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☆ One-third of the world's captive orcas are in the US, and no one can agree on what to do with them
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

There are 18 captive orcas in the US. Captive orcas can also show signs of chronic stress. Captive orcas can suffer a number of health problems including severe tooth damage. The history of releasing captive orcas in the USOnly one captive orca in the US has ever been released back into the ocean — Keiko, the orca who starred in the 1993 film "Free Willy." Captive orcas can't thrive in small tanks but may not thrive in the wild, either.

Persons: Naomi Rose, Rose, Marcos del Mazo, Monika Wieland Shields, Tilikum, Shields, aren't, Chris Dold, Dold, Keiko, Willy, Colin Davey, Keiko wasn't, Mark Palmer, Palmer, Little Grey, White, Aaron Chown, Lori Marino, Marino, Paul Harris, we've, Serge MELESAN, orcas Organizations: SeaWorld, Animal, Service, Animal Welfare Institute, Orca Behavior, Magnolia Pictures, Miami Seaquarium, Miami Herald, Tribune, Getty, Mammal, PETA Locations: SeaWorld, SeaWorld Orlando, Florida, Mexico City, Oregon, Iceland, Norway, Washington, Caribbean, Nova Scotia

☆ Assistants at companies like Netflix and Disney are 'waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel' as their careers stall and they can't get promoted: 'I don't see a way up'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Trying to maintain a career in Hollywood was "not something that was feasible for me to continue," this person told Insider. Insider spoke with eight current and former assistants at Hollywood companies, plus a former creative executive at a midsize film studio. Many hopefuls can't find jobs in an industry that's been wracked with head count reductions and budget cuts. Netflix's website lists just one open assistant job — a role in a non-creative vertical. At Paramount, which cut 25% of staff from its US cable networks earlier this year, there appear to be no open executive assistant jobs in entertainment capacities .

Persons: —, strivers, that's, David Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, Bob Iger —, there's, WBD, they've, they'd, I'm, Reed Alexander Organizations: Hollywood, Netflix, Paramount Global, Disney, Warner Bros . Discovery, Paramount, Media, Writers Guild of America, Challenger, Warner Bros, Discovery, Entertainment Locations: Hollywood, Los Angeles and New York

☆ Slovak election: A NATO country could soon have a pro-Russian leader
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Fico previously served as Slovakia’s prime minister for more than a decade, first between 2006 and 2010 and then again from 2012 to 2018. Heger continued as a caretaker prime minister but he, too, ended up quitting in May and was replaced by a technocrat, Ludovit Odor. Eduard Heger, pictured in Tallinn, Estonia, in November 2022, resigned as caretaker prime minister in May. In the Czech Republic, which used to form one country with Slovakia, 71% of people blame Russia for the war. “The government took a very quick and firm decision — and I’d say in doing so found itself on the right side of the history — to support Ukraine,” he said.

Persons: Robert Fico’s, Kyiv’s, “, ”, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Fico, Grigorij, Jan Kuciak, Martina Kušnírová, Kuciak, Igor Matovič, Matovič, Eduard Heger, Heger, Ints Kalnins, ” Mesežnikov, “ SMER, GlobSec, —, Dominika Hajdu, Mesežnikov Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, NATO, Institute of Public Affairs, Voters, Independent, Republika, for Democracy, Resilience, Austro, Ukraine, “, it’s, European Union Locations: Slovakia, Russia, Ukraine, Slovak, Moscow, SMER, Tallinn, Estonia, ” Slovakia, Bratislava, Baltic, Czech Republic, States, Hungary, Trianon, “ Slovakia

☆ Dollar edges up ahead of inflation reading, euro awaits ECB decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Joice Alves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The dollar index , which tracks the currency against six peers including yen, euro and sterling, held firm, though moves were subdued, up 0.1% to 104.70, as traders awaited the U.S. consumer price index (CPI) reading for August. The release comes just a week before Federal Reserve officials gather to decide on interest rate policy. Elsewhere, the euro edged 0.1% lower to $1.0742 ahead of the ECB meeting on Thursday. A source told Reuters that the ECB expects inflation in the 20-nation euro zone to remain above 3% next year, bolstering the case for a 10th consecutive interest rate increase on Thursday. YEN RETRACES GAINSThe yen fell as traders further digested comments from Japan's top central banker on a possible early exit from its negative interest rate policy.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, CME's, Jim Reid, Deutsche Bank . Sterling, YEN RETRACES, Hiroshige Seko, Kazuo Ueda's, Ueda, Joice Alves, Brigid Riley, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, European Central Bank, Federal Reserve, Commerzbank, ECB, Reuters, Deutsche Bank ., Bank of Japan, Fed, Thomson Locations: Japan, London, Tokyo

☆ 3 key questions Disney analysts say CEO Bob Iger faces ahead of earnings, as concerns mount about succession and streaming profits
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reed Alexander | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

For Disney, Iger's return was a doctor's-orders scenario. "What is the long game for any pure-play media company in a world where we have tech-driven media companies that are much larger than any traditional media company and have fundamentally different business models?" Will Disney sell TV assets like ABC? Industry watchers have focused on private-equity firms as likely buyers of Disney's TV assets. Are you a Disney insider?

Persons: Bob Iger, Bob Chapek, Iger, Disney, Iger's, Peter Csathy, Tom Staggs, Kevin Mayer, Csathy, they're, He's, Paul Verna, Verna, David Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, Hulu —, it's, Dave Portnoy's Barstool, Will, Evercore, Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, Puck, Disney bigwigs, Mayer, Walden, Bergman, Reed Alexander, Lucia Moses Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Walt Disney Co, Hollywood, Creative Media, Apple, PE, Candle Media, Insider Intelligence, Hulu, LightShed Partners, Penn Entertainment, ESPN Bet, Penn, Yahoo Finance, Will Disney, ABC, Geographic, CNBC, Industry, Disney's, Parks

☆ 3 key questions Disney analysts say CEO Bob Iger faces ahead of earnings this week, as concerns mount about succession and streaming profits
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Reed Alexander | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Persons: Bob Iger, —, Bob Chapek, Iger, Disney, Iger's, Peter Csathy, Tom Staggs, Kevin Mayer, Csathy, they're, He's, Paul Verna, Verna, David Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, Hulu —, Will, it's, Evercore, Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, Puck, Disney bigwigs, Mayer, Walden, Bergman, Reed Alexander, Lucia Moses Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Walt Disney Co, Hollywood, Creative Media, Apple, PE, Candle Media, Insider Intelligence, Hulu, LightShed Partners, Will Disney, ABC, Geographic, CNBC, Industry, Disney's, Parks

☆ AT&T, Verizon stocks pare back losses after hitting decades lows on toxic lead cable investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

That prompted a flurry of downgrades from analysts that in turn helped spur a steep sell-off in telecom stocks. Since the investigation’s publication, AT&T shares have tumbled roughly 14%, Verizon fell 10% and Frontier Communications slid 33%. AT&T shares on Tuesday fell to $13.45, its lowest closing price since 1993. Verizon shares fell 7.5% to $31.46 on Monday to their lowest closing level since 2010 before paring back their losses slightly on Tuesday. Lawmakers have demanded action to further investigate the network of toxic lead cables in the wake of the release.

Persons: JPMorgan Chase, Edward Jones, David Heger, paring, Akin, ” Neil Mack, Democratic Sen, Edward Markey, Jonathan Spalter, ” Markey, USTelecom Organizations: CNN —, Verizon, AT, Bell, Frontier Communications, JPMorgan, CNN, Moody’s Investors Service, Lawmakers, Democratic Locations: United States, U.S

☆ 5 things neuroscientists do to keep their brains healthy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Neuroscientists explain how they keep healthy brains with regular exercise, enough sleep, and more. Keeping your brain healthy is important for delaying neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's. But there's a lot more to keeping the brain healthy and the science behind it. Try new thingsExposing yourself to new people, places, and challenges can keep your mind sharp, improve brain plasticity and strengthen your brain, Shepherd said. "Your brain is not somehow totally separate from your body, so things that are helpful for your body are also good for your brain," Lerner said.

Persons: Neuroscientists, Emily McDonald, McDonald, Jason Shepherd, Talia Lerner, Shepherd, Sleep, Lerner Organizations: Service, University of Utah, Northwestern University, Research Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Inside Bob Iger's Disney contract extension: a CEO moving to protect his legacy and get succession right this time
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Lucia Moses | Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Disney extended CEO Bob Iger's contract for 2 years, through the end of 2026. Company watchers won't be shocked by the move, since Iger extended his previous tenure in the role many times. Insiders said he wants to protect his legacy and stabilize the business, especially after the exit of its CFO. Disney just extended Bob Iger's contract for two more years, through 2026, the company announced today. Iger pledged at the time to prioritize finding a successor, but he has extended his contract before — four times during his first 15-year tenure.

Persons: Bob Iger's, Iger, Bob Chapek, Dave Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, Christian Knaebel, Christine McCarthy, Disney, — here's, Chapek, Jay Rasulo, Kevin Mayer, Tom Staggs, Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, Iger's reorg, Dana, who's, Bergman, Walden, Meta execs Sheryl Sandberg, Carolyn Everson, Josh D'Amaro, Jimmy Pitaro, Adam Silver, Silver, Andrew Wilson Organizations: Disney, Hollywood, Writers Guild of America, SAG, Longtime, Disney Entertainment, Pixar, ESPN, National Basketball Association, EA Locations: Iger

[1/2] U.S. dollars are counted out by a banker counting currency at a bank in Westminster, Colorado November 3, 2009. Markets are now focusing their attention on U.S. consumer prices data due out on Wednesday, which will provide more clarity on the progress the Fed has made in its fight against stubbornly high inflation. The pound has been rallying on a stronger economy and aggressive repricing of expectations for tighter BoE policy, according to Danske Bank FX analyst Kirstine Kundby-Nielsen. "There have been no signs of relief in the labour market data and markets continue to price in more. Given the rising inflation backdrop in Japan, the market is starting to become more wary that perhaps a policy tweak could come."

Persons: Rick Wilking, Shaun Osborne, Kirstine Kundby, That's, Kundby, Nielsen, Moh Siong Sim, Samuel Indyk, Rae Wee, Edmund Klamann, Alex Richardson, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, Federal, Scotiabank . Markets, Sterling, Bank of England, Danske Bank, Nielsen, Swiss, greenback, Swiss National Bank, Singapore, Bank of Japan, New Zealand, Reserve Bank of New, Thomson Locations: Westminster , Colorado, U.S, Norwegian, Swedish, Swiss, Japan, Reserve Bank of New Zealand

U.S. interest rate expectations have been a key driver of the dollar since the Fed began its tightening cycle last year. A survey from the New York Federal Reserve on Monday showed waning near-term inflation expectations among Americans, who said last month they were expecting the weakest near-term inflation gains in just over two years. Sterling , meanwhile, hit a near 15-month high of $1.2913 after British wage growth hit a joint record high, heaping pressure on the Bank of England to tighten policy further to bring inflation under control. The pound has been rallying on a stronger economy and aggressive repricing of expectations for tighter BoE policy, according to Danske Bank FX analyst Kirstine Kundby-Nielsen. Elsewhere, the euro rose 0.1% to $1.1012, the Australian dollar steadied at $0.6680, while the New Zealand dollar fell 0.2% to $0.6198.

Persons: Rick Wilking, Shaun Osborne, Sterling, Kirstine Kundby, That's, Kundby, Nielsen, Moh Siong Sim, Samuel Indyk, Rae Wee, Shri Navaratnam, Edmund Klamann, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Federal, Fed, Scotiabank . Markets, New York Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Danske Bank, Nielsen, Singapore, Bank of Japan, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Westminster , Colorado, U.S, . U.S, Japan, China's

☆ Orca attacks on boats aren't out of revenge, killer whale experts say. They're just having fun.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"I certainly think orcas are capable of complex emotions," Monika Wieland Shields, director of the Orca Behavior Institute told Insider. And yet, these situations haven't resulted in wild orcas attacking boats, Shields said. Orcas in captivity have attacked and killed humans, but there are no records of orcas killing humans in the wild. The orcas are trying to playAccording to Shields, orcas' natural curiosity and playfulness are likely the cause for these encounters and not revenge. According to Trites, orcas might simply enjoy the sensation of ramming into boats.

Persons: —, they've, Andrew Trites, Sailor Werner Schaufelberger, orcas, Trites, White, Monika Wieland Shields, Suzanne Allee, Magnolia Pictures Shields, Shields, Orcas, that's, Hanne Strager, Strager Organizations: Service, Marine Mammal Research, University of British, Orca Behavior Institute, Magnolia Pictures Locations: Spain, Portugal, University of British Columbia, Canada, Blackfish, Washington

☆ Disney's parks division is driving big profits, a bright spot as the streaming biz struggles and ESPN's future is unclear. Here's how that could factor into Bob Iger's CEO succession plans.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Disney CEO Bob Iger has reorganized the company into 3 core units: entertainment, ESPN, and parks. Parks' growing prominence comes as the company faces looming decisions over Iger's CEO. Travel bans "dramatically impacted" results for Disney Parks during the intense early years of the coronavirus pandemic, Heger noted, adding that parks are now generating more revenue and operating profit than they did in pre-COVID times. The parks' success is "helping to offset" losses from Disney's "DTC," or direct-to-consumer streaming business, Heger added. Josh D'Amaro, the current chairman for Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, would be a likely figure appearing on any shortlist of CEO contenders.

Persons: Bob Iger, Parks, It's, Dave Heger, Edward Jones, Heger, AECOM, Iger, Josh D'Amaro, Christine McCarthy —, Iger's, Bob Chapek, Ron DeSantis, Chapek, Hollywood creatives, Tom Staggs, Iger —, —, Chapek's, it's, you've, Jeffery Merola, he'd, DeSantis, Reed Alexander Organizations: Disney, ESPN, Disney Parks, Walt Disney, Disneyland, Products, Florida Gov, Hollywood, Los Angeles Times, Sunshine State Locations: Tokyo, Shanghai, Orlando , Florida, Anaheim , California, execs, Chapek, Syracuse , New York, Orlando

☆ Up to 1.7 billion T. rex dinosaurs lived on Earth, a new study found. But scientists aren't sure where all the bones went.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

New calculations suggest that 1.7 billion T. rexes lived on Earth from 65.5-68 million years ago. This dichotomy between how many T. rexes lived and how few fossils we have of them shows us just how rare fossilization is and how much more we have to learn about these majestic creatures. Warpaintcobra/Getty ImagesMarshall was the lead author of an earlier study that estimated 2.5 billion T. rexes once roamed Earth. Of the roughly 1.7 billion, or so, T. rexes who roamed our planet, scientists have only uncovered a few hundred fossils, equating to fewer than 100 total dinosaurs. Despite their prime conditions for fossilization, if Giebeler's calculations are correct, scientists have only found about 0.0000002% of the T. rex that lived on Earth.

☆ Scientists discovered a surprising new brain circuit in mice that's making them rethink how humans may manage extreme stress
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A newly discovered brain circuit in mice helps relax the brain during times of extreme stress. A lead researcher says the study results suggest similar processes may occur in the human brain. Mouse brains are, of course, different from human brains. A new brain circuitStressed-out mice may hold the key to better understanding stress and how we manage it. And because the newly discovered brain circuit in mice helps control attention and perception, it could play an important role in treating attention disorders, and other neurological and psychological disorders, Poskanzer said.

☆ A scientist scraped a black dot on his forehead and filmed it under a microscope, revealing dozens of crawling face mites
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

He saw dozens of tiny face mites, aka Demodex mites, crawling around on the plate. This is more common in people with weakened immune systems that can't keep the population of Demodex mites under control. You can't get rid of face mites, and you shouldn't want toBecause Demodex mites live inside your pores, it's nearly impossible to scrub them out, Robinson said. Our face mites are a testament to that. Check out more footage of these face mites in the video below:

☆ Slovak caretaker PM quits months before early elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Heger is due to meet President Zuzana Caputova, who has the power to appoint a new caretaker prime minister, later on Sunday. Heger has faced opposition calls to make way for a technocrat administration to lead the central European country until early elections to take place in September. Polls find the public favours the biggest opposition party, which is led by former prime minister Robert Fico and has opposed increasing military aid to neighbouring Ukraine. Heger lost a no-confidence vote in December last year and in January he agreed to early elections as the best solution, leaving him in a caretaker role. It was not certain whether Caputova would name a new prime minister on Sunday.

☆ Slovak's caretaker PM quits after political wrangling
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 7 (Reuters) - Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on Sunday he had asked the president to relieve him of his duties, after ministers' resignations weakened his cabinet that is serving in a caretaker capacity before elections in September. Heger is due to meet President Zuzana Caputova, who has the power to appoint a new caretaker prime minister, later on Sunday. Heger has faced calls from the opposition to make way for a technocrat administration to lead the central European country until early elections to take place in September. In common with other European states, Slovakia has provided households and companies with payments to mitigate the impact of high energy costs and wider inflation. Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Slovak foreign minister quits in fresh blow to ailing cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 5 (Reuters) - Slovakia's foreign minister offered his resignation on Friday, the president said, dealing a fresh blow to the centre-right cabinet which has already been serving in a caretaker capacity ahead of elections in September. Rastislav Kacer's departure follows a string of other ministerial resignations and piles pressure on Prime Minister Eduard Heger, who had been facing mounting opposition calls to quit and make way for a technocrat government. Caputova, whose role gives her the power to appoint a new prime minister, said she would discuss the situation with Heger and parliament speaker Boris Kollar on her return. SaS joined a leftist opposition party in voting through a no-confidence motion in December, accusing the government of not helping people cope with the higher energy costs. The prime minister said he would not comment until he meets the president.

☆ 'You could feel the stress and terror': Inside Fukushima's abandoned hospitals, where the wounded rushed to evacuate after the nearby nuclear plant melted down
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Thissen said it's important to show the public these images. "It shows the reality, tragedy, and consequences of the nuclear disaster. It's not the first and will not be the last nuclear accident," he said. This chaotic scene may be the result of wild animals or perhaps it was made by people rushing to evacuate. Bob Thissen/Exploring The Unbeaten Path

Humanity will prevail," Zelenskiy said, leading a ceremony at which the Ukrainian flag was raised in Bucha. Zelenskiy described Bucha as a "symbol of the atrocities" of Russian occupying forces. Fighting rages on in the east and south of Ukraine, where Russian forces hold swathes of territory captured after they invaded on Feb. 24, 2022. Ukrainian forces have dug in and held out for now in the city of Bakhmut and are expected to launch a counteroffensive soon. This is part of Russia's planned strategy to destroy Ukraine as a state and Ukrainians as a nation," he said.

☆ Paleontologists explain the most glaring errors in Adam Driver's new dinosaur film '65'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Adam Driver stars in a new film "65," which takes place 65 million years ago. But like other Hollywood portrayals of dinosaurs, "65" gets several dinosaur facts wrong, according to paleontologists. The film's title is off my a million yearsThere were probably no dinosaurs around 65 million years ago. SonyLet's start with the title: "65" — named for when the film takes place 65 million years ago. It's a movie, not a science lectureThe film "65" has a 64% audience score on rotten tomatoes, so even if it got the science wrong, it managed to entertain some folks.

☆ Slovak government to send MIG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine - PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 17 (Reuters) - The Slovak government approved sending MIG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on Friday, stepping up its military assistance to Kyiv in its fight against the Russian invasion. Slovakia is the second country to send war planes to Kyiv after Poland, which announced on Thursday it would do so. Its fleet of 11 MiG-29 planes was retired last summer and most of them are not in operational condition. On Thursday, Poland announced it would send Ukraine four MiG-29 fighter jets in coming days, making it the first of Kyiv's allies to provide such aircraft. Western countries that have provided Ukraine with arms have so far declined to send fighter jets.

☆ Slovakia, Poland to send Ukraine MiG fighter jets in major shift; China's Xi to visit Russia next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Slovakia's government approved a measure to send its Soviet-era MiG jets to Ukraine, officials said. The Eastern European NATO member announced it would send 13 of the jets to Ukraine, one day after Poland said it would supply Kyiv with four of its jets. Ukraine has long requested fighter jets in order to protect its skies against Russian attacks and combat Russian forces in the country. just approved sending 13 #MiG29s to #Ukraine! fighter jets, I said we'll do our best.

☆ Slovakia sends MIG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine - PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 17 (Reuters) - Slovakia on Friday became the second of Ukraine's allies to provide MIG-29 fighter jets which Kyiv believes are crucial to repel Russia's year-long invasion. Its fleet of 11 MiG-29 planes was retired last summer and most of them are not in operational condition. On Thursday, Poland announced it would send Ukraine four MiG-29 fighter jets in coming days, making it the first of Kyiv's allies to provide such aircraft. Western countries that have provided Ukraine with arms have so far declined to send fighter jets. Slovakia ordered F-16 fighter jets from the United States in 2018 to replace the ageing MiG-29 planes.

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