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NBC News has been tracking reports of possible drone sightings, mostly in New Jersey, since at least Dec. 3. MartyA45_ / TMX via APThe drones were first spotted in North Jersey, but now appear to be popping up throughout the state. NBC News has also tracked possible drone sightings in New York, Maryland and Florida. Several New Jersey officials have said the drone sightings occur up to 180 times per night. But lawmakers and local officials have expressed frustration with the information from federal officials, demanding answers in a timely manner.

Persons: Baltimore, “, Jeff Van Drew, Phil Murphy, Trisha Bushey, ” Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Conn, Larry Hogan, ”, ” Hogan, Murphy, Joe Biden, Sens, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, ” Biden, Pramod, ” Abichandani Organizations: NBC News, NBC, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, New Jersey State Police, Pentagon, Secret Service, ”, New, DHS, New Jersey Gov, Several New, AP, Federal Aviation Administration, Former Maryland Gov, FAA, Aircraft, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Mobility Locations: New Jersey, Jersey, Randolph, N.J, North Jersey, New York , Maryland, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, Iranian, East, U.S, New York, Several, Several New Jersey, Lebanon Township

☆ Women and children killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza shelters
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Freddie Clayton | Freddie Clayton Is A Freelance Journalist Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Ash falls as rescuers search for survivors trapped in the wreckage, carrying small children, some limp, some struggling, some dead. A man cries out after an Israeli strike Sunday on a school serving as a shelter in Khan Younis. Relatives of Palestinians who were killed in the Israeli strike Sunday. Hours later, Israeli airstrikes killed seven during an attack on the Al-Majida Wasila school sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza City, local health officials said. Women and children were among the dead, including a baby girl named Janan Al-Ghura, who was born on Friday and killed on Saturday alongside her mother, Suzan.

Persons: Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz, Khan Younis, Tafesh, “, Israel, Abed Rahim Khatib, Majida, Janan Al, Ghura Organizations: NBC News ’, United Nations, Associated Press, Hospital, NBC, Israel Defense Forces, Anadolu, Getty, WAFA Locations: Gaza, Khan, Gaza City

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has not responded to a summons for questioning over his failed attempt to declare martial law. South Korea’s Constitutional Court on Monday began reviewing Yoon’s impeachment over the short-lived martial law order, which stunned the East Asian democracy and key U.S. ally. Yoon has apologized for declaring martial law but argued the opposition-controlled parliament gave him no choice by paralyzing the government. Yoon is South Korea’s second conservative president in a row to be impeached after Park Geun-hye in 2016. According to the White House readout, Biden “expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy and the rule of law in South Korea” and reaffirmed the “ironclad” nature of the U.S. alliance with South Korea, which hosts nearly 30,000 American troops.

Persons: Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon, Han Duck, “, ” Yoon, Jung Yeon, Han Dong, Lee Jin, Joe Biden, Biden “, KCNA, Yonhap, ” Lee Jae, myung, Lee, Han, ” Stella Kim, Jennifer Jett Organizations: South, Prosecutors, Getty, Investigation Headquarters, Korea’s Constitutional, Constitutional, CNBC, U.S, South Korea ”, National Assembly, Democratic Party Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, United States, Japan, South, Seoul, Korea’s, North Korea, Korea, Russia, U.S, Hong Kong

Footage of the blast emerged as Israel announced plans to double its population in the occupied Golan Heights, citing threats from Syria. Israel occupied the Golan Heights during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed the roughly 460-square-mile area in 1981 in a unilateral decision that was not recognized by the international community. An Israeli soldier rolls up a portrait of ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Saturday. “Israel will not permit jihadi groups to fill that vacuum and threaten Israeli communities on the Golan Heights with October 7th style attacks,” it said. The Syrian town of Quneitra, seen from the Golan Heights in Majdal Shams on Dec. 11.

Persons: Assad regime's, Abu Mohammad al, Benjamin Netanyahu, Bashar al, Assad, Majdal Shams, Jalaa Marey, Donald Trump, Biden, “, Mount Hermon —, Jolani, Israel, Hayat, Bashar Al, Kobi Wolf, António Guterres Organizations: Syrian Observatory, Human Rights, NBC, NASA, Israel Defense Forces, Getty, Forces, Mount, Reuters, Bloomberg, United Nations Locations: Tartus, Syria, Israel, Golan, London, Syrian, Latakia, Israeli, Gaza, Majdal, AFP, Mount Hermon, “ Israel, Hayat Tahrir, United States, Quneitra

☆ Could mouse sperm orbiting Earth be the future of humanity?
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Amy Gunia | Junko Ogura | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Now, freeze-dried mouse sperm, stored aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in a radiation protection box, could help give us a better understanding of mammals’ ability to procreate off Earth. In 1997, he and another academic developed a novel method that they used to clone the world’s first mouse from adult cells. And he and his team pioneered a freeze-drying method used to send mouse sperm to the ISS, where it was stored in a freezer for up to six years. From that study, they determined that freeze-dried sperm could stay viable for 200 years in space. When it comes to mice, the freeze-dried mouse sperm Wakayama is currently storing aboard the ISS will return to Earth in 2025 for study.

Persons: CNN — It’s, “, ”, Virginia Wotring, Wotring, Artemis, Elon, Akihiko Organizations: CNN, Space, firma, University of Yamanashi’s, Biotechnology, KFC, Space Shuttle Endeavour, Orbiter, NASA, International Space University, SpaceX, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA Locations: Wakayama, Japan, Strasbourg, France

A teenage boy was jailed on murder charges after, authorities said, he reported killing four members of his family at a New Mexico home Saturday. The 16-year-old boy called 911 at 3:32 a.m. to report the deaths near the small city of Belen, 33 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico State Police said. State police released the identity of the teenager and the victims; however, NBC News does not typically name juveniles accused of crimes. "New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau agents and Crime Scene Team are processing the scene and conducting interviews to learn what led up to these tragic events," the agency said. After detoxification at a hospital, the teenage suspect was "medically cleared" and booked at the Juvenile Justice Center in Albuquerque early Sunday, police said.

Organizations: Albuquerque , New Mexico State Police, State police, NBC, Authorities, Mexico, Police Investigations, Juvenile Justice Center, Public Locations: New Mexico, Belen, Albuquerque , New Mexico, Albuquerque

☆ Taiwan gets its first US Abrams tanks as it prepares for a possible invasion by China
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Taiwan has received 38 Abrams tanks from the US, with more tanks to come. China has stepped up its military aggression toward Taiwan, and some fear an invasion. Taiwan has taken delivery of its first-ever Abrams tanks from the US, and its first delivery of a new type of US tank in three decades. AdvertisementTaiwan's defense ministry said on Monday that the country had received 38 Abrams tanks from the US, according to AFP. AdvertisementHowever, the US approved the possible sale of 108 Abrams tanks to Taiwan in 2019.

Persons: Abrams, Taiwan's, Ian Easton, Lin Jian Organizations: AFP, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, Central News Agency, CNA, Tiger, China Maritime Studies, US Naval War College ., Street Journal Locations: Taiwan, China, Russia

☆ Trump vows to ‘hire American.’ His businesses keep hiring foreign guest workers
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Curt Devine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“We will build American, buy American and hire American,” he said during a rally in August. Forbes first reported on Friday Trump’s businesses hired more foreign workers than ever in 2024. While thousands of US businesses use guest workers, the process of hiring them can be cumbersome. Dattolo said dozens of country clubs and businesses in the county use guest workers, though she said before hiring foreigners, companies must advertise the jobs to American workers. In that time, Trump businesses requested and received government approval to hire foreign laborers for more than 2,100 positions.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, Trump, Forbes, Elon Musk, Howard Lutnick, Frank Bisignano, ” Trump, ‘, Mark Krikorian, ” Krikorian, “, Julia Dattolo, Dattolo, Chloe East, “ Trump, He’s, Lago Organizations: CNN, Lago Club, Trump, Tesla, X Corp, Social Security Administration, Management, Trump Organization, Center for Immigration Studies, Trump’s, University of Colorado Denver, Department of Homeland, Department, Labor, Mar Locations: Virginia, American, South Florida, Palm Beach County

☆ California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks October 7 attack on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Los Angeles AP —The California Department of Motor Vehicles has apologized for an “unacceptable and disturbing” personalized truck license plate that the agency said displayed hate speech related to the October 7 attack on Israel. But a relative of the vehicle’s owner said the whole controversy was an unfortunate misunderstanding. But the son of the truck’s owner told ABC 7 in Los Angeles that the personalized plate was not a reference to the October 7 attack at all. “LOLO” means grandfather in Tagalog, “CT” refers to the Cybertruck, while 7 represents the owner’s seven children, according to the news station. The DMV said the license plate owner will be notified about the recall of their license plate because of the language.

Persons: “ LOLO ”, ” Organizations: Los Angeles AP, The California Department of Motor Vehicles, ABC, DMV, Los Angeles Times Locations: Israel, Los Angeles, Gaza, Filipino

☆ Why you shouldn’t try to shoot down a suspected drone
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Mysterious possible drone sightings across the East Coast have prompted calls from civilians and some politicians to shoot down the unidentified aircraft. The possible drone sightings, which started in November in New Jersey, have caused anxiety and concern and led to pressure on federal agencies to provide more information. The FAA also told CNN it has received multiple laser reports from pilots in airspace spanning New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. They didn’t specify whether the reports were directly related to the possible drone sightings. “Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country.

Persons: Paul Kanitra, “, ”, Rick Smith, Smith, ” Smith, Alejandro Mayorkas, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Mayorkas, Vijay Kumar, Kumar, ” Kumar, ” Andrew Stengel, Stengel, Donald Trump, US Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Smith of, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Ryan Herd, Kathy Hochul, Mark Green of Organizations: CNN, Garden State, Republican New, Republican New Jersey Assembly, Homeland, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration, University of Pennsylvania, FAA, New, “, Penal, US, Connecticut Democrat, Homeland Security, Governmental Affairs Committee, Republican, WABC, Department of Homeland Security, Gov, Congress, UAS Authority Security, Republican Rep, Authorities Locations: East, New Jersey, Republican New Jersey, New York , Connecticut , Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York City, New York, New Jersey , New York, Connecticut, Chris Smith of New Jersey, Pequannock Township , New Jersey, Mark Green of Tennessee

☆ ‘They said we were American spies’: Priests describe Russia’s crackdown on Evangelicals in occupied Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —Pastor Dmytro Bodyu said the Russians kept telling him they knew he was an American spy, specifically, a CIA agent paid by the US government to spread anti-Russian propaganda in occupied Ukraine. Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has jailed dozens of Ukrainian faith leaders in occupied areas, according to Ukrainian prosecutors. In the territories occupied after February 2022, Russian tactics became bloodier and more violent,” he said. Ukraine created its own independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2018, splitting from the Moscow-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). ‘American spies’Moscow has been cracking down on all non-Russian churches in occupied Ukraine, but Protestant and Evangelical groups have often been among the first to be banned.

Persons: Dmytro Bodyu, “, ” Bodyu, Bodyu, he’d, Petros Giannakouris, Jae C, Bohdan Heleta, Ivan Levitsky, ” Heleta, ” Bohdan Heleta, Alex Babenko, Levitsky, Maksym, Vishchyk, ”, ” Vishchyk, Vladimir Putin’s, Putin, Kirill, Putin’s, Mariupol, Evgeniy, Priest, of Jesus Christ, Falun Gong, Serhii, Serhii Chudynovych, Chudynovych, ‘, ’ ”, ’, Mike Johnson, Mykhailo Brytsyn, Brytsyn, Ivashchuk, Mykhailo Brystsyn, Ivana Kottasova, Grace, Mykhailo Brytsyn Ihor Ivashchuk, ” Ivashchuk, Pastor Ihor Ivashchuk, CNN Ivashchuk, CNN’s Katharina Krebs, Victoria Butenko Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, CIA, Life, CNN, Ukrainian, Russian Orthodox Church, 95th Air Assault Brigade, Yasuyoshi, Getty, Orthodox Church, Information Resilience, AP Church, Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Catholic Church, Global Rights, State Department, Church of, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Ukraine’s State Service, Ethnic, Russian, Church, of Jesus, of Scientology, Orthodox, of, Kherson Prosecutor’s, Protestants, Evangelical, Ukraine, Grace Church, Russia, Evangelical Grace Church, ” CNN, Grace Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, American, Melitopol, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russia, Donetsk, AFP, Berdiansk, Kherson, Lukashivka, Chernihiv, Odesa, Crimea, Vishchyk, “, Russian, Church of Ukraine, Mariupol, of Ukraine, Serhii, Bashtanka, ’ Moscow, United States, Soviet Union

☆ A Gen X couple bought an abandoned house in Japan for $23,000. They're restoring it as part of their retirement plan.
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

NekoAshi Japan. NekoAshi Japan. NekoAshi Japan. NekoAshi Japan. NekoAshi Japan.

Persons: Deborah, Jason Brawn, Jason Brawn's, Australia —, Jason, We've, tinker, NekoAshi, There's, They've, we've, he's, Deb, we're, they've, You've, It's, Alex Shapiro, Sami Senoussi, you've Organizations: NekoAshi, Facebook, YouTube, Blackship Locations: Japan, Brisbane, Australia, NekoAshi Japan, Tokyo, Mitocho, Masuda, Hiroshima, Kyoto

☆ 10 business leaders who spearheaded industry-transforming change in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +33 min

Business Insider's annual list of people transforming business highlights these leaders who work in media, finance, technology, transportation, and labor. AdvertisementAmazon's entertainment offerings help keep people subscribing to Prime, the free-delivery service that includes Prime Video and other benefits. Prime Video captured just 3.7% of TV viewing in November, well behind Netflix (7.7%) and YouTube (10.8%), per Nielsen. Still, since most people don't pay for Prime Video as a stand-alone service, it doesn't have the churn problem that dogs other streamers. AdvertisementAmazon cut hundreds of jobs across Prime Video and MGM Studios teams early in 2024.

Persons: that's, Cathy Engelbert, Leon Sinclair, Mike Hopkins, Lisa Miller, Miller, Pete Stavros, KKR's, Stavros, Arthur Sadoun, Groupe Publicis Groupe Sadoun, Sadoun, Leo Burnett, Tony, Tiger, Publicis, Don Draper, quoi, Omnicom, telco Orange, Les Bleues, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Engelbert, Rome wasn't, didn't, there's, Fei, Fei Li, World Labs Greg Sandoval, Li, Justin Johnson, Christoph Lassner, Ben Mildenhall, Andreessen Horowitz, Nvidia's, —, Jensen Huang, Nvidia Tom Williams, ChatGPT, Huang, OpenAI's, Chris Malachowsky, Curtis Priem, Morris Chang, Jensen, Lebaredian, it's Huang, Preqin Preqin Sinclair, Sinclair, Preqin, Marin Gjaja, Ford, Gjaja, Hopkins, it's, Morgan Stanley, Brian Williams, Jennifer Salke's, Nielsen, Varkey, Mayo, Ranjit Kapila, Sallie Mae, Kapila, Eaton Vance, Aperio, Envestnet, we've, Lazard Organizations: Amazon's, MGM Studios, KKR, Apollo, Groupe Publicis Groupe, Groupe, Saatchi & Saatchi, Publicis Conseil, Labour, Epsilon, Interpublic, French men's national, team, Cancer, WNBA, ESPN, Deloitte, NBA, Canadian, World Labs, Princeton, Labs, AMD Ventures, Stanford University's Institute for, Sequoia Capital, Stanford, Google, Nvidia, University of Oregon, AMD, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Loughborough University, England's Department of Health, Intercontinental Exchange, New York Stock Exchange, IHS, P, BlackRock, Ford Model, Ford, Boston Consulting Group, MGM Studios Prime, Amazon MGM Studios, Hopkins, NFL, Amazon, Ampere, Netflix, NBC, Sony Pictures Television, Hulu, MGM, Starz, Apple, Bloomberg, Prime, YouTube, Video, Mayo Clinic Health, Mayo Clinic, Mayo, Health, University of Minnesota, Yale New, Yale New Haven Health Northeast Medical, Department of Medicine, Preventive, Nasdaq, Citadel, Northwestern University, Franklin, Industry, Fidelity Locations: Preqin, Hawaii, Publicis, Rome, Taiwan, Rugby, England, Amazon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Mayo, Rochester , Minnesota, Mayo's Rochester, Yale New Haven, Rochester

☆ South Korea’s president faces both impeachment and an insurrection probe – what’s next for Yoon Suk Yeol?
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Nectar Gan | Gawon Bae | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The next move now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to decide whether to uphold or reject the impeachment vote. Under South Korea’s constitution, at least six justices must approve an impeachment for it to be upheld. If the Constitutional Court upholds Yoon’s impeachment, he would become the shortest-serving president in South Korea’s democratic history. South Korea’s police, parliament, prosecutors and an anti-corruption body have launched separate investigations into Yoon on treason allegations over the martial law incident. Last week, the head of South Korea’s anti-corruption agency said his office would seek to detain Yoon if conditions are met.

Persons: Yoon Suk, Yoon, –, Yoon’s, Han Duck, Park, Roh Moo, Ivan Watson, Dong, woon, Kim Yong, Kim Organizations: Seoul CNN, South, Constitutional, Court, CNN, Defense Ministry Locations: Hong Kong, Seoul, South, South Korea

☆ Roki Sasaki: Meet MLB’s next free agent superstar
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Jamie Barton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Sasaki fever truly reached the US the following year when he was part of Samurai Japan’s 2023 World Baseball Classic win, alongside Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It flummoxes batters,” Jason Coskrey, Japanese baseball writer for The Japan Times, told CNN Sport. According to his agent, Joel Wolfe, more than half of MLB teams have scouted Sasaki in the last year. “He was a big mentor to them during the World Baseball Classic. But, as arguably the biggest talent to come out of Japan since Ohtani, you will soon be seeing a lot more of Roki Sasaki.

Persons: Soto’s, Roki Sasaki, Sasaki, Chiba, Corbin Burnes, Tom Seaver, Aaron Nola, Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, “, ” Jason Coskrey, “ He’s, he’s, ” Sasaki’s, Hideo Nomo, ”, Masato Yoshii, James Dykstra, I’ve, Koji Watanabe, Yamamoto, “ He’d, “ Sasaki, Joel Wolfe, Andrew Friedman, “ We’re, Mike Shildt, Padre, Yu Darvish, Coskrey Organizations: CNN, New York Mets, MLB, Nippon Professional Baseball, Chiba Lotte Marines, Orix Buffaloes, Kyocera Dome Osaka, Asahi Shimbun, The Japan Times, CNN Sport, White Sox, Vantelin, Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani, Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Dodgers, ” Dodgers, San Diego Padres, MLB Network Radio, Padres, New York Yankees, Mets, Boston Red Sox Locations: Nagoya, Japan

☆ Russia braced for mammoth rate hike amid fears it's losing the battle against inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesRussia's central bank is expected to carry out a mammoth rate hike later this week as inflation continues to soar in the war-focused economy. Russia's consumer price index continues to rise despite repeated rate hikes by the central bank designed to tame the rampant price rises. Economists now expect Russia's central bank, the CBR, to hike rates by 200 basis points at its meeting on Dec. 20 — taking the country's key interest rate to 23%. Price risesThe central bank enacted a 200 basis point rate hike at its last meeting in October, warning that inflation was running "considerably above" its summer forecast and that inflation expectations continue to increase. The government, however, blames the high cost of living on sanctions imposed on Russia by "unfriendly" countries.

Persons: —, Liam Peach, Peach, Price, Vladimir Putin, Sergey Pivovarov, Putin Organizations: Getty, Capital Economics, Monetary Fund, Bloomberg, greenback, . Treasury, RIA Novosti, Russian Locations: St . Petersburg, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, Bataysk, Rostov

☆ Lorraine O’Grady, groundbreaking conceptual artist, dies aged 90
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Benjamin Sutton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Lorraine O’Grady, an indefatigable conceptual artist whose work critiqued definitions of identity, died in New York on Friday aged 90. Courtesy Lorraine O’Grady TrustThen, in 1983, she entered a float into the annual African American Day Parade in Harlem. Courtesy Lorraine O’Grady TrustBefore finding art, O’Grady tried many pursuits and careers, first opting to study Spanish literature at Wellesley College before changing tracks to study economics. Courtesy Lorraine O’Grady TrustDefying the conventional ideas of an art career until the end, O’Grady had been busier than ever in recent years. “Lorraine O’Grady was a force to be reckoned with,” Ibrahim said in a statement.

Persons: CNN — Lorraine O’Grady, Mariane Ibrahim, O’Grady, “ Lorraine O’Grady, ” Lorraine O'Grady, ”, Lorraine, Mlle Bourgeoise Noire, Lorraine O'Grady, “ Mlle Bourgeoise, … ”, Harris, “, ” O’Grady, Aruna D’Souza, ‘, ’, Alexander Gray, ” Ibrahim, “ Lorraine Organizations: The Art, CNN, Museum of Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum, New York Magazine, Guerrilla, New Museum, O’Grady, New York Police Department, Biden, American, Wellesley College, Department of Labor, Iowa, ’, University of Iowa, Playboy, The Village, School of Visual Art, The New York Times, New York Times, Duke University Press, University of California, Brooklyn Rail, UC Irvine, Memorial, Guggenheim Fellowship Locations: New York, Los Angeles, Harlem, Boston, Jamaica, Chicago, New York City, Irvine, “ Rivers, Mexico City, Paris, Lorraine, Egypt, Ancient Rome

☆ Aysenur Ezgi Eygi: Family of American woman killed in West Bank expresses frustration after Blinken meeting
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The family of an American woman killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank said they left a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken frustrated and with little hope anyone would be held accountable for her death. “Nothing left us optimistic about justice for my sister moving forward,” Ozden Bennett, the sister of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, said after the meeting at the US State Department Monday. Eygi was shot and killed in early September while participating in a weekly protest against an Israeli settlement near the Palestinian village of Beita. The family also called for Blinken to publicly pressure Israel to finish that probe before the Biden administration leaves office. An American was killed abroad, and we hope any American government, any administration, would take that seriously and pursue justice,” Ali said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, “, ” Ozden Bennett, Eygi, Rachel Corrie, ” Blinken, Hamid Ali, Eygi’s, Blinken “, Blinken, Rachel Corrie’s, ”, Shireen Abu Akleh’s, Israel, Biden, ” Ali, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, Miller, Trump Organizations: CNN, West Bank, US State Department, University of Washington, Israel Defense Forces, ”, Department of Justice, State Department Locations: American, Beita, Turkey, Turkish American, Gaza

☆ Yang Tengbo: British court names alleged Chinese spy who forged close ties to Prince Andrew
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —An alleged Chinese spy who forged a close relationship with Prince Andrew has been identified by a British court, the latest twist in a case that has shone a light on Beijing’s influence inside Britain’s institutions. The man, Yang Tengbo, was identified after a judge ruled his anonymity should be removed, PA Media reported on Monday. He was the co-founder of Pitch@Palace China, which expanded into China an initiative for entrepreneurs that was set up by Andrew in 2014. Andrew’s office said last week that the prince ceased his relationship with Yang after receiving government advice. Starmer in November became the first prime minister to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping for six years.

Persons: London CNN —, Prince Andrew, Yang Tengbo, Yang, Chris Yang, King Charles, Andrew, “, Duke, ”, China’s, ‘, Christine Lee, Iain Duncan Smith, Keir Starmer, toughen, Xi Jinping Organizations: London CNN, PA Media, China, Media, Parliament’s Intelligence, Security, China’s United, Work Department, Communist Party, CCP, ” CNN, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinese Communist Party, Former Conservative Party, BBC Locations: China, Westminster, Beijing, Starmer

☆ Mayotte: Cyclone Chido pummels French territory in Indian Ocean
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Lex Harvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It’s as if an atomic bomb fell on Mayotte.”Mayotte lies in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, just west of Madagascar. The "Karihani" inter-island barge lies stranded among debris in Mamoudzou after cyclone Chido hit Mayotte, on December 15, 2024. About two thirds of the island is currently unreachable, Estelle Youssouffa, member of parliament for the first constituency of Mayotte told BMFTV. Over 100,000 undocumented migrants live in Mayotte, according to France’s Interior Ministry. Cyclone season in the southwest Indian Ocean typically runs from mid-November to the end of April, according to France’s weather agency.

Persons: ” Bruno Garcia, “, ” Garcia, Chido, ” Mohamed Ishmael, François, Xavier Bieuville, Bieuville, BMFTV, Estelle Youssouffa, ” Yousouffa, Kenneth, Chad Youyou, ” Organizations: CNN, Washington DC, Cyclone, Kwezi, Getty, Reuters, French Interior Ministry, Associated Press, ″, Mayotte la, Civil Security, European Union, Interior Ministry, Cyclones, pummeled Locations: Mayotte, Caribou, Mamoudzou, ” Mayotte, Africa, Madagascar, Meteo, France, Mozambique, AFP, ″ Mayotte, Paris, Reunion, North America, pummeled Mozambique, Hamjago, “ Mayotte

☆ Weirdest AI Job: Anthropic Hired an Employee to Care for Its Chatbots
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

AdvertisementThe AI company Anthropic recently announced it had hired a researcher to think about the "welfare" of the AI itself. "AI welfare" is emerging as a serious field of study, and it's already grappling with a lot of thorny questions. When it comes to such questions, the pioneers of AI rights believe the clock is ticking. "But I think we have the capacity to think about AI welfare while doing more on those other issues." Skeptics of AI welfare are also posing another interesting question: If AI has rights, shouldn't we also talk about its obligations?

Persons: chatbot, it's, Anthropic, Kyle Fish's, —, There's, Jeff Sebo, neuroscientists, Fish, Elon Musk, Mildred Cho, Lisa Messeri, Sebo, Cho, Adam Rogers Organizations: Stanford, Oxford, Center for Mind, New York University . Fish, Centre, AIs, Stanford Center for Biomedical, Yale, Business

☆ Iran faces dual crisis amid currency drop and loss of major regional ally
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A briefcase filled with Iranian rial banknotes sits on display at a currency exchange market on Ferdowsi street in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Iran is confronting its worst set of crises in years, facing a spiraling economy along with a series of unprecedented geopolitical and military blows to its power in the Middle East. Over the weekend, Iran's currency, the rial, hit a record low of 756,000 to the dollar, according to Reuters. With the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad amid a shock offensive by rebel groups, Tehran lost its most important ally in the Middle East. Assad, who is accused of war crimes against his own people, fled to Russia and left a highly fractured country behind him.

Persons: Donald Trump, Bashar al, Assad, Behnam ben Taleblu, Trump, Masoud Pezeshkian Organizations: Reuters, Hamas, Islamic, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, CNBC, ahs, International Atomic Energy Agency Locations: Tehran, Iran, Palestinian, Russia, Islamic Republic, Washington

☆ France's new prime minister gets a baptism of fire after surprise Moody's downgrade
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-16 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Francois Bayrou, France's incoming prime minister, during the handover ceremony at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Within hours of being appointed, France's new prime minister Francois Bayrou faced his first upset: the country's credit rating was downgraded by credit rating agency Moody's. The agency announced on Saturday that it was cutting France's rating to "Aa3" from "Aa2" with a stable outlook, citing concerns over "political fragmentation." Despite that, French President Emmanuel Macron installed conservative Michel Barnier as prime minister, prompting consternation among opposition parties on both sides of the political spectrum. Under pressure to appoint a successor quickly, Macron named his centrist ally Bayrou prime minister on Friday.

Persons: Francois Bayrou, Moody's, Emmanuel Macron, Michel Barnier, Macron, Bayrou Organizations: Traders, France's CAC, Democratic Movement Locations: Paris, France, —

Milad Panahipour, an Iranian lawyer, told The Associated Press that Ahmady had been arrested on Saturday over the performance. Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, a Norwegian-based organization, said it received a report that two of the men performing with her — musicians Sohail Faghih-Nassiri and Ehsan Beyraghdar — were also arrested. So-called “anti-unveiling clinics" have also been established, where women are encouraged to follow the hijab laws through "therapy." The Hijab and Chastity Law was originally submitted by former president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in May, and was ultimately passed in September, according to Human Rights Watch. The U.N. Human Rights Council's experts on Friday called for the law to be repealed, describing it as a "comprehensive system of gender-based persecution."

Persons: Parastoo Ahmady, Ahmady, Parastoo Ahmadi, Sohail Faghih, Ehsan Beyraghdar —, Mahsa Amini, Amini, “, Masoud Pezeshkian, Pezeshkian, women's, Law, Ebrahim Raisi, ” Pezeshkian, ” Organizations: Associated Press, Mehr News Agency, Mazandaran Police Information Center, for Human Rights, United, Human Rights Watch, Rights Watch, Rights Locations: Iran, North Africa, Central Asia, Iranian, Mazandaran, Norwegian, Tehran, United Nations

☆ Meet the Press – December 15, 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-15 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +53 min

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM:Yeah, I'm in a good place with Pete, unless something I don't know about comes out. Unless somebody is willing to come forward, I think he's going to get through. If he's, if he’s called to do something, he's going to do it, all the way. So I – I think he's going to have a hard time doing this. He was very clear, “no,” when I asked him should President-elect Trump, his administration, jail the January 6th committee members.

Persons: KRISTEN WELKER, Chris Wray, he’ll, Donald Trump's, Kash Patel, KASH PATEL, SEN, LINDSEY GRAHAM, AMY KLOBUCHAR, Biden, ANITA DUNN, Lindsey Graham of, Bernie Sanders, Bashar al, Assad, there’s, Austin Tice, PRES, JOE BIDEN, Debra Tice, Ryan Nobles, Amna Nawaz, Ashley Etienne, Harris, Peggy Noonan, It’s, Kristen Welker, Trump's, Trump, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, Hegseth, Joni Ernst, PETE HEGSETH, THOM TILLIS, LISA MURKOWSKI, Hunter Biden, Anita Dunn, Christopher Wray, CHRISTOPHER WRAY, I’d, FBI Hoover, Patel, Graham, SEN.LINDSEY GRAHAM, Bashar Al Assad, “, King, Jordan, Pete, ‘, Kavanaugh, Justice Kavanaugh, we're, I've, He's, We’ll, he's, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis, Donald Trump, LINDSEY GRAHAM Well, J, Edgar Hoover, Comey, – SEN, –, you've, Stephen Miller, President Trump, Merry, Sanders, Press . SEN, BERNIE SANDERS, It's, ? SEN, Kristen, Lindsey Graham, Biden's, Hunter, DAVID MUIR, Will, Kristen –, Putin, Brian Thompson, Elizabeth Warren, ELIZABETH WARREN, Warren, ”, Elizabeth –, There's, Am, Yep, ” KRISTEN WELKER, We're, We'll, Austin's, Tice, DEBRA TICE, Austin, NBC News's Richard Engel, Sahar, Richard, we’re, They've, they're, we've, Richard Engel, Travis Timmerman, it's Austin, it's, Travis, let's, he’s, Kristine, Bill Clinton, Roger, Joe Lieberman, JOE LIEBERMAN, there's, TIM, You'll, Kamala Harris, ” Peggy, Ryan, RYAN, Matt Gaetz, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Amna, – AMNA NAWAZ, AMNA NAWAZ, Wray, Peggy, PEGGY NOONAN, sparky, Ashley, ASHLEY ETIENNE, Tulsi Gabbard's, I'm, Joe Biden, Gaetz, – KRISTEN WELKER, – there's Organizations: FBI, Trump, White, Vermont, NBC, Capitol Hill, PBS, Wall Street, Press, Capitol, Army - Navy, Fox News, Iowa, Senate, Republican, TRUMP, ISIS, Defense, intel, United States Senate, Press ., Justice Department, ?, Biden, FDR, RFK Jr, State Department, Austin, U.S, Hostage, NBC News, Wall Street Journal, America, Republican Party, Department of Health, Human Services, RFK, Bureau, Democrats Locations: Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Syria, Washington, U.S, America, Europe, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, United States, Turkey, Afghanistan, Russia, Russian, Vermont, New Jersey, East Coast, American, Damascus, Austin, Lebanon, –

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