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☆ An auction of 60 works from the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's art collection smashes records by raising $1.5 billion
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An auction of late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's art collection raised just over $1.5 billion. The Christie's auction has set a new record as the biggest art sale in history. The most expensive work was Georges Seurat's "Les Poseuses, Ensemble (Petite version)", which fetched $149.2 million. This painting, which depicts three nude women, is considered a pioneering work of Seurat's signature style of Pointillism. A total of five pieces went for more than $100 million each at the auction in New York on Wednesday night.

Democrat Josh Shapiro defeated far-right Republican Doug Mastriano in the Pennsylvania governor’s race on Tuesday, NBC News projected, providing Democrats with a significant victory in a contest where oversight of the 2024 election and abortion rights took center stage. ET, Shapiro held a lead of more than 13 points over Mastriano. Speaking to reporters on his campaign bus last week, Shapiro said Mastriano “is by far the most extreme and dangerous person to ever run for public office in Pennsylvania. Mastriano said his position on abortion was irrelevant because abortion laws are ultimately up to the state Legislature. Elected to the state Senate in 2019, Mastriano rose to prominence after the 2020 election when Trump sought allies in state Legislatures to help him reverse his loss.

☆ Midterm elections live updates: Pennsylvania races, New Hampshire Senate race too early to call
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Brandy Zadrozny | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Sahil-Kapur-Headshot.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +109 min

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate and governor's races too early to call It is too early to call the Senate and gubernatorial races in Wisconsin, according to NBC News. Share this -Link copiedNew Hampshire Senate race too early to call The Senate race in New Hampshire is too early to call, according to NBC News. Share this -Link copiedPennsylvania Senate and governor races are too early to call After polls closed at 8 p.m. While Maricopa County election officials initially categorized the problem as a “hiccup,” it took hours before a solution was identified early Tuesday afternoon. In Columbus County, election officials allegedly were harassed by an “observer following one-stop workers” and photographing or filming the workers, it said.

While Maricopa County election officials initially categorized the problem as a “hiccup,” it took hours before a solution was identified early Tuesday afternoon. According to the poll, 46% of voters said their family’s financial situation is worse than it was two years ago. Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP, filed a similar complaint Friday against state election officials. The app and portal had been down for part of the morning and the state's election hotline also briefly experienced issues. In Columbus County, election officials allegedly were harassed by an “observer following one-stop workers” and photographing or filming the workers, it said.

Machin also noted a trend of more eating at home as consumers look to save money by cutting down on restaurant visits. Katie Bickerstaffe, joint CEO, told reporters that its customers had already bought about 30% of their clothing and homewares Christmas gifts. "People are planning forward a little bit now," she said, highlighting very high demand for Christmas pyjamas. Similarly, Sainsbury's said last week consumers were buying cakes, mince pies and chocolates in advance of Christmas. ($1 = 0.8747 pounds)Reporting by James Davey and Sarah Young; Editing by Kate Holton and Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

By the end of Election Day, approximately 21,000 total interviews will be conducted. Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP, filed a similar complaint Friday against state election officials. The app and portal had been down for part of the morning and the state's election hotline also briefly experienced issues. In Columbus County, election officials allegedly were harassed by an “observer following one-stop workers” and photographing or filming the workers, it said. Share this -Link copiedSunny weather in most battleground states on Election Day It’s a bright and sunny Election Day in many battleground states!

How the midterm election outcome could impact Biden's agenda Nov. 8, 2022 02:02 Read the full story here. Civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP, filed a similar complaint Friday against state election officials. The app and portal had been down for part of the morning and the state's election hotline also briefly experienced issues. In Columbus County, election officials allegedly were harassed by an “observer following one-stop workers” and photographing or filming the workers, it said. Share this -Link copiedSunny weather in most battleground states on Election Day It’s a bright and sunny Election Day in many battleground states!

☆ The Orthodox Church of Ukraine said Christmas can be moved to December 25, in another snub to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine said Christmas can now be celebrated on December 25. It previously marked Christmas on January 7, alongside the Russian Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine announced that its assembly had voted in favor of letting parishes choose whether to mark Christmas on December 25. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine is distinct from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with the latter maintaining ties to Moscow until recently, The Guardian noted. Russia's Orthodox Church has supported Russia's war in Ukraine, with its leader saying in September that dying against Ukraine is an act of "sacrifice" that absolves soldiers of their sins.

☆ Bono’s new book is more than a rock star memoir. It’s also a powerful tribute to America
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Born Paul David Hewson in Dublin, Ireland, Bono is a global rock star, an activist and an entrepreneur who is currently touring the US to promote his memoir. Bono’s book, though, is more than a rock star’s memoir. A belief in America as an idea, not a religionAs any casual fan of U2 knows, U2 has long had a close relationship with the US. Martin Luther King Jr., with their song, “Pride (In The Name of Love).”In “Surrender,” Bono pays tribute to America itself. “The search for common ground starts with a search for higher ground,” Bono writes in the memoir.

☆ Head of Cyprus Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos, dies aged 81
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NICOSIA, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The head of Cyprus's dominant Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, died on Monday, his doctors said. The Church of Cyprus, an independent branch of the Eastern Orthodox communion, traces its lineage back to Barnabas, one of Christ's first followers. In Nicosia, a group of priests in flowing black robes were seen carrying a coffin from the Archbishopric, where Chrysostomos died, to a nearby church. Chrysostomos, who was elected archbishop in 2006, had been critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, head of the estimated 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, said he was "deeply moved" by Chrysostomos's death.

☆ Six in ten Britons will spend less at Christmas -Deloitte survey
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Six in ten Britons believe they will have less money to spend over the Christmas period than last year, according to a survey published on Monday, adding to evidence that a thrifty festive season beckons. The survey from Deloitte found 38% plan to switch to cheaper brands or stores to seek out gifts, and for Christmas Day dinner 35% plan to do at least part of their shop at a discount supermarket. "Consumers are entering the festive season with budgets under more pressure this year, and it is not surprising that almost all are considering affordability and adapting their typical Christmas spending habits in one way or another," Oliver Vernon-Harcourt, head of retail at Deloitte, said. With inflation at a 40-year high of 10.1%, interest rates rising and consumer confidence close to the gloomiest on record, Britons have cut their spending. Deloitte's findings chimed with surveys last month from Kantar and Accenture, which both showed Britons planning to cut festive spending this year.

☆ Sainsbury's sees shoppers spreading out cost of Christmas
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - British consumers are trying to spread out the cost of Christmas by buying products earlier as they try to manage household budgets in the face of record inflation, the boss of supermarket group Sainsbury's (SBRY.L), said on Thursday. "One of the key things that we're clearly seeing is customers wanting to spread out the cost of Christmas, shopping earlier where they can, buying little and often as they plan for Christmas," Chief Executive Simon Roberts told reporters after Sainsbury's published first half results. Roberts also highlighted a marked shift towards demand for own brand food products, which are generally cheaper than branded products. As regards general merchandise sales, he said the big step-up in Christmas sales that the group would normally see is still to come. "It's too early to see how demand in general merchandise is going to play out ... That's the big unknown," he said.

☆ Vivid pink diamond could go for $35 million at Christie's auction
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] A model shows a 18,18 carat pink diamond called "Fortune Pink" that could fetch 30 million US dollars during a preview at Christie’s before the auction sale in Geneva, Switzerland, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseGENEVA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The largest pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ever put up for auction could sell for up to $35 million at a Christie's sale of rare jewels on Nov. 8, the auctioneer said on Wednesday. It really, really is a gem and something that we haven't seen in a long time at Christie's." The Fortune Pink Diamond is estimated to go for $25 million to $35 million. The largest vivid pink diamond sold at Christie's was the 18.96-carat Winston Pink Legacy, which got $50.4 million in 2018, a world record price per carat for a pink diamond sold at auction.

☆ Here's what the Day of the Dead means, and why it endures
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Albinson Linares | Noticias Telemundo | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

The "Day of the Dead Parade" in Mexico City on Oct. 29, 2022. Claudio Cruz / AFP - Getty Images"In Mexico, Nov. 1 and 2 are very special days because they celebrate All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, respectively," said Diana Martínez, an academic at the Institute of Anthropological Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM. By the 13th century, the Roman Catholic Church established Nov. 1 as All Saints’ Day. People take part in the "Day of the Dead Parade" in Mexico City on Oct. 29, 2022. He's worked at the cemetery from a very young age and has witnessed many Día de los Muertos celebrations.

☆ Five centuries on, Milan still echoes with the genius of queer icon Leonardo da Vinci
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Dan Allen | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Since his death more than 500 years ago, multihyphenate genius Leonardo da Vinci and his spectacular works have inspired respect and wonder in generation after generation the world over. “Likewise in painting, I can do everything possible as well as any other, whosoever he may be,” da Vinci offered, not incorrectly. Today, his engineering genius and the advancements it inspired are showcased at Milan’s Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, the largest science museum in Italy. The museum’s Leonardo da Vinci Galleries, reimagined for the 2019 celebrations, use more than 170 historical models, artworks, codexes and installations to bring the artist’s story to life. Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" in the Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

☆ Jules Bass, who brought ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ to TV, dies at 87
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Jules Bass brought them all to vivid, animated life on TV. Bass, who helmed beloved animated Christmas specials like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman,” died this week, publicist Jennifer Ruff told CNN. But the duo left a permanent mark on TV with the 1964 debut of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” a stop-motion special based on the Christmas story and popular song. It’s since become one of the longest-running Christmas specials in history, airing on TV nearly every year since its first run. "Frosty The Snowman," based on the Christmas standard, has become a beloved TV special.

☆ Kevin Bacon joins the MCU in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Kevin Bacon is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as…Kevin Bacon. In a move that’s sure to make the ‘six degrees of Kevin Bacon’ game even easier, the “Footloose” star is featured in the new trailer for “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special,” alongside franchise stars Dave Bautista (Drax) and Pom Klementieff (Mantis). “Guardians” director James Gunn, who on Tuesday was appointed co-chairman and chief executive officer of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, shared the clip on his Twitter. Somehow, they decide that Bacon would be the perfect “someone special” to help their friend and appear on the iconic actor’s front doorstep to take him with them. “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” is due on Disney+ on November 25.

☆ We read the Gab founder's how-to guide to Christian nationalism. The book is part of a new trend of conservatives openly embracing the ideology.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"Christian Nationalism: A Biblical Guide For Taking Dominion And Discipling Nations" was written by Torba and Andrew Isker, a pastor from Minnesota. Christian nationalism can generally be boiled down to the belief that Christianity should have a privileged position in American society. Torba's book demonstrates this, as his description of Christian nationalism differs in some ways from academic understandings of it. Phelan M. Ebenhack, File/Associated PressThe public embrace of a somewhat taboo conceptScholars of Christian nationalism, and Christian nationalists themselves, are quick to point out these ideas are not new. "We're now definitely well past the 'Christian nationalism doesn't exist' and the 'Christian nationalism is fringe' arguments to full-on 'Christian nationalism is the only way forward.'"

NEW YORK, NY, Oct 19 (Reuters) - The Ghost of Christmas Past haunts U.S. store shelves, sales floors and stockrooms this year. Retailers were sitting on $548.8 billion of inventory in July, a 21.6% increase from last year, according to U.S. Census data. Even with retailers slashing prices by up to 40%, shoppers so far this year are hesitant to make major holiday purchases. Increased markdowns and slowed consumer demand may hurt companies' gross margins, said Cowen retail analyst John Kernan in an October note. Analysts are expecting gross margins to shrink for each of the companies next quarter, according to data from Refinitiv.

☆ Gunmen kill 11 at Russian army base in new blow to Moscow's Ukraine campaign
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Russian citizens drafted during the partial mobilization begin their military trainings after a military call-up for the Russia-Ukraine war in Rostov, Russia on October 04, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesGunmen shot dead 11 people at a Russian military training ground, the defense ministry said, in the latest blow to President Vladimir Putin's forces since the invasion of Ukraine. The attack took place a week after a blast damaged a bridge in Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. The Russian ministry had said the attackers were from a nation in the Commonwealth of Independent States, which groups nine ex-Soviet republics, including Tajikistan. Russian forces have repeatedly tried to seize Bakhmut, which sits on a main road leading to the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

☆ Two volunteer soldiers fire on troops at Russian military firing range, killing 11 and wounding 15 others
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Gunmen shot dead 11 people at a Russian military training ground, the defence ministry said, in the latest blow to President Vladimir Putin’s forces since the invasion of Ukraine. “A terrible event happened on our territory, on the territory of one of the military units,” the governor of Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov said early on Sunday. There are no residents of the Belgorod region among the wounded and killed,’ Gladkov said in a video post on the Telegram messaging app. The Russian ministry had said the attackers were from a nation in the Commonwealth of Independent States, which groups nine ex-Soviet republics, including Tajikistan. Russian forces have repeatedly tried to seize Bakhmut, which sits on a main road leading to the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Oct 16 (Reuters) - Gunmen shot dead 11 people at a Russian military training ground on Saturday, the defence ministry said, in the latest blow to President Vladimir Putin's forces since the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian ministry had said the attackers were from a nation in the Commonwealth of Independent States, which groups nine ex-Soviet republics, including Tajikistan. Ukrainian forces and civilians are relying on Starlink internet service provided by Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket company. RUSSIAN MISSILE, DRONE ATTACKSPutin ordered the mobilization three weeks ago, part of a response to Russian battlefield defeats in Ukraine. Russian forces have repeatedly tried to seize Bakhmut, which sits on a main road leading to the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

☆ The host of a hobbit-themed Airbnb made $70,000 in profit last year. She's not a 'LOTR' fan, but she's booked 2 years out.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Layne Van Vranken | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Christina Le Comte rents out a house inspired by "The Lord of the Rings" in her backyard in Canada. Christina Le Comte. In 2020 — her first year in business — Le Comte made more than $30,000 in profit. Le Comte estimates she spent a little over $11,000 doing improvements to the property, not including the cost of decorating. "It can be challenging because you're dealing with a living building and things come up every day," Le Comte said.

Still, these six Black Republicans seem unmoved, even if Black voters overall appear to present more of an uphill challenge. Herschel Walker and Former ambassador Nikki Haley speak with the press during Herschel's Unite Georgia Bus Stop rally at the Global Mall in Norcross, Ga., on Sept. 9, 2022. It’s a bigger picture.”The Black vote was critical in turning Georgia blue in the 2020 presidential election and pushing Biden to the presidency and ultimately Warnock into the Senate. “I know Herschel Walker votes more conservative. Even with the recent allegations, these voters point out that between Warnock and Walker’s policies, they prefer Walker’s because he is anti-abortion.

☆ Will Ferrell gets back to his Christmas ‘Elf’-ish roots alongside Ryan Reynolds in new ‘Spirited’ trailer
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The pair headline the new Apple TV+ Christmas movie “Spirited,” for which a teaser was released on Wednesday. From there, Ferrell takes Reynolds through various settings and time periods, before introducing himself as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Spirited — Official Teaser | Apple TV+“Like ‘A Christmas Carol’?” Reynolds responds, in his trademark incredulous tone. And indeed, “Spirited” is an updated take on the classic holiday fable, with “Free Guy” star Reynolds stepping in as the initially misanthropic Ebeneezer Scrooge. “Spirited” will debut in theaters on November 11 before streaming globally on Apple TV+ on November 18.

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