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☆ Monster Beverage is making booze that tastes just like its energy drinks, and you can already buy it in these 6 states
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Beast Unleashed contains 6% alcohol by volume and flavors inspired by its energy drinks. Called The Beast Unleashed, the drinks are made with malt alcohol and contain 6% alcohol by volume, though no caffeine or energy-inducing ingredients. But the Beast beverages are its latest attempt to diversify its business. Beast Unleashed, which the company announced in early 2022, is the company's first alcoholic beverage that uses the Monster brand. The launch marked the first alcoholic beverage that the cola maker sold in the US.

☆ Ecuador, Belgium sign deal to fight crime after mega cocaine bust
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Karen ToroQUITO, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Ecuador and Belgium on Monday agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in their fight against international organized crime, a day after Ecuadorean police seized nearly nine tonnes of drugs bound for the European country. Ecuadorean police found some 8.78 tons of cocaine hidden in a container with bananas, the organization said on Sunday. The size of the seizure over the weekend makes it necessary for Ecuador to further strengthen cooperation with the Belgian government, Ecuador's Interior Minister Juan Zapata told reporters. Of the 201 tonnes of drugs seized in Ecuador last year, almost 18% was destined for Belgium, specifically Antwerp, Zapata said. So far in 2023, Ecuador has seized some 39 tonnes of drugs, especially cocaine, according to police data.

☆ Dow said it was recycling our shoes. We found them in Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +19 min

While the sample was small, the fact that none of these shoes made it to a Singapore recycling facility underscores weaknesses in the system. Dow said these builds will use the 10,000 kilograms (22,000 pounds) of recycled shoe material that have been produced through the Singapore recycling project so far. Reuters had dropped those shoes into a Dow recycling bin at a Singapore community center in September, three months earlier. Recycling flopsThis is not the first novel recycling scheme launched by Dow that hasn’t lived up to its billing. In its Jan. 18 statement, Dow said the shoe recycling partners are “energized by the common vision of sport championing a greener and more sustainable Singapore.” Dow did not comment on the Journal of Consumer Psychology study.

☆ Fiction: ‘The Incredible Events in Women’s Cell Number 3’ by Kira Yarmysh
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Sam Sacks | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The prison in Kira Yarmysh’s “The Incredible Events in Women’s Cell Number 3” is not actually a prison but a detention center, and the women inside are considered offenders rather than criminals. Anya, the novel’s main character, is serving a 10-day sentence after being plucked at random from a crowd of protestors at a Moscow anticorruption rally. The detention center is unpleasant but hardly intolerable, and the cafeteria food is surprisingly tasty. Anya’s working-class bunkmates may share her disgust for the government, but they largely view activism as a bizarre pastime for the privileged. Mostly they’re trying to finagle as many cigarettes and hot showers as possible until the annoying interlude is behind them.

☆ Marijuana legalization has stalled in Mexico, but farmers and cartels are still making big plans to profit off a new market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Luis Chaparro | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

An effort to legalize marijuana in Mexico has stalled after several years of debate by lawmakers. But Mexican cartels and independent growers are still preparing to cater to a new domestic market. The Sinaloa Cartel in particular is drawing business lessons from marijuana dispensaries in the US. At the current price for weed, Margarita gets roughly $25 a kilo. A marijuana legalization activist smokes marijuana in front of the San Lazaro Legislative Palace in Mexico City in October 2022.

☆ Pakistan finance secretary sees IMF staff level talks wrapping up this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Asif Shahzad | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Men reach out to buy subsidised flour sacks from a truck in Karachi, Pakistan January 10, 2023. We expect to conclude the consultations soon, even within the week," Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, the top official in the finance ministry, told Reuters. The staff level agreement would need approval from the IMF's board before the funds can be released. Pakistan has taken steps, such as raising more than 170 billion Pakistani rupees ($648 million) through a supplementary finance bill passed by the parliament on Monday. The IMF funds are critical for the $350 billion South Asian economy, which is facing a severe balance of payments crisis.

When a fresh quake shook the southern city again on Monday, local media reported that at least three people were killed while retrieving belongings. But because we survived, we are trying to get out whatever is left," said the 28-year-old natural gas pipe welder. Bayrakci and six relatives returned to help their brother retrieve belongings from his apartment. TELEVISIONS AND TOILET PAPERIn another Antakya neighbourhood, Kinan al-Masri hoped to retrieve some savings, passports and birth certificates from his apartment. He had hoped to retrieve some possessions before the authorities demolished the building, he said, but it was too dangerous to enter.

☆ A husband-wife duo turned the $1,700 Snoo into the holy grail of parenting, but some say they run their company like a dysfunctional 'surveillance state'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kate Taylor | Jake Swearingen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

Karp and Montée Karp built the hype into a parenting-media empire that put out three books and two instructional films in 10 years. Karp and Montée Karp met at a Hollywood party in the early '90s. Karp and Montée Karp promised her independence and flexibility to accommodate her two young children's day-care schedules and a 90-minute commute. Karp and Montée Karp insisted on being involved in minutiae that most top executives hand off. Karp and Montée Karp turned the Snoo into an award-winning holy grail of parenthood in just a few years.

☆ Nina Montée Karp and Dr. Harvey Karp turned the $1,700 Snoo into the holy grail of parenting. But some say they overhyped the crib's abilities and created a nightmarish corporate culture.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Kate Taylor | Jake Swearingen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

☆ 'Gnarly term sheets' and a 'terrible deal for founders:' VC heavyweights are raising alarms about the buildup of startup venture debt, warning it could imperil future deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But now some industry heavyweights are raising the alarm about the massive build up of venture debt, warning it could imperil future deals. Why startups raise debtStartups tend to raise venture debt alongside traditional equity. "Venture debt makes sense in an environment in which founders are generally able to raise the next round and then pay back the venture debt." A venture debt reckoningSamir Kaji, a former venture debt lender and host of the Venture Unlocked podcast, recently took to twitter to weigh in on the venture debt reckoning. Venture debt has traditionally seen credit loss rates much lower than other private lenders, but that could soon be changing.

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy sacks top official, says clean-up drive continues
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 11 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday issued a decree sacking a senior security figure and said separately that his drive to clean up the government would continue. Authorities have dismissed dozens of officials in recent weeks and opened probes as part of a widespread drive against wrongdoing. Zelenskiy dismissed Ruslan Dziuba as deputy commander of the National Guard, according to a brief decree issued by the presidential office. Zelenskiy - who has stressed the need for the defence ministry in particular to be cleaned up - did not specifically mention Dziuba in his daily video address. Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Philadelphia has Eagle eye on Super Bowl
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

PHOENIX, Feb 10 (Reuters) - The Eagles will bring Philly's fighting spirit to Super Bowl 57 as their fans fly in droves to watch Jalen Hurts and the NFC champions take on Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Defensive end Brandon Graham and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, holdovers from the Eagles' successful Super Bowl campaign five years ago, add to the veteran credentials of a group the New York Post has dubbed the "Birds of Prey". And, you know, hit the ground rolling, we hit the ground rolling. 'DIEHARD FANS'The title game will be the ultimate test for 41-year-old head coach Nick Sirianni, at the helm for a Super Bowl for the first time. Hurts' breakout season saw him rack up 3,701 passing yards after getting the Eagles off to an impressive 8-0 start to the season.

☆ Eagles defense faces ultimate Super Bowl test with Mahomes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/9] Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes speaks to reporters ahead of facing the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S., February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Caitlin O'HaraPHOENIX, Feb 7 (Reuters) - A near-historic Philadelphia Eagles pass rush will face the ultimate test on Sunday in Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, an MVP favourite with no interest in ceding the Super Bowl spotlight. "I don't know if you can contain him - I just don't know, he's that good. He's so mentally tough," head coach Andy Reid told reporters at the Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday. Cornerback James Bradberry said that it would take everything in the Eagles arsenal to stop Mahomes from collecting his second Super Bowl ring.

☆ ChatGPT has gone viral. Now Wall Street is flocking to AI.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Today's newsletter covers everything you want to know about how the viral ChatGPT language tool is colliding with the world of Wall Street. Wall Street is clamoring to ride the ChatGPT wave, and investors are pouring into anything that has exposure to the budding artificial intelligence sector. A batch of obscure small-cap bot stocks have made sizable gains, and certain Chinese AI stocks have climbed 60% in a matter of weeks. The stock market just hit a rare trifecta of bullish indicators. The stock market rally will fade as the Fed combats inflation and a recession hits, according to a Credit Suisse strategist.

☆ MsDowJones shares her top 7 money must-do tips for staying ahead in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The old financial ways are not as applicable to younger generations, says Haley Sacks, who is a millennial herself. She built a career as an online personal finance influencer after her search for good financial information turned up empty. Sacks says 2023 should be the year of knowing where you stand financially, a key step to getting ahead. This leads to her next tip: stick to the 50/30/20 rule, which is the ratio by which your after-tax monthly expenses should be broken down. If you've knocked off all of the above and you still have extra cash, consider maximizing your tax-advantaged accounts, Sacks said.

Small businesses like his in Britain are being hammered by rising costs which they would struggle to pass onto cash-strapped consumers. It has left many small businesses fighting for survival. Over the course of last year citrus ingredients shot up by between 25% and 35% in price, he said. They now cost nearer to 15 pounds because of a 50% jump in the price of tinned tomatoes. He said: "We're just looking into every single aspect of the expenses that we incur to try and make a living."

☆ Young guns ready to fire on Championship Sunday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] Dec 4, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks to throw during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Former MVP Patrick Mahomes, 27, expects to shake off an injury doubt to lead his Chiefs to revenge over the Bengals in their fifth straight conference championship appearance. Last year's overtime heartbreaker saw Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow off to the Super Bowl in only his second season. In the NFC Championship, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is looking to put the cherry on top of his improbable Cinderella story on the road in Philadelphia. The conditions get tougher, it gets a little steeper, gets a little harder to breathe.

☆ Former NFL player Jessie Lemonier dies at 25
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Drew Weisholtz | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Jessie Lemonier, a defensive end who played for the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions, has died at the age of 25, the Lions announced Jan. 26. “We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of former Detroit Lion Jessie Lemonier,” the Lions said in a statement posted on Twitter. “Jessie was a model teammate and wonderful young man who is gone far too soon. Lemonier signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of Liberty University in 2020. He played in six games with them in 2020, according to Pro Football Reference.

☆ India commits to help Sri Lanka on debt in prospective IMF program
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Laborers carry sacks of flour in the main market as Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced 2023 budget amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, November 14, 2022. REUTERS/ Dinuka Liyanawatte/File PhotoJan 23 (Reuters) - India has committed to help ease the debt burden of its crisis-stricken neighbor Sri Lanka as part of a possible International Monetary Fund-supported program, the IMF said on Monday. "Sri Lanka is engaged with other official bilateral creditors to obtain similar assurances," an IMF spokesperson said in a statement on Monday. "As soon as adequate assurances are obtained and remaining requirements are met, including by the Sri Lankan authorities, a Fund-supported program for Sri Lanka can be presented to the IMF's Executive Board for approval that would unlock much needed financing." Sri Lanka requires the backing of China and India - its biggest bilateral lenders - to reach a final agreement with the IMF that is essential to help the country emerge from its worst financial crisis in seven decades.

☆ India is likely to keep a lid on sugar exports as its output dips
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

India is the world's biggest sugar exporter after Brazil and restricted exports to protect its own food supplies. India, the world's biggest sugar exporter after Brazil, exported a record 11 million tons in the previous season to Sept. 30, 2022. But the authorities had said they could take a view on a second tranche of sugar exports after getting a clearer idea about local production. Mills have already contracted to export about 5.6 million tons, and producers, traders and industry officials were expecting the government to allow an extra 2-4 million tons of overseas shipments. But expectations of a drop in sugar output have dampened prospects of any additional exports during the current 2022-23 season, government and industry officials said.

☆ Elon Musk reportedly dismissed his Twitter takeover buddy David Sacks during a meeting that was 'too technical' for him
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk dismissed David Sacks from a meeting he said was "too technical," The Verge reported. "David, this meeting is too technical for you," Musk said, according to an anonymous engineer who attended the meeting and spoke to The Verge. Sacks, Musk, and a spokesperson for Twitter did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication. Despite Musk deeming the meeting "too technical" for Sacks, the anonymous engineer appeared to doubt Musk's own technical understanding. "I was writing C programs in the '90s," Musk told the engineer when she attempted to explain the company's data-center efficiency.

☆ 11 podcasts that busy venture capitalists and founders say they trust right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Investors at JetBlue Ventures, Mighty Capital, and other VC firms shared their favorite podcasts. Another recommendation is "Origins" by partners at the biotech VC firm Notation Capital. Here are 11 great options, recommended by VCs, founders, CEOs, and other industry insiders. "The main thing about the VC world is building relationships, and Harry is an example of a great networker," Gershfeld said. "BTC is the single-most important asset in the world, and that podcast gets to the heart of why that is."

☆ I performed magic tricks for Elon Musk at a PayPal reunion party. Here's what went down.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Chan performed tricks for PayPal's 20th IPO anniversary last year, with Elon Musk also attending. Two decades later, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to perform magic tricks for my old company at PayPal's 20th IPO anniversary party in August. The invitation said it would be a "tricked-out PayPal reunion party" and I was very excited in the build-up. Daniel ChanMost of the PayPal founders, known as the "PayPal Mafia," were there, including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, David Sacks, and Max Levchin. I fooled Elon Musk.

☆ Pitch Decks That Advertising Tech Startups Used to Raise Millions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

Check out these pitch decks that they've used to sell their vision and raise millions from private equity and VC investors. Blocking ad fraudAdtech startup Lunio, announced a $15 million Series A funding round in September 2022. In May 2022, the software-as-a-service startup raised a $30 million Series B round, led by Insight Partners. Marketing in the metaverseAnima, an augmented-reality startup, raised a $3 million funding round from investors in Janury. He raised $50 million in Series D after closing a $34 million Series C last year, bringing its total raised to $100 million.

☆ NFL roundup: Eagles lock down No. 1 seed in NFC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

1 seed in the NFC with a 22-16 win over the visiting New York Giants on Sunday. Hurts led six scoring drives and the Eagles never trailed the Giants (9-7-1), who had already sewn up the No. 6 seed and opted to rest quarterback Daniel Jones, Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley and other starters. Smith finished the regular season with 4,282 yards passing, surpassing Russell Wilson's team record of 4,219 set in 2016. Baltimore's Anthony Brown was 19-of-44 passing for 286 yards and two interceptions in his first career NFL start.

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