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☆ Silicon Valley is coming for your gut biome
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

SAN FRANCISCO — Cryptocurrency hasn’t worked out so well for tech investors. As a consumer product, supplements are associated more with the Kardashians or Joe Rogan than with Silicon Valley. Roelof Botha, the managing partner of Sequoia Capital, one of the largest venture capital firms in the world, is among those buying in. He said there’s a “societal reawakening” about the complex biome of the human gut where hundreds of species of bacteria live. She co-wrote a review of the science this year, and said future probiotic supplements have promise compared to supplements that have been available for decades.

☆ Bulgaria in talks with Turkey on long-term gas deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SOFIA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's interim energy minister is in Istanbul on Friday for talks he hopes will lead to a deal this month on long-term access to liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in neighbouring Turkey and the transit of the gas to its border. The chief executives of Bulgaria's state gas company Bulgargaz and gas network operator Bulgartransgaz are also taking part in the talks as Bulgaria seeks new sources of gas. Russia, which covered over 95% of the Balkan country's gas needs, cut off deliveries to Bulgaria in April after Sofia refused to pay for them in roubles. Bulgaria wants to book capacity at Turkish terminals through 2036 to import 1 bcm of LNG gas a year. Under the energy ministry plans, Bulgaria will cover a third of its gas needs with LNG gas imports through Turkey, one third through the LNG terminal near the Greek city of Alexandroupolis which should become operational in 2024 and one third with Azeri supplies.

☆ Gambia foils alleged coup attempt, arrests four soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BANJUL, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Gambian authorities have foiled a military coup attempt and arrested four soldiers plotting to overthrow President Adama Barrow's administration, the government said on Wednesday. The Gambian Armed Forces High Command arrested four soldiers linked to the alleged coup after a military operation on Tuesday, it said in a statement. Jammeh himself seized power in a coup in 1994 and foiled several attempts to overthrow him before he lost an election in late 2016 to Barrow. "Based on intelligence reports... some soldiers of the Gambian army were plotting to overthrow the democratically elected government," the government said on Wednesday. There were no details on whether the coup attempt was linked to the previous regime.

☆ Wolfe Research downgrades Roblox, cites growth worries after November update
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sell shares of Roblox as they have further to fall, according to Wolfe Research. Analyst Gal Munda downgraded shares to underperform from peer perform after Roblox issued a November business update last week that showed slowing growth, as well as a drop in what it earns from its daily users. Roblox shares have dropped more than 73% in 2022, far more than the S & P 500's 19% decline. Meanwhile, consensus estimates for bookings growth over the near-to-medium term remain elevated, according to the analyst. "We now forecast RBLX bookings CAGR from 2022 to 2025 of 12% (vs 14% prior), decreasing our 2023 EBITDA estimate to $253 (vs $288 prior)," Munda wrote.

Insider has compiled a list of six cities where you can live for $1,000 or less per month. Insider has compiled a list of six cities where you can live for $1,000 a month, using data from the comparison website Numbeo, which provides a crowdsourced summary of the cost of living in major cities across the world. In Rio, you'll need about $940 a month to cover an apartment in the city center and your living expenses. An apartment in the city center and living expenses would set you back around $700 a month. A one-bedroom apartment outside the city center and living expenses would set you back around $940 per month.

☆ This Finnish fashion brand has turned old McDonald's uniforms into high-fashion workwear — take a look
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

McDonald's is one of the few visual references that is recognizable to most people in the world, Reinola said. Vain / Sofia Okkonen"That was actually a fascinating idea to work with," she added.

"Saturday Night Live's" final show of 2022 doubled as a send-off for Cecily Strong, who exited amid her 11th season and as one of the longest-tenured female cast members. Amid speculation she would depart before the 48th season started in fall, Strong stayed on. Her original characters on the show included Cathy Anne, "Weekend Update" anchor Michael Che's chain-smoking neighbor, which she reprised Saturday in a goodbye sketch. "Actually, I’m a little emo here tonight because truth is I’m here to say goodbye," Cathy Anne said. Cecily Strong as Cathy Anne on "Saturday Night Live."

☆ Shiffrin moves closer to all-time record with super-G win
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 18 (Reuters) - American Mikaela Shiffrin won the super-G race on the slopes of St. Moritz on Sunday to post her 77th World Cup win, taking her to within five victories of teammate Lindsey Vonn's women's record of 82. Shiffrin clocked one minute 13.62 seconds, 0.12 seconds ahead of Elena Curtoni from Italy. France's Romane Miradoli took third place, 0.40 seconds behind Shiffrin. She now has three wins in nine starts this season and leads the World Cup standings by 105 points over Italy's Sofia Goggia. The World Cup takes a break over Christmas before resuming with two giant slaloms and one slalom in Semmering on Dec. 27-29.

☆ Magical Messi saves his best for last in Qatar
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Andrew Cawthorne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Dec 16 (Reuters) - As if he had not made enough fairy-tales, Argentina's little genius Lionel Messi has saved the potentially most magical script for his last World Cup - with one line left to write. After scoring a penalty to send Argentine fans into delirium, the usually impeccably-behaved Messi ran towards the Dutch bench cupping his ears in a provocative gesture. Though some pundits criticized him for disrespect, Argentine fans were largely delighted at the Maradona-like flashes of defiance from the introverted Messi. All that is missing in the Messi story is a World Cup. Carry it in your heart because that is more important than a World Cup and you've already won that, thanks Captain."

NEW YORK, Dec 16 (Reuters) - A dual citizen of Sweden and the United Kingdom pleaded guilty to U.S. fraud and money laundering charges on Friday for selling a fake cryptocurrency alongside one of the United States' most-wanted fugitives, a woman referred to as the 'Cryptoqueen.' The plea comes as prosecutors in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) ramp up enforcement of financial crimes related to digital assets. Prosecutors said Greenwood founded OneCoin in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2014 alongside Ruja Ignatova, a German citizen who prosecutors say is also known as the 'Cryptoqueen.' He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5 for the three counts to which he pleaded guilty. He is currently detained in The Bahamas, where FTX is based, and is contesting a U.S. request for his extradition.

☆ Roblox shares sink after November update shows slowing growth
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Sofia Pitt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Roblox were down 16% on Thursday after the gaming company released a November business update that showed slowing growth and a decline in how much it earns from its daily users. The company said estimated bookings were between $222 million and $225 million for the month. But, in November 2021, Roblox said estimated bookings during the same period grew 22% to 24% year over year. Roblox's average bookings per daily active user were between $3.92 and $3.97, down 7% to 9% from a year ago. Overall daily active users rose 15% from November 2021 to 56.7 million users but, last year, the company reported 35% growth.

☆ Google vs. ChatGPT: Here's what happened when I swapped services for a day
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Sofia Pitt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

Either way, I wanted to see how well the chatbot would work as an alternative to Google's search engine. Instead of Googling my questions throughout the day, I asked ChatGPT. I normally would have asked Google what to do. Instead, I asked ChatGPT. On the other hand, there are also potential limitations to using ChatGPT as a search engine.

☆ Apple launches a big update that makes your iPhone backups more secure. Here's how to turn it on
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Sofia Pitt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Apple just released software updates for iPhone, iPad and Macs that will help keep your information stored on the company's servers even more private. For the first time ever, you can encrypt Apple Photos, Notes and iCloud backups — including iMessage conversations — that are kept in the cloud. Apple can't even access the data when it's stored on the company's servers. And law enforcement with a warrant wouldn't be able to access it either, which has caused friction between Apple and the FBI. Here's how to set up end-to-end encryption for your iPhone's iCloud backups.

☆ Bulgaria detains 70 migrants, rushes some to hospital
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SOFIA, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Bulgaria has detained 70 suspected illegal migrants in a bus at parking lot on a highway near the southern city of Sliven early on Sunday and rushed some of them to hospital because of exhaustion, the regional police office said. Two Romanian citizens, one of whom was the bus driver, were also detained and prosecutors have opened legal proceedings against them. Bulgaria is situated on a route used by migrants from the Middle East and Afghanistan to enter the European Union. Sofia was blocked from entering the EU's passport-free Schengen zone by Austria and the Netherlands over security and rule-of-law concerns on Dec. 8. Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Bulgaria to send its first military aid to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SOFIA, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Bulgaria will send its first military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion after parliament on Friday approved a list of arms drawn up by the interim government. It had been one of the few EU countries not to send aid after the Russia-friendly Socialist party, a coalition partner in the previous government, blocked a previous proposal in May. The list of arms is classified, but government officials have said Sofia would mainly send light weaponry and ammunition. While Bulgaria has not been sending arms to Ukraine, its arms manufacturers have seen a surge in exports, a report by the Bulgarian Industrial Association showed in November. A total of 148 lawmakers from the 240-seat parliament voted to send the aid on Friday, with the Socialists and the pro-Russian Revival party voting against.

☆ Guatemalan court approves sending detained renowned journalist to trial
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/6] Journalist Jose Ruben Zamora Marroquin, founder and president of El Periodico newspaper, talks with the media after attending his court hearing in Guatemala City, in Guatemala, December 8, 2022. REUTERS/Josue DecaveleGUATEMALA CITY, Dec 8 (Reuters) - A Guatemalan court decided on Thursday to take to trial a case against a well-known Guatemalan journalist who was arrested four months ago on charges of money laundering, influence peddling and blackmail. Jose Ruben Zamora Marroquin, an outspoken government critic, was detained in late July after a police raid on his home and will now remain in prison until the trial begins. Zamora, 65, is the founder of the elPeriodico newspaper, an outlet famous for investigations into government corruption. Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Writing by Isabel Woodford; Editing by Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ These two new Google Chrome features will help save battery life and speed up computer performance
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Sofia Pitt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of Google Chrome shown on a smartphone. Over the next few weeks, Google is rolling out two Chrome performance settings to save memory and battery power. Energy Saver modeEnergy saver mode on Google Chrome. GoogleIf you're on a laptop and your battery level reaches 20%, Chrome will go into Energy Saver mode, which will prolong battery life. Memory Saver modeMemory saver mode on Google Chrome.

☆ Guatemala court sentences ex-President Perez, ex-VP in graft case
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sofia Menchu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Former Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina leaves the courtroom after being found guilty of a corruption case during his administration, at the judicial building, in Guatemala City, Guatemala December 7, 2022. Perez, who was president of Guatemala from 2012 to 2015, has spent the last seven years in prison awaiting a verdict in the case. Baldetti was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison in 2018 in a separate fraud case. Perez was ordered to pay 8.7 million quetzales ($1.10 million) while Baldetti was fined 8.4 million quetzales ($1.06 million) on Wednesday. The case, known as "La Linea," was originally investigated under the now-defunct International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), backed by the United Nations.

☆ Here's how to use Lensa, the chart-topping app that uses AI to transform your selfies into digital avatars
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sofia Pitt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Lensa AI image. Your friends are turning themselves into digital art with the help of an artificial intelligence-generated app called Lensa. Lensa AI is currently the top free app in Apple App Store, though you'll have to pay to use the AI artwork feature. Lensa avatar of Sofia Pitt in iridescent. Download Lensa AI for iPhone or Android.

☆ Apple Music's getting a new karaoke feature on iPhones, iPad and Apple TV
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Sofia Pitt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Apple on Tuesday announced a new karaoke service called Apple Music Sing that will be available to subscribers later this month. Apple Music already has real-time lyrics, but Sing takes it a step further. Aside from giving you the lyrics on cue, the new feature has adjustable vocals which will let you duet with the original artist or sing solo. It will work with tens of millions of songs, Apple said.

☆ Niger president calls for job-based immigration quotas in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MILAN, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum said in an interview with an Italian newspaper on Friday that African and European states should agree quotas for African immigrants tailored to employment needs. "In France, Spain and Italy you have many jobs in sectors of employment where Africans can work," Bazoum said. "These numbers need to be established, country by country, and then the consulates entrusted with the responsibility of enforcing them." While numbers have subsided, thousands embark on treacherous journeys to European countries each year in hope of finding safer lives and better economic opportunities. Bazoum said agreements between African and European states would help regulate regular immigration and tackle irregular immigration "that fuels the worst trafficking".

After explosions - whose cause is under investigation - damaged the Nord Stream Russian gas pipeline system to Europe under the Baltic Sea, Putin in October proposed setting up a gas hub in Turkey, building on a southern route for exports. "Does Europe need the project, given the determination of the EU countries to forego Russian gas in the nearest future?" A source in Russia's pipeline gas exporting monopoly Gazprom (GAZP.MM) said be believed the hub would facilitate sales. "That will not be Russian gas, but gas from the hub," said the source, who did not want to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Neither Gazprom, nor the Kremlin provided a cost estimate for the Turkish hub idea.

☆ Trolls, propaganda & fear stoke Bukele's media machine in El Salvador
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +23 min

In examining Bukele’s media operation, Reuters interviewed more than 70 people, including former media operatives and social media researchers. It showed Bukele with an 86% approval rating in El Salvador, making him the most popular leader in the region. “The threat in El Salvador used to be from the gangs, now it's from the state,” said Angelica Carcamo, the organization's president. “I found a lot more manipulation in El Salvador than in Mexico,” Escorcia said. A native of Guatemala, Torres has been critical of the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras for creating conditions that spur migration.

☆ Apple shares slip on report iPhone production taking a big hit from unrest at China factory
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Sofia Pitt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Apple fell about 2% in premarket trading Monday after Bloomberg reported the company could see a production shortfall of nearly 6 million iPhone Pro models because of unrest at Foxconn's China factory. Bloomberg, citing a source, said Apple and Foxconn do expect to be able to make up that shortfall in 2023. Protests against the lockdowns have broken out across the country, including at a Foxconn iPhone assembly facility in Zhengzhou. Counterpoint Research released guidance Monday saying delivery times for iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are significantly delayed. In a separate note out Monday, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives predicted major iPhone shortages due to China's "head scratching zero-Covid policy."

☆ 'Goncharov' isn't a real Martin Scorsese movie, but Tumblr convinced the internet it's a classic
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Morgan Sung | Morgan Sung Is A Trends Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Martin Scorsese presents GONCHAROV. In 2020, another Tumblr user reblogged the post with a screenshot of a comment that read, "this idiot hasn't seen goncharov." The New York Times reports that "Goncharov" was the top trending topic on Tumblr by Monday evening, followed by "Martin Scorsese." "The goncharov bit on tumblr right now is one of the insane things I eve ever seen," Twitter user @gwenstacying said. Martin Scorsese is in on the joke.

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