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☆ Amazon CEO says Prime could become 'standalone business,' stands by layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Amazon (AMZN) could potentially spin off its Prime streaming unit as a separate company, CEO Andy Jassy said Wednesday. During a wide-ranging interview at the The New York Times' DealBook Summit , Jassy said that "overtime we have opportunities to make our Prime video business a standalone business that has very attractive economics." Streaming Amazon's Prime Video, one of the fastest growing streaming services, could be a standalone business one day, Jassy said. "Our Prime Video offering is an important ingredient...increasingly you see more and more people signing up to Prime because of the video content," he explained. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER .

☆ Real estate investing 'created this life of freedom': Michigan couple brings in $11,000 a month for only 2 hours of work
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Those real estate ventures aren't their only income streams. But the real estate business is particularly important to them, both financially and symbolically, they say. Of their multiple income streams, the real estate investments give them the most bang for their buck. High costs, high rewardsAfter realizing they had a knack for flipping housing, the couple started venturing into real estate during the winters, when Michigan weddings were sparse. Jamie and Sarah spend an additional 40% of those earnings on services like trash collection, ground maintenance and pest control.

☆ Elon wants to go to war with Apple. History suggests it's probably not going to make a difference.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Elon Musk isn't the first — or necessarily most powerful — exec to take on Apple's App Store fees. Industry insiders from developers to CEOs have long decried the 30% fee, dubbed the "App Store tax." At the same time, Musk's riches and influence may not be enough to turn the tide and get Apple to relent. A high-profile lawsuit, global regulators, and major companies have all tried changing Apple's app payment systems with little success. Regulatory bodies in the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and other countries with significant iPhone users have also set their sights on Apple's App Store payment structures.

Summary Shenzhou-15 marks last of 11 missions since April 2021 in building of space stationShenzhou-15 crew to take over from Shenzhou-14 astronauts on space stationChinese space station to be second permanently inhabited outpost after NASA-led ISSBEIJING, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Three Chinese astronauts arrived on Wednesday at China's space station for the first in-orbit crew rotation in Chinese space history, launching operation of the second inhabited outpost in low-Earth orbit after the NASA-led International Space Station. Shenzhou-15 was the last of 11 missions, including three previous crewed missions, needed to assemble the "Celestial Palace", as the multi-module station is known in Chinese. The "Celestial Palace" was the culmination of nearly two decades of Chinese crewed missions to space. The astronauts will live and work on the T-shaped space outpost for six months. The next batch of "taikonauts", coined from the Chinese word for space, to board the station, in 2023, will be picked from the third generation of astronauts with scientific backgrounds.

This year, hospitals are being overwhelmed with a combination of Covid, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the flu. This “tripledemic” of flu, Covid and RSV is a reminder that even as the pandemic ends, the threat of seasonal respiratory viruses remains. When and where respiratory viruses are surging, mask mandates should be reinstated. A recent study found that Boston school districts that had lifted mandates averaged 45 more Covid cases per 1,000 students and staff than those with mandates. This means that RSV — for which a vaccine is still being developed — can be mitigated through both mask-wearing and hand-washing.

☆ Some European officials are accusing the US of profiting from the Ukraine war, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some European officials have accused the US of profiting from the war in Ukraine, Politico reported. A White House official said high prices were caused only by "Putin's energy war against Europe." Officials told the publication that the Biden administration was making a "fortune" from Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, while European countries were left to suffer. Officials, including French president Emmanuel Macron, have called US climate legislation, and ensuing gas prices, "not friendly." "The Inflation Reduction Act has changed everything," one EU diplomat told Politico.

☆ How influencers use Amazon to earn money, from affiliate links to livestreaming
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Amazon Live: A livestreaming platform where creators earn a commission from every sale. Anyone who is a part of the Amazon Influencers Program can join by downloading the Amazon Live Creator app. Read more:Why Amazon Live has struggled to win over content creatorsThe main problem influencers said they have had with Amazon Live has been driving traffic to the platform. Amazon doesn't have a portal where users can see all of the Amazon influencers that they follow, unlike TikTok or YouTube. Read more:How influencers are earning money on Amazon by reviewing productsTo make money reviewing products on Amazon, creators must upload at least three videos to their individual profile page.

☆ List of bidders for Citigroup's Mexican retail arm shrinks as Inbursa drops out
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Valentine Hilaire | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Mexican bank Grupo Financiero Inbursa (GFINBURO.MX) said on Wednesday it had pulled out of the bidding process for U.S. bank Citigroup's Mexican retail arm Citibanamex. Carlos Slim's Inbursa and German Larrea's Grupo Mexico (GMEXICOB.MX) were seen as the frontrunners in bidding for Citibanamex, known also as Banamex. "We considered from the beginning (of the bid) that it was going to be difficult for a player in the sector to make such an acquisition. Other heavyweight names such as Grupo Financiero Banorte (GFNORTEO.MX), Spanish bank Santander (SAN.MC) and media tycoon Ricardo Salinas have previously also pulled out of the process. Reporting by Carolina Pulice and Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Anthony Esposito, Stephen Coates and Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Twitter job cuts a concern as new EU rules kick in, EU justice head says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Reynders, who met with Twitter representatives at the social media platform's European headquarters in Dublin, sought clarifications from the company, a European Commission official told Reuters. "Twitter representatives reaffirmed the commitment of the company to ensure full compliance with EU rules. Commissioner Reynders took note of it and asked Twitter to translate this commitment into concrete measures," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Twitter has fired top executives and enforced steep job cuts with little warning following billionaire Elon Musk's tumultuous takeover of the company last month. Twitter's last two Brussels-based employees are no longer with the company, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

☆ Mexico's Inbursa drops bid for Citigroup's Mexican retail arm Citibanamex
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Mexican bank Grupo Financiero Inbursa (GFINBURO.MX) said on Wednesday it had pulled out of the bidding process for U.S. bank Citigroup's Mexican retail arm Citibanamex. "Inbursa confirms that, following submission of a non-binding proposal for the businesses in question, the parties mutually agreed that Inbursa will not be continuing to the next stages of the process," it said in a filing. Mexican corporate titans Carlos Slim's Inbursa and German Larrea's Grupo Mexico (GMEXICOB.MX) were seen as the frontrunners in bidding for Citibanamex, known too as Banamex. Earlier this month, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said there are at least three remaining bidders for Banamex. Reporting by Carolina Pulice and Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Anthony EspositoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Violent protests take place near an iPhone factory in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Kriti Gandhi | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Violent protests have broken out in Zhengzhou, China, following contract disputes at the world’s biggest Apple iPhone factory, according to videos posted on social media and verified by NBC News. The footage was taken near the Foxconn factory, in the streets of the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, where large groups of people blocked roads during their protest. A worker disinfects the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou, China on Nov. 6. The protests come after Apple warned earlier this month that it had temporarily reduced iPhone 14 production at this factory because of Covid restrictions. The Foxconn factory has accommodation for over 350,000 people, but it is unclear how many employees are left working at the factory.

Barry Silbert, the founder of crypto conglomerate Digital Currency Group, has joined a growing list of industry leaders in trying to settle investors' nerves after the sudden collapse of FTX. Since FTX's rapid winddown two weeks ago, investors have worried about a crypto contagion affecting every corner of the industry. "We have weathered previous crypto winters," Silbert wrote, adding that "while this one may feel more severe, collectively we will come out of it stronger." They've each expressed shock at FTX's apparent deceit of investors and customers and emphasized that client assets are secure. It also absorbed the $1.1 billion debt that the bankrupt crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital owed Genesis.

☆ Hungary cenbank leaves base rate steady at 13%, as expected
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Gergely Szakacs | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Base rate remains at 13%, quick deposit at 18%Follows government move to cap bank deposit ratesOne might ask what representative rate is in Hungary -analystBUDAPEST, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The National Bank of Hungary (NBH) left its base rate unchanged at 13% (HUINT=ECI) on Tuesday, as expected, with inflation on track to scale a 26-year-high in 2023 and exceeding the bank's 2% to 4% policy target range even a year later. read moreAt 1301 GMT, the forint was trading at 408 per euro, unchanged from levels before the announcement. Economists at brokerage Erste Investment said Monday's government move could channel funds from institutional investors and wealthy private clients towards government bonds. "The measure can be slightly positive for OTP (OTPB.BU), however this step impairs the monetary transmission of the central bank," the analysts said. Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Krisztina Than; Editing by Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Elon Musk puts an end to some Twitter perks, limits expenses due to company's 'challenging' financial situation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The email also addressed new policies on free food at Twitter, vacation time and other processes. "The future of Twitter is super bright if we can work together to be wise stewards of the company's resources." In addition to these and other changes detailed in the email, Twitter employees are expected to work in the office everyday as of Monday, the day the email was sent. "Allowances will be reevaluated over time and may be added back when the company's financial situation improves," the email noted. Meaning Twitter employees will now have to pay for much of the food the company will offer, where before everything was free.

"We need all channels of monetary transmission, and especially the exchange rate channel, to curb inflation," Deputy Governor Barnabas Virag told an online briefing. On Monday, however, the government capped deposit rates for certain large institutional and private investors at the three-month Treasury bill yield until March, which some analysts said would harm the efficiency of monetary transmission. read moreWhen asked about the government's move, Virag said there was no alternative to curbing inflation and the bank needed all channels of monetary transmission for that. Economists project Hungary's average inflation will rise to 16% next year from 14.3% expected in 2022, while economic growth is seen grinding to a halt. "The measure can be slightly positive for OTP (OTPB.BU), however this step impairs the monetary transmission of the central bank," the analysts said.

[1/2] U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) arrives as House Republicans gather for leadership elections at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., November 15, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, on Tuesday called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to step down, warning that the House may try to impeach him when Republicans take the majority next year. "Our country may never recover from Secretary Mayorkas' dereliction of duty," McCarthy told reporters in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday after speaking with border officials. "If Secretary Mayorkas does not resign, House Republicans will investigate every order, every action and every failure (to) determine whether we can begin (an) impeachment inquiry," he said. He became the first Latino and foreign-born Homeland Security chief when he was confirmed to the role in February 2021.

☆ What Covid taught scientists and the public about the flu
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Caroline Hopkins | Nbc News Contributor Caroline Hopkins Is A Health | Science Journalist Who Covers Cancer Treatment For Precision Oncology News. She Is A Graduate Of The Columbia University Graduate School Of Journalism. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

Flu transmission can be stoppedThe 2020-2021 flu season — the first full flu season of the Covid pandemic — defied Tedros’ message. ‘Nonpharmaceutical interventions’ workBefore Covid, experts put limited stock in so-called nonpharmaceutical — that is, nonvaccination — strategies for preventing flu transmission. Although the airline case study taught the research community about airborne flu transmission, she said the general public’s appreciation for these risks has increased because of Covid. In that study, the researchers compared mild Covid infections with mild flu infections in mice and humans and found that the brain effects were similar around seven days post-infection. Asymptomatic flu infections may be underappreciatedThe Covid pandemic put a spotlight on the extent and risk of asymptomatic infections.

☆ Explainer: The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: who controls it and why is it important?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Repeated shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has raised the possibility of a grave accident just 500 km (300 miles) from the site of the world's worst nuclear accident, the 1986 Chornobyl disaster. What nuclear material is at Europe's largest nuclear power plant, what are the risks and why are Russia and Ukraine fighting over it? The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has six Soviet-designed VVER-1000 V-320 water-cooled and water-moderated reactors containing Uranium 235, which has a half-life of more than 700 million years. The biggest risk is from overheating nuclear fuel, which could happen if the power that drives the cooling systems was cut. Besides the reactors, there is also a dry spent fuel storage facility at the site for used nuclear fuel assemblies, and spent fuel pools at each reactor site that are used to cool down the used nuclear fuel.

☆ Surfboard wants to replace spreadsheets in customer support teams. We got an exclusive look at the 13-slide deck it used to raise $5 million.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The startup has designed a collaborative planning tool for customer support teams. London-based Surfboard launched in 2021 with the aim of making work more human, and efficient, for customer support teams. Typically in support teams, there are three main actors; the agents who do the customer support work, their managers, and the end customers — who usually have to wait a long time for services. In turn, Surfboard hopes that support teams save time otherwise spent manually altering spreadsheets, and curb lost revenue and employee churn. With the cash injection, it will develop its product and focus on customer acquisitions by investing in its marketing efforts.

☆ Walmart just lost its top health official. It's a blow as the retailer tries to compete with Amazon and win a bigger slice of the healthcare industry.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Ben Tobin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Dr. Cheryl Pegus joined Walmart as executive vice president for health and wellness in December 2020. Her departure comes as Walmart has faced challenges rolling out health clinics nationwide. Walmart Health and WellnessThe move is a major blow as Walmart competes with the likes of Amazon, CVS and Walgreens to win a bigger slice of the lucrative $4.3 trillion health care industry. What's next for Walmart HealthThough Walmart Health will no longer operate with its leader of about two years, company executives are still optimistic about the performance of the business segment. Marcus Osborne, the previous head of Walmart Health Clinics, announced he left the company at the start of the year.

☆ California Looks to Ban Diesel Trucks at Ports by 2035
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Paul Berger | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

An ambitious California plan to require trucking fleets in the state to switch from diesel to electric power faces a potential backup at charging stations. Requiring that dealers and truckers make the switch should give companies confidence to invest in charging stations, Mr. Brasil said. The trucks tend to cost two or three times as much as diesel trucks, which retail for about $150,000. State officials say they have funded 200 charging stations for medium- and heavy-duty trucks so far and that many more are being funded by private companies. Write to Paul Berger at paul.berger@wsj.comCorrections & AmplificationsThe Port of Los Angeles expects to install a small number of charging stations for electric trucks.

☆ Collapsed FTX owes nearly $3.1 billion to top 50 creditors
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN Business —Cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which has filed for US bankruptcy court protection, said it owes its 50 biggest creditors nearly $3.1 billion. The exchange owes about $1.45 billion to its top ten creditors, it said in a court filing on Saturday, without naming them. The crypto exchange said on Saturday it has launched a strategic review of its global assets and is preparing for the sale or reorganization of some businesses. FTX’s rapid collapse marked a stunning downfall for one of the biggest and most powerful players in the crypto industry. The Bahamian authorities have also taken control of cryptocurrency assets held by FTX Digital Markets, The Bahamas-based FTX unit that filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection Tuesday.

☆ FTX’s Fight With Bahamas Puts Customers’ Crypto in Limbo
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Alexander Saeedy | Soma Biswas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The collapse of FTX has put its new management at odds with regulators in the Bahamas over who should control billions in sparsely documented cash and cryptocurrency assets that are presently out of customers’ reach. The Securities Commission of the Bahamas last week installed liquidators at the exchange’s Bahamas-based unit FTX Digital Markets Ltd. to recover its assets and deposits from other FTX entities after they ruled it was insolvent. Bahamas regulators said on Thursday they had swept the local subsidiary’s assets to a government-controlled wallet “for safekeeping” and to protect the interests of clients and creditors.

☆ Trump encourages GOP to 'fight' special counsel decision as Republicans attack DOJ
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he has been "going through this for six years," referring to various investigations into his actions, including both impeachments and special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe. A Trump campaign spokesman added that, "This is a totally expected political stunt by a feckless, politicized, weaponized Biden Department of Justice." Trump noted that the announcement of a special counsel comes just days after he announced a 2024 White House bid, which Garland said was a factor in his decision to seek an independent prosecutor. Asa Hutchinson, who has sometimes rebuked Trump, said in a statement that Garland's decision was "not good news for our country." Garland named John L. Smith, known as Jack Smith, a prosecutor at The Hague and a former federal prosecutor, to begin serving as special counsel “immediately."

☆ Bahamas regulator says it assumed control of digital assets of FTX
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 17 (Reuters) - The Securities Commission of The Bahamas said on Thursday it has ordered all digital assets of FTX Digital Markets Ltd (FDM) transferred to a digital wallet controlled by the Commission for safekeeping. "Urgent interim regulatory action was necessary to protect the interests of clients and creditors of FDM," the commission said in a statement. Reporting by Ann Maria Shibu in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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