(HARTFORD, Conn.) — U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut says the Russian government has denied him a visa to enter the country.

The Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Tuesday he had planned to be part of an upcoming bipartisan congressional delegation. Murphy has described himself as a “tough critic” of Russia.

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin planned to be part of the same group and announced Monday that he was also denied a visa. Johnson said he had planned to speak with government officials, American businesses and others during his trip. The Republican is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation.

A news release from Johnson’s office didn’t say when he had planned to visit Russia or name the other members of the congressional delegation. Johnson spokesman Aaren Johnson said the trip had been planned for next week and the delegation had planned to visit several countri..

(GENEVA) — Countries have agreed to limit the controversial sale of wild elephants caught in Zimbabwe and Botswana, to the delight of conservationists but the dismay of some of the African countries involved.

Wildlife experts say the Tuesday vote at a conference in Geneva on trade in endangered species known as CITES is a “momentous win” for elephants because it restricts their sale to zoos.

The European Union tweaked the language of the resolution to reach a compromise that limits exports of live elephants outside of Africa but allows for some exceptions relevant to Europe. Conservationists explained, for example, this would allow for an elephant already in France to be shipped to nearby Germany without having to be sent back to Africa first.

But the new resolution means zoos will no longer be able to import wild-caught African elephants to the U.S., China and many other countries beyond the elephants’ natural habitat. The resolution passed by a vote of 87 in favor, 29 against and ..