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☆ Rising labor costs are making AI stocks even more attractive
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

AI stocks are soaring — the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite is up by about 33% this year. Around two thirds of Americans are worried about artificial intelligence taking their jobs, according to a recent Morning Consult poll. The rule essentially seeks to shift the risk of a bank failure to bondholders rather than depositors. But to get bondholders to bear the cost of banks’ potential failure, the banks would likely have to pay high interest rates. The rule unveiled Tuesday comes on the heels of a separate capital-bolstering rule the three agencies introduced in July.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Jenny Ma, ” Goldman, Elisabeth Buchwald, Greg Baer, ” Baer, Andy Jassy, Jassy, Brian Fung Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nvidia, Microsoft, Pew, Federal Reserve, Labor, Nike, Netflix, Apple, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Bank Policy Institute, Amazon, CNN Locations: New York, United States

☆ Amazon CEO Andy Jassy warns employees of return-to-office mandate
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told employees to get on board with the company’s return-to-office plan or to consider employment elsewhere, the company confirmed to CNN, after a report by Insider highlighted Jassy’s remarks from a recent internal event. He also predicted that for those who could not accept the policy, their prospects for remaining at Amazon appeared grim. According to the remarks Amazon shared with CNN, Jassy responded by saying that the return-to-office policy was more the result of a judgment call based on an assessment of various factors including business results. The remarks also showed that Insider accurately reported Jassy’s predictions regarding employees who do not comply with the return-to-office mandate. Amazon’s signal to workers that it is tracking their attendance comes after more than 1,000 of its corporate employees staged a walkout in May to protest the office policy.

Persons: Andy Jassy, Jassy, Reddit, “ It’s, Jassy’s Organizations: CNN, Amazon

☆ Ecuador votes in historic referendum that could democratize climate policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Hannah Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The people of Ecuador are heading to the polls – but they’re voting for more than just a new president. Among the species found in the Yasuní National Park, is the harpy eagle, the second largest bird of prey in the world. Aerial picture of the Tiputini Processing Center of state-owned Petroecuador in Yasuni National Park, June 21, 2023. A crude oil sample taken from an oil well in Yasuní National Park, where the referendum vote could mean leaving the crude oil in the ground indefinitely. Rodrigo Buendia/AFP/Getty Images“This referendum presents a huge opportunity for us to create change in a tangible way,” she told CNN.

Persons: Carl De Souza, ”, Pedro Bermo, It’s, Rafael Correa, Correa, Rodrigo Buendia, “, Fernando Santos, Alberto Acosta, Helena Gualinga, Antonia Juhasz Organizations: CNN, Getty, Tiputini Processing, ” Energy, “, Twitter, Ecuadorian Amazon, Human Locations: Ecuador, Ecuadorian, Europe, North America, Ecuador’s, AFP, Yasuní, “

☆ Amazon appeals to French court to scrap planned 3 euro book delivery fee
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, June 27 (Reuters) - Online retailer Amazon.com (AMZN.O) has appealed to France's highest administrative court to overturn part of a law seeking to charge a minimum 3-euro ($3.3) delivery fee for books purchased online, it said on Tuesday. The law is due to come into effect in October and represents an increase to Amazon's previous charge of a single euro cent on book deliveries in France. Previous French governments have issued similar legislation, which has been aimed at protecting local, independent bookstores in the face of competition from Amazon. Amazon says such measures will hit lower-income people who may live in rural areas without any bookshops. Guillaume Husson, who heads the Syndicat de la Librairie Francaise bookshops union, criticised Amazon's move and said it showed how the giant online retailer wanted to have a monopoly on the online book market.

Persons: Frederic Duval, Guillaume Husson, Amazon's, Elizabeth Pineau, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Amazon.com, Amazon, French Ministry of Culture, Librairie Francaise, Thomson Locations: Amazon France, France

Tons of great Lightning Deals are popping up now as part of Amazon Prime Day. AmazonIf you want to shop Amazon Prime Day Lightning Deals, remember that you have to be an Amazon Prime member first. During Amazon Prime Day and the Prime Early Access Sale, however, they are Prime-member exclusive. Along with Amazon Prime Day access, members get tons of other Amazon Prime benefits like two-day and same-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Music, and much more. Amazon Prime Day 2023 is expected to take place sometime in mid-July, based on previous year trends, though no official date has been given yet.

Persons: we've, they've, there's, it's, you'll, Amazon's Organizations: Amazon, Amazon Prime, Prime

Raoul Sreenivasan, who joined Amazon in 2016 and currently oversees planning, performance and cargo for Amazon Global Air, will take over most of Rhoads' Amazon Air responsibilities, Felton said. As part of an effort to handle and deliver more of its own packages, Amazon launched an air cargo business. Rhoads joined Amazon Air in its early days and has overseen much of the unit's growth, including the opening of a $1.5 billion air hub in Kentucky. Air cargo rates have plunged from record highs hit during late 2021, when port snarls and a dearth of international flights pinched capacity and drove up prices. Correction: Sarah Rhoads joined Amazon in 2011.

Persons: Mark Makela Sarah Rhoads, John Felton, Amazon's, Rhoads, Felton, Raoul Sreenivasan, Sreenivasan, Andy Jassy, Becky Gansert, Heather MacDougall, Pam Greer, Sarah Rhoads Organizations: Lehigh Valley International, Amazon, CNBC, Amazon Global Air, Amazon Global, DHL, TNT Express, FedEx, U.S . Navy, UPS, Amazon Air, Atlas, Boeing, Hawaiian Airlines, Airbus, Air, U.S, Bloomberg ., Amazon Logistics Locations: Allentown , Pennsylvania, U.S, Kentucky

☆ Amazon's 100 drone deliveries puts Prime Air far behind Alphabet's Wing and Walmart partner Zipline
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Katie Tarasov | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

Wing CEO Adam Woodworth shows the Alphabet company's delivery drone to CNBC's Katie Tarasov on April 25, 2023, in Hollister, California. Walmart said it made more than 6,000 drone deliveries across seven states in 2022 with DroneUp, Zipline and a third partner, Flytrex. Amazon's VP of Prime Air David Carbon showcased the current MK27-2 drone in Westborough, Massachusetts, on Nov. 10, 2022. Prime Air drones, along with most other delivery drones, operate with a number of federal exemptions that greatly restrict where and how they can fly. Prime Air drones are not expected to exceed 58 decibels, according to an FAA assessment, about the noise level of an outdoor air conditioning unit.

☆ Newmont’s $19 bln gold deal lacks investor sparkle
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, May 15 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Newmont (NEM.N) boss Tom Palmer has finally dug out a deal with rival Newcrest Mining (NCM.AX). After months of discussions the two sides on Sunday agreed to an all-share transaction that values the Australian target’s enterprise at A$28.8 billion ($19.3 bln). The logic is that absorbing Newcrest will boost the Canadian buyer’s output of gold and copper. In return, the U.S. group is paying a punchy 27% premium to its prey’s stock price before their merger haggling went public. That implies an after-tax return on Newmont’s investment of around 7%, roughly in line with its cost of capital.

☆ Swedish drugmaker finds alluring poison pill
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, May 10 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Sweden’s rare disease drug maker is experiencing unfortunate deal side effects. On Wednesday, shares in Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (SOBI) (SOBIV.ST) fell 15% after it announced a plan to buy CTI BioPharma (CTIC.O), a specialist in rare blood cancers, for $1.7 billion. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker refused to tender its shares amid a squabble over the U.S. rights for a respiratory drug. But SOBI’s new deal, which will be funded by a rights issue backed by main shareholder Investor AB (INVEb.ST), suggests Oelkers has support for a solo future. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Disney boss races to hold back the dam
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

How that unfolds is in the hands of Comcast (CMCSA.O) boss Brian Roberts, whose cable operator owns the studio behind the cinematic video game hit as well as one-third of Hulu. The shift is understandable, however, considering what Disney is up against. In the quarter ended April 1, the division that houses Disney+ narrowed its operating loss from a year earlier, but subscribers also fell 2% to 158 million compared to the previous quarter. A rare bright spot was the theme parks, particularly overseas, but Iger has a growing number of holes to plug to ensure the dam holds. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Italian corporate activism has a long way to go
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, May 10 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Fighting opaque governance at Italy’s state-backed companies is proving a tough nut to crack. That’s a victory for the Italian Treasury – the utility’s top investor with 23.6% – which managed to install oil and gas veteran Paolo Scaroni as chairman, along with other board members. The Italian state is in dire need of improving the way it picks its corporate representatives. But to confront Rome, investors will need to make a good case. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Codename Burnham: Amazon has a secret new home robot with ChatGPT-like features that understands a lot more of its surroundings.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Amazon is working on an upgraded version of its home robot Astro, powered by 'Burnham' technology. The robot has ChatGPT-like features, using large language models and other advanced AI. This is a new phase for Astro and the latest example of Amazon adding AI models to existing products. In one of these documents related to Burnham, Amazon describes an Astro product that costs $995. As LLMs were growing in scale, they started demonstrating "emergent skills in both inference and problem-solving," one of the Amazon documents stated.

☆ Amazon applies therapy to retail
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rising costs and customers battered by inflation are hampering Amazon’s efforts to get its retail division on a path to sustainable profitability. While the rate of sales growth has outstripped growth in costs of distribution, the retail business over the past 12 months has lost $8 billion. More important, investors haven’t loved the idea of subsidizing delivery costs at the expense of profit. Applying therapy to its retailing business won’t change its consumers’ co-dependency. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ CEO of fitness band maker Whoop mocks the demise of Amazon's Halo health device
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The CEO of Whoop, a fitness band favored by athletes, is claiming victory over Amazon after the e-retailer pulled the plug on its line of Halo devices. Amazon said last week it will discontinue its Halo health and fitness devices, and shut down the Halo program, resulting in some employees being let go. Whoop CEO Will Ahmed said he views the demise of Halo as a win for his startup. He claimed the Halo wristband, which tracks users' physical activity, sleep and mood, was a knockoff of Whoop's own device. Whoop launched its first product, the Whoop 1.0, in 2015.

☆ 'Oh Amazon, why are you making this issue so difficult?' Employees who can't commute to their assigned offices fear the consequences.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Change in remote statusSome Amazon employees hired during the pandemic said they were promised permanent remote work, through what they saw as a "handshake agreement." One employee shared their vice president's email in the Slack channel, saying this manager was willing to be more flexible. People walk into the lobby of Amazon offices in New York. Over 30,000 Amazon employees joined an internal Slack channel shortly after the RTO announcement and signed a petition to demand a reversal of the mandate. "Amazon, oh Amazon, why are you making this issue so difficult?"

☆ Amazon's rush to bring employees back to office stirs anxiety over badge tracking, relocation, and impact on performance reviews
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

this person asked in the Slack channel called "remote-advocacy," according to a screenshot seen by Insider. Change in remote statusSome Amazon employees hired during the pandemic said they were promised permanent remote work, through what they saw as a "handshake agreement." One employee shared their vice president's email in the Slack channel, saying this manager was willing to be more flexible. People walk into the lobby of Amazon offices in New York. Over 30,000 Amazon employees joined an internal Slack channel shortly after the RTO announcement and signed a petition to demand a reversal of the mandate.

☆ Porn on Amazon's Kindle app prompts warnings from Apple, Alphabet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Greg Bensinger | Thomson Reuters | Greg Bensinger Joined Reuters As A Technology Correspondent In Focusing On The World'S Largest Technology Companies. He Was Previously A Member Of The New York Times Editorial Board | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Reuters learned of the issue when two families told Reuters their pre-teen sons downloaded the explicit material via Amazon's Kindle Unlimited e-book subscription service and viewed the full-color photographs on the Kindle iPhone app. Pornography also is available through Amazon's Kindle online store and viewable on versions of the Kindle app. The adult material at issue is primarily self-published through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing arm. The Apple app store’s guidelines “prohibit apps dedicated to portraying overtly sexual or pornographic material,” the company said in a statement. As of Monday, adult materials were still accessible on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited via the iOS and Android apps.

☆ Read the Q&A guideline Amazon shares with managers on how to answer pay-related questions from employees
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +23 min

To prepare managers to discuss pay with employees, Amazon shares a lengthy Q&A guideline that addresses some of the most pressing questions, according to internal documents obtained by Insider. This includes base pay, variable pay, other cash, and equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) or stock. A: We plan employee's total compensation in outlook years. Q: Why am I positioned at XX in my pay range and how can I increase my pay? Clearly and directly explain the reason there was no base pay increase:"Employee A, you are at the base pay max."

☆ How Amazon virtual health clinic's top doctor thinks about patients as customers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Ian Thomas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

In 2018, it bought online pharmacy PillPack for $750 million, which it followed up by launching its own virtual clinic for chronic conditions. Now Amazon Clinic, which launched in November, is looking to open up a new option for virtual care to help with common issues like allergies, acne and hair loss. That hasn't come without some setbacks – Amazon Care, its effort to take on telemedicine and primary care for the employer market nationwide, was shut down in August after just three years. Health care, he said, can at times be correctly described as paternalistic. "Care can be a thing that we do to patients rather than with patients or for patients," Ayogu said.

☆ Leaked memo says Amazon plans to reduce employee stock awards in 2025, signaling a potentially major shift in its approach to compensation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Amazon told managers that it has decided to reduce the number of stock awards for employees in 2025. Amazon employees have been asking for a higher cash base pay, as its stock price dropped recently. A possibility, not a definite planIn an email to Insider, Amazon spokesperson August Aldebot-Green confirmed the accuracy of the memo. Amazon has historically offered less base cash pay compared to some of its peers. In the employee compensation statement, Amazon continues to bake in a 15% assumed stock price increase for 2024 and 2025.

☆ Amazon just asked its software engineers to start using a new in-house AI tool, rather than ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told employees last month that generative AI is a "significant area of focus" for the company. Amazon wants its engineers to start using its own ChatGPT-like artificial intelligence tool at work, as it looks to catch up in the AI chatbot space, Insider has learned. "Amazon CodeWhisperer is an AI-powered coding assistant that provides real-time recommendations in your IDE based on your existing code and comments," the email, titled "Start using Amazon CodeWhisperer today," said. The move signals Amazon's behind-the-scenes efforts to join the AI chatbot race, where it has been noticeably absent in the public space. He also said Amazon's investment in this space will only increase, highlighting the maturation of generative AI, which powers many of the AI chatbots.

☆ Sonos, Therabody and Dyson: Best online sales right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Caroline Curran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

No matter which model you choose, you’ll save on a device perfect for athletes and anyone else who appreciates at-home relaxation. Right now you can save up to $170 at Therabody, including savings on the Theragun Pro and Mini. Sonos Home Theater Sale Sonos Arc Sonos In the world of premium speakers, Sonos is always a top contender — and now through Feb. 12, you can score up to $280 off select home theater speakers. Tocess Claw Clips $19 $8 at Amazon Amazon Keep your hair out of the way with a chic claw clip. • Save on our favorite affordable headphones right now — the over-ear Soundcore Anker Life are just $45 right now.

☆ Dyson, Everlane and AirPods Pro 2: Best online sales right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Caroline Curran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Lowest Price AirPods Pro 2 $249 $199 at Amazon Apple Three years after debuting — and landing in the ears of seemingly everyone you know — Apple’s mega-popular AirPods Pro have finally gotten a refresh. Available now, the AirPods Pro 2 offer major upgrades like improved active noise cancellation (ANC), a wider range of fit options, more expansive touch controls and longer battery life. Right now, the second-gen AirPods Pro are at their lowest price yet of $199, so order now at Amazon to save on these pricey earbuds. Lowest Price Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer $460 $400 at Amazon Dyson In addition to making your floors spotless, Dyson is a pro at styling your strands with its range of hair tools. And right now, you can snap up a brand-new Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer for under $400, the lowest price we’ve seen at Amazon.

In a decision issued on Monday, Administrative Law Judge Benjamin Green said Amazon supervisors told workers that they would miss out on regularly scheduled raises and improved benefits if the company was forced into lengthy union negotiations. U.S. labor law prohibits employers from making threats or promises in order to discourage unionizing. Workers at Amazon's JFK8 fulfillment center in Staten Island voted to join the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) last April, a first for the company in the United States. Green said Amazon also violated federal labor law in 2021 by removing a post from an internal message board asking workers to sign a union-backed petition to make Juneteenth a paid holiday. Amazon has faced dozens of complaints from workers and the ALU as the union attempts to organize warehouses across the country.

☆ Amazon Appeal to Union Victory in New York Rejected
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Sebastian Herrera | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A federal labor official has upheld the unionization of Amazon.com Inc. workers in Staten Island, N.Y., rejecting an appeal by the e-commerce giant, which tried to challenge last year’s vote to organize. Cornele Overstreet, a regional director with the National Labor Relations Board who has overseen the case, ruled on Wednesday that Amazon hadn’t provided sufficient evidence to overturn the election results, according to an NLRB spokeswoman.

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