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☆ Poland Extends Border Controls With Slovakia to Stem Illegal Migration
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland has extended border controls with Slovakia until March 2 to try to stop illegal migrants entering from Slovak territory, the interior ministry said on Friday. "Due to the continuing threat of illegal migration... the Minister of Interior and Administration extended the temporary reintroduction of border control on the section of the state border with the Slovak Republic for the period from February 2 to March 2, 2024," it said. Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria all tightened their borders with Slovakia on Oct. 4. The Czech Republic said this week it would end temporary controls on its border with Slovakia. Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria are all part of Europe's open-border Schengen zone.

Persons: Anna Wlodarczak, Nick Macfie Organizations: of Interior, Administration, European Union Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Slovakia, Slovak Republic, East, Afghanistan, Europe, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, EU, Czech Republic, Austria, Israel, Gaza

☆ Opinion | Think the Baby Bust Was Bad Before? Just Look at It Now.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Peter Coy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The baby bust that we all know about has gotten worse in a way that isn’t yet widely understood. And they have continued to fall since, according to a report to clients by James Pomeroy, a global economist for HSBC, the London-based bank. It’s titled, “The Baby Bust Intensifies: How Bad Could It Get?” (Sorry, no link.) Pomeroy didn’t wait for the official data collectors such as the United Nations to assemble data trickling in from national statistical agencies. In most of the countries for which Pomeroy managed to get data, the total number of births continued to fall steeply in 2023.

Persons: James Pomeroy, Pomeroy didn’t, ” Pomeroy, Pomeroy Organizations: HSBC, United Nations Locations: London, United States, Czech Republic, Ireland, Poland

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech Republic’s government signed an agreement with the United States on Monday to acquire 24 U.S. F-35 fighter jets as part of a deal worth about 150 billion Czech koruna ($6.6 billion), the biggest single purchase for the Czech military. The Czech government approved the deal in September. The first of the 24 fighter jets should be delivered in 2031, with the rest by 2035. The American aircraft will replace the 14 JAS-39 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden that are currently used by the Czech army. The Czech ministry has been negotiating the deal with the U.S. for more than a year during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Jana Černochová, Bijan Sabet, ” Černochová, JAS, Černochová, Karel Rehka Organizations: U.S, Czech, Czech Defense Ministry, American, Gripen Locations: PRAGUE, Czech, United States, Sweden, Czech Republic, Ukraine

☆ Tiger Global-backed Productboard conducts third round of layoffs in two years, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Now, Productboard has begun another round of layoffs, the scale of which is unknown as yet, the former staffers said. Startups and Big Tech companies alike have slashed their wage bills as the high-interest rate environment encourages businesses to prioritize sustainability over growth. AdvertisementIn January alone, 76 tech companies have laid off 21,370 employees, according to tracker site Layoffs.fyi.

Persons: —, Productboard, Daniel Hejl, Hubert Palan, Kleiner Perkins, Palan, Productboard's headcount Organizations: Service, Business, Tiger Global, Dragoneer, Microsoft, Volkswagen, Sequoia, Bessemer Venture Partners, Index Ventures, Big Tech, Bloomberg, LinkedIn Locations: San Francisco, Czech Republic, Silicon Valley, Sequoia Capital, Productboard

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Veteran Indian player Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden have advanced to their second consecutive Grand Slam men's doubles final. Bopanna and Ebden, now ranked second in men's doubles, lost to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in the U.S. Open final last September. Tournament officials said Thursday that Ebden and Bopanna, at combined ages of 79 years, will become the oldest No. In the first women's doubles semifinal, Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan and Elise Mertens of Belgium, the No. The other women's doubles semifinal will be played Friday ahead of Sunday's final.

Persons: Rohan Bopanna, Matthew Ebden, Zhang Zhizhen, Tomas Machac, Rod Laver, Rajeev Ram, Joe Salisbury, Zhang, Machac, ” Ebden, “ I’ve, We’ve, Ebden, Simone Bolelli, Andrea Vavassori, Yannick Hanfmann, Dominik Koepfer, Hsieh Su, Elise Mertens, Belgium, Storm Hunter, Australia, Katerina Siniakova, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Daryna Yastremska, Zheng Qinwen Organizations: — Veteran, U.S Locations: MELBOURNE, Australia, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Taiwan

☆ Rohan Bopanna: At the age of 43, Indian tennis star is making history – with a little help from Iyengar yoga
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Rohan Bopanna is set to become the world’s oldest No.1 tennis player in history at the age of 43 – with a little help from Iyengar yoga. Bopanna and Ebden defeated Tomas Machac of Czech Republic and Zhang Zhizhen of China on the 12th day of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2024. Bopanna attributed yoga, which he started practising during the Covid-19 pandemic, as helping improve his tennis in recent years. But with a local studio near his home, Bopanna tried Iyengar yoga, which he practiced four times a week for 90 minutes. Next, second-seeded Bopanna and Australian Ebden will face Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassor as the Indian seeks his first major title, and the Australian his second.

Persons: CNN — Rohan Bopanna, –, Matthew Ebden, Maximo Gonzalez, Andres Molteni, Tomas Machac, Zhang Zhizhen, “, ” Bopanna, you’re, Bopanna, ”, Ebden, Andy Cheung, Eric Butorac, Iyengar, Simone Bolelli, Andrea Vavassor, Max Purcell, Matt it’s Organizations: CNN, Iyengar, Melbourne Park, Los Angeles, Indian, Wimbledon, Asian, Paris Olympics Locations: Czech Republic, China, India, Australian

☆ Ukrainian teenage tennis player ‘too emotional and confused’ when shaking hands with Russian opponent, says Dayana Yastremska
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Ukrainian tennis player Dayana Yastremska said that her teenage compatriot Yelyzaveta Kotliar was likely to have been “too emotional and confused” when shaking hands with a Russian opponent. The 16-year-old Kotliar was competing in the first round of the Australian Open junior girls’ singles competition when she shook hands with Russian player Vlada Mincheva at the net. Ukrainian Tennis Federation/FacebookSince the start of the war, Russian and Belarusian tennis players have continued to play at tournaments and grand slams but must do so as neutrals without their flag or country displayed. ‘Nice to make history’On Wednesday, meanwhile, the 23-year-old Yastremska continued her stunning run at the Australian Open by defeating the Czech Republic’s Linda Nosková 6-3 6-4. I was a little bit nervous, but at the same time tired.”Yastremska will face China’s Zheng Qinwen in the Australian Open final four on Thursday.

Persons: Dayana Yastremska, Yelyzaveta Kotliar, Kotliar, Vlada Mincheva, Yastremska, “, Kostiantyn, Liza, ”, ” Yelyzaveta Kotliar, Linda Nosková, I’m, Zheng Qinwen Organizations: CNN, Australian Open, Ukrainian Tennis Federation, Facebook, ‘ Locations: Ukrainian, Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Melbourne, Belarusian, Czech

☆ I'm a widow who sold everything to move from Texas to Lake Como. I decided long ago that I wouldn't let fear dictate my life.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Mark Ellwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Judy Walling, a 68-year-old retired real-estate agent living in Italy. I'm a retired widow with no children, but I decided long ago that I wouldn't miss out on anything just because I don't have a partner. I booked another group trip to Italy and then bought a Eurail passWalling. I took a group trip to Italy in August 2019 with 10 people and took side trips to get my feet wet. After the group trip, I took my pass and traveled all over Italy.

Persons: Judy Walling, —, Bill Walling, I'm, Walling, it's, Julia Roberts, Ugh, I've Organizations: Service, Kansas City, Lake Locations: Italy, Como, Iowa, Kansas, Florida, Santa Fe , New Mexico, Europe, France, Austin, Munich, Svinná, Czech Republic, Bellagio, Lake Como, Texas, Costa Rica, Missouri

☆ Israeli, Palestinian Ministers to Attend Meeting Where EU Will Push for Peace
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Andrew GrayBRUSSELS (Reuters) - The Israeli and Palestinian foreign ministers are to meet their European Union counterparts on Monday as the EU considers potential steps toward a comprehensive peace between the two sides even as the war in Gaza rages on. Israel's Israel Katz and Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki will take part separately in a regular meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels largely devoted to the Middle East but also taking stock of the war in Ukraine. But both parties would be consulted at every step of the talks as delegates sought to draw up a peace plan, the document suggests. The internal document, seen by multiple news organisations including Reuters, makes clear one key goal of a peace plan should be the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, "living side by side with Israel in peace and security". EU officials acknowledge Israeli officials and diplomats currently display no interest in the so-called two-state solution but insist it is the only option for long-term peace.

Persons: Andrew Gray BRUSSELS, Israel's Israel Katz, Riyad al, Maliki, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Joe Biden, Andrew Gray, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: European Union, EU, Palestinian, League of Arab, Hamas, League of, United Nations, Reuters, U.S Locations: Gaza, Brussels, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Palestinian, EU, League of Arab, United States, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary

☆ Why Calvin Klein ads still get people talking
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Joan Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The strategy was classic Calvin Klein, a brand which has been synonymous with sexy, conversation-starting campaigns since the 1970s. From Calvin KleinBut the White ads were just the start of the headlines for Calvin Klein. Adorning a New York City phonebooth, Mark Wahlberg is seen in a 1992 Calvin Klein campaign. Meanwhile, no one besides the ASA seems to be admonishing Calvin Klein over the FKA Twigs ads. For Calvin Klein, both sets of ads are an example of that old adage — there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

Persons: CNN —, Jeremy Allen White’s, Calvin Klein, —, Calvin, White, Bottega, Kendall Jenner, FKA, “, Milan Jaros, Kate Moss, Brooke Shields, innuendos, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, ”, Matt Kissane, Landor, Calvin Klein’s, Moss, Wahlberg, Marky Mark ”, Justin Bieber’s, Justin Bieber's Calvin Klein, Stacy Walsh Rosenstock, he’s, popstar Rosalía, Amy Kommatas, Jenner, Hadid, Allen Adamson, Alas, Adamson, Henry McGee, Launchmetrics, Jeremy Allen White, “ They’ve Organizations: The, Fashion, CNN, Authority, Standards Agency, Standards Authority, ASA, Bloomberg, Getty, Hulu, Business, US Justice Department Locations: SoHo, Prague, Czech Republic, Zara, York's, Los Angeles, New York City

☆ A Chicago artist says his viral tweet of a 'rat hole' helped pay his rent in a day
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chicago artist Winslow Dumaine's post showing a rat-shaped hole in the ground went viral. AdvertisementA Chicago artist posted a photo of a rat-shaped hole in the ground, and it ended up going so viral that it helped him pay his rent. "Had to make a.pilgrimage to the Chicago Rat Hole," Dumaine wrote in the post, which has since garnered 5 million views and over 136,000 likes. Had to make a pilgrimage to the Chicago Rat Hole pic.twitter.com/g4P44nvJ1f — Gatorade Should Be Thicker. AdvertisementThe 32-year-old told Business Insider in an email that a friend had told him to "keep an eye out for the rat hole" while walking together in Roscoe Village.

Persons: Winslow Dumaine's, Dumaine, —, Winslow Dumaine, g4P44nvJ1f —, I'm Organizations: Service, g4P44nvJ1f — Gatorade, Block, Chicago Locations: Chicago, Roscoe Village, Downtown Chicago, China, France, Rome, Czech Republic, Vietnam, Temu

☆ The world’s most powerful passports for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —In a big shakeup of a quarterly ranking of the world’s most powerful passports, an unprecedented six countries are tied in the top spot for the hottest travel documents for 2024. The United States and Canada, meanwhile, are tied in seventh place, along with Hungary, with visa-free access to 188 destinations. “The average number of destinations travelers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024,” says Kaelin. Portugal is at No.4 on the Henley Passport Index and Arton Capital's Passport Index. Arton’s Global Passport Power Rank 2024 puts the United Arab Emirates in the top spot, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 180.

Persons: Christian, Kaelin, ”, Tamas Gabor, iStockphoto, It’s, Arton Capital’s, Armand Arton, that’s, Arton Organizations: CNN, Henley & Partners, International Air Transport Association, South Korea, United, United Arab Emirates, Henley, United Nations Locations: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, London, Europe, Finland, Sweden, –, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, United Kingdom, Greece, Malta, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Czechia, Poland, United States, Canada, Hungary, United Arab, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Palestinian, Territories, Monaco, Albania, South Korea, Czech Republic , New Zealand, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Iceland

☆ My family has traveled to 20 states and 20 countries. My young kids have been everywhere from Colombia, to Turks and Caicos, to Florida.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( Taryn White | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

My parents introduced me to traveling with road trips, and I've done the same with my kids. AdvertisementAs a child, I eagerly awaited the annual road trips across the US with my parents and two siblings. On our trips, we've learned everything from the art of lei-making in Maui to the Black history of Cartagena. In 2018, Taryn White and her family went to Medellin, Colombia, and stopped to enjoy some colorful street art. Taryn White and her family have been all over the world together, from Aspen to Turks and Caicos.

Persons: I've, —, we've, they're, Taryn White, it's, We've, Hvar's Organizations: Service, Virginia, Virginia Aquarium Locations: Myrtle Beach, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Maui, Cartagena, Portugal, Bahamas, Medellin, Colombia, Aspen, Bend, Shenandoah, Virginia Beach, Bradenton , Florida, Caicos, Grace Bay, Douro, Algarve, Turks, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Prague, Budapest, Hvar

☆ Germany to Extend Border Controls With Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany plans to extend its border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland to stem a migration surge and combat people-smuggling until Dec. 15, a spokesperson for the interior ministry said on Monday. Berlin will notify the European Commission of the extension, the spokesperson told a regular news conference in Berlin. The ministry believes stationary police measures at the Polish border should continue in particular, he said, adding that those measures had led to the prevention of around 1,100 unauthorised entries since they came into force on Oct. 16. Germany announced the stricter controls on its land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in response to a sharp increase of first-time asylum requests this year. (Reporting by Rachel More; editing by Matthias Williams)

Persons: Rachel More, Matthias Williams Organizations: BERLIN, European Commission Locations: Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Berlin, Polish

☆ Germany to extend border controls with Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Police patrol at a highway near the German-Polish border to prevent illegal migration near Bademeusel, Germany September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Germany plans to extend its border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland to stem a migration surge and combat people-smuggling until Dec. 15, a spokesperson for the interior ministry said on Monday. Berlin will notify the European Commission of the extension, the spokesperson told a regular news conference in Berlin. Germany announced the stricter controls on its land borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in response to a sharp increase of first-time asylum requests this year. Reporting by Rachel More; editing by Matthias WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lisi Niesner, Rachel More, Matthias Williams Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Bademeusel, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Berlin, Polish

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States committed Saturday to the idea of phasing out coal power plants, joining 56 other nations in kicking the coal habit that's a huge factor in global warming. U.S. Special Envoy John Kerry announced that America was joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance, which means the Biden Administration commits to building no new coal plants and phasing out existing plants. The amount of coal burned in the United States last year is less than half what it was in 2008. The Powering Past Coal Alliance started six years ago and had 50 country members until Saturday when the United States and six others joined, said alliance spokeswoman Anna Drazkiewicz. "Joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance reiterates Kosovo’s clear commitment and ongoing efforts towards a socially just and clean energy sector.”___Read more of AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment.

Persons: John Kerry, Biden, “, ” Kerry, ”, Alden Meyer, mell, ” Meyer, Anna Drazkiewicz, Artane Rizvanolli, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Special, America, Past Coal Alliance, Biden Administration, U.S . Department of Energy, U.S . Energy Information Administration, The U.S, Past, Alliance, Twitter, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, United States, U.S, China, India, pell, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Kosovo

☆ Exclusive: EU nuclear agency sees some Russia imports up again in 2023 from before Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Its overall imports from Russia's nuclear energy industry held steady last year despite rising demand for nuclear power driven by high energy costs and a push to cut carbon emissions. The trend highlights challenges EU faces in reaching its long-term goal of achieving VVER fuel self-sufficiency. EU imports of natural uranium from Russia fell 16% last year from 2021, a drop compensated by increase in deliveries from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, ESA said. In 2022, the EU's Russian nuclear energy imports were worth around 750 million euros ($823 mln), or 1% of the bloc's Russian gas imports, according the European Commission. Sources said, however, that the proposal - which is not public - does not include sanctions on Russia's nuclear energy industry.

Persons: Radovan Stoklasa, ESA's, Stefano Ciccarello, Ciccarello, Finland's, Gabriela Baczynska, Anne Kauranen, Timothy Gardner, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Union, Euratom Supply Agency, ESA, Reuters, U.S, Westinghouse, Commission, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Mochovce, Slovakia, Russia, BRUSSELS, Russian, Moscow, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, France, Sweden, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Europe, United States, Brussels, Helsinki, Washington, Budapest

On a rainy night in June, President Biden toasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India during a state dinner at the White House, celebrating “two great friends, and two great powers” — a gesture of flattery for a leader he has enlisted to help the United States check China’s ambition and counter Russia’s aggression. According to the White House, the president had no idea that a significant test to that relationship was unfolding, even during the state visit. On June 22, as Mr. Biden pulled out all of the diplomatic stops to bring Mr. Modi closer, a senior official in the Indian government was offering the “go ahead” approving the murder-for-hire plot surrounding a Sikh American on U.S. soil, according to a Justice Department indictment filed in a federal court in New York Wednesday. There was one flaw: The hit man turned out to be an undercover law enforcement officer, prosecutors said, and the plot was foiled. The suspect, an Indian national accused of trying to arrange the killing, was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30, eight days after the state dinner.

Persons: Biden, Narendra Modi, ”, Modi Organizations: India, White Locations: United States, American, New York, Czech Republic

☆ Man charged in alleged plot by Indian government official to assassinate U.S. citizen
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

(Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)Federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced murder-for-hire charges against a man related to an alleged plot by an Indian government official to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. Nikhil Gupta, a 52-year-old Indian national, is charged in federal court in Manhattan with two criminal counts related to the ultimately foiled murder plot, a newly unsealed court filing shows. The Indian government official who allegedly directed the murder plot has called himself a "Senior Field Officer" with responsibilities in "Security Management" and "Intelligence," according to the DOJ. Gupta allegedly then helped broker a deal for the Indian government official to pay the purported hitman $100,000 for the assassination. The government official fed personal information about the victim to Gupta and asked for regular updates about the progress of the murder plot.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Biden's, Biden, Kevin Dietsch, Nikhil Gupta, Gupta, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Justin Trudeau, Nijjar, William Burns, National Intelligence Avril Haines Organizations: U.S . Department of Justice, The Justice Department, ., Department of Justice, New York City ., New York Times, Washington Post, Justice, DOJ, Indian, Intelligence, U.S, Sikh, New, Canadian, CIA, National Intelligence, Indian Embassy Locations: WASHINGTON, DC, Washington ,, U.S, New York City, Manhattan, Czech Republic, Punjab, India, British Columbia, Canada, New Delhi

☆ An Indian government official directed a plot to assassinate a Sikh US citizen on American soil, feds say — and more attempts were planned
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementA member of the Indian government directed a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen on American soil, according to a newly unsealed federal indictment. Students give final touches to paintings of US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at an art school in Mumbai on September 5, 2023, ahead of the two-day G20 summit in New Delhi. President Joe Biden personally raised the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in September, according to the Financial Times. In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India's government of being involved in the attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India welcomes US President Joe Biden for the 2023 G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi.

Persons: —, Nikhil Gupta, Gurpatwant Singh, Gupta, Pannum, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Giorgia Meloni, PUNIT PARANJPE, Getty Images Biden, William Burns, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Pannum's, Justin Trudeau, India's, Hardeep Singh, Trudeau, Dan Kitwood, Affairs didn't, GUPTA, Punnam Organizations: Justice Department, Service, Indian, Washington Post, Department, Prosecutors, Italian, Getty Images, Financial Times, CIA, National Intelligence, Justice, Financial, Canadian, of, India, White, India's Ministry, Affairs, Getty Locations: Canada, India, Manhattan, Punjab, New Delhi, New York City, California, Czech Republic, Mumbai, AFP, United States, China, Surrey, of India

CNN —US federal prosecutors have charged an Indian national in an alleged murder-for-hire plot to try to assassinate a Sikh political activist in New York City, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in Canada in June, and the Canadian government said it had credible information linking India to the murder. People stomp on an Indian flag and a cutout of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during a Sikh rally outside the Indian consulate in Toronto to raise awareness for the Indian government's alleged involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia on September 25, 2023. Cole Burston/AFP/Getty ImagesNijjar and Pannun were associates, US prosecutors say, as they were both leaders of the Sikh separatist movement. The Indian official gave Gupta Pannun’s home address, phone numbers and details on his daily activities, prosecutors allege.

Persons: Nikhil Gupta, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Gupta, “, ” Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Narendra Modi, Cole Burston, Pannun, Nijjar, Nijjar “, – Organizations: CNN, Justice, Indian, Getty Locations: New York City, New York, India, Czech Republic, Canada, Toronto, British Columbia, AFP

☆ A Video Game That Doubles as a World War I History Lesson
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Samuel Horti | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When the video game producer Petr Kolar and his future colleagues made a research trip to the Legiovlak, a replica World War I-era train that chugs around the Czech Republic, he noted the pristine Czechoslovak Legion uniforms worn by the museum guides. “The Legion were like gentlemen fighting,” said Kolar, who co-founded Ashborne Games after that visit. That’s one of the reasons 70,000 men could control the whole Trans-Siberian Railway.”Foregrounding historical accuracy was a priority for Ashborne’s first original game, Last Train Home, which retells the Legion’s rolling evacuation eastward across Russia in the embers of the war. Its journey for homebound ships at the port of Vladivostok was tangled in Russia’s internal conflict between Bolshevik and anti-Bolshevik armies. World War II has been the dominant historical battlefield in video games, from the Medal of Honor franchise and early Call of Duty titles to Hell Let Loose, a multiplayer recreation of the war’s various fronts that pits two teams of 50 against each other.

Persons: Petr Kolar, ”, Kolar, “ Organizations: Ashborne Games, Siberian Railway, Bolshevik Locations: Czech Republic, Russia, Vladivostok

☆ ‘I have frozen my penis,’ says Swedish cross-country skier Calle Halfvarsson after racing in icy temperatures
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Swedish cross-country skier Calle Halfvarsson experienced an unusual but not unheard-of consequence of competing in icy temperatures in Finland at the weekend. After taking part in the 20-kilometer World Cup event in Ruka, Halfvarsson said that he had to take shelter in the warmth after sustaining a frozen penis. According to Reuters, temperatures dropped to a chilly five degrees Farenheit (-15 degrees Celsius) at the start of the race. For real,” Halfvarsson told Swedish outlet Expressen. Leindholm, like Halfvarsson, had also previously experienced a frozen penis while competing in Ruka.

Persons: Halfvarsson, ” Halfvarsson, it’s, Jan Thomas Jenssen, Michel Novák, Harald Østberg Amundsen, Finland’s Remi Leindholm, ” Prince Harry, Kate Middleton Organizations: CNN, Calle, Expressen, Ruka Locations: Swedish, Finland, Ruka, Czech, Beijing

PRAGUE (AP) — Labor unions staged a day of protests and strikes across the Czech Republic on Monday to voice their opposition to the government’s package of cuts and austerity measures meant to keep the ballooning deficit under control. The unions are also demanding more money for the education and healthcare sectors and are protesting proposed changes to the pension system. Some 74% or over 7,200 nursery, elementary and high schools across the country were either fully or partially closed Monday in the biggest such protest since the establishment of the Czech Republic in 1993, unions said. Among other measures, Czechs will pay more taxes on alcoholic beverages, including beer, and on medicine. According to the government, the measures should reduce the budget deficit by 97 billion Czech crowns ($4.3 billion) next year and by 150 billion ($6.7 billion) in 2025.

Persons: Petr Fiala, ” Fiala, Petr Pavel, Andrej Babis, Babis Organizations: — Labor, Auto, Fiala’s, ANO Locations: PRAGUE, Czech Republic

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. The agreement is non-binding and carries mostly general recommendations such as monitoring AI systems for abuse, protecting data from tampering and vetting software suppliers. In addition to the United States and Britain, the 18 countries that signed on to the new guidelines include Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Australia, Chile, Israel, Nigeria and Singapore. It does not tackle thorny questions around the appropriate uses of AI, or how the data that feeds these models is gathered. Europe is ahead of the United States on regulations around AI, with lawmakers there drafting AI rules.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Biden, Raphael Satter, Diane Bartz, Alexandra Alper, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Sunday, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency, Congress, White, Thomson Locations: United States, Britain, U.S, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Australia, Chile, Israel, Nigeria, Singapore, Europe, France

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