REUTERS
"Russia firing unarmed missiles to deplete Ukraine air defense, says U.S. military official"
Reuters
November 29, 2022
WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Russia is firing unarmed cruise missiles that were designed to carry nuclear warheads at targets in Ukraine to try to deplete Kyiv's stocks of air defenses, a senior U.S. military official said on Tuesday.
The official, who declined to be named, was asked about a Nov. 26 assessment by Britain's military intelligence which said that Russia was "likely" removing nuclear warheads from cruise missiles and firing the unarmed munitions into Ukraine.
That intelligence update cited open source imagery showing wreckage of an air-launched cruise missile fired at Ukraine that seemed to have been designed in the 1980s as a nuclear delivery system.
The British defense ministry said a ballast was probably being substituted for the warheads, a system that will still produce damage through the missile's kinetic energy and unspent fuel.
Asked about the assertion, the U.S. military official told Pentagon reporters: "It's certainly something that they're trying to do to mitigate the effects of the air defense systems that the Ukrainians are employing."
These are the first comments by a U.S. official about the assessment.
The Pentagon has said that Russia's surge in missile strikes in Ukraine is partly designed to exhaust Kyiv's supplies of air defenses and finally achieve dominance of the skies above the country.
For that reason, the United States and other allies have focused on providing air defense supplies for Ukraine.
That ranges from everything from legacy Soviet-era systems to more modern, Western ones.
A senior U.S. defense official, also speaking on condition of anonymity in Tuesday's briefing, acknowledged that the Patriot missile defense system was one of the many capabilities being considered to help Kyiv protect against Russian missiles.
The United States has already provided a range of air defense capabilities to Ukraine, including NASAMS air defense systems as well as more than 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems and counter-artillery and air surveillance radars.
Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ru ... 022-11-29/
AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
REUTERS
"IMF and WTO leaders warn don't 'pull the plug' on global trade"
By Andreas Rinke
November 29, 2022
Nov 29 (Reuters) - The leaders of the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization on Tuesday warned against the negative impact of deglobalization for the global economy, arguing instead for smart moves to diversify supply chains.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, speaking after a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said globalization was facing its biggest challenge since World War Two in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's war in Ukraine.
"But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater," she said.
"Don't pull the plug on trade that makes us all better."
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, speaking at the same news conference, echoed that view, noting a WTO estimate that breaking the global economy into two trading blocs would reduce global gross domestic product by 5% in the longer term.
"Retreating from trade, being protectionist will make it harder - not easier - to solve the problems we have now," Okonjo-Iweala said.
"Protectionism, decoupling, fragmentation is very disruptive and it will be very costly."
Both Okonjo-Iweala and Georgieva said the impact of deglobalization and fragmentation would hit developing countries and emerging markets hardest.
The impact to gross domestic product (GDP) in those countries would be in the double digits, the WTO chief said.
Okonjo-Iweala called for moves to de-concentrate manufacturing in a smart way and warned against counting too heavily on "friend-shoring".
"Who is a friend?"
"A friend today might become very unfriendly tomorrow," she said.
Georgieva said growth was slowing in the United States and China, the world's two largest economies.
She said data pointed to even lower global growth next year than the 2.7% rate the IMF had projected in mid-October.
"Business and consumer sentiment points to weakening of activities in the fourth quarter of this year and continuing in this same direction in 2023," she said.
About one-third of the world economy - and about half of the European Union - would slide in recession in 2023, she said, adding that inflation was now projected to persist longer, although it could gradually decline to around 6.5% next year.
Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chris Reese and Lisa Shumaker
https://www.reuters.com/business/imfs-g ... 022-11-29/
"IMF and WTO leaders warn don't 'pull the plug' on global trade"
By Andreas Rinke
November 29, 2022
Nov 29 (Reuters) - The leaders of the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization on Tuesday warned against the negative impact of deglobalization for the global economy, arguing instead for smart moves to diversify supply chains.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, speaking after a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said globalization was facing its biggest challenge since World War Two in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's war in Ukraine.
"But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater," she said.
"Don't pull the plug on trade that makes us all better."
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, speaking at the same news conference, echoed that view, noting a WTO estimate that breaking the global economy into two trading blocs would reduce global gross domestic product by 5% in the longer term.
"Retreating from trade, being protectionist will make it harder - not easier - to solve the problems we have now," Okonjo-Iweala said.
"Protectionism, decoupling, fragmentation is very disruptive and it will be very costly."
Both Okonjo-Iweala and Georgieva said the impact of deglobalization and fragmentation would hit developing countries and emerging markets hardest.
The impact to gross domestic product (GDP) in those countries would be in the double digits, the WTO chief said.
Okonjo-Iweala called for moves to de-concentrate manufacturing in a smart way and warned against counting too heavily on "friend-shoring".
"Who is a friend?"
"A friend today might become very unfriendly tomorrow," she said.
Georgieva said growth was slowing in the United States and China, the world's two largest economies.
She said data pointed to even lower global growth next year than the 2.7% rate the IMF had projected in mid-October.
"Business and consumer sentiment points to weakening of activities in the fourth quarter of this year and continuing in this same direction in 2023," she said.
About one-third of the world economy - and about half of the European Union - would slide in recession in 2023, she said, adding that inflation was now projected to persist longer, although it could gradually decline to around 6.5% next year.
Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chris Reese and Lisa Shumaker
https://www.reuters.com/business/imfs-g ... 022-11-29/
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
REUTERS
"U.S. Treasury Yellen: Twitter should be held to certain standards for content"
By David Lawder
November 30, 2022
NEW YORK, Nov 30 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday said social media company Twitter should be held to certain standards for content, arguing that it is "not that different" from radio stations and broadcasters subject to such rules.
Speaking at the New York Times Dealbook Summit in New York, Yellen also said she believed that there were legitimate national security concerns related to TikTok, the Chinese-owned video sharing app.
Yellen declined to say whether the Treasury-led Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) was conducting a review of Twitter after some calls for a probe of a Saudi Arabian stake in the company after billionaire Elon Musk's takeover of the platform.
She said CFIUS looks closely at acquisitions and investments in U.S. firms by foreign buyers that could pose national security risks.
"I'm not going to say specifically what we are or aren't looking at," Yellen said.
"We don't comment on work that's in progress."
"But if there are such risks, it would be appropriate for CFIUS to have a look."
Musk on Monday accused Apple of threatening to block Twitter from its app store and said Apple was pressuring Twitter over content moderation demands.
Yellen said she believed it was appropriate for mobile technology giants Apple and Google to demand certain content standards.
"I think it's a good thing, if Apple is looking at the content."
"Most broadcast stations are subjected to standards in terms of what they broadcast to the public."
"And Twitter's not really that different than other broadcast stations," Yellen said.
Asked if it was good that such platforms were overseeing content, Yellen said, "It's a kind of control that I think is needed."
Regarding TikTok, which U.S. FBI Director Chris Wray said raises national security concerns due to the risk that the Chinese government could harness the video-sharing app to influence users or control their devices, Yellen said she also believed there were "legitimate national security concerns."
"That's something that's a case in progress," Yellen added.
Reporting by David Lawder, Writing by Andrea Shalal, Editing by Franklin Paul and Andrea Ricci
https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-t ... 022-11-30/
"U.S. Treasury Yellen: Twitter should be held to certain standards for content"
By David Lawder
November 30, 2022
NEW YORK, Nov 30 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday said social media company Twitter should be held to certain standards for content, arguing that it is "not that different" from radio stations and broadcasters subject to such rules.
Speaking at the New York Times Dealbook Summit in New York, Yellen also said she believed that there were legitimate national security concerns related to TikTok, the Chinese-owned video sharing app.
Yellen declined to say whether the Treasury-led Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) was conducting a review of Twitter after some calls for a probe of a Saudi Arabian stake in the company after billionaire Elon Musk's takeover of the platform.
She said CFIUS looks closely at acquisitions and investments in U.S. firms by foreign buyers that could pose national security risks.
"I'm not going to say specifically what we are or aren't looking at," Yellen said.
"We don't comment on work that's in progress."
"But if there are such risks, it would be appropriate for CFIUS to have a look."
Musk on Monday accused Apple of threatening to block Twitter from its app store and said Apple was pressuring Twitter over content moderation demands.
Yellen said she believed it was appropriate for mobile technology giants Apple and Google to demand certain content standards.
"I think it's a good thing, if Apple is looking at the content."
"Most broadcast stations are subjected to standards in terms of what they broadcast to the public."
"And Twitter's not really that different than other broadcast stations," Yellen said.
Asked if it was good that such platforms were overseeing content, Yellen said, "It's a kind of control that I think is needed."
Regarding TikTok, which U.S. FBI Director Chris Wray said raises national security concerns due to the risk that the Chinese government could harness the video-sharing app to influence users or control their devices, Yellen said she also believed there were "legitimate national security concerns."
"That's something that's a case in progress," Yellen added.
Reporting by David Lawder, Writing by Andrea Shalal, Editing by Franklin Paul and Andrea Ricci
https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-t ... 022-11-30/
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
FOX BUSINESS NEWS
"Oil execs rip Biden admin's 'completely inaccurate,' 'flat-out lie' about US energy production"
Story by Kristen Altus
29 NOVEMBER 2022
After the White House claimed that U.S. oil producers have "plenty of opportunities" to drill domestically, some executives are slamming the administration’s "completely inaccurate," "flat-out lie."
"We've basically tracked about 125 specific actions that this administration and the Democratic Congress have done to slow down or stop oil production in America," American Energy Alliance President Tom Pyle said on "Varney & Co." Tuesday.
"He has an 'America last' energy policy."
When asked by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy why President Biden "would rather let U.S. companies drill for oil in Venezuela than here in the U.S." Monday, NSC Strategic Communication Coordinator John Kirby defended easing oil sanctions against Venezuela, saying that there are plenty of untapped opportunities for companies to drill in the United States.
On Saturday, the Treasury Department announced its decision to allow California-based Chevron to resume "limited" energy production in Venezuela after years of sanctions that have dramatically curtailed oil and gas profits that have flowed to Maduro’s government.
Kirby told Doocy that his framing of the question was "not an accurate take on the president’s view," to which Doocy retorted that the president himself, earlier this month, said, "there is no more drilling."
"There are plenty of opportunities for oil and gas companies to drill here in the United States," Kirby said.
"I’ll let Chevron speak for this particular issue of sanctions relief, but our expectation is it won’t be a lot of oil coming out of there."
"It will have to be shipped to the United States."
In response, United Refining Company Chairman and CEO John Catsimatidis also told host Ashley Webster on Tuesday that the move "makes no sense at all," after noting that Canada has the ability to export an additional 1 million barrels of crude oil per day to the U.S.
"Can anybody figure out why we are giving business to Venezuela?"
"Who's associated with China?"
"Russia?" Catsimatidis asked.
"Why are we giving them the business and not giving it to Canada?"
Catsimatidis also said he was left "puzzled" by the White House’s response to the issue.
"While Washington needs checks and balances, I hope we have additional checks and balances now that it'll be a Republican Congress at least," the billionaire CEO said.
Pyle explained why the Biden administration may prefer to get oil from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, as opposed to Texas, New Mexico and North Dakota.
"He simply wants to placate his big donors who don't want to see fossil fuels produced in this country," Pyle said.
"And meanwhile, we're all hurting, and will continue to hurt under these policies."
The American Energy Alliance president also warned about the environmental and economic consequences of foreign oil sources.
"Production in Venezuela has decimated the industry, because of Maduro and his socialist policies," Pyle noted.
"They don't produce oil and gas as clean as we do here."
"Their oil is worse for the environment than our oil."
"It's not about the climate."
"It's about an agenda where they do not want these resources... in this country."
In addition, American jobs are likely to suffer, with Pyle predicting a "crushing" impact from outsourcing jobs to Venezuela.
"It's not just the jobs in red states like Texas and Louisiana."
"Oil and gas industry – there's caterers, there's banks, there's real estate agents," Pyle listed.
"There's folks in Minnesota who bring the sand over, the boots."
"It's not just jobs in the industry, it's jobs across the entire economy."
This decision by the Biden administration is the latest step in the softening of hostile relations between the U.S. and Venezuelan governments.
It came weeks after a major prisoner swap in which Venezuela freed seven imprisoned Americans in exchange for the U.S. freeing two nephews of Maduro’s wife.
Maduro released two other Americans in March.
FOX Business’ Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets ... e7f1e94b48
"Oil execs rip Biden admin's 'completely inaccurate,' 'flat-out lie' about US energy production"
Story by Kristen Altus
29 NOVEMBER 2022
After the White House claimed that U.S. oil producers have "plenty of opportunities" to drill domestically, some executives are slamming the administration’s "completely inaccurate," "flat-out lie."
"We've basically tracked about 125 specific actions that this administration and the Democratic Congress have done to slow down or stop oil production in America," American Energy Alliance President Tom Pyle said on "Varney & Co." Tuesday.
"He has an 'America last' energy policy."
When asked by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy why President Biden "would rather let U.S. companies drill for oil in Venezuela than here in the U.S." Monday, NSC Strategic Communication Coordinator John Kirby defended easing oil sanctions against Venezuela, saying that there are plenty of untapped opportunities for companies to drill in the United States.
On Saturday, the Treasury Department announced its decision to allow California-based Chevron to resume "limited" energy production in Venezuela after years of sanctions that have dramatically curtailed oil and gas profits that have flowed to Maduro’s government.
Kirby told Doocy that his framing of the question was "not an accurate take on the president’s view," to which Doocy retorted that the president himself, earlier this month, said, "there is no more drilling."
"There are plenty of opportunities for oil and gas companies to drill here in the United States," Kirby said.
"I’ll let Chevron speak for this particular issue of sanctions relief, but our expectation is it won’t be a lot of oil coming out of there."
"It will have to be shipped to the United States."
In response, United Refining Company Chairman and CEO John Catsimatidis also told host Ashley Webster on Tuesday that the move "makes no sense at all," after noting that Canada has the ability to export an additional 1 million barrels of crude oil per day to the U.S.
"Can anybody figure out why we are giving business to Venezuela?"
"Who's associated with China?"
"Russia?" Catsimatidis asked.
"Why are we giving them the business and not giving it to Canada?"
Catsimatidis also said he was left "puzzled" by the White House’s response to the issue.
"While Washington needs checks and balances, I hope we have additional checks and balances now that it'll be a Republican Congress at least," the billionaire CEO said.
Pyle explained why the Biden administration may prefer to get oil from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, as opposed to Texas, New Mexico and North Dakota.
"He simply wants to placate his big donors who don't want to see fossil fuels produced in this country," Pyle said.
"And meanwhile, we're all hurting, and will continue to hurt under these policies."
The American Energy Alliance president also warned about the environmental and economic consequences of foreign oil sources.
"Production in Venezuela has decimated the industry, because of Maduro and his socialist policies," Pyle noted.
"They don't produce oil and gas as clean as we do here."
"Their oil is worse for the environment than our oil."
"It's not about the climate."
"It's about an agenda where they do not want these resources... in this country."
In addition, American jobs are likely to suffer, with Pyle predicting a "crushing" impact from outsourcing jobs to Venezuela.
"It's not just the jobs in red states like Texas and Louisiana."
"Oil and gas industry – there's caterers, there's banks, there's real estate agents," Pyle listed.
"There's folks in Minnesota who bring the sand over, the boots."
"It's not just jobs in the industry, it's jobs across the entire economy."
This decision by the Biden administration is the latest step in the softening of hostile relations between the U.S. and Venezuelan governments.
It came weeks after a major prisoner swap in which Venezuela freed seven imprisoned Americans in exchange for the U.S. freeing two nephews of Maduro’s wife.
Maduro released two other Americans in March.
FOX Business’ Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets ... e7f1e94b48
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
"Theft case against Biden drag aide is admittedly ‘weirder’"
Story by Paul Bedard
29 NOVEMBER 2022
Sam Brinton had a lot to be proud and thankful of when his selection as President Joe Biden’s deputy assistant energy secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition cleared hurdles, and he knew it.
“I’ve prepared for this moment in a technical sense for a decade,” he said on social media.
Plus, as self-described “gender-fluid” crossdresser with a liking for doggie role-playing, Brinton knew his lifestyle might be a hang up, but wasn’t in the end.
“As one of if not the very first openly genderfluid individuals in federal government leadership, I was welcomed with open arms into the Department of Energy all the way up to the Secretary whom I shared the stage with in a Pride month celebration panel just today,” he tweeted in June.
With the spotlight on him, he seemed to navigate both roles well, advocating nuclear policies and posing in drag, sometimes with notable trans officials including assistant health secretary Rachel Levine.
Today he is sidelined, suspended in a criminal case and a tangle of alleged lies to police.
The headlines have mostly played up theft charges against Brinton, who the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport Police Department said choses the pronouns “them/them.”
But the case is a weird one, as the newly-released complaint against Brinton shows.
The police report said Brinton took a flight from Washington to Minneapolis-St. Paul on the afternoon of Sept. 16.
He checked no bags.
After landing, he allegedly went to a luggage carousel, pulled a blue Vera Bradley bag out, tore off the name tag, stuck it in his “handbag,” and fled the area at a “quick pace.”
The victim, who police described as “a known adult female,” reported the bag missing and identified it from video of the carousel.
She said the bag and contents had a value of $2,325.
The report said that police have video of Brinton later at the InterContinental St. Paul Riverfront hotel with the bag.
Two days later, he returned to the airport with the allegedly stolen luggage and even checked it for a flight home.
Exactly three weeks later, Brinton was seen in video surveillance returning from Europe to Dulles International Airport with the same luggage.
That prompted the Minneapolis-St. Paul police to call Brinton to quiz him about the alleged theft in September.
Initially he denied taking anything.
Then he admitted to taking the bag, said police.
Oddly, he said the clothes inside the bag were his.
“If I had taken the wrong bag, I am happy to return it, but I don’t have any clothes for another individual."
"That was my clothes when I opened the bag,” Brinton told police.
Two hours later, he called police back, according to the report, admitted the theft, claimed he was tired at the time and thought the bag was his, though he didn’t check one in when he left Washington.
“DEFENDANT said when they opened the bag at the hotel, they realized it was not theirs."
"DEFENDANT got nervous people would think they stole the bag and did not know what to do."
"DEFENDANT stated they left the clothes from the bag inside the drawers in the hotel room,” said the report.
As for why he still took the stolen luggage back to the airport to check in as if it was his, Brinton told police that it “was ‘weirder’ to leave a bag than the clothes.”
The clothes were never recovered.
According to media reports, he has since been charged with felony theft that could result in a five-year sentence, $10,000 fine or both.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/theft ... e7f1e94b48
"Theft case against Biden drag aide is admittedly ‘weirder’"
Story by Paul Bedard
29 NOVEMBER 2022
Sam Brinton had a lot to be proud and thankful of when his selection as President Joe Biden’s deputy assistant energy secretary for spent fuel and waste disposition cleared hurdles, and he knew it.
“I’ve prepared for this moment in a technical sense for a decade,” he said on social media.
Plus, as self-described “gender-fluid” crossdresser with a liking for doggie role-playing, Brinton knew his lifestyle might be a hang up, but wasn’t in the end.
“As one of if not the very first openly genderfluid individuals in federal government leadership, I was welcomed with open arms into the Department of Energy all the way up to the Secretary whom I shared the stage with in a Pride month celebration panel just today,” he tweeted in June.
With the spotlight on him, he seemed to navigate both roles well, advocating nuclear policies and posing in drag, sometimes with notable trans officials including assistant health secretary Rachel Levine.
Today he is sidelined, suspended in a criminal case and a tangle of alleged lies to police.
The headlines have mostly played up theft charges against Brinton, who the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport Police Department said choses the pronouns “them/them.”
But the case is a weird one, as the newly-released complaint against Brinton shows.
The police report said Brinton took a flight from Washington to Minneapolis-St. Paul on the afternoon of Sept. 16.
He checked no bags.
After landing, he allegedly went to a luggage carousel, pulled a blue Vera Bradley bag out, tore off the name tag, stuck it in his “handbag,” and fled the area at a “quick pace.”
The victim, who police described as “a known adult female,” reported the bag missing and identified it from video of the carousel.
She said the bag and contents had a value of $2,325.
The report said that police have video of Brinton later at the InterContinental St. Paul Riverfront hotel with the bag.
Two days later, he returned to the airport with the allegedly stolen luggage and even checked it for a flight home.
Exactly three weeks later, Brinton was seen in video surveillance returning from Europe to Dulles International Airport with the same luggage.
That prompted the Minneapolis-St. Paul police to call Brinton to quiz him about the alleged theft in September.
Initially he denied taking anything.
Then he admitted to taking the bag, said police.
Oddly, he said the clothes inside the bag were his.
“If I had taken the wrong bag, I am happy to return it, but I don’t have any clothes for another individual."
"That was my clothes when I opened the bag,” Brinton told police.
Two hours later, he called police back, according to the report, admitted the theft, claimed he was tired at the time and thought the bag was his, though he didn’t check one in when he left Washington.
“DEFENDANT said when they opened the bag at the hotel, they realized it was not theirs."
"DEFENDANT got nervous people would think they stole the bag and did not know what to do."
"DEFENDANT stated they left the clothes from the bag inside the drawers in the hotel room,” said the report.
As for why he still took the stolen luggage back to the airport to check in as if it was his, Brinton told police that it “was ‘weirder’ to leave a bag than the clothes.”
The clothes were never recovered.
According to media reports, he has since been charged with felony theft that could result in a five-year sentence, $10,000 fine or both.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/theft ... e7f1e94b48
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
REUTERS
"Biden says can 'tweak' inflation act to include European countries"
By Michel Rose, Jeff Mason and Jarrett Renshaw
December 1, 2022
WASHINGTON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said that new laws that give incentives for domestic production of computer chips and renewable energy parts were never intended to exclude European allies and could be tweaked.
Speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron at a joint press conference at the White House, Biden said "There are tweaks that we can make that can fundamentally make it easier for European countries to participate and/or be on their own."
Biden did not detail what tweaks could be made and legislative options may be slim.
There is little appetite on Capitol Hill to reopen fiercely-debated bills, and since they passed this summer Republicans, who are unlikely to take steps to please the Democratic president, have gained control of the House.
However, France is pressing the White House to use executive powers to loosen some of the incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, a French government source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The climate bill that favors domestic production could possibly restrict trade, European countries say.
"Exactly what that mechanism could be, whether there is an executive path through regulation, whether the way the IRA is implemented or if it's going to require legislative action is not exactly clear to me," said Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Coons, speaking to Reuters outside the U.S. Senate chamber on Thursday.
"There are several options that I am discussing with colleagues but it's not something that we are going to do this week," Coons said.
The United States and France also announced on Thursday the formation of joint task force between the Unites States and the European Union to deal with trade disputes around clean energy issues emerging from the act.
Europe's industry fears that the bill, which gives tax credit for each eligible renewable energy component produced in a U.S. factory, would take away potential investment from the continent.
The IRA, which was signed into law in August, also provides a tax credit of 30% of the cost of new or upgraded factories that build renewable energy components.
Biden said he makes no apologies for promoting American manufacturing of essential goods, but said large legislation often requires tweaks to deal with unintended consequences.
"We're going to continue to create manufacturing jobs in America but not at the expense of Europe," Biden said.
Macron told reporters that he was encouraged by his talks with Biden and is hopeful of a fair resolution.
“We agreed to resynchronize our approaches, our agendas in order to invest in critical emerging industries."
"Semi-conductors, batteries, hydrogen," Macron said.
Biden in August signed the $52.7 billion semiconductor chips manufacturing subsidy and research law, which subsidizes U.S. chip manufacturing and expands research funding.
Reporting by Jeff Mason, Rick Cowan, Patricia Zengerle, Michel Rose and Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Chris Reese, Heather Timmons, Lisa Shumaker and Chizu Nomiyama
https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/bide ... 022-12-01/
"Biden says can 'tweak' inflation act to include European countries"
By Michel Rose, Jeff Mason and Jarrett Renshaw
December 1, 2022
WASHINGTON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said that new laws that give incentives for domestic production of computer chips and renewable energy parts were never intended to exclude European allies and could be tweaked.
Speaking with French President Emmanuel Macron at a joint press conference at the White House, Biden said "There are tweaks that we can make that can fundamentally make it easier for European countries to participate and/or be on their own."
Biden did not detail what tweaks could be made and legislative options may be slim.
There is little appetite on Capitol Hill to reopen fiercely-debated bills, and since they passed this summer Republicans, who are unlikely to take steps to please the Democratic president, have gained control of the House.
However, France is pressing the White House to use executive powers to loosen some of the incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, a French government source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The climate bill that favors domestic production could possibly restrict trade, European countries say.
"Exactly what that mechanism could be, whether there is an executive path through regulation, whether the way the IRA is implemented or if it's going to require legislative action is not exactly clear to me," said Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Coons, speaking to Reuters outside the U.S. Senate chamber on Thursday.
"There are several options that I am discussing with colleagues but it's not something that we are going to do this week," Coons said.
The United States and France also announced on Thursday the formation of joint task force between the Unites States and the European Union to deal with trade disputes around clean energy issues emerging from the act.
Europe's industry fears that the bill, which gives tax credit for each eligible renewable energy component produced in a U.S. factory, would take away potential investment from the continent.
The IRA, which was signed into law in August, also provides a tax credit of 30% of the cost of new or upgraded factories that build renewable energy components.
Biden said he makes no apologies for promoting American manufacturing of essential goods, but said large legislation often requires tweaks to deal with unintended consequences.
"We're going to continue to create manufacturing jobs in America but not at the expense of Europe," Biden said.
Macron told reporters that he was encouraged by his talks with Biden and is hopeful of a fair resolution.
“We agreed to resynchronize our approaches, our agendas in order to invest in critical emerging industries."
"Semi-conductors, batteries, hydrogen," Macron said.
Biden in August signed the $52.7 billion semiconductor chips manufacturing subsidy and research law, which subsidizes U.S. chip manufacturing and expands research funding.
Reporting by Jeff Mason, Rick Cowan, Patricia Zengerle, Michel Rose and Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Chris Reese, Heather Timmons, Lisa Shumaker and Chizu Nomiyama
https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/bide ... 022-12-01/
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
FOX NEWS
"Biden slammed for claiming public didn’t know ‘what the hell a supply chain was’: ‘Insulting Americans’"
Story by Gabriel Hays
30 NOVEMBER 2022
Critics of President Joe Biden blasted the president for claiming Americans didn’t understand what a "supply chain" was "10 years ago."
During a recent rally in Michigan, Biden suggested that the crowd, and Americans in general, had no idea what a supply chain was until it became a recent media topic related to the country’s economic troubles in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While giving his speech, he said, "10 years ago, how many of you knew what the hell a supply chain was?"
"No, I’m serious!"
Biden made a similar point last year when asked about his plan to address the country’s economic problems during a press conference.
Trying to absolve his administration by suggesting that solving the economic crisis is more complicated than Americans realize, he asked a reporter, "If we were all going out and having lunch together, and I said, 'Let’s ask whoever's in the next table, no matter what restaurant we’re in, have them explain the supply chain to us.'"
"Do you think they’d understand what we’re talking about?"
At the time, Biden was criticized for the statement.
Grabien.com founder Tom Elliott tweeted that the president "mocks Americans’ intelligence."
Biden’s latest remarks received similar treatment from irked Twitter users.
Former MLB pitcher Brad Ziegler slammed the president, tweeting, "We’re all morons, right @POTUS?"
"No one ever had business class in middle school."
Author Alan Roberts roasted Biden, tweeting "Dude who cannot ride a bike successfully thinks full on adults don’t understand how the grocery stores a restocked."
"Talk about elitist thinking."
Representative-elect John James, R-Mich., answered Biden’s question, writing, "Me."
"I did."
"And so did all the other auto workers in my district who’ve watched their jobs sent to Mexico and China because of anti-business lib policies!"
Twitter influencer and DJ, Dante Deiana, quipped, "At this point where we’re at as a species, gimme 4 more years of this guy."
"He’s somehow managed to be a bigger clown show than trump."
"Constant comedy."
Maryland state delegate Matt Morgan replied to Biden, tweeting, "Everyone but you."
Conservative influencer Paul Szypula tweeted, "Biden just told unions workers that 10 years ago they didn’t even know ‘what the hell a supply chain was.’"
"Instead of insulting Americans why doesn’t Biden apologize to them for ruining their economy and then resign?"
Conservative radio host Derek Hunter mimed Biden, tweeting, "’Look, you're blue collar guys, you're morons, you don't even understand the basics about economics or how things get anywhere."
"You're dumb."
"Just keep voting for Democrats like your masters, er, union bosses tell you to.’"
Fellow radio host Joe Cunningham sarcastically quipped, "Most pro-union president ever."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... d9c5310a01
"Biden slammed for claiming public didn’t know ‘what the hell a supply chain was’: ‘Insulting Americans’"
Story by Gabriel Hays
30 NOVEMBER 2022
Critics of President Joe Biden blasted the president for claiming Americans didn’t understand what a "supply chain" was "10 years ago."
During a recent rally in Michigan, Biden suggested that the crowd, and Americans in general, had no idea what a supply chain was until it became a recent media topic related to the country’s economic troubles in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While giving his speech, he said, "10 years ago, how many of you knew what the hell a supply chain was?"
"No, I’m serious!"
Biden made a similar point last year when asked about his plan to address the country’s economic problems during a press conference.
Trying to absolve his administration by suggesting that solving the economic crisis is more complicated than Americans realize, he asked a reporter, "If we were all going out and having lunch together, and I said, 'Let’s ask whoever's in the next table, no matter what restaurant we’re in, have them explain the supply chain to us.'"
"Do you think they’d understand what we’re talking about?"
At the time, Biden was criticized for the statement.
Grabien.com founder Tom Elliott tweeted that the president "mocks Americans’ intelligence."
Biden’s latest remarks received similar treatment from irked Twitter users.
Former MLB pitcher Brad Ziegler slammed the president, tweeting, "We’re all morons, right @POTUS?"
"No one ever had business class in middle school."
Author Alan Roberts roasted Biden, tweeting "Dude who cannot ride a bike successfully thinks full on adults don’t understand how the grocery stores a restocked."
"Talk about elitist thinking."
Representative-elect John James, R-Mich., answered Biden’s question, writing, "Me."
"I did."
"And so did all the other auto workers in my district who’ve watched their jobs sent to Mexico and China because of anti-business lib policies!"
Twitter influencer and DJ, Dante Deiana, quipped, "At this point where we’re at as a species, gimme 4 more years of this guy."
"He’s somehow managed to be a bigger clown show than trump."
"Constant comedy."
Maryland state delegate Matt Morgan replied to Biden, tweeting, "Everyone but you."
Conservative influencer Paul Szypula tweeted, "Biden just told unions workers that 10 years ago they didn’t even know ‘what the hell a supply chain was.’"
"Instead of insulting Americans why doesn’t Biden apologize to them for ruining their economy and then resign?"
Conservative radio host Derek Hunter mimed Biden, tweeting, "’Look, you're blue collar guys, you're morons, you don't even understand the basics about economics or how things get anywhere."
"You're dumb."
"Just keep voting for Democrats like your masters, er, union bosses tell you to.’"
Fellow radio host Joe Cunningham sarcastically quipped, "Most pro-union president ever."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... d9c5310a01
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
"Will there be any media introspection over the Paul Pelosi story?"
Opinion by Zachary Faria
30 NOVEMBER 2022
It has been over a month since the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was attacked, spawning establishment media outrage over right-wing rhetoric, yet it still isn’t clear exactly what happened.
If anything, establishment media have been making it harder to understand what happened.
According to Fox News media reporter Brian Flood, NBC News correspondent Miguel Almaguer has not appeared on the network since covering the story on Nov. 4.
Almaguer reported that Paul Pelosi had opened the door for law enforcement but did not attempt to escape or tell responding police officers that he was in danger.
Instead, he walked away from officers and toward the alleged assailant, who then hit Pelosi with a hammer.
Almaguer has since vanished from the network’s airwaves, and he hasn’t tweeted since Nov. 3.
NBC erased video of the report from its website and Twitter feed.
No explanation was given other than that “the piece should not have aired because it did not meet NBC News reporting standards,” and no explanation has been given for Almaguer’s prolonged absence.
This alone would be bizarre, but it gets even weirder.
According to NBC Bay Area, “a source familiar with the Pelosi investigation who personally viewed the body camera footage” told the outlet that Pelosi did, in fact, open the door for officers.
That would seem to confirm the other details of Almaguer’s report, namely that Pelosi did not attempt to flee or tell officers he was in danger.
So if the body camera footage seemingly confirms Almaguer’s report, why was it not up to standard?
Was it because President Joe Biden’s Justice Department claimed that the door was opened by two police officers and not Pelosi?
Did NBC simply not want to contradict the Biden administration and instead choose to punish its own reporter?
For all their concerns about “misinformation” and conspiracy theories, establishment media do a good job of spreading both.
Politico, for example, reported that an “unknown person” had opened the door to Pelosi’s residence for the officers, only for the New York Times to turn around and declare that conservatives were spreading misinformation about an unknown person opening the door for officers.
If anyone is fueling conspiracy theories about this story, it is establishment media outlets such as Politico and NBC News.
This is not to say that the more outlandish theories about the attack on Pelosi have any merit.
But it does raise several questions about establishment media’s motives for covering the attack how they did (right before the midterm elections) and the standards they actually apply to their reporting.
Establishment media have failed in reporting on a major news story once again, and no one in the industry seems eager to embrace some introspection on how that happened.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/w ... d9c5310a01
"Will there be any media introspection over the Paul Pelosi story?"
Opinion by Zachary Faria
30 NOVEMBER 2022
It has been over a month since the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was attacked, spawning establishment media outrage over right-wing rhetoric, yet it still isn’t clear exactly what happened.
If anything, establishment media have been making it harder to understand what happened.
According to Fox News media reporter Brian Flood, NBC News correspondent Miguel Almaguer has not appeared on the network since covering the story on Nov. 4.
Almaguer reported that Paul Pelosi had opened the door for law enforcement but did not attempt to escape or tell responding police officers that he was in danger.
Instead, he walked away from officers and toward the alleged assailant, who then hit Pelosi with a hammer.
Almaguer has since vanished from the network’s airwaves, and he hasn’t tweeted since Nov. 3.
NBC erased video of the report from its website and Twitter feed.
No explanation was given other than that “the piece should not have aired because it did not meet NBC News reporting standards,” and no explanation has been given for Almaguer’s prolonged absence.
This alone would be bizarre, but it gets even weirder.
According to NBC Bay Area, “a source familiar with the Pelosi investigation who personally viewed the body camera footage” told the outlet that Pelosi did, in fact, open the door for officers.
That would seem to confirm the other details of Almaguer’s report, namely that Pelosi did not attempt to flee or tell officers he was in danger.
So if the body camera footage seemingly confirms Almaguer’s report, why was it not up to standard?
Was it because President Joe Biden’s Justice Department claimed that the door was opened by two police officers and not Pelosi?
Did NBC simply not want to contradict the Biden administration and instead choose to punish its own reporter?
For all their concerns about “misinformation” and conspiracy theories, establishment media do a good job of spreading both.
Politico, for example, reported that an “unknown person” had opened the door to Pelosi’s residence for the officers, only for the New York Times to turn around and declare that conservatives were spreading misinformation about an unknown person opening the door for officers.
If anyone is fueling conspiracy theories about this story, it is establishment media outlets such as Politico and NBC News.
This is not to say that the more outlandish theories about the attack on Pelosi have any merit.
But it does raise several questions about establishment media’s motives for covering the attack how they did (right before the midterm elections) and the standards they actually apply to their reporting.
Establishment media have failed in reporting on a major news story once again, and no one in the industry seems eager to embrace some introspection on how that happened.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/w ... d9c5310a01
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
FOX NEWS
"Kilmeade presses Biden spokesman on Pentagon's new findings on Afghanistan exit: 'Disaster'"
Story by Bailee Hill
30 NOVEMBER 2022
The White House pushed back on a bombshell DOD report alleging the Chinese utilized the U.S. Afghanistan withdrawal as a propaganda gift to undermine American influence across the globe.
"Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade grilled National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby over the report, calling out the Biden administration for its handling of what many critics call the botched exit and how it impacted alliances.
"Nations like China and Russia took a look at what we did in Afghanistan, and we've talked about this many, many times over the last year, and had to marvel at the speed, the efficiency of their effectiveness that very small number… of troops… are able to move that many Afghans safely out of that country," Kirby said Wednesday.
"No other nation in the world can do that."
Kilmeade pushed back on Kirby's remarks, citing how the withdrawal was conducted while noting the 13 service members that lost their lives during the exit.
"The way we did it, the way we promised that government would stand up, the way we were going to leave in and have a transition, the disaster that took place is one of the many problems, along with the soldiers that are suffering now by the way," he said.
"You could argue that Russia invaded Ukraine because of it."
The Defense Department released its annual report Tuesday, revealing that China used the exit to influence American influence overseas.
"The PRC employed multiple diplomatic tools in an attempt to erode U.S. and partner influence," the report reads, including "highlighting the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan."
Despite the findings, Kirby was adamant the report suggests Chinese officials were not necessarily successful in undermining U.S. partnerships abroad.
"The report said that China attempted to capitalize on it," Kirby said.
"That's a big difference from saying that they did or were able to capitalize on this…"
"They spread propaganda about everything," he responded.
Biden's DOD has focused on China as America's top global adversary throughout his time in office.
The report says the PRC is working toward "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" by 2049 and is also vastly expanding its nuclear arsenal.
Biden has long defended his handling of the withdrawal both during and after the process, arguing there was no clean way to end U.S. deployment in the region.
"We have admitted and acknowledged that not everything about the withdrawal was done perfectly, that there were certainly mistakes made," Kirby said.
"We've investigated those mistakes."
"We owned up for those."
Kilmeade continued to press Kirby on Afghanistan becoming a "terror haven" for al Qaeda and asked why President Biden has not been briefed on the issue.
At least 100 U.S. citizens and thousands of Afghan allies were stranded in the country under Taliban rule upon the U.S. withdrawal.
Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ki ... d9c5310a01
"Kilmeade presses Biden spokesman on Pentagon's new findings on Afghanistan exit: 'Disaster'"
Story by Bailee Hill
30 NOVEMBER 2022
The White House pushed back on a bombshell DOD report alleging the Chinese utilized the U.S. Afghanistan withdrawal as a propaganda gift to undermine American influence across the globe.
"Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade grilled National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby over the report, calling out the Biden administration for its handling of what many critics call the botched exit and how it impacted alliances.
"Nations like China and Russia took a look at what we did in Afghanistan, and we've talked about this many, many times over the last year, and had to marvel at the speed, the efficiency of their effectiveness that very small number… of troops… are able to move that many Afghans safely out of that country," Kirby said Wednesday.
"No other nation in the world can do that."
Kilmeade pushed back on Kirby's remarks, citing how the withdrawal was conducted while noting the 13 service members that lost their lives during the exit.
"The way we did it, the way we promised that government would stand up, the way we were going to leave in and have a transition, the disaster that took place is one of the many problems, along with the soldiers that are suffering now by the way," he said.
"You could argue that Russia invaded Ukraine because of it."
The Defense Department released its annual report Tuesday, revealing that China used the exit to influence American influence overseas.
"The PRC employed multiple diplomatic tools in an attempt to erode U.S. and partner influence," the report reads, including "highlighting the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan."
Despite the findings, Kirby was adamant the report suggests Chinese officials were not necessarily successful in undermining U.S. partnerships abroad.
"The report said that China attempted to capitalize on it," Kirby said.
"That's a big difference from saying that they did or were able to capitalize on this…"
"They spread propaganda about everything," he responded.
Biden's DOD has focused on China as America's top global adversary throughout his time in office.
The report says the PRC is working toward "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" by 2049 and is also vastly expanding its nuclear arsenal.
Biden has long defended his handling of the withdrawal both during and after the process, arguing there was no clean way to end U.S. deployment in the region.
"We have admitted and acknowledged that not everything about the withdrawal was done perfectly, that there were certainly mistakes made," Kirby said.
"We've investigated those mistakes."
"We owned up for those."
Kilmeade continued to press Kirby on Afghanistan becoming a "terror haven" for al Qaeda and asked why President Biden has not been briefed on the issue.
At least 100 U.S. citizens and thousands of Afghan allies were stranded in the country under Taliban rule upon the U.S. withdrawal.
Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ki ... d9c5310a01
Re: AMERICA'S FIGHTING BULLDOG JOE BIDEN
FOX NEWS
"Biden admin's Commerce appointee is longtime business partner of Hunter Biden, emails reveal"
Story by Cameron Cawthorne, Jessica Chasmar
30 NOVEMBER 2022
FIRST ON FOX: A business executive who was tapped earlier this year to serve another term on President Biden's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) previously worked as a senior adviser to Hunter Biden’s now-defunct investment firm and strategized with the younger Biden on brokering business deals in Western Africa years prior to his appointment in the current administration, Fox News Digital has learned.
On July 14, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo reappointed John Nevergole, co-founder and CEO of the Philadelphia-based project development firm ABD Group, and 23 others to serve a two-year term on the PAC-DBIA from 2022 to 2024.
Nevergole and ABD Group Executive Chairman Mohamed Keita, the son-in-law of former Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure, co-founded the company over 15 years ago and they currently promote their company as a "trusted partner to investors, multi-national firms, and African governments" with "over $2.5 billion USD of investment across the continent."
"Today ABD Group has a presence on the ground to develop projects in every major market in West, Central, East, and Southern Africa."
"Partners include Fortune 500 companies and the world’s largest emerging market investors," their website reads.
An archived version of the ABD website highlights that they were "happy to have worked with" China’s state-owned China Development Bank and China Airport Construction Corporation (CACC), among other corporations.
CNN Philippines reported in 2020 that the state-owned CACC was one of the subsidiaries of the China Communications Construction Company that was "blacklisted" by the Trump administration.
An archived version of the website also shows that Hunter Biden was listed as a member of ABD’s board of advisers for several years until his bio was removed sometime between January 23 and May 29 in 2019, according to the Wayback Machine.
While Nevergole was serving as the CEO of ABD, he was simultaneously serving as a senior advisor to Rosemont Seneca Advisors as early as 2012.
However, it appears that his association with Rosemont Seneca in his ABD bio was erased from the website sometime shortly after March 2019.
Nevergole’s relationship with Hunter Biden dates back to at least 2011, according to emails reviewed and verified by Fox News Digital.
In an Aug. 5, 2011 email chain, Eric Schwerin, then-president of Hunter's Rosemont Seneca Advisors, informed Hunter that Nevergole had requested to split a retainer fee 70/30 for helping broker a deal between Rosemont and Brazilian construction giant OAS.
After Hunter pushed back on the price, Schwerin, who was also a member of ABD’s board of advisers for several years, argued, "So, I am OK with 70/30 …"
"Mainly because I think the relationship can bear fruit in other areas down the line, e.g. in Africa if we choose to focus there."
A few years later, Schwerin sent an email to Hunter on May 29, 2014, saying he "talked to John Nevergole yesterday and he said you had mentioned to him you wanted to discuss natural gas at some point."
At the time, Hunter had just been appointed to serve as a board member for the Ukrainian oil and gas company Burisma Holdings, which he has received intense scrutiny over for several years, prompting him to later admit he used "poor judgment" and that he would not join the board again if he could do things over.
"Not sure if it was Burisma related but he wanted me to tell you that he and Mohammed are really expanding their staff in Ivory Coast and Mozambique, two countries with energy resources," Schwerin wrote in the email, referring to Nevergole's business partner Mohamed Keita.
Later that same day, Nevergole sent an email to Hunter and Schwerin listing "potential gas opportunities for discussion," including in Equatorial Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mozambique, Ghana and Angola.
"Please let me know the thoughts on the above and if Burisma would be interested to explore any further," Nevergole added.
A couple days before Christmas 2014, Nevergole emailed Hunter and said he was "looking forward to 2015 being a successful year for Rosemont and ABD and for us expanding our work together" and added, "Let's make it a profitable year."
In April 2015, Nevergole emailed Hunter and Schwerin about a trip he was taking the following month to Beijing to "meet with funds and investors to further talks about putting together investment for Africa and also Latin America" and asked if they had any contacts they would recommend, prompting Schwerin to respond, "We will connect you with our guys over in China."
Less than a week later, Schwerin introduced Nevergole to BHR Managing Director Xin Wang, saying that "I am partners with Hunter Biden and I know Jim Bulger reached out to you about meeting with a colleague and good friend of ours, John Nevergole."
"I believe John will be in Beijing on May 4th and available to meet, but I have copied him on this email so you and John can coordinate directly," Schwerin continued.
"Thanks in advance to you and the BHR team for agreeing to see John and his colleague next week."
BHR formed in 2013 when the Boston-based Thornton Group LLC— a firm that joined forces with Hunter’s now-defunct Rosemont Seneca Partners, launched its joint-venture with Chinese investment firm Bohai Capital.
Wang thanked Schwerin for the introduction and said it was a "pleasure to meet the both of you over email and I look forward to our in person meeting in the coming week."
A day after the May 4th meeting, Nevergole emailed Wang to thank her for meeting with him, saying, "It sounds like BHR is doing great things and that there could also be synergies to explore."
"I will send you more information on opportunities that could potentially be a fit when I have it for your review."
"Look forward to meeting again sometime soon, either in Beijing or in US."
Nevergole would then email Hunter and Schwerin on May 6 informing them it "was good to meet BHR" and that he would like to "catch up" when he returned to the U.S. so he can give "feedback of the trip overall, what we are thinking, and go over some ideas on how we can work together overall on the China initiative."
This exchange wasn’t the only time China came up in discussions with Nevergole.
Two months earlier, Nevergole offered Schwerin advice to pass along to Hunter before a planned trip to China.
"In terms of Hunter's trip to China I would say one immediate thing is if there are any large firms, typically the state owned construction companies, that they know who we should try to meet when we go to China," Nevergole said in a February 2015 email.
"These groups generally bring funding from China Exim to fund the African government on a project to be done by the China state owned construction firm."
"For example this is what we are doing with CACC (China Airport Construction Corppration) and what we do with Samsung with Kexim money," Nevergole added.
"They work with us to put the deal together in Africa."
Nevergole would send an email to Hunter, Schwerin, and Keita in November of that same year, laying out the terms for ABD’s "ongoing relationship" with Rosemont, as well as future steps to meet with the presidents of Cameroon and Senegal, which he said would help with "advancing the deals."
Emails also show that Nevergole served a key role in facilitating meetings with foreign diplomats and world leaders.
For example, Hunter was scheduled to meet with the ambassadors of Senegal and Cameroon in D.C. on Nov. 23, 2015, according to emails between Nevergole, Schwerin, and Hunter’s scheduler, but it is unclear what was discussed at the meetings.
Nevergole did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry about the meetings.
However, an email from Nevergole to Schwerin about two weeks earlier sheds some light on what the discussions likely entailed, including introducing the deals they were working on in Senegal and having "the Ambassador of Senegal give the feedback to the President."
"Ambassador can then coordinate a first meeting between the President, Mohamed and I," Nevergole said.
"Then at a later date all of us can schedule a subsequent meeting with the President."
Nevergole laid out a similar outline for the meeting with the Ambassador of Cameroon.
A couple months after Biden left office in January 2017, Schwerin sent an email to Hunter saying Rosemont held equity in "30% of ABD’s interest in six energy, infrastructure and healthcare projects in Western Africa."
It is unclear whether Hunter still has an equity stake in these projects or whether there were other ABD projects that he was invested in.
In November 2021, after President Biden took office, ABD announced that Nevergole had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Senegal’s state-run Ageroute to "develop, finance, and construct two bridges to ensure trade between Senegal and its neighbors remains easily accessible."
The Nov. 22, 2021, signing took place in Senegal and featured remarks from U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken.
"I believe that the ripple effects will be felt throughout Senegal."
"Better infrastructure can create jobs, can connect more people to cities, can improve public safety, and can increase resilience against climate change," Blinken said at the event, according to an ABD press release.
"President Biden's Build Back Better world initiative is delivering on its promise of driving investment in Africa, building new markets for American companies, and creating jobs at home and abroad," Nevergole said in the release.
"We're grateful for Secretary Blinken's attendance at today's MOU signing, alongside Minister Hott, on his first trip to Africa."
"This project will ensure the vitality of a key trade corridor between Senegal and its neighboring countries while supporting hundreds of jobs in both Senegal and the U.S.," he said.
The State Department referred Fox News Digital to the White House about whether they were aware of Nevergole’s business connections to Hunter Biden and whether the younger Biden played a role in Nevergole being re-appointed to the council during the Biden administration.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A spokesperson for the Department of Commerce initially told Fox News Digital that "Mr. Nevergole was appointed to this board by Secretary Wilbur Ross and the Trump Administration in 2019" in a Tuesday evening email.
When Fox News Digital pointed out that this term was from 2019 to 2021, the spokesperson expanded on the statement Wednesday to explain how Commerce Secretary Raimondo re-appointed him earlier this year.
"Secretary Ross and the Trump Administration first vetted and appointed Mr. Nevergole for the PAC-DBIA in 2019," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
"Mr. Nevergole applied for reappointment, and he was reappointed in the ordinary course of business."
"His prior association with Hunter Biden played no role in that re-appointment."
Nevergole attended a similar MOU signing in Senegal during the Trump administration in early 2020 after the summer 2019 appointment by then-Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for the same position.
Notably, the majority of the advisory council’s members under Trump lost their spots under Biden.
Of the 26 members appointed by Ross, only eight, including Nevergole, were reappointed by Raimondo.
Nevergole did not respond to multiple Fox News Digital inquiries asking whether the Biden administration was aware of his business history with Hunter prior to him being reappointed, why he erased Rosemont from his bio, or for details about the meetings between Hunter and the ambassadors.
Hunter’s lawyer and Schwerin did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiries asking whether Hunter still has a financial stake in any of the "six" ABD projects in Western Africa.
Hunter's lawyer also did not say whether Hunter was involved in any discussions with the Department of Commerce or Biden administration regarding Nevergole’s appointment back in July.
Fox News Digital's Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/bi ... d9c5310a01
"Biden admin's Commerce appointee is longtime business partner of Hunter Biden, emails reveal"
Story by Cameron Cawthorne, Jessica Chasmar
30 NOVEMBER 2022
FIRST ON FOX: A business executive who was tapped earlier this year to serve another term on President Biden's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) previously worked as a senior adviser to Hunter Biden’s now-defunct investment firm and strategized with the younger Biden on brokering business deals in Western Africa years prior to his appointment in the current administration, Fox News Digital has learned.
On July 14, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo reappointed John Nevergole, co-founder and CEO of the Philadelphia-based project development firm ABD Group, and 23 others to serve a two-year term on the PAC-DBIA from 2022 to 2024.
Nevergole and ABD Group Executive Chairman Mohamed Keita, the son-in-law of former Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure, co-founded the company over 15 years ago and they currently promote their company as a "trusted partner to investors, multi-national firms, and African governments" with "over $2.5 billion USD of investment across the continent."
"Today ABD Group has a presence on the ground to develop projects in every major market in West, Central, East, and Southern Africa."
"Partners include Fortune 500 companies and the world’s largest emerging market investors," their website reads.
An archived version of the ABD website highlights that they were "happy to have worked with" China’s state-owned China Development Bank and China Airport Construction Corporation (CACC), among other corporations.
CNN Philippines reported in 2020 that the state-owned CACC was one of the subsidiaries of the China Communications Construction Company that was "blacklisted" by the Trump administration.
An archived version of the website also shows that Hunter Biden was listed as a member of ABD’s board of advisers for several years until his bio was removed sometime between January 23 and May 29 in 2019, according to the Wayback Machine.
While Nevergole was serving as the CEO of ABD, he was simultaneously serving as a senior advisor to Rosemont Seneca Advisors as early as 2012.
However, it appears that his association with Rosemont Seneca in his ABD bio was erased from the website sometime shortly after March 2019.
Nevergole’s relationship with Hunter Biden dates back to at least 2011, according to emails reviewed and verified by Fox News Digital.
In an Aug. 5, 2011 email chain, Eric Schwerin, then-president of Hunter's Rosemont Seneca Advisors, informed Hunter that Nevergole had requested to split a retainer fee 70/30 for helping broker a deal between Rosemont and Brazilian construction giant OAS.
After Hunter pushed back on the price, Schwerin, who was also a member of ABD’s board of advisers for several years, argued, "So, I am OK with 70/30 …"
"Mainly because I think the relationship can bear fruit in other areas down the line, e.g. in Africa if we choose to focus there."
A few years later, Schwerin sent an email to Hunter on May 29, 2014, saying he "talked to John Nevergole yesterday and he said you had mentioned to him you wanted to discuss natural gas at some point."
At the time, Hunter had just been appointed to serve as a board member for the Ukrainian oil and gas company Burisma Holdings, which he has received intense scrutiny over for several years, prompting him to later admit he used "poor judgment" and that he would not join the board again if he could do things over.
"Not sure if it was Burisma related but he wanted me to tell you that he and Mohammed are really expanding their staff in Ivory Coast and Mozambique, two countries with energy resources," Schwerin wrote in the email, referring to Nevergole's business partner Mohamed Keita.
Later that same day, Nevergole sent an email to Hunter and Schwerin listing "potential gas opportunities for discussion," including in Equatorial Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mozambique, Ghana and Angola.
"Please let me know the thoughts on the above and if Burisma would be interested to explore any further," Nevergole added.
A couple days before Christmas 2014, Nevergole emailed Hunter and said he was "looking forward to 2015 being a successful year for Rosemont and ABD and for us expanding our work together" and added, "Let's make it a profitable year."
In April 2015, Nevergole emailed Hunter and Schwerin about a trip he was taking the following month to Beijing to "meet with funds and investors to further talks about putting together investment for Africa and also Latin America" and asked if they had any contacts they would recommend, prompting Schwerin to respond, "We will connect you with our guys over in China."
Less than a week later, Schwerin introduced Nevergole to BHR Managing Director Xin Wang, saying that "I am partners with Hunter Biden and I know Jim Bulger reached out to you about meeting with a colleague and good friend of ours, John Nevergole."
"I believe John will be in Beijing on May 4th and available to meet, but I have copied him on this email so you and John can coordinate directly," Schwerin continued.
"Thanks in advance to you and the BHR team for agreeing to see John and his colleague next week."
BHR formed in 2013 when the Boston-based Thornton Group LLC— a firm that joined forces with Hunter’s now-defunct Rosemont Seneca Partners, launched its joint-venture with Chinese investment firm Bohai Capital.
Wang thanked Schwerin for the introduction and said it was a "pleasure to meet the both of you over email and I look forward to our in person meeting in the coming week."
A day after the May 4th meeting, Nevergole emailed Wang to thank her for meeting with him, saying, "It sounds like BHR is doing great things and that there could also be synergies to explore."
"I will send you more information on opportunities that could potentially be a fit when I have it for your review."
"Look forward to meeting again sometime soon, either in Beijing or in US."
Nevergole would then email Hunter and Schwerin on May 6 informing them it "was good to meet BHR" and that he would like to "catch up" when he returned to the U.S. so he can give "feedback of the trip overall, what we are thinking, and go over some ideas on how we can work together overall on the China initiative."
This exchange wasn’t the only time China came up in discussions with Nevergole.
Two months earlier, Nevergole offered Schwerin advice to pass along to Hunter before a planned trip to China.
"In terms of Hunter's trip to China I would say one immediate thing is if there are any large firms, typically the state owned construction companies, that they know who we should try to meet when we go to China," Nevergole said in a February 2015 email.
"These groups generally bring funding from China Exim to fund the African government on a project to be done by the China state owned construction firm."
"For example this is what we are doing with CACC (China Airport Construction Corppration) and what we do with Samsung with Kexim money," Nevergole added.
"They work with us to put the deal together in Africa."
Nevergole would send an email to Hunter, Schwerin, and Keita in November of that same year, laying out the terms for ABD’s "ongoing relationship" with Rosemont, as well as future steps to meet with the presidents of Cameroon and Senegal, which he said would help with "advancing the deals."
Emails also show that Nevergole served a key role in facilitating meetings with foreign diplomats and world leaders.
For example, Hunter was scheduled to meet with the ambassadors of Senegal and Cameroon in D.C. on Nov. 23, 2015, according to emails between Nevergole, Schwerin, and Hunter’s scheduler, but it is unclear what was discussed at the meetings.
Nevergole did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry about the meetings.
However, an email from Nevergole to Schwerin about two weeks earlier sheds some light on what the discussions likely entailed, including introducing the deals they were working on in Senegal and having "the Ambassador of Senegal give the feedback to the President."
"Ambassador can then coordinate a first meeting between the President, Mohamed and I," Nevergole said.
"Then at a later date all of us can schedule a subsequent meeting with the President."
Nevergole laid out a similar outline for the meeting with the Ambassador of Cameroon.
A couple months after Biden left office in January 2017, Schwerin sent an email to Hunter saying Rosemont held equity in "30% of ABD’s interest in six energy, infrastructure and healthcare projects in Western Africa."
It is unclear whether Hunter still has an equity stake in these projects or whether there were other ABD projects that he was invested in.
In November 2021, after President Biden took office, ABD announced that Nevergole had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Senegal’s state-run Ageroute to "develop, finance, and construct two bridges to ensure trade between Senegal and its neighbors remains easily accessible."
The Nov. 22, 2021, signing took place in Senegal and featured remarks from U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken.
"I believe that the ripple effects will be felt throughout Senegal."
"Better infrastructure can create jobs, can connect more people to cities, can improve public safety, and can increase resilience against climate change," Blinken said at the event, according to an ABD press release.
"President Biden's Build Back Better world initiative is delivering on its promise of driving investment in Africa, building new markets for American companies, and creating jobs at home and abroad," Nevergole said in the release.
"We're grateful for Secretary Blinken's attendance at today's MOU signing, alongside Minister Hott, on his first trip to Africa."
"This project will ensure the vitality of a key trade corridor between Senegal and its neighboring countries while supporting hundreds of jobs in both Senegal and the U.S.," he said.
The State Department referred Fox News Digital to the White House about whether they were aware of Nevergole’s business connections to Hunter Biden and whether the younger Biden played a role in Nevergole being re-appointed to the council during the Biden administration.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A spokesperson for the Department of Commerce initially told Fox News Digital that "Mr. Nevergole was appointed to this board by Secretary Wilbur Ross and the Trump Administration in 2019" in a Tuesday evening email.
When Fox News Digital pointed out that this term was from 2019 to 2021, the spokesperson expanded on the statement Wednesday to explain how Commerce Secretary Raimondo re-appointed him earlier this year.
"Secretary Ross and the Trump Administration first vetted and appointed Mr. Nevergole for the PAC-DBIA in 2019," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
"Mr. Nevergole applied for reappointment, and he was reappointed in the ordinary course of business."
"His prior association with Hunter Biden played no role in that re-appointment."
Nevergole attended a similar MOU signing in Senegal during the Trump administration in early 2020 after the summer 2019 appointment by then-Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross for the same position.
Notably, the majority of the advisory council’s members under Trump lost their spots under Biden.
Of the 26 members appointed by Ross, only eight, including Nevergole, were reappointed by Raimondo.
Nevergole did not respond to multiple Fox News Digital inquiries asking whether the Biden administration was aware of his business history with Hunter prior to him being reappointed, why he erased Rosemont from his bio, or for details about the meetings between Hunter and the ambassadors.
Hunter’s lawyer and Schwerin did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiries asking whether Hunter still has a financial stake in any of the "six" ABD projects in Western Africa.
Hunter's lawyer also did not say whether Hunter was involved in any discussions with the Department of Commerce or Biden administration regarding Nevergole’s appointment back in July.
Fox News Digital's Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
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