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☆ House Republicans vote to make it harder for troops to get abortions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

House Republicans voted to eliminate a Pentagon policy that makes it easier for service members to obtain abortions. The House voted largely along party lines 221-213 in tacking on the restriction to a larger must-pass bill funding the Pentagon. Only two House Republicans, Reps. John Duarte of California and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, broke with the party. House Republicans have a number of other amendment votes to press through Thursday evening. CNN's Melanie Zanona wrote that the inclusion of the abortion restrictions will lead the final House vote to be extremely one-sided.

Persons: John Duarte of, Brian Fitzpatrick, Henry Cuellar, Duarte, Cuellar, Ronny Jackson, Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Joe Biden, Biden, CNN's Melanie Zanona Organizations: Pentagon, Service, Republicans, Democrat, Texas Republican, Defense Department, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Marine Corps, White, House Republicans, National Defense, Democratic Locations: Wall, Silicon, tacking, John Duarte of California, Pennsylvania, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Texas

☆ Frank Lloyd Wright Built 120 Homes Near the End of His Life. Just One Original Owner Remains.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Fred A. Bernstein | Photographs Erica Gannett For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

“After me, there won’t be any others,” says Roland Reisley, absorbing what it means to be the last original occupant in a Frank Lloyd Wright house. Reisley is sitting in his hexagonal living room on a rocky hill near Pleasantville, N.Y. The most famous architect of the 20th century designed the house for Reisley and his wife, Ronny, making many adjustments to his original plan to meet their needs (for a broom closet, for bookshelves, for more kids’ bedrooms). It was completed in 1952, during a postwar boom in which Wright designed 120 houses in—amazingly—31 states.

Persons: ”, Roland Reisley, Frank Lloyd Wright, Reisley, Ronny, Wright Locations: Pleasantville, N.Y, —

☆ Amazon workers in Leipzig start 48-hour strike for higher wages
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A flag of German united services union Ver.di is pictured in front of the logo of Amazon on a warehouse in Bad Hersfeld May 14, 2013. REUTERS/Lisi NiesnerJune 26 (Reuters) - Workers at Amazon's (AMZN.O) warehouses in Germany's eastern city of Leipzig started a 48-hour strike on Monday to press for higher wages, the country's public sector union ver.di said. The workers want a collective labour agreement that includes a 2.5 euro ($2.73) per hour wage increase for a 12-month period, a 250-euro wage hike for apprentices and for the labour agreement to be binding for the company. Amazon is not bound by collective agreements and doesn't take part in these negotiations. "The converted starting wage in Germany is 13 euros gross per hour upwards (in Leipzig 13.43), including bonus payments," the world's biggest online retailer said.

Persons: Lisi Niesner, ver.di, Ronny Streich, Andrey Sychev, Matthias Williams, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Bad Hersfeld, Germany's, Leipzig, Germany

☆ Texas panhandle town hit by tornado, deaths reported
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Brad Brooks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] A tank truck gets partially submerge in water in Perryton as the town gets struck by a tornado, in Texas, U.S. June 15, 2023, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. ABC's Amarillo affiliate KVII-TV, citing Perryton fire chief Paul Dutcher, reported that at least three people were killed. At least 30 trailer homes were damaged or destroyed in Perryton, KVII-TV reported, and firefighters were still rescuing victims at 6 p.m. It said the town may have been struck by three tornadoes. I am in contact with Mayor Symons and this tragedy is being closely monitored by myself and my whole staff," U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson, a Republican from Texas, said on Twitter.

Persons: Sabrina Devers, Kerry Symons, Paul Dutcher, Debbie Beck, Beck, Jane, Mayor Symons, Ronny Jackson, Greg Abbott, Brad Brooks, Dan Whitcomb, Costas Pitas, Stephen Coates, Simon Cameron, Moore, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Republican, Twitter . Texas, Thomson Locations: Perryton, Texas, U.S, TMX, REUTERS LUBBOCK , Texas, Amarillo, Oklahoma

☆ Perryton, Texas tornado: 3 people dead and dozens injured after tornado ripped through a town in the Texas Panhandle
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Aya Elamroussi Dave Alsup Melissa Alonso | Aya Elamroussi | Dave Alsup | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —At least three people were killed and dozens were hospitalized after a tornado ripped through a town in the Texas Panhandle on Thursday afternoon, nearly leveling some buildings and prompting power outages. A view of a damaged site in Perryton as the town gets struck by a tornado in Texas on Thursday in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Greg Abbott has deployed state emergency resources to “meet urgent life-safety needs in Perryton, Texas,” according to a news release from his office. Sabrina Devers/TMX/ReutersOfficials in Beaver County, Oklahoma, sent fire, law enforcement and EMS units to help, according to the county’s emergency manager Keith Shadden. The sheriff’s office in Hutchinson County — which includes Stinnett — also sent rescue and emergency operations following the “devastating tornado,” according to a Facebook post from the office.

Persons: Paul Dutcher, CNN’s Alisyn, Kelly Judice, ” Judice, Sabrina Devers, ”, Wes Reeves, Greg Abbott, Keith Shadden, —, Judice, “, Brian Emfinger, Emfinger, ” Emfinger, Cole Underwood, there’s, Ronny Jackson Organizations: CNN, Texas Panhandle, Xcel Energy, Texas Gov, Reuters, National Weather Service, NWS Locations: Texas, Perryton, Perryton , Texas, Beaver County , Oklahoma, Stinnett , Texas, Hutchinson County, Oklahoma, Michigan

☆ Cracker Barrel saluted Pride Month, and some people are losing it
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Leslie J. Allen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cracker Barrel posted a "Happy Pride Month" salute on social media with a rainbow rocking chair. The restaurant chain posted a photo on its Facebook page Thursday showing a rainbow-themed rocking chair on the porch of a Cracker Barrel restaurant. Facebook user Scarlett Wells wrote: "I've literally avoided Cracker Barrel because I was pretty sure y'all weren't inclusive. The backlash against Cracker Barrel is the latest in a wave of anti-LGBTQ protests and boycotts against major businesses, including Target, Bud Light, and Disney. Cracker Barrel also sparked criticism and boycott threats last year when it added vegan sausage to its menu.

Persons: —, Scarlett Wells, I've, Critics, Ronny Jackson, Wu Tang, Bud Light Organizations: Facebook, Service, Pride, Texas Republican, Target, Disney, New York Times Locations: Texas, Tennessee

☆ Opinion: DeSantis’ comments about Jordan Neely’s death are part of a dangerous pattern
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Opinion Dean Obeidallah | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s note: Dean Obeidallah, a former attorney, is the host of SiriusXM radio’s daily program “The Dean Obeidallah Show.” Follow him @DeanObeidallah@masto.ai. CNN —We are seeing an alarming pattern emerge in which some GOP leaders defend — and even pledge to pardon — people charged with or convicted of killing a person. “The unfortunate result was the unintended and unforeseen death of Mr. Neely.”Penny has received support from a score of right-wing figures. Instead, DeSantis is sending a message that if you are supported by the GOP base, we may have your back, even if you are charged in someone’s death. After Perry’s conviction, many on the right demanded GOP Texas Gov.

☆ Germany is finally focusing on defending NATO, but its military 'lacks almost everything' it needs to do it, a former German general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

That's the warning from a former German general who argues that Germany must refurbish its badly neglected armed forces — though this will take years to accomplish. Today, the German military is just 183,000-strong, and it can't meet its recruiting goals. In 2020, German defense spending was only 1.4% of GDP, well short of 2% goal that NATO members have pledged to hit by 2024. "Armament procurement concentrated on armored transport vehicles rather than on battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles," Vad writes. RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty ImagesDespite years of calls by France for pan-European defense, coordinating German defense procurement with other EU states — each with distinct military needs and political priorities – is difficult.

☆ Republicans want to ban banning gas ovens as part of their legislation to raise the debt ceiling
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Republicans have finally put their demands for the debt ceiling in writing and released legislation. They also want to preserve consumers' access to gas stoves, a fiery issue for the right. When Richard Trumka Jr., a commissioner at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, told Bloomberg that the agency was contemplating banning gas stoves, uproar ensued. Ultimately, the CPSC said it wasn't looking to outright ban gas stoves, and instead wanted to look how to reduce potentially hazardous emissions from stoves. What remains to be seen, then, is if McCarthy has enough votes to pay the country's debts and hold onto gas stoves.

☆ ‘World’s longest’ purpose-built cycling tunnel opens in Norway
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A three-kilometer-long (1.8-mile) cycling and pedestrian tunnel has been blasted through the base of Løvstakken mountain and its makers say it’s the longest purpose-built tunnel of its kind. Ronny Turøy/Bybanen UtbyggingIt takes a little under 10 minutes to whizz through the tunnel by bike and around 40 if strolling by foot. “This makes it more pleasant to use than if one would just walk on asphalt.”The tunnel was constructed in parallel with a new tram line. NCC/Bybanen UtbyggingThe new tunnel came about as a byproduct of Bergen’s second Bybanen tram line, which opened in November 2022. The tram line through the mountain required a parallel evacuation tunnel, so the developers decided to make the new tunnel multipurpose.

☆ 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.

☆ Here are all of the Republican elected officials backing Trump's 2024 campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Michael Burgess — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump in March after being named to the former president's campaign's Texas leadership team. Eli Crane — the Arizona freshman tweeted his support for Trump's 2024 bid the night of his announcement. Barry Moore — the Alabama congressman endorsed Trump in a radio interview in December, citing the former president's "experience level." 3 House Republican endorsed Trump days before his widely expected 2024 announcement in November. Roger Williams — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump in March after being named to the former president's campaign's Texas leadership team.

☆ House Republicans vow to avenge Trump indictment by going after 'spineless weasel' Alvin Bragg and President Joe Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former President Donald Trump was charged with 34 felony counts Tuesday in Manhattan. House Republicans incensed by the arraignment began spitballing ways to fight back. "This day cannot be forgotten," Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona wrote online in a post bemoaning the "unequivocal persecution of Donald Trump." Meanwhile, House GOP Conference chair Rep. Elise Stefanik predicted that all those seeking to politically harm Trump with this trial had actually sealed their own fates. "President Trump will defeat this latest witch-hunt, defeat Joe Biden, and will be sworn in as President of the United States of America in January 2025," she said in a press release.

☆ Texas will play an outsized role in selecting the next GOP presidential nominee. So Trump isn't leaving anything to chance.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Trump has previously indicated that he wouldn't leave the 2024 presidential race if he was indicted. Among the bold-named Texas figures who have signed on to Trump's 2024 campaign are Lt. Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been floated as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, was also not on the list. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas won his home state in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. Cruz took home the lion's share of Texas' GOP delegates in what is a winner-takes-most system.

☆ Courts Side With Big Companies Including Amazon and Experian in Privacy Appeals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Catherine Stupp | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Big companies are winning appeals to overturn regulatory decisions that allege they violated European privacy rules, potentially carving out a path for more businesses to challenge similar sanctions. Courts in the U.K., Spain, Italy and Germany sided with companies including Experian PLC, Amazon. The court rejected the regulator’s argument that collecting personal data to create profiles for marketing purposes intrudes on privacy rights. The court said the regulator had “fundamentally misunderstood” the implications of how Experian used data, and that there were no negative effects for individuals. These recent wins will likely embolden other companies to appeal GDPR violations, said Mr. Machin of Ropes & Gray.

☆ Volkswagen to invest $193 billion to hit EV target, picks Canada for battery cell plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Volkswagen plans to invest 180 billion euros ($193 billion) over five years in areas including battery production and the sourcing of raw materials in a bid to cut electric vehicle costs and protect its market share, it said Tuesday. Over two-thirds of the company’s five-year investment budget is allocated to electrification and digitalization, including up to 15 billion ($16 billion) for batteries and raw materials. Volkswagen board member Thomas Schmall Ronny Hartmann/AFP/Getty Images/FileOn Monday, board member Thomas Schmall also announced that Volkswagen’s first North American battery cell factory would be in Canada, with production starting in 2027. The carmaker is still aiming to bring an affordable EV — costing around 25,000 euros ($26,795) at today’s prices — to market by 2025. The most likely actual stock market candidate is battery unit PowerCo.

He's helped design the apps for a host of successful startups, including Gorillas and Arive. He then helped build Zapp, an app for delivery services in the UK, before designing the layout for Gorillas' app. He has since started his own business, Blossom, a design studio for apps, while he's also a designer-in-residence at the Swedish venture-capital firm Creandum, advising startups in the firm's portfolio on app design and recruitment. The company already had a functioning app, but Haas said the company tasked him with "cleaning up" the design. That's why the team also conducted interviews with the brands that sell their items via Arive's app, Haas said.

☆ Most Republicans are on the fence about Trump's 2024 re-election bid. Here are the few elected officials backing him so far.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As of Monday, five senators and about a dozen House members have announced they're backing Trump in 2024 or expressed support for his bid. As president, Trump maintained an ironclad grip over the GOP. Eric Schmitt — the newly elected senator told Politico last month he's backing the former president in 2024, who also endorsed Schmitt in Missouri's GOP primary last year. Tommy Tuberville — the Alabama senator endorsed Trump in a tweet just days after he launched his 2024 bid, becoming the first Republican senator to do so. 3 House Republican endorsed Trump days before his widely expected 2024 announcement in November.

☆ Trump picked a fight with Rihanna ahead of her Super Bowl set, saying the pop icon would be 'nothing' without her stylist
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Donald Trump is picking a fight with pop star and fashion icon Rihanna. Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump wrote on Truth Social. In his post, Jackson referenced an August 2020 incident in which Rihanna was seen posing in front of a spray-painted art installation. Representatives for Rihanna, Weaver, Trump, and Jackson did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ George Santos' first House race took days to call in 2020. So he came to DC for new member orientation and had a blast before finding out he lost.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In 2020, Santos ran his first campaign and lost — but still went to DC for new member orientation. 'He seemed nice'In cases where a congressional election takes more than a few days to fully determine, both candidates are sometimes invited to take part in new member orientation. Adam Frisch, a Democrat who almost unseated Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert this past year, attended the orientation sessions in November as the vote-counting in Colorado dragged on. In 2018, current Republican Rep. Young Kim of California attended as well, despite ultimately losing her race that year. Santos at 2020 new member orientation, seated near Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas and Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs of California.

☆ Republicans are mostly ignoring a $9.4 million sexual assault lawsuit against the Trump-aligned head of CPAC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

A GOP staffer accused CPAC head Matt Schlapp of sexually assaulting him, filing a $9.4 million lawsuit. A screenshot of the staffer's texts with Matt Schlapp on the morning after the assault on October 20, 2022. "I had a private life before Matt Schlapp, and I want to have that life post-Matt Schlapp," he said. "Those are simply allegations, and I'm not going to comment on them," said Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee. "All matters pertaining to CPAC, I leave to CPAC internally," he said when asked if Matt Schlapp should remain atop the organization.

“There have been about 1,300 Russian tank losses … so the actual numbers of new tanks [for Ukraine] in a military sense are not that significant. There’s a lot of Ukraine and 20, 30, 40 tanks does not go that far,” said Ronald Ti, an expert in military logistics at King’s College, London. Nevertheless, the move to create a new “tank coalition,” as some officials called it, has been widely welcomed in Ukraine. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine requires around 300 tanks in order to successfully defend its territory from an expected Russian spring offensive, and to begin winning back territory ceded to Moscow since the invasion began last February. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, seen in Berlin on Wednesday, has faced prolonged criticism for a reluctance to send military equipment to Ukraine.

McCarthy made good on his promise to block former House Intelligence chair Adam Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell — both California Democrats — from serving on that panel. In addition to keeping Schiff and Swalwell off the Intelligence Committee, McCarthy previously said he intended to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from the Foreign Affairs Committee. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who backed McCarthy but has caused headaches for GOP leadership in the past, also got a slot on the panel. The coronavirus committeeRep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, will chair the special committee investigating the spread of the coronavirus. Last week, McCarthy named GOP members to a third select committee, focused on competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party.

☆ How the gas vs. electric stove debate became the latest culture war, with AOC and Ted Cruz chiming in: 'Gas stoves for me but not for thee'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It was the kind of exclamation that would feel entirely normal if only "gas stove" was replaced with another object of the culture wars. A peer-reviewed study published in December linked 12.7% of childhood asthma cases in the US to air pollutants released by gas stoves. Some researchers have also found gas stoves have a greater impact on climate change by releasing more greenhouse gas emissions. "Did you know that ongoing exposure to NO2 from gas stoves is linked to reduced cognitive performance," she wrote. "Gas stoves for me but not for thee," the tweet said alongside the photos.

☆ We’re not taking away your gas stove, regulator tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The federal government isn’t going to take away your gas stove, a top consumer regulator told CNN on Wednesday. Trumka confirmed to CNN that “everything’s on the table” when it comes to gas stoves, but stressed that any ban would apply only to new gas stoves, not existing ones. That study found almost 13% of current childhood asthma in the United States is attributable to gas stove use. “I’ll NEVER give up my gas stove,” Jackson tweeted on Tuesday. If the exhaust is not vented outside the home, Trumka said gas stove users should open a window or turn on a fan to clear the air.

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