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☆ Austin says it’s ‘unfortunate’ that Chinese defense chief declined meeting
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — China’s defense minister declined a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a meeting of defense leaders in Laos, a move the Pentagon chief said Wednesday was unfortunate. Multilateral gatherings of national security officials in Asia have been used in the past for meetings between U.S. and Chinese defense leaders, but China declined a meeting request by Austin during this week’s Southeast Asian Nations-Plus defense ministers meeting. It affects the region because the region really wants to see us, you know, two significant players in the region, two significant powers, talk to each other,” Austin told reporters. “I don’t think that it has any sort of implications for the future. Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Saturday to work with the incoming U.S. administration of Donald Trump as he held his final talks with departing President Joe Biden on conflicts from cybercrime to trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea and Russia.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Lloyd Austin, Wednesday, “, ” Austin, ” Austin added.Austin, Dong Jun, Xi Jinping, Donald Trump, Joe Biden Organizations: Pentagon, Austin, Nations Locations: Laos, Asia, China, Singapore, Taiwan, cybercrime, South, Sea, Russia

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday night to reject three efforts led by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have blocked certain offensive weapons sales to Israel. In a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Sanders argued that the resolutions "would not affect any of the systems Israel uses to defend itself from incoming attacks," focusing instead on offensive weapons. "As I have said many, many times: Israel had the absolute right to respond to that horrific Hamas attack, as any other country would. I don’t think anybody here in the United States Senate disagrees with that," he said in his floor speech. More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive into the dense enclave since the attack, according to health officials in Gaza.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ed Markey, Netanyahu, Martin Heinrich, Tammy Baldwin, “, Catherine Cortez Masto, ” Sen, Jacky Rosen, ”, Joni Ernst, Bill Cassidy, Israel’s Organizations: U.S, United States, Hamas, Democrats, Biden Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S, United States, D, Iowa

☆ AI systems could 'turn against humans': Tech pioneer Yoshua Bengio warns of artificial intelligence risks
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Lucy Handley | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Professor Yoshua Bengio, at the One Young World Summit in Montreal, Canada, on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024Famed computer scientist Yoshua Bengio — an artificial intelligence pioneer — has warned of the nascent technology's potential negative effects on society and called for more research to mitigate its risks. Machines could soon have most of the cognitive abilities of humans, he said — artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a type of AI technology that aims to equal or better human intellect. Yoshua Bengio Head of the Montreal Institute for Learning AlgorithmsSuch outcomes are possible within decades, he said. There are arguments to suggest that the way AI machines are currently being trained "would lead to systems that turn against humans," Bengio said. Yoshua Bengio Head of the Montreal Institute for Learning AlgorithmsCompanies developing AI must also be liable for their actions, according to the computer scientist.

Persons: Yoshua Bengio, —, Bengio, CNBC's Tania Bryer, That's, we're, OpenAIhas, It’s, Yoshua, — that's, OpenAI Organizations: Young, Summit, University of Montreal, Montreal Institute, Machines, Intelligence, CNBC, Learning Locations: Montreal, Canada, AGI, U.S, Rwanda, Swiss

☆ After a stinging election defeat, the Democrats' next big race kicks off: From the Politics Desk
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( The Politics Desk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

After a stinging election defeat, the race to lead the DNC kicks offBy Natasha Korecki and Alex Seitz-WaldTwo weeks after suffering another stinging defeat to Donald Trump, Democrats are in the throes of dissecting what went wrong and figuring out their path forward. Martin O’Malley, a onetime presidential candidate and the commissioner of the Social Security Administration, kicked off the race by entering the fray. Minnesota Democratic Party Chair Ken Martin, a DNC vice chair and leader of the Association of State Democratic Committees, followed by formally announcing his candidacy Tuesday. Still looming out there: Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, who has developed a reputation as a prodigious fundraiser and field organizer. Read more → ☑️ Latest race calls: Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur defeated Republican Derek Merrin in Ohio’s competitive 9th District, NBC News projected.

Persons: Natasha Korecki, Alex Seitz, Wald, Chuck Todd, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Jaime Harrison, Martin O’Malley, Ken Martin, Martin, O’Malley, Chuck Rocha, Sen, Mallory McMorrow, Ben Wikler, “ Ben, That’s, Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama, Emanuel, Adam Parkhomenko, Hillary Clinton’s, “, ” Parkhomenko, James Zogby, it’s, Howard Dean, Obama —, Chuck Todd Here’s, Trumpism, Trump, wasn’t, Harris, Biden, Read, Chuck → ➡️, Matt Gaetz, Lloyd Austin, Pete Hegseth, Linda McMahon, Matt Whitaker, 🗞️ Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Democratic National Committee, DNC, Maryland Gov, Social Security Administration, Minnesota Democratic, Association of State Democratic Committees, Democratic, Politico, Republican, Democratic National Convention, Wisconsin Democratic, Chicago, NBC News, Arab American Institute, America, GOP, Pentagon, “ DEI, Biden, Chuck → ➡️ Trump, Wrestling Entertainment, Education Department, Former, Atlantic Treaty Organization Locations: Michigan, U.S, Japan, Oklahoma

☆ Danish military says it staying close to Chinese ship after data cable breaches
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Danish military said Wednesday that it was staying close to a Chinese ship currently sitting idle in Danish waters, days after two fiber-optic data telecommunication cables in the Baltic Sea were severed. Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 was anchored in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden on Wednesday, with a Danish navy patrol ship at anchor nearby, MarineTraffic vessel tracking data showed. “The Danish Defense can confirm that we are present in the area near the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3,” the military said in a post on social media X, adding it had no further comments. It is quite rare for Denmark’s military to comment publicly on individual vessels travelling in Danish waters. It did not mention the cable breaches or say why it was staying with the ship.

Persons: Yi Peng, “, Carl, Oskar Bohlin, Dmitry Peskov, ” Organizations: Danish Defense, Swedish Civil Defense, Reuters, coastguard Locations: Danish, Baltic, Denmark, Sweden, Russian, Ust, Luga, Lithuania, Finland, Germany, Swedish, Russia

VIENTIANE, Laos — Women and racial diversity are vital to the strength of U.S. armed forces, outgoing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in an exclusive interview with NBC News as he prepares to shortly exit the top military post after four years. “I would tell you that, you know, our women are the finest troops in the world. Our military is going to remain a diverse military," Austin said. Austin did not weigh in on what he thinks about Trump's choice of Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense. Austin, a four-star general who was previously commander of U.S. Central Command, was appointed as Secretary of Defense by President Joe Biden and was sworn in on Jan. 22, 2021.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, “, ” Austin, Donald Trump’s, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth, ”, Austin, Trump, Biden, Vladimir Putin, —, we've, Joe Biden, Lester Holt Organizations: NBC News, Defense, Army National Guard, Pentagon, Senate, Republicans, Department of Defense, ., Korean, U.S . Central Command, NBC Locations: VIENTIANE, Laos, Iraq, Afghanistan, United States, Ukraine, Russia, U.S, Russia's Kursk, Jan

Of course, these basic rules of political decorum are ones Donald Trump has rarely followed. He’s been accumulating political capital, and his victory only gives him an opening to accumulate more ... if he chooses to. On some level, I accept the notion that one person’s revenge is another person’s “reform,” so I’m sure Trump could argue he’s appointing reformists. What will ultimately matter is whether these folks can govern like reformers or end up simply as conduits for Trump’s revenge. Here’s the political problem Trump is creating for himself: He’s taking full ownership of the entire bureaucracy now.

Persons: Donald Trump, He’s, Trump, acquiesce, Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, let’s, Nancy Mace's, Hegseth, “, wasn’t, Harris, Joe Biden, Biden, I’ve, didn’t, Barack, Biden’s Organizations: —, Justice Department, Fox, Defense Department, Department of Health, Human Services, GOP, Pentagon, “ DEI, Biden, Democratic, Trump Locations: Russia, Oklahoma, Afghanistan, overreach

The United States said Wednesday that its embassy in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, had closed after receiving "specific information of a potential significant air attack." "Out of an abundance of caution, the Embassy will be closed, and Embassy employees are being instructed to shelter in place," it said in a security alert, recommending U.S. citizens take shelter if an air alert is announced. Shutting the embassy is not an unprecedented move amid the war, which reached its 1,000th day Tuesday. Searchlights look for Russian drones in the skies over Kyiv, in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Moscow could justify a nuclear strike if subject to an attack by a nonnuclear country that is supported by a nuclear country, according to the revised doctrine.

Persons: Serhii, Gleb Garanich, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Embassy, Kyiv’s, Military Administration, Reuters Locations: States, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Russian, Dniprovskyy, Ukraine, Bryansk, Moscow

• The US embassy in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv said it would be closed today after it received “specific information of a potential significant air attack.” Air raid sirens were activated in the city several times overnight. The US said it doesn’t see any indication that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine. • Moscow’s fresh round of nuclear saber rattling follows the US move to allow Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia with American-made weapons. Ukraine hit a Russian weapons arsenal with the ATACMS missiles, which it fired across the border for the first time yesterday, according to two US officials — a major escalation on the 1,000th day of war. • The US has also approved sending anti-personnel mines to Ukraine for the first time, according to two US officials — another major policy shift.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, •, — Locations: Ukraine’s, Kyiv, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, American, Russian

Plus, not all of his Fox News picks are for Cabinet roles. A TV doc to oversee health insurance for 160 million-plus AmericansDr. Mehmet Oz outside of a polling location during the primary election in Rockledge, Pennsylvania, on May 17. In between failed bids for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, Huckabee hosted a show on Fox News. Homan was actually the first of Trump’s picks to be announced from the Fox News orbit. An anti-mainstream conspiracy theorist and author to oversee health policyRobert F. Kennedy Jr. in New York in May.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump’s, Trump, Dan Bongino, Read, Hegseth, John Lamparski, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Mehmet Oz, Hannah Beier, Oprah, Mike Huckabee, Chip Somodevilla, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Huckabee, he’s, there’s, Sean Duffy, Mary F, Reuters Long, MTV’s, ”, Duffy, Rachel Campos, she’s, “, Justin Sullivan, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Elon, Gabbard, Hillary Clinton, ’ Tom Homan, Kamil Krzaczynski, Tom Homan, ” Homan won’t, Homan, Brian Stelter, Anthony Scaramucci, Richard Grenell, Heather Nauert, Morgan Ortagus, Bill Shine, Lev Radin, Kennedy, There’s, Dr, Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates, Peter Bergen, Linda McMahon, Jeenah, McMahon, Vince McMahon Organizations: CNN, ”, Black Americans, Fox News, Service, Fox News Channel Studios, Army National Guard, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army, Medicare, Services, Holy Land Former Arkansas Gov, Republican, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Calvert, Reuters, Boston, Trump, “ Fox, Friends, Hegseth, Fox Business, Fox, Democratic Party, Democratic, Elon Musk’s, Convention, Getty, Customs, Human Services, New York Times, Republican National Convention, Trump’s, Business Administration, WWE Locations: America, Washington, New York, New York City, Iraq, Rockledge , Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Drexel Hill , Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Jerusalem, Israel, Rayburn, Washington , DC, Wisconsin, Russia, Las Vegas, Syria, Milwaukee, AFP

CNN —Ukraine launched the British-French-made Storm Shadow missiles at targets inside Russia for the first time on Wednesday, according to a Russian military blog and Reuters, a day after Ukraine fired US-made ATACMS missiles into Russia. When Umerov was asked if Ukraine used the Storm Shadow missiles to hit a target inside Russia, he replied, “we are using all the means to defend our country, so we’ll not go into detail. A weapons expert who reviewed the video for CNN said there are no indications the explosions are from a different type of munition, but it’s not possible to definitively say they are from Storm Shadow missiles. The UK and France have previously supplied the long-range Storm Shadow missiles for Ukraine to use inside its own borders. Ukraine used eight long-range US missiles to successfully hit an ammunition depot deep inside Russia, according to two US defense officials.

Persons: Rustem Umerov, Umerov, “, we’ll, Trevor Ball, Paul Adams, Shadow, Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Organizations: CNN —, Reuters, Ukraine’s, UK Ministry of Defense, CNN, Storm, US Army, Storm Shadow, French Ministry of Defense, “, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Sunday, Russian Ministry of Defense Locations: CNN — Ukraine, British, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Kursk, Marino, Ukrainian, France, “ Ukraine, Bryansk

☆ Mali’s PM fired after criticizing prolonged junta rule, state TV says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

BAMAKO, Mali Reuters —Mali’s Prime Minister Choguel Maiga has been fired, state television ORTM said on Wednesday of the civilian who criticized the ruling junta’s failure to organize elections within a promised 24-month transition back to democracy. “It’s all happening in total secrecy, without the prime minister’s knowledge,” Maiga told reporters on Saturday. His comments sparked tensions with the junta, forcing it to postpone a ministerial council meeting planned for Wednesday, a source close to Maiga told Reuters. Maiga had fervently defended Mali’s junta as West African neighbors and international allies criticized its military cooperation with Russian mercenaries and repeated election delays. Before being named prime minister in 2021, Maiga served as Mali’s commerce minister under former President Amadou Toumani Toure and as digital economy minister under former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

Persons: Choguel Maiga, ORTM, Maiga, ” Maiga, Assimi Goïta, Amadou Toumani Toure, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Keita Organizations: Mali Reuters — Mali’s, Reuters, Russian Locations: BAMAKO, Mali, West

☆ How Alaska Airlines used AI to save over 1.2 million gallons of jet fuel
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Matthew S. Smith | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Alaska Airlines partnered with Air Space Intelligence to use an AI tool that suggests flight routes. While Air Space Intelligence developed the Flyways AI Platform, it did so in close cooperation with the airline's stakeholders. AI in actionThe partnership between Alaska Airlines and Air Space Intelligence began with a learning period for both organizations. ASI's staff shadowed the airline's dispatchers to learn how they worked, while Alaska Airlines learned more about how a machine-learning algorithm could be used to route traffic. While that might seem low, those accepted routes helped reduce Alaska Airlines' fuel consumption by more than 1.2 million gallons in 2023, according to the airline's annual sustainability report.

Persons: —, We've, they're, Pasha Saleh, Flyways, Saleh, Phillip Buckendorf, Buckendorf, Andreessen Horowitz Organizations: Alaska Airlines, Air Space Intelligence, Service, Space Intelligence, Alaska Airlines . Alaska Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, ASI, IBM DOS, Airlines, Air, US Air Force Locations: Alaska, Boston, Denver, Poland, Washington, DC

☆ Netanyahu offers $5 million and safe passage out of Gaza to anyone returning a hostage
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Tamar Michaelis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday offered $5 million and safe passage out of Gaza to anyone returning a hostage. We will also give $5 million for every hostage,” Netanyahu said. “The prime minister is trading the hostages’ lives,” said Einav Zangauker. When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 of last year, it killed more than 1,200 people and took over 250 others hostage. Of those abducted, 97 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the Israeli military.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ” Netanyahu, Israel Katz, Netanyahu, Matan, ’, ”, Einav, he’ll, ” Zangauker Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Defense Locations: Gaza, Qatar, Israel

☆ Nobel laureate Simon Johnson is skeptical that Trump will be able to follow up on his two biggest campaign promises — here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Christine Ji | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"I'm skeptical he'll actually do it," Johnson said of Trump's tariff policy. With all of these negative implications, Johnson isn't convinced that Trump's tariffs will be as drastic as they were presented on the campaign trail. Mass deportation is a logistical nightmareTrump's mass deportation plans don't make economic sense to Johnson, either. It's still too early to predict how Trump's policies will pan out, but for now, Johnson is seeing drastic barriers to Trump's tariff and immigration plans. Should Trump go through with his tariff and immigration policies, it'll be up to the American people to judge their efficacy and implementation.

Persons: Donald Trump, Nobel, Simon Johnson doesn't, Johnson, Simon Johnson, Trump, We've, They're, he'll, Jan Hatzius, Goldman Sachs, Johnson isn't, it's, Thomas Homan, That's, It's, they're, it'll Organizations: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Trump, American Immigration Locations: China, Johnson, Vietnam, Mexico, United States

CNN —The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, on the grounds it would not have secured the release of hostages. “We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional ceasefire that failed to release the hostages. This resolution abandoned that necessity, and for that reason, the United States could not support it,” Wood added. The other four permanent members voted for it – including the UK, which has previously abstained from three other ceasefire resolutions shot down by the US. “There is an obvious urgency to implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

Persons: “, Robert Wood, ” Wood, ”, Wood, Danny Danon, Israel ’, Majed Bamya, Carolyn Allison Rodrigues, Birkett, Nicolas de Riviere, Barbara Woodward, –, Israel Organizations: CNN, UN, Seven, Palestinian Authority, Security, Russia, UNSC Locations: United States, Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, ”, Guyana, France

☆ Kizza Besigye: Ugandan opposition politician kidnapped in Kenya, his wife says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters —A prominent Ugandan opposition politician was kidnapped during a book launch in Kenya over the weekend, transferred to Uganda and is being held at a military jail in Kampala, his wife said on Wednesday. “I request the (government) of Uganda to release my husband Dr Kizza Besigye from where he is being held immediately,” said his wife Winnie Byanyima. A spokesman for the Ugandan military could not be immediately reached for comment. “As police, we don’t have him, so we can’t make any comment,” Ugandan police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke told Reuters. Besigye, who was Museveni’s physician during the guerrilla war but later became an outspoken critic, was kidnapped on Saturday during the launch of a book by veteran Kenyan opposition politician Martha Karua, Byanyima wrote on the social media platform X.

Persons: Kizza Besigye, Yoweri Museveni, “, ”, Winnie Byanyima, Kituuma Rusoke, Martha Karua, Byanyima Organizations: Reuters, Besigye’s Forum, Democratic, UNAIDS, United Nations Locations: Kenya, Uganda, Kampala

☆ Trump said he'd use the military for mass deportations. Here are the industries with the most immigrant workers.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The full scope of the planned mass deportations remains unclear. Present-elect Donald Trump's plans for mass deportations could significantly impact construction, agriculture, and hospitality. The data breaks down 13 major sectors by the number of native-born citizens, naturalized citizens, and non-US citizens working in each. AdvertisementThe agriculture industry could also be heavily impacted by mass deportations. To be sure, deportation plans are still in flux, and it's unclear how many people would be deported or who would be targeted first.

Persons: Trump, Donald Trump's, Steve Ballmer, Molly Day, Tom Homan, Stephen Miller, Vance, Karoline Leavitt Organizations: Immigrants, American Immigration Council, American Progress, Small Business Association, ACLU, Immigration, Customs, White House, Staff, Policy, US Homeland Security

CNN —President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Matthew Whitaker, who served as acting attorney general during Trump’s first term, as his pick to be US ambassador to NATO. During the campaign, Trump also indicated he would only adhere to NATO’s mutual defense commitment for countries who are contributing enough of their annual budgets to defense. He served as the former acting attorney general in Trump’s first term and temporarily led the Justice Department after Trump fired Jeff Sessions. During brief tenure at the top of DOJ, Whitaker quickly took charge of Mueller from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Before becoming the acting attorney general, Whitaker was the US attorney for the Southern District of Iowa and chief of staff to Sessions.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matthew Whitaker, Trump’s, Matt, ” Trump, “ Matt, Whitaker, –, Trump, JD Vance, ”, “, Mark Rutte, Jeff Sessions, Robert Mueller’s, Mueller, Rod Rosenstein Organizations: CNN, NATO, Patriot, NATO Allies, AMERICA, Russia, Ukraine, Trump, Justice Department, Sessions, DOJ, Democratic, Southern, Southern District of Locations: States, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Paris, Europe, North America, Trump’s, Southern District, Southern District of Iowa

☆ Democrats Split as Senate Rejects Bills to Block Weapons Transfers to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Senate on Wednesday resoundingly rejected a series of three resolutions to block weapons transfers to Israel, but the move to curtail American support for the war in Gaza drew substantial support from Democrats, reflecting growing consternation in the party over the conflict. Seventeen Senate Democrats and two independents backed at least one of the measures, a display of deepening divisions over Israel’s conduct after 13 months of war and the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians. The measures were offered by Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, who has been a vocal critic of Israel’s tactics in the war. He has also been a frequent critic of the Biden administration for continuing to support Israel militarily despite ample evidence of human rights violations in Gaza. In the days since the election, he has also argued that the administration’s Israel policy is partially to blame for the Democrats’ election losses.

Persons: resoundingly, Bernie Sanders, Biden, Israel, Sanders, ” Locations: Israel, Gaza, Vermont, “, United States, Israel —

If the Fed doesn't cut rates in December, we may see mortgage rates inch up. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowWhat Are Today's Mortgage Refinance Rates? See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. Current 30-Year Mortgage RatesAverage 30-year mortgage rates are hovering around 6.60%, according to Zillow data. But now that inflation has decelerated and the Fed has started cutting rates, mortgage rates have trended down compared to where they were a year ago.

Persons: Jerome Powell, It's, they've, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Mortgage Research, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, ARM, . Government Locations: Chevron, Government

☆ North Korea appears to be sending its powerful howitzers to the Ukraine war, where artillery has been king
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementNorth Korea appears to have transferred different types of artillery systems to Russia. The development comes as North Korean troops are fighting against Ukraine on behalf of Russia. North Korea appears to have sent its big guns to Russia, furthering its support of Moscow's grinding war against Ukraine, a conflict in which artillery has been a dominant player. AdvertisementImages began to surface on social media last week showing what were identified as North Korean "Koksan" 170mm self-propelled howitzers traveling by rail across Russia. North Korea now shipping artillery systems to Russia — this in addition to shells, men, and missiles it is already sending.

Persons: Kasapoğlu, ZHBemaVVXM, 3lOtCi13TO — Oliver Carroll, Chung Sung, it's, Joe Biden Organizations: Ukraine, Western, Hudson Institute, Korean, Center for Strategic, Studies ' Missile, Artillery Rocket Systems, US Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA, Getty, Artillery, North Korean, Kyiv's, NATO Locations: Korea, Russia, South Korea, North Korea, Ukraine, Korean, Pyongyang, Kyiv, Moscow, Seoul, Kursk

☆ First ATACMS, now Storm Shadows: long-range Western missiles are raining down on Russia for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementUkraine has long been restricted from using Western missiles to strike inside Russia. Kyiv has since used both ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles to hit targets on Russian soil. Ukraine is finally using its powerful, longer-range Western missiles to strike targets inside Russia after waiting over a year for permission. AdvertisementUkraine fired a volley of at least 10 Storm Shadow missiles into Russia, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Ukrainian and Western officials. Ukraine long pressed its Western partners to allow it to fire Storm Shadow missiles across the border into Russia.

Persons: Joe Biden, Lockheed Martin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, JUSTIN TALLIS, Donald Trump Organizations: Storm, Street Journal, UK, Storm Shadow, North Korean, Defense Express, Euromaidan Press, NATO, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Ukraine's, Artillery, South Korean Defense Ministry, Getty, MBDA, Ukraine, Shadow, US, White Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Russia's, Bryansk, Russia's Kursk Oblast, Kursk, Britain, France, North Korea, Russia's Kursk, Ukrainian

☆ How much of Musk’s wealth comes from tax dollars and government help?
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Government crucial to Musk’s net worthIt’s worthwhile to ask just how much of his world-leading net worth comes from government help over the last 10 to 15 years. Tesla and SpaceX got started – and survived their early days – with assistance from state and federal policies, government contracts and loans. Tesla buyers received federal tax credits worth an estimated $3.4 billion before the perk disappeared entirely for Tesla buyers at the end of 2019. “Take away the subsidies, it will only help Tesla,” Musk posted on his social media platform X in July. According to USASpending.gov, the government database that tracks federal spending, SpaceX has signed contracts worth nearly $20 billion.

Persons: New York CNN — Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Musk, ”, Daniel Ives, SpaceX doesn’t, Tesla’s, Noah Berger, Tesla, Trump, ” Musk, Elon Musk, Frederic J . Brown, Ives, Brandon Bell, USASpending.gov, Casey Dreier, ” Dreier, “ Elon, Dreier, CNN’s Jackie Wattles Organizations: New, New York CNN, SpaceX, Trump, Government, Wedbush Securities, Reuters, Department of Energy, Biden, US, Tesla, Getty, NASA, International Space, Planetary Society Locations: New York, Fremont , California, Hawthorne , California, AFP, Brownsville , Texas, Russia

☆ U.S. closes embassy in Kyiv over potential 'air attack' as tensions with Russia soar
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, UKRAINE - JANUARY 24: A view of the U.S. Embassy on January 24, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. According to media reports the embassy has ordered family members of embassy staff to leave the country and has also urged U.S. citizens in Ukraine to leave as well. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)The U.S. closed its embassy in Kyiv on Wednesday, warning that it has "received specific information of a potential significant air attack" amid soaring tensions with Russia. "The U.S. Embassy recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced," it added. Air alerts in Kyiv are a common occurrence, as the Ukrainian capital suffers frequent drone and missile attacks from Russia.

Persons: Sean Gallup Organizations: U.S, Embassy, Getty, Air, White, Sunday Locations: KYIV, UKRAINE, Kyiv, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, The U.S, Moscow, Washington

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