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☆ Opinion: Russell Brand’s accusers deserve our support
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Opinion Holly Thomas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It was also the first time that Brand, who was suspended and then resigned amid the backlash, suffered serious consequences. Brand’s 2007 autobiography “My Booky Wook” details accounts of him spitting in a sex worker’s face and smashing another’s phone into a wall. And as one of Brand’s accusers has claimed, those who pulled the strings weren’t just willing to overlook sinister behavior — they bent over backward to accommodate it. He created a mythology around them, at a cultural moment when women were being villainized in a particularly demeaning, sexual way. If they were ever tempted to turn against him, they’d be forced to interrogate why they hadn’t done so sooner.

Persons: Holly Thomas, Katie Couric, CNN —, ”, Russell Brand, Holly Thomas Holly Thomas The, Brand, “, ” Brand, bin Laden, Brand’s, lothario, Sir Jimmy Savile, Savile, he’d, Johnathan Ross, Andrew Sachs, Sachs, Georgina Baillie, Baillie, he’s Russell Brand, he’s, they’d Organizations: Katie Couric Media, CNN, Sunday Times, The Times, Holly Thomas Holly Thomas The Times, Brand, Metropolitan Police, The Sunday Times, Ardent, MTV, BBC, Times, BBC Radio, HarperCollins Locations: London, Northampton, British

Political Cartoons View All 1171 ImagesHere is some of the history, process and cost when it comes to MLB expansion. In 1977, MLB went to 26 teams, adding the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays. For a reference point, the move to 30 teams started with the formation of an MLB expansion committee in March 1994. The Diamondbacks and Rays both paid $130 million to enter MLB in 1998 while the Marlins and Rockies paid $95 million in 1993. Back in 1977, the Blue Jays ($7 million) and Mariners ($6.5 million) paid even less.

Persons: —, Rob Manfred, he's, isn't, Jim Bouton's, Manfred, Ronald Blum, ___ Organizations: Tampa Bay Rays, MLB, Rays, Oakland Athletics, Las Vegas, Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Negro Leagues, League —, American League, Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, Senators, Los Angeles Angels, National League, New York Mets, Houston Colt, Seattle Pilots, Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, Montreal Expos, NL, The Pilots, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Charlotte, Expos, Vegas Golden Knights, NHL, NBA, Charlotte Bobcats, NFL, Houston Texans, Diamondbacks, Marlins, Rockies, Blue Jays, Mariners, AP Locations: St . Petersburg, Florida, Las, Washington, Milwaukee, — Orlando , Florida, Phoenix, St, Petersburg , Florida, Northern Virginia, Petersburg, Charlotte, North Carolina, Nashville , Tennessee, Portland , Oregon, Montreal, Nashville, Portland, Salt Lake City, Austin , Texas

The shutdown clock is ticking in Congress, after progress was largely stymied last week in both chambers amid conservative opposition. And with less than two weeks to fund the government, finding a path forward will be critical in the days ahead. The deal, brokered by House Freedom Caucus and Main Street Caucus Republicans, would cut spending on domestic agencies by some 8%, sparing the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs while implementing border policies backed by House Republicans earlier this year. But not long after the deal was announced, a number of House conservatives pledged their opposition to the legislation and reiterated objections to any stopgap measure. The White House has asked Congress for roughly $40 billion in funding for Ukraine, domestic disaster relief and border security.

Persons: Matt Rosendale, Nancy Pelosi’s, Joe Biden’s, ”, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, McCarthy, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Joe Biden Organizations: House Republicans, Freedom Caucus, Main Street Caucus Republicans, Defense, Veterans Affairs, Montana Republican, Democrat, Republican, White, White House, Capitol, Russia, Republicans, Ukraine, Fox News Locations: Montana, Ukraine, California

☆ US House Republicans rally around Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks with reporters after a Republican conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. July 18, 2023. Republicans, who have recently intensified their investigations of Biden's family, claimed that Trump's latest indictment showed the United States lapsing into the condition of a "banana republic." House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other Republican leaders have said that an impeachment inquiry is possible but have stopped short of announcing one. Republican hardliner Matt Gaetz took direct aim at Smith, tweeting that the special counsel "shouldn't be in any position to charge Trump with anything. Greene and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik have recently introduced measures to expunge both impeachments.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Jonathan Ernst, Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, Jack Smith, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Biden, Hunter, Republican hardliner Matt Gaetz, Smith, tweeting, shouldn't, Greene, Gaetz, Elise Stefanik, David Morgan, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, U.S . House, Democratic, Republicans, Twitter, White, Republican, Trump, Committee, U.S . Capitol, House Republican, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, United States, Ukraine

☆ Taiwan TSMC: Plans to invest $2.9 billion in new plant as demand for AI chips soars
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong CNN —TSMC, the world’s largest chipmaker, says it plans to invest nearly 90 billion New Taiwan dollars ($2.9 billion) to build an advanced chip plant in Taiwan, as it expands production to meet booming demand for artificial intelligence (AI) products. Wei told analysts the company plans to roughly double its capacity for advanced packaging capacity in 2024 compared to 2023, in order to meet “strong demand” for AI chips from its customers, which include Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (DOX). Advanced packaging in the semiconductor industry involves using high-tech methods to aggregate components from various wafers in order to create a more powerful computer chip. That’s the kind of AI underlying ChatGPT, Google (GOOGL)’s Bard, Dall-E and many of the other new AI technologies. TSMC is considered a national treasure in Taiwan, supplying semiconductors to global tech giants including Apple (AAPL) and Qualcomm (QCOM).

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — TSMC, C.C, Wei, “, TSMC, Dall Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Nvidia, AMD, CNN, TSMC, Google, Apple, Qualcomm Locations: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Miaoli County, Hsinchu, Taipei, TSMC

☆ The fertility business is booming as startups go after big profits in a $54 billion market, even as other healthcare companies slump
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Fertility companies are thriving as the rest of the healthcare industry stumbles. Many healthcare companies have seen their growth stunted by the market downturn, but fertility startups are defying the odds. Alessia Pierdomenico/Reuters Big returnsProgyny's success this year is boosting investor sentiment for private fertility companies, F-Prime Capital partner Carl Byers said. And some fertility companies are trying to stand out further by saying they can lower costs for employers. Experts predicted the fertility industry will see further consolidation this year, including more clinic acquisitions by private equity and by some fertility startups.

Persons: Kindbody, Scott Schoenhaus, Sarah James, Cantor Fitzgerald, PitchBook, Progyny, James, Alessia Pierdomenico, Carl Byers, Byers, Asima Ahmad, Carrot, Cantor Fitzgerald's James, Gina Bartasi, Peter Anevski, he's, Anevski, Rebecca Torrence Organizations: Morning, The Business Research Company, Investors, Reuters, Prime, Clinics, Maven, for Disease Control, Fertility

☆ Disney rocks DeSantis ahead of expected White House bid announcement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Disney did not specifically blame DeSantis for the move, partly citing “changing business conditions.” But the message was clear. In keeping with his bruising political persona, DeSantis reacted defiantly to Disney’s announcement that it would halt the office project. “Ron DeSantis’ failed war on Disney has done little for his limping shadow campaign and now is doing even less for Florida’s economy,” the Trump campaign said in a statement. Another possible GOP primary candidate, former Vice President Mike Pence, also leveraged the Disney announcement to jab DeSantis. Given his political exposure on Disney and the combative political image that is central to his White House hopes, DeSantis probably has no option but to further escalate the showdown.

☆ A lawyer-turned-fighter codenamed 'Witch' has gained viral fame defending Ukraine as a mortar commander in the fiercest battlefronts of the war
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar is better known in Ukraine by her callsign "Witch." Junior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. A baptism of fireJunior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. Junior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. Junior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces.

☆ Jerry Springer Created a World Where We All Act Like Guests on His Show - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Jane Coaston | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

But I don’t think Mr. Springer’s defense of his show as simply a mirror rings true. Mr. Springer wasn’t a ringmaster; he was a tutor, and he was teaching his guests how to be exactly what his audience clamored to see. Mr. Springer might say he didn’t want this legacy. He once claimed that he wanted his television show to be serious, with serious interviews with serious people. Mr. Springer oversaw it all and tried to convince us that it was normal.

☆ Barcelona scrapes by Atlético Madrid 1-0 to remain in firm control of La Liga title race
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Patrick Sung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —FC Barcelona scraped by Atlético Madrid 1-0 at the Camp Nou to extend its lead at the top of La Liga over eternal rival Real Madrid to 11 points. Ferrán Torres’ goal in the 44th minute made the difference, ensuring Atlético continued its 17-year winless drought – with 8 draws and 15 losses – at the Camp Nou. Antoine Griezmann was Atlético's main offensive threat, but he was thwarted by the crossbar and Marc-André ter Stegen twice. Just when Barça’s domination of possession in the first half seemed to be fruitless, the first goal materialized near the stroke of half-time. The win means Barcelona remains in firm control in the La Liga title race with eight matches remaining and an 11-point lead ahead of Real Madrid.

Paying more for deposits is an effective way for banks to keep customers loyal, analysts said. Smaller banks, which were most strained by the recent crisis, have been able to stem the exodus of deposits for now, according to weekly from the Federal Reserve. That said, the Fed’s data showed deposits at smaller banks were still down some $216 billion during the week ending March 22 from a December high. Meanwhile, large U.S. banks lost out on $96.2 billion in deposits in the week ending March 22, the Fed data showed. Deposits at large banks dropped some $519 billion from as high as $11.2 trillion in February last year.

☆ There's confusion and skepticism in the venture debt community as the industry struggles to figure out the future of SVB's loan business
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The first annual Venture Debt Conference was held in New York last week. The event was marked by confusion and skepticism over the future of SVB's debt business. Last week, as many of the biggest names in venture debt gathered in a conference center in New York City's Midtown neighborhood for the first annual Venture Debt Conference, there was one firm conspicuously absent. They didn't even know what warrants were," they said, referring to stock warrants, a common feature of many venture debt deals. One venture debt executive predicted they'd be out of the game in 5 years.

☆ Judge rules Yankees business after record-breaking season
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Mar 28, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) at bat against the Washington Nationals during the third inning of the Spring Training game at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY SportsNEW YORK, March 28 (Reuters) - The New York Yankees hope to harness Aaron Judge's cult of celebrity to their advantage as the new season kicks off on Thursday following a record-breaking performance last year from the American League MVP. Judge smashed his 62nd home run in October, vaulting himself into the pantheon of Yankees greats as he broke Roger Maris' American League single-season record that had remained untouched since 1961. Try to find a couple things throughout the season that I wanted to improve on," Judge told the YES network. The Yankees kick off their season at home against the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.

☆ How Girl Scouts found itself in a cookie debacle
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —For decades, Girl Scouts has used cookie sales to raise funds and teach scouts about entrepreneurship. “Right now we are focused on ensuring all Girl Scouts have a successful Cookie Season,” Girl Scouts USA told CNN in a statement, adding that it is also focused on optimizing its operations “in real-time, and [capturing] learnings that will inform our strategy going into future seasons.”But for the scouts, those learnings have been hard-won. That meant shoppers could order it themselves, though Girl Scouts encouraged them to ask scouts to place the orders. Plus, Girl Scouts built a lot of hype with the limited-time offer, creating a sense of urgency, Esper noted. Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesYet as customers clamored for the cookie, scouts and their parents learned there was no chance of increasing supply by the end of the cookie season in April.

☆ Reddit-loving retail investors are making their chaotic presence felt again - and their risky behavior is fueling a stock rally that doesn't look sustainable
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Bullish sentiment has returned in a big way among retail investors as they've started the year piling record amounts into stocks. Speculative bets are backSome of what retail investors are buying has troubled observers. Different from 2021, however, is that institutional and retail investors look like they're on the same team, at least to a noticeable degree. To JPMorgan's Kolanovic, retail investors' optimism foreshadows future weakness in the stock market, as weak hands get wiped out by volatility, similar to how 2022 played out. With the Fed still set to tighten monetary policy, retail investors' enthusiasm for risky assets could backfire like it did last year.

☆ Publishing Magnate Si Newhouse’s Art Trove Could Sell for Near $150 Million
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Kelly Crow | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The estate of publishing magnate Samuel Irving Newhouse Jr. took note last fall when collectors clamored after Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s $1.6 billion record-setting estate sale. Heartened by the art market’s resilience, the publisher’s family said Tuesday it plans to follow suit—auctioning off more of Mr. Newhouse’s own trove this spring. The move marks the third time the Newhouse estate has plied his pieces into sales since he died six years ago at age 89—a trickling strategy that contrasts with the theatrical, everything-must-go atmosphere conjured when Mr. Allen or the Rockefellers before him sold off vast art holdings all at once. The 16 latest works consigned to Christie’s for its coming New York sales in May represent a fraction of the art amassed over the decades by Condé Nast’s chairman emeritus, but the batch is estimated to top $144 million and will showcase his taste for a broad sweep of artists, including Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, Jasper Johns and Lee Bontecou.

☆ 'Resenteeism:' When you hate your job enough to do more than 'quiet quit,' but are too anxious about the economy to leave
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"Resenteeism" is aiming to join the worker's lexicon alongside "quiet quitting." It describes being openly apathetic about work, but being reluctant to quit due to anxiety about job security. The job market is still going strong, but Americans are anxious about tech layoffs and a possible recession. Resenteeism involves keeping your job when you don't want to — namely, when you're worried about job security or a lack of other opportunities available. What makes resenteeism different from normal 9-to-5 blues, in theory, is that you're more open with your dissatisfaction at work.

☆ Analysis: Lula confronts Brazil military's pro-Bolsonaro lean with carrot and stick
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Anthony Boadle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But at a Friday meeting the commanders of the armed forces, Lula did not bring up the attack, according to a government official who witnessed the meeting. The armed forces' strategic plans to modernize its equipment included developing a nuclear-powered submarine contracted with France's Naval Group, a subsidiary of defense contractor Thales (TCFP.PA). GENIE OUT OF THE BOTTLEWhether a splurge on military hardware will help tamp down pro-Bolsonaro sentiment in the armed forces is open to question. "Lula wants this to go away as soon as possible," he added. "Starting to punish members of the armed forces for what happened may be legally the right thing to do but politically it would open a Pandora's box."

☆ Brazil's Lula removes soldiers from guarding presidential residence
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRASILIA, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has removed 40 troops guarding the presidential residence after expressing distrust in the military for failing to act against demonstrators that ransacked government buildings on Jan. 8. Most of the troops guarding the Alvorada palace, as the presidential residence is called, are from the army, but some are also members of the Navy, Air Force and a militarized police force. The president's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on who would replace the troops guarding the residence. Several thousand Bolsonaro supporters stormed the Congress, the Planalto presidential palace and the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the result of the October election narrowly won by Lula. There were many people from the armed forces who were complicit," Lula told journalists.

☆ The 'world's coolest dictator' rounded up 60,000 people in a crackdown on MS-13. A shrimp farming community is fighting back.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Danielle Mackey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

SISIGUAYO, EL SALVADOR — On the morning that Walber Rodriguez was arrested last May, he was just two minutes from his home in Sisiguayo, El Salvador. Outside El Salvador, Bukele is best known for adopting Bitcoin as a national currency. All around them in Sisiguayo and the surrounding Bajo Lempa valley, people were arrested with no satisfactory explanation. Residents of the Bajo Lempa who'd been touched by the arrests had begun meeting weekly at a nearby retreat center. A meeting of the Bajo Lempa families on June 17, 2022.

☆ The 'world's coolest dictator' rounded up 60,000 people in a supposed crackdown on MS-13. A shrimp farming community is fighting back.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Danielle Mackey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

☆ Bonds look increasingly attractive as equities plummet and recession risks grow. Here's how to invest in fixed income to maximize returns, according to TD Securities' Head of Global Rates Strategy.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

As equities plunge and recessionary fears grow, bond yields look increasingly enticing. "Fixed income starts to look attractive if recession risks are growing," said Priya Misra, head of global rates strategy at TD Securities, in a recent interview with Insider. To offset these more liquid assets, Misra recommended investors look to pick up yield, such as with mortgage-backed securities, which she said look attractive at their current spreads. However, Misra believes that the current 10-year Treasury yield of around 3.7% feels a little too low, especially since she forecasts rates climbing slightly higher in the near future. While investment-grade bonds have less default risk, Misra believes investors may find it hard to pick and choose winning sectors within a high-interest-rate economy.

☆ Elon Musk may have a bigger problem than Twitter as Tesla slashes prices to offload inventory and investors get nervous
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla price cuts are "not a good sign," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said. The automaker is advertising a $7,500 credit on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Industry analysts say that's a sign Tesla is battling an inventory backup as demand for its all-electric vehicles cools. Tesla long resisted traditional auto industry discounts as its ramped up production and customers clamored for its vehicles. And without the $7,500 federal tax credit, which expired for Tesla in late 2019, many first-time EV buyers are considering other brands over Tesla.

☆ If DeSantis doesn't get his 2024 decision timing right, he risks peaking too soon like Scott Walker or wasting his big moment like Chris Christie
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

But as he faces a decision over whether to run for president in 2024, DeSantis shares far more similarities with two other ex-GOP frontrunners: Former Govs. Like DeSantis, Walker and Christie once seemed like inevitable frontrunners for the White House. Walker seized the moment, while Christie let his moment pass. "That's a huge difference in my opinion in terms of that moment," DuHaime said. "There was a moment for Christie in 2012 and there is a moment for Ron DeSantis in 2024.

☆ Control of Senate hinges on handful of states that could take days — or longer — to resolve
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

With 96% of the votes counted in Georgia, the incumbent Democrat, Sen. Raphael Warnock, had 49.2% of the vote, with his Republican challenger Herschel Walker holding 48.7%. But just 69% of the ballots had been tabulated in Arizona, where many voters submitted ballots early, before Election Day. Ballots that were submitted at polling places on Tuesday will take days to have their signatures verified and counted. In Nevada, Republican challenger Adam Laxalt had 49.9% of the vote, compared with the 47.2% of the vote held by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, the incumbent Democrat. Most of the ballots in the state will be mail-in votes, which have four days to arrive if they are postmarked by Election Day.

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