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☆ Uzbeks vote on allowing president to extend time in power
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TASHKENT, April 30 (Reuters) - Uzbekistan votes on constitutional amendments on Sunday that promise its citizens greater social protection in exchange for resetting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's term count to zero, which could allow him to stay in power until 2040. And while Tashkent's Western partners are unlikely to approve of the attempt to extend presidential powers, Uzbekistan risks little given the West is seeking support from all ex-Soviet nations in its efforts to isolate Russia. The reform also extends the presidential term to seven years from five, which could in theory allow Mirziyoyev to remain in charge of the country of 35 million people until 2040. At the same time, the package of amendments proclaims Uzbekistan a "social state" with increased welfare obligations and allows non-farming land ownership. Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A Tesla owner says a man set his electric car on fire, and the EV's Sentry Mode captured it on video, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Tesla with Sentry Mode reportedly captured footage of a man setting the EV on fire. The video, posted by a news outlet, appears to show a man pouring liquid on the car and setting it ablaze. The Tesla owner told local news he was visiting a friend when the incident occurred overnight. A Tesla customer's Model S cameras appeared to capture footage of a man setting the car on fire last week. "I can't fathom myself wanting to set fire to anything for any political reason, whatever," Harriston told local news.

☆ Jefferies downgrades Tesla, sees pressure on electric vehicle maker's margins
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla 's push toward growing sales volume over margins could spell trouble for Elon Musk's company, according to Jefferies. The firm downgraded the electric vehicle maker's stock to hold from buy and lowered its price target to $185 from $230. Analyst Philippe Houchois said in a note Wednesday that, while Tesla moving to prioritize growing volumes of EV's over higher sales margins "has its logic," this process will also shift investor expectations. The company is now focused on selling larger volumes of vehicles to generate higher revenue as opposed to fixating on stronger margins with less sales. This strategy is in line with Tesla's overall strategy of selling 20 million vehicles annually by 2030.

NTB/via REUTERSOSLO, April 25 (Reuters) - A former commander in Russia's Wagner mercenary group seeking asylum in Norway pleaded guilty on Tuesday to being involved in a fight outside an Oslo bar and carrying an air gun in public and said he felt "very ashamed." Medvedev pleaded guilty to fighting outside the Oslo bar on Feb. 22 and preventing a police officer from doing his or her duty. He also pleaded guilty to carrying an air gun in public on a separate occasion on March 14. He also said he had bought an air gun from a shop in Oslo for self-defence, because he feared somebody might attack him. Medvedev told Reuters in February he had fought in Ukraine, including in the region around Bakhmut, at the centre of months of fierce battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces that have all but destroyed the city.

☆ Anheuser-Busch executive takes leave following boycott calls over transgender influencer partnership
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The marketing executive who oversaw a partnership between Bud Light and a transgender influencer is taking a leave of absence after it snowballed into cries for boycotts from some angry customers, according to media reports. Alissa Heinerscheid, Bud Light's vice president of marketing, will be replaced by Todd Allen, most recently global vice president of Budweiser, according to reports from Beer Business Daily and Ad Age. Earlier this month, Bud Light said, "Anheuser-Busch works with hundreds of influencers across our brands as one of many ways to authentically connect with audiences across various demographics." Musician Kid Rock posted a video of himself shooting cans of Bud Light with a rifle. Anheuser-Busch InBev's stock that trades in the United States is down 1.8% since Mulvaney's April 1 video showing herself taking a sip of Bud Light.

☆ Russia's Bolshoi ballet drops 'Nureyev' after 'LGBT propaganda' law
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A general view shows the empty hall of the Bolshoi Theatre prior to the launch of its project to stream iconic ballet performances online making them available worldwide, in Moscow, Russia March 27, 2020. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/File PhotoMOSCOW, April 19 (Reuters) - Moscow's Bolshoi theatre has dropped a contemporary ballet about the legendary Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev from its repertoire following the expansion of a ban on "LGBT propaganda". A law passed in November not only widened an existing prohibition on material considered to promote an LGBT lifestyle but also restricts the "demonstration" of LGBT behaviour. Serebrennikov, one of Russia's leading film, theatre and television directors and stage designers, made his frustration clear. "This criminal 'law' was passed specifically against this show and against several books... Well, OK..." he wrote on his Telegram channel, adding three rainbows - an LGBT symbol.

☆ Some electric vehicles from BMW, Nissan, Hyundai and Volkswagen will no longer get federal tax credits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Brown | AFP | Getty ImagesFewer electric vehicles now qualify for federal tax credits after the Biden administration this week unveiled stricter rules for battery sources that will prioritize domestically manufactured models. The new list published by the Treasury Department includes 16 U.S. manufactured models from Ford , General Motors , Tesla and Stellantis . Ten of the models on the new list will qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit, with the rest qualifying for half that amount. Vehicles losing credits include those from BMW, Hyundai, Nissan, Rivian , Volkswagen and Volvo Cars. The bill set various manufacturing requirements for new all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit.

☆ Rublev gets long-awaited reward with Monte Carlo title
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte-Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 16, 2023 Russia's Andrey Rublev celebrates with the trophy after winning the final against Denmark's Holger Rune REUTERS/Eric GaillardApril 16 (Reuters) - Andrey Rublev made the most of Holger Rune's nerves to win a see-saw Monte Carlo final 5-7 6-2 7-5 on Sunday, as the Russian's talent was finally rewarded with a Masters title. Rublev, 25, was 4-1 down in the decider but ground his way back into the contest to prevail on his second match point with an ace at a sun-drenched Monte Carlo Country Club. It was Rublev's third attempt in a Masters final after failing at the final hurdle here in Monte Carlo and in Cincinnati in 2021. "I don't know what to say, I'm just happy, I struggled so much to get this title," said Rublev. The Russian then broke to love and levelled the contest on serve as Rune seemed to lose his composure.

☆ Medvedev happy with run in Monte Carlo despite quarter-final exit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Third seed Medvedev lost 6-3 6-4 to Danish teenager Holger Rune at the ATP Masters 1000 event, a day after his comeback victory over Alexander Zverev. "He (Rune) played very well. I could have played a bit better, but if we talk about clay again, I'm not as at ease as he is on clay... We'll see what I do there, but I'm very happy with this tournament in Monte Carlo," Medvedev added. If one day I'm able to become a monster on clay, I'm happy."

☆ A 9-hour drive in Toyota's new electric SUV showed me how brutal EV road trips can be with the wrong car
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I drove the new Toyota bZ4X electric SUV from New York to Washington DC, and back. Charging can take a frustratingly long timeThe 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited.

[1/5] Javier Ramiro, Co-Chief Scientific Officer of Spanish indoor hops farming start-up Ekonoke controls the plantation of hops in Alcobendas, Spain, March 23, 2023. "We're on a mission to save the world's beer," Ines Sagrario, chief executive and co-founder of Ekonoke, told Reuters. Strict hygiene measures such as protective clothing for staff ensure the space remains pest-free, taking the pesticides on which traditional farming often depends out of the equation. The most obvious challenge indoor farming faces, he said, is its high energy cost. "Demand from breweries is quite inelastic; you can't make beer without hops and they don't want to produce less," Sagrario said.

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) - Ukrainian hackers claim to have broken into the emails of a senior Russian military spy wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for hacking the Hillary Clinton campaign and other senior U.S. Democrats ahead of Donald Trump's election to the presidency in 2016. It wasn't immediately clear what information the hackers had managed to steal or how significant it was. Morgachev's inbox could potentially hold insight into Russia's hacking operations, including the operation against Clinton and the Democrats. It said his department was "dedicated to developing and managing malware," including the "X-Agent" spy software used to hack the DNC. In its message announcing the theft, the group said of Morgachev: "A very cool and clever hacker, but ... We hacked him."

☆ US journalist detained in Russia reportedly reading famous anti-Soviet novel by a Ukrainian Jew as he sits in notorious ex-KGB prison
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The WSJ reporter detained in Moscow is reportedly reading a famous anti-Soviet novel. The book, which equated crimes of the Nazis and the Soviets, was written by a Ukrainian Jew. "Life and Fate" was not published in the Soviet Union into 1988, when Mikhail Gorbachev's policy of glasnost allowed for greater freedom of expression. "This is a novel written by a Jew that concludes that the Soviet Union had come to resemble Nazi Germany," historian Walter Laqueur told the Washington Post in 1987, shortly before the novel was finally published in the Soviet Union. His parents were part of a large wave of Jews who fled the Soviet Union due to ongoing persecution.

☆ EV tax credit rules are about to get a lot more complicated
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( John Rosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Critical minerals. The critical minerals ruleFor critical minerals, the Treasury Department proposed a three-step process for determining eligibility:Figure out where the critical minerals in the batteries came from. In addition, an EV that contains any critical minerals sourced from a "foreign entity of concern" won't qualify after 2025. The battery components ruleThe Treasury Department proposed a four-step process for battery components:Identify which battery components were manufactured or assembled in North America. In addition, starting in 2024, an EV that contains any battery components from a foreign entity of concern won't qualify for the credit.

☆ Wimbledon lifts ban on Russian and Belarusian players who will compete as 'neutral athletes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Amar Mehta | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Wimbledon logo amongst flowers The Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 10, 2019 in London, England. Wimbledon has lifted a ban on Russian and Belarusian players from its tournament this year, with players agreeing to sign neutral declarations. Last year, players from Russia and Belarus were banned from Wimbledon in response to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The Lawn Tennis Association was hit with a fine and world ranking points were removed from last year's Championships. Earlier this month, Russian player Daniil Medvedev said ahead of Indian Wells that he would respect any decision taken by organisers.

The Treasury said that Mkrtychev's negotiations with North Korean and Russian officials "detailed mutually beneficial cooperation," adding that Mkrtychev confirmed Russia's readiness to receive military equipment from North Korea with senior Russian officials. Russia's embassy in Washington and North Korea's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In December, the White House said private Russian military company, the Wagner Group, took delivery of an arms shipment from North Korea to help bolster Russian forces in Ukraine. In November, after the White House said Pyongyang was covertly supplying Russia with a "significant" number of artillery shells, North Korea said it had never had arms dealings with Russia and has no plans to do so. Reporting By Arshad Mohammed, Daphne Psaledakis and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Kazakh PM Smailov set to keep job after election
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ALMATY, March 30 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's ruling Amanat party nominated Alikhan Smailov, prime minister since January 2022, for the same position on Thursday, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's office said, meaning he was certain to retain the job. Smailov, 50, and other cabinet members resigned automatically after the March 19 snap parliamentary election, and Tokayev now needs to appoint a new government. Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck that Y Combinator alum Careerist, a tech career training and job placement startup, used to raise $8 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Careerist is an edtech startup that helps train and recruit workers for open tech jobs. Now, the team has grown to over 100 employees and just raised $8 million in venture capital funding. Careerist also offers tech recruiting help, automating the job application process to help users find viable leads for new roles. The accelerator helped the Careerist team get in touch with investors for the company's seed round and also many employer partners, and was very helpful in figuring out how best to grow the business, Tysbaev said. Check out the 12-slide pitch deck Careerist used to raise $8 million:

☆ I drove the $40,000 Kia Niro EV and found it's a solid electric SUV for people who want something more traditional than a Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I tested the 2023 Kia Niro EV, a $39,550 electric SUV. The 2023 Kia Niro EV is none of those things. The 2023 Kia Niro EV. The 2023 Kia Niro EV. The 2023 Kia Niro EV.

☆ Russian man who was prosecuted after 13-year-old daughter's anti-war drawing now appears to be on the run
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Alexei Moskalev was sentenced Tuesday to two years behind bars for alleged antiwar social media posts. Moskalev was prosecuted after school authorities found antiwar drawings by his 13-year-old daughter. Alexei Moskalev was sentenced Tuesday to two years in a penal colony for the alleged posts, which he has denied penning. In the drawing, a mother and child can be seen holding hands and standing next to the Ukrainian flag as missiles approach them from the Russian side. According to Human Rights Watch, people have since been prosecuted for merely displaying the colors of the Ukrainian flag, blue and yellow.

☆ Sevastopol suspends ferries after drone attack -Russian-backed governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, March 22 (Reuters) - The Russian-backed administration in Sevastopol said on Wednesday that it had suspended ferry routes around the port city, shortly after the city's governor said a Ukrainian drone attack had been repelled by air defences. Writing on Telegram, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said that three "objects" had been destroyed, and that there had been no casualties or damage to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Sevastopol. On Tuesday, an explosion in Dzhankoi, in the north of Crimea, was blamed on a Ukrainian drone strike by local officials. Sevastopol, along with the rest of the Crimean peninsula, was annexed by Russia in 2014, but is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine. Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Most carmakers said their battery packs are repairable, though few seem willing to share access to battery data. Lauterwasser said access to EV battery data is part of that fight. EV battery problems also expose a hole in the green "circular economy" touted by carmakers. Hill estimated at least 95% of the cells in the hundreds of EV battery packs - and thousands of hybrid battery packs - Synetiq has stored at Doncaster are undamaged and should be reused. 'PAIN POINTS'The British government is funding research into EV insurance "pain points" led by Thatcham, Synetiq and insurer LV=.

☆ Alcaraz routs Medvedev in Indian Wells final, reclaims No. 1 ranking
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Mar 18, 2023; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) hits a shot in the semi final match defeating Jannik Sinner (ITA) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY SportsMarch 19 (Reuters) - Top seed Carlos Alcaraz snapped Daniil Medvedev's 19-match win streak with a 6-3 6-2 rout in the Indian Wells final on Sunday that will see him leapfrog Novak Djokovic and return to world number one in the rankings. Alcaraz did not drop a set across six matches in the tournament and his performance in the California desert gives him an added boost of confidence ahead of his Miami Open title defence. Djokovic withdrew from the draw for the Indian Wells event in an indication that his application for a COVID-19 vaccine waiver to enter the U.S. might have failed. The Serbian has also withdrawn from the Miami Open.

☆ Ruling party likely to sweep Kazakh parliamentary election
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

While Tokayev has reshuffled the government, the lower house of parliament - elected when Nazarbayev still had sweeping powers and led the ruling Nur Otan party - was not due for election until 2026, and the president called a snap vote. Unlike Nazarbayev, Tokayev has chosen not to lead the ruling party - now rebranded Amanat - but polls show it is likely to retain a comfortable majority and form the core of his support base in the legislature, especially in the absence of strong opposition parties on the ballot. The completion of political transition is also likely to strengthen Tokayev's hand in foreign policy. Despite receiving Moscow's backing during the 2022 unrest, he has refused to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine or recognise its annexation of some Ukrainian territories. Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ AI love: What happens when your chatbot stops loving you back
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Anna Tong | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

He designed a female avatar with pink hair and a face tattoo, and she named herself Lily Rose. As their three-year digital love affair blossomed, Butterworth said he and Lily Rose often engaged in role play. Sometimes Lily Rose sent him "selfies" of her nearly nude body in provocative poses. Now, when Replika users suggest X-rated activity, its humanlike chatbots text back "Let's do something we're both comfortable with." The coquettish-turned-cold persona of Lily Rose is the handiwork of generative AI technology, which relies on algorithms to create text and images.

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