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The FBI has warned that an Iranian government-tied hacker group that tried to interfere in the 2020 election is currently active and a threat to the U.S. The group, which federal agencies say operates from an Iranian cybersecurity company called Emennet Pasargad, is engaged in “ongoing” operations to hack and leak material, and may target American organizations, the FBI said Thursday in an industry warning. In October 2020, the FBI announced that Iran was behind the most significant foreign attempt to influence that year’s U.S. elections. Democrats registered to vote in Florida, which makes voter information publicly accessible, received intimidating emails in the weeks before the election, instructing them to become Republicans. It was not clear what organization the FBI was referring to, and the agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

☆ Verizon profit drops 23% as pricier plans result in subscriber loss
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Eva Mathews | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 21 (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc (VZ.N) posted a 23% slide in third-quarter profit and missed market estimates for wireless subscriber additions on Friday, as several customers opted for cheaper plans from rivals AT&T Inc (T.N) and T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS.O). Verizon lost 189,000 monthly bill-paying phone subscribers in its consumer business in the quarter after the U.S. carrier raised prices for its plans in June through additional charges, which was over and above its already pricier plans. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterVerizon added 8,000 net new monthly bill paying wireless phone subscribers in the quarter, well below Factset estimates of 35,400 additions. Telecom players are coming under increasing pressure to keep their plans affordable as rising cost of living crimps discretionary spending by customers. Total revenue, however, rose 4% to $34.2 billion, above expectations of $33.78 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ AT&T raises annual profit forecast on strong wireless additions
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 20 (Reuters) - U.S. wireless carrier AT&T Inc (T.N) raised its annual profit forecast on Thursday, buoyed by strong demand for its phone and internet services and as more Americans upgraded to 5G plans. AT&T added 708,000 net new monthly bill paying wireless phone subscribers in the third quarter, surpassing Factset estimates of 552,300 additions. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe company now expects adjusted profit per share for the full year to be $2.50 or higher compared with earlier expectations of $2.42 to $2.46 per share. In the third quarter, AT&T's total revenue rose 3% to $30 billion, exceeding expectations of $29.86 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Eva Mathews and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun KoyyurOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Instagram to make it easier to avoid trolls
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 20 (Reuters) - Instagram will enhance features that help users block the accounts of abusers and trolls on the social media platform, the Meta Platforms-owned (META.O) company said on Thursday. Users will now be able to block all existing accounts of a person, expanding a feature launched last year that only allowed the blocking of any new accounts that they may create. "Based on initial test results from this new change, we expect our community will need to block 4 million fewer accounts every week, since these accounts will now be blocked automatically," Instagram said in a blog post. Instagram has also upgraded its feature that helps prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages, by filtering offensive words to story replies, and said on Thursday it is expanding "nudges" designed to protect creators from harassment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika SyamnathOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Investor Irenic Capital wants News Corp to split media, real estate units - sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 17 (Reuters) - Activist investor Irenic Capital Management, which has a $150 million stake in News Corp (NWSA.O), wants the company to split its media and online real estate units, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday. Irenic's push comes after media mogul Rupert Murdoch's proposal last week to reunite his media empire by combining News Corp (NWSA.O) and Fox Corp (FOXA.O), nearly a decade after the companies split. Irenic has sought a meeting with panel from News Corp, sources said, adding the investor would be prepared to oppose a deal if it undervalues the company. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterNews Corp did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is anchored by REA Group, in which News Corp has a 61.4% stake, which is worth about $5.8 billion.

Oct 17 (Reuters) - Netflix Inc's (<NFLX.O>) subscriber growth forecast will be in focus when it reports third-quarter results on Tuesday, with the streaming pioneer set to launch an ad-supported plan to better compete with rivals such as Disney+ and HBO Max. Last week, Netflix said it would launch the plan in November at $6.99 a month, much before its previous estimate of early 2023 and Disney+'s December rollout. read more read moreAnalysts have said the long-resisted move will boost growth at a time when the market for connected TV advertising is booming. Analysts, polled by Refinitiv, expect Netflix to add a little more than 1 million subscribers in the third quarter. Netflix could generate net U.S/Canada ad revenue of $1.7 billion and international net ad revenue of $1 billion in 2025, according to brokerage MoffettNathanson.

☆ Tesla Autopilot’s safety questioned after latest fatal motorcycle crash
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Matt Mcfarland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Driver-assist crash data that automakers like Tesla must report to NHTSA was published Monday and revealed that Autopilot was engaged. A Utah motorcycle rider was killed in July after being struck by a Tesla driver using Autopilot. Utah Department of SafetyA Tesla driver using Autopilot struck a motorcycle lying on a road on July 7 at 4:47 a.m in Riverside, California. Motorcycle safety advocates say they’re concerned that the software fails to see motorcycles and lulls Tesla drivers into a sense of complacency and inattentiveness. Europe’s vehicle safety programs test if driver-assist systems identify motorcycles.

☆ How Starbucks took on Italy's coffee culture
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Dymond Green | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Despite being inspired by Italian coffeehouse culture, the American chain faced resistance when entering the country. It took Starbucks 47 years to open a shop in Italy. Italians take their coffee culture very seriously — it's filled with traditions, customs and rituals. "I immensely enjoyed the coffee I had there ... it tasted precisely like an Italian coffee should, and I would say a good Italian coffee," said Eva Del Soldato, an associate professor of Italian Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Watch the video to learn more about how Starbucks is adapting to Italian culture.

Oct 13 (Reuters) - Late-stage U.S. startups are scooping up talent unlocked by layoffs and hiring freezes at Big Tech, adding experienced engineers and project managers to their roster despite signs of an economic slowdown. A survey of 581 executives, almost entirely from U.S. tech startups, showed that more than 40% of them boosted their hiring plans in the first half of 2022, according to hiring firm A.Team and startup consultant MassChallenge. Companies are also shortening hiring times and offering higher pay packages to lock in candidates as they compete for talent in a tight labor market, recruiters said. Still, some analysts warn there is only so long until startups can continue the hiring pace amid a weak economic backdrop. "If the economy does indeed go into recession, it will only add to the pressure faced by tech firms as demand dries up," says Dante DeAntonio, director of economics research at Moody's Analytics.

☆ Taiwan welcomes back visitors after ending COVID quarantine rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Ann Wang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Travellers from Thailand on the first quarantine-free flight to Taiwan, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, receive a welcome by officials and the media at the airport in Taoyuan, Taiwan, October 13, 2022. REUTERS/Ann WangTAOYUAN, Taiwan, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Taiwan began welcoming back visitors on Thursday after finally ending mandatory quarantines to control the spread of COVID-19, with gifts of cuddly toy black bears for the first tour group that stepped off the plane shortly after midnight. Some rules remain, including a requirement for people to monitor their health for seven days after arrival and perform rapid tests on themselves. Prior to the pandemic, Taiwan was a popular tourist destination, mostly for travellers from Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia, attracted by the island's cuisine and natural beauty. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Ann Wang; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ I'm a first year medical student with limited time off — here's how I saved $6,000 using credit card points for a winter break trip to Vietnam
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Ethan Steinberg | Read More | Read Less | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

I couldn't find available award flights to Vietnam for winter break, so I redeemed flexible credit card points for cash flights instead. Even though I spent more points than I would have liked, I don't regret using my rewards this way. My winter break has clearly defined start and end dates, bookmarked on either end by immovable exams and unmissable lectures. $0 Rewards Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Read Insider's points and miles valuations to find out what your credit card rewards are worth.

☆ ‘Real Housewives’ alum Cynthia Bailey announces divorce after 2 years of marriage
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Ariana Brockington | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

“Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum Cynthia Bailey and her husband Mike Hill have announced they are divorcing after two years of marriage. The former couple shared the news in a joint Instagram post uploaded on Oct. 12. Next to a photo of the two holding hands and smiling together, they wrote, “LOVE is a beautiful thing. Love with the help of God conquers all.”Earlier this year, Bailey competed as a contestant on “Celebrity Big Brother” Season 3. He has two daughters, Ashlee and Kayla, and has shared pictures from their “daddy daughter” dates on social media.

☆ Thoma Bravo to take software firm ForgeRock private in $2.3 bln deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 11 (Reuters) - ForgeRock (FORG.N) said on Tuesday it will be acquired by buyout firm Thoma Bravo in an all-cash deal valued at about $2.3 billion, just over a year after the digital identity management company went public. ForgeRock shareholders will receive $23.25 for each share held, which represents a premium of about 53.4% to the stock's last closing price. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterShares of ForgeRock jumped 50% to $22.76 before the bell. San Francisco-based ForgeRock provides identity and access management solutions for consumers, workforce and internet of things devices. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ See the 18-slide pitch deck Peachy, a digital health insurance platform targeted at millennials, used to raise $1.6 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

London-based Peachy has raised $1.6 million for its health insurance platform. The startup tailors its digital platform to millennials and aims to expand its services to SMEs. Check out the 18-slide deck used to raise the fresh funding. A startup that has created a digital health insurance platform for millennials and service workers has closed a $1.6 million seed round. Their backers included the likes of Dr Damien Marmion, ex-CEO of global insurance provider Axa Global Health, Eva Maria Barbosa, partner at global law firm Clyde and Co, and Sian Fisher, ex-CEO of the Chartered Institute of Insurers, among others.

☆ Insight Partners to acquire stake in software firm Aptean
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 10 (Reuters) - New York-based private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners will acquire a minority stake in Aptean, the business software firm said on Monday. Existing investor TA Associates has also invested, Aptean said, making the investment firm its largest shareholder. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterVista Equity Partners, previously equal partners in Aptean with TA Associates, will fully exit its stake in the company. Charlesbank Capital Partners, a private investment firm that joined TA Associates and Vista Equity as stakeholder in 2020, will continue to be a shareholder, Aptean said. The investment firm then merged CDC Software with Consona Corp to form Aptean.

☆ Eva Mendes says she ‘never quit acting’
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Eva Mendes may have been off the scene for awhile, but she’s disputing the fact that she’s out of the game. The “Hitch” star recently posted a video on her verified Instagram account that was a compilation of some headlines about her supposedly quitting acting. “I never quit acting,” Mendes wrote in the caption. “That’s a tough act to follow.”“Lost River” is a 2014 film written and directed by Gosling in which Mendes costarred. She ended her Instagram post writing, “Whats the point of this post?

☆ Amazon.com unveils device that tracks how you breathe while sleeping
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc on Wednesday announced a contactless device to monitor customers' sleep as well as a new version of the Kindle which allows users to write on the e-reader. Amazon said the $139.99 sleep device, known as Halo Rise, tracks room temperature, humidity and light, plus the breathing patterns of the person closest to it. The goal is to provide insight to users on why they may or may not feel well-rested when they wake up. Amazon has said privacy is foundational to its work and that the sleep tracker will encrypt health data. Its new e-reader, the Kindle Scribe, is priced at $339.99, the e-commerce company said at its annual devices and services event.

☆ Factbox: U.S. companies brace for Hurricane Ian
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Hurricane Ian is set to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday, pushing residents to empty grocery shelves, board up windows and rush to evacuation shelters. Since then, it has been working to redeploy offshore personnel after determining Hurricane Ian no longer posed a significant threat to its assets. NextEra Energy Inc's (NEE.N) Florida Power & Light Co, the largest utility in the state, deployed nearly 16,000 workers from 27 states to restore power. A spokesperson said the company was monitoring the hurricane and making adjustments to operations to keep warehouse staff and drivers safe. CRUISE OPERATORSWalt Disney Co's Disney Cruise Line on Tuesday canceled its Disney Wish ship that was to set sail from Florida on Friday.

☆ Lions Gate focusing on spinning off studio business over Starz
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Actors and staff pose as they arrive for the world premiere of "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" in Berlin, Germany, November 4, 2015. REUTERS/Fabrizio BenschSept 28 (Reuters) - Lions Gate Entertainment Corp (LGFa.N) said on Wednesday it was focusing on spinning off its studio business first, even as it explores alternative options for its cable and streaming division, Starz. The company's film and TV studios have an extensive library, with hits such as "Hunger Games, "The Expendables" and "Mad Men". "As negotiations progress, we have increased our focus on the possibility of spinning our studio business, creating a number of financial and strategic benefits." Lionsgate also announced it would rebrand its international streaming service, Starzplay, to Lionsgate+ in 35 countries.

New York CNN Business —Hurricane Ian is the latest natural disaster to impact food prices. Florida is a leading citrus producer, including oranges and grapefruit. At least 75% of the Florida citrus belt is under threat of heavy flooding rains over the next 36 hours, according to satellite imagery provider Maxar Technologies. And the timing of the storm is difficult for farmers in Florida as citrus crops are nearing harvest season. Citrus production was already under significant pressure even before Hurricane Ian.

☆ Factbox: U.S. companies gird themselves as Hurricane Ian makes landfall
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Hurricane Ian makes landfall in Florida with Category 4 fury on Wednesday, pushing residents to empty grocery shelves, board up windows and rush to evacuation shelters. Since then, it has been working to redeploy offshore personnel after determining Hurricane Ian no longer posed a significant threat to its assets. A spokesperson said the company was monitoring the hurricane and making adjustments to operations to keep warehouse staff and drivers safe. Costco Wholesale Corp closed nine stores located in Florida due to an impact of Hurricane Ian. CRUISE OPERATORSWalt Disney Co's Disney Cruise Line on Tuesday canceled its Disney Wish ship that was to set sail from Florida on Friday.

☆ Dior takes baroque-theme to catwalk for Paris Fashion Week
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Mimosa Spencer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A model presents a creation by designer Maria Grazia Chiuri as part of her Spring-Summer 2023 Women's ready-to-wear collection show for fashion house Dior during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, France, September 27, 2022. “I think she was the first that understood the power of fashion,” Chiuri told Reuters in an interview, describing how the 16th-century queen of France had introduced platform heels to raise her petite stature. Crowds gathered outside under umbrellas, angling for a glimpse of the celebrity arrivals, which included K-Pop star Jisoo, Natalie Portman and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The LVMH-owned label marked the second day of the ready-to-wear shows for Paris Fashion Week, which runs through Oct. 4. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Mimosa Spencer; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ In Syria, mounting cholera cases pose threat across frontlines
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

First linked to contaminated water near the Euphrates river, the outbreak has now spread across the fractured nation, with cases reported in government- and rebel-controlled regions. "How am I not supposed to catch cholera with the sewage running right next to our tent?" While most of those affected will have mild or no symptoms, cholera can kill within hours if untreated, the World Health Organization website says. The first cholera cases were detected on Sept. 5 in Deir al-Zor province, before spreading to other areas including the cities of Raqqa and Hasaka, said Jawan Mustafa, health director in the Kurdish-run administration of northeastern Syria. He said there were more than 4,350 suspected cases of cholera in northeastern Syria, and 100 confirmed cases.

☆ TikTok inching toward U.S. security deal to avoid sale - NYT
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterTikTok app logo is seen in this illustration taken, August 22, 2022. TikTok and the Biden administration have drafted a preliminary agreement to resolve national security concerns but are still deciding on a potential agreement, the Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. ByteDance and TikTok did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterTikTok has long faced scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers, who have questioned the Chinese-owned app's safeguards of user data. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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