Members national security council

Russia and China are deepening practical cooperation despite Moscow's disastrous invasion of Ukraine with a shared goal of ejecting the U.S. from Europe and Asia, according to a senior NATO official. James Appathurai, NATO's deputy assistant secretary general for emerging security challenges, told Newsweek on the sidelines of this weekend's Helsinki Security Forum that alliance members "shouldn't be naïve" about the expanding Moscow-Beijing partnership. "China has been sticking politically with Russia throughout this process, amplifying their messaging, their disinformation—including on NATO , which China had not done in the past—in essence in partnership with Russia, which is supporting China's points of view when it comes to Asia," Appathurai said. China has given President Vladimir Putin vital diplomatic and economic support by refusing to condemn Russia's latest invasion of Ukraine, though has so far not offered direct military assistance. China's "pro-Russian … [Read more...] about Russia, China “deepen” relations with shared anti-U.S. goal: NATO official

Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who rarely speaks about his tenure as America's top diplomat, on Monday described a White House where he was at times contradicted by President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, even as Tillerson was supposed to be overseeing U.S. foreign policy during the first year of the Trump administration. "It was evident that at times Mr. Kushner was engaging with the same government officials on the same issues I was engaging with them on and that those messages were not consistent," Tillerson said during a rare public appearance. Tillerson's remarks came on the witness stand Monday in New York, where he testified for about three hours in the federal trial of Thomas Barrack, a billionaire friend of former President Donald Trump accused of unlawfully lobbying on behalf of the United Arab Emirates. A White House spokesperson in 2019 defended Kushner, saying "Jared consistently follows proper protocols with [National Security Council] and the State … [Read more...] about Rex Tillerson, on witness stand, gives rare insight into his time as secretary of state

A Russian military train is reportedly transporting equipment for the nation’s nuclear weapons program to the frontlines of its war with Ukraine, sparking fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be preparing to use nuclear weapons on the battlefield amid his nation’s mounting losses in the war. The Telegraph reported that the train is “operated by the secretive nuclear division and linked to the 12th main directorate of the Russian ministry of defence.” The train, which was pictured on a Russian propaganda Telegram account, was reportedly on its way to Ukraine from central Russia. Military defense analyst Konrad Muzyka said that the 12th directorate operates a dozen facilities for storing Russia’s nuclear weapons, according to The Telegraph. “This is actually a kit belonging to the 12th Main Directorate of the Russian MoD,” the analyst said. “The directorate is responsible for nuclear munitions, their storage, maintenance, transport, and issuance to units.” Muzyka … [Read more...] about Russian Military Train Operated By ‘Secretive Nuclear Division’ Is On Its Way To Ukraine: Report | The Daily Wire

Ian Hay Davison, who has died aged 91, was a formidable investigative accountant who, at the Bank of England’s behest, took on the challenge of trying to reform the Lloyd’s insurance market at the nadir of its reputation. As a partner in the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen in the 1970s, Davison built a track record of fearless exposure of high-profile cases of financial misbehaviour. In December 1982 he was asked by the Governor of the Bank, Gordon Richardson , to apply those skills to Lloyd’s of London, whose tradition of gentlemanly self-regulation had failed to deal effectively with a damaging succession of scandals. Davison accepted the title of chief executive and deputy chairman of Lloyd’s, and a brief from the Bank to rewrite its rulebook – with some reluctance, he said, but out of personal respect for Richardson. Having arrived with the intention of picking out the “rotten apples”, he swiftly discovered that “The barrel itself… appeared to be infected.” In return, … [Read more...] about Ian Hay Davison, accountant who took on the formidable task of reforming Lloyd’s of London – obituary