Extra, Extra
Human Shields and Yields: “For months, Yahya Sinwar has resisted pressure to cut a ceasefire-and-hostages deal with Israel. Behind his decision, messages the Hamas military leader in Gaza has sent to mediators show, is a calculation that more fighting—and more Palestinian civilian deaths—work to his advantage.” WSJ (Gift Article): Gaza Chief’s Brutal Calculation: Civilian Bloodshed Will Help Hamas. Meanwhile, Blinken says Sinwar’s word ‘what counts’ after ‘hopeful’ Hamas response to UN vote.
+ Deflate Accompli: “Happy consumers mostly have themselves to thank: The price cuts are mostly due to shoppers pulling back on spending, contributing to a gradual slowdown in economic growth.” WaPo (Gift Article): Retailers are finally cutting prices. Will it last?
+ Product Plug: “He and his colleagues at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way of creating an energy storage device known as a supercapacitor from three basic, cheap materials – water, cement and a soot-like substance called carbon black.” The cement that could turn your house into a giant battery.
+ Banana Republic: “A court in the United States has found multinational fruit company Chiquita Brands International liable for financing a Colombian paramilitary group.”
+ Gaming the System: “What’s a five-letter word for an activity that media and technology companies are increasingly relying on to gain subscribers and keep them coming back? G A M E S.” Everyone from WaPo to LinkedIn is using games to keep subscribers coming back for more. That includes the NYT (Gift Article): Grab Them. Then Stump Them.
+ Olive and Kicking: “They are arresting and prosecuting clan members, exposing their crimes and confiscating their businesses, all while working to change local attitudes and cultural norms that have allowed this mafia to establish roots as deep as Puglia’s famed olive trees.” In Italy’s Puglia region, women take the lead in challenging the local mafia at great personal risk.
+ SPF WTF: “If you have heard of titanium dioxide at all, you probably know it as an ingredient in sunscreen. But it is also used in lots of foods, from pizza and salsa to frosting and candy—and now, there is growing concern about the potential health risks of eating it.” Why Is a Sunscreen Ingredient in My Frozen Pizza? (So you don’t burn it?)
