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☆ United States condemns 'horrific terrorist attack' in southern Philippines
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Lanao Del Sur Provincial Government/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The United States condemned the "horrific terrorist attack" during a Catholic Mass at a university in southern Philippines that killed at least four people and injured dozens, the State Department said on Sunday. The United States is in close contact with its Philippine partners and stands with Filipinos in rejecting the act of violence, it said in a statement. "We continue patrols and security in schools is tighter," Major Alinaid Moner, spokesperson of the Lanao del Sur police office, told News5 radio station on Monday. Mindanao State University (MSU) is continuing operations as it is the period for final exams, Moner said. Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and security officials said on Sunday the crime was perpetrated by "foreign terrorists".

Persons: Mamintal Adiong, Alinaid Moner, Moner, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Neil Jerome Morales, Karen Lema, Kim Coghill, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Mindanao State University, REUTERS, Rights, State Department, MSU, Islamic State, Thomson Locations: Lanao Del Sur, Marawi, Philippines, Lanao Del Sur Provincial Government, Rights MANILA, United States, Lanao del Sur

☆ Islamic State claims responsibility for deadly Philippine bombing
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Lanao Del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. looks on as law enforcement officers investigate the scene of an explosion that occurred during a Catholic Mass in a gymnasium at Mindanao State University in Marawi, Philippines, December 3, 2023. Lanao Del Sur Provincial Government/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsDec 3 (Reuters) - The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for an attack on a Catholic mass in the Philippines on Sunday that killed at least four people and injured 50 others. The group wrote on Telegram that its members detonated a bomb in the gathering. Reporting by Ahmed Tolba in Cairo; editing by Rami AyyubOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mamintal Adiong, Ahmed Tolba, Rami Ayyub Organizations: Mindanao State University, REUTERS Acquire, Islamic, Thomson Locations: Lanao Del Sur, Marawi, Philippines, Lanao Del Sur Provincial Government, Cairo

☆ Three dead in blast during Mass in Philippine university gym - police
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Lanao Del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. stands among law enforcement officers as they investigate the scene of an explosion that occurred during a Catholic Mass in a gymnasium at Mindanao State University in Marawi, Philippines, December 3, 2023. Lanao Del Sur Provincial Government/Handout via... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreMANILA, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Three people were killed and nine wounded when an explosion ripped through a Catholic Mass in a university gymnasium in the southern Philippines on Sunday, police said. The authorities are investigating the explosion at Mindanao State University, the regional police director, Brigadier General Allan Nobleza, told reporters, adding that one angle being pursued was possible revenge by pro-Islamic State militants. "I condemn the violent bombing incident that transpired this morning," Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr said in a statement. Mindanao State University is "deeply saddened and appalled by the act of violence that occurred during a religious gathering," it said in a statement on Facebook.

Persons: Mamintal Adiong, General Allan Nobleza, Mamintal Adiong Jr, Neil Jerome Morales, Karen Lema, William Mallard Organizations: Mindanao State University, Sunday, Islamic, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Lanao Del Sur, Marawi, Philippines, Lanao Del Sur Provincial Government, MANILA, Philippine, Maguindanao del Sur province, Lanao del Sur, Mindanao

MANILA, Dec 3 (Reuters) - The Philippines lifted a tsunami alert early on Sunday as waves receded from a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the south of the country, triggering coastal evacuations and some waves in there and in Japan. More than 500 aftershocks were recorded, and the Philippines' Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) urged caution as people resumed normal activities. "The tsunami threat associated with this earthquake has now largely passed the Philippines," Phivolcs said in a statement but advised people in threatened communities to heed the instructions from local authorities. [1/4]People gather at an evacuation center, in the aftermath of an earthquake, in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, Philippines December 2, 2023. Japan's Hachijojima island, some 290 km (180 miles) south of Tokyo, recorded waves of 40 cm (1.3 feet), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Persons: Phivolcs, Bicap, Hinatuan, Philvolcs, James Soria, Cosme Calejesan, Karen Lema, Neil Jerome Morales, William Mallard Organizations: Institute of, Philippine Coast Guard, Reuters, REUTERS Acquire, Centre . Earthquakes, Japan Meteorological Agency, U.S ., Thomson Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Japan, Mindanao, Surigao Del Sur, Davao Oriental, Bislig, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, Handout, Centre, Hinatuan province, Tokyo, U.S, Surigao City, Manila

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A powerful earthquake that shook the southern Philippines killed at least one villager and injured several others as thousands scrambled out of their homes in panic and jammed roads to higher grounds after a tsunami warning was issued, officials said Sunday. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it expected tsunami waves to hit the southern Philippines and parts of Indonesia, Palau and Malaysia, but later dropped its tsunami warning. In Japan, authorities issued evacuation orders late Saturday in various parts of Okinawa prefecture, including for the entire coastal area, affecting thousands of people. My perfume bottles fell off a table, pictures on my wall swung and I heard people screaming outside: 'Get out, get out, earthquake, earthquake!”’ Isidoro said. Thousands of residents stayed outside their homes for hours in many towns due to the earthquake and tsunami scare, including in some that were drenched by an overnight downpour, officials said.

Persons: Shieldon Isidoro, Isidoro, ’ Isidoro, Gilberto Teodoro Jr, Teresito Bacolcol, Mari Yamaguchi Organizations: Geological Survey, Tsunami Warning, Associated Press, Defense, Philippine Institute of Locations: MANILA, Philippines, U.S, Indonesia, Palau, Malaysia, Japan, Okinawa, Tagum, Davao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Surigao del Sur province

☆ Earthquake of 7.5 strikes Philippines, tsunami expected in Philippines and Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 2 (Reuters) - An earthquake of at least magnitude 7.5 struck Mindanao in the southern Philippines late on Saturday, triggering evacuation orders for some areas and southwestern Japanese coasts because of warnings of tsunami waves of a metre (3 feet) or more. The Philippine Seismology Agency Phivolcs said the waves could hit the Philippines by midnight (1600 GMT) and continue for hours. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said there could be waves of up to 3 metres above the tide level along some Philippine coasts. The Japanese broadcaster NHK said tsunami waves of up to a metre were expected to reach Japan's southwestern coast around 30 minutes later - by 1:30 a.m. on Sunday (1630 GMT on Saturday). The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said a quake of magnitude 7.5 had struck at a depth of 63 km (39 miles).

Persons: Agency Phivolcs, Phivolcs, Mrinmay Dey, Mikhail Flores, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Kevin Liffey, Diane Craft, Alison Williams Organizations: Agency, U.S ., NHK, Seismological, U.S . Geographic Survey, Thomson Locations: Mindanao, Philippines, Philippine, U.S, Surigao Del Sur, Davao Oriental, Japanese, Hinatuan, Earthquakes, Bengaluru, Manila, Tokyo

☆ Explosion at a Catholic Mass in the Philippines Kills at Least 4 and Injures Dozens
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Jason Gutierrez | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At least four people were killed and around 50 others injured Sunday in an explosion at a Roman Catholic Mass inside a university gymnasium in the southern Philippine city of Marawi, the military and police said, adding that they suspected the involvement of the Islamic State affiliate in the Philippines. The blast, thought to be caused by a grenade or a homemade bomb, ripped through a gymnasium at Mindanao State University. The university, in Lanao del Sur province, had been at the center of fighting in 2017 that displaced more than 100,000 people, after local and foreign Islamic State militants laid siege to Marawi. At least 1,200 militants, government forces and civilians were killed during those battles, which lasted for five months. In a statement, Lanao del Sur province’s top official, Gov.

Persons: Mamintal Adiong Organizations: Islamic State, Mindanao State University, Islamic, Gov Locations: Philippine, Marawi, Philippines, Lanao del Sur province, Lanao del Sur

☆ Three Dead in Blast During Mass in Philippine University Gym - Police
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) -Three people were killed and nine wounded when an explosion ripped through a Catholic Mass in a university gymnasium in the southern Philippines on Sunday, police said. The authorities are investigating the explosion at Mindanao State University, the regional police director, Brigadier General Allan Nobleza, told reporters, adding that one angle being pursued was possible revenge by pro-Islamic State militants. The blast occurred Marawi, a city besieged by Islamist militants in for five months in 2017. "I condemn the violent bombing incident that transpired this morning," Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr said in a statement. Mindanao State University is "deeply saddened and appalled by the act of violence that occurred during a religious gathering," it said in a statement on Facebook.

Persons: General Allan Nobleza, Mamintal Adiong Jr, Neil Jerome Morales, Karen Lema, William Mallard Organizations: Sunday, Mindanao State University, Islamic, Facebook Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Philippine, Maguindanao del Sur province, Lanao del Sur, Mindanao

☆ Strong Quake in Philippines Triggers Tsunami Warnings and Evacuations
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Evacuations were continuing in the Philippines, where there were no initial reports of significant wave damage or casualties despite continuing aftershocks. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Phivolcs, maintained that the risk of a tsunami remained. However, the two provinces are largely rural and not densely populated, unlike other parts of the Philippines. The EMSC said the quake of magnitude 7.5 had struck at a depth of 63 km (39 miles), while the U.S. Geographic Survey put the quake at magnitude 7.6 and a depth of 32 km (20 miles), and said it had struck at 10:37 p.m. (1437 GMT).

Persons: Mikhail Flores MANILA, Phivolcs, Raymark Gentallan, James Soria, Cosme Calejesan, EMSC, Mrinmay Dey, Mikhail Flores, Karen Lema, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Kevin Liffey, Alison Williams, David Holmes, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S ., Philippine Institute of, Japan Meteorological Agency, Seismological, Reuters, Earthquakes, U.S . Geographic Survey Locations: Philippines, Mindanao, Japan, U.S, Tokyo, Surigao Del Sur, Davao Oriental, Hinatuan, Surigao City, Bengaluru, Manila

☆ Mindanao blast: Three people killed as explosion hits Sunday mass service in Philippine university gym
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Heather Chen | Alex | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —At least three people were killed and nine injured by an explosion at a Sunday mass service being held in a university gymnasium in the Philippines, according to a regional official. The blast took place in Marawi on the southern island of Mindanao on Sunday morning, according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines. Governor of the Lanao del Sur province, Mamintal Adiong Jr., condemned what he called a “violent bombing incident” on a gymnasium at the Mindanao State University during a Sunday mass congregation. Mindanao, a province in the far south of the Philippines, sits at the borders of Malaysia and Indonesia and is home to several Islamist insurgent groups including Abu Sayyaf. The island, the second largest in the Philippines, has long been a hotbed of insurgency against the Philippine government.

Persons: Mamintal Adiong, Abu Sayyaf Organizations: CNN, CNN Philippines, Mindanao State University, ISIS Locations: Philippines, Marawi, Mindanao, Lanao del Sur province, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippine

☆ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman went on an 18-month, $85 million real-estate shopping spree — including a previously unknown Hawaii estate
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Katherine Long | Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementYears before the recent drama at OpenAI turned CEO Sam Altman into a household name, the former Y Combinator president went on an extraordinary 18-month, $85 million real-estate shopping spree, according to records reviewed by Business Insider — including a previously unreported $43 million Hawaii estate on land that locals describe as historically significant. AdvertisementSam Altman's Hawaii estate is immediately adjacent to the reconstruction of the royal temple of King Kamehameha I. Maxar TechnologiesA $43 million estate in HawaiiIn July 2021, Altman bought a twelve-bedroom estate in Kailua-Kona, on the big island of Hawaii, for $43 million. Altman's purchase of the Hawaii property has not been previously reported. AdvertisementAnnie had been unaware that her oldest brother owned property in Hawaii until Business Insider asked her about it, she said. A $27 million San Francisco homeAltman's weekday residence is a home on San Francisco's Russian Hill that was once described — inaccurately — as the most expensive home in San Francisco.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman, —, OpenAI, he's, He's, Sam Altman's, King Kamehameha I, King Kamehameha, Jennifer Serralta, Serralta, Jack, Max, — Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, Marc Benioff, Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, Annie Altman, Annie, Sam's, Napa Altman, Cade Metz, Bob Dickinson Organizations: Service, Business, Bloomberg Tech Summit, Wall Street Journal, YouTube, Altman, LinkedIn, Apollo, Opportunity Fund, Silicon Valley, Business Insider, San, SEC, 9Point Ventures, Uncommon Ventures, New York Times, Capital Management, San Francisco Chronicle, New Yorker, Israeli Defense Force, Tesla Locations: San Francisco, Napa, Hawaii, Napa , California, Sam Altman's Hawaii, Kailua, Kona, wakesurfing, Kauai, Lanai, San, Russian, California, Hollywood, Big Sur

REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Night-time protests across France over the past few days by ultra-right militants chanting "Islam out of Europe" have been fanned by last week's rioting in Dublin, a French intelligence source and far-right Telegram communications indicate. In messages sent on French far-right Telegram groups, seen by Reuters, videos of the Dublin riots were shared, highlighting what they said was the assailant's Algerian origin and hailing the reaction of the Irish far-right. CALMING TENSIONSOn a visit to Crepol on Monday, government spokesperson Olivier Veran urged calm, saying "we don't respond to violence with violence, we respond with justice. There are about 3,000 violent ultra-right militants identified by the French intelligence services. That number has been stable for the last few years but the national coordination by demonstrators as seen on Saturday is a new phenomenon, the intelligence source said.

Persons: Sarah Meyssonnier, Jean, Yves Camus, Thomas, Bravo, Camus, Olivier Veran, Gerald Darmanin, Martel, Darmanin, Laurent de Caigny, Layli Foroudi, Juliette Jabkhiro, William Maclean Organizations: French Municipal Police, REUTERS, Rights, Rennes, Grenoble, Telegram, Reuters, France Inter, Thomson Locations: Paris, Villepinte, France, Europe, Dublin, Crepol, Lyon, Ireland

☆ Goldman, JPMorgan and others crank up Nvidia price targets in wake of latest earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Several analysts hiked their price targets for the stock to show they expect greater upside ahead after the latest financials. Below, CNBC Pro compiled a list of major investment firms that raised their price targets following the Nvidia report, along with their key conclusions: Goldman Sachs Analyst Toshiya Hari raised the price target by $20 to $625. Morgan Stanley Analyst Joseph Moore added $3 to his price target, bringing it to $603. BMO Capital Markets Like JPMorgan, BMO analyst Ambrish Srivastava hiked his target price by $50 to $650. Bernstein Analyst Stacy Rasgon increased his target price by $25 to $700, equating to 40% upside over the coming year.

Persons: Jensen Huang, chalked, Goldman Sachs, Toshiya Hari, Harlan Sur, Morgan Stanley, Joseph Moore, Aaron Rakers, Vivek Arya, Timothy Arcuri, NVDA, Ambrish Srivastava, Grace Hopper, Ruben Roy, Bernstein, Stacy Rasgon, Vijay Rakesh yanked, 2024E, INTC's, William Stein, Michael Bloom Organizations: Nvidia, CNBC Pro, Center, Foundry Service, JPMorgan, NVIDIA, " Bank of America, NVDA, UBS, BMO, Markets, AMD Locations: China, Tuesday's, CY24, CY25

The deal to acquire investment firm Carlyle's (CG.O) 28% holding in the burger chain's China business, which also includes its stores in Hong Kong and Macau, will see McDonald's stake rise to 48%. Since 2017, the number of McDonald's stores in China has doubled to 5,500 and the country has become its second-largest market. McDonald's made an unsolicited offer for Carlyle's stake in the China operations in recent weeks and the deal was struck quickly, said the sources. Reuters reported in August that Trustar Capital was planning to raise a continuation fund that would allow the Chinese private equity firm to sell down its stake in McDonald's China. In contrast to McDonald's, U.S. meat and processed food maker Tyson Foods (TSN.N) plans to sell its China poultry business, sources have said.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Chris Kempczinski, McDonald's, Carlyle, Trustar, Jim Sanderson, Reckitt, Kane Wu, Granth, Deborah Sophia, Roxanne Liu, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, HK, CITIC, Trustar, Northcoast Research, Reuters, Tyson Foods, Primavera Capital, Thomson Locations: Bretigny, Paris, France, China, Hong Kong, Macau, CITIC, U.S, McDonald's China, British, Bengaluru, Beijing

☆ Opinion: The drama around Sam Altman is an urgent warning
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Opinion Jill Filipovic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

And OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is on its third CEO in as many days. And how should other institutions – governments, non-tech industries, global alliances, regulatory bodies – reign in the worst excesses of potentially dangerous AI innovators? This dynamic – a potentially dangerous technology developed at extreme speed, largely behind closed doors – is partly to blame for Altman’s firing. And we all have a stake in whose interests AI will serve – and right now, its development is being funded with billions of dollars by people expecting to make a huge profit. The Altman story is fascinating because Altman is the most powerful figure in AI technology, which in effect makes him one of the most powerful men in the world.

Persons: Jill Filipovic, Sam Altman, Altman, Jill Filipovic It’s, OpenAI, CNN’s David Goldman, he’ll, ”, – Organizations: Twitter, CNN, Microsoft, Israeli Defense Force Locations: New York, Big Sur, Yorker, Atlantic, Silicon Valley

The McDonald's company logo stands on a sign outside a restaurant in Bretigny-sur-Orge, near Paris, France, July 30, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 20 (Reuters) - McDonald's (MCD.N) said on Monday it would acquire investment firm Carlyle's (CG.O) 28% stake in a partnership that manages its business in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, as the burger chain looks to simplify its structure in the region. Reuters reported in April that Carlyle was discussing various options with financial advisers for its stake in McDonald's China, including setting up a continuation fund for the asset. There was "no better time to simplify our structure" given the benefits of China's long-term potential, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski said. Reuters reported in August that Trustar Capital, formerly known as CITIC Capital, was also planning to raise a continuation fund that would allow the Chinese private equity firm to sell down its stake in McDonald's China.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Carlyle, Chris Kempczinski, Jim Sanderson, Granth, Deborah Sophia, Anil D'Silva, Shounak Dasgupta, Shweta Agarwal Organizations: REUTERS, CITIC, HK, Reuters, CITIC Ltd, Northcoast, Thomson Locations: Bretigny, Paris, France, China, Hong Kong, Macau, McDonald's China, Bengaluru

☆ I traveled around Luxembourg, one of the world's wealthiest and most sustainable countries. I found 2 ways I can make my next visit more eco-friendly.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

It is known for its sustainable practices, including free public transport. I was especially looking forward to free travel by train as it's more sustainable than flying or driving. Met a representative from Visit Luxembourg for a walking tour and lunch at a local restaurant. In comparison, my flight from Edinburgh took about five hours, not including travel time to the airport. Meanwhile, the Visit Luxembourg spokesperson suggested seeking accommodation within or close to Benu Village, an ecovillage in Esch-sur-Alzette (about a 20-minute drive to Luxembourg City), which is being built using recycled materials.

Persons: —, Mikhaila Friel, Nina Karnikowski, Chateau d'Urspelt, Chateau, Le Royal, Karnikowski, Sloow Organizations: Service, Visit, Le Royal, Met, Visit Luxembourg, Eurostar, Luxembourg City, Edinburgh, Le, d'Urspelt, Luxembourg's, Tourism Locations: Luxembourg, Vianden, Visit Luxembourg, Australian, Edinburgh, Scotland, London, Chateau, Ettelbruck, Chateau d'Urspelt, Brussels, Belgium, Luxembourg City, Domenico Palace, Sicily, Esch

☆ World War Two veterans eye 80th anniversary of D-Day as Europe salutes war dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Tim Hepher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Thirty of us went out, 16 including my brother got back, five of us got captured and nine got killed," Hay said. He is now an active ambassador for the nearby British Normandy Memorial, overlooking Gold Beach in the UK sector. Until two years ago, Britain was alone among allies on the Western front in not having a dedicated Normandy memorial. The 30-million-pound ($37 million) memorial was financed by fines levied on banks by the British government, as well as private donations. In a forest near Regensburg, Germany, guns approached from the West and the German commanding officer accepted the war was over.

Persons: Ken Hay, Tim Hepher, Hay, Britain's King Charles III, Emmanuel Macron, Sacha Marsac, Thomas Hardwyre Milligan, Sidney Bates, VIII, I've, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Normandy, Juno, Royal International Air, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Normandy, Fairford, Britain, France, Nazi, English, Essex, Gold, Ver, Mer, British, Hay, Czech Republic, Regensburg, Germany

[1/5] An aerial view shows a flooded area in Estree as the Canche River overflows near Montreuil-sur-Mer after days of heavy rain causing flooding in northern France, November 10, 2023. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol Acquire Licensing RightsSAINT-ETIENNE-AU-MONT, France, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Days of heavy rains in northern France have caused local rivers to overflow and flood houses and fields, prompting the evacuation of residents, with some having to be airlifted to safety. More than 100 towns are on red alert, and some 200 schools in the region have been shut. But I've had losses in chickens, financial losses in terms of seeds and equipment, and so today, it's really hard." "We've never seen something like that," said campsite owner Jean-Marc Joyez in the village of Enquin-sur-Baillons, where many houses are flooded and roads submerged.

Persons: Pascal Rossignol, Gaetan Guche, I've, Loup Mionnet, We've, Jean, Marc Joyez, Christophe Bechu, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Ingrid Melander, Alison Williams, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Estree, Montreuil, Mer, France, ETIENNE, MONT, Jean, Enquin

☆ Jean-Baptiste Andrea Wins Goncourt Prize With Sprawling Novel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Aurelien Breeden | More About Aurelien Breeden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jean-Baptiste Andrea received the Goncourt Prize, France’s most prestigious literary award, on Tuesday for his novel “Watching Over Her,” or “Veiller Sur Elle.”The novel, published by L’Iconoclaste, a small, independent publisher, is a sprawling fresco and star-crossed love story that follows Michelangelo “Mimo” Vitaliani, a dwarf and skilled sculptor who at the end of his life is said to be “watching over” his masterpiece, a mysteriously powerful sculpture. Andrea, 52, a former screenwriter and film director, sets the nearly 600-page novel across several tumultuous decades in 20th-century Italy, including the years of fascism’s rise, when Mimo, young and poor, forges an intense bond with Viola Orsini, the adventurous and ambitious daughter of an aristocratic family. The 10 members of the Goncourt Academy, the French literary society that awards the prize, made their announcement at lunchtime at the Paris restaurant Drouant, where the winners have been declared since 1914.

Persons: Jean, Baptiste Andrea, ”, L’Iconoclaste, Michelangelo “ Mimo, Andrea, Viola Orsini Organizations: Goncourt Academy, Drouant Locations: Italy, Paris

☆ Burger King drags sales at parent Restaurant Brands as spending softens
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Burger King company logo stands on a sign outside a restaurant in Bretigny-sur-Orge, near Paris, France, July 30, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier Acquire Licensing RightsNov 3 (Reuters) - Restaurant Brands International (QSR.TO) missed market estimates for quarterly sales on Friday as lingering inflation pinched spending at its Burger King chain, eclipsing higher demand for Tim Hortons coffees and Popeyes chicken wings. Shares of the Canada-based company fell 4%, as executives said Burger King would increase advertising and store investments under an ongoing turnaround plan, setting it up for higher costs in the current quarter. Burger King has "made a lot of progress ... but there's still a very long way from where we are to where we want to be. Total revenue at Restaurant Brands rose to $1.84 billion, but missed estimates of $1.87 billion.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Tim Hortons, Burger, Sante Faustini III, Burger King, Josh Kobza, Footfall, there's, Kobza, Deborah Sophia, Devika Organizations: Burger King, REUTERS, Brands, Reuters, Restaurant Brands, Thomson Locations: Bretigny, Paris, France, Canada, U.S, Burger, Bengaluru

☆ Burger King weakness drives sales miss at parent Restaurant Brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Burger King company logo stands on a sign outside a restaurant in Bretigny-sur-Orge, near Paris, France, July 30, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier Acquire Licensing RightsNov 3 (Reuters) - Restaurant Brands International (QSR.TO) missed market estimates for quarterly sales on Friday as still-high inflation pressured consumer spending at its Burger King chain, signaling that the brand's turnaround efforts were falling short. The weak sales come despite Burger King executing a $400 million turnaround plan by streamlining menus, targeting younger consumers through better advertising and improving restaurant technology. Total same-store sales at the Burger King division rose 7.2% in the third quarter, missing estimates of 8.71%, according to LSEG IBES data. Toronto, Canada-based Restaurant Brands posted an adjusted profit of 90 cents per share, beating estimates of 86 cents.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, McDonald's, Burger, Wells Fargo, Tim Hortons, Deborah Sophia, Devika Organizations: Burger King, REUTERS, Brands, U.S ., Burger King's, Thomson Locations: Bretigny, Paris, France, U.S, Burger, Burger King's U.S, Canada, Toronto, Bengaluru

☆ French told to stay indoors as storm Ciaran nears
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/5] Waves crash on a sea wall near wind turbines during Storm Ciaran at Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, November 1, 2023. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol Acquire Licensing RightsBOULOGNE-SUR-MER, France, Nov 1 (Reuters) - France's weather service put some northern and western regions, including Brittany, under high alert and authorities urged people to stay indoors, saying storm Ciaran was set to hit overnight with heavy rain and winds of up to 170 kph. "To all those concerned, be careful ... and avoid moving around overnight," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said. Reporting by Pascal Rossignol; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ciaran, Pascal Rossignol, Gerald Darmanin, Ingrid Melander, Andrew Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Boulogne, Mer, France, Brittany

☆ Sam Altman warns AI could kill us all. But he still wants the world to use it
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Samantha Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

New York CNN —Sam Altman thinks the technology underpinning his company’s most famous product could bring about the end of human civilization. As many as 300 million full-time jobs around the world could eventually be automated in some way by generative AI, according to Goldman Sachs estimates. Challenges aheadWhen starting OpenAI, Altman told CNN in 2015 he wanted to steer the path of AI, rather than worrying about the potential harms and doing nothing. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addresses a speech during a meeting at Station F in Paris on May 26. Sam embodies that for AI right now.”The world is counting on Altman to act in the best interest of humanity with a technology by his own admission could be a weapon of mass destruction.

Persons: Sam Altman, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Altman, ChatGPT, Goldman Sachs, ”, Patrick Semansky, ‘ Kevin Bacon, Mairo, ” Altman, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, OpenAI, Elon Musk, Kyunghyun Cho, JP Lee, Greg Brockman, SeongJoon Cho, Kevin Bacon, Aaron Levie, “ I’ve, he’s, ” Levie, Bern Elliot, “, Rowan Curan, Forrester, –, Biden, Joel Saget, Emily Bender, Margaret O’Mara, O’Mara, Gates, Jobs Organizations: New, New York CNN, World Economic, Privacy, Technology, Capitol, Silicon, White House, New York University, Softbank Ventures, Bloomberg, Getty, CNN, Gartner Research, Israeli Defense Force, University of Washington, Laboratory Locations: New York, Washington ,, Washington, Valley, Silicon, Silicon Valley, Milan, Italy, Softbank Ventures Asia, Seoul, South Korea, Big Sur, Paris, AFP, Manhattan

☆ McDonald's beats sales estimates as cheaper menu, new launches drive demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Deborah Mary Sophia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] The McDonald's company logo stands on a sign outside a restaurant in Bretigny-sur-Orge, near Paris, France, July 30, 2020. Global comparable sales at McDonald's jumped 8.8% in the quarter ended Sept. 30, while analysts on average expected a 7.36% rise, according to LSEG data. While overall dining traffic fell in all three months of the quarter, McDonald's saw a 7.3% jump in July, data from Placer.ai showed. U.S. comparable sales climbed 8.1% in the quarter, beating estimates of a 7.4% increase, thanks also to higher average spending at stores. Meanwhile, same-store sales in McDonald's international operated markets increased 8.3%, edging past expectations for 8.03% growth.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, McDonald's, Deborah Sophia, Sriraj Organizations: REUTERS, McDonald's, UBS, Thomson Locations: Bretigny, Paris, France, Placer.ai, U.S, Bengaluru

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