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☆ US soldier arrested in Russia to be detained for two months
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Caitlin Danaher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —An American soldier arrested in Russia on suspicion of theft will be detained for two months, a Russian district court said Tuesday. A Russian Foreign Ministry representative told Russian state media TASS on Tuesday that the case is “not related to politics or espionage.”“As far as we understand, this is a purely domestic crime. The arrest comes at a time of huge tension between the US and Russia as the war with Ukraine continues. The soldier was stationed in South Korea when he took leave to travel to Russia on his own, according to another US official. “I am deeply concerned by reports that a US Army officer has been detained in Russia,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said Monday.

Persons: –, Gordon Black, Evan Gershkovich, Marine Paul Whelan, Michael McCaul, “ Putin, —, ” CNN’s Natasha Bertrand, Oren Liebermann, Kylie Atwood Organizations: CNN, Russian Foreign Ministry, TASS, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, US State Department, Street, Marine, US Army, ”, Foreign, State Department Locations: American, Russia, Russian, Pervomaisky, Vladivostok, Ukraine, South Korea, Cavazos, Texas

☆ A high-stakes report looms over Biden on whether Israel violated international law
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Kylie Atwood | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

Nic Antaya/Getty Images Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate on the New York University campus in New York on Friday, May 3. Mike Blake/Reuters Pro-Palestinian protesters stand their ground after police breached their encampment at UCLA on May 2. Before police were deployed to campus, pro-Palestinian protesters and Israel supporters were clashing at the school , according to multiple reports. Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images Columbia University students gather for a picket organized by the Student Workers Union (UAW Local 2710) on Monday, April 29. Stefan Jeremiah/AP Israeli flags are reflected in the sunglasses of a demonstrator in front of Columbia University on April 22.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, “, Matthew Miller, Adam Schultz, Netanyahu, Israel, Mahmud Hams, It’s, ”, Democratic Sen, Chris Van Hollen, Sen, Alex Brandon, Van Hollen, Miller, ” Miller, Melissa Overton, Nic Antaya, Seth Harrison, Jenny Kane, Chip Somodevilla, Mathieu Lewis, Rolland, Craig Hudson, Emma, Roberto Schmidt, Etienne Laurent, Mike Blake, Spencer Platt, Frederic J . Brown, Caitlin Ochs, David Dee Delgado, Charly Triballeau, Kena Betancur, Seyma, Alex Kent, Joseph Prezioso, Suzanne Cordeiro, Diane Handal, Cliff Owen, Qian Weizhong, Mike Stewart, Sarah Reingewirtz, Jay Janner, Brandon Bell, Brian Snyder, Mike Johnson, Timothy A, Clary, Matthew Hatcher, Nuri Vallbona, Jordan Vonderhaar, Zaydee Sanchez, Cameron Jones, Stephanie Keith, Andres Kudacki, Tayfun, Joe Buglewicz, Fatih Aktas, Michael M, Mary Altaffer, Scott Eisen, Columbia's, Stefan Jeremiah, Selcuk Organizations: CNN, State Department, Israeli, Congress, Hamas, Capitol, ”, National Security, Getty, State Department’s Bureau, Political, Military Affairs, Defense Department and National Security Council, Biden, Israel, Palestinian, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations Office, Human Rights, Biden Democrats, Democratic, Democratic Party, Republican, Department, Protesters, University of Michigan's, New York University, Westchester County Journal, USA, Network Police, Portland State University, AP, George Washington University, The George Washington University, AFP, Police, University of California, UCLA, Reuters, Fordham, Lincoln Center, Getty Images Police, Hamilton, Columbia University, Reuters Police, Columbia, The City College of New, Getty Images, Columbia Students, Justice, Hamilton Hall, Brown University, Getty Images Columbia University, Student Workers Union, UAW, University of Texas, Low, Sunday, Rueters Georgia State Patrol, Emory University, MediaNews, Los Angeles Daily News, Austin Statesman, Network, Austin, University, Emerson College, Swarthmore College, Bloomberg, University of Southern, Reuters New York, Reuters Columbia, New York Times, Sproul Hall, Yale University, University police, York University, The New School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Library, USAID Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rafah, Capitol Hill, Iran, Palestinian American, Jabalia, AFP, Ann Arbor , Michigan, New York, Westchester, Portland , Oregon, Washington ,, Portland, The, Los Angeles, The City College of New York, Columbia, Columbia's, Palestine, Providence , Rhode Island, Texas, Austin, New, Rueters Georgia, Atlanta, Getty Images Texas, Boston, Swarthmore , Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, Berkeley, Sproul, Anadolu, New Haven , Connecticut, Cambridge

☆ Brittney Griner tells The Cut she ‘worried someone might shoot the plane down’ after her release from Russian detention
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Brittney Griner feared that her plane would be shot down after she was released from detention in Russia, the WNBA star said in a new interview with The Cut. Speaking with former US soccer icon Megan Rapinoe in an interview published in The Cut on Monday, Griner recalled the moment she learned that she was being released. “I got a note underneath my door that said, ‘Be ready at midnight,’ or some late, crazy hour,” she said. I was worried someone might shoot the plane down. The US State Department, however, deemed that Griner had been wrongfully detained, and she was released in December 2022 in a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Persons: Brittney Griner, Megan Rapinoe, Griner, “, ‘, ” Griner, Viktor Bout, Suzanne Cordeiro, ”, Rapinoe, Bash Raymond Griner Organizations: CNN, WNBA, US State Department, Russian, Getty, Phoenix Mercury Locations: Russia, San Antonio , Texas, AFP

☆ US paused shipment of bombs to Israel amid concerns over potential use in Rafah incursion, US official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The United States paused a shipment of bombs to Israel amid concerns over their potential use in a Rafah incursion, according to a US official. The shipment, which was held back last week, includes 1,800 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds and 1,700 bombs weighing 500 pounds. CNN reported over the weekend that one shipment of ammunition to Israel had been paused, but the reason was unclear. On Monday, Israel carried out what the US described as a “limited” operation in Rafah, taking over the border crossing with Egypt that is a vital lifeline for humanitarian aid. “We have not made a final determination on how to proceed with this shipment,” the official said.

Persons: Biden, Israel, ”, Matt Miller, “, Pat Ryder, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s, Ali Jadallah, Marc Garlasco, Sabrina Singh, “ You’ve, You’ve, I’m Organizations: CNN, Pentagon, US, Getty, UN Locations: United, Israel, Rafah, Gaza, Egypt, Anadolu, Israel’s, Vietnam

☆ Biden to call for a fight against antisemitism at a precarious moment in Israel’s war in Gaza and amid protests on campus
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Betsy Klein | Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden on Tuesday aims to issue a clarion call to fight a swiftly rising tide of antisemitism amid a precarious moment in Israel’s war against Hamas and as protests have swept American college campuses, laying bare Biden’s trouble with some young voters. Biden’s longtime and stalwart support for Israel has come under intense pressure as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza grows. The president plans to address the long history of antisemitism and issue what one senior administration official familiar with the remarks described as a “call to action” on combatting antisemitism. The protests are not expected to be a major part of the speech, the official added. However, Biden does not intend to use his speech on Tuesday to delve into Middle East policy or the current situation in Israel or Gaza.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden’s, Israel, Biden, White, “ recommit, ” Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, ” Jonathan Greenblatt, John Kirby, Biden “, Benjamin Netanyahu, it’s, Jean, ”, “, Miguel Cardona, Doug Emhoff, Yom HaShoah, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Adolf Hitler “, CNN’s Dana Bash Organizations: Washington CNN, US, White, CNN, Defamation League, ADL, Hamas, National Security, Qatari, White House, Education’s, Civil, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, Department’s Office, Institute of Politics, Harvard University’s Kennedy Locations: Israel, Gaza, Cairo, Doha, Qatar, Gazan, Rafah, America, Poland

CNN —Vladimir Putin has formally begun his fifth term as Russia’s president in a carefully choreographed inauguration ceremony, in a country he has shaped in his image after first taking office nearly a quarter of a century ago. Putin won Russia’s stage-managed election by an overwhelming majority in March, securing for himself another six-year term that could see him rule until at least his 77th birthday. Attendees wait in the Kremlin as Putin arrives for his inauguration ceremony. Putin waves during his inauguration ceremony. To ensure it has enough drones and missiles to bombard Ukraine, Russia has also entered into deeper partnerships with Iran and North Korea.

Persons: CNN — Vladimir Putin, Putin, – Putin, “, Matthew Miller, Putin’s, Maxim Shemetov, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Alexey Navalny, Navalny, ”, ” Putin Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, US State Department, Reuters, US Embassy, Presidential Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Kremlin, Moscow, Russian, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Iran, North Korea

A U.S. Army soldier has been detained by Russian authorities in the port city Vladivostok on charges of criminal misconduct, the State and Defense Departments said on Monday, adding what is likely to be another complication in the contentious relationship between Moscow and Washington. A military official identified the soldier as Staff Sgt. He was apprehended on May 2, and Russia notified the State Department of the soldier’s “criminal detention” in accordance with international agreements between the two nations. “The Army notified his family, and the U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the soldier in Russia,” Cynthia O. Smith, an Army spokeswoman, said in a statement. A State Department official reiterated the U.S. government’s warning for Americans not to travel to Russia.

Persons: Gordon Black, ” Cynthia O, Smith, Sergeant Black Organizations: U.S . Army, State and Defense, State Department of, Army, U.S . Department of State, State Department, NBC News Locations: Vladivostok, Moscow, Washington, Fort Cavazos, Texas, South Korea, Russia

CNN —Hamas says it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza. It’s unclear whether Hamas has agreed to the most recent ceasefire proposal, as outlined last week, or a revised version of it. Palestinians in Rafah celebrate news that Hamas has accepted a ceasefire proposal, May 6, 2024. More than 1 million Palestinians have fled to Rafah, where Hamas is believed to have regrouped after Israel’s destruction of much of the north of Gaza. IDF operations ongoingAsked whether Hamas’ acceptance of a deal could change Israel’s plans for Rafah, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the military would continue to operate in Gaza.

Persons: Ismail Haniyeh, William Burns, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Matthew Miller, “, ”, Daniel Hagari, ” Netanyahu, ” Itamar Ben Gvir, Netanyahu, ” Benny Gantz Organizations: CNN, Hamas, CIA, Qatari, Getty, Israel Defense Forces, Families Forum Locations: Egypt, Qatar, Israel, Gaza, Doha, Qatar’s, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al, United States, Deir al, Gaza City, Rafah, AFP, Orit, Tel Aviv

☆ Putin orders tactical nuclear weapons drills in response to Western ‘threats’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Anna Chernova | Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian forces to rehearse deploying tactical nuclear weapons, as part of military drills to respond to what he called “threats” by the West. Since invading Ukraine in 2022, Putin has repeatedly made veiled threats to use tactical nuclear weapons against the West, but Monday marked the first time Russia has publicly announced drills. “During the exercises, a set of measures will be carried out to practice the issues of preparation and use of non-strategic nuclear weapons,” Russia’s defense ministry said. Non-strategic, or “tactical,” nuclear weapons can be used in battlefield situations, carrying less power than strategic nuclear weapons, which have the potential to level entire cities. Putin said Russia would not be the first to test nuclear weapons, but would do so in the event of a US test.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Emmanuel Macron, I’m, ” Macron, Ludovic Marin, David Cameron, ” Cameron, Macron, “, Joe Biden, ” Organizations: CNN, Russia, Economist, Getty, United, Ukraine, Kyiv, State Department, US, military’s, Staff, Southern Military District Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Western, Europe, AFP, United Kingdom, United States, Moscow, Hiroshima, Nagasaki

☆ Hamas says it accepts cease-fire proposal from Egyptian, Qatari mediators, as U.S. and Israel review details of plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hamas said it told Egyptian and Qatari negotiators that it has approved a cease-fire proposal to halt the war in Gaza. Israel is examining the proposal that Hamas approved and has not confirmed whether it would accept or reject it, an Israeli official told NBC News. Hostage release negotiations intensified over the weekend, with facilitation from U.S. CIA Director William Burns, alongside mediators from Egypt and Qatar. U.S. officials have repeatedly warned Israel against an offensive in Rafah, where millions of civilians have taken refuge. President Joe Biden reiterated that stance on a half-hour Monday call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which took place before Hamas had announced its approval of a cease-fire proposal.

Persons: Ismail Haniyeh, Ashraf Amra, Daniel Hagari, Matthew Miller, William Burns, Burns, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Hamas, Anadolu, Egyptian, Qatari, NBC, Israel Defense Forces, Department, NBC News, CIA, Israeli Locations: Palestinian, Sakura, Istanbul, Turkiye, Gaza, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, Arab, Gaza's, Rafah

☆ US soldier was arrested in Russia last week
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —An American soldier was detained in Russia last week on suspicion of theft and is currently being held in pre-trial detention, according to two US officials. “The Army notified his family and the U.S. Department of State is providing appropriate consular support to the Soldier in Russia. The soldier was stationed in South Korea when he took leave to travel to Russia on his own, according to another US official. A State Department official confirmed that a US citizen had been detained in Russia but would not provide further details. Last July, another soldier stationed in South Korea willingly crossed into North Korea where he was immediately detained.

Persons: Gordon Black, ” “, ”, Cynthia Smith, “, Evan Gershkovich, Marine Paul Whelan, Ksenia Karelina, John Kirby, haven’t, ” Kirby, Travis King, King, CNN’s Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood Organizations: CNN, US Army, Army, Russian Federation, U.S . Department of State, Vienna Convention, Consular Relations, Soldier, US State Department, Street, Marine, NBC News, State Department, US, National Security, Joint Security Area, Incheon International Locations: American, Russia, South Korea, Vladivostok “, Vienna, Ukraine, Cavazos, Texas, Moscow, North Korea, United States, Incheon, Seoul

☆ Americans ditch suffocating healthcare costs and divisive politics to retire in Italy: 'It's the way they approach life'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Some Americans are choosing to retire abroad because of healthcare costs and divisive politics. The US is no longer a desirable place to retireThere used to be a seemingly clear-cut path to retirement in the United States. According to Fidelity's 2023 Retiree Healthcare Cost Estimate, a single individual can spend an average of $157,000 on medical expenses and healthcare throughout retirement. Gregorio, 52, is an Italian-American who founded the international social network Expats Living in Rome in 2001. It also offers a community through Facebook groups like Expats Living in Rome and Expats Living in Italy, where people can ask questions and share updates on their journeys.

Persons: —, Eric, Christina Schwendeman's, Christina, Christina Schwendeman, Larry Fink, Micki Dukinfield, Micki, Dukinfield, Schwendemans, BUSS, It's, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Colin Esaw, Ron DeSantis, Esaw, He's, Italy Patrizia Di Gregorio, Gregorio, Patrizia Di Gregorio, Expats Organizations: Service, US State Department, Social Security, BlackRock, AARP, Business, Trump, Republican, Facebook, BI, Super America Locations: Italy, Naples , Florida, United States, Clavesana, Italy's Piedmont, America, Minnesota, Vicenza, Venice, Vincenza, Florida, Ireland, Orlando, Scalea, Calabria, Italian, American, Rome

☆ Hala Rharrit, US diplomat who quit over Biden administration’s Gaza policy, speaks out
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Hala Rharrit never expected that she would choose to leave her career as a US diplomat. About a year and a half ago, after mostly behind-the-scenes roles, Rharrit became an Arab language spokesperson for the State Department. But the US government’s policy on the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza “unfortunately really, really changed that,” she said. Rharrit told CNN that she and her colleagues were “horrified” by the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, which triggered the war in Gaza. We just have not been able to say it.’”The State Department would not comment specifically on Rharrit’s case, citing personnel matters.

Persons: Hala Rharrit, Yemen —, Rharrit, “, ”, Josh Paul, Annelle, ” Rharrit, “ I’m, ‘ you’re, ’ ”, you’re, they’re, ‘, we’ve, Vedant Patel, ” “ You’ve Organizations: CNN, State Department, Biden, Israel, US, The State Department Locations: Yemen, Hong Kong, Qatar, South Africa, Arab, Israel, Gaza, United States, “

CNN —Three bodies were found Friday in the Mexican region where an American and two Australians have been missing for several days, multiple sources told CNN. Authorities haven’t confirmed if the bodies correspond to the three missing tourists, a source said. American Jack Carter Rhoad and Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson were reported missing on April 29, according to Reuters, citing the Baja California prosecutor’s office. The site is about 50 miles south of Ensenada town. A US State Department spokesman told CNN it is aware of reports of the located bodies and is closely monitoring the situation, adding: “At this time we have no further comment.”

Persons: Authorities haven’t, Jack Carter Rhoad, Jake, Callum Robinson, ” Organizations: CNN, Authorities, US State Department Locations: Mexican, Ensenada, Baja California, Tijuana

☆ U.S. Seeks to Build World Pressure on Russia Over Space Nuclear Weapon
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Julian E. Barnes | David E. Sanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

American officials are trying to increase international pressure on Russia not to deploy an antisatellite nuclear weapon in space, and have obtained information that undermines Moscow’s explanation that the device it is developing is for peaceful scientific purposes, a senior State Department official said on Friday. Concern over the Russian development of a new generation of space nuclear weapons has been growing in Washington, especially since Moscow’s veto last month of a U.N. measure aimed at keeping space free of such weapons. Some Republicans believe that the Biden administration is not doing enough to deter Russian work on the device, and others are concerned about China’s apparent decision not to pressure Moscow to stop. On Friday, Mallory Stewart, the assistant secretary of state for arms control, said that while the United States had been aware of Russia’s pursuit of such a device for years, “only recently have we been able to make a more precise assessment of their progress.”Ms. Stewart, speaking at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said the orbit the Russian satellite would occupy is in a high-radiation region not used by other satellites, information that undercuts Russia’s defense that it is not developing a weapon.

Persons: Biden, Mallory Stewart, “, Ms, Stewart Organizations: State Department, Strategic, International Studies Locations: Russia, Washington, Moscow, United States

☆ Georgia rocked by protests as government pushes Putin-style ‘foreign agent’ bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —After spending his days making wine in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, Tsotne Jafaridze returns home to Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, and begins his new routine. Jafaridze, who also owns a travel business and says he receives 95% of his income from foreign sources, says he would “immediately” be listed as a foreign agent under the broadly-written law. But the government reintroduced the same bill in March and appears determined to force it through, despite protests that grow fiercer every week. Despite recent Russian aggression against Georgia, Georgian Dream has long been accused of harboring pro-Russian sympathies and its billionaire founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, made his fortune in the Soviet Union. Bidzina Ivanishvili addresses a rally in support of the "foreign agent" law in Tbilisi, April 29, 2024.

Persons: Jafaridze, ”, Vladimir Putin, “, Giorgi Arjevanidze, isn’t, ” Natalie Sabanadze, –, Levan Khabeishvili, Khabeishvili, Bidzina Ivanishvili, ” Buziashvili, Ivanishvili, Bidzina, Shakh, Sabanandze, Irakli Kobakhidze, Kobakhidze, ” Sabanadze, Viktor Orban, Europe’s, Matthew Miller, Washington, Georgia “, Irakli Gedenidze, Viktor Yanukovych, doesn’t Organizations: CNN, European Union, Getty, EU, United National Movement, National Security Council, Soviet Army, Soviet Union, Belarus ’, Party, Georgian, Conservative Political, United, State Department, Protesters, Reuters Locations: Caucasus, Tbilisi, Georgia’s, Russia, Georgian, Russian, Soviet, AFP, Brussels, Georgia, Belarus, Ukraine, Soviet Union, Hungary, Hungarian, United States, stoke, ”

☆ Murders, imprisonment and violence: Threats to press freedom grow in Latin America
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Esteban Campanela | Sol Amaya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

These are just the tip of the iceberg of the challenges faced by many media workers in Latin America, where experts say the status of press freedom is increasingly worrisome. The Prosecutor’s Office confirmed in a press conference that they believed the crime was linked to his journalistic work. Last week, the Mexican president criticized the US State Department’s report on human rights in the world, which refers to concerns over press freedom in Mexico, saying that US authorities should “be respectful”. In a publication in social network X, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said US officials are not concerned about the human rights of Cubans and that the United States has its own human rights violations. Nicaragua: Ortega-Murillo regime targets journalismHarassment of the press in Nicaragua has been widely reported on numerous occasions.

Persons: CNNE, Francisco Cobos, ”, Cobos, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, López Obrador, Enrique Peña Nieto, Felipe Calderón, Lourdes Maldonado López, Maldonado López, Séptimo Día, Roberto Figueroa, Xochitl Zamora, Lourdes Maldonado, Maldonado ´, Marco Ugarte, AP López Obrador, Andres Oppenheimer, Javier Milei, Lopez Obrador, Abraham Jimenez, Jimenez, civically, “, Miguel Diaz, Yamil Lage, Jiménez, Bruno Rodríguez, Ortega, Murillo, Juan Lorenzo Hollman Chamorro, Hollman Chamorro, Chamorro, Carlos Fernando Chamorro, Rosario Murillo, … provocateurs, Chávez, Vos, Chavez, ” Edgar López, López, Juan Pablo Lares, Maximiliano Bruzual, Ariana Cubillos, Nicolas, Maduro’s, Yván Gil, ” Jeannine Cruz, Gustavo Petro, Nayib Bukele, Gonzalo Zegarra, Rey Rodríguez, Manuela Castro, Ana María Cañizares, Ivonne, José Álvarez, Elvin Sandoval, Iván, Sarmenti, Español Organizations: CNN, Amnesty International, Protect Journalists, Univision, Televisa, Prosecutor’s, AP, CIA, Canel, Getty, Cuban Foreign, La Prensa, National Police, ”, El, Regional, Democracy, Nicaraguan, State Department, National College of Journalists, Venezuelan, TC Television, Communication, “ Locations: Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Latin America, Mexican, American, Tamaulipas, McAllen , Texas, Tijuana, Morelos, Tijuana , Mexico, Spain, Cuban, Havana, AFP, United States, Costa Rica, El Confidencial, Managua, NIcaragua, Sur, Washington, Venezuelan, “, Caracas, ”, Ecuador, Guayaquil, America, Argentina, Colombian

☆ 4 Americans charged with ammunition offenses in Turks and Caicos
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Amanda Musa | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Four Americans are charged with possession of ammunition offenses in the tropical Atlantic getaway of Turks and Caicos, according to a post from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. Carrying firearms in Turks and Caicos is prohibited, according to the TCI Government. Another man visiting Turks and Caicos from Pennsylvania is set to appear before a TCI court Friday on similar charges, according to CNN affiliate WPXI. Two additional Americans – a 31-year-old from Virginia and a 72-year-old from Texas – are also facing lengthy prison sentences for possessing ammunition, according to the TCI Government. Firearms, ammunition (including stray bullets), and other weapons are not permitted in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).

Persons: Ryan Watson, Watson, Valerie, “, Valerie Watson, ”, Bryan Hagerich, Hagerich, Ashley, ” Ashley, WPXI, ” Hagerich, CNN’s Michael Rios, Tanika Gray, Forrest Brown Organizations: CNN, Turks, Caicos, Caicos Islands Government, TCI Government, British Overseas Territory, Embassy, Howard Hamilton International Airport, TCI, TSA, Will Rogers, Airport, WPXI, “, Transportation Security Administration, US State Department, British Overseas, State Department, United States, Firearms, Caicos Islands Locations: Caicos, Caicos Islands, Bahamas, Providenciales, Oklahoma, America, Oklahoma City, Turks, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Texas, United States, United

☆ U.S. accuses Russia of using chemical weapons in Ukraine, in breach of global ban
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine undergo training to storm enemy trenches using simulation equipment as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine on February 29, 2024. The U.S. has formally accused Russia of using chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops and announced late Wednesday that it is imposing more sanctions on Russian individuals and entities. The U.S. State Department released a statement late Wednesday in which it accused Russia of violating the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which bans the production and use of chemical weapons, by using the choking agent chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces. Chloropicrin was used as a poison gas in World War I but is now more commonly used in agriculture as an insecticide. "When inhaled, these agents cause alveoli, air sacs in the lungs, to secrete fluid, essentially drowning those affected," the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons states.

Persons: Chloropicrin Organizations: National Guard, Ukrainian, U.S . State Department, Chemical Weapons Convention, CWC, Russian, Chemical Weapons Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kharkiv Region, U.S

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long sought relations with Saudi Arabia, home of Islam’s holiest sites, as the move could domino across the wider Muslim world. The first component includes a package of agreements between the US and Saudi Arabia, another component has the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and a third component for a pathway to a Palestinian state. The subsequent Israeli assault on Gaza, which has left the enclave in ruins and killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, may have changed the parameters of the deal for Saudi Arabia, analysts say. However, there has been no indication that the Biden administration would opt to bypass Congress for the bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia to pass. Saudi Arabia is rich in uranium deposits and has insisted on being able to enrich it domestically, which would be a first for an Arab state.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, Antony Blinken, ”, Blinken, Prince Mohamed bin Salman, Netanyahu, Biden, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Israel, Lindsey Graham, ” Graham, Firas Maksad, “, Jamal Khashoggi, ” Maksad, Crown Prince, Karen Young, Edward J, Markey Organizations: CNN, State, Saudi, State Department, Abraham Accords, Israel, MBS, Saudi Foreign, Republican, Senate, Bahrain, Biden, Strategic Outreach, Middle East Institute, Washington DC, Congress, Washington Post, Crown, Columbia University’s Center, Global Energy, Neighboring United, Democratic, Nuclear Weapons, NATO Locations: Saudi Arabia, United States, Israel, Iran, Russia, China, Palestinian, Gaza, ”, Riyadh, Saudi, Washington, Turkey, “ Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Bahrain, U.S

☆ U.S. issues hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia, takes aim at Chinese companies
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ukrainian servicemen ride on an armored personnel carrier in a field near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk, on April 27, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The United States on Wednesday issued hundreds of fresh sanctions targeting Russia over the war in Ukraine in action that took aim at Moscow's circumvention of Western measures, including through China. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on nearly 200 targets and the State Department designated more than 80 in one of the most wide-ranging actions against Chinese companies so far in Washington's sanctions aimed at Russia. China's support for Russia is one of the many issues threatening to sour the recent improvement in relations between the world's biggest economies. "The Chinese side firmly opposes the U.S.'s illegal unilateral sanctions," he said.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, Yellen, Liu Pengyu Organizations: The U.S . Treasury, State Department, The U.S, Treasury, World Trade Organization, U.S Locations: Chasiv Yar, Donetsk, Ukraine, United States, Russia, China, The U.S, The, Hong Kong, Washington, U.S

CNN —Dozens of Palestinian children eagerly lined up for a meal in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, as aid workers unloaded huge saucepans of stew and rice from parked trucks under the bright sun. CNN footage from the distribution site in front of a sprawling displacement shelter showed staffers from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) serving the children on Wednesday. The World Central Kitchen, a US-based non-profit that focuses on fighting hunger around the world, resumed work in Gaza this week, after a hiatus following a series of Israeli military strikes that killed seven staffers in April and drew the world’s condemnation. “[The World Central Kitchen’s] food makes people feel that they are at home. Shortly after the deaths of the World Central Kitchen workers in April, Israeli officials agreed to open the Erez border crossing into northern Gaza to allow aid deliveries.

Persons: Um Hassan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jose Andres, ” Andres, Israel’s, Ashraf Al Sultan, ”, haven’t, ” Zaki Sobeh, “, Volker Türk, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Erez, CNN’s Jennifer Hansler, Tim Lister, Eugenia Yosef, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Jonny Hallam Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Kitchen, UN, United Nations, Central Kitchen, US State Department, Hamas Locations: Deir al, Gaza, Palestinian, US, Deir, Israel, Shalom, Erez

☆ Brittney Griner tells ABC that she ‘wanted to take my life more than once’ while detained in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Wayne Sterling | George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The US State Department deemed that Griner had been wrongfully detained and she was released in December 2022 in a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. I felt like leaving here so badly,” Griner said in the ABC interview which aired on Wednesday. I have to endure this.”Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, also said that she was required to write Russian President Vladimir Putin a letter asking for forgiveness. Natalia Kolesnikova/Reuters“They made me write this letter,” said Griner, not specifying who told her to write the letter. The Phoenix Mercury star is entering her 11th WNBA season having returned to the team in May last year.

Persons: CNN — Brittney Griner, ABC’s, Griner, Viktor Bout, “, ” Griner, can’t, ”, Vladimir Putin, Natalia Kolesnikova, Reuters “, Cherelle Organizations: International Association for Suicide Prevention, Befrienders Worldwide, CNN, WNBA, US State Department, Russian, ABC, Reuters, ”, UMMC Ekaterinburg, Phoenix Mercury, Paris Olympics Locations: Russia, Khimki, Moscow, Russian, Paris

☆ U.S. Accuses Russia of Using Chemical Weapons in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Constant Méheut | More About Constant Méheut | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States has accused Russia of using chemical weapons, including poison gas, “as a method of warfare” against Ukrainian forces, in violation of a global ban on the use of such weapons. The State Department said in a statement on Wednesday that Russia had used chloropicrin, a “choking agent” widely used during World War I, as well as tear gas, against Ukrainian troops. The use of these gases in warfare is banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention, an arms control treaty ratified by more than 150 countries, including Russia. Russia this year has been slowly but steadily pushing through Ukrainian defenses in the east, capturing several towns and villages. The State Department also said that the United States would impose sanctions on three state entities linked to Russia’s chemical and biological weapons programs and four companies that support them.

Organizations: Ukrainian, State Department, Chemical Weapons Convention Locations: States, Russia, United States

☆ US says Russia used choking agents against Ukrainian troops, breaching chemical weapons ban
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“The use of such chemicals is not an isolated incident, and is probably driven by Russian forces’ desire to dislodge Ukrainian forces from fortified positions and achieve tactical gains on the battlefield,” it said. Russia has previously denied using chemical weapons. The US has previously warned Russia against chemical warfare in Ukraine; in March 2022, a month after the invasion began, President Joe Biden said that NATO would respond if Russia used chemical weapons in Ukraine. The use of chemical weapons is banned by international law. Russia has signed those treaties and claims it doesn’t have chemical weapons, but the country has already been linked to the use of nerve agents against critics in recent years.

Persons: Ukraine’s, Chloropicrin, Joe Biden, Mallory Stewart, Sergei Skripal, Alexey Navalny –, Vladimir Putin, Navalny Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Ukrainian, Chemical Weapons Convention, CWC, Russian Embassy, CDC, State Department, United, United Arab Emirates, US, NATO Locations: United States, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Netherlands, China, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Slovakia, Turkey, United Arab, Moscow, Ukrainian, Siberia

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