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☆ How the super rich party at the Monaco Grand Prix
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Susan Griffin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

British driver Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes looks walks the drivers parade before the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 28, 2023. Here, designer stores, supercars, multi-million-dollar yachts and astronomically priced restaurants are ‘la norme’, but during the three-day Grand Prix, the eye-watering ostentation increases three-fold. Amber Lounge might be one of the most exclusive and expensive events taking place during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, but Monte Carlo itself is a veritable party hub. “As a former resident, I can tell you there are two sides to the F1 Grand Prix arriving in Monaco. Fans watch the action during qualifying at the F1 Monaco Grand Prix.

Persons: ”, Tom Holland, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Dan Mullan, revel, Cipriani, Sass Café, Max Verstappen, Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Minogue, Prince Albert of Monaco, Eddie Irvine’s, Sonia, Amber, Lauren Green, Joash Lee, partygoers, Jax Jones, Monte, Bruce Bundrant, ” Bundrant, Ryan Pierse, Green, “ Organizations: CNN, Monaco, Prix, Circuit, Getty, Business Development, AS Monaco FC, “ Locations: Monte Carlo, British, Fairmont, Hôtel Hermitage, Hôtel, Paris, Le Meridien, Monaco, Singapore, Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi

☆ Election Updates: Tom Cotton emerges as a top contender in Trump’s V.P. race.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Michael C. Bender | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

“I woke up, I said, ‘I wonder, will it be hostile or will it be friendly?’” Mr. Trump said. It was a love fest.”As is often the case during Mr. Trump's speeches, the truth was a bit more complex. But Mr. Trump observed that Mr. Levitt had exited his business too early and was unable to make a comeback when he wanted to years later. The reason, Mr. Trump said, was that he had squandered his momentum. “You have to always keep moving forward,” Mr. Trump said.

Persons: Miles, Donald J, Trump, “, ‘, ”, Biden, Hiroko Masuike, Trump’s, —, Unprompted, Mr, Indiana Mitchell, Rafael Brito, ” Mr, Brito, Melvin Howard, William Levitt, Levitt, ” Jeffery C, Mays Organizations: New York State, Trump, South Bronx . Credit, New York Times, Dominican, Queens, New York Police Department Locations: Bronx, New York, York City, Crotona, Florida, “ New York, South Bronx, United States, Dominican Republic, ”, Central Park, Long

☆ Ukraine Starts Freeing Some Prisoners to Join Its Military
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Constant Méheut | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ukraine has begun releasing prisoners to serve in its army, part of a wider effort to rebuild a military that has been depleted by more than two years of war and is strained by relentless Russian assaults. It is unclear how many prisoners in total have been released since the law came into force a week ago. The Ukrainian authorities said this week that more than 3,000 prisoners had already applied. Russia’s program is open to prisoners convicted of violent crimes, while the Ukrainian law does not extend to people convicted of premeditated murder, rape or other serious offenses. The regional court said that most of the men released this week had been convicted of theft.

Persons: Denys Maliuska Organizations: BBC Locations: Ukraine, Russia

☆ See inside the Demilitarized Zone, the heavily guarded border between North Korea and South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Talia Lakritz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The Demilitarized Zone established after the Korean War separates North Korea and South Korea. North Korean and South Korean soldiers, as well as United Nations Command forces, guard the site. AdvertisementIn 1953, an armistice agreement established a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on the border of North Korea and South Korea. While the agreement brought an end to the battles of the Korean War, the conflict is still ongoing. On multiple occasions earlier this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tested new rockets capable of hitting Seoul in South Korea.

Persons: it's, —, Kim Jong, Kim Organizations: United Nations Command, Service, Associated Press, Business Locations: North Korea, South Korea, North Korean, Seoul, Korea, United States

☆ China's war drills around Taiwan enter Day 2. Here's what it means for cross-strait relations
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Members of Taiwan's military conduct routine exercises at Liaoluo Port in Kinmen on May 24, 2024. (Photo by I-HWA CHENG/AFP via Getty Images) I-hwa Cheng | Afp | Getty ImagesChina's latest military exercises around Taiwan risk escalating cross-strait tensions — but war remains unlikely, political observers say. Beijing warned that the two-day drills, which continued on Friday, were aimed at punishing the island's new President Lai Ching-te for his "hostility and provocations." The drills are "legitimate, timely and entirely necessary," as acts of "Taiwan independence" in any form "cannot be tolerated," it added. "This pretext for conducting military exercises not only does not contribute to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, but also highlights its hegemonic nature," the ministry said.

Persons: HWA CHENG, Cheng, Lai Ching, Lai, Xi Jinping, China's, Lai —, Wang Yi, Nancy Pelosi's, Xi, Joe Biden, Gabriel Wildau Organizations: HWA, Getty, Afp, Xinhua, Atlantic, China's Ministry of National Defense, Liberation Army, PLA, Eastern, Command, U.S ., Fujian, Guard, U.S, APEC, Teneo Intelligence, Republicans Locations: Liaoluo, Kinmen, China, Taiwan, AFP, Beijing, Eurasia, Republic of China, People's Republic of China, United States, U.S

CNN —China’s military drills around Taiwan are designed to test its ability to “seize power” over the island, the People’s Liberation Army said Friday as its forces kicked off a second day of large-scale exercises encircling its democratic neighbor. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry has condemned China’s military exercises as “irrational provocations” and dispatched its own sea, air and ground forces in response. A total of 19 Chinese warships and seven coast guard vessels were detected near the Taiwan Strait, according to the ministry. China Coast Guard drill near Taiwan. China Coast Guard/Weibo‘Blockading Taiwan’China’s military drills are often as much about playing to a domestic audience as signaling intentions internationally, and state media has ramped up coverage of the drills.

Persons: CNN —, Lai Ching, Lai, Xi Jinping, ”, China’s, Tsai Ing, ” “, Wu Qian, Liu, Tsai, wasn’t, “, I’m, Zhang Chi, Zhang, Carl Schuster, Craig Singleton, ” Singleton, Singleton, Lionel Fatton, ” Fatton Organizations: CNN, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Command, Party, Taiwan, Guard, CCTV, Taiwan’s Defense, Kyodo, Democratic Progressive Party, China’s, Ministry, Chinese Communist Party, China Coast Guard, Taiwan . China Coast Guard, Weibo, US, Coast Guard, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, Foundation, Defense of Democracies, Webster University Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, China, Kinmen, Taiwan Strait, China's, Taiwan ., ”, Kaohsiung, Wuqiu, Geneva

☆ The world's top chipmakers can flip a 'kill switch' should China invade Taiwan, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTwo of the world's most important chip companies can flip a "kill switch" remotely on their most advanced chipmaking machines should China invade Taiwan, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Netherlands's ASML — Europe's top tech company by market value — supplies advanced machines to chip-making companies. The US has also pressured the Netherlands to block some ASML exports to China to limit the country's ability to manufacture advanced chips. The Dutch company has also said it will stop servicing some equipment previously exported to China. Rising concerns over Taiwan Strait developmentsThere are concerns about China's intensifying drills around Taiwan after Taiwan inaugurated its new President, William Lai — whom Beijing has branded as a separatist — on Monday.

Persons: —, Taiwan's, ASML, William Lai —, Li Xi, Jensen Huang, TSMC Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Business, East, Dutch, China's People's Liberation Army, Nvidia Locations: China, Taiwan, Washington, Beijing, Netherlands, Arizona, Japan, Germany, ASML

☆ Buthidaung: Fires rage as Rohingya caught up on the front lines of Myanmar’s civil war
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Helen Regan | Avery Schmitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

This satellite image shows Buthidaung, Myanmar, on January 17, 2024. © 2024 Maxar Technologies This satellite image shows Buthidaung, Myanmar, on May 18, 2024. This satellite image shows a damaged bridge in Buthidaung, Myanmar, on May 18, 2024. Warnings of further atrocitiesAn immediate concern is a humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state, with newly displaced residents unable to access food or clean water. The Myanmar military has blocked all access,” said Nay San Lwin.

Persons: Farooq, ”, Young, Volker Türk, Kyaw, –, Buthidaung –, “, John Quinley, Khaing, Lwin, Rohingya, Pan, Matthew Miller Organizations: CNN, Arakan Army, AA, Resource Management, Free Rohingya Coalition, International Court of Justice, Council, Myanmar, UN Human Rights Council, National Unity Government, Free Rohingya Coalition –, Maxar Technologies, “, ” CNN, Bangladesh, Labs, Medecins, Rakhine . State Department, Unity Government Locations: Myanmar’s, Myanmar, Rakhine, Arakan, Bangladesh, Buthidaung, Lwin, Indonesia, San Lwin, Rakhine State

☆ China starts military drills around Taiwan days after new president takes office
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te speaks on stage during the inauguration ceremony outside the Presidential office building in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 20, 2024. China's military started two days of "punishment" drills around Taiwan on Thursday in what it said was a response to "separatist acts", just days after new Taiwan President Lai Ching-te took office and called on Beijing to cease its threats. China detests Lai, saying he is a "separatist", and it has denounced his inauguration speech on Monday. The Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) said it had started joint military drills, involving the army, navy, air force and rocket force, in areas around Taiwan at 7:45 a.m. (2345 GMT). The drills are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait, the north, south and east of Taiwan, as well as areas around the Taiwan-controlled islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin, the command said in a statement.

Persons: Lai Ching, China detests Lai, Wang Yi, Lai Organizations: Eastern Theatre Command, People's Liberation Army, PLA Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Beijing, China, Taiwan Strait, Kinmen

☆ Putin has 'both eyes' on a strategic island belonging to new NATO member Sweden, army commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewRussian President Vladimir Putin is targeting a strategic Swedish island that offers mastery over the Baltic Sea, the commander-in-chief of Sweden's army warned this week. Putin's goal is to gain control of the Baltic Sea," Micael Bydén told German news outlets, according to Politico's translation of his remarks. Sweden joined NATO in early March, and the alliance is now the dominant force in the Baltic Sea, thanks in large part to its control of Gotland. Advertisement"If Russia takes control and seals off the Baltic Sea, it would have an enormous impact on our lives — in Sweden and all other countries bordering the Baltic Sea," Bydén said. Swedish military officials watch a Swedish C-130H take off from a non-traditional runway on Gotland Island on October 23, 2021.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Micael Bydén, Bydén, Patrik Orcutt, Ulf Kristersson Organizations: Service, Business, NATO, Nordic, Russia's Ministry of Defence, Moscow Times, US Army, Politico, Sweden's, Financial Times, Gotland Regiment, US Locations: Swedish, Baltic, Gotland, Putin's, Sweden, Russian, Kaliningrad, It's, Rhode, Russia, Bydén, Moscow, Lithuania, Finland, Latvia, Ukraine

☆ Ex-Google CEO says the US and China's most powerful AI systems may one day be stored in military bases and surrounded by machine guns
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Powerful AI systems could become heavily guarded in the future, says ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Schmidt expects the systems to be "surrounded by barbed wire and machine guns" in army bases. The US and China have been competing fiercely to maintain their lead in the AI race. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementFormer Google CEO and chairman, Eric Schmidt thinks that "extremely powerful" AI systems will be heavily guarded by governments in the future.

Persons: Eric Schmidt, Schmidt, — Organizations: Service, Google, U.S, Noema Magazine Locations: China

☆ The world's top chipmakers can push a 'kill switch' should China invade Taiwan, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTwo of the world's most important chip companies can push a "kill switch" remotely on their most advanced chipmaking machines should China invade Taiwan, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Netherlands's ASML — Europe's top tech company by market value — supplies advanced machines to chip-making companies. The US has also pressured the Netherlands to block some ASML exports to China to limit the country's ability to manufacture advanced chips. Rising concerns over Taiwan Strait developmentsThere are concerns about China's intensifying drills around Taiwan after Taiwan inaugurated its new President, William Lai — whom Beijing has branded as a separatist — on Monday. But Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told Bloomberg TV on Tuesday that that the world's tech sector is likely to continue depending on Taiwanese manufacturing for "some time."

Persons: —, Taiwan's, ASML, William Lai —, Li Xi, Jensen Huang Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Business, East, Dutch, China's People's Liberation Army, Nvidia Locations: China, Taiwan, Washington, Beijing, Netherlands, Arizona, Japan, Germany

☆ China has launched new drills encircling Taiwan. Why now?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Tensions are once again ratcheting up in the Taiwan Strait, with China launching military drills encircling Taiwan just days after the democracy swore in a new leader long loathed by Beijing. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said it launched joint military drills involving the army, navy, air force and rocket force in areas around Taiwan early Thursday morning. The drills are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait – a narrow body of water separating the self-ruling island with mainland China – as well as north, south and east of Taiwan. The Chinese guided missile frigate Nantong, one of the vessels in the series of military drills around Taiwan. The defeated Nationalist Party fled to Taiwan, moving the seat of their Republic of China (ROC) government from the mainland to Taipei.

Persons: ”, Lai Ching, China’s, Xi Jinping, Li Xi, Lai, Wu Mei, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Tsai Ing, Tsai –, Mike Gallagher Organizations: CNN, Communist Party, Eastern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, People's Liberation Army, Weibo, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry, Democratic Progressive Party, DPP, Chinese Communist Party, CCP, Nationalist Party, US, Communist, Beijing, Tuesday Locations: Taiwan, China, Beijing, Kinmen, Taipei, People’s Republic of China, Republic of China, Xi, Washington

☆ Who Was Abdul Raziq?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Matthieu Aikins | Victor J. Blue | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When I arrived at Raziq’s compound, I saw him sitting cross-legged on a carpeted platform, receiving a long line of guests. Trim and cheerful, clean-shaven and barely 30, he wasn’t much older than I, yet he was leading several thousand men under arms. I reached the front of the line, and Raziq shook my hand to welcome me before turning to the next guest. We would never get the chance to meet again, but that was the beginning of my long quest to understand the paradox he represented. Why was the U.S. military, which was supposed to be supporting democracy and human rights in Afghanistan, working closely with a drug trafficker and murderer?

Persons: Raziq, Janan Organizations: U.S ., U.S . Army, First Infantry Locations: Raziq’s, U.S, Afghanistan

☆ How AI and bionics are helping Ukrainian soldiers return to action
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Ryan Bergeron | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The Esper Hand is the first product from Esper Bionics, a Ukrainian-US based company focused on next-generation prosthetics. “I think AI will be the next step in bionics,” says Dima Gazda, CEO of Esper Bionics. According to Esper Bionics, 70 Ukrainian soldiers are currently serving with Esper Hands, but the need greatly outnumbers the supply. Every morning, a group of Ukrainian veterans gather inside the clinic and go over the schedule for the day. Esper Bionics sells the Esper Hand (which normally sell for around $20,000) to Protez at manufacturing costs, and then Protez fits them to users for free.

Persons: CNN — Valera Kucherenko, I’m, ” Kucherenko, Kucherenko, who’ve, “, ”, Dima Gazda, Esper, It’s, Esper Bionics, Yakov Gradinar, ” Gradinar, Gradinar, Valera Kucherenko –, ” Gazda Organizations: CNN, Intelligence, Protez, Protez Foundation Locations: Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine, Minneapolis, Minnesota

☆ Under Relentless Russian Assault, Ukraine Adopts a Defensive Crouch
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Andrew E. Kramer | Finbarr O Reilly | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At a high point for Ukraine in its war against Russia, when its army was sweeping Russian forces from the country’s northeast, a small-town police chief proudly hung a Ukrainian flag on his newly liberated city hall. A year and a half later, the policeman, Oleksiy Kharkivskyi, was dashing into the burning ruins of the same town, Vovchansk, last week to evacuate its few remaining residents as Russian forces closed in. “Everywhere they come is just razed to the ground,” Mr. Kharkivskyi said of the advance of the Russian troops, who have returned to the region with a scorched-earth ferocity, setting in motion one of the largest displacements of people since the first months of the war. Russian troops punched across the border between Russia and Ukraine this month and pushed toward Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, which has a population of about a million people. Military analysts say Russia lacks the troops to capture the city but could advance to within artillery range, touching off a larger flow of refugees.

Persons: Oleksiy Kharkivskyi, Mr, Kharkivskyi Organizations: Ukrainian, Military Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Vovchansk, Kharkiv

☆ US sea route for Gaza aid isn't working, say Pentagon and UN
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewThe $320 million pier project to deliver aid to Gaza has yet to connect goods with the people who need them. Humanitarian aid groups have criticized Israel for not letting enough aid trucks into Gaza, keeping critical crossing closed, and creating logistical hurdles. The temporary pier was only anchored on a beach in Gaza last Thursday, the US Central Command said in a statement on its website. As of Tuesday, 569 metric tons of aid have been delivered to the Gaza port, Ryder said. In March, five children in Gaza were killed by an aid parcel with a malfunctioning parachute.

Persons: —, Pat Ryder, Gaza haven't, Israel, Steve Taravella, Ryder Organizations: Service, Business, UN, Pentagon, CNN, Food, Associated Press, AP, US Central Command, US Army Locations: Gaza, Israel

☆ China starts ‘punishment’ military drills around Taiwan days after island swears in new leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —China has launched two days of military drills surrounding Taiwan in what it called “punishment” for “separatist acts,” days after the self-ruling island swore in a new democratically elected leader. China’s ruling Communist Party says the self-ruling democracy is part of its territory, despite never having controlled it, and has vowed to take the island, by force if necessary. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said it launched joint military drills involving the army, navy, air force and rocket force in areas around Taiwan at 7.45 a.m. on Thursday. The drills are being conducted in the Taiwan Strait – a narrow body of water separating the self-ruling island with mainland China – as well as north, south and east of Taiwan. It expressed regret to “such irrational provocations and actions that undermine regional peace and stability.”

Persons: Lai Ching, China’s, Li Xi, ” Lai, Lai Organizations: CNN, Communist Party, Eastern Theater Command, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry Locations: China, Taiwan, Kinmen, Beijing

☆ Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss: German prince accused of leading coup plot goes on trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Inke Kappeler | Sana Noor Haq | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, 72, is accused of leading the plot, which would have led to him becoming Germany’s head of state. Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a former judge, attends the Frankfurt trial on Tuesday. The former lawmaker allegedly led co-defendants around the Reichstag parliament to scout the site for a coup plot. In addition to the five judges, two others will be on standby for the Frankfurt trial in the event of a long-term absence. Malsack-Winkemann, an ex-lawmaker for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, allegedly led several co-defendants around the Reichstag building scouting the location.

Persons: Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, Birgit Malsack, Frank, Walter Steinmeier, Kai Pfaffenbach, Maximilian Eder, Ruediger von Pescatore Organizations: CNN, Bundestag, Reuters, Frankfurt, Public Locations: Frankfurt, German, Stuttgart, Munich, Germany, Hesse

☆ He moderated r/Ukraine, shaping how the world sees the war. Now he has to fight in it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewA man who spent two years moderating one of the internet's most influential sources of information on Ukraine is being called up to fight against Russia. Mykola Sokalskii, a 39-year-old film producer from Kyiv, started live-streaming on Reddit in 2020 after the pandemic began. Speaking to Business Insider, Sokalskii said the subreddit "skyrocketed" in popularity on Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, swelling from 80,000 members to 906,000. "But that's just the way things are, and that's also the way you can portray war. Ukraine's parliament also passed a bill earlier this month that would allow the country's military to recruit prisoners to fight .

Persons: —, Mykola Sokalskii, Sokalskii, Sokalskii —, that's, Skolskii, he'd, Zelenskyy, Narciso Contreras Organizations: Service, Russia, Business, New York Times, 42th Brigade, Anadolu, Getty Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Germany, Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast

☆ ‘What’s the Problem?’ Zelensky Challenges West Over Hesitations.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Andrew E. Kramer | Daniel Berehulak | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

With his army struggling to fend off fierce Russian advances all across the front, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine urged the United States and Europe to do more to defend his nation, dismissing fears of nuclear escalation and proposing that NATO planes shoot down Russian missiles in Ukrainian airspace. Mr. Zelensky said he had also appealed to U.S. officials to allow Ukraine to fire American missiles and other weaponry at military targets inside Russia — a tactic the United States continues to oppose. The inability to do so, he insisted, gave Russia a “huge advantage” in cross-border warfare that it is exploiting with assaults in Ukraine’s northeast.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky Organizations: NATO Locations: Ukraine, United States, Europe, Russia, Ukraine’s

☆ Trump campaign starts taking cryptocurrency donations, vows to build a 'crypto army'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Trump campaign announced Tuesday it will start accepting cryptocurrency donations, casting the move as one of solidarity with opponents of "socialistic government control" over the U.S. financial markets. "MAGA supporters, now with a new cryptocurrency option, will build a crypto army moving the campaign to victory on November 5th!" The move opens a new source of potential funds for the Trump campaign, which still lags Biden in cash on hand even as it outraised the Democratic incumbent in April. Crypto donations will be reported as in-kind contributions, much like gifts of stock. "Contribution limits and disclosure requirements for crypto donations will follow Federal Election Commission regulations," the Trump campaign said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Biden, Warren, MAGA, Crypto Organizations: Commerce, Trump, Biden, Democratic, Federal, Pew Research Center Locations: Waukesha, Waukesha , Wisconsin

☆ Russia's fearsome S-400 air-defense system isn't quite living up to the hype in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Russian S-400 surface-to-missile systems in the Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square on i in May 2023. Ukraine in September said it destroyed two Russian S-400 batteries in Crimea, a region annexed by Russia in 2014. Rajan Menon, the director of the Grand Strategy program at the US think tank Defense Priorities, described the S-400 as Russia's "top-of-the-line air defense system." A rocket launches from a S-400 missile system at the Ashuluk military base in Southern Russia in September 2020. A Patriot air defense system test-fired during a training in Chania, Greece, on November 8, 2017.

Persons: —, Fredrik Mertens, John Hoehn, it's, Hoehn, AP Mertens, Mertens, Ian Williams, Mattias Eken, Rajan Menon, Vitaly Nevar, Mick Ryan, you've, DIMITAR DILKOFF, Ryan, haven't, hasn't, KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, might've, Eken, Anthony Sweeney, Army Menon Organizations: Service, Business, Hague, Strategic Studies, NATO, SA, International Institute for Strategic Studies, US Patriot, Reuters, RAND Corporation, Ukrainian Air Force, Forbes, Directorate of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, South Korea Defense Ministry, AP, Patriots, Storm, Missile Defense, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Defense, REUTERS, Australian Army, Getty, Victory Day, Patriot, Army Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia, Moscow, Crimea, Screengrab, Soviet, US, Russia's, Ukraine's Luhansk, South Korea, Kaliningrad, Southern Russia, AFP, Chania, Greece, United States, West, NATO

☆ Raisi helicopter crash: Some in Iran claim US sanctions to blame but the truth may be more complicated
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Nic Robertson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Even before Iran’s army chief Mohammad Bagheri ordered an investigation into the helicopter crash that cost the Islamic Republic the lives of two of its top politicians, blame was being laid at America’s door. People mourn the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a helicopter crash the previous day, at Valiasr Square, on May 20, 2024 in Tehran, Iran. The next question might be, knowing the weather was bad and having three helicopters on the journey, why put both president and foreign minister in the same aircraft? Former Foreign Minister Zarif would want the world to believe Iran’s technological core has been hollowed out by US sanctions, but that allegation too is tainted by hubris. Iran’s presidents are not idle, they need to go places.

Persons: Mohammad Bagheri, Ebrahim Raisi, Javad Zarif acidly, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Raisi –, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Malek Rahmati, Mohammed Ali Alehashem –, Ilham Aliyav, Majid Saeedi, Yemen’s Houthis, AKINCI, Ali Khamenei, –, Russia –, Zarif, Raisi Organizations: CNN, Islamic, Bell, Turkish Transport, Revolutionary Guard Corps, Former Locations: Islamic Republic, America’s, United States, Iran, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Tabriz, Tehran, Turkish, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey

☆ Sam Altman's self-own with ScarJo reveals a troubling question about OpenAI: What's with these clowns?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewOpenAI's fight with Scarlett Johansson isn't just a PR disaster (and a big one at that). Most of all, it shows there's just really, really bad judgment going on at the highest levels of Sam Altman's company. But everyone immediately noticed that the "Sky" voice that ended up on ChatGPT reminded them of ScarJo. And then Sam Altman, in one of the greatest self-own moves of the generative AI era, tweeted out "her" during the product demo last week. The OpenAI team used a Scarlett Johansson sound-alike voice — also completely avoidable.

Persons: —, Scarlett Johansson isn't, there's, Sam Altman's, ScarJo, Johansson, OpenAI, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Altman, wasn't, Johansson's, Altman, it's, Ilya Sutskever Organizations: Service, Business, Hollywood, SAG, CNN, Reuters, Marvel, tech's, Facebook, Microsoft, eventual Locations: Turkey

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