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☆ Sri Lanka travel visa costs doubled to $100 last month. The reason for the hike is disputed
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Erica Lamberg | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The cost to obtain a short-term visa to visit Sri Lanka rose from $50 to $100 in April. In response, VFS Global said, "Visa categories were introduced as per the directives of [Sri Lanka's] Department of Immigration and Emigration (DI&E)." Both parties agreed that 30-day travel visas priced at $50 had been reinstated as of May 7. But VFS Global's fees angered many in Sri Lanka's travel industry and led to allegations of corruption by Sri Lankan opposition leaders. "The government of Sri Lanka won't be charging, but the platform … will," he said.

Persons: Harin Fernando, VFS, scammers, Fernando, — Organizations: VFS, Sri, Harin, CNBC, of Immigration, E, Sri Lanka's Ministry of Public Security, VFS Global Locations: Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka's, Sri Lankan, India, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand

☆ Eta Aquariid meteor shower: How and when to watch
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —May kicks off with the Eta Aquariid meteor shower, and experts are anticipating a better show than in recent years, according to the American Meteor Society. The Eta Aquariid shower is often considered the best meteor shower of the year for the Southern Hemisphere, where sky-watchers could see between 20 and 40 meteors each hour, or perhaps even more, according to EarthSky. The source of the Eta Aquariid meteor shower is Halley’s comet. It happens again in October, resulting in the Orionid meteor shower. The American Meteor Society is inviting spectators to share their observations of the shower, which will help astronomers determine whether there were more meteors than expected.

Persons: CNN —, EarthSky, Capricornids, Buck Organizations: CNN, American Meteor Society, Southern, Hemisphere, NASA, ” Astronomers, Eta, Meteor, Taurids, Farmers Locations: South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, North America

☆ New mission could reveal secrets of the moon’s ‘hidden side’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In one lunar region, Japan’s “Moon Sniper” mission has beaten the odds and survived three long, frigid lunar nights since its sideways landing on January 19. The Tianwen-2 mission will visit the space rock later this decade. But first, China has set its sights on returning to the moon’s “hidden side.”An illustration depicts the far side of the moon, with Earth behind it. Since the Chang’e 4 mission in 2019, China remains the only country to have landed on the moon’s far side, sometimes called the “dark side” of the moon. Scientists hope that returning samples from the far side could solve some of the biggest remaining lunar mysteries, including the moon’s true origin.

Persons: Graziano Ranocchia, Ranocchia, Plato, Emma Pomeroy, “ She’s, ”, Pomeroy, Armas Rakus, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, Kevin Bacon, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Engineers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA, Apollo, Platonic Academy of Athens, University of Pisa, Netflix, University of Cambridge, Norton Disney, Archaeology Group, Roman, International Space, CNN Space, Science Locations: China, Kurdistan, Gunung Leuser, South Aceh, Indonesia, Morocco

☆ Lyrid meteor shower peaks this week right before the pink full moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The total solar eclipse has come and gone, but sky-gazers have reason to keep looking up — a meteor shower will peak this week right before a full moon rises. The Lyrid meteor shower will be most active Sunday night through the early morning hours of Monday, according to the American Meteor Society. And April’s full moon, also known as the pink moon, reaches the crest of its full phase at 7:49 p.m. The pink moon actually got its moniker due to its annual appearance not long after the start of spring, much like its namesake, a hot pink wildflower called Phlox subulata that blooms in early springtime, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Instead, an annular solar eclipse creates a “ring of fire” in the sky as the sun’s light surrounds the moon.

Persons: Ashley King, don’t, “, ” King, Paul Hayne, Hayne, It’s, ” Hayne, Lorenzo Di Cola, Alpha Capricornids, Perseids, Draconids, Orionids, Leonids, Geminids, Ursids Organizations: CNN, American Meteor Society, Northern, NASA, University of Colorado, Orvieto Cathedral, •, Alpha Locations: Southern, University of Colorado Boulder, Orvieto, Umbria, Italy, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, North America

☆ You can now place DoorDash and Uber Eats orders through a call with an AI voice bot
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some restaurants are connecting callers to an AI voice service to place DoorDash and Uber Eats orders. Many people now place delivery orders online, but Kea's founder says restaurants sometimes struggle to handle phone orders. AdvertisementA new voice AI service means diners can place delivery orders with services like DoorDash and Uber Eats via phone call. The AI guides them through the transactions, including suggesting add-ons and recommending items they got in previous orders, Ahmad said. The delivery platforms that Kea can refer orders to are DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, Grubhub, and Favor, Ahmad said.

Persons: DoorDash, Uber, Kea, —, Adam Ahmad, Ahmad, Siri, –, who'll, Olo, They'd, We're, NDAs — Organizations: Voice, Service, California Fish Locations: Kea, California

☆ Here’s how to see the upcoming worm moon lunar eclipse
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A glowing worm moon will light up the sky on Monday with a celestial performance in store for people venturing out in the early morning hours — a penumbral lunar eclipse. The moon looks slightly darker during a 2023 penumbral lunar eclipse in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. It’s not going to be a super dramatic change in what we see in the moon,” Schmoll said. The penumbral eclipse comes about two weeks before a total solar eclipse that will cross Mexico, the United States and Canada on April 8. While a penumbral eclipse is not as dramatic as a total lunar eclipse with the moon appearing an eerie red, there is no special equipment required to view a lunar eclipse such as the viewing glasses needed for a solar eclipse, Schmoll said, allowing for lunar eclipses to be viewed with the naked eye.

Persons: Mahyuddin, Dr, Shannon Schmoll, “ It’ll, It’s, ” Schmoll, you’re, Schmoll, • Lyrids, Alpha Capricornids, Perseids, Draconids, Orionids, Leonids, Geminids, Ursids Organizations: CNN, Farmers, Getty, Michigan State University, NASA, American Meteor Society, Alpha Locations: Banda Aceh, Indonesia, AFP, Europe, North, East Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, South America, Mexico, United States, Canada, Asia

☆ Google wants to make Android users super-texters with new AI features
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Camilo Fonseca | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google Messages will now have access to the company's Gemini chatbot and custom "photomojis." The standout announcement is that Gemini, Google's own AI chatbot, will be available in the Google Messages app. The Gemini chatbot was formerly known as Bard, before Google rebranded its AI portfolio earlier this year. AdvertisementGoogle Messages users now have access to a beta version of the Gemini chatbot. Android's "photomoji" allows Google Messages users to crop emojis out of their camera roll.

Persons: —, chatbot, Bard, Tim Cook, We've Organizations: Google, Service, Mobile, Congress, Android, Apple Locations: Barcelona, Canada

☆ February full moon peaks this weekend
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —February’s full moon, known as the snow moon, is set to peak on Saturday, shining bright around the world in the night sky. It’ll just be a little bit smaller than your average full moon that you look up at.”The full moon phase occurs when the moon, Earth and the sun are in alignment, in that order. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun’s face. A total solar eclipse won’t be visible across the contiguous United States again until August 2044. A lunar eclipse, which causes the moon to look dark or dimmed, occurs when the sun, Earth and moon align so that the moon passes into Earth’s shadow.

Persons: CNN —, “ It’s, ”, Rachel Klima, “, ” Klima, Klima, “ We’re, Buck, Lyrids, Capricornids Organizations: CNN, Farmers, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics, American Meteor Society, Taurids Locations: United States, Laurel , Maryland, Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe, North, East Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, Earth’s, Asia

☆ Sweeping AT&T outage leads customers across the US to wake up without cellphone service
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AT&T is experiencing a cell service outage in the US. Advertisement"Some of our customers are experiencing wireless service interruptions this morning," AT&T said in a statement to BI. Reports of service issues spiked on the outage-reporting website DownDetector around 8 a.m. Frustrated AT&T customers took to social media to complain to the company — or share memes about the outage. ^NiaM — AT&T (@ATT) February 22, 2024Some government services have also been impacted by the outage.

Persons: —, Lauren Schulz, Schulz Organizations: Service, Verizon, Mobile, Twitter, New York Police, CNN, NYPD Locations: San Francisco

☆ Marie-Louise Eta makes history by becoming first woman to take charge of a men’s team in Bundesliga game
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Marie-Louise Eta made history on Sunday after becoming the first woman to take charge of a men’s team in a Bundesliga fixture. The 32-year-old was named Union Berlin’s assistant coach earlier in the season but filled in for usual head coach Nenad Bjelica, who is currently serving a three-game ban. Eta’s first match in charge ended with a 1-0 victory against Darmstadt, with Benedict Hollerbach’s first-half strike the difference between the two sides. According to Bundesliga.com, Eta retired at just 26 before stepping into coaching – she took charge of Germany’s youth teams before joining Union Berlin in 2023. Bjelica will be missing for Union Berlin’s next two matches against RB Leipzig and Mainz.

Persons: CNN — Marie, Louise Eta, Nenad Bjelica, Eta’s, Benedict Hollerbach’s, “ We’re, Eta, –, ”, Bjelica, Bayern’s Leroy Sané, “, ” Bjelica Organizations: CNN, Union, Darmstadt, UEFA Women’s, Turbine Potsdam, Union Berlin, Union Berlin’s, Bayern Munich, German Football Association, RB Leipzig Locations: Mainz

☆ January’s full ‘wolf moon’ will brighten the night sky
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The first full moon of the new year, known as the wolf moon, will shine in the night sky Thursday. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, completely blocking the golden orb’s face. Those within the path of totality, or locations where the moon’s shadow will completely cover the sun, will see a total solar eclipse. Instead, annular solar eclipses create a “ring of fire” in the sky as the sun’s fiery light surrounds the moon’s shadow. A lunar eclipse, which causes the moon to look dark or dimmed, occurs when the sun, Earth and moon align so that the moon passes into Earth’s shadow.

Persons: Buck, Lyrids, Capricornids Organizations: CNN, NASA, Lakota, American Meteor Society, Taurids Locations: Mexico, United States, Canada, South America, Europe, North, East Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, Earth’s, Asia

☆ Best travel destinations to visit in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-01 | by ( Cnn Travel Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +32 min

cdwheatley/iStockphoto/Getty Images Angola: Beyond the capital city of Luanda, pictured, Angola has some jaw-droppingly spectacular scenery and cultural treats. David ChiaFF/Alamy Stock Photo Mérida, Mexico: Yucatán state's capital city showcases a blend of Mayan and colonial heritage. Pavel Tochinsky/The Image Bank RF/Getty Images Morocco: This North African country is home to nine UNESCO sites, including the historic city of Meknes, pictured. Panama City is also the only world capital with a tropical rainforest within its city limits. And a historic city forever entwined with the famed Camino de Santiago.

Persons: you’d, Tengguo Wu, Gabriele Thielmann, Turkey's, Gary Ennis, Matevz, Bill Bachman, Christian Kober, Gonzalo Azumendi, David ChiaFF, Pavel Tochinsky, Terry Kelly, Raul Rodriguez, iStock, Anton Petrus, –, — Karla Cripps Turkey’s, — Barry Neild, Mana Kaasik, — Maureen O’Hare, — Maggie Hiufu Wong, Deb Snelson, Glen Arbor, Marnie Hunter, — Forrest Brown, — Forrest Brown Angola Cristo, Eric Lafforgue, it’s, King, Eric Carr, John’s, Saint John, New Brunswick —, —, Tuul, Bruno Morandi, — Julia Buckley, Groenewald, Alamy, — Lilit Marcus, Alexander the Great, Philip II of Macedon, — JB, Bogdan Lazar, — Tamara Hardingham, Gill, Hercules, Francesca, Lazarus, ”, David Casanova, Megan Sequeira Casanova, “, Kuka y Naranjo, medina, Gordon Sinclair, Yvette Cardozo, — FB, Pierce Ingram, Stefan Tomic, Fujairah, who’ve, Samarkand —, It’s Organizations: CNN, United, CNN Travel, Getty Images, Town, Getty, Northwest, Saint, New Brunswick Tourism, UNESCO, Heritage, Alamy, Parque Nacional Volcán Barú, Galicia, Tercera Orden, Parque, Bank, Wakulla Springs, Texas, United Arab Emirates, AP, Rock, of Culture, Estonian National Museum, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest Michigan, Bear, Farm, Riders, Lubango, — BN Saint John, Canada Tourists, St, Saint John City Market, Historic, Saint John Arts Centre, Carnegie, Carnegie Library, — KC, Korea, Folk, Netflix, South Korea, Adriatic, Nacional Glaciares, Australian Sea Lions, Panama, Spain Santiago de, Spain Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Islas, Camino, Mexico People, YouTube, US State Department, Morocco, Regis Hotels, Resorts, — FB Texas, Travel Texas, Krause, Gruene, Fujairah, Icefjord, FS, Tuul, ” Locations: United States, Sumba, Indonesia Sumba, Indonesia, Bali, Getty Images Tartu, Estonia, Tartu —, European, Tainan, Taiwan, Northwest Michigan, Traverse City, Lake Michigan, iStockphoto, Western Balkans, Culebra , Puerto Rico, Flamenco, Culebra, cdwheatley, Angola, Luanda, , New Brunswick, Fundy, New Brunswick, New Brunswick Tourism South Korea, Korea Albania, Albania, Chile, mauritius, Western Australia, Greece, Macedonia, American, Panama, Spain, Camino, Santiago, St, John's, Mexico, Parque Hidalgo, Morocco, Meknes, Florida, Spicewood, Anton, Greenland, Denmark, AP Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Indonesian, Sumela, Turkey's, — Barry Neild Tartu, Estonia Tartu, of Culture Tartu, Tartu, “, Baltics, — Maureen O’Hare Tainan, Taiwan Tainan, Taipei, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest, Lake, Traverse, Leland, Glen, perusing, Balkans, Slovenia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, transdinarica.com, —, Puerto Rico, It’s, — Forrest Brown Angola, Lubango, Barra, Cabo Ledo, — BN Saint John , New Brunswick, Canada, Hopewell, Newfoundland, Saint, Canada’s, Korea Andong, South Korea, Sanga, Korea, Seoul, Busan, Andong, Albania Albania, Berat, Montenegro, Vlorë, Gjirokastër, — Julia Buckley Chile, Atacama, Patagonia, Coral Coast, Geraldton, — Lilit Marcus Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece's, Hemis, Athens, Vergina, Veria, Naousa, Greece’s, Thrace, Philippi, Kavala, Panama . Panama City, Gill Galicia, Spain Santiago, Spain Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Galicia’s, Santiago de Compostela, Cabo, Fisterra, Galicia —, Singapore, John’s, Paseo, Montejo, Mérida, Yucatán, getaways, there’s, Marrakech, Rabat, Fes, Resorts Morocco, Wakulla, Ginnie, Fredericksburg, Texas, Marble Falls, Meanderers, New Braunfels, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Wadi, Nuuk, Ilulissat, West, FS Uzbekistan, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, China, India, Khiva, Uzbek, Sentob, Tashkent

☆ Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Japan’s pitching sensation is set to become MLB’s next star
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Watch out baseball fans; Japan’s next big star looks to be on the move. Pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to make a high-profile switch to Major League Baseball (MLB) during the offseason, after he was posted as a free agent by Japan’s Orix Buffaloes on Monday. The 25-year-old is expected to attract the attention of the league’s biggest franchises and could receive a highly-lucrative contract worth around $200m, per Reuters. Yamamoto has certainly impressed during the early part of his career, being awarded the Eiji Sawamura Award – given to the top starting pitcher in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) – on three occasions. Yamamoto is set to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui and current star Shohei Ohtani who have made the switch from Japan to the MLB.

Persons: Japan’s, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Yamamoto, Eiji Sawamura, –, Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, Shohei Ohtani Organizations: CNN, Major League Baseball, Japan’s Orix Buffaloes, Reuters, Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, Triple Crown –, NPB’s Pacific League, Tokyo, The Athletic, New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, LA Dodgers, MLB Locations: Japan

☆ Your Ambulance Is on the Way. ETA: 65 Minutes.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Shannon Najmabadi | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

At least 4.5 million people nationwide live in an ambulance desert, where they are farther than a 25-minute drive from an ambulance station. Photo: Shannon Najmabadi/The Wall Street JournalMERRIMAN, Neb.—Call 911 in this northwest Nebraska town, and the ambulance responding will likely be coming from South Dakota. If that crew isn’t available, the ambulance might drive from Valentine, Neb., 60 miles and a different time zone away. Or from Gordon, where the all-volunteer staff includes employees of a grocery store, bank, veterinary office and farmer’s co-op.

Persons: Shannon Najmabadi, Street Journal MERRIMAN, Neb, Valentine, farmer’s Organizations: Street Journal Locations: Nebraska, South Dakota, Gordon

Two and a half weeks after sending tanks and ground troops into northern Gaza, Israeli forces entered a hospital early Wednesday that they claim Hamas operates out of. The Israeli army claims the militant group uses hospitals as cover for its fighters, and has set up its main command center in and beneath Shifa Hospital, the largest in the besieged territory. Both Hamas and Shifa Hospital staff deny the Israeli allegations. Both Hamas and Shifa Hospital staff deny the Israeli allegations. ISRAEL SAYS IT'S CARRYING OUT A ‘PRECISE AND TARGETED OPERATION’ INSIDE GAZA'S SHIFA HOSPITALJERUSALEM — The Israeli military says its forces have entered Gaza’s Shifa hospital, the site of a lengthy standoff.

Persons: Mohammed Zaqout, — Israel, ‘, ’, Ahmed Mhanna, ”, Jabaliya, Mhanna, NETANYAHU, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, “, Fahrettin Koca, Koca, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Martin Griffiths, Meirav Eilon Shahar, “ Israel, ” Philippe Lazzarini, CAIRO —, Munir al, Boursh, ” Israel, Hamas ”, Paltel, Israel, ” Griffiths, Shifa, that’s, Jonas Gahr Støre, Espen Barth Eide, ” Barth Eide, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, ” Erdogan, Israel —, Daniel Hagari, Hamas’s, ” Hagari, KHAN YOUNIS, Mohammad al, Abdallah, National Security Itamar Ben, Gvir, Nasser, Khan Younis, Catherine Russell, Russell, ” Russell, ISRAEL Organizations: Hamas, Shifa, Shifa Hospital, Health Ministry, . Security, ASEAN, AS, Awda Hospital, Awda, PEACEMAKING GROUP GENEVA, Centre, Associated Press, Iran's, Iranian, ” UN, UNRWA, United Nations, OFFICIAL, International Committee, COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, UN OFFICIAL, Health Organization, ” FIRST, NTB, ISRAEL, TEL, Israeli Defense Forces, IDF, MINISTRY, Ministry of National Security, National Security, UNICEF, JERUSALEM Locations: Gaza, Israel, Shifa, Myanmar, Washington, israel, GAZA, CAIRO, Jabaliya, GAZA ZIKIM, Israeli, Gaza City, TURKEY ANKARA, Turkey, Egypt, Rafah, Geneva, Basque, Spain, Iranian, Iran, Palestine, ”, Territories, United States, JERUSALEM, Palestinian, GENEVA, what’s, GAZA COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Norwegian, Norway, ISRAEL ANKARA, Turkish, TEL AVIV, West Bank, Ben, Khan, SHIFA

☆ Orionid meteor shower: Keep an eye out for meteors in the sky this weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —If you are looking for a spectacular show this weekend, look up to find the Orionid meteor shower shining bright through Saturday and Sunday night. This weekend, the moon will be in its first quarter phase and will set near midnight, according to the American Meteor Society. If possible, it is ideal to get away from light pollution and find a spot with a clear view of the dark sky, King said. In early May, Earth passes through a different section of Halley’s orbit trail, resulting in the meteor shower known as the Eta Aquariids. From 2006 to 2009, the Orionids saw anywhere between 50 to 75 meteors per hour, according to the American Meteor Society.

Persons: Ashley King, King, “, ”, Comet Halley, ” King, Leonids, Geminids, Ursids Organizations: CNN, American Meteor Society, NASA, Farmers Locations: —, London, North, Central, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South Africa, Earth’s

☆ How to watch the Orionid meteor shower — without the moon in the sky, you can catch the perfect view
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Maiya Focht | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Orionid meteor shower will peak early Saturday morning, raining down 10-20 meteors per hour. The moon sets before midnight on Friday, leaving a dark sky perfect for spotting shooting stars. AdvertisementAdvertisementIf you stay up late, are patient, and can handle putting your phone away for a while, you just might catch a view of the Orionid meteor shower this weekend. AdvertisementAdvertisementFind some dark skies for the best showHeadlands International Dark Sky Park, shown here, is an IDA certified spot in Michigan. "Look for prolonged explosions of light when viewing the Orionid meteor shower," per NASA.

Persons: —, you'll, Diana Robinson Organizations: Service, Northern, IDA, NASA, Orion, Planetary Society, NSSDC's Locations: Southern, Michigan

☆ LinkedIn employees discovered a mysterious list of around 500 names over the weekend. On Monday, workers said those on the list were laid off.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Grace Kay | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some workers at LinkedIn found their names on an internal list a day before they were laid off. Two workers told Insider the list caused a stir as workers tried to figure out if they were on it. AdvertisementAdvertisementSome LinkedIn workers worried they were about to be laid off after a mysterious internal list of about 500 employees was discovered to be accessible by anyone at the company. Hours later, workers who had seen their name on the list had their worst fears confirmed — they were laid off, two LinkedIn workers told Insider. "I was getting texts from everybody, all my friends," one of the LinkedIn workers told Insider.

Persons: —, We've, jmann@insider.com Organizations: LinkedIn, Service, ETA, Staff

☆ Spain's Acting PM Sanchez Meets Catalan, Basque Separatists in Bid for New Term
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's Pedro Sanchez met with Catalan pro-independence party Junts and became the first Spanish prime minister to hold official talks with Basque separatist party EH Bildu on Friday, as the caretaker leader seeks to form a new government. Sanchez's Socialists need support from Catalan and Basque separatist groups to win an investiture vote before Nov. 27 or face a fresh election next year after an inconclusive vote in July. "We're still far from a historic compromise," Junts parliamentary spokesperson Miriam Nogueras said about a potential agreement, after meeting Sanchez. Bildu helped Sanchez form a government in 2020 by abstaining in the investiture vote and has already pledged unconditional support as he seeks a new four-year term in office. "Today's photo of Pedro Sanchez with Bildu ... is undoubtedly a picture of humiliation," said Cuca Gamarra, parliamentary spokesperson for the opposition People's Party.

Persons: Spain's Pedro Sanchez, Junts, EH, Miriam Nogueras, Sanchez, Nogueras, Esquerra, Mertxe Aizpurua, Gorka Elejabarrieta, Bildu, Pedro Sanchez, Cuca Gamarra, Joan Faus, Belen Carreño, Charlie Devereux, Andrei Khalip, Alexander Smith Organizations: Catalan, Basque, Sanchez's Socialists, ETA, Bildu, People's Party Locations: MADRID, Spanish, Catalan, Basque, Catalonia, Spain

☆ UNICEF says weather-related disasters have displaced millions of children
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Jose Cabezas Acquire Licensing RightsGENEVA, Oct 6 (Reuters) - UNICEF on Friday said floods, storms, and other weather-related disasters have driven millions of children from their homes, with the situation set to deteriorate if action is not taken. UNICEF recorded the most weather-related child displacements in the East Asia and Pacific region due to the combination of hazards there, followed by South Asia. Extreme weather events have become more common in recent years due to climate change. Floods and storms accounted for 95% of the child displacements, said UNICEF, during the six-year period, according to its report, "Children Displaced in a Changing Climate". The report projects that nearly 96 million children will be displaced due to river floods alone over the next three decades, an average of almost 3.2 million children every year.

Persons: Jose Cabezas, Catherine Russell, Verena Knaus, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Deborah Kyvrikosaios Organizations: Hurricanes Eta, Iota, REUTERS, Rights, UNICEF, Thomson Locations: Villanueva , Honduras, East Asia, Pacific, South Asia, China, Philippines

Madrid CNN —Spanish voters are heading to the ballot boxes in Sunday’s snap general election that could see a far-right party enter government for the first time in decades. Podemos also suffered in the May elections and has signed a deal to run under the new leftist Sumar alliance. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijóo shake hands before a TV debate. Feijóo under fireSanchez was widely seen to have lost the only televised debate with Feijóo early in the election campaign. The winner on Sunday needs 176 seats in the 350-seat Legislature for an absolute majority, but polls say that’s unlikely.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Podemos, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Andres Villena, Sanchez, Feijóo, haven’t, Alberto Nunez Feijóo, Pierre, Philippe Marcou, General Francisco Franco, Vox, ” Feijóo, “, ”, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero Organizations: Madrid CNN —, Popular Party, Vox, Socialist, PSOE, European Union, Madrid’s Complutense University, CNN, ETA, Franco, Socialists Locations: Madrid, Spain, Catalan, Basque, AFP

☆ In Spain’s Election, Left and Right Answer for the Company They Keep
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Jason Horowitz | More About Jason Horowitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In an interview on National Spanish Radio on Sunday, Mr. Sánchez said he would, if necessary, seek support from both independence parties again. “Of course,” Mr. Sánchez said. What I will never do is what the PP and Vox have done, which is to cut rights and freedoms, denying sexist violence. That Basque terrorist group disbanded more than a decade ago, and Spain’s judiciary has deemed Bildu a legitimate and democratic political group. But for many Spaniards it remains tainted by the bloody legacy of the past and concern for the country’s cohesion in the future.

Persons: Sánchez, ” Mr, “, ”, Mr, EH Organizations: National Spanish Radio, Vox, Mr, ETA Locations: Spain, Basque

☆ Santiago Abascal: Who is Spain's far-right leader and what does he stand for?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Aislinn Laing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/4] Spain's far-right Vox party leader Santiago Abascal gestures as he speaks during an opening campaign rally ahead of the July 23 snap election, in Puerto Almerimar, El Ejido, Spain July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File PhotoMADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - As could be expected of the head of a far-right party that puts nationalism at its core, Vox leader Santiago Abascal drapes himself in Spanish symbols, wearing designer shirts glorifying bullfighting or issuing Vox-branded hand fans to rally attendants. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsHowever, the frontrunning centre-right People's Party (PP), led by Alberto Nunez Feijoo, is unlikely to secure an outright majority, and may turn to Vox as a kingmaker. Abascal is the third generation of politicians in his family, his father and grandfather having also served in regional or local government. A sociology graduate from Spain's northern Basque Country, Abascal joined the PP at 18, was elected as a councillor at 23 and became a PP lawmaker in the Basque parliament.

Persons: Santiago Abascal, El, Jon Nazca, Abascal, Pedro Sanchez's, Vox, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Santi, Sanchez, Miguel Angel Murado, Ana Pedroza, Carlos Perez, Francisco Franco's, Giorgia Meloni, Viktor Orban, Italy's Meloni, Aislinn Laing, Catherine Macdonald, Andrei Khalip, Alex Richardson Organizations: Vox, REUTERS, Socialist, Reuters Graphics Reuters, People's Party, ETA, Italy's, Thomson Locations: Puerto Almerimar, El Ejido, Spain, MADRID, Spain's, Basque, Catalonia, Madrid, Hungary, Italy, Finland, Hungarian, Valencia

☆ Spain 2023 election: PM Sanchez and rival Feijoo in chaotic live TV debate
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Spanish People's Party candidate Alberto Nunez Feijoo and Spain's Prime Minister and Socialist candidate Pedro Sanchez talk before a televised debate ahead of snap election in Madrid, Spain, July 10, 2023. With just under two weeks to go until the vote, opinion polls predict Feijoo as the likely winner, although he would probably need the support of far-right party Vox. Sanchez highlighted that Spain is among only a few European countries that has tamed inflation to below the European Central Bank's 2% target by 2023. Feijoo himself was recently pilloried for saying a Vox electoral candidate convicted of gender violence had a "hard divorce". Feijoo told Sanchez: "Those men who raped in the street are in the street because of you - there are more than 1,000 of them."

Persons: Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Pedro Sanchez, Juan Medina MADRID, gesticulating, Maria Jose Canel, Sanchez, Feijoo, Vox, Feijoo's, EH, Jose Miguel Contreras, Madrid's King, Madrid's King Juan Carlos University, Belen Carreno, Corina Rodriguez, Aislinn Laing, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Spanish People's Party, Spain's, Socialist, REUTERS, People's Party, Madrid's Complutense University, Socialists, AS, Central, Vox, Madrid's, Madrid's King Juan, Atresmedia, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, Ukraine, Basque

It was Nov. 3, 2017, and the target was José Manuel Villarejo Pérez, a former government spy. He was rumored to have had powerful friends and to have kept dirt on them all. He was, after all, a spy — and not just any spy, but one who had started his career in the secret police of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. Villarejo was handcuffed and taken to Madrid. And what happens when that man finds himself suddenly backed into a corner?

Persons: Adrienne Hurst, Dan Farrell, Manuel Villarejo Pérez, —, Villarejo’s, Francisco Franco, Villarejo Organizations: Spotify, ETA Locations: Spain, Madrid, Spanish, Basque

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