Boeing launches NASA astronauts for the first time after years of delays
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing has launched astronauts for the first time after years of delays. Two NASA test pilots blasted off aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday. They’re headed to the International Space Station for a weeklong stay. It was their third launch attempt, coming after a pair of rocket-related delays. Starliner’s first test flight without a crew in 2019 failed to reach the space station, so Boeing had to repeat it. Then the company had to fix a slew of capsule problems. SpaceX has been launching astronauts since 2020, but NASA wants a backup taxi service.
Disney set to invest up to $17B in Florida parks now that fight with DeSantis appointees has ended
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Months after Disney and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees agreed to end their legal fight, the two sides are set to approve an agreement that could result in the company investing up to $17 billion into its Florida resort. It will also open the door for a fifth major theme park there. The five DeSantis-appointed supervisors who oversee the Disney World district on Wednesday gave initial approval to the development agreement that both sides had agreed to negotiate after a March settlement ended their state court lawsuits. The agreement would last for the next 15 years. A final vote is set for next week.
Big Mac battle: McDonald’s loses European Union trademark fight with Irish rival Supermac’s
LONDON (AP) — A top European Union court ruled that McDonald’s has lost its Big Mac trademark in the 27-nation bloc, ruling in favor of Irish fast food rival Supermac’s in a long-running legal battle. The EU General Court’s ruling said in its judgement Wednesday that the U.S. fast food giant failed to prove that it was genuinely using the Big Mac name over a five-year period for chicken sandwiches, poultry products or restaurants. The Big Mac is a hamburger made of two beef patties, cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles and Big Mac sauce, according to the company’s website. The decision is about more than burger names. The dispute erupted after Galway-based Supermac’s started eyeing up European expansion plans and applied to register its company name in the EU.
Walmart offers new perks for workers, from a new bonus plan to opportunities in skilled trade jobs
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is offering new perks for its hourly workers. They include a new bonus plan as well as opportunities to move into skilled trade jobs within the company. The perks program announced on Wednesday comes as the nation’s largest private employer is seeing a decline in worker turnover. But Walmart, like other companies, faces a still-competitive labor market and increasing demands from its workers. The retailer’s new bonus plan for eligible part-time and full-time store workers is based on a store’s performance. The maximum bonus potential also is tied to years of experience. The training program is expected to start with 100 workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Japan’s birth rate falls to a record low as the number of marriages also drops
TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese government data shows the country’s birth rate fell to a new low for the eighth straight year in 2023. A government official described the situation as critical and urged authorities to do everything they can to reverse the trend. The data released on Wednesday by the Health ministry underscores Japan’s long-standing issues of a rapidly aging and shrinking population, which has serious implications for the country’s economy and national security — especially against the backdrop of China’s increasingly assertive presence in the region. According to the latest statistics, the fertility rate — the average number of children a woman gives birth in her life time — was 1.2
Online marketplace eBay to drop American Express, citing fees, and says customers have other options
NEW YORK (AP) — Online marketplace behemoth eBay said it plans to no longer accept American Express, citing what the company says are “unacceptably high fees” and that customers have other payment options to shop online. It’s a notable blow to American Express, whose customers are often the most attractive among merchants and spend the most money per month on their cards. But it’s not the first time merchants have voiced opposition to AmEx’s business practices by walking away, most notably warehouse chain Costco nearly a decade ago.
A Russian cosmonaut becomes the first person to spend 1,000 days in space
A 59-year-old Russian cosmonaut has become the first person to spend 1,000 days in space. Russian space agency Roscosmos said Wednesday that Oleg Kononenko achieved the cumulative space time record having made five journeys to the International Space Station dating back to 2008. His current trip to the ISS began Sept. 15, 2023. If Kononenko’s mission ends as scheduled Sept. 23, 2024, he will have spent a total of 1,110 days in orbit. The International Space Station is one of the few areas in which the United States and Russia still cooperate closely following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022.
Phoenix using ice immersion to treat heatstroke victims as Southwest bakes in triple digits
PHOENIX (AP) — The season’s first heat wave is already baking the Southwestern U.S. with triple-digit temperatures as Phoenix firefighters employ new tactics in hopes of saving more lives. Maricopa County saw 645 heat-related deaths last year. Starting this season, the Phoenix Fire Department is immersing heatstroke victims in ice on the way to area hospitals. The hospitals have also recently begun adopting the technique as a go-to protocol. The medical technique is known as cold water immersion. Experts say it can dramatically lower body temperature in minutes. First responders and hospitals are increasingly embracing the protocol as experts warn of the hottest weather since last September.
In their own words: What young people wish they’d known about social media
Kids constantly hear about the downsides of social media from the adults in their lives, often in the form of dire warnings and commands. But these adults did not grow up with social media themselves. Kids coming of age with social media are forging ahead in a whole new world. And now that they are getting older, they have some advice for their younger peers. Teens and young adults told The Associated Press they wish they had known how addictive social media can be, and suggested taking periodic breaks to “detox.” They also said it’s OK to set boundaries and block people on social media.
A tranquilized black bear takes a dive from a tree, falls into a waiting tarp
CAMP HILL, Pa. (AP) — A young black bear that roamed into a suburban Pennsylvania neighborhood took a dive from a tree into a waiting tarp after being tranquilized. The bear showed up around lunchtime Tuesday near a school in Camp Hill, outside the capital of Harrisburg. Pennlive.com reports that officials used a ladder truck to get close to and tranquilize the bear. The sedated bruin fell about 20 feet into a large blue tarp held up by several wildlife officials, police and firefighters. The animal was tranquilized again and moved to a bear trap that had been placed on a trailer. Game wardens told the news outlet the bear would likely be moved to state-owned land.
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