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☆ China is watching warily as Putin and Kim forge new ‘alliance’
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-23 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Putin said Russia and North Korea have ramped up ties to a “new level.” Kim, meanwhile, called the new “alliance” a “watershed moment” in bilateral relations. In contrast, the reaction from China, the main political and economic patron for both Russia and North Korea, has been all but muted. “But they do know that China plays an irreplaceable role for both Russia and North Korea,” she said. China remains the largest trade partner to both Russia and North Korea, providing a crucial lifeline to the heavily sanctioned economies. “China doesn’t think that an alliance between Russia and North Korea would be a betrayal,” said Liu with the City University of Hong Kong.

Persons: Vladimir Putin glided, Kim Jong, Xi Jinping, Kim, Putin, ” Kim, Xi, Liu Dongshu, Liu, Kim Jong Un, ” Liu, Beijing doesn’t, Alexander Ryumin, ”, Edward Howell, Russia –, ” Yun Sun Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Benz, China’s Foreign, City University of Hong, KCNA, North Korea Treaty, Cooperation, Mutual Assistance, Getty, –, University of Oxford, North, Stimson Locations: China, Hong Kong, Pyongyang, Beijing, North Korea, Russia, United States, Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, Northeast Asia, City University of Hong Kong, Soviet Union, Friendship, North, Korean, Russian, Iran, Moscow, United Kingdom, Washington

CNN —US envoy Amos Hochstein told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting on Tuesday in Israel that his public comments this week that the US is “withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel” were “unproductive” and “more importantly, completely untrue,” a senior US official told CNN. A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Israel confirmed that Lew spoke with Netanyahu on Tuesday. The meeting reflected the administration’s mounting frustration with the Israeli leader’s comments. Hochstein’s comments to Netanyahu weren’t the first time US officials have pushed back in private against public comments made by Netanyahu, but some US officials would like the Biden administration to go further, an administration official said. “In the meantime, meetings with Israeli officials are being held throughout the week at expert and senior levels on a range of topics.

Persons: Amos Hochstein, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel ”, ”, Israel Jack Lew, Netanyahu, Lew, ” Axios, Hochstein, Biden, Joe Biden, Netanyahu weren’t, “, that’s, ” Netanyahu, Antony Blinken “, ” Blinken, Israel won’t Organizations: CNN, Israeli, US Embassy, Israel Strategic Consultative, White, “ Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iran

☆ Putin arrives in Vietnam as Russia seeks support in face of Western isolation
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Considered a pariah by the West, Putin is looking to boost economic ties with friendly countries and show that Western isolation is not having an impact. Vietnam was among several Southeast Asian countries that abstained from joining a global summit on Ukraine in Switzerland last week. Last week, Vietnam sent a delegation led by its Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs to attend the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Summit in Russia. Analysts say Russia is likely to get more out of the visit than Vietnam, and Hanoi may even suffer reputational damage by hosting Putin following his trip to North Korea. “If no substantive deals are made, the visit will mainly be symbolic and a means for Putin and Russia to show the world that Western sanctions against Russia are not working,” said Le.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, Putin, Nguyen Phu Trong, Lam, Minh, Yury Ushakov, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, ”, Le Hong Hiep, – Yusof, Le, ” Putin, Xi, –, John Kirby, Anwar Ibrahim Organizations: CNN, West, US, Reuters, Communist Party General, Vietnam’s, Vietnam News Agency, ” TASS, TASS, ”, Vietnam Studies, International Criminal Court, ICC, United Arab, Foreign Ministry, Foreign Affairs, ’ Summit, Analysts, Putin Locations: Hanoi, North Korea, Ukraine, Vietnam, Moscow, United States, China, Russia, Pyongyang, Russian, Soviet, India, US, South China, Switzerland, Beijing, Kazan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Egypt, Malaysia, BRICS, “

☆ Wikipedia editors label the ADL as an unreliable source on the Israel-Palestine conflict
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Wikipedia’s editors declared that the Anti-Defamation League cannot be trusted to give reliable information on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and they overwhelmingly said the ADL is an unreliable source on antisemitism. The editors, a group of volunteer moderators for one of the world’s most popular information websites, voted last week to label the ADL as a “generally unreliable” source on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Other generally unreliable sources, according to Wikipedia editors, include Russian state media, Fox News’ political coverage and Amazon reviews. The ADL also faces a vote from Wikipedia editors to potentially label the organization as unreliable on the topic of antisemitism. “Antizionism is a negation of Jewish history, a denial of Jewish humanity.”That didn’t sit well with Wikipedia’s editors.

Persons: CNN —, “, ”, refutations, Jonathan Greenblatt, James Loeffler, ” Greenblatt, ” Loeffler Organizations: CNN, Defamation, ADL, Fox News, Israel, White, John Hopkins University, ADL “ Locations: Israel, Palestine, Hate, Gaza

CNN —Thousands of North Koreans chanting “welcome Putin” lined Pyongyang’s wide boulevards waving Russian and North Korean flags and bouquets of flowers Wednesday as Russian President Vladimir Putin kicked off his first visit to North Korea in 24 years. Putin and Kim presented their delegations and stood together as the Russian national anthem played before the two leaders rode standing shoulder to shoulder in an open-top limousine as they smiled and waved to the crowds. The two autocrats are expected to ink a new strategic partnership agreement in a stark signal of their expanding relations. Kim beamed visibly as he greeted Putin at the airport in the early hours, video footage of the Russian leader’s arrival showed. The pair then rode together to the Kumsusan State Guest House where Putin is staying, according to North Korean state-run news agency KCNA.

Persons: “, Putin, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Kim Il, Kim, ” KCNA, Pyongyang’s’s Organizations: CNN, West, Kumsusan, House Locations: North Korea, Russian, Pyongyang, Moscow, Ukraine, Korean, Russia, Seoul, Washington, South Korea

☆ Putin arrives in North Korea for first visit in 24 years as anti-West alignment deepens
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Anna Chernova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Following his visit to North Korea, Putin is scheduled to travel to Hanoi in a display of Communist-governed Vietnam’s ties to Russia that is likely to rankle the United States. Putin’s trip to North Korea will have a “very eventful” agenda, his aide Yuri Ushakov said during a press conference Monday. One image was of a grandstand being constructed on the eastern side of Kim Il Sung Square, the site where all major parades in North Korea are held. Putin arrives in North Korea on Tuesday, June 18. But Russia’s apparent increasing reliance on North Korea and rising frictions with the West appear to have shifted that dynamic.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Putin, Kim, Yuri Ushakov, Ushakov, Kim Il, John Kirby, Biden, wasn’t “, ’ Kim, ” Kim, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin’s, Defense Lloyd Austin, “, ” Putin, Kim Jong Il, Xi Jinping, Michael Mitsanas, Katharina Krebs, Mariya Knight, Yoonjung Seo, Betsy Klein, Paul P, Murphy Organizations: CNN, TASS, Putin, Planet Labs, Maxar Technologies, US, North Korean, North, South Korea’s, Chiefs of Staff, West, Ukrainian, Kyiv, NATO, Ukraine, Defense, Kremlin, United Nations Security, UN Locations: North Korea, Pyongyang, Ukraine, Korean, Korea, Hanoi, Russia, United States, Asia, Moscow, North, Zarubinreporter, South Korea, South, Russia’s, Eurasia, Italy, Kyiv, Russian, Vietnam, Beijing, China, Iran, South Africa, Brazil

☆ Russia’s Putin to visit North Korea in rare trip as anti-West alignment deepens
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Anna Chernova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Following his visit to North Korea, Putin will travel to Hanoi Wednesday for another two-day trip, in a display of Communist-governed Vietnam’s ties to Russia that is likely to rankle the United States. Both countries have denied North Korean arms exports. The Kremlin has said that Russia hopes to build a partnership with North Korea “in all possible areas,” according to Russian state media. Putin’s move to bolster North Korean ties has also been a boon for Kim, who remains unbowed by years of international sanctions over his illegal nuclear weapons program. But Russia’s apparent increasing reliance on North Korea and rising frictions with the West appear to have shifted that dynamic.

Persons: CNN — Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Putin, Kim, ” Kim, Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin’s, Defense Lloyd Austin, “, ”, ” Putin, Kim Jong Il, Xi Jinping Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Putin, North Korean, Pyongyang –, North, North Korea “, Ukrainian, Kyiv, NATO, Ukraine, Defense, United Nations Security, UN Locations: North Korea, Russian, Ukraine, Pyongyang, Hanoi, Russia, United States, South Korea, Moscow, Korean, Russia’s, Italy, Kyiv, Beijing, China, Iran, South Africa, Brazil

☆ A Hungarian Rapper’s Bandwagon Gets an Unlikely New Rider
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The 22-year-old rapper is so popular — he recently held three sold-out concerts at Hungary’s largest stadium — that even Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a stodgy champion of traditional values not known for being in tune with youth or its culture, claims he is a fan. Mr. Orban has said he particularly likes the song “Rampapapam,” a reggae-flavored ode to the joys of cannabis. It’s a surprising choice given the prime minister’s conservative views and one that raised questions about whether he has actually listened to it or just watched its video showing the musician playing soccer, the leader’s favorite sport. But Attila Bauko, a Hungarian superstar better known as Azahriah, has won so many passionate fans in Hungary that Mr. Orban, who has had 14 years in power, appears to want some of the rapper’s energy and stardust. “Since they see that a lot of people like me, it seems they want to be friendly,” Azahriah said in an interview backstage before a concert last month at the Puskas Arena, a sports stadium in Budapest, that attracted nearly 50,000 people for each of the three nights he performed.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Orban, Attila Bauko, Mr, ” Azahriah Organizations: Puskas Arena Locations: Hungarian, Hungary, Budapest

☆ North Korea sent trash balloons to South Korea. Activists are sending balloons back with K-pop and K-dramas
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —South Korean activists sent balloons carrying K-pop and K-dramas on USB sticks to their northern neighbor on Thursday, days after North Korean balloons of trash and “filth” floated in the opposite direction. In May, North Korea responded by sending its own giant balloons back south – containing trash, soil, pieces of paper and plastic, and what South Korean authorities described as “filth.”A balloon believed to have been sent by North Korea, carrying what appeared to be trash, seen in Incheon, South Korea, on June 2, 2024. South Korean activists say they will continue to send the balloons north – even though doing so was banned by the government years ago. Trash spills from a broken balloon, believed to be sent by North Korea, in Incheon, South Korea, on June 2, 2024. “South Korea is not an American colony or a wasteland of humanity like I learned in North Korea,” he told CNN on Wednesday.

Persons: Kim Jong Un, Kim Kang Il, Park, “, ”, Kim, Kim Jong Nam Organizations: South Korea CNN — South, Fighters, North, South, Yonhap, Agency, Reuters, North Korea’s, South Korean, CNN, South Korea Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, Incheon, Reuters Pyongyang, North Korean, China, American, Yongin, South

When everything became about Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, his party and its century-old Hindu-nationalist network were propelled to unimagined heights. On the back of his singular charisma and political skill, a onetime-fringe religious ideology was pulled to the center of Indian life. Landslide election victories remade India’s politics, once dominated by diverse coalitions representing a nation that had shaped its independence on secular principles. On Tuesday, Mr. Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P., fell back to earth. Mr. Modi will remain in office for a third term, but only with the help of a contentious coalition of parties, some of which are opposed to his core beliefs and want power of their own.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi Organizations: India, Bharatiya Janata Party Locations: inundating

Singapore CNN —China’s support to Russia will extend the war in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday, as he called on countries across the Asia-Pacific to join an upcoming peace summit he accused Russia of trying to thwart. It comes ahead of the international peace conference on Ukraine slated to be held June 15-16 in Switzerland. “With China’s support to Russia the war will last longer. When asked later about China’s statement it would not attend the peace summit, the Ukrainian leader accused Russia of using Chinese diplomats to disrupt it. “Time is running out” including for Ukrainian children taken by Russia, Zelensky told a packed hall during an address on the closing day of the three-day security meeting.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, China –, ” Zelensky, “, Putin, of National Defense Dong, ” Dong, Lloyd Austin, Dong, Russia ”, Vladimir Putin, ”, Austin, Prabowo Subianto, José Ramos, Pat Ryder, Joe Biden Organizations: Singapore CNN —, of National Defense, CNN, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Criminal, Ministry of Foreign, US Defense, Horta, Ukraine, Pentagon, Twitter Locations: Singapore, Russia, Ukraine, Asia, Pacific, China, Switzerland, Beijing, Kharkiv, The Hague, United States, Timor

☆ What was it like to cook for Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron?
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Maggie Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The chance to cook for a mystery guestChef Mauro Colagreco, seen here shaking Chinese leader Xi Jinping's hand, was one of three chefs invited to prepare the recent state dinner in France. In addition to the Plaisance restaurant in Hong Kong, his restaurant group now has five establishments in mainland China. Then, on the morning of the state dinner, the Mirazur team arrived to start preparing for the evening alongside the other chefs. Lai Sun DiningAt Colagreco’s Plaisance restaurant in Hong Kong, diners will get to sample all three of the dishes Xi and Macron were served during the recent state dinner. The cost of the three-course option starts from 1,888 Hong Kong dollars ($241), while the six-course menu is 2,888 Hong Kong dollars ($369).

Persons: Xi Jinping, he’s, Xi, Emmanuel Macron, Mauro Colagreco, Xi Jinping's, Laurent Blevennec, Colegreco, Colagreco, “, ”, Fabrice Desvignes, Brigitte Macron, France’s, It’s, Mauro Colagreco's, Peng Liyuan, Pierre Gagnaire, Vin Jaune, verbena pavlova, Nina Métayer, Fromagerie Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, Michelin, Colagreco's, Colagreco’s, Hong Locations: Hong Kong, bao, Beijing, Europe, Paris, China, France, Plaisance, Menton, Elysee, Argentine, Mirazur, Asia, Shanghai, Cognac, Port, Madeira, Jura, refiner, Colagreco's Plaisance, Colagreco’s Plaisance

Zelensky’s surprise attendance at the gathering is a stark illustration of Kyiv’s determination to keep the international community engaged in Ukraine’s defense – and its vision for peace – more than two years into Russia’s devastating invasion. A CNN team at the summit witnessed Zelensky and his delegation arriving. His attendance at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore provides a rare opportunity for Zelensky to potentially meet with defense chiefs from across the Asia-Pacific, including China which has deepened its relations with Moscow since the war. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and defense heads from US allies Australia, Japan, and South Korea, as well as China’s Defense Minster Dong Jun are expected to be in attendance for the three-day gathering. Announcing his arrival at the summit, Zelensky said in a statement on X that he would hold “a number of meetings,” in particular with Austin, Singapore’s president and prime minister, Timor-Leste’s president and Singaporean investors.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenksy, Zelensky, Lloyd Austin, Dong Jun, ”, Austin, Rustem Umerov, “, Roman Pilipey, Zelenksy, Ukraine’s, Dong, Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy, –, It’s, Sergey Lavrov, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, CNN’s Ivan Watson, Xiaofei Xu, Alex Stambaugh, Natasha Bertrand, Sharon Braithwaite Organizations: Singapore CNN —, CNN, US, Austin, Ukrainian Defense, Getty, NATO, Russia, Northern, Firefighters, Reuters, Ministry, RIA Novosti, Russian, Key Locations: Singapore, Asia, Kharkiv, China, Moscow, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Timor, Ukraine, AFP, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Europe, North Korea, Beijing, Beijing’s, Russian, Reuters Beijing, Zelensky, Kyiv

☆ Biden Plans to Give Kenya Key Ally Designation During Its Leader’s Visit
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Michael D. Shear | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden will designate Kenya on Thursday as a “major non-NATO ally,” according to a U.S. official, a move that reflects the president’s determination to deepen relations with the East African nation even as other countries — including Russia and China — are racing to do the same. Mr. Biden will inform Congress of his intention, as required by law, as he hosts President William Ruto of Kenya with a formal state dinner at the White House on Thursday, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to allow Mr. Biden to make the announcement. The designation is given to countries whose militaries have a strategic working relationship with the United States, though not necessarily a mutual defense pact. Kenya would be the first sub-Saharan African country to be so designated. As he greeted Mr. Ruto upon his arrival in Washington on Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Biden officially reneged on that promise, telling him that he intended to visit the continent “in February, after I am re-elected.” For months, Mr. Biden’s aides had ducked questions about whether he would travel to Africa during a busy election year.

Persons: Biden, ”, William Ruto of, Ruto, Biden’s Organizations: Kenya, U.S, East, White, U.S . Locations: NATO, Russia, China, William Ruto of Kenya, United States, Kenya, U.S, Africa, Washington

☆ Biden looks to counter China’s influence as he rolls out red carpet for Kenya
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Kevin Liptak | Kayla Tausche | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Among the goals of his three-day state visit in October: securing another $1 billion in loans from China to help complete infrastructure projects. On Wednesday, when he arrived at Joint Base Andrews to begin another state visit – this time to Washington – he again found a red carpet and troops. Senior administration officials acknowledge a central factor in scheduling a state visit with Kenya was the desire to counter China’s influence and financial leverage on the African continent, which has outpaced the United States in direct investment. One of the goals of Thursday’s state visit is to demonstrate the ability of democracies – like Kenya’s – to deliver for their people. “I plan on going in February,” Biden told reporters.

Persons: Washington CNN —, William Ruto, Joint Base Andrews, Washington –, Jill Biden, Joe Biden, –, Kenya –, ”, “, Biden, Ruto, ” Ruto, he’s, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Jake Sullivan, ” Biden, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump –, ” Sullivan, Ariel Henry Organizations: Washington CNN, Kenyan, Joint Base, East, Kenya, NATO, Africa –, White, Initiative, Loans, Washington, World Bank, Group, European Union, Democratic, White House, Angolan, Advisers, CNN, Haitian Locations: Beijing, China, Africa, Kenya, United States, China’s, Nairobi, Mombasa, Boston, US, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Washington, East, Ukraine, ”, Russia, –, combatting al, Shabab, Somalia, Yemen, Haiti

☆ Brad Paisley and Howard Gospel Choir to be the entertainment for state dinner as Bidens highlight US-Kenya ties
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Betsy Klein | Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

US President Gerald Ford dances with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II during a state dinner in Washington, DC, in 1976. Jason Reed/Reuters The White House's State Dining Room is seen ahead of a state dinner honoring French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018. Paisley first performed at the White House in 2009 during the Obama administration as part of a music series. “Tomorrow night we’ve created an experience that will feature the beautiful scenes of the White House and the Washington Monument that few get to enjoy,” White House social secretary Carlos Elizondo said. Event planner Bryan Rafanelli also helped the White House plan for the state dinner.

Persons: Brad Paisley, Joe Biden, Jill Biden, William Ruto, Rachel Ruto, “, Howard, “ Brad Paisley, Dr . Biden, Ruto’s, Biden, Ruto, ” Biden, George W, Bush, Gerald Ford, Queen Elizabeth II, Ricardo Thomas, Gerald R, Franklin D, Roosevelt, Enrique Penaranda, Penaranda, Matthew Costello, George R, Nikita Khrushchev, He's, Nina, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Mamie Eisenhower, Costello, John F, Kennedy, Habib Bourguiba, Jackie, Moufida, Bill Allen, Lyndon B, Johnson, Errol W, Barrow, Carolyn, Richard Nixon, Leonid Brezhnev, Charles Tasnadi, Betty Ford, Jordan's King Hussein, David Hume Kennerly, Betty Sherrill, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Jimmy Carter, Deng Xiaoping, Cho Lin, Carter, Nancy Reagan, Indira Gandhi, Mikhail Gorbachev, Joe DiMaggio, Ronald Reagan, Reagan, Boris Yeltsin, Naina, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, Barbara, Dirck Halstead, Singer Whitney Houston, Nelson Mandela, Ron Sachs, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Mandela, Zindzi, Wally McNamee, Corbis, Bill Frist, Lynne Cheney, Dick Cheney, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Laura Bush, Prince Philip, Itzhak Perlman, Saul Loeb, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Manmohan Singh, Gursharan Kaur, Pete Souza, White, Obama, Singh, Jason Reed, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Macron, Brigitte, Jabin, Scott Morrison, Joshua Roberts, Paisley, ‘ Wake, Martin Luther, ’ ”, ” Jill Biden, we’ve, Carlos Elizondo, Cris Comerford, Bryan Rafanelli, April’s, Fumio Kishida, Yuko Kishida, CNN’s Sam Fossum Organizations: Washington CNN —, Howard Gospel Choir, White, CNN, Kenyan, Ford Presidential Library, United, White House, Historical Association, Washington Post, Getty, Barbados, AP, Indian, New York Times, Singer, South, Trump, Australian, Paisley, Japanese Locations: Kenya, United States, ”, Ghana, Africa, Russia, Namibia, Washington , DC, Bolivian, Soviet, George H.W ., toasts, Nashville, Washington

☆ Iran’s president has died in office. Here’s what happens next
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Once seen as a likely successor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, President Ebrahim Raisi has died in office, leaving the Islamic Republic’s hardline establishment facing an uncertain future. An ultraconservative president, 63-year-old Raisi was killed Sunday, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other high-ranking officials, in a helicopter crash in Iran’s remote northwest. Raisi’s death has raised questions about who will eventually succeed Iran’s 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most powerful man in the country. According to the constitution, the 88-member Assembly of Experts picks the successor to the Supreme Leader after his death. “(This) definitely throws all the plans that offices of the Supreme Leader probably had out the window,” Vaez told CNN’s Paula Newton.

Persons: CNN —, Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi, Hossein Amir, growingly restive, ” Ali Vaez, Power, Mohammad Mokhber, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, —, Hassan Rouhani, ” Parsi, ” Vaez, ” Iran's, Iran’s, Khamenei, Azin, AP “ Ebrahim Raisi’s, ” Karim Sadjadpour, Leader’s, Mojtaba Khamanei, Sadjadpour, Vaez, CNN’s Paula Newton, Islamic Republic ” Organizations: CNN, Iran’s, Islamic, Foreign, IRI, Group, Experts, Quincy Institute, Responsible, Revolutionary Guards, Iran's, Observers, Iran’s Guardian Council, Guardian Council, Moj News Agency, AP, Carnegie Endowment, International Locations: Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran, Islamic Republic, Washington ,, Tehran, Iranian, Raisi, Varzaghan

☆ What the Death of Iran’s President Raisi Means for His Country, and the World - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Reuel Marc Gerecht | Ray Takeyh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has not always seen eye to eye with his country’s presidents. Mr. Raisi was a revolutionary with an ideologue’s integrity. Despite this deep experience and loyalty, it wasn’t clear that Mr. Raisi would be a suitable successor to Mr. Khamenei, a development many observers and Iranians feared. Mr. Raisi only possessed the last. But even if his ascension was uncertain, Mr. Khamenei still relied upon the cleric to help manage the coming transition: Mr. Raisi was reportedly part of a three-man committee vested with the responsibility to choose the next supreme leader.

Persons: Ali Khamenei, Akbar Hashemi, Rafsanjani, Mohammad Khatami, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hassan, Ebrahim Raisi, Mr, Khamenei, Raisi Organizations: Iran’s Locations: Islamic Republic

This week, Xi is welcoming him to China for a two-day state visit — their fourth in-person meeting since Russia’s onslaught in Ukraine began. China has repeatedly defended its trade with Russia as part of normal bilateral relations. Russia has also become China’s main oil supplier, overtaking Saudi Arabia, according to official Chinese trade data. Governments warn against support for Russia’s war effortThe wartime surge in trade, and growing purchases of oil, have sparked criticism in the West that China was helping to fund Russia’s war. It mirrors Xi’s state visit to Russia in March 2023, which was the Chinese leader’s first overseas trip after starting a norm-shattering third term as president.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Xi, Putin, Antony Blinken, Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, Von der, ’, Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, United, European Union, International Monetary Fund, —, EU, White, European Commission Locations: China, Hong Kong, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, United States, Saudi Arabia, India, West, Beijing, France, Chinese

☆ In Europe, Xi looks to counter claims it’s aiding Russia in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Xiaofei Xu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“China is neither the creator of the crisis, nor a party to it or a participant. The trip will also see Xi visit Serbia and Hungary, with the leader’s visit to Belgrade coinciding with the 25th anniversary of NATO’s bombing of the Chinese embassy in the city that killed three. Beijing has defended its trade with Russia as part of normal bilateral ties; it also says it does not provide weapons to parties in conflict. It has not been accused of sending lethal weapons to Russia, but rather goods with military use. Beijing supports efforts recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with “equal and just discussions of all possible peace plans at the conference,” he said.

Persons: Xi Jinping, ” Xi, Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der, “, ramped, Macron, Xi “, he’s, ”, ” Macron, presser, Xi, Vladimir Putin, von der Leyen, Putin Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, French, European, NATO, Biden, Kyiv Locations: Hong Kong, Ukraine, China, Europe, Moscow, “ China, Paris, Washington, Beijing, Russian, Serbia, Hungary, Belgrade, Serbian, Balkans, Russia, France, “, Israel, Switzerland

☆ Right-wing media ruptures over Marjorie Taylor Greene’s threat to oust Mike Johnson
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Marjorie Taylor Greene has exposed the fault lines in right-wing media. While The Journal has showered Johnson in glowing praise, Fox News and the Post have gone different routes. Yet, it’s unlikely she will emerge from this battle victorious — a reality that has underscored the importance of Murdoch’s right-wing media empire. While the winds might not entirely favor Greene and the MAGA Media hardliners in this very moment, they do appear to be shifting. That could very well pale in comparison to what the rising, more extremist wing of right-wing media delivers in the years ahead.

Persons: Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Johnson’s, Rupert Murdoch, Greene, Johnson, ”, MOSCOW MARJORIE, They’ve, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s, Bannon, Charlie Kirk, MAGA, Trump, “, God ”, Tucker Carlson, ” Greene, Kirk, Carlson, Murdoch, Murdoch GOP kingmaker Organizations: New York CNN, Republican, MAGA Media, Fox News, Street Journal, New York, Kyiv, Post, Republican Party, Breitbart, Murdoch GOP, GOP, Trump Locations: New York, Ukraine, MAGA, Johnson

Dr. Shafik herself was preparing to confer with the university senate, which could censure her as soon as Friday. On Monday, police were called in to make dozens of arrests at Yale and New York University. Mr. Johnson’s visit to campus will not include a meeting with Dr. Shafik. The university senate could vote on a resolution to censure Dr. Shafik as soon as Friday — not long after the 48-hour negotiation period concludes. By calling in the police anyway, the resolution said, Dr. Shafik had endangered both the welfare and the futures of the arrested students.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Nemat Shafik, Shafik, Kathy Hochul, Emerson, Johnson’s, Columbia, —, “, ” Brendan O’Flaherty, Grayson, Kirk’s, Dr, O’Flaherty, Shafik’s, Liset Cruz, Eryn Davis, Annie Karni, Santul Nerkar, Katherine Rosman, Karla Marie Sanford, Ed Shanahan Organizations: Columbia University, New York Police Department, National Guard, Gov, Guard, Yale, New York University, Tufts, University of California, Hamas, New York City Police, Johnson’s, Republicans Locations: York, Gaza, Berkeley, Israel, ”, Washington, Columbia, New

☆ In a Country Awash in Violence, a Vote Will Test Its Leader’s Hard-Line Stance
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Genevieve Glatsky | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ecuadoreans will vote on Sunday in a referendum that could give their center-right president greater powers to combat drug-related gang violence and also gauge how he would fare in his bid for re-election next year. President Daniel Noboa, the 36-year-old heir to a banana empire, took office in November after an election season focused on drug-related gang violence, which has surged over the past five years to levels not seen in decades. In January, he declared an “internal armed conflict” and directed the military to “neutralize” the country’s roughly two dozen gangs, which the government labeled “terrorist organizations.” The drastic move allowed soldiers to patrol the streets and prisons, many of which have come under gang control. Two weeks ago, Mr. Noboa took the extraordinary step of arresting an Ecuadorean politician facing a prison sentence who had taken refuge at the Mexican Embassy in Quito, in what experts called a violation of an international treaty on the sanctity of diplomatic posts. The move drew widespread condemnation across the region.

Persons: Ecuadoreans, Daniel Noboa, Noboa Locations: Mexican, Quito

☆ Burned remains of Maya royalty marked the rise of a new leader, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The bones offer a rare glimpse of intentional corpse destruction in Maya culture to commemorate dramatic political change. Typically, Maya societies kept royal remains in accessible spaces where visitors could perform offerings. “Halperin is one of our most gifted field workers,” said Houston, who studies ancient Maya culture but was not involved in the research. Around the start of the ninth century when the remains were burned, carved Maya records described the deeds of a new ruler called Papmalil. Ritual desecration of royal remains by fire wasn’t unknown in Maya culture.

Persons: adornments, Christina T, Halperin, ” Halperin, “, —, . Halperin, Dr, Stephen Houston, “ Halperin, ”, Houston, ” —, ’, there’s, ” Houston Organizations: CNN, University of Montréal, telltale, Brown University Locations: Guatemala, Providence , Rhode Island, Guatemala City

☆ Israel Announces New Operation Against Hamas, After Killing Top Leader’s Sons
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Cassandra Vinograd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Israeli military announced what it called a precise operation to kill members of Hamas in Gaza on Thursday, a day after a strike there killed relatives of one of the group’s most senior leaders. Ismail Haniyeh, who leads the political wing of Hamas from exile, said three of his sons had been killed in the Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza on Wednesday. The Israeli military said that the three Haniyeh sons it killed — Amir, Mohammad and Hazem — were active in Hamas’s military operations, Amir as a cell commander and his brothers as lower-level operatives. One of the brothers was also involved in holding hostages, the Israeli military said, without specifying which one. The strike came as international negotiators work to broker a cease-fire in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held in the enclave.

Persons: Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh’s, — Amir, Mohammad, Hazem —, Amir Organizations: Hamas Locations: Gaza

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