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Nearly two weeks have passed and no large-scale response has materialized, leaving Israel and the wider Middle East on edge. Iran, which backs Hamas, blamed Israel for the assassination, but Israeli leaders have not said their forces were responsible. What could an Iranian response look like? U.S. and Israeli diplomats and security officials had some advanced knowledge of its scope and intensity of Iran’s attack in April, which facilitated defensive preparations. The foreign minister of Jordan, an ally of the United States, has traveled to Tehran in recent days for meetings.

Persons: Ismail Haniyeh, Masoud, Israel, Fuad Shukr, Haniyeh’s, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Nasser Kanaan, Sanam Vakil, Pezeshkian, Vakil, Ms, Ali Vaez, Vaez, “ Israel, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Jordan, Mr, Haniyeh, Lloyd J, Austin III, Biden Organizations: Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Chatham House, Crisis, Diplomats, of Islamic Cooperation, United, Hamas Locations: Iran, Tehran, Israel, Masoud Pezeshkian, Beirut, Lebanon, Golan, East, London, Yemen, Iranian, United States, Gaza, Saudi Arabia

☆ A crypto data leak led the FBI to America's most wanted sex trafficking fugitive. Now, the victims want his bitcoins.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-11 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Four bitcoin wallets that led to sex-trafficking fugitive Michael Pratt's capture are seen in the bottom left corner. AdvertisementFrom Michael Pratt's 2019 criminal complaint. Federal prosecutors say Pratt increased traffic by forwarding each victim's video link to her school, work, family, and social connections. Michael Pratt's Swiss ID and Barcelona Mailboxes Etc. AdvertisementThese days, DeBarber runs the Baltimore-based Phoenix AI cybersecurity firm with cofounder Justine Li, a Girls Do Porn victim and plaintiff.

Persons: —, Michael James Pratt —, Pratt, Michael Pratt's, Michael Pratt, it's, Charles DeBarber, ike, ake, ould, ong, hough, erving, J ames, rove, ratt, ong K ong, egan, ove, arlene, lew, anni, rooke,, rian H olm,, wiss Organizations: Service, Spanish, Business, Spain's Policia Nacional, Policia Nacional, ust Locations: New Zealander, Madrid, Southern California, Spain, bitcoin, omiting,, ife, ictim

☆ There's a hidden risk lurking for AI stocks in 2025
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-11 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Depreciation costs could lead to AI stock price declines and valuation scrutiny, according to Baird's Ted Mortonson. AdvertisementThe lurking problem is that the useful lifetime of AI GPU chips can be a lot shorter than many expect, especially as AI chips go through an ever-accelerating innovation cycle, leading to higher-than-expected depreciation expenses that ultimately drag down profits. For example, the bank expects Alphabet to record $28 billion in depreciation costs in 2026, which is 24% more than current consensus estimates of $22.6 billion. AdvertisementBut even that has its limits because of how quickly Nvidia is releasing new GPU chips. And for Mortonson, it all comes back to the return on invested AI capital.

Persons: Ted Mortonson, —, doesn't, outlays, Ross Sandler, Baird, Morton, Sandler, Mortonson, there's Organizations: Barclays, Service, Companies, Nvidia, Business

☆ U.S. decries reported sexual abuse of Palestinian prisoners after graphic video aired on Israeli TV
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Aurora Almendral | Aurora Almendral Is A London-Based Editor With Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Allegations of the sexual abuse of Palestinian prisoners by members of the Israeli military are “horrific,” the United States has said, after a graphic video broadcast on Israeli news added fuel to mounting criticism of the U.S. ally’s conduct in the war in Gaza. “We have seen the video, and reports of sexual abuse of detainees are horrific,” Miller said, adding that the reports should be “fully” investigated by the Israeli government. “There ought to be zero tolerance for sexual abuse, rape of any detainee, period,” he added. “No circumstances, however exceptional, can ever justify torture or ill-treatment.”Israeli soldiers load naked Palestinian prisoners onto a bus in a photo sent to NBC News by Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian Legislative Council member. Matan Golan / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty ImagesWhile the arrest of the reservists had brought this case to wider attention, B’Tselem argued that the abuse of Palestinian detainees is systemic in Israeli prisons.

Persons: Matthew Miller, “, ” Miller, Karine Jean, Pierre, mistreating, Sde Teiman, B’Tselem, ”, Alice Jill Edwards, ” Edwards, Mustafa Barghouti, Teiman, Matan Golan, Hanoch Milwidsky, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ” Netanyahu, hasn’t Organizations: State, ”, NBC News, Haaretz, Israel Defense Forces, Force, United Nations, Palestinian, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Israel, IDF, NBC, Getty, Likud Locations: United States, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Jerusalem, Mustafa, Ramallah, Beit

☆ Scores killed by Israeli strike on a school in Gaza City, health officials say
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Freddie Clayton | Freddie Clayton Is A Freelance Journalist Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The strikes hit the Tabeen school in Gaza City, including the mosque inside it, during dawn prayers. Hamas denied that there was a command center in the school and in a statement, called the strike a "heinous massacre." The interior of the Tabeen school after an Israeli strike during dawn prayers on Saturday. According to the UN, 477 out of 564 schools in Gaza have been directly hit or damaged in the war. The civil defense, he added, continued to suffer from severe shortages, "and are working with simple manual equipment, which has not enabled the teams to perform their duties effectively and save lives."

Persons: Omar Al, Mohammed Al, Mogher, Ismail Haniyeh, Antony Blinken, Yoav Gallant, Matthew Miller, Blinken Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, NBC, UN, Getty, Gaza's Civil Defense, NBC News, National Hospital, United Nations, Qatari, Hamas, Israeli Locations: Gaza City, Gaza, AFP, Tehran, Beirut . American, Israel

☆ Tamirat Tola wins captivating Olympic marathon for Ethiopia
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Matthew Futterman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Tola surged clear and never looked back (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)After letting the little-known Eyob Faniel of Italy lead for most of the first half of the race, Tola made his first move just before the halfway mark. Tola crossed the line an Olympic record time (Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images)Most remarkably, Tola didn’t even make the Ethiopian team originally. “I trained hard so I could win,” Tola said. Even his compatriot, Kenenisa Bekele, one of the most decorated Ethiopian distance runners but at 42 nearing the end of his career, was gushing after finishing 39th. “Not easy to win the Olympic Games,” he said, in perhaps the understatement of the past two weeks in Paris.

Persons: Tamirat Tola, Tola, Cameron Spencer, ”, Bikila, Bikele, Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, Kenya’s Benson Kipruto, Eliud, victoire appartient, Napoleon, Roland Garros, Andrej Isakovic, Tola didn’t, “, ” Tola, Connor Mantz, Akira Akasaki, ” Mantz, Clayton Young, Abdi, Kenenisa Bekele, ” Bekele, Denisa Geleta, Kipruto Organizations: “, East, Getty, Ethiopian, Boston Marathon, Olympic Locations: Ethiopia, Invalides, Paris, Versailles, Eugene , Ore, New York, Italy, Rome, Tokyo, Kenya, AFP, Japan

☆ Israeli Strikes on Schools Pose a Life-or-Death Choice for Civilians
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Matthew Mpoke Bigg | Rawan Sheikh Ahmad | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A deadly Israeli strike on a school turned shelter in northern Gaza on Saturday exposed an agonizing dilemma for civilians in Gaza seeking safety after 10 months of war. They could stay at the schools turned shelters, hoping for a modicum of security in the desperate conditions of Gaza. Or they can flee, knowing that the shelters themselves can become targets. Conditions are atrocious, residents have said, but the schools, which offer walls and access to limited plumbing, are attractive for the simple reason that the alternatives are worse. And diseases are spreading fast in squalid, crowded camps and the ruins of former homes.

Persons: Ahmed Tahseen Abd Shabat Organizations: New York Times, Hamas Locations: Gaza, schoolyards, Gaza City, Israel

A pair of Secret Service counter snipers, dubbed Hercules 1 and Hercules 2, surveilled the crowd from directly above and behind the stage. He radioed the local command post controlled by Butler County law enforcement and notified them of the kid with the rangefinder. “I can’t believe that the Secret Service hasn’t talked to any of our people,” he said prior to Friday’s reach out. In a different location, the Secret Service and state police set up another command post. New video reveals frustrationNicols, Woods, Young and other Beaver County officers weren’t the only ones to express concerns about the Secret Service planning.

Persons: Butler, Donald Trump’s, Greg Nicol, Trump, ” Nicol, Nicol, Thomas Matthew Crooks, ”, Pat Young, “, – Nicol, Jason Woods, Butler County’s, –, Woods, ” Woods, Crooks, Donald Trump, Brendan McDermid, AGR, Someone’s, Young, Puy, didn’t, Nate Bible, – Young, hasn’t, couldn’t, Anthony Guglielmi, ” “, ” Guglielmi Organizations: Pennsylvania CNN, CNN, Service, Beaver County SWAT, Secret Service, Glass Research, Secret, Trump, Authorities, Reuters, Pennsylvania State Police, Washington Post, FBI, Post, Army National Guard, CNN Secret Service, Attorney, ABC, Police Department, Butler, Police Locations: Pennsylvania, Butler , Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Butler, Butler County, ‘, Beaver County, AGR, Beaver, Iraq, Beaver , Pennsylvania, Majlie, Puy Kamp, Washington, U.S

☆ Kursk offensive: Ukraine embarrasses Putin with surprise assault on southern Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Analysis Tim Lister | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The video, released Wednesday by the Kremlin, showed the Russian president was not happy with news from the southern region of Kursk. The head of the city of Rylsk – some distance from the most advanced Ukrainian units – said Friday more than half the population of 15,000 had left. An expeditionary forceUkrainian troops, even if reinforced, cannot expect to occupy several hundred square kilometers of Russian territory. But holding a large chunk Russian territory is beyond their capacity and probably beyond their goal. “The unfolding events demonstrate the extent to which Moscow has deeply depended on sanctuary in Russian territory to wage its war against Ukraine,” Barros told CNN.

Persons: CNN — Vladimir Putin, General Valery Gerasimov, Putin, George Barros, “, Volodymyr Zelensky, Aleksander Kots, Andrey Gurulyov, –, Malaya Loknya, Emil Kastehelmi, Barros, Matthew Schmidt, ’, Vladislav Shurygin, Izvestia, That’s, ” Daniel Fried, George Washington’s, ”, ” Barros, Darya Tarasova, Maria Kostenko Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Russian Defense Ministry, Telegram, 61st Mechanized Brigade, Gazprom, Social, –, US Army’s Command, General Staff College, Atlantic Council, National Guard, Ukraine, “ Locations: Russian, Kursk, Sudzha, Russia, Kyiv, Donetsk, Washington, Kharkiv, Rylsk, Europe, Ukrainian, Ivashkovsky, Malaya, Olgovka, Finland, Moscow, Shurygin, Delaware, Ukraine, “ Russia

☆ China’s Great Wall of Villages
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Muyi Xiao | Agnes Chang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +14 min

China’s Great Wall of Villages China has moved thousands of people to new settlements on its frontiers. Mr. Akester and Mr. Barnett, who have studied Tibet’s border villages for years, reviewed The Times’s findings. In neighboring Xinjiang and Yunnan, The Times identified six new and 59 expanded border villages. (China says there are hundreds of villages like them, but few details are available and many appear to be mere upgrades of existing villages.) A Times investigation found 12 villages in disputed areas Disputed areas Villages in disputed areas Other villages CHINA CHINA TIBET Arunachal Pradesh Controlled by India Claimed by China BHUTAN INDIA MYANMAR 50 miles CHINA CHINA TIBET Arunachal Pradesh Controlled by India Claimed by China BHUTAN MYANMAR INDIA 75 miles Source: RAIC Labs and The Times analysis of Planet Labs satellite imageryChina makes clear that the villages are there for security.

Persons: ”, Xi Jinping, Bhutan Gyalaphug, Tian Shan Wang, Matthew Akester, Robert Barnett, Akester, Barnett, India Demchok, ” Mr, Xi’s, Brahma Chellaney, Mr, Chellaney, Liu Pengyu, Brian Hart, India Migyitun, Jing Qian, Tenzin, “ Organizations: Daily, New York Times, RAIC Labs, Planet Labs, The Times, SOAS University of London, India, China United Front News Network, Times, ”, Embassy, Local, Planet Labs India, China Power, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Maxar, Center for, Asia Society, Communist Party, Human Rights Watch Locations: China, India, Beijing, Arunachal Pradesh, Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Tajikistan Fumin, Aimin, Vietnam, Luozha county, Shannan, Tibet Autonomous, Fumin, Xinjiang, Yunnan, China’s, CHINA CHINA TIBET Arunachal Pradesh, China BHUTAN INDIA MYANMAR, China BHUTAN MYANMAR INDIA, New Delhi, South China, Washington, ” India, Ladakh, Times, ”, Center for China, Central Asians, Dokha

Across 100,000 acres in the vast agricultural heartland of Australia, an unusual approach is taking root to slow down the wrecking ball of climate change. Farmers are trying to tap the superpowers of tiny subterranean tendrils of fungus to pull carbon dioxide out of the air and stash it underground. It’s part of a big bet that entrepreneurs and investors around the world are making on whether dirt can clean up climate pollution. Like Loam Bio, companies like Andes and Groundworks Bio Ag are also experimenting with microbes. Silicate Carbon is milling leftover concrete into a fine powder, while several companies are scorching crop waste into charcoal.

Organizations: Farmers Locations: Australia, Australian, Mati

Aiming to unseat three-term Democratic incumbent Jon Tester, Sheehy is founder of Montana-based Bridger Aerospace, an aerial firefighting company. On July 1, Sheehy resigned as chief executive of Bridger to focus on his Senate campaign; the company is seeking a replacement. In mid-June, an editorial in The Wall Street Journal echoed Griffin’s view, branding Sheehy’s company Bridger a success. The PAC spent $5.3 million for Sheehy and $5.7 million against his opponent, Tester, records show. In 2022, Sheehy’s cash and stock compensation neared $5 million, and last year, he received $2.5 million, Bridger’s proxy says.

Persons: Donald Trump, Tim Sheehy, Jon Tester, Sheehy, “, Bridger, Tim, ” Katie Martin, Louise Johns, Ken Griffin, Griffin, Stephen Schwarzman, “ Tim Sheehy, ” Griffin, Marc Cohodes, Cohodes, Sheehy’s, ”, Scott Olson, Blackstone, Matthew Sheehy, Bridger’s, Blackstone Tim Sheehy, Blackstone’s, ” Jon Tester, Andrew Harnik, Schwarzman, haven’t, Farrah Saint, Surin, Matthew, Martin, Bridger ”, Montana . Don, Melinda Crawford, Todd Hirsch, Thomas A, Waldman, Yocca Carlson, I’ve Organizations: Navy, Republican, Montana, Bridger Aerospace, International, Interior Department, U.S . Forest Service, Agriculture Department, Bloomberg, Getty, Wall, Citadel LLC, PAC, Commission, The Blackstone, “ Bridger Aerospace, Blackstone, Small Business Administration, Republican National Convention, Trump, ”, Cattle Company, Tallgrass Energy, Blackstone Group, Bridger, Forest Service, Bridger Air Tanker LLC, Bridger Air Tanker, SBA, ” Companies, Federal, NBC News, Mountain Air LLC, Mountain Air, Air, Service, U.S ., “, Montana ., Rauth Locations: Bozeman , Montana, Bozeman, Mont, New York City, Bridger, America, Montana, Gallatin County, Milwaukee, Riding, disbursements, Surin, ” Saint, U.S, Los Angeles

☆ Ten years after Ferguson, data on police killings shows a lack of progress
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Matthew Danbury | Matthew Danbury Is A Data Graphics Intern For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

“Police violence hasn’t stopped,” said Sirry Alang, professor of Black communities and social determinants of health at the University of Pittsburgh. And in the decade since, data shows there has not been an increase in charges brought against officers. Philip Stinson, a professor of criminal justice at Bowling Green State University, has tracked cases of police officers charged with murder or manslaughter resulting from on-duty shootings since 2005. Data is aggregated from publicly accessible media sources and reviewed by Campaign Zero’s researchers. The database shows that documented police killings have steadily increased in recent years.

Persons: hasn’t, ”, Sirry Alang, we’ve, Eric Garner, Brown, Garner, Philip Stinson, Stinson, ” Stinson Organizations: Police, University of Pittsburgh, University of North, Bowling Green State University, NBC, The Washington Post Locations: Ferguson, New York, University of North Carolina

☆ Kursk incursion: Putin sends reinforcements to battle Ukraine's Russia attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Yuliya-Talmazan-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Yuliya Talmazan | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

It is a village in Kursk, across the border in southern Russia. Destroyed Russian military vehicles in Oktyabrskoye village, Kursk. “That’s very significant.”Russia’s defense ministry has boasted that Ukrainian troops had been stopped, but has yet to report pushing Kyiv’s forces back across the border. Military command said that some 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, backed by tanks and military vehicles, were involved in the initial attack. It shared videos showing columns of heavy armor headed toward Kursk, and Russian jets bombing what it said were Ukrainian troops and equipment on Russian territory.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Ukraine tightlipped, ” Frank Ledwidge, “ Organizations: NBC News, Kremlin, Ukraine, Reuters, England’s University of Portsmouth Locations: Ukraine, Kursk, Russia, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russian, Oktyabrskoye, Kremlin Russian, British

A third teenager has been arrested in connection with a foiled attack on now-canceled Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna. The foiled attack was planned for Thursday or Friday, according to Austria’s interior minister, Gerhard Karner. Taylor Swift fans gather in Vienna. Authorities display a photo of a man arrested in connection with a plot to attack Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Vienna, Austria. The U.S. State Department and the broader U.S. government have been in contact with Austrian officials about the alleged plot, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Gerhard Karner, Karner, Ernst Happel, Thomas Kronsteiner, Karl Nehammer, “, ” Nehammer, it’s, ” Swift, Sadiq Khan, We’re, ” Khan, Swift, ’, Southport , England Peter Powell, ”, Omar Haijawi, Franz Ruf, Taylor, Roland Schlager, Pirchner, Matthew Miller, “ Taylor, Pedro Gomes, TAS24, Elle, Magnus Ranstorp Organizations: Austrian, Authorities, Islamic State, Investigators, Ernst, London’s Wembley, London, Manchester Arena, Getty, Islamic, of State Security, Intelligence, Ministry of, Interior, CIA, U.S . State Department, State, ” Barracuda, Barracuda Music, Estadio da Luz, Las, Strip, Swedish Defense University, Associated Press Locations: Vienna, al Qaeda, Europe, Gelsenkirchen, Austria, Ariana Grande, Manchester, England, Southport , England, AFP, Ternitz, Austrian, Lisbon, Portugal, United Kingdom, Stockholm

☆ How Amazon's massive TV deal with YouTube's top star turned sour
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"Beast Games" was part of a celebrity-studded slate Amazon presented at its TV upfronts debut in May. Despite being a dominant spender on entertainment content, Prime Video has faced questions about its popularity with viewers. A second Amazon insider said producers were already talking about making a Fyre Fest-like documentary about "Beast Games." Advertisement"All you do is go through worst-case scenarios and work backwards from there," the second Amazon insider said. But Mike Hopkins, SVP of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, is all over the situation, two Amazon insiders said.

Persons: —, Jimmy Donaldson, it's, Jennifer Salke, Jimmy, Salke, Donaldson —, Donaldson, Dave Kotinsky, Burger, Donaldson's, Matthew Hiltzik, couldn't, Puck, Mike Hopkins Organizations: Service, YouTube's, Amazon, Amazon MGM Studios, Business, Beast, New York Times, Times, Prime, Ampere Analysis, Reuters Locations: New Jersey, Vegas

CNN —A video that surfaced online appears to show bodies on burnt-out Russian military trucks in the country’s southwestern Kursk region, the latest sign that Ukraine’s cross-border assault is probing more deeply and inflicting significant damage on Moscow’s troops. Rybar, one of the more prominent Russian military blogs, published a roundup of developments Friday that said the front lines have “somewhat stabilized” with the arrival of Russian reinforcements. Rybar cited local residents of Vtoroye Knyazhino, a settlement on the outskirts of Sudzha, as saying Ukrainian infantry entered their village. US officials say they do not believe Ukraine intends to hold Russian territory for the long term. Russian authorities help residents during evacuation efforts at a railway station in Oryol, Kursk region, August 9, 2024.

Persons: Archangel Spetsnaza, Dnevnik Desantnika, Cherkasskoe, Russkoe, Rybar, Pilipey, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Vladimir Putin, “, Kursk –, ” Artamonov, Reuters Russia ‘, Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak, Zelensky, Podolyak, Peter Stanno, Ukraine “, Matthew Miller Organizations: CNN, Russian, CNN –, Malaya Loknya, Getty, Ukraine’s, Russia’s, Ministry, Russian Emergencies Ministry, Reuters, European Union, Ukraine, US State Department Locations: Kursk, Oktyabrskoye, Rylsk, Russian, Kyiv, Korenevo, Sudzha, Malaya, Vtoroye, Ukrainian, Kostyantynivka, Donetsk, AFP, Moscow, Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, Russia, Belgorod, Ukraine’s Kharkiv, –, Lipetsk –, Lipetsk, Bryansk, Voronezh, Orel, Crimea, Oryol, Handout, Reuters Russia

☆ Secret Service busted into a salon to let people use the bathroom during a Kamala Harris fundraiser, business owner says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Secret Service agents taped over a security camera and broke into a Massachusetts hair salon while securing the area for a Kamala Harris campaign event, according to the salon's owner. Advertisement(Business Insider blurred the face of a Secret Service agent in the video below.) The fourth person, wearing a dark suit and white shirt like a Secret Service officer, stood by the door. BI asked Secret Service spokesperson Melissa McKenzie whether the agency invited other people to use the bathroom. Brian Smith, the building's landlord, said he didn't give the Secret Service permission to use the property either.

Persons: —, Kamala Harris, Harris's, Alicia Powers, Harris, Powers, Melissa McKenzie, Brian Smith, didn't, Smith, McKenzie, Bill Pickle, Pickle, Matthew Hill, she'd Organizations: Service, Secret Service, Democratic, Business, Colonial Theatre, Secret, BI, Pittsfield Police Locations: Massachusetts, Pittsfield , Massachusetts, Pittsfield, Boston

☆ Weekly mortgage refinance demand soars 16% as rates sink to lowest level in over a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mortgage interest rates dropped last week to the lowest level since May 2023, causing a surge in mortgage demand from both homebuyers and especially current homeowners. Total mortgage application volume rose 6.9% last week compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. "Despite the downward movement in rates, purchase activity only saw small gains, with an increase in conventional purchase applications offset by decreases in government purchase applications. "This is how things often play out when the bond market forces a quick move to extreme rate levels. For example, several of the biggest drops in daily mortgage rates have followed quick moves to long-term highs," wrote Matthew Graham, chief operating officer at Mortgage News Daily.

Persons: Joel Kan, Matthew Graham Organizations: Mortgage, Federal Reserve, Mortgage News Locations: Hawthorn Woods , Illinois

The crisis could also have implications for neighboring India, which is seen as having long supported Hasina and where she fled Monday. He did not say how long Hasina would be in India or what she planned to do next. Though the protests began over a controversial quota system for highly coveted government jobs, they soon morphed into broader calls for justice for those killed as well as Hasina’s resignation. On Monday, the State Department said the U.S. stands with the people of Bangladesh and urged all parties to refrain from further violence as an interim government is formed. “Too many lives have been lost over the course of the past several weeks, and we urge calm and restraint in the days ahead,” spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a news briefing in Washington.

Persons: Islam, Yunus, ” Yunus, Bangladesh’s, ”, Chietigj Bajpaee, Bangladesh doesn’t, Hasina, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Matthew Miller Organizations: NBC, Yunus Centre, South, Chatham House, State Department Locations: Dhaka, South Asia, London, Washington, Bangladesh, China, Beijing, India, United States, U.S

☆ Stocks in these 4 sectors can help investors weather the historic surge in volatility, Bank of America says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Subramanian said investors should buy defensive stocks so they can "sleep at night." According to Bank of America strategist Savita Subramanian, investors should "get used to the volatility." AdvertisementTo combat expectations of continued volatility, Subramanian said investors should buy defensive stocks that would allow them to "sleep at night." "The best hedge is owning high quality stocks," Subramanian said of combating market volatility. Most of these defensive stocks are found in defensive sectors, which include consumer staples, healthcare, real estate, and utilities.

Persons: Savita Subramanian, Subramanian, —, They're, Stocks Organizations: . Bank of America, Service, Bank of America, Procter, Gamble, Kroger, PepsiCo, Walmart, Utilities, Investors, Consolidated Edison, Alliant Energy, CMS Energy, Healthcare, Quest Diagnostics, Essex Property Trust, Digital Realty Trust Locations: Essex

☆ Why a full-fledged bear market is still unlikely even after the latest sharp sell-off
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Bank of America says the recent stock market sell-off is unlikely to be the start of a new bear market. AdvertisementThe stock market's recent sharp sell-off is unlikely to transform into a full-fledged bear market, according to Bank of America. But according to Bank of America strategist Savita Subramanian, the tell-tale signs of a stock market peak have yet to materialize. AdvertisementFor perspective, Subramanian pointed to stock market history to highlight that pullbacks in the market are common. Instead of preparing for a prolonged market sell-off, Subramanian recommends investors go bargain hunting and focus on buying high quality stocks.

Persons: BofA, —, Savita Subramanian, Subramanian Organizations: of America, Credit, Service, Bank of America, Nasdaq, Conference, Senior

☆ A Chinese firm's answer to Elon Musk's Starlink just launched its first satellites for the thousands-strong network Beijing plans to build
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A Chinese company just kicked off its planned 15,000-strong satellite network to rival Starlink. The Thousand Sails Constellation, run by a Shanghai firm, plans to reach that final tally by 2030. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementA Chinese state-backed company has launched its first 18 satellites in its bid to build a vast orbital network aimed at rivaling Starlink, according to local media.

Persons: Starlink, — Organizations: Sails, Service, Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, China Securities Journal, Xinhua, Business Locations: Shanghai, Starlink, Taiyuan, Shanxi province

☆ Cole Hocker stuns the world, outkicks Josh Kerr to win men’s 1500m title Olympic gold
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Matthew Futterman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

He was courageous enough to try to do one of the hardest things in running, win a race from the front, wire-to-wire. 😱 A STUNNING upset in the men’s 1500m as AMERICAN COLE HOCKER takes gold! This was the race that all running nerds had circled on their Olympic schedules, but not because of Hocker. Oldest brother Henrik finished fifth in the 1,500 meters at the 2012 Olympics. He said he tried to respond, but ran out of gas – 1500 meters had proven “just 100 meters too much.”“I ruined it for myself by going way too hard,” he said.

Persons: Cole Hocker, outrunning Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Josh Kerr, Hocker —, Steve Prefontaine —, Kerr, Yared, outkicked Ingebrigtsen, Ingebrigtsen, Scot, allen, ould, O, “, egan, ake W, ruth, ake, ike Organizations: United States, University of Oregon, Olympic, ust Locations: Indianapolis, ictory

☆ RBA needs to abandon its tightening bias: Chief Economist
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRBA needs to abandon its tightening bias: Chief EconomistMatthew Peter, Chief Economist at QIC says the RBA is treading a fine line with its messaging, saying it should not be talking down the Australian economy too much.

Persons: Matthew Peter Organizations: QIC

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