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☆ MDMA therapy could be legalized by summer. Why are so many advocates sounding the alarm?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Anna Silman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +52 min

Last summer, thousands of tie-dyed Burners and Patagonia-clad tech founders converged on the MAPS Psychedelic Science conference in Denver. The experience "broke the spell of this trauma, and she was able to rebuild her life," Doblin told The Guardian . The video team's job was to store recordings of every MDMA therapy session performed in the clinical trials. Grof believes in something called an "inner healing intelligence," an innate capacity for self-healing that psychedelic therapy helps unleash. Another time, a patient who had come to an MDMA therapy session later acknowledged they had been under the influence of LSD during treatment.

Persons: Jaden Smith, Aaron Rodgers, bro, Andrew Huberman, Rick Doblin, Doblin, mainstreaming psychedelics, influencers, Johnson, Elizabeth Nielson, Aubrey Marcus, ayahuasca, Matthew Stockman, Helena —, Timothy Leary, —, Hitler, Stanislav Grof, zombified, Brad Burge, Michael Mithoefer, Annie Mithoefer, Oprah, Sen, Joe Biden, MDMA's neurotoxicity, they'd, Albert Hofmann, David Bronner, Dr, Joe's, Bronner, Bronner's, Richard Rockefeller, John D, Rockefeller Jr, Rockefeller, Neşe, Johns Hopkins, who's, Devenot, Rick Friedman, Betty Aldworth, MAPS's multimillionaire, Tim Ferriss, Cody Swift, Zendo, Aldworth, Erica Siegal, Seth Whitelaw, Amy Emerson, JULIE JAMMOT, Ifetayo Harvey, Harvey, Lauren Unger, Unger, Casey Hardison, Harvey didn't, Hardison, Doblin's, Baylee Ybarra Gatlin, Gatlin, negligently, There's, Michael Pollan's, Steve Jurvetson, Elon Musk's who's, Genevieve, Steve Cohen, Alexandra, Mark Zuckerberg's, Dustin Moskovitz, Cari, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paltrow, Sergey Brin, Joe Green, Green, Zuckerberg, Genevieve Jurvetson, Michael Pollan, Jonathan Lubecky, he'd, Rebekah, Robert Mercer, Elizabeth Koch, Charles Koch, Rachel Nuwer, Koch, she'd, MAPS's, Elizabeth Crystal, Joe Rogan, didn't, Jesus Christ, Crystal, Meaghan Buisson, Richard Yensen, Donna, Yensen, Buisson, weren't, Robert, Rebekah Mercer, Sean Zanni, Grof, They've, Kayla Greenstien, it's, George Sarlo who'd, Vicky Dulai, Sarlo's, Dulai, Gul Dolen, Michael Mullette, who'd, Marla Aufmuth, Mullette, Lily Kay Ross, David Nickles, Ross, Greenstien, Rick, Lenny Ignelzi, biostatisticians, Lykos, Peter Thiel, Kara Swisher, Kris Lotlikar, Federico Menapace, Mo Septimus, Handout, Monnica, Williams, Lotlikar, Henry Elkus, Helena ., Elkus, Emerson, ICER Organizations: Science, New York Jets, rockstar, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, Lykos Therapeutics, and Drug Administration, FDA, Business, Florida's New College, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Sarasota Herald, Tribune, New College, Guardian, Drug, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, eBay, Nevada, Doblin, Pentagon, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Staff, Corporation, PBC, pharma, New Yorker, New York Mets, Bloomberg, CBS, Breitbart, CBC News, BI, Porsche, Santa Cruz, New York Times, longtime, Mullette Corporation, New York, Health Canada, Compass, Sciences, Psychedelic Science, Whole Foods, McKinsey, Big Pharma, Vine Ventures, Lucid, Street Journal, Investments, Gawker, Publicly, PBC alums, Numinus, US Army Locations: Patagonia, Denver, Harvard, Colorado, Skokie , Illinois, Ireland, Czech, Sarasota, Arcturus, Florida, Swiss, Vietnam, Washington, Santa Cruz, Chicago, California, Iraq, British Columbia, New York, Hawaii, Santa, Nature, Moderna, Europe, Helena, Yale, Australia, Canada, Israel, Ukraine, ICER, . Upper

☆ Susan Backlinie, Swimmer Who Was First Victim in ‘Jaws,’ Dies at 77
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Johnny Diaz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The actress and stunt woman Susan Backlinie, whose portrayal of a violent death as the first shark attack victim in the opening scene of the blockbuster movie “Jaws” terrified moviegoers, died on Saturday. Ms. Backlinie died at her home in California, her agent, Sean Clark, said on Sunday. “Jaws,” the 1975 movie directed by Steven Spielberg, memorably features Ms. Backlinie in a scene in which she played a skinny-dipper, Chrissie Watkins, who runs along the beach and dives into the water for a nighttime swim. The placid scene is shattered as she is suddenly pulled under the water. She screams while being violently thrashed by an unseen great white shark and tries desperately to cling to a clanging buoy only to be pulled below the water one final time.

Persons: Susan Backlinie, Backlinie, Sean Clark, Steven Spielberg, Chrissie Watkins Locations: California

☆ Moderna says FDA delayed RSV vaccine approval to end of May
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Moderna on Friday said the Food and Drug Administration has delayed the approval of its vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus to the end of May due to "administrative constraints" at the agency. The FDA was expected to make a decision on the RSV shot on Sunday. If cleared, the RSV shot would become the company's second product to launch in the U.S. after its once-blockbuster Covid vaccine. It would also be the third RSV vaccine to enter the market after shots from Pfizer and GSK rolled out last year. Moderna said its RSV vaccine is still on track to be reviewed by an advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during a meeting on June 26 and 27.

Persons: Stephen Hoge Organizations: Moderna, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Pfizer, GSK, Centers for Disease Control Locations: U.S

☆ At the Met, Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up in the Chemistry Lab
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Vanessa Friedman | Jason Farago | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute announced its 2024 spring blockbuster show would be called “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” a lot of head-scratching ensued. Its curators seek to “reawaken” these items with a dash of technology and a soupçon of sensory overload: touch, smell and sound. Imagine the ghostly rustling of silk taffeta, the clinking of giant paillettes, brought back to life by scientists and engineers. It’s not your usual fashion exhibit. Vanessa Friedman, chief fashion critic, and Jason Farago, critic at large, debated the result.

Persons: frocks, It’s, Vanessa Friedman, Jason Farago Organizations: Metropolitan Museum, Art’s Costume Institute

☆ ‘Lord of the Rings’ franchise has a new movie coming in 2026
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly $6 billion blockbuster “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films. The first of the new projects from Sir Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens is tentatively titled “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” Warner Bros. Walsh and Boyens have been tapped to write the screenplay, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. Warner Bros. is owned by CNN’s parent company. Jackson made history with “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, becoming the first person to direct three major feature films simultaneously.

Persons: Sir Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Gollum, ” Warner, “, Andy Serkis, Walsh, Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, “ Yesssss, ” Serkis, ”, Peter, Fran, Philippa, ” Jackson, Tolkien’s, Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy, Jackson, King ”, Serkis, Jackson’s Organizations: CNN, ” Warner Bros . Discovery, Warner Bros, Warner Bros . Pictures, Globes

☆ Investor found guilty in Trump Media insider trading case
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —An investor in the shell company that merged with Trump Media was found guilty on Thursday of insider trading linked to that blockbuster deal, according to federal prosecutors. “Garelick’s federal conviction is yet another stark reminder that insider trading is always a losing bet.”Garelick was among three men who were arrested and charged last June in the insider trading case. The other two, Florida venture capitalist Michael Shvartsman and his brother Gerald Shvartsman, pleaded guilty last month to participating in the insider trading scheme. Prosecutors have not alleged that former President Donald Trump, the chairman and leading shareholder of Trump Media, had any involvement in the scheme. Beyond their own purchases, prosecutors say Garelick and his co-defendants tipped off friends and colleagues who also bought securities in Digital World before the Trump Media deal was announced publicly.

Persons: Bruce Garelick, Garelick, ” Damian Williams, “, ” Garelick, Michael Shvartsman, Gerald Shvartsman, Donald Trump, Michael, rhough, Trump Organizations: CNN, Trump Media, Acquisition, Truth Social, Southern, of, Prosecutors, Digital, Nasdaq, rhough Trump Media Locations: of New York, Florida

☆ Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes' prison time gets shortened — again
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has once again had her prison time shortened. She got a few more months trimmed off for a new projected release date of August 16, 2032. She was originally sentenced to 11.25 years, but soon after reporting to prison her projected release date moved up 2 years. AdvertisementElizabeth Holmes' prison time is getting shorter, again. Her projected release date is now August 16, 2032, a change from her previously listed December 29 projected release for later that same year, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons records.

Persons: Elizabeth Holmes, —, Holmes Organizations: Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons, NBC News, Prosecutors Locations: Silicon, Bryan , Texas

☆ Disney and WBD launch streaming bundle combining Disney+, Hulu and Max
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Brian Lowry | Liam Reilly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Seeking further scale in the streaming business, Disney and Warner Bros. Among other things, the collaborative effort would put the two major comic-book rivals, Disney’s Marvel and Warner Bros.’ DC, together in a cooperative venture. (Warner Bros. Disney+ has more than 100 million subscribers, while Hulu reaches another 50 million. “On the heels of the very successful launch of Hulu on Disney+, this new bundle with Max will offer subscribers even more choice and value,” Joe Earley, president of direct-to-consumer for Disney, said.

Persons: ’ Max, Disney’s, Warner, Max, ” Joe Earley Organizations: CNN, Disney, Warner Bros . Discovery, Hulu, Warner Bros, HBO, Disney’s Marvel, DC, Netflix, Max Locations: Hulu, “

☆ Chris Pine on His Best Movie Roles: 'Wonder Woman,' 'Star Trek,' 'Unstoppable,'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Whether he's playing the handsome leading man in a rom-com or an intensely focused franchise star, Pine has the uncanny ability to adapt into the movie star that's needed at any particular moment. I learned more from that set about what it means to be a movie star than probably anything else. On turning down 'Wonder Woman' twice before director Patty Jenkins convinced him by bringing up 'Casablanca'"Wonder Woman." Warner Bros. PicturesBy the time you did the "Wonder Woman" franchise, you had done your fair share of blockbusters. Even think of "Wonder Woman 1984" — that's a blockbuster movie that is a hero's journey not about revenge.

Persons: Chris Pine, he's, Don Mattingly, Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, Gwynne Gilford, Robert Pine, Sergeant Getraer, Jack, Pine, Anne Hathaway, David Caruso, it's, Kirk —, Kirk, William Shatner, Karl Urban, McCoy, Karl, Spock, Zach, Quinto, Leonard, Nimoy, Abrams, Shatner, Denzel, Denzel Washington, Tony Scott, Mark Bomback, I'm, you'd, Ben Foster, Taylor, Sheridan, David, Mackenzie, Jeff Bridges, Jeff, Ben, hadn't, Patty Jenkins, Patty, Steve Organizations: Business, Yankee, Washington, Walt Disney Pictures, CSI, Paramount Pictures, Denzel Washington, Denzel, Denzel Washington —, CBS, Warner Bros ., gonzo Locations: cardigan, Pine, Coast, heartthrob, Miami, Casablanca

☆ Netflix Gives Comedy the Live Treatment. The Results Are Chaotic.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Jason Zinoman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Friday night, in the premiere of his appealingly chaotic livestreaming variety show “Everybody’s in L.A.,” which runs every night this week, John Mulaney delivered a monologue about his adopted city next to a map that broke it down into a crooked jigsaw puzzle of neighborhoods. It’s the biggest comedy showcase of the year (with more than 500 offerings, a 40 percent increase from the festival’s already mammoth debut event in 2022) but also something of a corporate flex. Who else could get Hannah Gadsby and Shane Gillis in the same festival or draw the talk-show titans Jon Stewart and David Letterman to host events? The most newsworthy shift this year was the aggressive move into livestreaming events, following the blockbuster success of Chris Rock’s 2023 special, “Selective Outrage,” about being slapped at the Oscars. (One of that ceremony’s hosts, Wanda Sykes, returned to the place it happened, the Dolby Theater, for a festival show and began by saying this time no one would get assaulted).

Persons: John Mulaney, Hannah Gadsby, Shane Gillis, Jon Stewart, David Letterman, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, “, Harry Met Sally, ”, Tracee Ellis Ross, Meg Ryan’s, Chris Rock’s, Wanda Sykes Organizations: Netflix, Dolby Locations: L.A, Los Angeles

☆ Bernard Hill death: ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Titanic’ actor dies at 79
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Thom Poole | Audry Jeong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —British actor Bernard Hill, best known for supporting roles in “Titanic” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, has died, his family announced on Sunday. “It is with the greatest sadness that we must announce that Bernard Hill, renowned actor known for his roles in ‘Titanic’ and ‘Lord of the Rings,’ passed away in the early hours of this morning at the age of 79,” his family said in a statement. In James Cameron’s 1997 multi-Oscar winning “Titanic”, Hill plays the ship’s Captain Edward Smith as a man haunted by his role in the tragedy and ultimately resigned to his fate. We last see him alone, still clutching the ship’s helm, before the rising water bursts in through the windows. Bernard Hill in The Return Of The King, 2003.

Persons: Bernard Hill, ’, ”, Alison, Gabriel, ” Hill, Thatcher, James Cameron’s, Hill, Edward Smith, Shutterstock, Peter Jackson’s, King of Rohan, “ Gandhi, ” “ Shirley Valentine ”, Lou Coulson, Lindsay Salt, “ Organizations: CNN, BBC Locations: British, New

☆ Robin Williams wrote a letter to a school principal urging they 'rethink' the expulsion of a 'Mrs. Doubtfire' child star
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewOne of the child stars of "Mrs. Doubtfire" revealed that Robin Williams went to bat for her after she was expelled for taking time off to star in the blockbuster comedy film. "Mrs. Doubtfire" starred Williams as a divorced dad who hatches an elaborate plan to imitate a female housekeeper so he can work for his estranged wife and see his children. "I got thrown out of high school on 'Doubtfire,'" Jakub told her costars. I was attending high school in Canada, then I left for four months to go film the movie." Speaking to Business Insider last year on the 30th anniversary of the movie, "Mrs Doubtfire" director Chris Columbus said that he and Williams began discussing the possibility of a sequel in 2014.

Persons: —, Doubtfire, Robin Williams, Williams, Lisa Jakub, Sally Field's, Mara Wilson, Matthew Lawrence, Jakub, Robin, Sally Field, Lawrence, hadn't, Chris Columbus Organizations: Service, Business, Fox, University of Southern, LA Locations: Canada, University of Southern California, Columbus

☆ I was Ryan Gosling's stunt double on 'The Fall Guy.' Filming car crashes was dizzying, but I broke a Guinness World Record.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Holladay was driving the cars during the early car crash scene and the final car jump scene. He recalled breaking the Guinness World Record for most cannon rolls performed in a car to Business Insider. When I was hired as Ryan Gosling's stunt driver for "The Fall Guy," the film's stunt coordinator gave me one big objective. Although we had other stunts and cannon rolls to perform for other scenes, completing this big stunt felt like a real victory. A side-by-side picture of the car jump.

Persons: Logan Holladay, Ryan Gosling's, Guy, Holladay, —, Adam Kirley, Daniel Craig's, Eric Laciste, we'd, Ryan Gosling, David Leitch, Colt, Tom Ryder, Aaron Taylor, Johnson, Emily Blunt, Chris O'Hara, Ryder Organizations: Business, Service, Guinness, Universal Pictures Locations: Sydney, Australia

☆ White House counts jobs report as a win, though inflation path – and interest rate cuts – far from certain ahead of November
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Kayla Tausche | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Within the walls of the White House, it was seen the same way, stoking relief among officials, who said the data hewed near the team’s own targets for ideal job creation. In the wake of the latest jobs report, many market participants are now expecting the Federal Reserve to begin cutting interest rates in September, potentially easing a source of consternation for voters. Mark Zandi, an economist at Moody’s cited frequently by the White House, said certain psychological thresholds will remain important as the election approaches. In the meantime, White House officials continue to watch the data carefully and refrain from declaring victory until it bears out the trajectory the Biden administration wants to see. “The best measure of inflation is inflation,” the official told CNN.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ron Klain, “, Mark Zandi, Moody’s, ” Zandi, Biden “, ” Biden, Mandel Ngan, – Biden, Biden Organizations: CNN, Federal Reserve, White, Biden, Democratic, Reserve, Wilmington Convention, Getty Locations: Wilmington, Wilmington , North Carolina, AFP

☆ Blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy's sales just doubled — and could heat up even more with a price cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewDanish drugmaker Novo Nordisk will lower prices of its weight loss drug Wegovy as it plans to raise sales volumes and navigate tough competition. Prices for the blockbuster drug fell in the first quarter. Sales of Wegovy more than doubled in the first quarter year-on-year, to 9.4 billion Danish crowns, or $1.3 billion, according to the company's earnings. They did not specify how much Novo plans to cut Wegovy's prices. AdvertisementThe Danish pharmaceutical maker, which also produces viral weight loss drug Ozempic, reported better-than-expected sales of 65 billion Danish crowns, or $9.4 billion, in the first quarter.

Persons: —, Karsten Munk Knudsen, Knudsen, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Ozempic, Eli Lilly, Wegovy, Bernie Sanders, Goldman Sachs, Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, Charles Barkley Organizations: Service, Nordisk, Business Locations: Danish, Novo

☆ What’s at stake in the Google antitrust case? Billions of dollars (and the way we use the internet)
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Whenever you type a search into Apple’s Safari browser — say, on an iPhone — chances are it’s Google that returns the results. You can tell Safari to pick another search engine, but in practice most people tend to stick with Google by default. You might know that Google pays Apple enormous sums of money every year for that prime placement. Those eye-popping figures, newly unsealed this week, come from a blockbuster antitrust lawsuit against Google that’s just entered its closing stages. Nothing prevented Apple from choosing a different default search partner, Google contends.

Persons: —, Google that’s, Trump, Amit Mehta, Mehta, ” Mehta, John Schmidtlein, Google’s, Sherman, “, ” Schmidtlein Organizations: CNN, Google, Apple, Justice Department, DOJ, Microsoft

☆ Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk down 4%, heads for worst day since October
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk slid 4% on Friday, extending a 2.7% loss on Thursday as analysts pored over the details of the firm's first-quarter results and monitored a potential rival weight loss treatment. The company reported that sales for its blockbuster injectable weight loss treatment Wegovy, more than doubled to 9.38 billion Danish kroner ($1.4 billion). Novo Nordisk, which also makes diabetes treatment Ozempic, said the rise in sales had offset a slight reduction in prices. Analysts expected even higher weight loss drug sales in the quarter, and some noted that Novo Nordisk's 2024 outlook raise for both sales growth and operating profit was due to one-off accounting adjustments. The boom in demand for weight loss treatments saw Novo Nordisk overtake French luxury group LVMH to become Europe's most valuable company last year.

Persons: Karsten Knudsen, Karen Andersen Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Novo, Morningstar Locations: Novo

☆ Amgen stock soars on weight loss injection progress as Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly shares slide
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

That fueled investor concerns about new competition in the rapidly growing weight loss drug industry, sending shares of the current obesity players, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly , lower on Friday. Eli Lilly shares dropped nearly 3%, while Novo Nordisk's U.S.-traded shares fell more than 1%. Still, investors were pleased with Eli Lilly on Tuesday after the company assured them it can overcome ongoing supply constraints for its popular drugs. Eli Lilly hiked its full-year guidance in part due to optimism around increased production of Zepbound, its diabetes injection Mounjaro and similar drugs for the rest of the year. That signals Novo Nordisk is struggling to meet demand for the treatment.

Persons: Amgen, Eli Lilly, Bob Bradway, Bradway, Jay Bradner, autoinjector, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, Eli Lilly's Zepbound, William Blair, Matt Phipps, Michael Yee, Amgen's Bradway, Karsten Munk Knudsen Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Novo Nordisk's, Jefferies, MariTide, Nordisk Locations: Novo Nordisk's U.S, North Carolina, Indiana, Ireland, Germany, U.S

☆ Move over, Barbenheimer: Critics say Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt's 'The Fall Guy' could be the next great summer blockbuster
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Critics highlight the strong chemistry between stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. But what he's elevated here with "The Fall Guy" is telling the story within a movie-in-a-movie structure. "The Fall Guy" features everything from Phil Collins' "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" to Taylor Swift's "All Too Well." AdvertisementEmily Blunt and Ryan Gosling are a perfect tandem, giving the movie a rom-com vibeRyan Gosling and Emily Blunt in "The Fall Guy." "The Fall Guy" definitely has that vibe with its lighthearted tone and thrills.

Persons: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Guy, —, Lee Majors, Colt Seavers, Aaron Taylor, Johnson, David Leitch, Here's, Leitch, Drew Pearce, Chris O'Hara, Eric Laciste, Phil Collins, Taylor, Katie, Gosling, Blunt, Lovia Gyarkye, David Fear, Jonathan Sela, Peter Debruge Organizations: Rotten, Service, Universal Pictures, Universal, Hollywood, Variety Locations: Hollywood

☆ As ‘The Phantom Menace’ turns 25, six (non-Jar Jar) things the ‘Star Wars’ prequel got right
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The teeth-gnashing aspects of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” have been chewed upon for a quarter century, from Watto to Anakin Skywalker’s Midi-chlorian count (and miracle birth) to almost everyone’s favorite punching bag, Jar Jar Binks. Think of them as creative building blocks, which overcame clunkier parts of the script and awkward performances to influence the rest of the “Star Wars” timeline. Ray Park as the villainous Darth Maul in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace." It’s also likely a key reason why “Star Wars” has continued to flourish as parents pass it on to their kids. “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” will play in select theaters beginning May 3.

Persons: Anakin Skywalker’s, George Lucas ’, Dave Filoni, “ Obi, Wan, They’re, Darth Sidious, Ian McDiarmid, Lucas, credibly, Mace Windu, Samuel L, Jackson didn’t, Ray Park, Darth Maul, Filoni, “, Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Obi, Wan Kenobi, McGregor, Neeson, Wan –, John Williams, It’s, ” Organizations: CNN, “, “ Star, Lucasfilm, Force Locations: Watto, Republic

☆ LinkedIn wants you to compete against your coworkers and classmates with its new Wordle-like puzzle games
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Camilo Fonseca | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Its new puzzle games include trivia, word association, and a colorful twist on sudoku. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementIf you get tired of networking the next time you're on LinkedIn, you can now take a break with one of its competitive puzzle games. The social media site announced a new suite of games this week, seemingly looking to capitalize on the hype surrounding Wordle and other online puzzle games to keep its users coming back. Online word puzzle games seem to have exploded in popularity in recent years.

Persons: —, We've, Lakshman Somasundaram, you'll Organizations: Service, LinkedIn, The New York Times

ImageHERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENINGExxon Mobil strikes an agreement to win regulatory approval of its $60 billion megadeal. Elsewhere, shares in Shell were up after the producer reported $7.7 billion in adjusted quarterly earnings, beating analyst expectations. The U.S. imposes sanctions on Chinese companies over military support for Russia’s war effort. The Biden administration announced on Wednesday nearly 300 sanctions, including on more than a dozen Chinese businesses, aimed at disrupting Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The culprit: pressure on prices, amid growing competition from Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, supply constraints and scrutiny from lawmakers.

Persons: Scott Sheffield, Biden, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, James Comer, Comer Organizations: Labor Department, Exxon Mobil, Natural Resources, Wall Street, Novo Nordisk, Republican, European Commission Locations: Shell, U.S, Ukraine, Danish, Kentucky, iRobot

☆ Wednesday's analyst calls: Amazon draws praise, 3M finds some support, Starbucks cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

JPMorgan analyst Vivek Juneja upgraded the regional bank stock to an overweight rating from neutral, simultaneously lifting his price target to $39.50 from $37.50. — Lisa Kailai Han 6:27 a.m.: Deutsche Bank downgrades Starbucks after disappointing quarterly earnings Starbucks could feel some near-term pressure, according to Deutsche Bank. Analyst C. Stephen Tusa also raised his price target to $111 from $110, implying that shares of 3M could rally 15% from here. 3M stock has added nearly 6% so far in 2024, but the stock is still trading at an attractive valuation given the company's characteristics, Tusa said. Amongst the group, JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth has the highest price target of $240, which implies that Amazon stock could rally another 37% from here.

Persons: Vivek Juneja, Juneja, — Lisa Kailai Han, Samik Chatterjee, Chatterjee, Lauren Silberman, Silberman, Lisa Kailai Han, Stephen Tusa, Tusa, 3M's, Morgan Stanley, Doug Anmuth, Anmuth, — Lisa Kailai Han — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: CNBC, JPMorgan, Starbucks, Deutsche Bank, Fifth, Bancorp, Logitech, 3M, Barclays, Bank of America, Amazon, Services, Wall Street, — Locations: China

☆ Hush-money texts reveal tawdry bidding war over a porn star, a Playboy model, and their tales of Donald Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

"Every single time I talked to Michael Cohen, he leaned on his close affiliation with Donald Trump," Davidson testified. Advertisement"It was part of his identity," the lawyer told jurors of Cohen. When Daniels' lawyer responded "Yup," the Enquirer editor responded, "I reckon that trump[sic] impersonator I hired has more cash." At another point, Cohen claimed the Trump Organization computer systems were, "quote, all fucked up," Davidson told the jury. "I called him and said, Michael, this is a very bad situation," he said he told Cohen.

Persons: —, Donald Trump —, Playboy Bunny, Keith Davidson, Bunny Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Melania Trump, Trump, Davidson, Trump's, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, Daniels, Donald Trump, Dylan Howard, texted, Ethan Miller, Raymond Hall, Joshua Steinglass, Yom Kippur, Michael, Steinglass, he's, Karen McDougal, Playboy Bunny —, Howard, McDougal, Davidson — Organizations: Service, Business, Trump, National Enquirer, Manhattan DA, Getty, Trump Organization, Enquirer, National, GOP Locations: LA

☆ FTC challenges 'junk' patents held by 10 drugmakers, including for Novo Nordisk's Ozempic
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday said it is challenging hundreds of alleged "junk" patents held by pharmaceutical companies for 20 brand-name drugs, including Novo Nordisk's blockbuster drugs Ozempic, Saxenda and Victoza. The FTC issued letters to 10 companies, warning them that certain drug patents were improperly listed. Many of the drug patents are for Type 2 diabetes, along with asthma and inhalers for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. Generic drugmakers can only launch cheaper versions of a branded drug if the patents have expired or are successfully challenged in court. The FTC first challenged dozens of branded drug patents last fall, leading three drugmakers to comply and delist their patents with the FDA.

Persons: Novo, Boehringer, Lina Khan, Biden, drugmakers, Joe Biden's Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Covis Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Food and Drug Administration, FDA Locations: U.S

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