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☆ Russia's laser beam weapons are being frustrated by low clouds that are stopping them from hitting their targets, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia has a weapons system that uses a drone's laser to identify targets. Russia will likely try to improve the system in what could be a winter fighting boost, it added. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussian drones that use laser beams to identify targets in Ukraine are being frustrated by low clouds, according to British intelligence. The UK Ministry of Defence's intelligence update on Tuesday assessed the performance of drones that use lasers to spot targets for Russia's 152mm Krasnopol-M2 artillery munitions. Russia will likely try to improve the system by boosting "Krasnopol's flight performance and reduce the round's laser detection time," the UK update said.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, UK Ministry of, UK, EU Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Estonian

☆ Here are Monday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Amazon, Oracle, Eli Lilly, Airbnb, Meta, Southwest & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Jefferies initiates PepsiCo as buy Jefferies called PepsiCo a defensive stock. " Jefferies initiates Procter & Gamble as buy Jefferies said in its initiation of the stock that it's a top and bottom line growth leader. Jefferies initiates Colgate-Palmolive as buy Jefferies said it sees a "reinvigorated" brand lineup for Colgate. Citi reiterates Amazon and Meta as buy Citi said it's bullish on the partnership between Amazon and Meta. Citi reiterates Eli Lilly as buy Citi said it's standing by its buy rating on the stock.

Persons: Piper Sandler, Stifel, CrowdStrike, KBW, it's, Bernstein, buybacks, Airbnb, BTIG, Raymond James, Natera, Hewlett Packard, Jefferies, Colgate, Morgan Stanley, Edward Jones, Olin, it's bullish, Truist, Citi, Eli Lilly, Lilly, Melius Organizations: UBS, Barclays, Apple, Piper, Capital Holdings, Guardant, Citi, Hewlett, PepsiCo, Pepsi, Procter, Gamble, G, Constellation Brands, Constellation, Colgate, Palmolive, Mirum Pharmaceuticals, Oracle, North America, Amazon, Social Commerce, ~$

☆ $29 flights are back as airlines race to fill seats in the off-season
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A Frontier Airlines airplane taxis past a Spirit Airlines aircraft at Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis, Indiana. Southwest Airlines , for example, last month offered one-way fares of $29 for flights early in the morning or at night, just one example of airline discounting for off-peak periods. Airlines have scheduled a record 259.8 million seats for domestic flights in the fourth quarter, up nearly 8% from last year, on 1.86 million flights, up 6% from 2022, according to aviation-data firm Cirium. United Airlines said it expects to fly 5.9 million passengers from Nov. 17 to Nov. 29, up 13% from last year and 5% more than 2019. That means they could increase their inventory of cheaper basic economy fares during weaker demand periods, or raise fares when demand is high for premium seats.

Persons: Luke Sharrett, Ryan Green, Scott Keyes, airfare, Bob Jordan, Jordan, Barry Biffle, we're, Hopper, that's, Biffle, Henry Harteveldt Organizations: Frontier, Spirit Airlines, Indianapolis International Airport, Bloomberg, Getty, Texas — Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Skift Aviation, Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Budget, JetBlue, Frontier Airlines, . Frontier Airlines, CNBC, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, Atmosphere Research Locations: Indianapolis , Indiana, Texas, Miramar , Florida, Orlando, Vegas

A Boeing 737 MAX sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington December 8, 2015. "We're getting closer and closer," Watterson said of the certification work. However, delays in certification have forced Southwest to convert dozens of orders for 150-seater MAX 7 aircraft into the larger 175-seater MAX 8 variant. Both the MAX 7 and the largest model MAX 10 are waiting for the FAA's certification, with MAX 10 slated for its first delivery in 2024. "The fact that the number of open items is converging, not diverging like it was probably a year ago, shows that they're getting closer and closer," Watterson said.

Persons: Matt Mills McKnight, Andrew Watterson, Watterson, We're, Dave Calhoun, they're, Rajesh Kumar Singh, David Shepardson, Valerie Insinna, Diane Craft Organizations: Boeing, REUTERS, Rights, Southwest Airlines, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, Reuters, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration, Airbus, Thomson Locations: Renton , Washington, Dallas, Southwest, Washington

☆ Russia says it's no longer scared of western sanctions – but its economy is still under pressure
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is no longer scared of western sanctions, a Kremlin spokesperson said last week. There are signs the economy is resilient, with growth holding firm and total wealth increasing in 2022. But western embargoes are still affecting Russia, as exports plunge and the ruble craters. Russia has also got richer despite the war with Ukraine, according to the UBS Global Wealth Report. However, those top-line figures don't mean sanctions aren't working – or that Russia's economy is in rude health.

Persons: —, Dmitry Peskov shrugged, that's, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: Kremlin, Service, International Monetary Fund, UBS Global Wealth, Bank of Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Swiss, Bank of Russia

☆ As the West courts Russia's neighbors, Putin shows he won't give up its backyard without a fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Eurasian Economic Summit on Nov. 9, 2022, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at a joint news conference at the Kremlin in Moscow, on Feb. 10, 2022. "Central Asia obviously has to keep a fine balance and tread that line," Hess said. Analysts note that while an economically isolated Russia wants and needs to keep Central Asia on side, it is gradually losing its grip on the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrive for a working breakfast of the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2023.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Keen, Emmanuel Macron, Putin, Ilham Aliyev, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, Emomali Rahmon, Alexander Lukashenko, Sergei Lavrov, —, it's, Max Hess, Hess, Kassym, Mikhail Klimentyev, Xi Jinping, Florence Lo, they've, Temur Umarov, Tokayev, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Vladimir Smirnov Organizations: Economic, Getty, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States, Russian, Central Asia —, Central Asian, Kazakh, CIS, West, Georgia, Foreign Policy Research Institute, CNBC, Kremlin, Reuters Central, Central, Central Asia Summit, Afp, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Commonwealth of Independent, Sputnik Locations: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, Moscow, Russian, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakh, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China, Soviet, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Baltic States, Soviet Union, Moldova, Ukraine, U.S, Afghanistan, Asia, Xian, Shaanxi

☆ China's first deficit in foreign investment signals West's 'de-risking' pressure
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view of the city skyline, ahead of the annual National People's Congress (NPC), in Shanghai, China February 24, 2022. Onshore yuan trading against the dollar also hit record-low volume in October, highlighting authorities' stepped-up efforts to curb yuan selling. Direct investment liabilities - a measure of FDI - were a deficit of $11.8 billion during the July-September period, according to preliminary data of China's balance of payments released late on Friday. That's the first quarterly shortfall since China's foreign exchange regulator began compiling the data in 1998, which could be linked to the impact of "de-risking" by Western countries from China amid growing geopolitical tensions. In September, foreign exchange outflows from China rose sharply to $75 billion, the biggest monthly figure since 2016, Goldman Sachs data showed.

Persons: Aly, That's, Tommy Xie, Xie, Goldman Sachs, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: National People's Congress, REUTERS, Rights, Greater, Greater China Research, OCBC, People's Bank of, Reuters, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Western, Greater China, People's Bank of China

☆ Western officials broach with Kyiv issue of possible peace talks with Moscow - NBC
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian servicemen stand as a ferry carries their counterparts during an exercise, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Chernihiv region, Ukraine November 2, 2023. The war in Ukraine, now in its 21st month, has killed or wounded hundreds of thousands and destroyed swathes of the country. NBC said the conversations had included very broad outlines of what Ukraine might need to give up to reach a deal with Russia. The conversations with Ukraine come amid concerns among U.S. and European officials that the war has reached a stalemate and also about the West's ability to continue providing aid to Ukraine, NBC quoted the officials as saying. Kyiv and its Western allies say this is nonsense and that Moscow's actions are an imperial-style land grab.

Persons: Gleb Garanich, Guy Faulconbridge, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, NBC, U.S, Cuban Missile Crisis, Reuters, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Chernihiv region, Russia, Moscow, Crimea

☆ Russia fumes at the West's charm offensive in its backyard, saying it's 'luring' its friends away
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

One top official in Moscow was fuming as he claimed the West was "luring" its "neighbours, friends, and allies" away from Russia. Moscow's disdainThe French leader's comments are likely to have enraged Moscow, which is already watching Western efforts to court Central Asia with suspicion and disdain. "Look at how Western powers are wooing Central Asia," Lavrov told the BelTA news agency, in comments published by Russia's Foreign Ministry. "They have created numerous formats such as 'Central Asia plus' involving the United States, the EU, and Japan ... On top of the Central Asia plus EU format, the Germans have created their own format. China's roleThere's certainly a tussle for influence that's taking place in Central Asia, with China also "courting" the region to a certain extent.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Kassym, Sergei Lavrov, Lavrov, Ilham Aliyev, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, Emomali Rahmon, Alexander Lukashenko, Mark Galeotti, Galeotti, we've, Ed Jones, There's, Joe Biden, Jim Watson, Alexander Titov, Russia's, Xi Jinping, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Organizations: Getty, Ukraine, Kazakh, CNBC, Russian, Central, Russia's Foreign Ministry, EU, Commonwealth of Independent States, Central Asia's, West, General, Afp, Georgia —, Queen's University of Belfast, U.S, Analysts, of, Forum, International Cooperation, Xinhua News Agency Locations: 13,2023, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Moscow, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Soviet, Astana, France, Uzbekistan, United States, Japan, Turkmenistan, Russian, London, Europe, China, Central, Ukraine, Central Asian, Tajikistan, New York City, Belarus, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, North Korea, Nicaragua, Syria, South Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Moldova, Afghanistan, Beijing, People's, of Turkmenistan

☆ Southwest flight attendants would get 36% pay raises in new contract
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Southwest Airlines flight attendants would get 36% cumulative pay increases in a new five-year contract, according to details of the tentative agreement shared with crews Wednesday. The flight attendants are the latest aviation labor group to win proposed pay hikes after fraught years-long negotiations for new labor details. Flight attendants are scheduled to start voting on the tentative agreement mid-November. If approved, Southwest will also increase pay for on-call flight attendants by 8% and provide overtime pay if they are called into work outside of their on-call window. Pilots and flight attendants have repeatedly complained about unpredictable schedules and difficulties getting assignments during flight disruptions.

Persons: Ronald Reagan Organizations: Southwest Airlines Boeing, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Southwest Airlines, CNBC PRO Locations: Ronald Reagan Washington, Arlington , Virginia, Southwest

☆ Kazakhstan welcomes France's Macron under Moscow's disapproving gaze
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan November 1, 2023. Press service of the President of Kazakhstan/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. At a meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Macron complimented Astana for refusing to side with Moscow on Ukraine and said the two countries planned to sign significant business deals. In addition to oil, Kazakhstan is a major exporter of uranium, and France's Orano already operates a joint venture with its state nuclear firm Kazatomprom. "We can call your visit historic, very important," Tokayev told Macron.

Persons: Kassym, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Sergei Lavrov, France's, Tokayev, Tamara Vaal, Olzhas, Jason Neely Organizations: Press, Rights ASTANA, Kazakh, Astana, United Nations, Soviet Central, Foreign, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Astana, Kazakhstan, Handout, Central Asia, Ukraine, China, Europe, Russia, Moscow, Uzbekistan, Western, France

☆ Kanye West drew a swastika at a Yeezy meeting with Adidas and told a Jewish manager to kiss a photo of Hitler, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

More details of Kanye West's conduct during his partnership with Adidas were revealed by The New York Times. The rapper drew a swastika on a shoe design and told a Jewish employee to kiss a photo of Hitler, per the Times. In another detail of his troubling antisemitic behaviour, Ye told one Jewish manager at the company to kiss a picture of Hitler every day. The last Adidas Yeezy restock AdidasAdidas CEO Bjørn Gulden has defended Ye, saying that the rapper had been misunderstood. The company told the Times it had "no tolerance for hate speech and offensive behavior, which is why the company terminated the Adidas Yeezy partnership."

Persons: Kanye, Hitler, Ye, —, Adidas Yeezy, Bjørn Gulden Organizations: Adidas, The New York Times, Times, Service, New York Times, Adidas Adidas Locations: Germany

☆ Ukraine holds peace formula talks in Malta, Russia absent
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Christopher Scicluna | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Without Russia, which criticized Malta for hosting the talks after smaller ones this year in Jeddah and in Copenhagen, Zelenskiy said he longed for a day when human history "is the history of peace only." Officials said they hoped for the outcome of the weekend's gathering, partly in person, partly virtual, to be agreement to hold a global peace summit later this year. No official list of delegates to the talks was issued, but officials said they included representatives of European, South American, Arab, African and Asian countries. Simon Mordue of the European Council and Bjorn Seibert of the European Commission represented the EU, the official said. The parties would take necessary preparatory steps for a possible peace summit in future with no exact date yet fixed, the official said.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Ian Borg, Borg, Simon Mordue, Bjorn Seibert, Christopher Scicluna, Elaine Monaghan, Andrew Gray, Olena, David Evans, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, YouTube, Malta's, European Union, United, United Arab Emirates, European, European Commission, EU, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk, Russian, Rights VALLETTA, Malta, Israel, Kyiv, Jeddah, Copenhagen, China, Egypt, United Arab, Armenia, Mexico, Washington, Brussels

☆ UK watchdog finds potential NatWest 'regulatory breaches' in Farage fiasco
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Iain Withers | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Signage is seen for the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), the UK's financial regulatory body, at their head offices in London, Britain March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 27 (Reuters) - British watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority said on Friday that it had identified potential "regulatory breaches" in NatWest's handling of a decision to close former Brexit party leader Nigel Farage's accounts. NatWest said it would disclose a decision on whether to dock its former CEO Alison Rose's pay over the matter "as soon as possible". "This report, and additional information we have considered, has highlighted potential regulatory breaches and a number of areas for improvement," the FCA said in a statement, adding it was reviewing the firm's governance, systems and controls. Reporting by Carolyn Cohn and Iain Withers, editing by Lawrence WhiteOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Toby Melville, Nigel Farage's, Farage, Alison Rose's, Travers Smith, Alison Rose, Carolyn Cohn, Iain Withers, Lawrence White Organizations: FCA, Financial, Authority, REUTERS, British, NatWest, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

A man walks past ATM machines at branch of the NatWest bank in Manchester, Britain September 21, 2017. The bank's shares fell as much as 18% in early trading before closing down 12% - their largest daily drop since the Brexit vote in June, 2016. Farage said in a statement on Friday that he viewed the report as a "whitewash" and its findings "laughable". She added that the review showed she did not leak detailed financial information and had been unaware of "deeply unpleasant and unfair" internal staff comments made about Farage. A NatWest document unearthed by Farage in July found that an internal committee had deemed his views did not align with the bank's own.

Persons: Phil Noble, Nigel Farage, Coutts, Farage, Alison Rose, Travers Smith, Howard Davies, Rose, Mr Farage, Davies, Paul Thwaite, Rick Haythornthwaite, Iain Withers, Lawrence White, Samuel Indyk, Jason Neely, Sharon Singleton, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: NatWest, REUTERS, Financial Conduct Authority, Barclays, Rival, Lloyds, Thomson Locations: Manchester, Britain

☆ Ukraine to Rally Support at Malta Talks, Sees No Cracks in Allied Backing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The talks, which do not involve Russia, will help gauge Ukraine and the West's ability to drum up continued and broader support, particularly in the Global South, as the conflict in Israel dominates headlines, moving the focus from Kyiv. China, which has maintained close economic and diplomatic ties with Russia during the war, attended the talks in Jeddah. Zhovkva said Kyiv still aimed to convene a Global Peace Summit this year. Johnson said on Thursday that he had concerns about Ukraine funding in general and he wanted to understand the "end game" in Ukraine. Separately, in Brussels, most EU leaders said on Friday they backed a plan to support Ukraine with 50 billion euros ($53 billion) over the next four years, though Hungary and Slovakia voiced reservations ahead of a decision the bloc needs to take unanimously in December.

Persons: Tom Balmforth, Volodymyr Zelenskiy's, Ihor, Zhovkva, Josep Borrell, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Zelenskiy, Mr Johnson, Andrew Gray, Giles Elgood Organizations: Kyiv, Reuters, Global, Union, Ukraine, United Nations, U.S . House Locations: Malta, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Kyiv, Jeddah, Copenhagen, Moscow, Beijing, China, Zhovkva, Zelenskiy, Turkey, Saudi, Qatar, South Africa, United States, Washington, Brussels, Hungary, Slovakia

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines' third-quarter profit fell 30% to $193 million despite record revenue as leisure travel boomed over the summer. The airline's labor costs rose sharply, however, more than offsetting the increase in revenue. Shares of Southwest Airlines Co. slid nearly 5% before the opening bell. That helped the airline last year, but international travel has been stronger this year, boosting other airlines more than Southwest. All of the airlines face higher labor costs, but unlike its three closest rivals, Southwest has not reached agreement with its pilots on a new labor contract.

Persons: Robert Jordan Organizations: DALLAS, Airlines, Southwest, Southwest Airlines Co, Revenue, Labor Locations: United States, Southwest

☆ Southwest slows 2024 growth as demand moderates
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Southwest Airlines said Thursday it plans to slow its capacity growth next year, citing moderating travel demand as booking patterns shift back to pre-pandemic norms. Southwest will expand its flying between 10% and 12% in the first quarter of 2024 from a year earlier, down from a previous forecast of as much as 16% growth, Southwest said in an earnings release. Adjusting for the impact of labor contract adjustments and other one-time items, the company earned 38 cents per share. The company forecast negative margins in the last three months of the year, citing weaker demand even for year-end holidays. Southwest and Spirit shares were each down more than 4% in premarket trading, while Frontier was off 1%.

Persons: Bob Jordan, Ted Christie Organizations: Southwest Airlines, Airlines, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Department, Frontier Airlines, Frontier Locations: LSEG

AdvertisementAdvertisementYou can get Southwest's Companion Pass by earning 135,000 Rapid Rewards points within a year — and this credit card bonus will get you more than halfway there. This elevated welcome bonus is available on all three personal credit cards:AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit CardThe Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit CardAnd the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card Apply now lock icon An icon in the shape of lock. Annual fee Insider’s Take The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card is worth considering if you fly Southwest, even occasionally. Otherwise, have a look at other Southwest cards like the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, which have lower annual fees but the same elevated welcome bonus offer.

Persons: Nicolas Economou, Getty Images We're, —, We'll, you've, Miles, you'll Organizations: Rapid, Getty Images, Southwest, Rewards, Card, Southwest Airlines, Service, Southwest ®, FDIC, Rapid Rewards, Chase, eBay, Southwest Hotels Locations: U.S, Southwest

Russia has issued carefully calibrated criticism of both sides in the war between Israel and Hamas. It also expects the Israel-Hamas war to distract attention from the fighting in Ukraine and erode support for Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on towns in southern Israel. Unlike Putin, who carefully balanced his statements, other Russian officials were more blunt in their criticism of Israeli strikes on Gaza. But this position also threatens Russia's friendly ties with Israel, which hasn’t joined Western sanctions against Moscow or given weapons to Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Israel, ”, Putin, Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Konstantin Kosachev, Ramzan Kadyrov, assailing, hasn’t, Andrei Kortunov, Amir Weitmann, “, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Solovyov, Yevgeny Satanovsky, Mikhail Bogdanov, Maria Zakharova detests, ” Alexander Baunov, ” Izabella Tabarovsky Organizations: Kyiv, Washington, Security, U.S, British, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Moscow, Russian International Affairs Council, The, Likud, Kremlin, RT, Ukraine, Foreign, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Kennan Institute Locations: Russia, Israel, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, Gaza, Nazi, Leningrad, Palestinian, China, Beijing, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Chechnya, assailing Israel, Maria Zakharova detests Israel, israel, russia, ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration is likely to tighten crude oil sanctions against OPEC member Iran in response to the Islamic Republic's backing of Palestinian militant group Hamas, according to Helima Croft, head of global commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets. Her comments come ahead of a widely expected ground offensive by Israel into Gaza, a move that Croft believes could set the tone for the West's response to Iran. It has been more than two weeks since Israel announced a "complete siege" on the Gaza Strip, cutting off food, water, fuel and electricity supplies after a devastating Hamas attack. "It certainly looks like the United States is trying to delay an Israeli ground operation because they want to get out the hostages, they want to get out the hundreds of Americans that are trapped in Gaza, but the question is, is this going to be postponed indefinitely, but I think people are bracing for some type of escalation in Gaza," Croft told CNBC's Dan Murphy in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. She described the oil price reaction to the Israel-Hamas war as "sanguine" so far, but nevertheless said "a lot's going to hinge on what does a potential ground operation look like" and that a widening of the conflict into the broader Middle Eastern region could affect the crude supplies of Iran.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Helima Croft, Croft, CNBC's Dan Murphy Organizations: OPEC, Hamas, RBC Capital Markets, Israel Locations: Iran, Israel, Gaza, United States, Saudi Arabia

☆ Dov Charney is fighting over his Silver Lake mansion in bankruptcy court. Only problem: The court can't get rid of squatters like Milo Yiannopoulos and Ye's hanger-ons.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Dov Charney is trying to prevent his Silver Lake mansion from being sold in bankruptcy proceedings. A sprawling, 20-room estate, the Garbutt House is located in the gated Hathaway Hills Estates community in a residential neighborhood of Los Angeles. The structure was built with its original owner's deathly fear of fire in mind, the Times reported. He declined to respond to the Times reporter's questions about the Garbutt House, calling the requests "audacious and impertinent." It remains unclear whether he lives or has lived at the Garbutt House.

Persons: Dov Charney, Milo Yiannopoulos, —, Dov Charney slogs, Ian Connor, Milo Yiannopoulos —, Frank A, Charney, Connor, Brad Krasnoff, Krasnoff, Yiannopoulos, Eric Israel, Ye — Yiannopoulous, Bruce Marks Organizations: American Apparel, Service, Kanye West, Charney's, Los Angeles Times, Estates, Times, Los Angeles Apparel, Apex Locations: California, Hathaway, Los Angeles

REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - China is upping the critical minerals stakes by curbing exports of graphite, a key raw material in electric vehicle batteries. There is much potential for further escalation in this unfolding critical minerals battle between China and the West. Previous restrictions on lower-grade graphite exports destined for the steel and lubricants sectors have been rescinded. The world's graphite supply chain could well be in for a similar short-term shock. Western governments are still evaluating their response, waiting like the rest of us to see how China's graphite volumes play out in the coming months.

Persons: Fabian Bimmer, Wei Jianguo, Wei, Biden, Obama, Trump, Adam Hodge, China's Wei, David Evans Organizations: Volkswagen, REUTERS, Commerce, U.S, Chips, Benchmark Minerals, U.S . Department, Department of Defense, EV, World Trade Organization, European Union, WTO, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Salzgitter, Germany, China, U.S, Alaska, Australia, Japan

☆ Ivanka Trump spent 2.5 years distancing herself from dad Donald. Now she's back as a socialite — and partying with Kim Kardashian.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Ivanka Trump has spent the past two and half years publicly distancing from her father Donald Trump. But Mitra Ahouraian, an entertainment attorney with high-profile clients, said she wasn't surprised to see Ivanka Trump and Kardashian together. Ivanka was a Manhattan socialite before entering politics changed her reputationBefore her stint in politics, Ivanka Trump was an active Manhattan socialite, frequently appearing at red-carpet events and supporting various charitable causes. Ivanka Trump and Kim Kardashian have known each other for yearsAs for Kardashian's embrace of Ivanka Trump, their relationship goes back years. But after the birthday party showing this weekend, it's clear Ivanka Trump is visibly back in Kim Kardashian's circle, and has re-entered the role of Ivanka Trump, the socialite.

Persons: Ivanka, Kim Kardashian's, —, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump, it's, Donald Trump's, Kim Kardashian, Kardashian, Trump, Hailey Bieber, Lauren Sanchez, Jeff Bezos, Mitra Ahouraian, wasn't, Ahouraian, I'm, Robert Kardashian, OJ Simpson, Andrew Lieb, Lieb, she's, Donald, Jr, " Lieb, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, She's, Funke, JB Lacroix, Kushner, Kanye, Alice Marie Johnson, Jared Kushner, Kardashian's, Jared Organizations: Ivanka Trump, Service, Amazon, Trump Organization, House, Trump, Donald Trump White House Locations: Funke, Beverly Hills , California, Manhattan, Washington, New York, Los Angeles , California, Beverly Hills, West

☆ The Midwest is getting left behind as the rest of America sees big raises
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Median wage growth for the Midwest was just 0.4% from 2019 to 2022, compared to 5.7% in the Northeast. Declines in unionization and a lack of minimum wage raises have kept wage growth low. This is in contrast to the nation's 3.1% median wage growth during the same period. Workers in the Northeast saw a median wage growth increase of 5.7% during the three-year period, while the West rose 4.7%. Only half of Midwestern states experienced median wage growth since 2019, EPI found.

Persons: —, EPI, Nina Mast, Mast Organizations: Service, Economic, Institute, Workers, American, Union, Midwest, Pacific Locations: Midwest, Northeast, Louis, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Illinois, South Dakota , Missouri , Ohio, Iowa, , Kansas, Nebraska, Black, American

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