International
US congressman, wife charged with $600,000 bribe tied to Azerbaijan, Mexican bank
US congressman, wife charged with $600,000 bribe tied to Azerbaijan, Mexican bank
US congressman Henry Cuellar and his wife have been charged with accepting around $600,000 (£478,000) in bribes, the justice department says.
It is alleged the couple corruptly received money from an Azerbaijani government-owned oil company and a Mexican bank.
The Texas Democrat has denied the charges in a statement.
The couple were bailed after appearing in court in Houston. If found guilty, they could face decades in prison.
“I want to be clear that both my wife and I are innocent of these allegations,” Mr Cuellar, 68, said on Friday.
The couple are each charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud, money laundering and violating a ban on acting as agents of a foreign organisation.
The justice department said bribes were laundered from 2014-21 via a series of “sham consulting contracts” through middlemen and front companies owned by Imelda Cuellar, 67.
In exchange for the money, the indictment alleges Mr Cuellar agreed to influence US foreign policy in favour of Azerbaijan and push measures beneficial to the bank headquartered in Mexico City, including changes to money-laundering laws and attempts to block regulation of the payday lending industry.
The Cuellars allegedly used the proceeds from the bribery schemes to pay off a number of debts and make purchases for their family.
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Among the outgoings were more than $58,000 (£46,000) on credit card payments, some $11,000 in car payments, $18,000 at wholesale stores and $12,000 for a custom gown, according to the indictment.
Senator Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, faces similar charges. He and his wife are accused of taking bribes in exchange for the senator using his influence to benefit the governments of Egypt and Qatar.
In the statement released by his office, Mr Cuellar vowed to keep campaigning for re-election in November.
“Before I took any action, I proactively sought legal advice from the House Ethics Committee, who gave me more than one written opinion, along with an additional opinion from a national law firm,” he said.
“The actions I took in Congress were consistent with the actions of many of my colleagues and in the interest of the American people.”
Mr Cuellar was a lawyer and former customs broker before entering politics. He was first elected to Congress in 2004 and is a former co-chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus.
Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic party leader in the House of Representatives, said Mr Cuellar would take a leave of absence from his post on a homeland security subcommittee while the case continues.
Mr Cuellar’s home and campaign office in Laredo were raided in January 2022.
Authorities said at the time the raid was part of a federal investigation into Azerbaijan and US businessmen who have links to the country.
Mr Cuellar is widely considered a centrist and has been described as the lone anti-abortion House Democrat.
In 2022, he narrowly survived a primary challenge from a progressive candidate, Jessica Cisneros, who once worked as an intern in his office.
US congressman, wife charged with $600,000 bribe tied to Azerbaijan, Mexican bank
BBC
International
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullahi Shawesh, on Thursday, May 16, lambasted the Western World for clamping down on student protesters who were expressing solidarity and sympathy with his country.
He stressed that the arrest and clampdown on protesters negates the Western world’s stand as promoters of freedom of speech.
He said: “When college students express their solidarity and sympathy with the Palestinians, it is labelled as hate speech and anti-Semitism. These students are beaten and harshly treated. Threatened with expulsion from universities, severe sanctions in the future, imprisonment, and facing trial.
“This is the exact meaning of hypocrisy and double standards.”
Shawesh who gave a review of the 223-day battle between the Israeli forces and Hamas, said no fewer than 45,091 Palestinians have been killed, including 15,103 children and 9,961 women.
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He also said the battle has consumed 142 journalists and 492 medical staff.
The envoy said no fewer than 10,000 persons have been declared missing.
He added: “78,404 wounded and injured, with 72% of the victims being children and women. 17,000 children live without one or both of their parents.”
Beside the human casualties, Shawesh also listed a number of destructions recorded, which include “243 mosques destroyed and 321 partially damaged. 3 Churches targeted and destroyed, 86,000 housing units completely destroyed and 294,000 partially damaged. 103 schools and universities destroyed. 206 archaeological and heritage sites destroyed, 75,000 tons of explosives materials dropped on Gaza.
“33 hospitals along with 54 health centres were taken out of service. A total of 160 health institutions and 126 ambulances were targeted by the Israeli occupation.”
He said the state of infrastructure devastation has forced 11,000 wounded people to travel for treatment to undergo operations.
He also said that no fewer than “10,000 cancer patients face death due to the lack of medical treatment. 1,095,000 are infected with infectious diseases as a result of displacement. 20,000 cases of viral hepatitis infection due to displacement. Tens of thousands of pregnant women are at risk due to a lack of access to healthcare. There have been 310 cases of health personnel being arrested.”
Palestinian envoy lambasts US for arresting protesters
International
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
The United Kingdom is making strides in military technology, developing a cutting-edge weapon using radio waves to counter drones.
Known as the Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), this innovative system utilizes radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components of enemy vehicles and drones, halting their operations or causing them to fall out of the sky.
Operable across land, air, and sea, the RFDEW boasts a range of up to 1 kilometre, with potential for future extensions. Its development follows UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s commitment to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
With an estimated cost of 0.10 Pounds (0.12 dollars) per radio waveshot, the RFDEW offers a cost-effective alternative to conventional missiles and holds promise for effectively countering drone swarms.
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Utilizing a mobile power source, the technology generates pulses of radio frequency energy in a directed beam, capable of delivering sequenced shots to single or multiple targets. It can be mounted on various military vehicles, enhancing flexibility and adaptability on the battlefield.
Minister of State for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge highlighted the significance of such advancements in enhancing the effectiveness and safety of UK armed forces. He emphasized the importance of defending against unmanned systems, especially in light of recent global conflicts.
The RFDEW system will undergo rigorous testing with British soldiers during summer. Developed under Project Hersa by a collaborative team from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), in partnership with UK industry, this technology represents a significant leap in military capability.
DSTL chief executive Paul Hollinshead underscored the transformative impact of such systems, emphasizing their potential to provide decisive operational advantages and enhance national security. He credited decades of research, expertise, and investment in science and technology for enabling the development of world-class capabilities like the RFDEW.
UK says it’s developing radio frequency to blast out drones
International
Just in: In assassination attempt, Slovakia’s Prime Minister shot multiple times
Just in: In assassination attempt, Slovakia’s Prime Minister shot multiple times
Robert Fico, Slovakia’s prime minister, has been taken to hospital in a “life-threatening condition” after he was shot multiple times on Wednesday.
According to his official social media account, the 59-year-old leader was hit in the abdomen outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova.
Police have detained a suspect. There was no immediate information on the motive.
Reuters reported Zuzana Caputova, President of Slovakia, as condemning the “brutal and ruthless” attack on Fico.
She said in a televised statement, “A physical attack on the prime minister is, first of all, an attack on a person, but it is also an attack on democracy.”
The Russian ambassador to Slovakia Igor Bratchikov also condemned the shooting of Fico.
“I strongly condemn this act of violence and express my conviction of the necessity of punishment for the perpetrators,” Bratchikov said in a letter to Fico that the Russian embassy shared on its Facebook page.
Fico, a third-time premier with the left-wing Smer (Direction) party, won Slovakia’s September 30 parliamentary elections, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro-Russian and anti-American message.
