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☆ Fact check: Biden repeats his claim that he ‘got arrested’ defending civil rights. There’s still no evidence for it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

As in the past, Biden told the story on Friday while recounting what his mother supposedly said while urging him to accept Barack Obama’s 2008 offer to be his running mate. His mom, he said, did not want him to turn down a man who was vying to become the first Black president. No other Biden memoir, either, says he was arrested at such a protest. They include the false claim that he “used to drive an 18-wheeler” and the false claim that he has never earned $400,000 in a year. After media outlets found no evidence of such an arrest, Biden told CNN that he had been “stopped” in South Africa but did not mean to say arrested.

Persons: Joe Biden, Howard Stern, “, ”, Biden, Barack, Stern, ‘ Joey, —, PolitiFact, Oprah Winfrey, Winfrey, you’d, Biden’s, Nelson Mandela, Mandela Organizations: Washington CNN, Washington Post, Wilmington News, CNN Locations: Delaware, Wilmington, African, ”, South Africa

☆ Opinion: $95 billion Israel-Ukraine aid package gives Biden huge leverage. He should use it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Opinion Mark Hannah | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The $95 billion military aid package President Joe Biden signed Wednesday was a feat of tough-minded negotiation to get funding to Ukraine and Israel after months of congressional horse-trading. But if the aid inflates those countries’ war aims, it could discourage the kind of tough-minded negotiation that is the only way to end their wars. The new infusion of aid gives the US a lot of leverage with Ukraine and Israel. However, the recent aid package includes long-range missiles, or ATACMS, which suggests Ukraine is readying an offensive against Crimea. In Israel, putting conditions on military aid is a better idea.

Persons: Mark Hannah, Joe Biden, Mark Hannah Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Mark Milley, “, —, Israel, Biden, George W, Bush, Putin, Ukraine’s, Biden judiciously, Netanyahu, Henry Kissinger, Golda Meir, Kissinger, ” Kissinger, Russia shouldn’t Organizations: Institute for Global Affairs, Eurasia Group, CNN, Wednesday, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Palestinian Authority, Abrams Tanks, Crimea, Israel, Twitter Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Crimea, Washington, Ukrainian, Russia, Gaza, United States, Kippur, Tel Aviv, Soviet

☆ Federal Student Aid head Richard Cordray, tasked with FAFSA rollout, to step down
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Katie Lobosco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington CNN —The head of the Federal Student Aid office, which has faced criticism for the botched rollout of this year’s college financial aid form, will be stepping down. The announcement of Cordray’s departure comes as his office has been under fire for problems with a new version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, released late last year. “If there was a financial aid director, or even a college president, that delayed financial aid on their campus for up to six months, the professional price that would be paid for that would be pretty steep,” Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, told lawmakers. Cordray’s tenureAs the head of FSA, Cordray oversaw not only the FAFSA but also the entire $1.6 trillion federal student loan system. It also sued Navient, one of the biggest federal student loan servicers, for allegedly processing payments incorrectly.

Persons: Richard Cordray, Cordray, Justin Draeger, Virginia Foxx, Miguel Cardona, Cordray’s, Rich Cordray’s, ” Cardona, “, Rich, Obama, ” Cordray, Pell, Biden, Trump, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren —, Navient, “ I’m, ” Warren Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal, Aid, CNN, Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Education, Workforce, National Association of Student Financial, Republican Rep, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Democratic, National College, of Education, Public, Consumer Financial, Massachusetts, Corinthian Colleges Locations: North Carolina, Ohio

☆ How the Black Opry is helping elevate artists of color in country music
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Before there was conversation over whether Beyoncé is country enough for country music, there was the Black Opry, holding space for music lovers and artists of color in the genre. “I’m super, super excited about that because that’s the single piece that’s been really, really difficult for us to figure out. Courtesy BeyoncéHolly G. started the Black Opry in an attempt to find country fans of color, who like her, did not feel welcomed. “I try to be careful to make the distinction when I talk about country music, between country music and the mainstream industry and country music the art form and genre,” she said. “I got my first tour with Sara Shook & the Disarmers and Joshua Ray Walker thanks to the Black Opry,” Vance told CNN.

Persons: CNN FlashDocs, Max, Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter, ”, Holly G, “, it’s, They’ve, Aaron Vance, Mickey Guyton, Darius Rucker, Kane Brown, Vance, Sara Shook, Joshua Ray Walker, ” Vance, It’s, he’s Organizations: CNN, Nashville’s, Black Opry, The, Opry Locations: Beyoncé, Nashville, Mississippi

☆ Read Everest-scaling mountaineer George Mallory’s last letters, digitized for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest, leading up to the last days before he disappeared while heading for its peak. Mallory’s words, however, are now available to read online in their entirety for the first time. The college will display a selection of Mallory’s letters and possessions in the exhibit “George Mallory: Magdalene to the Mountain,” opening June 20. APThe Everest letters outline Mallory’s meticulous preparations and equipment tests, and his optimism about their prospects. Magdalene College/APOther letters Mallory exchanged with Ruth were written at the time of their courtship, while he was serving in Britain’s artillery regiment during World War I.

Persons: CNN — George Mallory, Mallory, Andrew Irvine, George Mallory, Magdalene, Irvine, Ruth, ” Mallory, ”, Katy Green, ” Green, “, Green, Jochen Hemmleb, alpinist, Hemmleb, —, Conrad Anker, Anker, Sir George Everest, Noel Odell, Odell, ” Hemmleb, Tenzing Norgay, Sir Edmund Hillary, ” Anker, Edward Norton, Edward Norton’s, ‘, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, Magdalene College , Cambridge, College, Magdalene College, AP, Irvine Research Expedition, Royal Geographical Society, Everest, Geographical Society, Scientific Locations: Nepal, Mallory, Irvine, Tibet, China, India, Everest’s, British, summiting

☆ Doctors warn they’re seeing syphilis patients with unusual and severe symptoms
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Disease detectives in Chicago say they have been seeing a worrisome trend: Patients complaining of unusual symptoms like vision and eye problems, headaches and hearing loss or dizziness caused by the sexually transmitted infection syphilis. More than two-thirds of these patients (68%) lacked typical syphilis symptoms, like a rash or chancre sore, that might tip doctors off to the infection. Syphilis cases are surging across the US. In 2022, there were more than 207,000 syphilis cases reported, the highest number since the 1950s, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “There could just be an increase in untreated or inadequately treated patients, which is leading to more severe outcomes of syphilis,” Nham said.

Persons: ”, Amy Nham, Nham, “ They’re, —, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, ” Nham Organizations: CNN —, Intelligence Service Conference, Chicago Department of Public Health, US Centers for Disease Control, CNN, CNN Health, CDC Locations: Chicago, Atlanta

☆ Aya Nakamura: The most streamed female Francophone artist has become a target in France’s culture wars ahead of Paris 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Bea Adeleke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Aya Nakamura was born in the former French colony of Mali, raised in France and is widely considered the most streamed female Francophone artist in the world. However, ahead of Paris 2024, Nakamura finds herself at the center of France’s culture wars. Aya Nakamura attends the Kenzo Menswear Fall-Winter 2023-2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 20, 2023 in Paris, France. “I think that the people who criticize her actually don’t accept that she embodies France,” French activist Rokhaya Diallo told CNN. Politicians such as Le Pen hailed the legislation as an “ideological victory” whilst French health Minister, Aurelien Rousseau resigned in protest.

Persons: Aya Nakamura, Nakamura, Edith Piaf, Piaf, “, ”, I’m, Rachida, Kenzo, Pascal Le Segretain, Marion Maréchal, Marine Le, Rokhaya Diallo, ” Nakamura, ’, le, Geoffroy Van Der, Emanuel Macron, Nakamura “, Le Pen, Vincent Martigny, Thomas Samson, Marion Marechal, Emmanuel Dunand, Martigny, Diallo, Zinedine Zidane, ” Diallo, ‘, Oliver Roy, Reynaud Julien, Macron, Aurelien Rousseau Organizations: CNN, France’s, of Culture, Rally, Blacks, Rassemblement National, Getty, Olympic Aquatics, France Inter, Science, University of Nice, National Assembly, soccer team, Paris Olympic, Le, Palais des Sports, EUI, of Transnational Governance, Twitter, APS, France, BMFTV, RMC Locations: Mali, France, French, Paris, Bamako, Europe, ”, Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt, AFP, Rassemblement, Ukraine, North, Carhaix

☆ John Roberts isn’t happy with previous ruling against Trump – what happens now?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But the cagey chief justice made some points abundantly clear. And whatever the staggering facts of the election subversion allegations against Trump, they are not his concern here. Further, when he is in the majority, Roberts has the power, as chief justice, to determine who writes the opinion. In past high-profile disputes involving Trump, Roberts has kept the pen for himself. Whenever Dreeben tried to return to allegations of fraud, obstruction and other crimes against Trump, conservative justices swept them away.

Persons: John Roberts, Donald Trump, Roberts, who’d, Trump, he’s, ” Roberts, Michael Dreeben, Jack Smith, Ronald Reagan, Jane Sullivan Roberts, Patrick Jackson, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, John Sauer, Sauer, Dreeben, Samuel Alito, Alito, “, It’s, ” Dreeben, ”, I’m Organizations: CNN, Trump, Court, DC Circuit US, Appeals, United Locations: United States

☆ Blinken tells CNN the US has seen evidence of China attempting to influence upcoming US elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Beijing CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US has seen evidence of Chinese attempts to “influence and arguably interfere” with the upcoming US elections, despite an earlier commitment from leader Xi Jinping not to do so. Then, Xi had pledged that that China would not do so, according to CNN reporting. The US believes that Chinese support is enabling Russia to ramp up production of tanks, munitions and armored vehicles – and to continue its onslaught on Ukraine. Instead, they characterized this as trade with Russia and said Moscow’s success didn’t depend on China, Blinken added. He also stressed the importance of such expression in democracies, without explicitly noting the lack of such freedoms in China.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Blinken, Kylie Atwood, Xi, Joe Biden, ” Blinken, Biden, —, Russia Blinken, Wang Yi, ”, who’ve, we’ve, it’s, that’s, Jennifer Hansler Organizations: Beijing CNN —, Moscow, CNN, Biden, Russia, “, Israel Locations: Beijing, China, American, San Francisco, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, Israel, Palestinian, Saudi Arabia

☆ Biden says he’s happy to debate Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Kevin Liptak | Betsy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden said he will debate former President Donald Trump ahead of this year’s election, the clearest declaration yet of his willingness to face-off with his Republican rival before voters cast ballots in November. I don’t know when,” Biden said when asked by interviewer Howard Stern whether he planned to debate his predecessor. “I’m happy to debate him.”It’s the first time Biden has said explicitly he would debate Trump in this election cycle. Some of Biden’s aides have questioned whether Trump would abide by established rules in any potential debate, and before Friday his campaign hadn’t set out any specific debate plan. Biden had responded to Trump’s calls for earlier debates in February, telling reporters: “If I were him, I’d want him to debate me, too.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Still, Biden, “, ” Biden, Howard Stern, ”, Trump, Biden’s, hadn’t, I’d, He’s, Trump’s, Chris LaCivita, Stern, Jeff Zients, Karine Jean, Pierre, Ben LaBolt, Stern pontificated, haven’t, Jeb, George W, Bush, Neilia Hunter, –, ‘, ’ ” Stern, you’ve, it’s, Biden misspoke, “ Trump, “ Nixon ”, Sen, Barack Obama, Jill Biden, you’ll, ’, you’re Organizations: Washington CNN, Republican, ABC News, Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, SPAN, Fox News, NBC, Univision, NPR, PBS, USA, Republican National, White, “ Locations: Texas , Virginia, Utah, Nassau, Delaware, Scranton

☆ What the pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses actually want
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Matt Egan | Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“We are not going anywhere until our demands are met,” Khymani James, a student at Columbia University, said during a news briefing Wednesday. Student demonstrators occupy the pro-Palestinian "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on the West Lawn of Columbia University on April 24, 2024 in New York City. The Columbia protesters are also calling for the university to “disclose and sever all ties” with the New York Police Department. For example, Columbia protesters want the university to sever ties with the school’s center in Tel Aviv and a dual degree program with Tel Aviv University. New York University protesters use the school’s Tel Aviv center as a rallying cry as well.

Persons: ” Khymani James, Michael M, “, Mike Johnson, Charlie Eaton, ”, It’s, Mark Yudof, it’s, ” Yudof, Yudof, he’s, Jonathan Macey, Macey, ” Lauren Post, don’t, Cary Krosinsky, Lockheed Martin, Basil Rodriguez, Rodriguez, ” Rodriguez, John Towfighi Organizations: New, New York CNN — College, Hamas, Universities, Columbia University, Student, Lawn of Columbia University, Getty, University of Southern, ”, Princeton University, Ivy League, Columbia University Apartheid, Columbia, New York Police Department, Students, Tel Aviv University . New York University, Republican, University of California, “ Bankers, Yale Law School, Defamation League, Post, ADL, Yudof, BDS, Universities don’t, Yale, Lockheed, Raytheon, CNN Locations: New York, America, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, New York City, University of Southern California, Harlem, Columbia, Tel Aviv, South Africa, Merced, Ivory, Iran, Russia

☆ As ‘Alien’ turns 45, those screams still echo through space and time
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —“In space, no one can hear you scream.”“Alien” premiered with that memorable advertising line in June 1979. I went to see “Alien” on its opening weekend with my older brother, knowing relatively little about it. Driving to the Avco cinemas in Westwood near UCLA, we immediately noticed the long line for tickets wrapping around the theater and heading down the block. Yaphet Kotto, Sigourney Weaver and Ian Holm in "Alien." Yet in the 1970s, with films like “Jaws,” “Star Wars” and “Alien,” they seemed to emerge almost organically, yielding screams, either of delight or horror, that, like those memories, have echoed across space and time.

Persons: CNN —, “, Ridley Scott’s, Ellen Ripley, Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, Ian Holm, –, thrall, Ripley, Romulus, ”, James Cameron’s Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Times, Avco, UCLA, Fox, Hollywood Locations: Westwood

☆ Opinion | Salman Rushdie Is Not Who You Think He Is
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I feel as if I’ve always known who Salman Rushdie is. In August of 2022, more than 30 years after the fatwa, a fanatic with a knife attacked and tried to kill Rushdie. His latest book, “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,” is about the attack and its aftermath. This is what I now understand after reading “Knife,” what I now understand after I went and read, for the first time, “The Satanic Verses”: I have never known who Salman Rushdie is. How many people out there do I wrongly think that I know?

Persons: “, Ezra Klein, I’ve, Salman Rushdie, ”, Ruhollah Khomeini, Rushdie, it’s, It’s Organizations: Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Locations: Iran

☆ Trent Alexander-Arnold: ‘Win the trophy. That’s what we can achieve,’ says Liverpool star of England’s chances at Euro 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Zayn Nabbi | Darren Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold says that the England squad will head to Euro 2024 believing it can win the European Championship in Germany this summer. Speaking to CNN’s Senior Sports Analyst Darren Lewis, the Three Lions defender was bullish about England’s chances at the Euros. That’s what we can achieve,” said Alexander-Arnold. It’s the furthest thing from arrogance, but you have to have confidence and believe you can win it, otherwise you can’t. “I would say midfield, I think, in an England shirt,” said Alexander-Arnold, who usually plays for Liverpool in defense as a right-back.

Persons: Trent Alexander, Arnold, Darren Lewis, ”, Alexander, “, we’ve, we’ll, We’ll, ” Alexander, Arnold hasn’t, Gareth Southgate, Southgate, Eddie Keogh, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, I’ve, – Organizations: CNN, Liverpool, England, European, Three Lions, “, Premier League, Fulham, Real Madrid’s, Lions Locations: Germany, Merseyside, England, George's Park, “, Italy, Qatar

☆ CEOs of OpenAI, Google and Microsoft to join other tech leaders on federal AI safety panel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —The US government has asked leading artificial intelligence companies for advice on how to use the technology they are creating to defend airlines, utilities and other critical infrastructure, particularly from AI-powered attacks. The Department of Homeland Security said Friday that the panel it’s creating will include CEOs from some of the world’s largest companies and industries. The list includes Google chief executive Sundar Pichai, Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, but also the head of defense contractors such as Northrop Grumman and air carrier Delta Air Lines. It also includes federal, state and local government officials, as well as leading academics in AI such as Fei-Fei Li, co-director of Stanford University’s Human-centered Artificial Intelligence Institute. The US government already uses machine learning or artificial intelligence for more than 200 distinct purposes, such as monitoring volcano activity, tracking wildfires and identifying wildlife from satellite imagery.

Persons: Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, Northrop Grumman, ”, Alejandro Mayorkas, Fei Li, Joe Biden Organizations: Washington CNN, Department of Homeland Security, Google, Microsoft, Delta Air Lines, DHS, “, Amazon Web Services, IBM, Cisco, ’, Civil, Stanford, Intelligence, Safety, Security

They call it an encirclement of their nation and say the United States is trying to constrain its main economic and military rival. The United States also has a new security agreement with Papua New Guinea. On Wednesday, Mr. Biden signed a $95-billion supplemental military aid and spending bill that Congress had just passed and that includes $8.1 billion to counter China in the region. In addition, the United States continues to send weapons and Green Beret trainers to Taiwan, a de facto independent island and the biggest flashpoint between the United States and China. A swarm of Chinese militia and Coast Guard vessels chased a Philippine Coast Guard ship in the South China Sea last year.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Biden, Antony J, Blinken, Yuri Gripas, ” Ely Ratner, Xi, ” Kurt Campbell, Joseph Wu, ”, “, Samuel J, Paparo Jr, Mr, Paparo, Carl Vinson, Richard A, Brooks, Trump, Lloyd J, Austin III, Chen Jining, Jes Aznar, David H, Berger, Obama, Tony Mcdonough, United States —, Admiral Paparo, China’s “ revanchist, we’re Organizations: Australian, U.S, Marines, United, Pentagon, Corps, Mr, White House, White, The New York Times, American, Marine, Green, China’s, Liberation Army, Seoul SOUTH, Pacific Command, People’s Liberation Army, Agence France, Nuclear Forces Treaty, Defense, Communist Party, Tokyo Okinawa, U.S . Navy, Coast Guard, Philippine Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Army, Philippines Luzon Partner, Australia Darwin Potential, NATO, Tomahawk Locations: Beijing, United States, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, Asia, Pacific, U.S, China, Shanghai, South China, South Korea, Guam, Washington, Manila, Taipei, People’s Republic of China, Palau, West Papua, Seoul, Tokyo JAPAN CHINA Taipei TAIWAN Hong Kong, GUAM philippines MALAYSIA INDONESIA JAPAN CHINA TAIWAN, philippines GUAM, INDONESIA Seoul, GUAM philippines, MALAYSIA INDONESIA, Philippine, Moscow, Tokyo, Ryukyu Islands, South, Philippines Luzon, Luzon, Spratly, Australia, Canberra, Singapore, Darwin, Australia’s, . North Carolina, Virginia, Perth, United Kingdom, Navy’s, America

☆ Safety regulator probing whether Tesla’s recall of 2 million vehicles with Autopilot was adequate to fix safety threat
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Federal safety regulators said they are investigating whether Tesla’s massive recall in December of essentially all of its vehicles on US roads was sufficient to fix the safety threat posed by its “Autopilot” feature. The recall of 2 million Tesla vehicles was ordered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over a software update that is designed to limit the use of its Autopilot feature. The NHTSA said late Thursday that Tesla’s software update recall requires the owner to opt in and allows a driver to readily reverse it. The software update ordered in December was designed to give Tesla drivers more warnings when they are not paying attention to the road while using the Autopilot’s “Autosteer” function. After the recall, Tesla vehicles with Autosteer turned on were supposed to check on the driver’s attention level more routinely.

Persons: Tesla, Elon, Musk, Autosteer, ” Tesla Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal, National, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, CNN Locations: New York, ”

☆ Europe is beating inflation. Why can’t America declare victory?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Fed aims to keep inflation at 2% over the longer run. Meanwhile, among the 20 countries that use the euro, annual consumer price inflation has slowed steadily since the start of the year. Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said earlier this month that she would favor a rate hike “should progress on inflation stall or even reverse.”So why does the United States appear to have a bigger inflation problem than Europe? Some economists argue there isn’t actually much daylight between the US and European rates of inflation, pointing to a quirk in the US measures. The measure is designed to track inflation in the real estate market while accounting for the fact that most Americans own their homes.

Persons: Michelle Bowman, Paul Donovan, Simon MacAdam, ”, MacAdam, ” Carsten Brzeski, Janet Yellen, Jim Watson, Brzeski, “, ” Davide Oneglia Organizations: London CNN, Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, PCE, UBS Global Wealth Management, Capital Economics, ING, CNN, Monetary Fund, Washington, Reuters, Getty, —, ECB, Lombard Locations: United States, Europe, Centreville , Maryland, AFP, Russia, Ukraine

☆ As pro-Palestinian protests sweep college campuses, student journalists are rushing to the big story and exams
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Hadas Gold | Liam Reilly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Smith is editor-in-chief of The Lantern, Ohio State University’s student-run newspaper, which has scrambled in recent days to cover pro-Palestinian protests roiling the campus. It’s also finals week, and in the coming days the newspaper’s staff will transition to the next year’s staff. And, for many of these student journalists, it’s becoming a seminal moment in their nascent careers. “Given that we’re student journalists, we know the campus and the students here. As pressure mounted on campus, the newspaper mobilized a handful of writers who worked together to cover the protests.

Persons: Arianna Smith, Smith, It’s, ” Smith, it’s, “, We’re, we’re, Anjali Patel, ” Patel, “ We’re, Amelia Kimball, Kimball, Greg Abbott, ” Kimball, CNN’s John Berman, ” Organizations: CNN, Ohio State University’s, Ohio, ”, University of Southern, The Daily, USC, Daily, University of Texas, The Daily Texan, “ Locations: Gaza, Columbus, University of Southern California, Austin, Texas

☆ Middle East Crisis Army Begins Work on Floating Pier Meant to Get More Aid to Gaza, U.S. Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Helene Cooper | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

- [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] More than 200 aid workers have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to the United Nations. Weeks before the World Central Kitchen strike, a logistics coordinator for another American aid group called ANERA returned home after distributing supplies. Mousa Shawa was still wearing his ANERA vest when an Israeli strike hit the house, killing him; his 6-year-old son, Kareem; and several neighbors. “We’ve seen tracers going towards the sea.” At this shelter on January 8, the aid group said a projectile was fired through the building, killing a 5-year-old girl. What went wrong in the deconfliction system is still not clear to the aid group.

Persons: “, misclassification, It’s, ANERA, Shawa, Kareem, Mousa, Dua, they’d, they’ve, —, ” Israel, Israel Organizations: Central Kitchen, Washington , D.C, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations, The Times, Hamas, Times, Munitions, Sky News, International Rescue Committee, Aid, “ Locations: Washington ,, Gaza, Israel, Israeli, ANERA, British, U.S

☆ A Strike Looms in a Battleground State
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

More than 7,000 workers who make trucks and buses at Daimler Truck plants in North Carolina are poised to go on strike at midnight, barring a last-minute breakthrough. The United Automobile Workers, the union that represents the workers, said it was demanding a “historic deal” from the truck maker, including pay raises and more job security. “It’s our generation-defining moment,” Shawn Fain, U.A.W.’s president, said. A strike in North Carolina — a battleground state that has a Democratic governor, but that President Biden narrowly lost in 2020 — could also have repercussions on the 2024 campaign. Biden, who has proclaimed himself the “most pro-union president in history,” has indicated that he could step in aggressively to support the Daimler workers.

Persons: “, ” Shawn Fain, U.A.W, ’, Biden, —, ” Organizations: Daimler, United Automobile Workers, U.S, Democratic Locations: North Carolina, Southern

☆ What Is a ‘Decent Wage’? France’s Michelin Raises a Debate.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Liz Alderman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When the French tire maker Michelin closed its factories during the coronavirus pandemic, Florent Menegaux, the company’s chief executive, took stock of the closures’ impact on employees worldwide. Thousands of workers in Asia, Europe and the United States at the lower end of the company’s pay scales could barely get by, an independent review showed. “If workers are just in survival mode, it’s a big problem,” Mr. Menegaux said in an interview. “When the wealth distribution in a company is too unequal, that’s a problem, too.”The announcement quickly ignited a debate in France over what exactly constitutes a decent wage and whether more French corporations should follow suit. Unions warned that the Michelin pledge would still leave some workers struggling and that it did not come with a guarantee against future layoffs or site closures.

Persons: Florent Menegaux, Mr, Menegaux, “ Organizations: Michelin, Unions Locations: Asia, Europe, United States, France

☆ Biden Delays Ban on Menthol Cigarettes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Christina Jewett | Noah Weiland | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The Biden administration said on Friday that it was delaying a decision on whether to ban menthol cigarettes as federal officials take more time to consider the move. The White House has faced considerable opposition from the big tobacco companies that could lose billions of dollars from the move. But the proposal has also posed risks for President Biden in an election year because of his weakening support among Black voters, some of whom view it as heavy-handed. “This rule has garnered historic attention, and the public comment period has yielded an immense amount of feedback, including from various elements of the civil rights and criminal justice movement,” Xavier Becerra, the health and human services secretary, said in a statement. “It’s clear that there are still more conversations to have, and that will take significantly more time.”

Persons: Biden, ” Xavier Becerra, ” Organizations: Black

Has South Africa Truly Defeated Apartheid? U.S.A., 2020 – 63% U.K., 2019 – 62% 60% 49% 40% 20% 1994 2004 2014 2019 Sources: Collette Schulz-Herzenberg, "The South African non-voter: An analysis"; Konrad Adenaur Stiftung, 2020 (South Africa); Pew Research (United States and U.K.)On a continent where coups, autocrats and flawed elections have become common, South Africa is a widely admired exception. −4% −6% Sources: Harvard Growth Lab analysis of World Economic Outlook (South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa) and World Development Indicators (upper-middle-income countries). 50% unemployment rate 40% Black unemployment rate 30% The unemployment gap between Black and white South Africans remains wide. In 2022, about 6 percent of South Africans aged 18 to 29 were enrolled in higher education, according to Statistics South Africa.

Persons: Nelson Mandela, they’ve, Collette Schulz, Konrad Adenaur Stiftung, —, Walter Sisulu, Joao Silva, New York Times Jack Martins, ”, Mandela’s, Wandile Sihlobo, Johann Kirsten, Sihlobo, Kirsten, haven’t, Zinhle Nene, Peter Mokoena, “, Mokoena, Nokuthula Mabe, Mabe, Jacob Zuma, Chrispin Phiri, Cyril Ramaphosa, Israel, Sibusiso Zikode, Zikode, Mr Organizations: African National Congress, Pew Research, Human Sciences Research, World Bank, Black South, Charter, New York Times, University of Cape Town’s Liberty Institute of Strategic Marketing, Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Economic Empowerment, South, Harvard, Economic, Government, Black, Mr, Stellenbosch University . White, Statistics, Security, JOHANNESBURG Jobs, JOHANNESBURG Sandton Downtown, West University, Education, Statistics South, General Household Survey, of, Stellenbosch University, Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services, Institute for Security Studies, International Court of Justice Locations: Africa, South Africa, Black, States, Soweto, Kliptown, Johannesburg, South, Saharan Africa, Carletonville, JOHANNESBURG, Downtown Soweto, JOHANNESBURG Sandton, JOHANNESBURG Sandton Downtown Soweto, North, Mahikeng, Botswana, Statistics South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, African, Germany, Russia, India, China, Ethiopia, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Ukraine, New York Times South Africa, Gaza, Durban, South Africa’s

☆ Kirk Cousins: Atlanta Falcons pick QB Michael Penix Jr. in NFL Draft. Current starter’s camp ‘had no idea’ of surprise move
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Atlanta Falcons surprised the NFL world on Thursday, selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. They also expressed their excitement in having someone to help them win right now in the former Minnesota Vikings QB, while also being able to build for the future with Penix Jr. Morris said that Cousins’ reaction when he was informed that the team would be selecting Penix Jr. would remain private. The Falcons are hoping a similar tactic works for them, now that Cousins and Penix Jr. are at the franchise. Penix Jr. performs in the 2024 NFL Combine.

Persons: Michael Penix Jr, Kirk Cousins, Cousins, Penix Jr, Mike McCartney, ” McCartney, Mike Garafolo, “, Kirk, Terry Fontenot, Raheem Morris, Morris, Penix, ” Morris, “ It’s, ” Cousins, Mike Stewart, Jordan Love, Aaron Rodgers, Rodgers, grumbled, Love, that’s, Kirby Lee, Kirk’s, Michael, ” Penix, Patrick Mahomes Organizations: CNN, The Atlanta Falcons, NFL, Falcons, Atlanta, Minnesota Vikings QB, Packers, New York Jets, National Football League, USA, Reuters, Washington, FBS Locations: New York, Cousins, Indiana, Washington

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