Ukraine reports downing Russian drones as White House pledges quick aid delivery
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Ukraine's military reported destroying 15 of 16 Russian drones in the latest wave of aerial attacks. The attack also included two ballistic missiles. Ukrainian air defenses shot down the Russian drones over the Cherkasy, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and Odesa regions. The drone attack damaged several residential buildings and injured at least nine people. Falling drone debris injured one person and damaged a trade pavilion. Russia's defense ministry said its air defenses destroyed four Ukrainian missiles over the Belgorod region. The White House pledged to provide significant new security assistance packages to Ukraine's urgent battlefield and air defense needs. The aid package will include strengthening Ukraine's air defense, long-range, and artillery capabilities. Experts and lawmakers believe the assistance will change the military outlook for Ukraine. However, uncertainties remain as to whether Ukraine can keep its defenses strong beyond 2024. CIA Director William Burns stated that with military assistance, Ukraine is entirely capable of holding its own through 2024. Ukraine needs to use 2024 to rebuild its force for the long war. The boost from military assistance will puncture Putin's arrogant view that time is on his side. The aid may take weeks to reach troops. The article does not mention any specific dates or timing of events.
#Ukraine #Russia #Drones #AerialAttacks #SecurityAssistance #WhiteHouse #AidPackage
US ponders trade status upgrade for Vietnam despite some opposition
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U.S. officials are considering a request from Vietnam to be removed from a list of “nonmarket” economies, a step that would foster improved diplomatic relations with a potential ally in Asia but would anger some U.S. lawmakers and manufacturing firms. Vietnam has engaged a lobbying firm in Washington to help it win congressional support for a status upgrade. The U.S. is Vietnam's most important export market with two-way trade totaling more than $125 billion in 2023. Both Abuza and Hiebert believe that Vietnam is pushing hard to secure the upgrade before the November U.S. election that could bring Trump back into office. More than 30 U.S. lawmakers in January sent joint letters to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo urging the Biden administration not to grant market economy status to Vietnam. U.S. manufacturing groups have expressed opposition to Vietnam's request, arguing that Vietnam continues to operate as a nonmarket economy.
#Us #Vietnam #Trade #NonmarketEconomies #DiplomaticRelations #Lobbying #ManufacturingFirms
US to withdraw its troops from Niger, source says
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The United States will withdraw its troops from Niger, according to a source familiar with the matter. An agreement was reached between U.S Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Niger's leadership. As of last year, there were a little more than 1,000 U.S. troops in Niger, operating out of two bases. The U.S. military used Air Base 201 near Agadez in central Niger, a drone base costing over $100 million, to target Islamic State militants and an al-Qaida affiliate. Last year, Niger's army seized power in a coup, leading to the new authorities in Niger ending military deals with the United States and France and fostering closer ties with Russia. The drawdown of troops will be discussed in the coming days. Despite the withdrawal, diplomatic and economic relationships between the U.S. and Niger will continue.
#UsTroops #Withdrawal #Niger #Agreement #Bases #IslamicState #Alqaida #Coup #Russia #DiplomaticRelationships #EconomicRelationships
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-to-withdraw-military-personnel-from-niger-source-says-/7577865.html
As landmark United Methodist gathering approaches, African churches weigh their future
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The United Methodist Church is facing the possibility of a schism as its first major legislative gathering approaches. The church lost one-fourth of its U.S. churches in a recent schism over disputes on sexuality and theology. The question of whether the church can avert a similar outcome in other parts of the world, particularly in Africa, where most of its members live, is being debated. At the upcoming General Conference, delegates will discuss proposals ranging from repealing the ban on same-sex marriage and ordaining LGBTQ people to creating more autonomy for regional conferences and making it easier for international churches to leave the denomination. African churches are divided on the issue, with some favoring disaffiliation and others advocating for regional conferences to set their own rules. The United Methodist Church is the most international of the major U.S. Protestant denominations, with members from four continents participating in legislative gatherings and sharing the same rules. The church has experienced a significant loss of membership due to the schism, with more than 7,600 U.S. congregations departing. The General Conference will also consider approving a provision that would allow churches in other countries to disaffiliate under more favorable legal terms. The fate of proposals to repeal the bans on LGBTQ ordination and marriage and to regionalize the church is uncertain.
#UnitedMethodistChurch #Schism #AfricanChurches #GeneralConference #SamesexMarriage #LgbtqOrdination #RegionalConferences
Turkey-Israel disagreement over Gaza hits trade relations
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Turkey has announced new restrictions on exporting 54 product groups, including aluminum, steel, construction products, jet fuel, and chemical fertilizers, to Israel. This comes after Turkey's Foreign Minister accused Israel of preventing aid to Gaza and vowed to take measures against Israel until there was a cease-fire and a permanent flow of aid into the territory. Some experts believe that Turkey's export restrictions are a response to domestic politics, particularly the success of the Islamist New Welfare Party in recent local elections. Trade between Israel and Turkey has become increasingly unbalanced in Turkey's favor, with Turkey's exports to Israel worth $5.4 billion in 2023, while Israel's exports to Turkey were worth $1.6 billion the same year. The restrictions are expected to broadly affect Israel's construction sector, as Israel is highly dependent on imports from Turkey for materials such as cement and steel. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has threatened to prevent Turkey from exporting additional products in response. Some analysts believe that Turkey's actions may violate the World Trade Organization's agreements, but it is unlikely that the U.S. will take measures against Turkey due to other priorities. Thirty-eight U.S. states have laws prohibiting contracting or investing in entities that boycott Israel.
#Turkey #Israel #Gaza #TradeRelations #ExportRestrictions #DomesticPolitics #ConstructionSector #WorldTradeOrganization #UsCongress #BoycottLaws
https://www.voanews.com/a/turkey-israel-disagreement-over-gaza-hits-trade-relations/7566520.html
‘Robust' US has helped improve global economic outlook, IMF chief says
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Strong growth in the United States has helped to lift the outlook for the world economy, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. The US economy grew by 2.5 percent last year, outstripping most other advanced economies. Georgieva stated that robust household consumption, business investment, and an easing of supply chain problems contributed to the growth. She also mentioned rising geopolitical tension and the challenges of growing public debt and a broad-based slowdown in productivity. The IMF expects global growth to rise by 3.1 percent in 2024 and 3.2 percent in 2025. Georgieva called for steps to bring global inflation and public debt back down to sustainable levels and boost productivity.
#UsEconomy #GlobalEconomy #Imf #EconomicGrowth #Productivity #Inflation #PublicDebt #GeopoliticalTension
Ukraine denies Russian claim it struck Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
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Ukraine denies Russian claim that it struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which is under Russian military control. The spokesperson for Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence stated that Ukraine is not involved in any armed provocations at the plant. Russia accused Ukraine of striking various sites at the plant, injuring three staff members. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was informed of the attack, and while nuclear safety was not compromised, the IAEA Director General warned that striking the plant could jeopardize nuclear safety. Both Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other for attacking the plant in the past. In a separate incident, three people were killed in Russian shelling in the Zaporizhzhia region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for more air defense systems to protect against Russian airstrikes. Zelenskyy also expressed hopes for a world peace summit on the war in Ukraine, but Russia has stated that it must be invited to the negotiating table. Fighting around the front-line city of Chasiv Yar was described as difficult and tense, but Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks and the Russian troops are now in retreat. If Russian forces take the town of Chasiv Yar, they will be able to advance to other Ukrainian towns in the Donetsk region. The article includes information from Reuters, The Associated Press, and Agence France-Presse.
#Ukraine #Russia #ZaporizhzhiaNuclearPlant #Conflict #Iaea #NuclearSafety #VolodymyrZelenskyy #ChasivYar
US, China discuss economic issues on Yellen’s China tour
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The United States and China have agreed to hold talks and create two economic groups focused on a wide range of issues. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has urged Chinese leaders to change their domestic manufacturing policies. The two sides are set to hold “intensive exchanges” on cultivating more balanced economic growth and combating money laundering. Yellen said the efforts would establish a structure for Beijing and Washington to exchange views and address Chinese industrial overcapacity. Yellen was en route to Beijing after beginning her five-day visit in the southern city of Guangzhou. Some analysts say the announcement reflects Yellen’s effort to push forward on collaboration in areas the U.S. and China agreed on during U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s San Francisco summit last November. While he called the announcement a positive development, Roberts said he does not think Beijing and Washington will reach agreement on contentious trade issues during Yellen’s trip. While Washington highlighted threats posed by China’s industrial overcapacity, Beijing focused on its concerns about U.S. export controls on Chinese companies during the meeting between Yellen and He. Despite persistent differences over contentious trade issues, Yellen and He underscored the importance for China and the U.S. to “properly respond to key concerns of the other side” to build a more cooperative economic relationship. Yellen is scheduled to have meetings with other senior officials Sunday and Monday in Beijing.
#Us #China #EconomicIssues #Yellen #Trade #IndustrialOvercapacity
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-china-discuss-economic-issues-on-yellen-s-china-tour/7559460.html
US official urges China to address 'industrial overcapacity'
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U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called on China to address its industrial overcapacity, reform its trade practices, and create a "healthy economic relationship" with the United States. Yellen expressed concerns about China's industrial overcapacity, particularly in green energy sectors, which threaten American production of electric vehicles and solar panel parts. China's production capacity in these sectors has exceeded domestic demand and is being exported globally. Yellen also urged China to reform its unfair economic practices, including barriers to access for foreign firms and coercive actions against American companies. Yellen's visit to China marks the first visit by a senior U.S. official since November meetings between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
#UsOfficial #China #IndustrialOvercapacity #TradePractices #EconomicRelationship #GreenEnergy #ElectricVehicles #SolarPanels #ForeignFirms #CoerciveActions
Why Biden Won't Put Conditions on Military Aid to Israel
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President Joe Biden has refrained from putting conditions on military aid to Israel despite increasing pressure to do so. Biden has criticized Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip and called for more humanitarian aid, but has not used his strongest leverage of conditioning aid. Lawmakers from his own party have demanded that Biden comply with the Foreign Assistance Act and cut off military aid if Israel continues to block U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, Biden's support for Israel is rooted in his long-standing and deeply held views on the security of the state of Israel. He has a personal relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and believes he can moderate Israel's behavior as a friend from the inside. Biden fears that conditioning aid to Israel could widen the war beyond Gaza and benefit Hezbollah, Iran, and other proxies. The U.S. provides Israel with weapons systems and munitions for deterrence and warfighting, and conditioning aid on defensive systems like the Iron Dome missile defense system carries serious risks. However, conditioning aid on specific types of offensive weapons systems may be less risky. The Biden administration has mandated relevant U.S. government agencies to obtain credible and reliable assurances from foreign governments that U.S. weapons are used in accordance with international and humanitarian law. Israel has provided its assurances, and the State Department will assess them by early May. Whether Biden conditions aid may also depend on Israeli plans for a ground invasion in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah. As long as Israel does not cross clear American red lines, the likelihood of conditioning aid seems low.
#JoeBiden #Israel #BenjaminNetanyahu #MilitaryAid #GazaStrip
https://www.voanews.com/a/why-biden-won-t-put-conditions-on-military-aid-to-israel-/7549438.html
New US Inflation Data 'Along the Lines' of What Fed Wants, Powell Says
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The latest U.S. inflation data are "along the lines of what we would like to see," Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index data for February were released and showed less of a slowdown than last year. Powell stated that the data were "not as low as most of the good readings we got in the second half of last year, but it's definitely more along the lines of what we want to see." The PCE price index increased at a 2.5% annual rate in February, up from 2.4% in the prior month. The number excluding volatile food and energy prices rose 0.3% on a month-to-month basis. Powell indicated that the latest PCE report did not undermine the central bank's baseline outlook but said with the economy on a "strong" footing, "that means we don't need to be in a hurry to cut."
#UsInflation #FederalReserve #JeromePowell
US Denounces Severe Sentences for Civil Activists in Iran
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The U.S. Department of State strongly condemns the Iranian government's imposition of harsh sentences on 11 women's rights activists in Gilan province. The activists were sentenced to a combined 60-year prison term by Iran's Third Branch of the Revolutionary Court. The State Department spokesperson criticized the legal proceedings as 'fabricated' and lacking credibility and legitimacy. The rulings were based on charges of 'gathering and collusion, forming a group with the intent to undermine national security,' and 'membership in a group.' The Department of State reaffirmed the Biden administration's commitment to supporting the Iranian people and pursuing accountability for Iran's human rights abuses. Iranian rights activist Gohar Eshghi criticized the government's treatment of women and highlighted the prevalence of torture, coerced confessions, and restrictions on legal counsel. The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that in 2023, 22 women were executed, 325 women activists were detained, and 147 women activists were sentenced to imprisonment, flogging, and execution in Iran.
#Iran #CivilActivists #HumanRights #Women'sRights #UsDepartmentOfState
https://www.voanews.com/a/us-denounces-severe-sentences-for-civil-activists-in-iran-/7549340.html
Yellen Warns She’ll Confront China on Its Energy Subsidies
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U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen plans to confront China on its energy subsidies during her upcoming visit to China. Yellen believes that Chinese subsidies for clean energy industries create unfair competition and hurt American firms and workers. She intends to discuss the issue of overcapacity in industries such as solar panels, electric vehicle parts, and lithium-ion batteries, which she believes will distort production in other economies and global prices. Yellen will also emphasize that excess capacity poses risks to the global economy and productivity and growth in the Chinese economy. She hopes to have a constructive dialogue with Chinese officials about subsidies and oversupply issues. Yellen's visit to China is scheduled for April, although the Treasury has not yet confirmed her itinerary. In response to the U.S.'s requirements for electric vehicle subsidies, China has filed a complaint against the U.S. at the World Trade Organization, arguing that the requirements are discriminatory.
#JanetYellen #China #EnergySubsidies #CleanEnergy #Overcapacity #SolarPanels #ElectricVehicleParts #LithiumionBatteries #GlobalEconomy #WorldTradeOrganization
https://www.voanews.com/a/yellen-warns-she-ll-confront-china-on-its-energy-subsidies-/7546754.html
Iran Sentences Man to Death for Killing Prominent Filmmaker
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An Iranian court has sentenced a man to death for the killing of renowned filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui and his wife at their home near Tehran. Mehrjui, an 83-year-old director, was stabbed to death in October. The convicted killer, a former employee of Mehrjui, had a grudge against him due to financial issues. Three others were charged in the case for planning and assisting the murder. The court sentenced the killer to death in accordance with the Islamic law of retribution. The other defendants received sentences ranging from eight to 36 years in prison. The verdicts can be appealed before the Supreme Court.
#Iran #Filmmaker #DeathSentence #Murder #IslamicLaw
https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-sentences-man-to-death-for-killing-prominent-filmmaker/7484664.html
New Amazon TV Series Filmed in Hong Kong but Unavailable There
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The online TV series 'The Expats,' starring Nicole Kidman, was launched globally on Amazon Prime Video but is unavailable in Hong Kong. The show, directed by Lulu Wang and based on a novel by Janice Y. K. Lee, revolves around the lives of three women in Hong Kong in 2014 and includes scenes of the 2014 Hong Kong protests. It is unclear whether the decision to block the program in Hong Kong was a business decision or due to interference from authorities. Some speculate that the reproduced scenes of the protests may be the reason. Analysts suspect it may be a sign of Beijing's crackdown on the arts. The Hong Kong government has not commented on the issue. Chinese independent film director Guo Zhenming believes self-censorship by Amazon may have prevented the show from airing in Hong Kong. Film censorship expert Kenny Ng believes it is not directly related to the Hong Kong government and suggests that Amazon may have made a business decision based on the territory's political situation and social atmosphere. Hong Kong residents are seeking alternative ways to watch the show, such as accessing movie and TV show websites in China.
#AmazonPrimeVideo #TheExpats #NicoleKidman #LuluWang #JaniceY.K.Lee #HongKongProtests #Censorship
Baltic Speakers Back Supporting Ukraine Amid US Debate on Aid
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Parliamentary speakers from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia express solidarity with Ukraine amid Russian aggression. They emphasize the importance of continued U.S. support for Ukraine, as it holds significant implications for the Indo-Pacific region. The speakers visited Washington and held talks with U.S. lawmakers and State Department officials. The discussions took place during a U.S. congressional debate on new aid for Ukraine. The Baltic speakers highlight Russia's preparation for a prolonged conflict and stress the need for ongoing support. Estonia has contributed over $434 million in military aid to Ukraine and plans to allocate 0.25% of its GDP annually for the next four years. Lithuania's speaker notes the global significance of the conflict, particularly for the Indo-Pacific region and Taiwan. Inadequate support for Ukraine could diminish global trust in the West and embolden autocratic regimes. China's coercive measures against Lithuania after its cooperation with Taiwan are cited as an example. Ukrainian officials report a Russian aerial attack on a hospital in the Kharkiv region, injuring four people. The Russian Defense Ministry claims to have downed five Ukrainian drones. The article also mentions other related news, such as the Baltic states building new defenses on Russia and Belarus borders, Lithuania becoming a repair hub for Ukraine's tanks, and diplomats boycotting OSCE talks over the presence of the Russian foreign minister.
#BalticSpeakers #Ukraine #UsAid #RussianAggression #Indo-pacific #Estonia #Lithuania #Latvia #China #Taiwan #Kharkiv #RussianDefenseMinistry
https://www.voanews.com/a/baltic-speakers-back-supporting-ukraine-amid-us-debate-on-aid/7467285.html