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May 07 2026TECHNOLOGY

Amazon’s Big Shift From Shopping to AI Powerhouse

Amazon is still a big online shop, but it’s also turning into a huge AI and tech company. The first‑quarter earnings show the change. Revenue hit $181. 5 billion, up 17 % from last year. Retail sales grew 15 %, and the grocery side made more than $150 billion in sales. Yet the real buzz is

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May 07 2026BUSINESS

Helping Springfield families: How a new women’s center is stepping up

Three years ago, a local charity in Springfield started small with $250, 000 in donations. This year it gave away $750, 000. That’s real growth. The money helps women with young kids pay for food, schooling, and work training. Last year’s mid-year jump to $540, 000 came after government food benefit

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May 07 2026BUSINESS

The shifting sands of consumer trends: Tech, travel, and vaping face big changes

While Disney's theme parks saw a slight dip in visitors, the company still managed to impress Wall Street with its streaming profits. The 1% drop in attendance might seem small, but it’s enough to raise eyebrows among investors. Theme park visits often mirror economic confidence, so this dip could h

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May 07 2026POLITICS

Why cutting addiction research could backfire on America

The U. S. spends over $740 billion yearly dealing with alcohol and drug problems. Yet, in early 2025, two major federal programs got hit hard. One lost most of its staff while the other had hundreds of millions in research grants canceled. These programs used to track addiction trends and fund studi

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May 07 2026BUSINESS

Why AI leaders need brain skills more than just emotional skills

Leaders climbing the corporate ladder often focus on hard skills early on. But as they reach higher positions, their job shifts toward managing people—especially emotions. Many companies push emotional intelligence (EQ) training to help with this. Yet this approach misses two big problems. First, ma

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May 07 2026SPORTS

Vikings' Hunt for a New GM: From Interim to Permanent, and Who Might Land the Job

The Minnesota Vikings have spent months searching for a new general manager, but the search might soon wrap up. Since early 2026, Rob Brzezinski has been running things as the interim GM after the team decided to let go of the previous leader. Now that the draft is over, the Vikings are narrowing do

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May 07 2026POLITICS

U. S. Pushes to Send Pro-Palestinian Student Back After Judge’s Ruling Was Overturned

A year ago, a student at Columbia University faced arrest shortly after joining protests supporting Palestinians. Now, the U. S. government wants him out. His case isn’t about breaking laws—he was never charged—but about political speech. The decision came after a judge in February blocked the depo

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May 07 2026CELEBRITIES

Met Gala’s Unwritten Guest List Rules

Anna Wintour’s annual fashion fundraiser isn’t just about stunning outfits—it’s a carefully guarded circle where loyalty to certain figures comes first. Some big names like Meghan Markle and the Beckham couple learned this the hard way. Romeo Beckham, though, slipped into the 2024 event thanks to Bu

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May 07 2026ENTERTAINMENT

Ed sketches stars and stars sketch back

Ed started doodling when she was a kid in Staten Island, filling folders with drawings of Sonic and Pokémon. She never had formal training but spent her childhood surrounded by New York’s art scene. Today, she’s known as Ed the Artist, the woman who sketches Broadway stars at the stage door and capt

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May 07 2026ENTERTAINMENT

Better shows for kids: Why fun learning beats just fun

Kids laugh more than adults, but keeping them focused for an hour isn’t child’s play. At the Chocolate Church Arts Center, professional performer Jack Golden turned that challenge into a masterclass for elementary students. Instead of another forgettable school trip, the kids got a high-energy show

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