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☆ China's quiet campaign to win over Middle Eastern countries has run into a problem Beijing isn't really ready to deal with
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Until recently, 2023 looked to be a major year for Chinese outreach in the Middle East. Until this month, 2023 looked to be a landmark year for China's outreach to the Middle East. Zhai, China's Middle East envoy, began a tour of the region last week, stopping in Qatar first on October 19. "It's the kind of role we've played for the last half-century in the Middle East. Paul Iddon is a freelance journalist and columnist who writes about Middle East developments, military affairs, politics, and history.

Persons: —, Xi Jinping, Bashar Assad, Benjamin Netanyahu, Kim Kyung, Yoav Gallant, Ariel Hermoni, Zhai Jun, Wang Yi, Chuck Schumer, Xi, Nicholas Burns, Burns, Michael Singh, Abraham, Singh, Mahmud Abbas, Jade Gao, Alexus Grynkewich, Grynkewich, Abu Dhabi, ATTA KENARE, it's, Zhai, we've, Paul Iddon Organizations: Service, Initiative, Israeli, REUTERS, Saudi, UAE, Israeli Defense Ministry, Getty Images, Washington, The Washington Institute, White House, Israel, US Air Forces, Defense Writers, Huawei, Getty Locations: East, Beijing, Israel, China, Iran, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Gaza, Anadolu, Getty Images Beijing, Saudi, Egypt, UAE, Jordan, Iraq, Abu, AFP, Qatar, Palestine

☆ Where's the Su-57? The war in Ukraine is what fifth-generation fighter jets were made for, but Russia's Felon has largely been missing in action
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Russian state media has touted the Su-57 fighter jet as a formidable, fifth-generation aircraft. Sukhoi Su-57 fighter jets perform at the MAKS 2019 air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, Russia, August 27, 2019. Sukhoi Su-57 jet fighter performs during International military-technical forum "Army-2020" at Kubinka airbase in Moscow Region, Russia August 25, 2020. So why is it that the Su-57 isn't doing what a true fifth-generation stealth fighter should theoretically be able to do in Ukraine? AdvertisementAdvertisementSukhoi Su-57 fighter jets perform at the MAKS 2019 air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, Russia, August 27, 2019.

Persons: it's, —, there's, Mike Dahm, Sukhoi Su, Aleksey Nikolskyi, haven't, They're, Assad, Sergei Shoigu, Maxim Shemetov There's, Su, Russia's, Justin Bronk, Bronk, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Maxim Shemetov, Dahm, There's, that's Organizations: Aviation, intel, Service, NATO, US, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, Sputnik, REUTERS, Russian, Ukraine, International, Army, Sukhoi, Royal United Services Institute, Aircraft Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Zhukovsky, Kremlin, Syria, Kubinka, Moscow Region, Russian, Ukrainian, NATO

☆ US aid to Israel and Ukraine: Here’s what’s in the $105 billion national security package Biden requested
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Biden administration on Friday laid out the details of a $105 billion national security package that includes military and humanitarian assistance for the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel. House Republicans are still struggling to unite behind a speaker to lead their conference, and until one is elected, the national security package will remain in limbo. The Biden administration’s prior request for $24 billion in Ukraine aid was not included in a stopgap government funding measure Congress approved in late September. Here’s what’s in the package, according to the White House:$61.4 billion in aid for Ukraine$30 billion for the Defense Department for equipment for Ukraine and the replenishment of US stocks. $10 billion for humanitarian assistance$9.15 billion for aid for Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and other humanitarian needs.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden, Here’s Organizations: CNN, House Republicans, Ukraine, White, Defense Department, National Nuclear Security Administration, Israel, Iron, State Department, West Bank, Treasury Department, World Bank Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Mexico, Taiwan, Congress, Europe, assertiveness, China

☆ Russia says fighter jets intercepted British planes over Black Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 19 (Reuters) - Russia scrambled two Su-27 fighter jets on Thursday to prevent three British military planes from entering Russian airspace over the Black Sea, the Russian defence ministry said. It said the Russian fighters were sent to intercept "three air targets" approaching the border, and identified them as an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and two Typhoon fighter planes. The Black Sea has become an increasingly important theatre in the war between Russia and Ukraine, now nearing the end of its 20th month. President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that he had ordered Russian planes armed with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles to patrol over the Black Sea. Russia has previously reported a number of incidents in which its fighter jets were scrambled to intercept military planes from Norway, another NATO member, over the Barents Sea.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Andrew Cawthorne, Alex Richardson Organizations: Russian Federation, NATO, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Norway, Barents

☆ China’s Military Is Making Risky Moves and Adding Nuclear Warheads, U.S. Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Chris Buckley | More About Chris Buckley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Risky ManeuversSince the fall of 2021, the Pentagon report says, the United States has recorded more than 180 intercepts of U.S. aircraft by Chinese military forces in the region. Beijing has long bristled at the U.S. military aircraft and ships that operate in international skies and seas near China. Beijing did not immediately comment on the Pentagon report. The most eye-catching evidence of China’s nuclear buildup in recent years has been three clusters of missile silos that have been dug out of the deserts of northern China. The Pentagon report found that construction of the silos had been completed by last year and that “at least some” intercontinental ballistic missiles had been installed in them.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi Organizations: Pentagon, U.S, People’s Liberation Army Locations: United States, Beijing, China . China, China, Canada, U.S, Chinese, Taiwan, Russia

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez, once top Senate foreign-policy chairman, accused of acting as foreign agent
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Federal prosecutors say Sen. Bob Menendez acted as a foreign agent on behalf of Egypt. They said in a new indictment that Menendez should have registered as a foreign lobbyist. He was the top Senate Democrat for foreign policy for most of the time the allegations stemmed from. In a new superseding indictment, prosecutors added the foreign-agent charge to the litany of counts against Menendez, his wife, Nadine Menendez, and a New Jersey businessperson. At the time from which the allegations stem, Bob Menendez was the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, —, Democratic Sen, Nadine Menendez, Will Hana, Hana, Prosecutors, Nadine, Trump, David Rivera Organizations: Service, Democratic, Prosecutors, Benz, Senate Foreign Relations, Democrats, New, State Department, Justice Department, US Department of Agriculture, USDA, Foreign, Republican Locations: Egypt, New Jersey, Menendez's, Cairo, Washington, FARA

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez charged with acting as agent of Egypt in superseding indictment
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sen. Robert Menendez is trailed by reporters after attending a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on federal judge nominations on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 4, 2023. Sen. Bob Menendez has been accused of accepting bribes and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt, according to a superseding federal indictment filed Thursday. For more than four years through June 2022, Menendez, D-N.J., along with his wife and others, "willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together and with each other" to have the senator act as an agent for the Egyptian government, the indictment alleges. The indictment also alleges that Menendez, who is up for reelection next year, "provided sensitive U.S. government information and took other steps that secretly aided" Egypt's government. Menendez and his wife received thousands of dollars in bribes "in exchange for Menendez's acts and breaches of duty to benefit" Egypt and others, "including with respect to foreign military sales and foreign military financing," the indictment says.

Persons: Sen, Robert Menendez, Bob Menendez, Menendez, confederated Organizations: Capitol, Washington , D.C Locations: Washington ,, Egypt

☆ Russian failures in Ukraine are forcing Moscow to give up on one of the biggest Putin-era military reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

As a result, Russia's military is ditching one of the main reforms lauched under Vladimir PutinNEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The German Army in World War II routinely formed combined-arms battlegroups ("kampfgruppen"), as did the US Army's task forces. BTGs were composed of professional contract soldiers, who are generally more capable, competent, and motivated than the sullen conscripts that still hamper Russia's army today. A few high-readiness battalions can't compensate for the low-readiness conscripts that make up about one-third of Russia's army. ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images"The Russian military is well-suited to short, high-intensity campaigns defined by a heavy use of artillery," Michael Kofman and Rob Lee, both experts on Russia's military, wrote in June 2022.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, —, Vladimir Putin's, Josef Stalin, SERGEY VENYAVSKY, Olesya, Tkacheva, BTGs, SERGEI VENYAVSKY, ALEXANDER NEMENOV, Michael Kofman, Rob Lee, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Russian, Red Army, Tactical Groups, Getty, Ukraine —, Brussels School, Governance, Wilson Center, Washington DC, German Army, US, Foreign Military Studies Office, Britain's Royal United Services Institute, Troops, Soviet Army, British Army, Ministry of Defense, Russian Armed Forces, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Chechen, AFP, Washington, Russian, Georgia, Moscow, Syria, Russia's, Krasnodar, Soviet, BTGs, Germany, Forbes

For nearly three decades – from fiscal years 1974 to 2002 – Israel was the top recipient of U.S. aid, the longest-standing duration for a top aid recipient dating back to 1946, according to figures from ForeignAssistance.gov. While 2003 to 2020 saw the most aid going to either Iraq or Afghanistan, Israel nevertheless remained a top three aid recipient throughout that time. In 2021, U.S. obligations to Israel amounted to $3.31 billion, a figure that saw Israel returning to the top spot among aid recipients that year. Almost all U.S. aid to Israel recently has been military aid rather than economic aid, in the form of Foreign Military Financing grants – U.S. grants and loans to Israel for acquiring U.S. military equipment and services. Israel saw that rate peak at 30.5% in 1975, but it has slowly been descending since.

Persons: Biden, Gerald R, Ford, Israel, – Israel, Christine Wormuth, Kevin McCarthy’s, Israel’s Rafael, – Organizations: United, Foreign Military Financing, U.S, Congressional Research Service, CRS, Israel Defense Forces, Defense Systems, Raytheon, Raytheon Rafael, Protection Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries, Boeing, Israel, World Bank, Russia, USAID . Missile Locations: Israel, U.S, United States, Egypt, ForeignAssistance.gov, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine, – Israel

CNN —The House speakership drama enters a new week under increased urgency as Israel declared war Sunday following unprecedented surprise attacks by Hamas. Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster as speaker leaves the House in uncharted legal territory regarding what it can do under acting Speaker Patrick McHenry. As the Biden administration looks to provide additional assistance to Israel, officials were unsure Saturday about what could be accomplished without a sitting speaker. As Jordan and Scalise vie for their colleagues’ support, Jordan said Sunday that he would lay out his plan to address the government funding deadline to his caucus Tuesday. “We’ve got to have 218 votes for a Republican speaker, and we’ve got to have 218 votes for how we deal with November 17 when the funding bill for the government comes due.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy’s, Patrick McHenry, Biden, Hakeem Jeffries, ” Jeffries, CNN’s Dana, Mike McCaul, Bash, ” McCaul, ” McCarthy, McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, Donald Trump, Kevin Hern, “, Jordan, Scalise, “ We’ve, we’ve, ”, ” Jordan Organizations: CNN, Republican Party, Democratic, White, National Security, Union, Foreign, The Texas Republican, Saturday, Fox, Ohio, Jordan . Oklahoma Rep, ”, Republicans, Sunday, Fox News Locations: Israel, Washington, McHenry, recessing, “ State, Louisiana, Jordan, Scalise

☆ The US Navy turned the tables on Iran, sending drones that look like speedboats to spy on its warships and troublesome gunboats
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. US Navy photoAn undated still image released on Oct. 6 from video taken by an Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel of an Iranian Navy AB-212 helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz. AdvertisementAdvertisementOther images from the September operation that were released by the US Navy on Friday showed an IRGCN warship and an Iranian Navy frigate. An L3Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel sails in the Arabian Gulf, Jan. 22, during exercise Neon Defender 23. US Navy photoA MARTAC T-38 Devil Ray unmanned surface vessel operates in the Gulf of Aqaba, Mar.

Persons: —, NAVCENT, Joe Baggett, Ray USV, Brad Cooper, Cooper, Arleigh Burke, Alexus, Grynkewich, they'll Organizations: US Navy, Navy, Service, Washington, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, US Naval Forces Central Command, Iranian, Fleet, Iranian Navy, Arabian Fox, US Marines, Coast Guard, Pentagon, Bataan, Ready, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, US Air Forces Central Command, Defense Writers Locations: Tehran, Hormuz, Persian, Gulf of Oman, Iran, Arabian, Panama, Strait, Iranian Navy, Iranian, NAVCENT, Gulf, Aqaba, Mar

☆ US preparing to officially designate military takeover in Niger as a coup d'etat after months of delay, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Natasha Bertrand Oren Liebermann Alex Marquardt | Natasha Bertrand | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The US embassy can continue to operate and the US military will be able to legally keep forces in Niger if a coup designation is made, US officials said. But the Pentagon is still assessing how the change will impact the approximately 1,000 US forces stationed in the country, officials said. The administration could continue with life-saving and other kinds of assistance that are important for US security interests while simultaneously suspending other assistance to the government, including economic and security assistance. Nigerien military leaders overthrew the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, in July. Senior Pentagon officials believe that keeping a presence in Niger is vital to efforts to tackle terrorism in the region and believe that it’s feasible even amid the domestic political turmoil there.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, ”, Defense Lloyd Austin, haven’t, “, Sabrina Singh Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Pentagon, State Department, Nigerien, France, Congress, Defense, DOD, Congressional Research Service, Senior Pentagon Locations: Niger, ”, Africa’s Sahel, Niamey, Saharan Africa, Djibouti, United States

☆ Foreign troops must leave Maldives, president-elect Muizzu says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mohamed Muizzu, Maldives presidential candidate of the opposition party, People's National Congress speaks with the media personnel during the second round of a presidential election in Male, Maldives September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Dhahau Naseem/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Foreign military forces cannot stay in the Maldives, president-elect Mohamed Muizzu told a rally celebrating his victory in closely watched weekend presidential elections that are expected to redraw ties with India and China. "All the countries which agree to our pro-Maldives policy will be our close friends and allies," Muizzu told supporters at Monday's event. India, with traditionally close ties to Male, denies that assertion, and is helping to build a naval harbour for Maldivian forces to be trained by its military. Solih, who championed an "India First" policy, continues in office until Muizzu is inaugurated on Nov. 17.

Persons: Mohamed Muizzu, Dhahau Naseem, Ibrahim Solih, Muizzu, Solih, Mohamed Junayd, Krishn Kaushik, Uditha, Blassy Boben, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: People's, REUTERS, Foreign, Indian, Thomson Locations: Maldives, Male, DELHI, India, China, New Delhi

☆ Haiti's Displaced Hope UN-Backed Force Will Bring Security
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The United Nations estimates some 200,000 Haitians have been displaced amid escalating violence, with armed gangs carrying out indiscriminate killings, kidnappings, gang rapes and burning down people's homes. "When the military is in the country they rape women, they play with our precariousness," he said. "Those who talk about foreigners not treading on our soil – what have they done to give us security? For Adison, independence is not compatible with foreign military forces. Kenyan authorities said they hope to deploy police officers to Haiti by January.

Persons: Steven Aristil PORT, Charles Adison, Neptune Dieudonne, Jean Remy Renald, Colbert, Renald, Steven Aristil, Sarah Morland, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Reuters, UN, United Nations, . Security, Rex Theatre Locations: Port, Kenya, Haiti

☆ Haiti's displaced hope UN-backed force will bring security
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Steven Aristil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The United Nations estimates some 200,000 Haitians have been displaced amid escalating violence, with armed gangs carrying out indiscriminate killings, kidnappings, gang rapes and burning down people's homes. "When the military is in the country they rape women, they play with our precariousness," he said. "Those who talk about foreigners not treading on our soil – what have they done to give us security? For Adison, independence is not compatible with foreign military forces. Reporting by Steven Aristil; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Charles Adison, Neptune Dieudonne, Jean Remy Renald, Colbert, Renald, Steven Aristil, Sarah Morland, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: PORT, UN, United Nations, . Security, Rex Theatre, Thomson Locations: Port, Kenya, Haiti

Among other things, prosecutors accused Menendez of ghostwriting a letter for Egyptian officials that sought to influence U.S. policy on military aid. The judge declined similar requests from Nadine Menendez and her co-defendants, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes. More than half of Senate Democrats have said that Menendez should resign, including New Jersey Gov. Menendez has said he intends to stay in the Senate, saying he is certain he will ultimately be exonerated. Besides setting a trial date, Judge Sidney Stein gave prosecutors a December deadline to turn over certain evidence to the defense.

Persons: —, Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, ghostwriting, Nadine, Nadine Menendez, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Hana, Phil Murphy, New Jersey Sen, Cory Booker, Donald Trump, Sidney Stein Organizations: U.S, Jersey's, Senate, Senate Foreign Relations, Authorities, Prosecutors, New Jersey Gov, New Locations: Jersey, New Jersey, New York City, Washington, Egypt

☆ Controversial Egypt aid held by new Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s new chairman is going to block a controversial tranche of military aid for Egypt, he announced Saturday. Sen. Ben Cardin’s last-minute decision on the day of the September 30 deadline followed backlash over the State Department’s recent decision to use a national security waiver to bypass human rights-related restrictions imposed on $235 million in aid. The block comes after the committee’s previous chairman, Sen. Bob Menendez, was indicted on corruption charges over accusations that he accepted bribes to help Egypt obtain military aid. Critics, including Cardin, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken should not have released the $235 million balance on the $320 million tranche of military aid. The White House referred questions to the State Department, which did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Persons: Sen, Ben Cardin’s, Bob Menendez, ” Cardin, Cardin, ”, Antony Blinken, Cardin’s, Abdel Fattah el Organizations: CNN, Relations, State, New, New Jersey Democrat, Maryland Democrat, Biden, State Department Locations: Egypt, New Jersey, Maryland, Taiwan, Lebanon

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) speaks at a committee meeting after assuming the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the U.S. Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Craig Hudson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee vowed on Saturday to block military aid and arms sales to Egypt if it does not take concrete steps to improve human rights in the country. Much of the aid has been withheld in recent years over concerns about human rights abuses under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. But President Joe Biden's administration announced this month it had decided to waive human rights restrictions on $235 million of the aid, citing security benefits to the U.S. It is currently withholding $85 million of the aid, a fraction of the $1.3 billion a year allocated for Egypt.

Persons: Ben Cardin, Craig Hudson, Gregory Meeks, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Cardin, Abdel Fattah al, Joe Biden's, Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Senate Foreign, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Senate Foreign, Democratic U.S, Representatives Foreign, State Department, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic, Washington, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Egypt, Washington, Israel

☆ Senior Senate Democrat Threatens to Block Military Aid to Egypt on Human Rights Grounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Matt Spetalnick and Patricia ZengerleWASHINGTON (Reuters) -The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee vowed on Saturday to block military aid and arms sales to Egypt if it does not take concrete steps to improve human rights in the country. Senator Ben Cardin issued the threat in a statement, saying "it is imperative that we continue to hold the government of Egypt, and all governments, accountable for their human rights violations." Much of the aid has been withheld in recent years over concerns about human rights abuses under the government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. But President Joe Biden's administration announced this month it had decided to waive human rights restrictions on $235 million of the aid, citing security benefits to the U.S. It is currently withholding $85 million of the aid, a fraction of the $1.3 billion a year allocated for Egypt.

Persons: Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, Ben Cardin, Gregory Meeks, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Cardin, Abdel Fattah al, Joe Biden's, Patricia Zengerle, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S . Senate Foreign, Democratic U.S, U.S, Representatives Foreign, State Department, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic, Washington, Egypt Locations: Egypt, Washington, Israel

The New Jersey Democrat will make his first appearance in a federal court in Manhattan amid growing calls from colleagues that he resign from Congress. It's the second corruption case in a decade against Menendez, whose last trial involving different allegations ended with jurors failing to reach a verdict in 2017. An attorney for Nadine Menendez has said she also denies the allegations and will fight the charges. Prosecutors say Hana promised to put Menendez's wife on his company's payroll in a low-or-no-show job in exchange for Menendez using his influential post to facilitate foreign military sales and financing to Egypt. In one case, he pushed to install a federal prosecutor in New Jersey whom Menendez believed he could influence to derail a criminal case against Daibes, prosecutors allege.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez —, —, It's, Menendez, New Jersey Democratic Sen, Cory Booker, Nadine, Nadine Menendez, — Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes —, Wael Hana, Hana, Menendez's, Prosecutors, Daibes, ___ Richer Organizations: — U.S, The New, The New Jersey Democrat, Foreign, Senate, New Jersey Democratic, Tuesday, Democrats, New, Authorities, Prosecutors, U.S Locations: New Jersey, The, The New Jersey, Manhattan, Jersey, New York’s, Egypt, Boston

☆ Sen. Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to pocketing bribes in a wide-ranging corruption case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to federal charges accusing him of pocketing bribes of cash and gold bars in exchange for wielding his political influence to secretly advance Egyptian interests and do favors for local businessmen. Menendez spoke in court only when each defendant stood to acknowledge that they understood the charges against them. A lawyer entered the not guilty plea for Menendez, who was forced to step down as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee after being indicted. They say Menendez also tried to interfere in criminal investigations involving associates, in one case pushing to install in New Jersey a federal prosecutor who he believed he could influence to derail a case. Two of the businessmen, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes, also were arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

Persons: Bob Menendez, Nadine Arslanian, Sen, Menendez, Illinois Sen, Dick Durbin, Jersey Sen, Cory Booker, Nadine, Nadine Menendez, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Wael Hana, Hana, Prosecutors, Menendez's Organizations: Democrat, Court, Southern District of, U.S, Bob Menendez of New, Foreign, Senate, Illinois, Democrats, Authorities, Prosecutors, Kennedy Airport Locations: New Jersey, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York City, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Manhattan, Jersey, Englewood, , New Jersey, Egypt

☆ Ukraine says it has a massive database the American embassy can use to track every last weapon the US has sent to Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Her comments come after Ukraine was reported to have had foreign-provided weapons stolen last year. The stolen weapons included a grenade launcher and a machine gun, and were taken by Russians who had joined a volunteer battalion, per the outlet. The Pentagon report, dated October 6, 2022, said the theft occurred in June 2022, per CNN. AdvertisementAdvertisementThis Pentagon report didn't explicitly say that the stolen weapons were American. These plots were eventually foiled or disrupted by Ukraine's intelligence services, and the equipment was recovered, the Pentagon report said, per CNN.

Persons: —, Oleksandra, Ustinova, Military.com, we're, Insider's Charles Davis Organizations: Service, CBS, American, Pentagon, CNN, CBS News, US, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles Locations: Ukraine, American, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Russian

REUTERS/Mike Segar Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Charges that Senator Bob Menendez accepted bribes in exchange for wielding his influence to aid the Egyptian government prompted calls in the U.S. Congress on Tuesday for the Biden administration to rethink $235 million in military aid to Cairo. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Middle East subcommittee, said he hoped the committee would investigate the allegations and Egypt's involvement. "I have not talked to colleagues about this yet, but obviously this raises pretty serious questions about Egypt, Egypt's conduct," he said. The indictment against Menendez also says he had close relationships with members of Egypt's intelligence services and held meetings to discuss U.S. military aid. He has stepped down temporarily from his role as chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Persons: Robert Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Mike Segar, Bob Menendez, Biden, Chris Murphy, Menendez, Murphy, Joe Biden's, Don Beyer, Beyer, Patricia Zengerle, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Congress, Democratic, Relations, Foreign Relations, Egypt Human Rights Caucus, U.S . Senate, CNN, Thomson Locations: Jersey, Union City , New Jersey, U.S, Cairo, Egypt, Washington

☆ US, Poland Sign $2 Billion Defense Loan Agreement, State Dept. Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - The United States has signed a $2 billion direct loan agreement to support Poland's defense modernization program, the State Department said on Monday. THE TAKEThe foreign military financing deal advances the two countries' defense cooperation as Poland seeks to boost its armed forces following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. CONTEXTPoland is a top U.S. ally and has topped NATO's spending charts this year. The military alliance has forecast Poland pouring 3.9% of gross domestic product into military goals, almost twice NATO's current 2% target. BY THE NUMBERSThe U.S. will provide $60 million for the cost of the $2 billion loan, which will be used to help pay for Poland's defense modernization program with weapons purchases from the U.S., the State Department said.

Persons: Brendan O'Brien, Caitlin Webber, Rami Ayyub Organizations: Reuters, United, State Department Locations: United States, Poland, Ukraine, U.S, Chicago

☆ An Egyptian official responded with a 'thumbs up' emoji when Sen. Bob Menendez offered sensitive weapons information for gold and bribes, prosecutors say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bob Menendez was hit with bribery charges by federal prosecutors in a newly-unsealed indictment. Prosecutors claimed that Menendez provided sensitive US government data to Egypt, to which in one instance, Egyptian officials responded to a weapons deal with a thumbs-up emoji, per the indictment. In 2018, Menendez met with Egyptian officials, where the senator expressed his support for foreign military aid for Egypt. Egypt: 46,000 120MM Target Practice Rounds and 10,000 Rounds Tank Ammunition: $99 million," Sen. Bob Menendez texted his wife, Nadine, per the indictment. Both Hana and Nadine Menendez are also charged in the indictment.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Will Hana, Hana, Bob Menendez texted, Nadine, Prosecutors, Nadine Menendez, Chuck Schumer Organizations: Prosecutors, Service, Bob Menendez of New, Menendez, Foreign Relations Locations: Wall, Silicon, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, New Jersey, Egypt

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