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☆ A new commander is taking over Russia's Black Sea Fleet after the last one let its warships get torn apart by exploding drones
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRussia has officially replaced the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, awarding Vice Adm. Sergei Pinchuk the daunting role of overseeing naval operations in a region that has long troubled Moscow. Pinchuk is a career navy officer who previously served as the deputy to Adm. Viktor Sokolov, the former Black Sea Fleet commander. Russia's Black Sea Fleet warships take part in the Navy Day celebrations in the port city of Novorossiysk on July 30, 2023. Beyond its USV force, Kyiv has also used missiles to inflict damage on the Black Sea Fleet. You realize the enormous responsibility that rests on you," Shoigu said during the teleconference, according to the Russian defense ministry's statement.

Persons: —, Sergei Pinchuk, Sergei Shoigu, Pinchuk, Viktor Sokolov, Sokolov, Shoigu, STRINGER, Aleksandr Moiseyev —, Konstantin Kabantsov Organizations: Service, Black, Fleet, Business, Russian, Black Sea, Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Armed Forces, National Defense Control Center, AP, Ukrainian, Getty, Kyiv, Northern, Russian Federation, Ministry of Defense Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Novorossiysk, Sevastopol, Crimean, Russian

☆ Julian Assange makes last-ditch attempt in UK court to avoid extradition to the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Claudia Rebaza | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange attends a seminar at the Swedish Trade Union Confederation in Stockholm on August 14, 2010. LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images Assange and his bodyguards are seen after a news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2010. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images Assange, on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, holds up a United Nations report in February 2016. Carl Court/Getty Images Assange speaks to the media in May 2017, after Swedish prosecutors had dropped their investigation of rape allegations against Assange. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Assange was seen for the first time in months during a hearing via teleconference in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2018.

Persons: London CNN — Julian Assange’s, Priti Patel, Assange, Julian Assange, Jack Taylor, LEON NEAL, BERTIL ERICSON, FABRICE COFFRINI, Carl Court, Geoff Caddick, Oli Scarff, CARL COURT, Leon Neal, Philip Toscano, Ricardo Patino, Frank Augstein, David Paul Morris, John Stillwell, Mike, Pompeo, Maria Sol Borja, Chelsea Manning, Alastair Grant, Daniel Leal, Elizabeth Cook, Assange’s, Edward Fitzgerald, ”, “, ” Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald, Assange “, ” Mark Summers, Stella, Julia Hall, Rebecca Vincent, ” Vincent, Nick Vamos, “ It’s, Vamos Organizations: London CNN, WikiLeaks, European, of Human Rights, Ecuadorian, Guardian, Getty, Swedish Trade Union Confederation, St, Paul's, Court, British, Ecuadorian Embassy, Oxford Union Society, Ecuadorian Foreign, Southwest Festival, Bloomberg, United Nations Human Rights, United, United Nations, CIA, CNN, Army, Ecuador, Southwark Crown, Metropolitan Police, US Justice Department, Eastern, of, Department, US, UK’s, Media, Foreign Press Association, Amnesty, International Campaigns, US Espionage, Peters & Peters, Prosecution Service Locations: United States, British, Belmarsh, Queensland, Australia, Westminster, London, Afghanistan, AFP, Stockholm, Iraq, Geneva, Switzerland, Sweden, Ecuador, Austin , Texas, Ecuadorian, United Nations, United Kingdom, Quito, Southwark, America, of Virginia, Guantanamo, Australian, Europe, UK’s

☆ Biden pauses approval of new LNG export projects in win for climate activists
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

President Joe Biden paused pending approvals of exports from new liquefied natural gas projects on Friday, a move cheered by climate activists that could delay decisions on new plants until after the Nov. 5 election. Biden said in a statement: "During this period, we will take a hard look at the impacts of LNG exports on energy costs, America's energy security, and our environment." "We are committed to strengthening energy security here in the U.S. and with our allies," Granholm said. The last review of LNG export projects was in 2018 when export capacity was 4 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd). But the commission's panel of three regulators, which almost always approves LNG projects, could approve it as soon as February, which would then put its approval in the hands of the DOE.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jennifer Granholm, Biden, Granholm, Ben Jealous, Sempra, CP2 Organizations: US Department of Energy, Department of Energy, DOE, Energy, Companies, U.S, Sierra, Sempra Infrastructure, Commonwealth LNG, Venture, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Venture Global Locations: Washington ,, Europe, Asia, U.S, wean, Russia, Ukraine, Louisiana, Alaska, Calcasieu, United States, Germany

☆ Oil Producers Fail to Agree on More Production Cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Stanley Reed | More About Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The oil producers group known as OPEC Plus met on Thursday and failed to announce new production cuts in the face of sagging prices, but Saudi Arabia later said that it would continue to trim output by one million barrels a day through March, in coordination with some other countries that were not named. Oil traders, who may have expected more substantial cuts, had a chilly response to the news. Futures fell for the day, with Brent crude down 0.4 percent, to $82.80 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate falling more than 3 percent, to $75.25. News reports of production cuts preceded the meeting. OPEC Plus said that Brazil, an oil giant that until now has not been part of the producers group, was expected to join next year.

Persons: Brent, ”, Richard Bronze, Alexandre Silveira de Oliveira Organizations: West Texas, Plus Locations: Saudi Arabia, Brazil

BEIJING (AP) — A surge in respiratory illnesses across China that has drawn the attention of the World Health Organization is caused by the flu and other known pathogens and not by a novel virus, the country's health ministry said Sunday. The emergence of new flu strains or other viruses capable of triggering pandemics typically starts with undiagnosed clusters of respiratory illness. Chinese authorities earlier this month blamed the increase in respiratory diseases on the lifting of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Other countries also saw a jump in respiratory diseases such as RSV when pandemic restrictions ended. WHO said that there was too little information at the moment to properly assess the risk of these reported cases of respiratory illness in children.

Persons: ”, Mi Feng Organizations: BEIJING, World Health, National Health Commission, WHO Locations: China, Beijing, Wuhan

☆ China says seasonal germs, rather than ‘unusual or novel pathogens,’ behind spike in pediatric respiratory illness, WHO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Some of those increases are a little earlier than usual, but WHO said they were “not unexpected.”Similar early surges in respiratory illnesses were seen in other countries after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. At Thursday’s teleconference, WHO said, the Chinese officials reported enhanced surveillance of respiratory illnesses that may be contributing to increases in reported cases of disease. Even with the spike in cases, China also said that its hospitals are not overwhelmed with patients. WHO has been monitoring data from Chinese surveillance systems since mid-October, when it initially noted an increase in respiratory illnesses in children in northern China. WHO said it will continue to closely monitor the situation, stay in close contact with national authorities in China and provide updates when appropriate.

Persons: teleconference, ”, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Katherine Dillinger Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, WHO, Chinese Center for Disease Control, Beijing Children’s, Media, International Society for Infectious Diseases, CNN Health Locations: China, Beijing, United States

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Bronny James was on the court with his No. 23 Southern California teammates for pregame warmups Thursday for the second straight game, although he mostly watched from under the basket, did some rebounding and then took three shots from the corner. James went through warmups with his teammates before Sunday night's home game against Brown for the first time this season after suffering a cardiac arrest in July. Bronny James appeared to be in a jovial mood, speaking and laughing with teammates and occasionally passing them a ball. "Yes he is with us and he's studying the game, he's watching his teammates participate and play and he'll be out there hopefully pretty soon."

Persons: — Bronny James, James, Brown, Children's, LeBron James, Bronny James, Andy Enfield, I'm, ” Enfield, he's, he'll Organizations: DIEGO, Sunday, Trojans, Seton Hall, UC San Diego, Los Angeles Lakers, USC, warmups, AP Locations: Southern California, warmups

Ford said it would restart construction of the factory near Marshall, Michigan, after being paused two months ago. Ford is pushing for the U.S. Treasury Department to approve lithium-iron, or LFP, batteries made at the Michigan factory to qualify for Inflation Reduction Act EV subsidies. Ford now plans to cut the Michigan battery plant's capacity to 20 gigawatt hours and reduce hiring to 1,700 jobs. Ford said in October that it would cut future electric vehicle investments overall by $12 billion compared to previous plans. The company has previously postponed construction of a battery factory in Kentucky and another in Turkey.

Persons: Ford, CATL, Mark Truby, Truby, Joe White, Anil D'Silva Organizations: DETROIT, CATL, United Auto Workers, U.S . Treasury Department, Ford, Blue, Battery Park Michigan, Michigan, Thomson Locations: Michigan, U.S, Marshall , Michigan, Kentucky, Turkey

☆ Previously unreleased videos show Alec Baldwin firing prop gun with blanks and directing 'Rust' crew on safety
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Chloe Melas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The footage was recorded days before Baldwin's prop gun fired a live round of ammunition on set, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. It isn't clear how much of the footage prosecutors reviewed or whether they reviewed any of the five videos. It is so far the most substantive film footage of Baldwin acting scenes and firing prop guns on the set of "Rust." The third video shows Baldwin in character repeatedly firing a prop gun before he runs out of dummy rounds. In the fourth and fifth videos, Baldwin stops filming to check on the safety of the crew.

Persons: Alec Baldwin, Halyna Hutchins, Baldwin, hasn't, Kari Morrissey —, Jason Lewis —, Morrissey, Luke Nikas, Alex Spiro didn't, Nikas, Spiro, Prosecutors haven't, Dave Halls, Halls, George Stephanopoulos, Hannah Gutierrez, Reed Organizations: NBC News, Rust Movie, NBC, Prosecutors, Sheriff's, ABC News, CNN Locations: New Mexico, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Mexico

Lt. Gen. Richard Clark was hired last week to become the CFP's second executive director, replacing the retiring Bill Hancock. Mistrust and misaligned priorities among the conference commissioners who manage the CFP — triggered by realignment — along with leadership turnover in some leagues, snarled the expansion process. The next big item on the table for the College Football Playoff is negotiating a new television deal. The playoff is a small part of the changes coming to major college football. Sign up here___AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Persons: Richard Clark, Bill Hancock, Clark, “, they’ve, Hancock, ” Clark, ” Hancock, Mark Keenum, Keenum, Ralph D, Russo, ___ Organizations: Air Force Academy, Air Force, CFP, Mississippi State, College Football Playoff, ESPN, College, Big, Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, AP Locations: Mississippi

☆ Sorenstam surprised by invite to join Augusta National membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Frank Pingue | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 18, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Annika Sorenstam Walks up to the fourth tee box during the final round of the PNC Championship golf tournament at Ritz Carlton Golf Club Grande Lakes Orlando Course. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 1 (Reuters) - Swedish golfing great Annika Sorenstam said on Wednesday she was surprised by the recent invitation for her to join the renowned Augusta National Golf Club and called it one of the happiest days of her life. Sorenstam, a 10-times major champion who has won 90 titles worldwide, is the first LPGA professional to become a member at the exclusive Augusta, Georgia-based golf club that has been home of the Masters since 1934. I'm extremely honored," Sorenstam told reporters ahead of her namesake event on the LPGA Tour taking place next week in Belleair, Florida. King made no secret about what impact she hopes Sorenstam can have at Augusta National, which in 2019 began hosting the Augusta National Women's Amateur.

Persons: Annika Sorenstam, Reinhold Matay, State Condoleezza Rice, Darla Moore, Augusta, Sorenstam, Billie Jean King, Lyn St, James, Gainbridge, I'm, King, Frank Pingue, Toby Davis Organizations: PNC Championship, Ritz Carlton Golf Club, Augusta National Golf Club, Former U.S, State, LPGA, Billie Jean King Cup, Women, Motorsports, Hall of Fame, Augusta National, Thomson Locations: Orlando , Florida, USA, Ritz Carlton Golf Club Grande, Swedish, Augusta , Georgia, Belleair , Florida, Motorsports North America, Toronto

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried opposes Ukraine FTX victim testifying remotely, lawyers tell trial judge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sam Bankman-Fried does not approve of prosecutors' request to allow a Ukraine-based FTX customer to testify remotely in the criminal trial, which is set to start on Tuesday. The FTX customer in question, who prosecutors refer to as "FTX Customer-1" in the filing, is "a young male, located in Ukraine ... who lost a substantial portion of his life savings that he had entrusted to FTX when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022." FTX Customer-1 cannot travel out of Ukraine due to the country's war-time law, which prohibits men deemed fit for combat from leaving. The federal prosecutors maintained that testimony from international witnesses is important to understanding the global nature and influence of the FTX crypto-exchange. According to a court calendar, the trial will last until Nov. 9.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Judge Lewis Kaplan, Fried Organizations: FTX Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, Ukraine, FTX, Russia, United States, New York

Col. Yurii Ihnat, Ukraine’s air force spokesman, believes that two squadrons, each of 12 planes, would begin to turn the tables. Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/ReutersBut the F-16 has never gone up against Russian air defenses in the real world. “Russian air defenses are very formidable.”Rapid trainingTraining programs are getting underway for the first batches of Ukrainian pilots – in Denmark, Romania and the United States. Ihnat says about 30 Ukrainian air force pilots have adequate English, the absolute minimum required to stand up two squadrons. The Ukrainian Air Force has long been working on improving and protecting airfields that would accommodate the F-16s.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Piroschka van de Wouw, Yurii, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mette Frederiksen, Mads Claus Rasmussen, Ritzau Scanpix, ”, Mark Cancian, ” Ihnat, Oleksii Reznikov, Ihnat, Cancian, ” Cancian, James B, Hecker, ” Hecker, Frank Kendall, it’s, Mykola Oleshchuk, Su, Kendall, Biden Organizations: CNN, Air Force, Reuters, Denmark's, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Rapid, Reuters Ukrainian Defense, Ukrainian, Air Missiles, Radiation, CSIS, NATO, US, Accounting, US Air Force, US Air Forces Europe, SA, Ukrainian Air Force Locations: Danish, Russian, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, Romania, United States, Greece, Israeli, Russia

SYDNEY, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Australia's Trade Minister Don Farrell has dangled easier access to the country's vast critical minerals sector as part of negotiations over a free trade agreement with the European Union ahead of possible further talks as soon as next week. Farrell told Reuters in an interview on Thursday that a free trade agreement would simplify European investment in the country's burgeoning critical minerals sector, in part by smoothing access through mandatory Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) screening. "One of the big advantages we've got in this relationship is our access to critical minerals, rare earths, hydrogen and ammonia," Farrell said. "Other countries are looking to invest in our critical minerals and other renewables. Australia was an especially attractive place for critical minerals investment from the United States under U.S. Inflation Reduction Act rules because it was one of the few countries to have both mineral deposits and a free trade agreement with the U.S., said Farrell.

Persons: Don Farrell, Farrell, China, we've, they've, Annalena Baerbock, teleconference, Dombrovskis, Lewis Jackson, Kirsty Needham, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia's Trade, European Union, Reuters, Investment, Board, Foreign, U.S, EU, Trade, Thomson Locations: Australia, Germany, China, Sydney, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, United States

☆ U.S. Officials Blamed Ukrainian Struggles on Tactical Mistakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ukraine’s grinding counteroffensive has struggled to break through entrenched Russian defenses in large part because it has too many troops, including some of its best combat units, in the wrong places, according to several American officials. U.S. officials have advised the Ukrainians to revise their tactics. Three months in, there are signs that the Ukrainians may be taking the advice to heart as casualties mount. In a video teleconference this month, top Western military officials urged Ukraine’s most senior military commander, Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, to focus on one main front. According to two officials briefed on the call, General Zaluzhnyi agreed.

Persons: Ukraine’s, Valeriy, Zaluzhnyi Organizations: U.S Locations: Russia, Crimean

It would also limit the need for environmental reviews for projects that federal agencies deem to have significant and long-lasting positive impacts. NEPA is a bedrock environmental law that requires environmental reviews for major projects, and is a frequent focus of litigation that can delay projects for years. The White House said the proposed rule "would fully implement and build upon new permitting efficiencies" directed by Congress in this year's debt ceiling law. The rule would build on initial work to reform the NEPA process finalized last year, when the White House reversed a Trump administration overhaul of the process. Last year's changes required federal agencies to consider the “direct,” “indirect,” and “cumulative” impacts of proposed projects or actions, including a full evaluation of climate impacts.

Persons: John Podesta, Joe Biden’s, ” Podesta, Kevin Cramer, Ben, Clark Mindock Organizations: Council, Environmental, White House, NEPA, Congress, Trump, Republican, Senate Environment, Public, Committee, Sierra Club, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ UN Secretary General embraces calls for a new UN agency on AI in the face of ‘potentially catastrophic and existential risks’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The UN has an opportunity to set globally agreed-upon rules of the road for monitoring and regulating AI, Guterres said Tuesday at a first-ever meeting of the UN Security Council devoted to AI governance. Its creators themselves have warned that much bigger, potentially catastrophic and existential risks lie ahead. “China firmly opposes these behaviors.”Zhang’s remarks come on the heels of reports that the US government may seek to limit the flow of powerful artificial intelligence chips to China. Addressing the security council via teleconference, Jack Clark, the co-founder of the AI company Anthropic, urged member states not to allow private companies to dominate the development of artificial intelligence. “We cannot leave the development of artificial intelligence solely to private sector actors,” Clark said.

Persons: António Guterres, Guterres, ”, James, Zhang Jun, ” Zhang, Zhang’s, Jack Clark, ” Clark Organizations: CNN, United, UN, Council, ”, Tech Locations: United Nations, China, United States, teleconference

"The international community is at a crossroads in history," Prime Minister Kishida told a briefing following his more than hour-long meeting with Biden. Japan, although a longtime buyer of Russian oil, has moved in tandem with G7 sanctions against Moscow following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. That military action has also raised fears among Japanese that China could be emboldened to take action against neighbouring, self-ruled Taiwan unless Russia is stopped. TIGHTEN SANCTIONSThe G7 will aim to tighten sanctions on Russia to prevent it skirting measures already in place, Germany's leader, Olaf Scholz, said on Thursday. Kishida later said he and Biden had agreed to continue "strict sanctions against Russia as well strong support for Ukraine".

☆ US stands with Philippines against Chinese 'intimidation' in S. China Sea - official
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Karen Lema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 3 (Reuters) - The United States stands with treaty ally the Philippines in the face of harassment by China's coast guard in the South China Sea and remains deeply concerned about "intimidation" by Beijing, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday. The Philippines on Friday accused China's coast guard of "dangerous manoeuvres" and "aggressive tactics" in the South China Sea, in another maritime confrontation between the two countries. China said the Philippines vessels made "deliberate provocative moves". Kritenbrink also said the United States and its partners recognised the importance of maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait. Under Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos' anti-U.S. predecessor, relations soured as he sought to court China while openly rebuking Washington.

☆ Oklahoma official caught on tape talking about lynching Black people and killing reporters resigns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Jennings was caught on tape talking about lynching Black people and killing reporters. In the recording, Jennings also appears to complain about not being able to hang Black people, saying: "They got more rights than we got." The newspaper has filed a lawsuit against the sheriff's office seeking body camera footage and other records connected to Barrick's death. On Tuesday, the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association, a voluntary membership organization and not a regulatory agency, held an emergency meeting of its board. It voted unanimously to suspend Clardy, Manning and Hendrix from the association.

"Climate change is an existential risk and a risk to investor returns," said John Galloway, who oversees the Pennsylvania firm's engagement and proxy voting at portfolio companies, in an interview by teleconference. Galloway said in practice the proposal, which won 42% support, would have required a wholesale change to Valero's business, a decision best left to the board. "A proposal that’s asking a company to make a change that’s changing its strategy is not a proposal we're likely to support," Galloway said. U.S. Republican politicians applauded the move as responsive to their efforts to counter many companies' treatment of environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters. Galloway said the decision was driven with an eye on the varied views of its largely retail client base.

☆ Biden administration proposes protections from chemical used to sterilize equipment, spices
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Tuesday proposed new health protections to reduce exposure of U.S. workers and communities to ethylene oxide, a toxic, colorless gas mainly used to sterilize medical equipment and spices. The Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed rule with new requirements at 86 sterilizer facilities across the country, that if finalized, aims to reduce ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions by 80%. The proposed rule is part of President Joe Biden's initiative to cut the death rate from cancer and create new treatments to fight it. An EPA official told reporters that some facilities have already reduced use of EtO to appropriate levels while others use up to twice the proposed amount. The proposed rule will be open for a 60-day public comment period and the EPA aims to finalize it in 2024.

☆ A porn 'Zoom-bomber' hijacked an online conference with a Federal Reserve governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A virtual meeting with a Federal Reserve governor was canceled after being "Zoom-bombed", per Reuters. The intruder showed porn images on the call, which had more than 200 participants. The hacker displayed the images a few minutes before the conference was due to start. In another incident in 2020, trolls joined Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and told participants in recovery that "alcohol is soooo good." The rise of Zoom meetings and subsequent Zoom-bombing during the pandemic led the company to place a 90-day freeze on new features in April 2020 while it focused on bolstering the platform's security.

REUTERS/Tingshu WangHONG KONG/BEIJING/SHANGHAI, March 3 (Reuters) - As unprecedented protests against China's zero-COVID policies escalated in November, Li Qiang, the man recently elevated to No.2 on the ruling Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee, seized the moment. Meanwhile, some local-level party workers and healthcare officials were grappling with growing challenges in implementing the zero-COVID policy. "From my perspective, it's not that we set out to relax the zero-COVID policy, it's more that we at the local level were simply not able to enforce the zero-COVID policy anymore," the official said. In mid-November, when Xi was still in Southeast Asia, he ordered Chinese authorities to "unswervingly" execute the zero-COVID policy, said two of the people, after which some cities retightened curbs. Xi's vacillating led to renewed debate on COVID policy among top leaders during mid to late November, one of these people and another person said.

March 2 (Reuters) - A virtual event with Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller was canceled on Thursday after the Zoom video conference was "hijacked" by a participant who displayed pornographic images. It is an incident we deeply regret," said Brent Tjarks, executive director of the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America (MBCA), which hosted the event via a Zoom link. "We have been deeply upset to hear about these types of incidents, and Zoom strongly condemns such behavior," Zoom spokesman Matt Nagel said in a statement. The service has come under fire over privacy and security issues, including incidents of "Zoom bombing" in which uninvited users entered and disrupted meetings. The Fed said the event, which was to feature a speech by Waller as well as a question-and-answer session, was canceled due to "technical difficulties."

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