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☆ Elon Musk's lawyer asks court to throw out 'Twitter sitter' deal with SEC
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

vFollowing Elon Musk's recent victory in a securities fraud trial, the Tesla CEO's lawyer has once again asked an appeals court to throw out his 2018 deal with the Securities and Exchange Commission requiring a company lawyer to review his Tesla-related tweets before sharing them. On Feb. 3, a jury in a in a San Francisco federal court found that Musk and Tesla were not liable in a class-action securities fraud trial stemming from tweets Musk made in 2018. Trading in Tesla was halted after his tweets, and its share price remained volatile for weeks. Musk and the SEC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Attorneys for the shareholders who sued Musk and Tesla over the take-private related tweets still have time to file for an appeal.

☆ Adani Group likely to repay short-term commercial paper borrowings - bankers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Bhakti Tambe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Adani Enterprises and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSE.NS) regularly raise funds by issuing CPs – short-term debt instruments issued to meet working capital requirements. "All payments are being made as per schedule," an Adani group spokesperson said in an e-mail, but did not respond to queries on whether investors are seeking early redemption. Adani Ports has CPs worth 35 billion rupees due to mature through end March, data from information service provider Prime Database showed. So, we may see them (Adani Group) staying away from the market for some time," said one banker, who regularly arranges debt issuances for the group. The Adani Group spokesperson denied media reports that these bond issues have been scrapped, saying this is "speculation" and "not true" in a reply to Reuters' mail.

☆ Investing Club mailbag: How to tell if a company will keep paying its dividend
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

How do we figure out free cash flow and how can we tell if a company can continue to pay its dividend. First find operating cash flow (OCF) and PP & E , which are both in the cash flow statement ; OCF is its own line, PP & E is under "investing cash flows." Take Apple, a Club holding that uses GAAP and therefore doesn't break out free cash flow. But free cash flow is cash: you either received it or you didn't. The math is once again straightforward: If the free cash inflow exceeds the cash dividend outflow, it is considered sustainable.

☆ The week that tech became exciting again
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN Business —Let’s be honest: For much of the past decade, tech events have been pretty boring. In each case, the changes were powered by new AI technology that allows for more conversational and complex responses. And there are already rumors of another event next month for Microsoft to demo similar features in its Office products, including Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Baidu also said this week that they would be launching their own ChatGPT-style services. Microsoft employee Alex Buscher demonstrates a search feature integration of Microsoft Bing search engine and Edge browser with OpenAI on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Redmond.

☆ The way we search for information online is about to change
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN Business —An entire generation of internet users has approached search engines the same way for decades: enter a few words into a search box and wait for a page of relevant results to emerge. Bing will not only provide a list of search results, but will also answer questions, chat with users and generate content in response to user queries. “We have even more exciting, AI-enabled innovations in the works that will change the way people search, work and play. These models are trained on vast troves of online data in order to generate compelling responses to user prompts. Microsoft and Google executives have acknowledged some of the potential issues with the new AI tools.

☆ E.ON: supply region of Turkish JV Enerjisa affected by earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, Feb 8 (Reuters) - E.ON (EONGn.DE) on Wednesday said the devastating earthquake in southern Turkey has affected the supply area of local power grid operator Enerjisa Enerji (ENJSA.IS), in which the German group owns 40%, adding that repair work was currently underway. "The supply area of our Turkish joint venture Enerjisa is also affected," the spokesperson said, adding the company mourned the loss of four employees while others were wounded, some in a critical condition. Enerjisa, in which Sabanci Holding (SAHOL.IS) also owns 40%, has more than 10 million customers in 14 Turkish provinces, including Adana and the surrounding region, which are among the affected parts of Turkey. Around 2,500 transformers - key components of long-distance power transmission - are still out of operation and 380,000 people are without electricity in Enerjisa's supply region, the spokesperson said, adding this was already down from 1 million shortly after the earthquake. Repairwork has started, the spokesperson said, adding that technical teams from less affected regions were providing support.

☆ Djokovic’s dad stays away from Australian Open semifinal after posing with Russian flag
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Novak Djokovic’s father decided to stay away from the 21-time Grand Slam champion’s semifinal after getting embroiled in a flap involving spectators who brought banned Russian flags to Melbourne Park, Tennis Australia said Friday. “Throughout the event, we’ve spoken with players and their teams about the importance of not engaging in any activity that causes distress or disruption,” Tennis Australia said. Four people were kicked out of the tournament because of the flags and for threatening security guards that night, police and Tennis Australia said. A supporter waves a Russian flag during the men's singles match between on day one of the Australian Open in Melbourne. William West / AFP - Getty ImagesNormally, flags can be displayed during matches at Melbourne Park.

☆ Google let go of 31 massage therapists at its California offices amid mass layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Aaron Mok | Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google laid off 31 massage therapists in California, according to state filings. The massage therapists were among the 12,000 employees Google let go last Friday. Out of the 12,000 employees Google let go last Friday, 31 of them were massage therapists based in California, according to WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notices that Google filed with California on January 20. Twenty-seven massage therapists were let go from Google's Mountain View office, the filings show. Google, which is known for its generous staff perks, gave employees free massages based on their performance.

Musk's comments add to a long-running debate over whether such advisers have too much sway over corporate decision-making. Academic reviews have found mixed evidence about the proxy advisers’ impact. U.S. Republican state officials have also weighed in, writing to the two advisory firms asking if their recommendations met their obligations to investors. Contrary to Musk, however, Republicans at the state and national level have also charged top passive fund managers themselves have grown too aggressive with their proxy votes, a claim fund managers deny. Tesla has faced its own disagreements with the proxy advisers.

☆ Church of England apologises to LGBTQI+ people for 'shameful' treatment
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Muvija M | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Church of England refuses to allow same-sex marriagesLeader of the church: 'It's a long journey'LGBTQ+ campaign group says church not inclusive enoughLONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Church of England bishops apologised to LGBTQI+ people on Friday for the rejection and hostility they have faced, with the Archbishop of Canterbury acknowledging that the religious body was still "very divided" on the subject. The Church of England, central to one of the world's oldest Christian institutions, the Anglican communion, stood by its teaching that marriage is between "one man and one woman" in the proposals. A spokesperson for gay and transgender lobby group Stonewall said the Church of England had "once again" fallen short on being inclusive and supportive of LGBTQ+ Christians. The Church of England and the Anglican Communion are very divided," Welby told reporters on Friday, ahead of a meeting of the synod next month where the proposals will be deliberated further. But this is an enormously important point, not only within the Anglican Communion and the Church of England, but also across the global church," he added.

☆ Amazon's drone delivery unit hit with layoffs just as 10-year-old project finally launches
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Two employees said Carbon, who replaced Prime Air co-founder Gur Kimchi, was hired to turn Prime Air into a real business with a sensible budget. Sources with knowledge of Prime Air said cuts in the drone delivery business were expected considering the division's many struggles. Monica Williams, a College Station resident, poses with a Prime Air drone at a community event in July. College Station residents also expressed concern about the prospect of drones harming the deer, foxes and birds that are native to the area. "As we continue to expand, we will update you when drone delivery is available for your household."

☆ Polish regulator accuses T-Mobile of misleading advertising
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WARSAW, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Polish regulator UOKiK has accused the Polish unit of T-Mobile of misleading advertising relating to a free mobile data offer, with the company potentially facing a fine of 10% of annual revenue. "After reading the advertisement, the consumer should have a general, but realistic, idea of the presented offer," the head of UOKiK Tomasz Chrostny said in a statement. "The T-Mobile promotional slogan may suggest receiving a one-time data package of 1200 GB, and not a dozen or so smaller packages, provided that the fee is paid periodically." T-Mobile Polska did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment. ($1 = 4.3822 zlotys)Reporting by Alan Charlish, Marek Strzelecki; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Tesla reports 1.31 million deliveries in 2022, growth of 40% over last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla just published its fourth-quarter vehicle production and delivery report for 2022. Total deliveries Q4 2022: 405,278Total production Q4 2022: 439,701Total annual deliveries 2022: 1.31 millionTotal annual production 2022: 1.37 millionDeliveries are the closest approximation of sales disclosed by Tesla. These numbers represented a new record for the Elon Musk-led automaker and growth of 40% in deliveries year-over-year. In its third-quarter shareholder presentation, Tesla wrote: "Over a multi-year horizon we expect to achieve 50% average annual growth in vehicle deliveries. Shares of Tesla started to rise again in the final days of December 2022, in anticipation of record fourth-quarter and full-year deliveries.

☆ SpaceX raising $750 million at a $137 billion valuation, investors include Andreessen-Horowitz
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's re-usable rocket maker and satellite internet company, SpaceX, is raising $750 million in a new round of funding that values the company at $137 billion, according to correspondence obtained by CNBC. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that SpaceX was allowing insiders to sell at $77 per share, which would have put the company's valuation near $140 billion. The company raised more than $2 billion in 2022, including a $250 million round in July, and was valued at $127 billion during an equity round in May, CNBC previously reported. According to an e-mail sent to prospective SpaceX investors, Andreessen Horowitz (also known as a16z) will likely lead the new funding round. A16z also participated in Elon Musk's leveraged buyout of Twitter, a $44 billion deal that closed in late October 2022.

☆ Allegro.eu's Polish unit fined $48 mln for violation of competition rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

GDANSK, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Poland's anti-monopoly office on Thursday fined the Polish unit of Luxembourg-based e-commerce group Allegro.eu (ALEP.WA) just over 210 million zlotys ($48 million), saying it had broken competition rules and violated its own terms and conditions. UOKiK also fined Allegro nearly 4 million zlotys on Thursday for terms violations. The company also said that 99% of sales on Allegro.pl were carried out by independent sellers and the remaining 1% through its own store. According to the investigation carried out by the watchdog, Allegro started favouring its own retail sales operations in May 2015. Shares in Allegro.eu retreated sharply from the day's highs following the news before climbing back to close up 2.5%.

☆ U.S. confirms fifth Takata air bag inflator death in 2022, urges owners to get repairs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A recalled Takata air bag inflator is seen just before being removed from a Jeep in Boulder, Colorado United States July 20, 2017. REUTERS/Rick WilkingWASHINGTON, Dec 19 (Reuters) - U.S. auto safety regulators confirmed a fifth Takata air bag inflator crash death in 2022 and reiterated urgent calls for owners to get repairs. Chrysler-parent Stellantis (STLA.MI) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said they had confirmed a third Takata air bag inflator death. In November, Stellantis urged owners of 276,000 older U.S. vehicles to immediately stop driving after the crash death reports, but just 2,000 owners have gotten repairs since then. Also in November, NHTSA confirmed a new death due to a defective Takata air bag inflator in a 2006 Ford (F.N) Ranger pickup.

Insurers were already reluctant to underwrite asset and directors and officers (D&O) protection policies for crypto companies because of scant market regulation and the volatile prices of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Specialists in the Lloyd's of London (SOLYD.UL) and Bermuda insurance markets are requiring more transparency from crypto companies about their exposure to FTX. Exclusions may act as a failsafe for insurers, and will make it even more difficult for companies that are seeking coverage, insurers and brokers said. Crypto firms with financial exposure to FTX include Binance, a crypto exchange, and Genesis, a crypto lender, neither of which responded to e-mails seeking comment. The FTX collapse will also likely lead to a rise in insurance rates, especially in the U.S. D&O market, insurers said.

☆ German union warns Amazon of rolling pre-Christmas strikes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, Dec 18 (Reuters) - German union Verdi on Sunday called on workers at Amazon warehouses across Germany to support rolling strikes in coming days in a protest over pay, aimed at maximising disruption to the online retailer's pre-Christmas business. Amazon, which does not recognise collective bargaining agreements in Germany, did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment. Verdi said Amazon staff in Germany earned several thousand euros a year less than their counterparts at companies with collective bargaining rights. It said alternating strikes would hinder Amazon management's attempts to prepare for stoppages. The union did not immediately respond to a question as to whether its Amazon members had been balloted over the strike action.

☆ Elon Musk sells chunk of Tesla shares worth $3.6B
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla CEO Elon Musk sold about 22 million more shares in his electric vehicle business worth around $3.6 billion, according to a financial filing out Wednesday night. After Musk’s Twitter takeover, he told employees there that he sold Tesla shares to “save” their business. Tesla shares have been declining this year and sliding even further since he took on that new responsibility. Shares of Tesla closed down 2.6% on Wednesday at $156.80, dropping the company’s market capitalization to $495 billion. Tesla shares were down 55% year-to-date as of Wednesday’s close.

☆ Volkswagen postpones decision on gigafactory in eastern Europe beyond 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PRAGUE/FRANKFURT, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) is postponing its decision on where to locate a planned gigafactory for electric car batteries in eastern Europe beyond 2022, the carmaker said on Thursday, pointing to the current economic environment. "Volkswagen AG and its battery company PowerCo are continuously evaluating suitable sites for their next gigafactory in Europe," Volkswagen said in e-mailed comments. "There is no pressure to act as we take some more time for decision making in light of current circumstances," Volkswagen said. "At present, there is no impact on planned start of construction or start of production." Volkswagen's planned battery cell plant in eastern Europe would be the fourth under its plan to build six such sites across Europe by the end of the decade.

☆ 360,000 student loan borrowers received $24 billion in forgiveness from fix to Public Service Loan Forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In October 2021, the Biden administration announced a one-year opportunity for student loan borrowers pursuing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness to get closer to being debt-free. Signed into law by then-President George W. Bush in 2007, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program allows certain nonprofit and government employees to have their federal student loans canceled after 10 years, or 120 payments. More from Personal Finance:Biden's student loan forgiveness plan is on holdInflation-adjusted college costs declineThese colleges promise no student debtThe average borrower got more than $67,000 in student debt cleared. "These borrowers previously faced obstacles based on frustrating technicalities despite having worked in a qualifying public service job," Kantrowitz said. The reforms under the Biden administration included reassessing borrowers' timelines and counting some payments that were previously ineligible because of a borrower's loan type or repayment plan.

☆ Robinhood to pay a 1% 'match' on customer contributions to retail individual retirement accounts
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The retail brokerage will pay a 1% "match" on contributions its customers make to a Robinhood individual retirement account, the firm said Tuesday. The firm is billing it as the first-ever match paid to retail IRA customers (i.e., outside of a workplace retirement plan.) A 401(k) match is a common retirement benefit offered by employers that sponsor a workplace retirement plan. How the match worksA 401(k) match is generally structured as a share of employee contributions. There aren't any contribution or account minimums to get the Robinhood match, and trades don't carry commissions.

Cyber Monday has begun, and existing Dyson customers can still save on the coveted Dyson Airwrap. Deal Dyson Dyson Airwrap Special Edition Complete Long With new barrels to curl and wave in both directions, brushes to control and shape, and the multi-functional Coanda smoothing dryer to dry, smooth, and hide flyaways. Existing Dyson customers can save 20% off using the code e-mailed to them on November 21. If the Dyson Airwrap is still out of your budget, you can find solid deals on similar two-in-one hairstyling products. It's comparable to the expensive Dyson Airwrap, but for a fraction of the cost.

☆ Frontier Airlines gets rid of telephone customer service
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Say goodbye to the airline call center −at least at Frontier Airlines . Passengers who call the customer service number Frontier lists on its website now get the message: "At Frontier, we offer the lowest fares in the industry by operating our airline as efficiently as possible. Most major carriers still offer customer service lines. But Frontier, which charges fees for everything from advanced seat assignments to carry-on luggage and snacks, is often looking for ways to cut expenses. During its investor day earlier this month, Frontier hinted that it would stop offering customer service by phone, a change that travel site Travel Noire reported earlier this week.

☆ Fact Check-New Hampshire officials say reporting error for U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan votes was due to typo
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A typo - not election fraud - caused inaccurate vote totals to be reported in Coos County in New Hampshire for U.S. The New Hampshire Department of State details election results by county and reported that Hassan received a total of 332,193 votes against Bolduc’s 275,928 votes (select excel beside “United States Senator”) (here). Maggie Hassan Wins 1,100 Votes from Town with Population Under 700” and said: “These days we elect dead people and more votes are casted than there are people! The town referenced in the article is Columbia, in Coos County, which has a population of 659 according to the 2020 U.S. Census (here). While the New Hampshire Secretary of State originally reported that Maggie Hassan received 1,106 votes in Columbia, Coos County, state and town officials told Reuters it was due to a typo and the number has since been corrected.

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