Boeing launches NASA astronauts for the first time after years of delays
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing has launched astronauts for the first time after years of delays. Two NASA test pilots blasted off Wednesday aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule from Cape Canaveral, Florida, bound for the International Space Station for a week-long stay. It was their third launch attempt and followed two rocket-related delays. An uncrewed test flight of Starliner in 2019 failed to reach the space station, forcing Boeing to try again. The company has since had to solve a series of problems with the capsule. SpaceX has been launching astronauts since 2020, but NASA is seeking a backup taxi service.
Disney plans to invest up to $17 billion in Florida theme parks now that battle with Governor DeSantis’ appointees is over
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Months after Disney and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees agreed to end their court battle, the two sides are expected to approve an agreement that would allow the company to invest up to $17 billion in its Florida resorts, paving the way for a fifth major theme park there. The five DeSantis-appointed regulators who oversee the Disney World area on Wednesday gave their initial approval to the development agreement the two sides agreed to negotiate after a March settlement ended litigation in state court. The agreement will be in effect for the next 15 years. A final vote is expected next week.
Big Mac battle: McDonald’s loses EU trademark battle to Irish rival Supermac’s
LONDON (AP) — The European Union’s top court has ruled that McDonald’s has lost its Big Mac trademark across the 27-nation bloc, ruling in favor of Irish fast-food rival Supermac’s in a long-running legal battle. In its ruling on Wednesday, the EU General Court said the U.S. fast-food giant failed to prove that it had genuinely used the Big Mac name on its chicken sandwiches, chicken products or restaurants for five years. According to the company’s website, the Big Mac is a burger made with two beef patties, cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles and Big Mac sauce. The ruling is not about the name of the burger. The dispute erupted after Galway-based Supermac’s applied to register its name in the EU as it eyed expansion plans in Europe.
Walmart is offering new perks to its employees, from new bonus plans to opportunities for skilled jobs.
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is offering new benefits to its hourly workers, including a new bonus plan and the opportunity to move into skilled jobs within the company. The benefits program, announced Wednesday, comes as the nation’s largest private employer faces declining worker turnover. But Walmart, like other companies, still faces a competitive labor market and increasing demand from workers. The new bonus plan the retailer is offering to eligible part-time and full-time store workers is based on store performance. The maximum bonus amount is also tied to years of experience. The training program will begin with 100 workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Japan’s birth rate hits record low, marriage numbers also declining
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s birth rate in 2023 hit a record low for the eighth consecutive year, according to government data. Government officials described the situation as serious and urged authorities to take all measures to reverse the trend. The data, released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on Wednesday, highlights Japan’s long-standing challenge of a rapidly aging and shrinking population, with serious implications for its economy and national security, especially amid China’s growing presence in the region. The latest statistics showed the fertility rate — the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime — was 1.2.
Online marketplace eBay drops American Express due to fees, says customers have other options
NEW YORK (AP) — Online marketplace giant eBay has announced plans to stop accepting American Express, citing what it calls “unacceptably high fees” and the availability of other payment methods for online shoppers. This is a major blow to the company because American Express customers are often the most attractive to retailers and spend the most on their cards each month. But this isn’t the first time a retailer has pulled out in opposition to AmEx’s business practices, most notably the nearly decade-old warehouse chain Costco.
Russian astronaut becomes first person to spend 1,000 days in space
The 59-year-old Russian cosmonaut has become the first human to spend 1,000 days in space. The Russian Space Agency announced on Wednesday that Oleg Kononenko has traveled to the International Space Station five times since 2008, achieving a record amount of time spent in space. His current journey to the ISS began on September 15, 2023. If Kononenko’s mission ends as scheduled on September 23, 2024, he will have spent a total of 1,110 days in orbit. The International Space Station is one of the few areas in which the United States and Russia continue to cooperate closely following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Phoenix uses ice water to treat heat stroke patients as Southwest temperatures reach triple digits
PHOENIX (AP) — With the season’s first heat wave already bringing triple-digit temperatures to the Southwestern U.S., Phoenix firefighters are adopting a new tactic to try to save more lives. Last year, 645 people died from heatstroke in Maricopa County. Starting this season, the Phoenix Fire Department will immerse heatstroke patients in ice water on the way to area hospitals, which have also recently begun adopting the technique as a standard procedure. The medical procedure, known as cold water immersion, can dramatically reduce body temperature in minutes, experts say. Emergency workers and hospitals are increasingly adopting the procedure as experts warn of the hottest weather since last September.
In their own words: What young people wish they knew about social media
Kids are constantly hearing about the negative aspects of social media from the adults around them, often in the form of stern warnings and commands. But these adults didn’t grow up with social media. Kids who did grow up with it are navigating a whole new world. And as they get older, they’re offering advice to their younger peers. Teens and people in their 20s told the AP they wish they’d known how addictive social media can be, and suggested taking regular breaks to “detox.” They also said it’s okay to set boundaries and block people on social media.
A tranquilized black bear leaps from a tree and falls into a waiting tarp.
CAMP HILL, Pa. (AP) — A young black bear that had wandered into a residential neighborhood in suburban Pennsylvania was given a tranquilizer before jumping from a tree into a tarp. The bear appeared around midday Tuesday near a school in Camp Hill, a suburb of the state capital, Harrisburg. Authorities used a ladder truck to reach the bear and administer the tranquilizer, according to Pennlive.com. Once tranquilized, the bear fell about 20 feet onto a large blue tarp that was being held up by several wildlife officials, police and firefighters. The bear was given another tranquilizer and placed into a bear trap on a trailer. Game wardens told the news agency that the bear will likely be moved to state land.
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