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☆ Alcoa Appoints New CFO Amid Executive Reshuffle
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | Colin Kellaher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Alcoa Corp. named a new finance chief amid a wider executive reshuffle as the aluminum producer faces soaring energy costs and volatile prices. Ms. Beerman succeeds current CFO William Oplinger, who will become chief operations officer next month after about six years in the top finance role. In addition, two executive vice presidents—Chief Operations Officer John Slaven and Chief Innovation Officer Benjamin Kahrs —are leaving as part of the restructuring, Alcoa said. It will “ensure continued improvement and focus on Alcoa’s strategies to operate as a low-cost, margin-focused, sustainable producer,” Chief Executive Roy Harvey said in a statement. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CFO Journal The Morning Ledger provides daily news and insights on corporate finance from the CFO Journal team.

☆ Detained Nicaraguan Catholic bishop, Ortega critic to face trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANAGUA, Jan 10 (Reuters) - A prominent Catholic bishop in Nicaragua who has sharply criticized authoritarian President Daniel Ortega will go to trial while under house arrest, a judge ruled on Tuesday, in the latest clamp down on dissent in the country. Human rights organizations accuse Ortega's government of persecuting the Catholic Church. Another prominent cleric, Bishop Silvio Baez, is in exile in the United States along with a number of other priests who have fled. The president has accused Catholic leaders of trying to overthrow him in a "coup" following anti-Ortega street protests that began in 2018. But as tensions have intensified, Ortega officials have expelled Catholic nuns and missionaries and shuttered more than a dozen Catholic radio and television stations.

☆ Venator Materials' investor pushes for board change amid plummeting stock price
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

J&T wrote that it has tried to work constructively with the Venator board since May 2022 but has encountered "apparent delay tactics and gamesmanship." "We strongly urge you to immediately add myself and another independent director to be nominated by us to the Board," the letter said. Venator said it has an open dialogue with all shareholders and has worked to engage in "constructive conversations" with J&T. Venator was spun off from chemical company Huntsman Corp (HUN.N) and its share price tumbled 71% in the last 52 weeks. While Venator rivals have directors with broad experience, the Venator board's skills are focused mainly on the chemicals industry and have prevented it from creating "a go-forward strategy to restore confidence among investors," the J&T letter said.

☆ CFOs Ponder Their Pricing Power as the Economy Cools
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | Dean Seal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

After a year of significant price increases, companies are trying to figure out how far they can go in 2023. However, pricing experts said, consumers and businesses will likely pull back on discretionary spending and will be less tolerant of price increases as they become mindful of their budgets. The Katy, Texas-based retailer takes an item-by-item approach to price increases. Customers haven’t balked at higher price tags, Ms. Huber said in late October. Still, the company said the aggressive price hikes in 2022 haven’t yet had a significant impact on consumers’ behavior.

☆ Man City crush Chelsea in FA Cup, Stevenage stun Villa
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Richard Martin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Elsewhere, League Two (fourth tier) side Stevenage pulled off the shock of the weekend by winning 2-1 at Premier League Aston Villa, scoring two goals in the final few minutes. City will play at home in the fourth round against either Premier League leaders Arsenal or League One side Oxford United, who meet on Monday. Potter said City were the last team he could wish to face during the team's difficult run of form. Walsall beat Stockport County 2-1, Stoke City won 3-0 at Hartlepool, Blackburn Rovers beat Norwich City 1-0 and Derby County beat Barnsley 3-0 to also make it to the fourth round. Bristol City and Swansea City will meet again in a replay after drawing 1-1.

Comcast Corp. named a company insider as its next finance chief as the cable and media sector grapples with cord-cutting customers and deterioration in the ad market. Jason Armstrong was appointed chief financial officer, Philadelphia-based Comcast said Friday, after serving for the past nine years in various financial leadership positions. Mr. Armstrong most recently served as deputy CFO and treasurer, responsible for capital formation, capital allocation, credit-related matters and investment management activities. Jason Armstrong, chief financial officer of Comcast. Photo: Comcast CorpSince joining Comcast in 2014, Mr. Armstrong has also had the roles of CFO of Sky, Comcast’s pay-TV giant, and head of investor relations and finance.

☆ Man City squad depth makes the difference at Chelsea
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Within three minutes, Grealish sent in a pinpoint cross for Mahrez to win the match for City. The victory at Stamford Bridge, against an injury-hit and out-of-form Chelsea, moved City to within five points of Arsenal who failed to pierce Newcastle United's defence on Tuesday in a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Despite the array of top-name stars at his disposal, Guardiola heaped most praise on 18-year-old Rico Lewis who came off the bench at halftime to replace wing back Joao Cancelo and helped turn the game in City's favour. "This young boy has the ability and quality to not just play good, but to make his mates better. He said Mount might be available to face Manchester City on Sunday in the FA Cup and hoped Pulisic's injury was not too serious.

☆ ISSB Plans to Finalize Rules on Disclosure of Climate-Related Risks in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

And then quite naturally, we’re now looking at what’s next,” Mr. Faber said. The International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation, an accounting standards body based in London, launched the ISSB to develop sustainability reporting standards. One of the rule proposals would see companies disclose significant climate-related risks, such as floods and other extreme weather events. The number of global companies reporting under four different frameworks rose to 255 in 2020 from eight in 2019, the data shows. These “adjacent topics” are top of mind for investors, according to Mr. Faber.

☆ Argentina win incredible World Cup final in shootout
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Mitch Phillips | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Summary Argentina win World Cup for third time after 3-3 drawMessi scores two and nets in shootoutMbappe scores hat-trick as France come from 2-0 downSecond World Cup final penalties defeat for France after 2006LUSAIL, Qatar, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Argentina won their third World Cup in an extraordinary final on Sunday as they beat France 4-2 on penalties after Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-3 draw that featured a hat-trick for Kylian Mbappe as the holders recovered from 2-0 down. Messi put Argentina ahead again but Mbappe levelled with another penalty, becoming the second man to score a World Cup final hat-trick after England's Geoff Hurst in 1966. Argentina have now won six of their seven World Cup shootouts, including the quarter-final against the Netherlands a week ago when they also blew a 2-0 lead, while France have lost three of five, but with two of those defeats coming in finals. It seems all the more incredible coming a month after his team began the tournament by suffering statistically the biggest upset in World Cup history when they were beaten by Saudi Arabia. He and Messi both converted the opening spot-kicks of the shootout but then had to stand back and let their team mates decide their destiny.

☆ Stopping the stars won't be enough to win World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Mitch Phillips | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

DOHA, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Despite the high profile performances of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in Qatar, Argentina and France can create danger all over the pitch, so stopping the superstars is only one battle in Sunday's World Cup final war. England were quick to double-team Mbappe whenever he picked up the ball and Argentina, probably through Nahuel Molina and Rodrigo De Paul, will try to do the same. Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot have both been excellent in Doha, with the latter expected to return after missing the semi-final through illness. As hundreds of opponents before them can attest, there is no real way to plan to keep him quiet. In general, the two attacks look stronger than the two defences, which, for the neutral at least, is always a good thing in a World Cup final.

☆ A food fight is raging over what we can and can't call 'meat'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Morten Toft Bech, the founder of a startup that makes plant-based meat alternatives, brought the animals in protest. Meat lobbies argue that plant-based products have stolen the concept of meat without matching its taste and nutrition standards, tarnishing the integrity and cultural importance of meat. It tends to argue that plant-based meat alternatives shouldn't be allowed to use meaty terms at all because, put simply, they aren't meat. Meat bodies want startups to come up with new terms for plant-based food that imitates meat. Both meat organizations and plant-based companies told Insider they encouraged a healthy, balanced diet.

☆ Scaloni heads into final as the coach who made Messi and Argentina smile again
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"He can't even direct traffic, how come he will direct the national team. They have since created a bond that has allowed a rejuvenated Messi to enjoy his best years with the national team. It was that which arguably gave them the foundation to regroup after their shock loss to Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opener. Representing my country is an emotional thing," Scaloni told reporters after Argentina swept past Croatia 3-0 in their World Cup semi-final. Thanks to Scaloni's acumen, Argentina are on the brink of glory - and while Messi will claim the attention, his coach deserves his share of the plaudits.

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Argentina look set to keep Julian Alvarez in attack for Sunday's World Cup final against France after he scored twice in a devastating combination with Lionel Messi in the semi-final. He scored his first goal for the national side in the World Cup quarter-final against the Dutch, which Argentina won on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Leandro ParedesA defensive midfielder with Juventus, 28-year-old Paredes has featured in four of Argentina's World Cup games - infamously booting the ball at the Netherlands' bench in the quarter-final. Rodrigo De PaulThe tough 28-year-old Atletico de Madrid midfielder has been a stalwart in Scaloni's World Cup starting lineup, even playing through injury against the Dutch. The 35-year-old Paris St Germain forward is on a mission to lift his first World Cup at his fifth and final attempt and has been simply magnificent, scoring five goals while creating others with his dribbling and passing wizardry.

☆ Panic over sex toy sales at CVS and Target is overblown— they've been sold at the retailers for years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Avery Hartmans | Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Conservative lawmakers and pundits criticized stores like Target and CVS for stocking sex toys. While the right-wing pundits' ire may be recent, sex toys and sexual wellness products have long been sold at mainstream retailers. The brand, which sells products like sex toys and erectile dysfunction medication, sells its products at Walmart, Target, and CVS. Walmart, Target, CVS, Bloomi, and Cake did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. "This industry, in general, intimacy and sexual wellness, has been becoming more normalized over the years over the last decade, for sure."

☆ Key match-ups in World Cup final between Argentina and France
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Semi Final - Argentina v Croatia - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - December 13, 2022 Argentina's Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring their second goal with Lionel Messi and Nahuel Molina REUTERS/Carl RecineDOHA, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Argentina and France meet in Sunday's World Cup final at Lusail Stadium. Here are three of the key match-ups that are likely to have a strong bearing on the result:Kylian Mbappe v Nahuel MolinaMbappe is a candidate for the World Cup's player of the tournament, having led France to their second consecutive final. The jet-heeled 23-year-old forward has scored five times in six games, surpassing his tally from the 2018 tournament, and has now scored nine World Cup goals in 13 appearances across the two editions. Molina arrived at the World Cup having faced criticism after struggling in his first season with Atletico Madrid, but he has been solid during the tournament and started every match. Lionel Messi v Aurelien TchouameniOne of the most anticipated match-ups will be Argentina great Messi against France's rising star holding-midfielder Tchouameni.

☆ To make cheap EVs work, automakers are replacing decades of know-how with a move from Tesla's playbook
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Auto companies need EV battery supply more than ever, but the costs are adding up. Prices and a push to use local materials have carmakers investing in in-house battery supply. That means car companies are seeking an alternative and racing to secure their battery supply in the US. But the pandemic — and other disruptions, like natural disasters — shed a light on just how vulnerable that can also make auto companies. It's complicated and time-consuming, but may ultimately be the best way car companies can get closer to lowering the cost of new EVs.

☆ France and Argentina bring multiple plot lines to mouthwatering World Cup final
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Standing in Messi’s way is his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappé, as France seeks to win back-to-back World Cup trophies. After a shock defeat by Saudi Arabia in its opening group game, Argentina’s World Cup campaign got off to the worst possible start. When asked whether Sunday’s game will be his last at a World Cup, Messi replied: “Yes. Like Griezmann, the 36-year-old Giroud has had a renaissance in this World Cup, after failing to score a single goal in 2018. We’ll enjoy it now and get ready for the last match of this World Cup.”

☆ TikTokers are increasingly using SEO to boost their reach on the app, which Gen Zers prefer over Google to search. Here are 3 techniques they’re using to make their videos more discoverable.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In September, research found that more Gen Zers use TikTok to access information compared to Google. Here are three techniques they're using to ensure their content is more visible to users on the app. That changed in September when the New York Times reported on how TikTok is the new search engine for Gen Zers. Gen Zers are also using TikTok to find recommendations for vacation spots, activities in their area, and to learn about concepts like non-fungible tokens or artificial intelligence. This shift, combined with the news about Gen Zers, has many creators planning and posting content more intentionally.

☆ Soccer legend Maradona is cheering Lionel Messi from heaven, Argentina fans sing ahead of World Cup final
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

DOHA, Qatar — The blue-and-white wall of Argentina fans launched into another rendition of their World Cup anthem as fulltime approached at Lusail Stadium. The parallels between the two all-time greats of Argentine soccer, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, are becoming ever more striking in Qatar. There have always been echoes of Maradona in Messi — his size, his dribbling skills, his quick feet, his wand of a left foot. “Messi is playing the Maradona role in the World Cup,” Jorge Valdano, who was in Argentina’s victorious World Cup squad in 1986, said in an interview to TyC Sports channel. That was clear to see in Messi’s latest stirring performance as Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday to advance to the World Cup final for the sixth time.

TURTLENECKS HAVE A PR PROBLEM among men. Too many guys put them firmly in the “not for me” category, thinking them overly constricting, pretentious or artsy. The chin-grazing knit’s reputation suffered a further blow this fall, when French finance minister Bruno Le Maire seemingly declared a plan to reduce winter heating bills by wearing turtlenecks—and was widely mocked. “Let them wear cashmere!”Putting French politics aside, we’ve decided to assume the role of the turtleneck’s publicist. And turtlenecks have poked their heads into every fashion category this winter, from luxe (the Row) to sporty (Uniqlo Heattech).

☆ Moderna's CEO predicts how the biotech's work in cancer vaccines could transform healthcare, starting with your annual physical
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Andrew Dunn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Personalized cancer vaccines could provide a new way to fight early cancer cases. Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel told Insider he thinks cancer vaccines can upend cancer care. In an interview, Bancel shared his vision on how these personalized cancer vaccines could transform cancer care. Based off the blood work, Moderna would design vaccines that target the genetic mutations in cancerous cells that stand out from healthy cells. The blood tests could find cancer before it grows too much, and mRNA vaccines could squash it.

☆ Biden administration warns of potential influx of migrants immediately after Title 42 ends
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Priscilla Alvarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Administration officials have been bracing for an influx of migrants when a public health authority, known as Title 42, ends next week. In September, Venezuelans, Cubans and Nicaraguans accounted for almost half of encounters along the US southern border, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas underscored the whole of government approach in a statement, noting that mass movement of people around the globe has posed a uniquely difficult challenge. In October, the administration rolled out a humanitarian parole program geared toward Venezuelans to encourage them to apply for entry into the United States instead of crossing unlawfully. But the calculus of migrants may change when Title 42 lifts, the memo says.

☆ First on CNN: Biden administration to pilot new portions of citizenship test next year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Priscilla Alvarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The naturalization exam is a crucial step to an immigrant’s path toward US citizenship, potentially impacting hundreds of thousands of immigrants who seek citizenship annually. The trial civics portion is expected to be redesigned in a multiple-choice format, instead of it being fill in the blank. Currently, applicants study 100 civics test items and are required to answer six of 10 civics questions correctly to pass. The citizenship test was a target of the Trump administration, which tried to curtail legal immigration and doubled down on citizenship. Last year, the Biden administration rolled back the controversial Trump-era naturalization civics test, reverting to a prior version of the exam.

Schumer, a New York Democrat who has long pressed the administration to terminate Title 42, is far from alone. Since March 2020, when the authority was invoked, border officials have turned away migrants at the US-Mexico border more than two million times. But just days away from the anticipated end of Title 42, plans are still being sorted out. The Biden administration is also asking Congress for more than $3 billion as it prepares for the end of Title 42, according to a source familiar with the ask. It is not specific to the end of Title 42, the source said.

☆ A second chance: How Messi's Argentina reached the World Cup final again
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Messi scored a 10th minute penalty in the first half where Argentina had three goals disallowed for offside before the Saudis struck twice in the second half to stun the South American champions. If Argentina could take any solace from the result, it was that when they lost their group opener to Cameroon in 1990 they still reached the final. Substitute Enzo Fernandez scored with another sublime strike to seal the points and set Argentina on their way amid an electric atmosphere at Lusail Stadium, the biggest arena in Qatar. "Today starts another World Cup for Argentina," Messi had said after admitting they were poor in the first half. LAST 16: ARGENTINA 2-1 AUSTRALIAThe stars seemed to align for Messi in a physical last-16 clash with Australia as he scored in his 1,000th match to move past Maradona's World Cup tally.

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