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☆ Relief and sadness for Palestinian prisoners freed in Gaza hostage deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Ali Sawafta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] People gather as released Palestinian prisoners leave the Israeli military prison, Ofer, after hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank November 24, 2023. Israeli police were seen raiding her Jerusalem home before her daughter was released. More than 100 more Palestinian prisoners are due to be released over the coming four days and more may be freed if the truce is extended. In Beitunia, a city near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, a large crowd, mostly of young men, greeted freed prisoners by cheering, honking car horns and marching in the street carrying Palestinian flags. Additional reporting by Yosri AlJamal; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ofer, Ammar Awad, Sawsan Bkeer, Marah Bkeer, Abu Ubaida, Laith Othman, Ismail Shaheen, Fatima, Shaheen, Yosri AlJamal, James Mackenzie, Daniel Wallis Organizations: West Bank, REUTERS, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Israel, Ramallah, West, Gaza, Qatar, Jerusalem, Bethlehem

___4:41 p.m.A man called 911 saying he was seeking refuge in a big rig truck that he came across near the Pioneer Mill Smokestack just off Lahainaluna Road. The dispatcher asked if he could drive the rig to get away from the fire. “Do you think they’re there still,” the dispatcher asked. ___4:49 p.m.A man called to say he and his wife were trapped because she couldn’t get down the four flights of stairs in their apartment building. ___4:56 p.m.A dispatcher briefly chastised one man when he called to report his elderly parents were stuck in their burning home.

Persons: “ Ma’am, “ I’m, “, Jesus Christ, ”, Shrieks, couldn’t, they’re, “ We’ve, honking, I’m, we’ve, ‘, We’re, ’ Organizations: Associated Press, AP, Baker, Vehicles, Lahaina Civic Center Locations: Maui, Lahaina, Aki, sobs, Lahainaluna, ”

☆ I left California for North Dakota. It's obscenely cheap and there's so much to love about small-town life.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Kaila Yu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Davrick Hayes left LA for Bismarck, North Dakota after he started experiencing panic attacks. AdvertisementAdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Davrick Hayes, a 31-year-old quality assurance analyst and entrepreneur based in Bismarck, North Dakota. AdvertisementAdvertisementI had a friend in Williston, North Dakota, so I chose to live in Bismarck, the capital of North Dakota — it ticked all my boxes. The cost of living in Bismarck, North DakotaIt's obscenely cheap to live here and doesn't require a roommate just to afford a place. Things to do in Bismarck, North DakotaAs far as meeting new people and finding interesting things to do, there's not much here.

Persons: Davrick Hayes, Hayes, —, It's, I've, you've, we'll, it's, I'd Organizations: Service, Jewish Locations: LA, Bismarck , North Dakota, Bismarck, Los Angeles, Williston , North Dakota, North Dakota, Bismarck , North Dakota Bismarck, Colorado, Utah

☆ Vivek Ramaswamy said an angry protester crashed into his car at a campaign event. Police say that's not what happened.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy claimed a protester rammed into his car at a campaign stop. Representatives for Ramaswamy's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider. They said there is no evidence to substantiate the claim that protesters intentionally hit Ramaswamy's campaign vehicle and sped off. What Ramaswamy's campaign saysRamaswamy spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told The Associated Press the campaign stands by its assessment that the driver was a protester. She also stood by her assessment that there were two people in the car that hit the campaign car.

Persons: Vivek Ramaswamy, —, Vivek Ramaswamy's, candidate's, Ramaswamy, Tricia McLaughlin, McLaughlin, Elon Musk, Bee, Ron DeSantis Organizations: Local, Service, Republican, Police, Ford Expedition, Associated Press, Honda, Inc, Des, CBS News, Grinnell College Locations: Ukraine, Iowa, Grinnell, Des Moines, Poweshiek County, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Florida

☆ Home Sweet Times Square: How New York City can save Midtown Manhattan from the 'urban doom loop'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

And New York City has had success transforming single-use office districts, most notably Lower Manhattan's financial district, into more vibrant mixed-use places. Times Square is one of those, according to Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, which represents the district's businesses. AdvertisementAdvertisement"I'm not negating it, but certainly the opportunities south of Times Square, to the west of Times Square, are a little bit better for development of the housing stock," he said. The mix of businesses around Times Square has changed in a way that could be appealing to potential residents. Times Square lost 179 businesses during the pandemic, but has since welcomed more than 180 new businesses into the neighborhood, according to the Times Square Alliance.

Persons: —, Eric Adams, Dan Garodnick, Garodnick, Lynne Sagalyn, Sagalyn, Andrew Lichtenstein, Susan Mello, Walker, Dunlop, Mello, Luiz C . Ribeiro, Tom Harris, Harris, aren't, Le Bernardin, haven't —, Gardonick Organizations: Midtown, Service, Garment, Eighth, New York City's Department of City Planning, Columbia University, Getty, Financial, Times Square Alliance, Times, Lambs, —, Taco Bell, Grand Central Madison Locations: Midtown Manhattan, Midtown, Manhattan, America, Manhattan . Old, York City, Lower Manhattan, hasn't, Retail, Long, New York

A day later, the European Union also decided not to renew the overall ban on Ukrainian food heading to five member countries. The rising tensions come after Russia halted a U.N.-brokered agreement last month to guarantee safe shipments of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea to parts of the world struggling with hunger. These include sunflower, wheat, corn and rapeseed, as well as crude oil, meat, fruits and vegetables, milk, honey and dairy products. “We want increased control and immediate payment of the European measures.”The EU said said “the market distortions” created by Ukrainian grain have disappeared. But farmers in the five member countries still complain that a glut of Ukrainian products is hurting their livelihoods.

Persons: Mitkov, ”, “, Vassil, ___ McGrath Organizations: —, Bulgarian, European Union, Ukraine, Russia’s, National Association of Grain Producers, United Farmers National Association in, Associated Press, ” Locations: PERNIK, Bulgaria, — Farmers, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Russia, Europe, United Farmers National Association in Bulgaria, Pernik, Sofia, Radomir, ” Ukraine, EU, Manavgat, Turkey

Rodney Cornett got up at 4:30 a.m. on Friday, hopped in his F-150 pickup and reported as usual for a morning shift at the Ford Motor plant in Wayne, a gritty city just west of Detroit. But this morning Mr. Cornett, 56, a veteran union member who has worked at Ford for 28 years, wasn’t heading to the axle assembly area where he’s a team leader. “We really haven’t had much of a raise in 15 years,” Mr. Cornett said, holding a sign that read, “Fair Pay Now!” while cars and trucks constantly whizzed by, honking in support of the strikers. “We’ve gone through several contracts, and the company keeps saying how they’re hurting, but they’re making record profits. has been negotiating a new labor contract with the three Detroit automakers, but since the sides remain far apart on wages and most other issues, the union called a strike that began when the current bargaining agreement expired at midnight.

Persons: Rodney Cornett, Cornett, “, ” Mr, “ We’ve Organizations: Ford, United Auto Workers, Detroit Locations: Wayne, Detroit

☆ Jim Abbott: The night of that no-hitter
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Don Riddell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Jim Abbott was used to dealing with uncomfortable social situations; in some ways, they were all he’d ever known. Abbott was about to pull off a no-hitter, one of the rarest feats in Major League Baseball. Baseball insiders will tell you that nobody ever sees a no-hitter coming, and that was certainly true for Jim Abbott. “I had some pretty serious anxiety about that game,” Abbott said in 2013. The Detroit Tigers scoreboard posting YANKEES JIM ABBOTT HAS THROWN A NO HITTER VS CLEVELAND INDIANS during Detroit Tigers vs Chicago White Sox at Tiger Stadium.

Persons: Jim Abbott, who’d, “, Abbott, ‘, ”, what’s, ” Abbott, John Zich, James E, Sullivan, Carl Lewis, Peyton Manning, Michael Phelps, Don Mattingly, ” Mattingly, he’d, Stephen Dunn, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, Matt Nokes, JIM ABBOTT, Chuck Solomon, Lofton, Felix Fermin, Bernie Williams, Carlos Baerga, Randy Velarde, it’s, Mattingly, I’ve, NASCAR's Busch, Kevin Winter, Jim’s, that’s, he’s, Nick Newell, Newell, Kevin Laue, Shaquem Griffin, “ There’s, Jim, Scott Halleran, He’s, wasn’t Organizations: CNN, CNN Sport, Yankee, Major League Baseball, University of Michigan, Wolverines, Big Ten, Pan American Games, Seoul, MLB, Yankees, Major League, California Angels, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Baseball, Cleveland, Detroit Tigers, CLEVELAND INDIANS, Tiger, Sports, Los Angeles Coliseum, Martial Arts, NFL, Toronto Blue Jays Locations: New York, Flint , Michigan, AFP, US, California, Bronx, Cleveland

☆ Meta exec calls Apple Watch Ultra 'infuriating' because of accidental shutoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Andrew Bosworth, Meta's CTO, shared his thoughts on the Apple Watch Ultra during his Instagram Q&A. The exec, who goes by Boz, said he's frustrated at how the watch keeps shutting off mid-workout. A Meta executive has some qualms with the Apple Watch Ultra, the iPhone maker's most advanced smart watch to-date. Andrew Bosworth, the chief technology officer of Meta, was asked to share his thoughts on Apple's smart watch during a Q&A he hosted on his Instagram. The $799 Apple Watch Ultra is the company's most advanced smart watch to-date.

Persons: Andrew Bosworth, Boz, he's, It's, Apple's, Bosworth, Apple, Christopher Allbritton, Allbritton, Antonio Villas, Boas, Song Organizations: Apple, Morning, Apple Watch, CNN

☆ In-car radar could save children from tragic hot car deaths
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

His two-year-old boy, Thomas, asked to ride in the “big boy seat,” the child safety seat his older brother usually rode in, the one right behind the driver’s seat. Thomas died strapped into his safety seat, as his small body was simply overcome by the heat. Cestia’s truck had a rear seat reminder but, he said, he somehow didn’t notice it when he got to work. He bought his daughter a child safety seat with a heat sensor on the buckle that alerts him if she’s buckled in and it’s getting too hot. And he also listens for the rear seat reminder and habitually checks the backseat.

Persons: Tyler Cestia, Thomas, ” Tyler Cestia, “, ”, David Muscat, Cestia, Rollins, she’s, it’s, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, GMC, Volvo, Hyundai MOBIS, Hyundai Group, Continental, Hyundai Locations: Louisiana, South Korea, Muscat

☆ Congestion pricing is coming to New York City, officials announce
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —New York City has been cleared to implement congestion pricing, a practice that allows the city to charge drivers entering Lower Manhattan, New York Gov. The plan would also mark the culmination of more than a half-century of efforts to implement congestion pricing in New York City. Ultimately, it was the need to improve New York City’s public transit that became the rallying cry for congestion pricing. The stakes of New York City’s program are high, and leaders in other cities are watching the results closely. “It’s good to see New York City’s program is moving forward,” said the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board last month.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, ”, Michael Bloomberg, Andrew Cuomo —, Kate Slevin, Sam Schwartz, Hochul, “, US Sen, Bob Menendez, Josh Gottheimer, Bill Pascrell, Jr, Washington, CNN’s Gregory Wallace, Rob Frehse Organizations: CNN, New, Lower Manhattan , New York Gov, Federal, Administration, Central Business District, Federal Highway Administration, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, ” New York Gov, United, United States Each, MTA, Regional Plan Association, “, Democratic New, US, London, Drivers, Los Angeles Times Locations: New York City, Lower Manhattan ,, Manhattan, United States, New York, Lower Manhattan, New Jersey, Democratic New Jersey, Holland, Lincoln, Jersey, That’s, Stockholm, London, Singapore, York, Los Angeles

Liang took the grueling two-day exam, known as the “gaokao,” in early June alongside nearly 13 million students nationwide. Students’ exam results are their only criteria for college admission – and most candidates only get one shot, with the test happening once a year. “It may be a little difficult if I want to go to a good university this year,” he said in the video. He’d even accepted that Sichuan University might be out of reach, deciding to attend any “key university” that would accept him. Ahead of this year’s test, many students visited temples to light incense and pray for good results.

Persons: Liang Shi, Liang, ”, he’s, “ I’m, livestream, “, He’d, master’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Sichuan University, China Daily Locations: Hong Kong, ”, Sichuan, China, Nanjing

☆ This man is traveling the world on non-motorized transport
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Not even an elevator,” Pukonen says of his epic adventure, which has seen him travel around 80,000 kilometers without using motorized transport. Ambitious questAdventurer Markus Pukonen has spent over seven years traveling the world using non-motorized transport. Before beginning the trip, Pukonen founded nonprofit organization Routes of Change, with the aim of raising funds and awareness for small social and environmental organizations throughout his journey. “So the fact that what I’m doing is such a crazy, astonishing thing [to some people] is really, really bizarre to me. Although Pukonen has used almost every form of non-motorized transport possible during the journey, he says there’s nothing quite like traveling on water.

Persons: Markus Pukonen, Pukonen, he’d, “, it’s, ”, he’s, ” Pukonen, Randy Mitson, ’, “ I’ve, ” He’s, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, Children’s, Swift, Toronto Locations: Toronto, rafted, Mississippi, Canada, Lake Ontario, Columbia, Washington, Hawaii, Macau, Vietnam, kayaked, Indonesia, Canadian, Winnipeg, Tofino, Vancouver Island, India, Seychelles, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Brazil, Florida, Savannah , Georgia, North America's, Superior, Georgia, Maine, Hudson, New York, Caribbean, Tobago, Asia, Pukonen, British Columbia

☆ How charging drivers to go downtown would transform American cities
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York City is still clawing out of from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The plan would also mark the culmination of more than a half-century of efforts to implement congestion pricing in New York City. Ultimately, it was the need to improve New York City’s public transit that became the rallying cry for congestion pricing. The stakes of New York City’s program are high, and leaders in other cities are watching the results closely. “It’s good to see New York City’s program is moving forward,” said the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board last month.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, ”, Kathy Hochul, Michael Bloomberg, Andrew Cuomo —, Yuki Iwamura, Kate Slevin, Sam Schwartz Organizations: New, New York CNN, Central Business District, Federal Highway Administration, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, ” New York Gov, MTA, Bloomberg, Getty, Regional Plan Association, London, Drivers, Los Angeles Times Locations: New York, New York City, Lower Manhattan, Manhattan, United States, Stockholm, London, Singapore, New Jersey, York, Los Angeles

CNN —For nearly 13 million high school students across China, Wednesday marks a day that could make or break their plans for college and the increasingly competitive job market beyond. A high score in the two-day “gaokao” college entrance exam is the only way to get into the country’s top universities, and most Chinese students only get one shot at the grueling test, unlike US students who can take the SAT several times. A user on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, recalled taking the gaokao in 2000 when there were only about 3.75 million other test takers. The urban unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds hit a record high of 20.4% in April, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. And the rate could increase further, as a record 11.6 million college students are set to graduate this year.

Persons: gaokao, ”, TikTok, Fu Linghui, Xi Jinping’s Organizations: CNN, Getty, Authorities, Times, National Bureau of Statistics, NBS Locations: China, Shenyang, honking

☆ How Victor Wembanyama Could Fit on the San Antonio Spurs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Kris Rhim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 dynamic forward who is this year’s most prized N.B.A. prospect, cheered with his family in France as the San Antonio Spurs won the 2023 draft lottery Tuesday night. In San Antonio, fans, perhaps understandably, celebrated like they had won a championship, yelling in bars and honking car horns. “What are the San Antonio Spurs getting in Victor Wembanyama?” the reporter asked. He isn’t a typical draft prospect, and he wasn’t going to pretend to be one, either.

☆ Opinion | Seniors, Do You Have Trouble Getting Around Town?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( New York Times Opinion | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

By 2030, at least 1 in 5 Americans will have reached retirement age, and cities are the major focal point for this demographic tide. Currently, 8 in 10 Americans age 65 or older already live in metropolitan areas, and many older Americans increasingly prefer to age in place. Yet, many neighborhoods aren’t designed to account for the needs of older populations. A narrow sidewalk, a rapidly changing streetlight and limited options for resting areas can make getting around dangerous, and the lack of open public spaces can keep seniors from getting much-needed exercise and social time. In rural areas and sprawling suburbs, insufficient public transportation choices also make it harder for older people to buy their groceries, live independently and stay connected with family and friends.

☆ I ditched a big city for a $5,000 fixer-upper with 8 bedrooms in a small town. It's nice to live in a place where people don't treat each other like strangers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

John Nichols moved to Huntington, West Virginia, in 2021 after growing tired of Chicago. Katie thought that living in West Virginia would be nice because the weather was much warmer than it was in Chicago. In West Virginia, there's no traffic and everyone is friendly — I haven't heard a horn honk since I moved to the state. The Nichols' house in Huntington, West Virginia. I think aspects like these are making West Virginia more popular, especially for people who have had enough of big city life.

☆ Opinion: Is Tucker Carlson the reason Texas Gov. Abbott says he’ll pardon a convicted killer?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Dean Obeidallah | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Abbott’s pardon announcement came after he was goaded to do so by figures on the right – from Fox News host Tucker Carlson to the chairman of the Texas Republican Party to Kyle Rittenhouse. There are conflicting accounts as to whether Foster pointed his weapon at Perry or Perry made the first move. They are rioting outside my apartment complex.” Defense attorneys said that Foster had threatened Perry by pointing his gun at Perry. Then Carlson and others on the right began to pressure Abbott to issue a pardon, because they didn’t agree with the verdict. On his Fox News show on Friday night, Carlson called on Abbott to pardon Perry, arguing that the defendant had acted in self-defense – despite the jury rejecting that argument.

☆ To Make Phone Calls Clearer, Do This
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Cordilia James | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Babies babbling, drills drilling, horns honking. Tech companies are rolling out new noise-reduction tools to filter out cacophony on your calls—but you need to know how to find them. As part of its iOS 16.4 update last week, Apple added its Voice Isolation feature to cellular phone calls, bringing the caller’s voice to the forefront and blocking out ambient noise.

☆ How to Block Out Barking Dogs, Crying Babies and Other Background Noise During Calls
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Cordilia James | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Why is the Trump 'hush-money' grand jury taking so @#$%& long? Wrong question, experts say.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

An uncanny lack of secrecy surrounds the secret Trump 'hush money' grand jury now underway in NY. Grand jury witnesses, lawyers, and Trump himself are shouting about each other on TV and online. The right question may be, "Why is this supposedly secret grand jury such a honking, spotlit spectacle?" On Friday, an envelope of white powder was sent to Bragg at the office building where the grand jury sits. The grand jury was not there that day, and the powder proved non-hazardous.

☆ New Starbucks CEO plans to pull barista shifts in stores every month
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Starbucks’ new CEO Laxman Narasimhan teased his plan for the company in a letter to employees. It includes working in Starbucks stores as a barista once a month. “Critically, we will reinvigorate our culture around what it means to be a partner at Starbucks,” Narasimhan continued. Starbucks employees react and cheer at the sound of honking motorists supporting them in a nationwide strike at the Starbucks at 1601 W. Irving Park Road on Dec. 16, 2022, in Chicago. Schultz, who remains on Starbuck’s board, is scheduled to testify about Starbucks’ labor practices during a Senate hearing next week.

☆ Iraqi ambush of Americans made a mockery of 'Mission Accomplished'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Michael Georgy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

[1/5] FILE PHOTO: A U.S. soldier walks past Iraqi detainees standing behind a wired fence, at Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, Iraq May 17, 2004. Arriving in the city an hour or so after the ambush on March 31, 2004, I was confronted by a crowd kicking the head of an incinerated body. I was taking notes, trying to make sense of the furore, when a boy, who was probably aged about nine, approached. HOTSPOTIn the two decades of turmoil since the invasion, Falluja repeatedly emerged as a hotspot. I saw an Iraqi douse one of the corpses with petrol, sending flames soaring into the air.

☆ I left Manhattan for LA. It's easier to make friends, my cost of living is lower, and I'm so much happier here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Daniel Zahler | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

I got the full New York City experienceI lived in Manhattan for 12 years. In 2015, I decided to sublet my West Village pad and spend the winter in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is one of the priciest areas of California, but it's still cheaper than Manhattan. Today I'm paying $3,000 a month for a spacious apartment in the heart of Santa Monica with amazing views of mountains and palm trees. New York City is unrivaled in its energy and diversity and is the major league of cities — truly world-class.

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