DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ In Ecuador, party of slain presidential candidate picks replacement
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Karen ToroQUITO, Aug 12 (Reuters) - The political party of Ecuador's assassinated presidential hopeful, Fernando Villavicencio, picked his would-be vice presidential candidate to replace him as the party standard-bearer on Saturday, just a week before the election. Villavicencio's Build party, or Construye in Spanish, announced on social media it had tapped Andrea Gonzalez to replace the slain 59-year-old as its presidential candidate in the Aug. 20 vote. She had been selected by Villavicencio to be his running made in the snap election called by outgoing President Guillermo Lasso. Villavicencio had been polling around the middle of the pack in a field of eight candidates prior to his assassination. Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Andrea Gonzalez, Fernando Villavicencio, Karen Toro QUITO, Ecuador's, Gonzalez, Villavicencio, Guillermo Lasso, Alexandra Valencia, David Alire Garcia, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Villavicencio's, The, Thomson Locations: Quito, Ecuador, Spanish

☆ Opinion: Russia capitalizes on Niger coup while US stands idly by
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Two weeks ago, a military junta suddenly deposed Niger’s pro-American, democratically elected president. Already at least one leader of the Niger junta has met with Wagner representatives in neighboring Mali, where Wagner has developed a firm presence. Given the stakes, the initial responses by those who support Niger’s ousted president have been ill-considered and anemic. But the Wagner-supported ruling juntas in two of Niger’s neighbors immediately pledged to join with Niger’s military in fending off any such invasion, calling it a “declaration of war” against them. All have been grounded since Niger’s junta declared the entire country a no-fly zone.

Persons: David A, Niger’s, David Andelman, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Mohamed Bazoum, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu, ECOWAS’s, didn’t, Bazoum, Germany —, Putin, Antony Blinken’s, Victoria Nuland Organizations: CNN, French Legion of, The New York Times, CBS News, American, David Andelman CNN, Central African, West African States, ECOWAS, Wall Street, US, African Union, NATO, Russian, Wagner Group, Faustin, Twitter, Niger’s Locations: United States, Africa, Russia, Niger, Mali, Central African Republic, Sudan, Burkina Faso, African, Niamey, Sahel, South Asia, Afghanistan, East, North Africa, France, Italy, Germany

☆ Priest: My conversion on LGBTQ rights tells an important story
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Opinion Michael Coren | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Some background and context: Until 2013 I was a Roman Catholic, and as a journalist and broadcaster with a fairly high profile, spoke and wrote frequently in support of Catholic sexual teachings. And according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and “contrary to the natural law.” Pope Francis has made some soothing and compromising comments but, at heart, very little has changed. As a result, I was roundly attacked by Christian conservatives, Catholic as well as Protestant. I made a public apology in my syndicated newspaper column for harm caused to the LGBTQ+ community by my writing and broadcasting. I’m now a priest, spend my time trying to preach the genuine song of the Gospels, and write books and columns doing the same.

Persons: Michael Coren, I’ve, –, ” Pope Francis, Pope Francis, ”, Canada’s, John Baird, Baird, I’d, “ Tolle, Augustine, wasn’t, Ezekiel, Samuel, it’s, Jesus doesn’t, Paul’s, It’s, Jesus, Will Jesus, David, Jonathan, We’re, Matthew, Luke, I’m Organizations: Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, CNN, Roman Catholic, Catholic Church, Associated Press, Catholic, Twitter Locations: Canada, Roman, St, Northern Ireland, I’m

☆ The new twist in Hunter Biden’s case is a huge political headache for his father
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —A sudden new twist in the investigation into Hunter Biden means his legal tribulations will likely stretch on for months, creating an unwelcome new drag on his father’s White House and reelection bid. Just weeks ago, the shadow of criminal suspicion over Hunter Biden seemed about to lift. The change of status followed the collapse of a deal last month that likely would have seen Hunter Biden get sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges. But the symbolic weight of an appointment of a special counsel stiffens the perception of scandal and potential wrongdoing even if the legal realities of the case haven’t shifted. Important differences between Hunter Biden and Trump casesThere are two important distinctions between Biden and Trump that the Republicans are trying to blur.

Persons: Hunter Biden, David Weiss, Joe Biden’s, Weiss, Joe Biden, Alberto Gonzales, Jake Tapper ”, it’s, …, ”, Gonzales, George W, Bush, Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden’s, Abbe Lowell, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Lowell, Trump, Garland, Clinton, Biden, Donald Trump, It’s, Tanya Chutkan, David Axelrod, Barack Obama, Biden’s, Hunter, Tapper, James Comer –, –, “, Joe Biden hasn’t, ” Comer, Comer, he’s, General Garland, Kevin McCarthy, couldn’t, Carolina Sen, Lindsey Graham, General Garland’s, Hunter Biden – Organizations: CNN, House, Justice Department, White, House Republicans, Trump, Republican, GOP Locations: Delaware, Weiss, Florida, Ukraine, China, Kentucky, California, Carolina

☆ People who choose to work from home are actually less-productive when they do so, new research suggests. An author behind the research explains why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

One of the study's authors told Insider those who prefer WFH are also the "most distracted" at home. It found that randomly selected data-entry workers in Chennai, India were 18% less-productive working from home than from the office. It found that those who prefer to work from home are — at baseline — actually 12% faster and more accurate in their work. Those who prefer to work from the office — even if they're initially slower or less-accurate — are just 13% less-productive when working from home. Atkin suggests that hybrid work arrangements could be an answer, even though they weren't explored in this particular study.

Persons: Maskot, they're, David Atkin, Atkin Organizations: Service, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, WFH Locations: Wall, Silicon, Chennai, India

☆ Nicaragua freezes bank accounts of top university led by Jesuits - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Ismael Lopez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 9 (Reuters) - Nicaraguan authorities froze the bank accounts of the country's top private university, a source from the institution told Reuters, marking the latest move against a Catholic-led institution in an ongoing crackdown by the government. The Jesuit-run Central American University (UCA) is the alma mater of many youth leaders who protested the government of President Daniel Ortega in 2018, which were initially triggered by old-age pension cuts. Earlier on Wednesday, digital news outlet Divergentes reported that UCA officials sent an email to staff and students advising that they were not receiving any payments due to reasons beyond their control. In May, authorities also froze bank accounts belonging to Catholic parishes across the country as prosecutors launched what they called a money laundering investigation. The university had already been singled out for budget cuts and its leaders targeted, including UCA rector and Jesuit priest Jose Idiaquez who last year was barred from returning to Nicaragua after traveling to Mexico.

Persons: Daniel Ortega, Bishop Rolando Alvarez, Ortega, Jose Idiaquez, Ismael Lopez, Sarah Morland, David Alire Garcia, Michael Perry Organizations: Nicaraguan, Reuters, Catholic, Central American University, UCA, Sandinista, Thomson Locations: Nicaragua, Mexico

☆ Disney's quarter wasn't clean, but we see evidence that CEO Bob Iger's turnaround plan is working
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Disney (DIS) reported fiscal third-quarter results after the closing bell Wednesday, and it was another mixed quarter even against low expectations. Still, there were enough pockets of optimism in the company's restructuring plan and streaming strategy to believe CEO Bob Iger's turnaround is working. Indeed, global Disney+ subscribers declined to 146.1 million from 157.8 billion, but nearly all of that was associated with Disney+ Hotstar and not Disney's core markets. Quarter over quarter, that loss of $512 million was narrower by $147 million. Thanks to the ongoing strength of Disney's international parks and cruise line business, Disney expects fourth-quarter operating margins at DPEP to exceed the prior year.

Persons: Bob Iger's, we've, Kevin Lansberry, Iger, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Bob Iger, CNBC's David Faber, David A Organizations: Disney, Refinitiv, DIS, Consumer, Hollywood, Indian Premier League cricket, Netflix, Disney Media, Entertainment, Linear Networks, ESPN, Penn Entertainment, Disney Parks, Walt Disney, Star Wars, CNBC, Allen, Grogan Locations: India, Florida, Europe, Canada, DMED, Sun Valley , Idaho

☆ Insurers face long road, high cost to cover obesity drugs after promising Wegovy heart health data
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

There is likely a long way to go before the U.S. sees increased insurance coverage for obesity drugs. While the trial results demonstrate that obesity drugs may have significant health benefits beyond shedding unwanted pounds, organizations representing U.S. insurers emphasized that the data is still preliminary. "Health insurance providers will continue to analyze new evidence as it becomes available," he added. Ceci Connolly, CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans, acknowledged the promise of the data but said "outrageous prices should give everyone pause." The organization represents regional, community-based health plans that cover more than 18 million Americans across the U.S.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Wegovy, Eli Lilly, David Allen, Ceci Connolly, Jared Holz, It's, Debra Tyler's, Joe Buglewicz, Eduardo Grunvald, George Frey, UCSD's Gunvald, Eli, Ethan Lazarus, Lazarus Organizations: Reuters Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk, America's Health, Alliance of Community Health, U.S, Drugs, Pfizer, Medicare, CVS, Aetna, CNBC, Washington Post, Getty, UCSD Health's Center, International Foundation of Employee, University of Texas System, UTS, Novo, Reuters, Obesity Medicine Association, New England, of Medicine Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, Mizuho, Killingworth, Conn, Texas

☆ Just 10% plan to wait until age 70 to claim Social Security, survey finds. Why experts say it's often best to delay
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Maryviolet | Istock | Getty ImagesResearch suggests it's best to hold off on claiming Social Security retirement benefits until age 70, if possible, to get the biggest monthly payments available to you. That includes 17% of respondents ages 60 to 65, who may be on the brink of retirement, according to the results. Why it pays to wait to claim Social Security benefitsEarly claiming will affect the size of your monthly Social Security checks. For each year delayed past full retirement age to age 70, 8% is added to Social Security benefits. By waiting up to age 70, retirees can lock in the biggest benefit checks available based on their work records.

Persons: —, Deb Boyden, Larry Kotlikoff, David Altig, Victor Yifan Ye, Kotlikoff Organizations: Istock, Getty Images Research, Social, Security, Social Security, Social Security Administration, Boston University, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Opendoor Technologies, Finance

☆ Early adopters in Mexico lend their eyes to global biometric project
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Anna Portella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Annegret HilseMEXICO CITY, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Eager early adopters recently descended upon a Mexico City cafe where their eyes were scanned by a futuristic sphere, part of an ambitious project that ultimately seeks to create a unique digital identification for everyone on the planet. The so-called Worldcoin project is a biometric verification tool led by Sam Altman, the chief executive of Open AI, and the crypto company he co-founded, Tools for Humanity. After the orb scanner captures each user's iris, it converts the image into a unique numerical code called an iris code, which Sadle stressed can only be used to prove the user's identity. "The image on default is deleted and the only piece that is kept is the iris code." "They don't clearly mention the time frame in which the biometric data they collect will be processed and retained," she said, adding that the ownership of the iris code is also unclear.

Persons: Sam Altman, Jose Incera, Sam Sadle, Sadle, Agneris, Anna Portella, David Alire Garcia, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: REUTERS, MEXICO CITY, Humanity, Thomson Locations: cryptocurrency, Berlin, Germany, Annegret, MEXICO, Mexico City, Mexico, Worldcoin's

☆ Meet Russell Horwitz, the ex-Goldman partner who is stepping in as David Solomon's chief of staff at a vulnerable time for the CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Dakin Campbell | Kaja Whitehouse | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russell Horwitz has been named David Solomon's new chief of staff at a difficult time for the CEO. Russell Horwitz, a partner and former chief of staff to CEO Lloyd Blankfein, is returning to the firm after roughly two years away. Another, Jake Siewert, left Goldman for Warburg Pincus in June 2021. Horwitz left soon after. He has Washington experienceLike Rogers, Horwitz also has a past working in Washington DC.

Persons: Russell Horwitz, David Solomon's, Horwitz, Goldman, John F, Rogers, Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, David Solomon, John Rogers, Jon Corzine, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, Joshua Roberts, Solomon, John Waldron, Fiona Carter, Carter, Dina Powell McCormick, Gregg Lemkau, Byron Trott, Jake Siewert, Warburg Pincus, Blankfein, He's, Ken Griffin, John, David, Pablo Salame, Umesh Subramanian, Arthur Levitt Organizations: Goldman, The New York Times, Reuters, BDT, MSD Partners, Miami . Partners, Citadel, Citadel Horwitz, Washington DC, Securities and Exchange Commission, Clinton Locations: Miami, Citadel's, Washington

☆ Return-to-office mandates just got another vote in their favor: A new study says WFH results in 18% less productivity.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A study from economists at MIT and UCLA found productivity dropped when people worked from home. The study observed groups of data-entry workers in India working from home and from the office. Some workers argue they're more productive working remotely. Those in the work-from-home group were 18% less productive than those working from the office. Why data-entry workers?

Persons: It's, David Atkin, Andy Jassy, Zuckerberg's Meta Organizations: MIT, UCLA, Service, National Bureau of Economic Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Fortune, Microsoft, Amazon Locations: India, Wall, Silicon, Los Angeles, Chennai

☆ Profits for Brazil's Itau Unibanco up 14%, beat expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Peter Frontini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A man is reflected in an Itau branch window in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil April 29, 2019. REUTERS/Sergio Moraes/File PhotoSAO PAULO, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Brazilian lender Itau Unibanco (ITUB4.SA) reported a 14% increase in second-quarter net profit from a year earlier, beating expectations, while also keeping default rates stable, the bank said in a securities filing on Monday. Latin America's biggest private sector lender posted recurring net profit of 8.74 billion reais ($151 million) during the April-to-June period, while analysts polled by Refinitiv expected 8.63 billion reais. Delinquency, measured by a 90-day default ratio, came in at 3.0%, essentially flat compared to the first quarter. Credit costs during the quarter grew 25% from a year earlier to reach 9.44 billion reais, as the lender set aside more money for customers defaulting on loans.

Persons: Sergio Moraes, Itau, Alexsandro Broedel, Peter Frontini, Carolina Pulice, David Alire Garcia, David Gregorio, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, SAO PAULO, Citi, Santander, Bradesco, Thomson Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

☆ Israeli patrolman killed in Tel Aviv shooting, Palestinian gunman also killed
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Michael Schwartz Abeer Salman Amir Tal Kareem El Damanhoury Hamdi Alkhshali | Michael Schwartz | Abeer Salman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —An Israeli patrolman was shot and killed in Tel Aviv on Saturday night by a Palestinian gunman who was also shot and killed, Israeli authorities said. Israel Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai said two Tel Aviv municipal patrol bikers noticed the suspect and called on him to stop, prompting him to pull out a pistol and shoot one of them. The second patrolman pulled out his own gun, chased the attacker and shot him. Both the wounded officer and the gunman were taken to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center – Ichilov – which first announced the gunman was dead and later confirmed the officer’s death. In a statement released on Twitter, now known as X, the State Department said:“We strongly condemn today’s terrorist attack in Tel Aviv that killed one and wounded two others – as well as other recent terrorist attacks against Israelis.

Persons: Yaakov Shabtai, Chen Amir, Amir, David Adom, Shabtai, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Israel, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical, MDA, Israel Police spokesperson’s, US State Department qualified, West Bank, Twitter, State Department, Islamic Locations: Israeli, Tel Aviv, Palestinian

A general view shows parts of the structure of flight terminal at an abandoned construction site of a Mexico City airport that was scrapped at Texcoco on the outskirts of Mexico City, Mexico September 3, 2020. "The finance ministry asked for everything to stay the same, so that's what's going to happen," Deputy Transportation Minister Rogelio Jimenez Pons told reporters. Jimenez had previously said that the finance ministry was considering an earlier payback schedule, as the funds used to pay off the bonds for the canceled airport currently come from a usage tax generated by the existing Mexico City International Airport (AICM). Once the Navy runs the AICM, which Jimenez said he expects to happen later this year, it may decide to renegotiate a buyback with the finance ministry, he added. Lopez Obrador opened the farther-away Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA) last year as an alternative to the Texcoco airport on an active military base.

Persons: Henry Romero, Andres Manuel Lopez, Rogelio Jimenez Pons, Jimenez, Lopez Obrador, Felipe, Kylie Madry, David Alire Garcia, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Mexico City International, Navy, Felipe Angeles International Airport, Thomson Locations: Mexico City, Texcoco, Mexico, MEXICO

☆ Panama blasts Colombia for inaction on Darien Gap migrants
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Elida Moreno | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PANAMA CITY, Aug 4 (Reuters) - The head of Panama's migration agency lashed out at Colombia on Friday, slamming its southern neighbor for failure to help control the flow of mostly U.S.-bound migrants passing through the dangerous Darien Gap amid a surge of people traveling north. "For Panama, this is a crisis, but unfortunately with Colombia we have not been able to reach any kind of understanding," Gozaine said in a statement released on Friday. The dense tropical jungle of the 60-mile (97-km) Darien Gap links Panama and Colombia, covering a missing section on the Pan-American highway, which stretches from Alaska to Argentina. Late last month, Panama's security ministry released data showing that the number of individual crossings of the Darien Gap reached an all-time high of nearly 250,000 in the first seven months of the year. "The only thing that Panama can do is manage the flow and permit (migrants) to keep traveling north and try to minimize the damage to Panama," she said.

Persons: Samira Gozaine, Gozaine, Elida Moreno, David Alire Garcia, Tom Hogue Organizations: PANAMA CITY, Panamanian, Pan, Thomson Locations: PANAMA, Colombia, Panama, Darien, Alaska, Argentina, United States

The protest in London’s bustling Chinatown brought together a variety of activist groups to oppose a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. So it was peculiar when a street brawl broke out among mostly ethnic Chinese demonstrators. Witnesses said the fight, in November 2021, started when men aligned with the event’s organizers, including a group called No Cold War, attacked activists supporting the democracy movement in Hong Kong. In fact, a New York Times investigation found, it is part of a lavishly funded influence campaign that defends China and pushes its propaganda. At the center is a charismatic American millionaire, Neville Roy Singham, who is known as a socialist benefactor of far-left causes.

Persons: Witnesses, Neville Roy Singham Organizations: New York Times Locations: London’s, Chinatown, Hong Kong, China, American

☆ Panama Canal seen losing $200 mln next year as ship crossings dip
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Monrovia NSU CHALLENGER bulk carrier transits the expanded canal through Cocoli Locks at the Panama Canal, on the outskirts of Panama City, Panama April 19, 2023. Specifically, between 30 and 32 ships are expected to cross daily during the new fiscal year which starts in October, said canal administrator Ricaurte Vasquez at an event. That compares to the 36 to 38 ships that transit the waterway when it operates at full capacity. The $200 million cut would reduce the canal's revenues for the 2023-2024 fiscal year to $4.9 billion. Panama typically sees heavy rains in July, and the canal authority has called the lack of precipitation "historically unprecedented."

Persons: Aris Martinez, Ricaurte Vasquez, Elida Moreno, David Alire Garcia Organizations: Monrovia NSU CHALLENGER, REUTERS, PANAMA CITY, Thomson Locations: Cocoli, Panama, Panama City

☆ 3 Factors Keeping Americans From New Weight-Loss Drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Gina Kolata | More About Gina Kolata | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

That’s the median weight loss experienced by people who take Wegovy, a drug from Novo Nordisk. Many patients started by taking Ozempic, a diabetes drug also by Novo Nordisk that led to weight loss as a side effect. Mounjaro, made by Eli Lilly and approved for treating diabetes, is expected to be approved soon for obesity. While price and insurance coverage pose problems for patients, health economists expect prices to come down as more drugs are approved and companies face competition. Medicare is forbidden by law to pay for weight-loss drugs, although there is an intense lobbying effort to change that.

Persons: Eli Lilly, David A, Eli Lilly’s, “, ”, Ania, Robert F, Kushner Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Duke University, Yale University, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, “ Locations: Novo

☆ Lake Titicaca drying up as heat wave turns winter upside down
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Monica Machicao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/9] Isabel Apaza and Gabriel Flores sail in their boat through a narrow water path near the shore of Lake Titicaca in Huarina, Bolivia, August 3, 2023. REUTERS/Claudia MoralesHUARINA, Bolivia, Aug 4 (Reuters) - The parched shoreline and shrinking depths of Lake Titicaca are prompting growing alarm that an ago-old way of life around South America's largest lake is slipping away as a brutal heat wave wreaks havoc on the southern hemisphere's winter. Like many places suffering deadly consequences of climate change, the sprawling freshwater lake nestled in the Andes mountains on Bolivia's border with Peru now features a water level approaching an all-time low. Globally, July was the hottest month on record, as prolonged dry spells take an especially heavy toll on humans and animals alike. "I don't know what we're going to do any more since we don't have food for our cows or lambs."

Persons: Isabel Apaza, Gabriel Flores, Claudia Morales HUARINA, Lucia Walper, Monica Machicao, Santiago Limachi, Sergio Limachi, Valentine Hilaire, David Alire Garcia, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Farmers, Bolivia's Oruro Technical University, International Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Lake Titicaca, Huarina, Bolivia, Titicaca, South America's, Peru, Gabriel Flores ., South America, Uruguay, Montevideo, shriveled

☆ Venezuela's bolivar weakens against the U.S. dollar as inflation rages
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CARACAS, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The Venezuelan bolivar weakened to 30 units per dollar, the central bank said on Thursday, marking the latest descent for the beleaguered local currency as the economy suffers one of the world's highest inflation rates. Over the past seven months, the bolivar has depreciated by a third compared with the U.S. dollar, according to analysts consulted by Reuters. They have also tried to make foreign currency more readily available to local banks, but the strategies have not tamed the country's galloping inflation rate. Since early this year, the central bank has offered local banks about $1 billion, according to local firm Sintesis Financieras. Meanwhile, U.S.-based oil major Chevron (CVX.N), which operates in the country, has posted foreign currency sales of around $400 million from February to July.

Persons: Venezuelan bolivar, bolivar, Nicolas Maduro, Maduro's, Sintesis, Maduro, Mayela Armas, Carolina Pulice, David Alire Garcia, Leslie Adler Organizations: U.S ., Reuters, Thomson Locations: CARACAS, Venezuelan, U.S, Chevron

☆ Whale fossil may be the heaviest animal ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A colossal ancient whale discovered in Peru might be the heaviest animal on record, according to a new study. What’s more, Perucetus likely weighed two to three times more than the blue whale, which today weighs a maximum of 149.6 metric tons (330,000 pounds). Giovanni Bianucci“Discoveries of such extreme body forms are an opportunity to re-evaluate our understanding of animal evolution,” wrote J.G.M. “It seems that we are only dimly aware of how astonishing whale form and function can be,” they added. The lifestyle of a colossal whaleThe findings suggest that gigantism or peak body mass among cetaceans had been reached around 30 million years earlier than previously thought, according to the study.

Persons: Giovanni Bianucci, “, ” Bianucci, Perucetus, ”, ’, Bianucci, pacificus, Mystacodon selenesis, Mario Urbina Schmitt, Schmitt, Thewissen, David A, Waugh, weren’t, Ingalls, Brown, ” Thewissen Organizations: CNN, University of Pisa’s, sirenians, Peru “, National University of San, Ohio Medical University Locations: Peru, Italy, Ica, Peruvian, National University of San Marcos, Lima

☆ Peru economy shrinks for two straight quarters, minister denies recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 1 (Reuters) - Peru's finance minister said on Tuesday that preliminary data showed the country's economy shrank in June, marking two consecutive quarters of contraction, which is a common definition for a recession. Finance Minister Alex Contreras told reporters he expects economic growth to return in July after preliminary data showed that the economy shrank by about 1% in June. That followed official data showing that the South American country's economy contracted by 0.43% in the first quarter. Despite the data, Contreras asserted that the economy is not in recession while heaping blame on "obsessed" analysts who root against the government for any suggestion to the contrary. "The economy isn't in a recession and it hasn't entered into a recession," said Contreras, adding that economic recessions typically involve "prolonged periods" of downturn, though he did not provide a specific definition.

Persons: Alex Contreras, Contreras, hasn't, jailing, Pedro Castillo, Dina Boluarte, David Alire Garcia, Alexander Villegas, Sandra Maler Organizations: Thomson Locations: Nino

☆ Apple expected to post third consecutive down quarter, but its forecast is more important
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

David A. Grogan | CNBCEmerging markets and ChinaSome analysts are eager to see Apple give data points on India sales. India became one of Apple's top five iPhone markets during the quarter, according to analyst estimates. If Apple stockpiled parts and has enough to make what it needs to produce, it could help margins, analysts say. Wall Street likes to see Apple's services business grow regularly and smoothly, because the margins on services are so much higher than when Apple sells hardware. Apple suggested a 5% year-over-year increase in services, and FactSet's estimates more than $20.7 billion in revenue.

Persons: Tim Cook, Valley's Allen, David A, Cook, D.A, Davidson, Tom Forte, Piper Sandler, Harsh Kumar, Kumar, Apple, Sidney Ho, Wells, Aaron Rakers Organizations: Company, Grogan, CNBC, Apple, Google, Apple Pay, Services, Deutsche Bank, Bloomberg Locations: Sun Valley , Idaho, China, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan

☆ ‘It’s David and Goliath on steroids.’ Meet the man fighting Taco Bell over ‘Taco Tuesday’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

How relevant is this ad to you? Video player was slow to load content Video content never loaded Ad froze or did not finish loading Video content did not start after ad Audio on ad was too loud Other issues

Search resuls for: "David a"

25 mentions found