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☆ 4 reasons why Amazon's advertising business is still surging while Meta, Google, and Snap are all wrestling with declines
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Amazon's ad business grew 19% over the past year, while rivals like Meta were managing a decline. Amazon's ad business seems to be the only major ad business that's on the upswing. Part of the reason is that Amazon's ad business is newer than Google's and Meta's so a higher growth rate should be expected. Insider spoke with several ad buyers and industry experts to reveal why Amazon's ad business is growing compared to competitors like Google, Meta, and Snap. Both McKenna and Kern Schireson, CEO of the ad agency Known, believe this is the biggest reason why Amazon's ad business is thriving compared to its competitors.

☆ Vietnam EV-maker VinFast delays first U.S. car deliveries to late Feb
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

HANOI, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Vietnam's electric automaker VinFast said on Friday it will delay deliveries to its first customers in the United States to the second half of February after it finishes updating the vehicles with latest software. The Vietnamese company, a unit of conglomerate Vingroup JSC (VIC.HM), started to ship its first batch of 999 electric vehicles in November last year but has not delivered them to customers yet. The second batch will be shipped to the U.S. in the second quarter of 2023. Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Why Tom Brady was overlooked in the NFL Draft and why it was more than luck that led him to the Patriots
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Tom Brady was the 199th pick in the NFL Draft and is now considered the greatest quarterback ever. They hired Bill Belichick, and the team made the biggest steal in NFL Draft history: selecting Tom Brady in the sixth round. Tom Brady was just a part-time starter at the University of Michigan. Drew Bledsoe was only 28 years old when Tom Brady was drafted. The result was the biggest steal in NFL Draft history.

☆ Google called on cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in ChatGPT fightback after issuing a 'code red', report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google asked Larry Page and Sergey Brin for help combatting ChatGPT, per The New York Times. The release of OpenAI's writing bot sparked concerns over the future of Google's search engine. The release of ChatGPT on November 30 has sparked internal concerns over the continued dominance of Google's search engine. Vic Gundotra, a former senior vice president at Google, told The Times the cofounders had always been keen on AI. Page was reportedly unimpressed with a new Gmail feature in 2008, saying: "Why can't it automatically write that email for you."

Oscar-nominated actor Alec Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the Western movie “Rust,” prosecutors said Thursday. "Rust" first assistant director, David Halls, has agreed to plead guilty to negligent use of a deadly weapon, according to Carmack-Altwies' office. Baldwin was rehearsing with a pistol for a scene set inside a church when the gun went off, killing Hutchins and wounding the director, Joel Souza. Jae C. Hong / AP fileIn early October, Hutchins’ husband reached a settlement in his wrongful death lawsuit against the producers of “Rust,” including Baldwin. Souza is expected to return as the director when filming picks back up this month.

☆ Kevin Spacey celebrated in Italy at first major speaking event since sexual assault allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

TURIN, Italy — Making his first speaking appearance since sexual assault allegations derailed his career, actor Kevin Spacey used a colorful Italian term to thank the National Cinema Museum in the northern city of Turin on Monday for inviting him. “By presenting this award, they are making a strong defense of artistic achievement and for that they should be applauded,” Spacey said. After multiple allegations of sexual assault surfaced, the actor lost his starring role on the Netflix series “House of Cards” and saw other opportunities dry up. Spacey did not directly address the allegations while accepting the award or during the hourlong class. After the master class, fans lined up to take selfies and get DVDs signed.

☆ Denver Broncos fire rookie head coach before the season ends
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday with two games left in the season. Firing Hackett with two games left in a lost season allows Penner to begin his search for a replacement immediately. The Broncos scheduled a news conference for Tuesday, when they’re expected to name their interim head coach for games at Kansas City next weekend and at home against the Chargers in Week 18. Hackett is the third NFL head coach fired during the 2022 season. The Carolina Panthers replaced Matt Rhule with interim head coach Steve Wilks and the Indianapolis Colts fired Frank Reich and replaced him with coaching novice Jeff Saturday.

☆ South Korea's SK Group may sell some Southeast Asia assets
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Dec 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's second-largest conglomerate SK Group (034730.KS) said on Monday it is considering selling some of its assets in Southeast Asia and reinvesting in other businesses in countries in the region, including Vietnam. An SK Group spokesperson said in a statement the conglomerate plans to decide which assets to potentially sell depending on buyers' offers, and is considering reinvesting some of the proceeds from any stake sales in local firms. The statement didn't disclose details of which assets might be sold. The comments came after South Korean newspaper the Korea Economic Daily reported SK's plans late on Sunday citing unnamed investment banking sources. Assets held by SK Group's Southeast Asia investment firm that could be sold, according to the paper, include stakes in Vietnam's Vingroup (VIC.HM), Masan Group (MSN.HM), retail pharmacy chain Pharmacity, retailer VinCommerce and consumer retail platform The Crown X.

HONG KONG, Dec 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Vietnam is an unlikely home of the next Elon Musk. The 48-year-old is at the wheel of VinFast, a money-losing electric-vehicle maker racing the U.S. entrepreneur’s Tesla (TSLA.O) on Western roads. VinFast has made its name selling gas guzzlers in the Southeast Asian nation, where its parent Vingroup (VIC.HM) is the top conglomerate. CONTEXT NEWSVietnamese electric-car maker VinFast is planning a U.S. initial public offering, an initial prospectus published on Dec. 6 shows. Revenue fell to 10.5 trillion dong, down from 11.2 trillion dong.

Its dependency on parent Vingroup (VIC.HM) may be a turnoff, too. Success has yet to translate to returns for parent Vingroup, owned by Vietnam’s richest man, Pham Nhat Vuong. VinFast’s net loss nearly doubled to 34.5 trillion dong ($1.45 billion) for the first nine months of 2022 compared with the same period last year, while the top line shrank 6% to 10.5 trillion dong. VinFast reported a net loss of 34.5 trillion dong ($1.45 billion) for the nine months to the end of September, according to the prospectus, widening from 18 trillion dong a year earlier. Revenue fell to 10.5 trillion dong, down from 11.2 trillion dong in the same period last year.

☆ 4 college friends turned $1 million into a New York venture-capital empire backing tech's hottest unicorns. Here's how they did it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Founded as the side project of four college friends, Eniac Ventures has become a major player in VC. They named the firm Eniac Ventures, after the first electronic computer, developed at the University of Pennsylvania's engineering school, where the four had met. What started as the side hustle of four college buddies has become a powerhouse of the venture-capital industry, backing some of tech's hottest unicorns. And Eniac has invested alongside some of the biggest names in venture, including Y Combinator, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and New Enterprise Associates. Vasen met the Eniac partners at an event they hosted for prospective founders at a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco.

Here are five ways small business owners can prepare for the first quarter of 2023. Setting clear strategies for the year ahead can help entrepreneurs prepare, even if they're thrown another crisis-inspired curveball. Here are five ways small business owners can prepare for the first quarter. If the company is scaling, business owners should ensure all employees are classified properly and have workers comp insurance, if applicable. "Don't criticize yourself or blame yourself," Freeman, who also works as a psychiatrist and executive coach for business owners, said.

☆ Vingroup, Gotion start building $275 mln battery plant in Vietnam
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HANOI, Nov 18 (Reuters) - VinES Energy Solutions, a unit of Vietnam's largest conglomerate Vingroup JSC (VIC.HM) and China's Gotion High-Tech (002074.SZ), have commenced construction of a $275 million battery factory in the Southeast Asian country, Vingroup said on Friday. The factory in the central province of Ha Tinh will annually produce 30 million lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells, the company said in a statement. The cells will be used for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems, it said, adding that the factory is scheduled to start production in the third quarter of next year. The factory will help meet the battery needs of VinFast, an electric vehicle production arm of Vingroup, it said. Reporting Phuong Nguyen; Writing by Khanh Vu; Editing by Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Kevin Spacey charged with seven more sexual offenses in the UK
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Hafsa Khalil | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

London CNN —Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has been charged with seven more sexual offenses, UK police have said. The 63-year-old actor was charged on Tuesday with a number of sexual offenses against the same man between 2001 and 2004, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement to CNN on Wednesday. Spacey is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on December 16. In July, Spacey pleaded not guilty in a London court to four charges of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. Spacey has won two Academy Awards for his roles in “The Usual Suspects” and “American Beauty,” and was artistic director of London’s Old Vic theater from 2003 to 2015.

☆ Fact Check-Ballot disbursement incident happened in Tulsa County, Oklahoma - not Arizona
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Social media users are sharing a clip of a sheriff discussing a ballot disbursement incident in Tulsa County and claiming that this took place in the battleground state of Arizona. However, Tulsa County is located in Oklahoma and the incident affected about 30 to 40 voters. KJRH-TV, an NBC affiliate in Tulsa County, reported on Nov. 11, 2022 (here), that the District Attorney is investigating the irregularities. Arizona does not have a county called Tulsa County (here). The ballot disbursement incident happened in Tulsa County, Oklahoma.

☆ 'Say Hey, Willie Mays!' review: The baseball great gets his due from an HBO documentary that makes one error
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —If you subscribe to the theory that Willie Mays was the greatest baseball player who ever lived, consider “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” additional ammunition for bar arguments, as well as a whole lot of fun. Those interviewed include Mays’ godson, Barry Bonds, and note that Mays played a pivotal role in bringing him to the Giants in 1993. Setting that aside, “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” is the kind of treat to help tide over baseball fans through the post-season, giving Mays his due while he’s still around to take a bow. It’s a gift for baseball fans who saw him play before he hung up that golden glove nearly 50 years ago, and maybe even more so, for those who didn’t. “Say Hey, Willie Mays!” premieres November 8 at 9 p.m.

☆ Ad prices are now cheaper than they've been all year. Here's how much marketers are paying for ads on Google, Meta, Amazon, and TikTok.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ad prices on Meta, Amazon, and Google skyrocketed during the pandemic but are now declining. Digital ad prices are declining due to a number of factors:Advertisers are pulling back on spend on Meta and Google. Ad prices are typically low during the third quarter as marketers prepare to spend during the fourth quarter. Ad buyers usually anticipate a 15% to 20% increase in ad prices during the fourth quarter, said Vic Drabicky, founder and CEO of ad agency January Digital. As TikTok continues to build out its technology and relationships with advertisers, ad prices continue to rise.

☆ As advertisers cut spend, ads on Google, Meta, and Amazon are cheaper than they've been all year — but marketers don't expect it to last
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ad prices on Meta, Amazon, and Google skyrocketed during the pandemic but are now declining. Digital ad prices are declining due to a number of factors:Advertisers are pulling back on spend on Meta and Google. Ad prices are typically low during the third quarter as marketers prepare to spend during the fourth quarter. For ads designed to get people to take more immediate action, like Amazon's and Google's shopping and search ads, we looked at cost per click (CPC). As TikTok continues to build out its technology and relationships with advertisers, ad prices continue to rise.

☆ Queer fans mourn Leslie Jordan, a symbol of a 'lost generation' of gay men
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

“When things really begin to change is when the social culture changes,” Biden said. By 1995, a tenth of the 1.6 million gay men ages 25 to 44 had died. Socialization among gay men and gay-centric networks, particularly in gay neighborhoods, has myriad political and social benefits. “For a lot of gay men from a certain generation, that was really hard to do without alcohol,” he said. In the same interview, DeGeneres thanked Jordan for coming on her show.

☆ 12 queer icons to channel this Halloween
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Ellie Rudy | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Without further ado, here is a selection of queer icons and pop culture favorites — in no particular order — whom you can channel for Halloween (a.k.a. For a relatively stress-free Halloween ensemble, throw on a tux, top hat, a pocket square and some fierce red lipstick. To channel Ms. Kahlo this Halloween, you’ll need her signature unibrow (eyeliner or an eyebrow pencil should do the trick), a flower crown, red lipstick, a colorful blouse and a floor-length skirt. For this costume, you’ll need a fedora, a (preferably pastel) dress shirt, a tie matching the hat and, if you’re really feeling the fantasy, a color-coordinated sweater vest. If you dress up as any of these queer icons and pop culture favorites for Halloween, tag @NBCOut on Twitter or Instagram in a costume photo!

☆ Students demand Penn State cancel on-campus comedy show featuring Proud Boys founder: 'They're on the wrong side'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Students at Penn State want the administration to cancel an event with the founder of the Proud Boys. The Proud Boys have been labeled a terrorist organization by the Canadian government. He told Insider he's grateful Penn State is following through with upholding the First Amendment and said he wants the protestors there. When asked by Insider whether Penn State would provide comment on students' demands the event be canceled, the university reiterated the First Amendment. "Penn State is really fighting a losing battle on this one.

☆ Liz Mills: How coach became the first woman to lead a men's basketball team in an international tournament
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Alasdair Howorth | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But as the first woman to coach a men’s national team at a major FIBA tournament, Liz Mills must think of everything – even what she wears. Like many of us when watching a sports team, Mills thought that she could do better; but unlike most of us, she did something about it. Members of the network have experienced discrimination of all kinds, particularly those working in the men’s game. AS Salé was the first job in men's basketball that Mills was paid for. “I want to be the first woman to coach at the World Cup as a head coach of an African [men’s] team,” she asserts.

☆ Vietnam's VinFast recalls a third of its sold EVs to replace sensors
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HANOI, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Vietnam's VinFast said on Saturday it would recall 730 of its model VF e34 electric cars (EVs), which are available only on the domestic market, to make checks and replace their side crash sensors. VinFast, which began operations in 2019, is a unit of Vietnam's biggest conglomerate Vingroup (VIC.HM) and has sold 2,208 EVs in total since its launch late last year. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe company said it has not recorded any breakdowns or complaints from customers about the sensor errors. In March, VinFast said it would build a production plant in North Carolina with an initial projected capacity of 150,000 EVs a year. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Phuong Nguyen Editing by Ros RussellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Pennsylvania school district created culture of anti-LGBTQ discrimination, complaint alleges
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-07 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a federal complaint Thursday alleging one of the largest school districts in the state has created a widespread culture of discrimination toward LGBTQ students, particularly those who are transgender and nonbinary. The lawyers interviewed dozens of LGBTQ students and their parents, as well as current and former teachers and staff. The bullying forced some of them to miss school, and in 2019, a former transgender student attempted suicide, according to the complaint. Serving more than 18,000 students, Central Bucks drew national attention in 2021 as debates over pandemic policies gave way to larger culture-war clashes in the community. Amid a surge in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policy in school boards across the country, Walczak said, the alleged circumstances at Central Bucks are not an isolated situation.

☆ Hertz is teaming up with oil giant BP to install thousands of EV chargers in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( John Rosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Hertz is teaming up with oil giant BP to build a new network of electric vehicle charging stations throughout the United States. Under the deal, BP Pulse, the oil company's EV-charging arm, will install the chargers and provide software and services to help Hertz manage its fast-growing fleet of EVs. The new deal builds on an existing program under which BP Pulse installed chargers at 25 of Hertz's busiest airport locations. The companies expect ride-hailing drivers, particularly those who rent EVs from Hertz, to be prime customers for those chargers. Hertz said that more than 25,000 Uber drivers have rented Teslas under its deal with the ride-hailing giant.

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