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☆ The NAR settlement comes into effect today: Here’s what changing and why
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-17 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Here’s what you need to know:Two key changesHistorically, buyers were not expected to pay their real estate broker directly. That’s because Realtor commission fees — to both the buyers’ agent and the sellers’ agent — were paid by a home seller. Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesThe second change affects the relationship between prospective home buyers and their real estate agents. A key element to these agreements is that a buyer’s agent cannot receive more compensation than what the buyer initially signed onto, even if a seller is willing to offer more. The National Association of Realtors agreed to settle litigation over commission rules for US real estate agents, clearing the way for possible changes in how Americans buy and sell homes.

Persons: CNN —, Kevin Sears, ”, —, Tanya Monestier, “, Tiffany Hagler, They’re, Norm Miller, Monestier, “ You’re, ” Leo Pareja, ” Pareja, David Ryder, ‘ let’s, University of San Diego’s Miller, Miller Organizations: CNN, National Association of Realtors, Realtors, MLS, University, Buffalo School of Law, Geard, Bloomberg, Getty, Buyers, University of San, eXp Realty Locations: Larchmont , New York, University of San Diego, Seattle , Washington, US

☆ NAR settlement set to hit real estate agents this week: Here’s how they’re preparing
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Starting August 17, new rules will roll out that overhaul the way Realtors get paid to help people buy and sell their homes. This could pave the way for real estate companies with alternative business models, like flat-fee and discount brokerages, to thrive. Redy, which operates nationwide, is a marketplace that allows real estate agents to bid on home listings, meaning agents could pay homesellers for the opportunity to represent them, cutting into their own commissions. “This is part of this notion of shifting how real estate is always done,” Cofini said. “Consumers don’t know this is coming,” Flyhomes’ chief strategy officer, Adam Hopson, said of the NAR changes.

Persons: Leo Pareja, Kevin Sears, ” Sears, “, Mary Schumann, ” Schumann, TD Cowen, Shelly Cofini, ” Cofini, Flyhomes, Adam Hopson, Will, Madison Mathias, Mathias, I’ve, “ I’m Organizations: CNN — Realtors, Realtors, National Association of Realtors, eXp Realty, NAR, ”, CNN Locations: theory, Minnesota, Chapin , South Carolina

☆ The next world’s tallest building could be a 3,000-feet-high battery
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( Amy Gunia | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A combination of technologies — from various forms of batteries to other energy storage methods — will likely be necessary to increase capacity. As shown in this render, energy storage company Energy Vault, along with Skidmore, Owens & Merrill, the architecture and engineering firm behind some of the world's tallest buildings, is integrating gravity energy storage technology into building designs. A view of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, in December 2022. Two energy storage experts contacted by CNN questioned if the economics of a skyscraper battery could work, given the space that would need to be used for energy storage and the structural changes that would be needed to support the extra weight. Energy Vault has already completed a project in China which it says is the world’s first commercial-scale, non-pumped hydro gravitational energy storage system.

Persons: Chicago’s Willis, Bill Baker, Abdelhadi Ramahi, Robert Piconi, Stefano Boeri, Daniel Safarik, ” Organizations: CNN, Skidmore, Owings, Merrill, Energy, Owens & Merrill, Trade Center, Sears, Burj, International Energy Association ., SOM, Reuters Locations: Burj Khalifa, Dubai, China, Milan, Italian

☆ Why Scandals Are Hurting Organized Religion - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( David French | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Don’t Tell My Friends, But… is a seriesin which we asked Times columnistswhateveryone else is wrong about. The two concepts are so distinct within Christianity that they have different names — orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right conduct). Right conduct should flow from right belief. The person who prioritizes orthodoxy says, “Hear my voice.” The person who prioritizes orthopraxy says, “Watch my life,” and the competing emphases can play out in concrete political ways. By contrast, the person who prioritizes orthopraxy has the opposite inclination.

Persons: Let’s, sears, ”, Donald Trump, They’re, orthopraxy, Robert Morris, United States —, Morris, Sybil Jordan Hampton, wouldn’t, Russell Moore’s, Moore, It’s, Paul Organizations: Southern Baptist Convention, Gateway, Evangelical America Locations: Southern, orthopraxy, Christianity, United States, Louisiana, Kentucky, Little Rock, Ireland

☆ The Problem With the Natural Childbirth Movement - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

The natural-parenting movement, like the anti-vaccine movement, relies on our forgetfulness about what life was like before the innovations that it denounces. Also like the anti-vaccine movement, the natural-parenting movement is a reaction to very real failures in our medical system, which has more than earned people’s distrust. Natural parenting has since been thoroughly secularized, but it still preaches something akin to spiritual transcendence through female sacrifice. Even if you distrust the natural-parenting movement, its pressures are hard to escape. If the natural-parenting movement really cared about children, it would do some introspection about how often it makes their parents miserable.

Persons: I’d, “, ”, who’ve, thrall, It’s, Carla Cevasco, don’t, —, Amy Tuteur, Dick, Read, Ina May Gaskin, William Sears, God, Emily Oster, Long, Gaskin, who’d, saccharine condescension Organizations: World Health Organization, OB, Harvard Medical, Leche League, Daily Locations: British, Leche

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Persons: It's, You'll, Read, cardholders, Cardholders, Miles, Eva, Smiles, Wyndham, you'll, Booking.com Organizations: Business Insider, Citi, Premier, Card, Citi Prestige, Citi Strata Premier, CitiTravel.com, EV, ℠, Gas, Citi Prestige ®, JetBlue, Air France, KLM, Wyndham, Choice, Citi Strata, thankyou.com, Walmart, Citi AT, Citi Transfer Partners, Aeromexico, Blue, Cathay Pacific, Miles —, Emirates, Etihad Guest, JetBlue TrueBlue —, Club —, Qantas, Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Thai Airways Royal, Plus, Turkish Airlines Miles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Wyndham Rewards, Sears, Citi Travel, Paypal, Shell, CVS, BP, Amoco Locations: That's, Chevron

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, Citi Prestige® Card, Citi Rewards+® Card, Citi® Double Cash Card, Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, AT&T Points Plus® Card. Good Citi Airline Transfer PartnersSome Citi airline transfer partners can provide decent value, but only in certain situations. Citi Airline Transfer Partners That Aren't Great ValueThe rest of the Citi ThankYou airline transfer partners are generally not worth considering, except for extremely niche redemptions. Otherwise, with the Citi Rewards+® Card, Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card, and Citi® Double Cash Card, the ratio is 5:4 (1,000 Citi ThankYou points = 800 Wyndham points). Other Rewards ProgramsIn addition to airline and hotel transfer partners, Citi ThankYou has one retail transfer partner.

Persons: Wyndham, Hilton, Lifemiles, Avianca, Eva, it's, It's, Accor, you'll, Howard Johnson, Travelodge —, you've, nonrefundable — Organizations: Business Insider, Citi, Premier, Card, Citi Prestige, Wyndham Rewards, JetBlue, Air France, KLM, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Citi Transfer, Citi Strata Premier, Citi Prestige ®, Partners, Turkish Airlines Miles, Turkish, Star Alliance, Miles, United Airlines, United, Blue Air France, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Singapore Airlines, Air, Lufthansa, Alaska Airlines, KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic Flying, Virgin, Delta, Flying, Ethiopian Airlines, Good Citi, Transfer Partners, Etihad Guest Etihad, Czech Airways, Etihad, Royal Air Maroc, Cathay, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Cathay, Oneworld, American Airlines, British Airways, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qantas, Transfer, Aeromexico, Premier Aeromexico, Emirates Skywards, Emirates, Qatar Airways Privilege, Gulf, American, Qatar Airways . Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Thai Airways, Raffles, Citi Premier, Prestige, Choice, Comfort, Radisson Hotels, Radisson, Wyndham, Vacasa, Sears, CitiTravel.com, EV, Aeromexico Club Premier Air France, Cathay Pacific Asia, JetBlue TrueBlue Qantas Frequent Flyer Qatar Airways Privilege Club Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Turkish Airlines Miles, Smiles, Atlantic Flying Club Wyndham Rewards, ℠ Locations: Hawaii, Europe, Air Canada, Singapore, Delta, Prague, Seoul, New York, JFK, Casablanca, Cathay Pacific Asia, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Qatar, Fairmont, Sofitel, Clarion , Cambria, Canada, Caribbean, America, Chevron

☆ Macy’s rejected a takeover offer and is betting on itself
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-15 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Macy’s management ended talks with private investors attempting to take over the company and will pursue its own turnaround strategy to remake the chain. The investors planned to take Macy’s private and consider spinning off its real estate assets or separating its online operations from brick-and-mortar stores. But Macy’s rejected a previous offer to buy the company at $21 a share in January. In March, the investors upped its offer to $24 a share, and Macy’s agreed to enter into talks about the bid. Macy’s will instead stick with its own strategy, led by new CEO Tony Spring, which includes closing underperforming Macy’s stores and investing in its luxury Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury chains.

Persons: Macy’s, Tony Spring, Neil Saunders, ”, –, CNN’s Chris Isidore Organizations: New, New York CNN, Arkhouse Management, Brigade Capital Management, Investor, Sears, Walmart, Target Locations: New York

☆ Netflix wants to be Disney when it grows up
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The company will unveil its first Netflix House venues in 2025 at two US-based malls: King of Prussia and Galleria Dallas. "We've launched more than 50 experiences in 25 cities, and Netflix House represents the next generation of our distinctive offerings. At a 2019 conference, former Disney CEO Reed Hastings said that Netflix admired Disney. Advertisement"Think of Hollywood Studios," McCoy said, referring to the Walt Disney World theme park. Netflix House and then Netflix World?

Persons: —, of Prussia, We've, Marian Lee, Joe Burbank, Reed Hastings, playbook, Steinberg, Ericka McCoy, there's, King of Prussia, McCoy, Matt Voda, Voda, it's Organizations: Service, Netflix, Galleria Dallas, Business, Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney, Orlando Sentinel, Tribune, Getty, Disney, Zeta Global, . Orlando Sentinel, Sears, Hollywood Studios, Hollywood Studios . Orlando Sentinel, OptiMine Locations: California, Magic, Florida, Lycoming Mall, Pennsylvania

☆ The sneaky, smart reasons malls have no windows
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-22 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The birth of the American mall ushered in an era of “windowless” shopping that’s largely still here. But the sneakiest reason why malls limit windows could be to make shoppers lose track of time. Windowless shopping creates an environment of consumption without distractions,” Flickinger said. The Southdale mall was functional and drab to look at and that is the blueprint that all traditional enclosed malls have continued to follow. Some of these adaptive uses of traditional malls might be creating a practical need for windows after all, she said.

Persons: mallgoers, Burt Flickinger, Bill Peters, ” Flickinger, “, Victor Gruen, Gruen, Larry Salzman, Stephanie Cegielski, ”, Cegielski, ” Alexandra Lange, Lange, Thomas McMillan, ” Lange, Kristin Mueller, Kena Betancur Organizations: New, New York CNN, Strategic Resource Group, CNN, Shoppers, Denver, Getty, Denver Post, ”, Southdale, Minneapolis –, Gruen Associates, International Council of Shopping Centers, “, Sears, Roebuck, of Retailing Studies, Texas, Mays Business School, Energy, Customers, North Locations: New York, Northglenn, Northglenn , Colorado, Minneapolis, Austria, Los Angeles, Edina , Minneapolis, ”, Framingham , Massachusetts, United States, America, American, East Rutherford , New Jersey, North America

☆ Gentle Parenting Bust: What Millennial Parents Are Getting Wrong
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Kelli María Korducki | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Seventeen years later, gentle parenting is now the default among my professional-class millennial peers. Teachers blame gentle parenting for bad behavior in classrooms, which some believe is accelerating an exodus from the profession. Ample research links an authoritative parenting style — such as gentle parenting — with the most favorable psychosocial outcomes in children. These are among the questions that gentle parents must contend with, often on the fly. When gentle parenting goes wrong, everyone takes note.

Persons: hadn't, gestured, Doug Fields, Kristen Race, Janet Lansbury, William Sears, Sarah Ockwell, Smith, Abby, society's, Anna Monette Chilstedt, Lansbury, RIE, Chilstedt, Mary Benedetti, Benedetti, influencers, Becky, Kennedy, —, you've, Anna Lussenburg, Annie, Nanny, Lussenburg, isn't Organizations: Research, Pediatrics Locations: Toronto, British, Milwaukee, Boulder , Colorado, Calgary , Alberta

☆ It’s all about fun and games now at these dead former Sears stores
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —In Florida, a handful of dead mall anchor Sears stores, left vacant and unmoored by the iconic retailer’s bankruptcy six years ago, are being jolted back to life. Oca said all venues Elev8 Fun uses are converted commercial spaces of more than 100,000 square feet. Construction began in the empty Sears stores at the citrus Park Mall in early 2022 and the facility opened in May 2023. The team also studied the local demographic and competitors to decide which attractions made sense to include in each new Elev8 Fun center. So we decided to put all of the attractions that we could into that former Sears store,” Oca said.

Persons: Oca, ”, Solomon, Victor Calanog, ” Calanog, “, pickleball, Elev8, Lainie Solomon Calanog, Lainie Solomon, “ Sanford, Jim Hull, “ I’m, ” Hull Organizations: New, New York CNN, Sears, Design Lab, CNN, Oca, Seminole, Treasure, Miami International, Entertainment, Manulife Investment Management, Industry, Construction, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Hull Property Group, ” Hull Locations: New York, Florida, Tampa , Florida, Sanford , Florida, Tampa, Jensen, Miami, Sanford, Orlando, Hull, Citrus

☆ How private equity rolled Red Lobster
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Gretchen Morgenson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

In this photo illustration, a cooked lobster is displayed on a plate at a Red Lobster restaurant on May 20, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Under the terms of the sale, Red Lobster would also see regular rent increases of 2% a year, the release noted. "All of the people who were supplying Red Lobster, all of the people who are essentially providing services to Red Lobster, the small businesses in the communities affected by mass layoffs, they are next in line, they are experiencing the ripple effect." Sen. Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, where eight hospitals operated by bankrupt Steward Health Care are, recently held hearings on private equity and health care. Private equity is emerging in all parts of our economy, Markey added, but its most profound impact is in health care.

Persons: didn't, Josh Olshansky, leaseback, Red, Moody's, Andrew Park, Oscar, Robert Reich, Bill Clinton, America's, Reich, Austin Hurst, Hurst, Sen, Edward Markey, Markey Organizations: Sears, Mervyn's, Steward, Manor Care, Companies, Golden, American Realty Capital Partners, Realty, Lobster, Financial Reform, Thai Union Group, Thai Union, Steward Health, Department of Health, Human Services Locations: Austin , Texas, Canada, San Francisco, Golden, Bangkok, Thai, Arizona, Massachusetts

☆ Bella Hadid makes a statement with her keffiyeh-inspired dress at Cannes Film Festival
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Rosa Rahimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Bella Hadid stepped out in a red keffiyeh-inspired dress at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday, in a nod to her Palestinian heritage. Bella Hadid is seen during the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Hadid’s dress is from the archives of Michael and Hushi, a New York-based brand founded by Michael Sears and Hushidar Mortezaie. Some on social media were quick to point out that Hadid’s dress was not technically a Palestinian keffiyeh, with the colors more closely resembling those used in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Hopefully we can all learn to stand in unity and love against genocide,” he wrote on Instagram.

Persons: CNN — Bella Hadid, Mohamed Hadid, Michael, Hushi, ”, Bella Hadid, Jacopo Raule, Hadid, Michael Sears, Hushidar, Carrie Bradshaw Organizations: CNN, Cannes, Cannes Film, Mortezaie, Google, City Locations: Palestinian, American, “, Palestine, Gaza, Bella, New York, Jordan, Saudi Arabia

Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon The Dow, all-timeThe average was created by Charles Dow in 1896 with just 12 industrial stocks. Paired with the Dow Jones Transportation Average , the two were collectively meant to offer a gauge for the broader economy. The sole caveat: No utility or transportation stocks are included, given the existence of the Dow Jones Utility Average and Transportation Average. 1972: Dow hits 1,000It may be hard to imagine given the recent achievement, but the Dow traded below 1,000 until the early 1970s. The Dow saw its worst year since 2008 in 2022, though 2023's rebound allowed the index to erase those losses.

Persons: Spencer Platt, Dow, Charles Dow, There's, Richard Nixon, Alcoa Esmark, Du Pont, Dow didn't, Walt Disney, Eastman Kodak Merck Alcoa ExxonMobil Phillip Morris, T General Motors Sears, Morgan, Phillip Morris, Walmart Du Pont J.P, Morgan Chase Walt, Donald Trump, General Electric Nike American Express Goldman Sachs, Morgan Chase, Johnson, Joe Biden, Trump, Goldman Sachs, Gamble Amgen, — Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Getty, Dow Jones, Dow Jones Transportation, P Global, Dow, CNBC, General Foods, Harvester, Chevron, Procter, Gamble, Alcoa, Manville, ExxonMobil, Illinois Glass American Tobacco General Electric Procter, General Foods Sears Roebuck AT, T General Motors Texaco Bethlehem Steel, T General Motors Texaco Bethlehem Steel Goodyear Union Carbide Chevron Honeywell United Technologies Chrysler International Harvester US, Nickel Westinghouse Electric Eastman Kodak International, Woolworth, Oasis, Eastman Kodak Merck Alcoa ExxonMobil, Express General Electric Procter, Gamble AT, T General Motors, T General Motors Sears Roebuck Bethlehem Steel Goodyear Texaco Boeing Honeywell Union Carbide Caterpillar IBM United Technologies Chevron International, Walt Disney, Morgan Chase Westinghouse, Apple, Microsoft, Sears and Union Carbide, Eastman Kodak Johnson, Johnson Alcoa ExxonMobil, American Express General Electric Merck AT, T, Goodyear Procter & Gamble Caterpillar Hewlett, Packard Sears, Chevron Honeywell Union Carbide Citigroup IBM United Technologies, Walmart, Morgan Chase Walt Disney, Visa, Travelers, Nike, General Electric Nike American Express, General Electric Nike American Express Goldman Sachs Pfizer Apple Home Depot Procter, Gamble Boeing IBM Travelers Caterpillar Intel United Technologies Chevron, Morgan Chase UnitedHealth, Cisco Systems Johnson, Johnson Verizon, Cola McDonald’s, Du Pont Merck Walmart ExxonMobil Microsoft Corporation Walt Disney, Exxon Mobil, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Goldman Sachs Nike American Express Home Depot Procter, Gamble Amgen Honeywell, Apple Intel Travelers Cos Boeing IBM, Caterpillar Johnson, Johnson Verizon Chevron, Cisco Systems, Walgreens, Alliance Coca Cola Merck Walmart Dow Microsoft Walt Disney Locations: New York City, T General Motors Texaco Bethlehem Steel Goodyear, America

☆ Shein's U.S. charm offensive and IPO could hinge on NRF membership. So far, it's been rejected
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Open to allIt's unclear why the NRF rejected Shein's membership application, but according to one of the people familiar, someone with sway is strongly against the company's admittance. The NRF's board has a leadership team and an executive committee. An NRF membership application form that can be found online states: "Companies principally engaged in retailing are eligible for membership in the Federation." Two of the board members said they weren't aware of any instances where the NRF denied a retailer membership. "I don't think they are in the business of turning anyone down," one of the board members told CNBC.

Persons: Scott Olson, Matthew Shay, Courtney Reagan, CNBC Steve Dennis, Neiman, Sears, Dennis, Shein, John Furner, Bob Eddy, Mike George, Brian Cornell, Tony Spring, wasn't, Wang Ying, Ashley Sanchez, Joscelin Flores, Allen J, They've, Temu, it's Organizations: Getty, National Retail Federation, CNBC, Neiman Marcus, New York Stock Exchange, Shay, Walmart U.S, BJ's Wholesale, Qurate, QVC, Federation, Brands, Publicis Groupe, Coresight, Xinhua News Agency, Forum, World Retail, Los Angeles Times, Chinese Communist Party Locations: Whitestown , Indiana, New York City, America, U.S, New York, United States, Hamburg, Germany, Los Angeles, Paris, Davos, Switzerland, Las Vegas, Shoptalk, Fontana, Ontario Mills, Ontario

☆ How U.S. malls survived the death of department stores
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Delon Thornton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow U.S. malls survived the death of department storesAmerican malls are pivoting toward an experiential model less dependent on department stores. U.S. department stores are struggling to compete against newer, online direct-to-consumer competitors and smaller brick-and-mortar retailers that have been able to keep up with the ever changing demand of consumers. And this is causing familiar retailers like JCPenney, Sears and Macy's to close, the latter of which recently announced it would close up to 150 stores.

Persons: Macy's Organizations: JCPenney, Sears Locations: U.S

☆ How American malls survived the slow death of department stores
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Delon Thornton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Department stores — which were historically the most important real estate in the nation's malls — are a different story. Department stores are struggling to compete against new online direct-to-consumer competitors and smaller brick-and-mortar retailers that have been able to keep up with the ever-changing demand of consumers. Top-tier malls, known as Class A malls, are pivoting toward an experiential model, replacing department stores with grocery stores, casinos, gyms, ice skating rinks and, in some cases, even residential apartments. Lower-tier malls are feeling the effects of department store closures more acutely as inflation and economic pressures increasingly split consumers into two categories: luxury shoppers and discount shoppers. Watch the video above to find out more about how malls survived the death of the department store.

Persons: Michael Guerin, That's, America's, Haendel St, Juste Organizations: . Department, JCPenney, Sears, Macy's, Mizuho Securities Locations: Macerich

☆ For U.S. Cuban claims holders, spy Manuel Rocha's plea deal raises fresh questions
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Michelle Caruso-Cabrera | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Raul Rubiera | Miami Herald | Getty ImagesWhen Carolyn Lamb saw news of Cuban spy Victor Manuel Rocha's arrest on the news last December, she recognized him immediately. The lower the value of the claims, the less the Cuban government would have to pay in any future negotiated settlement. Ashby assumed Rocha's paranoia about eavesdropping was in response to the George W. Bush administration's opposition to the Cuba claims buying business. But according to the Justice Department, by that point Rocha was already in his third decade as a Cuban agent. File photo of former US ambassador to Bolivia, Manuel Rocha, talking to the press on the 11th of July 2001.

Persons: V, Manuel Rocha, Steel Hector, Davis, Raul Rubiera, Carolyn Lamb, Victor Manuel Rocha's, Rocha, Lamb, Lamb's, Castro, Justin Solomon, CNBC Castro didn't nationalize, of Rocha, Fidel Castro's, It's, Jason Poblete, Poblete, John Kavulich, Sears Roebuck, Timothy Ashby, Ashby couldn't, Ashby, George W, Bush, Little, Covert, Gonzalo Espinoza Organizations: Miami Herald, Steel, Cuban, US State Department, National Security, Cuban Telephone Company, " Beverage Company, CNBC, Pepsi, General Electric, Century Fox, Cuba Trade, Economic Council, Justice Department, Citizen, State Department, National Security Council, DOJ, Cubans, FBI, AFP, Getty Locations: America, Omaha, Bolivia, Cuba, Havana, United States, Cuban, Rocha, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Argentina, Miami, Chile

☆ Macy's proxy fight is over, but the battle for the department store's future wages on
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Arkhouse then launched its proxy fight and put forward nine nominees to Macy's 15-person board. Turning the tideOther department store chains have faced challenges from activists in recent years, and even when those efforts fall short, the pressure can bring about sweeping changes. That includes Macy's locations with stronger sales as well as its two chains that have outperformed the namesake brand, higher-end department store chain Bloomingdale's and beauty chain Bluemercury. Arkhouse claims Macy's refused to engage with it, and Macy's rebuffed Arkhouse saying it didn't have the financing for the takeover it proposed. Arkhouse, for its part, has said it plans to keep Macy's stores open.

Persons: Bing Guan, Tony Spring, Arkhouse, Neil Saunders, Macy's, Michelle Gass, Levi Strauss, Chip Bergh, Ben Hider, —, GlobalData's Saunders, It'll, Gavriel Kahane, Kahane, it's Organizations: Macy's Inc, National Retail Federation, Bloomberg, Getty, Arkhouse Management, Capital Management, American, Brigade, Levi, Herald, Sears, CNBC, Macy's, Fortress Investment Group, One Investment Management Locations: Herald, New York, Macy's, New York City

☆ I read my grandparents' love letters from the 1920s. It was a gift to see how their relationship began.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Courtenay Rudzinski | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But tucked away securely in a string-wrapped envelope was a stack of love letters my grandfather wrote to her when they were dating. These treasured notes from the 1920s were fragile and falling apart — and a time capsule of what dating was like 100 years ago. I know how it ended — my grandparents sitting at their Formica kitchen table, watching the hummingbirds and sharing the daily newspaper — but what a gift to see how it began. I saved notes my husband wrote me when we were dating, but my kids and their friends don't communicate this way anymore. Love letters, written in cursive and sealed with a kiss, may truly be a relic of the past.

Persons: She'd, Austin — Uber, Alice, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Texas, Sears Roebuck, tote Locations: San Marcos , Texas, Austin, Fort Worth, Waco

☆ Modular homes were hailed as a solution to housing crises. But the sector is now struggling to scale
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Vicky Mckeever | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Modern tech-enabled versions of modular housing promise a faster, more sustainable solution to housing crises, according to experts. The fact that modular housing is also made in a controlled factory environment means less waste is generated, while also resulting in more energy-efficient homes. A 2022 report from industry group Make UK Modular highlighted that 80% fewer vehicle movements were needed to development sites with modular building. In the U.K. last year, Ilke Homes collapsed, while Legal & General moved to wind down its modular housing factory. By comparison, a Make UK Modular report published last year said more than 3,000 modular homes were being built in the U.K. annually, though there was capacity to build five times that number.

Persons: Prefabrication, William the Conqueror, Andrew Shepherd, Shepherd, Modulous, Jonatan Pinkse, Pinkse, Suzanne Peters, Daniel Paterson, prefabrication, Richard Valentine, Valentine, Selsey Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Sears, CNBC, University of Cambridge, Edinburgh Napier University, Ilke, Legal, King's College, Alliance Manchester Business School, Savills Research, McKinsey, Company, Ikea, Vonovia Locations: Foston, Derby, housebuilding, England, U.S, King's College London, Wales, Selsey, Sweden, Japan, prefabrication, Berlin, Germany

☆ The NAR settlement could slash home prices for many Americans
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The settlement, which is still subject to a judge’s approval, will eliminate the long-standing standard 6% commission paid by the seller. The NAR, which represents more than 1 million agents, declined to comment on whether home prices will fall as a result of the settlement. For instance, listing agents will likely continue to tell sellers that their homes will be sold faster if they pay for the buyer’s agent’s fee. That would increase how much they’re compensated since the total fee ends up getting split between listing agents and the buyer’s agents. NAR settlement or not, factors such as housing inventory, mortgage rates and consumer savings rates will “play much larger roles,” said Brobeck.

Persons: won’t, Kevin Sears, ”, Stephen Brobeck, ” Brobeck, “, ” Tomasz Piskorski, Piskorski Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Consumer Federation of America, CNN, Columbia University Locations: New York, Missouri

☆ Real estate stocks plunge as NAR agrees to landmark settlement that rewrites rules on commissions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The National Association of Realtors announced a $418 million settlement to end antitrust lawsuits. Real estate stocks including Zillow and Redfin fell Friday after the announcement. AdvertisementShares of real estate companies plunged on Friday following an announcement from the National Association of Realtors that resolves a lawsuit with home-selling groups and effectively nixes the standard 6% commission for home purchases. As part of the settlement, the NAR has agreed to prevent sellers' brokers from determining the compensation for buyers' agents. AdvertisementTaken together the changes will rewrite the longstanding real estate business model which had sellers pay their broker and the buyer's broker.

Persons: Redfin, —, Nykia Wright, Kevin Sears Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Service, NAR

☆ The 6% commission on buying or selling a home is gone after Realtors association agrees to seismic settlement
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The NAR, which represents more than 1 million Realtors, also agreed to put in place a set of new rules. One prevents sellers’ brokers from setting buyers’ agents’ compensation, which critics say led brokers to push more expensive properties on customers. Another new rule will require buyers’ brokers to enter into written agreements with their buyers. Realtors could now compete on commissions, allowing for prospective buyers to shop around on rates before they commit to buying a home. The association also faces scrutiny from the US Department of Justice, and it’s unclear whether this settlement with sellers will impact the government’s scrutiny of the brokerage industry.

Persons: ”, Kevin Sears, Nykia Wright, Homesellers, HomeServices, Wright Organizations: CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Realtors, realtors, US Department of Justice Locations: Missouri, America, litigate

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