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☆ Gold firms as dollar slips; Fed's rate-hike bets cap advance
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Ashitha Shivaprasad | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A weaker dollar makes gold more attractive to overseas buyers. However, "the prospects of a higher terminal Fed rate could prevent gold enjoying a runaway rally next year". Last week, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the U.S. central bank will deliver more rate hikes next year to curb inflation. Although gold is considered an inflation hedge, higher rates increase the opportunity cost of holding the asset. European Central Bank Vice-President Luis de Guindos signalled the bank was determined to keep raising interest rates.

☆ China's COVID surge hits Beijing trading floors, Shanghai finance hub
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SHANGHAI, Dec 19 (Reuters) - COVID-19 is sweeping through trading floors in Beijing and spreading fast in the financial hub of Shanghai, with illness and absence thinning already light trade and forcing regulators to cancel a weekly meeting vetting public share sales. Internal surveys by several big asset managers and banks suggest more than half of their employees in Beijing, the epicentre of the virus surge, have tested positive. Stock trading volume also eased last week. DISRUPTIONThe pandemic also has an impact on initial public offerings (IPOs), with the China Securities Regulatory Commission calling off a weekly meeting vetting them last week. To be sure, years of strict COVID rules have left a lot of businesses well placed to handle disruption.

But for a place that until earlier this month assiduously tracked every case, there is now no clear data on the extent of the virus’ spread. Customers queue at a pharmacy in Beijing, China, on Tuesday, December 13. Authorities on Wednesday morning reported 2,249 symptomatic Covid cases nationally for the previous day, 20% of which were detected in the capital. A closed Covid testing booth in Beijing, China, on Tuesday, December 13. Chinese state media has since warned people the preserved fruit is not a Covid remedy nor a substitute for medicine.

☆ How We Turned Pigeons Into Pests
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Bethany Brookshire | Photographs Lucia Buricelli | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Today city-dwellers tend to think of pigeons as “rats with wings”—pests that are good for nothing but tarnishing buildings and spreading disease. In fact, the pigeons strutting the streets today are descendants of birds that were raised in dovecotes by human beings who found them very useful. The reason why feral pigeons thrive in cities today is that we bred them for skills that serve them well in an urban environment. Wild pigeons love nesting in cliff faces, leaving home daily to forage on grains and seeds and returning home at night. Even before humans started domesticating the birds on purpose, they were probably following farming settlements, says Will Smith, a zoologist at the University of Oxford who studies feral pigeons.

☆ More arrests expected in German coup plot in coming days, say authorities
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Police escorts a person after 25 suspected members and supporters of a far-right group were detained during raids across Germany, in Karlsruhe, Germany December 7, 2022. REUTERS/Heiko BeckerBERLIN, Dec 8 (Reuters) - German authorities expect further arrests and raids in the coming days in connection with a far-right group that prosecutors say were preparing a violent overthrow of the state to install a former member of a German royal family as national leader. "Based on my experience, there is usually a second wave of arrests," Georg Maier, the interior minister of the eastern German state of Thuringia, told broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on Thursday. Twenty-five members and supporters of the group were detained on Wednesday in raids involving some 3,000 security personnel that Maier described as unprecedented in modern German history. Reporting by Miranda Murray, editing by Kirsti Knolle and Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Gen Z is more likely to donate credit card rewards to charity. Millennials are more likely to save their credit card rewards for "the next big thing," while Gen Z is using their rewards in smaller increments. Gen Z is donating card rewards to charity, particularly environmental causes and womens' shelters. In general, Gen Z is showing overall smarter credit card behavior compared to how millennials were spending at that age. Gen Zers, at least the ones old enough to own a credit card, are doing more research and being more selective in their credit card use.

Other researchers have also tracked the spam campaign. Videos of the protests quickly spread on Chinese social media, with online censors struggling to keep up. Many of them also made their way onto Twitter and other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, all of which are blocked in China but some Chinese users access via virtual private networks. There are no firm numbers on the scope of the spam campaign, but Wright said she has observed thousands of Twitter posts an hour in some cases. “So essentially, it can be very effective as a method for driving out the truth, the real videos, and the real content about the protests.”

JAKARTA, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Indonesia's new criminal code ushers in a raft of new laws, including banning sex outside of marriage, insulting the president, and expressing any view that runs counter to state ideology. Indonesia is also trying to entice foreign visitors back after the pandemic and the national tourism board described the new code as "totally counter-productive". We have already expressed our concern to the ministry of tourism about how harmful this law is," said Maulana Yusran, deputy chief of Indonesia's tourism industry board. Indonesia has been discussing revising its criminal code since declaring independence from the Dutch in 1945. Defending the passage of the bill against criticism, Indonesia's Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly told parliament on Tuesday: "It's not easy for a multicultural and multi-ethnic country to make a criminal code that can accommodate all interests."

Candles and flowers at a makeshift memorial honoring four slain University of Idaho students outside the Mad Greek restaurant in downtown Moscow, Idaho, on Nov. 15. Now, the homicide in Moscow, Idaho, of the four University of Idaho students — friends Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; and Xana Kernodle, 20; and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20 — has become a fresh mystery for internet sleuths to speculate over. Officers investigate a homicide at an apartment complex south of the University of Idaho campus. Four people were found dead at a residence near the University of Idaho, police in the city of Moscow said. Jeremy Reagan, a University of Idaho law student who lives near the crime scene in Moscow, is all too familiar with being wrongly named.

☆ As measles outbreak sickens children in Ohio, local health officials seek help from CDC
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —A growing measles outbreak in Columbus, Ohio, has sickened dozens of unvaccinated children and hospitalized nine of them, and local public health officials are seeking assistance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One child is 6 years old.”Health officials with Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health have been investigating these cases and tracing any contacts who may have been exposed to the measles virus. In the 1950s, researchers isolated the measles virus in a patient’s blood, and in the 1960s, they were able to transform that virus into a vaccine. As of October 28, a total of 33 measles cases have been reported this year in five jurisdictions across the United States, according to the CDC. “So the possibility that someone carrying measles virus coming into the country could spread into an unvaccinated population is always there.”

☆ Meet the 23-year-old Indian American who flipped a Republican Illinois district
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Sakshi Venkatraman | Sakshi Venkatraman Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

An Indian Muslim American who wears a hijab, she remembers the former president’s 2016 Election Day with perfect clarity. Her social media accounts are full of these selfies, thanking the voters who spoke to her by name. Social media helped her broadcast her messages louder than she could have hoped, she said. “There are so many other young South Asian folks that are doing incredible things. Whether it’s politics, comedy, social media, medicine, it’s incredible to see how powerful this demographic is.”

☆ Migrant rescue ship refuses to leave Italy port in standoff with Meloni
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The captain of a charity-run migrant rescue ship refused Italian orders to leave a Sicilian port Sunday after authorities refused to let 35 of the migrants on his ship disembark — part of directives by Italy’s new far-right-led government targeting foreign-flagged rescue ships. On Sunday, Italy ordered the Humanity 1 to vacate the port of Catania after disembarking 144 rescued migrants, including with children, more than 100 unaccompanied minors and people with medical emergencies. “Free all the people, free them,″ Italian lawmaker Aboubakar Soumahoro said in an emotional appeal directed at Meloni from the Humanity 1 rescue ship. Aboard the Humanity 1, doctors in Italy identified people needing urgent medical care after the ship’s doctor refused to make a selection, said SOS Humanity spokesman Wasil Schauseil. SOS Humanity said it plans to file a civil case in Catania to ensure that all 35 survivors on board have access to formal asylum procedures on land.

☆ Vietnam to require 24-hour take-down for "false" social media content
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HANOI, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Vietnam's information minister said on Friday authorities had tightened regulations to deal with "false" content on social media platforms so that it must be taken down within 24 hours instead of 48 hours previously. The new rules will enshrine Vietnam's position as one of the world's most stringently controlled regimes for social media firms and will strengthen the ruling Communist Party's hand as it cracks down on "anti-state" activity. Most governments do not have laws imposing the taking down of content on social media firms, but Vietnam's move comes amid intensifying crackdowns in some parts of the world on online content. Speaking to the legislature, Hung proposed by 2023 to completely deal with "News-lisation", a term used by authorities to describe when people are misled into thinking that social media accounts are authorised news outlets. Reuters in September reported that the government was preparing rules to limit which social media accounts can post news-related content.

☆ Russia fails at U.N. in bid for Ukraine, U.S. bioweapons inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Russia failed on Wednesday to get the United Nations Security Council to establish a formal inquiry into its accusation that the United States and Ukraine have biological weapons programs in Ukraine, a claim that Washington and Kyiv deny. Only China voted with Russia in favor of a draft Security Council resolution on the measure. U.N. disarmament officials have long said they are not aware of any biological weapons programs in Ukraine. Russia has raised the issue of chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine several times at the U.N. Security Council since its forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The United States and Ukraine have rejected Russia's accusations.

☆ Why Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul work 17-hour days promoting their Dos Hombres mezcal: 'There's no substitute for hard work'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In the world of celebrity spirits, few famous names appear to have the same passion for their business that Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul have for their Dos Hombres mezcal. Unlike in their hit AMC drama, where Cranston's Walter White was the mastermind fueling the show's massive meth-dealing operation, it was Paul who was instrumental in launching Dos Hombres. The duo have worked hard together to promote their brand, touring the country to create awareness and excitement around Dos Hombres, even stopping by Costco locations to surprise shoppers by pouring samples. "Breaking Bad" stars and Dos Hombres co-founders Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston. Aaron Paul Co-founder, Dos Hombres

☆ U.S., allies slam Russia for wasting U.N. Security Council time
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Eduardo MunozUNITED NATIONS, Oct 27 (Reuters) - The United States and allies slammed Russia on Thursday for wasting the time of the U.N. Security Council and spreading conspiracies by again raising its accusation that the United States has "military biological programs" in Ukraine. Russia has previously raised at least twice at the Security Council the issue of biological weapons programs in Ukraine. It has drafted a Security Council resolution to set up a commission, made up of all 15 council members, to investigate its claims. Such a move is possible - but has never been invoked - under the Biological Weapons Convention, which took effect in 1975. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield described Russia's accusations as "pure fabrications brought forth without a shred of evidence."

☆ Wall Street's rising stars admit their biggest career mistakes — from missing out on lucrative bets to taking too much on — and what they learned from them
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Alex Morrell | Alyson Velati | Asia Martin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Vinay Trivedi, a vice president at General Atlantic focusing on the technology sector. I don't think we necessarily transitioned fast enough to how people learn if we're only doing audio from home. - David Israel, 27, vice president at Credit SuisseAngel Pu Shum is a principal within Warburg Pincus's technology group. -Allison Boxer, 29, senior vice president and economist at PIMCONoah Zerance, a vice president with Bank of America's global sustainable-finance group. and the response would be, 'Well, we don't know how we do it yet.

☆ Remote workers are powering through and working while sick — and it's bad for them and their companies
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

When some remote workers get sick, they decide to log on for work anyway. Research says workers think they'll feel guilty if they take off; they feel more guilty for working. Workers need to feel comfortable deciding to take time off, and feel comfortable articulating those boundaries. The problem is, Gerpott said, that "human beings are very bad at predicting how they will actually feel." Instead, workers feel more guilty — because they couldn't help their colleagues or themselves very well.

☆ Yellen to tout Biden technology investments at Virginia business incubator
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is set to resume her campaign-style promotion of President Joe Biden's economic initiatives on Friday, visiting a Virginia business incubator to tout U.S. investments in research, semi-conductors, clean energy and other technologies. The Treasury said Yellen will deliver remarks and meet with entrepreneurs at the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp (VIPC) in Herndon, Virginia, a booming Washington suburb near Dulles International Airport. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterLast month, Yellen made similar speeches to tout infrastructure and electric vehicle investments in Detroit and visited a solar power developer in North Carolina. The Washington Metro transit system is set to soon open a nearby stop on its Dulles line called Innovation Center. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by David Lawder; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The eventual ruling could cripple the Voting Rights Act, whose passage was fueled by historic marches for Black voting rights and the violent response by local authorities in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery. Democratic President Joe Biden's administration and a number of voting rights groups are supporting the plaintiffs. The case centers on a Voting Rights Act provision, called Section 2, aimed at countering voting laws that result in racial bias even absent racist intent. Conservative states and groups already have successfully prodded the Supreme Court to limit the Voting Rights Act's scope. In a major 2019 ruling, the Supreme Court barred federal judges from curbing the practice, known as partisan gerrymandering.

☆ Five killed in Iran during protests over death in custody - rights group
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

read moreTwo of the people were killed as security forces opened fire on protesters in the Kurdish city of Saqez, Amini's hometown, the Hengaw Human Rights Organization said on Twitter. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterIt said two more were killed in the town of Divandarreh "by direct fire" from security forces, and a fifth was killed in Dehgolan, also in the Kurdish region. In the nationwide condemnations of Amini's death, the Persian hashtag #MahsaAmini reached nearly 2 million Twitter mentions. The protests have been most intense in the Kurdish region, where the authorities have previously put down unrest by the Kurdish minority numbering 8 million to 10 million. While Hengaw reported deadly force by security forces in the Kurdish region, there were no immediate reports of protest fatalities in other parts of Iran.

☆ Ancient bodies of 'vampires' were buried with rocks in their mouths to stop them returning from the dead
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Many people thought this could be stopped by putting a stone or brick in the mouths, experts said. 'Vampires' were thought to eat their way out of the grave, unless something hard stopped them. These body were not completely dead and were captured by some demonic influence," said Borrini, describing the old beliefs. This one was buried in a child cemetery on the site of the Poggio Gramignano ancient Roman villa in Teverina, Italy. Borrini defines a "vampire" as a dead person rising from the dead as a body.

Gas prices have now declined for 79 consecutive days amid falling global oil prices, sending the national average price per gallon to its lowest level since March. Data from AAA show the national average gas price now sits at $3.81 per gallon. Western states tend to have higher gas taxes, and are located further away from the fuel processing hubs in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. Northeast states are also seeing higher prices, as they experience tight supplies of gasoline. He predicted U.S. gas prices are likely to fall to $3.70 by the middle of September, and as low as $3.50 by Halloween, if not sooner.

☆ 'It's huge, beyond anything in my career': Publishing industry insiders explain how TikTok has sent book sales surging and how they're trying to tap into the BookTook phenomenon
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-01 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In 2020 and 2021, book sales surged, reaching a near 20-year peak, according to industry data. 2021 sales of Hoover's books were up 650% over 2020 sales, with 1.9 million copies sold, according to data from NPD BookScan, the largest book sales tracker in the US. Since mid-2020, TikTok has been the driving force of an unprecedented surge in book sales, industry insiders say. The strategy of marketers has always been to push and advertise newer books, industry experts said, and those usually sell better. Then, around Halloween 2021, sales rose steadily to about 2,000 copies a week.

☆ How Oath Keepers Are Accused of Plotting to Storm the Capitol
▼ + stars: | 2022-01-19 | by ( Denise Lu | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

The chat group included Kelly Meggs — the head of the Florida chapter of Oath Keepers — and others. He later published the plan of action on the Oath Keepers’ website. section chief, contacted Mr. Rhodes to coordinate on an upcoming “op” and to provide details of a reconnaissance trip he took to Washington. weapons Mr. Rhodes purchased about $7,000 worth of firearm-related equipment and night-vision devices and shipped the items to Virginia. Several other people associated with the Oath Keepers have pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the investigation, but those charged with sedition are not among them.

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