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☆ A startup making spy drones being used in Ukraine got a funding injection from NATO
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A dronemaking startup whose equipment is being used by the Ukrainian military got a cash injection from NATO. AdvertisementThe company has said its equipment is being used in Ukraine though not which of its models were sent. Drones are used for surveillance, to carry light supplies, for targeting assistance, and as weapons. AdvertisementThe battlefield features drones from around the world, spanning cheap consumer drones, high-end military hardware, and improvised systems. A new £60 million package of military support from the UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine will provide advanced new surveillance drones to support 🇺🇦's Armed Forces.

Persons: Ukraine —, tim e Organizations: NATO, NATO's Innovation, UK Ministry of Defence, Fund Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Portuguese

☆ Former Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai begins to testify in his national security trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

HONG KONG — Former Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai began testifying Wednesday in his landmark national security trial that is widely seen as a measure of press freedom and judicial independence in the Chinese territory. He is fighting charges of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with others to issue seditious publications. Lai, 76, faces up to life in prison if convicted under a national security law imposed by Beijing. But critics say that promise has become threadbare under the rubric of maintaining national security. It added that judges remain independent and partial when handling national security cases.

Persons: Jimmy Lai, Lai, Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, Anthony Wallace, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo, William Wong, Wong, Kongers, “, ”, Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Hong, John Lee, Lai ., Keir Starmer, Xi, Chris Tang, Sebastien Lai, Doughty, Chambers, Jodie Ginsber Organizations: Roman Catholic, Catholic, Apple Daily, Getty, British, Authorities, Prosecutors, Beijing “, U.S, American, United Nations, Capitol, Protect Journalists, Hong Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Beijing, AFP, United States, U.S, Lai . British, British, Brazil, Hong, Britain, Washington

☆ King Charles and Keir Starmer brace for reparations debate at Commonwealth summit
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-24 | by ( Rob Picheta | Lauren Said-Moorhouse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Britain’s government and King Charles III are bracing for a heated conversation about reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, as the issue looks set to overshadow a summit of Commonwealth leaders in Samoa. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters on his journey to the Pacific island nation: “I think we should be facing forward. Successive British governments have resisted calls to formally apologize for the slave trade, or to entertain the prospect of reparations. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks with his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, at a state banquet opening the summit on Thursday. Also in attendance in Samoa is King Charles III, who arrived in the capital of Apia on Wednesday from Australia, and will formally open the summit as head of the organization.

Persons: London CNN —, King Charles III, Keir Starmer, “ I’ve, Patrick Robinson, Anthony Albanese, Stefan Rousseau, Charles, ”, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, King Charles Organizations: London CNN, UK, National Archives, Brattle Group, University of West, Court, Britain's, Commonwealth, Reuters Locations: Commonwealth, Samoa, Pacific, Historic England, Caribbean, University of West Indies, Britain, Apia, Australia, British, Kenya, ’, Rwanda, Jamaica

☆ Trump ignites spat with US ally, accusing UK’s governing party of election interference
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-23 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

But the Trump campaign did not present any new evidence that rules were broken. Labour, and the party’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, quickly denied that the party funded the trips, insisting the campaigners traveled in a personal capacity at their own expense. But the Trump campaign elevated the dispute in heightened language on Wednesday. Trump has frequently attempted to deflect allegations that he has benefited from foreign electoral interference from countries including Russia. Starmer’s center-left Labour Party swept to power in Britain in a July general election, and has long held an informal but friendly relationship with the Democratic Party.

Persons: London CNN — Donald Trump’s, Kamala Harris ’, Washington’s, Harris, Trump, Keir Starmer, Starmer, “, they’re, Susie Wiles, ”, Kamala’s, ” Trump, Sofia Patel, Walz, Liz Truss, Joe Biden, ” Joe Biden, ” Starmer Organizations: London CNN, Federal, Commission, UK’s Labour Party, Labour Party, Labour, party’s, FEC, Trump, Labour Party staff, CNN, Democratic National Convention, DNC, Labour Party –, Trump . Former British, Democratic Party, United Nations General Assembly Locations: North Carolina , Nevada , Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, –, Russia, Starmer’s, Britain, New York

☆ Russia's frozen assets are being used by the UK for a $3 billion loan to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-22 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The UK is using profits from Russia's frozen assets to offer a $3 billion loan to Ukraine. About $322 billion of Russian assets were frozen abroad following the invasion of Ukraine. AdvertisementThe British government is tapping Russia's frozen assets for a loan to Ukraine, with the intention of helping Kyiv secure more military and fund reconstruction costs. The loan, which amounts to £2.3 billion, or $3 billion, is being provided using profits generated from Russian assets, according to a memo on the UK government website. AdvertisementAbout $322 billion of Russian assets were frozen abroad as the West imposed sanctions to hobble the Kremlin's war machine following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Persons: —, John Healey Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, UK Defence Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Europe

☆ Overseas UK territories are the ‘biggest enablers of corporate tax abuse,’ tax advocacy group says
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Advocacy group Tax Justice Network has ranked the British Virgin Islands, followed by the Cayman Islands and Bermuda as "most complicit" in helping corporations underpay corporate income tax. Traffic_analyzer | Digitalvision Vectors | Getty ImagesBritish overseas territories are the world's top enablers of corporate tax abuse, according to a ranking by tax advocacy group Tax Justice Network. The British Virgin Islands is the territory "most complicit" in helping multinational corporations underpay corporate income tax, followed by the Cayman Islands and Bermuda, according to the latest update to TJN's Corporate Tax Haven Index earlier this month. TJN estimates that the UK and its British tax havens cost other countries an estimated $84 billion in corporate taxes annually. Defending themselves against the charges made by the advocacy group, spokespersons from some of the governments said they were in full compliance with international tax standards set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Persons: FCDO, Broad, TJN, pushback Organizations: Tax, Network, Getty Images, Tax Justice Network, Corporate, TJN, CNBC, Switzerland, Organisation for Economic Co, Development, British, Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office, OECD, CRS, Crown Dependencies, Overseas, BVI Finance, British Virgin Islands, UK Government, United Nations, UN Locations: British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, British, Singapore , Hong Kong, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Jersey, Overseas Territories, British Virgin, U.S, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea

☆ Israel’s weapons: Where do they come from and who supplies them?
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( Antoinette Radford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The United States has warned Israel it may stop supplying the country with weapons unless the humanitarian situation in Gaza improves. This is not the first time Israel’s major ally has threatened to turn off supplies. Here’s a breakdown of who supplies Israel with weapons:The United States:The United States is overwhelmingly the biggest supplier of arms to Israel. In 2023 69% of Israel’s arm imports came from the US, according to a report into international arms transfers by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Germany:While in 2023, Germany contributed 30% of Israel’s weapons, that supply has significantly reduced over the course of 2024.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hassan Nasrallah, Olaf Scholz, Kay Nietfeld, Israel “, Antonio Tajani, SIPRI, David Lammy, Gil Cohen, Pedro Sanchez, “, ”, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, CNN’s Mia Alberti, Christian Edwards, Inke Kappeler Organizations: CNN, United, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, US State Department, Foreign Military, International Court, Justice, Bundestag, Pagella, Labour, MIM, Magen, Getty, Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Israel, Spanish, International Court of Justice Locations: United States, Israel, Gaza, Rafah, Stockholm, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Beirut, Nicaragua, Nazi, United Kingdom, AFP, Lebanon

☆ Italy’s hard-right government set to send sea migrants to Albania in bid to curb arrivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

However, the court’s decision is non-binding and Italy and Albania are not prohibited by the ruling from going forward with the plans. That’s all, very normal variations during construction.”A general view of the reception center for migrants in Shengjin, Albania, on June 4, 2024. If they do not qualify for asylum, they will be deported to “safe” countries, according to the agreement between Italy and Albania. The cost comes to around 7.5% of what Italy currently spends on its migrant reception centers, Meloni said in June, speaking alongside Rama. Other listed “safe countries” include Egypt, Tunisia and the Ivory Coast, citizens of which make up a large portion of arrivals.

Persons: Rome, It’s, Gjader –, Matteo Piantedosi, There’s, Florion Goga, Piantedosi, Giorgia, Keir Starmer, “, ” Meloni, Meloni, Starmer, Rama, ” Rama, Giorgia Meloni, Adnan Beci, ’ ”, Alketa Misja, ”, ” Gianfranco Schiavone, Schiavone Organizations: Rome CNN, European Union, Court, Justice, Reuters, CNN, United Nations, Refugees, UNHCR, Interior Ministry, Meloni, Amnesty, Italy's, Albania's, Edi, Getty, AP, Migration, United Nations ’ International Organization for Migration, Union Locations: Albania, Italy, European, Albanian, Shengjin, Gjader, Agrigento, Sicily, Catania, Malta, Greece, Spain, Libya, Tunisia, Meloni’s, Rome, Europe, AFP, Italian, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Afghanistan, Syria, Lezhe, Refoulement, North, Denmark

Authorities in India have summoned executives of a ticketing platform after furious Coldplay fans failed to secure tickets for the British rock band’s upcoming concerts in Mumbai and complained of unchecked scalping. Many of them are directing their anger at the platforms selling tickets — and calling on officials to take action. On Monday, the website Viagogo showed the lowest-tier tickets available for $1,500 and the highest-tier tickets for as much as $4,000. A third show for Jan. 21 was added the day tickets went on sale due to “unprecedented demand,” BookMyShow said. “These websites are selling tickets for 20, 30, 40 times more,” she said.

Persons: Coldplay, Taylor Swift’s, scalpers, Lavanya Maheshwari, ”, “, Maheshwari, Ashish Hemrajani, “ We’ve, BookMyShow, ” BookMyShow Organizations: American, Ticketmaster, Oasis, Justice Department, Coldplay, Mumbai Police, NBC Locations: India, Mumbai, United States, Gurugram, New Delhi

☆ Wall Street warms to nuclear power as banks including Goldman Sachs reportedly back new push
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewBig Tech is getting excited about nuclear power — and now Wall Street wants a piece of the action. However, their involvement could be crucial in helping meet the emissions target laid out in last year's COP28 climate conference and revive the nuclear energy sector. AdvertisementThat might soon change, and it's not just Wall Street getting more interested in nuclear power. Meanwhile, TerraPower, a company cofounded by Bill Gates, is planning a new nuclear power plant in Wyoming. AdvertisementGoldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Barclays, BNP Paribas, did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, sent outside normal working hours.

Persons: —, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Nuclear's, it's, OpenAI, Larry Ellison, We've, they've, Bill Gates Organizations: Service, Tech, Bank of America, Financial Times, Business, Citi, Barclays, BNP, US, Nuclear, Big Tech, Microsoft, ChatGPT, Oracle, Royce Locations: New York, Wyoming

☆ Sunken superyacht believed to contain watertight safes
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Lynch was associated with British, American and other intelligence services through his various companies, including the cyber security company he founded, Darktrace. The chef, whose body was found outside the vessel, died by drowning, the coroner said. Local prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said no personal effects, including computers, jewelry or Lynch’s hard drives had been recovered from the vessel. The vessel did not have a traditional black box or voyage data recorder to record navigation data or audio on the bridge. The costs of raising the ship will fall to its owner, Lynch’s widow, as is mandated by Italian maritime law.

Persons: Rome, Mike Lynch, Lynch, Thoma, David Cameron, Theresa May, ” Francesco Venuto, Hannah, Chris Morvillo, Neda, Jonathan Bloomer, Judy, Recaldo Thomas, Bloomer, Lynch’s, Angela Bacares, James Cutfield, Lynch “, Morvillo, Hewlett Packard, Raffaele Cammarano, Stephen Chamberlain —, Darktrace —, Cutfield, Chamberlain, Ambrogio Cartosio Organizations: Rome CNN —, CNN, Italian Prosecutors, Thoma Bravo, Revtom, Fire Brigade, Civil Protection Agency, Hewlett, Autonomy, Local, Italian Locations: Sicily, British, Chicago, Russia, China, American, Italy

☆ Harland & Wolff, the company behind the Titanic, declares itself insolvent
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Harland & Wolff, the 163-year-old firm that built the Titanic, has declared itself insolvent after failing to secure funding to continue trading. The Titanic under construction at a Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast. Krista Few/Corbis/Getty ImagesThis is not the first time that Harland & Wolff has prepared for bankruptcy. Last year, Harland & Wolff, which completed the Titanic in 1912, delivered its first finished vessel from its historic Belfast site in two decades. Activity on the Islandmagee project will also continue as normal, Harland & Wolff said.

Persons: London CNN — Harland, Wolff, Harland, —, ”, Russell Downs, Krista Few, Harland & Wolff, Matt Roberts, GMB Organizations: London CNN —, Administration, UK Export Finance, Belfast, Harland, Storage, “, UK’s Ministry of Defence Locations: United Kingdom, “, Belfast, British, Northern Ireland, Scotland

☆ British government had 'constructive' talks with Musk's X over disinformation, minister says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Musk is the owner of X, the social media platform formerly known as X. Aytug Can Sencar | Anadolu | Getty ImagesLONDON — The U.K. government has had "constructive" talks with Elon Musk's social media site X over the spread of misinformation and other harmful content, technology minister Peter Kyle told CNBC Friday. Multiple social media users at the time spread false information about the alleged perpetrator, who has since been charged with murder and attempted murder, claiming he was an asylum seeker. The minister also told CNBC he is assessing whether he needs additional powers to regulate social media companies over the dissemination of harmful content online. A government spokesperson told CNBC earlier this year that its "immediate focus is getting the Online Safety Act implemented quickly and effectively." However, this spokesperson added, "our message to social media companies remains clear: There is no need to wait — you can and should take immediate action to protect your users."

Persons: Elon Musk, Peter Kyle, Kyle, CNBC's, hasn't, Musk, Taylor Swift, Keir Starmer, Keir, Dawn Butler, Chi Onwurah, Labour's Kyle Organizations: Anadolu, Getty, Elon, CNBC, Citizens, Financial Times, Labour, SpaceX, Ofcom, OSA Locations: United Kingdom, England

☆ Hedge fund turned to a wargame to plan for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-07 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Related storiesIn the second phase of the game, soon after the Chinese invasion began, US forces were said to have engaged and stopped the Chinese amphibious assault, though China continued to bombard Taiwan. Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty ImagesThis caught the hedge fund players by surprise: they had assumed EU sanctions were unlikely because of the depth of China-Europe trade, which reached $815 billion annually in 2023. The hedge fund "agreed that any room for avoiding a total divestment from China and the South China Sea was now completely lost, and market re-entry was probably many years away." The hedge fund responded by choosing to invest heavily in semiconductors manufactured in regions not affected by the war. "This would provide potential opportunities for new players to emerge in the Global South, particularly if loans can be collateralized," Knightsbridge noted.

Persons: Finley Grimble, liquidating, KSG, Daniel Ceng, Knightsbridge, Grimble, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Business, Knightsbridge Strategic, Getty, Treasury, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: British, China, Taiwan, South China, Europe, South America, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Anadolu, South, Ukraine, Africa, East, Southeast Asia, Zimbabwe, Forbes

☆ 'Britain's Bill Gates': Who is Mike Lynch, the UK tech entrepreneur missing after superyacht sinks?
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Mike Lynch, 59, is the founder of enterprise software firm Autonomy. Lynch, 59, is the founder of enterprise software firm Autonomy. During the trial, Lynch took the stand in his own defense, denying wrongdoing and telling jurors that HP botched Autonomy's integration. "I keep rare breeds," Lynch told LeadersIn during an interview. Weeks before he was reported missing, Lynch told The Times newspaper of how he feared dying in prison if found guilty over the HP allegations.

Persons: Mike Lynch, Hewlett Packard, Chris Ratcliffe, Lynch —, Bill Gates, —, Lynch's, Angela Bacares, Hannah —, Morgan, Jonathan Bloomer, Judy, Clifford Chance, Chris Morvillo, Neda, Stephen Chamberlain, Chamberlain's, Lynch, Autonomy's, Chamberlain, Sushovan Hussain, Hussain, David Tabizel, Richard Gaunt, Thoma, LeadersIn, Weeks Organizations: Autonomy, Hewlett, Bloomberg, Getty, LONDON, U.K, Morgan Stanley, Reuters, HP, U.S, Prosecutors, University of Cambridge, Lynett Systems, Cambridge, South Yorkshire Police, Cambridge Neurodynamics, BBC, Council for Science, Technology, Capital Management, Thoma Bravo, Forbes, East Anglian Times, The Times Locations: Sicily, Porticello, Palermo, Italy, Cambridgeshire, England, Britain, U.S, Ilford, East London, Chelmsford, English, Essex, U.K, British, Suffolk

☆ How Elon Musk has turned X into a pro-Trump machine
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But now Musk, who is not only the owner but also the most followed user on X, has shifted to more direct campaigning for former President Donald Trump. Musk announced his official endorsement for Trump in a post last month that received 2.3 million likes. Weeks after it was posted, the video is not labeled with a “community note,” X’s community fact-checking feature that Musk used as justification for slashing the company’s trust and safety team. In a letter, the secretaries urged Musk to “immediately implement changes” on the X platform. But on Monday night, Musk offered to take a role in the potential future Trump’s administration helping to rein in government spending.

Persons: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Musk, He’s, Hunter, Trump, YOU, Trump’s, “, Elon, ” Trump, Kamala Harris, doesn’t, ” Wendy Weiser, Brennan, Harris, ”, ” Weiser, Kamala, …, White supremacists, X, Musk’s, chatbot, Harris ’, ” Lara Cohen, informercial, he’s, ” Musk, “ I’d Organizations: New, New York CNN, Elon, Twitter, Biden, White, Trump, CNN, Fake News, Fake News Media, Center, “, Brennan Center for Justice, NYU Law School, Democratic, Street Locations: New York, United Kingdom

☆ King Charles banknotes sell for 12 times their value as collectors scramble for early editions
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Angelica Chiara Yazbeck | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —A record-breaking series of auctions of King Charles III banknotes has raised £914,127 ($1.2 million) for 10 UK charities, according to the Bank of England. The banknotes, auctioned by Spink & Sons over the summer, sold for 11.7 times their face value of £78,430 ($100,318), as collectors snapped up some of the first versions of the new cash to roll off the printing presses. The runaway success of the auctions highlights the value that collectors attach to banknotes with especially low serial numbers, which denote that they are among the first to be printed. “Lucky numbers” also attracted high bids, according to Spink & Sons. Two £5 notes with serial numbers ending in 88 and 888 were auctioned for £2,200 ($2,800) and £2,400 ($3,100).

Persons: King Charles III, King Charles, BOE, Queen Elizabeth II, ”, Gregory Edmund, ” Edmund, Sarah John, Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth, Churchill, London — Organizations: London CNN, Bank of England, Spink & Sons, Spink, CNN, WWF, Trussell, British Locations: United Kingdom, BOE, British, London

☆ UK riots: Rotherham residents despair after riot at hotel housing asylum seekers
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Ninzr said he had lived in the Rotherham hotel since he arrived, but was at another processing center when the riot broke out. Several passers-by referenced unfounded rumors that hotel residents have abused local women. CNN asked South Yorkshire police if they have received complaints about the behavior of the hotel residents, but have not yet received a response. With more demonstrations planned for this week, do the residents near the Rotherham hotel fear more violence? “After seeing our community come out today, no,” said the man who lived through the London riots.

Persons: “, ”, –, Keir Starmer, Starmer, ’, Conservative government’s, Ninzr, Danny Lawson, I’ve, Rachel Reeves, They’ve, they’ve, They’d, they’re, she’d, “ I’ve, Elliott Nuttall, ‘, you’re, CNN Ibrar, Javid, Henry Nicholls Organizations: Rotherham, England CNN, CNN, Reuters, AFP, Conservative, South, South Yorkshire police, Facebook, Stringer, National, Mosque, Downing, Southport, Police, Labour, PA Media Locations: England, Rotherham, British, London, Southport, Afghanistan, Herod, France, Rwanda, Birmingham, Rotherham , South Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Sheffield

☆ What Russia’s arrest footage of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan really tells us
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-05 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Russia’s pro-Kremlin media know how to create an alternative reality, and last week’s historic prisoner swap was no exception. On Monday, Russian state-backed media outlets treated viewers to lurid footage of the arrests of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan. And we see a handcuffed Paul Whelan on a hotel bed, flanked by Russian security officers. But in the cases of Gershkovich and Whelan, the aim of the Russian state was to build a bank of human collateral to trade for its valued agents held abroad. But the good news is that Gershkovich is out of Russian custody and can now write the definitive and reliable account of what happened during his arrest.

Persons: CNN — Russia’s, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Gershkovich, Whelan, –, Dow Jones, Almar Latour, Emma Tucker, “ Vladimir Putin, ”, Evan Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Wall Street, Bolshoi Theater, Gershkovich, US State Department, State Department, Dow Locations: Russian, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Russia, British

☆ Biden voices hope Iran will stand down but is uncertain
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed hope Iran would stand down despite its threat to avenge the assassination of Hamas' leader in Tehran, as fears mounted that Israel's war against Palestinian militants in Gaza could escalate into a wider Middle East conflict. Iran and Hamas have blamed Israel for Haniyeh's killing, and they, together with Hezbollah, have vowed revenge. Asked by reporters whether Iran would stand down, Biden said on Saturday in response to a shouted question, "I hope so. Seeking to bolster defenses in the Middle East in response to threats from Israel's foes, the Pentagon said on Friday it would deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the region. Haniyeh's death was one in a series of killings of senior Hamas figures as the Gaza war nears its 11th month, and it fuelled concern that the conflict in Gaza was turning into a wider Middle East war.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ismail Haniyeh, Fuad Shukr, Israel, Biden, Haniyeh Organizations: Civil, LBJ Presidential, Palestinian, Hezbollah, Pentagon Locations: Austin , Texas, U.S, Iran, Tehran, Gaza, Beirut, Lebanese, Israel, France, Britain, Italy, Egypt, Lebanon, Canada

☆ UK drops plan to challenge ICC arrest warrant request for Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Caitlin Danaher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced in May he was seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders – including Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar – over charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court has no means of enforcement, however ICC members have an obligation to cooperate fully with its decisions. If the warrants are granted, Netanyahu and others could risk arrest when traveling to the 124 countries that are ICC members – including Germany and the United Kingdom. The international court still must assess submissions from other powers before making a decision on whether to grant the request for arrest warrants. The UK’s governing Labour party and its leader, former human rights lawyer Keir Starmer, have faced pressure from supporters to take a tougher stance on the Gaza war.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Rishi Sunak, Karim Khan, Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, –, Yahya Sinwar –, Israel, Keir Starmer, Kamala Harris, “, Gallant, ” Khan, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Isaac Herzog Organizations: CNN, Israeli, PA Media, Labour, Conservative, ICC, Ministry of Health, West Bank Locations: Gaza, Germany, United Kingdom, Washington, Israel, United States, East Jerusalem

☆ US indicts North Korean hacker accused of helping extort US hospitals
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The US Justice Department on Thursday announced the indictment of an alleged North Korean government-backed hacker for allegedly participating in a scheme to break into US hospital computer systems and extort them for ransom. The hacks of health care providers locked up medical records and disrupted health care services in the US, US officials said. Thwarting North Korean hacking and money laundering has become a national security priority for the Biden administration. CNN previously reported on how South Korean spies and American companies try to intercept cryptocurrency stolen by North Korean hackers. Another CNN investigation identified one cryptocurrency entrepreneur who said his firm had unwittingly sent a North Korean IT worker tens of thousands of dollars.

Persons: Biden Organizations: CNN, US Justice Department, North, Court, District of, The State Department, North Korean, State Department, United Nations, cyberattacks, White Locations: Korean, Rim, Florida and Kansas, Arkansas and Connecticut, Colorado, District of Kansas, Rim ., North Korean

☆ A U.K. Deportation Plan Cost $900 Million. Only Four People Left.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Megan Specia | More About Megan Specia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The previous British government spent far more than previously announced on a contentious plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, it was announced on Monday. The policy, which called for sending asylum seekers to the African nation for processing and resettlement, was championed by successive Conservative prime ministers as their flagship plan to tackle irregular migration. But no asylum seekers were ever deported to Rwanda under the initiative. Four people were put on planes to the central African nation this year, but they were asylum seekers who went voluntarily after being offered £3,000 each. The policy cost the government some £700 million, or just over $900 million, Britain’s new home secretary, Yvette Cooper, told Parliament on Monday.

Persons: Yvette Cooper Locations: Rwanda, African

Read previewThe results are in for Sam Altman's much-anticipated basic income study, one of the largest of its kind. AdvertisementThe debate over basic incomeThe study was inspired by Altman's belief in the importance of a basic income in the age of AI, which some fear could render millions of jobs obsolete. Related storiesThe idea of a universal basic income has been around for awhile, but rose to prominence as the center of Andrew Yang's 2016 presidential campaign. Other significant figures in the tech industry have since voiced support for some kind of basic income, including Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Earlier this year, Altman also floated another kind of basic income plan, which he called a "universal basic compute."

Persons: —, Sam Altman's, Altman, OpenResearch, Elizabeth Rhodes, Cash, Andrew Yang's, Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, Geoffrey Hinton, Sarah, Cara Organizations: Service, Business, OpenResearch Locations: Texas, Illinois

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