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Companies Microsoft Corp FollowSalesforce Inc FollowBRUSSELS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) will unbundle its chat and video app Teams from its Office product and make it easier for rival products to work with its software, the U.S. company said on Thursday in a move aimed at staving off a possible EU antitrust fine. The proposed changes came after a month after the European Commission launched an investigation into Microsoft's tying of Office and Teams following a complaint by Salesforce-owned (CRM.N) workspace messaging app Slack in 2020. Microsoft's preliminary concessions failed to address concerns. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Sharon SingletonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Foo Yun Chee, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Microsoft, U.S ., European Commission, Salesforce, Thomson Locations: U.S

The proposed changes came a month after the European Commission launched an investigation into Microsoft's tying of Office and Teams following a complaint by Salesforce-owned (CRM.N) workspace messaging app Slack in 2020. The EU competition enforcer on Thursday said it took note of the company's announcement and declined further comment. Teams was added to Office 365 in 2017 for free. New enterprise customers can buy Teams standalone and separately for 5 euros per month or 60 euros per year, while existing enterprise customers who already have a suite with Teams can choose to keep it or move to a without-Teams suite. Microsoft will also develop a new method for hosting the Office web applications within competing apps and services similar to what it does with Teams.

Persons: Nanna, Louise Linde, Foo Yun Chee, Sharon Singleton, Peter Graff Organizations: Microsoft, U.S ., European Commission, Salesforce, EU, Business, U.S, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Brussels, U.S, Europe, Switzerland

☆ Ron DeSantis faces new leadership test as Hurricane Idalia barrels toward Florida
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Steve Contorno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —With the eyes of the country on Hurricane Idalia as it spins toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential ambitions are also under the spotlight as he puts his campaign on hold to manage the crisis at home. The Florida governor is also staving off a field of GOP contenders, who must now also balance sensitivities around Hurricane Idalia with their attempts to overcome DeSantis in the polls. DeSantis has also asserted that he could send his “Florida people” to the southern border to build a wall. “The governor of our state of Florida has created an environment ripe for this.”

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, ” DeSantis, Ian, Republican Rick Scott, Hurricane Michael, Bill Nelson, Scott, Jeb Bush, George W, Bush, Chris Christie, Christie, “, ”, Alex Conant, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio’s, Andrew Romeo, ” Romeo, Hurricane Ian, Joe Biden –, Biden, Joe Biden, Saul Young, Donald Trump, Todd Belt, Angie Nixon Organizations: CNN, Gulf Coast , Florida Gov, Republican, White, Hurricane, US, GOP Gov, GOP, Knoxville News Sentinel, George Washington University, Democrats, Trump, ” Democratic, Jacksonville Locations: Gulf Coast , Florida, Tallahassee, Iowa, Florida, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Fort Myers Beach , Florida, Lee County, Florida’s Big, Jacksonville, DeSantis

☆ A multitrillion-dollar carbon bubble? Climate chief warns world leaders over fossil fuel plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The message from the world's leading climate scientists in April last year was that a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use will be necessary to curb global heating. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas is the chief driver of the crisis. Indeed, the IPCC said that current fossil fuel use was already more than the planet could handle and additional projects were destined to lock in even greater emissions with devastating consequences. The U.N. climate panel also estimated that fossil fuel investors could be at risk of losing between $1 trillion and $4 trillion if governments act to limit global temperature rise. Despite this, some of the world's richest nations, such as the U.S. and China, have cited energy security as a reason for investing in additional fossil fuel projects.

Persons: Jim Skea, Fabrice Coffrini, Skea, We've, Fethi Belaid, Hoesung Lee, Rishi Sunak's, Danny Lawson, Biden, Mario Tama Organizations: Afp, Getty, CNBC, South, Imperial College London, Greenpeace, United Arab, Social, Trans, Trans Alaska Pipeline System, National Petroleum Reserve Locations: Algeria, Europe, North Africa, East, Asia, staving, China, Ukraine, Paris, Richmond , North Yorkshire, United Arab Emirates, Trans Alaska, Alaska, Delta Junction

☆ Massive home-price appreciation might be the secret to keeping consumers afloat as savings dry up
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Homeowners' equity is the highest it's been in 25 years, which could provide a cushion as consumer savings dwindle. That trend could be set to continue as the massive accumulation of home equity provides a lifeline that consumers can tap into if things get tough. Bankrate data shows that home equity lines of credit, or HELOCs, are currently carrying an average rate close to 7%. Home equity revolving credit balances climbed for the fourth straight quarter leading up to March 2023, which presents another factor that could help sustain consumer spending. Now, real estate accounts for about 25% of total household assets, and despite deteriorating savings, still-rising equity presents a potential path forward for consumers to keep spending, Quinlan and Seery said.

Persons: Tim Quinlan, Shannon Seery, that's, Quinlan, Seery Organizations: Soaring, Service, Homeowners, Federal Reserve Board, Wells Locations: Wells, Wall, Silicon, Wells Fargo

☆ X is ‘close to breakeven’ says CEO Linda Yaccarino
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —X CEO Linda Yaccarino, leader of the platform formerly known as Twitter, said the company is keeping an eye on new competitor Threads, despite the sharply slowing growth of the rival app from Meta. Musk, who is now the company’s chief technology officer, has also been preparing for a cage fight with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Yaccarino joined the company after months of turmoil caused by Musk’s takeover, including mass layoffs, controversial policy decisions and various legal battles. Yaccarino, a former marketing executive with NBCUniversal, was brought on to Twitter in part to help revive its advertising business. And she said on Thursday that the company is “close to breakeven.”“Coca Cola, Visa, State Farm is a huge partner, they’re coming back — the last bunch of weeks, continued revenue growth,” Yaccarino said.

Persons: Linda Yaccarino, it’s, ” Yaccarino, they’ll, ”, Yaccarino, we’re, Staving, Elon Musk, WeChat, Mark Zuckerberg, “, Musk, they’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, Twitter, Meta, CNBC, Fidelity, Visa Locations: New York, breakeven, Coca Cola

☆ Hollywood actors extend contract talks, temporarily averting strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LOS ANGELES, June 30 (Reuters) - Hollywood's actors union and major Hollywood studios agreed on Friday to keep negotiating through mid-July, staving off the immediate threat of a second labor strike in the entertainment business this summer. SAG-AFTRA voted in early June to give its leaders the authority to call a work stoppage if talks were to break down. Negotiations were taking place during a difficult time for Hollywood studios. The studios and the WGA have not held talks since the writers' strike began on May 2. The last writers' strike in 2007 and 2008 cost the California economy an estimated $2.1 billion.

Persons: staving, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, AFTRA, Lisa Richwine, Hanna Rantala, Sarah Mills, Mary Milliken, Rosalba O'Brien, Cynthia Osterman, Simon Cameron, Moore, William Mallard Organizations: Hollywood, SAG, Alliance, Television Producers, Writers Guild of America, WGA, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, Hollywood, California, Los Angeles, London

☆ Ageless Djokovic aiming to silence young guns again at Wimbledon
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"I feel if I'm winning Grand Slams why even think about ending the career that already has been going on for 20 years. "So I still feel motivated, still feel inspired to play the best tennis in these tournaments the most - Grand Slams. The Serbian's only limitation could be a lack of practice in another stop-start season, with the exhibition tournament at Hurlingham his only tune-up for the year's third Grand Slam. His former coach Boris Becker, however, has no doubt the ageless Serbian is already in a league of his own. "That's extraordinary ... 23 Grand Slams in an era where we had Federer, Nadal not to mention Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka.

Persons: Novak Djokovic, staving, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, I'm, Nadal, Nick Kyrgios, Roger Federer's men's, Daniil Medvedev, Boris Becker, Becker, Federer, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Wimbledon, All England Club, U.S, Thomson Locations: Serbian, Bengaluru

☆ American companies are draining their cash at the dumbest possible time
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Companies are sitting on a lot less cash than they were last year, largely because they’re spending it on share buybacks and corporate dividends. What’s happening: A new report from Moody’s Investors Service finds that nonfinancial companies’ corporate cash declined 12% last year to $2 trillion. But debt was flat year over year, meaning that companies didn’t use much of their cash reserves to pay down outstanding loans. Now that it’s more expensive to borrow, companies in the US should reconsider the amount of money they’re spending on buybacks, he added. Preventing companies from repurchasing their own shares, they argue, would free corporate cash to invest in growth and raise wages instead.

Persons: Emile El Nems, ”, Ben Lofthouse, Janus Henderson, ” El Nems, Joe Biden, buybacks, “, Brian Moynihan, Moynihan, CNN’s Poppy Harlow, Nathaniel Meyersohn, That’s Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN — Companies, Moody’s Investors Service, Moody’s, Federal Reserve, Bank of America, Corporations, ”, CNN, Commerce Department, UBS Locations: New York, buybacks

[1/2] A tug boat pushes an oil barge through New York Harbor past the Statue of Liberty in New York City, U.S., May 24, 2022. WTI was headed for its highest close since May 26 and Brent on track for its highest close since May 29. Open interest in futures contracts rose on Thursday to the highest since July 2021 for Brent and March 2022 for WTI. Oil traders have turned their attention to the June 4 meeting of OPEC+, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia. On the demand side, manufacturing data out of China, the world's second biggest oil consumer, painted a mixed picture.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Brent, WTI, Baker Hughes, Craig Erlam, Erlam, Shadia Nasralla, Andrew Hayley, Susan Fenton, Kirsten Donovan, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Congress, YORK, U.S, . West Texas, WTI, Senate, U.S . Federal Reserve, Organization of, Petroleum, Thomson Locations: New York Harbor, of, New York City, U.S, Russia, OPEC, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, China, Shanghai, Shenzhen, London, Beijing

☆ Oil prices rise as Congress approves US debt ceiling bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Andrew Hayley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermidBEIJING, June 2 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Friday amid bullish sentiment following the passage of a U.S. debt ceiling bill in Washington, while markets weighed the likelihood of price-supportive OPEC+ production cuts over the weekend. Further reductions in OPEC+ output following their surprise cut of 1.16 million barrels per day in April would be bullish for crude prices. Other market observers have pointed to weak manufacturing data out of China and the U.S. as making OPEC+ cuts more likely. "Oil prices are stabilizing after a round of disappointing global manufacturing data supported the case for OPEC+ to deliver another production cut," said Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at OANDA. However, traders are "thinking that Russia might not necessarily stick to a hard stance on output cuts, especially since they are struggling to commit to their quotes," Moya added.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Goldman Sachs, Edward Moya, Thursday's, Moya, Andrew Hayley, Jamie Freed, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, U.S, West Texas, Federal Reserve, Thursday's, Energy Information Administration, Organization of, Petroleum, Reuters, HSBC, OANDA, U.S ., Institute for Supply Management, PMI, P Global, Thomson Locations: New York Harbor, of, New York City, U.S, Brendan McDermid BEIJING, Washington, Russia, China, P Global China

☆ Oil prices jump 2% after U.S. debt deal and jobs data as focus turns to OPEC
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Drillers work at a shale oil well site in Jiangyan district of Taizhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, April 7, 2023. Oil prices rose more than 2% on Friday after the U.S. Congress passed a debt ceiling deal that averted a government default in the world's biggest oil consumer and jobs data fed hopes for a possible pause in interest rate hikes ahead of a meeting of OPEC and its allies this weekend. U.S. employment increased more than expected in May, but a moderation in wages could allow the U.S. Federal Reserve to skip an interest rate hike this month for the first time in more than a year. Oil traders have turned their attention to the June 4 meeting of OPEC+, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia. On the demand side, manufacturing data out of China, the world's second biggest oil consumer, painted a mixed picture.

Persons: Brent, Craig Erlam, Erlam Organizations: Drillers, U.S, Congress, . West Texas, Senate, U.S . Federal Reserve, Organization of, Petroleum Locations: Jiangyan district, Taizhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, Russia, OPEC, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, China, Shanghai, Shenzhen

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Russia bolsters attack on Kyiv; Putin congratulates 'dear friend' Erdogan on reelection
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Black Sea grain deal will no longer be operational if its current state of implementation continues, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday. The Black Sea grain deal will no longer be operational if its current state of implementation continues, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday, according to a Google translation of comments carried by Russian state news agency Tass. Reuters reported that Lavrov added that less than 3% of the grain exported under the agreement had reached the world's poorest countries. The U.N.-brokered agreement was set up to allow Kyiv's grains to be shipped through Black Sea ports, staving off the risk to global food security that was worsened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly complained that restrictions imposed on Russia prevent it from fulfilling its agricultural and fertilizer exports.

☆ Senate Democrats are asking Biden to stop negotiating with Republicans on a debt ceiling solution and take a route that would get rid of the problem forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Senate Democrats are asking Biden to prepare to use the 14th amendment to solve the debt ceiling crisis. The 14th amendment would allow Biden to bypass Congress and declare the debt ceiling unconstitutional. On Wednesday, The Washington Post first reported that five Democratic senators have spearheaded an effort to urge Biden to invoke a clause in the 14th amendment to address the debt ceiling. Rep. Jamie Raskin, for example, told Insider in a Wednesday interview that the 14th amendment "provides the whole structure for resolving the conflict." He said that he doesn't think the 14th amendment "solves our problem now.

☆ This simple habit can protect you from stress and burnout, says Harvard-trained psychologist: 'It only takes 5 minutes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But you can ward off burnout by being vigilant about the early signs and leaning on one simple habit: self-awareness. Ask yourself: "Where is this feeling coming from, and why is it coming up now?" Ask yourself: "Where is this feeling coming from, and why is it coming up now?" You can also prevent burnout by re-framing how you think about stress, Sorensen notes. "As one of my colleagues once told me, 'When you're stressed about stress, you're stressed,'" says Sorensen.

☆ Take Five: A summit with a ceiling
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

That would complicate a reported side summit with Japan and South Korea on strengthening security cooperation. Reuters Graphics4/ DATA DIVEA batch of key economic data will shed fresh light on whether the United States is staving off a downturn given Federal Reserve rate hikes. Tuesday's retail sales data will gauge the health of consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity. Retail sales fell more than expected in March, as consumers cut back on buying motor vehicles and other big-ticket items. A Reuters poll of economists showed a median projection of U.S. retail sales growing 0.7% in April from the previous month, after two straight months of decline.

☆ Loews CEO James Tisch uses a famous Warren Buffett quote to explain the banking fiasco - and warns more lenders may get into trouble.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Loews CEO James Tisch used a colorful Warren Buffett quote to describe the recent banking chaos. Tisch warned of more turmoil ahead, and urged the Fed to pause its rate hikes for three months. "As Warren Buffett says, 'When the tide goes out, you see who was swimming without a bathing suit,'" Tisch said. If authorities hadn't intervened, they risked a "full-fledged banking catastrophe" and a "massive, uncontrolled bank scare" with huge repercussions, he continued. However, Tisch warned of more trouble ahead.

☆ NHL: David Pastrnak scores outrageous goal but Florida Panthers stun Boston Bruins
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

By the second period it was clear that this was no ordinary playoff game when Bruins winger David Pastrnak tied the scores, steering a pass between his legs and into the goal in one spectacular motion. Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images“It’s a big win,” Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky said. The next game is the biggest game, so we have to be ready, be humble, but enjoy tonight. And I’d say it’s a great feeling for sure.”It had seemed unlikely that this playoff series would require a deciding game. It was that kind of game where there was just teams making great plays offensively.”Game 7 will be played in Boston Sunday.

☆ How Russia has fortified parts of Ukraine ahead of a possible counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

A map shows all the locations in Russia, along its border with Ukraine, and in Russian-held Ukraine, where the American Enterprise Institute found any kind of fortification built by Russia. Four maps show when the fortifications built by Russian along its border with Ukraine and in Russia-held Ukraine were first spotted on satellite imagery. In December 2022 and January 2023, fortifications appeared inside Russian regions and more parts of occupied Ukraine. Russian forces have dug many such trenches along what they see as key roads and junctions, and outside strategic cities, Africk said. A zoomed-in map shows fortifications around several towns such as Tokmak, Bilmak and Mykhailivka, along plain terrain and along major roads in Russian-held Ukraine.

☆ Nokia says draft EU patent rules one-sided, will undermine Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, April 25 (Reuters) - EU draft rules aimed at staving off spats over patents essential to key technologies for telecoms equipment and connected cars appear to put the onus and cost on patent owners, which could undermine Europe's leadership in such areas, Nokia said. Under the proposal seen by Reuters, patent holders are required to register their patents with the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) if they want to charge patent fees or take legal action. The proposal is unbalanced and ignores a key problem for patent owners, said Nokia's (NOKIA.HE) head of IP policy Collette Rawnsley. "The leaked draft regulation appears one-sided with additional obligations, burdens and costs falling on SEP owners rather than implementers," she told Reuters in an interview. She said Europe, currently home to leaders in cellular standards, could even lose its lead under the draft rules.

☆ Bed Bath & Beyond vows it can pull off a sale – here's what that means for shareholders
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Bed Bath & Beyond is confident it can offload its names and stores after it declared bankruptcy, but shareholders are expected to be wiped out as its stock plummets. "Bed Bath & Beyond has pulled off long shot transactions several times in the last six months, so nobody should think Bed Bath & Beyond will not be able to do so again. To the contrary, Bed Bath & Beyond and its professionals will make every effort to salvage all or a portion of operations for the benefit of all stakeholders," she added. The likelihood of finding a buyer will come down to how much Bed Bath and Buy Buy Baby's names are worth. As of late November, Bed Bath & Beyond had about $4.4 billion in assets and $5.2 billion in debts, court filings show.

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☆ Vendée Globe: History-making sailor Clarisse Crémer wants to be an 'example' to her daughter
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

For Crémer, the fastest solo woman to complete the around-the-world Vendée Globe race, assuming such a role was never part of the plan. “I had made that promise to myself during the previous Vendée Globe that I wanted to be back.”Return to sailingA lifeline was quick to arrive. On Thursday, Thomson announced that Crémer would skipper the team in its bid to qualify for next year’s Vendée Globe. Thomson celebrates finishing second at the Vendée Globe in January 2017, a few hours after French sailor Armel Le Cléac'h. The next Vendée Globe, which takes place between November 2024 and March 2025, will be the 10th edition of the race.

☆ An MIT neuroscientist says 'routine' and 'discipline' are the keys to preserving memory and staving off dementia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Yeji Jesse Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

MIT neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai said it boils down to routine and discipline. Li-Huei Tsai Cognito TherapeuticsThat's according to MIT Professor Li-Huei Tsai, a neuroscientist who focuses on diseases like Alzheimer's and directs The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory. She told Insider that the keys to maintaining healthy brain function and memory as you age are no secret. "I think people actually know what they should be doing to stay healthy and to preserve their memory," Tsai said. "I mean, I think that's the only way to do it."

The decision, announced after financial markets closed, gives Biden a pair of trusted Washington insiders to steer economic policy as the risk of recession fades but inflation lingers. Big fights also loom with the Republican-controlled House of Representatives over raising the debt ceiling. The shakeup comes as the White House tries to tackle what officials view as a frustrating disconnect between relatively strong economic data and weak public sentiment. The White House has refused to discuss spending cuts without a debt ceiling vote first. Bernstein last week conceded that the White House's early description of inflation as "transitory" had missed the mark.

DANA POINT, Calif. — Ronna McDaniel won re-election to a fourth term as Republican National Committee chairwoman on Friday, besting insurgent challenger Harmeet Dhillon in a secret ballot vote at the party’s annual winter meeting. Publicly, roughly 30 RNC members had committed to Dhillon ahead of the ballot. Harmeet Dhillon at her office in San Francisco in 2017. Anda Chu / MediaNews Group / Bay Area News via Getty Images fileEven with McDaniel in place as the next chair, many RNC members say they expect tensions to remain. All of us who are supporting Harmeet are not going away.”The RNC also approved a package of nine resolutions on Friday in a voice vote.

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