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☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Capri, Tapestry, AppLovin, Disney and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:Capri , Tapestry — Capri soared more than 57%, while Tapestry slid 3.2% in premarket trading. AppLovin — AppLovin shares popped 25.8% in early morning trading after the company posted strong second-quarter results and optimistic third-quarter revenue guidance. The game developer said it expects $780 million to $800 million in revenue for the third quarter, exceeding the $741 million expected by analysts. AppLovin reported earnings of 22 cents per share for the second quarter, while analysts expected 7 cents, according to Refinitiv. The amusement park company reported earnings of 25 cents per share on revenue of $444.0 million.

Persons: Kate Spade, Versace, Jimmy Choo, Michael Kors, AppLovin, Sonos, Refinitiv, Walt Disney, — Illumina, Yun Li, Jesse Pound, Pia Singh Organizations: Capri Holdings, Capri, Wynn, Wynn Resorts, Walt Disney —, Disney, Six Locations: Alibaba, China

☆ Art therapy offers relief to Afghan women struggling with mental health
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But she sank into depression since the Taliban closed tertiary institutions to women in December, requiring psychiatric treatment where she was recommended art therapy classes. But many women, particularly in urban areas, who gained opportunities in education and work during the 20-year presence of foreign troops and a Western-backed government are now struggling with a deep sense of despair and mental health challenges, Afghan women and mental health experts say. There are few reliable figures on mental health trends but anecdotally doctors and aid workers say more women are struggling with mental health in the wake of the orders restricting women's work and education. Not only did I make good friends here, I also receive art therapy," said a former university student at the class. Khushi said the art therapy gave her a respite from home and a little hope for the future.

Persons: Khushi, I'm, Charlotte Greenfield, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Health, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MAZAR, SHARIF, Afghanistan, Balkh province's, Islamic Emirate, Balkh's, Mazar

☆ Thanks, Musk: How are partners ever going to explain an $8/mo credit card charge for 'X Premium'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An X user has gone viral after tweeting about their partner questioning an $8 "X Premium" credit card charge. Try explaining paying for "X Premium" to someone who hasn't been keeping up with the X/Twitter drama. X user @anothercohen found himself on shaky ground when his partner questioned an $8 monthly charge for "X Premium." Another user, @60404, posted a screenshot on Sunday that "X Premium'' had been flagged by his bank as a suspicious transaction. X Premium — previously known as Twitter Blue — is an $8/month subscription that allows you to edit tweets, craft longer posts, and be prioritized by other users' feeds.

Persons: hasn't, Alex Cohen, He's, they've, Pornhub, — Organizations: Twitter Locations: Indonesia

☆ US factory orders jump in June on transportation equipment demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dan KoeckWASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - New orders for U.S.-made goods surged in June, boosted by strong demand for transportation equipment and other goods, showing some pockets of strength in manufacturing despite higher interest rates. Factory orders increased 2.3% after rising 0.4% in May, the Commerce Department said on Thursday. Orders for transportation equipment jumped 12.0% in June after rising 4.2% in the prior month. The inventory of manufactured goods was unchanged. Business spending on equipment rebounded strongly in the second quarter after contracting for two straight quarters.

Persons: Dan Koeck WASHINGTON, Lucia Mutikani, Paul Simao Organizations: Polaris, REUTERS, U.S, Commerce Department, Reuters, Federal Reserve, Institute for Supply Management, PMI, Civilian, Thomson Locations: Roseau , Minnesota, U.S

☆ Americans are going abroad in droves — at the expense of domestic travel
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Airlines and hotel chains in recent weeks have reported a surge in bookings for international trips — along with rising prices. International airfare is averaging $962, up 10% from last year and 26% from 2019, according to fare-tracking company Hopper. Marriott International on Tuesday said second-quarter revenue per available room rose 6% year over year in the U.S. and Canada. Nightly rates for Marriott luxury properties, like JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton and Edition in the U.S. and Canada ticked 1% down year over year. "The fact that I'm spending a month in Europe is going to stop me from taking some domestic trips in the near future," Inman said.

Persons: Guglielmo Mangiapane, Hopper, airfare, Kathleen Oberg, Jesse Inman, Inman, Michael Cavanagh, we're Organizations: Reuters, Airlines, Marriott International, Marriott, JW, The Ritz, Carlton, U.S, Six Flags Entertainment, Comcast, Universal Locations: Rome, Italy, U.S, Paris, Orlando , Florida, Canada, Marriott, Europe, North Carolina, Israel, Austria, France, Atlanta, Denver, Austin, San Antonio, Texas, Orlando, Covid

☆ US job openings at more than two-year low but still elevated
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

There were 1.6 job openings for every unemployed person in June, little changed from May. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 9.610 million job openings. Reuters GraphicsThere were an additional 136,000 job openings in healthcare and social assistance, while vacancies increased by 62,000 in state and local government, excluding education. The job openings rate was unchanged at 5.8% in June. ISM manufacturing PMIIt has, however, not been a reliable predictor of manufacturing employment in the government's nonfarm payrolls count.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Eugenio Aleman, Raymond James, Lucia Mutikani, Andrea Ricci, Paul Simao Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Federal, Labor, Survey, Labor Department, Employers, Treasury, Institute for Supply Management, PMI, Economists, ISM, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, WASHINGTON, . U.S

☆ US manufacturing shows signs of stabilizing at lower levels in July, ISM says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It was the ninth straight month that the PMI stayed below the 50 threshold, which indicates contraction in manufacturing, the longest such stretch since the 2007-2009 Great Recession. The ISM survey's forward-looking new orders sub-index increased to 47.3 in July. According to the ISM, the delivery performance of suppliers to manufacturing firms has been faster for 10 straight months. It has, however, not been a reliable predictor of manufacturing employment in the government's nonfarm payrolls count. Manufacturing employment likely rose by 5,000 jobs last month, according to a Reuters survey of economists.

Persons: Charles Mostoller, Lucia Mutikani, Paul Simao Organizations: BMW, REUTERS, Reuters Connect WASHINGTON, Institute for Supply Management, PMI, Reuters, ISM, Federal Reserve, Manufacturing, Fed, U.S . Labor Department, Thomson Locations: Greer , South Carolina, U.S

☆ An Asian MIT student asked AI to turn an image of her into a professional headshot. It made her white with lighter skin and blue eyes.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An Asian MIT student was shocked when an AI tool turned her white for a professional headshot. She said she's been put off using AI image tools for now because it didn't create usable results. A recent study showed that some AI image generators have issues with gender and racial bias. The second image showed that the AI tool had altered her features to appear more Caucasian with lighter skin and blue eyes. The researchers explained that this is because the AI tool was trained on biased data which can amplify stereotypes.

Persons: she's, Rona Wang –, –, Wang, Suhail Doshi, we're, Face, DALL, didn't Organizations: MIT, Boston Globe, Globe, Twitter Locations: American

☆ Opinion: Alabama Republicans’ defiance keeps an ugly history alive
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Opinion Nicole Hemmer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Nicole Hemmer Courtesy Nicole HemmerTheir new map is out, and it makes clear that the Republican-controlled legislature in Alabama has flouted the court order. That started to change in 1938, when the court began to lay the groundwork for the civil rights jurisprudence of the mid- 20th century. APAs the court came to embrace civil rights, racial conservatives began to defy it. Join us on Twitter and FacebookThe courts historically have faced White resistance whenever they have sided with Black civil rights. That tells us less about the court and more about the political power — and impunity — still wielded by pro-discrimination forces, decades after the Civil Rights Movement.

Persons: Nicole Hemmer, Carolyn T, Robert M, “, Who, Kay Ivey, ”, Dred Scott, Sandford, Plessy, Ferguson, Harlan Stone, Brown, White, — Organizations: Rogers Center, Vanderbilt University, “ Partisans, Conservative, CNN, Black, Republican, Republican Gov, Alabama Republicans, Civil, Graymont Elementary School, AP, National Guard, Twitter, Civil Rights Movement, Trump Republicans Locations: Alabama, “, United States, Birmingham , Alabama, In Massachusetts

☆ The Solo Trip: Explore at Your Own Pace
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Julie Weed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The freedom to explore at your own pace, open to connecting with people you meet along the way, can feel as intoxicating as a tropical breeze. But solo travel can be daunting, too, especially when problems arise. And of course, solo travelers need to keep certain safety considerations in mind. Start off easy“Keep your first trip simple,” said Carolyn Ray, who runs JourneyWoman, a website for solo travelers, and has visited more than 40 countries on her own. Find fellow nature lovers through local groups like Alaska Outdoors, in Anchorage, which organizes hikes.

Persons: ”, Carolyn Ray, Kat Fleischman Organizations: showtime, Travelers, Universal Studios Hollywood, Disney, Facebook Locations: American, Los Angeles, Orlando, Fla, Alaska, Anchorage, NSW, New South Wales, Australia

☆ The 'bougie broke' guide for living the high life started out as a joke. But it's getting embraced on TikTok — and it says a lot about the world we live in.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Sunday Times released a comical guide on mastering the 'Bougie Broke' lifestyle. Originating from TikTok, "bougie broke" caught on as a humorous yet critical response to the cost of living crisis. However, not everyone is ridiculing the trend — "bougie broke" is getting a far warmer reception on TikTok. Another user, Home Decor Decorator, commented on a video of cheap finds from Walmart and Target, "Bougie broke is my favorite kind 👌🏽👌🏽. The "bougie broke" trend originated from TikTok, where users bemoaned about how broke they were while pursuing a luxury lifestyle.

Persons: bougie, Sophia Money, Coutts, Bougie, Tim e, ul Organizations: Sunday Times, Service, Walmart, Target Locations: TikTok, Wall, Silicon

☆ Public pools are disappearing across America
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Yet just as public pools become more important than ever, they’re disappearing from sight. Today, the city has five public pools for a population of around 640,000, ranking 89 out of the largest 100 cities in swimming pools per person, according to Trust for Public Land, an advocacy organization for public parks and land. Private pools, like these in Southern California, have replaced public pools in recent decades. When America built poolsWhile public pools are a rarer sight today, governments built enormous pools during the twentieth century. Hannah Beier/ReutersBut the loss of public pools cannot be picked up fully by private pools or non-profit groups.

Persons: Gerome Sutton, ”, Sutton, ” Sutton, Matt Stone, won’t, Tammy Hawkins, We’ve, Andrew Kahrl, “ We’ve, ” Kahrl, Mario Tama, Jeff Wiltse, Robert Moses, ” Wiltse, Victoria Wolcott, Louis, Walcott, Whites, Martin Luther King Jr, ’, Funtown, suburbanites, John Cornell, Wolcott, Kahrl, Kevin Roth, It’s, Hannah Beier, LaShandra Logan, “, ” Logan Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Weather Service, YMCA, Public, Courier, USA, Aqua, Louisville, University of Virginia, National Recreation and Park Association, University of Montana, ”, Hulton, York, federal, Project Administration, San, University at Buffalo, ” Police, D.C, Kerner Commission, The Old, The Old Westbury Country Club, Newsday, Getty, Whites, Recreation and Park Association, Reuters Locations: New York, Louisville , Kentucky, Algonquin, Louisville, West Louisville, Cypress St, America, Southern California, America —, “, New York City, San Francisco, St, Louis, Baltimore, Washington, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Augustine , Florida, White suburbs, The, The Old Westbury, Mississippi, Cleveland, California, Parks

CNN —Soccer players at the 2023 Women’s World Cup will on average earn just 25 cents for every dollar earned by men at their World Cup last year, a new CNN analysis found. In addition to prize money, FIFA committed to paying $42 million to the federations and players’ clubs for Women’s World Cup preparations. Havana Solaun (R) and Jamaica are appearing at their second ever Women's World Cup. But for the players, equal pay encompasses more than simply closing this gap to the salaries enjoyed by male footballers. June 2023 A record $110 million prize pot negotiated for the Women’s World Cup, at least $30,000 guaranteed for every player.

Persons: Gianni Infantino, Sam Kerr, Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Bob Marley’s, Cedella, Havana Solaun, Brendon Thorne, hadn’t, Jamaica’s Chinyelu Asher, ”, ” Asher, Asher, Saeed Khan, Morgan, Rapinoe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Brad Smith, ” Jonas Baer, Hoffmann, FIFPRO’s, It’s, that’s, –, Infantino, Baer, “, ringfenced, Ali Riley, CNN’s Amanda Davies, Riley, “ It’s, ” Ali Riley, Catherine Ivill, Women’s Soccer Australia Heather Reid, ” Riley, England’s Lionesses, ” FIFPRO’s Baer, – Carli Lloyd, Hope, Becky Sauerbrunn –, ” Lloyd, — Jan, USWNT, Lloyd, ” Reid, ’ Organizations: CNN — Soccer, CNN, FIFA, New Zealand, Women’s, US, National, Australia, Havana, Getty, Jamaica Football Federation, ’, CNN Sport, Forbes, USSF, CONCACAF, Africa, of Nations, Olympic, –, Canada Soccer, teams, Women’s Soccer Australia, English Football Association, French Football Federation, Royal Belgium Football Association, FIFA’s, US Soccer, States Women’s National, Football Federation, USWNT, Soccer, Court, Central, Central District of, The New York Times, LA Times, Guardian, Reuters, “ Locations: Australia, New, New Zealand, Jamaica, Canada, South Africa, Spain, Havana, AFP, France, Infantino, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, United States, Qatar, country’s, Sweden, Spanish, England, Central District, Central District of California, Canadian, El, China

REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoLOS ANGELES, July 19 (Reuters) - Margot Robbie recalls being at a rehearsal for the upcoming "Barbie" movie and experiencing an existential crisis. "So I was like, ‘I've got to make this movie and it's the biggest movie I've ever produced, and I've got to answer to two humongous corporations and a director I really respect and actors."" Similar to Robbie's existential crisis, the "Barbie" movie follows the doll who suddenly has an existential crisis in the middle of a dance number. Even though the Barbie doll first debuted in 1959, it has taken more than 60 years for the character to get to the big screen. It's kind of for everyone," he told Reuters during the "Barbie" world premiere in Los Angeles.

Persons: Margot Robbie, Mike Blake, Robbie, ‘ I've, I've, Greta Gerwig, Barbie, Rather, Ryan Gosling, Ken, Rollo Ross, Danielle Broadway, Mary Milliken, Jamie Freed Organizations: Warner, REUTERS, Mattel, Warner Bros, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Los Angeles

☆ 4 people were wounded in a spree of rare dolphin attacks off a beach in Japan, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Dolphins wounded four people in attacks off the Japanese coast this weekend, according to local media. Experts say dolphins can become aggressive, but attacks are rare. Local authorities say they have so far recorded six dolphin attacks on humans this year, Asahi Shinbun reported. And last year authorities installed ultrasonic transmitters in Koshino Beach, Fukui Prefecture, after a series of dolphin attacks, according to reports. It's unclear from the reports what kind of dolphin is believed to be responsible for these recent attacks.

Persons: Asahi Shinbun Organizations: Dolphins, Service, Asahi Shinbun, Tsuruga, BBC, Asahi Locations: Mihama, Fukui prefecture, Wall, Silicon, Japan, Fukui Prefecture, Koshino Beach

☆ Crows and magpies are getting revenge on humans by using anti-bird spikes around their nests as weapons
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

They have started using the spikes in their nests to keep other birds away. For this particular nest, magpies pulled up 150 feet of the spiky metal strip from the rooftop of a nearby hospital, creating "an impregnable fortress," said Hiemsa. Hiemstra told the BBC that more research is needed to confirm the intent of the corvids using the spikes in the nest. Magpies build roofed nests and favor spiky materials. Other spiky materials had previously been spotted in nests in the area, such as barbed wire and knitting needles.

Persons: Auke, Florian Hiemstra, Hiemstra, —, sandra standbridge, isn't, Jim Reynolds, wasn't, Reynolds, it's, Peregrine falcons Organizations: Service, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, BBC, Magpies, University of Birmingham, Guardian Locations: Europe, Wall, Silicon, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Antwerp, Belgium, Scotland, Amsterdam

☆ South Korean zoo welcomes giant panda twins
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Giant Panda Ai Bao holds her baby panda with mouth after giving birth to twin at Everland amusement park in Yongin, South Korea, July 11, 2023. Samsung C&T/Yonhap via REUTERSSEOUL, July 11 (Reuters) - A South Korean zoo said on Tuesday it had recently welcomed the first giant panda twins to be born in the country. The first twin weighed 180 grams (6.35 oz) and the second, which arrived nearly two hours later, weighed 140 grams. The birth of the twins comes nearly three years after Fu Bao, the first panda to be born in South Korea, came into the world with the same parents Ai Bao and Le Bao. Fu Bao is due to be returned to China by July next year at the latest, the zoo said.

Persons: Ai Bao, Donghee Chung, Chung, Fu Bao, Le Bao, Cherwon Kang, Ai Bao's, Kang, Hyunsu Yim, Ed Davies Organizations: Samsung, REUTERS, YouTube, Thomson Locations: Yongin, South Korea, REUTERS SEOUL, Korean, Seoul, China

☆ Disney World has a bigger problem than Ron DeSantis: people aren't going
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Disney's ongoing feud with Ron DeSantis is certainly a factor. Ron DeSantis, it's pretty clear that the park's problems run deeper than a political beef. While crowd sizes are down in the US parks, revenue is up at international Disney parks such as Disneyland Hong Kong. Despite the DeSantis dust-up, the park's biggest issue has nothing to do with politics — Disney World is damn expensive. Ron DeSantis Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesIt's also clear that a cut back on vacationing is not the issue.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Disney execs, Li Zhihua, execs, DeSantis, —, Ron DeSantis Paul Hennessy, Courtney Garcia, Garcia, Samantha Delouya, Bob Iger Organizations: Disney, Service, Walt Disney, Florida Gov, Wall Street Journal, Hollywood Studios, Shanghai Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, China News Service, — Disney, Getty, TSA, Payne Capital Management Locations: Wall, Silicon, Magic, Shanghai, Paris, Hong, Hong Kong, Florida

☆ Margot Robbie 'shocked' by fan fervour before 'Barbie' film release
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Rollo Ross | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Margot Robbie poses on the pink carpet for the world premiere of the film "Barbie" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., July 9, 2023. REUTERS/Mike BlakeLOS ANGELES, July 10 (Reuters) - "Barbie" actress Margot Robbie said she was bewildered by the love fans are showing for the movie before its worldwide release in cinemas next week. The movie shows Barbie living her idyllic life in Barbie World alongside her beau Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, until one day, she starts having dark thoughts and flat feet. "There's so many things that have been placed upon Barbie and I hope after this, people use Barbie to examine themselves and their place in the world." Director Greta Gerwig said she wanted each Barbie to stand out.

Persons: Margot Robbie, Mike Blake, Barbie, Mattel, I'm, Robbie, Ken, Ryan Gosling, Barbie's, she's, Issa Rae, Gosling, Greta Gerwig, Rollo Ross, Devika Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Sunday, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, ANGELES, Los Angeles

☆ SEC seeks rule change that could cause fund managers to take less risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Leslie Picker | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A sweeping change sought by the Securities and Exchange Commission would take fund managers' culpability a step further than current standards if they don't effectuate a greater standard of care. The rule change involves lowering the bar for indemnification of fund managers to "ordinary negligence" from "gross negligence." "It would monumentally change the relationship between fund managers and investors," said Marc Elovitz, partner and chair of the regulatory practice at Schulte Roth & Zabel, in an interview for the Delivering Alpha Newsletter. And investment managers are going to have a hard time protecting themselves from being on the hook for those risks." However, ILPA said that, "an ordinary negligence standard as applied to breach of contract would assure meaningful progress."

Persons: Marc Elovitz, Schulte Roth, Zabel, Schulte's Elovitz, ILPA, Gary Gensler Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Securities and Exchange, Alpha, Institutional Limited Partners Association, SEC, Fund Advisers Locations: New York City

☆ In Kremlin stunt, Putin and girl, 8, lobby minister for budget funds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sputnik/Alexander... Read moreJuly 4 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted an eight-year-old girl in the Kremlin on Tuesday and got her to join him in a bizarre phone call to his finance minister to ask for a budget grant for her home region. The Kremlin released video of Putin welcoming the girl, Raisat Akipova, in the latest of a series of appearances since a brief armed mutiny last month that seem designed to show him as caring, concerned and in control. Putin responded, before telling the girl: "We've got 5 billion roubles for Dagestan" - a sum equivalent to $55.6 million. Putin chuckled with amusement during the conversation and a similar call that he made with Raisat to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The visit was a sequel to a visit by Putin to Dagestan last week when, unusually, he mingled with a large crowd of people.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Raisat Akipova, Alexander, Read, Putin, Anton Siluanov, We've, Raisat, Mikhail Mishustin, Siluanov, Wagner, Mark Trevelyan, Gareth Jones Organizations: Kremlin, Sputnik, Finance, Thomson Locations: Derbent, Republic of Dagestan, Moscow, Russia, Kremlin, Dagestan

☆ Secrets and Horrors at a Tragedy-Stricken Amusement Park
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Ben H. Winters | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Through all of her pop-culture references and sci-fi filigree, Reiche maintains a charming prose style. There is a long epistolary sub-story about a brother and sister struggling to connect, which slowly reveals their relationship to the theme park. Late in the tale, Delphi descends into the bowels of the park, where she meets a gnomic figure. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve understood anything.” By that point, despite all of Reiche’s enormous gifts, the reader may feel the same. Ben H. Winters’s books have won the Edgar Award and the Philip K. Dick Award.

Persons: Reiche, —, “ Will, Delphi, “ It’s, Ben H, Philip K, Dick Organizations: Delphi Locations: California

☆ Roller coaster riders stuck upside down for hours at Wisconsin festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Christina Zdanowicz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Festivalgoers got more of an adventure than they bargained for Sunday when a roller coaster ride got stuck at a fair in Wisconsin, leaving them hanging upside down for hours. Eight passengers were left suspended when a mechanical failure stalled the ride at the Forest County Festival in Crandon, Wisconsin, the Crandon Fire Department said. Emergency personnel work to remove people from a stuck roller coaster in Crandon, Wisconsin, on July 2. Emergency personnel stand by as eight people are removed from a stuck roller coaster in Crandon, Wisconsin. The ordeal came two days after a father spotted a crack in a steel support pillar at the top of a roller coaster at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Persons: CNN — Festivalgoers, Brennan Cook, WJFW, ” Erica Kostichka, Kostichka, ” Cook Organizations: CNN, Crandon Fire Department, Antigo, EMS, WAOW, Fire Department, Firefighters Locations: Wisconsin, Forest, Crandon , Wisconsin, Charlotte , North Carolina, Rhinelander

“I’m not an engineer, but that’s not right,” Jeremy Wagner thought Friday on his visit to the Carowinds park in Charlotte, he told CNN. Wagner knew something was wrong when he spotted the aperture in the coaster’s infrastructure, he told CNN. The Fury 325 remains shuttered at the Carowinds amusement park. A “giga” roller coaster has a drop between 300 and 399 feet, according to Kings Island amusement park in Ohio. All rides, including Fury 325, “undergo daily inspections to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity,” Carowinds said.

Persons: I’m, that’s, ” Jeremy Wagner, Erin Wilson, Wagner, Jeremy Wagner “, ”, ” Carowinds Organizations: CNN, Device, Sunday, giga Locations: North Carolina, Charlotte, South Carolina, North America, Ohio

☆ Lonely adults are driving a boom in stuffed animal sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Grace Mayer | Gloria Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Adults are clamoring for stuffed animals, a craze that is part of a larger toy trend among adults. For some people, stuffed animals help alleviate anxiety and loneliness. She said she created Hugimals, a line of weighted stuffed animals designed to relieve stress and promote sleep, in part for herself. The stuffed animal craze is tied to a larger toy trend among adults, or, as the toy industry has labeled this group, "kidults." Weighing 4.5 pounds, these stuffed animals are designed to replicate a "calming, hugging you back" effect, she told Insider.

Persons: —, it's, Marina Khidekel, Khidekel, Marcella Johnson, she's Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal Locations: Canada, Legos, London

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