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Airlines are operating 13% fewer domestic flights during the eight-day Thanksgiving travel period compared with 2019, according to data by Cirium. While flight delays and cancellations marred U.S. summer travel, airlines say they are better prepared to handle the holiday travel rush for Thanksgiving, which occurs on the fourth Thursday in November. Federal officials say they have enough staffing to handle holiday travel as well. More than 1.4 million travelers are going out of town for Thanksgiving by bus, train or cruise ship, AAA estimates. The company this year received Thanksgiving travel bookings as early as June, three months earlier than in 2019.

☆ US Secret Service protection would follow Donald Trump to the slammer if he ever ended up there, former agents say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Robin Bravender | Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

"If Donald Trump gets sent to prison, what's the role of the Secret Service in that case?" Federal law entitles Trump and all other ex-presidents to Secret Service protections for life — although it didn't always. "Geez, the fact that we're thinking about him going to jail kind of scares me," said the former Secret Service official. While former presidents are entitled to Secret Service protection, they can opt to decline it — just as Nixon did after leaving office. They did so under the Clinton administration, when a law was passed that would afford ex-presidents 10 years of Secret Service security, rather than lifetime protections.

☆ Mehmet Oz and 15 other candidates together spent over $223 million of their own money — and lost their 2022 midterm races anyway
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mehmet Oz spent nearly $27 million on his failed US Senate run. According to an Insider review of federal and state campaign spending, 16 out of the 22 top-spending candidates in the midterm elections lost their races. Combined, the 16 also-rans spent over $223 million of their own money — just over half of the nearly $443 the top self-funding candidates spent this cycle. They are Rep. David Trone of Maryland (roughly $12.6 million); Gov. Read Insider's entire list of the 22 largest self-funders in the 2022 midterm elections.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be the most compact in the tournament’s 92-year history. Not only did the country need eight stadiums to accommodate the tournament’s 62 matches, Qatar also needed to come up with housing options and training facilities for each of the 32 qualified teams. And because FIFA rules stipulate that all squads must stay in the country until they’re eliminated, leaning on Qatar’s neighbors for help wasn’t an option. While the World Cup is normally spread across an entire country, Qatar is roughly the size of Connecticut and everything radiates out from the capital city of Doha. When the World Cup expands to 48 teams in 2026, it will take up even more space.

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his company were ordered Thursday to pay an additional $473 million in punitive damages to families of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre over promoting the falsehood that the 2012 school shooting was a hoax. Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families, told The Associated Press he hoped that the punitive damages awarded Thursday send a message to conspiracy theorists who profit from lies. Twenty children and six educators were killed after a gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and opened fire on Dec. 14, 2012. The Connecticut trial was the second related to his Sandy Hook conspiracy theories. In August, a Texas jury ordered Jones to pay nearly $50 million in damages to Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, whose son Jesse was killed in the massacre.

☆ Some People Are Getting 14 Times the Average Savings Account Rate. Here Are the Best Offers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

By Martha C. WhiteAfter years of earning essentially zilch on your cash, it’s finally possible to see a real return in your savings account. (Capital One 360 Performance Savings remains our pick for Best Overall Savings Account.) Strategies to find the best savings ratesThere are a few places you can search for a savings account that offers high interest—and a couple of caveats to keep in mind. Try an aggregatorSites that aggregate banking offers can be a good place to start your search for a high-yield savings account. With lower overhead than their bricks-and-mortar counterparts, these businesses have more leeway to offer higher rates on deposits.

☆ Biden says Elon Musk's relationships with foreign countries are 'worthy of being looked at'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

President Joe Biden said Elon Musk's ties with foreign countries are "worth being looked at." A Saudi prince and a Qatari sovereign fund's subsidiary are major investors in Musk's Twitter. "I think that Elon Musk's cooperation and, or, technical relationships with other countries is worthy of being looked at," he told reporters at a White House press conference. White House officials had earlier denied reports that it was planning a security review of Musk's dealings with Twitter. "The national security review, that is not true," said White House press secretary Karine-Jean Pierre on October 24.

☆ Democratic incumbent Sen. Richard Blumenthal faces off against Trump-endorsed Republican Leora Levy in Connecticut's US Senate election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal is running against Republican Leora Levy to represent Connecticut in the US Senate. Levy is one of 22 Republican Senate candidates that President Donald Trump has endorsed. Democratic incumbent Sen. Richard Blumenthal faces off against Republican Leora Levy in Connecticut to represent the state in the US Senate. Connecticut's Senate race candidatesBlumenthal, first elected in 2010, serves on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation, Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and Special Committee on Aging. Before his election to the Senate, Blumenthal served five terms as Connecticut's attorney general, and in both the Connecticut State Senate and House of Representatives.

☆ There have only been 2 Black elected governors in US history, but the 2022 midterm elections could usher in unparalleled change
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

There have only been two Black elected governors in US history, but that could change on Tuesday. With the victory, Wilder became the first Black elected governor in the United States, generations after P.B.S. He said people brag about him as the first Black governor elected in America. However, this year, Black gubernatorial candidates weren't overly reliant on the party leadership to help them land the nominations in their respective states. At the end of the day, if that's what I accomplished, that's not enough," Moore told Insider.

☆ Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont faces off against Republican Bob Stefanowski in Connecticut's gubernatorial election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Hanna Kang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ned Lamont is running against Republican Bob Stefanowski in Connecticut's gubernatorial race. Lamont narrowly defeated Stefanowski in 2018 and is likely to retain his seat in this rematch. Ned Lamont and Republican Bob Stefanowski are engaged in a rematch in Connecticut's gubernatorial election. Lamont defeated Stefanowski in the 2018 election to succeed outgoing Gov. Lamont defeated Stefanowski in the 2018 election by a slim margin — just over 3 percentage points, or about 44,000 votes.

WASHINGTON — Which party controls Congress next year could have big implications for Twitter — and its new “Chief Twit,” Elon Musk. A Jordan spokesman had no comment about Musk and Twitter, but Republicans expect the company will be more cooperative with any future GOP investigations with Musk at the helm. But upon taking control of Twitter, Musk said he would first form a “content moderation council,” and Yoel Roth, head of Safety and Integrity at Twitter, insisted that the company’s policies on hate speech have not changed. “If Elon Musk has said now that he’s going to start a content moderation board, that was one good sign, but I continue to be concerned about that,” Klobuchar said. Other Democrats are raising national security concerns about how Musk financed the $44 billion Twitter deal.

☆ You may experience a 'mysterious disappearance’ on Halloween — and insurance probably won't pay for it
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Renters and homeowners insurance claims related to a "mysterious disappearance" increased by 5% on Halloween and 3% on Mischief Night, which is the night before Halloween, according to Travelers Insurance claims data from 2011 to 2021. Some have clauses that explicitly deny payment in cases of such a "mysterious disappearance." Why 'named perils' matter in insurance coverageHowever, you're not necessarily in the clear just because your policy doesn't explicitly omit a "mysterious disappearance." When it comes to personal property, insurance generally only covers renters and homeowners for a "named peril," Griffin said. So-called all-risk policies or open perils policies, by contrast, cover any event the policy doesn't specifically exclude.

☆ Ye's ugly break-up with Adidas and Gap show the risks of celebrity partnerships
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The line also helped Adidas (ADDDF) get shelf space at major retailers and brought new customers into the stores who bought other Adidas (ADDDF) merchandise. Other fashion brands that bet on Ye, including Gap (GPS)and Balenciaga, have also ended their partnerships in recent weeks. The partnership with Ye and subsequent fallout highlights the risks of retail brands relying on celebrities to appeal to shoppers. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Advertising Research found that celebrity endorsements from athletes can increase a brand’s sales by 4%. Instead of pulling the plug on Ye immediately, Adidas’ slow response allowed anger and protests over the brand’s ties to him to grow online for more than a week.

☆ How 31-year-old Hope Hicks became the youngest White House communications director in history and a top executive at Fox before returning to counsel Trump
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Rebecca Harrington | Ellen Cranley | Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Hicks resigned from the White House on January 12, 2021, but told people it was a previously planned departure. She was one of the few White House aides who broke with the former president and told him he lost the 2020 election. Hope Hicks was the youngest White House communications director in history. In her time at the White House, Hicks became ensnared in two high-profile White House controversies: the special counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and her role in crafting the White House's response to abuse allegations against staff secretary Rob Porter. She later rejoined the Trump White House as a counselor to the president, reporting to senior adviser and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

☆ Progressive Democrats withdraw letter calling on Biden to pursue talks with Russia after being accused of extending an 'olive branch to a war criminal'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Progressive Democrats withdrew a letter to Biden urging him to pursue talks with Putin to end the Ukraine war. One Democratic lawmaker said the letter extended an "olive branch to a war criminal." "The Congressional Progressive Caucus hereby withdraws its recent letter to the White House regarding Ukraine," Jayapal said in a statement. "This letter is an olive branch to a war criminal who's losing his war. By illegally annexing the Ukrainian regions and claiming them as part of Russia, Putin effectively threw the possibility of any negotiations out the window.

☆ Oracle is shunning job seekers in high-paying tech hubs like San Francisco, Seattle, and New York to cut costs: 'They're OK passing on the top candidates'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Ellen Thomas | Jessica Xing | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Oracle hiring managers and recruiters have been told to fill roles in cheaper US cities or abroad. Filling roles in areas where talent is cheaper, especially outside the US, has long been a cost-saving strategy for Oracle hiring managers, current and former employees said. "That sounds crazy to me," said Oracle executive Ken Glueck in response to a description of the claims made by Oracle employees in this story. Glueck did not directly answer whether the company was prioritizing hiring candidates outside of tech hubs like the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and New York. Cities like Philadelphia, Dallas Fort-Worth, and Denver saw the highest growth rates for tech salaries this year.

☆ These 10 LGBTQ candidates could make political history in November
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

More than 600 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer candidates will be on the ballot Nov. 8 — up from the 432 candidates in the previous midterm elections in 2018 — according to the political action committee LGBTQ Victory Fund. But even as an LGBTQ political leader, Balint, who is a lesbian, has faced pushback for her sexuality. He previously told NBC News that his Republican political affiliation was a result of his family's affection for former President Ronald Reagan. Jennie ArmstrongRunning for: Alaska House of Representatives, District 16Andrew GrayRunning for: Alaska House of Representatives, District 20If elected would be the first: LGBTQ state lawmaker(s) in Alaskan history. Alaska is one of four states with zero out LGBTQ state lawmakers, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund.

☆ About 17 Americans die waiting for transplants each day. Scientists are trying to make more organs in 5 creative ways.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Courtesy of Leilani GrahamIf pig organs turn out to be just as effective as human organs, she added, "That is more appealing to me than using marginal donors." If the technique works for human organs in the future, it could allow clinicians to preserve many more organs for donation after death. Changing organs' blood typeEnzymes are delivered to a lung inside a perfusion machine at Dr. Marcelo Cypel’s lab. Growing synthetic organs from stem cellsResearcher Stormy Chamberlain holds a tray of stem cells at the University of Connecticut's Stem Cell Institute. Hanna started a company called Renewal Bio to pursue the possibility of turning stem cells into organs for transplants.

The Office of the Inspector General, under the leadership of Robert J. Devlin Jr., is one of multiple agencies investigating the officer's use of force. On Saturday, as it released that dramatic and potentially disturbing video, the watchdog stopped just short of calling Iurato a hero. The suspected gunman fired more than 80 rounds during the siege, the Office of the Inspector General said. The Office of the Inspector General said Sunday that it appears the officer's use of force was justified. The Bristol Police Union did not immediately respond to a request for its response to the bodycam footage.

Over nearly a decade, Thergood had repeated interactions with Connecticut’s foster care system. Since 2011, Connecticut has also reduced the number of foster care youth in congregate care settings from 30% to just 6% today. Of the 3,000 or so kids currently in foster care, nearly 43% are living with kin or extended family. The total population of kids in state foster care fell 9.5 percent from 2011 to 2019 under Dorantes’ predecessor, from 4,770 to 4,311. The children were removed from his care in 2017 and spent time in foster care.

☆ Gay couple beaten and bloodied outside of Connecticut gay bar
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Matt Lavietes | Matt Lavietes Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A gay couple was beaten and bloodied in front of the Connecticut gay bar they own. Fitzpatrick said the assault amounted to a hate crime and that the incident is "being mishandled" by the Norwalk Police Department. The man then made disparaging remarks about the bar and the people inside it using anti-LGBTQ slurs, Fitzpatrick recounted. Fitzpatrick and Ruiz did not respond to NBC News' multiple requests for comment on Wednesday. The Norwalk incident is the latest in a slew of violent threats and attacks against LGBTQ people throughout the country this year.

☆ Saudis aren’t weaponizing oil like Americans claim, top official says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Joshua Berlinger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Experts also fear that continued high oil prices could make it more difficult for the US to tamp down inflation, which has already skyrocketed this year. “Saudi Arabia is taking the side of trying to ensure the stability of the oil markets.”“Saudi Arabia does not politicize oil. Saudi officials have insisted that the production cut is being done to protect the country’s economic interests. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on Wednesday called for immediate action on his bill that would stop US arm sales to Saudi Arabia. When asked about growing calls in Washington to limit ties with Saudi Arabia, al-Jubeir said he hoped that such talk was motivated by domestic politics ahead of the midterms.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was the only GOP committee member to oppose the bill. Other numbers to know:155 miles per hour: How fast the maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Ian were as of Wednesday morning, per the National Hurricane Center. 23 percentage points: Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s edge over Republican Gov. Last night, Democratic Gov. Tim.”Oklahoma Senate: Former President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Sen. James Lankford in his Senate bid, after conspicuously not endorsing the GOP incumbent in his primary.

☆ 5 cutting-edge medical experiments could expand our organ supply, from gene-edited pigs to artificial embryos
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Courtesy of Leilani GrahamIf pig organs turn out to be just as effective as human organs, she added, "That is more appealing to me than using marginal donors." While much of the shortage is driven by imperfect logistics and bureaucracy rather than supply, cutting-edge research could make organs — human, pig, or synthetic — more accessible in Graham's lifetime. If the technique works for human organs in the future, it could allow clinicians to preserve many more organs for donation after death. Changing organs' blood typeEnzymes are delivered to a lung inside a perfusion machine at Dr. Marcelo Cypel’s lab. Growing synthetic organs from stem cellsResearcher Stormy Chamberlain holds a tray of stem cells at the University of Connecticut's Stem Cell Institute.

☆ Scientists decry death by 1,000 cuts for world’s insects
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The world’s vital insect kingdom is undergoing “death by a thousand cuts,” the world’s top bug experts said. Wagner said scientists need to figure out if the rate of the insect loss is bigger than with other species. “There is some reason to worry more,” he added, “because they are the target of attack” with insecticides, herbicides and light pollution. Honeybees have been in dramatic decline because of disease, parasites, insecticides, herbicides and lack of food. Scientists have identified 1 million insect species, while probably 4 million more are still to be discovered, Berenbaum said.

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