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☆ U.S. intel chiefs warn Putin is expanding his nuclear weapons arsenal as the war in Ukraine drags on
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The warning from the nation's top spymasters comes as Russia intensifies its now year-long fight in Ukraine and as Putin threatens to withdraw from a key nuclear arms treaty. "Heavy losses to its ground forces and the large-scale expenditures of precision-guided munitions during the conflict have degraded Moscow's ground and air-based conventional capabilities and increased its reliance on nuclear weapons," the intelligence community wrote. Putin, whose country boasts the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world, has previously rattled the nuclear saber on the heels of Ukrainian advances on the battlefield. The West, meanwhile, has described Putin's threats of using nuclear weapons as "irresponsible" and an attempt to reassert Russia's dominance in the region. Last month, Putin upped the ante by announcing he would suspend participation in the New START treaty, a crucial nuclear arms reduction agreement.

☆ Merrick Garland Is a Huge Taylor Swift Fan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Sadie Gurman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON – At a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, senators grilled Attorney General Merrick Garland on the Justice Department’s investigation into Ticketmaster, which botched ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s coming tour and is dominant in the concert industry. “Channeling Taylor Swift, I know that ‘All Too Well,’” Mr. Garland said, name-dropping the title of one of her songs. “I’m pretty familiar with Taylor Swift.”

☆ At least 20 torture centers in Kherson were directly financed by the Kremlin, international lawyers say in a new report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A photo of a hallway in a building where Russian forces established a torture center in Kherson. In November, Ukrainian forces liberated the southeastern city, once home to more than 280,000 people. A photo of a cell used by Russian forces to detain Ukrainian civilians in the southeastern city of Kherson, Ukraine. A U.N. report previously outlined grisly accusations of war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. Pierre Crom | Getty ImagesSurvivors also said in interviews with lawyers that electric shock torture and waterboarding were common tactics used by Russian forces at the torture centers.

☆ U.S. unveils $2 billion in aid for Ukraine, sanctions and tariff hikes on Russia a year after invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON – The United States authorized $2 billion in aid to Ukraine on the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion Friday, and ramped up sanctions and tariffs on Moscow as it tries to bolster Kyiv's war effort. President Joe Biden met virtually with leaders of the G-7 and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday morning to mark the occasion, one year after the group first met to discuss aid. The Biden administration also announced it would sanction more than 200 individuals and entities tied to the Russian war effort, including by targeting the country's metals and mining sector. Biden has been adamant about showing the U.S.'s support for Ukraine as the war drags on into its second year. Earlier this month, Ukraine's prosecutor general, Andriy Kostin, said that regional authorities have logged more than 65,000 Russian war crimes since Moscow invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago.

"One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kyiv," Biden said at the Warsaw Royal Castle Gardens as the crowd waved Polish flags. "Well I've just come from a visit to Kyiv and I can report Kyiv stands strong, Kyiv stands proud, it stands tall and most important, it stands free." "One year into this war, Putin no longer doubts the strength of our coalition, but he still doubts our conviction. U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Kyiv, Ukraine on February 20, 2023. "Tonight I speak once more again to the people of Russia: The United States and the people of Europe do not seek to control or destroy Russia," Biden said.

☆ Spy balloon confirms 'pattern of Chinese behavior' that poses threat to NATO members, Stoltenberg says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg delivers remarks to the news media as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosts Stoltenberg at the State Department in Washington, U.S., June 1, 2022. WASHINGTON – The Chinese spy balloon that drifted across the United States last week presents security challenges for NATO's 30-member alliance as well as other countries around the globe, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday. "We need to be aware of the constant risk of Chinese intelligence and step up what we do to protect ourselves and react in a prudent and responsible way," he said, adding that European countries have seen an increase in Chinese intelligence activities. Stoltenberg's remarks come as the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard complete a recovery operation of the downed spy balloon roughly six miles off the coast of South Carolina. On Saturday, Biden gave the order to take the 200-foot-tall spy balloon out of the sky.

☆ China's suspected spy balloon prompts Blinken to postpone Beijing trip as Congress seeks answers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken attends the Freedom of Expression Roundtable, in New York, U.S., September 19, 2022. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will postpone his trip to China next week following a suspected Beijing-operated spy balloon looming over parts of Montana. Chinese authorities said Friday that the balloon operating over U.S. airspace was a civilian weather balloon intended for scientific research. But the State Department said that was immaterial. "It was a mistake to not shoot down that Chinese spy balloon when it was over a sparsely populated area," Rubio tweeted on Friday.

☆ Russia has committed more than 65,000 war crimes in Ukraine, prosecutor general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

War crime prosecutor of Kharkiv Oblast stands with forensic technician and policeman at the site of a mass burial in a forest during exhumation on September 16, 2022 in Izium, Ukraine. WASHINGTON – Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said Wednesday that regional authorities have registered more than 65,000 Russian war crimes since Moscow's conflict began nearly a year ago. The conflict has shown few signs of ending soon, even as local and international officials try to probe potential crimes committed over recent months in Ukraine. Because potential war crimes cross a range of jurisdictions, the International Criminal Court cannot prosecute them, or heads of state such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia has repeatedly denied that its troops have committed war crimes or deliberately targeted civilians.

☆ Treasury imposes sanctions against Russian paramilitary firm Wagner Group
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A mural praises the Russian Wagner group and its mercenaries fighting in Ukraine on March 30, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. The Treasury Department identified the Wagner Group, led by Putin crony Yevgeny Prigozhin, as a "significant transnational criminal organization." Joint Stock Company Terra Tech, a Russian-based technology firm, for providing space and aerial imagery to the Wagner Group. Joint Stock Company Research and Production, a Russian space company supporting Russia's military activities in Ukraine. In addition, State announced steps to impose visa restrictions on 531 members of the Russian military for their role in Ukraine.

☆ U.S. will send Abrams tanks to Ukraine ahead of expected Russian offensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration announced Wednesday it will equip Ukraine with the mighty M1A1 Abrams tank, a key reversal in the West's effort to arm Kyiv as it prepares for a fresh Russian offensive. The 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks, which amount to one Ukrainian tank battalion, will expand on the more than $26 billion the U.S. has committed to Kyiv's fight since Russia invaded nearly a year ago. The U.S. will also provide eight M88 recovery vehicles that support the M1A1 Abrams. The Biden administration will also send more than 500 armored vehicles of various types to bolster Ukraine's military. It will "take some time" for the tanks to be delivered to Ukraine, a senior Biden administration official said Wednesday.

☆ Top U.S. spy agency says more security assistance from allies is crucial for Ukraine to prevail
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Members of Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade defend an area near the front line of fighting on Jan. 12, 2023, outside Kremina, Ukraine. WASHINGTON – The director of America's top spy agency described Russia's war in Ukraine as a "grinding conflict" that will require the West to continue to provide security assistance packages in order for Kyiv to prevail. "It will be extremely important for Ukraine to receive essential military assistance and economic assistance moving forward in order for them to be able to continue to manage what they have been heroically doing," she added. The U.S. has contributed the lion's share of security assistance to the fight. The upcoming military assistance, the 30th such tranche, brings U.S. commitment to Ukraine's fight to more than $26 billion since the beginning of the Biden administration.

☆ More than 360 new UFO cases have been reported to U.S. intelligence agencies since March 2021
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

"The aerial phenomena observed in the videos remain characterized as 'unidentified,' the Pentagon said in a statement. WASHINGTON – The top U.S. spy agency said Thursday 366 new cases of unidentified aerial phenomena have been reported to U.S. intelligence agencies since March 2021. In 2020, the Pentagon formed a new task force to investigate UFO sightings that have been observed on several occasions by U.S. military aircraft. The creation of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or UAPTF, continues an effort begun in recent years to investigate unexplained aerial incidents encountered by the U.S. military. The U.S. Navy has previously led efforts to look into unidentified aerial phenomena since the service branch has reported several encounters involving their aircraft.

☆ U.S. announces $3.8 billion security assistance package for Ukraine, European allies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration announced nearly $3.8 billion in security assistance for Ukraine and European allies on Friday, Washington's largest package since Russia's full-scale invasion began nearly a year ago. The $2.85 billion weapons package includes Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, artillery systems, armored personnel carriers, surface-to-air missiles and ammunition. New to this aid package are 50 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, armored tracked vehicles manufactured by U.S. defense firm BAE Systems . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked President Joe Biden for the "very powerful" security package during a video message on his official Telegram channel. For the first time, we will receive armored vehicles Bradleys, this is exactly what is needed," Zelenskyy said.

☆ Fed officials see higher rates for 'some time' ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve officials are committed to fighting inflation and expect higher interest rates to remain in place until more progress is made, according to minutes released Wednesday from the central bank's December meeting. The minutes reflected those sentiments, noting that no FOMC members expect rate cuts in 2023, despite market pricing. Markets currently are pricing in the likelihood of rate increases totaling 0.5-0.75 percentage point before pausing to evaluate the impact the hikes are having on the economy. Fed officials, however, have expressed doubt repeatedly about any loosening of policy in 2023. While some of the recent inflation metrics have shown progress, the labor market, a critical target of the rate increases, has been resilient.

☆ U.S. sanctions 3 people following string of North Korean missile launches
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

People watch a TV news program reporting on North Korea test-firing a newly developed tactical guided weapon on April 17, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. Treasury added that these officials "personally attended numerous ballistic missile launches since at least 2017." The sanctions follow renewed North Korean ballistic missile tests. So far this year, Pyongyang has launched eight intercontinental ballistic missiles and carried out 60 ballistic missile tests. In October, North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles.

☆ Fed Chair Powell says smaller interest rate hikes could start in December
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

watch nowWASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell confirmed Wednesday that smaller interest rate increases are likely ahead even as he sees progress in the fight against inflation as largely inadequate. But he cautioned that monetary policy is likely to stay restrictive for some time until real signs of progress emerge on inflation. The chairman noted that policy moves such as interest rate increases and the reduction of the Fed's bond holdings generally take time to make their way through the system. "The time for moderating the pace of rate increases may come as soon as the December meeting." watch nowMarkets already had been pricing in about a 65% chance that the Fed would step down its interest rate increases to half of a percentage point in December, following four successive 0.75-point moves, according to CME Group data.

☆ Pentagon says Moscow's deliberate targeting of Ukrainian energy grids is a war crime
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon on Wednesday slammed Russia's barrage of missile strikes across Ukrainian cities and said that Moscow's deliberate targeting of energy infrastructure is a war crime. "It was likely the largest wave of missiles that we've seen since the beginning of the war," Milley said, adding that "the deliberate targeting of the civilian power grid, causing excessive collateral damage and unnecessary suffering on the civilian population is a war crime." Austin called Russia's missile and rocket attacks on civilian infrastructure "deliberate cruelty" and called on Moscow to end its "war of choice." They're going to continue that fight until the winter as best we can tell," Milley added. Stoltenberg added that initial assessments found that the incident was caused by an air defense missile launched to "defend Ukrainian territory against Russian cruise missile attacks."

☆ Factbox: Top takeaways from the Biden-Xi meeting in Bali
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Xi too was explicit about Taiwan, calling it the "first red line" that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations. The White House said Biden and Xi agreed to "deepen constructive efforts" to address issues such as climate change, health and food security. But according to the White House statement, Biden and Xi "underscored their opposition to the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine". Biden told reporters after the meeting there was no need for concerns about a new Cold War between the United States and China. At the same time, Biden warned Xi that such actions by North Korea would result in bolstered U.S. and allied military capabilities in Northeast Asia.

☆ Biden expected to bring up Chinese economic practices, Taiwan and Russia's war in Ukraine in first meeting with Xi as president
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Joe Biden via video link, in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 16, 2021. WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden will discuss a range of geopolitical challenges next week in his first face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping since he ascended to the White House two years ago. The meeting between the two leaders will take place Monday ahead of the G-20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia. Biden told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that he wants to address the mounting tensions between Washington and Beijing. The senior Biden administration official declined to elaborate on Covid-19 mitigation measures for the meeting, adding that health protocols were still being worked out by advance teams.

☆ Russia halts participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the UN-backed deal that reopened Ukraine’s ports to feed countries around the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni, carrying Ukrainian grain, is seen in the Black Sea off Kilyos, near Istanbul, Turkey August 3, 2022. WASHINGTON – Moscow suspended its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, an agreement brokered earlier this year that reopened Ukrainian ports for agricultural product export. Russia also said British operators helped Ukraine's military carry out the predawn attack, adding that at least 15 drones were involved. "We have warned of Russia's plans to ruin the Black Sea Grain Initiative," Kuleba wrote in a tweet. "I call on all states to demand Russia to stop its hunger games and recommit to its obligations."

☆ U.S. Defense secretary speaks with Russian counterpart as war in Ukraine enters ninth month
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks at a news briefing at the Pentagon on July 20, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia. The call comes as the war enters its ninth month and as Ukraine continues a stunning counteroffensive to retake more of Russian-occupied territory in the east and south. "Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war against Ukraine," according to the Pentagon. WASHINGTON – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart Friday morning, the second known call since the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traded barbs last month with his Russian counterpart during a U.N. Security Council meeting.

☆ In one North Carolina community, mental health workers respond to 911 calls
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Nadia Kounang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

As one recent caller to the 911 center in Durham, North Carolina, said: “I feel kind of dangerous to myself. It’s often linked to someone who is unhoused and dealing with substance use and mental health problems. The most significant concern: a lack of training and awareness from police on how to deal with mental health issues. The KFF CNN Mental Health Survey was conducted by SSRS from July 28 through August 9 among a random national sample of 2,004 adults. Mental health already carries a stigma, and the presence of law enforcement officers in marked cars can add to that.

☆ Biden approves an additional $1.1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ukrainian troops fire with surface-to-surface rockets MLRS towards Russian positions at a front line in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas on June 7, 2022. WASHINGTON – The Biden administration announced $1.1 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine on Wednesday, bringing the U.S. commitment to more than $16.2 billion since Russia's invasion in late February. The announcement of the upcoming aid package, the 22nd such installment, follows referendums held in four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine that are backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The votes, widely viewed as rigged and illegitimate, are to determine if Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson should become part of Russia. Unlike a presidential drawdown authority, which pulls weapons directly from U.S. stockpiles, the latest security assistance package is authorized through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI, which uses funds appropriated by Congress.

☆ Analistul George Friedman: SUA au două interese strategice importante în Europa, Polonia şi România. Va rămâne aşa şi sub administraţia Joe Biden
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-10 | by ( ) tvrmoldova.md time to read: +2 min

Europa nu este un actor esenţial pentru Statele Unite, ale căror principale interese strategice pe continentul european sunt Polonia, România şi Neagră, este de părere analistul american George Friedman, fondatorul Stratfor şi Geopolitical Features. “Europa nu este esenţială pentru Statele Unite. (…) Avem doar două interese strategice importante în Europa, unul legat de Polonia şi celălalt de Marea Neagră, România. Acest lucru va rămâne aşa sub (n.r.- administraţia) Biden. În calitate de vicepreşedinte al SUA, Joe Biden a efectuat două vizite la Bucureşti, în 2009 şi în 2014.

Persons: George Friedman, Biden, Sigur, Friedman, ştiri, Joe Biden, francez Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Boris Johnson, Klaus Iohannis, Biden de Organizations: NATO, România Locations: Europa, esenţial, Statele Unite, Polonia, România, Neagră, ., SUA, Ungaria, Washington, Varşovia, Bucureştiul, francez, Londra, Bucureşti

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