Tweeters Make Same Chilling Point About Jack Dorsey's Account Being Compromised - HuffPost

HuffPost is now part of the Oath family. We (Oath) and our partners need your consent to access your device, set cookies, and use your data, including your location, to understand your interests, provide relevant ads and measure their effectiveness. Oath will also provide relevant ads to you on our partners' products. Learn More

How Oath and our partners bring you better ad experiences

To give you a better overall experience, we want to provide relevant ads that are more useful to you. For example, when you search for a film, we use your search information and location to show the most relevant cinemas near you. We also use this information to show you ads for similar films you may like in the future. Like Oath, our partners may also show you ads that they think match your interests.

Learn more about how Oath collects and uses data and how our partners collect and use data.

Select 'OK' to allow Oath and our partners to use your data, or 'Manage options' to review our partners and your choices. Tip: Sign In to save these choices and avoid repeating this across devices. You can always update your preferences in the Privacy Centre.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jack-dorsey-twitter-account-fears-trump_n_5d6a1e6fe4b01108044f6f7a

2019-08-31 07:46:00Z
52780368879424

GM, Lyft, Waymo want to be allowed to remove driver controls on autonomous cars - CNBC

Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivan that's party of Waymo's fleet

Waymo

General Motors and Alphabet's Waymo are among the companies encouraging federal safety regulators to swiftly, yet safely, update laws to better accommodate the testing and approval of fully autonomous vehicles on U.S. public roadways, even those without driver controls.

The companies, considered by many to be the leaders in autonomous vehicles, were among roughly 90 organizations and individuals to submit public comments on a proposed regulation on changing rules for self-driving vehicles to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Lyft, Volvo, Intel and Mercedes-Benz, New York City and nonprofit consumer advocacy organizations like the Center for Auto Safety all weighed in on new safety standards for self-driving vehicles before the public comment period closed Wednesday.

Notably absent from the comments was Tesla, which has been very public about their aspirations for testing and deploying autonomous vehicles. Tesla did not immediately respond for comment.

The comments will be taken into consideration as federal regulators rewrite the rules, NHTSA said in an emailed statement.

While many believe autonomous vehicles can save lives, some have been skeptical about allowing the vehicles on public roads — particularly following a fatal crash involving a self-driving Uber vehicle in March 2018 in Arizona.

Removing manual controls

Regulators are considering allowing vehicles without manual controls, including steering wheels and pedals, to operate on U.S. roadways. Current laws require such equipment, and companies have to request exemptions to launch such vehicles.

GM, which last year along with its Cruise autonomous vehicle subsidiary petitioned for such exemptions, and Lyft support creating separate requirements that meet the "intent" of the safety standards, not the physical equipment.

"GM/Cruise supports NHTSA establishing new definitions that apply only to ADS-DVs [autonomous vehicles] without manual controls," GM said. "It would allow NHTSA to clearly delineate, where necessary, the requirements that apply to ADS-DV versus those that apply to traditional vehicles."

Lyft, in its comments, agreed that a "separate vehicle classification" for autonomous vehicles with their own regulations would "remove regulatory barriers and modify [federal motor vehicle safety standards] that reference a human driver and/or assume some manual control element within the test procedure."

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which encompasses 12 automakers that represent about 70 percent of all car and light truck sales in the U.S., encouraged NHTSA to use "a parallel and phased approach" that focuses on vehicles with advanced driver-assist systems as well as autonomous vehicles with and without manual controls.

Safety concerns

While many companies supported changes, several safety advocates and consumer watchdog groups cautioned NHTSA on hastily changing regulations.

Consumer Reports, while acknowledging the potential long-term safety benefit of autonomous vehicles, encouraged NHTSA to focus resources on more near-term benefits.

"In short: for NHTSA to save lives and prevent injuries, there are more important subjects the agency should be focusing on than 'removing regulatory barriers,' especially given the robust pace of industry innovation in many areas today, " Consumer Reports said.

The Center for Auto Safety, a Washington-based consumer advocacy organization, said it remains "skeptical" about companies testing vehicles without manual controls, citing "there is no demonstrable evidence" that the vehicles "can safely operate on (and off) America's roads."

—CNBC's contributed to this report.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/30/gm-lyft-urge-regulators-to-remove-driver-controls-on-autonomous-cars.html

2019-08-30 11:54:48Z
CAIiEJfVQk78KciabBHNmXjlKU0qGQgEKhAIACoHCAow2Nb3CjDivdcCMJ_d7gU

Altria: JUUL Of Denial - Seeking Alpha

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

1. Altria: JUUL Of Denial  Seeking Alpha
2. Juul CEO says 'don't vape,' long-term effects are unknown  INSIDER
3. Juul Labs announces ID verification system to curb underage e-cigarette use  CBS This Morning
4. Mom of teen with vaping addiction warns parents about the dangers of e-cigarettes: ‘It’s stealth by design’  Yahoo Lifestyle
5. FTC Investigates S.F. Based E-Cigarette Maker Juul Over Ads Targeting Teens  KPIX CBS SF Bay Area
6. View full coverage on Google News

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4288858-altria-juul-denial

2019-08-30 10:53:00Z
52780367761273

Elon Musk visits Gigafactory 3 site, receives support from Shanghai Party secretary - Teslarati

By Simon Alvarez

Posted on August 30, 2019

Recent images from China revealed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk had a busy day following his appearance at the opening segments of the 2019 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. Following his free-wheeling AI debate with Alibaba founder Jack Ma, Musk visited the Gigafactory 3 site in the Lingang industrial area, before meeting with Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang for a conversation about Tesla’s initiatives in China. 

Elon Musk’s visit to the Gigafactory 3 site appears to have been a welcome change of pace for the upcoming facility’s workers, who appeared to appreciate the presence of the Tesla CEO. The details of Musk’s visit to the Shanghai-based electric car production facility have not been shared by local news outlets yet, but social media reports from Shanghai stated that the Tesla CEO was extremely happy about the progress of Gigafactory 3’s construction. 

After his visit to the Gigafactory 3 complex, Musk met with Li Qiang, the secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee. During their conversation, the government official highlighted that Tesla and Gigafactory 3 are welcome additions to Shanghai, as they will bring new products and innovations to the city. Li also mentioned that Shanghai wants to build a highland for AI development in the future. 

Musk, for his part, proved equally optimistic and thankful for China’s support of Tesla. While speaking at the 2019 WAIC, Musk remarked that he is simply stunned about the quickness and efficiency of Gigafactory 3’s buildout. “Tesla’s China team has done an amazing job and I’m astounded that so much progress has been made for the Shanghai Gigafactory. It’s a good story for the world to see how much progress you can make in China. I really think China’s future looks very impressive,” he said. 

Following his busy Thursday, Musk appeared to have flown to China’s capital on Friday, as evidenced by pictures depicting the Tesla CEO having lunch at a famous Baozi (filled bun) restaurant in Beijing. Interestingly, the restaurant is very close to the Beijing office of the National Development and Reform Commission (发改委), which handles the country’s comprehensive economic projects, among others. 

Apart from Elon Musk’s appearance at the 2019 World AI Conference and his visit to the Gigafactory 3 complex, the Tesla CEO is also expected to launch The Boring Company’s China unit on this particular China trip. More details about this initiative will likely be shared from local news agencies, or in social media platforms, in the coming days. 

Elon Musk visits Gigafactory 3 site, receives support from Shanghai Party secretary

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-elon-musk-gigafactory-3-visit-meeting-party-secretary/

2019-08-30 10:00:23Z
52780368206885

ECB hawks are trying to downplay the chances of a huge stimulus package in September - CNBC

Two top officials have tried to temper market expectations of an immediate quantitative easing (QE) package being launched by the European Central Bank (ECB).

Earlier in the summer, ECB President Mario Draghi said he was looking at further options to prop up the 19-member euro zone economy, outlining that one of the possibilities included a new program of asset purchases to stimulate lending and boost inflation.

Investors cheered his dovish comments with ECB members like François Villeroy de Galhau highlighting that a major bond-buying program, also known as QE, could come in the proceeding months if needed.

But just as investors gear up for the ECB's next meeting on September 12, two notably hawkish members of the euro zone's central bank have decided to inject some reality back into the debate.

"In my opinion, based on the current data, it is much too early for a huge package," executive board member Sabine Lautenschlaeger said in an interview with Market News this week which was published on the ECB's website Friday.

"I am still convinced that the Asset Purchase Programme (APP) is the ultima ratio, and it should only be used if you have a risk of deflation; and the risk of deflation is nowhere to be seen now."

Fellow ECB member and Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot added his own words of caution. "If deflation risks come back on the agenda then I think the asset-purchase programme is the appropriate instrument to be activated, but there is no need for it in my reading of the inflation outlook right now," he told Bloomberg Thursday.

But there's only been a muted market response since these comments with European stocks posting gains on both Thursday and Friday. Analysts at Rabobank put this down to traders already being aware that there wasn't unanimity among the ECB's board members on QE.

They also highlighted in a research note that the reason the hawks "are stating their objections so vociferously is that they know that it is very likely that the APP will imminently be re-started."

If implemented, it would be the second time in its history that the central bank has announced a massive program to directly inject money into the euro zone economy.

Last week, Erik Nielsen, group chief economist at UniCredit, predicted QE would be launched in September and could between 300 billion and 400 billion euros ($333.07 and $444.10 billion) over a nine-month period.

The euro area is still struggling to deal with its low inflation levels and to grow at a significant rate. According to the central bank's latest forecasts, out in June, headline inflation is set to reach 1.3% in 2019 — the ECB's target is "below but close to 2%." In terms of growth, the central bank is expecting growth to reach 1.2% this year — having grown at a rate of 1.8% in 2018.

Silvia Dall'Angelo, senior economist at Hermes Investment Management, told CNBC via email last week that he wouldn't rule out an open-ended approach by the ECB.

"An ECB official recently made the case for a more forceful move, a bigger rather than smaller programme is likely, say 45 billion euros per month for a year," he said.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/30/european-central-bnak-hawks-try-to-downplay-the-chances-of-qe.html

2019-08-30 09:15:54Z
CAIiEO9CJ7Hx3LmlK1p0OWcr4T0qGQgEKhAIACoHCAow2Nb3CjDivdcCMJ_d7gU

Five Years Ago Saturday, a Turning Point for Hong Kong and China - The New York Times

HONG KONG — In many places around the world, a single date marks seismic events considered turning points in recent history, like the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States or the Nov. 9 fall of the Berlin Wall for Europe. For post-colonial Hong Kong, the turning point fell on Aug. 31, 2014.

That was when a top Chinese government body announced a plan for limited democracy in Hong Kong. Beijing’s decision fell considerably short of what democracy protesters were demanding that summer, and it set off a two-month occupation of several Hong Kong neighborhoods that came to be known as the Umbrella Movement.

This year, demonstrators seized on that day — known simply as “the 8/31” — for what they hoped would be a huge march this Saturday, although an organized rally now seems unlikely.

The Hong Kong authorities have declined to grant the protesters a permit, raising the possibility of a repeat of recent clashes should the demonstration be held. The authorities rejected an appeal on Friday, and march organizers called off the demonstration after failing to win approval, although people are likely to protest in other ways.

Image

Democracy protesters in Hong Kong in October 2014 during the occupation that came to be known as the Umbrella Movement.CreditAdam Ferguson for The New York Times

What was the decision?

The Standing Committee of China’s rubber-stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress, approved a law five years ago on Saturday that would have allowed all adults who are permanent residents of Hong Kong to vote on who would be the next chief executive of the semiautonomous Chinese territory. But it came with a catch: Beijing would have tight control over who could run.

A 1,200-member electoral committee stacked with Beijing loyalists currently chooses the chief executive. The Aug. 31 decision would let that committee only choose the candidates, and then let the general public vote on those candidates. But opponents felt that meant Beijing would still be choosing their leader. And Beijing did indeed say that whoever won the vote of the general public would still have to be appointed to the job of chief executive by China’s national government.

The Standing Committee’s pronouncement did not become Hong Kong law because pro-democracy lawmakers in the Hong Kong legislature blocked approval of it in 2015. So the same 1,200-member election committee continues to choose the chief executive, with the system favoring pro-Beijing candidates. The committee selected Carrie Lam, the incumbent, in 2017, and she won with 777 votes of the 1,163 votes actually cast.

Image

Protesters in Hong Kong installed an “Umbrella Man” sculpture during a demonstration in October 2014.CreditAdam Ferguson for The New York Times

Why are the protesters upset about it?

Most democracy advocates in Hong Kong have long rejected the decision as worse than nothing at all. “The decision of Aug. 31 is totally unacceptable to the Hong Kong people,” said Bonnie Leung, the vice convener of one of the main protest groups, the Civil Human Rights Front, which had been organizing the Saturday demonstration. “The chief executive would have millions of votes, not a handful, but they would still be handpicked by Beijing.”

Mrs. Lam, now the chief executive of Hong Kong and previously the territory’s top civil servant, tried to find a compromise during the Umbrella Movement. Her compromise would have changed the composition of the nomination committee, notably by reducing the large number of seats reserved for farmers and fishermen. Farming and fishing now represent a tiny share of Hong Kong’s population and economy these days, but these are staunchly pro-Beijng sectors.

But Mrs. Lam’s compromise still would have left the nomination committee in charge of who could appear on the ballot. Democracy advocates rejected her suggestions.

Image

A scene in October 2014 from the Umbrella Movement protest. Most democracy advocates in Hong Kong have long rejected the 2014 Beijing decision as worse than nothing at all.CreditAdam Ferguson for The New York Times

Who likes the Aug. 31 decision?

A few centrists in Hong Kong and Western political scientists have suggested that adoption of the Aug. 31 decision five years ago might have helped the democratic cause and might still be a good option for the territory. They argue that even if two or three Beijing allies appeared on a ballot for a vote by all of the people of Hong Kong, those candidates would become less pro-Beijing during the campaign. They might compete with each other in promising more democracy, so as to win the most votes from the general public.

“If they want to win a popular election, they would have to adopt policies closer to the political center,” said David Zweig, a longtime political scientist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

The Aug. 31 decision gives Beijing final say on who becomes chief executive. After the general election, Beijing would decide whether to appoint the winner of the general election to become chief executive. If a candidate became too critical of Beijing during an election campaign, or promised too much, that candidate might not be appointed, said Lau Siu-kai, vice chairman of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, an elite, semiofficial advisory body set up by Beijing.

“Beijing will not allow any person who seems to place his accountability to the Hong Kong people above his accountability to Beijing,” Mr. Lau said.

Image

Protesters’ umbrellas outside the government complex in September 2014. Hong Kong has changed since then, with protesters now more willing to resort to violence.CreditLam Yik Fei for The New York Times

Does Beijing still back the decision?

The decision five years ago was a compromise in Beijing between moderates willing to tolerate some democracy in Hong Kong and hard-liners less willing to allow it. The compromise was aimed at going far enough in meeting Hong Kong democracy demands to head off a threatened occupation of the streets that autumn — a goal the compromise completely failed to achieve.

Hong Kong has changed since then, with protesters more willing to resort to violence. But Beijing has also changed since then. President Xi Jinping had been in office for less than two years at the time of the Standing Committee’s decision, and was still consolidating power.

In the years since, he has repealed a constitutional limit of two terms as president, allowing him to remain in office indefinitely. He has replaced almost all top military and security officials with people loyal to him. Human rights lawyers have been sentenced to long jail terms and much stricter controls have been placed on internet use in mainland China.

Democracy advocates still hope Beijing will make them a better offer. “I hope Beijing will understand if you make a concession, it is not a sign of weakness but a sign of a great power,” said Emily Lau, a pro-democracy lawmaker.

Some Beijing hard-liners on Hong Kong policy, however, have begun to question whether any concession to democracy advocates, like allowing general elections with Beijing controlling who is a candidate, is even needed anymore.

Lau Siu-kai said that because the Standing Committee has never repealed the decision, it remains on the books and in theory available to Hong Kong.

“It is still available, because it is the national law,” he said, while adding that, “I don’t see this as a possibility at all, that 8/31 would be accepted by the democrats.”

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/30/world/asia/hong-kong-protests.html

2019-08-30 06:31:00Z
52780368287878

Asian stocks rebound, US futures slip - Fox Business

Asian stocks rebounded Friday on hopes U.S.-Chinese talks next month might produce progress toward ending a costly tariff war over trade and technology.

Continue Reading Below

Benchmarks in the major Asian markets all followed Wall Street higher.

Japan's Nikkei ended the day with a gain of 1.2 percent, and added 1.4 percent for the week. China's Shanghai Composite was up 0.6 percent, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was 0.6 percent higher.

MORE FROM FOXBUSINESS.COM

Investors were encouraged by a Chinese government statement Thursday that its penalties on U.S. imports are adequate. That suggested Beijing might be pausing in a tit-for-tat cycle of tariff hikes by both sides that has fueled fears the fight will tip the global economy into recession.

U.S. equity futures are pointing to small losses when the bell rings on Wall Street.

Advertisement

Stocks finished Thursday with broad gains, driving the Dow Jones Industrial Average more than 300 points higher.

The S&P 500 index rose 1.3 percent, the Dow climbed 1.3 percent and the Nasdaq gained 1.5 percent.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	%Chg
I:DJI	DOW JONES AVERAGES	26362.25	+326.15	+1.25%
SP500	S&P 500	2924.58	+36.64	+1.27%
I:COMP	NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX	7973.394165	+116.51	+1.48%

Some analysts say Beijing might be hoping to strike a more favorable deal if President Donald Trump is under pressure during his re-election campaign — or might hold out to negotiate with his successor if he loses.

Washington and Beijing are deadlocked in talks over U.S. complaints about China's trade surplus and industry plans its trading partners say are based on stealing or pressuring companies to hand over technology.

Tit-for-tat tariff hikes by both sides have depressed trade, prompting fears the fight might tip the global economy into recession.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

Negotiators are due to meet next month in Washington after the latest round of talks in July in Shanghai produced no sign of progress.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/us-stocks-aug-30-2019

2019-08-30 05:27:03Z
CBMiOWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZveGJ1c2luZXNzLmNvbS9tYXJrZXRzL3VzLXN0b2Nrcy1hdWctMzAtMjAxOdIBPWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZveGJ1c2luZXNzLmNvbS9tYXJrZXRzL3VzLXN0b2Nrcy1hdWctMzAtMjAxOS5hbXA