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☆ Opinion: Shaking off the Trump effect
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. CNN —“We are most deeply asleep at the switch,” wrote Annie Dillard, “when we fancy we control any switches at all. When the Senate voted to send new aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan two months ago, House Speaker Mike Johnson took no action. With the help of Democrats, the House approved aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Saturday. Writing for CNN Opinion, he emphasized that there are legal principles that require universities to prohibit expressions of antisemitism.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Annie Dillard, “, time’s, —, Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, Biden, Sleepy Joe ”, Israel, Johnson, MAGA, Julian Zelizer, Walt Handelsman, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s, Kevin McCarthy’s, Clay Jones, Fareed Zakaria, Alejandro Mayorkas, “ Biden, ” Zakaria, Bill Clinton, ” Trump, Jack Ohman, Agency Donald Trump’s, dozed, Elliot Williams, Patrick T, Brown, …, ‘, ’, Attorney Alvin Bragg, ” Will, Jeffrey Abramson, ” “, Norm Eisen, Stormy Daniels, ” Eisen, Michael Cohen, Elie Honig, Frida Ghitis, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Lisa Benson, GoComics.com Peter Bergen, Daniel R, DePetris, Dean Obeidallah, Susanne DeWitt, ” David Schizer, ” Schizer, Danielle Campoamor, Caitlin Clark, Simone Biles, Campoamor, Latika Bourke, John Howard, Justin J, Pearson, Winston Churchill, Holly Thomas, Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak’s, It’s, ” Thomas, YouGov, ” Don’t, Drew Sheneman, Agency David M, Perry, Frankie de la, Angel Reese, Roy Schwartz, Joni Mitchell —, Raul A, Reyes, Sonia Sotomayor, Jules Boykoff, Jaime M, Valiathan, Ed Manning, Sara Stewart, Noah Berlatsky, Taylor Swift Amy Bass, Taylor Swift, Swift, Department ”, ” Bass, “ Swift, Joe, Alwyn, Diana, they’re, Clara Bow, Dylan Thomas, Patti Smith — Organizations: CNN, Republicans, MAGA Republicans, Agency, Congress, Biden, Homeland, National Guard, ‘, Manhattan, Attorney, New York Democrats, Twitter, Facebook, New York Times, Trump, Berkeley, Nazism, Columbia, Nike, Team USA, Sydney, Port, Conservative, Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Central Press, Hulton, National Health Service, WNBA, Ungentlemanly, Department Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Manhattan, Iran, Russia, China, ‘, New, CNN Iran, “ Israel, Gaza, Israeli, Damascus, Iraq, America, Dearborn, Nazi Germany, Berkeley , California, Berkeley, East Bay, Sydney, Port Arthur, Tennessee, Surrey, Croydon, Quebec, Britain, Vancouver, London, Welsh

☆ Rishi Sunak: Everything seems to be going wrong for British PM
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Life must seem bleak for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak these days. Sunak has said that he will hold a general election this year, but has yet to confirm its date. It was only voted through by MPs because it has the support of the opposition Labour Party. Anderson is a working-class former miner who is from a part of the country that traditionally votes for the opposition Labour Party. However, Anderson was suspended from the Conservative Party after making comments about the Muslim mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, that Sunak clearly believed were beyond the pale.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, –, Boris Johnson, Winston Churchill, It’s, ” Rishi Sunak, Dan Kitwood, Liz Truss, Lee Anderson, Anderson, Elon Musk, Tesla, Kirsty Wigglesworth, doesn’t, Sadiq Khan, Suella Braverman, Braverman, Johnson, Rishi, ” Sunak Organizations: CNN, British, Conservative Party, Labour Party, ”, Conservatives, Allies, Labour, Sunak's, SpaceX, Reuters, Conservative, “, Adidas Samba Locations: Quebec, London, Rwanda

☆ Opinion: ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ has a surprising secret
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Opinion Noah Berlatksy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Watch “Apocalypse Now” (1979), “Full Metal Jacket” (1987) or “Platoon” (1986) and you should know what war really means. “Ungentlemanly Warfare” features a disreputable band of riff raff brought together for a super-secret mission. Ritchie makes no such concessions to authenticity in “Ungentlemanly Warfare.”Henry Cavill is Gus March-Phillips in Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." Even when a war movie doesn’t actively mislead you, the promise of being privy to an unvarnished, authentic and extreme experience can be seductive. “It would decay in eternal peace.”Compared to that kind of cult of authentic war, “Ungentlemanly Warfare” feels fairly harmless, and not in a bad way.

Persons: Noah Berlatsky, Ryan, ”, Noah Berlatsky Noah Berlatsky Guy Ritchie’s “, it’s, Fernando Po, raff, Winston Churchill, Rory Kinnear, Gus March, Phillips, Henry Cavill, Anders Lassen, Alan Ritchson, Marjorie Stewart, Eiza, Ritchie, ” Henry Cavill, Gus, Guy Ritchie’s “, Daniel Smith, electroshock, Quentin Tarantino’s, Inglourious, Hitler, He’s, “, Tarantino, Brad Pitt, B.J, Novak, Quentin Tarantino's, they’ve Organizations: CNN, Ungentlemanly, British, Lionsgate Locations: Chicago, “ Dunkirk, ”, Spanish, Fernando, Vietnam

☆ Graham Sutherland’s study for the portrait Winston Churchill hated goes up for auction
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Caitlin Chatterton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Churchill is talking about his own portrait, commissioned to celebrate his 80th birthday, as it is unveiled in London’s Westminster Hall in November 1954. This painted study of Churchill by Sutherland, made in preparation of the portrait, is up for auction for the first time. Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Sotheby'sWhile “The Crown” is not a documentary, it is true that the 80th birthday portrait —described by Churchill as “filthy and malignant” in a letter to his personal doctor — was burned. “(Sutherland) caught him in a much more relaxed, intimate way,” Zlattinger said of the study, a small canvas painted in oils. Graham Sutherland, seen with his-then unfinished but eventually much-maligned portrait of Churchill.

Persons: it’s, ” Winston Churchill, John Lithgow, Graham Sutherland, Stephen Dillane, ”, Churchill, ” Sutherland, “, Judas, Churchill’s, Clementine, Harriet Walter, Sutherland, Tristan Fewings, —, ” Andre Zlattinger, “ He’d, He’d, Churchill —, Alfred Hecht, ” Zlattinger, Hatshepsut of, Baron, Queen Elizabeth I, Robert Blyth ,, Elizabeth “, Queen Victoria, Elizabeth, Ira B, Nadel, ” Blyth, Elizabeth I, Blyth, ” Dr Caroline Rae, Stalin, ” Bryn Sayles, Jacob Epstein, Alexis Schwarzenbach, Queen Elizabeth, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II, Cecil Beaton, Sayles, Gary Oldman’s Organizations: CNN, Hall, Modern, Irish, Sotheby’s New, Royal Museums Greenwich, Art, University College London, Conservative Party Locations: Sotheby’s, Sotheby’s New York, London, Sutherland, Queen, Downing, Suez, Blenheim, Oxford, New York, British, Swiss

☆ Opinion: Can the party of Winston Churchill really bring about the world’s toughest smoking ban?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Opinion Holly Thomas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

London CNN —Last week, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson treated a Canadian crowd to a helping of his signature bombast. Second World War-era Conservative British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, is also one of history's most famous cigar smokers. Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesDespite what Johnson may have led his audience to believe, a potential smoking ban enjoys broad popular support in the UK. New Zealand’s conservative National Party introduced a similar phased smoking ban last year, but reversed it before it went into effect to help pay for tax cuts. Smoking costs the NHS an estimated £2.5 billion ($3.1 billion) every year, equivalent to 2% of the health service’s budget.

Persons: Holly Thomas, Katie Couric, London CNN —, Boris Johnson, Winston Churchill, “, It’s, Rishi Sunak, Johnson, YouGov, Conservative backbenchers, Liz Truss, they’d, it’ll, ’ Organizations: Katie Couric Media, CNN, London CNN, Conservative Party Conference, Conservative British, Central Press, Hulton, National Health Service, Conservative, New, National Party, Cancer Research, Tory Locations: London, Quebec, Britain, America, England, Wales, Scotland

☆ One of the oldest hotels in Hong Kong is the definition of luxury. 13 photos offer a glimpse inside Art Basel's hotel partner, The Peninsula.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Joi-Marie Mckenzie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, an iconic property that opened in 1928, offers a luxury experience. Steps away from the glistening Victoria Harbour sits the Peninsula Hotel. The flagship hotel in the Peninsula Hotels group, which boasts properties worldwide, opened in December 1928, making it one of the oldest hotels in Hong Kong. The iconic hotel, one of the official hotel partners of Art Basel Hong Kong, sponsored by the global lead partner UBS, is nestled right on the Kowloon Peninsula in Tsim Sha Tsui. Thanks to their Art in Resonance program, it's also home to four memorable art pieces featuring "emerging and mid-career" artists.

Persons: —, Chanel, Harry Winston, it's, Bon Jovi, Tom Cruise Organizations: Service, Hotels, Art Basel, UBS Locations: Hong Kong, Art Basel Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui

☆ Man pleads guilty to theft of solid gold toilet worth $6 million from Blenheim Palace
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A man has pleaded guilty to stealing a toilet made entirely from 18-carat gold and worth more than $6 million from the English stately home where wartime leader Winston Churchill was born. It had been plumbed into the building so the theft also caused significant damage and flooding, police reported at the time. "Daddy, Daddy", a large scale recreation of the drowning Disney character Pinocchio, created by artist Maurizio Cattelan, is seen in a pool at Blenheim Palace on September 12, 2019. The golden toilet, titled "America," was part of the same exhibition at the stately home. Leon Neal/Getty ImagesAt Blenheim Palace, the toilet was installed in a room next to the one in which Churchill was born.

Persons: Winston Churchill, James Sheen, Maurizio Cattelan, ”, Sheen, America ”, Donald Trump’s, Vincent Van Gogh’s, Leon Neal, Churchill, Cattelan, Michael Jones, Frederick Sines, Frederick Doe, Bora Guccuck Organizations: CNN, Oxford Crown, UK’s, Media, Prosecution Service, National Horse Racing Museum, America, Guggenheim, Blenheim, New Yorker Locations: Blenheim, Italian, Five Wells, Newmarket, New York City, United States, Oxford, Ascot , Berkshire, London

☆ ‘It felt so wrong’: Chumbawamba wants New Zealand politician to stop playing ‘Tubthumping’ at rallies
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Dhruv Tikekar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But those headlines were soon eclipsed by Chumbawamba publicly condemning Peters’ use of its song. “Everything that Peters stands for is counter to Chumbawamba’s world view,” the band’s founding member and former vocalist, Dunstan Bruce, told CNN. Chumbawamba, which broke up in 2012, has asked its former record company, Sony Music Publishing, to issue a cease-and-desist letter to New Zealand First. In response to CNN’s request for comment, New Zealand First Party President Julian Paul said the party had nothing further to add. “As we rise, the dirt will start all over again,” he said during a party convention in July, according to a transcript published by New Zealand First.

Persons: Winston Peters strode, Peters, ” Peters, Chumbawamba, Dunstan Bruce, Winston Peters, Hagen Hopkins, ” Chumbawamba, “ Tubthumping, ”, Bruce, “, Peter Dungate, ” It’s, Eminem, Vivek Ramaswamy, Donald Trump, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Nigel Farage, Hutton Supancic, Julian Paul, Emmanuel Heisbourg, Heisbourg, “ tubthumping, You’re, — Peters, ‘ Organizations: CNN, New Zealand First, Labour, New, National, ACT, New Zealand, General Motors, Sony Music Publishing, APRA, NZ, New Zealand’s National Party, rapper’s, Republican, Independence Party, UKIP, Southwest, SXSW UKIP, University of Montreal Locations: Palmerston, British, Nazi Germany, New, New Zealand

☆ Hannah Waddingham showed off a scar she got from punching an actor in a 'The Fall Guy' fight scene
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Hannah Waddingham said she got a scar from punching someone in a fight scene for "The Fall Guy." Waddingham told "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" that she asked to be part of a fight. Waddingham wouldn't reveal who she fought in the scene. AdvertisementHannah Waddingham showed off a scar she got while shooting a fight scene for her upcoming movie "The Fall Guy" on Monday's episode of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Waddingham told Collider in 2021 that it was the "worst day of my life," and she was now claustrophobic around water.

Persons: Hannah Waddingham, Guy, Waddingham, Stephen Colbert, Waddingham wouldn't, —, Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor, Johnson, Winston Duke, Colbert Organizations: Service, SAG, Collider, Septa

☆ Dazzling selection of the world’s biggest, finest and most unusual gems unite in a single exhibition
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Julia Carmel | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“It’s really personal.”It’s easy to understand why: As the curator of mineral sciences for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, Celestian oversees the Gem & Mineral Hall. The 125-carat "Jonker I" diamond, one of the most storied gems of its kind in history. “The story goes: It was raining one day… and then because all the rain just washed away the sediment, they found a 726-carat rough diamond,” Celestian said. Courtesy the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles CountyA view inside the Hixon Gem Vault, featuring highlights from the "100 Carats" exhibition. Though nothing else is quite as rare, the other gems in this exhibition are unique, vividly colored, and mostly unseen.

Persons: CNN — Aaron Celestian isn’t, ”, they’re, It’s, Celestian, Robert Procop, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, Harry Winston, Winston, Lazare Kaplan —, King Farouk of, ” Celestian, Shirley Temple, hasn’t, Procop, Angelina Jolie, “, ” Procop, Lori Bettison, Varga, — Organizations: CNN, of Los, Gem, Mineral, American Museum of, “ Locations: of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, South Africa, New York City, King Farouk of Egypt, Egypt, ”, Los Angeles County, New York, Tanzania, Myanmar, Colombia

☆ The Key to Winning the White House: Math
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Susan Milligan | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

So the Biden campaign is casting its eyes farther afield: South, to be specific, with North Carolina as a primary target and Florida part of the mix as well. That makes North Carolina and its 16 Electoral College votes a tantalizing prospect for the Biden campaign. But if the Democrat also picked up North Carolina, he'd win, 276 electoral votes to 262 for Trump. Biden and Harris also made a rare joint appearance in North Carolina earlier this week. Former President Barack Obama did win North Carolina in 2008 – but that was a somewhat fluky situation, says North Carolina Republican operative Jonathan Felts, who worked in the George W. Bush White House, noting Obama's unusually aggressive push in the state.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Donald Trump's, Biden, Christopher Cooper, Biden –, Cooper, Trump, –, he'd, Mark Robinson –, Kamala Harris, Harris, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Barack Obama, Jonathan Felts, George W, Bush, Felts, Carolina Forward Organizations: Electoral, Trump, Haire Institute for Public, Western Carolina University, Marist Institute, Public, Biden, Democrats, – Trump, Democrat, Sunshine, GOP, Democratic, North Carolina, North Carolina Republican, Carolina Locations: Arizona , Georgia, Michigan, Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Michigan , Pennsylvania, Swing States, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin , Nevada , Georgia, Trump . Florida, Parkland , Florida, Trump's, . North Carolina, Southern, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro, Winston, Salem, Asheville, Wake County

☆ Beyoncé’s ‘The Linda Martell Show’ single is named for a trailblazer you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Rhythm and blues and country music are the most parallel types of music,” Singleton has been quoted as saying. “Country music tells a story,” Martell told Rolling Stone. And while Martell recalls receiving two standing ovations that night, the road to country music success was far from smooth. A place in historyMartell’s story may have languished in history were it not for both her country music family and her biological one. “Minority, women and marginalized artists deserve to play on a level playing field in the country music industry,” Thompson told The Tennessean last year.

Persons: CNN — Beyoncé’s, Cowboy Carter ”, Linda Martell, ”, Beyoncé, “, Martell, Thelma Bynem, “ You’d, William “ Duke ” Rayner, Shelby Singleton Jr, ” Singleton, Singleton, ” Martell, Rolling, Jeannie C, Riley, BlackHistoryMonth Martell, Mickey Guyton, Rolling Stone, ” Guyton, “ I’ve, I’ve, …, Marquia Thompson, ” Thompson, ” Beyoncé Organizations: CNN, Rolling Stone, Grand Ole Opry, SSS, Records, Country Blues, Tennessean Locations: Texas, South Carolina, Harper, Singleton

☆ A 105-year-old man who has been going to Bojangles every week for decades was thrown a surprise party for his birthday by the restaurant
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Charlie Lentz has been going to the restaurant in North Carolina for decades, WXII-TV reported. AdvertisementA man in North Carolina who goes to Bojangles every Sunday after church was thrown a surprise party by his local fried chicken spot to celebrate his 105th birthday. Advertisement"This was a big surprise," Lentz, who wore a Bojangles crown at the party, told WXII-TV. "He's very consistent with his order," Spencer told WXII-TV, adding that Lentz's go-to order was its $8 Leg & Thigh two-piece meal, which also comes with two sides and a biscuit. "And a lot of times, before he even gets in the door, the employees have it ready for him," Spencer told the channel.

Persons: Bojangles, Charlie Lentz, Lentz's, —, Charlie, Horace Spencer, " Lentz, Lentz, WXII, Bojangles Lentz, Spencer Organizations: Service, NBC Locations: North Carolina, Winston, Salem, Charlotte, Bojangles, Charlotte , North Carolina, Carolinas

☆ Cyberattacks: New Zealand joins UK, US in accusing China of espionage hacks as coordinated pressure on Beijing grows
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —New Zealand has joined the United States and the United Kingdom in accusing China of launching “malicious” cyberattacks through state-backed hackers, as Beijing comes under growing scrutiny in a big election year for democracies around the world. The Chinese embassy in London dismissed the claims as “completely unfounded” and “malicious slander,” calling the sanctions “outright political manipulation.”“China is a major victim of cyberattacks. We have firmly fought and stopped all kinds of malicious cyber activities in accordance with the law, and have never encouraged, supported or condoned cyberattacks,” the embassy said, reiterating Beijing’s long-held stance on the matter. Australia and the European Union has also expressed solidarity with the UK and voiced concerns over China’s alleged malicious cyber activities. Without naming China, the EU said it would continue to monitor and address malicious cyber activities and stand ready to take further action when necessary.

Persons: Judith Collins, “, Zealand’s, ” Collins, Wang Xiaolong, Winston Peters, ” Peters, Penny Wong, Clare O’Neil Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, United, New, UK, Parliamentary, Office, Parliamentary Service, New Zealand, Wellington, European Union, Australia’s Foreign, Home Affairs, Inter, Parliamentary Alliance Locations: Hong Kong, Zealand, United States, United Kingdom, China, Beijing, New Zealand, London, PRC, Australia, EU, Canada

☆ New Zealand accuses China-backed hackers of cyberattacks on parliament
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

New Zealand has accused China of "malicious cyber activity" linked to Chinese state actors, who targeted its parliament in 2021. The government "expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government," New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Tuesday. New Zealand's intelligence service, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), "completed a robust technical assessment following a compromise of the Parliamentary Counsel Office and the Parliamentary Service in 2021," Collins said. The activity has been attributed to a Chinese state-sponsored group, she added. The Chinese embassy in New Zealand did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Winston Peters, " Peters, Judith Collins, Collins Organizations: Government, Zealand's, National Cyber Security, Parliamentary, Office, Parliamentary Service Locations: Zealand, China, U.S, New, New Zealand

☆ The presidential race is set, but ‘uncommitted’ remains an option in Louisiana and Missouri.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Nick Corasaniti | Neil Vigdor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Georgia, with its long history of the suppression of Black voters, has been ground zero for fights about voting rights laws for decades. The result has been a slew of laws that included restrictions to voting, like limiting voting by mail and adding voter ID requirements. He found that the growing racial turnout gap since the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby had been felt most acutely by younger voters across the country. In Bulloch County, Ga., Winston County, Miss., and Newberry County, S.C., the racial turnout gap among young voters grew by 20 percentage points or more between the 2012 and 2020 elections. Seeing a more substantial racial turnout gap among young voters cuts against some conventional wisdom about recent changes to voting laws.

Persons: Barack Obama, Lowndes County —, Georgia —, Michael Podhorzer, Lowndes, Obama, Holder, “, Podhorzer, ” Podhorzer, Biden, Bernard Fraga, ” Fraga, Emily Elconin, Donald Trump, I’ve Organizations: Black, Republican, Justice Department, Brennan, Valdosta State University, Emory University, The New York Times, The Times, Times Locations: Georgia, Lowndes County, Shelby County, Shelby, Bulloch County ,, Winston County, Miss, Newberry County, S.C, Atlanta, Dearborn, Mich, Arizona , Georgia, Michigan, Nevada , Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, onpolitics@nytimes.com

☆ China and New Zealand pledge deeper trade and economic cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

China and New Zealand are working toward implementing an upgraded version of the free trade agreement between the two countries. Wang met New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay during an official visit to New Zealand. New Zealand was the first developed country to sign a bilateral free trade deal with China in 2008. China's door to the world will open even wider, Wang said, pledging to forge closer cooperation with New Zealand in the next decade and emphasizing on the need to safeguard free trade. He will be holding the seventh China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in his visit to Australia.

Persons: Wang Yi, Wang, Todd McClay, McClay, Winston Peters, China's, Peters, Penny Wong Organizations: Xinhua, New Zealand Trade, New Zealand, Foreign Affairs, Australian Foreign Locations: China, New Zealand, New, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet, Zealand, South, Sea, Taiwan Strait, Taiwan, Beijing, Philippines, Wang, Australia, Mar

☆ Here's why Social Security cost-of-living adjustments may be smaller in 2025 and beyond
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Peopleimages | Istock | Getty ImagesEarly estimates for the 2025 Social Security COLANew government data points to a 2.4% Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2025, The Senior Citizens League estimates, based on new government inflation data released this week. The Social Security Administration typically announces the cost-of-living adjustment for the following year in October. In the meantime, experts say there are steps retirees can take to help compensate for the prospect of lower benefit increases. Annuities, which provide fixed income in retirement in exchange for a lump-sum investment, can be one way to supplement a retiree's income, LaVigne said. Consult with a financial advisorBefore purchasing an annuity or other retirement income strategy, it helps to consult with a professional.

Persons: " Johnson, Johnson, Lisa Featherngill, Featherngill, Kelly LaVigne, You've, LaVigne Organizations: Istock, Getty, Security COLA, Social Security, Senior Citizens League, Urban, Clerical Workers, CPI, Comerica Wealth Management, Social, Allianz Life Locations: Winston, Salem , North Carolina

☆ If the US bans TikTok, China will be getting a taste of its own medicine
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But American apps have long been barred in China. “The TikTok bill appears likely to become law and China’s displeasure seems ironic, if not hypocritical, given its stance toward American social apps,” said Brock Silvers, managing director at Kaiyuan Capital. The Chinese government has said it strongly opposes a forced sale of TikTok, and it has the legal ability to do so. A man walks past the headquarters of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, in Beijing. “While China has completely banned [these] American apps, TikTok enjoys all the benefits of America’s free and open legal and political systems,” he said.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — TikTok, ByteDance doesn’t, Wang Wenbin, ”, Brock Silvers, Wang, Joe Biden, TikTok, CNN Beijing’s, Trump, Greg Baker, “, Winston Ma, Silvers, Alex Capri, Craig Singleton, “ We’ve, ” Capri Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, US, Foreign Ministry, Google, Kaiyuan, Chinese Commerce Ministry, ByteDance, Trump, CNN, Commerce Ministry, Getty, New York University School of Law, Foundation, National University of Singapore Business School, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Weibo, Twitter, Facebook Locations: China, Hong Kong, United States, Beijing, TikTok, ByteDance, AFP, Washington, Washington , DC

Another threat to election officialsAt least four swatting incidents have been aimed at the homes of senior officials who oversee or work to secure elections since December. Separately, a Department of Justice taskforce launched in 2021 has reviewed more than 2,000 allegations of hostility, harassment, abuse, or threats to election officials and staffers, a department spokesperson said. Swatting was featured in a tabletop exercise for election officials in New Jersey last month, a spokesperson for the secretary of state told CNN. Such incidents have prompted The Elections Group, a consulting group led by former election officials, to begin sharing resources on swatting with election workers and incorporating the topic into trainings. A wave of election officials have departed their roles since November 2020, when false claims of a stolen election proliferated.

Persons: Jay Ashcroft, ” Ashcroft, State Jay Ashcroft, Kacen Bayless, ”, Ashcroft, Gabriel Sterling, “, we’ll, Sterling, Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, swatting, ” Jennifer Doebler, Alan Winston Filion, Filion “, Filion, Jennifer Doebler, Lauren R, Shapiro, Republican Sen, Rick Scott of, Scott’s, Sen, Rick Scott swatting, “ Sir, there’s, “ It’s, Swatting, State Shenna Bellows, Bellows, Donald Trump, Trump, Ashcroft’s, Joe Biden, Tina Barton, ” Barton Organizations: CNN, Missouri’s, Republican, State, Kansas City Star, TNS, Getty, FBI, of Justice, Local, Sandy, John Jay College of Criminal, swatting, ”, Naples Police, “, Trump, Elections, Commission Locations: Jefferson City , Missouri, Missouri, Maine , Georgia, Virginia, Sterling, Britain, Sandy Springs, Kansas, Tennessee, California, Rick Scott of Florida, Naples , Florida, Naples, New Jersey, Georgia, Maine

☆ Apple has nabbed a key ad exec from NBCUniversal, and it points to its growing TV ad ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Apple has been making a string of advertising hires, more signs of its ambitions to grow its TV ad business. Crawford helped lead Apple's Major League Soccer ad sales pitch with Todd Teresi, who leads Apple's ads division. Cady will also likely work closely with Lauren Fry, a TV and video ad sales veteran Apple hired in February 2023 as head of video ad sales. Jacqueline Bleazey, who joined video advertising sales in October, from senior director of sponsorships and ad sales at FanDuel and ad agency roles before that, according to her LinkedIn. For advertisers, Apple TV+ is a small but highly-rated player that would let them reach an affluent viewing audience that has been off-limits to them.

Persons: Joseph Cady, Cady, Krishan Bhatia, Winston Crawford, Crawford, Todd Teresi, Lauren Fry, Jason Brum, Chandler Taylor, Jacqueline Bleazey, Ted Lasso, It's, Apple Organizations: Apple, Amazon, Google, Business, Major League Soccer, MLS, MLB, DirecTV, NBCUniversal, Cannes, Netflix Locations: Peacock

☆ Opinion | Surviving the Ugliness of It All
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( David Brooks | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

People are just tired out from the endless national crises, their dread of the 2024 presidential campaign, the ugliness of it all. Many people I talk with seem passive, discouraged, and are trying, mostly in vain, to shut out the political noise. It’s almost as if people have been so beaten down by the last decade, they’ve lost the self-confidence to wish for more. In these circumstances I turn to two leaders who knew something about projecting hope in exhausting times: Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Churchill’s strongest sense was his romantic attachment to Britain’s past.

Persons: I’ve, they’ve, Winston Churchill, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Duke of Marlborough, Churchill, Edward Gibbon, Samuel Johnson

☆ Dubai’s bar scene is being redefined by artisanal champagnes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

While the city has over 13,000 restaurants, its bar scene has largely been confined to Michelin fine dining, nightclubs, and boozy brunches. Look through the gallery and see the region's other top restaurants, as selected by 50 Best list group. The 50 Best has unveiled its 2024 list of the best restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Al Muntaha, which was recognized by Star Wine List as having the best sparkling wine list in the UAE earlier this year, has 166 labels on its champagne list, including around 60 recently added grower champagnes, says Lacroix. Tina HillierAnd the culture around drinking is largely focused on dining or special occasions, with little in between, says Krister Bengtsson, founder of Star Wine List.

Persons: Lana —, Nicolas Caupain, ”, boozy, Caupain, Raz Rahav, Tala Bashmi, Em Sherif, Yasmina Hayek, Fawzi Al Mulki, 3Fils, Khufu's, Solemann Haddad, Moonrise, Gregoire Berger, Berger, Himanshu Saini, Pol Roger, Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, champagnes, Larmandier Bernier, Ulysse Collin, Samuel Lacroix, Al Muntaha, Lacroix, “, Josette, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Pérignon, Millau, Lana, Tina Hillier, Krister Bengtsson, it’s, Bengtsson, ” Bengtsson, Jean Imbert, — Organizations: CNN, High Society, United Arab, Michelin, Middle, Gulf, Jordanian, Trèsind, Burj, Star Wine, Arabian, BOCA, Michelin Star, Wine, UAE Locations: Dorchester, Dubai, Emirate, Islam, United Arab Emirates, UAE, East, North Africa, Tel Aviv, Tala, Manama's, Bahrain, Beirut, Giza, Cairo, Ossiano, Atlantis, BOBY, Africa, Emirates, Swedish, Dubai’s, Paris, London , New York, French

☆ Sex, Lies and Tailor’s Tape
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Gioia Diliberto | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the twenty-six years she lived after World War II, Coco Chanel never publicly apologized for her treacherous behavior during the Nazi Occupation of Paris. While living at the Ritz Hotel with a handsome German spy, she had tried to use the Nazi race laws to wrest control of her perfume company from her Jewish partners. She also had embarked on a Nazi-authorized scheme to broker a separate peace with Winston Churchill, and she was overheard making ugly, antisemitic remarks. But in converting Chanel’s experiences into a TV production “inspired by true events,” the show’s creators have mangled or lost much of the actual truth, which is more complicated than what’s portrayed onscreen. (Warning: Spoilers ahead.)

Persons: Coco Chanel, Winston Churchill, “, couturiers Chanel, Christian Dior, what’s Organizations: Ritz, Nazi, Apple Locations: Nazi, Paris

☆ Spend the night at St. Paul’s Cathedral for just $9
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Buildings in London don’t come much more historic than St. Paul’s Cathedral. Now history lovers with a passion for reading can apply to spend the night in the iconic site. They will then be met by the Dean of St. Paul’s who will take them on a tour. There are no showers and it’s a short walk down a corridor from the hidden library to the nearest toilet. Jordan Pettitt/Press Association/APSandra Lynes Timbrell, director of visitor engagement at St. Paul’s, said in the release: “The recently restored library at St Paul’s has long been a secret gem of the cathedral – cleverly concealed by the ingenious architecture of Christopher Wren.

Persons: London don’t, Christopher Wren, Winston Churchill, Diana, Jordan Pettitt, Paul’s, Sandra Lynes Timbrell, St, DreamHouse Organizations: CNN, Hidden, Press Association, Airbnb, St Locations: London, St, Paul’s, Airbnb, Moulin Rouge

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