DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Fmr. FTX Exec Ryan Salame sentenced to 7.5 years in prison
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | 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 EmailFmr. FTX Exec Ryan Salame sentenced to 7.5 years in prisonCNBC's Kate Rooney joins Halftime Report with breaking news on another FTX executive's sentencing.

Persons: Ryan Salame, CNBC's Kate Rooney

☆ Roth conversions are up in 2024 — but it's not always a 'slam dunk,' accountant says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Roth individual retirement account conversions are up in 2024 — but there are key things to know before converting funds, experts say. There was a 44% year-over-year increase in the number of Roth conversions during the first quarter of 2024, according to data from Fidelity Investments. Roth conversions transfer pretax or nondeductible individual retirement account funds to a Roth IRA, which provides future tax-free growth. However, "it isn't a slam dunk for everyone" because it takes time for tax-free growth to exceed your upfront tax bill, said Marianela Collado, a certified financial planner and CEO of Tobias Financial Advisors in Plantation, Florida. Here’s how much you can saveInvestors need "sufficient assets" outside of retirement accounts to cover the upfront tax bill, warned Collado, who is also a certified public accountant.

Persons: Roth, Marianela Collado, Collado, You'll Organizations: Fidelity Investments, Roth IRA, Financial, Finance, Medicare Locations: Plantation , Florida

☆ Live Updates: Closing Arguments to Begin in Trump Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Jonah E. Bromwich | Ben Protess | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

The defense did not call Mr. Weisselberg either, nor did Mr. Trump take the stand in his own defense. And for weeks, Mr. Weisselberg’s absence has loomed large over Mr. Trump’s case, the first criminal trial of an American president. And when Mr. Trump was sworn in as president in 2017, he entrusted Mr. Weisselberg, along with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, with running his company. Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen told the jury, “approved” of the arrangement and knew that they would falsify records to cover it up. Over the course of their decades together, Mr. Cohen knew, Mr. Trump and Mr. Weisselberg had become more or less symbiotic.

Persons: Donald J, Allen Weisselberg, Trump, Michael D, Cohen, Allen H, Weisselberg, Trump’s moneyman, Trump’s, lucre —, Eduardo Munoz, Stormy Daniels, Weisselberg’s, beholden, ” Emil Bove, Juan M, Justice Merchan, “, Evan Vucci, Fred Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, ” Mr, ” “, Mr, Jefferson Siegel, —, Arthur F, Engoron, Justice Engoron, ”, ‘ Frick, Frack, Cohen’s, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, Dave Sanders, Blanche, Kate Christobek Organizations: Prosecutors, New York Times, Trump, Mr, Reuters, Manhattan, Trump Organization, “ Trump, New, The New York Times, The Trump Organization, Credit, Frick Locations: Washington, New York, Trump, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, York, tatters

☆ Safaris aren't the only tourist attraction in Africa. From cruises to wine tasting, here's what else you can do
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Harriet Akinyi | Penny Sadler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Bungy jumping at Soweto Towers, a decommissioned power station in Johannesburg, South Africa. Explore the beachAfrican beach towns combine beauty and culture, in places like Seychelles, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique, Mauritius, Zanzibar, Ghana, Namibia and Egypt. In addition to being a popular stop for world cruises, East and South Africa have their own ocean cruise routes which follow the coastlines and visit offshore islands. But South Africa is the continent's crown jewel. The wine country of Franschhoek, outside of Cape Town, South Africa.

Persons: Toubkal, there's, Thomas Janisch, Zina Bencheikh, Madagascar's Tsingy, Carlo Morucchio, Kenya's Masai Mara, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Mombasa's, Samir Hussein, Luciemarie Swanepoel, Jeremy Villasis, Peter Unger, Kate Powell, Intrepid's Bencheikh, Kevin Bubolz, Wrenelle Stander, Michele Westmorland Organizations: bungie, Getty, Intrepid Travel, UNESCO, Heritage, Wireimage, Diamonds, Sainte, Cruises, Stone, Queen, Cruise Line, MSC, Continental, Penguin Locations: Africa, Morocco's, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Nyangani, Zimbabwe, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, Europe, East, Namibia, Victoria Falls, Zambia, Jinja, Uganda, Morocco, Seychelles, Kenya, Mozambique, Mauritius, Zanzibar, Ghana, Egypt, Mombasa, Mombasa's Fort Jesus, Fort Jesus, Kaya, Zanzibar's Stone, Madagascar, Swanepoel, Durban, Cape, Kivu, Silversea, Continental Europe, Middle East, Port, Ethiopia, Wesgro, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Cape Town , South Africa

☆ Starbucks is set to resume union negotiations as it confronts issues at its stores
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Kate Rogers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Spencer Platt | Getty ImagesWhen Starbucks and its baristas union resume contract bargaining this week, workers may have renewed momentum at their backs — courtesy of the company's own CEO. Narasimhan, in prepared remarks to Wall Street analysts, cited some of the challenges that union workers have been highlighting in their bid for better working conditions. For Workers United, the union behind the Starbucks organizing, his admission that more could be done was promising. Starbucks and the union are meeting to continue working on the framework that will inform every single-store contract moving ahead. There has been another call for change at Starbucks stores that may carry weight at the negotiating table.

Persons: Spencer Platt, Laxman Narasimhan, we're, Narasimhan, CNBC's, Kevin Johnson, baristas, Michelle Eisen, Eisen, we've, Howard Schultz, Schultz, Howard Organizations: Getty, Starbucks, Wall Street, U.S, Workers United, Staffing, CNBC Locations: New, Buffalo , New York, Buffalo

CNN —After months of either ignoring or poking fun at former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial, the Biden campaign on Tuesday decided for the first time to stage a news conference about Trump’s record outside the courthouse where closing arguments were taking place. In their view, Trump’s trial would speak for itself, reintroducing the former president and the chaos that surrounds him to voters who may have tuned him out. “The entire news media is camped out here, day in and day out,” campaign communications director Michael Tyler said, explaining the choice to address reporters outside the lower Manhattan courthouse. Biden campaign officials are still grappling with the reality, this person said, that a substantial part of the population still doesn’t see that the choice on Election Day will be between Biden and Trump. “We knew Trump was out of control when he was president,” De Niro says over a shot of Trump behind the Resolute Desk.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Biden, Robert De Niro, Trump, ” De Niro, That’s, Michael Tyler, De Niro, Michael Fanone, Harry Dunn, “, Donald Trump, United States —, ” Fanone, Jason Miller, Steven Cheung, Karoline Leavitt, Miller, ” Miller, Juan Merchan, ”, won’t, Harris, Niro, ” Dunn, We’ve, –, Biden’s, Aquilino Gonell, Danny Hodges, Dunn, Gonell, Hodges, CNN’s Kate Sullivan Organizations: CNN, White, Capitol, Trump, United, Top Trump, Biden, ”, Resolute, Metropolitan Police, US Capitol Police, Capitol Police, DC’s Metropolitan Police Department Locations: Manhattan, United States, White, —, Washington, DC

☆ Trump’s Case Heads to the Jury: 5 Takeaways From Closing Arguments
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | Kate Christobek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump began its seventh week, the prosecution and the defense made their final pitches to jurors, sending the landmark case into deliberations on Wednesday. A defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, spent three hours Tuesday hammering Michael D. Cohen, the prosecution’s star witness, including accusing him of perjury. He attacked Stormy Daniels, the porn star whose account of a tryst with Mr. Trump in 2006 set in motion the charges the former president faces. Mr. Trump, 77, is charged with falsifying 34 business records to hide Mr. Cohen’s reimbursement for a $130,000 hush-money payment he made to Ms. Daniels. Mr. Trump has denied the charges and the sexual encounter.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Todd Blanche, Michael D, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Joshua Steinglass, Daniels

☆ The Unlikely Women Fighting for Abortion Rights
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Kate Zernike | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For a long time, many women who had abortions because of catastrophic fetal diagnoses told their stories only privately. Grieving pregnancies they dearly wanted and fearing the stigma of abortion, they sought the closely guarded comfort of online communities identified by the way many doctors had described the procedure — TFMR, or “termination for medical reasons.”In the two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, their pain has been compounded into anger by new abortion bans across the country. While these women account for a fraction of abortions in the United States, they have emerged as the most powerful voices in the nation’s post-Roe debate, speaking out against bans with their stories of being forced across state lines and left to feel like criminals in seeking care. Many of these women started out opposing abortion, but as they have changed their minds, they have changed the way Americans speak about it. Shifting from private anguish to public outrage, they have also helped shift public opinion toward more support for abortion.

Persons: Roe, Wade, “, ”, Riata Little Walker Organizations: ” Locations: United States, Casper, Colorado

☆ You could score a tax break for hiring your own kids this summer — if you follow the rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"If your child's income falls within the limits, they may not owe any income tax, which can be a win-win," said Lovison, who is also a certified public accountant. If your child's income falls within the limits, they may not owe any income tax, which can be a win-win. What to know before hiring your kidsBefore hiring your children, it's important to know state and federal labor laws, along with tax rules, experts say. "Some states pretty much ban you from hiring children under the age of 14 under any scenario," Lovison said. Payments to children are subject to income tax withholding regardless of the child's age, according to the IRS.

Persons: Sean Lovison, Lovison, Roth, Carol Fabbri Organizations: Social, Advisors, IRS Locations: Philadelphia, , Colorado

☆ Are These Drones Too Chinese to Pass U.S. Muster in an Anti-China Moment?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Kate Kelly | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A one-man startup believes it has an answer to U.S. government concerns over the Chinese-made drones that dominate commercial sales in the American market. Anzu Robotics’s chief executive and founding partners are all American, and the company’s headquarters is in Texas. The company’s drones, which are expected to be used by law enforcement agencies, utilities, architects and others, are assembled in Malaysia, and they run on servers sitting in Virginia. There’s just one problem: Anzu has multiple close ties to China and to DJI, the Shenzhen-based firm being targeted by legislative and regulatory efforts to curb sales of Chinese drones in the United States. Anzu licensed the design for its drones from DJI, which receives a payment for every drone that Anzu orders from its manufacturer in Malaysia.

Persons: Anzu, There’s Locations: Texas, Malaysia, Virginia, China, DJI, Shenzhen, United States

☆ Elon Musk Ramps Up Anti-Biden Posts on X
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Kate Conger | Ryan Mac | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last month, Elon Musk posted on X that President Biden “obviously barely knows what’s going on.”“He is just a tragic front for a far left political machine,” Mr. Musk wrote. It was the 29th time this year that he had posted about the president on X, formerly known as Twitter, which Mr. Musk bought in 2022. Mr. Musk has steadily ramped up his criticism of Mr. Biden as the campaign season heats up before the November presidential election. In all, Mr. Musk had posted nearly 40 times about Mr. Biden this year, compared with about 30 times for all of last year. And Mr. Musk exerts outsize influence over the political discourse on X, where he regularly posts to his 184 million followers.

Persons: Elon Musk, Biden “, Mr, Musk, Biden, Donald J, Trump Organizations: Mr, New York Times, Republican

☆ Brooke Shields Elected President of Labor Union Actors’ Equity
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Michael Paulson | More About Michael Paulson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Brooke Shields, the model-turned-actor who has starred in films, television and onstage, has been elected as the next president of Actors’ Equity Association, the labor union representing stage actors and stage managers. She succeeds Kate Shindle, who had been the union’s president since 2015, and announced last month that she would not seek re-election. The position of Equity president is a volunteer job, and Shields was elected to a four-year term. Shields won the election with about half the vote; the balance was split between two Equity vice presidents, Erin Maureen Koster and Wydetta Carter. Her victory was reported by the newsletter Broadway Journal and announced by the union on Friday; a union spokesman said she was not available for an interview.

Persons: Brooke Shields, Shields, Kate Shindle, Burgess Meredith, Ellen Burstyn, Colleen Dewhurst, Ron Silver, Erin Maureen Koster, Wydetta Carter Organizations: ’ Equity Association, Broadway Journal

☆ Nearly 70% of Gen Zers are freelancing or plan to—'I never considered applying to a job'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In 2024, Gen Z workers are expected to outnumber baby boomers in the American labor force for the first time. CNBC Make It explores how Gen Zers are really putting their mark on career advice, office culture and more. Gen Zers, defined as people born between 1997 and 2012, are rethinking what it means to enter the workforce. A majority, 70% are currently freelancing or plan to in the future, according to a February 2024 Fiverr survey of 10,033 Gen Zers from around the world. More than half, 53%, of Gen Zers work full-time hours on freelance projects, according to a May 2024 Upwork survey of 1,070 Gen Zers.

Persons: Gen, Zers, They're, Upwork's, Kate Brunotts Organizations: CNBC Locations: New York

☆ This retirement account can be 'triple-tax efficient' for teens this summer, advisor says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If your kids are working summer jobs, it's a prime opportunity to help them open a retirement account and start saving for the future, experts say. Roth individual retirement accounts can be "triple-tax efficient" for teenagers, according to certified financial planner Carol Fabbri, managing partner of Fair Advisors in Conifer, Colorado. Plus, Roth IRAs offer tax-free growth on investments, and withdrawals in retirement are generally tax-free, Fabbri explained. Of course, the power of long-term compound growth, or returns on your returns, only magnifies the sooner you start saving and investing, experts say. More than 8 in 10 teenagers are already thinking about retirement, but most mistakenly think savings is the best long-term strategy, according to a recent survey from Junior Achievement and MissionSquare.

Persons: Roth, Carol Fabbri, Roth IRAs, Fabbri, Gen Zers Organizations: Advisors, Finance, Junior Locations: , Colorado

☆ Tatler magazine’s Catherine, Princess of Wales portrait sparks debate
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A new portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales has stoked controversy online, with some royal fans criticizing the work for its portrayal of the future British Queen. The painting, by British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor, features on the cover of the July issue of Tatler magazine. The Princess of Wales pictured at the state banquet on November 21, 2023. “This looks nothing like the Princess of Wales. Tatler“I agree with the sentiments of strength and dignity but the portrait lacks any resemblance to the Princess of Wales,” said another.

Persons: Catherine , Princess, Hannah Uzor, Catherine, King Charles III’s, Uzor, ”, Yui Mok, Reuters Uzor, I’m, Wales, “, Princess, Alastair Sooke, ” Sooke, Kate Mansey, “ I’m, King Charles III, Jonathan Yeo, King Organizations: CNN, British, Tatler, Reuters, Daily Telegraph, The Times, Welsh Guards Locations: Wales, Zambian, London, British

☆ Some birds may use ‘mental time travel,’ study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Kate Golembiewski | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“It’s often helpful to think about episodic memory as remembering, whereas semantic memory is just knowing,” he said. To find out whether Eurasian jays are capable of "mental time travel," researchers worked with birds trained to find food hidden under cups. “The idea is that with human episodic memory, we remember details of events that, at the time, weren’t necessarily relevant to anything. This aspect of episodic memory is sometimes referred to as “mental time travel.”To find out whether Eurasian jays are capable of mental time travel, the researchers worked with birds that had been trained to find food hidden under cups. “The big disease of memory is Alzheimer’s disease, and of course, the most debilitating aspect of Alzheimer’s disease is a profound loss of episodic memory,” Crystal said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, James Davies, Davies, “, “ There’s, James Davies Corvids, Nicola Clayton, —, advisee, ” Davies, weren’t, didn’t, ‘, I’ll, ’ ” Davies, Jonathon Crystal, ” Crystal, “ It’s, Kate Golembiewski Organizations: CNN, University of Cambridge’s, University of Indiana Bloomington Locations: Chicago

☆ I waited in line for 5 hours at Something About Her, the new 'Vanderpump Rules' restaurant, but never even got a sandwich.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Anneta Konstantinides | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Cersei's Walk of Atonement this was not, but I couldn't believe how long I'd waited to try a sandwich. AdvertisementBut much like "Vanderpump Rules," the reality show that made Madix and Maloney famous, the opening day of their restaurant was exciting, tumultuous, and full of some surprising friendships. Something About Her has been 2 years in the makingMaloney and Madix first announced they were joining forces to open a sandwich shop in 2022, joining the growing "Vanderpump" restaurant universe. TomTom — the bar Vanderpump launched with Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval, the respective exes of Maloney and Madix — is a four-minute walk away. Hours 3-4: Sold-out sandwichesWe had now been in line for the length of an average Martin Scorsese movie.

Persons: —, Ariana Madix, Katie Maloney's, …, Maloney, Madix, Lisa Vanderpump, TomTom, Tom Schwartz, Tom Sandoval, Schwartz, Jax Taylor's, Katie Maloney, Phillip Faraone, Sandoval, Raquel Leviss, Roxie Hart, Anneta, Bravo, Kat, Viola, Reese, Meg, Peter Madrigal —, he's, Martin Scorsese, Sarah Fraser, James Kennedy, costars, Cameron, Kate, Nancy, Teri, We'd Organizations: Service, Business, Sandy's, LA's West Hollywood, TMZ Locations: Los Angeles, West Hollywood, LA's West, Chicago, LA, Australia, California

☆ Amazon’s new cloud boss inherits a business under pressure to keep pace in AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

"It's very early days in generative AI," said Jassy, who succeeded Jeff Bezos as CEO in 2021. Davidson, told CNBC that Amazon was "caught flat-footed" by the generative AI boom. During a Q&A session on Wednesday, Jassy was asked twice about the status of Amazon's generative AI efforts. He said the company is "seeing a lot of momentum" in generative AI within AWS to where it's now a multibillion-dollar business based on annualized revenue. Amazon has previously said it intends to use generative AI to make Alexa more conversational.

Persons: Noah Berger, Andy Jassy, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Adam Selipsky, Jassy, Jeff Bezos, Matt Garman, Gil Luria, Davidson, Luria, Bezos, Selipsky, Casey McGee, McGee, Anthropic, Dario Amodei, OpenAI, it's, Garman, Amazon, wasn't, Dilip Kumar, Kumar, Swami Sivasubramanian, Jamie Meyers, Meyers, Matt, Jordan Novet, Kate Rooney Organizations: Web Services, Getty, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, D.A, CNBC, Amazon Web, Alexa, AWS, Nvidia, ChatGPT, Accenture, Toyota, Nasdaq, Investments Locations: Las Vegas, Vegas, Bezos, Anthropic

☆ I tried the Megaformer Pilates workout, loved by Kim Kardashian and Michelle Obama. It targeted my thighs in a whole new way.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Rachel Hosie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The list of Lagree's celebrity fans is long, including, reportedly, Jennifer Aniston, Meghan Markle, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Michelle Obama, and Kim Kardashian. Steve Granitz/Getty ImagesThe global boutique fitness studio market is currently valued at $55.16 billion and is expected to reach $79.66 billion in 2029, according to Research and Markets. The gym was luxurious but minimalist, with club-style studiosThere are a couple of fitness studios in London offering Megaformer workout classes now, both at £35 ($45). AdvertisementStudio Fix's Megaformer studio. Afterward I felt proud of myself and my body felt good from the stretching and mobility.

Persons: —, Sebastien Lagree, Jennifer Aniston, Meghan Markle, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian, Steve Granitz, I've, Rachel Hosie, Andrea, Rachel, Lagree, I'd, Najeeb Abunahl, Sebastian Lagree, Abunahl Organizations: Service, Business, Research, Sauce Communications Locations: barre, London, Kensington —, Europe

☆ Trump holds campaign rally in the Bronx as he seeks to make inroads with Hispanic and Black voters
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a rally Thursday in the Bronx as his campaign looks to make inroads with Hispanic and Black voters ahead of November’s election. A Trump campaign official told CNN that several factors, including the former president’s long history of living and working in New York and his efforts to win over minority voters, played into the decision to hold the Bronx rally. The Bronx is a Democratic stronghold, which Trump lost by about 68 points to Joe Biden in 2020. Residents in the South Bronx, where Trump’s rally is taking place, are mainly Hispanic (64%) and Black (31%), according to the US Census Bureau. Several House Republicans from New York said they could no longer make it to Trump’s event due to changes in the chamber’s voting schedule Thursday.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, “, Elise Stefanik, ”, Barack Obama, Janiyah Thomas, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Ritchie Torres, Torres, CNN’s Kit Maher Organizations: CNN, Trump, New York, Republican, Democratic, Residents, Census Bureau, Republicans, Biden, Americans, African, gaslight, NY1, The New York Times Locations: Bronx, Trump’s New York, New York, Crotona Park, South Bronx, Manhattan, New, “ New York, Central Park, Charlottesville , Virginia, Cortez, Crotona

☆ Senate Democrats launch investigation into alleged Trump ‘quid pro quo’ with oil executives
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Kaanita Iyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Senate Democrats have launched an inquiry into recent reports that Donald Trump offered oil executives the reversal of some of President Joe Biden’s climate policies upon the former president’s reelection in exchange for campaign contributions. The committees are seeking “descriptions of policy proposals discussed” and “materials distributed to any attendees” at the event. “Time and time again, both Mr. Trump and the U.S. oil and gas industry have proved they are willing to sell out Americans to pad their own pockets,” Sens. In his first term, Trump overturned more than 100 environmental rules and actions put in place by the Obama administration. Trump has vowed that if he’s reelected he will reverse those actions and boost fossil fuels, and oil and gas drilling.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, Trump, Sens, Ron Wyden, Sheldon Whitehouse, Biden, ”, ” Trump, Karoline Leavitt, Obama, he’s, CNN’s Morgan Rimmer, Kate Sullivan, Ella Nilsen, Jeremy Herb Organizations: CNN, Democrats, Senate Finance, ExxonMobile, Chevron, Oregon, Big, The Washington Post, Trump Locations: U.S, Rhode, The, Lago

☆ Amazon plans to give Alexa an AI overhaul — and a monthly subscription price
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Kate Rooney | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon is upgrading its decade-old Alexa voice assistant with generative artificial intelligence and plans to charge a monthly subscription fee to offset the cost of the technology, according to people with knowledge of Amazon's plans. Amazon's subscription for Alexa will not be included in the $139 per year Prime offering, and Amazon has not yet nailed down the price point, one source said. The Alexa team worried they had invented an expensive alarm clock, weather machine and way to play Spotify music, one source said. When reached for comment, Amazon pointed to the company's annual shareholder letter released last month. It has undergone a massive reorganization, with much of the team shifting to the artificial general intelligence, or AGI, team, according to three sources.

Persons: OpenAI, Siri, Apple's, Scott Galloway, Alexa, Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy, Jassy, Alexa didn't Organizations: Alexa, Google, Amazon, Gemini, iPhones, NYU, Spotify Locations: Seattle

☆ McDonald's franchisee group says $5 value meal can't last without company investment
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Kate Rogers | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"The fact remains that in order to provide the consumer with more affordable options, they must be affordable for the owner/operators. McDonald's vast resources and financial investment are essential to any sustainable affordable strategy," the board of the National Owners Association wrote in a letter to membership. McDonald's declined to comment on the NOA letter to its membership. In a statement to CNBC last week on the value meal the company said, "We know how much it means to our customers when McDonald's offers meaningful value and communicates it through national advertising. These ideas were initially floated by the advocacy group earlier in the year, as it pushed to add affordable options to the menu without discounting "core and iconic" items.

Persons: McDonald's, That's, NOA, Chris Kempczinski Organizations: National Owners Association, CNBC Locations: Oakland , California

☆ A Swift Defense and a Decision Ahead: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | Kate Christobek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

And, despite dangling the possibility, Mr. Trump did not testify. Testimony started April 22 with a tabloid publisher called by the prosecution, David Pecker, and ended with a lawyer called by the defense, Robert Costello. Mr. Trump, 77, has denied the charges and the encounter. Here are five takeaways from Mr. Trump’s 20th day on trial. Mr. Costello, once Mr. Cohen’s informal adviser, continued on the stand on Tuesday, after a reprimand Monday from Justice Juan M. Merchan, who said he had been “contemptuous.”

Persons: Donald J, Trump, David Pecker, Robert Costello, Stormy Daniels, Trump’s, Michael D, Cohen, Hope Hicks, Daniels, . Costello, Justice Juan M, Merchan, ” Organizations: Memorial, Mr, Justice

☆ The decision to sell your home vs. rent it out is 'complicated,' experts say — what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A "For Rent" sign is posted near a home in Houston, Texas, on Feb. 7, 2022. Many Americans are sitting on low-interest-rate mortgages and could face a decision when it's time to move: sell or rent out their existing property. By comparison, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was around 7% in May. That makes qualifying for a second mortgage harder, especially without tapping equity from your original property, Gumbinger said. Plus, if you're using rental income to qualify for the second mortgage, lenders typically only consider 75% of your proceeds, Gumbinger said.

Persons: Keith Gumbinger, Homeownership, Gumbinger, homebuyers Organizations: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Finance, Trump, National Association of Realtors Locations: Houston , Texas

Search resuls for: "Kate"

25 mentions found