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CNN —Canada’s former Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole has accused China of targeting him with misinformation and voter suppression campaigns during the 2021 election, citing intelligence from Canada’s spy agency. Canadian Security Intelligence Service last week identified multiple threats against him, O’Toole told Parliament on Tuesday. O’Toole emphasized that alleged misinformation occurred in the run-up to the 2021 general election, which saw the reelection of a Liberal Party government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Earlier this month, Canada expelled an accredited Chinese diplomat accused of involvement in a harassment campaign against Canadian opposition lawmaker Michael Chong and his relatives. China has repeatedly dismissed previous claims of political interference in Canada’s political system.

Persons: CNN —, Erin O’Toole, O’Toole, ”, Justin Trudeau, Michael Chong, Chong, Marco Mendicino, Mendicino, Meng Wanzhou, Michael Kovrig, Michael Spavor, Meng Organizations: CNN, Conservative Party, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Liberal Party, Huawei, Canadian Public Safety, CSIS, ” Locations: China, Canada, Canadian, Beijing

If your school suspends your financial aid, you may be able to appeal the decision and get it back. Many schools require that students maintain a minimum GPA and complete a minimum number of credits per semester to qualify for financial aid." "They know that if students get less financial aid, then they will be less likely to stay and graduate." Components of a financial aid suspension appeal letterThe exact financial aid suspension appeal process varies by college, but your school may have a form you'll need to fill out to get the ball rolling. Financial aid suspension appeal letter exampleYou'll want to format your appeal letter much like a cover letter — with a header, date, and formal greeting.

☆ A portfolio manager who runs 3 of the 10 best large-cap funds in the past year shares his surprisingly simple investing strategy — and the 4 places he's putting his money now
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Leading fund manager Matt Fruhan found success this year by continuing to prioritize valuations. Two of those standout funds, the Fidelity Mega Cap Stock Fund (FGRTX) and the Fidelity Advisor Mega Cap Stock Fund (FGTAX), are virtually identical, except for their class and ticker. The fund manager told Insider that he applies the same investing process and principles across all of his funds. "Some investors are kind of reactive to the market and let the market tell them what to think," Fruhan said. And that's how you get separation from the stock market over time."

☆ Alibaba to cut 7% of workforce in its cloud unit as it pursues IPO for the division
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing subsidiary of Alibaba, unveiled its ChatGPT-style product Tongyi Qianwen during the 2023 Alibaba Cloud Summit on Tuesday morning. Alibaba is cutting 7% of the workforce in its cloud computing division as the unit gears up for an initial public offering. Last week, the company announced plans for a full spin-off of its cloud computing unit and said it intends for the division to become an independent publicly listed company. Alibaba's CEO Daniel Zhang has long-seen cloud computing as a key part of the e-commerce giant's future but it currently accounts for just 9% of the group's total revenue. TikTok owner ByteDance began moving its international operations off of Alibaba's cloud which continues to weigh on the company's cloud business.

Persons: Alibaba, Daniel Zhang, Zhang, ByteDance Organizations: Alibaba, CNBC, Synergy Research, Microsoft, Google Locations: China, Asia, Pacific

☆ Saudi oil minister warns market speculators to 'watch out' ahead of OPEC+ meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's energy minister, speaks during a panel session at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha, Qatar on May 23, 2023. Saudi Oil Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Tuesday told market speculators to "watch out," reiterating his warning that they could face pain ahead. The Saudi oil minister has previously struck out against price speculators looking to profit off predicting the output decisions of OPEC+, which next meets on June 4. The organization's executive director, Fatih Birol, nevertheless on Sunday told CNBC that a potential — if unlikely — U.S. debt default could trigger a drop in oil demand and prices. "With several OPEC+ member countries voluntarily removing barrels from the market, and amid rising demand during the Northern Hemisphere's summer, we expect larger inventory draws to materialize and bring investors back to the oil market," they said.

Persons: Abdulaziz bin Salman, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, …, —, Abdulaziz, Fatih Birol Organizations: Qatar Economic Forum, Saudi Oil, Tuesday, ICE Brent, International Energy Agency, Sunday, CNBC, Swiss, UBS Locations: Saudi, Qatar, Doha, OPEC, London, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Beijing, China, Paris

Garante is among the most proactive of the 31 national data protection authorities which oversee Europe's data privacy regime known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The agency was the first to ban AI chatbot company Replika, to impose fines on facial recognition software maker Clearview AI, and to restrict TikTok in Europe. "We are looking for three AI advisers because we are aware AI tools are evolving very quickly and we need experts with tech background to help us in our data protection activity," Ghiglia said. "We explored ChatGPT and realised it was not compliant with EU data privacy rules." "That's why we decided to act swiftly with ChatGPT", Ghiglia said.

☆ Real Madrid player Vinícius Jr. racially abused during Spanish La Liga match
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Matt Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Vinícius Jr., Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward, was subjected to racist chanting during his team’s defeat to Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium in Spain’s La Liga, according to club manager Carlo Ancelotti. Vinícius Jr. was sent off in the final minutes of the game for his involvement in an altercation with Valencia player Hugo Duro. ‘This isn’t football, this is @LaLiga’”The Real Madrid player then posted a longer statement on his Twitter. “Valencia CF wishes to publicly condemn any type of insult, attack or downgrading in football,” it reads. “Valencia CF can’t tolerate someone accusing our fans of being racist, we strongly reject Ancelotti’s comments,” the post said.

☆ US banks rethink social media as a threat, not a marketing tool
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Nupur Anand | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Greg Becker, the former CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, blamed social media as an "unprecedented" factor in the lender's demise. The former CEO of First Republic Bank, Michael Roffler, also blamed social media for its collapse two months later. Bank executives and directors have ordered their companies to add social media into risk-management programs, according to regional bank executives who declined to be identified because the discussions are private. "NIP IT IN THE BUD"Banks are also contacting customers who complain on social media to address their issues quickly. The Financial Stability Board, an international body, is also investigating the role of social media in recent market turmoil, a source said.

☆ 'He'll do anything to come for you': Bang Bang, the tattoo artist to stars like Rihanna and Justin Bieber, is a controlling, vindictive boss, ex-employees say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Melkorka Licea | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

Yet some former Bang Bang employees said that McCurdy's meticulously curated image as a thoughtful progressive in a rough-and-tumble industry wasn't much more than good PR. At Bang Bang, "they just woke-wash everything," one former employee said. This kind of behavior extended to other Bang Bang employees. Ganser, the Bang Bang manager, also sent Wang a text comparing her behavior to her father's, who was in prison. Photo by Gotham/GC ImagesNearly a decade after opening the first Bang Bang shop, McCurdy still sees himself as a trailblazer.

☆ I talked to 1,000 CEOs of highly successful companies—here's the 'first' question you should ask at a job interview
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Robert Reiss | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

As the host of the radio program the "The CEO Show" for the last 15 years, I've interviewed more than 1,000 of the world's top CEOs. 1 question a candidate should ask at a job interview: "What traits will help me succeed long-term at the company?" Employers are moved and impressed by people who are proactive and who get straight to the point, so this is a great first question to ask. I also love how surprisingly simple it is. Based on my conversations, here are five traits that employers value the most:

☆ Singapore Airlines gives staff bonus of 8 months' salary after record results and pandemic sacrifices
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Singapore Airlines will give eligible staff a huge bonus of up to eight months' salary. That's thanks to a formula based on a deal with its staff union, and the airlines' record profits. It includes an extra bonus of up to 1.5 months, which senior management won't get. Singapore Airlines will pay some staff a huge bonus of more than eight months' salary after posting the highest profits in its 76-year history, Bloomberg first reported. Eligible employees will receive a bonus of 6.65 months based on Singapore Airlines' record profit in the last financial year.

☆ What 40-Somethings Should Know About Breast Cancer
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Dani Blum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Some biopsies don’t indicate cancer, yet still create anxiety for patients — but many biopsies do find cancer, he said, which saves lives. Many of the factors that contribute to breast cancer risk, like genetics and a family history of cancer, aren’t modifiable; others are within a patient’s control, but not necessarily practical. For example, having a child before age 35 lowers the risk of breast cancer, as does breastfeeding, but a doctor would never recommend a woman have a child by a certain age to reduce cancer risk, said Avonne Connor, a cancer epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. But a few behaviors have been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer, doctors said. A mounting body of evidence has tied drinking to a higher risk of cancer in general — and potentially to breast cancer in particular, partly because alcohol can boost levels of estrogen in the body.

“I’m not doing that good,” Lt. Ridge Alkonis wrote in a letter dated April 30, which was shared with CNN. “The walls and bars seem to be making my cell even smaller as of late.”“I feel closer to an animal than a human being now,” Ridge Alkonis wrote. “That was the most dejected I’ve ever heard him,” his wife, Brittany Alkonis, told CNN on Thursday. As such, despite her hope for positive movement coming out the G7 trip to Hirsoshima, Brittany Alkonis said she does not have high expectations of a resolution. But based on Japan’s response, it doesn’t seem that they do think it’s a big deal,” Brittany Alkonis said.

☆ Opinion | Death and the City
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Thomas B. Edsall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

“Some have hypothesized that the rise in homicide rates is specifically a result of the June 2020 protests,” Chalfin and MacDonald wrote, but “theories about the role of the protests must contend with several challenges. The data also pinpoint the timing of the spikes to late May 2020, which corresponds with the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis and subsequent anti-police protests — protests that likely led to declines in law enforcement. Although unemployment caused by Covid surged in April, there was little if any increase in murders at that time. That is the challenge that every city should be grappling with. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.

☆ 4 common intern mistakes that hurt your chance at a return offer, according to a Glassdoor expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Internship mistakes are a part of the learning process, but some are more serious than others and can have long-term impacts. Worse than hitting 'Reply All' on a company-wide email, an HBO Max intern accidentally blasted out an empty template for test emails to a portion of the streamer's subscribers. Some mistakes, like the case of the HBO Max intern's email fiasco, are just learning experiences. But others could be the reason an intern doesn't get a return offer. In fact, most of the time, securing a return offer begins in the interview process, before the intern even starts working.

☆ How the CEO behind ChatGPT won over Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It was a pivotal moment for the AI industry. He agreed that large-scale manipulation and deception using AI tools are among the technology’s biggest potential flaws. On Tuesday, they seemed ready — or even relieved — to be dealing with another area of the technology industry. The AI industry’s biggest players and aspirants include some of the same tech giants Congress has sharply criticized, including Google and Meta. Here too, Altman deftly seized an opportunity to curry favor with lawmakers by emphasizing distinctions between his industry and the social media industry.

☆ Belarus opposition told to 'be ready' for democracy push as rumours of leader's ill health swirl
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, in Copenhagen, Denmark May 15, 2023. State TV later broadcast a clip of Lukashenko at what it said was a central air force command base. Dressed in a military uniform, Lukashenko appeared to have a bandage on his left hand and to be short of breath at times. "There are many rumours about the dictator Lukashenko's health," Tsikhanouskaya she tweeted to supporters. Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence agency, said in televised comments that Kyiv had information about Lukashenko's health, but said he would not comment for various reasons.

☆ 'Million Dollar Listing' brokers say now is the time for luxury homebuyers to scoop up a deal. Here’s their advice for buyers and sellers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Katherine Stinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The real-estate agents Tracy Tutor and Josh Flagg said now is the time for luxury homebuyers to act. Sellers must price their homes realistically, even if they are worth less than they were last year. Here's their advice for buyers and sellers in the luxury market. The Redfin study backs this up: New listings of luxury homes fell by 6.6% year over year. Price reductions aren't a bad thing in themselves, but Flagg said it's still typically a major turn off for luxury homebuyers — "even if it's a steal."

☆ Walmart's top ad sales exec tells Insider his plan to grab TV and social media budgets
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Walmart has big ambitions to grow its digital ad sales while still focusing on its huge in-store reach. Walmart is hoping to use its footprint of 4,700 physical stores to give it a leg up in retail media. Last year, Walmart brought on the seasoned retail media exec Ryan Mayward to steer ad sales to give its advertising arm Walmart Connect a big boost. Mayward previously led ad sales for Instacart and he helped Amazon grow its relationships with ad agencies. Similar to other marketplaces like Amazon and Instacart, search advertising on Walmart.com is a basic part of every brand's advertising plan, he said.

☆ How big companies are contending with a frenzy of demand for Ozempic from their workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Demand for expensive weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy is soaring. Companies that foot the bill for their workers' health coverage are mulling whether to pay for them. Across the US, companies are facing a critical decision: whether to foot the bill for the expensive weight-loss drugs that have exploded in popularity in recent months. Andrews estimated that more than half the companies in the alliance covered weight-loss drugs. Andrews' comments offer a window into how big US companies are grappling with the rising demand for and high costs of weight-loss treatment.

☆ Stanley Druckenmiller says A.I. could win big coming out of a recession, and he's bullish on Nvidia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"It could be a beautiful opportunity in a hard landing just like '01, '02 ... a beautiful opportunity when the tech bubble bursts. NVDA YTD mountain Nvidia "My firm has only been able to participate in AI by owning Nvidia and Microsoft," Druckenmiller said. "It's not even clear to me if we had a really bad recession, that Nvidia would even come down." And now we have a big hike in interest rates." The Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates for 10 times since last year, taking the fed funds rate to a target range of 5%-5.25%, the highest since August 2007.

☆ London police express ‘regret’ over arrests of anti-monarchy protesters during coronation
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —London’s Metropolitan Police Service has expressed “regret” over the arrests of anti-monarchy activists on Saturday, the day of King Charles III’s coronation. Police arrested 64 people on coronation day. Among those were six anti-monarchy protesters, who have since been released and will face no further action, police said. Republic also said it spent months working with police liaison officers and meeting senior commanders in order to be able to protest during the coronation. Police said it was “not clear” at the time of the arrest that Smith was engaging with the protest liaison team and that the liaison team was not present during the arrests.

☆ Alberta wildfire shuts in at least 2% of Canadian energy production
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It added that about 50,000 boepd of production has been temporarily curtailed since the evening of May 5. Crescent Point Energy Corp (CPG.TO)Crescent Point said about 45,000 boepd of production in the Kaybob Duvernay region has been temporarily shut in with a plan to restart production once safe and permitted to do so. NuVista Energy Ltd (NVA.TO)The company said it has temporarily shut in and depressured all operations proximal to the ongoing fires in the Grande Prairie region. Vermilion Energy Inc (VET.TO)Vermilion Energy said it had temporarily shut in about 30,000 boepd of production and that it was assessing the risk to its operations. Cenovus Energy Inc (CVE.TO)Cenovus said it has shut-in production and brought plants down in some areas of its conventional business.

☆ I shifted my work schedule to fit mostly into a 4-day week. Now I devote Fridays to my side hustle.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Priyanka Jain works in communications at Arup, a British design firm with flexible work options. Before moving around her work schedule, her side hustle felt like an "afterthought." Knowing Arup was flexible with work in that way, I decided to pitch the idea of a different work schedule to my boss. I felt like I had all this creativity, all these ideas for my business, but I couldn't juggle it with my work schedule at the time. Because I've seen flexible work done well, I would think twice if there was a company that had a very rigid structure.

☆ Tyson processing plants accounted for nearly 60% of ammonia-related injuries reported to the EPA between 2012 and 2021, investigation finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tyson plants reported ammonia leaks and injuries at higher rates than other companies between 2012 and 2021, CNN reported. Nearly 150 workers were injured in at least 47 different ammonia leaks reported to the EPA. The company told Insider it often reports incidents that don't meet the legal standard for a leak to be reported to the EPA. Nearly 150 workers were injured in at least 47 different ammonia leaks reported to the EPA over that time span, according to an investigation from CNN. Tyson reported about 57% of ammonia-related injuries in the meat industry between 2012 and 2021, while only accounting for about 25% of the ammonia across the industry, according to CNN.

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