BP ends projects in Iran after US threatens sanctions

BP decided to end its involvement with projects in Iran Tuesday after the U.S. threatened to sanction companies that choose to operate within the country.

“JUST IN: British Petroleum is Ending projects in #Iran following threat of US Sanctions. Follows Total, Siemens, Maersk, Allianz, others…,” a reporter for the National, a news source in the United Arab Emirates, tweeted Tuesday morning.

JUST IN: British Petroleum is Ending projects in #Iran following threat of US Sanctions. Follows Total, Siemens, Maersk, Allianz, others… https://t.co/1MCyK1jmmp

— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) May 22, 2018

: ‌ # ‌.

— (@FarsNews_Agency) May 22, 2018

BP is the latest Europe-based company to pull out investment and commitments from Iran following the Trump administration's threats of sanctions and backlash for involvement with Iran.

Oil giant Total SA, energy firm Wintershall AG, shipping behemoths Maersk Tankers AS and Torm AS, and multiple insurance companies have all pulled out their interests from Iran, the Wall Street Journal reports.

https:// www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/foreign/bp-ends-projects-in-iran-after-us-threatens-sanctions

Senate plans vote to hold lawmakers liable for sexual harassment settlements

Senate lawmakers on Tuesday were set to unveil a bipartisan bill that would overhaul decades-old rules for reporting and punishing sexual harassment, and are looking to pass the measure as soon as this week, Republicans said.

Among other things, the bill would hold lawmakers responsible for harassment payouts.

“I think it’s safe to say we are very close,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said after briefing GOP lawmakers on the bill in a closed-door session Tuesday.

Lawmakers plan to update the 1995 Congressional Accountability Act, which governs how Capitol Hill responds to workplace complaints ranging from racial discrimination to sexual harassment. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. is co-authoring the update with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Mo., who briefed Democrats Tuesday.

Blunt said the bill would eliminate the lengthy waiting period, which can last as long as 90 days, that now prevents a victim of harassment from quickly taking someone to court.

“We will be eliminating those things,” Blunt said.

The bill would ensure that lawmakers “have personal liability” for harassment settlements, although he did not specify the details. Under current law, taxpayers often foot the bill when lawmakers are found liable for harassment and a payout is provided to a victim.

The House and Senate combined have paid millions to victims of sexual harassment and other workplace complaints. The House passed legislation in February holding lawmakers liable for sexual harassment settlements.

https:// www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/senate-plans-vote-to-hold-lawmakers-liable-for-sexual-harassment-settlements

Trump blames predecessors for 'dereliction of duty' during past trade talks with China

President Trump on Tuesday accused his predecessors of a “dereliction of duty” during prior trade negotiations with China and other countries, but made it clear he is still not pleased with how his own administration’s trade talks with China last week went.

“I think they’re a start, but we need something. Look, China has been — I really call it a dereliction of duties, if you look at it. In the military they say it's a dereliction of duty. What happened to our country that our representatives allowed other countries — I'm not just talking about China, China is the big one — to take advantage of us on trade the way we’ve been taken advantage of,” the president told reporters during a meeting in the Oval Office with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The president said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping have a “great relationship,” but acknowledged his counterpart is a “world class poker player.”

“As I said, we lost $500 billion a year for many years. And then it varied from $100 billion to $500 billion. When you are losing $500 billion a year, you can't lose in terms of a negotiation. It's really easy to win,” Trump said. “But I want this to be a great deal for the United States. I want it to be a good deal for China, too, if that is possible. It may not be possible.”

The president said China has made a “fortune” through trade and said he is “not satisfied” with the trade discussions as they have progressed thus far.

“We have a long way to go, but I want it to go fairly quickly. You talk about numbers like you are talking about billions of dollars a week,” Trump said.

Top officials in the Trump administration, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, met last week with the trade delegation from China, led by the country’s top economic adviser Liu He.

The president met briefly with Liu He during the delegation’s visit to Washington.

https:// www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-blames-predecessors-for-dereliction-of-duty-during-past-trade-talks-with-china

>>1507748

Sounds like they are nervous about burning their last bridge.

>>1507814

Why are you here if this is such rubbish? You being here make you look foolish.