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☆ Everyone's freaking out about SVB because everyone else is freaking out about SVB
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But the real star — or perhaps supernova — of Thursday was SVB Financial, which saw shares drop as much as 62%. As you can imagine, the past year has not been kind to SVB. SVB had to sell a $21 billion bond portfolio for a $1.8 billion loss (thanks a lot, interest rates!). It wasn't long before reports started rolling in about VCs instructing their founders to get their money out. Here's more on the tech founders trying to calm everyone down amid the chaos.

☆ Staying in British castles may be easier — and cheaper — than you think
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Lucy Handley | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Storied Collection is a travel website that lists heritage hotels and homes — including private castles — so vacationers who love history can easily find accommodations that suit them. The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa is located inside the Royal Crescent, a row of terraced houses built between 1767 and 1775. Hauge and Goldin, with the help of former CEO of Best Western UK Rob Paterson, launched Storied Collection in 2022. Surnames of previous owners include Cooper, Bingham and Synge, according to Storied Collection. The drawing room of the Sir Percy Blakeney Suite at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa in Bath, England.

☆ 36 Hours in Nashville
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Colleen Creamer | Colleen Creamer Is A Regular Contributor To The Travel Section Who Lives In Nashville. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

3 p.m. Take the stage at the “mother church of country music”You may already know the Ryman Auditorium , the former home of the weekly Grand Ole Opry showcase. For $35, the Ryman’s self-guided tour lets you explore this history and more by ambling through exhibits on two levels. (Displays include Johnny Cash’s surprising pre-“Man in Black” white suit.) The tour starts with an immersive video and ends with a photo opportunity to mug with a microphone onstage, which makes for very interesting people-watching. More short films of the Ryman’s history are narrated by country stars like Emmylou Harris, Marty Stuart and Ricky Skaggs.

☆ You Can’t Fire Them, They Quit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Justin Lahart | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

There are still far more job openings than there were before the pandemic. Johnny Paycheck didn’t have the guts to say “Take this job and shove it.” You can’t say the same thing for a lot of U.S. workers. The Labor Department on Wednesday reported that the number of unfilled jobs in the U.S. at the end of January slipped to seasonally adjusted 10.82 million from December’s 11.23 million, and that the number of layoffs and discharges during January picked up to 1.72 million from 1.48 million a month earlier.

Resurgent inflation is devouring the income of Venezuelans - even the relatively privileged ones like Mendoza who have access to U.S. dollars. That is leaving them hungry and struggling to buy food and medicine, they told Reuters. "Neither dollars or bolivars are enough. Many Venezuelans were left to scour through garbage to find food, and millions fled the country to build new lives across South America and beyond. "Whether you pay in bolivars or dollars it is not enough," Lochunga said, sitting in front of his stall.

The sketch series is the sequel to Mel Brooks' classic movie, "History of the World, Part I." The first two episodes of "History of the World, Part II" debuted March 6 on Hulu. How to watch 'History of the World, Part II'"History of the World, Part II" is now available to watch exclusively on Hulu. Can I watch 'History of the World, Part II' for free? Where can I watch 'History of the World, Part I'?

☆ NBA Player Richaun Holmes Sues Sacramento Bee Parent for Defamation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Alexandra Bruell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Richaun Holmes of the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento Kings forward Richaun Holmes sued the Sacramento Bee’s parent company, McClatchy Co., and Bee opinion writer Robin Epley for defamation over articles that included Mr. Holmes’s ex-wife’s allegations of domestic and child abuse. The National Basketball Association player has retained Camille Vasquez, lawyer to actor Johnny Depp and other celebrities, in his fight against McClatchy and other defendants, including Allexis Holmes, whom he divorced in 2019.

☆ We asked CPAC attendees what they think 'woke' means. Their answers were all over the place.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The word "woke" has quickly shot to the forefront of Republican politics in recent years. We asked CPAC attendees what they thought the word means. The word "woke" originally emerged from African American vernacular English, signifying a general awareness of systems of injustice. For Francis, who said he homeschools his own children, the word "woke" invokes the idea of a system of education that's stoking divisions between groups. "Political correctness" appeared to be the most popular short-hand among attendees.

☆ Artists and labels are sliding songs into augmented-reality filters on TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram to promote music
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AR effects are on the rise on Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, appearing across billions of videos. Artists, labels, and music marketers are finding new ways to promote tracks via these AR filters. "If you do come up with a cool AR filter, it's easier for the regular user to create a TikTok with than to create a dance." "Artists will hire AR creators to make effects for specific pieces of music," Chris Barbour, Meta's AR partnerships director, told Insider. As with any trend on social media, originality is important for helping an AR effect spread, Yoder said.

☆ Exclusive: Buzzy generative AI-powered search engine Perplexity AI taps NEA to lead funding round at a $150 million valuation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | Ben Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AI search engine startup Perplexity AI is raising a funding round led by NEA, Insider has learned. The deal aims to raise between $20 and $25 million at a $150 million post-money valuation, according to sources. The fundraise continues the trend of large rounds and valuations in the buzzy generative AI space. AI search engine startup Perplexity AI is in talks to raise a funding round led by NEA, according to three people with knowledge of the financing who were not authorized to speak publicly. Perplexity AI cofounder and CEO Aravind Srinivas declined to comment.

☆ NHL roundup: Bruins edge Kraken on Jake DeBrusk's late tip-in
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Brandon Carlo scored the first of the Bruins' two third-period goals, while McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm had two assists apiece. The winning goal was DeBrusk's third goal in three games since returning from injuries. Minnesota killed off its 22nd straight penalty in the win and has not given up a power-play goal in nine straight games. Oilers 7, Penguins 2Connor McDavid had two goals and two assists as Edmonton scored seven straight goals to defeat host Pittsburgh. Vincent Trocheck scored the only goal for the Rangers, who have lost three straight following a seven-game winning streak.

BRUSSELS, Feb 23 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday the alliance had seen signs China was considering supplying arms to Russia and warned Beijing against taking any such step. The announcement came days after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China of consequences if it provided material support to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "We haven't seen any supplies of lethal aid from China to Russia, but we have seen signs that they are considering and may be planning for that," Stoltenberg told Reuters in an interview. There was no immediate comment from China, but its Foreign Ministry said earlier on Thursday any potential intelligence on arms transfer by China to Russia that the United States plans to release was just speculation. Stoltenberg said China was a member of the U.N. Security Council and that Russia's war against Ukraine violated the U.N. Charter.

[1/2] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attends a news conference on the day of NATO defence ministers' meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 15, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna GeronBRUSSELS, Feb 23 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday he saw progress in stalled talks with Turkey on Sweden's membership bid and aimed to have both Sweden and Finland join the alliance by the time of its July summit. Ankara accuses Stockholm of harbouring what Turkey considers members of terrorist groups, and has demanded their extradition as a step towards giving Sweden's NATO membership its green light. "So it's inconceivable that Finland or Sweden will face any military threats from Russia without NATO reacting." He has repeatedly cited the post-Soviet enlargement of the NATO alliance eastwards toward his borders as a reason for what he called Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine.

☆ Reasons Plane Travel, Airline Customer Service, Airports Are so Terrible
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Bartie Scott | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

It's almost impossible to imagine a time when air travel was pleasant, much less enjoyable. Lost baggage, overbooked flights, outdated equipment, hidden fees, and disorganized staffing have fliers at their wits' end; consumer complaints about airline service have risen by 300% from pre-pandemic levels. Many of these measures had been put in place to improve safety following some rattling accidents in the early days of commercial air travel. So in 1978, at the urging of the economist and "inflation czar" Alfred Kahn, President Jimmy Carter enacted the Airline Deregulation Act. He added that "airline service, by any standard, has become unacceptable."

☆ NHL Roundup: Canes rout Caps in Stadium Series
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Josh Brown and Travis Boyd each had a goal and an assist, and Christian Fischer also scored. Arizona has earned points in eight straight games (4-0-4) for the first time in 11 years. Corey Perry and Vladislav Namestnikov each had a goal and an assist, and Steven Stamkos and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare also scored goals for Tampa Bay. Columbus' Mathieu Olivier collected a goal and two assists, Eric Robinson had one of each and Liam Foudy scored his first career NHL regular-season goal. Joonas Korpisalo turned aside 28 shots for the Blue Jackets, while forward Johnny Gaudreau sat out because of a lower-body injury, ending his streak of playing in 349 straight games.

BRUSSELS, Feb 14 (Reuters) - In dating, they say there are plenty more fish in the sea. For 1,363 speed daters meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, the bigger the sea, the better the chances of catching something. Organiser Dare to Date billed the Valentine's Day event as the world's biggest ever speed date, saying it smashed the previous record of 964 participants set in Dublin, Ireland, in 2019. "Speed dating is really cool because there are so many different people and they're maybe people we wouldn't have said 'yes' to on Tinder." Dare to Date event manager Jill de Graaf said it was time to reclaim Valentine's Day for singles.

☆ Ukrainian defence minister Reznikov says Zelenskiy asked him to stay in post
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, whose political future has been the subject of intense speculation, said on Wednesday President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had asked him to remain in his current post. Asked in a Reuters interview whether he expected to continue as defence minister in the months to come, he replied: "Yes, it was the decision of my president." A lawyer who became defence minister only a few months before Russia launched its invasion, he has been under pressure due to a corruption scandal linked to his ministry. Reznikov said Zelenskiy had asked him to remain as defence minister but also discussed a future role leading a legal battle to ensure Russian war crimes are punished. Reznikov said he hoped that role would come after the end of the war.

☆ From Beyoncé to Taylor Swift: 7 women who made history at the 2023 Grammys
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and more female artists broke records and saw historic wins across several categories at the 2023 Grammy Awards. The winners were announced on Sunday during two different ceremonies in Los Angeles, honoring the best music of the year across a wide range of genres. Here are seven women who made history with their wins at the 2023 Grammys:BeyoncéRobert Gauthier | Los Angeles Times | Getty ImagesBeyoncé is now the winningest artist in Grammys history thanks to a quartet of awards for her album "Renaissance." Viola DavisTimothy Norris | Filmmagic | Getty ImagesThe 57-year-old actress earned EGOT status at the 2023 Grammy Awards, making her the third Black woman in history to achieve the rare and coveted honor. Germaine FrancoJay L. Clendenin | Los Angeles Times | Getty ImagesGermaine Franco won best score soundtrack for visual media for composing the Disney animated film "Encanto."

☆ Walter Mosley Thinks America Is Getting Dumber
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( David Marchese | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

Mamadi Doumbouya for The New York Times Talk Walter Mosley Thinks America Is Getting DumberWalter Mosley is best known as one of contemporary literature’s pre-eminent crime novelists, but he’s actually four or five different writers rolled into one. You have to tell stories about real people experiencing it and not real people with a Ph.D. People who are not stupid but ignorant, who don’t know things about the world. There are people who don’t know how to spell, they don’t know how to think. You have these people coming out into the world, and they don’t know what to do. That’s going to happen.

HONG KONG, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Sixteen Hong Kong pro-democracy figures face trial on Monday, more than two years after their arrest, in what some observers say is a landmark case for the city's judicial independence under a national security law imposed by Beijing. Thirteen of those arrested were granted bail in 2021, while the other 34 - including 10 who pleaded not guilty - have been in pre-trial custody on national security grounds. Western governments have criticised the 2020 national security law as a tool to crush dissent in the former British colony. The 31 who pleaded guilty, including former law professor Benny Tai and activist Joshua Wong, will be sentenced after the trial. The case will be heard by three High Court judges designated under the national security law: Andrew Chan, Alex Lee and Johnny Chan.

☆ Central banks appear close to 'end of the hiking cycle, says Goldman Sachs' Johnny Fine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | 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 EmailCentral banks appear close to 'end of the hiking cycle, says Goldman Sachs' Johnny FineGoldman Sachs' Johnny Fine joins 'Closing Bell' to discuss dramatic flow changes in the bond market, the Fed action spurring bond investments, and bond market expecting lower growth throughout the year.

Internet celebrity Andrew Tate had offered her a new life. British-American Andrew Tate, 36, who's been based mainly in Romania since 2017, and his 34-year-old brother have denied all the allegations against them. Spokesperson Sue Beeby told Reuters that Andrew Tate "has never had" a creator account or received payments. In a separate YouTube video aimed at men who want to make money by putting women on OnlyFans, Tate called the platform "the greatest hustle in the world". The pair threatened to beat the women up if they did not do their job, according to the court document.

☆ George Michael, Willie Nelson among Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/FilesFeb 1 (Reuters) - Late pop singer George Michael, 89-year-old country music icon Willie Nelson and rapper Missy Elliott are among the first-time nominees announced on Wednesday for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2023. Of the 14 nominees on this year's list, eight are first-timers, including singers Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper and the late singer/songwriter Warren Zevon, alongside rock band Joy Division/New Order and rock duo The White Stripes. Singer Kate Bush, heavy metal band Iron Maiden, rock band Rage Against the Machine, rock group Soundgarden, R&B vocal group The Spinners and hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest are returning nominees. “These artists have created their own sounds that have impacted generations and influenced countless others that have followed in their footsteps,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. She did promise to earn the honor and has announced a forthcoming record with covers of rock classics entitled "Rock Star."

☆ NHL roundup: Hurricanes storm back, edge Kings in OT
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] FJan 31, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (20) skates with the puck past Los Angeles Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson (44) during the first period at PNC Arena. The Hurricanes earned their sixth straight win while extending their point streak to nine games (8-0-1). The Kings appeared to take control in the second period; instead they wrapped up January with a 7-5-1 record. Anze Kopitar added a goal and two assists, Kevin Fiala also scored and Drew Doughty logged two assists. Johnny Gaudreau scored his 14th goal of the season for the Blue Jackets, who have lost four of their past five.

REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez ViloriaCARACAS, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group said on Saturday they will resume peace talks in Mexico next month, overcoming a recent impasse after the government recently declared and then called off a bilateral ceasefire. There was a first cycle of talks last year in Caracas to end the guerrillas' part in nearly six decades of war. The about-face on the ceasefire came after ELN said it had not agreed to it. "In said cycle, the issue of society's participation in peace building will be addressed. Colombia and the ELN said they would jointly examine progress in implementing agreements reached during the first cycle of talks and agreed to keep communication channels open even when not at the negotiating table.

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