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Renewed manufacturing growth will boost industrial energy consumption, especially for diesel, but with inventories still low, prices are set to escalate rapidly, rekindling concerns about inflation. SOFT LANDING? The mid-cycle slowdown or “soft landing” of 1989/90 and the cycle-ending “hard landing” of 1990/91 are usually considered as one episode. Blinder has argued the Federal Reserve would have achieved a soft landing if oil prices had not spiked for unrelated reasons. Related columns:- Global diesel shortage boosts prices (September 13, 2023)- Prolonged U.S. manufacturing slowdown barely dents energy use (September 5, 2023)- U.S. diesel prices surge anticipating a soft landing (August 11, 2023)- U.S. manufacturing slowdown fails to rebuild diesel stocks (August 2, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

Persons: Bing Guan, Alan Blinder, Blinder, Saddam Hussein’s, ”, Saddam Hussein, Alan Greenspan, John Kemp, Alexander Smith Organizations: Angeles Refinery, California Air Resources Board, Institute, Supply, Federal Reserve, Reserve, Global, U.S, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Angeles, California, Carson , California, U.S, Kuwait, Blinder, United States, Europe, China

☆ U.S. ambassador insists America remains the top foreign policy actor in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Martina Strong believes the U.S. is unequivocally the most important foreign policy actor in the Middle East. Her comments come roughly one year after President Joe Biden threatened "consequences" for Saudi Arabia after the OPEC kingpin slashed oil production along with its allies against Washington's wishes. Biden's administration has been notably quiet about recent OPEC+ output cuts, however, even as oil prices have rallied close to $100 a barrel. Saudi Arabia has recently shown signs of steering toward China and Russia after rekindling relations with Iran through Beijing-mediated talks and receiving an invitation to join the emerging economies' BRICS alliance. Asked by CNBC's Dan Murphy whether the U.S. remained the most important foreign policy actor in the region, Strong replied, "Absolutely.

Persons: United Arab Emirates Martina Strong, Joe Biden, Washington's, Biden's, CNBC's Dan Murphy, Strong, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, Narendra Modi, Evelyn Hockstein Organizations: United Arab Emirates, U.S ., UAE, Saudi Arabia's Crown, India's, Bharat, Afp, Getty Locations: U.S, Saudi Arabia, Israel, China, Russia, Iran, Beijing, New Delhi

☆ More than 130 taxidermied animals in a South Dakota museum were found to contain arsenic. Nobody knows what to do with them
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Aj Willingham | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

TenHaken’s plan is to have the collection legally declared “surplus,” allowing the city to get the animals out of the museum. Dioramas at the Delbridge Museum. He donated the collection to the city, and it has been housed at the Great Plains Zoo since 1984. The Great Plains Zoo, which included the Delbridge Museum when it was open, attracts about 250,000 visitors a year. A Great Plains Zoo official told CNN proper display of the animals was a condition of the original donation.

Persons: they’ll, Paul TenHaken, “, Becky Dewitz, ” Dewitz, ” TenHaken, Henry Brockhouse, C.J, Dewitz, ”, KELO, it’s, ” Paloma Strong, Strong, Brockhouse, Charles Darwin, John Edmonstone, “ Taxidermy, ” Strong, taxidermy Organizations: CNN, Delbridge, Facebook, Sioux Falls, Plains, Sioux, Plains Zoo, Angeles, Society, Indiana Historical Society Locations: Sioux Falls , South Dakota, Sioux Falls, Sioux, China, taxidermy, South Dakota, Delbridge, Guyana, Scotland

☆ Oil prices near $100 per barrel raise questions over demand destruction
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

boonchai wedmakawand | Moment | Getty ImagesSupply cuts from heavyweight crude producers have helped drive oil prices near $100 per barrel — fueling some to consider the potential for future demand destruction. Seven European refiners and traders, who spoke under anonymity because of contractual obligations, told CNBC that local buyers can withstand oil prices veering into triple digits without lowering their output runs. Some European market participants polled by CNBC doubted triple-digit oil prices are sustainable in the long term, with three pointing to possible demand destruction — where customers gradually answer persistently high prices with fewer purchases. "Sometimes high oil prices can become a self-fulfilling prophecy," Indian Energy Minister Hardeep Singh Puri warned in August. The oil price hike has benefitted Moscow despite sanctions.

Persons: boonchai, Sushant Gupta, Wood Mackenzie, Topping, Ukraine —, refiner, Hardeep Singh Puri, Giovanni Staunovo Organizations: Brent, ING, Organization of, Petroleum, CNBC, U.S . Energy, Administration, Indian Energy, UBS Locations: London, Asia, Wood, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Europe, Ukraine, U.S, Moscow, Washington, Israel, East, Riyadh, Iran, Beijing

Here are the key takeaways of an Associated Press investigation into the probe:WHAT DO THEY THINK HAPPENED? Investigators led by the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Maui County have declined to comment on specifics of the probe. They included a heavily charred, hollowed 4-foot-tall stump of a utility pole, two heavily burned trees and the remains of an old car tire. Photos taken after the blaze show charred foliage in the utility’s right-of-way still more than 10 feet high. The utility instead sought to shift the blame to Maui County fire officials for what it believes was their premature, false claim that they had extinguished the first fire.

Persons: ”, Balagso, couldn’t, Munro Tulloch Organizations: Associated Press, Co, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, Press, AP, Electric Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Maui County

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman smiles during the New Global Financial Pact Summit at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, on June 22, 2023. Ludovic Marin | AFP | Getty ImagesSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the prospect of normalizing relations with Israel is getting closer by the day, but signaled that the treatment of Palestinians remains a clinching point. Prince Mohammed dismissed reports that the two countries had suspended talks and acknowledged progress in negotiations. "Every day we get closer," he said in an Fox News interview aired on Wednesday — a rare sit-down with a Western media outlet for the Saudi crown prince. The two leaders agreed to work toward securing diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Ludovic Marin, Prince Mohammed, Joe, Abraham, Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Netanyahu Organizations: New Global Financial, Palais, AFP, Getty, Saudi, Fox News, Israel, United, Wednesday, United Nations Locations: Saudi, Paris, Israel, Riyadh, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Morocco, Washington, New York, Saudi Arabia

☆ Xi'an Jiaotong University: Top Chinese university scraps English tests in move cheered by nationalists
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In a notice Wednesday, the Xi’an Jiaotong University in the capital city of Shaanxi province said students will no longer need to pass a nationwide standardized English test – nor any other English exams – to be able to graduate with bachelor’s degrees. But in recent years, some universities have downgraded the importance of English, either by replacing the national College English Test with their own exams or – as in the case of the Xi’an Jiaotong University – dropping English qualifications altogether as a graduation criteria. For some liberal-leaning Chinese, the downgrade of English is symbolic of China’s inward turn and a tightening of ideological control. “We need English to understand the world. These days, if you don’t understand English, you’ll still fall behind in the scientific and technological world,” a Weibo user said.

Persons: Xi Jinping, ”, Mao, Xi, it’s, Weibo, don’t, you’ll Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Jiaotong University, English, College English, Jiaotong, Weibo, World Trade Organization Locations: China, Hong Kong, Shaanxi, Weibo, Shanghai, Taiwan

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., August 29, 2023. SoftBank's Arm Holdings gained 6.5% after a stellar Nasdaq debut on Thursday, rekindling hopes of a turnaround in the initial public offering (IPO) market. U.S.-listed shares of Alibaba Group Holdings , JD.com , PDD Holdings (PDD.O) and Xpeng rose between 0.1% and 1.6%. ET, Dow e-minis were up 85 points, or 0.24%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 6 points, or 0.13%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 4.5 points, or 0.03%. Reporting by Ankika Biswas and Shristi Achar A in Bengaluru Editing by Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Lam, Taiwan's TSMC, Stellantis, rekindling, Russ Mould, AJ Bell, Ankika Biswas, Shristi, Vinay Dwivedi Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Ford, Motors, UAW, Dow, Nasdaq, Lam Research, KLA Corp, Reuters, Ford Motor, General Motors, United Auto Workers, Chrysler, SoftBank's Arm Holdings, Nvidia, there's, Therapeutics, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Traders, Federal Reserve, University of, Alibaba Group Holdings, PDD Holdings, Dow e, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Instacart Set to Raise IPO Target Price After Arm's Successful Debut - WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) -Grocery-delivery company Instacart is preparing to raise the target price for its initial public offering following the successful debut of SoftBank-owned Arm Holdings, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing sources. Instacart is now expected to sell shares for $28-$30 apiece, the Journal said, adding that the company plans to disclose the target price in an amended filing as early as Friday. Selling shares at the high end of the new range, Instacart would be valued at nearly $10 billion on a fully-diluted basis, according to the report. The reported increase in Instacart's target price for its initial share sale comes after shares in SoftBank's Arm soared almost 25% above their Nasdaq debut price on Thursday, rekindling investor hopes for a turnaround in the moribund market for initial public offerings (IPO). Instacart was valued at $39 billion after its last funding round more than two years ago, when easy money helped several startups reach sky-high valuations.

Persons: Instacart, Devika Nair, Mrigank Dhaniwala Organizations: Reuters, SoftBank, Arm Holdings, Wall Street, Nasdaq, U.S . Federal Reserve Locations: SoftBank's, San, Francisco, Bengaluru

☆ ARM lifts Nasdaq ahead of NYSE on IPO capital raises
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Laura Matthews | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Arm CEO Rene Haas looks on, as Softbank's Arm, chip design firm, holds an initial public offering (IPO) at Nasdaq Market site in New York, U.S., September 14, 2023. So far this year, 68 traditional U.S. IPOs on Nasdaq have raised $8.6 billion, surpassing $6.4 billion for NYSE, the data released on Thursday showed. "Today has been a milestone day for Nasdaq with Arm being the largest IPO of the year. Shares in SoftBank's Arm Holdings soared almost 25% above their Nasdaq debut price on Thursday, rekindling investor hopes for a turnaround in the moribund market for initial public offerings (IPO). This year, Nasdaq has won 87% of U.S. IPOs listings, and has led its rival for 38 consecutive quarters according to its own data.

Persons: Rene Haas, Brendan McDermid, Karen Snow, Owen Lau, Laura Matthews, Richard Chang Organizations: Nasdaq, REUTERS, New York Stock Exchange, IPOs, NYSE, Arm Holdings, Oppenheimer, Co, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S

☆ Evercore: A 'Wall of Worry' is threatening to send the economy into a recession. Here are the 3 warning signs to watch, and where to invest as the worst month for stocks begins.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Mark Reeth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

September is the worst month for stocks, and right now the market rally looks weak. Julian Emanuel, a senior managing director at Evercore ISI, recently published a note for clients warning them of what may be ahead. But instead of celebration and buying, investors greeted the news with a shrug and a sell-off. Evercore ISIThere are two other warning signs Emanuel is keeping an eye on. Evercore ISIWith all that said, how should investors take advantage of the buying opportunity after the September doldrums fade away?

Persons: Evercore's Julian Emanuel, it's, Julian Emanuel, Emanuel doesn't, Emanuel, that's, he's, He's Organizations: Evercore ISI, Nvidia, Evercore, Bear, Vertiv Holdings, JPMorgan, Booking Holdings Locations: U.S, China, Europe

☆ India is warming up to a cooling China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Shritama Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A screening policy that dramatically slowed investments into India looks ripe for some fine-tuning. India appears to be warming up to a larger Chinese presence in its businesses three years since it introduced an approval regime for investments from countries sharing a land border. Modi has made a deepening financial relationship with China dependent on a warming political one. India is “open” to investments from China, the former’s Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar told Financial Times in an interview published in July. Shein is set to re-enter India through a partnership with Reliance Retail, The Wall Street Journal reported in May.

Persons: Narendra Modi’s, Xi Jinping, hamstrung, Sajjan, Modi, Narendra Modi, BYD, Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Sajjan Jindal, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Indian, pharma, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Authorities, Apple, Reliance Industries, Wall Street, SAIC, Motor India, Economic Times, State, Electronics, Technology, Times, India’s, MG Motor India, Reliance Retail, Street, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, South Africa, India, New Delhi, China, Johannesburg, Shanghai

☆ What's gone wrong with China's economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s a far cry from global financial meltdown of 2008, when China launched the largest stimulus package in the world and was the first major economy to emerge from the crisis. It’s also a reversal from the early days of the pandemic, when China was the only major developed economy to dodge a recession. Property woesChina’s economy has been in doldrums since April, when momentum from a strong start to the year faded. While Evergrade is still undergoing a debt restructuring, troubles at Country Garden raised fresh concerns about the Chinese economy. Beijing has so far unveiled a steady incremental drip of measures to boost the economy, including interest rate cuts and other moves to help the property market and consumer businesses.

Persons: rekindling, Ying Tang, Morgan Stanley, Xi Jinping, It’s, what’s, Evergrande, Evergrade, ”, Julian Evans, Pritchard, Evans Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, UBS, Nomura, Barclays, Garden, Zhongrong Trust, CNN, Capital Economics, “, People’s Bank of China, National Health Commission, Moody’s Investors Service Locations: Hong Kong, China, Shanghai, It’s, doldrums, Beijing, United States, Europe

☆ 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' author Robert Kiyosaki slams Janet Yellen for trumpeting Bidenomics: 'What is she smoking?'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"Rich Dad Poor Dad" author Robert Kiyosaki took a jab at Janet Yellen for touting Bidenomics. Has she filled her gas tank lately?" The Treasury Secretary on Monday cheered Biden's Inflation Reduction Act for driving economic growth at a time when Americans are financially strapped. "Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin says the IRA Inflation Reduction Act is "turning point" in saving our planet, "what is she smoking?" Has she filled her gas tank lately?

Persons: Dad, Robert Kiyosaki, Janet Yellen, Yellen, Joe Biden's, Kiyosaki, Janet Yellin, rekindling, Kevin O'Leary Organizations: Service, Bidenomics, Reserve Locations: Wall, Silicon, Las Vegas , Nevada

☆ Take Five: Are we there yet?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

China retail sales data due on Tuesday will show whether spending can cling to the around-3% growth rate in June - a far cry from the double-digit readings earlier in the year. Meanwhile, investors will get another look at the health of the U.S. consumer with Tuesday’s retail sales report. June retail sales, released last month, rose less than expected, but nonetheless showed consumers weathered higher interest rates. Chart shows change in U.S. retail sales on a monthly basis. After shooting to a nine-year peak of 6.55% - prompting the central bank to step in to restore calm - yields have settled around 0.58%.

Persons: Kevin Buckland, Ira Iosebashvili, Naomi Rovnick, Karin Strohecker, Amanda Cooper, Christine Lagarde, there's, BoE, Morgan Stanley, Sharon Singleton Organizations: PMI, Reuters Graphics Reuters, European Central Bank, Reuters, Bank of, BOE, Bank of England, Citi, Confederation, Thomson Locations: West, Britain, U.S, Tokyo, New York, London, China, Jackson Hole , Wyoming

☆ Greek wildfires die down after burning for nearly two weeks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Alexandros AvramidisATHENS, July 28 (Reuters) - Wildfires in Greece abated on Friday after burning for nearly two weeks but emergency services worked to prevent new flare-ups in the central part of the country, where people had fled massive explosions at an ammunition depot the day before. In the hard-hit area of Magnesia, wildfires reached an air force ammunition depot close to the coastal town of Nea Aghialos on Thursday. Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Friday he had ordered an investigation into the incident. The labour ministry urged employers in an industrial zone of Volos to suspend operations for a second day on Friday. But teams operated at several sites for an 11th day in an effort to fully tame all the fronts.

Persons: Alexandros Avramidis ATHENS, Dina Angeli, Nikos Dendias, Firefighters, Ioannis Artopoios, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Angeliki Koutantou, Alexandros Avramidis, Stamos Prousalis, Angeliki, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Fighter, Reuters, Greek Defence, Thomson Locations: Volos, Greece, Magnesia, Nea Aghialos, Aghialos, Rhodes

☆ Wildfires in Greece burn for fifth day as another heatwave hits
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Fedja Grulovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A person walks at the yard of a burnt house following a wildfire in Mandra, Greece, July 21. REUTERS/Louiza VradiATHENS, July 21 (Reuters) - Greece struggled to contain a wildfire west of Athens that burnt forestland for a fifth day on Friday as another heatwave hit the country. Two other blazes in forests on the island of Rhodes and in the Lakonia district in southern Greece were tamed on Friday. The risk of wildfires in the coming days will remain high and further heat is forecast following on from a previous heatwave. Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and Fedja Grulovic; Editing by Angeliki Koutantou and Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vassilis Kikilias, Lefteris Papadimas, Angeliki Koutantou, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Firefighters, Reuters, Culture Ministry, Thomson Locations: Mandra, Greece, Louiza, ATHENS, Athens, Cyprus, France, Israel, Italy, Rhodes, Lakonia

☆ Asia shares slip as China casts a pall, dollar's slide abates
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Selena Li | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] FILE PHOTO-People walk past a screen displaying the Hang Seng stock index outside Hong Kong Exchanges, in Hong Kong, China July 19, 2022. Investors are waiting for clearer signs that inflation is cooling, with the readings on U.S. retail sales and industrial production to be released later on Tuesday. Economists reckon retail sales in June will show a 0.5% rise from May, strong enough to keep the soft landing scenario without rekindling worries about inflation. The Fed, European Central Bank and Bank of Japan are holding policy reviews next week. The U.S. dollar index dipped slightly to 99.71 in Asia trade, having struck its lowest since April 2022 on Friday.

Persons: Lam, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Gary Ng, Ng, Brent, Selena Li, Simon Cameron, Moore, Sam Holmes Organizations: Hong Kong Exchanges, REUTERS, Federal, Bank of America, Natixis Corporate, Investment Bank, The, European Central Bank and Bank of Japan, Japan's Nikkei, ECB, Fed, Bank of England, U.S, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, China, HONG KONG, Asia, Pacific, Japan

Washington is seeking to protect U.S. manufacturers from low-cost competitors in China, including those it suspects of using forced labor, which Beijing denies. Both countries say they should be able to collaborate on climate change regardless of other disagreements. After Pelosi's August trip to Taiwan, a democratically-governed island that China claims as part of its territory, Beijing said it would halt all dialogue with Washington on climate change. The two countries only resumed informal climate talks in November at the COP27 summit in Egypt. During Yellen's visit last month, she made a public push to get China to participate in the UN-run funds to help poorer nations address climate change.

Persons: Kerry, John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, David Sandalow, Biden, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Li Shuo, Nancy Pelosi, Pelosi's, Alden Meyer, Yellen's, Fang Li, Valerie Volcovici, David Stanway, John Stonestreet Organizations: Observers, UN, U.S, Center, Global Energy, Greenpeace, Trump, ., Centre for Research, Energy, Clean, Global Energy Monitor, World Resources Institute, Thomson Locations: COP28 WASHINGTON, United States, China, Beijing, Washington, Paris, Taiwan, U.S, Xinjiang, Egypt, Singapore

☆ Cuba: A Russian navy ship docks in Havana as tough times bring the old friends together
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Patrick Oppmann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Havana, Cuba CNN —As a series of welcoming cannon blasts rang out from a nearby colonial fort, the Russian navy’s training class ship Perekop sailed into Havana on Tuesday. “We are condemning, we are rejecting, the expansion of NATO towards Russia’s borders,” Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel told Russian-controlled network, RT, in a rare interview in May. He also blasted US economic sanctions on Russia, while heralding Russian “projects of cooperation and collaboration” under development in Cuba. But following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba lost its main trading partner and entered a deep economic depression. Despite the high cost of the war in Ukraine and economic sanctions, Russian officials say they are committed to Cuba.

Persons: Perekop, “, Miguel Diaz, Canel, Patrick Oppmann, Jorge R, –, Russia –, Yamil Lage, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, ”, Ric Herrero, ” Herrero, “ There’s, ” Benjamin Ziff, Chargé d’Affaires, Sergey Shoigu, Alvaro Lopez Miera, ” Shoigu Organizations: Cuba CNN, Prensa Latina, Cuban, Soviet, NATO, CNN, University of Texas, Austin Energy Institute, Russian, Getty, Trump, Cuba Study, US Naval, Russian Defense Locations: Havana, Cuba, Russian, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Cuban, Moscow, Russia’s, Russia, USSR, AFP, Trump, Spanish, Guantánamo, East, West, “ Cuba

☆ Israel's disputed judicial overhaul is back, what's new?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Maayan Lubell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

On Monday, the Knesset is scheduled to vote on a bill that limits Supreme Court powers, a first of three parliamentary readings. RECAPNetanyahu's religious-nationalist government launched its judicial overhaul plan in January, soon after it was sworn in. The proposed changes included curbs on the Supreme Court's writ, while granting the government decisive powers in appointing judges. WHY ARE PROPOSED CHANGES STIRRING SUCH SERIOUS CONCERN? The president's office is largely ceremonial so the Supreme Court is seen as a bastion of democracy protecting civil rights and rule of law.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Maayan, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: United, Thomson Locations: United States

☆ How Amazon Taught Alexa to Speak in an Irish Brogue
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Bernhard Warner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Alexa had dropped the “r” in “party,” making the word sound flat, like pah-tee. The technologists are part of a team at Amazon working on a challenging area of data science known as voice disentanglement. Tackling voice disentanglement involves far more than grasping vocabulary and syntax. Such work may eventually converge with an explosion of “generative A.I.,” a technology that enables chatbots to generate their own responses, researchers said. At the same time, voice assistants like Alexa and Apple’s Siri will become more conversational, potentially rekindling consumer interest in a tech segment that had seemingly stalled, analysts said.

Persons: Tinchev, Alexa, Bard, Apple’s Siri Organizations: Amazon Locations: “, A.I

☆ In the Paris Suburb Where Police Shot a Teenager, Violence and Vigilance
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Constant Méheut | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Nanterre is one such suburb. The public-housing high-rises of Pablo-Picasso, standing just outside the Paris business district of La Défense, stand as examples of that effort. But Nanterre continues to suffer from high unemployment — 14 percent compared with 8 percent nationally in 2020, according to official statistics — and some neighborhoods, including Pablo-Picasso, suffer from drug-trafficking. Still, the violence of recent days has baffled many neighborhood residents who see it destroying property in the place they live, which simply makes people’s lives harder. “The anger is as strong as the violence of the tragedy,” said Ms. Mohamed Saly, who manages Le 35, a popular neighborhood restaurant with her husband, Brahim Rochdi.

Persons: rekindling, Pablo, Picasso, ”, Mohamed Saly, Brahim, “ Organizations: Nanterre Locations: France, Nanterre, Paris, La, Le

☆ Apple shares hit an all-time high. What Wall Street says happens from here
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As Apple sets a new record, Wall Street remains conflicted over the trajectory for shares in the near term. The iPhone maker notched a new all-time high on Monday, a week after hitting an intraday high . AAPL YTD mountain Apple shares in 2023 But with the jump in shares putting Apple about 2% shy of Wall Street's consensus price target, questions remain over the likelihood of more upside in the near term. As of midday Tuesday, Apple shares traded at a forward price-to-earnings multiple of more than 31 times, above the multiple for the broader S & P 500. Despite Apple's steepening stock price and some reservations about its valuation, many analysts are keeping their bullish stance.

Persons: Paul Meeks, Research's Angelo Zino, Bullish, Dan Ives, Ives, Tim Cook, it's Organizations: Apple, UBS, Securities, Big Tech Locations: Cupertino

☆ No job, no problem: For some, a 'funemployment' summer after quitting sounds like a perfect plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Rebecca Knight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"I want to take a beat and decide how I'm going to live my life," Pena, 37, told Insider. "People now have more freedom to hop in and out of the labor market," she told Insider. Wren Taylor, 35, enjoyed her summer of funemployment last year after being laid off from her corporate marketing job. "Their comments affirmed that I wasn't wasting my time," she told Insider. During job interviews, she said that all she could think about was the freedom she'd lose by going back to a traditional job.

Persons: Suzy Welch, —, Delia Pena, " Pena, Pena, she's, I'm, Gen, funemployment, Randall Peterson, who'd, Wren Taylor Wren Taylor, Julia Pollak, Pollak, Wren Taylor, they'd, I'd, Wren Organizations: NYU, Service, London Business School, ZipRecruiter, Labor Department, Catalina Locations: funemployment

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