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WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Sunday dismissed vehement opposition among party hardliners to a new agreement with President Joe Biden to suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, predicting that most House Republicans would support the deal. House Republicans expected to unveil legislation to pass the deal later on Sunday. But McCarthy dismissed threats of opposition within his own party, saying "over 95%" of House Republicans were "overwhelmingly excited" about the deal. "This is a good strong bill that a majority of Republicans will vote for," the California Republican told reporters in the U.S. Capitol. Progressive Democrats in both chambers have said they would not support any deal that has additional work requirements for food and healthcare programs.

[1/5] People attend a protest "Serbia against violence" in reaction to the two mass shootings in the same week, that have shaken the country, in Belgrade, Serbia, May 27, 2023. REUTERS/Marko DjuricaBELGRADE, May 27 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands braved rain and wind in Belgrade on Saturday in an anti-government protest over two mass shootings that killed 18 people, blaming the deaths on a culture of violence that critics say authorities have allowed to permeate society. On May 3 a teenage boy killed nine pupils and a security guard in Belgrade in the first school mass shooting in Serbia, and a day later a 21-year-old man killed eight outside the city. It was the fourth such protest in as many weeks, with demonstrators turning up in similar numbers to the previous three rallies despite bad weather. On Friday, tens of thousands of people bussed-in from across Serbia, neighbouring Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and North Macedonia rallied in the centre of Belgrade in a show of support for Vucic.

☆ Serbia's President Vucic steps down as head of ruling party
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stepped down as leader of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) at a party congress on Saturday, saying a new approach was needed to unite the country, but said he would remain head of state. Another anti-government protest is scheduled for later on Saturday. Leaders of the SNS accepted Vucic's resignation offer at the party congress in Kragujevac, central Serbia, and appointed defense minister Milos Vucevic to replace him, as Vucic had proposed. Opposition parties and rights watchdogs have long accused Vucic and the SNS of autocracy, stifling media freedoms, violence against political opponents, corruption and ties with organized crime. Vucic and his allies deny the accusations.

☆ Bosnian, Hungarian leaders rally in support of Vucic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsBosnian, Hungarian leaders rally in support of VucicPostedHungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and secessionist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik were among the speakers at the "Serbia of Hope" rally on Friday (May 26) which drew busloads of people from around Serbia and neighbouring Bosnia and North Macedonia.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic pledged to "practically disarm" his country, with the government quickly launching a month-long amnesty for illegal weapons. Political opponents - who have long demanded tighter arms controls - call the move a populist step that cannot solve Serbia's illegal weapons problem, while organising mass protests against the violence they say permeates society. Prices of illegal weapons on the 1990s black market in Serbia were as low as $10 for a hand grenade and $150 for an assault rifle, and many were smuggled outside the country. Between 2012 and 2016 Serbia registered a total of 10,061 gun-related crimes, neighbouring Albania 6,815 and Bosnia 5,616, SEESAC's data shows. Duquet said that while the situation in Serbia was not comparable to the United States, which has far more frequent mass shootings, the country's latest attempt to disarm may form a useful precedent closer to home as war rages again in Europe.

[1/2] An American Airlines Airbus A321-200 plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin said the partnership "substantially diminishes competition in the domestic market for air travel." Garland said the Justice Department will continue to protect competition and enforce U.S. antitrust laws across industries, including the airline industry. The judge gave the airlines 30 days to end the alliance. TD Cowen analyst Helane Becker said she believes the American JetBlue ruling "has negative implications for the JetBlue/Spirit merger."

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin said the partnership "substantially diminishes competition in the domestic market for air travel." American is the largest U.S. airline by fleet size and low-cost carrier JetBlue is the sixth-largest. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The judge gave the airlines 30 days to end the alliance. TD Cowen analyst Helane Becker said she believes the American JetBlue ruling "has negative implications for the JetBlue/Spirit merger."

WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled on Friday that American Airlines Group (AAL.O) must end its alliance with JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O), agreeing with the U.S. Justice Department that it means higher prices for consumers. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin said the agreement "entangles JetBlue with American in a way that diminishes its status as an independent low-cost player in the market." The judge gave the airlines 30 days to end the alliance. The department sued in 2021 asking Sorokin to stop the "Northeast Alliance" partnership, announced in July 2020 and approved by the U.S. Transportation Department shortly before the end of the Trump administration. It took aim at American Airlines, saying the alliance would cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars.

☆ ‘A problem in the political culture": Serbians call for more than disarmament to end violence after mass shootings
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Despite having one of the world’s highest rates of gun ownership in the world, mass shootings like this are extremely rare in Serbia. Most people simply inherited weapons from their parents and grandparents – remnants of the sort of violence that no longer plagues the region. While the two “gratuitous” acts of violence that shocked the country this month were without precedent, O’Donnell said, other types of violence are more banal. ‘Serbia against violence’Since the shootings, tens of thousands of Serbians have taken to the streets in opposition-led “Serbia against violence” marches, demanding the resignation of several government ministers. Against this public demand for a mellowing of the political culture, Vučić has seemed unsure how to respond.

That would appear to contradict the FTC's practice of preventing companies from using market power to push up prices. The FTC lawsuit spurred concern among investors who had brushed off the antitrust risk in Amgen's deal because of its limited business overlap with Horizon. "Our complaint is firmly rooted in longstanding antitrust law and we look forward to making our argument in court," an FTC spokesperson said. AMGEN OFFERS REMEDYAmgen said on Tuesday it had made an offer to the FTC in hopes of resolving the issue. "These are valid concerns that FTC has raised but what a court will do about it is uncertain," he said.

[1/4] OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before a Senate Judiciary Privacy, Technology & the Law Subcommittee hearing titled 'Oversight of A.I. Some critics fear the technology will exacerbate societal harms, among them prejudice and misinformation, while others warn AI could end humanity itself. Globally, this is exploding," said Senator Cory Booker, one of many lawmakers with questions about how best to regulate AI. The White House has convened top technology CEOs including Altman to address AI. An OpenAI staffer recently proposed the creation of a U.S. licensing agency for AI, which could be called the Office for AI Safety and Infrastructure Security, or OASIS, Reuters has reported.

☆ Victor Wembanyama: How ‘Wembymania’ gripped France due to the most exciting draft prospect since LeBron James
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

There have been few players whose journey to the pinnacle of basketball have been as highly followed; in figures released by the NBA, Wembanyama is No. And I keep having to explain to them that having a sold-out, 15,000-people crowd for a regular French professional basketball game is not normal at all,” she said. His father was a high jumper, his mother was a former basketball player who is now a coach and his two siblings – older sister Eve and younger brother Oscar – are basketball players. And the French basketball system where he has been nurtured has helped develop his unique talent, says Krasnoff. “And it certainly has driven US interest in French basketball, at least as far as Wembanyama is concerned.

In his first appearance before a congressional panel, CEO Sam Altman is set to advocate licensing or registration requirements for AI with certain capabilities, his written testimony shows. That way, the U.S. can hold companies to safety standards, for instance testing systems before their release and publishing the results. "Regulation of AI is essential," Altman said in the prepared remarks which were seen by Reuters. An OpenAI staffer recently proposed the creation of a U.S. licensing agency for AI, which could be called the Office for AI Safety and Infrastructure Security, or OASIS, Reuters has reported. She is expected to urge Congress to focus regulation on areas with the potential to do the greatest societal harm.

Interviews with a U.S. senator, congressional staffers, AI companies and interest groups show there are a number of options under discussion. Some proposals focus on AI that may put people's lives or livelihoods at risk, like in medicine and finance. Other possibilities include rules to ensure AI isn't used to discriminate or violate someone's civil rights. Another debate is whether to regulate the developer of AI or the company that uses it to interact with consumers. GOVERNMENT MICROMANAGEMENTThe risk-based approach means AI used to diagnose cancer, for example, would be scrutinized by the Food and Drug Administration, while AI for entertainment would not be regulated.

☆ Hobbit houses spring up in Bosnia hills
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Daria Sito-Sucic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KRESEVO, Bosnia, May 11 (Reuters) - Four sisters are building the first Hobbit-style village in southeast Europe in the green hills of central Bosnia, hoping to attract fans of "The Lord of the Rings" books and movies as well as sharing their childhood memories. Last year Marija, a 28-year-old geology engineer, proposed to her sisters Milijana, Vedrana and Valentina that they build house in the style of the Hobbit homes in J.R.R. The sisters decided that their houses must include characteristics of the area where they live and that each sister would decorate one dwelling as she likes. [1/5] Milijana Milicevic stands in front of the hobbit house named "Lipa", in the Bosnian Hobbiton village, Rakova Noga, Bosnia and Herzegovina, May 9, 2023. The other three houses, which should be completed soon, will also be named after local attractions.

HONG KONG, May 8 (Reuters) - China wants to work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to oppose the politicisation of sports, Premier Li Qiang said, amid demands on the sporting body to exclude athletes from Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Premier Li made the comments at a meeting with IOC head Thomas Bach in Beijing over the weekend, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has already offered to let Russian and Belarusian athletes compete at the Asian Games in China this year. "Li said that China is willing to work together with the IOC to oppose the politicisation of sports and to make greater contribution to the Olympic movement," Xinhua reported. Bach said China plays an important role in maintaining world peace and promoting mutual development and IOC is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to promote the development of the Olympic movement.

☆ Serbian man confesses to killing eight in shooting rampage, prosecutors say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In a statement seen by Reuters, the prosecutors said a man identified only as U.B. A girl shot in the head in a school shooting in Serbia in which eight pupils and a guard were killed is still in critical condition, RTS state TV reported on Saturday. Burials were being held on Saturday for four of the pupils and the guard killed in the school shooting and five young men killed in the second rampage. Following the shootings, the government introduced a set of measures aimed at preventing violence in schools and reducing the number of weapons held by civilians. The suspect in the school shooting is a 13-year-old boy who police said surrendered on Wednesday after taking two of his father's handguns to carry out the shooting.

BELGRADE, May 3 (Reuters) - Serbia, where a schoolboy opened fire on his classmates on Wednesday, has an entrenched gun culture, especially in rural areas, but also strict gun control laws. Tens of thousands of illegal firearms have since been handed over or registered in amnesties. People over the age 18 may own firearms only with a permit issued after a thorough background check with police. Gun owners are also required to pass a training course and a questionnaire about gun legislation. In the deadliest shooting in Serbia since the 1990s, Ljubisa Bogdanovic killed 14 people in the central village of Velika Ivanca in 2013 before committing suicide.

☆ Family of ex-Bosnian Serb leader sues US to escape sanctions list
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Andrew Goudsward | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 2 (Reuters) - Family members of former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic, who was convicted of war crimes for his role in the 1990s Balkan conflict, sued the U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday over their continued inclusion on a U.S. sanctions list. A Treasury Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. His family said they began petitioning the Treasury Department in 2020 to be removed from a list of sanctioned individuals known as the "Specially Designated Nationals" list. “It’s unfair for somebody to have to wait so long before getting a decision,” said the family’s attorney, Peter Robinson. The lawsuit asked the court to order OFAC to decide on their requests within 30 days and seeks attorney fees.

☆ Surprise resort trips and empty hotel rooms reveal how Russia's plan for an easy victory in Ukraine fell apart
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

While Russian intelligence services ramped up operations, the US intelligence community started declassifying intelligence about Russian plans. In an unprecedented move, the US revealed Russia's intentions and informed Kyiv about the Russian intelligence operations inside Ukraine. Once Russia's military secured the city, its special-operations forces would begin what the report calls "repressive operations." The Kremlin even compiled a target deck full of unwanted people to be "liquidated" once the Russian forces were in control of the country. Preparing the battlefieldA member of the Ukrainian military in front of a destroyed Antonov An-225 at the airport in Hostomel in July 2022.

☆ Five Horror Movies to Stream Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Erik Piepenburg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ruben Broekhuis’s propulsive thriller mixes documentary and found-footage conventions to tell a sinister and unpredictable story about surveillance and the dark web. The young siblings were in a shelter, about to be adopted, when one day Adin mysteriously disappeared. When Elias and Aisha arrive at the shelter with the camera rolling, blows are exchanged as the administrators question the visitors’ motives. But then — and here’s where the film made me sit straight up — the camera’s point of view switches. A knockout final stretch explains most everything, but the film concludes with a too-twisty coda.

☆ US Special Operations Command's workhorse helicopter is getting upgrades to replace parts that are nearly 50 years old
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US special operators rely on their variant, the MH-47, for missions at night and behind enemy lines. As such, the US special-operations community's workhorse helicopter is getting upgrades to replace parts that are nearly 50 years old. US Army Special Operations Command has used Chinooks for several decades. Early versions had modifications for special operations. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed "the Night Stalkers," is the cream of the crop when it comes to US military aviation.

☆ Djokovic hoping to hit top gear on clay after Banja Luka exit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The loss is Djokovic's second early exit from a tournament in as many weeks, following his third-round defeat to Lorenzo Musetti at the Monte Carlo Masters last week. On the other hand, I played much worse than I wanted to," Djokovic told reporters after the defeat in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The French Open, the second Grand Slam of the season, begins on May 28. I want to play my best tennis there," said Djokovic, who has also been struggling with an elbow injury. "The conditions are totally different there in comparison with Monte Carlo and Banja Luka.

☆ Bosnia Serb leader Dodik threatens to declare indepdendence
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BELGRADE, April 14 (Reuters) - Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik on Friday told his ally Serbia he was seriously considering declaring the autonomous Serb Republic independent from the rest of Bosnia unless a row over a property law is resolved. Dodik's hardline Serb nationalism and pro-Russian stance have raised concern that Bosnia might fracture again along ethnic lines, a generation after its devastating war. According to constitution, the national parliament must adopt a property law that would be valid across Bosnia, but Dodik, who is president of the Serb Republic, says that deprives the Serb region in Bosnia of the right to its land, rivers and forests. During his 25 years in power either as the region's president or premier, Dodik has acted to strengthen the autonomy of the Serb region. Last month, Dodik ordered that Serb officials should halt all contacts and communication with US and UK ambassadors in Bosnia, after they had criticised his inflammatory rhetoric.

Mehta pressed him, for example, on if being dominant in search means that Google's search engine will improve faster than its competitors. In particular, he said, Google should not have made agreements with Apple that requires that Google be the default search engine. Google argued in court filings that the payments at issue are legal revenue-sharing deals and not illegal efforts to exclude rivals. Since this lawsuit was filed, Google has been hit with other antitrust complaints. The Justice Department filed a second lawsuit in January accusing the company of abusing its dominance of the digital advertising business.

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