Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] has asked a senior executive to leave the company for failing to disclose a sexual harassment allegation stemming from his tenure at Alphabet Inc’s Google, an Uber spokeswoman said on Monday. Earlier this month, a female former engineer at Uber said in a widely read blog post that managers and human resources officers at the company had not punished her manager after she reported his unwanted sexual advances, and even threatened her with a poor performance review.
Day: February 27, 2017
No AT&T-Time Warner merger review expected
The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission does not expect to review AT&T Inc’s planned $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner Inc , a spokesman for the agency said on Monday. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai had told the Wall Street Journal in an interview on Monday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that he did not foresee a role for the FCC on the takeover and his comments were confirmed to Reuters by FCC spokesman Neil Grace.
SpaceX Says it Will Fly 2 People to Moon Next Year
SpaceX said Monday it will fly two people to the moon next year, a feat not attempted since NASA’s Apollo heyday close to half a century ago. Tech billionaire Elon Musk – the company’s founder and chief executive officer – announced the surprising news barely a week after launching his first rocket from NASA’s legendary moon pad.
What to expect from Trump’s address to Congress
Feb. 27, 2017 – 8:30 – The Daily Caller News Foundation editor-in-chief Christopher Bedford, Rasmussen Reports political analyst Amy Holmes and GOP strategist Ford O’ Connell on what to expect from President Trump’s address to Congress.
Goolsbee: Hope Trump can extend the lead Obama created
Feb. 27, 2017 – 5:44 – Former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors Austan Goolsbee discusses his outlook for economic growth under President Trump.
Was epic Oscars 2017 blunder down to Leonardo DiCaprio?
But, one moment that brought everyone to tears was when Brie Larson was filmed hugging Emma Stone after she won Best Actress . For Stone, Oscar success came at the second time of asking; her first and only previous Academy Award nomination came for her supporting role in 2015’s Birdman .
Gorillaz Confirm Album Is Complete and Massive Tour to Come
Now this is how you fan. After receiving the news, the fan, Jack Winstanley, posted a series of tweets detailing his run in with the Gorillaz member .
Marriott Vacations Worldwide: Cramer’s Top Takeaways
Steve Weisz, CEO of Marriott Vacations Worldwide, tells Jim Cramer his company’s seen a 50% jump in sales in Asia. Did you miss last night’s “Mad Money” on CNBC ? If so, here are some of Jim Cramer’s top takeaways.
Workday: Cramer’s Top Takeaways
In an “Executive Decision” segment, Cramer spoke with Aneel Bhusri, co-founder and CEO of Workday , the cloud software provider that had a rough December quarter but has since seen its shares rally to near 52-week highs. Bhusri said that after a slow October and November, business bounced back in December and January and led to record quarter for the company.
Martin Marietta Materials: Cramer’s Top Takeaways
In an “Executive Decision” segment, Cramer spoke with Ward Nye, chairman, president and CEO of Martin Marietta Materials , a stock that’s been on fire since the election as investors pin their hopes on a major infrastructure bill from Washington. Nye said that his company’s shares fell hard during the recession as housing collapsed and our country lacked a federal highway bill.
How Owning or Selling a Home Affects Your Taxes
Owning a home is exciting, challenging and the biggest investment of many people’s lives. It’s also a good way to reduce your tax bill.
China says it has received its largest foreign drone order: Xinhua
An undisclosed buyer has placed the largest overseas order for China’s home-developed military drones, the Xinhua news agency has reported, in a boost for the Chinese arms industry’s efforts to increase export volumes. The order for the Wing Loong II was placed before the next-generation unmanned aerial vehicle successfully completed its maiden flight, Xinhua said late on Monday, citing the system’s developer Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute.
Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross confirmed as Trumpa s secretary of commerce
Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., takes his seat at a hearing of Commerce, Science, and Transportation committee on January, 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., a former banker and investor who earned billions during decades buying and selling industries and who Trump has touted to lead his trade negotiations, was confirmed as Secretary of Commerce on Monday night in a 72 to 27 vote in the Senate.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross: 3 Things to Know
Ahead of his confirmation, Ross identified renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement as a top priority for the Trump administration. The president has criticized NAFTA as an unfair trade deal for American workers, arguing that it encourages domestic companies like automakers to make goods in Mexico and ship them back to the U.S. “I think the pro-growth thing is stimulating exports, much more than just curtailing imports,” Ross told the Senate Commerce Committee during his confirmation hearing.
News Corner March 1, 2017
Tech company TVSquared raises $6.5 million. Calum Smeaton, TVSquared’s CEO and founder, says, “Global TV advertising is continuing to grow at an astounding rate because TV is the most effective marketing channel.
Trump Is First President to Begin Tenure With Net Negative Approval Rating
Donald Trump has seen a historic dip in the polls , with the president’s quickly expanding Russian Federation scandal leading to a record low in approval ratings. Numerous former real-estate mogul’s first actions as 45th President were poorly received, including his controversial executive orders on immigration that temporarily barred visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., which was subsequently overturned by the courts.
Dubai’s Dar Group becomes biggest shareholder in Australia’s WorleyParsons
Feb 28 Dubai-based engineering firm Dar Group said on Tuesday it had taken a 13.4 percent stake in WorleyParsons Ltd months after a failed takeover approach, sending shares in the Australian engineering company up 30 percent. The strategic stake makes Dar the largest shareholder in Worley and comes a week after weak trading conditions for mining contractors pushed the potential takeover target to a first-half loss.
And the award for Oscars scapegoat goes to … PwC accountant Brian Cullinan
It’s the most commercially successful of this year’s best picture nominees, having grossed $369 million worldwide, but not all those paying customers have loved it as much as I did. Toward the end of the show, the announcer referred to Damon as Ben Affleck’s “guest” when they presented an award, and music played over Damon when he started talking.
Overnight Tech: Dems fire back on net neutrality, internet privacy |…
DEM FCC COMMISH VOWS TO FIGHT FOR NET NEUTRALITY: The lone Democratic commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission joined with activists on Capitol Hill Monday to commemorate the anniversary of the agency’s landmark net neutrality rules and vowed to fight to defend them. “Now it is time for us to once again roll up our sleeves and fight for the protections embodied in the Open Internet Order, that are designed to ensure that the internet remains an open platform, that enables free speech, freedom of expression and the ability for innovation to flourish,” said Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, speaking alongside representatives from civil rights groups and advocates of net neutrality.
SoftBank Said to Be in Talks to Merge OneWeb With Intelsat
SoftBank Group Corp., the technology giant controlled by billionaire Masayoshi Son, is in talks to merge the satellite startup it’s backing, OneWeb Ltd., with satellite provider Intelsat SA, according to people familiar with the matter. A deal is conditioned on setting aside money to purchase Intelsat bonds from investors at a price higher than their trading prices last week, though that would still be below par value, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.
Musk’s SpaceX Plans 2018 Flight Circling Moon With Civilians
Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp. plans to send two private citizens on a trip around the moon late next year as it continues to work with NASA for a planned crewed mission to the International Space Station. The passengers, who each paid a “significant deposit,” will undergo health and fitness tests and begin initial training later this year, the company said in a blog post Monday.
Market Action Shifts, but Only Slightly
The pattern of early weakness and afternoon strength held, but there was some “market on close” selling into the close for the first time in a while. Despite that late pressure, it was still a solid day for the indices with breadth of 4,000 gainers to 2,700 losers and over 550 new 12-month highs.
Tesla stock tumbles on analyst doubts
An analyst at the investment bank dropped the company from neutral to sell, based on uncertainties about Model 3 production, SolarCity’s performance after its acquisition and the company’s likely need to raise more cash. Tesla set vehicle production records last year, but again struggled to post a full-year profit.
White House responds to father of Navy SEAL killed in Yemen raid
White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Monday responded to the father of US Navy SEAL Chief William “Ryan” Owens, who was killed in action during a raid in Yemen, saying the Department of Defense would launch three investigations into the operation. Owens’ father, Bill, in an interview with The Miami Herald on Sunday, urged President Donald Trump to answer questions about the raid in Yemen that resulted in the death of his son, as many as 29 civilians, and the destruction of an MV-22 Osprey helicopter.
SpaceX is about to make an announcement – here are 6 things…
Elon Musk logged on late Sunday night to tease potentially significant news coming out of SpaceX, the rocket company he founded in 2002. An industry expert who’s familiar with SpaceX, but wished to remain anonymous, shared some best guesses – and they all jibe with SpaceX’s recent progress and long-term ambitions.
New FCC Chairman Plans To Block Privacy Regulations
The Federal Communications Commission’s new chairman wants to block a rule approved by his predecessor requiring Internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon adhere to new privacy standards.
AT&T-Time Warner deal may have easier path to approval
AT&T’s $85 billion purchase of Time Warner may be getting an easier path to approval after the chief telecommunications regulator says it isn’t likely to review the deal. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai is telling The Wall Street Journal that the agency likely won’t be involved because of changes in the deal’s structure.
Vanguard Takes Another Swing in Ongoing ETF Fee War
Exchange traded fund investors are winning in the ongoing fee war that has slashed expense ratios in a number of ETF options.
Two Retailers, One Big Worry
Two retailers moving in different directions have at least one thing in common: They are terrified of a border-adjusted tax. Target Corp. and Best Buy Co., both set to report earnings this week, are among a group of retailers that sent executives to meet with President Donald Trump earlier this month, lobbying against higher taxes on imports.
An ETF to Follow Hedge Fund Managersa a Very-Important-Positionsa
In an aging bull market rally, exchange traded fund investors will have to be more meticulous in selecting positions, but they can take cues from a broad array of professional investors and hedge fund managers.
Dow, S&P 500 Close at Record as Trump Talks Healthcare, Budget
U.S. stocks ended slightly higher on Monday and the Dow hit a record high close for a 12th straight session as President Donald Trump said he would make a “big” infrastructure statement on Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 16.09 points, or 0.08 percent, to 20,837.85, the S&P 500 gained 2.38 points, or 0.10 percent, to 2,369.72 and the Nasdaq Composite added 16.59 points, or 0.28 percent, to 5,861.90.
Oscars Viewership Takes a Dive Amid Blunders, Political Jabs
ABC’s Sunday night broadcast of the Academy Awards drew 32.9 million U.S. viewers, the smallest audience for the Oscars since 2008, according to Nielsen data released by the Walt Disney Co unit on Monday. This year’s audience dropped 4 percent from the 2016 Oscars, which drew 34.4 million viewers.
LAX breaks ground on new airport terminal
Mayor Eric Garcetti and other city leaders helped break ground on the 750,000-square-foot Midfield Satellite Concourse, which will connect to the Tom Bradley International Terminal via a 1,000-foot underground tunnel. “LAX means so much to L.A.’s economy — it’s an incredible job creator that employs more than 50,000.
Uber’s Engineering Head Departs After Harassment Claims Surface
Uber Technologies Inc. executive Amit Singhal resigned after the ride-hailing company learned of sexual harassment allegations from his previous job at Google. Uber said Singhal stepped down just a month after joining the company as senior vice president of engineering, where he oversaw software development.
Tech Startup Market Slows Amid Silicon Valley’s Doubts on Trump
The post-election rally that’s lifting U.S. public markets has left at least one group by the wayside: private technology startups. Since last year’s peak in mid-December, startup deal-making has fallen 37 percent, according to the Bloomberg U.S. Startups Barometer, which tracks fundraising, initial public offerings and acquisitions.
Drug Benefit Managers Need More Oversight, Pharmacists Say
Middlemen who manage drug benefits for employers and insurers should be under greater government oversight of their pricing and billing practices to make health care cheaper, an independent pharmacists’ group said. President Donald Trump’s plans to lower prescription drug costs will only succeed if greater transparency is imposed on pharmacy benefit managers, the group said in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price that was released Monday.
You Rang? I Called Hotel Room Service-And Got A Robot
Meet “Botlr,” the robotic butler who can get around on its own and bring you those late-night needs-from drinks to snacks and extra towels. It’s midnight.
Rally Marks Anniversary of Net Neutrality Rule as New FCC Chair Puts It in Crosshairs
Proponents of an open internet are holding a rally on Monday to mark the two-year anniversary of the Federal Communications Commission vote that enshrined net neutrality protections that the new Trump administration has already begun eroding. The 3pm event in Washington, D.C is backed by the Color of Change, National Hispanic Media Coalition, Center for Media Justice, and Free Press, and will feature the FCC’s only Democratic commissioner, Mignon Clyburn.
Takata Pleads Guilty in Airbag Case
Japanese auto parts maker Takata has pleaded guilty to a criminal charge of fraud and agreed to pay $1 billion regarding concealment of a defect in its air bag inflators, which resulted in the death of at least 16 people, the Associated Press reports. The hearing took place in a Detroit court.
Trump Tells Health Insurers to Expect `Something Special’
President Donald Trump told major U.S. health insurers at a White House meeting Monday to expect “something special” to replace Obamacare, as the administration gets more involved in Republican efforts to repeal the health-care law. “We’re going to be talking about it tomorrow night during the speech,” Trump said, referring to his address to a joint session of Congress scheduled for Tuesday.