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☆ Corn hits 3-month high; soy, wheat climb on global crop weather woes
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Wheat futures hit a one-week high on renewed concerns over dry weather in Russia, the world's biggest wheat supplier. In Argentina, corn stunt disease spread by leaf-cutter insects and adverse weather prompted the Buenos Aires grains exchange to slash its estimate for Argentina's 2023/24 corn harvest by 3 millions metric tons to 46.5 tons. In wheat, Russia's IKAR agricultural consultancy cut its forecast for the country's crop to 91 million metric tons from 93 million tons and its wheat exports to 50.5 million metric tons from 52 million tons. Wheat futures jumped as weather forecasts showed the region getting virtually no rain in the coming two weeks. Managed money funds held a net short position in CBOT wheat futures at the beginning of 2024 because of a strong dollar and slow U.S. demand, Zuzolo said.

Persons: Jim Niewold, Susan Stroud, Mike Zuzolo, Nature, Zuzolo Organizations: Chicago Board of Trade, Global, Analytics Locations: Loda , Illinois, Brazil, Russia, Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul, Argentina, Buenos Aires, South America

☆ Live updates: Pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, UCLA campuses amid Israel's war in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Elizabeth Wolfe | Dalia Faheid | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

More than 2,000 people have been arrested at colleges and universities since April 18 as a growing wave of pro-Palestinian campus protests ripples across the US. During the weeks of demonstrations, protesters have mainly called for schools to divest from companies that support Israel and the war in Gaza. He drew a line between what he called peaceful and violent protests, repeated his support for Israel, and dismissed calls for the National Guard to intervene. Portland police officers standby on the campus of Portland State University in Portland on Thursday. University of California, Los Angeles: More than 200 people were arrested Thursday on suspicion of resisting orders to disperse from the now-dismantled encampment on the campus.

Persons: Joe Biden, John Rudoff Organizations: CNN, Israel, National Guard, Portland State University, Getty, University of Pennsylvania, Ivy League, Philadelphia Mayor’s, . Columbia University, New York Police Department, Emory University, The, Islamic Relations, University of California Locations: Israel, Gaza, Portland, AFP, Hamilton, Manhattan, Atlanta, Palestine, Georgia, Los Angeles

☆ HGTV's new show 'Zillow Gone Wild' brings the popular Instagram account to life and shows off the one-of-a-kind homeowners behind the listings
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

HGTV's new show "Zillow Gone Wild" premieres May 3rd. AdvertisementHost Jack McBrayer tours one "Zillow Gone Wild" home with its owner Tracy Turco. Zillow Gone Wild is now driven by mostly user submissions, its founder tells BI. The "Pink Palace" is one home featured on HGTV's new show "Zillow Gone Wild." "Zillow Gone Wild" airs 10:30 p.m. on Fridays on HGTV and is streaming on Max.

Persons: —, Jack McBrayer, Kenneth, Tracy Turco, Samir Mezrahi, Mezrahi, perusing, Dan Latu, Magda Gabor, Gabor, glamor, McBrayer Organizations: Service, HGTV, NBC, Hollywood Regency, Hollywood, Max Locations: Instagram, North Carolina, California, Palm Springs, Hollywood, Florida

The U.S. government’s landmark antitrust trial against Google’s search business is nearing its conclusion. Under the Trump administration, the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission started investigating Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta, the parent company of Instagram and WhatsApp, for monopolistic behavior. The government has since sued all four companies — Google twice — in what it says is an effort to rein in their power and promote more competition. Closing arguments wrap up on Friday in Google’s first antitrust suit on allegations that it has a monopoly in internet search. and 17 states sued Amazon, accusing it of protecting a monopoly by squeezing sellers on its vast marketplace and favoring its own services.

Persons: Trump Organizations: U.S, Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, Apple, Google, Big Tech, Amazon Locations: Google’s

☆ When Your Job Is 80 Miles Out at Sea, Getting There Is Half the Battle
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Ivan Penn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

After a two-week tour, workers go home for 14 days of rest and time with family and friends whom they’ve communicated with only virtually while on the platform. They trade places with another group that flies in for the next two weeks, regardless of the calendar — including during holidays like Christmas. It’s not always easy. “You’ve got to have a strong home base,” said Todd Coulon, the offshore installation manager at Appomattox.

Persons: they’ve, It’s, You’ve, ”, Todd Coulon Locations: Appomattox

After weeks of tumult at the University of Southern California, administrators have announced updated commencement plans, with increased security and modified festivities. The plans are in lieu of the university’s main graduation ceremony, which the school had canceled, citing security concerns. The university said it would host a “Trojan Family Graduate Celebration” on Thursday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the famed venue where its football team plays home games. More than 100 school-specific graduations and smaller receptions are set to take place on campus as planned, but with tighter access. For scheduling reasons, the university will be able to use only a portion of the stadium, so each graduate will receive up to six tickets.

Persons: ” Organizations: University of Southern, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, team Locations: University of Southern California

☆ Oil steadies, heads for weekly drop on U.S. economy worries
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Oil prices edged up in early trade on Friday on the prospect of OPEC+ continuing output cuts, but the crude benchmarks were headed for weekly losses on U.S. economic uncertainty and limited crude supply disruptions caused by the Israel-Hamas war. Brent headed for a 6.3% weekly decline, while and WTI moved towards a loss of 5.6% on the week. The market is now looking towards U.S. economic data and indicators of future crude supply from the world's top producer. Higher rates typically weigh on the economy and that can reduce oil demand. Also on Friday, energy services firm Baker Hughes is due to release its weekly count of oil and gas rigs, an indicator of future crude output.

Persons: Brent, WTI, Baker Hughes Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, Organization of, Petroleum, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve Locations: Israel, U.S, Russia

CNN —Time is running out to prevent starvation in Darfur, in western Sudan, a UN agency has warned, as escalating violence devastates the African nation. People have been forced to consume “grass and peanut shells,” the regional director for Eastern Africa of the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday. More than 8.7 million people have been displaced by the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary RSF, according to the UN. At least 500,000 of those sheltering in the city have been displaced from violence elsewhere in Sudan, according to the UN’s children’s agency (UNICEF). More than 8.7 million people, including 4.6 million children, have been displaced by the war in Sudan and 24.8 million need assistance, according to OCHA.

Persons: ” Michael Dunford, Cross, Dan Kitwood, Toby Hayward, Hayward, Fasher, Catherine Russell, ” Russell, El Fasher Organizations: CNN, UN, Food Programme, Rapid Support Forces, ICRC, UNICEF, UN Office, Humanitarian Affairs, WFP Locations: Darfur, Sudan, Eastern Africa, South Darfur, Chad, Adré, North, El, El Fasher, Chad’s Tine, –, ”, Port Sudan

☆ A New Issue Flares in the 2024 Race: Campus Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Lisa Lerer | More About Lisa Lerer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Dissent is essential to democracy,” Mr. Biden said in brief comments at the White House. The president made clear he had no plans to change his Middle East policy because of the protests. Biden campaign advisers believe the issue is unlikely to significantly harm the president in the election. Students are leaving campus for summer break in the coming weeks, which many believe will help defuse some of the intensity of the protests. None of that stopped Republicans from pouncing on Mr. Biden’s comments.

Persons: Mr, Biden, Biden’s, won’t, Tom Cotton, “, ” Organizations: White, National Guard, “, Republican, U.S Locations: Gaza, Israel, pouncing, Arkansas

☆ From Australia to the UK: Where pro-Palestinian university protests are happening around the world
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Here’s a look at some of the pro-Palestinian campus protests around the world. AustraliaOver the past few weeks, pro-Palestinian protest camps have appeared in at least seven universities across Australia. FranceIn Paris, pro-Palestinian protests erupted at the Sciences Po university and the Sorbonne university in late April. At McGill University in downtown Montreal, pro-Palestinian student protesters have set up an encampment on the front lawn. On May 2, a Quebec Superior Court judge rejected an injunction request that would have forced the pro-Palestinian protesters to leave their encampment.

Persons: Hilary Whiteman, ”, Owen Humphreys, Miguel Medina, Emmanuel Macron, ” Louise, ” Samuel Lejoyeaux, “ I’ll, “, India Eric Garcetti, Christinne, Oliver Marsden, ” Ali Organizations: CNN, New York’s Columbia University, Portland State, UCLA, United Nations, The University of Queensland, Students for Palestine, Palestine, University of Sydney, Sydney, United, United Kingdom Pro, Newcastle University, Newcastle University’s, ”, Sciences Po, Sorbonne, . Riot, Sorbonne University, Getty Images Sciences, Columbia University, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, UNC, Vanderbilt, “, Union of Jewish Students of France, Le Monde, CRS, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Milia Islamia University, BJP, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party, ’ Federation of India, At McGill University, Palestinian, Israel . Mounted, McGill University's, University of Toronto’s, University of British, CBC News, Reuters, American University of Beirut, American University of, Getty Locations: Gaza, United States, Europe, Asia, Israel, Gaza’s Rafah, Australia, Brisbane, United Kingdom, Newcastle, England, Leeds, Bristol, Warwick, Britain, France, Paris, Palestine, AFP, de, India, New Delhi, Columbia, Jamia, Canada, Montreal, Quebec, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Lebanon, American University of Beirut, Beirut

☆ The next iPhone will probably feature AI — but Tim Cook still keeps us guessing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Tim Cook has said major AI announcements are coming. Analysts are hoping Apple's AI strategy can boost slumping iPhone sales. Wedbush's Dan Ives said Apple's AI efforts are set to drive a "supercycle" starting with the iPhone 16. Analysts pushed the Apple CEO to talk about its upcoming generative AI announcements on Thursday's earnings call — with very little success. Cook continued to keep a tight lid on all things AI, merely teasing big AI announcements in the "coming weeks."

Persons: Tim Cook, Wedbush's Dan Ives, —, Cook Organizations: Service, Apple, Business

☆ Columbia’s President Urges University to ‘Rebuild Community’ in Video
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Anna Betts | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Columbia University’s president, Nemat Shafik, released a video message late on Friday, following several weeks of tension over Gaza war protests on campus that have spawned a wave of antiwar activism at universities across the country. Police officers in riot gear arrested more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University. It was the second time in two weeks that Columbia officials had asked the police to enter the Manhattan campus to remove demonstrators. On April 18, another 100 or so Columbia students were arrested. But the video released on Friday was the first one by Dr. Shafik released on the school’s Vimeo page in months.

Persons: Nemat Shafik, Shafik Organizations: Columbia, New York Police Department, Police, Columbia University Locations: Gaza, Manhattan, Columbia

☆ Gold set for second weekly fall; U.S. payrolls on investors' radar
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An employee handles one kilogram gold bullions at the YLG Bullion International Co. headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023. Gold prices were poised for a second straight weekly decline, although bullion held steady on Friday as investors remained cautious ahead of the U.S. non-farm payrolls data that could provide cues on the Federal Reserve's rate cut timeline. Spot gold held its ground at $2,306.84 per ounce by 0457 GMT but lost more than 1% this week. Softer U.S. payrolls print could provide support for gold but a better report may weigh on prices, Wong added. The non-farm payrolls report is due at 1230 GMT.

Persons: Christopher Wong, Wong, Wang Tao, Fawad Organizations: Co, U.S ., Fed, City Index Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Egypt, Israel

☆ Treasury yields inch higher ahead of April jobs report
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

One basis point is equivalent to 0.01%. ET, the yield on the 10-year Treasury was up by more than one basis point to 4.5814%. The 2-year Treasury yield was last over one basis point higher to 4.8891%. U.S. Treasury yields were slightly higher on Friday as investors awaited key labor market data that could provide hints about the state of the economy. Investors looked ahead to the April jobs report, which investors will be scanning for clues about whether the labor market is easing or remaining resilient.

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: Treasury, U.S, Investors, Federal Reserve

☆ Tiffany Haddish said she got so much hate that she made a fake Instagram, hunted down her trolls, and confronted them
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Eammon Jacobs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tiffany Haddish described taking revenge on people trolling her online. The actor and comedian said she used a fake profile to hunt down where mean comments came from. AdvertisementTiffany Haddish said she got so much hate online that she used a fake Instagram profile to hunt down her trolls, and even called some of them directly. Speaking to The LA Times, Haddish said she decided to fight back, creating a fake Instagram profile under the name "Sarah," to track her haters down. A lot of the comments called the star "pedo" and "not funny."

Persons: Tiffany Haddish, —, Haddish, Sarah Organizations: Service, Netflix, Daily Beast, LA Times, Times Locations: Los Angeles, Malaysia, Iran

☆ Cramer says he likes Cracker Barrel, but investors should wait for more information before buying
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Jim Cramer on Friday analyzed Cracker Barrel 's business over the past few years, telling investors they should wait to buy the stock until the company gives a progress update on its conference call in two weeks. So as the competition raises prices to combat inflation, Cracker Barrel has less room to do so. Cramer also said he wants to know whether the company will cut its dividend. "I want to recommend Cracker Barrel, I really do," Cramer said. Cracker Barrel did not respond immediately to CNBC's request for comment.

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, Cramer, Julie Felss Masino, Masino Organizations: Taco Bell

☆ I tried Chili's new Big Smasher burger and thought it was far superior to a Big Mac
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Erin Mcdowell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I tried Chili's Big Smasher burger, the chain's first new burger in three years. AdvertisementChili's just came out with its first new burger in three years in the hopes of competing with fast-food chains like McDonald's. The burger, which launched on April 29, has similar ingredients to a Big Mac but twice the meat. I tried the burger for the first time at Chili's headquarters in Dallas a few weeks before its official launch. Here's what I thought of Chili's new Big Smasher burger.

Persons: —, Chili's Organizations: Service Locations: Dallas

☆ Guo Wengui chief of staff Yvette Wang pleads guilty to $1 billion fraud conspiracy in New York
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui hold a news conference on November 20, 2018 in New York, on the death of of tycoon Wang Jian in France on July 3, 2018. The chief of staff to controversial exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui pleaded guilty in New York on Friday to a fraud conspiracy that swindled more than $1 billion from hundreds of thousands of victims around the world, prosecutors said. Yvette Wang's plea came weeks before the 53-year-old Guo is set to stand trial in Manhattan federal court for related charges. Wang was scheduled to stand trial with Guo in that case before her plea. She faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison for the charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Persons: Guo Wengui, Wang Jian, Yvette Wang's, Guo, Wang, Steve Bannon, Damian Williams Organizations: Trump White House, Manhattan U.S Locations: New York, France, Manhattan, United States

☆ Biden's new student-loan forgiveness plan has already received over 24,000 comments. There are 2 weeks left to give the administration input.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

There are two weeks left for the public to comment on Biden's new student-debt relief plan. Once the public comment period ends, the administration will move toward final implementation. AdvertisementThe American people have just two weeks left to give President Joe Biden's administration input on its new student-loan forgiveness plan. Related storiesThe plan is now in the public comment period, and there are two weeks left for anyone who wishes to provide input on the administration's proposals. AdvertisementThe comments are available to be viewed publicly, and some of them were supportive of Biden's plan.

Persons: —, Joe Biden's, Biden's, Andrew Bailey, Biden Organizations: Service, Education Department, Federal Register Locations: Missouri

☆ Top aide admits to $1 billion fraud conspiracy ahead of Chinese mogul's trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A former aide to Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui has pleaded guilty to fraud. Yvette Wang admitted to conspiracy weeks before her ex-boss is set to stand trial. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementYvette Wang, a former aide to indicted Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, pleaded guilty to fraud, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Persons: Guo Wengui, Yvette Wang, Guo, —, Wang, William Je Organizations: Service, Department of Justice, Business

☆ Brazil floods: At least 29 people killed as heavy rain and flooding lashes Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Michael Rios | Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —At least 29 people have been killed and a further 60 are missing as heavy rain and flooding hit the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul this week. Residents and a dog are evacuated from a flooded area in the city center of São Sebastião do Cai, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, on May 2, 2024. Rio Grande do Sul has been increasingly hit by extreme weather events in recent years. Volunteers use a fishing boat to rescue residents trapped inside their houses in São Sebastião do Cai, Rio Grande do Sul state. The proportion of high-intensity hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, has increased due to the warmer global temperatures, according to the UN.

Persons: Cai, Carlos Fabal, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, “, ”, Eduardo Leite, Anselmo Cunha, Lizzy Yee, Omar Fajardo Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Getty, Volunteers, UN Locations: Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, AFP, Dubai, Asia, Kenya, São

☆ Tim Cook gets real about China
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Still, CEO Tim Cook believes there's still "work to do" in bolstering sales to its major market. "I think it has been and is the most competitive market in the world," Cook said regarding China. AdvertisementApple CEO Tim Cook says there's still more work to do on the China front. While overall iPhone sales were down 10% year-over-year, CEO Cook noted that Apple "still saw some growth" on iPhone in China, specifying that "two best-selling smartphones in urban China" are the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max. "I feel good about China, I think more about long term than to the next week or so," Cook told CNBC in an interview before earnings.

Persons: Tim Cook, there's, Cook, —, Max Organizations: Apple, Service, Counterpoint Research, Huawei, CNBC, Business Locations: China, Shanghai

☆ N.Y.P.D. Says Police Officer Accidentally Fired Gun Inside Columbia Building
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Andrés R. Martínez | More About Andrés R. Martínez | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An officer whose gun went off inside a Columbia University building this week fired it accidentally as the police were removing pro-Palestinian protesters from the campus, the New York Police Department said on Thursday. The officer, who was not identified, was approaching a barricade on the first floor of Hamilton Hall when he fired his gun, which had a flashlight on it, the police said. The shooting was captured on the officer’s body camera, which was handed over to the Manhattan district attorney’s office. The episode did not come to light until Thursday, when The City, a local news organization, published a story that said a shot had been fired inside Hamilton Hall on Tuesday as police cleared the Columbia campus of protesters. It was the second time in two weeks that Columbia officials asked the police to enter the Manhattan campus to remove demonstrators.

Organizations: Columbia University, New York Police, Hamilton Hall, Hamilton, Columbia Locations: Manhattan, The City

☆ Rue21, a mall staple, files for bankruptcy and will close all of its stores
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Rue21, a mall staple for teen apparel, is going out of business and closing all 540 of its stores within the coming weeks. The retailer, which has about $200 million in debt and 4,900 employees, has been struggling financially in recent years despite a 2017 bankruptcy that the company hoped would turn Rue21 around. Its stores, which are located in 45 US states, will close within the next 4 to 6 weeks and “going out of business” sales are beginning soon. Express filed for bankruptcy last month and announced it was closing about 100 stores. 99 Cents Only Stores, a discount chain, also said in April it was going out of business.

Persons: New York CNN —, Michele Pascoe, Rue21, ” Pascoe, “, Neil Saunders, ”, Rue21 didn’t, Joann Organizations: New, New York CNN, GlobalData, CNN Locations: New York, Pittsburgh, ”

☆ Why Wall Street is so happy to see the job market slowing down
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US stocks soared on Friday after a light April jobs report gave investors hope of a rate cut sooner than later. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The market is currently in a situation where negative economic news is positive for risk assets like stocks. Advertisement"The April jobs report was just what the market ordered," Russell Price, chief economist at Ameriprise, wrote in a client note. Today's jobs report was the "first material 'downside surprise' in over two years," added Key Wealth CIO George Mateyo in comments to Business Insider.

Persons: —, Russell Price, George Mateyo Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Ameriprise, Business

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