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☆ Why airline loyalty doesn't pay off like it used to
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-28 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Airline rewards programs have faced scrutiny over dynamic pricing and devaluation practices. But his loyalty is waning as dynamic pricing and devaluation practices have made their way to airline rewards programs and left some customers feeling burned. In September, the Department of Transportation announced it was investigating major airlines' reward devaluation and dynamic pricing practices. AdvertisementHow points changedConcern with how airlines calculate, redeem, and communicate about rewards points has reached Capitol Hill. AdvertisementEnter: Dynamic pricing.

Persons: Sean Brown, there's, Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Buttigieg, Brown, gouged, Rohit Chopra, Chopra, he's, He's, Biden, Brett House, cardholders, Gilbert Ott, Ott, IdeaWorks, Ott's point.me, Meir Statman, Statman Organizations: Department of Transportation, Transportation, Consumer Financial, Columbia Business School, Airlines, American Airlines, Street Journal, Delta, Sky Clubs, United, Santa Clara University Locations: Delta, Washington, U.S, EMARKETER

☆ Fossil finding uncovers large ‘terror bird’ in Colombia
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The fossil leg bone of an extinct terror bird that was found in Colombia's Tatacoa Desert is shown. While some terror bird fossils have been found in Florida and Texas, the specimen from La Venta is believed to be the northernmost terror bird from South America documented by scientists. Placing terror birds in La Venta “is one step closer to understanding how terror birds finally got to North America,” Degrange said. A map shows the countries in North America and South America (in gray) where terror bird fossils have been found. “We know that probably one of the drivers that led terror birds to get larger and larger was the competition between species of terror birds — but why that big?” he said.

Persons: ”, Federico Javier Degrange, Degrange, phorusrhacids, “, ” Degrange, Karen Moreno, Moreno, ” Moreno, —, Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, National University of Córdoba, Museo, Apex, National Monuments Council, Austral University of Chile’s Institute of Earth Sciences, Scientific Locations: Colombia, La, Palaeontology, Argentina, South America, what’s, Brazil, Venta, Florida, Texas, La Venta, North America, Chile

Three Democratic senators are asking McDonald’s about its menu price hikes in recent years, arguing that the increases are higher than they should be — even with inflation and rising operating costs. McDonald’s prices have raised eyebrows. It also asked whether McDonald’s executives received bonuses or other incentive-based compensation from 2020 to 2024 and whether any incentives were based on executives’ ability to increase per-customer profits. Large corporations “owe consumers transparency when they hike menu prices,” Wyden said in a statement to NBC News. “Fast food chains, like McDonald’s, are raking in profits while families struggle to buy meals that are meant to be affordable and accessible.”

Persons: Elizabeth Warren of, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Ron Wyden, Chris Kempczinski, “, ”, McDonald’s, Joe Erlinger, —, Erlinger, Warren, Madeleine Dean, General Mills, Casey, Kempczinski, ” Wyden Organizations: Democratic, Oregon, NBC News, USA, Roosevelt Institute, Mac, Cola, PepsiCo, Wall, McDonald’s Locations: Sens, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, U.S, Connecticut, shrinkflation, ”

☆ ‘Baby Reindeer:’ Judge allows defamation lawsuit against Netflix over show to proceed
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A Scottish woman accused of stalking “Baby Reindeer” creator and star Richard Gadd can proceed with her defamation lawsuit against Netflix, after a federal judge in California refused to dismiss all of the claims. In a ruling published on Friday, Judge R. Gary Klausner wrote that while Fiona Harvey’s “purported actions are reprehensible,” the differences in how the show depicted these “could produce a different effect on the mind of a viewer.”Richard Gadd created and starred in "Baby Reindeer." The show topped most-watched lists worldwide after its debut in April, generating headlines and speculation about the characters and who inspired them. Jessica Gunning won an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Martha in "Baby Reindeer." Ed Miller/NetflixIn the lawsuit, Harvey alleges “several key differences” between herself and the character Martha, who stalked Gadd’s character Donny Dunn.

Persons: CNN —, Richard Gadd, R, Gary Klausner, Fiona Harvey’s “, ” Richard Gadd, Ed Miller, Klausner, Gadd, “, Richard Gadd’s, Harvey, sleuths, Martha Scott, ”, Jessica Gunning, Martha, Donny Dunn, ” “, Gadd …, Klaussner, ” Klausner Organizations: CNN, Netflix, Court, Central, Central District of, Guardian, Times Locations: California, Central District, Central District of California

☆ Netflix shouldn't have called 'Baby Reindeer' a true story, judge says, opening the way for defamation lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A judge has allowed a defamation lawsuit against Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer' to move forward. AdvertisementA judge has said that "Baby Reindeer" was wrongly labeled as a "true story," opening the way for a defamation lawsuit from the real-life "Martha" portrayed in the show to proceed. "Baby Reindeer" — a massive hit for Netflix — was first released in April. Jessica Gunning as Martha Scott in "Baby Reindeer" and Fiona Harvey on "Piers Morgan Uncensored." Related stories"Believing the series to be true, viewers immediately got to work trying to identify the real Martha," it added.

Persons: Netflix's, Fiona Harvey, Martha, Harvey, —, Richard Gadd, Netflix —, Gadd, it's, Donny Dunn, Martha Scott, Jessica Gunning, Piers Morgan, Gary Klausner, Klausner's, Ed Miller, Dunn, Harvey —, Klausner Organizations: Netflix, Service, Sunday Times

☆ Sümela, Turkey: The ancient monastery hanging from a cliff
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-14 | by ( Joe Yogerst | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policyCNN —If its ancient walls could talk, Sümela Monastery in eastern Turkey would have quite a few stories to tell. “The Virgin Mary is a holy person for the Muslim people also. “The sultans considered Sümela a sacred place and helped the monastery by giving the monks donations and more land,” he adds. Sümela was popular with Christian and Muslim pilgrims, and an active Greek Orthodox monastery, until the early 20th century. Many of the Greeks living in the Pontic Alps and nearby Black Sea coast chose to relocate to Greece, including the monks of Sümela Monastery.

Persons: “ We’ve, Levent Alniak, Senol Aktaş, Virgin Mary, Sümela, Jesus, Mary, St, Ignatius, Öznur, who’s, Sümela’s, Barnabas, Sophronios, Luke the, ” Alniak, Soumela Organizations: CNN, Ottomans, Turkish, Rock Church, Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, van, Turkish Airlines, Ramada Plaza, Radisson Locations: Sümela, Turkey, Roman, Trabzon province, “, Sofia, Istanbul, Ottoman, Black, Greece, Sümela Monastery, Altindere, Nea Sumela, Constantinople, Altındere, Trabzon, Coşandere

☆ Finally, a Way Around Exorbitant Rental Car Surcharges for Tolls
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Elaine Glusac | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Tolls have long been the curse of rental car drivers, who often find their final bills inflated by per-day charges for access to automated toll payment devices provided by rental car companies. Now one toll authority in Florida aims to eliminate rental car sticker shock. The program — which the toll authority says is the first of its kind in the nation — aims to ensure that a traveler’s last memory of a trip to Orlando is not being gouged by fees for a rental car transponder. Usage fees often go to third-party contractors that handle toll payments for rental car companies. “Our governing board is made up of local elected officials and they were getting calls and emails.

Persons: we’re, ”, Michelle Maikisch, Ms, Maikisch Organizations: Central Florida Expressway Authority, Orlando International Airport, Central Florida Expressway, “ Locations: Florida, Orlando

☆ I'm an American mom living in Denmark. Here families take a long summer vacation, and I'm still getting used to that.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Brooke Black | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I'm an American living in Denmark, and for the first time I am having to play by the cultural and legal rules of Danish summer vacation. When your child starts attending public school, schools close down during the summer period. In Denmark, enjoying a long summer vacation isn't just a perk — it's a right under the Danish Holiday Act, called Ferieloven. The Holiday Act says that employees should ideally inform their employers about their leave plans three months in advance for the main holiday period. AdvertisementNow that I'm a working parent in Denmark, I'm very grateful for getting to experience a new way of spending the summer holidays together with family.

Persons: I'm, I've, it's, Danes Organizations: Service, Danish Locations: Denmark, Danish, Wisconsin

☆ From Taylor Swift tickets to gasoline — these days everyone feels like they’re being price-gouged. Are they?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at SoFi Stadium on August 09, 2023 in Inglewood, California. At the core of the increasingly common accusation of price gouging is the sense that the consumer is being exploited. Price gouging is in the eye of the bidderGavin Roberts, chair of Weber State University’s economics department and who studies the effect of anti-price gouging laws, said the laws themselves often don’t define what price gouging is. Corporations charging as much as they can, as painful as it may be for consumers, doesn’t mean they’re necessarily price gouging, said Roberts. Steven Suranovic, an economics professor at George Washington University who has also published research on price gouging, sees it differently.

Persons: Emily Miller lucked, Taylor, Miller, Swift, ” Miller, Taylor Swift, Kevin Winter, it’s, —, Joe Biden — can’t, we’re, Gavin Roberts, Biden, ”, Biden hasn’t, ” Biden, Roberts, Steven Suranovic, Martin Shkreli, Shkreli, Price, Trent Sprague, Lyft, Uber, Travis Kalanick, It’s, ” Suranovic, Rafi Mohammed, Stefani Reynolds, Teresa Murray Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Rights, Weber State, Corporations, George Washington University, Turing Pharmaceuticals, LinkedIn, O'Hare International, Chicago Tribune, Tribune, Service, Consumer, Culture, Profit, Getty Locations: New York, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Inglewood , California, Chicago, New York City, Washington ,, AFP, US

☆ Opinion: The destruction of Gaza isn’t just physical. It’s psychological as well
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Opinion Arwa Damon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

A child shrieks in pain in a medical tent at a field clinic in southern Gaza. It is the psychological obliteration: What makes the trauma different in Gaza is the sheer constancy of it. Trauma compounds trauma every single day; there is no respite, not even a brief one. Death and destruction are not unique to the war in Gaza, but the scale and the scope are, as is the intensity and ferocity. Arwa Damon leads an activity with children at one of the shelters where INARA provides services in southern Gaza.

Persons: Arwa Damon, Arwa Damon CNN I’m, We’re, I’ve, “, you’ve, she’s, mumbling, — “, it’s, won’t, Ahmed, ”, doesn’t, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Israel, ” Damon, Gazans, he’s, He’s Organizations: CNN, International Network for Aid, Relief, INARA, Twitter Locations: Gaza, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Egypt, Israel, Rafah, Cairo, people’s

The project, dubbed Metamorphosis, focuses on transforming what otherwise might be discarded into something of value to society: rotten wood into fine instruments, inmates into craftsmen, all under the principle of rehabilitation. Two inmates were granted leave to see the concert featuring 14 prison-made stringed instruments playing a program that included works by Bach and Vivaldi. Other inmates, like Nikolae, who joined Lamponi at La Scala, are permitted more latitude. His own rocky journey to a new country has given him an understanding of the desperation that drove migrants onto unseaworthy boats. Originally, the boats were being transformed into crucifixes and nativity scenes, but the inmates who were already trained luthiers thought: why not instruments?

Persons: Bach, Vivaldi, Giuseppe Sala, “, ”, Claudio Lamponi, Nikolae, Lamponi, Nikolae —, ’ ’, ” Lamponi, Andrea Volonghi, ’ ’ Volonghi, Mario Brunello, Arnoldo Mosca Mondadori Organizations: MILAN, Orchestra of, Scala, La Scala, rosaries, Opera, Spirit and Arts Foundation, Orchestra Locations: Italy’s, La, Rome, Tunisia, Cremona, Milan

A toddler with a bandaged head, limp and dusty, is carried into a Gaza hospital for treatment after an Israeli airstrike. Mourners bid farewell to a woman who was killed in southern Israel in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on a kibbutz. Scenes of destruction and pain endure on both sides as the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas stretches into a fourth week. In central Gaza Strip, Palestinians try to rescue a girl from rubble following Israeli airstrikes in Nusseirat refugee camp. Sitting atop a damaged building, a man surveys the remains of the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip following intense Israeli airstrikes, holes and rubble where buildings once stood.

Locations: Gaza, Israel, Rafah, Egypt

☆ Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact fouled Earth's atmosphere with dust
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The total amount of dust, they calculated, was about 2,000 gigatonnes - exceeding 11 times the weight of Mt. While prior research highlighted two other factors - sulfur released after the impact and soot from the wildfires - this study indicated dust played a larger role than previously known. "It was cold and dark for years," Vrije Universiteit Brussel planetary scientist and study co-author Philippe Claeys said. "While the sulfur stayed about eight to nine years, soot and silicate dust resided in the atmosphere for about 15 years after the impact. "Without the impact, my guess is that mammals - including us - had little chance to become the dominant organisms on this planet."

Persons: grâce, Cem Berk Senel, Philippe Claeys, Özgür Karatekin, Karatekin, Claeys, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Royal Observatory of, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Nature, Dinos, Thomson Locations: North Dakota, WASHINGTON, Yucatan, Everest, Dakota, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Vrije, Belgium

☆ Scientists surprised by source of largest quake detected on Mars
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We concluded that the largest marsquake seen by InSight was tectonic, not an impact. "Most of the marsquakes we've detected thus far have been associated with a region called Cerberus Fossae, located eastward of InSight. The energy it released surpassed the cumulative energy from all the other marsquakes InSight recorded. With future human missions to Mars in mind, a greater understanding of Martian seismic activity is pertinent. Charalambous said the location of the majority of the marsquakes detected by InSight remained uncertain, with a poor understanding of the mechanisms that triggered them.

Persons: Ben Fernando, Constantinos Charalambous, Fernando, Charalambous, Will Dunham, Daniel Wallis Organizations: NASA Hubble, NASA, Handout, Reuters, Rights, University of Oxford, Research, Imperial College London, United Arab, Thomson Locations: England, InSight's, U.S, United Arab Emirates

☆ 16 Adults on the Virtues and Pleasures of Being Bad - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +14 min

They’re almost enough to make you forget the pleasures of being a little bit bad. We asked 16 writers — most of them respectable adults — about the irresponsible, immoral, indulgent things they do. Years later, we bumped into each other in public, resulting in a humiliating exposition that left everyone questioning my sanity. Can’t stop won’t stop ShopliftingWhenever I’m at the airport, I like to do a little shopping at the Free Store. Yes yes yes.

Persons: —, it’s, I’ve, Kennedy, Dan Cathy, Burger King, Jack, they’re, Chick, I’m, ”, Tell, Wranchers, pant, Henry Hill, Bob Hughes, — let’s, Kelly I, It’s, Saint Augustine, “, It’s icky, Jamieson Webster, Rinee Shah Organizations: Harvard, New York Times Locations: British, New York, “, YOLO, San Francisco

☆ Opinion: How the battle for Bakhmut exposed Russia’s ‘meat-grinder’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Michael Bociurkiw | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

It will also be recorded in history as a battle that exposed more than anywhere the meat-grinder approach of Russian fighting. Taking Bakhmut would be the first Russian gain since it captured (and later lost) the key southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in November. That Ukrainian forces have demonstrated such endurance in the battle for Bakhmut should come as little surprise. Like the current battle for Bakhmut, it too became emblematic of Ukraine’s tenaciousness to defend itself against Russia’s aggression – particularly considering the Ukrainian Armed Forces were far less prepared and equipped. “The battle for Bakhmut in winter-spring 2023 will surely enter the history books as the bloodiest battle in Europe since World War II,” said Masliychuk.

☆ Giant 'holes' dozens of times the size of our planet are appearing on the sun. Here's how they could affect Earth.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Two huge coronal holes, dozen of times the size of the Earth, have appeared on the sun. These coronal holes can spew solar winds at 1.8 million mph toward our planet, which can cause stunning auroras and disrupt satellites. Coronal holes aren't actually holes in the sunA coronal hole rotates across the face of the sun, streaming solar wind towards Earth, February 1, 2017. Coronal holes happen in the "corona," the atmosphere of the sun, and can only be seen in UV or X-ray light. We could see this month's coronal holes again next monthThe coronal hole came into view as the sun rotated.

☆ Investors are stampeding into boring old bonds to start the year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Michael Santoli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Yet boring old bonds have just about kept pace, as investors rush to lock in healthy-seeming yields after one of the worst years ever for fixed-income returns. The Federal Reserve's historically aggressive tightening campaign last year gouged debt portfolios but quickly rebuilt the supply of safe yield on offer for today's buyers. I made the case for bonds' value from this perspective in a column here three months ago , just as Treasury yields were peaking. The good news is that "real yields," meaning yields above the market's implied outlook for inflation, remain positive. The American Association of Individual Investors' monthly asset allocation survey for December showed bonds at 14.3%, below the survey's long-term average of 16%.

Jan 19 (Reuters) - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should examine high egg prices for signs of price gouging from top egg companies, a farm group said, as Americans continue to pay more than ever for the household staple. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has pointed to a record outbreak of avian flu as a reason for the high prices. But the nation's antitrust regulator should also examine record-high profits at the top egg company, said Farm Action on Thursday in a letter to FTC chair Lina Khan. In the filing, the company pointed to decreased egg supply nationwide due to avian flu driving up prices as a reason for its record sales. The American Egg Board, an egg marketing group, said in a statement that egg prices reflect a variety of factors and that wholesale egg prices are beginning to fall.

☆ U.S. dollar likely to remain strong in 2023 amid recession fears
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

NEW YORK, Dec 8 (Reuters) - A breathtaking surge in the U.S. dollar trampled foreign currencies, gouged corporate profits and gave investors one of the year’s few winning trades. Investors flocked to the dollar — a popular destination during uncertain times — to shelter from market volatility spurred by surging global inflation, spiking energy prices and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A stronger dollar makes U.S. exporters' products less competitive abroad while hurting U.S. multinationals that need to exchange their earnings into dollars. REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won/File PhotoNike (NKE.N), IBM (IBM.N) and Meta Platforms (META.O) were among the broad range of companies that warned of a hit from a stronger dollar this year. Nearly 80% of strategists polled by Reuters said there was little scope for dollar upside based on monetary policy.

☆ Recession worries could support dollar after monstrous 2022 rally
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A stronger dollar makes U.S. exporters' products less competitive abroad while hurting U.S. multinationals that need to exchange their earnings into dollars. Nike (NKE.N), IBM (IBM.N) and Meta Platforms (META.O) were among the broad range of companies that warned of a hit from a stronger dollar this year. The dollar's rally shaved about 8% from S&P earnings in 2022, according to Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors. Whether the dollar's decline continues may depend on the Fed's ability to contain inflation enough to eventually ease monetary policy. Nearly 80% of strategists polled by Reuters said there was little scope for dollar upside based on monetary policy.

☆ Manhattan renters face sticker shock with average rent at $5,200
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Robert Frank | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The median rent for a Manhattan apartment in November hit $4,033, up from $3,964 in October, according to a report from Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel. The rise in New York rents also adds pressure to overall inflation, since rents are a large component of inflation indexes and New York is the nation's largest rental market. Brokers and real-estate experts say landlords over-reached when they started renewing the leases signed in 2020 and 2021, often demanding rent increases of 20% or more. The vacancy rate in November was 2.4% — still below the historical norm in Manhattan of about 3%, according to Miller Samuel. Real-estate experts say the big drop in new leases, if it continues, will eventually force landlords to meet renters at a lower price point.

☆ Can Bob Iger fix Disney?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But If anyone can bring back the magic to the Walt Disney Company, the company believes Bob Iger may be uniquely qualified to do it. StreamingIn a shocking move, Bob Iger is returning as Disney's CEO. Disney’s streaming service — which includes ESPN+, Hulu and most importantly, Disney+ — had been the most vital part of the company’s vast media kingdom. In its statement reintroducing Iger as CEO, Disney said he was “uniquely situated to lead the company through this pivotal period.”Iger was instrumental in forming the modern Disney. With the media industry in turmoil, Disney hope Iger is up to the tall task of righting its ship.

☆ Ukraine troops say Russian woes could preface pullback in south
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Jonathan Landay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian forces began moving in August to reclaim Kherson, a strategically important ship-building centre on the sprawling Dnipro River. In recent weeks, they have driven the Russians back 20-30 kms (13-20 miles) on parts of the battlefront. Russian-appointed occupation authorities this week began evacuating thousands of civilians from Kherson to the southern bank, denounced by Kyiv as forced deportations. The troops said that they would not allow the Russians to retreat without a fight. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jonathan Landay, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla.—Trixie Parkes’s 1976 wood-framed cottage long served as her home and main source of income, because she rented two units on the top floor to tourists. But when Hurricane Ian tore through in late September, it destroyed most of the first floor and gouged a gaping hole in the second-floor walls. She didn’t have flood insurance, which she said became too expensive after Hurricane Irma in 2017. Ms. Parkes, 59, plans to sell her property. “Maybe somebody will come and offer me a lot of money and I can walk away.”

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