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☆ A devastating fried chicken shop explosion in China has killed 7 people and injured 27 others, the authorities say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The intense blast seized national attention in China and drew controversy when frontline staff blocked local reporters. AdvertisementA suspected gas leak explosion in a fried chicken store has killed seven people and injured 27 others in Yanjiao, a town just east of Beijing, state media and authorities said on Thursday morning local time. Another state media reporter, Xu Mengzhe, was seen physically struggling with a group of policemen who surrounded her and two colleagues. She wore a jacket with a logo for China Media Group, a state-owned broadcasting company. "They must not control public opinion, simply and crudely obstructing media reporters from performing their duties," the association said.

Persons: —, VCG, Ng Han Guan, Yang, Xu Mengzhe, Xu, Zhong Ming Organizations: Service, Getty Images, Emergency Management Bureau, Business, Authorities, Firefighters, China Media Group, China Journalists Association Locations: Yanjiao, China, Beijing

☆ Disney shareholders could cash in as investors offer money for their votes amid a bruising proxy battle
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe Disney proxy battle continues to heat up — and ordinary shareholders could cash in. Mom-and-pop investors are also being courted for their votes on a new marketplace called Shareholder Vote Alliance, which runs auctions for shareholders' proxy votes. Xu said Shareholder Vote Alliance doesn't reveal the names of the bidders but confirmed the bid is from a current shareholder. Shareholder Vote Alliance pitches itself as a way for everyday investors to generate income by monetizing their shareholder votes. Shareholder Vote Alliance closes its auctions a couple of days before shareholder votes.

Persons: —, Nelson Peltz's, Ike Perlmutter, Bob Iger, Trian, Blackwells, Donald Duck's, Ludwig Von Drake, Steven Xu, Xu, Blackwell didn't, There's, Iger, we've Organizations: Service, Fund Management, Disney, Blackwells, Business, Alliance, Street, Wall, ValueAct

☆ Analysis-As China's Xi Summons 'New Productive Forces', Old Questions Linger for Economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

By James Pomfret, Kevin Yao and Ellen ZhangHONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) - Facing its deepest economic challenges in years, China's leadership has tasked ministries and local governments with implementing a new mantra from President Xi Jinping: unleash "new productive forces". Beijing hopes the “new productive forces” campaign will strengthen China at a time when geopolitical pressures including steps by the United States to “decouple” or “de-risk” have curtailed access to foreign technology. "To support innovation, we should give people more freedom to think and talk, because many innovations result from the collision of ideas. The new mantra was also taken up by China's state planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission. Its annual report on Tuesday pledged support for industries including satellite internet applications, China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, and research into nuclear fusion.

Persons: James Pomfret, Kevin Yao, Ellen Zhang HONG, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Xi’s, Xi, Tianchen Xu, Li, Steve Tsang, Ellen Zhang, Nick Macfie Organizations: Communist Party, Party, Reuters, Economist Intelligence Unit, SOAS China Institute, National Development, Reform Commission Locations: Ellen Zhang HONG KONG, BEIJING, China, China’s, Beijing, United States, London, Pearl

The work report presented Tuesday by Premier Li Qiang to the National People’s Congress outlined plans for modest increases in overall spending and a hefty 7.2% jump in funding for the military. Li's work report is designed to showcase for the nation achievements in the past year and convey the top leadership's priorities for this year. Photos You Should See View All 60 ImagesApart from the ambitious growth target, “There is no reform, no liberalization, no action plan and no messaging of reassurance,” he said. — Another 10.4 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) will go to upgrading industries and modernizing manufacturing. “We will work to build China's self-reliance and strength in science and technology,” the report said.

Persons: it’s, Premier Li Qiang, Li, Xi Jinping's, James Zimmerman, ”, Tianchen Xu, What's, —, Xu, ” Lynn Song Organizations: BEIJING, Premier, National People’s, Communist, American Chamber of Commerce, Economist Intelligence Unit, Baidu, Greater China, ING Economics, — Locations: China, Beijing, Washington, Hong Kong, Greater

☆ France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Joshua Berlinger | Xiaofei Xu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Paris CNN —France became the world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution on Monday, the culmination of an effort that began in direct response to the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The amendment states that there is a “guaranteed freedom” to abortion in France. While abortion is a highly divisive issue in US politics that often falls along party lines, in France it is widely supported. The measure’s passage is a clear victory for the French left, which has been pushing for years to guarantee abortion rights in the constitution. The vote marks the 25th time the French government has amended its constitution since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958.

Persons: Roe, ”, Gabriel Attal, ” Attal, Emmanuel Macron, Simone Veil, Emmanuel Macron’s, —, Wade, Eric Dupond, Moretti, perviously, CNN’s Joseph Ataman, Christopher Lamb Organizations: Paris CNN —, Wade, French Senate, National Assembly, ” Lawmakers, France, Health, US, Fifth, Catholic, Pontifical Academy for Life Locations: Paris CNN — France, of Versailles, Paris, France, United States, Europe, Hungary, Fifth Republic

☆ Germany to investigate after leaked recording emerges of secret army talks on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Sophie Tanno | Xiaofei Xu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Germany says it will investigate after a recording leaked of a conversation between several top-ranking German officers on the country’s Ukraine war strategy. A spokesperson of the German Defense Ministry confirmed to CNN the recording was authentic. “According to our assessment, a conversation in the air force sector has been intercepted. The Kerch bridge has been a targeted for Ukraine throughout the conflict. Alexey Pavlishak/ReutersGermany has been resisting sending the weapons to Kyiv, fearing they could be used for attacks on Russian territory.

Persons: CNN —, Margarita Simonyan, Olaf Scholz, ” Scholz, Alexey Pavlishak, Maria Zakharova, Roberich, ” Organizations: CNN, German Defense Ministry, Ukraine, Reuters, Russian Foreign, Christian Democratic Union, ZDF, Deutsche Welle Locations: CNN — Germany, Ukraine, Kerch, Crimean, Russia, Rome, Reuters Germany, Moscow, Germany, Russian

☆ Mortgage rates rise for the third week in a row to 6.9%
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates climbed for the third week in a row, inching closer to 7%. Mortgage rates have been making smaller moves over the past two months, after coming down from last year’s high, 7.79%, reached in October. Historically, Khater said, the mix of a strong economy and higher rates didn’t meaningfully impact the housing market. “In essence, Federal Reserve officials are seeking more concrete evidence of sustained improvement in inflation before making any changes,” she said. “The recent increase in mortgage rates has the potential to slow the market by disrupting the plans of many buyers, especially in a market where a significant number of consumers are anticipating lower mortgage rates, not higher,” said Xu.

Persons: Freddie Mac, who’ve, “, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Khater, Jiayi Xu, Powell’s, Xu Organizations: DC CNN —, Federal Reserve, Realtor.com, Federal, Mortgage, Association Locations: Washington

☆ Investors are bullish on Big Tech, are using options to play potential market broadening: CBOE's Xu
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | 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 EmailInvestors are bullish on Big Tech, are using options to play potential market broadening: CBOE's XuMandy Xu, CBOE head of derivatives market intelligence, joins 'Fast Money' to talk investor sentiment around Nvidia and how that's playing out in the options market.

Persons: Xu Mandy Xu, CBOE Organizations: Big Tech, Nvidia

☆ China Says No Banned Areas Around Taiwanese Islands After Two Killed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING (Reuters) - There are no off limits or restricted areas for fishing around a group of Taiwanese islands close to China's coast and Beijing reserves the right to take further measures after two Chinese nationals died near the islands, the government said. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained in recent years about Chinese fishing boats and other vessels operating in Taiwan-controlled waters, especially around the Kinmen and Matsu islands which sit a short distance from China's coast. Late on Saturday, China's Taiwan Affairs Office, which has already condemned Taipei for the incident near Kinmen's Beiding islet, said the deaths had caused "strong indignation" in China. China's Taiwan Affairs Office said the government had goodwill towards Taiwan's people, but will never tolerate Taiwan's disregard for the safety of Chinese fishermen. "The mainland reserves the right to take further measures, and Taiwan shall bear all the consequences," it added, without elaborating.

Persons: Kinmen, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan, Xu Hao, Ben Blanchard Organizations: China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Fishermen, Taiwan Affairs Office, Taiwan Affairs Office's, Beijing Locations: BEIJING, China's, Beijing, Taiwan, China, Taipei, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Shanghai, Taipei Mayor, Taiwan Affairs Office's Shanghai

CNN —Senegal’s outgoing president Macky Sall Friday said he would hold presidential elections “as soon as possible” one day after the West African country’s constitutional council ruled against his decision to postpone elections. “The head of state will conduct necessary consultations to hold the presidential election as soon as possible,” the statement added. Sall was under pressure to react once the top court Thursday rejected his bid to delay elections until the end of the year. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) urged all parties in Senegal to comply with the constitutional council’s decision. “No to presidential election postponement”, said another released opposition leader Aboubacar Djamil Sané of the PASTEF Party, who had been imprisoned for seven months.

Persons: CNN —, Macky Sall, “, ”, Sall, Babacar Gueye, Thursday’s, Pierre Goudiaby Atépa, Ousmane Sonko, ” Sonko, Cheikh Oumar Diagne, Diagne, Aboubacar Djamil Organizations: CNN, Constitutional Council, French, RFI, West African States, “, Senegalese, Truth, PASTEF Party Locations: Republic, Senegalese, Senegal

☆ Meta says Broadcom CEO Hock Tan is joining board of directors
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Meta said Wednesday that Broadcom CEO president Hock Tan and philanthropist and former Enron executive John Arnold are joining the company's board of directors. Tan has been leading the semiconductor giant since 2006, giving him extensive international experience working in computing infrastructure technology. "As we focus on building AGI, having directors with deep expertise in silicon and energy infrastructure will help us execute our long term vision," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement. The technical backgrounds of the incomers contrast with former Meta operating chief Sheryl Sandberg, who recently said she would step down from the company's board. Tan and Arnold join a board that includes former PayPal Executive Vice President Peggy Alford, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, Dropbox CEO Drew Houston, former U.S. deputy secretary of the treasury Robert M. Kimmitt and DoorDash CEO Tony Xu.

Persons: Meta, Hock Tan, John Arnold, Tan, Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, Sandberg, Zuckerberg, Arnold, Peggy Alford, Marc Andreessen, Drew Houston, Robert M, Tony Xu, Meta's Ray Organizations: Broadcom, Enron, Meta, Google, Arnold Ventures, Grid United Locations: Houston, U.S

☆ Why the Year of the Dragon doesn't bode well for China’s declining population
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | In Charmainemariajacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In this zodiac cycle, those born between Feb.10, 2024 and Jan. 28, 2025 will be classified as "Dragon babies." While people in China also hold these beliefs, birth rates in the country have actually fallen during the "Dragon Years." For instance, Singapore's birth rates rose by 21% in 1988, and 8% in 2000 and 2012. Asian folklore, however, may not be able to do much for China's falling birth rates, which could continue to drop "quite precipitously," Tay warned. China's birth rates have seen a secular decline, falling to 6.39% in 2023 from 22.37% in 1988.

Persons: Jacelyn Phang, feng, Yuan Zhong Siu, Phang, Erica Tay, Maybank, Tay, Tianchen Xu Organizations: CNBC, The Economist Intelligence Locations: China, Asia

NEW YORK (AP) — Super Bowl Sunday is here — and, as always, there's a vast roster of advertisers ready to vie for fans' attention during game breaks. Airing a Super Bowl commercial is no easy feat. “This Super Bowl is a blast from the past. She added that “everything old is new again,” with successful Super Bowl ads or messages from the past making more returns this year. Of course, not all advertisers release their ads ahead of the game, so there will be surprises on Sunday.

Persons: ”, Linli Xu, Christopher Walken, Kate McKinnon, There’s, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Uber, Judy ” Judy Sheindlin —, Gina Torres, Rick Hoffman, Sarah Rafferty, Patrick J, Adams, Gabriel Macht, Kimberly Whitler, “, Taylor Swift Organizations: University of Minnesota, Sunday's San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, CBS, Paramount, BMW, University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, Mobile Locations: Sunday's, Labrador

☆ Heavy snow, rain threaten travel chaos during China’s Lunar New Year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Heavy snow and rain is forecast to hit central and eastern China in the coming days, threatening travel plans for hundreds of millions of Chinese workers heading home for the Lunar New Year. However, Xu Jun, chief forecaster from the Central Meteorological Observatory, told CCTV the forecast snowfall won’t be as heavy or widespread as that experienced around the holiday season 16 years ago. “The rain and snow overlap with the peak period of Spring Festival travel. This has posed risks to safe (travel) and brought inconvenience to the transportation,” weather expert Wang Lijuan, from China Meteorological Administration, told CCTV. Xu, from the Central Meteorological Observatory, told CCTV freezing rain could affect many provinces over an area as wide as 43,000 square kilometers (16,600 square miles).

Persons: Xu Jun, Wang Lijuan, Xu Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Central Meteorological Observatory, Meteorological, Festival, China Meteorological Administration, Central Meteorological Locations: Hong Kong, China, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Liaoning, Hubei, Zhengzhou, China's, Xinjiang, Anhui, Weibo, Mohe, Heilongjiang

☆ Evergrande liquidation: Here’s what may happen next
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But there is still little clarity over how the liquidation of Evergrande will unfold. That’s because the legal systems of Hong Kong and China remain distinct, despite Beijing’s growing control over the former British colony in recent years. No Chinese company as huge as Evergrande — which was once China’s second largest developer— has been wound up by a Hong Kong court. Hui Ka Yan, chairman of property developer China Evergrande. Since then, Evergrande has been building and selling apartments in mainland China, even though it has been unable to repay its debts.

Persons: Alvarez, Marsal, —, ”, John Bringardner, Hong, Hui Ka Yan, Xu Jiayin, Hui, Xiao En, Bobby Yip, Xiao, Evergrande, Florence Lo, homebuyers, Will, Andy Wong, Diana Choyleva, Xiao Yuanqi, ” Bringardner, ” Choyleva, Choyleva, “ Evergrande Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Shimao, Kaisa Holdings, Group, “, Real, Century Business Herald, China Index Academy, Enodo, Communist Party, China’s, Financial Regulatory Administration, Getty, People’s Bank of China, Finance Ministry, Evergrande, Marsal Locations: Hong Kong, United States, China, British, New York, China . Hong Kong, Shenzhen —, Asia, Florence, Beijing, Real, Hainan

☆ The CEO behind Chinese startup XReal says its AR glasses will blow Apple's Vision Pro out of the water. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewEarlier this month, Chinese startup XReal unveiled the Air 2 Ultra, the company's latest augmented reality glasses that blend a virtual world with the user's physical surroundings. The startup says they'll be an "affordable alternative" to rivals like the Apple Vision Pro. Unlike Apple's Vision Pro, Xu says XReal has no intentions to build a fully immersive virtual reality feature into its glasses. Yet, when it comes to its AR capabilities, Xu says his company's is half a decade ahead of Apple's. "I think we're three to five years ahead of them in AR," Chi said in regards to Apple.

Persons: —, Chi Xu, XReal, Xu didn't, Xu, Chi Organizations: Service, Business, pricier, XReal's, Apple Vision, Air, Meta, Bloomberg, Amazon, Apple, Apple's, IDC Locations: Apple's

☆ A local government in China faked signatures on nearly 2,000 traffic tickets amid a $10 trillion debt time bomb
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A local government in China faked signatures and fingerprints in nearly 2,000 traffic tickets last year. AdvertisementA local government in northern China was busted for faking signatures on nearly 2,000 traffic tickets, China's State Council, the country's cabinet, announced on January 19. In total, the bureau faked signatures and fingerprints on 1,964 of the 2,099 traffic tickets it issued last year, according to the State Council statement. China's State Council did not state the motivations behind She County's forgery. The incidents come as China's cash-strapped local governments have nearly nearly $10 trillion in so-called local government financing vehicle, or LGFV, debt.

Persons: Cash, —, Xu, didn't Organizations: Provincial, Service, Council, Authorities, State, Bloomberg Locations: China, Hebei, Hebei province, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ China takes delivery of Boeing 737 Max in show of support for troubled plane maker
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Xiaofei Xu | Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong/New York CNN —Boeing has delivered its first 737 Max to a Chinese airline for the first time in nearly five years, according to flight data, in a rare spot of good news for the embattled company. According to flight tracking website Flightradar 24, China Southern Airlines flight CZ5073 departed from Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, on Wednesday for China via Honolulu. The use of the airline’s flight number, instead of a Boeing one, suggests the ownership of the plane has already been transferred. The plane, a 737 Max 8 according to flight data, was built in September 2019 and has been parked in Boeing’s Seattle factory since then, according to flight tracking sites Flightradar 24 and Aviation Flights. In December, the trade publication the Air Current said Boeing had won a key clearance from China’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), allowing Boeing to prepare Max aircraft for delivery, Reuters reported.

Persons: Max, CZ5073, haven’t Organizations: New York CNN, Boeing, Max, China Southern Airlines, Boeing Field, Aviation, US Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, CNN, Current, Civil Aviation Administration of China, Reuters Locations: Hong Kong, New York, Seattle , Washington, China, Honolulu, Boeing’s Seattle, Indonesia, Ethiopia

☆ Sheryl Sandberg says she's leaving Meta's board
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Former Meta operating chief Sheryl Sandberg is leaving the company's board of directors. "With a heart filled with gratitude and a mind filled with memories, I let the Meta board know that I will not stand for reelection this May," Sandberg wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Sandberg, 54, joined Facebook in 2008 as Mark Zuckerberg's top deputy after spending about seven years at Google. Since leaving Meta, Sandberg has dedicated much of her time on her LeanIn.org nonprofit, which focuses on empowering women tin the workplace, and related projects. "Thank you Sheryl for the extraordinary contributions you have made to our company and community over the years," Zuckerberg wrote.

Persons: Sheryl Sandberg, Sandberg, Mark Zuckerberg's, Javier Olivan, We've, Sandberg's, Zuckerberg, Sheryl, Adam Bosworth, Peggy Alford, Marc Andreessen, Drew Houston, Nancy Killefer, Robert M, Tony Xu, Tracey T, Travis, Estée Lauder, Here's, Javi Olivan, Justin Osofsky, Nicola Mendelsohn, Mark Organizations: Meta, Facebook, Google, CNBC, McKinsey & Company, Estée Locations: U.S

☆ Delayed U.S. Weapons Raise Taiwan’s Vulnerability to Invasion
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Alastair Gale | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te declared victory in the island’s presidential vote on Saturday. Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party secured an unprecedented third straight term in the presidency. Photo: An Rong Xu/Bloomberg NewsTAIPEI—Taiwan has ordered some $19 billion in American missiles, rocket launchers and other weapons to help it defend itself against threats from Beijing. The only problem: U.S. delivery on many of those orders is years away. The delays increase Taiwan’s vulnerability to a Chinese invasion or blockade, say military analysts and former Taiwanese defense officials, since the island’s own weapons industry remains small.

Persons: Lai Ching, Rong Xu Organizations: Democratic Progressive Party, Bloomberg News TAIPEI Locations: Taiwan, Beijing

☆ ExodusPoint hired more than 35 portfolio managers in 2023. Here's how the $12 billion firm wants to streamline its recruiting process this year.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Bradley Saacks | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Recruiters working with Michael Gelband's ExodusPoint no longer need to track down the hiring manager every time they find a compelling candidate. The multi-strategy manager told its recruiting partners in an email blast that the new process for submitting candidates will be through Greenhouse, the TPG Growth-backed jobs board. Gelband's former boss, Millennium founder Izzy Englander, deemed it a "talent bubble," as firms poach portfolio managers, analysts, and software engineers from each other — driving up compensation industrywide. ExodusPoint's decision to push its external recruiting network to an online portal comes as the firm integrates more than 35 new portfolio managers into its strategy over the last 12 months. Those teams will need analysts, researchers, and developers to support its growing army of portfolio managers, and the firm, like its peers, is always hunting for top-performing PMs.

Persons: Michael Gelband's ExodusPoint, Izzy Englander, Peter McConnon, Michael Lapsa, Kunal Kumar, Balyasny, Stephen Luterman, Peter Cotton, Shen Xu, ExodusPoint Organizations: Business, TPG, Engineers, CTC Capital, Citadel, JPMorgan Locations: Balyasny

☆ Peace and Prosperity in the Taiwan Strait Still Have a Chance
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Nathaniel Taplin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Taiwanese Vice President Lai Ching-te declared victory in the island’s presidential vote on Saturday. Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party secured an unprecedented third straight term in the presidency. Photo: An Rong Xu/Bloomberg NewsTaiwan has voted: bringing the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party an unprecedented consecutive third term in the presidency. Now the world is waiting on Beijing, which claims Taiwan but doesn’t rule it. Saturday’s DPP victory, with around 40% of the vote, could mean more scary headlines in the near-term.

Persons: Lai Ching, Rong Xu, Nancy Pelosi’s Organizations: Democratic Progressive Party, Bloomberg News Taiwan, DPP Locations: Beijing, Taiwan

☆ A college senior used AI to try and disprove the long-held belief that all fingerprints are unique
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The study relied on AI's discovery of similarities between different fingers belonging to the same person to argue that each fingerprint is, in fact, not totally unique. Some of the pairs came from two different fingers belonging to the same person, while other pairs were two different people's fingers. The AI system discovered that fingerprints from different fingers belonging to the same person were incredibly similar. Researchers honed in on the angles and curvatures at the center of the fingerprint to find these similarities, Guo told CNN. "I think this study is just the first domino in a huge sequence of these things," Guo told CNN.

Persons: —, Gabe Guo, Hod Lipson, Xu, Guo, Christophe Champod, Sarah Fieldhouse Organizations: Service, Columbia University, CNN, Columbia Engineering, University of Buffalo SUNY, Forensics, School of Criminal, University of Lausanne, Staffordshire University, BBC Locations: Switzerland

☆ Mortgage rates inch up for the second week in a row, landing at 6.66%
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates ticked up this week for the second week in a row, but remain more than a full percentage point lower than their high last year. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.66% in the week ending January 11, up from 6.62% the previous week, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. Lower mortgage rates expected to bring new inventoryWhile mortgage rates trending lower is welcome news for homebuyers, those in the market are still dealing with the double whammy of low inventory and high home prices that continue to rise. But, she added, the pace of mortgage rates declining is likely to be slower going forward than the dramatic nine-week drop at the end of 2023.

Persons: Freddie Mac, who’ve, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, That’s, Jiayi Xu, Xu Organizations: DC CNN —, “, Federal, Treasury Locations: Washington

☆ Vote counting begins in closely watched Taiwan election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

With China intensifying its rhetoric on its claim over Taiwan, global observers are billing this Taiwan election as highly pivotal for security in the Asia-Pacific at a time of testy U.S.-China relations. If Lai and Hsiao win the Jan. 13 vote for the Taiwan presidential office, it would mark the first time any political party has stayed in office for more than two consecutive terms since Taiwan introduced direct presidential elections in 1996. Campaign posters for various legislative member candidates in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. China's Taiwan affairs office has characterized the self-ruled island's election as a choice between "peace and war, prosperity and decline." "China has always meddled whenever there is an election in Taiwan, but this time, it's the most serious."

Persons: Hou Yu, Hei Leung, Ko Wen, policymaking, Tsai Ing, Ko, Cynthia Wu, Jing Bo, jiun, Sam Yeh, Jing, Tsai, Lai Ching, Hsiao, United States —, Lai, Timothy S, Rich, Jaw Shaw, kong, Hou, Kevin Luo, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Rong Xu, Democratic Progressive Party Lai Ching, Yasuyoshi Chiba, DPP's Lai, Weeks Organizations: ih, Anadolu, Getty, Democratic Progressive Party, Kuomintang, Taiwan People's Party, China, Local, KMT, Taiwan Studies, University of Oxford, AFP, Taiwan, Rich Western Kentucky University, Taiwan's National Police Agency, New, DPP, University of Minnesota, Western Kentucky University, U.S, China -, APEC, CNBC, Former U.S, Bloomberg, Taiwan's DPP, Beijing, Cross Straits Service Locations: Taichung, Taiwan, Taipei, Asia, Pacific, U.S, China, Hsinchu, United States, Overconfidence, New Taipei City, China - U.S, Beijing, Taiwan Strait, Kaohsiung

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