BUSINESS/CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY: “Lawmakers are moving to crack down on the flow of U.S. technology to foreign investors, creating potential problems for a number of American companies that have bet big on partnering with China. The Senate and House, with the backing of the White House, are working on bipartisan legislation to broaden the authority of […]
Category: Foreign Policy
1/28/2018
CUBA/FOREIGN POLICY/GOP: “U.S. supporters of improved relations with Cuba joined the top leadership of the Caribbean country on Sunday [1-28-18] to inaugurate a replica of a New York statue of its independence hero Jose Marti. Just a few years ago, the hundreds gathered for the event overseen by Cuban President Raul Castro would have been […]
1/26/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Heading back from a very exciting two days in Davos, Switzerland. Speech on America’s economic revival was well received. Many of the people I met will be investing in the U.S.A.! #MAGA” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 26, 2018 12:12pm […]
1/26/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said the U.S. is ‘open for business’ and asserted the nation’s interest in partnering with other nations, in an address Friday [1-26-18] to foreign leaders and business executives gathered at the World Economic Forum. ‘I am here today to represent the interests of the American people, and […]
1/26/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Join me live at the 2018 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland! #WEF18 https://t.co/fdHejCmv73 https://t.co/DuKJlVTWB8” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 26, 2018 07:54am […]
1/26/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Great bilateral meeting with President @Alain_Berset of the Swiss Confederation – as we continue to strengthen our great friendship. Such an honor to be in Switzerland! #WEF18 https://t.co/87pLrCpQkZ” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 26, 2018 06:23am […]
1/26/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “It was an honor to meet with Republic of Rwanda President Paul Kagame this morning in Davos, Switzerland. Many great discussions! #WEF18 https://t.co/SaPzwVhDiB” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 26, 2018 05:46am […]
1/26/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NAVY: “The Iranian military has halted the routine harassment by its armed ‘fast boats’ of U.S. naval vessels in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. military said, a turnabout that officials welcomed but were at a loss to explain. The boats for at least two years would dart toward the U.S. vessels as they passed […]
1/25/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Very productive bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin @Netanyahu of Israel – in Davos, Switzerland! #WEF18 https://t.co/2sZM9YI7tJ” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 25, 2018 01:03pm […]
1/25/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UK: “Great bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom, affirming the special relationship and our commitment to work together on key national security challenges and economic opportunities. #WEF18 https://t.co/FPP8aRDAyt” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 25, 2018 12:25pm […]
1/25/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UK: “President Donald Trump on Thursday [1-25-18] talked up the strength of the U.S.’s relationship with the U.K. after meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May, despite a spell of strained relations between the two allies. Mrs. May and Mr. Trump met in Davos, Switzerland, in their first face-to-face discussions since the U.S. […]
1/25/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday [1-25-18] to withhold aid to the Palestinians if they did not pursue peace with Israel, saying they had snubbed the United States by not meeting Vice President Mike Pence during a recent visit. Trump, speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister […]
1/25/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/JAMES MATTIS/NAVY/VIETNAM: “In a move likely to irritate China, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier will probably visit Vietnam in March for the first time since the war, U.S. and Vietnamese officials said Thursday [1-25-18]. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his Vietnamese counterpart discussed a plan for a carrier visit to Da Nang in March, […]
1/24/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration’s top sanctions envoy pressed China in high-level meetings this week to deliver on commitments to expel North Korean agents helping finance Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, urged Chinese officials in Beijing to comply with obligations under […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The emerging fault lines in the global trading system were laid bare Tuesday [1-23-18], as 11 Pacific Rim nations agreed to forge a new commercial bloc that excludes the U.S., while President Donald Trump signed orders to curb cheap Asian imports he said had unfairly harmed American manufacturers… The debate […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/SYRIA/TURKEY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House sent out a message aimed at mollifying Turkey’s president on Tuesday [1-23-18], suggesting that the United States was easing off its support for the Syrian Kurds. That message was quickly contradicted by the Pentagon, which said it would continue to stand by the Kurds, even as Turkey invaded […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump will give an address and meet with foreign leaders including U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and Rwandan President Paul Kagame while in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum later this week, the White House said Tuesday. Mr. Trump is set to leave for Davos late Wednesday [1-24-18], […]
1/23/2018
AUSTRALIA/FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “They were the asylum seekers Australia rejected, and President Trump resisted: the men stuck on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea because of Australia’s offshore detention policy. Now 58 of them are on their way to the United States, boarding flights on Tuesday [1-23-18], according to American officials and asylum seekers […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Swiss President Alain Berset and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, among other officials, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland later this week, the White House announced Tuesday [1-23-18]. National Economic Council director Gary Cohn and national security adviser H.R. […]
1/23/2018
CHINA/INDONESIA/JAMES MATTIS/NATIONAL SECURITY: “U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis pushed for more extensive security ties Tuesday [1-23-18] with strategically located Indonesia, part of new drive to shore up Southeast Asian countries against intimidation by China in the South China Sea. Mr. Mattis is making a short tour that will also take him to Vietnam, days […]
1/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/MIKE PENCE/PALESTINE: “Vice President Mike Pence visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City on Tuesday [1-23-18], marking his last major official engagement in the city on his trip to the Middle East. Pence slipped a personal note into the wall, and then placed his right hand on it to pray for a few […]
1/22/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration said Monday it would impose new trade barriers aimed at protecting domestic makers of solar panels and washing machines from a recent surge of cheap imports. The moves begin what Trump aides say will be a year of tougher trade actions, aimed in particular against China… Specifically, […]
1/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/MIKE PENCE/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Vice President Mike Pence on Monday [1-22-18] said the U.S. will open its embassy in Jerusalem next year, a move that Arab leaders warn undercuts efforts to reach a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians. In the final leg of a three-nation visit to the Middle East, Mr. Pence told […]
1/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “If you were getting whiplash from the Middle East last year, brace for more in 2018. The region has always possessed a unique capacity to surprise, in part because so many of its decision makers are autocrats or absolute monarchs who can enact major policy changes without the long deliberations and […]
1/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/UKRAINE: “U.S. negotiators this week will test Russian seriousness about a peace deal for Ukraine, where fighting between Kiev forces and Russia-backed separatists has been intensifying. Talks slated for Friday [1-26-18]are the first since the U.S. said it would provide Kiev with defensive weapons and come after Russian negotiators cancelled a proposed meeting in […]
1/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE/UK: “The United States needs to pay attention to its treasured relationship with Britain, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Monday [1-22-18] just days after Donald Trump canceled a trip to London citing anger at the sale of an embassy. Trump’s cancellation of his trip has raised questions in Britain over […]
1/18/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Much of the world has soured on American leadership since President Trump took office, a loss of faith that has opened up opportunities for other countries like China, Russia and Germany to assert themselves on the international stage, according to an extensive new survey of people living around the globe. Just […]
1/18/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is accelerating efforts to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and has decided to modify an existing property to accommodate the new mission that will open next year, U.S. officials said. The U.S. won’t be building a new structure, in a shift […]
1/18/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/REX TILLERSON/STATE/SYRIA: “The U.S. will turn its focus in Syria to moving to reduce Iranian influence there, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a policy speech that marked a shift in U.S. strategy in Syria away from Islamic State. Mr. Tillerson on Wednesday [1-17-18] said the U.S. will reinvigorate diplomatic efforts and maintain […]
1/18/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is further tightening immigration rules for Haitians, as it plans to remove the country from a program for temporary seasonal jobs, weeks after ending a humanitarian program that allowed tens of thousands of others to live and work in the U.S. According to a notice that was set […]
1/17/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “In the Khan Younis refugee camp in Gaza, Mahmoud Ferwana, 59, huddled beneath a flimsy nylon-and-sheet-metal roof while rain drenched the rest of his squalid home’s sandy floor. He earns money collecting broken stones; his children scavenge for copper. But none of it amounts to a living. The United Nations Relief […]
1/17/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “Athletes from North and South Korea will march together under a single flag at the Winter Olympics next month, the South said Wednesday [1-17-18]—part of a sweeping agreement on the Games that marks Seoul’s most ardent and public embrace of its nuclear-armed rival in a decade. The accord comes after a […]
1/17/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/PALESTINE/UN: “The United Nations Wednesday [1-17-18] called on countries to bolster funding to Palestinian refugees, warning of a collapse in health-care and education services, after the White House withheld about half its pledged financial aid to a key institution that supports the displaced people. The U.N. Relief and Works Agency, or Unrwa, in a […]
1/16/2018
CYBERWAR/FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR: “A newly drafted United States nuclear strategy that has been sent to President Trump for approval would permit the use of nuclear weapons to respond to a wide range of devastating but non-nuclear attacks on American infrastructure, including what current and former government officials described as the most crippling kind of cyberattacks. […]
1/16/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! https://t.co/TerYFZViax” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 16, 2018 03:17pm […]
1/15/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/RACISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “South Africa and Nigeria have joined a chorus of nations condemning President Trump’s inflammatory remarks on immigration, as Africa experts warned that the controversy threatened to set back American interests across the world’s fastest-growing continent. Since Thursday [1-11-18], when several participants in a meeting with Mr. Trump said he had asked […]
1/15/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/SYRIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TURKEY: “President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey lashed out on Monday [1-16-18] against a proposed American-trained force that would potentially position thousands of Kurdish militia fighters along Turkey’s southern border. The allied military headquarters in Baghdad that is leading the fight against the Islamic State in Syria said Sunday that it had […]
1/15/2018
CHINA/DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/RUSSIA: “The Pentagon is planning to develop two new sea-based nuclear weapons to respond to Russia and China’s growing military capabilities, according to a sweeping Defense Department review of nuclear strategy. The planned move has ignited a broad debate over future U.S. nuclear strategy at a time when the nation also faces the […]
1/15/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A growing number of nations are summoning US diplomats in the wake of President Donald Trump’s ‘shithole’ remark. Top US diplomats in South Africa and Ghana were called on to meet with those governments, Undersecretary of State Steven Goldstein told CNN. Haiti, Botswana and Senegal have also summoned diplomats over the […]
1/14/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority said on Sunday [1-14-18] that Israel had killed the Oslo Accords and angrily assailed the Trump administration over its handling of the conflict. He vowed to reject American leadership of any peace talks and urged Palestinians to reconsider their signed agreements with Israel… Mr. […]
1/13/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration vowed Friday [1-12-18] to pull out of the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear accord without substantial changes to it, setting the clock ticking on tough negotiations with Washington’s European allies. It also imposed punitive new actions not directly related to Iran’s nuclear program meant to pressure Tehran over […]
1/12/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NATIONAL SECURITY/UN: “A United Nations panel has concluded that Iran violated an arms embargo imposed on Yemen by failing to prevent the Houthi rebels in that war-ravaged nation from obtaining Iranian missiles, including one fired hundreds of miles into Saudi Arabia two months ago. The findings, in a report given to the United Nations […]
1/12/2018
CANADA/CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration on Friday [1-12-18] targeted markets in Russia, China and other countries—including a Chinese mall in Canada—for allegedly turning a blind eye to the sale of counterfeit goods and other intellectual-property violations. The ‘notorious markets’ list, published by the U.S. trade representative’s office, names online or physical marketplaces […]
1/12/2018
DEMS/FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Never said anything derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is, obviously, a very poor and troubled country. Never said ‘take them out.’ Made up by Dems. I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. Probably should record future meetings – unfortunately, no trust!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 12, 2018 08:48am […]
1/11/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR: “President Trump has again stopped short of reimposing draconian sanctions on Iran that could break up its nuclear deal with world powers, two people briefed on his decision said on Thursday [1-11-18], but he is expected to give Congress and European allies a deadline to improve the deal or the United States […]
1/11/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IMMIGRATION/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “It was already past midnight on Friday [1-12-18] when the news arrived in Norway: A day after meeting with Norway’s prime minister in Washington, President Trump told members of Congress that the United States needed more immigrants from places like Norway and fewer immigrants from countries like Haiti. Many in this […]
1/11/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/PAKISTAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A surprise New Year’s Day tweet by President Donald Trump in which he appeared to decree an end to U.S. aid for Pakistan, sent U.S. officials scrambling to suspend security assistance without even knowing how much aid they were freezing, four U.S. officials said. The decision to freeze up to about […]
1/10/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse – a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI https://t.co/PJvwznjRCO” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 10, 2018 04:31pm […]
1/10/2018
CANADA/FOREIGN POLICY/NAFTA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “…As Nafta talks have grown contentious in areas such as national content in auto manufacturing, the Canadian side is working behind the scenes to press its agenda at back-channel meetings away from the negotiating table. Canada’s Liberal government, which has adopted a more pugnacious tone with the Trump administration on trade, […]
1/10/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/PAKISTAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Senior Pakistani officials warned that the U.S. suspension of security aid announced last week will push their country closer to China, Washington’s main rival for influence in Asia, as regional alliances realign… China has already invested heavily in a relationship that is redefining the balance of power in Asia, anchored by […]
1/9/2018
ECONOMY/FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump plans to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later this month, his press secretary announced on Tuesday [1-9-18]. Sarah Sanders said Trump was excited to attend the tony forum in the Swiss Alps, his fifth foreign trip as president… American administrations regularly send representatives to […]
1/9/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SOUTH KOREA: “South Korea sought unsuccessfully to raise the North’s nuclear program during bilateral talks, but the two sides reached a deal for Pyongyang to participate in next month’s Winter Olympics and agreed to hold military talks, providing a small opening to the stalemate on the peninsula. The face-to-face discussions on Tuesday [1-9-18] […]
1/8/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “South and North Korea are scheduled to begin their first official face-to-face talks in two years on Tuesday [1-9-18], with hopes the discussions could ease tensions on the peninsula stemming from the North’s nuclear-weapons program. The talks come as the Trump administration leads a global push to isolate the North Korean […]
1/7/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/NATIONAL SECURITY/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The 2015 Iran nuclear agreement faces a potentially fateful week, with a series of deadlines awaiting President Donald Trump as Tehran reacts to recent antigovernment protests. Mr. Trump is expected to again notify Congress he doesn’t believe the Iran deal is in the best interest of the U.S., restating a […]
1/5/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/SOUTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration and South Korean officials will meet on Friday [1-5-18] to begin formally renegotiating a free-trade pact that has served as a source of conflict between the two allies. The meeting comes at a moment of heightened tension in the Korean Peninsula and unease in the broader […]
1/4/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NIKKI HALEY/PAKISTAN/TERRORISM/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration said it would freeze all security assistance to Pakistan until the country takes a tougher stance against terror networks on its territory, a move that reflects new tensions and could lead to problems in supplying U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. ‘Pakistan has played a double game for […]
1/4/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/PROTESTS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Israel and the U.S. are amplifying criticism of Iran’s role in Middle East conflicts, part of a coordinated effort to curb Tehran’s influence in the region as antigovernment protests put pressure on the country’s leaders. Since protests began last week in Iran, Israel has accused Tehran of setting up a terrorist […]
1/4/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/RUSSIA/UKRAINE: “U.S. plans to arm Ukraine infuriated Russia and aggravated deteriorating relations, but a bigger worry is the weapons falling into enemy hands—as has happened before. Washington last month decided to send lethal aid to Ukraine to prevent aggression by pro-Russia separatists. The move is meant to keep the simmering conflict from flaring into […]
1/4/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “With all of the failed ‘experts’ weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasn’t firm, strong and willing to commit our total ‘might’ against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!” […]
1/3/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/JOE BIDEN/NORTH KOREA/POLITICAL FIGURES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday [1-3-18] criticized President Donald Trump’s tweets on North Korea, telling CNN that this is ‘really poor judgment’ and warned the President that his ‘words matter.’… Biden said he is disappointed that Trump has not become more presidential over the year, and that […]
1/2/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PAKISTAN: “It’s not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don’t even want to negotiate a long overdue… peace treaty with Israel. […]
1/1/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “An emboldened Israeli right wing is moving quickly in the new year to make it far more difficult to create a Palestinian state, signaling its intention to doom hopes for a two-state solution to the conflict. The actions have come on multiple fronts, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party for the […]
1/1/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/PROTESTS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The biggest wave of protests to hit Iran in almost a decade has backed the country’s leaders into a corner, and the Trump administration is increasing the pressure by threatening fresh sanctions if the government forcefully cracks down on the demonstrations. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, who has been a favorite of […]
1/1/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/LOBBYING/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration is lobbying countries world-wide to support Iranians’ right to peaceful protest and is prepared to impose fresh sanctions if Iran’s government cracks down forcefully on the demonstrations spreading throughout the country, U.S. officials said. The new U.S. sanctions would be imposed under existing authority to respond to human-rights […]
1/1/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/PAKISTAN: “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” -Donald Trump, […]
12/29/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/PAKISTAN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “When Pakistani forces freed a Canadian-American family this fall held captive by militants, they also captured one of the abductors. United States officials saw a potential windfall: He was a member of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network who could perhaps provide valuable information about at least one other American hostage. The Americans […]
12/28/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/TAXES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “China said on Thursday [12-28-17] that it would temporarily exempt foreign companies from paying tax on their earnings, a bid to keep American businesses from taking their profits out of China following Washington’s overhaul of the United States tax code. There is, however, a catch: To be eligible, foreign companies must […]
12/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/UN: “The United Nations Security Council just voted 15-0 in favor of additional Sanctions on North Korea. The World wants Peace, not Death!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 22, 2017 03:47pm […]
12/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/LEGAL/TREASURY: “The U.S. on Thursday [12-21-17] blacklisted 13 individuals it accused of serious human rights abuse and corruption, including a former Chinese security official, the son of a top Russian prosecutor, and a billionaire Israeli businessman linked to the Congo’s ‘blood diamond’ industry. The sanctions are the first under new powers signed into law […]
12/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday for a resolution effectively rebuking U.S. President Donald Trump for recognizing the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and pledging to move the U.S. embassy there. The vote came despite threats by Mr. Trump and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley that the U.S. […]
12/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY/RUSSIA/SYRIA: “The Pentagon has accused Russia of intentionally violating an agreement intended to prevent accidents in the skies over Syria, following a recent unsafe encounter between US F-22s and Russian Su-25 jets… The US military said last week that two US F-22 stealth fighters intercepted two Russian Su-25 attack jets after the Russian aircraft […]
12/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/MIKE PENCE/PALESTINE: “Vice President Mike Pence’s planned visit to the Middle East, the cradle of Christianity, ought to have had a particular poignancy in the days before Christmas… But then on Dec. 6, President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, smashing seven decades of American policy and provoking violent protests. One by […]
12/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/TREASURY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. on Wednesday [12-20-17] blacklisted Chechen leader and Kremlin ally Ramzan Kadyrov and four other Russians as part of the Trump administration’s first sanctions decision under the Magnitsky Act, a federal law targeting Russian human-rights abusers. The move stands to further strain Washington’s relations with Moscow, coming after Russians linked […]
12/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday [12-20-17] threatened to cut American aid to countries that back a United Nations resolution faulting the recent U.S. decision to declare Jerusalem Israel’s capital… The U.N. General Assembly will meet Thursday in an emergency session to vote on a measure the U.S. blocked earlier this week […]
12/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/INTELLIGENCE/NORTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “Presenting newly declassified intelligence reports, the U.S. has urged the United Nations Security Council to blacklist 10 ships it says have violated international sanctions against North Korea, American officials said. The American intelligence was provided in recent weeks to try to persuade a sanctions committee that reports to the […]
12/20/2017
CORRUPTION/ECONOMY/FOREIGN POLICY/HUMAN RIGHTS/IMMIGRATION/NATIONAL SECURITY/TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDERS: “I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the prevalence and severity of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, such as those committed or directed by persons listed in the Annex […]
12/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A Russian government spokesman said Tuesday [12-19-17] that the national security strategy unveiled by the White House a day earlier showed ‘an imperialist character.’ ‘A quick read of the parts of the strategy that mention our country one way or another … [shows] an imperialist character,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov […]
12/19/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Three months into his tenure as secretary of state, Rex Tillerson alarmed veteran diplomats with remarks that sounded like a potential shift in American foreign policy: The U.S., he said, should be careful not to let values like human rights create ‘obstacles’ to the pursuit of its interests. The comment, at a […]
12/18/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “President Trump presented a blueprint for the country’s national security on Monday [12-18-17] that warns of a treacherous world in which the United States faces rising threats from an emboldened Russia and China, as well as from what it calls rogue governments, like North Korea and Iran. To […]
12/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Over the past 11 months, I have travelled tens of thousands of miles, to visit 13 countries. I have met with more than 100 world leaders and everywhere I traveled, it was my highest privilege and greatest honor to represent the AMERICAN PEOPLE! https://t.co/7SDsEeIhJH” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 18, 2017 03:19pm […]
12/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NIKKI HALEY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “The U.S. on Monday [12-18-17] vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that called on the Trump administration to rescind its decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel and to begin to move the U.S. embassy to the holy city. The draft resolution, introduced by Egypt and backed by […]
12/18/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration named Russia on Monday [12-18-17] as a bad actor on the world stage in a policy document that offers a sober analysis of Moscow as a rival despite Trump’s own bid for warmer ties with President Vladimir Putin. The criticism of Russia, laid out in a […]
12/17/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson let slip last week a few tantalizing details about one of the nation’s most secret military contingency plans: how the United States would try to race inside North Korea to seize its nuclear weapons if it ever saw evidence that Kim Jong-un’s government was collapsing. […]
12/15/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “An American diplomat who resigned in frustration last week has told CNN that she believes the Trump administration is putting American citizens abroad at risk by sidelining the State Department… The State Department not only helps shape foreign policy, she said, but gets American civilians out of harm’s way overseas. Without […]
12/14/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/MIKE PENCE/TAXES: “US Vice President Mike Pence has delayed his upcoming visit to Israel for several days, spokespeople for the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament and Foreign Ministry and Pence’s office told CNN on Thursday [12-14-17]. The delay comes as Congress prepares to vote on a sweeping tax reform bill, and amid an ongoing […]
12/13/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/IRAN/MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “As the U.S. military campaign against Islamic State winds down in the Middle East, the Trump administration is turning its focus to what it sees as a bigger threat: Iran. U.S. officials are wrestling with where and how to repel what they describe as a significant Iranian military expansion across […]
12/12/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS: “Researchers in Washington and South Korea have identified a number of business transactions that they say show North Korea’s international financing web is more sophisticated than what was widely known previously. A report by the researchers also concluded that Pyongyang’s illicit global financial network remains highly vulnerable to international sanctions, […]
12/11/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/RUSSIA/SYRIA: “Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a surprise visit to a military air base in Syria, marking a mission-accomplished moment for the leader months ahead of a presidential election. Mr. Putin landed Monday [12-11-17] at Hmeimim air base, a military outpost in Syria’s Latakia province that has been the main launching point for Russian […]
12/10/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Pockets of anger surfaced Sunday [12-10-17] in the Middle East and Asia over the Trump administration’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but predictions of widespread upheaval failed to materialize as riots petered out in the Palestinian territories. In a sign of festering regional dissent, protesters gathered outside the U.S. […]
12/10/2017
DEFENSE/FOREIGN POLICY/SOMALIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Amid its escalating campaign of drone strikes in Somalia, the Pentagon has presented the White House with an operational plan that envisions at least two more years of combat against Islamist militants there, according to American officials familiar with internal deliberations. The proposed plan for Somalia would be the first under […]
12/10/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/NIKKI HALEY/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Sunday defended President Donald Trump’s decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel and begin to move the U.S. embassy, calling it a courageous move that would further the Mideast peace process despite scattered protests world-wide and widespread condemnation. ‘No President, […]
12/8/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Thousands of Palestinians demonstrated, scores were hurt and at least one killed in clashes with Israeli troops on a ‘day of rage’ on Friday [12-8-17] against U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Across the Arab and Muslim worlds, thousands more demonstrators took to the streets on Friday, […]
12/7/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The first signs of strain with President Donald Trump’s administration among his closest Arab allies have surfaced over the policy shift on Jerusalem, an indication that the U.S. is at risk of alienating potential partners in the pursuit of Mideast peace and the building of a coalition to counter Iran. […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/SAUDI ARABIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/YEMEN: “President Trump pressed Saudi Arabia on Wednesday [12-6-17] to fully end its blockade of food, water, medicine and fuel into Yemen, a rare humanitarian rebuke to the Middle East ally that he has firmly embraced since taking office. Saudi Arabia joined Yemen’s civil war, which pit the country’s leaders against […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Ten days before Donald J. Trump took office, Sheldon G. Adelson went to Trump Tower for a private meeting. Afterward, Mr. Adelson, the casino billionaire and Republican donor, called an old friend, Morton A. Klein, to report that Mr. Trump told him that moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “There was no dancing in the rain-soaked streets, no jubilant horn-honking or waving of the blue-and-white flag. But there were blustery statements from Israeli politicians… News that President Trump would formally recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and take steps to move the United States Embassy to the city seemed to […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump granted U.S. recognition to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday, veering from decades of U.S. policy and launching an uncertain chapter in Washington’s decadeslong quest for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Mr. Trump also ordered the State Department to begin moving the U.S. Embassy to […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s official capital and begin the process of moving the U.S. embassy here from Tel Aviv sent ripples across the local political scene on Wednesday [12-6-17], with many legislators voicing strong support for Trump’s decision and others warning that any hopes for a […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I am also directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem… https://t.co/YwgWmT0O8m” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 6, 2017 04:14pm […]
12/6/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/POPE FRANCIS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Pope Francis called Wednesday [12-6-17] for the preservation of Jerusalem’s ‘identity’ in the wake of President Donald Trump’s expected move to declare the city the capital of Israel… Also on Wednesday, the leaders of Christian communities in Jerusalem told Trump in an open letter that recognizing the city as Israel’s […]