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☆ Nissan delays shift to EVs at Mississippi factory, postponing five new models
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Nissan is postponing a push to build new electric vehicles at its Canton, Mississippi, factory as sales of EVs are now growing more slowly than many industry experts had expected. EV sales in the US grew 2.6 % in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to Kelley Blue Book. First quarter EV sales last year had outpaced 2022’s by a stunning 46.4%. Nissan still plans to offer a total of 19 EV models globally by 2030, a spokesperson said. Nissan previously announced it would invest $500 million in the factory to prepare it build the new electric vehicles.

Persons: Kelley, ” Nissan, Ford Organizations: CNN, Nissan, EV, Power, Infiniti, Automotive News, GM, Silverado EV Locations: Canton , Mississippi, Canton, Mississippi

☆ The ‘Star Wars’ timeline is confusing. Here’s when ‘The Acolyte,’ ‘Ahsoka’ and more take place
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Worry not, padawans: CNN has laid out a comprehensive timeline of the “Star Wars” canon so you can follow all of the franchise’s time-jumps without getting lost in space. These details are pulled from the official “Star Wars” resources “Ultimate Star Wars” and “Star Wars Character Encyclopedia,” as well as a chart of the eras explored throughout the franchise. ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ (animated series)Ahsoka is Anakin's padawan in "The Clone Wars," and he lovingly calls her "Snips." ‘Star Wars Rebels’Kanan Jarrus, Zeb Orrelios and Sabine Wren take on the Empire in "Star Wars Rebels." ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’Heroes attempt to find the plans to blow up the Death Star in "Rogue One."

Persons: we’ve, Rey Skywalker, Jin, Anakin Skywalker, Wan, Anakin, who’s, Anakin’s, Darth Maul, Palpatine, Darth Sidious, Obi, “, Padmé, ”, Count Dooku, Warner, Ahsoka Tano, Sidious, Darth Vader, Luke, Leia, Vader, ‘, Han, Chewie, Jonathan Olley, scoundrel Han, Thrillist, frenemy, Lando Calrissian, ‘ Obi, Kanan Jarrus, Zeb Orrelios, Sabine Wren, ‘ Andor, Cassian Andor, Jyn Erso, Jyn, ’ Luke, —, Yoda, batty, Lando, Yikes, Jabba, redeems, VI, VII, Grogu, Mando, Boba Fett, Jango Fett, flitted, Boba, Din, ” It’s, Ahsoka, Jabba the, Suzanne Tenner, Ezra Bridger, Hera Syndulla, Thrawn, Rey, Kylo Ren, ” Rey, stormtrooper Finn, Kylo, ’ Finn, Phasma, Ren, Snoke, MacGuffin, Poe, Emperor Palpatine, she’s, Jude, Kerry Condon, Lee Jung, jae, Amandla, Leslye Headland, James Mangold, Indiana Jones, Dave Filoni, Daisy Ridley Organizations: CNN, “, “ Star, Lucasfilm, Everett, Lucasfilm Ltd, USA, ‘, Warner Bros, Fox, Empire, Tech, Disney, Walt Disney Studios, ‘ Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Rebels, AV, Pictures, Rebel, Rebels, Galaxy, imperials, Rotten, “ Star Wars Rebels, Force, Rey, C3PO, Jude Law, Variety Locations: Yavin, “, Republic, Hunter, Luke’s, ”, USA, carbonite, New Republic, Endor

☆ Documentary reveals stars including James Marsden and Alan Thicke wrote letters of support for the acting coach charged with sexually abusing a 15-year-old Drake Bell
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Kate Taylor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The "Growing Pains" star Joanna Kerns told the producers of "Quiet on Set" that her letter was based on misinformation. He appeared in minor roles in the 1980s, '90s, and early aughts, including in the sitcoms "Growing Pains" and "Boy Meets World," the film adaptation of "Holes," and the blockbuster "X-Men." AdvertisementStrong and Friedle discussed their support of Peck on a February episode of "Pod Meets World," the "Boy Meets World" rewatch podcast they cohost with their former costar Danielle Fishel. The "Boy Meets World" actors said on the podcast that Peck acknowledged he was guilty of something involving a minor. They said that when they asked him about the case, Peck "simply replied that 'the problem had been resolved.'"

Persons: Drake Bell, Brian Peck's, Peck, Bell, " Peck, Maxine, James Marsden, Alan Thicke, Friedle, Rider Strong, Taran Killam, — Rich, Beth Correll —, Zack, Cody, Joanna Kerns, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dan Schneider, Drake, Josh, Strong, Danielle Fishel, Forrest Gump, Bell's, Dylan, Cole Sprouse, Rich Correll, Beth Correll, Corrells, Disney, Jason Handy, Kate Taylor, Mary Robertson, Emma Schwartz Organizations: Service, Kids, Maxine Productions, Hollywood, Disney, Nickelodeon, Los Angeles Times, Disney XD, Nickelodeon Studios, Ezell, Sony Pictures, Business Locations: Hollywood

☆ Best-picture Oscar nominees 'Barbenheimer' account for 88% of the slate's box-office haul
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

It's no surprise that Warner Bros.' "Barbie" and Universal's "Oppenheimer" were among the 10 best-picture nominees announced Tuesday for this year's Academy Awards ceremony. The duo exploded into cinemas in July, generating big box-office bucks and enchanting critics and audiences alike. Helmed by academy darlings Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan, respectively, the dichotomous films have been on Oscar prediction lists for months. Although Gerwig missed out on a best director nomination, both filmmakers received nods for their screenplays. Best Picture nominees for the 2024 Academy Awards "American Fiction" (MGM/Amazon)"Anatomy of a Fall" (Neon)"Barbie" (Warner Bros.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Hannah Beier, It's, Greta Gerwig, Christopher Nolan, Gerwig, Maestro, Read Organizations: Washington Post, Warner Bros, year's, Paramount, Searchlight, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Disney Locations: Somerdale , New Jersey

☆ From ‘Barbenheimer’ to Taylor Swift, here are the most important films of 2023 and why they worked
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-27 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Hannah Beier | The Washington Post | Getty ImagesCall 2023 an explosive comeback at the box office. Together, those three films contributed more than $1.5 billion to the domestic box office, according to data from Comscore. But in the meantime, here's a look at some of the most important theatrical releases of 2023 — and why they worked. Meanwhile, Disney has seen its animated content lag at the box office in the wake of the pandemic. "His Only Son," a biblical drama released in early 2023, cost $250,000 to make and generated $12.4 million at the box office.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Hannah Beier, Mario, Comscore, Greta Gerwig, Christopher Nolan's, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Chris Pratt, Charlie, Luigi, Disney, Kung, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson's, Buda Mendes, tas23, Swift, Beyoncé, Tim Ballard, Jim Caviezel, Covid, Blumhouse, Cabrini, Saint Francesca Cabrini, Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Organizations: Washington Post, Getty, Warner Bros, Mario Bros, Universal, Disney, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation, Swift, AMC, National Football League, Angel Studios, Century Fox, Roman Catholic, Reich Locations: Somerdale , New Jersey, There's, New York, Universal, Hollywood, Colombia

Adobe logo is seen on smartphone in this illustration taken June 13, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Adobe Inc FollowBRUSSELS, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Photoshop maker Adobe (ADBE.O) expects to get an EU antitrust warning on its $20 billion bid for cloud-based designer platform Figma and is open to proposing remedies to resolve regulatory concerns, its chief counsel told Reuters on Wednesday. The Adobe deal comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny around the world on Big Tech acquisitions which boost dominant companies' market power or those involving start-ups seen as nascent rivals. "We are expecting a statement of objections from the European Commission," Dana Rao said in an interview, confirming a Reuters story on Tuesday. "We are certainly open to the discussion of remedies.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Dana Rao, Rao, Foo Yun Chee, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Inc, Adobe, Big Tech, European Commission, Thomson Locations: EU

☆ The Adobe exec behind the Figma deal expresses frustration over slow pace of regulatory approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Adobe has said it expects to close the Figma deal in 2023. Adobe has agreed to pay Figma $1 billion if regulators reject the deal, or if it isn't completed by mid-March 2024. Tools for creative expression, documents and marketing all represent growth opportunities for Adobe, and Figma is the fourth leg of the stool, Wadhwani said. Since revealing its intent to buy Figma, Adobe has been busy releasing and promoting tools for generative artificial intelligence that can develop images and other content in response to a few words of human input. Adobe replied that "in an innovative and dynamic market XD cannot be considered a 'material' competitor to Figma."

Persons: David Wadhwani, they've, Wadhwani, there's, Dylan, Figma's, Adobe Organizations: Adobe, WSJ Tech, U.S . Department of Justice, European Union, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, United Kingdom's, Markets Authority, Figma Locations: Laguna Beach, Calif, United Kingdom, San Francisco

☆ 'Barbenheimer' is a billion-dollar win for the global box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"Barbenheimer" remains red-hot at the box office. Domestically, "Barbenheimer" saw smaller-than-average second week ticket sales drops as millions of moviegoers headed to cinemas to catch the popular flicks. Second week numbers are often looked at by box office analysts as an indicator of whether a film will have longevity at the box office or will fizzle quickly. Similarly, the confluence of these two films boosted the overall domestic box office compared with last year's haul to this point. The overall domestic box office still lags behind prepandemic levels by around 16%, however.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Paul Dergarabedian, Greta Gerwig, Dergarabedian, NBCUniversal Organizations: Warner Bros, Comscore, Mattel, Labor, Comcast, CNBC Locations: Somerdale , New Jersey, moviegoing, NBCUniversal

Top 5 Prime Day hard drive and memory card dealsThe best Prime Day SSD dealsWD_BLACK SN770 NVMe Internal Gaming SSD. Deal Seagate Portable 4TB External Hard Drive This portable Seagate hard drive can hold up to 4TB of data, which is enough for thousands of files. Deal Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive This Seagate hard drive lets you store thousands of photos, songs, files, and apps in a portable package. Deal Seagate ST8000NT001 IronWolf Pro 8TB Internal HDD Hard Drive This internal Seagate hard drive is massive and sturdy, perfect for users handling big files. Deal Seagate ST8000DM008 BarraCuda 8TB Internal Hard Drive The BarraCuda is Seagate's flagship internal hard drive brand, and offers massive storage space at fast speeds.

Persons: Price, 4TB, it's, It’s, xD Organizations: Amazon, Lexar, Western Digital, PlayStation, Seagate, Nintendo, Western, Samsung, Price, PRO, Secure Digital Locations: Seagate

☆ Cinemark is shutting its theater in San Francisco's biggest mall as the downtown exodus continues
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Cinemark in San Francisco's Westfield mall is closing due to "local business conditions." Major retailers have been pulling out of San Francisco, and many have attributed it to crime levels. The 52,000-square-foot site in the Westfield San Francisco Center will have its final screenings on Thursday, SFGATE reported. The operator announced the closure in an email to patrons on Wednesday, The San Francisco Examiner reported. The announcement came just days after The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Westfield had stopped paying its $558 million mortgage on the San Francisco mall – the city's biggest – and was surrendering it to lenders.

Persons: —, SFGATE, Cinemark, hasn't Organizations: Westfield, Service, Westfield San Francisco, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Centre, San Francisco Chronicle, San, Foods, Navy, Nordstrom, City, San Francisco Police Department, Census Bureau, Tourism Locations: San, Westfield, San Francisco, City and County, Florida, San Francisco's

☆ Fact Check-Photo shows special effects makeup, not result of lightning strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An old photograph of special effects makeup showing bruising on a man’s back is being misinterpreted by some social media users as being caused by a lightning strike. Some comments on the posts suggest that users know the image shows special effects makeup, while others appear to believe it shows the effect of being struck by lightning. xD.”Photographs showing other special effects makeup on the Deviantart page (here) are also featured on the website irealmakeupfx, which was formerly called Gorka Aguirre (here). The studio told fact checker AFP (here) in May 2019 that the photograph showed special effects work and that it was being shared without permission. The photograph shows special effects makeup, not the result of being struck by lightning.

Persons: “ gorkafx, xD, Gorka Aguirre, Read Organizations: Reuters

☆ The Star Wars timeline: All movies and shows in chronological order
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Scottie Andrew | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

These details are pulled from the official “Star Wars” resources “Ultimate Star Wars” and “Star Wars Character Encyclopedia,” as well as experts from outlets like USA Today and the AV Club. ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ (animated series)Ahsoka is Anakin's padawan in "The Clone Wars," and he lovingly calls her "Snips." ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’"Solo" shows how Han and Chewie became best friends. ‘Star Wars Rebels’Kanan Jarrus, Zeb Orrelios and Sabine Wren take on the Empire in "Star Wars Rebels." ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’Heroes attempt to find the plans to blow up the Death Star in "Rogue One."

☆ Potential regulator challenges to Big Tech M&A may have far-reaching consequences for the tech ecosystem
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Paayal Zaveri | April Joyner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

M&A deals involving large tech companies may get harder as US regulators ramp up scrutiny. If regulators increase scrutiny, it could deter other large tech companies from buying startups. More challenges to proposed tech M&A deals may also mean that the pool of potential acquirers shrinks. Of course, there are cases where a large tech company seeks to buy out a smaller, more innovative competitor because it is scared of getting displaced. "There has to be the hope and dream of selling to a larger tech company some day," Sherman said.

☆ Tencent, NetEase, Bilibili allowed to distribute foreign video games as China reopens market to global titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has approved 27 foreign video games, including titles to be released by Tencent, NetEase and Bilibili, as it gradually reopens the world’s largest mobile entertainment market to international titles. It was the second batch of foreign games to be allowed to enter the Chinese market since December. Bilibili (BILI) will publish the localized version of “Uma Musume: Pretty Derby,” a hugely popular franchise from Japan’s Cygames. “We believe this implies a more supportive regulatory policy towards foreign titles that further support a healthier and normalized development of online gaming industry going forward,” said Citi analysts on Tuesday. But foreign games were still unable to access the Chinese market until December, when the regulator finally approved 45 foreign titles, including “Pokémon Unite” by Nintendo and “Valorant” by Riot Games.

☆ China to import 27 new video games, including Tencent, NetEase titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, March 20 - China's online gaming regulator on Monday granted licences to 27 foreign games in March, including titles to be published by Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), NetEase Inc (9999.HK) and Bilibili Inc (9626.HK) . NetEase secured approval for at least one mobile game named Audition: Everybody Party, while Bilibili received a licence for a game called Shanyao! The crackdown by China on online gaming had halted the approval process for foreign video games for 18 months between 2021 and 2022. XD Inc (2400.HK) received licences for two mobile games named Gorogoa and Wizard of Legend respectively. Other notable titles approved by China via this batch include a mobile game called Fairy Tale: Fighting and a console game named Yo-kai Watch 4.

☆ Adobe slips on report saying DOJ plans suit to block $20 billion Figma deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Adobe has said Figma would generate over $400 million in annualized recurring revenue in 2022. Figma is a leader in interactive product design, focused on building a collaborative web platform. David Wadhwani, president of Adobe's digital media business and a key figure in the Figma deal, told analysts on a conference call in December that "the regulatory process is proceeding as expected." Adobe was busy with the Justice Department's second request process as the federal agency examined the deal, he said. Adobe still expects to close the Figma deal in 2023, the spokesperson said.

☆ China approves 87 new video games including titles by Tencent and Alibaba
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/4] People play online games in an internet cafe in downtown Shanghai August 6, 2009. REUTERS/ Nir EliasHONG KONG, Feb 10 (Reuters) - China's video games regulator on Friday approved 87 new video games for the month of Feburary including titles under Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), Alibaba Group (9988.HK) and NetEase (9999.HK). Shenzhen-based Tencent, the world's largest gaming company, received at least one game licence for a mobile game named "Wangzhewanxiangqi", the list published by the National Press and Public Administration showed. Alibaba also received an approval for a game named "Chunqiuxuanqi". The authoriy granted NetEase a licence for its mobile game titled "Journey to the West: Shikong".

An increasing number of people have a very good or excellent credit score, with over half of consumers possessing a FICO credit score over 700. Credit scores, on the whole, have risen for decades, partly due to the abundant access to educational resources. According to "Credit Scores Uncovered: Consumer Relationships with their Scores," Gen Z lags behind other generations significantly when it comes to credit education. 29% of Gen Z consumers said they either don't have a credit score or don't know if they have one, compared to 8% of baby boomers who said the same. Just 45% of Gen Z consumers said they completely understand credit scores, compared to 66% of baby boomers. Many Gen Z consumers only recently turned 18, old enough to apply for credit products on their own, so they have had less time to learn about credit products and credit scores.

☆ China to import 45 foreign video games, grants multiple licences to Tencent
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, Dec 29 (Reuters) - China's video games regulator granted publishing licences to 45 foreign games for release in the country，including seven South Korean games, further lifting rigid curbs that have hammered the industry for 18 months. The approval of imported games effectively marks the end of Beijing's crackdown on the video games industry which began last August when regulators suspended the game approval process. Unlike in most other countries, video games need approval from regulators before release in China, the world's largest gaming market. Other imported games approved include CD Projekt's (CDR.WA) "Gwent: The Witcher Card Game" and Klei Entertainment's "Don't Starve". China approved 76 imported games in 2021 and 456 in 2017.

☆ Investors avoiding China stocks face less pain in bearish year for markets
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jorgelina Do Rosario | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Emerging market investors who avoided Chinese shares this year have seen less pain than those with portfolios exposed to the gamut of EM stocks, a trend exacerbated by this week's selloff. The iShares Emerging Markets excluding China ETF (EMXC.O) has fallen by 25% so far this year, its worst performance since its inception in 2017. But it has still beaten the 30% decline in the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF , which includes Chinese equities, in this time, according to Refinitiv data. Foreign investors sold a net 17.9 billion yuan ($2.5 billion) of Chinese onshore shares via Stock Connect on Monday, the biggest outflow since the scheme was launched in 2014. Investors bought a net 2.8 billion yuan ($390 million) of Chinese onshore shares on Tuesday.

☆ I was a writer on 'The Office' but ended up selling shirts at Macy's. Landing another TV writing job after the hit show was shockingly hard — and my race absolutely had something to do with it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

After a successful run on the show, he couldn't land another writers room job for over two years. It was my first TV writing job. A few years later, I got my first job on "The Office" through NBC's diversity program. Ryan Koh started working again fairly quickly as well. It was a race thing, for sureLooking back, I think that part of why I couldn't get another TV writing job after "The Office" was because the writers rooms were smaller.

☆ Adobe's product chief opens up about why its Figma competitor failed: 'XD was made in the image of the old'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Paayal Zaveri | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Before acquiring Figma, Adobe had a similar product, Adobe XD, that failed to take off. That's one of the main reasons Adobe wants to join forces with Figma, Scott Belsky, Adobe's chief product officer, told Insider. He acknowledges that Adobe's rival tool for product design, called Adobe XD, wasn't successful. Why Adobe XD never took offAdobe created Adobe XD in 2016 because it saw a lot of people using Photoshop for website building. As a desktop product, XD used local files and wasn't collaborative.

☆ Adobe’s $20 bln deal uses ample creative license
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Jeffrey Goldfarb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The design technology titan is acquiring startup Figma for $20 billion, using roughly half cash and half shares, in a deal that will significantly beef up its online collaboration capabilities. Even if it doubled again in 2023, it would represent just 4% of the $20 billion that analysts expect Adobe to generate, according to Refinitiv. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThis math suggests Narayen has used too much creative license. And yet even then Adobe saw fit to double up on the $10 billion Figma valuation from June 2021, per PitchBook, and shell out an eye-popping multiple of sales. CONTEXT NEWSAdobe said on Sept. 15 it had agreed to buy digital design rival Figma for about $20 billion, paying about half in cash and half in shares.

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