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☆ China spy agency’s social media debut calls for ‘all members of society’ to combat espionage
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Ministry of State Security oversees intelligence and counterintelligence both within China and overseas. Titled “Countering espionage requires the mobilization of all members of society,” the ministry said national security bodies should keep reporting channels, such as hotlines and online platforms, open to handle reports of suspected espionage within China in a timely manner. But those efforts have gathered pace under Xi Jinping, China’s most assertive and authoritarian leader in a generation who has made state security his top priority. Previous anti-spying driveThere have been multiple previous calls by China for the public to look for potential spies. In June last year, China announced “material rewards” of up to and above 100,000 yuan ($15,000) for tip-offs about people who endanger national security.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, ”, Xi Jinping, Greg Baker, Xiao Li, Li –, David Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, of State Security, CIA, FBI, Group, Bain & Company, Astellas Pharma, Getty Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, American, Shanghai, Japan, AFP

Worldcoin says 2.2 million have signed up, mostly during a trial period over the last two years. Worldcoin raised $115 million from venture capital investors including Blockchain Capital, a16z crypto, Bain Capital Crypto and Distributed Global in a funding round in May. Macieira said Worldcoin would continue rolling out operations in Europe, Latin America, Africa and "all the parts of the world that will accept us." "The idea is that as we build this infrastructure and that we allow other third parties to use the technology." Michael Will, president of the Bavarian regulator, said it would look into whether Worldcoin's system is "safe and stable".

Persons: Medha Singh, Sam Altman, Worldcoin, Ricardo Macieira, Macieira, Michael Will, Will, Rainer Rehak, Web3, Nette Noestlinger, Matthias Baehr, Elizabeth Howcroft, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: WorldCoin, REUTERS, Reuters, Co, Humanity, Blockchain, Bain Capital Crypto, Companies, Bavarian State Office, Data Protection, Union, Weizenbaum Institute, Worldcoin Foundation, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, India, Britain, France, Germany, Europe, San Francisco, Berlin, Latin America, Africa, Japan, Bavarian, blockchain, Cayman Islands

☆ The last time US debt was downgraded markets plummeted. Will it happen again?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Fitch Ratings downgraded US long-term debt late on Tuesday from AAA to AA+, citing this spring’s debt ceiling standoff as a major reason. In the midst of the very tense debt ceiling standoff of 2011, Standard and Poor’s downgraded US debt for the first time in history. “My sense is that the Fitch downgrade of the US credit rating is an insignificant development and will not move financial markets or the economy,” said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US. “The majority of our clients’ investments in China are through index funds, and we are one of 16 asset managers currently offering US index funds investing in Chinese companies,” BlackRock said in a statement to CNN. “With all investments in China and markets around the world, BlackRock complies with all applicable US government laws.

Persons: New York CNN — Fitch, Fitch, ”, Joseph Brusuelas, ” Fitch, Larry Summers, Janet Yellen, “, Dow, BlackRock, Larry Fink, Henry Fernandez, MSCI, Mike Gallagher of, Raja Krishnamoorthi, ” BlackRock, ” MSCI Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, AAA, AA, RSM, Federal Reserve, Fitch, Treasury, US, Twitter, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Tech, Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Congressional, Chinese Communist Party of, BlackRock, CNN, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Republican, “ Locations: New York, America, United States, States, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Illinois, MSCI, China

Tiger Woods wipes his driver grip on the 18th tee box during the first round of the PGA TOUR Champions PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 17, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Ben Jared | PGA Tour | Getty ImagesThe PGA Tour on Tuesday said Tiger Woods would join its policy board, a concession meant to give players more input and oversight as negotiations continue for its controversial deal with Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Woods joins the board less than a month after former AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson resigned due to concerns regarding the Saudi investment. Until the proposed deal was announced, the PGA Tour and LIV were embroiled in antitrust lawsuits – lobbed at each other – as players left the tour for big paydays at LIV. The proposed deal has been met with ire and confusion from lawmakers, members of the tour and fans.

Persons: Woods, Ben Jared, Tiger Woods, LIV, Randall Stephenson, LIV Golf, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati, Rory McIlroy, Webb Simpson, Monahan, Christian Petersen Organizations: PGA, PNC, Ritz, Carlton Golf Club, Saudi, Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, Saudi Crown, Augusta National Golf Club, Getty Locations: Orlando , Florida, Saudi, LIV, Augusta , Georgia

☆ 'FOMO' rules the stock market now
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Forget AI, the Fed, and inflation – "FOMO" is now the stock market's dominant force. Bears including Morgan Stanley's top strategist Mike Wilson have abandoned their gloomy forecasts amid signs the breakneck rally could last. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyForget artificial intelligence, forget inflation, forget the Fed. But it also marked the month many bears had to wind back their doom-mongering and accept that the surprise 2023 rally might be for real. Their July climbdowns show that after stocks' longest winning streak in two years, FOMO now rules the market.

Persons: Morgan Stanley's, Mike Wilson, that's, Morgan, who's, Scott Chronert, Wilson, FOMO Organizations: Bears, Service, Federal, Citi, Big Tech Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Donald Trump has been indicted in special counsel’s 2020 election interference probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Tierney Sneed Marshall Cohen Zachary Cohen Devan Cole Hannah Rabinowitz Katelyn Polantz Casey Gannon | Tierney Sneed | Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Trump has rejected any suggestion he was in the wrong after the 2020 election. Among the six are four unnamed attorneys who allegedly aided Trump in his effort to subvert the 2020 election. Fake electors plot was an unprecedented attempt to subvert Electoral CollegeThe so-called fake electors plot was an unprecedented attempt to subvert the Electoral College process by replacing electors that Biden had rightfully won with illegitimate GOP electors. Federal investigators have subpoenaed the fake electors across the country, sent FBI agents to interview witnesses about their conduct, and recently granted immunity to two fake electors from Nevada to secure their grand jury testimony. In Michigan, the state’s attorney general charged the 16 fake electors who signed certificates falsely claiming Trump won Michigan in the 2020 election with multiple felonies.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Jack Smith’s, Joe Biden’s, Smith, ” Smith, ” Trump, “, Mike Pence, John Lauro, Trump’s, ” Lauro, ”, Ian Sams, unindicted, Smith’s, Attorney Alvin Bragg, he’s, Biden, Fani Willis Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Justice Department, Trump, Fox News, Department, Attorney, White House, Electoral, National Archives, Senate, Senior Trump, Federal, FBI, Michigan Locations: Washington, DC, United States, Manhattan, Nevada, Michigan, Fulton County, Georgia

☆ BlackRock and MSCI under investigation by House Committee for investments in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“The majority of our clients’ investments in China are through index funds, and we are one of 16 asset managers currently offering US index funds investing in Chinese companies,” BlackRock said in a statement to CNN. “With all investments in China and markets around the world, BlackRock complies with all applicable US government laws. We will continue engaging with the Select Committee directly on the issues raised.”MSCI did not respond to requests for comment. Last October, the Biden administration unveiled a set of export controls banning Chinese companies from buying advanced chips and chip-making equipment without a license. The committee launched an official investigation last month into US venture-capital companies that help fund Chinese artificial intelligence and semiconductor efforts.

Persons: BlackRock, Larry Fink, Henry Fernandez, MSCI, ”, Mike Gallagher of, Raja Krishnamoorthi, ” BlackRock, ” MSCI, Biden, Gallagher Organizations: New, New York CNN, Chinese Communist Party of, BlackRock, CNN, People’s Liberation Army, PLA, Republican, “, Chinese Communist Party, Wall Street Locations: New York, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Illinois, MSCI, United States, China, Beijing, Washington, Ukraine, BlackRock

☆ China just unleashed broad stimulus measures to fire up the economy — but analysts think these have failed to live up to expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

On Monday, China released a series of plans to boost household consumption. However, the stimulus measures have failed to live up to expectations, said Citi analyst Wenyu Yao, Australian Financial Review reported Monday. The state planner's strategy followed a meeting of the country's top leaders last week during which they pledged to boost stimulus measures as the economy faces a "tortuous" recovery, according to Insider's translation of the official readout. The Shanghai Composite closed 0.5% higher at 3,291.04 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed 0.7% higher at 20,045.15. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, which tracks tech stocks listed in Hong Kong, closed 1.1% higher at 6,886.09.

Persons: Wenyu Yao, Bruce Pang, Jones Lang LaSalle, Xi Jinping, Shenzhen —, Nomura, hasn't, Hong Organizations: Service, Citi, Australian Financial, Jones, Bloomberg, Analysts, Shanghai, PMI, Seng China Enterprises Index Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Greater China, Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Hong Kong

☆ Ecuadorean votes could bar oil output in Amazon reserve, mining near Quito
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Alexandra Valencia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

But oil and mining guilds say their industries are needed to shore up Ecuador's battered economy and that bans would expose the areas to illegal mining and deforestation. Outgoing President Guillermo Lasso, who moved ahead elections after lawmakers attempted to oust him, has failed to raise oil production or attract more mining investment as violence and social problems have worsened. A "yes" vote in both referendums could complicate finances for his successor. State oil company Petroecuador says a "yes" on the Yasuni referendum would cost the country $13.8 billion in income over the next two decades. But residents say mining will threaten high altitude wetlands, water and animals like the spectacled bear.

Persons: Read, Ecuadoreans, Guillermo Lasso, Santiago Pérez, Ramon Correa, Correa, Rafael Correa, Pedro Bermeo, Bermeo, Petroecuador, Australia's SolGold, Maria Eulalia Silva, Morelia Fuentes, Alexandra Valencia, Tito Correa, Karen Toro, Julia Symmes Cobb, Marguerita Choy Organizations: ITT, Environmental, Reuters, Voters, of Mining, Mining, Thomson Locations: Orellana, Orellana province, Ecuador, QUITO, Quito, Choco, North America, State, Pastaza

☆ Juul seeks authorization on a new vape it says can verify a user’s age. Here’s how it works
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Nadia Bidarian | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —E-cigarette company Juul Labs is seeking US authorization to sell a “next-generation” vape with age verification capabilities in the United States. If authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration, Juul Labs hasn’t yet decided on the name to market their new product in the US. Courtesy JuulAdvertising itself as an alternative nicotine product, Juul publicly advises that adults vape only as a replacement for combustible cigarettes. In total, Juul Labs has agreed to pay more than $1 billion in its various legal settlements. Even with limited flavors, the FDA banned Juul products in the US last year after reviewing Juul’s applications seeking marketing authorization for their devices.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Joe Murillo, it’s, Juul, Robin Koval, vaping, ” Koval, Kirk Phelps Organizations: CNN, FDA, US Food and Drug Administration, Juul Labs, Truth Initiative, Tobacco Survey, Labs, Canada, Tobacco, Virginia, Centers for Disease Control Locations: United States, Canada, Washington, DC, Virginia

☆ Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who rejected Trump's push to overturn the 2020 presidential results in his state, called Rudy Giuliani's admission of making false election claims 'very troubling'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Brian Kemp steadfastly defended Georgia against claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election. Kemp, who rejected Trump's push to overturn Biden's Ga. win, dismissed Giuliani's claims in 2020. "Which is really troubling when you're trying to have secure, accessible, fair elections in the state," Kemp continued. "He doesn't know the Georgia Bureau of Investigation very well," Kemp said of Giuliani in December 2020. After the 2020 election, Trump continued to needle Kemp and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger over their refusal to boost his false election claims and prod legislators to reverse the outcome.

Persons: Brian Kemp, Kemp, Giuliani's, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Rudy Giuliani's, Donald Trump, Kemp —, Joe Biden's, Georgia —, Sandra Parrish, Giuliani, Ruby Freeman, Shaye Moss, —, Trump, Fulton, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger Organizations: WSB Radio, Service, New, New York City, Farm Arena, Fulton County, Biden, Democratic, Trump, Georgia Bureau, Investigation Locations: Georgia, Wall, Silicon, New York, Fulton County, Atlanta, Fulton, Cobb County

☆ Why the US should be more excited about tiny homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

While there is a lot of interest in tiny homes, it's too early to measure their success. Tiny homes, generally defined as homes under 1,000 square feet — compared with the typical US home size of 2,500 square feet — are a growing market for those seeking affordability, community, and simplicity. Tiny homes — and accessory dwelling units, their slightly larger counterpart — are being eyed as a solution to the country's housing shortage. A tiny home designed and built by Colorado-based tiny home developer, Mitchcraft Tiny Homes. Tiny homes are "a spear point against the armor" to these restrictions, he added.

Persons: Katie Sandoval, Clark, Blue Wells, you've, Skylar Olsen, Zack Giffin, Giffin, Louise Beaumont, Getty, Rebecca Zisser, Muhammad Alameldin, Gavin Newsom, Joyce Higashi, Tiny, Newsom, Alameldin, It's, Barbara Clark, Sandoval Organizations: Service, Consumers, California, University of California, Housing Innovation, state's Department of Housing, Gov, Washington D.C Locations: California backyards, Wall, Silicon, Bay, Blue, South Carolina, New Hampshire, San Diego, Denver, Portland, Cities, Indianapolis, Austin, Colorado, California, ADUs, Jose, While California, —, Washington, Jersey, Sonoma .

Wesleyan University, a liberal arts college in Connecticut, announced two weeks ago that it was ending legacy admissions. Many elite schools say legacy admissions are important for maintaining relationships with alumni, which can help universities raise money that is then available for financial aid to needy students. In a June 2018 legal filing in the case that led to the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision, Harvard argued that “there would be substantial costs” to ending legacy admissions. Legacy students may donate more. In the American Sociological Review study, legacy students were about half as likely to apply for financial aid as admitted students who weren’t related to alumni.

Persons: Johns Hopkins, ”, Mickey Munley, “ It’s, “, Richard D Organizations: Wesleyan University, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard, American Sociological Review, Council, Advancement, Wesleyan, American Sociological, Georgetown University Locations: Connecticut, Amherst, Iowa, ”

☆ You have a month left to get your share of Facebook's $725 million settlement — here's how
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Facebook users have less than one month left to apply for their share of a $725 million settlement over the social network's privacy violations, part of the lengthy fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal that rocked the U.S. electoral process and Silicon Valley. In all, the Cambridge Analytica scandal cost Meta, Facebook's parent company, nearly $5.9 billion. Beyond the $725 million settlement, the company paid a record $5 billion settlement to the Federal Trade Commission, alongside a further $100 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission. In some ways, it's a much different company than it was during the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The $725 million settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Keller Rohrback, Donald Trump's, Facebookuserprivacysettlement.com, It's, We're, Zuckerberg Organizations: . House Financial, Capitol, Facebook, Cambridge, U.S, Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, People, Twitter Locations: Washington, Silicon Valley, Cambridge, U.S

☆ Italy's Juventus excluded from European competition next season - UEFA
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) opened a formal investigation into Juventus in December, months after the Italian side was among eight clubs that reached a settlement with UEFA for failing to comply with break-even requirements. In a statement on Friday, European soccer's governing body said it would "impose an additional financial contribution of 20 million euros on the club. However, we have decided not to appeal this judgment," Juventus Chairman Gianluca Ferrero said. "Following the club's sale in May 2022, the new ownership identified, and proactively reported to UEFA, instances of potentially incomplete financial reporting under the club’s previous ownership," UEFA said. Chelsea, who finished 12th in the Premier League following a chaotic campaign, will not be competing in Europe in 2023-24.

Persons: Gianluca Ferrero, Ferrero, Chelsea, Tommy Lund, Aadi Nair, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Juventus, Premier League, Chelsea, UEFA Club, UEFA, Conference League, Serie, UEFA Champions, CHELSEA, London, Thomson Locations: Europe, Chelsea

[1/2] A motorist rides past a hoarding decorated with flowers to welcome G20 foreign ministers in New Delhi, India, March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File photoCHENNAI, India/BRUSSELS, July 28 (Reuters) - The Group of 20 (G20) major nations failed on Friday to agree on concrete targets to cut dangerous emissions, releasing only a statement that dismissed current measures to address climate change as "insufficient". Members could not agree on depleting carbon budgets, historical emissions, net-zero goals and the issue of financing to support developing countries, the document showed. China and oil-rich Saudi Arabia backed away from making commitments in the G20 talks, members of a European delegation said. The EU's Environment Commissioner said the G20 countries were "nowhere" on their commitments to address climate change.

Persons: Amit Dave, Virginijus Sinkevicius, Sarita Chaganti Singh, Aftab Ahmed, Kate Abnett, John Stonestreet, Angus MacSwan, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, United Arab Emirates, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, CHENNAI, BRUSSELS, North America, Europe, China, Indian, Chennai, Saudi Arabia, Delhi, Brussels

ISLAMABAD, July 26 (Reuters) - Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected former prime minister Imran Khan's plea that his trial on charges of unlawfully selling state gifts be halted on concerns over the merits of the trial and that the judge hearing it was biased. The Supreme Court asked Khan to go back to the Islamabad High Court to seek a ruling over his objections, according to an order seen by a Reuters reporter who attended the top court's proceedings. Khan's legal team moved to the top court this month after the high court ruled against their plea that the trial couldn't be maintained on the election commission's petition, according to Khan's lawyer Barrister Gohar Khan. The Supreme Court cannot interfere in the trial court proceedings, said one judge on the two-member panel of the top court, which disposed of Khan's petition, directing the high court to hear all his petitions related to the trial. The trial court had indicted Khan in May on the charges and summoned him to commence his formal trial, which is now pending due to the challenge by his legal team in the high court.

Persons: Imran Khan's, Khan, Gohar Khan, Asif Shahzad, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Court, Thomson Locations: ISLAMABAD, Islamabad, Pakistan

☆ Opinion | A Grim Climate Lesson From the Canadian Wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( David Wallace-Wells | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

But whose responsibility is the carbon produced when forests burn? In the age of extreme weather and climate agreements, the world has learned to tabulate ecological guilt nation by nation — cutting responsibility for the current crisis into so many slices of pie. If the 20th century taught us the perversity of aggressive fire suppression, the 21st is already teaching us the limits of that lesson. But if the costs to human health of wildfire smoke are larger than from the fires themselves, should the goal be recalibrated? Canada has a gargantuan per capita carbon footprint, in fact, by some measures larger than that of the United States.

Persons: ” Henry Mance, “ Organizations: U.S ., Canadair, Financial Times Locations: North America, Eurasia, China, United States, India, California, Canada, Russia, Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, Maine, U.S, Los Angeles, Tampa

☆ Aaron Rodgers Is Now a Jet (and Becoming a New Yorker, Too)
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Wesley Morris | More About Wesley Morris | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

One recent Friday afternoon, I found myself walking a few feet behind a fellow who turned out to be Rodgers. We were both on our ways somewhere in SoHo, and I went out of mine to stick with him for a few extra blocks. At some point, on Grand, a street that doubles as a parking lot at that time of day, a gentleman with taxi-livery plates leaned out of his window and somehow audibly mouthed, “You’re walking behind Aaron Rodgers.” He could have yelled at Rodgers himself. They know that we know and are maybe grateful that we’re letting them be. That’s a question that’s dogged him all over the city, especially at the Tonys: You lost?

Persons: Rodgers, ”, Aaron Rodgers, We’ve, he’s Organizations: Jets, FedEx, Super Locations: SoHo, York, Green Bay, Soho

☆ IRS halts most unannounced visits to taxpayers, citing safety concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The IRS on Monday ended its controversial practice of unannounced visits to homes or businesses from agency revenue officers for most taxpayers. Part of a broader IRS overhaul, the policy change aims to lessen public confusion and improve safety. "The change reverses a long-standing practice by IRS revenue officers that goes back decades." "We have the tools we need to successfully collect revenue without adding stress with unannounced visits," Werfel said. Some Republicans have cited concerns about "new IRS agents" in a push to strip IRS funding.

Persons: Danny Werfel, —, Lesser, Werfel, Tony Reardon, Reardon Organizations: Finance, National Treasury Employees Union, IRS

☆ The women behind the Manhattan Project that Nolan's new film 'Oppenheimer' completely ignored
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Nolan's "Oppenheimer" fails to highlight the women who helped make the Manhattan Project possible. Here are the stories of just six of the hundreds of women that made essential contributions to the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos. Hornig first arrived at Los Alamos after Manhattan Project officials tapped her husband to join the effort. Los Alamos National LaboratoryCharlotte SerberCharlotte Serber first went to Los Alamos with her husband, a physicist, in 1942. Los Alamos National LaboratoryMaria Goeppert MayerTheoretical physicist Maria Goeppert Mayer contributed to the development of nuclear fission while working at Columbia University, Sarah Lawrence College, and visiting Los Alamos from time to time.

Persons: Nolan's, Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan's, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Lilli Hornig, Charlotte Serber, Nolan, Hornig, Lilli Hornig's, Alamos National Laboratory Charlotte, Serber, Charlotte Serber's, Alamos National Laboratory Floy Agnes, Naranjo Stroud, Lee Floy Agnes, Lee, — Lee, Louis Slotin, Joan Hinton Joan Hinton, Hinton, Harry Daghlian, Joan Hinton, Reuters Elizabeth Graves Elizabeth Graves, Graves, Henry Barschall, Elizabeth Graves, Alamos National Laboratory Maria Goeppert Mayer, Maria Goeppert Mayer, Sarah Lawrence, Mayer, Edward Teller, Sharon McGrayne, Marie Curie Organizations: Manhattan, Service, Manhattan Project, Trinity Test, Hornig, Alamos National Laboratory, Sun, University of New, University of Chicago, American Indian Science and Engineering Society, University of Wisconsin, Los Alamos, Trinity, New York Times, Reuters, US Department of Energy, Columbia University, Sarah, Sarah Lawrence College Locations: Wall, Silicon, Los Alamos , New Mexico, Los Alamos, United States, Berlin, Germany, New Mexico, Japan, Santa Fe, University of New Mexico, Santa Clara Pueblo, Hiroshima, Nagaski, China, Beijing, Alamos, Los, —

☆ Booz Allen to pay $377.4 million to settle US charges over past billing practices
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation building is pictured in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 29, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File PhotoWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.-based consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton Holding agreed to pay the United States $377.4 million to resolve allegations of violating federal law by improperly billing commercial and international costs to its government contracts, the Justice Department said. Under government contracting rules, there must be a nexus between the costs charged to a government contract and the objective of the contract, the Justice Department said on Friday. U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia described the settlement as “one of the largest procurement fraud settlements in history.”The government charged that from 2011 to 2021, Booz Allen improperly allocated indirect costs associated with its commercial and international business to its government contracts and subcontracts that either had no relationship to those contracts and subcontracts or were allocated to those contracts and subcontracts in disproportionate amounts. The company released a separate statement on the settlement on Friday, saying it entered the agreement to avoid protracted litigation and added that it was not an admission of liability.

Persons: Booz Allen, Mike Blake, Matthew Graves Organizations: Booz, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Booz Allen Hamilton Holding, Justice Department, Justice, U.S, District of Columbia Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, States

☆ Bel Canto Rarities, Delivered With Unflashy, Revelatory Style
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Oussama Zahr | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Opera fandom is often built around a preoccupation — zealous, territorial, absolute — with distinctive voices. Maria Callas, Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Luciano Pavarotti — they’re all immediately identifiable by timbre alone. Teatro Nuovo, the brainchild of the bel canto specialist Will Crutchfield, inverts that value system. It asks: What would happen if all of the singers onstage shared a particular school of singing and even a certain vocal quality? The singers in the two casts largely shared a vocal profile and style — a trim yet colorful sound with a quick, understated vibrato and an emphasis on legato, portamento and unaspirated coloratura.

Persons: Maria Callas, Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Luciano Pavarotti — they’re, Will Crutchfield, Donizetti’s, ”, Federico, Luigi Ricci’s “ Organizations: Teatro Nuovo, Theater, Lincoln Center

☆ Coinbase is a crypto conundrum, squared
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Anita Ramaswamy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Shares in Coinbase got a major boost after money management behemoth BlackRock (BLK.N) applied to launch a bitcoin-backed exchange-traded fund this month with Coinbase as its custodian. Coinbase shares are up nearly 54% in July, handily beating the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC), which rose 4%. Price targets range widely: analysts polled by Refinitiv think Coinbase is worth anywhere from $8 billion to nearly $50 billion. Coinbase investors would therefore be unwise to count on a judge delivering Coinbase a win. Given bitcoin’s current $584 billion market capitalization, that suggests $74 billion of ETFs would not be much of a stretch.

Persons: Brian Armstrong, Coinbase, behemoth BlackRock, –, Gary Gensler, there’s, Goldman Sachs, Cowen, Refinitiv, Armstrong, Sam Bankman, Larry Fink, Charles Schwab, doubters, Ripple, John Foley, Streisand Neto Organizations: YORK, Reuters, Securities and Exchange, Nasdaq, SEC, Citigroup, Commodity Futures, BlackRock, Bank, New York Mellon, Interactive, Securities and Exchange Commission, Thomson Locations: Washington, United States, U.S

☆ Please for the love of god don't go poking around US shipwrecks, the government says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Department of Transport warned people off exploring US shipwrecks in a notice Monday. All US shipwrecks are under MARAD's authority, it said, no matter where or when they sunk. At the same time, several governments have in recent weeks expressed alarm at what appears to be large-scale looting of WWII shipwrecks, which are regarded as war graves. According to the DOT notice, shipwrecks are "highly vulnerable to illegal salvage." The dredger was found to have recovered highly valuable steel and cannon shells, CNN reported.

Persons: MARAD, Andre Seale Organizations: Transport, Service, Department of Transport, Federal, VW, Getty, Atmospheric Administration, US Naval Institute, CNN, Guardian, Java Locations: Wall, Silicon, United States, Spiegel, Key Largo , Florida, USA, Malaysian, South China

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