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☆ The Met Gala theme is ‘The Garden of Time:’ Why culture is obsessed with JG Ballard
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Leah Dolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In February, the Met revealed Ballard’s 1962 short story “The Garden of Time” as the forthcoming red carpet theme. Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho/Getty ImagesThere is little glitz and glamor in Ballard’s world — or if there is, it doesn’t last for long. David Cronenberg's adaptation of JG Ballard's "Crash" debuted at Cannes Film Festival in 1996. In 2021, American designer Thom Browne’s Spring-Summer catwalk at New York Fashion Week also imagined life behind Count Axel’s garden wall. And now with the Met Gala theme, the beautiful flower that dies as soon as it’s plucked, it connects back to fashion being ephemeral.

Persons: Manus, Andrew Bolton, JG Ballard, Count Axel, Axel, Count, Countess, Thom Browne, Victor Virgile, —, you’ve, Steven Spielberg’s, David Cronenberg’s, ”, it’s, Ballard, David Cronenberg's, Ronald Siemoneit, Thom Browne’s, Browne, Alon Livné, Andrew Groves, Estrella de Mar, ” Groves, McQueen, Jeremy Scott, Marie, Christiane Marek, Jeremy Scott's, Jeremy Scott “, ” Scott, Scott, “, Nigel Coates, Caffè, Coates, Caffè Bongo, brandished Coates, Caffe, Edward Valentine, Charli XCX, Madonna’s, Ian Curtis, Stanley Donwood, Groves Organizations: CNN, York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, West, Technology, Costume Institute, Bolton, New York, Sun, Cannes Film, Estrella de, Paris Fashion, Division, Preachers, Fourth Estate Locations: China, British, France, American, Israeli, London, Estrella, Tokyo, “

☆ 'America's greatest gift to Israel'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( David Kushner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +35 min

As the country's founder and first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, once declared, "America's greatest gift to Israel was Al Schwimmer." Joining the Haganah, Schwimmer discovered, wasn't as easy as just strolling through the door. "He felt he had to do his part in creating a Jewish state, so this could never happen again," Schwimmer recalled. Rather than melt down the surplus weapons for scrap, Liff told Greenspun to take as much as he wanted — free of charge. In 2001, at the urging of Brian Greenspun, Schwimmer received a presidential pardon from Bill Clinton.

Persons: Danny Schwimmer, They'd, Rina, Al —, David Ben, Gurion, Al Schwimmer, Schwimmer, Bugsy Siegel's, Meyer Lansky, Frank Sinatra, Sinatra, —, Boaz Dvir, Israel —, Danny, Al, I've, Hank Greenspun, Greenspun, Brian, Adolph, Dick Tracy, " Schwimmer, Wing Walker, America, Yehuda Arazi, Arazi, they'd, Schwimmer's, Sam Lewis, Leo Gardner, Milton, Milt, Rubenfeld, Paul Reubens, Herman, Reubens, Bugsy Siegel, Siegel, — Schwimmer, Nathan Liff, Liff, PhotoQuest, Bernarr McFadden, Pat, Ptacek, Rafael Trujillo, Teddy Kollek, Erwin Johnson, Bill Gerson, Gerson, Bud King, Gerson's, Ben, Joel Kimmel, Lewis, Lansky, hadn't, Tommy, Messerschmitts, David, Milt Rubenfeld, Israel, Charlie Winters, Winters, weren't, aren't, America's, Joseph McCarthy, John F, Kennedy, Brian Greenspun, Golda Meir, Bill Clinton Organizations: Israeli Air Force, TWA, Haganah, United Nations, Lockheed Air, Los Angeles Examiner, USC, Getty, US Naval, Schwimmer Aviation, FBI, UN, Customs Service, Palestine . Volunteers, Embassy, Israel, Service Airways, State Department, BI, Pepsi, Zionist, Nazi, Star, American, Avia, Messerschmitt, Pennsylvania State University who's, Las, Sun, Israel Aerospace Industries, IAI, they're, Israeli Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Connecticut, Palestine, New York, Copacabana, United States, Hungary, Auschwitz, storages, Arizona, Bridgeport, Rome, Burbank , California, Burbank, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Oahu, Santa Claus, California, Washington, Burbank ., Acapulco, Mexico, it's, Mexico City, Central, South America, Dominican Republic, China, America, Mexican, Panama, Panamanian, Corsica, Oklahoma, Detroit, Suriname, Brazil, Senegal, Casablanca, Sicily, Catania, Europe, Czechoslovakia, Czech, Egypt, Cairo, Los Angeles, American, Gaza, Iran

☆ An Arms Smugger, a Daring Heist, and the Birth of Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( David Kushner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +35 min

Joining the Haganah, Schwimmer discovered, wasn't as easy as just strolling through the door. "He felt he had to do his part in creating a Jewish state, so this could never happen again," Schwimmer recalled. Rather than melt down the surplus weapons for scrap, Liff told Greenspun to take as much as he wanted — free of charge. "It went against the grain to buck the same government we had fought to preserve only a few years before," Hank Greenspun recalled. In 2001, at the urging of Brian Greenspun, Schwimmer received a presidential pardon from Bill Clinton.

A border security package instantly collapsed in the Senate. Congress failed in stunning fashion this week as Republicans in both the House and the Senate revolted in new and unimaginable ways against their own agenda. But it’s not a way to govern," said Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana. Now, without naming Trump, McConnell says he will support the Republican Party's eventual nominee for president, though it's clear the two have a deteriorated relationship. First-term Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida acknowledged the week's setbacks were not why he came to Congress after a military career.

Persons: Mayorkas, —, it’s, Victoria Spartz, Kevin McCarthy, Mike Johnson, Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump's, Johnson, ”, Sen, Mitt Romney, “ Let’s, Romney, “ We’ve, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Hal Rogers, impeaching Mayorkas, I’m, ” Mayorkas, Al Green of, Nancy Pelosi, George Santos, Steve Scalise, They're, Katherine Clark of, McConnell, Mike Lee of, Ted Cruz, ” Lee, Chuck Schumer, Trump, “, I've, Democratic Sen, Patty Murray, Donald Trump, Cory Mills, “ We're, Mills, “ We’re, there’ll, Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Mary Clare Jalonick, Rebecca Santana, Ken Ritter Organizations: WASHINGTON, — Homeland, Congress, Republican Rep, Victoria, Republican House, Republican Party, Republican, GOP, Trump, Biden, Super Bowl, Republicans, Democratic, GOP Rep, Senate, Capitol, realigning, Press Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, U.S, R, Utah, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Mexico, Washington, Las Vegas, Al Green of Texas, New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas, Israel, Taiwan, Florida, American

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has made some strong claims over the past few days about shutting down the U.S.-Mexico border as he tries to salvage a border deal in Congress that would also unlock money for Ukraine. “It’ll also give me as president, the emergency authority to shut down the border until it could get back under control. But his statement that he would shut down the border “right now” if Congress passed the proposed deal is more about politics than policy. WOULD THE BORDER REALLY SHUT DOWN UNDER THE DEAL? DOES BIDEN ALREADY HAVE AUTHORITY TO SHUT DOWN THE BORDER?

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump doesn't, ” Biden, “ It’ll, I’d, Biden, hasn't, There's, aren't, DIDN'T TRUMP, Trump, “, BIDEN, Mike Johnson, Karine Jean, Pierre said, Johnson, James Lankford, we’re, He's, Stephen Groves Organizations: WASHINGTON, Ukraine, Republican, America, Biden, Senate Republicans, Trade, Republicans, U.S, House Press, House Republicans, “ Fox, Trump, Institute, Associated Press Locations: U.S, Mexico, Congress, Kyiv, Ukraine

☆ Icon of the Seas: The world’s largest cruise ship sets sail on maiden voyage
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —There is nothing subtle about the world’s largest cruise ship. The commotion brought traffic to a halt along the causeway to Miami Beach that parallels the cruise ship channel. Icon of the Seas’ list of superlatives and firsts is longFinding time to fit in everything onboard Icon of the Seas promises to keep passengers busy. A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said Icon of the Seas is 24% more energy efficient than required for ships designed today. Royal Caribbean International is clearly pitching Icon of the Seas to a market that goes beyond cruising.

Persons: Lionel Messi, ”, Hurricane Hunter, Oz, Bryan Comer, Comer, Colleen McDaniel, McDaniels, ” McDaniels, Michael Verdure, Rob Clabbers, Q, ” Clabbers, Wagyu, Michael Bayley, ” Bayley, Jay Schneider, Royal, “, ‘, ’ ” Schneider, Terry Ward Organizations: CNN, Port, Hurricane, Storm, Royal, The International Council, Clean Transportation, Royal Caribbean International, Cruise, CNN Travel, Seas, Star, Royal Caribbean Locations: Port of Miami, Turku, Finland, Miami Beach, Argentine, Miami, Eastern Caribbean, Sedona , Arizona, Royal Caribbean, Florida’s Port Canaveral, Orlando, Chicago, Izumi, Caribbean, Vegas, Florida, Tampa

☆ ‘Who Owns This Sentence?’ Increasingly, Who Knows?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Alexandra Jacobs | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WHO OWNS THIS SENTENCE? A History of Copyrights and Wrongs, by David Bellos and Alexandre MontaguDavid Bellos and Alexandre Montagu’s surprisingly sprightly history “Who Owns This Sentence?” arrives with uncanny timing. How quaint Harold Bloom’s “anxiety of influence” theory of the Romantic poets now seems, amid the current cut-and-paste panic. Like a corrupt police officer, artificial intelligence is scanning for more plagiarism perps, while itself stealing writers’ words. Bellos, a translator and biographer, and Montagu, a lawyer, step confidently behind the yellow tape to guide us around.

Persons: David Bellos, Alexandre Montagu David Bellos, Alexandre Montagu’s, ”, Eve hangovers, Smokey Bear, Harold Bloom’s “, …, Montagu Organizations: WHO, “

☆ Greek olive growers brace themselves as thieves seek pricey crop
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Lefteris Papadimas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Tsafaras has been robbed twice, with thieves stealing more than a tonne of his olives in one incident last month. Greek police confirmed to Reuters that there is a spike in thefts of olives and olive oil across the country this year. Greece is the world's third-biggest producer of olive oil behind Italy and Spain, which have seen similar incidents. The decline in output has doubled olive oil wholesale prices to 8-9 euros per litre, according to government officials. Retail prices have reached up to 14 euros, making the crop an appealing target for thieves.

Persons: Louisa Gouliamaki, Panagiotis Tsafaras, Tsafaras, Dimitris Plakonouris, Plakonouris, Panagiotis Foudas, Lefteris Papadimas, Mark Porter Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Sesklo, Greece, Filiatra, Italy, Spain,

Israel is the top recipient of U.S. military aid over time. Trying to attach strings to U.S. aid to Israel isn't unheard of, for Congress or for U.S. presidents. But when Biden told reporters on Nov. 24 he thought conditioning military aid to Israel was a “worthwhile thought,” it helped the proposal gain traction among administration-friendly Democratic senators. They say existing U.S. law already mandates that countries receiving U.S. military aid heed human rights concerns. No matter what, "we’re going to do a robust aid package for Israel," said Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat.

Persons: Israel, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden’s, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ” Sanders, Sanders, ”, that’s, —, that's, “, Gaza , Maryland Democratic Sen, Chris Van Hollen, Van Hollen, Biden, Antony Blinken, Ronald Reagan, Jake Sullivan, Tim Kaine, it’s, Gazans, Stephen Groves Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic, Lawmakers, White, Russia, U.S, Gaza , Maryland Democratic, Associated Press, Democrats, Hamas, haven't, Virginia Democrat Locations: Israel, Gaza, Vermont, United States, Ukraine, Gaza , Maryland, Virginia

☆ Delayed by War, Gaza's Olive Harvest Is Too Little, Too Late, Say Farmers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

In a normal year the harvest would have started weeks earlier, but until the truce farmers were afraid of being mistaken for Hamas militants and targeted by Israeli forces if they ventured out into the olive groves. He said that normally they would harvest enough olives to fill 12 containers, but this year they would fill just one. There were other problems linked to the war, he said, such as a dearth of fuel to transport the olives to the nearest press. As soon as we secured access to fuel, we were able to open the olive press, even if it's working at minimum capacity." He said some farmers had found nothing, while others had harvested a fraction of what they would normally expect.

Persons: Bassam Masoud, Saleh Salem, There's, Fathy Abu Salah, Abu Salah, Khan Younis, Sacks, jerry, Mohamed Wafy, Wafy, Fadi Shana, Estelle Shirbon, Rosalba O'Brien Locations: Saleh, Saleh Salem GAZA, Farmers, Gaza, Israel, Olives

☆ Why environmentalists are suing the National Park Service to prevent it from planting trees
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Jonathan Park | Janna Van Vranken | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The National Park Service wants to replant sequoia groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where wildfires in 2020 and 2021 inflicted lasting damage on the iconic sequoia forests. Sequoias are among the species of trees that actually “depend on high-intensity fire in order to reproduce effectively,” said Hanson told CNN. In this September 2021 photo, the Windy Fire blazes through the Long Meadow Grove of giant sequoia trees near the Trail of 100 Giants overnight in Sequoia National Forest. David McNew/Getty Images“The Park Service has to abide by the 1964 Wilderness Act,” said Kevin Proescholdt, conservation director at Wilderness Watch. “The more that agencies will allow natural fire to burn and perform its role, the better these wilderness forests will be,” he said.

Persons: ” Chad Hanson, John Muir, ”, Hanson, ” Hanson, “, replanting, David McNew, Kevin Proescholdt, Proescholdt, ” Proescholdt, what’s Organizations: CNN, National Park Service, National Parks, NPS, John Muir Project, Wilderness Watch, Sequoia, Conservancy, sequoia, Giants, Sequoia National, Service, National Forest Service Locations: Sequoia, California, sequoia

Linking Ukraine’s military assistance to U.S. border security interjects one of the most divisive domestic political issues — immigration and border crossings — into the middle of an intensifying debate over wartime foreign policy. Failure risks delaying U.S. military aid to Kyiv and Israel, along with humanitarian assistance for Gaza, in the midst of two wars, potentially undermining America's global standing. Rather than approve Biden’s request, which includes $61 billion for Ukraine, Republicans are demanding something in return. Democrats call these essentially nonstarters, and the border security talks are going slowly. Other Republicans, led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a Donald Trump ally, have drawn an even deeper line against Ukraine aid.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Joe Biden’s, ”, Luke Coffey, Andriy Yermak, Coffey, Vladimir Putin’s, Mitch McConnell, It’s, “, Sen, Chris Murphy, Conn, Biden, Tom Cotton, McConnell, Sabrina Singh, Democratic Sen, Jack Reed, Mike Garcia of, Garcia, Mike Johnson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Donald Trump, Lolita C, Baldor, Ellen Knickmeyer, Stephen Groves Organizations: WASHINGTON, Hudson Institute, Republican, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, Biden, Republicans, Democrats, Senate, The Defense Department, Defense Department, Congressional Research Service, World Bank . National, Democratic, Senate Armed Services Committee, Russia, Kyiv, Navy, Rep Locations: Washington, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Mexico, U.S, Kyiv, Gaza, Ukrainian, United States, Kentucky, Russian, Rhode Island, ”, Mike Garcia of California, Iraq, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia

☆ The 29 Best Holiday Gifts to Shop This Black Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Buy Side Staff | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +15 min

To help you shop for nice prices, we limited our list to our favorites that are on sale now for Black Friday. One thing I have my eye on is this Nyx Butter Gloss Holiday Gifts Set with 14 full-size lip glosses in a variety of colors. She loves color, but she also has a goth streak, so I wasn’t surprised she asked for black nail polish. It would make a great gift for a college student, new grad or really anyone who could use a travel gear upgrade. It’s a great set to update your kitchen or give as a gift this holiday season.” —Emily Welsh, VP and general manager

Persons: We’ve, I’ll, Harry Potter, ” — Aly J, Barbie Dreamhouse, I’d, Barbie, Don’t, Emily Welsh, ”, Emily Schwartzberg, Matte Black, Matte White, Madeline Diamond, Tween, Olive, Jessica Woodbury, cocotte, Staub, Astrid Stawiarz, Nick Guy, ” — Ian Salisbury, Cashmere, I’ve, PJs, ” — Emily Welsh, Charming, Mario, ‘, Cozy, it’s, Susan “, Susan, Anaya, There’s, ” — Leslie Yazel, we’ll, Philip Asquith, It’s, ” — Bellamy Richardson, I’m, Buddy, nutcrackers, Luxe, Augustinus Bader, Rich Cream, ” — Irma Sahinovic, they’re, Brittany Nguyen Organizations: Side, Black, Yale, Bluetooth, Apple, Mario Kart, PlayStation, Target, Saks, Olive Oil, Amazon, Chic Locations: Ulta, Pima, Los Angeles, Olive, Ojai , Calif, Europe, The

☆ How an L.A. Rams Training Complex Could Help Transform Urban Sprawl
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Arielle Paul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The San Fernando Valley, once an endless ramble of orange groves in Southern California that evolved into the porn capital of the world in the 1970s and later gave way to big-box retailers and strip malls, will now become the home of the 2021 season’s Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams. In a $650 million land deal by the team’s owner, Stan Kroenke, Rams executives laid out their vision last week for revitalizing nearly 100 acres in the valley’s Woodland Hills neighborhood into a sports-centric, live-work-play development, including a practice facility and team headquarters. The deal includes two properties owned by Westfield, a shopping center developer that is pulling out of the U.S. market, as well as an abandoned 13-story building and parking lot that Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield owned. After the coronavirus pandemic hastened the embrace of online retail and remote work, blighted malls and office buildings have closed their doors. The vacant properties and their adjoining parking lots now offer a chance to redevelop valuable square footage in neighborhoods like Woodland Hills.

Persons: Stan Kroenke Organizations: Bowl, Los Angeles Rams, Rams, Westfield Locations: San Fernando Valley, Southern California, Woodland, U.S

☆ The Holiday Gifts Buy Side Staffers Are Buying This Black Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Buy Side Staff | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +12 min

By Buy Side StaffThe Buy Side staff shops for a living, which also means we spend an inordinate amount of time scrutinizing gift options. To help you shop for nice prices, we limited our list to our favorites that are on sale now for Black Friday. She asked for compression socks, so I’m buying her these pretty ones in blue chevron to help her with recovery. It would make a great gift for a college student, new grad or really anyone who could use a travel gear upgrade. It’s a great set to update your kitchen or give as a gift this holiday season.” —Emily Welsh, VP and general manager

Persons: We’ve, cocotte, Staub, ”, Astrid Stawiarz, Nick Guy, ” — Ian Salisbury, Cashmere hoodie, I’ve, Jessica Woodbury, PJs, ” — Emily Welsh, Charming, Madeline Diamond, ‘ Broom ’, I’ll, Samantha Sharf, Mario, ‘, Cozy, she’s, ” — Leslie Yazel, it’s, Susan “, Susan, Anaya, There’s, we’ll, Philip Asquith, It’s, ” — Bellamy Richardson, Buddy, I’m, nutcrackers, ” — Aly J, they’re, Brittany Nguyen Organizations: Side, Black, Bluetooth, Apple, PlayStation, Mario Kart, New, Olive Oil, Amazon, Yale, Walmart Locations: Naadam, New York City, Los Angeles, Olive, Ojai , Calif, Europe, The

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a temporary spending bill a day before a potential government shutdown, pushing a fight with congressional Republicans over the federal budget into the new year, as wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel remains stalled. Biden signed the bill in San Francisco, where he is hosting the summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies. The president signed the bill at the Legion of Honor Museum, where he held a dinner for APEC members. He portrayed the temporary funding bill as setting the ground for a spending “fight” with the Senate next year. The spending bill does not include the White House’s nearly $106 billion request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Stephen Groves, Zeke Miller Organizations: FRANCISCO, Republicans, Economic Cooperation, Legion, Honor, APEC, Republican Locations: Ukraine, Israel, San Francisco, Asia, Washington

☆ The Israel-Palestine Conflict Has Been Raging for 75 Years - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Dalia Hatuqa | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

For the past month, normal life in Ramallah — a city in the West Bank usually known for its young population and its vibrant nightlife — has been brought to a standstill. It’s part of the atmosphere of escalating violence that has killed more than 130 Palestinians living in the West Bank since Oct. 7. But these were usually preceded by times of increased conflict, such as the first and second intifadas, or popular uprisings. In the West Bank, morale is low on the quiet streets. In the West Bank, we look around, and wonder: Could it happen here?

Persons: Shireen Abu Akleh, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Israel —, Benjamin Netanyahu, —, wasn’t, Dalia Hatuqa Organizations: West Bank, Al, National Security, New York, Facebook, Twitter Locations: Ramallah —, Gaza, Jenin, Al Jazeera, West, Israel, Qumya, Palestinian

Bipin Joshi watched the two grenades skid across the cement floor of the windowless room where he was hiding, shoulder-to-shoulder with 16 other student farmers from Nepal. Outside, the Hamas gunmen marauding through the orchards and dairy barn of Kibbutz Alumim were killing anyone they could find. The Nepalis had arrived in Israel just three weeks earlier, on a college program to tend orange and lemon groves. They were two days short of their first paycheck. Now, somehow, they were huddled against a wall, bracing for impact.

Persons: Bipin Joshi, Alumim, Nepalis Locations: Nepal, Israel

Surging olive oil prices, driven in part by two years of drought in Spain, has meant opportunity for criminals across the Mediterranean. Warehouse break-ins, dilution of premium oil with inferior product, and falsification of shipping data are on the rise in olive-growing heartlands of Greece, Spain and Italy. Bekas, who owns 5,000 olive trees, suffered repeated raids by thieves before deciding to take an early harvest. After decades of growth, the global olive oil market has been disrupted by a nearly two-year drought in Spain, which typically accounts for about 40% of world supply. The regional agricultural association issued a plea for police assistance following reports that 100 olive trees were destroyed or seriously damaged in a single incident last month.

Persons: Konstantinos Markou, –, ” Markou, Neilos Papachristou, Christos Bekas, we’ve, ”, That's, Gennaro Sicolo, Ciaran Giles, Colleen Barry, Raf Casert Organizations: Farmers Locations: SPATA, Greece, Athens, Spain, Italy, Puglia, Papachristou's, Bari, Madrid, Milan, Brussels

☆ Urban golf courses are making housing more expensive and parks harder to access — and taxpayers are footing the bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Many states subsidize golf courses with low property taxes, so non-golfers are footing the bill. David Madison/Getty ImagesUrban golf courses also cost taxpayers — even those who don't play — a lot of money. Proponents of retrofitting courses note that reducing the number of golf courses would help boost revenue for courses that do survive. "But then on the flip side, we have these public golf courses that are just these almost vacuous spaces that are quite underutilized." He noted that projects that just involve turning golf courses into parks are often most palatable to neighbors.

Persons: —, they'd, Franciscans who'd, Zach Klein, VDERHLrowD, David Madison, it's, Malcolm Gladwell, Scottie Scheffler, Richard Heathcote, Mitchell Reardon, htpq6Uqx8q — Cork Gaines, Ray Delahanty, Jennifer Keesmaat, Keesmaat, Don, RENE JOHNSTON, Charlie McCabe, he's, Former California Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, McCabe, Reardon Organizations: Urban, Service, Franciscans, Olympic, Getty, Los Angeles Country Club, United, 123rd U.S, YouTube, Center, City, Trust, Public, Denver, Council, Democrat Locations: Presidio, U.S, San Francisco , California, California, San Francisco's, Golden, Beverly Hills, United States, Los Angeles , California, Cities, Florida, Toronto, haven't, Don Valley, Toronto , Ontario, New Orleans, Former California, Los Angeles County

☆ Israeli settler attacks fuel the fire as Gaza war rages
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( John Davison | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Ben-Gvir's office did not respond to a request for comment about whether guns had already been distributed in the West Bank. At least eight of those were since Oct 7. alone, worrying ordinary Palestinians, Israeli security experts and Western officials. Washington has condemned settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank while the European Union on Tuesday denounced "settler terrorism" that risked a "dangerous escalation of the conflict." Hamas cited Israeli actions in the West Bank, core to a would-be Palestinian state, in waging its killing spree. 'GREAT DANGER'Settler-related violence is becoming harder to stem with the ongoing Gaza war and the augmented power of far-right politicians, Israeli security experts say.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Father, QUSRA, Mourning, Mohammed Wadi, Israel hurtled, Wadi's, Shira Liebman, Itamar Ben, Mohammed's, Ahmed, Ibrahim, Abdullah Abu Rahma, Liebman, We've, Lior Akerman, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ben, Ariel Danino, Akerman, Den, Wadi, I'm, Emily Rose, Ali Sawafta, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: West Bank, REUTERS, Reuters, Yesha, National, Twitter, Humanitarian Affairs Office, OCHA, European Union, Wall Resistance Commission, Hamas, United Nations, Palestinian, Thomson Locations: Nablus, West, Bank, Gaza, Qusra, Yesha Council, Lebanon, Washington, Israel's, Israel, Lebanese, Wadi, Abdullah, Jerusalem, Ramallah

Members of Hezbollah carry the coffin of Hezbollah member Abbas Shuman, who was killed in southern Lebanon amidst tension between Israel and Hezbollah, during his funeral in Baalbek, Lebanon, October 23, 2023. With most of its fighters killed in Israeli drone strikes, Hezbollah has unveiled its surface-to-air missile capability for the first time, declaring on Sunday it downed an Israeli drone. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel would unleash devastation on Lebanon if a war did start. Hezbollah lost 263 fighters in the 2006 war, when Israel hit sites all over Lebanon during a more than month-long conflict. The war erupted after Hezbollah launched a raid into Israel and kidnapped two Israeli soldiers.

Persons: Abbas Shuman, Amr Alfiky, Israel, Sunday's, Yoav Gallant, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jama'a, Bashar al, Assad, Nabil Boumonsef, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Laila Bassam, Tom Perry, Ari Rabinovitch, Edmund Blair Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Israeli, FORCE Hezbollah, Lebanon's, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: Lebanon, Israel, Baalbek, BEIRUT, Lebanese, Iran, Lebanon's, Hamas, Israeli, Gaza, Tehran's, Syria, Jabal Safi, Jerusalem, Beirut

And Republican Rep. George Santos' extensive legal troubles will make it harder for the GOP to keep that Long Island-based district in the Republican column. Some already sounded resigned to serving in the minority during the past week's ups and downs in finding a new speaker, while others voiced hopes the passage of time will make the past three weeks a distant memory. This is Republicans fighting with Republicans, bullying Republicans, even threatening each other. That left House Republicans with the choice of funding the government or shutting it down over their opposition to the healthcare law, and they chose the latter. Further turmoil will only feed into the Democratic argument that House Republicans are incapable of governing.

Persons: —, Mike Johnson, Joe Biden, George Santos, it's, I’m, ”, Max Miller, Miller, McCarthy, Nicole Malliotakis, Suzan DelBene, ” DelBene, harkened, Barack, Doug Heye, Eric Cantor, Herbert Hoover’s, Biden, Donald Trump, Don Bacon, Marc Molinaro, “, David Schweikert, ’ ”, Dusty Johnson, Stephen Groves Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republicans, Black, Republican, GOP, Republican Party, “, ”, House Democrats, Democratic, Affordable, Democrats, Capitol, Biden, Costco, White Locations: Alabama, Ohio, New York, Arizona

☆ Nearly 5,000 Thai workers have fled Israel since the Hamas terror attacks that killed 33 of them
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Sam Fellman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A total of 4,771 Thai citizens have led Israel since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist rampage. The Thai government said that 18 of its citizens remain hostages somewhere in Gaza. An estimated 30,000 Thai workers labored in Israel's food industry prior to the latest war. Many Thai workers, and some students, have opted to stay for now amid reports that some Israeli employers have increased their pay, according to the Bangkok Post. An estimated 30,000 Thai workers have labored in Israel's fields of crops like wheat and its fruit groves as part of an agreement between the countries.

Persons: —, Thais, Young, Sakchai Lalit Organizations: Service, Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamas, Bangkok Post, Suvarnabhumi Locations: Israel, Gaza, Bangkok, Thailand, Samut Prakarn Province, Tehran

WASHINGTON (AP) — A low-key lawmaker in Congress for less than a decade, new House Speaker Mike Johnson isn’t recognizable to most Americans. But the social conservative and devoted ally of former President Donald Trump has been a quiet force within the Republican conference he now unexpectedly leads. “A friend to all and an enemy to none,” Republican conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik said when nominating Johnson ahead of the speaker vote Wednesday. A constitutional lawyer and former member of the Louisiana state House, Johnson was first elected to the U.S. House in 2016. Among the more conservative members of the GOP conference, Johnson has consistently opposed a woman’s right to abortion — “we will get the number of abortions to ZERO!

Persons: Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, “, Elise Stefanik, Johnson, ” Johnson, Newt Gingrich, —, Trump’s, Jim Jordan, Trump, ”, Doug Collins, Collins, Mike, ” Collins, Biden, Virginia Foxx, Hakeem Jeffries, Matt Gaetz, McCarthy’s, I’ve, ” Gaetz, ” McCarthy, Mario Diaz Balart, Jordan’s, Thomas Massie, Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro, Farnoush Amiri, Jill Colvin, Matthew Daly Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, Louisiana Republican, GOP, U.S . House, Twitter, Committee, Trump, ” Former Georgia, Capitol, North Carolina Rep, Democratic, Florida, Associated Press Locations: Louisiana, Israel, Georgia

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