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☆ Trump removes video referencing ‘unified Reich,’ but his Nazi allusions are long-standing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Donald Trump dabbles in Nazi allusions too often for it to be a coincidence. But the term “Reich,” which means a kind of empire, is also synonymous with the later Third Reich of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Some of Trump’s rhetoric suggests an ignorance of history and his own self-obsession. Some of Trump’s rhetoric seems designed to get a rise from his opponents and the media. And as extreme as a second Trump term might be, the Nazi Germany comparison feels extreme.

Persons: Donald Trump dabbles, Reich, Adolf Hitler’s, Trump, Joe Biden, Hitler, Mein, hasn’t, Donald Trump’s, Donald J, Trump Trump, John Kelly, CNN’s Jim Sciutto, Powers, ” Kelly, “, ’, ” Sciutto, Kelly, Steven Cheung, John Bolton, He’s, Biden, ”, Viktor Orbán, Vladimir Putin’s Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, Truth, White House, Nazi, Baby Boomers Locations: Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany, Gestapo, United States, Charlottesville , Virginia, Boston, Nazi Germany, Hungarian, Russian, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Eastern Europe, Nazi, Normandy

☆ Inside the NYC kitchen fueling Shake Shack's $4 billion burger empire
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Shake Shack has nearly 350 locations in the U.S. and another 134 around the world and is valued at more than $4 billion. With dozens of new locations opening later this year, the team in the Innovation Kitchen is constantly developing new offerings. In order for a menu item to reach customers, it needs to be approved by Shake Shack's 13-person tasting panel. How delicious an item is is only one of the factors that the Innovation Kitchen team thinks about when developing new recipes. Shake Shack's latest limited time offering — a barbeque inspired menu — was months in the making.

Persons: John Karangis, Karangis, Shake Organizations: CNBC, Shack, Innovation Kitchen's, Innovation Locations: U.S, Bangkok, Thailand, Japan, Tokyo

☆ Biden denounces ICC for ‘outrageous’ implication of equivalence between Israel and Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Michael Williams | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The prosecution team is also seeking warrants for Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, along with top Hamas leaders, Khan said. Khan, the ICC prosecutor, batted down criticisms over the tribunal’s efforts to secure the warrants. News that the ICC is seeking warrants for the Israeli leaders sent reverberations of condemnation across the world. Close US allies like Britain said the court’s efforts were “not helpful” in reaching a pause in fighting. Biden administration officials also questioned whether the ICC had the jurisdiction to seek those arrests.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Biden, Karim Khan, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar, Yoav Gallant, Khan, ”, Biden –, CNN’s Erin Burnett, cajole Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, Moammar Gadhafi, Amanpour, Gallant, Antony Blinken, United States “, Mike Johnson, John Kirby, Independent Sen, Bernie Sanders –, Biden’s –, Sanders, ” Sanders, Kirby, “, Putin, ” Kirby, CNN’s Nikki Carvajal, Haley Talbot Organizations: Washington CNN, International, ICC, Israeli, Israel’s Defense, Biden, GOP, National Security, Independent, Mr Locations: Israel, Rafah, Gaza, Russian, Britain, Germany, United States, Ukraine

☆ Israel-Hamas War in Gaza: Latest Updates
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Matt Surman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The United States has repeatedly called on Israel not to launch a full-scale invasion of Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza. Credit... Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters Mr. Sullivan is expected to stress the need for a targeted approach to fighting Hamas in Gaza and to emphasize American opposition to a full-scale attack on Rafah. Mr. Sullivan traveled to Saudi Arabia on Saturday, a visit that had been slated for April originally but was delayed after the U.S. official cracked a rib. In the interim, tensions between the United States and Israel over the Rafah invasion and Israel’s conduct of the war have escalated. Mr. Sullivan is expected to try to advance the deal in his meeting with the Israeli leader.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Benjamin Netanyahu, John Kirby, Sullivan, Netanyahu, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Lloyd Austin, Antony J, Blinken, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Organizations: U.S, Sunday, United, White House, Washington . Credit, Reuters, CNN, Senate, Crown Locations: United States, Israel, Rafah, Gaza, Washington ., Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian, U.S, Saudi

☆ Top U.S. Official Visits Israel as Allies Urge Limits on Rafah Incursion
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Matthew Mpoke Bigg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

The United States has repeatedly called on Israel not to launch a full-scale invasion of Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza. Earlier this month, President Biden said in an interview with CNN that the United States would not supply weapons for a major Israeli offensive in Rafah. Hamas said its fighters had fired on Israeli troops in eastern Rafah and close to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. In the interim, tensions between the United States and Israel over the Rafah invasion and Israel’s conduct of the war have escalated. Mr. Sullivan is expected to try to advance the deal in his meeting with the Israeli leader.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Benjamin Netanyahu, John Kirby, Sullivan, Netanyahu, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Lloyd Austin, Antony J, Blinken, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Mohammed, Vivian Nereim Organizations: U.S, Sunday, United, White House, Washington . Credit, Reuters, CNN, Crown, Saudi Press Agency Locations: United States, Israel, Rafah, Gaza, Washington ., Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian, U.S, Saudi

☆ The US did a complete 180 on same-sex marriage
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The vast majority of Americans opposed same-sex marriage on May 17, 2004, when the first same-sex couples took their vows after a court decision in Massachusetts. Barack Obama notably opposed same-sex marriage when he ran for president as a Democrat in the 2008 election and, as public opinion was rapidly shifting, changed his tune in 2012 to support same-sex unions. Warnings were unfoundedThere is also evidence that warnings about same-sex marriage somehow endangering “traditional marriage” simply never materialized. A new study by researchers for the RAND Corporation to assess two decades of same-sex marriage in the US argues marriage rates actually increased among opposite-sex couples as same-sex couples were granted the ability to marry in certain states. A key difference between support for same-sex marriage and support for abortion rights, according to Lundry, is that support for abortion rights has remained positive for decades, in contrast to same-sex marriage, which saw a complete turnaround.

Persons: CNN —, Mitt Romney, George W, Bush, Hillary, Julie Goodridge, Charles Krupa, Sen, John Kerry, Hodges, Barack Obama, Obama, Romney, Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, weren’t, ” Romney, Obergefell, —, PRRI, Alex Lundry, Republican pollster, “, ” Lundry, Gen, Dick Cheney, Joe Biden Organizations: CNN, Republican, House, Boston City Hall, Massachusetts Democrat, Democrat, Supreme, Gallup, RAND Corporation Locations: Massachusetts, Utah, Oregon, Ohio, Without Ohio, America

☆ Why some investors are bullish on this asset class that's yielding over 6%
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Right now, securitized products in general look relatively cheap, said John Kerschner, head of U.S. securitized products and portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors. To meet this need, Janus launched its Securitized Income ETF (JSI) in November, which invests across the securitized space. JSI YTD mountain Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF Collateralized loan obligations Another fund Kerschner manages is the Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF . One way investors can get broad exposure to CMBS via BlackRock's iShares CMBS ETF . CMBS YTD mountain iShares CMBS ETF year to date However, Janus' Kerschner pointed out that all office work isn't going away.

Persons: Nick Travaglino, Nuveen, Travaglino, John Kerschner, Janus Henderson, Janus, Kerschner, Rick Rieder, I've, Rieder, CLOs, it's, isn't, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Kershner, We're Organizations: Investors, Fund, Janus Henderson Investors, SEC, Janus Henderson AAA CLO, Bank of America, AAA CLOs, BlackRock AAA CLO Locations: CLOs, BlackRock, Moody's, CMBS, multifamily

☆ May 17 is the last chance to claim your 2020 tax refund — the median payment is $932, IRS says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

May 17 is the last chance to file 2020 returns and claim your refund — which could include missed pandemic relief, experts say. As of May 6, there was still an estimated $1 billion in unclaimed refunds from tax year 2020, and the median possible payment was $932, according to the IRS. But roughly 940,000 taxpayers could surrender their 2020 refund payment if they don't file by May 17, the agency explained in May. The 2020 tax deadline was postponed to May 17, 2021, amid the pandemic — and the three-year deadline to file 2020 returns and collect refunds is now upon us. "If you let if you let it slip, there's nothing anybody can do," said Bill Smith, national director of tax technical services at financial services firm CBIZ MHM.

Persons: John Karls, Bill Smith, CBIZ Organizations: Finance

☆ ‘El joven Sheldon’ superó con éxito los vaivenes de la televisión
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( John Koblin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

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Organizations: The

☆ How ‘Young Sheldon’ Successfully Rode the Turmoil in TV
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( John Koblin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

On Thursday, “Young Sheldon,” the successful CBS spinoff of “The Big Bang Theory,” will air its final episode, concluding a seven-year run. “Young Sheldon” never quite captured the same spot in the zeitgeist as its predecessor. A ‘Peak TV’ BeginningOn the one hand, “Young Sheldon” had the ingredients for a surefire hit. “The Big Bang Theory” was a big success, and could help bring a strong lead-in audience. It was, in the words of one top CBS executive, “the quickest pitch and the quickest ‘yes’ in the history of television.”

Persons: “ Young Sheldon, ”, “ Young Sheldon ”, Chuck Lorre, “ Organizations: CBS

☆ Opinion: Why Biden’s eager to debate Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Julian Zelizer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have both accepted an invitation from CNN to debate on June 27, nearly four years since they last clashed onstage. As you said: anywhere, anytime, any place.” Trump later told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins he also accepted. One of the biggest changes that took place in campaigns was who determined the structure. Join us on Twitter and FacebookNext month, President Biden will have an opportunity to demonstrate that concerns about his age are misplaced. Former President Trump will have a chance to prove that he has some kind of compelling vision for the country beyond his desire to take down his opponents and the establishment.

Persons: Julian Zelizer, ”, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, “ I’ve, Donald, ” Trump, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Trump, mano, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ford, Ronald Reagan, Walter Mondale, George H.W, Bush, Bill Clinton, Ross Perot, Hillary Clinton, White supremacists, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, hasn’t Organizations: CNN, Princeton University, Twitter, ABC, Republican, Fox News, Democratic Party, Trump, Biden, Commission, Georgia Gov, Arkansas Gov, League of Women Voters Locations: @CNN, JFK’s, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, “

☆ Photographer Platon sits presidents and protesters on the same wooden box
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Caitlin Chatterton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“More world leaders have sat on that box than any chair in history,” the photographer Platon, owner of that very box, told CNN in an interview conducted over Zoom. One of the girls that Platon photographed there was Esther Faraja. Vladimir Putin, photographed by Platon for Time’s Person of the Year in 2007, initially liked the image that Platon produced. Platon photographed Burmese politician and activist Aung San Suu Kyi in 2010, shortly after she was released from nearly 15 years of house arrest. Platon photographed members of the Burmese LGBTQ+ community who are living in exile and fighting against legislation that criminalizes same-sex behaviour.

Persons: CNN — Vladimir Putin, Muammar Gaddafi, Mark Zuckerberg, Platon, “, ” Platon, it’s, Platon Antoniou, George, John Kennedy Jr, Barack Obama, ”, Esther Faraja, Josue, Mukwege's, Denis Mukwege’s, you’re, ” Vladimir Putin, doesn’t, Vladimir Putin, Putin, who’s, Clinton, Platon Bill Clinton, there’s, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, “ Hillary, Aung, Suu Kyi, Platon Anastasia Smirnova, we’re Organizations: CNN, Hollywood, Royal College of Art, New Yorker, Kremlin, Downing, Mukwege's Panzi, Denis Mukwege’s Panzi, Society Locations: Greece, London, New York, George Clooney’s, Congo, Russian, Suu, Burma, Russia

☆ Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi: 28 of her artworks mysteriously disappeared three decades ago. They’ve finally returned home to South Africa
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Gertrude Kitongo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN —It was a phone call that changed everything. “We have some good news.”Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi had been waiting to hear those words for more than 30 years. Origins of an artistSebidi was born in 1943 near Hammanskraal, South Africa, north of Pretoria. One of artist Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi's early works, which often depict traditional, rural scenes of a time before European colonization came to the African continent. “We need those freedoms.”Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi’s exhibition is on display at the University of Johannesburg Art Gallery until May 17, 2024.

Persons: ”, Helen Sebidi, ” Sebidi, Sebidi, “, John Koenakeefe Mohl, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi “, Mark Read, Everard, “ Helen, Read, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi's, Helen Sebidi “, –, – Sebidi, Kim Berman, ’, Helen Sebidi's, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi Sebedi, Gabriel Baard, ” Baard, ” Berman, Thabo Mbeki –, Jesper Osterberg, Gabriel Baard Baard, Everard Read, Helen Sebidi’s Organizations: South Africa CNN, South, CNN, Johannesburg Art Foundation, Everard Read, Galleries, Federated Union of Black Artists, Millary Colony, Arts, Nyköping Folk, School, University of Johannesburg, “, Smithsonian, Folk High School, Swiss Air Freight, University of Johannesburg Art, Swedish Embassy Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Sweden, Hammanskraal, Pretoria, New York, Swedish, Nyköping, Black, “, Stockholm, Sebidi

☆ Withholding US weapons from Israel could force changes in how it fights but may not stop its devastating assault
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The US paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week amid rising concerns over a Rafah assault. Israeli soldiers work on armored military vehicles at a staging ground near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel on May 8, 2024. That would be a more difficult fight for the Israeli military, Byman said. A view shows Israeli F-16 fighter jets on a runway in an airbase in southern Israel on March 4, 2024. It is not necessarily an unprecedented move, as past US administrations have also threatened to withhold military support from Israel.

Persons: Joe Biden, —, Israel, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Daniel Byman, Byman, Israel's, CNN's Erin Burnett, We're, Raphael Cohen, Cohen, Hatem Khaled, John Kirby, Mohammed Salem, Netanyahu Organizations: US, Service, AP, State Department, Attack Munitions, Transnational, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Hezbollah, REUTERS, RAND Corporation, AIR FORCE, US Army Reserve, White House National Security Council Locations: Israel, Washington, Gaza, Rafah, I'm, Egypt

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden’s decision this week to make public his ultimatum that a major Israeli offensive in the city of Rafah would result in a shut-off of some US weapons did not come easily or lightly. Last week, Biden signed off on a pause of 3,500 bombs to Israel that administration officials feared would be dropped on Rafah. Aware or not of the president’s views, Israeli officials reacted with shock to the public announcement. Israeli officials also sought to downplay the significance of Biden’s announcement. It marked the clearest signal yet that six months into the war, Biden was starting to seriously consider conditioning US support for Israel.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden’s, Netanyahu, Biden, Still, CNN’s Erin Burnett, he’d, ” Biden, Burnett, wasn’t, “, Erin Burnett, ”, John Kirby, Kirby, Daniel Hagari, Israel, –, Jesus, Israel’s, ” Kirby, straightforwardly, pare, Donald Trump, Utah Sen, Mitt Romney, Mike Johnson, who’d, Pennsylvania Sen, John Fetterman, they’re, CNN’s Manu Raju, Sen, Jon Tester, Ben Cardin, “ I’m, I’ve, we’ve, ” Sen, Bernie Sanders Organizations: Washington CNN, Israel Defense Forces, White, National Security, CNN, Kitchen, Capitol, Israel, Biden’s CNN, GOP, Politico, Pennsylvania, Foreign Relations Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Israel, Wisconsin, I’m, Rafah Israel, “ Israel, Utah, Montana, Vermont

☆ IRS reminder: Time to claim $1 billion in tax refunds from 2020 expires on May 17
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

There is $1 billion in unclaimed 2020 tax refunds up for grabs — but the last chance to file returns and collect the money is approaching. Nearly 940,000 taxpayers have until May 17 to file 2020 returns and claim their refund, the IRS said in a "final reminder" this week. The deadline is "terribly important" because there's a three-year refund expiration after each tax deadline, said certified public accountant John Karls, partner at accounting firm Armanino. "If you let if you let it slip, there's nothing anybody can do," said Bill Smith, national director of tax technical services at financial services firm CBIZ MHM. "You won't get your refund when the statute of limitations has run out."

Persons: —, John Karls, Roth, Bill Smith, CBIZ Organizations: Finance

☆ New ‘The Office’ comedy series will center on reporters at a ‘dying’ newspaper
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Over a decade after viewers said goodbye to beloved NBC series “The Office,” a new comedy set in the same universe as everyone’s favorite paper company Dunder Mifflin is coming to Peacock. Daniels and Koman will also produce the series with original “Office” creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Many cast members became household names following the widespread and early success of the series, which won five Emmys throughout its run. Like its predecessor starring Gervais, the series followed a mockumentary-style format with cast members breaking the fourth wall as a crew followed staffers around an office, capturing tedious day-to-day tasks, office romances and at-times outlandish behavior. It is not yet known if any previous cast members will make cameos in the Peacock series, which is set to begin production in July.

Persons: “, Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Dunder, Greg Daniels, “ Nathan, Michael Koman, Daniels, Koman, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant ., Steve Carell, John Krasinksi, Jenna Fischer, Mindy Kaling, Rainn Wilson, BJ Novak, Gervais Organizations: CNN, NBC, Dunder Mifflin Locations: Scranton

☆ Young Michigan voters reveal deepening political problems for Biden seven months after start of Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( John King | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“All roads to the White House go through Michigan,” Gray said. “Michigan is up for grabs, and I did not think I would be saying this right now. “And that starts with calling for a cease fire, for listening to his student voters across the country.”A sign in the encampment at the University of Michigan in May 2024. Younger voters were critical to Biden returning Michigan to the blue column in 2020; exit polling showed Biden winning 61% of voters aged 18-29, to just 37% for Donald Trump. Both hope a break from campus protests and demonstrations will give younger voters time and space to see a bigger picture.

Persons: Ann, Jade Gray, ” Gray, ”, Gray, Jalisatgi, Joe Biden, “ Joe Biden, CNN Jalisatgi, Biden, Donald Trump, Matkin, “ I’d, Summer Matkin, John King, Taylor Swift, ” Matkin, Trump, “ I’ve, Maya Siegmann, Siegmann, “, …, Siegmman, Hillel, ” Siegmann, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ibrahim Ghazal, Ghazal, ” Ghazal, ” Ibrahim Ghazal, CNN Ghazal, I’m, Who’s, ” Jalisatgi Organizations: Ann Arbor , Michigan CNN, University of Michigan Student Union, College Democrats, University of Michigan, CNN, Biden, Younger, Michigan Democrats, Wayne State, Trump, Wayne, CNN Wayne State, Hillel, Jewish, Israel, Democratic, GOP, New University of Michigan, Jalisatgi, University of Michigan’s, Supreme Locations: Ann Arbor , Michigan, Gaza, Michigan, “ Michigan, Israel, Detroit, Palestine, Wayne State, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Hamtramck, Missouri

☆ Israeli and Hamas Negotiators Are in Cairo Under Pressure for Cease-Fire
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Isabel Kershner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

The Israeli ground-and-air operation in the eastern part of Rafah on Tuesday further hampered the area’s struggling medical system. Fearing a raid by Israeli forces, like those that have been carried out at hospitals across Gaza, the medical staff at al-Najjar rushed to relocate more than 200 patients. But even during the scramble to evacuate the hospital, Israeli airstrikes on Rafah continued. The Israeli military’s actions also immediately limited access to more basic health services across Rafah. That delegation was also supposed to deliver the salaries of the aid group’s medical workers in Rafah — cash they desperately needed to secure housing and transportation during the chaotic evacuation.

Persons: Abu Yousef al, ” Dr, Marwan al, Najjar, Khan Younis, Hams, ”, Israel, —, Chessa Latifi, Hatem Khaled, Kamal Adwan, “ We’ve, ” Ms, Latifi, Dr, John Kahler, MedGlobal, Kahler Organizations: Najjar, Hams, European Hospital, International Medical Corps, HOPE, ., Project HOPE, Kamal Adwan Hospital, Health, Awda Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Israeli, Israel, Khan, al, U.S, Gaza City, Cairo

☆ Disney, Hulu and Max Streaming Bundle Will Soon Become Available
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( John Koblin | More About John Koblin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In a rare moment of solidarity, two entertainment giants are teaming up to try to get consumers to stop canceling their streaming services so frequently. Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Wednesday that they would start offering a bundle of their Disney+, Hulu and Max streaming services this summer, a sign of how rivals have become more willing to join forces in order to confront an ever-changing media landscape. The companies said that the bundle would be available to buy on any of the three streaming platform’s websites (Disney owns Disney+ and Hulu; Warner Bros. Discovery owns Max), and that there would be a commercial-free version as well as one featuring ads.

Organizations: Disney, Warner Bros . Discovery, Max

☆ Senators Seek to Curb Facial Recognition at Airports, Citing Privacy Concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A bipartisan group of senators is pushing to halt the expansion of facial recognition technology at airports in the United States and restrict its use as part of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that is making its way through Congress. Citing privacy concerns, Senators Jeff Merkley, Democrat of Oregon, and John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, are proposing to block the expansion of the technology until 2027 and require the transportation security administrator to make clear that passengers can opt out at airports where it is in use. With a Friday deadline for renewing the aviation law, the proposal is among the amendments likely to get a vote before the bill can pass. The Federal Aviation Administration is planning to expand facial recognition technology to more than 430 airports, from 25, as part of an effort to speed up the check-in process. Using kiosks with iPads affixed to them, passengers have their photographs taken and matched to an image from a government database instead of presenting a physical identification card.

Persons: Jeff Merkley, John Kennedy Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Republican Locations: United States, Oregon, Louisiana

☆ Biden to call for a fight against antisemitism at a precarious moment in Israel’s war in Gaza and amid protests on campus
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Betsy Klein | Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden on Tuesday aims to issue a clarion call to fight a swiftly rising tide of antisemitism amid a precarious moment in Israel’s war against Hamas and as protests have swept American college campuses, laying bare Biden’s trouble with some young voters. Biden’s longtime and stalwart support for Israel has come under intense pressure as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza grows. The president plans to address the long history of antisemitism and issue what one senior administration official familiar with the remarks described as a “call to action” on combatting antisemitism. The protests are not expected to be a major part of the speech, the official added. However, Biden does not intend to use his speech on Tuesday to delve into Middle East policy or the current situation in Israel or Gaza.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden’s, Israel, Biden, White, “ recommit, ” Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, ” Jonathan Greenblatt, John Kirby, Biden “, Benjamin Netanyahu, it’s, Jean, ”, “, Miguel Cardona, Doug Emhoff, Yom HaShoah, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Adolf Hitler “, CNN’s Dana Bash Organizations: Washington CNN, US, White, CNN, Defamation League, ADL, Hamas, National Security, Qatari, White House, Education’s, Civil, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, Department’s Office, Institute of Politics, Harvard University’s Kennedy Locations: Israel, Gaza, Cairo, Doha, Qatar, Gazan, Rafah, America, Poland

☆ Israel's attack on Rafah shows the troubling limits of Biden's influence
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewEarly on Tuesday, Israeli tanks seized control of the vital Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. But throughout its eight-month war, Israel has shown that it is willing to reject and ignore the advice of its most important international ally, the US. Israel on Monday warned civilians in eastern Rafah to evacuate, indicating that an attack may be imminent. His coalition is fragile, and he relies on the support of far-right lawmakers who are demanding an attack on Rafah. AdvertisementThe Gaza war has repeatedly threatened to spill into a wider regional conflict, and scenes of new civilian suffering in Rafah could intensify that threat.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Matt Duss, Biden, John Kirby, Netanyahu, Israel Biden, Israel, JIM WATSON, He's, Aaron David Miller, Dave Harden Organizations: Service, Hamas, Israeli, Business, Washington, Center for International, House, Monday, Biden, Getty, US, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Wall Street, New York Times, US Agency for International Development, West Bank, BBC Locations: Gaza, Egypt, Israel, Rafah, Ukraine, Israel —, Qatar, New York City, Palestinian, Saudi Arabia

☆ TV News Can’t Sidestep Turbulence as Election Approaches
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( John Koblin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Television news may have never been this unsettled six months before a presidential election. ABC News is in the throes of change, after its president announced on Sunday night that she was leaving. Much of the challenge for television news divisions is, at its core, how to navigate a fast-evolving business. Instead, viewers are flocking to less lucrative streaming services, leaving the parent companies of the networks less sure-footed. And all of this is happening as news organizations face one of the trickiest journalistic assignments: an especially divisive presidential race.

Organizations: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN

☆ US soldier was arrested in Russia last week
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —An American soldier was detained in Russia last week on suspicion of theft and is currently being held in pre-trial detention, according to two US officials. “The Army notified his family and the U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the Soldier in Russia. The soldier was stationed in South Korea when he took leave to travel to Russia on his own, according to another US official. A State Department official confirmed that a US citizen had been detained in Russia but would not provide further details. Last July, another soldier stationed in South Korea willingly crossed into North Korea where he was immediately detained.

Persons: Gordon Black, ” “, ”, Cynthia Smith, “, Evan Gershkovich, Marine Paul Whelan, Ksenia Karelina, John Kirby, haven’t, ” Kirby, Travis King, King, CNN’s Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood Organizations: CNN, US Army, Army, Russian Federation, U.S . Department of State, Vienna Convention, Consular Relations, Soldier, US State Department, Street, Marine, NBC News, State Department, US, National Security, Joint Security Area, Incheon International Locations: American, Russia, South Korea, Vladivostok “, Vienna, Ukraine, Cavazos, Texas, Moscow, North Korea, United States, Incheon, Seoul

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