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☆ ‘On a Whim, I Decided to Do a Silly, Shirley Temple-esque Tap Dance’
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

I was taking the PATH train home to Hoboken from Christopher Street after a rehearsal when I noticed a bank of cameras aimed at the turnstiles. What a boring job it must be to have to stare at them all night long, I thought. There was no one else waiting on the platform so, on a whim, I decided to do a silly, Shirley Temple-esque tap dance to amuse whoever was monitoring the cameras. As I curtsied, I was startled to hear a series of slow claps coming from somewhere off in the darkness. Looking around, I saw that a young man had stepped out from behind one of the columns at the far end of the platform and was applauding.

Persons: Shirley Temple, gamely, ” Organizations: Christopher Locations: Hoboken

☆ Leviathan partners in Israel to invest $568 million in third gas pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, July 2 (Reuters) - Partners in the Israeli offshore gas project Leviathan said on Sunday they would invest $568 million to build a third pipeline that will allow increased natural gas production and exports. Leviathan, a deep-sea field with huge deposits, came online at the end of 2019 and produces 12 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year for sale to Israel, Egypt and Jordan. In the longer-term, Leviathan production is expected to reach about 21 bcm a year. The group has announced plans for a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal off the Israeli coast with an annual LNG capacity of about 4.6 million tons, or 6.5 bcm. "We are currently exploring the option of upgrading transmission infrastructures in Jordan to transport additional gas quantities to markets in Jordan and Egypt," Landau said.

Persons: Yossi Abu, Yigal Landau, Landau, Ari Rabinovitch, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Partners, Chevron, Energy, Thomson Locations: Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Europe, Tel Aviv

☆ Mitsotakis to be sworn in as Greek PM after landslide victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Karolina Tagaris | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ATHENS, June 26 (Reuters) - Greece's New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis will be sworn in as prime minister on Monday after a resounding victory in a repeat election on Sunday gave him a second four-year term. But I assure you that I will stay true to my national duty," Mitsotakis said. Greek newspapers hailed the result a "historic win," with Ta Nea writing on its front page "Mitsotakis's absolute dominance, with no opponent." Sunday's vote was a heavy defeat for Alexis Tsipras's Syriza party, which lost more than 30 lawmakers. It also saw three fringe right-wing and nationalist parties - including the anti-immigrant 'Spartans', enter parliament with a combined 35 seats.

Persons: Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mitsotakis, Ta, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Alexis Tsipras's Syriza, Tsipras, Karolina Tagaris, Lincoln Organizations: Democracy, Sunday, European Union, Spartans, Thomson Locations: ATHENS

☆ RPT FACTBOX As electric cars take off, makers pledge $11.3 billion for US lithium iron phosphate
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 23 (Reuters) - Interest and investment in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells and materials, used to power electric vehicles, continue to climb in the United States. Here is a look at some of the announced LFP projects. FORDFord Motor (F.N) is planning to open a $3.5 billion LFP manufacturing plant in 2026 in Marshall, Michigan, using technology licensed from China’s CATL (300750.SZ). FREYRNorwegian battery startup Freyr (7XN.F) expects to open a $1.7 billion battery plant outside Atlanta, using technology from Aleees and 24M. ICLIsrael’s ICL Group (ICL.TA) has announced it will build a $400 million battery materials plant near St Louis, Missouri, to open in 2024.

Persons: China’s, FREYR, Paul Lienert, Matthew Lewis Organizations: FORD Ford Motor, LG, ICL, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Marshall , Michigan, KS, Holland , Michigan, Big Rapids , Michigan, FREYR Norwegian, Atlanta, Aleees, Michigan, Van Buren Township, St Louis , Missouri, Detroit

☆ Factbox: As electric cars take off, makers pledge $14.3 billion for US lithium iron phosphate
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Paul Lienert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 22 (Reuters) - Interest and investment in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells and materials, used to power electric vehicles, continue to climb in the United States. FORDFord Motor (F.N) is planning to open a $3.5 billion LFP manufacturing plant in 2026 in Marshall, Michigan, using technology licensed from China’s CATL (300750.SZ). GMGeneral Motors (GM.N) has announced a $3 billion LFP plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with partner Samsung SDI (006400.KS), to open in 2026. FREYRNorwegian battery startup Freyr (7XN.F) expects to open a $1.7 billion battery plant outside Atlanta, using technology from Aleees and 24M. ICLIsrael’s ICL Group (ICL.TA) has announced it will build a $400 million battery materials plant near St Louis, Missouri, to open in 2024.

Persons: China’s, FREYR, Paul Lienert, Matthew Lewis Organizations: FORD Ford Motor, GM General Motors, Samsung SDI, LG, ICL, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Marshall , Michigan, Fort Wayne , Indiana, KS, Holland , Michigan, Big Rapids , Michigan, FREYR Norwegian, Atlanta, Aleees, Michigan, Van Buren Township, St Louis , Missouri, Detroit

☆ A South Carolina teacher had her AP lesson shut down after students snitched that she planned to have them read Ta-Nehisi Coates' memoir
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A South Carolina teacher's lesson was shut down after students complained they were uncomfortable. The AP English lesson included reading Ta-Nehisi Coates' 2015 memoir on racism "Between the World and Me." This past spring, Chapin High School English teacher Mary Wood included Coates' book in her lesson plan before the AP English Language exam, according to lesson plans and documents obtained by The State. Wood said in the documents that she had taught Coates' memoir the prior academic year with no issue, The State added. Young compared the situation to the AP African American Studies course debacle in Florida, which also involved the removal Coates' writing from lesson plans.

Persons: Nehisi Coates, Coates, —, Mary Wood, AP Lang, Wood, Jeremy C, Young, doesn't, that's, hasn't Organizations: PEN America, Service, Carolina teacher's, Chapin High School English, The State, AP, Chapin High School, AP African American Studies, South, South Carolina Republicans, Associated Press, GOP Locations: Carolina, America, South Carolina, The, Florida

BERLIN, June 8 (Reuters) - Reality star Kim Kardashian's arrival at a gathering of the globe's top deal brokers in Berlin failed to dispel their dark mood as the rising cost of money puts the brakes on the private equity industry. But private equity is currently experiencing one of its toughest runs since coming of age in the 1980s as rapid rises in interest rates to combat inflation make the debt that underpins the industry scarce and expensive. "It has been easier in the past, deal flow is reduced significantly...we have to pedal harder," said Jose Pfeifer, who leads Investcorp's European private equity group, on the sidelines of SuperReturn. "Europe is doing better than expected...we are seeing opportunity in corporate carve-outs," said Marco De Benedetti, co-head of Europe private equity at Carlyle (CG.O). Emmanuel Laillier, head of private equity at Tikehau Capital, said that makes it hard to read the level of competition, although there is more flexibility in the M&A process.

Persons: Kim Kardashian's, Kardashian, Jose Pfeifer, Hythem, Marco De Benedetti, Sellers, Emmanuel Laillier, Christian Sindig, Jay Sammons, Emma, Victoria Farr, John O'Donnell, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: European Central Bank, Bundesliga, TA Associates, Carlyle, Tikehau, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, Berlin, Europe, SuperReturn

☆ A Tony Nominee Shows Off Her Snug Upper West Side Rental
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Joanne Kaufman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Bonnie Milligan, an actress known for her vocal range and belting voice, shares a snug rental on the Upper West Side with a college friend who is also a performer. Ms. Milligan’s bedroom is sufficiently small that she has to leave to change her mind. But the 30-something Ms. Milligan, a Tony nominee for her performance as the shifty, shiftless Aunt Debra in the musical “Kimberly Akimbo” (the awards ceremony is scheduled for June 11), isn’t much for trafficking in discouraging words. There’s a washer and dryer in the basement, and workout equipment in the courtyard. “Over the course of the 15 years I’ve been here, it has gone up $550 in total,” Ms. Milligan said.

Persons: Bonnie Milligan, Milligan, Aunt Debra, Kimberly Akimbo ”, I’ve, ” Ms Organizations: Lincoln Center

☆ Analysis: Stelara patent deal puts J&J back on path to $57 bln 2025 revenue forecast
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Patrick Wingrove | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Stelara, introduced in 2009, has been J&J’s top-selling drug since 2019, with sales reaching $9.7 billion in 2022. J&J is forecasting $57 billion in pharmaceutical sales by 2025 after reducing its previous view of $60 billion in April, citing currency dynamics that hurt its pharmaceutical business in 2022. That would add around $4.6 billion to average estimates for pharmaceutical sales, as long as no biosimilars enter the market before 2025. Amgen said last month the confidential settlement it signed with J&J will allow it to sell its Stelara biosimilar no later than Jan. 1, 2025. “If no Stelara biosimilars enter in 2024, I think growth should continue at around 4% in 2023 and 2024,” Huynh said.

Persons: Johnson, Amgen, ”, Vamil, Trung Huynh, ” Huynh, Teva, biosimilar, Divan, Alvotech, Patrick Wingrove, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Amgen Inc, Analysts, Stelara, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, New, J, Credit Suisse, Food and Drug Administration, Alvotech’s, Thomson Locations: New Brunswick , New Jersey, Alvotech’s Reykjavik

☆ Kipyegon sets women's 1,500m world record, Kerly wins 100m in Florence
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Kipyegon shaved almost an entire second off the previous mark of 3:50.07 set by Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba in 2015. The world record completes the 29-year-old's collection of feats, adding to her two Olympic 1,500m golds and the 2017 and 2022 world titles, Commonwealth Games gold medal from 2014 and three Diamond League titles. Dina Asher-Smith, who won the world 200 metres title in Doha in 2019, pulled out in the build-up to the race. Spaniard Mohamed Katir produced a lung-busting performance to win the 5,000m with a world leading 12:52.09, with world record holder Joshua Cheptegei coming in fourth. Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pietro Mennea Golden, Luigi Ridolfi, Kipyegon, Remo Casilli FLORENCE, Fred Kerley, Ethiopia's Genzebe, Britain's Laura Muir, Jessica Hull, Muir, Ferdinand Omanyala, Trayvon, Jamaica's Yohan Blake, Jacobs, Ivorian Marie, Josee Ta Lou, Gina Lueckenkemper, Imani, Lara Lansiquot, Dina Asher, Smith, Ta Lou, Erriyon Knighton, Grant Holloway, Mohamed Katir, Joshua Cheptegei, Italy's Leonardo Fabbri, Andy Diaz, Larissa Iapichino, Aadi Nair, Ken Ferris Organizations: Diamond League, Commonwealth Games, Kenyan, Rabat, Thomson Locations: Florence, Italy, Ivorian, Doha, Netherlands, Rabat, Nashik, India

[1/2] Visitors stand next to a "Make In India" logo during a three-day semiconductor event in Bengaluru, India, April 30, 2022. They were from the Vedanta-Foxconn JV; a global consortium ISMC which counts Tower Semiconductor (TSEM.TA) as a tech partner; and from Singapore-based IGSS Ventures. SETBACK FOR VEDANTAMost of the world's chip output is limited to a few countries like Taiwan, and India is a late entrant. Amid much fanfare, in September, the Vedanta-Foxconn JV announced its chipmaking plans in Gujarat. Modi called the $19.5 billion plan "an important step" in boosting India's chipmaking ambitions.

Persons: Munsif, India's Modi, Taiwan's Foxconn, Narendra Modi, IGSS, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Modi, Foxconn, STMicro, Chandrasekhar, David Reed, Aditya Kalra, Jane Lanhee Lee, Steven Scheer, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Visitors, REUTERS, Companies, Intel, India's Vedanta, Vedanta, IGSS Ventures, JV, Reuters, Orbit, Foxconn JV, Twitter, Thomson Locations: India, Bengaluru, DELHI, OAKLAND , California, Singapore, Gujarat, Taiwan, New Delhi, Oakland , California

☆ Israel's Bezeq Telecom sees benefits from AI as posts flat Q1 profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM, May 17 (Reuters) - Bezeq Israel Telecom (BEZQ.TA) reported flat quarterly profit on Wednesday, and said it expects to reap benefits from an exponential expansion of data created by artificial intelligence (AI) platforms through more lucrative fibre optics growth. Bezeq is working with Nokia to provide broadband speeds of up to 25 gigabits per second (Gbps) and said it plans to offer 10 Gbps in 2024, reaching 25 Gbps by 2027. It currently offers a maximum of 2.5 Gbps. Fischbein also said that he remained comfortable with Bezeq's forecast of 1.2 billion shekels of net profit in 2023. Shares of Bezeq were up 0.3% to 5 shekels in afternoon Tel Aviv trading, but are nearly 18% lower so far in 2023.

Musk revealed those plans on Tuesday at the company's annual meeting, an about-face for the celebrity executive who recently acquired social media platform Twitter. Musk told CNBC he did not yet have a "fully formed strategy" for Tesla advertising. Tesla spent $151,947 on advertising in the U.S. in 2022, according to advertising intelligence firm Vivvix, which measured ads across places including TV, social media, Web banners and billboards. Diaz-Ortiz is a former Twitter manager who has written books about the social media company. Thomas Martin, senior portfolio manager at Tesla shareholder Globalt Investments, sees Musk's embrace of advertising as a positive.

In 2017, with Mr. Connors’ help, Mr. Maichle started his own company, Precision Compliance Consulting. ‘Boss Man’Mr. Connors, Mr. Lewis and Mr. Maichle were all active in college conservative politics in Wisconsin about 15 years ago, when Mr. Connors was the leader of campus Republicans at Marquette University. Of that, about $102,000 went to Campaign Now, the firm started by Mr. Connors, and another $112,000 to companies where Mr. Connors, Mr. Maichle or Mr. Lewis was either the owner or a partner, tax records show. Most of the money — more than $4.4 million — went to fund-raising companies via tens of thousands of small payments. Most of the money — more than $4.4 million — went to fund-raising companies via tens of thousands of small payments.

The suspects on Wednesday were traveling to a rocket launch site in the city of Khan Younis, the IDF said. A CNN producer in Gaza reported explosions in Khan Younis, Rafah and northern Gaza. Shortly after, he saw at least six rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel. Smoke billows following renewed Israeli military strikes launched into Gaza on May 10, 2023. Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty ImagesMedics transport a victim to Shifa Hospital following the deadly Israeli airstrikes launched into Gaza on Tuesday.

☆ Opinion: For women, it’s past time to give up the ghost of equality
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Opinion Marcie Bianco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which states that equal rights under the law cannot be denied on account of sex, has been in a perpetual state of limbo for 100 years. And worldwide, those dreaming of gender equality will have to wait another 300 years, according to the latest United Nations estimates. Arguably, billionaires will land on Mars before we achieve gender equality. With odds like those, it’s well worth asking: What does “achieve gender equality” even mean? It’s past time to give up the ghost of equality and pursue a goal that has hope of transforming women’s lives for the better: freedom.

☆ Tori Bowie, World Champion Sprinter, Is Dead at 32
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Daniel E. Slotnik | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Bowie’s world championship title came the next year in London in a dramatic 100-meter race. Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josée Ta Lou sprung into the lead and seemed well ahead of the rest of the pack. But near the end of the race, Bowie accelerated, caught up to Ta Lou and leaned through the finish line ahead of her, then tumbled to the ground. Bowie won another gold at that world championship, in the 4x100 relay. Bowie went to the University of Southern Mississippi, where she became the national champion in the long jump in 2011.

☆ Former world 100m champion Bowie dies aged 32
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] Athletics - World Athletics Championships – women’s 100 metres victory ceremony – London Stadium, London, Britain – August 7, 2017 – Tori Bowie of the U.S. (Gold) poses with her medal. REUTERS/Matthew ChildsMay 3 (Reuters) - Former 100 metres world champion Tori Bowie has died at the age of 32, her management company said on Wednesday. The American was crowned world champion in 2017 and won three Olympic medals at the Rio Games in 2016. "We're devastated to share the very sad news that Tori Bowie has passed away," Icon Management said in a statement on Twitter. Olympic medallist Calvin Davis has died at the age of 51, the sport's governing body World Athletics said in a statement on Wednesday.

During a conference call with investors, the company projected that adjusted gross margins will climb above 40% in the second half, having hit historic lows in the first half of the year. Underscoring Intel's profitability slump in recent years, its first-quarter unadjusted gross margin fell to 34.2%, almost half of its multi-decade high of over 67% in 2010. The company forecast a further drop to an unadjusted gross margin of 33.2% for the second quarter. "While we understand investors may be disappointed in its 2Q23 gross margin outlook, we are confident that Intel's gross margin will recover in 2H23 as the burden of factory underutilization and new product start-up cost diminishes," said Kinngai Chan, analyst at Summit Insights Group. Intel said adjusted losses were 4 cents per share, above analysts' expectations of a 15 cent per share adjusted loss.

☆ Leaked document shows Shopify's plan to use 'stealth spear-fishing' recruiting tactics as it flattens its org
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A leaked internal document detailed Shopify's plan to overhaul its recruiting strategy. It said that recruiters needed to raise the bar for the quality of candidates they were bringing on to the company. "To do this, we will exhaustively seek out world class talent, scorching the earth with thoroughness and precision," it continued. The leaked internal document from Shopify cited a January conversation with CEO Tobi Lütke where he emphasized the need to hire fewer people managers and more people who had deep technical knowledge. It also said that Lütke instructed org leaders to "avoid high drama negative talent."

☆ 2023’s Most Coveted Kitchen Is Superexpensive. Here’s How to Get the Look for Less
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Sarah Karnasiewicz | Photographs Andrew Bui For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

TA-TA, soulless stainless ranges. Cheerio, monolithic marble islands. A few years back, a new status kitchen—imported primarily via a pair of posh British outfits called Plain English and deVOL—surfaced stateside. Modeled loosely on the below-stairs service kitchens once found on grand estates, it quickly found a cult following for its homely hallmarks: pared-back Georgian cabinetry in moody colors, from chalky green to dishrag pink; studiously aged taps and cupboard latches; commodious “larders” in which to corral microwaves and other conspicuously 21st-century appliances; open shelving where vintage copper pots rub shoulders with ancestral oil paintings. Think of it as the “old-money look” for kitchens.

☆ Takeaways from Biden's trip to Ireland
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Biden’s trip came as he nears a decision on running again for president. “I own property in Ireland, I’m not going to Ireland,” former President Donald Trump said during Biden’s trip. Patrick Semansky/APDiplomatic legacy: ‘Keep the peace’White House officials made little attempt at ascribing major policy objectives to Biden’s trip. Kevin Lamarque/ReutersBiden makes Ireland visit a family affairMore than anything, Biden’s trip this week had the feeling of a family spring break. Throughout the sometimes-rainy trip, Biden kept his head dry with a baseball cap from the Beau Biden Foundation.

Lidar technology is used for 3D mapping, navigation and object detection in various high-tech industries. Ouster's complaints said Hesai incorporated its digital lidar technology into the Shanghai-based company's sensors. Ouster accused Hesai's sensors of infringing five patents covering core aspects of its digital lidar technology. It asked the Delaware court for an unspecified amount of money damages and the ITC to bar imports of infringing Hesai products. Hesai settled a patent dispute with San Jose, California-based Velodyne Lidar Inc in 2020.

☆ Romania aims to buy F-35 fighter planes to boost air defences
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUCHAREST, April 11 (Reuters) - Romania aims to buy the latest generation U.S. F-35 fighter planes to boost its air defences, the country's supreme defence council (CSAT) said in a statement on Tuesday. The European Union and NATO state has raised defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product this year from 2%, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Last year, President Klaus Iohannis said Romania was mulling acquiring F-35 planes, which are made by U.S. weapons maker Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N). In March, the defense ministry said Romania would buy Abrams tanks made by General Dynamics (GD.N), as part of wider defence acquisitions plans. In December, Romania's defence ministry signed a deal to acquire seven Watchkeeper X unmanned aircraft systems from Israeli defence electronics firm Elbit Systems (ESLT.TA) for roughly 1.89 billion lei ($418.02 million).

☆ Wind and solar power generators wait in yearslong lines to put clean electricity on the grid, then face huge interconnection fees they can't afford
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

The local utility in charge of overseeing the interconnection process told Pine Gate it would be more than $30 million. Pine Gate had to terminate the project because it couldn't afford the new fees, its vice president of regulatory affairs, Brett White, told CNBC. "Those projects ended up withdrawing from the queue or terminating, because they don't pencil anymore," White told CNBC. "There is Texas, and then there's the rest of the country with respects to interconnection," White of Pine Gate told CNBC. And that means getting those engineers out of some of the rote manual data entry and into the actual analysis," White told CNBC.

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