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☆ Japan Raises Interest Rates for Second Time Since 2007
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( River Akira Davis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For only the second time in nearly two decades, Japan’s central bank on Wednesday raised interest rates, a move that could help bolster the country’s ailing currency and ease the burden of consumers paying more for imported essentials like food and energy. The Japanese central bank increased its target policy rate to 0.25 percent, up from a range of zero to 0.1 percent. The rate was last bumped up in March, when the bank raised interest rates for the first time since 2007. The large gap between interest rates in Japan and the United States has caused the yen to fall in value against the dollar over the past two years, but it regained some strength recently as traders anticipated an imminent rate increase from the Bank of Japan. The Bank of Japan’s decision was being closely watched by investors and economists inside and outside of Japan.

Organizations: Bank of Japan, The Locations: Japan, United States

☆ Iran has no good options after two deadly strikes on senior allies
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Nick Paton Walsh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

ET) in Tehran, will dictate what comes next, as Iran looks to present a narrative that justifies and fashions its response. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen with Haniyeh -- hours before his assassination. There is no shortage of furious rherotic the day after the strikes, but there is no easy route for Iran. Iran has also tried an unprecedented direct all-out attack on Israel before, in April, after senior IRGC commanders were killed in an Israeli strike on Damascus. In short, the 300 drone and missiles fired - straight from Iran at Israel - just didn’t get through.

Persons: Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Qasem Suleinami, rherotic, Ahmad Al, Ali Khamenei’s, “, Masoud Pezeshkian, group’s, Fuad Shukr Organizations: CNN, Revolutionary Guards, Iran's Locations: Iran, Tehran, Israel, Beirut, Lebanon, Golan, Quds, Damascus

☆ Former President of Guinea Convicted of Ordering Massacre in Stadium
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Ruth Maclean | More About Ruth Maclean | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The former president of the West African nation of Guinea was found guilty on Wednesday of crimes against humanity for overseeing a massacre in a stadium and mass rape of pro-democracy demonstrators 15 years ago, a landmark verdict long awaited by survivors and relatives of the 150 people who were killed. The trial of the former president, Capt. It was televised in Guinea and followed avidly by many of the country’s 14 million citizens. Captain Camara was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and Lieutenant Aboubacar Diakité, the former head of the presidential guard, was sentenced to 10. The judge found six other defendants guilty and acquitted four, including a former health minister.

Persons: Moussa Dadis Camara, Captain Camara, Aboubacar Diakité, “ Moussa Dadis Camara, ”, Ibrahima Locations: West African, Guinea, Conakry

☆ José Torres Gil makes BMX history for Argentina during ‘best final ever’ at Paris Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Place de la Concorde, Paris CNN —Triumph and tragedy are everywhere you look at the Olympics, and the men’s BMX park final on Wednesday had a surfeit of both. Martin crashed on both of his runs, his title defense wilting in the Paris heat, while Jeanjean recovered superbly on his second run to take a hard-earned bronze medal. As for the triumph, take José Torres Gil, the Argentinian rider who won his country’s first individual gold medal in a cycling discipline with a stunning initial score of 94.82. Great Britain’s Keiran Reilly took silver after packing trick after trick into his second run, hauling himself above Jeanjean with the final act of the competition. “It’s not easy at all when you’ve been training day-in, day-out for a year and you fall on the first trick, the first run,” Jeanjean said.

Persons: – Australia’s, Logan Martin, France’s, Anthony Jeanjean –, Martin, Jeanjean, José Torres Gil, “, ”, Torres Gil, Britain’s Keiran Reilly, Anthony Jeanjean, Markus Gilliar, Torres, –, that’s, Kieran Reilly, Alex Broadway, you’ve, ” Jeanjean, ” Torres, Reilly, Marcus Christopher, Justin Dowell Organizations: Concorde, Paris CNN —, Olympics, Urban Sports, Tokyo Olympics, Frenchman, Games, Getty, Pan American Locations: Paris, sprawled, Europe, Tokyo, American

☆ Alma Powell, 86, Esteemed Military Spouse of a Revered Statesman, Dies
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Penelope Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Alma Powell, an advocate for children, literacy and military families who was the quiet force alongside her husband, Colin L. Powell, the revered military commander, secretary of state and national security adviser, and who played a crucial role in his decision not to seek the presidency in 1996, died on Sunday in Alexandria, Va. She was 86. Her son, Michael, confirmed the death, in a hospital, but did not specify a cause. When he retired as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in September 1993, more than two years after the end of the Gulf War, Mr. Powell, who died in 2021, was by all measures the country’s most popular political figure. A military hero and commander beloved by both Democrats and Republicans, he was often called the Black Eisenhower. As Washingtonian magazine once noted, Mr. Powell had “virtually no known enemies — in a town where everyone of consequence is disliked by someone else of consequence.”Ms. Powell was the consummate military wife, an exemplar of resilience and discipline — Mr. Powell had served two tours in Vietnam at the start of their marriage — whose elegance and experience bolstered her husband’s mystique.

Persons: Alma Powell, Colin L, Powell, Michael, Black Eisenhower, —, Ms, Mr Organizations: Joint Chiefs, Staff, Republicans, Washingtonian Locations: Alexandria, Va, Vietnam

Washington CNN —The White House on Wednesday said reports of the assassination of a Hamas political leader in Iran “don’t help with the temperature going down,” while repeating calls for a ceasefire deal that would see the release of hostages held by Hamas. “These reports over the last 24-48 hours certainly don’t help with the temperature going down. I’m not going to be Pollyannaish about it; we’re obviously concerned about escalation,” White House national security communications adviser John Kirby told reporters during the White House press briefing. In both conversations, according to the State Department, the officials emphasized the need for a ceasefire in Gaza. “It’s too soon to know what impact any of this is going to have on the ceasefire deal,” Kirby said at the briefing.

Persons: I’m, we’re, John Kirby, Kirby, Biden, Antony Blinken, Aaron David Miller, Haniyeh, “ Blinken, ” Miller, ”, “, Blinken, Israel, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Thani, “ It’s, ” Kirby, Hezbollah’s, Fu’ad Shukr, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Netanyahu’s, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, John Kirby’s, CNN’s Abeer Salman, Jennifer Handler, Niamh Kennedy Organizations: Washington CNN, House, White House, senior State Department, CNN, State Department, Qatari, Haniyeh, Hezbollah, Hamas, United, Zionist Locations: Iran, Tehran, Singapore, Israel, Qatar, Jordan, Gaza, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al, Egypt, United States, Golan, Beirut, Washington

☆ Luol Deng: Former NBA All-Star on the rise of South Sudan’s basketball team
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Amanda Davies | Samuel Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

South Sudan’s men’s basketball team defeated Puerto Rico 90-79 in Paris on Sunday in its first ever appearance at the Games, but the result meant more than just picking up two points in Group C. For South Sudan Basketball Federation President Luol Deng, it was the culmination of everything that he and the team had worked so hard to achieve. “When the national anthem was sung, you know, it just gave me goosebumps, and I realized that this was bigger than basketball,” Deng told CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies. He was born in Wau, in what is now South Sudan, before the country’s independence. South Sudan officially gained independence from Sudan in 2011 following a referendum, making it the world’s newest widely-recognized state. South Sudan players celebrate after defeating Puerto Rico.

Persons: Luol Deng, ” Deng, Amanda Davies, Deng, I’ve, didn’t, we’ve, Royal Ivey, ”, Christina Pahnke, We’ve, “ We’ve, “, we’re, –, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry Organizations: CNN, Puerto Rico, South Sudan Basketball Federation, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Second Sudanese, Duke, Chicago, South, United Nations, Olympics, USA, Team USA Locations: Paris, Wau, South Sudan, Egypt, London, England, Great Britain, Sudan

☆ ‘Terrible’: Apple’s new promo video sparks backlash in Thailand
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Chris Lau | Kocha Olarn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A new promotional video by tech giant Apple has been met with heavy criticism in Thailand, with many social media users claiming it offers an unrealistic, outdated view of the country. The plot follows four characters – known as the underdogs – and their attempts to overcome workplace crises using Apple devices and software. Since the series’ debut in 2019, the characters have left their corporate jobs and founded their own company. It’s fine,” wrote Thai social media user Sakchawit Attasillekha on Facebook, pointing out there are “plenty of old hotels in Bangkok” and “old taxis decorated with Buddha amulets.”“However, we also have good things too,” he added. Sombat Boonngamanong, a prominent social activist, also weighed in on Facebook saying that he was surprised the video had caused such a stir.

Persons: Christopher Mintz, ” David William, he’s, ”, John F, “, Nipawan Labbunruang, Lillian Suwanrumpha, Chai Wacharonke, Srettha Thavisin, Sombat Organizations: CNN, YouTube, Plasse, Kennedy International Airport, Bangkok, Getty, Indochina Productions, Apple, Facebook Locations: Thailand, tuk, Thai, “ Thailand, Bangkok, AFP, Bangkok ”

☆ Homebuying is hard in these counties that could decide the election, but it's harder in the U.S. overall
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms J-J-_Mccorvey.Jpg | J.J. Mccorvey | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Market volatility in Dane County, Wisconsin, a largely Democratic, college-educated part of a solidly purple state, boosted its difficulty score to 78 on NBC News’ index. Average homebuying difficulty in the U.S. overall ranks at 84, up from 54 in 2020. At the Republican National Convention earlier this month, giant screens flashed comparisons of average mortgage rates under the Trump and Biden administrations. But one Gwinnett County resident said softer demand isn’t keeping him up at night. For house hunters in Gwinnett County, Scott said, “that would make life a lot better.”

Persons: Dane, They’ve, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Biden, ”, Lisa Scott, Scott, Mannie Marte, Marte, who’s, Harry Truman, Harris Organizations: Democratic, NBC, Republican National Convention, Trump, Biden, Gwinnett, Private, Getty, Phoenix, Voters, Federal, Commerce Department Locations: Dane County , Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Dane, U.S, Gwinnett County , Georgia, Lawrenceville, Duluth, Georgia, Gwinnett, Lilburn, Atlanta, Marte, Reno, Washoe County, Erie, Maricopa County , Arizona, Gwinnett County

Large portions of England and Wales braced for considerable heat on Tuesday, with government officials issuing an alert for vulnerable people and meteorologists warning it would be hottest day of the year so far. The heat in Britain may also stir up sweaty memories of a string of brutally hot days across the country in July 2022, when schools, doctors’ offices and museums shut their doors while the government urged people to work from home. In Britain, few people have air conditioning at home, and much of the country’s housing stock was built to retain heat. Transport delays in very hot or very cold weather are not uncommon. “Much of the U.K. is entering a warm or even hot interlude of weather, with some places in England and Wales likely to meet heat-wave criteria in the coming days,” Frank Saunders, the chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Britain’s national weather service, said in a news release on Tuesday.

Persons: ” Frank Saunders Organizations: Met Office Locations: England, Wales, London, Britain

☆ China, Citing Tainted Burgers, Cleared Swimmers in a New Doping Dispute
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Tariq Panja | Michael S. Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Two elite Chinese swimmers, including one named to her country’s team in the Paris Olympics, tested positive in 2022 for a banned drug but were secretly cleared of doping late last year by Chinese authorities, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter. After a lengthy investigation into the previously undisclosed incident, the Chinese authorities were unable to determine exactly how the swimmers ingested the drug, a powerful anabolic steroid, but concluded that they had most likely done so unwittingly when they ate hamburgers at a restaurant in Beijing. The Chinese emphasized in their explanation to global antidoping regulators that only trace amounts of the steroid had been detected and said that those levels were consistent with contamination, not doping. The decision to clear the swimmers was at least the third time in recent years that China has blamed contaminated food for positive tests by top swimmers, an explanation that has drawn skepticism from many antidoping experts. Critics see the incident as the latest in a pattern of China’s looking the other way when confronted with positive tests in its swimming program, and as a failure by global antidoping agencies to ensure a level playing field for elite athletes.

Persons: Critics Organizations: Paris Olympics Locations: Beijing, China

☆ Takeaways from Team USA’s gold medal victory in the women’s team gymnastics final
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Kyle Feldscher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

They had much the same experience on Tuesday as they recaptured their gold medal in dominant fashion. Here are five takeaways as Team USA leaves Bercy Arena in western Paris with another gold medal. The Olympic team gold medal was Biles’ eighth at a Games, more than any other American in history. At 27 years old, with her first gold in these Paris Olympics, Biles is now the oldest American woman ever to win gymnastics gold. The Italian gymnastics team and Team USA celebrated together, sharing a sweet moment hugging one another.

Persons: ”, Team USA’s, Simone Biles, She’s, Biles, Aly Raisman, medaled, Rebeca Andrade, Brazil’s, Team USA Lee, Abbie Parr, Suni Lee, Lee, ” Biles, ” Lee, we’ve, “, ” Jordan Chiles, Chiles, Chiles –, Lee –, Kyle Terada, Jade Carey, ” Chiles, It’s, it’s, Vladimir Putin, – Organizations: Bercy, Paris CNN, Team, Sunday, USA, Olympic, Paris Olympics, Team USA, Tokyo, Sports, Reuters, Russian Olympic Committee, Kremlin, Games Locations: Paris, American, Tokyo, Italy, Brazil, Italian, USA, Russia, Ukraine, Russian

☆ Robots Are Coming, and They’re on a Mission: Install Solar Panels
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The companies racing to build large solar farms across the United States are facing a growing problem: Not enough workers. On Tuesday, AES Corporation, one of the country’s biggest renewable energy companies, introduced a first-of-its-kind robot that can lug around and install the thousands of heavy panels that typically make up a large solar array. AES said its robot, nicknamed Maximo, would ultimately be able to install solar panels twice as fast as humans can and at half the cost. After months of testing, AES will put Maximo to work in the California desert later this year to help install panels at the largest solar-plus-battery project under construction, meant to power Amazon data centers. If all goes well, the company aims to build hundreds of similar A.I.-powered robots.

Persons: Maximo Organizations: AES Corporation, AES Locations: United States, California

☆ China’s LGBTQ+ community celebrates rare scenes from Paris Olympics but internet is divided
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

These are among the images that France, the organizer of the Paris 2024 Olympics, presented to the world during the opening ceremony last week. The clampdown has made it all the more striking when scenes of gay men and drag queens from the Paris Olympics opening ceremony made it onto Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. On social media site Weibo, the “#Paris opening ceremony is really cool# hashtag has generated more than 600 million views over the past four days. “Those who didn’t stay up late to watch the Olympic opening ceremony tonight missed out big time. #Paris opening ceremony is really cool#The ceremony remained the top trending topic on Weibo for more than 15 hours starting Saturday.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Ken Huang, ”, Jeremy Goupille, Natacha, Leonardo da Vinci’s, Christian, French, Suen, Aritists, Athena de Martel, ” Suen, Netizens Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Paris, Weibo, Pride House, Paris Olympics, Communist Party, Chinese University of Hong, House, ” Locations: China, Hong Kong, France, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Weibo

☆ As U.S.-Iran Conflict Builds Across Mideast, Iraq Is Caught in Middle
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Iraq’s prime minister traveled to Washington in the spring, he hoped to negotiate a much-needed economic development package and discuss shared strategic interests with the United States, one of his country’s most important international allies. Both the United States and Iran have long held sway in Iraq. But since the war between the U.S. ally Israel and the Iran-backed Hamas broke out in Gaza almost 10 months ago, they are increasingly at odds. With regards to Iraq, one of the most contentious issues is the continued presence of 2,500 American troops on Iraqi soil. Over the past 20 months, Iran has used its considerable influence to try to persuade the Iraqis to push those forces out, and if it succeeds, it would give Tehran even more say over Iraqi policies.

Persons: Mohammed Shia, Israel Locations: Washington, United States, Iran, Israel, Tehran, Iraq, Gaza

☆ What’s happening in Venezuela - protests, election uncertainty and an economic crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —Venezuelans across the country took to the streets on Monday to protest a disputed election, clashing with police as uncertainty swirls around the results amid allegations of election fraud. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro after the presidential election results were announced in Caracas on July 29, 2024. Though Maduro supporters celebrated his win in parts of Caracas, Monday was marked by wider protests by the opposition. Many regional and world leaders have cast doubt on the results, including the United States – though some of Venezuela’s partners have stood by Maduro. Once the fifth-largest economy in Latin America, Venezuela has experienced the worst economic collapse of a peacetime country in recent history.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Maduro, –, Juan Barreto, Hugo Chávez, Edmundo Gonzalez, Maria Corina Machado, Matias Delacroix, Gonzalez, Machado, António Guterres, Molotov, Samir Aponte, ”, “, Antony Blinken, Maduro’s Organizations: CNN, Sunday, Getty, AP, Officially, Electoral Council, CNE, The Carter, United Nations, Reuters, Police, Washington, Venezuela –, European Union Locations: Venezuelan, Caracas, AFP, Venezuela, Charallave, Chile, Spain, Puerto La Cruz, United States, United Kingdom, Argentina, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Latin America

☆ It’s not just ‘cat ladies’: JD Vance has a history of disparaging people without kids
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Andrew Kaczynski | Em Steck | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The comments sparked a widespread backlash against Vance when they resurfaced on social media following his nomination to the Republican presidential ticket. Vance later tried to clean up his comments on Megyn Kelly’s podcast last week. Vance would later fundraise off those 2021 remarks in a series of emails obtained by CNN from a commentator who posted them on social media at the time. Video Ad Feedback Sen. JD Vance faces backlash on campaign trail 03:20 - Source: CNN“Did you see me on FOX Primetime recently? I needed to speak DIRECTLY to patriots like you about the serious issue of radical childless leaders in this country,” reads one Vance fundraising email from August 2021.

Persons: Sen, JD Vance, “, sociopaths ”, Vance, ” Vance, Vance’s, “ Tucker Carlson, ”, deriding, I’ve, —, sociopaths, Taylor Van Kirk, he’s, Carlson, Feedback Sen, “ We’ve, they’re, “ I’ve, ” “ I’ve Organizations: CNN, Republican, Democratic, Twitter, Senate, Democratic Party, ”, FOX Locations: ”

☆ In Harris, business leaders tired of Biden see a potential friend
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Some business leaders and wealthy donors are hopeful that Harris will adopt more centrist policies as she outlines her agenda, especially by dialing back Biden-era antitrust crackdowns. “CEOs are wildly excited about Harris,” Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, founder and president of the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute, told CNN in a phone interview. Sonnenfeld pointed to confidence that Harris will protect the rule of law and hopes for recalibrated trade, regulatory and tax policies. Meanwhile, Harris, somewhat of an unknown commodity on business policy, hasn’t said much about where she stands. Another key sticking point is energy, where Trump has tried to blame the Biden-Harris administration for periods of high gas prices.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Harris, Biden, ” Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Sonnenfeld, Lina Khan, Khan’s, hasn’t, “, ”, Greg Valliere, Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman, Khan, Hoffman, Barry Diller, Diller, It’s, ” Diller, ‘, haven’t, PCCC, Adam Green, Harris –, ” Green, Lina Khan –, ” Sonnenfeld, “ It’s, Douglas Farrar, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, ” Trump, “ You’re, Lauren Hitt, didn’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, Biden, Big Tech, Democratic, Yale, Leadership, CNN, Federal Trade Commission, Progressives, AGF Investments, Business, Big Oil, Microsoft, FTC, “, Activision, CNBC, IAC, Progressive, Khan, Public Citizen, AFL, NAACP, Harris Administration Locations: New York, North Carolina

☆ Vice presidents: What this election proves about the importance of running mates
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —One major lesson from Vice President Kamala Harris’ sudden ascension to be the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is that running mates matter. It’s a point not lost on some Republicans who are second-guessing Trump’s selection of Vance and Democrats who are anticipating Harris’ pick any day. Harris’ pick could come within days, according to CNN’s MJ Lee and Jeff Zeleny, who write that the pool of candidates has shrunk by one. Biden went on to pick Harris, the first woman of color to be on a national party’s presidential ticket. In 2016, Trump picked then-Indiana Gov.

Persons: Kamala Harris ’, Donald Trump, Sen, JD Vance, Harris, Joe Biden, It’s, Vance, “, Trump, CNN’s Edward, Isaac Dovere, –, Read, MAGA, Sofia Nelson, Vance’s, Vance's, SSRS, CNN’s KFile, ” Trump, Biden, CNN’s MJ Lee, Jeff Zeleny, Roy Cooper, Arizona Sen, Mark Kelly, Gabby Giffords, Josh Shapiro, Pete Buttigieg, CNN’s Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Karl de Vries, Eric Bradner, Barack Obama, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Romney’s, Mike Pence Organizations: CNN, Democratic, Oval, Trump, Republican National Convention, Republicans, GOP, Yale Law School, Fox News, The Washington Post, North Carolina Gov, Arizona, House . Pennsylvania, Transportation, Republican, Alaska Gov, Indiana Gov Locations: Ohio, Detroit, “, – Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Scranton , Pennsylvania

☆ Venezuelans have seen this movie before, but Maduro should beware. This time, the ending could be different
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Rafael Romo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The month before, President Nicolás Maduro had declared a “constitutional state of emergency.”Julio Borges, in a photograph taken by CNN's Rafael Romo on June 9, 2016. Maduro, now 61, is a former bus driver who became a Caracas metro system union leader and rose through the ranks. In January of that year, Juan Guaidó, then president of the National Assembly, had proclaimed himself interim president of Venezuela. Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido scuffle with members of the Bolivarian National Police during a protest against the government of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on November 18, 2019. The Venezuelan opposition political party Voluntad Popular said Tuesday that its leader Freddy Superlano has been kidnapped.

Persons: “, Caracas Osmary Hernández, Julio Borges, colectivos, Nicolás Maduro, ” Julio Borges, CNN's Rafael Romo, Rafael Romo, Hugo Chávez, Juan Guaidó, Guaidó, Juan Guaido, Nicolas Maduro, Yuri Cortez, María Corina Machado, Machado, Chávez, Edilzon Gamez, ”, Michael, ‘, would’ve, Maduro, they’ve, Edmundo González, Jorge Fernando “ Tuto ” Quiroga, ” Quiroga, Edmundo, González, could’ve, Popular, Freddy Superlano Organizations: CNN, National Assembly, Caracas Osmary, Electoral Council, Bolivarian National Police, Getty, Bolivian Embassy, Inter, Georgetown University, Venezuela’s CNE, Venezuelan, Foro Locations: Caracas, Venezuela, Maduro, United States, AFP, North Macedonia, Bolivian

☆ William Calley, officer convicted for his role in My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War, dead at 80
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Chelsea Bailey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

While multiple officers were charged in connection with the massacre, Calley was the only one convicted. “Calley and his men rounded up these civilians and then Calley ordered his men to kill them.”The massacre lasted for hours. A ditch in My Lai village, Vietnam, where US troops killed Vietnamese civilians on March 16, 1968. Kham/ReutersThe fragile lineThousands of miles away and 30 years later, those who lost loved ones in the My Lai massacre would tell CNN they were never truly able to move on. “There is not a day that goes by that I do not feel remorse for what happened that day in My Lai,” Calley said, according to the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

Persons: William L, Calley Jr, Calley, Charlie, Lai, ”, Bill Allison, ” Allison, –, Fred Borch, Borch, Charlie Company –, ” Calley, “, ” Borch, “ Calley, Brad Lendon, Hugh Thompson, Thompson, he’d, “ Thompson, Ron Ridenhour, Seymour, Allison, Fort Moore, Calley’s, Richard Nixon, Nixon, ” Thompson, Lawrence Colburn, Nguyen Chung, Calley –, – Borsh Organizations: CNN, Army, The Washington, Social Security Administration, Charlie Company, Loan, Georgia Southern University, US Army, American Army, US, General’s Corps, House Armed, 11th Brigade, Armed Services Committee, Military, Gallup, The New York Times, Associated Press, Kiwanis Club, Greater, Columbus Ledger Locations: Gainesville , Florida, Vietnam, Saigon, My Lai, South Vietnam, Viet, Geneva, Lai, Fort Benning, Kham, Greater Columbus, Georgia

☆ The Stranger in Seattle Gets a New Owner, With Plans for Expansion
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Katie Robertson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For decades, many American cities had at least one thriving alternative-weekly newspaper chronicling the local art and music scene and reporting on the community. Many of those publications withered in recent years, but two of the country’s best known alt-weeklies, The Stranger in Seattle and The Portland Mercury, now have plans for expansion. Mr. Walkinshaw declined to disclose the financial details of the purchase, but he said that he was the majority shareholder. Index will keep a 20 percent stake in the company. A group of about 20 individual investors helped finance the deal, Mr. Walkinshaw said.

Persons: Brady Walkinshaw, Walkinshaw Organizations: The Portland Mercury, Democratic, Portland Mercury, Index Newspapers Locations: Seattle, Washington State

☆ What Happened to Venezuela’s Democracy?
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Julie Turkewitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A generation ago, a charismatic former military officer swept into the highest office in Venezuela on a promise to deliver a more inclusive democracy, a system for the common man that would transfer the levers of power from the political elite to the people. That man was Hugo Chávez, who in a democratic vote rode a wave of discontent into the presidential palace in 1999, eventually founding what he called the country’s socialist revolution. On Monday, as anti-Maduro protests erupted around the country and armed government-aligned gangs tried to dissuade them, demonstrators in the northern state of Falcón climbed atop a Chávez statue. First, they attempted to hack off his head. Then, hindered by its bulk, they instead sent his entire mammoth metal body crashing to the ground.

Persons: Hugo Chávez, Chávez’s, Nicolás Maduro Locations: Venezuela, Falcón

☆ How Authoritarian Governments Rig Elections to Stay in Power
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Eve Sampson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner of Venezuela’s presidential vote on Monday despite glaring election irregularities, plunging the country into widespread protests. Mr. Maduro was declared the winner by the country’s electoral authority, which did not release a full vote count, fueling suspicions about the credibility Mr. Maduro’s claim of victory. Ms. Machado called the results “impossible,” and many pointed to government interference at polling stations. This is not the first time Mr. Maduro’s administration has been accused of reporting false election results. Like other authoritarian leaders across the world, Mr. Maduro has employed myriad tactics to rig elections in an attempt to garner legitimacy by skewing the democratic process.

Persons: Nicolás Maduro, Edmundo González, María Corina Machado, Maduro, Maduro’s, Ms, Machado

Further unrest was expected on Tuesday, when a military court is expected to decide whether to extend the soldiers’ detentions. Since the start of the war, the Israeli military has captured at least 4,000 Gazans, mostly from inside Gaza, and brought them to Sde Teiman, a military base in southern Israel, for detention and interrogation. Former detainees and some Israeli soldiers have said that guards routinely abuse Gazans held at Sde Teiman; at least 35 detainees have died either at the site or shortly after leaving it. Video Israeli protesters broke into the Sde Teiman military base in support of the detained reservists. Neither the professor nor the Israeli military would confirm that claim.

Persons: Sde, Israel, Sde Teiman, Yoel Donchin, Donchin, Nati Rom, Honenu, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, —, ” Naftali Bennett, ” Mr, Bennett, Hanoch Milwidsky, ”, Gabby Sobelman Organizations: Video Locations: Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Israeli, Sde, Beit, Rehovot

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