All articles tagged with #foreign agents
Mexico's security ministry says the two CIA agents killed in a northern Chihuahua crash were not authorized to participate in operations on Mexican soil; one entered as a visitor and the other with a diplomatic passport, and neither had formal accreditation. Officials say the case is being reviewed with local authorities and the U.S. Embassy as two governments offer conflicting accounts.
Mexico’s security ministry says two U.S. agents killed in a car crash after returning from a clandestine drug-lab raid were not authorized to participate in Mexican operations; one entered as a visitor and the other with a diplomatic passport, and Mexico says it was unaware of foreign involvement. The case is being reviewed with local authorities and the U.S. Embassy, as officials from both sides offer differing accounts of the operation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to testify in the federal trial of former Rep. David Rivera, who is accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela’s government in connection with a $50 million CITGO contract; Rubio asked to be called as a prosecution witness after Rivera’s team sought to call him as a defense witness, underscoring Rubio’s long-running ties to Rivera and the case’s broader implications for foreign influence in Latin America.
Georgia's parliament erupted into chaos as a lawmaker was punched by an opposition MP during a discussion on a controversial "foreign agents" bill, which has drawn criticism for its resemblance to Russian laws. The bill, requiring media and non-commercial organizations to register as being under foreign influence if they receive over 20% of their budget from abroad, has sparked protests and concerns about its impact on Georgia's EU aspirations. The EU has deemed the law incompatible with its values, while the Georgian Dream party, which aims for EU and NATO membership, insists it is necessary for transparency and to combat foreign influence.
Georgian lawmakers engaged in a physical altercation in parliament as the ruling party pushed forward a controversial bill on "foreign agents", prompting protests and criticism from Western countries. The bill, which would require organizations receiving foreign funds to register as foreign agents or face fines, has strained relations with the EU and the US. The ruling party argues that the legislation is necessary to combat foreign influence and promote transparency, while critics have likened it to Russian laws suppressing dissent. The incident comes amid ongoing tensions over Georgia's ties with Russia and its aspirations to join the EU and NATO.
Mikhail Kasyanov, who served as President Vladimir Putin's first prime minister before becoming one of his opponents, has been added to Russia's register of "foreign agents." This designation is used against figures and organizations receiving support from outside the country and carries pejorative connotations. The law has been frequently used against opposition figures and independent media, requiring them to carry a disclaimer stating their foreign agent status. Kasyanov, who played a key role in economic reforms during his tenure, later became a prominent opposition figure but faded from view as Russia's opposition weakened. He left the country after Putin's military intervention in Ukraine and is currently reported to be in Latvia.
GOP lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz and House Oversight Chair James Comer, are urging the Department of Justice to investigate whether certain environmental rights groups are violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). They claim that these groups may be acting as foreign agents without registering with the DOJ. This move is part of a broader effort by Republicans to link environmental organizations to foreign adversaries. Nonprofits have expressed concerns about the DOJ's interpretation of FARA, as it could potentially label them as foreign agents. The DOJ has received the lawmakers' letter but has not commented further.
The PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund have hired political heavyweights to help save their deal to join forces, which has faced opposition from Congress. The PGA Tour has hired Bully Pulpit Interactive as its new communications agency, while Teneo CEO Paul Keary has registered as a foreign agent working for the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Other big names in Washington have also registered under FARA to help the Saudi fund on the PGA deal. Lawmakers have raised concerns about the deal's national security implications and the PGA Tour's tax-exempt status.