Author: News Room

It’s not easy to remain secret in an age of near-constant surveillance and endless information sources.But some powerful groups, somehow, have managed it — at least to some degree.Such is the case with the Bilderberg Meetings, a tight-lipped, off-the-record gathering that summons its participants once a year to discuss global issues and encourage “dialogue between Europe and North America,” according to the group’s website.The group is hosting its 70th annual meeting this weekend in Madrid, where attendees will discuss a range of contemporary issues. Here’s what we know.FoundingThe annual events are hosted by a group called Foundation Bilderberg Meetings, led…

CAIRO (Reuters) – British security firm Ambrey and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an incident in the Red Sea on Saturday, west of Yemen’s Hodeidah. The Houthi militia, which controls the most populous parts of Yemen and is aligned with Iran, has attacked ships off its coast for months, saying it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza. Ambrey said it had received information indicating missile activity 47 nautical miles west of Hodeidah. UKMTO said it had received a report of an incident near the same location. UKMTO said authorities were investigating. The Houthi…

EUR/USD rose to 1.08800 after better-than-expected EU HICP inflation. Pair falls back to the week’s opening bids heading into the close. Coming up next week: EU & US PMIs, ECB rate call, US NFP. EUR/USD struggled to make headway on Friday, splashing around near 1.0850 as the major pair heads into the close within reach of the week’s opening bids on Monday. European Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) inflation rose faster than expected in May, while US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index inflation cooled faster than expected in April. Next week brings a heavy data docket, with Purchasing…

While the recent approval of the spot bitcoin ETF in the US marks a positive step towards the institutionalization of the digital asset industry, the imminent approval of spot ether ETFs raises some concerns. These ETFs do not offer staking rewards to investors (unlike European ether crypto ETPs), reflecting a lack of understanding by regulators and certain traditional finance asset managers of the key features that distinguish ether from bitcoin. Despite both being leading cryptocurrencies, ETH and BTC differ significantly in their functionality and role within the blockchain ecosystem. It’s therefore essential for the industry and regulators to tailor financial…

A version of this story appeared in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. While American voters are looking at the same old options in their coming election, Mexican voters will choose between two women as the major-party candidates in their presidential election this weekend. Women in Mexico did not enjoy universal suffrage until 1953, a full 33 years after women gained the right in the US, but the country is almost sure to have its first female leader before the US does. CNN’s Tara John points out in an analysis for CNN…

It’s now been 32 days since Kristaps Porzingis last suited up for the Boston Celtics. By the time Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off, 38 days will have passed since he limped off the floor in Miami with a right calf strain during Game 4 of the first round. Every time Boston’s path to the Finals is mentioned, it’s to diminish their playoff record because of the injured teams they faced. Rarely does it get acknowledged that Porzingis, their starting center making nearly $30 million this season, has missed 70% of the playoff action. The reason it hasn’t…

It’s unlikely there is anything more “consumer discretionary” than taking money into a casino and casually dropping it on the lowest probability devices and games under the sun. It’s a fabulous, usually profitable business for the owners of such properties and the competition for dumb customers is stiff. Nevertheless, even with Friday’s report that billionaire investor Carl Icahn has taken a stake in Caesars, the basic overall trend of casino/resort stocks is downward. You don’t have to be an Oxford economist to see a probable connection between fewer gambling hall visits and more interest in spending that money where it’s…

The technology is set to bring about “12 million occupational transitions” between now and 2030, Kweilin Ellingrud, a senior partner at McKinsey and director of its Global Institute, said at the firm’s media day this week. “That’s about, give or take, the pace of occupational transitions we had during COVID.” Some areas will see growth, namely roles in healthcare and STEM, Ellingrud said. About 85% of the jobs that AI will likely impact, meanwhile, fit into four categories — administrative assistance, customer service and sales, food service, and production and manufacturing, according to McKinsey.Many of those jobs involve repetitive work,…

A retired four-star US Navy admiral was arrested Friday in connection with an alleged bribery scheme that involved a government contract.Robert P. Burke, 62, who from 2020-2022 oversaw US naval operations in Europe, Russia, and most of Africa, has been charged with bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery, performing acts to affect a personal financial interest, and concealing material facts, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.He could face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison if convicted, said the DOJ.Burke denies the charges, reported the US Naval Institute News. Yongchul “Charlie” Kim and Meghan Messenger, the co-CEOs…

Dow Jones rebounds from lows near 38,000.00 after heavy backslide. Market sentiment recovering as rate cut hopes rise once again. US PCE Price Index inflation cools faster than expected. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) rebounded nearly 580 points on Friday as investor sentiment turned higher after US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index inflation eased faster than expected. Rate markets are once again pricing in better-than-even odds of a September rate cut from the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Dow Jones is also getting bolstered by a strong rebound in Salesforces Inc. (CRM) after the management company missed revenue expectations for…