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☆ Human rights court begins review of high-stakes El Salvador abortion case
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mayela LopezSAN JOSE/SAN SALVADOR, March 22 (Reuters) - The Inter-American Court of Human Rights on Wednesday began hearing the historic case of a Salvadoran woman who was denied an abortion in 2013 despite doctors' calls to terminate her high-risk pregnancy. They recommended an abortion but would not perform the procedure given El Salvador's severe prohibition. Beatriz appealed to the Supreme Court and the IACHR, but the Salvadoran court rejected her request and in June 2013 she underwent a C-section. The court's public hearing, which is being held in San Jose, Costa Rica until Thursday, was marked by both anti-abortion protests and demonstrations of support for Beatriz. Reporting by Alvaro Murillo in San Jose and Nelson Renteria in San Salvador; Editing by David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

On Tuesday at its developer conference GTC, Nvidia unveiled CUDA Quantum, a platform for building quantum algorithms using popular classical computer coding languages C++ and python. "CUDA Quantum will do the same for quantum computing, enabling domain scientists to seamlessly integrate quantum into their applications and gain access to a new disruptive computing technology," said Tim Costa, Nvidia's director of HPC and quantum. One difference, Costa said, is while CUDA is proprietary, CUDA Quantum is open source and was developed with input from many quantum computing companies. Nvidia also launched a new hardware system called DGX Quantum to connect the quantum computer with classical computers. "We see more and more demand to integrate these quantum computers with standard computers," said Itamar Sivan, co-founder and CEO of Quantum Machines.

☆ Brazil's Lula to announce fiscal framework after China visit, criticizes central bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The new framework is considered crucial to addressing fiscal concerns after Lula secured congressional approval for a multi-billion-real package that bypasses the constitutional spending cap to boost social spending and fulfill campaign promises. However, in an interview with local news website Brasil 247, Lula said it wouldn't make sense to announce the fiscal framework and then travel to China. Reacting to the postponement, interest rate futures closed higher at the short end of the yield curve. During the interview, Lula also criticized the country's central bank, saying that an interest rate of 13.75% - its current level - is "irresponsible," adding he will continue to fight the current level to stimulate the economy. Brazil's central bank has been holding its benchmark interest rate at a six-year high since September and, according to economists polled by Reuters, is expected to maintain it unchanged at the Wednesday meeting.

☆ Mexico makes lots of electric cars, but few Mexicans drive them
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Aida Pelaez-Fernandez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co, BMW and Volkswagen's Audi unit also are producing EVs in Mexico, or plan to. "There are still a number of issues that need resolving in Mexico before there's a massive influx of electric cars," said Mario Hernandez, KPMG's lead manufacturing partner in Mexico. Hernandez said drawbacks included a lack of subsidies for buyers, high costs for installing charging devices at homes and a shortage of public charging stations, vital for longer journeys. Mexico has about 1,100 charging stations nationwide, mostly in the capital and other major cities, according to AMIA. Pedro Corral, director of operations for EV charging stations platform Evergo, drives his all-electric i3 BMW around Mexico City.

Since then, critics say those schemes have come back to bite the economy by ramping up competition for scarce housing - fuelling inflation and piling pressure particularly onto young, local, entry-level workers. Rents in Lisbon have jumped 65% since 2015 and sale prices have sky-rocketed 137%, figures from Confidencial Imobiliario, which collects data on housing, show. Locals struggled to keep up in a country where public housing only represents 2% of the property market, according to government data. The average rent for a one-bedroom flat in Lisbon is around 1,350 euros, a study by housing portal Imovirtual showed. "If housing stays this expensive or gets worse, (foreign) people ... will start moving back to their own countries."

☆ Taiwan calls on Britain to support its bid for Pacific trade pact
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, March 20 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday called on Britain to support its bid to join a major pan-Pacific free trade pact which London has also applied to enter. "I also hope that given its disposition for maintaining high standards, Britain will support Taiwan's bid to join the agreement. This would do much to allow Taiwan and Britain to continue deepening their partnership," she said. In a statement released after a meeting in Singapore last October, trade pact members said Britain's application was progressing, and subsequent applicants would need to show "a demonstrated pattern of complying with their trade commitments". Britain, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but has been keen to show its support in the face of China's threats.

☆ Portugal's Delta Cafes founder Rui Nabeiro dies at 91
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, March 19 (Reuters) - Rui Nabeiro, the founder of Portugal's largest roasted coffee retailer Delta Cafes and one of the country's top entrepreneurs, has died at the age of 91, the company said on Sunday. Nabeiro, who died in a hospital in Lisbon "due to breathing problems", founded Delta Cafes in his home town of Campo Maior, Alentejo, in 1961, starting with a small warehouse that roasted only 30 kilos of coffee per day. He always reinvested the profits in innovation to grow his family business and the Delta Cafe now roasts 100 tonnes daily. The company's sales, through both retail and foodservice channels, rose 12% to 460 million euros in 2022, with more than 25% exported to around 40 countries. Reporting by Sergio Goncalves; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The South Korean government was this week forced to rethink a plan that would have raised its cap on working hours to 69 per week, up from the current limit of 52, after sparking a backlash among Millennials and Generation Z workers. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s senior secretary said Wednesday the government would take a new “direction” after listening to public opinion and said it was committed to protecting the rights and interests of Millennial, Generation Z and non-union workers. “My own father works excessively every week and there is no boundary between work and life,” he said. South Korean people will (remain) vulnerable to deadly overtime work.”Pedestrians in downtown Seoul. Even when the limit was cut to 52 hours, cases of “gwarosa” continued to make the headlines.

TEGUCIGALPA, March 15 (Reuters) - Honduras' decision to seek official relations with China and cut them with Taiwan on Tuesday was about "pragmatism, not ideology," driven by rising debt and investment needs, Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina said on Wednesday. China does not allow countries to hold diplomatic ties with both itself and Taiwan as it claims Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, which Taiwan disputes. Speaking on local television, Reina said Honduras was "up to its neck" in financial issues and debt - including the $600 million it owes Taiwan - and this had partly motivated Honduras' decision to open relations with China. Honduras' decision puts pressure on Taiwan ahead of a visit by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to the U.S. and Central America. Honduras intends to keep trade ties with Taiwan, however, Reina added during his television appearance.

☆ ChatGPT planned a family vacation to Costa Rica. A travel adviser found 3 glaring reasons why AI won't replace experts anytime soon.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

KimKim's head of product asked ChatGPT to plan a Costa Rica vacation for her family of four. A travel adviser said ChatGPT's suggestions weren't family-friendly and contained logistical errors. While there was nothing wrong with the locations themselves, travel adviser Brittany McNamara immediately found three issues with the plan. With McNamara's recommendations in mind, Fu asked ChatGPT to remove Guanacaste from the itinerary and come back with a revised schedule. "There's no ability to help with the logistics, which is what a travel adviser is really helpful for — not just the advice, but also the execution."

"You're going to see every board member tell people to keep your money in multiple bank accounts," said Wesley Chan, cofounder and managing partner at FPV Ventures. "I'm not concerned about Bank of America," one business owner said as they left a Bank of America branch on Monday. Big banks can be less competitive, for example, on interest rates because of the security they offer. I think you'll see startups, in particular, questioning moving to the big banks given just how much more expensive it is," Matheson added. "The big banks are in very good shape, and so it probably is a stabilizing decision to move those deposits.

☆ There’s a quicker, cheaper way to go to college, but fewer students are trying it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

watch nowHow 'early college' programs workIn some cases, students can even complete an associate degree by the time they finish high school, a type of dual enrollment known as "early college." These programs are not restricted to high school students on a specific — and often accelerated — academic track, as many AP classes are. Early college students are also more likely to enroll in college and earn a degree compared to their peers who were not enrolled in early college programs, according to one study by the American Institutes for Research. Although there are up to 900 early college programs nationwide, according to Zeiser, many are still under the radar. Early College High School is a Title I school in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, which means there is a high percentage of low-income students.

After a bank run of $42 billion in withdrawals, Silicon Valley Bank was shut down by regulators on Friday. The founders were banking at Silicon Valley Bank and wanted to switch banks immediately after being told by their venture investors that the bank was suffering from "liquidity issues." The go-to bank of Silicon ValleySilicon Valley Bank has been a pillar of the startup of ecosystem for four decades, acting as the go-to financial institution for VC fundraising and building strong ties with founders and investors alike. This helped bolster SVB's reputation as the go-to bank of Silicon Valley in the good times, but exacerbated the crisis when it hit Thursday and Friday. "If you're given responsibility to run this iconic Silicon Valley company, you need some humility."

At some Silicon Valley Bank branch locations in California, depositors gathered early Friday to attempt to get their cash out, fearing it could be inaccessible in the coming days. It has had financial relationships with a who’s who of Silicon Valley firms over the years, including Snapchat's parent Snap Inc (SNAP.N). A locked door to a Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) location on Sand Hill Road is seen in Menlo Park, California, U.S. March 10, 2023. A Silicon Valley Bank spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment sent Friday. As of Friday, FarmboxRx’s funds were still tied up with Silicon Valley Bank.

March 10 (Reuters) - The sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday sent shockwaves through the startup community, which has come to view the lender as a source of reliable capital, particularly for some of tech’s biggest moonshots. It has had financial relationships with a who’s who of Silicon Valley firms over the years, including Snapchat's parent Snap Inc (SNAP.N)Snap declined to comment. A Silicon Valley Bank spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment sent Friday. Uncertainty swept through Silicon Valley as startup founders and venture capital firms worried they could, among other things, fail to make payroll. As of Friday, FarmboxRx’s funds were still tied up with Silicon Valley Bank.

☆ Before Beyoncé and ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ Harry Shum Jr. Had Professional Wrestling
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Marc Myers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Harry Shum Jr., 40, is an actor, dancer, choreographer and singer who has appeared in TV’s “Glee” and the film “Crazy Rich Asians.” He currently co-stars in ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” He spoke with Marc Myers. In the late 1960s, when my father was in his 20s, he fled to Hong Kong from mainland China and then sailed to Costa Rica, where he had family. The railroads had originally been built by the Chinese, so there was a small community.

☆ Federal safety regulator probing fatal Tesla crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The agency is investigating the crash of a 2014 model year Tesla involving a fire truck in Contra Costa County, California. The fire department said a Tesla struck one of its fire trucks and the Tesla driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Since 2016, NHTSA has opened more than three dozen Tesla special crash investigations where driver assistance systems were suspected of being used, with 20 crash deaths reported. In this photo released by Contra Costa County Fire Protection District in California, firefighters work the scene of a fatal accident involving a Tesla and a Contra Costa County fire truck on February 18. NHTSA is reviewing whether Tesla vehicles adequately ensure drivers are paying attention.

☆ Fatal Tesla collision with firetruck under federal investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Federal vehicle safety regulators initiated a new, special crash investigation into a fatal collision that involved a Tesla Model S sedan and a firetruck in Walnut Creek, California, last month, CNBC has confirmed. All new Tesla vehicles in the U.S. come with a standard driver assistance package called Autopilot. The new special crash investigation is part of an extensive NHTSA probe of Tesla's driver assistance systems, and how they perform around parked first responder vehicles. According to records on the agency's website, NHTSA opened a "preliminary evaluation" of Tesla's Autopilot systems on August 13, 2021. "The investigation opening was motivated by an accumulation of crashes in which Tesla vehicles, operating with Autopilot engaged, struck stationary in-road or roadside first responder vehicles tending to pre-existing collision scenes."

☆ Netflix's expected password-sharing crackdown puts college students on edge
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Sam Figiel, a sophomore at Mercer University in Georgia, said access to Netflix is required for many of his peers' classes. Yet the gradual password-sharing changes have created uncertainty for college students who might not have, or want to spend, disposable income for their own subscriptions. People in the 18-to-34 age group, which accounts for 30% of all Netflix users, are more likely to exchange passwords than older viewers. "There are a lot, lot, lot of U.S. users that are not paying for it, and so I think they're very sensitive to the backlash that they're going to get when they institute this," Nollen said. Staying or leavingEven if the cost of a subscription could rise for borrowers, some college students think Netflix is too important to give up.

☆ US opens new special probe into fatal Tesla crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The agency is investigating the crash of a 2014 model year Tesla involving a fire truck in Contra Costa County, California. The fire department said a Tesla struck one of its fire trucks and the Tesla driver was pronounced dead at the scene. In December, NHTSA said it had opened two new special investigations into crashes involving Tesla vehicles where advanced driver assistance systems are suspected to have been in use. Since 2016, NHTSA has opened more than three dozen Tesla special crash investigations where advanced driver assistance systems such as driver assistance system Autopilot were suspected of being used with 20 crash deaths reported. In June, NHTSA upgraded to an engineering analysis its defect probe into 830,000 Tesla vehicles with driver assistance system Autopilot and involving crashes with parked emergency vehicles including fire trucks.

☆ Government launches investigation into deadly Tesla accident on California highway over possible use of automated driver technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Tesla hit a fire truck that was parked and blocking lanes on a California freeway last month. The NHTSA opened an investigation Wednesday into whether the car was using a driving assistance system. At least 15 incidents have been reported involving a Tesla crashing into a stationary emergency vehicle, according to The Associated Press. The spokesperson said the department is conducting its own safety investigation and "assessing the repairability" of the $2.1 million fire truck. —Con Fire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) February 18, 2023While the highway patrol is conducting an official investigation into the accident, the fire department spokesperson told Insider the Tesla hit the truck "while traveling at highway speeds."

LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Two former JP Morgan credit bankers on Monday launched a new impact investment advisory firm focused on emerging market infrastructure, with a minority stake by British insurer Legal & General's (LGEN.L) alternative investments arm. The firm, ImpactA Global, aims to help address the World Bank's estimated need for $1 trillion in annual investment in emerging market infrastructure to meet development goals. Da Costa Mendes, a former JPMorgan executive director, shares the top job at ImpactA with co-founder Victoria Miles, who had served as a managing director of the Wall Street firm. ImpactA aims to bring in investors such as development finance institutions, export credit agencies and institutional asset managers to provide debt financing to these projects. ImpactA is among the very few investment firms focused solely on emerging market infrastructure debt, with a global rather than regional focus, she added.

☆ Paul Ryan Says Even MAGA Diehards Believe Trump Can’t Win in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( David Marchese | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +23 min

Photo illustration by Bráulio Amado Talk Paul Ryan Says Even MAGA Diehards Believe Trump Can’t Win in 2024For a good long time during the George W. Bush and Obama presidencies, Paul Ryan was considered one of the intellectual leaders and shining stars of the Republican Party. Get out of this race.” But I don’t think Trump is going to get the nomination. I don’t think we want the lack of liberty that comes with government-made equality. Where I part company with the left is I don’t believe in socialism. I don’t believe in equality of outcomes.

☆ 2 Volcom execs attempt to surf, skate, snowboard, and work all in one day. Here's how they pulled it off.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Insider Studios With Dell Technologies | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The challenge: Attempt a surf, skate, and snowboard "trifecta" in the middle of a busy work dayOver the past few years, remote work has become a routine part of our lives. This is the case for the sales teams at Volcom, a global lifestyle apparel brand based in Costa Mesa, California. Two Volcom sales executives, Brent Lantz and David Jurusik (or BL and Nook, respectively), embrace this — whether it's taking a call on a ski slope or discussing inventory with retailers on the road. Dell Technologies and Intel teamed up with Volcom to see if they could improve and optimize their on-the-go sales efforts and work connectivity. The challenge: Attempt a southern California "trifecta" — surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding within a 12-hour period — all while completing a full day of work.

☆ Costa Coffee raises UK staff pay for third time in a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Costa Coffee has followed rival Pret A Manger in raising pay for its British store staff for the third time in a year. The UK government-mandated National Living Wage will rise to 10.42 pounds an hour from April, an increase of 9.7%. Costa Coffee said its latest rise takes the increase over the last 12 months to over 14%. Rival Pret announced another pay rise for its staff last week, while food retailers Tesco (TSCO.L), Asda and Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) have also all recently announced increases. Costa Coffee said it also provides workers with a store performance related bonus, free drinks while on shift and a 50% staff discount.

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