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☆ Global oil price hits seven-month high as Middle East tensions rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —The global price of oil rose Tuesday to its highest level in seven months, propelled, in part, by concerns that mounting tensions in the Middle East could crimp supply. Brent crude, the world’s oil benchmark, climbed as much as 1.8% to $89 a barrel, the highest since early September, before paring those gains slightly mid-afternoon in Europe. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude, the US benchmark, also rose 1.8% to reach a five-month high of $85 a barrel. “You’ve got ongoing Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries… Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea,” as well as a “general sense that the Middle East is less stable than it was a year ago,” he told CNN. Geopolitical tensionsWriting about higher oil prices Tuesday, Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at financial services company Hargreaves Lansdown, singled out escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following an airstrike on Iran’s embassy in Syria Monday.

Persons: Richard Bronze, “ You’ve, ”, Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Israel, —, specter, Brent, Bill Weatherburn Organizations: London CNN, Brent, West, CNN, Revolutionary Guards, Organization of, Petroleum, Lund, Capital Economics Locations: Europe, West Texas, Brent, United States, Red, ”, Syria Monday, Iran, Syria, Israel, Tehran, Quds, OPEC, Iran’s, Damascus, Gaza, China

☆ A Russian Defector’s Killing Raises Specter of Hit Squads
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Michael Schwirtz | José Bautista | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The men who killed Maksim Kuzminov wanted to send a message. This was obvious to investigators in Spain even before they discovered who he was. Not only did the killers shoot him six times in a parking garage in southern Spain, they ran over his body with their car. They also left an important clue to their identity, according to investigators: shell casings from 9-millimeter Makarov rounds, a standard ammunition of the former Communist bloc. “It was a clear message,” said a senior official from Guardia Civil, the Spanish police force overseeing the investigation into the killing.

Persons: Maksim Kuzminov, ”, “ Organizations: Communist, Guardia Civil, Spanish Locations: Spain

☆ 'There's going to be a problem': House Republicans ramp up pressure campaign on Speaker Johnson after budget saga
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Before House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., can exhale, he will have to face the House Republican hardliners of the Freedom Caucus. Johnson is already in hot water with the Freedom Caucus for his concessions to pass the budget bill and avert a government shutdown. "I think Speaker Johnson — I've been public about this — made a mistake," said Roy. Compromising with Democrats was one of the central grievances that led to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's ouster from his post. With the budget finally agreed upon, the Ukraine funding decision will be more challenging for Johnson to dodge.

Persons: Chip Roy, shutdowns, Mike Johnson, haven't, Johnson, Johnson — I've, Roy, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kevin McCarthy's, Johnson's speakership, Republicans tanked, Donald Trump Organizations: Caucus, U.S, Capitol, Republican, Freedom Caucus, hardliner, Democratic, Republicans Locations: Washington, Ukraine, Israel, Russia, United States

☆ U.S. could be facing stagflation as jobs market cracks, inflation remains sticky, warns BofA's Hartnett
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Stubbornly high inflation and a wobbly jobs market are combining to pose an ominous threat to the U.S. economy, Bank of America chief market strategist Michael Hartnett warned. The result is a narrative of "macro shifting from Q4/Q1 'Goldilocks' to Q1/Q2 'Stagflation,'" Hartnett said in his weekly "Flow Show" note to clients dated Thursday. As Hartnett indicated, the U.S. closed 2023 with the labor market looking strong and GDP posting a solid 3.2% gain. On the jobs market, while nonfarm payrolls have risen strongly , household employment actually is down by about 900,000 since November and full-time jobs have declined by nearly 1.8 million. The Fed is "implicitly ... tolerating higher inflation" as way to inflate the debt away, a condition that means "weaker policy credibility = weaker currency … why crypto & gold [are] at all-time highs."

Persons: Michael Hartnett, Hartnett, Stagflation, nonfarm, specter, That's Organizations: Bank of America, Federal Reserve, New, Fed, U.S ., Atlanta Fed, Nasdaq Locations: U.S

☆ Joe Biden and Donald Trump poised to officially clinch party nominations
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Gregory Krieg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —More than 1,200 days after their historic 2020 general election clash, Joe Biden and Donald Trump are expected to clinch their respective parties’ 2024 nominations Tuesday, with voting taking place in four additional states. Biden is the projected winner of the Democratic primary in the US territory of the Northern Mariana Islands, held earlier Tuesday. Unlike Trump, the president never faced a serious, well-funded primary challenge, with Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, his lone rival in elected office, dropping out and endorsing Biden last week. Biden won the state by less than 12,000 votes in 2020 – the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Georgia since Bill Clinton in 1992. “But we all know Donald Trump sees a different America, an American story of resentment, revenge and retribution.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, ’, Trump, specter, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, Jason Palmer, Robert Hur’s, Hur, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Haley, “, Bill Clinton, ” Biden, That’s, that’s, ” Trump, Bernie Moreno, Democratic Sen, Sherrod Brown Organizations: CNN, Hawaii Republicans, Democrats, Democratic Party, Democratic, Biden, Trump, Capitol, Minnesota Rep, Israel, GOP, South Carolina Gov, Republican, Georgia, Peach State, Union Locations: Georgia , Mississippi, Washington, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands, Samoa, Gaza, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, Peach, America, Rome , Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Dayton , Ohio, The Ohio

☆ He was once hailed as the pride of China. Now nationalists are coming for this Nobel laureate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Now, some of China’s most zealous online nationalists have a new target in their crosshairs: the country’s first officially recognized Nobel laureate. Mo Yan receives the 2012 Nobel Literature Prize from King Carl Gustaf of Sweden during an award ceremony on December 10, 2012 in Stockholm. He accused Wu of creating a publicity stunt by “maliciously framing” the Nobel laureate and taking his words out of context. In 2011, he was named the vice chairman of the state-run Chinese Writers Association – an appointment that could not have been made without the blessing of the party. In 2022, Sima Nan, a nationalist pundit known for his inflammatory criticism of the United States, famously accused Mo’s Nobel win of being a Western effort to smear China.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — They’ve, Mo Yan, Xi Jinping, Xi, Wu Wanzheng, Mao Xinghuo, Wu, Guan Moye, –, Mo, King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Jonathan Nackstrand, ” Zhang Yongsheng, Hu Xijin, Hu, ”, Murong Xuecun, “ Xi, Mao, Writers Association –, Liu Xiaobo, Liu, caricaturize, “, doesn’t, Sima Nan, Mo’s Nobel, ” Murong Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist Party, Communist, Getty, Red Guards, Tongji University, Global Times, Writers Association, Chinese Writers Association Locations: China, Hong Kong, Mo, Weibo, Stockholm, AFP, Shanghai, Beijing, Shandong, United States

Apple has reversed course under regulatory pressure and cleared the way for a nettlesome adversary, video game maker Epic Games, to set up an alternative store for iPhone apps in Europe. Apple attributed the change of heart to reassurances from Epic that it won't violate its requirements for getting access to iPhone owners. Epic had brazenly broke the rules in the U.S. in 2020 to trigger an antitrust lawsuit alleging Apple's App Store is a monopoly. Apple had rejected Epic's attempt to set up an account that would have allowed it to set up an alternative store for downloading iPhone apps — something that Apple has held exclusive control over for more than 15 years. Apple is demanding more than $73 million from Epic to cover its fees in the U.S. antitrust case over the App Store.

Persons: brazenly, Apple, Tim Sweeney, Sweeney Organizations: Apple, Epic, Epic Games, European Commission Locations: Europe, U.S, Sweden

The overhaul rolling out Thursday only in the Europe represents the biggest changes to the iPhone's App Store since Apple introduced the concept in 2008. Among other things, people in Europe can download iPhone apps from stores that aren't operated by Apple and are getting alternative ways to pay for in-app transactions. That came during testimony in a May 2021 trial resulting in a U.S. judge ruling that the App Store isn't a monopoly. In that decision, the judge required Apple to begin allowing links to outside payment options inside iPhone apps in the U.S. Apple still doesn't permit alternative iPhone app stores in the U.S. or more than 100 other countries outside the EU.

Persons: Apple, Tim Sweeney, Steve Jobs, Epic's Sweeney, ” Apple Organizations: Apple, Union, Digital Markets, Spotify, Epic, European Commission, U.S, Regulators, Google, Facebook, Apple Watch, Supreme, EU Locations: Europe, Apple’s, Sweden, U.S, It's

☆ Alabama Bill to Protect I.V.F. Will Reopen Clinics but Curb Patient Rights
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jan Hoffman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Alabama legislature on Wednesday is expected to pass legislation that will make it possible for fertility clinics in the state to reopen without the specter of crippling lawsuits. But the measure, hastily written and expected to pass by a huge bipartisan margin, does not address the legal question that led to clinic closings and set off a stormy, politically fraught national debate: Whether embryos that have been frozen and stored for possible future implantation have the legal status of human beings. The Alabama Supreme Court made such a finding last month, in the context of a claim against a Mobile clinic brought by three couples whose frozen embryos were inadvertently destroyed. The court ruled that, under Alabama law, those embryos should be regarded as people, and that the couples were entitled to punitive damages for the wrongful death of a child. Legal experts said the bill, which Governor Kay Ivey has signaled she will sign, would be the first in the country to create a legal moat around embryos, blocking lawsuits or prosecutions if they are damaged or destroyed.

Persons: Kay Ivey Organizations: Alabama Supreme Locations: Alabama

☆ Get Ready for the Great Trump Diaspora
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Paul Starobin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The Atlantic devoted an entire issue to the authoritarian horrors in store for America "If Trump Wins." AdvertisementA second Trump presidency, Speer said, could serve as a "catalyst" that further fuels the growing diaspora of Americans living in exile. Since 2015, Democrats Abroad, the foreign-based arm of the DNC, has nearly tripled its membership. Since 2015, Democrats Abroad, the foreign-based arm of the Democratic National Committee, has nearly tripled its membership, which now numbers in the hundreds of thousands. My wife and I are both Trump decriers, although we didn't begin our Italy property search to find a refuge from MAGA-infused America.

Persons: specter, Donald Trump —, Trump, Gallup, George W, Bush's, Barack Obama's, Doris Speer, Speer, —, Roe, Wade —, Martha McDevitt, Pugh, Emily, Francophiles, Ernest Hemingway, James Baldwin —, Nicole Kidman's, MAGA, batty, it's, John Galey, Paul Starobin Organizations: Washington Post, Trump, America, Association of Americans Resident Overseas, dodgers, DNC, Democratic National Committee, Leggett, Italy Facebook, Côte, IRS, Citizens Abroad, Los Angeles Times, New Books Network Locations: Umbria, Italy, Montana, Tuscany, Texas, Tennessee, America, Canada, Washington, Paris, United States, Iraq, Europe, Vietnam, Sedona , Arizona, Portugal, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Norway, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Golden, California, MAGA

☆ Trump Reelection a Threat to Economy, Could Stoke Inflation, Debt: Roubini
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Trump reelection in November poses the biggest looming risk to the world economy, Nouriel Roubini warned. A second Trump presidency could end up making inflation and the national debt problem even worse, Roubini said. AdvertisementTrump being reelected might be the biggest looming threat to the global economy, according to "Dr. Doom" economist Nouriel Roubini. Advertisement"With private and public debts high and rising, that would introduce the specter of a financial crisis," Roubini warned. In 2022, he warned markets of a coming stagflationary-debt crisis, which could spark a painful recession and 30% plunge in stocks.

Persons: Nouriel Roubini, Trump, Roubini, —, Doom, Trump's, Powell Organizations: Trump, Service, Project Syndicate, Commerce, Bank of America, Bloomberg Locations: Ukraine, Gaza, China

☆ The Very Busy Writer Telling Everyone to Slow Down
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jennifer Szalai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

SLOW PRODUCTIVITY: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, by Cal NewportAbout halfway through his new book, “Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout,” Cal Newport presents the example of Galileo, whose summertime visits to a villa near Padua gave him a chance to rest and reflect between scientific pursuits. “Once there,” Newport writes, “he would take long walks in the hills and enjoy sleeping in a room ingeniously air-conditioned by a series of ducts that carried in cool air from a nearby cave system.”But that “ingeniously air-conditioned” room also happened to be deadly. The glancing footnote about Galileo’s ailment gestures at something profoundly connected to Newport’s subject: the tension between contingency and control, and the specter of mortality that looms over our preoccupation with productivity and time. But Newport, who writes that the idea for this book came to him during the pandemic, isn’t inclined to explore anything so complicated. For his purposes, Galileo is just another input — an exemplar like any other.

Persons: Cal, Galileo, ” Newport, “, ”, Marie Curie, Lin, Manuel Miranda, Alanis Morissette Organizations: Cal Newport, Newport Locations: Padua, Newport, Philippines

☆ What to watch for on Super Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Gregory Krieg | Eric Bradner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Here are 9 things to watch for:The night the lights go out on HaleyBarring a stunning upset – actually, multiple stunning upsets across the country – Super Tuesday is looking like the end of the road for Haley. While Haley has said she would stay in the race through at least Super Tuesday, she has not hinted at an exit. A North Carolina governor’s race with implications up and down the ballotOn a Super Tuesday with an unusual lack of spice, the North Carolina gubernatorial primary is a rare exception. Mark Robinson and Democratic state Attorney General Josh Stein are expected to coast to their parties’ respective nominations. Down-ballot in Texas, there’s more to watch, starting with the payback campaign of Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Trump, Nikki Haley, Trump’s, Dianne Feinstein, Haley, –, Liz Cheney, she’s, “, specter, MAGA, Barack Obama, Mark Robinson, Josh Stein, Robinson, Stein, Roy Cooper, Beto O’Rourke’s, Republican Sen, Ted Cruz, Colin Allred, Cruz, Sen, Roland Gutierrez —, Allred, ’, outraising Cruz, Ken Paxton, Paxton, Dade Phelan, He’s, Dianne Feinstein —, Laphonza Butler, Steve Garvey, Adam Schiff, Schiff, Katie Porter, Barbara Lee, Garvey hasn’t, Garvey, Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Moore, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Carl, Steve Scalise, It’s, Terri Sewell, David Valadao, Michelle Steel, Young Kim, Ken Calvert’s, Katie Porter’s, Scott Baugh, Josh Harder’s, Mike Levin’s, London Breed, George Gascon, CNN’s Simone Pathe, Fredreka Schouten Organizations: CNN, South Carolina Gov, Trump, California Senate, Democrats, Haley, Trump Republicans, Wyoming, GOP, Democratic, MAGA Republicans, Virginia, North, North Carolina Republicans, Carolina governor’s, North Carolina, Republican, Gov, Texas Democrats, Cruz, NFL, Affordable, Texas Legislature, Senate, Democrat, Alabama, showdowns, 2nd, Caucus, Georgia, Louisiana Rep, Chamber of Commerce, California House, Rep, London, Supervisors, District Locations: Alaska, California, Colorado , Minnesota, North Carolina, Alabama, Gaza, Minnesota, South Carolina, Virginia, Carolina, Texas, San Antonio, Uvalde, Tuesday’s, Florida, Montana , Ohio, West Virginia, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Orange County, Francisco, Los Angeles

☆ Opinion: Why ‘My Way’ won’t go away
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. “That is the way he spoke,” Anka told Ed Masley of the Arizona Republic. It may not go his way, but the failure of Congress to approve more aid to Ukraine likely is giving Putin hope. Whether Congress chooses to provide the continued financial support Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan desperately need will go a long way toward answering this question. “If Biden wants to improve his standing with voters,” wrote Jon Gabriel, “a Brownsville photo won’t cut it.

Persons: CNN — “, ”, Frank Sinatra, “, Alexey Navalny, Paul Anka, Sinatra, …, Anka, ” Anka, Ed Masley, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Odessa Rae, Trump, Joe Biden, Jack Smith, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Julian Zelizer, Putin, Emmanuel Macron, Mark T, Esper, Russia resurges, ” Esper, Nick Anderson, Dahlia Lithwick, Steve Vladeck, Walt Handlesman, Biden, Nikki Haley, “ Biden, specter, ” David Axelrod, Haley, ” Dana Summers, Joe Biden John Halpin, Sophia Nelson, Catherine Russell, Russell, Ofri Bibas Levy, Yarden, Kibbutz Nir, Shiri Bibas, Ariel, ” Levy, Shiri, Kfir, Frida Ghitis, Drew Sheneman, Roe, ” Cupp, Katie Britt, Elena Sheppard, I’d, Betsy Ross, ” Sheppard, Dorothea Dix, Lucy Delaney, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sheppard, Kristen Kelly, Serene Williams, Clay Jones, Jon Gabriel, Gabriel, Eric Adams, Laken Riley, Raul A, Reyes, ” Don’t, David Horsey, Agency Van Jones, Ariel Dorfman, Dean Obeidallah, Shane Gillis, Noah Berlatsky, —, Kellie Carter Jackson, Lev Golinkin, Josephine Apraku, Germany Jill Filipovic, Jodie Turner, Smith, Michael Bociurkiw, Anna Arutunyan, Kirk Tanner, Jeff Yang, ” Wendy’s, ” Yang Organizations: CNN, FBI, Liberty Ball, Russia ”, Twitter, Capitol, Republicans, Senate, GOP, Trump, Republican Party, West, Tribune Content Agency Trump, Michigan Trump, Democratic, Agency, Tribune Content Agency, UNICEF, Hamas, CNN Republicans, Union, Biden, New York City, Immigration, Customs Enforcement, University of Georgia, Congressional, Stanford Locations: Moscow, Miami, Arizona Republic, Russian, Russia, Odessa, Ukraine, Michigan, “, United States, Israel, Taiwan, Washington ,, Gaza, Tribune Content Agency Gaza, Rafah, ”, Alabama, Biden’s State, Brownsville, New York, Venezuela, Germany

☆ Death Toll in Gaza Passes 30,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Victoria Kim | More About Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The death toll in Gaza passed a somber milestone on Thursday as the local health ministry reported that more than 30,000 people had been killed in the war since Oct. 7. Still, the reported figure is staggering — roughly one person killed for every 73 Palestinians in Gaza, whose population is about 2.2 million. The figures provided by the Gazan health ministry do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. In addition to bearing the risk of being killed in strikes or fighting, Palestinians are living with the growing specter of famine and disease. The health ministry has said infants have died from dehydration and malnutrition in recent days.

Persons: Israel, “, ”, Biden, CBS’s, Adhanom Ghebreyesus Organizations: Hamas, World Health Organization Locations: Gaza, Israel, ” Israel, U.S, Jerusalem

☆ Middle East Crisis Death Toll in Gaza Surpasses 30,000, Health Ministry Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Persons: Farouk, Israel, “, ”, Biden, CBS’s, Adhanom Ghebreyesus Organizations: Hamas, World Health Organization Locations: Al, Rafah, Gaza, Israel, ” Israel, U.S, Jerusalem

☆ The smart ring era is here and tech companies are fighting for your finger. Will you wear one?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The smart ring era is here. Honor, the mobile business spun out of Huawei, also announced this week that it's working on a smart ring. Avi Greengart, president and lead analyst at Techsponential, told Business Insider at MWC that Samsung's Galaxy Ring "validates the smart ring category." Rumors of an Apple smart ring have been simmering for over a decade — mostly due to a string of patents the company has filed for. There's another good reason tech companies are eyeing smart rings right now, according to IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo: subscriptions.

Persons: —, Prince Harry, Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, Jennifer Anniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Smart, they've, Oura, Avi Greengart, Apple, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Jeremy Liew, Liew Apple, Greengart, Francisco Jeronimo, Jeronimo Organizations: Samsung, Service, Mobile, Congress, MWC, Huawei, IDC, Apple, Venture, Business Locations: Barcelona, Cupertino

CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West of the risk of nuclear war if they send their own troops to fight for Ukraine, saying Moscow had the weapons to strike Western targets. In his annual state of the nation address to Russia’s elite on Thursday, Putin said claims that Russia intends to attack Europe are “nonsense” but warned that his country might strike Western countries with nuclear weapons. Putin referenced an idea floated by French President Emmanuel Macron, who on Monday said the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine “cannot be ruled out.” Several European leaders swiftly rejected the suggestion. Putin has raised the nuclear specter on several occasions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. Russia transferred tactical nuclear weapons to neighboring Belarus last year, and CNN reported this month that Russia is attempting to develop a nuclear space weapon that could destroy satellites.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Emmanuel Macron, ” Putin, “ Organizations: CNN, TASS, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Europe, Belarus, Avdiivka, Finland, Sweden

☆ Shares of NYCB fall 14% after bank discloses 'internal controls' issue, CEO change
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The regional bank announced that Alessandro DiNello, its executive chairman, is taking on the roles of president and CEO, effective immediately. Shares of New York Community Bancorp fell 14% in extended trading Thursday after the regional lender announced a leadership change and disclosed issues with its internal controls. The bank also announced an amendment to its fourth quarter results, adding a disclosure about its internal risk management. The specter of loan losses reignited fears about the state of the commercial real estate market and regional banks more broadly. Several regional banks failed in 2023 after customers and investors became uneasy about the value of the debt on bank balance sheets, including Silicon Valley Bank.

Persons: Alessandro DiNello, NYCB, DiNello, we've, Marshall Lux, Hanif Dahya, Lux, JP Morgan Organizations: York Community Bank, New York Community Bancorp, Flagstar Bank, Moody's Investors Service, Chase Consumer Bank, JP, Silicon Valley Bank Locations: Brooklyn, New York City, Silicon

☆ Secret military files reveal when Russia would consider using nuclear weapons, including the destruction of 20% of its ballistic missile submarines: FT
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Lloyd Lee | Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe Kremlin has considered a broad range of scenarios for when the country should go nuclear, leaked Russian military files obtained by The Financial Times showed. The 29 leaked files pertain to tactical nuclear weapons and are dated from 2008 to 2014, meaning they're at least 10 years old. Meanwhile, China has publicly maintained that it adheres to a "no first use" nuclear policy and would only use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack. The FT reported that a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin challenged the "authenticity" of the documents when asked about the nuclear files. Chinese and Western diplomatic officials previously told The Financial Times that Xi personally warned Putin against a nuclear war.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Russia's, China's Xi, Xi Organizations: Service, The Financial, Business, Financial Times, FT Locations: Russia, Moscow, China, Beijing, Ukraine

Reliable and affordable food and commodity imports are more important to a net food importer like Kenya than to some other countries. Perhaps more importantly, a critical part of the world's food supply system remains disrupted, undermining food security and raising the underlying costs of cross-border trade. The governments of Kenya and Ukraine are also working together on food security. Meanwhile, Russia's own efforts to play a part in rebuilding food security have been more a public relations exercise than real action. Although Russian sources have claimed that such shipments have begun, there is still little evidence of Russian food aid arriving in Africa.

Persons: Timothy Njagi Njeru, Kalya Kiptiony, Dr Abraham Korir SingOei, William Ruto, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia's, Dr Njeru, Lensa Omune Organizations: Tegemeo Institute, Kenyan, Initiative, Kenya's Ministry of Foreign, Diaspora Affairs, International Food Policy Research Institute, Insider Studios, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Locations: East Africa, Ukraine, Kenya, Russian, Nairobi, Russia, Africa, Horn, Port, Mombasa

Supporters of the state laws say they foster free speech, giving the public access to all points of view. One contrarian brief, from liberal professors, urged the justices to uphold the key provision of the Texas law despite the harm they said it would cause. “Social media platforms exercise editorial judgment that is inherently expressive,” Judge Kevin C. Newsom wrote for the panel. To the surprise of many, some prominent liberal professors filed a brief urging the justices to uphold a key provision of the Texas law. In the second case, Miami Herald v. Tornillo, the Supreme Court in 1974 struck down a Florida law that would have allowed politicians a “right to reply” to newspaper articles critical of them.

Persons: Samuel A, Alito Jr, ”, Scott Wilkens, Ron DeSantis, John Tully, Donald J, Trump, Greg Abbott of, —, Ken Paxton, “, Andrew S, Oldham, Kevin C, Newsom, Lawrence Lessig, Tim Wu of, Teachout, Mandel Ngan, Richard L, “ Florida’s, Moody, Paxton, Robins, William H, Rehnquist, Pat L, Tornillo, Warren E, Burger Organizations: Facebook, YouTube, Columbia University, Big Tech, The New York Times, Gov, Republican, Computer & Communications Industry, New York Times, Fox News, U.S ., Appeals, Fifth Circuit, ISIS, Harvard, Tim Wu of Columbia, Zephyr, Fordham, Twitter, Manchester Union, Citizens United, Agence France, University of California, Miami Herald, Florida, Representatives, Constitution Locations: Florida, Texas, Greg Abbott of Texas, Ukraine, Los Angeles, Campbell , Calif

☆ Congressman presses Elon Musk to provide SpaceX satellite services for US defense forces in Taiwan, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( John L. Dorman | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Congressman is urging Elon Musk to give SpaceX Starshield access to US forces in Taiwan. AdvertisementElon Musk is facing pressure to provide SpaceX's Starshield satellite network to US defense personnel in Taiwan, according to Forbes. However, the outlet described a "group of US lawmakers" were involved in the calls for Musk to provide satellite access to US defense forces in Taiwan. The letter then called on Musk to brief the select panel regarding Starshield's capabilities in Taiwan by March 8, Forbes reported. The request could present challenges for Musk, who has considerable business ties in China, where Tesla has a significant manufacturing presence.

Persons: Elon Musk, Forbes, —, Elon, Mike Gallagher, Musk, Gallagher, Taiwan's, Lai Ching, Tesla, hasn't, Joseph Wu Organizations: SpaceX, Service, Forbes ., Forbes . Wisconsin GOP, US Defense Department, Forbes, Street, Chinese Communist Party, New York Times, United States Congress, Times, Business Locations: Taiwan, China, Forbes, Forbes . Wisconsin, Russian, Starshield, Hong Kong

☆ China’s coast guard has triggered ‘panic’ in Taiwan. That’s only part of Beijing’s plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Nectar Gan | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“It’s super scary,” a passenger told Taiwan’s United Daily News in a video upon returning to shore under the escort of a Taiwanese coast guard ship on Monday. “(The Chinese coast guard) chose a tourist vessel because it’s high profile – you would expect lots of people on the boat with cameras and phones,” he said. The stakes are high, as the increased presence and closer proximity of Chinese and Taiwanese coast guard vessels raise the specter of miscalculations that could potentially spiral into open conflict. Speaking to reporters about the inspection by the Chinese coast guard, Taiwan’s Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-kcheng highlighted such risks, saying the defense ministry is “very concerned” about potential miscalculations. Taiwan's coast guard inspects a vessel that capsized during a chase off the coast of Kinmen on February 14, 2024.

Persons: King Xia, ” Kuan, Taiwan’s, Ian Chong, Chong, ”, “ They’re, Chiu Kuo, Lai Ching, China’s, Nancy Pelosi’s, Tian Feilong, It’s, Tian, “, Lai Organizations: Taipei CNN, Taiwan’s United Daily News, Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, Democratic Progressive Party, National University of Singapore, South China, Taiwan’s, Taiwan Coast Guard Administration Locations: Hong Kong, Taipei, Taiwanese, Kinmen, China’s, Beijing, Taiwan, Xiamen, China, East, South, Taiwan's, Nauru, Taiwan Strait

☆ Trump will quit NATO, Hillary Clinton says, as anxiety mounts over U.S. commitment to the alliance
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"He will pull us out of NATO," Clinton told attendees during a lunchtime session. watch nowU.S. Republican Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, on Saturday dismissed talk of the U.S. quitting NATO, saying: "We have answered that question." Clinton said, however, that Trump could actually just refuse to fund the alliance. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte earlier Saturday referenced constant "moaning and whining" at the event about the future of NATO under Trump. Indeed, Germany's defense minister said that his country's commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense should be just the start, noting that the threshold could rise to 3.5% if necessary.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Raedle, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, doesn't, Jim Risch, Trump, Europe's, Mark Rutte, Olaf Scholz, Mette Frederiksen, Frederiksen, Jens Stoltenberg, CNBC's Silvia Amaro Organizations: U.S, Getty, NATO, Saturday, White, Munich Security Conference, Trump, Congress, Republican, Foreign Relations, United States Senate, CNBC, U.S . House, Representatives, Dutch, Danish Locations: Lago, West Palm Beach , Florida, MUNICH, Germany, U.S, Russia, Munich, Ukraine, Europe, NATO, United States

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