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[1/5] Drivers wait in line to get gasoline amid repeated outages at refineries operated by state oil company PDVSA and a lack of imports of diesel and gasoline, in Maracay, Venezuela, December 9, 2022. In 2020 and again in 2021, drivers had to line up for days to get gasoline and farmers halted work because of insufficient diesel. Right after midnight, the station ran out of gasoline," said Ramon Blanco, a 32-year-old who filled up the next day at another station. But lines also have reappeared in Falcon state, home of PDVSA's largest oil refineries. "We are trying our best because we are under pressure to restart some plants for producing gasoline," said a worker from Amuay.

☆ Taliban carry out first public execution since Afghan takeover
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

ISLAMABAD — The Taliban authorities on Wednesday executed an Afghan convicted of killing another man, the first public execution since the former insurgents took over Afghanistan last year, a spokesman said. The execution, carried out with an assault rifle by the victim’s father, took place in western Farah province before hundreds of spectators and many top Taliban officials, according to Zabihullah Mujahid, the top Taliban government spokesman. The executed man, identified as Tajmir from Herat province, was convicted of killing another man five years ago and stealing his motorcycle and mobile phone. Taliban security forces had arrested Tajmir after the victim’s family accused him of the crime, said a statement from Mujahid, the spokesman. During the previous Taliban rule of the country in the late 1990s, the group carried out public executions, floggings and stoning of those convicted of crimes in Taliban courts.

☆ U.S. Diplomat’s Wife Gets Suspended Sentence for U.K. Car-Crash Death
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Max Colchester | David Luhnow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A justice, watched by the victim’s family, sentenced Anne Sacoolas on Thursday in an artist’s rendition of the court hearing in London. A British court sentenced the wife of a U.S. diplomat to a suspended prison sentence Thursday for causing death by dangerous driving after she was involved in a 2019 car crash that killed a 19-year-old motorcyclist and fled the country. Harry Dunn died after a car driven by Anne Sacoolas , who was mistakenly going down the wrong side of the road, collided head on with his motorcycle near her husband’s workplace, an air force base in central England that is used for communications by the U.S. military.

☆ Anne Sacoolas given suspended jail term for fatal UK car crash
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The crash led to a diplomatic spat between London and Washington, with the British government backing the call for Sacoolas to be prosecuted. After agreeing to appear in a British court remotely, she pleaded guilty in October to causing death by dangerous driving. Sacoolas' lawyer Ben Cooper said she had not personally asked for diplomatic immunity and that her departure from Britain afterwards was "a decision taken by her government". They expressed fury that the U.S. government had told Sacoolas not to attend her sentencing in person. "We have learnt important lessons from this tragic incident, including improvements to the process around exemptions from diplomatic immunity," he said in a statement.

Sacoolas pleaded guilty in October to causing death by careless driving, punishable by up to five years in prison. Speaking thought tears, Charles added: “There is an intense feeling of emptiness in the pit of my stomach without Harry around. “I didn’t lose just one son when Harry died, I lost Niall too. Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity claimed on her behalf and was able to leave the United Kingdom weeks after the accident. Cooper added that Sacoolas’ family was forced to relocate following Harry Dunn’s death after she received death threats via email and telephone.

☆ U.S. diplomat's wife will not return to UK for sentencing over fatal car crash
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sacoolas, whose husband worked as a U.S. intelligence officer at the base, left Britain shortly after the accident, claiming diplomatic immunity from criminal prosecution and the United States refused to extradite her. In October, appearing at London's Old Bailey court by videolink from the United States, Sacoolas denied causing death by dangerous driving but admitted the less serious charge. The judge had previously directed that she attend the sentencing, due to take place on Thursday, in person. The Old Bailey said in a statement on Tuesday that an application for Sacoolas to take part and be sentenced via videolink had been renewed. The crash led to a diplomatic spat between London and Washington, with the British government backing the call for Sacoolas to be prosecuted.

But just 31% of that group has gotten updated booster shots. Hospital physicians, state public health officials and advocacy groups for older adults pointed to a variety of factors fueling the low booster uptake. They include feelings of fatigue at the pace of Covid shots and a lack of awareness that the new booster could make the difference between a mild case and a hospital visit. Morell said she experienced dizziness, blurry eyesight and heart palpitations after her first Covid booster in November 2021. Wachter said the majority of people who have gotten the new booster get mild Covid, even if they’re older or have risk factors.

☆ Herschel Walker's ex-girlfriend accuses the Georgia Senate candidate of attacking her after she caught him with another woman and says he shouted, 'You want to see a man? I'll show you a man'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An ex-girlfriend of Herschel Walker's told The Daily Beast he attacked her in 2005. Walker's campaign did not immediately return Insider's requests for comment. Walker's campaign did not immediately return Insider's requests for comment. Parsa told The Beast that Walker had previously admitted to having a relationship with the woman but had said he ended it. Parsa told The Beast.

☆ Organ donations rise during major motorcycle rallies due to crashes, study says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Raenu Charles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Organ donations and transplantations increase during major US motorcycle rallies due to crashes, according to a new study, signaling a need for increased safety measures. In regions near where motorcycle rallies were held, there were 21% more organ donors and 26% more transplant recipients per day during rallies than in the four weeks before and after. In nearby areas without a motorcycle rally on those same dates, there were 11% fewer organ donors and 10% fewer transplant recipients. Large motorcycle rallies often come with a surge in trauma volume at local hospitals, the study says. Safer ridingThe Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, held each August, is the largest and most popular in the country.

☆ This mountaineer spent $10,000 to launch a company that guides people up Mount Everest—now it brings in $3 million a year
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Adrian Ballinger has summited Mount Everest eight times. Alpenglow's prices can range from $275 for an introductory mountaineering course to up to $98,000 per person for a guided expedition up Mount Everest. Mountain climbing and entrepreneurship are both risky endeavors that require mental and physical resilience to succeed, Ballinger says. Source: Alpenglow ExpeditionsBy 2004, Ballinger wanted to branch out on his own. "That first year, I only guided two expeditions that I think had a total of, maybe, eight clients," Ballinger says.

☆ Motoball is like a real-life version of 'Rocket League'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Daniel Gessner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Motoball, or motorcycle polo, is a sport that traces back to Europe in the 1930s. It's essentially soccer on motorcycles, or a real-life version of the video game "Rocket League." No matter how you describe the sport known as motoball, there's no doubt that it takes plenty of skill and guts to be successful at. Competitors use 250-cc motorbikes to race around a dirt-covered soccer pitch at up to 40 miles per hour chasing after an enlarged soccer ball. For those who don't get enough thrill from a sport like soccer, this added element of horsepower may be what they're looking for.

☆ Europe names world's first disabled astronaut
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Member of ESA's new class of astronauts John McFall attends the European Space Agency (ESA) Council at Ministerial level (CM22) at the Grand Palais Ephemere in Paris, France, November 23, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit TessierPARIS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The European Space Agency on Wednesday named the first ever "parastronaut" in a major step towards allowing people with physical disabilities to work and live in space. The 22-nation agency said it had selected former British Paralympic sprinter John McFall as part of a new generation of 17 recruits picked for astronaut training. He will join five new career astronauts and 11 reserves in training after ESA replenished its astronaut ranks for the first time since 2009. It received 257 applications for the role of astronaut with a disability, a parallel role that it terms "parastronaut".

☆ European Space Agency announces first ‘parastronaut’
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

It’s the first time the space agency has established an astronaut reserve, which is made up of candidates who successfully completed the selection process but were not recruited. McFall, a British medic and Paralympian, said he felt compelled to apply when he saw ESA’s ad for an astronaut with a physical disability. McFall, a British medic, will become the first astronaut with a physical disability. The space agency has been closely involved with NASA’s Artemis mission to put humans back on the moon, and ESA hopes that the first European to set foot on the moon will be among this class of astronauts. The space agency on Wednesday also agreed on a new budget of 16.9 billion euros ($17.5 billion) for the next three years — an increase of 17% from 2019.

A California couple who fled the country after being convicted in a multimillion-dollar Covid relief scam have been extradited from Montenegro, the Justice Department said Friday. They are expected to appear at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon. They were among eight members of a California crime ring convicted of stealing more than $18 million in Covid relief loans. Following their conviction in June 2021, the couple cut off their ankle monitoring bracelets and fled their home, leaving behind their three children. It wasn’t immediately clear what led to the couple’s extradition, but the Justice Department said in a press release that the government of Montenegro provided significant assistance.

☆ Gabby Giffords still struggles to find words, but she hasn’t lost her voice
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Dr. Tara Narula | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Watch “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down” at 9 p.m. ET/PT November 20 on CNN. One of those voices that has spoken up in her own unique way is Gabby Giffords. Video Ad Feedback Obama shares what he's learned from Gabby Giffords 00:58 - Source: CNNI met Gabby before the debut of the CNN documentary “Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down,” a detailed portrayal of the inner fire that helped her heal and pushes her to help others do the same. Gabby told me she feels optimistic, but she knows that she has a long road ahead. Gabby told them “rocking chairs”: a phrase to mean a long time from now, when they’re sitting on the porch in old, worn rocking chairs.

☆ Iran protests endure night of violence as killings reported across two cities
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A night of violence flared across at least two Iranian cities as anti-government protests challenging the regime on an unprecedented level entered their third month. State media and local officials, including Hayati, said the people were shot dead by two "terrorists" riding motorcycles. Amini's death sparked protests that morphed into wider anti-government demonstrations that have swept the country, arguably the biggest challenge to the theocratic Islamic Republic since its founding in 1979. The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported that protesters had gathered in different parts of Izeh, 280 miles south of the capital Tehran, and started chanting anti-government slogans. According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group, at least 342 people, including 43 children and 26 women, have been killed during the protests so far.

☆ Iran plotted to kidnap or kill at least 10 people in the U.K., British domestic spy chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Iran has plotted to kidnap or kill at least 10 British nationals or U.K.-based individuals perceived as enemies of the regime this year, Britain’s domestic spy chief said Wednesday. Iran’s “aggressive intelligence services” are prepared to take reckless action and pose a direct threat to Britain, McCallum said. “At its sharpest this includes ambitions to kidnap or even kill British or U.K.-based individuals perceived as enemies of the regime. The MI5 chief also outlined other threats to the U.K., citing Russia and China in particular. “The Chinese authorities use all the means at their disposal to monitor — and where they deem necessary intimidate — the Chinese diaspora.

☆ Take a look inside a 90-year-old London power station turned into a $9 billion 'urban village' with shops, restaurants, houses, and Apple's new UK campus
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

There's a broad mix of stores, though, including also a showroom for electric-vehicle maker Polestar and one for electric-motorcycle maker Maeving. Many of the stores are high-end, including Ralph Lauren, Rolex, and Boss. Gordon Ramsay has a restaurant there, too. There are no budget stores in sight, and the site's biggest grocery retailer is Marks & Spencer, a higher-end choice associated with middle-class shoppers. Grace Dean/Insider

☆ Harley-Davidson shares could fall nearly 20% as growth story 'lacks legs,' Jefferies says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Harley-Davidson shares dipped 1.7% in the premarket. In the fourth quarter, Harley-Davidson shares have shot up 38%, outpacing the S & P 500's 10.4% gain. But Glaessgen said "the recent retail inflection lacks legs," noting those who are bullish on the stock underestimate the challenge of growing its consumer base. "We believe ridership growth and expansion beyond the core will be easier said than done," she said. These growth hopes will likely also be tempered by increased competition in the e-motorcycle division as well as consumer spending changes during a recessionary period.

☆ Who is Donald Trump's new billionaire son-in-law Michael Boulos?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tiffany Trump, 29, married billionaire Michael Boulos, 25, in Mar-a-Lago over the weekend. According to The New York Times, Boulos proposed in the Rose Garden with a 13-carat diamond worth $1.2 million. According to Town and Country, Michael Boulos has served as a director at some of his father's companies. Meanwhile, Michael's mother, Sarah Boulos, is the founder of the Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria, according to Town and Country. When Tiffany Trump began to bring Boulos to events with her family in late 2018, Maples told Town and Country: "I adore Michael!"

☆ Indonesia to set up $2 bln EV fund with China's CATL, CMB International
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JAKARTA, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The Indonesia Investment Authority, the country's sovereign wealth fund, is to set up a green electric vehicle (EV) fund of at least $2 billion with China's battery maker CATL and CMB International, the fund's CEO said on Monday. INA CEO Ridha Wirakusumah then signed an agreement for the partnership with company executives from CATL and CMB International. "With CATL and CMB International as the main partners, we are looking for limited partners to invest in the green EV fund, to seize this EV value chain opportunity primarily in Indonesia," Ridha said. Indonesia is keen to develop its own EV and battery industries at home, after banning exports of nickel ore to ensure supply for investors since 2020. Earlier this year, CATL announced a $6 billion power battery project in Indonesia, in partnership with Indonesian companies.

☆ Iran's judiciary says it will deal firmly with protesters
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More than 1,000 people have been indicted in Tehran Province alone in connection with what the government calls "riots". "Now, the public, even protesters who are not supportive of riots, demand from the judiciary and security institutions to deal with the few people who have caused disturbances in a firm, deterrent and legal manner," judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi said. The activist HRANA news agency said 321 protesters had been killed in the unrest as of Monday, including 50 minors. Hardline Iranian lawmakers have urged the judiciary to "deal decisively" with the perpetrators. Iran’s national beach soccer team players did not cheer or celebrate after defeating Brazil to win the championship cup, said 1500TASVIR, a widely followed activist Twitter account.

☆ Ukrainian adventurer draws on camping skills to prepare for harsh winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Stefaniia Bern | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian infrastructure has been hammered by Russian air strikes in recent weeks amid the full-scale Kremlin invasion launched on Feb. 24. Much of the equipment was gifted by her son, who is serving as a medic in the Ukrainian military. "I never intended to use a camping tent in Kyiv," she told Reuters from inside her living room in the Ukrainian capital, laughing as she demonstrated how to set up the accessory. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko recently told Ukrainian media the city was preparing for the prospect of total outages of power, heating, and running water. Reporting by Stefaniia Bern; writing by Dan Peleschuk; editing by Tom Balmforth and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The prosecutor assigned to investigate the killing of gay Puerto Rican rapper Kevin Fret in 2019 said this week that she was instructed to stop her probe and was never given an explanation. Betzaida Quiñones Rodríguez made the allegations in multiple local media outlets in Puerto Rico. She said the investigation was shut down just three months after Fret's death by order of Olga Castellón, who was the chief prosecutor at the Puerto Rico Justice Department at the time. Vázquez was Puerto Rico’s secretary of justice from 2017 to 2019, but later became the governor of Puerto Rico after embattled Gov. Quiñones Rodríguez is still the prosecutor in charge of investigating Fret's death as of Friday.

☆ Delhi's air a 'crime against humanity', spurs calls to close schools
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File PhotoNEW DELHI, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Delhi's 20 million residents were effectively breathing smoke on Thursday as the air quality index (AQI) breached the "severe" and "hazardous" categories in nearly all monitoring stations of the Indian capital, raising calls to close schools. The AQI exceeded 450 at many places early in the day, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board. The index was over 800 in some pockets of the city, according to data from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee. "What is happening with air pollution in Delhi is nothing short of a crime against humanity!" "I know children don’t vote for you, but still, requesting all the chief ministers of Delhi (capital region) to immediately SHUTDOWN all the schools," environmental activist Vimlendu Jha wrote on Twitter.

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