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☆ Israel exports oil for the first time ever after diplomatic breakthrough with Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Israel launched its first-ever export of crude oil, sending a shipment to Europe. Israel's oil export was sold to commodities giant Vitol through a multi-cargo agreement. "The first ever lifting of an Israeli crude oil cargo has taken place at the company's Karish field," Energean said. While the country is still expected to import most of its oil, Israel has become self-sufficient on natural gas and has been exporting it for years. Israel's largest gasfield, Leviathan, also produces some crude oil, but those supplies go to domestic refineries.

☆ Meet Justina Miles, Rihanna's Super Bowl halftime show ASL performer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Jennifer Liu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

As millions tune in to watch the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs at the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, this Sunday, Justina Miles will be making history. She will also be the first female deaf performer for the Super Bowl's halftime show. More than 120 million viewers watched the Super Bowl halftime show in 2022, which featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar. It was the first Super Bowl halftime show to feature ASL performers, including rappers Sean Forbes and Warren "WaWa" Snipe. Super Bowl pre-game coverages starts Sunday at 1 p.m. EST on Fox, and kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. EST.

☆ Coca-Cola partners with Rosalia on new drink
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Coca-Cola is releasing a new limited-edition flavor, Coca-Cola Move, in collaboration with Grammy-award winning singer Rosalía. As with its other high-concept flavors, Coca-Cola isn’t sharing what Move is actually supposed to taste like. Coca-Cola partners with Rosalía on a new drink, "Coca-Cola Move". The Coca-Cola CompanyFor Coca-Cola, the limited-edition items are a way to build buzz around its core product, Coke. In June, it co-created a Coke drink with Marshmello, a masked celebrity DJ and electronic music producer.

☆ Cheers! Spirits like gin, vodka, overtake beer's U.S. market share
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jessica Dinapoli | Thomson Reuters | New York-Based Reporter Covering U.S. Consumer Products Spanning Paper Towels To Packaged Food | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Spirits like whiskey, cognac and tequila, a celebrity favorite, have surpassed beer's U.S. market share for the first time due to price hikes and high-end cocktail trends, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. U.S. sales for spirits totaled $37.58 billion last year, while beers like Anheuser-Busch inbev SA's (ABI.BR) Bud Lite tallied $37.46 billion, according to data compiled by the Distilled Spirits Council. Spirits' market share was 42.1%, while beer's was 41.9%, according to the data. Tequila and ready-to-drink canned cocktails including Constellation Brands Inc's (STZ.N) Fresca vodka spritz were among the fastest-growing types of spirits, the Distilled Spirits Council said. "The 'premiumization' trend, where people look at distilled spirits as an affordable luxury, is affirmed by these numbers," said Chris Swonger, CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council.

If China's physical demand does accelerate from March, it may prove Aramco made the correct call in raising its OSP. Saudi crude is sold under long-term contracts that typically allow for variations in the volumes sought by refiners, or offered by Aramco. It's likely that Chinese refiners will first turn to Russian crude if they are boosting imports, as will refiners in India, Asia's second-biggest oil importer. This is set to be surpassed this month, with Kpler tracking seaborne arrivals of Russian fuel oil in China at 6.75 million barrels. It appears that China is already buying more Russian crude and fuel oil.

☆ Russia says EU price cap exemptions show its oil is still in demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 8 (Reuters) - Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday that European Union moves to add what he called "exemptions" to its price cap on oil products showed that Russian oil was still in demand. The European Union said last week it agreed to set price caps on Russian refined oil products to limit Moscow's ability to finance its war in Ukraine. At the same time, the EU introduced several exemptions to the way its price cap works. The price cap no longer applies to Russian petroleum products when the blending operations in a third country "result in a tariff shift" or changes in the oil product type. The West also imposed a ban on sea-borne Russian oil purchases in December and a price cap of $60 per barrel, which is still above the current price of Russia's flagship Urals crude blend.

☆ Resistance is futile. Welcome to the "generative AI" era
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This is going to be the year of “generative AI” the way 2012 was the year of Instagram. (Yes, Bing still exists and Microsoft hopes AI can make it relevant again for the first time ever.) Generative AI is the technology that underpins ChatGPT, the chatbot that’s gotten everyone in the content-generation biz (hello!) But Google, Microsoft and their rivals are still bullish. “We have even more exciting, AI-enabled innovations in the works that will change the way people search, work and play.”

☆ Azeri BTC crude loadings suspended at a major oil export hub in Turkey after earthquakes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Crude oil loadings from Turkey's Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan terminal in the Mediterranean have been suspended following a twin set of earthquakes that devastated Turkey and Syria on Monday, leaving over 9,000 dead. The BTC terminal loads Azeri BTC Blend crude, which is transported to the Ceyhan port through the BTC pipeline. A force majeure notice seen by CNBC — which removes contractual liability from exporters or producers for circumstances outside of their control — was issued on Tuesday evening. The BTC pipeline was not impacted by the earthquakes, the Botas International Company that operates its Turkish section said on Monday. The BTC crude oil loadings schedule that is typically published on the 8th of every month will be delayed, two trade sources said.

☆ Biologists found 5 new species of snakes and Leonardo DiCaprio named one that produces a 'musky and distasteful odor' after his mom
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

One of the snakes was named by actor Leonardo DiCaprio in honor of his mother, Irmelin Indenbirken. The snakes are being threatened by mining operations in the country, scientists noted. Biologist Alejandro Arteaga examining a preserved snail-eating snake in a museum Jorge CastilloOf the five species, one — a red-orange snake with large, glowing orange eyes — is called DiCaprio's snail-eating snake. "When threatened, individuals may hide the head among body coils and produce a musky and distasteful odor," the study read. Alejandro ArteagaThe four other snakes include the canopy snail-eating snake, Marley's snail-eating snake — named after the daughter of billionaire Brian Sheth — as well as Vieira's snail-eating snake, and Welborn's snail-eating snake.

☆ 75% of LGBTQ+ startup founders hide their identity from investors, UK survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Proud Ventures, with the backing of Founders Factory and Investec Wealth, surveyed 118 founders and 61 investors based in the U.K. for the research. It is the first report of its kind in the U.K. startup community, according to Proud Ventures. A survey from Proud Ventures, a network of LGBTQ+ venture capitalists and angel investors, found that 75% of LGBTQ+ startup founders and 79% of investors conceal their sexual orientation or gender identity. A number of startup founders reported facing discrimination as a result of their LGBTQ+ identity. It is feared the contraction in startup funding, declining technology valuations and a worsening macroeconomic backdrop could worsen the situation for LGBTQ+ founders.

☆ I tried 25 of Trader Joe's award-winning foods, and would buy at least 21 of them again
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Savanna Swain-Wilson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +42 min

I hit up my local Trader Joe's and bought as many award-winning foods as I could to see which ones deserved their hype. In other words, I agree with the many customers who have dubbed this their favorite Trader Joe's snack. As long as I live within reasonable driving distance of a Trader Joe's, I will continue to buy this loaf. Trader Joe's butter chicken with basmati rice is a satisfyingly spicy comfort meal for oneTrader Joe's butter chicken with basmati rice had a delicious sauce. Trader Joe's cheddar with caramelized onions offers a memorable balance of savory, salty, and sweetThe cheddar smelled like caramelized onions.

Persons: —, Monterey Jack, burrito, Savanna, Wilson, didn't, I've, It's, Joe's, I'm, they're, chorizo, I'd, Butter, they'd, Joe's cashiers, who's, fryer, Swain Wilson Organizations: Service, of Fame, Business, I'd, Wilson, panini Locations: Monterey, Monterey Jack, skillet, Savanna, Peru, treacly, San Francisco

☆ Turkey’s Ceyhan oil port disrupted by weather as earthquake damage assessed
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Operations were interrupted at the Ceyhan oil port — a critical hub for the discharge of crude oil and oil products, along with the loading of Azeri crude and a stream of Iraqi crude oil — on Monday, following two earthquakes that devastated Turkey and Syria, leaving over 5,000 dead. It also exports volumes of two crude oil streams — the Azeri crude oil delivered through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) consortium's pipeline, and the Iraqi Kirkuk blend crude oil transferred through the separate Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline. Loadings of the two crude oil terminals are undertaken from two different points within Ceyhan port, with BTC crude oil leaving the BTC terminal, while the Kirkuk blend sails from the Botas terminal. An oil trade source familiar with KRG operations told CNBC that the pipeline could likely begin flows later Tuesday. An oil tanker ship is awaiting to berth to load Kirkuk blend crude.

☆ Dyson, Everlane and AirPods Pro 2: Best online sales right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Caroline Curran | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Lowest Price AirPods Pro 2 $249 $199 at Amazon Apple Three years after debuting — and landing in the ears of seemingly everyone you know — Apple’s mega-popular AirPods Pro have finally gotten a refresh. Available now, the AirPods Pro 2 offer major upgrades like improved active noise cancellation (ANC), a wider range of fit options, more expansive touch controls and longer battery life. Right now, the second-gen AirPods Pro are at their lowest price yet of $199, so order now at Amazon to save on these pricey earbuds. Lowest Price Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer $460 $400 at Amazon Dyson In addition to making your floors spotless, Dyson is a pro at styling your strands with its range of hair tools. And right now, you can snap up a brand-new Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer for under $400, the lowest price we’ve seen at Amazon.

☆ Russia's oil and gas revenue crashed by nearly 50% at the start of 2023, leading to a wider budget deficit as Moscow's spending soars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia logged a nearly 50% drop in oil and gas revenue in January, contributing to a wider budget deficit. Moscow's spending surged by nearly 60% as the war against Ukraine ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin neared the one-year mark. Oil and gas revenue tumbled 46% in January from the same month a year ago to 426 billion rubles ($5.96 billion), Russia's finance ministry said Monday in a preliminary release. Expenditures rose amid largely classified plans by Russia to increase defense spending to 3.5 trillion rubles in 2023, the FT reported. The lower energy sales and the rise in spending contributed to the federal budget logging a deficit of 1.76 trillion rubles ($24.78 billion) last month.

Non-oil and gas revenues were 28% lower at 981 billion roubles, attributed to lower domestic VAT and income tax takings. Overall, budget revenues for the month were down 35.1%, while spending was 58.7% higher in January 2023, at 3.12 trillion roubles, already more than 10% of the full-year spending plan. January's deficit already stands at 60% of the whole year's plan of 2.93 trillion roubles and analysts expect the shortfall to widen to more than 5 trillion roubles if current conditions persist. Russia's main sources of covering the budget deficit are domestic borrowing, which it stepped up sharply in the final quarter of 2022, and its rainy day fund of accumulated energy revenues. On Monday, the ministry said the National Wealth Fund (NWF) stood at $155 billion, with 38.5 billion roubles worth of Chinese yuan and gold spent in January to cover the deficit.

☆ Google and Microsoft’s AI arms race could have ‘unintended consequences,’ an AI ethicist warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Google is officially set to confront OpenAI’s ChatGPT — and soon. Ammanath said that “unintended consequences” accompany every new technology and reluctantly expressed confidence that it too will occur with AI chatbots, unless significant precautions are taken. Ammanath stressed that computer scientists working on AI have yet to solve for bias, a years-long problem, as well as other worrisome issues that plague the technology. And in its wake, other outlets like BuzzFeed, are already embracing the robot-writing technology to help it generate content and quizzes. “This is a new dimension that generative AI has brought in,” Ammanath added.

☆ Western sanctions push Russia's energy revenues to lowest level since 2020
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Darya Korsunskaya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 3 (Reuters) - Russia's monthly budget revenues from oil and gas fell in January to their lowest level since August 2020 under the impact of Western sanctions on Russian exports, Finance Ministry data showed on Friday. January's figure stood at 425.5 billion roubles ($6.05 billion). The West - previously Russia's most lucrative energy market - has responded to Russia's invasion of Ukraine by targeting its energy revenues through an unprecedented package of sanctions that is set to tighten further. The average price in January was $49.48 a barrel, the finance ministry said, down 42% on January 2022. The Russian government earned 11.6 trillion roubles ($165 billion) on oil and gas sales last year, the finance ministry said.

☆ Glossier, Ugg, Le Creuset: Product releases this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Krystin Arneson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

There are a ton of great products that drop every week — and we’re here, as always, to keep you up to date on the best of them. This week brings the launch of Otherland’s ’90s-inspired candle collections, Ikea’s stunning collab with Sabine Marcelis and Le Creuset’s new matte navy cookware. Shop our favorite new releases below, but be fast — they’re prone to selling out. The $90 device comes in black, white, brushed steel and brass, so it’s also easy to match to your kitchen fixtures. Loungewear-meets-streetwear from the expertsUggIf anyone knows a thing or two about creating comfortable things to wear, it’s Ugg.

The trade also provides a way to get Russian oil to market and bring much-needed export earnings to Moscow. "We've been looking at Russian fuel oil since December. China's total fuel oil imports surged to about 1.76 million tonnes in December, highest since September 2021, official customs data showed. Fuel oil imports from blending hubs trend higher"The deep discounts offered are driving the trend as independent refiners are price sensitive. Asia will continue to soak up cheaper Russian (fuel oil) barrels on top of crude," Jamil said.

☆ Big Oil mega-deals would put investors on the spot
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( George Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

So are Shell (SHEL.L), BP (BP.L) and TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), but investors value U.S. oil majors way higher than European ones. $473 billion Exxon and $331 billion Chevron trade at 6 times expected EBITDA for 2023, twice the average of $210 billion Shell, $154 billion Total and $109 billion BP. One reason why is that as oil prices have soared, American drillers look more attractive than European ones that are also pressing into potentially lower-return renewable energy. Imagine Chevron or Exxon acquired BP for $170 billion, factoring in a 30% premium to its market capitalisation, plus debt. Any cross-border deal would see Chevron’s Mike Wirth or Exxon’s Darren Woods take a big bet on continuing high oil prices, and also attract political heat.

☆ The Watch List: Underscored’s most anticipated product launches of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Cnn Underscored Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN Underscored editors regularly highlight new product launches — everything from a new colorway of that viral pan to the next must-have sneaker — through announcement posts, in-depth reviews and comparative testing pieces. Now, for the first time, we’re giving readers a sneak peek at some of the most anticipated products that are set to launch in 2023 with a new feature: The Watch List. The Legendary Classic Canteen will combine an old-school aesthetic with modern design elements like a handy strap and leakproof lid. Meanwhile, the box quilt pattern keeps everything looking casual cool in four colors: natural, white, light gray and charcoal. Cabeau TNE S3: The Neck’s EvolutionCabeauThe Cabeau Evolution S3 is our pick for best travel pillow based on a variety of factors.

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☆ Tabasco teams with a TikTok star to surprise hot sauce fans
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“TikTok made us do it,” according to Lee Susen, Tabasco Brand’s chief sales and marketing officer. Tinx, he said, is on a “mission to normalize hot sauce as dressing.”A superfan of the brand, Tinx has been posting her adoration for the hot sauce on her TikTok for the past few years. “There’s a tendency to think about hot sauce as only an agent of heat,” he said. He added that since hot sauce uses are limited compared to other condiments, Tabasco Brand has to innovate to keep growing. “They will hope that their hot sauce dressing provides a new avenue and converts some new customers to the brand.

☆ Chelsea smash British transfer record to sign Benfica's Fernandez
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Chelsea announced the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Benfica on Wednesday after days of complex negotiations between the clubs to secure the Argentina midfielder for a British transfer record 106.8 million pounds ($131.46 million). Premier League club Chelsea announced the signing on Wednesday 1000 GMT via a video on Twitter, which showed a clip of a clock ticking down, making a reference to race against time to sign the World Cup winner. It takes Chelsea's transfer spending in January alone to close to 300 million pounds and to more than 500 million pounds since last May's takeover by an investment group led by American Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. His fee eclipses the 100 million pounds Manchester City paid Aston Villa for England midfielder Jack Grealish in 2021. On Tuesday, Chelsea sold experienced midfielder Jorginho to Premier League leaders Arsenal for 12 million pounds.

☆ These are Trader Joe’s customer’s favorite items
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Trader Joe’s asked its customers a simple question: If you were to spend the rest of your life on a deserted island, which nine Trader Joe’s products would you take with you? The first Trader Joe’s opened in Pasadena, California, in 1967. Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips Chili & Lime Trader Joe'sSee the all-time favorites included in Trader Joe’s Hall of FameThe chips also won in the poll’s favorite snack category. Top EntreeReplacing the longtime Mandarin Orange Chicken is Trader Joe’s Butter Chicken – spiced chicken in a tomato and cream sauce with basmati rice. Indian is popular with Trader Joe’s customers.

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