By Safiyah Riddle U.S. business activity slowed to a five-month low in July, dragged down by decelerating service-sector

The man identified as the lover of Lindsay Shiver, who is charged with plotting to kill her former Auburn football player husband, rejected claims that the pair hired a hitman. Terrance Bethel, 28, told the Daily Mail that the now-infamous WhatsApp messages sent between him, Ms Shiver, and 29-year-old Faron Newbold were misunderstood and overblown by police. The outlet previously reported that Ms Shiver confessed during an interview with police to sending photos of her husband Robert Shiver to Mr Newbold, along with the message: “kill him.” Mr Bethel suggested that the messages were sent “out of frustration,” and insisted to the outlet that the charges would be dropped. After a Daily Mail reporter approached Mr Bethel asking for more insight into the WhatsApp messages, he reportedly responded that the police “have had both of my phones for three weeks. They’ve been through every single message - there’s nothing there.” He added, “None of us have anything to hide. People are taking everything at face value and defaming us.” From the outside looking in, this entire case is shocking. Mr Shiver was a college football star while Ms Shiver was a beauty pageant queen. The woman who once bragged on Instagram about her “perfect marriage”—and frequently posted photos of tropical family vacations—was accused last month of plotting to kill her husband of 13 years. The pair had already filed for divorce and are pursuing vicious counterclaims. Both are seeking custody of their three children as well as full use of their $2.5m Georgia mansion. She, Mr Bethel and Mr Newbold had been held in custody until, surprisingly, Mr Shiver helped them post bail. All three of the accused were granted emergency bail on 1 August. Ms Shiver was seen leaving Nassau’s Fox Hill Prison on Tuesday morning. The mother-of-three is required to wear an ankle monitor and stay in the Bahamas until her next court date on 5 October. Similarly, their next divorce hearing is reportedly set for 31 October. Mr Shiver filed for divorce for “adulterous conduct,” according to reports, while attorneys for Lindsay Shiver denied the affair, writing: “Any extramarital relationship defendant has had was during the parties’ separation and legally condoned by husband.” Read More College football star reportedly helped wife post bail after arrest for hitman plot to kill him Chilling text shows Lindsay Shiver telling lover and ‘hitman’ to ‘kill’ husband in Bahamas murder plot A football star’s wife bragged of her ‘perfect marriage’. Now she’s charged with hiring a hitman to kill him Trump doubles down on attacking Chris Christie’s weight Trump plans Iowa State Fair stop, though he won't attend candidate chat with GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds Trump and Biden tied in hypothetical 2024 rematch: poll

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When most people picture New York City, it’s likely that its many skyscrapers are one of the first things that come to mind, but now, scientists are concerned that the city is sinking under their weight. It comes after the findings of a new study observed subsidence of the footprint after the geology beneath the city was modelled and compared to satellite data. The study was conducted by geologist Tom Parsons from the United States Geological Survey and colleagues from The University of Rhode Island, who found that, under the weight of its multiple skyscrapers, NYC is sinking by one to two millimetres per year. Subsistence can occur due to shifting soft sediments and the sheer weight of the load on the ground pushing it down. The study calculated that there are over 1 million buildings in NYC with a cumulative mass of approximately 764,000,000,000 kilograms. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter While a few millimetres of subsidence per year might sound like nothing, some parts of the city are subsiding faster – with calculations putting a sample site in lower Manhattan at 294 millimetres. To calculate the rates of subsidence, experts compared their modelling with satellite data that measured the land surface height. The scientists warn that thought must be given to low-lying cities such as NYC, which is home to 8 million people, particularly given rising sea levels and increasing flood risks. Parsons explained: “The point of the paper is to raise awareness that every additional high-rise building constructed at coastal, river, or lakefront settings could contribute to future flood risk.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Most oil majors are stepping up investment in green energy amid rising activist pressure but without abandoning fossil fuels, putting at risk...