If you have an iPhone 3G power adapter that looks like the photos at right, stop using it immediately.

That’s the word from Apple Inc. AAPL , which is warning users that in certain conditions those little metal prongs can break off, get stuck in the power outlet and give you a very bad shock.

According to a press release issued Friday:

“Apple has received reports of detached prongs involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries have been reported.” (link)

The adapters were supplied with every iPhone 3G sold in the United States, Japan, Canada, Mexico and several Latin American countries (see list here). Anybody who bought an iPhone in one of those countries received the bad adapter.

Analysts estimate that Apple has sold more than 4 million iPhone 3Gs since it was introduced in July.

Along with its tersely worded safety warning, Apple on Friday announced the details of a power adaptor exchange program:

“There are two ways to exchange your current ultracompact Apple USB power adapter for a new, redesigned adapter.

Apple will replace the old adapters with the one pictured here, identified by a small green dot. The old adapters must be turned in at the same time; iPhone owners who order their replacement via the Web are being asked to give an address so Apple can send them a mailing packet.

Product recalls are not unusual in the computer industry, although they usually involve defective batteries. In August 2006, Apple recalled 1.8 million notebook batteries manufactured by Sony SNE because they had a tendency to overheat and, on occasion, catch on fire. See here.

Summary: If you have an iPhone 3G power adapter that looks like the photos at right, stop using it immediately. That's the word from Apple Inc. , which is warning users that in certain conditions those little metal prongs can break off, get stuck in the power outlet and give you a very bad shock. According…


The man who wrote MacPaint thinks it could be a milestone in computer development

Bill Atkinson was part of Steve Jobs’ hand-picked team at Apple AAPL that developed the original Macintosh — the one that popularized the mouse, windows and drop-down menus — so he knows something about what computer engineers call human interface design.

And he ended a 20-minute presentation on the subject at Macworld 2011, which runs through Saturday in San Francisco, with a TV-viewing recommendation: If you want to know how we will communicate with our machines in the future, he says, tune into Jeopardy! on February 14.

That’s the day a pair of Jeopardy! grand masters are going to challenge IBM Watson’s DeepQA, a computer program designed to handle the kind of open-ended challenges posed by the show.

The Jeopardy! Challenge, as the researchers at IBM IBM call the project, is the successor to Deep Blue, the supercomputer program that beat chess champion Gary Kasparov in 1997. If it wins — and can field questions like “It was Ricky Ricardo’s signature tune and the name of his club” (A: What is Babalu?) faster than its human competitors — it could be one of those turning points students of computer history talk about for years to come.

Atkinson believes that the killer app of mobile telephony will not be augmented reality or gestural interfaces or anything like that. Rather it will be earpiece that connects users to a virtual digital assistant who lives in the cloud and will remember the name of the restaurant where you had dinner last time you were in the city or the name of a vaguely familiar looking acquaintance approaching with his hand extended.

“I’m about to turn 60,” Atkinson says, “and most of my memories reside in the brain of my wife.”

Replacing Atkinson’s wife, in this respect anyway, a tough challenge — perhaps one of the hardest ever taken on — because it requires that the computer can follow the flow of a conversation and have deep understanding of how the world works.

“I know it has to happen,” says Atkinson. When? His best guess is between 2 and 10 years.

[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]

Summary: The man who wrote MacPaint thinks it could be a milestone in computer development Bill Atkinson was part of Steve Jobs' hand-picked team at Apple that developed the original Macintosh -- the one that popularized the mouse, windows and drop-down menus -- so he knows something about what computer engineers call human interface design. And…


A corporate exodus from Greece has, in fact, already been under way since 2012, when FAGE, the international dairy company and makers of the top-selling yogurt, transferred its headquarters to Luxembourg to reduce its exposure to the Greek financial market. That year, Coca-Cola Hellenic, a bottling subsidiary of Coca-Cola, settled its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and switched its main market listing to London.

The latest corporate casualty might be the Antenna Group, one of the country's biggest media networks, whose operations include broadcasting, publishing, Internet services, telecommunications and a record label. The Greek press has been abuzz with rumors that the company, founded in 1988, is going to move its financial operations to Amsterdam. When contacted for comment, the company would not confirm whether or not these rumors were true.

Meanwhile, in Nicosia, Cyprus, businessmen and real estate agents are reporting that at least a dozen shipping and financial companies are making queries about corporate space in anticipation of relocating to the capital of the island-nation.

Read MoreWho's to blame for Greece's broken economy

Panos Danos, a real estate property consultant in Athens, said he has had 20 requests in the last week from companies in Greece asking for space in the capital of Cyprus, Nicosia and Limassol.

"Given the uncertainty over the future, it is reasonable that these companies are seeking to relocate," the managing director of Danos, an alliance member of BNP Paribas Real Estate, pointed out. Although he would not reveal the clients' identities, he noted that 70 percent of the queries came from shipping companies.

Michalis Pilikos, the head of the Employer and Industrialists Federation of Cyprus, also confirmed that there have been queries, although he admitted the trend is still at an early stage. He, too, would not reveal names.

Summary: Capital controls, high taxes and political and economic risks have companies relocating Greek operations abroad. The start of an exodus?


MOSCOW, March 18 (Reuters) - Net profits for Russia's biggest iron ore producer Metalloinvest fell 94 percent in 2014 as the rouble weakened, prompting a revaluation of the dollar-denominated portion of the company's debts, the company said on Wednesday.

Metalloinvest posted net profits of $66 million for 2014, down 94 percent from the previous year, after the rouble fell 43 percent against the dollar due to weak oil prices and Western sanctions over Russia's role in the Ukraine crisis.

The company, owned by Russia's third-richest man Alisher Usmanov, said other key financial indicators fell because of a decline in global iron ore prices.

Benchmark spot iron ore prices at China's Tianjin port fell to $57.60 a tonne on Tuesday. The commodity has lost 19 percent so far this year after sliding 47 percent in 2014.

Metalloinvest's earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 14.4 percent year-on-year to $1.9 billion, the company said. Revenue slid 13.1 percent to $6.4 billion.

Metalloinvest's net debt fell 23 percent to $4.2 billion while the EBITDA margin was almost unchanged, at 30.8 percent.

(Reporting by Jack Stubbs and Svetlana Burmistrova; Editing by Elizabeth Piper)

Summary: MOSCOW, March 18- Net profits for Russia's biggest iron ore producer Metalloinvest fell 94 percent in 2014 as the rouble weakened, prompting a revaluation of the dollar-denominated portion of the company's debts, the company said on Wednesday. Metalloinvest posted net profits of $66 million for 2014, down 94 percent from the previous year, after the rouble...


Fair-chance hiring has strong momentum nationwide. Oregon just became the 18th state to adopt a policy, and more than 100 cities and counties (most recently New York) have done so as well — but calls for a federal policy have so far gone unheeded.

Read MoreBernard Kerik: Prison is like 'dying with your eyes open'

It's been more than a year since the administration's "My Brother's Keeper" Task Force urged reforms to help the formerly incarcerated and people with records rejoin the workforce. Since then, the nation has been challenged to confront the racial injustice of the deaths of boys and men of color in Ferguson, Staten Island, Cleveland, and Baltimore at the hands of police. The anger spilling over in response to these killings pulled back the veil, once again, on the dire economic circumstances confronting communities of color. Combined with decades of over-criminalization, the result is a vicious cycle of deepening desperation. It's led to urgent calls not only to reform police practices but to invest in jobs and expand economic opportunity. Fair-chance hiring is a necessary part of the solution.

Over the past year, an impressive number of states and localities have moved forward with their own fair-chance hiring policies. Meanwhile, the White House remains in exploratory mode on the issue, failing to leverage the federal government's resources to become a model employer of people who struggle against significant odds to find work because of the stigma of a record.

Almost one in three adults — 70 million people — in the United States has an arrest or conviction record that will show up on a routine criminal background check for employment. This creates a serious barrier to employment for millions of workers.

Read MoreJoe Nacchio: Six myths about prison

As the nation's largest employer, the federal government could set a far-reaching example for all employers by ensuring that federal agencies and contractors adhere to a federal fair-chance hiring policy, which the administration could adopt via the president's executive authority.

What does a fair-chance hiring policy look like? It starts with "banning the box" on employment applications that ask whether an applicant has been convicted of a crime so that all candidates can be judged first on their qualifications, not on a past mistake. It also means that any background-check process must take into the account the age of the offense, its relationship to the specific job, and evidence of rehabilitation and other compelling circumstances. The need to weigh these factors is nothing new — it's required by our nation's civil rights laws — but far too many employers simply toss out any and all applicants who put a check the conviction box.

Some of the nation's largest private employers — Walmart, Target, and Bed Bath & Beyond — are already on board with fair-chance hiring. Even Koch Industries has banned the box, removing the question about convictions from their initial job applications. Small businesses throughout the country also have spoken out on the need for fair-chance policies.

A fair-chance policy that applies to federal agencies and contractors will make official for the federal government what is already a growing practice that is being embraced across the political spectrum.

Read MoreThink white-collar prison is like 'Club Fed?' Nope

Perhaps most importantly, President Obama has an opportunity through fair-chance hiring to make a meaningful difference to the economic outlook of communities of color who are disproportionately affected by mass incarceration.

During his NAACP speech on Tuesday, the president said, "Let's follow the growing number of our states, and cities, and private companies who've decided to ban the box on job applications. . . ."

Yes, it's time to make the pledge of the My Brother's Keeper Task Force a reality — and long past time to redress the injuries inflicted on communities of color by decades of myopic criminal- justice policies. Following the lead of scores of states and cities and affirmatively extending fair-hiring policies to federal agency and contractor employment will enable President Obama to transform the promise of economic opportunity and security through work into reality for millions of men, women, and young people in communities shattered by mass incarceration.

The clock's ticking. The time to act is now. We urge the president to do so.

Commentary by Christine Owens, executive director, and Nayantara Mehta, senior staff attorney, National Employment Law Project. Follow Mehta on Twitter @NayantaraTweets.

Summary: The federal government should adopt "fair chance" policies for the formerly incarcerated, these two advocates say.


09/09/2015 AT 01:00 AM EDT

may be the man of the year.

Just over a month after his summer blockbuster

hit theaters, the trailer Gyllenhaal's newest project has been released.

The 34-year-old plays a distraught husband who falls apart after his wife suddenly dies in a car accident in the new Fox Searchlight film

"If you want to fix something, you have to take everything apart and figure out what's important," Gyllenhaal's character says in the trailer.

And that's exactly what he does. The character, a successful investment banker, works tirelessly to demolish his life – in a literal and figurative sense – as he searches for the things that really matter.

, co-starring Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper, will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 10 and will have a limited theater release in April of next year.

Summary: Gyllenhall works to tear apart his old life after the tragic death of his wife


"Trade and investment between the U.S. and Cuba, which remains the only single-party system in the Western hemisphere, are likely to continue improving and this will drive increased trade and investment between the two countries," Diego Moya-Ocampos, senior Latin American analyst at IHS Country Risk, told CNBC on Friday.

"Nevertheless most of the sanctions that are still in place due to a U.S. embargo on Cuba will remain there and will constrain some aspects of these improved trade and investment conditions."

Cuba ranks 131st in the the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's list of the world's richest countries in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (a measure of the size of a country's economy divided by the number of its inhabitants) . At $10,200, its GDP per capita puts it roughly on a par with its Caribbean neighbor, Jamaica.

The U.S. embargo has cost Cuba around $1.1 trillion, the United Nations said last year, citing the Cuba's foreign minister. For 23 years, the transnational organization has campaigned for the blockade to be lifted.

Moya-Ocampos added that reestablishing relations would allow the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and Commerce to license more economic activity with Cuba, framed as "humanitarian (assistance), as aid and as education."

Michael Henderson, principal Latin America analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, told CNBC that the commercial impact of the embassies reopening would be "fairly limited," but that nonetheless tourism and telecoms were likely beneficiaries.

"Cuba is already quite a well-established tourist destination. It has the supporting infrastructure in place, so as we see that with more and more Americans circumventing this travel ban that is a sector that could do quite well," he said on Monday.

Regarding the telecoms industry in Cuba, Henderson added: "Levels of penetration are quite low in things like Internet and mobile services, so really, there are some chances there to tap a market that at the moment is still very underdeveloped."

Summary: As the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C. reopens after a 54-year gap, analysts said that Cuba's easing relations with the U.S. could provide "limited" commercial benefit.


The dollar should stay "pretty well supported into the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee meeting)," said Simon Grose-Hodge, head of investment advisory at LGT Bank in Singapore, "but I suspect the market is getting too bulled up about how hawkish the Fed will be. The dollar may end the week lower "to correct the overbought status," Grose-Hodge added, though the medium-term trend is "solidly higher."

Read MoreThe Fed to steer next week's market direction

Specifically, dollar bulls will be paying close attention to whether the Fed removes the reference that rates will stay near zero for "a considerable time." Sean Callow, senior currency strategist at Westpac, said there's a "good chance" the pledge will be removed. "If maintained USD (U.S. dollar) would suffer at least a temporary pullback," he said.

Even if the Fed does stick to script and disappoints the bulls, many strategists believe the dollar wouldn't suffer much lasting damage. The Dollar Index (DXY) "is way overbought near-term and is likely to consolidate a bit here," said Hans Goetti, head of Asian investments at BIL. "However, the bull market for the U.S. dollar remains intact" and DXY is targeting 88 after breaking 84 resistance, Goetti added.

Sixty percent of CNBC poll respondents (15 out of 25) believe the U.S. dollar will push higher this week. More than a third—36 percent (9 out of 25)—forecast the greenback to decline while 4 percent (1 in 25) said the dollar will trade at around current levels.

Read MoreThe Fed: On course and on the money

Latest data from IG Markets show client sentiment almost evenly split with 47 percent of their more than 501 clients with open positions betting on a firmer U.S. dollar against the yen while 53 percent expect the cross to fall.

From a charting and technical perspective, Daryl Guppy, CEO of Guppytraders.com, said the Dollar Index will likely continue to consolidate around 84 before staging a rally toward "breakout target" of 86.5.

Read MoreHow to brace for the Fed meeting: Pros

Matt Fanning, CIO and fund manager at Fanvestments in Providence, Rhode Island, said the DXY was forming a "bullish wedge" on the charts above 84, and continued to hold support and consolidate above this level. The dollar has had an "extreme run, but still no major sell signals," he added.

Summary: The U.S. dollar is poised for its 10th weekly gain, reflecting expectations that the Fed may hint at a rate hike, a CNBC survey reveals.


Drinkaware provides consumers with information to make informed decisions about the effects of alcohol on their lives and lifestyles. Our public education programmes, grants, expert information, and resources help create awareness and affect positive change. An independent charity established in 2007, Drinkaware works alongside the medical profession, the alcohol industry and government to achieve its goals.

Tips and tools – Find out how many units you drank last night, track your drinking over time and get practical tips for avoiding hangovers and cutting down on your alcohol consumption with Drinkaware's Tips and tools. - http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tips-and-tools

Trends - Under-18? Man about town? Career women? Pregnant? The Drinkaware Trends section has information for everybody. - http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/trends

Facts – Drink related illnesses do not just affect alcoholics. Find out how much you have to drink to damage your body, and get advice from the experts on the Drinkaware Facts area. - http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts

Features – Want to beat your beer belly? Looking for alternatives to boozy nights on the town? Want to know how to throw a low alcohol dinner party? Drinkaware Features tackle these issues and more. - http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/features

Campaigns - Drinkaware runs regular campaigns to highlight the dangers of alcohol misuse. Innovative and challenging, we aim to deliver our messages in print, online and into communities countrywide. Find out more about Drinkaware Campaigns. - http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/campaigns Grants - The Drinkaware grants scheme aims to change the UK's drinking culture for the better. We work to positively influence public behaviour and find innovative ways to raise awareness about the effects of alcohol, to help reduce alcohol misuse and minimise alcohol-related harm. For more information and to apply visit the Grants area of the Drinkaware site. - http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/grants

Summary: tbc


Over time, this stock has become a polarizing one, prompting either bulls or bears on the name, which is a flag for Cramer to think it is a battleground stock.

"It is polarizing because of Kerrisdale. Prior to that I think people understood pretty well that the spectrum was needed throughout the country… to me, when people understood that and they understood how it was going to be used, it was relatively speaking, smooth sailing. When Kerrisdale introduced a lot of negative chatter to the discussion, taking positions that were technically unsound but that were none the less, loud, we ended up in the situation that we are in," Monroe said.

According to Kerrisdale's experts, the issue of Wi-Fi traffic is not as important as Globalstar has made it sound. While Globalstar would like to create access points for low-powered Wi-Fi, how in the world would they pay for this?

"It is almost free. If you think about how a network like this gets built out, it's almost viral in nature. The partner that we would have … is going to have access to your house already or access to the street already. As a result, they will build the network out," added Monroe.

---------------------------------------------------------- Read more from Mad Money with Jim Cramer Cramer Remix: This coming event disturbs me Cramer warns: Don't be crude, short sellers, be shrewd Cramer's Gameplan: This could send Alibaba higher ----------------------------------------------------------

As for Cramer's point that the stock has become heavily diluted by both issuance of shares, and the CEO purchasing a significant amount of shares on the open market, Monroe responded by saying "that dilution happened as a result of the first constellation replenishment process. This was a very painful process for Globalstar … The only additional dilution is the dilution that can be baked into the share count right now."

The CEO commented on a potential time frame for the Federal Communications Commission ruling to allow the company to use its satellite only spectrum for Wi-Fi, saying "we hope the order will come out in the next little while."

Cramer and Monroe both agreed that there is a lot on the line here. Now that Monroe has cleared the air with Cramer, it's up to Cramericans to take a side of either the bull or the bear.

Summary: Jim Cramer sits down with Globalstar CEO to clear the air on the highly controversial stock.  Will this be a case of the bulls or the bears?


* Raft of BoE releases likely to dominate

* Dollar flat against basket of currencies

* Upbeat services report keeps September Fed hike in view

* Aussie slips after mixed employment signals

LONDON, Aug 6 (Reuters) - The New Zealand dollar was the biggest major currency mover in early European deals, recovering half a percent from a six-year low in otherwise mostly cautious trade before the Bank of England's "Super Thursday" of data releases.

After a mixed bag of signals from the U.S. economy this week, the dollar was back in the middle of the past month's range, having failed for a third time to break below $1.08 per euro and edging 0.1 percent lower on the day to $1.0910.

The kiwi and the Aussie dollar, down 0.4 percent on poor unemployment data, were by far the biggest movers in markets focused on a debate over the timing of rises in British and U.S. interest rates.

The BoE is not expected to move on Thursday but will publish its regular inflation report as well as - for the first time - immediate minutes from the policy meeting, expected to show some members voting for a hike for the first time this year.

"There is a lot of action due today, but people are sitting cautious for the moment," said a trader with one international bank in London.

"There's been an awful lot of hawkish talk this week. My gut feeling is we may get a disappointment from the Bank of England. The inflation report may not be as hawkish as the market seems to be expecting."

The Swiss franc, which traders speculate is being prodded lower by central bank intervention, hit its lowest in four months against the euro after data showed Switzerland slipping deeper into deflationary territory.

"The franc at the moment is the only currency in the G10 space which is weakening against the euro," said Esther Reichelt, a strategist with Commerzbank in Frankfurt.

"It seems to us like that is the sharp downward surprise on inflation this morning rather than intervention by the Swiss National Bank. These are signs that the economic situation in Switzerland is deteriorating."

The franc traded at 1.0703 francs per euro, its weakest since March 19. Consumer prices fell 1.3 percent on the year in July.

While expectations have grown that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise official borrowing costs from zero by the end of the year, the lack of any inflation across the developing world is still holding markets back.

The dollar has attacked $1.08 per euro three times since mid-March and conviction that it will head past parity with the single currency this year or next has waned.

"The market is still reluctant to predict an aggressive tightening cycle by the Fed next year and that is because of inflation," Reichelt said. "At the moment the pricing is for one hike this year and three next - that is simply not enough for the dollar to go higher."

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, was steady at 98.033, having hit 98.218, its strongest since April 23, on Wednesday.

The dollar was flat against the yen at 124.905 yen after briefly popping above 125.000 on Wednesday for the first time since early June.

Summary: LONDON, Aug 6- The New Zealand dollar was the biggest major currency mover in early European deals, recovering half a percent from a six-year low in otherwise mostly cautious trade before the Bank of England's "Super Thursday" of data releases. After a mixed bag of signals from the U.S. economy this week, the dollar was back in the middle of the past month's range,...


Can you judge a book by its cover? Can a cover stand in for a book? Jamie Shovlin's exhibition lingers over the exterior appearance of a famous series of paperbacks, the Fontana Modern Masters, which was launched in 1970. In these compact books, leading intellectuals expound the ideas of defining thinkers of the modern world such as Saussure and Marx. The books, in their original 1970s incarnation, had abstract covers with strong graphic designs that reflected their claim to reveal the heights of modern thought to a general readership. Now, Shovlin has lavished art on them. He shows prints of the Fontana covers, a collection of working tools and research materials to do with them, and creates large-scale painting replicas, methodically, accurately imitated. The results are thought-provoking. Is Shovlin suggesting that in modern culture the image has replaced the idea? That is what I took from his exhibition, anyway. The covers of the Fontana Modern Masters were only gateways to the books within – here they stand in for the books themselves, and the heritage of thought they contain. As the paperback book faces possible oblivion in the age of electronic publishing, here is a monument to what a paperback can be – a world of knowledge in your pocket, a people's university, a noble democratic dream.• Haunch of Venison, London, until 26 May

Sacrilege at Glasgow International Festival of Visual ArtJeremy Deller has created a replica of Stonehenge that also serves as a bouncy castle in one of the attractions at this festival celebrating Scotland's art city.• Glasgow Green, until 7 May

George Shaw and Michael LandyThe print has been a great artistic medium since the days of Durer and is still very much alive for these two artists.• Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, until 23 September

Guy MoretonPhotographs on philosophical themes.• Solent Showcase, Southampton until 5 May

Giuseppe CavalliEerie, minimalist photographs of Italy in the 20th century, with something of Morandi and di Chirico about them.• Estorick Collection, London until 17 June

Michelangelo's Cartoon in the British Museum

I came across it by accident the other day and it hit me, the astonishing fact that a man named Michelangelo Buonarroti made this giant drawing with his own hand. The soft grey shades and hesitance, the enigmatic faces and heroic scale, all are his doing, and to look at this is to look at him. A "cartoon" in this case does not mean a funny picture but a full-scale drawing for a painting or tapestry. You could make holes along the lines of the drawing, pounce charcoal through them and so transfer the design to a canvas or a wall. Michelangelo gave his cartoons to pupils, letting them produce paintings from his designs. Yet this rich and mysterious work is a masterpiece as it is, that breathes, in a profoundly moving way, with the grand echo of his personality. • British Museum, London

How Hirst makes his most decadent artworks

About a groundbreaking show of Cuban art – that two of the leading artists won't be able to attend because they're in a US penitentiary

That Ron Mueck – he of giant replica baby fame – has chosen a strung-up chicken and a stick-carrying nude as his newest monumental subjects

How you can share your art on the theme of science with us

That an museum director in Naples has vowed to set fire to an artwork per day until he gets the full funding he's after

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Summary: Jonathan Jones: Philosophical book art and a reimagining of England's most famous monument – all in your favourite weekly art dispatch


Architect Zaha Hadid's Z-shaped school in Brixton, south London, has beaten the hot favourite, the Olympic velodrome, to win the 16th annual RIBA Stirling prize for architecture.

Victory for Evelyn Grace academy gives Hadid's practice a Stirling prize for the second year running, although it is the architect's first major building project in Britain. Last year her practice won for the Maxxi Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome.

"Schools are among the first examples of architecture that everyone experiences and have a profound impact on all children as they grow up," said Hadid. "I am delighted that the Evelyn Grace academy has been so well received by all its students and staff."

The prestigious £20,000 award, handed over by the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Architects' Journal and construction products manufacturer Benchmark at a ceremony in Rotherham, is intended to celebrate the best new European building "built or designed in Britain". It was expected to go to Michael Hopkins's eye-catching east London Olympic venue, popularly known as "the Pringle". But Hadid's school triumphed with its bold approach to solving a difficult problem: how to bring four schools together on a small site under one "academy" umbrella. Evelyn Grace had to be squeezed into 1.4 hectares, while the average secondary school takes up more like 8ha. The school is also situated in the area of the capital with the highest crime rate in western Europe.

Rather than building the sort of glass atrium that has been adopted by many new schools, Hadid's team opted to spend the money on better-lit classrooms and corridors with more space. But her design does have one remarkable, central feature: a bright-red 100m sprint track running right through the site. There is also a multiuse Astroturf pitch, while another quiet corner is home to a wildflower garden.

RIBA president Angela Brady, who chaired the judges, said: "The Evelyn Grace academy is an exceptional example of what can be achieved when we invest carefully in a well-designed new school building. The result – a highly imaginative, exciting academy that shows the students, staff and local residents that they are valued – is what every school should and could be."

The school is run by the Ark (Absolute Return for Kids) Academy organisation, a charity set up by Arpad "Arki" Busson, the hedge-fund multimillionaire.

The final shortlist of the six rival structures competing for this year's award included not just Hopkins's velodrome, but Rab Bennetts's careful remodelling of the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres in Stratford-on-Avon, an innovative cultural centre in Derry, the re-facing and transforming of a 1980s office building in north London, and the extension of the Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany, by David Chipperfield Architects, who have also won the Stirling prize before. This was the first year previous entrants were eligible for consideration and all six shortlisted practices had been shortlisted before.

Full coverage of the prizegiving ceremony will be broadcast in a special edition of BBC2's Culture Show on Sunday.

Summary: Evelyn Grace Academy wins the 16th RIBA Stirling prize, giving Hadid top award for second year running


Japan's Nikkei 225 leaped to a near one-week high, with exporters and insurers leading the charge in the broad-based rally.

Nissan and Honda Motor soared 2.7 and 3.5 percent, respectively, following a strong showing in U.S. sales for the month of June. Meanwhile, T&D Holdings and Dai-ichi Life Insurance tacked on more than 2 percent each.

Troubled electronics maker Sharp surged 8.6 percent after Standard & Poor's decision to remove its selective-default designation, sparked by a de facto debt-for-equity swap, putting its long-term corporate credit rating at B-. Takara Printing closed up 7 percent after setting its dividend ratio at 88.8 percent for the year ending May 2016.

Index heavyweight Fast Retailing also contributed a significant upward push for the bourse with a surge of nearly 3 percent.

Australia's S&P ASX 200 index was the star performer in Asia on Thursday.

Early-trade laggards including Woodside Petroleum and Santos rebounded 1.8 and 2.9 percent, respectively, while Newcrest Mining bolstered 1.2 percent.

Among gainers, QBE Insurance advanced 2.2 percent, while Westpac and National Australia Bank bumped up nearly 2 percent each. Challenger climbed 2.7 percent after announcing that it sold its 25 percent stake in Kapstream Capital to Janus Capital Group for approximately $34.36 million.

Underperforming the market, Kathmandu sagged 0.3 percent after the outdoor clothing and equipment retailer urged its shareholders to take no action on the takeover proposal from New Zealand retailer Briscoe Group.

Meanwhile, the Australian dollar pulled back modestly after May trade data came in worse than expected. The Aussie currency was last quoted at $0.7636 to the dollar, compared with $0.7643 at the open, after Australia's trade deficit came in at 2.75 billion Australian dollars. Reuters had expected a deficit of 2.2 billion Australian dollars.

Summary: Asian stocks outside the mainland advanced on Thursday, but lingering uncertainty over Greece's debt situation capped gains.


However, if you're the kind of shopper who second-guesses whether you're getting the best deal while you're standing in the checkout line, RedLaser might be the app for you. Use it to scan the bar code and compare prices. It also can help you organize your loyalty cards, so you're not fumbling for your key chain at the cash register.

Of course, loyalty cards aren't the only way to save. If you clip coupons, but can't seem to remember to take them with you to the store, here's a solution. With the SnipSnap app you can scan the coupons instead of clipping, save them in the app and then redeem them in store from the photos on your phone. You can even share your saved coupons with friends and access their coupons as well for your use.

Summary: Lots of apps claim to offer solutions for the stressed shopper, but which ones are worth it? As with most things that depends on what kind of shopper you are.


WHEN: Today, Friday, January 9th

Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC EXCLUSIVE interview with Charles Evans, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President, today on CNBC's "Squawk Box." Following is a link to the interview on CNBC.com: http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000345307&play=1

All references must be sourced to CNBC.

BECKY QUICK: WELCOME BACK. FOR MORE REACTION TO THE JOBS REPORT, STEVE LEISMAN IS HERE AND HE HAS BROUGHT A SPECIAL GUEST WITH HIM.

STEVE LIESMAN: YEAH. IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO HAVE CHICAGO FED PRESIDENT CHARLIE EVANS. AND JUST TO REACT RIGHT TO THAT NUMBER THAT JUST CAME OUT AND SEE IF WE CAN HELP FOLKS PROCESS IT. WHICH IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING ANYWAY, CHARLIE. I KNOW YOU WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT IT FOR AWHILE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WHAT THE MARKET IS DOING IS IMMEDIATELY PROCESSING IT INTO FED POLICY AND WHAT THE OUTLOOK IS. LET ME GET YOUR FIRST THOUGHTS ON THE LEVEL OF JOB GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN, WHICH IS THAT THEY REVISED UP THAT BIG 321,000 NUMBER AND CAME IN WITH A STRONG 250. BUT ALSO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND PUTTING THAT IN CONTEXT OF THE WEAK WAGE GROWTH THAT'S OUT THERE.

CHARLES EVANS: WELL, I THINK EMPLOYMENT GROWTH HAS BEEN VERY GOOD FOR QUITE A LONG TIME NOW. AND THAT'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT CRITERIA FOR US TO JUDGE SUCCESS. IF YOU GO BACK TO SEPTEMBER 2012 WHEN WE ANNOUNCED OPEN ENDED QUANTITATIVE EASING, ADDITIONAL PURCHASES, WE SAID WE NEEDED TO SEE SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE LABOR MARKET OUTLOOK. WE'VE SEEN THAT AND WE'VE SEEN WELL OVER 200,000 FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. SO GOOD, GOOD PROGRESS UNEMPLOYMENT RATE GOING DOWN. THAT'S GOOD. ECONOMIC ACTIVITY SEEMS TO BE STRONG. AND SO I'M FEELING PRETTY CONFIDENT ABOUT THE OUTLOOK.

LIESMAN: HOW BIG A STORY IS THE DECLINE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE? AND YOU KNOW THE CRITICISM IS HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU'RE STILL AT ZERO WITH A 5.6% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, 200,000-PLUS JOBS MONTH AFTER MONTH. THIS IS WHAT? THE 11th MONTH IN A ROW WE'VE DONE IT. WE DID A 5% GDP GROWTH RATE. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ZERO, NOTHING IS THE APPROPRIATE INTEREST RATE?

EVANS: SO WE'VE SEEN GOOD PROGRESS LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER. AND IT CONTINUES WITH THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND IT'S REALLY COME DOWN QUICKLY. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THOUGH IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL STANCE IN MONETARY POLICY IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO INFLATION. AND THAT WAGE NUMBER THAT YOU SAW THIS MORNING GOING DOWN IS SOMEWHAT INDICATIVE OF THE LOW INFLATION PRESSURES THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING. EARNINGS GROWTH, YOU KNOW, ON AVERAGE IT'S BEEN 2 TO 2.25% ACROSS A VARIETY OF MEASURES. AND NOW IT'S LOWER FOR AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS THIS MORNING. I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO GET INFLATION UP TO OUR 2% OBJECTIVE, AND IT'S NOW LIKE 1.5% ON COURT – A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN THAT – WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE WAGES INCREASE MORE. SO I THINK THAT'S INDICATIVE OF ONE OF THE DILEMMAS WE'RE FACING. AND THAT'S WHY I AM IN FAVOR OF BEING PATIENT ON RAISING INTEREST RATES.

LIESMAN: I WANT TO EXPLORE THAT PATIENCE IN THE SENSE THAT YOU HAD SAID THAT YOU DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD RAISE RATES – THE FED SHOULD RAISE RATES THIS YEAR. DOES THIS MAKE YOU MORE FIRM IN THAT NOTION?

EVANS: WHEN I ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT'S POSED TO US ON WHAT APPROPRIATE MONETARY POLICY IS IN ORDER TO HIT OUR OBJECTIVES, IT COMES OUT FOR ME THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE RAISING RATES BEFORE 2016. IF THINGS TRANSPIRE AS I'M EXPECTING. EMPLOYMENT HAS BEEN GOOD. I'VE BEEN EXPECTING THAT. I'M HOPING THAT INFLATION IS GOING TO PICK UP. AND I THINK WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THAT. SO, YEAH, I THINK I'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO 2% BY 2016 WOULD BE GREAT. 2017 SEEMS LIKE THE MINIMAL ALLOWABLE THING. SO I THINK TO GET THERE, I THINK WE NEED MORE CONTINUED ACCOMMODATION.

JOE KERNEN: WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NO FREE LUNCHES AND ALL MORNING WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ZERP AND WHAT THE RISKS ARE TO BE IN AT ZERP FOR TOO LONG. I'M JUST WONDERING WHEN YOU'RE DISCUSSING, YOU ARE ALL SITTING AROUND, IS THE ONLY RISK THAT YOU EVER DISCUSS IN TERMS OF INFLATION AND NASCENT INFLATION, DO YOU EVER SAY MAYBE THAT'S NOT WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE NEGATIVE OUTCOME FROM BEING AT ZERO TOO LONG? MAYBE IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHINGWE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND. PEOPLE WOULD SAY IN 2004 THE FED WAS AT ZERO FOR TOO LONG AND IT ENDED UP 2008. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THERE'S MONEY GOING TOO FAR OUT THE RISK SPECTRUM WITH EMERGING MARKETS OR SOMETHING NOT RELATED TO INFLATION THAT COULD COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU ON THIS?

EVANS: WELL WE HAVE THOUGHT VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT –

KERNEN: SO YOU DO TALK ABOUT IT?

EVANS: WE THOUGHT VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT THE RAMIFICATIONS OF OUR POLICIES ARE FOR THE ECONOMY, FOR INFLATION, FOR FINANCIAL MARKETS. FOR ALL OF THE COMPONENTS. I DISAGREE WITH YOUR CHARACTERIZATION OF 2004 FROM LOW FUNDS RATE TO 2008.

KERNEN: HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT?

EVANS: WELL, I DON'T THINK THAT'S CAUSALITY. I MEAN, IT'S A BIG LEAP.

KERNEN: THEY'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT FOR THE REST OF TIME, PROBABLY.

EVANS: DECADES, FOR SURE. BUT I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ACCOMMODATION IN PLACE RIGHT NOW. WE SHOULD HAVE GOAL-ORIENTED POLICY. WE'RE GETTING CLOSER ON THE ECONOMY. ALTHOUGH, EVEN AT 5.6%, I'M INCLINED TO THINK THAT SUSTAINABLE UNEMPLOYMENT IS 5.25% AND LESS THAN THAT POTENTIALLY.

KERNEN: GIVEN HOW HAM-HANDED EUROPE HAS BEEN, ARE YOU GUYS WALKING AROUND LIKE THIS JUST, WOW, WE ACTED FAST, WE ACTED HARD, WE ACTED AGGRESSIVELY. LOOK AT THESE AMATEURS OVER THERE. THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.

EVANS: WHEN I LOOK AT EUROPE, THAT'S NOT WHAT I SEE –

KERNEN: BUT YOU ARE FEELING PRETTY GOOD AREN'T YOU?

EVANS: I SAY I DON'T WANT TO GET TO A SITUATION LIKE EUROPE IS IN AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET INFLATION UP TO OUR OBJECTIVE. IF IT MOVES DOWN, THAT'S A CHALLENGE.

QUICK: CAN I ASK YOU VERY QUICKLY, THOUGH, HOW MUCH ATTENTION TO YOU PAY TO GLOBAL EVENTS AND GLOBAL MARKETS? WHEN YOU SAID – OR IS IT ENTIRELY A U.S.-BASED SCENARIO? BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS OUTSIDE OUR BORDERS THAT ARE INFLUENCING THINGS.

EVANS: WE PAY ATTENTION TO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT CAN AFFECT THE U.S. ECONOMY AND US ACHIEVING OUR MANDATES AND GLOBAL EFFECTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. SO MAKING SURE THAT THE SLOW GLOBAL ECONOMY ISN'T GOING TO SLOW THE U.S. ECONOMY DOWN IS IMPORTANT. THE EFFECT ON COST AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE PAY ATTENTION TO IT BUT –

QUICK: CURRENCY MARKETS TOO? LIKE THE STRONG DOLLAR?

EVANS: WE LOOK AT WHAT RELEVANT COSTS ARE FOR MANUFACTURERS AND CONSUMERS AND EVERYTHING. AND SO IMPORTED PRICES ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THAT. BUT WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FOR THE U.S. WE'RE COGNIZANT OF THE IMPLICATION THAT HAS ON THE REST OF THE WORLD AND WE PAY ATTENTION TO IT AS MUCH JUST BECAUSE THAT HAS A REBOUNDING EFFECT ON THE U.S. TOO. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.

LIESMAN: WHAT ABOUT THE SIGNAL, CHARLIE? WHEN YOU LOOK AT LOW INTEREST RATES, WHEN YOU LOOK AT LOW INFLATION. DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S A SIGNAL THAT THE MARKET IS FEELING THAT THE ECONOMIC GROWTH IS NOT WHAT IT APPEARS TO BE?

EVANS: SO I'M DEFINITELY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIPS DATA. IT'S MOVED DOWN A LOT IN TERMS OF FUTURE INFLATION AND BREAK EVENS. THE FIVE YEAR, FIVE YEAR FORWARD. IT'S REALLY VERY LOW. AND THAT'S EITHER AN ASSESSMENT BY INVESTORS THAT THEY'RE EXPECTING CONTINUED VERY LOW BELOW OUR OBJECTIVE INFLATION FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS BEYOND THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. OR THAT THE COST OF LOW INFLATION IS POTENTIALLY MUCH HIGHER THAN THEY'VE EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. AND THE COST OF HIGH INFLATION IS NOT. AND SO THEY DON'T NEED TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THAT. AND SO THAT REALLY WORRIES ME BECAUSE IF WE ENDED UP IN A LOW INFLATION ENVIRONMENT AND IT WAS VERY COSTLY, THAT MIGHT BE ASSOCIATED WITH A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY'VE GOT SIMILAR EVENTS AND THAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE TROUBLING. I JUST DON'T SEE WHY WE SHOULD BE IN A HURRY TO MOVE OFF OUR CURRENT ACCOMMODATIVE POLICY. WE OUGHT TO BE CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET INFLATION UP TO OUR 2% LEVEL. WE OUGHT TO SEE WAGES GROWING IN THE 3% TO 4% RANGE. NOT WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH STRUCTURAL PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH AND AVERAGE INFLATION THAT WE ARE HOPING TO GET. THAT WOULD BE – I'D HAVE A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE IN THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK IF WE HAD THAT.

QUICK: PRESIDENT EVANS, WE WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. IT REALLY IS A PLEASURE.

QUICK: STEVE, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING HIM.

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Summary: CNBC Transcript: CNBC Exclusive: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans Speaks with CNBC's "Squawk Box" Today


BERLIN, Aug 31 (Reuters) - German food exports to China rose almost 47 percent in the first half of this year, the Federal Association of German Food and Drink Industries (BVE) said on Monday, despite a slowdown in Chinese economic growth.

The surge in food sales contrasted with a less than 1 percent rise in Germany's total exports to China in January to June - the same as to crisis-burdened Greece - according to figures from the DIHK chambers of commerce.

Strong demand for German food exports is as much due to Chinese consumers' widespread suspicion of domestic food products as a growing demand for German goods, said trade agency Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI).

German dairy products are in especially high demand, said GTAI's representative in Beijing, Stefanie Schmitt: "People don't trust Chinese dairy products after so many food scandals in the past few years."

Demand for foreign milk had rocketed as a result, she said, adding that German products were cheaper in China than dairy goods imported from New Zealand or Australia.

Chinese buyers had also transferred their trust of German-made cars and machines onto other goods, she said.

However, despite optimism about growing demand, the industry is hampered by the lack of trade agreements between the two nations, said Schmitt.

German food manufacturers exports to China grew by nearly 47 percent to 604 million euros ($677 million) in the first half, BVE said.

China was Germany's fourth-biggest export market in 2014, accounting for 6.6 percent of total German sales overseas.

China's economy, which in the past produced double-digit growth, is slowing. The government reported that annual growth in the second quarter was 7 percent, but some economists expect growth was slower and rising concern about the economy triggered a recent selloff on Chinese stock markets that risks further damaging consumer sentiment. ($1 = 0.8928 euros)

(Reporting by Rene Wagner, writing by Josie Le Blond; Editing by Susan Fenton)

Summary: BERLIN, Aug 31- German food exports to China rose almost 47 percent in the first half of this year, the Federal Association of German Food and Drink Industries said on Monday, despite a slowdown in Chinese economic growth. The surge in food sales contrasted with a less than 1 percent rise in Germany's total exports to China in January to June- the same as to...


BRUSSELS, Sept 2 (Reuters) - The names Kos, Lampedusa, Hegyeshalom may go down in histories of Europe's 2015 refugee crisis yet it is an obscure village in Luxembourg, far from the human drama, that is hogging headlines.

Schengen, on the vine-flanked Moselle where old enemies France and Germany meet, gave its name 30 years ago to the code which removed border controls between most European states. Now, feuding over who should shelter hundreds of thousands of people on the move seeking asylum has put "Schengen" under threat.

The European Commission, the executive of the European Union which enforces the Schengen rules on 26 states including four non-EU members, has ruled out any change. It describes Schengen as one of the greatest achievements of the postwar peace, a boon for citizens and non-European visitors, as well as for business.

"It's not Schengen that's the problem," the commissioner in charge of it, Dimitris Avramopoulos, told Reuters as Budapest, Vienna and Berlin bicker about what to do with thousands of mainly Syrian refugees trying to reach Germany from the Balkans.

The problem, most EU leaders agree, lies less with the lack of internal borders than with the bloc's external frontiers and with another town inscribed in its statutes - Dublin. (With a touch of irony, Ireland, like Britain, shuns the Schengen zone.)

A system first agreed at Dublin in 1990 means that people requesting asylum must be housed and have their claims processed in the state in which they first arrived in the EU. A surge in arrivals by sea has left Italy and Greece struggling. Chaos in Greece means many move on across the Balkans to reach Hungary.

Accepting the Dublin rules must be fixed to spread the load, the Commission proposed to send some asylum-seekers from Italy and Greece around the EU according to quotas based on countries' population, wealth and so on. Bickering has held that up, while Greece and Italy have resorted to DIY methods to relieve the pressure, simply letting migrants head north over their borders.

That has seen France step up checks on traffic around its Italian border, Danes monitoring their German frontier more closely and, this week, Austrian police mounting operations on roads from Hungary. If such procedures are increased and endure, they could undermine Schengen's principles of free transit.

As yet, there appears little appetite among governments to challenge the Commission and undertake the cost and disruption of redeploying frontier police to make routine document checks to intercept the few thousands of migrants, among the millions travelling every day, who are not entitled to move country.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel, fearful for the open-border system, this week brandished that danger to Schengen as a means to focus minds on agreeing to fix Dublin: "If we don't succeed in fairly distributing refugees," she said, "Then of course the Schengen question will be on the agenda for many."

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been among those who have called for Schengen rules to be abandoned in response to the failure of southern states to defend the external frontier.

Schengen has also come under attack from some who argue that it has made life easier for criminals, including the suspected Moroccan Islamist accused of attacking an international train from Amsterdam via Brussels to Paris last month. However, a call from Belgium for amendments to Schengen made little progress.

The Commission says the Schengen code, which also regulates the sharing of visa data and criminal intelligence, gives states sufficient powers to carry out both security and identity checks where these can be justified. For example, Austria's checks for migrant smugglers were not a problem, EU officials said.

Under rules revised in 2013, Germany reimposed frontier checks as part of its security for the G7 summit in June. Such blanket suspensions of Schengen are normally limited to 30 days.

Were a country to impose routine identity checks at its borders, on roads or at airports and rail stations, it would face legal action by the Commission. In practice though, some fear it could start a snowball effect that the EU might struggle to halt, even if checks might be likely to remain patchy, with governments wary of cost and a public backlash at inconvenience.

"Schengen is under serious stress," one senior European diplomat said, highlighting this week's Austrian action. "If that is permanent, it could spread like wildfire."

Freedom to travel and change residence in the Schengen zone, which includes non-EU members Switzerland and Norway, is not granted to people waiting for asylum claims to be assessed - a process that can take years. They are also supposed to stay in the country that granted them asylum for five years afterwards.

That creates a longer-term difficulty for the asylum system as refugees are tempted to move for work or to join family. Police are supposed to send them back to the EU state where they have residence rights but the system is only patchily applied.

Businesses, particularly in road transport, have raised an alarm about a reimposition of passport checks on truck drivers and others engaged in cross-border activity.

For many political leaders, however, the fate of Schengen is so bound up with the European Union's essential sense of self, as the response to centuries of war between nations, that calls for major change will meet heavy resistance.

Speaking in Schengen in June to mark 30 years of the accord, Avramopoulos said: "On a continent where nations once shed blood to defend their territories, today borders only exist on maps."

In Brussels this week, he raised the alarm about national squabbling over borders undermining the entire project of European integration: "This might be the beginning of the end of all these achievements that we have all made over the last 50 years. That is why Schengen should be defended and protected."

(Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; zmacdonaldrtr; editing by Janet McBride)

Summary: Schengen, on the vine-flanked Moselle where old enemies France and Germany meet, gave its name 30 years ago to the code which removed border controls between most European states.  "It's not Schengen that's the problem," the commissioner in charge of it, Dimitris Avramopoulos, told Reuters as Budapest, Vienna and Berlin bicker about what to do with thousands of...


However, when he looked at the daily chart of the VIX going all the way back to 2011, he saw that from the start of 2012 to August of 2014, the VIX only settled above 20 four times.

Yet, things have changed dramatically since that time. Since September of last year, the VIX has settled above 20, all of 14 times. That's more times than in the past two years.

What does this mean? Uncertainty.

"The action in the VIX is reflecting the fact that the market is no longer as safe and reliable as it used to be. It's become much more of a roller coaster," Cramer said.

There is more, as well. Sebastian also saw a very perplexing pattern, that could signal an overall red flag for the market.

In a healthy market, there should be an inverse correlation between the S&P and the VIX. Meaning as the S&P gets higher, investors have a sense of relief and the VIX goes down. Thus, fear subsides when the market goes up and grows when the averages plunge.

Out of all of the red flags lingering in the charts, what worried Sebastian the most about the VIX is the lack of an inverse relationship. The charts show that volatility is actually getting higher as the S&P churns in place or reaches new highs.

According to Sebastian, when the VIX and averages rally together this is a sign that something big is about to happen, and it will be bad.

Sebastian thinks the patterns that he is seeing are reminiscent to the debt-ceiling crisis in 2011 where the S&P 500 was slammed and lost 16.5 percent of its value in one month. He is concerned that we are about to replay this scenario.

What could cause the market to tank? The technician's best guess is that it will fear connected to Europe. Specifically, the Greek elections next weekend and worries that the European Central Bank's quantitative easing programs aren't going to be able to do enough for the economy overseas.

---------------------------------------------------------- Read more from Mad Money with Jim CramerCramer Remix: These energy stocks have bottomed Cramer: Oil is finally in its sweet spot Cramer's game plan: It all depends on this----------------------------------------------------------

So buckle up, Cramerica. The charts, according to Sebastian, indicate that a nasty selloff is in the near future. However, have no fear—in Cramer's opinion a European based pullback generally creates a good buying opportunity for investors.

"If Sebastian is right and we do get a broad based pullback, then I need you to stay calm and use the weakness to do some buying, because the U.S. economy is in good shape here," Cramer added.

Summary: Jim Cramer is seeing some red flags in the charts of the VIX. A buying opportunity ahead?


Read MoreBuffett: I bought stocks in Wednesday's big selloff

Combs has generated a cumulative return of 116 percent over the past nearly four years, more than double the index's 55 percent gain over the same period, according to Fortune's estimates.

Combs picks increased 51 percent last year alone. Weschler's portfolio is up 81 percent in three years and is well ahead of the market this year.

Combs and Weschler declined to comment to Fortune. Buffett told the magazine just that Weschler's performance exceeds its estimates.

Summary: So far, so good for the stock pickers Warren Buffett plucked from relative obscurity to manage billions of his dollars.


* China cuts interest rates, helping global stock market rebound

* Oil recovers, rising as much as 3 percent after Monday tumble

* Coming Up: API inventory data at 4:30 p.m. EDT (2030 GMT)

(New throughout, updates market activity and comments to U.S. session; changes byline and previous LONDON dateline)

NEW YORK, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Oil rose more than 3 percent on Tuesday as oversold conditions brought some buyers back to the market, but a lingering supply glut and worries about the slowing economy in top commodities consumer China kept crude prices near 6-1/2-year lows.

Futures of U.S. crude and Brent, the global oil benchmark, are both down more than 16 percent on the month. About half of those losses were incurred in the past two sessions as plummeting Chinese equities sparked a selloff across global markets.

China cut interest rates on Tuesday and lowered the amount of reserves banks must hold in its latest move to stimulate growth, aiding a recovery in European and Wall Street shares.

Brent was up 68 cents at $43.37 a barrel by 12:07 p.m. EDT (1607 GMT), after hitting $42.23 on Monday, its lowest since March 2009.

U.S. crude rose $1.22 to $39.46, also advancing from $37.75, its lowest since February 2009 set in the previous session.

"We're practically oversold on oil at this moment and we can't keep going down in a straight line," said Tariq Zahir, managing member at Tyche Capital Advisors in Laurel Hollow, New York. "That said, I wouldn't hold my breath on a proper recovery yet."

The market braced for more losses in crude on expectations that U.S. crude stockpiles rose again last week amid refinery outages. Early estimates in a Reuters poll showed a build of 2.2 million barrels, adding to the previous week's 2.6 million-barrel build.

Industry group American Petroleum Institute will issue its own stockpile report at 4:30 p.m., before Wednesday's official data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Adding to glut concerns, OPEC member Iran said it would increase crude production and reclaim its lost export share once nuclear-related sanctions on Tehran are lifted.

U.S. gasoline futures, kept a lid on crude's recovery, tumbling nearly 2 percent to seven-month lows due to the restart of a key Midwest refinery unit and the approaching end of the summer driving season.

Some analysts expect further deterioration in China's growth and also a U.S. rate hike by the year-end that could add to the dollar's rally, putting more weight on commodities.

"That puts further cracks into the two main growth pillars for the world economy of recent years: Chinese demand (including commodities) and easy money," HSBC's co-head of Asian economics research Frederic Neumann said.

Goldman Sachs said that while China's turmoil would not lead to a global recession, it did expect Beijing's economic troubles to result in weak commodities.

(Additional reporting by Lisa Barrington in London and Keith Wallis and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

Summary: *China cuts interest rates, helping global stock market rebound. NEW YORK, Aug 25- Oil rose more than 3 percent on Tuesday as oversold conditions brought some buyers back to the market, but a lingering supply glut and worries about the slowing economy in top commodities consumer China kept crude prices near 6-1/ 2- year lows. China cut interest rates on Tuesday and...


The "Shareholder Spring" continues to weigh on U.K. companies, with CEO bonuses falling for a third consecutive year in 2013, according to a PwC report published on Tuesday, as investors keep a watchful eye on corporate excess.

PwC's analysis of FTSE 100 companies found that the average CEO bonus came in at £1.14 million ($1.90 million) last year, down 1 percent on 2012.

On top of this, nearly a quarter of executives didn't get any increase in their basic salaries, with median salary standing at £898,000. Where raises were given they were in general less than 3 percent – largely in line with inflation and the pay increases for the general workforce.

"Even when long-term incentives are included, total pay has only risen by 0.5 percent year-on-year, despite the recovering stock market, which tends to increase the value of share awards," said Tom Gosling, head of the consultancy's reward practice, in the report.

The decline in bonuses and pay stagnation came despite the economic recovery seen in 2013 – the U.K. economy grew by around 1.7 percent during the year – and the 10 percent gain to the FTSE 100 index.

PwC attributed the remuneration restraint to the 2012 wave of shareholder rebellions, whereby investors refused to back multimillion bonuses for executives when coupled with anemic corporate performance.

FTSE 100 companies that faced revolts included insurer Aviva, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Barclays bank.

"The extent of executive director salary freezes since the financial crisis is one of the untold stories of executive pay restraint… The desire to demonstrate fairness within the workforce on pay decisions is now much higher up remuneration committees' agendas," said Gosling.

Read MoreCoca-Cola disputes investor claims over exec pay


Riot police arrested scores of members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) on Wednesday, disrupting a planned march in the latest clampdown by Robert Mugabe's government.

At their first court appearance on Friday, lawyers said the unionists were assaulted "excessively and brutally" during arrest while demanding better pay and access to anti-retroviral HIV/AIDS drugs.

Magistrate Olivia Mariga ordered an investigation into the torture charges, which state prosecutors did not dispute. She also granted bail to all those detained in the capital pending trial on October 3.

Sarudzayi Njerere, defence lawyer, said police beat the group, including ZCTUâs president, Lovemore Matombo, and its secretary-general, Wellington Chibebe, at a Harare police station.

"The accused persons were tortured brutally and severely. Wellington Chibebe has been unable to be here because he has been hospitalised."

Many of the accused limped into the courtroom while several wore arm slings and bandages.Â Â Â Those granted bail included a freelance television journalist arrested while covering the abortive protest for Reuters. He said he was not assaulted.

The defence said the ZCTU members were initially denied medical attention and forced to wade barefooted through raw sewage in cells condemned as inhumane by the Supreme Court.

Amnesty International, the human rights, group, said it was "gravely concerned" over the torture and over the holding of rights activists and mothers with babies, who were arrested earlier this week and denied access to adequate food and medical care.

It was unclear if similar proceedings had taken place in other urban areas where many unionists were held.

Alec Muchadehama, a defence lawyer, said the ZCTU members would deny state charges of participating in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence and dismissed state lawyersâ assertions that they had threatened state security.

"They were asking for bread-and-butter issues."

The ZCTU says workers have been hardest hit by an economic recession marked by the world's highest rate of inflation as well as shortages of food, fuel and other basic commodities.

The veteran leader, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, denies responsibility for Zimbabwe's economic woes, blaming them on what he calls sabotage by Western powers opposed to his government's seizure of white-owned farms for blacks.

Summary: Defence lawyers have said Zimbabwe police had severely tortured a dozen trade unionists arrested for trying to stage a banned protest over poor wages, leaving some with fractured limbs and one union leader in hospital.


03/15/2016 AT 05:00 PM EDT

A man who made headlines in 2008 for naming his son after Adolf Hitler and was subsequently dubbed "Nazi Dad" was arrested in Pennsylvania last week on an aggravated assault warrant from New Jersey, PEOPLE confirms.

Isidore Heath Campbell, 42, was detained last Thursday in Shippensburg, where police received a tip from a tattoo parlor owner.

According to a police spokesman, the business owner allegedly told detectives Campbell started acting strangely in the shop after a number of black patrons entered the establishment. Subsequently, the owner searched Campbell's name on Google and learned that Campbell had an outstanding warrant from last fall.

The tattoo shop owner called police, who arrested Campbell without incident.

The warrant concerned a domestic violence incident involving Campbell's girlfriend, but police declined to provide additional details.

Campbell made national news in 2008 when a bakery refused to decorate his sonâs birthday cake with the child's full name: Adolf Hitler Campbell. A local Wal-Mart eventually fulfilled the controversial order.

Law enforcement officials tell PEOPLE Campbell has already been extradited to New Jersey, but information regarding his bail amount and whether or not he has an attorney was unavailable.

Summary: Isidore Heath Campbell was detained last week on a warrant issued by a New Jersey court


03/17/2016 AT 12:00 PM EDT

Campaign cocktails with Hillary, George and Amal, anyone?

will be co-hosting cocktails and dinner with Democratic hopeful

next month in Los Angeles and San Francisco the actor confirms to PEOPLE. Proceeds will go to the Hillary Victory Fund.

The Clinton campaign is also running a contest giving supporters across the country the chance to meet Clinton and the famous couple at the Clooneys' home. Would-be guests can text CLOONEY to 47246 to enter to win starting now.

The actor and activist previously promised to help the former secretary of state get elected in any way he can: "whatever she wants, whatever way I can help," he told

's Jorge Ramos last May. Clooney called Clinton a "tremendous candidate" and said he would be "very happy" if she won the White House.

Meanwhile, the actor recently slammed Clinton's Republican rival Donald Trump as a "xenophobic fascist." "Let's put things into perspective," he said. "You know, the truth of the matter is, in election season, things go crazy, and the loudest voices are the furthest and most extreme. So you hear a massively stupid idea, like we're going to ban Muslims from the country. Now, we're not ever going to do that. It says in the Statue of Liberty, bring us your huddled masses. It's not what's going to happen."

Though Clinton has Clooney's vote, he does have love for another Democratic hopeful.

"I really love Bernie Sanders," Clooney told

earlier this month, "and am really glad he is in the debate. He is forcing the conversation to things that never get talked about in US politics: disparity between the rich and the poor, which is getting worse and worse every day."

Summary: Supporters can now win the chance to meet Hillary Clinton and George and Amal Clooney


Android powers the highest regarded phone on all four US carriers and at least two of top three.

Going into the holiday shopping season, Consumer Reports’ latest Smartphone ratings have been published. Frankly, it is an Android bloodbath. Across the board Androids ran the table with only the iPhone 3GS tied for second on AT&T and HTC’s HD2 which runs Windows Mobile coming in third on T-Mobile.

Consumer Reports’ tests were based on voice quality, camera quality, ease of use, battery and a whole host of other criteria (see video below).

They also ranked the carriers on their ability to handle the smart phones in question. Verizon VZ took top honors followed by T-Mobile, Sprint S and AT&T T brought up the rear. (Update: I’m hearing that these are actually CR’s 2009 carrier rankings so take with grain of salt.).

Consumer Reports singled out the AT&T’s Samsung Captivate and T-Mobile’s Vibrant as the best with 76 ratings followed closely by the Droid X and Droid 2 with 75. Apple’s iPhone 3GS was the highest ranked non-Android phone and tied the HTC Aria for second on AT&T’s network with a 74. Consumer Reports still doesn’t reccomend the iPhone 4:

The iPhone 4 is a fine performer. However, Consumer Reports’ tests found that if you touch a gap on the phone’s lower left side, you could lose your connection. Apple says to call customer service to request a free bumper to alleviate the problem.

Sprint’s best phone was the EVO 4G though I’m surprised they didn’t like the Galaxy S Epic 4G which didn’t make the list (other Galaxy S phones made the top ranks on the other three carriers). The only other phones in the rankings were the HTC HD2 which runs Windows Mobile 6.5 which finished 3rd on T-Mobile and Blackberry Bolds which finished 4th or below and HP/Palm Pres which were generally at the lower end of the rankings.

The full rankings can be found here for Consumer Reports subscribers or in the magazine which hit newsstands today.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Video via KWCH 12 in Kansas.

Among the top-rated phones in Consumer Reports’ tests are a number of Android phones, including the Samsung Captivate, used with AT&T service, and the Samsung Vibrant, used with T-Mobile service. Those phones were among the highest scoring models, particularly when it comes to their displays, which are especially adept at showing high-definition video.

For Verizon, Consumer Reports top rates the Motorola Droid X and Droid 2. They offer excellent navigation and displays.

For Sprint-Nextel, Consumer Reports top rates the HTC Evo 4G. The Evo is the first phone to work on Sprint’s 4G network, which is faster for browsing the Web and uploading video files.

Consumer Reports has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor appearing on this Web site.

Summary: Android powers the highest regarded phone on all four US carriers and at least two of top three. Going into the holiday shopping season, Consumer Reports' latest Smartphone ratings have been published.  Frankly, it is an Android bloodbath.  Across the board Androids ran the table with only the iPhone 3GS tied for second on AT&T…


As the verdict is delivered in the trial of former employees of white collar con man Bernie Madoff, here is a look back at all of the Madoff family goods grabbed by the Feds following the arrest of the disgraced pyramid scheme architect in 2009.

From an elegant diamond ring to a 1960 Hofstra class ring. A rare Rolex "Monoblocco" watch to a personalized New York Mets jacket. Luxurious furs to fishing rods. Bernard and Ruth Madoff's personal possessions, were seized and auctioned off in 2009 by the U.S. Marshals.Proceeds from the sale were set aside for victims of Madoff's Ponzi scheme, which began to unravel in late 2008. Some 200 included more than 40 watches, along with numerous bracelets, earrings, cuff links, rings, and fur coats, all symbols of the extravagant lifestyle led by the Madoffs until Bernard's arrest. Other, more mundane and frivolous items included wooden decoy ducks, customized stationary, pens, and Post-it notes, and two mementos from Madoff's love of the seas: a buoy labeled "Bullship NY" and an original mixed media drawing of his boat, titled "Bull", commissioned by a captain and hand signed by artist Sherry Fink Muhs. Gaston & Sheehan Auctioneers ran the auction for the U.S. Marshal's service.

Summary: Luxurious furs to fishing rods. Bernard and Ruth Madoff's personal possessions, seized by the Feds and auctioned off to benefit victims in 2009.


Entrepreneurs put everything on the line, but we’re just poker chips to some of our investors.

I spent a few days at Launch Conference last week, and met some entrepreneurs doing really interesting things. Their passion and energy is contagious. They are underdogs. And I love underdogs.

The conference was also filled with early-stage investors and VCs. I interacted with a few personally but mainly I listened and observed as they participated on panels and as they gave feedback to the presenting startups.

The Investor I don’t appreciate the way some investors talk about the startups in their portfolio. I’ll sometimes hear, “Yea, i’m in on that deal.” The words themselves aren’t that bad… but it’s the way they say it. They convey an attitude of not really caring. It’s just a “deal.” It’s like they’re playing a game of monopoly or doing some fantasy baseball trade or playing a game of poker and us entrepreneurs are just the Skittles they’re playing with.

I get it. It’s often their job to invest in a bunch of companies. I understand. Spray and pray. Yadda yadda yadda. But it’s no excuse for not caring.

The Entrepreneur We put our entire life and livelihood at risk for the startup. We have no alternative. No portfolio to lean on. It must work. All day every day, we are consumed in building value in the enterprise. We forgo great jobs, great schools, and great opportunities to be building a startup — a startup that will most likely fail. But we continue.

Some of us are post-economic (we’ve sold a company), but most of us aren’t. We’ve got no track record. Little money in the bank. Just hustle in our veins and a dream that won’t die.

I’ve had my share of battle wounds. I’ve gone through tens of thousands of dollars in debt. I’ve slept on couches and bunked up with friends. I’ve begged family members for loans… as humiliating as that is. I’ve gone through a nasty foreclosure. Yes, you heard that right: I’ve lost a home. Do you know how hard and embarrassing that is? My credit is a complete disaster and will take years to recover. This hasn’t been easy.

Yet to so many investors, we’re just a “deal.” Just a drop in the bucket. Just a Skittle on the poker table. And while these investors are worried about what country club they’re gonna join next or what imported car they’ll get their wife for V-day, we entrepreneurs are busting our butts and sacrificing everything trying to get the company off the ground.

The Exception Not all investors are like that. Many investors are former entrepreneurs and they still remember what it’s like. They know what we’re going through. They understand how wet the pillow gets at night when times get tough. They understand what it’s like to come home and tell your loved one, “honey… i don’t know how we’re gonna pay rent this month.” They remember.

Many investors aren’t former entrepreneurs. But you’ll know what kind of investor they are by how they talk about their startups and founders. You’ll know by how they express concern and empathy for them, their family, their situation. If they are truly founder-friendly, they’ll care. You’ll hear it and you’ll feel it.

The Conclusion If you’re an investor, care. Really care. Don’t forget the blood, sweat and tears that we shed every day to make this happen. To you we’re just one investment. To us, this is everything.

If you’re an entrepreneur, don’t take money from investors who treat you like a pawn. You aren’t a toy for them to play with. This means the world to you — literally. They need to respect and appreciate that.

Mick Hagen is co-founder of Zinch, an online social network that connects students with colleges, scholarships, study abroad programs and graduate schools. You can follow him on Twitter @mickhagen.

Summary: Entrepreneurs put everything on the line, but we're just poker chips to some of our investors. By Mick Hagen, contributor I spent a few days at Launch Conference last week, and met some entrepreneurs doing really interesting things. Their passion and energy is contagious. They are underdogs. And I love underdogs. The conference was also…


Shoppers at Asda Living (right) will be able to make use of a 'quiet hour'. (AAP, AFP)

Music, televisions and escalators will be switched off for a 'quiet hour' of shopping each week at a UK grocery store, in a move aimed at making the experience less challenging for people with autism and disabilities.

Customers who arrive at the Asda Living shop in Manchester for its first quiet hour on May 7 will also be handed maps with pictures rather than words, the Manchester Evening News has reported.

Store manager Simon Lea said he decided to launch the quiet hour after watching a boy with autism struggling to cope while shopping.

"This boy was playing absolute blue murder, kicking and screaming. His mum just looked drained… he was having a meltdown," he told the local TV station.

"Six months ago I would have said ‘control your child’ even though I’ve got children" he said.

"But speaking to people with autism and disabled people has helped me think about how I can make it a better place to shop."

Mr Lea first voiced his idea on Facebook last week.

"This hour is going to be tailored towards individuals with autism and any customers that are in any way disabled or have restrictive access," he said.

"I am trying to create a less stressful, quieter shopping experience."

"Eg no music playing, no tannoy announcements, no TVs on, no clutter around the store, no escalators running, etc."

The post has since been shared more than 1000 times.


05/05/2016 AT 01:40 PM EDT

's fashion show in February – but one member of the crew was missing:

In a sneak peek at Sunday's

opens up about why her ex decided not to come, chalking it up to the fact that Disick, 32, always seems to have an excuse.

In the clip, Kourtney, 37, is with her sisters

, in the car on the way to the Yeezy season 3 show at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

"Scott said he's not coming?" Kylie, 18, asks.

"Nope. He just said: 'I don't think so, I'm not making more drama and want to be out of the press,' " says Kourtney, reading a text from Disick on her phone.

"What does that mean?" asks Kendall, 20.

"He means [the media is] just going to say me and you are back [together]," Kourtney explains. "I'm good at translating texts."

As the rest of the crew goes silent, Kourtney tells the camera in a confessional that her sister

, 35, will be "disappointed" that Disick isn't coming to her husband's show.

"You know, he always has a million excuses," Kourtney says. "Sometimes [he's like]: 'It's too overwhelming,' and I get it, it's a huge day, but we're all here to support Kanye."

Ultimately though, the show was a huge success, with

airs Sundays (9 p.m. ET) on E!

Summary: "You know, he always has a million excuses," Kourtney Kardashian says of her ex


Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer stands to rake in $55 million in severance if her company is sold and she loses her job.

The hefty parachute package, disclosed in a regulatory filing late Friday, comes as the struggling web portal tries to auction off its Internet operations. If pushed out within a year of any sale, Mayer would be able to collect a bounty of cash and stock that would ease her exit beyond an already sizable personal fortune.

Yahoo’s board is weighing whether to sell the company’s still-widely used Internet operations like its sports, finance, and email after Mayer failed to turnaround the business during her nearly four-year tenure as CEO. It is said to have narrowed the list of potential suitors to 10 large companies like Verizon vz and big private equity firms.

Mayer’s $36 million salary last year and even bigger severance packages, in some cases, have generated intense criticism in the past because of the company’s poor performance. The latest severance for a so-called “change is control,” or takeover, is likely to add fuel to the fire.

Mayer has been under intense pressure from investor Starboard Capital to sell the company. Earlier this week, Yahoo yhoo appeared to acquiesce to a major demand by giving the investment firm four board seats.

Summary: She'll collect big time if ousted after an acquisition.


In the government’s latest five-year defense review, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron has outlined a plan to increase military spending by £12 billion ($18 billion), in an effort to address threats both conventional and irregular. As a part of the plan, the U.K. government will create two new fighter squadrons, accelerate its acquisition of F-35 fighter jets, purchase additional U.S.-built Reaper drones, and create two new 5,000-strong, rapidly-deployable “Strike Brigades” to combat emerging threats around the globe.

Companies like Lockheed Martin “LMT” , General Dynamics “GD” , Boeing “BA” , and BAE Systems “BAESY” stand to benefit, as the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defense and Security Review—or SDSR—calls for the purchase of a range of weapons systems intended to reverse the British military’s recent trend toward a smaller footprint.

“At its heart is an understanding that we cannot choose between conventional defences against state-based threats and the need to counter threats that do not recognise national borders,” Cameron wrote in the forward to the SDSR. “Today we face both and we must respond to both. So over the course of this Parliament our priorities are to deter state-based threats, tackle terrorism, remain a world leader in cyber security and ensure we have the capability to respond rapidly to crises as they emerge.”

Between now and 2020, the SDSR calls for the purchase of nine Boeing-built P-8 Poseidon submarine hunting aircraft; extending the life of the U.K.’s existing Typhoon fighter jets; forming two additional Typhoon squadrons (built by Eurofighter, a consortium of European defense companies including BAE); and tripling the pace at which it purchases the 138 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets it has on order from Lockheed Martin.

Accelerating its F-35 purchases should prove particularly helpful for both the Royal Navy and Lockheed Martin. The $100 million all-purpose fighter jet has been criticized as too expensive, and ramping up production may be a good way for Lockheed to drive down the cost. Previously the Royal Navy was slated to have just eight F-35s to fly off of its new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers when the first one hits the water in 2020. Now 24 F-35s should be available to the new carrier from day one.

The most recent SDSR should translate into a shot in the arm for the U.K.’s dwindling armed forces, but it also serves as a potent reflection of just how much the world has changed since the last review in 2010. In 2010, the U.K. was already out of Iraq and winding down operations in Afghanistan. Crimea was part of Ukraine, Syria was still a cohesive state, and a diminished al Qaeda remained the global face of evil. The 2008 financial meltdown still lingered.

Against that backdrop, the 2010 SDSR amounted to wholesale slashing of the U.K.’s military enterprise, cutting ships, aircraft, and a whole lot of people from its future plans (something like 17,000 uniformed personnel were dismissed).

In contrast, the 2015 SDSR reflects both a changing global landscape and a changing U.K. The government is now on firmer financial footing, and with Cameron at the helm the country appears poised to reassert itself on a number of military fronts.

But to be clear, the uptick in U.K. military spending isn’t just about confronting threats posed by the Islamic State or the recent attacks in Paris that killed more than 100 people. Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon, for instance, is designed to track and target the most sophisticated enemy submarines, while plans to design and build a new class of light, general purpose frigates for the Royal Navy suggest a U.K. preparing to confront conventional naval threats from state actors.

Still, recent events like the attacks in Paris and the alleged downing of a Russian airliner in Egypt did leave their mark on the SDSR. For instance, the U.K.’s counter-terrorism spending will increase by 30% over the next five years. Meanwhile, Cameron said he will lay out plans to expand the scope of British bombing raids against Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria this Thursday.

For more on defense spending, watch this Fortune video.

Subscribe to Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the business of technology.

Summary: The U.K. government has pledged $18 billion in new defense spending with its latest five-year defense review.


Want a job with the federal government but think the odds are against you? Not necessarily. According to Kathy Troutman, owner of The Resume Place, a federal resume writing and federal career consulting firm, and author of 'Ten Steps to a Federal Job: How to Land a Job in the Obama Administration, 2nd Edition,' there are enormous opportunities with the federal government, but there are also several myths circulating about the federal government jobs process. AOL Jobs recently spoke to Troutman to debunk eight of these myths.

1. Veterans are getting all the federal jobs.

The veterans do qualify for additional points added to their application / resume scores of 5 or 10 points, but they definitely do not land all the federal jobs in government. Federal applications are graded. You can get a score of up to 100. Veterans can receive up to 105 or 110 (disabled veterans). So, the goal is to get a high score, know what your score is, apply for many positions, and be persevering. Non-vets can get hired, but it does take more applications today because of competing veterans.

Even though federal hiring reform by President Obama was supposed to eliminate KSAs as of Nov. 1, 2010, the KSAs are still listed in the announcements and sometimes you will still have to write separate narratives. There is incremental change with the elimination of KSAs. It is recommended that you prove that you have Knowledge, Skills and Abilities in your resume. The new format is called KSAs in the resume. The KSAs in the resume will be short accomplishments that prove your KSAs.

3. Since hiring reform on Nov. 1, you can apply for a federal job with just a resume and cover letter.

The President did state in his executive order that applicants should apply for federal jobs with a resume and cover letter, but there are still instructions that you will need to submit your resume through USAJOBS, complete a questionnaire, fax other documents and add a cover letter if you like.

4. You have to know someone to get a federal job.

You do NOT need to know someone to get a federal job. It could be very helpful, but if you are qualified for a federal position, you can write a competitive federal resume. Make sure you add the KSAs into the resume and answer the questionnaire giving yourself all the credit that you can. You have to apply correctly following the directions. The application process is complicated, but you CAN get "best qualified" and "referred to a supervisor" without knowing anyone in the government.

5. You need a clearance to get a federal jobs.

You do NOT need a clearance to walk into the door of all government jobs. Some jobs DO require a clearance, and those positions are usually filled by former military and former government contractors. But many positions do not require any kind of clearance. And some position announcements will state that you have to KNOW THAT YOU CAN GET A CLEARANCE. So, once you are interviewed and tentatively hired, they will begin the clearance process. Sometimes you can start the position while they perform the clearance. You will perform tasks that are not security-oriented. You can negotiate this with the agency.

6. The government isn't hiring because of the hiring freeze.

The government will be hiring even if there is a hiring freeze. There are positions called critical mission positions that the agencies will still need to hire in order to carry out the critical mission of the office or organization. Even if there is a freeze, there will be positions.

7. You never hear from anyone after you apply for a federal job.

You can usually find out the status of your applications if you check your USAJOBS Application Manager account. The HR specialists are making big efforts to give you more feedback about your qualifications, referral to supervisors, or whether you met minimum qualifications for the position.

8. All resumes, including federal resumes, should not exceed two pages.

Federal resumes are an average of four to five pages. The federal resume must contain more information about your duties, qualifications, accomplishments, knowledge, skills and abilities in order to demonstrate -- in writing -- that you have the qualifications for the position. The private industry resume does not have to contain all of this information in writing, but the federal resume is basically an important document that must PROVE your qualifications for the position.

Next: What It's Like to Work for the State Department: An Inside Look

Summary: Want a job with the federal government but think the odds are against you? Not nece arily. According to Kathy Troutman, owner of The Resume Place, a federal resume writing and federal career con


With just two months to go before Hewlett-Packard’s split into two companies, it’s worth a reminder why the Silicon Valley tech giant wanted to do so in the first place.

To back up, Hewlett-Packard HPQ plans on November 1 to divide into one company focused on selling data center equipment and business consulting and another that sells printers and personal computers.

Current CEO Meg Whitman will become CEO of the business-technology focused Hewlett-Packard Enterprise while Dion Weisler will be CEO of HP, Inc., the printer and PC company.

Like Intel INTC and IBM IBM and many big enterprise tech companies, Hewlett Packard has been hurt by a slowing demand for personal computers amid the rise of smartphones and tablets.

Because of that, HP’s legacy PC and printer business has declined steadily over the years. At the same time, the advent of cloud computing—in which companies can purchase computing resources on an on-demand basis from big providers like Amazon AMZN and Microsoft MSFT —has hurt HP’s business of selling data center equipment.

As a result, Hewlett-Packard’s sales have dropped 15 times in the last 16 quarters. Unhappy investors have pushed the company to make changes.

This brings us to the plan to create two separate companies—each presumably more nimble than when combined—that are dedicated to narrower businesses. Executives will be free from some of the bureaucracy that slowed them before, at least according to Hewlett-Packard’s sales pitch for the split.

Currently, Hewlett-Packard’s enterprise arm looks to be the stronger of the two companies with essentially flat growth over the nine month period ending July 31. Sales ticked up less than 1% during that period to $20.55 billion from $20.48 billion during the same period in 2014.

Meanwhile, sales in HP’s printer and PC business declined 6% during the nine months ending July 31, to $39.9 billion from $42.6 billion.

HP is hoping the impending split will help lift its enterprise business and rehabilitate it printer and PC business so that it starts growing once again. Long suffering investors will be paying close attention.

Subscribe to Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the business of technology.

For more on HP, check out the following Fortune video:

Summary: The tech giant hopes its impending split will help lift its struggling enterprise, PC and printer businesses.


HARTFORD, April 8— ''Peer Gynt'' represented, as Ibsen wrote, ''a process of spiritual liberation and catharsis,'' for the title character as well as for the playwright. Though Ibsen himself regarded it as his play least likely to be understood outside of his country, it has become one of his most universal works. Along with ''Brand,'' ''Peer Gynt'' is a masterpiece, fraught with dangers for theatrical mountaineers. For this reason, the play is seldom performed, rarer still in its entirety.

Mark Lamos's two-part, five-hour production, starring Richard Thomas, is monumental, both as risk and as achievement, drawing upon the artistic resources of the director and the Hartford Stage and inspiring Mr. Thomas to a prodigious feat of acting. Following his ''Hamlet'' last season in Hartford, his performance further validates his position as one of America's leading classical actors.

The last two productions of the play that I have seen, both admirable, both spare, were at the CSC and at Stratford-on-Avon (with Derek Jacobi in the title role). In contrast, Mr. Lamos's more ambitious version has a visual richness that is itself transporting. It is, one might add, in direct antithesis to his recent, muted production of ''Measure for Measure'' at Lincoln Center.

Mr. Lamos has a clear-sighted view of ''Peer Gynt'' as both timeless and timely. As Peer undertakes his journey to find his innermost self, peeling an onion to its nonexistent core, one can find contemporary existential parallels. And in Peer's penchant for troll-ery can be read all the self-indulgences that deflect man from a truer purpose.

The sweep of ''Peer Gynt'' is cinematic, for which the director and his designer, John Conklin, have found imaginative theatrical equivalents. Peer's journey is visualized with a sequence of striking scenic alterations, using perspective-distorting panoramas; sculptural figures (a huge pig, a small Sphinx), landscapes in miniature; and stage-filling dropcloths of sharply varying color. In characteristic Lamos fashion, individual scenes conjure painterly images that run all the way from Bruegel to Manet (a picnic on the beach).

In one of several coups de theatre, the director turns the stage into the deck of a ship during a storm, then instantly transforms it into the roiling sea itself (Peer fights a diabolical fellow passenger for possession of a toy-size lifeboat), and, finally, into the bleak Norwegian landscape. In such a fashion, the director repeatedly stimulates the audience's imagination.

This is not to suggest that the production (or the play) is flawless. There is a dramatic ebb toward the end of the first act of the second half, as Peer wanders through several continents, scenes that in other productions are often abridged. More in question is the translation by Gerry Bamman and Irene B. Berman. Though it is in rhymed verse, it is not always poetic and there is often an awkward slanginess, as in the use of words like phooey and hunky-dory. At other times, however, the translation has a flow that overrides such eccentricities, and there are several interesting variations. For example, the symbolic Great Boyg becomes the Great Between.

Mr. Thomas's Peer is a kind of anti-Hamlet, a man of action who refuses to be introspective. A fantasizer and an improviser, he is not to be trusted, yet women repeatedly put their faith in him. Any actor playing Peer must capture both the recklessness and the charm. Mr. Thomas has both in abundance.

The production opens inside Peer's home rather than outdoors, as is customary. The room is decorated as a nursery, with Magritte-like hanging objects. Peer and his mother (Patricia Conolly) are rummaging through the attic of memory. Then Peer begins to spin his story about his wild ride on the back of a reindeer. His mother - as well as the audience -is spellbound by the fabulous tale. It is, of course, a fiction, a fact that does not vitiate the storytelling.

In subsequent scenes, Mr. Thomas maintains that performance level as he seduces a bride on her wedding day; provokes a second woman, Solveig, to become his lifelong muse, and flees through the wilderness. His adventure in the kingdom of the trolls is, as it should be, vulgar, comic and threatening, and he escapes with his humanity barely intact. In the second half of the play, which theatergoers can see on alternate evenings or on marathon days after a dinner break, Peer circumnavigates the world.

In Mr. Thomas's older Peer, the weight of his worldliness is reflected in his stance and in his voice. Even as he becomes an international robber baron and sinks more deeply into cynicism, he retains his curious sense of honesty. He never fools himself, ultimately realizing that ''life is too high a price to pay for birth,'' and persisting on a path to enlightenment.

Ms. Conolly finds endearing qualities in Peer's mother and there are also persuasive performances, in a variety of roles, by Stephen Rowe, Philip Goodwin, Wyman Pendleton, Leslie Geraci and Tara Hugo (as the saintly Solveig). For Mr. Lamos and Mr. Thomas, ''Peer Gynt'' is a virtuosic accomplishment, precisely the kind of work institutional theaters should be attempting.

Photo of Richard Thomas in the title role of ''Peer Gynt'' at the Hartford Stage. (T. Charles Erickson)

Summary: LEAD: ''Peer Gynt'' represented, as Ibsen wrote, ''a process of spiritual liberation and catharsis,'' for the title character as well as for the playwright. Though Ibsen himself regarded it as his play least likely to be understood outside of his country, it has become one of his most universal works. Along with ''Brand,'' ''Peer Gynt'' is a masterpiece, fraught with dangers for theatrical mountaineers.