The Full Belmonte, 6/3/2023
India's deadliest rail accident in decades: Over 280 dead, 900 injured
Ashok Sharma and Krutika Pathi
Associated Press
The site of a train collision in the Indian state of Odisha on Saturday.Dibyangshu Sarkar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
“NEW DELHI — Rescuers waded through piles of debris and wreckage to pull out bodies and free people on Saturday after two passenger trains derailed in India, killing more than 280 people and injuring hundreds as rail cars were flipped over and mangled in one of the country's deadliest train crashes in decades.
The accident, which happened about 220 kilometers (137 miles) southwest of Kolkata on Friday night, led to a chaotic scene as rescuers climbed atop the wrecked trains to break open doors and windows using cutting torches to free survivors.
About 900 people were injured in the accident in Balasore district in the eastern state of Odisha, said P.K. Jena, the state's top administrative official. The cause was under investigation.
At least 280 bodies were recovered overnight and into Saturday morning, Sudhanshu Sarangi, director of Odisha's fire and emergency department, told The Associated Press. He said more than 800 injured passengers were taken to various hospitals with many in critical condition.
Army soldiers and air force helicopters joined the relief effort along with local authorities….” Read more at USA Today
U.S. Job Growth Remains Strong Despite Economic Clouds
Employers added 339,000 workers in May, the Labor Department said, though the report also offered signs of shakiness.
“American employers added an unanticipated barrage of workers in May, reaffirming the labor market’s vigor.
Defying expectations of a slowdown, payrolls grew by 339,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Labor Department said on Friday. The increase, the largest since January, suggested that the job market was still piping hot despite a swirl of economic headwinds.
But below the surface, the report also offered evidence of softening. The unemployment rate, while still historically low, jumped to 3.7 percent, the highest level since October. In a sign that the pressure to entice workers with pay increases is lifting, wage growth eased.
The dissonance offered a somewhat muddled picture that complicates the calculus for the Federal Reserve, which has been raising interest rates for more than a year to temper the labor market’s momentum and rein in price increases. Fed officials have indicated that the jobs report will be an important factor as they decide whether to raise interest rates again….” Read more at New York Times
Group Challenges Arkansas Law That Would Criminalize Access to Some Books
A lawsuit says the edict ‘forces bookstores and libraries to self-censor in a way that is antithetical to their core purposes.’
By Elizabeth A. Harris and Alexandra Alter
June 2, 2023
“A new state law in Arkansas that could send librarians and booksellers to prison was challenged on Friday in a federal lawsuit filed by libraries, independent bookstores and publishers who said the legislation was unconstitutional.
The suit comes as states and counties around the country are increasingly restricting the availability of certain kinds of books, and as those who oppose such regulations are finding more ways to push back.
The complaint, which was filed in the United States District Court for the western District of Arkansas, said the law ‘forces bookstores and libraries to self-censor in a way that is antithetical to their core purposes.’
The Arkansas law, which is scheduled to go into effect in August, requires any material that might be ‘harmful’ to minors, including books, magazines and movies, to be shelved in a separate, ‘adults only’ area….” Read more at New York Times
Protests worldwide over retirement rules and benefits have more than tripled this year as countries from France to Iran to India grapple with the strains demographic changes are putting on finances. France has taken center-stage with a series of nationwide strikes and demonstrations that began in January against President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the minimum retirement age by two years to 64. [Bloomberg]
“Macron Handed Marine Le Pen Her Big Chance and She’s Struggling
Macron has given far-right rival Marine Le Pen her best shot yet to cement a position in French politics. As Ania Nussbaum reports, though, Le Pen is struggling to take advantage of public anger, and the old problems that have dogged her career won’t go away.” [Bloomberg]
“Sunak Finds Himself Drawn Into the One Feud He Hoped to Avoid
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak decided to take a Covid-19 inquiry to court rather than release Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and personal diaries. That has raised questions about what Sunak — who was Chancellor of the Exchequer during the pandemic — is trying to hide, Alex Wickham reports.” [Bloomberg]
“With a UK Water Crisis Looming, London’s Leak Hunters Suit Up
Famous for its constant rain, the UK is now pressuring its water industry to reduce waste as lack of supply threatens security. As Olivia Rudgard reports, many pipes are over a century old, and the system will be increasingly tested by extreme weather and a warmer climate.” [Bloomberg]
Engineer Ciprian Daraban sets up a device to trace an underground pipe in London. Photographer: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg
“Violence in Kosovo Exposes Dangerous Limbo in Europe’s Tinderbox
The worst violence in a decade in Kosovo exposed the political intransigence of a region still in limbo 15 years after the nation declared independence from Serbia. Dozens of NATO peacekeepers and Serb protesters were injured in unrest, drawing condemnation from the EU and US, Andrea Dudik and Jasmina Kuzmanovic report.” [Bloomberg]
“Spain’s Embattled Prime Minister Gambles Again on Snap Election
After a crushing defeat for his Socialist party in regional voting Sunday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez unexpectedly called a snap general election. As Alonso Soto writes, Sanchez is betting that he can exploit the country’s fractured political landscape to hold on to power.” [Bloomberg]
“Lula’s Support of Maduro Clouds Summit of South American Leaders
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defended Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez, saying they’d been wrongly called authoritarian. The comments drew rebuke from Chile and Uruguay, and called into question his efforts to portray himself as a potential mediator in global affairs.” [Bloomberg]
“How Covert Ties With the Taliban Backfired for US Ally Pakistan
After the Taliban retook Afghanistan in 2021, the then head of Pakistan’s spy agency visited Kabul, appearing at ease with the militants’ return to power. Now, as Eltaf Najafizada and Ismail Dilawar report, relations have soured and terrorist attacks in Pakistan have jumped.” [Bloomberg]
Damage after Taliban forces fired mortars at Pakistan’s border town of Chaman in December. Photographer: Abvdul Basit/AFP/Getty Images
“China’s Shenzhou 16 mission blasted off from deep in the Gobi Desert to send three astronauts to the Chinese space station. The launch marked the 11th crewed mission for China as it narrows the gap in a space race with the US, showcasing the program’s progress as Washington is trying to thwart Beijing’s development of sophisticated industries. China plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2030.” [Bloomberg]
The Shenzhou-16 spacecraft onboard the Long March-2F rocket launches on May 30. Photographer: Kevin Frayer/Getty Images AsiaPac
THE WEEK IN CULTURE
Rajwa Al Saif.Royal Hashemite Court, via Reuters
“Hussein, the crown prince of Jordan, married Rajwa Al Saif. Jill Biden, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, attended the wedding.
The series ‘Succession’ ended with the appointment of a new chief executive. Did you pick correctly?
Kim Cattrall, who played Samantha in ‘Sex and the City,’ will make a brief appearance on the show’s revival.
Padma Lakshmi plans to leave ‘Top Chef.’
After an S&M scandal, Balenciaga staged a comeback with a new collection.
The season three finale of ‘Ted Lasso’ may have been a series finale. Read the recap.
The actor Armie Hammer will not face criminal charges after a police investigation into a sexual assault allegation against him.
The Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby curated a show about Picasso’s complicated legacy, but the joke is on the Brooklyn Museum, The Times’s Jason Farago writes.
The Foo Fighters’ first album since the death of their drummer, Taylor Hawkins, is explosive, emotional and inspired, The Times’s Lindsay Zoladz writes.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z went big and are going home — to a $200 million house.
The Public Theater will stage a musical by Alicia Keys this fall.
Beanie Feldstein had a star-studded wedding with a summer camp theme, Vogue reports.” [New York Times]
High-stakes rescue
“Personally, I am content to enjoy mountains from a distance, as close to sea level as possible. But for those adventurers who feel called upward, danger is never far. Thankfully, there are people like Gelje Sherpa. The 30-year-old guide rescued a Malaysian climber on Mount Everest after he was found shivering in an area called the ‘death zone.’ Gelje hauled the climber 1,900 feet down the mountain, where another guide named Nima Tahi Sherpa, joined the rescue. The guides wrapped the climber in a sleeping mat traded off carrying and dragging him the rest of the way to safety. Gelje even convinced his initial client to give up his summit attempt, saying it was more important for the guide to rescue the climber. Gelje, a devout Buddhist, likened the rescue to his religion. ‘Saving one life is more important than praying at the monastery,’ he said.” Read the whole story here.
The gift of education
“Everyone should be able to pursue an education if they want, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul has helped thousands of young people get closer to that dream. About 125,000 New York high school students will receive a letter notifying them they’ve been automatically accepted to the State University of New York’s community college programs, Hochul announced this week. The move is part of a state effort to eliminate barriers to higher education. ‘Access to quality higher education is an engine for social mobility and we are taking comprehensive steps to ensure that college is affordable and accessible for students from all backgrounds,’ Hochul said. The City University of New York also announced its own plans to partner with the city’s public school system and send letters to 65,000 graduating seniors, welcoming them to CUNY, laying out their college options there and inviting them to apply.” [CNN]
Extreme dining
This 260-yard-long glass bridge over the Dashbashi Canyon in the country of Georgia has a diamond-shaped café in the middle. Photo: Vano Shlamov/AFP via Getty Images
“A crop of bizarre restaurants is catering to our post-pandemic appetites, wanderlust and social media-driven desire for photogenic moments, Jennifer A. Kingson reports for Axios What's Next.
The Diamond glass bridge (photo above) spans a fearsome canyon near Tbilisi in the country of Georgia. It opened last year with a café in the center that will seek Guinness designation as "the restaurant suspended at [the] highest point from a bridge."
Ithaa in the Maldives is 16 feet under the ocean. Guests dine in a transparent tunnel with coral garden views and "fusion menus matched with fine wines."
Whichaway Camp in Antarctica boasts of serving "five-star international cuisine" prepared by a "private chef" in an igloo. Visits start at $62,500.
At El Diablo in the Canary Islands, you can eat chicken, steak or chorizo, cooked over a dormant volcano.
Dinner in the Sky is a moving feast hosting lavish meals at a table on a platform suspended by a crane.
OpenTable CEO Debby Soo tells Axios that diners are ‘prioritizing the experiential.’” [Axios]
Cynthia Weil, Grammy winning lyricist who had hits with husband Barry Mann, dead at 82
By HILLEL ITALIE
FILE - Barry Mann, left, and Cynthia Weil accept the BMI Icon award at the 64th annual BMI Pop Awards on, May 10, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Weil, a Grammy-winning lyricist of great range and endurance who enjoyed a decades-long partnership with husband Barry Mann and helped write ‘You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling,’ ‘On Broadway,’ ‘Walking in the Rain’ and dozens of other hits, has died at age 82. Weil and Mann, married in 1961, were one of popular music's most successful teams. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
“NEW YORK (AP) — Cynthia Weil, a Grammy-winning lyricist of notable range and endurance who enjoyed a decades-long partnership with husband Barry Mann and helped write “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “On Broadway,” “Walking in the Rain” and dozens of other hits, has died at age 82.
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said that the songwriter died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, California, ‘surrounded by her family.’ Mann, the couple’s only child, declined to cite a specific cause of death.
Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, married in 1961, were one of popular music’s most successful teams, part of a remarkable ensemble recruited by impresarios Don Kirshner and Al Nevins and based in Manhattan’s Brill Building neighborhood, a few blocks from Times Square. With such hit-making combinations as Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the Brill Building song factory turned out many of the biggest singles of the ’60s and beyond.
‘I grew up around a lot of music and two incredible, brilliant, creative geniuses,’ Jenn Mann said. ‘My parents inspired each other to write great songs. My mom always said that when things were good they had each other, and when things weren’t as good they had their music.’
Barry Mann, left, and Cynthia Weil arrive at the 57th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Weil and Mann were key collaborators with producer Phil Spector on songs for the Ronettes (“Walking in the Rain”), the Crystals (“He’s Sure the Boy I Love”) and other performers, and also provided hits for everyone from Dolly Parton to Hanson. “Somewhere Out There,” a collaboration with James Horner for the soundtrack of “An American Tail,” won Grammys in 1987 for best song and best song for a movie or television, and was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe. “Don’t Know Much,” a Linda Ronstadt-Aaron Neville duet they helped write, was a top 5 hit that won a best pop performance Grammy in 1990.
Their most famous song, a work of history overall, was “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” an anthem of “blue-eyed soul” produced by Spector as if scoring a tragedy and sung with desperate fury by the Righteous Brothers. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” topped the charts in 1965 and was covered by numerous other artists. According to Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), no other song was played more on radio and television in the 20th century….” Read more at AP News