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☆ Opinion: If Marjorie Taylor Greene wins on Ukraine aid, we’re headed for dangerous territory
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Julian Zelizer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia is the new boss in town. Greene is intent on blocking funding to Ukraine — a massive blow to both NATO and the US’ own commitment to the post-World War II international order. This standoff demonstrates just how far the Republican Party has moved from the era of Ronald Reagan. Long before Greene, a growing number of Republicans began expressing increased skepticism toward international institutions like the United Nations. With Greene keeping Johnson’s feet to the fire when it comes to aid to Ukraine, the GOP’s revolution is almost complete.

Persons: Julian Zelizer, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Greene, ” Greene, —, we’ve, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Long, “, John Bolton, New York “, Jesse Helms of, George W, Bush, Saddam, Frances’s Jacques Chirac, Donald Trump, Bush’s, Putin, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, Trump, MAGA Organizations: CNN, Princeton University, The New York Times, America, CNN — Republican, Republican, Ukraine, NATO, Republican Party, Soviet, United Nations, GOP, Republicans, UN, Senate Foreign, Iraq, Trump, Caucus Locations: Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Ukraine, United, United States, New York, Jesse Helms of North Carolina, Kyoto, Iraq, Russia, Helsinki, America

☆ Iran’s Axis of Resistance
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( David Leonhardt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Its members refer to it as the Axis of Resistance. The network’s name is a play on former President George W. Bush’s 2002 claim that Iran, Iraq and North Korea made up an Axis of Evil. The Axis of Resistance includes Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and other groups, and both its strategy and its tactics have long been radical. Nonetheless, the conflict between the Axis and its enemies had remained limited for years. Even though Iran funds and supports the Axis, other countries have often treated its member groups as distinct from Iran.

Persons: George W Organizations: Hamas Locations: Iran, Israel, Iraq, North Korea, Yemen, America

Mr. Biden replied that he understood. Mr. Biden’s staunch support of Israel has put him at odds with many Democrats. Mr. Biden is scheduled to speak with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Thursday, according to a senior administration official. That official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said that Mr. Biden’s anger and frustration had hit a peak in recent weeks. At other events that month, in Wisconsin and Vermont, people gathered outside of Democratic Party offices and homes of donors to protest American support for the war.

Persons: Jill Biden, Biden, Mr, Salima Suswell, ’, Suswell, White, “, ” Elizabeth Alexander, ”, Biden’s, Chris Coons, Avishag Shaar, Beau Biden, George W, Dr, Beau, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Organizations: House, White, Israel, Black Muslim Leadership Council, Al, Shifa, Credit, Yashuv, The New York, Delaware Army National Guard, New York Times, Democratic, Central, Biden, Democratic Party Locations: Gaza, Israel, Delaware, Iraq, Afghanistan, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Vermont, Los Angeles

☆ Biden and Netanyahu call comes amid extreme mutual tensions and political pressure
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The conversation will also take place with both leaders under enormous domestic pressure and amid signs their political priorities are irreconcilable. Biden badly needs the war to end to ease anger among progressives that is threatening his weakened political coalition ahead of November’s election. The backdrop to the call is US fury over the killings of seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen in an Israeli strike in Gaza. And the killings of the aid workers threatens to halt a vital lifeline needed to mitigate famine in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. The strike on Damascus also heaped more domestic political pressure on Biden from inside the Democratic Party.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, ’, Biden, Netanyahu, It’s, Xi Jinping, Biden’s, ”, Israel, John Kirby, José Andrés, “, Rishi Sunak, Donald Trump, Thaer Ahmad, Nahreen Ahmed, ‘, Biden “, Benny Gantz, Ro Khanna, Mark Esper, ” Esper, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Netanyahu – Organizations: CNN, Israeli, National Security Communications, Hamas, World, Reuters, Navy, America, Gaza Health Ministry, Israel Defense Forces, Republicans, Capitol, British, Democratic, White, Black, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Democratic Party, ”, Democrats, California Democrat, Americans, Iranian Locations: Gaza, Israel, Rafah, Washington, Syria, China, America, Britain, Australia, Canada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Palestinian American, Palestine, Damascus, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Iranian, Damascus –, United States, Lebanon, California, Jordan

☆ NATO’s next challenge: How to reverse years of underfunding defense
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

For over a decade, allies have chronically underspent on defense while the West’s adversaries modernized and bolstered their own military capabilities. Defense spending stayed low across the West not just because of budget pressures, but also because everyone – including the US – was frightened to provoke Russia. However, the nature of NATO allies’ support for Ukraine – much of it direct military support – has exposed the vulnerability that years of underfunding has caused the alliance. Fabian Bimmer/Pool/ReutersThis means that the challenge in front of NATO allies now is not just how can they meet the demand for weapons coming from Ukraine, but how do they reverse years of underfunding their own defenses? Some allies don’t trust that others will be quite so generous with defense spending if the Russia-Ukraine war were to end.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Murat Kula, ”, ” John Herbst, Antony Blinken, Ulf Kristersson, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, underfunding, It’s, Herbst, NATO’s, –, Jens Stoltenberg, Olaf Scholz, Fabian Bimmer, Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Peter Ricketts, Douglas Lute, “ Organizations: CNN, NATO, Turkish, Anadolu Agency, Pentagon, “, Swedish, US State Department, Getty, Ukraine, Rheinmetall, Trump Locations: Soviet, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, United States, British, Vilnius, Russia, Kyiv, Europe, Germany, AFP, North Korea, Iran, Washington, Unterluess, Baltic, Brussels, Finland, Sweden, NATO

☆ Why is there nostalgia for the Trump economy in the battleground states?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Yet those numbers are reversed when asked to rate the state’s economy. In Wisconsin, negative views of the national economy outweigh positive ones by 16 points, while positive views of the state economy outweigh negative ones by 17 points. Across these battleground states, 46% of registered voters said their personal financial situation is headed in the right direction. Now, more than half of registered voters in the Wall Street Journal poll of battleground states said they either strongly or somewhat approve of the job Trump did as president. Biden is neck-and-neck with Trump among registered voters in those seven swing states on the question of protecting democracy.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Larry Summers, Summers, Biden, Ariel Edwards, Levy, Edwards, “ People’s, ”, It’s, Trump, Biden’s, Joe, Jill Biden, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, “ He’s, ” Jill Biden, Will, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Sanders “, George W, – Trump’s, Bush Organizations: CNN — Voters, Wall Street, Biden, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Gallup, Journal, Street, CBS, Vermont, White, Big Pharma, Medicare, CNN, Republican, Trump, Capitol Locations: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina , Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, brag, Iraq

The Israeli military told CNN it does not comment on foreign reports. CNN cannot verify the Times’ report, nor independently verify the claims from Iran, Syria and Israel. Increasing pressureAs the Middle East braces for a potential Iranian response, Tehran is under pressure to show strength in the wake of the consulate attack while not drawing the region into a wider war. The Lebanese Shia militant group has been embroiled in daily crossfire with Israeli forces for nearly six months. However, Israeli military spokesman Hagari blamed Iran for escalating tensions in the region.

Persons: Mohammed Reza Zahedi, Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, Donald Trump, IRGC, Qassem Soleimani, ”, Israel, Daniel Hagari, “, Israel’s, Syria Hossein Akbari, Nasser Kanaani, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, d’affaires, Amir, ” Amir, Faisal Mekdad meanwhile, Houthi, Parsi, Zahedi, Bejamin Netanyahu, Hagari, I’m Organizations: CNN, Revolutionary Guards, Foreign Ministry, Israel Defense Forces, New York Times, Hamas, Ministry of Health, Zionist, Iranian Foreign Ministry, Israel, Syrian Foreign, Diplomatic Relations, US, Quincy Institute, Responsible Locations: Iran, Israel, Syria, Gaza, Damascus, Baghdad, Tehran, Lebanese, ” Iran, United States, Quds, Iranian Embassy, Iranian, Islamic Republic, Washington, Swiss, Switzerland, Syrian, Vienna, Iraq, Jordan, Red, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Yemen

Iran may now be compelled to respond despite its unwillingness to enter war with Israel and the United States. And it has increased such attacks since October 7, when Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 250, prompting a devastating Israeli war in Gaza. “That would mean that the Israeli attack on Iran has put a target on the backs of American troops in the Middle East,” he said. Washington has, however, tried to distance itself from Monday’s Israeli attack. Attack Israeli interests abroadAfter past attacks on Iran, Israel has often anticipated Iranian retaliation on its interests in foreign countries, and beefed up security at its embassies.

Persons: Donald Trump, Qassem, Israel hasn’t, ”, Daniel Hagari, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, ” Amir, Israel, CNN’s Paula Newton, Parsi, Biden, Israel Iran’s, Houthis, Sanam Vakil, Jalal Rashidi, Vakil, Omar Sanadiki, ” Vali Nasr, “, Farzan Organizations: CNN, Seven, Revolutionary Guards, Israel Defense Forces, Iran’s, Quincy Institute, Responsible, Islamic, US National Security, Israel, Hezbollah, Chatham House, State Department, Chatham, ” stoke, UN, Global Governance Locations: Iranian, Damascus, Baghdad, Iran, Israel, United States, Syria, Gaza, Quds, Swiss, Tehran, Washington ,, Iraq, Jordan, Washington, Islamic Republic, Lebanon, Iraqi, East, North Africa, London, Argentina, India, Georgia, Thailand, Jalal Rashidi Kochi, Azerbaijan, “, Chatham House, ”, Switzerland

☆ US told Iran it had no involvement or advance knowledge of consulate strike in Syria, US official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —The United States told Iran it was not involved and had no advance knowledge of Monday’s strike on an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, a US official said. The communication comes amid concern about the war between Israel and Hamas widening to a broader regional conflict. Iran has vowed retaliation after a strike it blamed on Israel killed two of its top commanders and five others at its consulate in Syria. “The United States had no involvement in the strike and we did not know about it ahead of time,” a National Security Council spokesperson said. The US has accused Iran of supporting proxy attacks on US and Western targets since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

Persons: ”, Axios, Matthew Miller, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, ” Amir Organizations: Washington CNN, United, National Security, US, State Department, Iran’s, Foreign Ministry, CNN Locations: United States, Iran, Iranian, Damascus, Syria, Israel, Swiss, Tehran, Jordan, Iraq

☆ Opinion: Despite ISIS threat, Putin’s only concern is the politics of terrorism
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Opinion Douglas London | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Russia knows it has a terrorist problem, despite its deflection and spin to preserve Putin’s image, but his priorities are elsewhere. Russian intelligence also suffers from systemic failings in recognizing, penetrating and dismantling terrorist cells, failings that stem from doctrine and a deliberately stovepiped structure that obstructs information sharing and agility. FSB officers will coerce, threaten and intimidate potential sources with diminishing returns that will only fuel ISIS-K recruitment and fundraising, which is no doubt seeing a surge from its Moscow attack. Russian intelligence will be left to depend on the unwilling, ill-informed or duplicitous. At the Islamic State’s height, Tajik Gulmurod Khalimov commanded its Iraqi capital of Mosul.

Persons: Douglas London, ”, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Bortnikov, Douglas, Mike Pompeo, Russia’s, Sergey Naryshkin, Igor Korobov, Donald Trump, Pompeo, Russia Michael McFaul, Barack Obama, Trump, Putin, Gulmurod Khalimov, Khalimov, “ Omar al, “ Omar, ” Batirashvili, Washington, Sergei Skripal, Yulia Organizations: CIA, of American Intelligence, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Global National Security Institutes, CNN, Federal Security Service, CBC, Ukraine, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Military Intelligence, Trump, White, ISIS, Central, Former, Terrorism, Embassy, K’s, Tajikistan’s Interior Ministry, Islamic Locations: South, Southwest Asia, London, Khorasan, United States, Afghanistan, Islamic State, Great Britain, Russia, Washington, State, Moscow, Syria, Iraq, Russian, US, Ukraine, St . Petersburg, Central Asia, Central Asian, Central, East, Turkey, Turkish, Istanbul, Mosul, Chechen, Georgian, Georgia, Iran, Kerman, Salisbury, England

☆ Fears Grow That Syria Strikes Could Spur Retaliatory Attacks on Israel and U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Eric Schmitt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Current and former U.S. officials expressed fears on Tuesday that Israel’s airstrikes on an Iranian embassy compound in Syria could escalate hostilities in the region, and prompt retaliatory strikes against Israel and its American ally. Indeed, after the Israeli strike in Damascus, Syria’s capital, on Monday, American troops based in southeastern Syria knocked down an attack drone, a Defense Department official said. It was unclear if the drone was aimed at the U.S. forces, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. If it were, it would be the first attack by Iran-backed militias against American troops in Iraq or Syria in nearly two months. The official said there had been no further attacks overnight, but that Pentagon officials were monitoring the situation closely.

Persons: Ralph Goff, Goff Organizations: Israel, Iran’s Quds Force, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Defense Department, U.S ., Pentagon Locations: Syria, Iran’s Quds, Iran, Damascus, Syria’s, U.S, Iraq

☆ Strike in Damascus Is an Escalation in Israel’s Undeclared War With Iran
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Steven Erlanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Israel’s bombing of an Iranian Embassy building in Damascus, which killed senior Iranian military and intelligence officials, is a major escalation of what has long been a simmering undeclared war between Israel and Iran. Iran promises major retaliation, but neither Israel nor Iran wants a major shooting war, given the stakes for both countries. Even so, the danger of a miscalculation is ever-present, as both countries press for advantage in Gaza and southern Lebanon. For Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who presumably approved such a sensitive attack, the successful elimination of such key Iranian military figures is a political coup. It comes at a time when demonstrations calling for his resignation have increased in intensity, as the war against Hamas drags on and Israeli hostages remain in Gaza.

Persons: Iran’s, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Iranian Embassy Locations: Iranian, Damascus, Israel, Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen

☆ How vast swarms of drones could transform the future of war
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Drone swarms use cutting-edge technology derived from studying bird flocks and fish shoals to coordinate their movements across a potentially vast area. Advertisement"Autonomous, armed drone swarms should have restrictions on their use, especially drone swarms targeting humans. Ochmanek stressed that targeting decisions for drone swarms should still be made by humans, with AI only synthesizing the data. AdvertisementCountering the swarmsAs well as developing plans to deploy drone swarms, defense companies are working on a playbook for countering them. Another possibility, said Ochmanek, is that drone swarms could be programmed to target other drone swarms.

Persons: —, Zak Kallenborn, David Ochmanek, Ochmanek Organizations: Service, RAND Corporation, Business, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Iraq, United Nations Locations: China, US, Israel, Europe, Ukraine

Although both Blevins and Patterson are Republicans, the race is nonpartisan and open to all registered voters in the ward. The recall effort in Oklahoma was launched by two longtime Enid residents, best friends Connie Vickers and Nancy Presnall, both Democrats in a county where Republicans have a nearly 4-to-1 advantage in voter registration. The two helped spearhead a signature drive to qualify Blevins’ recall for the ballot, getting 350 signatures from voters in the ward, far more than the 240 they needed. "The people who support that ideology are very passionate and very dedicated, and up until this point we haven't been. “We determined that we have a good group together that wants to do good things for the community,” Presnall said.

Persons: ENID, Judd Blevins, Cheryl Patterson, Blevins, Patterson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar of, Connie Vickers, Nancy Presnall, ” Presnall, It's, ” Blevins, ”, Evropa, Donald Trump, “ I'm, Patrick Anderson, Enid, Anderson, James Neal, ” Neal, “, ___, Sean Murphy Organizations: Southern Poverty Law Center, Reps, Enid, Republicans, Republican, Democrat, Nazi, University of Virginia, Enid News & Eagle, Air Force, Holy Orthodox Catholic Church, Enid Social Locations: Okla, Oklahoma, Enid, Iraq, Charlotesville , Virginia, United States, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Paul Gosar of Arizona

☆ Oklahoma Was a Legal Marijuana Utopia. Then Came the Mass Murder
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Matt Stroud | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +32 min

Fourteen months after the murders, the garage of the abandoned marijuana farm on prairie tableland northwest of Oklahoma City sits frozen and dark. Broadway Avenue in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, about 30 miles south of where Wu Chen, 47, executed four people at a marijuana farm. When Oklahoma legalized medical marijuana, the only real requirement was that Oklahoma residents had to be involved in marijuana growing and selling. But Oklahoma required 75% of any marijuana business to be owned by an Oklahoma resident. Deputies from the Kingfisher County Sheriff's Office were the first to arrive at the scene of a quadruple homicide at an abandoned marijuana farm.

Persons: Wu Chen, Mike Simons, Kevin Stitt, Sean Hannity's, Dan Newhouse, Liu, Chen, Yi Fei Lin, Mark Woodward, —, OBN, Adria Berry, BI Adria Berry, I'm, Barb Miuccio, Jeremy Grable, Jeremy, Barb, she's, Barbara Miuccio, Treez, Matt Stacy, Stacy, Stitt, Jeremy they'd, he'd, OMMA, didn't, Barb didn't, Barbara, Stacy —, she'd, Stacy hadn't, BI Jonathan Riedlinger, Riedlinger, Lin, Qirong Lin, Hechun Chen, Qiang Chen, Fang Lee —, Wenbo Lin, Wu Chen —, Wenbo Lin didn't, Reidlinger, Jed Green, Matthew Alan Stacy, Barb —, — he's, He'd, Woodward, Helen Carillo, He's, Kevin Pham, Pham, BI Pham, ProPublica, recriminations, Green, It's, they're, I'd, Ken Thompson, Thompson, Chen didn't, He'll, Jonathan Riedlinger, Kiki, I've Organizations: Oklahoma City, Broadway, BI, Marijuana, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Republican, Sean Hannity's Fox, Fox News, Chen Inc, Narcotics, BI Adria, Oklahoma's Army National Guard, OBN, Business, Oklahoma State Bureau of, Sheriff's, Prosecutors, CSI Accounting Services, Whitney Economics, NBC, Cannabis, Virginia Slim, Florida . Police Locations: Oklahoma, Kingfisher County , Oklahoma, Ames , Oklahoma, Kingfisher , Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, California, Arkansas, Republican Washington, China, Kingfisher County, Dallas, Moore , Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, He's, Moore, Kingfisher, Hennessey , Oklahoma, OMMA, Mexico, Edmond, Tulsa, Russia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Steakhouse, Virginia, Florida, Miami Beach, Miami

☆ Why some Christians are angry about Trump’s ‘God Bless the USA’ Bible
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Aj Willingham | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

He says things like the “God Bless America” Bible overlook the many, many Christians who do not agree with Trump’s politics or the blending of patriotism with faith. He was among the imprint’s writers who tried to discourage them from publishing the “God Bless the USA” Bible when the idea was first introduced. “I am reminded of how we closed every Marine Corps boot camp chapel service with Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA’,” he told CNN. The FAQ section of the “God Bless America” Bible website clarifies that no proceeds from the sales of the Bible will go towards Trump’s presidential campaign. CNN has reached out to EliteSource Pro, the marketing company behind the “God Bless the USA” Bible, for more information.

Persons: Donald Trump, Lee Greenwood’s, ”, ” Trump, Jesus, It’s, Lee Greenwood, Benjamin Cremer, X, Jason Cornwall, it’s, Jemar Tisby, “, ” Tisby, —, Trump, MARK RALSTON, Guthrie Graves, Fitzsimmons, ’, ” Graves, pushback, James, Tisby, we’re, ” Singer Lee Greenwood, Marsha Blackburn, Alex Wong, David W, Peters, Donald J, ” televangelist, Pat Robertson Organizations: CNN, Christian, Reformed Theological Seminary, Getty, BJC Center for Faith, Justice, Reconciliation, Union Theological Seminary, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, HarperCollins, Trump, Zondervan, Marine Corps, Corps, Republican, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures, EliteSource, Episcopal Locations: Independence, South Carolina, America, Jackson , Mississippi, AFP, United States, New York City, Franklin , Tennessee, Pflugerville , Texas, Iraq, Trump's

☆ Oil prices fall for a second day as U.S. crude inventories increase
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Oil prices fell for a second day on Wednesday after a report that crude stockpiles in the U.S., the world's biggest oil user, surged and on signs major producers are unlikely to change their output policy at a technical meeting next week. Brent crude futures for May dropped 74 cents, or 0.9%, to $85.51 a barrel at 0420 GMT. U.S. crude oil inventories rose by 9.3 million barrels in the week ended March 22, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Earlier this month, OPEC+ members agreed to extend their output cuts of about 2.2 million barrels per day to the end of June. Highlighting that Iraq is among the OPEC+ members that have admitted to overproducing in recent months, analysts at ANZ said in a report on Wednesday, "traders are also watching OPEC members for any sign they may be altering their stance on production quotas."

Persons: Rong Yeap, overproducing Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, IG, American Petroleum Institute, of, Petroleum, Ministerial, Reuters, ANZ Locations: U.S, Singapore . U.S, Russia, OPEC, Iraq

☆ Three presidents and one mission: Beat Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN’s MJ Lee and Jeff Zeleny reported Wednesday that Obama was in the White House for a working visit just last week. Two Democratic presidents who won second terms are uniting to try to usher a successor, who is older than both of them, into the same rarified political air. And Clinton has been out of the White House for nearly a quarter of a century. But Biden was also a valuable ally for Clinton after the president’s impeachment over an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. And after he became vice president, Biden developed a friendly and cordial relationship with Hillary Clinton, maintained by regular breakfasts at the vice president’s official residence in Washington.

Persons: –, Joe Biden’s, he’s, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Obama, CNN’s MJ Lee, Jeff Zeleny, Biden, Clinton, Trump, Jonathan Diller, Jimmy Carter, George W, Bush, it’s, Leon Panetta, “, ” Panetta, Joe Biden, ”, Biden’s, ” Clinton, Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton, Gabriel Debenedetti, irked Obama’s, Beau, ” Biden, Robert Hur, “ I’m, Clinton’s, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Monica Lewinsky Organizations: CNN, Trump, White, Radio City Music, Democratic, ’, New York, Police, White House, African, Central, Democratic National Convention, Republican, Obama, Democratic Party, Alliance ”, Biden, Black, African American Democratic Locations: New York, Washington, America, Delaware, Illinois, Yugoslavia, Ukraine, Iraq, South Carolina

London CNN —WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has fended off the threat of immediate extradition to the United States after the High Court in London asked the US to provide more assurances. US authorities say Assange, 52, put lives at risk by publishing secret military documents and have for years been seeking his extradition on espionage charges. If the US fails to give these assurances, Assange would be allowed to appeal his extradition at a further hearing in May. Assange has fought extradition for the last five years from London’s Belmarsh prison, and for seven years before that was holed up as a political refugee at the Ecuadorian embassy in the UK capital. But the court refused to grant him leave to appeal on the ground that the prosecution is politically motivated.

Persons: Julian Assange, Assange, ”, London’s, Mr Assange, “, ” Stella Assange, Assange’s, Biden, Assange's, Toby Melville, Chelsea Manning, Manning, Edward Fitzgerald Organizations: London CNN, Court, CNN, US, Ecuadorian, CIA, Ecuadorian Embassy, Army Locations: United States, London, Australian, Assange’s, Iraqi, Ecuadorian, Virginia, Iraq, Guantanamo, …

☆ WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will not be immediately extradited to the U.S., British court rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday was granted permission by a U.K. court to appeal his extradition to the U.S., where he is wanted on spying charges. Assange will therefore not be extradited immediately, the court said. A further hearing on May 20 will determine whether the assurances provided are satisfactory, the court said. Assange is wanted in the U.S. on 18 charges, including 17 under the Espionage Act and one under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He faces up to 175 years in prison after WikiLeaks published hundreds of thousands of leaked confidential military files and diplomatic documents related to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Persons: Julian Assange, Assange Organizations: Royal, of Justice, Constitution, Computer, WikiLeaks Locations: U.S, London, Ecuadorian, Belmarsh, Afghanistan, Iraq

☆ ISIS Affiliate Linked to Moscow Attack Has Global Ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Eric Schmitt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Five years ago this month, an American-backed Kurdish and Arab militia ousted Islamic State fighters from a village in eastern Syria, the group’s last sliver of territory. Since then, the organization that once staked out a self-proclaimed caliphate across Iraq and Syria has metastasized into a more traditional terrorist group — a clandestine network of cells from West Africa to Southeast Asia engaged in guerrilla attacks, bombings and targeted assassinations. None of the group’s affiliates have been as relentless as the Islamic State in Khorasan, which is active in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran and has set its sights on attacking Europe and beyond. U.S. officials say the group carried out the attack near Moscow on Friday, killing scores of people and wounding many others. In January, Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K, carried out twin bombings in Iran that killed scores and wounded hundreds of others at a memorial service for Iran’s former top general, Qassim Suleimani, who was targeted in a U.S. drone strike four years earlier.

Persons: Qassim Suleimani Organizations: Islamic Locations: American, Syria, Iraq, West Africa, Southeast Asia, Khorasan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Europe, U.S, Moscow, State Khorasan

☆ Who are ISIS-K, the group that claimed it carried out the Moscow terror attack?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It is a branch of ISIS, the terror group that emerged in Syria and Iraq and, at its peak, controlled a huge stretch of territory. By 2018, ISIS-K was ranked the world’s fourth-deadliest terror group, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace, which monitors global terrorism. Video Ad Feedback What we know about ISIS group claiming responsibility for Moscow terror attack 04:16 - Source: CNNWhat do they want? Russian state media reported on March 7 that the FSB, Russia’s security service, prevented an ISIS attack on a synagogue in Moscow, according to Reuters. It is the most active terror group in the country, responsible for 73 deaths in 2023, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Persons: Kamala Harris, –, Joe Biden, Putin, ”, Daniel Byman, ” Byman, John Miller, Wakil Kohsar, Washington, Vladimir Putin Organizations: CNN, Islamic, ISIS, Sunday, US, Institute for Economics, The United Nations, Sharia, “, RIA Novosti, RIA, Reuters, Kabul University, CSIS, National Legal Training, US Central Command, National Intelligence, UN, Manchester Arena, State Department, Kyiv Locations: Moscow, Soviet, Tajikistan, Khorasan, Asia, Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Africa, East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Kabul, Afghanistan’s Kunar, Nangarhar, United States, Britain, Europe, “ Russia, Georgetown, Caucasus, Pakistan –, Mastung, AFP, Germany, Paris, Ariana Grande, England, Orlando , Florida, Russian, Ukraine, Crocus

☆ I shot at hostile helicopters in a US Army trainer with weapons Ukraine was given to do the same, and scoring a kill is harder than it looks
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Taking out simulated enemy helicopters proved to be surprisingly difficult. Avenger training involves a simulator called the Institutional Conduct of Fire Trainer. Jake Epstein/Business InsiderInside a cubicle for Avenger training. AdvertisementDuring this simulation, I was once again tasked with taking out enemy helicopters. Jake Epstein/Business InsiderAfter making this determination and locking on to a target, I engaged the helicopter by squeezing the Stinger's trigger.

Persons: —, Jason Epperson, Jake Epstein, Pierre Crom Organizations: US Army's Air Defense Artillery School, Service, Mobility Multipurpose, NATO, US Army, FIM, Business Locations: Fort Sill, Fort Sill , Oklahoma, Crete, cubicles, Iraq, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Bakhmut

☆ Inside the US Army's 'Stinger Dome,' scoring a kill with the weapons Ukraine got to shoot down Russian helicopters is harder than it looks
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Taking out simulated enemy helicopters proved to be surprisingly difficult. Jake Epstein/Business InsiderInside a cubicle for Avenger training. AdvertisementDuring this simulation, I was once again tasked with taking out enemy helicopters. Jake Epstein/Business InsiderOutside the Stinger Dome. Jake Epstein/Business InsiderAfter making this determination and locking on to a target, I engaged the helicopter by squeezing the Stinger's trigger.

☆ With eyes on China, US special operators are back to battling the jungle
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

With the potential for a conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific looming ever larger in the background, the US special operations community is focusing more and more on jungle operations. A Marine Raider with Marine Forces Special Operations Command traverses a river during a jungle mobility course, Aug. 4, 2023. A Marine Raider with Marine Forces Special Operations Command navigates a single rope bridge during a jungle mobility course, Aug. 4, 2023. A history of jungle operationsUS commandos have a long history of conducting jungle operations. AdvertisementToday, as the US attempts to redirect its focus to the Indo-Pacific amid steadily rising tensions between the US and China, it looks like jungle operations are back on the menu for the US special operations community.

Persons: —, Cpl, Henry Rodriguez, skillsets, Cody Carroll, I've Organizations: Service, Pacific, Marine Raiders, Business, Tactical Tracking, Raider, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, . Marine Corps, Marine Forces Special, Command, Alamo Scouts, Military Assistance Command Vietnam, MACV, SOG, North, Vietcong, White, Pentagon, Green Berets, Navy, Force Recon, Air Commandos Locations: East, China, Oahu, Hawaii, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Vietnam, Asia, Laos, Cambodia, South Vietnam

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