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☆ Rare postage 'gem' featuring the world's first adhesive stamp to be auctioned for up to $2.5 million in New York
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The oldest piece of mail to use a pre-paid Penny Black stamp is set to be auctioned in New York. The British Penny Black was the first-ever adhesive postage stamp. The letter cover has a sale estimate of $1.5 million to $2.5 million, per Sotheby's. AdvertisementThe oldest surviving piece of mail to use a pre-paid postage stamp is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's in New York. The document, known as "The Genesis of Philately," is one of the earliest known examples of the Penny Black stamp.

Persons: Penny, British Penny Black, —, William H, Penny Black, William Mulready, Allen Kane, Sotheby's, William Blenkinsop Jr, Blenkinsop, Blenkinsop —, Richard Austin Organizations: Service, British Penny, Gross, Smithsonian National Postal Museum, CNN Locations: New York, British, Irish, Northumberland, England, London, Dalston , Carlisle

☆ Multiple sclerosis is more common among white Europeans. Researchers studying ancient DNA may have figured out why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewGenes that may have once helped ancient herders fight infectious parasites could contribute to autoimmune diseases today, like multiple sclerosis. For example, rates of MS are twice as high in the northwest of Europe, including in Scandinavia, compared to southern Europe. AdvertisementThey analyzed teeth and bones from Europe and Western Asia, adding to an ancient DNA database of about 1,600 genomes. Northern Europeans are also more susceptible to MS than in southern Europe, where Yamnayan ancestry is less common. AdvertisementFor some people, this inflammatory response can go overboard and start attacking the body's own cells, as with MS, Iversen said.

Persons: —, it's, Rasmus Nielsen, Nielsen, Matthew Dunham NMB, immunologist Dr, Astrid Iversen, haven't, Iversen Organizations: Service, Business, University of Copenhagen, University of Cambridge, University of California, BBC Locations: Europe, Scandinavia, Western Asia, Berkeley, Northern

☆ A new train pass is launching in Japan this winter — but travelers will have to act fast
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( Jonathan Delise | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Prices for the JR Pass, as it's known, increased roughly 65%-75%, in October 2023. The East Japan Railway Company, better known as JR East, announced a new Kyun Pass in December. Kyun Pass pricesThe cost for the one-day, all-you-can-ride Kyun Pass is a flat 10,000 yen ($70). Here's a comparison of roundtrip bullet train tickets, with and without the Kyun Pass. What the Kyun Pass covers

Persons: Matsumoto, Kyun Organizations: The East Japan Railway Company, East, JR, Yokohama — Locations: Japan, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Aomori, Nagano, Kanto, Yokohama, Niigata

☆ I lived in China for almost 2 years. I missed these 11 things from Aldi while I was abroad.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Amanda Florian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I lived in China for almost two years and found myself craving nostalgic grocery items from Aldi. Now that I'm back in the US, I enjoy the nostalgia, warmth, and low prices the store brings me. AdvertisementI moved to the northwestern part of Shanghai, China, in 2017 and lived there for almost two years. China's rich cuisine is unmatchable, but sometimes, I craved nostalgic grocery items I could only get back home in the US. I've been shopping at Aldi for years, and now that I'm back in the US, I enjoy the nostalgia, warmth, and low prices the store brings me.

Persons: — Organizations: Aldi, Service, Business Locations: China, Shanghai

☆ It's so cold in Finland right now that Celsius and Fahrenheit are the same
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Jari Tanner | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It's really, really, really cold in Finland and Sweden right now. It's so cold that Celsius and Fahrenheit are the same. That's minus 40 degrees. AdvertisementFinland and Sweden recorded their coldest temperatures of the winter Tuesday when thermometers plummeted as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 Fahrenheit) as a cold spell grips the Nordic region. Temperatures in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, were expected to hover between minus 15 and minus 20 C (around zero F).

Persons: It's, —, Nils Holmqvist Organizations: Service, SVT Locations: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Swedish, Nikkaluokta, Ylivieska, Helsinki, Arendal, Denmark

☆ Best travel destinations to visit in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-01 | by ( Cnn Travel Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +32 min

cdwheatley/iStockphoto/Getty Images Angola: Beyond the capital city of Luanda, pictured, Angola has some jaw-droppingly spectacular scenery and cultural treats. David ChiaFF/Alamy Stock Photo Mérida, Mexico: Yucatán state's capital city showcases a blend of Mayan and colonial heritage. Pavel Tochinsky/The Image Bank RF/Getty Images Morocco: This North African country is home to nine UNESCO sites, including the historic city of Meknes, pictured. Panama City is also the only world capital with a tropical rainforest within its city limits. And a historic city forever entwined with the famed Camino de Santiago.

Persons: you’d, Tengguo Wu, Gabriele Thielmann, Turkey's, Gary Ennis, Matevz, Bill Bachman, Christian Kober, Gonzalo Azumendi, David ChiaFF, Pavel Tochinsky, Terry Kelly, Raul Rodriguez, iStock, Anton Petrus, –, — Karla Cripps Turkey’s, — Barry Neild, Mana Kaasik, — Maureen O’Hare, — Maggie Hiufu Wong, Deb Snelson, Glen Arbor, Marnie Hunter, — Forrest Brown, — Forrest Brown Angola Cristo, Eric Lafforgue, it’s, King, Eric Carr, John’s, Saint John, New Brunswick —, —, Tuul, Bruno Morandi, — Julia Buckley, Groenewald, Alamy, — Lilit Marcus, Alexander the Great, Philip II of Macedon, — JB, Bogdan Lazar, — Tamara Hardingham, Gill, Hercules, Francesca, Lazarus, ”, David Casanova, Megan Sequeira Casanova, “, Kuka y Naranjo, medina, Gordon Sinclair, Yvette Cardozo, — FB, Pierce Ingram, Stefan Tomic, Fujairah, who’ve, Samarkand —, It’s Organizations: CNN, United, CNN Travel, Getty Images, Town, Getty, Northwest, Saint, New Brunswick Tourism, UNESCO, Heritage, Alamy, Parque Nacional Volcán Barú, Galicia, Tercera Orden, Parque, Bank, Wakulla Springs, Texas, United Arab Emirates, AP, Rock, of Culture, Estonian National Museum, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest Michigan, Bear, Farm, Riders, Lubango, — BN Saint John, Canada Tourists, St, Saint John City Market, Historic, Saint John Arts Centre, Carnegie, Carnegie Library, — KC, Korea, Folk, Netflix, South Korea, Adriatic, Nacional Glaciares, Australian Sea Lions, Panama, Spain Santiago de, Spain Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Islas, Camino, Mexico People, YouTube, US State Department, Morocco, Regis Hotels, Resorts, — FB Texas, Travel Texas, Krause, Gruene, Fujairah, Icefjord, FS, Tuul, ” Locations: United States, Sumba, Indonesia Sumba, Indonesia, Bali, Getty Images Tartu, Estonia, Tartu —, European, Tainan, Taiwan, Northwest Michigan, Traverse City, Lake Michigan, iStockphoto, Western Balkans, Culebra , Puerto Rico, Flamenco, Culebra, cdwheatley, Angola, Luanda, , New Brunswick, Fundy, New Brunswick, New Brunswick Tourism South Korea, Korea Albania, Albania, Chile, mauritius, Western Australia, Greece, Macedonia, American, Panama, Spain, Camino, Santiago, St, John's, Mexico, Parque Hidalgo, Morocco, Meknes, Florida, Spicewood, Anton, Greenland, Denmark, AP Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Indonesian, Sumela, Turkey's, — Barry Neild Tartu, Estonia Tartu, of Culture Tartu, Tartu, “, Baltics, — Maureen O’Hare Tainan, Taiwan Tainan, Taipei, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest, Lake, Traverse, Leland, Glen, perusing, Balkans, Slovenia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, transdinarica.com, —, Puerto Rico, It’s, — Forrest Brown Angola, Lubango, Barra, Cabo Ledo, — BN Saint John , New Brunswick, Canada, Hopewell, Newfoundland, Saint, Canada’s, Korea Andong, South Korea, Sanga, Korea, Seoul, Busan, Andong, Albania Albania, Berat, Montenegro, Vlorë, Gjirokastër, — Julia Buckley Chile, Atacama, Patagonia, Coral Coast, Geraldton, — Lilit Marcus Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece's, Hemis, Athens, Vergina, Veria, Naousa, Greece’s, Thrace, Philippi, Kavala, Panama . Panama City, Gill Galicia, Spain Santiago, Spain Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Galicia’s, Santiago de Compostela, Cabo, Fisterra, Galicia —, Singapore, John’s, Paseo, Montejo, Mérida, Yucatán, getaways, there’s, Marrakech, Rabat, Fes, Resorts Morocco, Wakulla, Ginnie, Fredericksburg, Texas, Marble Falls, Meanderers, New Braunfels, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Wadi, Nuuk, Ilulissat, West, FS Uzbekistan, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, China, India, Khiva, Uzbek, Sentob, Tashkent

☆ A slew of new conflicts could erupt in 2024, analysts say — while the world is watching Gaza and Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-28 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

- | Afp | Getty ImagesWith the eyes of the world on the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, an unprecedented number of potentially "catastrophic" conflicts are going under the radar, analysts have warned. The U.N. estimated in October that more than 114 million people were displaced by war and conflict worldwide. There is good reason for that — it is currently the most dangerous place in the world to be a civilian." The political turbulence comes amid ongoing armed conflict in eastern DRC and widespread poverty, and precedes further regional elections early next year. If you look at Myanmar, of course you've got this huge population in Bangladesh of displaced Rohingyas, and also displaced within Myanmar itself," she said.

Persons: Abdel Fattah al, Burhan, David Miliband, Miliband, Isabelle Arradon, Rapid Support Forces —, Gen, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, Khalifa Haftar —, Arradon, Félix Tshisekedi, U.N, Antonio Guterres, you've, We've, It's Organizations: Afp, Getty, Rescue, Crisis, CNBC, Rapid Support Forces, UAE, IOM, UN's, Organization for Migration, Sudanese Armed Forces, Democratic, Government Locations: Red Sea, Port Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Libyan, Khartoum, Darfur, METEMA, Ethiopia, Metema, AFP, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of, Congo, DRC, Goma, North Kivu, Kigali, Kinshasa, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Shan, Sagaing, Kayah, Rakhine State, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal

CHANNELVIEW, Texas — For nearly 20 years, Texas environmental regulators have kept a disturbing secret. AdvertisementTexas Community Health News; Texas Commission on Environmental Quality"Any exposure to a carcinogen increases your risk of developing cancer. AdvertisementTim Doty, a former TCEQ mobile air monitoring expert, at the industrial edge of River Terrace Park in Channelview, Texas. In fact, the agency rarely fines companies that violate Texas air pollution laws. Mark FelixHoneycutt's toxicology division soon took an even more dramatic step to weaken Texas' benzene guidelines.

Persons: Loren Hopkins, Hopkins, Mark Felix, TCEQ, AirToxScreen, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, Menefee, Tim Doty, Doty, Solv, He'd, Glenn Shankle, Kelly Keel, Todd Riddle, Riddle, Lopez, Joe Lopez, Dora, Joel Lopez, Randy Lopez, It's, Joel, Felix Benzene, wildcatters, Houston —, Forbes, Lorenzo de Zavala, Alison Cohen, Cohen, Tim Doty's, Houston Mayor Bill White, Shankle, Michael Honeycutt, Valerie Meyers, Meyers, Mark Felix Meyers, Richard Hyde, John Sadlier, Ryder, Hyde, hadn't, Russell Allen, Matt Baker, Jacintoport, Cloelle Danforth, Public Health Watch —, Danforth, Mark Felix Honeycutt's, Eric Schaeffer, Schaeffer, Honeycutt, Jim Tarr, polluters, upended, Mark Felix Fracking, Barnett, Glenn Shankle —, —, Rick Perry, Perry, Sadlier, David Bower, misstep, Baker, Bower, Michael Burgess, Greg Abbott, Abbott, Mark Felix Meanwhile, Randy, That's, Carolyn Stone, Stone, Carolyn Stone's, Mark Felix The, Cynthia Benson, Benson, Mark Felix Tim Doty, Mark Felix K, Jordan Gass Organizations: Public Health Watch, Texas Commission, Environmental, American Petroleum Institute, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, U.S . Navy, Geospatial - Intelligence Agency, General, Health, Public Health, Rice University, Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Community Health, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney, polluters, Mark Felix Public Health, TCEQ, Solv, Mark Felix Public Health Watch, myelodysplasia, Houston, Oil, Gas Watch, Texas, Houston Ship, University of California, Houston Mayor, ., . Texas Community Health, NASA, Exxon Mobil, Public, Watch, Environmental Defense Fund, Management, Civil, Air Alliance Houston, Republican, Fort, United, Texas toxicologist, EPA, Texas Tribune, Google, Land Office, . Geological Survey, National Oceanic, Firefighters, U.S . Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Channelview, Improvement Coalition, Health Watch, San Jacinto, K, Texas Legislature, Solv Group, Services Locations: , Texas, Texas, Houston, Channelview's Jacintoport, San Jacinto, California, Jacintoport, Channelview , Texas, AirToxScreen Harris County, Channelview, Harris County, United States, North Channelview, Gulf, Terrace, Joel's, Houston , Texas, Spindletop, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Port of Houston, San Francisco, . Texas, That's, polluters, lacquers, Dallas, Fort Worth, Fort Worth City, Austin, Round, Minnesota, Galveston, U.S

☆ France puts country on 'high' alert for bird flu
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, Dec 5 (Reuters) - France raised the risk level of bird flu to 'high' from 'moderate' on Tuesday after the detection of new cases of the disease, forcing poultry farms to keep birds indoors to stem the spread of the highly contagious virus. Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has led to the culling of hundreds of millions birds worldwide in recent years. France said last week that it had detected a first bird flu outbreak on a farm this season in Brittany, in the northwest of the country. The "high" risk level implies that all poultry should be kept inside on farms and additional security measures taken to avoid a spread of the disease. Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide and Gus Trompiz; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sybille de La Hamaide, Gus Trompiz, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Thomson Locations: France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Brittany

☆ I earned a Guinness World Record for visiting all 193 countries alone. Here are my picks for 11 most beautiful countries in the world.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Cassandra De Pecol | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

I cleared the record for "fastest time to visit all sovereign countries" and "fastest time to visit all sovereign countries (female)." These are my picks for the 11 most beautiful countries I've been to. South AfricaCape Town, South Africa where De Pecol ran her Iron man. UCGOver the last 10 years, I've been lucky enough to travel to South Africa for various reasons: a race, a convention, and my 196-country expedition. The very first time I visited Africa, the Cape of Good Hope,(located along the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa), was the first bit of awe I'd experienced.

Persons: Cassandra De Pecol, —, Guinness, I'm, I'd, Switzerland De Pecol, that's, De Pecol, benedek, I've, Dominica De, United States De Pecol, Matthew Micah Wright, it's, Pecol, Carl Court, It's, Costa Rica De Pecol, Peru De Pecol, Jorge Fernández, Jordan De Pecol, Jordan, Good Hope Organizations: Guinness, Records, Service, World Records, Rockies, Costa Rica De, Puerto, New Zealand, UNESCO, South Africa Cape Locations: Canada, Taiwan, Kosovo, Palestine, Mongolia, Pecol, Russian, Switzerland, AscentXmedia Switzerland, Banff, Toronto, Quebec, Vancouver, Alberta, Dominica, Dominica De Pecol, Bahamas, St, Lucia, United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Vermont, Colorado, Arizona , California, Utah, Maldives, Costa Rica, Puerto Limon, Papagayo, Guanacaste, Peru, Machu Picchu, CAROLINA PAUCAR Peru, Picchu, New, New Zealand, Auckland, Queenstown, Jordan, Petra, Wadi Rum, South Africa, South Africa Cape Town , South Africa, Cape Town, Africa, Good

☆ Nigeria’s president calls for investigation after drone attack kills 85
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters —Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday called for a thorough investigation into a military drone attack that the state emergency agency in northern Kaduna state said killed at least 85 people at the weekend. The state’s governor, a religious leader and witnesses told Reuters on Monday that dozens of civilians were killed following the military drone attack that was targeting insurgents and bandits on Sunday night. The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency said on Tuesday at least 85 people had died during the attack, giving the first official confirmation of the toll from the weekend incident. “The President directs a thorough and full-fledged investigation into the incident and calls for calm while the authorities look diligently into the mishap,” said Ngelale. The Nigerian Army is yet to comment on the incident but the Air Force has denied being involved in the mission that led to Sunday’s attack.

Persons: Reuters —, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale, ” Organizations: Reuters, Emergency Management Agency, Zonal, Nigerian Army, Air Force Locations: Kaduna, Dubai, Tundun, United States, Britain, Abuja

It is Arizona's turn to sit atop The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll. Arizona claimed 59 of 63 first-place votes to move up one spot, putting the Wildcats comfortably ahead of preseason No. 1 in the AP Top 25 since an eight-week stint that ended in January 2014 under former coach Sean Miller. In all, 14 teams climbed from last week's poll, including No. ___Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season.

Persons: Tommy Lloyd's, Connecticut . Arizona hasn't, Sean Miller, Lloyd, “, ” Lloyd, Creighton, Duke, Tyrese Proctor, ___ Organizations: Press, Wildcats, Purdue, Northwestern, Jayhawks, NCAA, Connecticut ., Gonzaga, Colgate, Houston, Boilermakers, UConn, Baylor, North, Colorado State, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Wisconsin, Marquette, Badgers, Clemson, San Diego, Villanova, Mississippi State, CONFERENCE, BYU, ACC, Big, Big East, West Conference, American Athletic, Sun Locations: Northwestern . Arizona, Kansas, Connecticut, Connecticut . Arizona, Northwestern, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Miami, Tennessee, Texas, San Diego State, Mississippi, Alabama, Coast

CNN —The eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka is increasingly becoming a flashpoint in the conflict, where fighting remains intense even when the front lines have barely moved for months. Russia appears to have made tactical advances in the outskirts of the embattled town as Ukraine claims it is inflicting heavy losses on assaulting troops. Here is what you need to know about the past week in Ukraine. Defensive fortifications will be bolstered along all of Ukraine’s northern territory which borders Belarus and Russia. Ukraine claims defensive actions in and around the town are inflicting heavy losses on Russian troops and equipment.

Persons: Zelensky, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, “, Vitalii, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, chief’s, Marianna Budanova, GUR, Kyrylo Budanov, Andriy Yusov, Russia —, — Organizations: CNN, Analysts, Ukrainian, Russian, Ukrainian Security Service, Russian Railway, NATO Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk, Kupiansk, Kharkiv, Belarus, Kherson, Russian, Dnipro, Ukraine’s, CNN Ukraine, Buryatia, Siberia, Mongolia, North Korea, China, Finland, Helsinki, Brussels, Turkey, Soviet Union

☆ Jannik Sinner: Why the Carota Boys are ‘finding a lot of love’ for Italian tennis star
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Go to a major tennis tournament and it’s hard to miss the Carota Boys, a team of six men decked in full-body, bright-orange carrot costumes. It’s only over the past seven or so months that the Carota Boys’ love for Sinner has really blossomed, endearing themselves to the tennis public in the process. The conception of the Carota Boys originates with the friends’ tradition of buying tickets for tennis tournaments to celebrate each other’s birthdays. The Carota Boys attend the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, Italy, watching Sinner take on Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas. “Jannik and all the Carota Boys are born in a place near the mountains.

Persons: Sinner, – Lorenzo Ferrato, Francesco Gaboardi, Gianluca Bertorello, Enrico Ponsi, Alessandro Dedominici, Alberto Mondino –, TIZIANA FABI, Ferrato, Lavazza, Novak Djokovic, “, ” Ferrato, “ Jannik, Clive Brunskill, “ Let’s, let’s, we’ve, Jannik, ”, Valentino Rossi, Max, Michael, Schumacher, Daniil Medvedev, Valerio Pennicino, Carlos Alcaraz, Denmark’s Holger Rune, Djokovic, ” Djokovic, he’s, Sinner’s Organizations: CNN, Carota Boys, ATP, Getty, CNN Sport, Boys, Wimbledon, Davis, ITF Gaboardi, Italy, Australia, “ Locations: Italy, It’s, Turin, Revello, Rome, AFP, Vienna, Austria, Paris, London, New York, Malaga, Spain, Formula

☆ What do we know about China’s respiratory illness surge?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Andrew Silver | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SHANGHAI, Dec 1 (Reuters) - A request by the World Health Organization for more information on a surge in respiratory illnesses and clusters of pneumonia in children in China has attracted global attention. The following is what we know about the surge in illness in the world's second most populous country so far, and why experts think there is no need to panic. The National Health Commission told a news conference on Nov. 13 that there was an increase in incidence of respiratory disease without providing further details. IS MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONIAE A BIG WORRY? One concern about the surge in respiratory illness is mycoplasma pneumoniae, which has also spiked in other countries.

Persons: Maria Van Kerkhove, Rajib Dasgupta, mycoplasma pneumoniae, it's, Cecille Brion, Van Kerkhove, We're, Andrew Silver, Miyoung Kim Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, Program, National Health Commission, Reuters, Pacific, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Doctors, Raffles Medical Group Beijing, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Taiwan, WHO China, COVID, South East Asia, New Delhi

☆ Israel resumes combat operations against Hamas as 7-day truce expires without renewal
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Helen Regan | Jerome Taylor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Israel’s military said it was resuming combat operations in Gaza on Friday morning after the temporary truce with Hamas that had paved the way for hostage releases broke down. The hard-negotiated temporary truce, which began last Friday, was extended by two days following the release of some captives held by Hamas. The truce brought temporary respite to the besieged enclave of Gaza, which had been relentlessly pounded by Israel’s military since the Hamas attack. As the truce expiration loomed, both Israel and Hamas indicated they were prepared for fighting to resume. Under the terms of the truce deal, Israel has to free three Palestinians for every Israeli hostage released.

Persons: CNN —, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ” Netanyahu, ”, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Al, ” Danny Danon, — Organizations: CNN, of Interior, Hamas, UN, Palestinian Ministry of Health, West Bank, Israeli, Qatari, Information Service, — Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt, “, Israeli

☆ De Winton’s golden mole rediscovered after nearly 100 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A blind golden mole that glides through sand has been rediscovered in South Africa, 87 years after wildlife experts feared it had gone extinct. A beach in the northwest of South Africa where De Winton's golden moles are living. The challenge was pinpointing if De Winton’s golden mole was one of them. Common species, such as Cape golden mole and Grant’s golden mole were easily identifiable, but since there was only one De Winton’s golden mole reference DNA available, the team could not confidently identify it. De Winton’s golden mole is the 11th of its “most-wanted lost species” rediscovered since the program launched in 2017.

Persons: CNN —, JP Le Roux, eDNA, De, ”, Samantha Mynhardt, Jessie –, Nicky Souness, Cobus Theron, Christina Biggs, “, Theron Organizations: CNN, Wildlife Trust, University of Pretoria, Stellenbosch University, EWT Locations: South Africa, Port Nolloth, Cape

"While it's Syrians that are calling for it, for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, if states so wish, it could be far beyond Syria," Olabi told Reuters. The Exceptional Chemical Weapons Tribunal proposal was launched on Nov. 30, the day victims of chemical attacks are remembered worldwide. 'SOME KIND OF JUSTICE'The use of chemical weapons is banned under the Geneva Conventions that codified the laws of war. That ban was strengthened by the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, a non-proliferation treaty joined by 193 states which is overseen by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The OPCW has the power to investigate claims of chemical weapons use and in some cases identify alleged perpetrators, but it has no prosecutorial powers.

Persons: Safaa Kamel, We'll, Ibrahim Olabi, Olabi, Bashar al, Akande, Mohamad Salim Namour, IIIM, Catherine Marchi, Uhel, Maya Gebeily, Stephanie van den Berg, Anthony Deutsch, Mahmoud Hasano, Angus MacSwan, Bernadette Baum Organizations: HAGUE, Reuters, Diplomats, Convention, Organisation, Chemical Weapons, United Nations, United Nations International Law Commission, ICC, UN, Islamic, TEN, International, Thomson Locations: Eastern Ghouta, Syria, Syrian, Afrin, BEIRUT, The Hague, Jobar, Syria's, Damascus, Ghouta, British, Geneva, France, Balkans, Rwanda, Lebanon, Douma, Russia, Beirut

☆ Phillips 66's refining operations come under activist radar
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REFINERIES:WOOD RIVER, Roxana, Illinois, refining capacity: 356,000 barrels per day (bpd)Largest Phillips 66 refinery by operating capacity. LOS ANGELES: Carson and Wilmington, California, capacity: 139,000 bpdTwo sites linked by pipeline, producing California Air Resources Board-grade gasoline and fuel-grade petroleum coke. *SAN FRANCISCO: Santa Maria, Wilmington, California and Rodeo, Rodeo, California, capacity: 120,200 bpdPhillips 66's San Francisco operations consisted of two sites: Santa Maria refinery in Wilmington, California and Rodeo refinery in Rodeo, California. INTERNATIONAL REFINERIES:HUMBER, North Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, total throughput: 245,000 bpdProduces transportation fuels, petrochemical feedstocks, home heating oil and petroleum coke. MiRO, Karlsruhe, Germany, total throughput: 61,000 bpdProduces transportation fuels, petrochemical feedstocks, home heating oil, bitumen, and petroleum coke.

Persons: Bing Guan, refiner Phillips, Phillips, Santa, Santa Maria, Shariq Khan, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Phillips, Los, Los Angeles Refinery, REUTERS, Investment Management, Energy, Exports, California Air Resources, INTERNATIONAL, MiRO, . Energy, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles, Carson , California, U.S, Wood, Borger, Roxana , Illinois, Midcontinent, BORGER, Borger , Texas, West Texas, New Mexico , Colorado, SWEENY, Old Ocean , Texas, United States, America, LAKE CHARLES, Westlake , Louisiana, Europe, Linden , New Jersey, York, Bayway, East Coast . PONCA CITY, Ponca City , Oklahoma, ANGELES, Carson, Wilmington , California, California, California , Nevada, Arizona, FERNDALE, Ferndale , Washington, BILLINGS, Billings , Montana, Montana , Wyoming , Idaho , Utah, Colorado, Washington, Santa Maria, Rodeo , California, Francisco, HUMBER, North Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, Karlsruhe, Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, San Francisco, Bengaluru

If the organization fails to remove the cats within six months, the park service said it would hire a removal agency. “All visitors will benefit from the removal of a potential disease vector from the park,” the park service plan stated. “These cats are unique to San Juan,” Danna Wakefield, a solar contractor who moved to Puerto Rico in 2020, said in an interview. The U.S. Park Service plan unveiled Tuesday calls for current cat feeding stations to be removed unless they’re being used temporarily to help trap the felines. The National Park Service noted that the six-month deadline to trap cats could be extended if it sees substantial progress.

Persons: Ana María Salicrup, ” Salicrup, “, El, San Juan Mayor Felisa Rincón de Gautier, ”, ” Danna, ” Wakefield, they’ll, that's, Salicrup, ’ ” Organizations: JUAN, U.S . National Park Service, San Juan, Historic, San Juan Mayor, U.S . Park Service, National Park Service Locations: Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico’s, Old San Juan ., El Morro, San Juan, Gato, Old San Juan, ” Danna Wakefield, U.S

☆ How to choose the best Christmas tree, according to science
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Some aspects of choosing a live Christmas tree, like shape, color, and aroma, are subjective. Two Christmas tree experts explain how to choose between the many types of fir, pine, and spruce. Unlike fir and spruce trees, pine tree needles are clustered in groups instead of individually attached to the branch. The National Christmas Tree Association has a map for finding farms and other retailers that sell live Christmas trees. AdvertisementWhich Christmas tree has the best aroma?

Persons: —, there's, Fraser, Douglas, Noble, There's, Justin G, Whitehill, Bert Cregg, It's, Cregg, Chris Keane Whitehill, it's, Frasers, he's, Jason Reed Douglas, Mel Melcon, Jerry Holt, Bert, they'll, Alex Wong, Andrew Matthews, Tim Leedy, Paul J, Richards, Robert Nemeti, Jens Kalaene, you'll, Cesar L, Laure Organizations: Service, US Department of Agriculture, North Carolina State University, of Horticulture, Michigan State University, Northwest, REUTERS, White, Los Angeles Times, Getty, Star Tribune, MediaNews, Anadolu Agency, Call, Tribune Locations: Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Nobles , North Carolina, Douglas, Frasers, Fraser, Pacific Northwest, Europe, Canaan, Allentown

Peak electricity demand may increase by as much as 140 million kilowatts (12%) compared with winter 2022/23, the National Energy Administration (NEA) forecast on Oct. 31. Planners have been anxious to avoid a repeat of the fuel and power shortages that occurred in the autumn and winter of 2021/22. Chartbook: China electricity generationIn the first ten months of 2023, domestic coal production increased by 144 million tonnes (11%) and imports by 154 million tonnes (67%) compared with the prior year. The NEA said power generators’ inventories should be maintained at 200 million tonnes, up from 170 million tonnes a year ago. In the same period, domestic gas production increased by 8 million tonnes (6%), while liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports rose by 6 million tonnes (12%) and pipeline imports increased by 2 million tonnes (5%).

Persons: Tingshu Wang, John Kemp, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, National Energy Administration, Planners, NEA, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Yanqing district, Beijing, China, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Chartbook, Guangdong, Hainan

☆ China says no unusual pathogens found after WHO queries respiratory outbreaks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The WHO had asked China for more information on Wednesday after groups including the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in north China. No unusual pathogens have been detected in the capital of Beijing and the northeastern province of Liaoning. The U.N. health agency had also asked China for further information about trends in the circulation of known pathogens and the burden on healthcare systems. WHO China said it was "routine" to request information on increases in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children from member states, such as China. The WHO said that while it was seeking additional information, it recommended that people in China follow measures to reduce the risk of respiratory illness.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, pneumoniae, Ben Cowling, Deena Beasley, Andrew Silver, Jennifer Rigby, Emma Farge, Urvi, Robert Birsel, Miyoung Kim, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, World Health Organization, WHO, International, National Health Commission, FTV News, Hong Kong University, Health Commission, Xinhua, Influenza, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, Liaoning, Wuhan, WHO China, Taiwan, Los Angeles, Shanghai, London, Geneva, Bengaluru

Absentee ballots are mailed in and are the only auditable paper trail under Louisiana’s current voting system. “(Election officials) test the machines beforehand and they test the machines afterwards, so it’s not blind faith going into this. ... You’re basically getting a report on the tabulation again.”Louisiana uses paperless touch screen voting machines bought in 2005. “Can you imagine what would have happened in Georgia if they had still had digital voting machines in 2020?” Becker asked. Secretary of State-elect Nancy Landry, a Republican who takes office in January, said implementing a new voting system is a top priority.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, ” John Nickelson, Henry Whitehorn, Mike Spence, Spence, it’s, ” David Becker, “, You’re, Kyle Ardoin, Wisconsin —, Donald Trump, ” Becker, Nancy Landry Organizations: —, Republican, Caddo Parish, Democrat, Justice Department’s Civil, Division, Center, Election Innovation, Research, State Locations: BATON ROUGE, La, Louisiana, Caddo, Arizona , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Donald Trump . Georgia

U.S. Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. Deutsche Bank's CVIX (.DBCVIX) - the currency market's version of Wall St's "fear index" of stock volatility and a weighted average of implied "vol" in nine major pairings - has basically imploded. By driving short-term dollar cash rates and U.S. bond yields higher over the past 20 months, the Fed basically sucked cash from the wider investment world and supercharged dollar exchange rates everywhere. Now that it looks done, the buck's finally on the back foot - plumbing levels not seen since August. With implied volatility directionally biased, the dollar index and the CVIX are typically well correlated and both peaked in tandem in same month of September last year.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Deutsche Bank's, Chris Turner, Francesco Pesole, BOJ, BOE, Marcelli, Morgan Stanley, Matthew Hornbach, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Deutsche, U.S, ING, Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Bank of Japan, European Central Bank and Bank of England, ECB, UBS Global Wealth, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, U.S . Federal, Japan, U.S

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