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June 26 (Reuters) - People with disabilities in Spain and other European countries have been disproportionately affected by unprecedented heat extremes, a leading human rights watchdog said on Monday, urging authorities to provide adequate support. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report that people with disabilities faced risk of death, physical, social, and mental health distress due to extreme heat particularly if "left to cope with dangerous temperatures on their own". Some people with disabilities are more likely to have health conditions or use medication that can affect the body's ability to respond to heat. Having to stay home due to the heat can also lead to social isolation, HRW said. HRW interviewed 33 people with disabilities in the Spanish region of Andalusia and all said "they felt neglected" during heatwaves.

Persons: Jonas Bull, Bull, Heatwaves, Catarina Demony, Frances Kerry Organizations: Human Rights Watch, Reuters, HRW, Thomson Locations: Spain, Europe, Spanish, Andalusia

☆ Central bank body BIS warns world economy at critical juncture in inflation fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The world's central bank umbrella body, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), called for more interest rate hikes in its 2023 annual report, warning the world economy was now at a crucial point as countries struggle to rein in inflation. Aaron Chown - Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty ImagesThe world's central bank umbrella body, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), called on Sunday for more interest rate hikes, warning the world economy was now at a crucial point as countries struggle to rein in inflation. If interest rates get to mid-1990s levels the overall debt service burden for top economies would, all else being equal, be the highest in history, Borio said. Banking crisesThe Swiss-based BIS held its annual meeting in recent days, where top central bankers discussed the turbulent last few months. Commenting further on the economic picture, Carstens, former head of Mexico's central bank, said the emphasis was now on policymakers to act.

Persons: Aaron Chown, Stern, Agustin Carstens, Claudio Borio, Borio Organizations: Bank for International Settlements, BIS, Reuters, Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse Locations: Britain, Norway, Silicon

☆ Many employees say their wellbeing has slumped since last year. Their bosses think it's improved, a survey found.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Most respondents to a survey said their wellbeing slumped or stayed the same since last year. Many reported frequently feeling exhausted, stressed, and overwhelmed, the Deloitte survey found. But most of the C-suite execs who were surveyed said they thought workers' wellbeing had improved. "In fact, most employees say their wellbeing either worsened or stayed the same last year, and only around one-third say their health improved," the analysts wrote. Though the Deloitte survey didn't explore generational differences, evidence suggests wellbeing will increasingly become a workplace priority as Gen Z rises through the ranks.

Persons: — Organizations: Deloitte, Service, Intelligence, Financial, Employers Locations: Canada, Australia

☆ Election campaigns are already using AI with some degree of success. Experts are concerned it will usher in a new era of disinformation.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Political campaigns are using AI to create election material, attack ads, and donation requests. —DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) June 5, 2023Campaigns, ranging from mayoral races to the 2024 presidential election, have already been using artificial intelligence to create election ads or outreach emails — with some reportedly seeing benefits in the tool. Beyond fake images, West wrote that artificial intelligence could also be used for "very precise audience targeting" to reach swing voters. During his first appearance before Congress in May, the CEO of OpenAI, which created ChatGPT, admitted his concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in elections as the tool advances. "This is a remarkable time to be working on artificial intelligence," he said.

Persons: —, Ron DeSantis's, Donald Trump, Anthony Fauci, ike, ake, ould Organizations: Service, National Institute of Allergy Locations: Florida

☆ Most employees say their well-being has worsened or stayed the same — but their bosses disagree: new survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Many employees are still struggling with low levels of well-being — with most of them saying that their health worsened or stayed the same last year, according to a survey from Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence. A new report highlights that leaders do not have "a firm grasp" of their employees' well-being. The C-suite is so focused on the macro picture of their organizations, that it's difficult for them to see the macro picture of their employees' well-being. Dan Schawbel Managing partner, Workplace Intelligence"This shows that executives are disconnected from the reality of the workforce," Dan Schawbel, managing partner at Workplace Intelligence told CNBC. Managers play a pivotal role in improving well-being, as they "interface directly" with employees on a daily basis, said Schawbel.

Persons: Dan Schawbel, there's, Schawbel Organizations: Deloitte, Workplace Intelligence, CNBC

☆ Renewables growth did not dent fossil fuel dominance in 2022, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Energy consumption grew everywhere apart from Europe, including Eastern Europe. Renewables, excluding hydropower, accounted for 7.5% of global energy consumption, around 1% higher than the previous year. The share of fossil fuels in global energy consumption remained at 82%. Most oil demand growth came from revived appetite for jet fuel and diesel-related products. Europe accounted for much of LNG demand growth, increasing its imports by 57%, while countries in the Asia-Pacific region and South and Central America reduced purchases.

Persons: Juliet Davenport, consultancies, Shadia, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Belchatow, REUTERS, Stezycki Companies, World Energy, Energy, Energy Institute, consultancies KPMG, Kearny, BP, Renewables, OECD, Central America, Thomson Locations: Zlobnica, Poland, Ukraine, Europe, Asia, Paris, Eastern Europe, United States, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, South, Central, Japan, China, India, Indonesia

☆ Cocaine market is booming as meth trafficking spreads, U.N. report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, June 25 (Reuters) - Cocaine demand and supply are booming worldwide and methamphetamine trafficking is expanding beyond established markets, including in Afghanistan where the drug is now being produced, a United Nations report said on Sunday. Coca bush cultivation and total cocaine production were at record highs in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, and the global number of cocaine users, estimated at 22 million that same year, is growing steadily, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime said in its annual World Drug Report. Cocaine seizures have, however, grown faster than production, containing the total supply to some extent, the report said. The upper band of the estimated total supply was higher in the mid-2000s than now. Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Francois Murphy, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: United, Drugs, Central, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Afghanistan, United Nations, Americas, Western, Central Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia, South, Eastern Europe, East, Southeast Asia, North America, West Africa

☆ World economy at critical juncture in inflation fight, central-bank body warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Stern challenges must be addressed," Agustin Carstens, BIS general manager, said in the organisation's annual report published on Sunday. It is the first time that, across much of the world, a surge in inflation has co-existed with widespread financial vulnerabilities. The longer inflation remains elevated, the stronger and prolonged the required policy tightening, the BIS report said, warning that the possibility of further problems in the banking sector was now "material". "Very high debt levels, a remarkable global inflation surge, and the strong pandemic-era increase in house prices check all these boxes," the BIS said. Commenting further on the economic picture, Carstens, former head of Mexico's central bank, said the emphasis was now on policymakers to act.

Persons: Stern, Agustin Carstens, Claudio Borio, Borio, Marc Jones, Emelia Sihtole Organizations: BIS, LONDON, Bank for International Settlements, Reuters, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse, Bank of America, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: Britain, Norway, Silicon

☆ Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg's cage fight vow is the latest example of how martial arts are taking hold of Silicon Valley tech bros
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tech executives including Mark Zuckerberg and PayPal's Dan Schulman have taken up martial arts. Zuckerberg is now sizing up Elon Musk as his latest opponent, as the pair agreed to go head-to-head in a cagefight. Danny Zelig trains PayPal CEO Dan Schulman in Krav Maga, which was developed by the Israeli army. Zelig said that in sparring sessions, Schulman would often wait to for him to strike, which let Zelig dictate the fight. She added that the training helped her to focus on the present and develop distance from her work in her "own version of mindfulness."

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, PayPal's Dan Schulman, Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Joris Merks, Benjaminsen, Danny Zelig, Dan Schulman, Krav Maga, Zelig, Dan, Maga, Schulman, Joanna Pineda, Bob Rosin, it's, Rosin Organizations: Morning, Big Tech, Facebook, UFC, Forbes, Matrix Group, hapkido, Microsoft, Skype Locations: Redwood City , California

☆ China is looking all over the world for help building and flying its fighter jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet at RAF Coningsby in May. Daniel Duggan, a former US Marine Corps pilot, has been accused of violating the Arms Export Control Act by training Chinese military pilots. "Currently, Chinese jet engines can at best achieve one-fourth the life span of Western engines," the report says. To manufacture engines, China still needs to import complex machine tools, including equipment made in Germany, Japan, Italy, and South Korea. A J-20 stealth fighter jet at Airshow China 2022 in Zhuhai in November.

Persons: —, Der Spiegel, Christopher Furlong, Daniel Duggan, Duggan, Chen Jimin, Deng Hua, John Paul Jones, walling, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Privacy, China, NATO, Taiwan, British Royal Air Force Eurofighter, Coningsby, US, Chinese headhunters, US Marine Corps, Western, China News Service, Getty, Center for Strategic, International Studies, CSIS, Nations, Soviets, Defense, Foreign Policy, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: China, May, Australian, Zhuhai, US, Germany, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Xinhua, Constantinople, Byzantine Empire, Hungarian, Russia, Russian, Nazi, Forbes

☆ A ground crew worker was killed after being sucked into the engine of a Delta plane as it was taxiing at San Antonio airport
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An airline worker was sucked into the engine of a Delta plane at San Antonio International Airport in Texas. A ground crew worker at San Antonio International Airport, Texas, was killed after being sucked into an engine on the tarmac. The board confirmed that the ground crew employee died after being "ingested" into the engine of the Airbus A319, the outlet reported. "An accident occurred on the ground at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) tonight that resulted in the fatality of an airline ground crew member," the airport said in a statement, per DailyMail.com. Airline worker Courtney Edwards, a mother of three, was similarly "ingested" into the engine of a plane in Alabama earlier this year.

Persons: Unifi, Courtney Edwards Organizations: San Antonio International Airport, Authorities, Morning, San Antonio International Airport ,, Delta, National Transportation Safety Board, Airbus, NTSB, Delta Air Lines, Aviation Locations: Texas, San Antonio International Airport , Texas, Los Angeles, Alabama

☆ US retailers targeted with bomb threats, seeking bitcoin and gift cards, Wall Street Journal reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 25 (Reuters) - Law-enforcement officials and retailers are investigating a recent wave of bomb threats across the United States, targeting grocery operators and other stores, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. Retail companies including Kroger (KR.N), Walmart (WMT.N) and Amazon's (AMZN.O) Whole Foods Market, among others, have received bomb threats at their stores in recent months, the report said, adding that some callers demanded gift cards, bitcoin or money and threatened to detonate bombs if payments were not made. A similar incident was reported in a suburb north of Chicago, where a caller told a Whole Foods Market employee a pipe bomb had been placed in the store and demanded $5,000 in bitcoin, according to the Wall Street Journal. According to the report it is unclear to authorities whether the threats are part of an organized effort. Reporting by Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru, editing by Ros RussellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shivani Tanna, Ros Russell Organizations: Wall Street, Kroger, Walmart, Foods, FBI, Thomson Locations: United States, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Chicago, bitcoin, Bengaluru

☆ YouTube is testing an online-games offering - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 23 (Reuters) - YouTube is internally testing a product for playing online games, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday citing an email sent to employees at parent company Google (GOOGL.O). The company invited its employees to begin testing the new YouTube product called 'Playables', the report said, adding that games available for testing included titles such as arcade game Stack Bounce. A spokeperson for YouTube said that gaming has long been a focus, adding that the company was experimenting with new features and had "nothing to announce right now." Hosting online games on YouTube, which is a popular place for users to stream games and watch livestreamed game footage is part of CEO Neal Mohan's push into new areas of growth amid a slowdown in advertising spending, the WSJ report said. Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Neal Mohan's, Akanksha, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: YouTube, Wall Street, Google, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing the greatest threat to his authority in two decades after Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner paramilitary group and Putin’s former ally, launched an apparent insurrection. Prigozhin has been highly critical of Russia’s military leadership and their handling of the war in Ukraine, but he had always stopped short of criticizing Putin directly. Wagner group also claimed to have seized Russian facilities in a second city, Voronezh, some 600 kilometers (372 miles) to the north of Rostov-on-Don. Alexander Gusev, the governor of the Voronezh region, said the Russian military was engaging in “combat measures” in the area. Stunning escalationSaturday’s dramatic events come off the back of Prigozhin’s very public and months-long feud with Russia’s military leadership.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Prigozhin, Putin, ” Putin, Igor Artamonov, Sergei Sobyanin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, “, ”, Don “, ” “, ” Prigozhin, Rostov, Don, Alexander Gusev, Shoigu, –, Gen, Vladimir Alekseev, Sergei Naryshkin, Naryshkin, Ramzan Kadyrov, Vladimir Rogov, Rogov saif, ” Wagner, Stringer, Dmytro Kuleba, Serhii Cherevatyi Organizations: CNN, Prigozhin, Moscow, Terrorism, Security, Russian, RIA Novosti, Kremlin, Russian Southern Military Headquarters, Ministry of Defense, Russian Ministry of Defense, Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Historical Society, Telegram, Southern Military District, Reuters, Russian Foreign, European Union, US State Department, Britain’s Ministry of Defense, Russian National Guard, Ukrainian, Twitter, Ukrainian Armed Forces Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, Rostov, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Russia, St . Petersburg, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Prigozhin’s, Prigozhin, Don, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, EU

☆ No direct evidence COVID started in Wuhan lab - US intelligence report
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Dan Whitcomb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 23 (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence agencies found no direct evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic stemmed from an incident at China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, a report declassified on Friday said. "The Central Intelligence Agency and another agency remain unable to determine the precise origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, as both (natural and lab) hypotheses rely on significant assumptions or face challenges with conflicting reporting," the ODNI report said. The report said that while "extensive work" had been conducted on coronaviruses at the Wuhan institute (WIV), the agencies had not found evidence of a specific incident that could have caused the outbreak. U.S. President Joe Biden in March signed a bill declassifying information related to the origins of the pandemic. As of March 20, four other U.S. agencies still judged that COVID-19 was likely the result of natural transmission, while two were undecided.

Persons: WIV, Joe Biden, Biden, Christopher Wray, Dan Whitcomb, Rosalba O'Brien, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Wuhan, of Virology, National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, coronaviruses, Wall, U.S . Energy Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, Wuhan, United States, Beijing, China

☆ Forget about a housing market crash, Harvard researchers say. Here are the 4 reasons they say a repeat of the mid-2000s drop in home prices is unlikely.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

They cited a strong labor market, low foreclosure rates, favorable demographics, and low supply. That was their biggest drop since the mid-2000s housing bubble, when home prices fell 27% over the course of a few years. As long as interest rates remain elevated, home price growth will likely continue to slow. First is that the labor market remains healthy. But so far this year, the labor market has continually surprised economists to the upside.

Persons: Hoff, Ian Shepherdson, Desmond Lachman —, millennials, Ellen Zentner, Morgan Stanley's, Z, it's, there's, Louis Organizations: Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University, Federal Reserve, Harvard Joint Center for Housing, FHFA National Mortgage Database, Federal Reserve Bank of St, JPMorgan, Mortgage, Association

☆ Fact Check-Al Jazeera-branded report on Ukrainians complaining about Titan submersible victims is a fake
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An online video carrying Al Jazeera’s logo and reporting that Ukrainians are complaining about the Titan submersible’s crew wasting money is a fake report, according to a spokesperson for the Qatari state-owned broadcaster. The 90-second clip, seen by more than a hundred thousand people here, copies Al Jazeera’s branding, colour patterns, and reporting style on social media. Text captions on the fake report claim Ukrainians reacted with “indignation” to the June 18 disappearance of the Titan submersible, which went missing during a deep dive in the North Atlantic to the wreck of the Titanic. A spokesperson for Al Jazeera told Reuters that the video report is a fake. A search through Al Jazeera’s website did not find any similar report archive.ph/toDEF.

Persons: Al, ”, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera’s, Read Organizations: Titan, Al, Reuters, Facebook Locations: Qatari, Ukraine, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera’s

☆ Critical US air traffic controller facilities face serious staffing shortages -audit
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - Critical U.S. air traffic control (ATC) facilities face staffing challenges and the Federal Aviation Administration "lacks a plan to address them," a government audit released on Friday found. The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General said the staffing issues pose risks to the continuity of air traffic operations. The report said the FAA has made limited efforts to ensure adequate controller staffing at the busiest air traffic control facilities, adding that 77% of critical ATC facilities are staffed below the FAA's 85% threshold. The center in busy Florida has had 300 staffing triggers - events when workforce issues require reducing air traffic, the report said. The Transportation Department in May sought $117 million to hire 1,800 air traffic controllers next year, in addition to 1,500 being hired this year.

Persons: General, York TRACON, David Shepardson, Chizu Nomiyama, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Department, FAA, National, Jacksonville, The Transportation Department, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Washington National, New, ., Thomson Locations: U.S, Florida, New York JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, New York, York, Miami, Washington

☆ Why Chinese students are taking graduation photos looking ‘more dead than alive’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

These are graduation photos, and their theme is “being more dead than alive,” according to the accompanying caption. Urban youth unemployment is at record levels, reaching 20.8% in May, and an influx of new job seekers will only increase the competition. Li Nian, a PhD student who graduated this past week, is among those to have posted “more dead than alive” style photos. After being inspired by examples online, Li took her own graduation photos, which are funny despite the tiredness depicted. “I thought I would remember such graduation photos for the rest of my life,” she told CNN.

Persons: sprawled facedown, banister, –, Ren Yong, …, commiserate, ”, Li Nian, Li, Goldman Sachs, ” Young, lockdowns, “, can’t Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Urban, Students, Wuhan University, China’s Ministry of Education, CNN, Communist Party, Twitter, Weibo, ” Locations: Hong Kong, China, Nanjing, Spain, Italy

☆ Goldman Sachs faces big writedown on GreenSky deal, CNBC reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 23 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs (GS.N) is likely to take a large writedown for its $2.2 billion acquisition of fintech lender GreenSky after seeking to divest the business it bought in 2021, CNBC reported on Friday, citing people with knowledge of the sale process. One bidder said GreenSky's loan origination platform is worth roughly $300 million, while another said it was worth closer to $500 million, according to the report. CNBC added the bids for the platform, which facilitates home improvement loans to consumers, were coming in well below Goldman's expectations. Shares of Goldman were down about 1.4% in mid-morning trading. The bank has been running a sale process for GreenSky, and may take a writedown on the $500 million of goodwill, or the premium it paid above the assets' book value, Goldman President and Chief Operating Officer John Waldron told investors at a conference in June.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Goldman, We're, John Waldron, Warburg Pincus, Manya Saini, Jaiveer Shekhawat, Shinjini Organizations: CNBC, Goldman, KKR, Apollo Global Management, Sixth Street Partners, Synchrony Bank, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ The Brain Science of Aggression and Why Lashing Out Can Feel Good
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Daniela Hernandez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Brain Science of Aggression and Why Lashing Out Can Feel Good Sadness and anger are on the rise, here’s what scientists understand about itBy Daniela Hernandez Jun 23, 2023 11:00 am Nearly one in four people surveyed in Gallup's latest Global Emotions Report said they’d recently felt anger. WSJ’s Daniela Hernandez explains the neuroscience behind rage, the roles it plays in our lives and how we can keep it in check. Photo composite: David Fang

Persons: Daniela Hernandez Jun, they’d, WSJ’s Daniela Hernandez, David Fang

☆ Critical US air traffic controller facilities face serious staffing shortages, audit says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

☆ Japan Investment Corp in $7 billion deal talks with chipmaker JSR, Nikkei reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 24 (Reuters) - State-backed Japan Investment Corp is in talks to buy the country's top chipmaker, JSR Corp (4185.T), for about 1 trillion yen ($6.96 billion), the Nikkei reported on Saturday. If the deal goes through, JSR would delist from the Tokyo Stock Exchange as soon as 2024, according to Nikkei. To purchase JSR, JIC intends to establish a new company with 500 billion yen in capital, while Mizuho Bank will provide another 400 billion yen in finance. The fund plans to raise 100 billion yen via preferred shares and subordinated loans underwritten by various banks, according to Nikkei. The deal would grant JSR, with its significant 30% share of the global photoresist market, greater freedom for expansion, without being constrained by worries about stock market performance, Nikkei said.

Persons: JIC, Riya Sharma, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Japan Investment Corp, JSR, Nikkei, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Mizuho Bank, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Suodiu: "Suck and dispose" pebble dish is latest street food trend in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Dubbed “the world’s hardest dish” – literally – a traditional stir-fry featuring stones as its key ingredient has sparked culinary curiosity on Chinese social media. Patrons are supposed to suck on the small rocks to relish the rich and spicy flavor of the dish, which originated in the eastern Chinese province of Hubei. They are instructed to suck off the flavors, then spit out the rocks – hence the dish’s name suodiu, meaning “suck and dispose.”Videos of internet users sampling suodiu have sprung up all over Chinese social media platforms over the past week. They also show how street vendors cook up the unusual dish. To “find happiness in the bitterness,” the report said, they would find stones to cook with other condiments to make a dish.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Suodiu Organizations: Hong Kong CNN Locations: Hong Kong, Hubei

☆ Activist investor Elliott seeks ouster of NRG CEO - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 21 (Reuters) - Activist investor Elliott Investment Management is increasing pressure on NRG Energy (NRG.N) and seeking to oust its CEO Mauricio Gutierrez, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Elliott is in talks with potential candidates to replace the U.S. power company's CEO as well as other top executives, the report said. In a statement to Reuters, an NRG spokesperson said that the company's board "fully supports NRG's CEO Mauricio Gutierrez and management team," adding that the company will be discussing its strategic plan with shareholders at its investor day. The report comes after Elliott sent a letter to NRG's board last month, pushing for a boardroom overhaul. The activist investor had urged the company to conduct a review of its home services strategy and add new independent directors.

Persons: Mauricio Gutierrez, Elliott, Rahat Sandhu, Rishabh Jaiswal, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Maju Samuel, Subhranshu Organizations: Investment Management, NRG Energy, Wall Street, Reuters, NRG, Elliott Investment, Thomson Locations: U.S, Bengaluru

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