title,url,timestamp,content,clean_date,clean_content,arti_score,pos_sent,neg_sent,rnn_arti_score,rnn_pos_sent,rnn_neg_sent He predicted the ’08 crash. Now he’s betting AI will turbocharge the US economy,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/19/business/ai-jobs-economy-productivity/index.html," Published 7:00 AM EDT, Tue March 19, 2024 ","Jan Hatzius predicted a soft landing in late 2022, back when many feared a recession was inevitable. The Goldman Sachs chief economist made a name for himself by making the opposite call in 2008, warning that toxic mortgages would ignite a recession. Now, Hatzius is offering a mostly optimistic forecast about another controversial theme in society today: artificial intelligence and what it means for the US economy. Hatzius told CNN in an exclusive interview that he is very confident AI will significantly accelerate economic growth over time by making workers far more efficient. “I see it as a productivity enhancer,” Hatzius said. “A large number of workers in the economy will become more productive. That is very, very likely.” That productivity boost is expected to be so significant that it led Goldman Sachs last year to upgrade its long-term US gross domestic product (GDP) forecast. AI chatbots can help workers brainstorm ideas, do research, write reports, build presentations, learn about new topics and identify patterns in vast troves of data. Even the Treasury Department and the IRS are turning to AI to fight financial crime and find tax cheats. Of course, that’s not to say AI is perfect. It’s not. AI chatbots have been accused of bias and creating historically inaccurate images of people. AI tools are also known to sometimes “hallucinate” in a very believable way. There is also the very real risk that AI will replace some workers. Generative AI is already able to write detailed emails, summarize dense books, craft witty advertisements and conjure up photorealistic images — all tasks that only humans were previously able to do. “It will destroy employment in some areas,” Hatzius told CNN. “There will be parts of the labor market where tasks can be replaced. And to a degree, that is going to result in reduced employment there. But then you’ll also find other ways of innovating and creating more jobs somewhere else.” White-collar workers are viewed as particularly exposed to this disruption. Goldman Sachs previously estimated that as many as 300 million full-time jobs around the world could be automated in some way by generative AI. Hatzius conceded it’s difficult to predict exactly which jobs will be destroyed and which ones will be saved. “This is the story of economic growth and innovation for hundreds of years: You have an innovation that is basically labor saving and that reduces employment in some areas, but then boosts it in others,” he said. “How that balance is going to work out in the short term, it’s difficult to say. But where I’m much more confident is that it can significantly add to growth over time.” Satyen Sangani, an economist and the CEO of data intelligence unicorn Alation, said the AI productivity boost will help offset stagnating labor forces in the United States and elsewhere. “A lot of Boomers are retiring and labor is becoming more scarce. AI might be able to help slow the rate of decay in the labor force,” Sangani said. For example, Sangani pointed to how AI chatbots can assist some customer support employees at understaffed hotels and medical professionals struggling to sift through complex medical records. “These workers will be supplemented, not replaced, by AI,” Sangani said, though he added there are also places where AI will replace workers. Even if AI accelerates economic growth, there is no guarantee that everyone will benefit. Earlier this year, the International Monetary Fund estimated that almost 40% of jobs around the world could be affected by AI and cautioned that this trend is likely to deepen inequality. To fight the impact from AI, the IMF urged governments to build social safety nets and worker retraining programs. In the meantime, investors continue to be captivated by the potential of AI. They are pouring billions of dollars into AI stocks, fueling a new gold rush on Wall Street. But some are concerned the AI boom is overdone. Jeremy Grantham, who predicted the dot-com crash in 2000 and the financial crisis in 2008, recently warned that AI is a bubble that could start to deflate.",19/03/2024,"['Jan Hatzius predicted a soft landing in late 2022, back when many feared a recession was inevitable.', 'The Goldman Sachs chief economist made a name for himself by making the opposite call in 2008, warning that toxic mortgages would ignite a recession.', 'Now, Hatzius is offering a mostly optimistic forecast about another controversial theme in society today: artificial intelligence and what it means for the US economy.', 'Hatzius told CNN in an exclusive interview that he is very confident AI will significantly accelerate economic growth over time by making workers far more efficient.', '“I see it as a productivity enhancer,” Hatzius said. “', 'A large number of workers in the economy will become more productive.', 'That is very, very likely.”', 'That productivity boost is expected to be so significant that it led Goldman Sachs last year to upgrade its long-term US gross domestic product (GDP) forecast.', 'AI chatbots can help workers brainstorm ideas, do research, write reports, build presentations, learn about new topics and identify patterns in vast troves of data.', 'Even the Treasury Department and the IRS are turning to AI to fight financial crime and find tax cheats.', 'Of course, that’s not to say AI is perfect.', 'It’s not.', 'AI chatbots have been accused of bias and creating historically inaccurate images of people.', 'AI tools are also known to sometimes “hallucinate” in a very believable way.', 'There is also the very real risk that AI will replace some workers.', 'Generative AI is already able to write detailed emails, summarize dense books, craft witty advertisements and conjure up photorealistic images — all tasks that only humans were previously able to do.', '“It will destroy employment in some areas,” Hatzius told CNN. “', 'There will be parts of the labor market where tasks can be replaced.', 'And to a degree, that is going to result in reduced employment there.', 'But then you’ll also find other ways of innovating and creating more jobs somewhere else.”', 'White-collar workers are viewed as particularly exposed to this disruption.', 'Goldman Sachs previously estimated that as many as 300 million full-time jobs around the world could be automated in some way by generative AI.', 'Hatzius conceded it’s difficult to predict exactly which jobs will be destroyed and which ones will be saved.', '“This is the story of economic growth and innovation for hundreds of years: You have an innovation that is basically labor saving and that reduces employment in some areas, but then boosts it in others,” he said. “', 'How that balance is going to work out in the short term, it’s difficult to say.', 'But where I’m much more confident is that it can significantly add to growth over time.”', 'Satyen Sangani, an economist and the CEO of data intelligence unicorn Alation, said the AI productivity boost will help offset stagnating labor forces in the United States and elsewhere.', '“A lot of Boomers are retiring and labor is becoming more scarce.', 'AI might be able to help slow the rate of decay in the labor force,” Sangani said.', 'For example, Sangani pointed to how AI chatbots can assist some customer support employees at understaffed hotels and medical professionals struggling to sift through complex medical records.', '“These workers will be supplemented, not replaced, by AI,” Sangani said, though he added there are also places where AI will replace workers.', 'Even if AI accelerates economic growth, there is no guarantee that everyone will benefit.', 'Earlier this year, the International Monetary Fund estimated that almost 40% of jobs around the world could be affected by AI and cautioned that this trend is likely to deepen inequality.', 'To fight the impact from AI, the IMF urged governments to build social safety nets and worker retraining programs.', 'In the meantime, investors continue to be captivated by the potential of AI.', 'They are pouring billions of dollars into AI stocks, fueling a new gold rush on Wall Street.', 'But some are concerned the AI boom is overdone.', 'Jeremy Grantham, who predicted the dot-com crash in 2000 and the financial crisis in 2008, recently warned that AI is a bubble that could start to deflate.']",0.0320116095454332,"Satyen Sangani, an economist and the CEO of data intelligence unicorn Alation, said the AI productivity boost will help offset stagnating labor forces in the United States and elsewhere.","Jeremy Grantham, who predicted the dot-com crash in 2000 and the financial crisis in 2008, recently warned that AI is a bubble that could start to deflate.",0.0,, This social app prohibits edited photos to encourage users to be more authentic. It’s growing fast,https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/21/business/bereal-social-media-app-cec/index.html," Updated 9:17 AM EDT, Thu April 21, 2022 ","Scoot over, Facebook and Instagram. There’s a newer photo-sharing app – and it’s not like other social media platforms. The app is called BeReal. And while you may not have heard of it, a lot of young people are signing up. Its active monthly users have skyrocketed this year by more than 315%, according to data from Apptopia, which tracks and analyzes performance. We joined the app and talked to users to get a deeper understanding of how BeReal works and what you need to know about it. BeReal is a social media app that encourages users to share a slice of their life in real time. It was launched in early 2020 by an entrepreneur in France but a majority of its users – at least 65% – have signed up this calendar year. As its name suggests, the focus is on authenticity. Users are invited once a day to share a photo of what they’re doing at that moment, giving friends and others an unvarnished glimpse into their life. It has no filters and no edit buttons. So if your hair is a mess at that moment and your view is of a rainy parking lot, that’s what people will see. The result is a far cry from the polished, overly curated photos popular on other social media platforms. The concept of BeReal is simple. Once you download the app, you get a notification once a day that it’s time to “BeReal.” That means you have two minutes to snap and post a photo of what you’re doing, no matter how mundane. There’s no set time – the notification comes at random times of the day – adding to the app’s mystique. “Push notifications are sent around the world simultaneously at different times each day,” the company said in a statement. “It’s a secret on how the time is chosen every day, it’s not random.” That means the potential window into your life can open at any time. When it does, the app invites you to take a photo of what you’re up to at that moment. It takes a dual photo – a selfie and one showing what’s in front of you. (BeReal doesn’t permit videos yet.) The result is a social feed filled with unedited photos of people doing mostly everyday, unglamorous things – lounging in pajamas, doing homework, riding the bus, microwaving their dinner. With only one post a day, there’s no clutter of friends’ pictures to mindlessly scroll through. You can only see friends’ posts if you share a photo, which eliminates lurkers. Some people turn off their location for privacy reasons, since the app works in real time. Georgetown University student Ben Telerski, 21, is an avid social media user and joined the app in August. “What I like about BeReal is I am able to make connections with my friends via social media on a platform that does not incentivize likes, comments, or being artificial. … solely showing your friends what you are doing at the moment that the daily alert goes off,” says Telerski, a junior majoring in government. Telerski says the posts he sees on the app are generally more authentic compared to other social media platforms. “I try to post as soon as I see the notification, even if I am just sitting in bed or walking to class,” he says. “I think the amount of authenticity depends on the persona each person creates on social media. If someone tries to keep their social media presence highly polished and produced, BeReal is not the app to use.” When you click on the once-a-day BeReal notification, your camera opens within the app along with a timer with a two-minute countdown. You have until the timer runs out to take a picture of what’s in front of you. At the same time, your rear-facing camera snaps a selfie. The app will share both images. You can retake them anytime during the two minutes and share them with friends when you’re ready. BeReal also allows users to take and post the photo later in the day. But it lets your friends know how many hours past the notification that you posted. In short, it puts you on blast for your lack of spontaneity. BeReal has tapped into marketing on college campuses. It recruits young users via its college ambassador program, which allows students to host events that educate others about the app. Telerski believes the app is popular because it’s an antidote to the pressures to look perfect online. “I have seen a lot of news coverage lately about the negative mental health impacts that social media has on Gen Z. I do not know if BeReal is directly attempting to combat this problem, but it is certainly making some ground toward that goal,” he says. Morgan Nott, 26, manages a tea shop in Reno and is a newbie on the app. She started using it last week at a friend’s suggestion. Nott says she finds it refreshing to get a non-airbrushed, non-idealized glimpse into other people’s lives. “It’s the authenticity of it that makes it so appealing. Users aren’t as glamorized or fake as some can portray themselves on other platforms,” she says. “It’s something different.” In a statement, BeReal says its goal is to create “an alternative to addictive social networks” that focus on amassing influence, it says. “BeReal is your chance to show your friends who you really are,” the company says. “BeReal won’t make you famous, if you want to become an influencer you can stay on TikTok and Instagram.” The app doesn’t give you much time to put on makeup or stage your surroundings before you snap and post photos. But some users may still try to curate their lives on the app. “There is the potential to be just as artificial on BeReal as people tend to be on other platforms,” Telerski says. Some people might ignore the notification to post at a certain time and wait to post until they are dressed up and out at dinner with friends, he says. “It is not in the spirit of BeReal and entirely defeats the purpose,” he says. “BeReal should be full of pictures of (people) walking, doing homework and sitting in bed watching Netflix.” The young people CNN spoke to have no plans to give up Instagram, TikTok and other social media apps. Nott says she plans to keep letting her guard down on BeReal – and to keep posting on other social media platforms as well. Telerski says he tries to maintain a certain level of authenticity on social media regardless of the platform. Authenticity is determined by a person, not an app, he says. “For those who think we need a new social media app in order to be truly authentic, maybe we should take that as a sign to be more authentic throughout our existing social media presence,” he says. “Think about what social media was originally intended for – real connection through family and friends keeping up with your life. Maybe we should get back to that.”",21/04/2022,"['Scoot over, Facebook and Instagram.', 'There’s a newer photo-sharing app – and it’s not like other social media platforms.', 'The app is called BeReal.', 'And while you may not have heard of it, a lot of young people are signing up.', 'Its active monthly users have skyrocketed this year by more than 315%, according to data from Apptopia, which tracks and analyzes performance.', 'We joined the app and talked to users to get a deeper understanding of how BeReal works and what you need to know about it.', 'BeReal is a social media app that encourages users to share a slice of their life in real time.', 'It was launched in early 2020 by an entrepreneur in France but a majority of its users – at least 65% – have signed up this calendar year.', 'As its name suggests, the focus is on authenticity.', 'Users are invited once a day to share a photo of what they’re doing at that moment, giving friends and others an unvarnished glimpse into their life.', 'It has no filters and no edit buttons.', 'So if your hair is a mess at that moment and your view is of a rainy parking lot, that’s what people will see.', 'The result is a far cry from the polished, overly curated photos popular on other social media platforms.', 'The concept of BeReal is simple.', 'Once you download the app, you get a notification once a day that it’s time to “BeReal.”', 'That means you have two minutes to snap and post a photo of what you’re doing, no matter how mundane.', 'There’s no set time – the notification comes at random times of the day – adding to the app’s mystique.', '“Push notifications are sent around the world simultaneously at different times each day,” the company said in a statement. “', 'It’s a secret on how the time is chosen every day, it’s not random.”', 'That means the potential window into your life can open at any time.', 'When it does, the app invites you to take a photo of what you’re up to at that moment.', 'It takes a dual photo – a selfie and one showing what’s in front of you. (', 'BeReal doesn’t permit videos yet.)', 'The result is a social feed filled with unedited photos of people doing mostly everyday, unglamorous things – lounging in pajamas, doing homework, riding the bus, microwaving their dinner.', 'With only one post a day, there’s no clutter of friends’ pictures to mindlessly scroll through.', 'You can only see friends’ posts if you share a photo, which eliminates lurkers.', 'Some people turn off their location for privacy reasons, since the app works in real time.', 'Georgetown University student Ben Telerski, 21, is an avid social media user and joined the app in August.', '“What I like about BeReal is I am able to make connections with my friends via social media on a platform that does not incentivize likes, comments, or being artificial. …', 'solely showing your friends what you are doing at the moment that the daily alert goes off,” says Telerski, a junior majoring in government.', 'Telerski says the posts he sees on the app are generally more authentic compared to other social media platforms.', '“I try to post as soon as I see the notification, even if I am just sitting in bed or walking to class,” he says. “', 'I think the amount of authenticity depends on the persona each person creates on social media.', 'If someone tries to keep their social media presence highly polished and produced, BeReal is not the app to use.”', 'When you click on the once-a-day BeReal notification, your camera opens within the app along with a timer with a two-minute countdown.', 'You have until the timer runs out to take a picture of what’s in front of you.', 'At the same time, your rear-facing camera snaps a selfie.', 'The app will share both images.', 'You can retake them anytime during the two minutes and share them with friends when you’re ready.', 'BeReal also allows users to take and post the photo later in the day.', 'But it lets your friends know how many hours past the notification that you posted.', 'In short, it puts you on blast for your lack of spontaneity.', 'BeReal has tapped into marketing on college campuses.', 'It recruits young users via its college ambassador program, which allows students to host events that educate others about the app.', 'Telerski believes the app is popular because it’s an antidote to the pressures to look perfect online.', '“I have seen a lot of news coverage lately about the negative mental health impacts that social media has on Gen Z. I do not know if BeReal is directly attempting to combat this problem, but it is certainly making some ground toward that goal,” he says.', 'Morgan Nott, 26, manages a tea shop in Reno and is a newbie on the app.', 'She started using it last week at a friend’s suggestion.', 'Nott says she finds it refreshing to get a non-airbrushed, non-idealized glimpse into other people’s lives.', '“It’s the authenticity of it that makes it so appealing.', 'Users aren’t as glamorized or fake as some can portray themselves on other platforms,” she says. “', 'It’s something different.”', 'In a statement, BeReal says its goal is to create “an alternative to addictive social networks” that focus on amassing influence, it says.', '“BeReal is your chance to show your friends who you really are,” the company says. “', 'BeReal won’t make you famous, if you want to become an influencer you can stay on TikTok and Instagram.”', 'The app doesn’t give you much time to put on makeup or stage your surroundings before you snap and post photos.', 'But some users may still try to curate their lives on the app.', '“There is the potential to be just as artificial on BeReal as people tend to be on other platforms,” Telerski says.', 'Some people might ignore the notification to post at a certain time and wait to post until they are dressed up and out at dinner with friends, he says.', '“It is not in the spirit of BeReal and entirely defeats the purpose,” he says. “', 'BeReal should be full of pictures of (people) walking, doing homework and sitting in bed watching Netflix.”', 'The young people CNN spoke to have no plans to give up Instagram, TikTok and other social media apps.', 'Nott says she plans to keep letting her guard down on BeReal – and to keep posting on other social media platforms as well.', 'Telerski says he tries to maintain a certain level of authenticity on social media regardless of the platform.', 'Authenticity is determined by a person, not an app, he says.', '“For those who think we need a new social media app in order to be truly authentic, maybe we should take that as a sign to be more authentic throughout our existing social media presence,” he says.', '“Think about what social media was originally intended for – real connection through family and friends keeping up with your life.', 'Maybe we should get back to that.”']",0.1203665001358123,You can retake them anytime during the two minutes and share them with friends when you’re ready.,It has no filters and no edit buttons.,0.0,, "Best mobile payment apps in 2024, tested by our editors",https://edition.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/reviews/best-mobile-payment-apps," Updated 4:04 PM EST, Tue January 9, 2024 ","Mobile payment apps can be a convenient way to send and receive money using your smartphone or smartwatch. Paying for items this way has never been easier, thanks to the availability of numerous mobile payment apps, better payment terminal infrastructure, and wider support for Bluetooth/near-field communication (NFC) contactless credit cards by American issuers. The coronavirus pandemic has also helped to make contactless “everything” more compelling, so being able to use our smartphones or smartwatches for mobile banking and payments is as appealing as ever. Over the course of several weeks, we tested out five different mobile payment apps: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Venmo (by PayPal) and Cash App (by Block, formerly Square). We tested Apple Pay and Samsung Pay on just their own devices and tested Google Pay, Venmo and Cash App on both Android and iOS. The apps work across a variety of web browsers (with the exception of Samsung) and watches. We tested the apps on an Apple Watch and a Samsung Galaxy Watch. We tested each of them with the following in mind: ease of installation, ease of setup, features, security, fees and customer support. As our testing concluded, two clear winners emerged: Apple Pay and Google Pay. While Apple Pay only works for its own devices, it is available in numerous countries, and its elegant and simple user interface (UI) and design make it a standout. Peer-to-peer (P2P) payments are only available in the United States. On your iOS device, you need to set up Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. On your Apple Watch, you need to set up a passcode. You also need to be 13 years old or older. If you want to make a P2P payment, then you’ll need to send an Apple Message, which means you need to know your recipient’s phone number or email address. One nice feature is that all transactions generate 2% cash back. If you have an Apple Watch, then you need to connect your cards and bank accounts specifically on the watch for use in payments. Apple recently announced that users of other browsers besides Safari on their phones will be able to eventually use the software with the release of iOS 16. Google Pay has different lists of countries and regions in which it is available depending on the transaction type intended. Google Pay works across Android and iOS and is also designed to be capable in your browser. There aren’t any fees and immediate transfers are from debit cards only. Since Google Pay also works through browser cookies, it doesn’t require your phone to complete any online transactions. But, since it works through your Google account, you will have to exchange emails to set up the payment. Also, you will need a personal account (Pay won’t work with workspace or enterprise accounts). There are three different use cases for these apps (which we tested) that we will explain, as well as three other use cases that we will mention (even though we didn’t test these). The first use case we tested is making P2P cash payments. Two examples of this are splitting a restaurant check and sending gift money to family and friends. Consumers are increasingly using these apps according to a recent survey by Lending Tree. The survey showed that 84% of the 1,200 respondents (all U.S. consumers) have used at least one mobile payment app in the past year. Samsung Pay doesn’t support this mode but the other apps do. Some of the apps let you set up pools of funds, like a miniature version of GoFundMe to which your friends can send you contributions. There are several ways to identify your recipient: by their phone number and email address, or by their username (Block and Venmo support this) and, in some cases, by using a personal QR code (Block and Venmo are focused on this use case). The second use case we tested is paying for retail purchases instead of directly using a credit card or debit card. When the time comes to pay at a physical store, you hold your smartphone (or smartwatch) close to the payment terminal and it should read the appropriate card. This can be useful if you load multiple cards on the payment app, so you don’t have to cart around an overstuffed wallet with physical cards. It is also more secure because most of the payment apps create and then send a one-time token instead of your actual card number for each transaction. (Apple Pay and Google Pay are focused on this use case, although both also support P2P payments, too.) The third use case we tested is using them whenever you are shopping online. The Apple Pay and Google Pay apps can be used here. You can also store your card details in the various desktop browsers so that they can be auto-filled when you are at the checkout screen of your favorite retailer. So, now for the other use cases we didn’t test but are worth mentioning. Each of the payment apps has moved beyond these three core situations and now offer three other use cases: 1) a complex series of their own branded credit cards and debit cards, 2) support for Bitcoin purchases and other money-related features, and 3) cash-back offers. Again, we didn’t test these last three use cases; however, it is worth paying attention to at least the one about cash-back offers because those can really add up over time. Should you be worried about scammers when using mobile payment apps? Yes — the same Lending Tree survey we cited earlier found that 15% of the respondents have been victims of scams. And the survey also mentioned that, though P2P services are growing, they’re not FDIC insured (with the exception of Cash App, which is FDIC-insured). The survey found that “62% of consumers knew FDIC doesn’t insure P2P balances. However, 49% of those who keep a balance wrongly believe their money is protected.” If you intend to use any of these mobile payment apps on a regular basis, then you’ll want to follow these 6 steps: During our pretesting research, we found there are more than 20 different payment apps available, including apps from retailers like Starbucks and apps from Mastercard and Visa. We selected our five payment apps to test based on desired features, security options and user reviews. We tested each of them with the following criteria in mind: ease of installation, ease of setup, features, security, customer support and fees. To begin our testing, we installed the apps on one or both types of smartphones (if supported) and on an Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch. Next, we connected to various bank accounts and credit cards and debit cards, using them for retail purchases and P2P payments. We also tried each app when it was available for online retail purchases. We tested each app’s MFA support and other security features. We tested each app’s ability to notify you of payment transactions, and to block someone else from initiating a payment without your biometric data or other factors to approve it. Then we noted that the workflows for the payment apps were similar across the lot. We first ensured we were downloading the correct payment app from the legit app store. This is important and you should take care here. We then connected the app to either our phone number or email address (most apps want both), and then typed in a bank account or card that was to be the source and destination of our funds. This was the moment of truth, because not every payment app supported every bank card (and we didn’t find out until we got to this step). Apple Pay and Google Pay worked with more of our credit cards than the others did, but your experience could be different. After that, we set up our app’s security with our face or fingerprint to protect our transactions. It sounds more complicated than it actually was. After a flurry of confirmation emails and texts, we were ready to go shopping or send our friends some money. One of the big advantages of these apps is that you forgo the need to carry cash and you can pay someone on the spot. However, for all of these apps, our patience was rewarded. If we wanted to make a P2P payment and our recipient was willing to wait a few days, then there wasn’t any fee applied. But if we wanted the payment to happen in a matter of minutes, then it cost us. For example, all the apps were free to download. But when it came to fees, Apple charges 1.5% (with a minimum $0.25 and maximum $15 fee) and Venmo adds a 1% surcharge (with a maximum $10 fee). Square is free for all personal accounts but charges 2.75% for business users. Google Pay and Samsung Pay have no added fees. Lastly, we also reviewed complaints collected by CardPaymentOptions.com for Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Cash App and Venmo. And we tried out the various support options available for each service. All five apps had equivalent high scores on both. Cash App, Samsung Pay and Venmo all share data with third parties to track internal marketing. Apple Pay and Google Pay don’t do this, although they may use this data internally across their various properties. During our testing, we used an Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch to gauge how easy it is to use a smartwatch versus a smartphone for mobile payments. So, is your smartwatch better to use than your phone for payments? No, we don’t think so. We found the watch movements needed to get close enough to the payment terminal to make a connection were more cumbersome than they were when we used our phone. And the usability factors to set up the account on the watches are sub-par. If you use your watch for other apps, then great, but don’t rush out and get a watch just for payments. Free at Cash App With Cash App, which is owned by Block (formerly Square, Inc.), you set up a username that your friends can use to find you when sending or demanding funds. You do not need to know their phone number or email address. Cash App is limited to debit cards only for direct access. It also uses Plaid for connecting to your bank account, which we think adds another layer of security issues. There are also various transfer limits, too, for unidentified users (e.g., sending $250 over per week or receiving $1,000 over a month). You can set up recurring deposits, direct deposits, make bank transfers and even file your taxes. There is a 3% fee if you are moving funds with a credit card. You can also instantly purchase or sell Bitcoin from the app. Cash App also works with the Lightning network to pay anyone with these cryptocurrencies. Free at Samsung Samsung Pay works in several countries, but it is only available on Samsung smartphones and smartwatches. It is basically a stripped-down version of Google Pay, using the same banking backends. It requires your mobile number to complete its setup, and in our testing we found it didn’t support several of the debit cards we owned. It also doesn’t support any P2P payments: you’ll need to use the separate Samsung Pay Cash app. One advantage is that, while Apple Pay and Google Pay will only work with point-of-sale (POS) payment terminals equipped with NFC technology, Samsung Pay (from the phone, not from the watch) works at magnetic card terminals — those few that are left and haven’t been upgraded — as well. We had trouble getting the Samsung Pay app to work with the Samsung Galaxy Watch (like Apple Pay, you have to separately install each card to use on the watch), and needed to install and re-install various Samsung apps. We recommend using Google Pay instead. Free at Venmo Venmo, which is only available in the United States, was simple to set up and get connected to our bank card. Like Cash App, you can send money using a username, which obviates the need to know a friend’s phone number or email address. One drawback to Venmo is that all of your friends’ transactions are made public by default, so anyone can see them in its public feed. This means the first thing you need to do when using this service is turn these settings to Private. Venmo also supports Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum or Litecoin currency transactions. If you are sending funds from a credit card and can’t wait, then there is a 3% fee. Funds sent from your bank account are free if you can wait a few days. Fees are clearly described on their Resources page and there are fees for unverified users when sending more than $300 per week. Venmo’s browser client mirrors the UI for its phone app screens, which is useful for reviewing its numerous configuration settings. But it could do a better job explaining its security protocols.",09/01/2024,"['Mobile payment apps can be a convenient way to send and receive money using your smartphone or smartwatch.', 'Paying for items this way has never been easier, thanks to the availability of numerous mobile payment apps, better payment terminal infrastructure, and wider support for Bluetooth/near-field communication (NFC) contactless credit cards by American issuers.', 'The coronavirus pandemic has also helped to make contactless “everything” more compelling, so being able to use our smartphones or smartwatches for mobile banking and payments is as appealing as ever.', 'Over the course of several weeks, we tested out five different mobile payment apps: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Venmo (by PayPal) and Cash App (by Block, formerly Square).', 'We tested Apple Pay and Samsung Pay on just their own devices and tested Google Pay, Venmo and Cash App on both Android and iOS.', 'The apps work across a variety of web browsers (with the exception of Samsung) and watches.', 'We tested the apps on an Apple Watch and a Samsung Galaxy Watch.', 'We tested each of them with the following in mind: ease of installation, ease of setup, features, security, fees and customer support.', 'As our testing concluded, two clear winners emerged: Apple Pay and Google Pay.', 'While Apple Pay only works for its own devices, it is available in numerous countries, and its elegant and simple user interface (UI) and design make it a standout.', 'Peer-to-peer (P2P) payments are only available in the United States.', 'On your iOS device, you need to set up Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode.', 'On your Apple Watch, you need to set up a passcode.', 'You also need to be 13 years old or older.', 'If you want to make a P2P payment, then you’ll need to send an Apple Message, which means you need to know your recipient’s phone number or email address.', 'One nice feature is that all transactions generate 2% cash back.', 'If you have an Apple Watch, then you need to connect your cards and bank accounts specifically on the watch for use in payments.', 'Apple recently announced that users of other browsers besides Safarion their phones will be able to eventually use the software with the release of iOS 16.', 'Google Pay has different lists of countries and regions in which it is available depending on the transaction type intended.', 'Google Pay works across Android and iOS and is also designed to be capable in your browser.', 'There aren’t any fees and immediate transfers are from debit cards only.', 'Since Google Pay also works through browser cookies, it doesn’t require your phone to complete any online transactions.', 'But, since it works through your Google account, you will have to exchange emails to set up the payment.', 'Also, you will need a personal account (Pay won’t work with workspace or enterprise accounts).', 'There are three different use cases for these apps (which we tested) that we will explain, as well as three other use cases that we will mention (even though we didn’t test these).', 'The first use case we tested is making P2P cash payments.', 'Two examples of this are splitting a restaurant check and sending gift money to family and friends.', 'Consumers are increasingly using these apps according to a recent survey by Lending Tree.', 'The survey showed that 84% of the 1,200 respondents (all U.S. consumers) have used at least one mobile payment app in the past year.', 'Samsung Pay doesn’t support this mode but the other apps do.', 'Some of the apps let you set up pools of funds, like a miniature version of GoFundMe to which your friends can send you contributions.', 'There are several ways to identify your recipient: by their phone number and email address, or by their username (Block and Venmo support this) and, in some cases, by using a personal QR code (Block and Venmo are focused on this use case).', 'The second use case we tested is paying for retail purchases instead of directly using a credit card or debit card.', 'When the time comes to pay at a physical store, you hold your smartphone (or smartwatch) close to the payment terminal and it should read the appropriate card.', 'This can be useful if you load multiple cards on the payment app, so you don’t have to cart around an overstuffed wallet with physical cards.', 'It is also more secure because most of the payment apps create and then send a one-time token instead of your actual card number for each transaction. (', 'Apple Pay and Google Pay are focused on this use case, although both also support P2P payments, too.)', 'The third use case we tested is using them whenever you are shopping online.', 'The Apple Pay and Google Pay apps can be used here.', 'You can also store your card details in the various desktop browsers so that they can be auto-filled when you are at the checkout screen of your favorite retailer.', 'So, now for the other use cases we didn’t test but are worth mentioning.', 'Each of the payment apps has moved beyond these three core situations and now offer three other use cases: 1) a complex series of their own branded credit cards and debit cards, 2) support for Bitcoin purchases and other money-related features, and 3) cash-back offers.', 'Again, we didn’t test these last three use cases; however, it is worth paying attention to at least the one about cash-back offers because those can really add up over time.', 'Should you be worried about scammers when using mobile payment apps?', 'Yes — the same Lending Tree survey we cited earlier found that 15% of the respondents have been victims of scams.', 'And the survey also mentioned that, though P2P services are growing, they’re not FDIC insured (with the exception of Cash App, which is FDIC-insured).', 'The survey found that “62% of consumers knew FDIC doesn’t insure P2P balances.', 'However, 49% of those who keep a balance wrongly believe their money is protected.”', 'If you intend to use any of these mobile payment apps on a regular basis, then you’ll want to follow these 6 steps: During our pretesting research, we found there are more than 20 different payment apps available, including apps from retailers like Starbucks and apps from Mastercard and Visa.', 'We selected our five payment apps to test based on desired features, security options and user reviews.', 'We tested each of them with the following criteria in mind: ease of installation, ease of setup, features, security, customer support and fees.', 'To begin our testing, we installed the apps on one or both types of smartphones (if supported) and on an Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch.', 'Next, we connected to various bank accounts and credit cards and debit cards, using them for retail purchases and P2P payments.', 'We also tried each app when it was available for online retail purchases.', 'We tested each app’s MFA support and other security features.', 'We tested each app’s ability to notify you of payment transactions, and to block someone else from initiating a payment without your biometric data or other factors to approve it.', 'Then we noted that the workflows for the payment apps were similar across the lot.', 'We first ensured we were downloading the correct payment app from the legit app store.', 'This is important and you should take care here.', 'We then connected the app to either our phone number or email address (most apps want both), and then typed in a bank account or card that was to be the source and destination of our funds.', 'This was the moment of truth, because not every payment app supported every bank card (and we didn’t find out until we got to this step).', 'Apple Pay and Google Pay worked with more of our credit cards than the others did, but your experience could be different.', 'After that, we set up our app’s security with our face or fingerprint to protect our transactions.', 'It sounds more complicated than it actually was.', 'After a flurry of confirmation emails and texts, we were ready to go shopping or send our friends some money.', 'One of the big advantages of these apps is that you forgo the need to carry cash and you can pay someone on the spot.', 'However, for all of these apps, our patience was rewarded.', 'If we wanted to make a P2P payment and our recipient was willing to wait a few days, then there wasn’t any fee applied.', 'But if we wanted the payment to happen in a matter of minutes, then it cost us.', 'For example, all the apps were free to download.', 'But when it came to fees, Apple charges 1.5% (with a minimum $0.25 and maximum $15 fee) and Venmo adds a 1% surcharge (with a maximum $10 fee).', 'Square is free for all personal accounts but charges 2.75% for business users.', 'Google Pay and Samsung Pay have no added fees.', 'Lastly, we also reviewed complaints collected by CardPaymentOptions.com for Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Cash App and Venmo.', 'And we tried out the various support options available for each service.', 'All five apps had equivalent high scores on both.', 'Cash App, Samsung Pay and Venmo all share data with third parties to track internal marketing.', 'Apple Pay and Google Pay don’t do this, although they may use this data internally across their various properties.', 'During our testing, we used an Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch to gauge how easy it is to use a smartwatch versus a smartphone for mobile payments.', 'So, is your smartwatch better to use than your phone for payments?', 'No, we don’t think so.', 'We found the watch movements needed to get close enough to the payment terminal to make a connection were more cumbersome than they were when we used our phone.', 'And the usability factors to set up the account on the watches are sub-par.', 'If you use your watch for other apps, then great, but don’t rush out and get a watch just for payments.', 'Free at Cash App With Cash App, which is owned by Block (formerly Square, Inc.), you set up a username that your friends can use to find you when sending or demanding funds.', 'You do not need to know their phone number or email address.', 'Cash App is limited to debit cards only for direct access.', 'It also uses Plaid for connecting to your bank account, which we think adds another layer of security issues.', 'There are also various transfer limits, too, for unidentified users (e.g., sending $250 over per week or receiving $1,000 over a month).', 'You can set up recurring deposits, direct deposits, make bank transfers and even file your taxes.', 'There is a 3% fee if you are moving funds with a credit card.', 'You can also instantly purchase or sell Bitcoin from the app.', 'Cash App also works with the Lightning network to pay anyone with these cryptocurrencies.', 'Free at Samsung Samsung Pay works in several countries, but it is only available on Samsung smartphones and smartwatches.', 'It is basically a stripped-down version of Google Pay, using the same banking backends.', 'It requires your mobile number to complete its setup, and in our testing we found it didn’t support several of the debit cards we owned.', 'It also doesn’t support any P2P payments: you’ll need to use the separate Samsung Pay Cash app.', 'One advantage is that, while Apple Pay and Google Pay will only work with point-of-sale (POS) payment terminals equipped with NFC technology, Samsung Pay (from the phone, not from the watch) works at magnetic card terminals — those few that are left and haven’t been upgraded — as well.', 'We had trouble getting the Samsung Pay app to work with the Samsung Galaxy Watch (like Apple Pay, you have to separately install each card to use on the watch), and needed to install and re-install various Samsung apps.', 'We recommend using Google Pay instead.', 'Free at Venmo Venmo, which is only available in the United States, was simple to set up and get connected to our bank card.', 'Like Cash App, you can send money using a username, which obviates the need to know a friend’s phone number or email address.', 'One drawback to Venmo is that all of your friends’ transactions are made public by default, so anyone can see them in its public feed.', 'This means the first thing you need to do when using this service is turn these settings to Private.', 'Venmo also supports Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum or Litecoin currency transactions.', 'If you are sending funds from a credit card and can’t wait, then there is a 3% fee.', 'Funds sent from your bank account are free if you can wait a few days.', 'Fees are clearly described on their Resources page and there are fees for unverified users when sending more than $300 per week.', 'Venmo’s browser client mirrors the UI for its phone app screens, which is useful for reviewing its numerous configuration settings.', 'But it could do a better job explaining its security protocols.']",0.190272273076097,"We tested each of them with the following in mind: ease of installation, ease of setup, features, security, fees and customer support.","Over the course of several weeks, we tested out five different mobile payment apps: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Venmo (by PayPal) and Cash App (by Block, formerly Square).",0.0,, "10% of US workers are in jobs most exposed to artificial intelligence, White House says",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/ai-jobs-white-house-work-force/index.html," Published 5:01 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","About 10% of US workers are in jobs that face the greatest risk of disruption from rapidly evolving artificial intelligence, according to a White House analysis shared first with CNN. The report represents the most in-depth analysis to date by the White House on the impact of AI on the US workforce. It finds that workers with less education and lower income are especially exposed to AI, raising the risk that the technology could amplify inequality. The findings are part of the Council of Economic Advisers’ annual Economic Report of the President, which devotes an entire chapter to AI and how policymakers should respond. “If we were thinking about this in health terms we would be saying: Who is most likely to catch the virus and what can we do to vaccinate them?” Jared Bernstein, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, told CNN in an interview. The report shows how White House officials are thinking deeply about AI and what can be done now to guide its development in a way that ultimately benefits workers. “There have been developments in social media and technology that governments have underattended to as they evolved. We won’t let that happen with AI,” Bernstein said. Bernstein said the White House is in discussions with labor unions — especially in the service industry but also in manufacturing — about being ready for AI. As with any kind of new technology, experts believe AI will complement the work of some people by making them more productive. Other jobs could get wiped out. The White House report contains numerous caveats, including cautioning that the ultimate impact of AI on workers may change as the technology and its capabilities evolve. Generative AI is already able to do some tasks that in the past only humans could, such as writing humorous stories, generating realistic images and crafting song lyrics. White House economists analyzed the impact on workers by identifying 16 work activities with high exposure to AI. Researchers then tried to determine which occupations have AI-exposed activities that are central to the job itself. The report found that about 20% of workers are in these high-AI exposure occupations. That finding is similar to one from Pew Research Center that concluded 19% of American workers in 2022 were in jobs most exposed to AI. “Workers in such occupations are plausibly the ones most likely to be affected by AI, whether positively through complementarity, or negatively through substitution or displacement,” the CEA report said. But to drill down on which roles are most vulnerable to being displaced, researchers broke out jobs by how difficult the tasks are. “Labor-substitution is easiest and cheapest in situations where complexity and difficulty are low,” the report said. In other words, the more complex the job, the safer it is. And vice versa. The researchers found that 10% of workers have high AI exposure and low performance requirements. The report said those workers “perform the tasks that are most likely to change as a result of AI.” It did not identify specific occupations or industries that fall into this category. However, researchers stressed that this does not mean 10% of workers “will inevitably lose their jobs” as the implications for workers may be “quite nuanced.” “Most jobs remain a collection of tasks of which only a portion can be automated,” the report said. “AI may allow humans to focus on other tasks, fundamentally changing their jobs without reducing the use of their labor.” As an example, the White House economists point to how even if AI eventually allows school buses to drive themselves, the school bus driver’s job won’t necessarily be killed. “Children may still need someone on the bus to watch them, ensure they behave and ensure they enter and exit safely,” the report said. “AI-led automation might fundamentally change the school bus driver’s job, but it is unlikely to eliminate the job.” The report notes that airlines still have pilots even though autopilot systems have been around for more than a century. “The wrong place to start a discussion of AI is to assume without question it will massively displace workers. That’s not the history of technology in the workplace,” Bernstein said. Still, some workers are more exposed to AI than others. The White House report found that 14% of high school graduates lacking four-year degrees have jobs that have high-AI exposure but low performance requirements. By comparison, only 6% of workers with a bachelor’s degree fall into that higher risk bucket. Likewise, women are more likely to have high AI exposure with low performance requirements, the report said, “suggesting that women may be at higher risk of displacement.” Lower-income workers may also face greater risks from AI disruption. The report found that nearly 40% of workers in the third decile of earnings have high-AI exposure and low performance requirements. High-earnings also have high exposure to AI but their job requirements are more complex. The findings “suggest that AI may be a skill-biased technology, increasing relative demand for workers with high levels of education in high-earning occupations,” the report said. “They also suggest that AI could exacerbate aggregate income inequality if it substitutes for employment in lower-wage jobs and complements higher-wage jobs.” The International Monetary Fund warned earlier this year that in most scenarios, AI will “likely worsen overall inequality, a troubling trend that policymakers must proactively address to prevent the technology from further stoking social tensions.” However, the White House report stressed that it’s too early to definitively say AI will worsen inequality — in part because this risk may influence policy. Bernstein said the Biden administration wants to implement policies that will lower the risk that AI displaces workers. “There is always technology afoot, but society has the level of inequality that policymakers are willing to accept,” he said. “We’re not going to let technological developments determine inequality.”",21/03/2024,"['About 10% of US workers are in jobs that face the greatest risk of disruption from rapidly evolving artificial intelligence, according to a White House analysis shared first with CNN.', 'The report represents the most in-depth analysis to date by the White House on the impact of AI on the US workforce.', 'It finds that workers with less education and lower income are especially exposed to AI, raising the risk that the technology could amplify inequality.', 'The findings are part of the Council of Economic Advisers’ annual Economic Report of the President, which devotes an entire chapter to AI and how policymakers should respond.', '“If we were thinking about this in health terms we would be saying: Who is most likely to catch the virus and what can we do to vaccinate them?”', 'Jared Bernstein, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, told CNN in an interview.', 'The report shows how White House officials are thinking deeply about AI and what can be done now to guide its development in a way that ultimately benefits workers.', '“There have been developments in social media and technology that governments have underattended to as they evolved.', 'We won’t let that happen with AI,” Bernstein said.', 'Bernstein said the White House is in discussions with labor unions — especially in the service industry but also in manufacturing — about being ready for AI.', 'As with any kind of new technology, experts believe AI will complement the work of some people by making them more productive.', 'Other jobs could get wiped out.', 'The White House report contains numerous caveats, including cautioning that the ultimate impact of AI on workers may change as the technology and its capabilities evolve.', 'Generative AI is already able to do some tasks that in the past only humans could, such as writing humorous stories, generating realistic images and crafting song lyrics.', 'White House economists analyzed the impact on workers by identifying 16 work activities with high exposure to AI.', 'Researchers then tried to determine which occupations have AI-exposed activities that are central to the job itself.', 'The report found that about 20% of workers are in these high-AI exposure occupations.', 'That finding is similar to one from Pew Research Center that concluded19% of American workersin 2022 were in jobs most exposed to AI.', '“Workers in such occupations are plausibly the ones most likely to be affected by AI, whether positively through complementarity, or negatively through substitution or displacement,” the CEA report said.', 'But to drill down on which roles are most vulnerable to being displaced, researchers broke out jobs by how difficult the tasks are.', '“Labor-substitution is easiest and cheapest in situations where complexity and difficulty are low,” the report said.', 'In other words, the more complex the job, the safer it is.', 'And vice versa.', 'The researchers found that 10% of workers have high AI exposure and low performance requirements.', 'The report said those workers “perform the tasks that are most likely to change as a result of AI.”', 'It did not identify specific occupations or industries that fall into this category.', 'However, researchers stressed that this does not mean 10% of workers “will inevitably lose their jobs” as the implications for workers may be “quite nuanced.”', '“Most jobs remain a collection of tasks of which only a portion can be automated,” the report said. “', 'AI may allow humans to focus on other tasks, fundamentally changing their jobs without reducing the use of their labor.”', 'As an example, the White House economists point to how even if AI eventually allows school buses to drive themselves, the school bus driver’s job won’t necessarily be killed.', '“Children may still need someone on the bus to watch them, ensure they behave and ensure they enter and exit safely,” the report said. “', 'AI-led automation might fundamentally change the school bus driver’s job, but it is unlikely to eliminate the job.”', 'The report notes that airlines still have pilots even though autopilot systems have been around for more than a century.', '“The wrong place to start a discussion of AI is to assume without question it will massively displace workers.', 'That’s not the history of technology in the workplace,” Bernstein said.', 'Still, some workers are more exposed to AI than others.', 'The White House report found that 14% of high school graduates lacking four-year degrees have jobs that have high-AI exposure but low performance requirements.', 'By comparison, only 6% of workers with a bachelor’s degree fall into that higher risk bucket.', 'Likewise, women are more likely to have high AI exposure with low performance requirements, the report said, “suggesting that women may be at higher risk of displacement.”', 'Lower-income workers may also face greater risks from AI disruption.', 'The report found that nearly 40% of workers in the third decile of earnings have high-AI exposure and low performance requirements.', 'High-earnings also have high exposure to AI but their job requirements are more complex.', 'The findings “suggest that AI may be a skill-biased technology, increasing relative demand for workers with high levels of education in high-earning occupations,” the report said. “', 'They also suggest that AI could exacerbate aggregate income inequality if it substitutes for employment in lower-wage jobs and complements higher-wage jobs.”', 'TheInternational Monetary Fund warnedearlier this year that in most scenarios, AI will “likely worsen overall inequality, a troubling trend that policymakers must proactively address to prevent the technology from further stoking social tensions.”', 'However, the White House report stressed that it’s too early to definitively say AI will worsen inequality — in part because this risk may influence policy.', 'Bernstein said the Biden administration wants to implement policies that will lower the risk that AI displaces workers.', '“There is always technology afoot, but society has the level of inequality that policymakers are willing to accept,” he said. “', 'We’re not going to let technological developments determine inequality.”']",-0.0711572144251848,"“Children may still need someone on the bus to watch them, ensure they behave and ensure they enter and exit safely,” the report said. “","But to drill down on which roles are most vulnerable to being displaced, researchers broke out jobs by how difficult the tasks are.",0.0,, Radicalized by the right: Elon Musk puts his conspiratorial thinking on display for the world to see,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/19/media/elon-musk-don-lemon-interview-analysis-hnk-intl/index.html," Updated 7:03 AM EDT, Tue March 19, 2024 ","Elon Musk is showing the world how radicalized he has become. The billionaire, one of the most consequential figures to walk the Earth, spent another weekend swimming in the right-wing fever swamps of X — a bad habit that was apparent when his interview with Don Lemon was released Monday morning. In the contentious interview, Musk equated moderating dangerous and appalling hate speech to “censorship,” bashed the press for legitimate reporting, assailed DEI programs without supporting evidence, skewered advertisers who fled the X platform last year and yet again gave credence to the racist Great Replacement theory, among other things. To those not fluent in the intricacies of right-wing media, some of what Musk said may have sounded bizarre or even foreign. But in the right-wing fever swamps, where Musk is now deeply entrenched, these are the issues that animate the masses. Musk’s comments on the premiere episode of Lemon’s new online show added to an unhinged 72-hour posting spree on X, in which the erratic businessman raged against the “woke mind virus” and said its “goal” is “the destruction of America,” agreed with a user who wrote “Fake News is the Enemy of the People,” said the press is “basically the [Joe] Biden cheering squad,” accused the news media of “lying” about Donald Trump’s “blood bath” comments, called NPR a “nice version of Pravda,” alleged Google “manipulate[s] their search results with left wing bias,” said the January 6 insurrection was “not a ‘bloodbath’ by any definition,” and argued that if there is not a “red wave” in November, “America is doomed.” At this juncture, calling Musk a right-wing shitposter is no longer provocative. It’s simply accurate. And his ugly behavior is even more troubling because of the fact that Musk is enormously influential, casting a large shadow across multiple industries and doing billions of dollars’ worth of national security business with the US government. In his ownership of X alone, Musk controls one of the world’s most important communications platforms, spitting corrosive venom into the public discourse at a faster speed than his SpaceX rockets hurtle into orbit. In fact, as users of the platform once called Twitter know all too well, Musk’s posts often find themselves to the very top of the home feed. That is because, according to reporting from Zoë Schiffer and Casey Newton, engineers were forced to build “a system designed to ensure” his posts do well on the platform he owns. To make matters worse, Musk appears to be growing more intolerant of other viewpoints. While elevating right-wing extremists, he simultaneously seeks to destroy trust in credible news sources. Once upon a time, Musk welcomed having a media personality like Lemon on the X platform. Not so much anymore. On Monday, after his interview with Lemon was posted online, Musk trashed the former CNN anchor, calling him in various posts a “stupid asshole” and saying he is “just a bad guy, plain and simple.” “He’s not used to having to answer to anyone,” Lemon said in a Q&A with People’s Jason Sheeler, “especially someone like me who doesn’t share his worldview, who doesn’t look like him.” In effect, Musk has become self-radicalized on the very website that he was forced to purchase for $44 billion, sliding deeper into the darkest and most unsavory corners of the platform that has served to only reinforce his own worldview with an echo chamber of conspiracy theorists and ego-stoking sycophants that regularly fawn at his every move no matter how outrageous or preposterously false. All of it dished up by an algorithm designed to regurgitate it right back to him. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, Musk is hell bent on taking everyone else down there with him.",19/03/2024,"['Elon Muskis showing the world how radicalized he has become.', 'The billionaire, one of the most consequential figures to walk the Earth, spent another weekend swimming in the right-wing fever swamps ofX— a bad habit that was apparent when his interview withDon Lemonwas released Monday morning.', 'In thecontentious interview, Musk equated moderating dangerous and appalling hate speech to “censorship,” bashed the press for legitimate reporting, assailed DEI programs without supporting evidence, skewered advertisers who fled the X platform last year and yet again gave credence to the racistGreat Replacementtheory, among other things.', 'To those not fluent in the intricacies of right-wing media, some of what Musk said may have sounded bizarre or even foreign.', 'But in the right-wing fever swamps, where Musk is now deeply entrenched, these are the issues that animate the masses.', 'Musk’s comments on the premiere episode of Lemon’s new online show added to an unhinged 72-hour posting spree on X, in which the erratic businessman raged against the “woke mind virus” and said its “goal” is “the destruction of America,” agreed with a user who wrote “Fake News is the Enemy of the People,” said the press is “basically the[Joe] Bidencheering squad,” accused the news media of “lying” aboutDonald Trump’s“blood bath” comments, calledNPRa “nice version ofPravda,” allegedGoogle“manipulate[s] their search results with left wing bias,” said the January 6 insurrection was “not a ‘bloodbath’ by any definition,” and argued that if there is not a “red wave” in November, “America is doomed.”', 'At this juncture, calling Musk a right-wing shitposter is no longer provocative.', 'It’s simply accurate.', 'And his ugly behavior is even more troubling because of the fact that Musk is enormously influential, casting a large shadow across multiple industries and doingbillions of dollars’ worth of national security businesswith the US government.', 'In his ownership of X alone, Musk controls one of the world’s most important communications platforms, spitting corrosive venom into the public discourse at a faster speed than hisSpaceXrockets hurtle into orbit.', 'In fact, as users of the platform once called Twitter know all too well, Musk’s posts often find themselves to the very top of the home feed.', 'That is because, according toreportingfromZoë SchifferandCasey Newton, engineers were forced to build “a system designed to ensure” his posts do well on the platform he owns.', 'To make matters worse, Musk appears to be growing more intolerant of other viewpoints.', 'While elevating right-wing extremists, he simultaneously seeks to destroy trust in credible news sources.', 'Once upon a time, Musk welcomed having a media personality like Lemon on the X platform.', 'Not so much anymore.', 'On Monday, after his interview with Lemon was posted online, Musk trashed the former CNN anchor, calling him in various posts a “stupid asshole” and saying he is “just a bad guy, plain and simple.”', '“He’s not used to having to answer to anyone,” Lemon saidin a Q&AwithPeople’s Jason Sheeler, “especially someone like me who doesn’t share his worldview, who doesn’t look like him.”', 'In effect, Musk has become self-radicalized on the very website that he was forced to purchase for $44 billion, sliding deeper into the darkest and most unsavory corners of the platform that has served to only reinforce his own worldview with an echo chamber of conspiracy theorists and ego-stoking sycophants that regularly fawn at his every move no matter how outrageous or preposterously false.', 'All of it dished up by an algorithm designed to regurgitate it right back to him.', 'Unfortunately for the rest of the world, Musk is hell bent on taking everyone else down there with him.']",-0.1949761666843857,"“He’s not used to having to answer to anyone,” Lemon saidin a Q&AwithPeople’s Jason Sheeler, “especially someone like me who doesn’t share his worldview, who doesn’t look like him.”","Musk’s comments on the premiere episode of Lemon’s new online show added to an unhinged 72-hour posting spree on X, in which the erratic businessman raged against the “woke mind virus” and said its “goal” is “the destruction of America,” agreed with a user who wrote “Fake News is the Enemy of the People,” said the press is “basically the[Joe] Bidencheering squad,” accused the news media of “lying” aboutDonald Trump’s“blood bath” comments, calledNPRa “nice version ofPravda,” allegedGoogle“manipulate[s] their search results with left wing bias,” said the January 6 insurrection was “not a ‘bloodbath’ by any definition,” and argued that if there is not a “red wave” in November, “America is doomed.”",0.0,, Federal investigators look into crash of Mustang Mach-E equipped with driver assistance tech,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/18/business/federal-investigators-mustang-mach-e-crash-driver-assistance-tech/index.html," Published 7:32 PM EDT, Mon March 18, 2024 ","Investigators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating a fatal crash involving a Ford Mustang Mach-E equipped with advanced driving assistance technology. The Mach-E drove into the back of a Honda CR-V that was stopped in the road. “A team of investigators from the NTSB’s Special Investigations Branch of the Office of Highway Safety traveled to San Antonio to examine the wreckage and collect information about the accident site and sequence of events leading to the collision,” the NTSB said in a statement emailed to CNN. NHTSA also confirmed that it is investigating the same incident. The NHTSA investigation was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Federal investigators are looking at dozens of crashes involving so-called advanced driver assistance, or ADAS, systems. Most of the crashes involve Teslas. Tesla’s Autopilot system has been on the market longest and has the largest number of users. But crashes involving vehicles made by General Motors’ Cadillac, Hyundai’s Genesis luxury brand and Volvo are also being investigated, among many others, according to a list provided by NHTSA. ADAS systems handle basic driving tasks such as keeping the vehicle in its lane while maintaining a safe distance behind vehicles ahead, usually in highway driving only. Some systems, like Ford’s BlueCruise, allow drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel and their feet from the pedals for long periods of time on specific US highways. But drivers are monitored using an interior camera to ensure they are paying attention to the road. Fourteen of these systems, including two from Ford, were recently rated by the private Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Eleven of the systems were rated as “Poor,” including Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free system, and its “Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Lane Centering Assist,” which is similar but requires drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel. It is not immediately clear which system was in the vehicle that crashed in Texas. Ford did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the investigation. IIHS criticized many of the ADAS systems it tested for failing to adequately monitor the driver’s attention and for not doing enough to keep the driver engaged. NTSB said a preliminary report on the crash will be available in 30 days but a final report into the crash will take one to two years. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy has criticized NHTSA in the past for being too slow to monitor and regulate these technologies.",18/03/2024,"['Investigators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating a fatal crash involving a Ford Mustang Mach-E equipped with advanced driving assistance technology.', 'The Mach-E drove into the back of a Honda CR-V that was stopped in the road.', '“A team of investigators from the NTSB’s Special Investigations Branch of the Office of Highway Safety traveled to San Antonio to examine the wreckage and collect information about the accident site and sequence of events leading to the collision,” the NTSB said in a statement emailed to CNN.', 'NHTSA also confirmed that it is investigating the same incident.', 'The NHTSA investigation was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.', 'Federal investigators are looking at dozens of crashes involving so-called advanced driver assistance, or ADAS, systems.', 'Most of the crashes involve Teslas.', 'Tesla’s Autopilot system has been on the market longest and has the largest number of users.', 'But crashes involving vehicles made by General Motors’ Cadillac, Hyundai’s Genesis luxury brand and Volvo are also being investigated, among many others, according to a list provided by NHTSA.', 'ADAS systems handle basic driving tasks such as keeping the vehicle in its lane while maintaining a safe distance behind vehicles ahead, usually in highway driving only.', 'Some systems, like Ford’s BlueCruise, allow drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel and their feet from the pedals for long periods of time on specific US highways.', 'But drivers are monitored using an interior camera to ensure they are paying attention to the road.', 'Fourteen of these systems, including two from Ford, were recently rated by the private Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.', 'Eleven of the systems were rated as “Poor,” including Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free system, and its “Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Lane Centering Assist,” which is similar but requires drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel.', 'It is not immediately clear which system was in the vehicle that crashed in Texas.', 'Ford did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the investigation.', 'IIHS criticized many of the ADAS systems it tested for failing to adequately monitor the driver’s attention and for not doing enough to keep the driver engaged.', 'NTSB said a preliminary report on the crash will be available in 30 days but a final report into the crash will take one to two years.', 'NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy has criticized NHTSA in the past for being too slow to monitor and regulate these technologies.']",0.0123917166774026,"Some systems, like Ford’s BlueCruise, allow drivers to remove their hands from the steering wheel and their feet from the pedals for long periods of time on specific US highways.",NTSB said a preliminary report on the crash will be available in 30 days but a final report into the crash will take one to two years.,0.0,, It’s back: Targeted Amex card holders can get up to 30% off at Amazon,https://edition.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/deals/amazon-amex-discount-promotion," 11:21 AM EST, Wed February 14, 2024 ","Most American Express card members typically think of their Amex points as opportunities for amazing travel opportunities. While that’s true, there’s another lesser-known use for them — redeeming them for purchases at Amazon. Right now, you may be eligible for an Amazon promotion where you can save big on Amazon purchases by redeeming as little as one Amex point. Targeted American Express card members can save as much as 30% on their next Amazon purchase, for up to $30 in savings when you use Amex points to pay for at least a portion of your purchase at checkout. However, your offer may be higher or lower. This offer is set to expire on June 30, 2024, so even if you aren’t in the market to shop at Amazon right now, you have some time to take advantage of the savings. That said, Amazon also states it will deactivate the offer after 24,167 customers have redeemed it. With many Amazon discounted offers, scoring the deal can be a little complicated. But we’re going to take you through it step by step to make sure you’re getting as much of a discount as possible when you’re shopping at Amazon. To start, you must have an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points. Amex cards that earn other types of rewards, such as cash back or airline miles, won’t work. But there are plenty of Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points — a small sampling of them is at the end of this story. Next, you’ll need to link your Amazon and American Express accounts. Add your American Express card as a payment method in your Amazon account, if you haven’t already. Then look for the option to enroll in “Shop with Points” under the “Your Account” tab, and click the “Enroll” button for the Amex card you just added. Once your accounts are connected, you’ll need to activate the offer by clicking on this link. Remember, this is a targeted promotion, so not everyone will be eligible for it — you could be targeted for any one of the offers or none of them. When you click on the link, if you see a message that you’re not eligible, then you’re unfortunately not targeted for this particular promotion. But even if you’re not targeted, don’t give up hope. If you just enrolled in “Shop with Points,” you may need to wait 24 hours for Amazon’s records to refresh before knowing if you’re targeted, so check back in a day or so. If you’re eligible, activate the offer by clicking on the “Activate now” button — the enrollment page will indicate your particular discount. You can then shop at Amazon as you normally would, though only products sold and shipped by Amazon are eligible for these discounts. Additionally, Amazon gift cards are excluded, though other third-party retailer gift cards sold by Amazon might be eligible. But wait! There’s one more step. When you’re ready to check out, you’ll want to make sure to select your linked American Express card as your payment method. Then you’ll need to use at least 1 point to pay for your purchase for the discount to apply. When paying with Amex Membership Rewards points at Amazon, 1 point equals 0.7 cents. That’s not the best value you can get for Amex points. Frequent flyer website The Points Guy values Membership Rewards points as high as 2 cents each when redeemed for travel. However, it’s important to note that you don’t have to pay for your entire Amazon purchase with points to get these discounts. In fact, you can use just 1 point and pay for the rest with your Amex card, and you’ll still see the discount applied to your order. However, some accounts might see that you need to redeem slightly more points — 714 to be exact — to receive the savings, so make sure to check the terms of your exact offer. To pay with the minimum number of points required, enter $0.01 in the points section at checkout, which will apply just 1 point to your payment, You can use any number of points you want, but if you don’t make this change, Amazon may automatically apply the maximum number of points to cover the entire purchase, so you’ll want to make sure to update the amount before you place the order. Once you’ve applied at least 1 point to your payment, you’ll see the discount added to your order. The discount will apply on every order you place through June 30 until you hit the total maximum in savings — which will depend on your particular offer. Let’s take a look at some examples of how you can apply this discount to your upcoming Amazon purchases, even if you don’t need anything from Amazon right at the moment. With airlines having regular delays and cancellations over the last year, placing an Apple AirTag on your luggage can be a great way to track the location of your belongings. An Apple AirTag 4 Pack is currently priced at $78.99 before taxes and shipping, but if you’re targeted for the 30% off American Express offer, that’ll bring the pack down to $55.30, or around $13.83 per AirTag before tax. Or, if you’re hoping to pick up a set of new Apple AirPods Pro 2, right now Amazon is selling them for $189.99. But you can knock that down even further to as low as $159.99 before taxes if you’re targeted for this offer. Even if you aren’t eligible for any of these particular Amex promotions, offers like this typically resurface many times throughout the year, so keep on checking back. Amazon often runs similar promotions for other credit cards, so check out our guides to discounts for Chase and Discover card holders to see what’s available. You might also find that even if you aren’t eligible now for one of these offers, you could magically become targeted in a few weeks, so keep on checking the link to see if you’ve been granted access. Amazon has been eagerly offers some lucrative promotions over the last few years, so keep your credit card accounts linked to your Amazon account, and if you’re targeted for any of these offers, make sure you use them before they expire at the end of the year. Also, make sure you read our guide to the best credit cards for Amazon to be sure you’re using the right card when you buy at Amazon. Looking for a travel credit card? Find out which cards CNN Underscored Money chose as the best travel credit cards currently available.",14/02/2024,"['Most American Express card members typically think of their Amex points as opportunities for amazing travel opportunities.', 'While that’s true, there’s another lesser-known use for them — redeeming them for purchases at Amazon.', 'Right now, you may be eligible for anAmazonpromotion where you can save big on Amazon purchases by redeeming as little as one Amex point.', 'Targeted American Express card members cansave as much as 30% on their next Amazon purchase, for up to $30 in savings when you use Amex points to pay for at least a portion of your purchase at checkout.', 'However, your offer may be higher or lower.', 'This offer is set to expire on June 30, 2024, so even if you aren’t in the market to shop at Amazon right now, you have some time to take advantage of the savings.', 'That said, Amazon also states it will deactivate the offer after 24,167 customers have redeemed it.', 'With many Amazon discounted offers, scoring the deal can be a little complicated.', 'But we’re going to take you through it step by step to make sure you’re getting as much of a discount as possible when you’re shopping atAmazon.', 'To start, you must have an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points.', 'Amex cards that earn other types of rewards, such as cash back or airline miles, won’t work.', 'But there are plenty of Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points — a small sampling of them is at the end of this story.', 'Next, you’ll need tolink your Amazon and American Express accounts.', 'Add your American Express card as a payment method in your Amazon account, if you haven’t already.', 'Then look for the option toenroll in “Shop with Points”under the “Your Account” tab, and click the “Enroll” button for the Amex card you just added.', 'Once your accounts are connected, you’ll need to activate the offer byclicking on this link.', 'Remember, this is a targeted promotion, so not everyone will be eligible for it — you could be targeted for any one of the offers or none of them.', 'When you click on the link, if you see a message that you’re not eligible, then you’re unfortunately not targeted for this particular promotion.', 'But even if you’re not targeted, don’t give up hope.', 'If you just enrolled in “Shop with Points,” you may need to wait 24 hours for Amazon’s records to refresh before knowing if you’re targeted, so check back in a day or so.', 'If you’re eligible, activate the offer byclicking on the “Activate now” button— the enrollment page will indicate your particular discount.', 'You can thenshop at Amazonas you normally would, though only products sold and shipped by Amazon are eligible for these discounts.', 'Additionally, Amazon gift cards are excluded, though otherthird-party retailer gift cardssold by Amazon might be eligible.', 'But wait!', 'There’s one more step.', 'When you’re ready to check out, you’ll want to make sure to select your linked American Express card as your payment method.', 'Then you’ll need to use at least 1 point to pay for your purchase for the discount to apply.', 'When paying with Amex Membership Rewards points at Amazon, 1 point equals 0.7 cents.', 'That’s not the best value you can get for Amex points.', 'Frequent flyer websiteThe Points Guyvalues Membership Rewards points as high as 2 cents each when redeemed for travel.', 'However, it’s important to note that you don’t have to pay for your entireAmazonpurchase with points to get these discounts.', 'In fact,you can use just 1 point and pay for the rest with your Amex card, and you’ll still see the discount applied to your order.', 'However, some accounts might see that you need to redeem slightly more points —714 to be exact —to receive the savings, so make sure to check the terms of your exact offer.', 'To pay with the minimum number of points required, enter $0.01 in the points section at checkout, which will apply just 1 point to your payment, You can use any number of points you want, but if you don’t make this change,Amazonmay automatically apply the maximum number of points to cover the entire purchase, so you’ll want to make sure to update the amount before you place the order.', 'Once you’ve applied at least 1 point to your payment, you’ll see the discount added to your order.', 'The discount will apply on every order you place through June 30 until you hit the total maximum in savings —which will depend on your particular offer.', 'Let’s take a look at some examples of how you can apply this discount to your upcomingAmazonpurchases, even if you don’t need anything from Amazon right at the moment.', 'With airlines having regular delays and cancellations over the last year, placing an Apple AirTag on your luggage can be a great way to track the location of your belongings.', 'An Apple AirTag 4 Pack is currently priced at $78.99 before taxes and shipping, but if you’re targeted for the 30% off American Express offer, that’ll bring the pack down to $55.30, or around $13.83 per AirTag before tax.', 'Or, if you’re hoping to pick up a set of new Apple AirPods Pro 2, right now Amazon is selling them for $189.99.', 'But you can knock that down even further to as low as $159.99 before taxes if you’re targeted for this offer.', 'Even if you aren’t eligible for any of these particular Amex promotions, offers like this typically resurface many times throughout the year, so keep on checking back.', 'Amazon often runs similar promotions for other credit cards, so check out our guides to discounts for Chase and Discover card holders to see what’s available.', 'You might also find that even if you aren’t eligible now for one of these offers, you could magically become targeted in a few weeks, so keep on checking the link to see if you’ve been granted access.', 'Amazon has been eagerly offers some lucrative promotions over the last few years, sokeep your credit card accounts linked to your Amazon account, and if you’re targeted for any of these offers, make sure you use them before they expire at the end of the year.', 'Also, make sure you read our guide to thebest credit cards for Amazonto be sure you’re using the right card when you buy at Amazon.', 'Looking for a travel credit card?', 'Find out which cardsCNN Underscored Moneychose as thebest travel credit cardscurrently available.']",0.2766683229921542,Most American Express card members typically think of their Amex points as opportunities for amazing travel opportunities.,That’s not the best value you can get for Amex points.,0.0,, Powerball jackpot soared to an estimated $750 million after no top winners Wednesday,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/powerball-jackpot-drawing/index.html," Published 4:15 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","The Powerball jackpot soared to an estimated $750 million after no ticket matched all six numbers to nab the grand prize Wednesday, according to the lottery’s website. Wednesday’s winning numbers were 13, 22, 27, 54, 66 and Powerball 9. The now larger jackpot – with an estimated cash value of $357.3 million – will be up for grabs during the next drawing on Saturday, according to Powerball’s website. The last time the Powerball jackpot was won was in January, when a ticket in Michigan scored a prize worth $842.4 million. Since then, there have been 34 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner, according to the lottery. Although there was no jackpot winner Wednesday, 27 players won at least $50,000, according to the lottery. The overall odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.9. But the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball’s website. The Powerball jackpot isn’t the only lottery prize that’s been growing this week. No one won the Mega Millions jackpot during Tuesday’s drawing, sending the grand prize for Friday’s drawing to an estimated $977 million, according to Mega Millions.",21/03/2024,"['The Powerball jackpot soared to an estimated $750 million after no ticket matched all six numbers to nab the grand prize Wednesday, according to thelottery’s website.', 'Wednesday’s winning numbers were 13, 22, 27, 54, 66 and Powerball 9.', 'The now larger jackpot – with an estimated cash value of $357.3 million – will be up for grabs during the next drawing on Saturday, according to Powerball’s website.', 'The last time the Powerball jackpot was won was in January, when a ticket in Michigan scored a prize worth $842.4 million.', 'Since then, there have been 34 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner, according to the lottery.', 'Although there was no jackpot winner Wednesday, 27 players won at least $50,000, according tothe lottery.', 'The overall odds of winning any Powerball prize are 1 in 24.9.', 'But the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball’s website.', 'The Powerball jackpot isn’t the only lottery prize that’s been growing this week.', 'No one won the Mega Millions jackpot during Tuesday’s drawing, sending the grand prize for Friday’s drawing to an estimated $977 million, according toMega Millions.']",0.5869007059546159,"The last time the Powerball jackpot was won was in January, when a ticket in Michigan scored a prize worth $842.4 million.",,0.0,, OpenAI’s wild week. How the Sam Altman story unfolded,https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/22/tech/openai-sam-altman-chaos-explained-intl-hnk/index.html," Updated 3:32 PM EST, Wed November 22, 2023 ","In a year of wild tech stories that has seen Elon Musk transform Twitter, cryptocurrency exchange FTX collapse and Silicon Valley Bank implode, this week’s whiplash-inducing turmoil at OpenAI is among the most captivating. Sam Altman — the leader of one of the world’s most influential AI companies, OpenAI, and perhaps the most visible figure in the fledgling industry — was fired Friday night by the startup’s directors in a surprise move. Less than five days later, he’s back as the company’s CEO, now with a board that is, in theory, more supportive of his vision. The series of extraordinary events unfolded just days after OpenAI held its first-ever developer conference, where it laid out new, commercialized versions of its technology, including the option to customize its ChatGPT AI chatbot. If you’re just catching up, here’s what you missed from a week so incredible you’d be forgiven for thinking the script could have been written by an early version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Around 3 p.m. ET, Altman joined a Google Meet call with most of OpenAI’s board that had been convened by fellow co-founder and OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, during which Altman was fired and told that the news would soon be made public. Within the next half hour, the board also informed Greg Brockman, another co-founder and OpenAI president, that he would be removed from the board. Around 3:30 p.m. ET, OpenAI publicly announced that it had fired Altman over concerns that he was not always truthful with the board. The board said Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer, would become interim CEO. OpenAI’s strategic partners, including its biggest financial backer Microsoft, were also reportedly informed of Altman’s ouster just minutes before the board’s announcement. Hours after being fired, Altman posted on X that he “loved working with such talented people” and that he would have “more to say about what’s next later.” Brockman promptly quit. “Please don’t spend any time being concerned. We will be fine,” Brockman said in a Friday post on X. “Greater things coming soon.” A key factor in the CEO’s firing was tension between Altman, who favored developing AI more aggressively, and members of the OpenAI board, who wanted to move more cautiously, according to CNN contributor Kara Swisher, who spoke to sources knowledgeable about the unfolding events. Within 24 hours of Altman being fired, reports emerged that he and other ex-OpenAI loyalists were mulling plans for their own venture. OpenAI’s board was also reportedly having second thoughts and considering asking the ousted CEO to return. By Sunday afternoon, Altman was back at OpenAI’s headquarters — this time with a guest badge — to negotiate his potential return. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reportedly mediated the discussion. A 5 p.m. PT deadline was reportedly set for the board to agree to Altman’s demands, including adding a seat for Microsoft, and reinstating him as CEO. But those talks broke down. As Sunday turned into Monday, Nadella tweeted that Altman, along with Brockman, would join Microsoft to run a new AI research group. At OpenAI, the group found a new interim CEO: Emmett Shear, the former CEO of Amazon’s streaming service, Twitch. Murati would return to her role as OpenAI’s chief technology officer. In a post on X early Monday, Shear, who left his role at Twitch in March, described the chance to join OpenAI as “a once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity. He added that the company would hire an independent investigator to report on what happened in the lead-up to Altman’s firing. But OpenAI employees were not convinced. More than 500 staffers signed an open letter calling on the company’s board to resign and reinstate Altman and Brockman. They also threatened to follow the co-founders to Microsoft if their demands were not met. Altman posted on X, saying, “we have more unity and commitment and focus than ever before. we are all going to work together some way or other, and i’m so excited. one team, one mission.” The drama was far from over. The Verge reported Monday afternoon that Altman and Brockman could still return to OpenAI if the board members who fired him resign. And Nadella, speaking to CNBC, said he was “open to both options” when asked whether Altman would actually join Microsoft. “Look, that is for the OpenAI board and management and the employees to choose,” Nadella said. “We chose to explicitly partner with OpenAI and we want to continue to do so, and obviously, that depends on the people of OpenAI staying there or coming to Microsoft.” Altman was reinstated late Tuesday as OpenAI’s CEO, the company said on X. “We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board,” the company said, adding that the board will be chaired by Bret Taylor, a former co-CEO of Salesforce. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers will also join the board, alongside existing director, Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo. “We are collaborating to figure out the details,” it said. In his own post on X, formerly Twitter, Altman wrote that he is “looking forward” to returning to OpenAI and building on the firm’s “strong partnership” with Microsoft. It’s unclear how Shear will be affected by Altman’s return. Posting on X, Shear wrote: “I am deeply pleased by this result, after (some) 72 very intense hours of work … I’m glad to have been a part of the solution.” Brockman is also returning to OpenAI, according to his post on X. Ultimately, Microsoft and Altman appear to be the big winners from the dust-up: Altman will continue leading the firm he helped to found. And Microsoft has wrested more control over the company it has backed with billions to bolster its ambitions in developing AI. “We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board,” Nadella said on X. “We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.”",22/11/2023,"['In a year of wild tech stories that has seen Elon Musk transform Twitter, cryptocurrency exchange FTX collapse and Silicon Valley Bank implode, this week’s whiplash-inducing turmoil at OpenAI is among the most captivating.', 'Sam Altman — the leader of one of the world’s most influential AI companies, OpenAI, and perhaps themost visible figure in the fledgling industry — was fired Friday night by the startup’s directors in a surprise move.', 'Less than five days later, he’s back as the company’s CEO, now with a board that is, in theory, more supportive of his vision.', 'The series of extraordinary events unfolded just days after OpenAI held itsfirst-ever developer conference, where it laid out new, commercialized versions of its technology, including the option to customize its ChatGPT AI chatbot.', 'If you’re just catching up, here’s what you missed from a week so incredible you’d be forgiven for thinking the script could have been written by an early version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.', 'Around 3 p.m. ET, Altman joined a Google Meet call with most of OpenAI’s board that had been convened by fellow co-founder and OpenAI chief scientistIlya Sutskever, during which Altman was fired and told that the news would soon be made public.', 'Within the next half hour, the board also informed Greg Brockman, another co-founder and OpenAI president, that he would be removed from the board.', 'Around 3:30 p.m. ET, OpenAI publicly announced that it had fired Altman over concerns that he was not always truthful with the board.', 'The board said Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer, would become interim CEO.', 'OpenAI’s strategic partners, including its biggest financial backer Microsoft, were also reportedly informed of Altman’s ouster just minutes before the board’s announcement.', 'Hours after being fired, Altman posted on X that he “loved working with such talented people” and that he would have “more to say about what’s next later.”', 'Brockman promptly quit. “', 'Please don’t spend any time being concerned.', 'We will be fine,” Brockmansaid in a Friday poston X. “Greater things coming soon.”', 'A key factor in the CEO’s firing wastension between Altman, who favored developing AImore aggressively, and members of the OpenAI board, who wanted to move more cautiously,according to CNN contributor Kara Swisher,who spoke to sources knowledgeable about the unfolding events.', 'Within 24 hours of Altman being fired, reports emerged that he and other ex-OpenAI loyalists were mulling plans for their own venture.', 'OpenAI’s board was also reportedly having second thoughts and considering asking the ousted CEO to return.', 'By Sunday afternoon, Altman wasback at OpenAI’s headquarters— this time with a guest badge — to negotiate his potential return.', 'Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reportedly mediated the discussion.', 'A 5 p.m. PT deadline was reportedly set for the board to agree to Altman’s demands, including adding a seat for Microsoft, and reinstating him as CEO.', 'But those talks broke down.', 'As Sunday turned into Monday, Nadella tweeted that Altman, along with Brockman, would join Microsoft to run a new AI research group.', 'At OpenAI, the group found a new interim CEO: Emmett Shear, the former CEO of Amazon’s streaming service, Twitch.', 'Murati would return to her role as OpenAI’s chief technology officer.', 'In a post on X early Monday, Shear, who left his role at Twitch in March, described the chance to join OpenAI as “a once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity.', 'He added that the company would hire an independent investigator to report on what happened in the lead-up to Altman’s firing.', 'But OpenAI employees were not convinced.', 'More than 500 staffers signed an open letter calling on the company’s board to resign and reinstate Altman and Brockman.', 'They also threatened to follow the co-founders to Microsoft if their demands were not met.', 'Altman posted on X, saying, “we have more unity and commitment and focus than ever before.', 'we are all going to work together some way or other, and i’m so excited.', 'one team, one mission.”', 'The drama was far from over.', 'The Verge reported Monday afternoonthat Altman and Brockman could still return to OpenAI if the board members who fired him resign.', 'And Nadella, speaking to CNBC, said he was “open to both options” when asked whether Altman would actually join Microsoft.', '“Look, that is for the OpenAI board and management and the employees to choose,” Nadella said. “', 'We chose to explicitly partner with OpenAI and we want to continue to do so, and obviously, that depends on the people of OpenAI staying there or coming to Microsoft.”', 'Altmanwas reinstated late Tuesday as OpenAI’s CEO, the company said on X. “We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board,” the company said, adding that the board will be chaired by Bret Taylor, a former co-CEO of Salesforce.', 'Former Treasury SecretaryLarry Summers will also join the board, alongside existing director, Quora CEOAdam D’Angelo.', '“We are collaborating to figure out the details,” it said.', 'In his own post on X, formerly Twitter, Altmanwrotethat he is “looking forward” to returning to OpenAI and building on the firm’s “strong partnership” with Microsoft.', 'It’s unclear how Shear will be affected by Altman’s return.', 'Posting on X, Shear wrote:“I am deeply pleased by this result, after (some) 72 very intense hours of work … I’m glad to have been a part of the solution.”', 'Brockman is also returning to OpenAI, according to hispost on X. Ultimately, Microsoft and Altman appear to be the big winners from the dust-up: Altman will continue leading the firm he helped to found.', 'And Microsoft has wrested more control over the company it has backed with billions to bolster its ambitions in developing AI.', '“We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board,” Nadellasaidon X. “We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.”']",0.062777217389235,"“We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board,” Nadellasaidon X. “We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.”","Around 3:30 p.m. ET, OpenAI publicly announced that it had fired Altman over concerns that he was not always truthful with the board.",0.0,, Your complete guide to earning and redeeming points in the Citi ThankYou Rewards program,https://edition.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/travel/citi-thankyou-points-rewards," Updated 12:10 PM EST, Wed January 10, 2024 ","The Citi ThankYou Rewards program has evolved over the past decade and is now a formidable competitor with established programs like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards. Citi’s got a relatively small portfolio of quality credit cards and a rewarding program to boot. In fact, its credit cards offer some of the most generous category bonuses in exchange for reasonable annual fees. When it comes to redeeming your hard-earned points, Citi has an impressive transfer partner list that makes it possible to maximize your rewards for travel bookings. And if you don’t want to learn the ins and outs of various loyalty programs, Citi also gives you the option to use points for statement credits and direct travel bookings. If you’re curious about how the Citi ThankYou program works, here’s everything you need to know about how to get the most out of the program for travel. You can earn Citi ThankYou points in numerous ways. The easiest is through credit card sign-up bonuses, which range depending on the card. But that’s not the only way to earn points in this program. Between checking account bonuses and authorized user incentives, there are many ways to earn ThankYou points beyond credit cards. Citi has a small but mighty credit card lineup, offering generous welcome bonuses and ongoing rewards. The issuer’s credit cards are generally split into two categories: traditional ThankYou points-earning cards and cash back cards. However, recently, Citi made a change to its program that now sees its cash back credit cards earning ThankYou Rewards points, which can also be redeemed for traditional cash back. Citi has two cards that earn ThankYou points directly. These cards are ideal for maximizing rewards on everyday purchases, with the Citi Premier® Card and Citi Rewards+® Card specifically offering significant bonuses in those everyday categories. As mentioned, there are also a number of other traditional cash back credit cards in the Citi portfolio that allow you to boost your earnings. They can be incredibly valuable, considering the Citi® Double Cash Card earns 2% on everything. By adding this card to your wallet, you’ll earn a minimum of 2 ThankYou points per dollar spent on all purchases that aren’t eligible for the bonus categories on the Citi Premier or Rewards+ cards. Considering Citi’s cash back cards have no annual fees, adding one to your wallet could make a lot of sense. You’ll enhance your point earning across the board without additional annual fees. By combining the Citi cards you have in your wallet, you can maximize your earnings and ensure you continue to work your way toward your next redemption. Adding an authorized user can help you earn more Citi points in two ways: bonus points for adding someone and for all of their purchases. First, you’ll sometimes get bonus points just for adding someone to your account. Citi frequently sends out authorized user bonuses to targeted card holders. These bonuses are typically around 2,500 bonus points but can vary. Secondly, you’ll earn Citi ThankYou points based on all the spending your authorized user puts on their card. Of course, you’ll only want to consider adding a member of your household or someone you trust to pay you back as an authorized user on your account. Authorized users can make charges on the credit card they’ve been added to but have no liability when it comes to paying the bill — that onus falls on you, the primary card holder. If you’d like to earn even more ThankYou points, you can do so with a checking account. That’s because Citi offers several checking accounts that earn ThankYou points as a benefit: The Citigold, Citi Priority, Citi Private Bank and Citibank Account. With these accounts, you can earn up to 1,600 points per month on everyday banking activities. The exact number of ThankYou points you’ll earn depends on your account type and qualifying activities. Generally, Citigold, Citi Priority and Citi Private Bank accounts earn the most points. Sharing points is a great way to consolidate existing points with a significant other or family member. Citi ThankYou is one of the few programs that allows members to share points free of charge. The only stipulation is that you can only share points with someone who has a Citi ThankYou card, and Citi Custom Cash card holders are not eligible. It’s worth noting that shared points expire 90 days after receipt. So you shouldn’t transfer points unless you or the person you’re sending them to has an immediate use for them. Also, note that you can’t send or receive more than 100,000 points per calendar year. Once you’ve earned a slew of Citi ThankYou points comes the fun part of redeeming them. And thankfully, Citi offers many different ways for you to redeem your ThankYou points. You’ll get the most bang for your buck by redeeming points for travel, though that’s certainly not the only option. Here’s a look at your Citi ThankYou travel redemption options and how they work. Transferring points will get you the most value from your Citi ThankYou points. Citi has 18 airline and hotel partners, most of which you can transfer points to at a 1-to-1 ratio — however, that ratio can vary. You can redeem them for stays at all-inclusive resorts, international business-class tickets, domestic award flights and more. But keep in mind that not all airline and hotel loyalty programs are equal. Ultimately, you’ll want to research which program will offer you the most in return, depending on what your travel plans are. Like with the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, Capital One miles and American Express Membership Rewards program, you’ll need to link your accounts with each of the transfer partners, and you’ll also need to search for award availability with the airline of your choice before transferring any points. If you’re interested in transferring your Citi ThankYou points to a travel partner, these are your 18 options as well as the transfer rate. By transferring Citi ThankYou points to partner airlines, you unlock the ability to travel for next to nothing — in most cases when redeeming travel rewards, you’ll just have to pay the taxes and fees on a ticket. As a result, points and miles open up the door for flying experiences that would otherwise be out of reach. Keep in mind that the most obvious airline choice may not always be your best option. Airlines typically have extensive alliance networks, allowing you to redeem points for partner airlines through their respective programs. For example, Delta Air Lines and Air France/KLM are both members of the SkyTeam alliance, meaning you can transfer your Citi ThankYou points to Flying Blue and redeem for flights operated by Delta Air Lines. Citi’s airline partners will get you the most value for your points, especially if you redeem them for business- and first-class travel. That being said, Citi’s airline partners offer several sweet spot awards. These heavily discounted awards will save you points on travel and make earning ThankYou points worthwhile. Some of these sweet spots awards that will get you maximum value for your ThankYou points include the following: Generally speaking, you’ll get the most value out of your Citi ThankYou points by transferring them to airline or hotel partners. But that may not always make sense for all card holders — and it’s not your only option. Citi ThankYou points are worth 1 cent each when you use them to book travel through the Citi ThankYou portal. That’s significantly less than the value you’ll get from transfer partner redemptions. While transferring points is the best way to maximize your ThankYou points, doing so isn’t always possible. If that’s the case — or if you’re not interested in researching award availability — redeeming at a fixed value for travel via the ThankYou portal is a decent option. Citi offers several fixed redemption options where you’ll redeem your points at 1 cent per point. This is ideal for folks who would rather leverage points for daily expenses than travel bookings. While redeeming points this way isn’t advisable, as you won’t get as much value out of each point, you should use them however they suit you best. For example, if you have no travel plans in the foreseeable future but mounting expenses at home, then redeeming your ThankYou points for mortgage or student loan payments might make sense. Here are some additional ways you can redeem your ThankYou points: Generally speaking, if you’re looking to get the most value out of your Citi ThankYou points, your worst option is when redeeming for a fixed value. However, if you’re willing to sacrifice the value of your points and instead want to save some cash, it could be a solid option. Ultimately, every card holder’s goals for their points will be different, but it’s good that you have options with ThankYou points. Citi ThankYou points are worth about 1.7 cents each when you redeem them for travel through transfer partners, according to frequent flyer website The Points Guy. The exact amount varies depending on the cabin and destination you’re flying to. Generally speaking, you’ll get the most value by redeeming points for international business- and first-class flights. While 1.7 cents per point isn’t guaranteed for all redemptions, it’s a number you should aim for if you want to redeem ThankYou points for maximum value. Aside from travel redemptions, you can use ThankYou points for mortgage payments, student loans, statement credits or charitable contributions, and they’re worth 1 cent apiece. Citi ThankYou points are an incredibly valuable currency and can help you meet your most aspirational travel goals. Whether you’re using points for domestic or international travel, Citi’s wide selection of transfer partners offers terrific redemption value. Between a good credit card selection, top-notch travel partners and flexibility in use, Citi ThankYou points are definitely worth adding to your points portfolio. Looking for a new travel credit card? Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the best credit cards currently available. Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they’re subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.",10/01/2024,"['The Citi ThankYou Rewards program has evolved over the past decade and is now a formidable competitor with established programs like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.', 'Citi’s got a relatively small portfolio of quality credit cards and a rewarding program to boot.', 'In fact, its credit cards offer some of the most generous category bonuses in exchange for reasonable annual fees.', 'When it comes to redeeming your hard-earned points, Citi has an impressive transfer partner list that makes it possible to maximize your rewards for travel bookings.', 'And if you don’t want to learn the ins and outs of various loyalty programs, Citi also gives you the option to use points for statement credits and direct travel bookings.', 'If you’re curious about how the Citi ThankYou program works, here’s everything you need to know about how to get the most out of the program for travel.', 'You can earn Citi ThankYou points in numerous ways.', 'The easiest is through credit card sign-up bonuses, which range depending on the card.', 'But that’s not the only way to earn points in this program.', 'Between checking account bonuses and authorized user incentives, there are many ways to earn ThankYou points beyond credit cards.', 'Citi has a small but mighty credit card lineup, offering generous welcome bonuses and ongoing rewards.', 'The issuer’s credit cards are generally split into two categories: traditional ThankYou points-earning cards andcash back cards.', 'However, recently, Citi made a change to its program that now sees its cash back credit cards earning ThankYou Rewards points, which can also be redeemed for traditional cash back.', 'Citi has two cards that earn ThankYou points directly.', 'These cards are ideal for maximizing rewards on everyday purchases, with the Citi Premier® Card and Citi Rewards+® Card specifically offering significant bonuses in those everyday categories.', 'As mentioned, there are also a number of other traditionalcash back credit cardsin the Citi portfolio that allow you to boost your earnings.', 'They can be incredibly valuable, considering the Citi® Double Cash Card earns 2% on everything.', 'By adding this card to your wallet, you’ll earn a minimum of 2 ThankYou points per dollar spent on all purchases that aren’t eligible for the bonus categories on the Citi Premier or Rewards+ cards.', 'Considering Citi’s cash back cards have no annual fees, adding one to your wallet could make a lot of sense.', 'You’ll enhance your point earning across the board without additional annual fees.', 'By combining the Citi cards you have in your wallet, you can maximize your earnings and ensure you continue to work your way toward your next redemption.', 'Adding an authorized user can help you earn more Citi points in two ways: bonus points for adding someone and for all of their purchases.', 'First, you’ll sometimes get bonus points just for adding someone to your account.', 'Citi frequently sends out authorized user bonuses to targeted card holders.', 'These bonuses are typically around 2,500 bonus points but can vary.', 'Secondly, you’ll earn Citi ThankYou points based on all the spending your authorized user puts on their card.', 'Of course, you’ll only want to consider adding a member of your household or someone you trust to pay you back as anauthorized useron your account.', 'Authorized users can make charges on the credit card they’ve been added to but have no liability when it comes to paying the bill — that onus falls on you, the primary card holder.', 'If you’d like to earn even more ThankYou points, you can do so with a checking account.', 'That’s because Citi offers several checking accounts that earn ThankYou points as a benefit: The Citigold, Citi Priority, Citi Private Bank and Citibank Account.', 'With these accounts, you can earn up to 1,600 points per month on everyday banking activities.', 'The exact number of ThankYou points you’ll earn depends on your account type and qualifying activities.', 'Generally, Citigold, Citi Priority and Citi Private Bank accounts earn the most points.', 'Sharing points is a great way to consolidate existing points with a significant other or family member.', 'Citi ThankYou is one of the few programs that allows members to share points free of charge.', 'The only stipulation is that you can only share points with someone who has a Citi ThankYou card, and Citi Custom Cash card holders are not eligible.', 'It’s worth noting that shared points expire 90 days after receipt.', 'So you shouldn’t transfer points unless you or the person you’re sending them to has an immediate use for them.', 'Also, note that you can’t send or receive more than 100,000 points per calendar year.', 'Once you’ve earned a slew of Citi ThankYou points comes the fun part of redeeming them.', 'And thankfully, Citi offers many different ways for you to redeem your ThankYou points.', 'You’ll get the most bang for your buck by redeeming points for travel, though that’s certainly not the only option.', 'Here’s a look at your Citi ThankYou travel redemption options and how they work.', 'Transferring points will get you the most value from your Citi ThankYou points.', 'Citi has 18 airline and hotel partners, most of which you can transfer points to at a 1-to-1 ratio — however, that ratio can vary.', 'You can redeem them for stays atall-inclusive resorts,international business-class tickets, domestic award flights and more.', 'But keep in mind that not all airline and hotel loyalty programs are equal.', 'Ultimately, you’ll want to research which program will offer you the most in return, depending on what your travel plans are.', 'Like with the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, Capital One miles andAmerican Express Membership Rewards program, you’ll need to link your accounts with each of the transfer partners, and you’ll also need to search for award availability with the airline of your choice before transferring any points.', 'If you’re interested in transferring your Citi ThankYou points to a travel partner, these are your 18 options as well as the transfer rate.', 'By transferring Citi ThankYou points to partner airlines, you unlock the ability to travel for next to nothing — in most cases when redeeming travel rewards, you’ll just have to pay the taxes and fees on a ticket.', 'As a result, points and miles open up the door for flying experiences that would otherwise be out of reach.', 'Keep in mind that the most obvious airline choice may not always be your best option.', 'Airlines typically have extensive alliance networks, allowing you to redeem points for partner airlines through their respective programs.', 'For example, Delta Air Lines and Air France/KLM are both members of the SkyTeam alliance, meaning you can transfer your Citi ThankYou points to Flying Blue and redeem for flights operated by Delta Air Lines.', 'Citi’s airline partners will get you the most value for your points, especially if you redeem them for business- and first-class travel.', 'That being said, Citi’s airline partners offer several sweet spot awards.', 'These heavily discounted awards will save you points on travel and make earning ThankYou points worthwhile.', 'Some of these sweet spots awards that will get you maximum value for your ThankYou points include the following: Generally speaking, you’ll get the most value out of your Citi ThankYou points by transferring them to airline or hotel partners.', 'But that may not always make sense for all card holders — and it’s not your only option.', 'Citi ThankYou points are worth 1 cent each when you use them to book travel through the Citi ThankYou portal.', 'That’s significantly less than the value you’ll get from transfer partner redemptions.', 'While transferring points is the best way to maximize your ThankYou points, doing so isn’t always possible.', 'If that’s the case — or if you’re not interested in researching award availability — redeeming at a fixed value for travel via the ThankYou portal is a decent option.', 'Citi offers several fixed redemption options where you’ll redeem your points at 1 cent per point.', 'This is ideal for folks who would rather leverage points for daily expenses than travel bookings.', 'While redeeming points this way isn’t advisable, as you won’t get as much value out of each point, you should use them however they suit you best.', 'For example, if you have no travel plans in the foreseeable future but mounting expenses at home, then redeeming your ThankYou points for mortgage or student loan payments might make sense.', 'Here are some additional ways you can redeem your ThankYou points: Generally speaking, if you’re looking to get the most value out of your Citi ThankYou points, your worst option is when redeeming for a fixed value.', 'However, if you’re willing to sacrifice the value of your points and instead want to save some cash, it could be a solid option.', 'Ultimately, every card holder’s goals for their points will be different, but it’s good that you have options with ThankYou points.', 'Citi ThankYou points are worth about 1.7 cents each when you redeem them for travel through transfer partners, according to frequent flyer website The Points Guy.', 'The exact amount varies depending on the cabin and destination you’re flying to.', 'Generally speaking, you’ll get the most value by redeeming points for international business- and first-class flights.', 'While 1.7 cents per point isn’t guaranteed for all redemptions, it’s a number you should aim for if you want to redeem ThankYou points for maximum value.', 'Aside from travel redemptions, you can use ThankYou points for mortgage payments, student loans, statement credits or charitable contributions, and they’re worth 1 cent apiece.', 'Citi ThankYou points are an incredibly valuable currency and can help you meet your most aspirational travel goals.', 'Whether you’re using points for domestic or international travel, Citi’s wide selection of transfer partners offers terrific redemption value.', 'Between a good credit card selection, top-notch travel partners and flexibility in use, Citi ThankYou points are definitely worth adding to your points portfolio.', 'Looking for a new travel credit card?', 'Check out CNN Underscored’s list of thebest credit cardscurrently available.', 'Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.', 'Note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they’re subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.']",0.419572580688158,"Citi has a small but mighty credit card lineup, offering generous welcome bonuses and ongoing rewards.","Authorized users can make charges on the credit card they’ve been added to but have no liability when it comes to paying the bill — that onus falls on you, the primary card holder.",0.0,, "Dow closes just points away from 40,000 as US markets rally to new records",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/investing/stocks-dow-40000-rally-markets-fed/index.html," Updated 4:06 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Thursday was a pretty good day for Wall Street — the Dow Jones Industrial Average is closing in on the 40,000 threshold for the first time in its 128-year history as markets rallied to new highs. The Federal Reserve sent stocks soaring on Wednesday after officials kept interest rates unchanged and maintained their forecast for three rate cuts this year. All three major indexes ended the day at new highs and the S&P 500 crossed the key 5,200 level for the first time. That record-setting boom continued when all three indexes hit new highs once again at the close of Thursday’s session. The blue-chip Dow gained 269 points, or 0.7% to set a new record at 39,781.5. The S&P 500 was up 0.3%, reaching an all-time high of 5,241.53, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq grew 0.2% also breaking its record to reach 16,401.84. European and Asian stocks also climbed as the party went global. Switzerland’s central bank became the first from a wealthy, advanced economy to cut its interest rate on Thursday and the Bank of England kept its rate unchanged. Traders in the US are now expecting a nearly 74% chance that the Fed begins cutting rates in June, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool. That’s up from a 59% forecast last week. It’s was a busy day for investors, and Reddit added to the clamor as the popular online forum made its trading debut on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ‘RDDT’. The company priced its initial public offering at $34 a share on Wednesday. That gives Reddit a value of about $6.5 billion. Shares started trading at $47 on Thursday afternoon and reached a high of $57.80, up 70% from its initial price offering of $34. At its peak, shares of the stock had a market cap Thursday of about $10.9 billion. RDDT ended the day up more than 48%.",21/03/2024,"['Thursday was a pretty good day for Wall Street — the Dow Jones Industrial Average is closing in on the 40,000 threshold for the first time in its 128-year history as markets rallied to new highs.', 'The Federal Reserve sent stocks soaring on Wednesday after officials kept interest rates unchanged and maintained their forecast for three rate cuts this year.', 'All three major indexes ended the day at new highs and the S&P 500 crossed the key 5,200 level for the first time.', 'That record-setting boom continued when all three indexes hit new highs once again at the close of Thursday’s session.', 'The blue-chip Dow gained 269 points, or 0.7% to set a new record at 39,781.5.', 'The S&P 500 was up 0.3%, reaching an all-time high of 5,241.53, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq grew 0.2% also breaking its record to reach 16,401.84.', 'European and Asian stocks also climbed as the party went global.', 'Switzerland’s central bank became the first from a wealthy, advanced economy to cut its interest rate on Thursday and the Bank of England kept its rate unchanged.', 'Traders in the US are now expecting a nearly 74% chance that the Fed begins cutting rates in June, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool.', 'That’s up from a 59% forecast last week.', 'It’s was a busy day for investors, and Reddit added to the clamor as the popular online forum made its trading debut on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ‘RDDT’.', 'The company priced its initial public offering at $34 a share on Wednesday.', 'That gives Reddit a value of about $6.5 billion.', 'Shares started trading at $47 on Thursday afternoon and reached a high of $57.80, up 70% from its initial price offering of $34.', 'At its peak, shares of the stock had a market cap Thursday of about $10.9 billion.', 'RDDT ended the day up more than 48%.']",0.2788899648122159,"Thursday was a pretty good day for Wall Street — the Dow Jones Industrial Average is closing in on the 40,000 threshold for the first time in its 128-year history as markets rallied to new highs.",,0.0,, "Green bubbles, Apple Pay and other reasons why America says Apple is breaking the law",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/tech/america-apple-monopoly/index.html," Published 12:26 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","“Buy your mom an iPhone.” That was Apple CEO Tim Cook’s famous response at Vox’s 2022 Code Conference, when a reporter complained that her mother couldn’t see the videos she texted to her mom’s Android phone because they were grainy and slow. It’s also a quip that US Attorney General Merrick Garland quoted – and sharply criticized – Thursday at a press conference announcing the Justice Department’s landmark antitrust lawsuit against Apple, in which the Biden administration and 16 states allege Apple is illegally abusing the iPhone’s monopoly power in the smartphone market. The massive lawsuit against one of the world’s largest companies claims Apple is breaking the law by carefully curating its app store and customer experience, designed to lure customers in and keep them buying Apple products and services – to the exclusion of competitors. Apple, in a statement, said it disagreed with the lawsuit and would fight it vigorously. “This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets,” the company said. If successful, the suit could force Apple to loosen some of the restrictions it has placed on its “walled garden” approach to hardware and software. It could be made to open up its iPhone to alternative app stores and its technologies like iMessage with Android phones. The Justice Department, in its complaint, highlighted five ways it says Apple is abusing its dominant position to the detriment of Americans. With iMessage, Apple created an enhanced text messaging service that allows people to seamlessly communicate with one another, sending rich text, high-quality video and audio that uploads almost instantly – as long as it’s sent to another iPhone customer. When those messages get sent to people with Android phones, they appear grainy, they can be slow to load, and they can miss out on key features like emoji responses, editing functionality and end-to-end encryption. The dreaded “green bubbles” that mark Android users within iMessage – and particularly the lower-quality performance – are illegal, the Justice Department alleges. “As any iPhone user who has ever seen a green text message, or received a tiny, grainy video can attest — Apple’s anticompetitive conduct also includes making it more difficult for iPhone users to message with users of non-Apple products,” Garland said on Thursday. “As a result, iPhone users perceive rival smartphones as being lower quality because the experience of messaging friends and family who do not own iPhones is worse — even though Apple is the one responsible for breaking cross-platform messaging. And it does so intentionally.” Apple last year said it would adopt a new standard of technology for communication with Android phones that will open up some, but not all, of those features. The green bubbles will remain. Apple helped revolutionize the way we pay for things, tying customers’ credit cards to technology inside iPhones to make payments more secure and seamless. And Apple takes a tiny payment for each transaction. But Apple Pay is the only way iPhone owners can pay for stuff using that technology on an iPhone. Apple, citing security reasons, doesn’t allow third-party apps to access the chip that allows for iPhones to make mobile payments. It also could entice some customers to stick with iPhones when they’d otherwise switch to a competitor, the lawsuit alleges. “Apple also deprives users of the benefits and innovations third-party wallets would provide,” the Justice Department said in its complaint. “Cross-platform digital wallets would offer an easier, more seamless, and potentially more secure way for users to switch from the iPhone to another smartphone.” Apple Watch, one of Apple’s most successful products, is not compatible with Android phones – on purpose, the Justice Department alleges. Although some smartwatches work seamlessly with any kind of smartphone, Apple Watches, a market leader, require iPhones to operate. That locks customers into Apple’s ecosystem of hardware and software, forcing Apple Watch customers to buy iPhones. “Apple uses smartwatches, a costly accessory, to prevent iPhone customers from choosing other phones,” the Justice Department said in its complaint. “Having copied the idea of a smartwatch from third-party developers, Apple now prevents those developers from innovating and limits the Apple Watch to the iPhone to prevent a negative ‘impact to iPhone sales.’” The only way to get apps on an iPhone is through Apple’s proprietary app store. Apple has long claimed that its approach to maintaining what apps can and cannot be used on an iPhone helps customers. It prevents spam and harmful apps, Apple says. It forces apps into Apple’s onerous limitations and expensive 30% commissions, the Justice Department argues. And it limits competition. For example, the Justice Department cites cloud-based gaming app stores as a service that Apple illegally prevents from appearing on an iPhone. Companies that want to stream games to customers have to load each individual game to the app store, which prevents companies from marketing and selling potentially powerful and popular competitive technology to customers. Apple forces app developers to write code specifically for its operating system, restricting developers from coding using universal languages that could offer a single app experience across any device. That prevents apps from becoming “super apps” – apps that run identically on Apple’s iOS iPhone operating system and Google’s Android OS. Apple also restricts “mini programs” – apps within apps that effectively run on the web. The Justice Department says that requirement locks developers into Apple’s system. “Since at least 2017, Apple has arbitrarily imposed exclusionary requirements that unnecessarily and unjustifiably restrict mini programs and super apps,” the Justice Department said in its complaint. “Apple exerted its control over app distribution to stifle others’ innovation.”",21/03/2024,"['“Buy your mom an iPhone.”', 'That was Apple CEO Tim Cook’s famous response at Vox’s 2022 Code Conference, when a reporter complained that her mother couldn’t see the videos she texted to her mom’s Android phone because they were grainy and slow.', 'It’s also a quip that US Attorney General Merrick Garland quoted – and sharply criticized – Thursday at a press conference announcing the Justice Department’s landmark antitrust lawsuit against Apple, in which the Biden administration and 16 states allege Apple is illegally abusing the iPhone’s monopoly power in the smartphone market.', 'The massive lawsuit against one of the world’s largest companies claims Apple is breaking the law by carefully curating its app store and customer experience, designed to lure customers in and keep them buying Apple products and services – to the exclusion of competitors.', 'Apple, in a statement, said it disagreed with the lawsuit and would fight it vigorously.', '“This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets,” the company said.', 'If successful, the suit could force Apple to loosen some of the restrictions it has placed on its “walled garden” approach to hardware and software.', 'It could be made to open up its iPhone to alternative app stores and its technologies like iMessage with Android phones.', 'The Justice Department, in its complaint, highlighted five ways it says Apple is abusing its dominant position to the detriment of Americans.', 'With iMessage, Apple created an enhanced text messaging service that allows people to seamlessly communicate with one another, sending rich text, high-quality video and audio that uploads almost instantly – as long as it’s sent to another iPhone customer.', 'When those messages get sent to people with Android phones, they appear grainy, they can be slow to load, and they can miss out on key features like emoji responses, editing functionality and end-to-end encryption.', 'The dreaded “green bubbles” that mark Android users within iMessage – and particularly the lower-quality performance – are illegal, the Justice Department alleges.', '“As any iPhone user who has ever seen a green text message, or received a tiny, grainy video can attest — Apple’s anticompetitive conduct also includes making it more difficult for iPhone users to message with users of non-Apple products,” Garland said on Thursday. “', 'As a result, iPhone users perceive rival smartphones as being lower quality because the experience of messaging friends and family who do not own iPhones is worse — even though Apple is the one responsible for breaking cross-platform messaging.', 'And it does so intentionally.”', 'Apple last year said it would adopt a new standard of technology for communication with Android phones that will open up some, but not all, of those features.', 'The green bubbles will remain.', 'Apple helped revolutionize the way we pay for things, tying customers’ credit cards to technology inside iPhones to make payments more secure and seamless.', 'And Apple takes a tiny payment for each transaction.', 'But Apple Pay is the only way iPhone owners can pay for stuff using that technology on an iPhone.', 'Apple, citing security reasons, doesn’t allow third-party apps to access the chip that allows for iPhones to make mobile payments.', 'It also could entice some customers to stick with iPhones when they’d otherwise switch to a competitor, the lawsuit alleges.', '“Apple also deprives users of the benefits and innovations third-party wallets would provide,” the Justice Department said in its complaint. “', 'Cross-platform digital wallets would offer an easier, more seamless, and potentially more secure way for users to switch from the iPhone to another smartphone.”', 'Apple Watch, one of Apple’s most successful products, is not compatible with Android phones – on purpose, the Justice Department alleges.', 'Although some smartwatches work seamlessly with any kind of smartphone, Apple Watches, a market leader, require iPhones to operate.', 'That locks customers into Apple’s ecosystem of hardware and software, forcing Apple Watch customers to buy iPhones.', '“Apple uses smartwatches, a costly accessory, to prevent iPhone customers from choosing other phones,” the Justice Department said in its complaint. “', 'Having copied the idea of a smartwatch from third-party developers, Apple now prevents those developers from innovating and limits the Apple Watch to the iPhone to prevent a negative ‘impact to iPhone sales.’”', 'The only way to get apps on an iPhone is through Apple’s proprietary app store.', 'Apple has long claimed that its approach to maintaining what apps can and cannot be used on an iPhone helps customers.', 'It prevents spam and harmful apps, Apple says.', 'It forces apps into Apple’s onerous limitations and expensive 30% commissions, the Justice Department argues.', 'And it limits competition.', 'For example, the Justice Department cites cloud-based gaming app stores as a service that Apple illegally prevents from appearing on an iPhone.', 'Companies that want to stream games to customers have to load each individual game to the app store, which prevents companies from marketing and selling potentially powerful and popular competitive technology to customers.', 'Apple forces app developers to write code specifically for its operating system, restricting developers from coding using universal languages that could offer a single app experience across any device.', 'That prevents apps from becoming “super apps” – apps that run identically on Apple’s iOS iPhone operating system and Google’s Android OS.', 'Apple also restricts “mini programs” – apps within apps that effectively run on the web.', 'The Justice Department says that requirement locks developers into Apple’s system.', '“Since at least 2017, Apple has arbitrarily imposed exclusionary requirements that unnecessarily and unjustifiably restrict mini programs and super apps,” the Justice Department said in its complaint. “', 'Apple exerted its control over app distribution to stifle others’ innovation.”']",0.1253723688452146,"Apple Watch, one of Apple’s most successful products, is not compatible with Android phones – on purpose, the Justice Department alleges.","The dreaded “green bubbles” that mark Android users within iMessage – and particularly the lower-quality performance – are illegal, the Justice Department alleges.",0.0,, Tim Cook is on a charm offensive in China to revive flagging iPhone sales,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/tech/china-apple-tim-cook-shanghai-visit-intl-hnk/index.html," Updated 6:28 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Tim Cook is making a high-profile visit to China that coincides with Apple opening a huge new store in Shanghai — its second biggest in the world. It’s all part of a push by the company to reverse a decline in iPhone sales in its most important international market. The new $11.6 million outlet — located in Shanghai’s central district of Jing’an, which is named after a historic temple — is the biggest in China and the second only to Apple’s flagship store on New York’s Fifth Avenue, Chinese state media reported. “Nonghao Shanghai!” Apple CEO Cook said in a Weibo post on Wednesday, which means “hello” in Shanghainese. “I’m always so happy to be back in this remarkable city.” Cook said he had spent the morning enjoying a traditional breakfast of what appeared to be soup dumplings and soy milk and taking selfies along the city’s famous Bund waterfront with local actor Zheng Kai. In Shanghai, mainland China’s financial hub, Apple now has eight stores, the largest number of any city in the country. There are currently 47 Apple stores in 24 cities across mainland China. The new addition comes as Apple (AAPL) tries to fend off competitors and revive sales in a rocky market with growing headwinds, ranging from an economic slowdown to geopolitical tensions and rising nationalist sentiment. In 2023, Apple grabbed the top spot in China’s smartphone market for the first time ever, with a record 17.3% market share, according to IDC Research. But during the first six weeks of 2024, iPhone sales in the country slumped 24% from a year ago, according to a separate report by Counterpoint Research from earlier this month. Apple’s market share slid behind that of Vivo, Huawei, and Honor in that period, it added, while rival Huawei’s sales soared 64%. Cook’s visit, his third to the country in a year, underscores China’s significance to Apple as its biggest overseas market and a critical part of its manufacturing supply chain. “China remains a critical market for Apple, particularly in the premium segment above $800, where it holds a dominant position,” said Ivan Lam, senior analyst from Counterpoint. “With Huawei’s resurgence and other Chinese [phone makers] gaining traction in offline sales, Apple is proactively strengthening its offline presence, leveraging flagship stores as a key tool to promote high-end smartphones,” he said. Earlier this month, Apple announced it would expand its research center in Shanghai to support all of its product lines and unveiled plans to open a new applied research lab in Shenzhen later this year. “China is the heart and lungs of Apple’s growth strategy as Cupertino doubles down on its China strategy with these moves,” said Daniel Ives, managing director and senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities. On Wednesday, Cook hosted an information sharing session along with three of Apple’s suppliers — BYD, Lens Technology and Everwin Precision Technology — at its Shanghai office, according to state media reports. “There’s no supply chain in the world more critical to Apple than that of China,” Cook told a group of reporters. He met with Wang Chuanfu, founder and chairman of BYD, the world’s largest electrical vehicle maker, at the session, according to a video he posted on his Weibo account. Cook praised Chinese suppliers as having “the most advanced manufacturing in the world,” according to China Daily. The Apple CEO also visited a film production studio, talked with mobile game developers and took photos with a crowd of shoppers and staff, according to his social media posts. “Cook is not taking a step back from China. It’s the opposite as competition from Huawei ramps up domestically,” Ives said. Apple still has many fans in the country. More than a hundred of them waited in line overnight to be among the first to enter the new store or to get a photo with Cook, according to videos and state media reports circulated on Weibo. Others told CNN they were planning to go. “I’ll go and kinda ‘worship’ the store,” said Dolores, a movie producer in Beijing. She has been using the iPhone, iPad and MacBook for years. “I’ve already grown used to its design and the system,” she said, calling the products “sleek and beautiful.” Wei, a Beijing resident, also said he would visit. “I’ve heard that it’s quite big,” he said. “I just want to have a look.” Both said they would stay loyal to the brand, despite rising calls on the Chinese internet for consumers to switch to homegrown brands to show their patriotism. “Some Chinese brands like Huawei are also doing well with their products. But [I won’t switch.] It should be about mutual achievement [for Apple and Chinese brands], rather than hostility,” Dolores said. “For international products, if you like a brand, there should be no geopolitical divisions,” Wei said. “Just look at the products.”",21/03/2024,"['Tim Cookis making a high-profile visit to China that coincideswith Apple opening a huge new store in Shanghai — its second biggest in the world.', 'It’s all part of a pushby the company to reverse a decline in iPhone sales in its most important international market.', 'The new $11.6 million outlet — located in Shanghai’s central district of Jing’an, which is named after a historic temple — is the biggest in China and the second only to Apple’s flagship store on New York’s Fifth Avenue, Chinese state media reported.', '“Nonghao Shanghai!”', 'Apple CEO Cook said in a Weibo post on Wednesday, which means “hello” in Shanghainese.', '“I’m always so happy to be back in this remarkable city.”', 'Cook said he had spent the morning enjoying a traditional breakfast of what appeared to be soup dumplings and soy milk and taking selfies along the city’s famous Bund waterfront with local actor Zheng Kai.', 'In Shanghai, mainland China’s financial hub, Apple now has eight stores, the largest number of any city in the country.', 'There are currently 47 Apple stores in 24 cities across mainland China.', 'The new addition comes as Apple (AAPL) tries to fend off competitors and revive sales in a rocky market with growing headwinds, ranging from an economic slowdown to geopolitical tensions and rising nationalist sentiment.', 'In 2023, Apple grabbed the top spot in China’s smartphone market for the first time ever, with a record 17.3% market share, according to IDC Research.', 'But during the first six weeks of 2024, iPhone sales in the country slumped 24% from a year ago, according to a separate report by Counterpoint Research from earlier this month.', 'Apple’s market share slid behind that of Vivo, Huawei, and Honor in that period, it added, while rival Huawei’s sales soared 64%.', 'Cook’s visit, his third to the country in a year, underscores China’s significance to Apple as its biggest overseas market and a critical part of its manufacturing supply chain.', '“China remains a critical market for Apple, particularly in the premium segment above $800, where it holds a dominant position,” said Ivan Lam, senior analyst from Counterpoint.', '“With Huawei’s resurgence and other Chinese [phone makers] gaining traction in offline sales, Apple is proactively strengthening its offline presence, leveraging flagship stores as a key tool to promote high-end smartphones,” he said.', 'Earlier this month, Apple announced it would expand its research center in Shanghai to support all of its product lines and unveiled plans to open a new applied research lab in Shenzhen later this year.', '“China is the heart and lungs of Apple’s growth strategy as Cupertino doubles down on its China strategy with these moves,” said Daniel Ives, managing director and senior equity analyst at Wedbush Securities.', 'On Wednesday, Cook hosted an information sharing session along with three of Apple’s suppliers — BYD, Lens Technology and Everwin Precision Technology — at its Shanghai office, according to state media reports.', '“There’s no supply chain in the world more critical to Apple than that of China,” Cook told a group of reporters.', 'He met with Wang Chuanfu, founder and chairman of BYD, the world’s largest electrical vehicle maker, at the session, according to a video he posted on his Weibo account.', 'Cook praised Chinese suppliers as having “the most advanced manufacturing in the world,” according to China Daily.', 'The Apple CEO also visited a film production studio, talked with mobile game developers and took photos with a crowd of shoppers and staff, according to his social media posts.', '“Cook is not taking a step back from China.', 'It’s the opposite as competition from Huawei ramps up domestically,” Ives said.', 'Apple still has many fans in the country.', 'More than a hundred of them waited in line overnight to be among the first to enter the new store or to get a photo with Cook, according to videos and state media reports circulated on Weibo.', 'Others told CNN they were planning to go.', '“I’ll go and kinda ‘worship’ the store,” said Dolores, a movie producer in Beijing.', 'She has been using the iPhone, iPad and MacBook for years. “', 'I’ve already grown used to its design and the system,” she said, calling the products “sleek and beautiful.”', 'Wei, a Beijing resident, also said he would visit.', '“I’ve heard that it’s quite big,” he said. “', 'I just want to have a look.”', 'Both said they would stay loyal to the brand, despite rising calls on the Chinese internet for consumers to switch to homegrown brands to show their patriotism.', '“Some Chinese brands like Huawei are also doing well with their products.', 'But [I won’t switch.]', 'It should be about mutual achievement [for Apple and Chinese brands], rather than hostility,” Dolores said.', '“For international products, if you like a brand, there should be no geopolitical divisions,” Wei said. “', 'Just look at the products.”']",0.1723054275365977,“I’m always so happy to be back in this remarkable city.”,"“There’s no supply chain in the world more critical to Apple than that of China,” Cook told a group of reporters.",0.0,, Realtors are nervous: ‘It could be the worst thing ever’,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/realtors-nar-settlement/index.html," Updated 7:16 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Lower pay, intense competition for clients and a massive exodus of realtors. Those are some of the predictions that real estate professionals are making, anxiously, after the recent settlement from the National Association of Realtors with homebuyers, which establishes new rules for brokers that could upend the way Americans buy and sell their homes. On Friday, the NAR announced that it had agreed to change some of its guidelines that critics said were behind inflated home prices. If approved, the settlement will likely lower commissions brokers have charged sellers and shared with buyers’ agents. Experts say it will likely dramatically change how some real estate professionals get paid for their services. Feeling the ground shift under them, some who are helping people buy and sell homes say they aren’t sure what these changes will mean and whether they will damage the way they make their living. Some are holding out hope for the best in an uncertain time. “It could turn out to be a good thing,” said Belinda Tucker, a Realtor who started her own real estate firm last year in Moore County, North Carolina. “Or it could turn out to be the worst thing ever.” Under the current system, most home sellers pay a commission, usually 5% or 6%, upon selling their home. The commission is generally shared between the agent representing the seller and an agent representing the home buyer. Groups of sellers brought lawsuits against the NAR for this practice, alleging it was a violation of antitrust laws. Under the proposed terms of the settlement, sellers’ agents will no longer be required to offer commissions to buyers’ agents. That means some buyers’ agents will probably have to find another way to get paid. “I don’t know how we’re going to negotiate, but we’re going to have to because we have to get paid,” said Tucker. The new rules also require agents to enter into written agreements with their buyers. Many of the Realtors who spoke to CNN said they plan to stipulate that if a home seller does not agree to pay their commission, their buyer is on the hook for payment. “I have cleaned houses; I’ve moved people out. Anything to be helpful,” said Tucker. “Nobody works for free.” However, many first-time buyers, already shelling out their savings for what is often the largest purchase of their lives, may be unwilling or unable to pay thousands of dollars more for their Realtor. Some may look to negotiate their agent’s commission down to 2%, 1% – or possibly less – perhaps in the form of a flat fee. In fact, the settlement is expected to slash overall real estate commissions by 25% to 50%, according to an estimate from TD Cowen Insights. NAR currently counts more than 1.5 million members, but some Realtors and other experts predict that lower pay and increased competition may push many members out of the profession. Jing Pu, the CEO of Edgewise Realty, a real estate technology company, said the added expense may spur more home buyers to turn to internet listing sites and other technologies for their home searches rather than relying on a Realtor. “We think a lot of buyer agents may ultimately shift to selling – to the listing agent side,” he said. Many experts predict that the new rules will dramatically slash the cost of buying and selling a home since sellers often bake their commission fees to the overall price tag of their home. A price drop would be a much-needed reprieve for those looking to buy a home: the median sales price of a new home has surged 21% since January 2020. However, some Realtors estimate that the opposite will be true now that homebuyers are tasked with paying their own agents. “This is just going to be an added expense for buyers who are already really struggling to get into this housing market,” said Brita Kleingartner, a Realtor in Los Angeles, CA. “We’re at an all-time high for housing prices and affordability and this is just going to make it more difficult for buyers.” Though under the new rules, agents are still allowed to negotiate a deal in which sellers pay a buyers’ agent fee, Kleingartner pointed out that in a competitive market like Los Angeles, where she works, most homes go into bidding wars. “Buyers with extra down payment money are going to offer to pay their buyers’ agent commissions themselves,” she said. “I think it’s just going to add to the competitive nature of this market.” Tucker said the new rules and the discourse surrounding commissions make it feel like “Realtor is a bad word.” “99% of us are your neighbors. We go through the same things that any buyer and seller do,” she said. “Just like you pay your hairdresser or you landscaper or anybody else for a service, we do provide a good service.” But not all agents think the new rules spell doom for their industry. Crystal Tran, a Realtor in Chicago, said that she thinks asking buyers to agree to payment will “weed out the people who are not serious about homebuying.” “I think there’s a lot of confusion out there,” Tran said. “But this is going to make us refine our business to really show our clients our value.” When the dust settles, Tucker said she feels “confident” that her business will still be standing. “Will we be as busy with buyers? I’m not sure.”",21/03/2024,"['Lower pay, intense competition for clients and a massive exodus of realtors.', 'Those are some of the predictions that real estate professionals are making, anxiously, after the recent settlement from the National Association of Realtors with homebuyers, which establishes new rules for brokers that could upend the way Americans buy and sell their homes.', 'On Friday, the NAR announced that it had agreed to change some of its guidelines that critics said were behind inflated home prices.', 'If approved, the settlement will likely lower commissions brokers have charged sellers and shared with buyers’ agents.', 'Experts say it will likely dramatically change how some real estate professionals get paid for their services.', 'Feeling the ground shift under them, some who are helping people buy and sell homes say they aren’t sure what these changes will mean and whether they will damage the way they make their living.', 'Some are holding out hope for the best in an uncertain time.', '“It could turn out to be a good thing,” said Belinda Tucker, a Realtor who started her own real estate firm last year in Moore County, North Carolina. “', 'Or it could turn out to be the worst thing ever.”', 'Under the current system, most home sellers pay a commission, usually 5% or 6%, upon selling their home.', 'The commission is generally shared between the agent representing the seller and an agent representing the home buyer.', 'Groups of sellers brought lawsuits against the NAR for this practice, alleging it was a violation of antitrust laws.', 'Under the proposed terms of the settlement, sellers’ agents will no longer be required to offer commissions to buyers’ agents.', 'That means some buyers’ agents will probably have to find another way to get paid.', '“I don’t know how we’re going to negotiate, but we’re going to have to because we have to get paid,” said Tucker.', 'The new rules also require agents to enter into written agreements with their buyers.', 'Many of the Realtors who spoke to CNN said they plan to stipulate that if a home seller does not agree to pay their commission, their buyer is on the hook for payment.', '“I have cleaned houses; I’ve moved people out.', 'Anything to be helpful,” said Tucker. “', 'Nobody works for free.”', 'However, many first-time buyers, already shelling out their savings for what is often the largest purchase of their lives, may be unwilling or unable to pay thousands of dollars more for their Realtor.', 'Some may look to negotiate their agent’s commission down to 2%, 1% – or possibly less – perhaps in the form of a flat fee.', 'In fact, the settlement is expected to slash overall real estate commissions by 25% to 50%, according to an estimate from TD Cowen Insights.', 'NAR currently counts more than 1.5 million members, but some Realtors and other experts predict that lower pay and increased competition may push many members out of the profession.', 'Jing Pu, the CEO of Edgewise Realty, a real estate technology company, said the added expense may spur more home buyers to turn to internet listing sites and other technologies for their home searches rather than relying on a Realtor.', '“We think a lot of buyer agents may ultimately shift to selling – to the listing agent side,” he said.', 'Many experts predict that the new rules will dramatically slash the cost of buying and selling a home since sellers often bake their commission fees to the overall price tag of their home.', 'A price drop would be a much-needed reprieve for those looking to buy a home: the median sales price of a new home has surged 21% since January 2020.', 'However, some Realtors estimate that the opposite will be true now that homebuyers are tasked with paying their own agents.', '“This is just going to be an added expense for buyers who are already really struggling to get into this housing market,” said Brita Kleingartner, a Realtor in Los Angeles, CA. “', 'We’re at an all-time high for housing prices and affordability and this is just going to make it more difficult for buyers.”', 'Though under the new rules, agents are still allowed to negotiate a deal in which sellers pay a buyers’ agent fee, Kleingartner pointed out that in a competitive market like Los Angeles, where she works, most homes go into bidding wars.', '“Buyers with extra down payment money are going to offer to pay their buyers’ agent commissions themselves,” she said. “', 'I think it’s just going to add to the competitive nature of this market.”', 'Tucker said the new rules and the discourse surrounding commissions make it feel like “Realtor is a bad word.”', '“99% of us are your neighbors.', 'We go through the same things that any buyer and seller do,” she said. “', 'Just like you pay your hairdresser or you landscaper or anybody else for a service, we do provide a good service.”', 'But not all agents think the new rules spell doom for their industry.', 'Crystal Tran, a Realtor in Chicago, said that she thinks asking buyers to agree to payment will “weed out the people who are not serious about homebuying.”', '“I think there’s a lot of confusion out there,” Tran said. “', 'But this is going to make us refine our business to really show our clients our value.”', 'When the dust settles, Tucker said she feels “confident” that her business will still be standing. “', 'Will we be as busy with buyers?', 'I’m not sure.”']",-0.0131750875868854,Some are holding out hope for the best in an uncertain time.,Or it could turn out to be the worst thing ever.”,0.0,, Fox News sued by family of Ukrainian journalist killed while covering war over ‘reckless and negligent conduct’,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/14/media/fox-news-sued-photojournalist-deaths/index.html," Updated 8:51 PM EDT, Thu March 14, 2024 ","Fox News is the subject of yet another explosive lawsuit. On the two-year anniversary of the attack in Ukraine that claimed the lives of Fox News photojournalist Pierre Zakrzewski and contractor Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova, the network was accused Thursday of being culpable for the fatal incident by engaging in “reckless and negligent conduct” that put the crew in harm’s way. The network was also accused of launching “a campaign of material misrepresentations and omissions to hide its own accountability for the disaster and shift blame” to then-security contractor Shane Thomson, who allegedly warned against the crew entering the dangerous zone near Kyiv where they were killed. The lawsuit, filed by Kuvshynova’s parents and Thomson in New York State court, not only named Fox News as a defendant, but also Fox Corporation Chairman Emeritus Rupert Murdoch, Fox News Chief Executive Suzanne Scott, and correspondent Benjamin Hall, who was severely injured in the attack, but survived. Both deaths were announced at the time by Scott, who said the team’s vehicle came under fire as they were reporting. Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian interior minister, blamed artillery shelling by Russian forces. But the circumstances that led to the 2022 tragedy, the lawsuit stated, were uncovered as part of a sweeping investigation conducted by lawyers for Thomson and Kuvshynova’s parents to get to the bottom of what happened on March 14, 2022. Their probe found that the circumstances that led to the attack were set into motion when the Fox News team disregarded warnings to avoid the Irpin-Hostomel area near Kyiv. The mayor of Irpin had barred journalists from the city and Thomson, the security contractor, had vetoed the idea of reporting from the area, according to the lawsuit. Disregarding such security warnings would be unusual in a war zone and Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, who was also reporting from the area at the time, had indicated days prior to the incident that the network’s journalists were following protocol. Heading to the area was considered so dangerous, the lawsuit said, that the Ukrainian driver who had been working with the Fox News team “refused” to take them there, forcing the crew to “find a different driver.” Eventually, when the crew arrived in the region, they rendezvoused with a few Ukrainian soldiers, who had previously escorted The New York Times reporters into the area. That’s when they realized the vehicle the soldiers were driving was “not large enough to carry all” of them, the lawsuit said. The team decided to leave their security consultant behind, the lawsuit explained. “The absence of the security contractor was vital, as the crew made fatal mistakes,” the lawsuit said. The Fox News crew ultimately stopped at an abandoned checkpoint where they were attacked. According to the lawsuit, the “car caught fire and Sasha was burned to ashes inside it, causing her death.” Zakrzewski, the lawsuit said, “managed to escape the car but bled to death at the side of the road from a small puncture wound in his leg.” The lawsuit alleged that “the bleeding could easily have been stemmed to save his life if the security contractor trained in battlefield first aid had been present.” Hall survived the attack and was “later found grievously injured” before being taken for emergency medical care. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the lawsuit alleged that Fox News has tried to cover up its failures and hide them from the public. Fox News took “all electronic gear … that survived the attack” and “withheld any record of any evaluation or re-evaluation of the crew’s assignment,” the lawsuit said. The account of the attack that Hall later recounted in his book published by HarperCollins, the lawsuit added, was “misleading.” And, the lawsuit said, Fox News “has attempted to impose non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements on all the surviving family members.” The lawsuit also alleged that after the fatal incident, Fox News tasked Thomson with transporting Zakrzewski’s body across the Polish border to his widow. The lawsuit said that Thomson objected to the assignment, but was told he had to complete it, and was later “let go from his employment without explanation.” “He was severely traumatized by the combined experience of his colleagues being killed, transporting the dead body of his friend, and then being dismissed,” the lawsuit said. “Shane reached out to Fox repeatedly for assistance with the trauma. Fox never responded, even after Shane attempted suicide by hanging.” The lawsuit alleged that Thomson has had trouble finding work because he is “frequently associated with the Fox News disaster of being security advisor for the crew that was killed in Irpin the day after journalists were banned from the area.” The lawsuit also alleged that Fox News employees spread a bogus story that he had a “drinking problem in Kyiv at the time of the fatal incident, insinuating that this was the cause of the disastrous assignment in which Pierre and Sasha were killed.” Kuvshynova’s parents and Thomson are seeking unspecified punitive damages. “Sasha Kuvshynova’s final text message — responding to her parents, who were highly alarmed by the dangerousness of the situation unfolding on March 14, with Russian forces closing in on Kyiv — was not to worry,” the lawsuit said, “because Fox was a professional news organization that knew what it was doing and would not expose her to unnecessary danger.”",14/03/2024,"['Fox Newsis the subject of yet another explosive lawsuit.', 'On the two-year anniversary of the attack inUkrainethat claimed the lives of Fox News photojournalistPierre Zakrzewskiand contractorOleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova, the network was accused Thursday of being culpable for the fatal incident by engaging in “reckless and negligent conduct” that put the crew in harm’s way.', 'The network was also accused of launching “a campaign of material misrepresentations and omissions to hide its own accountability for the disaster and shift blame” to then-security contractorShane Thomson, who allegedly warned against the crew entering the dangerous zone near Kyiv where they were killed.', 'The lawsuit, filed by Kuvshynova’s parents and Thomson in New York State court, not only named Fox News as a defendant, but alsoFox CorporationChairman EmeritusRupert Murdoch, Fox News Chief ExecutiveSuzanne Scott, and correspondentBenjamin Hall, who was severely injured in the attack, but survived.', 'Both deaths wereannounced at the timeby Scott, who said the team’s vehicle came under fire as they were reporting.', 'Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian interior minister, blamed artillery shelling by Russian forces.', 'But the circumstances that led to the 2022 tragedy, the lawsuit stated, were uncovered as part of a sweeping investigation conducted by lawyers for Thomson and Kuvshynova’s parents to get to the bottom of what happened on March 14, 2022.', 'Their probe found that the circumstances that led to the attack were set into motion when the Fox News team disregarded warnings to avoid the Irpin-Hostomel area near Kyiv.', 'The mayor of Irpin had barred journalists from the city and Thomson, the security contractor, had vetoed the idea of reporting from the area, according to the lawsuit.', 'Disregarding such security warnings would be unusual in a war zone and Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, who was also reporting from the area at the time, had indicated days prior to the incident that the network’s journalists were following protocol.', 'Heading to the area was considered so dangerous, the lawsuit said, that the Ukrainian driver who had been working with the Fox News team “refused” to take them there, forcing the crew to “find a different driver.”', 'Eventually, when the crew arrived in the region, they rendezvoused with a few Ukrainian soldiers, who had previously escortedTheNew York Timesreporters into the area.', 'That’s when they realized the vehicle the soldiers were driving was “not large enough to carry all” of them, the lawsuit said.', 'The team decided to leave their security consultant behind, the lawsuit explained.', '“The absence of the security contractor was vital, as the crew made fatal mistakes,” the lawsuit said.', 'The Fox News crew ultimately stopped at an abandoned checkpoint where they were attacked.', 'According to the lawsuit, the “car caught fire and Sasha was burned to ashes inside it, causing her death.”', 'Zakrzewski, the lawsuit said, “managed to escape the car but bled to death at the side of the road from a small puncture wound in his leg.”', 'The lawsuit alleged that “the bleeding could easily have been stemmed to save his life if the security contractor trained in battlefield first aid had been present.”', 'Hall survived the attack and was “later found grievously injured” before being taken for emergency medical care.', 'In the aftermath of the tragedy, the lawsuit alleged that Fox News has tried to cover up its failures and hide them from the public.', 'Fox News took “all electronic gear … that survived the attack” and “withheld any record of any evaluation or re-evaluation of the crew’s assignment,” the lawsuit said.', 'The account of the attack that Hall later recounted in his book published byHarperCollins, the lawsuit added, was “misleading.”', 'And, the lawsuit said, Fox News “has attempted to impose non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements on all the surviving family members.”', 'The lawsuit also alleged that after the fatal incident, Fox News tasked Thomson with transporting Zakrzewski’s body across the Polish border to his widow.', 'The lawsuit said that Thomson objected to the assignment, but was told he had to complete it, and was later “let go from his employment without explanation.”', '“He was severely traumatized by the combined experience of his colleagues being killed, transporting the dead body of his friend, and then being dismissed,” the lawsuit said. “', 'Shane reached out to Fox repeatedly for assistance with the trauma.', 'Fox never responded, even after Shane attempted suicide by hanging.”', 'The lawsuit alleged that Thomson has had trouble finding work because he is “frequently associated with the Fox News disaster of being security advisor for the crew that was killed in Irpin the day after journalists were banned from the area.”', 'The lawsuit also alleged that Fox News employees spread a bogus story that he had a “drinking problem in Kyiv at the time of the fatal incident, insinuating that this was the cause of the disastrous assignment in which Pierre and Sasha were killed.”', 'Kuvshynova’s parents and Thomson are seeking unspecified punitive damages.', '“Sasha Kuvshynova’s final text message — responding to her parents, who were highly alarmed by the dangerousness of the situation unfolding on March 14, with Russian forces closing in on Kyiv — was not to worry,” the lawsuit said, “because Fox was a professional news organization that knew what it was doing and would not expose her to unnecessary danger.”']",-0.5348643881666391,The lawsuit alleged that “the bleeding could easily have been stemmed to save his life if the security contractor trained in battlefield first aid had been present.”,"The network was also accused of launching “a campaign of material misrepresentations and omissions to hide its own accountability for the disaster and shift blame” to then-security contractorShane Thomson, who allegedly warned against the crew entering the dangerous zone near Kyiv where they were killed.",0.0,, Switzerland gets a surprise rate cut. Will other central banks move before the Fed?,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/economy/switzerland-europe-interest-rate-cuts/index.html," Published 9:38 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","The Swiss National Bank surprised markets Thursday by cutting interest rates, becoming the first of the world’s major central banks to do so since they began battling a post-pandemic surge in prices. The SNB announced that it would reduce the cost of borrowing by a quarter of a percentage point as it revised down its forecasts for inflation this year and next. “The fight against inflation over the past two and a half years has been effective,” it said in a statement. Pressure is also building for the European Central Bank to cut rates for the 20 countries that use the euro. Data released Thursday suggested the region’s economy went backward in March, bolstering the case for the ECB to break with tradition and reduce rates before the US Federal Reserve. The Purchasing Managers’ Index showed a slight increase to 49.9 in March, driven by expansion in the services sector, but remained below the 50 mark that separates contraction from growth. Europe’s manufacturers have spent the best part of the past two years grappling with steep energy costs, which surged after Russia invaded Ukraine. Manufacturing remains mired in a deep contraction, according to the latest PMI numbers. Commenting on Thursday’s preliminary data, Christoph Weil, senior economist at Commerzbank, said the eurozone’s economy likely stagnated “at best” in the first quarter. “The services PMI now gives some hope that the economy will return to growth in the spring. The recovery is nevertheless likely to be very subdued at first,” he wrote in a note. It’s a very different story in the United States, where the economy has, despite a turbulent few years marked by high inflation, gone absolutely gangbusters. Fed officials now expect US gross domestic product to rise 2.1% this year, a sizeable jump from their 1.4% forecast in December. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, was also revised upward to 2.4% on the Fed’s preferred measure. The US labor market, meanwhile, remains resilient, with unemployment at historic lows and elevated wage inflation. The Fed kept its key interest rate steady Wednesday but continued to signal three cuts later this year. Unlike its European peer, it has the dual mandate of keeping inflation around 2% and aiming for full employment — an objective that can be aided by cutting rates to stimulate hiring. The ECB’s primary concern is to ensure stable prices. “The ‘why’ of the ECB’s decision comes in stark contrast to the Fed’s,” Felix Feather, an economic analyst at asset manager Abrdn, told CNN. He said the Fed “may choose to lower rates in an effort to pre-emptively stave off risks to the full employment part of its dual mandate.” Still, ahead of its meeting in April, the ECB has signaled that market expectations of the first rate cut in June are right. Traders are putting a high chance on that outcome and their confidence has increased since Wednesday. “When it comes to the data that is relevant for our policy decisions, we will know a bit more by April and a lot more by June,” ECB President Christine Lagarde said Wednesday at a conference in Germany. Annual consumer price inflation in the eurozone has tumbled from a record high of 10.6% in October 2022 to 2.6% in February, not far above the ECB’s 2% target. A cut at the ECB’s June 6 meeting would see it move before the Fed, which traders also currently expect to cut rates when it meets six days later. The Bank of England, which left rates unchanged Thursday, is expected to follow with its first cut later that month. Moving before the central bank of the world’s biggest economy would be an unusual step for the ECB. Lindsay James, investment strategist at Quilter Investors, says the central bank has tended to follow the Fed’s lead, largely because the consequential economic events of the past two decades, such as the global financial crisis, originated on American soil. “The current economic landscape, however, is different altogether, and central banks are not bound by the moves of the past,” she told CNN. Cutting rates before the Fed does could cause the euro to lose value against the dollar, pushing up the cost of dollar-denominated imports and — ironically — fueling inflation. But ECB policymakers are far more concerned right now with boosting the region’s economy, says Adrian Prettejohn, Europe economist at Capital Economics. The central bank “will probably take some solace looking at inflation (projections) in Switzerland,” he told CNN. “What’s really going to matter for the ECB is what’s happening in their economy.”",21/03/2024,"['The Swiss National Bank surprised markets Thursday by cutting interest rates, becoming the first of the world’s major central banks to do so since they began battling a post-pandemic surge in prices.', 'The SNB announced that it would reduce the cost of borrowing by a quarter of a percentage point as it revised down its forecasts for inflation this year and next. “', 'The fight against inflation over the past two and a half years has been effective,” it said in a statement.', 'Pressure is also building for the European Central Bank to cut rates for the 20 countries that use the euro.', 'Data released Thursday suggested the region’s economy went backward in March, bolstering the case for the ECB to break with tradition and reduce rates before the US Federal Reserve.', 'The Purchasing Managers’ Index showed a slight increase to 49.9 in March, driven by expansion in the services sector, but remained below the 50 mark that separates contraction from growth.', 'Europe’s manufacturers have spent the best part of the past two years grappling with steep energy costs, which surged after Russia invaded Ukraine.', 'Manufacturing remains mired in a deep contraction, according to the latest PMI numbers.', 'Commenting on Thursday’s preliminary data, Christoph Weil, senior economist at Commerzbank, said the eurozone’s economy likely stagnated “at best” in the first quarter.', '“The services PMI now gives some hope that the economy will return to growth in the spring.', 'The recovery is nevertheless likely to be very subdued at first,” he wrote in a note.', 'It’s a very different story in the United States, where the economy has, despite a turbulent few years marked by high inflation, gone absolutely gangbusters.', 'Fed officials now expect US gross domestic product to rise 2.1% this year, a sizeable jump from their 1.4% forecast in December.', 'Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, was also revised upward to 2.4% on the Fed’s preferred measure.', 'The US labor market, meanwhile, remains resilient, withunemployment at historic lowsand elevated wage inflation.', 'The Fed kept its key interest rate steady Wednesday but continued to signal three cuts later this year.', 'Unlike its European peer, it has the dual mandate of keeping inflation around 2% and aiming for full employment —an objective that can be aided by cutting rates to stimulate hiring.', 'The ECB’s primary concern is to ensure stable prices.', '“The ‘why’ of the ECB’s decision comes in stark contrast to the Fed’s,” Felix Feather, an economic analyst at asset manager Abrdn, told CNN.', 'He said the Fed “may choose to lower rates in an effort to pre-emptively stave off risks to the full employment part of its dual mandate.”', 'Still, ahead of its meeting in April, the ECB has signaled that market expectations of the first rate cut in June are right.', 'Traders are putting a high chance on that outcome and their confidence has increased since Wednesday.', '“When it comes to the data that is relevant for our policy decisions, we will know a bit more by April and a lot more by June,” ECB President Christine Lagarde said Wednesday at a conference in Germany.', 'Annual consumer price inflation in the eurozone has tumbled from a record high of 10.6% in October 2022 to 2.6% in February, not far above the ECB’s 2% target.', 'A cut at the ECB’s June 6 meeting would see it move before the Fed, which traders also currently expect to cut rates when it meets six days later.', 'The Bank of England, which left rates unchanged Thursday, is expected to follow with its first cut later that month.', 'Moving before the central bank of the world’s biggest economy would be an unusual step for the ECB.', 'Lindsay James, investment strategist at Quilter Investors, says the central bank has tended to follow the Fed’s lead, largely because the consequential economic events of the past two decades, such as the global financial crisis, originated on American soil.', '“The current economic landscape, however, is different altogether, and central banks are not bound by the moves of the past,” she told CNN.', 'Cutting rates before the Fed does could cause the euro to lose value against the dollar, pushing up the cost of dollar-denominated imports and —ironically —fueling inflation.', 'But ECB policymakers are far more concerned right now with boosting the region’s economy, says Adrian Prettejohn, Europe economist at Capital Economics.', 'The central bank “will probably take some solace looking at inflation (projections) in Switzerland,” he told CNN. “', 'What’s really going to matter for the ECB is what’s happening in their economy.”']",0.07860909068531,Traders are putting a high chance on that outcome and their confidence has increased since Wednesday.,"Lindsay James, investment strategist at Quilter Investors, says the central bank has tended to follow the Fed’s lead, largely because the consequential economic events of the past two decades, such as the global financial crisis, originated on American soil.",0.0,, FCC cracks down on cable ‘junk fees’,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/14/tech/americans-high-speed-internet-access-fcc/index.html," Published 2:31 PM EDT, Thu March 14, 2024 ","The US government is cracking down on cable TV “junk fees,” forcing providers to publish a single, comprehensive price — so consumers know up front exactly how much they’ll pay for services inclusive of all extra costs. The junk fees crackdown is part of a series of moves the Federal Communications Commission announced Thursday. During its monthly open meeting, the agency addressed other consumer issues, including finalizing a new cybersecurity product label for hack-resistant tech gadgets and releasing a report finding that 24 million Americans still lack high speed internet access. The new junk fees rule requires cable and satellite TV companies to list “all-in” prices to consumers in their billing and marketing materials — including any miscellaneous fees, such as those related to sports programming or local broadcast channels. Between 24% and 33% of the typical consumer’s bill can be attributed to fees, consumer advocates told the FCC. The new rule aims to help consumers comparison shop among different providers. The move could simplify what is currently a difficult process of comparing apples to oranges, the FCC said. “No one likes surprises on their bill,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “The advertised price for service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives. It shouldn’t include a bunch of unexpected junk fees that are separate from the top line price you were told when you signed up.” In a report released Thursday alongside the agency’s 3-2 vote, the FCC cited a filing that Consumer Reports submitted to the agency, alleging that cable companies publicly advertise “relatively low base rates” to lure customers in before imposing “a dizzying array of other charges.” The cable industry has pushed back, saying “all-in” pricing is unnecessary and that the current practice of breaking out fees into separate line items is a more transparent approach that helps consumers. “Our members clearly disclose the specific amounts of the fees that will apply and the total amount customers will pay for service, thereby ensuring that customers are not ‘surprised by unexpected fees,’” said NCTA, a trade association representing some of the nation’s largest cable companies, in a filing to the FCC. In a separate move last year, the FCC proposed banning certain cable fees altogether, including early termination fees that the agency says hinder competition and prevent customers from easily switching providers. That proposal would also require companies to provide consumer refunds if a subscriber cancels their plan mid-month. In addition to cable, the FCC also addressed internet availability during its Thursday meeting. Tens of millions of Americans still don’t have access to high-speed home internet, the FCC added Thursday in a new report highlighting the digital divide. The problem affects more than 1 in 4 Americans, or 28%, who live in rural areas, the FCC said, and the same is true for 23% of people living on tribal lands. Overall, 7% of the country, or 24 million Americans, lack high-speed access. “It was four years ago this week that so many of us were told to go home,” said Rosenworcel, referring to the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020. “The pandemic exposed our digital divide in living color.” The new report is based on 2022 data and first-time insights from a massive, years-long revamp of FCC coverage maps — which officials say provide radically more accurate service estimates. Previously, entire census blocks were considered served by broadband if just one household within a census block had high-speed internet, dramatically overstating the number of connected Americans. The report also reflects newly adopted revisions in how the country defines high-speed internet, which the FCC voted to approve on Thursday. The definition of high-speed home internet has not been updated since 2015, when the FCC set the threshold at a minimum download speed of 25 megabits per second and a minimum upload speed of 3 megabits per second. Thursday’s revisions set the new standard at 100 Mbps for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads, reflecting advances in technology and how faster internet speeds have become an absolute necessity for everyday life, supporting everything from telehealth visits to remote work. The definition of broadband is more than academic; it has far-reaching implications for how the country allocates billions in federal funding for infrastructure and government aid programs. The FCC moves follow Congress’ decision to spend billions of dollars in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to build out internet service to hard-to-reach and underserved areas. It also comes as more than 23 million low-income households are at risk of losing their internet service, or could face potential bill shock, due to the expiration this spring of a critical benefit program popular with both parties known as the Affordable Connectivity Program. Thursday’s FCC report sets a long-term goal to serve Americans everywhere with download speeds of at least 1,000 Mbps, also known as gigabit speeds, and download speeds of 500 Mbps or more. Republican members of the FCC criticized the report on connectivity and the vote to increase the definition of broadband, saying the moves appear intended to justify more regulation of internet service providers and taxpayer spending. A Biden administration plan to protect consumer electronics from hackers also received final approval on Thursday as the FCC voted unanimously to greenlight a product label that will soon appear on smart home devices, baby monitors and other common gadgets. The label, which resembles a shield and that officials compare to the Energy Star certification program that denotes energy-efficient products, is intended to help buyers pick out connected appliances that voluntarily meet rigorous cybersecurity standards. A wide range of products will be eligible for the label, including internet-connected refrigerators, washing machines, doorbell cameras and smart speakers — provided that they meet criteria published by the National Institute for Standards and Technology. Some of the participating electronics makers and retailers in the program include giants such as Logitech, LG, Samsung, Best Buy and Amazon. “You want to know that when you bring that monitor into your house to watch your newborn, that connection is secure and is not going to invite any malware or malicious activity into your home,” said Rosenworcel, the chairwoman. “I think parents everywhere feel that way.” US officials have said that consumers have their own role to play in protecting the nation from cyberattacks — and that is by making informed decisions about what tech products to buy. “Imagine you’re a mom, and you’re worried about someone taking pictures of your infant lying in a crib and posting them on the dark web,” US deputy national security advisor Anne Neuberger said during an onstage appearance this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “Think about your home alarm system, somebody hacking into it and unlocking digital locks. Those are examples we see today.” The “US Cyber Trust Mark” label will improve the country’s baseline cybersecurity by ensuring that the most widely used tech products in America are those that have been specifically hardened against hacking, the Biden administration has said. It could also encourage competition among electronics manufacturers to offer the most secure devices on the market. Thursday’s action by the FCC establishes the Cyber Trust Mark program, plus a publicly available database that will list all the trusted products that have received the label. Neuberger has said the Biden administration is working with overseas counterparts to extend the labeling program to the European Union, and that the partnership will make US products more attractive and competitive in the EU. She has also said consumers could begin seeing the label on store shelves by the end of the year.",14/03/2024,"['The US government is cracking down on cable TV “junk fees,” forcing providers to publish a single, comprehensive price — so consumers know up front exactly how much they’ll pay for services inclusive of all extra costs.', 'The junk fees crackdown is part of a series of moves the Federal Communications Commission announced Thursday.', 'During its monthly open meeting, the agency addressed other consumer issues, including finalizing a new cybersecurity product label for hack-resistant tech gadgets and releasing a report finding that 24 million Americans still lack high speed internet access.', 'The new junk fees rule requires cable and satellite TV companies to list “all-in” prices to consumers in their billing and marketing materials — including any miscellaneous fees, such as those related to sports programming or local broadcast channels.', 'Between 24% and 33% of the typical consumer’s bill can be attributed to fees, consumer advocates told the FCC.', 'The new rule aims to help consumers comparison shop among different providers.', 'The move could simplify what is currently a difficult process of comparing apples to oranges, the FCC said.', '“No one likes surprises on their bill,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “', 'The advertised price for service should be the price you pay when your bill arrives.', 'It shouldn’t include a bunch of unexpected junk fees that are separate from the top line price you were told when you signed up.”', 'In a report released Thursday alongside the agency’s 3-2 vote, the FCC cited a filing that Consumer Reports submitted to the agency, alleging that cable companies publicly advertise “relatively low base rates” to lure customers in before imposing “a dizzying array of other charges.”', 'The cable industry has pushed back, saying “all-in” pricing is unnecessary and that the current practice of breaking out fees into separate line items is a more transparent approach that helps consumers.', '“Our members clearly disclose the specific amounts of the fees that will apply and the total amount customers will pay for service, thereby ensuring that customers are not ‘surprised by unexpected fees,’” said NCTA, a trade association representing some of the nation’s largest cable companies, in a filing to the FCC.', 'In a separate move last year, the FCC proposed banning certain cable fees altogether, including early termination fees that the agency says hinder competition and prevent customers from easily switching providers.', 'That proposal would also require companies to provide consumer refunds if a subscriber cancels their plan mid-month.', 'In addition to cable, the FCC also addressed internet availability during its Thursday meeting.', 'Tens of millions of Americans still don’t have access to high-speed home internet, the FCC added Thursday in a new report highlighting thedigital divide.', 'The problem affects more than 1 in 4 Americans, or 28%, who live in rural areas, the FCC said, and the same is true for 23% of people living on tribal lands.', 'Overall, 7% of the country, or 24 million Americans, lack high-speed access.', '“It was four years ago this week that so many of us were told to go home,” said Rosenworcel, referring to the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020. “', 'The pandemic exposed our digital divide in living color.”', 'The new report is based on 2022 data and first-time insights from a massive, years-long revamp of FCC coverage maps — which officials say provide radically more accurate service estimates.', 'Previously, entire census blocks were considered served by broadband if just one household within a census block had high-speed internet, dramatically overstating the number of connected Americans.', 'The report also reflects newly adopted revisions in how the country defines high-speed internet, which the FCC voted to approve on Thursday.', 'The definition of high-speed home internet has not been updated since 2015, when the FCC set the threshold at a minimum download speed of 25 megabits per second and a minimum upload speed of 3 megabits per second.', 'Thursday’s revisions set the new standard at 100 Mbps for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads, reflecting advances in technology and how faster internet speeds have become an absolute necessity for everyday life, supporting everything from telehealth visits to remote work.', 'The definition of broadband is more than academic; it has far-reaching implications for how the country allocates billions in federal funding for infrastructure and government aid programs.', 'The FCC moves follow Congress’ decision to spend billions of dollars in the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to build out internet service to hard-to-reach and underserved areas.', 'It also comes as more than 23 million low-income households are at risk of losing their internet service, or could face potential bill shock, due to the expiration this spring of a critical benefit program popular with both parties known as the Affordable Connectivity Program.', 'Thursday’s FCC report sets a long-term goal to serve Americans everywhere with download speeds of at least 1,000 Mbps, also known asgigabit speeds, and download speeds of 500 Mbps or more.', 'Republican members of the FCC criticized the report on connectivity and the vote to increase the definition of broadband, saying the moves appearintended to justify more regulation of internet service providers and taxpayer spending.', 'A Biden administration plan to protect consumer electronics from hackers also received final approval on Thursday as the FCC voted unanimously to greenlight a product label that will soon appear on smart home devices, baby monitors and other common gadgets.', 'The label, which resembles a shield and that officials compare to the Energy Star certification program that denotes energy-efficient products, is intended to help buyers pick out connected appliances that voluntarily meet rigorous cybersecurity standards.', 'A wide range of products will be eligible for the label, including internet-connected refrigerators, washing machines, doorbell cameras and smart speakers — provided that they meet criteria published by the National Institute for Standards and Technology.', 'Some of the participating electronics makers and retailers in the program include giants such as Logitech, LG, Samsung, Best Buy and Amazon.', '“You want to know that when you bring that monitor into your house to watch your newborn, that connection is secure and is not going to invite any malware or malicious activity into your home,” said Rosenworcel, the chairwoman. “', 'I think parents everywhere feel that way.”', 'US officials have said that consumers have their own role to play in protecting the nation from cyberattacks — and that is by making informed decisions about what tech products to buy.', '“Imagine you’re a mom, and you’re worried about someone taking pictures of your infant lying in a crib and posting them on the dark web,” US deputy national security advisor Anne Neuberger said during an onstage appearance this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “', 'Think about your home alarm system, somebody hacking into it and unlocking digital locks.', 'Those are examples we see today.”', 'The “US Cyber Trust Mark” label will improve the country’s baseline cybersecurity by ensuring that the most widely used tech products in America are those that have been specifically hardened against hacking, the Biden administration has said.', 'It could also encourage competition among electronics manufacturers to offer the most secure devices on the market.', 'Thursday’s action by the FCC establishes the Cyber Trust Mark program, plus a publicly available database that will list all the trusted products that have received the label.', 'Neuberger has said the Biden administration is working with overseas counterparts to extend the labeling program to the European Union, and that the partnership will make US products more attractive and competitive in the EU.', 'She has also said consumers could begin seeing the label on store shelves by the end of the year.']",0.1237294487049655,"A Biden administration plan to protect consumer electronics from hackers also received final approval on Thursday as the FCC voted unanimously to greenlight a product label that will soon appear on smart home devices, baby monitors and other common gadgets.","In a report released Thursday alongside the agency’s 3-2 vote, the FCC cited a filing that Consumer Reports submitted to the agency, alleging that cable companies publicly advertise “relatively low base rates” to lure customers in before imposing “a dizzying array of other charges.”",0.0,, "US home sales surged last month, despite highest February prices on record",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/economy/existing-home-sales-february/index.html," Updated 12:13 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Sales of previously owned homes in the US unexpectedly soared in February to the highest level in a year, in a sign that buyers are returning to the market. Meanwhile, mortgage rates edged higher this week, according to a separate report released Thursday from Freddie Mac. Existing home sales — which make up most of the housing market and include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops — rose 9.5% in February from the prior month to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 4.38 million units, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday. That was the second straight month of rising sales and the largest monthly increase since February 2023, according to a release. Home sales have rebounded since dropping to the lowest levels in decades last fall as mortgage rates shot up. Meanwhile, the median national price of an existing home rose 5.7% in February from a year earlier, to $384,500, a bigger annual rise than in the prior month. It was the highest median home price for any February on record. “Additional housing supply is helping to satisfy market demand,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, in a release. “Housing demand has been on a steady rise due to population and job growth, though the actual timing of purchases will be determined by prevailing mortgage rates and wider inventory choices.” A major driver for last month’s jump in sales was a sharp increase in the number of homes that came to market. Total housing inventory rose 5.9% in February from the prior month, to 1.07 million units. From a year ago, inventory was up 10.3% last month, giving buyers more choice and easing the pressure of a historically tight market. A rebound in inventory has long been overdue, Yun said in a conference call with reporters, as some Americans finally begin to give up their coveted low mortgage rates. “What happened in the past two years when we had a historically low inventory level is that many people who would have moved in normal circumstances just delayed,” Yun said. “They said ‘I have my 3% mortgage rate, I don’t want to give it up,’ so many people simply delayed. But they can no longer delay.” Homeowners who want or need to move for various reasons such as a marriage, divorce or new children are contending with the reality that mortgage rates are not likely to fall to the ultra-low levels that existed before the Federal Reserve began to raise interest rates in 2022, Yun said. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.87% in the week ending March 21, according to Freddie Mac. Mortgage rates ticked back up to levels seen a few weeks ago, after tumbling in the beginning of the month. Mortgage rates track the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield, which slipped Wednesday after Federal Reserve officials reflected in their latest economic projections that they still expect three rates cuts this year. The Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its action do influence them. “Despite elevated rates, homebuilders are displaying renewed confidence in the housing market, focusing on the fact that there is a good amount of pent-up demand, an ongoing supply shortage and expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut rates later in the year,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a release. Rates are down from 7.79% in late October, the highest in two decades, but above anything seen from 2008 to 2022. Economists don’t expect mortgage rates to fall below 6% this year.",21/03/2024,"['Sales of previously owned homes in the US unexpectedly soared in February to the highest level in a year, in a sign that buyers are returning to the market.', 'Meanwhile, mortgage rates edged higher this week, according to a separate report released Thursday from Freddie Mac.', 'Existing home sales — which make up most of the housing market and include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops — rose 9.5% in February from the prior month to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 4.38 million units, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday.', 'That was the second straight month of rising sales and the largest monthly increase since February 2023, according to a release.', 'Home sales have rebounded since dropping to the lowest levels in decades last fall as mortgage rates shot up.', 'Meanwhile, the median national price of an existing home rose 5.7% in February from a year earlier, to $384,500, a bigger annual rise than in the prior month.', 'It was the highest median home price for any February on record.', '“Additional housing supply is helping to satisfy market demand,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, in a release. “', 'Housing demand has been on a steady rise due to population and job growth, though the actual timing of purchases will be determined by prevailing mortgage rates and wider inventory choices.”', 'A major driver for last month’s jump in sales was a sharp increase in the number of homes that came to market.', 'Total housing inventory rose 5.9% in February from the prior month, to 1.07 million units.', 'From a year ago, inventory was up 10.3% last month, giving buyers more choice and easing the pressure of a historically tight market.', 'A rebound in inventory has long been overdue, Yun said in a conference call with reporters, as some Americans finally begin to give up their coveted low mortgage rates.', '“What happened in the past two years when we had a historically low inventory level is that many people who would have moved in normal circumstances just delayed,” Yun said. “', 'They said ‘I have my 3% mortgage rate, I don’t want to give it up,’ so many people simply delayed.', 'But they can no longer delay.”', 'Homeowners who want or need to move for various reasons such as a marriage, divorce or new children are contending with the reality that mortgage rates are not likely to fall to the ultra-low levels that existed before the Federal Reserve began to raise interest rates in 2022, Yun said.', 'The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.87% in the week ending March 21, according to Freddie Mac.', 'Mortgage rates ticked back up to levels seen a few weeks ago, after tumbling in the beginning of the month.', 'Mortgage rates track the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield, which slipped Wednesday after Federal Reserve officials reflected in their latest economic projections that they still expect three rates cuts this year.', 'The Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its action do influence them.', '“Despite elevated rates, homebuilders are displaying renewed confidence in the housing market, focusing on the fact that there is a good amount of pent-up demand, an ongoing supply shortage and expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut rates later in the year,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a release.', 'Rates are down from 7.79% in late October, the highest in two decades, but above anything seen from 2008 to 2022.', 'Economists don’t expect mortgage rates to fall below 6% this year.']",0.0222700935869274,"“Additional housing supply is helping to satisfy market demand,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, in a release. “",But they can no longer delay.”,0.0,, "Welcome to the market, RDDT! Reddit stock jumps on first day as a public company",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/investing/reddit-ipo/index.html," Updated 3:46 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Reddit, one of the original social media companies, is finally making its debut on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday — more than a decade after many of its peers. Trading under the ticker “RDDT,” shares started trading at $47 and reached a high of $57.80 early Thursday afternoon, up as much as 70% from its initial price offering of $34. At its peak, shares of the stock had a market cap of about $10.9 billion. It’s a major milestone for the nearly 20-year-old company, something Reddit has been preparing for since at least 2021, when it hired its first chief financial officer. It also marks the first social media company to go public in years, and its performance could be a signpost for other companies considering IPOs. Funds raised from a successful IPO could help Reddit invest in key areas for growth, including building out new revenue streams as it seeks to stake a claim as a data provider for the burgeoning artificial intelligence language model industry. A successful public offering could also establish a sustainable ownership structure for a company with a history of ownership changes and leadership controversies. But its success is far from guaranteed. Reddit has never turned a profit, and by its own admission, “we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.” The company is also giving loyal users a chance to buy IPO shares, a move that’s “great for PR but practically risky,” according to Kamran Ansari, Venture Partner at investment firm Headline, because those users could cause volatility in the share price right out of the gate if they quickly sell the stock. It’s been a rough few years for the IPO market — and successful IPOs typically beget other successful listings. While 2021 was a record-breaking year for companies looking to make their public debuts on the US stock market, dealmaking on Wall Street has largely dried up since, as executives have contended with recession fears, elevated interest rates and geopolitical tensions. While IPO activity is now trending higher — there have been 23 IPOs priced so far this year, a 15% change over last year — companies that have gone public have underperformed the S&P 500 by about two percentage points, according to data from the Renaissance IPO Index. Reddit priced its shares at $34 each, valuing the company at around $6 billion, less than the $10 billion valuation the company targeted on the private market in 2021 — which may be a reminder that in the age of continued high interest rates, money now comes at a higher cost. “Reddit’s IPO marks the return of the junk IPO,” David Trainer, CEO of New Constructs, said in an email. “We think the company may never monetize its platform without angering its users and the entire premise of Reddit is user-generated content.” Still, there may be no time like the present for Reddit to go public. The social media industry is bracing for a potential shakeup if a bill that could see TikTok banned in the United States — which has already passed the House — progresses further. Some on Wall Street also believe Reddit has more room to grow, after increasing its user base by some 40% between 2021 and 2023. “There’s really substantial growth potential when it comes to certain places outside the US, particularly ones where English is a primary language. India has been highlighted, for example, as a very substantial opportunity,” said Scott Kessler, global technology sector lead at research firm Third Bridge. He added that Reddit is available in fewer than 10 languages, meaning the company could also find new growth by making the platform accessible to more users around the world. “The big challenge, of course, is not just user growth, but the related monetization,” Kessler said. Among Reddit’s plans to better monetize those users is licensing their data to help train AI models. The company recently announced an AI licensing deal with Google that’s said to be worth $60 million per year. And while the so-called “front page of the internet” certainly seems to have potential as a data source, some users appear frustrated with the idea of their content being sold off to train AI tools. And regulators have questions, too. Reddit disclosed last week that the US Federal Trade Commission is looking into its plans to license data to AI firms, although the company said it does not believe it has violated US consumer protection law.",21/03/2024,"['Reddit, one of the original social media companies,is finally making its debuton the New York Stock Exchange Thursday — more than a decade after many of its peers.', 'Trading under the ticker “RDDT,” shares started trading at $47 and reached a high of $57.80 early Thursday afternoon, up as much as 70% from its initial price offering of $34.', 'At its peak, shares of the stock had a market cap of about $10.9 billion.', 'It’s a major milestone for the nearly 20-year-old company, something Reddit has been preparing for since at least 2021, when it hired its first chief financial officer.', 'It also marks the first social media company to go public in years, and its performance could be a signpost for other companies considering IPOs.', 'Funds raised from a successful IPO could help Reddit invest in key areas for growth, including building out new revenue streams as it seeks to stake a claim as a data provider for the burgeoning artificial intelligence language model industry.', 'A successful public offering could also establish a sustainable ownership structure for a company with ahistoryofownership changesandleadership controversies.', 'But its success is far from guaranteed.', 'Reddit has never turned a profit, and by its own admission, “we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability in the future.”', 'The company is alsogiving loyal users a chanceto buy IPO shares, a move that’s “great for PR but practically risky,” according to Kamran Ansari, Venture Partner at investment firm Headline, because those userscould cause volatility in the share price right out of the gate if they quickly sell the stock.', 'It’s been a rough few years for the IPO market — and successful IPOs typically beget other successful listings.', 'While 2021 was a record-breaking year for companies looking to make their public debuts on the US stock market, dealmaking on Wall Street has largely dried up since, as executives have contended with recession fears, elevated interest rates and geopolitical tensions.', 'While IPO activity is now trending higher — there have been 23 IPOs priced so far this year, a 15% change over last year — companies that have gone public have underperformed the S&P 500 by about two percentage points, according to data from the Renaissance IPO Index.', 'Redditpriced its sharesat $34 each, valuing the company at around $6 billion, less than the $10 billion valuation the company targeted on the private market in 2021 — which may be a reminder that in the age ofcontinued high interest rates, money now comes at a higher cost.', '“Reddit’s IPO marks the return of the junk IPO,” David Trainer, CEO of New Constructs, said in an email.', '“We think the company may never monetize its platform without angering its users and the entire premise of Reddit is user-generated content.”', 'Still, there may be no time like the present for Reddit to go public.', 'The social media industry isbracing for a potential shakeup if a bill that could see TikTok banned in the United States — which has already passed the House — progresses further.', 'Some on Wall Street also believe Reddit has more room to grow, after increasing its user base by some 40% between 2021 and 2023.', '“There’s really substantial growth potential when it comes to certain places outside the US, particularly ones where English is a primary language.', 'India has been highlighted, for example, as a very substantial opportunity,” said Scott Kessler, global technology sector lead at research firm Third Bridge.', 'He added that Reddit is available in fewer than 10 languages, meaning the company could also find new growth by making the platform accessible to more users around the world.', '“The big challenge, of course, is not just user growth, but the related monetization,” Kessler said.', 'Among Reddit’s plans to better monetize those users is licensing their data to help train AI models.', 'The company recently announced an AI licensing deal with Google that’ssaid to be worth$60 million per year.', 'And while the so-called “front page of the internet” certainly seems to have potential as a data source, some users appear frustrated with the idea of their content being sold off to train AI tools.', 'And regulators have questions, too.', 'Reddit disclosed last week that the US Federal Trade Commission is looking into its plans to license data to AI firms, although the company said it does not believe it has violated US consumer protection law.']",0.2306095532428506,"Funds raised from a successful IPO could help Reddit invest in key areas for growth, including building out new revenue streams as it seeks to stake a claim as a data provider for the burgeoning artificial intelligence language model industry.","While 2021 was a record-breaking year for companies looking to make their public debuts on the US stock market, dealmaking on Wall Street has largely dried up since, as executives have contended with recession fears, elevated interest rates and geopolitical tensions.",0.0,, Microsoft stock hits all-time high after hiring former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman,https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/20/investing/microsoft-stock-record-high-altman-openai/index.html," Updated 4:19 PM EST, Mon November 20, 2023 ","Microsoft stock reached a record high on Monday after the company said that Sam Altman, former chief executive of OpenAI, will join the company to head its artificial intelligence innovation leg. Shares of the tech behemoth rose 2.1% to an all-time high close of $377.44 on Monday, beating the previous record of $376.17. That comes after shares of Microsoft fell 1.7% on Friday, when Sam Altman was ousted from his position at OpenAI in a boardroom coup. Microsoft is the artificial intelligence firm’s biggest stakeholder, with a $13 billion investment in the company. Greg Brockman, who co-founded OpenAI and quit after Altman’s firing, is also joining Microsoft. Altman’s hiring ended days of speculation that the former chief executive could return to the firm after his dramatic firing. Emmett Shear, former CEO of Amazon-owned streaming service Twitch, will replace OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati as interim chief executive. Microsoft shares are up about 56% for the year. The stock is one of the “Magnificent Seven” that have powered the lion’s share of the market’s returns this year, boosted by Wall Street’s bet that artificial intelligence is the next big thing in tech. Dan Ives, tech analyst at Wedbush Securities, reiterated his $425 price target for Microsoft’s stock following Altman’s and Brockman’s hires. “We view Microsoft now even in a stronger position from an AI perspective with Altman and Brockman” at the company, Ives wrote in a note on Monday. Other members of the “Magnificent Seven” saw a boost on Monday. Nvidia shares gained 2.3% to end the trading session at $504.20 ahead of its earnings due on Tuesday, notching a record-high close for the chipmaker.",20/11/2023,"['Microsoft stock reached a record high on Monday after the company said that Sam Altman, former chief executive of OpenAI, will join the company to head its artificial intelligence innovation leg.', 'Shares of the tech behemoth rose 2.1% to an all-time high close of $377.44 on Monday, beating the previous record of $376.17.', 'That comes after shares of Microsoft fell 1.7% on Friday, when Sam Altman was ousted from his position at OpenAI in a boardroom coup.', 'Microsoft is the artificial intelligence firm’s biggest stakeholder, with a $13 billion investment in the company.', 'Greg Brockman, who co-founded OpenAI and quit after Altman’s firing, is also joining Microsoft.', 'Altman’s hiring ended days of speculation that the former chief executive could return to the firm after his dramatic firing.', 'Emmett Shear, former CEO of Amazon-owned streaming service Twitch, will replace OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati as interim chief executive.', 'Microsoft shares are up about 56% for the year.', 'The stock is one of the “Magnificent Seven” that have powered the lion’s share of the market’s returns this year, boosted by Wall Street’s bet that artificial intelligence is the next big thing in tech.', 'Dan Ives, tech analyst at Wedbush Securities, reiterated his $425 price target for Microsoft’s stock following Altman’s and Brockman’s hires.', '“We view Microsoft now even in a stronger position from an AI perspective with Altman and Brockman” at the company, Ives wrote in a note on Monday.', 'Other members of the “Magnificent Seven” saw a boost on Monday.', 'Nvidia shares gained 2.3% to end the trading session at $504.20 ahead of its earnings due on Tuesday, notching a record-high close for the chipmaker.']",0.3148943375907157,"The stock is one of the “Magnificent Seven” that have powered the lion’s share of the market’s returns this year, boosted by Wall Street’s bet that artificial intelligence is the next big thing in tech.","Greg Brockman, who co-founded OpenAI and quit after Altman’s firing, is also joining Microsoft.",0.0,, How does the National Association of Realtors’ settlement affect you?,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/economy/how-does-the-realtors-settlement-affect-you/index.html," Published 10:53 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","The National Association of Realtors’ recent $418 million settlement to end antitrust legal claims came with a bombshell: Decades-long rules and informal guidelines — notably those that made a 6% commission the norm — could be overhauled. This proposed settlement is not only expected to fundamentally change how Americans buy and sell homes, but it also could transform the nation’s real estate industry, including the number of agents within the sector. Economists also predict that the process of buying a home could be cheaper; however, it could also mean more upfront costs — potentially making it harder on lower-income and first-time buyers. Do you work in real estate, or do have plans to buy or sell a home in the near future? We’d like to hear from you as to how this ruling and proposed changes could affect you.",21/03/2024,"['The National Association of Realtors’ recent $418 million settlement to end antitrust legal claims came with a bombshell: Decades-long rules and informal guidelines — notably those that made a 6% commission the norm — could be overhauled.', 'This proposed settlement is not only expected to fundamentally change how Americans buy and sell homes, but it also could transform the nation’s real estate industry, including the number of agents within the sector.', 'Economists also predict that the process of buying a home could be cheaper; however, it could also mean more upfront costs — potentially making it harder on lower-income and first-time buyers.', 'Do you work in real estate, or do have plans to buy or sell a home in the near future?', 'We’d like to hear from you as to how this ruling and proposed changes could affect you.']",0.0617298677566188,We’d like to hear from you as to how this ruling and proposed changes could affect you.,"Economists also predict that the process of buying a home could be cheaper; however, it could also mean more upfront costs — potentially making it harder on lower-income and first-time buyers.",0.0,, The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/18/investing/nar-realtor-commissions-settlement-explained/index.html," Updated 5:05 PM EDT, Mon March 18, 2024 ","The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head. An earth-shattering, multibillion-dollar antitrust ruling against the National Association of Realtors late last year led to a settlement on Friday that will loosen the powerful trade group’s stranglehold on America’s housing market. The $418 million settlement with a group of homebuyers is expected to take effect sometime around July, pending a judge’s approval. It would transform a number of rules and guidelines set by the NAR that critics say have kept housing prices artificially inflated. The TL;DR: 6% commissions, split between the buyer’s and seller’s brokers, will no longer be the norm. Agent commissions are expected to fall — in some cases, dramatically — because they will be competitive and negotiable, and sellers will be able to shop around for better rates. And other broker tactics that critics say are anticompetitive, such as a rule that made sellers’ agents set compensation for buyers’ agents, will be prohibited. It’s not all good news: Buyers may have to pay their broker directly in the future, which could be tough for buyers accustomed to financing that commission as part of their mortgage. And some buyers could choose to forgo using a broker altogether. Also, a bunch of brokers are probably about to quit. But the biggest takeaway for homebuyers is undoubtedly welcome: The overall cost to buy a home should fall by thousands of dollars on average. For decades, Americans have paid a standard commission of around 6% when selling a home, split between the seller’s broker and the buyer’s broker. The National Association of Realtors and its 1.5 million agents say those fees are negotiable. But certain NAR rules have kept commissions significantly higher than in other countries, where they can average around 1% or 2%. After the settlement, those commissions will be fully competitive, meaning brokers can advertise their rates to prospective sellers, and people can shop around for bargains. Real estate commissions are expected to fall between 25% and 50% because of the new rules, according to TD Cowen Insights. Without the guidelines that buyers’ and sellers’ brokers split commissions evenly, homebuyers may have to change they way they pay their own agents. Typically, the 6% commission (typically 3% for the seller’s broker and 3% for their own agent) was passed on to the buyer in the overall cost of the home, which buyers can pay off over decades in their mortgages. But after the settlement is finalized, buyers may end up paying their agents in new ways; including, perhaps, a flat fee. A separate new rule will require buyers’ brokers to enter into written agreements with their buyers. Although that will add transparency to the homebuying process, it could become burdensome — particularly for first-time buyers, many of whom already have difficulty coming up with all the money they need for a down payment, closing costs, a lawyer and all the other fees associated with buying a home. One rule that particularly irritated NAR critics is going away: The requirement that sellers’ brokers advertise the commission they will pay brokers’ agents. The NAR now prohibits brokers from advertising that compensation. That rule had led to two bad outcomes for buyers, affordable housing advocates claim: The first is that it kept commissions artificially high. Second, it led buyers’ brokers to push more expensive homes on buyers, so their payout would be higher. The ultimate question: Will buying a home get cheaper? Industry experts almost universally expect the answer to be yes. As brokers grow competitive on rates, commissions could fall significantly. For the median-priced American home for sale — $387,000 — sellers are paying more than $23,000 in brokerage fees. Those costs are passed on to the buyer, boosting the price of homes in America. That fee could fall by around $6,000 to $12,000, according to analysis from TD Cowen Insights. In aggregate, that will save people a ton of money: Americans pay around $100 billion in commission fees each year, and homebuyers could stand to save between a quarter to half of that once the settlement is finalized, according to Stephen Brobeck, a senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America, an umbrella group of nonprofit consumer organizations. The new reality could be tough on brokers, particularly people who don’t sell a lot of homes. US home purchases dropped to nearly a 30-year low in 2023 as supply has dried up, mortgage rates have surged and home prices continue to rise in most areas of the country. Although falling commissions could persuade some buyers and sellers to get back into the market, Norm Miller, professor emeritus of real estate at the University of San Diego, said the settlement could lead to a mass exodus of brokers from the industry. Potentially half of the 2 million or so agents in America could quit, Miller predicts, as the new rules become unworkable for many brokers. In a sign of how nervous this ruling has already made the industry, stocks of real estate companies like Zillow (Z), Compass (COMP) and Redfin (RDFN) were down 13%, 14% and 5%, respectively, Friday, and Zillow and Redfin fell further Monday. CNN’s Matt Egan contributed to this report.",18/03/2024,"['The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head.', 'An earth-shattering, multibillion-dollar antitrust ruling against the National Association of Realtors late last year led to a settlement on Friday that will loosen the powerful trade group’s stranglehold on America’s housing market.', 'The $418 million settlement with a group of homebuyers is expected to take effect sometime around July, pending a judge’s approval.', 'It would transform a number of rules and guidelines set by the NAR that critics say have kept housing prices artificially inflated.', 'The TL;DR: 6% commissions, split between the buyer’s and seller’s brokers, will no longer be the norm.', 'Agent commissions are expected to fall — in some cases, dramatically — because they will be competitive and negotiable, and sellers will be able to shop around for better rates.', 'And other broker tactics that critics say are anticompetitive, such as a rule that made sellers’ agents set compensation for buyers’ agents, will be prohibited.', 'It’s not all good news: Buyers may have to pay their broker directly in the future, which could be tough for buyers accustomed to financing that commission as part of their mortgage.', 'And some buyers could choose to forgo using a broker altogether.', 'Also, a bunch of brokers are probably about to quit.', 'But the biggest takeaway for homebuyers is undoubtedly welcome: The overall cost to buy a home should fall by thousands of dollars on average.', 'For decades, Americans have paid a standard commission of around 6% when selling a home, split between the seller’s broker and the buyer’s broker.', 'The National Association of Realtors and its 1.5 million agents say those fees are negotiable.', 'But certain NAR rules have kept commissions significantly higher than in other countries, where they can average around 1% or 2%.', 'After the settlement, those commissions will be fully competitive, meaning brokers can advertise their rates to prospective sellers, and people can shop around for bargains.', 'Real estate commissions are expected to fall between 25% and 50% because of the new rules, according to TD Cowen Insights.', 'Without the guidelines that buyers’ and sellers’ brokers split commissions evenly, homebuyers may have to change they way they pay their own agents.', 'Typically, the 6% commission (typically 3% for the seller’s broker and 3% for their own agent) was passed on to the buyer in the overall cost of the home, which buyers can pay off over decades in their mortgages.', 'But after the settlement is finalized, buyers may end up paying their agents in new ways; including, perhaps, a flat fee.', 'A separate new rule will require buyers’ brokers to enter into written agreements with their buyers.', 'Although that will add transparency to the homebuying process, it could become burdensome — particularly for first-time buyers, many of whom already have difficulty coming up with all the money they need for a down payment, closing costs, a lawyer and all the other fees associated with buying a home.', 'One rule that particularly irritated NAR critics is going away: The requirement that sellers’ brokers advertise the commission they will pay brokers’ agents.', 'The NAR now prohibits brokers from advertising that compensation.', 'That rule had led to two bad outcomes for buyers, affordable housing advocates claim: The first is that it kept commissions artificially high.', 'Second, it led buyers’ brokers to push more expensive homes on buyers, so their payout would be higher.', 'The ultimate question: Will buying a home get cheaper?', 'Industry experts almost universally expect the answer to be yes.', 'As brokers grow competitive on rates, commissions could fall significantly.', 'For the median-priced American home for sale — $387,000 — sellers are paying more than $23,000 in brokerage fees.', 'Those costs are passed on to the buyer, boosting the price of homes in America.', 'That fee could fall by around $6,000 to $12,000, according to analysis from TD Cowen Insights.', 'In aggregate, that will save people a ton of money: Americans pay around $100 billion in commission fees each year, and homebuyers could stand to save between a quarter to half of that once the settlement is finalized, according to Stephen Brobeck, a senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America, an umbrella group of nonprofit consumer organizations.', 'The new reality could be tough on brokers, particularly people who don’t sell a lot of homes.', 'US home purchases droppedto nearly a 30-year low in 2023 as supply has dried up, mortgage rates have surged and home prices continue to rise in most areas of the country.', 'Although falling commissions could persuade some buyers and sellers to get back into the market, Norm Miller, professor emeritus of real estate at the University of San Diego, said the settlement could lead to a mass exodus of brokers from the industry.', 'Potentially half of the 2 million or so agents in America could quit, Miller predicts, as the new rules become unworkable for many brokers.', 'In a sign of how nervous this ruling has already made the industry, stocks of real estate companies like Zillow (Z), Compass (COMP) and Redfin (RDFN) were down 13%, 14% and 5%, respectively, Friday, and Zillow and Redfin fell further Monday.', 'CNN’s Matt Egan contributed to this report.']",0.0273794256560847,"In aggregate, that will save people a ton of money: Americans pay around $100 billion in commission fees each year, and homebuyers could stand to save between a quarter to half of that once the settlement is finalized, according to Stephen Brobeck, a senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America, an umbrella group of nonprofit consumer organizations.",One rule that particularly irritated NAR critics is going away: The requirement that sellers’ brokers advertise the commission they will pay brokers’ agents.,0.0,, CNBC invited Trump on its air. The network didn’t even try to stop his lies,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/12/media/cnbc-trump-interview-lies/index.html," Published 8:22 AM EDT, Tue March 12, 2024 ","Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here. Suffice to say, this was no perfect call. CNBC on Monday made the curious decision to welcome Donald Trump onto its airwaves for an extended live telephone chat, in which the business news network allowed the twice-impeached, four-time indicted, insurrection-inciting former president a safe harbor to make a number of outrageous and false comments without scrutiny. “I believe on the ‘Squawk’ news line, we are joined by former President Donald J. Trump, DJT 45. It is good to welcome you. It’s been a while, Mr. President,” Joe Kernen, co-host of “Squawk Box,” greeted Trump on the air. Almost immediately after commencing the interview, Trump launched into one of his trademark, fact-free rants. Kernen asked the Republican candidate to outline his “vision for the country” following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, to which Trump unleashed a stream of deceit-laced drivel. Most notably, he alleged Biden has weaponized the government and that the US legal system under the “very angry and confused man” is now comparable to that of “third-world countries.” Kernen let it all fly. Rather than fact-checking Trump, or at least providing context about the serious allegations he leveled to viewers, the CNBC host brushed the insidious comments aside and attempted to move the interview along. Kernen, trying to conduct a serious interview with a very unserious man, proceeded to asked Trump about his view toward entitlements. But Trump didn’t answer. Instead, he said he disagreed with the premise of the question (that “something has to be done” to rein in entitlement programs) and pivoted to other topics, infusing his rambling response with more lies. The former president, for example, claimed that when he was in office, the country was producing oil at a “much higher level oil” than now. “We were drill, baby, drill,” Trump boasted. But, as those paying attention to the issue know well, Trump’s claim was false. US gas and crude oil production has soared to a record under Biden, surpassing Trump’s term in office. In fact, coincidentally, the US Energy Information Administration put out a press release on Monday noting that in 2023, the US broke all previous records for oil production. Unfortunately, Kernen failed to challenge Trump on the matter. Instead, throughout the interview, the “Squawk” host effectively surrendered the channel’s air to Trump, allowing the dishonest GOP candidate to abuse the platform and mislead its audience of influential viewers — all by phone. To be fair to the “Squawk” crew, it was not only Kernen who had the opportunity to ask Trump questions during the Trump chat. Co-host Andrew Ross Sorkin attempted at times to press Trump on various issues, such as his reversal on whether the US should ban TikTok. While Kernen showed no interest in holding Trump accountable, Sorkin at least tried to compel Trump to include some substance in his responses, though it was largely to no avail. Watching the CNBC interview felt like being transported in time to 2015, back when news outlets allowed Trump to phone in to news shows and deliver a drive-by of lies to their audiences. Even after the interview aired, CNBC waited hours to do the bare minimum and publish digital stories fact-checking some of Trump’s claims. Instead, the outlet quickly spliced Trump’s comments into a handful of clips and posted them online, amplifying his comments further. It is hard to see how any responsible news executive would defend CNBC’s actions as beneficial, nevermind smart. Asked why the network allowed Trump to repeatedly lie on its air without scrutiny, a CNBC spokesperson told me: “We asked former President Trump questions that are important to our audience such as social security and entitlement spending, and challenged him throughout the discussion on business issues like tariffs and their impact on the nation’s relationship with China. Additionally, the CNBC digital team has followed up with reporting throughout the day pointing out areas of inaccuracies and including comments from others questioning his statements.” Regardless of how debatable that characterization is, it is remarkable that after nearly a decade of covering Trump as a politician, prominent news outlets, having witnessed the democracy-threatening effects of Trump’s lies, have reverted to lowering their guardrails, allowing him to once again poison the public discourse with false claims. It’s even more striking given the stakes. Trump has publicly confessed he would like to rule as a strongman and exact revenge on his political opponents, should he win in November. He has even explicitly threatened NBCU News Group parent Comcast over the media giant’s political coverage, calling its chairman Brian Roberts in November a “slime ball” and declaring “our so-called ‘government’ should come down hard on them.” (Trump was notably never asked about these overt threats during his Monday interview on CNBC.) Instead of recognizing the threat Trump poses and assuming a more cautious stance, NBC News Group appears to be moving in the opposite direction. MSNBC has recently started taking Trump’s public remarks live (to the vocal objection of star host Rachel Maddow) and CNBC is now welcoming Trump to its air for friendly chats. At the end of Monday’s “Squawk” interview, Trump claimed his legal problems “aren’t legal issues” but “Biden issues;” falsely claimed Biden installed Fani Willis as the Fulton County district attorney; alleged without evidence Biden has “weaponized government” to target him; raged against E. Jean Carroll and again called her accusation of sexual assault “false,” prompting her attorney to suggest maybe she will sue him again; and ominously warned about the “fragile” state of the country and how “people are rejecting” the government for supposedly targeting him. Kernen, a purported newsman, apparently didn’t find any of those issues worth confronting Trump on. Instead, he thanked Trump for appearing on the program and immediately moved to invite him on again for more interviews. “We appreciate all the time you’ve given us this morning, Mr. President,” Kernen said. “I look forward to another conversation in the not-too-distant future.”",12/03/2024,"['Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter.', 'Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here.', 'Suffice to say, this was no perfect call.', 'CNBC on Monday made the curious decision to welcome Donald Trump onto its airwaves for an extended live telephone chat, in which the business news network allowed the twice-impeached, four-time indicted, insurrection-inciting former president a safe harbor to make a number of outrageous and false comments without scrutiny.', '“I believe on the ‘Squawk’ news line, we are joined by former President Donald J. Trump, DJT 45.', 'It is good to welcome you.', 'It’s been a while, Mr. President,” Joe Kernen, co-host of “Squawk Box,” greeted Trump on the air.', 'Almost immediately after commencing the interview, Trump launched into one of his trademark, fact-free rants.', 'Kernen asked the Republican candidate to outline his “vision for the country” following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, to which Trump unleashed a stream of deceit-laced drivel.', 'Most notably, he alleged Biden has weaponized the government and that the US legal system under the “very angry and confused man” is now comparable to that of “third-world countries.”', 'Kernen let it all fly.', 'Rather than fact-checking Trump, or at least providing context about the serious allegations he leveled to viewers, the CNBC host brushed the insidious comments aside and attempted to move the interview along.', 'Kernen, trying to conduct a serious interview with a very unserious man, proceeded to asked Trump about his view toward entitlements.', 'But Trump didn’t answer.', 'Instead, he said he disagreed with the premise of the question (that “something has to be done” to rein in entitlement programs) and pivoted to other topics, infusing his rambling response with more lies.', 'The former president, for example, claimed that when he was in office, the country was producing oil at a “much higher level oil” than now.', '“We were drill, baby, drill,” Trump boasted.', 'But, as those paying attention to the issue know well, Trump’s claim was false.', 'US gas and crude oil production has soared to a record under Biden, surpassing Trump’s term in office.', 'In fact, coincidentally, the US Energy Information Administration put out a press release on Monday noting that in 2023, the US broke all previous records for oil production.', 'Unfortunately, Kernen failed to challenge Trump on the matter.', 'Instead, throughout the interview, the “Squawk” host effectively surrendered the channel’s air to Trump, allowing the dishonest GOP candidate to abuse the platform and mislead its audience of influential viewers — all by phone.', 'To be fair to the “Squawk” crew, it was not only Kernen who had the opportunity to ask Trump questions during the Trump chat.', 'Co-host Andrew Ross Sorkin attempted at times to press Trump on various issues, such as his reversal on whether the US should ban TikTok.', 'While Kernen showed no interest in holding Trump accountable, Sorkin at least tried to compel Trump to include some substance in his responses, though it was largely to no avail.', 'Watching the CNBC interview felt like being transported in time to 2015, back when news outlets allowed Trump to phone in to news shows and deliver a drive-by of lies to their audiences.', 'Even after the interview aired, CNBC waited hours to do the bare minimum and publish digital stories fact-checking some of Trump’s claims.', 'Instead, the outlet quickly spliced Trump’s comments into a handful of clips and posted them online, amplifying his comments further.', 'It is hard to see how any responsible news executive would defend CNBC’s actions as beneficial, nevermind smart.', 'Asked why the network allowed Trump to repeatedly lie on its air without scrutiny, a CNBC spokesperson told me: “We asked former President Trump questions that are important to our audience such as social security and entitlement spending, and challenged him throughout the discussion on business issues like tariffs and their impact on the nation’s relationship with China.', 'Additionally, the CNBC digital team has followed up with reporting throughout the day pointing out areas of inaccuracies and including comments from others questioning his statements.”', 'Regardless of how debatable that characterization is, it is remarkable that after nearly a decade of covering Trump as a politician, prominent news outlets, having witnessed the democracy-threatening effects of Trump’s lies, have reverted to lowering their guardrails, allowing him to once again poison the public discourse with false claims.', 'It’s even more striking given the stakes.', 'Trump has publicly confessed he would like to rule as a strongman and exact revenge on his political opponents, should he win in November.', 'He has even explicitly threatened NBCU News Group parent Comcast over the media giant’s political coverage, calling its chairman Brian Roberts in November a “slime ball” and declaring “our so-called ‘government’ should come down hard on them.” (', 'Trump was notably never asked about these overt threats during his Monday interview on CNBC.)', 'Instead of recognizing the threat Trump poses and assuming a more cautious stance, NBC News Group appears to be moving in the opposite direction.', 'MSNBC has recently started taking Trump’s public remarks live (to the vocal objection of star host Rachel Maddow) and CNBC is now welcoming Trump to its air for friendly chats.', 'At the end of Monday’s “Squawk” interview, Trump claimed his legal problems “aren’t legal issues” but “Biden issues;” falsely claimed Biden installed Fani Willis as the Fulton County district attorney; alleged without evidence Biden has “weaponized government” to target him; raged against E. Jean Carroll and again called her accusation of sexual assault “false,” prompting her attorney to suggest maybe she will sue him again; and ominously warned about the “fragile” state of the country and how “people are rejecting” the government for supposedly targeting him.', 'Kernen, a purported newsman, apparently didn’t find any of those issues worth confronting Trump on.', 'Instead, he thanked Trump for appearing on the program and immediately moved to invite him on again for more interviews.', '“We appreciate all the time you’ve given us this morning, Mr. President,” Kernen said. “', 'I look forward to another conversation in the not-too-distant future.”']",-0.0138403378389578,"It is hard to see how any responsible news executive would defend CNBC’s actions as beneficial, nevermind smart.","At the end of Monday’s “Squawk” interview, Trump claimed his legal problems “aren’t legal issues” but “Biden issues;” falsely claimed Biden installed Fani Willis as the Fulton County district attorney; alleged without evidence Biden has “weaponized government” to target him; raged against E. Jean Carroll and again called her accusation of sexual assault “false,” prompting her attorney to suggest maybe she will sue him again; and ominously warned about the “fragile” state of the country and how “people are rejecting” the government for supposedly targeting him.",0.0,, "Bentley sales are down thanks to ‘emotional sensitivity,’ CEO says",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/bentley-sales-down-ceo-interest-rates/index.html," Published 11:43 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","After four consecutive years of sales growth, sales of ultra-expensive Bentley cars and SUVs were down 11% last year. Bentley chief executive Adrian Hallmark, in a presentation to reporters, blamed “a level of emotional sensitivity” among the brand’s wealthy clientele. In particular, Bentley buyers were sensitive about high interest rates, a Bentley spokesperson explained later. Thirty percent of customers leased Bentleys last year, a figure that was “up significantly” compared to 2022, the spokesperson explained. This indicates that even rich buyers were sensitive to monthly payments on a purchased car. In general, monthly car payments have reached record levels in recent months as high interest rates attempt to ease inflation. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the average monthly payment on a new vehicle in the United States was $739 on a 68-month loan, according to Edmunds.com. Monthly payments for cars like Bentleys, which have a sticker price of $200,000 at a minimum, can be much higher. Customers will often lease, rather than purchase a vehicle, to keep monthly payments down. In a lease, the customer pays a monthly fee based on the amount the vehicle loses in value by the time the lease ends, with fees and interest. The average 36 month lease payment for a Bentley Bentayga SUV, the brand’s most popular model, is around $4,250, according to the auto website TrueCar.com. Bentley sold 13,560 cars and SUVs last year, which was down 11% from 2022. Bentley’s sales figures are tiny compared even to more mainstream luxury brands like Audi — both are owned by the Volkswagen Group — which sold 1.9 million vehicles globally last year. Still, Bentley sells more cars than costlier brands like Rolls-Royce, which sold just over 6,000 vehicles last year. That was an all-time record for Rolls-Royce cars priced at a minimum of around $350,000. Evidently, not all ultra-luxury car buyers were quite so sensitive. Bentley’s corporate relative, Lamborghini, another VW Group brand, also had an all-time record year last year, selling more than 10,000 vehicles for the first time in its history. Lamborghini also earned a record profit of €723 million, or about $789 million. Demand for these very expensive cars seems to be increasing, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said, in interview with CNN, partly because the sheer number of ultra-wealthy people in the world keeps increasing. “There is a trend in this direction,” he said, “which is positive, also, for the brand, Lamborghini.” Ferrari also earned a record profit of €1.26 billion euros, or $1.36 billion, last year, an increase of 34% from 2022. Ferrari sold 13,663 cars last year. Bentley is somewhat different from these brands, though, in that a Bentley is more likely to be an owner’s regular car for daily use whereas a Lamborghini or Rolls-Royce is more likely for special occasions or purely for fun. Although Bentley sold fewer cars last year than the year before, and made 17% less total profit, customers tended toward the more expensive models, the company said. Far more customers purchased more opulently outfitted, or even fully customized, vehicles than last year.",21/03/2024,"['After four consecutive years of sales growth, sales of ultra-expensive Bentley cars and SUVs were down 11% last year.', 'Bentley chief executive Adrian Hallmark, in a presentation to reporters, blamed “a level of emotional sensitivity” among the brand’s wealthy clientele.', 'In particular, Bentley buyers were sensitive about high interest rates, a Bentley spokesperson explained later.', 'Thirty percent of customers leased Bentleys last year, a figure that was “up significantly” compared to 2022, the spokesperson explained.', 'This indicates that even rich buyers were sensitive to monthly payments on a purchased car.', 'In general, monthly car payments have reached record levels in recent months as high interest rates attempt to ease inflation.', 'In the fourth quarter of 2023, the average monthly payment on a new vehicle in the United States was $739 on a 68-month loan, according to Edmunds.com.', 'Monthly payments for cars like Bentleys, which have a sticker price of $200,000 at a minimum, can be much higher.', 'Customers will often lease, rather than purchase a vehicle, to keep monthly payments down.', 'In a lease, the customer pays a monthly fee based on the amount the vehicle loses in value by the time the lease ends, with fees and interest.', 'The average 36 month lease payment for a Bentley Bentayga SUV, the brand’s most popular model, is around $4,250, according to the auto website TrueCar.com.', 'Bentley sold 13,560 cars and SUVs last year, which was down 11% from 2022.', 'Bentley’s sales figures are tiny compared even to more mainstream luxury brands like Audi — both are owned by the Volkswagen Group — which sold 1.9 million vehicles globally last year.', 'Still, Bentley sells more cars than costlier brands like Rolls-Royce, which sold just over 6,000 vehicles last year.', 'That was an all-time record for Rolls-Royce cars priced at a minimum of around $350,000.', 'Evidently, not all ultra-luxury car buyers were quite so sensitive.', 'Bentley’s corporate relative, Lamborghini, another VW Group brand, also had an all-time record year last year, selling more than 10,000 vehicles for the first time in its history.', 'Lamborghini also earned a record profit of €723 million, or about $789 million.', 'Demand for these very expensive cars seems to be increasing, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said, in interview with CNN, partly because the sheer number of ultra-wealthy people in the world keeps increasing.', '“There is a trend in this direction,” he said, “which is positive, also, for the brand, Lamborghini.”', 'Ferrari also earned a record profit of €1.26 billion euros, or $1.36 billion, last year, an increase of 34% from 2022.', 'Ferrari sold 13,663 cars last year.', 'Bentley is somewhat different from these brands, though, in that a Bentley is more likely to be an owner’s regular car for daily use whereas a Lamborghini or Rolls-Royce is more likely for special occasions or purely for fun.', 'Although Bentley sold fewer cars last year than the year before, and made 17% less total profit, customers tended toward the more expensive models, the company said.', 'Far more customers purchased more opulently outfitted, or even fully customized, vehicles than last year.']",0.3088663786158309,"Bentley is somewhat different from these brands, though, in that a Bentley is more likely to be an owner’s regular car for daily use whereas a Lamborghini or Rolls-Royce is more likely for special occasions or purely for fun.",,0.0,, Biggest fraud in Chinese history? Beijing accuses Evergrande of inflating revenues by $78 billion,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/19/business/china-evergrande-fraud-csrc-investigation-hnk-intl/index.html," Published 5:54 AM EDT, Tue March 19, 2024 ","Chinese regulators have accused Evergrande and its founder of inflating revenues by $78 billion, putting the insolvent property developer at the heart of the country’s biggest ever financial fraud case. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) slapped a penalty of 4.175 billion yuan ($580 million) on Hengda Real Estate, the group’s main Chinese unit, the company said in filings to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on Monday. Xu Jiayin, founder and chairman of the Evergrande Group, was fined 47 million yuan ($6.5 million) for the overstatement and other alleged violations. Formerly China’s richest man, he was also barred from the securities markets for life. The findings were revealed after an eight-month-long investigation by the CSRC. The investigation had previously derailed Evergrande’s debt restructuring talks with its overseas bondholders in the fall, because the company couldn’t issue new notes, according to a company statement issued in September. Days later, Evergrande said its chairman had been detained by Chinese authorities on suspicion of “crimes.” In January 2024, a Hong Kong court ordered Evergrande to liquidate. In Monday’s filing, Hengda said the CSRC accused the company of several violations, including inflating sales in its financial reports, relying on these allegedly falsified figures to sell bonds and failing to disclose relevant information as required. The regulator said Hengda had fabricated 214 billion yuan ($30 billion) in sales for 2019, which accounted for half of that year’s revenue. Another 350 billion yuan ($48.6 billion) in sales for 2020, accounting for 78% of revenue, were also falsified. As a result, 2019’s net profit was inflated by 63% and 2020’s net profit by 87%, it said. The alleged fraud, amounting to a total of 564.1 billion yuan ($78 billion) over two years, is the largest ever financial fraud case in mainland China’s securities markets, according to previous regulatory statements and state media reports. In addition to the penalties levied on Hengda and Xu, six other executives were fined by the CSRC for being “directly responsible.” Like Xu, Xia Haijun, the former vice chairman and CEO of Evergrande Group, was banned from the nation’s securities markets for life. “Xu Jiayin had made decisions, organized, and implemented the financial fraud … Xia Haijun had organized, arranged and prepared the falsified financial reports… their means were really bad and the circumstances were grave,” the regulator said.",19/03/2024,"['Chinese regulators have accused Evergrande and its founder of inflating revenues by $78 billion, putting the insolvent property developer at the heart of the country’s biggest ever financial fraud case.', 'The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) slapped a penalty of 4.175 billion yuan ($580 million) on Hengda Real Estate, the group’s main Chinese unit, the company said in filings to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on Monday.', 'Xu Jiayin, founder and chairman of the Evergrande Group, was fined 47 million yuan ($6.5 million) for the overstatement and other alleged violations.', 'Formerly China’s richest man, he was also barred from the securities markets for life.', 'The findings were revealed after an eight-month-long investigation by the CSRC.', 'The investigation had previously derailed Evergrande’s debt restructuring talks with its overseas bondholders in the fall, because the company couldn’t issue new notes, according to a company statement issued in September.', 'Days later, Evergrande said its chairman had been detained by Chinese authorities on suspicion of “crimes.”', 'In January 2024, a Hong Kong court ordered Evergrande to liquidate.', 'In Monday’s filing, Hengda said the CSRC accused the company of several violations, including inflating sales in its financial reports, relying on these allegedly falsified figures to sell bonds and failing to disclose relevant information as required.', 'The regulator said Hengda had fabricated 214 billion yuan ($30 billion) in sales for 2019, which accounted for half of that year’s revenue.', 'Another 350 billion yuan ($48.6 billion) in sales for 2020, accounting for 78% of revenue, were also falsified.', 'As a result, 2019’s net profit was inflated by 63% and 2020’s net profit by 87%, it said.', 'The alleged fraud, amounting to a total of 564.1 billion yuan ($78 billion) over two years, is the largest ever financial fraud case in mainland China’s securities markets, according to previous regulatory statements and state media reports.', 'In addition to the penalties levied on Hengda and Xu, six other executives were fined by the CSRC for being “directly responsible.”', 'Like Xu, Xia Haijun, the former vice chairman and CEO of Evergrande Group, was banned from the nation’s securities markets for life.', '“Xu Jiayin had made decisions, organized, and implemented the financial fraud … Xia Haijun had organized, arranged and prepared the falsified financial reports… their means were really bad and the circumstances were grave,” the regulator said.']",-0.2425373380988203,"As a result, 2019’s net profit was inflated by 63% and 2020’s net profit by 87%, it said.","“Xu Jiayin had made decisions, organized, and implemented the financial fraud … Xia Haijun had organized, arranged and prepared the falsified financial reports… their means were really bad and the circumstances were grave,” the regulator said.",0.0,, "Prince Harry targets Rupert Murdoch in phone hacking lawsuit, alleges mogul was involved in a cover-up",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/media/prince-harry-rupert-murdoch-phone-hacking-lawsuit/index.html," Published 7:36 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here. Rupert Murdoch is at risk of being personally dragged into another major lawsuit. Lawyers for Prince Harry and a number of other notable public figures, including Guy Ritchie and Hugh Grant, asked a U.K. court on Wednesday for permission to amend their lawsuit against Murdoch’s British newspaper company, leveling the explosive allegation that the billionaire media mogul was personally involved in covering up wrongdoing. The lawsuit, filed in 2019, accuses News Group Newspapers, the parent company of The Sun tabloid and defunct News of the World, of illegal privacy invasions, including hacking. The illicit behavior occurred from the mid-1990s until 2016, according to the lawsuit. Lawyers for the Duke of Sussex now want to include claims that Murdoch personally provided “knowingly false” information on the matter. They also allege Rebekah Brooks, a top Murdoch lieutenant who currently oversees his British newspapers, of having also “lied and/or gave deliberately misleading evidence.” Executives at the newspaper group, including Murdoch, publicly promoted the false claim that there was only “one rogue reporter” in the News of the World scandal and attempted to “buy” the silence of senior executives, Harry’s lawyers said. The lawyers added that “they would not have been carrying out this extensive concealment and destruction strategy without the knowledge and approval of Rupert Murdoch and [his son and then-executive chairman] James Murdoch.” NGN aggressively pushed back on the allegations, with a spokesperson saying in a statement that they amounted to a “scurrilous and cynical attack on their integrity” and “have nothing to do with seeking compensation for victims of phone hacking or unlawful information gathering.” “Some of these allegations date back to events now thirty years old and relate to allegations which are irrelevant to the matters which are now in issue between the parties,” the spokesperson added. The high-profile suit threatens to further mar the legacy of Murdoch as the nonagenarian enters the twilight of his career and comes in the wake of multiple damaging lawsuits against Fox News, the highly profitable crown jewel of his global media empire. And the case brewing in the U.K., which is set to go to trial early next year, has the potential to have larger ramifications, rippling across the pond to the U.S. Not only is Murdoch at the center of the lawsuit, but his former deputy turned Washington Post chief executive and publisher Will Lewis is also facing allegations of engaging in the alleged cover-up. (It goes without saying that Lewis has denied all wrongdoing.) The phone hacking scandal rocked Murdoch’s media empire more than a decade ago and marked one of the lowest moments in the billionaire’s career. At the time, NGN issued an apology to victims, Murdoch shut down the popular News of the World, and the company has since settled hundreds of legal cases stemming from the scandal. Illegal phone hacking was not unique to Murdoch’s U.K. publications. The bad behavior extended to other outlets, with the country’s notoriously aggressive tabloid press doing whatever it could to dig up celebrity dirt. Just last year a court ruled that Harry was also the victim of “extensive” phone hacking by Mirror Group Newspapers. Harry is also suing the publisher of the Daily Mail. And he said that Murdoch’s newspapers paid his brother, Prince William, a “large sum” to settle hacking claims. On Wednesday, NGN said it wants to put its own scandal to bed. “These proceedings have now been going on for over fifteen years,” the spokesperson said, “and NGN is seeking to bring them to a close.”",21/03/2024,"['Editor’s Note:A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter.', 'Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here.', 'Rupert Murdoch is at risk of being personally dragged into another major lawsuit.', 'Lawyers for Prince Harry and a number of other notable public figures, including Guy Ritchie and Hugh Grant, asked a U.K. court on Wednesday for permission to amend their lawsuit against Murdoch’s British newspaper company, leveling the explosive allegation that the billionaire media mogul was personally involved in covering up wrongdoing.', 'The lawsuit, filed in 2019, accuses News Group Newspapers, the parent company of The Sun tabloid and defunct News of the World, of illegal privacy invasions, including hacking.', 'The illicit behavior occurred from the mid-1990s until 2016, according to the lawsuit.', 'Lawyers for the Duke of Sussex now want to include claims that Murdoch personally provided “knowingly false” information on the matter.', 'They also allege Rebekah Brooks, a top Murdoch lieutenant who currently oversees his British newspapers, of having also “lied and/or gave deliberately misleading evidence.”', 'Executives at the newspaper group, including Murdoch, publicly promoted the false claim that there was only “one rogue reporter” in the News of the World scandal and attempted to “buy” the silence of senior executives, Harry’s lawyers said.', 'The lawyers added that “they would not have been carrying out this extensive concealment and destruction strategy without the knowledge and approval of Rupert Murdoch and [his son and then-executive chairman] James Murdoch.”', 'NGN aggressively pushed back on the allegations, with a spokesperson saying in a statement that they amounted to a “scurrilous and cynical attack on their integrity” and “have nothing to do with seeking compensation for victims of phone hacking or unlawful information gathering.”', '“Some of these allegations date back to events now thirty years old and relate to allegations which are irrelevant to the matters which are now in issue between the parties,” the spokesperson added.', 'The high-profile suit threatens to further mar the legacy of Murdoch as the nonagenarian enters the twilight of his career and comes in the wake of multiple damaging lawsuits against Fox News, the highly profitable crown jewel of his global media empire.', 'And the case brewing in the U.K., which is set to go to trial early next year, has the potential to have larger ramifications, rippling across the pond to the U.S. Not only is Murdoch at the center of the lawsuit, but his former deputy turned Washington Post chief executive and publisher Will Lewis is also facing allegations of engaging in the alleged cover-up. (', 'It goes without saying that Lewis has denied all wrongdoing.)', 'The phone hacking scandal rocked Murdoch’s media empire more than a decade ago and marked one of the lowest moments in the billionaire’s career.', 'At the time, NGN issued an apology to victims, Murdoch shut down the popular News of the World, and the company has since settled hundreds of legal cases stemming from the scandal.', 'Illegal phone hacking was not unique to Murdoch’s U.K. publications.', 'The bad behavior extended to other outlets, with the country’s notoriously aggressive tabloid press doing whatever it could to dig up celebrity dirt.', 'Just last year a court ruled that Harry was also the victim of “extensive” phone hacking by Mirror Group Newspapers.', 'Harry is also suing the publisher of the Daily Mail.', 'And he said that Murdoch’s newspapers paid his brother, Prince William, a “large sum” to settle hacking claims.', 'On Wednesday, NGN said it wants to put its own scandal to bed.', '“These proceedings have now been going on for over fifteen years,” the spokesperson said, “and NGN is seeking to bring them to a close.”']",-0.2346860388391661,"“Some of these allegations date back to events now thirty years old and relate to allegations which are irrelevant to the matters which are now in issue between the parties,” the spokesperson added.","The lawsuit, filed in 2019, accuses News Group Newspapers, the parent company of The Sun tabloid and defunct News of the World, of illegal privacy invasions, including hacking.",0.0,, Bilt’s March Rent Day promotion: Vote for your favorite benefit with the Bilt Bracket,https://edition.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/travel/bilt-rent-day-promotion," Updated 10:57 AM EST, Mon February 26, 2024 ","The relatively new Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees) has been incredibly popular since its inception. With a top-notch loyalty program and the opportunity to earn points on rent with absolutely no transaction fees (up to 100,000 points per calendar year), it’s no surprise to see the card flourish over the past few years. And in addition to their strong program, Bilt Rewards — the loyalty program behind the Bilt Mastercard — also offers some favorable promotions throughout the year, with the most popular known as Rent Day. With Bilt’s Rent Day promotion — which runs the first of every month — all card members have the opportunity to earn double points on all purchases (excluding rent) as well as take advantage of their unique offer for the month. Bilt typically announces their promotions just a few days prior to Rent Day, and it’s something you’ll want to pay attention to. Bilt Rewards just released the March 1st edition of its monthly Rent Day promotion, and it is a unique one. Instead of Bilt announcing a single offer, all members will have the opportunity to have a say in the winning pick. A play off the March Madness bracket, the Bilt Bracket will run between now and Feb. 29, during which you can vote daily to help decide the Rent Day benefit. Various offers will go head-to-head, and like all brackets, the winner will proceed to the next round. The last standing offer will then be the Rent Day benefit on March 1. And similar to most other Rent Day promotions, the winning offer is only valid on the first day of the month (March 1, 2024, in this case). Let’s take a closer look at how this bracket will work and the Rent Day offer options. For four days straight — between Feb. 26 and Feb. 29 — Bilt members can vote for their favorite Rent Day benefit within the Bilt app or BiltRewards.com. There are 16 total offers to start with and the winners from each day will then proceed to the next round of the bracket. The last standing offer after the Feb. 29th vote will end up being the Rent Day benefit for all members to take advantage of on March 1. However, those with Gold or Platinum status with Bilt, will also receive the runner-up offer, giving select members two bonus opportunities on Rent Day. With 16 different offers, some are significantly better than others. Although, the best offer for you might truly depend on how you engage in the Bilt program. Check the Bilt app or website to see the full list of promotions you can vote on. For me, the offers that allow me to earn bonus points on specific purchases — such as bonus points at Bilt Dining restaurants — will be my top pick, but others might prefer the opportunity get bonus points by redeeming their Bilt points on rent, for example. Voting is incredible quick and can easily be completed alongside your morning coffee. Once you vote, you’ll also be given some insight on the winners with the percentage of members that picked each option thus far. On March 1st, Bilt members will also have the opportunity to redeem Bilt points for an exclusive game ticket and experience to the NCAA Men’s Sweet 16, Elite Eight and Final Four games. Tickets start at 15,000 Bilt points each for games taking place in Dallas, Detroit, Boston, Los Angeles and Phoenix. You’ll be able to snag a ticket starting at 12 p.m. EST on March 1, but those with higher Bilt status will receive priority. This is because those with Platinum status will have first access at 12 p.m. EST, Gold status members at 12:30 p.m. EST, Silver status members at 1 p.m. and everyone else at 1:30 p.m. Every month on Rent Day, Bilt also gives members with the Bilt Mastercard a chance to earn double points on all purchases (excluding rent). So, if you have a new restaurant you want to check out, flights to book or any other purchases to make, it could be worth waiting until March 1 to earn more points on your purchase. And if you’re dining at a restaurant that participates in Bilt Dining, you can increase your earnings up to a whopping 11 points per dollar. But remember, to earn Bilt points, you must use the card five times each statement period (see Rewards & Benefits). Bilt’s monthly Rent Day promotions are a great opportunity to maximize your points as well as jump on unique promotions. Let’s see which bonus offer wins this month. Learn more and apply now for the Bilt Mastercard. Find out which cards CNN Underscored Money chose as the best credit cards currently available.",26/02/2024,"['The relatively new Bilt Mastercard® (seerates and fees) has been incredibly popular since its inception.', 'With a top-notch loyalty program and the opportunity to earn points on rent with absolutely no transaction fees (up to 100,000 points per calendar year), it’s no surprise to see the card flourish over the past few years.', 'And in addition to their strong program, Bilt Rewards —the loyalty program behind the Bilt Mastercard —also offers some favorable promotions throughout the year, with the most popular known as Rent Day.', 'With Bilt’s Rent Day promotion —which runs the first of every month — all card members have the opportunity to earn double points on all purchases (excluding rent) as well as take advantage of their unique offer for the month.', 'Bilt typically announces their promotions just a few days prior to Rent Day, and it’s something you’ll want to pay attention to.', 'Bilt Rewards just released the March 1st edition of its monthly Rent Day promotion, and it is a unique one.', 'Instead of Bilt announcing a single offer, all members will have the opportunity to have a say in the winning pick.', 'A play off the March Madness bracket, the Bilt Bracket will run between now and Feb. 29, during which you can vote daily to help decide the Rent Day benefit.', 'Various offers will go head-to-head, and like all brackets, the winner will proceed to the next round.', 'The last standing offer will then be the Rent Day benefit on March 1.', 'And similar to most other Rent Day promotions, the winning offer is only valid on the first day of the month (March 1, 2024, in this case).', 'Let’s take a closer look at how this bracket will work and the Rent Day offer options.', 'For four days straight —between Feb. 26 and Feb. 29 —Bilt members can vote for their favorite Rent Day benefit within the Bilt app or BiltRewards.com.', 'There are 16 total offers to start with and the winners from each day will then proceed to the next round of the bracket.', 'The last standing offer after the Feb. 29th vote will end up being the Rent Day benefit for all members to take advantage of on March 1.', 'However, those with Gold or Platinum status with Bilt, will also receive the runner-up offer,giving select members two bonus opportunities on Rent Day.', 'With 16 different offers, some are significantly better than others.', 'Although, the best offer for you might truly depend on how you engage in the Bilt program.', 'Check the Bilt app or website to see the full list of promotions you can vote on.', 'For me, the offers that allow me to earn bonus points on specific purchases —such as bonus points at Bilt Dining restaurants —will be my top pick, but others might prefer the opportunity get bonus points by redeeming their Bilt points on rent, for example.', 'Voting is incredible quick and can easily be completed alongside your morning coffee.', 'Once you vote, you’ll also be given some insight on the winners with the percentage of members that picked each option thus far.', 'On March 1st, Bilt members will also have the opportunity to redeem Bilt points for an exclusive game ticket and experience to the NCAA Men’s Sweet 16, Elite Eight and Final Four games.', 'Tickets start at 15,000 Bilt points each for games taking place in Dallas, Detroit, Boston, Los Angeles and Phoenix.', 'You’ll be able to snag a ticket starting at 12 p.m. EST on March 1, but those with higher Bilt status will receive priority.', 'This is because those with Platinum status will have first access at 12 p.m. EST, Gold status members at 12:30 p.m. EST, Silver status members at 1 p.m. and everyone else at 1:30 p.m. Every month on Rent Day, Bilt also gives members with the Bilt Mastercard a chance to earn double points on all purchases (excluding rent).', 'So, if you have a new restaurant you want to check out, flights to book or any other purchases to make, it could be worth waiting until March 1 to earn more points on your purchase.', 'And if you’re dining at a restaurant that participates in Bilt Dining, you can increase your earnings up to a whopping 11 points per dollar.', 'But remember, to earn Bilt points, you must use the card five times each statement period (see Rewards & Benefits).', 'Bilt’s monthly Rent Day promotions are a great opportunity to maximize your points as well as jump on unique promotions.', 'Let’s see which bonus offer wins this month.', 'Learn more and apply now for the Bilt Mastercard.', 'Find out which cards CNN Underscored Money chose as the best credit cardscurrently available.']",0.5132379666371525,"And in addition to their strong program, Bilt Rewards —the loyalty program behind the Bilt Mastercard —also offers some favorable promotions throughout the year, with the most popular known as Rent Day.",,0.0,, What happened when the world’s most populous nation turned off TikTok,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/14/tech/india-us-tiktok-ban-analysis-intl-hnk/index.html," Updated 9:59 AM EDT, Fri March 15, 2024 ","As TikTok fans in the United States worry about losing access to the wildly-popular social media app, there are lessons they can learn from a country on the other side of the world. On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban. While the Chinese-owned app is not disappearing from Americans’ phones anytime soon, many of its 170 million users in the country are deeply rattled. But here is what they need to know: It is possible to survive and thrive in a TikTok-less world. Just ask the planet’s most populous nation. In June 2020, after a violent clash on the India-China border that left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead, the government in New Delhi suddenly banned TikTok and several other well-known Chinese apps. “It’s important to remember that when India banned TikTok and multiple Chinese apps, the US was the first to praise the decision,” said Nikhil Pahwa, the Delhi-based founder of tech website MediaNama. “[Former] US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had welcomed the ban, saying it ‘will boost India’s sovereignty.’” While India’s abrupt decision shocked the country’s 200 million TikTok users, in the four years since, many have found other suitable alternatives. “The ban on Tiktok led to the creation of a multibillion dollar opportunity … A 200 million user base needed somewhere to go,” said Pahwa, adding that it was ultimately American tech companies that seized the moment with their new offerings. The ban was not without pain. Indian TikTokkers had to grapple with confusion and even anguish in the days and months that followed. By 2020, TikTok had become hugely popular among Indians looking for relief from the pressures of strict Covid-related lockdowns. “Everyone in India wants to be a Bollywood star, and TikTok made that dream possible by making people, including those in small towns, overnight stars,” said Saptarshi Ray, head of product at Viralo, a Bengaluru-based influencer marketing platform. But it didn’t take long before other avenues for their creativity and commercial ventures sprang up. A ferocious fight ensued between US tech giants and domestic startups to fill the gap. Within a week of the ban, Meta-owned Instagram cashed in by launching its TikTok copycat, Instagram Reels, in India. Google introduced its own short video offering, YouTube Shorts. Homegrown alternatives such as MX Taka Tak and Moj also began seeing a rise in popularity and an infux in funding. Those local startups soon fizzled out, however, unable to match the reach and financial firepower of the American firms, which are flourishing. Citing independent findings from consulting firm Oxford Economics, a Google spokesperson said that “the YouTube creative ecosystem” contributed roughly $2 billion to the Indian economy in 2022. According to Ray, Indian content creators swiftly moved all the old content they had shot for TikTok to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. “Some Influencers were uploading seven Reels a day and gaining four to five million subscribers a year,” he said. But not everyone was able to build a significant following on these platforms. “Many users and creators slipped into a deep, dark space after the ban, and some have still not emerged from that space,” said Clyde Fernandes, executive director— artist management at Opraahfx, an influencer marketing and management firm. “The way one was gaining reach and followers on TikTok is [still] incomparable to any other platform out there at the moment,” he added. US officials and lawmakers have long voiced concerns that the Chinese government could compel TikTok’s parent ByteDance to hand over data collected from American users. Cybersecurity experts say that the national security concerns surrounding TikTok remain largely hypothetical. Indian experts, however, say its purge from national digital life hasn’t resulted in a safer space. “I am not so sure removal of TikTok makes a dent in the cybersecurity threat landscape. Unless there is a step change in user awareness about the software on their phones, or what they download from the open internet, this is unlikely to change,” said Vivan Sharan, partner at Delhi-based tech policy consulting firm Koan Advisory Group. US lawmakers also fear that the app could serve as a tool for Beijing to spread propaganda, misinformation or influence Americans. The removal of TikTok hasn’t insulated Indians from those threats. “In terms of content and disinformation environment, it is plain to see we still have to grapple with serious issues like deepfakes, etc, with or without TikTok,” Sharan said. “So overall, it is hard to see which part of the risk-landscape changes significantly, assuming TikTok was certifiably problematic.”",15/03/2024,"['As TikTok fans in the United States worry about losing access to the wildly-popular social media app, there are lessons they can learn from a country on the other side of the world.', 'On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban.', 'While the Chinese-owned app is not disappearing from Americans’ phones anytime soon, many of its 170 million users in the country are deeply rattled.', 'But here is what they need to know: It is possible to survive and thrive in a TikTok-less world.', 'Just ask the planet’s most populous nation.', 'In June 2020, after a violent clash on the India-China border that left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead, the government in New Delhi suddenly bannedTikTokand several other well-known Chinese apps.', '“It’s important to remember that when India banned TikTok and multiple Chinese apps, the US was the first to praise the decision,” said Nikhil Pahwa, the Delhi-based founder of tech website MediaNama. “[', 'Former] US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had welcomed the ban, saying it ‘will boost India’s sovereignty.’”', 'While India’s abrupt decision shocked the country’s 200 million TikTok users, in the four years since, many have found other suitable alternatives.', '“The ban on Tiktok led to the creation of a multibillion dollar opportunity … A 200 million user base needed somewhere to go,” said Pahwa, adding that it was ultimately American tech companies that seized the moment with their new offerings.', 'The ban was not without pain.', 'Indian TikTokkers had to grapple with confusion and even anguish in the days and months that followed.', 'By 2020, TikTok had become hugely popular among Indians looking for relief from the pressures of strict Covid-related lockdowns.', '“Everyone in India wants to be a Bollywood star, and TikTok made that dream possible by making people, including those in small towns, overnight stars,” said Saptarshi Ray, head of product at Viralo, a Bengaluru-based influencer marketing platform.', 'But it didn’t take long before other avenues for their creativity and commercial ventures sprang up.', 'A ferocious fight ensued between US tech giants and domestic startups to fill the gap.', 'Within a week of the ban, Meta-owned Instagram cashed in bylaunching its TikTok copycat, Instagram Reels, in India.', 'Google introduced its own short video offering, YouTube Shorts.', 'Homegrown alternatives such asMX Taka TakandMoj also began seeing a rise in popularity and an infux in funding.', 'Those local startups soon fizzled out, however, unable to match the reach and financial firepower of the American firms, which are flourishing.', 'Citing independent findings from consulting firm Oxford Economics, a Google spokesperson said that “the YouTube creative ecosystem” contributed roughly $2 billion to the Indian economy in 2022.', 'According to Ray, Indian content creators swiftly moved all the old content they had shot for TikTok to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. “', 'Some Influencers were uploading seven Reels a day and gaining four to five million subscribers a year,” he said.', 'But not everyone was able to build a significant following on these platforms.', '“Many users and creators slipped into a deep, dark space after the ban, and some have still not emerged from that space,” said Clyde Fernandes, executive director— artist management at Opraahfx, an influencer marketing and management firm.', '“The way one was gaining reach and followers on TikTok is [still] incomparable to any other platform out there at the moment,” he added.', 'US officials and lawmakers have longvoiced concernsthat the Chinese government could compel TikTok’s parent ByteDance to hand over data collected from American users.', 'Cybersecurity experts say that the national security concerns surrounding TikTok remain largely hypothetical.', 'Indian experts, however, say its purge from national digital life hasn’t resulted in a safer space.', '“I am not so sure removal of TikTok makes a dent in the cybersecurity threat landscape.', 'Unless there is a step change in user awareness about the software on their phones, or what they download from the open internet, this is unlikely to change,” said Vivan Sharan, partner at Delhi-based tech policyconsultingfirmKoan AdvisoryGroup.', 'US lawmakers also fear that the app could serve as a tool for Beijing to spread propaganda, misinformation or influence Americans.', 'The removal of TikTok hasn’t insulated Indians from those threats.', '“In terms of content and disinformation environment, it is plain to see we still have to grapple with serious issues like deepfakes, etc, with or without TikTok,” Sharan said. “', 'So overall, it is hard to see which part of the risk-landscape changes significantly, assuming TikTok was certifiably problematic.”']",-0.0234839102980259,"By 2020, TikTok had become hugely popular among Indians looking for relief from the pressures of strict Covid-related lockdowns.","In June 2020, after a violent clash on the India-China border that left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead, the government in New Delhi suddenly bannedTikTokand several other well-known Chinese apps.",0.0,, Opinion: The drama around Sam Altman is an urgent warning,https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/21/opinions/sam-altman-openai-ouster-danger-filipovic/index.html," Published 9:50 AM EST, Tue November 21, 2023 ","The biggest tech news this week is the ouster of Sam Altman from his role as CEO of OpenAI, a move that has shaken the company and the industry. Hundreds of OpenAI employees have threatened to resign. Altman has already moved on to a role at Microsoft. And OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is on its third CEO in as many days. It’s all very juicy. But this drama should also be raising larger questions, far beyond one company’s internal hirings and firings, including: Who are the people making the decisions that will determine so much of our technological future? What guiding principles are they using to make those decisions? And how should other institutions – governments, non-tech industries, global alliances, regulatory bodies – reign in the worst excesses of potentially dangerous AI innovators? OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit, with an explicit mission to harness what may soon be superhuman intelligence “to benefit humanity as a whole.” But that sensibility hasn’t lasted. The company now has a multi-billion-dollar for-profit arm. They have been developing new technologies at lightning speed, and sometimes sending them out to the public before some employees believed they were ready. The company has already reportedly invented an AI technology so dangerous they will never release it – but they also won’t tell reporters or the public exactly what it is. This dynamic – a potentially dangerous technology developed at extreme speed, largely behind closed doors – is partly to blame for Altman’s firing. The OpenAI board, according to CNN’s David Goldman, worried that “the company was making the technological equivalent of a nuclear bomb, and its caretaker, Sam Altman, was moving so fast that he risked a global catastrophe.” At particular issue seemed to be Altman’s efforts to make the tools behind ChatGPT available to anyone who wanted to make their own version of the chatbot. This could be widely disastrous, some board members worried. But then they fired him without warning, and apparently without involving Microsoft, the company’s largest shareholder. Now, Altman is at the new AI group at Microsoft, and one has to wonder if the oversight and caution there will be on par with that at OpenAI, or if he’ll be handed carte blanche to push as fast and hard as he wants. And for all the justified reticence of the OpenAI board, the company has carried out much of its work in secrecy – without the public really understanding what a handful of unaccountable technologists are building, and how it is nearly guaranteed to indelibly change their lives. AI is broadly understood to have the potential to reshape vast swaths of human existence. At the very least, it seems nearly guaranteed to change how we process information, how we communicate, how we learn and how we work (and if we work). And the ramifications could be much more extreme. AI technologies have already demonstrated the ability to lie and to cover their tracks. They have already been able to suggest the design to make a virus spread more quickly. Many researchers acutely understand just how quickly these machines could develop the capacity to annihilate us, including Altman: He has a prepper’s paradise prepared in Big Sur, complete with guns and “gas masks from the Israeli Defense Force” in case AI goes off the rails and the robots go to war against humans, according to reporting in the New Yorker. But don’t worry, he told an Atlantic reporter: If AI is determined to wipe us out, “no gas mask is helping anyone.” (If you want an excellent and terrifying rundown of AI’s risks – at least those we understand right now, which are almost certainly a mere sliver of the looming perils – the Atlantic profile of Altman and his technology is worth a read). AI is very exciting technology. But it is also a potentially very dangerous one, and not in the social media sense of “it may give us bad self-esteem and make us lonelier” but in the sense of “it could break down human societies and kill us all.” Given the life-altering potential of AI – that even if it doesn’t kill us all, it will almost certainly change human existence in unprecedented ways at unprecedented speed – we all have a stake in how it’s being developed. And yet the development is being left to a handful of people (who seem to be largely men) in Silicon Valley, and other tech pockets around the globe. And we all have a stake in whose interests AI will serve – and right now, its development is being funded with billions of dollars by people expecting to make a huge profit. Do the interests of the public align with the interests of the shareholders to whom profit-driven, potentially tremendously lucrative-for-a-few companies are beholden? Or with the interests of tech entrepreneurs who are primarily excited about being at the forefront of the AI revolution, regardless of the potential human costs? One thing is clear: AI is coming. And how it is built and unleashed on the public matters more than perhaps any technology of the past century. It is, indeed, up there with the atom bomb in its destructive potential – except likely more difficult to regulate and control. “Regulation” does not begin to scratch the surface of what’s needed to make sure that the AI future is not a catastrophic one, especially since the development of AI is now a massive international arms race, with particularly horrific implications if bad actors develop this technology first. But regulation is, at minimum, a necessary step. So is transparency: In the US, companies have wide leverage to work behind a veil of secrecy, and much of what AI companies do is kept secret to stymy competition. But the public certainly has a right to understand what life-altering technologies are set to be inflicted upon us, and what the creators are doing to protect humanity – our jobs, our communities, our families, our connections, our educations and our abilities to build a life of purpose, but also our lives and our safety. The Altman story is fascinating because Altman is the most powerful figure in AI technology, which in effect makes him one of the most powerful men in the world. But that should give us pause: Who is he, what power does he hold, what is he doing with it, who does he answer to, and are we comfortable with this much life-altering potential being held by a few unaccountable people?",21/11/2023,"['The biggest tech news this week is theousterof Sam Altman from his role as CEO of OpenAI, a move that has shaken the company and the industry.', 'Hundreds of OpenAI employees have threatened toresign.', 'Altman has alreadymoved onto a role at Microsoft.', 'And OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is on itsthird CEOin as many days.', 'It’s all very juicy.', 'But this drama should also be raising larger questions, far beyond one company’s internal hirings and firings, including: Who are the people making the decisionsthat will determine so much of our technological future?', 'What guiding principles are they using to make those decisions?', 'And how should other institutions – governments, non-tech industries, global alliances, regulatory bodies – reign in the worst excesses of potentially dangerous AI innovators?', 'OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit, with an explicit mission to harness what may soon be superhuman intelligence “to benefit humanity as a whole.”', 'But that sensibility hasn’t lasted.', 'The company now has a multi-billion-dollar for-profit arm.', 'They have been developing new technologies at lightning speed, and sometimes sending them out to the publicbefore some employees believed they were ready.', 'The company has already reportedly invented an AI technology so dangerous they will never release it – but they alsowon’t tellreporters or the public exactly what it is.', 'This dynamic – a potentially dangerous technology developed at extreme speed, largely behind closed doors – is partly to blame for Altman’s firing.', 'The OpenAI board, according toCNN’s David Goldman, worried that “the company was making the technological equivalent of a nuclear bomb, and its caretaker, Sam Altman, was moving so fast that he risked a global catastrophe.”', 'At particular issue seemed to be Altman’s efforts to make the tools behind ChatGPT available to anyone who wanted to make their own version of the chatbot.', 'This could be widely disastrous, some board members worried.', 'But then they fired him without warning, and apparently without involving Microsoft, the company’s largest shareholder.', 'Now, Altman is at the new AI group at Microsoft, and one has to wonder if the oversight and caution there will be on par with that at OpenAI, or if he’ll be handed carte blanche to push as fast and hard as he wants.', 'And for all the justified reticence of the OpenAI board, the company has carried out much of its work in secrecy – without the public really understanding what a handful of unaccountable technologists are building, and how it is nearly guaranteed to indelibly change their lives.', 'AI is broadly understood to have the potential to reshape vast swaths of human existence.', 'At the very least, it seems nearly guaranteed to change how we process information, how we communicate, how we learn and how we work (and if we work).', 'And the ramifications could be much more extreme.', 'AI technologies have already demonstrated the abilityto lie and to cover their tracks.', 'They have already been able tosuggest the designto make a virus spread more quickly.', 'Many researchersacutely understandjust how quickly these machines could develop the capacity to annihilate us, including Altman: He has a prepper’s paradise prepared in Big Sur, complete with guns and “gas masks from the Israeli Defense Force” in case AI goes off the rails and the robots go to war against humans,according to reporting in the New Yorker.', 'But don’t worry, he told an Atlantic reporter: If AI is determined to wipe us out, “no gas mask is helping anyone.” (', 'If you want an excellent and terrifying rundown of AI’s risks – at least those we understand right now, which are almost certainly a mere sliver of the looming perils –the Atlantic profile of Altman and his technologyis worth a read).', 'AI is very exciting technology.', 'But it is also a potentially very dangerous one, and not in the social media sense of “it may give us bad self-esteem and make us lonelier” but in the sense of “it could break down human societies and kill us all.”', 'Given the life-altering potential of AI – that even if it doesn’t kill us all, it will almost certainly change human existence in unprecedented ways at unprecedented speed – we all have a stake in how it’s being developed.', 'And yet the development is being left to a handful of people (who seem to belargelymen) in Silicon Valley, and other tech pockets around the globe.', 'And we all have a stake in whose interests AI will serve – and right now, its development is being funded with billions of dollars by people expecting to make a huge profit.', 'Do the interests of the public align with the interests of the shareholders to whom profit-driven, potentially tremendously lucrative-for-a-few companies are beholden?', 'Or with the interests of tech entrepreneurs who are primarily excited about being at the forefront of the AI revolution, regardless of the potential human costs?', 'One thing is clear: AI is coming.', 'And how it is built and unleashed on the public matters more than perhaps any technology of the past century.', 'It is, indeed, up there with the atom bomb in its destructive potential – except likely more difficult to regulate and control.', '“Regulation” does not begin to scratch the surface of what’s needed to make sure that the AI future is not a catastrophic one, especially since the development of AI is now a massive international arms race, with particularly horrific implications if bad actors develop this technology first.', 'But regulation is, at minimum, a necessary step.', 'So is transparency: In the US, companies have wide leverage to work behind a veil of secrecy, and much of what AI companies do is kept secret to stymy competition.', 'But the public certainly has a right to understand what life-altering technologies are set to be inflicted upon us, and what the creators are doing to protect humanity – our jobs, our communities, our families, our connections, our educations and our abilities to build a life of purpose, but also our lives and our safety.', 'The Altman story is fascinating because Altman is the most powerful figure in AI technology, which in effect makes him one of the most powerful men in the world.', 'But that should give us pause: Who is he, what power does he hold, what is he doing with it, who does he answer to, and are we comfortable with this much life-altering potential being held by a few unaccountable people?']",0.0034737194649936,"But the public certainly has a right to understand what life-altering technologies are set to be inflicted upon us, and what the creators are doing to protect humanity – our jobs, our communities, our families, our connections, our educations and our abilities to build a life of purpose, but also our lives and our safety.","But it is also a potentially very dangerous one, and not in the social media sense of “it may give us bad self-esteem and make us lonelier” but in the sense of “it could break down human societies and kill us all.”",0.0,, "Self-proclaimed bitcoin inventor is not ‘Satoshi Nakamoto,’ UK judge rules",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/14/tech/uk-bitcoin-not-satoshi-nakamoto-hnk-intl/index.html," Updated 12:34 AM EDT, Fri March 15, 2024 ","London — An Australian computer scientist who claims he invented bitcoin is not “Satoshi Nakamoto,” the pseudonymous inventor of the cryptocurrency, a judge at London’s High Court ruled on Thursday. Craig Wright has long claimed to have been the author of a 2008 white paper, the foundational text of bitcoin, published under the pseudonym. The Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) took Wright to court to stop him suing bitcoin developers, asking for a ruling that Wright was not Satoshi. Judge James Mellor said at the end of closing arguments on Thursday that the evidence Wright was not Satoshi was “overwhelming.” “Dr Wright is not the author of the Bitcoin white paper,” Mellor said. “Dr Wright is not the person who adopted or operated under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto in the period 2008 to 2011.” COPA, whose members include Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s payments firm Block (SQ), said the ruling was “a win for developers, for the entire open source community and for the truth.” “For over eight years, Dr Wright and his financial backers have lied about his identity as Satoshi Nakamoto and used that lie to bully and intimidate developers in the bitcoin community,” a COPA spokesperson said in a statement. “That ends today with the court’s ruling that Craig Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto.” A spokesperson for Wright said he was “not prepared to speak to anyone at this time.” COPA had accused Wright of repeatedly forging documents to substantiate his claim, including during the trial itself, which Wright denied when he gave evidence. Its lawyer, Jonathan Hough, said at the start of the trial in February that Wright’s claim was “a brazen lie, an elaborate false narrative supported by forgery on an industrial scale.” Hough said that “there are elements of Dr Wright’s conduct that stray into farce,” citing his alleged use of ChatGPT to produce forgeries. But he added: “Dr Wright’s conduct is also deadly serious. On the basis of his dishonest claim to be Satoshi, he has pursued claims he puts at hundreds of billions of dollars, including against numerous private individuals.” Wright’s lawyers, however, argued in court filings that he had produced “clear evidence demonstrating his authorship of the white paper and creation of bitcoin.” In their closing arguments, COPA’s lawyers asked Mellor to refer the case to Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service “for consideration of prosecution for the offenses of perjury and perverting the course of justice.” Mellor did not indicate whether or not he would do so.",15/03/2024,"['London — An Australian computer scientist who claims he invented bitcoin is not “SatoshiNakamoto,” the pseudonymous inventor of the cryptocurrency, a judge at London’s High Court ruled on Thursday.', 'Craig Wright has long claimed to have been the author of a 2008 white paper, the foundational text of bitcoin, published under the pseudonym.', 'The Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA)took Wright to courtto stop him suing bitcoin developers, asking for a ruling that Wright was notSatoshi.', 'Judge James Mellor said at the end of closing arguments on Thursday that the evidence Wright was notSatoshiwas “overwhelming.”', '“Dr Wright is not the author of the Bitcoin white paper,” Mellor said. “', 'Dr Wright is not the person who adopted or operated under the pseudonymSatoshiNakamoto in the period 2008 to 2011.”', 'COPA, whose members include Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s payments firm Block(SQ), said the ruling was “a win for developers, for the entire open source community and for the truth.”', '“For over eight years, Dr Wright and his financial backers have lied about his identity asSatoshiNakamoto and used that lie to bully and intimidate developers in the bitcoin community,” a COPA spokesperson said in a statement.', '“That ends today with the court’s ruling that Craig Wright is notSatoshiNakamoto.”', 'A spokesperson for Wright said he was “not prepared to speak to anyone at this time.”', 'COPA had accused Wright of repeatedly forging documents to substantiate his claim, including during the trial itself, which Wright denied whenhe gave evidence.', 'Its lawyer, Jonathan Hough, said at the start of the trial in February that Wright’s claim was “a brazen lie, an elaborate false narrative supported by forgery on an industrial scale.”', 'Hough said that “there are elements of Dr Wright’s conduct that stray into farce,” citing his alleged use of ChatGPT to produce forgeries.', 'But he added: “Dr Wright’s conduct is also deadly serious.', 'On the basis of his dishonest claim to beSatoshi, he has pursued claims he puts at hundreds of billions of dollars, including against numerous private individuals.”', 'Wright’s lawyers, however, argued in court filings that he had produced “clear evidence demonstrating his authorship of the white paper and creation of bitcoin.”', 'In their closing arguments, COPA’s lawyers asked Mellor to refer the case to Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service “for consideration of prosecution for the offenses of perjury and perverting the course of justice.”', 'Mellor did not indicate whether or not he would do so.']",-0.1734526306101531,"COPA, whose members include Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s payments firm Block(SQ), said the ruling was “a win for developers, for the entire open source community and for the truth.”","In their closing arguments, COPA’s lawyers asked Mellor to refer the case to Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service “for consideration of prosecution for the offenses of perjury and perverting the course of justice.”",0.0,, How the crisis at Boeing could make your next vacation more expensive,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/boeing-crisis-vacation-ticket-prices/index.html," Published 12:46 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Boeing’s production problems are reverberating through an airline industry starved for planes, making it harder for carriers to meet red-hot demand for travel and raising the prospect of even higher ticket prices. On Wednesday, Ryanair (RYAAY) CEO Michael O’Leary explained why prices have further to climb. “If you have constrained supply (and) strong demand, I think it’s inevitable that you’re going to see air fares bump again this summer… between 5 and 10%,” he told CNN’s Richard Quest. Europe’s biggest airline by passengers had expected to receive 57 Boeing planes this summer, but now anticipates getting between 35 and 40, according to O’Leary. Ryanair is far from the only major carrier with too few aircraft. Southwest in the United States, which flies only Boeing 737 planes, announced last week that Boeing would deliver 40% fewer jets than it had been expecting this year. A critical shortage of planes is also plaguing other airlines — and the problem is not confined to Boeing. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, about 600 Airbus jets globally have been grounded for at least the last month due to an issue with engines made by US aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. That’s hurting Lufthansa, the German group that also owns carriers in Austria and Switzerland. CEO Carsten Spohr told CNN Wednesday that it has more than 30 Airbus A320Neos currently grounded. “This industry … suffers from this lack of airplanes,” he added, noting that the shortage was affecting the company’s ability to grow. The grounding of some planes and delayed deliveries of new aircraft will mean that fares in the United States “should stay elevated through 2024, instead of tapering… as occurred last year after May,” according to Robert Mann, founder of R.W. Mann & Company, an airline industry consulting firm in the United States. Mann cited data from Airlines Reporting Corporation, which tracks ticket sales worldwide, showing that fares on US domestic flights booked in February for travel this year were 5%-6% higher than the same month last year, far outpacing overall inflation. The supply constraints helping to keep air fares higher may be around for some time yet. There’s a near-duopoly between Boeing and Airbus in commercial aircraft manufacturing, meaning airlines have almost no option but to wait in line. According to ADS, the United Kingdom’s aerospace industry association, the global order backlog for commercial aircraft has now topped 15,700. Last year, airlines globally placed 3,850 commercial aircraft orders, the highest number since ADS started publishing the data in 2010 and a 91% increase on 2022. By comparison, planemakers delivered 1,265 aircraft, just 11% up on the previous year. Boeing said this week that it had slowed production of its 737 Max jets after a part of the fuselage of a Max 9 blew out mid-flight in early January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. Aviation regulators have yet to certify Boeing’s Max 10 as safe for passengers — a plane crucial to the growth of carriers such as Ryanair, which inked a $40 billion deal last year to buy up to 300 of the aircraft. United Airlines, for its part, is not waiting around for Max 10s. The US carrier has asked Boeing to stop building it Max 10s and build Max 9s instead, and is also looking at plugging the gaps with Airbus planes, provided it makes financial sense. “If we get a deal that the economics work, we’ll do something (with Airbus),” CEO Scott Kirby said at a JPMorgan conference last week. But — as Kirby well knows — it’s not that easy to switch planemakers. Aircraft orders are placed years in advance and pilots are trained to fly certain planes. Airbus, meanwhile, had an order backlog approaching 8,600 commercial aircraft at the end of last year and is already booked up until 2030. The European planemaker is also a lot less productive than it used to be as pandemic supply chain kinks linger. “At Airbus, we are still producing far less planes than we were producing in 2019,” CEO Guillame Faury said at the “Europe 2024” conference in Berlin this week. According to Johan Lundgren, the CEO of EasyJet, the low-cost UK carrier is “probably the only airline in Europe” getting all its aircraft orders from Airbus on time this year. The industry will likely be constrained for the next three years, he told CNN. Even before Boeing’s troubles turned the industry on its head, airlines were ill-prepared for the spectacular comeback in air travel that followed the pandemic. Many had slashed the size of their fleets and laid off thousands of employees just to stay afloat as Covid-19 lockdowns throttled air travel. Airlines are now scrambling to respond to resurgent demand, as Boeing’s crisis collides with supply chain problems. A global boom in defense spending is complicating matters further, since about 40% of the supply chain serves both aerospace and defense companies, according to Craven at ADS. The question now, says Richard Aboulafia, a longtime aviation consultant, is how quickly Airbus can ramp up and go from “half the market to two-thirds and beyond.” “This is an industry with only two suppliers, very high barriers to entry and (an) extremely strong comeback with a very tight labor market,” he told CNN. Some 4.7 billion people are expected to travel by plane this year, an historic high that exceeds the 4.5 billion recorded in 2019, according to the International Air Transport Association, an industry group. “Capacity is going to be tight and that leads to higher ticket prices,” said Aboulafia, who is managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory. “What you’ll probably see is (that) the reduction in high fares we were hoping to see doesn’t happen. You’ll probably see a reversal… across the board and centered in the Atlantic.” Chris Isidore, Richard Quest and Maisie Linford contributed reporting.",21/03/2024,"['Boeing’s production problems are reverberating through an airline industry starved for planes, making it harder for carriers to meet red-hot demand for travel and raising the prospect of even higher ticket prices.', 'On Wednesday, Ryanair (RYAAY) CEO Michael O’Leary explained why prices have further to climb. “', 'If you have constrained supply (and) strong demand, I think it’s inevitable that you’re going to see air fares bump again this summer… between 5 and 10%,” he told CNN’s Richard Quest.', 'Europe’s biggest airline by passengers had expected to receive 57 Boeing planes this summer, but now anticipates getting between 35 and 40, according to O’Leary.', 'Ryanair is far from the only major carrier with too few aircraft.', 'Southwest in the United States, which flies only Boeing 737 planes, announced last week that Boeing would deliver 40% fewer jets than it had been expecting this year.', 'A critical shortage of planes is also plaguing other airlines — and the problem is not confined to Boeing.', 'According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, about 600 Airbus jets globally have been grounded for at least the last month due to an issue with engines made by US aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.', 'That’s hurting Lufthansa, the German group that also owns carriers in Austria and Switzerland.', 'CEO Carsten Spohr told CNN Wednesday that it has more than 30 Airbus A320Neos currently grounded.', '“This industry … suffers from this lack of airplanes,” he added, noting that the shortage was affecting the company’s ability to grow.', 'The grounding of some planes and delayed deliveries of new aircraft will mean that fares in the United States “should stay elevated through 2024, instead of tapering… as occurred last year after May,” according to Robert Mann, founder ofR.W. Mann & Company, an airline industry consulting firm in the United States.', 'Mann cited data from Airlines Reporting Corporation, which tracks ticket sales worldwide, showing that fares on US domestic flights booked in February for travel this year were 5%-6% higher than the same month last year, far outpacing overall inflation.', 'The supply constraints helping to keep air fares higher may be around for some time yet.', 'There’s a near-duopoly between Boeing and Airbus in commercial aircraft manufacturing, meaning airlines have almost no option but to wait in line.', 'According to ADS, the United Kingdom’s aerospace industry association, the global order backlog for commercial aircraft has now topped 15,700.', 'Last year, airlines globally placed 3,850 commercial aircraft orders, the highest number since ADS started publishing the data in 2010 and a 91% increase on 2022.', 'By comparison, planemakers delivered 1,265 aircraft, just 11% up on the previous year.', 'Boeing said this week that it had slowed production of its 737 Max jets after a part of the fuselage of a Max 9 blew out mid-flight in early January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane.', 'Aviation regulators have yet to certify Boeing’s Max 10 as safe for passengers — a plane crucial to the growth of carriers such as Ryanair, which inked a $40 billion deal last year to buy up to 300 of the aircraft.', 'United Airlines, for its part, is not waiting around for Max 10s.', 'The US carrier has asked Boeing to stop building it Max 10s and build Max 9s instead, and is also looking at plugging the gaps with Airbus planes, provided it makes financial sense.', '“If we get a deal that the economics work, we’ll do something (with Airbus),” CEO Scott Kirby said at a JPMorgan conference last week.', 'But — as Kirby well knows — it’s not that easy to switch planemakers.', 'Aircraft orders are placed years in advance and pilots are trained to fly certain planes.', 'Airbus, meanwhile, had an order backlog approaching 8,600 commercial aircraft at the end of last year and is already booked up until 2030.', 'The European planemaker is also a lot less productive than it used to be as pandemic supply chain kinks linger. “', 'At Airbus, we are still producing far less planes than we were producing in 2019,” CEO Guillame Faury said at the “Europe 2024” conference in Berlin this week.', 'According to Johan Lundgren, the CEO of EasyJet, the low-cost UK carrier is “probably the only airline in Europe” getting all its aircraft orders from Airbus on time this year.', 'The industry will likely be constrained for the next three years, he told CNN.', 'Even before Boeing’s troubles turned the industry on its head, airlines were ill-prepared for the spectacular comeback in air travel that followed the pandemic.', 'Many had slashed the size of their fleets and laid off thousands of employees just to stay afloat as Covid-19 lockdowns throttled air travel.', 'Airlines are now scrambling to respond to resurgent demand, as Boeing’s crisis collides with supply chain problems.', 'A global boom in defense spending is complicating matters further, since about 40% of the supply chain serves both aerospace and defense companies, according to Craven at ADS.', 'The question now, says Richard Aboulafia, a longtime aviation consultant, is how quickly Airbus can ramp up and go from “half the market to two-thirds and beyond.”', '“This is an industry with only two suppliers, very high barriers to entry and (an) extremely strong comeback with a very tight labor market,” he told CNN.', 'Some 4.7 billion people are expected to travel by plane this year, an historic high that exceeds the 4.5 billion recorded in 2019, according to the International Air Transport Association, an industry group.', '“Capacity is going to be tight and that leads to higher ticket prices,” said Aboulafia, who is managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory.', '“What you’ll probably see is (that) the reduction in high fares we were hoping to see doesn’t happen.', 'You’ll probably see a reversal… across the board and centered in the Atlantic.”', 'Chris Isidore, Richard Quest and Maisie Linford contributed reporting.']",0.0008656019936428,"Aviation regulators have yet to certify Boeing’s Max 10 as safe for passengers — a plane crucial to the growth of carriers such as Ryanair, which inked a $40 billion deal last year to buy up to 300 of the aircraft.","Airlines are now scrambling to respond to resurgent demand, as Boeing’s crisis collides with supply chain problems.",0.0,, "Shipping CEO Angela Chao, Mitch McConnell’s sister-in-law, was intoxicated when she drove into lake, sheriff’s office says",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/20/business/angela-chao-fatal-car-accident/index.html," Updated 12:11 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Angela Chao, the shipping company CEO and sister-in-law of outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, was intoxicated when she drove her Tesla into a lake at a Texas ranch in a fatal crash last month, according to the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office. A 62-page incident report offers a harrowing account of the night of February 10, when, after partying with friends, Chao mistakenly reversed into a lake and became trapped in her car. She called her friend for help and, as the water level in the car grew higher and higher, “said her good byes,” the report states. The friends frantically tried but failed to get her out of the car in time, and emergency responders ultimately pulled her lifeless body from the car. Toxicology found that Chao’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.233, or about three times more than the legal limit. The Cleveland Clinic says a level of between 0.15 to 0.3 could cause someone to “experience confusion, vomiting and drowsiness.” The report determined her death was an “unfortunate accident.” Chao’s death has taken on particular significance given her proximity to power. She was the CEO of shipping company Foremost Group and the sister of Elaine Chao, the former Trump administration secretary of transportation who is married to McConnell. The Republican senator, 82, noted his sister-in-law’s death last month when he announced his plan to step down as GOP leader. “As some of you may know, this has been a particularly difficult time for my family. We tragically lost Elaine’s younger sister, Angela, just a few weeks ago,” he said. “When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there’s a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process. Perhaps it is God’s way of reminding you of your own life’s journey to reprioritize the impact of the world that we will all inevitably leave behind.” Chao, a Harvard graduate who lived in Austin, gathered with a group of friends for the weekend and attended a Pitbull concert on Friday, February 9, according to the report. The next day, the group spent the day touring her family ranch in Johnson City, the report states. The group had dinner and drinks at the guest lodge, and at around 11:30 p.m., everyone began returning to their bedrooms or going home. A video of the exterior of the south side camera captures Chao at 11:37 p.m. walking “unsteadily to her vehicle while continuing to hold her cellular phone in her right hand,” according to the report. Chao is later seen entering her Tesla. The report stated that the camera then captured the car lurching toward a wooden barrier, reversing, turning to the left without stopping, and over the top of the limestone block wall. Afterward, the vehicle entered the water. A minute later, the vehicle’s lights were no longer visible. While inside, Chao called a friend for help, and others came to try to rescue her. At 11:42 p.m., a friend received a call from Chao telling her that “she had driven her vehicle into the pond,” the report states. The friend told Chao to leave the car, but she said she couldn’t, the friend later told law enforcement. The friend stayed on the phone with Chao for eight minutes, as she described water coming into the vehicle, officials said in the report. The friend also got into a kayak and paddled toward the vehicle, and another friend swam to the car, climbing on top of it and trying to reach Chao, officials stated in the report. Just after midnight, deputies arrived at the ranch. The ranch manager told the deputies that the back door of the Tesla was open, after which they “attempted multiple times to locate the occupant of the vehicle through the back passenger door but were unable to.” They unsuccessfully attempted to break the front windshield, and eventually broke the driver-side window, the report said. Once the window was broken, the deputy stated they swam down and felt a hand, and with a medic helped pulled Chao out of the submerged vehicle. The vehicle had been in the water for approximately 21 minutes. “The medics then swam back to the shore with the body and started performing CPR,” according to the report. The report said first responders pronounced Chao dead at 1:40 a.m. An autopsy was not performed due to the family citing religious reasons. CNN’s Rebekah Riess and Eric Levenson contributed to this story.",21/03/2024,"['Angela Chao, the shipping company CEO and sister-in-law of outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, was intoxicated when she drove her Tesla into a lake at a Texas ranch in a fatal crash last month, according to the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office.', 'A 62-page incident report offers a harrowing account of the night of February 10, when, after partying with friends, Chao mistakenly reversed into a lake and became trapped in her car.', 'She called her friend for help and, as the water level in the car grew higher and higher, “said her good byes,” the report states.', 'The friends frantically tried but failed to get her out of the car in time, and emergency responders ultimately pulled her lifeless body from the car.', 'Toxicology found that Chao’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.233, or about three times more than the legal limit.', 'TheCleveland Clinic says a level of between 0.15 to 0.3 could cause someone to “experience confusion, vomitingand drowsiness.”', 'The report determined her death was an “unfortunate accident.”', 'Chao’s death has taken on particular significance given her proximity to power.', 'She was the CEO of shipping company Foremost Group and the sister of Elaine Chao, the former Trump administration secretary of transportation who is married to McConnell.', 'The Republican senator, 82, noted his sister-in-law’s death last month when he announced his plan to step down as GOP leader.', '“As some of you may know, this has been a particularly difficult time for my family.', 'We tragically lost Elaine’s younger sister, Angela, just a few weeks ago,” he said. “', 'When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there’s a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process.', 'Perhaps it is God’s way of reminding you of your own life’s journey to reprioritize the impact of the world that we will all inevitably leave behind.”', 'Chao, a Harvard graduate who lived in Austin, gathered with a group of friends for the weekend and attended a Pitbull concert on Friday, February 9, according to the report.', 'The next day, the group spent the day touring her family ranch in Johnson City, the report states.', 'The group had dinner and drinks at the guest lodge, and at around 11:30 p.m., everyone began returning to their bedrooms or going home.', 'A video of the exterior of the south side camera captures Chao at 11:37 p.m. walking “unsteadily to her vehicle while continuing to hold her cellular phone in her right hand,” according to the report.', 'Chao is later seen entering her Tesla.', 'The report stated that the camera then captured the car lurching toward a wooden barrier, reversing, turning to the left without stopping, and over the top of the limestone block wall.', 'Afterward, the vehicle enteredthe water.', 'A minute later, the vehicle’s lights were no longer visible.', 'While inside, Chao called a friend for help, and others came to try to rescue her.', 'At 11:42 p.m., a friend received a call from Chao telling her that “she had driven her vehicle into the pond,” the report states.', 'The friend told Chao to leave the car, but she said she couldn’t, the friend later told law enforcement.', 'The friend stayed on the phone with Chao for eight minutes, as she described water coming into the vehicle, officials said in the report.', 'The friend also gotinto a kayak and paddled toward the vehicle, and another friend swam to the car, climbing on top of it and trying to reach Chao, officials stated in the report.', 'Just after midnight, deputies arrived at the ranch.', 'The ranch manager told the deputies that the back door of the Tesla was open, after which they “attempted multiple times to locate the occupant of the vehicle through the back passenger door but were unable to.”', 'They unsuccessfully attempted to break the front windshield, and eventually broke the driver-side window, the report said.', 'Once the window was broken, the deputy stated they swam down and felt a hand, and with a medic helped pulled Chao out of the submerged vehicle.', 'The vehicle had been in the water for approximately 21 minutes.', '“The medics then swam back to the shore with the body and started performing CPR,” according to the report.', 'The report said first responders pronounced Chao dead at 1:40 a.m. An autopsy was not performed due to the family citing religious reasons.', 'CNN’s Rebekah Riess and Eric Levenson contributed to this story.']",-0.0271076874621717,"While inside, Chao called a friend for help, and others came to try to rescue her.",The report determined her death was an “unfortunate accident.”,0.0,, Why lab-grown diamond sales are surging,https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/27/business/diamonds-manmade-demand/index.html," Published 7:49 AM EDT, Wed April 27, 2022 ","It’s proposal season, and engagements are on the rise. So are factory-made diamond sales. Not that you’d know the difference. Man-made diamonds look the same as naturally occurring ones. The only noticeable difference is the price tag. “The result is really stunning,” said Edahn Golan, an independent diamond industry analyst. He said March data showed the number of engagement rings sold that featured a manufactured diamond jumped 63% compared to last year, while the number of engagement rings sold with a natural diamond declined 25% in the same period. Going back by another month, to February, the data showed the number of rings sold with lab diamonds that month surged even more, to 80% compared to a year earlier while the number fell by 13% for natural diamond engagement rings. “The big fear in the natural diamonds industry is that consumers will start accepting lab-grown diamonds in engagement rings,” he said. Too late. “It’s actually happening.” Why are consumers flocking to man-made diamonds? Cost is the most obvious reason. The average retail price of the most popular one carat round man-made diamond for an engagement ring in March was $2,318, Golan said. “This is substantially less – as much as 73% cheaper – than a natural diamond of the same size, cut and clarity as the man-made diamond, which would cost $8,740,” he said. Plus, the lower cost allows couples to buy a bigger stone. “A lab diamond is a real diamond, but maybe it took a few weeks to make it,” said Golan. “Natural diamonds were formed over 800 million to three billion years and there isn’t an infinite supply of them.” This makes natural diamonds quite a bit more expensive, and prices are likely to rise as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has tightened the supply chain for natural raw diamonds. The sanctions directly target Alrosa, partly owned by the Russian government, which the US government identified as the world’s largest diamond mining company, accounting for 28% of global diamond output. Man-made diamonds are also becoming popular as consumers are more aware and educated about them, said Dan Moran, a third-generation diamond expert and owner of LA-based fine jeweler Concierge Diamonds. Moran said the typical buyer of man-made diamonds is typically younger than 40 and very budget conscious. Mined diamonds have a controversial history that’s tied to the use of child labor in some African diamond mines as well as sales of illegally-traded “conflict diamonds” that fund conflict in war-torn areas. Among Millennials and Gen Z, their eco-conscious mindset and ethical concerns about natural diamond sourcing is another factor influencing their preference for non-traditional engagement rings, according to a report from wedding planning website The Knot. Although its slice is growing, the market share for man-made diamonds remains relatively small. Currently, about 7% of the specialty diamond jewelry market is represented by man-made diamonds, up from 3% in 2020, said Golan. Some major jewelry retailers are driving the effort to take man-made diamonds mainstream. In 2021, the world’s largest jewelry company, Pandora (PANDY), made a major shift by announcing it would stop using mined diamonds and would swap to lab-created diamonds in its jewelry. Pandora said it’s instituting the change as part of an effort to sell sustainable jewelry, and also because consumers increasingly are asking for it. Signet, (SIG) the largest jewelry company in the United States (which owns Zales, Kay Jewelers and Jared chains) called out the popularity of lab diamond jewelry in its March earnings call with analysts. Calling it a “fast-growing category” in its jewelry portfolio, Signet CEO Virginia Drosos told analysts that lab-created diamonds are among the big jewelry trends she expects this year. The company said it has expanded its man-made bridal jewelry selection in both its Zales and Kay Jewelers stores in response to the increased demand. Fine jewelry brand Charles and Colvard, which makes lab-created diamonds, said consumers don’t just want to look good with the jewelry they are wearing, they also want to feel good about it. “As the momentum for conscious consumerism grows, the surge towards lab grown diamonds isn’t surprising,” said Don O’Connell, president and CEO of Charles & Colvard. “[Consumers] want to know the origins of their stones and be reassured they’re conflict-free. They’re embracing the choice to purchase a piece of fine jewelry that aligns with their values.” Lab-grown diamond brand VRAI said the pandemic, too, has sparked attention and action toward social and environmental issues. It said consumers are being more thoughtful and reassessing their purchasing habits, as well as the companies and industries they are supporting. There is, however, one important consideration for anyone buying lab-created diamonds: Man-made diamonds have little resale value. So while you may not be able to tell a natural diamond from a factory made variety, someone with a trained eye can, said Golan. Once a stone is identified as a factory diamond, even though you paid a lot less for it, you also won’t get much for it. But the value of a ring isn’t just monetary. “As a professional in the industry, I am asked all the time by people about what I think about a ring they have,” said Moran, of Concierge Jewelers. “I always say, if you love it, be happy with it. An engagement ring is a symbol of commitment and enduring love.”",27/04/2022,"['It’s proposal season, and engagements are on the rise.', 'So are factory-made diamond sales.', 'Not that you’d know the difference.', 'Man-made diamonds look the same as naturally occurring ones.', 'The only noticeable difference is the price tag.', '“The result is really stunning,” said Edahn Golan, an independent diamond industry analyst.', 'He said March data showed the number of engagement rings sold that featured a manufactured diamond jumped 63% compared to last year, while the number of engagement rings sold with a natural diamond declined 25% in the same period.', 'Going back by another month, to February, the data showed the number of rings sold with lab diamonds that month surged even more, to 80% compared to a year earlier while the number fell by 13% for natural diamond engagement rings.', '“The big fear in the natural diamonds industry is that consumers will start accepting lab-grown diamonds in engagement rings,” he said.', 'Too late. “', 'It’s actually happening.”', 'Why are consumers flocking to man-made diamonds?', 'Cost is the most obvious reason.', 'The average retail price of the most popular one carat round man-made diamond for an engagement ring in March was $2,318, Golan said.', '“This is substantially less – as much as 73% cheaper – than a natural diamond of the same size, cut and clarity as the man-made diamond, which would cost $8,740,” he said.', 'Plus, the lower cost allows couples to buy a bigger stone.', '“A lab diamond is a real diamond, but maybe it took a few weeks to make it,” said Golan. “', 'Natural diamonds were formed over 800 million to three billion years and there isn’t an infinite supply of them.”', 'This makes natural diamonds quite a bit more expensive, and prices are likely to rise as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has tightened the supply chain for natural raw diamonds.', 'The sanctions directly target Alrosa, partly owned by the Russian government, which the US government identified as the world’s largest diamond mining company, accounting for 28% of global diamond output.', 'Man-made diamonds are also becoming popular as consumers are more aware and educated about them, said Dan Moran, a third-generation diamond expert and owner of LA-based fine jeweler Concierge Diamonds.', 'Moran said the typical buyer of man-made diamonds is typically younger than 40 and very budget conscious.', 'Mined diamonds have a controversial history that’s tied to the use of child labor in some African diamond mines as well as sales of illegally-traded “conflict diamonds” that fund conflict in war-torn areas.', 'Among Millennials and Gen Z, their eco-conscious mindset and ethical concerns about natural diamond sourcing is another factor influencing their preference for non-traditional engagement rings, according to a report from wedding planning website The Knot.', 'Although its slice is growing, the market share for man-made diamonds remains relatively small.', 'Currently, about 7% of the specialty diamond jewelry market is represented by man-made diamonds, up from 3% in 2020, said Golan.', 'Some major jewelry retailers are driving the effort to take man-made diamonds mainstream.', 'In 2021, the world’s largest jewelry company, Pandora (PANDY), made a major shift by announcing it would stop using mined diamonds and would swap to lab-created diamonds in its jewelry.', 'Pandora said it’s instituting the change as part of an effort to sell sustainable jewelry, and also because consumers increasingly are asking for it.', 'Signet, (SIG) the largest jewelry company in the United States (which owns Zales, Kay Jewelers and Jared chains) called out the popularity of lab diamond jewelry in its March earnings call with analysts.', 'Calling it a “fast-growing category” in its jewelry portfolio, Signet CEO Virginia Drosos told analysts that lab-created diamonds are among the big jewelry trends she expects this year.', 'The company said it has expanded its man-made bridal jewelry selection in both its Zales and Kay Jewelers stores in response to the increased demand.', 'Fine jewelry brand Charles and Colvard, which makes lab-created diamonds, said consumers don’t just want to look good with the jewelry they are wearing, they also want to feel good about it.', '“As the momentum for conscious consumerism grows, the surge towards lab grown diamonds isn’t surprising,” said Don O’Connell, president and CEO of Charles & Colvard. “[', 'Consumers] want to know the origins of their stones and be reassured they’re conflict-free.', 'They’re embracing the choice to purchase a piece of fine jewelry that aligns with their values.”', 'Lab-grown diamond brand VRAI said the pandemic, too, has sparked attention and action toward social and environmental issues.', 'It said consumers are being more thoughtful and reassessing their purchasing habits, as well as the companies and industries they are supporting.', 'There is, however, one important consideration for anyone buying lab-created diamonds: Man-made diamonds have little resale value.', 'So while you may not be able to tell a natural diamond from a factory made variety, someone with a trained eye can, said Golan.', 'Once a stone is identified as a factory diamond, even though you paid a lot less for it, you also won’t get much for it.', 'But the value of a ring isn’t just monetary.', '“As a professional in the industry, I am asked all the time by people about what I think about a ring they have,” said Moran, of Concierge Jewelers. “', 'I always say, if you love it, be happy with it.', 'An engagement ring is a symbol of commitment and enduring love.”']",0.3714494325159568,"He said March data showed the number of engagement rings sold that featured a manufactured diamond jumped 63% compared to last year, while the number of engagement rings sold with a natural diamond declined 25% in the same period.",Mined diamonds have a controversial history that’s tied to the use of child labor in some African diamond mines as well as sales of illegally-traded “conflict diamonds” that fund conflict in war-torn areas.,0.0,, Searches for VPNs spike in Texas after Pornhub pulls out of the state,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/15/tech/vpn-searches-spike-texas-pornhub/index.html," Updated 11:57 AM EDT, Fri March 15, 2024 ","Searches for virtual private networking (VPN) software briefly spiked in Texas this week after Pornhub suspended service in the state over a law forcing adult websites to verify the age or identities of their users. The four-fold rise in Google searches for tools that can circumvent the state-level blocking suggests the law may already be having unintended side effects, days after a federal appeals court upheld the legislation and said it could remain in effect. Visitors with Texas IP addresses who visit Pornhub’s website are now presented with a full-page message calling the Texas law “ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous.” “Until the real solution is offered, we have made the difficult decision to completely disable access to our website in Texas,” the message reads. “In doing so, we are complying with the law, as we always do, but hope that governments around the world will implement laws that actually protect the safety and security of users.” Search interest in VPNs began disproportionately rising in Texas Thursday compared to the rest of the country, according to a CNN analysis of Google Trends data — quadrupling in the hours following Pornhub’s announcement before retreating slightly by early Friday morning. While Google Trends merely shows correlations between events and is only useful as a gauge of relative search interest for a given snapshot of time, the immediacy of the search spike, coupled with its concentration from within Texas, highlights the potential connection between the law and Pornhub’s users. A link “seems pretty likely,” said Evan Greer, director of Fight for the Future, a digital rights advocacy group. “The apparent spike in VPN searches in Texas shows that these types of age verification laws aren’t just unconstitutional, they’re also silly and ineffective,” Greer said. “Just like millions of people in countries like China, Russia and Turkey evade their government’s draconian online censorship regimes using simple tools like VPNs, now we see Texans doing the same to get around their own state government’s invasive rules.” The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), another digital rights group, said Texas is not the only state to see such searches rise in response to age verification laws. “Similar search spikes have been reported after other states passed age verification laws, which EFF opposes,” said Hudson Hongo, a spokesperson for the group. “No one should have to hand over their driver’s license just to access free websites.” Pornhub has pulled out of multiple states in response to a wave of age verification laws sweeping the country, including in Montana, Utah, Virginia and others. It also highlights the running debate in statehouses nationwide about how and whether governments can require websites to perform age verification. The law in question in Texas is known as HB 1181. It requires adult websites to implement “reasonable age verification” methods to ensure that pornography is not being distributed to minors. Those methods include either requiring users to submit “proof of identity” such as a government-issued ID to the adult website or to a third-party contractor, or by submitting other personal data to a third-party contractor, such as biometric information, that enables the vendor to check a user’s age. Last summer, a US district judge temporarily blocked the law, finding that it was overly broad, likely violated the First Amendment and threatened marginalized communities. “It runs the risk that the state can monitor when an adult views sexually explicit materials and what kind of websites they visit,” wrote Judge David Alan Ezra in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas. “Given Texas’s ongoing criminalization of homosexual intercourse, it is apparent that people who wish to view homosexual material will be profoundly chilled from doing so if they must first affirmatively identify themselves to the state.” Later, however, in response to an emergency appeal by Texas officials, the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overruled Ezra with an order that allowed the law to take effect. And last week, a three-judge panel of the same appeals court found that Ezra applied too tough a standard in reviewing the law. The 5th Circuit court’s latest decision formally lifts the injunction against the Texas law. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton posted on X Thursday celebrating Pornhub’s decision to withdraw from the state. “Sites like PornHub are on the run,” he wrote, adding: “In Texas, companies cannot get away with showing porn to children. If they don’t want to comply, good riddance.” Pornhub said in a blog post that it supports age verification but that forcing individual websites and third-party providers to handle users’ most sensitive personal information creates unreasonable privacy and security risks. Pornhub has proposed, and reiterated on Thursday, that age verification checks should be performed exclusively on a user’s device, without requiring them to send data over the internet to third parties.",15/03/2024,"['Searches for virtual private networking (VPN) software briefly spiked in Texas this week after Pornhub suspended service in the state over a law forcing adult websites to verify the age or identities of their users.', 'The four-fold rise in Google searches for tools that can circumvent the state-level blocking suggests the law may already be having unintended side effects, days after a federal appeals court upheld the legislation and said it could remain in effect.', 'Visitors with Texas IP addresses who visit Pornhub’s website are now presented with a full-page message calling the Texas law “ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous.”', '“Until the real solution is offered, we have made the difficult decision to completely disable access to our website in Texas,” the message reads. “', 'In doing so, we are complying with the law, as we always do, but hope that governments around the world will implement laws that actually protect the safety and security of users.”', 'Search interest in VPNs began disproportionately rising in Texas Thursday compared to the rest of the country, according to a CNN analysis of Google Trends data — quadrupling in the hours following Pornhub’s announcement before retreating slightly by early Friday morning.', 'While Google Trends merely shows correlations between events and is only useful as a gauge of relative search interest for a given snapshot of time, the immediacy of the search spike, coupled with its concentration from within Texas, highlights the potential connection between the law and Pornhub’s users.', 'A link “seems pretty likely,” said Evan Greer, director of Fight for the Future, a digital rights advocacy group.', '“The apparent spike in VPN searches in Texas shows that these types of age verification laws aren’t just unconstitutional, they’re also silly and ineffective,” Greer said. “', 'Just like millions of people in countries like China, Russia and Turkey evade their government’s draconian online censorship regimes using simple tools like VPNs, now we see Texans doing the same to get around their own state government’s invasive rules.”', 'The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), another digital rights group, said Texas is not the only state to see such searches rise in response to age verification laws.', '“Similar search spikes have been reported after other states passed age verification laws, which EFF opposes,” said Hudson Hongo, a spokesperson for the group. “', 'No one should have to hand over their driver’s license just to access free websites.”', 'Pornhub has pulled out of multiple states in response to a wave of age verification laws sweeping the country, including in Montana, Utah, Virginia and others.', 'It also highlights the running debate in statehouses nationwide about how and whether governments can require websites to perform age verification.', 'The law in question in Texas is known as HB 1181.', 'It requires adult websites to implement “reasonable age verification” methods to ensure that pornography is not being distributed to minors.', 'Those methods include either requiring users to submit “proof of identity” such as a government-issued ID to the adult website or to a third-party contractor, or by submitting other personal data to a third-party contractor, such as biometric information, that enables the vendor to check a user’s age.', 'Last summer, a US district judge temporarily blocked the law, finding that it was overly broad, likely violated the First Amendment and threatened marginalized communities.', '“It runs the risk that the state can monitor when an adult views sexually explicit materials and what kind of websites they visit,” wrote Judge David Alan Ezra in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas. “', 'Given Texas’s ongoing criminalization of homosexual intercourse, it is apparent that people who wish to view homosexual material will be profoundly chilled from doing so if they must first affirmatively identify themselves to the state.”', 'Later, however, in response to an emergency appeal by Texas officials, the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overruled Ezra with an order that allowed the law to take effect.', 'And last week, a three-judge panel of the same appeals court found that Ezra applied too tough a standard in reviewing the law.', 'The 5th Circuit court’s latest decision formally lifts the injunction against the Texas law.', 'Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton posted on X Thursday celebrating Pornhub’s decision to withdraw from the state.', '“Sites like PornHub are on the run,” he wrote, adding: “In Texas, companies cannot get away with showing porn to children.', 'If they don’t want to comply, good riddance.”', 'Pornhub said in a blog post that it supports age verification but that forcing individual websites and third-party providers to handle users’ most sensitive personal information creates unreasonable privacy and security risks.', 'Pornhub has proposed, and reiterated on Thursday, that age verification checks should be performed exclusively on a user’s device, without requiring them to send data over the internet to third parties.']",0.1781594366727325,"In doing so, we are complying with the law, as we always do, but hope that governments around the world will implement laws that actually protect the safety and security of users.”","Last summer, a US district judge temporarily blocked the law, finding that it was overly broad, likely violated the First Amendment and threatened marginalized communities.",0.0,, "It’s not you, it’s them: Engaged couples are cutting back on lavish weddings",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/17/business/wedding-business-inflation/index.html," Updated 8:03 PM EDT, Mon March 18, 2024 ","Multi-tiered cakes, elaborate floral displays and choreographed first dances: The traditional white wedding has been long considered a hallmark of American life. The obsession with lavish weddings grew to a fever pitch in the years following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, inflation soared — and the average cost of a wedding broke $30,000 for the first time in 2023, according to The Wedding Report, a research company that tracks wedding data. Now, after two years of elevated inflation eating into consumers’ wealth, for some engaged couples, splurging on a dessert table or extra sprays of flowers, which are the definition of “nice to haves,” has become a much less justifiable decision. That’s bad news for wedding vendors who provide services like videography, photo booths and catering. Meanwhile, those vendors are facing a more worrisome existential threat: a looming drop in the overall number of weddings. The number of US weddings soared to a 25-year high in 2022. Now, just two years after those highs, nearly 17% fewer weddings are expected, said Shane McMurray, CEO and founder of The Wedding Report. The halcyon days of insatiable wedding demand are unlikely to return anytime soon, he added. Forced postponements and cancellations in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 were part of the reason for the recent surge in weddings. Demand was pent up: Instagram was stuffed with “wedding influencers,” and the TikTok hashtag #WeddingTok racked up billions of views. “I think it was the peak,” said McMurray. Gabrielle Stone, who has been a wedding planner in Boston for 18 years, enjoyed the recent boom. “2022 and 2023 were the most lucrative years of my business. I was turning people away,” Stone told CNN. But she said that so far in 2024, weddings are “cooling a bit.” Her theory: Single people who stayed inside in 2020 may not have gotten an opportunity to go on dates that year. In another life, some of those would-be couples who never met in 2020 could have gotten engaged this year. Signet Jewelers, which owns Kay Jewelers, Zales and Jared, had similar comments. “The jewelry category is experiencing its second Covid as engagements are down 25% due to the disruption of dating three and a half years ago,” Signet CEO Gina Drosos said on the company’s December earnings call. “I’m confident we’ll grow from this trough next year.” Generational trends may spell bad news for Signet and the rest of the wedding economy, however. The largest cohort of Millennials is aging, and the newer, smaller generations (Gen Z and Gen Alpha) place less importance on having a big wedding, said McMurray. “There’s no real growth in the wedding industry,” he said. “More people are cohabitating instead of getting married, so it’s a pretty flat market.” McMurray pointed to a recent joint study from the University of Virginia and Brigham Young University that found contemporary teens are less likely than previous generations to believe marriage leads to fuller, happier lives. “The trend has been going down for a long time,” McMurray said. Toni Burrowes, a 30-year-old teacher in Central Florida, decided to skip having a big wedding last month. Instead, she opted for a courthouse celebration with 18 close family members and friends. Burrowes said she had once dreamed of a destination wedding, but, after watching her older sister plan a large wedding, she didn’t think the stress ­— or cost — was worth the effort. “We make money to get by right now and we have a daughter,” she said. “All of those were factors in my mind with the wedding: ‘Do I want to spend all this money on one day, rather than continuing to save up for buying our house?’” She joins many people with sticker shock, according to McMurray, who said he sees more couples cutting wedding services they deem nonessential. “I’ve seen demand go down for things like invitations and decorations and those ancillary things that people would typically buy,” he said. “The more that those prices get raised, the more people are going to question, ‘Eh, do we really need that?’” Just as couples are adjusting to new economic realities, so too, are the small businesses that cater to weddings. Alyssa Young, owner of San Antonio-based bakery Cake Llama, started her business in 2019. She planned to focus on weddings, but she has been forced to diversify over the last year. “Wedding season was fizzling out. Out here, it’s become an oversaturated market,” Young said. “I’m seeing places close overnight. It’s just shocking.” She saved her business, she said, by experimenting: wholesaling baked goods to coffee shops and providing catering for touring bands in the area. She also got creative: She began baking egg-free, vegan recipes after the price of eggs exploded last year. In January 2023, the price of eggs was up by 70% year over year. Overall, consumer prices have somewhat steadied since then. But egg prices still rose 5.8% in February alone, according to the latest Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Our vegan products are insanely delicious and super popular,” Young said. She created a new product category, “all because egg prices were so high.” Young has no plans to return to fully focusing on weddings. She faces growing competition from businesses offering lower-cost alternatives, including her local grocery store and even some people who turned their baking hobbies into full-time gigs during the pandemic. Overall, even as some couples have cut costs, they haven’t yet abandoned wedding traditions or vendors altogether. For example, though Burrowes cut many wedding extras from her courthouse celebration, she still decided to hire a makeup artist and photographer. “I tried,” she said, “to make it as special as I could.” This story has been updated to remove a photo.",18/03/2024,"['Multi-tiered cakes, elaborate floral displays and choreographed first dances: The traditional white wedding has been long considered a hallmark of American life.', 'The obsession with lavish weddings grew to a fever pitch in the years following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.', 'At the same time, inflation soared — and the average cost of a wedding broke $30,000 for the first time in 2023, according to The Wedding Report, a research company that tracks wedding data.', 'Now, after two years of elevated inflation eating into consumers’ wealth, for some engaged couples, splurging on a dessert table or extra sprays of flowers, which are the definition of “nice to haves,” has become a much less justifiable decision.', 'That’s bad news for wedding vendors who provide services like videography, photo booths and catering.', 'Meanwhile, those vendors are facing a more worrisome existential threat: a looming drop in the overall number of weddings.', 'The number of US weddings soared to a 25-year high in 2022.', 'Now, just two years after those highs, nearly 17% fewer weddings are expected, said Shane McMurray, CEO and founder of The Wedding Report.', 'The halcyon days of insatiable wedding demand are unlikely to return anytime soon, he added.', 'Forced postponements and cancellations in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 were part of the reason for the recent surge in weddings.', 'Demand was pent up: Instagram was stuffed with “wedding influencers,” and the TikTok hashtag #WeddingTok racked up billions of views.', '“I think it was the peak,” said McMurray.', 'Gabrielle Stone, who has been a wedding planner in Boston for 18 years, enjoyed the recent boom.', '“2022 and 2023 were the most lucrative years of my business.', 'I was turning people away,” Stone told CNN.', 'But she said that so far in 2024, weddings are “cooling a bit.”', 'Her theory: Single people who stayed inside in 2020 may not have gotten an opportunity to go on dates that year.', 'In another life, some of those would-be couples who never met in 2020 could have gotten engaged this year.', 'Signet Jewelers, which owns Kay Jewelers, Zales and Jared, had similar comments.', '“The jewelry category is experiencing its second Covid as engagements are down 25% due to the disruption of dating three and a half years ago,” Signet CEO Gina Drosos said on the company’s December earnings call. “', 'I’m confident we’ll grow from this trough next year.”', 'Generational trends may spell bad news for Signet and the rest of the wedding economy, however.', 'The largest cohort of Millennials is aging, and the newer, smaller generations (Gen Z and Gen Alpha) place less importance on having a big wedding, said McMurray.', '“There’s no real growth in the wedding industry,” he said. “', 'More people are cohabitating instead of getting married, so it’s a pretty flat market.”', 'McMurray pointed to a recent joint study from the University of Virginia and Brigham Young University that found contemporary teens are less likely than previous generations to believe marriage leads to fuller, happier lives.', '“The trend has been going down for a long time,” McMurray said.', 'Toni Burrowes, a 30-year-old teacher in Central Florida, decided to skip having a big wedding last month.', 'Instead, she opted for a courthouse celebration with 18 close family members and friends.', 'Burrowes said she had once dreamed of a destination wedding, but, after watching her older sister plan a large wedding, she didn’t think the stress \xad— or cost — was worth the effort.', '“We make money to get by right now and we have a daughter,” she said. “', 'All of those were factors in my mind with the wedding: ‘Do I want to spend all this money on one day, rather than continuing to save up for buying our house?’”', 'She joins many people with sticker shock, according to McMurray, who said he sees more couples cutting wedding services they deem nonessential.', '“I’ve seen demand go down for things like invitations and decorations and those ancillary things that people would typically buy,” he said. “', 'The more that those prices get raised, the more people are going to question, ‘Eh, do we really need that?’”', 'Just as couples are adjusting to new economic realities, so too, are the small businesses that cater to weddings.', 'Alyssa Young, owner of San Antonio-based bakery Cake Llama, started her business in 2019.', 'She planned to focus on weddings, but she has been forced to diversify over the last year.', '“Wedding season was fizzling out.', 'Out here, it’s become an oversaturated market,” Young said. “', 'I’m seeing places close overnight.', 'It’s just shocking.”', 'She saved her business, she said, by experimenting: wholesaling baked goods to coffee shops and providing catering for touring bands in the area.', 'She also got creative: She began baking egg-free, vegan recipes after the price of eggs exploded last year.', 'In January 2023, the price of eggs was up by 70% year over year.', 'Overall, consumer prices have somewhat steadied since then.', 'But egg prices still rose 5.8% in February alone, according to the latest Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.', '“Our vegan products are insanely delicious and super popular,” Young said.', 'She created a new product category, “all because egg prices were so high.”', 'Young has no plans to return to fully focusing on weddings.', 'She faces growing competition from businesses offering lower-cost alternatives, including her local grocery store and even some people who turned their baking hobbies into full-time gigs during the pandemic.', 'Overall, even as some couples have cut costs, they haven’t yet abandoned wedding traditions or vendors altogether.', 'For example, though Burrowes cut many wedding extras from her courthouse celebration, she still decided to hire a makeup artist and photographer.', '“I tried,” she said, “to make it as special as I could.”', 'This story has been updated to remove a photo.']",0.022424289346368,"“Our vegan products are insanely delicious and super popular,” Young said.","Meanwhile, those vendors are facing a more worrisome existential threat: a looming drop in the overall number of weddings.",0.0,, More employers now say they’re willing to hire workers without a college degree. But is that playing out?,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/08/success/no-college-degree-options-better-jobs/index.html," Published 12:11 PM EST, Fri March 8, 2024 ","For decades, not having a college degree has often been a barrier for workers seeking a higher-level, better-paying job. But more employers are now saying they’re willing to hire them. College degrees were used by companies as a proxy for skills and competence when evaluating potential hires — making it very difficult for lower-wage, non-degreed workers even to be considered. A majority of US workers have had to contend with that barrier. Only 37.7% of Americans ages 25 and up had a bachelor’s degree in 2022, according to the US Census Bureau. But employers are now — at least publicly — becoming more open to the idea of skills-based hiring, which focuses on a job candidates’ competencies and capacity to learn new skills rather than on their educational background. Why the change of heart? There are several factors. But lurking over all of them is a demographic reality: The falling US birth rate will produce fewer workers in the years ahead to replace the number of workers retiring. Additionally, employers are increasingly aware that the skills needed to do many jobs don’t necessarily require a four-year degree, and that competent workers can be trained in needed skills as they arise. President Joe Biden, in his State of the Union speech Thursday night, acknowledged the need for skills-based hiring more than once, noting that “private companies are now investing billions of dollars to build new chip factories here in America — creating tens of thousands of jobs, many of them paying over $100,000 a year, and don’t require a college degree.” He also said he is “connecting businesses and high schools so students get hands-on experience and a path to a good-paying job, whether or not they go to college.” At a Fortune conference in October last year, Ken Frazier, the former CEO of Merck, noted that roughly three-quarters of Black adults do not have college degrees, yet the vast majority of openings at leading US companies required college degrees “for almost any job.” What’s more, since George Floyd’s murder in 2020, there has been a push to improve diversity and equity in company workforces. That means the lack of college degrees can’t be ignored, since Blacks and Hispanics are least likely to have a bachelor’s degree. In 2022, only 27.6% of Black adults and 20.9% of Hispanics had one, compared to nearly 41.8% of non-Hispanic White population, according to Census data. After Floyd’s murder, Frazier co-founded the group OneTen. Its goal is to help non-degreed Black workers find better jobs with family-sustaining pay, as defined by the MIT Living Wage Calculator. OneTen’s mission has since grown to include all workers without four-year degrees, and the group has pulled together a coalition of more than 70 leading US corporations from Accenture to Yum! Brands and talent development firms that support OneTen’s mission of closing the opportunity gap for those without degrees. So far, the group has played a matchmaking role for employers in the hiring and promotion of 108,000 non-degreed workers, said OneTen CEO Debbie Dyson at the same Fortune event. She also noted its career marketplace platform has 23,000 profiles of non-degreed job seekers and those seeking training, which is a talent pool that employers can search. OneTen’s hand in more than 100,000 job advancements is notable, but it is still well below the group’s goal of 1 million hires and promotions of non-degreed workers within 10 years. That may reflect what one recent study found: Not all employers who talk about skills-based hiring and remove degree requirements from job ads are actually hiring candidates without degrees. “[F]or all its fanfare, the increased opportunity promised by skills-based hiring has borne out in not even 1 in 700 hires last year,” wrote the authors of a report from Harvard Business School and the Burning Glass Institute. Directionally, however, the signs are encouraging. The report’s authors note that the 37% of companies in its sample that did follow through on their skills-based hiring commitment are already seeing benefits. “[D]espite the limited progress to date, our analysis shows that, for those who embrace it, skills-based hiring … yields tangible, measurable value. Skills-based hiring boosts retention among non-degreed workers hired into roles that formerly asked for degrees,” they said. Candidates hired into those roles received a 25% pay increase on average, the researchers added. “If the arc of corporate practice bends toward profitability, the win-win that skills-based hiring represents is an opportunity firms are remiss to ignore,” the authors wrote. In the meantime, the Federal Reserve banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland created an interactive tool called the Occupational Mobility Explorer that was released at the end of 2020. The tool is aimed at lower-wage workers without college degrees. It helps them identify better-paying occupations that have overlap with the skills required in their current positions. For example: A cashier in the Cincinnati metro area might consider a job first as a customer service representative, then move on to the role of police or fire station dispatcher and later transition to becoming a human resource specialist or legal assistant. The strong skills overlap between cashiers and customer service reps include customer service, communication skills and retail industry knowledge. From there, the skills commonly required of customer service reps and dispatchers include customer service, communication and problem solving. And so on. With each move, the former cashier’s pay could increase considerably. (The pay data in the tool still reflects 2020 pay levels, but it will be updated later this year, according to a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fed.) The tool can be an eye-opener not just for job seekers but also employers when it comes to seeing what skills non-degreed workers from various occupations bring to the table. “It’s a good illustration of how skills gained in prior jobs can be used to move up the career ladder,” said Keith Wardrip, senior community development research adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.",08/03/2024,"['For decades, not having a college degree has often been a barrier for workers seeking a higher-level, better-paying job.', 'But more employers are now saying they’re willing to hire them.', 'College degrees were used by companies as a proxy for skills and competence when evaluating potential hires — making it very difficult for lower-wage, non-degreed workers even to be considered.', 'A majority of US workers have had to contend with that barrier.', 'Only 37.7% of Americans ages 25 and up had a bachelor’s degree in 2022, according to the US Census Bureau.', 'But employers are now — at least publicly — becoming more open to the idea of skills-based hiring, which focuses on a job candidates’ competencies and capacity to learn new skills rather than on their educational background.', 'Why the change of heart?', 'There are several factors.', 'But lurking over all of them is a demographic reality: The falling US birth rate will produce fewer workers in the years ahead to replace the number of workers retiring.', 'Additionally, employers are increasingly aware that the skills needed to do many jobs don’t necessarily require a four-year degree, and that competent workers can be trained in needed skills as they arise.', 'President Joe Biden, in his State of the Union speech Thursday night, acknowledged the need for skills-based hiring more than once, noting that “private companies are now investing billions of dollars to build new chip factories here in America — creating tens of thousands of jobs, many of them paying over $100,000 a year, and don’t require a college degree.”', 'He also said he is “connectingbusinesses and high schoolsso students get hands-on experienceand a path to a good-paying job,whether or notthey go to college.”', 'At a Fortune conference in October last year, Ken Frazier, the former CEO of Merck, noted that roughly three-quarters of Black adults do not have college degrees, yet the vast majority of openings at leading US companies required college degrees “for almost any job.”', 'What’s more, since George Floyd’s murder in 2020, there has been a push to improve diversity and equity in company workforces.', 'That means the lack of college degrees can’t be ignored, since Blacks and Hispanics are least likely to have a bachelor’s degree.', 'In 2022, only 27.6% of Black adults and 20.9% of Hispanics had one, compared to nearly 41.8% of non-Hispanic White population, according to Census data.', 'After Floyd’s murder, Frazier co-founded the group OneTen.', 'Its goal is to help non-degreed Black workers find better jobs with family-sustaining pay, as defined by the MIT Living Wage Calculator.', 'OneTen’s mission has since grown to include all workers without four-year degrees, and the group has pulled together a coalition of more than 70 leading US corporations from Accenture to Yum!', 'Brands and talent development firms that support OneTen’s mission of closing the opportunity gap for those without degrees.', 'So far, the group has played a matchmaking role for employers in the hiring and promotion of 108,000 non-degreed workers, said OneTen CEO Debbie Dyson at the same Fortune event.', 'She also noted its career marketplace platform has 23,000 profiles of non-degreed job seekers and those seeking training, which is a talent pool that employers can search.', 'OneTen’s hand in more than 100,000 job advancements is notable, but it is still well below the group’s goal of 1 million hires and promotions of non-degreed workers within 10 years.', 'That may reflect what one recent study found: Not all employers who talk about skills-based hiring and remove degree requirements from job ads are actually hiring candidates without degrees.', '“[F]or all its fanfare, the increased opportunity promised by skills-based hiring has borne out in not even 1 in 700 hires last year,” wrote the authors of a report from Harvard Business School and the Burning Glass Institute.', 'Directionally, however, the signs are encouraging.', 'The report’s authors note that the 37% of companies in its sample that did follow through on their skills-based hiring commitment are already seeing benefits.', '“[D]espite the limited progress to date, our analysis shows that, for those who embrace it, skills-based hiring … yields tangible, measurable value.', 'Skills-based hiring boosts retention among non-degreed workers hired into roles that formerly asked for degrees,” they said.', 'Candidates hired into those roles received a 25% pay increase on average, the researchers added.', '“If the arc of corporate practice bends toward profitability, the win-win that skills-based hiring represents is an opportunity firms are remiss to ignore,” the authors wrote.', 'In the meantime, the Federal Reserve banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland created an interactive tool called the Occupational Mobility Explorer that was released at the end of 2020.', 'The tool is aimed at lower-wage workers without college degrees.', 'It helps them identify better-paying occupations that have overlap with the skills required in their current positions.', 'For example: A cashier in the Cincinnati metro area might consider a job first as a customer service representative, then move on to the role of police or fire station dispatcher and later transition to becoming a human resource specialist or legal assistant.', 'The strong skills overlap between cashiers and customer service reps include customer service, communication skills and retail industry knowledge.', 'From there, the skills commonly required of customer service reps and dispatchers include customer service, communication and problem solving.', 'And so on.', 'With each move, the former cashier’s pay could increase considerably. (', 'The pay data in the tool still reflects 2020 pay levels, but it will be updated later this year, according to a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fed.)', 'The tool can be an eye-opener not just for job seekers but also employers when it comes to seeing what skills non-degreed workers from various occupations bring to the table.', '“It’s a good illustration of how skills gained in prior jobs can be used to move up the career ladder,” said Keith Wardrip, senior community development research adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.']",0.1698387786572772,"“If the arc of corporate practice bends toward profitability, the win-win that skills-based hiring represents is an opportunity firms are remiss to ignore,” the authors wrote.","After Floyd’s murder, Frazier co-founded the group OneTen.",0.0,, The hot new scam on Wall Street,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/investing/premarket-stocks-trading-ai-washing/index.html," Published 7:50 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","A version of this story first appeared in CNN Business’ Before the Bell newsletter. Not a subscriber? You can sign up right here. You can listen to an audio version of the newsletter by clicking the same link. There’s a hot new scam on Wall Street, and, of course, it involves the world’s buzziest technology: artificial intelligence. The Securities and Exchange Commission said Monday that it had charged investment advisers Delphia and Global Predictions for making deceptive claims about their use of AI, a practice known as AI washing. Both firms agreed to settle the charges, according to the SEC. “Global Predictions cooperated fully with the inquiry and is pleased to put this behind us. Additionally, we have clarified across our marketing how exactly we use AI,” the company said in a statement to CNN on Monday. Delphia did not respond to requests for comment. The firms paid a combined $400,000 in civil penalties, according to the SEC. “We’ve seen time and again that when new technologies come along, they can create buzz from investors as well as false claims by those purporting to use those new technologies,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement on Monday. “Such AI washing hurts investors.” What is “AI washing?” The practice is comparable to greenwashing. But rather than trumpeting phony sustainable practices or a product that is supposedly zero-waste, companies engaging in AI washing falsely state that they use artificial intelligence or misportray their use of the technology. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also said that a failure to disclose potential risks surrounding AI is a form of deception. Public trading companies who participate in AI washing risk violating US securities law, Gensler warned in a speech last month. Artificial intelligence buzz helped push stocks into a fresh bull market last year after the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, despite a backdrop of sky-high interest rates, recession fears and geopolitical turmoil. Although experts have touted positive uses for AI, many worry about potentially disastrous consequences including security risks, unmitigated spread of disinformation and even human extinction. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that AI could spur a “turbocharging” of scams and fraud, and that existing laws give the US government the ability to crack down on AI-borne consumer harm. How can investors protect themselves against AI washing and other AI scams? The SEC Office of Investor Education and Advocacy has best practices for investors to avoid such schemes. Here are some of them: • Make sure that any investment adviser, exchange or platform that you engage with is registered. You can do that for free through the SEC here.• Use information from several, verified sources before deciding where to put your dollars. Fraudsters can use AI to clone voices or generate fake video impersonating legitimate sources like government agencies or even your friends and family.• Be skeptical of endorsements from celebrities or influencers. The product or service they’re promoting could be a scam or just not right for your investment goals.• Review company disclosures and marketing tactics. Look for warning signs, such as a focus on promotions to attract investors rather than growing its business. You can find public companies’ disclosures in the SEC’s EDGAR database.• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Promises of a guaranteed, turbocharged return with little to no risk are immediate red flags. The Federal Reserve held its key interest rate steady Wednesday for the fifth consecutive meeting, as the central bank awaits more data to determine when to cut rates, reports my colleague Bryan Mena. The Fed has raised rates aggressively over the past two years in a bid to fight the highest inflation in decades. But while Americans continue to deal with high interest rates and inflation, Fed officials are still not ready to bring down borrowing costs. Wall Street is betting that the first rate cut will come in the summer. Fed officials are facing the difficult task of balancing the risk of cutting too soon with the risk of cutting too late — both of which come with consequences. That’s why the timing of that first rate cut is so critical, because it could either undo the progress the Fed has seen, if officials cut too soon, or it could fail to prevent the economy from sharply deteriorating, if officials cut too late. Fed officials also released a fresh set of economic projections, which show they now expect fewer rate cuts in the coming years than they estimated in December. A majority of Fed policymakers continue to expect three rate cuts this year, but they now see fewer in 2025 and 2026. They expect interest rates in the longer run to be slightly higher than they projected in December. Economic growth is also expected to be much higher this year than officials estimated. Officials also reflected in their latest estimates that they expect “core” inflation, a measure that strips out volatile food and energy prices, to be higher this year than previously thought. Read more here. A multibillion-dollar settlement in the United States agreed last Friday has opened the door for alternative models of selling real estate, and likely spells the end to 6% commissions on home sales. American homesellers excited by the prospect of paying substantially lower fees — and realtors equally fearful of a huge cut to their income — need only look across the pond for an example of what might happen next, reports my colleague Anna Cooban. An influx of low-cost, online-only real estate agencies in Britain has shaken up its housing market in recent years, offering sellers highly competitive upfront fixed fees for a basic package of services. “Sell your home for free. No bull,” promises one such agency, Purplebricks, on its website. The company, founded a decade ago, offers sellers a valuation and a listing — “everything you need to sell your home” — for free. Sellers can choose, however, to pay for a range of services considered standard among traditional real estate agencies, and many of them do. Purplebricks charges £899 ($1,142) to have one of its agents conduct property viewings, for example, and £699 ($888) for a package that includes professional photos. But that’s still a much sweeter deal than the typical £2,850 ($3,616) a UK homeowner can expect to pay a traditional brick-and-mortar agent for a property priced at the national average of £285,000 ($362,022). Read more here.",21/03/2024,"['A version of this story first appeared in CNN Business’ Before the Bell newsletter.', 'Not a subscriber?', 'You can sign upright here.', 'You can listen to an audio version of the newsletter by clicking the same link.', 'There’s a hot new scam on Wall Street, and, of course, it involves the world’s buzziest technology: artificial intelligence.', 'The Securities and Exchange Commission said Monday that it had charged investment advisers Delphia and Global Predictions for making deceptive claims about their use of AI, a practice known as AI washing.', 'Both firms agreed to settle the charges, according to the SEC.', '“Global Predictions cooperated fully with the inquiry and is pleased to put this behind us.', 'Additionally, we have clarified across our marketing how exactly we use AI,” the company said in a statement to CNN on Monday.', 'Delphia did not respond to requests for comment.', 'The firms paid a combined $400,000 in civil penalties, according to the SEC.', '“We’ve seen time and again that when new technologies come along, they can create buzz from investors as well as false claims by those purporting to use those new technologies,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement on Monday. “', 'Such AI washing hurts investors.”', 'What is “AI washing?”', 'The practice is comparable to greenwashing.', 'But rather than trumpeting phony sustainable practices or a product that is supposedly zero-waste, companies engaging in AI washing falsely state that they use artificial intelligence or misportray their use of the technology.', 'The Securities and Exchange Commission has also said that a failure to disclose potential risks surrounding AI is a form of deception.', 'Public trading companies who participate in AI washing risk violating US securities law, Gensler warned in a speech last month.', 'Artificial intelligence buzz helped push stocks into a fresh bull market last year after the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, despite a backdrop of sky-high interest rates, recession fears and geopolitical turmoil.', 'Although experts have touted positive uses for AI, many worry about potentially disastrous consequences including security risks, unmitigated spread of disinformation and even human extinction.', 'The Federal Trade Commission has warned that AI could spur a “turbocharging” of scams and fraud, and that existing laws give the US government the ability to crack down on AI-borne consumer harm.', 'How can investors protect themselves against AI washing and other AI scams?', 'The SEC Office of Investor Education and Advocacy has best practices for investors to avoid such schemes.', 'Here are some of them: • Make sure that any investment adviser, exchange or platform that you engage with is registered.', 'You can do that for free through the SEC here.• Use information from several, verified sources before deciding where to put your dollars.', 'Fraudsters can use AI to clone voices or generate fake video impersonating legitimate sources like government agencies or even your friends and family.• Be skeptical of endorsements from celebrities or influencers.', 'The product or service they’re promoting could be a scam or just not right for your investment goals.• Review company disclosures and marketing tactics.', 'Look for warning signs, such as a focus on promotions to attract investors rather than growing its business.', 'You can find public companies’ disclosures in the SEC’s EDGAR database.• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.', 'Promises of a guaranteed, turbocharged return with little to no risk are immediate red flags.', 'The Federal Reserve held its key interest rate steady Wednesday for the fifth consecutive meeting, as the central bank awaits more data to determine when to cut rates, reports my colleague Bryan Mena.', 'The Fed has raised rates aggressively over the past two years in a bid to fight the highest inflation in decades.', 'But while Americans continue to deal with high interest rates and inflation, Fed officials are still not ready to bring down borrowing costs.', 'Wall Street is betting that the first rate cut will come in the summer.', 'Fed officials are facing the difficult task of balancing the risk of cutting too soon with the risk of cutting too late — both of which come with consequences.', 'That’s why the timing of that first rate cut is so critical, because it could either undo the progress the Fed has seen, if officials cut too soon, or it could fail to prevent the economy from sharply deteriorating, if officials cut too late.', 'Fed officials also released a fresh set of economic projections, which show they now expect fewer rate cuts in the coming years than they estimated in December.', 'A majority of Fed policymakers continue to expect three rate cuts this year, but they now see fewer in 2025 and 2026.', 'They expect interest rates in the longer run to be slightly higher than they projected in December.', 'Economic growth is also expected to be much higher this year than officials estimated.', 'Officials also reflected in their latest estimates that they expect “core” inflation, a measure that strips out volatile food and energy prices, to be higher this year than previously thought.', 'Read more here.', 'A multibillion-dollar settlement in the United States agreed last Friday has opened the door for alternative models of selling real estate, and likely spells the end to 6% commissions on home sales.', 'American homesellers excited by the prospect of paying substantially lower fees — and realtors equally fearful of a huge cut to their income — need only look across the pond for an example of what might happen next, reports my colleague Anna Cooban.', 'An influx of low-cost, online-only real estate agencies in Britain has shaken up its housing market in recent years, offering sellers highly competitive upfront fixed fees for a basic package of services.', '“Sell your home for free.', 'No bull,” promises one such agency, Purplebricks, on its website.', 'The company, founded a decade ago, offers sellers a valuation and a listing — “everything you need to sell your home” — for free.', 'Sellers can choose, however, to pay for a range of services considered standard among traditional real estate agencies, and many of them do.', 'Purplebricks charges £899 ($1,142) to have one of its agents conduct property viewings, for example, and £699 ($888) for a package that includes professional photos.', 'But that’s still a much sweeter deal than the typical £2,850 ($3,616) a UK homeowner can expect to pay a traditional brick-and-mortar agent for a property priced at the national average of £285,000 ($362,022).', 'Read more here.']",-0.0102063519116562,"You can find public companies’ disclosures in the SEC’s EDGAR database.• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.","The Federal Trade Commission has warned that AI could spur a “turbocharging” of scams and fraud, and that existing laws give the US government the ability to crack down on AI-borne consumer harm.",0.0,, Don Lemon says Elon Musk canceled his deal with X after ‘tense’ interview,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/13/media/don-lemon-says-elon-deal-canceled/index.html," Updated 8:55 PM EDT, Wed March 13, 2024 ","Don Lemon said Wednesday that his partnership with Elon Musk went down in flames, hours after the former CNN anchor conducted an interview last week with the erratic billionaire for the debut episode of his new independent web-based show. “Elon publicly encouraged me to join X with a new show, saying I would have his ‘full support,’” Lemon said in a statement, adding that he took Musk at his word that he was “interested in working directly with diverse voices.” In an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday night, Lemon spoke about his exchange with Musk and shared video excerpts from the 90 minute sit-down, in which Lemon asked Musk questions on an array of topics. Lemon said he pressed Musk about the rise in hate speech on X since the billionaire took over the social media platform last year, asking him if he believed that he and the company had a responsibility to moderate hateful content. “I don’t have to answer questions from reporters, Don,” Musk replied. “The only reason I’m doing this interview is because you’re on the X platform and you asked for it. Otherwise, I would not do this interview.” Lemon also asked Musk about a recent meeting he held with former President Donald Trump. CNN previously confirmed the meeting with Musk, one of several Trump held with donors in Palm Beach in recent weeks as he seeks to raise more money for his financially strained campaign. “I was at a breakfast at a friend’s place and Donald Trump came by. That’s it,” Musk said, adding that Trump did “most of the talking.” Musk said Trump, who is facing more than a half a billion dollars in civil judgments and multiple criminal cases playing out in the courts, did not ask him for money. Musk said he was “not paying his legal bills in any way shape or form.” Lemon also brought up Musk’s open use of the drug ketamine, asking the SpaceX founder if he believed it posed a problem for his government security clearance. Musk, Lemon said, answered no because he has a prescription for the drug. In his statement on social media, Lemon said the sit-down he conducted with Musk for the first episode of “The Don Lemon Show,” which will be released Monday on social media platforms including X and YouTube, was “respectful and wide ranging” and that “there were no restrictions on the interview that he willingly agreed to.” “His commitment to a global town square where all questions can be asked and all ideas can be shared seems not to include questions of him from people like me,” Lemon added. In a video posted on his social media Wednesday, Lemon took further aim at Musk’s claim to be a “free speech absolutist.” “Throughout our conversation I kept reiterating to him, although it was tense at times, I thought it was good for people to see our exchange,” Lemon said. “But apparently free speech absolutism doesn’t apply when it comes to questions about him from people like me.” While the interview is not yet public, a person familiar with the matter said Musk was miffed when Lemon questioned him on his use of the drug ketamine, his government security clearance, and the issue of antisemitism. In a statement, X defended Musk’s decision to pull the plug on its agreement with Lemon. “The Don Lemon Show is welcome to publish its content on X, without censorship, as we believe in providing a platform for creators to scale their work and connect with new communities,” the company said in a statement. “However, like any enterprise, we reserve the right to make decisions about our business partnerships, and after careful consideration, X decided not to enter into a commercial partnership with the show.” Asked by a user on X what led to the decision, Musk attacked Lemon and CNN, which is not involved in Lemon’s new venture. “His approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’, which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying,” Musk wrote. “And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just [former CNN chief] Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity.” But a spokesperson for Lemon told CNN that the media personality expects Musk to honor the financial terms of the agreement. “Don has a deal with X and expects to be paid for it,” the spokesperson said. “If we have to go to court we will.” Lemon technically had not inked a contract with X, people familiar with the matter told CNN. But contracts do not necessarily have to be signed to be legally binding, particularly if it is clear each side had arrived at a mutual understanding. And according to the people close to the matter, Lemon’s camp is confident that a deal had effectively been struck, as evidenced by the fact that X had touted the deal in public announcements earlier this year. Moreover, Musk himself appeared to acknowledge that there had been a deal, texting Jay Sures, the UTA power agent who represents Lemon, “contract is canceled,” according to people familiar with the matter. The deal’s implosion comes after Musk urged Lemon to launch a show on his platform, writing last year on X: “It’d be great to have [MSNBC host] Rachel Maddow, Don Lemon & others on the left put their shows on this platform. No exclusivity or legal docs required! You will receive our full support. The digital town square is for all.” In another post, Musk directly appealed to Lemon: “Have you considered doing your show on this platform? Maybe worth a try. Audience is much bigger.” Musk has claimed to believe in free speech absolutism, but he has repeatedly taken steps to limit the speech of critics. The billionaire has at times suspended journalists from his platform and filed lawsuits against watchdogs for publishing reports critical of X. While Musk frequently launches ugly attacks on journalists and traditional news organizations, he has simultaneously elevated conspiracy theories and extremist rhetoric. Last year, Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory, which resulted in droves of advertisers fleeing X. Only then, days afterward, did Musk publicly express remorse for his actions. Lemon was ousted from CNN last year, in a decision that the longtime anchor said left him “stunned.” No specific reason was given by CNN for Lemon’s dismissal, but it came after he was widely criticized for making sexist comments about then-GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley. Lemon apologized for the remarks at the time, saying, “When I make a mistake, I own it. And I own this one as well.” This story has been updated with statements posted on X and additional context.",13/03/2024,"['Don Lemon said Wednesday that his partnership with Elon Musk went down in flames, hours after the former CNN anchor conducted an interview last week with the erratic billionaire for the debut episode of his new independent web-based show.', '“Elon publicly encouraged me to join X with a new show, saying I would have his ‘full support,’” Lemon said in a statement, adding that he took Musk at his word that he was “interested in working directly with diverse voices.”', 'In an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday night, Lemon spoke about his exchange with Musk and shared video excerpts from the 90 minute sit-down, in which Lemon asked Musk questions on an array of topics.', 'Lemon said he pressed Musk about the rise in hate speech on X since the billionaire took over the social media platform last year, asking him if he believed that he and the company had a responsibility to moderate hateful content.', '“I don’t have to answer questions from reporters, Don,” Musk replied. “', 'The only reason I’m doing this interview is because you’re on the X platform and you asked for it.', 'Otherwise, I would not do this interview.”', 'Lemon also asked Musk about a recent meeting he held with former President Donald Trump.', 'CNN previouslyconfirmedthe meeting with Musk, one of several Trump held with donors in Palm Beach in recent weeks as he seeks to raise more money for his financially strained campaign.', '“I was at a breakfast at a friend’s place and Donald Trump came by.', 'That’s it,” Musk said, adding that Trump did “most of the talking.”', 'Musk said Trump, who is facing more than a half a billion dollars in civil judgments and multiple criminal cases playing out in the courts, did not ask him for money.', 'Musk said he was “not paying his legal bills in any way shape or form.”', 'Lemon also brought up Musk’s open use of the drug ketamine, asking the SpaceX founder if he believed it posed a problem for his government security clearance.', 'Musk, Lemon said, answered no because he has a prescription for the drug.', 'In his statement on social media, Lemon said the sit-down he conducted with Musk for the first episode of “The Don Lemon Show,” which will be released Monday on social media platforms including X and YouTube, was “respectful and wide ranging” and that “there were no restrictions on the interview that he willingly agreed to.”', '“His commitment to a global town square where all questions can be asked and all ideas can be shared seems not to include questions of him from people like me,” Lemon added.', 'In avideo postedon his social media Wednesday, Lemon took further aim at Musk’s claim to be a “free speech absolutist.”', '“Throughout our conversation I kept reiterating to him, although it was tense at times, I thought it was good for people to see our exchange,” Lemon said. “', 'But apparently free speech absolutism doesn’t apply when it comes to questions about him from people like me.”', 'While the interview is not yet public, a person familiar with the matter said Musk was miffed when Lemon questioned him on his use of the drug ketamine, his government security clearance, and the issue of antisemitism.', 'In a statement, X defended Musk’s decision to pull the plug on its agreement with Lemon.', '“The Don Lemon Show is welcome to publish its content on X, without censorship, as we believe in providing a platform for creators to scale their work and connect with new communities,” the company said in a statement. “', 'However, like any enterprise, we reserve the right to make decisions about our business partnerships, and after careful consideration, X decided not to enter into a commercial partnership with the show.”', 'Asked by a user on X what led to the decision, Musk attacked Lemon and CNN, which is not involved in Lemon’s new venture.', '“His approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media’, which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying,” Musk wrote. “', 'And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just [former CNN chief] Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity.”', 'But a spokesperson for Lemon told CNN that the media personality expects Musk to honor the financial terms of the agreement.', '“Don has a deal with X and expects to be paid for it,” the spokesperson said. “', 'If we have to go to court we will.”', 'Lemon technically had not inked a contract with X, people familiar with the matter told CNN.But contracts do not necessarily have to be signed to be legally binding, particularly if it is clear each side had arrived at a mutual understanding.', 'And according to the people close to the matter,Lemon’s camp is confident that a deal had effectively been struck, as evidenced by the fact that X had touted the deal in public announcements earlier this year.', 'Moreover, Musk himself appeared to acknowledge that there had been a deal, texting Jay Sures, the UTA power agent who represents Lemon, “contract is canceled,” according to people familiar with the matter.', 'The deal’s implosion comes after Musk urged Lemon to launch a show on his platform, writing last year on X: “It’d be great to have [MSNBC host] Rachel Maddow, Don Lemon & others on the left put their shows on this platform.', 'No exclusivity or legal docs required!', 'You will receive our full support.', 'The digital town square is for all.”', 'In another post, Musk directly appealed to Lemon: “Have you considered doing your show on this platform?', 'Maybe worth a try.', 'Audience is much bigger.”', 'Musk has claimed to believe in free speech absolutism, but he has repeatedly taken steps to limit the speech of critics.', 'The billionaire has at times suspended journalists from his platform and filed lawsuits against watchdogs for publishing reports critical of X. While Musk frequently launches ugly attacks on journalists and traditional news organizations, he has simultaneously elevated conspiracy theories and extremist rhetoric.', 'Last year, Musk endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory, which resulted in droves of advertisers fleeing X. Only then, days afterward, did Musk publicly express remorse for his actions.', 'Lemon was ousted from CNN last year, in a decision that the longtime anchor said left him “stunned.”', 'No specific reason was given by CNN for Lemon’s dismissal, but it came after he was widely criticized for making sexist comments about then-GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley.', 'Lemon apologized for the remarks at the time, saying, “When I make a mistake, I own it.', 'And I own this one as well.”', 'This story has been updated with statements posted on X and additional context.']",0.092430696653778,But a spokesperson for Lemon told CNN that the media personality expects Musk to honor the financial terms of the agreement.,"The billionaire has at times suspended journalists from his platform and filed lawsuits against watchdogs for publishing reports critical of X. While Musk frequently launches ugly attacks on journalists and traditional news organizations, he has simultaneously elevated conspiracy theories and extremist rhetoric.",0.0,, Judge tosses SEC suit against social media influencers in alleged pump-and-dump scheme,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/tech/social-media-pump-dump-discord-twitter/index.html," Published 6:11 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","A federal judge has dismissed an indictment against seven Twitter users and a podcaster accused of running a $100 million stock manipulation scheme over social media. The Securities and Exchange Commission did not do enough to describe the influencers’ activities as a “scheme to defraud,” wrote District Judge Andrew Hanen of the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, in an order dated Wednesday. In the lawsuit, the SEC had alleged a lucrative “pump-and-dump” scheme in which the social media influencers used the messaging app Discord to promote certain stocks to “hundreds of thousands of followers,” and then quietly sold their positions after a run-up in the stocks’ prices. At least one of the defendants whose account CNN reviewed at the time of the suit had tweeted about Gamestop and AMC, two so-called “meme stocks” that saw significant public interest and trading in 2021. On Wednesday, however, Hanen wrote that while the defendants may well have intended to separate followers from their money, the evidence did not support a finding of actual securities fraud or conspiracy to commit fraud. “The key question is whether one statement by one of the co-defendants that ‘we’re robbing … idiots of their money,’ which is alleged in the Indictment, is sufficient,” the judge wrote. “This statement sufficiently alleges ‘intent to defraud’ … but does not on its own sufficiently allege that Defendants executed, or conspired to execute, a ‘scheme to defraud’ investors of money or property” as defined by court precedent. Unlike a traditional fraud case, Hanen added, the SEC merely claimed investors were deprived of relevant market information — not that the influencers directly stole money from investors. The indictment was dismissed without prejudice, meaning charges could potentially be amended and refiled. The SEC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.",21/03/2024,"['A federal judge has dismissed an indictment against seven Twitter users and a podcaster accused of running a $100 million stock manipulation scheme over social media.', 'The Securities and Exchange Commission did not do enough to describe the influencers’ activities as a “scheme to defraud,”wrote District Judge AndrewHanen ofthe US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, in an order dated Wednesday.', 'In the lawsuit, the SEC had alleged a lucrative “pump-and-dump” scheme in which the social media influencers used the messaging app Discord to promote certain stocks to “hundreds of thousands of followers,” and then quietly sold their positions after a run-up in the stocks’ prices.', 'At least one of the defendants whose account CNN reviewed at the time of the suit had tweeted about Gamestop and AMC, two so-called “meme stocks” that saw significant public interest and trading in 2021.', 'On Wednesday, however, Hanen wrote that while the defendants may well have intended to separate followers from their money, the evidence did not support a finding of actual securities fraud or conspiracy to commit fraud.', '“The key question is whether one statement by one of the co-defendants that ‘we’re robbing … idiots of their money,’ which is alleged in the Indictment, is sufficient,” the judge wrote. “', 'This statement sufficiently alleges ‘intent to defraud’ … but does not on its own sufficiently allege that Defendants executed, or conspired to execute, a ‘scheme to defraud’ investors of money or property” as defined by court precedent.', 'Unlike a traditional fraud case, Hanen added, the SEC merely claimed investors were deprived of relevant market information — not that the influencers directly stole money from investors.', 'The indictment was dismissed without prejudice, meaning charges could potentially be amended and refiled.', 'The SEC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.']",-0.1466755973123472,"At least one of the defendants whose account CNN reviewed at the time of the suit had tweeted about Gamestop and AMC, two so-called “meme stocks” that saw significant public interest and trading in 2021.","On Wednesday, however, Hanen wrote that while the defendants may well have intended to separate followers from their money, the evidence did not support a finding of actual securities fraud or conspiracy to commit fraud.",0.0,, These businesses say they can’t keep up with consumer demand without immigrant workers. Americans just don’t want the jobs,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/construction-industry-needs-immigrant-workers/index.html," Updated 9:38 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Eddie Martin can’t build as many homes as he’d like in Texas because his contractors don’t have enough workers, particularly skilled tradespeople such as electricians, carpenters and plumbers. This labor shortage, exacerbated by an aging workforce and growing number of retirements, means it’s more crucial than ever for the US to allow more legal immigrants into the country to bolster the ranks of the construction industry, said Martin, CEO of Tilson Custom Home Builders in Austin. “We’re losing business. There’s no doubt,” said Martin, whose wife’s family started the company in 1932. “So many of those skilled workers are aging out. There’s nobody replacing them.” Martin works with 300 contractors to build homes for teachers, police officers, firefighters and others in the middle class, with 500 units currently in the pipeline. But he now has to tell would-be clients that it will likely take 14 months to complete the job, instead of nine months, which prompts some of them to walk away. If the contractors could boost their workforces by a third, Tilson says he could probably build another 175 homes a year. Martin, along with many others in the residential and commercial construction industries, have been pushing Congress for years to create a new work visa program or expand existing ones, such as the H-2B program, to enable them to hire more immigrants. Some would also like to accelerate work authorizations of asylum seekers so they can start training sooner instead of having to wait 180 days, as required by federal law. The need is growing as the demand for housing increases and as federal infrastructure funding is injected into communities across the country — at a time when fewer young Americans are choosing construction as a career. President Joe Biden has recently pushed several initiatives to lower housing costs and increase supply, including at a campaign stop in Nevada on Tuesday. But the toxic politics surrounding the border is currently seizing up the passage of new immigration legislation in Congress, quashing any hope of allowing more documented immigrants to build homes, apartment buildings, retail developments and infrastructure projects anytime soon. “Our issues most likely won’t be addressed until the situation at the southern border is addressed,” said Jim Young, senior director of congressional relations for the Associated General Contractors of America, which advocates for the commercial and multifamily construction industry. Still, the industry isn’t giving up on making a plea to Congress. The contractor group is running its first-ever digital ads in certain congressional districts this year about the need for more legal immigrant workers for the construction industry, as well as for additional funding for technical education and training. The high cost and lack of availability of labor were among the top challenges for homebuilders last year and are expected to be top priorities again this year, according to a January survey for the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Some 73% of builders said these were a problem in 2023 and roughly the same share feel they will continue to be an issue this year. High interest rates and potential buyers waiting for declining rates or prices are among the other top homebuilder concerns for 2024. There were 413,000 construction job openings in January, near the record 454,000 vacancies in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the industry needs to bring on more than 700,000 new workers a year because so many people are leaving field, mainly due to retirements, said Robert Dietz, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders. More than one in five construction workers were age 55 or older in 2021, according to an NAHB analysis of Census data. The share of immigrants in construction has only recently started to rebound after years of fewer immigrants joining the industry due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on travel and border crossings and the Trump administration’s clampdown on immigration. Nearly a quarter of construction workers in 2022 were foreign-born, a historic high, according to NAHB, citing US Census data. But more immigrant workers are needed since the American-born workforce isn’t filling the gap. The trade groups for the homebuilders and general contractors have been working with schools, colleges and the federal Job Corps program to develop the next generation of American construction workers. But progress has been slow. The industry says many kids are pushed by parents and educators, who don’t view construction as a good career option, to go to college. “We’ve done surveys of young adults and asked them about industries that they want to pursue careers in,” Dietz said. “Construction particularly doesn’t fare very well.” The main visa that construction companies can use to bring in immigrant labor is the H-2B visa, which is for temporary or seasonal workers. But many in the industry say the H-2B program doesn’t work well because of the strict cap on and steep competition for the number of visas available, as well as the year-round operations of many construction firms. For fiscal year 2024, there are about 131,000 H-2B visas available. While they support expanding the number of H-2B visas issued, construction trade groups have also pushed for a new visa for industries that need temporary workers with some skills, but not a college degree. The number of visas issued would vary somewhat with demand from construction firms. Though bills to create such a visa have been introduced in Congress — such as Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Lloyd Smucker’s proposal last year to set up an H-2C program — they haven’t gotten far. Expanding the visa system or accelerating work authorizations would also allow the industry to hire more asylum seekers crossing the US-Mexico border, many of whom now work illegally in construction, landscaping and other fields, said Michael Clemens, economics professor at George Mason University. Meanwhile, demand for more homes, commercial development and infrastructure projects is expected to grow. Overall, NAHB estimates the nation needs an additional 1.5 million housing units, while other projections are even higher. And non-residential development will continue to flourish, aided by federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “We have firms who are telling us that they are not bidding for projects – infrastructure projects, economic development projects, you name it – because they don’t have enough people to do the work,” said Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs & strategic initiatives at the Associated General Contractors of America. Shane Wegner’s Midlands Contracting is one of those firms. He has had to turn down work because he can’t find the additional 10 employees he’d like to hire to build sewer, water and storm sewer projects in Nebraska, Kansas and elsewhere in the Midwest, despite constantly advertising on websites, social media and hiring platforms, as well as offering referral bonuses. He has to compete with manufacturers and meatpackers for local workers, despite his and his peers’ efforts to increase students’ interest in construction. And a few years ago, he applied to get workers through the H-2B program, which cost him close to $10,000, but he was not selected. “The reality is the biggest fix to this is us being able to hire immigrants,” said Wegner, vice president at Midlands, which was started by his father, Dallas, in 1977. “We’re getting all this infrastructure money, but I don’t have the people to do it … We’d love to get all this work done as fast as we can, but we just can’t unless we can get more legal immigration.”",21/03/2024,"['Eddie Martin can’t build as many homes as he’d like in Texas because his contractors don’t have enough workers, particularly skilled tradespeople such as electricians, carpenters and plumbers.', 'This labor shortage, exacerbated by an aging workforce and growing number of retirements, means it’s more crucial than ever for the US to allow more legal immigrants into the country to bolster the ranks of the construction industry, said Martin, CEO of Tilson Custom Home Builders in Austin.', '“We’re losing business.', 'There’s no doubt,” said Martin, whose wife’s family started the company in 1932. “', 'So many of those skilled workers are aging out.', 'There’s nobody replacing them.”', 'Martin works with 300 contractors to build homes for teachers, police officers, firefighters and others in the middle class, with 500 units currently in the pipeline.', 'But he now has to tell would-be clients that it will likely take 14 months to complete the job, instead of nine months, which prompts some of them to walk away.', 'If the contractors could boost their workforces by a third, Tilson says he could probably build another 175 homes a year.', 'Martin, along with many others in the residential and commercial construction industries, have been pushing Congress for years to create a new work visa program or expand existing ones, such as the H-2B program, to enable them to hire more immigrants.', 'Some would also like to accelerate work authorizations of asylum seekers so they can start training sooner instead of having to wait 180 days, as required by federal law.', 'The need is growing as the demand for housing increases and as federal infrastructure funding is injected into communities across the country — at a time when fewer young Americans are choosing construction as a career.', 'President Joe Biden has recently pushed several initiatives to lower housing costs and increase supply, including at a campaign stop in Nevada on Tuesday.', 'But the toxic politics surrounding the border is currently seizing up the passage of new immigration legislation in Congress, quashing any hope of allowing more documented immigrants to build homes, apartment buildings, retail developments and infrastructure projects anytime soon.', '“Our issues most likely won’t be addressed until the situation at the southern border is addressed,” said Jim Young, senior director of congressional relations for the Associated General Contractors of America, which advocates for the commercial and multifamily construction industry.', 'Still, the industry isn’t giving up on making a plea to Congress.', 'The contractor group is running its first-ever digital ads in certain congressional districts this year about the need for more legal immigrant workers for the construction industry, as well as for additional funding for technical education and training.', 'The high cost and lack of availability of labor were among the top challenges for homebuilders last year and are expected to be top priorities again this year, according to a January survey for the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.', 'Some 73% of builders said these were a problem in 2023 and roughly the same share feel they will continue to be an issue this year.', 'High interest rates and potential buyers waiting for declining rates or prices are among the other top homebuilder concerns for 2024.', 'There were 413,000 construction job openings in January, near the record 454,000 vacancies in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.', 'But the industry needs to bring on more than 700,000 new workers a year because so many people are leaving field, mainly due to retirements, said Robert Dietz, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders.', 'More than one in five construction workers were age 55 or older in 2021, according to an NAHB analysis of Census data.', 'The share of immigrants in construction has only recently started to rebound after years of fewer immigrants joining the industry due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on travel and border crossings and the Trump administration’s clampdown on immigration.', 'Nearly a quarter of construction workers in 2022 were foreign-born, a historic high, according to NAHB, citing US Census data.', 'But more immigrant workers are needed since the American-born workforce isn’t filling the gap.', 'The trade groups for the homebuilders and general contractors have been working with schools, colleges and the federal Job Corps program to develop the next generation of American construction workers.', 'But progress has been slow.', 'The industry says many kids are pushed by parents and educators, who don’t view construction as a good career option, to go to college.', '“We’ve done surveys of young adults and asked them about industries that they want to pursue careers in,” Dietz said. “', 'Construction particularly doesn’t fare very well.”', 'The main visa that construction companies can use to bring in immigrant labor is the H-2B visa, which is for temporary or seasonal workers.', 'But many in the industry say the H-2B program doesn’t work well because of the strict cap on and steep competition for the number of visas available, as well as the year-round operations of many construction firms.', 'For fiscal year 2024, there are about 131,000 H-2B visas available.', 'While they support expanding the number of H-2B visas issued, construction trade groups have also pushed for a new visa for industries that need temporary workers with some skills, but not a college degree.', 'The number of visas issued would vary somewhat with demand from construction firms.', 'Though bills to create such a visa have been introduced in Congress — such as Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Lloyd Smucker’s proposal last year to set up an H-2C program — they haven’t gotten far.', 'Expanding the visa system or accelerating work authorizations would also allow the industry to hire more asylum seekers crossing the US-Mexico border, many of whom now work illegally in construction, landscaping and other fields, said Michael Clemens, economics professor at George Mason University.', 'Meanwhile, demand for more homes, commercial development and infrastructure projects is expected to grow.', 'Overall, NAHB estimates the nation needs an additional 1.5 million housing units, while other projections are even higher.', 'And non-residential development will continue to flourish, aided by federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.', '“We have firms who are telling us that they are not bidding for projects – infrastructure projects, economic development projects, you name it – because they don’t have enough people to do the work,” said Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs & strategic initiatives at the Associated General Contractors of America.', 'Shane Wegner’s Midlands Contracting is one of those firms.', 'He has had to turn down work because he can’t find the additional 10 employees he’d like to hire to build sewer, water and storm sewer projects in Nebraska, Kansas and elsewhere in the Midwest, despite constantly advertising on websites, social media and hiring platforms, as well as offering referral bonuses.', 'He has to compete with manufacturers and meatpackers for local workers, despite his and his peers’ efforts to increase students’ interest in construction.', 'And a few years ago, he applied to get workers through the H-2B program, which cost him close to $10,000, but he was not selected.', '“The reality is the biggest fix to this is us being able to hire immigrants,” said Wegner, vice president at Midlands, which was started by his father, Dallas, in 1977. “', 'We’re getting all this infrastructure money, but I don’t have the people to do it … We’d love to get all this work done as fast as we can, but we just can’t unless we can get more legal immigration.”']",0.1900448774633177,"We’re getting all this infrastructure money, but I don’t have the people to do it … We’d love to get all this work done as fast as we can, but we just can’t unless we can get more legal immigration.”","There’s no doubt,” said Martin, whose wife’s family started the company in 1932. “",0.0,, "Biden is doubling down on the dream that Americans will, one day, actually want electric cars",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/biden-electric-cars-nightcap/index.html," Published 6:00 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","The Biden administration is banking on the old “if you build it they will come” approach to cudgel the auto industry away from gas-burning cars. It also seems to recognize a giant problem at the heart of the long-awaited EV revolution: Americans don’t really want them. See here: The EPA on Wednesday released stringent tailpipe emission rules that aim to limit how much carbon dioxide and other pollutants cars and trucks can produce, starting with model year 2027. The new rules mark a political win for Biden, who’s made the EV transition a signature item in his climate agenda, and a practical win for automakers, who’ve been lobbying the administration for a bit more time and flexibility when it comes to reaching electric sales targets. The automakers successfully batted down the administration’s initial goal of having fully electric cars account for 60% of all new-vehicle sales by the end of this decade. (Under the new rules, the administration is allowing plug-in hybrids to play a bigger role in the electric transition.) The changes reflect the rather disappointing reality of EVs in America in 2024. After an earlier burst of enthusiasm, car makers are now drastically scaling back their EV ambitions. It’s not that EVs aren’t selling — in fact, sales are going up each year. But they aren’t booming the way the industry or the Biden administration had hoped. Last year, EVs made up just 7.6% of new car sales, according to Kelley Blue Book. So what happened? Why hasn’t the EV revolution taken root? Analysts point to a few key reasons, as my colleague Peter Valdes-Dapena wrote last month. EVs are still on the expensive end of the auto market in America, and that’s kept demand fairly limited to people who are willing to pay a premium for electric. But even if carmakers could magically make it so that all of their vehicles were available in either gas or electric forms for the exact same price, you’d still see consumers shunning electric because … The vast majority of EV charging is happening at home, in the garage, a fact that compounds the “EVs are for rich people” problem. If you don’t have a garage, like tens of millions of people living in cities, your ability to reliably charge your vehicle is severely curtailed. There are currently fewer than 40,000 public charging stations, according to the Department of Energy, and about a quarter of those are in California. We need to multiply that by five to accommodate the EVs that are expected to be on the road in 2030. Automakers are trying to help on that front. Virtually all of them have agreed to adopt the same charging standard used by Tesla, which is still the largest seller of EVs. But there’s a long, long way to go before drivers can trust that no matter where they’re headed they’ll be able to plug in if needed. Buy an EV, you can get a tax credit! That’s one of those things marketers say and then no one really understands what it means. It’s true there are substantial tax credits available to help offset the cost of an EV. But it’s not as simple as checking a box on TurboTax. In the hodgepodge of incentives, some come with restrictions on where the vehicle is built, how much it costs and how much household income you make. In many ways, there is little difference between driving an internal combustion-powered vehicle and an electric model like a Tesla. But there are some key differences that have been known to flummox new drivers. And there’s data to back that up. When people switch from gas-powered cars to EVs, they tend to crash more, according to research by LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which analyzed insurance data. The goal of replacing all of our gas-powered cars with EVs is both good politics and good policy in the effort to reduce emissions. Biden gets to promote green tech while also propping up an all-American, job-creating industry. Win-win. But it’s hardly a panacea. “America’s EV plan was flawed from the start,” technology writer Paris Marx wrote for Business Insider earlier this year. “If the government and automakers are serious about making transportation more sustainable, they should be incentivizing smaller vehicles, hybrid cars, and public transportation like trains and buses.”",21/03/2024,"['The Biden administration is banking on the old “if you build it they will come” approach to cudgel the auto industry away from gas-burning cars.', 'It also seems to recognize a giant problem at the heart of the long-awaited EV revolution: Americans don’t really want them.', 'See here: The EPA on Wednesday released stringent tailpipe emission rules that aim to limit how much carbon dioxide and other pollutants cars and trucks can produce, starting with model year 2027.', 'The new rules mark a political win for Biden, who’s made the EV transition a signature item in his climate agenda, and a practical win for automakers, who’ve been lobbying the administration for a bit more time and flexibility when it comes to reaching electric sales targets.', 'The automakers successfully batted down the administration’s initial goal of having fully electric cars account for 60% of all new-vehicle sales by the end of this decade. (', 'Under the new rules, the administration is allowing plug-in hybrids to play a bigger role in the electric transition.)', 'The changes reflect the rather disappointing reality of EVs in America in 2024.', 'After an earlier burst of enthusiasm, car makers are now drastically scaling back their EV ambitions.', 'It’s not that EVs aren’t selling — in fact, sales are going up each year.', 'But they aren’t booming the way the industry or the Biden administration had hoped.', 'Last year, EVs made up just 7.6% of new car sales, according to Kelley Blue Book.', 'So what happened?', 'Why hasn’t the EV revolution taken root?', 'Analysts point to a few key reasons, as my colleague Peter Valdes-Dapena wrote last month.', 'EVs are still on the expensive end of the auto market in America, and that’s kept demand fairly limited to people who are willing to pay a premium for electric.', 'But even if carmakers could magically make it so that all of their vehicles were available in either gas or electric forms for the exact same price, you’d still see consumers shunning electric because … The vast majority of EV charging is happening at home, in the garage, a fact that compounds the “EVs are for rich people” problem.', 'If you don’t have a garage, like tens of millions of people living in cities, your ability to reliably charge your vehicle is severely curtailed.', 'There are currently fewer than 40,000 public charging stations, according to the Department of Energy, and about a quarter of those are in California.', 'We need to multiply that by five to accommodate the EVs that are expected to be on the road in 2030.', 'Automakers are trying to help on that front.', 'Virtually all of them have agreed to adopt the same charging standard used by Tesla, which is still the largest seller of EVs.', 'But there’s a long, long way to go before drivers can trust that no matter where they’re headed they’ll be able to plug in if needed.', 'Buy an EV, you can get a tax credit!', 'That’s one of those things marketers say and then no one really understands what it means.', 'It’s true there are substantial tax credits available to help offset the cost of an EV.', 'But it’s not as simple as checking a box on TurboTax.', 'In the hodgepodge of incentives, some come with restrictions on where the vehicle is built, how much it costs and how much household income you make.', 'In many ways, there is little difference between driving an internal combustion-powered vehicle and an electric model like a Tesla.', 'But there are some key differences that have been known to flummox new drivers.', 'And there’s data to back that up.', 'When people switch from gas-powered cars to EVs, they tend to crash more, according to research byLexisNexis Risk Solutions, which analyzed insurance data.', 'The goal of replacing all of our gas-powered cars with EVs is both good politics and good policy in the effort to reduce emissions.', 'Biden gets to promote green tech while also propping up an all-American, job-creating industry.', 'Win-win.', 'But it’s hardly a panacea.', '“America’s EV plan was flawed from the start,” technology writer Paris Marx wrote for Business Insider earlier this year. “', 'If the government and automakers are serious about making transportation more sustainable, they should be incentivizing smaller vehicles, hybrid cars, and public transportation like trains and buses.”']",0.1793994566526244,"The new rules mark a political win for Biden, who’s made the EV transition a signature item in his climate agenda, and a practical win for automakers, who’ve been lobbying the administration for a bit more time and flexibility when it comes to reaching electric sales targets.",The changes reflect the rather disappointing reality of EVs in America in 2024.,0.0,, The Chevrolet Corvette is officially going electric,https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/25/business/electric-hybrid-corvette/index.html," Updated 12:22 PM EDT, Mon April 25, 2022 ","General Motors will produce a fully electric Chevrolet Corvette, GM President Mark Reuss announced in a LinkedIn post Monday morning. Reuss didn’t say when the electric Corvette would come, but he hinted that a hybrid model could come relatively soon. “We will offer an electrified Corvette as early as next year,” he wrote. An accompanying video the company posted to Twitter showed what appeared to be a hybrid Corvette, and in another first, showed the front wheels spinning and throwing snow as if being powered. All Corvettes produced by the company previously have been rear-wheel-drive only. While Reuss’s post implies a hybrid Corvette will be based on the current generation of the car, it’s not clear if the all-electric version will be a variation of this car or a completely different future model. “Electrified” is an auto industry term encompassing everything from hybrid to fully electric vehicles, and anything with an electric motor can count as “electrified.” It has long been rumored that the current generation of the Corvette, the first with its gasoline engine mounted behind the seats instead of in the front, could be built with a hybrid system. Reuss has also previously hinted there would be electrified variants of the car. Various companies are working on electric sports cars. Most all-electric vehicles in production so far have been four-door sedans and SUVs, as the need for batteries lends itself to larger and heavier vehicles. Tesla’s first car, the Lotus Elise-based Tesla Roadster, was an electric sports car, but the second-generation of Tesla Roadster, originally unveiled as a prototype in 2017, has yet to go into production. Some manufacturers, such as Lamborghini, have said that current battery technology doesn’t allow for a optimum sports car performance from a purely electric vehicle. Lamborghini has been working on plug-in hybrid sports cars, though. To date, the Corvette is only available in the base Stingray version with 6.2-liter V8 engine producing up to 495 horsepower. A 670 horsepower Corvette Z06 with a 5.5-liter V8 was unveiled last fall. The previous generation of the Corvette included included a 755-horsepower ZR1 version. Nothing like that has yet been announced for the current model but GM engineers have said a major reason for putting the engine in the back was to allow for better performance at extremely high horsepower levels. Besides saving gas, hybrid systems can also be used in high-performance cars to add additional power and to provide for quicker acceleration since electric motors can provide power to the wheels more quickly than gas engines. Ferrari’s most powerful sports cars are hybrids, for instance. GM has said it plans to produce only zero-emission vehicles, meaning fully electric or powered by hydrogen fuel cells, by 2035.",25/04/2022,"['General Motors will produce a fully electric Chevrolet Corvette, GM President Mark Reuss announced in a LinkedIn post Monday morning.', 'Reuss didn’t say when the electric Corvette would come, but he hinted that a hybrid model could come relatively soon. “', 'We will offer an electrified Corvette as early as next year,” he wrote.', 'An accompanying video the company posted to Twitter showed what appeared to be a hybrid Corvette, and in another first, showed the front wheels spinning and throwing snow as if being powered.', 'All Corvettes produced by the company previously have been rear-wheel-drive only.', 'While Reuss’s post implies a hybrid Corvette will be based on the current generation of the car, it’s not clear if the all-electric version will be a variation of this car or a completely different future model.', '“Electrified” is an auto industry term encompassing everything from hybrid to fully electric vehicles, and anything with an electric motor can count as “electrified.”', 'It has long been rumored that the current generation of the Corvette, the first with its gasoline engine mounted behind the seats instead of in the front, could be built with a hybrid system.', 'Reuss has also previously hinted there would be electrified variants of the car.', 'Various companies are working on electric sports cars.', 'Most all-electric vehicles in production so far have been four-door sedans and SUVs, as the need for batteries lends itself to larger and heavier vehicles.', 'Tesla’s first car, the Lotus Elise-based Tesla Roadster, was an electric sports car, but the second-generation of Tesla Roadster, originally unveiled as a prototype in 2017, has yet to go into production.', 'Some manufacturers, such as Lamborghini, have said that current battery technology doesn’t allow for a optimum sports car performance from a purely electric vehicle.', 'Lamborghini has been working on plug-in hybrid sports cars, though.', 'To date, the Corvette is only available in the base Stingray version with 6.2-liter V8 engine producing up to 495 horsepower.', 'A 670 horsepower Corvette Z06 with a 5.5-liter V8 was unveiled last fall.', 'The previous generation of the Corvette included included a 755-horsepower ZR1 version.', 'Nothing like that has yet been announced for the current model but GM engineers have said a major reason for putting the engine in the back was to allow for better performance at extremely high horsepower levels.', 'Besides saving gas, hybrid systems can also be used in high-performance cars to add additional power and to provide for quicker acceleration since electric motors can provide power to the wheels more quickly than gas engines.', 'Ferrari’s most powerful sports cars are hybrids, for instance.', 'GM has said it plans to produce only zero-emission vehicles, meaning fully electric or powered by hydrogen fuel cells, by 2035.']",0.0521320736918344,Nothing like that has yet been announced for the current model but GM engineers have said a major reason for putting the engine in the back was to allow for better performance at extremely high horsepower levels.,"While Reuss’s post implies a hybrid Corvette will be based on the current generation of the car, it’s not clear if the all-electric version will be a variation of this car or a completely different future model.",0.0,, EU leaders consider plan to tap frozen Russian assets to arm Ukraine,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/frozen-russian-assets-ukraine-war/index.html," Updated 12:07 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","European Union leaders are considering using about $3 billion a year in windfall profits generated by frozen Russian financial assets to help fund Ukraine’s war effort. The European Commission said a proposal would be discussed at a summit of EU heads of government on Thursday. Achieving the unanimity required is likely to be tricky. The latest proposal goes further than a previous EU plan — crafted in late 2023 and agreed in principle last month — to use the interest payments and other profits accumulating in accounts in Brussels to help rebuild Ukraine, according to a senior EU official. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was confident fellow European leaders would agree on the new initiative. “First and foremost (those profits should) be used to acquire the weapons and ammunition that Ukraine needs for its defense,” he told reporters as he arrived for the talks. A “growing majority” of European countries are now “pleading” for these profits to be used for the European Peace Facility, the senior EU official told reporters Tuesday. The facility was launched in 2021 to finance the EU’s defense and military measures globally. Unlike the general EU budget, it can be used to buy arms. Pressure on EU states to do more to support Ukraine militarily has increased in recent months as the flow of aid from the United States has stalled and Russia has made advances on the battlefield. The US Senate approved a supplemental bill last month that would have unlocked $60 billion of military aid for Ukraine, but House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson refused to bring it to the floor for a vote. “In December, it (the EU plan) was very much about reconstruction and supporting financially the government (in Kiev) to survive. Now we are in an even more dire situation, so delivery of weapons is even more important,” the EU official said. But the shift in focus to directly supporting Ukraine’s military rather than using the funds to help rebuild the country will be hard to swallow for neutral EU member states such as Ireland and Austria. “There must be a guarantee that money, for which we give our approval, is not spent on weapons and ammunition,” Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer told reporters. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries froze nearly half of Moscow’s foreign reserves — some €300 billion ($327 billion). Around €200 billion ($218 billion) sits in the EU — mostly at Euroclear, a financial institution that keeps assets safe for banks, exchanges and investors. Euroclear is accumulating vast amounts of cash because of payments associated with frozen Russian assets. These payments include, for example, interest paid on bonds, known as coupons, or the proceeds generated by securities that mature and are reinvested. Last month, the group said it had earned €5.2 billion ($5.6 billion) in interest on income generated by sanctioned Russian assets since they were frozen by EU and Group of Seven countries in 2022. The European Commission’s proposal would involve using a special levy to collect the windfall interest income on frozen Russian assets. According to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the revenue generated from these immobilized assets will be around €3 billion ($3.3 billion) a year. “I hope that we can reach an agreement soon, and change banknotes into weapons… soldiers don’t fight with banknotes,” Borrell told reporters in Brussels Wednesday. “They need physical arms, they need physical instruments in order to defend (their) people.” The EU and its allies are determined to make Russia foot part of the colossal bill for rebuilding Ukraine, which official figures published by the European Commission in February put at $486 billion over the next decade. Ukrainian authorities estimate the country will need around $15 billion this year alone to rebuild energy and transport infrastructure, as well as housing, among other priorities. Separately, the EU agreed a €5 billion ($5.5 billion) top-up of the European Peace Facility Monday, ringfenced in a dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund, which will also support the country’s military needs. James Frater and Benjamin Brown contributed reporting.",21/03/2024,"['European Union leaders are considering using about $3 billion a year in windfall profits generated by frozen Russian financial assets to help fund Ukraine’s war effort.', 'The European Commission said a proposal would be discussed at a summit of EU heads of government on Thursday.', 'Achieving the unanimity required is likely to be tricky.', 'The latest proposal goes further than a previous EU plan — crafted in late 2023 and agreed in principle last month — to use the interest payments and other profits accumulating in accounts in Brussels to help rebuild Ukraine, according to a senior EU official.', 'German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was confident fellow European leaders would agree on the new initiative.', '“First and foremost (those profits should) be used to acquire the weapons and ammunition that Ukraine needs for its defense,” he told reporters as he arrived for the talks.', 'A “growing majority” of European countries are now “pleading” for these profits to be used for the European Peace Facility, the senior EU official told reporters Tuesday.', 'The facility was launched in 2021 to finance the EU’s defense and military measures globally.', 'Unlike the general EU budget, it can be used to buy arms.', 'Pressure on EU states to do more to support Ukraine militarily has increased in recent months as the flow of aid from the United States has stalled and Russia has made advances on the battlefield.', 'The US Senate approved a supplemental bill last month that would have unlocked $60 billion of military aid for Ukraine, but House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson refused to bring it to the floor for a vote.', '“In December, it (the EU plan) was very much about reconstruction and supporting financially the government (in Kiev) to survive.', 'Now we are in an even more dire situation, so delivery of weapons is even more important,” the EU official said.', 'But the shift in focus to directly supporting Ukraine’s military rather than using the funds to help rebuild the country will be hard to swallow for neutral EU member states such as Ireland and Austria.', '“There must be a guarantee that money, for which we give our approval, is not spent on weapons and ammunition,” Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer told reporters.', 'After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Western countries froze nearly half of Moscow’s foreign reserves — some €300 billion ($327 billion).', 'Around €200 billion ($218 billion) sits in the EU — mostly at Euroclear, a financial institution that keeps assets safe for banks, exchanges and investors.', 'Euroclear is accumulating vast amounts of cash because of payments associated with frozen Russian assets.', 'These payments include, for example, interest paid on bonds, known as coupons, or the proceeds generated by securities that mature and are reinvested.', 'Last month, the group said it had earned €5.2 billion ($5.6 billion) in interest on income generated by sanctioned Russian assets since they were frozen by EU and Group of Seven countries in 2022.', 'The European Commission’s proposal would involve using a special levy to collect the windfall interest income on frozen Russian assets.', 'According to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the revenue generated from these immobilized assets will be around €3 billion ($3.3 billion) a year.', '“I hope that we can reach an agreement soon, and change banknotes into weapons… soldiers don’t fight with banknotes,” Borrell told reporters in Brussels Wednesday. “', 'They need physical arms, they need physical instruments in order to defend (their) people.”', 'The EU and its allies are determined to make Russia foot part of the colossal bill for rebuilding Ukraine, which official figures published by the European Commission in February put at $486 billion over the next decade.', 'Ukrainian authorities estimate the country will need around $15 billion this year alone to rebuild energy and transport infrastructure, as well as housing, among other priorities.', 'Separately, the EU agreed a €5 billion ($5.5 billion) top-up of the European Peace Facility Monday, ringfenced in a dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund, which will also support the country’s military needs.', 'James Frater and Benjamin Brown contributed reporting.']",0.3129447580756365,"Separately, the EU agreed a €5 billion ($5.5 billion) top-up of the European Peace Facility Monday, ringfenced in a dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund, which will also support the country’s military needs.","Now we are in an even more dire situation, so delivery of weapons is even more important,” the EU official said.",0.0,, Top soccer clubs are using an AI-powered app to scout future stars,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/01/tech/aiscout-app-soccer-scouting-spc-intl/index.html," Published 7:14 AM EST, Fri March 1, 2024 ","A London-based technology company is looking to “democratize” talent-identification and scouting in soccer using a mobile app. Free to download and available globally, the aiScout app allows aspiring soccer stars to enter virtual trials for professional clubs by uploading self-recorded footage of themselves completing a series of drills. It offers 75 exercises, designed to test a range of skills, with videos showing users how to complete them. Performances are automatically scored by artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The data can then be accessed by clubs, allowing their scouts to peruse scores for viable talent, honing their search with a variety of filters; from age and gender to position on the pitch. The app currently has two English Premier League (EPL) partners, Chelsea and Burnley, and clubs can tailor their in-app trials to meet specific needs and set their own benchmarks by having their academy players complete the same drills. “We’re putting that data up front to make better use of [the scouts’] time,” said Richard Felton-Thomas, chief operating officer of ai.io, the company behind the app. “To say [to scouts], ‘Go over to this place today because there’s three players in that game that are all actually beating your Chelsea standard’ — that’s going to be the best use of your time.’” It already appears to be working for some. Ben Greenwood had never had a trial with a professional club until he downloaded the app in 2019. After uploading footage of himself, the 17-year-old landed a trial with Chelsea, becoming the first user of the app to get a trial with a pro club. He signed a contract with EPL team Bournemouth in 2021. Having beta-tested in with players spanning 125 countries, Greenwood among them, 135 players have been trialed or signed by pro clubs or national teams through the app — which fully launched in September 2023 — according to Felton-Thomas. Just over 100,000 players make up the current database, but with over 100 clubs lined up to join Chelsea and Burnley, as well as a multi-year partnership with Major League Soccer in the US announced last May, Felton-Thomas projects user numbers to surge into the millions as the operation ramps up this year. Felton-Thomas said the “lion’s share” of its income comes from charging clubs a license fee to run the platform. Annual fees vary depending on the size of the club and the tools they require, ranging from six figures for “tier one” sides like Chelsea, to thousands of pounds for clubs lower down the footballing pyramid. The use of smart technology in sport continues to expand, including AI commentary tools and wearable tech for elite athletes. The global market for sports analytics, valued at $2.7 billion in 2023, is projected to grow 22% by the end of the decade, according to market research firm Grand View Research. Should soccer talent scouts be concerned about being edged out by the arrival of AI in their industry? For Felton-Thomas, new technologies can co-exist with traditional methods. “It’s more about evolution than revolution,” Felton-Thomas explained. “We can’t tell you when that player’s actually in that match, how does he deal with adversity? What happens when he’s 2-0 down? What happens when someone’s shouting at him? What happens when he’s just made a massive mistake?” “We’ve got the ability to just augment real people to do their jobs better and faster, which then gives an opportunity to the player through the AI, but you’re still actually just connecting them to the human on the other side, which is the club and the scout.” While football remains ai.io’s primary focus, the company is looking into opportunities in other sports to launch in the coming years. Further ahead, it may branch out beyond sports. “You think about the notion that you can be at home and analyze your movements, and how this could spin into health care, physical assessments for military disciplines and emergency services,” Felton-Thomas told CNN.",01/03/2024,"['A London-based technology company is looking to “democratize” talent-identification and scouting in soccer using a mobile app.', 'Free to download and available globally, the aiScout app allows aspiring soccer stars to enter virtual trials for professional clubs by uploading self-recorded footage of themselves completing a series of drills.', 'It offers 75 exercises, designed to test a range of skills, with videos showing users how to complete them.', 'Performances are automatically scored by artificial intelligence (AI) technology.', 'The data can then be accessed by clubs, allowing their scouts to peruse scores for viable talent, honing their search with a variety of filters; from age and gender to position on the pitch.', 'The app currently has two English Premier League (EPL) partners, Chelsea and Burnley, and clubs can tailor their in-app trials to meet specific needs and set their own benchmarks by having their academy players complete the same drills.', '“We’re putting that data up front to make better use of [the scouts’] time,” said Richard Felton-Thomas, chief operating officer of ai.io, the company behind the app.', '“To say [to scouts], ‘Go over to this place today because there’s three players in that game that are all actually beating your Chelsea standard’ — that’s going to be the best use of your time.’”', 'It already appears to be working for some.', 'Ben Greenwood had never had a trial with a professional club until he downloaded the app in 2019.', 'After uploading footage of himself, the 17-year-old landed a trial with Chelsea, becoming the first user of the app to get a trial with a pro club.', 'He signed a contractwith EPL team Bournemouthin 2021.', 'Having beta-tested in with players spanning 125 countries, Greenwood among them, 135 players have been trialed or signed by pro clubs or national teams through the app — which fully launched in September 2023 — according to Felton-Thomas.', 'Just over 100,000 players make up the current database, but with over 100 clubs lined up to join Chelsea and Burnley, as well as a multi-year partnership with Major League Soccer in the US announced last May, Felton-Thomas projects user numbers to surge into the millions as the operation ramps up this year.', 'Felton-Thomas said the “lion’s share” of its income comes from charging clubs a license fee to run the platform.', 'Annual fees vary depending on the size of the club and the tools they require, ranging from six figures for “tier one” sides like Chelsea, to thousands of pounds for clubs lower down the footballing pyramid.', 'The use of smart technology in sport continues to expand, includingAI commentary tools and wearable tech for elite athletes.', 'The global market for sports analytics, valued at$2.7 billionin 2023, is projected to grow 22% by the end of the decade, according to market research firm Grand View Research.', 'Should soccer talent scouts be concerned about being edged out by the arrival of AI in their industry?', 'For Felton-Thomas, new technologies can co-exist with traditional methods.', '“It’s more about evolution than revolution,” Felton-Thomas explained.', '“We can’t tell you when that player’s actually in that match, how does he deal with adversity?', 'What happens when he’s 2-0 down?', 'What happens when someone’s shouting at him?', 'What happens when he’s just made a massive mistake?”', '“We’ve got the ability to just augment real people to do their jobs better and faster, which then gives an opportunity to the player through the AI, but you’re still actually just connecting them to the human on the other side, which is the club and the scout.”', 'While football remains ai.io’s primary focus, the company is looking into opportunities in other sports to launch in the coming years.', 'Further ahead, it may branch out beyond sports.', '“You think about the notion that you can be at home and analyze your movements, and how this could spin into health care, physical assessments for military disciplines and emergency services,” Felton-Thomas told CNN.']",0.2022322827681825,"The global market for sports analytics, valued at$2.7 billionin 2023, is projected to grow 22% by the end of the decade, according to market research firm Grand View Research.","“We can’t tell you when that player’s actually in that match, how does he deal with adversity?",0.0,, Japan brings era of negative interest rates to an end with first hike in 17 years,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/18/business/japan-boj-negative-interest-rate-ended-intl-hnk/index.html," Updated 6:01 AM EDT, Tue March 19, 2024 ","Japan has ended its negative interest rate policy, marking a historic shift away from an aggressive monetary easing program that was implemented years ago to fight chronic deflation. As part of the decision, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years, lifting its short-term rate to “around zero to 0.1%” from minus 0.1%, according to a statement posted on its website on Tuesday. The BOJ has battled deflation and economic stagnation since the late 1990s. Over the years, it has sought to encourage prices to rise by using a combination of conventional and unconventional monetary policies, including zero or negative interest rates and large-scale asset purchases. “Japan’s economy has recovered moderately, although some weakness has been seen in part,” it said in the statement Tuesday. Recent data and anecdotal information have shown that the virtuous cycle between wages and prices has become “more solid,” it added. As inflation rose and interest rates elsewhere went up, pressure had grown on the BOJ to wind down its negative interest rate policy (NIRP). Last week, major unions and companies, including Toyota (TM), announced better-than-expected wage hikes. Central bankers had been saying they wanted to see robust growth in wages before they can start to normalize interest rates. Though small, the landmark interest rate hike was the first since 2007. Until Tuesday, the BOJ had been the last central bank in the world to employ negative interest rates. “The Bank of Japan has today ended an era of exceptional monetary policy accommodation,” Morgan Stanley analysts said Tuesday in a research note. “This can be characterized as a virtuous cycle of rising nominal GDP growth, wages, prices and corporate profits.” As part of its exit from NIRP, the BOJ also announced that it would abandon its yield curve control (YCC) policy, which was introduced in 2016 to keep the yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds around 0% to maintain accommodative financial conditions. Meanwhile, it would end purchases of exchange-traded funds and Japanese real estate investment trusts (J-REITs). Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index seesawed during the trading day. It reversed morning losses to edge higher after the news of the rate hike, and then slipped into negative territory again. It closed up 0.7%. The broader Topix index ended 1.1% higher. The Japanese economy will continue growing at a pace “above its potential growth rate,” as a virtuous cycle from income to spending gradually intensifies, the BOJ said in the statement. The inflation rate in the country is also likely to be above 2% through fiscal 2024, it said. However, it pledged to keep buying long-term government bonds at “broadly the same amount” as before, and indicated that financial conditions will remain accommodative “for the time being.” Accommodative is a term used to describe monetary policy that adjusts to adverse market conditions and usually involves keeping interest rates low to spur growth and employment. That suggests the BOJ will not embark on an aggressive tightening cycle of the sort that other major central banks, such as the United States, have engaged in in recent years to control inflation. “There are extremely high uncertainties surrounding Japan’s economic activity and prices,” the BOJ said, adding that the risks include developments in overseas economies, commodity prices and domestic firm’s wage-setting behavior. “Under these circumstances, it is necessary to pay due attention to developments in financial and foreign exchange markets and their impact on Japan’s economic activity and prices,” it added. The Japanese yen weakened after the BOJ’s move. It slid 1% to 150.69 per US dollar by Tuesday evening. Analysts said the BOJ’s move might have been priced in by equities and currency markets. “Policy normalization was expected by [our] economists and consensus,” the Morgan Stanley analysts said. In future, analysts from Capital Economics say they don’t believe the BOJ will raise its policy rate any further. “We suspect that wage growth among smaller firms won’t be quite as strong as among those firms participating in the Shunto [wage negotiations],” they said in a research report on Tuesday. “With wage growth peaking this year, we still expect inflation to fall below the BOJs target by the end of the year so the bank won’t feel the need to lift its policy rate any further.” This story has been updated with additional information.",19/03/2024,"['Japan has ended its negative interest rate policy, marking a historic shift away from an aggressive monetary easing program that was implemented years ago to fight chronic deflation.', 'As part of the decision, the Bank of Japan (BOJ) raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years, lifting its short-term rate to “around zero to 0.1%” from minus 0.1%, according to a statement posted on its website on Tuesday.', 'The BOJ has battled deflation and economic stagnation since the late 1990s.', 'Over the years, ithassought to encourage prices to rise by using a combination of conventional and unconventional monetary policies, including zero or negative interest rates and large-scale asset purchases.', '“Japan’s economy has recovered moderately, although some weakness has been seen in part,” it said in the statement Tuesday.', 'Recent data and anecdotal information have shown that the virtuous cycle between wages and prices has become “more solid,” it added.', 'As inflation rose and interest rates elsewhere went up, pressure had grown on the BOJ to wind down its negative interest rate policy (NIRP).', 'Last week, major unions and companies, including Toyota (TM), announced better-than-expected wage hikes.', 'Central bankers had been saying they wanted to see robust growth in wages before they can start to normalize interest rates.', 'Though small, the landmark interest rate hike was the first since 2007.', 'Until Tuesday, the BOJ had been the last central bank in the world to employ negative interest rates.', '“The Bank of Japan has today ended an era of exceptional monetary policy accommodation,” Morgan Stanley analysts said Tuesday in a research note. “', 'This can be characterized as a virtuous cycle of rising nominal GDP growth, wages, prices and corporate profits.”', 'As part of its exit from NIRP, the BOJ also announced that it would abandon its yield curve control (YCC) policy, which was introduced in 2016 to keep the yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds around 0% to maintain accommodative financial conditions.', 'Meanwhile, it would end purchases of exchange-traded funds and Japanese real estate investment trusts (J-REITs).', 'Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index seesawed during the trading day.', 'It reversed morning losses to edge higher after the news of the rate hike, and then slipped into negative territory again.', 'It closed up 0.7%.', 'The broader Topix index ended 1.1% higher.', 'The Japanese economy will continue growing at a pace “above its potential growth rate,” as a virtuous cycle from income to spending gradually intensifies, the BOJ said in the statement.', 'The inflation rate in the country is also likely to be above 2% through fiscal 2024, it said.', 'However, it pledged to keep buying long-term government bonds at “broadly the same amount” as before, and indicated that financial conditions will remain accommodative “for the time being.”', 'Accommodative is a term used to describe monetary policy that adjusts to adverse market conditions and usually involves keeping interest rates low to spur growth and employment.', 'That suggests the BOJ will not embark on an aggressive tightening cycle of the sort that other major central banks, such as the United States, have engaged in in recent years to control inflation.', '“There are extremely high uncertainties surrounding Japan’s economic activity and prices,” the BOJ said, adding that the risks include developments in overseas economies, commodity prices and domestic firm’s wage-setting behavior.', '“Under these circumstances, it is necessary to pay due attention to developments in financial and foreign exchange markets and their impact on Japan’s economic activity and prices,” it added.', 'The Japanese yen weakened after the BOJ’s move.', 'It slid 1% to 150.69 per US dollar by Tuesday evening.', 'Analysts said the BOJ’s move might have been priced in by equities and currency markets.', '“Policy normalization was expected by [our] economists and consensus,” the Morgan Stanley analysts said.', 'In future, analysts from Capital Economics say they don’t believe the BOJ will raise its policy rate any further.', '“We suspect that wage growth among smaller firms won’t be quite as strong as among those firms participating in the Shunto [wage negotiations],” they said in a research report on Tuesday.', '“With wage growth peaking this year, we still expect inflation to fall below theBOJs target by the end of the year so the bank won’t feel the need to lift its policy rate any further.”', 'This story has been updated with additional information.']",0.1145132683333062,"This can be characterized as a virtuous cycle of rising nominal GDP growth, wages, prices and corporate profits.”","It reversed morning losses to edge higher after the news of the rate hike, and then slipped into negative territory again.",0.0,, "Birkin bags are too hard to buy, shoppers allege in antitrust lawsuit",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/hermes-birkin-bags-antitrust/index.html," Updated 3:55 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Birkin handbags are some of the priciest, most exclusive bags in the world. Hermès produces a limited number of Birkins and they can sell for around $450,000. And just having the money often isn’t enough. A new lawsuit brought by two customers in California who were unable to buy Birkin bags alleges Hermès is a monopoly, and they say the way the company sells Birkins is a violation of antitrust law. The customers say they were told that before they would be allowed to purchase a Birkin bag, they first needed to purchase other Hermès items and accessories. They claim that Hermès has dominant power in the market for its Birkin handbags, thus making it illegal for the company to link handbag sales to customers purchasing other products like shoes, scarves or belts. “Consumers are coerced into purchasing ancillary products from [Hermès]” to buy a Birkin bag, the complaint alleges. “This is anticompetitive, tying conduct.” US law forbids monopolies from using forced buying — or “tie-in” sales — to gain sales in other markets where it is not dominant and to make it more difficult for rivals to compete. The lawsuit alleges that Hermès “tying arrangements” have allowed the company to increase the price of Birkin bags and the profits the company has made from Birkins. Hermès, which is based in Paris, did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment on the lawsuit. Its website claims that each Birkin is created, start to finish, by one craftsman. Antitrust lawyers say the lawsuit against Hermès will be difficult to prove. But even if it fails, it could be damaging to the company’s image. Birkin bags are a symbol of rarefied wealth. Getting a Birkin handbag, which can sell from $10,000 at retail to record premiums of $450,000 at auction, directly from its maker is a difficult feat — one often achieved through celebrity status or at least a spending history with Hermès. The brand produces only a limited quantity for sale each year and the bags are not sold online. “Typically, only those consumers who are deemed worthy of purchasing a Birkin handbag will be shown a Birkin handbag,” the complaint alleges. “For all practical purposes, there is no way to order a bag in the style, size, color, leather, and hardware that a consumer wants.” A 2022 report from Credit Suisse and Deloitte said that Birkin sales spiked 38% in 2020, as luxury collectibles soared in value during the Covid-19 pandemic, and resellers reported record premiums in 2021. That November, Christie’s sold a crocodile-skin version for nearly $390,000, the second-highest price ever paid for a handbag at auction at the time. Hermes, which went public in 2013, hit its all-time highest price in trading Tuesday. To win, the lawsuit will have to prove that Hermès is a monopoly and that its product tie-in strategy is illegal. Both face significant hurdles, antitrust experts say. “It’s particularly challenging because, as it stands, proving a monopoly claim is hard. Plus they have to prove a tie-in,” said Christine Bartholomew, a professor at University at Buffalo School of Law. Hermès is likely to claim that its tactics were done to preserve brand loyalty in a competitive market, and the plaintiffs will have to refute this, Bartholomew said. John Mark Newman, a University of Miami School of Law professor and former deputy director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, said that the plaintiffs face an uphill battle claiming a monopoly. Even if they lose, however, it has already shed light on an alleged practice that could be embarrassing for shoppers. “At least according to the complaint, Hermes representatives basically told these people that they aren’t good enough to buy a Birkin bag,” Newman said. “It could be these plaintiffs partly just want to tell their story to the world. If so, they’ve definitely accomplished that goal already.”",21/03/2024,"['Birkin handbags are some of the priciest, most exclusive bags in the world.', 'Hermès produces a limited number of Birkins and they can sell for around $450,000.', 'And just having the money often isn’t enough.', 'A new lawsuit brought by two customers in California who were unable to buy Birkin bags alleges Hermès is a monopoly, and they say the way the company sells Birkins is a violation of antitrust law.', 'The customers say they were told that before they would be allowed to purchase a Birkin bag, they first needed to purchase other Hermès items and accessories.', 'They claim that Hermès has dominant power in the market for its Birkin handbags, thus making it illegal for the company to link handbag sales to customers purchasing other products like shoes, scarves or belts.', '“Consumers are coerced into purchasing ancillary products from [Hermès]” to buy a Birkin bag, the complaint alleges. “', 'This is anticompetitive, tying conduct.”', 'US law forbids monopolies from using forced buying — or “tie-in” sales — to gain sales in other markets where it is not dominant and to make it more difficult for rivals to compete.', 'The lawsuit alleges that Hermès “tying arrangements” have allowed the company to increase the price of Birkin bags and the profits the company has made from Birkins.', 'Hermès, which is based in Paris, did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment on the lawsuit.', 'Its website claims that each Birkin is created, start to finish, by one craftsman.', 'Antitrust lawyers say the lawsuit against Hermès will be difficult to prove.', 'But even if it fails, it could be damaging to the company’s image.', 'Birkin bags are a symbol of rarefied wealth.', 'Getting aBirkin handbag, which can sell from $10,000 at retail to record premiums of $450,000 at auction, directly from its maker is a difficult feat — one often achieved through celebrity status or at least a spending history with Hermès.', 'The brand produces only a limited quantity for sale each year and the bags are not sold online.', '“Typically, only those consumers who are deemed worthy of purchasing a Birkin handbag will be shown a Birkin handbag,” the complaint alleges. “', 'For all practical purposes, there is no way to order a bag in the style, size, color, leather, and hardware that a consumer wants.”', 'A 2022 report from Credit Suisse and Deloitte said thatBirkin sales spiked 38% in 2020, as luxury collectibles soared in value during the Covid-19 pandemic, and resellersreportedrecord premiums in 2021.', 'That November, Christie’s sold a crocodile-skin version for nearly $390,000, the second-highest price ever paid for a handbag at auction at the time.', 'Hermes, which went public in 2013, hit its all-time highest price in trading Tuesday.', 'To win, the lawsuit will have to prove that Hermès is a monopoly and that its product tie-in strategy is illegal.', 'Both face significant hurdles, antitrust experts say.', '“It’s particularly challenging because, as it stands, proving a monopoly claim is hard.', 'Plus they have to prove a tie-in,” said Christine Bartholomew, a professor at University at BuffaloSchool of Law.', 'Hermès is likely to claim that its tactics were done to preserve brand loyalty in a competitive market, and the plaintiffs will have to refute this, Bartholomew said.', 'John Mark Newman, a University of Miami School of Law professor and former deputy director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, said that the plaintiffs face an uphill battle claiming a monopoly.', 'Even if they lose, however, it has already shed light on an alleged practice that could be embarrassing for shoppers.', '“At least according to the complaint, Hermes representatives basically told these people that they aren’t good enough to buy a Birkin bag,” Newman said.', '“It could be these plaintiffs partly just want to tell their story to the world.', 'If so, they’ve definitely accomplished that goal already.”']",-0.0565568413082789,"If so, they’ve definitely accomplished that goal already.”","But even if it fails, it could be damaging to the company’s image.",0.0,, Hertz CEO out following electric car ‘horror show’,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/18/business/hertz-ceo-departure-ev/index.html," Updated 2:48 PM EDT, Mon March 18, 2024 ","Trouble and turmoil continue at rental car company Hertz. The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years. The company announced that Stephen Scherr, who came to the company two years ago after nearly 30 years at Goldman Sachs, is stepping down at the end of this month. He’ll be replaced by Gil West, former chief operating officer of Delta Air Lines and General Motors’ Cruise unit. In the most recent quarter, Hertz took a $245 million hit to its earnings due to a drop in value of the EVs it was selling. While the number of EVs bought by American customers surged 40% last year to top 1 million for the first time, there was less demand than some of the traditional automakers had expected as they moved to offer EVs. Tesla, the leader in US EV sales, started a price war for EVs just over a year ago, driving down the value of both new and used EVs, such as those in Hertz’ fleet. And the drop in prices hit Hertz bottom line since it reduced the money it could expect to get from reselling the vehicles. But the problem for Hertz wasn’t necessarily that the cars were electric, and customers simply do not want to drive electric cars. The problem was how Hertz handled the fleet in general, according to industry analysts. “The execution and marketing of EV’s [by Hertz] was a horror show across the board,” said Daniel Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities who follows the EV market. “It’s a black eye they couldn’t recover from.” Part of the problem for Hertz was that even people who might want to buy an EV wouldn’t necessarily want to rent one while on the road, when they don’t necessarily have the ability to plug them in to charge them as they would at a private home. There might not be a charging station, or enough time, for a rental car customer to charge an EV, Ives said. By hewing to charging rules the way Hertz has enforced refueling rules, it may have dissuaded customers from wanting to rent an electric car. Without building any charging infrastructure at its rental locations, Hertz may have hurt its own business. “They don’t want to go 20 minutes out of their way at five in the morning to find a charging station,” Ives said. Hertz had announced it would buy 100,000 EVs from Tesla in October of 2021, just before it had its initial public offering following its emergence from bankruptcy. The hope was the promise of being on the cutting edge of growing demand for EVs would attract investors and lift its stock price. It subsequently announced plans to buy up to 175,000 EVs from General Motors and 65,000 EVs from Polestar, the EV company co-owned by Volvo and its Chinese parent company Geely. But Hertz’s total EV fleet only reached 60,000 before it decided to pull back. Still, that was enough to amount to 11% of its fleet. Even without the drop in value of the cars it bought, Hertz struggled with collision and damage repairs on an EV running about twice that associated with a comparable combustion engine vehicle, Scherr told investors on a 2023 call. But even without the $245 million hit to its bottom line from the problems with its EVs, Hertz would have lost money in the fourth quarter and the full year. That compares to profits at rival Avis Budget Group, which reported record revenue and the second-best adjusted operating profit in its history. And the EVs were not the only black eye for Hertz. In December 2022, the company agreed to pay $168 million to settle 364 claims related to the company falsely reporting rental cars as stolen. These cases sometimes resulted in Hertz customers being arrested and even imprisoned. While Hertz said a “meaningful portion” of that expense would be covered by insurance, it was another blow to its reputation. Scherr wasn’t the one who decided to make the big bet on EV demand by rental car customers. That was his predecessor, Mark Fields, a former CEO of Ford who was named interim CEO in October 2021, just weeks before Hertz announced plans to buy 100,000 Teslas, the largest order ever for Tesla from a single buyer. Fields’ predecessor as CEO, Paul Stone, stayed on as president and chief operating officer of Hertz, posts he held until resigning this past September. Stone had taken over just days before Hertz filed for bankruptcy in May of 2020. While the entire rental car industry was battered by the pandemic and the plunge in demand for travel and rental cars, rivals Avis Budget and privately-held Enterprise were able to ride out the storm without filing for bankruptcy. Where Hertz, which has been renting cars since the days of the Model T, was once the world’s largest rental car company, in 2023 its revenue was 22% less than its publicly held rival Avis Budget.",18/03/2024,"['Trouble and turmoil continue at rental car company Hertz.', 'The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.', 'The company announced that Stephen Scherr, who came to the company two years ago after nearly 30 years at Goldman Sachs, is stepping down at the end of this month.', 'He’ll be replaced by Gil West, former chief operating officer ofDelta Air LinesandGeneral Motors’Cruise unit.', 'In the most recent quarter, Hertz took a $245 million hit to its earnings due to a drop in value of the EVs it was selling.', 'While the number of EVs bought by American customers surged 40% last year to top 1 million for the first time, there was less demand than some of the traditional automakers had expected as they moved to offer EVs.', 'Tesla, the leader in US EV sales, started a price war for EVs just over a year ago, driving down the value of both new and used EVs, such as those in Hertz’ fleet.', 'And the drop in prices hit Hertz bottom line since it reduced the money it could expect to get from reselling the vehicles.', 'But the problem for Hertz wasn’t necessarily that the cars were electric, and customers simply do not want to drive electric cars.', 'The problem was how Hertz handled the fleet in general, according to industry analysts.', '“The execution and marketing of EV’s [by Hertz] was a horror show across the board,” said Daniel Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities who follows the EV market. “', 'It’s a black eye they couldn’t recover from.”', 'Part of the problem for Hertz was that even people who might want to buy an EV wouldn’t necessarily want to rent one while on the road, when they don’t necessarily have the ability to plug them in to charge them as they would at a private home.', 'There might not be a charging station, or enough time, for a rental car customer to charge an EV, Ives said.', 'By hewing to charging rules the way Hertz has enforced refueling rules, it may have dissuaded customers from wanting to rent an electric car.', 'Without building any charging infrastructure at its rental locations, Hertz may have hurt its own business.', '“They don’t want to go 20 minutes out of their way at five in the morning to find a charging station,” Ives said.', 'Hertz had announced it would buy 100,000 EVs from Tesla in October of 2021, just before it had its initial public offering following its emergence from bankruptcy.', 'The hope was the promise of being on the cutting edge of growing demand for EVs would attract investors and lift its stock price.', 'It subsequently announced plans to buy up to 175,000 EVs from General Motors and 65,000 EVs from Polestar, the EV company co-owned by Volvo and its Chinese parent company Geely.', 'But Hertz’s total EV fleet only reached 60,000 before it decided to pull back.', 'Still, that was enough to amount to 11% of its fleet.', 'Even without the drop in value of the cars it bought, Hertz struggled with collision and damage repairs on an EV running about twice that associated with a comparable combustion engine vehicle, Scherr told investors on a 2023 call.', 'But even without the $245 million hit to its bottom line from the problems with its EVs, Hertz would have lost money in the fourth quarter and the full year.', 'That compares to profits at rival Avis Budget Group, which reported record revenue and the second-best adjusted operating profit in its history.', 'And the EVs were not the only black eye for Hertz.', 'In December 2022, the company agreed to pay $168 million to settle 364 claims related to the companyfalsely reporting rental cars as stolen.', 'These cases sometimes resulted in Hertz customers being arrested and even imprisoned.', 'While Hertz said a “meaningful portion” of that expense would be covered by insurance, it was another blow to its reputation.', 'Scherr wasn’t the one who decided to make the big bet on EV demand by rental car customers.', 'That was his predecessor, Mark Fields, a former CEO of Ford who was named interim CEO in October 2021, just weeks before Hertz announced plans to buy 100,000 Teslas, the largest order ever for Tesla from a single buyer.', 'Fields’ predecessor as CEO, Paul Stone, stayed on as president and chief operating officer of Hertz, posts he held until resigning this past September.', 'Stone had taken over just days before Hertz filed for bankruptcy in May of 2020.', 'While the entire rental car industry was battered by the pandemic and the plunge in demand for travel and rental cars, rivals Avis Budget and privately-held Enterprise were able to ride out the storm without filing for bankruptcy.', 'Where Hertz, which has been renting cars since the days of the Model T, was once the world’s largest rental car company, in 2023 its revenue was 22% less than its publicly held rival Avis Budget.']",-0.0919041499358284,"That compares to profits at rival Avis Budget Group, which reported record revenue and the second-best adjusted operating profit in its history.","But even without the $245 million hit to its bottom line from the problems with its EVs, Hertz would have lost money in the fourth quarter and the full year.",0.0,, Apple sued in a landmark iPhone monopoly lawsuit,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/tech/apple-sued-antitrust-doj/index.html," Updated 12:12 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","The US Justice Department and more than a dozen states filed a blockbuster antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, accusing the giant company of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market. It’s the largest in a recent string of Big Tech companies to face antitrust complaints from the US government, which is cracking down on the massive industry, whose power has gone largely unchecked over the past several decades. The complaint, said Attorney General Merrick Garland at a news conference, alleges that ”Apple has maintained monopoly power in the smartphone market not simply by staying ahead of the competition on the merits but by violating federal antitrust law.” “Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies break the law,” he added. The long-anticipated lawsuit, which was filed in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, comes after years of allegations by critics that Apple has harmed competition with restrictive app store terms, high fees and its “walled-garden” approach to its hardware and software: Apple famously makes its tech easy to use, but it achieves that by tightly controlling – and in some cases, restricting – how third-party companies can interact with the tech behemoth’s products and services. In some cases, Apple may give its own products better access and features than its competitors. The company said it denied the lawsuit’s allegations and would fight them and added that the lawsuit could empower government “to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.” But Garland on Thursday said Apple’s actions have wide-ranging effects. “Monopolies like Apple’s threaten the free and fair markets upon which our economy is based. They stifle innovation. They hurt producers and workers and increase cost for consumers,” Garland said Thursday. “If left unchallenged, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly. But there’s a law for that,” he added. For example, Apple allows iPhone customers to send high-quality photos and videos seamlessly to one another, but multimedia texts to Android phones are slower and grainy. The company late last year relented and agreed to improve the quality standard it uses to interact with Android phones via text message – but it still maintains those messages in green bubbles, creating a kind of class divide, critics argue. The company also gives its own products the ability to access certain parts of its hardware that it restricts other companies from using. That unleashes an almost magical experience for how iPhones interact with AirTags, when competitors’ products are far more limited in their capabilities. “Apple creates barriers that make it extremely difficult and expensive for both users and developers to venture outside the Apple ecosystem,” Garland said on Thursday. This year, European regulations forced Apple to give other companies access to the iPhone’s tap-to-pay hardware chip, enabling the creation of competing digital wallets. But those rules are limited to the European Union. And Apple maintains a 30% commission on most sales through its app store – a frequent complaint from companies that try to sell subscriptions, saying Apple’s enormous share of the smartphone market forces them to pay what they argue is an unnecessarily high commission. “We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend against it,” Apple said in a statement. Thursday’s suit claims Apple has illegally monopolized smartphone markets by using a complex web of contractual terms that harm everything from text messaging to mobile payments. Among other things, the DOJ says, Apple has used its control over iOS, the iPhone operating system, to block innovative new apps and cloud streaming services from the public; degrade how Android messages appear on iPhones; restricted how competing smartwatches can work with iPhones; and hindered rival payment solutions. Apple, in a statement, said the lawsuit would set a “dangerous precedent” and hinder its ability to make the compelling and consumer-friendly technology that have made the company one of the most valuable in the world. “At Apple, we innovate every day to make technology people love – designing products that work seamlessly together, protect people’s privacy and security, and create a magical experience for our users,” the company said in its statement. “This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets.” Thursday’s lawsuit against Apple seeks three specific remedies that could dramatically change the company’s business model. The Justice Department wants a court order barring Apple from using its app store to block innovative new apps. It also wants the court to block Apple-imposed restrictions that prevent other messaging apps, smartwatches, digital wallets and other technologies from integrating with the iPhone. It also called for the court to prevent Apple from using its contractual terms to “obtain, maintain, extend, or entrench” the company’s alleged monopoly. The complaint, a copy of which was reviewed by CNN, does not explicitly call for a breakup of Apple. But it did not rule out the possibility, and asks for “relief as needed to cure any competitive harm.” According to the complaint, the list of participating states or districts in the suit include New Jersey, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Apple has shrugged off legal challenges and criticism for years that its practices are anticompetitive. Its sterling consumer reputation and a disciplined public relations and legal strategy mirror the precision with which Apple manufactures and oversees its products. But the Justice Department’s landmark suit challenges a broad range of Apple’s practices. The case represents the Biden administration’s latest effort to hold a Big Tech giant accountable under US antitrust law. Apple was named in a sprawling House report in 2020 finding that the iPhone maker, along with Meta, Google and Amazon, hold “monopoly power.” Until Thursday, Apple was the only one of those tech companies the federal government had not yet sued for alleged antitrust violations. The legal action could weigh on Apple’s stock price, which currently values the company at just under $3 trillion, and could force changes to policies, business strategies, products and applications by the tech giant. Even divestment of some assets is not out of the question for Apple, the tech company founded by Steve Jobs in the 1970s. Apple’s (AAPL) stock fell 3% Thursday. The lawsuit was widely anticipated. Along with a pair of ongoing antitrust cases against Google, the DOJ lawsuit against Apple is likely to become a symbol of the Biden administration’s commitment to competition and lowering prices. It will also be a test of how far courts are willing to go to apply decades-old antitrust law to the modern digital economy. The Apple case may be one of the most closely watched lawsuits brought by Jonathan Kanter, Biden’s top DOJ antitrust official. Kanter, who in private practice once represented rivals to Google including Microsoft and Yelp, is viewed as part of a fresh generation of regulators. Along with his counterpart at the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, Kanter has argued that the United States has for decades allowed a wave of corporate consolidation and anticompetitive practices that ultimately harmed the public through higher prices, fewer choices or reduced innovation. To solve Android phone customers’ “green bubble” issue, Eric Migicovsky, a tech entrepreneur, says an app he created, dubbed Beeper Mini, to help Android users message iPhone users without those limitations was quickly shut down by Apple. “It lasted for a total of three days before Apple started to take swings at us,” Migicovsky said. “Technologically, they worked very hard to take actions to penalize Beeper Mini users by knocking the connection offline or by making it progressively more unreliable.” Those kind of interactions have made Apple’s app store a focus of antitrust complaints. Beginning in 2020, Apple fought a highly public court battle against Epic Games, maker of the video game “Fortnite.” Apple isn’t an illegal monopolist in distributing iOS apps, federal courts have decided in that case, highlighting the difficulty of pinning Apple down on federal antitrust charges. Apple did, however, get penalized for violating a California competition law and altered some of its app store practices in response to a court order. Those rulings highlight the challenges ahead for the Justice Department, which will need to bring a strong legal theory about how Apple has allegedly harmed competition, legal experts say. The DOJ would also need to prove that the benefits Apple has delivered to consumers don’t outweigh its alleged antitrust violations. The US government isn’t the only one to pressure Apple to change its business practices. In March, a new European Union law took effect that forces Apple to make significant adjustments. In a seismic move to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple said for the first time it would allow users in the trading bloc to download apps from third-party app stores. But critics including Epic are already accusing Apple of violating the EU law. Just before the DMA took effect, Epic complained to competition authorities that Apple blocked it from launching its own app store on iOS. The European Commission is investigating. Since its early days, Apple has pursued a reputation as an elite, high-design brand. It’s often focused on a premium user experience and design aesthetic, setting its products apart from rivals such as Microsoft and Google. That limited approach worked for years, until a wave of complaints by app developers and consumers drew more attention to the potential downsides of Apple’s restrictiveness. In the era led by founder Steve Jobs, “Apple was a cultural phenomenon that pitted wingtips against sandals; suits against t-shirts,” said James Bailey, a professor of leadership development at the George Washington University School of Business. “Apple relentlessly innovated. They were always steps ahead of the competition.” Now, however, Apple’s advances are more “incremental” than earth-shattering, Bailey added. “[CEO Tim] Cook has been focused on financial management and expanding market share.” “Apple’s financially healthy,” Bailey said, but their reputation for innovation is “dimming.” This story has been updated with additional context and developments.",21/03/2024,"['The US Justice Department and more than a dozen states filed a blockbuster antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, accusing the giant company of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market.', 'It’s the largest in a recent string of Big Tech companies to face antitrust complaints from the US government, which is cracking down on the massive industry, whose power has gone largely unchecked over the past several decades.', 'The complaint, said Attorney General Merrick Garland at a news conference, alleges that ”Apple has maintained monopoly power in the smartphone market not simply by staying ahead of the competition on the merits but by violating federal antitrust law.”', '“Consumers should not have to pay higher prices because companies break the law,” he added.', 'The long-anticipated lawsuit, which was filed in the US District Court for the District of New Jersey, comes after years of allegations by critics that Apple has harmed competition with restrictive app store terms, high fees and its “walled-garden” approach to its hardware and software: Apple famously makes its tech easy to use, but it achieves that by tightly controlling – and in some cases, restricting – how third-party companies can interact with the tech behemoth’s products and services.', 'In some cases, Apple may give its own products better access and features than its competitors.', 'The company said it denied the lawsuit’s allegations and would fight them and added that the lawsuit could empower government “to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology.”', 'But Garland on Thursday said Apple’s actions have wide-ranging effects.', '“Monopolies like Apple’s threaten the free and fair markets upon which our economy is based.', 'They stifle innovation.', 'They hurt producers and workers and increase cost for consumers,” Garland said Thursday.', '“If left unchallenged, Apple will only continue to strengthen its smartphone monopoly.', 'But there’s a law for that,” he added.', 'For example, Apple allows iPhone customers to send high-quality photos and videos seamlessly to one another, but multimedia texts to Android phones are slower and grainy.', 'The company late last year relented and agreed to improve the quality standard it uses to interact with Android phones via text message – but it still maintains those messages in green bubbles, creating a kind of class divide, critics argue.', 'The company also gives its own products the ability to access certain parts of its hardware that it restricts other companies from using.', 'That unleashes an almost magical experience for how iPhones interact with AirTags, when competitors’ products are far more limited in their capabilities.', '“Apple creates barriers that make it extremely difficult and expensive for both users and developers to venture outside the Apple ecosystem,” Garland said on Thursday.', 'This year, European regulations forced Apple to give other companies access to the iPhone’s tap-to-pay hardware chip, enabling the creation of competing digital wallets.', 'But those rules are limited to the European Union.', 'And Apple maintains a 30% commission on most sales through its app store – a frequent complaint from companies that try to sell subscriptions, saying Apple’s enormous share of the smartphone market forces them to pay what they argue is an unnecessarily high commission.', '“We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend against it,” Apple said in a statement.', 'Thursday’s suit claims Apple has illegally monopolized smartphone markets by using a complex web of contractual terms that harm everything from text messaging to mobile payments.', 'Among other things, the DOJ says, Apple has used its control over iOS, the iPhone operating system, to block innovative new apps and cloud streaming services from the public; degrade how Android messages appear on iPhones; restricted how competing smartwatches can work with iPhones; and hindered rival payment solutions.', 'Apple, in a statement, said the lawsuit would set a “dangerousprecedent” and hinder its ability to make the compelling and consumer-friendly technology that have made the company one of the most valuable in the world.', '“At Apple, we innovate every day to make technology people love – designing products that work seamlessly together, protect people’s privacy and security, and create a magical experience for our users,” the company said in its statement. “', 'This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets.”', 'Thursday’s lawsuit against Apple seeks three specific remedies that could dramatically change the company’s business model.', 'The Justice Department wants a court order barring Apple from using its app store to block innovative new apps.', 'It also wants the court to block Apple-imposed restrictions that prevent other messaging apps, smartwatches, digital wallets and other technologies from integrating with the iPhone.', 'It also called for the court to prevent Apple from using its contractual terms to “obtain, maintain, extend, or entrench” the company’s alleged monopoly.', 'The complaint, a copy of which was reviewed by CNN, does not explicitly call for a breakup of Apple.', 'But it did not rule out the possibility, and asks for “relief as needed to cure any competitive harm.”', 'According to the complaint, the list of participating states or districts in the suit include New Jersey, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.', 'Apple has shrugged off legal challenges and criticism for years that its practices are anticompetitive.', 'Its sterling consumer reputation and a disciplined public relations and legal strategy mirror the precision with which Apple manufactures and oversees its products.', 'But the Justice Department’s landmark suit challenges a broad range of Apple’s practices.', 'The case represents the Biden administration’s latest effort to hold a Big Tech giant accountable under US antitrust law.', 'Apple was named ina sprawling House reportin 2020 finding that the iPhone maker, along with Meta, Google and Amazon, hold “monopoly power.”', 'Until Thursday, Apple was the only one of those tech companies the federal government had not yet sued for alleged antitrust violations.', 'The legal action could weigh on Apple’s stock price, which currently values the company at just under $3 trillion, and could force changes to policies, business strategies, products and applications by the tech giant.', 'Even divestment of some assets is not out of the question for Apple, the tech company founded by Steve Jobs in the 1970s.', 'Apple’s (AAPL) stock fell 3% Thursday.', 'The lawsuit was widely anticipated.', 'Along with a pair of ongoing antitrust cases against Google, the DOJ lawsuit against Apple is likely to become a symbol of the Biden administration’s commitment to competition and lowering prices.', 'It will also be a test of how far courts are willing to go to apply decades-old antitrust law to the modern digital economy.', 'The Apple case may be one of the most closely watched lawsuits brought by Jonathan Kanter, Biden’s top DOJ antitrust official.', 'Kanter, who in private practice once represented rivals to Google including Microsoft and Yelp, is viewed as part of a fresh generation of regulators.', 'Along with his counterpart at the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, Kanter has argued that the United States has for decades allowed a wave of corporate consolidation and anticompetitive practices that ultimately harmed the public through higher prices, fewer choices or reduced innovation.', 'To solve Android phone customers’ “green bubble” issue, Eric Migicovsky, a tech entrepreneur, says an app he created, dubbed Beeper Mini, to help Android users message iPhone users without those limitations was quickly shut down by Apple.', '“It lasted for a total of three days before Apple started to take swings at us,” Migicovsky said. “', 'Technologically, they worked very hard to take actions to penalize Beeper Mini users by knocking the connection offline or by making it progressively more unreliable.”', 'Those kind of interactions have made Apple’s app store a focus of antitrust complaints.', 'Beginning in 2020, Apple fought a highly public court battle against Epic Games, maker of the video game “Fortnite.”', 'Apple isn’t an illegal monopolist in distributing iOS apps, federal courts have decided in that case, highlighting the difficulty of pinning Apple down on federal antitrust charges.', 'Apple did, however, get penalized for violating a California competition law and altered some of its app store practices in response to a court order.', 'Those rulings highlight the challenges ahead for the Justice Department, which will need to bring a strong legal theory about how Apple has allegedly harmed competition, legal experts say.', 'The DOJ would also need to prove that the benefits Apple has delivered to consumers don’t outweigh its alleged antitrust violations.', 'The US government isn’t the only one to pressure Apple to change its business practices.', 'In March, a new European Union law took effect that forces Apple to make significant adjustments.', 'In a seismic move to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple said for the first time it would allow users in the trading bloc to download apps from third-party app stores.', 'But critics including Epic are already accusing Apple of violating the EU law.', 'Just before the DMA took effect, Epic complained to competition authorities that Apple blocked it from launching its own app store on iOS.', 'The European Commission is investigating.', 'Since its early days, Apple has pursued a reputation as an elite, high-design brand.', 'It’s often focused on a premium user experience and design aesthetic, setting its products apart from rivals such as Microsoft and Google.', 'That limited approach worked for years, until a wave of complaints by app developers and consumers drew more attention to the potential downsides of Apple’s restrictiveness.', 'In the era led by founder Steve Jobs, “Apple was a cultural phenomenon that pitted wingtips against sandals; suits against t-shirts,” said James Bailey, a professor of leadership development at the George Washington University School of Business. “', 'Apple relentlessly innovated.', 'They were always steps ahead of the competition.”', 'Now, however, Apple’s advances are more “incremental” than earth-shattering, Bailey added. “[', 'CEO Tim] Cook has been focused on financial management and expanding market share.”', '“Apple’s financially healthy,” Bailey said, but their reputation for innovation is “dimming.”', 'This story has been updated with additional context and developments.']",-0.0142032461928575,"“At Apple, we innovate every day to make technology people love – designing products that work seamlessly together, protect people’s privacy and security, and create a magical experience for our users,” the company said in its statement. “",But critics including Epic are already accusing Apple of violating the EU law.,0.0,, "440,500 Starbucks-branded holiday mugs recalled due to burn and cut risks",https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/starbucks-holiday-mugs-recalled-nestle/index.html," Updated 2:39 PM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","Nestlé USA is recalling more than 440,000 metallic Starbucks-branded holiday mugs because they can overheat or break when microwaved or filled with extremely hot liquid. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday there have been 12 instances of the mugs overheating or breaking, resulting in 10 injuries. Those injuries include nine severe burns and blisters on fingers or hands, and one cut on a finger. One of these injuries resulted in a need for medical attention. The holiday mug sets weren’t sold in Starbucks stores, but rather sold online and in-store at Target, Walmart and at Nexcom, the military retail outlet. The different gift sets were sold from November 2023 through January 2024 for about $10, $13 or $20. The four gift sets contained a ceramic mug covered in a metallic coating with Starbucks branding, which came in 11 oz and 16 oz sizes. The 2023 holiday gift sets were Starbucks Holiday Gift Set with 2 Mugs, Starbucks Classic Hot Cocoa and Mug, Starbucks Peppermint and Classic Hot Cocoas and Mug, and Starbucks Holiday Blend Coffee and Mug. CPSC said customers should immediately stop using the mugs. They can return them to where the mugs were purchased or contact Nestlé USA for a full refund. On the Nestlé USA contact page, customers should “scroll down to ‘Leave Us a Message’, click on ‘Complaint’, select ‘Recall’ from the drop down menu, attach a photo of the mug or the gift set identifier code, complete the form and hit send,” the CPSC said.",21/03/2024,"['Nestlé USAis recalling more than 440,000 metallic Starbucks-branded holiday mugs because they can overheat or break when microwaved or filled with extremely hot liquid.', 'The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday there have been 12 instances of the mugs overheating or breaking, resulting in 10 injuries.', 'Those injuries include nine severe burns and blisters on fingers or hands, and one cut on a finger.', 'One of these injuries resulted in a need for medical attention.', 'The holiday mug sets weren’t sold in Starbucks stores, but rather sold online and in-store at Target, Walmart and at Nexcom, the military retail outlet.', 'The different gift sets were sold from November 2023 through January 2024 for about $10, $13 or $20.', 'The four gift sets contained a ceramic mug covered in a metallic coating with Starbucks branding, which came in 11 oz and 16 oz sizes.', 'The 2023 holiday gift sets were Starbucks Holiday Gift Set with 2 Mugs, Starbucks Classic Hot Cocoa and Mug, Starbucks Peppermint and Classic Hot Cocoas and Mug, and Starbucks Holiday Blend Coffee and Mug.', 'CPSC said customers should immediately stop using the mugs.', 'They can return them to where the mugs were purchased or contact Nestlé USA for a full refund.', 'On the Nestlé USA contact page, customers should “scroll down to ‘Leave Us a Message’, click on ‘Complaint’, select ‘Recall’ from the drop down menu, attach a photo of the mug or the gift set identifier code, complete the form and hit send,” the CPSC said.']",0.1649660545632652,"The 2023 holiday gift sets were Starbucks Holiday Gift Set with 2 Mugs, Starbucks Classic Hot Cocoa and Mug, Starbucks Peppermint and Classic Hot Cocoas and Mug, and Starbucks Holiday Blend Coffee and Mug.","Those injuries include nine severe burns and blisters on fingers or hands, and one cut on a finger.",0.0,, Why marketing to ‘pure vegetarians’ landed this Indian delivery giant in a pickle,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/21/business/india-zomato-pure-vegetarian-fleet-controversy-intl-hnk/index.html," Published 4:28 AM EDT, Thu March 21, 2024 ","A popular food delivery app in India has sparked controversy, and an abrupt retreat, after launching an initiative to attract vegetarian customers. Earlier this week, Zomato announced plans to introduce a curation of restaurants that serve only “pure vegetarian food.” This list “will exclude all restaurants which serve any non-veg food item,” the company’s founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said on X on Tuesday. “Non-veg,” short for “non-vegetarian,” refers to any food that contains meat, poultry or seafood. “India has the largest percentage of vegetarians in the world,” Goyal wrote on X, adding that many of them are “very particular” about how their food is cooked and handled. In order to further cater to these strict dietary preferences, their food would be delivered by a “dedicated pure veg fleet.” These riders would wear new green uniforms, as opposed to the red ones worn by the rest of the delivery workers, the company said. “This means that a non-veg meal, or even a veg meal served by a non-veg restaurant will never go inside the green delivery box meant for our pure veg fleet,” Goyal added. Many of the most widely followed religions in the world’s most populous country require adherence to strict dietary laws. Jains and many Hindus stick to a vegetarian diet, following the principle of “ahimsa,” or non-violence and respect for all life. Almost four in 10 Indian adults say they are vegetarian, according to the Pew Research Center. Some of these dietary laws are so deeply entrenched that there have even been instances of property developers not selling apartments to meat eaters. Restrictions on cow slaughter have become politically contentious in India in recent years, as many among the country’s majority Hindu population consider the animal to be sacred. While Goyal emphasized the new plans are not meant to “alienate any religious, or political preference,” the company has received a huge backlash on social media. Some users criticized the move as “casteist,” as many Hindus from dominant castes tend to be vegetarian, while many people from marginalized castes are not. India’s caste system was officially abolished in 1950, but the 2,000-year-old social hierarchy imposed on people by birth still exists in many aspects of life. The caste system categorizes Hindus at birth, defining their place in society, what jobs they can do and who they can marry. Zomato’s move was also slammed as risky for both meat eaters and delivery staff. “Unsafe and illogical,” wrote one user on X. “This strengthens an artificial divide between veg-non-veg eaters. Enables … colonies to identify and persecute citizens on basis of food preference.” Following the outcry, Zomato has rolled back plans to dress riders delivering vegetarian food in green. “All our riders — both our regular fleet, and our fleet for vegetarians, will wear the colour red,” Goyal said on Wednesday. “This will ensure that our red uniform delivery partners are not incorrectly associated with non-veg food, and blocked by [housing] societies … our riders’ physical safety is of paramount importance to us,” he said. “We now realise that even some of our customers could get into trouble with their landlords, and that would not be a nice thing if that happened because of us,” he added.",21/03/2024,"['A popular food delivery app in India has sparked controversy, and an abrupt retreat, after launching an initiative to attract vegetarian customers.', 'Earlier this week, Zomato announced plans to introduce a curation of restaurants that serve only “pure vegetarian food.”', 'This list “will exclude all restaurants which serve any non-veg food item,” the company’s founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal said on X on Tuesday.', '“Non-veg,” short for “non-vegetarian,” refers to any food that contains meat, poultry or seafood.', '“India has the largest percentage of vegetarians in the world,” Goyal wrote on X, adding that many of them are “very particular” about how their food is cooked and handled.', 'In order to further cater to these strict dietary preferences, their food would be delivered by a “dedicated pure veg fleet.”', 'These riders would wear new green uniforms, as opposed to the red ones worn by the rest of the delivery workers, the company said.', '“This means that a non-veg meal, or even a veg meal served by a non-veg restaurant will never go inside the green delivery box meant for our pure veg fleet,” Goyal added.', 'Many of the most widely followed religions in the world’s most populous country require adherence to strict dietary laws.', 'Jains and many Hindus stick to a vegetarian diet, following the principle of “ahimsa,” or non-violence and respect for all life.', 'Almost four in 10 Indian adults say they are vegetarian, according to the Pew Research Center.', 'Some of these dietary laws are so deeply entrenched that there have even been instances of property developers not selling apartments to meat eaters.', 'Restrictions on cow slaughter have become politically contentious in India in recent years, as many among the country’s majority Hindu population consider the animal to be sacred.', 'While Goyal emphasized the new plans are not meant to “alienate any religious, or political preference,” the company has received a huge backlash on social media.', 'Some users criticized the move as “casteist,” as many Hindus from dominant castes tend to be vegetarian, while many people from marginalized castes are not.', 'India’s caste system was officially abolished in 1950, but the 2,000-year-old social hierarchy imposed on people by birth still exists in many aspects of life.', 'The caste system categorizes Hindus at birth, defining their place in society, what jobs they can do and who they can marry.', 'Zomato’s move was also slammed as risky for both meat eaters and delivery staff.', '“Unsafe and illogical,” wrote one user on X. “This strengthens an artificial divide between veg-non-veg eaters.', 'Enables … colonies to identify and persecute citizens on basis of food preference.”', 'Following the outcry, Zomato has rolled back plans to dress riders delivering vegetarian food in green. “', 'All our riders — both our regular fleet, and our fleet for vegetarians, will wear the colour red,” Goyal said on Wednesday.', '“This will ensure that our red uniform delivery partners are not incorrectly associated with non-veg food, and blocked by [housing] societies … our riders’ physical safety is of paramount importance to us,” he said.', '“We now realise that even some of our customers could get into trouble with their landlords, and that would not be a nice thing if that happened because of us,” he added.']",-0.0286520743903171,"A popular food delivery app in India has sparked controversy, and an abrupt retreat, after launching an initiative to attract vegetarian customers.","“We now realise that even some of our customers could get into trouble with their landlords, and that would not be a nice thing if that happened because of us,” he added.",0.0,, Emergency expenses will happen. Try these strategies if you don’t have the cash on hand,https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/11/success/lack-of-emergency-savings/index.html," Published 6:00 AM EDT, Mon March 11, 2024 ","Whether it’s an unexpected car repair or an emergency room visit, life happens. And it’s expensive. For those without any kind of safety net, paying for unanticipated expenses can mean borrowing money at astronomical interest rates, as well as forking over late fees if you can’t make payments on time. And while surveys indicate that there are plenty of people in just such a situation, there are some inexpensive and safe ways to access emergency funds. In a May 2023 report on the economic well-being of US households, the Federal Reserve reported that only 63% of Americans said they would pay an unexpected $400 expense with their own cash or cash equivalent (e.g. putting it on a credit card but paying that bill in full when it comes due). Of the remaining 37%, most indicated they would borrow the money (using everything from credit cards to payday loans to friends or family). Some said they would sell something to foot the bill. And 13% indicated they simply would not be able to pay it. Another survey, released by Bankrate.com in January, found that only 44% of US adults said they could pay a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings, while 35% indicated they would have to borrow the money. In that latter group, 21% said they would finance it with a credit card; 10% would borrow the money from family or friends, and 4% say they would take out a personal loan. Another 16% say they would have to reduce their spending on other things. An earlier survey by Bankrate, meanwhile, found that two-thirds of US adults worried they don’t have enough emergency savings to cover them if they lost their primary source of income. Typically, that would mean at least three months’ worth of living expenses. Credit card interest rates remain sky-high — the average at the end of February was 20.75%, according to Bankrate.com, with average penalty rates pushing 30%. So simply charging an emergency expense to a high-rate card should be your last resort. You might, however, look for a new credit card with a 0% introductory rate that will be in effect for a year or more, said Noah Damsky, founder of Marina Wealth Advisors. “This will provide you with the short-term cash you need, and provide you potentially with 18 months to pay it back, without interest.” Just be sure to pay it all back before the 0% introductory period ends, otherwise a high rate will kick in for the remaining balance. If your emergency is medical or dental in nature, ask the health provider if they offer a payment plan. “Many providers offer plans without interest, allowing you to spread the cost over several months,” said Marcel Miu, lead wealth planner at Simplify Wealth Planning. For some people, another low-cost option might be to borrow from a close relative or friend, but only if doing so would not jeopardize your relationship — which is a very personal decision. “While this option requires careful consideration and clear communication about repayment terms, it can be a way to cover expenses without the formalities and costs associated with traditional loans,” Miu said. In recent years, alternative ways to access cash have also been created outside of the traditional financial system, which has proven expensive for many families. Daisy Martini, a 29-year-old working for New York City’s Department of Education, felt she didn’t have many good options after she’d been temporarily laid off during the pandemic. Her bills were piling up and she had already accrued high credit card balances from her years in school. So to get small, short-term loans to tide her over, she turned to SoLo Funds, a community financing platform that puts borrowers in the driver seat: They decide how much they need to borrow, when they can pay it back and how much they’re willing to pay a lender as a “tip” for providing the loan. That tip can never exceed 15% of the loan. Borrowers may offer a much smaller tip, or even nothing. It’s up to lenders to decide if they will accept the borrowers’ terms. Loan amounts can’t exceed $575 and the average is $248, according to SoLo cofounder Rodney Williams. Once borrowers repay in full, they can then borrow again. Besides using SoLo for small emergency expenses, such as fixing a leak in the roof, Martini said she sometimes uses it for expenses she has a week ahead of when she knows she will be paid. She likes the platform better than the more anonymous interactions with a credit card company. Knowing who is lending to her gives her even more incentive to pay what she owes on time. “I knew if I borrowed from someone in the community who cared, I would … pay them back. You’re paying someone back who empathizes with your story,” she said. While getting a low-cost loan to tide you over in a pinch may be a relief, not having to borrow at all is optimal. To make the next emergency expense less stressful and costly, you can build emergency savings with small amounts consistently over time. Damsky recommends setting up automatic daily transfers from your checking account to a savings account. For example, he said, if you want to save roughly $150 a month, you could set up a transfer of just $5 a day or $35 a week. At the end of a year, you will have built up more than $1,800, plus whatever interest you earn on those savings. To maximize that interest, try to transfer your money into a high-yielding online savings account, which currently pay between 4% and 5%, according to Bankrate.com. The same pattern applies if your goal is to have at least three months of living expenses to protect you in case you lose your job. “Even small amounts, if consistent, can accumulate over time,” Miu said. He also recommends redirecting at least a portion of one-time annual windfalls — such as a tax refund or bonus — to a high-yield savings account. Two other proven ways to bolster emergency savings are increasing your income (e.g., taking on a side gig,) or cutting back on spending that you do not consider essential to your life, said Linda Grizely, a fee-only planner at Visions Financial Planning. But, she cautioned, ”It’s important to strike a balance and avoid excessive cuts. A plan that can be adhered to is the key to success.”",11/03/2024,"['Whether it’s an unexpected car repair or an emergency room visit, life happens.', 'And it’s expensive.', 'For those without any kind of safety net, paying for unanticipated expenses can mean borrowing money at astronomical interest rates, as well as forking over late fees if you can’t make payments on time.', 'And while surveys indicate that there are plenty of people in just such a situation, there are some inexpensive and safe ways to access emergency funds.', 'In a May 2023 report on the economic well-being of US households, the Federal Reserve reported that only 63% of Americans said they would pay an unexpected $400 expense with their own cash or cash equivalent (e.g. putting it on a credit card but paying that bill in full when it comes due).', 'Of the remaining 37%, most indicated they would borrow the money (using everything from credit cards to payday loans to friends or family).', 'Some said they would sell something to foot the bill.', 'And 13% indicated they simply would not be able to pay it.', 'Another survey, released by Bankrate.com in January, found that only 44% of US adults said they could pay a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings, while 35% indicated they would have to borrow the money.', 'In that latter group, 21% said they would finance it with a credit card; 10% would borrow the money from family or friends, and 4% say they would take out a personal loan.', 'Another 16% say they would have to reduce their spending on other things.', 'An earlier survey by Bankrate, meanwhile, found that two-thirds of US adults worried they don’t have enough emergency savings to cover them if they lost their primary source of income.', 'Typically, that would mean at least three months’ worth of living expenses.', 'Credit card interest rates remain sky-high — the average at the end of February was 20.75%, according to Bankrate.com, with average penalty rates pushing 30%.', 'So simply charging an emergency expense to a high-rate card should be your last resort.', 'You might, however, look for a new credit card with a 0% introductory rate that will be in effect for a year or more, said Noah Damsky, founder of Marina Wealth Advisors. “', 'This will provide you with the short-term cash you need, and provide you potentially with 18 months to pay it back, without interest.”', 'Just be sure to pay it all back before the 0% introductory period ends, otherwise a high rate will kick in for the remaining balance.', 'If your emergency is medical or dental in nature, ask the health provider if they offer a payment plan. “', 'Many providers offer plans without interest, allowing you to spread the cost over several months,” said Marcel Miu, lead wealth planner at Simplify Wealth Planning.', 'For some people, another low-cost option might be to borrow from a close relative or friend, but only if doing so would not jeopardize your relationship — which is a very personal decision. “', 'While this option requires careful consideration and clear communication about repayment terms, it can be a way to cover expenses without the formalities and costs associated with traditional loans,” Miu said.', 'In recent years, alternative ways to access cash have also been created outside of the traditional financial system, which has proven expensive for many families.', 'Daisy Martini, a 29-year-old working for New York City’s Department of Education, felt she didn’t have many good options after she’d been temporarily laid off during the pandemic.', 'Her bills were piling up and she had already accrued high credit card balances from her years in school.', 'So to get small, short-term loans to tide her over, she turned to SoLo Funds, a community financing platform that puts borrowers in the driver seat: They decide how much they need to borrow, when they can pay it back and how much they’re willing to pay a lender as a “tip” for providing the loan.', 'That tip can never exceed 15% of the loan.', 'Borrowers may offer a much smaller tip, or even nothing.', 'It’s up to lenders to decide if they will accept the borrowers’ terms.', 'Loan amounts can’t exceed $575 and the average is $248, according to SoLo cofounder Rodney Williams.', 'Once borrowers repay in full, they can then borrow again.', 'Besides using SoLo for small emergency expenses, such as fixing a leak in the roof, Martini said she sometimes uses it for expenses she has a week ahead of when she knows she will be paid.', 'She likes the platform better than the more anonymous interactions with a credit card company.', 'Knowing who is lending to her gives her even more incentive to pay what she owes on time.', '“I knew if I borrowed from someone in the community who cared, I would … pay them back.', 'You’re paying someone back who empathizes with your story,” she said.', 'While getting a low-cost loan to tide you over in a pinch may be a relief, not having to borrow at all is optimal.', 'To make the next emergency expense less stressful and costly, you can build emergency savings with small amounts consistently over time.', 'Damsky recommends setting up automatic daily transfers from your checking account to a savings account.', 'For example, he said, if you want to save roughly $150 a month, you could set up a transfer of just $5 a day or $35 a week.', 'At the end of a year, you will have built up more than $1,800, plus whatever interest you earn on those savings.', 'To maximize that interest, try to transfer your money into a high-yielding online savings account, which currently pay between 4% and 5%, according to Bankrate.com.', 'The same pattern applies if your goal is to have at least three months of living expenses to protect you in case you lose your job. “', 'Even small amounts, if consistent, can accumulate over time,” Miu said.', 'He also recommends redirecting at least a portion of one-time annual windfalls — such as a tax refund or bonus — to a high-yield savings account.', 'Two other proven ways to bolster emergency savings are increasing your income (e.g., taking on a side gig,) or cutting back on spending that you do not consider essential to your life, said Linda Grizely, a fee-only planner at Visions Financial Planning.', 'But, she cautioned, ”It’s important to strike a balance and avoid excessive cuts.', 'A plan that can be adhered to is the key to success.”']",0.1241565409970314,She likes the platform better than the more anonymous interactions with a credit card company.,"To make the next emergency expense less stressful and costly, you can build emergency savings with small amounts consistently over time.",0.0,,