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☆ Ecuador referendum: Early results and gang member’s arrest give President Daniel Noboa’s war on crime a boost
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Abel Alvarado | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Early results from Ecuador’s referendum suggest President Daniel Noboa has won public backing for security measures aimed at boosting his war on crime. And the good news for Noboa was compounded Monday when police announced they had arrested a notorious alleged gang leader. Both those proposals would require modifying Ecuador’s Constitution, which currently forbids the extradition of Ecuadorians under any circumstances. Gang leader arrestedIn another boost for Noboa, police said in a post on X that they had arrested notorious alleged gang leader Fabricio Colon Pico on Monday morning. Thirty-eight other inmates had escaped along with Colon Pico, of which 12 have since been recaptured, Ecuador’s penitentiary service told CNN.

Persons: Daniel Noboa, Noboa, ”, Guillermo Lasso, Fabricio Colon Pico, Colon Pico, Diana Salazar, Colon Pico’s jailbreak, – José Adolfo Macías, Choneros – Organizations: CNN, National Electoral Council, National Assembly, Noboa, Los Lobos Locations: Ecuadorians, Quito, Ecuadorian, Riobamba

☆ Latin-fusion dishes like Caribbean tacos and jerk chicken with guava barbecue sauce showcased chefs' cultural pride at an Austin food festival
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Cat Cardenas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Chadwick Burnaw, the owner of an event company, hosted the Sazón Latin Food Festival in Austin. This article is part of "Festivals of Flavor," a series celebrating Latin festival cuisines. Festivalgoers danced to music at the Sazón Latin Food Festival in March. Cat Cardenas for BIHe'd scope out San Francisco's nightlife scene, looking for clubs that would play the merengue and bachata music he was familiar with. They served Jamaican-Latin fusion dishes alongside their kids at the Sazón Latin Food Festival.

Persons: Chadwick Burnaw, —, he'd, Burnaw, Festivalgoers, Cat Cardenas, Cardenas, Chris Burrell, Yadira, we'd, Burrell, . Cat Cardenas, they've, Tatiana French, Dejean, Mix'T, they'd, pico de gallo, it's, she's, there's Organizations: Service, Washington, Food, San Francisco State University, BI, City, aguas, Honduran, sos pwa Locations: Austin, South Austin, Caribbean, DC, San Francisco, Texas, California, Bay, America, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Samba, Clarendon, Jamaica, Honduras, ., Puerto Rican, Costa Rican, Virginia, French, Haitian, East Austin

☆ I tried 5 virtual-reality workouts. The best ones transported me around the globe and got me to exercise for way longer.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Lara Walsh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

So, I tested popular apps with VR workouts like Supernatural, Litesport, Xponential+, FitXR, and Les Mills XR Bodycombat. The Supernatural VR app combined beautiful surroundings with full-body workoutsI worked out while wearing my Meta Quest 3 VR headset. The app's music library set it apart from the other VR workout apps I've tried, many of which didn't have recognizable songs. Many of the workout apps I tried tapped into my competitive drive by creating a video-game-like environment. The next time I feel unmotivated to work out, I might try a VR exercise app.

Persons: —, Lara Walsh, I've, FitXR, Les, Mills, would've, they're Organizations: Service, VR, Les, Pico Locations: Machu Picchu, China, Barre, StretchLab

☆ The beautiful African paradise islands that most tourists don’t know about
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Joe Yogerst | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —A couple of African paradise islands have been on the radar of avid world travelers for some time. Shellfish Bay on the island’s windward side shelters one of East Africa’s most spectacular beaches, a crescent of white sand framed by 100-meter dunes. Bazaruto Island Resort, the island’s top digs, can arrange scuba diving and snorkeling, sailing on traditional dhow boats, guided 4x4 wildlife safaris, sandboarding on the dunes and other outdoor activities. Lamu’s best beaches are on the island’s windward side, around a 30–40-minute walk via Shela village. — and an ancient stone nilometer for measuring the river’s water level — reflect the island’s importance during pharaonic times.

Persons: São Filipe, Denis, Ponta, Ariadne Van Zandbergen, Dar es Organizations: CNN, Ethiopian Airways, oneworld, Getty, UNESCO, Heritage, Cabo Verde Airlines, Overseas, Paris Orly, Animalia Museum, Egypt, Vogue, Reserve, Dar es Salam Locations: Mauritius, Seychelles, Canary, Africa, Madagascar, Addis Ababa, Bazaruto, Mozambique, East, sandboarding, Johannesburg, Vilanculos, Lamu, Kenya, Manda, Malindi, Nairobi, JamboJet, Fogo, Cape Verde, Cabo Verde, West Africa, Pico, Verde’s, Praia, Overseas Territory, Réunion, French Caribbean, L’Hermitage, Saint, Paris, Antananarivo, Elephantine, Egypt, Aswan, Bissagos, Guinea, Bissau, Bubaque, Pemba, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Tanga, Dar, FlightLink

☆ I tried 30 of Trader Joe's seasonal spring products, and there are only a few I wouldn't buy again
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Savanna Swain-Wilson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +44 min

AdvertisementOther candy makers should take notes because Trader Joe's clearly knows what it's doing when it comes to chocolate. I fell in love with the lemon-and-ricotta ravioli's tasty fillingThis lemon-and-ricotta option is my new favorite Trader Joe's ravioli. These blueberry-and-lemon hand pies are the perfect pastry for the spring seasonThe blueberry-and-lemon hand pies from Trader Joe's look homemade. Trader Joe's Portuguese custard tarts totally lived up to the hypeTrader Joe's Portuguese custard tarts blew me away. If someone told me Trader Joe's lemon sheet cake came from a fancy bakery, I wouldn't question it for a second.

Persons: —, I've, Wilson, Joe's, they're, Savanna, I'm, seitan, pico, gallo, there's, Joe's didn't, Parmesan, Almond, Wilson I'm, graham, They'd, Meyer, munch, Wilson I've, Ina Garten, They're, madeleines, Florentine, Joe, Wilson It's, frosting, pasteis, nata, I'd, pretzels, Joe's dulce, dulce de Organizations: Service, Business, Wilson Locations: Savanna, Eastern Europe, Parmesan, Portugal

☆ Apple to launch Vision Pro in China this year, Tim Cook says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In a video posted on one of CCTV's accounts on Chinese social media site Weibo, Cook was heard responding "yes," when asked if the Vision Pro would launch in China this year. In China, Apple will compete against local headset players such as Pico, which is owned by TikTok's parent company ByteDance. Cook has been in China for the past few days, touring a new Apple store in Shanghai and attending the China Development Forum in Beijing. "I am very confident in it (China)," Cook said, according to news package posted on one of CCTV's Weibo accounts. "I love China, I love being here, I love the people and the culture.

Persons: Cook, China Organizations: Apple, China Development Forum, Huawei Locations: U.S, Weibo, China, Pico, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Ecuador’s drug kingpin José Adolfo ‘Fito’ Macías lived ‘like a king’ while locked up. His jailbreak shines a light on the country’s lawless prisons
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Tara John | David Culver | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Macías’ prison cell is seen in these videos filmed by members of the military last year. Los Choneros and their main rival, Los Lobos, are believed to be allied with Mexican drug cartels in a war for dominance over Ecuador’s drug trade. Los Lobos saw an opening amid a violent power struggle in Los Choneros when Macías became its leader in 2020, say experts. In a music video shared online last year, the Los Choneros leader can be seen petting a rooster, apparently inside Guayaquil prison complex. But the press secretary of Ecuador’s president reckons the Los Choneros leader was told about an impending prison transfer.

Persons: José Adolfo Macías, Adolfo Macias, Fito, ”, Pablo Escobar, Macías, ” Jean Paul Pinto, Glaeldys, Julio Cesar Ballesteros, SNAI, Lenín Moreno, Ballesteros, Diana Salazar, “, ” Jeremy McDermott, it’s, Choneros, González, Mariachi Bravo, Macías ’, Michelle, Bravo, Fito ’, Daniel Noboa, Noboa, Patricia Bullrich, reckons, ” Roberto Izurieta, jailbreak, Fabricio Colón Pico, Ecuador’s Organizations: CNN, Ecuadorean, Forces, Ecuadorean Armed Forces, AFP, roosters, Prisons, Crisis, Los, Los Lobos, US Treasury Department, Ecuavisa, Marriott, Argentina’s, Argentine, Teleamazonas, Police Locations: La Regional, Colombian, Latin America, Ecuadorian, Ecuador, Colombia, SNAI, America, Americas, Los Lobos, Mexican, Choneros, Guayaquil, Guayaquil –, Argentine, Córdoba, Argentina, CNN Ecuador

☆ Mortgage rates surge higher again, causing homebuyers to pull back
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

After a brief reprieve in December and January, mortgage rates are moving higher again, and that is taking its toll on mortgage demand. Total mortgage application volume fell 2.3% last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. "That's because mortgage rates are climbing again and winter weather has been harsher than usual in much of the country, keeping some house hunters at home." Mortgage rates surged even higher Tuesday after a government report on inflation showed it was still stubbornly higher than expected. "The bond market (which underlies mortgage rates) reacted immediately and forcefully when the numbers came out.

Persons: Joel Kan, Chen Zhao, Bonds, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, Mortgage News Locations: Pico Rivera , California, Redfin

☆ I made Guy Fieri's legendary Trash Can Nachos, and they're the perfect Super Bowl snack
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Chelsea Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Chelsea Davis for InsiderI started by making the marinade for my carne asada, which is typically made with grilled and sliced beef. Chelsea Davis for InsiderThis simmering process took about an hour and a half, which gave me time to do everything else. Chelsea Davis for InsiderOn the side, I had sliced avocado and radish slices for garnish and serving with the nachos. Chelsea Davis for InsiderI was worried the tower would just collapse, but it actually held together quite well. Chelsea Davis for InsiderIt didn't look like the prettiest dish in the world, but the toppings seemed evenly distributed throughout the chips.

Persons: —, Guy Fieri, Read, Chelsea Davis, carne, queso blanco, pico de gallo, carne asada, oregano Organizations: Service, Business, SMC Locations: Mexican, oregano, Oaxaca, Asadero, Monterey Jack

☆ I tried 28 of Trader Joe's popular dips, and I'd buy at least half of them again
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Savanna Swain-Wilson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

I tried 28 dips and spreads from Trader Joe's to see which would be the best for a Super Bowl party. As a regular connoisseur of Trader Joe's salsas and spreads, I decided to try some of the chain's most popular dips. AdvertisementThe pimento cheese dip basically was comfort food in a containerTrader Joe's pimento cheese dip was soft and flavorful. VERDICT: I may not be an expert on Southern dips, but Trader Joe's pimento cheese option tasted like a winner. So it was unsurprising that Trader Joe's upgraded version of this familiar favorite turned out to be one of the standout dips I tried.

Persons: Joe's, —, Wilson, I'm, I'd, could've, Savanna, pico de gallo, Wilson I'm, jalapeño hummus, hummus, it's, Wilson It's, tzatziki, Wilson I've, Joe's tzatziki, Margherita, I've, pico, gallo, It's, Wilson Chunky, you've Organizations: Super Bowl, Service, Wilson, Joe's Locations: Buffalo, Savanna, Southern, dill, Joe's Buffalo, Monterey Jack, cayenne

☆ We've made 165 recipes from celebrity chefs to find the best ones. Here are the winners in each category.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +39 min

Read previewBusiness Insider put the best recipes from celebrity chefs head-to-head to find the most delicious salads, desserts, bread, beverages, and more. AdvertisementRead more about the winning recipe and full battle here: I tried 3 celebrity chefs' recipes for blueberry pancakes, and the best used whipped egg whites. Read more about the winning recipe and full battle here: I made 4 celebrity chefs' recipes for overnight oats, and the best was served in a cantaloupe. This celebrity chef's garlic bread was buttery, spicy, and not at all soggyThe texture of Guy Fieri's garlic bread was spot-on. AdvertisementRead more about the winning recipe and full battle here: I tried 3 celebrity chefs' recipes for white sangria, and the best was also the prettiest.

Persons: —, Paige Bennett, Tiffany Leigh, Bennett's, Bennett, Carla Hall's microwaved, Bobby Deen's, Nancy, Nancy Fuller, Ina Garten's, Read, Ree Drummond, Alton Brown, Curtis Stone, Flay's, Paige Bennett Bobby Flay's, Guy, Guy Fieri's, Tiffany Leigh Fieri's, pico de gallo, Leigh, roja, Gordon Ramsay's, Paige Bennett Bennett, Giada De Laurentiis, Trisha Yearwood, Aarón Sánchez, Fieri's, Alex Guarnaschelli's, Alex Guarnaschelli, Rachel Ray, Paula Deen, Carla Hall's cornbread, Alton Brown's, dill, Sunny, Paige Bennett Garten, Anderson's coleslaw, Guy Fieri, Ina Garten, Sunny Anderson, Lucien Formichella, Brown, Bobby Flay, Keller's, Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, skillet, Rachael Ray's, Alfredo, Katie Lee Biegel's fettuccine, Chelsea Davis, Ree Drummond's, Giada de, Chelsea Davis Davis, Drummond, De Laurentiis, Laurentiis, Davis, Duff, Bobby Flay's, Gordon, Bobby, Flay, papayas, pecans, caramelized pecans, we've, Sandra, Sandra Lee's boozy, milkshake, minty, Geoffrey Zakarian's margarita, Geoffrey, Rachael Ray's negroni, Ina Garten's mulled, Bobby Flay's Bloody Mary, Geoffrey Zakarian's, Ina, Gina Neely, Rachael Ray, Guarnaschelli, Ray Organizations: Service, Business, Insider Hall, Garten, kiwis, Alton, cranberries Locations: scone, Worcestershire, Garten, mayo, cayenne, Buffalo, Swiss chard, Ree, Moscow

☆ How much TikTok pays employees in the US, from data scientists to software engineers, according to salary data
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +109 min

Some examples of salary offers for corporate functions include:AdvertisementAccountant, Expense Management : $73,000: $73,000 HR Business Partner : $127,680 median; ranging from $90,000 to $182,880: $127,680 median; ranging from $90,000 to $182,880 HR Specialist: $114,000 median; ranging from $85,000 to $170,000DesignEmployees on the design team "shape the visual representation" of TikTok's products and business, creating "unique designs that are not just visually appealing, but also express the aesthetic of our brand," the company wrote. : $320,000: $320,000 Android Software Engineer, TikTok Monetization : $210,000: $210,000 Android Software Engineer, TikTok Privacy : $190,000: $190,000 Android Software Engineer, TikTok Social : $126,640 median; ranging from $65,000 to $288,000: $126,640 median; ranging from $65,000 to $288,000 Android Software Engineer, TikTok User Growth : $227,000 median; ranging from $221,000 to $233,000: $227,000 median; ranging from $221,000 to $233,000 Applied Machine Learning Engineer : $273,340 median; ranging from $180,000 to $306,000: $273,340 median; ranging from $180,000 to $306,000 Applied Machine Learning Engineer, Recommendation : $190,000: $190,000 AR Effects Interactive Engineer : $125,000: $125,000 AR Software Engineer : $125,000: $125,000 Audio Engineer : $75,000: $75,000 Backend Engineer : $128,000: $128,000 Backend Engineer, Ads Platform : $172,000 median; ranging from $125,000 to $240,000: $172,000 median; ranging from $125,000 to $240,000 Backend Engineer, Content Ecosystem : $222,360: $222,360 Backend Engineer, Lark Innovation : $160,000: $160,000 Backend Engineer, Machine Learning : $157,680 median; ranging from $157,680 to $175,000: $157,680 median; ranging from $157,680 to $175,000 Backend Engineer, Risk Systems : $295,000 median; ranging from $150,000 to $320,000: $295,000 median; ranging from $150,000 to $320,000 Backend Engineer, TikTok Ads Creative and Ecosystem : $250,000: $250,000 Backend Engineer, TikTok Ads Creativity and Ecosystem : $207,500 median; ranging from $175,000 to $240,000: $207,500 median; ranging from $175,000 to $240,000 Backend Engineer, TikTok Eng. : $220,000 median; ranging from $160,000 to $285,000 0 #NUM! Software Engineer, Computer Vision : $165,000 median; ranging from $165,000 to $200,000: $165,000 median; ranging from $165,000 to $200,000 Software Engineer, Computer Vision, Intelligent Creation : $200,000 median; ranging from $200,000 to $265,000: $200,000 median; ranging from $200,000 to $265,000 Software Engineer, Core Services : $204,000 median; ranging from $125,000 to $244,680: $204,000 median; ranging from $125,000 to $244,680 Software Engineer, Core Service, Application Security : $129,680: $129,680 Software Engineer, CRM : $175,000 median; ranging from $125,000 to $300,555: $175,000 median; ranging from $125,000 to $300,555 Software Engineer, Data Access Team : $230,000: $230,000 Software Engineer, Data Mining : $169,680: $169,680 Software Engineer, Data Mining USDS : $182,400: $182,400 Software Engineer, Data Platform : $186,000 median; ranging from $170,000 to $216,880: $186,000 median; ranging from $170,000 to $216,880 Software Engineer, Data Security and Compliance : $180,000: $180,000 Software Engineer, Database Kernel Development : $130,000 median; ranging from $128,000 to $220,000: $130,000 median; ranging from $128,000 to $220,000 Software Engineer, Distributed Storage System : $285,000 median; ranging from $180,000 to $285,000: $285,000 median; ranging from $180,000 to $285,000 Software Engineer, Engineering Productivity : $195,000: $195,000 Software Engineer, Front-End : $147,000: $147,000 Software Engineer, Front-End, Ads Technology : $125,000: $125,000 Software Engineer, Full Stack : $180,000: $180,000 Software Engineer, Full Stack, Ads Technology : $147,500 median; ranging from $125,000 to $170,000: $147,500 median; ranging from $125,000 to $170,000 Software Engineer, Full Stack, E-Commerce Engineering and Architecture : $205,000: $205,000 Software Engineer, Full Stack, Vertical Solutions : $220,000: $220,000 Software Engineer, Global E-Commerce Customer Business : $195,000 median; ranging from $133,240 to $225,000: $195,000 median; ranging from $133,240 to $225,000 Software Engineer, Global Payment : $161,000 median; ranging from $155,000 to $215,000: $161,000 median; ranging from $155,000 to $215,000 Software Engineer, Gov. and Experience, TikTok E-Commerce : $241,540 median; ranging from $219,680 to $263,400: $241,540 median; ranging from $219,680 to $263,400 Software Engineer, GPU Management : $128,000 $128,000 $128,000 0 #NUM!

Persons: —, It's, TikTok, it's, ByteDance, TikTok Eng, Tiktok Organizations: Service, Business, US, of Foreign Labor, Live, US Data Security, Security, US Department of Labor, Corporate, Employees, TikTok, Tech, Commerce, Marketing, Staff, Trust, Safety, Brand, Android Software, Computer, Global Agency Relations, Global Security Technology, Infrastructure Engineering, Android, Machine, Interactive, Systems, Data Systems, Engineer, Commerce Data Intelligence, Commerce Logistics, Chain, Logistics, Media, US Tech Services, Big, Business Intelligence, Protection, Network Security, Business Systems, Cash, Cloud, Networking Software, Public, Tech Service, Technology, Technology Systems, Infrastructure, Network Business, NA, Defense, US Tech Service, Analytics, Research, Mining, Solutions, Tech Services, Pico, Forensics, Development, Control, Financial, CRM, Global, Learning, Traffic, TCMS, Communications, Graphics, Monetization Technology, Management, Products, Resources, IDC Logistics, DevOps, IOS, GNE Global, Software, Procurement, Commerce Global, Strategic, Global Business, Merchant, Mobile Security, Mobile Software, Multimedia Research, Regional, Sound Engineering, Professional Services, Community, Relations, Real, Commerce Trading, Creative, Enterprise, Virtual Network, Storage, Data Security, Smart, Finance, ML Systems, Cloud Infrastructure, TikTok US Tech Services, Monetization Tech, Learning Systems, Core Services, Core Service, Data Mining, Engineering, Commerce Engineering, Mobile, Revenue Management Locations: ByteDance, TikTok, TikTok Commerce, America, Mexico, Americas, Commerce

☆ Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes: He ignored a Linkedin message once, but not the second time. When he responded his life changed forever
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Alasdair Howorth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

I just thought it was a welcome message … so I ignored it.”Fortunately for Lopes, Cape Verde head coach time Rui Águas messaged the Shamrock Rovers defender again nine months later – this time in English – asking if he had considered his offer. Roberto Lopes, who plays for Cape Verde, was born and raised in Dublin. French forward Just Fontaine (L) scores in France's World Cup 5-2 semifinal defeat to Brazil in 1958. France’s captain at the first ever World Cup in 1930 was Algerian-born Alexandre Villaplane. But having recently reversed that policy, the Taifa Stars will have a number of players born outside the continent in its squad for the 2024 tournament.

Persons: CNN —, Roberto “ Pico ” Lopes, Lopes, “, ” Lopes, Rui Águas, Roberto Lopes, Ulrik Pedersen, Mohamed Salah, Lopes won’t, Alexandre Villaplane, Fontaine, Eusébio, Samuel Eto’o, Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, ” Wissa, Darren Lewis, Benoît Assou, Ekotto, Ryan Byrne, ”, ‘, ’, Abdoulaye Doucouré, Wilfred Zaha, Les, Patrice Beaumelle, I’ve, I’m, ” Carlos ‘ Caluccha ’ Lopes, Roberto’s, Roberto, “ It’s, he’s, hasn’t Organizations: CNN, Shamrock Rovers, Cape, CNN Sport, Africa, of Nations, LinkedIn, AP, Google, Blue Sharks, Rovers, Professional, Association of Ireland’s, body’s, AFP, Getty, France, UEFA, Benfica, English Premier League, Cameroon soccer, Brentford, Ireland, Democratic, Former Cameroon, Tottenham Hotspur, Lions, League of Ireland Premier Division, Everton, Mali, Ivorian national team, Galatasaray, Cape Verde Locations: Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Cape Verde, Lopes , Cape Verde, Ireland, Egypt, Cape Verde’s, Ghana, Mozambique, Brazil, Africa, Algerian, French, Marrakech, Morocco, Mozambican, Angolan, Portuguese, Portugal, Algeria, Tanzania, Cameroon, Europe, Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, France, Poland, you’re, Ivory Coast, Cape Verdean, Verdean

☆ Parents who raised highly successful children say you need to do these 3 things
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Kristina Puga | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

They also advised modeling hard work and integrity. Three parents whose kids grew up to be impressive adults say parents should do three things to raise successful children. 1 goal was to teach them to believe in themselves, and I started that when they were born," Wojcicki told Business Insider. Martinez said she had her sons work as early as 7 years old, even if just for a few hours. She said they worked the coat check at her restaurant because she wanted them to learn the value of hard work and independence.

Persons: who've, —, Esther Wojcicki, Susan, Anne, Janet, Wojcicki, Mister Rogers, Zarela Martinez, Aarón Sánchez, Martinez, Ana, who'd, Pico Rivera, Cristian, Alex, César Jr, Roldán, childhoods Organizations: Service, Palo Alto High School Media Arts, YouTube, Business, Los Angeles ., Major League Soccer, Seattle Sounders, LA Galaxy Locations: New York, Guatemala, El Salvador, Pico, Los Angeles

☆ TikTok owner ByteDance is laying off hundreds of workers in a retreat from gaming
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant behind TikTok, is pulling back from video gaming in a shift that will result in hundreds of job cuts. “Mobile gaming revenue is in decline while user acquisition costs are rising,” he told CNN. She suggested ByteDance was simply looking to cut its losses, particularly since gaming still made up just a tiny sliver of its business. “[Even] if ByteDance exits game development and publishing, it will not dramatically impact their own business,” she added. China is the world’s biggest mobile and PC gaming market, according to Niko Partners.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — ByteDance, Nuverse, ”, ByteDance, Niko, we’ve, ” “, “, Lisa Hanson, Niko Partners, Neil Barbour, Tencent, ” Hanson, Hanson Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, Niko Partners, Big Tech, P Global Market Intelligence, “ Mobile Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Pico, China

☆ ByteDance to wind down Nuverse in full retreat from gaming -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The ByteDance logo is seen at the company's office building in Shanghai, China, July 4, 2023. The Chinese technology firm has no plan to return to the $185 billion global video games market, said the people, who declined to be identified as the information is not public. Casual gaming brand Ohayoo, whose games feature on Douyin - TikTok's sister app in China - will not be affected, neither will casual games that run on TikTok, one of the people said. ByteDance's 2019 creation of Nuverse was widely seen as a major push into global gaming and a strategic element of its competition with domestic rival Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), the world's biggest gaming company. Nuverse came into focus again in 2021 when ByteDance formalised its status as one of its six business units under a broader structural overhaul.

Persons: Aly, Will, ByteDance, Pico, Nuverse, Josh Ye, Brenda Goh, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Moonton Technology, Tencent Holdings, HK, C4games, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG

☆ Exclusive: China's Bytedance is talking to likely buyers about gaming unit Moonton's sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shanghai-based Moonton, which has developed the popular mobile game “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang”, was acquired by ByteDance in 2021. At the time, it was seen as ByteDance’s biggest commitment to become a major player in the $187 billion global video games market. ByteDance's foray into video games has proven to be rocky so far. Founded in 2014, Moonton found success with multiplayer online battle arena game "Mobile Legends". Last year, ByteDance disbanded its Shanghai-based game development unit 101 Studio.

Persons: Aly, ByteDance, Moonton, Pico, Josh Ye, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, ByteDance, Companies, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, Saudi, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong

☆ Meta strikes deal with Tencent to sell VR headset in China - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The preliminary deal will make Tencent the exclusive seller of the headset in China and the videogame maker will start its sale in late 2024, the Journal said, citing soucres. It also gives Meta a chance to return to China after 14 years and compete with TikTok-owner Bytedance, which makes the VR headset Pico. Meta sells Quest 2 headset in the United States at a starting price of $300 and Quest Pro headsets at $1,000. For China, Meta is planning to use lenses in the headset that are cheaper than those in the Quest 3, according to Journal report. The headset is priced more than three times Meta's most expensive Quest headset and is aimed at enthusiasts.

Persons: Yves Herman, Bytedance, Tencent, Biden, Shubham Kalia, Yuvraj Malik, Sonia Cheema, Arun Koyyur Organizations: REUTERS, Tencent Holdings, HK, Facebook, Wall Street, TikTok, Pico, Meta, Quest, Twitter, IDC, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, China, United States, Beijing, Xinjiang, Bengaluru

☆ China's ByteDance to overhaul VR arm Pico as global demand declines -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The ByteDance logo is seen at the company's office in Shanghai, China July 4, 2023. The meeting did not specify how many jobs would be cut as a result, but the three people said "hundreds" of Pico staff were expected to be affected globally. In China, it has become the leading VR producer by total shipments and globally it trails only Meta. But two of the people said ByteDance had pared back efforts to develop Pico as a brand in recent months as the outlook dimmed. ByteDance said last month it remained committed to the VR industry in the long term following media reports that it planned to gradually wind down Pico.

Persons: Aly, Pico, ByteDance, Josh Ye, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Pico, Reuters, VR, Meta, IDC, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Pico, HONG KONG

☆ Opinion | The Laws of Campus Culture War
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( David French | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

They represent the moral and philosophical foundations for the concrete constitutional rules of culture war that directly apply on campus. One of the most powerful and compelling arguments for free speech in American history was born out of mob suppression. In 1860, Frederick Douglass wrote his “Plea for Free Speech in Boston” after a violent mob shut down an antislavery event. Every college and university — public or private — that receives federal funds has an affirmative duty to protect students’ civil rights. In the recent past, schools have sometimes been too enthusiastic about stopping harassment, defining the term so broadly that university anti-harassment policies actually violate students’ free speech rights.

Persons: George Washington, ”, “, Abraham, ” Washington, Johnson, Watts, they’re, Deactivating, Frederick Douglass, ” Douglass, Biden, Davis, VI, Scott Alexander’s, it’s, — Organizations: State University System of, Justice, Cooper Union, Cornell University, Trees School, . Ohio, Klan, Hamas, Civil, of Education, Cornell, Democratic Locations: State University System of Florida, Palestine, New York City, Ithaca, N.Y, ”, United States, America, Newport, R.I, Texas, Terminiello, Chicago, Brandenburg, ., Ohio, “, Gaza, Florida, Boston, Monroe County

☆ ByteDance says committed to VR business Pico after report of it shutting brand
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The statement came after Chinese research firm EqualOcean published a report saying that ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming told Pico's management team ByteDance would gradually give up on the Pico business. Pico is under normal operation and the company will continue to invest in the extended reality (XR) business over the long term," ByteDance said in a statement shared with Reuters. The Pico headsets are often seen as ByteDance's answer to the popular Quest headsets developed by Meta Platforms Inc (META.O). Pico has the biggest market share for VR headsets in China, accounting for over 58% of the market, as Meta's Quest devices have yet to enter the country officially. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this year that Pico has increased its headset shipments last year while Meta's headset shipments declined.

Persons: Aly, ByteDance, EqualOcean, Zhang Yiming, Pico's, Pico, Bytedance, Josh Ye, Deborah Kyvrikosaios Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, XR, Meta Platforms Inc, Street Journal, IDC, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, Pico

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The death toll for the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century has increased by one, to 99, after Maui County police found additional remains. The remains were recovered on Oct. 12 in Lahaina, police spokesperson Alana Pico said in an email Friday. So far police have identified the remains of 97 people from the Aug. 8 fire that wiped out much of Lahaina, a historic town on Maui's west coast. Powerful winds related to a hurricane passing to Hawaii's south carried embers from house to house and hampered firefighting efforts. More than 2,000 buildings were destroyed, and some 8,000 people were forced to move to hotels and other temporary shelter.

Persons: Alana Pico Organizations: Associated Press Locations: LAHAINA, Hawaii, Maui County, Lahaina, Maui's, Lahaina's, Hawaii's

Hawaiian Electric, the state’s primary electric utility company, has acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire on Maui that morning. One caller said cars were being routed into a gated parking lot and were forced to turn around. A third caller told dispatchers they needed to open a road on the south side of town, warning that the blocked exit would result in people dying. One dispatcher told a caller stuck in traffic that emergency workers were busy “because Lahaina has a couple of house fires going on right now.”“If you’re safe, you need to stay there,” she said. Associated Press writers Lisa Baumann in Seattle; Chris Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Claire Rush in Portland, Oregon, contributed.

Persons: ”, “, “ It’s, Alana Pico, Hale, cinders, we’ve, ‘, We’re, Mahina Martin, ” Martin, ” ____ Lauer, Johnson, Lisa Baumann, Chris Keller, Claire Rush Organizations: Associated Press, Electric, Hawaiian Electric, Flames, Maui Police Department, AP, Lahaina Civic Locations: LAHAINA, Hawaii, Maui, Lahaina, Philadelphia, Seattle, Boone, Boise , Idaho, Albuquerque , New Mexico, Portland , Oregon

☆ How the Azores islands went from whale hunting to whale watching
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Anne Pinto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Soon, factories processing whale oil, meat and bones sprung up on the islands. After crude oil was discovered in 1859, the demand for whale oil decreased dramatically in the following decades. In 1990, French national Serge Viallele set up the first whale watching company in the archipelago, on Pico island. The number of whale watching boats is strictly limited by a license system, which issues a maximum number per island – or per zone for the smaller islands. For now, whale watching remains a major draw for visitors to the islands.

Persons: ”, Rui de Souza Martins, Azorean, they’d, De Agostini, –, – didn’t, José Carlos Garcia, São Miguel, Pedro Madruga, wasn’t, Francois Gohier, Serge Viallele, “ Viallele, Miguel Cravinho, Francisco Garcia, ” de Souza Martins, you’ll, Martin Zwick, Jean, Michel Cousteau, Luís Silva, Garcia, “ Organizations: CNN, University of, Whaling, Whalers, Netflix, International Whaling Commission, IWC, Azul, World Cetacean Alliance, Centre for Research Locations: Azores, Lisbon, Azoreans, Portugal, United States, Nantucket and New Bedford , Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Pico, Francois, Terra Azul, Miguel, Europe

☆ Unity discovers how real the revenue struggle is
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Edgar Su Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Unity Software (U.N) is finding out just how hard the revenue game will be. The $14 billion company’s new plan to climb out of an unprofitable hole makes sense, but also faces considerable pushback. The strategy seeks to impose fees on video-game developers after certain revenue and install thresholds are met, eliciting a harsh response on social media on Tuesday. Unity may retain its customers, as switching suppliers can be a pain, but deeper-pocketed rivals such as Epic Games may see an opportunity to pounce. Silicon Valley’s revenue struggle is real.

Persons: Edgar Su, Robert Cyran, BoE, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam, Aditya Sriwatsav Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Unity Software, Apple, Unity, X, Treasury, UBS, Thomson Locations: Pico, Singapore, Asia

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