U.S. wants Qatar to challenge Russian gas in Europe -U.S. official Rania El Gamal and Eric Knecht Published 15 Mins Ago Reuters * U.S. talks with Doha to supply Germany with LNG -official * Qatar to invest $20 bln in U.S. LNG terminal, energy assets * U.S. warns German firms of sanctions over Russian pipeline * Talks with Riyadh, Kuwait over Neutral Zone oil resumption DUBAI/DOHA, Jan 14 (Reuters) - The United States wants Qatar, the world's top liquefied natural gas supplier, to challenge Russia's gas dominance in Europe, a U.S. administration official said on Monday. Deputy U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette told Reuters that the United States is talking with Doha about supplying Europe with LNG as it wants Germany and other countries to import Qatari and U.S. gas rather than from Russia, which now accounts for 60 percent of German gas imports. The United States has warned German companies about possible sanctions over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline under construction which will double Russia's export capacity to Germany via the Baltic Sea.. Germany is Europe's biggest energy consumer. Brouillette, speaking in Doha, said he had discussed the issue with Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad al-Kaabi, who is also chief executive of Qatar Petroleum (QP). "We are talking to Minister Kaabi here about other markets, specifically Europe, to the extent that we can talk to the Qataris about supplying European markets with natural gas," he said in an interview. "They are very much interested in that and so are we it's very connected to deliberations with others we have around Nord Stream 2." He said Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would increase the dependency of Germany and Europe on Russian gas, but that Germany had recently decided to help fund LNG import facilities that could offset that dependence. Kaabi told Reuters last month that QP is looking to invest at least $20 billion in the United States over the coming few years and he expected to make a final decision on its investment in the Golden Pass LNG terminal in Texas soon. QP is majority owner of the Golden Pass LNG terminal, with Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips holding smaller stakes. "The Qatari investments in the Golden Pass, and in the U.S. export facilities are very important to allow us to get that natural gas to Europe," Brouillette said. U.S. President Donald Trump in July accused Germany of being a "captive" of Russia due to its energy reliance and urged it to halt work on the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Germany rejects this charge and says it is open to diversifying its energy sources but that sales will ultimately be determined on economic grounds. Brouillette acknowledged that LNG would cost more than piped gas but said that LNG supplies from Qatar and other countries would help diversify supply sources to Europe. "It is good for the national security of Europe," he said. "Cheap gas comes at a high price of freedom." In September, Qatar said it would invest 10 billion euros ($11.6 billion) to strengthen its ties with Germany over the next five years, including the possible creation of a LNG terminal. Brouilette also said that the U.S. is talking with both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to encourage both Gulf allies to resolve a lingering issue over resuming oil production at jointly operated oilfields. The two OPEC countries halted output from the jointly run oilfields - Khafji and Wafra - in the so-called Neutral Zone more than three years ago, cutting some 500,000 barrels per day or 0.5 percent of global oil supply. "We have had some conversations with the Kuwaitis and the Saudis about this. My understanding is they made some progress on the offshore fields," he said. "They were getting closer to resolving the matter." (Editing by Jason Neely)
News from the Detroit Auto Show. Volkswagen to invest $800 mln, build new electric vehicle in U.S. David Shepardson Published 6 Mins Ago Reuters DETROIT, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG said on Monday it is investing $800 million to build a new electric vehicle at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as it shifts toward zero emission vehicles. The German automaker, in an announcement at the Detroit Auto Show, said it is adding 1,000 new jobs and electric vehicle production in Tennessee will begin in 2022. German automakers have been under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to increase their investments in the United States. "We obviously think electric vehicles are going to play a more and more prominent role," said Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, who took part in the announcement. Volkswagen said in November it planned to assemble electric vehicles at a plant in North America, but had not decided which one. (Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe) _____________________________________ Edit: And even more winning. VOLKSWAGEN CONSIDERING BUILDING AUDI MODELS IN THE UNITED STATES BUT HAS NOT YET MADE A DECISION -- VW CEO DIESS Published 1 Min Ago Reuters VOLKSWAGEN CONSIDERING BUILDING AUDI MODELS IN THE UNITED STATES BUT HAS NOT YET MADE A DECISION -- VW CEO DIESS
U.S. and Taliban Agree in Principle to Peace Framework, Envoy Says Afghan Army troops, left, and American soldiers attacking a Taliban firing position in 2013.CreditCreditBryan Denton for The New York Times By Mujib Mashal Jan. 28, 2019 KABUL, Afghanistan — American and Taliban officials have agreed in principle to the framework of a peace deal in which the insurgents guarantee to prevent Afghan territory from being used by terrorists, and that could lead to a full pullout of American troops in return for a cease-fire and Taliban talks with the Afghan government, the chief United States negotiator said Monday. “We have a draft of the framework that has to be fleshed out before it becomes an agreement,” the American envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, said in an interview with The New York Times in Kabul. “The Taliban have committed, to our satisfaction, to do what is necessary that would prevent Afghanistan from ever becoming a platform for international terrorist groups or individuals.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/world/asia/taliban-peace-deal-afghanistan.html
South Korea signs deal to pay more for U.S. troops after Trump demand Hyonhee Shin, Josh Smith 4 Min Read SEOUL (Reuters) - Officials signed a short-term agreement on Sunday to boost South Korea’s contribution toward the upkeep of U.S. troops on the peninsula, after a previous deal lapsed amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for the South to pay more. FILE PHOTO: U.S. army soldiers take part in a military exercise at a training field near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas in Paju, South Korea, February 7, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji About 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, where the United States has maintained a military presence since the 1950-53 Korean War. The new deal must still be approved by South Korea’s parliament, but it would boost its contribution to 1.03 trillion won ($890 million) from 960 billion won in 2018.
We are negotiating with the Taliban to recognize them as though they deserve to exist as an equal political party at the table....? If Taliban "agree" to no more terrorism we will pull out all troops. How big a tube of vaseline are the Taliban using to fuck us over? We should not negotiate with terrorists (every GOP candidate ever) but this is acceptable?
Democrats only focused to attacking President Donald Trump and harassing him with multiple investigations to put him in a bad light. 2020 is about a year away but, what are they going to say in the Presidential debates assuming Donald Trump is the Republican nominee and Hillary Clinton is the Democrat nominee? What have the Democrats done in the 4 years President Trump has been in power? Nada. Zilch. Zero. Donald Trump can dunk that on Hillary Clinton's head and what will her defense be?
Tell us why the Democrats so badly underperformed in taking seats in the House on a historical basis. Tell us why the Democrats performed so badly in the Senate elections that Republicans now have 53 seats.
Explain to me how you gerrymander the Senate? And BTW the majority of gerrymandered seats in the House are from Democratic states. Take a look at Maryland for instance.