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☆ Rising commodities prices could be a tailwind for Caterpillar and these industrial names
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Seema Mody | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The outlook for the global mining industry is strong going into 2023, aided by higher commodity prices, Denise Johnson, group president at Caterpillar , told CNBC. Palladium, copper and gold prices are hitting new highs this week as investors eye China's reopening and anticipate a recovery in demand for these commodities. U.S. industrial names that could get a lift from miners' increased capex spend include Caterpillar and Kennametal , according to Jefferies. International names that may also benefit include Komatsu, Hitachi Construction Machinery, Weir Group, Epiroc and Sandvik, the firm noted. Bank of America analysts upgraded Caterpillar to a buy rating on Friday, citing China's reopening and increased infrastructure spending.

☆ Barbie's creator wanted Ken to have more of a 'bulge' — but Mattel refused to give the doll a prominent crotch
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Barbie creator Ruth Handler wanted the Ken doll to have a "bulge," she wrote in her autobiography. "Both the all-male design and marketing staffs, however, disagreed, so the groin on the first Ken doll was as smooth as Barbie's." "Ruth felt the design team lacked 'the guts' to give the Ken doll even the suggestion of male sex organs," Gerber wrote. "But Ruth was not political or prone to dwell on the root of cultural standards," Gerber wrote. A range of Barbie dolls for sale during the 2015 National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention.

☆ Vivid new photos give you a rare look at the South China Sea islands that a top US commander says China has fully militarized
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Beijing has used both natural and artificial islands to build up its military capabilities in the area. Island airbasesAn airfield, buildings, and structures on the artificial island built by China at Subi Reef on October 25. Port for Chinese warshipsAn airfield, buildings, and structures on the artificial island at Fiery Cross Reef on October 25. More than 40 vessels of different types appear to be anchored near Fiery Cross, the Associated Press said in March. These islands have sports fieldsAn airfield, buildings, and recreational facilities on the artificial island at Fiery Cross Reef on October 25.

☆ 5 big military moments that took place on Christmas Day
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

1868 — US President Andrew Johnson pardons former Confederate soldiersPresident Andrew Johnson Pardoning Rebels at the White House en.wikipedia.orgNearly a century later, on Christmas Day 1868, US President Andrew Johnson extended a full pardon and amnesty "to all and to every person who, directly or indirectly, participated in the late insurrection or rebellion." At war's end, however, he seemed to determine to punish those who had rebelled to preserve the institution of slavery. The day after being sworn in as the nation's president, Johnson said that "treason must be made infamous, and traitors must be impoverished." Prior to this blanket Christmas Day amnesty, southerners who had fought for the Confederacy could obtain a pardon provided only that they swore allegiance to the Union (top officials were excluded). Under "Proclamation 179," pardons were extended "to every person who, directly or indirectly, participated in the late insurrection."

☆ Defeated Georgia GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker was 'absolutely shocked' he didn't win 100% of the vote in Johnson County, where he grew up: report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Walker was "shocked" he didn't 100% of the vote in his home county last month, per The Daily Beast. The Republican carried Johnson County 74%-26% over Warnock, but was still taken aback by the result. While Walker received 2,484 votes to Warnock's 869 votes in Johnson County in November, Kemp earned 2,504 votes compared to Abrams' 867 votes. On Tuesday, Warnock defeated Walker in the runoff 51.4%-48.6%, earning a full six-year term in the Senate and denying Republicans a much-desired win. And Warnock gained ground in Johnson County in the runoff compared to the November election, winning 967 votes (29%) to Walker's 2,419 votes (71%).

☆ Colorado grandmother sues police detective following SWAT raid based on false 'Find my iPhone' ping
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The complaint specifies Johnson is suing Staab “in his individual capacity.” Johnson is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages, according to the filing. The complaint contends that Staab's affidavit violated Johnson's right, afforded by the state constitution, to "be free of unreasonable searches and seizures." Staab then used that claim as the basis for the raid, according to a copy of the affidavit obtained by NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver. The filing claims that Staab "acknowledged to Ms. Johnson’s children the harm his DPD officers caused to Ms. Johnson’s well-being, home, and personal property," but that he told them the police department wouldn't pay for repairs from the search. Neither Staab nor the police department apologized for the raid, according to the complaint.

Khorry Ramey entered the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri, on Tuesday morning to visit her father, Kevin Johnson, for a final time. Khorry Ramey with her father, Kevin Johnson, and her son, Kiaus. While she could not be inside the prison, Johnson's witnesses included his spiritual adviser, the Rev. Khorry Ramey and her father, Kevin Johnson. Kevin Johnson at the courthouse in Clayton, Mo., in 2007.

A 19-year-old Missouri woman can't be a witness to her father's execution after a judge ruled Friday that a state law barring her from being present because of her age is constitutional. Kevin Johnson, 37, has been in prison since Ramey was 2 for the 2005 killing of William McEntee, a police officer in Kirkwood, Missouri. But Missouri law says that no person younger than 21 can witness an execution. Johnson's fate remains unclear after a motion asking for his execution to be halted was filed by a special prosecutor, Edward Keenan. The Missouri Attorney General's Office, however, believes Johnson's execution should go on and that "the surviving victims of Johnson's crimes have waited long enough for justice."

☆ Germany angrily denies claim by Boris Johnson that it wanted Ukraine to quickly lose to Russia when it invaded
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Germany slammed comments from Boris Johnson about its attitude to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Johnson said on Monday that Germany initially wanted Ukraine to "fold" to get it over quickly. Hebestreit pointed to Germany's military support to Ukraine as evidence that it did not want it to lose. Despite being politically embattled domestically throughout the Ukraine conflict, Johnson developed close ties with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before he stepped down and was widely celebrated in Ukraine. Ultimately, Johnson told CNN, the EU has "done brilliantly" despite his initial "anxiety" about member states' reactions to Putin's aggression.

Her death, first reported by local news outlets in North Carolina and Black-centered blog sites, was heart-wrenching to Black social media users. Now, less than a month later, her family, social media users and experts are acknowledging the power of Black social media support, saying it was crucial keeping attention on her case. Black social media is extremely powerful.”Social media users have also used the #SayHerName hashtag when amplifying Robinson’s story. This isn’t the first time Black social media users have used their platform to draw attention to injustice. The professor, Ijeoma Opara, wanted to support the child’s interest in science, and social media users made it possible.

☆ 19-year-old asks court to let her watch father’s execution
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

ST. LOUIS — A 19-year-old woman is asking a federal court to allow her to watch her father’s death by injection, despite a Missouri law barring anyone under 21 from witnessing an execution. Kevin Johnson faces execution Nov. 29 for killing Kirkwood, Missouri, Police Officer William McEntee in 2005. Meanwhile, Johnson has requested that his daughter, Khorry Ramey, attend the execution, and she wants to be there. The ACLU’s court filing said the law barring under 21s serves no safety purpose and violates Ramey’s Constitutional rights. In a court filing last week to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office stated there were no grounds for court intervention.

Elon Musk's Twitter account displayed on a mobile with Elon Musk in the background are seen in this illustration. Leaders of major civil rights groups are denying accusations made by Elon Musk, who said they broke an agreement with him by encouraging companies to halt advertising on Twitter . "The main person responsible for the Twitter advertiser exodus is Elon Musk. "We're basically asking Elon Musk, who we all know is a rather creative person, to take leadership in this area," Cooper said. Under Musk's leadership, Twitter rolled out and promptly rolled back a Twitter Blue Verified subscription service, after users who purchased the badges were able to impersonate celebrities, politicians and brands.

☆ Former MMA fighter Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson dies at 38
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, an MMA light heavyweight fighter who went 23-6 in his career, has died. Bellator MMA announced Johnson’s death on social media on Sunday. A Bellator spokesman said Johnson had been ill for more than a year. Johnson competed in three weight classes for the UFC and established a reputation as a powerful puncher and a fan favorite for his aggressive, striking-based approach in MMA. Johnson retired in 2017 from the UFC after his second title loss to Cormier, but he returned to competition with Bellator for one bout in 2021 before his health problems worsened.

☆ Q4 is typically full of big paydays for creators, but this year they're having mixed results
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Here are the trends in Q4 marketing deals and ad rates this holiday season. The last quarter of the year is typically the busiest season for influencers, with holiday campaigns and end-of-year deals leading to lucrative payouts. While some are seeing brands spend more than ever, others say the number of deals — and the dollar amounts — have held steady compared to last year. In 2020, for instance, some holiday campaigns began as early as August. Johnson said typically his team begins working on holiday campaigns in early to mid-September.

☆ Obama barnstorms Midwest in play to salvage Democrats' 'Blue Wall'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Natasha Korecki | Natasha Korecki Is A Senior National Political Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

MILWAUKEE — Barack Obama did the unthinkable in his 2008 presidential bid, turning out voters in droves to solidify a “Blue Wall,” with decisive wins in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. "Look, listen — hey, hold on, hold on — hold on, hold up — hold on a minute! In both Wisconsin and Michigan, Obama discussed reproductive rights for women. Obama dominated Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania in 2008 and 2012, only for Donald Trump to capture those same states in 2016. The Senate race is tied.

☆ Western economies rediscover meaning of scarcity
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Edward Chancellor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Western companies, which outsourced production to China and other emerging markets, found themselves less constrained by their domestic workforces. China’s rising exports lowered the prices of traded goods, dampening inflationary pressures and allowing Western central banks to cut interest rates to their lowest levels in history. In the 1970s, economists worried that fiscal deficits would lead to higher interest rates and lower investment. Western governments now face constraints that are common in developing countries, relating to fiscal policy, inflation and financial stability. To reduce the burden of their war debts, governments in Europe and the United States held interest rates below inflation.

☆ Factbox: Dominic Raab returns to government as deputy PM under Sunak
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - British lawmaker Dominic Raab was appointed deputy prime minister and minister of justice on Tuesday, returning to the roles he held for a year until September. Here are five facts about Raab:- Raab, 48, lost his roles as deputy prime minister and justice minister when Liz Truss entered Downing Street earlier this year and has been a staunch supporter of now Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in two leadership campaigns. - As deputy prime minister under Boris Johnson, Raab had to step in when the former leader was hospitalised in intensive care with COVID-19 in April 2020. - Raab is a hardline eurosceptic, who long campaigned for Britain to leave the European Union and was appointed to Brexit minister in 2018 by another former prime minister, Theresa May. - Raab ran against Johnson to become leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister in 2019.

☆ Johnson & Johnson's blood cancer therapy gets U.S. FDA approval
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Khushi Mandowara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ.N) therapy for treating a type of multiple myeloma, the company said on Tuesday, giving another treatment option to patients with the incurable blood cancer. Tecvayli is a bispecific antibody, which is engineered to redirect body's immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells. It is the first drug of its class to be approved for multiple myeloma. Though multiple myeloma is rare compared to breast or prostate cancer, it is a common type of blood cancer, which develops in the bone marrow and can spread throughout the body. According to the American Cancer Society's estimates, close to 35,000 new cases of multiple myeloma are likely to be diagnosed in the United States this year.

We now have our third Tory prime minister in seven weeks — Rishi Sunak, a former finance minister. But perhaps one of the most head-scratching moments of this whole ordeal was how Boris Johnson’s supporters were pushing for him to make a comeback following Liz Truss’ disastrous 44 days as prime minister. He won by default without the vote being decided online by all Conservative Party members, as planned. Of course, limiting the decision of a new prime minister to the members of one party alone is undemocratic. That just scratches the surface of the damage he did as prime minister.

Then, the former finance minister repeatedly described his predecessor's ideas as "fairytale" economics that would spook the markets. He will also be the first person of colour to become Britain's prime minister. "I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and I could not even imagine a non-white prime minister in my lifetime... COVID CHAMPIONSunak rose swiftly up the ranks of the Conservative Party, becoming, in 2020, one of the youngest finance ministers. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Britain, Sunak dropped the Conservatives' small-state instincts to borrow massively and stave off the risk of an economic depression.

Sunak, the 42-year-old former finance minister, could be named leader as soon as Monday to replace Liz Truss, becoming Britain's third prime minister in less than two months. "The United Kingdom is a great country but we face a profound economic crisis," Sunak said in a statement declaring his candidacy on Sunday. Should she fail to hit the threshold, Sunak would become prime minister. "He's not taking anything for granted at all," interior minister Grant Shapps, a supporter of Sunak, told BBC television. If chosen, the former Goldman Sachs analyst would be the United Kingdom's first prime minister of Indian origin.

☆ Rishi Sunak closes in on Downing Street after Boris Johnson pulls out of leadership race
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Rishi Sunak could be elected leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister of the U.K. if he receives enough votes from fellow lawmakers Monday. LONDON — Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak looks set to become the next prime minister of the U.K., with votes to be counted Monday afternoon. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was Sunak's biggest competition, but he dropped out of the race late Sunday. The only remaining contender for the leadership position is Penny Mordaunt, a former defense minister, who came behind Sunak in the original contest to take charge of the Conservative Party in September. It remains unclear how many Conservative lawmakers who backed Johnson will now move to support Sunak or Mordaunt.

☆ Johnson battling to win support for fresh PM bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Leading figures who previously backed Johnson, came out in support for former finance minister Sunak ahead of a first vote by Conservative lawmakers on Monday. Johnson was forced out of office in July when Sunak quit, triggering a wider rebellion that prompted Johnson's ministers to resign en masse. Baker said the country now needed a period of stability after Truss sparked turmoil in finance markets, and that meant not voting for Johnson again. "What we can't do is have him in as prime minister in circumstances where he's bound to implode, taking down the whole government with him," he said. Mordaunt-backer Damian Green dismissed reports that she was struggling to meet the threshold, telling Sky News that she would not pull out.

☆ Boris Johnson battling to win support for fresh prime minister bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives at Gatwick Airport in London, after returning from the Caribbean on Oct. 22, 2022. Johnson is trying to garner enough support to launch a bid to replace Liz Truss who resigned as prime minister. Boris Johnson was fighting to get enough support to become Britain's next prime minister on Sunday after prominent figures on the right-wing of the Conservative Party coalesced around the man once accused of betraying him, Rishi Sunak. Leading figures who previously backed Johnson, came out in support for former finance minister Sunak ahead of a first vote by Conservative lawmakers on Monday. "I'm afraid the trouble is because of the privileges vote, Boris would be a guaranteed disaster."

Johnson previously enjoyed high levels of popularity until losing credibility in the final months of his premiership. Gleb Garanich | ReutersLONDON — Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not take part in the contest to replace outgoing leader Liz Truss. Johnson is believed to still be popular in the grassroots of the wider Conservative Party despite many Tory MPs being firmly against a return. "There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members — and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday. How the contest worksTruss' successor will once again be decided by a Conservative Party leadership contest drawn from a short-list of candidates.

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