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☆ Tractor Supply warned climate change and a lack of diversity would hurt business. Now it’s ignoring those risks
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Hal Lawton, the chief executive of the Brentwood, Tennessee-based company, had said these initiatives “make great business sense for Tractor Supply.”But Tractor Supply has decided that all of those risks are now worth ignoring. By walking away from diversity and climate goals, Tractor Supply has become the latest corporate giant to retreat from progressive initiatives it once promoted, joining Bud Light, Target and others. Tractor Supply declined to comment on these statements. Tractor Supply’s customer base has historically been primarily older men, who lean Republican, but Tractor Supply has increasingly tried to draw Millennials and women, who tend to favor Democrats. Tractor Supply’s reversal could hurt it with these customers, who could be crucial as the company’s historic base ages out of the market.

Persons: Hal Lawton, Bud, ”, Nooshin Warren, “ They’re, ” John Boyd, Steve Helber, Robby Starbuck, “, It’s, ” Boyd, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, ” Lawton, ” Eric Bloem, George Floyd, Bill Ackman, Elon Musk, They’ve, Chick, Bud Light, Jeff Chiu, Bud Light’s, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, CNN’s Eva Rothenberg Organizations: New, New York CNN, Tractor Supply, Supply, Human Rights, Bud Light, University of Arizona, National Black Farmers Association, AP Tractor Supply, Human, Tennessee’s, Congressional District, ”, Black Farmers Association, CNN, “, Tractor, Republican, Pew, Democratic, Disney, Nike, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Target Locations: New York, Brentwood , Tennessee, United States, America, Minneapolis

☆ CNN chief Mark Thompson announces sweeping overhaul of news network, cuts 100 jobs
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Mark Thompson, the CNN chief executive appointed last year to modernize the news network, unveiled a set of sweeping changes to the iconic outlet Wednesday, announcing plans to build a billion-dollar digital business, experiment with artificial intelligence and overhaul key newsroom structures. Mark Thompson officially started on October 9 as CNN's chief executive and chairman and will also act as the network's editor-in-chief. Thompson, who is widely credited for revitalizing The Times, was appointed CNN chief executive last summer, after Licht’s tumultuous run in the job. Since then, Thompson has spoken consistently about the need to transform CNN’s business but has largely avoided offering specifics. Whether Thompson can successfully create a billion-dollar digital news business at CNN remains to be seen.

Persons: Mark Thompson, Thompson, ”, Art Streiber, ” Thompson, “, CNN Max, Max, Ted Turner, CNN’s, Charlie Moore, “ Anderson Cooper, Jeff Zucker, Chris Licht, Zucker, Licht Organizations: CNN, Netflix, Warner Bros, Discovery, Inc, Warner Bros ., The New York Times, The Times Locations: CNN’s Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles

☆ NASA’s Boeing Starliner test flight astronauts discuss spacecraft problems
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and its crew have been in space for more than a month — much longer than the weeklong stay initially expected. But the two astronauts piloting this historic test mission mostly spoke favorably about the vehicle that carried them to the International Space Station, marking the inaugural crewed flight of the Boeing-built spacecraft. I mean, truly amazing,” Butch Wilmore, one of two NASA astronauts helming this mission, said in a Wednesday news briefing. The pump’s failure “put us in a position where we’d have to store an awful lot of urine,” said Dana Weigel, manager for NASA’s International Space Station Program, before the flight. SpaceX designed its cargo Dragon spacecraft years before its Crew Dragon capsule, while Boeing somewhat started from scratch with Starliner.

Persons: CNN —, there’s, Butch Wilmore, ” Wilmore, Wilmore, Hurricane Beryl, hasn’t, Williams, Steve Stich, “, ” Stich, Sunita Williams, Wilmore —, Wilmore’s, ” Williams, ”, Mark Nappi, ” Nappi, Dana Weigel, Weigel, “ I’m, Northrop Grumman, Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley, Behnken, Hurley, “ We’ve, Stich, Butch, Suni Organizations: CNN, International, Boeing, NASA, SpaceX, International Space Station, NASA’s, Space Station, Northrop Locations: New Mexico, Cape Canaveral , Florida, Williams

☆ Microsoft ditches OpenAI board observer seat amid regulatory scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Microsoft has ditched the board observer seat at OpenAI that has drawn regulatory scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic, saying it was not necessary after the AI start-up’s governance had improved significantly in the past eight months. Microsoft took a non-voting, observer position on OpenAI’s board in November last year after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took back the reins of the company, which operates the generative AI chatbot ChatGPT. The seat meant it could attend OpenAI’s board meetings and access confidential information but had no voting rights on matters including electing or choosing directors. The observer seat and Microsoft’s more than $10 billion investment in OpenAI have triggered unease among antitrust watchdogs in Europe, Britain and the US over how much control it exerts over OpenAI. Microsoft cited OpenAI’s new partnerships, innovation and growing customer base since Altman’s return to the startup for giving up its observer seat.

Persons: Sam Altman, OpenAI Organizations: CNN, Microsoft, British Locations: OpenAI, Europe, Britain

☆ Does America’s Largest Health Care Company Control Your Doctor’s Office? Help The Times Report
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Chris Hamby | More About Chris Hamby | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Health care in America is changing. The days of small, independent medical practices have mostly passed. UnitedHealth Group, which owns the nation’s largest insurer, also employs or is affiliated with roughly 90,000 doctors — more than any other company. Through its lesser-known subsidiary Optum, it operates primary care practices, specialty clinics, home health agencies, urgent care centers and other facilities across the country. Step 1: Unsure whether Optum owns or contracts with your clinic?

Persons: Optum Organizations: UnitedHealth, Times Locations: America

☆ Amazon Says It Reached a Climate Goal Seven Years Early
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Ivan Penn | Eli Tan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Amazon announced on Wednesday that effectively all of the electricity its operations used last year came from sources that did not produce greenhouse gas emissions. In its announcement, Amazon said it had reached its goal of 100 percent clean energy seven years ahead of schedule. The company said it invested billions of dollars in more than 500 solar and wind projects to achieve its target. The clean energy projects Amazon has invested in can produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 7.6 million U.S. homes, the company said. Amazon aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions from all of its operations, including its delivery vans, planes and other means of transportation, by 2040.

Organizations: Amazon

☆ Samsung workers in South Korea declare an indefinite strike to campaign for better pay and leave policies
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Diksha Madhok | Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Seoul/New Delhi CNN —The largest labor union at Samsung Electronics in South Korea has declared an indefinite strike after a three-day walkout failed to yield any ground in a tense dispute between workers and the tech giant over pay and bonuses. The announcement Wednesday follows a strike earlier this week involving 6,000 workers, mainly from the company’s semiconductor division, according to the union. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) said that its 31,000 members — representing a nearly quarter of the company’s total workforce in the country — would launch an indefinite strike from July 10 — the largest labor action in the smartphone and chipmaking giant’s 55-year history. Samsung Electronics said last week that it estimates a more than 15-fold rise in its second-quarter operating profit, as compared to the same time previous year. Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty ImagesThe workers want this optimism reflected in their pay.

Persons: Jung Yeon, Son Woomok, chipmaker, ”, Woomok Organizations: New Delhi CNN, Samsung Electronics, National Samsung Electronics Union, Getty, CNN Locations: Seoul, New Delhi, South Korea

☆ Why the Fed is stressed about presidential elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sent investors mixed messages on Tuesday during his semiannual testimony to Congress. Powell is stressed about the election: Powell was asked by multiple senators about White House politics, which he dodged. While the Fed head noted that policy decisions are data dependent, “elevated inflation is not the only risk we face,” he said. The September Fed meeting will be “live”: Powell noted multiple times that every Fed policy decision is made “live” using the latest available economic data – in other words, decisions aren’t made in advance. About 75% of investors think the Fed will cut rates, and about 25% think they’ll remain the same.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, “, Donald Trump, reappoint Powell, ”, Joseph Brusuelas, Trump, Gregory Daco, Chris Larkin, Morgan Stanley, Larkin, don’t, aren’t, David Rubenstein, he’ll, Airbnb, Isabelle Chapman, Majlie, Puy Kamp, Audrey Ash, Chris Isidore . Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN — Federal, White, “, Reserve, RSM, Federal Reserve, US Consumer, Treasury, Fed, Economics, Washington DC, Jackson, CNN, Boeing, Alaska Airlines Locations: New York, Powell, Washington, Alaska

CNN —For years, Airbnb has known some of its hosts have used hidden cameras to secretly spy on guests, invading their most private and intimate moments. A CNN investigation found the use of hidden cameras is a persistent problem in the industry. The Airbnb representative testified that the company generated 35,000 customer support tickets about surveillance devices in the preceding decade. An Airbnb spokesperson told CNN that a single report could create multiple tickets. Airbnb makes “every effort” to support police investigations of hidden cameras, the company told CNN in a written statement.

Persons: Airbnb, ” Airbnb, “ I’ve, ”, Kim van Sparrentak, “ Organizations: CNN, European Union, EU Locations: United States

A CNN investigation found that Airbnb consistently fails to protect its guests despite knowing hidden cameras are a persistent concern within its industry. Video Ad Feedback A woman describes the moment she realized her Airbnb host had placed a hidden camera in her room. And, while hotels can be held legally responsible for guests harmed on their property, Airbnb frequently is not. In January, CNN began reaching out to former Airbnb employees to ask about hidden camera concerns within the industry. “Less than a month for every victim,” said Wyzynajtys, the guest who found Allee’s hidden camera.

Persons: Airbnb, ”, Brian Chesky, Chloe LeBrument, “, LeBrument, … it’s, Bianca Zuniga, Goldwater, “ I’ve, Comfort , Texas David Wyzynajtys, Airbnb’s, Wyzynajtys, ” Wyzynajtys, David Wyzynajtys, Austin Steele, CNN Wyzynajtys, Jay Allee, Allee, –, Vrbo, CNN Allee, Butch Matjeka, ” Matjeka, Kim van Sparrentak, Murray Cox, Cox, Shannon Schott, “ They’re, They’re, ” Schott, Jan Schakowsky, Kyung, ’ Allee, didn’t, Airbnb superhost Peter Madden, Madden, he’d, “ I’m, ” Madden, undressed, Patricia DiCarlo, Matt Lait, Logan Whiteside, Yahya Abou, Ghazala Organizations: CNN, Social, ” CNN, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, Ontario Airbnb, Police, Sheriff’s, European Union, EU, Communications, Facebook, Illinois, Democratic, Airbnb’s San, Attorney, Westbrook Police, Vrbo Locations: Texas, San Francisco, London , Ontario, Ontario, Comfort , Texas, Jay Allee Kendall, Allee’s, California, Kendall, Allee, United States, New York, York, Florida, Airbnb’s, Airbnb’s San Francisco, Chesky, Melbourne, Australia, Maine, Cumberland County

☆ Popular app banned from hosting young teens in a groundbreaking settlement
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The regulators wrote that the app billed itself as a “safe space” for teens but, in reality, preyed on them. The app, known as NGL, had been downloaded millions of times, according to the complaint. NGL deceptively hooked teens into subscribing to its premium service by sending them fake, anonymous messages and then promising to reveal the sender after they paid, said the complaint. Highlighting the groundbreaking nature of the NGL settlement, FTC Commissioner Andrew Ferguson described Tuesday’s action as a “novel” use of the agency’s legal powers. But, he argued, the public should not interpret the lawsuit to mean that it is illegal in general to market any anonymous messaging app to teens.

Persons: ”, Lina Khan, ” NGL, NGL, Joao Figueiredo, ” Figueiredo, “ I’ve, Figueiredo, Khan, Andrew Ferguson, ” Ferguson, Kristin Bride, Bride, Carson, Fairplay Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Trade Commission, Los Angeles, Attorney’s, US, Court, Central, Central District of, FTC, Meta, Epic Games, Facebook Locations: Central District, Central District of California, New York, Arkansas, Florida , Louisiana

☆ Tesla’s Share of U.S. Electric Car Market Falls Below 50%
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Jack Ewing | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla’s once-commanding share of the market for electric vehicles in the United States slipped below 50 percent in the second quarter of the year even as sales of battery-powered cars surged to a record, according to new estimates published Tuesday by a research firm. It was the first time the company’s market share fell below 50 percent in a quarter, according to Cox. The firm, a leading auto industry researcher, estimates market share based on registrations, company reports and other data. Before that car, very few electric vehicles were sold in the United States. A year earlier, electric vehicles accounted for 7.2 percent of the market, Cox said.

Persons: Tesla’s, Elon Musk, Cox, Tesla Organizations: General Motors, Ford Motor, Hyundai, Kia, Cox Automotive Locations: United States

☆ States and Creditors for Purdue Pharma Threaten Sacklers With Gush of Lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Jan Hoffman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Purdue itself is supporting a proposal by a group of its creditors to sue individual Sacklers for transferring billions of dollars out of the company and into family trusts and overseas holding companies. The motions, some filed and others in the planning stage, are part of intense maneuvering to pressure the Sacklers to settle thousands of opioid lawsuits brought years ago against them and their company. If one isn’t struck by Sept. 9, thousands of lawsuits against the company and family members, which have been on hold for nearly five years, are likely to proceed. The Supreme Court’s ruling, on June 27, effectively dissolved an agreement negotiated between the Sacklers and Purdue, the manufacturer of the prescription opioid OxyContin, and states, local and tribal governments as well as individuals and other groups. Under that plan, the Sackers had agreed to contribute $6 billion — but only on the condition that they be granted protection from all civil lawsuits involving opioid claims.

Persons: Sackler Organizations: Purdue

☆ Music Catalog Giant Hipgnosis Is Sold, and Merck Mercuriadis Exits
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Six years ago, an outspoken music executive named Merck Mercuriadis kicked off a new wave of dealmaking in the industry when his company, Hipgnosis, began buying up the song catalogs of artists like Neil Young, Shakira, Justin Bieber and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the company’s complex structure, Hipgnosis Songs Fund is an “investment trust,” which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and owns the rights to tens of thousands of songs. A separate company, Hipgnosis Song Management — which has been run by Mercuriadis — is its “investment adviser,” doing much of the dealmaking and administration work for those songs. In 2021, Blackstone invested $1 billion to take majority control over the adviser firm. The board of Hipgnosis Songs Fund voted on Monday to accept Blackstone’s offer of $1.6 billion for the company’s assets, the company announced early Tuesday.

Persons: Merck Mercuriadis, Neil Young, Shakira, Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, Elton John, Mercuriadis —, ”, Blackstone Organizations: London Stock Exchange

☆ Boeing Agrees to Plead Guilty to Felony in Deal With Justice Department
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Eileen Sullivan | Danielle Kaye | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Boeing agreed on Sunday to plead guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to defraud the federal government over two fatal crashes of the 737 Max in 2018 and 2019, according to a late-night court filing. The company will be put on probation, supervised by the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas, for three years. As part of the probation, the Justice Department will appoint an independent compliance monitor who will make sure that safety measures are in place and followed, submitting annual reports to the government. The decision by Boeing to plead guilty is significant because the company has not been convicted of a federal felony in decades. In the filing, the department described the charge of conspiring to defraud the federal government as “the most serious readily provable offense.”

Persons: Max, —, ” Organizations: Boeing, Federal, Court, Northern, Northern District of, Justice Locations: Northern District, Northern District of Texas

☆ ‘We don’t want to leave people behind’: AI is helping disabled people in surprising new ways
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But advancements in AI technology are already beginning to remove the need for volunteer helpers on the other end. Applications for blind users are just one area where AI is helping to advance what’s known as “assistive technology,” tools designed to help people who are disabled or elderly. New generative AI tools are especially promising for accessibility applications because they’re designed to understand and produce information in various formats, including text, audio, photos and videos. The effort, called the Speech Accessibility Project, involves collecting recordings from volunteers with conditions such as Parkinsons, Down Syndrome, ALS and other disabilities that can affect speech. “We don’t want to leave people behind … technology in general has the ability to level the playing field,” Andersson said.

Persons: Matthew Sherwood, Sherwood, Chris, OpenAI, ” Sherwood, Eve Andersson, Google’s, ” Andersson, ”, Clarion Mendes, ” Mendes Organizations: New, New York CNN, Google, Apple, Tech, CNN, Big Tech, Microsoft, University of Illinois, Clarion Locations: New York, University of Illinois Urbana, Champaign

☆ LinkedIn billionaire bankrolls voting firm Smartmatic as it fights Fox News in 2020 election defamation case
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Matt Egan | Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is providing significant financial firepower to Smartmatic as the voting technology company fights Fox News and Newsmax over the right-wing networks’ repeated airing of 2020 election lies. A person with knowledge of the matter wouldn’t say exactly how much money Hoffman poured into Smartmatic but told CNN the eight-figure investment surpassed $10 million. Smartmatic is seeking billions of dollars in damages from Fox News, Newsmax and other right-wing figures that falsely accused the company of rigging the 2020 election. The voting technology company’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News is still in the fact-finding “discovery” phase and isn’t expected to go to trial until 2025. Smartmatic is also suing Trump 2020 campaign lawyer Sidney Powell and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell – two of the most egregious peddlers of election disinformation.

Persons: Reid Hoffman, Hoffman, “ Smartmatic, ” Hoffman, “, Donald Trump, Smartmatic, Antonio Mugica, Mugica, Hoffman “, “ doesn’t, Trump, Joe Biden, ” Mugica, Biden, ”, Sidney Powell, Mike Lindell –, Powell, ” Lindell, Christopher Kachouroff Organizations: New, New York CNN, LinkedIn, Fox, Democratic, The Washington Post, CNN, Trump, Republican, Fox News, Fox Corporation, Delaware Superior Court, America News, Fox News Media, Justice Department Locations: New York, Smartmatic, Delaware Superior, Philippines, Fox, Dominion

☆ Beryl leaves millions of Texans without power as dangerous heat descends on the region
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Elizabeth Wolfe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Restoring power to millions of Texans slammed by the deadly and destructive storm Beryl could take days or even weeks, posing a dangerous scenario for residents who will not have air conditioning as sweltering heat settles over the state. Beryl slammed into southern Texas as a Category 1 hurricane Monday, knocking out power to more than 2.5 million homes and leaving at least 8 people dead in Texas and Louisiana. As it hurtles northeastward, it is bringing flooding and the threat of tornadoes across eastern Texas, western Louisiana and Arkansas. “The lack of proper cooling combined with many people outdoors cleaning up after Beryl could produce dangerous heat conditions,” the National Weather Service in Houston said. Despite weakening, Beryl will still produce flooding and tornadoes in the US as it moves inland through mid-week.

Persons: Beryl, Thomas Gleeson, Houston Mayor John Whitmire, CenterPoint, “ We’re, We’ll, ”, Flood Organizations: CNN, Texans, National Weather Service, Public, Commission, Texas, CenterPoint, Houston Mayor, US, Atlantic Locations: Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Houston, Galveston, Caribbean, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Canada

☆ Paramount media empire agrees to merge with Skydance, ending Redstone control
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Jon Passantino | Liam Reilly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Paramount Global—the sprawling media empire behind CBS, MTV, and one of Hollywood’s most storied movie studios—has agreed to merge with technology scion David Ellison’s Skydance Media, ending years of speculation over the company’s fate. The complicated transaction will see Skydance first buy National Amusements, then merge with Paramount, valuing Skydance at $4.75 billion. The combined company will be helmed by Ellison as chief executive and former NBCUniversal chief Jeff Shell as president. The deal caps a tumultuous and protracted saga that began in December, with the two companies entering into exclusive negotiations in April, resulting in the ouster of longtime Paramount chief executive Bob Bakish. In the meantime, the company has been run by a triumvirate of leaders: Brian Robbins, chief executive of Paramount Pictures; Chris McCarthy, chief executive of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios; and George Cheeks, chief executive of CBS.

Persons: —, David Ellison’s Skydance, Ellison, Shari Redstone’s, Sumner Redstone, Jeff Shell, Bob Bakish, Brian Robbins, Chris McCarthy, George Cheeks, Robbins, “, ” Robbins, David Ellison, Larry Ellison, ” Redstone, Paramount’s Organizations: CNN, Paramount, CBS, MTV, David Ellison’s Skydance Media, Amusements, National, Paramount Pictures, Showtime, MTV Entertainment Studios, Comedy Central, Netflix, BET, Sony Pictures, Apollo Global Management, Sony, Apollo, Redstone, Skydance Media

Boeing’s announcement on Sunday that it had agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal charge as part of a deal with the Justice Department was the culmination of a yearslong crisis involving the company’s 737 Max plane. The agreement may help Boeing put to rest a federal case stemming from two fatal crashes of the 737 Max in 2018 and 2019. Here’s what else to know about Boeing’s deal with federal prosecutors and other challenges the company is dealing with. Boeing and the Justice Department first reached an agreement in 2021 about the two crashes that allowed the company to avoid criminal charges. But federal prosecutors this year said that the company had violated the terms of that agreement and came up with a new one, which was agreed to in principle on Sunday.

Persons: Max Organizations: Justice Department, Boeing

☆ John Deere to lay off roughly 600 employees from three US factories
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-07 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —John Deere announced it will lay off about 600 employees across three US factories as the Illinois-based company shifts production to a newly planned facility in Ramos, Mexico. In total, the three factories have roughly 4,175 production and maintenance employees. The Illinois factory primarily produces harvesting equipment such as combines, while the two Iowa factories manufacture construction and forestry equipment. “We do expect incremental demand decline in the back half of 2024,” Josh Beal, the company’s director of investor relations, said in the May earnings call. At the same time, manufacturing jobs across the country have plateaued at 13 million employees after recovering from a sharp pandemic-related downswing in 2020, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Persons: John Deere, Deere, “, Josh Beal Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, Illinois, Ramos, Mexico, Iowa, Dubuque, Davenport, East Moline , Illinois, United States, South America, Europe, North America

☆ CP Group's renewable energy usage to grow up to 80%, says CEO
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-06 | 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 EmailCP Group's renewable energy usage to grow up to 80%, says CEOCharoen Pokphand Group’s CEO, Suphachai Chearavanont, shares with CNBC's Christine Tan about the company’s climate action goals and why he expects the group’s renewable energy usage to rise.

Persons: Charoen Pokphand, Suphachai, CNBC's Christine Tan

☆ Gen Z wants flavorful drinks. Here’s how Big Beer is trying to attract them
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

That’s a problem for Big Beer, which is dealing with flat sales, declining volume and a fickle generation of younger drinkers who are completely ditching the bottle or preferring anything but a regular beer. It’s a non-carbonated drink because “bloating that may come from carbonation is considered a top barrier” for younger drinkers and the trend of “decarbonizing” drinks is blowing up on the app. Last year, it acquired Blue Run Spirits, a cult favorite high-end bourbon and rye whiskey brand, in light of US spirit sales surpassing beer sales. Its aptly titled “Beyond Beer” category is currently a $1.5 billion part of its global business and is helping attract younger, legally aged drinkers. Despite younger drinkers’ hesitance with buying beer and flat sales, Big Beer companies aren’t facing an existential threat.

Persons: youngs, Gen, NIQ’s Kaleigh Theriault, “, ” Theriault, Gallo, Mark Anthony Brands, Miller, flavorful, TikTok Constellation, Corona, ”, Saúl Trejo, TikTok, Molson Coors, Molson, ” NIQ’s Theriault, Bud Light, seltzer, Jason Lowrie, it’s, Bud, Bud Light Seltzer, Dylan, ’, “ Young, ” Bryan Roth Organizations: New, New York CNN — Beer, CNN, Beverages, Big Beer, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Modelo, Constellation Brands, Anheuser, Busch InBev, TikTok, Corona, Corona Refresca, Molson Coors, Molson, “ Suppliers, Busch, Feel Goods Company Locations: New York, Corona, carbonation

Hong Kong CNN —There are a lot of princesses at Hong Kong Disneyland, but not the ones you think. Hair carefully coiffed, and in full makeup Liang Xiaoyu, 18, is dressed for a day out at Hong Kong Disneyland. Noemi Cassanelli/CNNAnd at Hong Kong Disneyland, Disney characters aren’t the sole fashion inspiration for dedicated fans. Li Mengru, 27, poses for a picture during an interview with CNN, at the entrance of Hong Kong Disneyland on June 7, 2024. Yang Yushen, who also goes by Kris, and his partner Jimmy Redinger like the romantic side of Hong Kong Disneyland.

Persons: “ Duffy, ”, Liang Xiaoyu, Noemi Cassanelli, CNN Liang, Mary Janes, Duffy, Qin Wuxiao, Jessie, it’s, Charmy Chan, Yanni Chung, Judy, Nick Wilde, “, Chan, CNN Oscar Yim, Captain America, Marvel, CNN Jing Hongche, Li Sitan, CNN Charmy Chan, Chung, Li Mengru, Chen Xinyu, Li, Chen, Linda Lee, CNN Li, Cassanelli, Yang Yushen, Kris, Jimmy Redinger, Ankh Wong, Kris Yang, Yang, Zootopia, Hercules ”, Redinger, Disney, Mariko Otomo, Nozomi Yasuda, Yuka Izawa, CNN Otomo, China’s “ meng ”, Mariko Otomo kitted, Deng Chundan, CNN Deng Chundan, Le, Godiva, Chow Tai, Gen, ” Shen Jing, CNN Linda Lee, CNN Chen Xinyu, CNN Lee, CNN Chen, lacy Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Disney, CNN, Hong Kong Baptist University, USA, Captain, Hong Kong Disneyland, Marvel, “, Hong, Hong Kong Tourism, Hong Kong Locations: Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Hong, China’s Fujian, Guangdong, Japan, Arendelle, Tomorrowland, Tsim Sha Tsui, China, Southeast Asia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Grizzly Gulch, United States, Chinese, Hebei, Asia, Hangzhou

☆ A Hacker Stole OpenAI Secrets, Raising Fears That China Could, Too
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Cade Metz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Early last year, a hacker gained access to the internal messaging systems of OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and stole details about the design of the company’s A.I. OpenAI executives revealed the incident to employees during an all-hands meeting at the company’s San Francisco offices in April 2023, according to the two people, who discussed sensitive information about the company on the condition of anonymity. But the executives decided not to share the news publicly because no information about customers or partners had been stolen, the two people said. The executives did not consider the incident a threat to national security because they believed the hacker was a private individual with no known ties to a foreign government. The company did not inform the F.B.I.

Organizations: San Locations: San Francisco

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