DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Menendez serves as the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And as chairman, he had unique influence over foreign military sales and foreign military financing. The State Department typically seeks the input of the chairperson and top minority senator on the Foreign Relations panel when it comes to foreign military financing and foreign military sales, and the department generally will not go forward if one of the two senators objects. Hana is a friend of Nadine Menendez and the Egyptian-American founder of a business that certifies beef imported into Egypt meets Islamic religious standards. “Congratulations mon amour de la vie, we are the proud owners of a 2019 Mercedes,” Nadine Menendez texted her husband, along with a heart emoji.

Persons: — Democratic U.S . Sen, Bob Menendez, Egypt —, Menendez, ”, Nadine, “, Prosecutors, Nadine Arslania, David Schertler, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, Fred Daibes, Nadine Menendez, He's, Hana, Uribe, ” Nadine Menendez, Hana's, Salomon Melgen, Melgen, Donald Trump, Chuck Schumer, Sen, Ben Cardin, Schumer, Phil Murphy Organizations: WASHINGTON, — Democratic U.S ., Senate Foreign Relations, U.S, Embassy, The State Department, Foreign Relations, U.S . House, Strategic International Business Consultants LLC, -, New, Daibes, Senate, New Jersey voters, Republican, NEXT, Democratic, While New, While New Jersey Gov Locations: Egypt, New Jersey, Jersey, U.S, Cairo, Union City , New Jersey, Edgewater , New Jersey, Florida, Dominican Republic, Paris, Washington, D, While, While New Jersey

[1/4] Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives U.S. President Joe Biden at Al Salman Palace upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. Biden would also score a foreign policy win as he seeks re-election in November 2024. The focus is on Biden’s fellow Democrats who have condemned Saudi Arabia over human rights but whose support would be needed if any agreement requires congressional approval. Though foreign policy rarely sways U.S. elections, Biden, facing a re-election fight against Republican former president Donald Trump, may be thinking of his legacy. Murphy, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he favors Israeli-Saudi normalization and is open to reviewing any broader agreement but would not be easily convinced.

Persons: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Israel, “, ”, Jonathan Panikoff, government’s, Biden’s, Washington, Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Aaron David Miller, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Chris Murphy, Murphy, Jared Kushner, Trump, Abraham, Netanyahu, Matt Spetalnick, Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle, Dan Williams, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Saudi Crown, Al, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Rights, Atlantic Council, Saudi, Israel, Republicans, Israeli, Republican, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, SAUDI, MbS, NATO, Reuters, Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Abraham Accords, Middle, General, Trump, Biden, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Israel, U.S, Riyadh, Iran, Gulf, East, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi, Yemen, “, United States, Washington, Jerusalem

☆ Former GOP Sen. Bob Corker says he's not surprised Mitt Romney isn't running for re-election because politics are 'not as conducive' to problem-solving as they once were
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ex-Sen. Bob Corker said he wasn't surprised to hear of Mitt Romney's retirement from the Senate. "I understand why he might want to spend time doing other types of things," Corker told Politico. Corker, who served 12 years in the Senate, said he's had no trouble adjusting to life outside. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. The ex-lawmaker has assumed top roles in real estate, healthcare, and banking as part of his post-Senate life.

Persons: Sen, Bob Corker, wasn't, Mitt Romney's, Corker, he's, Republican Mitt Romney, Romney, Joe Biden, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Mitt Romney, Donald Trump Organizations: Politico, Service, Congress, Capitol, Tennessee Republican, Republican, Utah Senate, Supreme, Senate Foreign Relations Locations: Wall, Silicon, Utah, Washington

The head of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has asked the country's top three oilfield services companies to explain why they continued doing business in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, and demanded that they commit to “cease all investments” in Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure. Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, cited an Associated Press report that the companies — SLB, Baker Hughes and Halliburton — helped keep Russian oil flowing even as sanctions targeted the Russian war effort. Much of Russia’s oil is hard to reach, and analysts say that had U.S. oilfield services companies all pulled out, its production would have taken an immediate hit. Halliburton wound down its Russia operations less than six months after the invasion, while Baker Hughes sold its oilfield services business in Russia after about nine months. In contrast, oil majors such as Shell and BP announced they would quit Russia within days or weeks of the invasion, writing off billions of dollars.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, SLB, Baker Hughes, Halliburton —, B4Ukraine, Menendez, Joe Biden, Halliburton, Moira Duff, Duff, ” Halliburton, Brad Leone, ”, Eleanor Nichol Organizations: U.S . Senate Foreign Relations, Associated Press, AP, Schlumberger, Congress, Shell, BP Locations: Russia, Ukraine, New Jersey, American, U.S

Bill Richardson, a longtime fixture of Democratic politics with turns as Energy Secretary and United Nations ambassador under the Clinton administration, died on Friday, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement said in a statement. There was no person that Governor Richardson would not speak with if it held the promise of returning a person to freedom,” Mickey Bergman, vice president of the Richardson Center, said in a statement. Richardson later served as US ambassador to the United Nations and secretary of energy before being elected governor of New Mexico in 2002. After an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2008, Richardson launched the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, a non profit promoting international peace, in 2011. He grew up in Mexico City, Mexico, leaving to attend boarding school in Massachusetts in 1960.

Persons: Bill Richardson, Clinton, Richardson, “, Mickey Bergman, ” Richardson, Frank Bradford Morse, Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan, Governor Richardson, Neda, “ Governor Richardson, Mexico Sen, Martin Heinrich, ” Heinrich, Barbara Richardson Organizations: CNN, Former New, Former New Mexico Gov, Energy Secretary, United Nations, Richardson Center, Global, Richardson, Massachusetts, US State Department, Senate Foreign Relations, House, New, “, Democratic, Tufts University, Tufts ’ Fletcher School of Law, Diplomacy Locations: Former New Mexico, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Moscow, Mexico, Pasadena , California, Mexico City

☆ 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

☆ Niger response: 'Washington has to thread a very difficult needle'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The United States and its Western allies are faced with a difficult conundrum as they navigate potential responses to the military takeover in Niger if democratic rule is not restored. Experts told CNN that punitive measures could push Niger toward Russian mercenary groups like Wagner and away from its partners in the West. US officials have said there are no indications that the organization was involved in the military takeover. We don’t really know who this new general is” who has seized power, she told CNN. Felbab-Brown told CNN that Prigozhin is trying to “personally” take advantage, given his “precarious” place following his failed revolt.

Persons: Biden, Vedant Patel, John Kirby, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ”, Cameron Hudson, ‘, Antony Blinken, Vanda Felbab, Brown, Bob Menendez, Jim Risch, Kirby, Mohamed Bazoum, Gen, Abdourahamane Tiani, Bazoum, “, ” Hudson, Kamissa Camara, Camara, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, We’re, ” Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, “ It’s, Prigozhin, Putin, shouldn’t, ” Kirby, Blinken, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Kamala Harris, Bola Tinubu, African Affairs Molly Phee, Hassoumi Massoudou, Mahamadou Issoufou “, Patel Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Nigerien, State Department, National Security Council, Experts, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Central African, West, Brookings, Senate Foreign Relations, Democratic, US Institute of Peace, Russian Foreign Ministry, African Union, Economic, West African States, United Nations, African Affairs, Nigerien Foreign, ” State Department Locations: United States, Niger, Russian, Africa, “ Washington, Sahel, Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Niamey, “, Hudson, Russia, St . Petersburg, Moscow, Sudan, New Zealand, Nigeria

☆ US willing to take 'targeted' actions against China for national security, Treasury official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"When necessary, we will use a suite of tools to achieve our national security goals. It is our core mission to protect the American people from national security risks while also clearly communicating our position and intent to China to reduce the risk of misunderstanding," said Shambaugh, who heads Treasury's international affairs. The Biden administration is weighing new restrictions on outbound private investment into China and other countries of concern. "To be clear: neither targeted national security actions nor attempts to build diversified supply chains represent decoupling," Shambaugh said in the prepared remarks. He said the Treasury also has been troubled by China's recent punitive actions against U.S. firms and export controls on critical minerals for semiconductors.

Persons: Jay Shambaugh, Biden, Shambaugh, Janet Yellen, David Lawder, Paul Simao Organizations: . Treasury, U.S . Senate Foreign Relations, U.S, U.S . Treasury, Treasury, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Beijing, Zambia, Ghana, Sri Lanka

☆ 4 major fighter-jet deals could reshape the Middle East's biggest militaries for decades to come
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Middle Eastern countries have for decades been major buyers of advanced fighter jets. Four potential deals involving Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Egypt show that the trend will continue. Four looming acquisitions by Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Egypt show that this trend will not change any time soon. Egypt's EaglesEgyptian Air Force MiG-29s during an exercise in Sudan in May 2021. While the Russian jets couldn't exchange data with Egypt's US-made aircraft, Cairo hoped they could operate as an "air force within an air force" and partially redress its limited air-to-air capabilities.

Persons: Cuneyt, MURAD, Erdogan, Mehmet Kaman, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's, Biden, Sen, Bob Menendez, hasn't, Iran's, Vladimir Putin, Ebrahim Raisi, ALEXANDR DEMYANCHUK, it's, —, Iran hasn't, ATTA KENARE, Mohammed Reza Ashtiani, Iraq's, KARIM SAHIB, Saddam Hussein's, Ali Mohammed, KARI, ASHRAF SHAZLY, Derek Seifert, Frank McKenzie, Israel, Paul Iddon Organizations: Service, United Arab Emirates, Dassault Rafales, Dassault, Vipers, NATO Air Policing, Anadolu Agency, Getty, US, Turkish Aerospace Industries, Getty Images, NATO, Senate Foreign Relations, SPUTNIK, Army Day, Iranian Parliament's National Security, Foreign, Iranian Defense, Rafale, ISIS, Getty Images Iraq, Thales Ground, AIM, Meteor, Egypt's Eagles Egyptian Air Force, Eagles, US Air Force, US Central Command Locations: Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Wall, Silicon, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Poland, Ankara, Syria, Greece, Samarkand, Getty Images Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Soviet, US, Tehran, AFP, Iranian, Persian, Baghdad, France, South Korea, Czech, Iraqi, Balad, Sudan, Qatar, Cairo, Derek Seifert Egypt

☆ Analysis: President Joe Biden just secured a big win from his Europe trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —President Joe Biden has already secured a powerful deliverable from his Europe trip – one that will weaken Russia’s strategic position in another detrimental consequence of its invasion of Ukraine. Once Sweden finally joins NATO, it will bolster Biden’s reputation as a US leader who reinvigorated and expanded the bloc. Biden had said before leaving the US that Ukraine was not ready to join. Erdogan’s move was also a severe blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “This really isn’t about Sweden, this is about the United States and Turkey and Turkey’s role,” she told Jake Tapper.

Persons: Joe Biden, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finland –, Ukraine –, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, Biden, Erdogan’s, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Erdogan –, –, Russia’s, Erdogan, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Jake Sullivan, Ulf Kristersson, “, ” Sullivan, Chuck Schumer, ”, Stoltenberg, Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, National Intelligence Beth Sanner, Jake Tapper, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: CNN, NATO, European Union, Kremlin, West, East, NATO “, Swedish, New, New York Democrat, America, EU, Kurdistan Workers ’ Party, Senate Foreign Relations, The New, The New Jersey Democrat, “, National Intelligence Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Lithuania, Sweden, Turkey, Finland, George H.W ., Germany, Russia, United States, Washington, Syria, Madrid, Vilnius, ”, New York, Ankara, Eurasia, Turkish, Stockholm, Greece, The, The New Jersey, “ Turkey, Mariupol

VILNIUS, July 11 (Reuters) - Washington will move ahead with the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey in consultation with Congress, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday, a day after Ankara gave the green light for Sweden to join NATO. He intends to move forward with that transfer," Sullivan told reporters, without giving any details on the timing. Both Turkish officials and the Biden administration have rejected any suggestion that Ankara's approval of Sweden's NATO accession was being linked to the F-16 sale in the months of talks to address Turkish opposition. Russian officials said Sweden's expected accession to NATO would have "negative implications" for Russia's security and that Moscow would have to respond. TIMING UNCERTAINThe timing of both the F-16 transfer and Sweden's NATO entry remains unclear.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, Joe Biden, Bob Menendez, Biden, Tayyip Erdogan, Camille Grand, Erdogan, Gerard Araud, Sweden's, Peter Szijjarto, Jens Stoltenberg, Steve Holland, Justyna, John Irish, Nick Macfie, Heather Timmons, Devika Organizations: U.S . National, NATO, Lockheed Martin Corp, Senate Foreign Relations, Democrat, Turkish, European Council, Foreign Relations, Twitter, Kurdistan Workers Party, EU, Monday, Finland's, Nordic, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Washington, Turkey, U.S, Ankara, Sweden, Lithuanian, Vilnius, NATO, French, Swedish, United States, Turkey's, Moscow, Hungary, Finland, Ukraine

☆ NATO unity will be tested at upcoming summit. Ukraine's possible entry may be the biggest challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Patriot long-range air defence systems of the German Bundeswehr armed forces are deployed at Vilnius Airport ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 7, 2023. "I don't think it's ready for membership in NATO," President Joe Biden told CNN in an interview airing Sunday. More than two-thirds of alliance members have banned the weapon because it has a track record for causing many civilian casualties. As for Ukraine's possible entry into NATO, the alliance said in 2008 that Kyiv eventually would become a member. "That's an issue that will cause tension and dissent, and that's not what the Vilnius summit is all about," he said.

Persons: NATO's, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Douglas Lute, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Lute, Mitch McConnell, Putin, Daniel Fried, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finland, Erdogan, It's, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Max Bergmann, They've, Bergmann, Viktor Orban, Idaho Sen, Jim Risch, aren't, Risch, I'm, we've, Jens Stoltenberg, who's, Mette Frederiksen, Stoltenberg, Rasmussen, Skip Davis, that's Organizations: German Bundeswehr, Vilnius Airport, NATO Summit, NATO, CNN, Republican, Kentucky, Associated Press, Putin, Atlantic Council, Ukraine, State Department, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Senate Foreign Relations, Danish, Center for Locations: German, Vilnius, Lithuania, Russian, Ukraine, Sweden, Eastern Europe, United States, Israel, Moscow, Finland, U.S, Russia, Kyiv, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Stockholm, Idaho, Hungary, Baltic, Norwegian, Danish

Sweden broke from decades of neutrality following the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year by seeking to join NATO. Mr. Erdogan has also invested himself deeply in the matter, having long insisted that Western nations do not take his concerns about Kurdish terrorism seriously enough. U.S. officials insist their support for the arms sale is not linked to Mr. Erdogan’s position on Sweden. But after a late May phone call with the Turkish leader, Mr. Biden told reporters:“He still wants to work on something on the F-16s. Analysts say it is unclear whether Mr. Biden can convince them to change their position.

Persons: Erdogan, Biden, Mr, Bob Menendez Organizations: NATO, Sweden, Bloomberg, Senate Foreign Relations, Bob Menendez of New Locations: Ukraine, Hungary, Turkey, Sweden, Washington . U.S, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey

☆ Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin says it wasn't 'unexpected' that Putin would face an attempted mutiny by the Wagner Group: 'They're thugs dealing with thugs'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Ben Cardin on Sunday criticized both Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Wagner Group. "They're thugs dealing with thugs," he said during a Sunday appearance on Fox News. The Wagner Group attempted to stage an armed rebellion this weekend but retreated from their effort. "Putin brought this upon himself doing business with the Wagner Group," Cardin told anchor Shannon Bream. They're thugs dealing with thugs.

Persons: Sen, Ben Cardin, Vladimir Putin, —, Russia's, Vladimir Putin wasn't, Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Cardin, Shannon Bream, Putin's, Sergei Shoigu Organizations: Wagner, Fox News, Service, Group, Fox, Maryland Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Wagner Group, Kremlin, Rostov Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Moscow, Belarus

But certainly, we have all sorts of new questions that Putin is going to have to address in the weeks and months ahead," Blinken told NBC's "Meet the Press" program. Blinken described the turmoil as an "internal matter" for Putin. "It may be that Putin didn't want to debase himself to the level of negotiating directly with Prigozhin," Blinken said. "To the extent that the Russians are distracted and divided it may make their prosecution of aggression against Ukraine more difficult," Blinken told ABC. Senator Ben Cardin said the weekend turmoil in Russia does not ease Washington's need to continue aiding Ukraine as it launches its long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, NBC's, Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, debase, Mikhail Klimentyev, Mike Turner, Turner, Philip Breedlove, Breedlove, Ben Cardin, Cardin, Don Bacon, he's, Bacon, David Morgan, Hannah Lang, Tyler Clifford, Scott Malone, Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Porter, Chris Reese Organizations: U.S . Congress, Russian, Press, REUTERS Forces, ABC, of, CBS, U.S . Air Force, . European Command, U.S, Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Fox News, Republican, House Armed Services Committee, NBC, Thomson Locations: U.S, Russia, Poland, Baltic, Ukraine, Russian, Kremlin, Russia's, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Blinken said tensions that sparked the action had been growing for months and added that the threat of internal turmoil could affect Moscow's military capabilities in Ukraine. Blinken described the turmoil as an "internal matter" for Putin. "It may be that Putin didn't want to debase himself to the level of negotiating directly with Prigozhin," Blinken said. "To the extent that the Russians are distracted and divided it may make their prosecution of aggression against Ukraine more difficult," Blinken told ABC. Senator Ben Cardin said the weekend turmoil in Russia does not ease Washington's need to continue aiding Ukraine as it launches its long-awaited counteroffensive against Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, NBC's, Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko, debase, Mike Turner, Turner, Ben Cardin, Cardin, Don Bacon, he's, Bacon, David Morgan, Hannah Lang, Tyler Clifford, Scott Malone, Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Porter Organizations: U.S . Congress, Russian, Press, Forces, ABC, of, CBS, Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Fox News, Republican, U.S . Air Force, House Armed Services Committee, NBC, Thomson Locations: U.S, Russia, Poland, Baltic, Ukraine, Russian, Russia's, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

☆ Top tech execs get ready to meet Modi as China's economy falters
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Seema Mody | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters as he arrives at the Lotte New York Palace hotel in New York City, June 20, 2023. As China's economy falters, top U.S. corporate executives are making it a priority to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his state visit to the White House, including Thursday's dinner. The administration is going all out to give the prime minister a close-to-royal welcome," Frank Wisner, former U.S. ambassador to India, told CNBC. China is one of the agenda items when Modi meets with Biden and U.S. executives Thursday and Friday. With China's economy decelerating and political tensions high, corporate America has taken steps to diversify away from the country.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Raj Subramaniam, Frank Wisner, Tony Capuano, Cummins, Jennifer Rumsey, Safiya Ghori, Ahmad, Atomics, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Modi, Biden, Wisner, Elon Musk Organizations: Indian, Lotte New, Lotte New York Palace, White, Apple, Microsoft, FedEx, White House, CNBC, Marriott, Electric, Hindustan Aeronautics, Atlantic Council, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S, Modi, Tesla Locations: Lotte New York, New York City, India, New Delhi, U.S, Delhi, China, America

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Congress introduced legislation on Thursday that would make it easier for Ukraine to fund its fight against Russian invaders by using seized and frozen Russian assets. The U.S. Congress has approved more than $100 billion in military, humanitarian and economic aid for Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. It also would bar the release of funds to sanctioned Russian entities until Russia withdraws from Ukraine and agrees to provide compensation for harm caused by the war. The bill's other Republican sponsors include Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Representatives Joe Wilson, Thomas Kean and Brian Fitzpatrick. Democratic sponsors include Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Marcy Kaptur, a co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, as well as Representatives Steve Cohen and Mike Quigley.

Persons: Jim Risch, Michael McCaul, Joe Wilson, Thomas Kean, Brian Fitzpatrick, Sheldon Whitehouse, Marcy Kaptur, Steve Cohen, Mike Quigley, Patricia Zengerle, William Maclean Organizations: Republican, Democratic, U.S . Congress, U.S, Congress, Moscow, Senate Foreign Relations, Opportunity, House Foreign Affairs, Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, United States

WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - The top Republican on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Wednesday he was blocking a $735 million arms sale to Hungary because its government has refused to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO. "Hungary should take the actions necessary to allow Sweden into the alliance, and soon," he said. Under U.S. law, major arms deals are reviewed by the top Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. Sweden applied last year to join NATO as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Objections from Turkey and Hungary have delayed the bid and Sweden now hopes to join by a NATO summit in Lithuania next month.

Persons: Jim Risch, Jens Stoltenberg, Joe Biden, Patricia Zengerle, Gergely Szakacs, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Republican, U.S . Senate Foreign Relations, NATO, U.S, Republicans, Senate Foreign Relations, Representatives Foreign, Committee, Washington Post, Hungarian Defense Ministry, White, Thomson Locations: Hungary, Sweden, Washington, U.S, Ukraine, Turkey, Lithuania, Budapest

☆ State Department amends comment on APEC invitation for Hong Kong's leader
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, June 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department amended part of a statement to Congress in which it said Washington would invite Hong Kong's chief executive, who faces U.S. sanctions, to a November summit, after lawmakers urged he be barred from entering the country. The Unites States is set to host this year's gathering in San Francisco of leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group, of which Hong Kong is a member economy. But Hong Kong's top official John Lee was placed under U.S. sanctions in 2020 over his role in implementing what Washington deems a "draconian" Hong Kong national security law. The Department regrets the error," a State Department spokesperson said. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday confirmed it had received the corrected response, which said the U.S. "has not made any commitments regarding invitations."

Persons: Hong, John Lee, Lee, Wendy Sherman, Marco Rubio, Jeff Merkley, Jim McGovern, Chris Smith, Mr, Michael Martina, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: U.S . State Department, Economic Cooperation, Washington, Hong, Senate Foreign Relations, APEC, State Department, Foreign, Democratic, Republican, People's, China's, Thomson Locations: Washington, San Francisco, Asia, Hong Kong, U.S, People's Republic of China

WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - Legislation to strip China of its status as a "developing nation" at some international organizations was passed by a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday, as members of the U.S. focus on competing with the Asian power. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the "Ending China's Developing Nation Status Act" without dissent. The bill would require the Secretary of State to pursue changing China's status as a developing nation in international organizations. Proponents of the bill say that status can allow special privileges in some organizations or treaties. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has increased military, political and economic pressure to assert those claims.

Persons: Patricia Zengerle, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S, Foreign, Representatives, Congress, Resilience, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Taiwan

He said the United States has had "real concerns" about China’s relationship with Cuba and was closely monitoring it. Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, a U.S. Defense Department spokesperson, said: "We are not aware of China and Cuba developing a new type of spy station." If such a facility is built, the Chinese will use Cuba "as a beachhead for collection against the United States," said Daniel Hoffman, a former senior CIA undercover officer. Cuba, an old Cold War foe of the United States, has long been a hotbed of espionage and spy games. It backed down and removed the missiles, but it is widely regarded as the moment when the United States and the Soviet Union came closest to a nuclear confrontation.

Persons: Fort Bragg, John Kirby, General Patrick Ryder, Jose Cabanas, Washington, Joe Biden's, Antony Blinken, Washington's, House's Kirby, Bob Menendez, ”, Daniel Hoffman, Biden, Vladimir Putin, Matt Spetalnick, Jonathan Landay, Doina Chiacu, Trevor Hunnicutt, David Brunnstrom, Patricia Zengerle, Dave Sherwood, Michael Martina, Kanishka Singh, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Nick Zieminski, Alistair Bell, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Wall Street, White House, Pentagon, U.S, U.S . Central Command, Tampa . Fort Liberty, Fort, White House National Security Council, Reuters, U.S . Defense Department, Embassy, Senate Foreign Relations, CIA, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Cuban, Moscow, Soviet Union, Thomson Locations: China, Cuba, Florida, Beijing, U.S, Tampa . Fort, North Carolina, United States, Washington, Cuban, America's, Coast, South, Taiwan, South China, Havana, Soviet, Lourdes, Russian

Such a spy installation would allow Beijing to gather electronic communications from the southeastern United States, which houses many U.S. military bases, as well as monitor ship traffic, the newspaper reported. The countries have reached an agreement in principle, the officials said, with China to pay Cuba "several billion dollars" to allow the eavesdropping station, according to the Journal. The intelligence on the plans for a Cuba station was gathered in recent weeks and was convincing, the Journal reported. Cuba, an old Cold War foe of the United States, has long been a hotbed of espionage and spy games. It backed down and removed the missiles, but it is widely regarded as the moment when the United States and the Soviet Union came closest to a nuclear confrontation.

Persons: Fort Bragg, John Kirby, Biden, Antony Blinken, Washington's, Bob Menendez, ”, Vladimir Putin, Doina Chiacu, Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom, Patricia Zengerle, Dave Sherwood, Jonathan Landay, Nick Zieminski, Alistair Bell Organizations: Wall Street, U.S, U.S . Central Command, Tampa . Fort Liberty, Fort, White House National Security Council, Embassy, Senate Foreign Relations, Capitol, Reuters, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Cuban, Moscow, Soviet Union, Thomson Locations: China, Cuba, Florida, Beijing, United States, Tampa . Fort, North Carolina, People’s Republic, Washington, Cuban, U.S, America's, Coast, South, Taiwan, South China, Havana, Soviet, Lourdes, Russian

Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.) chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg NewsSen. Bob Menendez hosted a 2018 meeting in his Washington, D.C., office with a New Jersey businessman who is a focus of a federal public-corruption probe of the Democratic lawmaker that has broadened in recent weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. The meeting, which hasn’t been previously reported, came months before the businessman, Wael Hana , secured a contract with Egyptian officials for certifying halal meat exports. The contract is a key part of the probe examining whether Menendez, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, or his wife received gifts in exchange for political favors.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Al Drago, Bloomberg News Sen, hasn’t, Wael Hana, Menendez Organizations: Foreign Relations, Bloomberg News, D.C, Democratic Locations: N.J, Washington, New Jersey

Search resuls for: "Senate Foreign Relations"

25 mentions found