Posts by Amelia Frost
Holiday Sales Forecast to Rise as Retailers Keep Seasonal Hiring Near Last Year’s Level.
Americans are expected to spend more than $1 trillion at retailers this holiday season, but the projected sales increase comes with a more restrained outlook for workers seeking temporary jobs. The National Retail Federation forecasts retailers will hire between 325,000 and 375,000 seasonal employees, roughly in line with last year’s estimated 356,000. Meanwhile, November and…
Read MoreOpenAI Is Racing To Raise $30 Billion Before Anthropic’s IPO. Its Valuation Could Cross $1.4 Trillion.
OpenAI is accelerating efforts to raise roughly $30 billion from investors ahead of rival Anthropic’s expected stock market debut in November, a fundraising push that could value the ChatGPT maker at more than $1.4 trillion as competition between the artificial intelligence companies extends to Wall Street. The company is trying to secure investor commitments before…
Read MoreRussian Satellite’s Rare Approach to an Spacecraft Has Experts Questioning Whether it Was an Intimidation Tactic
A Russian satellite maneuvered to within roughly 500 meters of a commercial Earth-observation spacecraft over the weekend, according to space-tracking company LeoLabs, an encounter that may represent an unprecedented unapproved rendezvous between two active satellites in low Earth orbit. The spacecraft, Kosmos 2612, also known as Cosmos 2612, approached ICEYE-X36, part of a commercial radar-imaging…
Read MoreChina-Based DeepSeek’s AI Products Banned From Use By Government, Contractors
The U.S. government has banned of China’s DeepSeek AI products from all government IT systems and civilian contracts over national security concerns. The Department of Homeland Security issued the directive, saying DeepSeek and its related tools pose a security risk. “DeepSeek’s most widely used applications function through a prompt-and-response process that requires presenting information to…
Read MoreThe Strait Of Hormuz Could Become Redundant In Five Years as Countries Build Alternatives, HSBC CEO Says
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, could become largely unnecessary within five years as Gulf countries invest in alternative pipelines and ports amid ongoing conflicts, HSBC Group Chief Executive Georges Elhedery said Tuesday. Speaking at the bank’s Future Forum in Dubai, Elhedery said the Iran war is accelerating…
Read MoreProtests Keep Escalating in France. The Government Will Now Deploy the Military.
France is set to deploy the military to the streets to maintain order as protests in the country escalate. The Sentinelle force, created in 2015 after a wave of terrorist attacks in Paris, will be used “mainly on static security missions.” French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told lawmakers that the deployment can free up police…
Read MoreUkraine’s Footprint in the Gulf Grows. Iran Accuses Kyiv of Deploying Drone Units Near the Country.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that Ukraine has deployed drone units in the Gulf and near Iran. Citing the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency, Iran International noted that thousands of miniature drones were detected in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Tehran considers the development to be part of “hostile actions by Europe and NATO” and is…
Read MoreChina Sends Forces To Monitor U.S. Vessel As South China Sea Tensions Rise
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s Type 54A guided-missile frigate Yuncheng (571) is docked at the Ngong Shuen Chau naval base on Stonecutters Island in Hong Kong. Getty Images China has accused the U.S. of impinging on its sovereignty after an American ship sailed into waters near the Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands. Reuters…
Read MoreTrump’s Approval Hits Record Low. Democrats See Largest Gap With GOP of the Election Cycle.
President Donald Trump‘s approval rating has fallen to 31%, the lowest recorded in either of his presidential terms, as frustration over gasoline prices and the economy threatens Republicans’ congressional majorities two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections. A new Reuters/Ipsos survey also showed Democrats expanding their advantage among registered voters. Asked which party they…
Read MoreNYSE Expands Trading Beyond the Bell. An Expert Weighs In.
The New York Stock Exchange expanded options trading hours on Monday, giving investors more time to trade contracts tied to some of America’s biggest companies as exchanges compete for business beyond the traditional trading day. The launch on NYSE American Options covers 29 stocks and exchange-traded funds, including Nvidia, Bank of America, the SPDR S&P…
Read MoreAnother Country Will Send Military Help to Saudi Arabia as it Grapples With Escalating Houthi Attacks
The UK has become the latest country to increase the amount of military support sent to Saudi Arabia, which continues to grapple with attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels. London noted that it will send fighter jets to perform defensive operations, also providing refueling support on actions that include strikes against Houthi targets. “The continuing attacks…
Read MoreTrump Endorsed Netanyahu Ahead of the Israeli Elections. JD Vance is Not Following Suit.
Vice President JD Vance refrained from endorsing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the Israeli elections, a decision that stands in contrast with that of President Donald Trump. Speaking on Mark Halperin’s 2WAY Tonight, Vance said that Trump “has the most effective endorsement in American or international political history.” He went on to say…
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