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☆ ‘They hit the jackpot’: How so-called ‘burglary tourists’ use visa waivers to target luxury US homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Josh Campbell | Jason Kravarik | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“She bought some beautiful antique jewelry, museum-quality jewelry.”Orange County, California, prosecutors allege a group of thieves hid in the hillside adjoining the Starr’s home, watched them leave with visiting relatives, and made their move. “They came over our fence, they broke through a window in the upper bedroom and came through that window,” Jeff Starr told CNN. When the suspects arrive – most often from South America, prosecutors say – they join sophisticated burglary rings that prey on luxury homes. They have WiFi jammers to stop the alarm company from being notified.”Some of the burglary suspects have used ghillie suits, like the one seen here, to camouflage their movements. Ventura County, California, alone attributed 175 residential burglaries to “transnational theft groups” between 2019 and mid-2023.

Persons: Orange County , California CNN — Carol, Jeff Starr, ” Carol Starr, “, ”, Carol Starr, –, Todd Spitzer, Spitzer, Jeff Walther, “ I’m, ” Walther, South America Rama, Balakrishna Sundar, ” Rama Sundar, …, Jae C, “ They’re Organizations: Orange County , California CNN, CNN, ” Prosecutors, Department of Homeland, ” Scottsdale Police, Department, Homeland, DHS, US State Department Locations: Orange County , California, Southern California, Carol’s, United States, South America, Orange County, Chile, California, Scottsdale , Arizona, Baltimore , Maryland, Raleigh , North Carolina, Nassau County , New York, Ventura County , California, Scottsdale, Arizona, Dana Point , California, Santa Ana , California, Chilean, Washington

☆ US preparing for significant Iran attack on US or Israeli assets in the region as soon as next week
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —The US is on high alert and actively preparing for a “significant” attack that could come as soon as within the next week by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region in response to Monday’s Israeli strike in Damascus that killed top Iranian commanders, a senior administration official tells CNN. Senior US officials currently believe that an attack by Iran is “inevitable” – a view shared by their Israeli counterparts, that official said. A forthcoming Iranian attack was a major topic of discussion on President Joe Biden’s phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. As of Friday, the two governments did not know when or how Iran planned to strike back, the official said. At least six Syrian citizens were also killed, Iranian state television reported on Tuesday.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Mohammed Reza Zahedi, Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, Zahedi, Donald Trump, IRGC, Qassem Soleimani, ”, Sabrina Singh, Israel, it’s, ” Singh, Israel’s, CNN’s Helen Regan, Hamdi Alkhshali, Tamara Qiblawi Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Senior, Israeli, Revolutionary Guards, Foreign Ministry, US, National Security, United, US State Department, Hamas, Ministry of Health Locations: Iran, Damascus, Israel, Syria, Baghdad, United States, Tehran, Gaza

☆ Russia's military is 'almost completely reconstituted' as it goes into overdrive to shore up losses in Ukraine: US official
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Reports differ on how well Russia is faring in revitalizing its bleeding military after heavy losses in Ukraine. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementRussia has "almost completely" reformed its military capabilities after taking heavy losses in Ukraine, a top US official said on Wednesday. He said Moscow suffered initial setbacks during the Ukraine war but has "retooled and now poses a threat to Ukraine." Related storiesIn the wake of those losses, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has sent his nation's military-industrial complex into overdrive, focusing its economy on producing shells, weapons, and equipment.

Persons: Kurt Campbell, —, Campbell, Moscow, It's, Vladimir Putin, ILYA PITALEV, Boris Pistorius, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mike Johnson, CNAS Organizations: Service, Center, New, NATO, Russian, SPUTNIK, Getty, German, Royal United Services Institute, Kyiv, US State Department, Business Locations: Russia, Ukraine, New American, Washington, Europe, China, Saint Petersburg, Lithuania, London, Moscow, Russian

☆ NATO’s next challenge: How to reverse years of underfunding defense
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

For over a decade, allies have chronically underspent on defense while the West’s adversaries modernized and bolstered their own military capabilities. Defense spending stayed low across the West not just because of budget pressures, but also because everyone – including the US – was frightened to provoke Russia. However, the nature of NATO allies’ support for Ukraine – much of it direct military support – has exposed the vulnerability that years of underfunding has caused the alliance. Fabian Bimmer/Pool/ReutersThis means that the challenge in front of NATO allies now is not just how can they meet the demand for weapons coming from Ukraine, but how do they reverse years of underfunding their own defenses? Some allies don’t trust that others will be quite so generous with defense spending if the Russia-Ukraine war were to end.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Murat Kula, ”, ” John Herbst, Antony Blinken, Ulf Kristersson, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, underfunding, It’s, Herbst, NATO’s, –, Jens Stoltenberg, Olaf Scholz, Fabian Bimmer, Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Peter Ricketts, Douglas Lute, “ Organizations: CNN, NATO, Turkish, Anadolu Agency, Pentagon, “, Swedish, US State Department, Getty, Ukraine, Rheinmetall, Trump Locations: Soviet, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, United States, British, Vilnius, Russia, Kyiv, Europe, Germany, AFP, North Korea, Iran, Washington, Unterluess, Baltic, Brussels, Finland, Sweden, NATO

☆ Disillusioned with life in the US, she moved to Mexico seven years ago. Here’s how it completely changed her life
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Her love affair with Mexico began at a young age, and Marjorie Skouras’ passion for the country only grew with the passing of time. Marjorie Skouras/@Marjorie_Skouras_DesignAs Skouras’ career developed and she started a family, her visits became less frequent, but her affection for the country remained. That’s all completely changed [now].”Skouras and Bardavid officially moved to Merida in 2017. “And I find that to be so peculiar.”Spanish languageMarjorie Skouras and her husband Bruno Bardavid moved from California to Mexico in 2017. There’s nothing going on here.”Seven years after packing up her life in California and heading for Mexico, Skouras’ appreciation for the country, and its people, is stronger than ever.

Persons: Marjorie Skouras, ” Skouras, las, Skouras, Bruno Bardavid, she’d, “, ”, Bardavid, “ There’s, ‘, who’ve, you’re, it’s, “ It’s, Covid, hadn’t, We’ll, Steve Katz, she’s Organizations: CNN, UCLA, CNN Travel, Kookix Music, Skouras, Gran Museo Mundo, Music School, Museo del Arte, Kookix Music School, US State Department Locations: Mexico, California, Baja California, Hacienda, las Torres, Yucatan, Corfu, Greece, Europe, Yucatán, Merida, Argentina, United States, Skouras, Dzemul

☆ Opinion: Trump videos send wildly different messages
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. In a video promoting the Bible, Trump said, “Religion and Christianity are the biggest things missing from this country. … we need to bring them back.”On Good Friday, Trump posted a very different kind of video. It showed an image of President Joe Biden lying sideways and tied up in the bed of a pickup truck. “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential campaign can’t win, but it could swing the presidency to former President Donald Trump,” Begala wrote.

Persons: Matthew Arnold, Homer, King James, Donald Trump, ”, Lee Greenwood’s, AJ Willingham, Trump, Joe Biden, Drew Sheneman, MAGA, Biden, Fareed Zakaria, ” Zakaria, Candida Moss, he’ll, he’s, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Julian Zelizer, ” “, …, ” Clay, “, Obama, “ Obama, CNN Trump, —, Attorney Alvin Bragg, “ Trump, Stormy Daniels, ” Norman Eisen, Andrew Warren, James Antle III, stoked, Letitia James, Dali, Francis Scott Key, Tasos Katopodis, Richard Timme, ” Timme, Salvatore R, Mercogliano, ’, Jalal Baig, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Baig, Paul Hockenos, “ It’s, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Nicole Shanahan, Eric Risberg, Paul Begala, Ross Perot, George H, Bush, “ Robert F, can’t, ” Begala, ” Shanahan “, Sergey Brin, Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, Ro Khanna, Lee Drutman, Mark Osler, Jill Filipovic, Lisa Murkowski, Obeidallah, Johnson Ronna, Ronna McDaniel, Justin Sullivan, McDaniel, ” McDaniel, David Zurawik, Jack Ohman, Walt Handelsman, Tim Hubbard, Dennis Muilenburg —, Max, David Calhoun, ‘, ” Hubbard, Annelle, ” Sheline, ” Don’t, Frida Ghitis, Putin, Howard Fischer, Keith O’Brien, Pete Rose, Nick Anderson, Agency Sara Stewart, Mary Ziegler, Patrick T, Brown, shouldn’t, Emma Firth, Carter ’ Parkwood, Roxanne Jones, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé, ” Jones Organizations: CNN, Oxford University, New, Trump, Nasdaq, NYPD, Hollywood, Biden, Cupp, Obama, Manhattan, Attorney, Democratic, US Coast Guard, Baltimore, Federal Highway Administration, RFK Jr, RFK, Google, The New York Times, Republican National Committee, NBC News, “, Press, NBC, MSNBC, Content Agency Boeing, Notre Dame, Boeing, US State Department, Israel, Tribune, Agency, Sony, AP Locations: Independence, New York City, America, New, Manhattan, Queens, New York, Baltimore, Coast, Suez, Port, China, Argentina, Red, Gaza, Wales, Northern California, California, Israel, Columbia

☆ American journalist Evan Gershkovich marks one year in Russian detention
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

American journalist Evan Gershkovich marked the grim milestone of one year in Russian detention on Friday as US efforts have yet to secure his release. “This has been a really difficult year for our family,” Gershkovich’s sister, Danielle Gershkovich, said at an event last week. Gershkovich is the first journalist to be arrested on such charges since the Cold War, and the Russian government has yet to provide any evidence to support its claim. “This verdict to further prolong Evan’s detention feels particularly painful, as this week marks one year since Evan was arrested and wrongfully detained,” US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy said Tuesday. But it is time for the Russian government to let Evan go.”In the past several years, Russia has detained a number of other Americans.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, ”, Danielle Gershkovich, “ It’s, Gershkovich, Evan, Lynne Tracy, “, “ Evan, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Ksenia Karelina, Marc Fogel, Roger Carstens, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Carstens, Matthew Miller, Paul, Moscow, ’ Gershkovich Organizations: Street, Gershkovich, US State Department, ”, Philadelphia Inquirer Locations: Russian, Yekaterinburg, Moscow’s, Russia, American, Moscow

☆ This US state is not covered by the NATO treaty. Some experts say that needs to change
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Because in a quirk of geography and history, Hawaii is not technically covered by the NATO pact. Mengshin Lin/AP“People tend to assume Hawaii is part of the US and therefore it’s covered by NATO,” he says. The exception is spelled out in the Washington Treaty, the document that established NATO in 1949, a decade before Hawaii became a state. It also says any island territories must be in the North Atlantic, north of the Tropic of Cancer. Hawaii, Guam, Taiwan and North KoreaSome experts say times have changed in the decades since the Washington Treaty was signed – and argue today’s political situation in the Indo-Pacific might require a rethink.

Persons: “, ”, David Santoro, Mengshin Lin, ” Santoro, –, China’s, Xi Jinping, —, Joe Biden, John Hemmings, ” Hemmings, Hemmings, Forum’s Santoro, Amy Picard, Luis Simon, Simon, ” Simon Organizations: CNN, NATO, Hawaii, Pacific Command, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Aloha, Pacific Forum, Sailors, USS Arizona Memorial, USS, 82nd, Treaty Organization, Washington Treaty, Tropic, Cancer, US State Department, United, Argentine, South Atlantic, Communist Party, Taiwan Relations, White, Center, New, New American Security, Foreign, USS Arizona . US Navy, Interim, Andersen Air Force Base, Korean, . Air Force, 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Force, . Air Force ‘ Coalition, Research Centre, Security, Brussels School, Governance, NATO Command, Union Locations: Sweden, United States, Hawaii, Pearl, Honolulu, USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu , Hawaii, California , Colorado, Alaska, North America, Washington, Europe, Argentina, Falkland, British, South, Guam, Taiwan, North Korea, New American, China, Beijing, Oahu, USS West Virginia, USS Tennessee, France, Nazi Germany, Japan, Italy, Korean, Soviet Union, Belgium, Ukraine

New Delhi CNN —India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned a US State Department official after the department called for a fair legal process for opposition leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal following his arrest last week. “We take strong objection to the remarks of the Spokesperson of the US State Department about certain legal proceedings in India,” the Ministry said in a statement Wednesday. The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday summoned Gloria Berbena, the State Department Minister-Counselor for Public Diplomacy, according to a diplomatic officer with knowledge of the matter. At a briefing later on Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller declined to discuss “private diplomatic conversations” when asked about Berbena’s summoning, but stood by the department’s previous comments. India’s main opposition, the Indian National Congress, has also accused the BJP of using the tax department to “cripple” their finances.

Persons: Arvind Kejriwal, Gloria Berbena, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, Kejriwal, Modi, Narendra Modi’s, Kejriwal’s, ” Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN — India’s, External Affairs, US State Department, Affairs, State Department, Public Diplomacy, State, Aam Aadmi Party, Indian National Congress, Human Rights, Amnesty, India Locations: New Delhi, Delhi, India

☆ Wife of American detained by Taliban fears for his well-being
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Ryan Corbett, who has been detained by the Taliban since August 2022, was able to call his wife Anna and their children earlier this week. “It was a disturbing call,” Anna Corbett told CNN Thursday. Ryan Corbett returned twice in 2022, and on his second trip, he was detained by the Taliban. Ryan Corbett has been declared wrongfully detained by the US State Department. Anna Corbett told CNN she wants to see the US government do more to put pressure on the Taliban to release her husband.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ryan Corbett, Anna, ” Anna Corbett, Ryan, He’s, Anna Corbett, Biden, ”, Matthew Miller, ” Miller Organizations: CNN, State Department, National Security Council, US State Department Locations: Afghanistan

☆ NATO ally Greece wants the F-35, but it wants them once the fifth-gen stealth fighter's 'childhood illness' is cured
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewGreece's military leadership has announced radical changes in its Armed Forces, particularly its air force, including plans to offload older combat aircraft and get new F-35 stealth jets. "Development and production concurrency is Block 4′s most critical challenge, and we are dealing with its consequences today," F-35 program executive officer Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt said in December. Advertisement"The F-35 [Joint Program Office], Lockheed Martin, and other industry partners have identified high risk concurrency in the F-35 Block 4 schedule, which would threaten to shut down aircraft production if development slips," he added. An Israeli Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft flies over during an air show in Tel Aviv. For the air force, that means retiring and selling a variety of aircraft, such as F-4 jets, Mirage 2000-5 planes, and Block 30 F-16s.

Persons: —, of Defense Nikos Dendias, Dendias, Michael Schmidt, Lockheed Martin, Frank Kendall, JACK GUEZ, Jon Ludwigson, Ludwigson, Greece's Organizations: Service, Armed Forces, of Defense, Business, Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Getty, Office, Armed Force, US State Department Locations: Greece, Tel Aviv, AFP

☆ Ghana: In deciding on anti-gay law, president is caught between a rock and a hard place
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Sam George, the driving force behind Ghana’s harsh anti-LGBTQ legislation, portrays himself as a guardian of gay Ghanaians. Making inequality legalWhatever its origins, the bill’s passage is terrible news for LGBTQ Ghanaians. “The sentiment and emotion we are expressing right now is sadness,” said Alex Kofi Donkor, the founder of LGBT+ Rights in Ghana, an advocacy group. On one side, you have politicians like George and a broadly conservative citizenry that will publicly goad the president to act. For Ghana’s president, navigating this intricate political landscape looks set to be a daunting – and unenviable – task.

Persons: Sam George, “, ”, It’s, ” George, George, Alex Kofi Donkor, Nana Akufo, it’s, Ghana’s Organizations: CNN, Rights, Ghana’s Ministry, Finance, Bank Financing, Monetary Fund, Bank, US State Department, Ministry of Finance Locations: Accra, Ghana, United States, Uganda, Ghanaian, “ Ghana, State

☆ AI could lead to human extinction, says report commissioned by US State Department
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US State Department commissioned a risk assessment that found AI could lead to human extinction. The State Department commissioned AI startup Gladstone to conduct an AI risk assessment in October 2022, about a month before ChatGPT came out. AdvertisementSome of the risks could "lead to human extinction," the report said. He believes there's a 10% chance AI will lead to total human extinction within the next 30 years. "Oh it's absolutely real and I think there's a conversation to have in terms of practical human extinction," Kiulian said.

Persons: —, Gladstone, ChatGPT, Jeremie Harris, Edouard Harris, Robert Ghrist, Ghrist, Geoff Hinton, there's, Lina Khan, Elon Musk, Lorenzo Thione, Thione, Artur Kiulian, Kiulian, David Krueger, Krueger, Aaron Mok Organizations: US State Department, Service, US Department of State, The State Department, United States, Google, Publicly, Penn Engineering, PlayStation, Cambridge University Locations: United, Iran

☆ Haiti’s prime minister is resigning. Will that bring calm to the gang-ravaged country?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Caitlin Stephen Hu | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In Henry’s place, a transitional council will be established and endowed with some powers of the presidency – including the ability to name a new interim prime minister. It is unclear how long it could take to establish a transitional council to begin the transfer of power, though Haiti’s former PM Claude Joseph told CNN that it could be created within 24 hours. The big question is whether these changes can bring calm to Haiti, and put a stop to the terrible violence tearing apart Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince. Talks with regional leaders continued, leading into the emergency CARICOM meeting on Monday. The United States will contribute $300 million to the Kenyan-led multinational security mission, Blinken said after attending the CARICOM meeting on Monday.

Persons: CNN —, Ariel Henry, Henry, Claude Joseph, Jimmy “, Henry’s, Cherizier, Odelyn Joseph, Romaine LeCoeur, Fanmi, Petit, Jimmy Cherizier, Viv Ansanm, “ ’ Viv Ansanm ’, ” Cherizier, Guy Philippe, Philippe, ”, “ we’re, State Anthony Blinken, William Ruto, “, ” Blinken, Mia Mottley, Will Ariel Henry, Blinken Organizations: CNN, CNN — Haiti’s, Caribbean, US State Department, AP, United Nations, Initiative, Transnational, CARICOM, Montana Group, Petit Dessalinnes, United Nations Security, Kenyan, senior State Department, State, State Department Locations: Caribbean, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Kenya, Port, Prince, Swiss, EDE, CARICOM, “, Barbados, United States

☆ AI could pose ‘extinction-level’ threat to humans and US must intervene, report warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“But it could also bring serious risks, including catastrophic risks, that we need to be aware of,” Harris said. First, Gladstone AI said, the most advanced AI systems could be weaponized to inflict potentially irreversible damage. Safety concernsHarris, the Gladstone AI executive, said the “unprecedented level of access” his team had to officials in the public and private sector led to the startling conclusions. Gladstone AI said it spoke to technical and leadership teams from ChatGPT owner OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Facebook parent Meta and Anthropic. Some employees at AI companies are sharing similar concerns in private, according to Gladstone AI.

Persons: Gladstone AI, Jeremie Harris, ” Harris, Robyn Patterson, Joe Biden’s, ” “, ” Patterson, ” Gladstone AI’s, Harris, Gladstone, OpenAI, Geoffrey Hinton, ”, Hinton, Elon Musk, Lina Khan, ’, ” Gladstone, AGI, – Organizations: New, New York CNN, US State Department, Gladstone, CNN, AIs, Google, Facebook, Gladstone AI’s, ”, Yale, Summit, Federal Trade, OpenAI, Gladstone AI, Nvidia Locations: New York, “, United States, Hinton

☆ US, Germany and EU embassies begin evacuating staff as violence spirals in gang-plagued Haiti
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Caitlin Stephen Hu | Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Dajabon, Dominican Republic CNN —The United States and other diplomatic missions have begun evacuating personnel from Haiti, as gang violence in the Caribbean nation’s capital Port-au-Prince continues to spiral. US Southern Command said the move was consistent with “standard practice for Embassy security augmentation worldwide.” No Haitians were on board the military aircraft, it added. Another source with knowledge of the operations told CNN there have been at least 12 helicopter evacuation flights into Port-au-Prince over the past three days, all evacuating diplomatic and humanitarian staff. However, shots fired nearby after the last flight’s take off on Sunday have called into question the viability of continuing the evacuation flights, the source said. The World Food Programme suspended its maritime transport services in Port-au-Prince from distributing aid across Haiti due to the instability.

Persons: Dajabon, ”, Joe Biden, Peter Sauer, Stefano Gatto, —, Prince, Gang, Jimmy Cherizier, Ariel Henry, Stephane Dujarric, Henry Organizations: Dominican Republic CNN, CNN, US State Department, US Southern Command, Southern Command, National Security Council, CNN Helicopter, European Union, EU, Caribbean Port Services, Dominican, United Nations, US Department of Treasury, Food, UN, OCHA, Kenya, Kenyan, Caribbean Locations: Dominican Republic, United States, Haiti, Caribbean, Port, Dominican, Haitian, Santo Domingo, Petionville, Haiti’s, Puerto Rico, CARICOM, Kingston

☆ The North Korean refugees sold to Chinese husbands
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

China considers North Korean refugees to be economic migrants, and forcibly deports them back to North Korea – where, as alleged defectors, they face imprisonment, possible torture or worse, activists say. During that period, she also met other North Korean refugees in the same situation – with their status public knowledge in the village, she said. According to the KFI report, the buying of a North Korean wife is “always known to the local community” but rarely reported to authorities. The other North Korean refugees she’d met in town had connections to brokers who could help them escape, while church organizations and non-profit groups discreetly helped raise funds for the journey. Brokers who remain have raised their prices due to increased risks and surveillance, while newcomers to the business are inexperienced, making it a risky gamble for North Korean refugees.

Persons: South Korea CNN — Chae, –, she’s, Yoonjung Seo, She’d, didn’t, “, ”, Chae, ” didn’t, Kim Jeong Ah, Kim, she’d, we’ll, ” Chae, Seo, Unification Ministry –, She’s, – she’s Organizations: South Korea CNN, North, CNN, North Korea –, Korea Future Initiative, KFI, US State Department, Human Rights Watch, Female North, United Nations, Liberty, Korean, Koreans, Unification Ministry, Brokers Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, China, Laos, Thailand, North Korean, Hebei, Beijing, London, Korea, Korean, North, ”, South, South Koreans

☆ Most countries have made ‘little or no progress’ in returning Nazi-looted art, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Carlie Porterfield | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Of the 47 nations that endorsed the 2009 Terezin Declaration, which incorporated the principles, seven have made major progress, three have made substantial progress, 13 have made some progress and some 24 countries have made little or no progress, according to Tuesday’s report. “This report underscores the critical need for advancement in art and cultural property restitution,” Gideon Taylor, the president of WJRO, said in a statement. The 13 countries that have made some progress include Argentina, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland and Serbia. Frederick Florin/AFP/Getty ImagesMost countries that signed onto the Terezin Declaration have made little or no progress, according to the report. This marks the first governmental document on Holocaust restitution to be endorsed in nearly 15 years, a step WJRO said will help advance the restitution of art and cultural property.

Persons: CNN —, —, restitutions, ” Gideon Taylor, WJRO, Frederick Florin, Antony J, Blinken, ”, Stuart E, “, Colette Avital Organizations: The Art, CNN, Jewish, Organization, Washington Conference, Washington, Palais Rohan Museum, Getty, WJRO, US State Department, of Holocaust Locations: Nazi, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Strasbourg, AFP, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, Russia, Spain, Turkey, New York, Washington, Israel

☆ Paul Whelan tells CNN that Navalny’s death in prison is ‘extremely worrying’ for him
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Paul Whelan, an American detained in Russia for more than five years, told CNN Tuesday that opposition figure Alexey Navalny’s death in Russian prison last month is “extremely worrying” for him. “It’s extremely troubling that someone like Navalny would die under suspicious circumstances, but it’s also extremely worrying for me that this is the sort of thing that goes on,” he said. Whelan was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 and imprisoned on charges of espionage that he has consistently and vehemently denied. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in June 2020. Whelan described it as “extremely odd” to be spending his 54th birthday in Russian prison.

Persons: CNN — Paul Whelan, Alexey Navalny’s, “, ”, Whelan, it’s, they’re, I’ve, “ It’s, Antony Blinken, Paul, Evan Gershkovich, ” Blinken, ” “, Joe Biden, Biden, I’m Organizations: CNN, ”, US State Department, Wall Street, National Security Council Locations: Russia, Mordovia, “, United States, Germany, Moscow, ”, Russian

☆ Victoria Nuland, Veteran Russia Hawk, to Leave the State Department
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Victoria J. Nuland, the third-ranking official at the State Department and a determined advocate of tough policies toward Vladimir V. Putin’s Russia, will retire this month after more than 30 years of government service. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced Ms. Nuland’s departure from the post of under secretary for political affairs on Tuesday in a statement noting her “fierce passion” for freedom, democracy and human rights, and America’s promotion of those causes abroad. Mr. Blinken singled out her work on Ukraine, which he called “indispensable to confronting Putin’s full-scale invasion” of the country. Ms. Nuland held numerous State Department positions, including spokeswoman, and once served as deputy national security adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney. But she made her mark as a Russia specialist who long argued for marshaling strong resistance to Mr. Putin’s territorial ambitions and foreign political influence.

Persons: Victoria J, Nuland, Vladimir V, Antony J, Blinken, Nuland’s, Putin’s, Dick Cheney Organizations: State Department, Department Locations: Russia, Ukraine

☆ North Korea's arms factories are going full-tilt making weapons and ammo for Russia's war, says South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewNorth Korean weapons factories are "operating at full capacity" making arms and ammunition for Russia, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said on Monday. That's enough cargo space for 3 million rounds of 152 mm artillery shells or 500,000 rounds of 122 mm artillery shells, Shin said. AdvertisementIn exchange, Russia has been sending North Korea food and raw materials needed to create munitions, Shin said. Overall, Moscow is shipping about 30% more goods to Pyongyang than it's receiving from North Korea, Shin added. Meanwhile, the US State Department estimates that North Korea has sent some 10,000 container shipments to Russia since September.

Persons: —, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won, sik, Shin, it's, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Grant Shapps, Russia's, Kyiv's, Kyrylo Budanov Organizations: Service, South Korean Defense Minister, Yonhap News Agency, Business, US State Department, State Department, UK, GOP Locations: Russia, North Korea, Moscow, Pyongyang, Korea, Vostochny, Ukraine, Russian, Korean

☆ North Korean factories making arms for Russia are ‘operating at full capacity,’ South Korea says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —North Korea’s munitions factories are “operating at full capacity” to produce weapons and shells for Russia, according to South Korea’s defense minister, as Moscow’s devastating war in Ukraine grinds into a third year. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits a munitions factory at an undisclosed location on January 10, 2024. CNN has reached out to South Korea’s defense ministry for comment on the US’ estimate but has not yet received a response. The White House confirmed last month that Russia has been firing North Korean missiles at Ukrainian cities. The US and its allies are also concerned about the technology North Korea is seeking from Russia in return for weaponry.

Persons: Korean Defense Minister Shin Won, sik, Kim Jong Un, ” Shin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Avdiivka, Zelensky, Joe Biden’s, Vladimir Putin Organizations: South Korea CNN, South, Korean Defense Minister, KCNA, Reuters, US State Department, CNN, Ukraine, Kyiv, West, North, Intelligence, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, White House, Korean Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Russia, South, Ukraine, Korea, Washington, Pyongyang, North, Russian, North Korea, Avdiivka, Moscow, Russia’s

☆ Iran has reduced stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, says nuclear watchdog
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Adam Pourahmadi | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Iran has reduced its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium in the months since October 2023, according to a confidential report from the International Atomic Weapons Agency (IAEA) viewed by CNN on Tuesday. In October, Iran possessed 128.3 kilograms (282.9 pounds) of uranium enriched to approximately 60%, the highest level documented by the IAEA. By February, the stockpile had been reduced to 121.5 kilograms, according to the report. Iran reduced the quantity of near weapons-grade uranium by mixing 31.8 kilograms of the stockpile with uranium enriched to a much lower level, around 2%, according to the report. However, while Iran had reduced its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, the report also noted a steady increase in stocks of uranium enriched to 20%.

Persons: IAEA Rafael Grossi, Donald Trump, Eric Brewer, Ben Taleblu, Majid Asgaripour, they’ve, ” Brewer, Brewer, Taleblu, “, ” Taleblu, Matthew Miller, Yemen’s Houthi Organizations: CNN, International Atomic Weapons Agency, IAEA, Center for Arms Control, United, Experts, Nuclear Threat Initiative, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Governors, US State Department, American Locations: Iran, Bushehr, Israel

☆ Missing American couple: Search for continues after alleged yacht hijacking in Grenada, but a violent scene suggests the worst, family says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Polo Sandoval | Elizabeth Wolfe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Police in the Caribbean are investigating the disappearance of an American couple after escaped inmates in Grenada allegedly hijacked their yacht. The Virginia couple, identified by their sailing club as Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry, were living out a long-held dream of cruising the Caribbean in their sailing yacht, Simplicity. “The boat itself was ransacked and everything was strewn about in the entire cabin, so clearly there was an altercation of some type that took place on the boat,” Buro told CNN Sunday. The person also contacted the coast guard, who notified St. Vincent police, the association said. Grenada police said the escapees were recaptured the same day by the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.

Persons: they’ll, Kathy Brandel, Ralph Hendry, Vincent, George, Brandel’s, Nick Buro, ” Buro, “, ”, Buro, Bryan Hendry, “ Kathy, Ralph, Ron Mitchell, Trevon Robertson, Abita Stanislaus, O, Simmons, Mitchell, Vincent police, Ben Osborn, Kathy, ” Osborn, CNN’s Sharif Paget, Chris Boyette Organizations: CNN — Police, Sailing Association . Police, Royal Grenada Police Force, CNN, Grenadines Police Force, US State Department, Sailing Association, Grenada police Locations: Caribbean, Grenada, Virginia, St, Grenadines, Royal St, Royal

☆ American couple missing: Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry believed dead after yacht hijacked in Grenada
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Sharif Paget | Chris Boyette | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The pair have been identified by their sailing club as Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry, a couple from Virginia who were spending the winter cruising the Eastern Caribbean after sailing their yacht, Simplicity, from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua. “Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry are veteran cruisers and long-time members of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association from its earliest days. According to the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, the club’s executive director was contacted after a passing “good Samaritan” came across an abandoned yacht and found the club’s contact information. “The good Samaritan had boarded the boat and noted that the owners, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, were not onboard and found evidence of apparent violence. Contact information for the SDSA was posted and the skipper contacted the Association.” The sailing association said the skipper also contacted the coast guard, who notified St. Vincent police.

Persons: Kathy Brandel, Ralph Hendry, “ Kathy Brandel, Kathy, Ralph, Nick Buro, Bryan Hendry, St, Vincent, “, Tatja Hopman, ”, Bob Osborn, ” Osborn, O, Simmons Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Sailing Association, Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guards, Association, US State Department, U.S Locations: Grenada, Virginia, Hampton , Virginia, Antigua, Brandel’s, Caribbean, St, Royal St

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