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☆ Mojave Desert: How a seed bank in southern California is preserving an ancient ecosystem under threat
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Samantha Bresnahan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The result was the Mojave Desert Land Trust seed bank. In 2016, Mojave Desert Land Trust officially launched the seed bank project, which has since been described as a “Noah’s Ark” for southern California. A jar of seeds sits in one of three full refrigerators at the Mojave Desert Land Trust headquarters in Joshua Tree, California. Beau Molloy/CNN“We’ve already been able to provide seed to researchers who are studying the effects of climate change on specific species that we have in our seed bank,” Asbell adds. Beau Molloy/CNNRoughly 70,000 Joshua tree seeds are currently preserved in the seed bank, some of which could be planted in cooler locations, if needed.

Persons: birdsong, Madena Asbell, “, ” Asbell, Asbell, Beau Molloy, Kelly Herbinson, ” Herbinson, hasn’t, Corina Godoy, Gerber, MDLT, CNN “ We’ve, Joshua, It’s, Seuss, Herbinson, ”, ” CNN’s Adeline Chen Organizations: CNN, Land Trust, MDLT, Land, Mojave, Conservation Board Locations: California, Texas, Colorado, Mojave, Joshua Tree , California

☆ What it’s really like to live in Antarctica
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

The Minnesota native first went to the White Continent in 2007 to work as a janitor at McMurdo Base, one of the three US outposts there. She was one of half-a-dozen people staffing the world’s southernmost post office, UK-administered Port Lockroy. Counting penguins is one of the roles Port Lockroy staff have during their time in Antarctica. Once you get the Antarctica bug, Long and Nelson say, it’s pretty hard to get rid of. In a fast-paced globalized world where everyone is on their phones all the time, Antarctica offers a rare opportunity to live a different kind of life.

Persons: United States –, Keri Nelson, Amundsen, ” Nelson, “, McMurdo, Palmer, Evan Townsend, ” Keri Nelson, ”, Nelson, Scott Base, –, Scott, Keri Nelson “, Chris Long, Long, Laura Bullesbach, Bridie Martin, Laura Bullesbach doesn’t, you’re, You’re, Port Lockroy, Bullesbach, Clare Ballantyne, ” Long, Keri Nelson Long, he’s, vacationer, ” Klaus Dodds Organizations: CNN, United, Antarctic, Minnesota, Base, Scott, Palmer, grownups, McMurdo Base, McMurdo, US, Geographic, Pole, Ocean, Scott Base, Port, Lockroy, Port Lockroy, Electronics, University of London Locations: Antarctica, Chile, Japan, Australia, United States, McMurdo, New, Ross, Amundsen, New Zealand, Russian, South America, Port Lockroy, Lockroy, Port, Denver, China

☆ New Caledonia unrest: Tourists stranded and desperate as Macron arrives in strife-torn French territory
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Other Australians stranded have had to go scrounge coconuts to eat,” he said. Maxwell Winchester and his wife, an Australian couple stranded in New Caledonia after the unrest broke out. But Winchester said he and other tourists have no sense of when it might be their turn. People line up at a store for supplies in New Caledonia, with larger supermarkets nearby burned and looted during the riots on the French territory. And among the stranded tourists, frustration is growing over what they say is a lack of assistance or clear instructions from their governments.

Persons: Maxwell Winchester, it’s, We’ve, ”, Emmanuel Macron, “, “ We’re, Winchester, Macron, Prisca Thevenot, Theo Rouby, we’re, – Organizations: CNN, ”, New Zealand, Facebook, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealanders, Olympic, Paris Olympic Games, ” CNN, Getty Locations: South, New Caledonia, Victoria, Australian, ” Australia, New, Brisbane, Australia’s, ”, Brisbane , New Caledonia, Paris, France, “, Winchester, Noumea , New Caledonia, AFP, French

CNN —Fresh off winning his first major at the PGA Championship, American golfer Xander Schauffele told CNN that world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was a good person and shouldn’t be facing criminal charges. I know he’s a good dude and there is no mal intent meant by him,” Schauffele told CNN Sport’s Don Riddell on Tuesday. Scheffler (left) and Schauffele wait to putt at this year's Masters Tournament. Scheffler is back on PGA Tour as he tees off Thursday at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, TX

Persons: Fresh, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Scheffler, Schauffele’s, “ Scottie, ” Schauffele, CNN Sport’s Don Riddell, “, Scottie, Tannen MauryUPI, Bryan, Gillis, abrasions, ”, Steven Romines, Romines, ” Romines, ” Scheffler, Charles Schwab Organizations: CNN, PGA Championship, Louisville Metro Police, Valhalla Golf Club, PGA, Colonial Country Club Locations: American, Louisville , Kentucky, Fort Worth , TX

☆ Microsoft’s UAE deal could reportedly involve transfer of key U.S. chips and AI technology abroad
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. officials have said that AI systems could pose national security risks, for example by making it easier to engineer chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. The Biden administration in October required the makers of the largest AI systems to share details about them with the U.S. government. Microsoft executives said the agreement has safeguards to protect Microsoft's technology and prevent it from being used by Chinese entities to train AI systems. The Commerce Department already requires notifications and, in several regions, export licenses to send AI chips abroad. Microsoft executives said the company welcomes a debate on a new legal framework governing the transfer of AI technology and that the deal with G42 requires the UAE firm to comply with U.S. regulations as they evolve.

Persons: Brad Smith, Smith, Biden, Michael McCaul, we're Organizations: Microsoft, United Arab, Reuters, U.S ., U.S . Department of Commerce, U.S . House, Commerce Department Locations: Madrid, Spain, United Arab Emirates, U.S, UAE

☆ A psychology expert’s No. 1 tip on how to use your fear of death to live your best life
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The thought of no longer existing is too painful and grim for many to bear and is frequently avoided, but one psychology expert thinks people need to face their fear of death head-on to live more fulfilling lives. "Most people like to count their money and I like to say how about we also count our Mondays?" This serves as a reminder of the scarcity of time, pushing people to take action in their lives. When you remember how many days you have left, you're more likely to book that tennis lesson. "If you were going to die tonight what would you wish you had taken action on?

Persons: Jodi Wellman, Wellman Organizations: CNBC, University of Pennsylvania

☆ Abortion rights advocates fight waiting periods and other limits amid political fallout of Roe reversal
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Longstanding abortion restrictions like waiting periods and provider regulations are now under legal attack in states where Roe v. Wade’s reversal prompted voters to amend their state constitutions to protect abortion rights. But the success abortion rights advocates have had in passing such measures in purple states and even Ohio – where Republicans have dominated recent elections – is notable. Anti-abortion activists say that abortion rights advocates are stretching the constitutional amendments beyond their meaning, suggesting that voters in other states should be wary. Abortion rights advocates say that the legal landscape differs state by state, so it’s difficult to predict the litigation that could come out of the proposed amendments if adopted. There are campaigns for initiatives to expand abortion rights in several other states, but only in a few states so far have abortion rights advocates cleared the required hurdles to guarantee the proposals will be on the ballot.

Persons: Roe, ’ pushback, Dobbs, ’ ”, Rabia Muqaddam, ”, Meagan Burrows, Katie Daniel, Susan B, Anthony Pro, Dana Nessel, Eric Restuccia, “, ” Genevieve Marnon, Casey –, Dave Yost, ” Yost, Casey, Yost, Jessica Arons, “ We’re, ” Arons Organizations: CNN, ACLU, Jackson, Health, Center for Reproductive Rights, Republicans, Democrat, Democratic, Republican, “ Voters Locations: Ohio, Michigan, In Ohio, Michigan and Ohio, California, Florida , Arizona , Missouri, Dobbs, Roe, Arizona

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

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

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

☆ Konya: Turkey’s ancient city of whirling dervishes
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Robert Iddiols | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Konya, Turkey CNN —When most people think of Turkey bucket list destinations, a few obvious ones spring to mind - Istanbul, Turquoise Coast hotspots like Bodrum or the otherworldly landscapes of Cappadocia. As well as being a renowned Islamic scholar, Rumi launched the Mevlevi Order of the Whirling Dervishes. And while they can be seen in various locations across Turkey, Konya is the beating heart of their activities. Abdullah Çetín, a photographer based in Konya, says the city and region’s history is also what puts it on the map. Murat Oner Tas/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesKonya is also a jumping off point for Lake Tuz, a large hypersaline lake that lies about two hours’ drive northeast of the city.

Persons: –, it’s, Celaleddin Rumi, Rumi, Maulana, ”, Kerem Polat, Adem Altan, Polat, “, ” Polat, Abdullah Çetín, Çetín, Murat Oner Tas, Fahri Tunç, Tunç, ’, ‘, ” Tunç, he’s Organizations: CNN, Turkey CNN, Getty, ”, Mevlana Museum, Anadolu Agency Locations: Konya, Turkey, Istanbul, Turquoise, – Konya, Adem, AFP, Sultanate of Rum, Balkh, Afghanistan, Mecca, Medina, Anatolia, mycan, Sille, Gevale, Rumi, Konya “, Lake Tuz, Salt, Tuz

☆ Africa’s richest man says he needs 35 visas to travel in Africa – way more than a European visitor
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Larry Madowo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The 67-year-old entrepreneur’s visa woes have reignited a fresh firestorm about the frustrations of traveling within Africa for Africans. But many African countries still require visas from other Africans and the experience is fraught with discrimination, hostility and sky-high fees. He has also been detained at airports in Kenya and South Africa because of his Nigerian passport. “There’s a fear in richer African countries that people from poorer nations might be looking for a way to permanently move there,” he explains. His new St Kitts passport allows him to go to more African countries than his Nigerian passport.

Persons: Aliko Dangote, ” Dangote, ”, Patrick, Pouyanné, Tayo Aina, Aina, YouTuber, hasn’t, Marco Longari, Alan Hirsch, “, Sotunde, William Ruto, Tayo Organizations: Rwanda CNN, Forum, CNN, African, African Continental Free Trade, Getty, University of Cape, New, Institute, Travelers, East African Community, Kenyan, REUTERS, Reuters Kenyan, St Kitts Locations: Kigali, Rwanda, Nigerian, Africa, “, Benin, The Gambia, Seychelles, Addis Ababa, London, Kenya, South Africa, Caribbean, St Kitts, Nevis, AFP, University of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Southern, West Africa, Abuja, Nigeria, East

☆ Nikki Haley says she’s voting for Trump in November
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Eric Bradner | Jeff Zeleny | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Nikki Haley plans to vote for Donald Trump, she said Wednesday in her first public remarks since exiting the Republican presidential primary more than two months ago. Earlier this year, Haley and Trump were engaged in what had become a bitter primary feud. Yet even in her absence, she’s been winning votes in one Republican primary after another. And I made that pitch to President Trump and also to Nikki Haley.”Norman said that while Haley has not expressed interest in joining Trump’s ticket, he believes she would be interested. As other former Republican contenders have fallen in line behind Trump, Haley has intentionally kept her distance – not hostile, but also not hungry for his adulation.

Persons: Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Haley, Trump “, Joe Biden “, ”, Haley’s, Walter P, Stern, “, “ Trump, ” Haley, Trump, Biden, MAGA, he’s, Haley didn’t, “ Biden, Mike Johnson, Michael, she’s, Michael Tyler, Biden’s, Ralph Norman of, ” Norman, Haley “, ” Haley’s, CNN’s Kit Maher Organizations: CNN, Former South Carolina Gov, Republican, Trump, United Nations, Hudson Institute, GOP, Committee, Institute, Hamas, South, Democratic Locations: Washington , DC, United States, Ukraine, Israel, South Carolina, Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomery, Indiana, ’, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Trump’s, –, America

☆ Opinion: If you opposed the pro-Palestinian protests, here’s why you should reconsider
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Opinion Haroon Moghul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The media line fed to the public about weeks of protests at Columbia — and the administrative crackdown that followed — has been selective at best. Columbia students have made clear that that’s what drives their protests. Why, even as numerous students at Columbia and elsewhere have been doxxed, harassed and bullied, were no congressional hearings called? But if Columbia students didn’t care about their university and the values it claims to uphold, they wouldn’t have risked so much with their protests. By the same token, if students didn’t care about our country, they wouldn’t protest so vocally against its policies.

Persons: Haroon Moghul, I’ve, —, What’s, we’ve, Minouche Shafik, Shafik, aren’t, maters Organizations: The Concordia Forum, CNN, Columbia University’s Department of, Studies, Columbia, Columbia University, Columbia —, UCLA, Israel, Police, Ivy League, America, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Islam, Eastern, Europe, Columbia, Gaza, Washington , DC, America

☆ Microsoft’s latest AI tool is alarming privacy experts
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Samantha Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Microsoft’s buzziest new AI feature is raising concerns that it could potentially be misused in the wrong hands. It’s different from a keyword search; the tool regularly saves screenshots of the user’s screen and stores them directly on the device. It then uses AI to process the data and make it searchable. Jen Golbeck – a professor of AI at the University of Maryland who focuses on privacy – said the recall feature could pose a potential “nightmare” if the device falls into the wrong hands. Still, Michela Menting, a senior research director at ABI Research, believes the feature is a “step backwards” for privacy.

Persons: Jen Golbeck –, –, ”, that’s, Satya Nadella, Geoff Blaber, ” Blaber, Golbeck, Blaber, Michela Organizations: CNN, University of Maryland, Data Protection, ICO, Microsoft, Wall Street, CCS Insight, ABI Research

☆ Election Updates: Trump prosecutor wins re-election and other takeaways from Tuesday’s contests.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Chris Cameron | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

The protest vote against Mr. Biden there was nearly double that against Mr. Trump, who won about 85 percent of the vote in the Republican primary. Turnout also plunged in the Democratic primary, with about 184,000 votes tallied, compared with the more than 537,000 recorded in 2020. In neighboring Washington State, the uncommitted ballot option got nearly 10 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary in late March. Image Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, celebrated her re-election win in the Democratic primary on Tuesday in Atlanta. The Democratic primary for district attorney in Fulton County, Ga., ended in a remarkable blowout.

Persons: Vince Fong, Kevin McCarthy, Fong, McCarthy, — Mike Boudreaux, Biden, Donald J, Mr, Trump, Fani Willis, Brynn Anderson, Willis, Christian Wise Smith, Scott McAfee, Trump’s, Judge McAfee, McAfee’s, Jamie McLeod, Skinner, Janelle Bynum, Ms, Bynum, Tina Kotek, Lori Chavez, DeRemer, Mike Schmidt, Nathan Vasquez, Vasquez, Schmidt, Schmidt’s Organizations: Republican, Trump, Democratic, Mr, Associated, Georgia, Oregon’s Fifth Congressional Locations: California, Tulare County, Georgia , Idaho , Kentucky, Oregon, Kentucky, In Oregon, Gaza, Washington State, Fulton County, Atlanta ., Georgia, Fulton County ,, Multnomah County, Portland

☆ Kenyan President’s State Visit: An Antidote to U.S. Troubles in Africa?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Declan Walsh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As other African nations move away from the United States, disillusioned with democracy or lured by rival powers, President William Ruto of Kenya arrives in Washington on Wednesday for a three-day state visit intended to showcase a stalwart American ally on the continent. Relations with once-firm American allies like South Africa and Ethiopia are decidedly cool. Mr. Ruto, the Biden administration hopes, is the antidote to those troubles. Since he came to power two years ago, Mr. Ruto, 57, has pulled Kenya, the economic powerhouse of East Africa, ever closer to the United States. His visit is just the sixth state visit hosted by the Biden administration, and the first for an African president since 2008.

Persons: William Ruto, Ruto, Biden Locations: United States, Kenya, Washington, American, Russia, China, Niger, South Africa, Ethiopia, Senegal, East Africa

☆ Kristi Noem’s dog: The internet wants you to believe this is the dog she shot. It isn’t.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Indeed, when I Googled “Kristi Noem’s dog” this morning, it was one of the first pictures that popped up. It was on the “Puppy” subreddit where user “LukeWarm273” posted a photo of their dog “Blue” last year. “He’s a cutie,” one Reddit user responded. “Please join me in wishing Cricket (the dog Kristi Noem shot to death) a blessed journey to the land of beautiful puppy dog souls. The story shows a photo of Reddit user LukeWarm273's dog, Blue, next to Noem.

Persons: Kristi Noem, It’s, Kristi Noem’s, LukeWarm273 ”, NewsGuard, LukeWarm273, “, ”, Noem, Donald Trump’s, haring, lear, ince, taff, ike, rove, ake, hotos, hough, uppy) Organizations: CNN, South Dakota Gov, United Kingdom’s, Cricket, GOP Locations: Washington, DC, ”, South Dakota

☆ Opinion: Trump’s defense ends on one disastrous witness
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Part of the reason for those modest hopes was the fact that the defense case would not include testimony by the defendant. Later, the charging conference to agree on jury instructions showed how daunting the law is that Trump faces. All of that is bad news not just for Costello, whose clash with Merchan won Trump’s praise outside the courtroom Monday, but also for the defense. Because Costello was one of Trump’s only witnesses, there is also the risk that he — and the jury’s reaction to his poor attitude — will taint the defense case overall. There was little the defense could do about the law in the charging conference beyond their usual able argument.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Robert Costello, Costello, Michael Cohen, Susan Hoffinger, ” Cohen, Rudy Giuliani, Cohen, —, Trump, Norm Eisen, Stormy Daniels, ”, parrying, Merchan, it’s, Matthew Colangelo, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, Trump, Trump —, FBI, Prosecutors, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Manhattan, , New York

☆ Biden’s EPA is trying to take a huge bite out of the climate crisis. But can it survive Trump’s Supreme Court?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Bottom row, from left, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, Associate Justice Samuel Alito, and Associate Justice Elena Kagan. Top row, from left, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. And environmental attorneys are intrigued by Barrett, who has had some tough questions for EPA’s challengers during recent Supreme Court arguments. The Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that the EPA can use its authority to regulate greenhouse gases. That gives the agency the recent Congressional direction the Supreme Court has said it so badly needs, some experts said.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Richard Lazarus, “, Michael Regan, ” “, ” Regan, Regan’s, ” Lazarus, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Gorsuch, Alito, ” David Doniger, “ Alito –, ”, Reagan, Anne Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, John Roberts, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, Ketanji Brown Jackson, J, Scott Applewhite, Amy Coney Barrett –, Roberts, Barrett, Kavanaugh, Sackett, “ He’s, he’s, doesn’t, Ann Carlson, ” Carlson, ” Doniger Organizations: CNN, Joe Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency, Harvard Law, EPA, Republican, Natural Resources Defense Council, Chevron, DC, Appeals, DC Circuit, University of California, Biden, Congress Locations: China, United, Virginia, University of California Los Angeles, West Virginia, Congress

☆ Opinion: Rewatching ‘Notting Hill,’ the truly unbelievable part is Hugh Grant’s house
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Opinion Laura Beers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The Notting Hill of the 1990s was still socially heterodox and shabby chic, a neighborhood where a group of 30-something professionals could plausibly have ended up. Even in the late 1990s, such access to disposable income marked the characters in “Notting Hill” out as privileged. Yet, in the 1990s, Notting Hill, long a center of Caribbean immigrant culture and the site of the annual Notting Hill Carnival, underwent a rapid process of gentrification. Between 1995 and 1999, Notting Hill house prices rose by 75%. The colorful terraced houses of Notting Hill, which these days sell for millions of pounds.

Persons: Laura Beers, ”, George Orwell’s, Richard Curtis ’, Julia Roberts, Anna Scott, Hugh Grant, William Thacker, Roberts, Laura Beers Laura Beers, it’s, —, Curtis, Hill’s, Hugh Grant's, Winston, George Orwell, Orwell, Tony Blair’s Britain, Bill Clinton’s America, Grant’s, Tony Blair, Steve Eason, Notting, Spike, Rhys Ifans, Notting Hill, Mike Kemp, San, Spencer Platt, Rishi Sunak’s government’s, Bill, Rewatching Organizations: American University, CNN, MCA, Everett, Notting, Labour, Hulton, Getty, Movement, Housing, Federal Reserve, New York State, Hill ” Locations: American, London, West London, Notting, West, Britain, United States, Young, Notting Hill, Central London, San Francisco, Manhattan, San Matteo, Redwood City, York

☆ Iran’s Use of Proxy Warfare Likely to Persist, Experts Say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Those groups — Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, multiple militias in Iraq and Hamas in the Palestinian territories — are central to Iran’s ability to wield influence far beyond its borders despite being under strict economic sanctions for decades. Iran works with these groups through the Quds Force, a division of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. answers directly to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, not to the government run by the president. On Tuesday morning, Iran-linked groups in Iraq announced that they had launched a strike at a base in Israel. It was as if Iran’s allies were signaling that it was business as usual by making the kinds of attacks that have become commonplace in recent months.

Persons: Ali Khamenei, Ebrahim Raisi, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, ”, Parsi Organizations: Quds Force, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iraq, Quincy Institute, Responsible Locations: Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanese, Israel

☆ 50 Cent has been trolling Diddy mercilessly. Here’s the history of the beef between them
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —There is no love lost between hip-hop moguls 50 Cent and Sean “Diddy” Combs. CNN has reached out to representatives for 50 Cent and Netflix for comment. Members of law enforcement are seen outside of Sean "Diddy" Combs' home in Los Angeles on March 25, 2024. Earlier this month, he released a song titled “Pick a Side” in support of his father and taking aim at critics like 50 Cent. Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images“All that gossip sh*t is whack when all they had was 50 Cent / Who put this city on the map?

Persons: Sean “ Diddy ” Combs, Combs, Cassie Ventura, Christopher Wallace, Wallace, “, Tupac Shakur, Ventura, Sean, Diddy, ” Diddy, ” Combs, he’s, that’s, Christian Combs, King Combs, Justin, Aaron Dyer, ” King Combs, King, Gareth Cattermole, ”, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, Netflix, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Hamptons, KCBS, Billboard Locations: Los Angeles, New York, Miami

☆ Israel’s seizure of AP equipment shows its hostile posture toward the free press
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The Benjamin Netanyahu-led country on Tuesday took the outrageous step of seizing a camera and other video equipment used by The Associated Press to broadcast a live feed of Gaza — a decision the country only reversed amid severe backlash from free press advocates and following a White House request. And on Tuesday, it used that same law to target the AP, ostensibly confiscating its equipment because it provided its video feed to Al Jazeera, one of its thousands of global clients. A screenshot taken from AP video showing a general view of northern Gaza as seen from Southern Israel, before it was seized by Israeli officials on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. While Israel bowed to pressure on Tuesday and returned the AP’s equipment, the government notably offered no public apology to the renowned wire service. As the AP noted after its equipment was returned Tuesday, the underlying issues are still unresolved.

Persons: New York CNN —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Adrienne Watson, Watson, “, Israel, Shlomo Karhi, Al Jazeera, ” Organizations: New York CNN, The Associated Press, White, State Department, Government, Israel, National Security, AP, Qatari, Al, AP Israel, Israel’s Locations: New York, New York CNN — Israel, Gaza, Israel, Al Jazeera, Southern Israel

☆ Biden jumps on Trump ‘unified Reich’ video that plays into a key theme of president’s reelection push
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Kyle Feldscher | Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Boston CNN —President Joe Biden and his campaign are looking to capitalize on former President Donald Trump’s posting of a video showing images of a fake newspaper article that references a “unified Reich” if he’s reelected in 2024. The video has been removed from Trump’s Truth Social account, but the Biden campaign has quickly incorporated the former president’s use of verbiage associated with Nazi Germany into messaging. Biden made Trump’s comments the focus of two closed-door campaign fundraisers Tuesday night, a video on his social media platforms and a fundraising email. It’s the language of Hitler’s Germany,” Biden told donors in Boston during a campaign reception. “Is this on his official account?” Biden asks in the video.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump’s, he’s, Trump, Biden, “ That’s, ” Biden, Adolf Hitler, Donald Trump, “ What’s, ”, Karoline Leavitt, ” “ Organizations: Boston CNN, Trump, White House Locations: Charlottesville , Virginia, Nazi Germany, Germany, Boston, Nazi, America, New York

Taipei CNN —Thousands of mostly young protesters surrounded Taiwan’s legislature late into the night on Tuesday, protesting a push by opposition parties to subject the island’s new leader and his administration to tighter scrutiny from a parliament controlled by lawmakers who favor closer ties to China. Meanwhile, the president would be required to deliver an annual address to the parliament on key policy issues. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty ImagesOn Tuesday, as the parliament resumed its meeting to discuss the bill, protesters gathered outside the Legislative Yuan – Taiwan’s unicameral parliament – from morning until midnight, braving downpours in the afternoon. Lai, 64, a former doctor and vice president, was inaugurated Monday alongside new Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, who recently served as Taiwan’s top envoy to the United States. Both leaders and their party are openly loathed by Beijing for championing Taiwan’s sovereignty.

Persons: Lai Ching, TPP, Yasuyoshi Chiba, Yuan –, braving, Ricky Li, “ I’m, ”, Lai, Hsiao Bi, China’s Organizations: Taipei CNN, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan’s, Kuomintang, KMT, Taiwan People’s Party, DPP, –, Communist Party Locations: Taipei, Taiwan’s, China, Beijing, Taiwan, AFP, United States

☆ Cristiano Ronaldo set to play in 11th international tournament after 39-year-old makes Portugal’s Euro 2024 squad
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Cristiano Ronaldo is set to play in his 11th international tournament for Portugal later this year, after the 39-year-old was named in his nation’s squad for Euro 2024. It seemed as though Ronaldo might have made his last appearance in a major international tournament at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ronaldo made his first tournament appearance for Portugal at Euro 2004. Darren Walsh/Action Images/ReutersHowever, Ronaldo will not be the oldest player in the Portugal squad. “His communication, his positioning mean that, when he’s fit, he’s a very important player.”Portugal will play Turkey, Georgia and Czech Republic in Group F at Euro 2024.

Persons: CNN — Cristiano Ronaldo, Ballon d’Or, Roberto Martinez, “ Cristiano, It’s, who’s, ” Martinez, Ronaldo, “, Fernando Santos, Darren Walsh, Pepe, ” Organizations: CNN, Portugal, Saudi, Portugal’s UEFA Nations League, Al, UEFA, Porto, European, Champions League, Sporting Lisbon, Czech Republic, Czech Locations: Europe’s, Saudi Arabian, Portugal, Greece, Portugal’s, Qatar, ” Portugal, Turkey, Georgia, Czech, Czech Republic

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