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☆ As Blinken Heads to China, a Wall of Suspicion Awaits Him
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Vivian Wang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Rising nationalist sentiment in China — often stoked by the authorities — cheers on Beijing’s hawkish foreign policy. President Biden, even as he has declared his desire for dialogue, has described China as America’s greatest geopolitical challenge. The United States has issued a barrage of sanctions on Chinese officials and companies, and tried to cut off Chinese access to critical technology globally. At the heart of Beijing’s chilly posture toward Mr. Blinken’s visit is its claim that American overtures are insincere, and its treatment of China unjust. When Mr. Blinken postponed his previously scheduled visit in February, over a Chinese spy balloon, Beijing called it an overreaction.

Persons: Xi, Beijing’s, Biden, Blinken’s, Blinken Organizations: Communist, United, Mr Locations: China, Washington, United States, Cuba, American, Beijing, Ukraine

☆ Starc left out as England signal attacking intent in Ashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Peter Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The big news ahead of one of the most eagerly anticipated Ashes series in many years, as in-form, attacking England take on World Test Champions Australia, came from the tourists, as they replaced Mitchell Starc with Josh Hazlewood in their bowling attack. Fifteen wins from their previous 17 test matches has home support dreaming of a first Ashes series win since 2015. The England dressing room roared its approval, as England gave a sign that their attacking principles, even in an Ashes series, would remain the same. It was in stark contrast to the first ball of the last Ashes series, when Starc clean bowled England opener Rory Burns, ahead of Australia’s rampant 4-0 success. This time around, the early signs are that England are in much better shape.

Persons: Zak Crawley, Crawley, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Stokes, Eric Hollies, Rory Burns, Peter Hall, Toby Davis Organizations: Australia, Edgbaston, England, Crawley, Cummins, Thomson Locations: BIRMINGHAM, England, Birmingham, Australia

☆ Mark Zuckerberg is shredded now. But Apple exec Craig Federighi can shred on the guitar.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

While it received a lot of buzz, so did a surprising guitar solo from Apple exec Craig Federighi. In the pre-recorded video clip from the WWDC keynote stream, Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, is shown wearing a leather jacket and holding a triple-neck electric guitar. Gruber, who runs the Apple-focused blog DaringFireball.net, was also joined by Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing. In a video clip from the interview, Joswiak pulls out an electric blue guitar from behind two chairs — prompting laughter and cheers from the crowd. Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg, for instance, has started competing in jiu-jitsu matches, and gained a shredded physique as a result.

Persons: Craig Federighi, Federighi, Apple's, John Gruber's, Gruber, Greg Joswiak, Joswiak, Craig, Mark Zuckerberg Organizations: Apple, company's, WWDC, YouTube

The federal indictment of former President Donald J. Trump has unleashed a wave of calls by his supporters for violence and an uprising to defend him, disturbing observers and raising concerns of a dangerous atmosphere ahead of his court appearance in Miami on Tuesday. In social media posts and public remarks, close allies of Mr. Trump — including a member of Congress — have portrayed the indictment as an act of war, called for retribution and highlighted the fact that much of his base carries weapons. The allies have painted Mr. Trump as a victim of a weaponized Justice Department controlled by President Biden, his potential opponent in the 2024 election. Experts on political violence warn that attacks against people or institutions become more likely when elected officials or prominent media figures are able to issue threats or calls for violence with impunity. The pro-Trump mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was drawn to Washington in part by a post on Twitter from Mr. Trump weeks earlier, promising that it would be “wild.”

Persons: Donald J, Trump, —, Biden Organizations: Justice, Trump, Capitol, Twitter, Mr Locations: Miami, Washington

☆ Bidens offer 'joy' at White House Pride event as LGBTQ attacks mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/6] A child wears sunglasses depicting the colors of the bisexual pride flag during a Pride Celebration hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden on the South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, U.S., June 10, 2023. REUTERS/Anna Rose LaydenWASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday hosted the largest Pride celebration in White House history on Saturday, calling for new measures to protect the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ people amid a spate of what he called "terrifying" attacks and legislation. Biden, a Democrat, urged Congress to pass the "Equality Act" which would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity for protection alongside race, religion, sex and national origin, and ban assault weapons. "Today, we say loud and clear - that you belong, that you are beautiful, that you are loved," she said. Reporting by Andrea Shalal; additional reporting by Jeff Mason, editing by Deepa BabingtonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden, Anna Rose Layden WASHINGTON, Biden, picnicked, Pete Buttigieg, Rachel Levine, Jill Biden, Ron DeSantis, Andrea Shalal, Jeff Mason, Deepa Babington Organizations: U.S, White, REUTERS, Saturday, Transportation, Health, Human, Senate, Q, Republican, Biden, Gallup, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Colorado Springs, Orlando , Florida, Florida, statehouses

☆ Rahane helps India hang tough against Australia onslaught
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Pritha Sarkar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Australia will be eager to tighten their grip on the match as they lead India by 196 runs, with Usman Khawaja batting on 13 along with Marnus Labuschagne on eight. While Thakur lived dangerously, Rahane went about rescuing India's hopes with his mix of delectable shot selection in the 109-run partnership for the seventh wicket. While he fell 11 runs short of scoring a century in the second over after lunch, the 35-year-old crossed 5000 test runs during his 129-ball knock which included 11 fours and a six. Following Rahane's departure, Thakur steered India past the follow-on target before bringing up his 50 with a sumptuous four. Blinking rapidly, he hurriedly grabbed his bat to make his way to the crease and made sure Australia reached tea without losing any further wickets.

Persons: Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur, Scott Boland, Srikar, Bharat, Thakur, Cummins, Cameron Green, Rahane, India's, Alex Carey, Rohit Sharma's, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Labuschagne, David Warner, napping, Warner, Pritha Sarkar, Ken Ferris, Toby Davis Organizations: India, Australia, DRS, Cummins, ICC, WTC, Thomson Locations: India, Australia, London

☆ Apple exec shows off his guitar skills, proves his guitar solo in pre-recorded event was legit
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

While it received a lot of buzz, so did a surprising guitar solo from Apple exec Craig Federighi. Federighi demonstrated his guitar skills again during an interview this week. But a guitar solo from one Apple executive during the livestream may have stolen the show. In the pre-recorded video clip from the WWDC keynote stream, Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, is shown wearing a leather jacket and holding a triple-neck electric guitar. Gruber, who runs the Apple-focused blog DaringFireball.net, was also joined by Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing.

Persons: Craig Federighi, Federighi, Apple's, John Gruber's, Gruber, Greg Joswiak, Joswiak, Craig Organizations: Apple, company's, WWDC, YouTube

☆ A Meta exec appeared to mock Elon Musk by saying that its Twitter competitor will be 'a platform that is sanely run' — reportedly drawing cheers from staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Meta first confirmed in March that it's working on a Twitter competitor codenamed "Project 92." The audience reportedly cheered as he said people wanted a platform that's "sanely run." A Meta executive appeared to make fun of Elon Musk when telling staff about its Twitter competitor, The Verge reported. Twitter has sparked several controversies since Musk took over the platform, like its Twitter Blue subscription service which lets anybody get an official-looking blue checkmark. Executives added Meta's Twitter competitor will work with other apps like Mastodon and Bluesky because it uses the same protocol, ActivityPub, which is made up of decentralized servers, The New York Times reported.

Persons: Meta, Elon, Elon Musk, Chris Cox, We've, Cox, Musk, That's, –, zed him, Oprah, Dalai Lama, Moneycontrol's Organizations: Elon Musk, Twitter, Disney, Street, Meta, New York Times

☆ With Migrant Flights, DeSantis Shows Stoking Outrage Is the Point
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Shane Goldmacher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For Mr. DeSantis, the flights illustrate the broader bet he has made that the animating energy in the Republican Party today has shifted from conservatism to confrontationalism. Mr. DeSantis has used this playbook before. He ordered up flights from the Texas border last year to the symbolically liberal hamlet of Martha’s Vineyard, a stunt that drew exactly the outrage he sought. Those flights are now a staple of his stump speech, usually to cheers from the crowd. His allies in the Florida Legislature earmarked $12 million of taxpayer money into the state budget this year for just this purpose.

Persons: Ron DeSantis’s, Gavin Newsom, DeSantis’s, Donald J, DeSantis Organizations: Democratic, Republican, Trump, Republican Party Locations: Mexico, California, Florida, Texas, Martha’s

☆ DeSantis to visit Southern border in Arizona after orchestrating migrant relocation flights to California
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is headed to the southern border on Wednesday. The DeSantis administration sent two flights of migrants from Texas to California. Ron DeSantis is headed to the US-Mexico border for the first time as a 2024 presidential candidate. DeSantis is the second candidate running for the GOP nomination heading to the southern border. "Ron DeSantis knows Trump's border policies worked," read the title of the email, emphasizing the border wall as Trump's brainchild.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, He'll, —, DeSantis, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, who've, Trump, Gavin Newsom, Rob Bonta Organizations: Service, Gov, GOP, Former UN, Trump, Morning, Democratic, DeSantis, Sacramento Bee Locations: Texas, California, Mexico, El Paso , Texas, Sacramento , California, Sierra Vista , Arizona, Iowa, New York City, DeSantis, Florida, San Antonio , Texas, Vineyard , Massachusetts, Sacramento

☆ Reigning NCAA champion Rose Zhang becomes the 1st LPGA golfer to win tournament in pro debut since 1951
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Homero De La Fuente | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But Sunday’s final round shaped up to be a roller coaster for the two-time NCAA women’s golf national champion. With a win in sight, Zhang missed a would-be victory clinching putt to send the tournament into a sudden death playoff with Kupcho. Rose Zhang at the first tee during the final round of the LPGA Mizuho Americas Open on Sunday. Following her maiden LPGA Tour victory, Woods congratulated Zhang on Twitter saying, “Incredible few weeks for Rose Zhang, defends her NCAA title and then wins in her Pro debut. Despite the busy school schedule, Zhang says fans can expect to see a lot more of her on the LPGA Tour.

Persons: Rose Zhang, Jennifer Kupcho, Zhang, Atthaya Thitikul, Aditi Ashok, Beverley Hanson, it’s, I’ve, ” Zhang, “, I’m, ”, Rich Graessle, Lorena Ochoa, Tiger Woods, Woods, what’s, I’ll Organizations: CNN, Mizuho, Liberty National Golf Club, Kupcho, Stanford, NCAA, LPGA, LPGA Mizuho, NCAA National, CS Locations: New Jersey, Cheyenne Knight, Arizona

WASHINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden declared a "crisis averted" on Friday in his first address from the White House's Oval Office, touting the passage of a bill to suspend the U.S. debt ceiling and avoid economic catastrophe. JIM WATSON/Pool via REUTERSRepublicans refused to increase the debt ceiling for months, asking Biden and Democrats to cut spending in the 2024 budget in return. The White House asked for a clean debt ceiling deal before starting negotiations. OVAL OFFICE ADDRESSU.S. presidents have generally reserved an address from the Oval Office for the most significant, and dramatic of events: the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, for example, or the Challenger space shuttle explosion. The White House said Biden was making his remarks there because of the gravity of the situation had the debt ceiling not been raised.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Republican Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Donald Trump, JIM WATSON, “, ” Biden, Fitch, Ronald Reagan, George W, Bush, Barack Obama, Jeff Mason, Trevor Hunnicutt, Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell, Diane Craft Organizations: White, Republican, Senate, REUTERS Republicans, Democrat, AAA, Challenger, Union, Capitol, Thomson Locations: Washington , DC, United States, Gulf

☆ Elon Musk says his Shanghai factory makes the ‘highest quality’ Teslas
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

It was the first time Musk has visited the country since January 2020, when a video of him dancing onstage at Tesla’s Shanghai factory went viral. Before leaving, Musk met Chen Jining, the Communist Party chief of Shanghai, according to a statement by the city government. Musk praised the success of Tesla’s Shanghai facility — which opened in 2019 — and said he was hoping to work more with the city in various areas, the statement said. In 2022, the company delivered 1.31 million vehicles globally, more than half of which were from Shanghai, according to its financial results. “Congratulations to Giga Shanghai & Tesla China SDS teams for their excellent work overcoming many obstacles over many years!!

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Elon Musk, Musk, Chen Jining, Chen, Tesla, —, Variflight, ”, “, ” Musk, “ It’s, ” “, Elon, Jade Gao, Qin Gang, didn’t, Zeng Yuqun Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist Party, Beijing Capital International Airport, Getty, Financial Times, Twitter, Giga Shanghai, Tesla China SDS, EV, CNN Locations: Hong Kong, China, Shanghai, Shanghai’s Hongqiao, Beijing, AFP, United States, Weibo

☆ Two Cheers for ChatGPT in the Classroom
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Claire Goldsmith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-cheers-for-chatgpt-in-the-classroom-e124195c

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Republican DeSantis strives for personal touch on 2024 kick-off tour
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Earlier, DeSantis and his wife, Casey DeSantis, hosted an event at a welding company in Sioux City, in Iowa's extreme west. Now they were downriver in Council Bluffs, a city of about 60,000, and had two more events ahead before flying to New Hampshire and South Carolina for the remainder of a three-state, 12-city tour. Iowa voters are well known for demanding to see candidates up close. That means he will need to stump in places like Council Bluffs again and again before February. In her remarks, she showed herself as a fierce advocate for DeSantis’ Florida record while reminding listeners that the two are parents of three young children.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Donald Trump, Casey DeSantis, Matt Windschitl, ” Windschitl, ” He’s, ” DeSantis, slacks, “, ”, Casey, John, ’, Doug Krasne, James Oliphant, Leslie Adler Organizations: Florida, Wednesday, Republican, Trump, Bluffs, Christian, Yale University, Harvard Law School, U.S . Navy, John Deere, DeSantis ’, Thomson Locations: , Iowa, Iowa, Sioux City, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Des Moines, Florida, Israel’s, Galilee, DeSantis ’ Florida

☆ Japan court rules that a bar on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] People including plaintiffs' lawyers hold banners and flags, after the lower court ruled that not allowing same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, outside Nagoya district court, in Nagoya, central Japan, May 30, 2023, in this photo released by Kyodo. The ruling by the Nagoya District Court was the second to find a ban against same-sex marriage unconstitutional, out of four cases on the issue over the past two years. A Tokyo court later upheld the ban on same-sex marriage but said a lack of legal protection for same-sex families violated their human rights. Though opinion polls show some 70% of the public supports same-sex marriage, the conservative ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida opposes it. Kishida in February sacked an aide who sparked outrage by saying people would flee Japan if same-sex marriage was allowed, but the premier remains noncommittal about it and has said discussions must proceed "carefully".

☆ Scottie Pippen: Michael Jordan was 'horrible player' and 'horrible to play with,' says former Chicago Bulls teammate
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In fact, the only two years the Bulls didn’t win the title was when Michael Jordan tried his hand at baseball. However, speaking on his former Bulls teammate Stacey King’s podcast ‘Gimme the Hot Sauce’ on Friday, Pippen described Jordan as a “horrible player.”“I’ve seen Michael Jordan play before I came to the Bulls. “Michael Jordan was the greatest to ever put on shoes and play in our game. The way LeBron James plays, Michael Jordan was never asked to play that way because I took that away from him. “And there’s no game that I would ever play in and pick LeBron James over Michael Jordan.

☆ Modi inaugurates new parliament building as part of New Delhi's makeover
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/9] A view of India's new parliament building in New Delhi, India, May 27, 2023. Later, the prime minister entered parliament to loud cheers from guests, government officials and lawmakers, with many welcoming him with chant of "Modi, Modi". "To open a new parliament building without the opposition, it does not mean there is a democracy in the country. The triangular-shaped parliament complex is just across from the old, circular heritage building built by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in 1927, two decades before India's independence. The old parliament will be converted into a museum.

☆ A host of iconic TV memorabilia can be yours. Bidding on the the original 'Batman' costume starts at $500,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Heritage Auctions offers a wide range of rare collectibles and memorabilia. The auction house will offer an archive of rare television artifacts from June 2 to 4. Heritage Auctions offers a range of rare collectibles for the obsessive — including those obsessed with TV. Next week, an online auction focusing on the Comisar Collection will be held, running from June 2 to June 4. Founded by art market specialist James Comisar in 1989, the Comisar collection is self-described as the "the most comprehensive archive of original television costumes, props, sets, and related ephemera in extant."

☆ What Carmelo Anthony Meant to New York City
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Kris Rhim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There were many moments that evoked roars inside Madison Square Garden when the Knicks faced the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals this month: when Jalen Brunson hit a 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, prompting a Heat timeout, or any of the five times RJ Barrett sank a 3, sending the Garden’s white-knuckled Knicks fans into a frenzy. But the loudest roar that night came during a stoppage in play when a large video screen showed Carmelo Anthony sitting courtside. Anthony stood with one hand raised as most of the fans gave him a standing ovation, showering him with applause and cheers as if he had just made a game-winning shot. Anthony never won a title for the Knicks or even made a conference finals in his six and a half seasons with the team, but the moment was a reminder of how much he still means to New York. The city had yearned for a star after years of mediocrity and got one in Anthony, a Brooklyn native ready to make Knicks games exciting again.

☆ Beans and violins - orchestra blends classical roots with modern Nigeria
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Members of Vesta Orchestra and Opera Foundation perform during a concert they organized at the Alliance Francaise de Lagos / Mike Adenuga Centre in Lagos, Nigeria May 20, 2023. It was the latest show staged by the Vesta Orchestra, founded in 2017 by violinist Rosalyn Aninyei, which has enlivened the classical music scene in Lagos by performing new works by contemporary Nigerian and African composers. The music had clear connections with the classical repertoire rooted in Europe, but the choice of the Yoruba language and the story anchored the performance in Nigeria. "I am so happy that there are events like this in Nigeria," said Kayode Oshundun, who was attending his first performance by Vesta. "My flat was actually behind the opera house and it was always a dream of mine to come home ... and discover our own classical music," she said.

☆ Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of The Flower Moon’ gets raucous applause at Cannes premiere
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Longtime collaborators Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese continue to create magic at the movies. Their latest project, true-crime drama “Killers of The Flower Moon” starring DiCaprio and De Niro, premiered at the swanky Cannes Film Festival on Saturday and the post-screening reception was instantly impressive with a minuteslong standing ovation. A video posted to the Cannes Film Festival’s YouTube channel shows the audience inside the Grande Theatre Lumiere exuberantly applauding the movie for at least seven minutes, with more applause coming after director Scorsese thanked the audience. (From left) Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon.' The cheers and applause grew louder for DiCaprio, De Niro and Lily Gladstone, who were all in attendance at the premiere.

LOS ANGELES, May 19 (Reuters) - Brittney Griner returned to the WNBA hardwood on Friday night in Los Angeles to cheers from a raucous crowd that included U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. "It felt good, it felt real good. U.S. officials said she was wrongly detained and was being used as a political pawn amid increasingly strained relations with Moscow. The two-time Olympic champion, 32, kicked off her 10th season with the Mercury on Friday after playing in a pre-season game one week ago. Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Opinion | Rational Approaches to Immigration
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To the Editor:Re “On Immigration, Biden Should Out-Trump Trump,” by Thomas L. Friedman (column, May 17):Three cheers for Mr. Friedman’s lucid discussion of the murky topic of immigration. 2) We have a moral responsibility to be as generous as we can in welcoming people from around the world who come to us because of intolerable circumstances where they live. 3) The number of people in such intolerable circumstances vastly exceeds our ability to absorb all of them. 4) Because of this, we need to put limits on the number of needy people we accept into our country. 5) The limits we place should strike a reasonable balance between our self-interest and our compassion for those who are suffering.

“I don’t know enough about each individual [rioter] but that’s my rule: If you break the law, you pay the price. Trump has downplayed the events of the Capitol riot and said he’d pardon many of the people found guilty for illegal activities that day. More than 600 people involved in the attack on the Capitol have been convicted of crimes, and more than 480 have been sentenced. For Haley, also a former South Carolina governor, the day has proven a thorny issue— and one that she’s commented on several times, in several different ways since the event. And we can’t let that ever happen again.”But mere weeks later, Haley seemed to soften (although she’s argued these comments are not contradictory).

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