January 2024 - Page 7 of 17

Israeli Strike in Syria Kills Iranian Officials and U.S. Troops Injured in Iraq

21

Jan

New miscellaneous

Israeli Strike in Syria Kills Iranian Officials and U.S. Troops Injured in Iraq

Iran accused Israel of launching an airstrike on the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Saturday that killed senior Iranian military figures, the latest in a series of Israeli attacks on officials from Iran and two of its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran vowed to retaliate, raising fears of even deeper regional turmoil rippling out from the war in Gaza.Separately, several U.S. troops in Iraq were being evaluated for traumatic brain injuries on Saturday evening after their air base in the western part of the country came under heavy rocket and missile fire from what American officials said were Iran-backed militants. It…

The Heart Surgery That Isn’t as Safe for Older Women

20

Jan

By William Lee

Health

The Heart Surgery That Isn’t as Safe for Older Women

Last Thanksgiving, Cynthia Mosson had been on her feet all day in her kitchen in Frankfort, Ind., preparing dinner for nine. She was nearly finished — the ham in the oven, the dressing made — when she suddenly felt the need to sit down.“I started hurting in my left shoulder,” said Ms. Mosson, 61. “It got really intense, and it started to go down my left arm.” She grew sweaty and pale and told her family, “I think I’m having a heart attack.”An ambulance sped her to a hospital where doctors confirmed that she had suffered a mild heart attack.…

Medvedev’s 3.40am finish is latest absurd example of why tennis has to change

20

Jan

By William Lee

Sports

Medvedev’s 3.40am finish is latest absurd example of why tennis has to change

It happened again. Of course it did.Two tennis players, starting near midnight, battling nearly to sunrise in front of a scattering of fans, with a squad of kids in their early teenage years scurrying after balls at nearly four in the morning. Last year it was Andy Murray duelling with Thanasi Kokkinakis until the night sky began to lighten at around 4am. On Thursday, and into Friday, it was Daniil Medvedev of Russia and Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland doing the tennis version of the 2am jazz set. “I would not have stayed,” Medvedev said in an on-court interview after he completed his…

Apple Takes a Humble Approach to Launching Its Newest Device

20

Jan

By William Lee

Technology

Apple Takes a Humble Approach to Launching Its Newest Device

When Apple released the Apple Watch in 2015, it was business as usual for a company whose iPhone updates had become cultural touchstones. Before the watch went on sale, Apple gave early versions of it to celebrities like Beyoncé, featured it in fashion publications like Vogue and streamed a splashy event on the internet trumpeting its features.But as Apple prepared to sell its next generation of wearable computing, the Vision Pro augmented reality device, it marched far more quietly into the consumer marketplace.The company said in a news release this month that sales of the device would begin Friday. No…

The U.S. Seems to Be Dodging a Recession. What Could Go Wrong?

20

Jan

By William Lee

Business

The U.S. Seems to Be Dodging a Recession. What Could Go Wrong?

With inflation falling, unemployment low and the Federal Reserve signaling it could soon begin cutting interest rates, forecasters are becoming increasingly optimistic that the U.S. economy could avoid a recession.Wells Fargo last week became the latest big bank to predict that the economy will achieve a soft landing, gently slowing rather than screeching to a halt. The bank’s economists had been forecasting a recession since the middle of 2022.Yet if forecasters were wrong when they predicted a recession last year, they could be wrong again, this time in the opposite direction. The risks that economists highlighted in 2023 haven’t gone…

Brazilian Police Make Arrest in Killing of Brent Sikkema

19

Jan

By William Lee

New miscellaneous

Brazilian Police Make Arrest in Killing of Brent Sikkema

A man was arrested in Brazil on Thursday in connection with the killing of Brent Sikkema, a New York art dealer who was found with 18 stab wounds in his Rio de Janeiro apartment this week.The man, Alejandro Triana Trevez, knew Mr. Sikkema and was believed to have stolen cash from the scene before fleeing, said Detective Alexandre Herdy, head of the city’s police homicide unit. The police believe that Mr. Sikkema had brought over $40,000 to spend on furnishing a new apartment in Rio.Officers recovered a bloodied knife from the apartment.“He staked out on the street,” Detective Herdy said.…