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Harris running mate Gov. Tim Walz owns no stocks, bonds or real estate, disclosure shows 2024-08-07 21:36:00+00:00 - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the running mate of Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, speaks during a campaign rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Aug. 7, 2024. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, owns no stocks, bonds or real estate, according to his most recent financial disclosure. Walz's salary as governor of Minnesota is $127,629. He was eligible for a raise last year to $149,550, but he chose not to accept it, according to the state. If Walz is elected vice president in November, he would make an annual salary of $284,600, based on 2024 rates. In 2019, after Walz was elected governor, he and his wife sold their Mankato, Minnesota, home and moved into the governor's mansion. They listed the four-bedroom house for $315,000, after buying it in 1997 for $145,000. Walz's modest financial profile stands in stark contrast to that of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who is a billionaire several times over, and to Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Forbes estimates Vance's net worth, based on publicly reported investments and cash, to be between $3 million and $10 million. Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, listed securities investments personally owned worth between $800,000 and $1.75 million, and personal cash holdings of between $550,000 and $1.1 million. Federal disclosure reports typically require filers to disclose amounts within ranges, rather than specific sums. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, has investments worth at least $1 million and at least $250,000 in cash. Harris and Emhoff own a home in Brentwood, California, worth an estimated $5 million. Walz's financial disclosure as governor does not list the value of any cash kept in bank accounts.
Google Workspace VP Bob Frati has left after just over a year at the company 2024-08-07 21:35:42+00:00 - By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Thanks for signing up! Go to newsletter preferences Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Robert Frati, a leader on Google's Workspace, has departed the company, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Google spokesperson Ted Ladd confirmed Frati had left to "explore other opportunities." Frati joined Google last April as VP and general manager of Workspace go-to-market, running the team responsible for selling Google's suite of productivity tools to customers. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. He was a notable hire at a critical moment for Google, which had started furiously building new generative AI features into its Workspace suite of apps, which includes Gmail, Docs and Meet. He joined Google from Slack, where he was the company's chief sales and success officer. He's previously held VP roles at the company, and before that was at Salesforce for a decade (Salesforce acquired Slack in 2021). Advertisement The exact reason for Frati's departure from Google is unclear, but Google's Workspace unit has seen some major shifts over the last two years. Javier Soltero, who previously ran Workspace, left in July 2022. Greg Tomb, VP of sales, left around the same time. Last July, Workspace VP Kelly Waldher also departed. After Soltero left, Aparna Pappu stepped up to run the unit and has spearheaded work integrating Google's new Gemini features (briefly known as Duet AI) into Workspace. Related stories Whether sprinkling new AI features over Workspace will lead to more sales remains to be seen. One company exec lamented that Google was struggling to land "new logos" – big business customers it can boast about – despite the promise of new AI features. "Both Copilot and Gemini are half-baked products," that exec said. Advertisement Google did not respond to a request for comment from BI. Microsoft has also failed to impress some customers with its new AI tools. One customer of the company's Office 365 Copilot said recently that the software wasn't providing enough value, comparing the AI tools to "middle-school presentations."
The new Miss USA went from West Point to the pageant stage 2024-08-07 21:33:06+00:00 - By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Before competing at her first pageant, all Alma Cooper had was just her mom and a dream. She competed at Miss Michigan Teen USA 2016 in a dress from Facebook Marketplace, which her mother had bejeweled with hundreds of beads. Eight years later, Cooper was named the new Miss USA. "I can't even put into words this surreal feeling," Cooper told Business Insider after she won the crown in Los Angeles on Sunday night. "I have so much gratitude toward the shoulders that I stand upon and all the people who have supported me to get to this point." This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Cooper has dreamed of winning Miss USA since she was a little girl. Gilbert Flores/Getty Images Advertisement A longtime pageant fan Cooper, a second lieutenant and military intelligence officer in the US Army, had always dreamed of walking across the Miss USA stage. Related stories "Pageants were like the Super Bowl in my household," she recalled with a laugh. Cooper's mother had also competed in state pageants when she was young, saving up for the fees by teaching dance classes in her community. When Cooper set her sights on Miss Michigan Teen USA, she followed in her mother's footsteps. Cooper competing at the 2024 Miss USA pageant. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images "I got a job at Auntie Anne's, the pretzel shop, so I could pay my own pageant fees because I wanted to compete so badly," Cooper recalled. "I didn't have a coach or anything." Advertisement Cooper placed first runner-up the second year she competed at Miss Michigan Teen USA in 2017 and she still remembers the calm she felt onstage when she heard her name. It was a moment she reflected on as she and Miss Kentucky Connor Perry clutched hands on Sunday, waiting to learn which one of them would become Miss USA 2024. "This really all started from watching at home and being inspired by other women who have walked that same stage," Cooper said. "It's a moment that I truly will never forget." Discipline in the military and pageantry Cooper had carried her pageant dreams through her time at West Point, the US Military Academy. She arrived with a vision board filled with photos of former Miss Michigan USA winners, hoping she'd become the first active-duty Army officer to win the title. Cooper is a second lieutenant and military intelligence officer in the US Army. Courtesy of Alma Cooper "Being at West Point, it built my character," she said. "It's the premiere leadership institution in the world. It's a place where every single person is committed to a culture of excellence, to being part of something bigger than themselves." Advertisement Cooper became passionate about research in food insecurity. Her undergraduate thesis, published in Military Medicine, explores the relationship between the body-mass index and how it has affected the US Army's recruitment crisis. Cooper told BI that her research was inspired by her mother, who had struggled with poverty and food insecurity after coming to the US as a migrant worker when she was 6 years old. "My platform and what I'm passionate about, my education and study, is rooted in my family," she told BI. The only female mathematical science major in her class, Cooper graduated in the top 5% and is now a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University, where she's pursuing a master's in data science. "I can't explain how grateful I am to be a graduate and also have had my character develop at such a unique place," Cooper said. "I carry that with me throughout every aspiration and pursuit that I go through — whether that be at Stanford, whether that be an officer in the Army, whether that be at Miss USA." Advertisement Cooper graduated in the top 5% at West Point. Courtesy of Alma Cooper Cooper believes the military and pageantry go hand in hand. After all, the current Miss America is a US Air Force pilot. "I think discipline is a firm aspect between pageantry and the military," she said. "Being able to be intrinsically motivated, to have personal courage, is one of the Army values." "And to get onstage in front of millions of people, a nationally televised audience, and wear a swimsuit — that, in and of itself, is one way to display personal courage and believe in oneself," she added. Now, Cooper hopes to use her role as Miss USA to be a "force for good." Advertisement "This is not about me," she said. "This is about uplifting the voices of individuals whose stories may not be heard, whose stories may not be shown. I know this is bigger than myself." "I think the biggest thing that can be taken away from my story is that if you are someone who wants to do it all, you truly can," she added. "There are no limits on yourself except the ones that you accept."
The most Midwestern things Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has ever done 2024-08-07 21:31:43+00:00 - Walz was the first to call Donald Trump and JD Vance "weird," a pithy insult that caught on in the Democratic party. Tim Walz coined the "weird" insult to describe his Republican opponents. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images In an interview with MSNBC's "Morning Joe" in July, Walz coined a new way of speaking about Trump and Vance by calling them "weird." The down-to-earth insult caught on as the Harris campaign and other Democratic leaders repeated the talking point in other media appearances and campaign events. Walz told CNN's Jake Tapper that the Democratic party's messaging of Trump as an existential threat to democracy is valid and real, but that it also "gives him way too much power." "Listen to the guy," Walz said. "He's talking about Hannibal Lecter and shocking sharks and just whatever crazy thing pops into his mind, and I thought we just give him way too much credit."
NASA admits it's been working with SpaceX on a backup plan to retrieve Boeing's 2 stuck astronauts. It doesn't sound ideal. 2024-08-07 21:30:15+00:00 - By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Thanks for signing up! Go to newsletter preferences Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview If Boeing and NASA can't get their spaceship together, SpaceX may have to come to two astronauts' rescue. The downside is the duo will be stuck on the International Space Station for about eight months longer than planned. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched into orbit aboard Boeing's Starliner vehicle on June 5. They were the spaceship's first crew, and their test flight was supposed to last about a week. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Two months later, though, they're still on the International Space Station. That's because Starliner suffered thruster issues and a helium leak, causing NASA to postpone the astronauts' return while engineers examined the issue. NASA and Boeing are still working to ensure Starliner is safe for the journey home. Advertisement Boeing's Starliner spacecraft docked to the International Space Station, as seen from a window on a SpaceX Crew Dragon. NASA But NASA has been keeping options open. On Wednesday, the space agency finally admitted it has SpaceX actively working on a backup plan using its Crew Dragon spaceship. A SpaceX save would leave the astronauts in space until February The SpaceX spaceship has been reliably flying astronauts to and from the ISS since 2020, making it an obvious plan B. But NASA officials have avoided talking about the Crew Dragon backup, until now. Advertisement Earlier, in a late July press conference about Williams' and Wilmore's predicament, NASA official Steve Stich said it was an option they could turn to if needed, but it was unclear if NASA was actively looking into it. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore on a call with journalists from the International Space Station. NASA TV "I would rather not go into all those details until we get to that time, if we ever get to that time," he said in the July briefing. Related stories Well, that time came this week, when NASA announced it was postponing SpaceX's next astronaut launch to September 24 at the earliest — a delay of over a month. "We have tried to buy ourselves a little bit of time to work various options for return," Stich said in a briefing on Wednesday. Advertisement The move preserves the option of leaving the four-person Crew Dragon spaceship with two empty seats for Williams and Wilmore. Butch Wilmore photographs Earth landmarks from the space station's cupola. NASA The pair would essentially become members of that SpaceX mission, called Crew-9, and return aboard the Crew Dragon around February 2025 — about 8 months later than when Williams and Wilmore were scheduled to return. If that happens, Boeing's Starliner ship would undock from the ISS and fall to an ocean splashdown autonomously, with nobody on board. NASA is weighing risks Boeing's Starliner spaceship, which Williams and Wilmore flew on, docked at the space station 262 miles above Egypt. NASA Stich said NASA had been working out the details of this backup plan with SpaceX since early July. Advertisement They've set up the Crew Dragon to be able to fly to the space station with just two astronauts if needed, he said, and they've identified spacesuits that Williams and Wilmore could wear on the Dragon. What's left is configuring the vehicle and training the crew for the two-person option. Stich declined to say which of the four Crew-9 astronauts would be taken off the mission to make room. "Our prime option is to return Butch and Suni on Starliner. However, we have done the requisite planning to make sure we have other options open," Stich said. The agency isn't ready to decide yet, as engineers are still working to fully understand the "physics" behind Starliner's problems, Stich said. However, he added, they'll likely need to make the call by mid-August. Advertisement "Reasonable people could pick either path," Ken Bowersox, the associate administrator of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, said in the Wednesday call. "When we started this mission, it was a test mission. We knew that it potentially had a higher risk," he added later in the briefing. Now, with Starliner's mid-flight technical issues, Bowersox said, NASA sees "additional risk" with "fairly broad" uncertainty. But taking the backup option with SpaceX has its own risks. "We have to compare all those risks and we'll weigh all that as we make our final decision," he said. Advertisement 2 astronauts caught in the middle Wilmore and Williams inside the vestibule between the space station and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. NASA Starliner and Crew Dragon were developed on a similar timeline through the same NASA-funded initiative, called the Commercial Crew Program, which Stich oversees. NASA has always insisted that the program wasn't a competition. But if it was, SpaceX won by a landslide. Crew Dragon completed its first crewed test flight — the very test Boeing is struggling with now — four years ago, in 2020. SpaceX also did it for cheaper, costing NASA just $2.6 billion compared to Boeing's $4.2 billion contract for Starliner. Since overstaying their planned mission, Williams and Wilmore have only appeared in one brief press call in early July. The pair put on happy faces, said they were "absolutely confident" in Starliner, and did a couple flips in the station's microgravity. Stich said that Williams and Wilmore get daily or weekly updates on NASA's testing and risk assessments. Advertisement "I think Butch and Suni are ready to do whatever we need them to do," he said.
US forces on Guam are facing a Chinese missile threat unlike anything else and need more air defenses with deeper magazines, Army officials say 2024-08-07 21:22:39+00:00 - By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Guam faces a substantial threat from China's massive missile arsenal, and US Army officials say more air defense capabilities are desperately needed. Efforts to defend this strategic US territory in the Pacific from a barrage in the event of war are underway, but Army leaders say one of the biggest challenges is fielding integrated systems with deeper magazines to stop air and missile attacks. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. At a Center for Strategic and International Studies panel on the defense of Guam late last month, Army Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano, the program executive officer for the US Army's Missiles and Space program, said that he'd called for, among other capabilities, something like the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile but with smaller rounds. "Because the key is magazine depth. I'm looking for magazine depth," Lozano said, noting that only "having six missiles on a launcher and having about a 45-minute reload time, you're not going to be survivable in a Guam defensive situation." Advertisement The Army has said that capabilities like the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System with a magazine depth of six rounds are insufficient. The NASAMS can fire the AMRAAM. Instead, the Army wants "an AIM-120D-like capability, but with smaller rounds that fit inside an IFPC Increment 2 launcher holding 18 interceptors," according to a Congressional Research Service report. The Army Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) Increment 2 can fire AIM-9Xs. Lozano said he needs an AIM-120 capability in an AIM-9 package to "be able to service the quantity of threats we expect to defend against." USAF C-17s and Allied aircraft are parked on the Andersen Air Force Base flightline in Guam. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Bailee Ann Darbasie And this is just one line of effort, though, for Guam. A challenge facing the US joint force efforts to build a layered, integrated defense network for Guam is fielding systems capable of working together to intercept an adversary's attack. Such a barrage could be complex and include waves of unmanned systems, ballistic missiles, and supersonic missiles. "We're looking at a pacing threat of China that has offensive capabilities unlike anything we've been seeing," Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch, Director of Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office and Executive Officer for the Joint Program Office for Guam, said at the CSIS event, explaining "it requires us to think differently." Advertisement "We're looking at a small space, we're looking at a potential adversary that has a lot of capability and capacity, and so we have to be very efficient with how we utilize the capabilities we have, so it's causing us to think differently," he said. Efforts to develop defensive capabilities for Guam have been underway for a few years now, but major decisions on which agencies will own which equipment and how the capabilities will work together in an integrated fashion still remain to be made. Related stories At the CSIS talk, Army officials noted that work is underway on how to best incorporate a range of different offensive and defensive capabilities. These include Patriot air- and missile-defense systems, the in-development Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor planned to replace Patriot's radar, newly fielded Mid-Range Capability missile launchers, and prototype Indirect Fire Protection Capability launchers. The launch of the US military's land-based Aegis missile defense testing system from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Mark Wright/Missile Defense Agency via AP Beyond the Army, other US service branches are also planning to incorporate their systems into the defense network. For the Navy, this includes the Aegis weapon system on destroyers and cruisers. Advertisement Perhaps the most difficult and daunting aspect of defending Guam, Rasch said, will be ensuring that all of the joint force's capabilities are able to operate together in one environment. The nature of the threat "requires us to try to maximize the performance of these different systems brought in from the services to make sure that we're looking at what's the most effective interceptor against the threat and to not leave it to chance that we have two really bad situations occur: a threat's coming in and one service thinks the other service has it and nobody engages or, almost as bad, both services engage," he said. US military officials and lawmakers have expressed growing concerns that Guam is vulnerable to a devastating missile attack from an adversary such as China. Department of Defense reports on China's military highlight the capabilities that threaten the island, such as the DF-26 missile, and in May, 13 members of Congress, including the Chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, wrote a letter to military leaders detailing their concerns about glaring weak spots in US bases and airfields in the Pacific. Guam is notably home to Andersen Air Force Base. Advertisement "We are concerned about the alarming lack of urgency by the Department of Defense in adopting such defensive measures," the lawmakers wrote, demanding "immediate changes" to defending US positions, including passive defenses such as hardened aircraft shelters and force dispersal. US and Japan Air Self-Defense Force aircraft taxi in an 'Elephant Walk' formation at Misawa Air Base, Japan. Navy Seaman Unique Byrd The main prompt for this letter was, the lawmakers wrote, fear that a preemptive missile attack from China could wipe US forces out of the Pacific. They argued that "with its current strike capabilities, China can attack all US bases in the region, targeting US service members from Okinawa to those on US territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands." China's missile force, known as the Rocket Force, is the crowned jewel of the People's Liberation Army. Advertisement In recent years, the US has tracked a meteoric rise in the force's capabilities, arsenal size, and testing. From 2021 to 2022 alone, the Chinese military effectively doubled its stock of some missiles, including medium-range ballistic missiles capable of targeting US bases in Japan, as well as intermediate-range missiles capable of reaching Guam, according to the Pentagon's report last fall. One such missile, the DF-26, has been commonly referred to as the "Guam Express" or the "Guam Killer." DF-26 missiles attend the military parade in Beijing, capital of China. Xinhua/Cha Chunming via Getty Images The sheer number of ballistic missiles in China's growing arsenal is particularly concerning, but the configuration of such a missile barrage is also worrying for US military officials. "You have to have a battle management, fire control system capable of adjusting on the fly based on how threats are presented," Lozano said. "And then, real-time, making decisions, teeing up decisions for operators to make so that they're survivable and they win in that defensive scenario." Advertisement Although some would argue it could take it further, Guam's defense is a priority for the US military amid a shift toward strengthening its position in the Pacific in order to deter further aggression from China. But with the island closer to Beijing than Hawaii, a problem quickly becomes how to ensure the US can maintain that key position should a conflict arise. In Chinese military doctrine, there is a notable emphasis on the idea of a preemptive, surprise strike being ideal for crippling an adversary's ability to respond. Guam is currently protected by air- and missile-defense systems like the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, as well as Navy ships equipped with Aegis missile defense capabilities. But people who have been tasked with defending Guam argue additional steps ought to be taken. A former leader of US Indo-Pacific Command previously told Business Insider that one of the best ways to counter China's missiles is to make "robust" air and missile defenses a reality this decade — not just in Guam, but also across other Pacific islands, as well as in US allies.
Warner Bros. Discovery stock falls as it writes down $9.1 billion, misses estimates 2024-08-07 21:14:00+00:00 - A sign outside of the Warner Brothers Discovery Techwood Turner Broadcasting campus is seen on June 26, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Warner Bros. Discovery 's stock dropped Wednesday after it reported a $9.1 billion write-down on its TV networks and missed analyst estimates on revenue. Here is how Warner Bros. Discovery performed, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: Loss per share: 36 cents vs. a loss of 22 cents expected 36 cents vs. a loss of 22 cents expected Revenue: $9.7 billion vs. $10.07 billion expected The company's shares were down roughly 9% in aftermarket trading. Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday reported the non-cash goodwill impairment charge, which was triggered by the reevaluation of the book value of the TV networks segment. The book value was higher than the market value as traditional TV networks continue to see customers flee and advertisers are opting to spend on digital and streaming instead. "While I am certainly not dismissive of the magnitude of this impairment, I believe it's equally important to recognize that the flip side of this reflects the value shift across business models," said CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels on Wednesday's earnings call, adding that the company is focusing on growth in the studios and streaming units. He said Warner Bros. Discovery's balance sheet carries a significant amount of goodwill stemming from mergers and acquisitions, namely the combination of Warner Bros. and Discovery in 2022. "It's fair to say that even two years ago market valuations and prevailing conditions for legacy media companies were quite different than they are today, and this impairment acknowledges this and better aligns our carrying values with our future outlook," CEO David Zaslav said on Wednesday's call. Executives highlighted Warner Bros. Discovery's continued mission of paying down debt, much of which stems from the 2022 merger. During the second quarter the company paid down $1.8 billion in debt. As of June 30, it had $41.4 billion in gross debt and $3.6 billion cash on hand. The company also noted uncertainty surrounding future sports rights renewals, including the NBA. Warner Bros. Discovery sued the NBA in July, looking to forcibly invoke its matching rights on a package of games earmarked for Amazon 's Prime Video as part of the league's new media rights deal. Revenue for Warner Bros. Discovery's TV networks — a portfolio that includes TBS, TNT, Discovery and TLC — was down 8% to $5.27 billion during the second quarter, with both distribution and advertising revenue down in the segment. However, the company's streaming business, centered around the platform Max, was a bright spot. The company said Wednesday it added 3.6 million subscribers during the quarter ended June 30, bringing its total number of global streaming customers to 103.3 million. The international expansion lifting subscriber growth, as well as increased ad spending on streaming, is propelling its streaming business toward profitability, executives said Wednesday, with the expectation that it would continue. Zaslav also touted the streaming bundles Warner Bros. Discovery is forming — an entertainment pairing with Disney' s Disney+ and Hulu — and a sports bundle with Disney's ESPN and Fox set to launch this fall. Still, direct-to-consumer streaming revenue decreased 5% to $2.57 billion, driven by content revenue dropping 70% due to a lower volume of third-party licensing deals. Yet advertising revenue for streaming was up 99%, the company said, driven by higher domestic engagement on Max, and ad-supported subscriber growth. Global revenue also increased 4% driven by the ad tier. Total revenue for the quarter was down 6% to $9.7 billion. Total adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization decreased 15% to $1.8 billion. Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Warner Bros. Discovery's revenue was $9.7 billion for the quarter.
Xbox Game Pass August 2024 Lineup Includes Crash Bandicoot, Mafia, Creatures Of Ava - Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) 2024-08-07 21:11:00+00:00 - Microsoft Corp. MSFT has unveiled the first wave of games joining Xbox Game Pass in August 2024, offering subscribers a fresh slate of titles that span diverse genres and gameplay experiences. This month’s lineup includes Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, Mafia: Definitive Edition, and the brand-new Creatures of Ava. A Fresh Adventure: Creatures Of Ava Kicking off the month on Aug. 7 is Creatures of Ava, a game that promises to deliver a unique twist on the creature-collecting genre. Announced during the Xbox Partner Preview Showcase in March, Creatures of Ava introduces players to Vic, a young woman who tames wild, infected creatures using a flute. Unlike similar games such as Palworld, which often focus on combat, Creatures of Ava emphasizes healing and nurturing the infected creatures. The game is available on Cloud, Console, and PC, ensuring that Ultimate tier subscribers can enjoy it across all supported platforms. See Also: Xbox At Gamescom 2024: Three Days Of Live Broadcasts Nostalgia Returns With Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy On Aug. 8, subscribers can dive into the nostalgic fun of Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. This compilation features remakes of the first three games in the beloved Crash Bandicoot series: Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, and Crash Bandicoot: Warped. Each game has been meticulously updated to meet modern standards while retaining the challenging platforming mechanics that fans remember. A Journey Back To The 1930s: Mafia: Definitive Edition Rounding out the wave on Aug. 13 is Mafia: Definitive Edition. This remake of the 2002 crime drama transports players to a meticulously recreated 1930s setting, filled with rich atmosphere and engaging narrative. The game follows the story of Tommy Angelo, a cab driver turned mobster, navigating the dangerous underworld of the fictional city of Lost Heaven. Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass As new games join the service, others make their exit. Leaving on Aug. 15 are: Airborne Kingdom (Cloud, Console, and PC) Offworld Trading Company (PC) Shadow Warrior 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Cloud, Console, and PC) Read Next: Photo: Shutterstock
NASA says chances are growing that astronauts may switch from Boeing to a SpaceX ride back to Earth 2024-08-07 21:10:05+00:00 - CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — What should have been a quick trip to the International Space Station may turn into an eight-month stay for two NASA astronauts if they have to switch from Boeing to SpaceX for a ride home. There’s lingering uncertainty over the safety of Boeing’s new Starliner capsule, NASA officials said Wednesday, and the space agency is split over the risk. As a result, chances are increasing that test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams may have to watch from the space station as their Starliner is cut loose to return to Earth empty. If that happens, NASA would leave behind two of four astronauts from the next SpaceX taxi flight in late September, with the vacant seats set aside for Wilmore and Williams on the return trip next February. The pair expected to be gone just a week or two when they launched June 5 as Starliner’s first crew. NASA is bringing in additional experts to analyze the thruster failures experienced by Starliner before it docked. At the same time, NASA is looking more closely at SpaceX as a backup, At this point, “we could take either path,” said Ken Bowersox, NASA’s space operations mission chief. During a recent meeting, “We heard from a lot of folks that had concern, and the decision was not clear,” he said. A final decision is expected by mid-August. Boeing issued a brief statement following NASA’s news update, repeating its position that the capsule could still safely bring the astronauts home. “We still believe in Starliner’s capability and its flight rationale.” the company said. Boeing will need to modify the capsule’s software in case Starliner ends up returning without a crew. No serious consideration was given to launching a separate SpaceX flight just to retrieve Wilmore and Williams, according to commercial crew program manager Steve Stich. Tests on the ground have replicated the thrust problems, pointing to seals as one culprit. But it’s still not understood how or why those seals swell when overheated and then shrink back to the proper size, Stich noted. All but one of the Starliner’s five failed thrusters have since been reactivated in orbit. These thrusters are essential for allowing Starliner to back away from the space station following undocking, and for keeping the capsule in the proper position for the deorbit. At the same time, engineers are grappling over helium leaks in Starliner’s propulsion system, crucial for maneuvering. The first leak occurred before liftoff, but was deemed isolated and stable. Then more cropped up in flight. NASA hired Boeing and SpaceX to ferry astronauts to and from the space station, after the shuttles retired in 2011. SpaceX flew its first crew in 2020. Boeing stumbled on its first test flight without a crew and then fell further behind after a repeat demo. Officials repeated their desire for a backup taxi service on Wednesday, A situation like this one could happen again, and “that’s why we want multiple vehicles,” Bowersox said. The next crew flight will be SpaceX’s 10th for NASA. On Tuesday, it was delayed for a month until late September to allow for extra time to figure out how best to handle Starliner’s return. Three NASA astronauts and one Russian are assigned to the flight, and managers on Wednesday declined to say who might be bumped. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Harris antitrust policy would prioritize business growth and competition, says Maryland Gov. Wes Moore 2024-08-07 21:02:00+00:00 - Vice President Kamala Harris would prioritize small business growth and large industry competition in shaping her own antitrust and regulatory policy if she wins the presidency in November, Maryland's Democratic Gov. Wes Moore said Wednesday. "Making sure that we are both supporting our small businesses and making it easier for small business to be able to grow, and also making it easier for our large industries to be able to compete within our states and within this country is something that I think is going to be important" to Harris, Moore said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." A pro-growth, pro-competition approach to business in a potential Harris administration would mark a striking divergence from the aggressive trust-busting and merger-skeptical principles that have shaped the Biden administration's regulatory agenda. "As the vice president is thinking about a future facing administration, there are going to be different dynamics, that are going to require different philosophies," said Moore. "There will be different sociopolitical and just political dynamics that is going to require a different set, a different lens and a different vision." Moore is a close Biden-Harris ally and a rising star in the Democratic party, who rose to national prominence this year after the collapse of the Baltimore bridge in March. But he also previously worked as an investment banker for Citigroup and Deutsche Bank, and he ran the Robin Hood Foundation, the New York-based anti-poverty charity that draws much of its backing from Wall Street. The Harris campaign did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC about Moore's comments. But his remarks on Tuesday could feed the hopes of Wall Street dealmakers who are already optimistic that a potential Harris administration — while firmly rooted in progressive economic traditions — might deprioritize the aggressive antitrust regime that has been a trademark of Biden's presidency.
NASA has about a week to decide on returning Boeing's Starliner with crew or empty 2024-08-07 20:54:00+00:00 - Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is pictured docked to the International Space Station orbiting above Egypt's Mediterranean coast on June 13, 2024. NASA aims to soon decide whether its astronauts will return on Boeing 's misfiring Starliner — or instead turn to SpaceX as a rescue option — with agency leadership on Wednesday saying a decision is about a week away. "Roughly by mid-August, we need to decide" on the Starliner return plan, NASA Commercial Crew program manager Steve Stich said during a press conference. NASA did not specify whether mid-August is in reference to a specific date, such as Aug. 16, or a broader range. The deadline for the agency's decision is driven by the timing of the next crew launch. NASA on Tuesday delayed the launch of SpaceX's Crew-9 mission by a month, to Sept. 24, in order to buy itself more time to figure out the Starliner situation. "I don't think we're too far away from making that call," NASA Associate Administrator Ken Bowersox said earlier during the conference. NASA leadership confirmed that the agency does not have a consensus internally on whether it will stick with its plan to return astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board Starliner or instead send the Boeing capsule down empty and use SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft to bring the astronauts back. The Starliner capsule "Calypso" has now been in space 64 days, its mission extended indefinitely while Boeing and NASA conduct testing in an attempt to find the root cause for why multiple of the spacecraft's thrusters failed during docking. Bowersox confirmed that the agency sees a "fairly broad" range of "additional risk" that more thrusters fail without warning when the capsule returns. "We have to compare all those risks and we'll weigh all that as we make our final decision," Bowersox said. In a telling indicator of the current feeling inside NASA, officials used the word "uncertainty" 18 times during Wednesday's press conference.
Nearly 20,000 Intel Employees Are Heading For The Exits: How Salaries Stack Up Against Nvidia, OpenAI, Microsoft And More - Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) 2024-08-07 20:47:00+00:00 - Intel Corp INTC recently announced plans to slash jobs in an effort to drive cost savings across its business. Here’s a look at just how much Intel was paying its employees and how it compares to other tech giants. What To Know: Intel and other big tech companies rarely share salary details. However, they must disclose salary offers or potential salary ranges when they hire foreign workers through the H-1B visa program. According to a Business Insider report citing work-visa applications submitted to the U.S. Office of Foreign Labor Certification in 2022, Intel’s highest salary offer was around $263,000, sent to an engineering manager. Intel announced a cost-reduction plan last week. The actions include structural and operating realignment across the company. This includes headcount reductions of greater than 15% plus operating expenses and capital expenditure reductions of more than $10 billion in 2025. Intel’s headcount is currently around 125,000, so the company is likely to lay off around 19,000 employees. Here’s a look at the annual salary of those former Intel employees: Business Intelligence Analysts: $65,437 to $142,438 Information Security Analysts: $107,994 to $170,248 Supply Chain Planning Analysts: $85,467 to $96,034 Product Marketing Engineers: $102,606 to $150,093 Mechanical Engineers: $81,765 to $121,576 Engineering Managers: $117,624 to $263,952 Application Developers: $92,488 to $121,763 Program Managers: $67,621 to $168,834 Data Scientists: $65,229 to $152,681 See Also: Traders Resume Yen-Dollar Carry Trade As Bank of Japan Pledges No Rate Hikes During Market Volatility Why It Matters: When compared to other big tech companies, Intel appears to be offering prospective employees less money. It’s worth noting that the data doesn’t include stock-based compensation, individual performance rewards or bonuses that can significantly increase overall pay. Nvidia Corp NVDA, which has been the biggest beneficiary of the AI boom to date, has offered salaries ranging from $74,460 to $786,000. Fellow AI leader Microsoft Corp MSFT made salary offers ranging from $77,000 to $310,000 in 2022 and Microsoft-backed OpenAI is paying the average engineer about $925,000 per year in total compensation. Apple Inc AAPL offered prospective workers base salaries of $102,000 to $322,000 in 2022 and Alphabet Inc GOOG offered workers salaries ranging from $55,000 to $340,000. This illustration was generated using artificial intelligence via Midjourney. Read Next:
As inflation fury lingers, politicians join customers in pushing companies to cut prices 2024-08-07 20:40:00+00:00 - Expensive Big Mac meals and fears of surge pricing at grocery stores have put food chains and consumer product companies in politicians' crosshairs. Walmart , McDonald's and Kroger are just a few of the companies that have found themselves in the debate over high inflation in the 2024 election. On Monday, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bob Casey, D-Pa., sent a letter to Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen that questioned the grocer's rollout of electronic shelf labels, arguing the technology could make it easier to increase the price of high-demand items. The letter also noted that the supermarket chain could become bigger, depending on whether it closes its pending $24.6 billion acquisition of rival Albertsons. Democrats — particularly those like Casey who are trying to win races in competitive swing states — are trying to capitalize on frustration against companies over inflation. The moves follow years of Republican attempts to blame the price hikes on President Joe Biden, who has also criticized corporations for what he called greedy tactics. For instance, an X account run by House Republican leadership criticized Biden's economic policies in late May by listing some of the popular fast-food menu items that customers now pay more for at McDonald's, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell. (The source of the data is unclear, and McDonald's has denied that its average prices have risen that much.) On the presidential campaign trail now, both Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump have pledged to fight persistent inflation, while blaming different causes. Harris has said during rallies that she'll fight "price gouging" by companies. At his own rallies, Trump has criticized Biden administration policies and said he'll end the "inflation nightmare." The fact that both parties have made fighting inflation a key campaign plank shows how much the cost of food, gas and shelter is on the minds of consumers across income levels, regions and political parties. The criticism could also add to the pressure companies face to show they can lower prices or offer value. Inflation has cooled from decades-high levels, with groceries up about 1.1% year over year as of June, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But food at home is up 26.2% since June 2019 and food away from home, which mostly includes restaurant meals, is up 27.2% in the same period. Americans ranked inflation and prices as their most important issue in the latest The Economist/YouGov poll, which included a representative sample of roughly 1,600 U.S. adult citizens. That was ahead of other themes that have come up on the campaign trail, including immigration, climate change and health care. Promising to tackle higher everyday costs is a safe campaign issue during contentious times, said Cait Lamberton, a professor of marketing at University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. "There isn't much we can agree on, right? But we can agree on that," she said. It's often tricky to make a case for how a policy will affect voters' lives. That's not the case with the cost of necessities. "There's a very nice, easy, causal connection between voting for a person and believing my grocery bill can go down," she said.
PlayStation 5 Sales Slide: What's Behind Sony's Latest Numbers? - Sony Gr (NYSE:SONY) 2024-08-07 20:34:00+00:00 - Sony Group Corp‘s SONY PlayStation 5 has reached an impressive milestone of 61.7 million units sold since its 2020 launch. However, the company’s latest financial results reveal a decline in year-over-year sales, dropping from 3.3 million units sold in the first quarter of the 2024 financial year to 2.4 million units in the same period of the 2025 financial year, covering April to June 2024, IGN reported. See Also: Why Some Games Run Better On PS5 Despite Xbox Series X’s Power Advantage, According To Experts This decline, while notable, was somewhat anticipated. Sony had previously adjusted its overall PS5 sales target for the financial year to 18 million units, down from the previous year’s 21 million. Initially, the company aimed for 25 million units, but ultimately closed the year with 20.8 million units sold—a record for PS5 sales despite missing the target. Analyzing The Sales Decline Several factors contribute to the recent dip in PS5 sales. One significant element is the absence of new exclusive titles from major franchises. Sony has indicated that this financial year will not see releases from its heavyweight series like Spider-Man, God of War, The Last of Us, Ratchet and Clank, Horizon, or Ghost of Tsushima. Without these blockbuster exclusives driving hardware sales, the numbers are naturally lower. Moreover, the broader gaming landscape has been influenced by a range of economic and supply chain issues. The global semiconductor shortage, which has affected various tech sectors, also impacted the availability of PS5 units. Although this situation has improved over time, it still plays a role in the fluctuating sales figures. Engaging The User Base Despite the hardware sales dip, Sony’s engagement metrics tell a more nuanced story. Monthly active users—a key performance indicator reflecting audience engagement and potential for subscription and software sales—increased from 108 million in the first quarter of the previous financial year to 116 million this year. This suggests that while fewer new consoles are being sold, those who already own a PS5 are actively using it. Looking Ahead Sony’s strategy appears to be shifting towards leveraging its existing user base while preparing for future game releases. The company has a history of releasing major titles that drive console sales, and anticipation is building for what comes next. In the meantime, Sony continues to expand its ecosystem. With the recent acquisition of Bluepoint Games and the development of new titles, the PlayStation brand remains a strong player in the gaming industry. Bluepoint’s expertise in creating high-quality remakes, as seen with Demon's Souls, adds to Sony’s portfolio of exclusive titles. Read Next: Image credits: Unsplash.
Family of French explorer who died in OceanGate's Titan submarine disaster sues for $50 million 2024-08-07 20:34:00+00:00 - The family of French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet on Tuesday filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against OceanGate, the operator of a tourist submersible that catastrophically failed during an attempt to visit the wreckage of the Titanic. Nargeolet was one of the Titan sub's five passengers on June 18, 2023 when it suffered a catastrophic pressure loss and imploded, causing the deaths of all on board. OceanGate had sold seats on the vessel for $250,000 each, billing the trip as a chance to "become one of the few to see the Titanic with your own eyes." But following the incident, it emerged that industry experts had raised serious safety concerns about the project years earlier. For instance, one professional trade group warned in 2018 that OceanGate's experimental approach to the design of the Titan could lead to potentially "catastrophic" outcomes. Known as "Mr. Titanic," Nargeolet participated in 37 dives to the Titanic site, the most of any diver in the world, according to the lawsuit. He was regarded as one of the world's most knowledgeable people about the famous wreck. Attorneys for his estate said in an emailed statement that the "doomed submersible" had a "troubled history," and that OceanGate failed to disclose key facts about the vessel and its durability. "The lawsuit alleges serious issues with the Titan submersible," Tony Buzbee, one of the attorneys bringing the case, said in a statement. "I think it is telling that even though the University of Washington and Boeing had key roles in the design of previous but similar versions of the Titan, both have recently disclaimed any involvement at all in the submersible model that imploded." The lawsuit also alleges that OceanGate failed to disclose the Titan's flaws and purposely concealed its shortcomings to Nargeolet, even though he had been designated a member of the vessel's crew by the company. Nargeolet would not have participated in the voyage if he had been aware of the Titan's issues, the suit claims. A spokesperson for OceanGate declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in King County, Washington. After the sub's implosion, the U.S. Coast Guard quickly convened a high-level investigation, which is ongoing. A key public hearing that is part of the investigation is scheduled to take place in September. —With reporting by the Associated Press.
Beyond Meat reports better-than-expected sales despite demand remaining weak 2024-08-07 20:30:10+00:00 - Beyond Meat on Wednesday reported better-than-expected sales in the second quarter despite continuing weak demand for its plant-based burgers, chicken and other products. The El Segundo, California-based company said its revenue fell nearly 9% to $93.2 million for the April-June period. That was better than the $87.8 million Wall Street anticipated, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Beyond Meat narrowed its net loss to $34.4 million, or 53 cents per share, from $53.5 million a year ago, as it worked to streamline its operations. That was in line with analysts’ forecasts. It said its net revenue per pound rose 6.1% as it offered fewer discounts and raised prices for some products in the U.S. But its sales volumes fell 14% on weaker retail and food-service demand in the U.S. and international markets. Beyond Meat has been trying to boost demand with new, healthier products. Earlier this spring, the company introduced Beyond Burger patties and Beyond Beef grounds with 60% less saturated fat than the previous products. A healthier sausage, made with avocado oil, followed in June. And last month, it debuted Beyond Sun Sausage, a product filled with bell peppers, spinach, lentils and other vegetables and fruits. Unlike previous products, Beyond Meat said the new sausage isn’t intended to replicate meat, but to be a healthier protein option. Its stock, which has fallen 66% in the past 12 months, jumped 8% in after-market trading following the earnings report.
After baby’s death, Kentucky parents sue infant formula maker at center of 2022 crisis 2024-08-07 20:26:35+00:00 - The parents of a Kentucky baby who died last fall after drinking bacteria-tainted infant formula are the latest to sue Abbott Nutrition, the manufacturer at the heart of a 2022 crisis that left millions of Americans scrambling to feed their children. Willow Jade Dellaquila, of Carrollton, Kentucky, was 13 days old when she died on Nov. 5, 2023. She was infected with cronobacter sakazakii, a dangerous germ traced to a can of Similac Total Comfort powdered formula used in the baby’s bottles, records show. “They told me she had a stroke on her right side of the brain,” Cheyenne Ping, Willow’s 25-year-old mother, said in an interview. “It’s really heartbreaking. No one should have to go through this.” Ping and the baby’s 26-year-old father, Christian Dellaquila, can move forward with a lawsuit against Abbott, an Illinois judge ruled Wednesday. The couple had previously sought to join a lawsuit with two other families who say their children suffered devastating brain damage caused by cronobacter linked to a different type of Abbott powdered formula, Similac Neosure. Mira White, a Missouri baby, was sickened with cronobacter in March 2023 at age 6 weeks. Ryker Brown, an Illinois toddler, was infected with the bacteria in July 2021, at age 4 weeks. Both survived. But the judge on Wednesday asked that the three cases be filed separately, leaving open the question of whether they would be consolidated later. The original lawsuit in December targeted Abbott, whose Sturgis, Michigan, plant was shuttered for months in 2022 after similar reports of infant illnesses and deaths. U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors found what agency chief Dr. Robert Califf called “shocking” conditions, including cronobacter, which led to recalls and sparked shortages that rocked U.S. formula supplies for more than a year. Willow consumed formula made at the Sturgis plant and sold at a local Walmart store more than a year after Abbott was placed under court-mandated oversight by the FDA, The Associated Press has learned. The formula Ryker and Mira consumed was made at the company’s plant in Casa Grande, Arizona, which was the target of a separate whistleblower complaint about dangerous conditions, according to federal records. Documents obtained by the AP show that an April 2023 FDA inspection at the Arizona site found lapses in contamination-prevention protocols, multiple detections of cronobacter at the plant and nearly two dozen complaints of confirmed cronobacter, salmonella or other infections in infants who had been fed formula made at the plant. Abbott officials said no link was found between the illnesses and the company’s formula, the records show. The lawsuits accuse Abbott of negligence, fraud and failing to warn parents of potential dangers of powdered formula and demand at least $450,000 per family. Abbott officials say there is no proven link between the product and any infections, including the cases outlined in the lawsuit. Every can of Similac says that the product is not sterile and should not be fed to premature infants or infants who might have immune problems, unless directed and supervised by a doctor. “No sealed, distributed product from our facilities have tested positive for Cronobacter sakazakii and we don’t believe these claims have merit,” Abbott officials said in an email Wednesday. In a court filing, Abbott officials argued that there was no common connection between the cases, which occurred at different times, in different states and involved two different types of formula. “The fact that each infant experienced a Cronobacter infection (months or years apart) is of no moment,” the company said. The illnesses underscore the difficulty for regulators and health officials to keep tabs on bacteria that are everywhere — but also notoriously difficult to detect and track. Cronobacter bacteria are common in nature, including in water and soil, and are found in home kitchens, including sinks, counters and even the scoops used to measure formula powder. But they can also be found in large factories, where they lurk on equipment and in the environment. The bacteria’s ubiquity can make it hard to determine exactly when it got into the formula cans. Evidence of cronobacter was found in open cans of Abbott formula in the homes of Willow and Mira and confirmed to be the cause of their infections, documents show. But the same strains of the bacteria were not detected in sealed cans of formula or at the Abbott factories, federal officials said. It’s not clear how Ryker became infected. That doesn’t prove that the products were free of contamination, said Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Center for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University. Cronobacter cells tend to clump within dry foods like formula and are not distributed evenly, making detection unreliable, if not impossible. “If you get negative test results, it doesn’t tell you as much as a positive test result does,” Kowalcyk. “If you get a positive, you’ve got a big problem. If you get a negative, you don’t know what’s going on.” That stymies efforts to detect and stop cronobacter infections, which are particularly dangerous to newborns and babies born prematurely. Such infants are vulnerable to illnesses caused by the germ because their immune systems aren’t developed enough to fight it off. In those babies, the bacteria can move from the gut to the bloodstream and from there to the brain, where they can have devastating effects. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention typically receives two to four reports per year of infections caused by cronobacter, though officials believe that’s an undercount. In 2023, four infections were reported to the agency, records show. They included reports of invasive illness in Mira and Willow and in an unidentified baby in Maryland who was infected with cronobacter and developed meningitis in December after consuming Similac Advance powdered formula made by Abbott. The CDC began formally tracking illnesses from the germ this year. So far, one confirmed case of cronobacter infection in an infant has been reported, officials said, though they provided no details. Powdered infant formula is the most common cause of cronobacter infections in babies, the agency said. The 2022 Abbott crisis led Congress and federal investigators to sharply criticize the FDA’s oversight of infant formula. In a scathing audit issued in June, federal investigators found that the agency took 15 months to respond to a whistleblower complaint about the Sturgis plant and lacked basic safeguards to prevent dangerous and deadly infections. The FDA says it has revamped oversight by creating a new human foods program and overhauled the way officials respond to reports of contamination, illnesses and deaths tied to infant formula. The audit “represents a snapshot in time, and the FDA continues to make progress,” the agency said in a statement. Jim Jones, head of the program, said inspection issues, consumer complaints and whistleblower reports will now be routed to a single office. “It will make it easier for us to be quicker at identifying a signal,” he said in a recent interview. But for Willow’s family, such changes come too late. Ping, who received the formula through her state’s WIC program for low-income families, said she had no idea that powdered formula could contain bacteria that might harm her baby. She said her family agreed to file a lawsuit to help hold Abbott accountable and raise awareness about the dangers of powdered formula. “Parents need to know that powdered formula is not sterile,” Ping said. “It just needs to be out there. It needs to be known.” ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Harris' running mate Tim Walz cut taxes on Social Security in his state. Here's how it differs from Trump's proposal 2024-08-07 20:26:00+00:00 - Vice presidential candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz looks on during a campaign rally with U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., August 6, 2024. As many retirees struggle to afford the basics, there's been bipartisan support to exempt Social Security from income taxes. That policy has spilled into the 2024 election with a federal proposal from Former President Donald Trump and recent state legislation from Vice President Kamala Harris' new running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. "We can do a lot of things to help the people," Trump said during a "Fox & Friends" interview on Wednesday morning. "People on Social Security are being killed, and one of the things I'm doing is no tax for seniors on Social Security, and I'll get it done quickly." More from Personal Finance: Here's how Tim Walz could help shape the child tax credit Here's how families are covering the rising cost of college A 'soft landing' is still on the table, economists say Of course, there are key differences when comparing a federal tax proposal with state legislation, including the political and fiscal landscape, policy experts say.
Eli Lilly: Bearish Signals Loom Over Zepbound Manufacturer Ahead Of Q2 Earnings - Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) 2024-08-07 20:24:00+00:00 - Eli Lilly and Co LLY will be reporting its second-quarter earnings on Thursday. Wall Street expects $2.70 in EPS and $9.9 billion in revenues as the company reports before market hours. The stock is up 69% over the past year, and has gained 30% YTD. Let’s look at what the charts indicate for Eli Lilly stock, and how the stock currently maps against Wall Street estimates. Eli Lilly Stock Faced Potential Downside Risk Ahead Of Q2 Earnings… Eli Lilly’s stock is currently exhibiting a strongly bearish trend, as the share price is trading below its 5, 20, and 50-day exponential moving averages. This downward momentum is creating slight selling pressure. Chart created using Benzinga Pro Eli Lilly stock is priced at $770.02, which is below its 8-day simple moving average of $797.20, signaling a bearish outlook. Additionally, the stock is trading beneath its 20-day and 50-day simple moving averages, which are at $849.71 and $865.45, respectively, further supporting a bearish technical stance. However, the stock is above its 200-day simple moving average of $729.47, indicating a bullish signal in the long term. Read Also: What’s Going On With Eli Lilly And Company Shares Wednesday? Chart created using Benzinga Pro The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator stands at -27.32, reinforcing the bearish sentiment, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 34.58, suggesting that Eli Lilly stock is approaching oversold territory. The Bollinger Bands, ranging from $744.82 to $982.96, suggest that Eli Lilly is currently facing a bearish market environment. This combination of technical indicators points to potential downside risk in the short term, despite the long-term upside implied by the 200-day moving average. Yet Analysts See About 15% Upside Ratings & Consensus Estimates: The consensus analyst rating on Eli Lilly stock stands at a Buy with a price target of $795.81. The three most recent analyst ratings for Eli Lilly stock were released by Guggenheim and Cantor Fitzgerald have an average price target of $884.67, suggesting a potential 14.84% upside for the stock. LLY Price Action: Eli Lilly stock was down 3.2% at $766.52 at the time of publication Wednesday. Read Next: Photo: rafapress/Shutterstock.com
Playtika Q2 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates - Playtika Holding (NASDAQ:PLTK) 2024-08-07 20:17:00+00:00 - Playtika Holding PLTK reported $627 million in revenue for the quarter ended June 2024, representing a year-over-year decline of 2.5%. EPS of $0.23 for the same period compares to $0.21 a year ago. The reported revenue represents a surprise of -2.36% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $642.15 million. With the consensus EPS estimate being $0.17, the EPS surprise was +35.29%. While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health. As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately. Here is how Playtika performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts: Average DPUs : 0.3 million compared to the 0.32 million average estimate based on two analysts. : 0.3 million compared to the 0.32 million average estimate based on two analysts. Average Daily Payer Conversion : 3.7% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 3.6%. : 3.7% versus the two-analyst average estimate of 3.6%. Average MAUs : 27.7 million versus 31.35 million estimated by two analysts on average. : 27.7 million versus 31.35 million estimated by two analysts on average. Average DAUs : 8.1 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of 8.85 million. : 8.1 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of 8.85 million. ARPDAU : $0.85 compared to the $0.79 average estimate based on two analysts. Shares of Playtika have returned -6.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -5.9% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term. To read this article on Zacks.com click here.