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☆ Sony is making a bold bet on an African gaming startup to boost PlayStation’s reach in the continent
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sony is making a bold bet on Africa's video game industry. The Japanese consumer electronics and gaming giant has invested an undisclosed sum into Carry1st, a video game studio based in Cape Town, South Africa, via its Sony Innovation Fund venture arm, Carry1st told CNBC exclusively. The deal is a strategic investment that will see the two companies partner on a range of commercial opportunities. "We believe very firmly that there is an incredibly underrated console opportunity in Africa," Robbin-Coker said, citing countries like Nigeria, Morocco and Algeria as places where console adoption is rising a lot. Sony is coming into an emerging gaming market with blistering growth potential.

Persons: Carry1st, Cordel, Coker Organizations: Sony, Sony Innovation Fund, CNBC, PlayStation Locations: Cape Town , South Africa, Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, Algeria, Konvoy

☆ BYD: Why Hungary and Mexico could be key to the Chinese carmaker’s global domination
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The cars come from BYD, the Chinese carmaker that is backed by Warren Buffett and has surpassed Tesla as the world’s biggest seller of electric vehicles (EVs). 1," a shipping carrier vessel intended to export BYD vehicles, at Yantai port in eastern China's Shandong province in January. BYD Mexico did not respond to a request for comment. “The US government is not going to like that Mexico is creating a back door.”A BYD electric vehicle, operated by Vemo taxi, in Mexico City in November. But as it continues to grow overseas, BYD will have to take a more localized approach, analysts say.

Persons: Warren Buffett, Tesla, BYD, Viktor Orbán’s, Yucatán, what’s, Elon Musk, Tu Le, carmaker, Hungary —, Matthias Schmidt, ”, “, Schmidt, Bill Russo, it’s, Le, Mariceu Ethrall, It’s, “ It’s, ‘ We’re, ’ ”, Stella Li, México, ” Li, Wang Chuanfu, BYD “, Russo, they’ve, ” Russo Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Xinhua, Getty, CNN, Tesla, BMW, Audi, European Union, Schmidt Automotive Research, EV, European Commission, Bloomberg, BYD, El Locations: Hong Kong, China, Europe, BYD, Shenzhen, Germany, Netherlands, Hungary, Mexico, North America, China's Shandong, Szeged, Komárom, France, Shanghai, Hungarian, United States, Canada, Mexico City, Mexican, Dutch, Rotterdam, California, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, what’s

☆ Deadly fire ants are forming rafts to cross Australian flood waters
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Hafsa Khalil | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Red fire ants are forming rafts to travel on flood waters in the northeastern Australian state of Queensland, with the extreme weather threatening a countrywide spread of the highly invasive species. Two rafts of fire ants are seen floating on water in this screengrab taken from video released by Australia's Invasive Species Council in January 2024. Invasive Species CouncilQueensland has seen brutal weather and heavy flooding in recent weeks. Modeling by the ISC suggests fire ants will spread to “every corner of Australia” if the outbreak in Queensland isn’t curbed. Red ants can spread quickly on their own, but an infestation is typically accelerated by human activity, such as in cargo containers or shipments of potted plants or soil.

Persons: ” Reece Pianta, ” Pianta, ‘, ”, Pianta, Murray, Tara Moriarty, “ Organizations: CNN, Species Council, ISC, Council, invicta, Agriculture Locations: Australian, Queensland, Species Council Queensland, Cairns, Cyclone Jasper, Australia, Victoria, South America, United States, Mexico, Caribbean, China, Europe, Brisbane, New South Wales, NSW, Darling

Grimes alleged Elon Musk spent less than half his time in 2023 in Texas, in recent legal filings. Musk still spends two to three days a week in California, Grimes alleged. AdvertisementElon Musk — who moved Tesla's headquarters from California to Texas in 2021— has been spending less than half his time in the Lone Star State, Grimes alleged in recent legal documents. Musk quietly sued Grimes in Texas court in September to establish a "parent-child" relationship with the kids. While Grimes has said the child was with Musk in Texas over her objection, the details around the arrangement, and how she responded, are unclear.

Persons: Grimes, Elon Musk, Musk, —, Elon, Claire Boucher, X, Christopher Melcher, Walzer Melcher, Tesla, Peter Walzer Organizations: Service, Lone Star State, Tau, Business, Musk, Street Journal, Montessori, Twitter, SpaceX Locations: Texas, California, Austin , Texas, Austin, Hawthorne , California, Brownsville , Texas, Bay Area . Texas, Starbase, SpaceX's, Boca Chica , Texas, Snailbrook, Boring, Bastrop , Texas, State, San Francisco, Palo Alto

☆ Ukraine's push into Russian-occupied territory was bold — but a breakthrough is far from guaranteed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian servicemen board a boat on the shore of the Dnipro river at the front line near Kherson, Ukraine, on Oct. 15, 2023. Following the confirmation that Ukrainian forces had crossed the Dnieper river into Russian-occupied territory in recent weeks, hopes have risen that this could be a small but key breakthrough in the six-month counteroffensive against Russia. The Dnieper has effectively operated as a front line in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, separating Ukrainian troops on the west bank from Russian forces on the east, or left, bank. Russian forces had retreated to the east bank last year following an earlier counteroffensive by Ukraine that left the Kherson region — strategically important given its location above Russian-annexed Crimea — partially occupied. "The left-bank [of the Dnieper river] in Kherson is very important because it's near to Crimea," Oleksandr Musiyenko, a Ukrainian military expert and head of the Centre for Military and Legal Studies in Kyiv, told CNBC.

Persons: Oleksandr Musiyenko, Musiyenko Organizations: Crimea —, Centre for Military, Legal Studies, CNBC Locations: Dnipro, Kherson, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Ukrainian, Crimea, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine's troops work to advance on Russian-held side of key river after gaining footholds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's establishment of footholds on the Russian-held bank of the Dnieper represents a small but potentially significant strategic advance in the midst of a war largely at a standstill. The General Staff of Ukraine's armed forces said its troops there had repelled 12 attacks by the Russian army between Friday and Saturday. In response, the Russian military used "tactical aviation," including Iranian-made Shahed exploding drones, to try to pin down Ukraine's troops, Humeniuk said. Elsewhere, air defenses shot down 29 out of 38 Shahed drones launched against Ukraine, military officials reported. "The first priority of our budget — local budgets and the central budget — should be the army."

Persons: Natalia Humeniuk, Humeniuk, Maria Barbash Organizations: 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade, General, Southern Operational Command, Armed Forces Locations: Kherson, Ukraine, footholds, Russian, Russia, Crimea, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine claims a new ‘foothold’ in the country’s south. What does that mean for Kyiv’s efforts to keep the West on its side?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In a recent interview with the Economist, General Valery Zaluzhny acknowledged that Ukrainian forces had failed to achieve a major breakthrough of layered Russian defensive lines. Ukrainian forces near Dnipro River. But the Ukrainian gains on the Dnipro’s left bank are tenuous. A pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel that closely tracks military operations said Thursday that “several small footholds had to be abandoned” on the Dnipro’s left bank. “Russian forces are trying to eliminate the main AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine] bridgehead in Krynky with the support of all possible means of long-range defeat,” said one blogger.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky’s, Andriy Yermak, “, Yermak, General Valery Zaluzhny, Zaluzhnyi, ”, Roman Pilipey, Vladimir Saldo, David Cameron, ” Zelensky, Cameron, Boris Johnson’s, Boris Johnson, ” Cameron, Russia –, Dmytro Kuleba, Kuleba Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Kremlin, Dnipro “, Getty, Ukrainian Telegram, CNN, Armed Forces, ” CNN, Dnipro, Russia, Ukraine’s, Ukraine, Union Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Ukraine CNN — Ukraine, Washington, Dnipro, Russian, Kherson, Krynky, ” Ukraine, Russia, Dnipro River, Roman, AFP, Crimea, Kherson Oblast, United Kingdom, Ukrainian, Avdiivka

☆ China's tanking economy will hurt the US more than some experts think, top economist David Rosenberg says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China's flailing economy could impact the US more than some experts think. That's because the US is a top foreign investor in China, economist David Rosenberg said. China also buys 40% of all exports from Chile, 34% of all exports from Australia, and 32% of all exports from Peru. The economic downfall will weigh negatively on the global economy, primarily through trade channels on countries with a high dependency on China," Rosenberg and Bakiskan said. The commodities trade in particular will feel the effects of China's economic problems, and countries that are top exporters of key metals are exposed, Rosenberg and Bakiskan said.

Persons: David Rosenberg, Rosenberg, Atakan, Bakiskan, Morgan Stanley Organizations: Service, Rosenberg Research, footholds Locations: China, Chile, Australia, Peru, Wall, Silicon, United States, Asia, Beijing

☆ Tulsa Superintendent to Step Down, in a Showdown With State Officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Sarah Mervosh | More About Sarah Mervosh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The superintendent of Tulsa, Okla., announced on Tuesday that she planned to step down, in an 11th-hour attempt to stop the state from taking over the largest school district in Oklahoma. The superintendent, Deborah A. Gist, and the school system in Tulsa, one of Oklahoma’s rare Democratic footholds, had become targets of Ryan Walters, the state’s divisive schools chief who is known for his conservative politics and provocative statements. Mr. Walters, a Republican who took office in January, has raised a litany of complaints against the Tulsa schools, including low test scores and financial mismanagement, and has battled over cultural and religious issues. Questioning Dr. Gist’s leadership, he threatened to take over the school district, which could include appointing a new superintendent, and even said that he had not ruled out revoking accreditation entirely — which would force schools to close. Tulsa public schools serve nearly 34,000 students, with a student population that is 80 percent economically disadvantaged and majority Hispanic and Black.

Persons: Deborah A, Gist, Ryan Walters, . Walters, Gist’s Organizations: Democratic, Republican, Tulsa Locations: Tulsa, Okla, Oklahoma

☆ The options for weight loss treatment are about to explode. These are the companies investors need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Wegovy was approved as an obesity treatment in June 2021 , but Ozempic, a Type 2 diabetes treatment, has been used off-label for weight loss. Mounjaro uses GLP-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide, or GIP, to help patients lose weight. Eli Lilly's oral drug, orforglipron, has an even better profile . They also could be helpful in assisting patients in maintaining weight loss after they've used the injectable versions, he said. Some have highlighted that oral drugs also may be more manageable for patients who can't handle the idea of giving themselves a once-a-week injection.

Persons: Eli Lilly, we're, Jonathan Wolleben, Wegovy, Lilly's tirzepatide, It's, Mounjaro, Wolleben, Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, Lilly, —, Novo, Eli, it's, they've, FactSet, Altimmune's pemvidutide, Morgan Stanley, Mark Purcell, Purcell, Graig Suvannavejh, Suvannavejh, Roth, Dylan Dupuis, Dupuis, Trung Huynh, Goldman Sachs, Chris Shibutani, Shibutani Organizations: Novo Nordisk, JMP Securities, Citizens Company, Nordisk's Ozempic, Food and Drug Administration, Nordisk, Novo, Zealand Pharma, Shandong Suncadia, GSBR, Biosciences, Fujian Shengdi Pharmaceutical, Mizuho Securities, Terns Pharmaceuticals, American Diabetes Association, Viking Therapeutics, Pfizer, Credit Suisse, AstraZeneca, Therapeutics, Medicare, Medicaid, CNBC Pro's Locations: Danish, Shandong, Fujian, Viking

☆ 2023 Is the Year of the Long Walk
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Erin Vivid Riley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Berkshires, in western Massachusetts, have long encouraged contemplative walking. Now, a new long-distance path, the High Road, will provide a slow-paced, inn-to-inn experience that will eventually traverse the entire region. Behind the effort is the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, which is using existing preserves as footholds for the route. Along with providing easy access to pristine wilderness, the High Road will showcase the region’s cultural highlights, allowing walkers to incorporate afternoons at destinations like Tanglewood and Jacob’s Pillow. The Berkshire Natural Resources Council has a trail map of the High Road’s first section on its website.

Persons: They’re, Edith Wharton, Herman Melville Organizations: Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Berkshire Natural Resources, Berkshire Camino Locations: Massachusetts, Pittsfield, New England, Lenox, Greylock, Berkshire County, Palmer, Great Barrington, Berkshire, Tanglewood

☆ Cuba gives China permission to build spying facility on island, US intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Cuba has agreed to allow China to build a spying facility on the island that could allow the Chinese to eavesdrop on electronic communications across the southeastern US, a source familiar with the intelligence told CNN. It would not be the first time China has attempted to spy on the US’ electronic communications, known as signals intelligence. In that case, the US took steps to protect sensitive sites and censor intelligence signals before shooting down the balloon. But it is unclear what the US can do to stop the construction of a Chinese spying facility in Cuba. But last week, China’s defense chief refused a meeting request by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and warned the US to stop operating near Chinese waters and airspace.

Persons: Biden, Bill Burns, Antony Blinken, Defense Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu, ”, Obama, – Organizations: CNN, Street Journal, CIA, US, Defense, “, Trump Locations: Cuba, China, Beijing, Cuban, Washington ,, Chinese, South China, Singapore, Havana

☆ China is using AI to raise the dead, and give people one last chance to say goodbye
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

I would have liked to watch a few more episodes," the grandfather bot replied. Yu told Tang his grandmother needed the chatbot to process her emotions and mourn. As for himself, he declined to share his intimate conversations with his grandfather bot. Like Yu's grandfather bot, Wu's bot produced limited responses. "These emotions might have overwhelmed me too much to work and live my life," he told Tang.

☆ I Got My Name From Connie Chung. So Did They. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Connie Wang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +21 min

In my freshman class alone, there was a Connie Zheng, a Connie Guo, a Connie Xu, a few Connie Chengs, and multiple Connie Wangs. That ayi was Constance Yu-Hwa Chung, or, as the world knows her, Connie Chung. Connie Chung hosting the “CBS Evening News” in 1991, the year after the author named herself Connie. Connie Wang Connie Koh Connie Yang Connie Tang Connie Jang Connie Chung Connie Moy Connie Huang Connie Kwok Connie Chang Connie Sun Connie Chung, center, surrounded by 10 members of Generation Connie. Clockwise from top right, Connie Yang, Connie Tang, Connie Moy, Connie Sun, Connie Chang, Connie Kwok, Connie Huang, Connie Jang, Connie Wang and Connie Koh.

☆ Apple CEO Tim Cook to meet with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi following Mumbai store opening
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Seema Mody | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches slew of infrastructure projects from MMRDA Grounds, at Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra (East) on Jan. 19, 2023 in Mumbai, India. After opening a flagship store in Mumbai, CEO Tim Cook will travel to New Delhi to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. Apple's growth in India is widely seen as a success story by Modi and Indian officials. Flipkart and Amazon are dueling for the top spot in India's e-commerce market, and both face competition from newcomer Meesho. — CNBC's Steve Kovach contributed to this reportWATCH: Tim Cook visits India to open first Apple retail store

☆ Russia's new offensive in Ukraine has likely fizzled out after only a month, Western intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

UK intelligence suggests Russia's new offensive is on its last legs, just a month after it began. Russian forces have depleted their "combat power," the assessment said. "Even local offensive actions are not currently sustainable," it added. The British Defense Ministry said this is likely because Russian forces have depleted their "combat power" to such a degree that "even local offensive actions are not currently sustainable." There's been an evolving debate between Kyiv and its Western partners over Ukraine's insistence on continuing to defend Bakhmut, which analysts have suggested could fall to Russian forces in the coming days.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that while Washington was not directly involved, Saudi Arabia kept U.S. officials informed of the talks with Iran. NUCLEAR TALKSThe agreement comes as Iran accelerates its nuclear program after two years of failed U.S. attempts to revive a 2015 deal that aimed to stop Tehran producing a nuclear bomb. "Saudi Arabia is deeply concerned about Iran's nuclear program," he said. "If this new opening between Iran and Saudi Arabia is going to be meaningful and impactful, it will have to address the concerns about Iran's nuclear program - otherwise the opening is just optics." Friday's agreement also offers hope for more durable peace in Yemen, where a conflict sparked in 2014 has widely been seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

That was up from 10% in January 2022, but the pessimists were far outnumbered, with 71% of tech workers feeling positive. Many people spent Covid-19 lockdowns developing their digital skills, and plenty wound up switching from other sectors, like retail or education, into tech roles elsewhere. Professional and business services roles, which include engineering and “computer services,” were down 6,000 last month from November. Even so, employers’ broad appetite for tech skills could put something of a floor under wages — and prop up the appeal of tech roles in general — even as the economy slows. Experienced tech workers, rather than those new to the field, largely drove those pay gains, the jobs platform Hired found in research published in September.

☆ From a Deepfaked Elon Musk to RadioShack’s NSFW Tweets, CMO Today’s Twenty-Two Most-Read Stories of 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Nat Ives | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Our report on deepfakes was the most-read CMO Today story in 2022. Prepare for what’s coming with this list of CMO Today’s most-read coverage in 2022, presented in order of popularity. How NSFW Tweets Plug Into RadioShack’s New Marketing StrategyAbel Czupor, who leads RadioShack’s newly edgy marketing. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CMO Today CMO Today delivers the most important news of the day for media and marketing professionals. Photo: KayakA hospitality empire decided to try its hand at ad sales, too.

☆ Elon Musk Was Always a Visionary Jerk, Bad Boss at SpaceX, Tesla. but It Won't Work at Twitter.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Elon Musk has a pretty tried-and-true playbook for doing business — he's used it for years to build companies from Tesla to SpaceX. Twitter is the antithesis of an "Elon Musk company." And without a big, world-changing promise to paper over his sophomoric product ideas and erratic management, Musk's Twitter takeover is doomed. No time to wasteA Musk company is usually the first, and sometimes the only, company in a specific market. Based on his most recent quarterly calls with investors — the ones where he is supposed to talk about plans to make more money — Musk does not have one.

Nov 14 (Reuters) - Squire Patton Boggs on Monday said it will open an office in Dublin next year, becoming the latest international law firm to expand into Ireland. Agnew was a founding partner of Pinsent Masons' Dublin office. A Squire Patton Boggs spokesperson said the firm is currently looking at space in Dublin's central business district. Agnew said in an email that the exact timing of his departure from Pinsent Masons "has still to be agreed." Squire Patton Boggs was created in 2014 by the merger of Washington, D.C.-founded Patton Boggs and Cleveland-founded Squire Sanders.

☆ Harry Marino Survived the Minor Leagues. Now He Wants to Fix Them.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Tim Brown | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Harry Marino, the attorney and former minor-league baseball player whose work spearheaded the unionization of minor leaguers this month, sought to put a century’s worth of hardball labor and heartfelt, if imperfect, dreams into perspective. The romance of young men chasing fly balls and life’s footholds in small, charming ballparks is real, he said. So are the trials.

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