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LOS ANGELES, April 14 (Reuters) - From the first blonde haired Barbie created by Mattel in 1959 to the upcoming "Barbie" film, the iconic doll with small feet continues to make a large impression on generations of fans at the new "World of Barbie" immersive experience in Los Angeles. This trip is not just for young girls, said Lucy Treadway, producer for Kilburn Live, which built the life-sized version of Barbie's Dreamhouse. Fans are encouraged to express their own style at the "World of Barbie" through the viral "Barbiecore" fashion trend of girly pink outfits and accessories. Fans can also buy Barbies and Barbiecore accessories at the "World of Barbie," with plenty of options for customers to embrace their love for the Barbie world. Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Jorge Garcia; Editing by Mary Milliken and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Clashes erupt at protests ahead of France pension ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsClashes erupt at protests ahead of France pension rulingPostedProtesters stormed a luxury goods store in Paris, burned cars, sang and chanted in the streets, a day before a key vote on a proposed reform to French pensions. Riot police used tear gas to disperse the crowds as things turned violent. Lucy Fielder reports.

☆ Two of Ken Griffin's biggest donations sit on opposite sides of the spectrum
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Griffin, who founded Wall Street giants Citadel and Citadel Securities, donated $300 million to Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). However, it's interesting to see how two of his biggest contributions — DeSantis and Harvard — seem to operate on opposite ends of the spectrum. Click her to read our profile on Ken Griffin's rise to the top of Wall Street. Wall Street is drying out wells to drive up returns in California. Click here for more on the water woes created by Wall Street.

☆ Biden urges return to power-sharing on Belfast visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsBiden urges return to power-sharing on Belfast visitPostedU.S. President Joe Biden has urged Northern Irish leaders to go back to power-sharing, on a visit to Belfast against a backdrop of political tensions. Lucy Fielder has more.

[1/2] Sam Altman speaks at the Wall Street Journal Digital Conference in Laguna Beach, California, U.S., October 18, 2017. "We hope to ... build something great for Japanese people, make the models better for Japanese language and Japanese culture," Altman told reporters following his meeting with Kishida. Asked about Italy's temporary ban on ChatGPT - developed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) backed OpenAI - Matsuno told a regular news conference that Japan is aware of other countries' actions. Japan will continue evaluating possibilities of introducing AI to reduce government workers' workload after assessing how to respond to concerns such as data breaches, Matsuno said. OpenAI CEO Altman said he told Japan's Kishida about "the upsides of this technology and how to mitigate the downsides" at the Monday meeting in Tokyo.

☆ Two more die as Israel-Palestinian unrest simmers, political faultlines widen
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Mohamad Torokman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] Relatives react during the funeral of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli raid, near Jericho in the Israeli-Occupied West Bank, April 10, 2023. In a sign of Israel's fracturing political faultlines, thousands of Israelis marched towards Evyatar, an evacuated outpost in the West Bank, in support of the expansion of settlements. "I had just left my house when I saw military forces and people throwing stones," said Fayez Balhan, the teen's father. Israeli forces are still trying to track the assailant down. Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital - territories Israel captured in a 1967 war.

☆ RBNZ stuns market with bigger rate rise, more tightening seen
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The central bank's hawkish stance saw a number of economists revise their expectations, predicting it would increase the official cash rate (NZINTR=ECI) (OCR) to a peak of 5.5%. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand said the committee needed to increase the cash rate if it is to return inflation to its target of 1%-3%. Wednesday's decision comes in sharp contrast with the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to hold the cash rate steady. Two-year swaps jumped 15 bps to 5.11%, still well below the March peak of 5.53%, while the 90-day bank bill rate implied the official cash rate would peak at 5.5%. Kiwibank along with ANZ, Bank of New Zealand, ASB Bank and Capital Economics now expect the cash rate to peak at 5.5%.

☆ New Zealand central bank unexpectedly hikes rates 50 basis points, kiwi rallies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Twenty-two of 24 economists in a Reuters poll had forecast the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) would raise rates by just 25 basis points. This is the eleventh straight hike since the central bank started raising rates in October 2021. It now expects the cash rate to peak at 5.5%. The RBNZ's move was in contrast to Australia's central bank, which kept rates on hold at its review on Tuesday. The central bank noted that while the level of economic activity over the fourth quarter was lower than anticipated and there were emerging signs of capacity pressures easing, demand continues to significantly outpace supply capacity.

☆ New Zealand central bank surprises with 50 basis point hike, kiwi soars
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WELLINGTON, April 5 (Reuters) - New Zealand's central bank unexpectedly raised its cash rate by 50 basis points to a more than 14-year high of 5.25% on Wednesday, reiterating that inflation was still too high and persistent. Twenty-two of 24 economists in a Reuters poll had forecast the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) would raise rates by just 25 basis points. This is the eleventh straight hike since the central bank started raising rates in October 2021. At the RBNZ's review in February, when it raised rates by 50 bps, it had signalled a 50 bp hike for April but with the outlook turning darker, economists had forecast a smaller increase. The central bank noted that while the level of economic activity over the fourth quarter was lower than anticipated and there were emerging signs of capacity pressures easing, demand continues to significantly outpace supply capacity.

☆ The Masters were caddied by only Black men for nearly 50 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Located just three miles from The Masters venue, the historically Black district lay adjacent to Augusta Country Club. Eventually, many would hop across Rae’s Creek to begin work at Augusta National. A “good bag” at Augusta National would pay up to $5, Maben said, offering $20 for a particularly lucrative day’s labor. The 1983 Masters saw the first White caddies walk the greens at the major, with just 19 Black caddies on the bag, Clayton said. This year, the Lucy Craft Laney Museum will put the legacy of Augusta’s Black caddies – quite literally – center stage.

Persons: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Willie Peterson caddied Nicklaus ’, Nathaniel “, ” Avery, Peterson –, –, Augusta, Nicklaus, Peterson, Augusta caddies, Leon Maben, Lucy, Lucy Craft Laney, Ward Clayton, “, ” Palmer, ” Clayton, …, Maben, Jerry ” Beard, caddie, Fuzzy Zoeller, John P, caddying, Willie “ Pappy ” Stokes, Stokes, Henry Picard, Ben Hogan, Hogan, Beard, Zoeller, Augusta “, Clayton, ” Maben, ” Beard, Heinz Kluetmeier, Tommy “, ” Bennett, Woods, scalding, John H, Stovepipe ” Gordon, Frank “, ” Stokes, Matthew “ Shorty Mac ” Palmer, Avery’s, Gordon, Gene Sarazen, Sarazen, Willie “, Perteet, Dwight D, Eisenhower, ”, ’, ‘, We’re, caddies, Jim Crow, Ron Townsend, Lee Elder, Elder, Andy Lyons, Townsend, ” Carl Jackson, Ben Crenshaw, Jackson, Crenshaw, “ Gentle Ben ”, Watson, Jamie Squire, Harvey Penick, ” Jackson, you’re, Andrew Redington, Avery, Palmer, Augusta caddies – Stokes, It’s Organizations: CNN, Augusta National, Bettmann, Getty, Augusta Country, Lucy Craft, Lucy Craft Laney Museum of, . Augusta National, ”, Augusta, ESPN, National, PGA, Augusta Country Club Locations: Georgia, Cedar Grove, Sand, Black, Augusta, caddies, Clayton, America, ”, Perteet

☆ New Zealand intelligence service says foreign interference attempts 'persistent'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WELLINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - Attempts by some countries to interfere with New Zealand's democracy, economy and civil society "are persistent", according to New Zealand Security Intelligence Service's (NZSIS) annual report. The report said it had identified increasingly aggressive activity from individuals seen as conducting intelligence and associated with a "small number of foreign states" that it did not name. "These individuals pose an enduring threat to New Zealand's national security," the agency added in the report released this week, which covers the year ended June 2022. "For some states, these activities are enduring and persistent," it said, though it added greater awareness of the issue had made it more challenging for countries to conduct interference activity. The NZSIS report said New Zealand also cannot take regional Pacific security for granted, because it had become an important theatre of geopolitical competition.

☆ Sterling ticks higher against dollar as focus stays on rate outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 3 - Sterling ticked higher against the dollar on Monday, with market moves largely driven by news of a surprise announcement from OPEC+ of more production cuts which sent the price of oil and the dollar sharply higher earlier in the session. By 1030 GMT the pound was up 0.18% against the dollar which trimmed gains, at $1.2352. "The impact overnight in the Asian session was one of higher oil after the OPEC cuts, meaning lower chances of rate cuts by the Fed and so a higher dollar. With little in the way of UK-specific data this week, attention is staying on the Bank of England's rate outlook and the UK's economic outlook. British inflation is around 10.4% - over five times the Bank of England's target rate of 2% and the highest among the Group of Seven rich nations.

☆ One New Zealand to use SpaceX satellites to improve coverage
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WELLINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) - One New Zealand, formerly Vodafone NZ, said on Monday it had signed an agreement with billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX to use the U.S. company's Starlink satellites to provide cell coverage to 100% of New Zealand from late 2024. The technology would initially be for text and multimedia messaging services but would later extend to voice and data services in areas of New Zealand not currently connected, One New Zealand added in a statement. One New Zealand's mobile network covers 98% of places New Zealanders live and work but currently covers only 50% of the country’s landmass. "When the service goes live, there will be coverage across the country whether you’re out on your boat, climbing a mountain, fixing a remote road or on your farm,” One New Zealand Chief Executive Jason Paris said. Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Independent Group Stakes Out Position as Arbiter of Carbon-Offset Quality
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Dieter Holger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Each carbon credit is supposed to equal one metric ton of carbon dioxide avoided or removed from the atmosphere. Credits that meet the ICVCM’s standards would receive a so-called Core Carbon Principles badge. Still, it remains to be seen how carbon crediting organizations adopt the ICVCM’s standards. PREVIEWThe ICVCM’s effort comes during a time when many companies are hesitant to buy voluntary carbon credits or have pulled back. Less than a quarter of 137 global companies surveyed in the fourth quarter of 2022 plan to use carbon credits, according to the World Economic Forum.

☆ The Indie-Rock Trio boygenius Returns, Confident and Connected
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Jon Pareles | More About Jon Pareles | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A streak of conspiratorial glee runs through “The Record,” the full-length debut album by boygenius. At Bridgers’s instigation, they regrouped to record a full album in January 2022; it’s being released on Friday. Even in the quietest, most self-questioning songs on “The Record,” boygenius sounds like its members are egging on one another, cheering the boldest moves and pushing past collaboration toward synergy. The three songwriters found one another as they crossed paths on the indie-rock circuit in the 2010s. On “The Record” — produced by boygenius with collaborators including Catherine Marks, Sarah Tudzin (of Illuminati Hotties) and Melina Duterte (a.k.a.

Persons: “, ” Julien Baker, Baker, ” Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, it’s, —, boygenius, Catherine Marks, Sarah Tudzin, Melina Duterte, Jay Som Organizations: “ Locations: “

☆ Republicans are reveling in House Democrats' frustrations with Biden after he withholds veto yet again
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

House Democrats are annoyed with President Joe Biden and Republicans can't get enough of it. In the last month, Biden has twice withheld vetoes on GOP-led bills that most House Democrats opposed – and after the White House signaled that Biden opposed them, too. However, before a Senate vote Wednesday night, the White House put out the word that Biden wouldn't veto the bill. House Republicans' campaign arm on Wednesday is seizing on the schism, including a popcorn emoji in an email highlighting such quotes from House Democrats. "House Democrats remain rip-roaring angry at the White House for once again exposing their extremism to voters," said Will Reinert, of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

☆ New Zealand defence minister says military needs more resources amid growing challenges
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WELLINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - New Zealand's military will require big investment as it faces new challenges and greater expectations from regional allies, the country’s new defence minister, Andrew Little, said Thursday. The United States is "certainly keen to have New Zealand engaged but it’s not a decision I get to take alone,” he said. Little said that whatever New Zealand decided in terms of engaging with AUKUS, it was important that the defence force was equipped to work with its Australian counterparts. New Zealand, which spends roughly 1.5% its of GDP on its military, is undertaking a defence policy review as the country grapples with regional geopolitics and climate change. The Defence Force has been struggling with record attrition in part because of low pay, which has forced the navy to idle three of its ships and to retire its P-3 Orion fleet early.

☆ Seeking a Studio on the East Side of Manhattan for $600,000: These Were Her Options
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Debra Kamin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Her father, the first-generation American son of Puerto Rican parents, and her mother, an immigrant from Colombia, had always encouraged her to own property. “Growing up, I was always told, ‘If you can buy, then buy,’” said Ms. Gonzalez, 27, who works remotely as a digital communications strategy manager for a Mexico-based tequila brand. “The idea of buying in New York felt impossible, so I decided to get as close as I could,” she said. By the summer of 2022, she figured that selling her apartment would leave her with a budget of up to $600,000 to buy a new place. [Also in Real Estate: This 835-Year-Old Medieval English House Needs Some Modern Love — and a Buyer.]

☆ UK broadcasters to stay prominent on smart TVs and speakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - On-demand services from Britain's BBC, ITV (ITV.L) and other public service broadcasters must remain easy to find on smart TVs and set-top boxes, the government said as it announced a plan to update media rules for the streaming age. Britain's public service broadcasters have protected positions in electronic programme guides, ensuring viewers can easily find the content they are required to produce, for example in news. But with more people choosing to watch on-demand television through apps on their smart TVs or other platforms, the broadcasters have raised concerns that their on-demand services could become less visible to viewers. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said changes to viewing habits had put traditional broadcasters under unprecedented pressure. Smart speaker platforms - such as Google and Amazon - will be required to ensure access to all licenced UK radio stations, from major national stations to the smallest community stations, the government said.

☆ How Russia uses facial recognition to curb dissent
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsHow Russia uses facial recognition to curb dissentPostedSince Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian police has escalated the use of facial recognition to crack down on dissidents and prevent people from protesting. Lucy Ha has more.

☆ NZ Foreign Minister says encouraged China to support Pacific regional institutions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WELLINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) - New Zealand's foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta said on Tuesday she had encouraged China to support and strengthen Pacific regional institutions and uphold a 22-year old agreement that sees Pacific countries look after their own security needs. After returning from Beijing, Mahuta told reporters she had encouraged China to support regional Pacific architecture such as the Pacific Islands Forum, the Forum Fisheries Agency and the Biketawa agreement. New Zealand has consistently expressed concerns about the potential militarisation of the Pacific with China's military buildup in the South China Sea. Mahuta met with China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, after he returned from a visit to Russia with President Xi Jinping. "Most of the emphasis from the Chinese side was on their efforts to encourage the peace plan that President Xi had put to President Putin," she said.

☆ New Zealand security chiefs increasingly concerned about foreign interference
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WELLINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - New Zealand intelligence agencies are growing more concerned about both foreign interference and malicious cyber activity ahead of elections in October, the country’s intelligence chiefs said on Monday. “It's fair to say that concern about foreign interference as well as malicious cyber activity is growing,” Andrew Hampton, director general of the New Zealand Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), told media after testifying at parliament. Security services are working with the election authority to improve cybersecurity and procedures and will also brief political parties on security and foreign interference threats. Both the GCSB and Security Intelligence Service chiefs were speaking before the intelligence committee that includes the country’s Prime Minister as part of their annual review. “Foreign interference should not be tolerated,” McKee said.

☆ Swiss franc grapples with safe-haven identity crisis after Credit Suisse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Samuel Indyk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Money managers ditched the Swiss franc at the fastest rate in two years last week in the run-up to the dramatic takeover of Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) by UBS (UBSG.S). "You still have some of the safe-haven hedging properties in the Swiss franc but it can only take so much when the risk ends up being so concentrated in the Swiss economy and the Swiss financial sector," Kundby-Nielsen added. "If it hadn't been Credit Suisse, but any other European bank getting into trouble, you would have seen the Swiss franc rising sharply because it would have been the safe haven for European risk," said Francesco Pesole, FX strategist at ING. "The franc is not an 'all-weather' safe haven and so far we've not had the type of market pressures that would typically lead to franc appreciation," he said. SWISSIt's one thing for the franc to have lost some favour among investors during a Swiss-centric crisis, but quite another to suggest its days as a safe haven are numbered.

☆ May be seeing a 'coordinated attempt to stifle crypto innovation': Token Bay
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMay be seeing a 'coordinated attempt to stifle crypto innovation': Token BayLucy Gazmararian from Token Bay Capital says the Hindenburg report on Block is "damaging", and could be seen as part of a coordinated attempt to slow down crypto innovation in the U.S..

☆ Starbucks’s New CEO Trained as Barista to Prepare for Role
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Heather Haddon | Photography Lucy Hewett For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

CHICAGO—New Starbucks Corp. Chief Executive Laxman Narasimhan plans to be in regular contact with departing CEO Howard Schultz —but it will be clear who is in charge, both men said. “There’s places where he can be really helpful. The world, though, needs boxes and lines,” Mr. Narasimhan said in an interview. “There’s one CEO, and that’s me.”

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