Arts/Books: Times Literary Supplement – April 12, 2024

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Times Literary Supplement (April 10, 2024): The latest issue features ‘Man Into Marble’ – Corin Throsby and Kathryn Sutherland on the real Byron; Anthony Burgess on music; Left in charge at the palazzo; Revolutionary Russia; A shorter Long Day’s Journey and What is lyric verse?…

The New York Times — Wednesday, April 10, 2024

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Iran Smuggles Arms to West Bank, Officials Say, to Foment Unrest With Israel

The covert operation, described by U.S., Iranian and Israeli officials, is heightening concerns that Iran is seeking to turn the West Bank into a flashpoint in its shadow war with Israel.

As Kushner’s Investment Firm Steps Out, the Potential Conflicts Are Growing

Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners has invested more than $1.2 billion, much of it in firms abroad, drawing new scrutiny as his father-in-law, Donald Trump, again seeks the presidency.

England Limits Youth Gender Medications, Part of Big Shift in Europe

Five European countries have recently restricted hormone treatments for adolescents with gender distress. They have not banned the care, unlike many U.S. states.

The New York Times — Sunday, April 7, 2024

Pardoned for Serving in Ukraine, They Return to Russia to Kill Again

Recruiting convicts for its army has given Russia a manpower advantage. But it is backfiring in tragic ways when former inmates are pardoned and return home to commit new crimes.

Consumers Hate ‘Price Discrimination,’ but They Sure Love a Discount

The Wendy’s debacle is a warning shot for brands: If you want to play with prices, make sure to communicate why and whom it could help.

Gaza War Turns Spotlight on Long Pipeline of U.S. Weapons to Israel

President Biden sends arms to Israel under an Obama-era $38 billion aid agreement that runs until 2026. Israel’s purchases include the types of bombs dropped in Gaza.

After 6 Months of War, Some Israelis Ask: Is Netanyahu Dragging It Out?

Despite growing pressure from President Biden, the Israeli prime minister appears in no rush to end the war in Gaza. Some think he has political reasons for extending the stasis.

Military Analysis: USA Vs China Aircraft Carriers

Insider(April 6, 2024): From the $13 billion USS Gerald R. Ford to the Chinese Fujian carrier, a high stakes race is underway between the US and China for aircraft carriers. We compare the two superpowers’ fleets, their capabilities and missions.

Video Timeline: 00:00 – Intro 00:26 – Carriers 02:06 – Technology 04:31 – Importance 05:28 – Background 06:03 – Future Plans 07:14 – Threats 08:15 – Balance Of Power 09:14 – Credits

The New York Times Magazine – April 7, 2024

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THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE (April 6, 2024):The latest issue features…

What I Saw Working at The National Enquirer During Donald Trump’s Rise

A collage of National Enquirer photos and headlines.

Inside the notorious “catch and kill” campaign that now stands at the heart of the former president’s legal trial.

Larry David’s Rule Book for How (Not) to Live in Society

He’s a wild, monomaniacal jerk. He’s also our greatest interpreter of American manners since Emily Post.

Saturday Morning: News And Stories From London

Monocle on Saturday Podcast (April 6, 2024): Terry Stiastny updates Georgina Godwin on the Wirecard fugitive case and discusses the honeytrap scandal that has rattled Westminster this week.

We examine the history of honeytrap scandals and look back at the lives of two extraordinary people: journalist Hella Pick and author Lynne Reid Banks. Plus: twins Dina and Rosabella Gregory take us through their new opera, ‘The Haberdasher Prince’, and Louise Doughty joins to talk about her guest edition of Writers Mosaic, ‘Blood and belonging: Traveller Writers’.

The New York Times — Saturday, April 6, 2024

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String of Israeli Errors Led to Fatal Attack on Aid Convoy, Military Says

“It’s a serious event that we’re responsible for, and it shouldn’t have happened,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said of the strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen workers.

In Threatening Israel, Biden Hopes to Avoid a Rupture

The president has put Israel’s leader “on probation,” as a veteran diplomat put it. The threat is not idle, aides said, but he wants to force a course correction rather than follow through.

Earthquake Rattles New York and New Jersey, but Does Little Damage

An earthquake struck the Northeast on Friday, rippling from Philadelphia to Boston.

F.B.I. Examining Free Airfare Upgrades Received by Adams

Federal prosecutors and F.B.I. agents are scrutinizing international flights taken by Mayor Eric Adams of New York aboard Turkey’s national air carrier, Turkish Airlines.

Finance Preview: Barron’s Magazine – March 25, 2024

Magazine - Latest Issue - Barron's

BARRON’S MAGAZINE – APRIL 8, 2024 ISSUE:

Big Pharma Stocks Need a Rethink. Investors Keep Making the Same Mistake.

Big Pharma Stocks Need a Rethink. Investors Keep Making the Same Mistake.

Pfizer’s patent expirations are great for humanity but terrible for investors. It’s a common story across the drug industry.

Bitcoin Wins the Quarter. Energy and Japan Funds Also Scored Big.

Bitcoin Wins the Quarter. Energy and Japan Funds Also Scored Big.

After finally securing approval from regulators, the new Bitcoin ETFs gained an average 42.6%.

Spread the Wealth: Stock Funds That Go Beyond the S&P 500

Spread the Wealth: Stock Funds That Go Beyond the S&P 500

Don’t put all your cards in the Magnificent Seven. These stock funds offer investors true diversification—and that will pay off in more growth opportunities and better protection.

The New York Times Book Review – April 7, 2024

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THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW (April 5, 2024): The latest issue features Stephen King’s first novel, “Carrie,” published 50 years ago. The Book Review editors weren’t sure what to do with it, so they handed it to their mystery columnist, Newgate Callendar. He called it “brilliant” but conceded, “Maybe, strictly speaking, it is not a mystery.” Still, he added, “That this is a first novel is amazing. King writes with the kind of surety normally associated only with veteran writers.”

Stephen King’s First Book Is 50 Years Old, and Still Horrifyingly Relevant

This photo still life shows a hardcover edition of “Carrie” on a brown shag carpet, next to an orange rotary-dial telephone and a section of chair caning with an analog clock balanced on top. The wall behind them is paneled wood.

“Carrie” was published in 1974. Margaret Atwood explains its enduring appeal.

By Margaret Atwood

Stephen King’s “Carrie” burst upon an astonished world in 1974. It made King’s career. It has sold millions, made millions, inspired four films and passed from generation to generation. It was, and continues to be, a phenomenon.

“Carrie” was King’s first published novel. He started it as a men’s magazine piece, which was peculiar in itself: What made him think that a bunch of guys intent (as King puts it) on looking at pictures of cheerleaders who had somehow forgotten to put their underpants on would be riveted by an opening scene featuring gobs of menstrual blood? This is, to put it mildly, not the world’s sexiest topic, and especially not for young men. Failing to convince himself, King scrunched up the few pages he’d written and tossed them into the garbage.

How Stephen King Got Under Their Skin

As “Carrie” turns 50, George R.R. Martin, Sissy Spacek, Tom Hanks, the Archbishop of Canterbury and others recall the powerful impact the writer’s work has had on their lives.

This is a photo-illustration with a movie still of blood-covered Carrie, from the Stephen King novel, at its center.

In the late ’70s the image of Carrie covered in blood at the high school dance was already part of the national narrative — in a fun way. Struggling to afford the rent and the diapers while navigating those first years of a creative journey in the big city, I had not seen the movie nor read the book. Then a copy of “The Stand” was being gobbled up by our gang — read in a fever pitch on every subway ride and first thing in the morning. Once done, the copy was passed along to the next pair of eyes and promptly devoured.

New Books: ‘Children Of A Modest Star”(April 2024)

Stanford University Press (April 5, 2024): Jonathan S. Blake and Nils Gilman introduce their new book Children of a Modest Star: Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crises.

Cover of Children of a Modest Star by Jonathan S. Blake and Nils Gilman

A clear-eyed and urgent vision for a new system of political governance to manage planetary issues and their local consequences.

Deadly viruses, climate-changing carbon molecules, and harmful pollutants cross the globe unimpeded by national borders. While the consequences of these flows range across scales, from the planetary to the local, the authority and resources to manage them are concentrated mainly at one level: the nation-state. This profound mismatch between the scale of planetary challenges and the institutions tasked with governing them is leading to cascading systemic failures.

Produced by Studio B. at the Berggruen Institute

Animation by Meysam Qaderi

Illustration by Akram Esmaili