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☆ 3 suspicious objects have been downed across North America this week. Officials have no idea where 2 of the UAP came from and the pilots who shot them down can't agree on what they even look like.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

US fighter aircraft shot down an object threatening airspace over Alaska yesterday. On Saturday, another unknown object, described as "cylindrical," was shot down over Canada. Here is what we know about the object shot down on Friday. The object shot down on Saturday was spotted in the Northern Canadian territory of Yukon. It is unclear if the object shot down off the Alaskan coast was of similar size or shape.

[1/5] School teachers demonstrate for better salaries and working conditions in Lisbon, Portugal, February 11, 2023. REUTERS/Pedro NunesLISBON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of teachers took to Lisbon's streets on Saturday in one of the biggest protests in Portugal in recent years as the Socialist government faces a wave of discontent over the cost of living crisis. It was the third time in less than a month that teachers and school workers have held mass demonstrations in Portugal. Teachers on the lowest pay scale make around 1,100 euros ($1,174.25) per month but even teachers in higher bands typically earn less than 2,000 euros. House prices in Portugal rose 18.7% in 2022, the biggest increase in three decades, and rents have also increased significantly.

☆ Americans Are Buying Homes in Spain More Than Ever Before
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( J.S. Marcus | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ron Hale ushered in 2023 by relocating from landlocked Orlando, Fla., to a primary residence in Marbella, on southern Spain’s Mediterranean coast. In January, the 59-year-old founder and CEO of Natural Tone Organic Skincare, a Florida-based beauty-supply company, closed on a 3,000-square-foot, three-story townhouse, with four bedrooms, spacious balconies, sea views and a sale price of $1.1 million. Mr. Hale, who wanted a base to better supervise his company’s diverse European interests, chose Marbella, a glamorous resort known for its balmy year-round climate, because of “the food, the golf and the international flair of it all,” he says. And his newly remodeled turnkey purchase—what he likes to call a place to lock and leave—has easy access to Málaga airport, the gateway to Spain’s Costa del Sol region, a 45-minute drive away.

☆ Frustration at UN ahead of likely row with Russia on Syria aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

With the death toll in Turkey and Syria passing 23,000, some diplomats expressed frustration on Friday that the 15-member council has been slow to act after Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pressed for more access to northwest Syria via Turkey. The UN Security Council needs to step up and get it done," said a UN diplomat familiar with discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity. Since 2014 the United Nations has been able to deliver aid to millions of people in need in the northwest of war-torn Syria through Turkey under a Security Council mandate. The United Nations has long said that challenges to increasing aid deliveries across frontlines include receiving timely security guarantees and approvals and a lack of funding. UN aid via Turkey reached 2.7 million people a month in northwest Syria last year, compared with 43,500 people a month who received aid from routes within Syria since August 2021.

☆ Netflix is widening its password sharing crackdown, with users in Canada, Spain, and New Zealand now facing extra charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Netflix users in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal are facing a crackdown on password sharing. The company previously announced that it wanted to roll out "paid sharing" by the end of March. Users in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal are the latest to face its clampdown on password sharing, after a previous trial in a number of Latin American nations, Netflix said Wednesday. Paid sharing means that Netflix users will have to set up a primary location, so only people in that household can use the account without paying extra. During Netflix's paid sharing trial in Latin America, it told users that they could request a code to gain a week's access to their accounts while traveling.

☆ Netflix clamps down on password sharing in four countries
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Netflix (NFLX) has extended its crackdown on password sharing to Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. Users in these countries will now have to pay to give people they don’t live with access to their account, after similar rules were trialed in Latin America last year. Netflix started introducing the change last year in Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The streaming giant, which suffered heavy subscriber losses last year, said in a blog post Wednesday that password sharing hurt its revenues and therefore limited its ability to invest in new content. The company, which has turned a blind eye to password sharing for a number of years, said there was “confusion” among users about “when and how” they could share their accounts.

☆ Once Under the Radar, Americans Are Buying Homes in Spain More Than Ever Before
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( J.S. Marcus | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

How to earn Southwest pointsCompare Southwest credit cards Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit CardSouthwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit CardSouthwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Transfer points from Diners Club or hotel loyalty programsDiners Club members can also transfer Club Rewards points to Southwest — 1,500 Club Rewards points, for instance, would convert to 1,200 Southwest points. It's also possible to redeem points earned through participating hotel loyalty programs if you'd rather put them toward flights than hotel stays, though redemption rates are pretty low:5,000 Best Western Rewards points = 1,200 Southwest points6,000 Choice Privileges points = 1,800 Southwest points2,000 Radisson Rewards America points = 200 Southwest points50,000 Radisson Rewards America points = 5,000 Southwest points100,000 Radisson Rewards America points = 10,000 Southwest points9,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 3,000 Southwest points30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 10,000 Southwest points60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 20,000 Southwest points90,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 30,000 Southwest points120,000 Marriott Bonvoy points = 40,000 Southwest points5,000 World of Hyatt points = 2,400 Southwest points50,000 World of Hyatt points = 24,000 Southwest pointsNote that World of Hyatt throws in an additional 6,000 Southwest points as long as you're a member, while Marriott Bonvoy adds 5,000 Southwest points for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred. For instance, a $220 Business Select fare would yield 2,640 Southwest points, while a $200 Anytime ticket would yield 2,000 Southwest points, and a $100 Wanna Get Away ticket would yield 600 Southwest points. Earn Southwest points by taking online surveysYou can earn points by taking online surveys through E-Rewards — $15 worth of E-Rewards yields 300 Southwest points, $25 worth of E-Rewards yields 600 Southwest points, $50 worth of E-Rewards yields 1,200 Southwest points, and $100 worth of E-Rewards yields 2,400 Southwest points.

☆ Costa Rica says China apologizes for balloon 'incident' over its airspace
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAN JOSE, Feb 6 (Reuters) - China apologized to Costa Rica for a balloon that flew over its territory, the Central American country's government said on Monday, after a separate suspected Chinese spy balloon traveling over the United States sparked a major political and diplomatic spat. According to a brief statement from Costa Rica's foreign ministry, the Chinese government recognized that one of its balloons flew over Costa Rica, and China's embassy in San Jose "apologized for the incident," while insisting the balloon was focused on scientific research, mainly weather studies. Costa Rican officials were told by Chinese officials the balloon flight path deviated from its original plan and it had a limited ability to correct the error, according to the statement. A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman told reporters at a news conference in Beijing on Monday that the balloon spotted in Latin America was used for civilian purposes. Planes were notified at the time, but no further action was taken, according to the civil aviation director.

Travel insurance weekly rates at a glance:Average premium: $323.24Average trip cost: $6,795.88Average trip length: 15 daysWhat is travel insurance? See Insider's picks for the best travel insurance »Some credit cards offer a limited amount of travel insurance annually. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. When calculating your travel insurance premium, travel insurance providers consider the likelihood of a medical emergency. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

☆ Navas steals limelight on mixed weekend for January signings
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

January signings can be hit and miss and it was a mixed weekend for new recruits. "But I loved his composure and game management and decision making, I really enjoyed that part of his performance. He came close to a debut goal too, but ultimately it was a frustrating debut as Chelsea's attack misfired yet again. Leicester's Souttar, signed from Stoke City, enjoyed a winning debut as his side overcame Aston Villa 4-2, although scoring an own goal was hardly ideal. But Souttar, along with fellow new signing Victor Kristiansen, impressed, although not as much as another new recruit Tete, who marked his debut with a goal.

☆ Colombian military spots balloon-like object in its airspace
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 5 (Reuters) - A day before a U.S. military jet shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon, Colombia's military confirmed a sighting over its territory of an airborne object similar to a balloon. U.S. military officials on Friday said a Chinese balloon was spotted somewhere over Latin America but did not specify its location. The Colombian statement did not mention China or any other country as the balloon's origin. The statement added that the object exhibited "characteristics similar to those of a balloon," and that the air force monitored it until it left Colombian airspace. The saga of the Chinese balloon, downed off of the U.S. Atlantic coast on Saturday, captivated public attention for days, and was widely seen as worsening U.S.-China relations.

☆ Colombia confirms possible balloon in its airspace
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 5 (Reuters) - A day before a U.S. military jet shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the country's Atlantic Coast on Saturday, Colombia's military confirmed a sighting of an airborne object similar to a balloon flying over its territory. Colombia's air force issued a statement on Saturday providing limited details concerning a possible balloon its air defense system had located Friday morning. U.S. military officials on Friday said another Chinese balloon was spotted somewhere over Latin America but did not specify its location. The statement added that the object exhibited "characteristics similar to those of a balloon," and that the air force monitored it until if left the country's airspace. The saga of the downed Chinese spy balloon off the U.S. coast captivated public attention for days, and was widely seen as worsening U.S.-Chinese relations.

☆ What Are Your Favorite TV Characters Wearing? There’s Only One Person to Ask
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Chavie Lieber | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The titular protagonist in ‘Emily in Paris’ wears a number of eye-catching outfits, sometimes prompting viewers to hunt down the same pieces for their own closets. Carla Costa loves “Emily in Paris” for the dreamy French setting and the culture clashes. But what she really watches for is the fashion. Some of Emily’s outfits “make me go ‘Hell no,’” she said, “but other times I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, do I need that?’” Ms. Costa, a 37-year-old app designer living in London, has purchased several pieces from the show, including a translucent raincoat and a checkered pink sweater.

☆ How the end of Netflix password sharing will change the way families watch, especially the ones with college-age children
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Tim Mullaney | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Back in 2014, allowing people to share passwords was a "terrific marketing vehicle for the next generation of viewers," Plepler once told BuzzFeed. And yes, it looks like the crackdown may include families who share passwords with kids who are away at college. Even two analysts who follow Netflix acknowledged that their college-aged children are piggybacking on the family Netflix account for now. The company's terms of use require people to live at the same location to share a password. The company's terms of use already require customers to agree to Netflix tracking this information in order to deliver the service.

☆ Brazil sinks rusting old aircraft carrier in the Atlantic
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRASILIA, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Brazil sank a decommissioned aircraft carrier in the Atlantic Ocean off its northeast coast, the Brazilian Navy said, despite warnings from environmentalists that the rusting 1960s French-built ship would pollute the sea and the marine food chain. The 32,000-tonne carrier had been floating offshore for three months since Turkey refused it entry to be scrapped there because it was an environmental hazard and the ship was towed back to Brazil. The Clemenceau-class aircraft carrier served the French Navy for four decades as the Foch, capable of carrying 40 war planes. It then decided to sink the Sao Paulo at high sea. The company's legal representative in Brazil, Zilan Costa e Silva, said that disposal of the carrier was the Brazilian state's responsibility under the 1989 Basel Convention on the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes.

[1/3] The dog, Bobi, that broke the record for oldest dog ever at 30 years-old, is pictured at Conqueiros, in Leiria, Portugal, February 4, 2023. REUTERS/Catarina DemonyCONQUEIROS, Portugal, Feb 4 (Reuters) - When his dog was born three decades ago in a tiny village in central Portugal, Leonel Costa was only eight years old. Little did he know that his beloved Bobi would one day be recorded as the world's oldest dog. Costa got in touch with the Guinness World of Records, submitted all the paperwork and a year later Bobi was officially named the oldest dog on record. Costa hopes Bobi has many more years of life and is thankful the dog has put the remote village of Conqueiros on the map.

☆ Portugal to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, PM says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Portugal will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said on Saturday, without specifying how many will be shipped. Costa added that Portugal is in talks with Germany to obtain parts needed for the repair of a number of inoperable Leopard tanks in Portugal's inventory of the weapon. "We are currently working to be able to dispense some of our tanks," Costa told Lusa news agency during a trip to the Central African Republic. "I know how many tanks will be (sent to Ukraine) but that will be announced at the appropriate time." Portugal is working with Germany to get the parts needed to repair the tanks that are not operational, Costa said, adding he hoped to deliver them to Ukraine by the end of March.

☆ The people who live inside airplanes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —After losing her house to a fire, Jo Ann Ussery had a peculiar idea: to live in an airplane. She bought an old Boeing 727 that was destined for the scrapyard, had it shipped to a plot of land she already owned, and spent six months renovating, doing most of the work by herself. By the end, she had a fully functional home, with over 1,500 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and even a hot tub – where the cockpit used to be. Although she wasn’t the first person to ever live in an airplane, her flawless execution of the project had an inspirational effect. Maybe the worst choice for a home.”As a result, Campbell had to work on the plane for a couple of years before being able to live in it.

Persons: Jo Ann Ussery, Ussery, Benoit , Mississippi –, Bruce Campbell, Jo, ”, Campbell, “, Jo Ann’s, Scotty, That’s, Aristotle Onassis, he’s, Joe Axline, Axline, “ I’ve, I’ve, ” Axline, Howard Hughes, Dave Drimmer, Nashville Hall of Famer Red Lane, Lane, Jumbo, “ You’ve, there’ll, Bruce Campbell’s Organizations: CNN, Boeing, Olympic Airways, Florida Air Museum, Nashville Hall of Famer, Airport Locations: Benoit , Mississippi, Hillsboro , Oregon, Mongolia, Greece, Miyazaki, Japan, Brookshire , Texas, Stockholm's Arlanda, Florida, American, Costa Rica, Costa Verde, Sweden, Stockholm’s Arlanda, England, London

☆ Netflix's Latin American password-sharing clampdown trial hints at how the upcoming rollout might work, including primary locations and special-access codes for traveling
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Netflix said last month that it expects to roll out paid sharing more broadly by the end of March. Paid sharing is being tested in Latin America, where it costs up to $3 to add an extra member. Users in the trial areas need to set up a "primary location" through their TV, verified through email or text message. If anyone is trying to access a Netflix account from outside its primary location, then their device will be blocked. Under paid sharing, users can let people from outside their household use their account for an additional fee.

☆ Netflix's password sharing crackdown is coming: What we know so far about how it will work
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Netflix's plan to stop users from sharing their passwords with each other is starting to take shape. The main hurdle that Netflix will place in front of password sharers is device verification when phones, computers and streaming devices are logged into an account that isn't the primary user's home network. This creates a trusted device so you can watch Netflix, even when you're away from your primary location." Netflix has in the past said that more than 100 million households use a shared password. If you get caught sharing a password, don't worry about being hit with a fee right away.

☆ Costa Rica's economic growth seen slowing down this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAN JOSE, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Costa Rica's economic growth will likely slow this year, according to a central bank forecast released on Tuesday that also estimates faster growth in 2024. The central bank sees gross domestic product growing 2.7% this year and 3.5% in 2024. Income from tourism, a key sector, had increased from a year ago, as had exports, the central bank said. "The performance of economic activity had a positive impact on business and consumer confidence," it said. By 2024, the inflation rate should drop and economic activity was likely to pick up steam, the bank added.

Travel insurance weekly rates at a glance:Average premium: $270.13Average trip cost: $5,793.35Average trip length: 16 daysGet your free travel insurance quote with SquareMouth »What is travel insurance? See Insider's picks for the best travel insurance »Some credit cards offer a limited amount of travel insurance annually. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. When calculating your travel insurance premium, travel insurance providers consider the likelihood of a medical emergency. Insider's Featured Travel Insurance Companies World Nomads Travel InsuranceAllianz Travel InsuranceTravelex travel insurance Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine: The latest news
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/7] A Ukrainian serviceman looks on, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine January 27, 2023. * The EU's next package of sanctions against Russia will hit the trade and technology that support Moscow's war against Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday. ARMS* Portugal will send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said, without specifying how many. * Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said the supply of more advanced U.S. weaponry to Ukraine will only trigger more retaliatory strikes from Russia, up to the extent of Russia's nuclear doctrine. CONFLICT* Ukraine and Russia traded almost 200 prisoners of war in a swap announced separately by both sides on Saturday, with the bodies of two British volunteers also being sent back to Ukraine.

☆ 10 most welcoming places in the world—see which U.S. state made the list
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This year's most welcoming places in the world span five continents. This year's annual Booking.com Traveler Review Awards included a list of the most welcoming places in the world for 2023. La Rioja, SpainEpirus, GreeceOberösterreich, AustriaCounty Down, U.K.Mures, RomaniaMarlborough, New ZealandNinh Binh, VietnamLimon, Costa RicaNewfoundland & Labrador, CanadaNorth Dakota, U.S.One of the most welcoming places in the world is La Rioja, Spain. Costa Rica is one of the happiest places in the world, according to the World Happiness Report. Limon is considered to be one of the most pristine and lush regions of Costa Rica.

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