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☆ Why US Treasury Secretary Yellen’s visit to a Beijing restaurant set off a wild mushroom craze
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Maggie Wong | Maggie Hiufu Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Among the dishes the food blogger claimed to have spotted were grilled fish with herbs, stir-fried pickled Yunnan wild greens with potato slices and cold rice noodles. She ordered four portions of jian shou qing (a Yunnan wild mushroom species). But the most heated discussions were focused on the multiple orders of the mushroom dish – jian shou qing. Jian shou qing, Yunnan’s mysterious mushroomsBaskets of jian shou qing mushrooms, foraged from a Yunnan forest. Chieu Luu/CNNThe fact that Yellen and her team visited a Yunnan restaurant shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — It’s, Janet Yellen, jian shou qing, Yi Zuo Yi Wang, ”, Pan Pan Mao, ” Pan Pan Mao, Yellen, Mark Schiefelbein, Yellen’s, Jian shou qing, Colin Domnauer Jian shou qing, “, Peter Mortimer, Mortimer, Jun Xu, they’re, Luu, Dian Cai –, Ng Mung Lam, Ng, Yellen's, Leisa Tyler, LightRocket Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Weibo, CNN, Kunming Institute of Botany, African, Getty, Botanical Society of, Xinhua, CNN Travel Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, Yunnan, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Weibo, India, Yunnan Province, Botanical Society of Yunnan, China’s, Shenzhen, Chuxiong prefecture, pu’er

☆ The dollar won't be threatened by a multipolar geopolitical order, think tank expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Geopolitics won't diminish the dominance of the US dollar, the Atlantic Council's Carla Norrlöf wrote. Though sanctions have discouraged dollar reserves, they also may prompt them to grow. Meanwhile, talk of a rising multi-polar world order are confusing and imprecise. But, what often gets overlooked is that the conditions that prompted these sanctions can also induce a diversification into dollars, Norrlöf wrote. Even if these efforts were enough to crash the dollar's unipolar hold on trade, Norrlöf further points out that there is very little consensus on what would actually follow.

Persons: Carla Norrlöf, Norrlöf's, —, Norrlöf Organizations: Service, Atlantic Council, Project Syndicate Locations: Wall, Silicon, Russia, China, Ukraine

☆ Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Which is right for you?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Ariana Arghandewal | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Here’s a look at the Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred. Capital One Venture vs. Chase Sapphire PreferredFirst, let’s take a look at all the key details of these two cards side-by-side:Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Welcome bonus 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on the card in the first three months. The Capital One Venture and the Chase Sapphire Preferred are two popular rewards credit cards that offer a variety of benefits to cardholders. Getty ImagesThe Chase Sapphire Preferred has better travel and purchase protections than the Capital One Venture. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Extended warranty Yes.

Persons: Chase, We’ll, you’re, Chase doesn’t, United MileagePlus, Wyndham Organizations: CNN, American Express, Chase, Capital, One Venture, Venture, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire, Rewards, Hertz, Sapphire, TSA Precheck, Preferred, Rapid, Hyatt, Sapphire Preferred, Air France, KLM, Blue, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Emirates Skywards, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines Miles, Aeromexico Club Premier Air Canada Aeroplan Air France, British Airways Executive Club Cathay, Asia Miles Emirates, Etihad, Finnair, Qantas Frequent Flyer Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer TAP Air Portugal Turkish Airlines Miles, Smiles, Airlines Aer Lingus AerClub Air Canada Aeroplan Air France, KLM Flying Blue British Airways Executive Club Emirates, JetBlue, United, Virgin Atlantic Flying, Travel, Auto, Chase Capital Locations: Air, Hawaii, United, Iberia

Farmers Insurance will stop offering insurance in Florida. Compare homeowners insurance quotes with Policygenius »Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. News 6 Orlando reported that this change will affect about 100,000 Farmers-branded home, umbrella, and auto insurance policies. However, the bulk of insurance policies offered by Farmers in Florida are under other brands, like BristolWest and Foremost Signature. "Affected customers will receive notifications detailing when their coverage will end and will be advised of options for replacement coverage," Farmers told News 6 in a statement.

Persons: Policygenius, it's Organizations: . Farmers Insurance, Farmers, Service, Farmers Insurance, Orlando, Farm, Allstate Locations: Florida, Wall, Silicon, California

☆ Farmers Insurance pulls out of Florida, affecting 100,000 policyholders
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Farmers Insurance will stop offering its policies in Florida, including home, auto and umbrella policies, in a change that will force thousands of people to change their insurance provider. Farmers serves 100,000 customers in Florida but said there will be no impact to customers who use Farmers’ owned subsidiaries like Foremost Signature and Bristol West. “Such policies will continue to be available to serve the insurance needs of Floridians,” Farmers Insurance spokesperson Trevor Chapman said in a statement. Florida requires affected policyholders to receive a 120-day notice that their policies aren’t being renewed. Earlier this week, Farmers limited new homeowners insurance policies in California because of high costs and wildfire risks.

Persons: Trevor Chapman, don’t, aren’t, ” Mark Friedlander, ” Friedlander, hasn’t, ”, Friedlander, It’s, Hurricane Ian, Harvey Organizations: New, New York CNN — Farmers Insurance, Farmers, Bristol West, ” Farmers Insurance, ”, Insurance Information Institute, CNN, Insurance, Institute, Atlantic, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Farm, Allstate Locations: New York, Florida, California

Tom Schroeder, the whistleblower accusing Medtronic of a kickback scheme, left, is interviewed by Morgan Brennan, in Kansas City, Missouri. Schroeder said rumors circulated that Medtronic sales representatives were bribing VA staff to purchase an excessive amount of the company's inventory. The veterans hospital purchased more devices than some of the largest veterans medical facilities, according to data the VA's investigation gathered. Medtronic also said that Schroeder has "admitted under oath that he has no firsthand knowledge of any problematic procedure involving Medtronic devices." Douglas Winger, one of the Medtronic sales representatives named as a defendant in Schroeder's lawsuit, won a Medtronic President's Club award in 2016 for his sales.

Persons: Tom Schroeder, Schroeder, Becton Dickinson, Medtronic, Morgan Brennan, Schroder, Boua Xiong, Robert J, texted, Rick Ament, Ament, filet mignon, …, I'm, Brendan Donelon, Donelon, CNBC Donelon, Xiong, Douglas Winger, Winger, Kim Hodgson, Hodgson, Dole, ProPublica, John Laird Organizations: Inc, CNBC, Dole Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dole VA, Department of Veterans Affairs, United, VA's, Department of Justice, Covidien, Dole, Medtronic, Society for Vascular, Drug Administration, FDA Locations: Kansas, United States, Kansas City , Missouri, Dublin, Ireland, Medtronic's, Wichita ., Dole, Covidien, Medtronic, Dole VA

☆ Analysis: Biden got almost everything he wanted from the NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —President Joe Biden got almost everything he wanted from the NATO summit. President Joe Biden speaks at Vilnius University in Vilnius, Lithuania, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, after attending the NATO Summit. On Wednesday for instance, Russia marked the NATO summit by launching airstrikes against Kyiv region. US President Joe Biden (R) attends a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 12, 2023. That President Biden and NATO didn’t invite Ukraine to NATO because he’s afraid of Russia?” Kaleniuk asked.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, craves, “ It’s, ” Biden, Zelensky, Biden, “, ” Zelensky, Russia –, Putin, NATO’s, craven, Susan Walsh, –, Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Vladimir Putin, Jeff Flake, Fumio Kishida, barnstormed, ANDREW CABALLERO, REYNOLDS, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Jake Sullivan, Daria Kaleniuk, ” Kaleniuk, Sullivan, Dmitry Peskov, Ukraine –, William Burns, he’d, ” Organizations: CNN, NATO, Poignantly, Russia, Congress, Nordic, Biden, Vilnius University, Ukraine, Capitol, Republican, Japanese, GOP, ” Ukraine, AFP, Getty, “, NATO didn’t, Kremlin, CIA Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Soviet, Europe, Sweden, Finland, Kyiv, Lithuania, Vilnius, Western, Crimea, US, Ankara, Turkey, AFP, Ukrainian, NATO, Moscow, Russian

VILNIUS, July 12 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets NATO leaders on Wednesday after they declared his country's future lay inside the alliance but rebuffed his call for a timeline to membership. Zelenskiy will join the NATO leaders on the second day of their summit in Vilnius for an inaugural session of the NATO-Ukraine Council, a body established to upgrade relations between Kyiv and the 31-member transatlantic military alliance. At a rally in Vilnius on Tuesday, Zelenskiy expressed disappointment that NATO had not offered a timeline to membership - a prospect he had earlier branded "absurd". Its leaders on Tuesday reiterated a 2008 declaration that Ukraine would join NATO but also made clear this would not happen automatically after the war ends. Although it did not get what it wanted on membership at the summit, Ukraine has received new pledges of arms from NATO members.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron, Andrius Sytas, Steve Holland, Anna Pruchnicka, Olena Harmash, Lewis Macdonald, Ronald Popeski, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: NATO, U.S, Twitter, Patriot, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Vilnius, Ukraine, Kyiv, United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Europe, Russian, Paris

[1/7] Top ranking official attendees of the NATO summit pose for a family picture in Bucharest April 3, 2008. And officials often cite the Bucharest declaration as a reference point. The parallels with the 2008 summit, held in the colossal Parliament Palace commissioned by Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, have struck many NATO-watchers. But others argue that promising Ukraine NATO membership after the war could encourage Putin to keep the conflict going. They say the Bucharest declaration in fact prompted Putin to test Western Ukrainian militarily in both Ukraine and Georgia.

Persons: Francois Lenoir, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Dmytro Kuleba, Nicolae Ceausescu, Orysia, Zelenskiy, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Timothy Sayle, Andrew Gray, Kevin Liffey Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Chatham House, Russia, Ukraine NATO, University of Toronto, Thomson Locations: Bucharest, VILNIUS, Vilnius, Ukraine, Georgia, U.S, United States, France, Germany, Russia, Moscow, Soviet Union, NATO, Romanian, Russian, Eastern, Ossetia, Tbilisi, Crimea, Ukraine's

☆ These funds offer yields exceeding 4% and they’re on discount. Here’s why it might be time to buy them
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But whether it's time to back up the truck and stock up on cheap dividend payers will depend on a range of factors, including risk appetite and style. Notable constituents include Altria Group, which has an 8.3% dividend yield, and Verizon , which touts a yield exceeding 7%. This would include the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) , which has a total return of about -1.6% this year, and the WisdomTree U.S. Total Dividend ETF (DTD) , with a total return of 2.5%. VIG, for instance, has a total return of 6% this year, but offers a 30-day SEC yield of 1.82%. Whether it's time to snap up these dividend payers will also depend on your risk appetite and your timeline.

Persons: Johnson, Ryan Jackson, Jackson, VIG, Jordan Benold, Benold Organizations: Exxon Mobil, Johnson, Morningstar, SEC, Altria, Verizon, Vanguard, Microsoft, Apple, Dow Locations: U.S

While NATO members agree Kyiv cannot join during the war, they have disagreed over how quickly it could happen afterwards and under what conditions. Negotiations have also focused on what conditions Ukraine would have to meet to join NATO and how its progress should be tracked, diplomats say. "I am absolutely certain that we will have unity and a strong message on Ukraine," Stoltenberg told reporters. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year prompted Nordic neighbours Finland and Sweden to abandon decades of military non-alignment and apply to join NATO. Sweden, backed by Stoltenberg and many NATO members, said it had kept all its undertakings to Turkey on the issue.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, General Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Maria Zakharova, Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Erdogan, Kristersson, Ronald Popeski, Lidia Kelly, Stephen Coates Organizations: NATO, Diplomats, Alliance, Twitter, Russian Foreign, Nordic, Kurdistan Workers Party, EU, European Union, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Vilnius, Sweden, Lithuanian, Ukraine, Moscow, Eastern Europe, Russia, United States, Germany, NATO, Finland, Turkey, Ankara, Swedish

☆ Analysis: Why Ukraine's plea for NATO membership is such a profound dilemma for the West
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The president said that the alliance needed to lay out a “rational path” for Ukraine’s membership but that it was still short of some requirements for joining, including over democratization. NATO membership would also boost Ukraine’s bid to cement a democracy that was vulnerable before the war and fulfill the desire of many of its people to join the West. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, and Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, last week introduced a resolution calling for a roadmap to Ukraine’s NATO membership as soon as it is practicable. “Guaranteeing Ukraine’s security would erode US security by increasingly the risk, obviously, of war with Russia,” he said. Even if Biden were to amend his position on accelerating NATO membership for Ukraine, he cannot ensure a successor would honor treaty obligations.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, ” Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, ”, –, Putin, stiffen, Lindsey Graham, Richard Blumenthal, “, We’re, Michael McCaul, Ben Friedman, ” Friedman, Donald Trump, Zelensky Organizations: CNN, NATO, Ukrainian, ABC News, Kremlin, Warsaw, South Carolina Republican, Connecticut Democrat, Ukraine, GOP Rep, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Texas Republican, Defense, American, Soviet, Russia Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Lithuania, Eastern Europe, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Baltic, Latvia, Estonia, Soviet Union, Bucharest, Sens, Connecticut, Russian, United Kingdom, “ State, Western Europe, Israel, Taiwan, United States, Eastern

I looked into getting new homeowners insurance and found I could save around $900 a year. We have also had a $2 million umbrella insurance policy for the last few years, which complicates matters even more. But in recent years, we've sold our two rental properties, so we're back down to the basics of homeowners insurance, auto coverage, and umbrella insurance. Note that you can also use a homeowners comparison site like The Zebra to compare several homeowners insurance quotes in one place. Comparing costs and coveragesUltimately, I found that switching homeowners insurance companies could help me save as much as $900 per year.

Persons: I'm, —, I've, we've Organizations: Service, Allstate, State, Liberty Mutual, GEICO Liberty Mutual, Central Indiana, Insurify, Progressive Locations: GEICO

☆ SEC seeks rule change that could cause fund managers to take less risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Leslie Picker | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A sweeping change sought by the Securities and Exchange Commission would take fund managers' culpability a step further than current standards if they don't effectuate a greater standard of care. The rule change involves lowering the bar for indemnification of fund managers to "ordinary negligence" from "gross negligence." "It would monumentally change the relationship between fund managers and investors," said Marc Elovitz, partner and chair of the regulatory practice at Schulte Roth & Zabel, in an interview for the Delivering Alpha Newsletter. And investment managers are going to have a hard time protecting themselves from being on the hook for those risks." However, ILPA said that, "an ordinary negligence standard as applied to breach of contract would assure meaningful progress."

Persons: Marc Elovitz, Schulte Roth, Zabel, Schulte's Elovitz, ILPA, Gary Gensler Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Securities and Exchange, Alpha, Institutional Limited Partners Association, SEC, Fund Advisers Locations: New York City

U.S. President Joe Biden, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will be among the 31 NATO leaders attending the summit in the small Baltic state. The invasion prompted Finland and Sweden to abandon decades of military non-alignment and apply to join NATO. In Vilnius, Finland will attend its first NATO summit as a member. At the summit, the NATO leaders are also expected to agree they should all spend at least 2% of national GDP on defence - an upgrade on a 2014 pledge to move towards that number. The NATO leaders will also meet with counterparts from Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand as Washington presses the alliance to play a greater role in countering China.

Persons: Joe Biden, Tayyip Erdogan, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Rishi Sunak, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, John Irish, Andrius Sytas, Huseyin Hayatsever, William Maclean Organizations: Russia VILNIUS, NATO, Patriot, U.S, British, Ukraine Council, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Soviet Union, Vilnius, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Sweden, Europe, Lithuanian, Germany, Prague, Eastern Europe, Russia, United States, Bucharest, France, Britain, TURKEY, SWEDEN, Soviet, Finland, Turkey, Stockholm, Ankara, Swedish, Greece, Cyprus, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Washington, China, Istanbul

☆ 'We are in uncharted territory': World records hottest day ever for the third time in just four days
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Unofficial data from U.S. researchers showed the planet's daily average temperature soared to 17.23 degrees Celsius (63.01 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday, surpassing two previous heat records registered in recent days. "The global temperature record smashed again yesterday," Bill McGuire, professor emeritus of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London, said via Twitter. The record was broken again on Tuesday, notching 17.18 degrees Celsius and remained at this record high level on Wednesday. climate researcher Leon Simons said via Twitter, citing the multiple heat records observed this week. A flurry of global heat records follows a series of mind-bending extreme weather events in recent months.

Persons: Yasin Demirci, El Niño, Bill McGuire, Leon Simons Organizations: Anadolu Agency, Getty, University College London, Twitter, University, Maine's Locations: Sarajevo, Bosnia, Herzegovina, U.S, Ankara, Turkiye

☆ Central bankers lay out digital currency cyber threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) - The central bankers' central bank, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), has laid out a seven-point plan designed to help countries prevent cyber hacks on the new wave of digital national currencies under development. The BIS acts as an umbrella body for the U.S. Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England and other central banks around the world and has been co-ordinating a lot of work on CBDC development. Hackers have struck a number of central banks in recent years from Denmark to Bangladesh. Specifically, it calls on central banks to:• Recognise the complexity and new threat landscape brought by CBDC systems. It also called for central banks to use the global "MITRE ATT&CK" database of past cyber attacks, and for an "official extension" of the MITRE ATT&CK framework to help central banks beef up their security measures.

Persons: MITRE, Marc Jones, Susan Fenton Organizations: Bank for International Settlements, BIS, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England, Polaris, Thomson Locations: Denmark, Bangladesh

☆ Comcast president Cavanagh shakes up NBCUniversal leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Cavanagh, who has been running NBCUniversal since April, said he would continue to lead the division as president of Comcast and not name a new CEO. In his first major action since taking the helm of the unit, Cavanagh also named Mark Lazarus as chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group while Cesar Conde will expand his role as head of the news division to oversee NBCUniversal Local and Telemundo Enterprises Group. Pearlena Igbokwe will continue to lead the four TV studios under the Universal Studio Group umbrella. Cavanagh took charge after Jeff Shell left following the acknowledgment of an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company. Before his role as president, Cavanagh had served as the finance chief.

Persons: Mike Cavanagh, Donna Langley, Cavanagh, Mark Lazarus, Cesar Conde, Pearlena Igbokwe, Jeff Shell, Akash Sriram, Tanya Jain, Dawn Chmielewski, Sriraj Organizations: NBCUniversal, Group, Reuters, Comcast, NBCUniversal Media, NBCUniversal Local, Telemundo Enterprises Group, Universal Studio Group, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, Dawn, Los Angeles

☆ Japan's firms offer biggest pay hikes in 30 years, wage growth broadens
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The final survey of 5,272 unions affiliated with Rengo showed an average pay hike of 3.58%, or 10,560 yen ($73.04) per month, the biggest increase since 3.9% seen in 1993. Among them, SMEs raised wages by 3.23%, also the fastest pace in three decades. What's important from now on is to bring real wages to positive territory," said Hisashi Yamada, economist and Hosei University professor. The pay hikes could provide some political support for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who has made wages as key part of his policy agenda, as a weak yen and higher import prices drive up living costs. Big firms' summer bonus payments are seen rising 3.9%, up for a second straight year, although gains are likely to be uneven, according to a survey by Keidanren, Japan's biggest business lobby.

Persons: Rengo, Kazuo Ueda, Hisashi Yamada, Fumio Kishida, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Sam Holmes Organizations: Rengo, Bank of Japan, Hosei University, OECD, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ Franchising industry holds its breath as FTC takes a closer look at regulations
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Kate Rogers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The FTC told CNBC it received more than 5,500 comments on the inquiry, indicating "broad interest in ensuring fairness in franchising." The agency sought input from stakeholders, including franchise operators, workers and parent corporations, as it scrutinizes franchising practices. Industry watchers say an initial proposal from the FTC on franchise rule amendments could come as soon as the end of year. The NOA's public submission said, "The McDonald's system was, and could again be, the gold standard for the franchise business model. "Since McDonald's founding in 1955, our franchising model has successfully served the brand, franchisees, employees and the local communities we operate in."

Persons: Lina, Matt Haller, they're, Haller, franchisors, McDonald's, NOA, Danielle Marasco, Marasco Organizations: FTC, CNBC, Federal Trade Commission, Franchise Association, Microsoft, Activision, Twitter, Industry, IFA, Service Employees International Union, Strategic, Marriott, Hilton, Brands, National Owners Association, National Locations: U.S, McDonald's, Marriott, California

☆ Explainer: Israel's attack on Jenin: Why now and what for?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Here is what you need to know about Jenin:WHY IS ISRAEL ATTACKING JENIN? Since March 2022, Jenin and outlying areas in the north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank have drawn intensified raids ordered by Israel's nationalist-religious government after a spate of Palestinian street attacks. The Jenin camp has long been a hotbed of militants with an array of light weapons and a growing arsenal of explosive devices. This harsh heritage generates die-hard hostility to Israel and support for Palestinian militant groups. Israel annexed East Jerusalem in a move not recognised internationally, and launched settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.

Persons: Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Abbas, Dan Williams, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: West Bank, Bank, Israel's, Seven, Palestinian, Reuters, Israel, Hamas, Islamic, Militant, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Israel, Jenin, Palestinian, JENIN, Last, U.S, Gaza, Iran, East Jerusalem, Jordan, Egypt, Jerusalem

☆ Golf, Aussie-style: How to play alongside crocodiles, snakes and kangaroos
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Steve Storm / Anglesea Golf ClubWater hazardsThere is no need for a no-petting rule for other animals that commonly inhabit Australian golf course – chief among them, crocodiles. “Everyone asks about crocodiles – some out of fear, others excitement,” Half Moon Bay’s general manager Tim Mackrill told CNN. Half Moon Bay Golf ClubOperating in the course’s favor is a “crocwise” nature built into the majority of the club’s players. The last big crocodile to be removed by rangers from Half Moon Bay was in 2019. Half Moon Bay Golf ClubHissing holeSometimes though, it’s inquisitive wildlife that brings potential danger to patrons.

Persons: ‘ Roos, ‘ roos, It’s, Marg Lacey, …, ” Anglesea, ” Lacey, roos, you’ve, ”, Steve Storm, Tim Mackrill, ” Mackrill, Amanda Jayne, Jayne, Jayne’s, Luke Goodier, ” Jayne, it’s Organizations: CNN, Golf, “, birdlife, The Locations: Australia, Melbourne, –, England, Australian, Northern Territory, Queensland, Cairns, Eastern Australia

☆ Neutral Switzerland wants to take part in Sky Shield defence project
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ZURICH, July 4 (Reuters) - Switzerland wants to participate in the European Sky Shield air defence umbrella, the government said on Tuesday, a move which critics say is incompatible with the country's long-standing tradition of neutrality. European Sky Shield is a common air defence scheme set up by Germany in 2022 to boost European air defence, an issue which has come into sharper focus since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Switzerland wishes to participate in the European Sky Shield Initiative and a declaration of intent is due to be signed in Bern," the Defence Ministry told Reuters, confirming an earlier report by broadcaster SRF. Some 17 European countries have so far signed up to the Sky Shield project including Germany, Britain, Finland and Sweden. The Sky Shield move has provoked concerns from Switzerland's neutrality lobby.

Persons: Viola Amherd, Werner Gartenmann, John Revill, Gareth Jones Organizations: Sky, Swiss, Sky Shield, Defence Ministry, Reuters, SRF, Patriot, Pro Schweiz, NATO, Thomson Locations: ZURICH, Switzerland, Germany, Ukraine, Austria, Bern, Britain, Finland, Sweden, Swiss, Denmark

☆ Exclusive: Insurers look to ease UN climate alliance rules after member exodus - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Tommy Wilkes | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The U.N.-convened Net-Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA) is set to remove a six-month deadline for members to publish greenhouse gas emissions targets alongside other changes to make membership less prescriptive, the sources said. The hope is to "steady the ship" and create space for ex-members to consider returning later, they said. The changes under discussion have not been finalised, the sources said, and it's not clear how the alliance would deal with insurers that drag their feet in publishing targets. Remaining members believe the NZIA still has a valuable role, and point to methodologies it developed for assessing and reporting on underwriting-linked emissions. France's AXA, which chaired the NZIA before quitting in May, last week published its first emissions goals for its insurance portfolio.

Persons: Italy's, Peter Bosshard, Bosshard, Canada's Beneva, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, Greg Roumeliotis, Simon Jessop, Emelia, David Evans Organizations: Zero Insurance Alliance, United, Zero Insurance, AXA, Tokio, Republican, Glasgow Financial Alliance, Aviva, Alliance, Insurance Australia Group, France's AXA, Thomson Locations: United Nations, London, United States, U.S

☆ A former Instagram product manager explains why he's 'skeptical' the company can successfully launch a new standalone app, as it preps its Twitter rival
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Insider spoke with a former Instagram product manager to better understand the platform's decisions. IGTV, which launched in 2018 with its own separate app, was sunset in 2022 and its app is now defunct. But Instagram's ethos was its own downfall when it came to rolling out the IGTV product and separate app. The only other alternative, then, is adding a Twitter-like feed to the main Instagram app. "It's almost this predetermined life cycle of a social consumer app," Wei said, adding that Facebook has already gone though this phase.

Persons: Instagram, Eric Wei —, —, Wei, didn't, Oprah, Kevin Systrom, IGTV, We've, Adam Mosseri, Instagram's, Mary Organizations: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Meta Locations: Instagram

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