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Judge Says New York Times Can Retain Project Veritas Memos, for Now

December 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Unrelated to the lawsuit, the Justice Department began investigating Project Veritas and its provocateur leader, James O’Keefe, for its possible role in the theft of a diary belonging to President Biden’s daughter, Ashley.

In its coverage of the investigation, The Times quoted memos prepared by a Project Veritas lawyer that predated the libel lawsuit and described strategies for ensuring that the group’s reporting tactics remained legal. (Project Veritas often engages in deceptive practices, including the use of fake identities and hidden cameras to embarrass liberals, the news media and others.)

Project Veritas accused The Times of invading its right to attorney-client privilege by publishing the documents. Justice Wood sided with Project Veritas and ordered The Times to return its physical copies of the documents and destroy any electronic copies in its possession. He also barred The Times from further publication of the memos.

Ms. Locke, the lawyer for Project Veritas, said last week that Justice Wood’s order “affirms the sanctity of the attorney-client relationship,” and accused The Times of being “a vehicle for the prosecution of a partisan political agenda.” Mr. O’Keefe said The Times was “blinded by its hatred of Project Veritas.”

First Amendment lawyers and press advocates have argued that by placing restrictions on The Times’s ability to report on the activities of Project Veritas, Justice Wood breached the newspaper’s speech rights and was effectively deciding whom and what The Times could report on.

In arguing for a stay on the requirement that it turn over and destroy documents, The Times told the appeals court that such actions “will be impossible to undo even if this court subsequently grants The Times’s appeal in full, and thus will in the most literal sense irreparably harm The Times’s ability to research and report to the public on Project Veritas.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/28/business/media/nyt-project-veritas.html

Filed Under: Media Business

Trade booming between Russia & China

December 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment

The volume of trade between Russia and China from January to November this year has already exceeded $130 billion and is set to hit a new historic high by the end of 2021.

“Despite the objective anti-epidemic restrictions, practical cooperation is actively developing. Mutual trade turnover in 11 months has already exceeded $130 billion, continues to grow and, undoubtedly, a new record will be set at the end of the year,” Russia’s Ambassador in China Andrey Denisov said on Tuesday.

The official added that both countries are working closely to reach $200 billion in annual trade turnover in the nearest future.

Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held video talks amid escalating tensions between the two nations and the West. Following the discussions, the Kremlin revealed that the two leaders had agreed to develop a shared financial system to reduce reliance on US-dominated platforms.

Russia-China trade to smash all-time high this year despite Covid pandemic – Russian Export Center READ MORE: Russia-China trade to smash all-time high this year despite Covid pandemic – Russian Export Center

Speaking to journalists at his annual end-of-year press conference on Thursday, Putin called China Russia’s number-one partner, adding that “we have very trusting relations and it helps us build good business ties as well.” He also praised China’s economy and forecast that “by 2035-2050, it will have surpassed [the US] and will become the leading economy in the world, according to all metrics.”

China has been the main importer from Russia of non-primary non-energy goods since 2016. According to the Russian Export Center (REC), deliveries of these goods have been growing for seven consecutive years, and that trend has continued through 2021. Products that showed the largest growth are copper, aluminum, direct reduced iron, copper wire, fertilizers, lumber, oilseeds, crustaceans, paper and cardboard.

For more stories on economy finance visit RT’s business section

Article source: https://www.rt.com/business/544578-russia-china-trade-booming/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Filed Under: Global Business

‘Podcast Movies’? Feature-Length Fiction Stretches the Medium

December 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Second, the introduction this year of paid subscription options to the two leading podcast platforms, Apple Podcasts and Spotify, enabled producers to offer new kinds of premium content that aren’t dependent on advertising. Though how many people are willing to pay for podcasts is still an open question — last year, the premium podcast app Luminary reduced its monthly price tag to $4.99 from $7.99 — podcast companies are incentivized to make that pie as big as possible.

Both “Treat” and “Ghostwriter” included ads, and neither was placed behind a paywall. But Corcoran said his company is considering restricting podcast movies to paid subscribers in the future. Even though the features, which were recorded in a matter of days, cost “much less” than producing a multi-episode series, Corcoran said, advertising alone wasn’t enough to cover their expense. The company hopes to make money by eventually selling the movie rights. (Corcoran declined to share specific budget figures or subscription pricing plans.)

“The business plan right now is to create a slate of premium I.P. and then turn that around for adaptations,” Corcoran said. “I think the writers, directors and other actors out there are going to see what’s happening and be glued to this.”

From a creative standpoint, the writers and actors involved in “Treat” and “Ghostwriter” were optimistic about the feature-length format. Alix Sobler, a playwright who wrote the script for “Ghostwriter,” said there were specific challenges to writing for audio — “Will the audience feel connected to this cat just by hearing it?” — but found the listening experience ultimately satisfying.

“I love that you’re getting a full story without having to sit down in a theater or in front of a television,” she said. “It’s a little more prescriptive than a book, because you hear voices and sounds, but you can still use your mind’s eye and get lost in it.”

Nathan Ballingrud, a short fiction writer who wrote “Treat” (which was initially conceived as a film), said he was unsure of the potential in audio until he heard the final product. “It wasn’t until I sat down on my couch and listened through it that I was like, ‘OK, this really works,” he said. “I hope it’s not the last one that I get to make.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/24/arts/podcast-movies-fiction.html

Filed Under: Media Business

Elon Musk, crypto, cannibalism: French sage’s prophecies for 2022

December 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment

According to prophesies by the long-dead French plague doctor, astrologer and seer Nostradamus, next year promises more food shortages and inflation, while many will seek financial stability by turning away from traditional money.

Nostradamus published his ‘Les Prophéties,’ full of predictions for centuries, back in 1555. Despite the fact that his foretelling is poetically vague, open to a handful of interpretations – and, therefore often linked to actual events after the said events have occurred – astrologer Reda Wigle saw a few particularly interesting verses in the batch which appear to speak of next year’s economy. She drew attention to them in an article for the New York Post.

Inflation, food shortage, cannibalism

In one passage for next year, Nostradamus wrote: “So high the price of wheat/That man is stirred/His fellow man to eat in his despair.”

Ditching green, new Cold War, US constitutional crisis – Saxo Bank’s predictions for 2022 READ MORE: Ditching green, new Cold War, US constitutional crisis – Saxo Bank’s predictions for 2022

Wigle says that he is possibly warning of high food prices that will affect the cost of living. That’s happening already all around, with inflation surging to decades-high rates in the UK, the US, Germany and nearly all other major economies, not to speak of the lesser ones. Wigle even goes as far as to claim that the prophecy predicts cannibalism. Perhaps, though, Nostradamus merely speaks of the better-off ones profiting from the suffering of others, which can be considered cannibalism of a sort, according to Wigle.

Crypto rise fiat money demise

As he wrote, “The copies of gold and silver inflated/Which after the theft were thrown into the lake/At the discovery that all is exhausted and dissipated by the debt/All scripts and bonds will be wiped out.”

Wigle claims Nostradamus “nods to the rise of cryptocurrency in the year ahead.” “The copies of gold and silver” can, indeed, be taken for crypto tokens that copy the precious metals’ status as a reserve asset. And crypto is indeed spreading at the speed of a Formula-1 race-car, with new tokens emergence, NFTs and investors flocking to the Metaverse. The “all is exhausted” bit may speak of the demise of the fiat money, “exhausted and dissipated by the debt.” It all adds up, it appears.

Stock up on milk gas as dollar about to hit zero – crypto guru READ MORE: Stock up on milk gas as dollar about to hit zero – crypto guru

Musk Artificial Intelligence

Nostradamus wrote, “The Moon in the full of night over the high mountain /The new sage with a lone brain sees it /By his disciples invited to be immortal/Eyes to the south. Hands in bosoms, bodies in the fire.”

Wigle sees the verse as a prediction of the rise of artificial intelligence and a reference to Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk, who recently moved his headquarters from California down south – to Austin, Texas. In August, Musk announced Tesla’s new branch to work on a humanoid “Tesla bot.” Well, as per the astrologer’s prediction, the robot will be a blast.

Doom gloom

Aparently to cement his title of a Prophet of Doom, he also wrote “For forty years the rainbow will not be seen/For 40 years it will be seen every day/The dry earth will grow more parched/And there will be great floods when it is seen.”

So, something terrifyingly nuclear could be coming Earth’s way next year, as well as droughts and floods of “biblically punishing proportions,” as Wigle put it.

For more stories on economy finance visit RT’s business section

Article source: https://www.rt.com/business/544600-nostradamus-predicts-crypto-inflation-2022/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Filed Under: Global Business

Elon Musk, crypto, cannibalism: French sage’s prophecies for 2022

December 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment

According to prophesies by the long-dead French plague doctor, astrologer and seer Nostradamus, next year promises more food shortages and inflation, while many will seek financial stability by turning away from traditional money.

Nostradamus published his ‘Les Prophéties,’ full of predictions for centuries, back in 1555. Despite the fact that his foretelling is poetically vague, open to a handful of interpretations – and, therefore often linked to actual events after the said events have occurred – astrologer Reda Wigle saw a few particularly interesting verses in the batch which appear to speak of next year’s economy. She drew attention to them in an article for the New York Post.

Inflation, food shortage, cannibalism

In one passage for next year, Nostradamus wrote: “So high the price of wheat/That man is stirred/His fellow man to eat in his despair.”

Ditching green, new Cold War, US constitutional crisis – Saxo Bank’s predictions for 2022 READ MORE: Ditching green, new Cold War, US constitutional crisis – Saxo Bank’s predictions for 2022

Wigle says that he is possibly warning of high food prices that will affect the cost of living. That’s happening already all around, with inflation surging to decades-high rates in the UK, the US, Germany and nearly all other major economies, not to speak of the lesser ones. Wigle even goes as far as to claim that the prophecy predicts cannibalism. Perhaps, though, Nostradamus merely speaks of the better-off ones profiting from the suffering of others, which can be considered cannibalism of a sort, according to Wigle.

Crypto rise fiat money demise

As he wrote, “The copies of gold and silver inflated/Which after the theft were thrown into the lake/At the discovery that all is exhausted and dissipated by the debt/All scripts and bonds will be wiped out.”

Wigle claims Nostradamus “nods to the rise of cryptocurrency in the year ahead.” “The copies of gold and silver” can, indeed, be taken for crypto tokens that copy the precious metals’ status as a reserve asset. And crypto is indeed spreading at the speed of a Formula-1 race-car, with new tokens emergence, NFTs and investors flocking to the Metaverse. The “all is exhausted” bit may speak of the demise of the fiat money, “exhausted and dissipated by the debt.” It all adds up, it appears.

Stock up on milk gas as dollar about to hit zero – crypto guru READ MORE: Stock up on milk gas as dollar about to hit zero – crypto guru

Musk Artificial Intelligence

Nostradamus wrote, “The Moon in the full of night over the high mountain /The new sage with a lone brain sees it /By his disciples invited to be immortal/Eyes to the south. Hands in bosoms, bodies in the fire.”

Wigle sees the verse as a prediction of the rise of artificial intelligence and a reference to Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk, who recently moved his headquarters from California down south – to Austin, Texas. In August, Musk announced Tesla’s new branch to work on a humanoid “Tesla bot.” Well, as per the astrologer’s prediction, the robot will be a blast.

Doom gloom

Aparently to cement his title of a Prophet of Doom, he also wrote “For forty years the rainbow will not be seen/For 40 years it will be seen every day/The dry earth will grow more parched/And there will be great floods when it is seen.”

So, something terrifyingly nuclear could be coming Earth’s way next year, as well as droughts and floods of “biblically punishing proportions,” as Wigle put it.

For more stories on economy finance visit RT’s business section

Article source: https://www.rt.com/business/544600-nostradamus-predicts-crypto-inflation-2022/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Filed Under: Global Business

Is Russia choking Europe amid gas crisis?

December 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment

The Yamal-Europe pipeline, which usually brings Russian gas to Europe, reversed its flow last week, adding pressure to an already tight European gas market as winter demand peaks.

Instead of flowing to Europe, where energy prices are skyrocketing as a result both of the cold and restricted global supply, gas has been flowing east into Poland and Ukraine. Moscow has denied accusations by some European officials that it has cut the supply, saying instead that it was German firms that were responsible for such a development.

  1. What is Yamal-Europe?
    The transnational pipeline transports significant quantities of natural gas from the Yamal Peninsula in the Russian Arctic to Poland and Germany via Belarus. Its total length is over 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles). Construction began in 1994 and, in 2006, it reached its annual capacity of 32.9 billion cubic meters (116.2 billion cubic feet) after the last compressor station was brought into commission.

  2. Who owns the pipeline?
    Russian energy giant Gazprom is the system’s sole operator in Russia and Belarus. The portion in Poland is owned by EuRoPol Gaz, a joint venture of Gazprom and Poland’s PGNiG. The German section is owned by Wingas, a subsidiary of Gazprom and one of the largest natural gas providers in Europe.

  3. What deal does Russia have with Poland?
    A long-term agreement between Gazprom and Poland on the transit of gas through the pipeline ended last year. Since then, Gazprom has booked short-term transit capacity via auctions. However, it stopped booking capacity for exports via Yamal since December 19 due to the lack of applications for the supply of “blue fuel” from European customers.

  4. Why is gas flowing in reverse?
    As the pipeline saw shipments halted last week, physical flows of gas were diverted eastward to Poland. This is the only fact that both Russia and European countries agree on. As to why, the reasons are murky.

  5. What is Europe’s position?
    Some European politicians have claimed that Moscow is deliberately withholding energy supplies to force the EU, and Germany in particular, to certify the launch of the recently completed but as-yet-unapproved Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

  6. What is Moscow’s reaction?
    The Kremlin has repeatedly denied allegations it is using energy as a political weapon. Gazprom says it continues to fulfill its contracts. Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week the reversal was because of a lack of requests from buyers. He accused speculators in Germany of reselling Russian gas at higher prices to Poland and Ukraine instead of relieving the overheated market. According to Putin, Russia has been “sidelined” by Poland when it comes to managing the pipeline and Europe had only itself to blame for the soaring prices.

  7. Why is there an energy squeeze?
    The global energy market is facing a supply crunch amid a sharp recovery in Asian demand as the world economy recovers from last year’s Covid-related slowdown. This has resulted in a shortage of liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity because higher energy prices in Asia have contributed to the shortage of supplies to Europe. The situation was aggravated by both the start of the winter season and the low reserves in European storage facilities. While Russia has increased gas exports to Europe compared to last year, European countries have not booked additional supplies. Thus, Russia is delivering only contracted volumes.

  8. What’s the solution to the crisis?
    One solution for Europe would be to outbid Asia and pay more for LNG imports from the US and the Middle East. Moscow’s suggestion is to access Russian gas by approving Nord Stream 2, which promises to make gas supplies cheaper and more reliable because it directly connects Russia to Germany, bypassing third countries.

Article source: https://www.rt.com/business/544534-russian-gas-europe-energy-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Filed Under: Global Business

China launches push for tech supremacy

December 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment

The Chinese government has turned to domestic tech companies in a drive to become ‘self-reliant’ and has also set a goal for the country to take the global lead in the production of microprocessors.

In a push to become a “technology superpower,” China’s ruling Communist Party aims to turn its three-year-old chip unit, T-Head, into a designer of processor chips with the means to support its domestic semiconductor needs.

T-Head already unveiled its third processor – the Yitian 710 for Alibaba’s cloud computing business – in October, and was cited by MarketWatch as saying that it currently has no plans to export the chip to other countries. Its first chip, the Hanguang 800, designed for artificial intelligence, was unveiled in 2019. The second, the XuanTie 910, was intended for self-driving cars.

China's winning the race to control the 21st century’s most valuable commodity READ MORE: China’s winning the race to control the 21st century’s most valuable commodity

Apart from T-Head, China’s other tech moguls, including games and social media giant Tencent and smartphone maker Xiaomi, are also planning to invest billions to support official government plans to make the people’s republic self-reliant in terms of chip production.

China currently accounts for 23% of global semiconductor output, but only 7.6% of sales.While Chinese factories assemble a variety of the world’s tech products, it is highly dependent on technology from the US, Europe, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Chips make up China’s biggest import, topping even crude oil and accounting for more than $300 billion last year. Beijing wants to end this dependence, particularly after China’s first global tech brand Huawei was cut off from US technology in 2018 under Washington’s sanctions.

“Self-reliance is the foundation for the Chinese nation,” President Xi Jinping said earlier this year, calling for China to become a “technology superpower” to safeguard “national economic security.”

Processor chips are crucial for making products like smartphones, home appliances and vehicles. Shortages have been plaguing global chip manufacturing for the past year due to Covid-19, resulting in production delays and factory closures.

For more stories on economy finance visit RT’s business section

Article source: https://www.rt.com/business/544567-china-tech-supremacy-push/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Filed Under: Global Business

Where to Find Italian Beef Outside Chicago

December 27, 2021 by Leave a Comment

“I get a lot of: ‘I just moved to this city. Can you please open a Portillo’s here?,’” said Nick Scarpino, the chain’s vice president for marketing and off-premises dining.

Italian-beef fans are particular about the sandwich’s trifecta of critical components — moist, thinly sliced beef; a hearty roll; and the spicy relish known as giardiniera or sweet peppers that top it, or both. To keep the Italian-beef critics happy, many of these out-of-town restaurants order ingredients from Chicago-based companies associated with the sandwich, including Vienna Beef for the meat, Turano Baking Company for the bread and Marconi for the giardiniera.

“Some people try to make their own beef broth,” Mr. Boyle said. “They say, ‘I’m going to make this a special sandwich.’ But it’s a working man’s sandwich. It’s straightforward. We try to keep it the same traditional way that it was.”

Mazen Muna, the founder of the Dogg Haus, said that as long as you honor the classic Chicago model, you can make Italian beef anywhere. “I don’t think that it is difficult,” he said. “If a person is buying the correct products and not skimping on quality, geographic location doesn’t make a difference.”

Mr. Caudill, of Roy’s Chicago Dogs in California, believes that the only thing standing between the sandwich and national fame is customer comprehension beyond Cook County.

“It’s kind of funny,” he said. “I’m surprised more people are not doing it. Philly cheesesteak is popular everywhere, but Italian beef is kind of a learning curve.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/27/dining/italian-beef-restaurants.html

Filed Under: Small Business

Tiny territory strives to be world’s crypto capital

December 27, 2021 by Leave a Comment

The British overseas territory of Gibraltar could soon host the world’s first integrated bourse, where conventional bonds can be traded alongside major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Dogecoin.

According to The Guardian, the peninsula’s regulators are currently reviewing a proposal that would prompt blockchain firm Valereum to buy the Gibraltar Stock Exchange (GSX) in the new year. Valereum focuses on providing technology for linking mainstream conventional currencies such as the pound and the dollar with crypto assets, says its chairman, Richard Poulden.

He told the daily that the firm is trying to harness a cryptocurrency sector that is worth around $3.5 trillion, roughly the combined value of all companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. It will be a major task to overhaul an exchange that is currently staffed by only three employees, and will require a change in Gibraltar’s regulations to govern how crypto is going to be traded on the GSX, Poulden said.

Gibraltar football team to become world’s first to pay players in cryptocurrency

Gibraltar’s regulator has so far approved 14 cryptocurrency and blockchain firms for its licensing scheme. If all goes to plan, the territory of just 33,000 people could become a global cryptocurrency hub, experts say. In case controls set by the regulators fail, Gibraltar risks reputational damage and sanctions by countries such as the US that could threaten its economy.

Gibraltar insists it has addressed the issue with its eyes wide open, having consulted on the regulation for the crypto sector for four years before introducing it in 2018. That helped it to secure a reputation as “Blockchain Rock,” says Albert Isola, Gibraltar’s minister for digital, financial services and public utilities.

“I don’t understand how there can be any increased risk in Gibraltar, when you can go to any other European country today and run exactly the same business without being supervised, without being licensed, and without being regulated. So how can we be more exposed by regulating them? It’s completely the opposite,” Isola added.

For more stories on economy finance visit RT’s business section

Article source: https://www.rt.com/business/544506-gibraltar-world-first-crypto-hub/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Filed Under: Global Business

Major economy sees renewed calls for crypto ban

December 27, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Buying, selling, investing, and any other dealings in cryptocurrencies should be forbidden in India, according to Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an affiliate of the nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

The SJM, which deals with economic issues, passed a resolution Sunday demanding that the Indian government introduce a total ban on transactions of crypto assets.

“The government should out rightly ban buying, selling, investing and otherwise dealing in cryptocurrencies by any person resident in India,” the resolution, passed at the SJM national meeting, demanded.

The SJM also asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to launch its digital currency as soon as possible to check the “unauthorized use” of private digital currency.

“The law relating to issuance of digital currency by the Reserve Bank of India should be framed quickly. The CBDC [Central Bank Digital Currency] should be considered as legal tender,” it said.

Analysts share major crypto predictions for 2022 READ MORE: Analysts share major crypto predictions for 2022

“Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc should not be recognised as asset or digital asset because it will indirectly become medium of exchange like currency.”

According to the resolution, cryptocurrencies have no underlying value, their issuers are not identifiable, they lead to heavy speculation that can damage the financial market, and their recognition may result in money laundering and financing terrorism.

At the same time, the organization has voiced full support for using blockchain in all spheres of economic or social activities, saying that the technology should not be linked to cryptocurrencies.

Virtual currencies have been on the RBI’s radar for some time, with the government considering an outright ban this year.

For more stories on economy finance visit RT’s business section

Article source: https://www.rt.com/business/544497-india-complete-crypto-ban/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS

Filed Under: Global Business
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