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☆ ‘The Wife of Bath’ Review: Chaucer’s Unfiltered Heroine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Tom Shippey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The Wife of Bath, pictured in the Ellesmere Chaucer manuscript, ca. 1400There are 32 pilgrims who set out on the journey that frames Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales,” with two more coming along later. Many of these are mere cyphers (like the five guildsmen, not differentiated), but 23 get brief descriptions in the “General Prologue,” and the same number get to tell tales. Only three of the 34, however, are female—the Prioress, her accompanying Nun, and the Wife of Bath—and though they all tell a tale, only the first and last receive a detailed description. This marked gender underrepresentation is very largely redressed by the Wife of Bath, who has stolen the show from Chaucer’s time to now, and become (nearly) everyone’s favorite character.

☆ Sen. Dianne Feinstein hospitalized with shingles in San Francisco
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Zoë Richards | Frank Thorp V | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Thursday she was hospitalized in San Francisco with shingles after she missed Senate votes this week. In a statement, Feinstein, 89, said she got the shingles diagnosis while the Senate was in recess late last month. "I have been hospitalized and am receiving treatment in San Francisco and expect to make a full recovery," Feinstein said. Feinstein, the oldest sitting senator and the longest-serving senator from California, was first elected to the Senate in 1992. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., recently returned to Washington after having undergone surgery last month for prostate cancer.

☆ Global clean energy growth offset rise in CO2 emissions last year, IEA says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Global energy-related emissions of carbon dioxide rose less than anticipated in 2022 thanks to the growth of clean energy sources like solar, wind, electric vehicles and heat pumps, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Thursday. Global emissions from energy rose by less than 1% last year to a new high of over 36.8 billion tons, as renewables helped limit the impacts of a global rise in coal and oil consumption, according to the IEA analysis. By comparison, global emissions from energy rose by 6% in 2021. The agency's analysis comes amid a major disruption within global energy markets following Russia's invasion of Ukraine last February. Without the clean energy growth, the rise in emissions last year would have been nearly three times as high, the IEA said.

☆ A little-known renewable energy stock could rally more than 20%, UBS says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

UBS thinks Ormat Technologies , a little-known geothermal and renewable energy company, could see big earnings growth in the coming years, creating a promising buying opportunity for investors. UBS sees multiple tailwinds ahead for the company, such as new geothermal, solar and storage capacity additions, as well as improving backlog and margins. Ormat is also anticipated to benefit from state and federal policy support for renewable energy. However, he said that "the recent underperformance provides investors with a buying opportunity ahead of the coming growth recovery." Windham raised his price target to $105 from $103, implying a 24.2% upside from the stock's closing price on Tuesday.

☆ VIEW Canada's economy unexpectedly stalled in Q4; January rebound likely
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TORONTO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - The Canadian economy recorded no growth in the final three months of 2022, massively underperforming expectations, though economic activity likely rebounded with a 0.3% increase in January, Statistics Canada data showed on Tuesday. "Even with the January rebound, however, Q4 and Q1 combined seem likely to average slightly below the Bank of Canada's prior forecasts which supports the current pause in terms of interest rates." It'll be a short and sweet statement saying that they're still on a conditional hold and evaluating the lagging effects. They'll want to see a whole lot more data before they're convinced that they're either done and/or that they're going to act again." ROBERT BOTH, MACRO STRATEGIST, TD SECURITIES"It is a pretty large miss on Q4.

☆ Goldman Sachs shares 4 charts that explain the state of the housing market right now — and show why 4 cities could soon see the biggest price declines
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Housing supply on a national basis will remain tight, Goldman Sachs strategists say. Part of that call — which is less bearish than forecasts from firms like KPMG, Interactive Brokers, and Pantheon Macroeconomics — is due to Goldman's outlook for housing supply levels. In certain areas of the country, supply levels are rising faster than in others. In four cities in particular, supply levels are above pre-pandemic levels, the bank said, which will result in greater price declines than the national average. Goldman SachsSupply developments in the multi-family housing market could also signal trouble for prices down the line, the strategists said.

☆ US House Speaker McCarthy says he will provide Jan. 6 defendants with security footage
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) delivers remarks on the debt ceiling, outside of his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 6, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn HocksteinWASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Tuesday that he would provide defendants in criminal cases from the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol with access to thousands of hours of internal security footage of the melee. "I'll give it out to the entire country," said the California Republican, who first announced his plan to release security footage days after being elected speaker in early January. McCarthy told reporters that Jan. 6 defendants had been able to access some security footage before he became speaker. 2 Republican, told reporters that lawmakers would make sure that any public releases would not include sensitive material.

☆ Banks, real estate shares weigh on Saudi; insurer lifts Qatar
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Shamsuddin Mohd | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 26 (Reuters) - Major stock markets in the Gulf ended mixed on Sunday, with Saudi Arabia's index pressured by real estate and banking shares, but a 10% surge in Qatar Insurance (QINS.QA) lifted the Qatari index. Among other stocks, Saudi Tadawul Group fell 4.7% after its annual profit declined more than 27% to 424.6 million riyals ($113.17 million). Middle East Healthcare (4009.SE) jumped 10% after its annual profit soared more than 300% compared to a year earlier. The Qatari Stock index (.QSI) rose 0.7%, ending three consecutive sessions of losses, buoyed by its financial stocks. The insurer on Wednesday hit a more than 13-year low after reporting a consolidated net loss of 637 million riyals ($174.14 million) for fiscal year 2022, compared to a profit of 630 million riyals ($172.23 million) a year earlier.

☆ A 27-year-old freelance writer whose 'hourly earning potential' is $215 explains how to maximize earnings as a freelancer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

To maximize earning potential as a freelancer, he only works with clients that pay competitive rates. Dong shared four strategies that have helped him maximize his earning potential as a freelancer. Instead of using Fiverr or Upwork, reach out to potential clients via email, LinkedIn, or other social platforms. After all, the slower your work, the more your hourly earning potential drops. Plus, he does other seemingly simple things like prioritizing sleep, eating well, and exercising consistently to get the most out of his work hours.

☆ Major Gulf bourses drop on Fed's hawkish tone
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Major Gulf bourses closed lower on Thursday as investors remained cautious after the U.S. Federal Reserve's minutes from latest meeting reinforced a hawkish tone, although the Egyptian index bucked the trend. Most Gulf currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar, while Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar usually mirror U.S. monetary policy changes. With steepest intraday decline since Jan. 17, the index witnessed losses in almost all sectors, led by financial and energy stocks. The gulf region's largest lender Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA) declined 2.1% and Qatar Islamic Bank (QISB.QA) plunged 9.6%, the sharpest intraday slide since March 2020 as the stock traded ex-dividend. Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) rose 1.4%, snapping its previous session losses.

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SummarySummary Law firms Laid-off workers can't sign away labor rights, board saysDecision overrules Trump-era precedentFeb 22 - The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that laid-off workers cannot be required to sign agreements that contain confidentiality clauses and other provisions that could deter them from exercising their rights under federal labor law in exchange for receiving severance. The board in a 3-1 decision on Tuesday overturned a pair of Trump-era rulings that said severance agreements only violate federal labor law when employers engage in other unlawful conduct when asking workers to sign them. The NLRB's Democratic majority said those rulings were misguided and "granted employers carte blanche to offer employees severance agreements that include unlawful provisions." The board said it was illegal for the company to offer the workers severance agreements that included confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions because they could be discouraged from filing complaints with the NLRB or publicizing labor disputes. He said there was no evidence that the decisions tossed out by the majority had led the board to uphold illegal severance agreements.

☆ Taiwan is bolstering military exchanges with U.S., President Tsai says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Sarah Wu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen meets U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), a member of the U.S. House China Select Committee, and other members of the U.S. delegation at the presidential office in Taipei, Taiwan, in this handout photo released February 21, 2023. TAIPEI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Taiwan is bolstering its military ties with the United States and will cooperate even more closely with it and other friendly nations to deal with "authoritarian expansionism", President Tsai Ing-wen told visiting U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday. While the United States no longer maintains military bases in Taiwan, the two have a good military relationship that has become closer as China steps up pressure to try and force Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty. "Taiwan and the United States continue to bolster military exchanges, and going forward Taiwan will cooperate even more actively with the United States and other democratic partners to confront such global challenges as authoritarian expansionism and climate change," Tsai told the lawmakers at her office in Taipei. In August, China staged military exercises near Taiwan to express anger at then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei.

☆ Saudi bourse falls on Fed worries; Qatar gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock market closed lower on Sunday after U.S. economic data stoked fears the Federal Reserve will act more aggressively to curb inflation. Most Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have their currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar and follow the Fed's policy moves closely, exposing the region to a direct impact from monetary tightening in the world's largest economy. The benchmark index (.TASI) in Saudi Arabia dropped 0.5%, dragged down by a 2.1% slide in Retal Urban Development Co (4322.SE) and a 0.9% decrease Al Rajhi Bank (1120.SE). In Qatar, the index (.QSI) bucked the trend to finish 0.7% higher, led by a 3.4% rise in the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA). ** Markets in Kuwait and Oman were closed for a holidayReporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A 27-year-old freelance writer who brought in $115,000 last year working 30 hours a week explains how he uses ChatGPT and other tools to work more efficiently
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Freelance finance writer Tony Dong made about $115,000 last year working 30 hours per week. But he also uses specific tools, including ChatGPT, to work more efficiently. Here are three tools Dong uses to do his job better and more efficiently. But if he's writing about something he's less familiar with he'll ask his AI assistant for help. There's also a premium version for $12 a month, which Dong uses: "It makes your writing more compelling and is worth the money."

☆ California’s heavy rains deliver hope of a lifeline for one devastated industry – rice
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

After years of drought, California has received an epic amount of rain already in 2023. The Sacramento Valley is the hub of California’s rice production. During the seed planting and growing season, which runs from March through August, farmers flood rice fields with up to five inches of water. The way the rice business goes is how the economy goes,” Ponciano said. “After harvest season, the sky over the rice fields would be filled with geese and ducks,” he said.

☆ Trailblazing U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein will not seek re-election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Moira Warburton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senator Dianne Feinstein, a trailblazer for women in American politics, announced on Tuesday that she will not seek re-election in 2024, clearing the path for a hotly contested race for her seat among California Democrats. I can honestly say that Dianne Feinstein is one of the very best," Democratic President Joe Biden said on Tuesday night, noting their time serving together on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA), who announced she will not be seeking re-election, leaves the Senate floor after a vote on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 14, 2023. Feinstein "was a tough woman on the front lines in fights like access to assault weapons and national security and intelligence," Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren told reporters on Tuesday. "Every other woman in public office owes a special debt to Dianne Feinstein."

☆ Livestream shopping took China by storm. Now Amazon, TikTok and YouTube are betting the QVC-style pitches will take off in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Katie Tarasov | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Livestream shopping took China by storm over the past three years. In the U.S., TikTok, Amazon, Walmart , Shopify and YouTube are all getting in on the game. On Amazon Live, influencers pitch products live from the intimacy of their own homes. Tiana Young MorrisTiana Young Morris first went viral in 2020 for videos in which she tried on wigs and then reviewed them. Amazon continued its live-shopping investments with the launch of Amazon Live in India in September.

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy met JPMorgan bankers over rebuilding efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with bankers from JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) last week to get their advice on rebuilding the country and weathering the financial impact of the war, according to a statement from the president's office. "The full resources of JPMorgan Chase are available to Ukraine as it charts its post-conflict path to growth." The bank also convened a virtual investment meeting attended by 200 corporations, investors and financial firms as Ukraine steps up efforts to lock in financial support from businesses to help rebuild the country. Global ratings agency Moody's last week downgraded Ukraine's sovereign rating to 'Ca' from 'Caa3', as it expects the war with Russia to create long-lasting challenges. JPMorgan has helped the country raise about $25 billion in sovereign debt since 2010, and was the sole purchaser of $350 million of Ukrainian bonds in March 2019.

☆ I've made $210,000 in less than 2 years selling spreadsheet templates on Etsy. Here are 5 easy-to-follow tips for making sales.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Emily Mcdermott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Emily McDermott sells spreadsheet templates on Etsy for Google Sheets and Excel. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyIn under two years, I've made CA$280,600 or around $210,000 on Etsy selling spreadsheet templates for Google Sheets and Excel. ERank is also super affordable compared to some other Etsy keyword tools. You'll see a listing of the actual top 100 listings on Etsy for the keyword you're investigating. If you're already selling printables right now or thinking about selling them, adding some spreadsheets is a fantastic way to boost your income.

☆ Most Gulf bourses rise on higher oil prices; Egypt down
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Md Manzer Hussain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 12 (Reuters) - Most Gulf bourses closed higher on Sunday in response to Friday's oil price rise, driven by Russian plans to reduce crude production next month. Oil, which fuels the region's economies, rose more than 2%, with Brent crude gaining $1.89 to $86.39 a barrel. Russia plans to reduce crude production by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in March, or about 5% of its total output. The index was dragged down by a 4.7% loss in Commercial International Bank Egypt (COMI.CA) and a 2.9% fall in Telecom Egypt (ETEL.CA). Among other losers, Misr Fertilizers (MFPC.CA) and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Egypt (ADIB.CA) slid 3.7% and 4.3% respectively.

☆ Knights, squires, queens go on strike at California Medieval Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Workers at a Southern California Medieval Times have walked off the job and went on strike before their second performance of the day Saturday, the union confirmed. Medieval Times LLC has not responded to numerous requests for comment. Medieval Times workers walk a picket line in Buena Park, California. Brett BanditelliZapcic said people work at Medieval Times because they love it, not for the money. In October, Medieval Times filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the union for using the company name, which is still ongoing.

☆ How Salvador Dalí Built His Brand
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Peter Saenger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

“The Image Disappears,” a new exhibition opening on Feb. 18 at the Art Institute of Chicago, explores the clashing impulses that made Salvador Dalí tick. Through much of the 20th century, the public knew Dalí as a kind of surrealist court jester. But behind the showmanship lay a serious artist, with formidable technique and dark, shape-shifting meanings. Viewed one way, “The Image Disappears” (1938) looks like the profile of a man’s face, with a beard and mustache that make him resemble the 17th-century Spanish painter Diego Velázquez. Was Dalí simply comparing two favorite artists who worked at the same time?

U.S. Bank, Member FDIC Learn more U.S. Bank, Member FDICU.S. Bank Personal Checking Account FeaturesU.S. Bank has over robust national presence, with over 2,000 branches in 26 states and 4,000 ATMs throughout the US. The bank has two checking accounts: U.S. Bank Safe Debit account and U.S. Bank Smartly™ Checking. U.S. Bank Checking Accounts vs. Chase Checking AccountsChase offers a greater variety of options, including checking accounts specifically suited for teens and college students. Chase Total Checking® has a $12 monthly service fee, while U.S. Bank Smartly™ Checking has a $6.95 monthly service fee (with options to waive). U.S. Bank Checking Accounts vs. Wells Fargo Checking AccountsWells Fargo has four types of checking accounts, including a checkless bank account similar to the U.S. Bank Safe Debit account.

☆ Moody's downgrades Ukraine rating on prolonged effects of Russia war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 10 (Reuters) - Global ratings agency Moody's downgraded Ukraine's sovereign rating to 'Ca' from 'Caa3' on Friday, as it expects the war with Russia to create long-lasting challenges for the country. The Moody's downgrade comes amid a new Russian offensive ahead of the first anniversary of the war that started on Feb. 24, with Russia hitting Ukraine's power grid and gaining ground in the east. The agency said challenges arising out of the ongoing war increase the risk to the country's debt sustainability. "Despite large financial support from international partners, Moody's expects that the war will continue to keep Ukraine's public finances and external position under severe pressure," the ratings agency said. Ratings agencies Fitch and S&P currently rate Ukraine at 'CC' and 'CCC+', respectively.

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