Sunday, May 19
West Bank Residents Praise Hamas for Palestinian Prisoners’ Release
World

West Bank Residents Praise Hamas for Palestinian Prisoners’ Release

Follow live news updates on the Israel-Hamas war.The two cousins spotted each other on the bus leaving the prison, as shocked to see the other as they were by their sudden freedom. “Pinch me,” Anwar Atta, 18, told his younger cousin. “I need to know if this is a dream.”Then, early Sunday morning, the bus pulled out of Ofer Prison in the West Bank and into a throng of cheering Palestinians. Before the cousins’ feet could touch the ground, they were hoisted into the air and carried through the streets of Ramallah, surrounded by people waving Palestinian and Hamas flags, revving their motorcycle engines and whistling in excitement.“This is thanks to the resistance in Gaza,” Anwar said hours later from his family’s home on the outskirts of the city.Anwar and his cousin, Mourad Atta, 17, are am...
Fed Officials Hint That Rate Increases Are Over, and Investors Celebrate
World

Fed Officials Hint That Rate Increases Are Over, and Investors Celebrate

Federal Reserve officials appear to be dialing back the chances of future interest rate increases, after months in which they have carefully kept the possibility of further policy changes alive for fear that inflation would prove stubborn.Several Fed officials — including two who often push for higher interest rates — hinted on Tuesday that the central bank is making progress on inflation and may be done or close to done raising borrowing costs. Economic growth is cooling, reducing the urgency for additional moves.Christopher Waller, a Fed governor and one of the central bank’s more inflation-focused members, gave a speech on Tuesday titled “Something Appears to Be Giving,” an update on a previous speech that he had titled “Something’s Got to Give.”“I am encouraged by what we have learned ...
Kamala Harris Defends Biden Policies, but Says ‘More Work’ Needed to Reach Voters
World

Kamala Harris Defends Biden Policies, but Says ‘More Work’ Needed to Reach Voters

1 00:00:00,000 —> 00:00:05,030 “Former President Trump, not only on a national level, 2 00:00:05,030 —> 00:00:09,710 appears to be beating the Biden-Harris ticket, 3 00:00:09,710 —> 00:00:14,780 but uniquely in those five of the six key swing states, 4 00:00:14,780 —> 00:00:16,450 that seems to be the case. 5 00:00:16,450 —> 00:00:18,980 What do you think when you see the polls?” 6 00:00:18,980 —> 00:00:20,493 “Listen, if I listened to polls 7 00:00:20,493 —> 00:00:22,160 I would have never run for my first office 8 00:00:22,160 —> 00:00:23,040 or my second one. 9 00:00:23,040 —> 00:00:24,570 And here I am as vice president. 10 00:00:24,570 —> 00:00:27,260 There are fundamental freedoms that are at stake 11 00:00:27,260 —> 00:00:29,730 right now, and the Am...
Britain Says Bye-Bye to Its Only Pandas as They’ll Soon Depart for China
World

Britain Says Bye-Bye to Its Only Pandas as They’ll Soon Depart for China

Britain’s only two pandas will soon be returned to China, officials said, in a send-off that has dispirited fans of the playful, waddling bears and signals what appears to be the end, at least for now, of panda diplomacy.“Bamboo bon voyage,” the Edinburgh Zoo of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland said on its website, noting that there would be “a giant farewell” on Thursday for the bears, whose names are Yang Guang and Tian Tian.The pair of giant pandas will be prepared to return to China in the first week of December, the zoo said, though it did not specify a date because of “security and safety reasons.”China has long used its pandas as symbols of diplomacy, delivering pairs as if they were ambassadors to several countries around the world.On Wednesday, crowds gathered to say goodb...
Even Most Biden Voters Don’t See a Thriving Economy
World

Even Most Biden Voters Don’t See a Thriving Economy

Presidents seeking a second term have often found the public’s perception of the economy a pivotal issue. It was a boon to Ronald Reagan; it helped usher Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush out of the White House.Now, as President Biden looks toward a re-election campaign, there are warning signals on that front: With overall consumer sentiment at a low ebb despite solid economic data, even Democrats who supported Mr. Biden in 2020 say they’re not impressed with the economy.In a recent New York Times/Siena College poll of voters in six battleground states, 62 percent of those voters think the economy is only “fair” or “poor” (compared with 97 percent for those who voted for Donald J. Trump).The demographics of Mr. Biden’s 2020 supporters may explain part of his challenge now: They were on ba...
Citi Executive Sues the Bank Over Sexual Harassment
World

Citi Executive Sues the Bank Over Sexual Harassment

The bank asked Ms. Lindsey about their ties in 2019 during an investigation into some of Mr. Singh’s personal financial transactions, including one involving her. Citi did not report any financial wrongdoing by either one to regulators. Ms. Lindsey said at the time that the two were just friends, according to Mr. Costiglio, the Citi spokesman.In her lawsuit, Ms. Lindsey alleged that Mr. Singh had extended control over her life at work. Mr. Singh berated Ms. Lindsey for speaking to her mentor, who also happened to be his boss, according to the suit; when a Citi investigator looked into the sexual harassment concerns raised by Ms. Moran, the managing director, Mr. Singh instructed Ms. Lindsey not to cooperate, Ms. Lindsey told The Times.On Nov. 6, 2022, after Ms. Lindsey told Mr. Singh that ...
Gaza Mediators Seek Cease-Fire Extension
World

Gaza Mediators Seek Cease-Fire Extension

Top officials from Qatar, Egypt and the United States pushed on Wednesday to lock in another temporary extension of the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, seeing it as the best way to ease the embattled territory’s humanitarian crisis, secure the release of more Israeli hostages and slow the war’s escalating death toll for at least a little longer.But some officials briefed on the talks said they also hoped that the succession of short-term pauses would pave the way toward a larger goal: negotiations over a longer-term cease-fire between Israel and Hamas to bring the war to a close.Amid international pressure to prolong the pause in fighting, Israeli leaders rejected out of hand the notion of a long-term truce, reiterating their vow to fight until Hamas and its leaders have been eliminated.“In ...
U.S. Debates How Much to Sever Electric Car Industry’s Ties to China
World

U.S. Debates How Much to Sever Electric Car Industry’s Ties to China

The Biden administration has been trying to jump-start the domestic supply chain for electric vehicles so cleaner cars can be made in the United States. But the experience of one Texas company, whose plans to help make an all-American electric vehicle were upended by China, highlights the stakes involved as the administration finalizes rules governing the industry.Huntsman Corporation started construction two years ago on a $50 million plant in Texas to make ethylene carbonate, a chemical that is used in electric vehicle batteries. It would have been the only site in North America making the product, with the goal of feeding battery factories that would crop up to serve the electric vehicle market.But as new facilities in China came online and flooded the market, the price of the chemical ...
Paris Metro Rides During 2024 Olympics Could Cost Almost Double
World

Paris Metro Rides During 2024 Olympics Could Cost Almost Double

With nearly 10 million people expected to throng the streets of Paris during the Olympics this summer, visitors already knew getting around the city would be a challenge. But now it will probably be a lot more expensive, too.The price of a single ride on the Metro between July 20 and Sept. 8, roughly the dates of the Olympics and Paralympics, is set to jump to 4 euros, or about $4.40, from its current price of €2.10. A pack of 10 tickets will climb to €32 from €16.90.In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, Valérie Pécresse, the president of the administrative region that includes Paris and its suburbs, announced the temporary fare increases for public transportation.“For the first time in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, 100 percent of spectators will be able t...
Israel-Hamas War Live: 16 More Hostages Released as Truce Extension Deadline Looms
World

Israel-Hamas War Live: 16 More Hostages Released as Truce Extension Deadline Looms

International pressure built on Tuesday for Israel and Hamas to extend a temporary cease-fire into an enduring halt to the war in Gaza, as China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, warned the U.N. Security Council that a resumption of the fighting would “most likely, turn into a calamity that devours the whole region.”Mr. Wang’s comments came during a Security Council session focused on the war, in which a fragile cease-fire has held since Friday. China holds the Council’s rotating presidency this month.Many other foreign ministers, from Arab countries in the Middle East and the 15-member Council, also attended the meeting. A majority of them, joined by senior U.N. officials, called for the temporary truce to become permanent to prevent the war from spreading and to alleviate suffering in Gaza.Th...
U.A.W. Announces Drive to Organize Nonunion Plants
World

U.A.W. Announces Drive to Organize Nonunion Plants

The United Automobile Workers union announced Wednesday that it was undertaking an ambitious drive to organize plants owned by more than a dozen nonunion automakers, including Tesla and several foreign companies — a goal that has long eluded it.The move comes weeks after the U.A.W. won new contracts from General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis that included wage increases of 25 percent or more over four and a half years for its 146,000 members employed there.In addition to Tesla, the targets of the drive are two other electric vehicle start-ups, Lucid and Rivian, and 10 foreign-owned automakers: Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Volkswagen, Mazda and Volvo.The U.S. plants owned by those companies employ nearly 150,000 workers in 13 states, the union said.If the ...
Elon Musk Speaks at the DealBook Summit: Live Updates
World

Elon Musk Speaks at the DealBook Summit: Live Updates

This year’s DealBook Summit will include conversations with global leaders and powerful figures from Wall Street, Silicon Valley and Hollywood. Each has been at the heart of the news this year and will be at the center of some of the biggest events in the months ahead.Kamala Harris was elected vice president of the United States in 2020, after serving as a senator, the attorney general of California and the district attorney of San Francisco. Ms. Harris is expected to play a vital role in the 2024 presidential race. She will be tasked with helping to win over voters worried about President Biden’s age, squeezed by inflation and disconcerted by administration policies, including strong support for Israel in its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.Tsai Ing-wen has been president of Taiwan since 2...
Mercedes Workers in Alabama Reject Union
Business, Economy

Mercedes Workers in Alabama Reject Union

Workers at two Mercedes-Benz factories near Tuscaloosa, Ala., voted on Friday against joining the United Automobile Workers, a stunning blow to the union’s campaign to gain ground in the South, where it has traditionally been weak.The defeat, based on an unofficial union tally, came after Kay Ivey, Alabama’s governor, and other Republican leaders argued that a pro-union vote would choke off the investment that has transformed the state into a major auto producer. Hyundai and Honda also have large factories in Alabama that the U.A.W. is trying to organize.The vote took on national significance as a test of whether the U.A.W. could build on a string of recent victories and gain ground in a state whose elected officials have been hostile to organized labor. The union has said it wants to orga...
Israel-Hamas War Updates: Bodies of Three Hostages Taken on Oct. 7 Are Recovered
Recent news

Israel-Hamas War Updates: Bodies of Three Hostages Taken on Oct. 7 Are Recovered

Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of three Israeli hostages who were taken captive as they fled a music festival during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, the Israeli military announced on Friday.Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, identified the bodies as those of Amit Buskila, Shani Louk, and Yitzhak Gelernter. He said Israeli troops had recovered the bodies during an operation in Gaza on Thursday night, but did not say where they were found.All three had attended the Tribe of Nova trance music festival on Oct. 7, where at least 360 people were killed, Admiral Hagari said. During the attack, they fled the festival and headed toward Mefalsim, a kibbutz in southern Israel. Palestinian militants found them there, killed them and brought their corp...
How to Talk About Sex With Your Partner
Health

How to Talk About Sex With Your Partner

As a reporter who covers sex and intimacy, I spend a lot of time listening to experts extol the virtues of open, honest communication. To have good sex — and to keep having good sex over time — couples must be willing to talk about it, they say.But some people would rather leave their relationships than have those conversations, said Jeffrey Chernin, a marriage and family therapist and the author of “Achieving Intimacy: How to Have a Loving Relationship That Lasts” — especially if things in the bedroom aren’t going particularly well.“One of the things I often say to couples who are having trouble is: ‘I wish there was another way through this,’” he said. “But the only way I know to have a better sex life, or to resume your sex life, is to discuss it.”Dr. Chernin acknowledged how stressful ...
Scottie Scheffler live updates: World No 1 starts round despite arrest for assault of a police officer at PGA Championship
Sports

Scottie Scheffler live updates: World No 1 starts round despite arrest for assault of a police officer at PGA Championship

The police report of this morning’s incident which led to Scottie Scheffler’s arrest has been published. It reads: 💬 “Detective Gillis was directing traffic into Gate 1 of the Valhalla Golf Course due to the road being closed in both directions from an earlier fatal collision. Listed subject was driving eastbound to gain access to the course. “Subject pulled into the westbound lanes, where outbound traffic was flowing and to avoid backed up traffic. Detective Gillis was in the middle of the westbound lanes, in full LMPD uniform and a hi-visibility yellow reflective rain jacket. “Detective Gillis stopped subject and attempted to give instructions. Subject refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground. “Detective Gillis suffered pain, swelling, and abrasi...
OpenAI’s Flirty New Assistant, Google Guts the Web and We Play HatGPT
Technology

OpenAI’s Flirty New Assistant, Google Guts the Web and We Play HatGPT

Listen to and follow ‘Hard Fork’Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTubeThis week, OpenAI unveiled GPT-4o, its newest A.I. model. It has an uncannily emotive voice that everybody is talking about. Then, we break down the biggest announcements from Google IO, including the launch of A.I. overviews, a major change to search that threatens the way the entire web functions. And finally, Kevin and Casey discuss the weirdest headlines from the week in another round of HatGPT.Additional Reading:Credits“Hard Fork” is hosted by Kevin Roose and Casey Newton and produced by Whitney Jones and Rachel Cohn. The show is edited by Jen Poyant. Engineering by Isaac Jones and original music by Dan Powell, Elisheba Ittoop and Rowan Niemisto. Fact-checking by Caitlin Love.Special thanks to Paula Szuchman, Pui-Wing T...
Inside the Rent Inflation Measure That Economics Nerds Love to Hate
Business, Economy

Inside the Rent Inflation Measure That Economics Nerds Love to Hate

There’s a three-letter abbreviation that economists have started pronouncing with the energy of a four-letter word: “O.E.R.”It stands for owner’s equivalent rent, and it has been used to measure American housing inflation since the 1980s. As its name suggests, it uses a combination of surveys and market data to estimate how much it would cost homeowners to rent the house they live in.But three years into America’s price pop, it has become almost cliché for economists to hate on the housing measure. Detractors blast if for being so slow-moving that it does not reflect up-to-date conditions in the economy. Critics argue that it uses convoluted statistical methods that make little sense. The most intense haters insist that it is giving a false impression about where inflation stands.“It’s jus...