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☆ Sanitation Company Fined $649,000 for Hiring Children in Slaughterhouses
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Livia Albeck-Ripka | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Tennessee-based sanitation company has been fined more than $649,000 after an investigation revealed that it had illegally employed at least two dozen children at slaughterhouses and meatpacking facilities, the Labor Department said this week. The company, Fayette Janitorial Service L.L.C., was found to have hired the children, some as young as 13, during overnight shifts that involved using corrosive materials to clean “dangerous kill floor equipment” at facilities in Sioux City, Iowa, and Accomac, Va., the department said in a news release. A temporary restraining order in February required the company to stop employing the children, and on Monday, it agreed in federal court to pay the fine, hire a third party to make sure no underage workers are employed in the future and establish a program for reporting violations, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. It is illegal under the Fair Labor Standards Act to hire anyone under 18 for the kind of hazardous work that is often involved in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing, rendering and packing operations. But that has not stopped thousands of migrant children from coming to the United States from Mexico and Central America to work dangerous jobs, in places including meatpacking plants.

Organizations: Labor Department, Northern, Northern District of, Fair Labor, Act Locations: Tennessee, slaughterhouses, Fayette, Sioux City , Iowa, Accomac, Va, U.S, Northern District, Northern District of Iowa, United States, Mexico, Central America

☆ With or Without Tesla, More E.V. Chargers Are Coming
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Manuela Andreoni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last week, Tesla laid off most of its electric car charging team, raising doubts about the feasibility of the Biden administration’s ambitious E.V. Though Tesla accounts for more than half of the fast E.V. chargers currently installed in the United States, and though it has continued to build them faster and cheaper than anyone else, the E.V. charging market may no longer need Tesla to lead it. The administration’s goal is to build a network of a half million fast and slow chargers in the country by 2030, more than double what the U.S. has today.

Persons: Tesla, Tesla’s, Biden Organizations: Biden Locations: United States

☆ Biden’s antisemitism speech leaves no doubt he’s standing by Israel despite tension with Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —The political rawness of the moment, as Israel pounds Gaza and outrage rocks American college campuses, means President Joe Biden’s big speech Tuesday condemning antisemitism is most notable for what he left unsaid. The speech was closely watched given the turmoil in the Middle East and its stunning political reaction in the US. “My commitment to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel, and its right to exist as an independent Jewish state is ironclad. While praising the right to free speech as a fundamental American value, he condemned reported instances when some Jewish students have faced antisemitic taunting. Understanding history and preventing it from being manipulated for political gain was a major focus of Biden’s speech, which was delivered on the 79th anniversary of VE Day, when the allies defeated Nazism in World War II.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, movingly, you’re, ” Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Joe ”, We’re, Biden’s, Donald Trump, Trump, Stormy Daniels, “, ” Johnson, Netanyahu, —, Mike Johnson, ’ Organizations: CNN, Jewish, Hamas, Holocaust Memorial, Capitol, Arab, Israel, Gaza Health Ministry, Democratic, Trump, Republicans, Republican, Louisiana Republican, White, GOP, Nazism Locations: Israel, Gaza, Nazi, Rafah, Michigan, Manhattan, Nazi Germany, United States, Louisiana, Charlottesville , Virginia, Gestapo

☆ Shell and TotalEnergies listings: Europe risks losing its biggest oil companies to America
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Anna Cooban | Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

London CNN —Two of Europe’s biggest oil companies, Shell and TotalEnergies, are considering abandoning their stock exchanges for Wall Street in a move that would deal a hammer blow to London and Paris. Shares of TotalEnergies and Shell trade on a price-to-cash flow ratio of 4.7 and 5.2 respectively, compared with a ratio of 8.4 for Exxon Mobil (XOM) and 7.6 for Chevron (CVX). Alastair Syme, managing director of global energy equity research at Citi, says Shell and TotalEnergies have long traded at a discount. Investors would “be much more comfortable” buying European energy companies if they were part of the more valuable S&P 500 benchmark index of US equities, according to Syme. London languishesStill, the slightest hint that Shell may consider leaving London will have rattled the city’s beleaguered main stock exchange.

Persons: Britain’s Shell, France’s, Alastair Syme, Syme, Patrick Pouyanne, “, ”, Wael Sawan, Sawan, London languishes, Chris Beauchamp, Shell, TotalEnergies, New York “ would’ve, ” Lindsey Stewart, Ben van Beurden, ” Syme Organizations: London CNN, Shell, CAC, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Citi, CNN, Investors, Bloomberg, London Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, BP, Morningstar, Financial, Commodities Locations: London, Paris, New York, Chevron, Europe, United States, Switzerland, “

☆ Americans have spent their savings. Economists worry about what comes next
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But now that extra spending money is gone, economists are concerned about what comes next. That means many Americans have more debt than savings and suggests “that American households fully spent their pandemic-era savings as of March 2024,” they wrote in a recent report. Consumer spending plays a crucial role in driving economic growth in the United States, and it has shown remarkable strength over the past two years. “A continuing strong labor market could help consumers maintain spending patterns similar to those observed recently, even without pandemic-era savings,” they wrote. What comes next: Disney, Airbnb, Uber, Anheuser-Busch, Tapestry and Dillards all report later this week — investors will look for any comments about how consumer spending, or lack thereof, is altering revenue forecasts for 2024.

Persons: Hamza Abdelrahman, Luiz Edgard Oliveira, ”, Austan Goolsbee, ’ ”, Fitch, Sarah Wyeth, Chris Kempczinski, Abdelrahman, Airbnb, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, Greg Abel, Buffett, “, Abel, isn’t, Boeing “, Scott Stocker, Read Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, San Francisco Federal Reserve, Chicago Federal, Society for, ”, Shoppers, Tyson Foods, “, Disney, Anheuser, Busch, Berkshire, International Monetary Fund, Industries, Nvidia, Microsoft, FAA, Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration, CNN Locations: New York, United States, Omaha , Nebraska, Omaha, scamming

☆ U.S. Repatriates 11 American Citizens From ISIS War Camps in Syria
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Charlie Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration has repatriated a family of 10 American citizens who had been stranded for years in desert camps and detention centers in Syria run by a Kurdish-led militia that battled the Islamic State, according to officials. The government also brought to the United States a pair of half brothers — only one of whom, said to be 7, is an American citizen. The resettlement of the other boy, who is said to be 9, is the first time the United States has taken in someone from the war zone who is not an American national. The government announced the early Tuesday transfer in a statement from Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, who said that there had been a “complex repatriation and resettlement” involving 11 American citizens, five of whom were minors, and the “9-year-old non-U.S. citizen sibling of one of the U.S. citizen minors.”He added: “This is the largest single repatriation of U.S. citizens from northeast Syria to date.”The statement announcing the transfer did not identify the 12 people. But two officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details, said 10 were a family The New York Times had reported on in September, consisting of a woman named Brandy Salman and her nine American-born children, ranging from about 6 to about 25.

Persons: Biden, Antony J, Blinken, Brandy Salman Organizations: New York Times Locations: Syria, Kurdish, State, United States, American, U.S

☆ Gaza War Puts New Pressures on U.S. Arms Transfer Policies
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In February of last year, President Biden changed the U.S. standard for cutting off weapons deliveries to foreign militaries that harm civilians during wartime. Under the new arms transfer policy, Mr. Biden said countries that were “more likely than not” to violate international law or human rights with American weapons should not receive them. Previously, U.S. officials were required to show “actual knowledge” of such violations, a higher bar to clear. Hamas attacked Israel two months later, triggering the war in Gaza and plunging Mr. Biden and Mr. Blinken into an intense global debate about how Israel is using U.S. arms. To Mr. Biden’s critics, his steadfast refusal to limit arms deliveries to Israel runs counter to those initiatives and badly undermines his goal of positioning the United States as a protector of civilians in wartime.

Persons: Biden, Antony J, Blinken Locations: U.S, Israel, Gaza, States

☆ How US presidential election years affect the market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But if the past century is any guide, the long-term consequences of US presidential election years on investor portfolios, including 401(k)s, is minimal at best. Unsurprisingly, those four presidential election years occurred at times of seismic events: The Great Depression. The S&P 500 alone has generated an average return of 7% during presidential election years since 1952, according to LPL Financial. If you limit that to presidential election years in which the incumbent president is running for reelection, the average jumps to 12.2%. “If you’re not going to make a change in a nonelection year, you shouldn’t do so in a presidential election year,” Mukherjee said.

Persons: TIAA, ”, Niladri Mukherjee, Jeff Buchbinder, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, ” Mukherjee, Mukherjee, What’s, — Mukherjee, you’re, Daniel Crosby, Crosby Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Bank, “, Senate Locations: New York, United States

☆ Blinken Holds Regional Talks on Migration in Latin America
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Hamed Aleaziz | More About Hamed Aleaziz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden has faced criticism for his handling of the southern border, and the issue is a key concern for many voters in this year’s presidential election. U.S. officials have, in recent years, increasingly turned to international partnerships to help them keep large numbers of migrants from reaching the southern border. The United States relies heavily on Mexico, its closest partner on migration, to control the number of people who are destined for the southern border. In late December, Mr. Blinken and Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, went to Mexico to discuss increased enforcement during a month in which U.S. border agents had encounters with more than 250,000 migrants. Since then, the number of migrants arriving at the southern border has dropped dramatically.

Persons: Antony J, Blinken, Biden, Alejandro N Organizations: Mr Locations: Guatemala, United States, Mexico, U.S

☆ Biden to Condemn Antisemitism at Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Erica L. Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden on Tuesday will deliver the keynote address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Days of Remembrance, where he will draw on the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel to amplify concerns about antisemitism in the United States and abroad. Mr. Biden’s address from Capitol Hill comes during weeks of protests on American college campuses against Israel’s war in Gaza, with students demanding that the Biden administration stop sending arms to Israel. In some cases, the demonstrations have included antisemitic rhetoric and harassment targeting Jewish students. “You can expect the president to make clear that during these sacred days of remembrance, we honor the memory of the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust and recommit to heeding the lessons of this dark chapter.

Persons: Biden, recommit, ” Karine Jean, Pierre, “, we’ve Organizations: U.S . Holocaust, Capitol Hill, White House, Hamas Locations: U.S, Israel, United States, Gaza

☆ TikTok sues U.S. government, says ban violates First Amendment
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Angela Yang | Savannah Sellers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Circuit, argues that the bill, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, violates constitutional protections of free speech. Now, legal proceedings will pause that timeline, meaning it could be years before a ban goes into effect. Tuesday's lawsuit is the latest development in what has become a multi-year effort by the U.S. government to effectively ban TikTok. Efforts to rein in the popular video-sharing app have persisted since 2020 under both the Trump and Biden administrations. The federal government and dozens of states have already banned the use of TikTok on government-owned devices.

Persons: TikTok, Joe Biden Organizations: United, U.S ., Appeals, Foreign, The, Justice, Justice Department, U.S, Trump, Biden Locations: United States, U.S

☆ The New York Times and The Washington Post Win 3 Pulitzers Each
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Michael M. Grynbaum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The New York Times and The Washington Post received three Pulitzer Prizes each on Monday for a wide array of journalism that spanned conflict and injustice around the globe, including the plight of child migrant workers in the American Midwest, the lethal consequences of war in the Middle East and the brutal repression of dissent in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The prize for public service, considered the most prestigious of the Pulitzers, went to ProPublica for exposing a web of questionable financial entanglements involving Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court. The series, which revealed that Justice Thomas failed to disclose lavish gifts he had received from wealthy supporters, prompted the court to issue a new ethical code of conduct. The prize for investigations went to Hannah Dreier of The Times, for an exposé of migrant child labor in the modern United States, and the governmental blunders and disregard that have allowed the illegal practice to persist. This was the second Pulitzer awarded to Ms. Dreier, who won the 2019 feature writing prize for her coverage of the criminal gang MS-13 for ProPublica.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Clarence Thomas of, Thomas, Hannah Dreier, Dreier Organizations: New York Times, Washington Post, U.S, Supreme, The Times Locations: American Midwest, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, United States

☆ Study Suggests Genetic Cause (Not Just Risk) for Some Alzheimer’s Cases
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Pam Belluck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Scientists are proposing a new way of understanding the genetics of Alzheimer’s that would mean that up to a fifth of patients would be considered to have a genetically caused form of the disease. Currently, the vast majority of Alzheimer’s cases do not have a clearly identified cause. The new designation, proposed in a study published Monday, could broaden the scope of efforts to develop treatments, including gene therapy, and affect the design of clinical trials. It could also mean that hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone could, if they chose, receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s before developing any symptoms of cognitive decline, although there currently are no treatments for people at that stage. The new classification would make this type of Alzheimer’s one of the most common genetic disorders in the world, medical experts said.

Locations: United States

☆ America Has a Bad Case of China Anxiety - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Rory Truex | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

A prolonged stress response may contribute to anxiety, which can cause people to perceive danger where there is none and obsess about worst-case scenarios. America’s collective national body is suffering from a chronic case of China anxiety. These measures all have a national security rationale, and it is not my intention here to weigh the merits of every one. But collectively they are yielding a United States that is fundamentally more closed — and more like China in meaningful ways. Even if it was, it’s common practice to use human waste, known as “biosolids,” as fertilizer in many countries, including the United States.

Persons: Rick Scott Organizations: U.S, Congress, McGill University Locations: China, TikTok, United States, Florida, U.S

☆ European Oil Giants Consider Shifting Their Listings to the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Two European energy giants, TotalEnergies of France and Shell of Britain, are considering moving their stock listings to New York, as pressure mounts for them to improve their valuations, which lag their American counterparts. Shifting their listings to the United States would be a blow to European exchanges, where they are among the largest listed companies. In the past, it would have been almost unthinkable for TotalEnergies, one of France’s most prominent companies, to consider moving its primary share listing from Paris. But the company’s chief executive, Patrick Pouyanné, discussed considering such a shift to analysts recently. “There was a discussion with the board,” Mr. Pouyanné said on a recent call to discuss earnings.

Persons: Patrick Pouyanné, ” Mr, Pouyanné, ” Organizations: Shell Locations: France, Britain, New York, United States, Paris

☆ Air National Guard leaders say proposal to move units to Space Force poses 'existential threat' to US national security
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Thomas Novelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US Air National Guard rebuke a proposal to shift space mission units to the Space Force. "Our internal survey indicates about 70% of our personnel would retrain or retire rather than join the Space Force," Air Force Col. Michael Griesbaum, commander of the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Wing, told reporters Friday. Airmen from the Colorado Air National Guard load equipment onto a C-17 Globemaster before departing for temporary duty in Washington, DC. AdvertisementBut Air National Guard leaders have expressed concern, saying it would set a clear precedent for other services to potentially take more resources from the National Guard model. "If LP 480 is successful, it will open the door to a wholesale harvesting of National Guard resources, both from the Air National Guard and the Army National Guard to the regular components."

Persons: —, Michael Griesbaum, Chance Johnson, Military.com, Air Force Frank Kendall, Alex Wong, Frank Kendall, We've, Kendall, Griesbaum, Jason Carr, Robert Brown, Jacob Hancock Kendall, Michael Bruno Organizations: US Air National Guard, Space Force, Guardsmen, Service, Air National Guard, Hawaii Air National Guards, Air Force, Space Force Guardians, " Air Force, Alaska Air National, Airmen, Colorado Air National Guard, Tech, National Governors Association, United States Space Force, Rayburn House, Capitol, Getty Images Air Force, Army Guard, National Guard, Army National Guard, United States Space Command, Space Development, Air National Guardsmen, Air Force Staff, Colorado Air National, 233rd Space Group, Department of, National Guardsmen, Florida Air National Guard, Cape Canaveral Space Force, Guard, Brig, Colorado National Guard Locations: Alaska , Colorado, United States, Washington , DC, Niagara Falls , New York, Alaska , California , Colorado , Florida, Hawaii , New York, Ohio, Florida

☆ Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health. Voigt, of Utah, succeeded the 2022 Miss USA, Morgan Romano of North Carolina. She was the first Venezuelan-American woman to win Miss USA, according to her statement. Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii placed as the first-runner-up to Voigt’s victory in November, making her a potential candidate to be the newly crowned Miss USA. “Never compromise your physical and mental well-being.

Persons: CNN — Noelia Voigt, ”, Instagram, Voigt, Morgan Romano, Miss USA, Alexis Loomans of, Jasmine Daniels of, “ Organizations: CNN, Miss USA, Miss USA Organization, Miss, Jasmine Daniels of Pennsylvania, Miss Universe Organization Locations: Utah, North Carolina, Venezuelan, American, Savannah Gankiewicz, Hawaii, Alexis Loomans of Wisconsin, Texas, United States

☆ Are We Talking Too Much About Mental Health?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Ellen Barry | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In recent years, mental health has become a central subject in childhood and adolescence. School systems, alarmed by rising levels of distress and self-harm, are introducing preventive coursework in emotional self-regulation and mindfulness. Now, some researchers warn that we are in danger of overdoing it. Mental health awareness campaigns, they argue, help some young people identify disorders that badly need treatment — but they have a negative effect on others, leading them to over-interpret their symptoms and see themselves as more troubled than they are. And new research from the United States shows that among young people, “self-labeling” as having depression or anxiety is associated with poor coping skills, like avoidance or rumination.

Organizations: United States Locations: United Kingdom, Australia, United

The judge overseeing Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan rebuked the former president on Monday for mounting “a direct attack on the rule of law,” holding him in contempt of court for a second time and threatening to jail him if he continued to break a gag order that bars him from attacking jurors. In a moment of remarkable courtroom drama, the judge, Juan M. Merchan, addressed Mr. Trump personally from the bench, saying that if there were further violations, he might bypass financial penalties and place the former president behind bars. Justice Merchan acknowledged that jailing Mr. Trump was “the last thing” he wanted to do, but explained that it was his responsibility to “protect the dignity of the justice system.”The judge said that he understood “the magnitude of such a decision” and that jailing Mr. Trump would be a last resort. He noted: “You are the former president of the United States, and possibly the next president as well.”

Persons: Donald J, ”, Juan M, Merchan, Trump, Justice Merchan Locations: Manhattan, United States

CNN —Judge Juan Merchan has found former President Donald Trump in contempt for violating the gag order in his hush money trial for the 10th time and said he’ll consider jail time going forward. Last week, the judge fined Trump $9,000 for nine previous violations of the judge’s gag order. Violations of the gag order are punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, by jail time of up to 30 days, or both. In a statement, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung called the gag order “unconstitutional and un-American” and criticized the judge and his ruling. In a written ruling, the judge said those comments violated the gag order.

Persons: Juan Merchan, Donald Trump, he’ll, “, ” Merchan, “ Mr, Trump, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Steven Cheung, ”, Crooked Joe Biden, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Merchan, ” Trump, “ Defendant, ” Prosecutors, David Pecker Organizations: CNN, Trump, Prosecutors, “, Real America’s Locations: United States, New York

☆ Oil climbs as Gaza tensions rise, Saudi Arabia hikes prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A view of oil-well in action during sunset at Elk Hills Oil Field as gas prices on the rise in California, United States on April 14, 2024. Oil futures climbed on Monday after Saudi Arabia hiked June crude prices for most regions and as the prospect of a Gaza ceasefire deal appeared slim, renewing fears the Israel-Hamas conflict could still widen in the key oil-producing region. Brent crude futures were up 77 cents, or 0.9%, to $83.73 a barrel at 1055 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $78.98 a barrel, up 87 cents, or 1.1%. The geopolitical risk premium in oil prices also eased as talks for a Gaza ceasefire were underway. Also supporting oil was Saudi Arabia's move to raise the official selling prices (OSPs) for its crude sold to Asia, Northwest Europe and the Mediterranean in June, signaling expectations of strong demand this summer.

Persons: Brent, Tony Sycamore Organizations: Brent, U.S, West Texas, IG Locations: Elk, California, United States, Saudi Arabia, Gaza, Israel, Rafah, Saudi, Asia, Northwest Europe, China

☆ 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

☆ What to Know About Xi Jinping’s Trip to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Emma Bubola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

This week, for the first time in five years, President Xi Jinping of China will be visiting Europe, with stops in France, Serbia and Hungary. Mr. Xi will also encourage President Emmanuel Macron of France to pursue greater autonomy from the United States in a bid to weaken Washington’s global dominance. Here is what we know about Mr. Xi’s trip, which began Sunday. What is the significance of Mr. Xi’s itinerary? The three countries Mr. Xi will be visiting, experts say, to varying degrees embrace China’s push for a redefined global order.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Xi, Emmanuel Macron Organizations: European Union Locations: China, Europe, France, Serbia, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Beijing

☆ First Patient Begins Newly Approved Sickle Cell Gene Therapy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Gina Kolata | Kenny Holston | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

On Wednesday, Kendric Cromer, a 12-year-old boy from a suburb of Washington, became the first person in the world with sickle cell disease to begin a commercially approved gene therapy that may cure the condition. For the estimated 20,000 people with sickle cell in the United States who qualify for the treatment, the start of Kendric’s monthslong medical journey may offer hope. But it also signals the difficulties patients face as they seek a pair of new sickle cell treatments. For a lucky few, like Kendric, the treatment could make possible lives they have longed for. “Sickle cell always steals my dreams and interrupts all the things I want to do,” he said.

Persons: Kendric, ” Locations: Kendric Cromer, Washington, United States

☆ Opinion | Senators Need to Stop the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

An unfortunate symbiosis has developed between pro-Israel culture warriors like Republican Representative Elise Stefanik and the most self-indulgent fringe of pro-Palestinian campus protesters. Together they are, wittingly or unwittingly, shifting attention from the urgent emergency in Gaza, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to defy the United States and invade the southern city of Rafah, to the much smaller problem of campus antisemitism. The United States has none.” Within the movement, I imagine such rhetoric functions as a sign of total commitment, a no-going-back rejection of hollow liberal pieties. Since 2016, pro-Israel politicians have pushed versions of a bill called the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, which would codify, for the purpose of enforcing federal civil rights law in higher education, a definition of antisemitism that includes rejection of Israel as a Jewish state. In the past, civil libertarians were able to head such legislation off, but that’s become harder in the current fevered climate.

Persons: Elise Stefanik, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ”, Panther, Kwame Ture, Stokely Carmichael, Israel, that’s Organizations: Palestinian, Columbia, National Lawyers Guild, United, Senate, Semitism Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, Rafah, stoke

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