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Amazon said the promotion is not a cost-cutting measure and that it applies to customers who have never used Amazon Pickup or have not used that service in the last 12 months. "We offer customers a variety of ways to get their packages, inclusive of delivery and pickup options. The $10 Amazon Pickup promotion isn't new," the company said in a statement. [1/2] One of Amazon's delivery trucks is pictured working on delivery from the Amazon facility in Poway, California, U.S., November 16, 2022. REUTERS/Sandy Huffaker/File Photo 1 2Increasing use of Amazon pickup locations would help the company bypass costly residential package dropoffs and is "a huge opportunity for Amazon to reduce the cost of delivery," Maciuba said.

☆ Disney World Ditches Reservations for Some Tickets
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Joseph Pisani | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Disney had said the reservation system keeps lines shorter. Photo: Zack Wittman for The Wall Street JournalWalt Disney Co. is doing away with some of its Covid-19 pandemic ticketing policies at its Orlando theme parks. Starting Jan. 9, 2024, visitors who buy a dated ticket to Walt Disney World won’t also have to make a reservation to one of its four theme parks, Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. The company has been requiring ticket holders to make reservations since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic as a way to control crowds.

☆ Scarlett Johansson is a full-fledged Disney adult despite that lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Scarlett Johansson may have sued Disney in 2021 for breach of contract, but the “Black Widow” star still is – and always has been – a full-fledged Disney adult. (A Disney adult can be defined in many ways depending on one’s level of fandom, but the term tends to refer to a grown person that is a dedicated Disney fan.) “We had annual passes to Disney World, and I have a real passion for the Disney parks,” Johansson said, adding that the obsession with Disney began when her family lived in Florida for two years when she was younger. The star even said her dream job is to have a “corner office” on the Disney studio lot when she appeared on Bruce Bozzi’s “Table for Two” podcast in 2022. Johansson sued the studio in 2021, alleging Disney breached her contract by releasing “Black Widow,” a 2021 Marvel film she starred in, on home streaming platform Disney+ the same day it was released in theaters.

☆ Opinion | Let the Post-Pandemic City Grow Wild
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Ben Wilson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Every city has acres of in-between land that, if managed well, could become oases of greenery harboring insect, bird and other animal life. The rubble-strewn cities of the Second World War, to the astonishment of their inhabitants, very quickly brimmed with plant and animal life. In central Münster, Germany, piles of rubble were veiled with spontaneously growing pussy willow, mountain maple, birches, yellow mulleins and wild strawberry. Neglected sites were profuse in biodiversity, often containing many more species of plants and insects than nearby parks or even the countryside. Like the Great Trinity Forest, first it was abandoned and then hundreds of species took over, many of them endangered.

☆ Disney's Iger may have to add slowing growth to his turnaround checklist
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Disney is also embroiled in a legal fight with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over state efforts to control Disney World. The media and entertainment giant's Disney+ streaming service is expected to add a net 1.3 million subscribers in the second quarter, compared with additions of 7.9 million a year ago, according to Visible Alpha. "Star Wars" spin-off "The Mandalorian" was Disney+'s most in-demand series both in the U.S. and worldwide during the quarter, according to data provider Parrot Analytics. The streaming unit's operating loss is expected to widen to about $750 million from a loss of nearly $670 million a year earlier. That would mark the slowest growth since the second quarter of 2021, as the company's cable business also takes a hit from an ad market slowdown.

HOW THE LAWSUITS DIFFERDisney's lawsuit was filed in federal court and alleges that DeSantis violated the company's protections under the U.S. Constitution, including its First Amendment right to free speech. In contrast, the state court lawsuit against Disney focuses on the procedures the old board followed in approving the agreements with Disney. The Florida district is asking the state court to void the Disney agreements. The district could file a motion in federal court to ask Walker to dismiss or pause Disney's federal case while the state court proceeds. Legal doctrines hold that federal judges should refrain from hearing a case where there is a related state court proceeding, particularly when a state court decision could resolve the federal lawsuit.

☆ New Zealand's North Island hit by heavy rain, student missing in caves
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WELLINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - A high school student is missing in Northland, New Zealand after getting into difficulty on a school trip to caves on Tuesday, according to police, as heavy rain and thunderstorms cause flash flooding and landslides across the upper North Island. Local newspaper the Northern Advocate said the student was missing inside one of the caves, which is described as having a canyon-like feel. Police rescue teams are in the area, which has been hit by heavy rain this morning with further rain expected this afternoon. "Auckland is experiencing widespread flooding and torrential rain. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast to drench the region into the evening and potentially through to midnight.

MEXICO CITY, May 8 (Reuters) - The Mexican government on Monday set out fresh details of a plan to attract businesses to a corridor straddling a narrow isthmus of southern Mexico, part of a larger push to pump investment into the relatively poor region. The plan, called the Inter-Oceanic Corridor, will include 10 new industrial parks along the stretch connecting the Pacific port of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca state with the Gulf coast hub of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz state, officials said. Officials also hinted at plans to construct four wind plants across the area, home to major installations of state-run oil company Pemex. Another reason to push manufacturing to the south is that the north - which benefits from its proximity with the United States - is facing a drought, officials say. Reporting by Kylie Madry; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by David Alire GarciaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Disney Says DeSantis, Allies Are ‘Weaponizing the Power of Government’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

After a year of trying to outmaneuver each other, Walt Disney Co. is suing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. WSJ’s Arian Campo-Flores explains what’s behind the lawsuit. Photo Composition: Rachel RogersWalt Disney Co. has fired back at Florida Gov. That measure, which seeks to retroactively void a contract that Disney signed to lock in planning approvals to potentially expand its theme parks and hotels in Florida, escalated a year-long fight between Disney and Florida Republicans.

☆ Mexican officials roll out investment plans for southern corridor
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Officials announced details for 10 industrial parks along the corridor connecting the Pacific port of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca state with the Gulf coast hub of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz state. Four of the parks will be located in Veracruz and six in Oaxaca, officials said during an event touting the potential of the Interoceanic Corridor development plan. Lopez Obrador has repeatedly argued that southern states like Oaxaca are prime for investment versus the country's more industrial north. He has also touted southern Mexico's more ample water resources. The minister added that the Interoceanic Corridor project will be presented to companies from the United States, Canada, Taiwan and Germany, among others.

The Global Port Tracker now expects U.S. container imports of 10.4 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEU) for the first half of the year, a reduction of nearly 4% from its prior forecast. If imports hit that new target, it would mark a 23% drop from the first half of 2022, according to the forecast released by the National Retail Federation and maritime trade consultancy Hackett Associates on Monday. Uncertainty spawned by high inflation, Federal Reserve interest rate hikes and recent bank failures are weighing on trade, Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett said. "Our view is that imports will remain below recent levels until inflation rates and inventory surpluses are reduced," he said. Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Disney nixes reservation requirements at Florida parks, adds back dining plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

To start, Disney World will remove theme park reservation requirements for its date-based tickets beginning Jan. 9, 2024. The change is in addition to the recently adopted rule that passholders can visit any of Disney's Orlando-based theme parks after 2 p.m. without a reservation. The company's theme park division is one of the most lucrative segments of its overall business, and its success is driven by strong customer experiences. The company aims to adapt to customer feedback — including concerns from some guests that the park reservation system was confusing or inconvenient. Disney also announced that it is extending its early theme park entry for hotel guests through 2024.

☆ Allen, Texas shooting:New details emerge about Texas outlet mall shooter Mauricio Garcia as investigators continue to probe for motive
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Josh Campbell Ed Lavandera Elizabeth Wolfe Sara Smart | Josh Campbell | Ed Lavandera | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Christian LaCour was working as a security guard in the mall when he was killed, his family said. Brianna SmithIn addition to an AR-15 style firearm and another weapon found with Garcia, police also discovered several more weapons in his car, the law enforcement source told CNN. Neighbors of an address matching that of Garcia’s parents told CNN that police and the FBI arrived at the home about an hour after the attack and had the street blocked off for several hours. As part of his work, Garcia received Level II and Level III security training. He found a surviving child whose mother had been struck and killed as she shielded him from bullets, Spainhouer told CNN affiliate KTVT.

☆ Sudan's well-off stuck in limbo at border town en route to Egypt
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Maggie Michael | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

While women, children and the elderly can enter Egypt freely, though often after waiting days in testing conditions at a packed border, Sudanese men aged 16-50 must apply for visas. When she got to Wadi Halfa the bus driver, who had promised to take her to Egypt, dropped her off with her family and demanded more money. He returned to Wadi Halfa to apply for his visa but was told to wait, so he sent his elderly parents to Egypt alone. Half the group continued on to Egypt while the rest settled in a school in Wadi Halfa, sleeping in a classroom with three other families. The school gave him and others a warning that they needed the classrooms back this week for end of year exams.

Here’s what we know so far about those killed in the Texas shooting:The Cho familyCho Kyu Song, 37 (husband) and Kang Shin Young, 35 (wife) are shown in an undated photo. William, who just celebrated his birthday, lost his mother, father and younger brother in the shooting, according to the post. Daniela and Sofia MendozaSisters Daniela and Sofia Mendoza were both elementary school students in the Wylie Independent School District, according to a letter sent to parents by the district. “Words cannot express the sadness we feel as we grieve the loss of our students,” the letter reads. “Please hold the Mendoza family close to your heart.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum in Titusville, May 1, 2023. Ron DeSantis, accusing the Republican leader of doubling down on his "retribution campaign" against the company by signing legislation to void Disney's development deals in Orlando. Disney's amended lawsuit also noted that Florida's Republican-led legislature passed legislation last week targeting Walt Disney World's monorail system. On Friday, the final day of the state's 2023 legislative session, DeSantis signed a bill that included language effectively targeting Disney's development contracts. Linda Stewart, a Democrat representing Florida's 13th Senate district and a staunch critic of DeSantis' actions against Disney, called the feud between DeSantis and Disney "insane" and laid blame with her Republican counterparts.

[1/2] One of Amazon's delivery trucks is pictured working on delivery from the Amazon facility in Poway, California, U.S., November 16, 2022. Increasing use of Amazon pickup points would help the company bypass costly residential package dropoffs and is "a huge opportunity for Amazon to reduce the cost of delivery," Maciuba said. Amazon worked for years to train consumers to expect fast, no-fee deliveries and returns. As the company tightens its belt after a period of explosive growth, it has made numerous moves to reduce delivery-related costs across the company. Amazon late last year hiked the price of its annual Prime subscription that includes free shipping benefits by $20 to $139.

☆ Racetracks, Parks, Offices: A Frantic Search for Migrant Housing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Dana Rubinstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

By Friday, a Trump-era immigration policy called Title 42 is set to expire. The end of the policy is expected to spur cross-border migration, eventually affecting New York City. New York City is the only major U.S. city with a “right-to-shelter law.” As of Wednesday evening, 61,000 migrants have come to the city in the past year, according to City Hall officials. Over 37,500 of them are now in city care at more than 120 emergency shelters and eight larger-scale centers. Those spaces should be at least 10,000 square feet in size, contain “no known health hazards” and have running water.

☆ The New Definitive Biography of Martin Luther King Jr.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Dwight Garner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

KING: A Life, by Jonathan EigGrowing up, he was called Little Mike, after his father, the Baptist minister Michael King. Only in college did he drop his first name and began to introduce himself as Martin Luther King Jr. This was after his father visited Germany and, inspired by accounts of the reform-minded 16th-century friar Martin Luther, adopted his name. King Jr. was born in 1929. One writer, quoted by Jonathan Eig in his supple, penetrating, heartstring-pulling and compulsively readable new biography, “King: A Life,” called it “the richest Negro street in the world.”Eig’s is the first comprehensive biography of King in three decades.

☆ Stock Market Today: Dow Edges Down in Midday Trading; Some Regional Bank Stocks Rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Stocks were mixed Monday afternoon after the Federal Reserve’s lending officer survey showed credit conditions tightened in the first quarter. The report kicked off a busy week with more corporate earnings and inflation data on tap. Regional bank stocks jumped at the open but lost much of that ground as trading progressed. The KBW Nasdaq Regional Banking index lost 1.8%. Oil prices rose, pointing to a recovery for Brent crude after finishing Friday with a third straight weekly loss.

☆ In Debt Limit Talks, Biden and Republicans Start Far Apart
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Jim Tankersley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden is set to welcome Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other top congressional leaders to the White House on Tuesday for a pivotal round of discussions about the nation’s taxes, spending and debt as a potentially catastrophic government default rapidly approaches. The talks come just weeks before the United States is expected to run out of cash to pay its bills unless the nation’s borrowing cap is lifted. Like previous moments of brinkmanship, the discussions have echoes of 2011 and 2013, when congressional Republicans refused to raise the debt ceiling unless a Democratic president agreed to curb federal spending and reduce budget deficits. The meeting is not expected to produce anything close to final agreement on a fiscal plan that could include raising the debt limit. Mr. Biden wants to expand federal spending and reduce future debt, largely by raising taxes on high earners and large companies.

Inside the sprawling complex in suburban Allen, employees, shoppers and families with young children bolted to take cover in storage areas or back hallways, witnesses told CNN. The gunman was killed by an Allen Police Department officer who was at the mall on an unrelated call, police said. One witness, Kingsley Ezeh, told CNN he was walking inside the mall when people behind him suddenly began running. Emergency vehicles line the entrance to the Allen Premium Outlets where a shooting took place on May 6, 2023 in Allen, Texas. The shooting was deeply disturbing, said Fatburger employee Tiffany Gipson, who told CNN she and other customers hid in a hallway behind their mall restaurant.

☆ North America’s best bar for 2023 serves pizza cocktails
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —This week in travel news: Crowns are handed out to pizza joints, bars and an English king. And we reveal why going on a hiking trip might be one of the best ways to find love. Award-winning bars and restaurantsDouble Chicken Please, a cocktail bar-slash-chicken joint on New York’s Lower East Side, took the No.1 spot in North America’s 50 Best Bars 2023. A newly published Italian list names the Best Pizza in Europe 2023, all outside the home country. King Charles gets his crownThis is what you can expect to see at King Charles III's coronation 04:04 - Source: CNNLondon airports were expected to greet more than 2 million arrivals this week, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium, as the country prepares for the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday.

☆ Strange, 7-foot-long cannibalistic fish with fangs that live in the deep sea are washing up on the West Coast and scientists don't know why
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Lancetfish live in the deep sea, have fanged jaws and long scaleless bodies, and eat their own. The cannibalistic fish has been washing up on the West Coast, but scientists can't explain why. Video taken in California in 2021 shows a lancetfish flapping its jaw and writhing on the sand. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on the culture & business of sustainability — delivered weekly to your inbox. The video shows the lancet flapping its fanged jaw and writhing wildly on the sand.

[1/4] People wait to watch Britain's King Charles' procession to his coronation ceremony from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, at The Mall in London, Britain May 6, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie LecocqLONDON, May 6 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people of all ages, from Britain and across the globe, braved the rain for a glimpse of the newly crowned King Charles in the streets of London and on Buckingham Palace's famous balcony on Saturday. "It was amazing to see them all there in real life, just like you’d see on a postcard." Charles, 74, ascended to the throne in September after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth. But polls show the public generally approves of Charles as king and a majority still support the monarchy, even if younger people are far less interested.

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