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☆ Singapore Airlines shares fall as much as 6% as profit nearly halves amid intensifying competition
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An Airbus A350-941 from Singapore Airlines is preparing to take off on the runway at Barcelona-El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain, on May 1, 2024. SINGAPORE — Shares of Singapore Airlines dropped after the city-state's flag carrier reported a fall of almost 50% in net profit for its first half April to September period, citing lower yields and growing competition. Net profit in the first half of the fiscal year came in at 742 million Singapore dollars ($559.12 million), 48.5% lower than the SG$1.44 billion in the same period a year ago. Singapore Airlines said in a release that the fall in operating profit was due to "increased capacity and stronger competition in key markets," which led to a fall in yields and ultimately, profit. However, SIA will not "hold back on capacity growth just because there's competition in the market," Lee added.

Persons: Lee Lik Hsin, Goh Choon Phong, Lee Organizations: Airbus, Singapore Airlines, El, SINGAPORE —, Singapore, SIA Locations: Barcelona, Spain, SINGAPORE, Singapore

☆ What to know about the San Jose State volleyball team and why opponents are boycotting matches
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

In a lawsuit filed against the NCAA, plaintiffs cited unspecified reports asserting there was a transgender player on the San Jose State volleyball team, even naming her. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. More about the San Jose State issue and what’s at stake:Who’s involved? San Jose State senior setter and co-captain Brooke Slusser joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff on Monday. Brooke Slusser of the San Jose State Spartans serves the ball during a match on Oct. 19.

Persons: Donald Trump, Who’s, ” Riley Gaines, Brooke Slusser, Andrew Wevers, Slusser, “, ” Kadence Otto, ” Otto, Todd Kress, ”, Kress, Gloria Nevarez, ” Nevarez, Gaines, Riley Gaines, Megan Mendoza, Sia Liilii, OutKick, Emily Kohan, “ I’m, encroaches, Lia Thomas, Thomas, Joanna Harper, Harper, ” Harper, that’s, Joe Biden, IX, —, Jose State’s Organizations: San, San Jose State women’s, Spartans, Republican, University of Nevada, Utah State, Boise, Mountain, NCAA, San Jose, San Jose State volleyball, Associated Press, Independent, Women’s Sports, University of Kentucky, San Jose State Spartans, Gallup, Trump, Western Carolina University, AP, Aggies, Wolf, Phoenix City Hall, USA, ”, Fox Corp . Colorado State, ” Rams, NCAA Division, Pennsylvania, Penn, Athletics, Oregon Health, Science University, Trans, Democratic, U.S, Supreme Locations: San Jose State, Reno, Nevada, San Jose , California, “, Southern Utah, Boise State , Wyoming, Utah, Utah State, Idaho , Nevada , Utah, Wyoming, Jose State, California, The Republic, ” Nevada, Atlanta, Jose

☆ The vaccines you need to know about before you travel
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Lisa Kjellsson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Norlys Perez/ReutersUntil recently, there wasn’t a widely available dengue vaccine for travelers. But according to Dr. Nicky Longley, consultant in infectious diseases and travel medicine at The Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD) at University College London Hospitals, dengue vaccination is not quite the silver bullet travelers had hoped for. One traveler who welcomes the arrival of the new Qdenga vaccine is UK-based travel writer Chris Dwyer. Which vaccines do you need? Adults are advised to keep a record of their immunizations and when they need to be boosted.

Persons: Yasuyoshi Chiba, Norlys Perez, Dengvaxia, Nicky Longley, haven’t, “, ” Longley, Chris Dwyer, Dwyer, Qdenga, ” Dwyer, vaccinates, Sia Kambou, ”, Longley, “ It’s, Anniina Sandberg, Sandberg, didn’t, Martin Harvey, HTD’s Longley, wasn’t, Tick Organizations: CNN, Hatta International Airport, Getty, Health Organization, WHO, US Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Reuters, European Union, The, University College London Hospitals, Malaria, Natives, TBE, CDC Locations: Sweden, Asia, Thailand, Pakistan, Philippines, Soekarno, Tangerang, Indonesia, AFP, Cuba, Europe, United States, Malaysia, Abidjan, West Africa, South Sudan, Ivory, Finnish, Africa, Tanzania, Tanzanian, South Africa, Helsinki, Finland, Americas

☆ THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'Holes' over 20 years later
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Kirstie Renae | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty ImagesAfter "Holes" was released, LaBeouf continued his acting career in "The Even Stevens Movie" (2003), "I, Robot" (2004), "Constantine" (2005), and "Disturbia" (2007). Beyond film, in 2014, LaBeouf began doing performance art pieces with Finnish artist Nastja Säde Rönkkö and British artist Luke Turner. In 2019, the actor earned critical acclaim for his autobiographical film "Honey Boy," which he both starred in and wrote the screenplay for. Recently, LaBeouf starred in "The Tax Collector" (2020) and "Pieces of a Woman" (2020). In more recent years, the actor starred in "Padre Pio" (2022) and "Megalopolis" (2024), which just made its rounds at Cannes and the Toronto Film Festival.

Persons: LaBeouf, Max Cisotti, Dave Benett, Stevens, Constantine, Indiana Jones, Lawless, McEnroe, Nastja Säde Rönkkö, Luke Turner, Maddie Ziegler, Padre Pio Organizations: New York Times, Cannes, Toronto Film Locations: Kingdom, British

And they were everywhere, although, naturally, New York City was a magnet, as it has always been for L.G.B.T.Q.+ people looking for a place in which they can be themselves. New York City was where you lost your soul, and we wanted to be closer to the earth. I wore an eight-and-a-half-foot-tall Statue of Liberty costume to the Easter Parade in New York City, and Kirsten came along with me. By the time I turned 30, I’d been telling people I was older for years, because I’m not the type to bemoan the loss of my youth. Going to New York felt like this moment of emerging to a wider audience, and then I started to travel a lot.

Persons: André De Shields, Lady Bunny, Michael R, Jackson, Juliana Huxtable, Wong, J.D, Samson, Pat Oleszko, it’s, —, John Rechy, ”, Danez Smith, Trump, he’d, “, Jenna Lyons, Avram Finkelstein, Joe Mantello, …, Catherine Opie, you’re, Willie Norris, “ I’d, It’s, you’ve, ” — Mark Harris Read, De Shields, Justin French, Chuck Ashley, Anthony Cotsifas, William F, Robert O’Hara’s, Hermes, — Max Berlinger Jenna Lyons, Antonio Lopez, Jenna Lyons’s, Grace Jones ”, Juan Ramos, Antonio Lopez’s, Grace Jones, Tina Chow, Marisa Berenson, Pam Anderson, That’s, — Jason Chen Jayne County, Jayne County, Gus Stewart, Billy Idol, Wayne County, — M.B, Bill T, Jones, Arnie, Arnie Zane, Zane, Keith Haring, Lois Greenfield, Jack Mitchell, Peggy Jarrell Kaplan, Gertrude Stein, Alice B, we’d, Bill, Arnie ”, I’m, — Juan, Norris, Yael Malka, Tomas Abad, West, Black, I’d, — Colleen Hamilton B.D, New York’s Eugene, . Wong, David Henry Hwang’s, Richie, wasn’t, Wayne Barker, — John Wogan Edmund White, Edmund White, Horatio, Leonard Fink’s “, Barbara Confino, Leonard Fink, Joseph Rodriguez, Bleecker, You’d, Gosh, Michael Snyder Pat Oleszko, Chichi, Kirsten, who’d, she’d, — C.H, Brian Michael Smith, Gay, Smith, Kiki Ball, Josue Infante, Skyler Cruz, Jamison, — J.A.R, Agnes Denes’s “, Don Yowell, Finkelstein, Agnes Denes, Leslie Tonkonow, Don, Agnes Denes’s, JD Samson, Sia, Mark Hunter, Anthony Cotsifas I’d, Johanna Fateman, Tigre, Michael O’Neill, Obama, might’ve, — Kate Guadagnino Kristen Kish, Kish, Suzanne Kreiter, David Moir, Bravo, isn’t, — J.W, Stephen Spinella, Mantello, Joan Marcus, Photofest, Tony Kushner’s, Louis Ironson, Milton Glaser, he’s, David, Marshall Grant, Joe Pitt, Walter, Awards, Stephen, ” —, Freedia, Devon Hurst, Sissy Nobby, Barack Obama’s, Lyle Ashton Harris, Big, Bounce, ” — M.B, Thom Browne, Browne, Los Angeles’s Chateau Marmont, Malcolm Venville, Paul Fortune, Michèle Lamy —, — J.C, Catherine Opie’s “, Opie, Ian, Lehmann Maupin, Eileen Myles, Jenny Shimizu, I’ve, Nicole Acheampong Danez Smith, Juan Cordero, ” Womp, They’d, hookups, Who’s, We’ve, You’re, J.A.R, Linda Simpson, India, Little Louie Vega, who’s, — K.G, Alexander Chee, Alexander Chee’s, Marguerite Duras’s “, Jeongneung, King Jungjong, Eric McNatt, Chris Chee, — M.S, Sam Jay, Jay, Jonah, Kumail ”, hadn’t, K.G, Phillip Lim, Lim, Tourmaline, Sylvia Rivera, Luce Capco Lincoln, York’s, We’d, Marsha P, John Cameron Mitchell, Larry Kramer, Mitchell’s, Mitchell, Martha Swope, Billy Rose, Mark Tusk, ” Kramer’s, Larry, Ned Weeks, Ned, “ Hedwig, J.W, Joerg Lohse, Reena, there’s, Matt Bomer, Bomer, Simon Halls, Neal Caffrey, Tony Kushner, Terrence McNally —, — I’d, Hollywood, Wu Tsang, Neil Rasmus, Wildness, ’, Wildness ”, Roxane Gay, Mueller, Brandon Williams, Donna Gottschalk, Donna Gottschalk’s “, Duchess, Galerie Marcelle Alix, goddamn, Coco Romack Michael R, Aaron Kinney, Nova, “ I’m, Bob Damron’s, Sgt, Shirley, Waldorf, Harold’s, Jean ] Genet, Marcel, Proust Organizations: Pride, Stonewall, West, America’s, ACT UP, San, Playwrights Horizons, Odeon, New York’s TriBeCa, Electric, Getty, Police, Billy, New York Live Arts, Keith Haring Foundation, BAM Hamm, Liberation, Brooklyn Liberation, Brooklyn Museum, Fort, New York’s, New York’s Eugene O’Neill Theatre, Broadway, Equity, LGBT Community Center, Fulbright, Mudd, New, Bisexual, Transgender Community, Center, Transgender Community Center, “, Maxwell, Museum School, Farmers, Seattle, Boston Globe, Travel, New York Times, Rancho Mirage, Gay, Caesar’s, FEMA, Yale, York’s Webster Hall, Masters, Records, Pyramid, Work, ACT, Carpenters, Seymour, Edinburgh, Atlanta —, Ninja, Huntington, New York, Lesbian, Equal, Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library, The New York Times, USA, Children’s Hospital of Los, MoMA, Whitney Biennial, University of Nebraska, Alamy, HarperCollins, of Engineering, Google, Division, Astor, Tilden Foundations, Pershing, University of Southern, Pershing Square Locations: New York, Berlin, “, America, San Francisco, Baltimore, New York’s, New York City, California, Atlanta, Europe, Wayne County, Dortmund, Germany, London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Rockland County, N.Y, ’, I’m, Brooklyn, West Dakota, Fort Greene, New, Leonard Fink’s “ Bars, Street, Rome, —, Aspen, Colo, Copenhagen, Danish, Peru, Los Angeles, Agnes Denes’s “ Wheatfield, Downtown Manhattan, North Moore, TriBeCa, Hoboken, N.J, Lower Manhattan, Manhattan, Boston, Williamsburg , Brooklyn, Vinnie’s, Bedford, Austin , Texas, Copley, Menton, Asian American, York, New Orleans, Houston, Los Angeles’s, L.A, Hong Kong, Seoul, Casa, Koreatown, Minneapolis, Grindr, East, India, Wigstock, Tompkins, Vershire, Chee, Iowa, Huntington Beach, Chelsea, Barneys, Madison, Miami, New York State, Washington, The, LA, Silver Lake, Missouri, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Zurich, Central, American, Westlake, Los Angeles and New York, Lincoln, Alphabet City , New York, Lenox, United States, University of Southern California, Downtown Los Angeles

☆ Singapore Airlines offers compensation of at least $10,000 to passengers of turbulence-hit flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Passengers of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London to Singapore, which made an emergency landing in Bangkok, greet family members upon arrival at Changi Airport in Singapore on May 22, 2024. Singapore Airlines has offered compensation to passengers of the ill-fated flight SQ321, which was hit by extreme turbulence that resulted in the death of one passenger and several injuries. "For passengers who sustained minor injuries from the incident, we have offered US$10,000 in compensation. For those who sustained more serious injuries from the incident, we have invited them to discuss a compensation offer," the company said. Another 104 passengers were injured, a press officer for Bangkok's Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital told the Associated Press in May.

Persons: Bangkok's Organizations: Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport, SIA, London, Boeing, Srinakarin Hospital, Associated Press Locations: London, Singapore, Bangkok

☆ They went on a honeymoon to Europe. Then 60 seconds of hell in the air turned it into an experience they'll never forget.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewWhen they felt their plane lurch and plummet, Ade Tan and Amos Chan, both 28, barely had time to react. We were planning to continue our honeymoon after that, so we were coming back just for a day," Tan said. SQ321 made an emergency landing in Bangkok after it was hit by severe turbulence. Being trained medical doctors, Tan and Chan went around the cabin to tend to injured passengers. I went more toward the front of the plane while Amos went to the back," Tan said.

Persons: —, Ade Tan, Amos Chan, Amos, Tan, Chan, SQ321, Lillian Suwanrumpha, Ade Tan Rushing, Geoffrey Kitchen, Kitchen, weren't Organizations: Service, Business, Singapore Airlines, SIA, Changi Airport, Singapore Airlines Boeing, Getty, Safety Investigation, Boeing, Facebook, Transport Safety Investigation Locations: Italy, Iceland, London, Singapore, Bangkok, AFP, Myanmar

☆ Sia has given over $1 million to her favorite 'Survivor' contestants. She's stopping after 8 years and no one knows why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Since 2016, Sia has been handing out money to her favorite "Survivor" contestants as an unofficial prize for the hit reality show. "It's the end of one of the most unique eras in the history of 'Survivor,'" Probst wrote. "After eight years, 14 seasons, 19 players and over $1,000,000 awarded, 'Survivor' is officially bringing the Sia Prize to a triumphant end!" If they also win Sia's unofficial prize, contestants stand to make a lot of money from the show. Neither Probst nor Sia have commented on whether contestants from the most recent season will receive money from the singer.

Persons: —, Sia, Jeff Probst, Probst, Tai Trang, Jonny Fairplay, Tai, Evan Agostini, I'm, She's, Topps Organizations: Service, Business, CBS, TMZ, Survivor, Fame

☆ Singapore Airlines changes seatbelt sign policy following fatal turbulence incident
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Singapore Airlines has tweaked its in-flight seatbelt sign policies and altered at least one flight route after a turbulence incident this week killed one person and left dozens more hospitalized, according to the airline and flight data. The airline is adopting a more cautious approach to turbulence, including not serving hot drinks or meals when the seatbelt sign is on, it said in a statement to Singapore broadcaster Channel News Asia. “SIA will continue to review our processes, as the safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance,” it said. The daily London-to-Singapore route SQ321 has completed two flights since the incident and not flown over the part of Myanmar where the sudden turbulence occurred about three hours before scheduled landing. They flew instead over the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, route data from flight tracker FlightRadar 24 shows.

Organizations: Singapore Airlines, Channel News Asia, “ SIA, Boeing, Srinakarin Locations: Singapore, London, Bangkok, SQ321, Myanmar, Bengal, Andaman

☆ Singapore Airlines tweaks its in-flight seatbelt sign policies after fatal incident
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Singapore Airlines ranked as the No. Singapore Airlines altered its in-flight seatbelt rules and changed at least one flight route following Tuesday's turbulence incident which led to an emergency landing in Bangkok . The interior of Singapore Airline flight SQ321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, May 21, 2024. Singapore Airlines said in a separate statement that a total of 44 passengers and two crew remain in hospital. Turbulence-related incidents are the most common type of accident suffered by commercial airlines, according to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

Persons: Tuesday's, Bangkok's, CNBC's Sophie Kiderlin Organizations: Singapore Airlines, SIA, CNBC, Singapore Airline, Singapore Boeing, Srinakarin Hospital, Associated Press, AP, U.S . National Transportation Safety, NTSB, Aviation Safety Network Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, London, Singapore, Myanmar, Bengal

☆ Singapore Airlines: This airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months’ salary
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Heather Chen | Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong/New Delhi CNN —Singapore Airlines is setting the bar high when it comes to bonus payouts. Singapore Airlines did not respond to a request for comment. The Singapore flag carrier was named the world’s best airline last year, according to the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards. Dubai’s Emirates will pay its staff a bonus equivalent to 20 weeks’ salary, Reuters reported this week, citing an internal email. However, the coming year could be difficult for the sector, Singapore Airlines said in its earnings statement.

Persons: Choon Phong Organizations: Hong Kong / New Delhi CNN — Singapore Airlines, CNN, Singapore Airlines, SIA, Emirates, Reuters Locations: Hong Kong / New Delhi, North Asia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore

☆ Biden gives Samsung $6.4 billion in grants to boost Texas chip output
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Reuters —The Biden administration will award up to $6.4 billion in grants to South Korea’s Samsung Electronics to expand its chip production in central Texas as part of a broader effort to boost US chipmaking, the Department of Commerce said on Monday. The funding from the 2022 Chips and Science Act will support two chip production facilities, a research center and a packaging facility, in Taylor, Texas, the agency said, as previously reported by Reuters. It will also enable Samsung to expand its Austin, Texas, semiconductor facility, Commerce Department Secretary Gina Raimondo added, while boosting chip output for the aerospace, defense and auto industries and bolstering national security, administration officials told reporters. Samsung is expected to invest roughly $45 billion in building and expanding its Texas facilities through the end of the decade, said senior administration officials. Intel won $8.5 billion in grants last month while Taiwan’s TSMC clinched $6.6 billion in April to build out its American production.

Persons: Reuters —, Biden, Gina Raimondo, ” Raimondo, Kyung Kye Hyun, “, Samsung, ”, John Cornyn, Taiwan’s TSMC Organizations: Reuters, South, Samsung Electronics, Department of Commerce, Samsung, Commerce, Samsung Electronics Co, Analysts, Semiconductor Industry Association, SIA, Lawmakers, Texans, Republican, US Commerce Department, ” SIA, Intel Locations: Texas, Taylor , Texas, Austin , Texas, United States, China, Taiwan, Republican U.S

CNN —British singer Ed Sheeran wowed the stage in Mumbai with Diljit Dosanjh over the weekend as the pair sang a rendition of the Indian artist’s hit track “Lover” in Punjabi, a duet that promptly lit up India’s social media. Both artists posted videos of their performances on Instagram, with huge cheers from the crowd as Sheeran invited his singing partner onto the stage. “Got to bring out @diljitdosanjh tonight in Mumbai and sing in Punjabi for the first time. I’ve had such an incredible time in India, more to come!” Sheeran wrote in a post. Fans and Indian celebrities on social media praised Dosanjh for getting Sheeran to sing in an Indian language.

Persons: Ed Sheeran, Dosanjh, Sheeran, “, I’ve, ” Sheeran, Singer, Diljit, ”, Varun Dhawan, Sahil Bulla, ” Dosanjh, “ Hass Hass, Sia Organizations: CNN, Spotify Locations: British, Mumbai, India, London, Australia, Punjab, Pakistan

☆ With a low cocoa supply, this Valentine’s Day chocolate prices are up
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Rising cocoa prices aren’t the only concern for customers this Valentine's Day. Last Thursday, Hershey Co. said it would cut 5% of its workforce after historic cocoa prices and inflation-weary consumers dampened fourth quarter earnings. “And it looks like it’s not necessarily going to subside anytime soon.”The Supreme Valentine’s Day SweetRoughly 92% of Americans say they plan to share chocolate and candy for Valentine’s Day this year, according to the National Confectioners Association. In 2023, Valentine’s Day chocolate and candy sales exceeded $4 billion, the NCA says. Issaka said that while high demand and low supply raise prices, cocoa farmers are getting squeezed.

Persons: ”, Michele Buck, Billy Roberts, ” Roberts, Lindsey Nicholson, Marnie Ives, Ives, ” Ives, “ It’s, Karl Schneider, Roberts’s, Issifu, Issaka, ” Issaka, “ I’m, Cote, Will Kletter, Sabi Ibarra Guerrero, Uwe Gneiting, Gneiting, Joke Aerts, Aerts, ” Aerts, Sia Kambou, Price, Tony’s, “, they’ve, CNN’s Eva Rothenberg Organizations: CNN, Hershey Co, National Confectioners Association, NCA, Cocoa, Oxfam America, Getty, Fairtrade, Cote d’Ivoire, “ Locations: West Africa, North America, Manhattan, Queens , New York, Neck, NY, Bloomfield , NJ, Ghana, North Region, Cote d’Ivoire, Silicon, Africa, Accra, Cote, Hermankono, AFP

☆ Host nation Ivory Coast continues miraculous run to AFCON final to set up a matchup against Nigeria
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Samuel Joseph | Sam Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The host nation is seeking its third AFCON title, while Nigeria is looking to lift the trophy for the fourth time. ET on Sunday and will take place at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast midfielder Ibrahim Sangare (L) fights for the ball with DR Congo's Simon Banza. Against Mali, Ivory Coast pulled off yet another great escape, grabbing a last-minute equalizer. Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali made two saves and striker Kelechi Iheanacho netted the deciding penalty to send Nigeria into the final.

Persons: Ouattara, Ivory, Les Éléphants, Jean, Louis Gasset, Emerse Faé, Ibrahim Sangare, DR Congo's Simon Banza, Franck Fife, Faé, Franck Kessié, Simon Adingra, Sébastien Haller, Ivory Coast's, Sia Kambou, William Troost, Ekong, Victor Osimhen, Osimhen, Percy Tau, Teboho Mokoena, Issouf Sanogo, Grant Kekana, Stanley Nwabali, Kelechi Iheanacho Organizations: CNN, Africa, of Nations, beIN Sports USA, DR Congo, Guinea, Equatorial, Coast, Ivory, DR Congo's, Getty, Senegal, Against, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Super Eagles, South Africa Locations: Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ivory, Abidjan, South Africa, Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, AFP, Against Mali, Europe, AFCON, Cameroon, Angola, Africa

☆ OpenAI's Altman in Talks to Raise Funds for Chips, AI Initiative - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) -OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is in talks with investors, including the UAE, to raise funds for a tech initiative to boost the world's chip-building capacity and expand its ability to power AI, among other things, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The project could require raising as much as $5 trillion to $7 trillion, the report added, citing people familiar with the matter. Altman's fundraising plans are aimed at solving constraints to OpenAI's growth, including the scarcity of artificial intelligence (AI) chips required to train large language models behind systems such as ChatGPT, the WSJ reported. War in Israel and Gaza View All 206 ImagesThe Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has forecast a 13.1% jump in global chip sales to $595.3 billion this year, compared with a drop of about 8% in sales in 2023. The amounts Altman has discussed are outlandishly large by the standards of corporate fundraising, the report added.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman, Gnaneshwar Rajan, Rashmi Aich Organizations: Reuters, Wall Street, Microsoft, Semiconductor Industry Association, SIA Locations: UAE, Israel, Gaza, OpenAI, Bengaluru

Stella is reintroducing herself in her first film role after taking a few years off to just be a normal teen. Maisy has that perfect mix … she is one in a million.”Park met Stella through their mutual friend Maddie Ziegler, who plays one of Elliott’s friends in “My Old Ass.” Ziegler and Stella have been close since they were children. “It literally made the biggest difference.”Both Park and Stella have been overwhelmed by the response to the film at Sundance. As of the writing of this article, “My Old Ass,” produced by Margot Robbie's Lucky Chap Entertainment, has not yet been acquired for distribution. Park: I’m your hype woman.

Persons: ”, Maisy Stella, Daphne Conrad, Robyn’s, Lennon Stella, Billie Eilish, Stella, “, ” Stella, Megan Park, Aubrey Plaza, Elliott, Elliot, Maisy, Maddie Ziegler, ” Ziegler, Maddie, I’m, ” Stella downplays, Eilish, Ziegler, Sia, don’t, Kerrice Brooks, Justin Bieber’s, Bieber, Percy Hynes White, I’ve, Margot Robbie's Lucky, wouldn’t, she’s, “ She’s, you’ve, Finneas Organizations: Sundance Film, Nashville, Sundance Locations: CITY , Utah, Park City , Utah, “

☆ Here's how Singapore Airlines airlifted a giant panda cub and sent it on its journey home to China
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Singapore's first giant panda cub, Le Le, traveled to China on Tuesday. AdvertisementSingapore Airlines was given a monumental task in January: They were put in charge of sending Le Le, a 2.5-year-old giant panda cub, to China. Born in August 2021, Le Le was Singapore's first giant panda cub. Le Le, however, has to be separated from his parents. The giant panda cub was also served a special in-flight meal during his journey — bamboo, bamboo shoots, fruit, pellets, and water.

Persons: Le Le, Le, —, Kai Kai, Jia Jia, Gajandran Sokayan, Riding, Le didn't Organizations: Singapore Airlines, Service, Mandai, Boeing, Cargo, SIA, China Conservation and Research Center Locations: China, Singapore

☆ El Niño's 'sweet tooth' means indulgent treats could soon be even more expensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-25 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Futures contracts on orange juice , cocoa , coffee and sugar have soared in part because of extreme weather and supply concerns related to El Niño. "You can say El Niño has a sweet tooth because it sort of eats or takes away much of the sugar in the world," Carlos Mera, head of agri commodities market research at Netherlands-based Rabobank, told CNBC. "Sugar prices have probably already been passed on [to consumers] but certainly for chocolate we should expect a big increase at retail level — and El Niño is certainly something to watch." Joe Raedle | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesThe effects of El Niño tend to peak during December, but the impact typically takes time to spread across the globe. It also warned that several crops could be adversely affected by El Niño early next year, while acknowledging there is the potential for some crops to benefit, citing those in the United States, southern Brazil and Argentina.

Persons: El, Carlos Mera, El Niño, Joe Raedle, Dave Reiter, Reiter, Sia Kambou Organizations: Future Publishing, Rabobank, CNBC, Getty, Reiter Capital Investments, Twitter, Workers, Afp Locations: Yichang City, China's Hubei, Netherlands, El, Orange, Miami , Florida, Southeast Asia, India, Australia, Africa, United States, Brazil, Argentina, Florida, Hermankono

☆ Bill Gates’ holiday list: 3 of the best books he read in 2023—plus 2 other recommendations 'just for fun'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Bill Gates is once again marking the holiday season with a list of some of his favorite books he read in the past year. His latest holiday list also includes a series of online economics lectures he calls "fantastic" and a holiday-themed Spotify playlist "just for fun." The book will help you better understand your own body, particularly what it means when you get sick, Gates wrote. The author "used to believe — as many environmental activists do — that she was 'living through humanity's most tragic period,'" Gates wrote. Gates' holiday Spotify playlistGates's 54-song playlist is available on his Spotify profile "just for fun," he wrote.

Persons: Bill Gates, Gates, Siddhartha Mukherjee Mukherjee, Columbia University oncologist, Mukherjee, Hannah Ritchie, Ritchie, Vaclav Smil Smil, he's, Smil, Timothy Taylor Gates, Taylor, King Cole's Organizations: Microsoft, Columbia University, University of Oxford, University of Manitoba, Stanford, Macalester College Locations: U.S

☆ John Legend and Charli XCX agreed to have their voices cloned by YouTube. It's the start of an AI war among musicians.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

YouTube has launched a new AI music tool that will let creators use the voices of famous artists. AdvertisementYouTube has launched a new AI music tool that lets creators use the voices of famous artists. The company's AI experiment, Dream Track, marks one of the first real attempts to commercialize AI-generated music. Launched on Thursday, the tool will allow some creators to use AI versions of artists' voices for soundtracks of up to 30 seconds. AdvertisementIn the blogpost published by YouTube, Puth said he was "excited and inspired" by the project.

Persons: Charlie Puth, Charli XCX, Demi Lovato, —, Alec Benjamin, John Legend, Sia, Troye Sivan, Puth, Drake, Nick Cave Organizations: YouTube, Service, Universal Music Group, Google, Bloomberg, Spotify

☆ YouTube debuts AI tool that mimics vocals of artists like John Legend, Demi Lovato
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The new product, called "Dream Track," is a collaboration with nine musical artists including John Legend, Demi Lovato, T-Pain, and Sia, among others. It will be limited to YouTube Shorts, the platform's short-form video sharing feature which rivals TikTok, owned by Chinese technology giant ByteDance. The company also featured statements from the artists themselves, who framed the platform as a way to have a stake in the emerging AI music space. Lovato added, "The development of AI technology is rapidly changing the way we navigate the landscape and I believe as artists we need to be a part of shaping what that future looks like." In April, Universal Music Group petitioned YouTube and other music sharing sites to remove the song over copyright claims.

Persons: John Legend, Demi Lovato, Sia, Lyor Cohen, Toni Reid, —, Lovato, Drake Organizations: YouTube, TikTok, Google, Universal Music Group, CNBC Locations: U.S

☆ Nexi CEO: happy to help UniCredit on payments but contract is set
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Italian payments group Nexi is pictured outside their headquarters in Milan, Italy, March 28, 2019. Italian payments infrastructure group SIA in 2016 signed a 10-year contract with UniCredit to manage cards and shop payments as well as cash withdrawal machines ahead of a being acquired by Nexi, which inherited the contract. Nexi finance chief Bernardo Mingrone told an analyst call on Thursday that the contract did not envisage the possibility of an early break-up. While the contract is "very solid" and runs over the long term, Nexi is "very keen to help UniCredit achieve their ambitions in payments, which are growing," Nexi CEO Paolo Bertoluzzo added. Asked whether UniCredit might dispose of its merchant acquiring business, Bertoluzzo said he would be "very surprised" if UniCredit did anything with it.

Persons: Alessandro Garofalo, Nexi, UniCredit, Andrea Orcel, Bernardo Mingrone, Mingrone, Paolo Bertoluzzo, Orcel, Jean Pierre Mustier, Bertoluzzo Organizations: REUTERS, SIA, Nexi, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy

☆ Auto Chip Makers Try to Avoid a Pileup
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Semiconductor sales to the auto industry jumped 16% in 2022. The industry has been mired in a historic slump for more than a year now. The Semiconductor Industry Association, or SIA, reported last week that global chip sales in September fell 4.5% from the same period last year. That made for the 14th straight month of sales declines—a streak not seen in more than a decade. Much of the downturn has been due to weak sales of PCs, smartphones and other consumer and business electronics that saw a rise in demand earlier in the pandemic.

Persons: Justin Sullivan Organizations: Semiconductor Industry Association, SIA

NEW YORK (AP) — Fans of hip-hop, country, pop, funk, R&B and rock all have reason to cheer the 2023 class entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius and the late George Michael will be inducted into the hall on Friday night in New York City. Also entering the hall are The Spinners, Rage Against the Machine, DJ Kool Herc, Link Wray, Al Kooper and Elton John’s longtime co-songwriter Bernie Taupin. Elliott becomes the first female hip-hop artist in the rock hall, which called her “a true pathbreaker in a male-dominated genre.” Taupin makes it into the rock hall 29 years after his writing partner, John. Cornelius, who died in 2012, was celebrated for creating a nationally televised platform for African American music and culture.

Persons: Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, Don Cornelius, George Michael, DJ Kool Herc, Link Wray, Al Kooper, Elton John’s, Bernie Taupin, John, Brandi Carlile, Dave Matthews, H.E.R, Chris Stapleton, Stevie Nicks, Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood, LL, Miguel, Queen Latifah, Sia, There's, Taupin, Elliott, ” Taupin, Bush, didn’t, ” Bush, Michael, Sam Smith, Lil Nas, Troye Sivan ”, Nelson, Crow, Kool Herc “, “, ”, Mary J, Blige, Erykah Badu, Janelle Monáe, Wray, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Cornelius, ___ Mark Kennedy Organizations: Roll Hall of Fame, Disney, World Records, Spinners, ABC Locations: New York City, Brooklyn, St, Vincent, American

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