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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The U.S. Senate voted overcome a threatened filibuster on an extension of unemployment benefits Tuesday morning, a result considered unthinkable even 24 hours earlier and a rare reminder that politics isn't always a predictable business. But, the vote might mean less than meets the eye.
This Dec. 19, 2013 file photo shows the shadow of the Capitol Dome cast onto the Senate side of Capitol Hill in Washington. A world-famous symbol of democracy is going under cover, as workers start a two-year, $60 million renovation of the U.S. Capitol dome. AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File
The vote -- 60 yes votes, 37 no votes -- stunned a political world that had expected the unemployment insurance vote to be yet another log on the partisan-polarization-equals-gridlock fire. (Sorry, we are into bad heat metaphors since its in the single digits in Washington today.) Heritage Action, a leading outside conservative group, said Monday that the vote would be a key vote -- meaning it would factor into how lawmakers were rated by the organization. Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, a sponsor of the legislation and as of this morning the lone Republican publicly supporting it, felt compelled to take to the Senate floor Monday night to defend his conservative bona fides.
And yet, it passed with six Republican senators -- Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Susan Collins (Maine), Dan Coats (Ind.), Heller, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Rob Portman (Ohio) voting with a united Democratic caucus in support of ending debate on the measure. Ayotte, Collins and Murkowski are centrists who tend to be swing votes. Heller's support is directly attributed to the high unemployment rate in his state. In statements after the vote, Portman and Coats explained that they simply wanted the measure to be debated and amended -- in hopes it could be improved upon before final passage.
That's a critical point to understand. This was a vote to start debate on the measure, not to pass the legislation. The 60 votes simply mean that the terms of debate on the measure will now be established and, Republicans hope, a series of amendments will be allowed to be offered. "If Majority Leader Reid once again obstructs Senate Republicans from offering amendments, [Senator] Coats will oppose final passage of the bill because he believes any further extension should be paid for by eliminating duplicative and wasteful government programs, many of which have been identified by the administration and the Government Accountability Office," said Coats spokeswoman Tara DiJulio.
In short, today's vote in the Senate sets up the possibility of a negotiated deal -- it is not a negotiated deal in and of itself. A second filibuster threat looms, and if some of those six Republicans who voted "yes" Tuesday switch their votes, it will come up short of the necessary 60-vote threshold.
Then there is the Republican-controlled House, which in the wake of the Senate vote insisted that no extension of unemployment insurance benefits will be approved unless a way to pay for the cost of doing so is embedded in the legislation.
"One month ago I personally told the White House that another extension of temporary emergency unemployment benefits should not only be paid for but include something to help put people back to work," House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement. "To date, the president has offered no such plan. If he does, I’ll be happy to discuss it, but right now the House is going to remain focused on growing the economy and giving America’s unemployed the independence that only comes from finding a good job.”
Was this Senate vote a surprise? Absolutely. Was it an encouraging sign for Senate Democrats and the White House? Yes. Does it mean the extension of unemployment insurance is likely? Still, no.
<bot>: Extension of unemployment benefits cleared a major hurdle today. But, it's still got a long way to go.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014010719id_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/01/07/the-senates-shocker-on-unemployment-insurance-and-why-it-might-not-matter/ |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: China is moving to ease restrictions on credit cards in a move that might give Visa, Mastercard and others greater access to the Chinese market.
Foreign companies will be allowed for the first time to apply to set up credit card clearing operations in China, according to a cabinet announcement. It gave no details of what qualifications would be required for a foreign competitor to be approved or when licences might be issued.
Beijing’s restrictions have given a monopoly on credit card processing to a state-owned entity, UnionPay. All banks are required to participate in UnionPay and all transactions must be processed through it.
The World Trade Organisation, ruling on a complaint by the US said two years ago the restrictions violated China’s free-trade commitments by treating foreign credit card processors unequally. The government said it would review the decision but did little to increase market access.
The Chinese cabinet statement, made on Wednesday, said the move was aimed at opening up China’s financial industries.
The ruling Communist party has promised market-opening measures in an effort to make the slowing, state-dominated Chinese economy more efficient and productive.
Foreign credit cards that are issued abroad are accepted by some hotels and other businesses in China but foreign companies are barred from issuing cards in the country’s growing consumer market.
Credit card transactions in China rose 30.9% last year over 2012, according to the China Banking Association. It said 61 million new cards were issued in 2013.
Internet companies such as Alibaba and Tencent are launching mobile payment services that might compete with credit cards.
Despite their lack of market access, foreign credit card companies are promoting themselves to Chinese consumers who can use their cards abroad. Visa was a sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Mastercard paid to have a former Olympic sports facility renamed the Mastercard Centre.
<bot>: Foreign companies will be allowed to apply to set up credit card clearing operations in China
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014103019id_/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/30/china-to-ease-credit-card-restrictions |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Dec. 2 2010 - 11:33 am | 189 views | 0 recommendations |
Image by 歡迎來玩. Brian via Flickr
The issue of Forbes magazine that will be on the new-stands this Friday (the one with Andy Greenberg’s exclusive interview with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on the cover) includes our crowd-sourced package of Names You Need to Know in 2011, sprawling across 16 pages. It is timely, thought-provoking and looks incredible.
For those just catching up with this thread, we wanted to highlight in the magazine the people, places, products and ideas that will have significant impact over the coming 12 months. We were looking for the Names that will be on everyone’s lips next year, but are still just a bit below the radar. We didn’t want to hear about Mark Zuckerberg, we wanted to hear about the *next* Mark Zuckerberg. And we wanted the suggestions to come from you — the larger Forbes community.
The 31 names we featured in print were the most intriguing among hundreds of suggestions from Forbes staffers, Forbes contributors and the wider Forbes community. The 31 we printed were a subset of the 50 Names we featured on the Web.
A huge thank-you to everyone who contributed suggestions, comments and even strategic guidance (that’s you @TDCrowdsource). A special shout-out Facebook users Aishwarya Iyer, Jake Adams, Kurt Grela, Carol Sterin, Ileana Bertagnole, Mari Lim, Morgan Seal, Chris Chasseaud, Martha Bebinger and @chrischass, all of whom nominated Names that wound up among the final 50. Two of my favorite Forbes bloggers Gordon G. Chang and Quentin Letts also suggested Names that we included in the final package.
This was not a one-off gimmick on the part of the magazine. We are serious about continuing to open our pages to our readers and this is the first of hopefully many similar packages that I look forward to working on with our community. And as amazing as the package is, we will get even better at including you and your ideas in our pages.
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<bot>: You did it: Thanks for telling us the names everyone needs to know in 2011.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Actress Jennifer Garner arrives for the "Men Women & Children" gala at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, September 6, 2014. REUTERS
Jennifer Garner says that Ben Affleck has been in the spotlight long enough and now it’s her turn to be an A-list actress.
The mother of three told reporters she’s ready to make her acting career a priority again, according to Us Weekly.
"I've been home for a long time," Garner said. "It's my turn and I'm going to go to work this spring. I think I’ll work the spring and summer, maybe the fall too, as long as some of it's at home. I don't think my deals are done yet so I can't say, but yeah, I'm about to go to work."
Garner took some time off to raise her children while her husband has been busy starring in flicks like “Argo” and “Gone Girl.”
The actress’ first big role is in “Danny Collins,” which hits theaters March 20. In 2014, she appeared in “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”
"I really choose by what I like," Garner said of her film roles. "I thought ‘Alexander’ was a super smart script. Just [costar] Steve [Carell] alone would have been enough. Gosh, I love working with that guy. He's just the best."
Garner reflected on her husband’s success, saying the couple finds a way to make it work when they are both offered big roles at the same time.
"Ben is super busy and I'm super happy for him," she said. "I chose to stay home this year and just said, 'Go for it babe. Do it all. Do ‘Gone Girl,’ do ‘Batman,’ do ‘The Accountant.’ Do everything.' I want that for him and I'm happy for him. And he says the same to me. Except that he's really busy. But he understands that when I really have to do it, we figure it out."
<bot>: Jennifer Garner says that Ben Affleck has been in the spotlight long enough and now it’s her turn to be an A-list actress.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015030319id_/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2015/03/02/jennifer-garner-its-my-turn-movie-star-ben-affleck/ |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Erin Drake and Daniel Radcliffe
10/31/2014 AT 07:20 PM EDT
It's official – Harry Potter is all grown up.
ditches his wizardly persona and stars as an accused murderer who sprouts devil horns in the middle of the night.
"I am very horny in this film," Radcliffe joked to PEOPLE Thursday night at the film's Los Angeles premiere, sponsored by PAX by Ploom. "The horns are a look I can see catching on. I think I'm going to spark a trend, don't you?"
Well, even if the horn fad doesn't become a hit, there's one person who approves of Radcliffe's new look: his
"She loves them," said Radcliffe. "How could you not? They're glorious and I hope very attractive."
Radcliffe, 25, and Darke, 29, met in 2012 and according to the star, the relationship is doing better than ever. "Things are great," he said with a smile.
But that didn't make shooting an intense sex scene with his
costar Juno Temple any easier.
"My previous sex scene was with a man," said Radcliffe, laughing. "And also with a man who was not a principal cast member of the film, so I didnât know him that well. At least with Juno we had a lot of time to know each other well. I canât imagine shooting one of those scenes with someone you hate. It would be horrible!"
As for Halloween, keep your eyes out for a costumed Radcliffe out and about.
"I got a really cool costume on
, but I won't tell," teased Radcliffe. "We donât do Halloween as much back home [in England], but I will start this year."
May we suggest some horns?
<bot>: The Horns star tells PEOPLE "things are great" with sweetheart Erin Darke
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20141101030531id_/http://www.people.com/article/daniel-radcliffe-horns-girlfriend-erin-darke |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: If you ever wondered how Danielle and Adam Busby manage to dine with all of their kids, here’s your chance to find out!
In an exclusive sneak peek at Tuesday’s episode of OutDaughtered, fans get to see firsthand just how chaotic a restaurant meal can be for the Busby family.
First things first, where do they put all the kids?
In the clip, Danielle strolls into the restaurant and scratches her head at how to make the table work for their family of nine.
“Before we had the quints and Adam and I would take Blayke to a restaurant, it was simple … Adam is on one side, I’m on the other and Blayke is in the middle,” Danielle says during a confessional. “With the quints, we have to strategically place them in between adults.”
She continues of the complex choreography that she calls dinner: “It’s seriously like a human jigsaw puzzle trying to place everyone at the table.”
OutDaughtered airs Tuesdays (9 p.m. ET) on TLC.
<bot>: Adam and Danielle Busby star in TLC’s OutDaughtered, a reality series about their life with quintuplets
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2016122019id_/http://people.com/tv/danielle-busby-adam-busby-quintuplets-dining-out-exclusive/ |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: IT'S a beautiful, sentimental moment, and as the rock, or pebble, is slid onto the third finger of the left hand, most women are sure that a lifetime of togetherness is ahead. Then custom stales, and boredom sets in. Someone younger, richer, more intelligent comes along. She nags, he's a chauvinist, they don't agree on how toothpaste should be squeezed - it's over. The marriage that was supposed to have been made in heaven ends in a divorce court.
But the engagement ring is still there. It's hers. And for many women, it's a large or small hunk of security for whatever the future may bring. It's locked in a vault or a jewel box, never quite forgotten but certainly not in the forefront of daily thoughts.
''Mine's in the vault because I trotted it to auction seven times, and I still couldn't bring myself to leave it there,'' said Marjorie Reed. ''I don't know why, because it no longer has any sentimental value to me, but I finally realized that I might as well forget the auction idea.''
Mrs. Reed, whose ''Party Book'' has just been published, has, however, no intention of using her ring for a rainy day. She intends to get it out for what she hopes will be a particularly sunny time.
''Some day, it's going to take me and my son on an extravagant trip around the world,'' she said. ''It will probably cost every cent I can get for it by that time.''
Then there are rings that aren't put away, but transferred to the right hand to shine and glitter there, or, in very rare cases, still worn on the traditional engagement finger, even after remarriage.
Esme Hammond was given a Russian emerald ring when she became engaged to Robert Sarnoff some years ago. ''It came from the Ural Mountains and he saw it in Saks Fifth Avenue as he was passing by,'' she recalled. ''It cost $198 and it's very pretty.''
Mrs. Hammond later divorced Mr. Sarnoff and was given a ruby, sapphire and emerald engagement ring by her present husband. The second ring, and her other jewels, were stolen on a night that she happened to be wearing her $198 emerald.
Since then, she's been wearing the ring on her engagement finger, with no objection from her husband, John Hammond. ''I love it,'' she said. ''It's a knockout.'' But some engagement rings meet a different fate. They're sold, for varying reasons. Diane L. Ackerman, in a spur-of-the-moment decision, put the engagement ring she got from her former husband up for auction, and had no particular regrets about it. Nannette Kreizel, ''on impulse,'' sold hers because she needed the money at the time, but she now regrets it.
''I feel I shouldn't have done it,'' she said. ''It should have stayed in the family and gone to one of the children. Engagement rings are special, they are given by someone who loves you.''
Eileen Maremont, now widowed in her second marriage, was once married to Larry Adler, the harmonica player. ''I wanted a divorce and he didn't,'' she said. ''He said, 'Why don't you go to see a psychiatrist,' and so I did.'' After an initial session, the psychiatrist agreed to take her on but asked, facetiously, how she was going to pay him. She, equally facetiously, said, ''You can have my ring.''
''I didn't give it to him, of course, but I did go to him and eventually I sold the ring to pay him. I got the divorce anyway,'' said Mrs. Maremont, who divides her time between London and Barbados.
When Joyce Slayton Mitchell and her husband, William, of Wolcott, Vt., were negotiating their separation agreement, they were sitting on the lawn, talking, and suddenly Mr. Mitchell said, ''Can I have my diamond back?''
''It was a beautiful solitaire diamond in a Tiffany setting, but I hadn't worn it in years,'' Mrs. Mitchell said. ''So I said, 'Fine, if we can settle this amicably.' ''
The agreement turned out to be what Mrs. Mitchell termed ''very fair.'' ''I couldn't wait to give him the ring,'' she said. ''I took it out, polished it, threw it in a briefcase, met him and gave it to him as we were polishing off Champagne.''
Mrs. Mitchell, a writer of feminist books, said she had nothing but good feelings about returning the ring. ''It was his emotional investment,'' she said. ''He spent a lot of time choosing it and he wanted to be the one to give it to our daughter or granddaughter.''
Constance Mellon of New York is another who returned her engagement ring to her former husband, J. Carter Brown of Washington. ''He asked for it back and I said, 'Of course,' '' she said succinctly. But perhaps the gold medal belongs to the woman who returned her ring to her former husband, at his request, so that he could give it to his new fiancee. Whether or not the fiancee was aware of the ring's origins is a moot point among their friends.
<bot>: IT'S a beautiful, sentimental moment, and as the rock, or pebble, is slid onto the third finger of the left hand, most women are sure that a lifetime of togetherness is ahead. Then custom stales, and boredom sets in. Someone younger, richer, more intelligent comes along. She nags, he's a chauvinist, they don't agree on how toothpaste should be squeezed - it's over. The marriage that was supposed to have been made in heaven ends in a divorce court. But the engagement ring is still there. It's hers. And for many women, it's a large or small hunk of security for whatever the future may bring. It's locked in a vault or a jewel box, never quite forgotten but certainly not in the forefront of daily thoughts.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20150524085052id_/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/10/28/garden/new-yorkers-etc.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana
Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway ($45-$137), 212-239-6200/800-432-7250
The new Broadway production of "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella" (to give the show its freshly minted, officially sanctioned title) could have been wonderful. The show itself is a gem, a compact operetta with a radiant score, and virtually every aspect of this production is right on target, starting with Laura Osnes, the star, who looks like she stepped out of a storybook and sings like she stepped out of a dream.
So what went wrong? Douglas Carter Beane.
Mr. Beane, who wrote the books for "Lysistrata Jones" and "Xanadu," two of the worst musicals to have been mounted on Broadway in the past decade, was hired by the Rodgers and Hammerstein estate to supply a modernized libretto for "Cinderella." In so doing, he smeared cheap, jeering "Family Guy"-style sarcasm and faux-irony ("If you can't afford a nice dress, you don't have any business marrying a prince") all over the show, thereby wrecking it beyond any possibility of repair. It doesn't help that Mark Brokaw, the director, seems to have told everyone in the cast but Ms. Osnes to camp it up.
Why Mr. Beane's services were deemed necessary is less than obvious, since Oscar Hammerstein II wrote the original book himself. Yes, "Cinderella" was written to fit a 90-minute television slot on CBS in 1957, which explains why it has never before been done on Broadway, where most musicals run for 2½ hours. But Hammerstein's version, which is just the right length for children, has since been performed onstage many times with only minor modifications. Had it been done that way this time around, it would have been easy for contemporary audiences to revel in the results. Ms. Osnes, a fine singer and a very good dancer, makes the most of Josh Rhodes's well-wrought choreography and looks great in William Ivey Long's fancy costumes—but, then, so does everyone else, especially Victoria Clark and Harriet Harris. Stir in Anna Louizos' elaborate sets and you've got a musical that's resplendent whenever the members of the cast are singing and repellent whenever they stop singing and start talking.
Vanessa Redgrave and Jesse Eisenberg
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce St. ($85), 866-811-4111,
Jesse Eisenberg, who got an Oscar nomination for his role in "The Social Network," has now written a three-person play called "The Revisionist," in which he shares the stage with none other than Vanessa Redgrave. He plays an immature young novelist who has traveled to Poland to visit his septuagenarian cousin (Ms. Redgrave), a Holocaust survivor who treats him with oppressive solicitude and who has—you guessed it—a Deep Secret. Nothing very surprising happens in "The Revisionist," which is a young man's play, loosely structured, full of off-the-rack situations (except for the ending, which is tough and unexpected) and stronger on personality than plot. But Ms. Redgrave digs deep into Mr. Eisenberg's standard-issue Jewish-mother character, and it's nice to see her up close in the intimate setting of the Cherry Lane Theatre, getting more out of a script than the author put there.
It's not clear to me whether Mr. Eisenberg can act, since he's playing the same kind of person that he played in "The Social Network," a yappy, uptight, self-involved millennial. He does, however, manage to hold his own against Ms. Redgrave, and Daniel Oreskes is excellent in a superfluous but funny cameo as a Polish-speaking taxi driver. John McDermott, the set designer, has come up with a convincing-looking Central European apartment, cramped and dingy but somehow cozy, and Kip Fagan, the director, uses the space as resourcefully as he does the cast.
Lincoln Center Theater, 150 W. 65th St.
It may well be that the life of the late Ann Richards, a one-term Texas governor who is mainly known outside her home state for having said that George H.W. Bush was "born with a silver foot in his mouth," is worthy of commemoration with a sharp, knowing one-woman play. "Ann," written by and starring Holland Taylor, isn't it. The subtitle, "An Affectionate Portrait of Ann Richards," gives the game away. Ms. Taylor, lately of "Two and a Half Men," goes to enormous trouble not to question, even in passing, the received wisdom about Ms. Richards, which is that she was a great wit and a greater stateswoman. The problem is that neither of these traits is evident from "Ann," which is static, self-congratulatory and full of po-faced lines like "Life is not fair, but government should be." Perhaps the real woman was less predictable than that, but Ms. Taylor's Ann Richards is a wisecracking stick figure who never does anything that isn't virtuous and never doubts herself for more than a split second at most. That's an infallible recipe for first-degree boredom.
A version of this article appeared March 8, 2013, on page D9 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: No Talking, Please.
<bot>: The show itself is a gem, with virtually every aspect of this production right on target. There's just one thing that has ruined Cinderella beyond repair. Also reviewed, The 'Revisionist' and 'Ann.' Theater Review by Terry Teachout.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2013030819id_/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323628804578346110972270142.html |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: FRANKFURT—Weak industrial data from three large eurozone economies Friday suggest the single-currency area is far from a sustained recovery and may be faltering, just as political uncertainty and the risk of deflation threaten to send the bloc into a further economic tailspin.
Official data released Friday showed industrial output in Germany fell on the month in November by 0.1%, bucking expectations for a 0.4% rise in a Wall Street...
<bot>: Weak industrial data from three large eurozone economies suggest the single-currency area is far from a sustained recovery and may be faltering, just as political uncertainty and the risk of deflation threaten to send the bloc into a further economic tailspin.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015010919id_/http://www.wsj.com/articles/weak-industrial-data-suggest-eurozone-economy-may-be-faltering-1420801568 |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: First Pennsylvania. Then Colorado. What's the next shoe to drop?
That's what Republicans and critics want to know after the Obama administration's admission that top aides and associates tried to clear the field for Democratic senators in those two states. The White House seems to have raised more questions than it answered, with lawmakers and politicos now pressing the White House to disclose whether it dangled job offers to any other candidates.
"It has become clear that it is the pattern and practice of this administration to exert inappropriate and potentially unlawful influence on primary elections," Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., wrote in a letter to the White House demanding more information.
The administration acknowledged this week that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina contacted Colorado Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff last fall to see whether he'd be interested in a federal job in lieu of running against incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet in the Democratic primary. That was after the White House disclosed that it solicited former President Bill Clinton to see if he could lure Rep. Joe Sestak out of the Democratic primary race against Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter. Both Romanoff and Sestak, who won his primary race last month, declined. The White House denies that any explicit job offer was made.
But while Republicans are pressing the White House to provide more information about those two cases, they're looking to find out whether anything of value was used as leverage to clear the field in other elections.
House Minority Leader John Boehner urged the administration to "come clean and disclose its use of federal appointments to manipulate elections."
Issa, who led the charge to find out more about the Sestak matter, called for a "full and complete list of all elections in which the White House engaged in efforts to persuade specific candidates to drop election bids," including any information about other job offers, in his letter to White House Counsel Robert Bauer.
Issa spokesman Kurt Bardella said his boss is casting a wide net and not looking for information about any specific races.
But the top-shelf elections in New York state, where administration officials are known to have pressured candidates not to run, seem ripe for examination, observers say.
"I suspect New York is the next one after Colorado," former Democratic strategist Pat Caddell said.
Obama personally intervened in the Democratic primary contest for U.S. Senate in New York last year, when he persuaded Rep. Steve Israel not to challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand -- who was appointed to fill Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's former seat. Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Carolyn McCarthy also decided not to challenge Gillibrand.
Then former Rep. Harold Ford, who was for a time locked in a heated pre-campaign with Gillibrand, announced in early March that he would not challenge the incumbent, saying he didn't want to hurt the party. In a New York Times op-ed, he complained that the party tried to "bully me out of the race."
The White House also reportedly had put pressure on New York Gov. David Paterson not to run for his seat in November. Paterson, following a scandal that surfaced involving an aide, later announced that he would not run for election -- Attorney General Andrew Cuomo launched his bid for the seat last month.
Democratic strategist Kirsten Powers criticized the administration for meddling. "It just seems like they should let people vote," she told Fox News.
And she questioned whether the involvement in the New York races went any deeper.
"Indeed, the recent revelations raise the question of just what offers the White House made to clear the way for Andrew Cuomo -- and for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand," she wrote in a New York Post column.
But Ford's former campaign spokesman Davidson Goldin told FoxNews.com that the former congressman absolutely was not offered any job to back out of the Gillibrand race.
"He was not offered any inducement not to run nor did he seek one nor would he have accepted one," said Goldin, who checked with Ford to verify that an offer was not made.
Israel spokeswoman Lindsay Hamilton also said her boss was never offered anything by the White House to drop his challenge.
Meanwhile, the White House is looking to move on. Aides say nothing untoward happened - Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on Thursday said the president was unaware of the Romanoff conversation but defended the intervention.
"The president, as the leader of the party, has an interest in ensuring supporters don't run against each other in contested primaries," Gibbs said.
He suggested Obama didn't want anyone to go through what he went through in the 2008 election.
"We went through a pretty contested primary. They're not altogether fun things," Gibbs said Thursday, referencing the president's protracted and bitter 2008 primary race against Hillary Clinton.
<bot>: The Obama administration's admission that top aides and associates tried to clear the field for key Democratic senators seems to have raised more questioned than it answered, with lawmakers and politicos now pressing the White House to disclose whether it dangled job offers to any other candidates.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2010060419id_/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/04/republicans-hunt-evidence-white-house-job-offers/ |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Big Sean and Ariana Grande
04/20/2015 AT 01:30 PM EDT
have called it quits, PEOPLE can confirm.
"They both deeply care for each other and remain close friends," the artists' reps said in a joint statement. "We kindly ask that the media respect their wish for privacy regarding this personal matter at this time."
The "Love Me Harder" songstress and the "I Don't F--- with You" rapper first went public with their romance at the
After they were spotted holding hands backstage at the award show, the couple didn't make any attempts to hide their romance. They showed
back in March when Big Sean, 26, joined Grande, 21, onstage during a tour stop in Detroit to perform "Big Mistake" together.
Grande is currently in the middle of her Honeymoon Tour, which is expected to last through Oct. 15. Big Sean, meanwhile, is busy with a tour of his own, which will last through Aug. 29.
Last month, Grande shared a video of herself exchanging a special handshake (and a kiss) with Big Sean. Three weeks ago, Sean also shared a happy photo of himself with Grande's brother, Frankie Grande,
, writing "Good seein u mane! I hope yall had good time ragin tonight @ da show!"
<bot>: The singer, 21, and the rapper, 26, called off their romance
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015042019id_/http://www.people.com/article/ariana-grande-big-sean-break-up |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: An archaeological excavation in the Jerusalem Walls National Park in the City of David, the site of ancient Jerusalem, unearthed a pyramid-shaped staircase. This unique structure was located right next to the 2,000-year-old Second Temple stepped street, famed for leading religious pilgrims from Shiloah (Siloam) Pool to the temple. The dig was carried out in partnership between the Israel Nature and Parks Authority and the City of David Foundation, according to a release from the Israel Antiquities Authority.
“The structure exposed is unique. To date such a structure has yet to be found along the stepped street in the numerous excavations that have taken place in Jerusalem and to the best of our knowledge outside of it,” said excavation directors, archaeologists Nahshon Szanton and Joe Uziel, in the release. “We believe the structure was a kind of monumental podium that attracted the public’s attention when walking on the city’s main street. It would be very interesting to know what was said there 2,000 years ago. Were messages announced here on behalf of the government? Perhaps news or gossip, or admonitions and street preaching – unfortunately we do not know.”
Numerous artifacts were found at the foot of the pyramid-shaped structure, such as stone vessels, glassware, and dozens of complete pottery vessels.
Szanton and Uziel will present their findings on Thursday, Sept. 9 at the 16th Annual Conference at the City of David Studies of Ancient Jerusalem.
“Given the lack of a clear archaeological parallel to the stepped structure, the purpose of the staircase remains the mystery,” they said in the release. “It is certainly possible the rabbinical sources provide valuable information about structures, such as this, although for the time being there is no definitive proof.”
<bot>: An archaeological excavation in the Jerusalem Walls National Park in the City of David, the site of ancient Jerusalem, unearthed a pyramid-shaped staircase.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015083119id_/http://www.foxnews.com/science/2015/08/31/israeli-archaeologists-unearth-unique-stepped-structure-in-city-david/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Venus Williams, 31, has won 43 Women’s Tennis Association tour titles, including 7 singles Grand Slams. Ms. Williams grew up in Compton, Calif., and lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., where she recently reintroduced her tennis apparel line, EleVen. BEE-SHYUAN CHANG
At home, the weather was beautiful. I just bought a pair of mauve Tom Ford sunglasses that I was dying to wear, so I built my tennis outfit — pink polo and charcoal gray flutter skirt, both from my collection — around them. I added simple Roberto Coin gold hoops. It’s probably not the usual thing to wear accessories to practice. But I say accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. If you don’t accessorize, someone else will.
I headed home to shower and change for a work lunch. I selected a Tibi denim-colored pantsuit that has a great short-sleeve jacket and a white cashmere tank top from Ralph Lauren underneath. The outfit screamed for my beige and white Valentino wedges, which have perfect little bows on them. I tried on my medium-sized Phi necklace from Theo Fennell, a line I stumbled upon while on vacation in Barbados, but it wasn’t big enough. So I swapped it for the large one in white gold with diamonds. Motto for the day: Go Big!
Made a raw-food dinner and invited some friends over. Feeling like a domestic goddess, I slipped into a long silk halter dress from Sass & Bide in brown and black and Giuseppe Zanotti gold sandals, even though I knew I’d be barefoot before the end of the night.
Had such a great practice session that I rewarded myself with a leisurely outdoor lunch at my favorite raw-food restaurant, Christopher’s Kitchen, where they let me bring my dog Harold, a well-behaved but spunky Havanese. Threw all my stuff into a black patent Louis Vuitton Epi tote, and put on J Brand denim shorts, a white tank top and a Giorgio Armani jacket that I got in Milan: black, slim cut and longer than usual, which works on my body. I’m not a trend person. I don’t want to look to my right and see somebody in the same thing.
Practiced at Deering Bay Yacht and Country Club, then showered. Put on one of my favorite new pieces for spring: a red jersey dress from Punch Hutton’s line, a classic, with custom-made Tuccia di Capri gold sandals, a cream Fendi fabric bag and neutral-colored Balenciaga sunglasses. Zipped back home to pack for my trip to New York. I usually sleep on the plane so I wore a pair of comfy American Apparel leggings in white. I’m loving white right now; it goes with my skin, being such a great contrast. I also had on a black Vince tank top and a multicolored Missoni sweater jacket. Harold went into a black leather bag. I don’t carry a purse when I fly because I have my Hello Kitty carry-on. I’m the biggest adult supporter.
Woke up in a really comfy bed at the Plaza Athénée in N.Y.C. First practice, and then into a pair of electric-blue J Brand skinny jeans, white Prada wedges and white Alexander Wang top. A Gucci bag with bamboo handles completed the look. I spent the day shopping with friends, hitting all of my favorite haunts. For a close friend’s birthday party at the Double Seven, I wore a black Dolce & Gabbana bustier dress and black Jimmy Choos, mid-height. I don’t like to go above four inches because I’m already so tall. Added a Roberto Coin necklace with a crown on it and an Elizabeth Weinstock python bag in tennis-ball yellow.
Up early to kick off the March of Dimes annual March for Babies. Wore black stretch pants and one of my EleVen T-shirts. I also brought my cozy hot-pink hoodie to ward off the wind, and my “Match” ring with pavé diamonds — I’ve had it for 10 years and it’s my good luck charm.
For dinner, I pulled on hot-pink Ralph Lauren denim jeans, a white James Perse tank top and a white Luca Luca blazer. My shoes were these amazing Brian Atwood platform pumps in bright pink with orange zippers. They’re the love of my life.
Spent all day meeting with press for EleVen. I wore a color-blocked dress from the collection. Then André Leon Talley, who came in, insisted I wear something else: a white skirt with pleated front and a pink and black print top. After, I had physical therapy in leggings and a T-shirt. Was so tired, I just crashed into bed with a good book.
I didn’t have practice, just a meeting with a staff member on my team, but I couldn’t decide what to wear. Finally, I chose a black and white print tee, J Brand skinny jeans and black Uggs. I had a flight to Madrid to catch later. It’s actually cold there, so I put on a down jacket by Pencey in super soft black cracked leather. And of course, the Hello Kitty bag came with me. It goes everywhere.
<bot>: Venus Williams, the tennis champion who has her own clothing line, takes fashion seriously.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012050319id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/fashion/venus-williams-what-i-wore.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: It's tough to side with Pac-Man after you've seen how cute his ghost enemies are in real life.
This cute octopus, about 7-inches in length and featuring tiny little tentacle nubs, is on the brink of receiving an official name from the scientific community. The cephalopod has drawn comparisons to the orange ghost in Pac-Man, the Pokemon Ditto and Finding Nemo's Pearl.
The creature is so adorable that one of the scientific names being considered is "Opisthoteuthis adorabilis."
With large eyes and a generally gelatinous presence, the octopus lives at depths of 984 to 1,476 feet and likely feeds on worms, small crustaceans and various members of the Pac-Man universe who have not recently eaten an energizer pellet.
It has been observed since 1990, but the scientific community is only just now getting around to giving the creature a name befitting its otherworldly cuteness.
For now, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is referring to the squishy cephalopods as "flapjack" octopuses.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
<bot>: The cephalopod has drawn comparisons to the orange ghost in Pac-Man, the Pokemon Ditto and Pearl from 'Finding Nemo.'
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015061819id_/http://mashable.com/2015/06/18/cute-octopus-pac-man/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The Vatican has praised Cardinal George Pell and a group of child sex abuse survivors who flew to Rome to hear him give evidence by video link to a royal commission sitting in Sydney.
But Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said in a statement the "sensationalist" media coverage of Cardinal Pell's testimony gave the impression the Catholic Church had done little or nothing to address the issue of clergy sex abuse, when that was not the case.
The head of the Holy See press office also said the recent awarding of a best picture Oscar to the film Spotlight about the uncovering of clergy sex abuse in Boston, had a similar sensationalist effect.
Cardinal Pell gave evidence for four nights from Rome's Quirinale Hotel, admitting the church had made "enormous mistakes" and saying he regretted at times putting the church before victims.
But abuse survivors in the audience were unimpressed with his denials that he was aware of offending by pedophile priests when he served in the Ballarat diocese in Victoria and his shifting of blame to other clergy for cover-ups and scandals.
Many of the survivors were abused by Australia's worst pedophile priest, Gerald Ridsdale, and fathers at a Christian Brothers school in the Ballarat diocese.
"Cardinal Pell must be accorded the appropriate acknowledgement for his dignified and coherent personal testimony - 20 hours of dialogue with the royal commission," Fr Lombardi said.
He said that what emerged from such hearings was "an objective and lucid picture of the errors committed in many ecclesiastical environments, this time in Australia, during the past decades".
"This is certainly useful with a view to a common 'purification of memory'," he said.
"Recognition is also due to many members of the group of victims who came from Australia for demonstrating their willingness to establish constructive dialogue with Cardinal Pell and with the representative of the Commission for the Protection of Minors, Father Hans Zollner SJ, of the Pontifical Gregorian University."
Fr Lombardi said the group had the prospect of continuing those connections with the aim of devising ways to prevent further abuse.
He said Pope Francis and his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI had shown "courageous commitment" to deal with clergy sex abuse crises in the US, Ireland, Germany, Belgium and Holland.
And the Vatican's website had more than 60 documents and interventions dedicated to "Abuse of minors: the Church's response", Fr Lombardi said.
"From this perspective, the events in Rome of the last few days may be interpreted in a positive light."
<bot>: The Vatican's press chief has praised Cardinal George Pell for his "dignified and coherent" testimony to the child abuse royal commission.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160306103848id_/http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/03/05/20/03/vatican-praises-pell-and-abuse-survivors |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: How should a person inhabit a perfectly elegant, black-and-white cartoon panel? That’s the issue faced by the cast of “All Our Happy Days Are Stupid,” the play in pursuit of a style by Sheila Heti, best known for the identity-pursuing novel “How Should a Person Be?” It is an issue that’s never resolved.
For this meandering tale of unworldly Canadians on vacation in Paris, which opened on Thursday night at the Kitchen, a marvelous, fanciful set has been devised by Rae Powell. Everything onstage — which includes the Eiffel Tower, sidewalk cafes, hotel rooms, jam jars and cigarettes — has been rendered as black-and-white cutouts that suggest a particularly chic graphic novel.
The performers have been costumed (by Juliann Wilding) to match, right down to their fingernail polish. And when a man dressed as a bear shows up, of course it’s as a panda, so he doesn’t upset the color scheme.
The overall effect is of witty and severe whimsy, without a disruptive pastel or primary shade in sight. I am sad to report that the production, directed by Jordan Tannahill with Erin Brubacher, does not live up to the décor.
I took this discrepancy rather personally, as if I were watching a new friend, whom I’d been eager to know better, embarrass herself at a party she’d invited me to. I have the feeling other audience members at this production, which runs through next Saturday, may feel the same, though they’re likely to forgive the discomfort.
Ms. Heti, after all, became famous as a specialist in discomfort with “How Should a Person Be? A Novel From Life” (2010), in which she subjected her fictional alter-ego and narrator, named Sheila, to extremes of unflattering exposure. Critics have compared Ms. Heti’s willingness to get naked in print — and her confidence in displaying insecurity — to Lena Dunham’s self-presentation on “Girls” (and elsewhere).
“How Should a Person Be?” took this sensibility a step further than Ms. Dunham’s series. It turned its questing, groping, self-denying outlook into its very form. The novel (or demi-novel, since much of it, including transcribed conversations with friends, was drawn directly from Ms. Heti’s own life in Toronto), is written in a sort of stream-of-self-consciousness in search of a consciousness to call its own.
At the center of that search is a play that the narrator, Sheila, had been commissioned to write and cannot begin to finish. That’s partly because, like many artists, she has invested her gestating project with grand parental expectations; she wants it to change the world.
Knowing that no play is likely to accomplish this, she curses it and avoids it, procrastinating with voluble anguish over many pages. At the novel’s end, she puts the play aside, realizing that perhaps another form is better suited to her explorations. Like a novel. Like this very novel, in fact, which is incredibly irritating and a great read.
The discarded play that haunts “How Should a Person Be?” is the play that has now arrived at the Kitchen, courtesy of the Suburban Beast company of Toronto. Readers of Ms. Heti’s novel will recognize details of plot that Sheila stews over. And the more voyeuristic among them will be pleased to discover that Carl Wilson, Ms. Heti’s ex-husband and a character in the novel, is onstage, playing a character called the Prince for All Seasons.
Anyone planning a thesis on Ms. Heti (though it seems early days for such a project) will presumably want to see this production, since it would seem to represent another Hetian (though it seems early days for such a term) intersection of art and life.
And, yes, many of the classic Hetian themes are in place in this story of dysfunctional innocents abroad: female friendship as an elusive holy grail, adulthood as an illusion, the hunger for authenticity and the chimerical nature of happiness.
These subjects are embodied most flamboyantly by two suburban mothers in souring marriages. They are Mrs. Oddi (Naomi Skwarna, in a white Louise Brooks wig and white fingernail polish) and Mrs. Sing (Becky Johnson, black Louise Brooks wig and black fingernail polish), who may or may not be destined to bond after Mrs. Sing’s 13-year-old son (the appealing Nicholas Hune-Brown) goes missing in Paris.
The characters — who also include the women’s husbands (Alexander Carson and John McCurley) and the precocious 12-year-old Jenny Oddi (Lorna Wright) — speak in annoyed, semi-epigrammatic dialogue. (“It is so tedious to have a family.” Or: “My first boyfriend — oh, he smoked a very big pipe — he always said, ‘Men make the world, and women decorate it.’ ”)
Their exchanges are punctuated by bleak and ironic poetic songs from a guitar-strumming troubadour (the musician Dan Bejar). And, oh, it all starts to feel painful very early on.
This is mostly because you sense that the performers, who use a motley mix of mismatched and undercooked techniques, are even more uncomfortable in their skins than the characters they portray.
Generating vicarious embarrassment may well be Ms. Heti’s signature. But this style works a lot better, as it did in “How Should a Person Be?,” when you feel that it’s a deliberate choice.
<bot>: The play, “All Our Happy Days Are Stupid,” features a fanciful set that includes the Eiffel Tower, sidewalk cafes and hotel rooms.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015022219id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/21/theater/review-in-sheila-hetis-new-play-canadians-lose-themselves-in-paris.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Re “Maurice Sendak, 1928-2012: A Conjurer of Luminous Worlds, Both Beautiful and Terrifying,” by Margalit Fox (obituary, front page, May 9):
Maurice Sendak was one of the first writers in the juvenile category to trust children and their parents enough to address themes that might have frightened adults just one generation earlier.
Mr. Sendak taught young readers about the cycle of life, the joys and threats of this world, and the rewards of being alive, in an inimitable way.
The man, wonderfully funny and filled with insight, was captured with finesse in the brief documentary “Tell Them Anything You Want,” co-directed by Spike Jonze.
He was one of the brightest stars in children’s literature, an inspired artist, and an exemplary human being, warts and all.
NEIL ROSS Minnetonka, Minn., May 9, 2012
The writer is a literary agent.
There once was a scared little 15-year-old girl. She had been neglected and sexually abused for several years and was finally ready to tell someone about it. It was one of the scariest things she had done in her life.
She was taken to the police station, where she was made to sit around for several hours while the adults argued about her future. The more she tried to stay still, the more nervous she became. She needed something to calm her down, so she decided to explore the book rack.
She came upon what looked like a children’s book, but the pictures on the cover did not look like anything she had ever seen. As she thumbed deeper and deeper into the story, she was transported with Max, and forgot about her world for just a little while.
The rest of that day was a blur, but one thing was sure: she could do this. She had always known that the world was full of big scary monsters, but with the right combination of strength and trust, any of those monsters could be tamed. It was O.K. for her to be angry. She didn’t need to hold it in anymore.
That little girl has since grown up and moved on from her past, but that book, “Where the Wild Things Are,” will always hold a special place in her heart.
So let the rumpus begin, Mr. Sendak. It’s your turn to roam where the wild things are. I’ll never forget what you did for me.
KRISTINA BLAKE Mint Hill, N.C., May 9, 2012
One of the great joys of parenting is reading “Where the Wild Things Are” over and over and over and over and over, until you can recite it in your sleep.
Parents of insomniac children will miss him greatly.
CRISTINA MUNOZ Chapel Hill, N.C., May 9, 2012
<bot>: Readers mourn the death of the beloved childrenâs book author.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012051019id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/opinion/readers-of-all-ages-just-wild-about-sendak.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Wedding guests know not to ever outshine the bride, but that didn’t stop this flower girl from well and truly stealing the show.
All eyes were on Celina Tannous who made one hell of an entrance at Linda and Nicholas Kastanias’s wedding at Doltone House in South Sydney last month.
The six-year-old stole the limelight from her older sister Rachel, who was also a flower girl, and page boy Christian Bounassif, as she broke away to freestyle her way down the aisle to the delight of 350 guests.
But it didn’t end there with the anything-but-shy Sans Souci student tossing her flowers in favour of carving up the dance floor for another long minute.
Award-winning cinematographer Abraham Joffe from untitled film works captured the flower girl’s incredible entrance and posted it to YouTube last month. It’s since been viewed 17,500 times.
Celina’s mum Mary said her “show pony” daughter, who loves singing and Nicki Minaj, had been practising her moves for a couple of months in the lead up to the big Greek and Lebanese wedding.
“We asked her if she was going to do something amazing and she said ‘yeah’ but we didn’t really think she’d do it,” she said.
“She’s always been our show girl … but we thought she was just like that in front of the family.
“It’s changed the way I look at her and it’s made me think about what I should do with her. People are saying I should enrol her in dancing or acting and that she should do commercials.”
But Celina, who was attending her first wedding, is unfazed.
“She was fine afterwards. She just danced a bit before getting picked up about a quarter-way through the wedding. She had to go to school the next day,” Mrs Tannous said.
“She doesn’t talk about the wedding.
“I think she understands she’s on YouTube, and we show it to her sometimes and say ‘wow, it’s now had 15,000 views’, but she doesn’t seem interested.”
The youngest of three siblings, Celina is probably too busy scheming how to spend the cash she made at the wedding.
Hugely popular MC John Alten, who is friends with the flower girls’ parents, promised Celina $10 to “perform her best” at the reception.
But the cheeky kid told him straight up that her fee was actually $100.
After stunning the guests with her popular performance, Mr Alten was forced to cough up.
Not bad coin for a six-year-old.
This article originally appeared on News.com.au.
<bot>: http://youtu.be/vlH_bC4AJJ4 Wedding guests know not to ever outshine the bride, but that didn't stop this flower girl from well and truly stealing the show. All eyes were on Celina Tannous…
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2013101619id_/http://nypost.com/2013/10/16/flower-girl-steals-the-show-with-reception-entrance/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Alkermes plc, a Dublin-based biotech with executive offices in Waltham, has asked US regulators to approve its experimental treatment for schizophrenia.
The company Monday said it submitted a new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration for the drug candidate aripiprazole lauroxil, an antipsychotic that is injected into patients once a month.
That long-acting drug demonstrated “significant improvements” in patients’ schizophrenia symptoms in a late-state clinical treatment, compared to a placebo, according to the company.
Alkermes, which also has a research and development center in Waltham, markets more than 20 drugs and has a clinical pipeline of compounds to treat central nervous system disorders such as addiction, schizophrenia and depression.
<bot>: Alkermes plc, a Dublin-based biotech with executive offices in Waltham, has asked US regulators to approve its experimental treatment for schizophrenia.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20140830143100id_/http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/08/25/alkermes-submits-application-for-schizophrenia-drug/glGsridLekQ62qgS1vHT7O/story.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: A batch of leaked emails involving a Snapchat board member show the startup’s rapid rise to be the work of a secretive young entrepreneur with a distaste for Silicon Valley and its conventions.
Evan Spiegel, Snapchat’s 24-year-old co-founder and chief executive, has leveraged the service’s growing appeal to gain access to new business partners and wield growing influence over investors desperate to buy shares of his company,...
<bot>: Leaked emails involving a Snapchat director show the startup’s rapid rise was the work of a secretive entrepreneur with a distaste for Silicon Valley conventions.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014121819id_/http://www.wsj.com/articles/leaked-emails-unveil-snapchats-secretive-ceo-1418865047 |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Need advice about how to handle your personal finances? Whether the struggle is saving for retirement, organizing your bank files, talking about money responsibility with your spouse or loved one, Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary offers her advice and answers your tough questions.
Read Michelle's latest columns, check out her Color of Money Book Club selection archive or sign up for her weekly e-mail newsletter.
Michelle Singletary: Good afternoon everyone. Hope you are doing well and still saving!
Bowie, Md.: Hi Michelle. Thanks for all of your no-nonsense advice. I am trying to decide if I should rent or buy. I currently rent space in a friend's house but I am ready to move out on my own. I have excellent credit but only a few thousand dollars saved. I am currently working with NACA to purchase a home with no money down, but I'm starting to think it would be smarter to rent for a year or two to save up more money for a down payment. Because rents and mortgages are comparable in this area, is it better to go into homeownership with little money down or to rent for a while in order to save up for a purchase? Thanks!
Michelle Singletary: I always side with saving more. Even if you decide not to put any money down thu the NACA program (which is a great program) as a homeowner you will quickly find that you will need lots of savings -- for furnishings, repairs, etc.
Plus you should definitely have at least three to six months of living expenses saved up (based on the new mortgage) just in case. So stay put and save more.
Orange County, Calif.: Thanks for your article on the disappearance of the check float today. Does this have any effect on how soon bank customers can have access to their money when they deposit checks into their account?
Currently, my husband receives checks in large amounts from an outside scholarship for his professional education program. If he deposits the check into our account, it is 10 business days before he can access the money to pay his program. One day, when he owed money to the program, he drove down the street to the bank that the checkwriter used and cashed the check. He then drove back to our bank with $15,000 in the car.
If money is going to be withdrawn from my account so quickly, why can't I deposit in at the same speed?
Michelle Singletary: Thanks. And you and the dozen other people who have e-mailed me already today are absolutely right. If the financial institutions can snatch out money quickly, they should clear our deposited checks just as fast.
So write to your representatives in Congress. The consumer advocacy groups such as Consumers Union and Consumer Federation of American have been complaining about this since Check 21 passes. But they can't do it without our help. So complain!
Wheaton, Md.: My wife and I enjoy your column.
We want your advice on a good problem to have:
- we have no kids and have about $50,000 parked in a savings account.
- We already max out our contributions to retirement accounts.
- We have no consumer debts.
We own a home and have paid in over 25 percent of the principal, which we are renting to a tenant and more than covering our mortgage. Right now we are renting, because I have accepted an overseas position for a 2 year assignment.
The Big Question: What do you think we should do with our savings? Our options seem to include mutual funds, buying another rental property, paying down the principal on our mortgage, buying CDs or what?
Your $0.02 would be appreciated!
Michelle Singletary: What a great problem to have. Whenever I get asked this question I ask, What do you want out of life?
By that I mean what are your financial priorities?
Right now because I have 3 rugrats mine is paying for their college education. So any extra money I have I stuff into their college funds. We also believe in helping other family members go to college so we've taken extra money and paid for a niece to go to college.
Next I want to be debt free. So extra money goes to paying off my home.
If all the other bases are covered -- retirment funding well, no consumer debt, emergency money -- yours might be getting rid of your home mortgage.
If other the other hand you want to go into business renting property you could use that money for a rental purchase BUT only if that is in your master life plan. Don't do it just for the money.
If I were going overseas I wouldn't want to take on another rental property. So if in your position being debt free is a life goal, pay down the mortgage further.
Thanks for the chats and columns. My wife and I are always asking ourselves WWMD (what would Michelle do?).
My question is this. We are moving in the next month to a bigger house to accomodate the recent arrival of twins. We are considering an interest only mortgage to lower our monthly payment by several hundred dollars. This would serve us in two ways, 1 - the lower monthly payment would be a psychological comfort, and 2 - as a part time realtor, I have irregular commission based income. I qualify for a conventional loan, but the interest only's lower payment would let me take commission checks and make lump payments towards the loans principal. With the conventional loan, I don't think we would be disciplined enough to pay down the loan this way.
I compared the amortization table of the conventional loan against the interest only with lump payments every 3 months, and I would pay less interest over the life of the loan with the interest only paid this way. Am I just rationalizing my decision?
Michelle Singletary: I LOVE that WWMD ... got to show that to my husband :)
Well, me, I would go conventional. Why? Because the best laid plans often go awry. In this market what if those commission checks get smaller and smaller.
You see I like to base my debt payments on the worst case. That way I really know if the debt I'm taking on is affordable.
Interest-only and teaser rates give you a false sense of security. Everyone says they will make extra payments but then stuff comes up -- babies need more than you think, daycare cost more than you think, someone wants to come home to stay with babies, business doesnt' go as you plan.
You even admit you don't think you would be disciplined enough to make the extra payments under a conventional. You either are disciplined or you're not. It's so easy to fool yourself.
So take the safe road in this market.
Bowie, Md.: Have you ever had to sell a house and buy a house at the same time, or heard of a situation? I'm selling soon, and will need to move across town, but will most likely rent before I buy. Reason is that I need the profits from the sale for the downpayment.
If this was a perfect world, one could probably settle on the same day, for both selling and buying a house. But, it's risky.
The sell could not go through, and you could be stuck with losing your deposit on the buy if you can't make the downpayment. Have you ever heard of instances where a buyer shows up at the settlement and comes up X dollars short and the seller sucks up the deficit just to get the rest of the money for their own downpayment on their buy? How can you prevent such a lowball tactic?
Michelle Singletary: Oh my, my my. Please, please read all the news of late about the mortgage mayhem out there. I had a dear, dear friend who was going to do that two house thing. Move and sell at the same time. The problem was she couldn't sell her home. Then the rates went up and she couldn't even afford the new house.
You my friend could quite possibly get stuck in this market paying two mortgages. And if you dont' have the money to do that I wouldn't buy until I sold -- unless you have a very good cash cushion.
Washington, D.C.: Hi, I love your newsletter and chats. I'm 28 and want to change careers. To do so I need to go to grad school. I already have a few acceptance letters. This is my problem, I have saved about $25K over the years. Should I put this money towards grad school, or invest it long term or short term. To me it seems like a waste to spend the money on grad school since I will be in debt any way and I can grow the money through investing. In the long term isn't better to have a cushion in case I have problems finding employment after school. How should I split my money?
Michelle Singletary: You won't be "wasting" $25,000. You will be preventing yourself from taking on massive loans with high interest rates in this market.
When you invest you put your money at risk. You can't afford to do that. You need that money. Debt is not good even when it's used to pay for a higher education.
And yes, before you go you should have a cushion on top of the money you saved to pay for your education.
My wife and I have finally taken the credit cards out of our wallets and are paying them off as fast as we can. We are both federal employees and put the max into our Thrift Savings Plans. Would it be better to temporarily reduce how much we put into our TSP in order to pay off our credit cards faster? I owe about 4K and my wife owes about 4.5K. Thanx!!!!
Michelle Singletary: If you think you can pay down the debt without interupting your retirement savings I wouldn't pull back.
However, if that debt is at high interest rates and you need the money because you've cut expenses to the bone then yes cut back on retirement savings (not enough to give up any match you get) and pay down your debt.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Michelle, I love your columns and chats. I've learned a lot. My only debt is the mortgage on my condo. In order to pay it off sooner, any extra check I get (reimbursements, mail in rebates, etc.) goes directly to pay off the mortgage principal. I've recently started doing rhia and I have set a goal of extra money I should put towards the principal per year (aside from the monthly payments). I want to pay it off as soon as I can and part of the reason is reading your column and chats! Thank you!
Michelle Singletary: You are welcome. And when you can shout "I'm debt free" give me holler!
I want to rejoice with you.
Arlington, Va.: Michelle, I know your anti-debt stance is well-known, but there are some people who still prefer to have a credit card to keep their credit score up or just because it's easier. (I for one don't like to carry too much cash and I only write checks for my mortgage.) So I got myself an American Express card, one that has to be paid off every month. It's a good reminder to not spend beyond my means while preserving my credit rating. What's your take on cards that don't let you carry a balance?
Michelle Singletary: It's hard to tell tone in these things but you say "anti-debt" like its a cuss word.
Credit is evil. We can't win at their game.
But I will give you that it's convenient and that's why so many of us use it (including me).
However, I think it doesn't matter what plastic you have the goal should be to pay the bill off every month. If you can't, you are in trouble.
Halo vs. Horns: The issue isn't good and bad debt. It's whether you want to be in a position to have to pay for something.
Why is it OK to have a mortgage? Because you have to have housing. It's OK to have a student loan, because you have to have an education. It's OK to have a car loan because either:
1. you have to have a car; OR
2. you can escape the debt by getting rid of the car
There are two point embedded here:
A. You only want to put yourself into must-paying for things you must-have (housing, medical care, insurance, food)
B. You don't have to pay for something IF you can get rid of the debt and item simutaneously (a second car)
What you never want to do is be in debt that you can't escape for something you don't need. Most things on your credit card fall into this category. So do things like health club memberships that are not month-to-month cancellable. (Careful on this one; they call it "monthly dues" but you're often committed for a couple of years.)
Citation: "All Your Worth" by the Warren-Tyagi team that wrote "The Two Income Trap"
Michelle Singletary: It's not OK to have a mortgage.
It's not OK to have a car loan.
It's not Ok to borrow to go to school.
We have been bambozzled. Debt makes you a slave to the lender. Watch what happens if you lose your job, get sick or disabled.
That mortage, car loan, student loan, credit card loan doesn not look OK then.
The only way to be OK is not be a slave to the lenders.
But most of us mere mortals can't buy a house outright. So we have to borrow.
But we don't have to borrow to own a car or go to school. We choose to do that because we can't wait to save for it. We can't take the bus (and yes, yes I know many of you couldn't get to your jobs without a car). We won't advise our kids to go to community college or stay local.
What I'm trying to do with my "anti-debt" message is to get people to stop and think about the debt we take on.
There is no good debt. The only good debt is no debt.
To the aspiring homebuyer: Michelle is absolutely right. You'll need at LEAST 6 months' living expenses saved -- you'll probably spend one month's worth on new curtains, furnishings, etc. Think about what the WORST thing is that could happen -- you need a new roof, new washer/dryer, etc. -- and make sure you have enough to cover it.
Love your chat and your show on TVOne! I have two questions for you. First, if you can only do one at a time, which is preferable -- use your extra income to build your emergency savings or pay off your debt? (Currently I have about 1 month's worth of expenses saved; however, I have five-digit consumer debt that won't be going anywhere anytime soon.)
Also, in career planning, how do you make a decision about following the money vs. following your passion? (I am especially interested in your opinion on this as you studied journalism in college -- would Big Mama have preferred you do study something more "practical" like accounting or business administration?)
Michelle Singletary: Why thank you very much. And you forget my segments on NPR's "Day to Day" show which you can hear online at www.npr.org and now they are putting them on podcast. Just imagine you can hear me preach about debt as you catch a plane, workout, eat :)
Ok, so the trick with paying off debt is that you have to save something otherwise when life happens -- car breaks down, kid got to take a school trip-- you end up using your credit card.
But with one month saved up I would aggressively tackle the debt with the extra money. If you can still keep savign something even if it's just $5 or $10.
And if you are in massive debt you might not be able to afford your "passion." Get out of debt than pursue your dreams unless the job is causing major mental or health problems.
And child my grandmother is jumping up in heaven cuz journalism been good to me financially.
I love your chats and try to follow your philosophy regarding debt. Here is my question. Between us, my fiance and I are getting back nice sum of money on our tax returns. We want to spend about $5,300 dollars to get married, but I am even having heartburn about doing that. It will small and nice and I think, very reasonable, (the $5,000 includes photography, reception, everything). Please tell me it's ok to use some our in tax returns for this wedding, all I keep thinking about is a 3 month savings. After the wedding, we have enough to put about 1 month away, but without the wedding, we could put away 2, almost 3. What is your advice, is it ok to spend for this special occassion?
Michelle Singletary: Now those of you who know me don't scream...but go have your wedding.
If you can spend $5,000 without incurring any debt and that includes the reception and photography go on to the chapel.
Having one-month is a good start to your marriage.
My prayers and best wishes on your nuptials
Columbia, Md.: I will miss the chat, but wanted to know how to get stuff off my credit report. I must have about 10 - 15 student loan companies because of their buy-sell efforts. My loans have been paid off for 13 months now (in 8 years, too). Some of the loan information is from when I first got them 12 years ago.
The same goes for credit cards that I don't use or have cancelled.
With all that said, my average score with all three was 805 and I "qualified" to purchase a home worh $350,000 (not that I would as that would leave me broke), so I have nothing to be ashamed off.
Some of the comments on the form was "too many" accounts, however. I only use one credit card and that's to get the 5% back (Discover), and I pay it off every month. I owe nothing else.
Michelle Singletary: To my knowledge there is no requirement that the bureaus have to remove positive information. Now if those loans had been paid late they yes you have some recourse. Negative information is required to be removed after 7 years.
But with scores above 800 go outside and play. Visit friends. Volunteer. Just stop worrying about this cuz you are credit golden.
Bowie, Md.: I have a credit score of 688, and I make $40,000. I pay myself first each paycheck. $10.00 is all I can afford. I pay my bills on time all the time. I am struggling to pay down credit card debt, personal loans, and student loans. Also a tax bill from the IRS. I am able to pay all my bills but have hardly any money left over. Any advice on things I could do to elimate debt?
Michelle Singletary: Well you have two options. Cut expenses. Increase your income.
If you are living alone, get a roommate. Cut out everything you can possibly cut. If you done all that, then you may need a second job at least temporarily to aggressively pay off the debt.
Philadelphia, Pa.: Hello lovely Michelle,
I bought a house last year and I hold down expenses by having two tenants who rent rooms from me. What level of liability insurance should I have? My insurance agent said $300K was enough with $5K in medical coverage for anyone injured on my property. I worry that it's not enough, but how much is enough? My house is worth about $150K and my salary is about $50K. Thanks!! I love your columns and chats.
Michelle Singletary:5k for medical coverage seems low. Go back to your agent and really discuss your living situation. I'm not sure but can't tell if you have an "umbrella" policy. For not much a year you can get $1 million coverage.
And if you aren't happy with your agent or he or she wont' really help you analyze this get another agent.
History Lesson: My father said credit cards did not exist until after the 1960s!!! He remembered the D.C. Shopping Plate (Garfinkels, Hechts, Woodies, and Kahn's) but they had to be paid off at the end of the month. Sears credit cards were used on appliances, primarily.
I remember when most stores had a 90 day layaway policy for clothes. This was about 16 years ago. On payday, you paid on your layaway. Then when it was paid off you got your clothes. Parents put winter coats and clothes on layaway in July and Christmas gifts too.
Not too long ago, debt was not king.
Michelle Singletary: It should have never been elevated to King.
And I remember lay-way too. That's how my grandmother, Big Mama, paid for our clothes.
Ah, the good old days!
Washington, D.C.: Hello Michelle --
Liked your Sunday piece on credit card hardball; what a cautionary tale. Just wanted to let you know the card issuers give you a hard time when you are trying to get out the door, too. On Sunday afternoon I called to cancel a credit card I rarely use. A series of customer service reps offered me airline miles, lengthening my billing cycle, etc. They did not want to take no for an answer. I can see why it is so hard for many folks to get out of the trap.
Thanks for all your great work.
washingtonpost.com: How They Rig The Credit Card Game
Michelle Singletary: You are welcome.
That's how slavery works. Who would want to get rid of people willing to pay interest on stuff they've long forget they bought.
Waldorf , Md.: I am a 21 year old year girl. I want to try and maintain good credit. I have constant worries about my credit. I want to try to establish good credit so the future will not be hard for me. What are somt steps that I can take to achieve this goal. Is it better to not have any high balance bills? What is a good credit score to maintain?
Michelle Singletary: It's better not to have a balance at ALL. The best way to have good credit is to pay your bills on time. If you are doing that you are well on your way to establishing a good credit history.
And if you can achieve credit scores (you have three from each credit bureau) of 700 or more, you are in good shape.
Arlington, Va.: For the person with a lot of extra money laying around, I am in the same boat. About $80K just sitting in the bank, no debts other than a mortgage that was taken out several years ago. My home is worth about 3x what I owe. I have a pretty good nestegg growing in my federal TSP, will have a FERS pension when I retire, and am socking away quite a bit of extra money every month. This is certainly a great problem to have. I was at a total loss though since I know nothing about investing. I made an appointment with a financial planner. I am paying him $650/year and that includes planning services and quarterly meetings to make sure that everything is going according to plan and make adjustments as necessary. I think it is money very well spent. Depending on how long you have until retirement (I have 20 year or so) and what you risk tolerance is your planner will make recommendations. Mine has me investing in 4 different mutual funds to cover large cap stocks, small/mid caps, and internationals. Of course since I just got started now with the market falling it is a little sad to see some money go away, but hopefully over the long term it will bounce back.
So, what I am trying to say is, if you don't know what to do hire a planner who works on a fee basis. I am very glad I did, and wish I had done it sooner.
And pay off that mortgage.
Orlando, FL: My 27-year old son will be graduating with his Masters in Counselling on May 11th and has asked me to help him choose between
https://loanconsolidation.ed.gov/appentry/appindex.html or www.cfsstudentloan.com to consolidate his student loans. Also, he plans to continue on for his doctorate.
I'm a single mother and we plan to evaluate these two options this weekend and would really appreciate your assistance and guidance in any possible way that you can offer. Thank you.
Michelle Singletary: A great site to visit is www.finaid.org
The thing with consolidation is you want to look at the perks -- do they give your son an interest rate break for on-time payments, etc. The bottom-lines rates are competitive so you should look at what they offer borrowers.
And perhaps you might advise your son to work a bit to pay down his debt before taking on more debt for his doctorate. Just a thought.
DC: Hi Michelle, do you know anything about borrowing against stocks to get loans for grad school? I'm just starting the process of figuring out how to finance a two-year masters program and am completely confused. Thanks for your help!
Michelle Singletary: How about selling the stocks to raise cash to avoid debt debt (obviously considering the tax implications)?
Arlington, Va.: Have you seen the film, 'Maxed Out' yet? If so is it worth seeing? Buying the book?
washingtonpost.com: Read this month's Color of Money Book Club column about this book and film: A Horror Movie For Our Times (March 4)
Michelle Singletary: Seen it. Read the book. Recommended both in a recent column.
Hamilton Square, N.J.: Thank you for your column. I find it very interesting, especially your anti-debt campaign. In principal, I agree with you.
Here is my situation: I have about $6000 in credit card debt. I have been using 0% interest offer credit cards for years. I transfer from one to the other, never getting one that is less than 1 year. The one I have now is for 18 months. I always pay more than the minimum. I have never paid any interest on my balance. My credit score is 790. I rent an apartment and paid cash for my car. I can afford to pay off the balance if another offer doesn't come my way before this one ends. (I usually have many more than I need.)
Please tell me where my logic is faulty.
Thanks again for your advice.
Michelle Singletary: I just have no idea why you would want to hang onto $6000 in credit card debt.
You seem proud that you are playing the game. And perhaps for right now it appears you are winning.
But life happens often and you could get tossed out of this game quickly and with some messy results.
Anonymous:"If he deposits the check into our account, it is 10 business days before he can access the money to pay his program."
If you think this might be wrong, talk to your financial insitution. The applicable rule of law is "Regulation CC" which governs how long a financial institution can hold your funds before making them available.
The above link is to a brochure by the Federal REserve RE: Reg CC.
You do have to keep in mind the definitions of things like of "local check" vs. "non-local check" - it has to do with the location of the financial institution on which the funds are drawn, not the location of the person writing the check.
Note - little things can affect the applicability -if you deposit into a savings account, that isn't covered int he same way. Always deposit into a checking account.
Michelle Singletary: Thanks. Passing this along.
New York, N.Y.: Michelle, Michelle! I finally paid off my credit card debt TODAY! It was $14,000 at one point (don't yell at me), so I'm proud. Now the question is what to do with my "surplus." I was paying off $1,000 a month, so I'd like to keep "paying" that $1,000 into something while I still have the discipline.
I have a 401(k), but I wonder about other ongoing savings plans. Should I do an IRA? Money market? A new $1,000 CD every month? I won't need immediate access to the money since I have technically "lived without it" -- it would be $1,000 of newfound cash each month.
Michelle Singletary: Ok EVERYONE ON THIS CHAT whereever you are let's shout out
AMEN! If you're at work just whisper it!
Bravo or Brava to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As I told someone else..the what now depends on your financial goals. If you don't have an emergency fund use the money for that. If you are funding your retirement at a good pace then pay off your car or pay down your morgtage.
But the thing is now you have choices!
Washington, D.C.: I just got a largish expense reimbursement check from work that is going to pay off my two lowest balance credit cards (I'm doing a snowball by balance - it's within a few dollars of doing it by interest rate and makes me feel more accomplishment).
That makes three that I have paid off since I started in December. I have more to go than I want to admit (bad choices, bad choices), but the path is becoming clearer.
Thanks for your advice. I don't always agree with you, but you still inspire me to do better with my finances.
washingtonpost.com: Make Wise Use of Windfalls (By Michelle Singletary, March 8)
Michelle Singletary: Why thank you. And you don't have to "always agree" as long as you recognize I'm almost always right :)
Washington, DC: Michelle, I really value your advice for saving, but am at a total crossroads.
I just got into grad school - planning on going part-time. I'm expecting to receive a good portion (about half of tuition) in fellowships. Yet I don't know what to do about the other half.
I thought about working for the school, but my annual salary is far more than what I'd be making there. I'm saving quite a bit - almost enough to pay off that other half.
But, I'm wary of putting all my savings into school. I've got my three months cushion, car is paid off, 10% of my salary is contributed to my 401k, and no other debt except for 10,000 from undergrad stafford loans, which I feel is managable. I just feel like I should be saving for an eventual home, etc.
I'm 23 if it matters.
Michelle Singletary: Child take that money and pay off those loans. You've got all the other bases covered so make this a home run.
Your savings grace is not having debt.
Washington, D.C.: I'm an undergrad student at the George Washington University. I currently hold an unpaid internship at Smith Barney Citigroup, and have not been working to subsidize my college expenses. I've been considering taking out a Fannie Mae student loan for about $10,000 in order to get by the rest of the academic year and possibly be able to get situated in NYC for a summer internship before starting to make money with that. I don't have the exact name of the loan or how much the interest rate is, but I'm wondering if this is a good idea or not? It seems like my only option at this point in time. Thoughts? Is there a better alternative? Thanks. -- Rob
Michelle Singletary: Get a paying job on the side.
Don't go the debt route.
Washington, DC: how do you feel about gifts to charity? I was able to dedicate a room to my parents at a local hospital where they live in FL.
Michelle Singletary: What a wonderful thing you did.
My husband and I tithe.
I believe charitable giving should be a great part of your budget.
Washington, D.C.: I have been unemployed since December, and am sick about hitting my savings. I'm wondering if my time is better spent looking for something full time, or getting a part-time gig that doesn't pay much to stop the hemmoraging. Thanks.
Michelle Singletary: Don't feel sick. That's why you saved. But perhaps you should get some kind of work while you look for the best employment so you don't completely run out of money
Michelle Singletary: Well folks that's it. So sorry if I didn't get to your question. But keep an eye out in my print column and e-leter, which I hope you subcribe to. I'll try to answer some in those forums.
Hope you have a wonderful day.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Google loathes all of this. It hates having to email newspapers to give them the bad news, and hates taking part in a form of censorship mandated by European authorities. Its only consolation is that the EU has no power over searches made on google.com – but the vast majority of Brits use the default website (google.co.uk). They’ll be seeing redacted results. Meanwhile, companies are popping up offering the rich and powerful the chance to “control” their “online reputation”.
There are, of course, some good reasons to do so. Who would begrudge a young adult seeking to escape the legal, but embarrassing misdeeds of their past? A friend of mine found herself applying for jobs knowing that a cursory internet search for her name would show her smoking a large joint of marijuana. Eric Schmidt, Google’s chairman, once suggested that 18-year-olds should change their names so they couldn’t be linked to earlier debauches. The ECJ can say it has changed the law so that people don’t have to.
But this is the problem with censorship. If you allow it in the name of a good cause, it will soon be used for a bad one. Google has removed links to a Telegraph story about Dougie McDonald, a former Scottish Premier League goalkeeper who was found to have lied about his reasons for granting a penalty to Celtic. Even photographs seem to be targeted. Links to images used by telegraph.co.uk to illustrate stories detailing Max Mosley’s old court case against the News of the World would appear to have vanished from Google.
Mr Mosley, of course, has spent the past few years in an unsuccessful campaign to have newspapers regulated in the wake of the Leveson Inquiry. He failed because his campaign contradicted a 300-year-old principle that British newspapers stand free of any government interference. But those who failed to regulate the printed word are having better luck with digital. Take tax: VAT is not charged on books and newspapers due to the principle that Britain doesn’t tax knowledge. But buy an eBook, or a digital edition of a newspaper, and the government slaps on 20 per cent.
Speech doesn’t look as free as it once was, if it is made digitally. Make a joke about blowing up Sheffield Airport on Twitter and you can end up in court, as the 28-year-old Paul Chambers found out. A teenager from Canterbury who posted a picture of a burning poppy on his Facebook page on Armistice Day was visited by the police, as if the very thought was a crime. The digital era may yet end up narrowing, rather than expanding, the parameters of free speech. What’s happening to Google is a part in this trend.
As a global giant with a gift for minimising its tax liability, Google is an unlovable company – but its power makes politicians drool. If they can have any control over it, even in the name of blocking pornography, we can expect that power to be ratcheted up in the future. As newspapers (and readers) move from print to digital, they will find the Government waiting online, with far tighter rules over what to say, and what to hide.
This, of course, is not the British way. David Cameron has made clear that he is troubled by the ECJ ruling over Google, and some of his ministers think it could be overturned under the European Convention on Human Rights. But they can do more. Chris Grayling, the Justice Secretary, is preparing a Bill of Rights which would be part of the next Tory manifesto and he is considering, as part of that, whether to redefine freedom of speech for the digital era. It is an extraordinary opportunity.
The model is obvious. No judges are telling search engines what to do in America, as the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, and protection from all such interference. Britain has not needed similar guarantees as press freedom has been hardwired into our culture for years – but the digital era means that such discussions need to start anew. Google should be thought of as part of the press, and given protection not for its own sake, but for ours. When government and media are kept firmly apart, everyone benefits.
Google said yesterday that “this is a new and evolving process for us” – the same is true for everyone. The media is going through an industrial revolution, and Google must be considered part of that. The would-be censors see the chance to strike, and questions we had thought settled need to be discussed anew. It is time to agree what freedom of the press means in a digital era – and how Britain, the country that invented the idea of liberty, can keep its flame burning here. Grayling’s Bill of Rights has come along at precisely the right time.
Fraser Nelson is editor of 'The Spectator’
<bot>: The European Court of Justice ruling requiring Google to 'hide’ stories shows the need to defend digital freedom of speech
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Long before Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel prize in literature, pundits used to talk about “Dylan versus Keats”, as if you had to choose, and as if Dylan’s poetic transformations of folk song are really so different from what John Keats does in his eerie ballad La Belle Dame sans Merci.
When it comes to Dylan’s art, the dice fall differently. Dylan versus John Constable would make no sense, for when it comes to drawing and painting it’s as plain as a Brooklyn ice cream parlour that Bob Dylan is a bluff old traditionalist.
He draws and paints what he sees, although in his latest, impressive show at London’s Halcyon Gallery you feel that what he sees is always subtly merging with an America in his mind. Sometimes that inner America seeps out. A crowd of midwesterners gawping at a fairground sideshow that offers a peep into a “Harem” – surely this has come from Dylan’s dreams? Yet most of the time, with true observation and patient work, he records reality in all its strangeness.
Dylan comes along and sketches your car because he likes it parked there outside some fast food joint. He paints a knish and bagel shop, and the blue and yellow light inside it, and the graffiti along the street. He looks up and paints the vastness of skyscrapers, the glory of Manhattan Bridge, or a burning desert sky.
This guy can look. His drawings are intricate, sincere, charged with curiosity. He has a living, loose line that stops them descending into mere pedantry. Life astounds him. Most of his sketches are of places on the edge of town or on run-down corners, the fading, interstitial essence of Americana: coffee shops, drive-ins, all-nite venues. Myth haunts these stage sets of American stories and songs, yet they are secretive, mysterious. They are seen from outside by an artist who does not try to learn more or less than his eyes tell him.
Is it right to call Dylan an artist at all? The Halcyon Gallery, on New Bond Street among some of London’s glossiest designer shops, is exactly the kind of glitzy joint you might expect to see some celebrity’s self-indulgent art. Is Dylan doing any more than pursuing a hobby? Oddly enough, the night before his Nobel prize was announced, I attended an event where a critic launched an unprovoked attack on Dylan’s visual art, going on about how awful it supposedly is. In reality it is hard to see how anyone can dislike the evocative pictures of America in Dylan’s new show – unless you loathe pictures, and think painting, that old thing, should be banned.
If you dismiss David Hockney and Robert Crumb and believe only avant garde conceptual art has value, you won’t like Dylan’s landscapes. Yet if you do admire either of those meticulous artists, there is no reason to look down on Bob Dylan just because he happens to be a rock star. He has a surprising amount in common with Hockney. His art looks more serious with every exhibition. He is turning into a hero for anyone who thinks drawing is a noble thing to do.
What really sets his latest show alight, though, is when he expands his sketches into huge paintings in drunken abandon to the power of colour. Purple skies, lurid neons, wet greens and fierce reds – the colours of Dylan’s landscape are subtle, rich, with just a hint of apocalypse.
A real artist made these drawings and paintings. Their integrity is compelling. They demand to be looked at, for their awe and wonder at the beauty and grandeur of being alive. These are the pictures of a true poet.
<bot>: Dylan’s art marks him out as a staunch traditionalist – but his powers of observation make his canvases evocative celebrations of life itself
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http://web.archive.org/web/20161223071900id_/https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2016/nov/08/bob-dylan-paintings-halcyon-gallery-london-beaten-path |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: WASHINGTON — Republicans who have been hoping that the Supreme Court will upend President Obama’s health care law are now confronting an urgent and uncomfortable question: What if they win?
Republicans in Congress would face an enormously complicated challenge to fashion an alternative, and they fear the fallout could lead to election losses if millions of Americans abruptly found themselves without health insurance.
If the court voids a federal rule allowing subsidies in states that use the federal insurance marketplace, many Republicans said, they would support a temporary continuation of subsidies for people with low or moderate incomes.
“Our goal is to protect people, not the law,” said Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, who has been charged by his party with devising a possible legislative response to the court decision, which is expected by the end of this month.
Democrats denounced the proposals, saying they would increase the number of uninsured and drive up premiums. But Republicans said a full-scale replacement for the health law would not be their immediate objective.
“This is not a long-term solution,” Mr. Barrasso said. “We want to provide a temporary transition while this is relitigated in the 2016 elections — and give the new president time to come in and bring a new solution forward.”
Republicans mocked Mr. Obama for breaking his promise that “if you like your health care plan, you can keep it.” Now Republicans fear that they will be blamed if people lose insurance because the Supreme Court rules for plaintiffs in the pending case, King v. Burwell.
“Doing nothing is not an option,” said Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, who last week introduced a bill that would provide money to help people buy insurance with much less federal regulation. “We cannot sit idly by as millions of Americans lose their health insurance.”
House Republicans have voted more than 50 times to repeal all or part of the Affordable Care Act, but have had difficulty agreeing on an alternative. Top Republicans filed legal briefs urging the Supreme Court to side with the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, but are just beginning to realize the possible political implications of such a ruling.
Mr. Cassidy, a physician who has provided care to uninsured patients in Louisiana’s charity hospital system, said he could easily imagine how the White House might respond: “The president brings a woman in the middle of chemotherapy up on a stage to point out that she can no longer have her insurance because the Supreme Court struck down the subsidies.”
The consequences could be felt in statehouses and on Capitol Hill. Of the 34 states that use the federal insurance marketplace and would be most affected, 26 have Republican governors. Of the Senate seats up for election next year, 24 are held by Republicans, and 22 of those are in federal exchange states that could lose their subsidies.
Asked if she hoped the court would rule for the plaintiffs, Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, paused a moment, then said: “Yes, I guess I do. It would provide an opportunity to transition to a new law, or an improved version of the Affordable Care Act.” But she added, “I don’t think it would be fair to cut off people who have been using Obamacare subsidies.”
Maine has a Republican governor, and nearly 61,000 of its residents receive subsidized insurance though the federal marketplace.
If the court rules against the Obama administration, millions of Americans could lose their health insurance subsidies.
Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 3 Senate Republican, is also rooting for the plaintiffs, but said, “On this issue, we are not playing with the strongest hand.”
The president, he predicted, “will probably insist on a one-page bill,” affirming that subsidies are available in all states. That approach, with nothing more, would be a nonstarter for many Republicans.
For Mr. Obama’s allies, the political calculations are simpler: If they lose in the Supreme Court, they hope to win the battle for public opinion.
Mr. Obama’s press secretary, Josh Earnest, said that if the Supreme Court ruled against the administration, it would throw the health care system “into utter chaos.” Given the likely impasse in Congress, he said, “it’s hard to imagine any sort of legislative fix passing.”
One of the leading Republican proposals, drafted by Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, would continue subsidies through August 2017 for consumers who might otherwise lose them as a result of a Supreme Court decision. The bill would also repeal mandates that most Americans obtain insurance and most employers provide it.
“A reasonable transition period is required,” said Mr. Johnson, who faces a serious challenge from former Senator Russ Feingold, a Democrat, in his bid for re-election in 2016. “New enrollments in Obamacare would be allowed, but only current enrollees would qualify for subsidies. The expansion of Obamacare subsidies would end.”
The Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, supports the Johnson and Cassidy bills.
Jesse C. Lee, a White House spokesman, said Mr. Johnson’s bill “would result in catastrophe for the health care system by slow motion.”
A list of frequently asked questions about the King v. Burwell Supreme Court case and its implications for Obamacare.
The Affordable Care Act prohibits insurers from denying coverage because of a person’s illness or disability. Given this provision, insurers say, the individual mandate and subsidies are needed as an incentive for healthy people to sign up. Their premiums help pay for the care of less healthy subscribers.
A study by the American Academy of Actuaries offers a dire forecast of what could happen. “A temporary extension of premium subsidies would only delay the market disruption,” it said. “An immediate or near-term elimination of federal premium subsidies would cause massive disruption in the individual market. Potentially millions of people would drop coverage, and the average costs of those remaining insured would soar.”
Republicans, mindful that they cannot satisfy liberal Democrats, say they are seeking a plausible alternative.
Robert J. Blendon, an expert at Harvard on public opinion and health, said that if subsidies were struck down and Republicans had no alternative, voters would hold them responsible. On the other hand, Mr. Blendon said, if voters are given a choice between Republican and Democratic alternatives, “then I don’t think there is going to be a terrific gain for one or the other.”
Republican proposals would generally scale back federal regulation of health insurance, giving states more power to set standards for benefits, rates and consumer protections.
If the Obama administration loses in the Supreme Court, federal health officials could try to blunt the effect by making it easier for states to establish exchanges, thus preserving subsidies for their residents. Already, three states that created exchanges — Nevada, New Mexico and Oregon — rely on the federal website, HealthCare.gov, and Hawaii is planning to do so.
Republican governors could stymie White House efforts to work around a decision by the Supreme Court. It is unclear whether they would want to establish exchanges. Moreover, opponents of the Affordable Care Act could file lawsuits challenging any move by the Obama administration that deviates from the letter of the law or regulations specifying how a state exchange is to be established.
Senator Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, has introduced a bill to prevent “bureaucratic workarounds.” It says that the federal government cannot enter into a new contract with a state to make available the technology used in HealthCare.gov. The bill would provide financial assistance, in the form of tax credits, for up to 18 months of transitional coverage, but the aid would be gradually reduced and eventually eliminated.
“Republicans must not extend or renew Obamacare, but instead offer temporary, transitional assistance completely outside of Obamacare’s structure,” Mr. Sasse said.
House Republicans are mulling whether Congress should extend subsidies if the court strikes them down.
“I’d be willing to do that on a temporary basis as we transition to something better,” said Representative Andy Barr, Republican of Kentucky. “We all represent people in our districts who are victims of this law. We want to take care of our constituents.”
<bot>: If the Supreme Court upends President Obama’s health care law, Republicans in Congress would face a complicated challenge to fashion an alternative.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: 20h 47m ago By Matthew Craft, Associated Press
NEW YORK Slightly better economic growth and stronger housing sales nudged the stock market higher Wednesday. The Dow Jones industrial average managed a four-point gain.
in the acquisition, exploration, exploitation, development and operation of oil and gas properties located primarily in the Gulf of Mexico. Stone is also active in the Appalachia region. For additional information, contact Kenneth H. Beer, Chief Financial
on Isaac so far. The storm killed 23 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic on its way across the Caribbean to the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Isaac, now a tropical storm with top sustained winds of 40 mph, was located about
the way, the storm caused the evacuation of 509 oil and natural-gas production platforms and 50 drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. That halted nearly 95 percent of all oil production
feet in height, he noted, while the bluff that Old Town is built on rises to 21 feet -- some of the highest elevation on the Gulf of Mexico. The new seawall "protects us to the full extent of the bluff," he said. "Without a doubt, we would have lost that part
2d 19h ago By Matthew Craft, Associated Press
NEW YORK Mixed economic data kept the U.S. stock market hovering near break-even Tuesday. One report on home prices looked encouraging, and another on consumer confidence was worrisome.
<bot>: Collection of all USATODAY.com coverage of Gulf Of Mexico, including articles, videos, photos, and quotes.
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<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Admit it, you’ve been waiting for this. It’s time for The Post’s eighth annual Peeps Contest. Each year, we ask you to create a sure-to-be-amazing diorama starring those mushy marshmallow goodies.This year is no different. The contest officially begins … now.
Make a diorama of a famous occurrence or scene. But remember: Whatever your design — a historic, current or future event, or a wink at pop culture — the main characters must be played by Peeps. Submit your entry by March 17. If you need inspiration — nay, Peeps-spiration! — check out galleries from past contests at washingtonpost.com/peeps. So, bust out the chicks and bunnies. We can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Read the Official Rules, and submit your entries here.
<bot>: Send us up to two photos of your diorama, and we may give you a $200 gift card.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014031519id_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/02/24/the-2014-peeps-diorama-conest-calling-all-entries/ |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Elinor Carucci for The New York Times
Ainsley, who began showing signs of puberty at age 6, and her mother.
One day last year when her daughter, Ainsley, was 9, Tracee Sioux pulled her out of her elementary school in Fort Collins, Colo., and drove her an hour south, to Longmont, in hopes of finding a satisfying reason that Ainsley began growing pubic hair at age 6. Ainsley was the tallest child in her third-grade class. She had a thick, enviable blond-streaked ponytail and big feet, like a puppy’s. The curves of her Levi’s matched her mother’s.
“How was your day?” Tracee asked Ainsley as she climbed in the car.
“What did you do at a recess?”
“I played on the slide with my friends.”
In the back seat, Ainsley wiggled out of her pink parka and looked in her backpack for her Harry Potter book. Over the past three years, Tracee — pretty and well-put-together, wearing a burnt orange blouse that matched her necklace and her bag — had taken Ainsley to see several doctors. They ordered blood tests and bone-age X-rays and turned up nothing unusual. “The doctors always come back with these blank looks on their faces, and then they start redefining what normal is,” Tracee said as we drove down Interstate 25, a ribbon of asphalt that runs close to where the Great Plains bump up against the Rockies. “And I always just sit there thinking, What are you talking about, normal? Who gets pubic hair in first grade?”
Fed up with mainstream physicians, Tracee began pursuing less conventional options. She tried giving Ainsley diindolylmethane, or DIM, a supplement that may or may not help a body balance its hormones. She also started a blog, the Girl Revolution, with a mission to “revolutionize the way we think about, treat and raise girls,” and the accompanying T.G.R. Body line of sunscreens and lotions marketed to tweens and described by Tracee as “natural, organic, craptastic-free products” containing “no estrogens, phytoestrogens, endocrine disrupters.”
None of this stopped Ainsley’s body from maturing ahead of its time. That afternoon, Tracee and Ainsley visited the office of Jared Allomong, an applied kinesiologist. Applied kinesiology is a “healing art” sort of like chiropractic. Practitioners test muscle strength in order to diagnose health problems; it’s a refuge for those skeptical and weary of mainstream medicine.
“So, what brings you here today?” Allomong asked mother and daughter. Tracee stroked Ainsley’s arm and said, wistfully, “Precocious puberty.”
Allomong nodded. “What are the symptoms?”
“Pubic hair, armpit hair, a few pimples around the nose. Some budding.” Tracee gestured with her hands, implying breasts. “The emotional stuff is getting worse, too. Ainsley’s been getting super upset about little things, crying, and she doesn’t know why. I think she’s cycling with me.”
Ainsley closed her eyes, as if to shut out the embarrassment. The ongoing quest to understand why her young body was turning into a woman’s was not one of Ainsley’s favorite pastimes. She preferred torturing her 6-year-old brother and playing school with the neighborhood kids. (Ainsley was always the teacher, and she was very strict.)
“Have you seen Western doctors for this?” Allomong asked.
Tracee laughed. “Yes, many,” she said. “None suggested any course of action. They left us hanging.” She repeated for Allomong what she told me in the car: “They seem to have changed the definition of ‘normal.’ ”
For many parents of early-developing girls, “normal” is a crazy-making word, especially when uttered by a doctor; it implies that the patient, or patient’s mother, should quit being neurotic and accept that not much can be done. Allomong listened intently. He nodded and took notes, asking Tracee detailed questions about her birth-control history and validating her worst fears by mentioning the “extremely high levels” of estrogen-mimicking chemicals in the food and water supply. After about 20 minutes he asked Ainsley to lie on a table. There he performed a lengthy physical exam that involved testing the strength in Ainsley’s arms and legs while she held small glass vials filled with compounds like cortisol, estrogen and sugar. (Kinesiologists believe that weak muscles indicate illness, and that a patient’s muscles will test as weaker when he or she is holding a substance that contributes to health problems.)
<bot>: What science tells us about the incredible shrinking childhood.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012040319id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/magazine/puberty-before-age-10-a-new-normal.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Back in 1992, in a special issue of TIME devoted to predicting what to expect in the new millennium, writer Lance Morrow waxed philosophical about why we prognosticate in the first place. Quoting political scientist Michael Barkun, he wrote, “The human mind abhors a vacuum … Where certainties are absent, we make do with probabilities, and where probabilities are beyond our power to calculate, we seek refuge from insupportable ignorance in a future of our own imagining.”
The future we’ve imagined over the last century has, in some cases, come to fruition: The global population has skyrocketed as resources have waned, and technology has unlocked boundless potential and eliminated entire categories of jobs. But in other cases, those forecasts remain indecipherable from the plots of science fiction movies. Of course, a prediction that sounded crazy in 1909 (say, Nikola Tesla’s vision of an instrument “which will enable its bearer to hear anywhere on sea or land for distances of thousands of miles”) might, a century later, end up in nearly 90% of Americans’ pockets.
At the risk of looking a fool when some of the following come true a century from now, here is a roundup of some of the looniest predictions since the advent of TIME — the magazine, not the concept — in 1923:
The future human will be a Cyclops. “Yes, in distant centuries or millenaries man will be a Cyclops, a Polyphemus, a being with one eye only.” So said Dr. Thomas Hall Shastid in a 1933 article about the “Face of the Future.” This future eye, explained Shastid, would be in the center of the face, below a high forehead, where the bridge of the nose once rested. The doctor reasoned that the human eye originally evolved to see far into the distance, but as the modern human “reads, writes, repairs watches, cuts gems, examines pictures, and so forth,” the cyclopean peeper would evolve to accommodate these close-range tasks and pastimes.
Grandchildren of the television age won’t be able to read. Covering the construction of a new TV station in 1951, TIME addressed the potential downsides of a newly television-obsessed culture. “Our people are becoming less literate by the minute,” the writer lamented, suggesting that in the zero-sum game of recreational hours, TV would eat up more and more of the time people once spent “reading books and thinking thoughts.” “By the 21st Century our people doubtless will be squint-eyed, hunchbacked and fond of the dark,” the writer predicted. “But why am I carrying on like this? Chances are that the grandchild of the Television Age won’t know how to read this.”
Every medical malady will be treatable with a miracle pill. If the Swiss doctor Francois Ody’s 1956 prophecy ever comes true, hospitals are going to find themselves in a tough spot. One of the most distinguished surgeons in Europe at the time, Ody imagined that “All the victories which have been the pride of brilliant surgeons will be forgotten,” replaced by the discovery of a “substance which, in the form of a capsule, will capture the sources of energy that will bring recovery within hours.” Such a magic antidote would obviate the need for surgery in most cases, leaving in its wake not only dumpsters full of scalpels, but also the physical pain inflicted by tearing a body open and sewing it back up.
“Frogmen” will live in underseas bunkers and tend to kelp farms. One way to address food shortages of the future, according to the RAND Corp. in 1966: eat more kelp. The think tank imagined that “Huge fields of kelp and other kinds of seaweed will be tended by undersea ‘farmers’ — frogmen who will live for months at a time in submerged bunkhouses.” The kelp, rich in protein, would then be ground into a powder which “could be regenerated chemically to taste like anything from steak to bourbon.” Though seaweed extracts are commonly used as additives today, they’ve yet to supplant the rest of our food supply. And so far, their cultivators still live on dry ground.
Spouses will be able to secretly control one another’s moods with “grouch pills.” The same 1966 article that predicted a kelp-driven food economy had something to say about marital relations, as well. If one spouse is in a particularly cantankerous mood, his or her partner, predicted RAND, “will be able to pop down to the corner drugstore, buy some anti-grouch pills, and slip them into the coffee.” Of course, the last half-century certainly has seen remarkable advances in psychiatric medication — from Adderall to Prozac — but as far as instantaneous mind control goes, we’re still relegated to old fashioned remedies like avoidance and a glass of wine.
Tomatoes will be square. The mechanization of agriculture during the middle decades of the 20th century drastically changed the face of farming. Some, observed former Agriculture Secretary Orville Freeman, believed the automation would “chill the ageless intimacy between man and his land.” Others saw nothing but progress in the increased production modern machinery afforded. Still others saw square tomatoes. “Another phenomenon in the not too distant future,” envisioned the Research and Development Chief at Deere & Co., “is square tomatoes, which, after all, could be more easily packaged by machine — and fit better in sandwiches.”
We will be able to feel and smell whatever’s on our television sets. Television has not rendered a generation illiterate (though some would argue just barely), and neither has it mastered senses beyond sight and sound, as a 1992 article about “multisensual media” predicted it would. According to Nicholas Negroponte, then director of M.I.T.’s Media Lab, the 21st century will bring “full-color, large-scale, holographic TV with force feedback and olfactory output.” The images on your TV, in other words, will be feelable and smellable, features whose desirability will vary greatly depending on exactly what it is you’re watching. Of course, we’ve got another 85 years to go in this century. Perhaps someday we’ll be able to feel the ruffles on Seinfeld’s puffy shirt and get a contact high from watching Weeds.
<bot>: Mind control, a steep uptick in kelp farming, and other crazy predictions that have yet to come true
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
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{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Thank you for signing up for the ticket newsletter!
One more step: you will receive an email shortly. You must click on the link in that email to activate your subscription to the ticket
<bot>: The director of 'Space Jam' doesn't think a LeBron James-led sequel will be successful.
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<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160514113007id_/http://www.thepostgame.com/space-jam-director-says-sequel-doomed |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: It’s a brave new world for Californians headed to vote in the state’s primary today.
Among the changes: There are no party primaries, they can send two members of the same political party on to the general election and many people will be voting in revamped congressional districts crafted by a panel of fellow citizens.
Former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) was the architect of all of these changes, which he proudly previewed in a Facebook post Monday.Austrian born actor and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger conducts a local music band upon his arrival in Guessing in the province of Burgenland, Austria, on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
“California will make history tomorrow,” Schwarzenegger wrote. “We will see our open primary system and new citizen-drawn districts in action for the first time. There is nothing else like it and I know we are starting yet another national trend.”
But just how does it work? And how different is it?
California’s congressional delegation is notoriously entrenched, and in fact, just one of the state’s 53 districts switched between parties over the last decade (and it only did so once).
Under the new system, there should be considerably more party swapping. Why?
First, the redistricting map drawn by the citizens commission totally revamped the gerrymandered congressional map, leaving many incumbents drawn into districts with other incumbents. Others found themselves in much more competitive districts or with no seat at all to run in.
The result is that upwards of a dozen seats in California will be genuine tossups this fall.
The way in which those winners will be chosen will be different too.
California has adopted a “top-two” primary system – already used by Washington state – to select two candidates for the November general election. All candidates today will run on the same primary ballot, meaning some districts will see two Republicans or two Democrats move on to the general election rather than one from each party.
The reason that’s significant is that those races could now be decided by voters from the party that doesn’t have a nominee. So if Reps. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) and Howard Berman (D-Calif.) face off in November, as is expected, Republicans in their district will be forced to vote for one of them and could swing the election. (Cue intrigue.)
The idea for both the new nominating system and the citizen-drawn redistricting map is to create more competitive districts and help elect more moderate legislators to Congress.
Of course, as with all change, not everyone likes this new system.
Besides the politicians who, of course, do not want to have to run for their political lives in more competitive districts, independents say that top-two system works against them by only allowing two candidates through to the general election. There is no avenue for an independent to petition him or herself on to the general election ballot, they argue.
In addition, extremely crowded primaries can lead to odd general election matchups as candidates with loyal — albeit it small — following can edge into a second place finish. The most obvious example of that is in the California Senate race where Orly Taitz, a leader of the so-called “birther” movement, could wind up facing off against Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) in November.
There were also critics of the citizen’s redistricting process, and some reports indicated that the Democratic Party, in particular, subverted the process in order to get the map drawn in its favor. (Creating a truly independent process for redistricting has proven very difficult, though California’s attempt has earned praise.)
Whatever the case, today begins an historic election cycle in California – one in which change in the largest state in the country is a foregone conclusion. It just remains to be seen what kind of change will take root.
<bot>: Voters in California will be treated to a new primary ballot today, on which there are no party primaries and they can send two members of the same political party on to the general election.
In addition, many of them will be voting in revamped districts crafted by a panel of fellow citizens – a system with no compare in the United States.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012060519id_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/californias-new-political-reality-explained/2012/06/05/gJQARA8EGV_blog.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: When Donald J. Trump’s Cessna flew to Montreal on May 4, it certainly was not for a campaign event. Instead, the quick Montreal trip was a bureaucratic barrel roll, evading a monthlong wait — effectively cutting a line of other airplane owners — to be allowed to fly the plane again.
The plane had been grounded in April by the Federal Aviation Administration for having an expired registration, forcing Mr. Trump to use his much larger Boeing 757 during one of the final weeks of the Republican nominating fight.
Mr. Trump’s Cessna Citation X landed a little after 11 a.m. at Trudeau airport in Montreal on May 4. Less than 20 minutes later, according to air traffic control communications, the plane was preparing to take off again. And less than 20 minutes after that, it was in the air, headed back to Connecticut.
The trip to Montreal followed a slew of paperwork that was filed April 22. That day, the plane was sold by a Trump-controlled company to another, DT Endeavor I LLC, which promptly registered its newly acquired airplane with the government.
That second corporation was created in mid-January, before the Cessna’s registration expired. Its underlying assets are listed only as “aircraft” on Mr. Trump’s most recent financial statement. Its name, generic and in keeping with Mr. Trump’s usual naming convention for his companies, suggests it may have been lying idle until some purpose was found for it.
Along with the paperwork for the sale, Mr. Trump filed a declaration of international operations, requesting “expedited registration in support of” the international flight, scheduled for May 4 to Montreal, which is the closest Canadian international airport to the New York area.
The international flight prompted speedier processing for the plane’s registration with the new owner. If a plane’s registration expires, the owner has to wait in line to re-register it, a process that can take months. When a plane is sold, the new owner also has to wait for the plane’s new registration certificate. But the F.A.A. lets new plane owners — like Mr. Trump’s second L.L.C. — jump ahead of this line if they plan to take the new plane on an international trip.
Mr. Trump was taking advantage of a bureaucratic maneuver that is not readily available. The F.A.A. does not advertise the technique on its website.
Mr. Trump’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
The plane’s registration had expired at the beginning of February. Nevertheless, Mr. Trump continued to use it to fly to many of his campaign events, until the F.A.A. ordered it grounded after The New York Times revealed the paperwork problem.
So a plan was made to fly to Montreal. As a result, the same day as the paperwork was filed, the F.A.A. granted Mr. Trump’s plane a temporary certificate of registration, clearing it to fly again.
There is deep concern among Republicans about political divisions and the future of the party, a new Times/CBS News poll shows. We want to hear from the party’s longtime members or those who have just registered as Republicans.
<bot>: A quick trip to the city was a bureaucratic barrel roll, evading a monthlong wait for the Cessna Citation X to be allowed to take to the skies again.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2016052019id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/21/us/politics/trump-plane-license-montreal.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The assassination of President John Kennedy — 50 years ago this week — was one of those rare historic events: a moment that, even five decades later, feels at-once intensely personal and globally significant. People struggled to fathom the murder of a vibrant national leader, while mourning, often thousands of miles away, along with the young family he left behind.
Communities raised money for memorials. Trade groups sent flowers to the White House. Companies and organizations held moments of silence. Everywhere one looked, there were reminders of the slain president.
Others, expressing their grief in more private ways, wrote letters. Long, flowing tributes to Jackie. To John Jr. and to Caroline. To their own families and friends. Writing, it seemed, helped ease the pain.
As LIFE.com revisited Time Inc.’s coverage of the Kennedy assassination ahead of the 50th anniversary, we discovered a different type of letter — a plea, of sorts. In late November and early December 1963, LIFE magazine published two issues largely dedicated to JFK. When the Nov. 29 edition hit newsstands, it sold out within hours. A rumor around the Time & Life building in New York had it that issues were being sold on college campuses for $10. (The magazine’s cover price at the time was 25 cents.)
When the massive coverage failed to satisfy the nation’s appetite for all things Kennedy, readers began to petition LIFE directly. Senators, congressmen, Fortune 500 CEOs and readers around the world penned letters to LIFE commending the magazine’s efforts to distill the Kennedy legacy — and asking how they might receive copies of their own.
One letter in the archives, in particular, held our attention, and its ingenuous, earnest tone seemed to capture not only a nation’s loss, but something of an era’s innocence.
The writer, Raleigh E. Kraft of Hardin, Montana, was just 7 years old when he penned this request to LIFE:
Would you please send me a copy of the picture of President Kennedy that is on the latest issue of the Life magasing [sic] becaus [sic] I would like to give it to my daddy for Christmas. My daddy Thinks it is the best picture of him could you make this picture good enough for framing.
P.S. I Am in the Second grade.
us Kids loved him too.
Five decades after he wrote those words, LIFE.com located Mr. Kraft, now a 57-year-old investment adviser in Fort Royal, Va. When we first reached Kraft by telephone, he thought we were selling subscriptions. But as we read out those words, written by his younger self, his voice betrayed deep emotion.
“I’ll be damned,” he breathed. “Oh my.”
Then: “I wish my dad was still alive.”
Kraft and his six brothers and sisters lived in Hardin, a small ranching community in southeast Montana, on the edge of two Indian reservations and just 13 miles from the spot where Custer made his last stand during the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. His father owned a saloon and his mother was a realtor. On the day Kennedy died, Kraft recalled his parent’s reactions to the devastating news.
“I know the killing of John Kennedy rocked our house,” Kraft said. “My dad talked a lot of politics in the saloon. Everyone was upset; my dad was very emotional. I’m sure he cried.”
The outpouring of grief in his own home prompted Kraft to write to LIFE, requesting a copy of the photograph that had appeared on the cover of the Kennedy memorial edition exactly one week after the killing.
Eventually time, and the country, moved on. After working as a professional cowboy and a brief stint at West Point Prep School, Kraft went on to study finance at Georgetown University.
“I can’t remember giving the present to my dad,” Kraft recalls. “But a book on President Kennedy sat on our coffee table forever.”
— Vaughn Wallace is the producer of TIME’s LightBox blog. Follow him on Twitter @vaughnwallace.
<bot>: A letter written to LIFE magazine by a 2nd-grader after JFK's murder captured not only a nation's loss, but something of an era's innocence.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The modern world died at 3.32pm in St Louis, Missouri, on 15 July 1972. The dynamiting of the notorious Pruitt Igoe housing scheme was a noise that resonated around the world, at least according to architecture critic Charles Jencks in his 1977 book The Language of Post-Modern Architecture. You probably didn't hear it expire because you were crazed on cola-flavoured moon-dust sweets listening to Bowie's new Ziggy Stardust LP. Or weren't actually born.
After Pruitt Igoe fell, a new architecture arose. What was it like? Think of James Stirling's pink-and-yellow striped limestone building No 1 Poultry in the City of London. Completed in 1997, it is arguably Britain's leading po-mo edifice. Its colour scheme has been described as "acidulous", as if that were a good thing. Inside, it has a ramped floor conveying an ancient Egyptian aura, while its main staircase quotes the Vatican's Renaissance Scala Regia. Outside, it has a clock that quotes the Ffascist-era main post office in Naples and is surmounted by a turret that looks like a submarine conning tower. And yet it was a rebuke to all those funless corporate modernist buildings teeming with identical Le Corbusier chairs and sharp-suited drones. Even so, it was voted London's fifth-worst building.
And that was just architecture. After 1972, the rest of the hitherto modern world went nuts too. Out went social stratification, funless functionalism and, ultimately, male commitment to wearing neckties on formal occasions. In came an ironic mashup of stylistic quotations, artists dabbling in a playful cross-fertilisation from different eras, a pluralist cultural ethos, and, incredibly, non-ironic flip-flops as legitimate men's officewear.
The world plunged into recession from 1973 to 1974, thanks to oil prices quadrupling in the aftermath of the Arab-Israeli war. Europe and the US's putative postwar golden age was over. I say "putative" because I was brought up in the Black Country. In the 60s. We were entering dire straits. Consider British car design. Yes, the Mini had been the jaunty expression of the reportedly swinging 60s ethos, but its 70s successor the Maxi was a tomb on wheels. And British Leyland's later cars, the Allegro and Marina, could only be understood as sick jokes perpetrated on patriotic British motorists by social deviants whose corpses would be bulldozed into the foundations of Spaghetti Junction in any rational polity.
This recession and the 1979-83 one led to the collapse of the previous Fordist model of integrated industrial production (think: a million Charlie Chaplins tightening a million wheel nuts on a million identical cars in a factory the size of Kansas for ever). Instead, short-term contracts proliferated, work was outsourced from Walsall to Warsaw and still further east. The information age supplanted the manufacturing age, capital flowed more freely across the world, companies expanded globally and, as a result, you work in a call centre for a loan consolidation abomination whereas your parents made worthwhile things for a living using now-obsolete skills.
Welcome to post-Fordism or, if you prefer, the era of late capitalism. These terms are, like deconstructionism and post-structuralism, if not synonymous with postmodernism, then synchronous with it. God, I love this stuff: it would have got me tenure at some poly in the late 70s.
But, as musician David Byrne argues in the V&A's catalogue to Post-Modernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990, it's unfair to define post-modernism negatively. He writes: "[L]ike many others I felt [modernism] had both strayed from its idealistic origins and become codified, strict, puritanical and dogmatic … Besides, as lovely as it is, postmodern furniture is cruelly uncomfortable. If postmodernism meant anything is allowed, then I was all for it. Finally! The buildings often didn't get much more beautiful or the furniture more comfortable, but at least we weren't handed a rulebook."
Meanwhile in Paris, a French penseur called Jean-François Lyotard stopped rummaging in his lover's black turtleneck to light his 37th Gitane of the afternoon. He inhaled deeply, breathed out, narrowed his eyes and said: "Bah, ouais," and started writing there and then his ground-breaking book The Postmodern Condition. Probably none of this happened, but who can resist sending up a man who has girls' dancewear for a surname?
Lyotard argued that the intellectual foundations of western thought as built by Kant, Hegel, Marx, though probably not De Botton, were teetering. Western societies since the Enlightenment had, he argued, been informed by "grand narratives" that were no longer convincing stories of human progress. He, like lots of other soixante-huitards, was disappointed by the failure of one of those grand narratives, Marxism, to deliver paradise. He glanced narrowly too across the Channel and, seeing Thatcher's policies (soon to be echoed by Reagan) of economic deregulation, selfish enterprise culture and the denial of society, thought that political progress – as he and like-minded beret-wearers had comprehended it since 1789 – might well be over.
Henceforth, he and the likes of Foucault thought, localised political interventions – feminism, environmentalism, identity politics – would replace mass progressive movements. And then, bored by his thoughts, Lyotard put his hands back up his girlfriend's jumper, like the French stereotype we've imagined him to be.
In 1984, literary theorist Fredric Jameson wrote his essay Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, arguing that art had been colonised by commerce. This was before adman Charles Saatchi started buying up YBAs and decades before Damien Hirst claimed to have sold a diamond-encrusted skull for £50m. Modernist art (think: Van Gogh transforming personal misery into beauty) sought to redeem the world, he suggested. Postmodern art (think: Jenny Holzer putting an electronic billboard over New York's Times Square reading, "Protect me from what I want" in 1985) was made by artists stuck in a world they could scarcely change.
Jameson also wrote about "the waning of affect" that he claimed characterised postmodern subjectivity. Artists don't cut off their ears these days, more's the pity. As if to prove Jameson's point, in 1989, Jeff Koons put up a poster to advertise his exhibition at New York's Whitney Museum. The billboard image bore the headline Made in Heaven and depicted him having sex with his porn star wife, La Cicciolina. But Koons was hardly in the throes of passion: his affect seemed to have waned to nothing as his blank gaze met ours. Koons's properly ironic po-mo statement about the work was that it would initiate spectators into the "realm of the Sacred Heart of Jesus". Koons had created a Baudrillardian system of simulacra of sexual passion, religious ecstasy, semiotic overload and voguish kitsch, while suggesting that to the blank-eyed stiff who has it all, nothing, not even Viagra, will get him going any more. Such is the postmodern male condition. Boo hoo, am I right?
Francis Fukuyama published The End of History, writing: "What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the cold war, or the passing of a particular period of postwar history, but the end of history as such … That is, the end point of mankind's ideological evolution and the universalisation of western liberal democracy as the final form of human government." He argued that there could be no large-scale wars over fundamental values since "all prior contradictions are resolved and all human needs satisfied". He was, you may have noticed, wrong in all leading particulars, but no matter: his thinking fitted into the prevailing postmodern mood. If the west had won, if nothing was worth fighting for, if all values were relative and eternal, then what remained was merely humans choosing fatuously between consumer goods that contributed negligibly to our flourishing until our species did the decent thing and did itself in.
The iPod was born and digital culture – which is neither synchronous nor synonymous with postmodern culture but kind of related – had its ur-fetish object. Digital technology accelerated and enabled individuals to manipulate every aspect of the media environment. In the digital world, you the consumer could do what cultural producers had hitherto done: you could be your own DJ, photographer, film-maker. Better, you could do what the Man said you shouldn't: sample, pastiche, cut and paste others' work, riff on the results and pass it off as your own.
During the film Austin Powers in Goldmember, one of Mike Myers's characters, a Belgian criminal mastermind called Dr Evil, performed a parody of a hip-hop music video. It went out to his "homies in Bruges", but that's not important now. What is important for our purposes is that it pastiched Jay-Z's Hard Knock Life, itself a parodic quotation of a tune from the musical Annie.
Dr Evil's intervention here typified postmodern culture: ironic, knowing, quoting from a source that was already quoting from another source and – perhaps this the main point – thereby cannily making a packet for a film franchise that, if one can be serious for a second, really didn't warrant a third outing. Such "bricolage", as Lyotard would put it (ie assembling artefacts from bits and pieces of other things from unexpected eras and sources), was key to the hip-hop culture Myers pastiched. And hip-hop culture, which is postmodernism's ironically adopted child, is everywhere – clothes, graffiti, poetry, dance, your iPod, my iPod, everybody's iPod. Everywhere apart from on Classic FM, because Classic FM doesn't roll that way.
Then things got ugly. Postmodern ugly. Producers fired off angry texts to consumers asserting their intellectual capital rights. Consumers jokily texted back a link to an online version of Roland Barthes's seminal essay The Death of the Author. Producers then put down their BlackBerrys and reached for their lawyers. For instance, last year EMI issued a copyright claim insisting that YouTube take down the video of Newport State of Mind, the marvellous pastiche of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys's insufferably bombastic expression of civic pride, Empire State of Mind. Late capitalism didn't really like the way postmodernism was heading, and postmodernism stopped sending late capitalism Christmas cards.
Last week in Covent Garden, I saw a sign in a shop window. "Coming soon, a pop-up store." Goody, I thought with affectless postmodern irony, more pop-up stuff. But hold on. Wasn't the whole point of pop-up things (theatres, shops and, in olden times, books) that you didn't have to wait for them to pop up? They popped up sharpish then pushed off? Was this sign postmodern irony? Or, what usually happens, publicity for a dismal late capitalist enterprise appropriating a funky-sounding idea a year after it was fashionable and annulling its raison d'etre in the glum way so common in recent postmodernism culture? It must have been the latter.
What next? David Byrne argues in the V&A catalogue that in postmodernism's heyday "anything could be mixed and matched – or mashed up, as is said today – and anything was fair game for inspiration. That, to me, seemed as it should be. A taste of freedom. At least that's the way I took it, though one could see another rulebook being written even as we tried to say: 'No more damned rulebooks!' Before long, there was, according to some, a postmodern rule book. Time to move on." No doubt. But what could post-postmodernism mean?
Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990 is at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 from 24 Sept until 15 January 2012.
• This article was amended on 21 September 2011. The original said Jay-Z and Alicia Keys's song is New York State of Mind. This has been corrected.
• Members of Guardian Extra get a 2 for 1 deal on full price tickets to see the exhibition. The offer will run until 31 October.
<bot>: Postmodernism is the star of a new exhibition at the V&A, but what's it all about? What are its landmarks? And why is it so heavy on the irony?
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: has less than 24 hours until she's scheduled to turn herself in and start serving her
, but the actress is a wreck about spending time behind bars.
"It's been a rough weekend," says a source. "She has not been able to sleep and has barely been eating. All weekend, Lindsay kept crying, chain smoking and chewing her nails."
Lohan, 24, has been staying at the
in L.A. for almost a week and has had frequent visits from ex-girlfriend Samantha Ronson, mom Dina, sister Ali and other pals, but even all the company hasn't been able to ease Lohan's anxiety.
"She is a nervous, fidgety mess, and her legal team, family and friends are very concerned about her fragile state," the source adds.
While the troubled actress seemed to be coming to terms with her situation last week, according to sources, friends now say the scary reality of spending time confined to a cell has set in.
"She's been picturing herself in jail and she can't handle the idea of it," says another pal, who just last week said Lohan was feeling better. "She doesn't want to go. She doesn't think it's safe. She doesn't know how she'll make it."
<bot>: A day before she's set to start serving jail time, Lohan is chain smoking and biting her nails, says a source
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: A judge heard arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit filed against a New Jersey school district by a family who claims the Pledge of Allegiance discriminates against children with atheist beliefs.
The Monmouth County family, identified in court papers as John and Jane Doe and their child, sued the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District in February, alleging the phrase "under God" in the pledge is discriminatory. State Superior Court Judge David Bauman heard arguments on the school district's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The case was filed by the American Humanist Association, which claims the recitation of the pledge violates Article 1 of the state's constitution.
“Public schools should not engage in an exercise that tells students that patriotism is tied to a belief in God,” said David Niose, attorney for the American Humanist Association’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center. “Such a daily exercise portrays atheist and humanist children as second-class citizens, and certainly contributes to anti-atheist prejudices.”
The school district doesn't require that students say the pledge. Bauman said there wasn't any evidence the student in question had been "bullied, ostracized or in any way mistreated." but he also noted during his questioning of district attorney David Rubin that district policy requires parents whose children don't say the pledge to furnish an explanation in writing.
Rubin said he wasn't aware of any cases in which parents had refused to supply an explanation and didn't know what the ramifications would be if they didn't. He accused the plaintiffs of filing a lawsuit claiming the pledge violates laws against the official establishment of religion "masquerading as an equal protection case."
Bauman didn't issue a ruling Wednesday on the district's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, but said he expected to issue one shortly. Bauman, a nominee by Gov. Chris Christie for the state Supreme Court whose nomination expired before being taken up by the Legislature, probed both sides with hypotheticals, including whether substituting the phrase "under God" with "created by great white men" would create grounds for discrimination suits by women and minorities.
School district officials have claimed they're simply following a state law requiring schools to have a daily recitation of the pledge. In a court filing, the district wrote that the plaintiffs can't claim a violation of equal protection laws because all students are treated equally by not having to recite the pledge.
The American Legion and Knights of Columbus have joined the lawsuit in support of the school district.
In a response to the atheists’ lawsuit, New Jersey high school student Samantha Jones is going to court to defend her right to recite the words “one nation under God” in the pledge. Jones and her family are represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.
“When I stand up, put my hand over my heart and say the Pledge of Allegiance, I am recognizing that my rights come from God, not from the government,” said Jones, a senior at Highland Regional High School, according to the Becket website. “If anyone wants to remain silent, that is their right. But it is not their right to silence me.”
The phrase "under God" was written into the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. In May, the highest court in Massachusetts ruled in a similar case that the words "under God" in the pledge reflect a patriotic practice, not a religious one.
“It's not the place of state governments to take a position on God-belief," said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. "The current Pledge practice marginalizes atheist and humanist kids as something less than ideal patriots, merely because they don't believe the nation is under God."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
<bot>: A judge will hear arguments in a lawsuit filed against a New Jersey school district by a family who claim the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance discriminates against children with atheist beliefs.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Royal Bank of Scotland said Monday that it will sell another round of its shares in Providence-based Citizens Financial Group, stepping up the British bank’s separation from its US subsidiary.
The sale of 115 million shares will eliminate RBS's majority stake in Citizens and reduce it shares to 49.3 percent, the bank said in a press release.
RBS estimated is upcoming public offering is valued at $3.3 billion.
RBS bought Citizens, the second-largest bank in Massachusetts, in 1988 as a stepping stone into the US market. It helped expand Citizens from a small Rhode Island bank into a regional player with branches in state throughout the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest.
But after the recent financial crisis, British taxpayers had to spend $70 billion to bail out RBS. The bank has yet to pay back the money, and British government officials have pressured RBS to sell Citizens and focus on the UK market.
In September 2014, RBS had an initial public offering of Citizens shares, selling $3.4 billion in common stock and at that point reducing its stake to 70 percent.
Citizens may be on better footing than its was before last year’s sale, when RBS had to cut the offering price to $21.50 a share after initially pegging the price at $23 to $25 a share.
Citizens stock closed Monday at $24.76 on the New York Stock Exchange, down 4 cents. The bank also received good news earlier this month, when it passed the Federal Reserve’s annual test to gauge how well financial institutions could weather a severe ecnomic crisis.
Last year, Fed regulators cited the bank for its shortcomings with internal controls and inability to estimate its revenues and losses in a crisis.
<bot>: Royal Bank of Scotland announced Monday that it will sell another round of its shares in Providence-based Citizens Financial Group, stepping up the British bank’s separation from its US subsidiary.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: CNN started airing a 30-second trailer previewing its coverage of the Republican National Convention over the weekend — and it's dramatic, to say the least.
SEE ALSO: Donald Trump defends his controversial tweet featuring the Star of David — they 'should have left it up'
"TRUMP ROCKS CLEVELAND," the ad declares, noting the cable-news network planned to bring viewers "unprecedented access" on the "4 huge nights."
RELATED: See Trump through the years:
Real estate developer Donald Trump annouces intentions to build a $100 million dollar Regency Hotel. (Photo by John Pedin/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - MARCH 02: Donald Trump with Alfred Eisenpreis, New York City Economic Development Administrator. Sketch of new 1,400 room Renovation project of Commodore Hotel. (Photo by NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - 1980: Donald Trump and Ivana Trump attend Roy Cohn's birthday party in February 1980 in New York City. (Photo by Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - MAY 26: Donald Trump stands behind architect's model of City Hall Plaza. (Photo by Frank Russo/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
Donna Mills and Donald Trump during 1983 Annual American Image Awards at Sheraton Center in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
Portrait of real estate mogul Donald John Trump (b.1946), smiling slightly and facing to his right, 1983. New York. (Photo by Bachrach/Getty Images)
New York real estate magnates Steve Ross, right, and Donald Trump, left, announce agreement, Thursday, August 1, 1985 in New York, to merge the Houston Gamblers and the New Jersey Generals United States Football League teams. Ross heads a group of investors that last week agreed to buy the troubled Houston franchise. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)
Real estate magnate Donald Trump poses in front of one of three Sikorsky helicopters at New York Port Authority's West 30 Street Heliport on March 22, 1988. (AP Photo/Wilbur Funches)
Ivana Trump and Donald Trump during Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinks Fight at Trump Plaza - June 27, 1988 at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
Donald Trump and his wife, Ivana, pose outside the Federal Courthouse after she was sworn in as a United States citizen, May 1988. (AP Photo)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 4: Billionaire Donald Trump and his wife Ivana arrive 04 December 1989 at a social engagement in New York. (Photo credit should read SWERZEY/AFP/Getty Images)
Shown in photo is Donald Trump, Nov. 20, 1990. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Billionaire developer Donald Trump, right, waits with his brother Robert for the start of a Casino Control Commission meeting in Atlantic City, N.J., March 29, 1990. Trump was seeking final approval for the Taj Mahal Casino Resort, one of the world's largest casino complexes. (AP Photo)
Developer Donald Trump, center, is flanked by super middleweight champion Thomas Hearns, left, of Detroit, and Michael Olajide of Canada at a news conference in New York Thursday, Feb. 15, 1990. The three announced the super middleweight title bout at Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort at Atlantic city, N. J on April 28.(AP Photo/Timothy Clary)
Real estate magnate Donald Trump and his girlfriend Marla Maples are seen at the Holyfield-Foreman fight at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, N.J., April 19, 1991. (AP Photo)
Donald Trump and Daughter Ivanka Trump during Maybelline Presents 1991 Look of the Year at Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 7: Donald Trump touches 07 April 1993 Marla Maples stomach to confirm published reports that the actress is pregnant with his child. The two arrived for Maples appearance in the Broadway musical 'The Will Rogers Follies'. (Photo credit should read HAI DO/AFP/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 21: US business tycoon Donald Trump(C) enters the PLaza Hotel in New York past supporters 21 December 1994. Hundreds of supporters showed up at a news conference where Trump denied a New York newspaper report that the Sultan of Brunei had bid 300 million USD to buy the Manhattan hotel. (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images)
FILE--This is a 1994 file photo of Donald Trump. Trump said Wednesday, Oct. 23, 1996 he has bought the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen beauty pageants from ITT. ``It's a done deal,'' Trump said in a telephone interview. ``It's a very, very great entertainment format. It gets very high ratings, it's doing very well and we'll make it even better.'' Trump declined to say how much he paid. Asked if a New York Post source was correct in saying the deal was worth tens of millions of dollars, Trump replied, ``Why not? (AP Photo/Jim Cooper)
FLUSHING MEADOWS, UNITED STATES: Donald Trump and his girlfriend Celina Midelfar watch Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer 07 September at US Open in Flushing Meadows, NY. AFP PHOTO Timothy CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)
Donald Trump and Christine Whitman during Opening of New Warner Bros. Store in Trump Plaza Casino at Trump Plaza Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)
In this June 7, 1995 file photograph, Donald Trump is seen above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange after taking his flagship Trump Plaza Casino public in New York City. Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc., based in Atlantic City, New Jersey, filed for Chapter 11 protection on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Jersey. Trump and his daughter Ivanka resigned from the company's board Friday, Feb. 13, 2009, after growing frustrated with bondholders. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens,File)
Celine Dion, husband Rene, Donald Trump & Ivanka Trump (Photo by KMazur/WireImage)
Entrepreneur Donald Trump watches an undercard fight as an unidentified companion whispers into his ear before the start of the Mike Tyson versus Francois Botha bout at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, Saturday, Jan. 16, 1999. (AP Photo/Eric Draper)
Developer Donald Trump holds an umbrella as he walks Saturday, Nov. 9, 2002, to the 11th green of the Ocean Trail Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. Trump plans to turn the beleagured golf club into a world class course. Trump intends to close on the golf club by December and hopes to begin improvements by January. He could reopen the course, 20 miles south of Los Angeles, as early as June. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Entrepreneur Donald Trump (L) and Rev. Al Sharpton speak at a ribbon cutting ceremony for Sharpton's National Action Network Convention April 5, 2002 in New York City. The group aims to further the development of civil rights. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Donald Trump and his girlfriend Melania Knauss attend the Marc Bouwer/Peta Fall/Winter 2002 Collection show February 14, 2002 during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City. (Photo by George De Sota/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - DECEMBER 06: WBC Kampf im Schwergewicht 2003, New York/Madison Square Garden; Vitali KLITSCHKO/UKR - Kirk JOHNSON/CAN; Donald TRUMP als Zuschauer (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 10: Donald Trump stands on the sidelines before the start of the AFC divisional playoffs between the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans on January 10, 2004 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Temperatures have reached as low as 7 degrees in the Foxboro area. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
US tycoon Donald Trump arrives to speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland, outside Washington, on February 27, 2015. AFP PHOTO/NICHOLAS KAMM (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 10: Donald Trump speaks during the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum at the 2015 NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits on April 10, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. The annual NRA meeting and exhibit runs through Sunday. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 24: Real estate mogul and billionaire Donald Trump attends Golf legend Jack Nicklaus' Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda March 24, 2015 in Washington, DC. Trump announed on March 18 that he has launched a presidential exploratory committee. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
DES MOINES, IA - MAY 16: Businessman Donald Trump speaks to guests gathered for the Republican Party of Iowa's Lincoln Dinner at the Iowa Events Center on May 16, 2015 in Des Moines, Iowa. The event sponsored by the Republican Party of Iowa gave several Republican presidential hopefuls an opportunity to strengthen their support among Iowa Republicans ahead of the 2016 Iowa caucus. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Developer Donald Trump displays a copy of his net worth during his announcement that he will seek the Republican nomination for president, Tuesday, June 16, 2015, in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump gives a thumbs up before boarding his campaign plane to depart from Laredo, Texas, Thursday, July 23, 2015. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
AYR, SCOTLAND - JULY 30: Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump visits his Scottish golf course Turnberry with his children Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump on July 30, 2015 in Ayr, Scotland. Donald Trump answered questions from the media at a press conference. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Amid a quickening drum beat, the spot then features snippets from the speeches of bombastic presumptive nominee Donald Trump.
More from Business Insider: The Philando Castile shooting just threw into question a central belief people have about the US policing system FBI recommends no charges for Hillary Clinton over use of email servers Clinton campaign responds to FBI recommendation not to indict: 'We're glad this matter is resolved'
<bot>: CNN started airing a 30-second trailer previewing its coverage of the Republican National Convention over the weekend.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Michael Deaver will be remembered as Ronald Reagan's magic man, the impresario who orchestrated presidential performances, ordered up the backdrops (usually blue) and carefully staged historical remembrances such as the splendid observance of the D-Day anniversary on the beaches of Normandy in 1984. All of that is well and good, but Deaver's importance transcended stagecraft.
Deaver was one of a handful of aides who joined Reagan early in his California governorship and stayed with him through most of his presidency. His adoration, though, was not automatic: Deaver spoke truth to power at crucial moments.
Late in 1986, for example, after disclosures that Reagan had secretly approved arms sales to Iran and that national security aides had diverted some of the proceeds to the Nicaraguan contras, Reagan fired the mastermind of this diversion and the national security adviser who had known of it. He accepted the resignation of CIA Director William Casey. But Reagan refused to fire his chief of staff, Donald T. Regan, whom a board of inquiry would later say bore "primary responsibility for the chaos that descended upon the White House" after the Iran-contra disclosures.
Deaver confronted the president, urging him to rid himself of Regan. They had the following exchange:
Reagan: "I'll be goddamned if I'll throw somebody else out to save my own ass."
Deaver: "It's not your ass I'm talking about. You stood up on the steps of the Capitol and took an oath to defend the Constitution and this office. You've got to think of the country first."
Reagan: "I've always thought of the country." He then threw his pen so hard it bounced off the carpet.
Political strategist Stuart K. Spencer, the only other person present, confirmed this exchange. Spencer said nothing during the meeting, knowing that Reagan didn't change his mind when he was angry. He expected that Nancy Reagan and Deaver would wear him down over time, as they did.
Deaver was running Republican campaigns in central California when William Clark, Cabinet secretary to then-Gov. Reagan, brought him to Sacramento in 1967. He was assigned "the Mommy Watch," which meant looking after Mrs. Reagan. Many staff members were afraid of her, but Deaver realized at once that she was a tremendous political asset who needed help implementing her ideas. They became allies and then friends. Reagan appreciated what Deaver had done and over time formed a bond with him that bordered on the filial.
Reagan was normally sanguine about changes in his supporting cast as he climbed the political ladder. Deaver was an exception. In 1980, Deaver became involved in a power struggle with strategist John Sears, who had gradually forced most of the Californians out of Reagan's presidential campaign. Tired of the infighting, Deaver resigned during a meeting at the Reagan home in Pacific Palisades. Reagan followed him to the front door, urging him to stay, then returned in a fury to the living room.
"The biggest man here just left this room," Reagan said. "He was willing to accommodate and compromise, and you bastards wouldn't." That marked the beginning of the end for Sears. Within a few months he was gone, the Californians were back and Deaver would be at Reagan's side until May 1985.
That meeting was also a wake-up call for Deaver. He had been accessible to reporters in Sacramento but became a bit lordly during Reagan's presidential campaigns. After I wrote a pre-convention story in The Post in 1976 saying that Reagan didn't have enough delegates to wrest the Republican nomination from President Gerald Ford, neither Sears nor Deaver would return my calls. Deaver called shortly after he walked out of the Reagans' living room, and I asked if we were on speaking terms again. "I'm on the outs now, just like you were," he said honestly.
We had a close but prickly relationship during much of the Reagan presidency. Deaver was an excellent source, but what I wrote for The Post often contradicted his gauzy portrayals of an all-wise and resourceful president. Deaver took this in stride -- "my job is to make a good president look even better," he once told me -- and much of his spinning was at the margins, often translating earthy Reagan phrases into drawing room prose. On essential questions, Iran-contra for example, he told the truth -- to the president as well as to the media.
Deaver also had an ironic sense about the company a president keeps. After a fundraiser at the home of a Las Vegas entertainer that was attended by various unsavory sorts, many of whom clamored to have their pictures taken with the president, Deaver told me quietly, "We ought to round up all those pictures and turn them over to the FBI."
The strains of White House service took a toll that was exacerbated by Deaver's private battle with alcoholism. Against Mrs. Reagan's advice, Deaver left the White House and immediately proved successful in public relations. In 1986, he posed for a Time magazine cover (again despite Mrs. Reagan's advice) that made him a poster child for a story on influence peddling. A special counsel indicted Deaver, and he was convicted of perjury after putting up a minimal legal defense and saying that his memory was clouded -- as it doubtless was -- by alcoholism. Stripped of his assets, Deaver performed community service and entered an alcoholic rehabilitation program before returning to public relations.
Deaver's wisdom -- and his decency -- were demonstrated in his refusal to accept a pardon from President Reagan for his transgressions. He thought a pardon might tarnish Reagan's image. That was something Deaver always protected, even at the cost of his own.
Lou Cannon, who covered the White House for The Post during the Nixon, Ford and Reagan presidencies, is the author of five books on Ronald Reagan and co-author of the forthcoming "Reagan's Disciple: What George W. Bush Did to the Reagan Revolution."
<bot>: Michael Deaver will be remembered as Ronald Reagan's magic man, the impresario who orchestrated presidential performances, ordered up the backdrops (usually blue) and carefully staged historical remembrances such as the splendid observance of the D-Day anniversary on the beaches of Normandy in 19...
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The fraternity Pi Kappa Phi released a video Thursday pledging support to the White House’s “It’s On Us” campaign to stop sexual assault.
In the video, different men relay definitions of what does, and does not, constitute consent. Some examples of consent they give are setting boundaries, open communication and “asking and hearing a yes.” Consent is not given, they say, if the partner is passed out, drunk, coerced or silent.
Pi Kappa Phi has been in national headlines recently when its North Carolina State University chapter was suspended for a book filled with racist and sexist comments written by the fraternity brothers.
“It’s On Us” was launched by the White House in September 2014. The first video for the campaign contained celebrity appearances by Jon Hamm and Kerry Washington; President Obama then made his own clip that was broadcast during the Grammy Awards in February.
<bot>: Watch the video
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Where can I watch the Tonys?
The 69th Tony Awards air Sunday, June 7 at 8 p.m. on CBS.
What time will the Tonys be over?
The show is scheduled to end at 11 p.m., and unlike other award shows, this one is usually quite prompt.
Who is hosting the show?
Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming, who are both Broadway stars and Tony Award winners. Plus, Cumming also happens to star on CBS’s “The Good Wife,” so win-win for the network.
Where can I watch the red carpet?
There’s no televised pre-show this year. Instead, you can tune in online to the red carpet live-stream from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Hosted by Darren Criss and Laura Osnes, it will be simulcast on TonyAwards.com; CBS.com; TimeOut.com; and Playbill.com.
Who is going to win?
Allow our theater critic to guide you through who should win! (See the list of nominees below.) “An American in Paris” and “Fun Home” lead the field with 12 nominations each, while “Something Rotten” and “The King and I” are close behind with 10 and 9 nods, respectively. Also — never count out an A-list Hollywood star nominated for a Tony.
[From Bradley Cooper to Helen Mirren, did the Tony Awards nominate more celebrities than ever?]
Who will perform at the show?
An important question, as this is arguably the highlight of the awards ceremony. Here are the shows that landed performance slots:
Plus, Josh Groban will sing a tune surrounded by 175 performers on stage, a Tonys record.
And here are the major nominations; find a complete list here.
Best Musical “An American in Paris” “Fun Home” “Something Rotten!” “The Visit”
Best Revival of a Musical “The King and I” “On the Town” “On the Twentieth Century”
Best Play “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” “Disgraced” “Hand to God” “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two”
Best Revival of a Play “The Elephant Man” “Skylight” “This Is Our Youth” “You Can’t Take It With You”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical Michael Cerveris, “Fun Home” Robert Fairchild, “An American in Paris” Brian d’Arcy James, “Something Rotten!” Ken Watanabe, “The King and I” Tony Yazbeck, “On the Town”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical Kristin Chenoweth, “On the Twentieth Century” Leanne Cope, “An American in Paris” Beth Malone, “Fun Home” Kelli O’Hara, “The King and I” Chita Rivera, “The Visit”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play Steven Boyer, “Hand to God” Bradley Cooper, “The Elephant Man” Ben Miles, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two” Bill Nighy, “Skylight” Alex Sharp, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play Geneva Carr, “Hand to God” Helen Mirren, “The Audience” Elisabeth Moss, “The Heidi Chronicles” Carey Mulligan, “Skylight” Ruth Wilson, “Constellations”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical Christian Borle, “Something Rotten!” Andy Karl, “On the Twentieth Century” Brad Oscar, “Something Rotten!” Brandon Uranowitz, “An American in Paris” Max von Essen, “An American in Paris”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical Victoria Clark, “Gigi” Judy Kuhn, “Fun Home” Sydney Lucas, “Fun Home” Ruthie Ann Miles, “The King and I” Emily Skeggs, “Fun Home”
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play Matthew Beard, “Skylight” K. Todd Freeman, “Airline Highway” Richard McCabe, “The Audience” Alessandro Nivola, “The Elephant Man” Nathaniel Parker, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two” Micah Stock, “It’s Only a Play”
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play Annaleigh Ashford, “You Can’t Take It With You” Patricia Clarkson, “The Elephant Man” Lydia Leonard, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two” Sarah Stiles, “Hand to God” Julie White, “Airline Highway”
Best Book of a Musical “An American in Paris,” Craig Lucas “Fun Home,” Lisa Kron “Something Rotten!,” Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell “The Visit,” Terrence McNally
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre “Fun Home,” Music: Jeanine Tesori, Lyrics: Lisa Kron “The Last Ship,” Music & Lyrics: Sting “Something Rotten!,” Music & Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick “The Visit,” Music: John Kander, Lyrics: Fred Ebb
Best Direction of a Play Stephen Daldry, “Skylight” Marianne Elliott, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” Scott Ellis, “You Can’t Take It With You” Jeremy Herrin, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two” Moritz von Stuelpnagel, “Hand to God”
Best Direction of a Musical Sam Gold, “Fun Home” Casey Nicholaw, “Something Rotten!” John Rando, “On the Town” Bartlett Sher, “The King and I” Christopher Wheeldon, “An American in Paris”
Best Scenic Design of a Play Bunny Christie and Finn Ross, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” Bob Crowley, “Skylight” Christopher Oram, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two” David Rockwell, “You Can’t Take It With You”
Best Scenic Design of a Musical Bob Crowley and 59 Productions, “An American in Paris” David Rockwell, “On the Twentieth Century” Michael Yeargan, “The King and I” David Zinn, “Fun Home”
Best Costume Design of a Play Bob Crowley, “The Audience” Jane Greenwood, “You Can’t Take It With You” Christopher Oram, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two” David Zinn, “Airline Highway”
Best Costume Design of a Musical Gregg Barnes, “Something Rotten!” Bob Crowley, “An American in Paris” William Ivey Long, “On the Twentieth Century” Catherine Zuber, “The King and I”
Best Lighting Design of a Play Paule Constable, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” Paule Constable and David Plater, “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two” Natasha Katz, “Skylight” Japhy Weideman, “Airline Highway”
Best Lighting Design of a Musical Donald Holder, “The King and I” Natasha Katz, “An American in Paris” Ben Stanton, “Fun Home” Japhy Weideman, “The Visit”
Best Choreography Joshua Bergasse, “On the Town” Christopher Gattelli, “The King and I” Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett for Frantic Assembly, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” Casey Nicholaw, “Something Rotten!” Christopher Wheeldon, “An American in Paris”
Best Orchestrations Christopher Austin, Don Sebesky, Bill Elliott, “An American in Paris” John Clancy, “Fun Home” Larry Hochman, “Something Rotten!” Rob Mathes, “The Last Ship”
‘An American in Paris’ and ‘Fun Home’ top the Tony Awards nominations
The Tony Awards brouhaha is best taken with a shovelful of salt
A Tony Awards wish list
<bot>: Everything you need to know about Broadway's biggest night.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The next federal election could be a game of musical chairs where one MP is guaranteed to lose.
Redistributions of seats are expected in South Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria before the next House of Representatives election due in 2019.
Research by the federal parliamentary library suggests the number of seats will drop by one to 149, with South Australia losing an electorate because of low relative population growth.
A return to 10 seats in SA will take the state back to where it was in 1954. It had 13 seats in 1984, 1987 and 1990.
Redistributions are required by law to maintain seats of roughly equal enrolment size within a state or territory.
"During the expected life of the 45th parliament there could be a redistribution of South Australia brought about by the representation entitlement trigger which determines the number of members of the House of Representatives a state or territory is entitled to in relation to its population," the research paper said.
"If this happens then South Australia will lose an electoral division."
No changes were expected in other states and territories.
The size of the House of Representatives was increased from 125 to 148 in 1984.
It reduced to 147 at the 1993 election, returned to 148 at the 1996 election, and has been 150 since the 2001 election.
<bot>: New research points to a possible axing of one seat from the House of Representatives at the next election.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: THE violence tearing apart Jamaica, a democratic state, raises serious questions not only about its government’s capacity to provide basic security but, more broadly and disturbingly, the link between violence and democracy itself.
The specific causes of the turmoil are well known. For decades political leaders have used armed local gangs to mobilize voters in their constituencies; the gangs are rewarded with the spoils of power, in particular housing and employment contracts they can dole out. Opposition leaders counter with their own gangs, resulting in chronic violence during election seasons.
These gangs eventually moved into international drug trafficking, with their leaders, called “dons,” becoming ever more powerful. The tables turned quite some time ago, with the politicians becoming dependent on the dons for their survival.
A case in point is the reliance of Prime Minister Bruce Golding on one notorious don, Christopher Coke, whose refusal to surrender for extradition to the United States to stand trial on gun and drug charges led last week to virtual warfare on the streets of the capital, Kingston, and the deaths of scores of civilians.
Endemic political corruption is hardly Jamaica’s only problem. Add to it paltry rates of economic growth, widespread poverty and income inequality, vast urban slums and a police force considered brutal and despised by the poor, and it is little surprise that the island nation’s homicide rate is always among the handful of the world’s highest.
Yet Jamaica, to its credit, has by global standards achieved a robust democracy. However great the violence during elections, voting is fair and governments change at the national level regularly and fairly smoothly. The judiciary, if overburdened, is nonetheless independent and relatively uncorrupt. There is a vigorous free press, and a lively civil society. Freedom House has continuously categorized the island as a “free” country.
For most observers of democracy, Jamaica’s violence seems an anomaly. Democracy is held to be inherently prone to good order and peace. According to this “democratic peace” doctrine, democracies do not go to war with each other, and in domestic life they provide nonviolent means of settling differences. Violence, writes the political theorist John Keane, is anathema to democracy’s “spirit and substance.”
It may or may not be true that democracies do not wage war with each other, but a growing number of analysts have concluded that, domestically, democracies are in fact more prone to violence than authoritarian states, measured by incidence of civil wars, communal conflict and homicide.
There are many obvious examples of this: India has far more street crime than China; the countries of the former Soviet Union are more violent now than they were under Communism; the streets of South Africa became more dangerous after apartheid was dismantled; Brazil was safer before 1985 under its military rule.
Three good explanations are offered for this connection between democracy and violent crime. First, it has been persuasively shown by social scientists like David Rapoport of the University of California at Los Angeles and Leonard Weinberg of the University of Nevada at Reno that the electoral process itself tends, on balance, to promote violence more than peace.
Sometimes the ballot can substitute for the bullets of civil wars, as in Nicaragua in 1990 when the Sandinista government was voted out peacefully. However, the opposite is more often the case, as in Greece in 1967, when electoral uncertainty led to a military coup, and Algeria in 1992, when elections were canceled in the face of a certain victory by a fundamentalist Islamic party, leading to civil war.
Another well-supported argument is that democracies are especially vulnerable to ethnic conflict and organized crime. In diverse democracies, the temptation of leaders to exploit ethnic identity for political ends is an all too frequent source of major conflict, sometimes culminating in oppression of minorities and even genocide. We saw this happen in Rwanda in 1994 and the former Yugoslav states in the 1990s. Dennis Austin, who has studied political strife in India and Sri Lanka, has concluded that in such societies “democracy is itself a spur to violence” adding “depth to the sense of division.”
Orlando Patterson is a professor of sociology at Harvard.
<bot>: A hunt for a drug lord shows the link between liberty and violence.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Most Americans who were raised Catholic but have since left the church could not envision themselves returning to it, according to a new Pew Research Center survey examining American Catholics and family life. The survey’s findings were released Wednesday, weeks before Pope Francis makes his first visit to the United States, and as Catholic leadership contends with dramatic demographic shifts.
Seventy-seven percent of those who were raised Catholic but no longer identify with the religion said they could not envision themselves eventually returning to the church, according to the Pew survey. The survey also examined U.S. Catholics’ views on issues such as divorce, same-sex marriage and sinful behavior, finding an openness for non-traditional family structures.
Although Catholics have long made up about a quarter of the U.S. population, recent data has shown that percentage dropping. In 2007, 23.9 percent of Americans identified as Catholic. In 2014, 20.8 percent of Americans said the same, according to previous survey results from Pew.
But the new survey illustrates something else about Catholic life in the United States: Although the percentage of Americans who may identify their religion as Catholicism is dropping, a much larger group of Americans identify as Catholic in some way.
In all, 45 percent of Americans say they are Catholic or are connected to Catholicism. That larger percentage includes “Cultural Catholics” (making up 9 percent of those surveyed) who are not practicing Catholics but who identify with the religion in some way; and “ex-Catholics” (also 9 percent), who were formerly Catholic but no longer identify with Catholicism at all. An additional 8 percent said they had some other connection to Catholicism by, for instance, having a Catholic partner or spouse. For the purposes of the survey, Pew kept each category mutually exclusive.
According to the survey, about half of those who were raised Catholic end up leaving, while about 11 percent of those who left have since returned.
The breakdown provides an interesting look at the cultural reach of Catholicism, beyond those who would call themselves members of the religion. For instance, the survey also found that 8 in 10 American Latinos have some direct connection to Catholicism whether as a current practicing Catholic, as an ex-Catholic or otherwise.
The study also sheds some light on how Catholic American attitudes on family, sex and marriage compare with church teaching. When asked whether they believed that the church should change its position on a variety of issues, a very large percentage of religiously identified Catholics — 76 percent — expressed a desire to see the church allow the use of birth control. Sixty-two percent said they felt that the church should allow priests to marry, and about the same percentage said they thought that the church should allow divorced and cohabitating couples to receive Communion.
Fifty-nine percent of Catholics surveyed said women should be allowed to become priests. Meanwhile, just 46 percent of Catholics said the church should recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples.
Among Catholics who attend Mass weekly, support for these changes was lower overall. But Pew notes that even among this particular group, two-thirds of Mass-going Catholics said the church should relax its prohibition on contraceptives.
Overall, cultural Catholics were more supportive of the changes named by the survey while ex-Catholics were more supportive of allowing priests to marry and women to become priests.
Although an overwhelming majority of Catholics (9 in 10) said they believe in the concept of sin, they don’t seem to agree on what, precisely, constitutes one. Fifty-seven percent of Catholics think it’s a sin to have an abortion, compared with 48 percent of the general U.S. population who say the same. Forty-four percent think homosexual behavior is sinful (about the same say this among the general public). And just 17 percent of Catholics believe it is a sin to use contraceptives while 21 percent say the same of getting a divorce.
And although those percentages are higher among those who attend Mass weekly — 73 percent of weekly churchgoers say that abortion is a sin, for instance — the numbers are still pretty low on the issue of contraception: Just 31 percent of weekly Mass attendees say the use of artificial contraception is a sin.
Despite those disagreements between U.S. Catholics and church teaching, the poll does not indicate that a change in that teaching would lead more Catholics to “revert” to their faith than do already.
Pope Francis says he will give all priests discretion to formally forgive women who have had abortions and seek absolution during the Catholic Church's special "year of mercy." (Reuters)
Cultural and ex-Catholics gave a variety of answers when asked why they decided to leave Catholicism, and no consensus emerges from those reasons that could point to any one factor driving away those who were raised in that faith. A 2008 Pew study asked a similar question and found that fewer than 1 in 4 Catholics said that the rule banning priests from marrying was an important reason for leaving Catholicism. About 3 in 10 said that the church’s teachings on abortion and remarriage were important.
Far more common, in that 2008 survey, were those who said they simply stopped believing the church’s overall teachings, gradually drifted away from Catholicism or said their spiritual needs weren’t being met.
The latest survey finds clearer answers for why “cultural Catholics” identify with the religion in some nonreligious way – 59 percent of those who were raised Catholic or have a Catholic parent cite this familial connection as the reason they are tied to the church. Cultural Catholics without a parental connection cite a variety of reasons, including having a Catholic spouse (15 percent), a general affiliation with Christian beliefs or practices (9 percent) or the idea that their religion is rooted in Catholicism (15 percent).
The 2015 Pew survey was conducted between May 5 and June 7 among a national sample of 5,122 adults, including 1,016 Catholics, reached on conventional cellular phones. The margin of sampling error for results among Catholics is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points; the error margin is 5.5 points among the sample of 425 “Cultural Catholics” and among the sample of 413 “Ex-Catholics.”
Scott Clement contributed to this report.
Stay up to date on the upcoming papal visit. Sign up here to follow Washington Post stories about Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S. and we’ll e-mail you as they are published.
Want more stories about faith? Follow Acts of Faith on Twitter or sign up for our newsletter.
Facebook wouldn’t let a Catholic priest use the title ‘father.’ Now he’s fighting back.
Pope Francis will use a Jeep Wrangler as his American Popemobile, Vatican says
Donald Trump says he would scare Pope Francis over capitalism views: ‘ISIS wants to get you’
Abby Ohlheiser is a general assignment reporter for The Washington Post.
<bot>: Although an overwhelming majority of Catholics believe in the concept of sin, they don't seem to agree on what, precisely, constitutes one.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: If you can't wait to get your hands on an HTC Vive virtual reality headset, you can start to get your wallet ready. HTC CEO Cher Wang has announced that pre-orders will begin on Feb. 29 and that its Oculus Rift competitor will start shipping in April.
The official pre-order date was confirmed in an interview with the Telegraph. Wang didn't mention how much the Vive will cost, which is the elephant in the room following competitor Oculus' announcement that it's VR headset, Oculus Rift will cost $599 (plus the cost of owning a computer that can handle VR).
Some were blindsided by the cost of the Rift, but the Vive could be priced highter because HTC will be bundling its controllers along with a laser-guided system for mapping out your play space. At CES, we tried the Vive's new front-facing camera, which will help prevent crashing into people or objects in front of you.
MORE: HTC's Vive VR Headset Spoiled Real Life For Me The Vive was developed by HTC in a partnership with Valve, best known for Steam, the PC gaming platform and store. The Vive will allow for room-scaling, which will let you walk around a room while using the headset and be warned before you crash into walls. The HTC Vive is also going to be packed with Touch controllers so that you can use your hands while experiencing VR. Oculus has similar controllers that will not launch with the Rift - they were delayed to the second half of 2016. This gives the Vive a step-up in features, but we may see it built into the price.
HTC's Vive and the Oculus Rift will come out on each others' heels, and we can't wait to review them both to let you know which VR system is the best one to buy.
via Ars Technica, The Telegraph
<bot>: If you can't wait to get your hands on an HTC Vive virtual reality headset, you can start to get your wallet ready.
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Joe Raedle / Getty Images file
Mike Acevedo puts a weapon on display at the National Armory gun store on April 11, 2013 in Pompano Beach, Florida. The Institute of Medicine laid out a path Wednesday for research on firearms violence.
By Maggie Fox, Senior Writer, NBC News
Experts laid out a broad plan for firearms research on Wednesday, saying data is needed on who owns guns, where they keep them, how likely a gun is to be used to hurt someone else, whether having a gun keeps you safer, and whether there are ways to make guns any safer.
“There is no question that this is a public health issue,” says Dr. Alan Leshner, who chaired the Institute of Medicine panel that issued the report. “We have no political agenda.”
The report says the statistics that can be found speak clearly to the need.
“Although violent crime rates have declined in recent years, the U.S. rate of firearm-related deaths is the highest among industrialized countries. In 2010, incidents in the U.S. involving firearms injured or killed more than 105,000 Americans,” the panel of experts writes in its report. These include more than 70,000 injuries and 30,000 deaths.
After several highly publicized and traumatic mass shootings, including in Aurora, Colorado in July and Newtown, Connecticut in December of last year, President Barack Obama issued 23 executive orders directing federal agencies to find out more about gun violence. Such research had been stifled since Congress started cutting the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s injury prevention budget in the 1990s, specifically in response to firearms research.
The panel met in April and heard from some of the top firearms safety researchers in the country, as well as from representatives of the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun-ownership groups. “I will say that every person who testified was in favor or collecting more fact-based information,” says Leshner, who is CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
“We don’t want to be wasting money on ineffective programs,” Leshner said in a telephone interview. “Therefore they need to be studied.”
The main areas that need study include:
“This has nothing to do with whether people should or shouldn’t have guns. This is about finding scientific evidence that can be used by policy makers,” Leshner said.
“Basic information about gun possession, acquisition, and storage is lacking. No single database captures the total number, locations, and types of firearms and firearm owners in the United States,” the report notes.
Anonymous data is fine, and it might reassure gun owners if they know their names, addresses and other personal information would not be collected, the panel said. Guns-rights groups have lobbied against firearms research in large part because they fear that it will be used to justify taking guns away from legal owners.
The panel says other arguments from gun owners need to be taken into account – including claims that people who own guns are safer. “Almost all national survey estimates indicate that defensive gun uses by victims are at least as common as offensive uses by criminals, with estimates of annual uses ranging from about 500,000 to more than 3 million per year,” the report reads.
What needs to be sorted out is whether this is actually true, and whether accidental deaths, murders by gun owners, and suicides outweigh any lives saved by gun owners protecting themselves, the committee said.
Daniel Gross, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, urged researchers to find out if there are good, targeted ways to reduce trafficking in illegal guns. “About 1 percent of irresponsible dealers are reponsible for 60 percent of guns used in crimes,” he told the panel’s workship in April. “Universal background checks and effective anti-trafficking bills have the potential to save thousands of lives per year.”
John Frazer of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action said he thought research would support widespread gun ownership. “It is well past time to update our research on defensive gun uses,” he told the April workshop. “What I would like to see is research on the benefits of lawful gun ownership.”
The NRA did not answer requests for interviews for this story.
Any funding for the research has to come from Congress. Obama asked lawmakers to allocate $10 million for studies by the CDC and other agencies, and $20 million to expand the National Violent Death Reporting System to all 50 states. Former Arkansas Rep. Jay Dickey, who sponsored the 1996 legislation cutting CDC's firearms research budget, has since said he regrets having done so.
<bot>: Experts laid out a broad plan for firearms research on Wednesday, saying data is needed on who owns guns, where they keep them, how likely a gun is to be used to hurt someone else, whether having a gun keeps you safer, and whether there are ways to make guns any safer. “Th …
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https://web.archive.org/web/2013060619id_/http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/05/18776500-experts-lay-out-plan-for-comprehensive-gun-research |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 19: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim reacts to being hit in the head by a pitch from Tony Barnette #43 of the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 19, 2016 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 20: Daniel Murphy #20 of the Washington Nationals runs to second base after hitting a double in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park on July 20, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/Getty Images)
TBILISI, GEORGIA - JULY 16: Jasmin Halil of Serbia competes in the Boys High Jump final during European Athletics Youth Championships on July 16, 2016 in Tbilisi, Georgia. (Photo by Joosep Martinson/Getty Images for European Athletics)
COURCHEVEL, FRANCE - JULY 16: (FRANCE OUT) Maciej Kot of Poland takes the 1st place during the Finals of the FIS Grand Prix Ski Jumping 2016 on July 16, 2016 in Courchevel, France. (Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
WESTWOOD, CA - JULY 14: Honoree Kobe Bryant accepts the Legend Award and gets slimed onstage during the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards 2016 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion on July 14, 2016 in Westwood, California. The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports Awards 2016 show airs on July 17, 2016 at 8pm on Nickelodeon. (Photo by Dave Mangels/Getty Images)
MONTELIMAR, FRANCE - JULY 16: The peloton pass through tree lined roads durng the 208.5 km stage fourteen of Le Tour de France from Montelimar to Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux on July 16, 2016 in Montelimar, France. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
New York Mets relief pitcher Jeurys Familia celebrates the Mets' 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs after a baseball game Tuesday, July 19, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
San Diego Padres' Adam Rosales, left, is tagged out at home by St. Louis Cardinals catcher Alberto Rosario during the fifth inning in the second game of a baseball doubleheader Wednesday, July 20, 2016, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Britain's Chris Froome, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey crosses the finish line to win the eighteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time trial over 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) with start in Sallanches and finish in Megeve, France, Thursday, July 21, 2016. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Oakland Athletics' Josh Reddick, right, places sunflower seeds inside the hood of Tyler Ladendorf during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Monday, July 18, 2016, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Jose Angulo of Ecuador's Independiente del Valle, right, fights for the ball with Frank Fabra of Argentina's Boca Juniors during the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, July 14, 2016. Independiente del Valle defeated Boca Juniors and advances to the final. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 21: Matt Holliday #7 of the St. Louis Cardinals leaves the game after being hit in the nose by a pitch against San Diego Padres in the sixth inning at Busch Stadium on July 21, 2016 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
San Diego Padres' Travis Jankowski, right, is tagged out at third by St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Jedd Gyorko during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 21, 2016, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
German driver Nico Rosberg steers his Mercedes as teddy bear is placed on a chair during the second practice session for Sunday's Formula One Hungary Grand Prix, at the Hungaroring racetrack, in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, July 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
DETROIT, MI - JULY 17: Paulo Orlando #16 of the Kansas City Royals avoids the tag from catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia #39 of the Detroit Tigers to score from first base on a double by Cheslor Cuthbert of the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at Comerica Park on July 17, 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
BELGRADE, SERBIA - JULY 17: Kyle Edmund of Great Britain celebrates victory against Dusan Lajovic of Serbia after day three of the Davis Cup Quarter Final match between Serbia and Great Britain on Stadium Tasmajdan on July 17, 2016 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 17: Jack Viney of the Demons challenges Nick Riewoldt of the Saints during the round 17 AFL match between the St Kilda Saints and the Melbourne Demons at Etihad Stadium on July 17, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JULY 16: Michael Phelps trains during the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Training Camp Media Day on July 16, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 16: Sam Thaiday of the Broncos is tackled during the round 19 NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Brisbane Broncos at ANZ Stadium on July 16, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 20: Adam Burgess of Great Britain competes at Lee Valley White Water Centre on July 20, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 18: Jarrod Dyson #1 and Christian Colon #24 of the Kansas City Royals are doused with water by catcher Salvador Perez #13 after the Royals defeated the Cleveland Indians 7-3 to win the game at Kauffman Stadium on July 18, 2016 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
BELGRADE, SERBIA - JULY 15: Kyle Edmund of Great Britain serves the ball to the Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia during the Davis Cup Quarter Final match between Serbia and Great Britain on Stadium Tasmajdan on July 15, 2016 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 15: Martin Kaymer of Germany plays his third shot from a bunker on the 4th hole during the second round on day two of the 145th Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 15, 2016 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 21: U.S. President Barack Obama (C) holds a jersey given to him by the MLB 2015 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals during an event to honor them for their winning season last year at the White House July 21, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
It's been another busy week in the world of sports -- the Tour de France has reached its later stages, baseball season is back in full swing after the All-Star break and Olympic training is ongoing as the Games creep ever closer.
Take a look at the slideshow above to see all the best shots from this week's biggest sporting events, and be sure to check back next weekend for our selection of the best sports photography from the coming days.
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<bot>: Look back at the week in sports through photos, from the Tour de France to ongoing Olympic training and beyond.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2016072419id_/http://www.aol.com/article/2016/07/22/the-best-photos-from-the-week-in-sports-7-15-7-22/21437378/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Amid all the upheaval in the media industry, conventional wisdom has it that publishers who focus on profitable niches like financial news are likely to be better off—in part because they have paywalls. The Financial Times is often mentioned as one of the premier examples of this phenomenon, but it appears the venerable financial daily is having to make some hard decisions of its own as a result of financial pressure.
In an internal memo obtained by Politico, the managing editor of the FT, James Lamont, warned that the paper is facing “some daunting trading conditions in 2016” as a result of the tectonic shifts that continue to reshape the media business. The company is “braced for tough times in the months ahead,” wrote Lamont.
According to the memo, the Financial Times plans to cut costs in four major areas: 1.) Any existing job openings will not be filled for the time being, 2.) Travel and entertainment costs are to be reduced significantly, 3.) Part-time staff will only be hired when it is “strictly necessary,” and 4.) The production of the print edition of the paper will be streamlined in order to remove as many costs as possible.
Not that long ago, many media-industry watchers were celebrating the performance of the Financial Times as an example of what could be achieved by a publication that was focused on a specific and high-value niche, had a firm paywall, and was making smart moves into the digital arena. In 2013, the FT became one of the first major newspapers to generate more than 50% of its revenue from its digital subscriptions and other products.
Hulk Hogan wins lawsuit against Gawker Media. Watch:
The company recently announced that the number of subscribers to its digital version had grown by 14% compared with the same period a year earlier, giving the paper a total of 566,000 digital subscribers, and digital revenue climbed by close to 20%.
The assumed financial strength of the FT was one of the key factors cited in the company’s recent acquisition by Japanese business-news giant Nikkei Group, which bought the British paper from previous owner Pearson PLC for $1.3 billion in July of 2015. German media conglomerate Axel Springer was close to a deal, but Nikkei swooped in and snatched it away.
According to some estimates, the Japanese company paid 43 times the FT‘s operating profit, or about 10 times what a comparable U.S. news publication might fetch. This premium was justified, many argued, because of the paper’s financial strength and digital savvy.
At the time, Nikkei said that it planned to pursue a strategy of “quality growth” at the Financial Times, rather than trying to boost profit through cost-cutting. Not long after the deal closed, however, the union representing FT staff, the National Union of Journalists, alleged that the publication was refusing to meet its pension obligations. (NUJ’s members voted to accept the FT’s new pension offer in February.)
The reality is that, despite its digital growth, the Financial Times is facing the same challenge as thousands of newspapers, magazines, and other traditional print publications around the world. Namely, the fact that print advertising—which still generates far more revenue than digital—continues to shrink.
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Lamont said in his memo to FT employees that print revenue at the paper has been “far softer than expected in the first quarter of the year.” According to Politico, media measurement agencies like Enders in the U.K. estimate that between 2010 and 2018, the mainstream print industry’s share of display advertising will fall from about 30% of the total to under 10%.
This broad shift is happening because advertisers are abandoning print in favor of online platforms such as Facebook, or “programmatic” markets like the ones run by Google and Apple. There are some, including media analyst Clay Shirky, who believe there could well be another dramatic drop-off in print revenue around the corner as brands realize newspapers and magazines are no longer worth the trouble.
That’s not the kind of shift that a paywall, however strong, can completely protect against. Having a strong base of digital subscribers is definitely a benefit that some competitors of the Financial Times might not have, but it isn’t enough to keep the paper from feeling the winds of change that are sweeping through the industry.
Correction, April 25, 2016: An earlier version of this article under-counted the number of FT digital subscribers and mischaracterized the union’s complaint. Both passages have been amended.
<bot>: The venerable British financial newspaper says cutbacks are necessary because of worse than expected print revenue decline.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160526203358id_/http://fortune.com:80/2016/04/22/financial-times-cuts/? |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: A lawyer for Roman Polanski has mounted what could be the Oscar-winning film-maker’s final bid to overturn a three-decade-old sex charge that saw him flee the US in 1978 after admitting “unlawful sexual intercourse” with a 13-year-old girl.
Alan M Dershowitz, who has represented heiress Patty Hearst and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, is asking to represent the 81-year-old director of Chinatown and The Pianist in the Los Angeles county superior court. A case was filed there on Monday, according to the New York Times.
Polanski has been living in Paris since fleeing the US to avoid a likely custodial sentence in 1978. However, a warrant remains in force ensuring he would be arrested if he returned to America.
As a French citizen he is unlikely to face extradition while on home territory but was arrested by officials in Poland in October following a US request and spent more than nine months under house arrest in Switzerland in 2009 and 2010 in similar circumstances. Neither incident led to Polanski’s extradition but the film-maker’s legal team say the US justice system has “deliberately omitted the fact that Polanski has already served the term of imprisonment imposed by the trial judge” in seeking to bring him back for sentencing.
The director is understood to be planning a trip to Poland to shoot a new film about 19th-century French artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus and wants to ensure he will not face legal consequences if he does so. Dreyfus, an Alsatian Jew, was falsely accused of passing secrets to Germany in 1894 in a well-known historical episode that gave rise to suspicions of antisemitism in the French military establishment of the period.
The original 1977 incident involving Polanski, which sparked a media storm at the time, reportedly took place after the director booked 13-year-old Samantha Gaimer as a model for a Vogue photo shoot. He is alleged to have given her champagne and the sedative quaaludes before having sex with her at the Mulholland Drive home of his friend Jack Nicholson. Gaimer publicly forgave the director in 1997 after self-identifying as his victim and has since called for the case against him to be dismissed.
Polanski skipped the country after it became clear he could face a 50-year sentence, despite having already served 42 days behind bars as part of a 90-day plea bargain in which he accepted a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor that he had assumed deferred the possibility of further punishment. The original judge in the case, Laurence J Rittenband, was accused of changing his mind in the 2008 documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, which has formed the basis of earlier attempts to free the director from the risk of further prosecution. However, renewed publicity in 2009 surrounding Polanski’s alleged mistreatment of Geimer - he was originally charged with rape and sodomy - saw the film-maker’s reputation in the US further damaged. Polanski’s legal team nevertheless argues that he is not a continuing flight risk and points out that he voluntarily agree to speak to authorities in Poland earlier this year. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney, Jackie Lacey, declined when asked to comment on the case by the Times.
<bot>: Legal representatives for the director, 81, argue he has already served 42 days in prison as part of plea bargain after accepting charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014121719id_/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/dec/17/roman-polanski-mounts-legal-bid-to-overturn-1977-us-sex-charge |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opening remarks at the American Enterprise Institute’s annual dinner on Monday, where he accepted the think tank’s Irving Kristol Award, perhaps summed it up best:
“I am not used to receiving awards in Israel,” he confessed to the host.
The comment, which drew laughter from the few hundred guests who had come specially to hear him, is indicative of the fact that the controversial Israeli leader might indeed be more popular in the United States than he is back home – at least in some circles.
And the accolades Netanyahu received at the glittery event, at which the Israeli leader had the stage and the microphone for nearly an hour, were not just in the form of overflowing compliments and rapturous applause but also in the overall atmosphere.
With the men dressed in well-pressed tuxedos and the women in ornate ball gowns, these Netanyahu aficionados waited for hours in the pouring rain to pass tight security to enter the National Building Museum, where the event was held.
Even the hundred or so pro-Palestinian protesters who had gathered across the street to air their displeasure over Netanyahu’s presence in Washington and his meeting earlier in the day with President Obama did little to mar the jovial mood.
After formal introductions from AEI President Arthur C. Brooks, who referred to Israel as a true sister nation to America, and Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol, son of conservative essayist and editor Irving Kristol, Netanyahu took the stage.
Danielle Pletka, the organization’s vice president for foreign and defense policy studies, handed Netanyahu some gentle questions, such as "Why do Israelis love America so much?" and "What is the secret to Israel’s economic success?"
Her responses to his answers could not have been more pleasant.
But it was the standing ovation at the end -- even though dinner had still not been served -- that hinted to the fact that this neoconservative crowd will continue to adore Netanyahu no matter what.
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Ruth Eglash is a reporter for The Washington Post based in Jerusalem. She was formerly a reporter and senior editor at the Jerusalem Post and freelanced for international media.
<bot>: During his visit to Washington this week, Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to be more popular in the U.S. than he is back home – at least in some circles.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015111119id_/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/11/10/in-d-c-israels-netanyahu-enjoys-attention-he-doesnt-get-at-home/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The former Rikers Island correction officer accused of kicking inmate Ronald Spear in the head and then covering up his death is still locked up because no friends or family will sign off on his bond, his lawyer said Wednesday.
Brian Coll’s mental health is “not good” and he has “nowhere else to go” besides his home in Long Island, attorney Sam Schmidt said, asking for a drastically reduced bail package.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Cucinella said Coll, 45, has anger and drinking problems, and that his father, wife and three children all have protective orders against him.
Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein reduced Coll’s bond to $200,000, but required he have two co-signers.
<bot>: The former Rikers Island guard charged with the death of an inmate is locked up because nobody will help him with his bail.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015061819id_/http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/rikers-island-guard-no-bail-article-1.2262036 |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: A supposed landscape of adult male immaturity.
Writing for The Sydney Morning Herald, Samantha Brett observed, “Guyland is a mysterious place”:
It’s a land where women have to tiptoe around, being careful not to disturb the peace, making sure we’re not doing anything to jeopardise the tranquillity of its inhabitants. We constantly have to make a conscious effort not to do anything too startling – act needy, get attached, fall in love – that might trigger the male mind into thinking that we’re trying to pull them out of their euphoria.
The term, coined by sociologist Michael Kimmel, author of Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men, says that these men – a demographic of over 22 million – are obsessed with never wanting to grow up and crave video games, sports and depersonalised sexual relationships.
<bot>: A supposed landscape of adult male immaturity.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2011052619id_/http://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/guyland/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Beyonce Knowles is the Pepsi NFL Super Bowl Half Time Performer - she’s finally confirmed the news via her official Tumblr. Pepsi is returning as the sponsor for the halftime show since doing so in 2007 when Prince performed.
The Super Bowl may be aimed at the boys, but the Pepsi NFL halftime show will feature the performer who made “Single Ladies” famous.
Beyonce is picking up where Madonna left off and will be performing at Super Bowl XLVII, The Associated Press reported Tuesday.
Best known for hits like “Crazy in Love," “Irreplaceable" and, of course, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” it was only a matter of time before Beyonce graced the huge stage.
While it’s not yet known what tunes the 16-time Grammy winner will perform, don’t rule out a dash of Cajun spice — the football finale will being held on Feb. 3 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Also, don’t be surprised if Beyonce trots out husband-rapper Jay-Z or her Destiny's Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams.
Beyonce, 31, is no stranger to the Super Bowl. She belted out the national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 in her hometown of Houston.
That year, the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers.
Madonna performed at halftime during the last Super Bowl with guests CeeLo Green, Nicki Minaj, LMFAO and M.I.A.
And it’s worth mentioning again — if only because it feels so good — that the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in the last Super Bowl. Again.
Watch the video report here
<bot>: The Super Bowl may be aimed at the boys, but the halftime show will feature the performer who made “Single Ladies” famous.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012101719id_/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/beyonce-perform-super-bowl-halftime-show-article-1.1184668 |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The market was closed with a flurry of citations of fire code and health violations not unlike the use of environmental allegations to force Royal Dutch Shell to sell a portion of its investment in a Siberian oil field two years ago, or the shutdown of the Yukos oil company with tax claims before that. The market closing came as the Kremlin shut casinos in Moscow and other major cities to prevent vice, also at the urging of Mr. Putin.
While it surely dented the business empire of Mr. Ismailov, the closing of the Cherkizovsky market also put an estimated 100,000 migrant laborers out of work, dispersed Russia’s largest Chinatown and broke up a major distribution system for durable goods imports.
“Of course, if you applied the official hygiene, fire and labor codes, it was not done the way it was written,” Arseny Popov, an authority on the Chinese diaspora in Russia with the Russian Academy of Sciences, said of the market’s operations. “But nothing was happening there that wasn’t happening for the past 15 years.”
What was new was Mr. Ismailov’s $1.4 billion investment, using proceeds from the market, into a glittering, five-star resort thousands of miles away in a seemingly unrelated world of luxury on the Turkish seaside. It was called Mardan Palace, after Mr. Ismailov’s father, with 560 rooms, 10 restaurants, 17 bars and a lake-size swimming pool.
Mr. Ismailov, an immigrant from Azerbaijan who survived the sharp-elbowed world of street capitalism in the early 1990s to create the Cherkizovsky empire, threw a lavish series of opening parties in May. Mariah Carey was hired to perform a set and sing “Dreamlover” for Mr. Ismailov and his guests. Monica Bellucci, Sharon Stone and Paris Hilton also attended, the resort’s publicist said. The mayor of Moscow, Yuri M. Luzhkov, cut the ribbon.
It is unclear what about the lavish resort may have set off the regulatory onslaught. The ostentation in time of economic crisis, the investment abroad of profits made in Russia and a move to undermine Mr. Luzhkov, a one-time rival of Mr. Putin’s, have all been suggested in the Russian press. Mr. Ismailov declined to be interviewed about his market’s closing.
But within a week of the Mardan Palace party, the case had reached the ultimate arbiter of the business affairs and lifestyle of the Russian rich: Mr. Putin.
The prime minister broached the matter at a cabinet meeting June 1, leaving little doubt what he had in mind. “The fight is on, but results are few,” Mr Putin said, referring to smuggled goods at the market, according to news reports. “The results in such cases are prison terms. Where are the prison terms?”
Government agencies quickly took up the theme of the market’s seedy side — which was hard to deny. The powerful director of the Investigative Committee of the Prosecutor’s office, Aleksander Bastrykin, called the market a “hell-hole” that had become a “a state within a state” on the edge of Moscow. “It has its own police, its own customs service, its own courts, its own prosecutor and stand-alone infrastructure, including brothels,” he said.
It was also a workplace for about 50,000 Chinese immigrants and had coalesced into a center of northeastern Chinese culture, according to Mr. Popov, the Chinese expert at the Russian Academy of Sciences. The other main ethnic groups were Azerbaijanis, Tajiks, Vietnamese and smaller numbers of Afghans and North Koreans. In all, the Russian Federation of Migrants, a nonprofit group, estimated that 100,000 people worked there.
Thousands also lived there. Most of the population of 18,000 Tajik porters, for example, slept in basement rooms of an abandoned sports stadium and in shipping containers, said Karomat B. Sharipov, the chief of a nonprofit group called Tajik Migrant Labor. Outbreaks of tuberculosis were common, the worst occurring in 2006.
Around the market fence last week, hundreds of migrants loitered on the sidewalks, smoking or chewing sesame seeds. About a hundred Chinese and Vietnamese traders had attempted to block traffic on a Moscow highway; they were quickly broken up by the police and 24 Vietnamese were deported. China has sent a deputy commerce minister to Moscow to protest the treatment of its citizens.
Mostly, the laborers can do nothing. Bakhodur M. Mirzoyev, a Tajik, squatted outside the market on a recent afternoon. He has been living in Kazan Train Station. “Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, open our containers,” he said. “We want to work.”
Asked why the market closed, Mr. Mirzoyev shrugged. The owner, he said, had built a hotel in Turkey. Now he was left with nothing but “three hungry children in Dushanbe.”
Inside the fence, the market that covered 400 acres, or about half the size of Central Park, was abandoned.
Plastic bags blew in the breeze, flies buzzed and sampled spilled dog food, and the sour smell of rotting meat wafted out. At one spot, frontloaders were smashing stalls into piles of dry wall and broken glass. A sign still hung on in one place: “cigarettes, wholesale and retail.”
<bot>: A parallel city runs afoul of Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin’s vision of the new Russia.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2009072819id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/world/europe/28moscow.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Emma Howarth (left) and Holly Goodwin are missing. (Supplied: Queensland Police)
Two teenage girls who went missing from Queensland on Thursday night may be headed towards Victoria.
Holly Goodwin, 14, and Emma Howarth, 13, went missing from Emma’s home at Mudgeeraba and were last seen by family around 7pm.
Emma’s parents have launched a campaign to find the pair, who are believed to be travelling south.
The girls have not spoken to family or friends since then. Their families have said the behaviour is out of character for the pair.
Both the girls are of Caucasian appearance and approximately 165cm with a slim build. Holly has blonde hair and Emma is brunette.
Police have urged anyone with information relating to the girls’ location to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Do you have any news photos or videos?
<bot>: Two teenage girls who went missing from Mudgeeraba on Thursday night may still be together, police say.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015070519id_/http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/07/04/20/44/two-teenagers-missing-from-mudgeeraba |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: In response to a spike in overdoses on prescription painkillers, and a rash of media scare stories about ADHD drugs like Ritalin and Adderall, a number of politicians, pundits, and public health activists have demanded better monitoring of doctors and patients. The thinking is that by creating databases of patients taking controlled substances, we’ll be able to catch drug-dealing doctors and intervene on behalf of drug addicted patients.
I think many of the reports about accidental addicts and overdose deaths are either exaggerated or don’t tell the whole story, but that’s too much to get into here. (See the series I wrote on this issue for Huffington Post.) But this column by Christopher Moraff in central Pennsylvania’s Patriot-News warns of the consequences letting the government see what medication you’re taking:
With America united in collective outrage over revelations of widespread domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency, another federal branch – the Drug Enforcement Agency – has quietly set about dismantling the Fourth Amendment when it comes to accessing our private medical data.
Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union joined the State of Oregon in federal court in Portland to challenge the DEA’s attempt to use warrantless “administrative subpoenas” to obtain information on patients from the state’s prescription drug monitoring database.
It’s unlikely the plaintiffs will prevail; while Oregon law prohibits state police from digging into patient prescription data without a search warrant, thanks to the gradual erosion of civil liberties under the “war on drugs,” the DEA does not require a court order to request such information in the course of an open investigation.
But at least Oregon is fighting for the privacy rights of its citizens. Pennsylvania, on the other hand, seems intent on giving them away.
Since September, three bills have been introduced in Harrisburg designed to expand the commonwealth’s own prescription monitoring system by establishing a database listing all prescriptions of controlled medications and the identities of the citizens who receive them.
The latest proposal was introduced in November by Sen. Pat Vance, R-Cumberland, and, unlike Oregon, would give state and federal law enforcement officials virtually unimpeded access to the prescription records of millions of Pennsylvanians who take Schedule II drugs.
These include not only narcotic painkillers like hydrocodone, oxycodone and morphine, but drugs like Ritalin and Adderall that are used to treat childhood ADHD.
Reggie Shuford, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, put it best when he said: “The privacy of the child who breaks his arm on his bike or who takes attention deficit medication is being sacrificed because someone across town is abusing these substances.”
It’s easy to imagine how this could be abused, how patient data could get into the wrong hands. Imagine a law enforcement officer looking for ammunition in a divorce or custody dispute. Or perhaps a politician who takes the wrong position on police pensions or police accountability might see his painkiller scripts leaked to the press. (That sort of retaliation wouldn’t be unheard of.) Moraff points out that Virginia’s prescription database has already been accessed by hackers, who then threatened to release the records of 8 million people.
But Moffat also touches on another, less obvious problem—the chilling effect this will have on doctors. For example, one of the red flags federal investigators look for when looking for doctors to accuse of “drug dealing” is the overall number of prescriptions a given doctor writes for various controlled drugs. That means that as he’s deciding your course of treatment, or whether to prescribe opioids to improve your mother’s quality of life as she’s dying from terminal cancer, he’ll be thinking about how many scripts for those drugs he may have already written for other patients. It’s an intrusion on the doctor-patient relationship, and could influence a doctor’s decisions about a patient’s treatment with factors that have nothing to do what’s best for that particular patient.
This of course is how we fight the drug war. Because some people harm themselves with some drugs, we punish everyone, not only by restricting access to those drugs, but in this particular instance also by eroding privacy protections and trespassing on doctor-patient privilege.
<bot>: New laws threaten the doctor-patient relationship
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014012419id_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2014/01/24/drug-cops-want-open-access-to-your-medical-records/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Posted Apr 16th 2009 2:10AM by TMZ Staff
So why does Amy Winehouse look a lot less cracky these days? It's a dirty little secret.We found out lil' Amy has been hanging at the Rasul massage chamber at the Cotton Bay Village in Saint Lucia -- where they smear mud on her face and body to "exfoliate the skin, draw out impurities and infuse rich nutrients to restore and revive." So if the mud is designed to remove toxins -- how deep must Amy be buried in mud?? Just askin'...
Tags: amy winehouse, cotton bay villa, mud massage, saint lucia, spa, substance abuse, SubstanceAbuse, wino
<bot>: So why does Amy Winehouse look a lot less cracky these days? It's a dirty little secret. We found out lil' Amy has been hanging at the Rasul massage ...
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2009050319id_/http://www.tmz.com/2009/04/16/amy-winehouse-slings-mud/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Garry Shandling‘s cause of death has been revealed. The late comedian died of from pulmonary thrombosis, a blood clot that traveled from his leg into his lungs, according to an autopsy report.
The 66-year-old’s autopsy report obtained by PEOPLE, states the star of The Larry Sanders Show had a combination of drugs in his system at the time of his March death, including Xanax and pain killers (opiates — codeine/morphine and hydrocodone) due to recent dental surgery.
The report also states that Shandling, who is best known for his hit TV sitcom It’s Garry Shandling’s Show — which ran from 1986 to 1990 on Showtime — had an enlarged heart and that his death has been ruled an “accident” and “natural.”
PEOPLE previously confirmed that Shandling collapsed while on the phone with 911 before being taken to St. Johns hospital in Santa Monica, California, where he died on March 24. Winter told PEOPLE Friday that Shandling spoke to a doctor friend before his death, complaining about the discomfort in his legs and shortness of breath.
RELATED VIDEO: The Best of Garry Shandling
Following his death, tons of fellow comedians and actors mourned the death of their longtime friend.
“When you get the light in a comedy club you know your time is up,” Jim Carrey said in a statement to PEOPLE. “Life doesn’t always give you a signal. Garry Shandling performed at the highest level on and offstage. He was an excellent man and he was more than ready for the Big Show. Bravo Garry! Yours was a life well lived.”
“I’m crushed. That man, made me laugh. Spoke to me as a peer,” Kathy Griffin told PEOPLE. “Even though I’ve known him since the 90s, it’s in the last few years that we have had meaningful and memorable one-on-one talks. I had no idea our last one would be four days ago.”
<bot>: The late comedian died of from pulmonary thrombosis, a blood clot that traveled from his leg into his lungs, PEOPLE can confirm
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2016122719id_/http://people.com/celebrity/garry-shandling-cause-death-died-pulmonary-thrombosis-blood-clot/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Travellers who dream of flying at faster than the speed of sound could soon have the opportunity. Plans to recommence Concorde flights by 2019 are in place and now a Canadian designer has released his concept design for Skreemr, an aircraft that harnesses nascent technology to reach speeds over Mach 10. That’s the equivalent of 7,673 miles per hour (or 12,345 kilometres per hour) and about five times faster than Concorde. It would take about half an hour to fly between London and New York if travelling at this speed.
For Charles Bombardier, Skreemr’s Canadian creator, the fundamental component that would enable the aircraft to reach these speeds would be a magnetic railgun launching system. The plane would initially “take off” by hurtling along a railroad-like track horizontally rather than rising upwards and then rockets would increase the aircraft speed enough to ignite its scramjet engine, enabling it to reach such an extreme speed and then rise upwards. Scramjet engines, or “supersonic combustion ramjets”, are being developed in America and China and, NASA explains, are designed to draw the oxygen needed by an engine to combust from the atmosphere passing through the vehicle rather than from a tank onboard. As a result the aircraft is smaller, lighter and faster.
Bombardier’s aircraft would carry 75 passengers and its rockets and scramjets would burn hydrogen manufactured with hydro-electricity. The designer explained his plans in more detail to Canada's Globe and Mail. One hurdle the aircraft would face, however, is its ability to withstand higher temperatures. An aircraft travelling at Mach 5 could reach temperatures of 980C so sourcing affordable materials that could tolerate that level would be problematic. Though Skreemr remains a concept at this stage a number of other innovative companies are making significant progress in their plans to commence supersonic flights.
This week it was announced that the defence company BAE Systems has bought a 20 per cent share in Reaction Engines, an Oxfordshire company developing engines able to power aircraft at 2,500mph and into space. During summer NASA announced it would make sufficient funding available to a number of institutions to cover years of research into supersonic flight.
Elsewhere Boston-based engineering firm Spike Aerospace is pushing forward with plans to launch Spike S-512, an 18-seater commercial supersonic jet that would reach speeds of Mach 1.6 (1,100mph). At this speed it would take three hours to fly between London and New York. The company anticipates each aircraft, built without windows in the fuselage to reduce and maintain speeds, would cost $80 million and expects the first planes to be ready for delivery in the early 2020s.
In cooperation with Airbus, Nevada’s Aerion Corporation is developing an AS2 aircraft which would travel at a top speed of Mach 1.5 and cost $120 million. It is also expected to launch in the 2020s.
<bot>: The latest proposed supersonic aircraft, Skreemr would travel between London and New York in 30 minutes - five times the speed of Concorde
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015110519id_/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/travel/90250/skreemr-the-mach-10-supersonic-aircraft.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Elaina Fryslie recently received a special commendation from the Valdosta, Georgia, police department for a life-saving call.
“She brought help to me when I was in an insulin reaction,” Jim Fryslie, Elaina’s dad, told WCTV. Last Saturday, Elaina found her dad unconscious and grabbed his phone. She called a friend of her father’s, who connected her to 911.
She then opened the door of the home to the officers when they showed up to administer aid to her dad.
“It was all thanks to Elaina here,” the responding officer told WCTV. “She did such a wonderful job.””She’s what makes me smile every day,” Jim said. And he can add one more reason to the pile of why that is: “My daughter saved my life.”
<bot>: Elaina Fryslie saved her dad’s life with a quick-thinking 911 call on Saturday
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2016102319id_/http://people.com/human-interest/georgia-4-year-old-girl-saves-dads-life-with-quick-thinking-911-call/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: European investors have thrown their weight behind comments by Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan, this week who warned of the risks that reduced liquidity was having on global asset markets.
William de Vijlder, the group chief economist at BNP Paribas, called this the main issue that markets were currently facing and was relieved that the problem was now coming to the fore.
"The concern I have is the following, that markets go up based on monetary liquidity - central bank injections - and they go down based on a reduction in market liquidity ," he said.
He added that a lack of market liquidity could be highlighted during the "final phase" of a bubble in a particular asset class. He explained that a number of traders could be stung making short term moves as the clock runs down before a steep correction.
"All of a sudden, the music changes," he said.
Read More Barney Frank: Dimon's concerns are overblown
Both Dimon and Larry Summers, the former U.S. treasury secretary, have warned about the volatility in currency and Treasury markets this week and how a lack of market liquidity can spark wild intraday swings. Dimon implied that another economic crisis was inevitable and focused on the "multiple new rules" from regulators since the 2008 financial crisis that was affecting the market-making capabilities of banks.
"The banking system is far safer than it has been in the past, but we need to be mindful of the consequences of the myriad new regulations and current monetary policy on the money markets and liquidity in the marketplace—particularly if we enter a highly stressed environment," Dimon said in the newsletter on Wednesday.
Bill Blain, a fixed income strategist at Mint Partners, waded in on the debate in his daily research note on Friday. Incredulous at the seemingly never-ending rally in European sovereign bond markets he said "what goes up must come down."
"If you thought the bond-spike liquidity-vanishing moments we saw last year were extraordinary…you ain't seen nothing yet," he said.
Global management consulting firm Oliver Wyman and Morgan Stanley released detailed report on the subject in March, highlighting that global banks have shrunk their balance sheets by some 20 percent since 2010 which has "significantly" reduced the liquidity in secondary asset markets.
Read MoreTreasury market still very liquid: Pimco's Kiesel
"Liquidity has decreased sharply, creating new risks for investors and issuers, but there are no easy answers. Policymakers face a difficult set of trade-offs and how they and the industry responds will have profound implications on traded markets and investors." Christian Edelmann, the partner and head of corporate and institutional banking practice at Oliver Wyman, said in the report released on March 19.
The research involved interviews with asset managers, with portfolios totaling around $10 trillion, who indicated that liquidity in fixed income markets was one of their top concerns.
The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has previously highlighted that liquidity could evaporate as the U.S. Federal Reserve tightens its main benchmark interest rate. The Bank of International Settlements also warned in March that market liquidity in the bond markets may increasingly be dependent on the portfolio decisions of only a few large institutions.
Meanwhile in November, a report by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) looked at the European corporate bond market and concluded that its liquidity was "rapidly evaporating" mainly due to financial regulation and extraordinary monetary stimulus. Regulation, rather than reducing systemic risk, has simply transferred that risk from the banks to investors, it said.
<bot>: European investors have thrown their weight behind Jamie Dimon's warning of the risks that reduced liquidity was having on global asset markets.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20150825181213id_/http://www.cnbc.com/2015/04/10/is-market-liquidity-your-number-one-concern.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Monday, June 23rd 2008, 3:44 PM
Drawing on a vast collection of treasures and artifacts â a paving stone from the Wall Street site where Washington took the first oath in 1790, parade torchlights from the late 19th century â the exhibit shows how the selection of U.S. presidents has evolved over centuries.
"Campaigning for President: New York and the American Election" opens Tuesday at the Museum of the City of New York, focusing mainly on the Empire State's unique role in presidential politics, especially in the years 1868-1892, when every Democratic presidential nominee was a New Yorker. Among them, only Grover Cleveland was a winner â twice.
Although they might well get an argument from other states, exhibit curators Sarah Henry and Thomas Mellins list eight presidents as from New York â the same as Virginia, the self-described "home of presidents."
Along with Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Chester A. Arthur, Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt, they include Texas-born Dwight D. Eisenhower, who Henry says used his position as president of Columbia University as a planned springboard to the White House in 1952, and California native Richard M. Nixon, who was a partner in a Manhattan law firm when he ran for president in 1968.
"It's not really about bean counting but there was an era, from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, when virtually every race for president or vice president involved a candidate from New York," said Henry, the museum's deputy director and chief curator.
In fact it was true almost from the start, as New Yorkers served as vice presidents for three of the first five presidents. Overall, the state has produced 11 vice presidents from Aaron Burr to Nelson A. Rockefeller and some 25 nominees for the two top offices, along with countless others who didn't make the cut.
In a few cases, New Yorkers ran against each other â in one example, FDR versus Wendell Willkie, described by one wag as a "simple barefoot Wall Street lawyer." Nor have city and upstate voters always agreed: New York City hasn't backed a Republican for president since Calvin Coolidge in 1924.
As television moved politics from the street to the living room, New York's role as the nation's media and advertising center helped preserve its political influence, as did its concentration of policy experts and power brokers.
<bot>: A New York museum exhibit dramatically traces the 200-year history of this uniquely American ritual, from George Washington to George W.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2008062319id_/http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/06/23/2008-06-23_nyc_museum_offers_200_years_of_campaign_.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Airbnb is finding out that fixing discrimination is a really long and difficult road.
The home-sharing company has come under fire in the last few weeks over the racism and discrimination against some of its customers while they used the service. Even a hashtag—#AirbnbWhileBlack—emerged on social media amid the flood of conversations about the topic.
Of course, Airbnb quickly denounced racism in public statements and apologies. During its annual engineering conference in San Francisco, co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky declared that the company had started a 90-day review of its entire service and that, “We have zero tolerance for any discrimination.”
Now, more than a month later, the company doesn’t seem to have any new answers. Chesky and Airbnb chief of business and legal affairs, Belinda Johnson, took the stage at Fortune‘s Brainstorm Tech conference in Aspen, Colo. on Tuesday and offered much of the same statements: That Airbnb has no tolerance for discrimination, that it’s reviewing its design, and is focused on making its company as diverse as possible.
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In fairness, Airbnb’s challenge is incredibly difficult. Its service asks people to open their home to strangers and to trust that it’s going to be okay. And it will never be able to eradicate the discrimination that exists in our society.
But Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls Code, an non-profit that organizes a variety of programs to teach coding to girls of color, thinks there’s more it can do.
“I wonder, do you not recognize that some of the issues in the design of the product, as is, is being driven by the fact that it’s not inclusive design,” she told the executives during a question and answer period after the panel. “Perhaps [it’s] because there’s only 2% black people that work at Airbnb, there’s only 3% of Hispanics that are part of the Airbnb community and if we go down further into the tech ranks it’s like 1%.” (Check out Airbnb’s workforce diversity report here.)
She continued: “So while I appreciate the redesign efforts, I really would challenge you to look at what are the employee makeups at your companies and how can you do more to hire engineers, to hire designers that would be able to look at your product from this lens.”
Airbnb, which recently hired its first diversity chief after a half-year-long search, agrees. “There’s no question this is a problem in tech, this is a problem at Airbnb,” Chesky conceded.
The company is still at the beginning of its efforts to fix all this, so whether it succeeds remains to be seen. But it’s undoubtedly turning out to be a complicated and multi-layered challenge.
<bot>: Lack of diverse hiring is just as much to blame, says Black Girls Code founder Kimberly Bryant.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160716010022id_/http://fortune.com:80/2016/07/12/airbnb-discrimination-hiring/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Conor McGregor is tough enough to beat most people in UFC, but there’s one person he wouldn’t like to face in the Octagon: Olympic bronze medallist and women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
McGregor, who knocked out Chad Mendes earlier this month to become the UFC’s interim featherweight champion, described Rousey as “unbelievable” in an interview with SI Now.
“I remember one time, I’d seen her, and I greeted her, and I said ‘What’s up champ?’ and we embraced. “I swear on my life: her back muscles were the most solidest [sic] back muscles I’d ever felt in my life,” McGregor said.
“I thought if this lady was to get a hold of me, she would throw me on my head in literally one second flat. So I would not like to engage in a clinch fight with Ronda.”
He might not like to do it, but McGregor still reckons he’d win. “But, make no mistake about it, I have my ways to win that fight, too,” he said.
McGregor, 27, recorded a second-round TKO over Mendes earlier this month to improve his record to 18-2 and claim the interim featherweight title.
Rousey, meanwhile, will put her undefeated record and bantamweight title on the line against Bethe Correia in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night.
In the SI Now interview, McGregor credited Rousey with creating the women’s game.
“Ronda is certainly an absolute animal, and she is a special individual,” he said. “Two-time ESPYS winner, undefeated champion, dominant, finishes all opponents, movie star. I mean, Ronda is unbelievable.
“She has created the women’s game. Without her, all these women still would be going without food at night. But make no mistake about it: on the man’s side of the game, there’s only one, and that’s me. I hold every number in the game.”
<bot>: UFC champion Conor McGregor has spoken of his respect for the women’s bantamweight champion
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015072919id_/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/29/conor-mcgregor-ronda-rousey-would-throw-me-on-my-head-in-one-second |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: By Charles Ornstein, Ryann Grochowski Jones and Lena Groeger
At first glance, the 2015 health plans offered by the Ohio nonprofit insurer CareSource look a lot like the ones it sold this year, in the Affordable Care Act’s first enrollment season.
The monthly premiums are nearly identical, and the deductibles are the same.
But tucked within the plans’ jargon are changes that could markedly affect how much consumers pay for health care. Generic drugs will soon be free, but the cost of expensive specialty medications will increase. Co-payments for visits to primary-care doctors will go down, but those for emergency room trips will be higher.
Millions of people nationwide bought health insurance this year through the federal government’s health insurance exchange, often through the website Healthcare.gov. Now, as they pick plans for next year, they face a complex battery of choices.
They have until Dec. 15 to select a new plan or they’ll be re-enrolled automatically in the one they currently have. Or, if that plan no longer exists, they’ll be enrolled in another product offered by the same insurer, when available. But even if they get the same plan — of the nearly 2,800 health plans offered in 2014, about 1,700 of them will exist in the same form next year — their benefits may not stay the same.
“You’re getting re-enrolled in the same carrier, but there’s basically no guarantees that your product looks anywhere near the same as it did last year,” said Caroline Pearson, vice president of Avalere Health, a consulting firm.
Much attention has focused on changes to plans’ monthly premiums, but changes to other kinds of benefits — affecting the cost of things like doctors’ visits and prescriptions — can be trickier to understand and make a huge difference in annual health care costs.
A ProPublica analysis of the 2014 and 2015 plans in 34 states being offered on the exchange shows the adjustments taking place. ProPublica has created a tool that allows users to see, quickly and easily, some significant ways the plans have changed from one year to the next.
Customers of more than 900 plans will see their out-of-pocket maximum for medical bills increase, usually to $6,600 for individuals, the most allowed by law for next year. Only about 250 plans are lowering their out-of-pocket maximums. About 180 plans are being discontinued for at least some customers, and the rest are keeping the same limits.
Members of more than 600 plans will see their medical deductibles increase, while those in about 380 will see their deductibles drop. Consumers of one Illinois plan will see their deductible increase by $4,800. Those re-enrolled in plans offered by Florida Blue face deductibles as much as $3,650 higher than those this year, while other customers of the same company will see deductibles decrease by up to $3,000. Florida Blue did not respond to a request for comment.
More than a quarter of the 2,800 health plans altered the costs of specialty medications for conditions like multiple sclerosis and AIDS, mostly increasing the patients’ share.
On Dec. 15, millions of consumers in the federal health insurance marketplace will be automatically re-enrolled if they do not select a new plan themselves. Of the 2,700 plans from 2014, here’s how many are changing two key benefits.
Some policy changes appear subtle, just a matter of adding or subtracting a few words, but are actually quite significant. This year, many insurers charged members a set fee of a few hundred dollars for emergency room visits. For next year, some of those plans changed the wording of their benefit, adding “co-pay after deductible.” That means the insurers won’t pay for any portion of an emergency room visit until consumers meet their deductible, spending thousands of dollars.
“Everyone has focused on premiums in the press because premiums are at least easy to understand,” Ms. Pearson said. People have a harder time detecting the effect of changes to what’s called a plan’s benefit design. “It’s just incredibly hard to do, but I think it’s really important.”
What ProPublica’s analysis suggests is that even those who would be willing to pay higher premiums to keep their current plan may be surprised to learn that substantial details have changed. They should go back to Healthcare.gov or to ProPublica’s news app to make sure their plan is still the best choice.
Shopping around is essential — and there’s little time to delay.
The open enrollment period continues until Feb. 15, and customers who are automatically renewed in their plans can still make changes until that time, but only changes made by Dec. 15 will take effect on Jan. 1.
The Health and Human Services secretary, Sylvia Burwell, has been encouraging consumers to take an active role in the renewal process. But in the first two weeks of open enrollment, fewer than 400,000 consumers actively re-enrolled. “The first deadline is just a couple of weeks away,” she said in a news release on Wednesday. “We’re encouraging everyone who is already covered through the marketplace to come back and shop because there could be savings.”
Everyone’s health care needs are different. Some people might do best with a plan that has a higher premium and lower out-of-pocket costs for particular services; others might save money by choosing a plan with a lower premium and higher co-payments.
Those earning less than four times the federal poverty rate ($62,920 for a couple) qualify for subsidies to pay their premiums, and those earning even less may qualify for additional help to lower their out-of-pocket costs once enrolled.
Changes to insurance benefits are hardly exclusive to the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. They happen regularly in health plans offered by employers.
Under the law, insurers are somewhat limited in how they can change their plans. Products are grouped by tiers: Bronze plans cover about 60 percent of their members’ overall health services; silver plans 70 percent; gold plans 80 percent. To stay at those levels from year to year, plans can’t just increase all of their charges. If they charge more for some things, that often means charging less for others.
That’s what happened at CareSource, the Ohio nonprofit. Officials there said they changed their benefits based on comments from members and conversations with others who are uninsured. “Many didn’t understand the value of health insurance,” said Scott Streator, vice president of Enterprise Strategy at CareSource. “Therefore, we changed our plan design to make it more simple, more understandable and more preventive, focused on everyday types of health care needs.”
That translated into free generic drugs and lower co-pays for physician office visits, Mr. Streator said. “If you make these changes, there’s trade-offs,” he said. “The costs go up somewhere else.” In contrast with this year, when members pay $250 for emergency room visits, they will need to meet the plan’s deductible next year before their E.R. visits are covered with a co-payment that varies from $250 to $500. And members will now pay 40 percent of the cost of specialty medications, up from 25 percent this year.
CareSource enrolled more than 30,000 people during the 2014 open enrollment cycle and expects to double that amount this time around, Mr. Streator said.
Another insurer whose products are changing is Coventry Health Care. One Coventry silver plan in the Kansas City, Kan., region is decreasing the costs of primary care visits to $5 from $10, but is increasing its medical deductible to $2,750 from $2,000, increasing its out-of-pocket maximum to $6,600 from $6,350, and increasing the cost of generic drugs to $15 from $10, among other changes. Premiums are also going up.
A spokesman said the company tries to balance its benefits and costs.
Vantage Health Plan, based in Louisiana, is increasing the medical deductible in its silver plan to $2,900 from $1,800 and is raising its maximum out-of-pocket costs, too. But the company said most of its members won’t feel the changes much. That’s because about 85 percent of the 8,400 members who enrolled in the last cycle received government subsidies.
Although those without subsidies “are going to get hit, all that was designed so that all those who are getting the subsidy, their blow would be softened because that’s where the majority of our business falls,” said Billy Justice, Vantage’s director of marketing and sales.
Vantage hopes to double its enrollment for next year.
The data analyzed by ProPublica does not include information for states that run their own insurance exchanges, including California and New York. In California, plans are required to offer a standard benefit design, which allows consumers to compare plans more easily. Insurers compete on their brand’s reputation, premiums and on the size of their doctor and hospital networks.
“There can be a big difference in the experience of the consumer in terms of what they pay out of pocket if you don’t have standardized benefits,” said Anthony Wright, executive director of the consumer advocacy group Health Access in California.
The government’s plan to automatically re-enroll consumers for 2015 has come under criticism, with some warning that consumers who don’t make a choice themselves could end up in a plan with higher costs. As a result, the government is considering a different system for 2017 in which consumers who don’t pick their own plan could be shifted to the lowest-cost plan in the market.
Has your insurance company changed your benefits this year? We’d like to hear about it. Email [email protected].
<bot>: A ProPublica analysis found that many health insurance plans offered in the federal marketplace are changing their benefits heading into 2015.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014120419id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/upshot/big-changes-in-fine-print-of-some-2015-health-plans.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: This story has been updated.
LONDON – A Muslim cleric who applauded the Sept. 11 attacks and called for nonbelievers to be put to death lost what appeared to be his final legal bid Friday in a long-running battle to avoid being shipped to the United States to face terrorism charges.
[Updated 4:20 pm Oct. 5: Abu Hamza Masri and four others sought for trial in the United States were put on two planes at the RAF Mildenhall base and departed for an unspecified U.S. destination, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported early Saturday.]
Britain’s High Court rejected Masri’s last-minute petition to block his extradition on medical grounds. The judges said there was an “overwhelming public interest” in seeing the extradition carried out and that there was no reason the controversial imam could not find adequate treatment in the U.S. for his ailments, including depression and diabetes.
The ruling appears to remove the final impediment to putting Masri on a plane to the U.S., which both British and American officials are eager to see happen as quickly as possible. U.S. authorities want Masri to stand trial on allegations that he tried to establish a camp in Oregon to train recruits for the Afghan insurgency and that he participated in the kidnapping of Western tourists in Yemen.
In addition to Masri, the judges cleared the way for four other terrorism suspects to be extradited, including two men accused of involvement in the deadly 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
But the Egyptian-born Masri’s case has attracted the most attention. The hard-line cleric, who is notorious for his militant sermons and his distinctive look -– he has only one eye and uses metal hooks for hands -– has exasperated the government here for years with his continued appeals to British and European courts against being sent to the U.S.
In April, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, upheld previous rulings in favor of Masri’s extradition, a decision seen as an important victory for trans-Atlantic relations and cooperation in counterterrorism matters. Last month, the same court rejected Masri’s appeal to revisit the case, which seemed to be the end of the protracted legal saga.
But before relieved British officials could get him out of their country, Masri’s lawyers filed a last-ditch appeal to the High Court, pleading for extradition to be suspended because of their client’s deteriorating health. Masri is currently in a British prison serving a seven-year sentence for inciting racial hatred.
Friday’s ruling came as little surprise. During three days of hearings this week, the two judges on the case expressed thinly veiled skepticism over Masri’s claims of illness, questioning why he had not raised the issue in previous court hearings.
Britain’s Home Office welcomed the judges’ decision. “We are now working to extradite these men as quickly as possible,” it said in a statement.
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European court OKs extradition to U.S. of five terrorism suspects
Photo: Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza Masri, right, preaches to followers at a London mosque in 2004 as a masked bodyguard looks on. Credit: Carl de Souza / AFP/Getty Images
<bot>: Radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza Masri lost what appeared to be his final legal bid Friday to avoid extradition to the United States from Britain to face terrorism charges. Masri is wanted in the U.S. for allegedly trying to set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012100519id_/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/10/radical-muslim-cleric-loses-appeal-against-extradition-to-the-us.html |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: A BOOK, “The Christian Examiner,” warns that “ill-clad and destitute” immigrants are “repulsive to our habits and our tastes.”
A former mayor of New York City cautions that they bring disease, “wretchedness and want” to America. And Harper’s Weekly despairs that these immigrants are “steeped in ignorance” and account for a disproportionate share of criminals.
Boy, those foreigners were threatening — back in the mid-1800s when those statements were made about Irish immigrants.
Once again, the United States is split by vitriolic debates about how to handle immigrants, following President Obama’s executive action to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation. To me, the outrage seems driven by three myths:
Immigrants threaten our way of life.
Many Americans see foreigners moving into their towns, see signs in Spanish, and fret about changes to the traditional fabric of society.
That’s an echo of the anxiety Theodore Roosevelt felt in 1918 when, referring to German and other non-Anglo European immigrants, he declared, “Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country.” That’s an echo of the “yellow peril” scares about Chinese and Japanese immigrants.
It’s true that undocumented immigrants may lower wages in some sectors, harming low-skilled native-born Americans who compete with them. One study suggests that a 10 percent increase in the size of a skill group lowers the wages of blacks in that group by 2.5 percent.
Yet just look around. Immigration has hugely enriched our country. For starters, unless you are a full-blooded American Indian, we have you.
Nations, like carpets, benefit from multiple kinds of threads, and Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, was right: “It is a good rule of thumb to ask of a country: Are people trying to get into it or out of it?”
Immigrants today are different because they’re illegals. They’re parasites.
Look, people aren’t legal or illegal, behaviors are. If an investment banker is convicted of insider trading, he doesn’t become an illegal. So let’s refer not to “illegal immigrants” but to “undocumented immigrants.”
They have contributed $100 billion to Social Security over a decade without any intention of collecting benefits, thus shoring up the system, according to Stephen C. Goss, the chief actuary for the Social Security Administration.
At the state and local level, households headed by unauthorized immigrants paid another $11 billion in taxes in 2010 alone.
If these migrants are given work permits and brought into the system, they will contribute $45 billion over five years in payroll taxes to the United States economy, according to the Center for American Progress.
Immigration reform is an unconstitutional power grab by a dictator.
Senator Ted Cruz compared Obama’s executive action to the Catiline conspirators seeking to overthrow the Roman Republic. House Speaker John Boehner suggested that it was the action of an “emperor.”
Look, I’ve reported in many dictatorships (and been detained in some of them). And Obama is no dictator.
It’s difficult for me to judge the legality of Obama’s executive action, because I’m not an expert on legal issues like prosecutorial discretion. But neither are critics furious at Obama. We have a broken, byzantine immigration system — anybody who deals with it is staggered by the chaos — because politicians are too craven to reform it. At least Obama is attempting to modernize it.
Yes, it’s troubling that Obama previously argued he didn’t have this authority. Yes, his executive action is on a huge scale — but it is not entirely new. Obama’s action affects 45 percent of undocumented immigrants, compared to the 40 percent affected by President George H.W. Bush’s in 1990. Let’s leave the legal dispute for the experts to resolve.
I see a different hypocrisy in Obama’s action. He spoke eloquently Thursday evening about the need to treat migrants humanely — and yet this is the “deporter in chief” who has deported more immigrants than any of his predecessors. We as taxpayers have spent vast sums breaking up families and incarcerating honest men and women who just want to work. By a 2011 estimate, more than 5,000 children who are United States citizens are with foster families because their parents have been detained or deported.
We need empathy, and humility. My father, a refugee from Eastern Europe, was preparing a fraudulent marriage to an American citizen as a route to this country when he was sponsored, making fraud unnecessary. My wife’s grandfather bought papers from another Chinese villager to be able to come to the United States.
So remember: What most defines the 11 million undocumented immigrants in America is not illegality but undaunted courage and ambition for a better life. What separates their families from most of ours is simply the passage of time — and the lottery of birth.
<bot>: Immigration has not diminished our country, but hugely enriched it.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014112319id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-immigration-enriches-you-and-m.html |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Washington, DC - The Obama administration is cautiously optimistic about the overtures which Iran's new president is making to the international community.
However, it is refusing to lower its guard on the matter of Iran's nuclear program – which the US has long believed is meant to develop weapons, not power reactors.
First, the overtures: In an interview with the US TV network NBC on Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani said he welcomed a letter of congratulations from US President Barack Obama over his recent election victory.
Rouhani repeated the Iranians' longtime assertion that they are not trying to build nuclear weapons, and then said he was fully empowered to negotiate with the US and others about the program's future.
Iran's foreign minister also discussed the controversy during a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon – telling reporters afterwards that Tehran values whatever input the UN can provide in resolving the crisis.
Does all this mean that US-Iranian relations are now on the upswing? Not necessarily.
John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said on Thursday: "Rouhani’s comments have been very positive, but everything needs to be put to the test."
White House Secretary Jay Carney said: "It's important when we're talking about this incredibly serious matter of a nuclear weapons program that we not just take Iran's words for it, that we back it up and see if it's real."
And allies such as Israel are keen to see Iran held to account.
From the US perspective, that means a resumption of full talks between the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany, known as P5+1, comprehensive inspections, and a verifiable commitment from Iran to abandon whatever dreams it has of becoming a nuclear power.
What's more, the US-led economic sanctions regime is still fully in place, with no hint of easing any time soon.
But the feelers have been extended – and the Obama administration is not ruling out the possibility that the US president and his Iranian counterpart might do more than exchange letters soon.
<bot>: Obama administration welcomes President Rouhani's overture but says goodwill gesture needs to be put to the test.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2013092619id_/http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/americas/tension-easing-between-iran-and-us |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Irving, TX – The Dallas Cowboys announced the signing of rookie wide receiver Terrance Williams to a four-year contract on Tuesday.
Williams, one of two third-round picks (No. 74 overall) by Dallas in April's NFL Draft, led the nation with 1,832 receiving yards on 97 catches while scoring 12 touchdowns during a banner senior season at Baylor in 2012. The Dallas native was a unanimous All-America selection and one of three finalists for last year's Biletnikoff Award honoring the top wide receiver in college football.
The 23-year-old enters his debut season as a candidate to replace free-agent departure Kevin Ogletree as the Cowboys' No. 3 receiver behind Dez Bryant and Miles Austin.
Dallas now has three of its six 2013 draft choices under contract, with first- round center Travis Frederick, tight end Gavin Escobar (2nd Round) and safety J.J. Wilcox (3rd Round) yet to formally agree to terms.
<bot>: The Dallas Cowboys announced the signing of rookie wide receiver Terrance Williams to a four-year contract on Tuesday.Williams, one of two third-round picks (No
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2013061819id_/http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/06/18/cowboys-ink-third-round-pick-williams/ |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Lawyers for Rod Blagojevich today asked a federal judge to throw out the remaining charges against the former governor because they have not been paid for months and are “stymied” in their ability to prepare for retrial next month.
The motion, the latest in a series of early-morning filings that have garnered plenty of news media attention, would appear to have no chance of success. After Blagojevich’s initial trial in which jurors convicted him of a lone count but deadlocked on all 23 other counts, federal prosecutors have made clear their intention to retry him on the allegations of widespread corruption while he was governor.
Ordinarily, if Blagojevich wanted to avoid a retrial, he would have to engage in negotiations with prosecutors and likely plead guilty to additional misconduct.
Jeffrey Cramer, a former federal prosecutor, called the motion "frivolous."
"It's not grounded in any legal argument," he said.
Former federal prosecutor Patrick J. Cotter also scoffed at the motion’s chances of success. He said it is unusual for the defense to seek to have the charges dismissed without any concessions from Blagojevich, unlike a plea negotiation in which both sides reach a compromise.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Cotter said. “He’s already convicted on that count. What is their incentive to simply dismiss everything else?”
In the motion, Blagojevich asked U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel to dismiss the remaining charges and sentence the former governor on his lone conviction for lying to the FBI.
Blagojevich used up his political campaign funds paying for his legal defense during the first trial. For the retrial, Zagel has found Blagojevich unable to afford to pay his legal expenses, so taxpayers will foot the bill. Zagel, though, has limited Blagojevich to two lawyers.
In the motion, Blagojevich’s attorneys said the retrial should be called off, calling it a waste of taxpayer funds and noting the current “budgetary crisis” confronting the federal government.
Cramer noted that the federal budget crisis cannot be used to let defendants walk away from charges.
"That's a reason why someone gets a free pass? ... Defendants should not reap a benefit from a budget crisis" he said.
Blagojevich’s lawyers and other publicly-funded federal defense attorneys are paid after submitting vouchers detailing their work, but payments were suspended nationwide last month and again this month because of potential funding shortfalls, said Michael Dobbins, clerk of the U.S. District Court in Chicago.
However, checks were issued Wednesday to Blagojevich’s lawyers and other publicly-funded federal defense attorneys across the country whose vouchers were processed before this month’s deadline, Dobbins said.
Dobbins did not know the total amount paid to Blagojevich’s legal team, but he said they are paid the standard rate: $125 an hour for lawyers and $75 an hour for paralegals. Blagojevich's lawyers said they had not been paid in about nine months.
<bot>: Lawyers for Rod Blagojevich today asked a federal judge to throw out the remaining charges against the former governor because they have not been paid for months and are “stymied” in their ability to prepare for retrial next month.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2011030919id_/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/blagojevich/chibrknews-blagojevich-asks-judge-to-cancel-second-trial-sentence-on-first-20110309,0,2462316.story |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Your browser, Internet Explorer 8 or below, is out of date. It has known security flaws and may not display all features of this and other websites.
<bot>: Charlie Shrem stood accused of supplying upwards of $1 million in Bitcoins to money laundering ring
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014122219id_/http://time.com/3644024/bitcoin-trader-sentenced-for-silk-road-money-laundering-scheme/ |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: West Ham striker Andy Carroll, who is recovering from a heel injury, wants a place in England's World Cup squad. Photograph: Michael Regan/The FA via Getty Images
Andy Carroll has set his sights on earning a place in England's World Cup squad, as the West Ham striker continues his rehabilitation from a heel injury. The 24-year-old, who has two goals in his nine caps, has spent the past three weeks at the Move to Cure clinic in Antwerp, working alongside the therapist Lieven Maesschalck after suffering a serious plantar fascia injury on the final day of last season.
Carroll is optimistic of a return soon. "I've just got to get back and play for West Ham and score some goals and force myself back into the England squad," Carroll, who last played for England against San Marino in October 2012, told West Ham TV. "For now, I'm back off to Belgium and it all starts again for another week.
"I'm doing well over in Belgium and I'm enjoying working out there with Lieven and it's going great. I'm working hard every day and if I keep doing that then it shouldn't be too much longer."
Shane Long has admitted his future at West Brom is in doubt as he struggles to seal a new contract. The striker has nine months left on his deal, plus a one-year option in the club's favour, but negotiations over an extension have stalled. "I don't want to go anywhere but time is running out on my contract and if an opportunity comes along that is right for me and my family, I will have to take a look at it," the Republic of Ireland international said. The 26-year-old had been set to join Hull City on transfer deadline day but West Brom pulled out at the last minute.
The Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom has joined Derby on loan until the end of the season. The versatile 20-year-old, who can play at right-back and in the centre of defence, heads to Pride Park in search of first-team football, having made only three appearances for his parent club this campaign. Wisdom played a significant part for Brendan Rodgers's side last season but has found regular football hard to come by this term, featuring only twice in the Premier League and once in the Capital One Cup.
The former Blackburn manager Steve Kean is to return to football as coach of Brunei DPMM, who play in Singapore's top flight. The club's manager, Waslimin Momin, told the Brunei DPMM website: "He will come in November. We want to change our style of play."
<bot>: • Andy Carroll wants place in England World Cup squad • Shane Long weighs up West Bromwich Albion future
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2013102219id_/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/22/football-in-brief-andy-carroll-shane-long-andre-wisdom |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Rep. Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, holds a hearing in Washington on June 20, 2012.
Editor's note: Gregory Ferenstein is an author and educator. His writings on technology, education and politics have appeared on CNN.com, on The Huffington Post and in The Washington Post.
(CNN) -- Everyday Americans now have the power to advise congressmen and influence legislation through Project Madison, a new online platform that implements public suggestions on pending laws.
Here's the kicker: It was designed by a Republican.
Thanks to their pioneering use of the Internet to raise money and mobilize supporters in the 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns, Democrats have gained a reputation in recent years as being ahead of Republicans in embracing digital tools. Witness 2008 GOP presidential nominee John McCain's public comments about his unfamiliarity with e-mail.
But since 2010, conservatives have actually begun to outrank their Democrat rivals as technology trailblazers. From introducing a social network for crowdsourced legislation to their recent show of strength on Twitter, Republicans have made strides to rid themselves of the Luddite label.
Perhaps the most impressive display of their new tech-savvy direction is Project Madison, the nickname for a crowdsourcing platform that allows citizens to amend individual passages of legislation by adding or striking language. Citizens are encouraged to like or dislike each change, with the most popular suggestions rising to the top. Additionally, individual users and organizations must reveal their identity, so the source of every suggestion is transparent.
"Technology should reduce the size of government," Project Madison's creator, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-California, told me recently after launching an effort to expand Project Madison to the entire legislative docket. "Transparency tells us where government is building up bureaucracy."
The language of small government, reduced regulation, and transparency has helped galvanize conservatives to support the use of technological tools and technology-friendly legislation. Issa and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor were influential in boosting a massive online protest against the regulation-heavy Stop Online Piracy Act, which would have penalized websites that host pirated content and faced near-unanimous opposition from the technology industry.
Cantor also appointed a separate technology communications director, Matt Lira, who, among many projects, helped launched YouCut, a digital platform that allows the public to choose which federal programs Republicans will propose to cut.
"Because technology has the potential of making government more efficient, less expensive to run, and more accountable, it's not surprising that the Republicans are ahead of the Democrats in the use of technology in governing," says Andrew Rasiej, founder and publisher of Tech President, a blog about the intersection of politics and technology.
While both parties in Congress have generally agreed on transparency issues, such as a 72-hour online viewing window before laws are passed, these digital tools of direct democracy have recently been a signature pursuit of Republicans.
The glacial speed of Congress can make it difficult to assess the impact of technological advancement, but there are signs these tools are making a difference. Issa's proposed alternative to SOPA, the OPEN Act, adopted some specific suggestions from the online community through Project Madison, including a provision to protect owners of a website domain name from the illicit actions of the person who runs the website.
And the DATA Act, a Republican-led bill to let citizens track federal spending online, has passed the House.
This GOP commitment to technology has extended to social networks as well. A recent study by Edelman Digital found that Republican members of Congress use Twitter more effectively than their Democratic counterparts. According to the study, conducted over nearly four months in late 2011, Republican lawmakers had nearly twice the Twitter interaction -- mentions, replies, and retweets -- as did Democrats.
A study by the University of Michigan, examining the 2010 midterm elections, found similar results. It concluded that "conservative candidates used this medium (Twitter) more effectively, conveying a coherent message and maintaining a dense graph of connections."
The authors of the University of Michigan study also praised what they saw as impressive consistency across the messages of the Tea Party, the grassroots small-government movement that has managed to unseat powerful Republican incumbents such as Sen. Richard Lugar. Meanwhile, the left-leaning Occupy Wall Street movement has been criticized for an incoherent agenda and is sputtering towards political oblivion.
Republicans have made a concerted effort to beef up their social-media presence since 2008, in part by recruiting tech-savvy staffers to train members of Congress in how to use social networks.
Unfortunately for them, these digital-messaging skills haven't always spilled over into general campaigning. President Obama's re-election team has hired an army of PhDs to construct the "Dashboard," a so-called Holy Grail of campaign tech that orchestrates volunteer canvassing in real time. The system relays crucial data back to a team of statisticians, who then can reroute the entire organization to optimally target malleable voters.
When it comes to the liberal tradition of grassroots organizing, Democrats still may have a home-field advantage.
Yet when it comes to actual governing, Republicans have shed their Luddite stereotype. This means Democrats have a reason to up their game as well. Let's hope these innovations spark a high-tech arms race that will raise the bar for how America is governed in the 21st century.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gregory Ferenstein.
<bot>: Everyday Americans now have the power to advise congressmen and influence legislation through Project Madison, a new online platform that implements public suggestions on pending laws.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012082319id_/http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/20/tech/democrats-republicans-tech-savvy/index.html |
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: There's a reason you know the names of these rivers--the Nile, the Mississippi, the Amazon--they've inspired exploration, legend, religion. Discover the waterways that shaped the world--and the cruises that reveal their secrets.
Trace the great rivers of the world and you'll find you're tracing much of human civilization. Throughout the ages, these watercourses have provided sustenance for crops and have kick-started exploration, enterprise, and even empires. Of course you've heard of these rivers before--they've shaped the world as we know it and played a starring role in stories, songs, and spiritual beliefs along the way. But did you know that even today one of the best ways to learn about a region is to start with the nearest river? These waterways not only linked major cities and remote villages, but they also hold the secrets to everything from the local culture to the local cuisine. We've also outlined 12 incredible river cruises that will reveal their secrets to you. These trips might not come cheap, but they will take you on a once-in-a-lifetime journey through some of the most pivotal places on earth (plus meals and drinks are usually included). Read on and discover the rivers that have made the biggest splashes in the history of mankind.
TAKE A PHOTO TOUR OF THE RIVERS
The longest river in South America, the Amazon winds its way through six countries, three time zones, and an incredible 4,980 miles. The 300-feet-deep "river sea" also boasts the world's largest reservoir of fresh water--approximately one fifth of the planet's running water, and an incredible abundance and diversity of flora and fauna. Spanish explorer Francisco de Orellana was the first person known to navigate the length of this gushing goliath in the 1540s, looking for the "Land of Cinnamon." Instead, he found turtle farms, advanced settlements with complex irrigation canals, and the fierce fighting women that subsequently gave the river its name.
River cruise: Follow in Francisco's wake on the five- to 10-day Amazon Dream river cruise through the Brazilian Amazon on board the 18-passenger M/Y Tucano, a traditional wooden riverboat. Round-trip from Santarem, Brazil, 727/498-0234, rainforestcruises.com. From $1,295 per person for a five-day cruise.
The Big Muddy is mighty: It boasts the second-largest watershed in the world, covering more than 1.2 million square miles, plus tributaries from 33 states and two Canadian provinces. Its banks have been home to humans for 5,000 years and have witnessed history in the making, from Civil War battles to Civil Rights milestones. Explorers, fur traders, and settlers battled their way up and down this occasionally cantankerous river, changing the face of America as they went. The advent of the steamboat in 1812 cranked these changes up several knots and cut travel time between Louisville and New Orleans from as much as four months to just 20 days.
River cruise: American Cruise Lines' 150-passenger Queen of the Mississippi paddlewheeler journeys along the river, stopping at historic sites including Civil War battlefields and antebellum mansions. Round-trip from New Orleans, 800/460-4518, americancruiselines.com. From $3,995 per person for a seven-night cruise.
Egypt sits amid the most desolate desert on earth, the Sahara. But the 4,225-mile-long Nile turned this area into an oasis. The Egyptians became a rich agricultural society and the wonder of the ancient world by controlling the waters of The River and building the Valley of the Kings, the Ptolemaic Temple, and the Pyramids of Giza on its banks. By the year 3,100 B.C., this rich Nile Valley and Delta society had become the world's first large nation state. Today, Egypt remains one of the most important African countries.
River cruise: Sonesta's six luxurious river boats ply the waters of the Nile with cruises taking in temples, tombs, and ruins. Round-trip from Luxor, 800/766-3782, sonesta.com. From $500 per cabin per night for three- to seven-night sailings in 2013 on the St. George I.
Asia's longest river flows south from the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea, watering more than 700 tributaries along the way. The river has seen human activity along its banks for millennia, and acted as a border between warring kingdoms and as a transportation and commercial thoroughfare for centuries--it's essentially China's east-west highway. Imperial palaces, cities of canals, and intricate temples dot its banks. Its most famous sites include the incredible Three Gorges and the gargantuan Three Gorges Dam.
River cruise: See the Three Gorges--25-mile-long Qutang, 25-mile-long Wu and 49-mile-long Xiling--and this mindboggling feat of engineering from Victoria Cruises' 268-passenger Victoria Anna on the eight-day Three Gorges Explorer. Round-trip from Chongqing, 800/348-8084, victoriacruises.com. From $1,820 per person for a seven-night cruise.
The 1,557-mile Ganges gushes from a Himalayan ice cave, coursing eastward through the heart of Northern India to the Bay of Bengal, providing water for farming, industry, energy, transportation, drinking, bathing, and religious ceremonies from baptisms to burials. Sacred to Hindus who consider the river a goddess, its banks are home to pilgrimage sites, funeral ghats, yoga ashrams, and holy cities such as Varanasi and Allahabad. River cruise: Assam Bengal Navigation's Holy Ganges river cruise spends six nights following the Ganges on the ABN Sukapha, 24-passenger expeditionary ship. Patna to Calcutta, 714/556-8258, assambengalnavigation.com. From $295 per person per night for the six-night cruise.
The world's 11th-longest river runs through 3,000 miles of Chinese, Burmese, Lao, Thai, Cambodian, and Vietnamese rice paddies, fish farms, and orchards. Its delta has been the site of countless battles--during the Vietnam War, the Indochina War, and the fight against the Khmer Rouge. Today, the peaceful, fertile 15,000-square-mile Mekong Delta is confettied with river galleys and slender sampan boats, carrying cargo from rice to potbellied pigs.
River cruise: Avalon Waterways' 14-day Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Mekong River Cruise visits the Angkor temple region, tunnels left by the infamous Viet Cong, and provincial Cambodian capital Siem Reap. Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, 877/797-8791, avalonwaterways.com. From $3,269 per person including a seven-night cruise and hotel nights in Bangkok, Siem Reap, and Ho Chi Minh City.
The Danube has been a trading river since at least the 7th century, when Greek sailors did brisk business along its course. Before that, the Romans used the "Danuvius" as the northern boundary of their empire, building settlements such as Vindobona (Vienna), Aquincum (Budapest), and Singidunum (Belgrade) on its banks to keep out the barbarians. This once-vital medieval trading route can also claim responsibility for the rise of two great empires, the Austrian and the Hungarian. From its source in Germany's Black Forest, the Danube flows to the Black Sea via Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria. River cruise: Ama Waterways' 12-day Legendary Danube trip includes three nights in Prague before you embark on a cruise along the Danube from Nuremberg to Budapest. Prague to Budapest, 800/626-0126, amawaterways.com. From $3,089 per person.
Tumbling 1,200 miles from the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Ocean in Oregon, the Columbia is best known for its part in Lewis and Clark's 1805 expedition westward, for the gold rush of the 1860s, and for being such a formidable obstacle for pioneers on the Oregon Trail. Today, the Columbia divides Washington and Oregon for its final 309 miles, reaching Astoria, Oregon, at the treacherous Columbia Bar, once known as the "Graveyard of Ships". Wineries abound on both sides of the torrent and midday winds from the craggy Columbia River Gorge power a busy windsurfing scene on the river at the city of Hood River. River cruise: Take to the water on American Cruise Lines' seven-night Columbia and Snake river cruise on the Queen of the West, a 120-passenger paddleboat. Portland, Ore., to Clarkston, Wash., 800/460-4518, americancruiselines.com. From $3,695 per person for a seven-night cruise.
Sometimes known as the "heroic Rhine" for its fairytale castles, terraced vineyards, and dramatic cliffs, this historic river flows from the mountains of Switzerland, through Western Germany to the North Sea near Rotterdam. The Rhine's central location has caused it to be fought over and used as a border since Roman times--Julius Caesar himself crossed the Rhine in 53 B.C. Today, its stunning scenery and spectacular wines make it a popular tourist destination. River cruise: Get your fill of castles, cathedrals, and canals on Uniworld's 164-passenger Super Ship Antoinette with the Castles Along the Rhine cruise. Basel to Amsterdam, 800/733-7820, uniworld.com. From $2,349 per person for a seven-night cruise.
The 1,300-mile Orinoco was first documented by Columbus in 1498, but its elusive source was not found until 1951. Situated in present-day Colombia and Venezuela, the Orinoco Delta covers more than 340,000 square miles and branches off into literally hundreds of off-shoot rivers and waterways. This watery wonderland is home to more than 1,000 species of birds, plus a huge variety of fish, from gargantuan 200-pound catfish to carnivorous piranhas. River cruise: Orinoco Delta Tours will get you close to this wealth of wildlife with its three-day river trip and lodge vacation on the Delta. Tucupita to Orinoco Delta Lodge, 011-58/295-249-1823, orinocodelta.com. From $260 per person for a two-night trip.
Europe's longest river is Russia's principal waterway. A crucial trade route since the Bulgars and the Khazars settled along it in the Middle Ages, its banks have since been invaded by Mongol hordes, Cossacks, revolting peasants, and anti-Putin demonstrators. Known as "Mother Volga" in Russia, the river has carried Russian colonization to the east, transported freight, and watered the vast steppes. River cruise: The 13-day Waterways of the Czars Cruise glides through Russia and the Ukraine, taking in majestic sights from the Kremlin and Red Square to Catherine the Great's Palace, the Hermitage, and the Golden Ring towns of Yaroslavl and Uglich. Moscow to St. Petersburg, 800/706-1483, vikingrivercruises.com. From $4,496 per person for a 12-night cruise.
Although archaeological evidence shows that people were trotting along the Thames as far back as 400,000 years ago, the Romans founded the river's most significant settlement, Londinium, a mere 2,000 years ago. The Thames may be short, but it's mighty. In fact, the 220-mile-long Thames could probably claim to be the river that's had the most powerful impact on the world: The British Empire was explored and claimed by ships that sailed from it. In 1589, Sir Walter Raleigh set off for the New World from here. By the 1700s, London was the world's busiest port as commodities were shipped up the Thames from all over the British Empire. Today, it's a slow-flowing river with 44 locks, several royal palaces, innumerable English villages, two famed university towns, and, of course, the one-and-only London.
River cruise: See the Thames that flows outside London with a four-night cruise on the 12-passenger African Queen, which passes through quaint English villages like Henley-on-Thames and traverses the Goring Lock. Round-trip from Mapledurham, travel.saga.co.uk. From $886 per person for a four-night cruise.
<bot>: The Colombia River played a pivotal roll in the western expansion of the U.S. (Alptraum / Dreamstime.com)There's a reason you know the names of these rivers���the Nile, the Mississippi, the Amazon���they've inspired exploration, legend, religion.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012101719id_/http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/10/15/12-most-iconic-rivers-on-earth/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The photographers, meanwhile, have returned to public life as confessed traitors.
In an interview a few days after his release, Mr. Abdaladze hunched in a chair, hollow-eyed, and insisted that all cellphones be removed from the room before he would begin speaking. He was careful not to discuss the charges or his confession, following the terms of the plea agreement. Asked whether he had betrayed Georgia, he chose his words carefully.
“The main thing I can tell you is that I love my homeland very much, and I’ve done a lot of things which prove this,” he said. “As for the accusation, I already said all this at trial and I don’t want to repeat myself.”
It was clear, however, that there was something he wanted to explain about his 15 days in custody.
“I saw things I have never seen before,” he said, his tone flat. “Something I couldn’t imagine. I have not been in this condition even after the war. However, I was angry after the war. Now I am not even angry.”
It was a jaw-dropping case from the very beginning, not only because of the way the suspects were detained — plainclothes officers knocked on their doors between 2 and 3 a.m., waking their families and searching the premises — but also because of who they were.
As Mr. Saakashvili’s personal photographer, Irakli Gedenidze, 37, could be seen for years scrambling after the mercurial president, like a shadow with a zoom lens. His wife, Natia, also a photographer, was detained with him but released two days later on bail. Zurab Kurtsikidze, 38, worked for European Pressphoto Agency, a news service based in Frankfurt.
Mr. Abdaladze, 38, worked on contract for the Foreign Ministry but also chased after breaking news; his 2008 photograph of a woman reaching up from the flaming wreckage of a building became one of the iconic images from Georgia’s brief war with Russia.
Soon afterward, Georgia’s Interior Ministry began releasing evidence that the three men — whose longtime friendship is documented on their Facebook pages — were in fact functioning as an underground spy cell.
Mr. Gedenidze and his wife gave confessions almost immediately. In a video recording shown on Georgian news broadcasts, Mr. Gedenidze said Mr. Kurtsikidze had initially purchased pictures on behalf of his photo agency, but then blackmailed him into passing on documents, which he suspected were sent to foreign intelligence agents.
The case seemed strong enough that Mr. Saakashvili went on a Russian radio station describing it as a shining moment for Georgia’s criminal justice system: even a well-connected man like Mr. Gedenidze, he said, would be held accountable.
“With regard to my personal photographer, I was very upset, and I am still very, very upset,” Mr. Saakashvili said. “But my personal feelings are a secondary matter. There can’t be anything personal in this.”
Public pressure over the case was mounting, however. Journalists protested outside the Interior Ministry, demanding that the government release hard evidence to substantiate its case. Mr. Abdaladze, who had hired a prominent lawyer in the political opposition, published a letter saying that the charges were in retaliation for him having distributed photographs of a May 26 rally that had been violently broken up by the police. He vowed to maintain his innocence.
A few days later, as legal teams began preparing for a September trial, the case came to a halt. Lawyers for Mr. Kurtsikidze and Mr. Abdaladze announced that their clients had agreed to plead guilty to espionage. They were released on probation, with conditional sentences ranging from six months to three years. Georgia’s public defender, Giorgi Tughushi, said that he had met with the defendants while they were in custody and that none of them said they had come under physical or psychological pressure to confess.
In some ways, it was not an unusual outcome. In 2010, 80 percent of criminal cases in Georgia ended in plea agreements, according to a recent report from Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner. Because of tough sentencing practices and a near certainty of conviction at trial — the average acquittal rate in trial courts last year was 0.2 percent — the plea-bargaining system has become difficult for defendants to resist, even if they would like to argue their innocence in court, the report warned.
But it is unusual for defendants accused of grave crimes, like those the photographers were accused of committing, to escape prison terms, raising the question of whether the state had the evidence to convict them. Shota Utiashvili, director of information and analysis for Georgia’s Interior Ministry, said last week that “from a moral point of view, releasing somebody who was providing enemy information during the war, that doesn’t look good.”
“It really looks strange to any foreigner, and to some in the service, too, but, you know, it’s always a deal between prosecution and defendant,” Mr. Utiashvili said, “and the only way to make these people talk was to promise them minimal sentences.”
He said the photographers had provided valuable information about spy networks and the vast number of classified documents they had sold to Russia in the past. In searches of their computers, the Interior Ministry was able to find “less than 1 percent” of what was sent to Russia, Mr. Utiashvili said. Among the documents, he said, were longstanding security protocols for protecting the president.
Nino Andriashvili, a lawyer from the Human Rights Center who represented Mr. Kurtsikidze, said that the documents included in the case were indeed important, but that at trial she would have argued that there was no independent confirmation that they had been found on the defendants’ computers.
In the end, Mr. Utiashvili said, the photographers were able to drive a hard bargain with prosecutors because they were so well connected among journalists, and because publicity over the case threatened to taint Georgia’s democratic credentials.
Without that public’s show of support, “they might have had three years or five years” in prison, Mr. Utiashvili said. “That sort of support encouraged them to demand the maximum. And then what we can do?”
<bot>: The prosecution and release of photographers accused of spying for Russia has left a deep rift in Georgian society.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2011073019id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/world/europe/31georgia.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Aimee Copeland’s morning waitress shift at The Sunnyside Café in Carrollton, Georgia, was winding down when she and a couple of girlfriends decided to spend the rest of that sunny day in May 2012 by the nearby, local river.
The adventurous 24-year-old, who was getting her masters degree in psychology at The University of Georgia, changed into her bathing suit and waded into the shallow creek-bed waters.
Suspended in the trees above, about six feet up, they discovered a homemade zip-line – not much more than a dog wire with handlebars.
On Aimee’s second turn the wire snapped, sending her crashing onto the sharp rocks just below, leaving her with a large, deep gash in her outer left calf.
For more of Aimee Copeland’s life now, tune in to PEOPLE s List, Saturday June 11, 8/7c on ABC
“I knew I was cut really bad and I knew it hurt but I didn’t know to what extent,” Aimee, now 28, tells PEOPLE.
At the hospital, doctors initially stitched her up with 22 surgical staples and sent her home. But over the next three days, she says, “Something just didn’t feel right in my leg.”
She even told one of her friends, who’d stopped by her house, that she thought there might be “bad blood” because she’d started feeling pain in her left upper thigh.
Three days after the accident, in the early-morning hours of May 4, things took a horrific turn.
Aimee woke up with blood blisters, and overnight, her left leg had rotted to her thigh and she couldn’t speak.
“My tongue was all shriveled up like a lizard tongue,” she recalls. “My boyfriend immediately threw me over his shoulder, threw put me in the car and drove me to the emergency room.”
At the hospital, doctors knew right away that she had necrotizing fasciitis, a rare flesh-eating bacteria that almost took her life. They quickly turned into “saving my life” mode, says Aimee.
Miraculously, Aimee survived, but she was never the same. Doctors had to amputate all four of her limbs – both arms below the elbow, her right leg below the knee, and her left leg almost to her hip.
Aimee Copeland photographed for PEOPLERecalling the grueling weeks just after the accident, she says, “One day I asked my parents if they could take these heavy boots off my feet, and they had to tell me, ‘You don t have feet.’ That was the phantom limb pain.”
A Long RecoveryIt was very dark time but Aimee says she was always determined to “fight for her life” and push forward, despite unimaginable obstacles – both physical and emotional.
Sitting in her power-wheelchair in the living room of her adaptable three-bedroom home in Atlanta on a warm day in May, she says, “I wasn’t going to let anything hold me back. There is always hope for another day and that continual instinct to keep on trying and never give up.”
Anytime someone told her she couldn’t do something because of her disability – like making a ponytail – it only served to motivate Aimee even more.
During her two months in rehab, her occupational therapist told her that most women in her situation “cut their hair short,” because they can no longer style their own hair. For Aimee, “that wasn’t an answer.”
“I vowed on that day to learn how to do a ponytail,” she says, standing in front of her bathroom mirror and pulling her hair up. “If you really want it then one day – and maybe it will be 50 years from now – you’ll figure it out.”
Recovering her self-confidence was tough, too – especially when she realized her relationship with her boyfriend of three years had changed.
Following the accident, she says he was “extremely supportive.” But as time went on, something changed between them and, she says, “a large part of that was intimacy.”
Aimee could tell he wasn t attracted to her anymore. “That became more and more clear the longer we stayed together,” she says.
She adds: “We had been together for so long and I felt like he was my last connection to the girl I was before. He expected any day now I would just come walking in with legs and hands. It took him a long time to realize that wasn’t going to happen.”
Ultimately, Aimee made the decision to end their relationship in 2014 when she says it became “really unhealthy for me and really bad for my self-esteem.”
Present DayGetting back into dating “with no hands or feet was very tough,” she says but, with encouragement from a friend, she signed up for a couple of dating apps and put herself out there.
The last thing she expected was to find was Stephen, a 29-year-old from Fayetteville, Georgia. They were a 93 percent match, immediately hit it off and now, over a year later, are still dating.
Aimee Copeland and new boyfriend StephenAimee says Stephen thought her body was “perfect,” something she never thought she’d hear anybody say to her ever again.
Muhammad Ali on the cover of PEOPLEFor more on Aimee Copeland’s recovery, pick up a copy of PEOPLE magazine, on newsstands Friday
“He accepted me for something much deeper than what I present on the outside,” she says.
These days, there’s no stopping her. Aimee loves cooking for friends in her open kitchen, working out, kayaking and adding to the 80,000 miles she’s already driven in her customized van.
She recently finished her second master’s degree in social work and has plans to open up a non-profit holistic community center for people with disabilities. With her whole life ahead of her, she says, “My self-confidence has never been higher.”
“I’ve let go of the girl I was before,” she adds. “I’ve completely embraced who I am.”
<bot>: “I’d love to run again, hike and be more independent,” she tells PEOPLE
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20161013152341id_/http://people.com/article/aimee-copeland-flesh-eating-bacteria-survivor/cm.peo/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The satellite TV company is teaming with SI on a free Android or iOS app that will let folks who hold their phones over pictures of the swimsuit models watch videos of the pictured model's shoot.
DirecTV says there will be 19 such videos embedded within the magazine, each roughly a half-minute in length and with a brief DirecTV ad featuring supermodel Kate Upton.
Heading into its 49th year, the venerable swimsuit magazine, by far SI's most popular single issue, hits on Valentine's Day.
To encourage readers to fetch the app and check out the videos, DirecTV is placing a series of mildly suggestive half-page ads within the magazine — "This is why men were given eyes. And smartphones," reads one ad. Upton will be in Indianapolis trying to raise awareness for the app at the actual Super Bowl.
DirecTV said they took the idea to SI, where the app was designed, developed and produced using "digital watermarking" technology from Digimarc.
Sports Illustrated creative director Chris Hercik says past swimsuit issues have incorporated 3-D technology and bar codes. And separate from its new DirecTV app, SI has other iPhone and Android apps tied to the upcoming swimsuit issue, including one that costs $6.99 for non-SI subscribers. "Every year we're looking for new ways to bring the product to life," he says.
Indeed, there's nothing new about seeing bar codes within a publication. But "the technology has not been that easy," says Allen Adamson, managing director at the Landor global-brand consulting agency. "To date, our experience has been that every one of these (interactive-type ads) has been less than expected in terms of involvement and usage. It feels like a no-brainer but "It's not taking off as fast as the market thought."
Adamson thinks this latest promotion could work. "Year after year, the swimsuit issue has managed to thrive among its readership. The early adopters (who might be attracted to the app) are right in line with heavy readers of the SI swimsuit issue."
Unlike the QR codes that appear in many publications, including USA TODAY, the Digimarc technology in use here lets a user hover over any part of the swimsuit image, rather than having to precisely frame the code with a camera phone. The promise is that videos will start playing on the phone (or tablet) right away; it took more like 5 to 10 seconds however, when USA TODAY got an early peek at the still unfinished app. Readers are guided with "film clip" icons sprinkled throughout the magazine to alert them that a particular image has an associated video.
DirecTV's senior vice president of marketing, Jon Gieselman, is aware of the challenges. "We wanted this to be a cool experience for people. If it's too hyped (or is) a lame experience, readers are not going to come back and do it on the next page. It is intended to enhance the magazine experience, not replace it."
Gieselman wouldn't disclose terms of the deal with SI.
As for the timing of the promotion, he says, the swimsuit issue is "the Super Bowl for print."
<bot>: Free downloadable Android or iOS app gives smartphone users access to models' photo shoots.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012020219id_/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-02-01/directv-sports-illustrated-swimsuits/52921538/1 |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross
05/29/2015 AT 06:00 PM EDT
, and the couple is getting in as much family time as possible before then.
Joining mom Diana Ross and older sister Tracee Ellis Ross Thursday night at Warwick in Los Angeles, the entire clan spent quality time together well into the night.
"They were all laughing and drinking," says an onlooker, who added that Simpson, 30, stuck to water. "Evan and Tracee told jokes and they all danced to Diana's songs."
Ever the doting husband, Evan, 26, "walked Ashlee to the bathroom a few times and was super protective of her," adds the onlooker.
According to a source, Evan has been "so involved with her
." The dad-to-be "wants a say in every decision that is made about the baby and Ashlee is so appreciative of that. He's clearly taken on that fatherly role."
"It is the most special thing that I could ever think of, and I'm really excited," he
<bot>: "They all just enjoyed family time together," says a source
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20150530031942id_/http://www.people.com/article/ashlee-evan-ross-family-night-diana-ross |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: President Obama will join Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey, in viewing damage from the storm on Wednesday, the White House announced on Tuesday as Mr. Obama praised relief efforts at a Red Cross headquarters in Washington.
The president canceled campaign rallies that had been scheduled for Wednesday. Instead, Mr. Obama will join with Mr. Christie — who has been one of his harshest critics — in talking with victims of the storm and thanking first responders, officials said.
That announcement came moments after the president described what he called the “heartbreaking” hardship from the storm that he and other Americans had witnessed during the past 24 hours.
“America is with you,” the president said to victims of the storm across the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. “Obviously, this is something that is heartbreaking for the entire nation.”
Mr. Obama’s visit to the Red Cross and the announcement of a tour of the damage on Wednesday came at the beginning of the final seven days of the presidential campaign. The president is locked in a tight battle with Mitt Romney, according to national polls and surveys in battleground states.
Mr. Christie had been one of the president’s most ardent critics until the storm’s arrival. In the last 24 hours, he has praised Mr. Obama’s leadership and the administration’s actions to speed relief resources to New Jersey.
At the Red Cross, Mr. Obama said his message to officials in the federal government was “no bureaucracy, no red tape.” And he said federal officials were “going to continue to push as hard as we can” to provide resources to places like Newark, where there were major losses of electricity.
He praised the work of emergency responders and singled out workers at NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan who he said were “carrying fragile newborns to safety” after backup power systems failed Monday night.
He also praised firefighters who waded into deep water to save people’s lives.
<bot>: The White House said the president will meet with Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey to assess the storm damage.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012103019id_/http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/obama-to-visit-storm-ravaged-new-jersey/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article:
<bot>: Wonderfully odd mix of surprising hot sellers.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160818000310id_/http://time.com:80/money/4255785/americans-buying-more-than-ever/?xid=time_socialflow_twitter |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The event was attended by those across the marketing industry and primarily Marketing Industry Newtwork members.
Gary Frielick - Regional Sales Director said " This is an amazing achievement. To retain this award is a great testament to a very special group of people who I feel privileged to work with. Year after year they continue to raise the bar of excellence".
<bot>: The Telegraph's Regional Sales team won 'Media Sales Team Of The Year' for the
sixth consecutive year at the MIAwards 2010 in Manchester.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20110119063658id_/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/advertising/news/8170607/Success-for-our-Regional-Sales-team-at-the-MIAwards.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: After he didn't play on offense in a November loss at New Orleans, 49ers running back Anthony Dixon took to Twitter and delivered a series of frustration-filled messages.
"Just flat outright salty right now," read one tweet, "... praying for more opportunities"
A month later, Dixon has the best opportunity of a four-year career in which his most notable work has come on special teams.
On Thursday, a day after versatile fullback Bruce Miller was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, head coach Jim Harbaugh suggested the 49ers wouldn't take a committee approach to filling Miller's role. Rather, they'd replace him with Dixon.
"Anthony Dixon will step up and do a great job as he has been doing in that backup fullback role," Harbaugh said. "I know there were times he'd like to be running the ball more, but never a complaint about that and you never have to worry about A.D.'s effort. Look forward to watching him compete."
It remains to be seen if Dixon will actually play 60 percent of the offensive snaps, as did Miller in the season's first 14 games. On Wednesday, quarterback Colin Kaepernick said that ideally, Dixon would capably assume Miller's duties and the 49ers wouldn't need to tweak their offense.
Dixon, who rushed for a school-record 3,994 yards at Mississippi State, has just 76 carries since 2011. During training camp in 2012, he volunteered to play fullback in hopes that versatility would improve his odds of making the team. He stuck around, and now he has the chance to show how he's progressed at his new position.
"I'm pretty comfortable with it," Dixon said. "I've been playing it two years now. I've been in this offense two years. I'm ready."
Whitner avoids fine: It didn't appear the hit 49ers safety Donte Whitner delivered to Tampa Bay tight end Tim Wright last week merited the penalty flag that it drew.
Whitner will not be fined for the personal-foul penalty he received in the second quarter of a 33-14 win over the Buccaneers, a source said. Whitner did not make helmet-to-helmet contact with Wright. Instead, he hit him in the helmet with his left shoulder.
Whitner, who has been outspoken in his belief that the NFL is flagging defensive players for legal hits, was fined $21,000 for a shoulder-to-helmet hit on Rams wide receiver Chris Givens in Week 4. He appealed the fine and he recently said he's yet to hear back from the league.
Harbaugh on contract: A day after 49ers CEO Jed York said on KNBR that he wants to discuss a contract extension with Harbaugh in the offseason, the coach said he "absolutely" wants to stay with the 49ers long-term.
Harbaugh is in the third year of a five-year, $25 million contract. He is the third-highest paid coach in the NFC West behind Seattle's Pete Carroll and St. Louis' Jeff Fisher.
<bot>: After he didn't play on offense in a November loss at New Orleans, 49ers running back Anthony Dixon took to Twitter and delivered a series of frustration-filled messages. On Thursday, a day after versatile fullback Bruce Miller was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, head coach Jim Harbaugh suggested the 49ers wouldn't take a committee approach to filling Miller's role. During training camp in 2012, he volunteered to play fullback in hopes that versatility would improve his odds of making the team. Whitner, who has been outspoken in his belief that the NFL is flagging defensive players for legal hits, was fined $21,000 for a shoulder-to-helmet hit on Rams wide receiver Chris Givens in Week 4. Harbaugh on contract: A day after 49ers CEO Jed York said on KNBR that he wants to discuss a contract extension with Harbaugh in the offseason, the coach said he "absolutely" wants to stay with the 49ers long-term.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20131220210033id_/http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/49ers-Dixon-to-get-big-chance-in-backfield-5080821.php |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Tuesday, December 11th 2007, 4:00 AM
Gov. Spitzer and Mayor Bloomberg aren't the ones standing at the bus stop every bone-freezing morning. They're not the ones who have to claw through the throngs on the train platform to get to work halfway on time. No, that's you.
And now Spitzer and Bloomberg have decreed from the comforts of their leather upholstery that even this misery is going to cost you more than it does now. Once again, they want you to pay a higher price for using mass transit.
They're traveling in style while you're being taken for a ride. Why? Because, dear riders, you're easy marks for money-hungry politicians.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority needs money, and lots of it, to operate the system and keep it in an approximation of working order. The question is: Who'll pay?
Four months ago, when MTA chief executive Lee Sander floated the idea of a fare hike, we set down stringent conditions. Tapping the riders would be fair, we wrote,
"provided the city and state come up with their shares of increased transit aid,
"provided the MTA executes an aggressive cost-saving plan,
"provided the MTA and its labor unions come to reasonable understandings on pensions and health care."
Hasn't happened. Hasn't happened. Hasn't happened.
And yet Spitzer and Bloomberg, who control the MTA board through their representatives, and who now take personal ownership of the proposed hike, have agreed to push through a fare boost plan that would, at the top end, raise the cost of a 30-day MetroCard to $81 from $76. Overall, fares would rise an average of 3.85%.
That is better than the 6.5% hike the MTA initially sought before officials discovered that revenue from special MTA-dedicated taxes were coming in higher than expected. Spitzer did the right and pleasing and rather effortless thing in ordering the agency to lower its sights, including holding the base fare at $2.
But the governor, joined yesterday by the symbolic straphanger, the mayor, refused to postpone consideration of the hike that's now on the table - even though a majority of the Legislature had asked for the chance to find increased transit aid when lawmakers vote on a budget in the spring.
Their refusal to do so is infuriating.
They agree the MTA is in a hole in large measure because Albany abdicated its responsibility to provide funding. Specifically, the state forced the agency to dedicate an increasing amount of its farebox income to paying for capital projects such as station renovations, the purchase of new trains and the installation of new signals.
<bot>: Governor Spitzer and Mayor Bloomberg aren't the ones standing at the bus stop every bone-freezing morning. They're not the ones who have to claw through the throngs on the train platform to get to work halfway on time. No, that's you.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2007121119id_/http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/12/11/2007-12-11_eliot__mikes_fare_hike-1.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: A bikini-clad Kate Upton shows off her dance moves.
Kate Upton is continuing her twin campaigns to teach America how to dance and how to ogle.
The 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover girl recently donned a dental-floss sized red bikini for a dance number on celebrity photographer Terry Richardson's blog.
What Upton's 10-second Cat Daddy lacks in rhythm it more than makes up for in jiggly bits.
"That's it, that's all you guys need," she asks at the end of her routine.
RELATED: WHO IS KATE UPTON?
The clip also boasts an instant replay for viewers who may have been too busy drooling over themselves to fully appreciate the subtle nuances of Upton's Cat Daddy.
The destined-to-be-viral video emerged just over a year after the then-18-year-old beauty showed off her moves to Cali Swag District's song, "Teach Me How to Dougie," at an L.A. Clippers game. She was fully clothed at the time, but the model's sexy gyrations still became a sensation on the Internet.
PHOTOS: THE CURVES THAT MADE KATE UPTON A STAR
"My dougie made the jumbotron," she tweeted proudly with a smiley face after the game.
Upton, a self-proclaimed Knicks and Clippers fans, left a lot more smiley faces in the crowd that day.
The bathing suit she sports in Richardson’s video resembles one she famously sports on the now-classic cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Joining the pantheon of cover girls that includes Christie Brinkley, Tyra Banks and Elle Macpherson, Cheryl Tiegs and Heidi Klum, the St. Joseph, Mich. product has become an instant sensation since the issue hit newsstands in February .
“I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet,” she told the Daily News at the time. “But I’m just enjoying the moment.”
<bot>: Kate Upton is continuing her twin campaigns to teach America how dance and how to ogle.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012050219id_/http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/kate-upton-shows-bikini-body-dance-moves-sexy-video-article-1.1070580 |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Gadhafi pledges to fight until the end
Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- As rebels inside Tripoli said they were advancing toward ruler Moammar Gadhafi's compound Sunday, the defiant leader called on Libyans to stop "colonizers" from taking over the nation's capital.
"I am with you in this fight. We will not give up," he said in audio remarks broadcast on Libyan state television.
"The colonizers are trying to colonize the city of Tripoli, so they come with their army to invade our beloved Libya," he said, "but we will not allow them to do so until the last blood drops from every man and woman."
Gadhafi's remarks came as gunfire crackled and explosions rocked Tripoli, and government officials reported that more than 370 people had been killed in the past day of clashes.
A fierce gun battle broke out Sunday evening near the hotel where many international reporters were stationed in Tripoli. Many government officials packed their suitcases and left the hotel earlier Sunday.
Nearly 1,000 people were wounded in fighting that began Saturday night, a Libyan government official said, and 376 were killed. Officials did not provide further details about the casualties.
Libya's government spokesman vowed that loyalist soldiers and volunteers would fend off attacks.
"Tripoli is well-protected, with thousands upon thousands ready to defend the city against any invasion," government spokesman Musa Ibrahim told reporters Sunday.
"They wholeheartedly believe that if this city is captured, the blood will run everywhere, so they may as well fight until the end," he added.
Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, a son of the ruler and a top official in his regime, said earlier on state television that the rebels were losing every battle. His statement came hours after his father told supporters that the "traitors" and their NATO allies were lying and nearing their end.
The Gadhafis' accounts, however, contrasted with reports from CNN reporters, witnesses and rebel officials that government forces continued to lose ground across the North African nation and faced fresh attacks in the capital.
Rebels moved truckloads of ammunition on roads toward Tripoli Sunday after seizing an ammunition depot previously held by Gadhafi's forces. After claiming victory in Zawiya -- about 30 miles west of Tripoli -- a group of rebel forces said they were continuing their march east and closing in on the capital.
Some areas of eastern Tripoli -- including the suburb of Tajoura -- were out of government control Sunday, according to a Libyan government official who asked not to be named.
Rebels had set car tires afire along barricades there, the official said.
The official said 65,000 troops loyal to Gadhafi were ready to defend Tripoli, and warned that a massacre would occur if NATO continued to back rebel efforts.
Faithi Baja, political affairs chief for the rebels' Transitional National Council, said in a video statement Sunday that the rebel fighters' freshly launched operation inside Tripoli was "going easily" and that they were inching toward Gadhafi's Bab al-Azizia compound.
"Most of the neighborhoods in Tripoli are rising up," said Jumma Ibrahim, a rebel spokesman from the western mountain region around Zintan. He also said Libyan rebels took control of the city of Jaddaim, west of Tripoli, on Saturday night.
The rebel spokesman claimed opposition fighters had taken control of the main intelligence operations building in Tripoli. He also said some Libyan army personnel had defected and joined the rebels in the area of the capital's airport, which he claimed the rebels took over.
But the government spokesman denied that the airport had switched hands, insisting all of Tripoli was safe and under the control of Gadhafi's forces.
CNN could not immediately confirm whether rebel fighters had taken control of any parts of the city, including the airport.
Gunfire and explosions have been common in the capital, but a CNN crew on the ground for weeks reports that this weekend's fighting appears to be among the most intense yet.
Heavy clashes erupted Saturday night in at least one Tripoli neighborhood, marked by intense gunfire, explosions and people screaming as they ran through the street, a resident told CNN.
On Sunday morning, several fires were burning in eastern Tripoli.
The Libyan government spokesman appealed for a cease-fire Sunday and called on NATO to stop its campaign.
"Every drop of Libyan blood shed by these rebels is the responsibility of the western world, especially NATO's countries. We hold (U.S. President Barack) Obama, (British Prime Minister David) Cameron and (French President Nicolas) Sarkozy morally responsible for every single unnecessary death that takes place in this country," Musa Ibrahim said.
NATO, working under a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing the use of force to protect Libyan civilians, has conducted 7,459 strike sorties in Libya since the end of March, the alliance said Sunday. It made 22 "key hits" in the Tripoli area Saturday, including on several military facilities.
Officials briefed Obama on the situation in Libya Sunday morning and the president will continue to receive updates, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.
"We believe that Gadhafi's days are numbered, and that the Libyan people deserve a just, democratic and peaceful future," Earnest said.
A senior Obama administration official said Sunday that Gadhafi's "already limited options (would) become even more limited" if Tripoli falls to rebels.
"Anti-Gadhafi forces have had momentum on their side for some time," the official said. "What we're seeing is further evidence of their sustained persistence."
U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona and ranking member of the Senate's armed services committee, said it was "a matter of hours if not days" before Gadhafi leaves power.
"I believe that it's nearing the end," he told the CBS program "Face the Nation" Sunday.
As clashes appeared to intensify Sunday, a Maltese ship seeking to evacuate foreign nationals from Libya came under heavy fire as it attempted to dock at the Tripoli port.
A rebel-controlled ship ambushed the ship's crew and passengers near the Libyan coastline in what appeared to be a hijack attempt. As the captain tried to steer toward the port, Gadhafi forces began firing at the rebels, leaving the Maltese ship in the crossfire.
No injuries were reported, but the ship was forced to turn around, with its crew fearing for the safety of those onboard. The foreign nationals remained stranded in Libya.
Gadhafi, meanwhile, claimed rebel officials were lying about the situation in Tripoli and beyond. He said the six-month-long conflict would climax soon.
In an audio address broadcast on state-run TV, the Libyan leader blasted the rebel "traitors" and the NATO forces backing them as unethical and intent on destroying the county and ruining lives. And as he had done in a speech six days earlier, he tried to rally citizens to his side.
"March forward, march forward, march forward. They have lost and used everything, and their last resort is their lying campaign. Now, this is the ending," he said.
About 30 miles west of Tripoli, thick plumes of smoke hung over the sky Sunday as multiple loud explosions rocked the city of Zawiya.
Rebel fighters told CNN they controlled Zawiya and had pushed Gadhafi's forces 15 miles outside the city, moving that battle's frontline closer to Tripoli. But Gadhafi's forces continued firing into Zawiya from a distance.
Rebel forces also said they controlled a major oil refinery and cut off a key coastal road outside the city -- a major supply route to the capital.
Libyan state television reported Sunday that dozens of armed rebels were arrested south of Zawiya, and their weapons were seized.
Rebel fighters told CNN Saturday that NATO had warned civilians to leave the main part of the city. NATO has not yet commented on that statement.
As for the capital, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi laughed at the notion that the opposition would take Tripoli. And he was emphatic that he, his father and their supporters would not surrender.
"We are in our land, in our country," he said. "We have no problem if it takes six months, one year or two years -- victory will be ours. This is our country, and we will not leave it."
CNN's Raja Razek, Jomana Karadsheh, Matthew Chance, Sara Sidner, Mark Phillips, Kareem Khadder, Roba Alhenawi, Ben Wedeman, Barbara Starr and Yasmin Amer contributed to this report.
<bot>: As rebels inside Tripoli said they were advancing toward ruler Moammar Gadhafi's compound Sunday, the defiant leader called on Libyans to stop "colonizers" from taking over the nation's capital.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2011082119id_/http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/08/21/libya.war/index.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: With so many scandals breaking in Washington, one may well ask: Where were all the inspectors general when these bad things—at the IRS, at Justice, and at State before, during and after Benghazi, for instance—were going on? Where were the presidential appointees who, since the Inspectors General Act of 1978, are meant to root out gross mismanagement, fraud and other abuses at their federal departments and agencies, or among those whom the agencies regulate? The sad truth is that in the Obama administration many of the most important IGs mandated by Congress simply are not in place.
For years, President Obama has neglected his duty to fill vacant inspector-general posts at the departments of State, Interior, Labor, Homeland Security and Defense and at the Agency for International Development. The president has nominated only two candidates to fill any of these six vacancies, and he subsequently withdrew both nominations. All told, an IG has been missing in action at each of those cabinet departments and the AID agency for between 18 months and five years.
At a time when American confidence in the integrity and transparency of the federal government has been shaken, inspectors general can help Washington get back to basic principles of accountability—but only if the IGs are properly appointed and allowed to do their jobs.
Although there are 73 inspectors general in the federal system, less than half fall into a category that indicates their special importance for the effective functioning of the government. The nomination of these IGs typically involves a collaborative process between the president and his cabinet secretaries. Congress has also mandated that each cabinet-level inspector general "shall be appointed by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, without regard to political affiliation and solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, public administration, or investigations."
The story at the State Department underscores the problem. For Hillary Clinton's entire four-year tenure as secretary of State, she relied on a retired foreign service officer, former Ambassador Harold Geisel, to function as an inspector general—though he could never hold the title.
Upon the departure of State's IG Howard Krongard in 2008, Mr. Geisel was appointed deputy IG until, it was presumed at the time, a new IG could be named within the customary 210 days stipulated in the Vacancies Act. Mr. Geisel was not eligible to be the inspector general because of an explicit, congressionally mandated safeguard for IG independence that rules out "a career member of the Foreign Service" from ever being "appointed Inspector General of the Department of State."
That is one reason why, as Mr. Geisel's de facto "acting" IG role at State extended into late 2010, the nonprofit Project On Government Oversight complained about this apparent violation of law in a Nov. 18 letter to President Obama. The letter also noted the personal friendship between Mr. Geisel and State's undersecretary for management, Patrick Kennedy, who was at the time "responsible for the people, resources facilities, technology, consular affairs, and security of the Department of State," according to his official biography.
Mr. Kennedy's long and close association with the person effectively responsible for inspecting and reviewing the department's performance wasn't the only troubling issue for many who knew and respected both men. As a group of "very concerned employees" of the State Department made clear in a letter released to Congress in January 2008—when Ambassador Geisel's appointment as "acting IG" was rumored—the ambassador was so well known as a member of the State Department family that it did not sound like a good idea to have one of their own in charge of investigating, auditing and assessing them.
Mr. Geisel's honesty and dedication were not at question. As the Benghazi whistleblower scandal unfolded on Capitol Hill this spring, however, the last Senate-confirmed inspector general of the State Department, Mr. Krongard, told me in an email that while Mr. Geisel is "an able man . . . his status significantly undercuts his authority and effectiveness within [the office of inspector general], within the Department, in the IG community, and on Capitol Hill. His status is like attaching a sign on his back that says 'Ignore Me, I am temporary.' "
The depth of the IG vacancy problem became clearer when three State Department whistleblowers testified before Congress about Benghazi. One of an IG's many jobs is to protect whistleblowers, but the three said they had suffered reprisals for telling the truth.
Greg Hicks, for instance, was the deputy chief of mission in Libya who became the top U.S. diplomat in Libya after Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed. Mr. Hicks told Congress he suffered retaliation within the State Department when he asked a superior about Ambassador Susan Rice's five TV interviews after the attack—in which we now know she falsely claimed that the cause of the attack was an online video. Mr. Hicks said he was told by his superiors at State that "he should not proceed" with his questions about events surrounding Benghazi, and he was later given a "blistering critique" of his management style and effectively demoted to "desk officer."
We are left wondering whether the presence of an independent and effective Senate-confirmed IG at the State Department might have encouraged Mr. Hicks and others who were aware of wrongdoing to speak out even earlier, say, in October last year, without fear of reprisal. How many other whistleblowers are not being protected as required by law in the other federal agencies without a Senate-confirmed inspector general? The fact that the IG who recently reported on the IRS tea-party targeting scandal is Senate-confirmed speaks for itself.
If the president continues to be derelict in his duty to nominate inspectors general for the Departments of State, Interior, Labor and Defense, and for the Agency for International Development, he should not expect to know about fraud, waste and abuse in his executive branch agencies—unless and until journalists inform him.
Mr. Schmitz, inspector general of the Defense Department from 2002-05, is the author of "The Inspector General Handbook: Fraud, Waste, Abuse, and Other Constitutional 'Enemies, Foreign and Domestic,' " just out from the Center for Security Policy Press.
<bot>: In The Wall Street Journal, former Defense Department inspector general Joseph Schmitz says that President Obama was on notice at least by 2010 that the State Department was impaired by a lack of IG independence.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160805114646id_/http://www.wsj.com:80/articles/SB10001424127887324063304578520952503319368 |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: LONDON — As the Leveson inquiry into the behavior of the British press produced its report last week urging laws to underpin new controls, U.S. journalists could feel proud, or at least relieved, that the First Amendment protection of free speech inoculated them against such constraints.
Equally, though, some practitioners of British journalism, which prides itself on being raucous and rambunctious, offered the counterview that the Americans had paid the price of “becoming monumentally dull,” as one columnist here put it, in return for their freedoms.
The competing visions reflected a history of divergent notions of what the press is supposed to do.
U.S. newspapers evolved as the voices of cities like New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington. Only a handful emerged to compete for a national audience.
But Britain’s big daily newspapers have long done battle on a national stage, slicing and dicing markets defined most obviously by the class divide of blue-collar tabloids and white-collar broadsheets, but also by political persuasion — liberal for The Guardian, for instance, conservative for The Daily Telegraph.
The scramble spawned a tradition of cutthroat competition — the hunger for the scoop, sometimes ahead of the facts — that propelled the best of British journalism and contributed to its worst failures, lurching beyond reporting into accusations of criminality chronicled in the Leveson report.
The document totaled about 2,000 pages in four volumes — dimensions that almost begged the question of whether it would make waves, or sink without trace in the current maelstrom swirling through Britain’s established media, from newspapers to the BBC.
Weighing the sworn testimony of 337 witnesses during nine months of hearings conducted by Lord Justice Sir Brian Leveson, the report’s central recommendation for stricter self-regulation buttressed by new laws — in addition to the gamut of restrictive legislation already on the statute books — drew howls of predictable outrage.
“Leveson’s remedy is to terminate centuries of bold, brassy, often vulgar and disreputable — but also brave and important — British journalism and dress the press in a tight, clumsy straitjacket of his own manufacture,” the columnist and former editor Max Hastings wrote in The Daily Mail. (Writing in The Financial Times, he also observed that “most modern American journalism is impeccably sober and politically correct but at the price of also becoming monumentally dull.”)
But there were other considerations, largely relating to the rise of the Internet, to elbow aside newspapers as the vehicle of spreading the news in a land where the daily circulation of the printed editions of the main national titles totals some 8.6 million.
That is roughly one million less than one year ago. “There will come a time soon when many newspapers are not on paper,” the columnist Hugo Rifkind wrote in The Times of London. “And I do mean soon. We’re not talking decades. We’re talking years.”
“What matters today is content, not the media that delivers it, and there’s frankly something quite depressing about a nine-month inquiry that fails to figure this out.”
To some analysts, Sir Brian resembled a general using the lessons of a previous campaign to fight on a new and unfamiliar battlefield — or a steward redrawing the catering arrangements on a stricken ocean liner.
Only days before the report was published, a furor involving the BBC’s reporting of a sexual abuse scandal exploded, not simply because of what had been broadcast but by what had been said about the story on Twitter.
Covering the publication of the report, and the divided response to it, it was somehow easy to recall the old Sicilian proverb that everything must change so that nothing changes.
Here were celebrities like the actor Hugh Grant and the author J.K. Rowling — both campaigners for tighter restrictions — sensing that a time was now approaching when, as Mr. Hastings put it, they would be able to close the spigot of personal publicity “whenever they are not promoting a book or movie.”
Here was Prime Minister David Cameron arguing in Parliament that press laws would “cross the Rubicon,” jeopardizing three centuries of freedom from legislative restraint.
Step back a little, and there seemed to be a subplot, as if the titled elite of the British establishment was quietly gathering to cap the myriad crises like so many oil field gushers. In the soul-searching and maneuvering, just about every player — seeking variously to investigate failure, herald a new era, or seek to avert one — bore the title of lord, sir or dame.
In the British honors system, titles often acknowledge achievement earned by providing safe hands in a crisis. This time, that might not be enough.
By early Monday, the signatories to an online petition organized by the pro-regulation Hacked Off advocacy group exceeded 126,000 — not so much safe hands as an angry show of them, demanding changes that the politicians might find difficult to ignore.
<bot>: The Leveson report, a nearly 2,000-word document on the behavior of the British press, almost begged the question of whether it would make waves, or sink without a trace, writes columnist Alan Cowell.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012120319id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/04/world/europe/04iht-letter04.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: I am actually to -- and today we're heading to Cancun.
We found five fun things to the end to you in this tropical paradise.
First take a short ferry ride to the beautiful island at -- bomber Harris.
Where you can swim with the dolphins.
And dolphin discovery offers you a chance to swim and play -- can't or try the popular but -- For an adrenaline rush why not feel the need -- speed of exotic rides offers you a chance to race the most exclusive cars go pedal down in a Ferrari.
Former labor gamers a lot -- add up to 180 miles per hour.
That ride shotgun with that NASCAR driver and -- asked as for restricting experience of a lifetime.
For a Mayan adventure sign up for -- scuba -- to Cancun underwater museum.
Beginner and advanced classes are offered by -- laurel this -- amazing -- like structures the creator Jason to Karen Taylor -- the abolition of the Mayan people.
-- 400 structures also served as artificial -- promote marine life.
Four and less water activities and relaxation and check out -- top beaches.
-- export to does is known for its deep turquoise waters which are perfect for swimming.
-- speech offered lounge chairs along the water and several restaurants.
Also visit quiet self -- as.
A beautiful feed for any tourist it's crystal blue -- and powdery -- make it a perfect walking beats.
It's less crowded than most and provide -- for swimmers and surfers.
-- Dana sign he'll be ready to experience Cancun is nightlife.
Check out local -- where thousands of people pack the house each night.
Watch -- to -- like acrobats and a variety of impersonators while dancing the night away.
That's quite like it can -- in five for more information on Cancun and other destinations.
Check out Fox News dot com's travel section I'm -- to bargain.
<bot>: FoxNews.com features 5 things to see and do in the Mexican resort of Cancun.
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<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012072119id_/http://video.foxnews.com/v/1745522798001/cancun-in-5/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Michael Bublé's son will be discharged from hospital to spend Christmas at home.
The son of Canadian singer Michael Bublé who was diagnosed with cancer will spend Christmas at home after he was deemed healthy enough to leave the hospital for the holidays.
Three-year-old Noah was diagnosed with liver cancer in November and has been undergoing chemotherapy at a hospital in the US.
Noah has successfully completed his first round of chemotherapy and doctors said is he healthy enough to be discharged from hospital,
The Bublé family usually spends Christmas at their home in Vancouver but this year will stay at their Los Angeles home because it is closer to where Noah is receiving treatment.
In November, Bublé announced he was taking a break from his music career to help take care of his son after his diagnosis.
Bublé's Argentinian wife, Luisana Lopilato, their other son Elias, and their families will reportedly also spent Christmas in Los Angeles.
Bublé, 41, has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide with his smooth covers of jazz standards and original songs.
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2016
<bot>: The son of Canadian singer Michael Bublé who was diagnosed with cancer will spend Christmas at home after he was deemed healthy enough to leave the hospital for the holidays.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2016121219id_/http://www.9news.com.au/good-news/2016/12/13/08/53/michael-bubles-son-to-spend-christmas-at-home-after-cancer-diagnosis |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: His visit here is the first by a state leader since the May 12 earthquake that has resulted in the deaths of nearly 56,000 people in southwest China, the nation’s greatest natural disaster in more than three decades. Russia is among the handful of countries to have sent both aid supplies and rescue teams.
In recent months, both countries have condemned America’s plan for a missile shield. Russia in particular has long sought allies to act as a bulwark against what Moscow depicts as American global hegemony.
In a statement signed by Mr. Medvedev and Mr. Hu, the leaders took issue once more with plans for a missile defense system “in certain regions of the world,” saying such measures “do not support strategic balance and stability, and harm international efforts to control arms and the nonproliferation process.”
“It harms the strengthening of trust between states and regional stability,” the statement said.
The White House’s reaction to the statement was muted. A spokesman for the National Security Council, Gordon D. Johndroe, noted that on Thursday Mr. Medvedev made remarks indicating that he remained open to negotiations. A new round of talks involving American and Russian technical experts is expected to begin next month.
“We’re having discussions with the Russians in good faith about the sites in the Czech Republic and Poland,” Mr. Johndroe said. “So we’ll see.”
The Russian-Chinese statement did not specifically identify the United States, which has angered Russia with plans to deploy elements of a missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland. Washington says the shield is to protect against potential attacks by rogue states like Iran and North Korea.
For their part, Moscow and Beijing have not always supported Washington’s efforts to characterize Iran as a sponsor of terrorism and a potential nuclear threat, particularly to Israel. Iran says its nuclear development program is for peaceful, civilian purposes.
The joint statement also took issue with America’s attitude toward the promotion of human rights, insisting that “every state has a right to encourage and protect them based on its own specific features and characters.”
The statement reflected an argument among Washington’s critics that the United States uses the human rights issue as a means of exerting pressure. It said governments should “oppose politicizing the issue and using double standards” and should not use “human rights to interfere with other countries’ affairs.”
In late March, as China was coming under growing international criticism for a harsh crackdown on pro-Tibetan protests, President Bush called Mr. Hu to urge restraint and to advise the Chinese government to meet with the Dalai Lama’s representatives, according to the White House. He also asked Mr. Hu to allow diplomats and foreign journalists into Tibetan areas.
As a signal of the warming ties between China and Russia, the two countries signed a $1 billion agreement for Russia to build a nuclear fuel enrichment plant in China and supply uranium. Sergei V. Kiriyenko, the director of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, described the deal as “a good addition to our presence in China.”
Xinhua, the Chinese state news agency, reported on Friday that trade between the countries rose to $48.17 billion last year from $10.67 billion in 2000.
<bot>: Dmitri A. Medvedev’s diplomacy in China may signal an intention to continue Russia’s assertive foreign policy.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2008052419id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/world/24china.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Reframe “is really attractive to us as a way to deliver works to own or rent,” said Pamela Matsuoka, the educational distribution director for the Center for Asian American Media, a San Francisco group that has cleared rights to about 15 works for use on the service. One such title is “a k a Don Bonus,” a 1995 documentary about the life of a Cambodian high school student in San Francisco, which was broadcast on PBS.
Some forms of Web distribution have been free-form, like YouTube, with its myriad postings. Others have pointedly commercial intent, like a recently announced service, Cinetic Rights Management, through which the independent film entrepreneur John Sloss and his associates are hoping to make a business of circulating films that make a splash on the festival circuit but might otherwise remain undistributed.
Reframe, Mr. Newman and others said, is a hybrid. It is expected to serve as a nonprofit clearing house for short and feature-length films and video works, while giving rights holders a mechanism by which they can sell or rent downloads or DVDs through Amazon.
The service is unusual in that it offers to convert works to the digital format from video without charge and will convert film formats to digital at cost, under an arrangement that allows duplication of a 90-minute feature movie for as little as $672, far less than the thousands of dollars filmmakers usually spend on conversions.
Reframe then returns a digital copy to the rights holder, while retaining the work in Amazon’s archive, from which it will be sold at a price set by the owner. The owner is expected to receive a royalty amounting to 50 percent of any download or online rental, or a sliding share of DVD sales that grows as revenue increases.
Mr. Newman said the service was expected to maintain a broad policy when it comes to accepting works for duplication and sale but would not be completely without filters. It will not accept what he called “typical YouTube video of a cat falling down the stairs,” for instance. And pornography will be rejected outright.
Ms. Potter’s representatives at Cinetic Media said her involvement with Reframe was intended to allow her earlier works to be seen. Rights to her later films like “Orlando,” they said, are already licensed to distributors (though available through Reframe on DVD), and the future digital strategy for them will be developed separately.
Reframe was organized over the last two years with help from grants totaling $1 million from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and additional funding from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. The Tribeca Film Institute has provided staff support but not direct funding, Mr. Newman said. The institute will receive a fee equal to about 5 percent of the service’s income, and expects to use that money for the project’s future development, Mr. Newman said.
The institute was organized by the actor Robert De Niro, his business partner Jane Rosenthal, and her investor husband Craig Hatkoff to boost filmmakers and the fortunes of Lower Manhattan in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The three also run the Tribeca Film Festival.
<bot>: The Tribeca Film Institute is joining Amazon.com to create a digital marketplace for films and videos that have been unavailable through conventional retail and Web outlets.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2008060919id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/09/movies/09trib.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Since Republicans won control of the House of Representatives in 2010, Democrats have been acting like a football team that starts the game so focused on not allowing the other team to score that they themselves don't have much of a plan for how to score.
One factor that allowed the GOP to rebound from the devastating loss it faced in 2008 was its ability to come together around a handful of ideas that animated supporters.
During the debate over the debt ceiling and deficit reduction, Republicans hammered home their point. The message was simple: Government is bad and the deficit had become a huge threat to the stability of the nation. If the deficit was not reduced quickly, the country would suffer. Layered onto this argument was the claim that tax increases needed to be off the table, or they too would ruin any chance of economic recovery.
The essence of the Democratic response, certainly from the White House, was that they disagreed on the size of the cuts that were needed. Obama also put up a half-hearted case for raising revenue on the wealthy, though he has done little over the last year to try to get that passed.
Indeed, in December, the last time Democrats controlled both houses of Congress, Obama agreed to extend President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy.
The irony is that liberals often have public opinion on their side. Yet Democrats are frequently scared to say what a majority of Americans think.
Polls show consistently that the public has favored raising taxes on the wealthy to help lower the deficit. Polls also show that voters like and expect many of the government services that Republicans have moved to cut. Jobs, not deficits, are the No. 1 concern. Polls have shown that the public was unhappy with the performance of the GOP during the debt ceiling crisis and they have negative views of the Tea Party.
What are some the arguments that most of the top Democrats failed to make as the debt-ceiling crisis unfolded?
<bot>: When Sen. Ted Kennedy died in August 2009, many Democrats wondered who would replace him as the voice of modern liberalism. With a Democratic president who was then fighting for an ambitious health
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2011080919id_/http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/08/zelizer.democrats.ideas/index.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Ottawa updated its travel advisory to Pakistan on Thursday in light of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, telling people to avoid all non-essential trips to the country.
While Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advised against non-essential travel to Pakistan even before the assassination of the Pakistani opposition leader, it is now emphasizing warnings to Canadians who feel they absolutely need to be there.
They should ensure all travel documents are up-to-date, and register and keep in contact with the High Commission of Canada in Islamabad, say department officials.
Canadian officials also continue to advise against all travel to areas reporting military or militant activity and all border areas except official border-crossing points.
That warning includes the Kashmir region, the province of Balochistan, the border area between Pakistan and India with the exception of the Wagha Border, the North-West Frontier Province, including Swat, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas including Waziristan.
Pakistan International Airlines is charging a cancellation fee of $200 for those cancelling travel from Toronto to Pakistan, one Toronto travel agent told CBC News. The airline could not be reached directly.
According to the BBC, the airline's main booking office in Pakistan has shut down completely.
Winnipeg travel agent Dost Mughal, who specializes in travel to the region, confirms Bhutto's assassination has made travel there a potentially dangerous undertaking.
"In Pakistan, right now, thereâs no law and order," he told CBC News.
Mughal, who is from Pakistan, has relatives there whom he was able to reach by phone on Thursday.
"Most of Pakistan has shut down air traffic, railways, as modes of transportation. There are curfews â people are not able to travel across Pakistan at all."
Chaos erupted after Bhutto was killed Thursday along with 20 others by a suicide attacker shortly after she gave a speech at a campaign rally in the northern city of Rawalpindi.
The opposition leader's assassination has plunged Pakistan into turmoil, as her supporters burned cars and businesses in several cities to protest her killing. At least 23 people have been killed in riots since her death was announced.Â
<bot>: Ottawa updated its travel advisory to Pakistan on Thursday in light of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, telling people to avoid all non-essential trips to the country.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2007123019id_/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/12/28/travel.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Your browser, Internet Explorer 8 or below, is out of date. It has known security flaws and may not display all features of this and other websites.
<bot>: The fatal incident, which police commissioner Bill Bratton called a "tragedy," was caught in a terrifying video and is currently under investigation
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014071919id_/http://time.com/3006314/nypd-chokehold-arrest-death/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) It was a routine state cabinet meeting, one with reports on declining tax revenues, the number of kids on Medicaid and an update on a drunken driving campaign.
Routine, except for the 20-plus television cameras and reporters scrunched into a tiny room in a building next to the state's Capitol. They were there to watch South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford conduct his first official meeting since making a very public — and torturous — admission that although has been married for 20 years, he'd carried on a passionate love affair with a woman in Argentina.
Sanford, it seemed, anticipated the media scrum. As he walked to the meeting down a corridor lined with camera bags, tripods and snaking power cords, he held his head high.
"Hey guys," Sanford said to the media in an even tone. "How are y'all?"
Yet the question remains: Can Sanford effectively govern, now that salacious details of the affair have come to light?
None of the 12 cabinet members present during Friday's meeting asked Sanford about the romance. They didn't have to.
It had been the stuff of tabloid headlines and intrigue since he returned to South Carolina Wednesday after jetting off to Argentine for a secret rendezvous with his mistress.
And Sanford kicked off the meeting by apologizing to each of them as cameras clicked and reporters scribbled notes and recorded it all.
At one point, he likened his confession and future to the biblical plight of King David — and looks of nervousness and incredulity crept into the officials' faces.
Maybe they were afraid that he would launch into another emotional confession — like he did on Wednesday, when he revealed during a press conference that he had "spent the last five days of (his) life crying in Argentina." Or that he would discuss the purported e-mails back and forth to his lover, in which he praised her tan line and curvy hips.
But Sanford was all business.
"What's it all mean and where do we go from here? I have been doing a lot of soul searching on that front," he said. "Every one of you all has specific duties to the people of South Carolina that you have to perform, and that is with or without me doing right on a given day or doing wrong at a given day, those responsibilities still exist."
The cabinet then updated the governor on affairs of the state that he had abandoned for nearly a week while in Argentina. South Carolina, the agency heads reported, isn't doing well: Sales tax revenues are down 8% and the individual income tax revenue is down 16%. The day after he left, the state's jobless rate set a new record as the nation's third highest.
The only good news, which yielded a tension-relieving chuckle, came from Corrections Department head Jon Ozment, who reported that cows at the prison are producing lots of manure.
"We've got folks literally fighting to come in and ... build a methane digester," he said.
Post-meeting, some cabinet members said Sanford handled himself well Friday.
"We all have things in our personal life that we don't want to shine under the spotlight," said Buck Limehouse, head of the state's transportation department. "There's nothing to be accomplished by rehashing this over and over. The needs of the people of South Carolina are more important than the personal issues."
Mark Keel, the director of the state Department of Public Safety, said neither the affair, nor the media attention, is a distraction for him.
"I've got enough to do without having to worry about these other things," he said. "I'm trying to focus on getting drunk drivers off the roads."
Yet Henry Kodama of the state Forestry Commission, acknowledged it will be challenging for state officials to focus on the day-to-day business "because of the magnitude of the issue."
Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, a fellow Republican and the man who would replace Sanford for the next 18 months if he were to step down, told The Associated Press that he spoke to the governor a day earlier and "could tell he had done a lot of soul searching."
The two, who have not been allies and don't run on the same ticket, didn't discuss the possibility of the governor stepping down. Bauer said he wasn't immediately calling for a resignation.
While Sanford quoted the bible, state Sen. Jake Knotts, R-West Columbia, cited another authority — Judge Joe Brown — as he called for an investigation of Sanford's activities. "You can lie but you can't hide," Knotts said.
Knotts encouraged other legislators to call for Sanford's resignation and urged him to "do the right thing" and step down voluntarily.
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<bot>: It was a routine state cabinet meeting, one with reports on declining tax revenues, the number of kids on Medicaid and an update on a drunken driving campaign.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2009062819id_/http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-06-26-sanford-cabinet_N.htm |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Your browser, Internet Explorer 8 or below, is out of date. It has known security flaws and may not display all features of this and other websites.
<bot>: Oilfield guards retreated after running out of ammunition
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2015030419id_/http://time.com/3731406/isis-libya-oilfields/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Trying to find love is no laughing matter if you’re a clown — at least, according to a new dating site called clowndating.com.
Clowns are often “feared and hated” in the dating world, according to the Clown Dating Web site, which pairs clowns with others in the profession and those that aren’t adverse to dating Bozo.
And clowns are hardly the only profession that faces discrimination when it comes to finding love.
Randi Newton, a 35-year-old who lives in Long Island City, says not only would she not date a clown, she’s wary of all men with funny jobs. Seven years ago, she dated some comedians, and it didn’t go well.
“Every single one that I went on a date with always tried to make jokes that were never funny, and they always seemed depressed,” she says.
They weren’t subtle about it, either. “I met one comedian for dinner once, and his first joke to me was, ‘Both my parents are dead, so you won’t have to worry about them hating you,’” Newton recalls.
They didn’t go out again.
Amy Van Doran, founder of the Modern Love Club, says it’s not surprising that some professional funny men might make bad dates.
“Male comedians have it hard,” she says. “In order to be funny, you have to be self-deprecating, and it’s usually a struggle. They have a need for approval that can feel desperate.”
Williamsburg resident Van Doran, 28, says that for women in the dating world, a man’s profession can be especially important.
“They want to date men with some stability,” she says.
However, a stable job isn’t necessarily enough to ensure a great date.
Nichelle Stephens, a 42-year-old social media strategist from Bed-Stuy, is adamant about not dating accountants.
“They are surprisingly bad tippers,” she says. “They are more concerned with giving a mathematically accurate tip, not necessarily a good tip. Also, they tend to scrutinize each line item of the bill.”
Brendan Sullivan, a DJ who lives in Fort Greene, has also found that some professions are more fun than others.
“After years of dating other creative types, I finally switched to a management consultant,” says the 31-year-old. “It’s fantastic. I take her to a friend’s $5 comedy show and then ramen, and she acts like it’s the carpet ride from ‘Aladdin.’”
Sullivan also says he wouldn’t date another DJ. “If you date someone in your own profession, you will just talk about work,” he says. “But if you branch out, it can be like going to another part of town. Refreshing.”
For Wray Serna, a 30-year-old designer from Williamsburg, there’s not a particular profession she shies away from, but a particular company: Time Warner Cable.
“I have been burned by their reps one too many times,” she says vehemently. “They have a monopoly on NYC, so they have carte blanche to be the worst!”
Ultimately, though, Van Doran stresses that even if you do have a job that most people dislike, many potential partners will overlook it if you truly love that job — even if you’re a Time Warner Cable rep.
“The most important thing is that people have a job they’re passionate about,” says Van Doran. “If they don’t like their work, that’s more of a dealbreaker than anything else.”
<bot>: Trying to find love is no laughing matter if you’re a clown — at least, according to a new dating site called clowndating.com. Clowns are often “feared and hated” in the dating world, according to ...
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2014091419id_/http://nypost.com/2014/09/13/is-it-possible-to-find-love-as-a-clown/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Mario Andretti, 73, raced in Formula One from 1968 to 1982, winning 12 Grands Prix and in 1978 becoming only the second American world driversâ champion in the history of the series, after Phil Hill in 1961. Voted Driver of the Quarter Century in 1992 by peers and journalists, Andretti also won the Indianapolis 500 in 1969 and the Daytona 500 in 1967 and he captured the IndyCar title four times. In 1993, he became the oldest winner of an IndyCar race, at 53 years and 34 days. He raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans into his 60s, and won a class victory there in 1995. His son, Michael, won the IndyCar title in 1991 and raced one season in Formula One, in 1993. His grandson, Marco, races in IndyCar. Andretti is the official ambassador for the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, site of the U.S. Grand Prix this weekend. He spoke with Brad Spurgeon of The International New York Times.
Q. Few drivers in the world have raced in as many different series as you did. Yet you have continued to promote Formula One and to be a staunch supporter of the series. Why?
A. Thatâs very easy. When I became really enamored, when I became fascinated with motor sports, it was with Formula One. I was born and raised in Italy, and that was my first love. And as my career developed, I always had an eye to Formula One. And I love motor sports in general, all the different disciplines, including MotoGP. But to me, Formula One has always been pretty much at the forefront of my thoughts. And having participated as part of my career and having had my success there, I created another home. I just feel so much at home with everyone in Formula One and I always stayed in touch. I still continue to just love that series because it is still the pinnacle of technology and hasnât lost any of that, and I hope it doesnât. So itâs got the ingredients that I love. And some of the other forms are just losing that, going to the spec series situation and all of that. I mean the racing is fabulous, but I like the technical side as well â so thatâs my draw right there.
Q. Did the first U.S. Grand Prix in Austin last year help change attitudes toward Formula One in the United States?
A. The way I see it, I think the facility itself in Austin really made a significant impression, not only locally, but also internationally. And I think the international buzz is much more important, because that is where you are measuring up to. And finally, I think here in the United States we have a facility that can rival some of the Taj Mahals that have been popping up all over the world. And quite honestly I think it established itself with a stellar reputation immediately, and not only now because the Grand Prix is coming up. That venue has been talked about throughout the season because of activities from other disciplines â MotoGP is another huge international event that was highly successful. Every event that they have staged there with other series seemed like it was a bigger event than wherever else they go.
As far as rekindling a lot of interest here in the United States for Formula One, I think this was really the pill that was needed. It takes longer to get the national media interested because there are so many other distractions here: You have the other major motor sport disciplines â you have Nascar, you have IndyCar, and so forth. So as a motor-sport event, sometimes Formula One doesnât really prioritize here as in other countries. I see that changing dramatically. I think a lot of good work has happened since the event last year.
Q. New Jersey is on the calendar for a Grand Prix in 2014 and there is talk of adding a third race in the United States. Is that overkill, or could it change the attitude toward the sport to have up to three races in the United States?
A. This is a vast territory, North America, and I think the more the merrier. I think just to have two U.S. events, you have Canada and now I donât know if it is going to happen next year, but for sure thereâs going to be Mexico, so technically they have four races in the North American continent. It can only help one another, it can only help the interest in the series itself here.
And in the North American continent, where you have so much other motor racing, so many other activities, big-time activities, I think it can only be good.
Q. People say it will take an American driver to make Formula One popular in the United States. But there was already Mario Andretti â and you were not just winning races, you were world champion â and before you there was Phil Hill. How much effect did your period have on increasing the popularity?
A. I think the popularity grew because of the success of Long Beach in the â70s, which was a very unlikely event to succeed, mainly because most of the street-racing events were pretty much becoming things of the past in Europe, except for Monte Carlo. And yet all of a sudden, here one was coming up in the United States in an unlikely place for it to happen. But it was an instant success. And for me, it was somewhat tragic for Formula One to lose Watkins Glen because the crowds were always immense there, unbelievable. And because it had such a long run and it was established. But unfortunately, with the safety aspect and all of that, no one really reinvested in the Glen like they should have to keep the venue. And so it had to migrate somewhere else. Unfortunately that migration was, everything was temporary â Long Beach was a temporary course, and then Phoenix was temporary and then Dallas. They were bouncing around like a circus that had no stability.
But O.K., I was driving and there was a U.S. element involved, but quite honestly it didnât have the widespread television coverage that it has today. But my activities were reported in The New York Times and all of that, so we were definitely mainstream â âABCâs Wide World of Sportsâ had us as part of the winning side, not âthe agony of defeat.â So I think it was a positive moment, but to get back to what youâre trying to say, would it be really the ticket to be represented by an American driver? Youâre damned right. And the fact that we have a home base now, a solid home base, I think it could be the beginning of that, potentially. It could be something that some of our best talents might have reason to want to navigate toward. All these things will not happen overnight.
Q. What are Marcoâs chances?
<bot>: Q. & A. with Mario Andretti, one of only two American Formula One drivers to have been crowned world champion.
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2013111619id_/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/16/sports/autoracing/an-american-grand-prix-racing-dream-come-true.html |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Your game will start after this ad
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<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: The finalists have been announced for the 2015 National Book Awards, and it’s good news for several favorites.
Though Hanya Yanagihara lost out on the Man Booker Prize on Tuesday, she remains a contender in the National Book Awards’ fiction race for A Little Life. In non-fiction, Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me made the cut as well, continuing a winning streak for the author who was named a MacArthur “genius” last month.
Each finalist will receive $1,000, and the winners, who will be announced in a ceremony on Nov. 18, will receive $10,000.
Here is the full list of finalists by category:
<bot>: Ta-Nehisi Coates and Hanya Yanagihara remain in the running
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160709041111id_/http://time.com:80/4072984/national-book-award-finalists-2015/ |
{'source': 'newsroom'} |
<human>: Produce an article summary of the following news article: Courtesy of Sen. Susan Collins / AP Photo
A wedding is in the works for Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.
On Sunday, the 59-year-old senator became engaged for the first time to Thomas Daffron, chief operating officer of Jefferson Consulting Group, a lobbyist firm in Washington, D.C.
While a date has not been set and the senator will have to juggle the summer recess schedule, a “small, private” ceremony is being planned in Maine this summer, Collin’s Senate office says.
“Senator Collins and Mr. Daffron are very happy and they look forward to celebrating this wonderful occasion with their families,” said Kevin Kelley, spokesman for Senator Collins, said in a statement.
Daffron also has been involved in Republican politics for a long time and has served as chief of staff to former Republican senators Bill Cohen of Maine and Fred Thompson of Tennessee. He served as chief of staff to Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and was the national campaign manager for the presidential campaign of Elizabeth Dole.
Collins and Daffron first met in the 70′s while they both worked for then Sen. Bill Cohen, where Collins worked as a legislative assistant. They remained friends through the years and started dating a few years ago.
<bot>: Courtesy of Sen. Susan Collins / AP Photo A wedding is in the works for Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. On Sunday, the 59-year-old senator became engaged for the first time to Thomas Daffron, chief operating officer of Jefferson Consulting Group, a lobbyist firm in Washington, D.C. While a date has not been set and the senator will have to juggle the summer recess schedule, a “small, private” ceremony is being planned in Maine this summer, Collin’s Senate office says. “Senator Collins and Mr. Daffron are very happy and they look forward to celebrating this wonderful occasion with their families,”…
<human>: What could be a url for this news article?
<bot>: A url for this news article could be:
https://web.archive.org/web/2012020319id_/http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/02/maine-senator-susan-collins-engaged-this-week/ |
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