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☆ Chinese Magnate in Straw Donor Scheme Agrees to Leave U.S. in Plea Deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Karen Zraick | Bianca Pallaro | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Chinese entertainment magnate who pleaded guilty to making more than $10,000 in illegal political campaign donations to three candidates, agreed in federal court on Thursday to give up his green card and leave the United States. Hui Qin, 55, had been in jail in Brooklyn since his arrest in October. One of the candidates was Mayor Eric Adams, according to two people familiar with the case, though none of the campaigns knew the donations were illegal, prosecutors said. In March, Mr. Qin pleaded guilty to charges of making campaign contributions in the names of others, immigration fraud and producing false identification. His company collapsed, he was the target of lawsuits and his wife, Emma Liu, left him, Mr. Mazurek said.

Persons: Hui Qin, Eric Adams, Qin, Henry Mazurek, Joan M, ”, Emma Liu, Mazurek Organizations: Mr Locations: United States, Brooklyn, Long, China

☆ Leader of Northern Ireland’s main pro-union party resigns after police charges
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Northern Ireland’s main pro-union party, is stepping down after he was charged with “allegations of an historical nature,” the DUP announced on Friday. “Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland arrested and charged a 61-year-old man for non-recent sexual offences,” the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statement said. Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill said Friday her “priority” was to “continue to provide the leadership the public expect and deserve” following Donaldson’s resignation. Under his leadership, the DUP refused to participate in Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government in protest over post-Brexit trading rules. The DUP announced on Friday it had unanimously appointed Gavin Robinson as interim party leader.

Persons: Jeffrey Donaldson, Mr Donaldson, “, Donaldson, Michelle O’Neill, ”, O’Neill, Sinn Fein, Emma Little, ” Donaldson, Gavin Robinson Organizations: CNN, Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, Northern Ireland’s, Party, Party Officers, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Police Service of Northern, Facebook, Northern Irish, United, Ulster Unionist Party Locations: Northern, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Newry, Ireland, Northern Ireland

☆ First direct evidence of prehistoric facial piercing in southwest Asia found in Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Archaeologists in Turkey have discovered groundbreaking evidence connecting prehistoric facial piercings to the bodies of the people who wore them. People of all ages were buried at Boncuklu Tarla, but the newly described ornaments were found only near the remains of adults. Shown here is one of the skulls from Boncuklu Tarla as it was found in the grave, with artifacts nearby. Emma L. Baysal‘Unbelievable’ quantityHunter-gatherers occupied Boncuklu Tarla from around 10,300 BC to 7100 BC, as people began to shift away from a nomadic lifestyle and form settlements. Archaeologists at Boncuklu Tarla in southeastern Turkey unearthed artifacts that were used as body piercings.

Persons: ”, Dusan Boric, Boric, Emma L, ” Baysal, “, Baysal, labrets, ” Dusan, “ It’s, Dusan, You’re, ’ ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN — Archaeologists, Sapienza Università, Roma, Tarla, Ankara University, CNN, Scientific Locations: Turkey, Asia, Boncuklu, Italy, Amazonia, Africa

☆ A 4,000-year-old lipstick uncovered in Iran may be the oldest ever found. It's uncannily similar to modern ones.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewA small stone tube found among the remains of a mysterious Bronze Age culture could be the oldest known example of lipstick. That could make it the earliest example of lip paint ever found. AdvertisementA colorised picture shows the mineral composition of the paste found inside the tube, which scientists say is similar to modrn-day lipstick. AdvertisementFor Baysal, it makes sense that red paste is similar to modern-day cosmetics that would have been found millenia in the past. She said, however, that more research will be needed before we can confidently call the stone tube a lip paint container.

Persons: —, Massimo Vidale, Vidale, Emma Louise Baysal, wasn't, Jiroft Organizations: Service, Business, University of Padua, al, Ankara University Locations: Iran's Jiroft, Italy, Egypt

☆ Yes, cruise jails are a thing. Here's what could land you in one.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Business Insider reached out to Rowley and Carnival Cruise Line for comment. Cruise ship workers told BBC Three in 2022 that while most passengers are considerate, "about 5% can be a nightmare." "It isn't the intention of the cruise line to keep guests here for any great period of time." A former cruise ship security officer told Le Teace that assault or murder are reasons for a passenger being locked in the brig. Carnival Cruise Line and the Cruise Line International Association did not return BI's requests for comment.

Persons: —, it's, Theresa Rowley, Rowley, she'd, there's, Emma Le Teace, Emma Cruises, you'll, Le Teace Organizations: Service, Business, Carnival Cruise, BBC, FBI, US Department of Transportation, Cruise, Cruise Line International Locations: Rowley, Miami

☆ The prospect of a united Ireland emerges as a republican leader takes office in Belfast
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - FEBRUARY 3: First Minister Michelle O'Neill speaks during proceedings of the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont on February 3, 2024 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. LONDON — A referendum on Irish reunification could be in the cards within a decade, according to Northern Ireland's first-ever nationalist first minister, who took office at the weekend. Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill was appointed as first minister on Saturday, the first Irish nationalist to hold the office since Northern Ireland was founded as a Protestant-majority state in 1921. The island to the west of England is divided in two; Northern Ireland is part of the U.K., whereas its neighbor, the Republic of Ireland, is an independent nation and a member of the European Union. The deal that secured their return includes a contribution of more than £3 billion ($3.8 billion) from the British government for Northern Ireland's public services.

Persons: Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, Democratic Unionist Party's Emma Little, Pengelly, Sinn Fein Organizations: Northern Ireland Assembly, Stormont, Northern Ireland's, Irish, Democratic Unionist, DUP, European Union, Northern Locations: BELFAST, IRELAND, Belfast , Northern Ireland, Northern, Northern Ireland, England, Republic of Ireland, Republic

☆ N. Ireland Has 'Brighter Future' With Power Sharing Return, Sunak Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Amanda FergusonBELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Ireland faces a "brighter future" with the restoration of devolved government after two years of deadlock, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on a visit to Belfast on Sunday. Sunak's government brokered a deal with the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to allow the return of power sharing by easing post-Brexit trade frictions. "In the last few days we've made significant progress towards a brighter future for people here," Sunak told broadcasters. O'Neill told Sky News on Sunday that it was a "decade of opportunity" for Northern Ireland. Under the power-sharing agreement, the post of deputy has equal power but less symbolic weight than the First Minister.

Persons: Amanda Ferguson BELFAST, Rishi Sunak, Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, we've, Sunak, Sinn Fein, O'Neill, Emma Little, Paul Sandle, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Britain's, Sunday, Irish, British Democratic Unionist Party, Irish Republican Army, IRA, Sky News, Belfast Good, First Locations: Northern Ireland, Belfast, British, Ireland

☆ Historic day in Northern Ireland as Michelle O’Neill becomes first nationalist leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Amy Cassidy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —In a historic moment, a nationalist politician has become First Minister of Northern Ireland as power-sharing resumed after a two-year break. But the symbolism of a Sinn Féin representative becoming first minister is still obvious and in Northern Ireland symbols matter a lot – perhaps too much. “The whole point of creating Northern Ireland a century ago was that it would always have a Protestant majority committed to staying within the United Kingdom. “It doesn’t mean that a United Ireland is an immediate prospect but it does mean that the whole future of Northern Ireland is very much an open question. The task now is to make that openness promising and full of opportunity rather than threatening and full of fear.”The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland.

Persons: Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin, ”, “, ” O’Neill, Emma Little, –, “ Michelle, Protestants –, ’, Fintan O’Toole, Michelle O’Neill’s Organizations: CNN, Irish Republican Army, IRA, Unionist, Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, Northern Ireland Assembly, Irish Republican, Protestants, Northern, Westminster Locations: Northern Ireland, Ireland, Irish, United Kingdom, United Ireland, London

☆ Northern Ireland appoints Irish nationalist as First Minister in historic shift
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - FEBRUARY 3: Michelle O'Neill makes her way to the Assembly chamber before being nominated as First Minister at Stormont on February 3, 2024 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill becomes the new Northern Ireland First Minister. This appointment marks the first time a nationalist has held the post of First Minister. Britain's minister for the region, Chris Heaton-Harris, said the restoration of government represented a "great day for Northern Ireland". As the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Sinn Fein was long shunned by the political establishment on both sides of the border.

Persons: Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, Charles McQuillan, Michelle O'Neill's, Sinn Fein's, O'Neill, Chris Heaton, Harris, Sinn Fein, Emma Little Organizations: Stormont, Northern Ireland First, DUP, Sinn Fein, Democratic Unionist Party, Irish Republican Army, IRA Locations: BELFAST, IRELAND, Belfast , Northern Ireland, British, Ireland, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Irish Republic

☆ Pollution Is Driving Black Americans to the South. It May Not Be Any Better. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Adam Mahoney | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The air pollution in Emma Lockridge’s community in Detroit was often so bad, she had to wear a surgical mask inside her house. The smokestacks of nearby refineries and factories filled the sky outside her windows with black particles. In 2021 she fled Detroit for Memphis (which she soon found had pollution issues of its own), joining the million-plus Black Americans who have migrated to the South in the past three decades. This phenomenon has been called reverse migration because many Black people are returning to a region their forebears left from the 1910s to the 1970s. Between 2015 and 2020, the top six destination states for Black interstate migrants were in the South, with Georgia, Texas and Florida leading the way.

Persons: Emma Organizations: Black Locations: Emma Lockridge’s, Detroit, Memphis, Georgia , Texas, Florida

☆ Icon of the Seas: Why Americans Are Obsessed With Big Cruise Ships
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Henry Wismayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Love them or loathe them, giant cruise ships are among the most remarkable success stories of the mass tourism age. Rechristened the Mardi Gras, the first Carnival cruise ship sailed out of Miami that March. Cruise ships like the Icon of the Seas will spend the majority of their trip at sea. Eight years later, cruise ships such as the Diamond Princess became early incubators for COVID-19. Cruise Market Watch forecasts there will be 360 cruise ships in service at the end of this year, comprising less than 1% of the global commercial fleet.

Persons: Ted Arison, Arison, Pieter De Boer, Costa, Diamond, Aaron Saunders, We've, Sue Bryant, Z, sass, Emma Le Teace, YouTuber, David Foster Wallace, Harper's, Sarah Knorr, Bryan Comer, Karla Hart, Hart, Saunders, it's, Henry Wismayer Organizations: Port, Passengers, Mardi Gras, Mardi, Gras, Cruise, Royal Caribbean, Costa Concordia, Cruise Lines International Association, Broadway, CivicScience, Royal, Virgin, Business, Transport & Environment, Getty, International Council, Global Cruise, Global Cruise Activist Network, Cruise Market, Royal Caribbean International, New York Times, National Geographic, Financial Times Locations: Port of Miami, Caribbean, Miami, The Port, Tuscany, Italy, Royal Caribbean, TikTok, Panama, Bahamas, Brussels, Netherlands, Douarnenez, Venice, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Amsterdam, Juneau , Alaska, Skagway , Alaska, CocoCay, London

☆ I made $29,500 in 11 months working 5 hours a week as a social-media manager. Here's how I got started on Upwork.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-02 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

I started a Pinterest account to promote my blog. I realized I could manage other people's Pinterest accountsIn 2021, I started an Upwork account offering this service to clients. I would also include a portfolio and case study of how I'd grown my Pinterest account and add it as an attachment. I get most of my social-media clients through agencies. My Etsy store is my biggest source of income, but I like to keep up my social-media work because I'm more comfortable having multiple income streams.

Persons: Emma Larocque, Pinterest, I've Organizations: Business, Pinterest

☆ Ruzwana Bashir Is Quietly Connecting the Tech World
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

Story by Melia RussellPhotography by Lelanie FosterRuzwana Bashir is ransacking her kitchen cabinet for just the right tea. Bashir wears an Erdem floral-printed bra top, Erdem skirt, Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, Old Jewelry earrings along with her own bracelet and ring. "Part of building a business was going out and sharing what you were doing with the world," Bashir says. For years Bashir's startup had been building muscle around these capabilities; now it had an eager audience. Eating at acclaimed restaurants is fine, but Bashir prefers the more-intimate affairs at tech executives' homes because, she says, "you can stay longer."

Persons: Melia Russell, Lelanie Foster Ruzwana Bashir, Peek, She's, she's, Andy Warhol, Picasso, Bashir, I'm, Andreessen Horowitz, Jack Dorsey, Eric Schmidt, Goldman Sachs, Giuseppe Zanotti, Lelanie Foster, Bashir isn't, Elon Musk, Ronan Farrow, Roelof Botha, Mustafa Suleyman, we've, Bennett Miller, Capote, " Miller, —, doesn't, didn't, Madeleine Albright, Tom Ford, Jared Cohen, Oskar Bruening, Forbes, Mark Zuckerberg, I've, Bashir wasn't, Travis Kalanick, Adam Neumann, Ty, Emily Weiss, Bashir refashioned, Donald Trump, Bruening, Laurence Tosi's, Miller, Beyoncé, shrugs, Anna Wintour, Anna, we're, Taylor Swift, Katie Haun, Marc Benioff, Reid Hoffman, Marissa Mayer, Dick Costolo —, Cohen, Katherine Maher, Maher, Daniel Kahneman, It's, Radel, Becky Akinyode, Elaine Winter, Tiffany Bloomfield, Dela, Chad Hilliard, Enmi, Kenny Aquiles Ulloa, Cyrenae, Madison Perez, Aidan Lapp, Bashira Webb, Bryan Erickson, Jinyoung Chang, Rodriguez, Rebecca Zisser, Claire Landsbaum, Emma LeGault, Joi, Marie McKenzie, Conner Blake, Kyle Desiderio, Victoria Gracie, Nicole Forero, Virginia Alves Organizations: Google, Museum of, Business, Elon, Vogue, Roelof, Oxford University, Oxford Union, Blackstone Group, Harvard Business School, Studios, Web, Young, Organization, Dela Revoluciøn, Enmi Yang Digital Tech Locations: Manhattan, SoHo, Bahamas, United States, Balthazar, England, Israel, Petra, Istanbul, Elle, Utah, COVID, Salt Lake City, Costa Rica, Atlanta, WestCap

☆ Opinion: Why I’m not going to have children
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Opinion Anna Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But each day, the current state of the world dissuades me more and more from having children. Like many folks in Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012), my main concern is climate change. As environmental catastrophes reach a caliber we cannot predict or conceive, having children is becoming less of a risk I’m willing to take. Coupled with the resources and opportunities that the US provides, my hypothetical children likely wouldn’t be among the worst-affected by climate change. Under today’s environmental and political climate, I find it is better to regret not having children than regret having them.

Persons: Anna Lee, I’d, ”, William ”, I’ll, I’ve, Z’ers, Jessica Combes, “, trepidation, Miley Cyrus, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Emma Lim, —, It’s, Z, Greta Thunberg, — Sophia Kianni, Vanessa Nakate —, Joe Biden’s, William Organizations: CNN, College of, University of Oxford Student, NBC, Research, ELLE Magazine, Rep, University of Bath Locations: Alexandria, Cortez of New York

☆ 3 sellers share how they settled on the perfect price for their products on Amazon, Shopify and Etsy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sellers can make six figures from selling items they've made or bought elsewhere on e-commerce platforms such as Etsy , Amazon , and Shopify . But figuring out how to price your items can require experimentation — which can mean getting it wrong at first. Dinh decided in March 2022 to set up her own shop on Shopify when Etsy increased its transaction fees for sellers . An Amazon seller increased his prices until his sales stoppedBen Alistor started selling tanning mitts on Amazon FBA as a side hustle with his partner in June 2018. "Selling on Amazon FBA is a fine balance between running out of stock and not selling enough products," he said.

Persons: Sellers, Price, Tammy Dinh, Dinh, underpaying, Read, I've, Ben Alistor, Alistor, Emma Larocque, Larocque Organizations: YouTube, Amazon, Printful Locations: Alibaba

☆ Jewish-led peace activists protest at Statue of Liberty to demand Gaza ceasefire
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters, many from the group Jewish Voice for Peace, staged a sit-in on Monday outside New York's Statue of Liberty, calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Others stood on the statue's pedestal, draping large banners over the side that read "Ceasefire Now!" The Jewish-led organization opposes the Israeli government's policies toward Palestinians as a form of apartheid. Vowing to crush Hamas in retaliation, Israel's military unleashed an unprecedented bombardment of Gaza followed by a ground offensive into the crowded coastal enclave. Both Israel and the Hamas militants who control Gaza have rebuffed calls for a ceasefire.

Persons: Emma Lazarus, Antonio Guterres, Steve Gorman, Lincoln Organizations: Jewish, Peace, Grand Central, Canon, . Park Police, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Manhattan, Washington, Iranian, Los Angeles

The newly-formed Sustainable Media Center is intent on stopping companies from using algorithms to push damaging information to vulnerable youths, dark things like suicide methods. Political Cartoons View All 1199 ImagesThe Sustainable Media Center is not alone in this effort. Waituntil8th.org urges parents to not give children smartphones until they reach the eighth grade, and to keep them off social media until they're at least 16. He said he hoped the group could take some dramatic action to give the social media issue greater visibility. The Sustainable Media Center is working with Columbia University to do a comprehensive review of research on the issue, Rosenbaum said.

Persons: Bradley Tusk, Steven Rosenbaum, ” Rosenbaum, Vivek Murthy, Waituntil8th.org, Josh Golin, Fairplay, ” Golin, Tusk, Leo Hindery Jr, Roger McNamee, “, Eric Gertler, David Hornik, Rosenbaum, Emma Lembke, Zamaan Qureshi, Aidan Kohn, Murphy, Sen, Cory Booker, Booker, ” Tusk, he's, Gen, Golin, it's, ” Organizations: Sustainable Media, Venture, MTV, NYC Media, U.S, Sustainable Media Center, YES, Facebook, U.S . News, New, New Jersey Democrat, Columbia University Locations: U.S, New Jersey

☆ Megan Rapinoe to leave behind a remarkable legacy after final US game
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Rapinoe won the Women's World Cup twice, most recently in 2019. She continued to do so for the US national team, a symbol not appreciated by everyone in the country. But, despite all the success that went before, her World Cup dreams ended in a penalty shootout heartbreak. There was to be no perfect ending for Rapinoe as the US was dumped out of the 2023 Women's World Cup last-16. A smile of disbelief masked the pain as she trudged off the pitch, never to play in a World Cup again.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, she’s, ” Rapinoe, Féminin, Rapinoe, Richard Heathcote, Bill Simmons, Colin Kaepernick, Donald Trump, she’d, Joe Biden, “, Biden, Emma Lazarus, ‘, ’ ” Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, ”, “ We’ve, I’m, Alex Pantling, ’, Kelley O’Hara, “ There’s Organizations: CNN, US, National, South, London Olympics, Getty, France, Seattle, NFL, White House, Reuters, US Soccer, men’s, FIFA, Fox Sports Locations: California, South Africa, Chicago, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden

☆ Triathlon-Briton Potter claims Paris 2024 test event win
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Olympics - Paris 2024 holds triathlon test event for the Olympics - Paris, France - August 17, 2023 Britain's Beth Potter crosses the line to win the elite women triathlon test event REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq Acquire Licensing RightsAug 17 (Reuters) - British triathlete Beth Potter outgunned home hopeful Cassandre Beaugrand in a final sprint to win the Paris 2024 triathlon women's test race on Thursday and seal her first victory in an Olympic-distance event. Beaugrand broke clear early in the four-lap, 1.5km run but Potter caught her at the start of the second lap. Potter is currently second in the World Triathlon Championship Rankings, trailing Beaugrand, who booked her place at the Paris Olympics. The swim leg was held in the Seine after the river passed a water quality test. The World Triathlon series ends with the championship finals in Ponteverda, Spain, next month.

Persons: Beth Potter, Stephanie Lecocq, Cassandre, Beaugrand, Potter, Emma Lombardi, Laura Lindemann, Germany's Lindemann, Simon Jennings, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Olympics, Paris, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, British, Seine, Ponteverda, Spain, Bengaluru

☆ 6-figure Etsy sellers share 4 big mistakes all users should avoid when using the platform
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Insider spoke with four Etsy sellers who started their shops as side hustles and hobbies. They said to research trends, track costs, and accept that a store won't be passive income at first. First-time Etsy sellers could find themselves making common mistakes and not seeing the profits they'd hoped for. Mim JenkinsonMim Jenkinson started selling stickers on Etsy after her breast-cancer diagnosis meant she had to leave her job to undergo chemotherapy. She also uses paid services such as eRank, a platform that helps Etsy sellers find what key words are trending on the platform.

Persons: Jenkinson, she'd, hadn't, Read, Rachel Jimenez, Rachel Jimenez Rachel Jimenez, Jimenez, Emma Larocque, Emma Larocque Emma Larocque, Larocque, I've, Kelly Byrnes, Byrnes, she's Organizations: Jenkinson, Facebook Locations: Etsy

☆ Ports in China's oil hub Shandong scrutinizing old tankers -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Muyu Xu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Qingdao and Lanshan are two of the top five biggest Chinese oil importing ports, according to data from Kpler. Shandong is home to numerous independent refineries known as teapots that account for up to one-fifth of China's processing capacity. Port authorities could detain ships for days to rectify any issues, prompting shippers to divert cargoes to other Chinese ports, the sources said. Almost all tankers hauling crude to Qingdao for independent refiners are more than 10 years old, said Vortexa analyst Emma Li. In April, tankers calling at Shandong ports experienced delays after customs authorities stepped up checks on diluted bitumen cargoes.

Persons: Seapalm, Emma Li, Eikon, Muyu Xu, Florence Tan Organizations: Kpler, Shandong Maritime Safety Administration, Reuters, Seapalm Shipping, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, China's Shandong, Qingdao, Rizhao, Lanshan, Shandong, Tokyo, Cameroon, Seychelles, Jiangsu, Hebei, Liaoning, Beijing

☆ Passengers on a P&O cruise ship were evacuated from their cabins at 3.30 a.m. after a fire broke out, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Passengers on a P&O cruise ship were evacuated from their cabins after a fire broke out on board. Passengers on board a P&O cruise ship were evacuated from their cabins after a fire was detected on a balcony at 3.30 a.m., news.com.au reported. Emma Llewllyn told 9News: "It certainly goes through your mind: 'Are we going to be getting on lifeboats? Passengers were awoken by an alarm and told to get their life jackets and evacuate their cabins while firefighters tackled the flames, 9News reported. "This fire activated our emergency response procedures including a full muster of guests and crew and we thank everyone on board for their co-operation," a P&O spokesperson told Insider.

☆ Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Parenting in the era of ubiquitous screens and social media
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Dr. Sanjay Gupta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Other moves include laws that aim to tighten regulations on social media platforms in general, like those recently enacted by Arkansas and Utah. They are more likely to lie on their beds and scroll through endless social media feeds. Nowadays, she tells me, many teenagers feel an obligation to be on social media, or they will feel left behind. Lembke, who had her own struggles with problematic media use, told me, “Ten years from now, social media will not be what it is today. How to talk about screentimeNot sure how to start a conversation with your kids about internet and social media use?

☆ Britain hands Northern Ireland 'difficult decisions' in budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via REUTERSLONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Britain set out a budget for Northern Ireland on Thursday that gave the region two years to repay an overspend from the last 12 months but warned "difficult decisions" will be needed with funding set to remain flat year-on-year. Northern Ireland has been without a power-sharing government for over a year due to a dispute about post-Brexit trade rules, leaving Britain's minister for the region to set a budget and civil servants to make the subsequent spending decisions. "This will provide some protection to front line public services in Northern Ireland from having to take the most severe reductions. However, difficult decisions remain in order to live within the funding available," he said in a statement. "Any idea that putting in a punishing budget to Northern Ireland is going to bully the DUP to get back sooner is for the birds, absolute nonsense," DUP lawmaker Emma Little-Pengelly told national broadcaster RTE.

☆ China's big refineries crowd out teapots for discounted Russian oil
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Muyu Xu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SummarySummary Companies Hengli, Shenghong join Russian oil purchasesChina's April Russian oil imports likely to exceed March recordTeapots turn to cheaper Iranian oil, diluted bitumenSINGAPORE, April 21 (Reuters) - Chinese state oil giants and major private refiners are sweeping up more Russian crude, supporting prices and forcing smaller independents to seek out cheap alternatives such as Iranian oil, according to trade sources and shipping data. Shenghong imported a Urals crude cargo of about 720,000 barrels in March and 1 million barrels in April, Kpler showed. China's overall Russian crude imports, including pipeline and ships, rose to a record 9.61 million tonnes, or 2.26 million barrels per day (bpd) in March, customs data showed on Friday. TEAPOTSSmaller Chinese independent refineries, known as teapots, snapped up almost all of the ESPO supplies between November and January when others steered clear of Russian oil around the start of the European Union ban on Dec. 5. With the return of big buyers, price-sensitive teapots are looking for alternatives such as Russian Arctic grades, Iranian and Venezuelan oil.

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