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☆ M&M's says its killing its 'spokescandies' after conservatives were outraged that the green one didn't wear go-go boots anymore
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An M&Ms spokesperson said that Maya Rudolph's first appearance as the brand's spokesperson and "Chief of Fun" will be in the upcoming Super Bowl LVII M&M advertising campaign. "Maya will serve as the brand's new spokesperson, allowing the colorful cast of M&Ms spokescandies to step away and embrace a new path to pursue other passions," the spokesperson said. The brand began making changes to its walking, talking M&M's characters early last year, replacing the shoes of both the brown and green female M&M's. Most notably, Mars Wrigley, the maker of the popular chocolate candy, replaced the green M&M's high-heeled go-go boots with sneakers. By December 2020, the new mascot was deemed a fully grown peanut by December 2020, Esquire reported at the time.

☆ M&Ms says it's pulling its beloved 'spokescandies' after right-wing outrage over shoes, gender
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Candy maker Mars said Monday it is replacing its M&Ms "spokescandies" with actress Maya Rudolph after facing right-wing criticism over its mascot makeover. The spokescandies are a team of cartoon M&Ms mascots that have represented the brand in commercials and other marketing materials since 1960. Early last year, the candy brand updated the cartoons and its marketing, rebranding each mascot with a new backstory, clothing and personality to be more inclusive. "Orange" became a mascot riddled with anxiety, and the company added a new purple M&M, which was designed to represent inclusivity. And we definitely didn't think it would break the internet," M&Ms said in a statement Monday on Twitter.

☆ In Mexico, ancient Zapotec tombs reveal colorful murals depicting war
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( David Alire Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History/Handout via REUTERSMEXICO CITY, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Brightly-painted Zapotec murals invoking warfare recently unearthed from tombs in southern Mexico may date back nearly 2,000 years, officials said late on Wednesday of the find that sheds new light on the ancient civilization's funerary rites. Some of the latest murals were partially reconstructed from fragments originally found on the tomb floors, according to INAH. Two of the tombs were found completely intact, with further study of the human remains expected. In one crypt, some 240 objects were found, including stucco pieces with Zapotec writing, INAH said. The Zapotecs were contemporaries of the ancient Maya, with both cultures known for their elaborate writing, among the world's first-ever literary traditions.

☆ Mexico’s Maya Train will need over 6,500 permanent officers to guard tracks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Defense Department said the project will require over 6,500 soldiers and National Guard officers to permanently guard its tracks and stations, out of the country’s total 166,000-member combined force. In comparison, that is more than double the number of officers assigned to drug eradication nationwide, and more officers than are assigned to all but three of Mexico’s 32 states. However, the government hasn’t expressed any public concerns about sabotage on the Maya Train. The 950-mile (1,500-kilometer) Maya Train line is meant to run in a rough loop around the Yucatan Peninsula, connecting beach resorts and archaeological sites. Originally projected to cost around $8 billion, the train line now appears likely to rise to between $11 billion and $15 billion.

Now, when she opens the app, “all I see is Black women, Black people and Black businesses. She would have to specifically type in “Black girl” to find other Black women. This was created so that Black women could support Black women because nobody else seems to be.”James said she never intended to put another race down and she encouraged the trend with the purpose of showing love to Black women. “Black women are navigating the combined force of racism and sexism on a daily basis,” she added. The creator of the trend, Michele, said she applauds Black men for sometimes defending Black women on the app.

☆ Ancient Maya cities, 'super highways' revealed in latest survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It is the latest discovery of roughly 3,000-year-old Maya centers and related infrastructure, according to a statement on Monday from a team from Guatemala's FARES anthropological research foundation overseeing the so-called LiDAR studies. All of the newly-identified structures were built centuries before the largest Maya city-states emerged, ushering in major human achievements in math and writing. LiDAR technology uses planes to shoot pulses of light into dense forest, allowing researchers to peel away vegetation and map ancient structures below. Among the details revealed in the latest analysis are the ancient world's first-ever extensive system of stone "highways or super-highways," according to the researchers. Reporting by Sofia Menchu and David Alire Garcia, editing by Deepa BabingtonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Lebanon army shoots at Israeli drone - statement
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] United Nations peacekeepers (UNIFIL) stand together in Houla near the border with Israel, southern Lebanon January 13, 2023. REUTERS/Aziz TaherBEIRUT, Jan 13 (Reuters) - The Lebanese army said on Friday its troops shot at an Israeli drone that crossed into Lebanon's southern airspace, with a security source saying the drone was not brought down. Israel regularly flies military aircraft in Lebanon's airspace without permission but it is rare for troops to target them. The Lebanese army statement said a patrol was inspecting a separate incident in the south when a "drone belonging to the Israeli enemy violated Lebanese airspace," prompting troops to begin shooting in its direction. A Lebanese security source told Reuters they did not shoot it down.

☆ Jordan truckers' strike exposes woes of impoverished south
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"Diesel is my lifeline," said 54-year-old Abu al-Zait, who has seen his livelihood thrown into jeopardy by high fuel price rises since Russia invaded Ukraine. The month-long sit-in cost Jordan tens of millions of dollars in losses when it paralysed unloading at the Red Sea port of Aqaba, according to officials and industrialists. It was the latest bout of unrest in Maan, a poor tribal stronghold about 250 km (156 miles) south of the capital. Fuel price rises, combined with high taxes and spiralling food costs in a nation that imports most goods, has made life unaffordable for many. Like many Arab states, Jordan has in the last decade seen widespread unrest as it reduced food and fuel subsidies.

☆ US deficit widens by $85 billion in December
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Minneapolis CNN —The US government recorded a deficit of $85 billion in December, bringing the total deficit to nearly $1.42 trillion for the 2022 calendar year, the Treasury Department reported Thursday. The government, which runs on a fiscal year that starts in October, is running a deficit of $421.41 billion for its fiscal first quarter of 2023, a 12% increase from the fiscal first quarter of 2022, Treasury data shows. December’s deficit was nearly four times as large as the $21.3 billion deficit recorded in December 2021 as spending grew and revenue fell last month. Receipts totaled $454.94 billion, while outlays were $539.94 billion in December 2022. The House Republicans’ rules package adopted earlier this week included measures aimed at reining in federal government spending and keeping a lid on taxes.

In an interview with Allure magazine, Stefani, 53, who is Italian American, cited the influence of Japanese culture in her home when she was growing up. "I said, 'My God, I'm Japanese and I didn't know it,'" Stefani told Allure. She later insisted, "I am, you know," calling herself a "super fan" of Japanese culture. A representative for Stefani told Calaor that she had "misunderstood what Stefani was trying to convey" but declined to provide an on-the-record statement. Even before the interview, Stefani had defended her "Harajuku" era.

☆ A Gen Z entrepreneur made $119,000 in vending-machine sales since graduating college. How she built her business.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Maya Ray started her vending-machine business a month after graduating college in 2020. She gave her tips for starting a vending-machine business. There she found Marcus Gram, who was selling a course on how to start a vending-machine business. Ray shared her tips for starting a vending-machine business and explained how she grew her business. Efficiency is keyTo scale her business, Ray learned to maximize her time by making regular tasks more efficient.

☆ Cast of Netflix's 'Stranger Things' is getting a big payday for the show's final season
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Main members of the "Stranger Things" cast are set to earn from $6 million to $9 million-plus for season five. "Stranger Things" season five will be the show's final season. Puck's Matthew Belloni reported on Thursday how much the show's top actors will be making for the next, and final, season of the Netflix hit. The "Stranger Things" cast has come a long way. "Stranger Things" is one of Netflix's biggest hits.

☆ Mexican govt inks deal to buy Mexicana airline brand for $42 mln, union says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Kylie Madry | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said the government intends to use Mexicana to launch a military-run commercial airline. In December, Lopez Obrador said the airline was set to launch operations in 2023. The payment will be divided between pilots' union ASPA, flight attendants' union ASSA, ex-aviation workers' union AJTEAM and transportation workers' union SNTTTASS proportionally by a percentage of what was owed when Mexicana shuttered, Alonso said. The deal was reached Friday between Mexico's transportation ministry and the unions with supervision from the labor ministry, Alonso added. The push to operate the military carrier comes as Lopez Obrador has expressed his discontent with the country's airlines.

☆ Childhood photos of Prince Harry
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Parts of Mexico's remote southern jungles have barely changed since the time of the ancient Maya. In the eyes of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the Tren Maya railway will bring modern connectivity to areas for generations deprived of significant economic benefits. But the hasty railway construction critically endanger pristine wilderness and ancient cave systems beneath the jungle floor.

☆ Inside the battle for Ukraine: Scenes from the frontlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Fresh tech unveiled at CES
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Mexico's Mayan Train a threat to ancient areas, scientists warn
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

MEXICO CITY — Parts of Mexico’s remote southern jungles have barely changed since the time of the ancient Maya. But the railway and its hasty construction also critically endanger pristine wilderness and ancient cave systems beneath the jungle floor, droves of scientists and environmental activists say. Construction costs are seen at up to $20 billion, López Obrador said in July. “The Mayan Train project is of course safe, monitored and regulated by the environmental authorities as has happened up to now,” the agency told Reuters. A spokesman for López Obrador did not respond to a request for comment.

☆ Lasers revealed 5 ancient civilizations that were hiding in plain sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Archeologists beam lasers from the sky to unearth ancient settlements hiding in plain sight. State-of-the-art laser technology is transforming archaeology by creating 3D renderings of ruins. A hidden 2,000-year-old Mayan civilization in northern GuatemalaResearchers found a 2,000-year-old Mayan civilization in northern Guatemala using LiDAR. 61,000 previously unknown structures hidden under the dense Guatemalan jungleLiDAR laser technology found ancient cities with more than 60,000 structures in Guatemala. An overgrown ancient civilization buried in the Bolivian AmazonA LiDAR image of an ancient Amazonian urban network in what is now Bolivia.

☆ When Does Life Begin?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Elizabeth Dias | Bethany Mollenkof | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +19 min

“It is not black and white.”America’s fight over abortion has long circled a question, one that is broad and without consensus:When does life begin? The question of when life begins has been so politicized it can be hard to thoughtfully engage. Ancient Egypt gave the power to create new human life almost entirely to men. The scientific revolution, from Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to reproductive science, disrupted centuries of thought on human life. “When does the responsibility for a life begin and end?”

Jay Withey, 27, of Kenmore, New York, made sure 24 people who were stuck on the side of the road during the brutal storm got out of harm’s way, police said. The blizzard stranded Withey in Cheektowaga, just east of Buffalo, on Friday. Security video shows people caught in the storm taking shelter at Pine Hill School in Cheektowaga, N.Y. via Cheektowaga Police Dept. “I’m terribly sorry about breaking the school window and for breaking in the kitchen,” he wrote. The storm is blamed for at least 40 deaths in New York, most of them in Buffalo.

The presence of police in schools actively jeopardizes the safety of Black students compared to their counterparts of other races, according to a report published this month. Black students were subjected to more than 80% of the incidents of police violence accounted for in the survey, which analyzed more than 285 incidents over a decade. The report also cited 24 cases of sexual assault on students and five student deaths as a result of police force in schools. Whittenberg said: “In general, Black students are often viewed as the problem and as needing some sort of disciplinary treatment in order to act correctly. Whittenberg said he hopes the report creates change in the conversation surrounding removing police from schools.

☆ Netanyahu government makes West Bank settlement expansion top priority
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Palestinian protesters argue with Israeli soldiers during a demonstration against Israeli settlements near Nablus in the West Bank. Nasser Ishtayeh / Sipa USA via APIsrael captured the West Bank in 1967 along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians seek the West Bank as the heartland of a future independent state. Most of the international community considers Israel’s West Bank settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians. Several of Netanyahu’s key allies, including most of the Religious Zionism party, are ultranationalist West Bank settlers.

Three people are dead after they fell through the ice on a lake in central Arizona. The three were walking on Woods Canyon Lake, about 30 miles from the central Arizona city of Payson, when they fell through. Emergency crews found Haritha Muddana's body Monday night and continued to search for the other victims, officials said. Three people are dead after they fell through a frozen Arizona lake. Deputies then acquired a boat from a rental service at the lake and conducted an expanded search, the sheriff’s office said.

☆ Gen Zers and millennials are turning to freelancing in greater numbers than ever before. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Gen Zers and millennials were more likely to pursue freelance work, it found. The reasons for freelancing vary, but common factors include flexibility and the desire for control. The platform's "Freelance Forward 2022" report, which studied 3,000 professionals, found Gen Z and millennials were the most likely to explore freelancing: In 2022, 46% of millennial professionals and 43% of Gen Z professionals surveyed performed freelance work. Insider spoke with Lilani, two millennial freelancers, and two Gen Z freelancers to learn why the type of work had attracted two generations of young professionals. For instance, Iyana Jones-Reese is a freelance photographer on top of her full-time job, while Levi Newman writes Amazon product descriptions for a living.

The Senate voted 70-25 to proceed to debate of the bill, with some Republican senators hoping to offer amendments. A handful of conservative Senate Republicans on Tuesday said they objected to the bill, but would not try to stop its passage. Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell said most of his caucus supports it: "We're moving toward completing the business for the year. And I think in a highly productive way from the point of view of the vast majority of Senate Republicans." Among the most significant add-ons to the spending bill is the bipartisan Electoral Count Act, which overhauls and clarifies Congress' certification process for presidential elections.

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