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☆ Sunken superyacht believed to contain watertight safes
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Lynch was associated with British, American and other intelligence services through his various companies, including the cyber security company he founded, Darktrace. The chef, whose body was found outside the vessel, died by drowning, the coroner said. Local prosecutor Ambrogio Cartosio said no personal effects, including computers, jewelry or Lynch’s hard drives had been recovered from the vessel. The vessel did not have a traditional black box or voyage data recorder to record navigation data or audio on the bridge. The costs of raising the ship will fall to its owner, Lynch’s widow, as is mandated by Italian maritime law.

Persons: Rome, Mike Lynch, Lynch, Thoma, David Cameron, Theresa May, ” Francesco Venuto, Hannah, Chris Morvillo, Neda, Jonathan Bloomer, Judy, Recaldo Thomas, Bloomer, Lynch’s, Angela Bacares, James Cutfield, Lynch “, Morvillo, Hewlett Packard, Raffaele Cammarano, Stephen Chamberlain —, Darktrace —, Cutfield, Chamberlain, Ambrogio Cartosio Organizations: Rome CNN —, CNN, Italian Prosecutors, Thoma Bravo, Revtom, Fire Brigade, Civil Protection Agency, Hewlett, Autonomy, Local, Italian Locations: Sicily, British, Chicago, Russia, China, American, Italy

☆ Feds trying to build an attempted assassination case against man accused in Trump incident
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Zachary Cohen | Evan Perez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

So far, there is no evidence indicating the suspect was motivated or instructed by foreign elements to target Trump. But prosecutors and investigators have made clear that they view the incident as an apparent plot to kill the former president and are working to build a case with those additional charges. He had not made any threats, for instance, against the president or former president Trump,” Berger said. “You are free to assassinate Trump,” Routh also wrote of Iran in the apparently self-published book. Those posts, on their own, would likely not be enough to charge Routh with attempting to assassinate Trump, according to Aronberg.

Persons: Donald Trump, Ryan Wesley Routh’s, Routh, Routh didn’t, Ryan Routh, David Aronberg, ” Aronberg, ”, Chelsea Walsh, Walsh, Katrina Berger, Berger, Trump, ” Berger, HSI, Butler, “, ” Routh Organizations: CNN, Federal, Trump, FBI, Service, . NY, Beach, Customs, Border Patrol, Security Investigations, HSI, Capitol, Global Citizen Locations: Florida, Trump, West Palm Beach , Florida, North Carolina, Hawaii, Ukraine, Kyiv, Butler , Pennsylvania, Iran, Taiwan, North Korea, Afghanistan, Tehran, Moscow, “

☆ Russian disinformation peddlers are targeting Harris-Walz campaign with fake videos, Microsoft says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Kevin Collier | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Brandy-Zadrozny-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Russian disinformation peddlers are producing videos targeting the Harris-Walz campaign with false and disparaging claims, Microsoft said Tuesday. At least three Russian disinformation actors have been working to denigrate the Harris-Walz campaign, Microsoft said. Some of the disinformation comes in the form of two videos that have been disseminated since late August, Microsoft said. NBC News has viewed an upload of that video posted to X, which Microsoft confirmed is the alleged Russian disinformation. The report comes after the U.S. accused the Kremlin of running a multifaceted disinformation campaign to boost former President Donald Trump and disparage Harris.

Persons: Harris, Walz, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t, Darren Linvill, ” Linvill, Kamala Harris, Linvill, ”, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Microsoft, Justice Department, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NBC News, Media, Clemson, Democratic, Russia’s Internet Research Agency, Tenet Media, National Intelligence, Intelligence, Biden, Ukraine, FBI, The Justice Department, Trump Locations: San Francisco, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, U.S, China

☆ Billionaire investor John Paulson says the Fed can 'move aggressively' on rate cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Billionaire investor and hedge fund veteran John Paulson said Friday that he would like to see the Federal Reserve start big with its rate cuts. The central bankers seem to be deciding between a cut of 25 basis points or 50 basis points. One asset class that often rises when the Federal Reserve cuts rate is gold, and Paulson is a longtime bull on the yellow metal. Paulson is a veteran figure in the hedge fund world and is perhaps most famous for betting against the housing market ahead of the 2007 crash. Paulson announced in 2020 that he was converting his hedge fund into a family office.

Persons: John Paulson, Paulson, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Treasurys Organizations: Federal Reserve, Paulson, Co, Mines, U.S

Washington CNN —Vice President Kamala Harris has met more than 150 world leaders since becoming vice president. Still, Harris has not always been the first phone call for foreign leaders or officials looking to get a line into the White House. UkraineA month after Russia invaded Ukraine, Harris was dispatched to NATO’s eastern flank on a reassurance mission – one that also came with some sensitive diplomatic smoothing-over. For a foreign policy novice with aspirations for higher office, the war in Ukraine was a rigorous introduction to wartime diplomacy. She has vowed to continue to support Ukraine and impose costs on Russia,” an aide to the vice president said.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, ”, Biden, Harris ’, Harris, she’s, Donald Trump, –, Dana Bash, “, Dana, haven’t, —, Israel Harris, Netanyahu, Israel –, ” Harris, Harris “, Israel ”, Xi Jinping, Phil Gordon, Rebecca Lissner, Dean Lieberman, Antony Blinken, ” Lieberman, Volodymyr Zelensky, Nancy McEldowney, ” McEldowney, don’t, Jake Sullivan, John Kerry, Emmanuel Macron, Biden –, – Harris Organizations: Washington CNN —, Israeli, Democratic, Republicans, CNN, Biden, White, Israel, White House, American, United Nations General Assembly, UN, ”, Aboard Air Force, NATO, Munich Security Conference, “, Munich Security, Ukraine, Rue Coquilliere Locations: Afghanistan, Gaza, Israel, Ukraine, United States, New York, Washington , DC, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Port, Prince, Haiti, Russia, Poland, Warsaw, Washington, Romania, Munich, France, Paris, White, Rue

☆ Venezuela’s Supreme Court certifies Maduro’s claims that he won presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s Supreme Court has backed President Nicolás Maduro’s claims that he won last month’s presidential election and said voting tallies published online showing he lost by a landslide were forged. The high court is packed with Maduro loyalists and has almost never ruled against the government. Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice President Caryslia Rodriguez in Caracas on Aug. 22. Gabriel Boric, the leftist president of Chile and one of the main critics of Maduro’s election gambit, lambasted the high court’s certification. “Today, Venezuela’s TSJ has finally consolidated the fraud,” he said on his X account referring to the initials of the high court.

Persons: Venezuela —, Nicolás Maduro’s, Maduro, Caryslia Rodriguez, Federico Parra, Edmundo González, ” González, Maria Corina Machado, Nicolas Maduro, Cristian Hernandez, González, Gabriel Boric, Venezuela’s TSJ, ” Organizations: Venezuela — Venezuela’s, Venezuelan, Getty, United Nations, Carter Center Locations: CARACAS, Venezuela, Caracas, AFP, Venezuelan, North Macedonia, Chile

☆ With $20 Billion Weapons Deal, U.S. Aims to Help Israel and Deter Iran
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Lara Jakes | Johnatan Reiss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Top NewsFor months, the Biden administration waited to formally approve $20 billion in future American weapons sales to Israel, including F-15s and medium-range missiles. Almost none of the arms — which also include tank ammunition, tactical vehicles and mortars — are expected to be delivered to Israel for several years at least. The White House has tried to contain domestic opposition to arms for Israel in Congress, while attempting to keep the war against Hamas from escalating into a wider regional conflict. “We will continue to do what is necessary to ensure Israel can defend itself in the face of these threats.”Image An Israeli F-15 in southern Israel last year. Here is a look at the arms sales that the Biden administration notified Congress on Aug. 13 that it has approved.

Persons: Biden, Antony J, Blinken, ”, “, Jack Guez, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, —, Bradley Bowman, Mr, Bowman, Israel “, Northrop Grumman, AMRAAMs Organizations: Department, Agence France, Getty, U.S . Army, Foundation of Defense of Democracies, Boeing Corp, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Dynamics, Northrop, Street Journal, CNN, State Department, Tactical, Oshkosh Corp, General Dynamic Ordnance, U.S, AIM, RTX Corp Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, Congress, Israeli, Washington, Iran, Ukraine, Russia

Former Trump administration officials argue that more foreign students are involved in the campus protests and accuse the Biden administration and universities of withholding such information. He contended that it would be unconstitutional for authorities to try to deport them based solely on their expressing support for Hamas at protests. About 40,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Oct. 7, according to local health officials. Kena Betancur / AFP - Getty Images fileBiden’s approachBiden administration officials told NBC News that Trump’s threats don’t match the realities of the country’s overburdened immigration system. It argued that the Education Department is purposely protecting “pro-Hamas foreign extremists on American college campuses” and failing to provide records on foreign students, or pro-Hamas activities, at schools.

Persons: Donald Trump, Biden, Trump, Ben Wizner, ” Wizner, ” Reed Rubinstein, Stephen Miller, aren’t, “, ”, Rubinstein, ‘, you’re, Seth, ” Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Kena Betancur, Jon Feere, isn’t, Feere, Kenneth Marcus, George W, Bush, Marcus, Louis D, ” Marcus, Vanessa Harmoush, Nerdeen Kiswani, hasn’t, Kiswani, ” Kiswani, Stephanie Keith, Daniel Richman, Richman, Edward Ahmed Mitchell, that’s, ” Mitchell, it’s Organizations: GOP, Republican National Convention, Democratic National Convention, NBC News, Trump, Israel, Harvard, Emory, University of Pennsylvania, Hamas, American Civil, Technology, America, Justice, “, Fountain, Washington , D.C, Seth Herald, Republicans, Congress, NBC, D.C, Israeli, Brooklyn Museum, Times, U.S, Popular Front, Liberation, Palestine, Columbia University, Getty, Biden, United States, State Department, Immigration, Customs Services, ICE, Center of Immigration Studies, Education Department, Justice Department, Department’s, Civil Rights, Brandeis Center for Human, Department of Education, IDF, Israel Defense Forces, Columbia Law, Islamic, CAIR wouldn’t, CAIR, don’t Locations: Israel, U.S, Chicago, Gaza, Columbia, Columbus, Washington ,, New Jersey, Palestinian, Washington, New York City, Brooklyn, Vandals, New York, Germany, AFP, United States, Palestine

Thierry Breton, France's European Union commissioner for internal market and consumer protection, industry, research and energy. Billed as an unscripted conversation by Musk, the Spaces session will be one of the few campaign events Trump does this week. Breton warned Musk that the EU was prepared to "make full use of our toolbox" to protect EU citizens from "serious harm." Getty Images | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesSince then, Musk has made a series of incendiary comments about the situation in the U.K. on X. Riot police officers push back anti-migration protesters outside on Aug. 4, 2024 in Rotherham, U.K. Christopher Furlong | Getty Images

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, Apu Gomes, Linda Yaccarino, Thierry Breton, Yaccarino, Donald Trump, Musk, Kamala Harris, Keir Starmer, Ashlea Simon, Peter Kyle, Christopher Furlong Organizations: SpaceX, X Holdings Corp, Milken Institute's Global, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Getty, European, X Corp, Union, Trump, Republican, Democratic, EU's Digital Services, Digital Services, Riot, British, Britain, Times Locations: Beverly Hills , California, Europe, United Kingdom, EU, Breton, Southport , England, Southport, England, Northern Ireland, Falkland Islands, Rotherham, U.K

☆ Trump campaign says it has been hacked
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump’s campaign said Saturday in a statement that it had been hacked. When asked whether the Trump campaign had been in contact with law enforcement, a campaign official said it would not discuss those kinds of conversations. Politico reported it had received emails that contained internal communications from a senior Trump campaign official and a research dossier the campaign had put together on Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. The dossier included what the Trump campaign identified as Vance’s potential vulnerabilities. In 2016, days before the Democratic National Convention, WikiLeaks published nearly 20,000 emails from the Democratic National Committee server.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, ” Trump, Steven Cheung, Cheung, “, Trump’s, Trump, Butler, ” Cheung, ”, it’s, Harris, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Hillary Clinton, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Wasserman Schultz, Clinton, Kevin Liptak Organizations: CNN, Politico, Democratic, Microsoft, Iranian, U.S, United Nations, FBI, Justice Department, Secret, Biden, Harris Administration, National Security, Trump, White, GOP, Democratic National Convention, WikiLeaks, Democratic National Committee Locations: United States, Iran, Florida, Russia

Since the arrival in late June of a foreign police force known as the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, criminal attacks here have slowed. But in “red zones” across the city and beyond, a new war is just beginning, as gangs test the still-forming MSS. In other words, the MSS mission has no time to lose. CNNThis mission is designed to break the mold; unlike previous peacekeeping missions in Haiti, the MSS is independent of the United Nations. To dismantle Chen Mechan,’” he said listing the nicknames of notorious Port-au-Prince gang bosses.

Persons: Prince, Toussaint Louverture, Bob Marley’s, ”, Evelio Contreras, Garry Conille –, ” –, Conille, Garry Conille, ” Conille, Prince’s Toussaint, Godfrey Otunge, he’s, Haitian National Police Rameau Normil, ” Otunge, it’s, Al, “, Lamercie, ” Estinfort, –, Mawozo, “ I’m, Lanmo, Chen Mechan, ’ ”, Biden, Haiti Dennis Hankins, CNN he’s, Hankins, ” Hankins, we’re Organizations: Prince CNN —, Haitian National Police, Multinational Security, CNN CNN, CNN, United Nations ’, UNICEF, Regional, CARICOM, State University of Haiti Hospital, “, ” Police, Planet Airways, Kenyans, Kenyan, United Nations, UN, Troops, hasn’t, Normil, Institut, MSS, US, Haitian, Haitian Justice Department, Prisons, IBESR Locations: Washington, Port, Kenya, Kenyan, Haiti, Caribbean, Florida, downtown Port, Prince, Haitian, Jamaica, Benin, Chad, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, United States, France, Canada, South Korea, Italy, India, Al Shabaab, US, city’s, Ganthier, Barbeque

“Any assessment that Iran is assigning lethal operations to a ‘B team’ misses the utility of nonofficial actors," said Roule, currently affiliated with United Against Nuclear Iran. Officials say they see no connection between that plot and the shooting of Trump in Pennsylvania by a local resident who had researched mass shootings and political assassinations. In 2021, the Justice Department charged four alleged Iranian intelligence operatives with trying to kidnap Masih Alinejad. “We have said many times that we have been tracking Iranian threats against former politicians,” she said this week. Neither President Joe Biden nor Vice President Kamala Harris has commented on the alleged Iranian assassination plots.

Persons: ”, Kenneth Katzman, don’t, “, ” Katzman, “ There’s, they’ve, Norm Roule, ’, Roule, aren't, Asif Merchant of, Donald Trump, John Bolton, Qassem Soleimani, New York —, Masih Alinejad, Alinejad, General Merrick Garland, we’ve, Steven M, Bolton, Biden, it’s, It’s, —, Jake Sullivan, Sean Savett, … The, Harris, White, Karine Jean, Pierre, “ We’ve, Qassem, …, Biden’s, John Kirby, ” Adrienne Watson, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Trump, Mike Turner Organizations: FBI, Soufan Center, Congressional Research Service, CIA, United Against Nuclear, Iran’s Revolutionary, Quds Force, Administration, D.C, Justice Department, Eastern, NBC News, Roule, Bolton, National Security Council, … The Biden, NBC, ., White, Indian, ” Locations: Iran, United States, U.S, U.S . Iran, United Against Nuclear Iran, Asif Merchant of Pakistan, Texas, Trump, Pennsylvania, Saudi, Washington, New York, Brooklyn , New York, Bolton, Tehran, Europe, Canada

☆ U.S. Vies With Allies and Industry to Tighten China Tech Controls
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Ana Swanson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration is fighting to overcome opposition from allied nations and the tech industry as it prepares to expand restrictions aimed at slowing China’s ability to make the most advanced semiconductors, which could be used to bolster Beijing’s military capacity. The rules are aimed at blocking off some of the newer routes that Chinese chipmakers have found to acquire technology, despite international restrictions. The United States has been pushing allies like Japan and the Netherlands to toughen their restrictions on technology shipments to China, during visits to those countries as well as a Japanese state visit to Washington in April. Those nations are home to companies that produce chip-making machinery, like ASML Holding N.V. and Tokyo Electron Limited. But industry in the United States and other countries has argued the rules could hurt them, and it remains unclear when or if foreign governments will issue limitations.

Persons: Biden Organizations: United, Tokyo Electron Locations: China, United States, Japan, Netherlands, Washington, Tokyo

☆ Avocado goldrush links U.S. companies with Mexico’s deforestation disaster
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

The U.S. lawsuits filed in DC Superior Court Monday shine a spotlight on the supply chains of some U.S. companies operating in the Mexican avocado industry. Reuters could not independently verify the accounts from the local residents or Climate Rights International’s findings. “They have even gone to destroy avocado orchards,” said Claudia Alejandra Sanchez, an activist for Michoacán’s Purepecha Indigenous people. Reuters reviewed copies of letters shared by Climate Rights International. Most of those companies have publicly pledged to adhere to sustainable supply chains in compliance with local laws.

Persons: Del, Richman, Mexico Ken Salazar, avocados, ”, Claudia Alejandra Sanchez, Michoacán’s, Guardian Forestal, ’ avocados, ” Daniel Wilkinson, Climate Rights International’s, Alejandro Mendez, Savas Melchor Gómez, deforest, Alfredo Ramírez, ” Ramirez Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Organic Consumers Association, Inc, Produce Inc, West Pak, DC, Rights, Climate Rights International, Richman Law, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Climate Rights, Residents, Foods, Costco, Guardian, Pak, Trade, “ Locations: Madero, Mexico’s, United States, Minnesota, U.S, West, Irvington, N.Y, Mexico, Washington, Michoacán, Jalisco

☆ Venezuela investigates Edmundo González and María Corina Machado
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-05 | by ( Marlon Sorto | Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Venezuela’s Public Ministry has opened a criminal investigation into presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia and opposition leader María Corina Machado, the country’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab said in a statement on Monday. The opposition, which enjoyed strong polling figures prior to the vote, says it won by a landslide. Machado said last week that González won by a landslide, and posted on X a link to what she says are the results from Sunday’s election. The US, among the countries that consider González the winner, said last week that it was“clear” President Maduro lost the popular vote. Protests broke out across Venezuela following the vote, which saw the government detain hundreds of opposition supporters.

Persons: Edmundo González Urrutia, María Corina Machado, Tarek William Saab, Nicolas Maduro, “, González, Machado, Maduro, ”, Federico Parra, implore Maduro, Pope Francis Organizations: CNN, Venezuela’s, Ministry, Public Ministry, police, Electoral Council, Getty Locations: AFP, Venezuela, Latin America

In May, former President Donald Trump declared that he was the only person who could obtain the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from a Russian prison. That’s the way it should be, or this situation will get worse and worse.”Facts First: Trump’s claim that he gave opposing countries “NOTHING” to secure the freedom of American prisoners is false. “The previous administration also conducted prisoner exchanges. It’s not easy.”FactCheck.org debunked this Trump claim about his record on securing the release of American prisoners abroad when he previously made it in 2022. Read more here about four prisoner exchanges under Trump.

Persons: Donald Trump, Evan Gershkovich, Joe Biden, Gershkovich, Trump, ’, Jake Sullivan, John Kirby, Whelan, Trevor Reed, Biden, “, …, You’ve, It’s, FactCheck.org, Read Organizations: Wall Street, Biden White House, National Security, CNN, Trump Locations: Russia

☆ Venezuela’s opposition secured over 80% of crucial vote tally sheets. Here’s how they did it
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

On Sunday, officials attempted to block opposition volunteers from voting centers, and in some places, they succeeded. The QR code scans gave a team of campaign workers immediate access to voting results, which they tabulated Sunday night and Monday. The National Electoral Council has not yet shared the tallies on its website, which has been down since Monday. While it is not obligated to post images of the tally sheets, it has previously shared each sheet’s totals. The campaign needed to get them all fully scanned using equipment especially designed to copy the tally sheets.

Persons: Maria Corina Machado, Nicolás Maduro, Maduro, ” Machado, “, chorizo, Machado, Edmundo González, Elvis Amoroso, Gonzalez, Enrique Márquez, …, ”, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Gustavo Petro of, González, Jorge Rodriguez, Antony Blinken Organizations: Electoral, Electoral Council, United Socialist Party of, “, Maduro’s, National, International, Regional Locations: Venezuela, Caracas, United Socialist Party of Venezuela, Brazil, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, U.S

☆ Prisoner Deals Stoke Fears of Perverse ‘Incentive’ to Grab Americans
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

While loath to criticize any specific swap, current and former U.S. officials worry that strongmen like President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia are exploiting America’s willingness to horse-trade for its citizens. “I worry about the incentive this gives nations to abduct Americans,” said Adam Hickey, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the national security division of the U.S. Justice Department. Speaking of the trend toward hostage trades generally, he added: “I don’t see how this doesn’t lead to an escalation or increase” in the practice by foreign governments. But practical alternatives are hard to come by, Mr. Hickey and other experts concede. In response to Thursday’s deal, former President Donald J. Trump suggested that President Biden had set a “bad precedent” by paying too high a price to Mr. Putin.

Persons: —, loath, Vladimir V, Putin, gunning, ”, Adam Hickey, Hickey, Donald J, Trump, Biden Organizations: U.S . Justice Locations: Russia, Moscow, Russian, Germany, Berlin

☆ Fact check: Trump, who approved multiple prisoner exchanges, falsely claims he gave up ‘nothing’ to get Americans back
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

After President Joe Biden proved the claim wrong on Thursday by securing the release of Gershkovich and others in a multi-country prisoner exchange, Trump posted a series of skeptical questions on social media. Among other things, Trump wrote: “Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs? FactCheck.org debunked this Trump claim about his record on securing the release of American prisoners abroad when he previously made it in 2022. Trump acknowledged at the time that this was a prisoner exchange, telling reporters in 2019: “Yeah, we’re very happy to have our hostage back. And there was a one-on-one hostage swap.”Federal prosecutors also dropped charges against the Iranian scientist’s two co-defendants soon after the prisoner exchange.

Persons: Donald Trump, Evan Gershkovich, Joe Biden, Gershkovich, Trump, ’, Jake Sullivan, FactCheck.org, –, Xiyue Wang, Kevin King, Timothy Weeks, Michael White, Sandra Loli, Mikael Gidada, Turkey Trump, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Andrew Brunson, Erdogan, Brunson Organizations: Washington CNN —, Wall Street, Biden White House, Trump, Republican, Princeton University, Navy Locations: Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Oman, Turkey, Israel, Turkish

☆ Justice Department responds to TikTok lawsuit, argues algorithm could allow Chinese government to influence US elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Evan Perez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Allowing TikTok to continue to be operated by its current parent company could allow the Chinese government to covertly influence US elections, the Justice Department said in a court filing late Friday. The filing is in response to a federal lawsuit TikTok brought against the US government in May in an attempt to block a law that could force a nationwide ban of the app. In their lawsuit, TikTok and Bytedance say that US law is unconstitutional because it runs afoul of free speech rights and prevents Americans from accessing lawful information. “TikTok application collects vast swaths of sensitive data from its 170 million U.S. users,” the DOJ filing reads. The Friday filing makes clear that law enforcement officials believe TikTok could – and has in some instances – taken direction from the Chinese government.

Persons: ”, TikTok, Joe Biden, Lisa Monaco, ” Monaco Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, The Justice Department, DOJ, Prosecutors Locations: United States, China, American, People’s Republic of China

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) speaks to the media as he exits Manhattan federal court on July 16, 2024 in New York City. WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., has told allies that he will resign from Congress after being convicted on federal corruption charges, two people directly familiar with those conversations tell NBC News. Among those who urged him to resign were Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; and Menendez's friend and fellow New Jersey Democratic senator, Cory Booker. He had two stints as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a post he relinquished last year after his indictment. Menendez "provided sensitive U.S. Government information and took other steps that secretly aided the Government of Egypt," the indictment alleged.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, New York City . WASHINGTON — Sen, Menendez, Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Cory Booker, Schumer, Phil Murphy, Andy Kim, Curtis Bashaw, Nadine, Weeks, he'd, retry Menendez Organizations: NBC, New, New Jersey Democratic, Senate, New Jersey Gov, Democratic, Senate Foreign Relations, Government, of, Prosecutors, Office Locations: Manhattan, New York City . WASHINGTON, New Jersey, Jersey, Union City, of Egypt, Florida

CNN —A prominent North Korea expert and former CIA analyst has been indicted by a New York grand jury on charges of secretly working for the South Korean government in exchange for designer goods, Michelin star meals and $37,000 for a fund that she controlled. The indictment alleges Terry acted as a “valuable source” of information for the South Korean government. She has authored reports for both American and South Korean news outlets. South Korea is a key US ally in the Asia-Pacific, though Terry’s indictment is not the first case of alleged collusion to test the two countries’ friendship. Internal Pentagon documents leaked last year described, in remarkable detail, private conversations between two senior South Korean national security officials, whom the US had allegedly wiretapped.

Persons: Sue Mi Terry, ”, “, Terry, Louis Vuitton, Iva Zorić, ” Zorić, Antony Blinken, Lee Wolosky, ” Wolosky, emptively, George W, Bush, Barack Obama Organizations: CNN, CIA, New, South Korean, Michelin, US National Security Council, ROK, South, Council, Foreign Relations, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Foreign, Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, East, FBI, Oceanic, National Security Council, Pentagon Locations: North Korea, New York, Republic of Korea, ROK, Korean, Korea, South Korea, United States, Seoul, Japan, Asia

☆ It’s not just Bob Menendez: Americans really love gold bars
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Menendez maintains his innocence and plans to appeal the verdict, he told reporters outside the Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday. The discovery that Menendez owned a hoard of gold bars stunned many people. And now even Costco sells gold bars. The two kilograms and 11 ounces worth of gold bars Menendez and his wife possessed would have been worth over $185,000 as of Tuesday, according to Goldprice.org data. Other people who prefer to keep gold under their own roof store it in a gun safe or floor safe, he added.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Jonathan Rose, ” Rose, ’, ”, Rose, it’s Organizations: New York CNN, Bank, Genesis Gold, Western Alliance, CNN, Costco, Dow, IRS Locations: New York, Manhattan, Beverly Hills , California

☆ US intel chief says Iran is attempting to stoke Gaza protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Iran is attempting to covertly stoke protests in the United States related to the conflict in Gaza, US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said in a statement on Tuesday, posing as activists online and, in some cases, providing financial support to protesters. “I want to be clear that I know Americans who participate in protests are, in good faith, expressing their views on the conflict in Gaza — this intelligence does not indicate otherwise,” Haines said. “Americans who are being targeted by this Iranian campaign may not be aware that they are interacting with or receiving support from a foreign government,” she said. Those protests have been hugely divisive domestically, making them a ripe target for foreign actors — like Iran — interested in amplifying discord within the US. A US intelligence assessment released in December reported that Iran also tried to meddle in the 2022 midterm elections.

Persons: of National Intelligence Avril Haines, ” Haines, ”, “, —, Haines Organizations: CNN, stoke, of National Intelligence, Hamas Locations: Iran, United States, Gaza, Israel, Tehran

☆ A Hacker Stole OpenAI Secrets, Raising Fears That China Could, Too
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Cade Metz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Early last year, a hacker gained access to the internal messaging systems of OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and stole details about the design of the company’s A.I. OpenAI executives revealed the incident to employees during an all-hands meeting at the company’s San Francisco offices in April 2023, according to the two people, who discussed sensitive information about the company on the condition of anonymity. But the executives decided not to share the news publicly because no information about customers or partners had been stolen, the two people said. The executives did not consider the incident a threat to national security because they believed the hacker was a private individual with no known ties to a foreign government. The company did not inform the F.B.I.

Organizations: San Locations: San Francisco

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