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☆ Activision Deal Enters Bonus Round Phase
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Response to a beta test of Blizzard’s ‘Diablo IV’ indicated the videogame is shaping up to be a hit. For Activision Blizzard , good things are apparently worth a long wait. The videogame publisher has been under a cloud of uncertainty over the past 14 months, ever since it announced it was being acquired by Microsoft . The deal, valued at nearly $69 billion once adjusted for Activision’s net cash, has sparked lengthy regulatory reviews in the U.S. and Europe that are still ongoing. The deal also came as Activision was reeling both from internal scandals and what looked like a damaged game portfolio following a misfire with its “Call of Duty” sequel released in late 2021 and the delay of two key games from its Blizzard unit.

☆ Apple's Tim Cook, Disney's Bob Iger to discuss China with lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A group of lawmakers will travel to California to meet with tech and media executives, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and Disney CEO Bob Iger, to discuss China-related topics, CNBC has confirmed. Around a dozen lawmakers representing both parties on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party are set to make the three-day trip, led by Chair Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., a spokesperson for the committee told CNBC. Just last week, Cook, whose company relies on China's massive workforce for phone production, met with China's minister of commerce about supply chain issues. Gallagher has previously said he wants Iger and Big Tech executives to testify before the panel. Companies named in this report either did not immediately respond or did not provide a comment.

☆ Disney needs to sell Hulu for long-term growth, says SPG's Simon Gallagher
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDisney needs to sell Hulu for long-term growth, says SPG's Simon GallagherSimon Gallagher, SPG Global principal, joins 'Closing Bell: Overtime' to discuss Disney's potential next moves and the UFC merging with WWE.

☆ Lawmakers aim to train more truck drivers, ease supply chain issues through bipartisan bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A semi truck used by students while earning their commercial driver's license (CDL) parked at Truck America Training of Kentucky in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, U.S., on Monday, Oct. 25, 2021. WASHINGTON — A pair of bipartisan lawmakers have reintroduced legislation offering tax credits to U.S. truck drivers in an effort to address a dire pandemic-related shortage. The Strengthening Supply Chains Through Truck Driver Incentives Act aims to combat what lawmakers said was a shortfall of about 80,000 commercial truck drivers in 2021, caused by hiring and retention challenges. The bill would establish a two-year refundable tax credit of up to $7,500 for truck drivers with a valid Class A commercial driver's license who drive at least 1,900 hours in a year. Ten advocacy organizations representing the trucking industry, including the American Trucking Associations and American Loggers Council, have backed the bill.

☆ Micron Revives Some of Its Worst Memories
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Even during sharp downturns, chip makers can’t fully shut down all their fabrication facilities. Micron Technology Inc.’s latest results give new meaning to the phrase “darkest before the dawn.”The memory-chip maker said late Tuesday that fiscal second-quarter revenue plunged 53% from a year earlier to about $3.7 billion. That follows a 47% drop the previous quarter, and the company projected a 57% slide for the current period that ends in May. The memory business has long been one of volatile swings, but Micron hasn’t seen a sustained sales downturn of the same degree since the industry was reeling from the dot-com crash in 2001, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Operating losses were also $2.3 billion—the most Micron has ever lost in a single quarter.

☆ Australia passes law forcing firms to disclose gender pay gap
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Alasdair Pal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, March 30 (Reuters) - Australia on Thursday passed legislation requiring firms with more than 100 employees to publish their gender pay gap from early next year, as part of the Labor government's attempts to improve working conditions for women. In 2023, Australia's national gender pay gap was 13.3%, according to official data. "On current projections it will take another 26 years to close the gender pay gap," Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said in a statement. "Women have waited long enough for the pay gap to close – this government will not let them wait another quarter of a century." Australia's parliament earlier this month passed legislation increasing paid parental leave to 26 weeks, shared between both parents.

☆ Lyft’s New Boss Quickly Loses His Signing Bonus
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Lyft’s past two quarterly reports have disappointed investors and sparked major stock selloffs. David Risher helped an online bookseller figure out how to also move DVDs, toys, stereos and garden supplies. Lyft announced late Monday that co-founders Logan Green and John Zimmer are stepping down from their respective roles as chief executive and president of the ride-sharing company to hand the wheel to Mr. Risher. The change takes place on April 17 when Mr. Risher will take over the CEO post and Messrs. Zimmer and Green become chair and vice chair of the company’s board, respectively. Mr. Risher has been serving on Lyft’s board since 2021.

☆ Paul Newman Rolex Daytonas, Found in a Desk, Could Sell for Millions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Jacob Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Paul Newman’s Rolex reference 16520 ‘Zenith’ Daytona is one of two watches found at his estate that are heading to auction in June. Years ago, Nell Newman was rooting around for a pencil in the Connecticut home office of her late father, the actor Paul Newman, when she unearthed two horological treasures: a pair of Rolex Daytona watches worn by Newman in his latter years. “There they were with his driver’s license,” said Ms. Newman. “They were just in a box on his desk.”

☆ Salesforce’s Marc Benioff Lives to Deal Another Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has made it clear that major acquisitions are off the table. Salesforce might not have to fight a war, but it still has plenty of battles ahead. The cloud-software pioneer issued a joint statement Monday with Elliott Management , one of a handful of activist investors that had taken a position in the once-beaten-down stock. According to the statement, Elliott won’t mount a proxy challenge on Salesforce’s board at the company’s coming annual meeting. In return, “Salesforce and Elliott have committed to continue the productive working relationship they have developed together.”

☆ Putin has made so many nuclear threats since he invaded Ukraine that people are increasingly shrugging them off
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Putin has made a lot of nuclear threats since the war in Ukraine began. Putin's latest threat involves moving tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. Over the weekend, Putin announced a plan to place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, which borders members of the EU and NATO, by summer. Tactical nuclear weapons (also known as battlefield nukes) are generally intended for use on a smaller scale at shorter ranges and are less powerful than strategic nuclear weapons. That said, tactical nuclear weapons still have the capacity to wreak havoc and kill tens of thousands of people.

WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Sunday lawmakers will move forward with legislation to address national security worries about TikTok, alleging China's government had access to the short video app's user data. "The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party," McCarthy said on Twitter. In Thursday's hearing, the TikTok CEO was asked if of the app, has spied on Americans at Beijing's request. Republican Representative Neal Dunn then referenced the company's disclosure in December that some China-based employees at ByteDance improperly accessed TikTok user data of two journalists and were no longer employed by the company. McCarthy, a Republican, said in a tweet on Sunday, "It's very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can't be honest and admit what we already know to be true — China has access to TikTok user data."

☆ Asian Americans are anxious about hate crimes. TikTok ban rhetoric isn’t helping
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

And the Chinese government’s authoritarian approach to numerous other issues clashes with important American values, said many Asian Americans interviewed for this article. Concerns about China have gone mainstream as US national security officials and lawmakers have publicly grappled with state-backed ransomware attacks and other hacking attempts. People rallied during a "Stop Asian Hate" march to protest against anti-Asian hate crimes on Foley Square in New York, on April 4, 2021. But to Chu, the incident was an example of the way politics surrounding China, technology and national security have fueled anti-Asian sentiment. “Asian American issues are American issues, and all Americans deserve to be treated with respect.

☆ Kane on target again as England ease past Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine had their moments and enjoyed some pressure after the interval but never really looked capable of claiming only a second victory over England in 10 attempts. It took them a while to get going, however, as Ukraine comfortably kept the hosts at bay for most of the first half. Kane, who was presented with a golden boot beforehand, missed two routine chances, fluffing a close-range volley and then prodding an inviting Maddison delivery over. The 21-year-old has now had a hand in 10 goals in his last 16 games for England in all competitions. Their next game will be against North Macedonia in June while England are away in Malta next.

☆ U.S. House speaker McCarthy says lawmakers to move forward with TikTok bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), joined by fellow Republican lawmakers, holds a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on March 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Sunday lawmakers will move forward with legislation to address national security worries about TikTok, alleging China's government had access to the short video app's user data. "The House will be moving forward with legislation to protect Americans from the technological tentacles of the Chinese Communist Party," McCarthy said on Twitter. McCarthy, a Republican, said in a tweet on Sunday, "It's very concerning that the CEO of TikTok can't be honest and admit what we already know to be true — China has access to TikTok user data." Former U.S. President Donald Trump lost a series of court rulings in 2020 when he sought to ban TikTok and another Chinese-owned app, WeChat, a unit of Tencent.

☆ TikTok users are making fun of Congress members for their questions to app CEO Shou Chew
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Meanwhile, TikTok creators are leading the way ridiculing members of Congress. “There needs to be an age limit in Congress,” one caption by user @rachelhannahh said about a clip of US Rep. Many of the TikTok video clips suggested Congress members don’t know how modern technology works. They believe members of Congress are detached from technology and unaware of how tech companies within their own country operate, resulting in easily mockable questions. “What color is the algorithm?” said user Christian Divyne in a video mocking some of the questions Congress members asked Chew.

☆ In the Hot Seat, TikTok CEO Channels a Silicon Valley Style Icon: Mark Zuckerberg
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Jacob Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew appeared before House lawmakers on Thursday to face questions about potential Chinese government influence on the popular social-media app. Mr. Chew’s armor for this inquest? A staid navy suit, pressed white shirt and finely patterned blue tie. The conservative, don’t-buck-the-boardroom combination made Mr. Chew look like so many execs recently grilled by Congress about security and safety, in business attire meant to engender trust—or at the very least express innocuity.

"This is not a good moment for American diplomacy," said William Kirby, a professor of Chinese studies at Harvard University. A source familiar with that conversation called it the most antagonistic U.S.-China engagement since contentious talks in Alaska early in the Biden administration. Name me one," Biden said in his speech, evidently referring to a host of domestic and foreign policy challenges facing China. However, Biden is likely to find Xi emboldened in any call after a Chinese-brokered rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran and his meetings with Putin. Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina Editing by Don Durfee and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ TikTok’s Rivals Shouldn’t Bank on Ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Committee Thursday. Facebook, Google, Snapchat and Pinterest have been unable to vanquish TikTok. Now their investors may be a bit too hopeful that the U.S. government will do it for them. Stocks of the parent companies of TikTok’s main U.S. rivals jumped Thursday as Shou Zi Chew —Chief Executive Officer of the red-hot social media app—was grilled before Congress over a host of issues that are mostly related to the company’s Chinese ownership. Mr. Chew’s appearance before the House Energy and Commerce Committee came after the Biden administration threatened earlier this month to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners didn’t divest their ownership stakes.

☆ Nvidia Is Winning AI Race, but Can’t Afford to Trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Perhaps no tech company, not even Microsoft or Google, is better poised than Nvidia to reap significant near-term benefits from the race to build up generative artificial-intelligence capabilities. Here is the problem: Everyone already knows it.

☆ U.S. House panel on China to highlight abuse of Uyghurs in second hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Michael Martina | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - A new U.S. congressional committee on China will hold its second hearing on Thursday, seeking to highlight what Washington says is an ongoing genocide against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China's Xinjiang region. Rights groups accuse Beijing of abuses, including forced labor, mass surveillance and the placement of 1 million or more Uyghurs - a mainly Muslim ethnic group - in a network of internment camps in Xinjiang. China vigorously denies abuses in Xinjiang, and says it established "vocational training centers" to curb terrorism, separatism and religious radicalism. A United Nations report last year said China may have committed crimes against humanity in the region. Its top Democrat, U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, told reporters that what happens to the Uyghur community in China affects Americans.

☆ Nvidia Is Winning AI Race, But Can’t Afford to Trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ The Most Polarizing Men’s Dress Shoe Is Back. Buckle Up.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Jacob Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This month’s Paris runway show for fashion label Miu Miu featured “The Crown” actor Emma Corrin in disco underwear and the runway debut of Zaya Wade, the 15-year-old model daughter of NBA superstar Dwyane Wade, in a woolly skirt set. But for a certain corner of men’s fashion watchers, the show was newsworthy for one reason only: the return of double monk-strap shoes.

[1/5] People hold up special edition newspapers, reporting Japan's victory at the World Baseball Classic final, as others queue to try to get them, in Tokyo, Japan, March 22, 2023. REUTERS/Kato IsseiTOKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - With cherry blossoms reaching full bloom in Tokyo, Japanese sports fans erupted in jubilation on Wednesday after their countrymen defeated Team USA to win the World Baseball Classic (WBC). "Nihon yusho," or "Japan victory," was the No. Japan pitchers set a WBC record for strikeouts throughout the series, according to Fox Sports. With sublime serendipity, Japan's victory comes as Tokyo cherry blossoms reached their zenith, bathing the city's parks and streets in pink and white.

☆ Spring training roundup: A's yield inside-the-park HR, rally past Angels
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Taylor Ward scored an inside-the-park home run for the Angels in the first inning. Ward's liner to center got past a diving Esteury Ruiz, and the A's were slow to chase it down. Jake Cave hit his third homer of spring training for Philadelphia, while Pirates veteran Andrew McCutchen hit his first of the spring, a two-run shot. Washington got a two-run homer from Victor Robles and outhit St. Louis 15-6. The Giants had 16 hits, hanging six hits and six runs on Dodgers starter Noah Syndergaard (1-2) over 4 1/3 innings.

☆ Rep. Jamaal Bowman says the push to ban TikTok is 'xenophobic' and 'part of another Red Scare'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But Rep. Jamaal Bowman — among the most prolific TikTokers in Congress — is pushing back. And amid growing bipartisan calls in Washington for a nationwide ban on the popular video-sharing app, he's decided to speak up. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers increasingly speak of TikTok as a potential vector for malign influence from the Chinese Communist Party. "Me being against a ban of TikTok is not about thinking TikTok is the greatest thing ever, and that there aren't regulations and reforms needed." The Biden administration, meanwhile, is threatening to ban TikTok if ByteDance doesn't sell its stake in the company.

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