4 days ago
By Maximilian Heath
BUENOS AIRES, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Argentina's corn exports are expected to reach a record 10 million metric tons in August and September, driven by a ****** per harvest and strong international demand as buyers seek alternatives to Ukrainian supplies disrupted by war and European crops battered by extreme heat.
The world's third-largest corn exporter is wrapping up its 2025/26 harvest, estimated at 71.7 million tons, nearly 20% above the previous record set five years ago, according to government data.
"Argentine corn right now is very competitive in price and in volume," Gustavo Idigoras, head of the CIARA-CEC grains exporters and crushers chamber, told Reuters. Normal export volumes for August-September typically reach about 3 million tons, he added.
Idigoras said demand from North African countries — typically buyers of Ukrainian grain — has been the primary driver. "In the last months we've had meetings with several North African countries, who want to have deeper commercial ties with Argentine exporters," he said, without naming specific countries.
#idigoras
BUENOS AIRES, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Argentina's corn exports are expected to reach a record 10 million metric tons in August and September, driven by a ****** per harvest and strong international demand as buyers seek alternatives to Ukrainian supplies disrupted by war and European crops battered by extreme heat.
The world's third-largest corn exporter is wrapping up its 2025/26 harvest, estimated at 71.7 million tons, nearly 20% above the previous record set five years ago, according to government data.
"Argentine corn right now is very competitive in price and in volume," Gustavo Idigoras, head of the CIARA-CEC grains exporters and crushers chamber, told Reuters. Normal export volumes for August-September typically reach about 3 million tons, he added.
Idigoras said demand from North African countries — typically buyers of Ukrainian grain — has been the primary driver. "In the last months we've had meetings with several North African countries, who want to have deeper commercial ties with Argentine exporters," he said, without naming specific countries.
#idigoras
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17 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump arrives at an awkward moment for his presidency on Friday as the U.S.-Israel war against Iran reaches the six-month mark, a notable milestone for a conflict that the Republican leader repeatedly ****** ured Americans would be a "little excursion" lasting a matter of weeks.
The war isn't over, though Trump claims that through bombs and blockade, he has already devastated Iran's leadership, military and economy.
And this week his administration said it would turn its focus to increasing economic pressure — rather than military action — to try to finish off Iran. The shifting strategy centers on threats to punish any country or entity that continues to conduct business with Tehran.
The turn to using sanctions as the cudgel of choice comes as the administration weighs diminished munitions stockpiles after months of war, sparking concerns that the prolonged conflict could undermine U.S. military readiness in other parts of the globe.
As the conflict grinds on, Trump's talk of finding a quick end to the war also appears to be fading. He stressed this week that he's "not in a hurry" to get Iran back to the negotiating table, and he continues making the case that the Islamic Republic's leadership is on the ropes.
#Trump
The war isn't over, though Trump claims that through bombs and blockade, he has already devastated Iran's leadership, military and economy.
And this week his administration said it would turn its focus to increasing economic pressure — rather than military action — to try to finish off Iran. The shifting strategy centers on threats to punish any country or entity that continues to conduct business with Tehran.
The turn to using sanctions as the cudgel of choice comes as the administration weighs diminished munitions stockpiles after months of war, sparking concerns that the prolonged conflict could undermine U.S. military readiness in other parts of the globe.
As the conflict grinds on, Trump's talk of finding a quick end to the war also appears to be fading. He stressed this week that he's "not in a hurry" to get Iran back to the negotiating table, and he continues making the case that the Islamic Republic's leadership is on the ropes.
#Trump
22 days ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to visit Ireland next month to attend the Irish Open golf tournament at his golf course in Doonbeg in County Clare on the country's Atlantic coast, according to a White House official.
The trip is the most recent example of how the president blurs the line between official business and travel in ways that can benefit his family business. His sons have taken over day-to-day control of the Trump Organization, but the September trip once again lays bare how Trump has leveraged his second term to pad his family's profits in a variety of ways.
Trump is scheduled to be in Ireland on Sept. 12 and 13 and will join an event with U.S. embassy workers and business officials before attending the golf tournament at Trump International Golf Links Ireland in Doonbeg, according to the White House official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump's course in Bedminster, New Jersey, hosted a LIV golf tournament in August. Another Trump course at Doral in South Florida is scheduled to host a PGA event, the Cadillac Championship, in March 2028, and Trump has talked about his course in Turnberry, Scotland, hosting the British Open, which it last did in 2009, before Trump bought the resort. A return of the British Open to that property continues to face major logistical hurdles.
Last summer, Trump went to Scotland for five days to golf at Turnberry and later inaugurated a new Trump golf course in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire. The White House refused to call that midsummer jaunt a vacation, but insisted it was a working trip — and Trump found time between games to talk about trade with then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
#ireland #british
The trip is the most recent example of how the president blurs the line between official business and travel in ways that can benefit his family business. His sons have taken over day-to-day control of the Trump Organization, but the September trip once again lays bare how Trump has leveraged his second term to pad his family's profits in a variety of ways.
Trump is scheduled to be in Ireland on Sept. 12 and 13 and will join an event with U.S. embassy workers and business officials before attending the golf tournament at Trump International Golf Links Ireland in Doonbeg, according to the White House official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump's course in Bedminster, New Jersey, hosted a LIV golf tournament in August. Another Trump course at Doral in South Florida is scheduled to host a PGA event, the Cadillac Championship, in March 2028, and Trump has talked about his course in Turnberry, Scotland, hosting the British Open, which it last did in 2009, before Trump bought the resort. A return of the British Open to that property continues to face major logistical hurdles.
Last summer, Trump went to Scotland for five days to golf at Turnberry and later inaugurated a new Trump golf course in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire. The White House refused to call that midsummer jaunt a vacation, but insisted it was a working trip — and Trump found time between games to talk about trade with then-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
#ireland #british
24 days ago
By Dan Peleschuk
KYIV, Aug 20 (Reuters) - A bid by ousted Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov to broaden a political fight with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy by calling for wartime elections appears to have backfired, failing to win over protesters who had demanded his return.
Zelenskiy's decision to sack the tech-savvy and reform-minded minister in a government reshuffle in July triggered protests in Kyiv and other cities.
Many of the protesters said the dismissal of the popular young minister was poorly explained and could threaten Ukraine's war effort against Russia, and continued protests throughout the summer to demand Zelenskiy reinstate him.
Despite the protests, parliament on Wednesday approved a new defence minister chosen by Zelenskiy and later that day only a few dozen people remained in a central Kyiv square where thousands once joined rare wartime protests.
#minister #zelenskiy #defence #wartime
KYIV, Aug 20 (Reuters) - A bid by ousted Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov to broaden a political fight with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy by calling for wartime elections appears to have backfired, failing to win over protesters who had demanded his return.
Zelenskiy's decision to sack the tech-savvy and reform-minded minister in a government reshuffle in July triggered protests in Kyiv and other cities.
Many of the protesters said the dismissal of the popular young minister was poorly explained and could threaten Ukraine's war effort against Russia, and continued protests throughout the summer to demand Zelenskiy reinstate him.
Despite the protests, parliament on Wednesday approved a new defence minister chosen by Zelenskiy and later that day only a few dozen people remained in a central Kyiv square where thousands once joined rare wartime protests.
#minister #zelenskiy #defence #wartime
29 days ago
LONDON (AP) — A British sociologist who resigned last week from the University of Cambridge following weeks of public accusations of plagiarism and media scrutiny was found dead Friday.
Jason Arday, who was 37 when he became Cambridge's youngest Black professor in 2023, resigned after he came under intense media pressure, with weeks of allegations about plagiarism in his academic work and questions surrounding claims about his athletic and fundraising accomplishments.
The Times and Telegraph newspapers, along with the BBC and Sky News, reported that Arday, 41, was found "unresponsive" inside a home in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon.
News of his death comes the same week as the release of his memoir, "Great and Unfortunate Things," a highly anticipated work that Simon & Schuster had decided to release despite the doubts about his credibility. In a statement issued through his publisher, Arday's family said that they were "in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son."
"The campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone," the family said, adding that for three years Arday was "subjected to a campaign of sustained abuse ... by those who would leave no stone unturned in their quest to undermine him."
#arday #london #Friday #weeks
Jason Arday, who was 37 when he became Cambridge's youngest Black professor in 2023, resigned after he came under intense media pressure, with weeks of allegations about plagiarism in his academic work and questions surrounding claims about his athletic and fundraising accomplishments.
The Times and Telegraph newspapers, along with the BBC and Sky News, reported that Arday, 41, was found "unresponsive" inside a home in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon.
News of his death comes the same week as the release of his memoir, "Great and Unfortunate Things," a highly anticipated work that Simon & Schuster had decided to release despite the doubts about his credibility. In a statement issued through his publisher, Arday's family said that they were "in shock to have lost this amazing father, partner, brother, uncle and son."
"The campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone," the family said, adding that for three years Arday was "subjected to a campaign of sustained abuse ... by those who would leave no stone unturned in their quest to undermine him."
#arday #london #Friday #weeks
30 days ago
Texas state representative and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico's campaign responded after a resurfaced video of his comments on the Bible and education sparked outrage.
A clip resurfaced this week of Talarico, a Christian seminarian, speaking in a video hosted by the Center for American Progress Action Fund in 2025. In the clip, the host asked Talarico about his legislative battles with "Christian Nationalists," meaning people who consider America to be an inherently Christian nation.
The portion that went viral recently when Talarico blasted the "most insidious" legislation he fought to stop while serving in Texas government, claiming one bill required schools in the state to teach Bible stories as historical fact. He argued that this amounted to pushing "propaganda" on children and was not just bad for state schools, but for society overall.
"It was a new state curriculum that would teach Christian Bible stories as historical fact, as the only truth to our youngest students, and I mean kindergarten, first graders," he said. "These are kids who aren't able to think for themselves yet. They haven't formed their own worldviews."
Texas Dem Nominee James Talarico Invokes Faith To Defend Abortion Rights, 'The Bible Is Silent On Abortion'
#talarico #texas #james #abortion
A clip resurfaced this week of Talarico, a Christian seminarian, speaking in a video hosted by the Center for American Progress Action Fund in 2025. In the clip, the host asked Talarico about his legislative battles with "Christian Nationalists," meaning people who consider America to be an inherently Christian nation.
The portion that went viral recently when Talarico blasted the "most insidious" legislation he fought to stop while serving in Texas government, claiming one bill required schools in the state to teach Bible stories as historical fact. He argued that this amounted to pushing "propaganda" on children and was not just bad for state schools, but for society overall.
"It was a new state curriculum that would teach Christian Bible stories as historical fact, as the only truth to our youngest students, and I mean kindergarten, first graders," he said. "These are kids who aren't able to think for themselves yet. They haven't formed their own worldviews."
Texas Dem Nominee James Talarico Invokes Faith To Defend Abortion Rights, 'The Bible Is Silent On Abortion'
#talarico #texas #james #abortion
1 month ago
The Trump administration is enlisting private companies to conduct cyberattacks on foreign cybercriminals in a major policy shift that experts say could come with legal risk for the companies.
The move gives vetted companies a prominent role in hacking operations that have historically been the dominion of US law enforcement, spy and military agencies.
Companies can use cyber tools to surveil foreign criminals and disrupt their networks under the "control and oversight" of the new federal program, according to a memo issued Wednesday by President Donald Trump.
The program's goal is to punish foreign criminal groups that cause Americans billions of dollars in annual losses. The program's remit is foreign criminal groups, not governments.
"American businesses' innovative capabilities have historically been underutilized in efforts to identify and disrupt criminal networks operating in cyberspace," the memo says.
#Companies #memo
The move gives vetted companies a prominent role in hacking operations that have historically been the dominion of US law enforcement, spy and military agencies.
Companies can use cyber tools to surveil foreign criminals and disrupt their networks under the "control and oversight" of the new federal program, according to a memo issued Wednesday by President Donald Trump.
The program's goal is to punish foreign criminal groups that cause Americans billions of dollars in annual losses. The program's remit is foreign criminal groups, not governments.
"American businesses' innovative capabilities have historically been underutilized in efforts to identify and disrupt criminal networks operating in cyberspace," the memo says.
#Companies #memo
1 month ago
The Queensway Tunnel in Merseyside is closed after a serious crash involving an off-road bike, police have said.
Merseyside Police said it was contacted at 13:05 BST with reports of a one-vehicle collision on the Birkenhead-bound carriageway.
Motorists are being urged to avoid the area while police deal with the incident.
Merseytravel said all river-crossing bus services will face delays and will be re-routed via the Kingsway Tunnel until further notice.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
#motorists #kingsway
Merseyside Police said it was contacted at 13:05 BST with reports of a one-vehicle collision on the Birkenhead-bound carriageway.
Motorists are being urged to avoid the area while police deal with the incident.
Merseytravel said all river-crossing bus services will face delays and will be re-routed via the Kingsway Tunnel until further notice.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
#motorists #kingsway
1 month ago
While investors fixate on the AI boom, a warning from a group of Wall Street bankers whose job is to help the U.S. government borrow went unnoticed.
In minutes released Aug. 5, the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee—a panel of senior bond dealers and investors, known as TBAC, that advises the Treasury on its own funding—warned that at current auction sizes, the government faces a $1.45 trillion funding shortfall in fiscal 2027–28.
What that means takes a primer to understand how Washington actually borrows. The Treasury doesn't take out one huge annual loan, rather, it raises cash by selling debt at regularly scheduled auctions. The shortest-dated IOUs, sometimes called "T-bills," come due in a year or less, while the longer-dated notes and bonds — known as "coupons" — run anywhere from two to 30 years.
The T-bills offer Washington, now, a rare opportunity to borrow money for the cheap.
At the time of writing, the three-month bill yielded around 3.8%, while the 10-year Treasury yield sat around 4.6%, and the 30-year at a multi-decade high above 5%. So what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has done is lean unusually hard on the cheaper rate today to finance a roughly $2 trillion annual deficit. That holds down reported borrowing costs but leaves the government more exposed to inflation and rising rates.
#year #known #funding
In minutes released Aug. 5, the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee—a panel of senior bond dealers and investors, known as TBAC, that advises the Treasury on its own funding—warned that at current auction sizes, the government faces a $1.45 trillion funding shortfall in fiscal 2027–28.
What that means takes a primer to understand how Washington actually borrows. The Treasury doesn't take out one huge annual loan, rather, it raises cash by selling debt at regularly scheduled auctions. The shortest-dated IOUs, sometimes called "T-bills," come due in a year or less, while the longer-dated notes and bonds — known as "coupons" — run anywhere from two to 30 years.
The T-bills offer Washington, now, a rare opportunity to borrow money for the cheap.
At the time of writing, the three-month bill yielded around 3.8%, while the 10-year Treasury yield sat around 4.6%, and the 30-year at a multi-decade high above 5%. So what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has done is lean unusually hard on the cheaper rate today to finance a roughly $2 trillion annual deficit. That holds down reported borrowing costs but leaves the government more exposed to inflation and rising rates.
#year #known #funding
1 month ago
The mother and grandmother who were found dead along with four children inside an upstate New York apartment allegedly plotted the family's murder-suicide to escape reported abuse, investigators said Tuesday.
Mechanicville, New York, Police Department Chief William Rabbitt told reporters that after more than a month of collecting evidence, investigators had an apparent motive for Amy Steadman, 64, and her daughter Sarah Myers, 44.
WTEN - PHOTO: Police at the scene of a reported poisoning in Mechanicville, N.Y., June 24, 2026.
The mother and daughter and Myers' four children, Harper Harmon, 13, Hudson Harmon, 11, Gavin Harmon, 10, and Gracelynn Harmon, 10, were found dead on June 23 after they weren't seen for over a week.
Grandmother suspected in deaths of 4 grandchildren, daughter in New York home: Police
#june #grandmother #found
Mechanicville, New York, Police Department Chief William Rabbitt told reporters that after more than a month of collecting evidence, investigators had an apparent motive for Amy Steadman, 64, and her daughter Sarah Myers, 44.
WTEN - PHOTO: Police at the scene of a reported poisoning in Mechanicville, N.Y., June 24, 2026.
The mother and daughter and Myers' four children, Harper Harmon, 13, Hudson Harmon, 11, Gavin Harmon, 10, and Gracelynn Harmon, 10, were found dead on June 23 after they weren't seen for over a week.
Grandmother suspected in deaths of 4 grandchildren, daughter in New York home: Police
#june #grandmother #found
1 month ago
A husband and wife found dead inside their North Carolina home are believed to have died in a murder-suicide, investigators say.
Stephen Larnell Willetts and Tracey Parker Willetts were both found shot dead inside their Wilmington, North Carolina, home on Thursday.
The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office said, "Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, detectives believe this to be a murder-suicide in which the wife fatally shot her husband before taking her own life."
Stephen and Tracey Willetts were found shot dead inside their Wilmington, North Carolina, home in what deputies are calling a murder-suicide.
Tiktok Influencer Who Accused Estranged Husband Of Pedophilia Found Dead In Possible Murder-suicide
#inside
Stephen Larnell Willetts and Tracey Parker Willetts were both found shot dead inside their Wilmington, North Carolina, home on Thursday.
The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office said, "Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, detectives believe this to be a murder-suicide in which the wife fatally shot her husband before taking her own life."
Stephen and Tracey Willetts were found shot dead inside their Wilmington, North Carolina, home in what deputies are calling a murder-suicide.
Tiktok Influencer Who Accused Estranged Husband Of Pedophilia Found Dead In Possible Murder-suicide
#inside
1 month ago
Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith said Thursday that former White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci should have answered lawmakers' questions during the hostile Senate hearing earlier this week instead of invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.
Smith argued that Fauci owed the public an explanation after serving as the face of the nation's COVID-19 response.
"As it strictly pertains to the coronavirus pandemic, my attitude is, with you being the face that you have been, you can't show up on Capitol Hill and plead the Fifth 111 times," he told NewsNation's Chris Cuomo. "You just can't do that. That's not right. You've got to answer some questions."
During a three-hour hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Fauci pleaded the Fifth 111 times as Republicans blasted him over his handling of the pandemic and accused the doctor of covering up the U.S.'s involvement in gain-of-function research that could have caused the spread of the virus.
Smith acknowledged that Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly 40 years, may have had a legitimate legal reason to remain silent — pointing to a pardon he received from former President Biden on his final day in office for potential offenses between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 19, 2025.
#smith
Smith argued that Fauci owed the public an explanation after serving as the face of the nation's COVID-19 response.
"As it strictly pertains to the coronavirus pandemic, my attitude is, with you being the face that you have been, you can't show up on Capitol Hill and plead the Fifth 111 times," he told NewsNation's Chris Cuomo. "You just can't do that. That's not right. You've got to answer some questions."
During a three-hour hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Fauci pleaded the Fifth 111 times as Republicans blasted him over his handling of the pandemic and accused the doctor of covering up the U.S.'s involvement in gain-of-function research that could have caused the spread of the virus.
Smith acknowledged that Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly 40 years, may have had a legitimate legal reason to remain silent — pointing to a pardon he received from former President Biden on his final day in office for potential offenses between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 19, 2025.
#smith
2 months ago
A Russian missile violated Polish airspace on Thursday, a NATO official told Business Insider.
Ukrainian jets tried to destroy the Russian missiles before any crossed into Poland, Warsaw said.
The missile flew for six minutes before crashing roughly 60 miles deep into Poland.
Ukrainian fighter jets tried to shoot down Russian missiles near the border with Poland on Thursday; however, at least one breached Polish airspace, Western officials said.
US Army Col. Martin O'Donnell, a spokesperson for NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, told Business Insider NATO and Poland activated their air and ground defenses "in response to a Russian missile of currently unknown type that entered Polish airspace" and crashed inside the country.
#russian #polish #missile #insider
Ukrainian jets tried to destroy the Russian missiles before any crossed into Poland, Warsaw said.
The missile flew for six minutes before crashing roughly 60 miles deep into Poland.
Ukrainian fighter jets tried to shoot down Russian missiles near the border with Poland on Thursday; however, at least one breached Polish airspace, Western officials said.
US Army Col. Martin O'Donnell, a spokesperson for NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, told Business Insider NATO and Poland activated their air and ground defenses "in response to a Russian missile of currently unknown type that entered Polish airspace" and crashed inside the country.
#russian #polish #missile #insider
2 months ago
A former college soccer player has been identified as the 26-year-old woman found dead in the waters off San Diego's La Jolla Shores Beach as investigators work to determine what happened.
Emergency personnel responded around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday after reports of an unresponsive person floating in shallow water, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said. Bryn Waite was ****** ounced dead at the scene.
The body was found near the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier, FOX 5 San Diego reported.
Sled Joins Probe As Body Matching Missing South Carolina Personal Trainer's Description Found
Bryn Waite, a former Central Washington University soccer player, was found dead in the waters off San Diego's La Jolla Shores Beach on July 22, 2026.
#dead #jolla #bryn
Emergency personnel responded around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday after reports of an unresponsive person floating in shallow water, the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said. Bryn Waite was ****** ounced dead at the scene.
The body was found near the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier, FOX 5 San Diego reported.
Sled Joins Probe As Body Matching Missing South Carolina Personal Trainer's Description Found
Bryn Waite, a former Central Washington University soccer player, was found dead in the waters off San Diego's La Jolla Shores Beach on July 22, 2026.
#dead #jolla #bryn
2 months ago
BEIJING, July 27 (Reuters) - Profits at China's industrial firms grew at a solid, though slower, pace as resilient exports helped cushion sluggish domestic demand, highlighting the economy's uneven recovery despite policymakers' efforts to spur consumption.
Exports and industrial production have done much of the heavy lifting for the world's second-largest economy. Persistent weakness in consumption and the property sector, however, helped drag second-quarter growth to its slowest pace in more than three years, keeping calls alive for further policy support to address economic imbalances.
Industrial profit growth eased to 15.1% in June from 21.1% in May, while first-half profits rose 18.7% from a year earlier, compared with an 18.8% increase in the January-to-May period, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Monday.
"If this recovery can be sustained, it will be a good sign for the rest of the economy, as a return of profits growth could give companies room to resume wage growth," said Lynn Song, chief economist of Greater China at ING.
The figures add to evidence of a two-speed recovery in the world's second-largest economy, where manufacturers have benefited from robust overseas demand, while sectors tied to domestic spending continue to struggle.
#profits #economy #exports
Exports and industrial production have done much of the heavy lifting for the world's second-largest economy. Persistent weakness in consumption and the property sector, however, helped drag second-quarter growth to its slowest pace in more than three years, keeping calls alive for further policy support to address economic imbalances.
Industrial profit growth eased to 15.1% in June from 21.1% in May, while first-half profits rose 18.7% from a year earlier, compared with an 18.8% increase in the January-to-May period, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Monday.
"If this recovery can be sustained, it will be a good sign for the rest of the economy, as a return of profits growth could give companies room to resume wage growth," said Lynn Song, chief economist of Greater China at ING.
The figures add to evidence of a two-speed recovery in the world's second-largest economy, where manufacturers have benefited from robust overseas demand, while sectors tied to domestic spending continue to struggle.
#profits #economy #exports
2 months ago
In a week where an AI model went rogue and broke out of a secure test environment—and in a year where seemingly all we're hearing is how AI can displace large swaths of the workforce—it may come as a surprise when one of the tech's most prominent voices is pushing an optimistic view of the tech, joining the many in his field who have recently walked back comments of how it could negatively impact workers.
"As we enter this next wave with AI, we continue to believe the future is for everyone," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote as the caption to a short video on Thursday, harkening back to the company's early years of tech optimism.
"Call us optimists, call us dreamers, call us whatever the ****** you want, but we're betting on people, and we like those odds," the voiceover in the video said.
The video featured montages of people using Instagram, Whatsapp, FaceBook and Meta's Ray-Ban glasses to film touching moments and connect with loved ones, with the backdrop of concerts and snowboarding and laughing children set to calm music as the voiceover framed Meta's AI efforts as doubling down on betting on people, just like the company did 22 years ago with FaceBook.
Marketing experts told Fortune that the Meta video's reliance on nostalgic imagery seemed like a way to redirect attention from AI concerns and to buffer against growing AI fears.
#like #we 're #back #years
"As we enter this next wave with AI, we continue to believe the future is for everyone," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote as the caption to a short video on Thursday, harkening back to the company's early years of tech optimism.
"Call us optimists, call us dreamers, call us whatever the ****** you want, but we're betting on people, and we like those odds," the voiceover in the video said.
The video featured montages of people using Instagram, Whatsapp, FaceBook and Meta's Ray-Ban glasses to film touching moments and connect with loved ones, with the backdrop of concerts and snowboarding and laughing children set to calm music as the voiceover framed Meta's AI efforts as doubling down on betting on people, just like the company did 22 years ago with FaceBook.
Marketing experts told Fortune that the Meta video's reliance on nostalgic imagery seemed like a way to redirect attention from AI concerns and to buffer against growing AI fears.
#like #we 're #back #years
2 months ago
Following President Donald Trump's remarks during a primetime address to the nation accusing China of election interference, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, lambasted the president for his focus on unsubstantiated claims of election fraud.
Here's what Fetterman said as he rebuked Trump's recent election fraud claims.
Fetterman chided Trump for his continued insistence that extensive voter fraud swung the 2020 presidential election.
"I don't know why the president is dragging up all of this stuff," Fetterman said on CNN's July 19 "State of the Union." "You're the president. Do something positive, and you are talking about 2020."
Fetterman's criticism comes after Trump flip-flopped on criticisms toward China, initially alleging that the country had interfered in the 2018 midterms and the 2020 presidential election, but later saying he believed China had changed.
#claims #donald
Here's what Fetterman said as he rebuked Trump's recent election fraud claims.
Fetterman chided Trump for his continued insistence that extensive voter fraud swung the 2020 presidential election.
"I don't know why the president is dragging up all of this stuff," Fetterman said on CNN's July 19 "State of the Union." "You're the president. Do something positive, and you are talking about 2020."
Fetterman's criticism comes after Trump flip-flopped on criticisms toward China, initially alleging that the country had interfered in the 2018 midterms and the 2020 presidential election, but later saying he believed China had changed.
#claims #donald
2 months ago
Authorities are searching for suspects who struck Saquon Barkley's home. The frightening invasion happened near Philadelphia when the running back and his family were inside. Police say no one was harmed. NBC News' Morgan Chesky has the story.
2 months ago
NEW YORK (AP) — A New York man who was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend as she pushed their baby in a stroller was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years to life in prison, prosecutors said.
A jury convicted Isaac Argro in May of murder in the 2022 death of Azsia Johnson. Prosecutors said Argro gunned her down on a street by a Manhattan playground after he persuaded her to meet so he could give her things for their 3-month-old daughter.
"Azsia Johnson was a loving parent who left an abusive relationship and began to rebuild her life. Her dreams of moving forward were brought to a horrific end" by Argro, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
A message seeking comment was sent to a lawyer for Argro, who is 26.
Prosecutors have said Argro physically and emotionally abused Johnson, 20. She ultimately left him but was "determined to give co-parenting a try," the D.A. said in a statement this spring.
A jury convicted Isaac Argro in May of murder in the 2022 death of Azsia Johnson. Prosecutors said Argro gunned her down on a street by a Manhattan playground after he persuaded her to meet so he could give her things for their 3-month-old daughter.
"Azsia Johnson was a loving parent who left an abusive relationship and began to rebuild her life. Her dreams of moving forward were brought to a horrific end" by Argro, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
A message seeking comment was sent to a lawyer for Argro, who is 26.
Prosecutors have said Argro physically and emotionally abused Johnson, 20. She ultimately left him but was "determined to give co-parenting a try," the D.A. said in a statement this spring.
2 months ago
Weight-loss medications have surged in popularity over the last few years, with more than two million people in the UK now using them.
But while drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro have helped people reduce their weight, they also seem to be reshaping some users' spending habits.
Mounjaro and Wegovy - the UK's most popular weight-loss medications - work by mimicking a natural hormone, GLP-1, which regulates hunger, and those who use them say they find their appetite is reduced.
In June, market research company Worldpanel by Numerator published a study looking at how this affects grocery spending among UK users. The research was based on survey responses and observed purchase data from more than 11,000 households in February.
A key finding was that households with at least one GLP-1 user spent on average £418 less on groceries in the year after they began their medication, compared with non-users.
But while drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro have helped people reduce their weight, they also seem to be reshaping some users' spending habits.
Mounjaro and Wegovy - the UK's most popular weight-loss medications - work by mimicking a natural hormone, GLP-1, which regulates hunger, and those who use them say they find their appetite is reduced.
In June, market research company Worldpanel by Numerator published a study looking at how this affects grocery spending among UK users. The research was based on survey responses and observed purchase data from more than 11,000 households in February.
A key finding was that households with at least one GLP-1 user spent on average £418 less on groceries in the year after they began their medication, compared with non-users.
2 months ago
ATLANTA (AP) — Egypt coach Hossam Hassan broke away from discussing his team's upcoming World Cup round of 16 match against Argentina to give an impassioned monologue about the plight of the Palestinian people.
Hassan, who waved a Palestinian flag after Egypt's victory over Australia in the last round, spoke for more than four minutes on the subject on Monday and was applauded by many of the ******* embled media.
“If there is anyone in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human — whether they are Arab, European, or American,” Hassan said at news conference to preview Egypt's game against defending champion Argentina on Tuesday.
More than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, largely displaced and living amid ruins, face uncertainty after a war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel’s retaliation has killed a total of 73,066 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
“Everywhere in the world, including in Europe or America, if someone hurts an animal, we see animal rights being defended and the whole world reacts,” Hassan said. “It has become normal to hear that two or three thousand people die in a single day because of a missile.”
Hassan, who waved a Palestinian flag after Egypt's victory over Australia in the last round, spoke for more than four minutes on the subject on Monday and was applauded by many of the ******* embled media.
“If there is anyone in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human — whether they are Arab, European, or American,” Hassan said at news conference to preview Egypt's game against defending champion Argentina on Tuesday.
More than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, largely displaced and living amid ruins, face uncertainty after a war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel’s retaliation has killed a total of 73,066 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
“Everywhere in the world, including in Europe or America, if someone hurts an animal, we see animal rights being defended and the whole world reacts,” Hassan said. “It has become normal to hear that two or three thousand people die in a single day because of a missile.”
2 months ago
By Julia Symmes Cobb
LA GUAIRA, VENEZUELA, July 4 (Reuters) - Juan Zapata had just eaten dinner in his fifth-floor apartment overlooking the Caribbean and was about to take a shower when he was thrown across the room by the force of the twin earthquakes that ripped across Venezuela's coast 10 days ago.
He spent two days and seven hours trapped in the rubble, wedged between two pieces of rebar, before civilian rescuers pulled him out.
"When they were rescuing me I said, 'I'm on the fifth floor' and they told me, 'no, you're in the lower basement.' I couldn't believe what had happened to me," Zapata said, as he stood next to his cot in a field hospital in La Guaira state run by disaster relief group Samaritan's Purse.
Zapata was initially treated at the public hospital in La Guaira, the site hardest hit by the quakes, and came to the field hospital after visiting his building, Costa Brava, and finding it destroyed.
LA GUAIRA, VENEZUELA, July 4 (Reuters) - Juan Zapata had just eaten dinner in his fifth-floor apartment overlooking the Caribbean and was about to take a shower when he was thrown across the room by the force of the twin earthquakes that ripped across Venezuela's coast 10 days ago.
He spent two days and seven hours trapped in the rubble, wedged between two pieces of rebar, before civilian rescuers pulled him out.
"When they were rescuing me I said, 'I'm on the fifth floor' and they told me, 'no, you're in the lower basement.' I couldn't believe what had happened to me," Zapata said, as he stood next to his cot in a field hospital in La Guaira state run by disaster relief group Samaritan's Purse.
Zapata was initially treated at the public hospital in La Guaira, the site hardest hit by the quakes, and came to the field hospital after visiting his building, Costa Brava, and finding it destroyed.
2 months ago
El Niño has formed in the Pacific Ocean and is expected to intensify in the coming months, meteorologists say.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday that El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific and could "strengthen rapidly".
"El Niño conditions are already underway and are forecast to strengthen rapidly into a strong event, as accurately anticipated by WMO forecasts," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. "This will intensify the chances of drought and heavy rainfall and the risk of heatwaves on land and marine heatwaves in many regions of the world."
It said latest data indicated a "rapid development" into a strong El Niño event during July–September 2026
Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially confirmed the arrival of El Niño, a prolonged period of warming sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, which affects weather patterns across the globe.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday that El Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific and could "strengthen rapidly".
"El Niño conditions are already underway and are forecast to strengthen rapidly into a strong event, as accurately anticipated by WMO forecasts," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. "This will intensify the chances of drought and heavy rainfall and the risk of heatwaves on land and marine heatwaves in many regions of the world."
It said latest data indicated a "rapid development" into a strong El Niño event during July–September 2026
Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officially confirmed the arrival of El Niño, a prolonged period of warming sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, which affects weather patterns across the globe.
3 months ago
An Argentine soccer player for a Venezuelan second division team has lost his wife and two children after last week's earthquakes, the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century.
Lucas Trejo, who plays for Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira, had spent much of the last three days combing through rubble and looking for signs of his wife Yanina and their children Aarón and Ainhoa.
Trejo's brother-in-law Ricardo Ardiles told CNN Español Friday the soccer player was "emotionally overwhelmed" and that "absolutely nothing" was left of the family's beachfront home in La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas.
More than 1,400 people died and thousands more are missing in Venezuela, authorities said Sunday.
Trejo, 38, was at a team training camp in Caracas when the two earthquakes struck, CNN Español reported. He immediately rushed to his home in La Guaira, 18 miles north of the capital.
Lucas Trejo, who plays for Club Sport Marítimo La Guaira, had spent much of the last three days combing through rubble and looking for signs of his wife Yanina and their children Aarón and Ainhoa.
Trejo's brother-in-law Ricardo Ardiles told CNN Español Friday the soccer player was "emotionally overwhelmed" and that "absolutely nothing" was left of the family's beachfront home in La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas.
More than 1,400 people died and thousands more are missing in Venezuela, authorities said Sunday.
Trejo, 38, was at a team training camp in Caracas when the two earthquakes struck, CNN Español reported. He immediately rushed to his home in La Guaira, 18 miles north of the capital.
3 months ago
On Friday afternoon a small plane appeared to evade some of the world's strictest aviation controls and slam into the tallest skyscraper in Beijing, the 109-story CITIC Tower that dominates the city's skyline, killing the pilot and injuring 13 other people.
The crash sent shards of glass and aircraft debris plummeting hundreds of feet down to the streets below as office workers left for the weekend, causing panic in the heart of China's most protected city.
A short while later, it was like nothing had happened.
All references to the incident – and the shocking footage of it – had been scrubbed from Chinese social media. The government initially did not publicly acknowledge any incident had taken place. State media – including the country's national broadcaster CCTV, headquartered across the road from the crash site – made no mention of the incident.
That's thanks to the work of China's army of censors and the Communist authorities' obsessive control over information – particularly concerning events they believe may bring negative attention or consequences
The crash sent shards of glass and aircraft debris plummeting hundreds of feet down to the streets below as office workers left for the weekend, causing panic in the heart of China's most protected city.
A short while later, it was like nothing had happened.
All references to the incident – and the shocking footage of it – had been scrubbed from Chinese social media. The government initially did not publicly acknowledge any incident had taken place. State media – including the country's national broadcaster CCTV, headquartered across the road from the crash site – made no mention of the incident.
That's thanks to the work of China's army of censors and the Communist authorities' obsessive control over information – particularly concerning events they believe may bring negative attention or consequences
3 months ago
By Tim Kelly, Maki Shiraki and Yoshifumi Takemoto
TOKYO, June 25 (Reuters) - U.S. defence firm Anduril Industries is in talks to acquire Nissan Motor's Oppama **** embly plant near Tokyo as the maker of autonomous weapons looks to build military drones in **** an, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
While they say no decision has been made, any deal could transform one of **** an's first large-scale postwar car factories, long a symbol of its industrial revival, into an arms-making hub.
The talks over Oppama, which Reuters is reporting for the first time, come as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government seeks to expand defence manufacturing amid growing concern that a Taiwan Strait crisis could draw in **** an and run down weapons stocks.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory, has not ruled out using force to bring it under control.
TOKYO, June 25 (Reuters) - U.S. defence firm Anduril Industries is in talks to acquire Nissan Motor's Oppama **** embly plant near Tokyo as the maker of autonomous weapons looks to build military drones in **** an, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
While they say no decision has been made, any deal could transform one of **** an's first large-scale postwar car factories, long a symbol of its industrial revival, into an arms-making hub.
The talks over Oppama, which Reuters is reporting for the first time, come as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government seeks to expand defence manufacturing amid growing concern that a Taiwan Strait crisis could draw in **** an and run down weapons stocks.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as part of its territory, has not ruled out using force to bring it under control.
3 months ago
For the third time in four years, we appear on the brink of a prime minister announcing their plan to leave office, not because they have lost a general election but because their own party has concluded they would be better off without them.
Many people within government and in the wider Labour Party expect Sir Keir Starmer to say just this, perhaps as soon as this morning.
Four years ago, and three prime ministers ago, Boris Johnson was running the country.
He was arguing defiantly he would carry on, but that defiance drained away as it became clear his capacity to viably govern was deserting him.
In early July 2022, I was standing in Downing Street as the lectern appeared and Johnson set out that, despite winning a big majority just a handful of years before, his own MPs were fed up of him and so reluctantly he was standing down.
Many people within government and in the wider Labour Party expect Sir Keir Starmer to say just this, perhaps as soon as this morning.
Four years ago, and three prime ministers ago, Boris Johnson was running the country.
He was arguing defiantly he would carry on, but that defiance drained away as it became clear his capacity to viably govern was deserting him.
In early July 2022, I was standing in Downing Street as the lectern appeared and Johnson set out that, despite winning a big majority just a handful of years before, his own MPs were fed up of him and so reluctantly he was standing down.
3 months ago
MOSCOW, June 18 (Reuters) - The head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom on Thursday accused Ukraine of killing a key worker in a drone attack near the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine.
There was no immediate response from Ukraine and Reuters could not independently verify the statement.
Russia took control of the plant, the largest nuclear power station in Europe, soon after its forces entered Ukraine in 2022 and both sides regularly accuse each other of endangering its safety with military action.
Alexei Likhachev, head of Rosatom, said in a statement that Ukrainian drones had attacked the nearby city of Enerhodar on Wednesday, where most of the station's employees live.
He said one power plant employee working at a repair workshop had been killed and that doctors were fighting for the life of a second employee injured in the same attack.
There was no immediate response from Ukraine and Reuters could not independently verify the statement.
Russia took control of the plant, the largest nuclear power station in Europe, soon after its forces entered Ukraine in 2022 and both sides regularly accuse each other of endangering its safety with military action.
Alexei Likhachev, head of Rosatom, said in a statement that Ukrainian drones had attacked the nearby city of Enerhodar on Wednesday, where most of the station's employees live.
He said one power plant employee working at a repair workshop had been killed and that doctors were fighting for the life of a second employee injured in the same attack.
3 months ago
By John Kruzel
WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a former high school student's free-speech challenge to an Indiana public school district's policy that barred her from displaying a flyer with an anti-abortion message on school walls.
The justices turned away the former student's appeal of a lower court's decision that the ****** lesville Schools district's policy did not violate the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protections against government abridgment of freedom of speech.
The former student, who has since graduated, is known in court papers as "E.D." due to her status as a minor when her parents Michael and Lisa Duell filed the 2021 lawsuit against the school district, which is located outside Indianapolis.
The dispute arose in connection with an anti-abortion student club called ****** lesville Students for Life, a local chapter of Students for Life of America, that E.D. formed during her freshman year at ****** lesville High School.
WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a former high school student's free-speech challenge to an Indiana public school district's policy that barred her from displaying a flyer with an anti-abortion message on school walls.
The justices turned away the former student's appeal of a lower court's decision that the ****** lesville Schools district's policy did not violate the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protections against government abridgment of freedom of speech.
The former student, who has since graduated, is known in court papers as "E.D." due to her status as a minor when her parents Michael and Lisa Duell filed the 2021 lawsuit against the school district, which is located outside Indianapolis.
The dispute arose in connection with an anti-abortion student club called ****** lesville Students for Life, a local chapter of Students for Life of America, that E.D. formed during her freshman year at ****** lesville High School.
