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U.S. NEWS Saturday 26 auguSt 2017
White House imposes sweeping sanctions on Venezuela

By FABIOLA SANCHEZ drew quick rebuke from
JOSHUA GOODMAN Venezuela’s government,
Associated Press with Foreign Minister Jorge
W A S H I N G T O N / C A R A - Arreaza calling them the
CAS, Venezuela (AP) — worst aggression against
The Trump administration the country in two centu-
slapped sweeping finan- ries.
cial sanctions on Venezu- “What do they want —
ela on Friday, dramatically they want to starve the
ratcheting up tensions be- Venezuelan people?” Ar-
tween the two countries reaza told reporters at the
and making it harder for United Nations after meet-
embattled President Nico- ing with Secretary General
las Maduro to raise badly Antonio Guterres.
needed cash to prevent a He said his government
debt default. would fight the measures
The sanctions, which Trump with all of its diplomatic
signed by executive order, and economic strength,
prohibit American financial but also blamed members
institutions from providing of the opposition — some
new money to the govern- of whom expressed satis-
ment or the state oil com- faction with the U.S. action
pany, PDVSA. — for conspiring to bring
They also restrict the Ven- further hardships on the
ezuelan oil giant’s U.S. sub- National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster listens at left as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Venezuelan economy.q
sidiary, Citgo, from sending speaks during the news briefing at the White House in Washington, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017.
dividends back to Venezu- (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
ela and ban trading in two to facilitate the wholesale
bonds the government re- looting of the Venezuelan
cently issued to circumvent economy at the expense
its increasing isolation from of the Venezuelan peo-
Western financial markets. ple,” Treasury Secretary
“Maduro may no longer Steven Mnuchin said at
take advantage of the the White House.
American financial system The financial sanctions

Pentagon expects to soon ban

recruiting transgender people

By ROBERT BURNS guidance is expected to
AP National Security Writer put a stop to recruitment
WASHINGTON (AP) — The of transgender individuals
Pentagon expects to re- and prohibit the use of fed-
new a ban on transgen- eral funds to pay for sexual
der individuals joining the reassignment surgery. But it
military and to consider cir- would give Defense Secre-
cumstances in which some tary Jim Mattis six months to
currently serving transgen- determine circumstances
der troops could remain in which those currently in
in uniform, officials said Fri- uniform who are openly
day. transgender might be per-
The new approach would mitted to continue serving.
be based on formal guid- The Wall Street Journal first
ance the Pentagon is ex- reported the new guid-
pecting to receive soon ance Wednesday.
from the White House. Only one year ago, in June
The guidance, as de- 2016, then-Defense Secre-
scribed by an official famil- tary Ash Carter announced
iar with its contents but not that transgender individu-
authorized to discuss them als could serve openly for
publicly, appears to be less the first time. Prior to that,
rigid than the complete most transgender people
ban that President Don- in the military had been
ald Trump announced last forced to keep their sta-
month in a tweet. Trump tus secret to avoid being
had said the federal gov- discharged. Since Cart-
ernment “will not accept er’s policy change, some
or allow” transgender indi- troops — possibly a couple
viduals to serve “in any ca- hundred — have openly
pacity” in the military. declared their status as
The official said the new transgender individuals.q