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☆ Activists gather for Earth Day, urge action to avoid 'dystopian' future
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Climate impacts are here," Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, said on Friday as climate change activists walked down the street outside parliament, some dressed in green costumes and green paint. Activists led by the Extinction Rebellion group have gathered in London to kick off a four-day action, billed "The Big One", to coincide with Earth Day. [1/5] Peru's shamans perform a traditional ritual and make an offer to "Pachamama" (Mother Earth) on the eve of "Earth Day", in Lima, Peru April 21, 2023. In Peru, shamans on Friday made an offering to the "Pachamama", or Mother Earth. Holding yellow flowers and rattles, the shamans walked around a papier-mache globe as they performed a cleansing ritual.

☆ Kashmir's traditional Ramadan drummers wake neighbours up for pre-dawn meals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Fayaz Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Devout Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, and usually eat a meal before the sun comes up. Jinded says his family has been playing the role of "Sahar Khans", named for the pre-dawn Ramadan meal called Sahri, for generations. Kashmir's Ramadan drummers are not paid, but as the month nears its end, people tend to become generous. "Ramadan drummers are an important part of our tradition," said Sheikh Ghulam Nabi, a tailor in Srinagar's old town. "They add to the festive atmosphere of the holy month."

☆ Michelle Obama said it's a 'relief' that she and her family are no longer living in the White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Michelle Obama admitted it's a "relief" she and her family are no longer living in the White House. Obama also made it clear that she never dreams about living in the White House. In an interview on "The Tonight Show," Fallon pointed out that Obama recently returned to the White House for the first time since her tenure as first lady. Security then had to tell them that wasn't their car, and they had to walk past the presidential and vice presidential motorcade to get to their car in the back of the line. "But the thing was, we were so glad to get in that back motorcade and to go home to our house," Obama said.

☆ Not the same major splash as Chevron moves to Texas
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

April 19 (Reuters) - When women's golf crowns its first major winner of the season on Sunday at the Chevron Championship it will not make the same splash it once did. "I'm not really sure," said defending Chevron champion Jennifer Kupcho. "I think there might be snakes in the water here, so might be a little interesting." While a dock can be quickly constructed, it takes years to build traditions and rarely are they transferable. After missing last year's Chevron due to injury, Korda is back to full fitness with four finishes inside the top six in five starts this season, including runner-up at last month's HSBC World Championship.

☆ 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.

☆ Japan nuclear disaster: Fukushima's fishing industry fears Tokyo's next move may finish it off
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Emiko Jozuka Krystina Shveda Junko Ogura Marc Stewart Daniel Campisi | Emiko Jozuka | Krystina Shveda | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Ocean currents have since dispersed the contaminated water enough that radioactive Cesium is nearly undetectable in fish from Fukushima prefecture. A year before the 2011 disaster, government data shows Fukushima’s coastal fishing industry landed catches worth around $69 million. At the same time, ground and rainwater have leaked in, creating more radioactive wastewater that now needs to be stored and treated. This isotope is radioactive tritium, and the scientific community is divided on the risk its dissemination carries. He argues TEPCO should build more storage tanks to allow for the decay of the radioactive tritium, which has a half-life of 12.3 years.

☆ 1,000-year-old Mayan 'scoreboard' for ancient soccer-like game discovered in Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An ancient stone "scoreboard" was discovered at an archeological site in Mexico earlier this week. The stone depicts two figures playing an ancient soccer-like ball game, experts said. The circular relic was discovered at the Mayan Chichen Itza site in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. A worker shows a circular-shaped Mayan scoreboard used for a ball game found at Chichen Itza's archaeological site during a news conference, in Merida, Mexico April 11, 2023. Mesoamerican people played the ball game as a form of traditional practice, and it is thought to have had ritual connotations, per Reuters.

CNN —Flowers, a coconut and a round of cheers were part of the celebrations following the inaugural test run through India’s first underwater metro tunnel on Wednesday. “This is a historic moment for Metro Railway,” Kausik Mitra, chief public relations officer for the Kolkata metro system, said in a statement. Once open, Howrah Maidan will be the deepest metro station in India. The full metro line through Howrah Maidan will be 4.8 km (three miles) long. Kolkata was the first city in India to have a metro system.

☆ YouTube has revealed its NFL Sunday Ticket pricing — and it won't come cheap
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Last year, YouTube secured the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket. Pricing will begin at $249 for YouTube TV subscribers and go up to $489 for non-subscribers. In a press release, YouTube announced that it is offering pre-sale packages to Sunday Ticket starting at $249 for YouTube TV subscribers and going up to $349 for non-subscribers. Afterwards, the price jumps up by $50 for YouTube TV subscribers and $100 for non-subscribers. Here is a breakdown of the pricing structure:Sunday Ticket via YouTube TV: $349/season ($249 presale)Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone via YouTube TV: $389/season ($289 presale)Sunday Ticket via YouTube Primetime Channels: $449/season ($349 presale)Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone via YouTube Primetime Channels: $489/season ($389 presale)YouTube TV subscribers can also get access to RedZone through the Sports Plus add-on, which costs $10.99 per month.

☆ At Mexico's Chichen Itza, archaeologists discover Mayan scoreboard
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Mexican archaeologists found a circular-shaped Mayan scoreboard used for a ball game at Chichen Itza's archaeological site, Mexican Anthropology and History Institute (INAH), in this handout picture released on April 10, 2023. INAH/Handout via REUTERSMEXICO CITY, April 11 (Reuters) - A stone scoreboard used in an ancient soccer-like ball game has been discovered at the famed Mayan Chichen Itza archaeological site in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, archaeologists said this week. "In this Mayan site, it is rare to find hieroglyphic writing, let alone a complete text," said Francisco Perez, one of the archaeologists coordinating the investigations in the Chichanchob complex, also called Casa Colorada. The ball game was a traditional practice of Mesoamerican peoples and is believed to have had ritual undertones. The Chichen Itza complex, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is one of the main archaeological centers of the Mayan civilization in the Yucatan Peninsula.

☆ Some Starbucks customers are complaining the company's new olive oil-infused coffee drink is making them run to the bathroom
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Starbucks is betting big on olive oil infused coffee, hoping customers will be enticed by the anomaly and the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil. Science behind the painOlive oil is a staple in Mediterranean culture and some drink bits of olive oil in the region daily. But the Starbucks drink has a potentially fragile combination: caffeine, which is a stimulant, and olive oil, which is a relaxant. Former CEO Howard Schultz picked up this habit himself from olive oil producer Tommaso Asaro while in Sicily, Italy. “He thought it was a little strange.” Asaro is the chairman of United Olive Oil, through which Starbucks is sourcing its olive oil.

☆ Apple CEO Tim Cook shares his No. 1 strategy for clearing his head: 'It's better than any other thing you could possibly do'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

At least, that's what Apple CEO Tim Cook does. Getting out into nature eases those tensions and helps Cook mentally reset, he told GQ on Monday. Its data showed that good health and wellbeing peaked after spending 200-300 minutes outside. Cook, who has an estimated net worth of $1.8 billion, isn't the only billionaire who prioritizes outdoor time. Take this survey and tell us how you want to take your money and career to the next level.

☆ 4 strategies I use to manage my ADHD at work, from 'monotasking' to creating rituals
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Anna Seirian tried to start her own business but felt distracted and struggled to get work done. After she was diagnosed with ADHD in 2020, she implemented new ways of working to stay focused. I had the idea of creating a video session where a few of us could work together. "Monotasking" — working on a single project task or idea for a clearly defined amount of time — has been a game changer. My work patterns aren't perfect — but they're working for meIt's a constant work in progress.

☆ Israel’s Protest Leaders Aim to Keep Pressure on Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Shayndi Raice | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Organizers in Israel are seeking to sustain protests to demonstrate against a judicial overhaul plan. TEL AVIV—Opponents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s judicial overhaul are planning to hold mass protests across the country Saturday night, hoping to sustain a movement that pressured the premier to delay the divisive plan and engage in negotiations over a compromise. Protests are being called for in cities across the country, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. Saturday night would mark the 14th straight weekend that Israelis have come out to demonstrate against the plan in what has become a weekly ritual for many people here.

☆ Israelis Keep Pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu With Fresh Protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Shayndi Raice | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Protests in Tel Aviv on Saturday marked the 13th straight weekend that Israelis have come out to demonstrate. Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv and other cities across the country Saturday to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s judicial overhaul, seeking to sustain a movement that pressured the premier to delay the divisive plan and engage in negotiations over a compromise. Saturday night’s protests mark the 13th straight weekend that Israelis have come out to demonstrate against the plan in what has become a weekly ritual for many people here. Around 230,000 people demonstrated in downtown Tel Aviv, protest organizers estimated.

☆ Israelis Keep Pressure on Netanyahu With Fresh Protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Shayndi Raice | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

People demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his nationalist government. Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv and other cities across the country Saturday to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s judicial overhaul, seeking to sustain a movement that pressured the premier to delay the divisive plan and engage in negotiations over a compromise. Saturday night’s protests mark the 13th straight weekend that Israelis have come out to demonstrate against the plan in what has become a weekly ritual for many people here. Around 230,000 people demonstrated in downtown Tel Aviv, protest organizers estimated.

☆ Starbucks is bringing olive oil-infused coffee to a few locations in the U.S. this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

After launching olive oil-infused coffee in Italy, Starbucks is bringing its Oleato line stateside, starting Thursday. He, too, began drinking olive oil alongside his daily coffee and decided that Starbucks should try to mix the two together. The initial Oleato lineup of drinks infuses olive oil into Starbucks' Caffé Latte, Iced Shaken Espresso and cold foam. CNN Business said the olive oil "felt like too much," while the New Yorker said the drink "tasted like a large spoonful of olive oil in coffee." The coffee giant plans to bring the Oleato drinks to Japan, the Middle East and the United Kingdom later this year.

☆ Why the NBA’s Best Players Keep Sitting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Robert O Connell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A generation ago, the NBA’s detractors complained that players “don’t play defense.” Today, as top stars routinely miss games to manage or prevent injuries, critics leave off the last word. With the 2022-23 regular season nearing its conclusion, the league finds itself performing a bothersome annual ritual: fighting off criticism from disappointed ticket buyers at arenas, bored at-home viewers and its own alumni. “We survived playing in Chuck Taylors and flying commercial, for a lot less money,” said Hall of Fame forward and TNT rabble rouser Charles Barkley, at the league’s All-Star showcase in Salt Lake City last month. “To ask guys to play games…Come on, man. You make all that money, you have an obligation to the fans.”

☆ 9 healthy habits that helped me create a happier and more productive WFH routine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Betsy Ramser Jaime | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Adopting the right habits can make a big difference to your happiness and productivity levels. Whether you love your work tasks or dread getting out of bed each morning, you might be surprised about what a difference the right habits can make. When I've had tricky clients or work, adding habits and activities to my day that I could look forward to made all the difference. Listen to uplifting audiobooks or YouTube videos during your breaks or while you're working out. If you struggle with this, consider a specific ritual for ending your work day.

☆ How Young Women Fight Loneliness—Walking Together in the Park by the Hundreds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Chavie Lieber | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NEW YORK—On a recent chilly Sunday in Manhattan, a mob of women clad in chunky sneakers and crossbody bags gathered at the corner of Central Park West and 72nd Street. By noon, there were more than 100 of them, all braving the cold for what has become a weekly ritual. Brianna Kohn, leader of the group, stood on a bench to announce that it was time to go, and off they went: zigzagging through wooded paths, up stone stairs and over bridges, as runners, dog walkers and tourists looked on.

☆ Young Women Find an Antidote to Loneliness in Walking Clubs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Chavie Lieber | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Over the South China Sea, dispute simmers via radios and rhetoric
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Eloisa Lopez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] An aerial view shows the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa, in the contested Spratly Islands, South China Sea, March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa LopezABOARD PHILIPPINES COAST GUARD PLANE, South China Sea, March 10 (Reuters) - As a Philippine coast guard aircraft flew over the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea on Thursday, a message came in over the radio telling it to immediately leave "Chinese territory". "Calling China coast guard vessel. China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Beijing insists its coast guard is defending its territory. China's coast guard challenged the plane again as it flew over the shoal, located inside the Philippines 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

☆ Daylight-saving time is literally killing us — it's time to end this switch
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Phones and other devices will automatically tick forward one hour, and we'll lose an hour of sleep. But every year on the Monday after the switch, hospitals report a 24% spike in heart-attack visits around the US. "That's how fragile and susceptible your body is to even just one hour of lost sleep," sleep expert Matthew Walker, author of "How We Sleep," previously told Insider. iStock; InsiderThe reason that springing the clocks forward can kill us comes down to interrupted sleep schedules. Walker said daylight-saving time, or DST, is a kind of "global experiment" we perform twice a year.

☆ Premarket stocks: Meme stocks have revolutionized investor days
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But they’re also bowing to pressure from retail investors to be more transparent. What’s happening: Investor days evolved from analyst days — meetings that large, public companies historically held privately for their core institutional investors and Wall Street analysts. But the recent influx of retail investors into the stock market has changed that. “A lot of these companies know they need to focus on retail investors now,” said Katie Perry, general manager of investor relations at investing platform Public. ▸ Tesla’s first-ever investor day will be live-streamed Wednesday from its Gigafactory in Austin, Texas.

Adani argued the plants were "unviable" at the trucking rates it wanted to slash by around half. Truckers rejoiced, with a union leader in a street address labelling it as a victory after late-night talks with Adani. After the Hindenburg report, Congress has renewed its claims that Modi for years has unduly favoured Adani. The Adani group wanted freight rates to be lowered to around 6 rupees ($0.0725) per tonne per km, from around 11 rupees. "The Hindenburg report was a gift that saved our businesses."

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