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☆ U.S. agency says Amazon.com exposed workers to safety hazards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File PhotoNEW YORK, Jan 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. government agency on Wednesday issued citations against Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) for failing to keep warehouse workers safe, by exposing them to ergonomic hazards that resulted in serious injuries. The agency said workers at the Florida facility were also exposed to "struck-by" hazards, where merchandise that was unevenly stacked or not secured was susceptible to collapse. Doug Parker, the head of OSHA, said Amazon's processes were "designed for speed but not safety, and they resulted in serious worker injuries." Amazon has said it invests hundreds of millions of dollars annually to ensure worker safety. Safety concerns, including after the deaths of six workers when an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, collapsed during a December 2021 tornado, have helped spur union campaigns at Amazon warehouses across the country.

☆ Pepper-sprayed Army officer awarded $3,685 in $1 million police brutality case
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A federal jury in Virginia on Tuesday found mostly in favor of two police officers who were sued by a U.S. Army lieutenant after he was pepper sprayed, struck and handcuffed during a traffic stop. The jury also awarded Nazario $1,000 in punitive damages after Windsor police officer Daniel Crocker illegally searched Nazario’s SUV, the attorneys said. A federal judge already ruled last year that Crocker was liable for the search. The jury found in favor of Crocker and against Nazario’s claims of assault and battery and false imprisonment, the attorneys said. U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young had narrowed the scope of Nazario’s lawsuit.

☆ U.S. agency cites Amazon.com for safety hazards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NEW YORK, Jan 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. government agency on Wednesday issued citations against three Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) facilities for violations that exposed workers to safety hazards, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan said. Workers at the facilities were exposed to ergonomic hazards that put them at high risk for lower back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. The facilities are located in New Windsor, New York, Waukegan, Illinois, and Deltona, Florida, Williams said. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New YorkOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ US Labor Department accuses Amazon of failing to keep warehouse workers safe
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Amazon has been accused by federal safety regulators of failing to keep warehouse workers safe from workplace hazards at three US facilities, in the latest example of government officials scrutinizing the e-commerce giant’s labor practices. The Department of Labor said Wednesday that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Amazon and issued hazard letters related to injury risks from workers lifting packages after inspecting three warehouse facilities in Deltona, Florida; Waukegan, Illinois; and New Windsor, New York. An Amazon spokesperson said the company “strongly” disagrees with OSHA’s claims and intends to appeal. “We’ve cooperated fully, and the government’s allegations don’t reflect the reality of safety at our sites,” Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, told CNN in a statement Wednesday. But Amazon is also known for carefully tracking worker productivity and for working conditions that have been called “grueling.”“We have to keep up with the pace,” Jennifer Bates, an Amazon warehouse employee who helped organize a union push at an Alabama facility, said in testimony before the Senate Budget Committee in 2021.

☆ Amazon cited by Labor Department for exposing warehouse workers to safety hazards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations against Amazon at three of its warehouses for exposing workers to safety hazards, the department announced Wednesday. Amazon also faces a separate investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office's civil division that centers around worker safety hazards at the e-retailer's facilities nationwide. Amazon warehouse workers have previously complained that the company's pace of work prevents them from taking adequate bathroom and rest breaks, and leads to unfair disciplinary actions. In April, workers at an Amazon warehouse on New York's Staten Island voted to form the company's first U.S. union. Workers at another Staten Island facility rejected a union, while a second election at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama is being contested.

☆ These three giant historic mansions were all on the market at the same time in Detroit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Konstantina Buhalis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Book, Kresge, and Whitney mansions were on the market until the Book finally sold. The Book, Kresge, and Whitney mansions were on the market for months, with the Book finally selling at the end of 2022. The Book Mansion, sold for $1.2 millionJames Burgess Book Jr. developed the Book Mansion, part of the historic Indian Village neighborhood, in 1911. James Burgess Book Jr. developed the Book Mansion, part of the Indian Village neighborhood, in 1911. The Kresge Mansion has staff quarters and a carriage house with living quarters upstairs.

☆ ChatGPT and generative AI look like tech's next boom. They could be the next bubble.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Generative AI is the catchall term for artificial intelligence that can create something new — text or images for example — from existing data, when given prompts. OpenAI's generative AI tools can seemingly do anything from write poetry and code to producing frame-worthy art, triggering huge excitement in the space. How generative AI generates revenue is unclearAll of this might be justifiable if there was a clear path for AI firms to make money. Some of the hype around generative AI may be justified and the technology feels genuinely exciting. But to avoid another bubble, investors would do well to quiz the fundamentals of generative AI businesses, before handing out hefty valuations.

☆ ‘Sonic Logos’ Struggle to Get Heard at U.S. Checkouts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

A spokeswoman for American Express said the company’s sonic logo plays on marketing channels such as brand videos, but not at any credit-card terminals. PREVIEWPayments firms say sonic logos at cash registers can also communicate to customers that they are transacting with a trusted merchant, making the sounds akin to the stickers of credit-card logos that often appear in store windows. Visa’s spokeswoman said the company doesn’t share figures on how many businesses play its sonic logo due to the complexity of tracking rollouts. To that suggestion, Mastercard said the value of sonic logos for merchants “comes in through consumer trust and reassurance.” Visa declined to comment. But some retailers want no part of sonic logos.

☆ Prince Harry’s Book ‘Spare’ Goes On Sale, Detailing Deep Royal Rift
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Max Colchester | David Luhnow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON— Prince Harry ’s memoir, officially published Tuesday, lays bare the scale of the family split in the House of Windsor, in an account that royal commentators say could do lasting damage to both the prince and the world’s most famous royal institution. The book, titled “Spare,” inadvertently went on sale in Spain last week, ahead of its official launch date. Since then, much of the British press has already published key details from it about how King Charles ‘s younger son fell out of love with royal life as well as allegations of dysfunction at the heart of the institution often referred to as “the Firm.”

☆ Prince Harry’s Memoir ‘Spare’ Is Released, Detailing Deep Royal Rift
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Max Colchester | David Luhnow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Prince Harry’s memoir, ‘Spare,’ which went on sale in London on Tuesday, details a raft of allegations about life in the royal family. LONDON— Prince Harry ‘s memoir, officially published Tuesday, lays bare the scale of a deep family split in the House of Windsor, in an account that royal commentators say could do lasting damage to both the prince and the world’s most famous royal institution. The book, titled “Spare,” inadvertently went on sale in Spain last week, ahead of its official launch date. Since then, much of the British press has already published key details from it about how King Charles’s youngest son fell out of love with royal life as well as allegations of dysfunction at the heart of the institution often referred to as “the Firm.”

☆ California storm forces thousands to flee their homes and leaves 1 dead in 'endless onslaught'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

As of early Tuesday, more than 63,000 utility customers were without power across California, according to PowerOutage.us . The heavy rains are expected to worsen ongoing flooding and prolong the risk of flash flooding and mudslides across the state. The flooding came five years to the day after heavy rains hammered a Montecito "burn scar," killing nearly two dozen people. The severe weather also forced the Santa Barbara Airport to close due to flooding, the airport announced in a tweet Monday. The recent severe weather prompted Gov.

☆ Prince Harry and British Monarchy See Popularity Fall Ahead of Book Release
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Max Colchester | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON— Prince Harry ’s popularity in the U.K. dropped to a low ahead of the publication of his highly anticipated memoir, which offers a rare first-person insight into life in the world’s most famous monarchy and has fueled a rolling media frenzy in Britain. The book “Spare,” which accidentally appeared in Spanish bookstores last week and is scheduled to be published in English on Tuesday, has captivated royal watchers with many details about Prince Harry’s private life and how he became estranged from the House of Windsor.

☆ Trial set for Black soldier suing police over violent stop
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Since the traffic stop, Nazario has developed anxiety, depression and PTSD, according to his lawsuit. “In fact, shortly after the traffic stop, Mr. Nazario deployed to Washington, D.C. in support of the January 6, 2021 disturbance.”Nazario, a medical officer, said he arrived after the insurrection occurred, according to a deposition. Besides Nazario’s lawsuit, fallout from the traffic stop includes a lawsuit brought by the state attorney general that alleges Windsor discriminated against Black Americans. U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young also narrowed the scope of Nazario’s lawsuit. That episode happened during a 2019 traffic stop while Gutierrez served as a sheriff’s deputy in Isle of Wight County.

At the heart of Harry and Meghan's narrative is that Britain's sensationalist popular press is a "devil" that members of the royal family have colluded with to protect or enhance their own reputations. The royal family have been here before, though. "That said, you could argue it only reinforces the victim narrative from Harry and Meghan in America," the former aide said. "The one thing the royal family has on its side is time. So it can play the long game - which Harry and Meghan maybe can't, in that they have to be telling their story now."

However, in the age of Apaches and laptops, everything I did in the course of two tours of duty was recorded and time-stamped,” Harry writes. The disagreement came at a planned reconciliatory tea at Kensington Palace in June 2018, Harry writes. According to the book, Kate told Meghan: “You talked about my hormones. We are not close enough for you to talk about my hormones!”According to Harry, Meghan recalled the conversation but was perplexed at Kate's reaction. Harry writes: "What I do remember with stunning clarity is that I did not cry.

☆ American is cutting 3 more cities and leaving one without airline service entirely — see the full list of 19 cities it has dropped since the pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

American Airlines is cutting 3 cities from its network, blaming the pilot shortage and "soft demand." One small airport — Del Rio, Texas — will lose airline service entirely after the carrier's exit. Del Rio, a tiny city in southern Texas with only about 35,000 people, is currently served by American from Dallas/Fort Worth. However, the airline's announced exit will leave Del Rio without any air service link to the rest of the country. Del Rio joins a growing list of 19 cities that American has dropped since the pandemic, the carrier confirmed to Insider.

☆ Taliban criticises Prince Harry over Afghan killings comment
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Harry's highly personal book "Spare" went on sale in Spain days before its global launch on Jan. 10. When asked about Harry's comments, a spokesperson for Britain's Ministry of Defence said: "We do not comment on operational details for security reasons." Representatives of Prince Harry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As is usual for the royal family, spokespeople for King Charles and Prince William have declined to comment. Some of those who were willing to talk said they thought Harry had gone too far.

☆ Factbox: Highlights from Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

MADRID, Jan 5 (Reuters) - A Spanish-language version of "Spare", the much-awaited memoir of Britain's Prince Harry, went on sale in book stores in Spain on Thursday, days ahead of its official launch date. The book reveals details about Harry's relationship with his father, King Charles, his elder brother, Prince William, and other members of the British royal family that have never previously been published. As is usual for the royal family, spokespeople for Charles and William have declined to comment. William called Meghan "difficult", "rude" and "abrasive", Harry writes. CAMILLAHarry says that he and Prince William had asked their father not to marry Camilla Parker-Bowles, who is now Britain's queen consort.

☆ Britain's charity stores are going upmarket
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Britain's charity shops are transforming as they try to appeal to Gen Z customers. The managers told Insider their retro and vintage stores were largely in urban areas with large student populations. Grace Dean/InsiderE-commerce for charity shops is completely different than e-commerce for retailers that sell large batches of new products. Nonessential retail stores had to shut their doors for months during the pandemic, which the Charity Retail Association estimated cost UK charity shops about £28 million, or $32 million, a month. But, as the aisles of charity shops across the UK show, a lot of people do choose to donate them.

☆ How London became the divorce capital of the world for the mega-rich
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Bill Bostock | Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A UK judge ordered Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai to pay a $679 million divorce settlement to his ex-wife. Princess Haya had filed for divorce in London, known as "the divorce capital of the world." It also reaffirmed London's status as the de facto "divorce capital of the world," at least for the rich and famous. The often-cited case — "White v White" — concerns Martin White and Pamela White, farmers from Somerset who filed for divorce in 1994. Lawyers for Khoo told the court that his case had enhanced "the ill-gotten reputation of this country for being the divorce capital of the world."

☆ King Charles offers sympathy to those struggling with 'hardship' in first Christmas broadcast
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( Mithil Aggarwal | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Britain’s King Charles III offered sympathy to those struggling with “great anxiety and hardship” in his first Christmas broadcast as the U.K.’s monarch Sunday, amid a spiraling cost-of-living crisis. First broadcast in 1932, the message from the monarch has aired on television and radio in Britain and Commonwealth countries for the last 90 years. There has also been a series of walkouts by public workers over wages amid historic inflation. Ambulance and paramedic workers went on a strike earlier in the week and have another planned for Dec. 28. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak insisted his government has acted “fairly and reasonably” in public sector pay negotiations.

☆ The Year in Pictures 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +57 min

Every year, starting in early fall, photo editors at The New York Times begin sifting through the year’s work in an effort to pick out the most startling, most moving, most memorable pictures. But 2022 undoubtedly belongs to the war in Ukraine, a conflict now settling into a worryingly predictable rhythm. Erin Schaff/The New York Times “When you’re standing on the ground, you can’t visualize the scope of the destruction. Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 25. We see the same images over and over, and it’s really hard to make anything different.” Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 26.

☆ Prince Harry Takes Aim at William in Latest Royal Drama
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Max Colchester | Sarah Ball | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON— Prince Harry and Meghan Markle , Duchess of Sussex, cemented their role as British royals non grata during a six-episode retelling of their divorce from the House of Windsor streamed on Netflix. The latest installment of the series “Harry & Meghan” landed in Britain in time for breakfast Thursday and was live-blogged on the British Broadcasting Corp. and by U.K. newspapers.

☆ Harry and Meghan part 2: Buckingham Palace prepares for gaslighting claims in Netflix docuseries
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The final three episodes of the eagerly awaited Netflix docuseries from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are releasing on Thursday. Netflix split the six-part series into two volumes, with the first installment uploaded to its online platform last week at 3 a.m ET. However, there were few real bombshells or direct revelations about individual family members. Signaling what lies ahead, trailers released this week will undoubtedly have raised some red flags within the royal household. pic.twitter.com/ZfCcsieTHx — Netflix (@netflix) December 14, 2022A friend of the couple then claims unfavorable stories about the pair were leaked to the press, in an effort to bury stories about other members of the royal family.

President Joe Biden signed legislation Tuesday to codify federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages in a ceremony at the White House. Biden also quoted directly from a 2012 interview on NBC News' "Meet the Press" in which he came out in public support of same-sex marriage ahead of then-President Barack Obama. The legislation Biden signed was drafted by a bipartisan group led by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the first openly gay person elected to the Senate. President Joe Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday. The amendment included language saying that religious organizations would not be required to perform same-sex marriages and that the federal government would not be required to protect polygamous marriages.

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