July 2024 - Page 8 of 8

03 Jul

Costner’s Expensive ‘Horizon’ Bites the Dust at the Box Office

295Business

"Inside Out 2," featuring Anxiety personified, maintained its position as the top film in North America for the third consecutive weekend. Meanwhile, "A Quiet Place: Day One," a suspenseful prequel, exceeded expectations with its strong ticket sales. However, Kevin Costner’s three-hour film “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” was largely ignored by moviegoers. Originally intended for streaming, this supposed start to an Old West series eventually made it to theaters, but failed to attract significant interest. Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” was projected to gross $57.4 million, reaching a three-week total of about $470 million in the U.S. and Canada,…

02 Jul

Palestinian Fighters in West Bank Draw Inspiration from Hamas in Gaza

295News

The narrow alleys of West Bank refugee camps are covered with black tarps to hide Palestinian fighters from Israeli drones. Green Hamas flags and “martyrs” banners adorn buildings damaged by Israeli raids and airstrikes aimed at curbing the growing militancy fueled by the Gaza conflict. This scene, however, does not take place in Gaza or a traditional Hamas stronghold, but in a refugee camp in Tulkarem, a city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank where the moderate Palestinian faction Fatah has long held sway. Recently, I met Muhammad Jaber, a local commander, in one of these dusty, war-torn alleys. At 25,…

02 Jul

US bases in Europe raise alert level due to Russian threats

295Politics

U.S. defense officials raised the security alert level at military bases in Europe over the weekend in response to vague threats from the Kremlin about Ukraine using long-range weapons on Russian soil, U.S. and Western officials said. Officials noted that no specific information has been gathered about potential Russian attacks on U.S. bases. However, any such attack by Russia, overt or covert, would mean a significant escalation of its war in Ukraine. Russia has stepped up its sabotage efforts in Europe, aiming to disrupt the flow of materials to Ukraine. So far, no U.S. bases have been targeted in these…

02 Jul

USA Today Editor-in-Chief Terence Samuel Resigns

295Business

USA Today Editor-in-Chief Terence Samuel announced Monday he is stepping down after a year in office. Samuel, a veteran journalist, had joined USA Today in July of the previous year from National Public Radio, where he had been a senior executive overseeing all news programs. Neither Samuel nor USA Today gave a reason for his departure. In an email to the newsroom, Monica Richardson, a senior vice president at USA Today, said Samuel’s resignation was “effective today.” Caren Bohan, the political editor, will temporarily take over as managing editor while the publication conducts a national search for a new chief…

02 Jul

Running to recapture a beloved journey, before dementia takes everything

295Health

When I was little, my father, who rarely traveled, would tell stories about a trip to Europe he took with his parents at age 14, in 1966. He remembered how Nonie loved the pristine Swiss roads and flowerbeds; the cozy fireplace in the hillside house near Lugano, where her father was born, with its clever alcoves for drying clothes or warming bread; and the palpable poverty in the house in Pozzuoli, near Naples, where Nonie’s aunt lined the walls with newspaper for insulation. Occasionally, my father would show me his Kodachrome slides on a projector. As an adult, I often…

02 Jul

Miles Russell, 15, made his PGA Tour debut. He was strangely normal

295Sports

DETROIT – Miles Russell’s pants didn’t quite fit during the first round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Thursday. A recent growth spurt has left the 15-year-old, now 5 feet 7 inches, in pants designed for someone shorter. Russell, who weighs 120 pounds and has a 28-inch waist, showed off his ankles as he strolled around Detroit Golf Club. Russell made his PGA Tour debut, shooting a 2-over 74. Born in 2009, he signed autographs for kids and adults while being followed by a PGA Tour Live camera. He teed off for 7,370 yards and played alongside the top-ranked players.…

02 Jul

Robots Have Chubby Faces (and Smiles), According to New Research

295Technology

In Japan, engineers are working to create robots that can mimic human expressions, particularly smiles. They developed a face mask using human skin cells, which they attached to robots using a new technique that hides the bond and is flexible enough to form expressions such as a grimace or a slight smile. The look is a mix between the disturbing Hannibal Lecter mask and the claymation character Gumby. However, scientists believe that these prototypes could lead to more advanced robots. These robots would have a durable, elastic outer layer that protects the machine while making it more human-like. The “skin…

01 Jul

Fire at South Korea lithium battery plant kills at least 22

295News

According to Kim, workers who fled the fire said the fire started when a single battery cell caught fire, triggering a series of explosions among some of the 35,000 lithium battery cells stored on the second floor of the factory. Fires can occur in lithium batteries when the internal layers are compressed, causing a short circuit. The layers can be compressed by a sudden impact, such as during a vehicle collision, or by the gradual swelling of the batteries from regular use. Lithium is a metal that can store large amounts of energy in a small space, which is why…

01 Jul

Iran votes in presidential election despite low turnout

295Politics

Iran’s presidential election on Friday saw a remarkably low turnout, with initial estimates suggesting only about 25 percent of eligible voters participated. That was a significant drop from the 70 percent turnout seen in previous elections and fell short of the 50 percent target set by ruling clerics, who view voter turnout as a measure of their legitimacy. Years of economic hardship and severe social restrictions have left many Iranians disillusioned with politicians’ broken promises. For some, abstaining from voting is a way to express their rejection of the government. Reports from Tehran indicated empty polling stations, with some voters…

01 Jul

How Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Could Affect the European Economy

295Business

It's not just Taylor Swift fans who are keeping an eye on her Eras Tour dates. One of Europe's leading economists is acutely aware that the singer will spend the summer tearing around Europe's stadiums. Philip Lane, chief economist at the European Central Bank, had the pop star in mind when he spoke at an event on Monday. The interviewer asked him about the risk that persistent inflation in the services sector could intensify, especially as Europe heads into a particularly busy summer with the Paris Olympics and the Euro 2024 soccer championship in Germany. “Well, it's very interesting,” he…