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☆ Oil prices rise on moderate U.S. inflation data, strong demand
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices extended gains from the previous session on Thursday on signs of stronger demand in the U.S. where data showed slower inflation than markets expected, strengthening the argument for an interest rate cut which could result in even stronger demand. U.S. crude oil, gasoline and distillate inventories fell, reflecting a rise in both refining activity and fuel demand, showed data from the Energy Information Administration, or EIA. Crude inventories fell 2.5 million barrels to 457 million barrels in the week ended May 10, the EIA said, versus the 543,000 barrel consensus analyst forecast in a Reuters poll. Signs of slowing inflation and stronger demand were supporting prices, ANZ Research said in a client note, as is geopolitical risk which it said remains elevated. Gains were constrained after the IEA trimmed its forecast for 2024 oil demand growth, widening the gap between its view and that of producer group OPEC.

Persons: Brent Organizations: U.S, West Texas Intermediate, Federal Reserve, Energy Information Administration, EIA, ANZ Research, OPEC, Global, Organization for Economic Co Locations: Nolan , Texas, U.S, East, Gaza, Rafah, Qatar, Egypt, Israel

☆ Incident at TSMC’s Semiconductor Plant in Arizona Injures One
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Meaghan Tobin | More About Meaghan Tobin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The driver of a waste disposal truck was rushed to a hospital on Wednesday following an incident at the Phoenix campus of the Taiwanese chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which is under construction. Local media reported that an explosion had occurred that, the company said in a statement, did not damage the facility. The truck driver is a contractor, and no TSMC employees or construction workers were injured, the statement said. TSMC has long dominated the global chip supply chain from its home base in Taiwan. TSMC over the past four years has committed to build new factories in Japan, Germany and Arizona.

Persons: TSMC, Biden Organizations: Phoenix, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Locations: United States, Taiwan, Beijing, TSMC, Japan, Germany, Arizona

☆ F.D.A. Approves Drug for Persistently Deadly Form of Lung Cancer
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Gina Kolata | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved an innovative new treatment for patients with a form of lung cancer. It is to be used only by patients who have exhausted all other options to treat small cell lung cancer, and have a life expectancy of four to five months. The drug tarlatamab, or Imdelltra, made by the company Amgen, tripled patients’ life expectancy, giving them a median survival of 14 months after they took the drug. After decades with no real advances in treatments for small cell lung cancer, tarlatamab offers the first real hope, said Dr. Anish Thomas, a lung cancer specialist at the federal National Cancer Institute who was not involved in the trial. Dr. Timothy Burns, a lung cancer specialist at the University of Pittsburgh, said that the drug “will be practice-changing.”

Persons: tarlatamab, Anish Thomas, “, Timothy Burns, ” Organizations: Drug Administration, National Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh

☆ Biden's tariffs don't loosen China's grip on one key mineral in the EV economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The White House decided to delay by two years tariffs on graphite, a key metal in EV lithium-ion batteries that helps them store energy. But a senior Biden administration official said during a call with reporters that some tariffs would kick in in 2026 to allow battery supply chains to transition. However, those batteries can still source graphite from China until at least 2027 under the Biden administration's policy. Beyond graphite, other tariffs that Biden slapped on China's green tech are mostly symbolic. But steeper taxes on batteries this year could affect US automakers such as Ford and Tesla, which import from China.

Persons: Joe Biden, Gene Berdichevsky, Berdichevsky, Sila, EVs, Biden Organizations: Service, White, Business, US Department of Energy, Mercedes, Benz, Manufacturing, Biden, Environmental Defense Fund Locations: China, Washington ,, Moses Lake , Washington, Southeast Asia

☆ Jake Sullivan met in-person with representatives of countries whose citizens Hamas took hostage
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Mj Lee | Kylie Atwood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan convened for the first time this week an in-person meeting of ambassadors and chiefs of mission representing countries whose citizens were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, CNN has learned, as a ceasefire and hostages release deal remains stalled. Those 17 countries, along with the United States, have citizens whom Hamas took captive at the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. The meeting comes at a critical moment when the efforts to secure the release of hostages and Gaza ceasefire appear to have stalled once again. Multiple US diplomats have told CNN in recent weeks that they are consistently hearing those concerns from their counterparts abroad. Still, the White House has also been clear that the US remains a steadfast supporter of Israel, including its right to defend itself.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, Israel, “, ” Sullivan, Biden, ”, CNN’s Erin Burnett Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Hamas, Qatar –, United Nations, Israel, White Locations: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Qatar, Rafah

☆ Heat Stress Is Hitting Caribbean Reefs Earlier Than Ever This Year
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Catrin Einhorn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the world’s coral reefs suffer a fourth global bleaching event, heat stress in the Caribbean is accumulating even earlier than it did in 2023, the previous record year for the region, according to data made public on Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “I hate that I have to keep using that word ‘unprecedented,’” said Derek Manzello, coordinator of the agency’s Coral Reef Watch Program. Officials said conditions were quickly changing to a neutral state, with a cooler La Niña forecast for this summer or fall. But right now, temperatures in the Caribbean off Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Colombia are hitting levels that previously haven’t been seen until weeks later, an ominous signal after the heat that ravaged reefs across the region last year. A study of the reefs off Huatulco in Oaxaca, Mexico, found coral mortality ranging from 50 percent to 93 percent, depending on the reef area.

Persons: “, ’ ”, Derek Manzello, El Organizations: National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Reef Watch Locations: Caribbean, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Colombia, Oaxaca, Mexico

☆ Some data in the market-moving CPI report was released early by the Labor Department
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Information about Wednesday's critical consumer price index release circulated early on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, according to a statement from the agency. The statement provided few details but noted that the Labor Department agency has notified the Office of Management and Budget and the department's Office of the Inspector General. There was no other information provided concerning the early release of the CPI, a key inflation indicator that showed another increase in April, though slightly less than what the Wall Street consensus had anticipated. ET release, though there was little unusual activity in the half-hour prior, indicating that the early release was not widely seen and did not materially impact trading. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, ran at a 0.3% rate monthly rate and 3.6% annually, the lowest since April 2022.

Persons: Wednesday's, Peter Boockvar, Trump, Boockvar, Stocks Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS, Labor Department, Management, Budget, CPI, Bleakley Locations: Washington

☆ The U.S. Is Easing Marijuana Restrictions. Here’s How It Works.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Eileen Sullivan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration moved on Thursday to downgrade marijuana from the most restrictive category of drugs. The proposed rule, submitted to the Federal Register, is subject to a 60-day comment period, kicking off a lengthy approval process before it takes effect. The proposal, which would move marijuana to Schedule III, from Schedule I, signals a significant shift in how the federal government views the substance, even as it does not legalize the drug. The categories of controlled substances determine production amounts, access, research and legal consequences. Some experts have argued that cigarettes and alcohol, which are not in any of the five categories of controlled substances, should be included in Schedule I because of their demonstrated high risk of abuse and addiction.

Organizations: Biden, Federal

☆ In Symbolic Vote, House Passes Bill to Force Biden to Reverse Israel Arms Pause
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Annie Karni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The House on Thursday passed a bill that would rebuke President Biden for pausing an arms shipment to Israel and compel his administration to quickly deliver those weapons, in a largely symbolic vote engineered by the G.O.P. to spotlight the left’s divisions over Israel’s conduct of its offensive against Hamas. White House officials said the president would veto it, and Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, said it was “not going anywhere” in the Senate. But it had its intended effect of splintering Democrats: 16 of them joined Republicans in favor of legislation that condemned their own president’s administration. The bill effectively forced Democrats to choose between a vote that would show unequivocal backing for Israel but embarrass Mr. Biden, and one that Republicans portrayed as anti-Israel.

Persons: Biden, Chuck Schumer, “, Mr Organizations: Hamas, White Locations: Israel, New York

☆ Shares of this gene editing company are due to surge more than 45%, Citi says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

After a period of steady underperformance, investors should pick up shares of biotech Prime Medicine as regains the market's favor, according to Citi. Analyst Samantha Semenkow upgraded the preclinical-stage company to buy from neutral and kept her price target of $10 per share, which implies 47.9% potential upside from the stock's latest close. To be sure, Semenkow said she remains cautious on Prime's cash position and expects the Cambridge-based company to need to raise again in the next 12 to 18 months. Ongoing [business development] efforts could provide a source of non-dilutive cash and potential upside to her target price, she added. The company also had significantly more cash and cash equivalents on hand at the end of the previous quarter compared to the end of last year.

Persons: Samantha Semenkow, Semenkow Organizations: Prime Medicine, Citi, and Drug Administration, Cambridge, Research Locations: hematology

☆ These 16 House Democrats voted to force Biden to deliver withheld aid to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read preview16 House Democrats on Thursday voted for a bill designed to force President Joe Biden to provide all military aid to Israel — or risk the defunding of crucial national security-related offices. AdvertisementRepublicans in particular have sought to hit Biden for that move, including Rep. Cory Mills of Florida, a Republican who voted against Israel aid but has now introduced articles of impeachment against Biden for withholding that aid. AdvertisementSince October 7, the House has taken a variety of Israel-related votes that have split House Democrats, including one that equated anti-Zionism with antisemitism and another that was designed to crack down on campus antisemitism but faced free speech-related criticism. Last month, 37 House Democrats voted against a bill to provide the military aid to Israel that Biden is now partially withholding. Here are the 16 House Democrats who voted for the bill:

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Israel —, Thomas Massie of, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Warren Davidson, Ohio —, Biden, Cory Mills, I'm, nothing's, Jared Golden of, Greg Landsman, Ohio Organizations: Service, Democrats, Business, Republicans, Democratic, Republican, Department, Pentagon, Defense, State, National Security Council, White, . Jewish Democrats Locations: Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Ohio, Israel, Rafah, Gaza, Cory Mills of Florida, Jared Golden of Maine

☆ Damaging hacks expose the weak underbelly of America’s health care system
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington CNN —A pair of recent ransomware attacks crippled computer systems at two major American health care firms, disrupting patient care and exposing fundamental weaknesses in the US health care system’s defenses against hackers. Health care lags other industries such as big financial institutions and energy providers when it comes to IT security, according to some experts. The two ransomware attacks hit different nerves of the health care system. Momentum is also growing on Capitol Hill to force health care organizations to meet basic cybersecurity standards. More broadly, the Justice Department last week announced a task force to examine “health care monopolies and collusion” that will guide the department’s approach to “civil and criminal enforcement in health care markets,” where warranted.

Persons: cybersecurity, ” Joshua Corman, Sen, Ron Wyden, ”, cybercriminals, Biden, Anne Neuberger, Mark Warner, ” Carter Groome, Corman, ‘, ” Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Andrew Organizations: Washington CNN, Biden, “ Industry, CNN, Oregon Democrat, ransomware, Change Healthcare, White House, American Hospital Association, Department of Health, Human Services, Virginia Democrat, Healthcare, cybersecurity, Health, Cavalry, UnitedHealth, Optum, Tennessee Republican, Justice Department, UnitedHealth Group, Wall Street, Department Locations: St, Louis, United States, Virginia, Tennessee

☆ Key House panels set to advance contempt proceedings against Garland over Biden audio files
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —House Republicans will take their first step towards holding Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress on Thursday for refusing to turn over the audio recordings of special counsel Robert Hur’s interviews with President Joe Biden. The House Oversight and Judiciary committees will each hold markups on their respective reports recommending a contempt of Congress resolution against Garland for failing to comply with a congressional subpoena. If passed out of the committees, the resolutions would next go to the House floor for a vote by the whole chamber. While Hur’s probe led to no charges against the president, Republicans have seized on Hur’s description of Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” in his final report. DOJ has also outlined distinct privacy concerns related to an audio recording of an interview compared to a written transcript, and how the release of such an audio file could dissuade cooperation from future witnesses in criminal investigations.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Robert Hur’s, Joe Biden, Garland, Hur, Biden, Mark Zwonitzer, Carlos Uriarte, ” Uriarte, “, , Donald Trump Organizations: CNN — House Republicans, of Justice, Republicans, CNN, DOJ, House Republicans, Republican, ” Republicans Locations: New York City

☆ FDA approves Amgen's treatment for most deadly form of lung cancer
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In clinical trials, Amgen's drug has been shown to reduce tumor growth and help people with small-cell lung cancer live significantly longer. Of the more than 2.2 million patients who are diagnosed with lung cancer worldwide each year, small-cell lung cancer comprises 15%, or 330,000, of those cases, Amgen said. There are around 35,000 patients with small-cell lung cancer in the U.S., Dr. Jay Bradner, Amgen's chief scientific officer, told CNBC. Small-cell lung cancer usually starts in the airways of the lung and grows rapidly, creating large tumors and spreading throughout the body. Maida Mangiameli, a small-cell lung cancer advocate and patient mentor from Naperville, Illinois, is also a survivor of the devastating disease.

Persons: Amgen, Jay Bradner, Bradner, Lynne Bell, Amgen's, Bell, I'm, Maida, Mangiameli, Amgen's Bradner Organizations: Drug Administration, of Cancer, CNBC, American Cancer Society Locations: U.S, Atlanta , Georgia, Naperville , Illinois

☆ Columbia University president hit with no-confidence vote from faculty group over handling of pro-Palestinian campus protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Alisha Ebrahimji | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Columbia cited security concerns in canceling the large event, a school official told CNN, and instead is holding smaller ones. “Canceling the traditional commencement ceremony was one of the toughest calls in a year of many tough calls,” Shafik wrote in an op-ed in the Columbia Daily Spectator, noting her top priority has been the safety of students, faculty and staff. Fifty people were arrested, and police began the booking process onsite, university spokesperson Tom Vasich said in an email. Pro-Palestinian protesters had set up a campus encampment on April 29, when the university also called in local law enforcement. “This is not protest, this is pure hate.”The building’s takeover came a day after the UCB Divest Coalition agreed to end its campus encampment following discussions with university leadership.

Persons: Minouche Shafik, “, Shafik “, Ben Chang, Shafik, ”, ” Shafik, Tom Vasich, ” Vasich, Vasich, Anna, Dan Mogulof, Nazism ”, David, Mogulof, Santiago Mejia, ” Carol Christ, Jagdeep Singh Bachher, Ana Mari Cauce, ” Cauce, David Ryder David Ryder, ’, Russell Dorn, Robert Manuel, ” Manuel, Manuel, –, ” Benjamin Meyer, Morehouse, Joe Biden’s, David A, Thomas, CNN’s Victor Blackwell, Amanda Musa, Matt Egan, Julia Vargas Jones, Andy Rose, Chris Boyette, Melissa Alonso Organizations: CNN — Pro, Columbia University, Ivy League school’s, New York, CNN, Barnard College, American Association of University Professors, –, Columbia Daily Spectator, UC Irvine, University of California, Irvine Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Authorities, KABC, UC Berkeley, Pro, KGO, Jewish Community Relations, Nazism, UCB, UC Berkeley’s, Palestine, San Francisco, Getty, UC Regents, UC, Regents, University of Washington, Seattle, Wednesday, REUTERS, Reuters, University, ” DePaul University, Police, DePaul University in, WLS, DePaul, ” University, Coalition, ” Morehouse, Morehouse College’s, White House, White Locations: Israel, Gaza, Shafik, Columbia, Irvine, Orange, Berkeley, Merced, Seattle, DePaul University in Chicago, Atlanta

☆ Biden’s trade chief walks back comments contradicting Biden on tariffs and inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Matt Egan | Kayla Tausche | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Research shows that former President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China did indeed raise prices on consumers and businesses — despite his claims otherwise. The study found tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump did not meaningfully contribute to inflation. “The new Biden tariffs, like the more extensive ones that Trump has promised, will worsen US inflation. It is fair to debate how much the Biden tariffs will impact inflation because they are not nearly as widespread as what Trump imposed and what Trump is promising if he’s reelected. Trump enacted sweeping tariffs on $300 billion in Chinese imports, setting off a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies.

Persons: Katherine Tai, Joe Biden’s, ” Tai, —, Donald Trump’s, Tai, Angela Perez, Donald Trump, Goldman Sachs, Tai’s, “ Trump, ” Biden, “, Alex Durante, Tai’s “, Maury Obstfeld, Biden, ”, Trump, he’s, ” Perez, White, Morgan, Daleep Singh, Jen Psaki, Jared Polis, ” Polis, Ed Mills, Raymond James, David Kelly, ” Kelly Organizations: New, New York CNN, US, White, Research, CNN, US International Trade Commission, “, China, Tax, Obama, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Biden, Atlantic Council, Bretton, Committee, ”, Colorado Gov, Republicans, Asset Management Locations: New York, China, Ukraine, EVs, Europe

The no-confidence resolution was introduced by the campus chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a professional faculty organization. The group that brought the no-confidence resolution against Dr. Shafik does not “represent many faculty and students at Columbia University,” the letter stated. On Wednesday, Dr. Shafik wrote a conciliatory note to students and published it in the school newspaper in lieu of a graduation speech. Of the 899 faculty members eligible to vote, 709 completed a ballot. There are about 4,700 full-time faculty members at Columbia, of which the Faculty of Arts and Science represents about 20 percent.

Persons: Nemat, Shafik, “, ” Ben Chang, David Ahmed Ali, ”, Robert Newton, ” Dr, Newton, Liset Cruz Organizations: of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University, American Association of University, University Senate, Hamilton Hall, Columbia College, ”, Israel, Mailman, of Public Health, New School, City University of New, CUNY, New York University, Columbia, Ivy League, of Arts and Science Locations: Israel, Hamilton, Columbia, Gaza, City University of New York

☆ Seeking Access to Congo’s Metals, White House Aims to Ease Sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Eric Lipton | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Three years after Biden administration officials tightened sanctions on a billionaire Israeli mining executive for corrupt business practices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, they have reversed themselves and are offering the executive a deal they hope will bolster the supply of a metal vital to electric vehicles. The plan would allow the executive, Dan Gertler, to sell off his remaining stakes in three giant copper and cobalt mining operations in Congo. Once Mr. Gertler sells his positions, the Biden administration hopes Western-leaning companies will be more willing to invest in Congo, perhaps delivering a greater supply of cobalt to the United States as automakers race to increase domestic production of batteries. But certain State and Treasury Department officials strongly opposed the effort, saying that Mr. Gertler should not be allowed to profit from his deal-making, which the Biden administration earlier argued had cheated the citizens of Congo out of more than $1 billion in mining revenues.

Persons: Dan Gertler, Gertler, Biden Organizations: Biden, Democratic, Treasury Department Locations: Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, United States

☆ Here are the perks Trump's top donors would receive during the Republican National Convention
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Former U.S. President Donald Trump Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the California GOP convention on September 29, 2023 in Anaheim, California. Presidential candidates set to speak at the convention include former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)Former President Donald Trump's top donors are to be rewarded for supporting him while they attend the Republican National Convention in July, according to new documents reviewed by CNBC. A fundraising committee called Trump 47 is offering its donors "major investor convention benefits," according to a pamphlet. The document lists convention rewards for Trump 47 Committee donors who either raise up to $2.5 million or personally give between $24,000 and $844,600.

Persons: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, David McNew, Donald Trump's, Trump, Harley, Jeffrey Sprecher, Sen, Kelly Loeffler, Robert Mercer, Linda McMahon, Woody Johnson Organizations: U.S, Donald Trump Former U.S, California GOP, Florida Gov, Republican National Convention, CNBC, Trump, Republican National Committee, Republican, Donors, Fiserv, Davidson, Republicans, RNC, Intercontinental Exchange, Renaissance Technologies, Small Business Administration, New York Jets Locations: ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, California, Anaheim , California, Florida, South Carolina, Milwaukee

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Wall Street hits record highs as rate cut bets rise on soft inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Abid Ali | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A trader works during the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 17, 2020 at Wall Street in New York City. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Wall Street hits record highThe S&P 500 and the Nasdaq rose to record highs after inflation data came in lower than expected. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 350 points as investors bet the Federal Reserve may cut rates in September. Inflation easesApril's consumer price index rose 0.3%, slightly less than expected, while on a 12-month basis, inflation increased 3.4% in line with economists' forecasts.

Persons: JPMorgan Chase Jamie Dimon, Dimon, Anton Peraire, James Peraire, Biden, Morgan Stanley Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Wall, CNBC, Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial, Federal, Tech, Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, JPMorgan, Sky News, U.S . Treasury Department, GameStop, AMC, Justice, MIT, U.S Locations: New York City, America, cryptocurrency, China

☆ China announces 15-day visa-free stay in select provinces for cruise travelers to boost tourism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Adora Magic City, the first made-in-China large cruise ship, waits for its first commercial passengers on the dockyard in Shanghai on January 1, 2024. Travelers entering China via international cruises can stay in select provinces in the country for up to 15 days without a visa, the government said Wednesday, as Beijing attempts to boost its cruise and tourism industry. The regulations require foreigners to enter through one of 13 coastal cruise ports in the country, according to a statement from China's National Immigration Administration (CNI). China's cruise business made major strides this year, with the country's first domestically-built cruise liner, the Adora Magic City, making its first voyage on Jan. 1, according to state-run media. On Wednesday, seven cruise ports were also added as eligible entry points under China's existing visa-free transit policy, on top of the previous 31.

Persons: CNI Organizations: Magic City, Travelers, National Immigration Administration Locations: Magic, China, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Ukraine's getting more longe-range missiles that leave the Russians with 'nowhere to hide'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The number of missiles isn't publicly known, but ATACMS missiles average about $1.3 million each. These air-dropped missiles can fly at low altitudes to avoid detection and have been used to strike Russian naval headquarters and vehicle-repair depots in the occupied Crimean peninsula. The arrival of Storm Shadow missiles — and, several months later, ATAMCS — presented new challenges for Moscow, but Ukraine has received so few it has had to bee choosy over what to target. Indeed, Kyiv has used the American missiles in recent weeks to strike Russian airfields and troop gatherings. Missiles like ATACMS and Storm Shadow "will enable Ukraine to neutralize Russia's advantages and eventually enable them to regain the initiative," he added.

Persons: —, Ben Hodges, John Hamilton The, Jake Sullivan, Grant Shapps, Ben Stansall, Dan Rice, you've, Rice, ATAMCS —, Serhii, Hodges, Moscow's, Jack Watling, Watling Organizations: Service, US, Business, US Army, Army Tactical Missile System, White, MGM, Tactical Missile Systems, Biden administration's, Republicans, Congress, Kyiv, General Staff, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Storm, Shadow, Farnborough, American University Kyiv, Artillery Rocket Systems, Getty, Missiles, Russian Defense Ministry, Royal United Services Institute Locations: Ukraine, New Mexico, Washington, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Italy, France, Crimean, Russia, Russian, Moscow, Donetsk Oblast, Berlin, Avdiivka, Anadolu, Kharkiv

Social Security trust fund reserves are projected to be depleted by 2035. The 2023 Social Security and Medicare Trustees annual report projects that the program's trust fund reserves will be depleted by 2035. "It's not that Social Security will disappear completely, but rather, the surplus bucket we rely on is at risk." The average Social Security check for a retired worker is only $1,907 per month, according to the Social Security Administration. Without sufficient action, reduced Social Security benefits might not be able to keep pace with rising costs.

Persons: Emily Millsap, you've, Roth, HSAs Organizations: Social Security, Avantax Wealth Management, Social, Social Security Administration, Workers

☆ United Airlines says FAA cleared it to add new aircraft, routes after safety review
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

United Airlines said the Federal Aviation Administration has cleared it to add new aircraft and routes months after the regulator stepped up its scrutiny of the carrier following several safety incidents. United said in March that the FAA had stepped up scrutiny of the airline after a spate of incidents earlier this year. That prevented it from launching new routes, including flights to Faro, Portugal, ahead of the busy summer travel season. The clearance from the FAA is welcome news as United and other carriers expect a record peak season this year. "We will continue to see an FAA presence in our operation as they review our work processes, manuals and facilities," it said in its employee memo.

Persons: United Organizations: Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Management, Boeing, Max, Alaska Airlines Locations: Faro, Portugal, Japan, San Francisco, Oregon

☆ House to vote on bill to prevent Biden from withholding weapons to Israel as GOP ramps up pressure on Democrats
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Clare Foran | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The House vote has seemingly been partly designed to put pressure on Democrats and is expected to expose divisions within the party over the issue. The bill is unlikely to be taken up in the Democratic-led Senate and the White House has said that Biden would veto the bill if Congress passed it. The Biden administration on Tuesday began the early stages of a process to move ahead with a new $1 billion arms deal for Israel, according to two congressional sources. The move comes as the Biden administration has paused the shipment of 2,000-pound bombs and 500-pound bombs to Israel, citing opposition to the weapons being used in the densely populated areas of Rafah. Biden has come under extraordinary pressure, including from some members of his own party, to limit shipments of arms amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel ”, Adam Smith, “, ” Smith, ”, Kevin Liptak, Kylie Atwood Organizations: CNN, GOP, Congress, State Department, Defense Department, National Security Council, Democratic, White, Tuesday, House Democratic, Hamas, Israel, ” Democratic, House Armed Services Committee Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, Rafah

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