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☆ Harvey Weinstein retrial: New accusers have come forward, prosecutor says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Jean Casarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

NEW YORK CNN —A Manhattan prosecutor said Wednesday a new indictment against Harvey Weinstein is possible as additional accusers have come forward with claims against the powerful Hollywood producer whose downfall became a symbol of the #MeToo movement. That trial similarly used “prior bad acts” witnesses and has also been appealed. In addition, three other women testified at trial as “prior bad acts” witnesses. They argued the “prior bad acts” witnesses should not have been allowed to testify and the court should not have given prosecutors the ability to question Weinstein about instances of verbal abuse and bullying on cross-examination. In sexual assault cases, their testimony can turn a difficult “he said, she said” case into a more convincing “he said, they said” case.

Persons: Harvey Weinstein, Nicole Blumberg, Justice Curtis Farber, “, ”, Weinstein, Blumberg, ” Blumberg, –, ” Weinstein, Arthur Aidala, Miriam “ Mimi ” Haley, Haley, ” Aidala, Farber, CNN Weinstein, Love, Jessica Mann, Mann, Prosecutors, – Dawn Dunning, Tarale Wulff, Lauren Young –, uncharged Organizations: YORK CNN, Hollywood, Manhattan Supreme, ” Prosecutors, New, ”, CNN, Weinstein’s Locations: Manhattan, “, Los Angeles, Hollywood, York, New York

☆ 'This can no longer be justified': International outcry over Rafah attack piles more pressure on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A Palestinian child plays with the rubble after Israel bombs Palestinians' tents and shelters in Rafah, Gaza on May 27, 2024. The Israel Defense Force initially said it used "precise munitions" and "intelligence" to target two senior Hamas leaders in the area. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians," Macron's post read, adding: "I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire." The U.S., meanwhile, called the images coming out of the attack were "devastating" and "heartbreaking," but refrained from demanding a stop to the Rafah operation. The attack comes two days after the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' top court, asked Israel to "immediately halt" its military offensive in Rafah, citing the "disastrous" humanitarian situation.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Guido Crosetto, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Organizations: United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Global, Israel Defense Force, National Security, Reuters, International Court of Justice, United Nations Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Gazan, Palestinian, U.S, Israel

☆ Tired, testy and fractured: The Supreme Court prepares for more drama
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —As Supreme Court justices try to resolve more than a dozen major cases over the next month, including whether Donald Trump must stand trial for election subversion, they appear mired in antagonism and distrust. Conservatives, who indeed hold the upper hand on the 6-3 court, nonetheless spike their writing and remarks with derision for the left. When the court majority allowed Louisiana state officials to use a map with a second majority-Black congressional district (over the protest of a GOP-backed group of White voters), the three liberals dissented. (A lower US court had referred to it as the “bleaching of African American voters” from the district.) Dissenting liberals emphasized that the decision reversing the lower court undercut a 2017 Supreme Court ruling, Cooper v. Harris, issued before the far-right majority took hold.

Persons: Donald Trump, Samuel Alito, Alito, Elena Kagan, Clarence Thomas, Ketanji Brown Jackson, John Roberts, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Sonia Sotomayor, Kagan, Jackson, Blacks, Purcell, ’, Amy Coney Barrett, “, ” Barrett, Roberts, ” They, Bush, Feedback Kavanaugh, Gore, Cooper, Harris, ” Kagan, ” Alito, Joe Biden’s, Biden, Martha, Ann, ”, Alito tersely, Kagan’s, Edwin Kneedler, ” Roberts, Kneedler, Joshua Turner, Sotomayor, ” Sotomayor, Turner, interjected Organizations: CNN, Trump, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Liberal, GOP, White voters, Congress, Gore, South, American, Capitol, New York Times, US Justice Department Locations: America, Colorado, South Carolina, Carolina, Louisiana, Virginia, New Jersey, American, Alito’s, Jersey, Grants Pass , Oregon, Idaho, The Idaho

☆ Corporate America is going through a middle-management meltdown
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Middle managers are becoming an endangered species in Corporate America, with some companies viewing the role as obsolete , writes Business Insider's Lindsay Dodgson. Remote work, tech efficiencies, and a general push to cut costs have contributed to middle managers' demise. It's a strategy Corporate America, particularly Big Tech, deployed in 2023. The "year of efficiency," as Mark Zuckerberg dubbed it, was all about flattening organizations, and middle managers were the ones getting squished . The death of middle managers could also fuel the current dismantling of another cohort: the middle class .

Persons: —, Brooks Kraft, Insider's Lindsay Dodgson, millennials, Gen Zers haven't, Robyn Phelps, they're, Mark Zuckerberg, Gen, Jeffrey Gundlach, we're, Blackstone, Abanti Chowdhury, Jensen Huang, Hopper, Blackwell, Lilit, Tyler Le, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, George Glover Organizations: Service, Business, Brooks Kraft LLC, Getty, America, Big Tech, Citi, Street Journal, KKR, Meta, Google, Nvidia, Paragon Intel, National Association of Realtors, FAA Locations: Corporate America, millennials, New York, London

☆ 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

☆ Hamas and Israeli leaders may face international arrest warrants. Here’s what that means
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

If approved by a panel of judges, the arrest warrants would be issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The decision to seek arrest warrants doesn’t immediately mean the individual is guilty, but is the first stage in a process that could lead to a lengthy trial. The ICC has so far issued arrest warrants against 42 people, 21 of whom have been detained with the help of member states. Signatory states are obliged to apprehend those facing arrest warrants, but leaders have often sought to evade those warrants, restricting their freedom of movement. Video Ad Feedback ICC chief details charges he is seeking against Hamas and Israeli leaders 02:04 - Source: CNNDoes the ICC have jurisdiction over Israeli nationals?

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyah, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al, Masri, Mohammed Deif, Netanyahu, doesn’t, ”, Putin, Haniyah, Omar al, Bashir, Saif Gadhafi, Moammar Gadhafi, Vladimir Putin, hasn’t, Karim Khan, “, Khan, Shelly Aviv Yeini, ” Yeini, Muhammad Nazzal, Gallant, Israel Katz, Yair Lapid, Israel “, Sinwar, Itamar Ben Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Mike Johnson, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, Benjamin Brown, Melanie Zanona, Aber Salman, Michael Schwartz Organizations: CNN, Criminal Court, Israeli, ICC, The Hague, International Court of Justice, United Nations, UN, Djibouti –, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Reuters, Foreign, National Security, Hague, Defense Ministry, Republican Locations: Israel, Gaza, Chile, South Africa, Qatar, Rome, The, Netherlands, Russian, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, Djibouti, Palestinian, East Jerusalem, Palestine, The Hague, Israeli

☆ What Donald Trump might do if he wins a second term in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Read previewIn January 2025, Donald Trump may be sworn into office as the 47th President of the United States. Another Trump term, on the other hand, would likely entail a radical reversal from not just the previous four years, but even from Trump's first term in office. While not exhaustive, here's just some of what to expect in a second Trump administration. Miller told The New York Times that a second Trump administration would build "vast holding facilities that would function as staging centers" on "open land in Texas near the border." According to Bloomberg, Trump wants to extend those cuts in a second term.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Trump, Trump's, That's, mifepristone, Stephen Miller, Miller, Alex Wong, Nixon, shouldn't, he's, Israel, there's Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, The New York Times, Heritage Foundation's, Senate, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Reserve, Congress, TIME, Republican, National Guard, United, Department of Justice, Capitol Police, Atlantic Treaty Organization, State Department, Pentagon, Bloomberg, American, Security, Social Security, CNBC Locations: United States, Texas, CPAC, China, Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Europe, Washington ,

☆ US State Department issues worldwide security alert due to potential for attacks on LGBTQI+ people and events
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Kylie Atwood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The US State Department issued a worldwide security alert on Friday due to the potential for terrorist attacks against LGBTQI+ people and events. “Due to the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution. The Department of State is aware of the increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events and advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution,” the alert read. The alert comes two weeks before Pride Month begins on June 1. That same year, the Human Rights Campaign, for the first time in its 40-year history advocating for the LGBTQ+ community, declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans.

Persons: –, CNN’s Avery Lotz Organizations: CNN, US State Department, U.S, Department of State, of State, Pride, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Parade, Human Rights Locations: Austria, Idaho

☆ Embattled Georgia DA Fani Willis and Trump trial judge hit the campaign trail
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Sara Murray | Jason Morris | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Wise Smith, meantime, has faced some skepticism from voters worried that if he ousts Willis it could endanger the Trump case. The disqualification drama surrounding Willis hasn’t spared Wise Smith from skepticism from some Democrats who believe Willis will most aggressively prosecute the Trump case. “Some folks were worried that me jumping in the race, you know, might mean we lose that case,” Wise Smith said in an interview with CNN. Let me say this, I think the case is in grave jeopardy right now,” Wise Smith said of the Trump case. In a rarity for a sitting judge, McAfee has also been granting interviews to local media.

Persons: Donald Trump, Fani Willis, Scott McAfee, ” Willis, “, Trump, Willis, Christian Wise Smith, Willis ’, Wise Smith, McAfee, Robert Patillo, he’s, Courtney Kramer, ”, Michael J, Moore, she’s, Willis hasn’t, ” Wise Smith, Wise Smith –, –, ” McAfee, wouldn’t, “ I’ve, Patillo’s, ” Patillo, “ It’s, Patillo, Brian Kemp, Roy Barnes, Kemp, Barnes, Ray Smith III, Smith, ” Moore, that’s Organizations: CNN, Democratic Party, Democratic, Trump, Trump White House, Middle, Middle District of, WSB, Georgia Gov, Republican, Democrat, McAfee, Boy Scouts Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia, Inman

☆ Florida authorities identify remains found on Crescent Beach nearly 40 years ago
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Sara Smart | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Nearly 40 years ago, human remains were found on a beach in St. Johns County, Florida. The manner of death was determined to be a homicide, the sheriff’s office said. St. Johns County Sheriff's OfficeThe case went cold over the years and the remains were left unidentified. With the help of advanced technology at the lab, potential relatives of the victim were identified, the sheriff’s office said. St. Johns County is located on the northeast coast of Florida.

Persons: Mary Alice Pultz, John Thomas Fugitt, Gene Tolbert, Fugitt, Tommy, Billy Joe Wallace, “, Mary Alice’s, ” Tolbert, Pultz, Norman Jenkins, ” Jenkins Organizations: CNN, Johns County Sheriff’s, Crescent, Facebook, Police Locations: St, Johns County , Florida, Rockville , Maryland, Johns County, Crescent Beach, Maryland, Texas, Florida

☆ A 19-year-old called 911 in a crisis and ended up dead. For advocates, it’s a call for a better way of policing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

In New York, a similar but limited pilot program called “B-Heard” dispatches EMTs and trained mental health responders to some emergency calls. 2 minutes, 4 gunshots, and a young life cut shortRozario was in the throes of an apparent mental health crisis when he called 911 on March 27. Another vision for crisis interventionRozario wasn’t the first New Yorker to die at the hands of police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Community Access, a non-profit supporting people with mental health concerns in New York, says at least 26 New Yorkers experiencing mental health crises have been shot and killed by police since 2007. “No mother should have to go through the pain I’m going through,” Rozario’s mother said.

Persons: CNN —, ” Notan Eva Costa, “, ” Costa, ”, general’s, Win Rozario, Rozario, EMTs, Loyda Colón, Utsho, “ Tell, Colón, ” Colón, Michael Alcazar, Kawaski Trawick, Deborah Danner, Mohamed Bah, Jeremy Gates, Evan Thompkins, ” Arvind Sooknanan, Sooknanan, Ken Zimmerman, Fountain, they’ve Organizations: CNN, New, New York City, Rozario, NYPD, Justice, John Jay College of Criminal, Eugene Police Department, White Bird Clinic, “, STAR, Fountain House Locations: Queens, New York, New York City, Eugene , Oregon, Denver , Colorado, South Dakota, Rozario, Alcazar, Eugene, Springfield , Oregon, Colorado, Denver, Fountain

☆ A lesser-known recession indicator with a perfect track record over the last 11 downturns just signaled that trouble is coming. Here's when a recession could arrive — and why stocks are still safe for
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A Piper Sandler recession indicator says an economic downturn could be here. This indicator typically precedes official NBER recession announcements by about four months. But Chief Investment Strategist Michael Kantrowitz says stocks should still rise in the near-term. Popular recession indicators like the Treasury yield curve and The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index have been signaling for over a year now that a downturn is ahead. Last week, a lesser-known gauge — with just as impressive a track record — joined their ranks in warning of trouble ahead for the US economy.

Persons: Piper Sandler, Michael Kantrowitz, —, Piper Organizations: Conference, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business

☆ Dozens of former employees plan to sue Bowlero alleging discrimination after EEOC closes case, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

During the company's earnings call with Wall Street analysts later Monday, executives said that the EEOC investigation was now behind them and would no longer be a distraction. "Because of limited resources, we cannot file a lawsuit in every case where we find discrimination," the EEOC explains on its website. It's unclear if the question of whether to sue Bowlero made it to a vote with the EEOC's commissioners. He told CNBC he plans to sue Bowlero for $80 million, plus legal fees. In response, Bowlero's attorneys Alex Spiro and Hope Skibitsky at law firm Quinn Emanuel said they "are pleased with the outcome of the EEOC investigation."

Persons: Bowlero, Thomas Shannon, Robert Lavan, there's, it's, Daniel Dowe, EEOC, Dowe, Alex Spiro, Hope Skibitsky, Quinn Emanuel, Thomas Tanase, Tanase's, didn't Organizations: U.S, Commission, CNBC, AMF, Lucky, Wall Street, Bowlero Locations: North America, Virginia

☆ One personal decision can create a mess of financial challenges for transgender Americans—'it takes a lot of courage'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Kamaron Mcnair | In Kamaronmcnair | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Changing their name may be an important step a transgender or nonbinary person takes to embrace their identity. But doing so is seldom easy and can create even more problems — particularly for your finances — after the fact, according to a recent white paper published by J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. Credit reports using deadnames — former names that individuals no longer use — are common and can result in credit discrimination against trans people, J.P. Morgan says. Getting approved to rent an apartment is just one of the issues that can arise out of inaccuracies on your credit report. Potential employers, utilities and phone companies and more may pull your credit report as part of a background check to hire you or establish services at your home.

Persons: J.P, Leo Aquino, Shelby Anderson, Morgan, deadnames, —, Aquino, hadn't, Anderson Organizations: Morgan Wealth Management, CNBC, Social Security Locations: U.S

☆ Harvey Weinstein sex crime conviction overturned and new trial ordered
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Eric Levenson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The New York Court of Appeals on Thursday overturned the sex crimes conviction against Harvey Weinstein, the powerful Hollywood producer whose downfall stood as a symbol of the #MeToo movement. Douglas H. Wigdor, an attorney who has represented eight of Weinstein’s accusers, including two of the “prior bad acts” witnesses at his New York criminal trial, criticized the ruling. In addition, three other women testified during the trial as “prior bad acts” witnesses as prosecutors sought to show Weinstein had a pattern of abuse. The use of “prior bad acts” witnesses has increased in recent years with the rise of the #MeToo movement. “Prior bad acts” evidence is one exception to this rule.

Persons: Harvey Weinstein, “, uncharged, Jenny Rivera, ” Weinstein, Weinstein, ” Donna Rotunno, ”, Emily Tuttle, Douglas H, Weinstein’s, MeToo, Bill Cosby, Miriam Haley, Jessica Mann, Haley, Mann Organizations: CNN, The New, Hollywood, Correctional Facility, of Corrections, Attorney’s, Manhattan, The New York Times, Yorker Locations: The New York, Rome , New York, Los Angeles, New York, Manhattan, York, Hollywood, Love, Pennsylvania

The Gaza Civil Defense acknowledged that around 100 bodies were buried in graves at the Nasser hospital before the IDF operation there. Al Mighayyer said at the news conference that the Palestinian Gaza Civil Defense in Gaza “discovered torture marks on [some] bodies.” CNN cannot independently verify these claims. Shoshani wrote in the post: “Misinformation is circulating regarding a mass grave that was discovered at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. The Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza called on the United Nations to form an international committee to investigate the mass graves at the Nasser complex. Amnesty International has also called for an investigation into the mass graves at the two Gaza hospitals.

Persons: Khan Younis, Mohammed Al Mighayyer, Nasser, Al Mighayyer, Civil Defense “, “, He’s, ”, Gaza “, Nadav Shoshani, Shoshani, Gazans —, Gazans, Israel, Stephane Dujarric, General Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Palestinian Civil Defense, Nasser, Israel Defense Forces, Gaza Civil Defense, Civil Defense, Getty, Palestinian Gaza Civil Defense, Israel’s Defense Forces, IDF, Nasser Hospital, Israel, United, UN, “, Amnesty Locations: Gaza, Khan, Rafah, AFP, Palestinian, Khan Yunis, Israel, United Nations, New York, Nasser

☆ Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction overturned by New York appeals court
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Minyvonne Burke | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Former film producer Harvey Weinstein appears in court at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles, California, October 4, 2022. Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction was overturned Thursday in New York, making way for a new trial. The court called the errors "egregious" and ordered a new trial, meaning his accusers could again be called to testify. "This Court has continued a disturbing trend of overturning juries' guilty verdicts in cases involving sexual violence," Singas wrote. The charges came to light in 2017 following investigative reports published by The New York Times and The New Yorker.

Persons: Harvey Weinstein, Clara Shortridge Foltz, Harvey Weinstein's, uncharged, Madeline Singas, Singas, Juda, Weinstein, Engelmayer Organizations: Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal, Center, Appeals, NBC News, The New York Times, Yorker Locations: Los Angeles , California, New York, California, Los Angeles

☆ UN demands investigation after mass graves found at Gaza hospitals raided by Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Irene Nasser | Duarte Mendonca | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The United Nations has called for an “independent, effective and transparent investigation” into the discovery of mass graves at two Gaza hospitals that were besieged and raided by Israeli troops this year. A mass grave with 324 bodies was uncovered this week at the Nasser Medical Complex in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis by Gaza Civil Defense workers following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area. When they returned this month after the Israeli military withdrew, they discovered the bodies had been dug up and placed in at least one collective grave, the stringer said. CNN reached out to the Israeli military on Wednesday for comment regarding Türk’s remarks, to which it said it had nothing more to add beyond previous comments. The US State Department on Tuesday expressed concern over the discovery of mass graves.

Persons: Volker Türk, ”, Nasser, Al, ” Türk, Khan Younis, Yamen Abu Suleiman, Khan, Raed Saqr, It’s, Mahmoud Basal, Vedant Patel, ” “ I’m Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Human, “, Nasser, Gaza Civil, Civil Defense, Nasser Hospital, Getty, Hamas, US State Department, ”, Government Locations: Gaza, Khan, AFP, Nasser, Israel, Al

CNN —Hamas released a video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin on Wednesday, the first proof that he survived being badly wounded during his capture on October 7. He is shown in the undated video with part of his left arm missing several inches above the hand. Video filmed on October 7 showed Goldberg-Polin with his arm severely injured. Hersh Goldberg-Polin's mutilated arm could be seen a still from the video, as he told his parents he loved them. He criticizes the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as other Israeli hostages in Hamas propaganda videos have done.

Persons: CNN —, Hersh Goldberg, Goldberg, Polin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hersh, ”, Rachel, Jonathan, Rachel Goldberg, Maya Alleruzzo, ” Rachel Goldberg Organizations: CNN, CNN — Hamas, Nova, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, Jerusalem, Washington

☆ Signs Suggest That Invasion of Rafah Is All but Inevitable
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Steven Erlanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After weeks of delays, negotiations and distractions, Israel appeared to hint this week that its assault of Rafah — a city teeming with displaced persons above ground and riddled with Hamas tunnels below — was all but inevitable. In what some analysts and residents of the city saw as a sign of preparations for an invasion, an Israeli military official on Tuesday gave some details that include relocating civilians to a safe zone a few miles away along the Mediterranean coast. Just a day earlier, Israeli warplanes bombed Rafah, increasing fears among some of the civilians sheltering there that a ground assault would soon follow. Such indicators that Israel may be preparing an invasion, said Marwan Shaath, a 57-year-old resident of Rafah, “are terrifying and mean they may really be close to starting an operation.” Mr. Shaath, who lives in Gaza but is employed by Hamas’s Palestinian rivals in the occupied West Bank, added, “Our bags have been packed for months now for the time of the evacuation.”Israel insists that a push into Rafah is necessary for achieving its goals of eliminating the militants sheltering in a network of tunnels beneath the city, capturing or killing Hamas leaders presumed to be there and ensuring the release of the remaining hostages captured during the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

Persons: Israel, Marwan Shaath, Mr, Shaath Organizations: West Bank Locations: Rafah, Israel, Gaza

☆ The Mona Lisa rapping? New Microsoft AI animates faces from photos
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The Mona Lisa can now do more than smile, thanks to new artificial intelligence technology from Microsoft. In one demo video, researchers showed how they animated the Mona Lisa to recite a comedic rap by actor Anne Hathaway. Outputs from the AI model, called VASA-1, are both entertaining and a bit jarring in their realness. “We are opposed to any behavior to create misleading or harmful contents of real persons,” Microsoft researchers said in a blog post. For example, in one demo video set to a clip of someone sounding agitated, apparently while playing video games, the face speaking has furrowed brows and pursed lips.

Persons: Mona Lisa, Anne Hathaway, VASA, it’s, OpenAI, Sora Organizations: New, New York CNN, Microsoft Locations: New York

☆ Senate passes reauthorization of a key U.S. surveillance program after midnight deadline
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

After its midnight deadline, the Senate voted early Saturday to reauthorize a key U.S. surveillance law after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans' data nearly forced the statute to lapse. The legislation approved 60-34 with bipartisan support would extend for two years the program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. "If you miss a key piece of intelligence, you may miss some event overseas or put troops in harm's way," Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said. One of the major changes detractors had proposed centered around restricting the FBI's access to information about Americans through the program. "I think that is a risk that we cannot afford to take with the vast array of challenges our nation faces around the world," Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Friday.

Persons: Chuck Schumer, Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden's, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Ayman al, Sen, Marco Rubio, shouldn't, General Merrick Garland, Garland, Schumer, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Democratic Sen, Mark Warner Organizations: Homeland, U.S, Capitol, Foreign Intelligence, White House, FISA, Republican, Senate Intelligence, Justice Department, United, Justice, Biden, U.S . Capitol, Democratic Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, harm's, United States

☆ Sheetz accused of racial discrimination in its hiring process
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —A federal agency accused a popular gas station chain of discriminating against Black, Native American and multiracial applicants in its hiring practices. The Sheetz criminal screening process disproportionately screened out applicants from those legally protected groups, the lawsuit announced by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Thursday alleged. In a statement, Sheetz said it “does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.”“We take these allegations seriously. As part of the hiring process, applicants must answer questions about their criminal justice history and go through a background check through a third-party vendor. The lawsuit seeks an order for Sheetz to end its current hiring practice and create equal employment policies and programs.

Persons: Sheetz, ” Nick Ruffner, EEOC, ”, Debra M, Lawrence Organizations: New, New York CNN, US, Employment, Civil, RAND Corporation Locations: New York, Court, Maryland, United States, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland , Ohio, North Carolina, Coast

☆ A top Republican Senate candidate's story about accidentally shooting himself just got weirder
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementBut after filing a Freedom of Information Act request, The Washington Post obtained National Park Service documents from 2015 where Sheehy said that a shooting had occurred at Glacier National Park. The newly-released National Park Service report said that "a park visitor called park dispatch" and stated that a firearm had discharged at Glacier National Park, which seemingly contradicts Sheehy's current statement that he was shot in Afghanistan. Related storiesThe National Park Service summary didn't reveal the name of the individual who reported that a firearm had discharged at the park, according to The Post. And Watkins suggested that hospital staff in Kalispell, Mont., told park dispatchers about the incident at Glacier National Park after Sheehy's initial lie about the shooting. Still, the lawmaker has successfully fought back his GOP opponents over the years, beginning with his first Senate election in 2006.

Persons: —, Tim Sheehy, Sheehy, Democratic Sen, Jon Tester, Daniel Watkins, Watkins Organizations: Service, Montana GOP, The Washington Post, Navy SEAL, Republican, Democratic, Washington Post, Business, GOP, The, The Montana Senate, Republicans, Bridger Aerospace Locations: Montana, Afghanistan, Kalispell, Mont, The Montana

Learn moreThe new drama series Under the Bridge has finally arrived on streaming, and you can watch the first two episodes now. We'll show you everything you need to know about the series, from where to watch Under the Bridge to what time you can expect to see next week's episodes. She becomes invested in the missing-persons-turned-murder case, helmed by Cam Bentland (played by Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone). ETWhere to watch Under the Bridge in the USUnder the Bridge premiered on Hulu in the US on April 17. In it, Riley Keough's character can be seen returning to her hometown amid an investigation helmed by Lily Gladstone's character.

Persons: Rebecca Godfrey, Reena, Godfrey, Daisy Jones, Riley Keough, Cam Bentland, Lily Gladstone, Archie Panjabi, Vritika Gupta, Chloe Guidry, John Gotti, VPNs, ExpressVPN, Riley Keough's, Lily Gladstone's Organizations: Business, Hulu, Seven, Disney Locations: Canada, Victoria, ExpressVPN, British Columbia

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