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☆ Half of Israel's Hotel Rooms Filled With Gaza War Evacuees
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Steven ScheerJERUSALEM (Reuters) - Half of Israeli hotel rooms are being used to house families evacuated from communities near the Gaza Strip, where an Oct. 7 rampage by Hamas gunmen triggered a cross-border war, the head of the Israel Hotel Association said on Monday. Israel has 56,000 hotel rooms and 28,000 are being provided to evacuees with the state footing the bill, said association chief executive Yael Danieli. She told a parliamentary panel debating compensation for residents impacted by the war that an additional 27,000 from border towns near Lebanon were expected. The Israeli-Lebanon border has seen an increase in hostilities as the Gaza war rages. Yogev Gardos, Israel's budget director, said the country's initial response was to finance the military's needs and now it would turn to the economy as a whole.

Persons: Steven Scheer JERUSALEM, Yael Danieli, Danieli, Isrotel, Yogev, Steven Scheer, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Israel Hotel Association Locations: Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Herzliya, Red, Eilat

☆ Half of Israel's hotel rooms filled with Gaza war evacuees
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People walk into Jerusalem's Old City via Jaffa Gate, as the conflict wreaks havoc across the tourism sector October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Half of Israeli hotel rooms are being used to house families evacuated from communities near the Gaza Strip, where an Oct. 7 rampage by Hamas gunmen triggered a cross-border war, the head of the Israel Hotel Association said on Monday. Israel has 56,000 hotel rooms and 28,000 are being provided to evacuees with the state footing the bill, said association chief executive Yael Danieli. She told a parliamentary panel debating compensation for residents impacted by the war that an additional 27,000 from border towns near Lebanon were expected. The Israeli-Lebanon border has seen an increase in hostilities as the Gaza war rages.

Persons: Sinan Abu Mayzer, Yael Danieli, Danieli, Isrotel, Yogev, Steven Scheer, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Israel Hotel Association, Thomson Locations: City, Jaffa, Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Herzliya, Red, Eilat

A day after Britain's fast pace of price growth unexpectedly slowed, the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee voted by the narrowest margin of 5-4 to keep Bank Rate at 5.25%. But rate futures suggested they still saw a 50% chance of Bank Rate rising to 5.5% by the end of this year. Britain's economy, hit hard by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in gas prices triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has been struggling with the highest inflation rate in the Group of Seven. But growth remains fragile, heightening the risk that the BoE's 14 back-to-back rate hikes will push the economy into a recession. Last week, the European Central Bank raised rates but suggested its move might be the last for now.

Persons: Andrew Bailey, Jon Cunliffe, Megan Greene, Jonathan Haskel, Catherine Mann, BoE, Reuters Graphics Sterling, Bailey, Rishi Sunak, Peter Nicholls, Frances Haque, Reuters Graphics Bailey, Yael Selfin, Hugh Gimber, William Schomberg, Catherine Evans Organizations: Bank of England, Reuters Graphics, U.S ., MPC, REUTERS, Santander UK, IF, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, KPMG, Investors, Bank of, Morgan Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, London, Britain

Investors put a nearly 50-50 chance on the BoE keeping rates on hold on Thursday after 14 back-to-back increases stretching back to December 2021. Investors had been overwhelmingly expecting the BoE to raise interest rates for the 15th time in a row on Thursday, taking Bank Rate to 5.5% from 5.25%. "The inflation figures may not sway the Bank of England away from raising interest rates tomorrow," Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said. Britain's inflation rate remains high - topped only by Austria and Iceland among Western European countries in August. But core inflation - which strips out volatile food and energy prices - fell by more than the headline rate to 6.2% from 6.9% in July.

Persons: Hunt, BoE, Yael Selfin, Price, Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Hunt, William James, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Reuters, Bank of England, Sterling, U.S, Investors, National Statistics, KPMG, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: July's, British, Austria, Iceland, Western, Britain

☆ Get the Baby to the Doctor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Yael Goldstein-Love | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I wheeled us right, then left, then left again. I raced it back to our street with the row of brownstones, their gracious stairs. I wasn’t strong enough to maneuver a baby in a stroller up 10 steps. And if I took him out of the stroller, the risk was high that he would lose his mind. But when my body settled, something deep inside me settled, too.

Persons: Mommy, ”, I’d Organizations: nab Locations: California

☆ Michelle Yeoh: Oscar winner set to become International Olympic Committee member
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Michelle Yeoh could soon become a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after the Oscar winner was among eight candidates nominated by the organization’s executive board. Her proposed membership is set to be ratified at an IOC session in Mumbai, India, next month. In March, Yeoh won best actress at the 95th Academy Awards for her acclaimed performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” becoming the first woman of Asian descent to win the award. She was also the first Malaysian-born performer to be honored with a best actress Oscar. She made her name in Hong Kong action movies of the 1980s and 90s, before her breakthrough international role in 1997 opposite Pierce Brosnan in the James Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies.”

Persons: CNN — Michelle Yeoh, Yeoh, ”, Oscar . Yeoh, Yael Arad, Balázs Furjes, Cecilia Roxana Tait Villacorta, Michael Mronz, Thomas Bach, Marvel, Rich Asians ”, Pierce Brosnan, James Bond Organizations: CNN, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Rich Asians Locations: Mumbai, India, Malaysian, Hungarian, Peruvian, Hong Kong

☆ Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh up for Olympic committee membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian actress to win an Oscar, is set to become a member of the International Olympic Committee after being included on a list of eight new proposed members on Friday. Yeoh won the Oscar for best lead actress earlier this year for her role in the movie "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and her proposed IOC membership will be ratified at its session in Mumbai next month. Mehrez Boussayene, President of the Tunisian Olympic Committee, is also up for election as an ex-officio member. The IOC is the guardian of the Olympic Games and the leader of the Olympic movement, according to its website. "Thevision of the International Olympic Committee is to Build a Better World through Sport," it says.

Persons: Michelle Yeoh, Yeoh, Oscar, Pierce Brosnan, Israel's, Yael Arad, Balasz Furjes, Cecilia Roxana Tait Villacorta, Michael Mronz, Sweden's Petra Soerling, South Korean Kim Jae, Mehrez Boussayene, Thomas Bach, Karolos Grohmann, Nick Macfie Organizations: International Olympic Committee, Hollywood, Olympic, IOC, Tennis Federation, South, International Skating Union, Tunisian Olympic Committee, Olympic Games, International Olympic, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, Malaysian, Chinese, Hungarian, Peru, South Korean

☆ An American Energy Giant Sees Israel as a Springboard to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Stanley Reed | More About Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

There are also signs of unease within Israel over moving from one fossil fuel to another. Environmentalists say that the dominance of gas in powering the Israeli economy and the influence of the petroleum industry mean that insufficient resources are going into developing clean energy. “We are hostages in a way,” said Elad Hochman, executive director of Green Course, an advocacy group. As for Chevron, though it does not disclose financial results from its Israeli operations, its executives say it is a profitable business that can be a springboard for expansion. “It is a very nice, attractive position,” Mr. Neff, the Chevron president, said, adding that the company has the opportunity “to grow our business substantially in the next few years.”Gabby Sobelman contributed reporting.

Persons: ”, Yael Cohen Paran, Elad Hochman, ” Mr, Neff, ” Gabby Sobelman Organizations: Green, Chevron Locations: Israel

☆ UK inflation slows to lowest level in more than a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —UK inflation eased more than expected in June, slowing to its lowest annual rate since March 2022, official data showed Wednesday. Consumer prices rose 7.9% last month compared with a year ago, down from 8.7% in May, the Office for National Statistics said. “Inflation slowed substantially … driven by drops for motor fuels,” ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner said in a statement. “While the Bank of England will welcome the fall in inflation, it is unlikely to substantially change its hawkish policy stance,” said KPMG chief economist Yael Selfin. “The main story today is that inflation is lower than expected, fueling a narrative that we are through the worst,” said Kitty Ussher, chief economist at the Institute of Directors.

Persons: Grant Fitzner, ”, Yael Selfin, Paul Dales, Selfin, “, Kitty Ussher, … Organizations: London CNN —, National Statistics, Reuters, Bank of England, ONS, “, KPMG, Capital Economics, ”, Institute of Directors

☆ France stabbing: Four children wounded in Annecy knife attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] French soldiers secure the area after several children and an adult have been injured in a knife attack in Annecy, in the French Alps, France, June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseANNECY, France, June 8 (Reuters) - A Syrian national wounded four young children and an adult in a knife attack in a park in the southeastern French town of Annecy on Thursday, police said, and some of the victims were in critical condition. The wounded children were aged between 22 months and 3 years, they said. Witnesses said at least one of the children wounded in the attack was in a stroller. "Nothing more abominable than to attack children," National Assembly speaker Yael Braun-Pivet said on Twitter.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, Gerald Darmanin, Emmanuel Macron, Witnesses, Ferdinand, BFM, George, Yohan, Macron, Yael Braun, Pivet, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Geert De Clercq, Juliette Jabkhiro, Silvia Aloisi, Toby Chopra, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Denis Balibouse ANNECY, Syrian, Reuters, Twitter, Lake, Thomson Locations: Annecy, French, France, Syrian, Lake Annecy, Reims

Inflation, which hit a 41-year high of 11.1% in October, continued to eat into the spending power of workers whose pay is rising by less. Britain's headline inflation rate is now the highest in western Europe and compares with an average of 6.9% in the euro zone and 5.0% in the United States. Austria recorded a higher inflation rate than Britain in February. Reuters GraphicsPOLITICAL PRESSUREHigh inflation is a problem for Britain's government as well as the BoE, which forecast in February that inflation would be below 4% by the end of the year. Producer price inflation - which measures changes in prices charged and paid by manufacturers and often leads changes in CPI - tumbled in March due to lower oil prices.

☆ UK economy shows no growth in February as strikes weigh
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Economic output was flat in month-on-month terms in February, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Thursday. A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to growth of 0.1%. The ONS revised up January's monthly growth rate in the overall economy to 0.4% from a previous estimate of 0.3%. "A combination of upward revisions in GDP data and an improvement in global economic conditions could help the UK economy avoid a recession this year," Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said. "While this will provide relief for policymakers, the outlook for growth in the medium-term remains relatively weak by historical standards."

☆ Amazon gave 'small business' and 'Black-owned business' badges to companies that were neither, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon reportedly gave some sellers "Small Business" badges even though they were large companies, The Information reports. "Black-Owned Small Business" badges were also reportedly given to companies that aren't Black-owned. Amazon gave "Small Business" badges to sellers that are "multinational corporations with thousands of employees," The Information reported. Likewise, Amazon reportedly also gave "Black-Owned Small Business" badges to companies that were not actually Black-owned, The Information reported. And products from grass-fed beef jerky firm Chomps were given the Black-owned business badge even though its founders Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali are not Black.

☆ ‘Yellowjackets’ Is TV’s Scariest Show About Female Friendship
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Yael Kohen | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/yellowjackets-season-2-scary-show-c001b95a

☆ West Bank settlers 'sing and dance' after outpost recognized
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Emily Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] An aerial view shows mobile homes in the Jewish settlement of Givat Haroeh in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, February 21, 2023. REUTERS/Ronen ZvulunJERUSALEM, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Drama therapist Yael Drori left bustling Jerusalem 16 years ago to live in an unrecognised outpost in the Israeli occupied West Bank. She moved to the West Bank out of ideology, but what she found was a sense of community. Along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, the Palestinians seek the occupied West Bank for a state. Israel disputes that and cites biblical, historical and political links to the West Bank, as well as security interests.

☆ Israeli West Bank settlers 'sing and dance' after outpost recognised
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Emily Rose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] An aerial view shows mobile homes in the Jewish settlement of Givat Haroeh in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, February 21, 2023. REUTERS/Ronen ZvulunJERUSALEM, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Drama therapist Yael Drori left bustling Jerusalem 16 years ago to live in an unrecognised outpost in the Israeli occupied West Bank. As a youth, she was active in the Israeli settler movement supporting new communities in the West Bank and protesting against Israeli disengagement from Jewish communities in Gaza. She moved to the West Bank out of ideology, but what she found was a sense of community. Israel disputes that and cites biblical, historical and political links to the West Bank, as well as security interests.

☆ 'Stalin' said he disagreed with Putin's invasion of Ukraine. We 'spoke' to dead historical figures using a new AI chatbot that experts are sounding the alarm over.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Bethany Dawson | Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Insider "spoke" to bots acting as Princess Diana, Heinrich Himmler, Joseph Stalin, and Fred Trump. AI 'Fred Trump,' Donald Trump's father, isn't impressed with his son's politics. But AI Fred Trump "said" that he's "very proud" of his son, describing him as a "successful businessperson" and an "amazing father." An AI chatbot acting as Fred Trump, Donald Trump's father. AI Stalin called for the two countries to "find a peaceful solution."

☆ AI bot that lets you chat with Jesus, Hitler is latest GPT-3 controversy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

But this week, it sparked viral controversy online over its inclusion of Hitler, his Nazi lieutenants and other dictators from the past. Historical Figures, which also uses GPT-3, launched the first week of January, and as of Wednesday, it had about 9,000 signups, app creator Sidhant Chadda said in a phone interview. “People expect these historical figures to be truthful, but in reality, people are not always 100% honest,” he said. Asking a question costs one coin, and the app charges extra to get access to high-profile historical figures. The possibility of digitally re-animating historical figures has been gaining ground ever since, from the “The Simpsons” to holograms of dead idols such as Buddy Holly and Whitney Houston.

☆ CIOs in 2023 Want to Know: Who’s Got Talent?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Isabelle Bousquette | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

As the information technology talent gap continues into 2023, chief information officers are augmenting recruiting efforts with new models like upskilling, job sharing and rotations as well as raising salaries and offering perks to retain workers. Some also believe the shifting economy could make it easier to fill vacancies, although the short term talent market remains challenging. “It’s been a source of should we, not deprioritize, but re-sequence the work that we’re doing,” Kroger CIO Yael Cosset said of the talent shortage. Duke Energy is developing certification curricula and joining with software companies on education programs to help internal talent learn new skills, said CIO Bonnie Titone. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS What do you think CIOs can do to find and retain talent in 2023?

☆ Retailers Rethink In-Store Tech as Shoppers Return
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Isabelle Bousquette | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Retailers during the pandemic poured investments into e-commerce, as many questioned whether shoppers would ever return in full force to physical stores. E-commerce is now 16.4% of all retail shopping, down from 18.8% at the height of the pandemic, according to the National Retail Federation. Photo: The Kroger Company“There is an opportunity to remove the friction,” said Mr. Cosset. “It’s never enough.”In addition to cost barriers, Mr. Cosset of Kroger said it is also wise to hold back on some investments based on what the consumer actually wants. But privacy concerns coupled with the cost of large-scale camera installation make it impractical, Mr. Cosset said.

But only one policymaker, Catherine Mann, wanted to match November's bigger 0.75 percentage point increase - the BoE's largest in more than 30 years - and two MPC members voted to keep rates on hold. Sterling weakened against the U.S. dollar after the BoE's decision, falling to around $1.23, and it also declined against the euro. "While the 50-basis-point increase in the Bank rate was as expected, the extent of the divisions across the committee is an eye-opener," Philip Shaw, an economist with Investec, said. On Wednesday, the U.S. Federal Reserve also slowed the pace of its rate hikes while pointing to more tightening in 2023. That 0.4 percentage point fall in the annual rate was the largest since July 2021.

☆ ‘Difficult decisions’: Britain announces higher taxes and spending cuts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

London CNN Business —The United Kingdom has already entered a recession and is battling decades-high inflation, eroding standards of living for millions of people across the country. Britain’s painful planThe United Kingdom is in a recession that will last just over a year, the country’s budget watchdog said in a new forecast released Thursday. The United Kingdom is also increasing its windfall tax on oil and gas companies, while slapping a new levy on electricity generators. “We do have to take difficult decisions on public finances, so we’re going to grow public spending, but we are going to grow it more slowly than the growth in the economy,” Hunt said. The Bank of England has said the United Kingdom could be in a recession for two years.

☆ Investors Cool on Internet-of-Things Startups, a Tech Conduit for Retailers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Angus Loten | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Slumping markets have investors pulling back from funding startups that make internet-connected devices for retailers, threatening to choke an innovation pipeline for emerging tools like smart shopping carts and inventory management robots. Total venture-capital funding for startups developing IoT technology specifically for retailers is on pace to drop 65.1% from 2021 to $188.2 million by the end of the year—one of the hardest hit subsectors in the IoT market, the firm said. Like most commercial software applications, connected devices in recent years have become an integral part of retailers’ day-to-day operations. He said the company would continue to invest in these and other tech tools that help customers, despite tougher economic conditions. IoT technology is critical for the food company, Mr. Basu said, because it also enables Goya to implement cybersecurity projects in its plants.

[1/5] Yael Gabay, The Plant Based Treaty global co-director with a team give away free vegan burgers during COP27 climate summit in Red Sea resort at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, November 14, 2022. "We have to move away from animal production." "It would result in more intensive livestock production that would require larger areas of land to produce the animal feed, putting pressure on forest land," Reisinger told Reuters. THE OTHER WHITE MEATCampaigners have even protested the food kiosks at the summit selling burgers and chicken - foods they say don't belong at a climate conference. "When you enter the conference, you have the scent of grilled animal meat in your nose.

☆ Elon Musk is threatening to 'thermonuclear name and shame' advertisers that press pause on Twitter. It's a dumb thing to do to your biggest customers.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Jake Swearingen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

After advertisers paused spending, Musk went on the offensive, tweeting that advertisers were causing a "massive drop in revenue," He continued: "Extremely messed up! Per a Standard Media Index report, total advertising spending was down by 5% year-over-year in September. Other advertising giants like YouTube and Meta reported year-over-year declines in advertising revenue, with YouTube down by 2% and Meta down by 4%. Brand advertising relies highly on "brand safe" outlets where ads won't appear near objectionable content like violence, pornography, or hate speech. To replace the $40 million in lost monthly revenue, Twitter would need to sign up a little over 5 million Twitter Blue accounts paying $8 a month in its first month.

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