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CNN —Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has threatened to send 20,000 elephants to Germany amid a dispute over the import of hunting trophies. ”Twenty thousand elephants for Germany, this is not a joke,” Masisi told German tabloid Bild. Lenin Nolly/Sipa USA/AP/FileMasisi told Bild that Germany’s Green party could learn to cohabitate with elephants without hunting them. According to the ministry, Germany is one of the largest importers of hunting trophies in the European Union, and African hunting trophies already require import authorization under current rules. Trophy hunting does not come close to diminishing the elephant population, Masisi told broadcaster Sky News.

Persons: CNN —, Mokgweetsi Masisi, ” Masisi, –, Steffi Lemke, Lenin, Masisi, ”, Murat Ozgur Guvendik, “, ” Botswana’s, Botswana’s, Iris Throm, Mary Rice, Rice, Bild, you’d Organizations: CNN, Green, Getty, Botswana’s Ministry of Environment, Tourism, European Union, Germany’s Federal Agency for Nature, Environmental Investigation Agency, Sky News, Convention, International Trade, Fauna Locations: Germany, Berlin, Botswana, Masisi, Anadolu, Angola, Mozambique

☆ Opinion: Half measures won’t work. What Gaza needs is a Marshall Plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Opinion Zaher Sahloul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In one tragic instance, several people were killed when a pallet bearing food aid plummeted from the sky and landed on top of them. But in terms of the sheer scale of the misery I have witnessed, there has been nothing to compare to Gaza. Palestinian children in Rafah wait to receive food distributed by a charity kitchen amid severe food shortages of food supplies. In fact, many children in Gaza have diarrhea due to the lack of clean water and poor sanitation. This picture taken from Israel's southern border with the Gaza Strip shows parachutes of humanitarian aid dropping over the besieged Palestinian territory in late March.

Persons: Zaher, Khan Yunis, I’ve, Biden, Samantha Power, Mohammed Salem, Khan Younis, kneeled, Mohammed Abu Shahla, Mohammed, Lama, Jack Guez, Abdallah Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Getty, UN, Marshall Plan, Marshall, US, USAID, Reuters, Nasser Hospital, Gaza Locations: Gaza, United States, Khan, Israel, AFP, Washington and New York, Europe, Israeli, Rafah, Israel's, Palestinian

☆ Central Asian migrants face xenophobic backlash in Russia after Moscow terror attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Sebastian Shukla | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The men had been in Russia as migrant workers on either temporary or expired visas, authorities said. But in the days since, that emotion – combined with the disturbing videos – appears to have unleashed a wave of xenophobia from some towards Central Asian migrant workers in general. Her organization offers legal assistance to migrants looking for help in Russia, often on a pro bono basis. We need to spread the word.”A user in another channel, with 200,000 followers, suggested there was no space for anyone to feel sorry for migrants in Russia. According to Umerov, there are some 7 million migrants in Russia, of whom around 80% are from Central Asia.

Persons: Moskovsky, “ I’m, Vladimir Putin, Shamsidin, Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Muhammadsobir Fayzov, Yulia Morozova, Putin, ”, ‘ It’s, Valentina Chupik, Tong Jahoni, Temur Umerov, don’t, ” Umerov, Umerov, Emomali Rahmon, “ Putin Organizations: CNN, Moscow’s Crocus, Central, Crocus City Hall, Reuters, Soviet, Kazakhstan —, Human Rights Watch, Central Asia, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Hall, Russian, Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry, European Bank for Reconstruction, “, Institute of Economics, Russian Academy of Sciences, ISIS, Kremlin Locations: Moscow’s Crocus City, Tajikistan, Soviet, Central Asia, Russia, Ivanovo, Russian, Crocus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Illinois, Moscow, Central, Berlin, Ukraine, Kyrgyz, Tashkent, Western

☆ Gangs netting up to $3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Human trafficking-fueled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to $3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels. One international organized crime group makes $50 billion a year, according to Interpol secretary-general Jurgen Stock, adding that $2 trillion to $3 trillion of illicit money flows through the global financial system annually. While drug trafficking contributes around 40% to 70% of organized crime income, criminal groups are also using those smuggling networks to illegally move humans, arms and stolen products among other things, Stock said. Criminal enterprises also exist in Laos, Thailand and the Philippines, with many of the lucrative online scam operations ranging from illegal gambling, to love scams and crypto fraud. Beijing has pressed Myanmar’s military government to rein in the scam operations, but with limited success.

Persons: Jurgen Stock, Stock, ” Stock, Human Rights Volker Turk Organizations: CNN, Interpol, International Monetary Fund, Covid, ”, “, United Nations, UN, Human Rights, Philippine News Agency Locations: Southeast Asia, Singapore, Asia, United States, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Philippines, China –, Beijing, China, Manila, what’s, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong

CNN —Israeli forces last week launched another military operation on Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, bringing the sprawling medical facility north of the enclave back into the spotlight. Here’s what we know:Why are the Israeli forces raiding Al-Shifa again? Palestinian residents leave the area with a few items after Israeli forces besiege the Al-Shifa hospital with tanks and heavy gunfire in Gaza City, Gaza on March 18, 2024. Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu/Getty ImagesResidents of the area around Al-Shifa told CNN there was heavy firing in the vicinity. Meanwhile a doctor who cared for patients trapped inside Al-Shifa told CNN he fears two severely malnourished siblings will not survive due to lack of care and medication.

Persons: Shifa, ”, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Israel, Dawoud Abo, –, Mohammad Al Shawwa, Al Shawwa, “, ” Al Shawwa, Al Shawwa’s, Dr Ali Alghaliz, Rafiq Dughmosh, Rafif Dughmosh, Alghaliz, Mahmoud, Rafiq, “ Rafiq, Dr Ali, ” Alghaliz, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ” Ghebreyesus, Jake Sullivan, Lloyd Austin, Jacquelyn Martin, ” Sullivan, Samantha Power Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Israel Defense Forces, Al, United Nations, IDF, Defense Ministry, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Shifa, Dawoud Abo Alkas, Getty, Islamic, Al Ahli Baptist Hospital, Aid, Health Organization, WHO, National, US, Pentagon, US Agency for International Development, USAID Locations: Al, Gaza City, Gaza, Israel, “, –, Anadolu, Al Ahli, Israel’s, Shifa, Rafah, ”

☆ Xi Jinping is caught in a bind: How do I undermine US power while also courting its investors?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But Xi is also trying to dent US global power on several fronts. AdvertisementChina's President Xi Jinping presented an uncharacteristically affable image Wednesday, smiling broadly for US business leaders at a meeting in Beijing. The Chinese leader sought to assure investors including Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm and Stephen Schwarzman of the Blackstone Group that the downturn in China's economy, its biggest contraction in 15 years, would be over soon. AdvertisementOn the one hand, Xi is seeking to implement China's long-term strategy of displacing the US as the world's pre-eminent power. China's economy, after decades of growth, is experiencing its most serious problems in decades.

Persons: Xi Jinping, He's, Xi, —, Cristiano Amon, Stephen Schwarzman, Jonathan Ward, Ali Wyne, Joe Biden, Robert Daly, Wilson Organizations: Service, Qualcomm, Blackstone Group, United, Communist Party, US Navy, Taiwan, Wilson Center, CBS, International Crisis Group, Institute, NPR, US Locations: Beijing, China, Xinhua, United States, Ukraine, Russia, Taiwan, Iran, North Korea

☆ A 'Dragon Ball' theme park is Saudi Arabia's latest attempt to become the world's playground. Some fans aren't happy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A huge new "Dragon Ball" theme park is coming to Saudi Arabia, the franchise owner said. AdvertisementA massive theme park devoted to "Dragon Ball" is due to be built in Saudi Arabia. The owners of the Dragon Ball franchise announced Friday that Saudi Arabia's Qiddiya Investment Company would begin building the only theme park in the world devoted to "Dragon Ball," the hugely popular manga series. On one "Dragon Ball" fan subreddit, the news was greeted with comments like: "I'd prefer not to give the Saudis my money." AdvertisementThe news of the theme park came only weeks after the death of "Dragon Ball" creator Akira Toriyama, who died on March 8 aged 68.

Persons: —, Goku, Mohammed bin Salman's, Dragon, Prince Mohammed, Jamal Khashoggi, Akira Toriyama Organizations: Service, Ball, Saudi, Qiddiya Investment Company, Human Rights Watch, Business Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Qiddiya City, Riyadh, Turkey

☆ Energy Department Offers $2.3 Billion Loan to Boost Lithium Production
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Madeleine Ngo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Energy Department is moving forward on a deal to provide a $2.3 billion loan to Lithium Americas Corp. in an effort to shore up domestic supplies of a mineral vital for the production of electric vehicles. If finalized, the loan would help finance the construction of a lithium carbonate processing plant at Thacker Pass in Nevada. The United States, however, has lagged behind other countries in producing the metal. Only 1 percent of the lithium used in the United States is harvested domestically, according to the Energy Department. Lithium carbonate from Thacker Pass could support the production of batteries for up to 800,000 electric vehicles a year, according to the Energy Department.

Organizations: Energy Department, Lithium Americas Corp, Administration Locations: Thacker, Nevada, North America, United States, Australia, Chile, China, Argentina

☆ Open Arms ship carrying aid to Gaza departs from Cyprus, World Central Kitchen
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Scott Mclean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza has departed the port city of Larnaca in Cyprus, according to World Central Kitchen, a non-profit which said it is the first maritime shipment of aid to the war-torn strip. The non-profit said it had partnered with the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus and the Spanish charity Open Arms to coordinate the dispatch. The aid dispatch comes as Cyprus, the European Commission, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom are working to establish a maritime corridor to deliver aid assistance directly to Gaza. World Central Kitchen says it has served more than 35 million meals in Gaza since October, and is working with almost 400 locally-hired staff. Humanitarian workers and government officials working to deliver urgently needed aid for Gaza say a clear pattern has emerged of Israeli obstruction.

Persons: ” WCK, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, WCK, Jose Andres, Kamal Adwan Organizations: CNN, Arms, United Arab, Spanish, European Commission, UN, Food, Kamal Locations: Gaza, Larnaca, Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, United States, United Kingdom, Cypriot

☆ The US is dropping aid into Gaza. Here’s why that will do little to ease a humanitarian crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Niamh Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The US has joined several other countries in airdropping aid into Gaza, which is grappling with a humanitarian crisis. But despite this advantage, aid agencies say their drawbacks overwhelmingly outweigh their benefits. “Humanitarian workers always complain that airdrops are good photo opportunities but a lousy way to deliver aid,” Richard Gowan, the International Crisis Group’s UN Director said. Aid agencies have consistently said not enough aid is reaching Gaza. “When countries use airdrops and these maritime piers is usually if not always in situations when you want to deliver humanitarian aid into enemy territory.

Persons: We’ve, ” Richard Gowan, Michael Fakrhi, “, ” Fakrhi, John Kirby, ”, ” Kirby, Mahmoud Shalabi, Shalabi, Abdel Qader Al Sabbah, Kerem Shalom, Michael Fakhri, Israel, Dave Harden, ” Avril Benoît, CNN’s Louis Mian, Sana Noor Haq, Nadeen Ebrahim, Lauren Kent Organizations: CNN, UN, Food Programme, Islamic, “, Crisis, White, Medical Aid, Palestinian, Food, US Aid, Biden, MSF Locations: Gaza, warzones, Afghanistan, Islamic State, Iraq, Beit Lahia, Palestinian, Israel, Kerem, Rafah

☆ Aid ship for Gaza expected to depart Cyprus this weekend
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A ship laden with relief supplies for Gaza was preparing to depart Cyprus on Saturday as part of efforts to aid a population on the brink of famine. Separately, the United States has said it plans to build a temporary jetty to bring aid into Gaza, which has no port infrastructure. A sea corridor from Cyprus will supplement attempts to boost aid supplies, which have included airdrops of food. The charity WCK has partnered with Spain's Proactiva Open Arms and is sourcing the food. Larnaca port was used by pro-Palestinian activists, who used small sail boats to get into Gaza harbour in 2008.

Persons: Spain's, WCK Organizations: Central Command, Royal Jordanian Air Force, European, Reuters, UAE . Aid, Hamas Locations: Northern Gaza, Gaza, Cyprus, UAE, Spanish, Larnaca, United States, Israel, U.S

CNN —Two police stations near Haiti’s National Palace were attacked by armed individuals Friday night, as gang violence in the Caribbean nation’s capital of Port-au-Prince continued to spiral. Armed groups have burned down police stations and released thousands of inmates from two prisons, and Cherizier has warned of “a civil war that will end in genocide” if the prime minister does not step down. A woman cries as she walks near her husband's shop that armed gang members set fire to in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 7, 2024. Haiti is a member state, but it is unclear if Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry will be at the meeting. CNN has reached out to the Haitian prime minister’s office for comment.

Persons: Prince, Jimmy Cherizier, Ariel Henry’s, Cherizier, Henry, Synapoha, ” Stephane Dujarric, Clarens Siffroy, Sophie Mealier, Pierre Espérance, Ariel Henry, Jim Rogers, Rafy Rivera, Michael Conte, Abel Alvarado Organizations: CNN, Kenya, Kenyan, Haitian, Port, Caribbean Port Services, UN, Getty, Haitian Human Rights Defense Network, CARICOM, Caribbean Locations: Haiti’s, Caribbean, Port, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Prince, Haiti, AFP, Region, Prince’s, Canada, Kingston

She passed away.”As Israel’s severe restrictions on aid entering the Gaza Strip drain essential supplies, displaced Palestinians told CNN they are struggling to feed their children. CNNFood shortages are reportedly the worst in northern Gaza, where Israel concentrated its military offensive in the early days of the war. Dr. Muhammad Salha, acting director of Al-Awda Hospital, in northern Gaza, told CNN medical workers are treating cases of dehydration, gastroenteritis, and hepatitis among women and children. The US military said it had, alongside the Royal Jordanian Air Force, parachuted more than 36,800 meals into northern Gaza that day. He told CNN that he injured his foot while trying to buy flour along Al-Rashid Street.

Persons: CNN — Anwar Abdul Nabi, Kamal Adwan, tenderly, Mila, Nabi, Ashraf Al, Hussam Abu Safiya, Israel, “, ”, Ikhlas Shehadeh, ” Anwar Abdul Nabi, Richard Peeperkorn, Dr, Muhammad Salha, ’ wombs, Mohammed Salem, Ahmad Salem, Kosay Al Nemer, Melanie Ward, Riyad Mansour, Faraj Abu Naji, Rashid Organizations: CNN, Kamal, Health, Hamas, Ministry of Health, Integrated Food Security, UNICEF State, United Nations Population Fund, World Health Organization, WHO, Al, Awda, Reuters, Humanitarian Affairs, Kamal Adwan Hospital, United Arab, Emirati Ministry of Defense, Royal Jordanian Air Force, Medical Aid, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Rafah, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Gaza City, ”, Kuwait, Rasheed, Palestinian, Al

☆ CVS and Walgreens will begin selling abortion pills ahead of a key SCOTUS ruling on restricting access to the drug
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

CVS and Walgreens will start selling mifepristone in some US states, Reuters reported. The move follows a 2023 FDA decision to allow certified pharmacies to sell the abortion drug. President Joe Biden, who has supported increased access to abortion, hailed the news. AdvertisementCVS and Walgreens are set to begin selling the abortion pill mifepristone in some states this month, Reuters reported. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last year that it would allow retail pharmacies to begin selling the drug.

Persons: Joe Biden, —, Wade, Harris, Trump Organizations: Walgreens, Reuters, FDA, Service, Drug Administration, CVS, Alliance for Hippocratic, Guttmacher Institute, Food and Drug Administration, Republican, Food, Fox News, Politico Locations: New York , Pennsylvania , Massachusetts, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Rhode Island

☆ Anant Ambani pre-wedding photos: Rihanna, Mark Zuckerberg among stars at Indian billionaire heir’s celebrations
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Ambani is the youngest son of Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, who has an estimated fortune of $117 billion, according to Forbes. Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and their daughter Arabella pose with the groom's father, billionaire Mukesh Ambani. On Wednesday, the Ambani family hosted a communal dinner for more than 50,000 villagers. Reliance Industries/Handout/ReutersActors Salman Khan, Ram Charan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan perform during the pre-wedding celebrations. Reliance Industries/Handout/ReutersBillionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani with his son Anant and wife Nita.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, jetted, Anant Ambani’s, Rihanna, David Blaine, Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan, Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Radhika Merchant, Jared Kushner, Arabella, ”, Paula Hurd, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Salman Khan, Ram Charan, Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Taimur Ali, Anant, Nita, Anjali Organizations: CNN, Forbes, Reliance, Reuters, Reliance Foundation, Microsoft, Reliance Industries, Reuters Billionaire, AP Former India Locations: India, Silicon Valley, Jamnagar, Gujarat, New Delhi, Mumbai

☆ ‘Eventually, one gets used to anything:’ How Ukrainians have learned to live with war
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Dnipro, Ukraine CNN —The residential block in Dnipro looked like someone had taken a huge bite out of it. Their presence was a sign of how Ukrainians have become used to the realities of living through a war. Tsyplionkova said she considered leaving Dnipro after the war started but found she simply couldn’t go: this is her city. Lydmila Lashko, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk regional organization of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, says two years of war have forced Ukrainians to get used to its brutal realities. “But eventually one gets used to everything.”Some 4.8 million Ukrainians are officially registered as internally displaced people, according to data from Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy.

Persons: Yevhenia Tsyplionkova, Tsyplionkova, “, Ivana Kottasová, CNN Tsyplionkova, ”, Lydmila Lashko, ” Lashko, Lashko, They’ve, Zhanna Vedmedieva, ” Vedmedieva, Volodymyr Zelensky, Oleksandr Savchenko, Ivana Kottasova, Yulia Murashkina, Murashkina, Ihor Omelchenko, wasn’t, Omelchenko, ” Omelchenko, Vedmedieva Organizations: Ukraine CNN, Russian, Ukrainian Railways, CNN, Ukrainian Red Cross Society, Dnipro, Ukraine’s Ministry of Social, Donetsk People’s, United Nations Human Rights Locations: Dnipro, Ukraine, Iranian, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian, Demydiv, Kyiv, Donetsk, Kreminna, Severodonetsk, Luhansk, Russia, Russian, Dmytrivka, Novomykhailivka, Donetsk People’s Republic, Mariinka, France, Havriushyna

☆ Chipmakers Seek More Than $70 Billion in Federal Subsidies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Madeleine Ngo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Companies that produce the most advanced semiconductors have requested more than $70 billion in federal subsidies, roughly twice the amount of funding that is available, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Monday. In an effort to revitalize domestic manufacturing of semiconductors, the federal government is distributing $39 billion in subsidies as an incentive for companies to produce more of the tiny chips that power everything from smartphones to cars and fighter jets. The funding is meant to strengthen the U.S. supply chain and reduce the country’s reliance on foreign sources of chips. In a speech on Monday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Ms. Raimondo said her department had received more than 600 statements of interest. Federal officials have had to be “tough with companies,” Ms. Raimondo said, adding that she has pushed company executives to “do more for less.” She added that the level of interest also meant that officials would “have to say no to excellent companies.”

Persons: Gina Raimondo, Ms, Raimondo, ” Organizations: Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: United States

☆ Vultures, on the verge of extinction, receive a lifeline in South Africa
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Gertrude Kitongo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to four critically endangered species of vulture, and in South Africa, a non-profit conservation and rehabilitation group called VulPro is working to protect these fascinating birds. The operation involved over 50 people, logistics company DHL and WeWild Africa, an NGO specializing in animal rewilding and translocation. It was at that very moment that I actually understood how fragile and misunderstood the species were.”An African White-backed vulture (closest to camera) at the VulPro rehabilitation center near Pretoria, South Africa. Recent efforts have concentrated on the white-headed vulture, with a population of only 3,685 adults continent-wide, according to BirdLife International, and only a small percentage of that figure in South Africa. Poisoning is the most common reason for vultures to require treatment in South Africa, often from ingesting lead in discarded batteries, or bullets in animal carcasses, says Joubert.

Persons: VulPro, ”, Kerri Wolter, Gertrude Kitongo, “, Johan Joubert, Joubert, Wolter, – Organizations: CNN, Reserve, DHL, WeWild, BirdLife International, Shamari Locations: Saharan Africa, South Africa, Eastern Cape, WeWild Africa, African, Pretoria, Africa, West Africa, KwaZulu, Natal, South

☆ Israeli forces fired on food convoy in Gaza, UN documents and satellite analysis reveals
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Katie Polglase | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

“A convoy that had food on it, heading to the northern parts of the Gaza Strip. In the wake of the strike on February 5, UNRWA decided to stop sending convoys to northern Gaza. The UN estimates that 300,000 people are still living in northern Gaza, with very little assistance. “Because of the level of desperation in Gaza, people would see an aid convoy, they would come to the aid convoy, take the stuff from the aid convoy,” Touma told CNN. “By the time we get the approval, the aid convoy is empty.”Other routes are impassable due to debris and craters, satellite imagery reviewed by CNN shows.

Persons: ” Juliette Touma, CNN’s, Al Rashid, ” Touma, Thomas White, Tom White, “, ” Janina Dill, it’s, ”, Philippa Greer, COGAT, Abed Zagout, Israel “, Craig Jones, ” Jones, ” Gianluca Mezzofiore, Jennifer Hansler Organizations: UN, CNN CNN, United Nations, CNN, UNRWA, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Ministry of Health, Al, X, Oxford University’s Institute for Ethics, Law, US State Department, “, Government, Planet Labs, Food, Getty, Palestine Red Crescent Society, Health Organization, International Court of Justice, Newcastle University Locations: Gaza, Israel, Wadi Gaza, Palestinian, “ Israel, Al, Gaza City, Rafah, Egypt, Anadolu, French, Palestine, United Kingdom

☆ This college professor turned out to be an economic oracle last year. Here's her outlook for 2024.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewAt the start of 2023, most US economists were bracing for a recession. An economics professor at St Mary’s University, a tiny Roman Catholic college in San Antonio, Texas, bucked the trend. Last January, Belinda Román told surveyors from The Wall Street Journal that she was expecting the economy to have a strong 2023. No recession, low unemploymentIn January 2023, Román locked in her forecast for the year, telling the WSJ that she was expecting the US’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to expand by 2.8%. 2024 predictionsMany forecasters are now bullish on the US economy off the back of a stellar 2023 — and Román is no exception.

Persons: —, Belinda Román, Román, That's, Taylor Swift, “, ”, who’s, St Mary’s, we’ve, ” Román, Goldman Sachs ’ Jan Hatzius, London —, I’d, there’s Organizations: Service, St Mary’s University, Roman Catholic, Wall Street Journal, Business, Bank of America, JPMorgan, The Commerce Department, St, American Chamber of Commerce Locations: San Antonio , Texas, London

☆ Italian senate passes controversial measure to ship boat migrants to Albanian camps
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Rome CNN —A controversial plan agreed upon between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Albanian counterpart in November to send boat migrants to Italian-run centers on Albanian soil has passed the Italian Senate. The plan passed on a vote of 93 to 61. It is unlawful under EU law to immediately deport a migrant or refugee until their application for asylum is processed. The centers will be built with Italian funds and staffed with Italian civil servants to process up to 3,000 asylum applicants a month. In 2023, more than 157,000 people reached Italy by boat, according to Italian interior ministry data.

Persons: Rome, Rome CNN —, Giorgia Meloni, Atdhe Mulla, NGO’s, Meloni’s, Matteo De Bellis, “, ” Organizations: Rome CNN, Italian, Italian Senate, European Union, Bloomberg, Getty, Coast Guard, Navy, Amnesty Locations: Italian, Guantanamo, Albania, Afghan, Shengjin, Italy, United Kingdom, Rwanda

☆ From Gaza to Geneva: Swiss Doctor Evacuates Injured Children
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Gabrielle Tétrault-FarberGENEVA (Reuters) - When Swiss doctor Raouf Salti realised he could not go to Gaza to help injured children, he decided he would do everything he could to get them to Geneva to receive medical care. War in Israel and Gaza View All 206 ImagesSalti, who went to Egypt to pick them up, waved as he was greeted by his team at Geneva airport with Zeina, a wide-eyed 17-month-old who was rescued from under the rubble in Gaza, in his arms. The four children who arrived in Geneva on Monday are the second group that Salti has managed to evacuate to Switzerland, bringing their total number to eight. A child's life," Salti said after arriving at his office with the children and their mothers. (Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber and Cécile Mantovani in Geneva; Additional reporting by Nafisa Eltahir in Cairo; Editing by Alison Williams)

Persons: Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Raouf Salti, Salti, Cécile, Nafisa Eltahir, Alison Williams Organizations: Farber GENEVA, Geneva, Healthcare, Al, Shifa Locations: Gaza, Geneva, Egypt, Switzerland, Israel, Zeina, East, Africa, Cairo

☆ Rocio San Miguel: White House ‘concerned’ as Venezuela detains activist over alleged ‘White Bracelet’ plot to kill Maduro
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Stefano Pozzebon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday that the US government is “deeply concerned” by the arrest of activist and security analyst Rocio San Miguel in Caracas, Venezuela. On Tuesday, Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced on X that San Miguel had been charged overnight with treason, conspiracy, terrorism and criminal association as part of an investigation into the “White Bracelet” plot. “White Bracelet” is the name of an alleged plot to kill President Nicolas Maduro that the Venezuelan government denounced in January, and for which it has presented no evidence. San Miguel’s ex-husband Alejandro Gonzales was also charged with revealing military secrets, while four other citizens were released, Saab said. They are complicit in (terrorism) and interventionist actions against Venezuela,” Gil wrote on X.

Persons: CNN —, John Kirby, “, Rocio San, …, ” Kirby, Juan Luis Gonzalez, Tarek William Saab, Miguel, Nicolas Maduro, Miguel’s, Alejandro Gonzales, Yvan Gil, Maduro, Vladimir Padrino, Freddy Bernal, ”, ” Gil Organizations: CNN, Maiquetia, Venezuela’s, Saab, UN, Commission, Human Rights, Interamerican, Amnesty International Locations: Rocio San Miguel, Caracas, Venezuela, Miguel, Venezuelan, Spanish, United States, Tachira

☆ Are You Getting Sticker Shock From Your Electric Bills? We Want to Hear About It.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Ivan Penn | More About Ivan Penn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Upgrades to aging utility equipment and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have combined to drive up electricity costs across the country, with the national average increasing from one year to the next. As a New York Times business reporter, I have been looking into the impact of the rising costs of electricity on consumer bills. We are planning more stories about the rising cost of energy and how it’s affecting people around the country. What impact are electricity rates having on household budgets? What steps are people taking to lower their bills?

Persons: Madeleine Ngo Organizations: New York Times

☆ Meta removes Facebook and Instagram accounts of Iran’s Supreme Leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Rosa Rahimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Meta has removed the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Meta, the accounts have been disabled, which means they are permanently removed. “We have removed these accounts for repeatedly violating our Dangerous Organizations & Individuals policy,” a Meta spokesperson told CNN. Meta did not give a specific reason as to why Khamenei’s account fell under the Dangerous Organizations and Individuals Policy. “We expect the threat posed by Iran’s cyber and influence operations will grow as the conflict persists,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence report said.

Persons: Ali Khamenei, Biden, ”, Mahsa Alimardani, Meta, “ Organizations: CNN, Meta, Facebook, Iran’s, Organizations, US State Department, Foreign Terrorist Organization, Microsoft, ” Microsoft, Intelligence Locations: Iran, Yemen, Israel, Tehran, “, Iranian, UAE, Canada

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