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☆ A simple technique may help with nail-biting and other repetitive behaviors, new research suggests
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Compulsive nail-biting, skin-picking, hairpulling, and lip- and cheek-biting are among a range of body-focused repetitive behaviors, or BFRBs, that can become a source of distress, but new research may offer hope for relief. Gently tapping the middle and index fingers against the thumb is one of the habit replacement techniques suggested by research. In the study, Moritz recruited 268 people with BFRBs — include participants exhibiting skin-picking, trichotillomania, nail-biting, and lip- and cheek-biting behaviors — who were between ages 18 and 80. After six weeks, 54% of people in the group using the habit replacement techniques reported improvement on a scale devised to measure the severity of body-focused repetitive behavior compared with 20% in the control group. However, she said she thinks habit replacement techniques are just part of a bigger BFRB treatment puzzle.

Persons: Steffen Moritz, ”, Moritz, “, They’re, I’ve, BFRBs, —, ” Moritz, Stacy Nakell, haven’t, Nakell, ” Nakell Organizations: CNN, University Medical Center Locations: Eppendorf, Germany

☆ Sequoia Partner Michael Moritz to Leave Venture Firm After 38 Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Berber Jin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, michael, moritz, 587219fb

Moritz, 68, will now focus on Sequoia Heritage, a $15 billion wealth management fund that he helped launch in 2010. The fund will be independent from Sequoia Capital, with focus on a diversified range of assets, according to the letter. A spokesperson for Sequoia Capital confirmed Moritz's exit and declined to comment on details. Sequoia Capital has been going through a generational transition as partner Roelof Botha took on the firm's global leadership position in July 2022. Economic challenges and geopolitical tensions have made venture capital fundraising and investment difficult, and eaten into global venture funds' returns.

Persons: Michael Moritz, Moritz, Roelof Botha, OpenAI's, Mike Vernal, Krystal Hu, Kanjyik Ghosh, Nilutpal, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty, Will Dunham Organizations: Sequoia Capital, Reuters, Sequoia Heritage, Google, PayPal, Sequoia, Venture, Silicon, Thomson Locations: Sequoia, United States, Europe, New York, Bengaluru

☆ Sequoia Capital's Michael Moritz, who led early bets on the likes of Google and PayPal, is leaving the firm after almost 40 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Michael Moritz, one of Silicon Valley's best-known investors, is leaving Sequoia Capital. Moritz has spent almost 38 years at the firm and led investments into the likes of Google and PayPal. He will now focus on Sequoia's wealth management unit, The New York Times' DealBook reported. Michael Moritz, one of Silicon Valley's best-known investors, is leaving Sequoia Capital after nearly four decades at the firm, The New York Times reported on Wednesday. DealBook reported that Moritz would continue to represent the firm at a handful of companies but would be replaced on the boards over time.

Persons: Michael Moritz, Moritz, Steve Jobs, Roelof Botha, Sequoia, DealBook Organizations: Sequoia Capital, Google, PayPal, New York Times, The New York Times, Apple, Sequoia, Sequoia Heritage, . Sequoia Capital Locations: Europe, India, Southeast Asia, China

Second-biggest token Ether had its best session since March and Ripple , which a U.S. judge ruled could be legally sold on public crypto exchanges, soared 73%. "The regulatory environment is changing," said Matthew Dibb, chief investment officer at crypto asset manager Astronaut Capital. He said further cases would probably shed more light on how courts will treat private crypto offerings. The world's biggest asset manager, BlackRock (BLK.N), filed to launch a bitcoin exchange traded fund last month and earlier in July exchange operator Cboe (CBOE.Z) refreshed its filing for a similar fund to be run by asset manager Fidelity. "For the first time in a while, it's been consistently positive news coming though and that means you've got momentum."

Persons: Bitcoin, Matthew Dibb, Justin d'Anethan, Greg Moritz, FTX, Sam Bankman, Alex Mashinsky, We'd, Chris Weston, it's, Vidya Ranganathan, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Capital, BlackRock, Fidelity, Investors, Solana, Commodity Futures, Commission, Tab, Traders, U.S, SEC, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, U.S, Asia, Keyrock, Hong Kong, reining, China, noncomplicance, Melbourne, Singapore

☆ India downplays SCO Summit but Putin and Xi may not be complaining
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Hong Kong CNN —Last year, the world watched closely as China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi of India and other world leaders within a Moscow-friendly group gathered in the Uzbek city of Samarkand for a high-profile, two-day summit. World leaders pose for a photo during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on September 16, 2022. It remains unknown how tight a grip Putin now has on power in Moscow, and although he attended last year’s SCO summit, he has rarely left Russia since his invasion of Ukraine. Face-to-face meetings, however, can also provide opportunity for world leaders to talk out sensitive issues or push on points of contention that may be handled less delicately in a virtual setting. Given their respective ties with Moscow, both China and India have received pressure from the West to limit their relations or even push Putin toward peace.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Xi, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, Putin –, Putin, Modi –, –, Modi, ”, Manoj Joshi, India didn’t, Murat Kula, what’s, Wagner, Steve Tsang, It’s, “, Moritz Rudolf, Paul Tsai, Tsang, Putin “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, “, Observer Research, Anadolu Agency, Getty, SOAS China Institute, University of London, Moscow, Paul Tsai China Center of, Yale Law School, Central, Soviet, Ukraine Locations: Hong Kong, India, Moscow, Uzbek, Samarkand, Ukraine, Eurasia, Russia, China, New Delhi, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, –, Iran, Washington, ”, Europe, Beijing, Belarus, Central Asia, Soviet Union

SYDNEY, June 25 (Reuters) - PwC Australia on Sunday entered an exclusivity agreement with private equity firm Allegro Funds to sell its government practice for A$1 as it brought in an executive from Singapore to lead its local firm through the fallout from a national scandal. Amid a growing backlash from key government clients, PwC said it had entered an exclusivity agreement to divest its federal and state government business to Allegro Funds for A$1 ($0.67) as first reported on Friday. A spokesperson for Allegro Funds declined to comment. NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVEGlobal PwC Chair Bob Moritz publicly apologised in a statement and said PwC Australia had failed to meet the firm's standards and values under past leadership. "PwC Australia has significant work to do and I am confident that the steps they are taking ... will result in a stronger firm," Moritz said.

Persons: PwC, Justin Carroll, Deborah O'Neill, Bob Moritz, Kevin Burrowes, Kristin Stubbins, Burrowes, Moritz, Lewis Jackson, Sam McKeith, Christopher Cushing, Tom Hogue Organizations: SYDNEY, Sunday, Funds, Allegro Funds, PwC, Labor, Global, & Industries, Thomson Locations: Australia, Singapore, Sydney

☆ Nyra Health provides personalized therapy to users with neurological conditions via an app. Check out the 11-slide deck it used to secure $4.9 million.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Mental health startup Nyra Health has raised $4.9 million in funding. The startup offers personalized therapy for neurological conditions. A startup that's bringing digital therapy to patients with neurological conditions has secured $4.9 million from MassMutual Ventures and Wellington Partners. It then maps patients' neurological profiles using this data, to monitor any long-term changes in their conditions. The fresh funding comes amid ongoing, heightened interest in health startups following the pandemic.

Persons: Moritz Schöllauf, Nyra, Schöllauf Organizations: MassMutual Ventures, Wellington Partners Locations: Vienna, MyReha, Nyra, DACH

☆ Voting Rights Act survives at US Supreme Court but more challenges loom
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( John Kruzel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Election law expert Ned Foley of Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law called the ruling "a hugely important development for both the Voting Rights Act and the Supreme Court more broadly." The decision requires Alabama to draw a second U.S. House of Representatives district where Black voters comprise a majority or close to it. The Voting Rights Act was passed at a time when Southern states including Alabama enforced policies blocking Black people from casting ballots. Nearly six decades later, the Supreme Court continues to hear cases involving Black voters suing over electoral maps they argue diminish their influence. Thursday's ruling centered upon Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a provision aimed at countering measures that result in racial bias in voting even absent racist intent.

Persons: John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, Ned Foley, Roberts, Kavanaugh, Foley, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Terri Sewell, Marc Elias, Elias, Brennan, Alabama, Deuel Ross, Ross, Gotell Faulks, Faulks, John Kruzel, Moira Warburton, Will Dunham Organizations: U.S, Supreme, Conservative, Republican, Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law, Alabama, U.S . House, Representatives, Black House Democrat, Democratic, Black voters, Black, Brennan Center for Justice, New York, American Civil Liberties, Thomson Locations: Alabama, U.S, Black, Louisiana, Constitution's, Montgomery, Jackson, Baton Rouge

☆ Analysis: China says it wants peace in Ukraine, but is it only on Russia's terms?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But Li’s trip has also laid bare the divisions between China and Europe when it comes to how peace can be reached — and served to underline Beijing’s close alignment with Moscow. As such, that’s “not on the table for China,” Tsang said. That stance has horrified much of Europe, and Li’s tour comes as China has been attempting to repair relations there. “No one will do anything against us behind Ukraine’s back, because we have built trusting relationships with all our key partners,” he added. “The crucial question is what message from Europe — Kyiv, Warsaw, Berlin, Paris, and Brussels — Li will deliver in Moscow and Beijing,” he said.

[1/3] Smoke rises above the southeast perimeter of the Paskwa fire (HWF030) as it burns near Fox Lake, Alberta, Canada May 16, 2023. Alberta Wildfire/Handout via REUTERSMay 17 (Reuters) - Smoke blanketed the skies over much of Alberta on Wednesday as firefighters from Canada and the United States battled raging wildfires that have prompted evacuations, disrupted rail service and shuttered energy production in Canada's main oil-producing province. Of estimated May production volumes, about 60% are currently subject to extreme wildfire danger levels, with the remaining 40% subject to very high danger, Oslo-based Rystad said. Wildfire smoke has covered a large part of Western Canada. Air quality in places including Edmonton and Alberta has deteriorated to category 10+, the worst level on Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index, indicating "very high risk."

☆ EU debt’s credibility problem is worsening
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BRUSSELS, May 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The European Union’s debt credibility is suffering from rising doubts, as well as rising rates. Relative to initial projections, EU borrowing costs are on course to go up by tens of billions of euros. Even so, as of Tuesday, two-year EU bonds were yielding 3.02% compared to 2.79% for France and 2.94% for Spain , with five-year EU bonds at 2.87% against 2.63% for France . EU debt trades as a supranational institution, not a country. Financially, the EU general budget will be able to manage the increase in debt costs using existing measures.

☆ Zimmer Biomet raises annual forecasts on knees and hips unit strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The logo of medical implants maker Zimmer Biomet is seen at a plant in Winterthur, Switzerland, November 16, 2018. REUTERS/Moritz HagerMay 2 (Reuters) - Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc (ZBH.N) raised its annual sales and profit forecasts on Tuesday, banking on strong demand for its knees and hips products amid a sustained recovery in surgical procedures in the United States. Shares of the Indiana-based medical device maker rose 3.72% to $144 before the bell, also buoyed by better-than-expected first-quarter results. Zimmer Biomet's upbeat outlook comes after several medical device makers, including Stryker Corp (SYK.N) and larger rival Abbott Laboratories (ABT.N), raised their forecasts as easing staffing shortages at hospitals aid a recovery in medical procedures. The medical device maker's revenue rose 10% to $1.83 billion in the first quarter, beating analysts' average estimates of $1.70 billion.

☆ NBA roundup: Mavs' playoff hopes dashed by Bulls
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

The result ended the Mavericks' hopes of reaching the Western Conference play-in tournament. Chicago, which had already clinched an Eastern Conference play-in spot, played without leading scorers DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine as well as Patrick Beverley. Orlando, which was in contention for a play-in spot over the past month following a 5-20 start, played its second game since being eliminated Tuesday. Grizzlies 137, Bucks 114Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 36 points to lead seven Memphis players in double figures as the Grizzlies clinched the No. Pascal Siakam scored 19 points, Precious Achiuwa added 16 points, and Fred VanVleet had 12 points and eight assists.

☆ Exclusive: Germans shun deposits abroad on fear of new crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Francesco Canepa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

By contrast, German banks, which are perceived as safer because of their government's high credit rating and two separate safety nets on deposits, saw an increase in demand, both platforms said. Sibylle Miller-Trach of the German consumer association in Bavaria said "term deposits aren't necessarily safe" and savers should gather information about the creditworthiness of the bank and its country. Household flows into bank deposits with an agreed maturitySPREAD SEEN WIDENINGCheck24 and competing platforms do not publish figures about their volumes of business so it is hard to tell how much money Germans have deposited abroad. By contrast, the most that savers could get from a German bank was 2.55% from online lender SWK Bank. "The current crisis is leading customers to keep their deposits with their local bank," said Christian van Beek, a director at the Scope Ratings agency.

☆ Private jet flights in Europe soar to record levels — and most were ultra-short journeys
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A private jet is landing over the snowy mountains of St. Moritz in Switzerland. Private jet emissions, which have a disproportionate impact on the environment, were found to have more than doubled in Europe in 2022. Analysis published Thursday by environmental campaign group Greenpeace showed the number of private jet flights in Europe last year rose by a whopping 64% to reach a record high of 572,806. The analysis found that the countries with the most private jet flights in Europe last year were the U.K., France and Germany. The most popular destinations for private jet flights in Europe in 2022 were the French Riviera city of Nice, France's capital of Paris and Switzerland's second-most populous city of Geneva.

☆ Factbox: Five facts about returning UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) - Sergio Ermotti has been rehired as the CEO of Swiss banking giant UBS (UBSG.S) to steer its massive takeover of rival Credit Suisse (CSGN.S). * He joined UBS in 2011 after being passed over for the top job at Italian lender UniCredit. Within six months of joining he was appointed interim CEO in the wake of a $2.3 billion trading scandal, before he was picked to run UBS on a permanent basis until 2020. * Ermotti, with long experience in investment banking and wealth management, is credited with executing UBS's turnaround and scaling down its investment banking operations after a series of scandals and losses nearly caused the bank's implosion. Reporting by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Logos of Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse are seen in Zurich, Switzerland March 19, 2023. UBS will buy rival Swiss bank Credit Suisse for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) and agreed to assume up to $5.4 billion in losses as it winds down the smaller peer's investment bank after a shotgun merger engineered by Swiss authorities. The U.S., UK and Swiss central banks are all scheduled to meet in the week ahead. Even after Sunday's news on Credit Suisse, optimism from analysts was laced with caution and some scepticism. Others drew attention to the losses likely to be suffered by Credit Suisse junior bondholders.

[1/2] Logos of Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse are seen in Zurich, Switzerland March 19, 2023. UBS will buy rival Swiss bank Credit Suisse for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) and agreed to assume up to $5.4 billion in losses as it winds down the smaller peer's investment bank after a shotgun merger engineered by Swiss authorities. The failure of two U.S. banks and a rout in Credit Suisse shares have sent shock waves through markets over the past week, reviving memories of the 2008 financial crisis. The U.S., UK and Swiss central banks are all scheduled to meet in the week ahead. Others drew attention to the losses likely to be suffered by Credit Suisse junior bondholders.

☆ Bank of England welcomes Credit Suisse deal, says UK banks are safe
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Logos of Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse are seen in Zurich, Switzerland March 19, 2023. REUTERS/Moritz HagerLONDON, March 19 (Reuters) - The Bank of England welcomed moves by the Swiss authorities to broker a take-over by UBS of Credit Suisse on Sunday, indicating it would support approval of the deal, and it said the British banking system was well funded. UBS (UBSG.S) agreed to buy rival Swiss bank Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) for 3 billion Swiss francs ($3.23 billion) in stock and assume up to 5 billion francs ($5.4 billion) in losses in a merger engineered by Swiss authorities. "The UK government welcomes the steps taken today by the Swiss authorities in relation to Credit Suisse to support financial stability, and will continue to engage with the FCA and the Bank of England as is usual," a finance ministry spokesperson said. ($1 = 0.9280 Swiss francs)Reporting by Alistair Smout and Huw Jones Editing by William SchombergOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Free-diver plunges to record depth beneath frozen Swiss lake
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

David Vencl Organisation/Handout via REUTERSLAKE SILS, Switzerland, March 14 (Reuters) - David Vencl emerged from the depths of Switzerland's Lake Sils on Tuesday after a record dive beneath the ice to a depth of more than 50 meters without a wetsuit. "There is nothing difficult for him to be in cold water... But this was completely different because it's really difficult to work with the pressure in your ears in cold water," he added. "If you combine all these three things: cold water, lack of oxygen and the problem with working with pressure, it's something very unique," he added. Reporting by Denis Balibouse in Lake Sils, Switzerland Writing by Emma Farge Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ NBA roundup: Red-hot Knicks outlast Celtics in double OT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Julius Randle added 31 points and nine rebounds for the Knicks, who also received 29 points and 11 rebounds from RJ Barrett. Jayson Tatum had 40 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who have lost their last two home games. Bennedict Mathurin scored 17 points, Myles Turner added 16 and Chris Duarte had 15 for Indiana. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points for Charlotte, which dropped its third straight. Walker Kessler (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Kelly Olynyk (15 points, 10 rebounds) each had double-doubles in the loss.

☆ NBA roundup: Nets stun Celts with NBA's biggest comeback of season
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Cam Johnson added 20 points for the Nets, who also received 17 points apiece from Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith. Jayson Tatum, who turned 25 on Friday, finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds, but he missed all eight of his 3-point attempts. Terry Rozier posted 22 points, Gordon Hayward 17 and Mark Williams 13 points for Charlotte, which was hurt by 21 turnovers. Kings 128, Clippers 127De'Aaron Fox recorded 33 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and Sacramento won its fifth straight game by prevailing over visiting Los Angeles. Jonathan Kuminga, coming off the Golden State bench, chipped in with 19 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

☆ Legendary VC Doug Leone touts AI, praises Elon Musk, and reveals how he tests people over dinner in a new interview. Here are the 10 best quotes.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Doug Leone compared AI to mobile devices and the internet in terms of technological impact. Great companies often emerge in tough times, and easy money can be bad for founders, he said. Leone is a legendary venture capitalist who led Sequoia Capital for over 25 years. (Leone said he looks for founders, partners, and employees who are seen by others as insufferable, belligerent, and bad listeners.) "What you shouldn't do and say: 'There's money in venture, I want a cushy life, I want to go into venture.'

☆ NBA roundup: Hornets win again, lose LaMelo Ball
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Gordon Hayward added 19 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. joined ball with 18 points for Charlotte. Mark Williams provided 15 points and 11 rebounds. Heat 101, 76ers 99Jimmy Butler had 23 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and four steals to help Miami edge host Philadelphia. Jayson Tatum, who entered Monday averaging 30.4 points per game, was limited to 14 points before he was ejected late in the fourth quarter. Moritz Wagner and Markelle Fultz added 14 points each and Wendell Carter Jr. had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Orlando, which began a three-game road trip by finishing a season series sweep against New Orleans.

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