Air strikes hit Khartoum ahead of seven-day ceasefire
By Khalid Abdelaziz and Mohamed Nureldin KHARTOUM (Reuters) -Sudan's army conducted air strikes in the capital Khartoum on Monday, residents
2023-05-23 03:55
Tim Scott set to announce launch of his 2024 GOP presidential campaign
As he launches his presidential campaign on Monday, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is officially wading into a GOP primary battle already largely dominated by two commanding figures: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Scott, the only Black Republican senator, will make his campaign announcement in his hometown of North Charleston after making it official last week with the Federal Election Commission. The late morning event is taking place at Charleston Southern University, Scott’s alma mater and a private school affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Then he'll spend Tuesday with donors in Charleston before a whirlwind, two-day campaign swing to Iowa and New Hampshire. Like others in the GOP race, including former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and “Woke, Inc.” author Vivek Ramaswamy, Scott will have to find a way to stand out in a field led by Trump and DeSantis, the latter of whom could announce his own bid as early as this week. But Scott's senior advisers note that political environments can shift over the course of a primary campaign, pointing to early in the 2016 race when Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush were seen as the top GOP candidates before Trump became the party's nominee. One way Scott, 57, hopes to make his mark is by leaning into more optimistic rhetoric than his conservative rivals. With his Christian faith an integral part of his political and personal story, Scott often quotes Scripture at his campaign events, weaving his reliance on spiritual guidance into his stump speech and even bestowing the name “Faith in America” on his pre-launch listening tour. In terms of Scott's political strength, his team points to his most recent Senate reelection in November, when Scott defeated his Democratic opponent by more than 20 percentage points. Such overwhelming support in a state that votes early in the GOP's presidential nominating calendar bodes well for Scott's electability on a larger scale, his advisers say. There's also the matter of money. He will enter the 2024 race with more cash on hand than any other presidential candidate in U.S. history. He had $22 million left in his campaign bank account at the end of his 2022 campaign and plans to immediately transfer that to his presidential coffers. It's enough money, his team says, to keep Scott on the air with continuous TV ads in early voting states until the first round of votes next year. On many issues, Scott aligns with mainstream GOP positions. He wants to reduce government spending and restrict abortion, saying he would sign a federal law to prohibit abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy if elected president. But Scott has pushed the party on some policing overhaul measures since the killing of George Floyd, and he has occasionally criticized Trump’s response to racial tensions. Throughout their disagreements, though, Scott has maintained a generally cordial relationship with Trump, saying in his book that the former president “listened intently” to his viewpoints on race-related issues. When he was appointed to the Senate by then-Gov. Nikki Haley in 2012, Scott became the first Black senator from the South since just after the Civil War. Winning a 2014 special election to serve out the remainder of his term made him the first Black candidate to win a statewide race in South Carolina since the Reconstruction era. He has long said his current term, which runs through 2029, would be his last. Scott rejects the notion that the country is inherently racist and has repudiated the teaching of critical race theory, an academic framework that presents the idea that the nation’s institutions maintain the dominance of white people. “Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country,” Scott has said. “It’s backwards to fight discrimination with different types of discrimination. And it’s wrong to try to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present.” If Scott is successful, he would be the first Black person to win the Republican presidential nomination and the second elected to the presidency, following Barack Obama in 2008. In a video announcing his exploratory committee earlier this year, Scott positioned himself as the antidote to the “radical left: a self-made success story as the son of a single mother who overcame poverty. He also bemoaned Democratic leaders as needlessly dividing the country by fostering a “culture of grievance.” Other Republicans are still deciding whether to wade into the presidential race, including former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. President Joe Biden is seeking reelection, a decision that has largely cleared the Democratic field. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Haley vs. Scott: From South Carolina allies to 2024 rivals Who is Tim Scott? 5 things to know about the newest 2024 GOP presidential candidate Trump slams DeSantis as he welcomes Tim Scott to presidential race
2023-05-23 03:50
11 Iconic Perfumes of the 1980s
There was nothing understated about the ’80s—and that included the most popular perfumes of the decade.
2023-05-23 03:26
This viral AI image of an 'explosion' near the Pentagon never happened
The dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) spreading harmful misinformation were made clear once again on Monday, when local fire service officials were forced to confirm there had not been an ‘explosion’ at the Pentagon in Virginia – despite an AI-generated image appearing to suggest there had been. The main image, shared by several fake accounts with blue tick ‘verification’, depicts black smoke billowing close to the Pentagon building, with another showing a distant photo of smoke next to the US defence department headquarters. Stating that the reports are unfounded, the Arlington Fire and Emergency Medical Services Twitter account wrote: “[The Pentagon Force Protection Agency] and the ACFD [Arlington County Fire Department] are aware of a social media report circulating online about an explosion near the Pentagon. “There is NO explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation, and there is no immediate danger or hazards to the public.” Fortunately, while paid-for blue tick accounts have been promised greater promotion on Twitter, a search for ‘Pentagon’ on the social media network brings up a string of tweets from ‘unverified’ accounts debunking the AI image: Stocks reportedly tanked following the fake image, and it isn’t the first time that’s happened, either. The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly saw a sudden drop last year when an imposter tweeted “insulin is free”. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter And if tricksters aren’t targeting the Pentagon with AI-generated imagery, then they’re using the software to create pictures of the Pope in a puffer jacket and former US President Donald Trump being arrested. In fact, it was only last month that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York representative, warned of “major potential harm” at the hands of fake AI images. “Jokes aside, this is setting the stage for major potential harm when a natural disaster hits and no one knows what agencies, reporters, or outlets are real. “Not long ago we had major flash floods. We had to mobilize trusted info fast to save lives. Today just made that harder,” she said. It seems we’re there already… Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-05-23 03:18
Buy the dip? If the debt ceiling isn't resolved soon, markets will likely slide
If the United States defaults on its debt, it would be catastrophic for the economy. Millions of jobs would be impacted, the cost of borrowing money would skyrocket and government benefits many people rely wouldn't be sent on time.
2023-05-23 03:15
Nebraska governor signs bill that bans most abortions at 12 weeks, gender-affirming care for those under 19
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, signed a bill into law on Monday that bans most abortions after 12 weeks with exceptions for sexual assault, incest and medical emergencies.
2023-05-23 02:20
Idaho murder suspect 'stands silent' at plea hearing
A judge entered a not guilty plea for Bryan Kohberger, accused of fatally stabbing four students.
2023-05-23 02:19
In Cannes, standing ovations stretch on and on — but they're designed to
The Cannes Film Festival is on, which means stopwatches are out
2023-05-23 01:57
3 biggest free agent mistakes in Cleveland Cavaliers history
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made some mistakes in free agency that have been very costly for the franchise. Here are the biggest three.The Cleveland Cavaliers have not always had the best track record in free agency. They are a small market team which has often forced them to overpay for player...
2023-05-23 01:56
ECB's de Cos still sees 'some way to go' on policy tightening
MADRID The European Central Bank still needs to raise its interest rates further and then leave them in
2023-05-23 01:55
Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger's embarrassment is greatest proof yet Kenny Pickett is here to stay
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett gained thousands of fans worldwide when he was drafted last year. Ben Roethlisberger wasn't one of them.Big Ben Roethlisberger's battle with NFL irrelevance is perhaps the most entertaining offensive display we've seen from the Steeler...
2023-05-23 01:50
Championing famous and forgotten Asian Americans, this artist uses cookies as her canvas
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, but artist and baker Jasmine Cho brings attention to AAPIs every month
2023-05-23 01:30