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☆ Philippines' military chief visits remote islands near disputed Spratlys
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Karen Lema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BALABAC, Philippines, May 18 (Reuters) - When the Philippine military chief addressed a small contingent of navy officers on a remote island in Palawan province near the disputed Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea, he reminded them their mission was to "ensure there is peace". "We make sure that we are deployed where we are needed. "This is surrounded by islands, and this is where foreign vessels from international waters will enter and pass through our SLOCs (sea lines of communications)," Centino said of the air base's location. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea with a "nine-dash line" on maps that stretches more than 1,500 km off its mainland and cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. "It is important we are able to monitor to detect who is coming in and out... if hostile or friendly forces," Centino said.

☆ I'm a florist for a 5-star hotel in Hawaii. Our flowers tell a rich cultural story — certain ones are connected to special Hawaiian legends and folklore.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Molly O'Brien | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Joseph Reyes, 51, is the head florist at Halekulani, a hotel on the beach in Honolulu. Reyes' job is to book more weddings, create centerpieces, and manage other floral needs for the hotel. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Joseph Reyes, 51, the head florist at Halekulani, a hotel on the beach in Honolulu. I was born in the Philippines but raised in Honolulu, and now I work as the head florist at Halekulani, a hotel on the beach in Honolulu. Certain flowers are associated with special Hawaiian legends and folkloreOne example would be the Ohia Lehua flower.

☆ RuPaul opens the doors to his maximalist Beverly Hills mansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In a four-poster canopy bed — or velvet claw-foot daybed — in the Beverly Hills mansion he shares with husband Georges LeBar. The property is more than worthy of royalty, with grand airy rooms and neoclassical details dressed up in bold colors and maximalist glamour. RuPaul and LeBar bought the European-style estate in 2019, and enlisted interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard — a longtime friend — and architect Christopher Hatch McLean to work their magic. RuPaul and Georges LeBar transformed their Beverly Hills estate with the help of interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Orange is the drag icon's favorite color and appears in velvet, lacquer or painted accents through the home.

☆ I make hundreds of dollars a month filling in online surveys. I can do it from anywhere, even on my way to school.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Ryan S. Gladwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ben Thornbury of Wiltshire, England started doing online surveys at 13 as an easy way to make money while in school. Now he's 18 years old and makes hundreds each month filling in surveys for eight hours a week. My parents were shocked when they found out what I was doing online. On that site alone, I've made more than £200 (or $250) in a month filling in surveys for 10 hours a week. Online surveys are particularly great for teenagers like meI can do them on my commute to school or in my bedroom.

☆ I drove Nissan's electric Ariya SUV — it proves that 13 years after the Leaf, the automaker can compete with Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The basicsThe 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderThe Ariya landed in the US earlier this year with a starting retail price of $43,190. The 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderThere's no bulky tunnel running down the middle of the vehicle. The 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderThe quirks don't stop there. The 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderHands-free driving isn't available across the board, but Nissan doesn't skimp on standard safety features. The 2023 Nissan Ariya Empower+ Tim Levin/InsiderNissan says the Ariya can charge from 20%-80% in 40 minutes using a sufficiently powerful fast charger.

☆ Canada unveils new passport design with more security features, nod to King Charles
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Jenna Zucker | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The new passport will display a Coat of Arms, making Canada among the first in the Commonwealth to introduce a travel document series that references King Charles III, the IRCC said. It will show the Queen's Coat of Arms as the passport’s creation came before the King approved the new version. The new features include personal information engraved with lasers instead of printed in ink on its polycarbonate data page, a design that has strong anti-fraud components. The Canadian passport is ranked fourth globally for its mobility score by the Passport Index, alongside seven other countries including the United States, Australia, and Japan. It is ranked 26th globally for its visa characteristics, which authorizes passport holders visa-free entry into 115 countries, with 51 countries permitting a visa on arrival.

☆ Analysis: Arabs bring Syria's Assad back into fold but want action on drugs trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Maya Gebeily | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

While denying any role in the trade, for which Syrian officials and Assad relatives have faced Western sanctions, Damascus has sought leverage from the issue. Hezbollah, which deployed fighters to Syria to aid Assad's war efforts, has denied any role in the drugs trade. Aided by Iran and Russia, Assad steadily beat back his rebel enemies, some of whom had support from U.S.-allied Arab states that have now restored ties. The Syrian source confirmed Riyadh had proposed a sum that would be paid as humanitarian aid, but could not say how much. "I would put ending the captagon trade right at the top alongside the other issues", she said.

☆ Arabs bring Syria's Assad back into fold but want action on drugs trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Maya Gebeily | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Hezbollah, which deployed fighters to Syria to aid Assad's war efforts, has denied any role in the drugs trade. Aided by Iran and Russia, Assad steadily beat back his rebel enemies, some of whom had support from U.S.-allied Arab states that have now restored ties. The United States, United Kingdom and European Union have all placed new sanctions on Damascus in recent weeks over captagon. The United States has said it will not normalize ties with Assad and its sanctions remain in full effect. "I would put ending the captagon trade right at the top alongside the other issues", she said.

☆ Fox News anchor Bret Baier’s reputation takes hit after text messages reveal what he said in wake of 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Bret Baier’s standing as a “fair and balanced” newsman is being called into question like never before. The Fox News chief political anchor has long enjoyed a strong reputation in Washington circles and among viewers, anchoring major news events for the network and moderating presidential debates. That reputation, however, has been ruptured in recent months by the release of leaked private text messages sent in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, casting the “Special Report” anchor in a dramatically different light. “We need to do something to reassure our core audience,” Carlson wrote Baier in the wake of the Arizona call, according to The Beast. The revelations about Baier are especially noteworthy given that he is the face of Fox News’ so-called “straight news” division.

☆ Shopify's president on why he prefers paying micro-influencers to grow his own side hustle
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Eric Rosenbaum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

But Finklestein also had another side business on his mind last week in an interview that had been pre-taped for CNBC's Small Business Playbook event, the loose-leaf tea side hustle, Firebelly Tea, that he co-founded as an independent entrepreneur. Finkelstein said it will be cheaper and also likely a more effective way to grow a new business. The creator economy is changing the way business success is generated, Finkelstein said, with the old "Field of Dreams" model — "If you build, it, they will come" — no longer enough. But that does not mean every small business owner with a great product should be chasing MrBeast or Emma Chamberlain for product endorsements. He cited the TikTok hashtag "TikTok Made Me Buy It" which has 50 billion impressions.

☆ The procession path for King Charle’s coronation and the crowns and jewels he is wearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The coronation ceremony followed a procession from Buckingham Palace. Coronation chair The coronation service is a solemn, religious occasion full of symbolism. The chair was cleaned ahead of this year’s ceremony for King Charles. The bejewelled Sword of Offering, made for the coronation of George IV in 1821, was 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.

☆ The procession path for King Charle’s coronation and the crowns and jewels he will wear
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The coronation ceremony will begin at 1000 GMT following a procession from Buckingham Palace. Coronation chair The coronation service is a solemn, religious occasion full of symbolism. The chair is being cleaned ahead of this year’s ceremony for King Charles. 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.

☆ Opinion | My Mother Knew How to Celebrate a Royal Event
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( David Lammy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

When that happens, I know I’m going to miss my mother. I know my mother would have looked for it. My mother felt the monarchy folded her and other immigrants into Britishness. She loved the pomp and ceremony of royal events, and her shelves were filled with cheerful memorabilia from the weddings and jubilees. We’d crowd around the television to watch the latest event and she’d serve her divine Caribbean cooking on royal cake trays.

☆ Arab ministers discuss how to normalise ties with Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMMAN, May 1 (Reuters) - A group of Arab foreign ministers held a landmark meeting with their Syrian counterpart in Jordan on Monday to discuss how to normalise ties with Syria as part of a political settlement of the country's more than decade-old conflict, officials said. Jordan has called on Syria to engage with Arab states jointly on a step-by-step roadmap to end the conflict, tackling the issues of refugees, detainees, drug smuggling and Iran-backed militias in Syria - all of which affect its neighbours. Amman has been fighting armed groups smuggling narcotics from Syria, including the highly-addictive amphetamine captagon. Arab states and those most impacted by the conflict are trying to reach consensus on whether to invite Assad to the Arab League summit on May 19 in Riyadh, to discuss the pace of normalising ties with Assad and on what terms Syria could be allowed back. Washington, which said it would not change its policy towards the Syrian government which it terms a "rogue" state, has urged Arab states to get something in return for engaging with Assad.

☆ Jordan to host talks on Syria's return to Arab League
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Meeting brings Syrian FM together with group of Arab statesJordan seeks an Arab-led peace road mapAMMAN, April 30 (Reuters) - Jordan will host a meeting of Arab foreign ministers and Syria's top diplomat on Monday to discuss Syria's return to the Arab League as part of a broader political settlement of Syria's more than decade-old conflict, officials said. The meeting comes two weeks after talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, failed to reach agreement on Syria's possible return to the Arab fold. Arab states and those most affected by the conflict are trying to reach consensus on whether to invite Assad to the Arab League summit on May 19 in Riyadh, to discuss the pace of normalising ties with Assad and on what terms Syria could be allowed back. Officials said the Jordanian initiative calls on Damascus to engage with Arab governments collectively on a step-by-step road map to end the conflict. At the Jeddah meeting there was resistance to the move to invite Assad to the Arab League summit, with Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait saying it was premature before Damascus accepts to negotiate a peace plan.

☆ Screen to shield sacred moment of King Charles' coronation unveiled
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The three-sided screen will shield Charles when he is anointed with holy oil, consecrated in Jerusalem, on his hands, breast and head, shortly before he is crowned at London's Westminster Abbey on May 6. Buckingham Palace said it was historically regarded "as a moment between the sovereign and God" with the screen there to protect its sanctity. "Now this three-sided screen provides absolute privacy." "It is such a private, sacred moment," she told Reuters "It's a mystic moment." "It's utilising stuff that might have been used as firewood but actually we're using it for something very special," Gutfreund said.

☆ Sam Altman is building his utopia, whether you want it or not
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Melia Russell | Julia Black | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +41 min

Altman told Insider, "We debate our approach frequently and carefully." "I don't think anyone can lose your dad young and wish he didn't have more time with him," Altman told Insider. Altman told Insider that his thinking had evolved since those posts. (When asked about guns, Altman told Insider he'd been "happy to have one both times my home was broken into while I was there.") When asked about this, Altman told Insider in an email: "i can guess what that's about; these stories grow crazily inflated over the years of getting re-told!

☆ He's played chess with Peter Thiel, sparred with Elon Musk and once, supposedly, stopped a plane crash: Inside Sam Altman's world, where truth is stranger than fiction
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Melia Russell | Julia Black | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +41 min

But, "you do at some point need to start having contact with reality," he told Insider. The plan was still only a rough sketch, Blania told Insider, but that didn't seem to matter to his host. "He always wanted to understand everything at a very deep level," Thrun told Insider in an email. (When asked about guns, Altman told Insider he'd been "happy to have one both times my home was broken into while I was there.") When asked about this, Altman told Insider in an email: "i can guess what that's about; these stories grow crazily inflated over the years of getting re-told!

☆ Crab Cakes, Gochujang and Irish Poetry: Biden’s State Dinner With South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Peter Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — Visiting foreign leaders often go for flattery when addressing the president at a state dinner. But President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea went straight for President Biden’s weak spot on Wednesday night, quoting Irish sayings at the beginning and end of his toast at a lavish state dinner at the White House. Mr. Yoon thanked Mr. Biden and then quoted the Irish poet Seamus Heaney, a presidential favorite who makes rather frequent guest appearances in Biden speeches. “Behavior that’s admired is the path to power among people everywhere,” Mr. Yoon said. Mr. Biden honored Mr. Yoon with only the second state dinner of his presidency, with Jill Biden treating their guests to a classic American menu with a Korean flair.

☆ Elephant seals enter 'sleep spiral' during ocean dives
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The researchers refer to this as a “sleep spiral.”The research marked the first time scientists recorded brain activity in free-ranging wild marine mammals, capturing data from 104 sleep dives. Then she attached them to 13 juvenile female elephant seals that are part of a colony at Año Nuevo State Park in Pescadero, California. In shallow waters, the elephant seals even reached the seafloor, where they would rest. During REM sleep, elephant seals enter a "sleep spiral." Elephant seals sleep the most along the coast and near their foraging grounds, and that data could be used to see how shipping traffic could affect the seals.

☆ Tim Cook uses a 1-sentence mantra to process criticism—without it, he 'wouldn't be able to function'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

When Cook took the helm of the tech giant in August 2011, he faced widespread skepticism that he could effectively fill Steve Jobs' shoes, he recently told GQ. The criticism didn't stop there — Cook has since faced backlash for his pay package, Apple's return to work policy and his idea of innovation. Cook even faced criticism from Jobs himself, according to Walter Isaacson's 2011 biography "Steve Jobs." Cook himself has a net worth of $1.9 billion, according to Forbes — much of that due to Apple's financial success. I think he was a once-in-a-hundred-years kind of individual, an original by any stretch of the imagination," Cook told GQ.

☆ Beyond Kyoto: Japan recommends 11 lesser-known spots to visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Rob Goss | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Japan wants travelers to go beyond the country's iconic tourist sites — and consider spending their yen in lesser-known locations. CNBC Travel takes a look at what each of the 11 spots has to offer travelers — whether or not they're wealthy. Koichi Kamoshida | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesIse-shima is arguably the "model destination" most ready to welcome the JTA's wealthy targets. Kagoshima, Aso and UnzenThe island of Kyushu in western Japan feature everything from active volcanoes to glimpses of samurai culture. Okinawa and AmamiIn 2021, Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa's main island, and Iriomote Island were given joint UNESCO Natural World Heritage status for their biodiversity and endemic wildlife.

☆ How Do You Create a Container Garden? Start Here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Margaret Roach | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

It’s a spring ritual: shopping for plants to fill this year’s pots. The first plant I grab always involves a bit of a ritual, too, aimed at preventing impulse buys that won’t add up to anything visually coherent once I’m back home. I start with a plant with multicolored leaves — an especially showy Coleus, a fancy-leaf begonia houseplant or maybe a copperleaf plant (Acalypha). The color scheme in the plant’s leaves becomes my inspiration as I look to make pleasing combinations from the options lining the garden-center benches. I latched onto this strategy years ago after I heard Bob Hyland suggest it to a group of gardeners at his former nursery in the Hudson Valley — one of various ideas he shared to help focus their container planning.

☆ VW, Rivian, Nissan, BMW lose access to US EV tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoApril 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury said on Monday that Volkswagen, BMW, Nissan, Rivian, Hyundai and Volvo electric vehicles will lose access to a $7,500 tax credit under new rules for battery sourcing. VW said it was "fairly optimistic" the ID.4 SUV will qualify for the tax credit. Treasury also disclosed General Motors Co (GM.N) electric Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV will qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit. GM said earlier it expected at least some of its EVs would qualify for the $7,500 tax credit under the new rules, including the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq and forthcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV SUV and Blazer EV SUV. Treasury in December said EVs ineligible for the $7,500 consumer tax credit could qualify for a commercial leasing $7,500 credit.

☆ VW, Rivian, Nissan, BMW lose access to U.S. EV tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoApril 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury said Monday that Volkswagen, BMW, Nissan, Rivian, Hyundai and Volvo electric vehicles will lose access to a $7,500 tax credit under new battery sourcing rules. Treasury also disclosed General Motors (GM.N) electric Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV will qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit. GM said earlier it expected at least some of its EVS would qualify for the $7,500 tax credit under the new rules, including the 2023 Cadillac Lyriq and forthcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV SUV and Blazer EV SUV. Earlier, Ford Motor (F.N) and Chrysler-parent Stellantis (STLAM.MI) said most of their electric and PHEV models would see tax credits halved to $3,750 on April 18. Treasury in December said EVs ineligible for the $7,500 consumer tax credit could qualify for a commercial leasing $7,500 credit.

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