[{"visibility":"true","publishDate":"2024-04-26","_rev":"wd6vvrSoHcahwuaHDdL4SR","id":"0EaRee4J","_type":"story","title":"Exploring The Rationale Behind The US Withdrawal From Chad","_id":"2fadc4bb-1ca1-480e-adf7-32f5ce042402","summary":"News came on the heels of a similar announcement about Niger.","body":[{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c545914ed686","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"8c7c6d0d15e10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"U.S. special forces have been stationed in the African nation of Chad for some time, but that appears to be coming to an end."}]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"65e32aae8926","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"No other choice","_key":"c20f60fd58c70"}]},{"_key":"6094318067eb","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/us/politics/chad-us-troop-withdrawal.html","_key":"bfa88782fd7b"}],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"The ","_key":"a0796a03b75b0","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["bfa88782fd7b"],"text":"sentiment","_key":"a0796a03b75b1"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" across much of the African continent is shifting against the U.S., specifically regarding America’s longstanding security operations in Western and Central Africa where tensions have remained high for years.","_key":"a0796a03b75b2"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_key":"a0aae8a1379e","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"According to insiders, the U.S. Defense Department’s hand was forced in both Chad and Niger when the governments of those nations demanded a renegotiation of existing agreements with the American military. As a result, 75 service members are expected to be pulled out of Chad in addition to the withdrawal of","_key":"c44eaf16e2100"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" more than 1,000 military personnel ","_key":"3754142cdf2b"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"from Niger over the next few months.","_key":"d66627c0567a"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"831f260bede0","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"There’s apparently still some","_key":"57e40d31e5360"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" hope for talks","_key":"e4f5fdf70400"},{"text":" with leaders in Chad for a renewed agreement, but the rift between the U.S. and Niger seems to be beyond repair … at least in the short term.","_key":"99772a6cf172","_type":"span","marks":[]}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Other nations in the region, most notably Mali and Burkina Faso, have adopted similarly contrarian stances on the issue of U.S. security operations recently as they express a willingness to cozy up to Russia.","_key":"517811d081700","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"b1fda0be2bb2"},{"style":"normal","_key":"597f89eebb73","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":["strong"],"text":"What it all means","_key":"fc0edbbc6b890","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"American officials say U.S. troops have helped maintain peace across the region and they see any increased Russian influence as a detriment to that goal. 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group of people protest in front of the Ecuadorian Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico, 06 April 2024. Mexico felt astonishment and anger at the escalation of tensions with Ecuador after the assault on the Embassy in Quito. At the same time, the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, called for prudence and thanked the solidarity of many Latin American countries.","mimeType":"image/jpeg"},"crop":{"bottom":0,"_type":"sanity.imageCrop","right":0,"top":0,"left":0},"hotspot":{"_type":"sanity.imageHotspot","width":0.9006849315068489,"x":0.5,"y":0.5,"height":0.9794314862808013},"_type":"image","attribution":"Shutterstock"},"_id":"6382a01e-da9a-4cc4-87a9-2c155d0527c1","body":[{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"It all started on Friday when authorities in the Ecuadorian capital city of Quito stormed into the Mexican embassy to","_key":"7199bce71eae0"},{"text":" arrest a political asylee ","_key":"34cd35617f62","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"who had been living there for several months.","_key":"a79b00bd620f"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"815601663457"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The forceful raid sent ","_key":"19484c4752d00"},{"_type":"span","marks":["e3f071c7e30f"],"text":"shockwaves","_key":"19484c4752d01"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" through Mexico and resulted in the abrupt end of all significant diplomatic relations between the two nations.","_key":"19484c4752d02"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"023bfec50287","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://apnews.com/article/mexico-ecuador-diplomatic-crisis-de5aa3a638b54fdfa3474c8ee25ca57e","_key":"e3f071c7e30f"}]},{"style":"normal","_key":"225db099f124","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Who is Jorge Glas?","_key":"5f75c28cfd430"}],"_type":"block"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"15e00e7a40ce","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"According to reports, the man targeted in the raid was Jorge Glas, a former vice president of Ecuador who entered the Mexican embassy late last year to seek asylum after being","_key":"fc2fba7b79c90","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"text":" indicted on corruption charges","_key":"e9caf84a5b93","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"marks":[],"text":". After he was apprehended on Friday, he was reportedly transported to a maximum security prison in Guayaquil.","_key":"acdcb211e707","_type":"span"}]},{"style":"normal","_key":"a51ba0c70025","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Sonia Vera, an attorney representing Glas, said the officers “knocked him to the floor, kicked him in the head, in the spine, in the legs, the hands” and “","_key":"4bfff124d24c0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"dragged him out","_key":"5da7f5a061a0"},{"text":"” when he was unable to walk.","_key":"9f549730f69c","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block"},{"_key":"3ba1ea2011e3","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"At the root of the charges against him was an investigation into allegations of bribery related to, among other things, his ","_key":"b15ab4466c1e0"},{"_key":"edc596ed4fcf","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"oversight of construction projects"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" in the aftermath of a 2016 earthquake.","_key":"40af93f1efa9"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"“Totally outside the norm”","_key":"d4bb0c37b82d0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"a24613628ba4"},{"style":"normal","_key":"87be78739e87","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Generally speaking, embassies are not subject to such intrusions, which is why, in addition to severing diplomatic ties with Ecuador, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is","_key":"553a030044040"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" calling on the World Court","_key":"80cca5660cb9","_type":"span"},{"marks":[],"text":" to challenge the raid.","_key":"242a59a58eea","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block"},{"_key":"245c3064af5d","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Mexican official Roberto Canseco also weighed in on the shocking display of force, asserting: “This is not possible. It cannot be. This is crazy. I am very worried because they could kill him.","_key":"542b864934410","_type":"span"},{"_key":"3e9a980cf4c2","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" There is no basis to do this."},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" This is totally outside the norm.”","_key":"68247babb3a2"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"e3ef8411f55c","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld defended the raid, describing Glas as an “","_key":"33daa3e8cc490"},{"text":"imminent flight risk","_key":"06548b02030b","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"” and declaring that “it is not legal to grant asylum to people convicted of common crimes and by competent courts.”","_key":"5bd8699e21f3"}]}]},{"_createdAt":"2024-03-19T21:31:30Z","visibility":"true","author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"_updatedAt":"2024-03-19T21:35:59Z","publishDate":"2024-03-20","_rev":"Jvzp0PdKXj63r20GUYliL2","category":"world-news","id":"czD0UnH2","_id":"91c0d5ca-1c40-4567-879e-4020f05a8990","_type":"story","slug":"/story/2024/03/japans-interest-rate-has-been-below-zero-for-years-but-thats-about-to-change","image":{"_type":"image","attribution":"Shutterstock","asset":{"uploadId":"5x5dtgb7RHfZ7WjlATG9npmeDAUtK0rh","_rev":"Jvzp0PdKXj63r20GUYl3Ae","mimeType":"image/jpeg","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/8mioycse/v3/db5374495de9789d737ade85ec9e743c0c7a0116-8192x5464.jpg","path":"images/8mioycse/v3/db5374495de9789d737ade85ec9e743c0c7a0116-8192x5464.jpg","assetId":"db5374495de9789d737ade85ec9e743c0c7a0116","extension":"jpg","creditLine":"Stanislav Kogiku/AFLO/Shutterstock","size":2745716,"_createdAt":"2024-03-19T21:34:24Z","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","_id":"image-db5374495de9789d737ade85ec9e743c0c7a0116-8192x5464-jpg","_updatedAt":"2024-03-19T21:34:24Z","metadata":{"_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","palette":{"lightVibrant":{"title":"#fff","population":0.13,"background":"#88a0dc","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000"},"darkVibrant":{"background":"#3c5484","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":0.01},"lightMuted":{"foreground":"#000","title":"#fff","population":0.13,"background":"#a5b5c9","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch"},"vibrant":{"title":"#fff","population":8.97,"background":"#6b84bb","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff"},"dominant":{"title":"#fff","population":8.97,"background":"#6b84bb","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff"},"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"background":"#3f444f","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":6.59},"muted":{"population":8.91,"background":"#5c74a7","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff"}},"hasAlpha":false,"lqip":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","dimensions":{"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","width":8192,"aspectRatio":1.499267935578331,"height":5464},"isOpaque":true,"blurHash":"VHC71@%KWaV=bJOxRix]V?WCx{bdWBRiWBDjNKRjxuxu"},"description":"Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo. Japan's central bank is mulling and end to the negative interest rates policy as major Japanese companies start to increase wages.","sha1hash":"db5374495de9789d737ade85ec9e743c0c7a0116","originalFilename":"sstk-14388313a.jpg"},"crop":{"top":0,"left":0,"bottom":0,"_type":"sanity.imageCrop","right":0},"hotspot":{"x":0.4383561643835614,"y":0.5694187338022955,"height":0.8611625323954091,"_type":"sanity.imageHotspot","width":0.7979452054794518}},"summary":"The country introduced its controversial economic strategy in 2016. ","body":[{"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"In the U.S. and across much of the world, interest rates have been soaring in response to rising inflation rates. But while investors and consumers in those countries are anxiously awaiting a return to lower rates, the Japanese economy is dealing with the ","_key":"a826b4da43490","_type":"span"},{"marks":["7038c8bad92d"],"text":"opposite","_key":"a826b4da43491","_type":"span"},{"marks":[],"text":" problem.","_key":"a826b4da43492","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"a0c275e72ef7","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.wsj.com/articles/bank-of-japan-ends-negative-interest-rates-58b0e5fd","_key":"7038c8bad92d"}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"A bit of background","_key":"6db64edecd3c0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"bb46cb1af796"},{"_key":"649cf0fa41ce","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"Since 2016, Japan has kept its interest rate below zero, which is an unusual strategy that hasn’t come without criticism. But the nation has implemented","_key":"7a52e134a3630","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" a number of economic strategies ","_key":"a3433fda7f5f"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"in the past that seemed counterintuitive on the surface only to yield results so positive that other nations adopted similar policies.","_key":"e6e3dcbbb2f2"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_key":"3eaf8744fb77","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"The argument for negative interest rates stems from a desire to maintain the highest possible yields on 10-year government bonds. This has allowed Japan’s central bank to intervene directly in the national economy, buying up a huge number of bonds in the process.","_key":"b661b36a6ae10","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"style":"normal","_key":"7906b5555e53","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"947d516c0e6c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"While those bond purchases are expected to remain at"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" roughly the current level ","_key":"f3a38bd7e896","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"for the near term, an announcement this week signaled the end of a nearly decade-long experiment with sub-zero percent interest rates.","_key":"a231321f224e"}],"_type":"block"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"What happens next","_key":"5a5d367413360"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"30de9297e6ad"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c7c081fb9773","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"A lot of details remain nebulous at this point, since the Bank of Japan only confirmed on Tuesday that it would be raising rates from -0.1%. But the immediate global response was an uncertain one — the Japanese yen’s ","_key":"682743c8d9800"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":"exchange rate with the U.S. dollar","_key":"fd69de839cb5","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" trended downward in the wake of the announcement.","_key":"d628fef2c647"}]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"9e677b047755","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Raising rates appears to be an acknowledgment that the strategy hasn’t paid off as intended … and it’s not just the Japanese economy that will be impacted by this policy shift. With the cost of borrowing now higher, there could be","_key":"fd34cc76de0a0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" less of it to go around","_key":"6c19d9f61cbc"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" for international investments including, among other things, buying up some of America’s soaring government debt.","_key":"841469e58155"}]}],"title":"Japan’s Interest Rate Has Been Below Zero For Years … But That’s About To Change"},{"image":{"_type":"image","attribution":"Police Scotland","asset":{"_updatedAt":"2024-03-18T00:51:47Z","originalFilename":"Screenshot 2024-03-17 at 6.46.52 PM.png","extension":"png","size":1624637,"_rev":"flyPp5fHrwS5VhYAaK98BB","mimeType":"image/png","sha1hash":"b287c87fe9df268edf977ebf77e1b5340d4f864d","metadata":{"lqip":"data:image/png;base64,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","dimensions":{"aspectRatio":1.778343949044586,"height":785,"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","width":1396},"isOpaque":true,"blurHash":"MHEyb[.8?^-;%2_3-=t7xuRj?^tRxXxut7","_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","palette":{"muted":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":5.59,"background":"#758392"},"lightVibrant":{"foreground":"#000","title":"#000","population":0.69,"background":"#deeefc","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch"},"darkVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":6.79,"background":"#774c1a"},"lightMuted":{"population":0.38,"background":"#c3b69b","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000","title":"#fff"},"vibrant":{"population":0.25,"background":"#c2842a","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff"},"dominant":{"background":"#774c1a","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":6.79},"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"background":"#38434c","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":3.59}},"hasAlpha":true},"uploadId":"T9QDlNAFvHOTzJ0sLFaQGMCGAbcijCeT","_id":"image-b287c87fe9df268edf977ebf77e1b5340d4f864d-1396x785-png","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","_createdAt":"2024-03-18T00:51:47Z","assetId":"b287c87fe9df268edf977ebf77e1b5340d4f864d","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/8mioycse/v3/b287c87fe9df268edf977ebf77e1b5340d4f864d-1396x785.png","path":"images/8mioycse/v3/b287c87fe9df268edf977ebf77e1b5340d4f864d-1396x785.png"}},"id":"NWnHFWPE","author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"publishDate":"2024-03-18","_rev":"56goMLIuBIngYUsAS8SFRa","category":"world-news","_updatedAt":"2024-03-18T00:51:49Z","title":"‘Beer Bike’ Cited For Traffic Offenses On Eve Of St. Paddy’s Day","body":[{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Whether it was a pint of green beer or a shot of whiskey, St. Patrick’s Day celebrants around the world were Irish — if only for a day — this week. 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New York Times"},"summary":"She joined forces with the federal government for an ambitious program.","publishDate":"2024-03-02","_createdAt":"2024-03-02T00:09:33Z","_type":"story","id":"oTYs8ABU","visibility":"true","author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"title":"This Mexico City Architect Is Redefining Poor Border Towns","body":[{"_key":"160582578c07","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The U.S.-Mexico border has received a lot of attention from American news media in recent years, but often lost in that coverage are the struggles of those living on the Mexican side of that national divide.","_key":"fe94baa9c1690"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"For one architect based in Mexico City, however, the plight of these poor and often forgotten citizens has fueled a life-changing personal 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","_rev":"VTZANSW3TtAQLmneqoTpSN","_id":"4d0b2c76-b108-49c3-9a2a-cd855895855e","category":"world-news","id":"L8hLMqJn","_updatedAt":"2024-02-04T23:42:24Z","author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"publishDate":"2024-02-05"},{"summary":"It's not the first time four-legged heirs were named in a will.","_type":"story","body":[{"markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/a-woman-in-china-has-decided-to-leave-her-2-8m-fortune-to-her-dogs-and-cats-and-nothing-to-her-children-says-report/articleshow/107209472.cms","_key":"55a3d92d5783"}],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"It’s not unheard of for parents to cut their kids out of the will, but one elderly woman in China is making international ","_key":"b24ebfba8aeb0"},{"_key":"b24ebfba8aeb1","_type":"span","marks":["55a3d92d5783"],"text":"news"},{"text":" because of the beneficiaries she chose instead.","_key":"b24ebfba8aeb2","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"fe6d46a70da0"},{"style":"normal","_key":"639edceac6ad","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"A $2.8 million fortune","_key":"20238bcac59d0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]}],"_type":"block"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The woman, identified only by the surname Liu, opted to update her will to remove her three adult children, whom she said had not been there for her as her health declined.","_key":"6d2ddcdea7780"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"4724aff793e1","markDefs":[]},{"style":"normal","_key":"96cdff13d99a","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Her disinherited children were replaced by heirs she found to be more loyal: her pet dogs and cats. 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Japan's Toshiba Corporation on Wednesday was delisted from Japanese stock exchanges, ending its 74-year-long history as a publicly traded company.\n   The electronics giant saw its common shares delisted from the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Premier Market of the Nagoya Stock Exchange on the trading day.\n   On their last trading day of Tuesday, shares of Toshiba closed at 4,590 yen (about 31.98 U.S. dollars), down 0.1 percent from the previous day.","metadata":{"lqip":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","dimensions":{"_type":"sanity.imageDimensions","width":5000,"aspectRatio":1.5001500150015001,"height":3333},"isOpaque":true,"blurHash":"VqE|xskYk@g5RPY8V?j[ofocXTadVrV?bHkDo#jYaxkD","_type":"sanity.imageMetadata","palette":{"_type":"sanity.imagePalette","darkMuted":{"foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff","population":8.78,"background":"#2a2b2c","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch"},"muted":{"title":"#fff","population":0.55,"background":"#5381a1","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff"},"lightVibrant":{"_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000","title":"#fff","population":10.68,"background":"#7cbcf4"},"darkVibrant":{"population":1.03,"background":"#30607c","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#fff","title":"#fff"},"lightMuted":{"foreground":"#000","title":"#fff","population":0.37,"background":"#8aafcc","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch"},"vibrant":{"foreground":"#000","title":"#fff","population":5.71,"background":"#74b4ec","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch"},"dominant":{"title":"#fff","population":10.68,"background":"#7cbcf4","_type":"sanity.imagePaletteSwatch","foreground":"#000"}},"hasAlpha":false},"_rev":"m0kd2z7be8Dsm3U2v6mb74","sha1hash":"9cecb09eca1202b23300b341fa16be8e4a70cccb","url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/8mioycse/v3/9cecb09eca1202b23300b341fa16be8e4a70cccb-5000x3333.jpg","size":2229321,"assetId":"9cecb09eca1202b23300b341fa16be8e4a70cccb","_createdAt":"2023-12-24T20:31:08Z","extension":"jpg","originalFilename":"sstk-14266669d.jpg","_type":"sanity.imageAsset","_updatedAt":"2023-12-24T20:31:08Z","uploadId":"160C1tEzHA6SEDiWLEqZxDbg50adgbI4"},"crop":{"left":0,"bottom":0,"_type":"sanity.imageCrop","right":0,"top":0},"hotspot":{"height":0.8971574314040067,"_type":"sanity.imageHotspot","width":0.9041095890410958,"x":0.5,"y":0.5},"_type":"image","attribution":"Shutterstock"},"_rev":"w5bEdlhABDOfP4EIN6Zihf","id":"oyXEFTh9","slug":"/story/2023/12/iconic-tech-firm-drops-from-japans-stock-exchange-after-nearly-75-years","_updatedAt":"2023-12-24T20:32:32Z","_createdAt":"2023-12-24T20:29:23Z","summary":"The company traces its roots all the way back to the 19th century.","visibility":"true","body":[{"markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/20/end-of-era-as-toshiba-delists-from-tokyo-stock-exchange-after-74-years","_key":"2b4669573155"}],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"A global brand that has been closely linked to the Tokyo stock market for the better part of a century has gone private. According to ","_key":"ef36a5f38dcc0"},{"marks":["2b4669573155"],"text":"reports","_key":"ef36a5f38dcc1","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", Toshiba has been removed from the exchange following a period of increasing pressure from investors.","_key":"ef36a5f38dcc2"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"071ff82fd273"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Toshiba’s complicated history","_key":"e582a8eb3b130"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"e349195d14ae"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"49edc468b271","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"As Japan’s influence within the electronics realm grew exponentially throughout the latter half of the 20th century, Toshiba was among a handful of companies ","_key":"db8839ca0d560","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"at the epicenter of that trend","_key":"7bc6cf59a3c7"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Its products were exported around the world and its increasing stock value over several decades reflected the company’s outsized impact on Japan’s economy.","_key":"8caca1c2c3bb"}]},{"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"The 21st century, however, has not been as kind. Not only have other tech companies presented new challenges to its dominance, but there was a major controversy regarding its accounting practices that","_key":"14a4d18370970","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" forced its boss to resign","_key":"380daf1a784e"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and left the company under new, uncertain leadership.","_key":"94f4cc5655c4"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"127462c6f842","markDefs":[]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"f05d5d1f923c","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Part of the restructuring process involved a deal with a private equity group that amounted to","_key":"fdb2d89cfa4a0","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" the equivalent of nearly $14 billion","_key":"64193fa31f56"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". As a result, the company once again became private after about 74 years as a publicly traded entity.","_key":"670d736a76e4"}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"An outlook for the future","_key":"db2c4d2c1fac0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"9797dbe0722d"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Delisting from the stock market is just one way that Toshiba","_key":"a94c18878e540"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" hopes to appease its investors ","_key":"128f907a289c","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"from around the world who still have serious concerns about the company’s practices.","_key":"95457d7d13e2"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"e1cb0ec09c38"},{"style":"normal","_key":"250e5c24d1bb","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"It has inked a partnership with the chip-manufacturer Rohm and the company itself could still be","_key":"ebfb60b8f06a0","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" split into multiple entities","_key":"b0aa04a83545"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to maximize its profitability and total value.","_key":"f93975bf8654"}],"_type":"block"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In the end, Toshiba’s current owners are seeking to stress the opinion that these changes will help preserve a brand that dates back (at least in some form) to 1875 and currently","_key":"873b13af40a90"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" employs well over 100,000 people","_key":"14f77ea8ff51"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":".","_key":"fa332e16e002"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"84abd9a4aa8f"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“Toshiba Group will now take","_key":"50c640dccdd70"},{"_key":"2973ba4ba46b","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" a major step toward a new future"},{"text":" with a new stakeholder,” the company stated.","_key":"b97e6858912d","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"7eda3e4a879a"}]},{"publishDate":"2023-12-21","title":"Authorities Just Thwarted A Massive International Turtle Trafficking Operation","visibility":"true","_id":"52e81c51-af5f-4bf4-aae4-b7a4720e07f1","id":"IjN1u3dY","summary":"More than 4,000 of the reptiles were rescued at a Peruvian airport.","author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"_updatedAt":"2023-12-20T23:22:13Z","body":[{"style":"normal","_key":"130a2f288e27","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"They’re cool armored reptiles that can live a long time, grow really big, and according to Aesop,","_key":"e149d1d815070"},{"_key":"95aa1f48be2d","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" defeat a rabbit in a long-distance rac"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"e. Unfortunately, turtles are also frequently the victims of illegal schemes to feed the appetites of people in some regions who crave their meat and eggs.","_key":"a992e05b53ba"}],"_type":"block"},{"_key":"2aa6bc784e88","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-67771166","_key":"879ac04c7bdf"}],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"One such operation was ","_key":"92a2acc22b300"},{"marks":["879ac04c7bdf"],"text":"stymied","_key":"92a2acc22b301","_type":"span"},{"marks":[],"text":", however, when diligent customs authorities at an airport in Lima, Peru, noticed something suspicious.","_key":"92a2acc22b302","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"style":"normal","_key":"91d6546acabd","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":["strong"],"text":"Thousands of turtles rescued","_key":"badcadf058040","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"According to reports, officials spotted some irregularities in the export papers provided by individuals seeking to transport","_key":"58e65bd212680"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" more than 4,000 turtles","_key":"57d7188e939d"},{"marks":[],"text":" from Peru to Indonesia. A number of details, including ages and species, appeared to be off, and all of the animals were confiscated.","_key":"9431d4479085","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"0b2aa4a0250f","markDefs":[]},{"children":[{"_key":"455b94a27f0e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"After a brief investigation, officials determined that more than 400 of them were South American river turtles, which environmental groups have pushed in recent years to"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" reclassify as critically endangered","_key":"494c1ea0a5c4"},{"text":". It was unclear from the information available how the would-be traffickers obtained the turtles.","_key":"f3368a6fe26d","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"0b3b5cdcb210","markDefs":[]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"b36745ff6707","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The remaining reptiles were identified as Taricaya, or yellow-spotted river turtles, and although they were","_key":"4bfcb72301260"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" accompanied by export licenses","_key":"8d6c32dd1324"},{"text":", the paperwork listed their ages as between 1 and 3 years old and the turtles were clearly not that old.","_key":"8740b3004bb0","_type":"span","marks":[]}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The work is never done","_key":"4ce54e4ddf760"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"6b394c6ea84e"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"8c35551dbd86","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"While this recovery was unusually large, Peru’s National Forestry and Wildlife Service (aka Serfor) indicates that its officials recover","_key":"1158b798d81a0"},{"text":" thousands of illegally transported animals","_key":"cd51fd99a6a2","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_key":"37a0f693fb25","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" each year. In addition to turtles, traffickers often engage in schemes involving monkeys and parrots."}]},{"_key":"da0b686a0c3b","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Thanks to the quick and decisive action in this case,","_key":"95297d6869ca0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" none of the turtles ","_key":"b13902cf94a2"},{"text":"rescued at the Lima airport had died as of the most recent updates available. They were transported to an approved facility nearby where they will receive the appropriate care until a more permanent home is 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painting might have spent years tucked away in a bakery's basement.","_rev":"82FHgd9pw3o6Yf54cT1ofs","slug":"/story/2023/12/missing-masterpiece-returned-by-family-that-took-it-to-protect-it","_updatedAt":"2023-12-17T22:56:44Z","author":{"_ref":"phCNL32Gn","_type":"reference"},"body":[{"style":"normal","_key":"c32ef7287a5a","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.businessinsider.com/109m-botticelli-hidden-italian-family-decades-turned-over-to-police","_key":"85197fbe2103"}],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Generally speaking, if someone absconds with a priceless work of art, it is part of a scheme to sell it on the black market or profit by the theft in some other nefarious way. But according to members of the Somma family in Italy, the ","_key":"8dca54886e010"},{"_type":"span","marks":["85197fbe2103"],"text":"reason","_key":"8dca54886e011"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" a relative took Botticelli’s “Madonna and Child” from a chapel decades ago was to","_key":"8dca54886e012"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" keep it from being stolen","_key":"49326524689c"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" by someone else.","_key":"e483b8dee3eb"}],"_type":"block"},{"style":"normal","_key":"02756d8a7b2c","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"A history of ownership","_key":"b2410bab5e0e0"}],"_type":"block"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Not only is this 15th century painting iconic due to its subject matter and artist, but it’s also notable for the high-profile hands it went through over the centuries since it was completed.","_key":"6a01c516869e0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"8c774ed125d7","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"One of its earliest reported owners was","_key":"8971e541470e0","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" Pope Sixtus IV","_key":"7a9a7a0f5d31","_type":"span"},{"text":", who led the Catholic Church from 1471 until he died 13 years later.","_key":"f9439ef3a08c","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"392affe97b38","listItem":"bullet"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"The highly influential","_key":"7db68397f9160","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" Medici political dynasty","_key":"53333fab209e","_type":"span"},{"_key":"3d5ede934e2d","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" then acquired the painting with the proceeds being used to build the Sistine Chapel."}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"430c146a6052","listItem":"bullet"},{"_key":"57d40b0e3dd9","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"From there, the masterpiece","_key":"68164073ec090","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" found its home","_key":"1b879f3cdf0b"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" in the village chapel in Southern Italy’s Santa Maria La Carita.","_key":"57c2a81581cc"}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"During the mid-20th century, with thefts from Catholic parishes on the rise, Enrico Somma made the fateful decision to take the painting from the chapel.","_key":"62ac7c8a5fa50"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"ce9b87c7b40c","markDefs":[]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"From Vatican to bakery","_key":"b9fc21c3570f0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"86292b3b44c2","markDefs":[]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"While the painting’s most recent hiding place hasn’t been confirmed, the prevailing rumor is that it had been tucked away beneath a bakery near Naples that is owned by Michele Somma.","_key":"34271a6b48fc0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"5169abd2a040","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"The family insists that they had just been “","_key":"574e3e38dc670","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"acting as custodians","_key":"8fb1f4a9c1ea"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"” of the painting and refused the offers they received over the years to sell it.","_key":"c4ee288ad074"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"986004aaeb28"},{"_key":"798f9668bd23","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Speculation has been building for years that the Sommas were in possession of the Botticelli, and they worked with authorities to arrange its return. 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Of course, there’s been no damning evidence released thus far to back up early claims that millions of dollars in donations to the church had been pilfered over the years.","_key":"67b51d0e36180"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"7d8cd7cfb20d"},{"markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://apnews.com/article/vatican-trial-cardinal-becciu-pope-4fb339a005a00b0da0a073cfc5dd0f12","_key":"2d395cab88b1"}],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"But a ","_key":"d3462cc6ef7a0","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["2d395cab88b1"],"text":"verdict","_key":"d3462cc6ef7a1"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" is expected today — and regardless of what the determination is, this so-called “","_key":"d3462cc6ef7a2"},{"text":"trial of the century","_key":"d722e078652e","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"” will likely impact the church and Pope Francis’ legacy.","_key":"fc027b8d6e77"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"6d498958a77a"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"A little background","_key":"c304294e381d0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"0b96c088a400"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"The pontiff pushed for full transparency, earning praise from those who saw it as","_key":"b256031a08920","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" an effort to expose corruption","_key":"78442cf248ae"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" within the church.","_key":"832f434e3dce"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c6f2ab787bcc"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"At its root, the case hinges on the Vatican’s","_key":"a2330dfdde280"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" 350 million euros ","_key":"798a2b4dbf2f","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"into a luxury real estate investment in London. Prosecutors asserted that high-ranking Catholic clergy members were complicit in a range of abuses, including money laundering, extortion, and embezzlement in their effort to convince the Holy See to give up the property.","_key":"d695de9cd98e"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"f95d96507f76","markDefs":[]},{"_key":"20de8550f2c6","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The Becciu factor","_key":"a3993da1e52d0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_key":"bb945de50b66","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Then came news that Cardinal Angelo Becciu, a top papal adviser who was once","_key":"569bd2d4e4e30"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" considered to be named pope himself","_key":"85b298c91c39"},{"_key":"6d20a637c29f","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", was among the defendants. Although he wasn’t directly involved in the London deal, investigators started digging into other possible misdeeds, including his role in transferring about 125,000 euros from the Vatican to a charity operated by his brother."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"bbf866835bf8","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"He was also implicated in payments of more than half a million euros to a shady entity in Slovenia, which he defended by saying it was part of an effort to ","_key":"4e091aaa22060"},{"text":"secure the release of a nun","_key":"b73153b778f7","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" being held hostage in Mali.","_key":"25ccf8660a23"}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Francis has also attracted criticism — but not for any alleged fraud. 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