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☆ Au Revoir, Au Pairs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Kristina Rasmussen | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Seeking safety and opportunity in America, she applied for and was accepted into the U.S. au pair program, lived with us for two years and learned to love this country. The State Department essentially wants to end the au pair program, which connects more than 21,000 foreigners with American families a year. The forthcoming mandate would require employers to treat au pairs more like traditional employees, though the program was designed to combine cultural exchange and child care. Families currently can pay an au pair a weekly stipend of about $200 and pitch in for things like college tuition. An au pair can cost as little as $20,000, a bargain compared with other child-care options for families with several kids.

Persons: Liza, Biden, finalizes Organizations: State Department Locations: Ukraine, Russia, America, U.S

☆ Far-right anti-Islam candidate clinches shock Dutch election win. Here's what comes next
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Dutch voters have gone to the polls today in one of the most tightly contested general elections in recent years. Next stepsForming a coalition in the 150-seat Dutch parliament is typically lengthy and difficult, even where the victor is not a political pariah. There is still no guarantee Wilders will become the new prime minister, even with his Freedom Party (PVV)'s 37 seats. On fiscal policy, Wilders' party has a "clear populist" bent, said Ester Barendregt, chief economist at Rabobank. Certainly one wish of Geert Wilders is to pay less to Europe.

Persons: Geert Wilders, Carl Court, shockwaves, Wilders, Mark Rutte, Sarah de Lange, Pieter Omtzigt's, de Lange, CNBC's, Ester Barendregt, Barendregt, Liza Mügge Organizations: Party for Freedom, Getty, European Union, Freedom Party, Department of Political Science, University of Amsterdam, Party, Rabobank Locations: SCHEVENINGEN, NETHERLANDS, Dutch, Scheveningen , Netherlands, Netherlands, Brussels, Ukraine, policymaking, U.S, China, Europe

Meta plans to use lenses in the headset that are cheaper than those in its most recent model, the Quest 3, pictured above. Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez/Associated PressSINGAPORE— Meta Platforms has struck a preliminary deal to sell a new, lower-priced version of its virtual-reality headset in China, regaining a foothold among consumers in the country 14 years after Facebook was shut out. The agreement with Tencent Holdings will make the world’s largest videogame company the exclusive seller of Meta’s headsets in China, people familiar with the matter said, offering the U.S. technology giant a major new market as it looks to boost tepid global demand for its niche gear. Tencent will start selling the headset beginning late 2024, with the two companies reaching a deal after about a year of negotiations.

Organizations: Associated Press, Facebook, Tencent Holdings Locations: Associated Press SINGAPORE, China

Organizations: Associated Press, Facebook, Tencent Holdings Locations: Associated Press SINGAPORE, China

An office of TikTok, whose move could double or triple the number of subpar grades given this year, some managers say. Photo: how hwee young/ShutterstockSINGAPORE—TikTok is asking managers across the world to give more employees lower ratings in performance reviews, a move that staff fear could reduce bonuses and lead to layoffs, people familiar with the matter said. In mid-October, managers were told by senior management and staff in human resources that they needed to assign more performance reviews at the lower end of the company’s bell-curve rating system, employees managing teams in the U.S., Singapore and China told The Wall Street Journal. This could double or triple the number of subpar grades given on some teams this year, the people said.

Organizations: SINGAPORE, Wall Street Locations: U.S, Singapore, China

Organizations: SINGAPORE, Wall Street Locations: U.S, Singapore, China

Organizations: SINGAPORE, Wall Street Locations: U.S, Singapore, China

Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn’s headquarters. Photo: sam yeh/AFP/Getty ImagesFor decades, Apple has navigated an escalating series of challenges in China, from fake stores and factory protests to tightening censorship and app rules. Now, the iPhone maker risks getting dragged into the most volatile issue in U.S.-China relations: the future of Taiwan. On Sunday, Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn Technology—one of Apple’s largest suppliers—said it is cooperating with Chinese authorities after state media reported China had opened tax and land-use probes into the company. The investigations come as Foxconn’s billionaire founder Terry Gou pursues a bid for the Taiwan presidency.

Persons: —, Terry Gou Organizations: Foxconn’s, Getty, Apple, Foxconn Technology Locations: AFP, China, Taiwan

Updated Oct. 20, 2023 12:00 am ETiPhone 15 sales have been weak in China. Photo: Cfoto/Zuma PressApple Chief Executive Tim Cook is crisscrossing China, one of the company’s largest markets, where challenges are mounting amid weak iPhone 15 sales and heightened government scrutiny. The whirlwind trip, which wasn’t announced ahead of time, has involved drop-ins at Apple stores, a visit to a key supplier and meetings with senior officials, including Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao .

Persons: Tim Cook, wasn’t, Wang Wentao Organizations: Zuma Press Apple, Apple, Chinese Commerce Locations: China

☆ Facing Exclusion From U.S., Chinese EV Suppliers Map a Circuitous Route Back In
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Rachel Liang | Liza Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

Homes a tenth the size of Mar-a-Lago on tiny inland lots sell for that in the Town of Palm Beach, a wealthy island enclave. It is also a club, private beach resort, historical artifact and banquet hall with a ballroom that features gold leaf. The much smaller Palm Beach compound once owned by the Kennedy political dynasty sold for $70 million three years ago. SO HOW DID PALM BEACH COUNTY COME UP WITH SUCH A LOW TAX ASSESSMENT? If Mar-a-Lago had a $1 billion assessed value, it’s property tax bill would be approximately $18 million.

Persons: Donald Trump's Mar, Trump, Judge Arthur Engoron, Liza Pulitzer, ”, Pulitzer, Brown Harris Stevens, Rob Thomson, Marjorie Merriweather Post, E.F, Hutton, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Mona Lisa, Renoir, Eli Beracha, Lago, ” Beracha, Thomson, Kennedy, Becky Robinson, Jared Moskowitz, Robinson, Letitia James, James, — Organizations: New, Palm, Trump, Waterfront Properties, Historic Landmark, Post, Mar, Florida, Hollo, Real, U.S . Rep, South, South Florida Democrat, Trump , New York Locations: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla, York, Florida, Palm Beach, Intracoastal Waterway, Post, Mar, Lago, summering, New Jersey, Trump, South Florida, Trump ,, New York

☆ Xi's economic policies are leaving many China watchers perplexed and confused
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Michelle Caruso-Cabrera | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Why is a nation with ambitions to become the dominant economic power in the world doing so many things to blunt that potential? Xi vs. the CCPMost, though not all, China watchers point to Xi himself as the instigator of those recent changes. "China's private sector, previously the growth engine of the Chinese economy, is paying the consequences," he told CNBC. In addition, he said "in recent months, China's National Development and Reform Commission has set up a bureau especially for private sector development." They cite external factors for weakness in the Chinese economy, including U.S. tariffs, trade restrictions, sanctions, and the sluggish post-pandemic global economy.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Lintao Zhang, Orville Schell, Schell, Jinping, Yasheng Huang, Xi, Ryan Hass, Kevin Rudd, Rudd, Anne Stevenson, Yang, Stevenson, Jack Ma, Mikhail Gorbachev, Liu Pengu, Yang Fan, Zhang Xinyu, Liza Tobin, Eric Schmidt Organizations: Political, CPC Central Committee, of People, Getty, Center, U.S, China Relations, The Asia Society, CNBC, Chinese Communist Party, Communist, MIT Sloan School, CCP, China Center, Brookings, Foreign Policy, Oxford University, J Capital Research, Communist Party, Party, U.S ., Soviet Union, National, Reform, Marxist Locations: Beijing, China, New York, U.S, Australia, United States, U.S . Congress, USSR, Soviet Union

☆ His World Shrank in the Pandemic. So He Shrank His World.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Liza Weisstuch | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Idly scrolling his feed, he noticed a diorama of a World War II scene, then a model railroad set, then intricate, hyper-realistic models of movie sets. A longtime collector of action figures with time on his hands and not much else to do, he started tinkering. And that tiny icebox — three inches tall and covered in reproductions of stickers by local graffiti crews — turned his life around. “I loved that when I worked on a piece, I didn’t think about my problems — my divorce, the pandemic,” said Mr. Cortes. I didn’t have a problem in the world.

Persons: Danny Cortes, Covid, —, “, ”, Cortes Locations: “

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Persons: Dow Jones

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Persons: Dow Jones

☆ A mixed picture for retailers as bargain-hunting shoppers pick their spots
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A sale sign greets shoppers at a retail store in Carlsbad, California, U.S., May 25, 2023. Sephora "performed exceptionally well" with strength in North America in the first half of the year, the beauty retailer's owner LVMH (LVMH.PA) said last month. Retailers have also flagged the impact from Americans prioritizing experiences like movies, vacations and concerts over discretionary purchases. Tempered forecasts from sportswear retailers Foot Locker (FL.N) and Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS.N) also added to the mixed picture, with Dick's also citing an increase in organized retail crime and theft at stores. Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj KalluvilaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mike Blake, Edward Jones, Brian Yarbrough, LVMH, Yarbrough, Dick's, Corie Barry, Liza Amlani, We've, Christina Hennington, Deborah Sophia, Sriraj Organizations: REUTERS, Ross Stores, Walmart, Dick's Sporting, Electronics, U.S . Labor Department, Thomson Locations: Carlsbad , California, U.S, North America, Bengaluru

☆ Patti LuPone Sings for the LuPonettes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Alex Vadukul | More About Alex Vadukul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last weekend on Fire Island in New York, far from the bright lights of Broadway, Patti LuPone performed at the Ice Palace nightclub for some of her most adoring fans. These die-hards, sometimes called LuPonettes, included a man who had seen Ms. LuPone in the 1979 production of “Evita” and another who had a caricature of her tattooed on his back. “I first fell in love with Patti when I saw the ‘Evita’ commercial,” he said. In addition to its Friday night Underwear Party, its stage has hosted Chita Rivera, Liza Minnelli and Alan Cumming. “Patti has played the greatest venues in the world, but for her to play here it’s about connecting with her most fervent fan base,” the club’s co-owner, Daniel Nardicio, said.

Persons: Patti LuPone, LuPone, Evita ”, Ben Rimalower, Patti, ”, “ I’ve, Chita Rivera, Liza Minnelli, Alan Cumming, “ Patti, Daniel Nardicio, “ Organizations: Chita Locations: New York, Cherry Grove

The deal, which would give Shein a roughly one-third interest in SPARC Group, expands Forever 21's reach by bringing the label to Shein's online platform, which serves about 150 million users. The partnership also presents an opportunity for Singapore-based and China-founded Shein to step into Forever 21's retail locations across the United States. Under the agreement, SPARC Group would also become a minority shareholder in Shein. Shein's Forever 21 deal will help it reach beyond its core ultra-fast fashion, primarily Generation Z, customer base, Amlani said. The Forever 21 deal will also enable the fast-fashion retailer to test in-person experiences including "shop-in-shops" and allow customers to return merchandise in physical stores.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Shein, Simon Property, Liza Amlani, Amlani, Savyata Mishra, Deborah Sophia, Shilpi Majumdar, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, SPARC Group, Forever, Brands, Simon, SPARC, Thomson Locations: Singapore, China, United States, Shein, Brazil, U.S, Bengaluru, Arriana, New York

☆ Australian court fines Dell unit $6.5 mln for misleading customers on discounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Navya Mittal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Dell logo is seen on an item for sale in a store in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 24, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew KellyAug 14 (Reuters) - Australia's Federal Court on Monday ordered Dell Technologies Inc's (DELL.N) local unit to pay A$10 million ($6.46 million) in penalties for making misleading representations on its website about discounts for add-on computer monitors. In a legal action brought by the country's competition regulator, Dell Australia was found guilty by the Federal Court in June to have misled customers about the prices or discounts on add-on monitors on its website. "This outcome sends a strong message to businesses that making false representations about prices or inflating discounts is a serious breach of consumer law and will attract substantial penalties," said Liza Carver, commissioner of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. ($1 = 1.5480 Australian dollars)Reporting by Navya Mittal in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Subhranshu SahuOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Liza Carver, Navya Mittal, Rashmi Aich, Subhranshu Organizations: REUTERS, Monday, Dell Technologies, Dell, Federal Court, Australian Competition, Consumer Commission, Dell Australia, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Dell Australia, Bengaluru

☆ Australian court fines Dell unit $6.5 million for misleading customers on discounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Dell Technologies flag outside the company headquarters in Round Rock, Texas, US, on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Australia's Federal Court on Monday ordered Dell Technologies local unit to pay $10 million Australian dollars ($6.46 million) in penalties for making misleading representations on its website about discounts for add-on computer monitors. In a legal action brought by the country's competition regulator, Dell Australia was found guilty by the Federal Court in June to have misled customers about the prices or discounts on add-on monitors on its website. "This outcome sends a strong message to businesses that making false representations about prices or inflating discounts is a serious breach of consumer law and will attract substantial penalties," said Liza Carver, commissioner of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Dell Australia, which sold more than 5,300 add-on monitors with overstated discounts between Aug. 2019 and Dec. 16, 2021, will be working "with impacted customers to provide appropriate refunds plus interest and are taking steps to improve our pricing processes to ensure this sort of error does not happen again," a spokesperson for Dell Australia said in a statement to Reuters.

Persons: Liza Carver Organizations: Dell Technologies, Monday, Dell, Federal Court, Australian Competition, Consumer Commission, Dell Australia Locations: Round Rock , Texas, Australia's, Dell Australia

☆ China’s Options for Retaliation Are Few After U.S. Investment Ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Liza Lin | Dan Strumpf | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

☆ China Drafts Rules for Facial-Recognition Use
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Karen Hao | Liza Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ China Set to Impose Mobile Device Limits for Minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Raffaele Huang | Liza Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ China Pleases Parents With Plan to Limit Kids’ Smartphone Use
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Raffaele Huang | Liza Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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