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☆ Americans’ credit scores are falling. That hasn’t happened in a decade
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Even as unemployment remains historically low and recession fears fade, consumer credit scores are starting to buckle. Although FICO scores remain near record highs — and well above pre-pandemic levels — this marks the first drop in a decade. FICO said the one-point drop in credit scores in late 2023 was driven by an increase in Americans missing payments and also by rising debt levels. However, he said this one-point drop in credit scores is not necessarily a red flag. “The overall outlook for consumer credit quality, and consumer spending growth,” Faucher said, “is still very solid.”

Persons: FICO, FICO’s, Arkali, ”, “, ” Arkali, Banks, ‘, Gus Faucher, Faucher, it’s “, ” Faucher Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, New York Fed, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, ’ Consumers, NY Fed, PNC Locations: New York

☆ Starbucks is laying off thousands of workers in the Middle East in response to Gaza boycotts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Starbucks’ Middle East franchisee, Alshaya Group, is cutting thousands of jobs at its coffee shops because of a “challenging” work environment as the chain grapples with boycotts over the brand relating to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Kuwait-based Alshaya has owned rights to operate Starbucks in the Middle East for more than 25 years and operates around 1,300 locations across the region, employing about 11,000 people. Starbucks’ most recent earnings report missed expectations, partially because of weaker sales in the region. Starbucks isn’t alone: McDonald’s said last month that it’s experiencing “meaningful business impact” in the Middle East because of the war. Brands, which owns KFC and Pizza Hut, said its chains’ “sales were impacted by the conflict in the Middle East region with varying degrees of impact,” which dented same-store sales growth in several countries.

Persons: Alshaya, “, ”, McDonald’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Starbucks, East, Alshaya, CNN, Reuters, Alshaya Group, Brands Locations: New York, Gaza, East, Northern Africa, Kuwait, Western

☆ Premarket stocks: What ‘Super Tuesday’ means for your portfolio
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Welcome to “Super Tuesday.” Today, a whopping 16 states and territories hold primary elections. But stock market analysts say not to fret and to hold tight. Based on annualized returns for the S&P 500, stocks gained an average 13.75% during Trump’s presidency. Election year math: History shows that stocks typically gain during the fourth year of presidential terms. The S&P 500 has gained 6.2% on average during the fourth year of presidential terms since 1932, according to Yardeni Research.

Persons: ’, Edward Jones, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Angelo Kourkafas, ” Kourkafas, Raymond James, Trump, Obama, ”, Simon Hamilton, Barack Obama, “ That’s, it’s, Hamilton, Goldman Sachs, Allison Morrow, Bitcoin, —, Simone McCarthy, Premier Li Qiang, Hong Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, ”, Markets, White House, Congress, CNN, Republicans, Republican, “, Research, Dow Jones, University of Cincinnati, University of Missouri, Securities and Exchange, Bloomberg, Premier, National People’s Congress Locations: New York, Washington, Hamilton, United States, China, Beijing

☆ Agtech valuations were crushed in 2023. But food security concerns will keep it on the agenda.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Agtech Unicorn Index, which tracks venture-backed startups in the sector worth over $1 billion, recorded a 20% decline in 2023, according to the Morningstar Unicorn Market Monitor Q4 2023 update. Advertisement"There are more software companies that have sprouted over the past decade, but it traditionally requires fairly technical knowledge about plants and biology." London’s vertical farming unicorn InFarm also struggled and shuttered in Europe . Indeed, PitchBook’s Frederick anticipates agtech will outperform the broader VC ecosystem in the near term due to issues around food security, per PitchBook’s Agtech Q4 2023 report. More broadly, the number of companies hitting unicorn status was at its lowest level since 2017, with 81 new unicorns entering the Morningstar PitchBook Global Unicorn Index in 2023.

Persons: —, Alex Frederick, Frederick, Po Bronson, Bronson, PitchBook’s Frederick, agtech, ” Frederick Organizations: Service, Business, Morningstar, US, Farmers Business Network Locations: cybersecurity, Europe, Ukraine, India, California, Spain

☆ No. 2 Senate Democrat says ‘killing has to stop’ in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Aileen Graef | Michelle Shen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

2 Democrat in the Senate, said Sunday that the killing of innocent people in Gaza “has to stop” and that the United States needs to focus on securing a ceasefire and, eventually, an end to the conflict. “This killing has to stop of the innocent people there. More than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel’s war with Hamas began in October, according to the health ministry in Gaza. Durbin’s comments came a day after news that Israelis have “basically accepted” a six-week ceasefire proposal in Gaza, according to a senior Biden administration official. People mourn as they receive the bodies of victims of an Israeli strike on March 3, 2024, in Rafah, Gaza.

Persons: CNN — Sen, Dick Durbin of, it’s, ” Durbin, CNN’s Dana, ”, Durbin, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, ” Murphy, it’s “, Joe Biden, Benjamin, Durbin’s, “, Israel, “ We’re, ” Biden, Ahmad Hasaballah, Biden, uncommitted ”, Bash, Donald Trump, Jack Smith’s Organizations: CNN, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Union, Hamas, United Nations, Democratic, Washington Post, US Central Command, Biden, White House, Arab, Supreme Locations: Gaza, United States, “ State, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, U.S, Israel, Cairo, Rafah, Michigan

☆ Japan’s population crisis was years in the making – and relief may be decades away
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The demographic crisis has become one of Japan’s most pressing issues, with multiple governments failing to reverse the double blow of a falling fertility rate and swelling elderly population. But Japan’s crisis is unique in that it’s been decades in the making, experts say – meaning its impact is particularly evident now, with relief unlikely to come anytime soon. ‘Not reversible’The first thing to understand about Japan’s population crisis is that it’s only partly behavioral, said James Raymo, professor of sociology and demography at Princeton University. As of last year, Japan’s fertility rate sat at 1.3. The real problem is that the fertility rate has been consistently low for so long.

Persons: handwringing, It’s “, –, it’s, James Raymo, ” Raymo, ‘, aren’t, Raymo, Tomohiro Ohsumi, – “, Stanislav Kogiku, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Princeton University, government’s Institute of Population, Social Security Research, Getty Locations: Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Spain, Italy, United States, India, Yonomori, Fukushima, singlehood, Vietnam, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Toyko

A Florida funeral home shipped the men’s remains to Ireland, according to a letter from a Florida medical examiner’s office. A CNN request under open-records law revealed documents confirming the mix-up, including letters from the Irish consulate in Atlanta to the medical examiner’s office and investigators involved in the case. That’s when the victims’ loved ones discovered the mix-up, according to the August letter from the medical examiner’s office. The Pinellas County Forensic Science Center in Largo, Florida -- home to the medical examiner's office. The District Six Medical Examiner Office did not respond to CNN’s request for additional details.

Persons: Kane Mitchell, Luke Comiskey, he’d, Comiskey, Mitchell, they’re, William Pellan, it’s, “, ” Pellan, Luke Comiskey’s, Luke, James Richard Peoples III, Peoples, ”, ’, Chris O'Mera, Pellan, Leana Wen, Police Adam Geissenberger, Barnabas Church Organizations: CNN, Florida, Pinellas Park Police Department, District Six, Office, Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, Pinellas Park police, Peoples, Six, Medical, Forensic Science, Medical Examiner Office, CNN Florida’s Department of Law, Pinellas, Pinellas Park Chief, Police, Gaelic football Locations: Dublin, Pinellas Park, St . Petersburg, Florida, Ireland, Irish, Atlanta, St . Petersburg , Florida, Pinellas, Largo , Florida, Baltimore, New York, St, Bronx, New York City, Australia, Spain

☆ Trump warns the market will crash if he loses. Investors just laugh
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Former President Donald Trump is once again warning the stock market is doomed unless voters return him to the White House. He went on to say a loss for him would spark “the largest stock market crash we’ve ever had.”But there is no evidence to support that claim. “This is just an encore presentation of what he said last time,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Financial. In fact, the stock market has generated higher annual returns when Democrats are in power. It’s true that Trump’s surprise victory in November 2016 helped spark an impressive rally in the stock market as investors bet on deregulation, tax cuts and infrastructure.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, you’re, ” Trump, ”, Brian Gardner, “ There’s, ” David Kelly, “, Kelly, Joe Biden, Biden, Hogan, ” Sam Stovall, he’s, “ It’s, Dow, ” Kelly, Gardner, James Singer, CNN it’s “, ” Singer, Jerome Powell —, Powell, Jerome Powell, Greg Valliere, Trump’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, White, Trump, Asset Management, Dow, Riley, CFRA Research, GOP, “, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, JPMorgan, Biden, Republicans, Democrat, Research, —, Republican, AGF Investments Locations: New York, Washington, Trump, China

☆ NASA’s DART mission: Spacecraft impact reshaped Dimorphos asteroid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —When NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft intentionally slammed into the asteroid Dimorphos in September 2022, the impact may have caused “global deformation” of the space rock, according to new research. Dimorphos is a moonlet asteroid that orbits a larger parent asteroid known as Didymos. The DART mission ended upon impact, but prior to colliding with Dimorphos, the spacecraft transmitted an incredibly detailed view of the little asteroid’s boulder-covered surface that is helping researchers learn more about how the space rock formed. Rather than forming a simple crater on Dimorphos, the DART impact reshaped the entire asteroid, the results have suggested. Recreating the DART impactA team of researchers modeled the impact using the Bern smoothed-particle hydrodynamics shock physics code to achieve their results.

Persons: Dimorphos, It’s, ”, Dr, Sabina Raducan, Japan’s, ” Raducan, Martin Jutzi, Hera, Raducan, Sir Brian May, Claudia Manzoni Organizations: CNN, DART, Dimorphos, University of Bern’s Physics Locations: Italian, Dimorphos, Bern, Switzerland

☆ J. Lo and Behold: Is She for Real?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Wesley Morris | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Nobody who winds up at a “what’s the strangest moment in this new J. Lo thingy” contest should worry. None of these people appears to have been on the set at the same time. The only performers persuasively sharing the screen are Jenifer Lewis and Jenifer Lewis, and that’s only because she’s doing Gemini. A number about a quickie wedding is called “Midnight Trip to Vegas,” but the groom has already hand-delivered Lopez’s invitation.

Persons: Lo thingy, Joe, Melfi, Jennifer Lopez’s Tony Soprano bewilder, Jane Fonda, Trevor Noah, Keke Palmer, Post Malone, Kim Petras, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jenifer Lewis, It’s Locations: Vegas

☆ They built a waterfront home in the Bahamas. Then it was destroyed by a hurricane
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Handshake agreementThe Slezyckis love watching the sunrise from their waterfront home in the Bahamas. ”But we do it once a year.”Storm damageSadly their home was destroyed when Hurricane Dorian hit in 2019. Nobody was [left] unscathed.”Unfortunately, the Slezyckis weren’t able to return to Great Guana Cay for a while as the nearest airports had also been damaged by the storm. “No crowds, no traffic, no road rage, little to no crime.”Although the hurricane devastated Great Guana Cay, the island has since recovered, and “in some ways is better than ever,” says Norvell. We’re really spread out over here.”In 2020, she launched a TikTok account, SouthPauseIslandGirl, on the suggestion of her niece, and eventually began posting about Great Guana Cay.

Persons: CNN — They’d, Mark Slezycki, “, ” Norvell, they’d, ‘, ”, Mark, Norvell, ’ ”, you’re, Mark “, Hurricane Dorian, Norvell Slezycki, Dorian, “ We’ve, they’ve, Kim Kardashian, Tom Brady, “ It’s, It’s, We’re, she’s, it’s, “ There’s, “ You’ve, you’ve Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, ”, Fort, Fort Lauderdale Executive, Ocean, Ocean Club, US State Department Locations: Bahamas, Norvell, New York City, Nassau, Florida, Guana, Abaco, Lighthouse Point , Florida, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Treasure Cay, “, ”, Marsh Harbour, Great, New Providence, Freeport

☆ Why young men are 'starvemaxxing' to look like their chiseled, masculine idols
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Rachel Hosie | Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

But the 32-year-old, who has 2.1 million Instagram followers, had no idea he’d come to be idolized by a subset of teenage boys and young men known as looksmaxxers . Advertisement“Hardmaxxing,” meanwhile, includes “more extreme ways of going about the way you look,” Shami said, such as getting fillers, botox, and plastic surgery, which he denies having. Young men are becoming more body-consciousIt’s unclear why looksmaxxing has suddenly become popular. The rise of looksmaxxing and starvemaxxing could reflect how such concerns are on the rise among young men, too. All the while, lost young men are left to work out what’s real and what’s trolling.

Persons: chiseled jawline, Francisco Lachowski, Jordan Barrett, Brad Pitt, ” Lachowski, TikTok influencers, Looksmaxxing, Kareem Shami, looksmaxxing, —, “, ”, ” Shami, TikTok, Shami, Starvemaxxing, Starvemaxxing isn't, ” Kareem Shami, Clare Thornton, Wood, Elizabeth Daniels, Johan Drumev, Drumev, ” Johan Drumev, Johan Drumev Lachowski, it’s, Young, Daniels, gaunt, ” Thornton, Lachowski Organizations: Business, BI, TikTok, British Nutrition Foundation, Pediatric, University of the, University College London Locations: looksmaxxing, Brazil, Brazilian, San Diego, England, Dubai

CNN —President Joe Biden, in a call Saturday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, directly tied Ukraine’s withdrawal from the key town of Avdiivka to Congress’ inability to pass further aid for the country’s effort to fend off Russia’s invasion. “This morning, Ukraine’s military was forced to withdraw from Avdiivka after Ukrainian soldiers had to ration ammunition due to dwindling supplies as a result of congressional inaction, resulting in Russia’s first notable gains in months. President Biden emphasized the need for Congress to urgently pass the national security supplemental funding bill to resupply Ukrainian forces,” according to a White House readout of the call. Earlier this week, the Senate passed with bipartisan support a $95.3 billion foreign aid bill, which includes $60 billion to support Ukraine. The withdrawal from Avdiivka marks the biggest gain for Moscow since it captured the city of Bakhmut last year.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia’s, Biden, Alexey Navalny’s, Mike Johnson, Adrienne Watson, Kamala Harris, Zelensky, Harris, ” Harris, ”, ” Zelensky, “ Hatred, ” Biden, it’s, they’re Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, National Security, Munich, Representatives, White, Moscow Locations: Avdiivka, Ukraine, Germany, United States, Russia, Bakhmut

☆ Remote Employees Are More Likely to Get Laid Off; WFH Is Risky
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Emily Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Executives at the online furniture retailer Wayfair told its staff in January that remote workers were likelier to be hit in its latest round of job cuts. Add in long-term trends, like the decline in loyalty between employers and employees , and it's no wonder remote workers feel anxious about cuts. “It’s not too surprising,” Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the Wharton School who has never been a big fan of remote work, said. “That is something remote workers should be thinking about as they’re engaging with supervisors,” she said. Remote workers aren’t doomed to the unemployment line, but they may want to try a little extra to get noticed.

Persons: Wayfair, ”, Dell, Goldman Sachs, “ It’s, ” Peter Cappelli, “, Nick Bloom, ” Bloom, Emily Dickens, ” Prithwiraj Choudhury, ” Joseph Fuller, pang, Emily Stewart Organizations: IBM, Reuters, Google, Wharton School, Stanford, Society for Human Resource Management, Harvard Business School, Employers, Workers, “ Workers, Staff, Business

☆ Mark Zuckerberg says Meta’s Quest 3 is the clear winner compared to Apple’s Vision Pro
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Meta CEO on Monday posted a video review of Apple’s Vision Pro, the new rival mixed reality headset to Meta’s Quest 3. “Alright, guys, so, I finally tried Apple’s Vision Pro,” Zuckerberg begins in the video, which was posted to his Instagram. Zuckerberg also throws several other jabs at the Vision Pro in an effort to talk up his own product. Meta also has a more advanced, and more expensive, headset option called Meta Quest Pro. At least for now, most consumers probably aren’t going to buy either the Quest 3 or the Vision Pro.

Persons: New York CNN —, Mark Zuckerberg, ” Zuckerberg, it’s, Apple, Zuckerberg, Meta, metaverse, Meta's, Josh Edelson, it’s “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Vision, Apple, Meta, Getty, Quest Locations: New York, AFP

☆ Michelin Guide history: How did a tire company become a restaurant rating guide?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Enter a pocket-sized red book known as the Michelin Guide. As a result, more French people had a desire to tour the country, making the Michelin Guide increasingly essential. The Michelin Guide now covers over 30,000 restaurants across three continents and more than 30 million guides have been sold. Addison is one of 13 three-star Michelin restaurants in the US and the only one in all of Southern California. A Michelin logo on a chef's uniform at the gala presentation of the Michelin Guide Spain on December 14, 2021.

Persons: André, Édouard Michelin, André Michelin, Édouard, Olivier Darmon, Guenter, ” Darmon, Darmon, ” William Bradley, Addison, William Bradley, Lauren di Matteo Addison, Bradley, ” Bradley, “, Roberto Alcocer, Christophe Bellanca, Christophe, Jordan Younis, Liz Clayman, Christophe Bellanca’s, they’re, Gwendal Poullennec, Richard Saker, Christophe Bellanca's, Alan Batt, ” Poullennec, Taylor Swift’s, Jorge Gil, Carbone, Jay, Kim Kardashian, Barack Obama, It’s, didn’t, Kevin Thornton’s, ” Thornton, Thornton, Michelin “, Bobby Yip, don’t, ’ ”, Alcocer, He’s, ” Bellanca Organizations: New, New York CNN, Michelin, Ferrand, Michelin Tire Company, Compagnie, des, Culture, AAA, CNN, Washington Post, Bellanca, Michelin Guides, Spain, Europa Press, Major Food Group, Irish Times, Conted, Reuters Locations: New York, Clermont, Paris, France, Europe, United States, San Diego, Southern California, Addison, Valle, Mexican, Oceanside, Oceanside , California, New York City, Cartmel, Cumbria, England, Kevin Thornton’s Dublin

The human brain has trouble pulling names out of stuffed memory banks on cue. But when are those and other verbal stumbles normal, and when might they be a sign of cognitive trouble? Former President Donald Trump, Biden's likely opponent in the November presidential election, has also. And while Trump often brags about passing a screening-style memory test several years ago, Lenze said the best assessment includes rigorous neuropsychological testing. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group.

Persons: Joe Biden, Macron, Mitterrand, I’m, ”, Jay Olshansky, Biden, ” Biden, Donald Trump, Biden's, Trump, Nikki Haley, Nancy Pelosi, “, Eric Lenze, Louis, Emmanuel Macron, Francois Mitterrand, ” Mitterrand, ” Lenze, It’s “, Olshansky, everybody's, Lenze Organizations: WASHINGTON, University of Illinois, White, GOP, Washington University, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Chicago, St

☆ The Bucket List Family: How to travel the world with three kids
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“I never had the thought in my brain that ‘I want to travel around the world,’” Gee, from Denver, Colorado, tells CNN Travel. They soon began planning an extended trip to Southeast Asia and decided to launch an Instagram page, The Bucket List Family, to collate their adventures. “The little bit of traveling turned into three years full-time,” adds Gee, who has just released a travel guidebook, The Bucket List Family Travel, in partnership with National Geographic. The family went on to visit dozens of countries across the world, including Germany, Morocco, Japan, Brazil, Guatemala and Dominica. Family favoritesThe family of five have traveled to more than 90 countries.

Persons: Jessica Gee, Walt, ”, Garrett, Dorothy, Manilla, “, ” Gee, Gee, Jessica, Garrett Gee, who’ve, Callihan, Calihan, Geographic Gee, you’re, Gee’s, – that’s, it’s, They’ve, don’t Organizations: CNN, Walt Disney, CNN Travel, National Geographic, Gee, Central, East, Rwanda, Geographic, Disney Locations: Europe, Florida, Denver , Colorado, Vladivostok, Russia, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Singapore , New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Germany, Morocco, Japan, Brazil, Guatemala, Dominica, Belize, Central American, Alaska, East African, Rwanda, Hawaii, Africa, Antarctica, China, Borneo

☆ Do we simply not care about older adults in the US?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Judith Graham | Kff Health News | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

KFF Health News —The Covid-19 pandemic would be a wake-up call for America, advocates for the elderly predicted: incontrovertible proof that the nation wasn’t doing enough to care for vulnerable older adults. Around 900,000 older adults have died of Covid-19 to date, accounting for 3 of every 4 Americans who have perished in the pandemic. Many seniors at high risk aren’t getting antiviral therapies for Covid, and most older adults in nursing homes aren’t getting updated vaccines. The pandemic made things worsePrejudice against older adults is nothing new, but “it feels more intense, more hostile” now than previously, said Karl Pillemer, 69, a professor of psychology and gerontology at Cornell University. But as a society, we don’t value older adults or the people who care for them,” said Robert Kramer, 74, co-founder and strategic adviser at the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care.

Persons: —, ”, Alice Bonner, I’m, Karl Pillemer, “, ’, ’ ”, Andrew Achenbaum, Achenbaum, Covid, Edwin Walker, Robert Kramer, Kramer, John Rowe, Anne Montgomery, Allen Power, ” Power, it’s “, ” Pillemer Organizations: Health, America, CDC, Institute for Healthcare, gerontology, Cornell University, Texas Medical Center, Aging, Department of Health, Human Services, National Investment Center, Seniors Housing & Care, ”, Columbia University’s Mailman, of Public Health, National Committee, Preserve Social Security, Schlegel, University of Waterloo Research Institute, National Academy of Medicine’s, Healthy, University of Southern, Cornell, Kaiser Health, KFF Locations: Houston, Canada, University of Southern California

☆ The White House wants to 'cryptographically verify' videos of Joe Biden so viewers don't mistake them for deep fakes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The White House is increasingly aware that the American public needs a way to tell that statements from President Joe Biden and related information are real in the new age of easy-to-use generative artificial intelligence. People in the White House have been looking into AI and generative AI since Joe Biden became president in 2020, but in the last year, the use of generative AI exploded with the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Yet, there is no end in sight for more sophisticated new generative AI tools that make it easy for people with little to no technical know-how to create images, videos, and calls that seem authentic while being entirely fake. AdvertisementBuchanan said the aim is to “essentially cryptographically verify” everything that comes from the White House, be it a statement or a video. While last year’s executive order on AI created an AI Safety Institute at the Department of Commerce, which is tasked with creating standards for watermarking content to show provenance, the effort to verify White House communications is separate.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ben Buchanan, Buchanan, it’s, ”, Biden, ” Buchanan, “ We're, Kali Hays Organizations: Big Tech, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Federal Communications Comission, Artificial Intelligence, White, Department of Commerce Locations: Biden’s, khays@insider.com

☆ What King Charles’ diagnosis means for Prince William
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Max Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s Note: This is a version of CNN’s Royal News, a weekly dispatch bringing you the inside track on Britain’s royal family. It’s a particularly difficult moment for Prince William. Video Ad Feedback See Prince William's first public appearance since King Charles' cancer diagnosis 01:23 - Source: CNNThe demands of being the immediate heir saw William make a partial return to royal duties on Wednesday after a three-week absence. That will give William some flexibility as it means the prince appears not to be needed to pick up any constitutional business. The King’s diagnosis means William is now one of the most prominent faces of the clan - alongside Queen Camilla.

Persons: It’s, Prince William, Catherine, Princess, Wales, Charles, William, Queen Elizabeth II –, William's, King Charles, ”, “, ” William, I’d, Daniel Leal, Prince Harry, Prince, He’s, Queen Camilla, Arthur Edwards, it’s, ramped, Charles ’, Princess Anne, William’s Organizations: CNN’s Royal, London CNN, CNN, Windsor Castle, London Air Ambulance, Air Ambulance, Sandringham, Commonwealth, Westminster Abbey, BBC Locations: London, Windsor, Buckingham, Wales, Westminster

☆ Coca-Cola is adding its first permanent flavor in three years
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —For the past few years, Coca-Cola has experimented with wacky limited-time offerings, but its latest flavor is its first permanent addition in a while. Coca-Cola Spiced is a new soda that blends the “iconic taste” of Coke with a “burst of refreshing notes from raspberry and spiced flavors,” the company announced Wednesday. Coke doesn’t often add new permanent flavors to its lineup: Spiced joins just a few other flavors it always sells, including its flagship flavor, cherry and vanilla. “It appears Coca-Cola is looking to splice that trend onto its flagship with hopes of getting young consumers to consider the entire franchise,” he told CNN. Coca-Cola Spiced goes on sale February 19 in both cans and bottles in various sizes at most national retailers.

Persons: Coke, it’s, Sue Lynne Cha, ”, there’s, Duane Stanford Organizations: New, New York CNN, North, CNN, “, Beverage Digest Locations: New York, Coke, Canada, North America

☆ Janet Yellen: Some banks may be ‘quite stressed’ by empty office building trouble
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“I will never forget it,” Yellen told lawmakers during a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee, referring to the weekend after Silicon Valley Bank failed. Although the bank crisis subsided after federal regulators launched emergency programs, some regional banks have come under renewed pressure in recent days. Yellen said bank regulators are “quite focused” on this problem, including by working with banks to manage risks, build up reserves to cover losses, adjust dividend policies and maintain liquidity. “It’s critically important that the US be on a fiscally sustainable path,” Yellen told lawmakers during the hearing. “We are doing better” than the rest of the world, Yellen told lawmakers Tuesday.

Persons: Janet Yellen, ” Yellen, “, Yellen, Maxine Waters, “ I’m, Larry Kudlow, It’s, Joe Biden, Jerome Powell, “ It’s, ” Powell Organizations: New, New York CNN, Valley Bank, Financial Services, Bank, New York Community Bancorp, Financial, Trump, Federal Locations: New York, Valley, United States, Japan

☆ Prince Harry returns to UK to be at King Charles’ side, in rare moment of unity amid family rift
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Max Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

However, a royal source said there were no plans for Harry to meet his brother Prince William while he’s in London. The Sussexes emigrated to the United States after stepping away from royal duties in 2020. While the royal family are an institution, they are also a family. Prince Harry last saw his father when he attended the coronation at Westminster Abbey last May. The cancer diagnosis only 17 months into Charles’ reign has also become a moment of unity for the royal family.

Persons: London CNN — Prince Harry, King Charles III, Harry, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Charles ’, Duke, Sussex, Clarence House, Harry’s, Prince William, Charles, William, Princess Anne, Princes Edward, Andrew –, — Prince Archie, Lilibet —, Rishi Sunak, “, Oprah Winfrey, King Charles, Prince Harry, Prince Archie’s, Aaron Chown, Kate Williams, it’s, ”, Catherine, he’ll, Queen Camilla Organizations: London CNN, CNN, Invictus Games, BBC, Netflix, Westminster Abbey, Getty, CNN’s Royal Locations: United Kingdom, London, California, Los Angeles, he’s, British, United States, Germany, Dusseldorf, Britain, Windsor, Buckingham, AFP, Kensington

☆ Bud Light’s Super Bowl commercial leans on humor after a year of turmoil and controversy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Bud Light is back at the Super Bowl, this time with a funny “genie” to grant drinkers’ wishes. The 60-second spot, called “Easy Night Out,” is part of Bud Light’s year-long rebrand that debuted at last year’s Super Bowl. The brand has been in crisis mode ever since, and the Super Bowl commercial is part of its effort to turn around perception. “We wanted to get back to the humor the brand has been known for,” Bud Light’s vice president Todd Allen told CNN. 2024 BUD LIGHT SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL | EASY NIGHT OUT | EASY TO DRINK EASY TO ENJOY :60Bud Light launched its new campaign — “Easy to Drink.

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