied West Bank. “It’s been a longstanding US policy, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, that new settlements are counterproductive to the cause of peace– frankly, they’re also inconsistent with international law, and this administration maintains this firm opposition to settlement expansion,” he said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, “ It’s, ” Blinken, “ They’re, Trump, Mike Pompeo, ” Israel’s, Bezalel Smotrich, Blinken, ”, John Kirby, they’re Organizations: CNN, West Bank, Republican, Democratic, Trump, White, National Security Locations: Buenos Aires, Israel

☆ Joe Biden is looking for ways to get his message to break through. He’s hoping his Cabinet can play a key role.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Betsy Klein | Camila Dechalus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Nevertheless, the Biden White House and legal team has taken pains to ensure compliance – an effort to highlight its commitment to ethics and draw a sharp contrast with Trump, who skirted the rule with abandon. And the Biden White House has issued “extensive guidance to and conducts trainings for agencies” on the Hatch Act and how to avoid potential missteps, the official said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, for instance, delivered a speech to the Republican National Convention while on official travel in Jerusalem. “Voters of color can see themselves in leaders like Secretary Cardona, Secretary Fudge, and (EPA) Administrator (Michael) Regan. President Biden was intentional about assembling a Cabinet that reflects the diversity of America, and we continue to see how that diversity translates into real political strength,” he told CNN.

Persons: Washington CNN — Janet Yellen isn’t, Joe Biden’s, Biden, SSRS –, Donald Trump, Trump, ”, Yellen, Robert Hur’s, Pete Buttigieg, Gina Raimondo, Jennifer Granholm, Miguel Cardona, they’ve, “, Biden’s, they’re, Jeff Zients, “ Biden, ” Caitlin Legacki, Granholm, Buttigieg, Raimondo, “ We’re, ” Buttigieg, That’s, Mike Pompeo, Biden White, – you’ve, ” Legacki, Julie Su, Isabel Casillas Guzman, Marcia Fudge –, –, Marjory Stoneman, Gevin Reynolds, Kamala Harris, Secretary Cardona, Fudge, Michael, Regan, Young, Tom Vilsack Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Economic, of Chicago, Midwest, Treasury, White, Transportation, Democratic, GOP, Cabinet, Biden White, Republican National Convention, Coalition, SSRS, Biden, Trump, Labor, Democrats, Small, Urban, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Palmetto State’s, Education, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, “ Locations: Yellen, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee , Louisiana , California, Delaware, New York, Jerusalem, American, Pacific Islander, Nevada, South Carolina, Iowa

☆ Japan's Message for Donald Trump: Don't Cut a Deal With China
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +8 min

Trump, who reached a trade agreement with Beijing in 2019 that later expired, has not mentioned any potential deal with China during his campaign for the 2024 nomination. Two Japanese foreign ministry officials said they fear that Trump may be prepared to weaken U.S. support for nearby Taiwan in pursuit of a deal with China. A Trump aide told Reuters that no recent meetings have taken place between Trump and Japanese officials. "If he is going to cut a deal with China, Japan needs to try and get ahead of the curve and understand its potential role to support its interests in both the U.S. and in China," said Machida. Robert O'Brien, Trump's former national security adviser, also has connections with Japanese officials, two of the sources said.

Persons: John Geddie, Tim Kelly, Yoshifumi, America's, Donald Trump, Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden's, Trump, Xi, Kim Jong Un, they're, Ado Machida, Machida, Shinzo Abe, Aso, Japan's, Shigeo Yamada, Mike Pence, Jim Mattis, Mike Pompeo, Michael Green, Bill Hagerty, Yamada, Hagerty, Robert O'Brien, Trump's, O'Brien, Shigeru Kitamura, Biden, Tsuneo Watanabe, John Bolton, Watanabe, Yukiko Toyoda, Kaori Kaneko, Sakura Murakami, David Brunnstrom, Tim Reid, Ben Blanchard, Laurie Chen, Liz Lee, David Crawshaw Organizations: Trump, Republican, Group, North, Reuters, Fox News, U.S, Steel, Japan's Nippon Steel, U.S ., Liberal Democratic Party, . Studies, University of Sydney, Japan's U.S, Taiwan, Peace Foundation Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Asia, China, Beijing, Tokyo, Iowa, New Hampshire, U.S, Taiwan, Washington, Trump, Taipei

☆ 17 Trump Cabinet-Level Appointees Criticizing Trump - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Sarah Longwell | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Mr. Trump churned through cabinet-level appointees so fast that at times it seemed like he was still on “The Apprentice” and had to fire one official every week. Not only are they people whom Mr. Trump chose — he claimed he would hire the “best people” — they are people who thought Mr. Trump was worth working for. Judging only by the words of many former high-level appointees, a second Trump term would be catastrophic for the country. BlamedTrump forJan. 6 CriticizedTrump duringhis term CriticizedTrump afterhis term HighlightedTrump’s legalissues Ruled outvoting Trumpin 2024 Moron,” Mr. Tillerson reportedly said of Mr. Trump. He wrote an op-ed published just after the 2020 election claiming that Mr. Trump would “concede gracefully” if he lost.

Persons: them.They, Donald Trump, Trump’s, ’ Said, Donald Trump’s, Trump, didn’t, —, Mr, Richard Nixon, Mark Milley, Milley, ” Richard Spencer, Eddie Gallagher’s, ” H.R, McMaster, ” James Mattis, ” Mark, George Floyd, ” John Kelly White, autocrats, Loyalists Elaine Chao, George W, Bush, ” Alex Azar, Rex Tillerson, “, ” Mr, Tillerson, Dan Coats, ” Betsy DeVos, Mick Mulvaney, ’, William Barr, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, ” John Bolton, Ronald Reagan, …, Mike Pompeo, ” Mike Pence, Mike Pence ”, Pence, ” Organizations: Mr, Republican, Trump, Army, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Jan, Marines, Navy, White House, Defense, Marine, ISIL, ” John Kelly White House, Homeland, Marine Corps, The, Loyalists, Transportation, Labor, Capitol, Health, Human Services, State, ExxonMobil, National Intelligence, Mar, Education, Republican Party of Michigan, Management, ” John Bolton White House, U.S, United Nations, White Locations: Iowa, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Jan, United States, America, Moron, Germany, Mar, South Carolina, George H.W ., Kansas, Indiana

☆ Israel-Hamas War U.S. to Return Yemen’s Houthi Militia to Terrorism List
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

But even the lesser label of specially designated global terrorist group could jeopardize U.S. and Saudi efforts to construct a lasting peace deal to end the conflict. The conflict created a humanitarian catastrophe that Mr. Biden, as a candidate in 2020, vowed to address. Following a debate within the Trump administration, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization and a specially designated global terrorist group in mid-January 2021. In February 2021, less than three weeks after Mr. Biden took office, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken reversed Mr. Pompeo’s designations. Asked by a reporter last week whether he considered the Houthis a terrorist group, Mr. Biden did not equivocate.

Persons: Biden, Yemen’s, Trump, Jake Sullivan, Tim Lenderking, Mike Pompeo, Antony J, Blinken, Tom Cotton, Mr, ” Mr, Cotton, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “, ” Organizations: U.S, State Department, Economic, Sana’a Center, Strategic Studies, United Arab Emirates, United Arab, U.S . Agency for International Development, United Nations, Associated Press, Republican, United Locations: Houthi, Yemen, Iran, U.S, United States, Saudi, Gaza, Israel, Davos, Switzerland, Al Qaeda, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Arkansas, United Arab

☆ China hates the new president of Taiwan — but its 'real nightmare scenario' is a Trump-Taiwan combo: analyst
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewFormer President Donald Trump winning the White House in 2024 would create a "nightmare" for China, especially with president-elect William Lai Ching-te at Taiwan's helm, an analyst on China said. Advertisement"Beijing's real nightmare scenario is not necessarily watching Lai Ching-te winning the presidency of Taiwan, but it's the combination of Lai Ching-te and perhaps Donald Trump coming back into the White House," Daniels said. "He was a transactional president," Rosen said. Trump followed up by suggesting that the US may one day abandon its agreement to the "one China policy," Beijing's red-line stance that Taiwan is part of China. Cross-strait tensions soared, but just two months later, Trump called Xi and agreed that the US would uphold the "one China policy."

Persons: —, Donald Trump, William Lai Ching, Lai, it's Trump, Rorry Daniels, Lai Ching, Daniels, Trump, Mike Pompeo, Pompeo, Xi Jinping's, Stanley Rosen, It's, Rosen, Tsai Ing, Wen, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley Organizations: Service, White House, Business, Democratic Progressive Party, Foreign Affairs Ministry, Lai's, Asia Society, Center for, Nikkei, Taiwan, University of Southern, China Institute, Xi, GOP, Iowa Republican Locations: China, Taiwan's, Beijing, Taiwan, Center for China, Nikkei Asia, University of Southern California's US, Hong Kong, Taipei, Iowa

☆ Opinion | The Responsibility of Republican Voters
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

He is facing criminal trials for his conduct as a candidate in 2016, as president and as a former president. In this, his third presidential bid, he has intensified his multiyear campaign to undermine the rule of law and the democratic process. At this critical moment, it is imperative to remind voters that they still have the opportunity to nominate a different standard-bearer for the Republican Party, and all Americans should hope that they do so. Mr. Trump’s construction of a cult of personality in which loyalty is the only real requirement has badly damaged the Republican Party and the health of American democracy. But some Republicans have set an example of integrity, demonstrating the courage to put their convictions and conservative principles above loyalty to Mr. Trump.

Persons: ” Donald Trump, Mr, Trump, Tom Emmer, Mike Johnson, Emmer, Bill Barr, Doug Ducey, Mike Pompeo, Bob Vander Plaats Organizations: Iowa Republicans, “, Justice Department, Republican Party Locations: New Hampshire, United States, Arizona

☆ 'Mnuchin has not been in the room': Trump Treasury secretary absent from 2024 campaign
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

After serving in the Trump administration for four years, former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is keeping his distance from the Republican former president and his campaign, according to people familiar with the matter. "Mnuchin has not been in the room," said Stephen Moore, a conservative economist who is advising Trump. A person close to Mnuchin who was granted anonymity in order to recount private conversations, said Mnuchin supports Trump's 2024 run for president. In 2016, Mnuchin was Trump's national finance chairman during his first run for the White House. For now, Mnuchin's private equity firm, Liberty Strategic Capital, takes up most of his time, people close to the former secretary told CNBC.

Persons: Steven Mnuchin, Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump, Trump, Mnuchin, Stephen Moore, it's, Larry Kudlow, Bob Lighthizer, Trump's, Joe Biden's, Hillary Clinton, Mike Pompeo, Mike Pence Organizations: White House, White, Republican, Trump, Fox Business, National Economic Council, NBC News, Liberty Strategic Capital, CNBC, East . Press, Capitol, The Washington Post Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, East

☆ 'Pretty horrific mistakes:' Democrats have few nice things to say about Henry Kissinger following his death
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"There are some pretty horrific mistakes that Henry Kissinger made that have taken the United States a very long time to recover from." Other Democrats have issued similar critiques of Kissinger's legacy in the wake of his death. "I am proud to say that Henry Kissinger is not my friend. "Count me in as somebody who will not be listening to Henry Kissinger," Sanders added at that debate. "Today, the world Henry Kissinger leaves behind bears his indelible mark," McConnell said on the Senate floor on Thursday.

Persons: Sen, Bernie Sanders, Henry Kissinger, Hillary Clinton's, Kissinger, I've, Sanders, —, Greg Casar, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Chris Murphy of, Murphy, they've, General Augusto Pinochet, Pinochet, Jim McGovern, @RepMcGovern, Gerry Connolly, Vietnam –, Hillary Clinton, Mike Pompeo, AzyRrHhH6i — Bernie Sanders, George W, Bush, Mitch McConnell, McConnell Organizations: Service, Democratic, Texas, National Security, State, Republican, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Massachusetts, House Foreign Affairs, — Locations: China, Soviet Union, Latin America, Southeast Asia, United States, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Vietnam, Argentina, East Timor, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Virginia, Iran, @GerryConnolly, Vermont, Khmer Rouge, @BernieSanders

☆ Kissinger Left the State Department a Half Century Ago. But He Never Left His Old Job.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( David E. Sanger | More About David E. Sanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

When Henry Kissinger turned 100 this year, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken toasted him at one birthday celebration in New York, and the C.I.A. Mr. Kissinger spoke with Mr. Blinken regularly, including as recently as last month, Mr. Blinken said. The Kissinger conversations with secretaries of state and presidents were not only about navigating the downward spiral in relations with Beijing. But the reason his advice was sought out goes to the depth of his experience: When Mr. Kissinger died on Wednesday, Mr. Blinken was headed to Israel in an effort to win a longer pause in a bloody conflict. Mr. Kissinger had flown the same path, in November 1973, exactly 50 years ago, during his famous shuttle diplomacy.

Persons: Henry Kissinger, Antony J, Blinken, William J, Burns, Kissinger, Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Mike Pompeo, Xi Jinping, ”, ‘ Kissinger, ’, Xi, Richard M, Mr, Biden, Nicholas Burns, Eric Schmidt Organizations: Mr, United, U.S . Embassy, Google Locations: New York, Washington, China, United States, Xi’s, San Francisco, Beijing, Russia, Israel

TOKYO (AP) — A polarized reaction poured in Thursday to the death of former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who managed to galvanize global attention decades after his official service as one of the most powerful diplomats in American history. Kissinger, who died Wednesday in Connecticut at 100, was praised as a skilled defender of U.S. interests by world leaders. On social media he was widely called a war criminal who left lasting damage throughout the world. Political Cartoons View All 1273 ImagesAnother former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said Kissinger left an indelible mark on American and world history. A Rolling Stone magazine headline said, “Henry Kissinger, war criminal beloved by America's ruling class, finally dies.”Kissinger exerted uncommon influence on global affairs long after he left office.

Persons: Henry Kissinger, Kissinger, George W, Bush, ” Bush, “, ” Kissinger, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Mike Pompeo, ” Pompeo, “ Henry Kissinger, America's, Xi Jinping, Nixon, Nixon’s, Tricia Nixon Cox, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, “ Dr Organizations: TOKYO, Nazis, United States Army, State, Stone, Communist Party and Washington Locations: Connecticut, America, United, Vietnam, China, Beijing, U.S, Paris, United States, People’s Republic of China, Soviet Union

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - U.S. budget wrangling could further delay funding approval for new agreements with Pacific island nations meant to counter Chinese influence, creating an opportunity for Beijing in the strategically vital region, congressional and other sources say. But congressional sources say this looks impossible as lawmakers argue over spending priorities, raising concerns that a further delay could create an opening for China, which has been wooing financially strapped Pacific economies. "It's feeling pretty dead in the NDAA context," the source said, adding that focus had turned to finding other legislation to secure the COFA funding. "It is really incomprehensible given the amount we're talking about ... why Congress cannot get its act together," Yun said. "What we risk is China getting in where we really don't want them – in places like Palau, RMI, FSM.

Persons: Mike Pompeo, Jonathan Ernst, Biden, Mike Johnson's, Joseph Yun, Yun, David Brunnstrom, Michael Martina, Patricia Zengerle, Don Durfee, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S, Pohnpei International, REUTERS, Rights, Federated, Marshall, RMI, Washington, Free Association, National Defense, Reuters, Republicans, Natural Resources, Foreign Affairs, New Republican, Biden, State Department, White House National Security Council, Thomson Locations: Pohnpei, Kolonia, States, Micronesia, Pacific, Beijing, Federated States, Palau, China, Ukraine, U.S, Hawaii, Philippines, Washington

☆ Mitt Romney explains his excruciatingly awkward expression from that viral 2016 photo of dinner with Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mitt Romney in McKay Coppins' new book spoke about the 2016 dinner photo with Trump that went viral. Romney was under consideration to be secretary of state at the time, and met with Trump to discuss world affairs. "It had nothing to do with Donald Trump," Romney remarked to Coppins. Later that evening, Romney told members of the press that he had a "wonderful evening" with Trump and said their talks regarding global affairs had been "interesting and engaging." Trump then told Romney that he needed to come out forcefully in support of him to quell detractors.

Persons: Mitt Romney, McKay Coppins, Trump, Romney, —, Donald Trump —, Jean, Georges, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Coppins, Rudy Giuliani —, Rex Tillerson, Tillerson, Mike Pompeo, Pompeo Organizations: Trump, Service, Trump International, Photographers, Trump's, New York City Locations: Central, New York City, New York, Utah, Kansas

☆ Joe Biden has a decision to make about Julian Assange
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +26 min

A small group of lawyers and media executives gathered in a well-appointed back room to listen to Gabriel Shipton, Assange's half-brother. In the case of Vault 7, WikiLeaks' source turned out to be a disgruntled former C.I.A employee. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn New York, Gabriel Shipton, Assange's half-brother, declined to rule out the possibility of a plea deal. Every time the Australian government raises this issue, the Chinese government puts out a statement about Julian Assange. Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, right, was part of a delegation of Australian officials in the US to press for the release of Julian Assange.

Persons: Julian Assange, Assange, Gabriel Shipton, Tucker Carlson, Tucker, Shipton, he'd, Anthony Albanese, Joe Biden, Monique Ryan, Albanese, Mike Pompeo, Caroline Kennedy, Der Spiegel, El Pais, David Hicks, Julian, John Shipton, Assange's, John, Gabriel, Brett Assange, Peter Whish, Wilson, We've, Robert Carr, Chelsea Manning's, Obama, We're, Cheng Lei, —, Chelsea Manning, Manning, What's, Julian Assange's, John MacDougall, …, they'd, he's, John Young, Laura Poitras's, Mueller, Robert Mueller's, John Podesta's, Bernie Sanders, John Koeltl, They've, Donald, Trump, we've, James Comey, Hillary Clinton, He's, I'm, Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner, I've, Putin, exfiltrate Assange, Julian wasn't, Dana Rohrabacher, Rohrabacher, Jennifer Robinson, Tracey Nearmy, we'd, Marjorie Taylor, Greene, Antony Blinken, Biden, Mattathias Schwartz Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, WikiLeaks, Washington Post, Washington, DOJ, The Washington, Australia's Labor Party, New, Biden, Senate Intelligence, Justice Department, New York Times, Guardian, Chelsea, Pentagon, Getty, Justice, The State Department, Laura Poitras's WikiLeaks, State Department, DNC, Democratic, Committee, Democratic National Convention, of, Russian Federation, Novaya Gazeta, Trump, CIA, The Justice Locations: New York, London, Assange's, Pacific, Ecuadorian, Washington, Russia, Australia, Shipton, Brig, Chelsea, Iraq, Australian, China, American, Moscow, Getty Shipton, … Shipton, Cryptome, There's, Southern, of New York, Russian, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Panama, schwartz79@protonmail.com

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea says it plans to expel a U.S. soldier who crossed into the country in July. Other Americans have entered North Korea over the years, including a few U.S. soldiers. Five months later, North Korea announced it was expelling Lowrance who had entered the country illegally through China. While North Korea officially guarantees freedom of religion, analysts and defectors describe the country as strictly anti-religious. In 2009, American missionary Robert Park walked into North Korea with a Bible in his hand to draw attention to North Korea’s human rights abuses.

Persons: CHARLES JENKINS, Charles Jenkins, Jenkins, Hitomi Soga, Soga, BRUCE BYRON LOWRANCE, Bruce Byron Lowrance, Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, Lowrance, – Kim Dong Chul, Tony Kim, Kim Hak, —, Mike Pompeo, MATTHEW MILLER, Matthew Miller, Miller, Barack Obama, Kenneth Bae, Weeks, KENNETH BAE Bae, Bae, James, JEFFREY FOWLE, Jeffrey Fowle, Tony Hall, Robert Park, OTTO WARMBIER Otto Warmbier, Warmbier, Warmbier’s, ”, — Fred, Cindy Warmbier — Organizations: Army, North, Washington, Trump, Associated Press, of Virginia Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, North Korea, U.S, Rich Square , North Carolina, North Korean, Japan, China, North, United States, Kim, Bakersfield , California, Pyongyang’s, Pyongyang, Korean, Lynnwood , Washington, Ohio, Chongjin, New York, Washington

☆ Ron DeSantis turns to Wall Street executives, top lawyer for fundraising boost to catch Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Republican U.S. presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during his "Never Back Down" tour ahead of his appearance at the Iowa State Fair, in Atlantic, Iowa, August 11, 2023. DeSantis will be hosted at a fundraising breakfast on Thursday in New York by at least seven wealthy executives, according to one invite. Burck has previously represented former Trump advisors while they faced legal hurdles, including Steve Bannon and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. DeSantis' fundraising trip to New York comes as he's lagging the former president in polls. Trump is favored in the Republican primary with 62% support, followed by DeSantis at 12%, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, DeSantis, William Burck, David Blumberg, Steve Hornstein, Mark Gerson, Gerson, Burck, Steve Bannon, Mike Pompeo, Trump, Emil Henry Organizations: Republican U.S, Florida, Fair, Florida Gov, Wall, Republican, Blumberg Capital, Global Credit Advisers, Gerson Lehrman, Trump, Tiger Infrastructure Partners Locations: Iowa, Atlantic , Iowa, New York, Quinnipiac

☆ HSBC senior official apologises for saying UK 'weak' over China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Iain Withers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - HSBC's head of public affairs has apologised after reportedly saying that Britain had been "weak" for going along with U.S. demands to curtail business dealings with China. HSBC (HSBA.L), , which makes the bulk of its profit in Asia, has faced criticism from Western lawmakers over its dealings with China. "I was speaking at a private event under Chatham House Rule and my personal comments don't reflect the views of HSBC or the China-Britain Business Council. I apologise for any offence caused," Cowper-Coles said in a statement provided by HSBC on Monday. The Chatham House Rule, named after a London-based foreign affairs think tank, means participants can use information received but cannot identify the speaker nor their affiliation, according to the Chatham House website.

Persons: Sherard Cowper, Cowper, Coles, Mike Pompeo, Iain Withers, Susan Fenton Organizations: Washington, Bloomberg, HSBC, Coles, China - Britain Business Council, Chatham House, Britain's, Chatham, Thomson Locations: Britain, China, Coles, West, Asia, British, London, Chatham, Hong Kong, Beijing

☆ Jack Smith’s Experience in The Hague and the Trump Investigations - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Gary J. Bass | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Although part of Kosovo’s legal system, the institution is headquartered in The Hague and staffed by international judges and personnel — which is how Mr. Smith, a U.S. citizen, wound up serving as its specialist prosecutor. It is always difficult and risky to prosecute national leaders with some popularity among their people. Even so, the Truman administration quietly undercut that pledge of unconditional surrender for Emperor Hirohito, fearing that the Japanese might fight on if he was prosecuted as a war criminal. The Truman administration left the emperor securely in the Imperial Palace while his prime ministers and generals were tried and convicted by an Allied international military tribunal in Tokyo. At an earlier point in his career, from 2008 to 2010, Mr. Smith worked as the investigation coordinator in the prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court, the permanent international war crimes tribunal based in The Hague.

Persons: Smith hewed, Smith, Hashim Thaci, Trump, Thaci, Augusto Pinochet’s, Truman, Emperor Hirohito, John Bolton, ”, Mike Pompeo Organizations: United Nations, Kosovo, Chambers, White, Kosovo Liberation Army, Allied, Criminal Court Locations: Nuremberg, Tokyo, Yugoslavia, Rwanda, East Timor, Sierra Leone, Serbia, The Hague, U.S, Kosovo, Chile, Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Imperial, Afghanistan, Zambia

☆ Factbox: A look at Americans held in the past in North Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Here are some other Americans held in the past by North Korea. - The last American detained by North Korea was Bruce Byron Lowrance, who was caught after entering from China in October 2018. -Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American missionary, returned to the United States in November 2014 after being imprisoned in North Korea for two years. North Korean media said Park confessed to entering the state illegally and had changed his mind about North Korea after being treated kindly there. - In 1996, Evan Hunziker, then 26, was held for three months in North Korea on spying charges.

Persons: Donald Trump, Tony Kim, Kim Hak, Kim Dong, Jonathan Ernst, Bruce Byron Lowrance, Kim Jong, Otto Warmbier, Joseph Yun, Mike Pompeo, Kim, Kim Sang, Euna Lee, Laura Ling, Bill Clinton, Kenneth Bae, Matthew Todd Miller, Bae, Miller, Robert Park, Aijalon Mahli Gomes, Jimmy Carter, Gomes, Evan Hunziker, Hunziker, Bill Richardson, Thomas Hubbard, Bobby Hall, David Brunnstrom, Matt Spetalnick, Alistair Bell Organizations: Base Andrews, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, North, CIA, U.S . State Department, U.S, Korean, Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, Thomson Locations: North Korea, Base Andrews , Maryland, U.S, North, Washington, China, North Korean, United States, Ohio, Pyongyang, American, Korean, Korea, Boston, South Korea

☆ A darling of US conservatives, Iran’s top opposition group may face an uncertain future
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But recent setbacks for the most powerful Iranian opposition group have some observers wondering whether its glory days are numbered. The MeK believes these actions were part of a “policy of appeasement” of the regime in Tehran, a top representative from the group told CNN in an email interview. Gobadi told CNN the raid “was carried out at the behest or under pressure” from Iran. ‘Illegal and subversive activity’An Albanian foreign ministry coordinator told CNN by email that the country has not provided any seized material to Iran. Gobadi told CNN that that speakers or attendees have never received payments from the MeK.

Persons: Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, Mike Pence, Saddam Hussein, bode, ” Shahin Gobadi, Ashraf, Gobadi, “, ” Gobadi, cyberattack, Albania “, Saud, Maryam Rajavi, Bryan Olin Dozier, Prince Turki al, Faisal, Al Faisal, ’ “, Emanuel Macron, Ebrahim Raisi, Trita Parsi, ”, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Liz Truss, Ali Ahmadi, ” Ahmadi, Alex Vatanka, ” Vatanka Organizations: CNN, United States National Security, Foreign Affairs, National Council of Resistance, Paris, Washington Summit, Organization of Iranian, Communities, Hyatt, Quincy Institute, British, Geneva Centre, Security, Middle East Institute Locations: Iran, Islamic Republic, Albania, France, Tehran, Paris, Tirana, Albanian, Saud Arabia, Washington ,, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, al, Riyadh

☆ Hugh Hewitt told Miami Mayor Francis Suarez 'to get smart' after he appeared to become the latest candidate to commit a foreign policy blunder
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

GOP presidential hopeful Francis Suarez appeared not to know what a Uyghur is. The Miami Mayor later told Insider that he did know what a Uyghur is, he was just confused by a radio host's pronunciation. Hewitt asked Suarez, the mayor of Miami. "I didn't recognize the pronunciation my friend Hugh Hewitt used," Suarez said. You really need to know about the Uyghurs, Mayor.

Persons: Francis Suarez, Suarez, —, Hugh Hewitt, Will, Hewitt, Mike Pompeo, Antony Blinken, Hugh Hewitt's, “, mispronounced, Hugh, chuckling, You've, Insider's, Gary Johnson, Herman Cain, Donald Trump Organizations: Miami Mayor, Service, Conservative, Miami, Floridian, White, New, New Mexico Gov, Libertarian, Republican, Israel's, Patriots Locations: Xinjiang, New Mexico, Aleppo, Libya, Yemen, Iran

☆ Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential run gets support from Wall Street veteran Omeed Malik
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine activist who's now running for president, has another wealthy backer in his corner: veteran Wall Street executive Omeed Malik. Representatives for Kennedy, Clinton, Pompeo, Summers and Lasry did not return requests for comment about the dinner. Kennedy is the son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential run in 1968, and the nephew of late President John F. Kennedy, who was shot dead in 1963. Billionaire Twitter owner Elon Musk hosted Kennedy in a recent Twitter Spaces. He later hosted a glitchy Twitter Spaces for the Florida Republican when he announced his run for president.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, who's, Omeed Malik, Malik, Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Trump, Gary Cohn, Mike Pompeo, Boris Johnson, Larry Summers, Marc Lasry, Cohn, Clinton, Pompeo, Summers, Lasry, Johnson, Joe Biden's, Biden, Donald Trump, John F, David Sacks, Chamath Palihapitiya, Sacks, Elon Musk, Musk, Ron DeSantis Organizations: Wall, Bellagio, Business, UK, Democratic, Financial, Quinnipiac, Kennedy, Venture, Republicans, Billionaire Twitter, Florida Gov, Florida Republican Locations: Las Vegas

☆ Donald Trump, who claimed to only hire the best people, was thoroughly asked why so many key players of his administration do not want him to be president again.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Samantha Grindell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Baier reminded Trump he said he was going to hire the "best" people to his administration in 2016. He then pointed out much of Trump's former administration doesn't support his 2024 White House bid. Look, we had the best economy we've ever had, the world has ever seen." This week, you called your White House Chief of Staff John Kelly 'weak and ineffective' and 'born with a very small brain.' You called your acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney a 'born loser.'

Persons: Donald Trump, Bret Baier, Baier, Trump, —, Bret Baier's, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, she's, Mike Pompeo, he's, John Bolton, He's, Bill Barr, Barr, John Kelly, Mick Mulvaney, Rex Tillerson, James Mattis, Kayleigh McEnany, you've, Elaine Chao, Mitch McConnell's, I'm Organizations: Fox News, Service, White, United Nations, State, Getty, ISIS Locations: Mitch McConnell's China

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