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☆ Mortgage rates fall to their lowest level in almost three months
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates fell this week to their lowest level since early April, taking some pressure off America’s unaffordable housing market. “These lower mortgage rates coupled with the gradually improving housing supply bodes well for the housing market.”Still, mortgage rates remain higher than anything seen in the decade before 2022, the year the Federal Reserve began to raise interest rates to combat inflation. Economists don’t expect the average mortgage rate to fall below 6% this year. Homebuilding constrained by high interest ratesWhile mortgage rates have eased recently, the US housing market overall remains hamstrung by elevated interest rates, which seem to be taking a toll on homebuilding. “Persistently high mortgage rates are keeping many prospective buyers on the sidelines,” NAHB Chairman Carl Harris said in a release.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, don’t, America’s homebuilders, “, Carl Harris, ” Skylar Olsen Organizations: Washington CNN —, “, Federal Reserve, Treasury, National Association of Home Builders Locations: ., Wells Fargo, America, San Diego , Los Angeles and New York, California, Honolulu

☆ Britain’s embattled ruling party roiled by election-related gambling scandal
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Britain’s governing Conservative Party has been rocked by a gambling scandal in the middle of the campaign for an election that it is expected to lose. The UK’s PA Media news agency reported on Thursday that Conservative candidate Laura Saunders is facing a gambling watchdog investigation into alleged betting offenses. Prior to standing as a candidate, Saunders worked for the Conservative Party. A Conservative spokesperson told CNN in a statement: “We have been contacted by the Gambling Commission about a small number of individuals. It would be the first time Labour has entered power from opposition since 1997 and would end 14 years of controversial government by the Conservative Party.

Persons: Laura Saunders, Saunders, Tony Lee, Lee, ” Saunders, Craig Williams, Rishi Sunak, Williams, “, …, ”, It’s Organizations: CNN, Conservative Party, Media, Conservative, BBC, Commission, UK’s, Sunak, The Metropolitan Police, Professional, Labour Party, Labour, Conservatives

☆ South Africa Runs Out of Insulin Pens as Global Supply Shifts to Weight-Loss Drugs
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Stephanie Nolen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

South Africa’s public health care system has run out of the human insulin pens that it provides to people with diabetes, as the pharmaceutical industry shifts production priorities to blockbuster weight-loss drugs that use a similar device for delivery. Novo Nordisk, the company that has supplied South Africa with human insulin in pens for a decade, opted not to renew its contract, which expired last month. No other company has bid on the contract — to supply 14 million pens for the next three years, at about $2 per pen. Novo Nordisk’s drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, which are widely prescribed in the U.S. for weight loss, are sold in single-use pens produced by many of the same contracted manufacturers who make the multidose insulin pens. A month’s supply of Ozempic in the United States costs about $1,000, far more than insulin.

Persons: ”, Ambre James, Brown Organizations: Novo Nordisk Locations: South Africa, U.S, Ozempic, United States

☆ UK prime minister’s protection officer arrested over alleged bet on election timing
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Sharon Braithwaite | Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A police constable working as part of the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s protection team was arrested this week for allegedly making bets related to the timing of the general election, police told CNN. The officer was arrested on Monday “on suspicion of misconduct in public office,” a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said Wednesday. The arrest comes days after the Guardian newspaper reported that a close aide of Sunak made a £100 ($127) bet on a July election date before the prime minister had publicly announced the date. Many people in the comments have since reacted by highlighting the news of the police constable’s arrest for allegedly betting on the election. The UK general election will take place on July 4.

Persons: Rishi Sunak’s, “, ”, Sunak, Craig Williams, that’s, Sunak’s Organizations: CNN, UK, Metropolitan Police, Commission, Protection Command, Professional, Guardian, BBC, Met, Sunak’s Conservative Party, Labour, Labour Party Locations: ”, Sunak, Britain

☆ Car dealerships hit with massive computer system outage
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“We are actively investigating a cyber incident,” CDK spokesperson Lisa Finney said in a statement shared with CNN. To protect customer privacy, customer’s details aren’t written out on a piece of paper that’s just sitting on the desk anymore. Instead, information about deals and customer appointments is kept in a server that’s now impossible for his salespeople to access. But it’s a major hassle in the meantime and could cost his dealerships some business. A statement shared by CDK later in the afternoon said some of the company’s system had been restored to operation but not all of them, yet.

Persons: ”, Lisa Finney, CDK, it’s, Jeff Ramsey, aren’t, Ramsey, “, ” Ramsey, Brian Benstock, he’s Organizations: CNN, CDK, Ourisman Auto Group, Paragon Honda, Paragon Acura Locations: Canada, Maryland, Long Island City , New York

CNN —US envoy Amos Hochstein told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a meeting on Tuesday in Israel that his public comments this week that the US is “withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel” were “unproductive” and “more importantly, completely untrue,” a senior US official told CNN. A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Israel confirmed that Lew spoke with Netanyahu on Tuesday. The meeting reflected the administration’s mounting frustration with the Israeli leader’s comments. Hochstein’s comments to Netanyahu weren’t the first time US officials have pushed back in private against public comments made by Netanyahu, but some US officials would like the Biden administration to go further, an administration official said. “In the meantime, meetings with Israeli officials are being held throughout the week at expert and senior levels on a range of topics.

Persons: Amos Hochstein, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel ”, ”, Israel Jack Lew, Netanyahu, Lew, ” Axios, Hochstein, Biden, Joe Biden, Netanyahu weren’t, “, that’s, ” Netanyahu, Antony Blinken “, ” Blinken, Israel won’t Organizations: CNN, Israeli, US Embassy, Israel Strategic Consultative, White, “ Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iran

☆ Officer in Sunak’s Protection Team Accused of Placing U.K. Election Bet
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Stephen Castle | More About Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A protection officer working for Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak, was arrested over allegations he had made bets on the timing of the country’s general election, which was recently called months earlier than had been expected, the police said on Wednesday. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police, the force that covers London, said the officer had been removed from operational duties and had been arrested on Monday “on suspicion of misconduct in public office.” The force added that the officer, who was not identified by name, was free on bail “pending further enquiries.”News of the arrest came a week after Craig Williams, a Conservative lawmaker and parliamentary aide to Mr. Sunak, apologized after having placed a bet on the timing of the election before the date of July 4 was officially announced. “I put a flutter on the general election some weeks ago,” Mr. Williams, who is running for re-election in the July 4 vote, wrote on social media. He noted that the Gambling Commission, which oversees the betting industry in Britain, was making inquiries. “I confirm I will fully cooperate with these,” he said.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Craig Williams, Sunak, “, Mr, Williams, ” Organizations: Metropolitan Police, ”, Conservative, Gambling Commission Locations: London, Britain

CNN —Nintendo has dropped a fresh surprise for fans – a new Zelda title where gamers will finally be able to play the titular princess from the legendary fantasy series. The new game, “The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom,” will release on the Switch console on September 26, according to a statement from Nintendo. The many iterations of the games usually revolve around the heroic elf Link, who spends most of his adventures trying to save Princess Zelda who, more often than not, has been kidnapped or mysteriously disappeared. Now it’s up to Princess Zelda to step into the protagonist’s role,” Eiji Aonuma, producer of the Zelda series, said in a video released by Nintendo. The release of a new Zelda game is the second surprise announcement Nintendo has dropped in recent weeks.

Persons: –, Zelda, ”, Princess Zelda, ” Eiji Aonuma, Shuntaro Furukawa Organizations: CNN, Nintendo, ” Nintendo

☆ Earth Photo 2024: Striking images show how our planet is changing
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Editor’s Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. CNN —A photograph of a solitary man walking along terraces in China, rust-red rivers in Alaska and a gargantuan western red cedar are among the winning images of the Earth Photo 2024 competition. More than 1,900 images and videos were submitted to this year’s competition by photographers and filmmakers from all over the world. “Bringing us closer to landscapes, wildlife and communities from across the planet in this way sparks new conversations and reflections.

Persons: –, Parker Harris –, Jean, Marc Caimi, Valentina Piccinni, ”, Francesco Verri, ” Louise Fedotov, Clements, “, Jennifer Adler’s, Marc Lathuillière, Mike Seddon, Fedotov Organizations: CNN, Initiative, Forestry England, Royal Geographic Society, Geographical Society, Photoworks, Forestry Locations: China, Alaska, Jean, Colombia, Forestry England

☆ Putin arrives in North Korea for first visit in 24 years as anti-West alignment deepens
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Anna Chernova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Following his visit to North Korea, Putin is scheduled to travel to Hanoi in a display of Communist-governed Vietnam’s ties to Russia that is likely to rankle the United States. Putin’s trip to North Korea will have a “very eventful” agenda, his aide Yuri Ushakov said during a press conference Monday. One image was of a grandstand being constructed on the eastern side of Kim Il Sung Square, the site where all major parades in North Korea are held. Putin arrives in North Korea on Tuesday, June 18. But Russia’s apparent increasing reliance on North Korea and rising frictions with the West appear to have shifted that dynamic.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Putin, Kim, Yuri Ushakov, Ushakov, Kim Il, John Kirby, Biden, wasn’t “, ’ Kim, ” Kim, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin’s, Defense Lloyd Austin, “, ” Putin, Kim Jong Il, Xi Jinping, Michael Mitsanas, Katharina Krebs, Mariya Knight, Yoonjung Seo, Betsy Klein, Paul P, Murphy Organizations: CNN, TASS, Putin, Planet Labs, Maxar Technologies, US, North Korean, North, South Korea’s, Chiefs of Staff, West, Ukrainian, Kyiv, NATO, Ukraine, Defense, Kremlin, United Nations Security, UN Locations: North Korea, Pyongyang, Ukraine, Korean, Korea, Hanoi, Russia, United States, Asia, Moscow, North, Zarubinreporter, South Korea, South, Russia’s, Eurasia, Italy, Kyiv, Russian, Vietnam, Beijing, China, Iran, South Africa, Brazil

☆ New York’s highest court leaves Trump gag order in hush money case in effect
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Nicki Brown | Kara Scannell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —New York’s highest court has declined to hear Donald Trump’s appeal on the gag order in his hush money case, according to a decision list posted Tuesday. The gag order, issued by Judge Juan Merchan in the criminal case against Trump, remains in effect. Separately, Trump has asked Merchan to terminate the gag order ahead of his sentencing scheduled for July. Once that motion is filed, the court will again make a decision on whether to hear the case. If the Court of Appeals did find the gag order unconstitutional, Trump’s attorneys wrote it would “undermine the justification” for the fines Trump received for his violations.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Judge Juan Merchan, Trump, Merchan, Stormy Daniels, Todd Blanche, ’, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Gary Spencer, Trump’s Organizations: CNN, New, Trump, Manhattan, Attorney

☆ UK millionaires are fleeing Britain in their thousands
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Mark Thompson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The continuing exodus from the UK — 16,500 millionaires left between 2017 and 2023 — is part of a global mass migration of the rich that appears to be accelerating. The Henley Private Wealth Migration report found that 128,000 millionaires are set to relocate this year, beating last year’s record by 8,000. By contrast, the ranks of the wealthy have grown in the US, Canada, Australia, Germany and France over the same period. “The outflow of high-net-worth individuals already generated by the economic and political context is now being accelerated by policy decisions ahead of the election,” said White. Still, one very rich couple will apparently be staying, whatever the result on July 4.

Persons: Henley, ” Hannah White, —, ” Dominic Volek, Liz Truss, Keir Starmer’s, Rishi Sunak’s, Starmer, Rachel Reeves, ”, White, Akshata Murty, Sunday Times Rich, King Charles, Sunak Organizations: London CNN, Labour, Henley & Partners, Institute for Government, City of, Henley Private Wealth, European Union, Bank of England, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, Sunday Times Locations: United Kingdom, City of London, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Ukraine, England

☆ Gordon Black: US Soldier sentenced to nearly four years in Russian penal colony, state media reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Cnn Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A Russian court on Wednesday sentenced a US soldier to three years and nine months in a penal colony on charges of theft and threatening murder, state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Gordon Black was arrested in May on charges of theft in the far eastern city of Vladivostok, where he had traveled to visit a woman, believed to be his girlfriend. Black was also accused of assaulting the woman during a quarrel. The US soldier did not admit to charges of threatening to kill the woman, but partially admitted guilt to theft charges, RIA Novosti previously reported. Black will appeal the sentence handed down by the court in Vladivostok, his lawyer said Wednesday, according to TASS.

Persons: Gordon Black, Black, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Gershkovich Organizations: CNN, RIA Novosti, Staff, TASS, RIA, US State Department, Wall Street, Wall, Journal Locations: Vladivostok, Russia, South Korea, Pervomaisky, Washington, Moscow, Ukraine, Yekaterinburg

Portugal’s blushes were spared as they came from behind to earn victory over the Czech Republic in their opening match at Euro 2024. AdvertisementInstead, it was the Czech Republic who took the lead — with yet another strike from outside the box. They dominated the ball and Czech Republic were happy enough with that, but Portugal never really clicked, despite deploying an admirable fluid system. Martinez’s side also had eight corners in the first half but the steely Czech Republic held firm, frustrating their opponents. Saturday, June 22: Turkey (Dortmund), 5pm BST, noon ETWhat next for Czech Republic?

Persons: Portugal’s blushes, Cristiano Ronaldo —, Lukas Provod’s, Robin Hranac, Ronaldo, Diogo Jota, Francisco Conceicao, Roberto Martinez’s, Tim Spiers, Tom Burrows, Sam Lee, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Martinez, Joao Cancelo, Vitinha, Rafael Leao, Diogo Dalot, Cancelo, Portugal’s, Ruben Dias, Pedro Neto, Conceicao —, Turk Organizations: Portugal, Provo, uga, Port Locations: Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, England, PORTUGAL, Hamburg

☆ Brooke Shields wears yellow Crocs on the Tony Awards’ red carpet
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Christy Choi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Many celebrities will be well-versed in the power of the statement heel to complete a red carpet look, but at the Tony Awards on Sunday night in New York, Brooke Shields stole the spotlight in a statement flat. Even as far back as 2015, actor Alan Cumming sported Crocs to the Emmys with his Vivienne Westwood ensemble. Founded in Boulder, Colorado by three friends in 2002, Crocs were an immediate success when they first hit the market. Alan Cumming attends the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards in a Vivienne Westwood suit and black Crocs. These efforts may be paying off: Crocs reported a record year of earnings in 2023, with total revenue reaching nearly $4 billion dollars.

Persons: Brooke Shields, Monique Lhuillier, “ I’ve, ”, Shields, Calvin Klein, “, Questlove, Chris Pizzello, Justin Bieber, Drew, Alan Cumming, Vivienne Westwood, Crocs, Jason Merritt, Bad Bunny, Balenciaga that’s Organizations: CNN, Associated Press, Broadway, CBS, Getty, Puerto Locations: New York, Chicago, Boulder , Colorado, Puerto Rican

Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement that he would activate the city’s heat emergency plan starting on Tuesday. “The first heat wave of the season is here, and New York City has a plan to beat the heat — but we want all New Yorkers to have a plan as well,” Mr. Adams said. The city’s Heat Vulnerability Index — an effort spearheaded by the health department in conjunction with Columbia University — analyzes the neighborhoods that face the most danger during a heat wave. If everybody’s doing it, you’re multiplying it by millions.”Are heat waves in New York City becoming more common? The only heat wave to hit New York City last year happened in September, said David Stark, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service of New York.

Persons: Eric Adams, “, Mr, Adams, Ashwin Vasan, Anna Watts, Sandee, Columbia University —, Brian Ourien, ” Mr, Ourien, Zach Iscol, Vasan, ”, Con Ed, Brittainy Newman, Patrick McHugh, Con Ed ., McHugh, David Stark, Elijah Hutchinson, Hutchinson Organizations: Fire Department, National Weather Service, The New York Times, “, New York Public Library, Columbia University, Department of Health, Human Services, Bowery, Emergency Management, Workers, Con, New, New York City, Environmental Locations: New York City, New York, New, York, Bronx , Brooklyn, Queens, Mott Haven, Fordham, Jamaica, Hollis, St, Albans, In Brooklyn, Brownsville , East Flatbush, East New York

☆ ‘Make Europe Great Again’: Hungary unveils new motto for EU presidency, and it sounds a lot like Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Mia Alberti | Vasco Cotovio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —“Make Europe Great Again” is Hungary’s official motto for its upcoming turn at the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. The country announced the motto and a new logo in a video posted on X on Tuesday. The motto is a near-exact copy of the slogan adopted by former US President Donald Trump, who has previously heaped praise on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The cube features the Hungarian flag on one face and the EU flag on another. In May, Orbán held the third annual American-style CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) in Hungary.

Persons: Donald Trump, Viktor Orbán, Trump, “, It’s, Orbán, Trump’s, MAGA, Viktor Orban, Marton Monus, Reuters Trump, ” Organizations: CNN, of, European Union, Mar, White House, EU, Reuters Locations: Hungarian, Lago, Florida, Hungary, Budapest, Europe

☆ Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway dumps BYD shares following rise in trade tension over Chinese EVs
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has further cut its large stake in BYD, which vies with Tesla as the world’s largest electric car (EV) maker, as global trade tensions escalate over Chinese EVs. The sale was valued at 310.5 million Hong Kong dollars ($40 million). BYD shares had closed at a record high in June of that year. In 2008, Berkshire spent $230 million in buying BYD shares at an average of HK$8 ($1.02) apiece. Berkshire still holds 75.7 million Hong Kong-listed shares of BYD, which were worth about 17.6 billion Hong Kong dollars ($2.3 billion) by Tuesday.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Warren, Berkshire Hathaway, Tesla, Buffett, Daniel Acker, Biden, Wang Chuanfu, Elon Musk’s Tesla, didn’t, Charlie Munger, Munger “, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong, Berkshire, Bloomberg, Getty, European Union, European Commission, EU, EV, HK, CNN Locations: China, Hong Kong, BYD, European, Europe, Beijing, United States, Shenzhen, Berkshire

☆ Scammers tried to steal Graceland. Here’s how to make sure they don’t get your home
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Experts say rental properties, vacation homes and homes where the owners are deceased can be targets of home title theft. Here are some ways to protect yourself:What is home title fraud? Home title fraud occurs when scammers impersonate homeowners to refinance or sell a victim’s property and pocket the money. In an email associated with Naussany Investments to CNN, a self-proclaimed scammer claimed responsibility for the attempted home title fraud. A standard American Land Title Association (ALTA) homeowner’s policy of title insurance covers home title forgery and impersonation.

Persons: scammers, Elvis Presley’s, David Fleck, ”, “, ” Fleck, “ It’s, Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis, Priscilla Presley, Riley Keough, Naussany, Florida notary’s, Jonathan Skrmetti, scammer, I’ve, Jeremy Miller, ” Miller, Fleck, ALTA’s, Miller Organizations: CNN, Naussany, Naussany Investments, New York Times, Times, Allstate, Consumer Financial Locations: Memphis, Tennessee, Los Angeles, Graceland, Florida, Nigeria, California, Georgia

☆ Biden to announce new executive action protecting immigrant spouses and children of US citizens
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Michael Williams | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Under current federal law, an undocumented person who enters the United States and marries a US citizen must first request parole before applying for legal residency. Lawful permanent residency, commonly known as obtaining a green card, allows immigrants to live and legally work in the United States. Some Democrats in the Senate praised Biden’s executive order while those in vulnerable seats tried towing a line. Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat in a vulnerable seat, also declined to say if he supports Biden’s executive order. However, he did praise Biden’s executive order from earlier this month aimed at restricting border crossings.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Biden, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Biden’s, it’s, Donald Trump’s unforgivable, ” Biden, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, “, –, ” Todd Schulte, ” Muzaffar Chishti, John Thune, ” Thune, they’ll, ” Sen, Thom Tillis, Tillis, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, ”, Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, “ I’ve, – I, CNN’s Sam Fossum, Kayla Tausche, Lauren Fox, Morgan Rimmer, Manu Raju Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Migration Policy Institute, Republican, Congress Locations: Arizona , Nevada, Georgia, United States, Ohio

☆ Boeing hid questionable parts from regulators that may have been installed in 737 Max planes, new whistleblower alleges
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Chris Isidore | Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Boeing has been under intense scrutiny with numerous federal investigations and congressional hearings since a January 5 Alaska Air Boeing 737 Max flight had a door plug blow off, leaving a gaping hole in both the plane and Boeing’s reputation. He also claims Boeing in August 2023 told employees to delete records about nonconforming parts, which led him to complain – but Boeing took no action. Jason Redmond/ReutersAt an April 17 hearing Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour testified that Boeing is putting out defective planes because he and others who complain faced pressure not to do so. But the January 5 incident aboard the Alaska Air flight happened just days before the end of the probationary period. Boeing has denied the Alaska Air incident violated the deferred prosecution agreement and is challenging any potential criminal liability in court.

Persons: Sam Mohawk, ”, Dave Calhoun, Calhoun, We’ve, Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Blumenthal, ” Blumenthal, “, Max, Howard McKenzie, Boeing’s, Jason Redmond, Sam Salehpour, ” Salehpour, ” Calhoun’s, Richard Aboulafia, “ I’m, Calhoun’s Organizations: Washington CNN, Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration, Congressional, CNN, Alaska Air Boeing, Max, Connecticut Democrat, FAA, Reuters, Consultancy, Alaska Air, Alaska Airlines, Alaska Airlines ’, Department Locations: Renton , Washington, Connecticut, Mohawk, Renton, Alaska, Indonesia, Ethiopia

☆ Opinion: Putin’s North Korea visit comes at a crucial moment
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | 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 senior columnist for World Politics Review. CNN —When Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in North Korea on Tuesday, it will kick up yet another gust in the recent swirl of diplomatic activity surrounding Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine. The allies have good reason to believe Putin aims to outlast Western support. South Korean intelligence estimates that North Korea has delivered as many as 5 million artillery rounds, along with ballistic missiles and other ammunition. Putin, meanwhile, will visit one-party ruled Vietnam later this week, not exactly a military powerhouse, but at least one country that is not backing Ukraine.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Read, Vladimir Putin, Moscow –, Ukraine’s, –, Putin, Donald Trump, Putin’s, Putin –, Trump, wouldn’t, he’d, Ursula von der Leyen, Olaf Scholz, Mark Rutte, ”, Volodomyr Zelensky, Hitler, Joe Biden, Biden, Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Ukraine, Frida Ghitis CNN, North, Kyiv, White, European, Dutch, Peace, Biden, Trump acolytes, Republican, Zelensky, NATO Locations: North Korea, Pyongyang, Moscow, Kyiv, Ukraine, Putin’s Russia, Iran, Russia, China, Europe, Cuba, Russian, Normandy, Western, Italy’s Puglia, Switzerland, Korea, Germany, Ukrainian, Puglia, “, Washington, Vietnam

☆ More than 20 of 32 NATO allies spending at least 2% of GDP on defense, Stoltenberg says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Kayla Tausche | Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is visiting Washington and meeting with Biden ahead of the city’s hosting of the alliance’s annual summit, set to take place in July. “Just five years ago, there was still less than 10 allies that spent 2% of GDP on defense,” Stoltenberg said during remarks at The Wilson Center in Washington. “I can only now reveal that this year, more than 20 allies will spend at least 2% of GDP on defense.”“This is good for Europe,” he added. Several NATO member countries that either border Russia or are nearby have hiked their defense spending since 2022. Biden has heralded NATO as the “greatest defense alliance in the history of the world,” and the alliance has expanded by two member countries since he became president.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Jens Stoltenberg, Biden, “, ” Stoltenberg, ”, Donald Trump, “ I’ve, they’re, we’re, ” Trump, Trump, – Organizations: Washington CNN, NATO, Wilson Center, America, Trump, CNN, White Locations: United States, Washington, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Wales, Crimea, Finland, Sweden

☆ What to Know About This Week’s Heat Wave in New York
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Shayla Colon | Alyce Mcfadden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Follow our updates for the latest on the heat wave across the U.S. Millions of Americans are in store for a major heat wave this week as temperatures climb in the Northeast and other regions of the country, marking the kickoff to a summer that will be hotter than usual. In New York City, temperatures will be in the high 90s. Prolonged exposure to hot temperatures can cause severe health consequences and even death. How hot will it get in New York City?

Locations: New York City

☆ Putin Is to Visit North Korea, a Sign of Deepening Military Ties
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia will visit North Korea this week for a meeting with its leader, Kim Jong-un, their second in nine months, as the two countries deepen military ties to support Mr. Putin’s war in Ukraine with North Korean weapons. Mr. Putin last visited North Korea in 2000, when he became the first Russian or Soviet leader to visit the nation. Mr. Kim met with Mr. Putin in Russia’s Far East last September, ushering in a new era of relations between the two countries. For Mr. Kim, it was a rare moment of his country, a pariah in the West, being sought after as an ally. For Russia, it’s a strengthening of ties with a country that is providing it with much-needed munitions for its war in Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Kim Jong, Kim Organizations: Mr Locations: Russia, North Korea, Ukraine, North, Russian, Russia’s Far, West

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