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☆ China Is Testing More Driverless Cars Than Any Other Country
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Keith Bradsher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The world’s largest experiment in driverless cars is underway on the busy streets of Wuhan, a city in central China with 11 million people, 4.5 million cars, eight-lane expressways and towering bridges over the muddy waters of the Yangtze River. A fleet of 500 taxis navigated by computers, often with no safety drivers in them for backup, buzz around. The company that operates them, the tech giant Baidu, said last month that it would add a further 1,000 of the so-called robot taxis in Wuhan. Across China, 16 or more cities have allowed companies to test driverless vehicles on public roads, and at least 19 Chinese automakers and their suppliers are competing to establish global leadership in the field. In addition to cities designating on-road testing areas for robot taxis, censors are limiting online discussion of safety incidents and crashes to restrain public fears about the nascent technology.

Organizations: Baidu Locations: Wuhan, China

☆ The US Secretary of State gave a war-time rock performance at a bar in Kyiv, leaving some Ukrainians scratching their heads
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Slinging a crimson electric guitar onto his shoulder, Blinken told the crowd he knew they were facing a "really, really difficult time." So much of the world is with you and they're fighting not just for a free Ukraine, but for the free world. "For ten years, we've been explaining to the free world that we are defending it too," he wrote. Residents self-evacuate from a multi-story residential building hit by a Russian UMPB D-30 glide bomb on May 14, 2024 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The lyrics of "Rockin' in the Free World" are often seen as a criticism of American patriotism and George H.W.

Persons: —, Antony Blinken, Neil Young's, Blinken, Ukraine, Antony, Muddy Waters, Bohdan Yaremenko, Trump, he's, we've, Oleg Simoroz, Valeriy, it's, Matviyenko, Yevhen, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Illia Ponomarenko, George H.W, Bush, Donald Trump, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Biden Organizations: Service, Business, U.S, US State Department, Blinken, Music Diplomacy Initiative, Facebook, AFP, Ukrainian NGO Agency, Getty Images, Ukrainian, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Kyiv, Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Soviet Union, State Department Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russian, Kharkiv, United States, Muddy, Ukrainian, Russia, KABs, Sumy, Getty Images Russia, Polina, Soviet

☆ Muddy Waters' Carson Block on why he's shorting Fairfax Financial
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMuddy Waters' Carson Block on why he's shorting Fairfax FinancialCarson Block, Muddy Waters Research founder, joins 'Squawk Box' to announce a new short on Fairfax Financial, why he's shorting the company, and more.

Persons: Carson, Fairfax Financial Carson, he's Organizations: Fairfax Financial, Muddy Waters Research

LONDON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The shares and bonds of CPI Property Group (O5G.DE) fell sharply on Tuesday after short-selling hedge fund Muddy Waters said it had bet against the credit of the Luxembourg-based commercial landlord. In a report, seen by Reuters, the fund said CPI Property Group's controlling shareholder, Czech billionaire Radovan Vitek, had misstated the value of the company. CPI Property Group's Frankfurt-listed shares were last down 2.8% on the day, while the price of its 2027 medium-term note fell 3.5 cents on the day to 70.259, data from Tradeweb showed. Muddy Waters did not specify against which bond it had taken a short position and the company has several outstanding notes listed. CPI Property Group owns properties in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe.

Persons: Muddy Waters, Radovan Vitek, Nell Mackenzie, Amanda Cooper, Jason Neely Organizations: CPI, Reuters, Group's, CPI Property Group, Thomson Locations: Muddy, Luxembourg, Czech, Group's Frankfurt, Tradeweb, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Central, Eastern Europe

☆ Uncle Sam cleverly goes long on short sellers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The United States is a rare place where financial regulators hand out cash for information that leads to successful enforcement. Moreover, the rewards are not just for corporate insiders, but also short sellers. In 2019, the SEC doled out $60 million, a sum it has already exceeded nearly five-fold this year. Skeptical investors – notwithstanding their sleuthing skills – generally trade on information regulators could in theory find themselves. Short sellers aren’t always welcome, but some are undeniably being put to good use.

Persons: Julia Nikhinson, Carson Block, Kyle Bass, Waters, It’s, aren’t, ”, Jeffrey Goldfarb, Sharon Lam Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Congress, REUTERS, Reuters, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Hayman Capital, SEC, Bloomberg, Futures Trading Commission, European, Harvard University, Workers, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States

☆ Rolling Stones kick off album launch in New York with guest Lady Gaga
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( David Gaffen | Thomson Reuters | David Gaffen Has Been With Reuters Since As Of He Serves As The Breaking News Editor For Companies News | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] The members of the Rolling Stones Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood perform during a private record release party of their new album "Hackney Diamonds" in New York City, U.S., October 19, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 20 (Reuters) - It was a gas, gas, gas in a club on Manhattan's West Side late on Thursday, where the Rolling Stones held a private launch party for their first new album in 18 years. The Stones closed with an appearance by Lady Gaga for "Sweet Sounds of Heaven," a slow, blues-infused number off the new album that recalls the band's 70s classic "Moonlight Mile." Gaga and Jagger mimicked each other's dance movies as they alternated vocals, Gaga in a shimmering red-and-black one-sleeved jumpsuit, Jagger wearing a customarily tight black shirt. The album closes with the song "Rolling Stone Blues," a Muddy Waters song that was the origin of the band's name.

Persons: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Shannon Stapleton, Jumpin, Jack Flash, Lady Gaga, Gaga, Jagger, Charlie Watts, Ron Wood, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bill Wyman, Watts, David Gaffen, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Racket, Stone, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, York, New York

☆ Rolling Stones Kick off Album Launch in New York With Guest Lady Gaga
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By David GaffenNEW YORK (Reuters) - It was a gas, gas, gas in a club on Manhattan's West Side late on Thursday, where the Rolling Stones held a private launch party for their first new album in 18 years. The Stones closed with an appearance by Lady Gaga for "Sweet Sounds of Heaven," a slow, blues-infused number off the new album that recalls the band's 70s classic "Moonlight Mile." Gaga and Jagger mimicked each other's dance movies as they alternated vocals, Gaga in a shimmering red-and-black one-sleeved jumpsuit, Jagger wearing a customarily tight black shirt. The latter has been a member of the band for nearly 50 years despite joining in 1975, 13 years after the Stones were formed. The album closes with the song "Rolling Stone Blues," a Muddy Waters song that was the origin of the band's name.

Persons: David Gaffen, Mick Jagger, Jumpin, Jack Flash, Lady Gaga, Gaga, Jagger, Charlie Watts, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Bill Wyman, Watts, Lincoln Organizations: Racket, Stone Locations: York, New York

☆ We've already seen a few shorts in the 'fake' AI space, says Muddy Waters' Block
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWe've already seen a few shorts in the 'fake' AI space, says Muddy Waters' BlockMuddy Waters Research founder Carson Block joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss his thoughts ahead of the Robin Hood conference, whether the universe of ideas is getting smaller, and more.

Persons: Muddy Waters, Carson Block, Robin Hood Organizations: Muddy Waters Research

REUTERS/Kostas Mantziaris Acquire Licensing RightsATHENS, Sept 6 (Reuters) - At least two people died and three were missing on Wednesday after torrential rain flooded homes and businesses and destroyed infrastructure in central Greece, the fire brigade said. A Reuters witness said that the river near the nursing home had swallowed the road and flooded a train station in Volos, disrupting train traffic. Greece has said the weather was the most extreme in terms of the amount of rainfall since records have been kept in the country. Police on Wednesday issued traffic warnings for the cities of Trikala and Karditsa as the rainstorm was expected to intensify again later on Wednesday. In northwest Turkey, at least five people were killed after heavy rains triggered flash floods, Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber said on Wednesday.

Persons: Daniel, Kostas Mantziaris, Storm Daniel, Haber, Lefteris Papadimas, Angeliki Koutantou, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Police, Thomson Locations: Nea Lefki, Larissa, Greece, Volos, Trikala, Karditsa, Turkey

☆ Robbie Robertson, songwriting force in rock group The Band, dies at 80
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Matthew Lewis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Musician Robbie Robertson arrives for the gala presentation of his biopic "Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band" on opening night at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada September 5, 2019. The Band included four Canadians - Robertson, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel - and was anchored by an Arkansas drummer, Levon Helm. Robbie Robertson later learned that his biological father was a man he described as a "card shark" of Jewish heritage named Alex Klegerman, who was killed in a highway hit-and-run accident before Robertson was born. Danko died at age 55 in 1999. Helm died of throat cancer in 2012.

Persons: Robbie Robertson, Mario Anzuoni, Robertson, Jared Levine, Robbie, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Levon Helm, Ronnie Hawkins, Bob Dylan, Martin Scorsese's, Helm, Danko, Manuel, Greil Marcus, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Walcott, Jaime Royal Robertson, Rosemarie Dolly Chrysler, Canadian Army enlistee, Jim Robertson, Alex Klegerman, Dylan, Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Scorsese, Jodie Foster, Hudson, Matthew Lewis, Kanishka Singh, Diane Craft, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Toronto, Film, REUTERS, Canadian -, Hawks, Big, Beatles, Walcott Medicine, Canadian Army, Six Nations Indian Reserve, Canadian Broadcasting, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada, Canadian - American, Los Angeles, Arkansas, Woodstock , New York, San Francisco, America, Toronto, Canadian, Mohawk, Cayuga, Ontario, Florida, Chicago, Washington

☆ Novartis buys Chinook for $3.5 bln in race to treat rare kidney disease
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

June 12 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) said it has agreed to acquire U.S. biotech firm Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY.O) for up to $3.5 billion to boost its late-stage drug development line-up, raising the stakes in the race for a rare kidney disease treatment. The other drug hopeful is iptacopan, which is being trialled against a number of rare genetic disorders, including IgAN and another kidney disease. IgAN is a progressive autoimmune disease that mostly affects young adults and which can lead to kidney failure that requires dialysis or organ transplantation. IgAN is the most common cause of kidney failure in Caucasian young adults, Novartis added. Additional reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Kim Coghill, Sonali Paul and Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Novartis, Vas Narasimhan, Narasimham, atrasentan, Narasimhan, Kisqali, Roche, Vera, Muddy Waters, Miranda Murray, Kim Coghill, Sonali Paul, Alexander Smith Organizations: Novartis, Chinook Therapeutics, Vera Therapeutics, Sandoz, Chinook, Thomson Locations: Seattle, United States

☆ Report of Argentina fraud probe sinks shares in dLocal
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 26 (Reuters) - Uruguayan fintech dLocal, the South American country's first unicorn, saw its shares plummet on Friday, after Argentine news outlet Infobae published an article saying the government was investigating it for a possible fraud of at least $400 million. Citing unnamed official sources, Infobae said the Argentina government was investigating the fintech for "improper manouevers" and transfers abroad that would constitute a fraud, with most of its income coming from services sold to subsidiaries of the same firm. Infobae said sources at Argentina's customs agency said they were considering reporting dLocal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). dLocal issued a statement denying the article, claiming it had been the victim of "misleading allegations" and that it would continue to process payments normally in Argentina. The fintech's shares were down 17% in afternoon trading after losing more than 34% earlier in the day.

☆ Flamenco and Fervor: Inside Spain’s El Rocío Pilgrimage
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Kevin Faingnaert | Anna Hart | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At El Rocío, no faces were closed to outsiders. We were invited into caravans; told to sit and eat stew and sliced watermelon; dragged into flamenco dances; and instructed to take a siesta after lunch in the grass — otherwise we’d “never survive until Sunday,” one participant told us. Everyone seemed to accept that El Rocío is a spectacle. (El Rocío is televised like a sporting event throughout Spain.) By Friday night, the first of the hermandades arrived in El Rocío, a tiny town that reminded me of Western movie sets I’ve seen in California and Arizona.

☆ Florida House passes six-week abortion ban backed by DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Florida House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation that would ban most abortions after six weeks, when many women don't know they are pregnant. The bill would only take effect if the state's existing 15-week ban is upheld in an ongoing legal challenge that is before the state Supreme Court. "Today we stand for life, we stand with mothers, and we stand with Florida families," said Persons-Mulicka. A recent survey suggests the six-week abortion ban isn't popular among Florida residents. The Biden administration will ask the Supreme Court to intervene, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday.

☆ 4 banks have collapsed in less than a month. Here's what Jerome Powell, Nouriel Roubini, Elon Musk and others are saying about the turmoil.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In less than a month, Silvergate, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Credit Suisse have collapsed. Jerome Powell, Nouriel Roubini, Elon Musk, and others have shared their views on the turmoil. Experts have pointed to the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate hikes over the past year as a driver for the turmoil. Jerome PowellFollowing the announcement of a 25-basis-point rate hike, the Fed chief said all depositors' savings are safe, adding that US banking system is "strong and resilient." Elon MuskThe billionaire Tesla and Twitter chief sees danger ahead for the US economy if the Fed doesn't contain the crisis among regional banks.

☆ EY's 'paused' split dragged into $2.7 bln London lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - EY’s plans to split its auditing and consulting arms have been dragged into a $2.7 billion lawsuit brought in London by the administrators of troubled hospital operator NMC Health PLC over concerns EY would be unable to pay if it loses the case. "NMC will be aware from press coverage … that the potential separation under consideration is paused," the document said. However, EY – which denies any breach of duty to NMC – says it has already agreed to provide relevant information about the potential split to NMC. EY’s lawyer Thomas Plewman also said in court filings that, as the proposed separation has been paused, the application is "premature and unnecessary". Court filings for Monday’s hearing indicate that a trial of NMC’s lawsuit will not begin before October, 2024.

It is rare for investors to take short positions in securities of Indian companies. Securities rules in India also make it hard to quietly build short positions. Institutional investors are obliged to disclose their short positions upfront and there are other restrictions and registration requirements on foreign investors. In Adani, for example, Hindenburg held the short positions through U.S.-traded bonds and non-Indian-traded derivatives. China's strict investment rules make it all but impossible to take short positions in domestic-listed Chinese stocks from overseas.

[1/2] Indian billionaire Gautam Adani speaks during an inauguration ceremony after the Adani Group completed the purchase of Haifa Port earlier in January 2023, in Haifa port, Israel January 31, 2023. On Wednesday, a $2.5 billion sale of shares by one of its companies Adani Enterprises ADEL.NS was called off. Adani Group and the stock market regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) did not respond to a request for comment. Cracking the code of how Hindenburg did the trade could lead to more short sellers taking positions against Indian companies, which have been rare, analysts said. But several bankers familiar with trading in Indian securities said the more profitable piece of the short seller’s bet would likely lie in the derivative trades it had placed.

☆ Brazil's haunting graveyard of ships risks environmental disaster, warns activist group
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Pilar Olivares | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Brazil's navy said the 200-meter-long (660-ft.) Sao Luiz, a rust-spattered bulk carrier built in 1994, had been anchored in the bay for more than six years awaiting legal proceedings before it crashed into Latin America's longest over-water bridge. The Sao Luiz is one of dozens of ships left to rust on the iconic but heavily polluted bay, once home to vast mangroves and thriving marine life. Fernando Pinto Lima, a 62-year-old former fisherman in the bay, told Reuters he used to be able to quickly catch 50 to 100 kilograms of fish. Following the Sao Luiz crash, local media reported that authorities were studying how to remove the ghost ships. ($1 = 5.2186 reais)Reporting by Pilar Olivares; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Barbarians at the check-in desk
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

While Vivion’s equity is unlisted, Muddy Waters was betting against its debt. The price of bonds due in 2024 fell to 72% of face value after Block’s report, according to Refinitiv data. Vivion contends that Muddy Waters has overestimated the number of vacant properties, and that its shareholders have put cash in the company in recent years, not taken it out. If so, though, Vivion could always step up its purchase of its own debt at the current low prices. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ For bear stock pickers, 2023 is full of rich pickings
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Carson Block, Chief Investment Officer, Muddy Waters Capital LLC., speaks at the Sohn Investment Conference in New York City, U.S. May 4, 2016. Hedge fund Muddy Waters on Wednesday said it was shorting Vivion Investments, suspecting the real estate investment firm's portfolios were overvalued. Since the 2007-2008 global financial crisis, companies have pushed aggressive accounting to its limits, said Muddy Waters CEO Carson Block. People are milking the system," he said, adding that he expects even more aggressive accounting and fraud in 2023. Tighter monetary conditions and less readily available debt means investors will likely scrutinise company cash generation in 2023, Earl said.

☆ Under fire for weak regulation, dLocal CEO says seeking UK license
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Isabel Woodford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Speaking in a closed-door call hosted by Goldman Sachs, dLocal CEO Sebastian Kanovich said that a full license with the UK regulator (FCA) was pending, citing the UK's exit from the European Union. "We have been advised not to engage in a tit for tat," he responded, adding dLocal was only engaging privately with stake holders. Neither dLocal nor Goldman Sachs responded to a request for comment. Muddy Waters told Reuters that Kanovich's explanations for the multi-million deficit in merchants' accounts "were so implausible, we literally laughed out loud." The company's CEO was also asked why dLocal had nearly $6 million in funds trapped in disgraced crypto exchange FTX, which dLocal failed to withdraw before the exchange's collapse.

☆ China's COVID policy is top of mind for investors as unrest rattled markets this week. Here are 5 things they're watching as Beijing signals willingness to loosen some restrictions.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Chinese cities this week loosened COVID restrictions in the wake of mass protests, lifting Chinese stocks. China's top pandemic official this week appeared to signal a softening in the zero-COVID policy but the government has yet to pledge a comprehensive step-down. Retail investors should be prepared to move defensively should Beijing's decisions on zero-COVID policy go against their respective positions, Martin said. Here's what some market experts are looking at as global investors watch for developments surrounding the Chinese government's zero-COVID stance. "You have to understand that nobody has an edge as to predicting China policy anymore.

☆ While Muddy Waters bets against dLocal, here are the other fintech stocks that short sellers are eyeing
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

While hedge fund Muddy Waters revealed a bet against payment processor dLocal , other short sellers appear to be eyeing several fintech companies. S3 Partners examined 66 stocks in the FINX fintech ETF for CNBC Pro and found $15.25 billion betting against the basket of stocks in total. Others might see structural headwinds for a company before it is fully reflected in the share price. Coinbase had a total of 27.53 million shares – or 18% of free-floating shares – betting against the share price. The fintech company, led by Twitter's co-founder Jack Dorsey, has seen its shares decline by 56.94% over this year.

☆ FTX collapse an example of ‘greed and FOMO,’ says short-seller Carson Block
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Carson Block, founder of short selling investment firm Muddy Waters, thinks the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX under Sam Bankman-Fried is a "great example of greed and FOMO." Block told CNBC's "The Exchange" he had seen the business trajectory of the former billionaire and thought there was "obviously something wrong." Block is a crypto sceptic who described the recent surge into the industry as a bubble based on a "suspension of disbelief." His comments come amid a war of words in the crypto sphere as it grapples with the recent volatility. At an event hosted by CNBC on Thursday, Changpeng Zhao, founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, said he was "shocked" that Bankman-Fried "lied to everybody," and described his actions as "fraud."

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