A man in his 30s opened an Asiana Airlines A321 door during landing on Friday, causing passengers to scream and cry. The incident occurred on an Asiana Airlines Airbus A321.Getty Images South Korean carrier Asiana Airlines has stopped selling certain exit row seats on its A321-200 planes. Window exit row seats 26A and 31A will no longer be bookable, according to Asiana. The carrier said the move was out of precaution after a passenger opened a door during landing on Friday. South Korean carrier Asiana Airlines said it will no longer sell certain exit row seats on all of its Airbus A321-200 jets after a passenger opened an emergency door in flight, Al Jazeera reported.According to Asiana, it has two versions of its 14 A321-200s — 11 that have 174 seats and three configured with 195 seats. On both planes, certain exit row window seats on the left-hand side of the cabin will no longer be bookable. This includes seat 26A on the 174-seater jet and seat 31A on the 195-seater."However, sales of seats on the emergency door side of other models that do not have this problem will continue," AeroTime Hub reported.The new policy was implemented "as a safety precaution" after a passenger opened an emergency door inflight, and "will apply even if the flights are full.Asiana subsidiary Air Seoul has also implemented the policy, while Air Busan — another Asiana subsidiary — is still toying with the idea, according to AeroTime. Meanwhile, South Korean low-cost carriers Jin Air and Air Premia are considering the policy as well.What happened when a passenger opened a plane doorOn Friday, a man in his 30s was flying between the South Korean cities of Jeju and Daegu when he opened an Asiana A321 door during landing into Daegu.The flight landed safely, though there were 12 people with minor injuries, the Associated Press reported. The plane was about 700 feet off the ground when the event occurred.—The Associated Press (@AP) May 26, 2023Other travelers on the plane were reportedly terrified during the event, with one telling Yonhap, "I thought the plane was blowing up. I thought I was going to die like this."While opening an aircraft door is impossible at higher altitudes due to the immense exterior pressure, opening one at 700 feet isn't, according to the airline."The airplane is automatically set to adjust the pressure of the cabin according to the altitude of the aircraft," an Asiana spokesperson told CNN. "When the aircraft is high up in the air, it is impossible to open the door but when the altitude is low and close to landing, the door can be opened."Aviation expert and Airline Ratings editor-in-chief Geoffrey Thomas told CNN that "it seems implausible that the door could be opened in the first place," noting the door had to be opened into a strong airstream passing the aircraft as it landed."But somehow or another it has happened," he said."It is particularly dangerous during landing and takeoff, so someone from the flight staff should have stopped that passenger," Sohn Myong-hwan, an aviation professor at Sehan University in South Korea, told Reuters. "To me, it seems difficult for the airline can get away from any potential responsibility here."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Want to save $50 on the best noise-canceling earbuds around? Then don't miss out on this Memorial Day AirPods Pro 2 deal. Apple / InsiderWhen you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.We've been covering the Memorial Day sales highlights in detail today, but this might just be the pick of the bunch as it bring the AirPods Pro 2 down to their lowest price at $199.99. We've seen this deal come and go a few times this year, but with so many sales ending at midnight tonight when the holidays comes to an end, we wouldn't bank on this one sticking around much longer.   For context, Amazon often bounces the price back up to the full $250, but we also see it drop to around $230, so $199.99 is an excellent biting point for those wanting to avoid buyer's remorse. Sure, the Prime Day deals are just around the corner in July, but Apple deals can be a bit hit and miss in the summer. An extra $10 might come off for Black Friday in November. The older 1st-gen AirPod Pros dropped to $159 late last year, although they were two years old by that point, whereas the AirPods Pro 2 only came out last September, so there's no chance they'll drop that low this year.Also, those distant sales events aren't helpful if you want a fantastic set of earbuds right now. As a recent buyer myself and a daily user, I'd urge you to dive in at this price rather than go without for six months in the hope you might save ten bucks. And I don't even use an iPhone.Today's best AirPods Pro 2 dealSee all of today's Memorial Day salesNo iPhone? No problem. I do use a MacBook Air for work and an iPad for occasional personal use, but I'm happy sticking with Android for mobile. And these are still the best earbuds I've ever had, and I use them with my Samsung phone daily. I usually struggle to get a good fit with in-ear options even with multiple tips (I had to return Sony's WF-1000XM3 as they kept falling out), but the 2nd gen AirPods Pro 2 are a perfect fit straight out of the box, and there are three more optional tip sets included.Audio is crystal clear across the range on multiple devices, and the noise-canceling is the best I've ever had on a pair of buds - over-ear headphones are still superior for pure noise-canceling. I've drowned out noisy AC units, rumbling laundry, traffic, cafe background noise, and more with no issue. Higher-pitched sounds and voices sometimes creep through (but muted enough so you can't hear what they're saying), but once the music's playing, you're very much in your own little world.If you do want to be aware of your surroundings, when running outdoors perhaps, the transparency mode is excellent at feeding outside noise in. It's also handy in office environments if you want to be on the lookout for colleagues trying to get your attention. It's essential when pausing music really as the snug design does a solid job of blocking outside noise, so this mode will stop you from accidentally shouting your order at a cafe. I also recently started using them on my TV for late-night viewing when I don't want to put on a bulky pair of over-ear headphones and have been seriously impressed. Kevin Costner's grumbling in Yellowstone still requires subtitles though - they're not miracle workers. They're pretty damn good for gaming too and offer way more immersive sound than I'd expect for in-ear buds. Mic quality is good in quiet rooms and does a good job of blocking out outside noise in busier environments. The shorter stems take the mic further from your mouth, but the trade-off in convenience and single-solution for calls/music when working on your travels far outweigh having to pack another headset.Want to learn more? Be sure to take a look at Antonio's AirPods Pro 2 review. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The Wagner army could pose a huge threat to Putin's power, according to Igor Girkin, a former Federal Security Service officer who once led a group of Russian militants in Donetsk. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of a Russian mercenary group known as Wagner (left), and Russian President Vladimir PutinMikhail Svetlov/Contributor via Getty Images A former Federal Security Service officer said Putin could be overthrown by Wagner. The Wagner Army is Putin's private military army, largely made up of mercenaries. The Army chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, could pose an active threat to Putin, said the war analyst. Vladimir Putin could be ousted by Russia's private military group, the Wagner army, according to Igor Girkin, a former Federal Security Service officer who once led a group of Russian militants in Donetsk.Girkin, who is also known by his alias "Strelkov" and is now a prominent war blogger , said that Wagner's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin could overthrow the Russian president, the Daily Mail reported."If Prigozhin remains the head of Wagner, the mutiny will come quickly and radically," Girkin said in a video shared by WarTranslated."A coup attempt has been declared...What will happen next, I don't know, especially as Wagner is urgently withdrawn to rear bases...The danger of a looming coup is clear."Prigozhin, who was once close with Putin, has in recent months repeatedly criticised Russian defense ministry. Last week he said that Ukraine has gained more troops and more weapons since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.The Wagner founder added to his feud with Russia's public leaders when he claimed that the Ukraine war had backfired, according to The Hill. He counted large losses to the Wagner Group in their pursuit of Bakhmut, as well as the Ukrainian army's strength, while suggesting that Russia's top leadership should be changed.Girkin has been critical of the impact of the invasion of Ukraine on Russia.In a YouTube manifesto last month, reported on by the Ukrainian newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda, Girkin said that the situation on the frontline has an "extremely negative" impact on the Russia's ability to win the war."I'm not afraid to say that we are heading towards military defeat," Girkin said, adding that the Russian economy, military, and political system were unprepared for such a "long, protracted war."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

A great white, Jekyll, is the size of a car and weighs nearly 400 pounds. Jekyll and 3 other sharks are making their way north in their annual migration. Great white sharks are heading north at the same time beachgoers are hitting the coast.Ken Kiefer 2/Getty Images Every year great white sharks head for feeding grounds in waters near the northern US and Canada. 4 great whites were recently pinged by OCEARCH trackers near New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. One of them is an 8 foot 8 inch male juvenile named Jekyll who weighs just shy of 400 pounds. Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, and every year millions of people travel to the beach for a long weekend of barbecues, fireworks, and fun in the sun.But that's not the only migration taking place this weekend. OCEARCH, a non-profit marine research organization, recently noted on its website that four great white sharks have made their way to the coast of New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island as part of their annual journey to the waters around Cape Cod and Nova Scotia.OCEARCH has been capturing, tagging, and tracking great white sharks since 2007 in order to study their migratory patterns. Every summer the apex predators embark upon the journey north from their feeding grounds near Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, seeking the warming waters and prey like grey seals and tuna.But some of the sharks got an early start this year, and are now in the waters off some of the busiest beaches in America.These great white sharks have traveled thousands of milesAccording to the OCEARCH tracker, a male juvenile great white nicknamed Jekyll has traveled 1,595 miles in 103 days from Georgia to the waters of Atlantic City, where his tracker pinged his location on May 15th. Named for the island in Georgia near where he was first tagged by members of the OCEARCH team, Jekyll measures a paltry 8 feet 8 inches long, and weighs in at 395 pounds.Just further north the tracker pinged Keiji, a male juvenile great white who winters in the Gulf of Mexico but was spotted enjoying the waters of Long Island on May 17th. Keiji is 9 feet 7 inches long and weighs a mere 578 pounds, and has traveled an incredible 7,697 miles in the past year.Simon, another male juvenile, traveled 1,520 miles in the last 106 days from Florida to join revelers in the waters of Fire Island on May 2nd. His beach body is ready to go, measuring 9 feet 6 inches and weighing 434 pounds.And the latest tracking data came from Frosty, a male juvenile hailing from the balmy waters of Jacksonville, FL, who has made his way to the coast of Rhode Island as of May 21st. Frosty only measures 9 feet 2 inches, and weighs just 393 pounds.While the thought of these mammoth fish hanging in the water near busy beaches this Memorial Day may give some people pause, your chances of getting bit or dying by shark attack are minimal.Data from the Florida Museum of Natural History's 2022 Shark Attack Report notes that there were just nine shark-related fatalities around the world last year, and only 57 confirmed cases of unprovoked shark attacks — below the 5-year average of 70 attacks a year.  Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Quant funds, which use computer models to trade, are helping calm the markets at a time of uncertainty. Computer trading is stabilizing the stock market.Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images Amid a chaotic few months in the US economy, the stock market has remained relatively stable. Quant funds, which use computer models to trade, are helping calm the markets, The Wall Street Journal reported. Here's how quant funds work and the impact they're having on the market. Economic pandemonium has swept our financial systems for the last few months: We entered the year with stubborn inflation; the March collapse of Silicon Valley Bank spurred fear for investors, business owners, and bankers alike; and recent discussions on breaching the debt ceiling have caused uncertainty about the future of Social Security or potential job loss, among other scares.Yet still, the stock market has remained somewhat calm. In fact, the S&P is up nearly 10% year to date, as of May 29. Meanwhile, the VIX, also known as the volatility index, has remained below 20 — a level that suggests a relatively stable market — every trading day but two since March 28. That stability is at least in part thanks to quant funds, according to The Wall Street Journal. Quant funds, or quantitative hedge funds, are investment funds that use computer-created algorithms, mathematical models, and artificial intelligence to make stock predictions.While some investors have stepped back from equity markets due to high valuations and an uncertain course of the US economy, quant funds have been "doubling down," The Journal reported."We have seen them sort of balance each other out for the last six or seven weeks now," Parag Thatte, a strategist at Deutsche Bank, told The Journal.While the quants may have helped stabilize the market in recent weeks, they can also be prone to reacting in unison when volatility does hit, The Journal added.Quant funds can use computer programs, AI, and more to make decisionsThe strong performance of quant funds in 2022 put them back in the spotlight, The Journal reported.Quant models come in a variety of forms. They can be based on ratios like price-to-earnings, debt-to-equity, and earnings growth, according to Investopedia. They can also incorporate AI into their decision making.Some have proven very successful. One of the largest US-based quant funds is D.E. Shaw, which saw its largest hedge fund gain 24.7% last year after fees, outperforming industry averages, according to Reuters. Similarly, the quant fund Renaissance Technologies saw annualized returns of 66% for 30 years, from 1988 to 2018, Insider previously reported.The recent success of quants comes at a time when many are considering the impacts of AI on a wide range of industries. Many investors agreed that AI would be a "game changer" for financial services, according to a 2023 survey by Morgan Stanley. But it will likely not replace humans entirely.Even if trading does become more reliant on algorithms and AI, many investors still might prefer a human managing their money. Eighty-eight percent of respondents to the Morgan Stanley survey said the human-to-human financial advisor relationship was extremely important."Within this context, AI should be viewed not as a replacement of human guidance," Jeff McMillan, head of analytics, data and innovation for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, said in the survey, "but as a powerful tool to help turbocharge a Financial Advisor's practice management and client interaction capabilities."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

It's the final day of the Memorial Day sales and we're rounding up a selection of the best deals from the top stores to check out today. Brendan Griffiths/Insider/Leesa/AppleWhen you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.The Memorial Day sales have entered their final day, so don't miss out on your chance to grab an early summer bargain on a range of items. There certainly is a sun-kissed theme to much of what we're seeing on offer right now with garden furniture, outdoor grills, summer fashions, and more.Head inside the home though, and you'll find this is one of the best times of year to pick up a new mattress, as all the top brands are knocking huge percentages off their top products. Most sites are actually offering discounts on everything they sell. Don't worry if you're looking for some tech deals instead though. As highlighted in our dedicated Memorial Day TV sales guide, you'll see what might be the best selection of TV deals this side of Black Friday. We're also seeing steep price drops on various gaming, audio, and computing products. Directly below are some of our own favorite deals we've spotted in the sales today. We'll be adding fresh ones throughout this final day of the sale. Look further down the page and you'll find extensive lists across a range of categories of which retailers are having noteworthy sales right now.Rare Hydro Flask dealsAmazonHydro Flask Lunch Bag - $45 $33 at AmazonHydro Flask is synonymous with keeping your food and beverages at their proper temperature, whether it's with an insulated cup, bottle, or in this case, lunch bag. Not only does it help keep your food fresh for hours, but the Hydro Flask Lunch Bag is also fully lined with welded seams so in case of a spill or leak, it's easy to wipe clean. Down to $34, this is a very rare deal. If you're after some deals on the flasks themselves, a range of them have decent-looking discounts at Amazon today too. Loads of stylish colors available on offerWild OneWild One Walk Kit - $115 $78Wild One's Walk Kit is more than just a super-cute matching set of essentials for your pup — it's also an investment that's a step above your average leash and harness. The harness is comfy and lightweight with three leash-attachment points to choose from, and the leash is dirt- and odor-resistant. A handful of colors are on sale now, which is a rare chance to save.$600 off one of our top-rated mattresses todayTempur-PedicTempur-Pedic Cloud Mattress - $2,000 $1,400No matter what position you sleep in, the Tempur-Cloud has contouring foam that you can trust to cradle you. It's our pick in our guide to the best mattresses for combination sleepers and couples for precisely this reason. Now through Memorial Day, it's $600 off, an exceptional deal.Epic Xbox memory card dealSeagate / InsiderSeagate memory card for Xbox Series X/S - $220 $150 at AmazonDown to an all-time low of $150, this is the best deal we've seen yet on a memory card that is a real game-changer when you combine it with the ever-growing Game Pass library. After years of use, the Seagate Storage Expansion Card still holds up as an essential item on the Series X/S. It loads games just as fast as the internal SSD and this 1TB model is the sweet spot for value per GB.$100 off one of the best ever action camerasGoProGoPro Hero11 Black - $500 $400 at GoProDespite its similar exterior, GoPro's Hero 11 tops all that came before it by having a bigger sensor and the strongest camera stabilization yet. It's a worthy companion for recording all of your adventures for smooth and high-quality footage. Right now you can find it on sale for only $400 from GoPro and Amazon. A super smart outdoor cooking beastBioLite Firepit+AmazonBioLite FirePit+ - $300 $225Fan-powered, app-controlled, Bluetooth-ready, and rechargeable, the BioLite FirePit+ puts outdoor cooking fully in your control. You can use either charcoal or wood to cook just about anything with this masterfully engineered contraption. Right now you can get one for only $225 during BioLite's Memorial Day sale. MadewellMadewell Curvy Stovepipe Jeans- $138 $97 (with code WARMUP)One of our picks for the best places to buy jeans is having a huge sale right now. Madewell's denim is great for wearers of all sizes, whether you're looking for regular, tall, or petite sizing. You can also choose from a range of inseams to help you confidently buy jeans online that you know will fit. The Curvy Stovepipe Jeans are a pair designed for hourglass shapes in particular with a straight leg that's not too skinny and not too wide.Apple Watch 8 has never been cheaper!AmazonApple Watch 8 - $399 $329 at AmazonApple's latest smartwatch is very tempting at $70 off today, especially as as cheap as it's ever been. Sometimes when these deals come along it's limited to one color, but you have options in black, silver, and "starlight" today. This deal is for the 41mm display version, but two wrist stap sizes are available covering small through large. More than just a panini pressCuisinart Contact Griddler with Smoke-Less Mode/Williams Sonoma, Tyler Le/InsiderCuisinart Contact Griddler - $119 $80Crispy bread, melty cheese, and warm fillings can all be yours whenever you want when you get your own panini press. If your countertop has space for one more appliance, we recommend the Cuisinart Contact Griddler as the best panini press you can buy; it can be used to grill or griddle just about anything and has a user-friendly interface. Usually $120, it's had a few discounts recently, as it was $100 last week, but is basically a must-buy today at $80. Save $300 on the best 4K TV out thereThe Samsung S95B delivers impressive color and contrast peformance.Best BuySamsung S95B 65-inch OLED TV - $2,000 $1,700 at Best BuyThe S95B is our top pick for the best 4K TV you can buy right now. The display was Samsung's first 4K OLED TV when it hit stores in 2022, and one of the first to feature quantum dots to produce a wider range of colors. Down to $1,700, this is a stunning deal. 20% off Casper mattressesCasperCasper Nova Hybrid Mattress - $2,295 $1,836It's not uncommon to find the Casper Nova Hybrid on sale, but it's rare to find it discounted this deeply. Down to $1,836 during the brand's Memorial Day sale, this is an excellent time to save on a bed we recommend as the best mattress for side sleepers. Despite being especially plush, the Nova Hybrid has good edge support and excellent heat dissipation, also making it our favorite soft mattress. Save 20% on quality bed framesFloydFloyd The Bed Frame (Queen + headboard) - $1,625 $1,300Don't be fooled by its simplicity — Floyd's Bed Frame is a modest yet endlessly customizable addition to fit into your bedroom. It's one of our picks for the best bed frames you can buy. Floyd lets you choose your wooden finish, the hardware color, and the addition of storage drawers, all with a 20% discount during Floyd's Memorial Day sale.Similar discounts are available on various sizes today. Time's almost up though.A small, yet mighty, Mac for $500The new Mac Mini uses M2 for faster and more powerful performance than its predecessors.AppleApple Mac Mini with M2 - $600 $500 at AmazonApple's newest Mac Mini is both faster and cheaper than the last generation model. With speedy performance even when using programs like Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro, this computer is a promising investment for content creators. Now down to $500, this matches the previous all-time low the Mac Mini with M2 (256 GB) has seen. If you're looking for an affordable way to check out the Mac ecosystem, this is the perfect way as it's considerably cheaper than a MacBook. Yes, you'll need to sort out your own monitor and keyboard, but with the money saved vs a MacBook, you'll have plenty left over for that.Affordable portable camping cookingColemanColeman Gas Camping Stove - $89.99 $73.99 at AmazonLooking to pick up a double burner camping stove without spending too much if it's only going to be used a few days a year? This is a great affordable option and one you'll appreciate in the mornings when you want to have a few pans on the go at once or enjoy the smell of fresh brewing coffee and sizzling bacon at the same time. And if you don't, are you even camping?Save $190 on a robo vaciRobotiRobot Roomba i4 EVO robo vacuum - $399.99 $209.99 at AmazonRoomba is the default brand most of us think about when it comes to great robot vacuum cleaners, but they're usually pretty damn expensive. So we're really surprised to see this model drop to its lowest-ever price in today's Memorial Day sale. Seriously, $190 off for this robo vac with smart mapping features that will roam hard floors and pull up pet hair from carpets feels like a great opportunity to ditch one of the home's most boring tasks.   A huge discount on our favorite sneakersAllbirdsAllbirds Women's Tree Flyers - $160 $89It's no secret that we love Allbirds. The brand's footwear is sustainably made, affordable, and good-looking to boot. The Tree Flyers are currently down to $89 in all available colors for women, an excellent and rare deal. These shoes are designed for long-distance running with a technical design featuring a lightweight and airy upper. 20% off this top-rated pizza ovenOoniOoni Koda 16 Pizza Oven - $599 $479The Ooni Koda 16 is a pizza oven for foodies with a love for all things pizza. Now on sale for only $479, this tool can help you make restaurant-quality artisanal pizzas or even great desserts whenever you want. It requires little setup and can be used in just about any outdoor location. Check out our full Ooni Koda 16 review for a full rundown of why we think it's a great buy.AmazonSony Linkbuds S - $199.99 $129.99 at Best BuyWant some really good noise-canceling earbuds but without the high-end price tag from Sony's Xm4 line or AirPods Pro from Apple? Then you should seriously consider these little wonders from Sony as they're $70 off today and have had critics raving about their exceptional value-to-quality ratio.An HD TV for just $69.99!Best BuyInsignia F20 Series 24-inch HD Smart TV - $119.99 $69.99 at Best BuyThis is the cheapest price we've seen on this always-affordable TV line. As a TV for a guest room or young children, this is a great deal, especially with a 4.7 customer rating from over a thousand reviews at Best Buy. It's only 720p HD rather than 1080p, but that's fine for the price. You're also getting the Amazon Fire TV smart TV features built-in along with a Fire TV remote. That's a huge selection of streaming apps to enjoy right off the bat and the remote is basic, but also fantastically simple and has nice tactile buttons.  Save over $500 on this mattressAmazonLeesa Sapira Hybrid Mattress - $1,900 $1,546Whether you sleep on your side, stomach, back, or head, the Leesa Sapira is our top pick for the best mattress to offer every kind of sleeper the comfort and support you need for a good night's rest. You'll be sleeping especially well knowing you've saved hundreds of dollars by buying this Memorial Day — pay some extra and you can get two pillows added on when you buy direct from Leesa.Save $50 on AirPods Pro 2AppleApple AirPods Pro 2 - $249 $199 at Amazon$50 off these excellent noise-canceling earbuds is a must-buy for music fans on the move. This matches the lowest-ever price and is great for users of other Apple products, but they can also be paired with Android phones too. Memorial Day fashion salesAllbirds: Up to 40 off % select styles. Andrew Marc: Get an extra 40% off sitewide with code: AMSUMMER.Baublebar: Save 20% off custom bracelets with code: STACKING20.Calpak: Get up to 45% off all luggage.Crocs: Get up to 40% off select styles.eBags: Get 35% off bags and luggage right now.Everlane: Save up to 70% on today's sale on summer styles.Express: 2 for $40 on jewelry, and 'buy 1, get 50% off 1' sales throughout. EyeBuyDirect: Get 30% off all eyewear with code: HOORAY30Gap: Fresh additions in the new summer sale.GlassesUSA: Get 30% off frames with code: SAVE30.J.Crew: Get an extra 50% off sale styles with code: SHOPEARLY. Janie and Jack: Save up to 60% on children's clothing.Kate Spade: Big savings across the site, especially on handbags and shoes.Koio: Get 50% off select styles through May 29.Lands' End: Get up to 60% off via coupon code: HELM.Lo and Sons: Get up to 50% off handbags, backpacks, and more. Lucky Brand: Get up to 30% off select denim styles. Macy's: Get up to 40% off select apparel, furniture, and more. Madewell: Get 30% off the summer countdown sale with code: WARMUP.MeUndies: Get 30% off deals on underwear.Mitchell & Ness: Big savings on the finest team-based apparel. Naadam: Get 25% off with the promo code: MDW25.Nike: Up to 40% off footwear and clothing.Nordstrom: Up to 60% off today.Outdoor Voices: Get up to 50% off OV Extra apparel.Reebok: Get up to 50% off select apparel and trainers.Rent the Runway: Save $40 monthly on a 10-item plan with code SUMERSTYLE23.Sephora: Get up to 50% off skincare, lip color, and more. Soko Glam: Get 30% off select products and double rewards.Soma: Get up to 70% off select styles.Sunski: Get 25% off on Sunski's affordable range of sunglasses. Taylor Stitch: Save 30% off sitewide. UnderArmour: Save up to 50% today, with no coupon code required.Urban Outfitters: Get up to 50% off shorts, tanks, and summer essentials.White and Warren: Big savings on a range of cashmere clothing.Memorial Day outdoor salesBackcountry: Get up to 50% off camping gear.BioLite: Get 25% off sitewide on the brand's stoves, fire pits, and lighting.Charge Bikes: Buy two eBikes and save $200 with code: BUYTWO. Hydro Flask: Get 25% off select bottles and tumblers.Huckberry: Get up to 35% off on select outdoor gear. Icemule: Get 25% off sitewide once you get to checkout.Moosejaw: Get 25% off select styles and 20% off a full-priced item with code: CHEESEBURGER. Poler Stuff: Various discounts across the camping gear site.REI: Get up to 30% off in their 'biggest sale of the year.' Rumpl: Get 25% off specialist blankets in the summer sale. Sea to Summit: Get 25% off bestselling outdoor sleeping gear.Smith Optics: Get up to 50% off outdoor eyewear.Memorial Day home and furniture sales1-800-Flowers.com: Get up to 40% off select flowers and gifts.Apt2B: Get up to 35% off sitewide in their biggest-ever sale.Ashley Furniture: Up to 50% off and extended financing options available.BioBidet: Save hundreds on select bidets.Burrow: Up to 60% off sofas and seating.CB2: Up to 50% off indoor and outdoor furniture and double Rewards Dollars.Chewy: Get up to 30% off select items, including pet food and toys. Floyd Home: Save 30% on all sectionals and up to 30% sitewide.Home Depot: Save on grills, patio furniture, gardening, tools, and more.Inside Weather: 20% off sitewide, plus free shipping on $1,500+ orders with code: MEMORIALDAY.Lowes: Save on appliances, furniture, grills, tools, and more. Maytag: Save up to 30% on all major appliances.Outer: Get up to 30% off outdoor furniture.Overstock: Over a million items on sale.Pottery Barn: Get up to 50% off outdoor, furniture, bedding, and more.Raymour & Flanigan: Get up to 30% off everything. Saatchi Art: Save up to 15% on originals with code: SUMMERTIME10.Society6: Get 50% off sitewide through Memorial Day.Wayfair: Get up to 60% off in the clearout sale.Wild One: Save 20% on stylish colors in the dog leash collection.Woot: Big savings on a huge range of categories.Memorial Day food salesButcher Box: Get free ground beef for a year with new signups.Chicago Steak Company: Get four free filet mignons and free shipping with promo code: MEMORIAL.Great Jones: Save up to $120 on cookware sets.HelloFresh: Check out the latest Hello Fresh coupons.Made In: Big discounts on outdoor grilling kits. Omaha Steaks: Save up to 55% on large steak collection packs. Ooni: Get up to 30% off pizza ovens.Solo Stove: Free Mesa with select orders with code: FREEMESA.VSSL: Get up to 50% off the last-chance items in camping supplies.Memorial Day tech salesAdorama: Save on photo gear, computers, video, gaming, and more.Amazon: Big discounts across the boardBest Buy: Save on TVs, laptops, desktops, accessories, and more.Codecademy: Get 50% off Pro annual memberships with the promo code MAY2023. GoPro: Save $100 on the Hero 11 action camera. Newegg: Get up to 55% off select components, desktops, and more.Samsung: Save on select Samsung appliances, tablets, smartphones, TVs, and earbuds.Tile: Save up to 35% on select Tile tracker bundles.Walmart: Grills, clothing, dining, parties, patios, etc.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

With Wagner Group troops evacuating and being replaced by regular Russian troops, Ukraine could plan to retake Bakhmut, Western analysis said. A Ukrainian artillery unit fires toward Russian positions on the outskirts of Bakhmut on December 30, 2022.SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images Ukrainian forces around Bakhmut could retake the city after Wagner Group forces evacuate. The ISW suggests that Russian movement in the area is low, leaving openings for a Ukraine offensive. Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut said fighting regular Russian troops won't be as hard as Wagner forces. As Wagner Group troops evacuate Bakhmut, Ukrainian forces may have a chance to retake the war-torn city — but it's unclear if that will be Kyiv's priority as a long-awaited counteroffensive looms. Russia claimed victory over Bakhmut earlier this month after a long and costly battle for both sides of the war. Shortly after, Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin announced he would be withdrawing his mercenaries from the city on June 1 after Russia claimed full control of the city. Regular Russian troops will replace Wagner's forces, Prigozhin said. That transition — coupled with notably low tempo and movement from Russian forces in the area — leaves an opening for Ukraine to potentially retake Bakhmut, according to an assessment from The Institute for the Study of War. The analysis, released May 28, said: "Ukrainian personnel in the Bakhmut area reportedly expressed optimism that the decreased tempo of Russian operations around Bakhmut may facilitate further limited and localized Ukrainian counterattacks."Those offensives, along with "ongoing relief" being provided to Ukraine's troops, could provide "Ukrainian forces in the area the initiative to launch a new round of operations around the city if they so choose," ISW stated.While Bakhmut may have been a symbolic win for Moscow, Ukrainian officials such as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy still assert that Kyiv's forces are active in the city limits. Now, they're saying those Ukrainian troops can continue to make gains around the city and stage a "semi-encirclement" to drive Russia out, according to The Washington Post.It's unclear if this plan would come as a part of Ukraine's counteroffensive or if it would be abandoned for other movements in eastern areas along the front lines that prove to be more strategically important to Kyiv. Nonetheless, the attrition-style fighting of Bakhmut has left Russian forces exhausted ahead of Ukraine's long-anticipated counteroffensive. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Devastating wildfires and high construction costs have left Californians without State Farm as an option for new homeowners insurance. California wildfires have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and have proved costly to insurance companies in the state.Kevin Key/SIworking/Getty Images State Farm said it won't accept new applications for business and personal lines of property and casualty insurance in California. The change went into effect on Saturday, with the company citing "rapidly growing catastrophe exposure" as a key reason. California has seen an average of over 7,000 wildfires per year in the past five years, per CNN. State Farm is no longer accepting new applications for homeowners insurance from California residents, citing construction costs and catastrophic events.The largest auto and home insurance provider stopped accepting the applications of all business and personal lines of property and casualty insurance on Saturday, according to a Friday announcement.The change won't impact those with personal auto insurance, and current property and casualty insurance holders can still file claims for property that's already covered by State Farm. "State Farm General Insurance Company made this decision due to historic increases in construction costs outpacing inflation, rapidly growing catastrophe exposure, and a challenging reinsurance market," the statement from insurance giant said.In 2021, Northern California suffered the state's 15th largest wildfire in history. California has experienced over 7,000 wildfires per year on average for the past five years, CNN reported. The devastating blazes have destroyed thousands of homes.In the event of a loss, providers covering property could be required to cover emergency food and shelter, personal property and valuables, the removal of debris, damage to the property, and more, per the California Department of Insurance."Insurance companies prioritize their short-term financial goals, the long-term goal of the Department of Insurance is protecting consumers," California Department of Insurance spokesperson Michael Soller told CNN.Soller continued: "It's important to note that current State Farm customers are not affected, and no non-renewals are being issued as a result of this announcement.""We pledge to work constructively with the CDI and policymakers to help build market capacity in California," Friday's statement from State Farm said. "However, it's necessary to take these actions now to improve the company's financial strength."In January, State Farm told Insider that the insurance provider "temporarily stopped accepting new customer applications in some states for certain model years and trim levels of Hyundai and Kia vehicles because theft losses for these vehicles have increased dramatically."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

"Everyone is a programmer now — you just have to say something to the computer," the chipmaker's CEO said at a conference on Monday. Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, spoke about the potential of AI tools at a conference on Monday.Rick Wilking/Reuters Anyone can be a programmer with artificial-intelligence tools, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said.  AI has ushered in a revolution in computing, he said.  Nvidia's hardware powers AI services like ChatGPT.  Always wanted to become a computer programmer but lacked the right skills? Artificial intelligence can help. The proliferation of new and powerful AI tools means anyone can be a programmer, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Monday. The ability to write code by simply issuing a few commands to an AI system has bridged what Huang called the "digital divide.""The programming barrier is incredibly low," Huang said at the Computex conference in Taipei. "Everyone is a programmer now — you just have to say something to the computer."The chipmaker's market capitalization has surged to nearly $1 trillion this year as businesses across industries have scrambled to embrace AI tools. Nvidia's processors power buzzy AI efforts like OpenAI's ChatGPT, which helped kick off the current AI frenzy when it launched publicly in late 2022. At the event, Huang announced several new AI-related products and partnerships. Nvidia is building a platform with advertising giant WPP to help create computer-generated ads. AI has ushered in a revolution in computing, Huang said at the event. "Every single computing era you could do different things that weren't possible before, and artificial intelligence certainly qualifies," he said. ChatGPT and similar generative-AI programs have sparked fears about which types of jobs may be forever changed as the new tech takes hold. Some studies have indicated that computer programming is particularly at risk, since AI tools can boost productivity and handle some grunt work. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The invasive Burmese pythons are hurting Florida's Everglades ecosystem. A competition is offering over $30,000 in prizes to attract snake hunters. Burmese pythons were thought to have first entered Florida in the 1980s as pets.Miami Herald / Contributor / Getty Images A Florida challenge is giving snake hunters the chance to win a share of $30,000 in prizes. The top prize of $10,000 will go to the participant who removes the most Burmese pythons.  Officials say Burmese pythons are an invasive species and harmful to the Everglades ecosystem.  An annual Florida competition is giving participants the chance to win a share of over $30,000 in prizes this summer. But those with a fear of snakes should probably sit this one out. Last week, registration opened for the 2023 Florida Python Challenge.During the 10-day competition, which will run from August 4th to 13th, participants will take on the role of python hunter — and seek to remove as many Burmese pythons from Florida's Everglades ecosystem as they can.The participant that removes the most pythons will win a grand prize of $10,000 prize. There's also a $7,500 prize for the Grand Prize Runner Up, sponsored by the Bergeron Everglades Foundation, per Space Coast Daily. People who have inhumanely killed any python during the competition will be disqualified.Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesBurmese pythons are invasive to Florida, and officials say the species has negatively impacted the native wildlife by preying on birds, mammals, and reptiles. "There is nowhere in the world like America's Everglades, and we need to continue to protect and restore this national treasure," South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member "Alligator Ron" Bergeron said in a statement. "Removing invasive pythons from across the Greater Everglades Ecosystem is absolutely critical, and we must do everything we can to combat this invasive species."Last year, roughly 1,000 people from 32 states, Canada, and Latvia registered for the challenge. And participants removed 231 Burmese pythons from the region, double the amount from 2020's challenge. Invasive Burmese pythons are damaging Florida's natural ecosystems.Joe McDonald/Getty ImagesBoth professional and novice snake hunters are welcome, but all participants are required to complete an online training before they can register for the event.Per the challenge's website, the training teaches competitors how to identify Burmese pythons, in addition to "humane killing methods."Participants will be disqualified if they are found to have inhumanely killed a python.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Alligators can be very fast with powerful jaws. If you see one, try to get away from them as fast as possible. If one attacks, fight for your life. Alligators don't dine on humans, but if you enter their territory you might be in trouble.lathuric / Getty Images If an alligator charges you, run away as fast as you can in a straight line. Don't zig-zag. If an alligator bites you, don't try to pry its jaws open. Instead, smack its snout or go for its eyes. Whatever you do, don't play dead or you might end up dead. This article is primarily transcribed from a 2018 Insider video on "How to survive an alligator attack." Some of the information has been updated.For years, Hollywood movies have shown humans at war with alligators and their crocodilian cousins. Either they're attacking us, or we're attacking them.But, in reality, alligators don't often attack humans. That said, it does happen, and if one attacks you, what should you do? And perhaps more importantly, what shouldn't you do? Alligators don't eat peopleAlligators have been lurking in Earth's waters for tens of millions of years.Corey Ford/Stocktrek Images/Getty ImagesAmerican alligators have been around for as long as the dinosaurs — over 150 million years. But unlike dinosaurs, alligators stuck around.There are nearly 5 million alligators in the United States. They live throughout the Southeast, from Texas to North Carolina. But most of them are concentrated in Florida.In fact, the Sunshine State is home to around 1.3 million alligators, and that's where the majority of alligator attacks take place.As of 2022, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has reported 453 alligator attacks on humans in the state and 26 fatalities since it started keeping records in the late 1940s."You're more likely to be attacked by a dog or even killed by a cow than have an encounter, a negative one, with an alligator," Corbin Maxey — a biologist and wildlife expert who keeps pet alligators of his own — told Insider for a video in 2018."Alligators, they can be dangerous, but just like with wildlife, if you leave them alone, they will more than likely want to leave you alone," Maxey said.How alligators hunt preyAlligators are sneak-attack predators that pounce on their prey at the last second with lightning speed.Daniela Duncan/Getty ImagesSure, alligators can be vicious, technically they're apex predators, albeit very patient ones."They're ambush predators, usually all you'll see, if you're really even lucky to see, 'cause they're so good at camouflage, are the little eyes above the water. They would be eating mammals like raccoons, waterbirds, turtles, and deer on occasion. And they literally will sneak up to their prey and then whack! The prey won't even know usually what gets it, but they are incredibly fast," Maxey said.Alligators are usually pretty chill, as long as you respect their space."There are rare instances, of course, where females might be guarding a nest, and if you're in Florida, or you're in an area where alligators are found, and you come across a nest with a female, she is going to be angry, and she will come after you," Maxey said.How to fight an alligatorUh, don't do this. This is a great example of what NOT to do. This guy is on a gator farm and (hopefully) knows what he's doing.Tony Anderson/Getty ImagesIf an alligator charges after you, the first step you should take is to run. Run in a straight line as far and fast from the gator as possible. Don't try to run in a zig-zag pattern, as that'll just take you longer to go farther.Alligators are quick and can run up to a speed of 11 mph, but they can't sustain that very long.But what if it's too late? And that gator sinks its teeth into you? Fight back!"You want to fight back, you want to give it your all, because that will more than likely allow the alligator to release you — they're going to realize, oh gosh, I don't want to deal with this," Maxey said.Don't try to pry open the jaws. You're dealing with a bite force of 3,000 pounds. Some experts say that while fighting back, you should smack the gator's sensitive snout, and also try to gouge the gator's eyes."I feel like that's easier said than done. When you have something sudden happen to you, it's going to be very hard to be like, 'Oh wait, where are the eyes?' you know?" Maxey said. "So I think the best thing to do would be to fight back, put up a fight, definitely don't play dead. If you play dead, you might become dead," Maxey added.But perhaps most important, stay out of their territory."When alligators do attack humans or bite them, it's mainly by mistake, and then usually they'll let go, 'cause they'll realize, ah, this isn't a deer, this isn't a raccoon, this is foreign object, this is not something that I would want to eat," Maxey said.Lucky us.Watch the original video here:Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Some lawmakers are using memes and comedy to spice up their speeches. Rep. Marianette Miller Meeks presents a poster on the House floor.CSPAN/ Members of Congress often use floor charts to aid with their speeches that contain charts, images, and text. Many times, the charts aren't the most visually appealing or intriguing. Some lawmakers, however, are using memes and comedy to spice up their speeches.  Longtime Houston-based Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is no stranger to the political airwaves. Dedicated congressional broadcaster C-SPAN says it has approximately 3,600 clips (and counting) of the Texas Democrat speaking her mind. For years, she's used simple visual aids to complement her speeches on the House floor, standing alongside blown-up images of victims of gun violence while advocating for banning assault weapons, or trotting out colorful charts and maps to highlight regional concerns. More recently, however, Jackson Lee and her staff took a different approach when discussing permitting reform, enlarging a meme from the hit television show "Parks and Recreation" to take a jab at Republicans.Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee presents a chart on the House floor.CSPAN/Courtesy of William GrayJackson Lee said injecting a little humor into congressional messaging helps keep everyone better engaged."This floor is a dialogue with the American people," she told Insider between votes at the US Capitol. "The more they can understand and appreciate that you're on their side, that's what I attempt to do."The 15-term lawmaker noted that while her universe of props is somewhat limited — "We can't use videos. We can't use TikToks," she said of verboten social media tools — punctuating a speech with a striking image makes the discussion that much more memorable."We can make it clear ... that what I'm saying today is about making your life — Houstonians,  Texans, the nation —  better. And I haven't forgotten you," she said.Humor can also be used to make a mundane topic, like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, more palatable and interesting, as evidenced by Rep. Sean Casten.In 2021, the Illinois Democrat declared it was "Hot FERC Summer," riffing on rapper Megan Thee Stallion's 2019 anthem "Hot Girl Summer."Rep. Sean Casten presents a "Hot FERC Summer" poster on the House floor.CSPANAs part of that campaign, Casten's staff re-edited and showcased oversized images of album art for Megan Thee Stallion's song, Fergie's "Fergalicious", Rihanna's "Work," and Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" during presentations on the House floor.According to Emilia Rowland, Casten's former communication director and the current communications director for Democratic Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, added that humor works best when it's "authentic.""I think there's a way of making politics fun and lighter that doesn't take away from the seriousness," Rowland said. "For Sean, authenticity meant really capturing the goofy, climate nerd he is. There were still people that made fun of it and thought it was cringey or something like that, but I think cringey can work if it feels authentic."Rep. Nancy Pelosi presents a chart on the House floor.CSPAN/Courtesy of William GrayWhile there are specific offices in the House and Senate — House Creative Services and the Senate Office of Printing, Graphics, and Direct Mail — that offer design and printing services for members of Congress, many congressional offices have their own creative teams to draft graphics for floor charts.When using in-shop services, according to a video posted by House Creative Services, the group charged up to $50 to print and mount a 30 inch by 40 inch poster in addition to a $50 design fee, if applicable, and costs are later billed to the representative's "Members Representational Allowance." According to three Senate sources, Senate offices do not have to pay for their own floor charts.Members of Congress can also print their posters in the institutional offices of the Republican and Democratic Parties.Getting America's attentionWhen William Gray created his Tumblr blog, "Senate Charts," more than a decade ago, he didn't expect it to become such a prominent part of his career. The blog's since changed its name to "Floor Charts" and has a 10,000-plus strong follower count on Twitter where it continues to entertain Washington, DC's nerdiest bunch."It goes into cover letters," he told Insider. "When I've applied for jobs, it's gotten me interviews in places I never would've imagined."Now, more than 10 years later, Gray's become the foremost expert and fan of congressional floor charts, the posters that are showcased by legislators on the floors of the Senate and House.Sen. James Lankford presents a chart to the Senate.CSPAN/Courtesy of William GrayAnd while Gray's following includes congressional staffers who periodically alert him to upcoming charts they plan on using on the floor of Congress, much of his blog's posts are the result of an arduous, methodical archival process."What started as kind of a funny Twitter thing evolved into years and years and years of combing through C-SPAN archival footage, pretty much 10 seconds at a time, and screenshotting, tagging, and uploading every single chart I could find."Ultimately, as Gray noted, legislators and their aides enjoy seeing their work get recognized in some form or fashion."It's true on the Republican side, the Democratic side, the staff who were in committees, I've made lots of just random connections because they like that somebody cares that they put time and effort into creating posters and charts on the floor of the House and the Senate and someone's paying attention."Yuri Beckelman, who serves as chief of staff to freshman Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida, may be one of the biggest fans of Gray's archival work. In 2018, while working as the deputy chief of staff for Rep. Mark Takano, Beckelman worked with the California Democrat, Tumblr, and the Society for News Design to create "International Chart Day." Rep. Mark Takano presents a chart on the House floor.CSPAN/Courtesy of William Gray"I have lots of random ideas and Takano's office was great because he wanted to run with them and just like have fun with them," Beckelman said. "Some of them worked out, some of them didn't, and we just came up with this idea about a chart day. It was very ostentatious of us to assume that we would invent the international day of [something]. But that was the point, right? It was a bit tongue-in-cheek."Takano, whose team used to run an official Tumblr page titled "There Will Be Charts," ultimately rewarded Gray's effort by mentioning him on the House floor, forever enshrining him in the Congressional Record.Additionally, as part of International Chart Day, Gray curated an art display in the Rayburn Foyer on the Hill with 80 "of the best congressionally produced charts to ever show up on C-SPAN." Smiling, Beckelman told Insider the decision to showcase the floor charter like works of art alongside wine and cheese was admittedly a little silly but said, "the point we were trying to make was the value of information, how it can be conveyed, and that we should be celebrating people who do that great work."Bryan Metzger contributed reporting.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The disgraced Theranos founder is expected to have to get used to her new prison cell's four walls starting Tuesday. Elizabeth Holmes.Philip Pacheco/Getty Images Theranos' founder, Elizabeth Holmes, is finally set to report to prison Tuesday. After several delays, she's expected to report to a federal prison in Texas by 2 p.m. Once worth $4.5 billion, Holmes can expect a drastic change in lifestyle. The Theranos founder turned convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes is set to bid adieu to her freedom and her estate home costing $13,000 a month as she commences an 11-year prison sentence.Holmes, now 39, was found guilty in January 2022 of four of 11 fraud and conspiracy charges relating to Theranos, her $9 billion healthtech startup that collapsed after the reporter John Carreyrou revealed its core blood-testing tech didn't work. The revelations triggered regulatory investigations and a lawsuit filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.The disgraced entrepreneur has managed to delay reporting to prison by appealing her conviction and then appealing judge denials. She's expected to begin her sentence at a federal prison camp for women in Bryan, Texas, after losing her most recent appeal.If she does, then Tuesday would mark Holmes' complete fall from grace. Once crowned America's youngest self-made female billionaire — with a reported net worth of $4.5 billion — Holmes is now a cautionary tale in Silicon Valley mythmaking.Per firsthand descriptions published by The Wall Street Journal and an inmate handbook for the Bryan facility, her life is set to look quite different under lock and key.A new, restricting lifeHolmes and Billy Evans, her partner, in 2023.Philip Pacheco/Getty ImagesThroughout her trial, Holmes was said to have lived on the grounds of a 74-acre estate in Woodside — one of the wealthiest parts of Silicon Valley. The total estate was listed for sale for $135 million in September 2021, according to CNBC. It isn't clear whether the home Holmes occupied there is the same as the estate mentioned recently by prosecutors contesting her appeal.Before Theranos collapsed, Holmes would usually dine at expensive restaurants and go on shopping sprees, according to emails cited by prosecutors during her trial.Even as she counted down the days to being behind bars, Holmes enjoyed strolling on the beach and taking her two children, both under 3 years old, to the San Diego Zoo, according to a recent profile published in The New York Times.Starting Tuesday, Holmes can expect to stay in a cell that is likely the size of a restroom at her $13,000-a-month home, according to a sketch published by the Journal based on descriptions from people who had served time at the Bryan prison. Cells at Bryan have open entryways without doors, per the drawing, and Holmes may live with as many as three other prisoners.She can expect to be woken at 6 a.m. daily and would have to make her own bed, clean her cell by mopping the floors and taking out the trash — or risk being disciplined, according to the inmate handbook.Officers will also conduct at least five headcounts a day — and all prisoners must be seen at all of them.Holmes wouldn't be able to walk freely about the prison camp, and her timetable would be strictly controlled. The biotech entrepreneur would also have limited access to technology: At Bryan she'd be able to own an MP3, a radio, or a watch — but not all at the same time.People imprisoned at Bryan do have access to business classes, and they're required to hold a job for at least 90 days with a wage of at least $0.12 an hour. Holmes is thinking bigger, telling the Times that she's planning on working on another biotech startup during her time in prison and has new ideas for COVID-19 testing.A lawyer for Holmes didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Andrei Kelin told the BBC that it is "idealistic" to think Ukraine will win the war and that Russia is yet to show its true strength. Russian ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin.Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images Russia will scale up its war if the west keeps supplying Ukraine with weapons, its ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin said Saturday. "This escalation will get a new dimension which we do not need and do not want," Kelin told the BBC. His warning came as a top Ukrainian official said the country was ready to launch a counter-offensive. Russia is ready to escalate its war efforts if the West carries on supplying Ukraine with weapons, the Kremlin's ambassador to the UK said Saturday.Andrei Kelin told the BBC that Western military aide would prolong the 15-month conflict – and warned that the longer that dragged on, the more likely Russia was to scale up its attacks."That depends on the efforts in escalation of war that is being undertaken by NATO countries, especially by the UK," he said, in response to a question the fighting would last."Sooner or later, this escalation might have a new dimension that we do not need and we do not want," he added."It is a big idealistic mistake to think that Ukraine will prevail. Russia is 16 times bigger than Ukraine," Kelin added. "We have enormous resources, and we haven't just started yet to act very seriously."Kelin's warning came the same day that top Ukrainian defense official Oleg Danilov told the BBC that the country was ready to launch a long-expected counter-offensive "tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, or in a week."Russian politicians have repeatedly threatened escalation – most notably when president Vladimir Putin accused the West of "nuclear blackmail" in September last year."If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people," Putin said, appearing to hint at Russia using its own nuclear weapons. "This is not a bluff."Elsewhere in his interview with the BBC, Kelin falsely claimed that Russia's war was merely a "special military operation" to depose a neo-Nazi regime, which he said had been set up in 2014.He also refused to acknowledge the United Nations' documentation of Russian war crimes in Ukraine – and then said he was offended by interviewer Laura Kuenssberg's questioning when she pressed him on the subject.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

With the C919 jet, China hopes to compete with Airbus and Boeing. The aircraft made its maiden flight from Shanghai to Beijing on Sunday. The C919 departs Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport for Beijing Capital International Airport on its maiden commercial flight.Yin Liqin/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images China's first domestically-made large passenger jet completed its maiden commercial flight Sunday. The 164-seat C919 aircraft flew from Shanghai to Beijing, operated by China Eastern Airlines. With the jet, China hopes to compete with the world's two major aircraft makers – Airbus and Boeing. China's first domestically-made large passenger jet has completed its maiden commercial flight. The 164-seat C919 aircraft, made by the state-owned aerospace manufacturer Commercial Aviation Corporation of China (Comac), made the journey from Shanghai to Beijing on Sunday morning. The flight was operated by China Eastern Airlines, which received the jet in December.The C919 departs Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport for Beijing Capital International Airport on its maiden commercial flight.VCG/VCG via Getty ImagesNearly 130 passengers were on board for the maiden flight, which took around two hours, Comac said. Passengers received red boarding passes and a "themed" meal, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported, including a dessert featuring the aircraft's logo. Passengers also waved Chinese flags during the flight, per the broadcaster.China has been working on the jet for more than a decade under plans to compete with the world's two major aircraft makers — Europe's Airbus and the US' Boeing."I'm really confident in our country," Liu Peng, a passenger on the flight, told Reuters, per a translation by the outlet. "Whether talking about core technology or comfort level, both will get better and better."The C919 shortly after taking off from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport.CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty ImagesLv Boyuan, a student, told Reuters that the news of the maiden flight made him feel "very emotional.""When I heard about C919's maiden flight, I spent the whole week paying attention to everything about this development," he told the outlet, adding that he tried to buy tickets "from the moment they were released." He told Reuters that he planned to take a C919 flight from Chengdu to Shanghai on Monday.Crowds gather to watch the C919 land at Beijing Capital International Airport during its maiden commercial flight.Han Haidan/China News Service/VCG via Getty ImagesChina's first domestic jet, the ARJ21, went into service in 2016. It is considerably smaller than the C919, with the largest aircraft having 97 seats.The C919's commercial debut was initially slated for 2016, but was delayed by a number of technical difficulties and supply issues. The first C919 was ultimately manufactured in 2015, and the aircraft made its first test flight two years later. It was publicly debuted at China's Zhuhai Airshow in November.Comac says it has already secured more than 1,200 orders for the C919, per The BBC. This includes five orders placed by China Eastern Airlines in 2021, with the planes set to be based out of Shanghai.The C919 has two cabins, with eight seats in business class and 156 in economy. Comac says its interior, passenger seats, and in-flight entertainment systems are all custom-designed. Passengers sit on board the C919's maiden commercial flight.STR/AFP via Getty ImagesBut about 60% of the parts used to make the plane are supplied by American companies including General Electric, Honeywell, and Eaton, Nikkei Asia reported, citing a report by the US think tank the Center for Strategic & International Studies.This reliance on imports could be pushing the prices up. Bloomberg reported the list price of the C919 is about $99 million, making it only marginally cheaper than Boeing's 737 MAX 8 and Airbus' A320neo.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Nvidia's role in powering the AI sector's vast ambitions means it will be a clear leader in the space for a long time, sources told Insider. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.NvidiaNvidia stock has soared 167% in 2023 as investors wake up to the potential of artificial intelligence.Nvidia appears best positioned for AI growth as companies rely on its high-tech GPUs to power chatbots like ChatGPT and Bard.Here's why Nvidia is poised to continue to dominate AI. Nvidia woke investors up this past week to the fact that artificial intelligence is going to be a very big deal — and very big business.Shares of Nvidia soared as much as 30% on Thursday, adding almost $200 billion to its market value after the company shared "jaw-dropping" revenue guidance for its AI-powered GPU chips.The stock is up 167% so far in 2023, and some analysts think there's still plenty of room for growth. Wall Street analysts rushed to boost their price targets on Nvidia on Thursday, with some reaching as high as $500 per share. The stock closed at $389.46 on Friday.The company has gone from its founding 30 years ago with a focus on video games, to selling "picks and shovels" in the AI gold rush. Here's why the Santa Clara, California-based firm is pulling ahead of the pack in the AI arms race. "A true visionary""Over a decade ago, [CEO] Jensen Huang understood where the market was going to go, so [Nvidia] invested billions of dollars in not only silicon, but software," Ted Mortonson, tech strategist at Baird, told Insider on Friday. "And Jensen understood where the market was going before the market even materialized, so he is a true visionary,"Mortonson highlighted the success of Nvidia's H-100 graphic processor unit, which was released last year.According to Mortonson, the H-100 has enabled "a leapfrog in training, inference, basically generative AI," and it's this specific chip that allowed ChatGPT to make its big debut last November. While Nvidia has the best chip on hand to power AI capabilities, it also has the right software and silicon stack to keep a competitive moat around its business."They have the entire AI silicon stack. And those are basically three components. They have the most advanced GPU, they have advanced networking embedded in the silicon, advanced memory embedded, and they're now developing a new CPU," Mortonson explained.In other words, Nvidia is a one-stop shop for what companies need to drive their AI ambitions. They control their entire ecosystem, on both the hardware and software side, similar to Apple with its iPhone and iOS system, Mortonson said."When you cobble all these things together, it is an integrated immensely powerful AI engine. And they are years ahead of anyone else," Mortonson said, highlighting Nvidia's software development of CUDA, which is far ahead of its closest competition.Morton was adamant that the success of the company is the result of Huang's foresight, comparing him to other tech icons like Tesla CEO Elon Musk. "Their expertise in GPUs through their vision got them to the level of basically enabling AI broadly across every single industry. So this is truly through Jensen's leadership, and I think he'll go down as one of the great technologists of our age, along with Elon," Mortonson said."Nvidia is clearly going to be the biggest winner"Equity analyst Angelo Zino at CFRA told Insider that Nvidia deep history of GPU expertise and its current control of the GPU data center market means it will continue to lead the pack in the AI space. "Nvidia is clearly going to be the biggest winner in our view. They are the inventor of GPUs, invented back in 1999. They own over 95% of market share of the GPU market within the data center space," Zino said. While CPUs, developed mostly by Intel and to some extent AMD, are unable to handle the large processing power necessary to run AI, Nvidia's GPUs can. "Over the years, people have realized that these GPUs have the ability to solve some of the most difficult kind of computing problems out there...and Huang had a vision of this eventually taking place," Zino said.He added that demand for GPUs will make for an enormous market for Nvidia to address, and not just for its core business in gaming and data centers, but for autonomous vehicles and a host of other technologies. "How they work with these enterprise companies is invaluable and a big reason why we do think that they're likely going to sustain a market share position north of 90% in the foreseeable future," Zino concluded. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Jamie Dimon Denies Involvement With Epstein In Lengthy Deposition As Erdoes Admits She Was Alerted Of Sex Crimes Jeffrey Epstein may (not) have killed himself but the questions surrounding his life (and death) continue to swirl and on Friday, none other than billionaire JPM CEO Jamie "That's why i'm richer than you" Dimon was questioned under oath for hours by lawyers in two lawsuits in which the largest US bank was accused of knowingly benefiting from Epstein’s sex-trafficking; Dimon, of course, denied any involvement with the financier’s accounts. According to Bloomberg, Dimon finished his deposition Friday and the deposition will not continue into a second day. JPM spokeswoman Patricia Wexler said Dimon repeatedly confirmed that he never met or emailed Epstein and was not involved in decisions about his account. “There are millions and millions of emails and other documents that have been produced in this case and not one comes close to even suggesting that he had any role in decisions about Epstein’s accounts,” Wexler said. Despite the bank downplaying Dimon's involvement, JPMorgan had insisted that details of the deposition not be made public, Doe’s lawyer Brad Edwards said. Since the bank commented, he challenged it to release the full transcript of the testimony “rather than mislead anyone.” “Then, the world can put their comment in context and decide for themselves what they thought of Mr. Dimon’s testimony as a whole,” he said. While the bank’s lawyers had previously fought efforts to have Dimon questionedd, arguing he had no involvement in Epstein’s 15-year relationship with JPMorgan, the failed. Lawyers for Jane Doe and the US Virgin Islands, who are suing the bank separately for aiding Epstein’s sex trafficking, had the option of asking a federal court judge to extend Dimon’s deposition into Saturday. JPMorgan has denied claims it knew of Epstein’s sex trafficking but decided to keep him on as a client anyway between 1998 and 2013. It has filed its own lawsuit against former executive Jes Staley, claiming he should be held liable for any damages awarded against the bank as he vouched for Epstein. The nearly nine-hour deposition of JPMorgan's Mary Erdoes which took place two months ago, and whose details were finally revealed, delivered more fireworks. When Erdoes, who leads the bank’s asset and wealth management division, learned a court had affirmed Jeffrey Epstein’s status as a sex offender likely to harm more victims, she had a terse response. “Oh boy,” Mary Erdoes wrote in a 2011 email to a fellow executive at JPMorgan Chase, where Epstein was a client for 15 years. It was at least the sixth time Erdoes had been alerted to Epstein’s criminal or civil legal trouble for sex crimes, according to the WaPo. She had also been informed as early as 2006 that JPMorgan flagged suspicious activity on his accounts. Erdoes’s statements shed new light on the actions of JPMorgan’s highest-ranking officials while Epstein’s conduct faced legal and public scrutiny. The Washington Post obtained the transcript of the deposition, much of which has been unreported until now. Officials from the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned a private island and gaudy mansion, and attorneys for his victims claim the bank was complicit in funding Epstein’s long history of abuse and child sex trafficking. A complaint filed last month by the U.S. Virgin Islands cites Erdoes’s deposition as evidence that JPMorgan knew of accusations against Epstein years before the bank severed ties with him. Not until 2013 did the bank end its business relationship with Epstein, identifying the financier’s routine and massive cash withdrawals as the reason for terminating the relationship. JPMorgan has rejected the allegations in the lawsuit and expressed regret for its past association with Epstein. “We all now understand that Epstein’s behavior was monstrous, and his victims deserve justice — but these suits are misplaced as we did not help him commit his heinous crimes,” JPMorgan spokeswoman Patricia Wexler said in a statement. He is, of course, a monster now that he is dead and can't reveal who else may be a monster. Previously he was just a well-paying client. The deposition transcript shows Erdoes said she had been made aware of Epstein’s convictions for sexual offenses, his status as a high-risk sex offender, and public allegations of abuse of minors and human trafficking. But she said she didn’t think it was her responsibility to remove him as a client, launch an inquiry into his accounts or refer them to compliance officials. JPMorgan has a separate process for dealing with client-related legal issues, she said. Jes Staley, Erdoes’s supervisor and one of Epstein’s close friends, did investigate the allegations against Epstein by asking the financier about them, according to records read during the deposition. JPMorgan in a statement said it was “unfair for The Post to draw these kinds of conclusions without context for the relevant processes at JPMorgan, the tens of millions of clients, and the many professionals involved.” U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. is set to give a deposition on June 6. JPMorgan in a filing Thursday accused government officials on the islands of shielding Epstein from law enforcement officials in exchange for political donations. Attorneys for the U.S. Virgin Islands called the claim “an obvious attempt to shift blame away from JPMorgan Chase.” Deutsche Bank, where Epstein took much of his wealth after leaving JPMorgan in 2013, recently agreed to pay $75 million to settle a similar suit. The lawsuits against the investment banks concern the extent to which various people in Epstein’s orbit are accused of enabling the sprawling sex trafficking operation that led to his arrest in 2019, or at least looking the other way — and profiting — when they should have intervened (although how would they when Epstein had sexual dirt on everyone).  U.S. Virgin Islands attorneys say JPMorgan “knowingly facilitated, sustained, and concealed” Epstein’s human trafficking network, while profiting from deals and clients Epstein brought into the bank. Of course, JPMorgan has denied any wrongdoing and said the claims in the U.S. Virgin Islands complaint are meritless. The company has also sued Staley, accusing him of acting on his own to advance Epstein’s interests. In her deposition, Erdoes said that it was the responsibility of the bank’s legal team to exert controls on Epstein’s accounts and that Staley communicated with him about the bank’s periodic concerns. “The process by which those things work is that legal risk, compliance, including supervisory management … have a natural process they go to when they have things like this that get alerted to them,” she said, only in this case clearly every single process failed. That is a fair description of how most major banks’ compliance systems should work, said Eric Chaffee, a professor at the University of Toledo College of Law. But he added that after repeated unexplained suspicious transactions and public reports of criminal behavior, bank officials have a legal responsibility to step in. “When you have a lot of red flags come up, it’s one of those things where the senior executives certainly have some obligation to be talking to each other and figuring out what’s going on,” Chaffee said. “Ultimately, there does come a point where the bank, the financial institution, becomes outright complicit in regard to the crime.” Especially when the "client" has dirt on the highest ranking people in said financial institution, and all others for that matter. Going back to Erdoes deposition, on more than 100 occasions she said she did not recall details of her role helping supervise Epstein’s accounts, some of which date back two decades. She described Epstein’s crimes as “allegations” even though he pleaded guilty to procuring a child prostitute in 2008 and was declared a Level 3 sex offender — the most serious designation — by a New York state appeals court in 2011. Asked in the March 15 deposition whether she believed Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019, was engaged in sex trafficking, Erdoes said, “I don’t know what to believe.” Epstein first opened accounts at JPMorgan in 1998, and became one of the bank's most important clients. Through his own accounts and the ones he managed for former Victoria’s Secret CEO Leslie Wexner, Epstein “generate[d] one of the largest annual revenue flows of private clients in the private bank,” reads a JPMorgan due diligence report from 2003, when the private bank was considerably smaller, cited in the deposition. (Wexner severed ties with Epstein in 2008, and later said Epstein misappropriated $46 million of the Wexner family’s money.) A 2006 internal bank report referenced Epstein’s routine cash withdrawals several times a month in amounts ranging from $40,000 to $80,000, adding up to more than $750,000 a year. By 2008, Epstein had $121 million in accounts with JPMorgan, records read during the deposition show. But Epstein, a self-described money manager, sought to bring the bank more business, according to legal filings, and profit from fees associated with the work. Throughout that period, according to filings, Epstein benefited from the friendship and internal advocacy of Staley, who preceded Erdoes as head of JPMorgan’s wealth management unit. Staley, who became the head of British bank Barclays in 2015, described a “profound” friendship with Epstein, according to court records. He resigned from Barclays in 2021 after U.K. regulators launched an investigation into his relationship with Epstein. Why was he "profoundly" friendly with Epstein? Simple: text messages and emails entered into evidence by the U.S. Virgin Islands suggest “albeit cryptically, that Mr. Staley had sexual encounters” with Epstein’s trafficking victims, Judge Jed S. Rakoff of the Southern District of New York wrote in a May order in the U.S. Virgin Islands case. In a 2006 email exchange with Staley that was read during the deposition, Erdoes described a Palm Beach Post article about Epstein being accused of soliciting minors as “so painful to read.” Staley responded: “I went and saw him last night. I’ve never seen him so shaken. He adamantly denies the ages.” Not the charges... the ages. Because one can obviously confuse a 14-year-old with a 34-year-old. Staley’s departure from JPMorgan in 2013 allowed Erdoes to end the bank’s relationship with Epstein, she said in the deposition. “There was no one there to vouch for Mr. Epstein,” Erdoes said. Meanwhile, in a legal filing last month, Staley’s attorneys said JPMorgan’s claims amount to “provocative media fodder,” but “never explain how an employee [Staley] who is not alleged to have had decision-making authority over Epstein’s accounts — and who is not alleged to have seen any of the suspicious account activity that other JPMorgan employees ignored — caused the plaintiffs’ alleged injuries.” Around that time, she said, she became aware that Epstein’s regular withdrawals were in cash. At the time, Erdoes said, she did not see Epstein’s criminal history and the withdrawals as related. “Never at the time was that something that I was connecting in my mind with anything to do with any of the allegations of what he may or may not have done,” she said, because of course it wasn't her - or anyone's job - to connect the dots as long as the pedophile client kept paying millions in fees and being vouched for by the largest US bank . Wexler said the firm “did not know that such transactions could have had anything to do with a sex trafficking operation.” And yet they did. During the deposition, Erdoes also said that it was not her responsibility to initiate internal investigations or flag concerns about Epstein’s behavior that arose from legal developments or news reports about his convictions or suspected trafficking. Instead, she said repeatedly that it was the job of the bank’s legal and compliance officers to vet the information. “My responsibility is not to do something with every piece of news media that comes out on our client base,” she said later. Internal JPMorgan records referenced in the U.S. Virgin Islands complaint show that bank employees flagged Epstein’s copious cash withdrawals as early as 2006. In a 2010 internal email also cited in the complaint, risk management officials surfaced “allegations of an investigation related to child trafficking.” In 2011, according to the filings, JPMorgan’s anti-money-laundering compliance director requested re-approval from JPMorgan’s general counsel of the bank’s relationship with Epstein “in light of the new allegations of human trafficking.” Erdoes later in the deposition appeared to say the bank’s policies were hazy when encountering a client accused but not convicted of certain crimes. “I don’t know what the proper process is when it’s an allegation,” she said. Only it wasn't merely an "allegation", as everyone knows by now. Tyler Durden Sun, 05/28/2023 - 14:30.....»»

A rare white bison — which some communities find sacred — was born in a Wyoming State Park on Tuesday. Tourist traffic is already increasing. White BisonMark Newman/GettyImages A rare "one-in-ten-billion" albino white bison was born in a Wyoming state park on Tuesday. White bison are considered sacred to some Native Americans, according to the Native American College Fund. Bear River Park Superintendent Tyfani Sager said that the calf is small but doing well, Cowboy State Daily reported. A bison named Wyoming Hope gave birth to a rare, "one-in-ten-million" albino white bison on Tuesday in a Wyoming state park.The buffalo was born at Bear River State Park around 6:30 p.m., according to Cowboy State Daily, a statewide non-profit news organization in Wyoming. The baby weighs around 30 pounds, according to the outlet.Park Superintendent Tyfani Sager told the outlet the bison is small, but doing well.Sager said the park has not determined the sex of the bison yet, and that tourist traffic has been up at the park since its birth on Tuesday."We're not sure if it's a bull calf or a heifer calf," Sager said, according to Cowboy State Daily. "They're real furry and it's hard to tell right off the bat."According to the American Indian College Fund, albino white bison are considered sacred among some Native American communities and are extremely rare. White bison are considered sacred to the Lakota Sioux, who were starving during one summer because there was no game near them, according to the organization. Native legends say that two young men in the tribe went looking for food in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where they met a woman dressed in white who said, "return to your people and tell them I am coming," the organization said in a release.According to the legend, the woman rolled on the ground four times before turning into a white bison herself. Bison were then plentiful for the Lakota Sioux, the legend says.The slaughter of a white bison and its mother on a Lakota ranch in 2012 was considered an outrage by others in the community, according to the Native American College Fund.Wyoming state parks did not immediately return Insider's request for comment on Sunday.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The proposed 6-day work week — apparently without additional pay — would come as countries such as the UK and Spain experiment with 4-day work weeks. A Russian propagandist said citizens should work two extra hours after their regular shifts, according to intelligence from the Ministry of Defense.NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP via Getty Images Russian state media and businesses are petitioning for a 6-day work week to fund war in Ukraine. The extra work day would likely come without additional pay, according to UK intelligence. Multiple 4-day work week trials in the UK and Spain have reported positive results for employees. Russian state media and some Kremlin-linked businesses are proposing a six-day work week in order to fund Russia's war in Ukraine — without additional pay.According to an intelligence update from the UK Ministry of Defence, the state-backed media and business groups "have petitioned the Economic Ministry to authorize a six-day week for workers in the face of the economic demands of the war, apparently without additional pay." The intel didn't say which groups were proposing the change or whether or not it would be approved. The ministry also cited Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of state media broadcaster RT and a prominent Russian propagandist, who said last week that citizens should clock into munition production factories for two hours each day after their regular jobs. The additional work day is marking a shift towards "mandating citizens to actively make sacrifices in support of the war effort." The ministry suggested that this reflects a "Soviet-style sense of societal compulsion" and also creates a broader tone around the war as a communal Russian effort that all citizens are involved in. Other countries, such as the UK and Spain, have recently experimented with 4-day work weeks and found positive results for workers. Employees reported that while the extra day off was an adjustment, it improved their mental health, eased stress levels, and made returning to work easier. This move comes as Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin warn of a potential revolution as Russian elite families refuse to send their children to die in Ukraine.Last week, Prigozhin went on a profane rant hitting Russian President Vladimir Putin for how the "fat, carefree" lives of Russia's wealthy could spark a "revolution" similar to the Russian Revolution of 1917, leading working-class citizens to storm the elite's "villas" with "pitchforks.""The children of the elite smear themselves with creams and show off on the internet, while ordinary people's children come home in zinc [coffins], torn to pieces," he said. "I recommend that the elite of the Russian Federation gathers up, bitch, its youth and send them to war."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

"What is she doing here?" Feinstein asked last year of Vice President Harris' presence in the Senate chamber according to The New York Times. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, left, and then-Sen. Kamala Harris of California converse as they arrive in the Capitol for a vote on September 7, 2017.Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call Sen. Feinstein was confused by VP Harris presiding over the Senate last year, per a New York Times report. "What is she doing here?" Feinstein said, according to an unnamed individual who was present at the time. Some lawmakers have called into question the veteran Democratic lawmaker's fitness for office. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California was confused by Vice President Kamala Harris presiding over the upper chamber last year, with the veteran lawmaker questioning why her onetime Senate colleague was in the room, according to The New York Times.The report comes as Feinstein — who has had several health challenges this year and who has been questioned about her fitness for remaining in office through the end of her term in January 2025 — has sought to reassert herself in Washington.Feinstein, a former San Francisco mayor who has served in the Senate since 1992, has for decades been one of the most respected voices on Capitol Hill, especially as it relates to national security and intelligence matters.But according to the Times report, Feinstein appeared unaware as to why Harris, who during the previous two-year congressional term broke numerous ties in her capacity as president of the Senate, was taking up her constitutional role."What is she doing here?" Feinstein, 89, asked of Harris, according to an unnamed individual who was present at the time.During the first two years of President Joe Biden's first term in office, the Senate was split 50-50, which required the president to win the support of every Democratic member to pass his most ambitious priorities. So Harris — who also served alongside Feinstein as a California senator from 2017 to 2021 — was a frequent presence in the well of the chamber as she was the deciding vote for many key bills and nominations.In 2022, four lawmakers and three former Feinstein staffers told the San Francisco Chronicle that the senator's memory was "rapidly deteriorating," with them remarking that the senator was no longer able to fully represent her nearly 40 million constituents without considerable assistance from aides.This year, Feinstein endured complications from shingles, which kept her away from the Senate from February until May and stymied some of Biden's judicial nominations in a Judiciary Committee with a one-vote Democratic majority. Upon her return, a New York Times report then disclosed that she also suffered from Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, a neurological disorder that in the senator's case was brought on by her bout with shingles.Rep. Ro Khanna, a fellow Bay Area lawmaker, in April called on Feinstein to resign from office, and reiterated his position this month."I'm hopeful that people who are close to her can talk to her and just say, 'Look, end your service with dignity. Step aside, let the governor appoint someone,'" he said during a recent MSNBC interview.Feinstein's staffers have sought to safeguard the senator from photographers and journalists since arriving back on Capitol Hill, according to The Los Angeles Times, as she seeks to reacclimate herself to her work.Insider reached out to Feinstein's office for comment.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»