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☆ The Los Angeles Times plunges into ‘chaos’ as brutal layoffs loom and senior editors call it quits
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —The Los Angeles Times is in disarray. The Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong-owned newspaper, which houses the largest newsroom in the western U.S., has been thrown into a state of mayhem as severe layoffs loom and senior editorial leaders abruptly call it quits. “I cannot overstate the level of chaos,” one staffer, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, candidly told me on Monday. Then, news of forthcoming mass layoffs ensued, prompting the employee’s union to stage a historic one-day walk out on Friday. “All we are asking for is the opportunity for our newspaper and hardworking journalists to be fairly compensated, and for the L.A. Times to have a fair chance to become a self-sustaining institution.”

Persons: Patrick Soon, “, ”, Kevin Merida, Meg James, — Julia Turner, Sara Yasin, Scott Kraft, Shani Hilton —, alums Hilton, Yasin, Turner, “ Scott, Shiong Organizations: New York CNN, Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed, alums, Kraft, Tribune Publishing, LA Times, LA Times Studios, Democratic, California, . Locations: New York, U.S

☆ No, Dakota Johnson doesn't 'demand' 14 hours of sleep a night: 'I'm not a monster'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Johnson told The Wall Street Journal in December that she can "easily" sleep for 14 hours a night, sparking debate about the optimal amount of sleep people should get each night. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Johnson told the Journal last month that she can't function during the day unless she sleeps for at least 10 hours. — Julia (@Julia17258673) December 13, 2023The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM) recommends adults aged 18 to 60 get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. However, sleep scientist Roy Raymann told Business Insider in 2021 that oversleeping differs from person to person.

Persons: —, Johnson, Jimmy Fallon, I'm, — Julia, @Julia17258673, John Hopkins, oversleeping, Roy Raymann, Raymann Organizations: Service, Wall Street Journal, Business, Twitter, Sleep, John Hopkins Medicine

In her suit, Ormond says she was a star on the rise when she met Weinstein in 1994. She accuses CAA, Disney and Miramax, saying that they knew Weinstein presented a danger to women but did nothing to stop him or to help her. Political Cartoons View All 1199 ImagesThe lawsuit marks the first time Ormond has publicly accused Weinstein of sexual assault. The Associated Press generally doesn't name the alleged victims of sexual assault, but is in this case because Ormond has spoken publicly about it, including in an interview with Variety. Weinstein, 71, was convicted of rape and sexual assault in New York in 2020 and is in prison in the state.

Persons: — Julia Ormond, Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, Harvey Weinstein, Ormond, Weinstein, Imran Ansari, Julia Ormond, “ Sabrina ”, ”, Sean Connery, Richard Gere, ___ Dalton Organizations: Walt Disney Co, Miramax, Creative Artists Agency, CAA, Disney, Associated Press, Variety, Pitt, Ford Locations: Manhattan, British, New York, Los Angeles

A new accounting shows that at least 523 institutions were part of the sprawling network of boarding schools for Native American children. ‘War Against the Children’ The Native American boarding school system — a decades-long effort to assimilate Indigenous people before they ever reached adulthood — robbed children of their culture, family bonds and sometimes their lives. “The government was not done with war, so the next phase involved war against the children,” said Mr. Sherman, 83, a former aerospace engineer. Now 76, his voice grows shaky when he recounts the punishments children received — and how children were turned into punishers. Library of Congress, Chronicling AmericaA precise accounting of how many children died at Native American boarding schools remains elusive.

☆ Did Putin kill Prigozhin? It's one of 3 possible explanations Russia watchers came up with for the deadly plane crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is presumed dead after his plane crashed on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear if Prigozhin was on the downed plane, though his name was on the flight manifest. Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin in happier times — a 2010 tour of a school lunch factory outside Saint Petersburg. Following the Wednesday plane crash, US President Joe Biden suggested Putin could be behind the crash in comments to reporters. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the early hours following the plane crash, some on social media considered the possibility that Prigozhin had somehow faked his death, perhaps sending a double in his place.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin, Prigozhin, Dmitry Utkin, Vladimir Putin, Simon Miles, Robert English, Bill Burns, Alexey Druzhinin, Burns, Miles, Alexander Lukashenko, ”, lelXsOcPSV, Julia Ioffe, Joe Biden, —, flaunting, Sergei Surovikin, Matthew Schmidt, Schmidt Organizations: Security, Service, Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, Wagner, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, University of Southern, CIA, Sputnik, Getty, Reuters, Press, Prigozhin, New York Times, University of New, Pentagon, Kremlin Locations: Russian, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Russia, Soviet, Ukraine, University of Southern California, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Saint Petersburg, Aspen, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Africa, Belarusian, Concord, University of New Haven

☆ Global corporate defaults highest since the pandemic in 2020
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In a report Tuesday, credit rating agency Moody’s said 33 of the corporations it rates defaulted on their debts in the first quarter, the highest level since the last quarter of 2020 when 47 companies defaulted. Almost half, or 15 companies, defaulted last month — the highest monthly count since December 2020. In a sign of a tougher global environment for corporate borrowers, investors went sour on corporate bonds last year. Moody’s expects that a combination of higher borrowing costs and slowing global growth will push up defaults on speculative-grade corporate debt to 4.6% by the end of this year, up from 2.9% in March. By the end of the first quarter next year, the global default rate on this type of debt will likely rise to 4.9%, Moody’s said.

London CNN —Regulators in Italy issued a temporary ban on ChatGPT Friday, effective immediately, due to privacy concerns and said they had opened an investigation into how OpenAI, the US company behind the popular chatbot, uses data. Italy’s data protection agency said users lacked information about the collection of their data and that a breach at ChatGPT had been reported on March 20. The Italian regulator also expressed concerns over the lack of age verification for ChatGPT users. In the meantime, EU companies must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, as well as the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, which apply to tech platforms. Earlier this month, OpenAI released GPT-4, a new version of the technology underpinning ChatGPT that is even more powerful.

☆ Stocks week ahead: US banks sitting on unrealized losses of $620 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

US banks were sitting on $620 billion in unrealized losses (assets that have decreased in price but haven’t been sold yet) at the end of 2022, according to the FDIC. What’s happening: Back when interest rates were near zero, US banks scooped up lots of Treasuries and bonds. The result is that most banks have some amount of unrealized losses on their books. “Unrealized losses weaken a bank’s future ability to meet unexpected liquidity needs,” he added. Before the Bell: Do we need unemployment to rise in order to ease inflation rates?

☆ Recession worries used to be bad for bank stocks. Not anymore
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

London CNN —Investors are bucking tradition this year by piling into big bank stocks just as major economies are expected to either slow down or fall into recession. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that interest rates would rise more than people anticipated. European bank stocks have risen particularly sharply in the past six months. “As those worries have unwound, European banks have done particularly well.”No ‘hidden skeletons’But European economies are still fragile. When economic activity slows down, bank stocks are typically among those hit hardest.

☆ UK supermarkets Tesco, Aldi and Asda are rationing fruit and salad vegetables
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Asda told CNN that it was temporarily limiting purchases of some items to three packs per customer. These include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and lettuce. Morrisons told CNN that it had imposed a cap of two packs per customer on tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and lettuce. Sainsbury’s (JSAIY), the United Kingdom’s second-largest food retailer, told CNN it had no plans to ration the sale of fruit and vegetables. The high-end supermarket chain told CNN that it was “monitoring the situation” but had no plans to introduce rationing.

☆ Credit Suisse shares plunge again on report of regulatory probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Shares of embattled Swiss bank Credit Suisse fell to a record low Tuesday after a report that regulators are reviewing comments the lender’s chairman made about the health of its finances. The bank’s stock plunged as much as 9% to trade at 2.52 Swiss francs ($2.73), before recovering slightly. Credit Suisse did not respond to a CNN request for comment Tuesday. The Swiss financial regulator, Finma, declined to comment. The rumors, which sparked a selloff in the lender’s shares, followed a series of missteps and compliance failures that cost Credit Suisse billions.

☆ FTSE100 stocks have been shunned for years. Now investors love them
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Both US indexes have recovered slightly following last year’s big falls, but one of the biggest drags on their performance — high interest rates — is likely to stick around. That’s because, when interest rates are low, the yields on government bonds are also low. That boosts investors’ appetite for riskier investments, such as the stocks of small or highly indebted tech companies that could make blockbuster returns years down the line. BP (BP) and Shell (SHLX), both FTSE companies, more than doubled their annual profits last year to a combined $68 billion. But the lack of tech companies may come back to haunt the FTSE, once inflation and interest rates fall back.

London CNN —The European Union is setting up a working group to examine whether frozen Russian assets can be used to rebuild Ukraine. The statement added that part of this work would involve obtaining a “clearer picture” of where Russian state-owned assets are located and their value. “In principle, it is clear-cut: Russia must pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said. A senior EU official estimated earlier this month that the European Union and Western allies had frozen more than $300 billion in Russian central bank assets that could potentially be used to rebuild Ukraine. The European Union is also working on a tenth package of sanctions against Russia.

New Delhi/London CNN —India’s market regulator is looking into the explosive allegations against Adani Group made by US short seller Hindenburg Research, which accused the conglomerate of “the largest con in corporate history.”The claims, published in late January, set off a crash in the company’s market value and robbed its owner Gautam Adani of his title as Asia’s richest man, as a 400-page rebuttal by the conglomerate failed to reassure investors. Adani Group did not respond to a CNN request for comment on the inquiry on Tuesday. The balance sheet of each of its independent portfolio companies is “very healthy” and “our business plan is fully funded,” the spokesperson told CNN. On Tuesday, shares of many of the listed firms controlled by the conglomerate slid again in Mumbai. Although Adani Enterprises rose 1.9%, there were 5% falls in the stocks of Adani Transmission, Adani Total Gas, Adani Power and Adani Total.

☆ Credit Suisse posts biggest loss since 2008
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Credit Suisse (CS) has reported its biggest annual loss since the financial crisis in 2008, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the scandal-plagued Swiss bank as it attempts a turnaround. The lender on Thursday posted a loss of 1.4 billion Swiss francs ($1.5 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2022, extending a losing streak that started in 2021 and taking its full-year loss to 7.3 billion Swiss francs ($7.9 billion). In 2008, Credit Suisse made a loss of 8.2 billion Swiss francs ($8.9 billion). Customers withdrew 111 billion Swiss francs ($121 billion) in the final three months of 2022, when the bank was hit by social media speculation that it was on the brink of collapse. For example, the collapse of US hedge fund Archegos Capital Management, a client of Credit Suisse, in 2021 cost the bank $5.5 billion.

☆ Russian diesel prices fall in Europe despite latest ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Those stocks should act as a buffer against the immediate loss of Russian diesel imports,” Williams said. However, he added that the United States could redirect some of its current diesel exports to South America to Europe, with Russian diesel then “find[ing] a home” in South America. OilX’s Crosby noted that there are “many more” potential buyers of Moscow’s diesel compared with its crude exports. “Most Russian diesel barrels will manage to make it to global markets,” he said. “The notion that Russian diesel will have a very hard time finding new homes is beginning to lose credibility.”— Julia Horowitz contributed reporting.

☆ Europe unveils $270 billion response to US green subsidies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Stung by the Biden administration’s huge green subsidy program, the European Union unveiled plans for its own “Green Deal” Wednesday to cut red tape and deliver tax breaks. The proposals, which will be debated by EU leaders next week, would make €250 billion ($272 billion) available from existing EU funds for the greening of industry, including offering tax breaks to businesses investing in net-zero technologies. EU leaders are worried that tax breaks for American companies, which amount to $270 billion, will disadvantage European firms and lure them to the United States. In a document detailing its new green industry plan, the European Commission also fingered China, saying it has provided green subsidies at a level twice as high as those in the European Union, relative to GDP. “Europe and its partners must do more to combat the effect of such unfair subsidies and prolonged market distortion,” it added.

☆ Oil prices: Global demand could hit record high as China reopens
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Global oil demand is expected to hit its highest-ever level this year on the back of China’s swift reopening of its economy. Oil demand could surge by 1.9 million barrels per day to reach a record 101.7 million barrels per day, the International Energy Agency said in its latest monthly report, released Wednesday. “China will drive nearly half this global demand growth even as the shape and speed of its reopening remains uncertain,” the IEA said. The rebound in Chinese demand could lead to a tighter global oil market as the “full impact” of Western sanctions on Russian oil starts to bite, the IEA said in the report. Despite an expected drop in supply from Russia, global oil inventories are at their highest levels since October 2021.

☆ Davos: No recession after all? Business leaders more hopeful as China reopens
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Davos, Switzerland CNN —Bullishness about the global economy has been in short supply among business leaders in recent months, with fears of recession clouding the outlook and restraining investment. That’s thanks in large part to China, whose sudden removal of strict coronavirus restrictions late last year is expected to unleash a wave of spending that may offset economic weakness in the United States and Europe. Near term, China is in the grip of its worst coronavirus outbreak, keeping many people indoors and emptying shops and restaurants in recent weeks. “I’m expecting a solid growth number for China in 2023,” said Kevin Rudd, president of the Asia Society and a former prime minister of Australia. “Maybe we will be surprised also in the first half of the year.”Averting a global recession is not a done deal, however.

☆ Global markets try to put last year’s misery behind them
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Global stocks are striding higher on the first major trading day of 2023 as investors try to look beyond a gloomy outlook for the world economy, China’s worst Covid outbreak and stubbornly high inflation in Europe. ET Tuesday, extending strong gains posted Monday when Chinese and US markets were closed. In Asia, markets ended the day firmly in positive territory, recovering from early losses. Still waryTuesday’s market gains provide cheery news for investors after a rollercoaster 2022 that saw $33 trillion wiped off global equity markets. Kristalina Georgieva, head of the International Monetary Fund, warned in an interview with CBS that aired on Sunday that 2023 will be tougher on the global economy than 2022 was.

☆ Brexit has cracked Britain’s economic foundations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Brexit has erected trade barriers for UK businesses and foreign companies that used Britain as a European base. While Brexit isn’t the cause of Britain’s cost-of-living crisis, it has made the problem more difficult to solve. The Brexit deal, known as the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, came into effect on January 1, 2021. The deal is “the world’s largest zero tariff, zero quota free trade deal,” the spokesperson added. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development expects the UK economy to shrink by 0.4%, ahead only of sanctioned Russia.

☆ IEA: The world will gain enough renewable energy in 5 years to power China
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In a report published Tuesday, the International Energy Agency forecast a sharp acceleration in installations of renewable power. Global renewable power capacity is now expected to grow by 2,400 gigawatts (GW) between 2022 and 2027, an amount equal to the entire power generating capacity of China today, according to the report. Policy and market reforms in China, the United States and India are also driving the growth in renewable power. China is expected to account for almost half of new global renewable power capacity added between 2022 and 2027, according to the IEA report. “Together, wind and solar will account for over 90% of the renewable power capacity that is added over the next five years,” the IEA said.

☆ The Twitter office responsible for complying with European misinformation laws has been shut down after Elon Musk's layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Twitter has closed down its office in Brussels, the home of the EU, per the Financial Times. Its digital policy chiefs, who had been working to comply with new misinformation laws, left the company last week. The pair worked on Twitter's compliance with landmark Big Tech laws which came into effect in the EU last week. Vera Jourova, the EU vice-president who's in charge of the disinformation code, told the Financial Times she was concerned about the closing of the Brussels office. But now the Brussels office has closed its doors, Twitter's relationship with the EU will be tested.

☆ If the world avoids a recession, it’ll have India and China to thank
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN Business —Global growth will slow further in the coming year but the world will likely avoid a recession thanks to Asia’s biggest economies. “Persistent inflation, high energy prices, weak real household income growth, falling confidence and tighter financial conditions are all expected to curtail growth,” it added. If energy prices rise further or energy supply is disrupted, growth could be even weaker than expected. India is projected to have the world’s second highest growth rates, after Saudi Arabia, at 6.6% in 2022, followed by 5.7% in 2023. “Higher interest rates, while necessary to moderate inflation, will increase financial challenges for both households and corporate borrowers,” the OECD said.

☆ GOP Insider readers: Dump Trump!
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Kayla Gallagher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +26 min

Insider asked its Republican readers to send in their thoughts on Donald Trump following the GOP's dismal midterm performance. Subscribers to Insider's newsletter were asked two questions: Do you agree with the GOP insiders who blame Trump? Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Image— Joe S.I don't blame Trump per se. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images— Julia T.I think Trump, DeSantis AND the GOP are EXTREMELY dangerous for our Democracy. The Republican Party needs to get away from the extremists in the party or the Republican Party will no longer exist.

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