DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are getting closer — and China has reason to be worried
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewRussia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently signed a defense pact to protect against what they characterized as the malign forces of US imperialism. AdvertisementXi Jinping and Kim Jong Un watch a large group callisthenics and art performance at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, DPRK, June 20, 2019. An emboldened Kim Jong UnRussia's extra military power could embolden Kim to act more erratically and aggressively. AdvertisementThis means that China has enough influence over both Russia and North Korea to exert control over their new alliance. However, "they do know that China plays an irreplaceable role for both Russia and North Korea," she said.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, it's, Putin, Kim, Xi Jinping, Danny Russel, Obama, Xi, embolden Kim, Russell, Yun Sun Organizations: Service, North, Business, Associated Press, Xinhua, Agency, Getty Images, Stimson, CNN Locations: East Asia, Russia, North, China, DPRK, Asia, North Korea, Korea, Ukraine, Beijing, Pyongyang, Getty Images Russia, Washington

☆ Opinion | Jamaal Bowman’s Political Malpractice
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Now Israel’s champions, many of whom have never been comfortable with Bowman, are striking back, capitalizing on a political environment transformed by Oct. 7. Bowman’s challenger is the Westchester County executive, George Latimer, who refuses to criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, putting Latimer not just to Bowman’s right but also to the right of President Biden and Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader. I think Sanders was exaggerating, but the contest is probably the most important congressional primary this year. It’s setting a precedent for big money interference in local politics and tearing at the longtime progressive alliance between Black people and Jews. There is something deeply admirable about his refusal to subordinate his values to political expediency.

Persons: Jamaal Bowman, Bowman, Eliot Engel, George Latimer, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Latimer, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Emerson, —, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, Hamas’s, he’s Organizations: Democrat, Westchester County, American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s, Israel Locations: New York’s, Israel, Westchester, Vermont, Black, Bronx, America, Gaza

☆ 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

☆ Wall Street is putting its foot down as ‘Roaring Kitty’ sends GameStop soaring again
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

That means that Gill has the right to purchase 12 million shares of GameStop at $20 apiece by a set expiration date. GameStop shares closed Wednesday at $46.55 a share, more than double the price locked in by those options. Gill hasn’t explicitly told anyone to buy GameStop shares or that he thinks it’s headed to the moon. In comparison, shares of GameStop and AMC Entertainment have surged 167% and 99%, respectively, since Gill’s return to social media. Keith Gill, a GameStop investor, also known in social media forums as Roaring Kitty, testifies during a virtual hearing on GameStop in Washington, Feb. 18, 2021.

Persons: Kitty, Keith Gill, Gill, Michael M, Gill hasn’t, it’s, Jay Woods, Woods, hasn’t, Morgan Stanley, Gill isn’t, copycats, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett, Chubb, ”, Bill Galvin, Gill’s, Hanna Ziady, Christine Lagarde —, ” —, Read, OpenAI, Brian Fung, Inflection’s, didn’t, Keith Gill’s Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, GameStop, AMC Entertainment, CNN, Gamestop, New York Stock Exchange, Street, Freedom Capital, Berkshire, The Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Financial, Traders, stoke, Wall, Retail, Roaring Kitty YouTube, European Central Bank, US Federal Reserve, Bank of England, ECB, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Justice Department, Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, of Justice Locations: New York, New York City, Massachusetts, Washington, Europe

☆ Opinion | Yoav Gallant Has Shown Defiance. Will He Again?
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( Dahlia Scheindlin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last month, Yoav Gallant told Israelis that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was leading the nation astray. In a government known for ironclad loyalty to the prime minister, and in the heightened intensity of war, Mr. Gallant’s statement made headlines. In March 2023, Mr. Gallant became the most prominent member of the governing coalition to publicly call for a halt to Mr. Netanyahu’s attempt to undermine the judiciary, an effort that he said was harming the country’s security. When Mr. Netanyahu tried to fire him, hundreds of thousands of protesting Israelis brought the country to a standstill, and Mr. Gallant became an instant symbol of a bulwark against what the protesters viewed as an autocratic putsch. At both these moments, liberal Israelis have grasped at the possibility that Mr. Gallant could be a lifeline out of national perdition.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr, Gallant, ”, Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, Israel unrecognizably Locations: Gaza, Israel

☆ Biden and Netanyahu's fraught relationship hits new low after U.S. pauses weapons shipment
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

"There's real skepticism in the administration that Rafah will bring about a deal for the hostages, like the Israelis have been saying." Pentagon confirms weapons shipment pause to IsraelThe Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday that the administration paused the delivery to Israel of a shipment of 1,800 two-thousand-pound bombs and 1,700 five-hundred-pound bombs. Netanyahu remains undeterred, saying that Israel will "stand alone" and fight "with our fingernails" if U.S. weapons shipments stopped. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (L) visits army units on the border between Israel and Gaza Strip near Rafah, Gaza on May 07, 2024. Israeli Ministry of Defense | Anadolu | Getty ImagesItamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right wing national security minister, posted on X simply writing: "Hamas [heart emoji] Biden."

Persons: Ahmad Gharabli, Richard Haass, Joe Biden, Haass, George W, Bush, Benjamin Netanyahu, Khan Yunis, Ashraf Amr, Biden, Defense Lloyd Austin, Washington's, Austin, Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Itamar Ben Gvir, emoji, It's, Will, Avi Melamed, Melamed, Clayton Allen, Independent Sen, Bernie Sanders, Vermont, Sanders, Ali Jadallah Organizations: Hamas, AFP, Getty, U.S, Foreign Relations, Haaretz, Qatari, United Nations, WHO, Anadolu, CNN, Pentagon, Biden, Defense, Israel, Israeli, Ministry of Defense, Congress, Eurasia Group, Independent, CNBC Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rafah, Palestinian, Israeli, Khan, I'm, al, Hamas, Iran, U.S, United States

☆ Corporate America Is Going Un-Woke: Reversing DEI, Sustainability Plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Emily Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Plenty of companies are reining in their rhetoric and in some cases action on issues such as sustainability and diversity. Over the past decade, many corporations have at least professed to take a more active role in social issues, under pressure from their customers and, more importantly, employees. After last year's Bud Light debacle, which was a real blow to its business, executives fear they'll be the next target of some anti-woke outcry. For the fourth quarter of 2020, 131 companies mentioned ESG, and 34 mentioned DEI or diversity and inclusion. This may be a great un-wokening, but maybe corporate America was actually never that committed to the idea in the first place.

Persons: Paul Polman, It's, Naomi Wheeless, Eventbrite, Donald Trump, Larry Fink, George Floyd's, ESG, Andrew Jones, there's, Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, haven't, Philip Mirvis, Bud, they'll, they'd, Jones, it's, Fink, FactSet, — we're, wasn't, Alison Taylor, University's, we've, Roe, Wade, Taylor, isn't, Dylan Mulvaney, Bud Light's, Kenneth Pucker, Emily Stewart Organizations: Unilever, Unilever wasn't, Unilever isn't, Companies, Business, Sporting Goods, Conference Board's ESG, Morningstar, Babson, AIG, Amazon, ExxonMobil, University's Stern School of Business, Anheuser, Busch, Fletcher School, Tufts University Locations: Plenty, America, ESG, New, Charlottesville

☆ Did Trump’s lawyers misquote George Washington? Here’s what the first president actually said
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Searching for some evidence that the Founding Fathers would have supported “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for former President Donald Trump, his lawyers have turned to George Washington. Washington’s thought does not end where Trump’s lawyers put the period. In his farewell address, the first president advised his fellow citizens that “Religion and morality” were the “great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens." Another Washington historian, Alexis Coe, who wrote a recent biography, described the Trump lawyers’ view of Washington’s farewell address as “bonkers.” She thinks that rather than trying to seek exemption from laws, Washington would find ways around them. Anything that delays Trump’s prosecution is a clear win for the former president, who is playing for time until the November election.

Persons: Donald Trump, George Washington, Washington’s, Washington, inoculate Trump, John Sauer, “, John Avlon, “ Washington, ” Avlon, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sauer, ”, Alexis Coe, –, Coe, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Trump, Will Trump, Trump’s, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, ” Gorsuch Organizations: CNN, US, Congress, gaslight, Trump . Washington, Trump, Constitutional Locations: United States, Washington, “, New York, Trump ., Pennsylvania

☆ Ukraine's facing a perfect storm of problems, and a vote in Congress could make or break its war with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

The House is expected to soon vote on a long-awaited aid package including support for Ukraine and Israel. If the stalled aid package is approved, it remains to seen how the rollout of aid will go. Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu via Getty ImagesWhile US lawmakers have spent months debating Ukraine aid, Russia has been given a golden opportunity. As the Russian war machine fires up, the army is putting pressure on Ukraine's defenses, seeing where it can potentially break through and seize territory. AdvertisementJohnson's planned foreign aid package comes in at a similar cost and includes about $61 billion for Ukraine.

Persons: —, Frederick Kagan, Kostiantyn, It's, Kagan, GENYA SAVILOV, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's, Mick Ryan, 2S3, Wojciech Grzedzinski, it's, Franz, Stefan Gady, Gady, Ryan, Mike Johnson, Republican opposers, Johnson, Johnson's, Scott Peterson, Jose Colon, William Burns, Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin, Lev Radin Organizations: Service, Washington DC, American Enterprise Institute, Business, Armed Forces, Getty Images, Australian Army, Ukrainian 63rd Brigade, Getty, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Russian, Ukraine, NATO, Archer Artillery, Roman, Republican, Democrats, Republicans, Pentagon, Anadolu, CIA, Russia, UNITED STATES, Pacific Press, Ukrainian Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Russia, Washington, Chernigiv, AFP, Getty Images Ukraine, Russian, Lyman, Donetsk Oblast, Anadolu, Europe, Taiwan, Ukrainian, Kharkiv, Izyum, China, North Korea, Poland, American

☆ Pence warns that Putin will attack a NATO nation if he overruns Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Veronica Stracqualursi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Former Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday warned that if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to “overrun” Ukraine, he would then attack a NATO nation, forcing the US to become directly involved. Pence commended Johnson for proceeding with the foreign aid bills despite the potential for right-wing members of their party to attempt to oust Johnson over it. Speaker Mike Johnson has decided to do what he believes is right and trust the American people with the outcome in this moment. As a candidate for president, Pence visited Ukraine last year and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He remained steadfast in his support for Ukraine while other GOP candidates, including his former boss Donald Trump, questioned the amount of US aid.

Persons: Mike Pence, Vladimir Putin, “, Putin, ”, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Mike Johnson, Pence, Johnson, ” Pence, Tapper, –, Jake –, Israel, Xi, Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN, NATO, Ukraine, GOP, Trump Locations: ” Ukraine, NATO, Ukraine, Brussels, Belgium, “, China, Taiwan, United States, America, Russia, Tehran, Beijing

☆ Opinion: What gun laws can’t stop
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Opinion Latika Bourke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“The videos (of the attack) speak for themselves don’t they?” Webb told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Steven Saphore/AAP/ReutersCauchi’s father Andrew Cauchi — who appeared devastated — believes his “monster” son may have deliberately set out to kill women, he told Australian media. He enacted strict gun control laws and initated a massive buyback scheme. “The evidence consistently shows that the underlying causes of violence directed toward women are rigid gender stereotypes, sexism and disrespect. Joel Cauchi had a fixation with blades and kept a collection of them, his father told the newspaper The Australian.

Persons: Latika Bourke, ”, Read, Latika Bourke Louis Douvis “, Julia Hartley, Brewer, Hartley, Karen Webb, Joel Cauchi, ” Webb, Webb, Steven Saphore, Reuters Cauchi’s, Andrew Cauchi —, —, John Howard, Australia’s, Julia Gillard, Bondi, Patty Kinnersly, Patty Kinnersly “, Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, Roman Quaedvlieg, “, X Quaedvlieg, they’d, Howard Organizations: Sydney Morning Herald, Love, CNN, New South Wales Police, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, Reuters, Port, Conservative, Global Institute, Women’s Leadership, Good Shepherd, Australian Jewish Association, X Locations: Australian, India, Sydney, British, Bondi’s, Westfield, Bondi, Port Arthur, London, Australia, United States

☆ In ‘Monkey Man,’ Dev Patel attempts to reclaim Hinduism for the underdog
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —“Monkey Man,” Dev Patel’s directorial debut action thriller that he also stars in, wrote and produced, opens with a tale familiar to Hindus around the world. This mythology is the foundation of “Monkey Man,” which hit theaters on April 5. In "Monkey Man," Kid plots revenge on the corrupt forces that raided his forest village and killed his mother. Dev Patel directed, wrote, produced and starred in the action thriller "Monkey Man," which is inspired by the Hindu legend of Hanuman. “Monkey Man,” then, is a warning about what can happen when people are oppressed and disempowered for too long.

Persons: ” Dev Patel’s, Hanuman, Patel himself, —, Patel, ” Patel, Kid, ’ ”, Rana Singh, Sikandar Kher, Baba Shakti, Makarand Deshpande, Rana, Sita, Sobhita, Rama, Ravana, Lord Rama, Sailaja Krishnamurti, ‘ What’s, ” Krishnamurti, “, Thrisha Mohan, Narendra Modi, Lord Ram, Imtiyaz Khan, ” Mohan, Baba Shakti —, ”, Krishnamurti, Mohan, Modi, it’s, wasn’t, Siddhant Adlakha, ” Adlakha, It’s, Amitabh Bachhan, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Keanu Reeves, Hollywood’s, Hollywood’s “ John Wick ”, India’s underclasses, “ He’s, Dev Patel, Monica Schipper, hijras, Kid bungles, he’s, Baba, Shiva, Parvati, Bedatri D, Choudhury Organizations: CNN, SXSW, Universal Pictures, Queen’s University, Human Rights, Indian, Anadolu, Getty, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, TIME, Alpha, Philadelphia Inquirer Locations: Yatana, India, Ayodhya, Hong Kong, Hollywood’s “, Kid’s

☆ Opinion: The world rushes to court Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. Now, they’re urgently working on two fronts: seeking to Trump-proof their foreign policy and defense, and hoping to minimize the potential negative impact of a Trump victory. Making matters more unusual – and far more unethical – Trump has effectively launched his own shadow foreign policy, actively undermining Biden’s – America’s – policy. Not only is the former president leveraging his control of the Republican Party to block US aid to Ukraine ‑ Trump is interfering in US foreign policy elsewhere. Interfering in US foreign policy is bad enough, but there’s also an unseemly financial angle.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Fumio Kishida, David Cameron, Donald Trump, –, It’s, they’re, Putin, Trump, Jens Stoltenberg, Viktor Orban, ”, Orban, “, ’, Joe Biden’s, – Trump, Biden’s, Ukraine ‑ Trump, Richard Grenell, Grenell, Grennell, there’s, Jared Kushner, Aleksandar Vucic, ingratiate, Japan’s, Shinzo Abe, Ivanka Trump, —, Biden Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Washington , D.C, British, Trump, Ukraine –, NATO, European, Trump Heritage Foundation, ”, EU, Europe –, Republican Party, Serbian Locations: Washington ,, Japan, United States, Mar, Europe, Russia, European Union, Ukraine, EU, ” Russia, “, East, Guatemala, Washington, Serbia, New York

☆ Taiwan’s Top Diplomat Says U.S. Aid to Ukraine Is Critical for Deterring China
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Edward Wong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Joseph Wu, the foreign minister of Taiwan, said on Thursday that a halt in U.S. arms shipments to Ukraine would embolden China in its aggressions against Taiwan and fuel propaganda from Beijing that the United States is an unreliable partner. “When people ask us whether it is OK for the United States to abandon Ukraine, the answer is no, because the world is operating not in a black-and-white way, or if you only look at one theater at a time,” he said. “The world is interconnected.”If Russia is able to occupy more of Ukraine and claim victory, he added, “it would be seen as a victory of authoritarian states because Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, they are now linked together.”Mr. Wu’s comments, made in a wide-ranging hourlong interview in Taipei, come as the Biden administration tries to get Congress to pass a supplemental funding package that would give $60 billion of aid to Ukraine.

Persons: Joseph Wu, “, ”, ” Mr, Wu’s Organizations: Biden Locations: Taiwan, Ukraine, China, Beijing, United States, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Taipei

☆ Judge’s stern rebuke of Elon Musk’s X gives critics fresh hope
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Brian Fung | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A federal judge’s decision this week reprimanding Elon Musk’s X will have reverberating effects on efforts to hold influential online platforms accountable, legal experts and advocacy groups say. Breyer held that the reports were “unquestionably” protected by the group’s free speech rights. Now, that decision could embolden other research groups and Musk critics who have faced legal threats from the billionaire. Researchers face hurdles to studying on-platform behaviorResearchers from non-profits and academic institutions have had a harder time studying X since Musk’s takeover in 2022. But one of Musk’s first changes at X was to put access to platform data behind a steep paywall.

Persons: reprimanding Elon Musk’s, Charles Breyer, Breyer, CCDH, X, Northern District of California —, Musk, White, Elon, ”, Alex Abdo, ” Abdo, Angelo Carusone, Carusone, Andrew Bailey, “, ” Carusone, David Karpf, ” Karpf, Nora Benavidez, Benavidez Organizations: CNN, Center, Court, Northern, Northern District of, Columbia University, “ Society, Twitter, Anti, Defamation League, Microsoft, Meta, Media, AGs, School of Media, Public Affairs, George Washington University, ” Free Press, Free Press Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California, Texas, Missouri

☆ Lawsuit by Elon Musk's X was an attempt to punish free speech, judge rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewA lawsuit that Elon Musk's X filed last year against a research group was thrown out Monday, with US District Judge Charles Breyer saying, "This case is about punishing the Defendants for their speech." But Breyer wrote "there can be no mistaking" that the real motive of the suit was to bully X's critics into silence. Related storiesWhen asked for comment on the decision, the press email for X replied, "Busy now, please check back later." Musk has previously said he's a "free speech absolutist" and that his "thermonuclear" lawsuits against media-watchdog groups are about "protecting free speech."

Persons: —, Elon Musk's X, Charles Breyer, X, Breyer, Musk, Imran Ahmed, lawfare Organizations: Service, US, Northern District of, Business, X Corp, Media Matters Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Federal judge tosses Elon Musk’s case against hate speech watchdog CCDH
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A federal judge on Monday threw out a lawsuit by Elon Musk’s X that had targeted a watchdog group for its critical reports about hate speech on the social media platform. In a blistering 52-page order, the judge blasted X’s case as plainly punitive rather than about protecting the platform’s security and legal rights. X has blamed CCDH’s reports, which showcase the prevalence of hate speech on the platform, for amplifying brand safety concerns and driving advertisers away from the site. In the suit, X claimed that it had suffered tens of millions of dollars in damages from CCDH’s publications. “If CCDH’s publications were defamatory, that would be one thing, but X Corp. has carefully avoided saying that they are,” Breyer wrote.

Persons: Elon Musk’s, ”, Charles Breyer, ” Breyer, X, CCDH’s, Musk, Alex Jones, Breyer, “, CCDH, X’s, Imran Ahmed, @CCDHate, @ElonMusk’s @X, ” Ahmed, Ahmed, “ X Organizations: CNN, Court, Northern, Northern District of, Twitter, X Corp, Center Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California, Newtown , Connecticut, California, San Francisco

☆ War, reforms and a possible successor? Here's what we could see from 6 more years of Putin
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Analysts share their views on what we can expect now that Putin has strengthened his grip on power, with the Ukraine war, domestic economic reforms and a possible government reshuffle key factors to watch. Having cleared more of a procedural hurdle than a real test of his policies and popularity in the election, Putin will have more freedom to advance contentious reforms at home, analysts note. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivering an annual address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor, in Moscow on Feb. 29, 2024. MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JANUARY 8: (RUSSIA OUT) A woman eats hot corn while walking along the Red Square near the Kremlin, as air temperatures dropped to -18 degrees Celcius, January,8 2024, in Moscow, Russia. However, with the dynamics of the war now shifting in Russia's favor, Putin might feel more confident with the reshuffle.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Natalia Kolesnikova, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, embolden Putin, Liam Peach, Jose Colon, Anton Siluanov, Tursa, Adeline Van Houtte, Donald Trump, Dmitry Peskov, Peach, he's, Sergei Shoigu, Sergei Lavrov, Mikhail Mishustin, Dmitry Medvedev, Gavriil Organizations: Afp, Getty, Kremlin, Commission, Analysts, U.S, Capital Economics, Anadolu, Anadolu Agency, Economist Intelligence Unit, Federal Assembly, Russian Federation, New, Putin, Security Council, Sputnik Locations: Crimea, Red, Moscow, Russia, Russian, Central, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Eastern Europe, Europe, U.S, Russia's, MOSCOW, RUSSIA

☆ ‘Alarm bells are ringing’: Poland’s president says NATO must urgently ramp up defense spending
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks to members of the media following a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on March 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch | Getty ImagesPolish President Andrzej Duda said Monday that NATO must urgently increase its defense spending to ensure it does not become the next target of a Russian attack. Duda said it was therefore more critical than ever to ramp up the alliance's military investment, describing his increased spending targets as "common sense." The Polish president, whose country shares a land border with Ukraine, has spearheaded calls to supply weapons to Kyiv since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion. During a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden last week, Duda called for NATO to raise its minimum military spending target to 3% of GDP to further strengthen the alliance's defenses.

Persons: Andrzej Duda, Joe Biden, Kevin Dietsch, Duda, Vladimir Putin, CNBC's Steve Sedgwick, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Putin, it's Organizations: U.S, White, Getty, NATO, CNBC, Polish, U.S . House Locations: Washington , DC, Moscow, Ukraine, Poland, U.S, Sweden, Congress, Russia

☆ Wall Street is betting big on a soft landing for the economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewRisk is back in fashion on Wall Street as investors shed their fears and become more adventurous with their cash. Wall Street is betting big on a soft landing, where the Fed succeeds in bringing inflation down without unemployment surging or a recession taking hold. Related storiesSimilarly, Goldman Sachs analysts said in a recent outlook that "risk appetite is poised to grow" this year as recession relief and rate cuts embolden investors. When the music stopsThe outlook for stocks and the economy might seem brighter, but it's worth being at least a little skeptical of the current enthusiasm. "Nobody seems to care about valuations, and now you have Wall Street strategists laying claim that we are in a brand new era," veteran economist David Rosenberg said in a recent note.

Persons: —, BII, Goldman Sachs, David Rosenberg, Jeremy Grantham, there's, Ed Yardeni Organizations: Service, Federal, Business, Investors, BlackRock Investment Institute, Nvidia, Grantham, Swissquote Bank Locations: BlackRock

☆ Putin seen winning an expected landslide 88% of Russian election vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

President Vladimir Putin won a record post-Soviet landslide in Russia's election on Sunday, cementing his grip on power. The election comes just over two years since Putin triggered the deadliest European conflict since World War Two by ordering the invasion of Ukraine. War has hung over the three-day election: Ukraine has repeatedly attacked oil refineries in Russia, shelled Russian regions, and sought to pierce Russian borders with proxy forces - a move Putin said would not be left unpunished. As noon arrived across Asia and Europe, hundreds of people gathered at polling stations at Russian diplomatic missions. Putin says the West is engaged in a hybrid war against Russia and that Western intelligence and Ukraine are trying to disrupt the elections.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Josef Stalin, Putin's, Alexei Navalny, Yulia, Ruslan Shaveddinov, Leonid Volkov, Navalny, Joe Biden, Nikolas Gvosdev, Biden, Donald Trump, William Burns, China Organizations: Soviet, Research, National Security, KGB, Corruption, Criminal Court, Hague, Kremlin, Research Institute, Trump's Republican, Kyiv, CIA Locations: United States, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Asia, Europe, Russian, Berlin, Vilnius, West, Philadelphia, Congress, Ukrainian, Crimea, Kyiv

☆ The Risk of a China War Over Taiwan Is Rising - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Ben Lewis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2020, the balance of military power in the Taiwan Strait began a gradual but profound shift in China’s favor. That August, then-Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar became the highest-ranking U.S. cabinet official to visit Taiwan in more than four decades. responded by carrying out large-scale military exercises around the self-governing island, sending aircraft over the median line of the Taiwan Strait for only the third time in more than 20 years. Alarm bells should be ringing, but neither Taiwan nor the United States have taken meaningful action to deter China, and Taiwan’s response has been inconsistent and lacks transparency, which may further embolden Beijing. A more robust approach is needed to deter China from escalating the situation.

Persons: Alex Azar Organizations: Health, Human, Liberation Army Locations: Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, China, Taipei, Washington, United States, Beijing

☆ Why Zelensky’s plea will fall on many deaf Republican ears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —There is a simple reason why many Republicans will snub Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s desperate plea for billions of dollars in arms and ammunition. He told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in an interview in Kyiv Sunday that Republicans such as Trump ally Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance – who have been speaking out against more Ukraine aid – do not comprehend the stakes of the conflict. How Trump transformed the GOPThe Ukraine war funding showdown highlights how America’s domestic politics are already reverberating around the globe. The splits in the GOP over Ukraine were exposed last week when 26 Senate Republicans voted against the bill containing Israel and Ukraine aid while 22 backed it.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky’s, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, It’s, Zelensky, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Ohio Sen, J.D, Vance –, –, ” Zelensky, Trump, Mitch McConnell, Vladimir Putin, Putin –, III, Biden –, Putin, Alexey Navalny, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, Matt Gaetz, ” Trump, Mike Johnson –, Biden, Johnson, ” Jake Sullivan, CNN’s Dana, •, • There’s, Vance, ” Vance, ’ ”, ” Zelensky –, CNN’s Collins, Avdiivka –, he’s Organizations: CNN, America, Republican, Kyiv Sunday, Trump, Ohio, GOP, NATO, Party, Trump Republicans, Conservative Political, Florida, Ukraine, White, Ukraine –, Munich, Conference, Republicans Locations: Europe, Russia, United States, Ukraine, Kyiv, Soviet, Washington, America, Mexico, “ State, South Carolina, European, China, Taiwan, Avdiivka, Israel, There’s

☆ It may look like Trump scared NATO back into readiness — but it's probably all down to Putin
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

NATO states' increased defense spending in recent years has little to do with Trump, experts told BI. NATO spending has indeed accelerated since Trump entered politics. It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do itTrump's demands of NATO allies also weren't a departure from existing US policy. Threatening partners is "bananas"Trump's transactional take on NATO collective defense is ultimately reasonable, Bury said — but encouraging other countries to attack NATO allies is "bananas." AdvertisementIf US allies are spending more money on NATO defense, it's not because Trump is goading them, but because they're concerned about increasing global instability.

Persons: Trump, it's, —, Kaja Kallas, Mark Rutte, Edward Hunter Christie, Hunter Christie, William Alberque, Russia hadn't, hadn't, Alberque, Patrick Bury, Barack Obama, didn't, Joe Biden, Bury, Vladimir Putin Organizations: NATO, Trump, Service, Estonia's, Dutch, Finnish Institute of International Affairs, International Institute for Strategic Studies, UK's University of Bath Locations: Russia, ”, NATO, Crimea, Trump, South Korea, Japan, United States, Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate early Tuesday passed a $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, pushing ahead after months of difficult negotiations and amid growing political divisions in the Republican Party over the role of the United States abroad. But a bipartisan deal on border security struck by Republican Sen. James Lankford fell apart just days after its unveiling, a head-spinning development that left negotiators deeply frustrated. After the border bill collapsed, the two leaders abandoned the border provisions and pushed forward with passing the foreign aid package alone — as Democrats had originally intended. In an unusually raw back-and-forth, GOP senators who support the aid challenged some of the opponents directly on the floor. Turner posted on X, formerly Twitter, after the trip that “I reiterated America’s commitment to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”But Speaker Johnson is in a tough position.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, It’s, ”, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Jeff Merkley, Peter Welch of, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden's, Schumer, McConnell, “, ” McConnell, Republican Sen, James Lankford, J.D, Vance, Russia's Putin, Putin, Kentucky Sen, Rand Paul, Carolina Sen, Thom Tillis, ” Tillis, ” Sen, Jerry Moran, Moran, Trump, Russia “, Mike Turner, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Turner, Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, ” Johnson, Abigail Spanberger, Zelenskyy, ” Spanberger, Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republican Party, Ukraine, Republican, Republicans, Sens, Ukraine —, GOP, U.S . Senate, Trump, Ohio Republican, Kentucky, NATO, House Republicans, House Intelligence, Russia, ”, Senate, Virginia Democrat, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, United States, U.S, Oregon, Peter Welch of Vermont, Russia, Kyiv, China, Gaza, Ohio, Carolina, Europe, America, Virginia

Search resuls for: "embolden"

25 mentions found