- [[Los Angeles Times]]
- The rise, fall of a green L.A.-area bank firm
- Aspiration Partners quickly drew celebrity investors with a focus on the climate crisis and carbon offsets. How it all blew up and prompted an NBA investigation involving the Clippers.
- ANDREI Cherny, clockwise from top, is a co-founder of Aspiration Partners. Its investors include actor Leonardo DiCaprio. LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is among those named in an inquiry into the online bank.
- City planners support $2-billion project in Skid Row
- [[USA Today]]
- GM holds line on EVs despite lack of buyers
- Automaker’s leaders insist investment was not a mistake
- Duncan Aldred may be the one automotive executive not sweating over the anticipated slowdown of the U.S. electric vehicle market. ● Aldred, GM’s senior vice president and president of North America, is in a critical position: leading GM’s most profitable but challenging markets. ● Electric vehicle sales in the U.S. trail other major car markets where the global company does business, which was not expected to be the case when GM first planned its broad EV portfolio. Last month, GM CEO Mary Barra said onstage at an industry event that “up until a year ago, we were on a journey to a regulatory environment where we had to drive EVs.”
- The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV should reach dealers in early 2026. Prices start under $30,000.
- Startup offers a fix for motion sickness
- MI researchers develop tools to deal with issue
- Four car brands are most likely to hit 250,000 miles
- Your chance of hitting 250,000 miles in a Toyota is almost 18%.
- [[The New York Times]]
- A.I. Video Generators Are Now So Good You Can No Longer Trust Your Eyes
- Welcome to the era of fakery. The widespread use of instant video generators like Sora will bring an end to visuals as proof.
- Political Turmoil in France Weighs on Businesses and Investors
- As a new prime minister seeks stability, three government shake-ups since last summer have already taken their toll on the French economy.
- Trump’s Trade War With China Catches the World in Its Crossfire
- Tariffs and other restrictions between the United States and China are reverberating in unpredictable ways.
- Trump Ramps Up Trade War as New Tariffs on Lumber and Furniture Take Effect
- The president is threatening to widen his trade war against China as tariffs on timber, lumber, kitchen cabinets and other products took effect on Tuesday.
- [[Wall Street Journal]]
- Ford Cuts Truck, SUV Production
- Well-Timed Crypto Bets Reap $160 Million
- Two of Biggest U.S. Timberland Owners Strike Deal to Combine
- J&J Plans to Split Off Its Orthopedics Unit
- Oracle And AMD Set Key Deal for AI Chips
- [[Financial Times]] A Nikkei-owned company located in the UK.
- Swift's new album smashes through US records with first-week sales of 4mn units
- Taylor Swift has broken the firstweek US sales record with her album The Life of a Showgirl, selling more than 4mn units — the biggest debut since data tracking began in 1991.
- Fans purchasing Taylor Swift's 'The Life of a Showgirl', of which 38 versions were released
- Lime needs a tech fix for its fleet of electric bikes in London
- Progress has been made, such as using AI scanning to ensure that riders park safely, but Lime could do more to limit abuses
- Wall Street banks wary of bubble after earnings soar
- ▸ Deals boost Goldman, Citi and JPM ▸ Warning over 'pockets of frothiness'
- Brussels fines Gucci, Chloé and Loewe for price fixing
- The EU has fined luxury fashion houses Gucci, Chloé and Loewe a combined €157mn for breaching the bloc's competition rules by fixing resale prices at retailers stocking the brands' products.
----- AI Translation -----
📰 [[Los Angeles Times]]
The Rise and Fall of Green L.A. Regional Bank
Aspiration Partners is gaining attention by emphasizing climate crisis response and carbon offsetting.
It attracted prominent investors like Leonardo DiCaprio.
However, everything crumbled, leading to investigations involving the NBA, including the LA Clippers.
Andrei Cherny is a co-founder of Aspiration Partners.
Investors include actor Leonardo DiCaprio,
and Kawhi Leonard, forward for the Clippers, was also mentioned as part of the online banking investigation.
City Planning Commission Approves $2 Billion Skid Row Project
A development project targeting a homeless-concentrated area in downtown Los Angeles gains support at the city planning stage.
📰 [[USA Today]]
GM Sticks with EV Investment Despite Sales Slump
Executives say "the investment was not a mistake" — sticking to strategy despite market slowdown.
Duncan Aldred, GM's North American senior vice president, is one of the few auto executives who remain undeterred by the slowing US electric vehicle market.
He is responsible for GM's most profitable but highly competitive market.
Currently, EV sales in the US are lagging behind other major markets where GM operates,
a result that was not anticipated when GM initially planned its EV portfolio.
Last month, GM CEO Mary Barra said at an industry event,
"A year ago, we thought we were going into a regulatory environment where we had to push electric vehicles."
The new 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV is scheduled to hit dealerships in early 2026,
with prices starting under $30,000.
Startup Emerges to Tackle Motion Sickness
University of Michigan researchers develop a device to alleviate motion sickness during vehicle rides.
Four Brands with Vehicles Capable of 250,000 Miles
The probability of a Toyota vehicle reaching 250,000 miles is approximately 18%.
📰 [[The New York Times]]
AI Video Generators: Now Even What You See Can't Be Trusted
'The Age of Fakes' has arrived — the proliferation of real-time video generators like Sora means that visual data can no longer be considered 'evidence'.
French Economy Shaken by Political Turmoil
While the new prime minister is attempting to stabilize the situation,
three cabinet reshuffles since last summer have already dealt a significant blow to business and investor confidence.
Trump's Trade War with China: Global Repercussions
Tariffs and various regulations imposed by the US and China are having an unexpected impact on the global economy as a whole.
Trump Expands Trade War — New Tariffs Imposed on Lumber, Furniture, and More
The president, following the imposition of tariffs on Tuesday on a variety of Chinese products including lumber, furniture, and kitchen cabinets, hinted at the possibility of further action.
📰 [[Wall Street Journal]]
Ford Cuts Truck and SUV Production
A fire at a major aluminum supplier's plant is expected to halt supplies until next year — impacting revenue models. Read the full story
Perfect Timing Crypto Bet Yields $160 Million Profit
Two accounts raked in substantial profits even amid a $19 billion market crash. Read the full story
Two Largest US Timber Companies to Merge
Rayonier and PotlatchDeltic's combination is expected to create a large timber company worth $7 billion. Read the full story
Johnson & Johnson Plans to Spin Off Orthopedic Unit Read the full story
Oracle and AMD Partner on New AI Chip Deal
The two companies have agreed to jointly develop next-generation AI chips. Read the full story
📰 [[Financial Times]]
(Headquartered in London, UK, owned by the Nikkei Group)
Taylor Swift Breaks US Sales Record with New Album
The Life of a Showgirl — sold over 4 million copies in its first week,
breaking the record for the biggest debut since sales tracking began in 1991.
Fans drove the record-breaking sales by purchasing the album in 38 different versions.
Lime Needs to Improve E-Scooter Technology in London
While AI scanning has increased safe parking rates,
further technological improvements are still needed to prevent illegal use.
Wall Street Surges Despite 'Bubble' Warnings
Goldman Sachs, Citi, and JP Morgan saw a sharp increase in earnings thanks to trading and M&A. However, they also warned of "some signs of overheating (pockets of frothiness)."
EU fines luxury brands Gucci, Chloe, and Loewe €157 million for price fixing
The three brands are accused of pressuring retailers to adjust resale prices.
