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The recordings immediately went viral on social media, and the candidate, who is pro-NATO and aligned with Western interests, was defeated in September by an opponent who supported closer ties to Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin. AI images that falsely depicted former President Donald Trump sitting with teenage girls on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane circulated on social media last month. And once a deepfake appears on social media, it can be nearly impossible to stop its spread. Šimečka said his team and others complained to social media platforms and law enforcement. He said social media platforms need to “put measures in place” to prevent attempts to meddle with an election.

Persons: he’d, Vladimir Putin, ”, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein’s, Trump, “, Subrahmanian, Alex Curtas, Curtas, Jared DeMarinis, ’, ” DeMarinis, Chelsea Carattini, Ilana Beller, haven’t, ” Beller, Paul Vallas, Sean R, Clark, ” Vallas, Vallas, Brandon Johnson, ” “ We’ll, Slovakia Michal Šimečka, ” Šimečka, Šimečka, ” Daniel Milo, Milo, it’s, ” Milo, Janis Sarts, ” Sarts Organizations: CNN, NATO, Northwestern University, Senior, Twitter, Democratic, Chicago, Political, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Public Citizen, State’s, Republican Party, Commission, Progressive, YouTube, Facebook, Slovakia’s Ministry, Meta, NATO Strategic Communications, of Excellence, Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Intelligence Locations: Slovakia, Moscow, Europe, States, New Hampshire, Russia, China, Russian, Northwestern, American, California , Michigan, Minnesota , Texas, Washington, New Mexico, Idaho, Chicago, Progressive Slovakia, Slovakia’s, Latvia

☆ China says US military makes region more dangerous after Navy ship sails through Taiwan Strait
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —China accused the United States military of “abusing international law” and continuing a pattern of “dangerous provocations” in East Asia Thursday, after a US Navy destroyer made the service’s first transit of the Taiwan Strait of 2024. The USS John Finn (DDG 113) conducts routine operations in the East China Sea, on January 24, 2024. John Finn’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the United States’ commitment to upholding freedom of navigation for all nations as a principle,” Greene said. While the John Finn’s transit of the Taiwan Strait was the first of 2024, US warships and warplanes regularly travel through and over the waterway. Aquilino told a defense forum in Hawaii that he expected a show of force from China against Taiwan in the wake of the election result.

Persons: ”, John Finn, Xi Jinping, reunify, Justin Stack, Cmdr, Meagan Greene, John Finn’s, ” Greene, John, Collin Koh, Washington, Wu Qian, “, John Aquilino, Aquilino, ” Aquilino, ” Koh Organizations: South Korea CNN, United, US Navy, Democratic Progressive Party, Party, Taiwan, Taiwan Relations, U.S . Navy US Navy 7th Fleet, Coast Guard, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, China’s Defense Ministry, Xinhua, China -, Defense, Pacific Command, Communist Party, Clinton, CNN, Pacific Locations: Seoul, South Korea, China, United States, East Asia, Taiwan Strait, Taiwan, Beijing, East China, State, States, Singapore, China - U.S, U.S, Hawaii, Honolulu ., Washington

☆ Premarket stocks: Regional banks could be on the rocks again
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Stocks of small US lenders are still in the doldrums nearly a year after the regional banking crisis. The KBW Nasdaq Regional Banking index, which tracks the performance of regional lenders and thrifts, has fallen more than 2.4% this year compared to the benchmark S&P 500’s 2.6% gain. “This development is likely to … challenge the health of regional banks,” wrote José Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers, in a note on Thursday. Regional bank stocks struggled for much of 2023 after the collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank sparked a flight on deposits and sent shockwaves through the stock and bond markets. High interest rates threatened to put pressure on regional banks’ bond portfolios and squeeze their bottom lines, creating a good old-fashioned bank run.

Persons: Huntington, PNC Financial Service’s, ”, José Torres, Alex McGrath, “, McGrath, Samantha Murphy Kelly, David McQueen, ” Read, Bryan Mena Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nasdaq, PNC Financial Services, PNC, Comerica Inc, US Bancorp, Citizens, PNC Financial, Federal Reserve, Interactive Brokers, Valley Bank, Signature Bank, First, Bank, Microsoft, Apple, ABI Research, Gross, Commerce Department Locations: New York, China

☆ IRS set to launch its free tax filing pilot program
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Katie Lobosco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington CNN —When tax filing season opens on January 29, some taxpayers will have the option of filing their 2023 federal tax returns with a brand new, government-run system. The law required the IRS to complete a cost and feasibility study about developing a free, electronic tax filing system, which it released in May. If the pilot program is successful, Direct File could eventually rival competing services in the private market. This screenshot shows the Internal Revenue Service's free tax filing pilot. It offers step-by-step guidance, in both English and Spanish, to taxpayers filing their federal tax returns by posing questions about their income and tax situations.

Persons: Danny Werfel, haven’t, Biden Organizations: Washington CNN, IRS, Democrat, Congress, Internal Revenue, Social Security, Taxpayers, Republicans Locations: Arizona , California, Florida , Massachusetts, Nevada , New Hampshire , New York, South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas, Washington and Wyoming

☆ Netflix’s Head of Film to Depart
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Nicole Sperling | More About Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

News of Mr. Stuber’s departure came on the eve of the Oscar nominations. During his tenure, which began in 2017, Netflix has had eight films nominated for best picture, though a win in that category has proved elusive. “Scott has helped lead the new paradigm of how movies are made, distributed and watched,” Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-chief executive, said in a statement. “He attracted unbelievable creative talent to Netflix, making us a premiere film studio.”While Mr. Stuber’s slate of movies helped to boost Netflix’s business substantially, he often clashed with Mr. Sarandos over strategy. Mr. Stuber often tried to appease filmmakers by pushing for wider theatrical releases than Mr. Sarandos was willing to undertake.

Persons: Scott Stuber, Oscar, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Jane Campion, Alfonso Cuarón, Stuber’s, “ Scott, Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s, “, Stuber, Sarandos Organizations: Netflix, ., Mr

☆ Why the Definition of ‘Extreme Cold’ Is Different in Duluth and Dallas
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Adeel Hassan | More About Adeel Hassan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Everyone’s extreme is a different level,” said Ketzel Levens, a meteorologist in the Weather Service’s office in Duluth, Minn., where the average daily temperature in January is a crisp 9.4 degrees. “Folks up north might have better protection. They might have a lot more clothes and layers. Our houses, our water infrastructure, they’re built to a different standard.”And so if you warned Minnesotans every time it is merely freezing cold, you would struggle to get their attention when it was dangerously cold. Ms. Levens’s office issues a wind chill advisory only when the temperature reaches minus 25, and a wind chill warning when it reaches 40 below.

Persons: ”, Ketzel Levens, Minnesotans Organizations: National Weather Service, Centers for Disease Control Locations: United States, Duluth, Minn

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Logan Eschrich came to Buffalo to witness the snowstorm, and he stayed for the shoveling on Sunday. Once the professional storm chaser saw the Buffalo Bills invite fans to help dig out a snow-filled Highmark Stadium for their delayed playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, now scheduled for Monday, Eschrich couldn’t resist. Stadium crews were unable to keep up with the falling snow, using blowers to uncover the yard lines. Today, it’s a cherished memory for Wood, in part because the win helped the Bills snap a 17-season playoff drought. One thing is certain for Tasker who, like Wood, is part of the Bills' radio broadcast team.

Persons: — Logan Eschrich, Eschrich, it’s, ” Eschrich, ”, Kathy Hochul, Eric Wood, Wood, ” Wood’s, Adam Vinatieri, “, ” Wood, Steve Tasker, “ It's, ” Tasker, Tasker, “ I’m, Gabe Davis, LB Tyrel Dodson, Andy Isabella, LB, Klein, ___ Organizations: Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Associated Press, Live Storms Media, Bills, New York Gov, NFL, The Steelers, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, New York Jets, Indianapolis, Colts, Buffalo, Steelers, LB A.J Locations: BUFFALO, N.Y, Buffalo, Alabama, Orchard Park, Erie County, Orchard, Detroit, who's, Cincinnati, “, Miami, Houston

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force is expanding its study of whether service members who worked with nuclear missiles have had unusually high rates of cancer after a preliminary review determined that a deeper examination is needed. In response, medical teams went out to each nuclear missile base to conduct thousands of tests of the air, water, soil and surface areas inside and around each of its three nuclear missile bases; Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. For years the missileers were told in multiple Air Force reviews that there was not cause for concern. While the Air Force review is looking at a broader set of cancers, the number of self-reported NHL cases is striking because the community of missile launch officers is very small.

Persons: We’ve, Keith Beam, missileers, ”, Tory Woodard, ” Woodard, “, Barry Little, We’re Organizations: WASHINGTON, Air Force, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Minot Air Force Base, Warren Air Force Base, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S . Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, DOD, Veterans Affairs, The Air Force, Torchlight, NHL, National Cancer Institute, Torchlight Initiative, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, 341st Missile Locations: Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Iraq, Afghanistan

☆ Biden administration announces new financial strike force to curb deadly fentanyl trade
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Sam Fossum | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“The Treasury Department’s Counter-Fentanyl Strike Force will allow us to bring the Department’s unrivaled expertise in fighting financial crime to bear against this deadly epidemic. The strike force will be led by the department’s top sanctions official, Brian Nelson, and the chief of the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal investigations unit, James Lee. It will “redouble Treasury’s existing work streams, including using financial intelligence to understand risks and map transnational criminal organization (TCO) financial networks,” according to a news release. Several key units within the Treasury Department that specialize in financial crimes, sanctions, and tracking terrorist and illicit financing will be part of the new strike force. The new strike force will also help streamline the Treasury Department’s efforts to coordinate with local and federal law enforcement bodies on potential financial leads.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Brian Nelson, James Lee, ” Nelson, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Biden, Yellen, Nelson, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Monday, Treasury Department, Treasury, Network, Foreign Assets Control, of Intelligence, US Treasury Department, Strike Force, Department, Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, US Centers for Disease Control, CNN, Mexican, Biden Locations: United States, China, Ukraine, Mexico

☆ The Surprise Bill Coming to Those Who Underpay Their Taxes
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Ashlea Ebeling | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rising interest rates factor into the Internal Revenue Service’s latest move on taxes. Photo Illustration: WSJ; STEFANI REYNOLDS/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesFailing to keep up with tax payments now could lead to an expensive surprise come next spring. As of Oct. 1, the Internal Revenue Service is charging 8% interest on estimated tax underpayments, up from 3% two years ago. The increase is one of the many effects of rising interest rates.

Persons: STEFANI REYNOLDS Organizations: Agence France, Internal Revenue Service

☆ Wolverines receive protections as threatened species
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The North American wolverine has officially been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and will receive long-anticipated federal protections, US officials announced Wednesday, as the climate crisis melts away their snowy mountain habitats. “Based on the best available science, this listing determination will help to stem the long-term impact and enhance the viability of wolverines in the contiguous United States.”Adding wolverines to the list triggers legal protections for the threatened species under various environmental laws, preventing the population from further declining. The last time the species had been sighted in the region was between 2008 and 2018, according to scientists, though they have already been listed as threatened species under California’s Endangered Species Act. Conservationists and scientists have been calling for federal protections for years now, with some environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity even taking legal action. Despite the new science and growing calls for federal protections, initial proposals to protect the species were rejected in 2020 under former President Donald Trump.

Persons: wolverine, ”, Hugh Morrison, Donald Trump, Biden, “ I’m, ” Andrea Zaccardi, they’re Organizations: CNN, wolverines, Wildlife Service Pacific Regional, ”, Yosemite National, Forest, Federal, Center for Biological, and Wildlife Service, Center for Biological Diversity, Fish and Wildlife Service Locations: United States, North America, Rocky, Alaska, Canada, Sierra Nevada, Yosemite, Inyo

☆ Carlos Sainz wins inaugural Netflix Cup – and immediately smashes it
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Ferrari Formula One driver Carlos Sainz got his hands on the inaugural “Netflix Cup”, only to stare in horror as it tumbled out of them. Clutching a bottle of champagne in his other hand, Sainz was chatting with the American when the cup tumbled out of his grip. We’re here to have a good time.”Homa plays a shot in front of the Las Vegas Sphere. A $4.56 million dollar charity donation was offered by the PGA Tour if a hole-in-one was made, though no player achieved the feat. Lynch laughs with characters dressed in "Squid Game" outfits.

Persons: CNN —, Carlos Sainz, Justin Thomas, Sainz, Thomas, Pierre Gasly, Tony Finau –, Collin Morikawa –, Finau, David Becker, Gasly, McLaren’s Lando Norris, Alex Albon, Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, Joel Dahmen, Bert Kreischer, Kay Adams, Marshawn Lynch, “, ” Thomas, ” Homa, –, Lynch, Max Verstappen Organizations: CNN, CNN — Ferrari Formula, Netflix, Wynn Golf Club, Getty, Super Bowl, NFL, Las Vegas, PGA, Vegas, F1, Qatar, Prix Locations: Las Vegas

☆ The US Postal Service lost $6.5 billion last year. It predicted it would break even
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The US Postal Service lost $6.5 billion in its just-completed fiscal year, delivering a blow to the service’s hopes of a financial turnaround. The Postal Service had projected it would break even in the fiscal year that ended September 30, on its way to annual profits this year and going forward. The Postal Service reported that revenue from shipping and packages, now the largest segment of its business by revenue, edged up 1% to $31.6 billion, even as the volume fell by 2%. First-Class mail also brought in 2% more revenue, climbing to $24.5 billion, despite a 6% drop in volume. The Postal Service reported net income of $56 billion in the previous fiscal year but that was primarily due to the non-cash gain of nearly $57 billion from 2022 legislation that changd the way it accounted for its retiree health care expenses.

Persons: General Louis DeJoy, DeJoy, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Postal Service, Postal Service, UPS, Teamsters, FedEx Locations: New York

LONDON (AP) — At an age when many of his contemporaries have long since retired, King Charles III is not one to put his feet up. The king will mark his 75th birthday on Tuesday by busily highlighting causes close to his heart. With Queen Camilla at his side, Charles will visit a project that helps feed those in need by redistributing food that might otherwise go to landfills. As Prince of Wales, the future king founded a charity that helps young people get jobs and training. Although Diana’s fans initially bridled at the idea of Camilla ever becoming queen, by the time the invitations for the coronation went out Charles had made his wishes clear: “The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.’’

Persons: King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Charles, Health Service’s, Queen Elizabeth II, He’s, ’, ”, Ed Owens, “, Elizabeth, ’ ’ Owens, ” Charles ’, Prince of Wales, Prince William, William, Prince Harry, Meghan, Harry, ” Owens, “ They’ve, weathers, Charles ’, Princess Diana, Camilla Parker, Bowles, Camilla Organizations: Health, Kenyans, Hill House School, University of Cambridge, Royal Navy Locations: British, London, California

☆ Secret Service agent on Biden’s granddaughter’s security detail fired weapon in response to car break-in
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Betsy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Washington CNN —A US Secret Service agent on President Joe Biden’s granddaughter Naomi Biden’s security detail shot at individuals attempting to break into a US government vehicle in Georgetown, CNN has learned. “On Nov. 12 around 11:58 p.m. in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, Secret Service agents encountered possibly three individuals breaking a window on a parked and unoccupied government vehicle,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. He added, “During this encounter, a federal agent discharged a service weapon and it is believed no one was struck. A source familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN that the agent involved was assigned to Naomi Biden’s detail. Guglielmi said the incident is being investigated by the DC Metropolitan Police Department and the Secret Service.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Naomi, “, Anthony Guglielmi, Naomi Biden’s, Jill Biden’s, Guglielmi, CNN’s Arlette Saenz Organizations: Washington CNN, Secret Service, CNN, Associated Press, DC Metropolitan Police Department, Service, DC Locations: Georgetown, Washington, Washington , DC

☆ Analysis: November is typically the best month for stocks. So far, it’s looking promising
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The S&P 500 on Thursday climbed 1.9% to log its best one-day gain since April. The S&P 500 has gained an average 6.7% from November to April since 1990, according to CFRA data. “We remain comfortable with our long-standing 3,900 year-end target for the S&P 500,” he wrote in a note on October 29. The S&P 500 closed Thursday at about 4,318. “The acquisition of Comcast’s stake in Hulu at fair market value will further Disney’s streaming objectives,” the company said in a short statement.

Persons: Jerome Powell’s, ”, George Smith, Mike Wilson, Morgan Stanley, Liam Reilly, Oliver Darcy, “, Read, Hanna Ziady, Andrew Bailey Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Investors, Dow Jones, Dow, Federal, Treasury, LPL, Disney, Hulu Disney, Comcast, Bank of England, of England, ” Bank of England Locations: New York, Hulu, Israel

☆ Ken Griffin vs. the IRS
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: The former VP goes out as a politician who put his country first. Meanwhile, Biden's spending is now Mike Johnson's problem. Images: Zuma Press Composite: Mark KellyKen Griffin isn’t giving up on his fight to improve the Internal Revenue Service’s privacy protections, and all American taxpayers could benefit if the Citadel CEO wins. Late last week Mr. Griffin filed an amended version of his lawsuit against the tax agency for the “unlawful disclosure” of his confidential tax information. The hedge fund operator is one of the thousands of wealthy Americans whose private tax data was stolen from the IRS, then leaked and published by the left-leaning ProPublica website.

Persons: Mike Johnson's, Mark Kelly Ken Griffin isn’t, Griffin Organizations: Citadel

☆ Disney to acquire remaining stake in Hulu for $8.6 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Oliver Darcy | Liam Reilly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Disney will acquire Comcast’s one-third stake in Hulu for an expected $8.61 billion, the company said Wednesday, in a deal that will put the streaming service entirely inside the Magic Kingdom when the transaction closes later this year. “The acquisition of Comcast’s stake in Hulu at fair market value will further Disney’s streaming objectives,” the company said in a short statement. Disney’s bid to acquire the remaining shares in the platform began in 2019 under an agreement between the two companies that gave Hulu a value of at least $27.5 billion. In 2020, NBCU launched its own subscription-based streaming platform, Peacock, and Comcast began shifting programming from Hulu onto the new platform, including Bravo and NBC shows. Disney has also bundled the Hulu service as part of its larger portfolio of streaming services, including Disney+ and ESPN+, offering it at a discounted rate as part of the larger package.

Persons: CNN —, Disney’s, Bob Iger, Disney “, Iger, ”, NBCU, Hulu, “ I’ve, ” Iger Organizations: CNN, CNN — Disney, Hulu, Disney, ABC, ESPN, Century Fox, Comcast, Time Warner, Bravo, NBC Locations: Hulu

☆ Section of Blue Ridge Parkway closed because visitors were ‘feeding and attempting to hold a young bear’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Devon M. Sayers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A section of the Blue Ridge Parkway has been closed by officials “after multiple documented reports of visitors feeding and attempting to hold a young bear in recent weeks,” the National Park Service said in a news release. The section closed on Monday “until further notice.”“When people intentionally attract bears with trash and food it can lead to very dangerous situations. The safety tips instruct visitors not to feed bears and to properly store all food. The Blue Ridge Parkway is the most-visited of the National Park Service’s 425 sites, according to 2022 figures. The Blue Ridge Parkway starts in Waynesboro, Virginia, and stretches more than 469 miles, ending in the Great Smoky Mountains near Cherokee, North Carolina, according to NPS.

Persons: ”, Tracy Swartout, “ Organizations: CNN, National Park Service, Bears, NPS Locations: Asheville , North Carolina, Ox, NC80, Waynesboro , Virginia, Smoky, Cherokee, North Carolina

☆ Spotify Hit All the Right Notes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Spotify is the world’s largest music-streaming service by monthly users. Photo illustration: Ryan TrefesSpotify ’s position as a middleman doesn’t always win it a lot of fans. Spotify said Tuesday morning that it added six million new paying subscribers during the third quarter, which was well over the four million the company had forecast three months ago. It projected adding nine million new paying subscribers in the fourth quarter, topping the eight million analysts had been projecting. The company also predicted that it would end the year with more than 600 million monthly active users—a mix of paying subscribers and those listening to the service’s free, ad-supported tier.

Persons: Ryan Trefes, doesn’t, isn’t Organizations: Spotify

☆ Treasury yields are sky high. Here's why you should care
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s no longer “higher for longer,” said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, it’s just “high for long.”What’s happening: 10-year Treasury yields are flirting with 5% for the first time since 2007, before the global financial crisis. It also means more expensive mortgage rates. Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on 10-year US Treasuries. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. Fed officials, including Powell, have indicated that rates could be high enough to help lower inflation towards their target goal of 2%.

Persons: ”, Steve Sosnick, Rob Almeida, Powell, they’re, Jerome Powell, Paul McCartney, Darrell Cronk, Anna Bahney, —, ” Lawrence Yun, Snapchat isn’t, Snapchat, Clare Duffy, Evan Spiegel Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Interactive, MFS Investment Management, US Treasury, Treasury, Economic, of New, Financial, “, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Twitter Locations: New York, Ukraine, of New York, Wells Fargo, Northeast, Midwest, South, homeownership

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares tumbled in Asia on Thursday following a retreat on Wall Street after big U.S. companies delivered mixed profit reports and Treasury yields added pressure on stocks. Exports rose 4.3% while imports sank 16.3% in September and the trade balance swung to a surplus of 62.4 trillion yen ($410 billion). A big threat for the global economy is what oil prices will do to inflation. It rose 2.6% after reporting stronger profit than expected for the latest quarter as its revenue rose after it hiked prices. In other trading early Thursday, the dollar fell to 149.80 Japanese yen from 149.93 yen.

Persons: Australia's, Sensex, ” Yeap Jun Rong, IG, Brent, Morgan Stanley, Gold Organizations: Hamas, Nikkei, Bank of, New York Mercantile Exchange, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Netflix, United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Procter, Gamble, Treasury Department, Federal Reserve Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Japan, Israel, Bank of Korea, Shanghai, Gaza, Tel Aviv, U.S

☆ Snapchat isn’t just for teens anymore. Now it needs to make some real money
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

New York CNN —When Snapchat announced last month that it had reached 5 million paying subscribers for its Snapchat+ service, it seemed like a stunning achievement. At 5 million subscribers paying $3.99 per month, Snapchat+ is set to earn around $239 million in annual revenue. That subscriber number is just a fraction of its overall user base of Snapchat, which has quietly become one of the world’s fastest-growing social platforms. The sales declines come as Snapchat, like other platforms, works to update its advertising business to cope with changes to Apple’s app tracking policies. Snapchat has grown its user base by more than 10% year-over-year for the past 16 consecutive quarters.

Persons: Snapchat, Evan Spiegel, it’s, ” Jack Brody, ”, Angelo Zino, Jess Maddox, TikTok Snapchat, ” Brody, you’ve, TikTok, CFRA’s Zino, Scott Kessler, ” Snapchat, Kessler, Brody, Spiegel, “ It’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Twitter, Facebook, CNN, “, CFRA Research, University of Alabama, YouTube, Intelligence, Meta, Apple Locations: New York, North America, United States, India, Europe, TikTok, Instagram

The $15.50 per month price for Netflix's most popular streaming option in the U.S. will remain unchanged, as will a $7 monthly plan that includes intermittent commercials. The increase left Netflix with about 247 million worldwide subscribers, well above the 243.8 million projected by analysts surveyed by FactSet Research. Netflix has picked up more than 16 million subscribers through the first nine months of the year, already eclipsing the 8.9 million subscribers that it added all of last year. The crackdown also has boosted Netflix’s in another way – current subscribers can share their accounts with someone living outside their households by paying higher monthly fees. The higher prices for Netflix's premium plans also seems likely to divert more subscribers into the ad-supported option.

Persons: it’s, ’, Greg Peters, hasn’t, Harding, Uday Cheruvu, Peters, ” Cheruvu, “, ”, Scott Purdy Organizations: FRANCISCO, Netflix, FactSet Research, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, KPMG Locations: U.S, —, France, Los Gatos , California

☆ When Is a Species Extinct? U.S. Is Close to Naming 21, but Not This Woodpecker
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Catrin Einhorn | More About Catrin Einhorn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Government officials said Monday that they plan to remove 21 species from the Endangered Species Act for the saddest of reasons: because they are extinct. But remaining on the list, at least for a bit longer? The ivory-billed woodpecker, a majestic bird whose continued existence has been debated by scientists and birders for decades. Fish and Wildlife Service’s delisting proposal, put forward in 2021 for 23 species, included ivory bills. Now the agency said it will continue to analyze and review available information before making a decision.

Organizations: Fish Locations: U.S

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