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☆ Willock and Wilson score to lift Newcastle above Man United
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEWCASTLE, England, April 2 (Reuters) - Joe Willock and Callum Wilson scored to give Newcastle United a well-earned 2-0 victory over Manchester United on Sunday which lifted them into third place in the Premier League standings. Their persistence was rewarded in the 65th minute when Allan Saint-Maximin's headed cross found Willock for a close-range header. Substitute Wilson put the game to bed in the 88th minute, heading in a freekick cross from Kieran Trippier. The victory was some sort of revenge for Newcastle losing 2-0 to Erik ten Hag's Manchester United in the League Cup final in February. United were missing the influence of midfielder Casemiro, who is serving a suspension, and defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka due to illness.

☆ Alibaba to split into 6 units and explore IPOs; shares pop 7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Each business group will be managed by its own CEO and board of directors. These are the groups:Cloud Intelligence Group: Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang will be head of this business which will house the company's cloud and artificial intelligence activities. Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang will be head of this business which will house the company's cloud and artificial intelligence activities. Taobao Tmall Commerce Group: This will cover the company's online shopping platforms including Taobao and Tmall. Yu Yongfu will be CEO and the business will cover Alibaba's food delivery service Ele.me as well as its mapping.

☆ Binance 'could be in big trouble' as the CFTC lawsuit alleges the crypto behemoth dodged regulators and breached laws
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Binance is being blow-torched from all angles as US regulators close in on the world's largest crypto exchange. The CFTC sued the exchange this week for violating US financial laws, whilst some reports suggest Binance has engaged in secret fund transfers. On Monday, the Commodities Futures and Trading Commission (CFTC) sued Binance and Zhao himself, for allegedly breaching US financial laws. Following the shocking implosion of Sam-Bankman Fried's FTX exchange late last year, concerns have risen whether Binance faces similar risks. If US authorities decide the links meant the crypto exchange had control over the US platform, it could expose the company to enforcement action.

☆ Factbox: How Alibaba's six new business units stack up
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The company's CEO Daniel Zhang said the business units will each be free to pursue funding and IPOs independently, which points to a possible carving out in the future. Below are the six divisions:TAOBAO TMALL COMMERCE GROUPThe Taobao Tmall Commerce Group will cover Alibaba's domestic-facing e-commerce marketplaces, which make up over two-thirds of Alibaba's total revenue. Despite the scale of Alibaba's e-commerce operations, growth in the business has slowed. Taobao Tmall Commerce Group will remain wholly owned by Alibaba Group after the restructuring, the company said, even as the other units will be free to seek fundraisings and listings. Daniel Zhang, current chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group, will serve as CEO of the Cloud Intelligence Group.

☆ To escape the rat race, this pair cycled 15,000 km along the route from Finland to Singapore
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Audrey Wan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Valtteri Heinila was working in a startup when he realized he needed a break. With his friend Alvari Poikola, Heinila cycled through 21 countries in eight months, he told CNBC. The men chose Singapore as their goal because it was the farthest point they could cycle to, Heinila said. Valtteri Heinila (left) and Alvari Poikola at the Imperial City of Hue in Vietnam. Valtteri Heinila

☆ Here are the world's best airports for 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Audrey Wan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Singapore's Changi Airport has been named the "world's best airport" for a record 12th time. The city-state's airport reclaimed the title in the "World Airport Awards 2023" announced yesterday by the air transport research firm Skytrax. Changi Airport had previously won first place in Skytrax's annual ranking for eight consecutive years from 2013 to 2020, but placed behind Doha's Hamad International Airport and Tokyo's Haneda Airport for the past two years. Global travelers representing more than 100 nationalities participated in the Skytrax survey, which also named Singapore's Changi Airport as the:Best Airport in AsiaWorld's Best Airport — Dining, andWorld's Best Airport — Leisure Amenities. Customers rated airports according to many factors, including shopping, check-in, arrivals, transfers and security and immigration.

☆ Guo Wengui Charged in Alleged $1 Billion Fraud Conspiracy
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( James Fanelli | Corinne Ramey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Guo Wengui , a former real-estate developer, has said he fled China in 2014 after hearing that a state security official to whom he was close would soon be arrested. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have charged exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui with duping investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars to bankroll the purchase of a sprawling mansion, a 145-foot luxury yacht and other lavish items. Mr. Guo, also known as Kwok Ho Wan, was arrested Wednesday morning in New York and is charged with 11 counts of fraud and money laundering, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in New York federal court. Prosecutors said he orchestrated a $1 billion scheme that preyed on hundreds of thousands of his online followers to purchase stock in his media company, fund a farm loan program and join a luxury-services club.

☆ Asia faces shortage of workers who can fill growing number of tech roles, says job portal operator
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Audrey Wan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Asia may be struggling with a shortage of workers after the pandemic, but Peter Bithos, CEO of job portal operator Seek Asia, said it is not the same as North America's "Great Resignation." Instead, Asia's workforce has a shortfall of people who possess the skills to fill tech roles in companies, Bithos told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia." "What we've been seeing is a large reconfiguration of the types of talent needed" in the workforce, he said. Despite layoffs at tech companies, almost "every sector in the economy outside of tech" is hiring for tech workers, Bithos explained. Tech jobs across Asia remain robust and are "very high in demand," he added.

[1/5] Guo Wengui (also known as Miles Kwok) holds a news conference with Steve Bannon in New York, New York, U.S., November 20, 2018. Guo, 52, was charged with 11 criminal counts including securities fraud, wire fraud and concealment of money laundering, after "lining his pockets with the money he stole," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams in Manhattan said in a statement. They will propose a "robust bail package," according to Tamara Giwa, a federal public defender who represented Guo at Wednesday's hearing. Bannon is not accused of wrongdoing in Guo's criminal case. It said it also seized assets purchased with proceeds from Guo's alleged fraud, including a Lamborghini Aventador, and wants Guo to forfeit the yacht.

Asia is falling far behind its regional peers in terms of female boardroom representation, analysis from MSCI and BofA Securities showed. An average of 20% of Asia's boardrooms are made up of women, according to research by BofA Securities – that's merely a 7% improvement from 12 years ago. Female boardroom representation remains a key metric to track the global progress on gender equality. However, the gap in wage, employment, and boardroom representation between men and women remains large. "The proportion of companies reporting employee diversity is 67% but only 35% of those employees are females," they said.

☆ Here's what makes cybersecurity giant Palo Alto Networks tick and why we like the stock so much
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +22 min

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) last month had its best single trading day in about a year, exactly one week after the next-generation cybersecurity company became our newest Investing Club holding. Why Palo Alto Networks? PANW YTD mountain Palo Alto Networks (PANW) 1-year performance Palo Alto Networks is a great way to play a secular growth industry. Taking all of these segments together, Palo Alto Networks is a company capable of delivering on every aspect of cybersecurity under one roof. Palo Alto Networks' ESG practices, meanwhile, are overseen by the ESG and Nominating Committee, which provides counsel to the board in these matters.

☆ UBS loses bid to stop Chinese businessman's $500 mln London lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 1 (Reuters) - UBS (UBSG.S) faces a $500 million lawsuit in London brought by an exiled Chinese businessman after an appeal court on Wednesday rejected the Swiss bank’s latest attempt to have the case thrown out. UBS had previously told a lower court that the claims are denied in their entirety. Lawyers representing Guo and Ace Decade did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Judge Geoffrey Vos said in the written ruling on Wednesday that “the damage caused to Ace Decade and (Guo) occurred in London when the H-shares ... were sold by UBS London”. “UBS London significantly participated in the events which have given rise both to the claim and to the loss claimed.”Reporting by Sam Tobin; additional reporting by Kirstin Ridley.

☆ Hong Kong to scrap COVID mask mandate from March 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Farah Master | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The special administrative region of Hong Kong is one of the last places globally that still imposes a mask mandate. Hong Kong and Macau both followed China's zero-COVID policy for much of the past three years. Hong Kong started unwinding its stringent COVID rules last year but mask-wearing has remained constant since 2020. People wearing face masks walk through Wan Chai during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Hong Kong, China, April 14, 2022. Reporting by the Hong Kong newsroom; Writing by Farah Master; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ I asked ChatGPT to help me plan a vacation. Here’s what happened next
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

So the idea that artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Bing, can research travel destinations and create itineraries is intriguing. I went to the developer's website, clicked on the word "ChatGPT," registered for an account — and started chatting. "All of the places I recommended have great online reviews," ChatGPT replied, providing ratings from Tripadvisor, Booking.com and Google for each hotel. But ChatGPT couldn't show photographs of the hotels or help book them — although it did provide ample instructions on how to do both. Every city I asked ChatGPT about resulted in the bot praising the local food scene.

☆ These high school sweethearts have visited 112 countries. Here's how they pay for it on a budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Audrey Wan | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Hudson and Emily Crider have visited 112 countries, but their journey together began long before that. Hudson and Emily Crider in high school. Hudson and Emily Crider on a safari in Kenya, Africa. Hudson and Emily Crider camping during their self-drive safari in the Serengeti in Tanzania. Hudson and Emily Crider

☆ Top 25 roundup: Brandon Miller plays, leads No. 2 Tide to OT win
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Feb 22, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide forward Brandon Miller (24) dribbles the ball against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. Miller hasn't been charged with a crime and the school announced hours before Wednesday's game that Miller would play against the Gamecocks. Gregory "GG" Jackson Jr. scored 19 points for South Carolina (10-18, 3-12), which lost for the 10th time in 12 games. Jayden Gardner, who scored 16 points, was the lone Virginia player to reach double figures. Bryce Hopkins scored 16 points and Jared Bynum contributed 14 for Providence (20-8, 12-5), which was outrebounded 40-20.

☆ Horror juggernaut Blumhouse to launch video game division
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The world of video games is about to get scarier. Blumhouse, the powerhouse horror movie and TV production company, said Tuesday that it is launching Blumhouse Games. Blumhouse Games will partner with independent game developers and target indie-budget games of under $10 million. To lead Blumhouse Games, the company tapped video game industry veterans Zach Woods as the group's president and Don Sechler as chief financial officer. Wood has been a video game producer for more than 25 years and published games on every platform including Game Boy, Playstation and Xbox.

☆ See the photos that won National Geographic’s ‘Pictures of the Year’ contest
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Audrey Wan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

National Geographic announced the winning photographs from its first "Pictures of the Year" photo competition. The photo will be featured in an upcoming issue of National Geographic's U.S. magazine. Their photos will be published on National Geographic's Your Shot Instagram page, which has some 6.5 million followers. Salt wells on a hillside in the Salt Mines of Maras in Peru. An LiThe mines comprise around 4,500 salt wells, each of which produces some 400 pounds of salt per month.

☆ These are the best hotels in the U.S. and Europe, according to a new ranking
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Audrey Wan | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. News & World Report released its 13th annual ranking of the best hotels for travelers this week. More weight was given to recipients of "highly selective" awards, as well as those with more traveler reviews, according to the press release. That makes it harder for new hotels to break into the upper ranks of the annual list. The report ranks only "luxury" hotels and resorts, which U.S. News defines as those that consistently average from 4- to 5-star ratings, though it now includes select hotels with 3.5 stars too, the company said. To be considered, hotels must also have at least 20 rooms, according to the release.

☆ Luxury brand Six Senses is opening its first hotel in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Audrey Wan | Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The luxury hotel brand Six Senses is planning to open its first hotel in Australia — inside an old family mansion. The heritage house and its 22-hectare estate, named Burnham Beeches, are 25 miles from Melbourne in the forested Dandenong Ranges. The house was designed in 1933 for an Australian family, according to a website detailing the home's history. It will now be restored after "sitting neglected for far too long," said the great-granddaughter of the original owner, Sophie Paterson, according to a Six Senses press release. Plans to incorporate a "premium glamping" option on the estate will bring the number of accommodations to 82.

Forty-seven pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong have been accused of a conspiracy to commit subversion in a landmark political case. Benny Tai, 58, was a professor of law at the University of Hong Kong. Pro-democracy primary Pro-democracy candidates held a primary vote ahead of the upcoming Legislative Council election. The 47 defendants helped organize or participated in this event. New election rules announced China announced new rules for Hong Kong elections, limiting candidates to only those deemed loyal to Beijing.

☆ What to Watch: The 15 Best New Movies and TV Shows From January
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Wsj Arts In Review Staff | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Here’s a roundup of the month’s most noteworthy movies and TV shows, as covered by The Wall Street Journal’s critics. After eight Chucky movies, three Annabelle flicks, and dozens more killer-doll stories from “The Twilight Zone” to “The Simpsons,” did we really need another one? I’d say yes, because “M3gan” is wittily written and smoothly plotted by Akela Cooper , from a story by her and James Wan , as well as tautly directed by Gerard Johnstone , who hearkens all the way back to Mary Shelley ’s warning. Like Dr. Frankenstein, we’ve created a monster, but there’s no way to kill off tech.

☆ How ballroom dance become a refuge for Asian immigrants
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Three days a week, Edward Wan, of Bethesda, Maryland, steals away to a ballroom dance studio so he can glide across the floor in the company of older Chinese immigrants like him. Wan, 78, is one of the countless Asian immigrants who’ve regarded ballroom dance as a sort of creative sanctuary, but are now shaken by the two shootings incidents, one of them deadly, that shook California dance halls on Saturday. “It’s an injustice to ballroom dance. Ballroom dance itself is almost like going to learn poetry or sitting down to meditate,” Wan said. Ballroom dance helped him move forward, he said.

☆ Microsoft cloud outage hits users around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Akriti Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Microsoft Teams app is seen on the smartphone placed on the keyboard in this illustration taken, July 26, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationJan 25 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) on Wednesday was hit with a networking outage that took down its cloud platform Azure along with services such as Teams and Outlook, potentially affecting millions of users globally. "We've determined the network connectivity issue is occurring with devices across the Microsoft Wide Area Network (WAN)," Microsoft said. During the outage, users faced problems in exchanging messages, join calls or use any features of Teams application. Among the other services affected were Microsoft Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, according to the company's status page.

☆ 'M3GAN' is getting a sequel after smashing the box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"M3GAN" is getting a sequel, set for release in 2025. It shows the power of a potential merger between its production companies, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster. Production studios Blumhouse and Atomic Monster announced on Wednesday that they've greenlit a sequel to their hit horror movie, about an AI-powered doll that torments any humans she thinks will harm her owner. The sequel, titled "M3GAN 2.0," is set for release on January 17, 2025. "M3GAN" has been a box-office smash since debuting on January 6, earning $95 million at the global box office so far, $60 million of which is from the US.

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