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☆ Clooney Foundation sues Venezuela over alleged human rights abuses
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Nicolás Misculin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUENOS AIRES, June 14 (Reuters) - The Clooney Foundation for Justice has accused Venezuelan security forces of crimes against humanity against government opponents since 2014 in a lawsuit filed in Argentina on Wednesday. "We are talking about arbitrary detentions, torture, extrajudicial executions," said Ignacio Jovtis, a lawyer for the Clooney Foundation. The Clooney Foundation for Justice was founded by actor George Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. The International Criminal Court in The Hague is investigating alleged Venezuelan human rights violations. The Argentine justice system has previously agreed to investigate alleged crimes against humanity carried out in Spain and Myanmar in the past, which prompted the Clooney Foundation to file the complaint in Buenos Aires.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Ignacio Jovtis, George Clooney, Amal Clooney, Jovtis, Clooney, Nicolas Misculin, Steven Grattan, Howard Goller Organizations: Clooney Foundation, Justice, Wednesday, Foundation, Criminal, United Nations, Thomson Locations: BUENOS AIRES, Venezuelan, Argentina, Venezuela, The Hague, Argentine, Spain, Myanmar, Buenos Aires

☆ Your job rejection may have been an A.I. mistake—how to spot and fix it
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In 2015, before anyone had ever uttered "ChatGPT," artificial intelligence already impacted job seekers in a big way. That year, Amazon realized that its machine-learning algorithms, meant to speed up its hiring process, were biased against women. Other cases of AI hiring discrimination abound, so much so that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission offers guidance for employers to ensure AI doesn't jeopardize fair hiring processes. Hiring bias isn't a new phenomenon: Some groups have long been unjustifiably overlooked in the job pool. In the meantime, job seekers are caught in the crossfire of AI's hiring mistakes.

Persons: Ifeoma Ajunwa, Lindsay Greene, who's Organizations: Amazon, Commission, University of North, Chapel Hill, Law, Technology, CNBC Locations: University of North Carolina, New York City

THE SWISS BANKPossibly the first hurdle is a politically fraught decision on Credit Suisse's "crown jewel", its domestic business. But UBS will have to weigh that against public pressure to keep the Credit Suisse business separate with its own brand, identity and, critically, workforce. However, insiders talk of rivals aggressively wooing Credit Suisse clients and employees. Clients who would typically bank both with UBS and Credit Suisse to spread their risk, might now take some of that business elsewhere. One potential risk stems from legal challenges to the decision by Swiss authorities to write off special AT1 bonds issued by Credit Suisse.

Persons: Sergio Ermotti, Ermotti, Colm Kelleher, Alan Mudie, Arturo Bris, Kelleher, Lars Schweizer, John Revill, Oliver Hirt, Noele Illien, Tomasz Janowski, Elisa Martinuzzi, Alexander Smith Organizations: Credit Suisse, UBS, Suisse, Woodman Asset Management, Finance, International Institute for Management Development, Reuters Graphics, Credit, Frankfurt University, Barclays, Thomson Locations: ZURICH, Switzerland, Swiss, Lausanne

☆ Putin admits the Russian military needs more modern weapons to win the war in Ukraine — a rare admission of fault
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin conceded that Russia needed more modern weapons. He said that this was due to the "the right command of the troops and the high effectiveness of Russian weapons, especially modern weapons." He then conceded that Russia needed to increase its supply of modern weapons, a significant remark in the light of reports that Russian troops on the front line were using outdated, Soviet-era equipment. We are intensively building up production of modern weapons," Putin said. Putin's concession is a sharp departure from his previous remarks on Russia's military arsenal, with the Russian president last August boasting that they were "years, perhaps even decades" ahead of rivals.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, He'd, —, Putin Organizations: Service, Western, NATO, Associated Press Locations: Russia, Ukraine

☆ Why the U.S. Electric Grid Isn’t Ready for the Energy Transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Nadja Popovich | Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. That makes it hard to build the long-distance power lines needed to transport wind and solar nationwide. To make the plan work, the nation would need thousands of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines — large power lines that would span multiple grid regions. Utilities are sometimes wary of long-distance transmission lines that might undercut their local monopolies. “The grid is already a critical element of our energy system,” said Matteo Muratori, an analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

☆ JPMorgan to pay $290 million in settlement with victims of sexual predator Jeffery Epstein
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Kate Sammer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailJPMorgan to pay $290 million in settlement with victims of sexual predator Jeffery EpsteinJPMorgan has reached a settlement regarding the sexual abuse victims of the late Jeffrey Epstein. The bank is prepared to settle the claim at $290 million. The settlement does not include an admission of liability by the bank.

Persons: Jeffery Epstein JPMorgan, Jeffrey Epstein Organizations: JPMorgan

Indian and international media have previously reported that a possible malfunction in the automated signalling system may have led to the crash. However, details of the frequent malfunctions at the nearby rail-road barrier and its possible connection to a manual bypass of the signalling system are reported by Reuters for the first time. A spokesman for Indian Railways said "repair works keep happening as per requirements" but tampering with the automated system is not allowed. "(Indian) Railways believes the system was tampered with," said the second source, who has access to briefings on the investigation. The Indian Railways spokesman did not directly address the authorisation issue and only said it is not allowed under Indian Railways rules.

Persons: Amitabh Sharma, Sharma, Soubhagya Ranjan Sarangi, Narendra Modi's, Jaya Varma Sinha, Sinha, Sandeep Mathur, Mathur, Sudhanshu Mishra, Krishn Kaushik, Jatindra, Sarita Chaganti Singh, YP Rajesh, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Railways, Reuters, of Railway Safety, CRS, Railway Board, Railways Ministry, Indian Railways, police’s Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI, Coromandel Express, Express, YP, Thomson Locations: India, DELHI, Bahanaga Bazar, Balasore, Odisha, Bahanaga, Niranjan, Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi

☆ Why the 'Mother of Dragons' at SpaceX left her job building rockets to work on nuclear fusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"In one role in particular, my unofficial title was 'Mother of Dragons,'" Dunn told CNBC in an interview in Devens, Massachusetts. But in January 2019, Dunn started work at Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a startup that is attempting to commercialize nuclear fusion as an energy source. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards The advanced manufacturing facility located at the Commonwealth Fusion Systems campus in Devens, Massachusetts, where magnets are manufactured. "The biggest thing I think about a lot is time, about how fast can we go," Dunn told CNBC. And we have a poster in the back stairwell that says, 'Keep calm and fuse on," Dunn told CNBC.

Persons: Darby Dunn, of, Dunn, Darby Dunn Dunn, I've, Don Quixote, Elon, Elon Musk, it's, Bill Gates, that's Organizations: Commonwealth Fusion Systems, SpaceX, CNBC, International, Commonwealth, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, SPARC, Google, Khosla Ventures, Lowercarbon, ARC, United Nations Locations: Devens , Massachusetts, California, Devens , Mass, Commonwealth

☆ One of the most dangerous hours in America is now 11 o’clock on Sunday morning
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

It would also foreshadow a disturbing trend that has only worsened in subsequent years: 11 o’clock on Sunday morning is now one of the most dangerous hours of the week in America, pastors and church security officials say. Brady Boyd, senior pastor of New Life Church, the same church where Assam confronted a gunman 16 years ago. And in 2018, a gunman killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. But his church security does not have a monopoly on Sunday morning firepower. Consider this sobering Sunday morning scenario:A spiritual seeker visits a church and finds it filled with metal detectors and armed security guards carrying walkie-talkies.

Persons: Jeanne Assam, He’s, Beretta, Jake Stephens, Brian Snyder, ”, Brady Boyd, Boyd, “ That’s, Scott Olson, Rabbi Hillel Norry, Beth David, Norry, “, Kwon, Jeff Swensen, ” Norry, that’s, Shaukat Warraich, Dwayne Harris, Harris, Hope, ” Harris, Darren Hauck, Tim Russell, ‘ I’m, David Swanson, Pastors, Jesus ’, ” Boyd, Jesus, Tommy Mason, Mason, Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Saint Joseph, Beau Biden, Brendan Smialowski, Jerilee Bennett, George W . Bush, “ You’re Organizations: CNN, New, Church, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Reuters Churches, New Life, White, Texas Church of Christ, Baptist, Security, Police, House Church, Geneva Presbyterian, Colorado Springs, Marion County Baptist Association, Service, Brandywine Catholic, “ Police, AP, Minneapolis Police Department Locations: Colorado, Assam, Colorado Springs, America, Charleston , South Carolina, Sutherland Springs , Texas, Texas, Orange County , California, Oak Creek , Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania, That’s, New Zealand, Missouri, ”, Geneva, Laguna Woods , California, Marion, Alabama, Saint, Brandywine, Brandywine Catholic Church, Wilmington , Delaware, AFP, AP Assam

☆ The Best CD Rates Are from Credit Unions Right Now. Here Are the Top Offers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

But with many credit unions struggling to attract deposits their CD terms are especially sweet right now, experts say. The upshot: Half of the top 12 CD rates on DepositAccounts.com, a site that aggregates banking rates, are offered by credit unions. Why credit unions have such high CD rates nowCredit unions frequently offer financial products with more attractive interest rates and lower fees than conventional banks. The best credit union CD ratesWith nearly 5,000 credit unions in the country, there are plenty of favorable CD and share certificate rates out there. The FDIC doesn’t cover credit unions, but a different agency, the National Credit Union Administration, or NCUA, provides a parallel level of protection.

Persons: Martha C, they’ve, They’re, you’re, ”, Dawit Kebede, Curt Long, branchless Organizations: Credit, Nonprofit, Credit Union National Association, National Association of, “, don’t, Workers Credit Union, of, Financial, Association, Workers, Bellco, Bellco Foundation, Dow Credit Union, Dow Credit, Bank, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, FDIC, National Credit Union Administration Locations: Silicon Valley, DepositAccounts.com, Central Massachusetts, Colorado

☆ Opinion: The Ukraine dam disaster demands accountability
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, Kyiv and Moscow engaged in an intense round of finger pointing over responsibility for the unfolding environmental disaster. The dam’s collapse is not just devastating for those who reside in the immediate environs — it is a nationwide disaster for Ukraine that could reverberate across the globe. Stalin’s goal in the midst of World War II was to prevent Nazi armies from sweeping across Ukraine, which at the time was part of the Soviet Union. The dam collapsed as Ukraine stepped up operations in anticipation of a much-awaited counter-offensive. The broken walls of the Nova Kakhovka dam, and its destructive rushing waters, should strengthen the resolve of Ukraine’s backers.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Joseph Stalin, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky’s, Andriy Yermak, Ursula Von der Leyen, “, Antonio Guterres Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Frida Ghitis CNN, Soviet Union, EU, ”, UN, UN Security Council, United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights, Twitter, NATO, Kyiv Locations: Ukraine’s, Dnipro, Ukraine, Kyiv, Moscow, Soviet, Russia, “ Russia, Geneva, Ukrainian, Vilnius, Lithuania, Baltic, Nova

☆ CVS and NEA just sank $166 million into a startup building a new care model for kidney disease. Here's the pitch deck that convinced CapitalG to back Strive Health's Series B.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer | Megan Hernbroth | Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Strive Health just raised $166 million in May from investors like NEA and CVS Health Ventures. See the presentation that got Strive Health a $140 million Series B in March 2021. In May, Strive Health announced it raised $166 million in Series C funding led by healthcare venture firm NEA. The round included CVS Health Ventures, CapitalG, Echo Health Ventures, Town Hall Ventures, Ascension Ventures, and Redpoint. The Series C is Strive Health's latest raise since its $140 million Series B in March 2021.

Persons: Chris Riopelle, Riopelle Organizations: NEA, CVS Health Ventures, Health, Echo Health Ventures, Hall Ventures, Ascension Ventures, CapitalG, Google

☆ Chinese snooker players banned for life for match-fixing, eight others suspended
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Andrew Mcnicol | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Two professional Chinese snooker players have been banned for life and eight others suspended after being found guilty of match-fixing and other charges, the sport’s governing body has announced. Traditionally snooker was dominated by players from the United Kingdom, but in recent years has seen an influx of Chinese talent, with the sport soaring in popularity there. Liang was the first Chinese player to be suspended in connection with the investigation in October. The remaining players either joined in with match fixing or made illegal bets themselves. If any player is involved in fixing a snooker match, they will be caught and will face severe penalties,” he added.

Persons: Liang Wenbo, Li Hang, Zhao Xintong, Yan Bingtao –, –, Lu Ning, Zhao Jianbo, Chang Bingyu, Bai Langning, Chen Zifan, Zhang Jiangkang, Liang, Li, ”, Jason Ferguson, ” “ Organizations: CNN, Snooker Association, Integrity Association Locations: China, United Kingdom

☆ Euro zone core inflation stubborn but ECB policy starting to work: Knot
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Because inflation was high for a long period, underlying inflationary pressures have built up," Knot said in a speech. "It is likely that price pressures in these areas will prove more difficult to bring down." "It is reassuring to see the first signs of recent monetary policy actually being transmitted to the real economy," Knot, an outspoken policy hawk, said. "These are only the first, concrete steps in the transmission of our monetary policy tightening," Knot said. The ECB also needed to mind stability considerations because the financial system needed to adjust to higher rates, Knot added.

Persons: Klaas Knot, Christine Lagarde, Balazs Koranyi, Andrew Heavens Organizations: ECB, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Dutch

☆ James Beard Award 2023 winners announced
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Marnie Hunter | Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The awards have been presented in the Windy City since 2015 and are set to remain there through 2027. Like last year, much of the 2023 show was focused on showcasing the new push for greater diversity. The James Beard Foundation has been mired in controversy over the past few years. The winner of the South category, Natalia Vallejo, is the first Puerto Rican native to win a James Beard Award. Here’s the full list of the 2023 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards nominees.

Persons: James Beard, Eric Adjepong, Esther Choi, Andrew Zimmern, Gail Simmons, ”, ” Simmons, Gregory Gourdet, Kann, ” Sherry Pocknett, Sly Fox, James, Ellen Yin, J.B . Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, foodie, James Beard’s, “, Timothy Hontzas, Sam Fore, Mariah Carey, Monti Carlo, Natalia Vallejo, Rachel Miller, Nightshade Noodle, Lynn, Niki Nakayama, Erik Ramirez, NY Rob Rubba, Hajime Sato, Sozai, Celeste Noche, NY Don, Brandon Chrostowski, Greg Dulan, CA Aaron Hoskins, Sarah Simmons, Elie Yigo, Quynh Pham, WA Ellen Yin, Damarr Brown, Virtue, Rashida, LA Charlie Mitchell, Clover, NY Amanda Shulman, Angelo, Bakeshop, Zak, Baker, Baker Veronika Gerasimova, Elaine Uykimpang Bentz, Café Mochiko, Vince Bugtong, Margarita Manzke, CA Shawn McKenzie, Café, AL Lula Drake, Los Angeles , CA Spencer, Ann, Brownsville , TX Rob Roy, California Gilberto Cetina Jr, CA Kyle, Katina, Brandon Hayato Go, Hayato, Los Angeles , CA Justin Pichetrungsi, Carlos Salgado, Taco, Omar Anani, Saffron De, Diana Dávila, IL Tim Flores, Genie Kwon, IL Andy Hollyday, MI Sarah Welch, Marrow, Jesse Ito, Cantina La, Kate Lasky, Tomasz Skowronski, Michael Rafidi, Sanaa, Gregory León, Francesco Mangano, Osteria, Madison , WI Itaru Nagano, Andrew Kroeger, Madison , WI David Utterback, Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, Michael Diaz de Leon, Suchada Johnson, WY Kris Komori, Ali Sabbah, Brooklyn , NY Mary Attea, Amanda Cohen, Dirt, Valentine Howell, Hunter, CT Sherry Pocknett, Renee Touponce, Joshua Dorcak, Vince Nguyen, Thomas Pisha, Gado, Beau Schooler, Bocca Al, AK Aaron Verzosa, KY Josh Habiger, TN Sam Hart, NC Terry Koval, Paul Smith, Ana Castro, Lengua, LA Timothy Hontzas, AL Henry Moso, Alex Perry, Kumi Omori, Cocina al, Oscar Amador, Kaoru Azeuchi, KAISEKI, Andrew Black, Jeff Chanchaleune, Ma Der, Justin Pioche, Texas Reyna, Painter, Houston , TX Emiliano Marentes, El Paso , TX John Russ, Clementine, San Antonio , TX Ernest Servantes, David Kirkland, Jim Embry, Valerie Horn, Savi ” Horne, Ira Wallace, Olivia Watkins, Karen Washington, Madur Jaffrey Organizations: Washington , D.C, Lyric Opera of, Illinois Gov, Chicago Mayor, Philadelphia, James Beard Foundation, James, New York Times, CNN, Foundation, WA Coracora, Sunday, of Culture, NY, Neng, EDWINS, Restaurant Institute, Hospitality, SC Yenvy, Street Hospitality, Mbaye, Dakar, WA Bottega, AL, SC, Beverages, Merchant, WA BEST, Sherman, Taco María, Selden, D.C, Madison , WI Itaru, Fairchild, Madison , WI, WY, New, New York State, NY Shaina Loew, Pacific, AK, TN, EDO, Food, Burnt Bean, Sustainable Communities Network, Cooperative Farming, Community Center, Southern, Sierra, Burgerville Workers Union, Black Farmer Fund Locations: Philadelphia, Haitian, Pacific, Washington ,, Lyric Opera of Chicago, livestream, Windy City, Boise , Idaho, Madison , Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Monson , Maine, Haiti, Charlestown , Rhode Island, Puerto Rican, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, NY, Washington, Clawson, MI, Seattle, West Hartford, Philadelphia ,, Lucia, Dallas ,, Cincinnati, Portland , Oregon, of Culture , New York, Mexican, Fort Worth , TX Kann, Portland, Milwaukee ,, Asheville , NC, Chicago, Houston , TX, Cleveland, Crenshaw, Columbia, WA, Rashida Holmes, Bridgetown Roti, Los Angeles ,, Dakar NOLA , New Orleans, LA, Clover Hill, New Orleans, Richardson ,, Kansas City ,, Miami, Billings, San Francisco ,, Café Cerés, Minneapolis, Cypress, Pullman, Birmingham, Quarry, Monson, IL, New York, Houston ,, Ann Arbor, Honolulu, Shawnee, KS, Las Vegas, Brownsville , TX, Healdsburg, Sherman Oaks, Costa Mesa ,, Lakes, Saffron De Twah, Detroit ,, Detroit, NJ, PA, , Philadelphia, Cantina La Martina, Apteka, Pittsburgh, Albi , Washington, Kalaya, MN, MO, Sioux Falls, Amilinda, Milwaukee, Osteria Papavero, Madison ,, Yoshitomo, Omaha, UT, WY, Salvador, BRUTØ, Denver, Teton, Teton Village, Boise, Salt Lake City, Sofreh, Brooklyn , NY, , New York, Hudson, Atomix , New York, NH, RI, Krasi, Boston, New Preston, Charlestown, Siu, Yunnan, The, MÄS, Ashland, Berlu, Gado Gado, Bocca Al Lupo, Juneau, Archipelago, KY, NC, TN, WV, Lexington, Bastion, Nashville, Charlotte, Decatur, Charleston, Lengua Madre , New Orleans, Homewood, Orlando, Springs, Cocina, Cocina al Fondo, San Juan, AZ, NM, Oklahoma City, Fruitland, Navajo Nation, Sandwich Hag, El Paso , TX, San Antonio ,, Seguin ,, City of Whitesburg

☆ Judge gives US government one week to handle request for Prince Harry’s visa records
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Holmes Lybrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A federal judge has given the Department of Homeland Security until next Tuesday to decide how it will handle a conservative think tank’s request for Prince Harry’s US immigration records. The group is questioning whether immigration officials properly granted Prince Harry’s application, since admission of past drug use can be grounds to reject a visa application. In court filings, DHS has noted that the US Customs and Border Protection agency originally denied the requests from Heritage because the group did not have Prince Harry’s authorization or consent to release the information. “A person’s visa … is confidential,” DHS attorney John Bardo said in court Tuesday. When asked about the privacy aspect of their records request, attorney Samuel Dewey, who represents Heritage, said Prince Harry’s privacy on the issue of past drug use has been “extraordinarily diminished” given his public remarks on the subject.

Persons: Prince, Prince Harry’s, Carl Nichols, John Bardo, Samuel Dewey, “, ” Dewey, “ He’s, ”, Dewey, Prince Harry, it’s Organizations: CNN, Department of Homeland Security, Heritage Foundation, US Border Patrol, DHS, US Customs, Border Protection, Heritage Locations: Washington , DC, London

☆ Australia cenbank warns of more hikes ahead after raising rates to 11-yr high
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"The omission of this sentence reads hawkish in our view and may spell further rate hikes ahead from the RBA." Adam Boyton, head of Australian economics at ANZ, expects the RBA to raise interest rates by another quarter-point in August. In the policy statement, Lowe said the latest rate increase will "provide greater confidence that inflation will return to target within a reasonable timeframe." The RBA has increased interest rates by a whopping 400 basis points since May last year, the most aggressive tightening cycle in its modern history. "As the RBA takes rates higher, the risk of a greater slowing in the economy is rising," said Tapas Strickland, head of market economics at NAB.

Persons: Prashant Newnaha, Adam Boyton, Lowe, Tapas Strickland, Stella Qiu, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: SYDNEY, Reserve Bank of Australia, Securities, Australian, ANZ, Graphics Global, Federal, NAB, Thomson Locations: Asia, Australia

☆ Hong Kong Remembered the Tiananmen Massacre, Until It Couldn’t
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Tiffany May | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For decades, Hong Kong was the only place in China where the victims of the 1989 military crackdown on pro-democracy activists at Tiananmen Square in Beijing could be publicly mourned in a candlelight vigil. This year, Hong Kong is notable for all the ways it is being made to forget the 1989 massacre. Over the weekend, thousands of officers patrolled the streets in the Causeway Bay district, where the vigil was normally held. Zhou Fengsuo, a student leader in the Tiananmen Square protest movement, said that Hong Kong is now under the same “despotic rule” as the mainland. “Afterward, Hong Kong protests faced the same suppression, the same vilification and erasure of memories.”

Persons: Hong Kong, “, ”, Zhou Fengsuo, Zhou Organizations: Tiananmen, Human Rights Locations: Hong, China, Beijing, Hong Kong, Causeway, Tiananmen, New York

WASHINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced Friday it had dismissed 42 pending enforcement cases after discovering enforcement staff had improper access to materials meant for commission officials ruling on those cases. The enforcement and in-house ruling arms of the SEC are supposed to be kept completely separate from each other regarding such matters. It added that in most cases, the problematic materials were not uploaded to enforcement staff until after a decision had been handed down. An internal SEC review found that there was no evidence that the improper access had any effect on decisions made by either enforcement staff or officials reviewing those cases, according to SEC officials. Nonetheless, the agency decided to dismiss all pending cases, primarily against individuals and smaller firms, who were impacted by the improper access.

Persons: Pete Schroeder, Chizu Nomiyama, Diane Craft Organizations: U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Thomson

☆ Alexei Navalny is amusing himself by demanding a kangaroo, nunchucks, and a bottle of moonshine from his penal colony wardens
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Kelly Mclaughlin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Alexey Navalny said he's amusing himself in prison by making demands to his penal colony wardens. Navalny said he has asked for moonshine, a kangaroo, a megaphone, and more. Navalny, who is serving 11-and-a-half years in a penal colony in Russia, said all of his requests have been denied so far. As for knowing the service dogs' names, Navalny said penal colony staff told him that if he learned their names, he could befriend them and "use that for an escape." As for his request for a kangaroo, Navalny said officials told him double-crested marsupials are "prohibited by the SHIZO."

Persons: Alexey Navalny, Navalny, Vladimir Putin, — Organizations: Service Locations: Russia

LONDON, June 1 (Reuters) - Even if the U.S. dollar's singular dominance as global currency of choice is in fact ebbing, it may not automatically lead to a weaker dollar exchange rate - and could periodically mean the opposite. The big advantage of large dollar reserve holdings alongside wide commercial usage and trade in dollars overseas was clear. But the issue is typically read in markets as a reason to bet on a weakening dollar exchange rate - or even to pump alternatives such as gold or crypto tokens. Of course, that was a global economy riven with fixed dollar exchange rate pegs that supercharged the transmission of Fed policy, most of which have since been dismantled. That may be a world many countries prefer if they are sure of viable alternatives - but may not mean a weaker dollar.

Persons: chomping, Alan Greenspan's, Janet Yellen, Yellen, Mike Dolan, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Federal, OASIS, Fed, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Twitter, Thomson Locations: U.S, United States, Washington, China, Ukraine, Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Iran, Venezuela, outflows

☆ Museveni says Uganda won't be swayed after anti-LGBTQ law triggers aid cut threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

His comments were the first since he signed the bill into law, triggering widespread Western criticism including threats by U.S. President Joe Biden and others to cut aid to Uganda and impose other sanctions. If you try to recruit people into a disorientation, then we go for you. And that one I totally support, and I will support.”The law also imposes a life sentence for same-sex intercourse and a 20-year sentence for promotion of homosexuality. Firms including media and non-governmental organisations that knowingly promote LGBTQ activity will also incur harsh fines, the law says. Homosexuality was already illegal in the conservative and highly religious East African country, and homosexuals faced ostracism and harassment by security forces.

Persons: Pres Museveni, Yoweri Museveni, Joe Biden, Museveni, George Obulutsa, Hugh Lawson Organizations: U.S, Resistance Movement, Thomson Locations: Uganda KAMPALA, Uganda

☆ Biden says Sweden will 'soon' join NATO at U.S. Air Force address
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] U.S. President Joe Biden attends the graduation ceremony at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S., June 1, 2023. Biden, in a flag-waving commencement address in Colorado Springs, Colorado, warned graduates they will enter service in an increasingly unstable world, citing challenges from Russia and China. Biden told reporters Erdogan repeated Ankara's desire to buy F-16 fighter jets from the United States, while Biden urged Ankara to drop its objection to Sweden's joining NATO. Biden made clear the United States would not back down from the challenge posed by China amid deep strains in the relationship. China and the United States should be able to work together where we can to solve some global challenges, like climate," he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Biden, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Sweden's, Vladimir Putin's, Antony Blinken, Steve Holland, Caitlin Webber, Heather Timmons, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Air Force Academy, REUTERS, Sweden, NATO, U.S . Air Force Academy, Nordic, F16s, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Colorado Springs , Colorado, U.S, Kevin Lamarque COLORADO SPRINGS , Colorado, Russia, China, United States, Ankara, Ukraine, Finland, Sweden, Vilnius, Lithuania, Turkey

MOSCOW, May 31 (Reuters) - Russia's most powerful mercenary, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said on Wednesday that he had asked prosecutors to investigate whether senior Russian defence officials had committed any "crime" before or during the war in Ukraine. Prigozhin's request is his most blatant public challenge to date against President Vladimir Putin's top military brass, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The 61-year-old restaurateur-turned-mercenary has spent months insulting both Shoigu and Gerasimov, who are leading Russia's war effort, for alleged treachery. He says loyalty to Putin is part of his political stance, which he summed up as: "I love my motherland, I serve Putin, Shoigu should be judged and we will fight on." Prigozhin is not directly challenging Putin but rather playing a jester role and acting with the approval of those dismayed by the military's conduct of the war, officials, diplomats and analysts have told Reuters.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin's, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Prigozhin, PUTIN'S, Wagner, Putin, Russia's, Guy Faulconbridge, Gareth Jones Organizations: Staff, Investigative Committee, Russian Federation, Defence Ministry, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Ukraine, Bakhmut

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