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☆ I spent 20 years studying how 100-year-old people eat—and this is the world's No. 1 healthiest breakfast
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Dan Buettner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

As a longevity researcher, I've spent the past 20 years studying the habits of people who live to 100 years old or longer, particularly the foods they eat. And in a tucked-away corner of Nicoya, Costa Rica, I may have found the world's healthiest breakfast. They stoke wood fires in clay ovens, put cauldrons of spicy beans to boil, and mix corn dough with wood ash. The beans cook slowly for about an hour to tender perfection and are then mixed with rice. Add water and stir until a soft dough forms (if the mixture won't form a soft ball of dough, add warm water in one tablespoon increments until it will).

Persons: I've, David McLain, David McLain Nixtamal, masa, Jose Guevara's Gallo Pinto, Jose Guevara, gallo pinto, It's, Cook Organizations: stoke, Worcestershire Locations: Nicoya, Costa Rica, Costa Rican, Worcestershire

☆ A popular female coding Instagram account that said men 'suffer from biases equally to women' was created by a man, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The person behind a female coder's Instagram account is a man, 404 Media reports. The page, called coding_unicorn, has 115,000 followers and claims to be run by a woman called Julia. AdvertisementA popular Instagram account fronted by a woman named Julia Kirsina is run by a man, according to a 404 Media investigation. But in reality, the person running the account is a male software developer called Eduards Sizovs, according to a 404 Media report. Advertisement404 Media dug into Sizovs' IP logs and old YouTube videos, and said it found that he had access to an email account called coding_unicorn.

Persons: Julia, —, Julia Kirsina, Kirsina, coding_unicorn, Sizovs, Ayodeji, Satya Nadella, Gergely Orosz, Anna Boyko, Alina Prokhoda, Kristine Howard, Julia Kirsina —, Scott Hanselman Organizations: Service, Business, Sizovs, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Bloomberg

Oct 30 (Reuters) - 3D metal-printing startup Seurat Technologies on Monday hinted at potentially going public in the medium-term and said it had raised $99 million in a funding round co-led by chip designer Nvidia's (NVDA.O) venture capital arm. With the latest series C funding round, the company's valuation will approach $350 million, said a source who asked not to be named. The fundraise, co-led by Nvidia's NVentures and Capricorn's Technology Impact Fund, brought in new investors Honda Motor (7267.T) and Cubit Capital. Existing backers including Porsche and venture capital units of Xerox Holdings (XRX.O) and General Motors Co (GM.N) also participated. "Seurat's local factory deployment model provides the industry with a solution to near-shore manufacturing and to increase the resiliency of supply chains," said existing investor Porsche Automobil Holding's (PSHG_p.DE) board member Lutz Meschke.

Persons: Seurat, James DeMuth, Nvidia's NVentures, Porsche Automobil, Lutz Meschke, Akash Sriram, Devika Organizations: Technologies, Reuters, Technology, Honda Motor, Cubit, Porsche, Xerox Holdings, General Motors Co, Siemens Energy's, Thomson Locations: China, Massachusetts, Bengaluru

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn has decided against a bid for governor in 2025 and will instead run next year to represent the competitive northern Virginia congressional seat being vacated by a fellow Democrat, U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton. “This is an unfair, devastating reality that she now has to navigate,” Filler-Corn said, adding that she had discussed her plans with Wexton. The open seat dynamic in the Loudoun County-centered 10th District — Filler-Corn said she lives just outside it — could set up a competitive race with implications for party control of the U.S. House. Filler-Corn is a strong fundraiser who led the Democratic House caucus during the national scandal and party strife that exploded after the 2019 discovery of a racist photo in former Gov. Neither has publicly committed to a run and both have also said they are focused on this year's legislative races.

Persons: Eileen, Jennifer Wexton, “, Abigail Spanberger, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, Wexton, Barbara Comstock, Ralph Northam’s, —, That's, Glenn Youngkin's, Spanberger, she’s, Wahoo, Connor Joseph, she's, Stoney, Kevin Zeithaml, Jason Miyares, Winsome Earle, Sen, Amanda Chase, Chase Organizations: —, Virginia, U.S . Rep, Virginia General Assembly, Associated Press, Richmond Mayor, Democratic, U.S . House, Republican Rep, Gov, Commonwealth, Republican Gov, University of Virginia, Democratic Party, AP, District, Republicans, Sears, U.S . Senate Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Virginia, Richmond, Washington, Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Congress, “, Spanberger

However, most Crop Watch fields no longer benefit from rain as far as yield is concerned. Most Crop Watch producers have either not yet started corn or bean harvesting or are in the beginning stages. About 30% of the Crop Watch corn in southeast Illinois was completed on Sunday, and the early results would suggest downside to yield expectations rather than upside. Average Crop Watch soybean yield rose slightly to 3.59 from 3.57 a week earlier after a quarter-point bump in North Dakota. Photos of the Crop Watch fields can be tracked on my Twitter feed using handle @kannbwx.

Persons: corn's, Karen Braun, David Evans Organizations: Crop, Crop Watch, U.S, Watch, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, North Dakota, Kingsbury , South Dakota, Freeborn , Minnesota, Burt , Nebraska, Rice , Kansas, Audubon , Iowa, Cedar , Iowa, Warren , Illinois, Crawford , Illinois, Tippecanoe , Indiana, Fairfield , Ohio, The North Dakota, Griggs County, Stutsman County

Versus the June survey, a corn harvested area increase of 774,000 acres in the fall is the largest ever back to at least the mid-1990s. Only 2012's increase of 890,000 acres (0.9%) was larger, though final corn acres usually come in lower than in June (15 of last 20 years). USDA was not the only entity too low on U.S. corn acres this year. The March planting survey came in more than a million acres above the trade estimate, then June corn acres blew out the highest trade guess by more than a million acres, topping the average guess by more than 2 million acres. That is the opposite of what happened in 2021, the last time USDA’s fall area review substantially boosted corn acres.

Persons: NASS, Karen Braun, Sam Holmes Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, USDA's Farm Service Agency, Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA, Analysts, Reuters, Thomson Locations: NAPERVILLE , Illinois, U.S

☆ Redwood Materials, run by ex-Tesla CTO, raises $1 billion to expand recycling operations in U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Redwood Materials, the battery and e-waste recycling startup founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, announced Tuesday that it has closed a $1 billion funding round to expand operations in the U.S. The company takes spent electric vehicle batteries, breaks them down, and uses the metals from them —including nickel, copper, cobalt, and lithium — to produce new components that can go into electric vehicle batteries. One of Redwood's major goals is to produce battery components domestically to reduce some of the global trade and geopolitical risks around the electric vehicle industry. As CNBC previously reported, earlier this year Redwood locked in a $2 billion loan commitment from the Department of Energy. For its new growth funding round, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Capricorn's Technology Impact Fund, and other un-named funds advised by T. Rowe Price Associates led the deal, according to a company statement.

Persons: JB Straubel, Redwood, Straubel, Energy Jennifer M, Granholm, Goldman, Rowe Price Organizations: Materials, U.S, CNBC, Department of Energy, Energy, Energy Information Administration, Argonne National Laboratory, Asset Management, Technology, Fund, Rowe Price Associates, Caterpillar Inc, Innovation Fund Locations: U.S, Carson City , Nevada, Charleston , South Carolina . U.S, Argonne

☆ Battery firm Redwood Materials raises over $1 bln to expand US ops
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Aug 29 (Reuters) - Redwood Materials said on Tuesday it had raised more than $1 billion in new funding as the battery materials firm, founded by former Tesla (TSLA.O) executive JB Straubel, seeks to expand its operations in the United States. The company in February received a conditional commitment for a $2 billion loan from the U.S. Energy Department to build a $3.5-billion recycling and re-manufacturing complex in Nevada for electric-vehicle battery materials. The latest funding round for Redwood, founded in 2017 by Straubel, was co-led by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Capricorn's Technology Impact Fund and funds advised by T. Rowe Price Associates. "We will use our Series D funding to continue building our capacity, expanding the domestic battery supply chain and allowing our customers to purchase battery materials made in the US," Redwood said. The Carson City, Nevada-based company has a long-term partnership with Panasonic (6752.T), which builds battery cells in Nevada in a joint venture with Tesla, for providing battery materials.

Persons: Tesla, JB Straubel, Straubel, Rowe Price, Redwood, Nathan Gomes, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: Redwood Materials, U.S . Energy Department, Redwood, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Technology, Fund, Rowe Price Associates, Panasonic, Tesla, Thomson Locations: United States, Nevada, Carson City , Nevada, Bengaluru

☆ U.S. trade consultations on Mexico's GMO corn rule 'unacceptable violation' of law -Mexican official
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Adriana Barrera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, April 27 (Reuters) - Trade consultations requested by the United States on Mexico's plan to limit the use of genetically modified corn are an "unacceptable violation" of Mexican law and feed the interests of seed "oligopolies," a top Mexican official said on Thursday. The United States, Mexico's main trading partner, requested the consultations in early March under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement, which calls for a science-based approach to domestic regulations. "The United States' request to Mexico follows the interests of seed, agrochemical, and other food-producing oligopolies," said Mexican Deputy Agriculture Minister Victor Suarez. Washington requested consultations after Mexico softened an original plan to ban GMO corn across the board and instead opened its use for animal feed and industrial use. The Mexican policy "does not affect U.S. corn producers in any way," Suarez said, contradictory to the U.S.' claims.

In the week ended April 18, money managers increased their net long position in CBOT corn futures and options to 49,434 contracts from 27,112 a week earlier, marking their most bullish corn view since Feb. 28. Funds have been net corn buyers for five consecutive weeks for the first time since September. Managed money net position in CBOT corn futures and optionsBut some of those longs may have already been scrapped in the last three sessions, as CBOT corn futures fell 4.5% in the July contract and 4% in the December. Money managers trimmed their net short to 102,983 futures and options contracts from 104,247 a week earlier. That is their most bearish CBOT wheat view for the time of year since 2017.

[1/2] Men walk past an electric board displaying Nikkei and other countries' indexes outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan January 16, 2023. After $14 trillion was wiped off world shares in 2022, $4 trillion has been added back this month. "Markets are in this Goldilocks-scenario of OK growth, slowing inflation and softer monetary policy," said Richard Dias, founder of London-based investment consultancy Acorn Macro. Major central banks have added almost 3,000 basis points to global borrowing costs in this tightening cycle to date. "We've had a monumental rally in government bonds based on expectations we've reached the peak in interest rates," he said.

Palliser and some of Capricorn's biggest shareholders had also publicly opposed a planned merger with Israeli gas producer NewMed (NWMDp.TA), with major proxy advisers recommending votes against the merger plan and Capricorn's board. Chairperson Nicoletta Giadrossi, CEO Simon Thomson and three other directors stepped down from the board with immediate effect, Capricorn said on Tuesday. NewMed said in a statement following Capricorn's board shake-up that it saw a significantly smaller chance of finalising the merger. Capricorn postponed the NewMed vote to Feb. 22, while the meeting called by Palliser regarding the directors will go ahead as planned. The NewMed merger plan, announced in September, aims to create an Israel-Egypt focused gas producer, but several shareholders have said the deal undervalues Capricorn.

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☆ NewMed pushing forward with Capricorn merger ahead of Feb. 1 vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Israel's NewMed Energy LP (NWMDp.TA) said on Sunday it was making final arrangements for a merger with UK-based Capricorn Energy (CNE.L), whose shareholders will vote on whether to approve the deal on Feb. 1. Capricorn's shareholder ballot is due the same day as a vote triggered by activist shareholder Palliser wanting to oust Capricorn's leadership. The proposed deal values Capricorn at $338 million in addition to a $620 million special dividend. When the planned all-share deal was announced in September, NewMed offered 271 UK pence per ordinary share to Capricorn shareholders. The vote on the merger is planned for 0900 GMT on Feb. 1, while a vote on Palliser's proposition to rejig Capricorn's board is scheduled for 1400 GMT on the same day, Capricorn said.

"We are ready to add a number of your nominees to the board promptly and well before the general meetings," Capricorn said in a letter to Palliser posted on its website. Capricorn declined to clarify how exactly the board might change. Madison Avenue Partners, Capricorn's biggest shareholder at around 8%, on Monday separately reiterated its opposition to the board. The shareholder meeting to vote on the board changes is planned for Feb. 1, with a shareholder vote on the NewMed deal "on or around the same date", Capricorn said. "Holding the general meetings so close together deprives any reconstituted Capricorn board of the opportunity to re-assess the merits and terms of the NewMed transaction in parallel with a consideration of a range of other options," the statement said.

☆ An Indian tech unicorn's founders share 3 tips for success — including a 'hit by a bus' plan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Harsh Jain says it's an "open secret" that he doesn't use his own fantasy sports app — for fantasy football, at least. After introducing it to his childhood friend Bhavit Sheth, they set out to look for a fantasy cricket platform in India. Are you building scale and systems in a way ... not dependent on [a single person] and … having one person make a decision? Harsh Jain Co-founder and CEO, Dream SportsAccording to Jain, it's the "first mover's advantage" that brought their company Dream Sports — the parent company of Dream11 — to great heights. Harsh Jain CEO and co-founder, Dream Sports

LONDON, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Capricorn Energy's (CNE.L) third-biggest shareholder, Palliser Capital, has called for a general meeting to set a vote on removing seven Capricorn directors from supervisory roles including the CEO, according to documents seen by Reuters. "We have requisitioned the board of Capricorn Energy ... to convene a general meeting (the "EGM") of the Company," Palliser Chief Investment Officer James Smith said in a Dec. 19 letter to Capricorn shareholders. "The EGM will enable shareholders to vote on resolutions to effect the removal of seven current Capricorn directors and the appointment of six independent, highly-qualified replacement candidates." The directors that Palliser wants to remove include Capricorn Chief Executive Officer Simon Thomson and its chief financial officer, also named James Smith, who both hold executive and supervisory roles. The shareholder meeting to vote on Palliser's resolutions has to take place by Jan. 30, Palliser said.

☆ Column: U.S. rush for renewable diesel may ignite fresh food fight
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Renewable diesel, however, is chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel - so can be consumed in place of or along with normal diesel in whatever quantities are desired by end users. US renewable diesel vs biodiesel useRenewable diesel also emits fewer emissions than both biodiesel and regular diesel. US renewable diesel vs biodiesel production capacityFurther increases in renewable diesel production capacity are expected in the near term, with the EIA projecting capacity to climb to 5.1 billion gallons a year by 2024, from less than 1 billion in 2020. But that consumption share looks set to grow further as more renewable diesel production comes on line. Other major renewable diesel suppliers include Finland and the Netherlands, although both those countries have stepped up their own domestic consumption of renewable diesel in recent years, leaving little left for exports.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Hedge fund Irenic asks Capricorn Energy to ditch NewMed deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The company's stock price closed up 0.25% at 244.60 penceThe NewMed transaction would result in Capricorn being paid a $620 million special dividend. It would also leave them with a 10.3% stake in the combined company, with NewMed shareholders owning 89.7%. A liquidation could value Capricorn's assets at 350 pence per share, versus the 254 pence-per-share valuation in the NewMed deal, according to Irenic. "The company has yet to present shareholders with any proposal that represents superior value relative to the straightforward liquidation value we have assessed," Irenic wrote in the letter. Prior to agreeing on a sale to NewMed, Capricorn scrapped plans to merge with Tullow Oil Plc (TLW.L) in a deal that would have valued Capricorn shares at 210 pence and would have given Capricorn investors 47% of the new entity.

LONDON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Capricorn Energy (CNE.L) plans to merge with Israel's NewMed (NWMDp.TA) in an all-share deal after paying a $620 million special dividend to its shareholders, ditching a previous scheme to merge with Tullow Oil (TLW.L). The deal would value Capricorn shares at 271 pence, a 13 % premium to its last closing price. The deal with West Africa-focused Tullow, which declined to comment on Thursday's news, had valued Capricorn at around 210 pence per share. The merger would see Capricorn issue new shares to NewMed investors based on an exchange ratio of around 2.34 per NewMed share, which will see Capricorn shareholders hold just over 10% of the new company. Capricorn's Chief Financial Officer James Smith will stay on with NewMed Energy, which is set to pay out at least 30% of its cah flow in dividends.

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