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☆ Opinion | For the Sake of Democracy, Celebrate Mike Johnson
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Frank Bruni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The music swells. I never expected the music to swell and the credits to roll with Mike Johnson’s face in the center of the frame. But before we move on to the next congressional melodrama, let’s make sure we’ve given Johnson his due. In an era this intensely and corrosively partisan, it’s especially important that we give warranted praise and appropriate thanks to people with whom we usually disagree. Tribalism discourages that, but a healthy democracy demands it.

Persons: We’ve, Mike Johnson’s, Johnson, he’d, that’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, — Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan

☆ Trump may be held in contempt Tuesday after hush-money DA cites at least 10 gag-order violations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The judge will not order Trump jailed even if he does find he repeatedly violated the gag, Richman predicted. Trump's gag order bans Trump from making public statements about jurors and witnesses that could interfere with the trial. "The defendant has demonstrated his willingness to flout the order," Conroy told the judge last week. He has attacked Grand Jurors and jurors," Conroy said. The judge added, with some sarcasm, "I don't recall inserting that anywhere in either gag order."

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Prosecutors, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen, Murray Richman, he's, Richman, Juan Merchan, Christopher Conroy, Cohen, Conroy, Daniels, Jesse Watters, Merchan, Todd Blanche, Trump's, Blanche Organizations: Service, Business, New, Trump, Fox News, Liberal Locations: New York, Manhattan

☆ Senate Moves Toward Approving Aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Catie Edmondson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Senate was headed on Tuesday toward a critical vote to clear the way for final consideration of the $95 billion package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, setting the stage for approving the bill and sending it to President Biden for his signature. The measure, passed by the House on Saturday, was expected to draw broad bipartisan support in a test vote scheduled for early afternoon. “To our friends in Ukraine, to our allies in NATO, to our allies in Israel and to civilians around the world in need of aid: Rest assured. They sent legislation to the Senate as a single package that will require only one up-or-down vote to pass. Speaker Mike Johnson structured the legislation that way in the House to capture different coalitions of support without allowing opposition to any one element to defeat the whole thing.

Persons: Biden, “, Chuck Schumer, Mike Johnson Organizations: Senate Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, New York

☆ Senate Votes to Push Aid to Ukraine and Israel Toward Final Passage
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Catie Edmondson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to move toward a final vote on the long-stalled $95.3 billion package of aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, taking a crucial step toward approving the measure and sending it to President Biden for his signature. The Senate’s action, on a vote of 80 to 19, teed up a vote on final passage as early as Tuesday evening, which would clear the measure for the president. Mr. Biden has urged lawmakers to move quickly so he can sign it into law. “But today those in Congress who stand on the side of democracy are winning the day. To our friends in Ukraine, to our allies in NATO, to our allies in Israel and to civilians around the world in need of help, help is on the way.”

Persons: Biden, Mr, Chuck Schumer, “, ‘, ’, Schumer, ” Organizations: “, Senate Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, America, New York

☆ Middle East Crisis Senior Israeli Military Official Offers to Resign After Oct. 7 Intelligence Failures
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Adam Rasgon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Mr. Netanyahu said in a social media post that his government would “act by all means” against any such move. The sanctions, if imposed, would not hold up the military aid that was just approved in Congress. The Israeli military disciplined three of the unit’s commanders after the investigation. Human rights organizations have long accused the Israeli military justice system of whitewashing wrongdoing and the military of acting with impunity. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed during the six months of war, according to Gazan health officials.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr, Netanyahu, Axios, Netzah Yehuda, Leahy, Yehuda, Omar Abdelmajed Assad, “, Assad’s, Biden, Benny Gantz, Yoav Gallant, Antony J, Blinken, Jacob J, Lew, Gallant, Mick Mulroy, ”, ” Natan Odenheimer, Gabby Sobelman Organizations: West Bank, Biden, Netzah, Jewish, Israel, Pentagon, State Locations: States, Gaza, Israel, Israel’s, Iran, U.S, United States

☆ In India’s 2024 election, BJP’s main opposition appears increasingly weak in face of Modi juggernaut
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Helen Regan | Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

Supporters of India's opposition party, Indian National Congress, during an election rally in Puducherry on April 15, 2024 R. Satish Babu/AFP/Getty ImagesDemocracy under threat? Dipam Bhachech/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Modi worked his way through the ranks of the BJP, establishing himself as a respected politician. Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images Modi hugs French President Emmanuel Macron after a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, on June 3, 2017. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023. Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images Modi offers a toast during a State Dinner with President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: ”, Narendra Modi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Indira Gandhi, Gandhi, ” Hazari Lal Rajput, Satish Babu, Modi, Modi’s, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Arati Jerath, “, it’s, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, gunning, ” Modi, shouldn’t, Mohammad Irfan, —, Arvind Kejriwal, Altaf Qadri, Kejriwal, Atishi, you’re, Jerath, Gandhi ‘, ’ Modi, Christophe Jaffrelot, CNN Modi, Rasheed Kidwai, Rahul, Diptendu Dutta, Mamata Banerjee, Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, ” Kidwai, ” Jerath Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Indian National Congress, Getty, Democracy, Modi’s BJP, Pew, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, AP, India's, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Developmental Inclusive Alliance, Indian, Aadmi Party, Delhi, AAP, Aam Aadmi Party, All, Trinamool, West, All India, Congress, “, “ Democracy Locations: India, Uttar Pradesh, Ramlila, Puducherry, Modi’s, Sydney, Australia, Gujarat, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Varanasi, New Delhi, United States, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, INDIA, Delhi, India’s, Lok Sabha, Atishi, ”, Manipur, Siliguri, West Bengal, Tamil

☆ How cell phones are killing our kids, and what we can do about it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Matt Villano | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Jonathan Haidt: Kids always had play-based childhoods, but we gradually let that fade away because of our growing fears of kidnapping and other threats in the 1980s and 1990s. If they have the phones, they will be texting during class, and they will be focused on their phones. If they don’t have phones, they will listen to their teachers and spend time with other kids. Most middle school kids are entirely enmeshed in smartphones and social media. Because kids are somewhat sex-segregated online (they interact less with kids of the opposite sex), the situation is unconducive to heterosexual dating and marriage.

Persons: Jonathan Haidt, ”, Haidt, Dave Cicirelli, Thomas Cooley, New York University’s Leonard N, Jayne Riew, You’ve, we’re, There’s, you’ve, they’re, We’re, they’ve, Matt Villano Organizations: CNN —, Penguin Press, American Psychological Association, New York, Stern School of Business, CNN, Jayne Riew CNN, YouTube, Getty, Meta Locations: United States, America, American, Northern California, whalehead.com

☆ New York trial of Donald Trump: an unusual request on trial Day 1
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Of the first group of 96 potential jurors who crammed into the courtroom, more than half were immediately excused for saying they could not be fair and impartial. A Manhattan jury also found Trump’s business, the Trump Organization, guilty of tax evasion, although Trump was not personally named in that case. And here is an excellent visual timeline of the entire hush money scandal. It was Cohen who orchestrated the hush money payments and who pleaded guilty to federal charges of violating campaign finance law, for which he served time in prison. Trump is accused by New York of falsifying business records when he paid Cohen back for the hush money scheme.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, CNN’s Kara Scannell, Jeremy Herb, Scannell, “, ” Scannell, Jeffrey Abramson, ”, ” Abramson, Jean Carroll, Abramson, Judge Juan Merchan, Kellyanne Conway, Rudy Giuliani, Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, CNN’s Kaanita Iyer, McDougal – She’s, Trump’s, Melania, Barron, Merchan, Carroll –, Carroll, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Maggie Haberman, Jake Tapper Organizations: CNN, America, Democracy, New, Trump, Trump Organization, National Enquirer, Trump . ►, Enquirer, – Prosecutors, New York Times Locations: Manhattan, sidebars, New York, Trump

☆ Opinion: Why there’s hope for an impartial jury in Trump trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Opinion Jeffrey Abramson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —On Monday, jury selection for the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president begins in Manhattan. The process may take longer than the usual jury selection and the pool of persons questioned will be larger. There is something to be said for Trump’s claim that he faces an uphill battle in jury selection. True, another New York jury found Trump liable of defaming and sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll in 2023 and again this year. There is a famous quip of unknown origin that goes: “In England, the trial starts when jury selection is over.

Persons: Jeffrey Abramson, “, Donald Trump, Austin Trump, Michael Cohen, Stephanie Clifford, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Trump’s, Juan Merchan, Merchan, ”, “ Get, Alvin Bragg, Daniels, Jean Carroll, Cohen Organizations: University of Texas, Democracy, CNN, Jeffrey Abramson University of Texas, Austin, Trump, Trump Organization, Biden, “, ”, New York Times Locations: Austin, Manhattan, New York, York, England

☆ Narendra Modi: India’s popular but controversial leader seeking a transformative third term
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +26 min

Varanasi and New Delhi CNN —Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once famously made a simple election promise: “good days are coming”. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses his supporters during an election campaign rally in Pushkar on April 6, 2024. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking during a rally in Sydney, Australia, on May 23, 2023. Kalpit Bhachech/Getty Images Narendra Modi, then BJP secretary is welcomed at Ahmedabad Railway Station by the party's followers on January 31, 1992. Brent Lewin/Bloomberg/Getty Images India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Himanshu Sharma, Getty Images Modi, –, ”, Saba Naqvi, “, Vajpayee, Naqvi, Dileep Patel, John Mees, Akash Jaiswal, “ We’ve, ” Jaiswal, isn’t, Matthew Abbott, Hiraben, Damodardas, Dipam Bhachech, Lal Krishna Advani, Subhas Chandra Bose, Kalpit Bhachech, Kalpit, Negi Yasbant, Amit Dave, Ajit Solanki, Kevin Frayer, Saurabh Das, AP Modi, Manish Swarup, Lucas Jackson, Barack Obama, Adrien Helou, Reuters Modi, Adnan Abidi, Stringer, Mark Zuckerberg, David Paul Morris, Marco Longari, Angela Merkel, Tobias Schwarz, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Platiau, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, India's, Jair Bolsonaro, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Amit Shah, Money Sharma, Boris Johnson, Phil Noble, Anthony Albanese, Brent Lewin, Pedro Ugarte, Joe Biden, Doug Mills, Paul Mashatile, Jacoline, Imtiyaz Khan, Amr Alfiky, Patel, India’s, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv, Rahul Gandhi, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, “ Narendra Modi, ” Mukhopadhyay, Mukhopadhyay, ” Modi, Keshav Baliram, “ Modi, BJP Modi, Lord Ram, ” Naqvi, Critics, Christophe Jaffrelot, Karan Thapar, ” Jaffrelot, Modi’s, it’s, —, Raj, India Narendra Modi, Kenny Hoston, Ram, ” Raniva, That’s Organizations: New Delhi CNN, Indian, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, India's, Getty Images, Pew, CNN, World Health Organization, New York Times, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Getty, Modi, Hospital, Narendra, India Today, Indian National Congress, AP, Madison, Garden, Reuters, Washington , D.C, French National Space Agency, of Yoga, Meta, Facebook, Bloomberg, European, Saudi Arabia's Crown, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kyodo, British, Summit, Qudos Bank, White, Anadolu Agency, Anadolu, United, United Arab Emirates, Cambridge, today’s Congress Party, Harvard, The Times, Muslim, Australia Locations: Varanasi, New Delhi, Gujarat, Pushkar, India, “ India, United States, Brazil, “, Sydney, Australia, Ahmedabad, Ahmadabad, Washington, Washington ,, Toulouse, France, Xian, AFP, Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pretoria, South Africa, China, Berlin, Paris, Rashtrapati, Russian, Brasilia, Glasgow, Red, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, Oxford, Vadnagar, Babri, Kadi, Kashmir, United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Jama

☆ As China's navy grows, the US fleet is on a 'downward trajectory,' maritime expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"It's the end of the pacifist period on the seas," Dr Steven Wills of the Center for Maritime Strategy, told Business Insider. The US fleet is still widely considered the world's most powerful navy due to its 11 aircraft carriers and cutting-edge nuclear submarine capabilities. "They're scrapping more ships than they're building, which means the US Navy is on a downward trajectory, not an upward trajectory," said Dr Salvatore Mercogliano, a maritime historian at Campbell University. Another piece of the puzzle is shipbuilding capacity. Expanding American shipbuilding capacity ought to start now, Wills said: "You don't make the arsenal of democracy overnight."

Persons: —, Dr Steven Wills, Gerald R, Ford, Nikos Libertas, Wills, Doug Livermore, Arleigh Burke, Salvatore Mercogliano, Tang Ke, Livermore, Defense Mark Esper, David Sacks, Mercogliano, That's, Xi Jinping, HECTOR RETAMAL, Sacks, I'm Organizations: Service, Center for Maritime Strategy, Business, Navy, US Navy, Campbell University, Naval, People's Liberation Army Navy, Defense, of Naval Intelligence, Council, Foreign Relations, Corpus Christi, Pearl, Naval Shipyard . US Navy, Pacific, of Foreign Relations, CSIS, US, South China, Australia Locations: China, Russia, Ukraine, Virginia, Yantai Port, Asia, America, Japan, South Korea, Los Angeles, Corpus, Taiwan, Beijing, Pingtan, China's, Pacific, Philippines, South

☆ Opinion: The world rushes to court Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. Now, they’re urgently working on two fronts: seeking to Trump-proof their foreign policy and defense, and hoping to minimize the potential negative impact of a Trump victory. Making matters more unusual – and far more unethical – Trump has effectively launched his own shadow foreign policy, actively undermining Biden’s – America’s – policy. Not only is the former president leveraging his control of the Republican Party to block US aid to Ukraine ‑ Trump is interfering in US foreign policy elsewhere. Interfering in US foreign policy is bad enough, but there’s also an unseemly financial angle.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Fumio Kishida, David Cameron, Donald Trump, –, It’s, they’re, Putin, Trump, Jens Stoltenberg, Viktor Orban, ”, Orban, “, ’, Joe Biden’s, – Trump, Biden’s, Ukraine ‑ Trump, Richard Grenell, Grenell, Grennell, there’s, Jared Kushner, Aleksandar Vucic, ingratiate, Japan’s, Shinzo Abe, Ivanka Trump, —, Biden Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Washington , D.C, British, Trump, Ukraine –, NATO, European, Trump Heritage Foundation, ”, EU, Europe –, Republican Party, Serbian Locations: Washington ,, Japan, United States, Mar, Europe, Russia, European Union, Ukraine, EU, ” Russia, “, East, Guatemala, Washington, Serbia, New York

☆ Nijole Sadunaite, Lithuanian Nun Who Opposed Soviet Rule, Dies at 85
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Sam Roberts | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Nijole Sadunaite, a fearless but forgiving Roman Catholic nun and anti-Soviet Lithuanian nationalist who was inspired by Pope John Paul II and publicly hailed by President Ronald Reagan, died on March 31 in Vilnius. Her death was confirmed by Sister Gerarda Elena Suliauskaite, laureate of the Freedom Prize of the Republic of Lithuania, which was also given to Sister Sadunaite in 2018 for her defense of democracy and human rights. In 1975, Sister Sadunaite (pronounced sah-DOO-nay-teh) was arrested by K.G.B. agents who had stormed an apartment where she was writing an underground newspaper, The Chronicle of the Catholic Church in Lithuania, which documented abuses against Christians in the Baltic state. “I had typed six pages when I was caught, so I effectively got one year for every page,” she told The Atlantic in 1994.

Persons: Nijole, Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, Sister Gerarda Elena Suliauskaite, Sadunaite, “, ” Organizations: Catholic Church Locations: Soviet Lithuanian, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania, Lithuania, Baltic

☆ Biden says Trump constitutes biggest threat to US democracy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden said in an interview aired Tuesday that his predecessor Donald Trump represents the biggest threat to democracy in the United States, citing Trump’s actions during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and his calls to release from prison those involved in the attack. Asked what constitutes “the primary threat to freedom and democracy at home,” Biden answered bluntly: “Donald Trump.”“Donald Trump talks, uses phrases like you’re gonna – eviscerate the Constitution, he’s going to be a dictator on day one. Biden has sought to make issues of democracy central to his reelection campaign as he draws a contrast with Trump. Both Trump and Biden have used the events on January 6 to make their case to voters. Trump has been indicted on felony charges for working to overturn the results of the 2020 election ahead of the January 6 riot.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, ” Biden, ” “ Donald Trump, –, he’s, they’re, It’s, you’ve, “, Biden, Trump, Trump’s, He’s, ”, “ Trump Organizations: Washington CNN, Capitol, Univision, White, Trump, Office, Biden Locations: United States

☆ Big Tech’s grip on social media is a growing problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That concentration of digital ownership can create real-world harm, as a recent censorship dispute with Meta lays bare. We don’t know,” Kabas wrote in her recounting of the situation. Meta controls a whole bunch of the social media ecosystem, and that means there aren’t a lot of competitors to keep it honest. Meanwhile, all of media relies on it because content creators have to get in front of readers if they want to survive. We don’t know what happened within Meta to trigger an erroneous block of legitimate news sources last week.

Persons: CNN Business ’, Meta, Marisa Kabas, Kabas, Sherman Smith, Andy Stone, ” Kabas, “, ”, Clay Wirestone Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Facebook, Meta, CNN, Twitter, Free Speech Police Locations: New York, Kansas, Brooklyn, Meta

☆ L.A. Times Names Terry Tang as Executive Editor
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Katie Robertson | More About Katie Robertson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

She had previously worked as director of publications and editorial at the American Civil Liberties Union and as an editor at The New York Times for 20 years. “Terry is truly the best candidate to lead the Los Angeles Times’s journalism organization now and we’re fortunate she accepted the role,” said Chris Argentieri, the president and chief operating officer of The Los Angeles Times. Tensions between him and Mr. Merida rose before Mr. Merida’s departure, strained partly because of an incident over reporting about a wealthy doctor and his dog. Dr. Soon-Shiong tried to dissuade Mr. Merida from having the newsroom pursue the story, according to people with knowledge of their interactions. The company has said that Dr. Soon-Shiong had made a request for “truthful, factual reporting” on the story.

Persons: —, Tang, “ Terry, ”, Chris Argentieri, Patrick Soon, Merida’s, Shiong, Mr Organizations: American Civil Liberties Union, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times Locations: Angeles, Merida

☆ RFK Jr. raises possibility that January 6 wasn’t a ‘true insurrection,’ suggests ‘political objectives’ are motivating prosecutions
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Aaron Pellish | Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“That would fit a disturbing pattern of the weaponization of government agencies — the DoJ, the IRS, the SEC, the FBI, etc. In the statement, Kennedy pledged to name an independent special counsel to investigate “whether prosecutorial discretion was abused for political ends” in January 6 cases. Without the impartial rule of law, there is no true democracy or moral governance,” Kennedy said. “(Trump) overthrowing — trying to overthrow the election clearly is threat to democracy,” Kennedy said in a CNN interview on Monday. “But the question was, who is a worse threat to democracy?

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, President Trump, ”, “, Kennedy, ” Kennedy, Donald Trump, Undercutting Kennedy’s, Trump, Trump’s, —, Joe Biden’s, stokes, Matt Corridoni, Stefanie Spear, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Biden, I’m, Erin Organizations: CNN, Independent, Capitol, Trump, J6, DoJ, IRS, SEC, FBI, Justice Department, Democratic National Committee, RFK Jr

☆ In an Autocratic Region, a Glimmer of Democracy as Kuwaitis Cast Votes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Yasmena Almulla | Vivian Nereim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the clock struck noon on Thursday, the doors to dozens of polling stations across Kuwait opened and voters rushed in to elect one of the Middle East’s most robust parliaments. Candidates set up makeshift headquarters in tents, and coffee shops pledged discounts to voters. Swarms of people waited to cast their ballots — even though it was the fourth time in four years that they had been called upon to choose a new Parliament. “Parliament members convey the voice of the people,” a voter, Asraa Al Ghareb, 31, said, adding that she hoped the new Parliament would bring “actual and radical change for Kuwait.”Kuwait is far from a full democracy: Its ruler is a hereditary monarch, political parties are illegal, and the emir has the power to dissolve Parliament — the cause of Thursday’s snap election. Frequent deadlocks between Parliament and the executive branch have led to political turmoil.

Persons: Asraa Al Ghareb Locations: Kuwait, ” Kuwait

A pile of flowers blanketed a small memorial in the center of the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius after the death of the Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny last month. The impromptu tribute at the memorial, an unassuming pyramid commemorating victims of Soviet repression, has highlighted Vilnius’s growing status as the center of Russian political opposition. In Vilnius, exiled Russian journalists have set up studios to broadcast news to millions of compatriots back home on YouTube. Russian activists have rented offices to catalog the Kremlin’s human rights abuses, and exiled Russian musicians have recorded new albums for the audience back home. The arrival of the Russian dissidents in Vilnius has added to a larger wave of Russian-speaking refugees and migrants from Belarus and Ukraine over the past four years.

Persons: Aleksei A, “ Putin, ”, Vladimir V, Putin Organizations: Lithuanian, YouTube Locations: Lithuanian, Vilnius, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Belarus

☆ Turkey’s main opposition party wins major cities in elections blow to Erdogan
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Scott Mclean | Mohammed Tawfeeq | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Istanbul CNN —Turkey’s local elections on Sunday marked a major defeat for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, as the main opposition party claimed victory in key cities including Istanbul and Ankara. After his presidential victory, Erdogan had his sights on reclaiming cities lost to the opposition in 2019. Preliminary official results showed the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) had won 49 out of 81 municipalities including 14 out of 30 urban areas in the country, Turkey’s High Electoral Council said. The AK Party lost 10 Istanbul districts to rivals in the latest election. “Unfortunately, we could not get the result we wanted and hoped for in the local election test,” Erdogan said in a speech delivered Monday at AK Party headquarters in Ankara.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Ekrem, Mansur Yavas, Tugay, ” Imamoglu, ”, Beyoglu, ” Erdogan Organizations: Istanbul CNN —, Development, Party, Republican People’s Party, Electoral, CHP, TRT, Nationwide, “, Erdogan, Welfare Party, AK Party –, AK Party Locations: Istanbul, Ankara, Turkey, Izmir, “ Istanbul, Sunday’s

☆ Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric has been effective for him so far but poses real danger
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

In some ways, this is classic behavior from Trump and follows multiple previous social media threats to judges, political opponents and anyone who angers him. Trump’s attacks on the judiciary play into the foundation of his political career — that he’s a rebel outsider tearing down a political system his supporters believe disdains them. In itself, the tape is an affront to the legal system and the judiciary. If the principle were applied to its full extent, it could destroy the nonpartisan legal system. In his “State of the Union” interview Sunday, Lawler, an up-and-coming New York Republican, demonstrated how Trump’s rhetoric overshadows his party.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, president’s, Joe Biden, Trump’s, Judge Juan Merchan, Trump, “ I’ve, Donald Trump, ”, LaDoris Cordell, CNN’s Omar Jimenez, Biden, CNN’s Dana, Mike Lawler, Walton’s, Reggie Walton, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Walton, they’re, we’re, George Bush, George W, Bush, “, ” Walton, Cordell, ’ ”, Merchan, Tanya Chutkan, he’s, Fani Willis, Letitia James, John Roberts, Clinton, autocrats, Michael Tyler, —, ” Trump, Steven Cheung, Lawler, ” Lawler, CNN’s Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Trump, Superior Court, Republican Party, GOP, Union, Sunday, Republican, Capitol, Prosecutors, New York, Trump Organization, Capitol Police, New York Republican Locations: York, California, “ State, New York, America, Washington ,, Fulton County, Georgia

☆ 3 presidents, celebrity performances and protester interruptions at Biden campaign's $26M fundraiser
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Mike Memoli | Megan Lebowitz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Actor and comedian Mindy Kaling hosted the program, which ended at around 10 p.m., and late night host Stephen Colbert moderated a conversation with Biden, Clinton and Obama. Colbert acknowledged one protester and asked Biden about the U.S. role in ensuring a peaceful and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians. Outside the New York venue Thursday, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters chanted slogans like "Biden, Biden, you're a liar," and waved Palestinian flags and signs with anti-war messages. Biden and Trump are polling neck-and-neck, with 46% of voters supporting Trump and 45% supporting Biden, according to a March poll by CNBC. During Thursday's moderated discussion, Colbert asked Clinton what he would say to voters who do not feel like the economy is strong.

Persons: Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Stephen Colbert, Mindy Kaling, Biden, Clinton, Obama, Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, Lea Michele, Colbert, Donald Trump's, Mosaab Sadia, Kaling, Mr, Annie Leibovitz, Jill Biden, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, White, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, —, we're, John F, Trump, Mike Pence, George W, Bush, Kamala Harris, Humpty, Hillary Clinton Organizations: Radio City Music Hall, Democratic, Trump, GOP, New, Biden, Kennedy International Airport, NBC News, White House, Republican, Monday, CNBC Locations: New York, U.S, Gaza, York, Israel, D, Queens

☆ Reggie Walton: Judge warns of Trump’s attacks in extraordinary rebuke
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Shania Shelton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A sitting federal judge on Thursday harshly criticized Donald Trump’s attacks on the judge overseeing the former president’s criminal case tied to alleged hush money payments, telling CNN that such statements threaten the viability of the American legal system. US District Judge Reggie Walton spoke with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on “The Source” in the wake of Trump’s attacks on Judge Juan Merchan, which helped prompt the New York judge to issue a gag order on the former president earlier this week. It is unusual for federal judges to speak publicly, especially about specific political or legal situations. Trump criticized Merchan, his daughter and one of Bragg’s prosecutors in the hours before Merchan issued his gag order. Walton, who has been a senior judge of the federal trial level court in Washington, DC, since 2001, told CNN he is speaking out against threats on judges because he is concerned.

Persons: CNN —, Donald Trump’s, Reggie Walton, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Juan Merchan, they’re, ”, Walton, “, we’re, ” Walton, Trump, Alvin Bragg’s, Merchan, Bragg, – Merchan, …, Merchan “, reimbursements, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Tanya Chutkan Organizations: CNN, Trump, DC, Court Locations: York, New York, Washington , DC

☆ American Families Look Different Now. Good.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Kelli María Korducki | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

In 1970, more than two-thirds of American adults between 25 and 49 lived with a spouse and at least one kid. For a society structured around the ideal of the nuclear family, its demise has left everyone wondering: What happens now? Without one partner focused on full-time housekeeping, the amount of work required to run a nuclear family isn't really feasible. It doesn't take much of a mental leap to see why capitalism and the nuclear family make for such cozy bedfellows. Coontz, a leading historian of the American family, notes that every family structure comes with its own set of distinct weaknesses, strengths, and possibilities.

Persons: Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, O'Brien, David Brooks, Moira Weigel, Brooks, Charles E, " O'Brien, Stephanie Coontz, Kristen Ghodsee, Ghodsee, coparenting, Mark Boster, Coontz, — Organizations: Pew Research, Elon, Labor, Getty, University of Pennsylvania, Brookings Institution, Pew, Los Angeles Times, Guardian Locations: The, California, Somerville , Massachusetts

☆ Biden hosts fundraiser with his two-term Democratic presidential predecessors, striving to join their ranks
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Michael Williams | Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden on Thursday will join Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, the only living two-term Democratic presidents, aiming to use their star power to woo big-pocketed donors as Biden tries to join their ranks. The fundraiser is being held off-camera, though pool reporters will be able to report on the three presidents’ remarks. The Biden campaign said ahead of the fundraiser it had raised more than $25 million – making it the most successful single political fundraiser ever in terms of dollars raised. The fundraiser on Thursday is expected to be just the beginning of Obama’s involvement in Biden’s campaign. He is expected to take a larger role in Biden’s campaign – including traveling to college campuses and crucial battleground stakes – closer to November.

Persons: Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Biden, Clinton, Stephen Colbert, Annie Leibovitz, Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo, Lea Michele, ’, Jimmy Carter, Donald Trump, Trump, Jonathan Diller, Diller, ” Trump, “, ”, Julie Chávez Rodriguez, Obama, who’ve, Jeff Zeleny, Donald Judd, Brian Rokus, Kristen Holmes, Fredreka Schouten Organizations: Washington CNN, Obama, Radio City Music Hall, Biden, CNN, Hamas Locations: New York, America, Queens, Midtown Manhattan, Israel, Gaza, North Carolina

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