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☆ ‘Only pirates do this’: Philippines accuses China of using bladed weapons in major South China Sea escalation
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Nectar Gan | Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Hong Kong CNN —The Philippines has accused China’s Coast Guard of launching a “brutal assault” with bladed weapons during a South China Sea clash earlier this week, a major escalation in a festering dispute that threatens to drag the United States into another global conflict. A Philippine Navy serviceman on the rubber boat lost his right thumb when the Chinese Coast Guard rammed it, Torres said. China’s Coast Guard also deployed tear gas, “blinding” strobe lights and continuously blared sirens, the AFP said. “The Chinese Coast Guard personnel had bladed weapons and our personnel fought with bare hands. This is the closest China’s Coast Guard has come to the BRP Sierra Madre, Koh noted.

Persons: Thomas Shoal, –, ” Collin Koh, ” Koh, “, ”, Alfonso Torres Jr, Torres, Romeo Brawner Jr, ” Brawner, Ferdinand “ Bongbong ” Marcos Jr, Marcos, Matthew Miller, Enrique A, Antony Blinken, ” Derek Grossman, Koh, they’re, Thomas, Washington “, ” “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Coast Guard, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Philippine, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, Philippine Navy, Armed Forces, Getty, Western Command, Chinese Coast Guard, China’s Coast Guard, Staff, Getty Images Mutual, South China, US State Department, Mutual Defense, RAND Corporation, China Coast Guard, Philippine personnel, Navy Special Operations Group, BRP, BRP Sierra Madre Locations: Hong Kong, Philippines, China, United States, Manila, Spratly, Philippine, Singapore, AFP, ’, China’s, South, States, US, Washington, South China, The Hague, Beijing, India, BRP Sierra, BRP Sierra Madre

In 2023, Texas led the nation in solar installations on its power grid, surpassing California for its second consecutive year. Explosive power demand poses a challenge to the Biden administration's goal of converting the U.S. power grid to 100% clean electricity by 2035. Nextracker is a leading U.S. solar firm, building systems that allow panels to track to the position of the sun, improving the efficiency of solar power plants. Shugar pointed to the massive number of renewable projects in the U.S. seeking connection to the power grid. But as energy demand increases, the value of each additional hour should rise, eventually making longer duration batteries more cost effective, he said.

Persons: Brandon Bell, Andrés Gluski, Joseph Rand, We've, Kelley, Wells, Goldman Sachs, Biden, Ryan Sweezey, Wood Mackenzie, Richard Kinder, Kinder Morgan, Kinder, Amin Nasser, Nasser, Shugar, Lawrence, Lazard, Nextracker's Shugar, Lawrence Berkeley, Amol Phadke, Rand, Sweezey, Reid Ramdathsingh, Ramdathsingh, Fluence, John Zahurancik, Zahurancik, it's, Zahuranick Organizations: Getty, Renewables, Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy, Big Tech, Microsoft, AES Corporation, Google, AES, Meta, UBS, Solar, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S, Tech, North America, DOE, CNBC, University of California Berkeley's Goldman School of Public, Goldman School, Lawrence, Rystad Energy, Siemens Locations: Ector County , Texas, Texas, California, United States, U.S, Wells Fargo, Saudi, Houston, Lawrence Berkeley, Fluence's Americas

☆ US announces major bust as efforts to crack down on Chinese money launderers working with drug cartels ratchet up
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

A US-based lawyer who has represented accused Chinese money launderers said the tempo of law enforcement operations against the alleged launderers has increased in recent weeks as federal agents close in on “bigger fish” among Chinese money launderers in the US. None of the federal law enforcement agencies involved in tracking Chinese money launderers agreed to be interviewed on the record. Grassley and Whitehouse have each introduced legislation they say is key to closing loopholes in US law that are actively exploited by the cartels’ money launderers. Elaborate networksRecent court documents illuminate how far-flung and elaborate US-based networks of alleged Chinese money launderers are. Mirror TransactionsExperts say the Chinese money launderers have mastered the art of so-called mirror transactions, which involve a series of deposits at multiple bank accounts to conceal the drug money.

Persons: ”, Anne Milgram, surveil, “, Don Im, Biden, HSI, Ricardo Mayoral, William Kimbell, ” Kimbell, launderers, —, Sen, Sheldon Whitehouse, ” Whitehouse, Treasury Department —, Whitehouse, Christopher Wray, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Republican Sen, Charles Grassley, Enhua Fang, Li Pei Tan, Tan, Joe Habachy, Matthew Rothbeind, Fang, Chaojie Chen, Chen, Greg Hunter, ” David Luckey, JPMorgan Chase Organizations: CNN, Drug, Administration, Sinaloa Cartel, US Court, Central, Central District of, DEA, IRS, “, Centers for Disease Control, Federal, Homeland Security, Treasury, Treasury Department, Treasury’s, Network, Homeland Security Investigations, DHS, Financial Crimes, Rhode Island Democrat, intel, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Senate, ” CNN, White, Office of National Drug Control, Service, Biden, Republican, Grassley, Rand Corporation, of, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, JPMorgan, Organization Locations: California, Mexican, China, Mexico, Los Angeles, Sinaloa, Central District, Central District of California, Colombia, America, Oregon, Virginia, South Carolina, Washington, DC, North, Central America, —, Iowa, North Carolina, Belize, Chinese, Georgia, Chicago, Tulsa, East Coast, Detroit , Chicago, Ohio, Western, of North Carolina, Wells Fargo

☆ Xi's claim that the US is trying to trick China into invading Taiwan is meant to divide the US and its allies: experts
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewXi Jinping's claim that the US is trying to trick China into invading Taiwan is aimed at driving a wedge between the US and its European allies, experts told Business Insider. But in addressing the issue with the EU leader, Xi was trying to counter the US narrative and undermine transatlantic relations, Scobell said. "Also, China knows that the EU is generally ambivalent about backing the United States in a war with China over Taiwan," he added. However, over the last few years, the mood in Washington, DC, has shifted toward greater hawkishness, Graeme Thompson, an analyst with the Eurasia Group, told Business Insider in November. Under its One China policy, the EU recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China.

Persons: —, Ursula von der Leyen, Xi, Andrew Scobell, Scobell, Craig Singleton, Singleton, Timothy Heath, von der Leyen, Graeme Thompson, Mike Pompeo, John Bolton Organizations: Service, European, Financial Times, Business, US Institute of Peace, BI, EU, Foundation, Defense of Democracies, Taiwan, RAND, Eurasia Group, Royal Services Institute Locations: China, Taiwan, Beijing, Ukraine, United States, Washington ,, People's Republic of China, EU, Taiwan Strait

☆ One private equity firm controls more than a dozen of the biggest restaurant chains
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementThere's a good chance that just one private equity firm owns one of your favorite restaurant chains. Over the last quarter-century, Roark Capital Group has bought up nearly 20 restaurant brands in the US. Its latest acquisition happened last year when it acquired Subway, which operates the most stores out of any restaurant chain in the US. AdvertisementThe private equity firm also has investments in The Cheesecake Factory, which is publicly traded, as well as midwestern burger chain Culver's. AdvertisementWhile Roark owns a lot of restaurant brands, it's hardly the only private equity player in the industry.

Persons: —, Carl's Jr, Dunkin, Tyler Le, Roark, Jimmy John's, Auntie Anne's, Howard Roark, Ayn, TriArtisan Organizations: Buffalo Wild Wings, Roark Capital Group, Service, Business, Roark Capital, Hooters, TriArtisan Capital, Bay Capital Locations: Subway, Arby's, Carl's, Atlanta, Ayn Rand's, Nestle, Mars

☆ Russian troops surrender to an elite brigade as the Kharkiv front holds, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-16 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRussian soldiers have been surrendering to an elite Ukrainian combat brigade in the northern town of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, reports say. A video released on Wednesday by Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade appears to show Russian troops emerging from a trench with their hands raised above their head or tied behind their backs. Several of the captured soldiers said they had been forced into the Russian army due to financial or legal trouble. An earlier video published on June 6 by Ukraine's 36th Marine Brigade, appeared to show two Russian soldiers, both wounded, being captured during a Ukrainian counterattack in Vovchansk. AdvertisementIn February, some 30,000 Russian troops began pouring over Ukraine's northern border into the Kharkiv region, opening up a new front for Ukraine's already-stretched defenses.

Persons: —, Nazar Voloshyn, Voloshyn, John Kirby, Putin, Ann Marie Dailey, Dailey Organizations: Service, Ukraine's 3rd Assault Brigade, Business, 3rd Assault Brigade, Khortitsiya, Command, Ukraine's 36th Marine Brigade, White House National Security Communications, RAND, Putin Locations: Ukrainian, Vovchansk, Kharkiv, Moscow, Ukraine's, Russian, Belgorod, Russia

☆ This one private equity firm owns over a dozen of your favorite restaurants
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementThere's a good chance that just one private equity firm owns one of your favorite restaurant chains. Its latest acquisition happened last year when it acquired Subway, which operates the most stores out of any restaurant chain in the US. But Roark's holdings include other restaurants that you've probably visited before:Roark Capital owns almost 20 restaurant brands, from Carl's Jr. to Dunkin'. AdvertisementThe private equity firm also has investments in The Cheesecake Factory, which is publicly traded, as well as midwestern burger chain Culver's. AdvertisementWhile Roark owns a lot of restaurant brands, it's hardly the only private equity player in the industry.

☆ South Africa’s governing alliance emerges as the new parliament convenes
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-14 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Reuters —The African National Congress has agreed to form a government of national unity for South Africa with three other parties including its largest rival, the pro-business Democratic Alliance, public broadcaster SABC reported on Friday. The SABC report came as the newly elected parliament was convening for the first time and lawmakers were in the process of being sworn in. The chamber will later elect its speaker, deputy speaker and the country’s president. SABC said the unity government would include the ANC, the DA, the socially conservative Inkatha Freedom Party and the right-wing Patriotic Alliance. The session was taking place in a Cape Town convention centre as the parliament complex was damaged by fire in 2022.

Persons: ”, Sihle Zikalala, John Steenhuisen, Cyril Ramaphosa, Raymond Zondo, Helen Zille, Ramaphosa, “, Jacob Zuma Organizations: Reuters, African National Congress, Democratic Alliance, SABC, ANC, DA, Freedom Party, Patriotic Alliance, National Assembly, Fighters, Party, IFP, The Patriotic Alliance, Capital Economics, EFF, MK, ”, Economics Locations: South Africa, Cape Town, London, policymaking

☆ Ukraine's strikes on Crimean air defenses could end its role as a Russian military staging ground: experts
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-14 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewUkraine's sustained attacks against Russia's air defenses could make occupied Crimea untenable as a military staging ground, war analysts said. Ukraine has repeatedly hit Russia's air defenses in Crimea over the last few months, with attacks intensifying this week. AdvertisementAccording to reports, one Russian S-400 "Triumf" and two S-300 air-defense missile systems were targeted overnight on Sunday into Monday, with suggestions that Ukraine used US-supplied Army Tactical Missile Systems, known as ATACMS. AdvertisementForbes reached a similar conclusion on Wednesday, saying Russia's S-400 missile systems can't defend nearby Russian troops or even themselves. AdvertisementBut despite Ukraine's recent successes, its campaign of long-range air strikes won't be the silver bullet that ends Russia's occupation of Crimea, military experts told BI.

Persons: —, Ukraine's, Forbes, Russia's, Kyrylo Budanov, Keir Giles, Giles, they're, Matthew Savill, James Black, Putin Organizations: Service, Institute for, Business, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Staff of, Armed Forces, Chatham House's, Eurasia Programme, Royal United Services Institute, RAND Europe, Kremlin Locations: Crimea, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Chatham House's Russia, Eurasia, Ukrainian

☆ Russia had a golden opportunity to open a new front in Ukraine but is squandering it, military experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewRussia is fumbling a golden opportunity in Ukraine as its latest offensive stalls, experts told Business Insider. The monthslong Republican delay over a new tranche of US military aid had left Ukrainian forces desperately short of ammo and equipment. AdvertisementBut it's likely Putin had other goals — and he may have succeeded in some of them, Bury told BI. Even so, it looks like Russian forces were quickly overextended and poorly protected, The Telegraph reported. "The Kharkiv offensive, even if it wasn't what the Russians have hoped for, ultimately in many ways it served its purpose," said Reynolds.

Persons: —, John Kirby, Patrick Bury, Vladimir Putin, readying, Jake Epstein, Chasiv Yar, Putin, Ann Marie Dailey, it's, Bury, Rob Lee, Nick Reynolds, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Dailey, Putin's, Joe Biden —, Reynolds, Russia's Organizations: Service, White House National Security Communications, Business, UK's University of Bath, Republican, of Defence, BBC, Washington Post, RAND, Policy, Telegraph, Royal United Services Institute, for, Kyiv Post, Bury, Politico, Kharkiv, Russia's Kharkiv Locations: Ukraine, Kharkiv, Russia, Ukrainian, Vovchansk, Russian, Belgorod, Kyiv, Ukraine's, Sumy

☆ These 38 GOP senators just voted against protecting contraception. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewThe Senate failed on Wednesday to advance a bill designed to protect access to contraceptives nationwide. Just two Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — voted with Democrats to advance the bill. Advertisement"Do people really think that even a significant minority of the Republican conference is against access to contraception?" AdvertisementBut still — if Republicans aren't against contraception, why won't they just vote for the bill? Glenn Youngkin of Virginia vetoed a bill to protect access to contraception, arguing that it violated principles of religious freedom.

Persons: —, — Susan Collins of, Lisa Murkowski, Alaska —, Chuck Schumer, Republican Sen, Thom Tillis, — Schumer, it's, Tillis, Griswold, Roe, Wade, Clarence Thomas, They've, James Lankford, Lankford, Sen, Rick Scott of, Glenn Youngkin, John Barrasso of, John Barrasso of Wyoming Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee John Boozman, Arkansas Ted Budd of, Carolina Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia Bill Cassidy, Louisiana John Cornyn, Texas Tom Cotton, Arkansas Kevin Cramer of, Arkansas Kevin Cramer of North Dakota Mike Crapo, Idaho Ted Cruz of, Idaho Ted Cruz of Texas Steve Daines, Montana Joni Ernst, Iowa Deb Fischer, Nebraska Chuck Grassley, Josh Hawley, Missouri John Hoeven of, Missouri John Hoeven of North Dakota Cindy Hyde, Smith, Mississippi Ron Johnson, Wisconsin James Lankford, Oklahoma Mike Lee, Utah Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming Roger Marshall of Kansas Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Markwayne Mullin, Oklahoma Rand Paul of Kentucky Pete Ricketts, Nebraska Jim Risch, Idaho Mike Rounds, South Dakota Marco Rubio, Eric Schmitt, Missouri Rick Scott, Florida Tim Scott of, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina John Thune of, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina John Thune of South Dakota Thoms Tillis, North Carolina Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Roger Wicker, Mississippi Todd Young, Mike Braun, Indiana Katie Britt, Alabama Lindsey Graham of, Alabama Lindsey Graham of South Carolina Bill Hagerty, Tennessee John Kennedy, Louisiana Jerry Moran of, Louisiana Jerry Moran of Kansas Mitt Romney, Utah Dan Sullivan, Alaska JD Vance, Ted Budd Organizations: Service, Nine Republicans, Democratic, Republican, Business, Republicans, GOP, Oklahoma Republican, Democrats, Republican Gov, Arkansas Kevin Cramer of North, Nebraska, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina John Thune of South Dakota, North, Alabama Lindsey Graham of South Locations: — Susan Collins of Maine, Alaska, North Carolina, . Connecticut, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Rick Scott of Florida, Virginia, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Arkansas, West, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Idaho, Idaho Ted Cruz of Texas, Montana, Missouri, Missouri John Hoeven of North Dakota, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Florida, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina, Florida Tim Scott of South Carolina John Thune of South, Alabama, Indiana, Alabama Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana Jerry Moran of Kansas, Ohio

☆ Hunter Biden trial puts America’s addiction crisis back into focus
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Josh Campbell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to charges of illegally purchasing and possessing a gun while abusing or being addicted to drugs, a violation of federal law. Another question probed whether potential jurors or their close associates had ever sought treatment for drug use. During their, at times, emotional answers, prospective juror after juror described how drug use had afflicted people they knew. About 42% of adults in the United States say they personally know at least one person who died from a drug overdose, according to survey findings published earlier this year by the nonprofit research institute RAND Corporation. In addition to illuminating the sheer number of Americans impacted by addiction, Hunter Biden’s trial is also creating critical awareness around the very language used to describe drug use.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Wilmington’s J, Caleb Boggs, “, ”, Scott Hadland, Hunter Biden’s, Andy Mendenhall, Bob Day, McPhillips, Marshall Cohen, Jacqueline Howard Organizations: Mental Health Services Administration, CNN, RAND Corporation, Children, Concern, Portland Police Locations: Delaware, United States, Oregon

☆ Dollar finds footing as traders turn to U.S. services data
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

US Dollar notes and euro coins are arranged for a photograph on Sept. 11, 2017. The dollar steadied on Wednesday as traders pared back on riskier bets in emerging markets while waiting on an interest rate decision in Canada and on U.S. services data. Japanese real wages fell for a 25th straight month in April, data on Wednesday showed, as inflation outpaces nominal pay rises. The Swiss franc rose for a fourth straight session on the dollar overnight and at 0.8902 per dollar is close to breaking through its 200-day moving average. The New Zealand dollar was steady at $0.6173, while the Canadian dollar held the middle of a months-long range at C$1.3678 per dollar.

Persons: Jane Foley, Ryozo Himino, Narendra Modi, Chris Weston Organizations: Swiss, Bloomberg News, Bank of, Rabobank, BOJ, Westpac, New Zealand, African National Congress, Morena Locations: Canada, U.S, Bank of Japan, Asia, Japan, Morena

☆ Cramer's Lighting Round: Amazon 'has a lot of room to go higher'
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Amazon's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Forward Air's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Ingersoll Rand's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Cracker Barrel's year-to-date stock performance. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Insmed's year-to-date stock performance.

Persons: They've, Ingersoll, Ingersoll Rand, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Forward

☆ US vs. Chinese aircraft carriers: How the world's top flattops stack up
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Liaoning and ShandongAircraft carrier Liaoning set out for sea trials at Dalian shipyard with the help of tugboats. A J-15 fighter takes off from aircraft carrier Shandong during the combat readiness patrol and military exercises around Taiwan. Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford sails in the Adriatic Sea. China has no experience operating carrier catapults on its warships (though it did study carrier catapults when it purchased the decommissioned Australian carrier HMAS Melbourn from Canberra in 1985 under the guise of scrapping). AdvertisementChina's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, docks in Shanghai with a Chinese flag seen in the foreground.

Persons: —, Kuznetsov, Pu, Gerald R, Ford, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, Smith, Jackson Adkins, John F, Kennedy, Doris Miller, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Jacob Mattingly, Li Gang, Timothy Heath, Heath, China's, Benjamin Brimelow Organizations: Service, US Navy, Business, Shandong Aircraft, Getty, People's Liberation Army Navy, Getty Images Fujian, EA, Jiangnan Shipyard, Getty Images, PLAN, Xinhua News Agency, Nimitz, Ford, Aircraft, Greyhound, Navy, Carrier, USS Enterprise, Pacific Fleet, Shandong, RAND Corporation, US, Global Affairs, Fletcher School of Law, Diplomacy, Modern, Institute Locations: Shanghai, Fujian, China, China's, Liaoning, Dalian, Shandong, Soviet, Ukraine, Taiwan, Xinhua, Getty Images China, George H.W ., Adriatic, Melbourn, Canberra, Sanya, Hainan Province, West

☆ A massive leak of Google Search documents sparks fury across the SEO industry: 'This is another level of war'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Hugh Langley | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

AdvertisementThe already-frenetic SEO community went into overdrive, with social-media sites and industry forums buzzing over the trove. "This is another level of war between SEOs and Googlers," said Lily Ray, a vice president at the SEO agency Amsive. Those crawlers are designed to ensure Google's search results return the most relevant and up-to-date information to the user. Some business owners have reported catastrophic website-traffic drops following two recent major Google Search algorithm updates in the span of months, while sites such as Reddit and Quora have flooded the top of search results pages. Google's response was met with an equally dubious one from the search community.

Persons: —, Lily Ray, , Erfan Azimi, Azim, we've, Azimi, We've, Gareth Hoyle, SEOs, Prabhakar Raghavan, Grace Frohlich, Michael King, King, Solís, Amsive's Ray, Sundar Pichai, JOSH EDELSON, Rand Fishkin, SparkToro, Eric Hoover, Hoover Organizations: Service, Google, Business, EA Eagle Digital, Marketing Signals, Google's Department, Justice, Chrome, coy, iPullRank, YouTube Locations: SEOs

☆ South Africa's ruling ANC set to lose majority in pivotal vote, early projection shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Residents line up to cast ballots in the national election on May 29, 2024 in Matatiele, South Africa. South African's governing African National Congress appears set to lose majority control in the country's most seismic political transition since the end of the apartheid. The International Monetary Fund projects that South Africa's gross domestic product will climb by 0.9% in 2024. The democratic process is going to emerge victorious," ANC leader and South Africa's incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa, 71, said Wednesday on social media. The U.S. dollar was up 1.31% against the South African rand at 8:30 a.m. London time, following the report.

Persons: Nelson Mandela, Cyril Ramaphosa Organizations: Reuters, country's Council for Scientific, Industrial Research, ANC, Democratic Alliance wresting, Marxist Economic, Fighters, African National, ANC —, World Bank, Monetary Fund, South, National Union of Mineworkers, Associated Press, U.S Locations: Matatiele, South Africa, London, Johannesburg

☆ Why the Swedish and Finnish Air Forces are a powerful add to NATO
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Finland's F/A-18 Hornets — which used to be the US Navy's standard fighter — are already compatible with NATO air forces. This puts several squadrons of stealth fighters on Russia's northern border, with the potential to penetrate and suppress Russian air defenses, and hit vital targets. "Both Finland's and Sweden's proximity allows NATO air forces to stage closer to the Baltics. Similarly, Sweden's Gotland island — located almost midway in the Baltic, about 60 miles from the Swedish mainland and 80 miles from the Baltic States — provides NATO with an advanced outpost. Their air forces are vital for this Nordic push, and will become very useful to further deter and defend the increasingly contested arctic space with Russia."

Persons: Paul Cormarie, John Hoehn, Sweden's JAS, Finland's, Ian Valley, Hoehn, Cormarie, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, NATO, RAND, Corp, Modern, Institute, Business, Nordic, Gripen, UK's Royal Air Force, Finnish Air Force, US Army, —, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, Finland, Sweden, West, Russia, Finnish, Swedish, France, Germany, Warsaw, Poland, Europe, Rovaniemi, US Army Sweden, Baltic States, Baltic, Norway, Norwegian, North, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Gotland, —, Pacific, United States, Taiwan, China, Forbes

☆ Dubai bling: Billions of dollars worth of African gold is being smuggled into the UAE each year, research finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The vast majority of it goes to the United Arab Emirates, according to research published by the independent Switzerland-based aid and advocacy organization SwissAid. Most industrial gold exported from African countries goes to South Africa, Switzerland and India. Industrial gold, which makes up roughly 11% of all gold produced, is used in the medical, electronics, automotive, aerospace and defense industries. But the majority of artisanal and small-scale mining, or ASM, gold produced on the continent — to the tune of 80% to 85% — goes to the UAE, SwissAid wrote. A selection of gold jewellery displayed in the window of a store in the Dubai Gold Souk in Deira, in the United Arab Emirates.

Persons: Waldo Swiegers, SwissAid, Yui Mok Organizations: Rand, Bloomberg, Getty Images, United Arab Emirates, Dubai Gold, United, CNBC, UAE's Ministry Locations: Germiston, South Africa, Getty Images DUBAI, United Arab, Africa, Switzerland, UAE, India, Dubai, Dubai Gold Souk, Deira, United Arab Emirates

☆ Deadly storms turn northeast with 68 million at risk of severe weather on Memorial Day
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Patrick Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Flash flooding alerts were in place for 9 million people, mostly in Tennessee, Kentucky and southern Indiana. At least 68 million people were under severe weather warnings on Memorial Day, as storms turned toward the Northeast after claiming the lives of at least 19 people and leaving half a million homes and businesses without power across the central United States. Some emergency phones lines had been damaged and were not operational, Kentucky State Police said, according to NBC affiliate WNKY of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Monday's weather warnings come after a torrid night across southern states and in the Great Plains. Weather watchers posted pictures from Missouri and Kentucky showing huge, ominous funnel clouds as well as golf ball-sized hailstones.

Persons: Cindi Watts, Evan Garcia, Mike Morgan, Michelle Grossman, Brian Spurlock Organizations: REUTERS, NBC, Indianapolis, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Getty, Kentucky State Police, Tornadoes, NWS, National Weather Service, Lone Star State, West, Associated Press Locations: Temple , Texas, U.S, Colorado, Rand, Denver, Jackson, Tennessee , Kentucky, Indiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Ohio, East Coast, Carolinas, Pennsylvania, New York, United States, INDIANAPOLIS, Indianapolis , Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, West Virginia, Bowling Green , Kentucky, Great, Texas, Oklahoma, Valley View , Texas, Fort Worth, West , Florida

☆ Russia's fearsome S-400 air-defense system isn't quite living up to the hype in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Russian S-400 surface-to-missile systems in the Victory Day parade in Moscow's Red Square on i in May 2023. Ukraine in September said it destroyed two Russian S-400 batteries in Crimea, a region annexed by Russia in 2014. Rajan Menon, the director of the Grand Strategy program at the US think tank Defense Priorities, described the S-400 as Russia's "top-of-the-line air defense system." A rocket launches from a S-400 missile system at the Ashuluk military base in Southern Russia in September 2020. A Patriot air defense system test-fired during a training in Chania, Greece, on November 8, 2017.

Persons: —, Fredrik Mertens, John Hoehn, it's, Hoehn, AP Mertens, Mertens, Ian Williams, Mattias Eken, Rajan Menon, Vitaly Nevar, Mick Ryan, you've, DIMITAR DILKOFF, Ryan, haven't, hasn't, KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, might've, Eken, Anthony Sweeney, Army Menon Organizations: Service, Business, Hague, Strategic Studies, NATO, SA, International Institute for Strategic Studies, US Patriot, Reuters, RAND Corporation, Ukrainian Air Force, Forbes, Directorate of Intelligence, Ministry of Defence, South Korea Defense Ministry, AP, Patriots, Storm, Missile Defense, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Defense, REUTERS, Australian Army, Getty, Victory Day, Patriot, Army Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia, Moscow, Crimea, Screengrab, Soviet, US, Russia's, Ukraine's Luhansk, South Korea, Kaliningrad, Southern Russia, AFP, Chania, Greece, United States, West, NATO

☆ China military forces getting closer to Taiwan could lead to 'miscalculation,' analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailChina military forces getting closer to Taiwan could lead to 'miscalculation,' analyst saysRaymond Kuo, Taiwan Policy Initiative director at Rand Corporation, says "at some point, Taiwan has to respond, whether it's 24 nautical miles, whether it's 12 nautical miles."

Persons: Raymond Kuo Organizations: China, Taiwan Policy Initiative, Rand Corporation Locations: Taiwan

☆ Inside Oracle's Deadly Gamble on Cerner and Electronic Health Records
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Ashley Stewart | Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

That was the promise of Cerner, the medical-records company Oracle bought in 2021 for $28.3 billion — Oracle's biggest acquisition. At the time, Cerner managed the electronic health records for a quarter of all American hospitals, including those run by the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Larry EllisonCerner's electronic records, in short, were a deadly disaster for the VA. Never mind the futuristic, AI-driven healthcare system Ellison envisioned. In 2015, it beat out Epic, its main competitor, for a $4.3 billion contract to handle electronic health records for the Defense Department. It had agreed to process tens of millions of crucial medical records, but it couldn't handle the subsequent deluge of data.

Persons: Larry Ellison's, Ellison, Cerner, I'm, Larry Ellison, Neal Patterson, Cerner's, Patterson, Ellison's, they're, David Shulkin, Margaret Albaugh, Cerner couldn't, Charlie Bourg, —, Larry, Marc Benioff, Ellison protégé, Mike Wilson, David Agus, oncologist, Agus, he'd, Steve Jobs, Sensei, We've, Georges De Keerle, Cerner —, hadn't, Mike Sicilia, Sicilia, Oracle, Anthony Jones Jr, Jones, Donald Remy, didn't, Seema Verma, Neil Evans, Sara Vaezy, Ed Meagher, haven't, Charlie Monroe —, it's, Charlie Bourg —, Bourg, Charlie Monroe, Monroe, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, grandkids, We're, there's Organizations: Oracle's, Oracle, Pentagon, Department of Veterans Affairs, Cerner, RAND Corporation, RAND, Big Tech, GE, Siemens, Cerner Corporation, Defense Department, Department of Defense, Business, Spokane, Ellison Institute of Technology, Microsoft, Agency, Health, Amazon, Veterans ' Affairs, Oracle Health, Navy, Columbus VA, BI, Life Sciences, Intermountain Health, UPMC, DOD, Seabees Locations: Las Vegas, antiaging, Silicon Valley, Spokane , Washington, Cerner, VistA, Bourg, Washington, Sicilia, Ohio, Columbus, Providence, Spokane, Monroe, CloudWorld

☆ Ukraine can still beat Russia. It just comes down to enough Western aid.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

With 14 to 21 well-equipped brigades, Ukraine could eject Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory, according to an American expert. One is Ukraine amassing a sufficiently powerful ground combat force that can defeat the estimated 500,000 Russian troops in Ukraine. With Russian forces solidly dug in behind minefields and fortifications across eastern and southern Ukraine, that Baltic scenario bears similarities to the situation that Ukraine faces today. Given sufficient quantities of munitions, Ukraine could inflict enough losses to decisively attrit Russian forces that have already sustained an estimated 500,000 casualties. He started with a 2023 Estonian Ministry of Defense plan that laid out a roadmap for Ukraine to defeat Russia.

Persons: one's, Michael Bohnert, Bohnert, isn't, Chasiv, — Bohnert, they've, Andrei Belousov, Putin, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Business, RAND Corp, RAND, US Army, NATO, Russian, Anadolu, Getty, Estonian Ministry of Defense, Atlantic, Storm, Bohnert, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, American, Russia, Russian, Baltic States, United States, U.S, Chasiv Yar, Estonian, Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe, America, China, Israel, Forbes

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

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

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

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