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☆ Putting the Brutality of a Prize Fight on the Met Opera Stage
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Victor Mather | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Many in the crowd of 7,500 were begging” the referee to intervene, The Times reported. The referee, Ruby Goldstein, was later exonerated by the State Athletic Commission. The opera’s second act deals with the fallout from the fatal punches, and Griffith’s later life, including a brutal beating he received outside a gay bar. (The conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin emerges in the pit for the second act in a boxer’s hooded robe.) Helping to make it look accurate was Michael Bentt, a former professional world champion who served as the opera’s boxing consultant.

☆ Democrats say Florida is 'dead for Biden' as his 2024 presidential campaign starts: 'We just need to be realistic'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

"It's like a dead carcass on the side of the road," DeSantis said in April of the Florida Democratic Party. Nearly two decades ago, Florida Democrats were "similarly declared dead, you know, forever, Amen," Schale said, but they rebounded. Wilfredo Lee/AP PhotoDemocrats say they still have spend in FloridaBut it's important for Democrats to still invest campaign resources in Florida, Democratic insiders said. Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said the party had no infrastructure and no voter registration drive when she took the helm in February. Joe Raedle/Getty Images, Scott Olson/Getty ImagesBuilding a Democratic benchFried she's optimistic about Florida Democrats' future — and Biden's potential there.

☆ Former Rep. Will Hurd might launch a 2024 GOP presidential campaign. He's still waiting to see if his party agrees that 'we're better together.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Former GOP Rep. Will Hurd, a Trump critic, is considering running for president in 2024. He says he won't support Trump in 2024 and suggested DeSantis will struggle to appeal to voters. the former Texas congressman told Insider in an interview before his address to the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition's Annual Spring Kick-off. "We have four years," he told Insider, "before we could potentially get surpassed by the Chinese government as a global superpower." On abortion, Hurd told Insider it "probably makes sense" to institute a nationwide ban after 15 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.

☆ Your town might be sitting on pandemic cash it could use to build a grocery store or launch a guaranteed-basic-income pilot
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They told him they were walking from their homes to Kroger, the nearest grocery store — which was at least a 25- to 30-minute walk. That got Miller thinking about building a grocery store, or even just a shed to sell fresh food from at a lower cost. He learned the city land committee had taken over the abandoned structure and that, way back when, it had been a grocery store called Abraham Grocery. Courtesy of Dural MillerNow, starting in November, it'll be a new grocery store, Miss Ruby's Corner Market, to serve the community. Baltimore, for instance, has used American Rescue Plan funds to give out guaranteed income to young parents for two years.

☆ Sotheby's to auction world's largest ruby in New York in June
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Jessie Pang | Thomson Reuters | Jessie Pang Joined Reuters In After An Internship. She Covers Hong Kong With A Focus On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] An employee shines a light at the 55.22 carat "The Estrela de Fura" ruby, the largest in the world and expected to fetch up to $30 million in an upcoming New York auction, during a preview at Sotheby's, in Hong Kong, China April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Lam YikHONG KONG, April 17 (Reuters) - The largest ruby in the world to come to auction will be offered by Sotheby's in New York in June, the auction house said at a preview in Hong Kong on Monday, and is estimated to achieve more than $30 million. That would probably make the 55.22-carat gem, known as the Estrela de Fura, the most expensive ruby ever sold at auction, said Uni Kim, a specialist in Sotheby's jewellery department in the Asian financial capital. The current world record for a ruby sold at auction was set in May 2015 by "Sunrise Ruby," a 25.59-carat Burmese stone that fetched $30.3 million at Sotheby's in Geneva. "We estimate Estrela de Fura to be sold in excess of $30 million," Kim added.

☆ Republicans in battleground states sidestep endorsing Trump as they eye 2024 Senate bids
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Republicans weighing 2024 Senate bids in key states haven't settled on Donald Trump for 2024. "As Senate Republican's primary dynamics get messier by the day, Senate GOP candidates are in a lose-lose situation when it comes to Trump," said Nora Keefe, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Representatives for the three GOP prospects and the Senate GOP campaign arm either did not elaborate or respond when asked for comment. Rep. Mike Gallagher, a potential Senate candidate in another battleground state, Wisconsin, has repeatedly said he would not support Trump since the Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in the January 6 insurrection. I stand by what I said," he said during an Axios forum when asked if he would support Trump if he becomes the nominee.

☆ Factbox: From holy oil to sceptres and a spoon: King Charles' coronation ceremony
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - The ceremony for King Charles's coronation at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6 will involve historic regalia ranging from sceptres and maces to a ring and a spoon. It replaced an original crown believed to date back to the 11th century Anglo-Saxon king of England, Edward the Confessor. SOVEREIGN'S SCEPTRE WITH DOVEThis is the second sceptre used in the ceremony, representing the sovereign's spiritual role. The bejewelled Sword of Offering, made for the coronation of George IV in 1821, is one of the objects used during the coronation ceremony. They date back to 1661 and have been used at every coronation from King Charles II’s until King George VI’s in 1937, with new armills specially prepared for Queen Elizabeth in 1953.

☆ Trump kicks off 2024 with a lifeless stump speech, folding indictment hysteria into a growing list of grievances
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Trump's first stump speech of 2024 saw the ex-president lashing out at a growing list of enemies. 'Final battle' rhetoricThe former president is seeking another term in the White House while multiple criminal and civil cases against him keep building. Trump categorized every investigation poking around his personal life, single-term presidency, and post-presidential life as bogus "witch hunts." "Put me back in the White House and their reign will be over," Trump told the thousands in the crowd, their cheers rising up to greet him. Earlier in the day, one of the local officials who helped warm up the crowd told attendees he had a foolproof plan for overcoming just about any issue.

☆ Texas' GOP leaders are skipping Trump's Waco rally because of 'prior commitments' as possible indictments dog his 2024 campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Former President Donald Trump is holding a 2024 campaign rally in Waco, Texas on Saturday. None of the 30 Texas Republicans Insider contacted about the event said they were going. Cheung was also non-committal about whether former Trump rally companions like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia or failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake would pop up in Texas. Other Texas Republicans who said they'd be unable to huddle with Trump for unspecified reasons include Rep. Michael McCaul, and state GOP chairman Matt Rinaldi. The bigger concern, Meek told Insider, was that the high-profile visit might in any way backfire after the decades the community has spent building back from the Branch Davidian tragedy.

☆ More than 300 people on one of Princess Cruises' ships fell ill and suffered from vomiting and diarrhea, CDC says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

More than 300 people became sick on one of Princess Cruises' ships, the CDC said. Princess Cruises said it was a "mild gastrointestinal illness" likely caused by norovirus. In a statement to Insider, Princess Cruises described the sickness as a "mild gastrointestinal illness." The company said it was likely caused by norovirus, a stomach bug that causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain. COVID-19 outbreaks occurred on many cruise ships during the pandemic.

☆ 6 sneakers Michael Jordan wore during game-clinching NBA Finals games are about to go on sale — and the price could set a record
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sotheby's this week will put up for sale a collection of six Air Jordan sneakers. Each of the six sneakers was worn by Michael Jordan during an NBA Finals game. Auction house Sotheby's on Tuesday will unveil a collection of six Air Jordan sneakers in Dubai. For perspective, a jersey Jordan wore during the 1998 NBA Finals sold last year for $10.1 million. "This set represents the most valuable and significant collection of Air Jordan sneakers ever brought to market," Sotheby's said, in a listing.

The AI industry is vast, encompassing not only buzzy chatbots and conversational search engines but also things like self-driving vehicles. Big technology companies have laid off tens of thousands of workers in recent months, but workers with AI skills are still in demand. Highly educated data scientists and core AI specialists with technical know-how are still highly in demand despite recent layoffs, Forshaw said. Natural language processing is really hot right now, but data science and data analytics skills are still in high demand." Still, Kimmel— who recently launched a bootcamp for AI startups— suggests that it's best to jump in and learn alongside early builders.

☆ We're having loyal Costco shoppers share their grocery lists with us. Here are their favorite things to buy there.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +36 min

Read Abigail Abesamis Demarest's full Costco shopping list: I've shopped at Costco for over 10 years. AdvertisementRead Lisa Tanner's full Costco shopping list: I'm a mom of 10 who's shopped at Costco for almost 20 years. Read Tara Zeller's full Costco shopping list: I drive 4 hours and spend $500 for every Costco trip. AdvertisementRead Majed Kassis' full Costco shopping list: I run a Costco fan account with over 390,000 followers. Read Rachel MacPherson's full Costco shopping list: I'm a personal trainer who shops for a family of 6 at Costco.

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☆ Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi Acquitted in Sex-Scandal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Eric Sylvers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The court’s decision clears Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, 86, after a trial that lasted six years. MILAN—An Italian court on Wednesday acquitted the country’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of bribing witnesses in a previous trial where he faced charges of having sex with an underage girl. The court’s decision clears Mr. Berlusconi, 86, after a trial that lasted six years and concerned events that took place a decade ago. The court’s decision also absolved three dozen women, including Karima El Mahroug , the woman at the center of the case who at the time of the events was a nightclub dancer nicknamed “Ruby Heart-Stealer.”

☆ Italy's Berlusconi faces verdict in Bunga Bunga bribe case
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Emilio Parodi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The scandal over the so-called Bunga Bunga parties contributed to Berlusconi's downfall as prime minister in 2011, marking the end of his fourth government. The case was split between three cities because of where the various witnesses lived. The Milan case is the biggest and most high-profile. Prosecutors in Italy's financial capital last May requested prison time for the former prime minister as well as the confiscation of four houses and millions of euros. Berlusconi, 86, has acknowledged giving money to various of his guests, but said it was offered spontaneously as compensation for the reputational damage they had suffered by being associated with his infamous Bunga Bunga parties.

☆ Read the leaked farewell memo Shopify's departing CTO sent staff, praising the founder-led company and its accomplishments
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'll be working with the team over the next few weeks to ensure a smooth and efficient transition. All of this is a tiny fraction of our truly incredible work, done by incredible humans. The best way to learn is to read the code, to pair program with Shopifolk inside and outside of your team. I didn't truly understand the impact Shopify has on merchants until I met some in person. I leave you in the capable hands of our leaders, and I know you'll continue to do incredible work.

☆ Some critically acclaimed films by and about Black people don’t make the Oscars list in a major letdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Michelle Garcia | Michelle Garcia Is The Editorial Director Of Nbcblk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

While the Golden Globes brought several notable nominations and wins for Black performers in television and film, this year’s Oscar nominations look very different. “Till,” starring Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Mobley, chronicles the 14-year-old’s mother during her quest for justice after her child was brutally murdered. The film earned no Academy Award nominations. “Wakanda Forever” also failed to match the best picture nod earned by 2018’s “Black Panther” — the first superhero movie nominated for the top Oscar. Bassett is also the second oldest Black woman ever nominated for an acting Oscar, behind supporting actress nominee Ruby Dee, who appeared in 2007’s “American Gangster.”

☆ With drag drawing fire in the U.S., RuPaul's DragCon U.K. is a family affair
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Ellie Rudy | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

After a three-year pandemic hiatus, RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. — one of the world’s largest drag conferences — returned to London this past weekend. RuPaul, center, is joined by drag queens during the ribbon cutting ceremony for RuPaul's DragCon U.K. in London on Jan. 6, 2023. Lady Camden struts the pink carpet at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. 2023. Maxine, 5, strikes a pose with her mom, Trish, at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. 2023 in London. Drag performer Kitty Scott Claus at RuPaul’s DragCon U.K. in London on Jan. 6, 2023.

☆ Biden to mark anniversary of Jan 6 riots with awards to the day's 'heroes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Jeff Mason | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"These 12 heroes demonstrated courage and selflessness during a moment of peril for our nation," a White House official said. Rioters who supported Trump broke through barricades and invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, interrupting the certification of Biden's 2020 election victory. Biden has called it embarrassing that it was taking so long for the House leader to be elected. The White House ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died in the days following the attack on the Capitol, will receive a posthumous medal.

☆ Biden awards Presidential Citizens Medals on two-year anniversary of Jan. 6 Capitol riot
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

US President Joe Biden speaks during a ceremony at the White House marking the two-year anniversary of the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. The award ceremony at the White House was Biden's first time bestowing the Presidential Citizens Medal, which is given to Americans "who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens." Three of the medals were awarded posthumously to officers who had defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and died afterward by injuries or by suicide. "All of it was fueled by lies about the 2020 election," Biden said Friday, without mentioning Trump by name. The somber event at the White House was punctuated by a few moments of levity.

☆ How 'Real Housewife' Jen Shah's fabulous life came crashing down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Stephanie Clifford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +43 min

The woman wrote to the judge overseeing Shah's case that she'd had to remortgage her house, almost divorced, and "thought about ending my own life." The couple decided that he should get his degree while Jen Shah dropped out of college to work. (Shah told a judge at her 2022 plea hearing that she had been treated for "alcohol and depression" two years prior. Koa Johnson, Jen Shah's former fashion designerWhen Sharrieff Shah did participate in filming, he quickly became a fan favorite, calm and sensible. Once the show aired and Jen Shah developed a fan base, her behavior became more dramatic, Johnson said.

President Joe Biden on Friday will mark the second anniversary of the attack on the Capitol by awarding the Presidential Citizens Medal to a dozen election workers, officials and law-enforcement officers for "contributions to our democracy" before and during the riot, a White House official said. "These 12 heroes demonstrated courage and selflessness during a moment of peril for our nation," the official said. Other elected officials receiving the medal are Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Al Schmidt, the former vice chair of Philadelphia’s Board of Elections. Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, left, is comforted by her mother, Ruby Freeman, during a House select committee hearing on June 21, 2022. Biden is also posthumously awarding the medal to Brian Sicknick, the Capitol Police officer who died the day after the riot after suffering two strokes.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will award the Presidential Citizens Medal to 12 people on Friday during a ceremony at the White House to mark two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, a White House official said. The award, one of the country's highest civilian honors, will be given to law enforcement officers, election workers and state and local officials, the official said. The White House plans to highlight distinctions between what Biden calls "extremists" in the opposition party and other Republicans in the months ahead. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died in the days following the attack on the Capitol, will receive a posthumous medal, according to the White House official. Washington's chief medical examiner ruled that Sicknick died of natural causes following multiple strokes after the attack on the Capitol.

Meanwhile, abortion-rights advocates and the ballot initiative groups they’re working with said preliminary efforts are also underway in Florida, Missouri and other states. Meanwhile, voters in two Democratic states, California and Vermont, chose to officially protect abortion rights in their constitutions. “Reproductive rights is a winning issue. The Dobbs decision had a huge impact,” said Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, the executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, which works with progressive organizations to help advance citizen-led ballot measures. “And what we know — that about a majority of Americans actually support reproductive rights and abortion access — means we have an incredible opportunity.”

☆ Sonya Eddy, 'General Hospital' actor, dies at 55
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Liz Calvario | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

“General Hospital” star Sonya Eddy has died. Alongside the statement, the “Spirited” actor shared a photo of her dear friend, along with a heartfelt message dedicated to the soap star’s loved ones. “Her legions of @generalhospitalabc fans will miss her 💔🕊️ My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones, friends, and fans!” has died. “General Hospital” executive producer Frank Valentini also expressed his condolences on Twitter. Eddy was best known for her role as Epiphany Johnson on “General Hospital.” She was on the soap opera from March 2006 until November 2020.

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