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REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Paris will ban pony rides for children in its public parks from 2025 following a campaign by animal rights activists who argue that the ponies are not well treated. Pony rides have been a popular feature in Paris parks like Champ de Mars, Parc Monceau and Parc du Luxembourg for decades, mostly on the weekends and during school holidays. It just turns ponies into entertainment objects," Paris Animaux Zoopolis (PAZ) activist Amandine Sansivens said. Stephane Michaud, director of AnimaPoney - which operated pony rides in several Paris parks but has now closed half of these - said his ponies work only about 150 days per year. They love the contact with the ponies," said Celine Papouin, whose daughter confidently sat astride a pony in Parc Monceau.

Persons: Paris Animaux Zoopolis, Stephanie Lecocq, Champ de, Zoopolis, PAZ, Amandine Sansivens, Stephane Michaud, Celine Papouin, Geert De Clercq, Jan Harvey Organizations: Paris, REUTERS, Rights, Parc du, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Monceau, Parc, Parc du Luxembourg, Rambouillet, Parc Monceau

☆ Get Close: 10 Gems From the Pretenders
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Dear listeners,On Wednesday night, I was one of approximately 600 sardines crammed into Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom for a very special concert. We were packed so tightly, I couldn’t move an inch; even clapping felt like a precarious use of my elbows. Did I mention it is August, in New York, and the humidity has been hovering around 75 percent for days? Because we were there, in an impossibly small club, seeing the rock legends the Pretenders. The night before, Chrissie Hynde and company had played for a crowd roughly 100 times larger, opening for Guns N’ Roses at MetLife Stadium.

Persons: Chrissie Hynde, ”, Hynde, that’s, repping Organizations: MetLife Locations: New York, Washington ,, Asbury Park, N.J, Ohio

☆ 'Barbie,' Taylor Swift and Beyoncé provide women-powered economic boost
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Vanessa Yurkevich | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —It’s the summer of girl power, fueled by Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and “Barbie.”Millions of people across generations are paying through the nose for these experiences, providing a women-powered boost to the economy. “I loved going with my family” to Taylor Swift and “Barbie,” said 15-year-old Chelsea Deutsch. A positive messageEleven women and girls from Chelsea’s extended family – spanning ages 12 to 54 – went to see Taylor Swift at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ‘I made it happen’Helen Polise was not going to let two canceled flights stop her from seeing the last Taylor Swift concert in Los Angeles with her daughter Julie. Julie and the young girls from the family of 11 who all saw Taylor Swift walked away from the “Barbie” movie with their moms in mind.

Persons: New York CNN —, Taylor Swift, “ Barbie, ”, Chelsea Deutsch, “, ” “ Barbie ”, Taylor, “ Barbie ”, Kristina Chiapetta, Landor & Fitch, –, Barbie, Jennifer Deutsch, Chelsea’s, Chiapetta, Helen Polise, Julie, Polise, Swift, that’s, Julie Polise, “ We’re, Dylan Ritcher, Lisa Van Strat Organizations: New, New York CNN, California Center, Jobs, Warner Bros, Warner Bros ., Landor &, “, MetLife, of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, Stockholm, Los Angeles, East Rutherford , New Jersey, United States

☆ Toyota, Pony.Ai to set up robotaxi JV with $139 mln investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

file photo: A logo of the autonomous driving technology startup Pony.ai is seen on a screen during an event in Beijing, China May 13, 2021. REUTERS/Tingshu WangBEIJING, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Autonomous vehicle technology startup Pony.Ai on Friday said it would set up a joint venture with Japan's Toyota Motor (7203.T) with an investment of 1 billion yuan ($139 million) to mass produce robotaxis. The venture marks a new development in the partnership between Pony.Ai and Toyota, which first teamed up in 2019. In the years since, the Japanese automaker has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Pony.Ai. Pony.Ai, which has offices in China and the United States, has launched robotaxi services in Beijing and Guangzhou.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Pony.Ai, Liz Lee, Tom Hogue, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Japan's Toyota, Guangzhou Automobile Group, GAC, Toyota, Pony.Ai, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Tingshu Wang BEIJING, Pony.Ai, United States, Guangzhou

In order to face either one head on, you must stand on a small, uneven platform of homemade adobe bricks. This is a message from the artist: He’s not interested in a seamless viewing experience. It recalls his contribution to the 2017 Whitney Biennial, where he created a room of adobe bricks. Here, a winding path of bricks connects life-size portraits of members of esparza’s largely queer community. The paintings are also on adobe, referencing his Mexican heritage and accentuating his subjects’ brown skin.

Persons: rafa esparza’s, He’s, JILLIAN STEINHAUER Organizations: Art Basel Miami Beach, Biennial Locations: Los Angeles, New York

☆ Spirit was named the second-worst airline in the US. Here's how I managed surprise fees on a flight from New York to Miami as a veteran low-cost traveler.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Spirit Airlines is commonly named one of the worst airlines, coming in second-worst in a new ranking. Here's how I managed add-on fees from New York to Miami to make my Spirit flight more enjoyable. Low-cost giant Spirit Airlines is infamous for its bare-bones yellow planes and costly add-on fees. In November, I flew on Spirit from New York to Miami to once again experience the full no-frills experience. Here's how it went, and how I managed the add-on fees.

Organizations: Airlines, Spirit Airlines Locations: New York, Miami, Florida

☆ Tencent's low-profile founder praises China's new support for private firms
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, July 20 (Reuters) - Pony Ma, the low-profile founder of Tencent (0700.HK), on Thursday published an article in state media praising Beijing's new supportive policies for the private sector, as a shift in tone towards Chinese technology companies continues. His article, published by state broadcaster CCTV, said Tencent was "excited and encouraged" by the government's guidelines, which he described as clear and "highly targeted." The social media and gaming giant would take measures such as increasing independent innovation to implement the spirit of the guidelines, he said. Last year, Tencent's Ma caused a social media stir when he reposted an article on China's economy that lamented there were few people in China willing to speak up about the pressures facing the country's economy and businesses. Reporting by Liz Lee; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ma, Tencent, Jack Ma, Tencent's Ma, Liz Lee, Jamie Freed Organizations: HK, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Beijing, China

Hong Kong CNN —China has promised to throw its weight behind private businesses, just days after a slew of economic data showed growth momentum had slumped. The measures include promises to break down barriers to market access for private firms, to “fully implement” a system of fair competition and to strengthen enforcement of anti-monopoly laws. “We believe that the … pivot from the top level is real, but it’s not enough to bring back the animal spirit among private companies,” Larry Hu, chief China economist at Macquarie Group, wrote in a research note. That pledge had marked a major shift from leader Xi Jinping’s years-long effort to rein in private businesses, which were perceived as too powerful and disorderly. The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index closed 0.7% higher, after falling in several previous trading sessions.

Persons: “, Larry Hu, Xi Jinping’s, Premier Li Qiang, Li, ”, Ma, Lei Jun Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist Party, State Council, Macquarie Group, ”, Investment, Premier, Alibaba, Tencent, Nasdaq, Dragon Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, New York, Dragon China, Shanghai

☆ Asia’s best bars for 2023 announced
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Asia comprises about 30% of the world’s land mass. In addition to ranking the top 50, the 50 Best organization – which also rates restaurants and, soon, hotels – acknowledged “best in destination” prizes for bars that were the highest rated from their country, city or region. It was his first-ever visit to Hong Kong. 50 Best/William ReedAsia’s 50 Best Bars 20231. COA (Hong Kong)2.

Persons: Jay Khan, Ernest Hemingway, Beckaly Franks, Hong Kong's, William Reed, Hong Konger, ”, Franks, “, Rohan Matmary, Trigona’s, Matmary, Singapore’s, Khan, Ajit Gurung, “ We’re, William Reed Asia’s, Aubrey Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Pontiac, Native American, CNN Travel, Bars Academy, BKK Social, Tropic, Sago, Cham, SG, Analogue Initiative, Chamber, Employees, Southside, Hope, Sesame, House Locations: Hong Kong, Hong Kong CNN — Asia, Asia, Hong, American, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, Tropic City, Taipei, Vesper, Republic, Delhi, Jakarta, Manhattan, Pantja, Manila, Mumbai, Copitas, Bengaluru, Guangzhou, Vender, Taichung, Kyoto

☆ The last, best hope for homebuyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

But there may be one last hope for salvation for these hard-pressed homebuyers: brand-spanking new houses. Many builders are even dangling perks like cheaper loans or other discounts to ease the pain of higher mortgage rates. Homebuilding is typically a cyclical industry, following the ups and downs of the broader housing market. Of course, people will always move for reasons that have nothing to do with mortgage rates. Even if buyers get some relief from new housing construction, builders are still a long way off from bridging the housing shortfall.

Persons: Richard de Chazal, William Blair, de Chazal, Realtor.com, bottoming, John Burns, Black Knight, Mike Simonsen, Simonsen, bode, it's, Sheryl Palmer, Taylor Morrison, Palmer, Cristian deRitis, Jay Parsons, Matthew Walsh, Walsh, Freddie Mac, Lawrence Yun, They're, production's, James Rodriguez Organizations: Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, John Burns Research, Consulting, Altos Research, National Association of Homebuilders, Builders, Moody's

☆ Meet a first-generation Gen-Zer with $60,000 in student debt who says it's 'hard to be excited' about Biden's new plans for relief: 'There's just no clear messaging'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Olivia Bissanti, 23, has $60,000 in federal and private student debt. As a first-generation college student, Bissanti was the first in her family to achieve a higher education and navigate the financial system that comes along with it. Six months after graduating from college in 2021, Bissanti started making payments on her private student loans. Olivia Bissanti (right), 23, has $60,000 in private and federal student debt. At the end of June, the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers.

Persons: Olivia Bissanti, she's, hasn't, Bissanti, I've, Joe Biden's, overreached, —, Biden, Biden's, it's, There's, Bharat Ramamurti, that's Organizations: Service, Education Department, —, Supreme, Higher, National Economic Council Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ With a world-class workforce and a booming economy, North Carolina repeats as America's Top State for Business in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

North Carolina Gov. North Carolina ranks first in the all-important Workforce category of CNBC's study. Strong workers fuel GDP, solid state finances North Carolina's strong workforce helped feed its performance in other categories. "It's clear that the Republican legislature is aiming to choke the life out of public education," Cooper said on May 24. Abortion rights demonstrators gather to protest in Raleigh, North Carolina, after the Supreme Court's decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health case, June 24, 2022.

Persons: Bosch, Roy Cooper, Joe Biden's, Melissa Sue Gerrits, Josh Wright, Charlotte, it's, You've, Wright, Cooper, Tricia Cotham, Cotham Organizations: State, Business, North Carolina, CNBC, North Carolina Gov, Getty, Apple, Triangle, Democrat, Raleigh, U.S . Labor Department, Commerce Department, Federal Housing Financing Agency, Census, ATTOM Data, Technology, Innovation, Capital, Republican, Republicans, General, Jackson, Anadolu Agency Locations: North Carolina, Lincolnton, Greensboro, Goldsboro, American, Durham, Wolfspeed, Durham , North Carolina, East Coast, America, Alaska, Massachusetts, North, Raleigh , North Carolina, Dobbs

☆ Thames rescue looks far from watertight
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 10 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Thames Water is stepping back from the brink, a little bit. Shareholders, led by Canada’s Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, have now agreed to pony up 750 million pounds. They’ve also acknowledged even more will be allowed over the next regulatory review period between 2025 and 2030. Bonds issued by Thames’ holding company, Kemble, rose as much as 10 percentage points following the news. That depressed price suggests there’s a long way to go before Thames is on dry land.

Persons: They’ve, Bonds, Kemble, Neil Unmack, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Canada’s, Thames, Twitter, Thomson Locations: Canada’s Ontario, Thames, China

☆ King Charles III and Queen Camilla's coronation marked in Scotland with day of pageantry
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Hafsa Khalil | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Scotland has concluded a day of festivities celebrating British monarch King Charles III’s recent coronation. King Charles III is presented with the Crown of Scotland at St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh on July 5, 2023. Jane Barlow/ReutersThe service was preceded by a “people’s procession” and a royal procession to the cathedral, and rounded off with a gun salute. Danny Lawson/Getty ImagesCharles arrived at the cathedral in the royal procession in the state Bentley, accompanied by Queen Camilla. King Charles III and Queen Camilla during the service Andrew Milligan/ReutersCamilla wore a long white dress by British designer Bruce Oldfield.

Persons: King Charles III’s, Chris Jackson, Elizabeth, ” –, Queen Elizabeth II –, James IV, Pope Julius II, King Charles III, Giles, Jane Barlow, Royal Air Force flypast, Cruachan IV, “, ”, Danny Lawson, Charles, Bentley, Queen Camilla, Andrew Milligan, Camilla, Bruce Oldfield, Oldfield, Prince William, Catherine, Duke, Duchess of, Royce, Giles ’, Charles ’, William, Kate, John Linton, CNN’s Max Foster Organizations: London CNN, Combined Cadet Force, Getty, Cathedral, Royal Air Force, Royal Regiment of, Police Scotland, Protesters, Royal Navy, Thistle, Edinburgh Castle, King’s, Guard, Royal Company of Archers, RAF, 12th Regiment Royal Artillery, Holyrood Locations: Edinburgh, Scottish, St, Royal Regiment of Scotland, British, Scotland, Duchess of Rothesay, Gordonstoun, AFP

☆ The Ultramarathoner Racing Against the Course, and Himself
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Rebecca Byerly | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As a coach, de la Rosa champions the work of Steve Magness, whose book “Do Hard Things” focuses on how athletes can use positive self-talk when experiencing discomfort. De la Rosa now shows his clients that they need self-love to build resilience and mental toughness. After struggling with depression and extreme exhaustion following Barkley, and with encouragement from Belzberg, de la Rosa has accepted that he cannot participate in multiday events and more extreme 100-mile races. For now, de la Rosa, who is a sponsored runner, will continue to work on his mental health and focus on single-day events. One of their funniest memories is when de la Rosa paced Belzberg in one of her first 100-mile races and the couple hallucinated that they were seeing an aid station serving pancakes.

Persons: de, Steve Magness, De la Rosa, Barkley, de la Rosa, la Rosa, Rosa, Belzberg, I’ve, ”, “ Organizations: de la Rosa, de la, Lifeline Locations: Belzberg

Scotland will celebrate the accession of King Charles III with its own festivities on Wednesday. “Scotland will welcome the new King and Queen in July with a series of events to mark the Coronation. There the Scottish Crown Jewels will be presented to the King. The crown was first worn by James V at the coronation of Queen Mary of Guise in 1540. A 21-gun salute from the 12 Regiment Royal Artillery will sound at the end of the service before the royal procession returns to Holyroodhouse.

Persons: London CNN —, King Charles III, –, King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Kate, Duke, Duchess of, King, Queen, Humza Yousaf, Yousaf, Giles, Cathedral, Giles ’, James V, Queen Mary of Guise, Innocent VIII, James IV, Mary, Queen of Scots, Oliver Cromwell’s, Walter Scott, Charles ’, Cruachan IV, Andrew Milligan, George Gross, Charles, ” Organizations: CNN’s Royal, London CNN, Scottish, National Service of, ”, Edinburgh, of Union, King’s, Guard, Royal Company of Archers, Armed Forces, Royal Regiment of, Royal Regiment of Scotland Shetland, Combined Cadet Force, Royal Marine, 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, Regiment Royal Artillery, King’s College London Locations: London, Scotland, Holyrood, Duchess of Rothesay, Edinburgh, St, Balmoral, Britain, Scone, Westminster, Royal Regiment of Scotland, Holyroodhouse

☆ How influencer couples use relationships to reach new followers and build content strategies as partners, according to a talent manager
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Nhari Djan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A talent manager explains how he strategizes with influencer couples. Toteda and Cushion are the type of influencer couple Duncan and Ingenuity Live are looking to work with more. This is not dissimilar to how they would deal with an individual influencer, but there is a difference in application. Duncan thinks more influencer couples should collaborate with other couples, as well. "A lot of couples aren't looking to other couples that maybe have a small crossover of the same audience," Duncan said.

Persons: TikTok, influencers Monet McMichael, Jalen Noble, McMichael, Noble, Jeff Duncan, Nick Toteda, Anthony, Toteda, Duncan, it's, There's, Liza Koshy, David Dobrik, Nick Viall Locations: London

☆ A talent manager who works with influencer couples explains how creators use relationships to reach new followers — and the type of couple he'll never work with
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Nhari Djan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

☆ ChatGPT, AI Tech Will Worsen America's Loneliness Crisis, Friendship Recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Daniel Cox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

And there are definitely areas where AI chatbots could be useful — especially when it comes to business. Artificial IntimacyThe shift toward AI relationships isn't just a theoretical possibility: Some entrepreneurs and companies are already working to create chatbot-driven connections. While it has garnered a lot of attention, CarynAI isn't the first attempt at providing people with companionship through an AI chatbot. Snap recently deployed its own AI chatbot, called My AI, aimed at supplementing social interactions on the app. In researching new AI chatbots, I was struck by the missed opportunity for disconnected people to forge new connections.

Persons: ChatGPT, Derek Thompson, —, you've, Eric Klinenberg, Jenny Leigh, isn't, Caryn Marjorie, Marjorie, Caryn, CarynAI, Replika, Evan Spiegel, Joshua Bote, Zers, Brent Orrell, Daniel Cox Organizations: Pew Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Software, New York, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Brown University, Hasbro, Science Foundation, Survey Center, American Enterprise Institute Locations: New York City

☆ AI Tech Like ChatGPT Will Make Americans More Lonely
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Daniel Cox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

☆ Rep. George Santos says he'd rather forfeit his $500,000 bond and go to jail than out the people who guaranteed the money: court docs
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Jennifer Cunningham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. George Santos has asked a judge to keep the names of the people who guaranteed his half-million-dollar bond a secret. And if the judge mandates that his guarantors be identified, Santos said he'd forfeit his bond and remain jailed until his trial, according to court documents obtained by Insider. "A few hours later on Friday, June 2, 2023, I received a call wherein a male voice just shouted what sounded like, 'Who paid Santo's bond?' Last month, Judge Shields held a clandestine hearing with the bond guarantors, court filings show, and their names have not been revealed to the public. The judge has not yet ruled on whether or not to make the suretors' names public.

Persons: George Santos, Santos, he'd, —, Anne Shields, Joseph Murray, Murray, Judge Shields, Prosecutors Organizations: Service, United States House Locations: Santos

Local lore says the horses are descended from survivors of a long-ago shipwreck, but the more likely and mundane story is that herds were brought from the mainland in the late 1600s to avoid fencing laws and taxation, the park service says.

☆ Housing Market Ice Age: Fewer Sales, Higher Home Prices, Less Inventory
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The result is a housing market that's fundamentally out of whack. The housing market has changed for good — and with the benefit of time-earned wisdom, we can pinpoint the moment it entered a new era. Two big things happened during the initial response to the pandemic that launched the housing market past the point of no return. Both factors have propelled competition in the housing market to new heights and made it challenging for would-be buyers to find their footing. Some aspects of the pandemic-era housing market that once seemed "odd" are increasingly becoming new norms.

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Apple's upcoming 'Reality' headset, BookTok drives book sales, and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AI startup cloud deals by Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are ringing "accounting alarm bells" across Silicon Valley over revenue "round-tripping." As Big Tech firms invest in AI startups in exchange for commitments to use their cloud services, some investors question whether those arrangements are artificially inflating cloud revenue growth. A former Apple marketing executive predicts the company's upcoming "Reality" headset risks being "one of the greatest tech flops of all time." How the BookTok phenomenon helped send book sales to an all-time high and reignite a love for reading. Read on to find out more about what you can use the AI app for.

☆ Rudy Giuliani was helping Noelle Dunphy in a brutal legal fight with her 'abusive' ex when he abused her himself: court docs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Laura Italiano | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Noelle Dunphy says she agreed to work for Giuliani when he promised a $1 million salary and free legal help. At the time, Dunphy was embroiled in a messy court battle with a wealthy, "abusive" ex, court papers state. "Rather, Ms. Dunphy would come to understand that Giuliani was aroused by discussing her sexual history and violent relationships. But Giuliani was slinging insults at her on Twitter and had revealed her true name in connection with the case, Dunphy alleged. Giuliani took advantage of Dunphy's legal troubles, her lawsuit allegesFar from helping Dunphy with her legal morass, Giuliani "abused his position as Ms. Dunphy's lawyer to pressure her into sex," her lawsuit claims.

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