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☆ North Carolina judges block GOP effort to reshape state’s election boards
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Fredreka Schouten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A bipartisan panel of judges in North Carolina has ruled that the Republican-controlled state legislature improperly tried to seize control of state and local election boards from Democratic Gov. The state Board of Elections, for instance, currently has three Democrats and two Republicans. Previous efforts by Republicans in the General Assembly to change the makeup of election boards have been rejected by the courts, and by voters in a 2018 referendum. Republican state lawmakers who pushed the change had argued that it would bring bipartisan balance to decision-making around elections. Several lawmakers had accused state election officials of reaching a “collusive settlement” with Democratic litigants to extend the deadline to count absentee ballots during the 2020 election.

Persons: Roy Cooper –, North Carolina’s, –, Cooper, “ infringes, ”, ” Lauren Horsch, Sen, Phil Berger, What’s, Paul Newton, you’ve, Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Democratic Gov, Republicans, State, North, North Carolina General, Assembly, North Carolina Senate, ” Locations: North Carolina, ”, Carolina

CNN —“Ireland, we are at war,” UFC star Conor McGregor declared to his millions of social media followers on November 22, 2023. This comes after the Garda – as Ireland’s police are known – told CNN there were 231 anti-immigration related public gatherings in 2023. A working-class boy from Dublin, McGregor was driven by a desire to become world champion in a sport relatively unknown in Ireland. Political analysts and far-right experts have told CNN that McGregor’s unique brand of Irish patriotism that won him supporters as a fighter has mutated into a strand of “far-right” Irish nationalism. O’Keefe regularly writes to McGregor on X, calling him “President McGregor.” O’Keefe did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Conor McGregor, It’s, McGregor, Ciarán, ” O’Connor, McGregor’s, “, Petery Murphy, Paul Murphy, –, Murphy, Drew Harris, ” Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, Stacy Revere, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, ” Ewan MacKenna, ” McGregor, Patrick T, Fallon, ’, “ McGregor, Matthew Donoghue, Megan Briggs, Mick O’Keefe, O’Keefe, ” O’Keefe, Keith Woods, lambasts, Woods, Nick Fuentes ’, Fuentes –, Padraig Pearse, Artur Widak, Europe’s, Heidi Beirich, ” Donoghue Organizations: CNN, CNN — “, ” UFC, Institute for Strategic, Police, Flames, Getty, Irish, People, Profit, Irish National Party, Irish Freedom Party, Garda, Local, UFC, Guardian, Mobile, Forbes, Labour, RTÉ, Central Statistics Office Ireland, Ireland, University College Dublin, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, Kaseya Center, North, American White, Blacks, Leinster House, ”, Global, Twitter Locations: CNN — “ Ireland, Dublin, Irish, Ireland, Algeria, AFP, Las Vegas , Nevada, It’s, East Wall, Miami , Florida, North America, American, “ Ireland, Europe’s “, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden

☆ Racking up frequent flyer miles has turned into a competition that has couples saying 'game on', WSJ reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Some "friendly competition is always good," American Airlines told WSJ. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Tracy hopes to jump from Gold to Platinum status on the AAdvantage loyalty program. Chris Isaac, director of American Airlines' AAdvantage program, told the Journal, "We certainly don't want to sow marital discord. AdvertisementAn American Airlines spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.

Persons: —, Gil, Tracy Sternbach, Tracy, Chris Isaac Organizations: American Airlines, Service, Delta, Wall Street Journal, Flyers Locations: Florida

☆ 'Sick and deranged': Biden campaign blasts Trump MAGA PAC over ad suggesting president might die
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The campaign of President Joe Biden on Thursday condemned a new ad from a Donald Trump-aligned political action committee that suggests the president might die if he is re-elected. "We can all see Joe Biden's weakness," a narrator says while ominous music plays over the video. Harris, due to her constitutional office, would become president if Biden were to die. Biden, 81, is the oldest person ever elected president. If the Democrat is re-elected this fall, his term will end in January 2029, when he will be 86 years old.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, stammering, Joe, Kamala Harris, Biden, Harris Organizations: Inc, MAGA Inc, Biden's, Air Force, Biden, Democrat, NBC News Locations: Biden's State

☆ TikTok: House panel unanimously approves bill that could ban app from US app stores
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

If enacted, the bill would give ByteDance 165 days, or a little more than five months, to sell TikTok. The legislation also has the support of the White House and House Speaker Mike Johnson. House lawmakers voted unanimously in the same session Thursday to advance a second bill, one that would limit US companies’ ability to sell Americans’ personal information to foreign adversaries. Speaking to reporters on the Capitol steps Thursday, Gallagher rejected characterizations of the bill as a TikTok ban. A legislative factsheet from the sponsors of the House bill claims the proposal does not censor speech.

Persons: ”, TikTok, Shou Chew, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Frank Pallone, “, ” Pallone, Shou Zi Chew, Jose Luis Magana, Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Johnson, Steve Scalise, Washington Sen, Maria Cantwell, ” Cantwell, Gallagher, “ It’s, Dan Crenshaw, It’s, ” Crenshaw, snoop, ByteDance, Trump, Tom Williams, —, “ We’re, Jenna Leventoff, Stephanie Joyce, ” CNN’s Haley Talbot, Melanie Zanona Organizations: Washington CNN, TikTok, House Energy, Commerce, Apple, Google, “, Washington Republican, New, New Jersey Rep, Capitol, Wisconsin Republican, Illinois Democratic Rep, White, Senate, Democratic, Washington, CNN, Chinese Communist Party, Texas Republican, Oracle, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Foreign Locations: China, New Jersey, Washington, United States, Beijing, State, Rayburn, Montana

☆ How the fortune of one of America’s biggest pharmaceutical families has quietly funded conservative causes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Casey Tolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

From The Searle Freedom TrustThis year, the Searle trust is poised to play an even bigger role as it empties out its coffers. Researchers who study political nonprofits say that the Searle trust has had a major impact, even as the Searle family has stayed under the radar compared to more well-known conservative benefactors. The Searle trust is one of the most prolific funders of conservative groups among all private foundations, according to a CNN analysis of nonprofit tax data. The Searle trust has given millions to the Foundation for Government Accountability, which has worked behind the scenes to push conservative policies such as stricter voting laws. Dennis, the CEO of the Searle trust, is also the chair of DonorsTrust.

Persons: Searle, Daniel C, Trump, Donald Trump, ”, Galen Hall, who’s, Kimberly Dennis, ” Searle, “, Sarah Scaife, doesn’t, Michael B, Thomas, SPN, They’ve, ” Brendan Fischer, Brendan Fischer, “ They’ve, ” Hall, Caleb Rossiter, ” Galen Hall, movement’s MAGA, It’s, Mike Pence, that’s, Dennis, Henry Ford, John D, Rockefeller, ” Fischer, Gideon, Michael Searle, ” Dennis, “ We’re, Dan, Gideon Daniel Searle, Daniel Searle, Jonathan Eig, Jack Searle, Daniel Searle’s, Gregory Pincus, John Rock, Pincus, weren’t, –, Sue, Eig, Margaret Marsh, Enovid, misoprostol, Searle –, Pfizer –, ” Daniel Searle, Donald Rumsfeld, Searles, Biden, Wade, Dobbs, Kristen Batstone Organizations: CNN, Searle Freedom Trust, University of Michigan, Sarah Scaife Foundation, Searle, American Enterprise Institute, Reason Foundation, Tax Foundation, Manhattan Institute, Cato Institute, Foundation, Government, State Policy Network, American Legislative Exchange Council, Fair, Pacific Legal Foundation, Federalist Society, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Environment Research Center, CO2 Coalition, Heartland Institute, ”, CO2, Heartland, Republican Party, movement’s, America, Policy Institute, Trump, American Freedom Foundation, Everett, FDA, Rutgers University, Pfizer, Monsanto, Heritage Foundation, Reason, Affordable, New Civil Liberties Alliance, Public Policy Center, Claremont, National Women’s Health Network, Trust, IRS Locations: Missouri, St, Louis , Missouri, California, judgeships, ”, Omaha, Metamucil, Dramamine, Puerto, Brazil, Diet Coke, America

☆ The New York Times stands by its reporting on the Hamas terror attack after questions are raised
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —The New York Times is facing questions about a sweeping investigative story it published on the Israel-Hamas war back in December. But key elements of The Times’ reporting in telling that larger story have since fallen under the microscope. “We weren’t aware of the rape initially; we were informed only when The New York Times’ journalist approached us,” her mother told the Israeli outlet YNet. we don’t know exactly what happened.”“It was only following the New York Times investigation that we learned from the journalists that my sister had been raped,” Abdush’s brother added to YNet. In this case, there is a large volume of evidence to indicate that Hamas carried out sexual assaults during the October 7 attack.

Persons: ‘, —, Jeffrey Gettleman, Anat Schwartz, Adam Sella, Schwartz, “, Gal Abdush, ” Abdush, Jeremy Scahill, Ryan Grim, Daniel Boguslaw, ’, Abdush’s, ”, Gal, Boguslaw, Grim, Gray, Charlotte Klein Organizations: New York CNN, The New York Times, CNN, The, Pulitzer, Times, The Times, New York Times, YNet Locations: New York, Israel, Gaza

☆ Texas secessionists are becoming more fervent than ever. But experts say it would mess up its thriving economy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Daniel Miller, a sixth-generation Texan, is the de facto face of the modern Texas Nationalist Movement, nicknamed "Texit." But they get a lot of it back: federal dollars account for one-third of the Texas state budget, according to the budget and policy nonprofit Every Texan. "And I think the romance of some general notion of Texas independence wears off pretty fast if people were to start considering it seriously." A Just Russia Party Supports Independent Texas Republic"If necessary, we are ready to help with the independence referendum. The first step for Texas to become independent, the secessionists say, would be a statewide referendum.

Persons: —, Daniel Miller, Miller, Walter Buenger, Eva DeLuna, Noah Sheidlower, Buenger, SCOTUS, James Henson, Dmitry Medvedev, Sergei Mironov, XNlDlW2RmI, James Porrazzo, Henson, there's, Andres Leighton, Greg Abbott's Organizations: Service, Texas Nationalist, Texans, Business, University of Texas, Democrat, Texas, Texas GOP, Critics, White, Union, Texas Politics, Wired, Russia Party Supports Independent, Texas People's, Lone, Texas National Guard, Texas Gov, Texas Legislature, Redfield, Wilton Locations: Texas, Austin, California, La Marque , Texas, , Texas, Russian, Republic, Texas People's Republic, Russia, Mexico, Civil, El Paso , Texas, United States

☆ Putin official compared Zelenskyy to Brad Pitt, said his image couldn't be trashed, says report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementA Moscow official complained that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was like Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, a global star with an image that couldn't be sullied, the Washington Post reports. AdvertisementThe documents reveal the Kremlin's elaborate and persistent efforts to undermine Zelenskyy, per the Post's analysis. Internal Kremlin documents reveal a planned disinformation campaign to tarnish Zelenskyy's image and destabilize his leadership. Thousands of social media posts and fabricated articles flooded the online spaceThrough social media platforms and fake news articles, the Kremlin orchestrated a barrage of anti- Zelenskyy content. AdvertisementThe focus shifted to infiltrating Ukrainian social media landscapes, emphasizing platforms like Telegram, which had emerged as a critical news source.

Persons: Brad Pitt, —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kevin Coombs, Zelenskyy, Valery Zaluzhny, Zaluzhny, Gen, Oleksandr Syrsky, Ursula von der Leyen, Viktor Kovalchuk, splintering, Zelensky Organizations: Putin, Washington, Service, Washington Post, Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Zelenskyy, Kremlin, Reuters, Getty Locations: Kyiv, Ukrainian, Ukraine

☆ Estonia thwarts ‘shadow war’ attack, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jim Sciutto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Estonia has thwarted a Russian-directed influence operation on its territory, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has told CNN. The Estonian Internal Security Service arrested 10 individuals, including both Russian and Estonian nationals. “There’s a shadow war going on against our societies,” Prime Minister Kallas told CNN. “The aim of Russia’s influence operations is to influence our democratic decision making. The Kremlin is also directly involved in shaping Russian influence operations in neighboring countries, according to Presidential Administration documents leaked last year.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Kallas, ” Kallas Organizations: CNN, Estonian, Estonian Internal Security Service, ”, Intelligence, SVR, Administration, Moldovan, NATO, European Union Locations: Estonia, Russian, Russia, –, NATO, Europe, Baltic States, Moldova

☆ Putin Opponent Alexei Navalny Dies in Arctic Jail, Russia Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

By Guy Faulconbridge, Felix LightMOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia's most prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny collapsed and died on Friday after a walk at the "Polar Wolf" Arctic penal colony where he was serving a long jail term, the Russian prison service said. "Russian authorities publish a confession that they killed Alexei Navalny in prison," Navalny aide Leonid Volkov wrote on social media. "Alexei Navalny paid with his life for his resistance to a system of oppression," France's Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said. "My sincere belief is that it was the conditions of detention that led to Navalny's death," Russian newspaper editor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov told Reuters. Navalny long forecast Russia could face seismic political turmoil, including revolution, because he said Putin built a brittle system of personal rule reliant on sycophancy and corruption.

Persons: Guy Faulconbridge, Felix Light, Alexei Navalny, Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Leonid Volkov, Stephane Sejourne, Vladimir Putin's, Navalny's, Kira Yarmysh, Dmitry Muratov, Putin, Yulia, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Federal Penitentiary Service, Nenets Autonomous, IK, Kremlin, Peace, Reuters, KREMLIN, U.S, CIA Locations: Nenets, Nenets Autonomous District, Kharp, Moscow, Russian, Russia, Germany, Siberia, Europe

☆ Ross Gelbspan, Who Exposed Roots of Climate Change Deniers, Dies at 84
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Trip Gabriel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The cause was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, his wife, Anne Gelbspan, said. Mr. Gelbspan’s career included reporting on dissidents in the Soviet Union and on F.B.I. harassment of domestic critics, and his interest in the climate crisis, like those other subjects, came from a sense of outrage that powerful interests were suppressing information needed for democracy. “I didn’t get into the climate issue because I love the trees — I tolerate the trees,” he said on YouTube last year. “I got into the issue because I learned the coal industry was paying a handful of scientists under the table to say nothing was happening to the climate.”

Persons: Ross Gelbspan, —, Anne Gelbspan, Gelbspan’s, ”, “ Organizations: Republican, YouTube Locations: Boston, Soviet Union

☆ Trump state prosecutions reach a critical point on the same day in two cities
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The high-stakes hearings nearly 900 miles apart speak to the extraordinary entanglement of the 2024 election and Trump’s legal quagmire that now spans multiple presidential elections. Thursday will not even be the first time this week that the ex-president’s legal plight is playing out in two separate cities. The ruling could remove Trump’s capacity to do business in New York — the city where he made his name. As the expected first criminal trial, the New York case could still have important political implications. But the impact of Trump’s legal problems on a wider electorate is still to be tested.

Persons: Donald, Trump, Fani Willis, Joe Biden’s, Scott McAfee, Willis, quagmire, “, ”, ” Trump, Jack Smith, Smith, Juan Merchan, Stormy Daniels, McAfee, Nathan Wade, ” McAfee, Trump’s, Michael Roman, Wade, Roman, Anna Cross, ” Willis, Michael Moore, he’s Organizations: CNN, Fulton, Trump Organization, Trump, Big, Big Bethel AME Church, Middle, Middle District of Locations: New York, Georgia, Fulton County, York, Fort Pierce , Florida, Washington, South Carolina, Georgia In Georgia, Big Bethel, Atlanta, Middle District, Middle District of Georgia

☆ Opinion: What Iran wants — and fears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Opinion Hussein Ibish | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Iran has backed Hezbollah’s efforts to avoid an all-out war with Israel despite consistent Israeli escalation and threats. Hezbollah doesn’t want a war with Israel and Iran agrees. The potential for such US or Israeli airstrikes is among the most significant reasons Iran wants to avoid a broader conflict. Tehran has already restrained its Iraqi proxies, is working to help Hezbollah climb down and avoid a devastating Israeli attack. And Iran is probably urging the Houthis to take great care not to kill Americans or otherwise go too far.

Persons: Hussein Ibish, Read, Hussein Ibish It’s, Biden, Israel, Kataib, Saleh Al, Wissam, Amos Hochstein, Ebrahim Raisi, Shannon Stapleton, It’s Organizations: Gulf States Institute, Israel, CNN, Washington, Radwan Force, Iranian Locations: Washington, Iranian, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Saudi, That’s, Israel, Jordan, Hezbollah’s, Beirut, Tehran, Yemeni, Suez, Strait, Hormuz, Bab, Mandab

☆ Spanish Farmers Take to Streets for Fourth Day, Plan Madrid Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

TORIJA, Spain (Reuters) - Spanish farmers on Friday blocked streets across the country in a fourth day of protests and announced plans to gather in Madrid as they railed against the EU's environmental rules and what they see as excessive taxes and red tape. Since Tuesday, Spanish farmers have joined peers from Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Belgium in daily protests that include blocking several highways and ports. The three main farmers' associations - COAG, Asaja and UPA - kicked off their demonstrations on Thursday, though many had started earlier in the week. Plataforma 6, a newly created farmers' group, said it would gather outside all regional government buildings in Spain, including Madrid. The head of business association CEOE Antonio Garamendi expressed solidarity with the farmers' protests but said they had to be conducted "in moderation to avoid harming other sectors".

Persons: Javier Corral, CEOE Antonio Garamendi, Guillermo Martinez, Marco Trujillo, Catarina Demony, David Latona, Andrei Khalip, Charlie Devereux Organizations: UPA, Farmers, El Mundo Locations: Spain, Madrid, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Asaja, Torija, Jerez, Moroccan, Merida, lobbing

☆ Review: In ‘Russian Troll Farm,’ You Can’t Stop the Memes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Jesse Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

No one misses the early days and dark theaters of the Covid pandemic, but the emergency workaround of streaming content was good for a few things anyway. People who formerly could not afford admission suddenly could, since much of it was free, and artists from anywhere could now be seen everywhere, with just a Wi-Fi connection. That’s how I first encountered “Russian Troll Farm,” a play by Sarah Gancher intended for the stage but that had its debut, in 2020, as an online co-production of three far-flung institutions: TheaterWorks Hartford, TheaterSquared in Fayetteville, Ark., and the Brooklyn-based Civilians. At the time, I found its subject and form beautifully realized and ideally matched — the subject being online interference in the 2016 presidential election by a Russian internet agency. But the production of “Russian Troll Farm” that opened on Thursday at the Vineyard Theater is an entirely different, and in some ways disappointing, experience.

Persons: Sarah Gancher, ”, “, Darko Tresnjak, Taylor Swift, Biden, Gancher, Russia —, Trumpism, Hillary Clinton Organizations: Vineyard, Internet Research Agency Locations: Hartford, TheaterSquared, Fayetteville, Ark, Brooklyn, Russian, St . Petersburg, Russia

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia accused the United States on Monday of aggression against Iraq and Syria aimed at preserving its global dominance and salvaging the Biden administration’s “image” ahead of U.S. elections. Many council members expressed fears of a growing Mideast conflict and urged de-escalation and stepped-up peace efforts. Wood stressed that the United States doesn’t want more conflict in a region where it is “actively working to contain and deescalate the conflict in Gaza." "And we are not seeking a direct conflict with Iran,” Wood said “But we will continue to defend our personnel against unacceptable attacks. Ambassador Zhang Jun, a Russian ally, echoed her concerns about escalating tensions and actions, and pointed a finger at the United States.

Persons: Russia’s U.N, Vassily Nebenzia, ”, Robert Wood, Wood, ” Wood, “, Iran’s U.N, Amir Saeid Iravani, ” Iravani, ” U.N, Rosemary DiCarlo, Antonio Guterres, U.N, Zhang Jun, ” Zhang, Algeria’s U.N, Amar Bendjama, ” Bendjama Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, —, Biden, Security, U.S, . Army Locations: — Russia, United States, Iraq, Syria, U.S, Iranian, Russia, Syria’s, Israel, Lebanon, Sea, Yemen, Syrian Arab Republic, Russian, Iran, Jordanian, Monday’s, Gaza

Most details of the Democratic governor's budget plan for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which starts July 1, remain under wraps. But Shapiro has made it clear he will seek more money for higher education and public transit agencies and possibly underfunded public schools. He also wants to spend more money to attract major companies and seems ready to revisit the controversial item that helped sow a protracted budget fight last year: creating a new private school voucher program. Here’s what to watch for Tuesday:THE BUDGET BASICSShapiro will almost certainly propose an operating budget that spends above this year’s $45 billion approved plan. Those include nearly $300 million more for public transit agencies, a roughly 25% increase, and a substantial, but undisclosed, increase for state-owned universities.

Persons: Josh Shapiro, Shapiro, he's, ” Shapiro, hasn't, Pennsylvania's, Marc Levy Organizations: —, Democratic, Senate, Rotunda . Governors, Republican, Republicans Locations: HARRISBURG, Pa, Pennsylvania, , Pennsylvania, www.twitter.com

It's the kind of obstruction of key policy objectives for which Orbán has become notorious within the European Union. “We are the sand in the machinery, the stick between the spokes, the splinter under the fingernail,” Orbán said in a speech to tens of thousands of supporters in 2021. Now, frustrated EU officials are trying to determine what Orbán seeks to achieve with his obstructionist strategy, and how they might overcome it. But with his veto power, the nationalist leader will have plenty of further opportunities to sow discord within the EU. Widely considered to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in the EU, Orbán has been accused by his critics of promoting Moscow’s interests over those of his EU and NATO allies, and of preparing to lead his country out of the EU entirely.

Persons: —, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, ” Orbán, Donald Tusk, “, ”, Péter Krekó, ” Krekó, “ Orbán, Daniel Freund, Freund, it’s, he's, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, “ He’s, he’s, Krekó, Vladimir Putin’s Organizations: NATO, European Union, EU, Conservative Political, Green, United, U.S, Trump, Germany, Political Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Brussels, Polish, Ukraine, Budapest, Germany, France, Italy, Europe, United States, Washington, Netherlands, Union

☆ Prosecutor in Trump Georgia Case Admits Relationship With Colleague
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Richard Fausset | Danny Hakim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fani T. Willis, the district attorney prosecuting the Georgia election interference case against former President Donald J. Trump, acknowledged on Friday a “personal relationship” with a prosecutor she hired to manage the case but argued that it was not a reason to disqualify her or her office from it. The admission came almost a month after allegations of an “improper, clandestine personal relationship” between the two surfaced in a motion from one of Mr. Trump’s co-defendants. The motion seeks to disqualify both prosecutors and Ms. Willis’s entire office from handling the case — an effort that, if successful, would likely sow chaos for an unprecedented state criminal prosecution of a former president. Wade, “has never involved direct or indirect financial benefit” to Ms. Willis. Ms. Willis’s filing includes an affidavit from Mr. Wade asserting that the personal relationship started only after Mr. Wade had been hired.

Persons: Willis, Donald J, Trump, Trump’s, Willis’s, “, Ms, ” Ms, Nathan J, Wade Locations: Georgia

☆ Congress hasn’t been able to make social media safer. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

This has been true since the early 2010s, when tech companies began realizing the benefits of influencing policymakers on issues including net neutrality and privacy. This week, Microsoft announced its support for the Kids Online Safety Act, a leading social media bill. Even when lawmakers can agree on what the problem is, they often disagree on how to solve it, creating a smorgasbord of half a dozen or more social media bills floating around Congress. That would be a huge down payment on a future social media law, said Balkam. But even that proposal is still subject to many of the same dynamics that make social media regulation hard.

Persons: Washington CNN —, ”, Danny Weiss, Ben Thompson, Adam Kovacevich, “ That’s, hasn’t, Republican stonewalling, Weiss, Kovacevich, ” Kovacevich, I’m, ” Weiss, Chuck Schumer, Mike Johnson, Schumer, Nancy Pelosi’s, “, Johnson didn’t, Evan Greer Organizations: Washington CNN, Big Tech, Tech, Sense, Microsoft, Kids, LinkedIn, of, Republican, CNN Locations: Washington, United States

☆ China Is Targeting U.S. Infrastructure and Could ‘Wreak Chaos,’ F.B.I. Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Adam Goldman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Christopher A. Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, warned on Wednesday that China was ramping up an extensive hacking operation geared at taking down the United States’ power grid, oil pipelines and water systems in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. Mr. Wray, appearing before a House subcommittee on China, offered an alarming assessment of the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts. Its intent is to sow confusion, sap the United States’ will to fight and hamper the American military from deploying resources if the dispute over Taiwan, a major flashpoint between the two superpowers, escalates into a war, he added. Before his testimony, F.B.I. “China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike,” said Mr. Wray, who pressed the committee to increase funding for the bureau.

Persons: Christopher A, Wray, ” Organizations: Federal Bureau of, Communist, Justice, Volt Typhoon Locations: China, United States, Taiwan, States, Beijing

FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday warned Congress about a range of threats against the U.S., from Chinese hackers to heightened terrorist risks after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The FBI director has long warned about the Chinese government’s hacking capabilities. Cyberattacks and disinformation warfare can work in tandem, Wray warned. He also noted that AI can enhance foreign adversaries abilities to collect personal data and feed it into disinformation and influence operations. Heightened Terrorist Risk“We are, since Oct. 7, in a heightened threat environment from various forms of terrorist risk,” Wray warned, alluding to Hamas’ attack on Israel last year.

Persons: Christopher Wray, ” Wray, ” TikTok, Wray, ”, “ Organizations: Wednesday, U.S, Chinese Communist Party, FBI, Intelligence Locations: Israel, U.S, China, PRC, Iran

The credible data that exists on crimes motivated by conspiracy theories shows a disturbing increase. Many of those charged said they had bought into Trump’s conspiracy theories about a stolen election. “Lies, lies lies: They're lying to you over and over and over again,” said Steve Girard, a Pennsylvania man who has protested the incarceration of Jan. 6 defendants. While they may have taken on a bigger role in our politics, surveys show that belief in conspiracy theories hasn't changed much over the years, according to Joe Uscinski, a University of Miami professor and an expert on the history of conspiracy theories. Russia has amplified numerous anti-U.S. conspiracy theories, including ones claiming the U.S. runs secret germ warfare labs and created HIV as a bioweapon, as well as conspiracy theories accusing Ukraine of being a Nazi state.

Persons: ”, Nash, Melissa Sell, Sell, Elon Musk, There's, Evan Hansen, Wired.com, Musk, It’s, ” Hansen, Donald Trump, Trump, Mark Milley, Milley, Laws, Vince Lynch, Lynch, Danielle Citron, Sandy, —, Alex Jones, Sandy Hook, Hillary Clinton, chemtrails, “, hospitalizations, Robert Palmer, they're, Steve Girard, Jan, hasn't, Joe Uscinski, ” Uscinski, “ Jan, Tom Fishman Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S ., United, Big Tech, Meta, Facebook, titans, Army, University of Maryland’s National Consortium, University of Virginia School of Law, Sandy Hook Elementary, CNN, FBI, Capitol, The Associated Press, Trump, University of Miami, Twitter, United States, U.S, . Locations: Maui, Chile, America, United States, Pennsylvania, U.S, Israel, Newtown , Connecticut, Florida, California, Wisconsin, Washington, Russia, China, Iran, Ukraine, Nazi

☆ Mexican Leak of Journalists' Personal Data Raises Security Worries
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Officials said the personal data of at least 263 journalists, whom they did not publicly identify, was illegally accessed and released. The leak exposes the journalists to potential identity theft and could compromise their physical security because the data includes home addresses. "The safety of our journalists is paramount, and we are deeply troubled by this leak of personal data. "What I'm most worried about is possible identity theft and that someone misuses my personal data to commit fraud," said Morales, designated as the paper's spokesman on the matter. Officials informed journalists of the "possible violation" on Monday after some saw images of their personal documents in news reports.

Persons: Brendan O'Boyle, David Alire Garcia, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's, Lopez Obrador, Alberto Morales Mendoza, Morales, Sofia Paredes, Christian Plumb, Cynthia Osterman, Neil Fullick Organizations: David Alire Garcia MEXICO CITY, Jornada, El Universal, Reuters, La Jornada Locations: Mexico, Spanish, Mexican

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