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Musk revealed those plans on Tuesday at the company's annual meeting, an about-face for the celebrity executive who recently acquired social media platform Twitter. Musk told CNBC he did not yet have a "fully formed strategy" for Tesla advertising. Tesla spent $151,947 on advertising in the U.S. in 2022, according to advertising intelligence firm Vivvix, which measured ads across places including TV, social media, Web banners and billboards. Diaz-Ortiz is a former Twitter manager who has written books about the social media company. Thomas Martin, senior portfolio manager at Tesla shareholder Globalt Investments, sees Musk's embrace of advertising as a positive.

On top of the GOP gubernatorial primary in Kentucky, there are other contests taking place on Tuesday that could provide some clues about 2024 — even though it’s hard to draw too many lessons from individual races. Voters are also heading to the polls in Pennsylvania, which is hosting a crowded Democratic primary for Philadelphia mayor. Two races will also provide some insight into voter attitudes in two key counties in two crucial battlegrounds. In other Pence news, he will attend Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst’s “Roast and Ride” event next month, per Fox News (former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is also attending). Jumping in: Former state Rep. Leslie Love jumped into the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan on Monday.

☆ Tesla applies to expand Shanghai plant, add pouch battery cell output
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 16 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has applied for regulatory clearance to expand its Shanghai plant and to begin producing for the first time pouch-type battery cells, albeit in small numbers. It was not clear how Tesla would use the pouch cells, which it has not previously used in its electric vehicles. Pouch cells, widely used in consumer electronics, differ from the cells Tesla has used for EVs in that the battery components are housed in a more flexible metal bag rather than a rigid cylinder. Tesla’s Shanghai plant, its largest worldwide, produced about 726,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in 2022, more than half of the automaker’s global sales. Tesla is also seeking to ramp up production of cylindrical, 4680 battery cells in China and has brought in new suppliers to cut costs, Reuters has reported.

☆ OpenAI CEO wows lawmakers at closed dinner: 'Fantastic…forthcoming'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spoke to an engaged crowd of about 60 lawmakers at a dinner Monday about the advanced artificial technology his company produces and the challenges of regulating it. The wide-ranging discussion that lasted about two hours came ahead of Altman's first time testifying before Congress at a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on privacy and technology hearing on Tuesday. The dinner discussion comes at a peak moment for AI, which has thoroughly captured Congress' fascination. "There isn't any question where he pulls back on anything," she said, adding that lawmakers had very thoughtful things to ask. Khanna said the question of openness of the model is something he's discussed with Altman before, though not at Monday's dinner.

But attendees said they made progress, including through an agreement to turn the multilateral debt limit negotiations into direct one-to-one talks between a close ally of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and two White House aides, on Biden's behalf. The White House said Biden "directed staff to continue to meet daily on outstanding issues. It was "a good and productive meeting," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who noted that it was "more cordial" than a previous meeting last week. The White House also said Tuesday that it would cancel the second leg of the president's upcoming international trip, given the delicate state of the debt ceiling negotiations. His return will set up a critical stretch in the efforts to avoid a first-ever default on U.S. debt and prevent major economic damage.

It was well below expectations for a 10.9% increase in a Reuters poll of analysts although it marked the quickest growth rate since September 2022. Retail sales jumped 18.4%, speeding up sharply from a 10.6% increase in March for their fastest increase since March 2021. The growth target for this year is set at a low level, which leaves room for the government to wait and see." China has set a modest growth target of about 5% in 2023, after badly missing last year's goal. ($1 = 6.9121 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Ellen Zhang, Joe Cash, Albee Zhang and Kevin Yao Editing by Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Western lead buyers remain reliant on China's exports to smooth out the global supply chain. WESTERN MARKET STILL TIGHTChinese inflows have helped nudge LME stocks higher. U.S. buyers are paying up to 20 cents/lb ($440 per tonne) over the LME cash price to secure spot metal, according to Fastmarkets. Europe, however, should fare better this year thanks to the restart of the Stolberg lead smelter in Germany. The difference between the pace of production and usage recovery explains the narrowing global supply gap this year.

☆ After Mishap-Laden Masters, McIlroy Seeks a Sharper Swing and a Clearer Mind
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Alan Blinder | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — About six weeks ago — that is, a missed Masters Tournament cut, a self-imposed hiatus and a tie for 47th at the Wells Fargo Championship ago — Rory McIlroy talked about pies. “It’s just putting all those ingredients in and setting the oven to the right temperature and letting it all sort of come to fruition.”This week’s P.G.A. But a victory or a strong showing would quiet the doubts that have arisen around McIlroy, who is No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking but perpetually shadowed by his failure to capture a major championship since 2014. Despite his membership at Oak Hill, McIlroy has been reluctant to declare some sort of home-course advantage since he, after all, lives in Florida.

☆ Tesla 2023 shareholder meeting: Musk says Tesla will try advertising
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In an aerial view, Tesla Corporate Headquarters are seen on January 03, 2023 in Travis County, Texas. Tesla CEO Elon Musk addressed shareholders at the company's annual meeting on Tuesday, predicting the economy would pick up after 12 months and promising the company would deliver production Cybertrucks later this year. Addressing the long delays to the angular electric pickup, Musk lamented some of the manufacturing challenges and said, "Sorry for the delay. During the Q&A session, an attendee dressed like a robot with a cowboy hat, asked Musk if Tesla would build an RV or a camper. Musk said on Tuesday, "We'll try out a little advertising and see how it goes."

☆ A micro influencer created a pitch proposal instead of a media kit to land brand deals. Here's the template that got her paid partnerships with Fishbowl, Aavrani, and more.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Shriya Bhattacharya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Maesha Shonar created a pitch proposal instead of a standard media kit to land brand deals. She created her own pitch proposal instead, inspired by her work experience at consulting firm Ernst and Young. Here's the exact three-page pitch proposal template Shonar created and has used to land paid partnerships:Page 1 of Shonar's pitch proposal. Maesha ShonarPage 2 of Shonar's pitch proposal. Maesha ShonarPage 3 of Shonar's pitch proposal.

☆ How Reuters pinpointed bat-virus risk zones worldwide
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Areas where conditions are similar are more prone to spillover, scientists say. The Reuters analysis, which assessed spillover risk through 2020, has proven to have some predictive power. Similar statistical models are used widely to analyze data in ecology, and researchers use them to understand spillover risk. More than one of every five people on the planet is living in areas where the risk is highest for spillover. Using epidemic modeling software called GLEAMviz, the news agency simulated a worldwide pandemic originating from the spillover of a theoretical novel virus.

☆ Lawmakers in three states consider abortion bans at 12 weeks or less
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Julia Harte | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In North Carolina, the Republican-controlled state Senate voted to override Democratic Governor Roy Cooper's veto of a bill banning most abortions after 12 weeks. The state House was expected to override the veto later on Tuesday evening. Near-total abortion bans have taken effect in 14 states since the Supreme Court ruling, according to the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights advocacy research group. The bill under consideration by the state House on Tuesday was a heavily amended version of that measure. Democratic lawmakers last week filed 1,000 amendments to the House version, ensuring that debate would last for dozens of hours, since lawmakers may speak for six minutes for and against each amendment.

[1/4] Twitter, X Corp., and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses with French President Emmanuel Macron prior to their talks, Monday, May 15, 2023 at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France. Some 200 business leaders attending the event in Versailles close to Paris have so far made commitments to invest a combined 13 billion euros ($14 billion), the most since Macron first held the summit in 2018, his office said. Musk, who also lunched with Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, said he was confident Tesla would make "significant investments" in France in the future, without giving a timetable. "No announcement today but I am very impressed with President Macron and the French government and how welcoming they are," he told reporters. Morgan Stanley plans to increase headcount in France by 200 by 2025, bringing total staff in the country to 500.

Biden highlighted his administration’s work to prevent gun violence in a weekend op-ed that called out Congress to do more on the issue. Plus, they want to invest early in Florida, hoping to prove the state isn’t truly off the map for Democrats. Thinking about it: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who has been weighing a run for president, told Politico he will decide before late June. Rick Perry didn’t rule out running for president again in an interview with CNN, and wouldn’t endorse Trump. Jim Justice’s office to obtain his official calendar, NBC News first reports.

PARIS, May 14 (Reuters) - France is poised to win record foreign investment pledges when President Emmanuel Macron receives global business leaders, including Tesla's Elon Musk, on Monday at the annual Choose France summit in Versailles. Executives attending the event in Versailles close to Paris have so far made commitments to invest a combined 13 billion euros ($14 billion), the most since Macron first held the summit in 2018. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla (TSLA.O), met Macron at his official residence the Elysee Palace. France previously tried to convince Musk to build a European gigafactory in the country, but he chose Germany, his only European gigafactory so far. PALATIAL BACKDROPOver the last five years, Macron has invited top CEOs to the opulent Versailles Palace to try to secure billions in foreign investments.

The NESDC kept its 2023 GDP growth forecast unchanged at between 2.7% and 3.7%. It also kept its forecast for 2023 foreign tourist arrivals at 28 million. Thailand beat its tourism target in 2022 with 11.15 million foreign visitors. Pre-pandemic 2019 saw a record of nearly 40 million foreign tourists, who spent 1.91 trillion baht ($56 billion). The NESDC also kept its 2023 forecasts for goods exports to drop 1.6% and headline inflation to be between 2.5% and 3.5%.

☆ Bat-wielding attacker injures Virginia congressman's district office staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Rebecca Shabad | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) listens at a news conference outside of the U.S. Capitol Building on June 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. "This morning, an individual entered my District Office armed with a baseball bat and asked for me before committing an act of violence against two members of my staff. He said his focus is on ensuring his staff members receive the care they need. "My District Office staff make themselves available to constituents and members of the public every day. His district office is in Fairfax, Virginia, which is less than 15 miles from downtown Washington.

☆ Treasury Secretary Yellen reaffirms U.S. could run out of money to pay bills by early June
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal speak to the press after holding a bilateral meeting at the U.S. Treasury Department Building in Washington, D.C., U.S. April 13, 2023. WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reaffirmed to Congress on Monday that the United States could default on its debt as early as June 1. The Democratic majority Senate is expected to back whatever the White House negotiates with the GOP controlled House. "In fact, we have already seen Treasury's borrowing costs increase substantially for securities maturing in early June," said Yellen. "If the debt limit remains unchanged, there is significant risk that at some point in the first two weeks of June, the government will no longer be able to pay all of its obligations," said the CBO report.

☆ I'm a UI engineer at Citadel who's worked at Netflix and Google. Here are 7 important lessons that have been critical to my rise at Ken Griffin's $57 billion hedge fund.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Bianca Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Kristofer Baxter leads a team of about 20 UI engineers at Citadel, a $57 billion hedge fund. I started my career at a golf tee-time reservation company, then worked in roles at Netlflix, LinkedIn, and Google. But it's really important to be quick. We work really closely with front-office partners and investment professionals so we know what to build. The really important thing there is that you can't be afraid of scale, or even failure.

☆ Elon Musk is giving Tesla shareholders reason for bullishness after his big Twitter announcement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Wedbush maintained its outperform rating for Tesla, and shared a 12-month price target of $215, or about 27% higher than the current share price. The long wait times for vehicles, according to Piper Sandler, is a bullish sign because it means demand is robust. "The answer is complex, because wait times don't solely reflect consumers' appetite for buying Teslas vs. other cars." In effect, the lengthy wait times should be "interpreted favorably," in Potter's view. Piper Sandler's price target for Tesla is $280 a share, or more than 65% higher from current levels.

☆ Biden optimistic about a debt limit deal, but McCarthy says White House isn't being serious
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden sounds optimistic about the odds of reaching a deal with Republicans to raise or suspend the debt limit in time to avoid economic fallout from even a potential U.S. debt default. Biden also characterized the talks underway between White House liaisons and congressional aides as "a negotiation," a notable choice of words after months of insisting that he would not "negotiate" over the debt limit. The White House said the three-day delay should be viewed as a sign of progress in the talks. "The meetings have been productive over the past few days and leaders wanted to continue before they regrouped," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday. Democrats have spent months blasting House Republicans' proposal, which demands sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for agreeing to pass a debt limit hike.

☆ Human DNA can now be pulled from thin air and sequenced
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Scientists have been able to collect and analyze detailed genetic data from human DNA from all these places, raising thorny ethical questions about consent, privacy and security when it comes to our biological information. Environmental DNA has been obtained from air, soil, sediment, water, permafrost, snow and ice cores and the techniques are primarily being used to help track and protect endangered animals. However, the ability to capture human DNA from the environment could have a range of unintended consequences — both inadvertent and malicious, they added. They termed this information “human genetic bycatch” and decided to study the phenomenon in greater depth. We cannot avoid shedding DNA in the public space,” Moreau, who was not involved in this study, said via email.

☆ Who is Sam Altman? The man behind ChatGPT is about to have his moment on Capitol Hill
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —For a few months in 2017, there were rumors that Sam Altman was planning to run for governor of California. Altman, the CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind viral chatbot ChatGPT and image generator Dall-E, is set to testify before Congress on Tuesday. Maybe I’m wrong?’ Thank God someone with so much power has so much humility.”Others want Altman and OpenAI to move more cautiously. OpenAI co-founder & CEO Sam Altman speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 at Moscone Convention Center on October 03, 2019 in San Francisco, California. Similar generative AI technology is quickly finding its way into productivity and search tools used by billions of people.

☆ Goalkeeper scores from inside his own penalty area in wild ending to Mexican soccer match
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Goalkeeper Santiago Ramírez scored an absurd long-range goal to cap off a wild semifinal between his Atlético Morelia team and Celaya in Mexico’s Liga de Expansión. Trailing 2-1 in the second leg and 3-2 on aggregate, Celaya threw everything forward in a desperate attempt to find an equalizer in stoppage time. With Revuelta and the rest of his teammates attempting to run back to their unguarded goal, Ramírez let fly with a booming kick out of his hands that sent the ball into the opposition net, bouncing just twice in the penalty area on the way. Santiago Ramírez aprovechó que el arquero de los Toros fue a rematar y con este despeje anotó el 1-3 definitivo en el Miguel Alemán. It was a fitting end to a chaotic game that featured five red cards – two for Celaya and three for Morelia – and four goals.

☆ At the P.G.A. Championship, Justin Thomas Looks for Last Year’s Magic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Bill Pennington | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Five years ago, when Justin Thomas came to the 2018 P.G.A. Thomas was 25 and the winner of one major championship. Championship as the defending champion. Championship in Tulsa, Okla., Thomas has endured the bumpy, maddening irregularity typical of any golf career (amateur or professional). A month earlier, he stumbled to a tie for 60th at the Players Championship, an event he won two years ago.

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