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☆ Hollywood's writers are striking over pay, a move that will grind production on most TV shows to a halt
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Writers Guild of America will go on strike from Tuesday in protest of low pay. The WGA's press release added that picketing would begin on Tuesday afternoon. Rumors of a writers' strike have been looming amid talks between union negotiators and media and tech companies. In April, Writers Guild of America members voted 98% in favor of striking if no deal was met before their contract expired at 11.59 p.m., Pacific Time, on Monday. A representative for the AMPTP told Insider that negotiations with the Writers Guild of America "concluded without an agreement" on Monday.

☆ South Korea's Yoon says nuclear consultative group upgrades U.S. alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, May 2 (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Tuesday that a planned nuclear consultative group and new partnerships on supply chains and science and technology are an "upgrade" to the country's alliance with the United States. Yoon held a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington last week, during which they agreed to step up nuclear planning over North Korea by launching the consultative group, as anxiety grows in Seoul over Pyongyang's weapons programmes and the American nuclear umbrella. The summit also produced agreements on cyber security, electric vehicles and batteries, quantum technology, foreign assistance and economic investment. "The alliance has gotten a nuclear-based upgrade, and expanded to include supply chain, industrial and science and technology alliances," Yoon told a cabinet meeting. Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ What the Hollywood writers' strike could mean for your favorite TV shows, from 'Abbot Elementary' to 'Saturday Night Live'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Topical shows relying on actively scripted material, including late night, will be the most immediately affected. The strike — which was authorized by nearly 98% of Writers Guild of America members who voted last month — will most immediately impact shows that rely on active writers' rooms working on current material, including "Saturday Night Live" and late night shows. The moment may be an opportunity for reality TV producers as well as non-union productions. Some celebrities on shows likely to be impacted have addressed the possibility of the impending strike on the late night circuit. Davidson acknowledged a writer's strike might mean his "SNL" episode doesn't happen as planned and said he gained a new perspective working on the production as a prospective host.

☆ What is ESG investing? A beginner's guide to choosing a sustainable fund
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Ryan Ermey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

So-called ESG investing is a big deal. In other words, 1 in every 8 U.S. investor dollars is in a sustainable fund. The growing prominence of and demand for ESG investments has attracted the attention of politicians and regulators. ESG has become a catch-all acronym for what asset management industry pros would call sustainable investing — strategies that seek to deliver a financial return while providing for societal good. ESG funds This is where conflating ESG funds and "boycotting" the energy industry gets a little spurious.

☆ The park with the most roller coasters in the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Impressive collections can be found in many parts of the world, but which park currently holds more roller coasters than any other? With a whopping 20 roller coasters, Six Flags Magic Mountain even rates a mention with Guinness World Records – helping the park justify its “Thrill Capital of the World” slogan. “I think there are a lot of great rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain.” he told CNN Travel recently. “But there are some other more fundamental reasons for why Six Flags Magic Mountain has so many roller coasters.”Location, prosperity and weather all played roles, he said. They’re fast, they’re twisty.”GoliathMartin Lewison said Goliath has the biggest drop of any traditional-style roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

☆ North Korea blasts U.S.-South Korea summit deal for escalating tension
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, May 1 (Reuters) - North Korea criticised a recent U.S-South Korea agreement to bolster the deployment of American strategic assets in the region for escalating tension to the "brink of a nuclear war," state media KCNA said on Monday. Both leaders agreed to strengthen South Korea's defences and regularly deploy U.S. strategic assets. As part of the efforts, a U.S. Navy nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine will visit South Korea for the first time since the 1980s. KCNA said the agreement stipulated the allies' willingness to take "the most hostile and aggressive action" against North Korea, citing Choe Ju Hyon, whom it described as an international security analyst. Pyongyang has reacted angrily to the Yoon-Biden summit, saying it consolidated its conviction to perfect its "nuclear war deterrent."

☆ Swiss central bank promises regulation review after collapse of Credit Suisse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Thomas Jordan, president of the Swiss National Bank (SNB), speaks during the bank's annual general meeting in Bern, Switzerland, on Friday, April 28, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe Swiss National Bank on Friday pledged to review banking regulations during its annual general meeting in Bern, following recent turmoil involving Credit Suisse. The central bank played a key role in brokering the rescue of Credit Suisse over the course of a chaotic weekend in March, as a flight of deposits and plummeting share price took the 167-year-old institution to the brink of collapse. The deal remains mired in controversy and legal challenges, particularly over the lack of investor input and the unconventional decision to wipe out 15 billion Swiss francs ($16.8 billion) of Credit Suisse AT1 bonds. He added that this would mean his central bank could would be able to provide the necessary liquidity, in times of stress, without the need for emergency law.

☆ Brazil's Lula resumes creation of Indigenous reservations halted by Bolsonaro
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino/File PhotoBRASILIA, April 27 (Reuters) - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced the formal recognition of six Indigenous reservations on Friday, fulfilling a campaign promise to reverse the policy of his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro. Lula made the announcement as part of the annual meeting in Brasilia of representatives of Brazil's one million Indigenous people. The Free Land Camp is a five-day event featuring music, dance and food in tents erected on the grass esplanade of the capital. Indigenous leaders called on the president to speed up the recognition of some 300 Indigenous territories that have been mapped out but have waited for years to be formally recognized. With no state protection, Indigenous communities are in danger of invasions by illegal loggers and wildcat gold miners that surged under Bolsonaro.

The IHG Premier Business Card now has one of the most valuable bonuses of any hotel credit card on the market. IHG; Chase; InsiderThe IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is currently offering an increased bonus for a limited time. Here's what you need to know before jumping on the increased IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card bonus. The IHG Rewards Business Card is worth keeping year after yearThe IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card comes with much more than just a hefty welcome bonus. What to know about the new IHG Business credit card bonusThe IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card now comes with an abnormally large bonus worth an average of $1,073 in hotel stays.

☆ Vice Media cancels its flagship ‘Vice News Tonight’ program as it makes ‘painful’ layoffs and restructures the company
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Vice Media will cancel its acclaimed program “Vice News Tonight” as part of a broad restructuring that will result in painful cuts across the organization, the company said Thursday. The restructuring will have major implications on news teams at Vice Media. The company will sunset the Vice World News brand and fold its operations under the Vice News umbrella, giving the company a singular news brand. The restructuring comes as Vice Media, once the darling of the industry, explores a sale. CNN, The Washington Post, NPR, Gannett, Vox Media, NBC News, and others have also cut their workforces in recent months.

“It was just so original,” she told Reuters, and her co-lead, “Umbrella Academy” actor Ritu Arya, could not agree more. When Lena drops out of art school and quickly gets engaged, Ria and her friends plan a bride-heist of epic proportions. Director Nida Manzoor's first feature film scored a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Critics have praised the quirky martial arts film for its inspiring and unconventional representation of compelling women and girls. “Strong women come from strong women,” Kansara said.

☆ Wayfair’s Way Day Sale: What to Buy, According to Expert Shoppers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

By Buy Side StaffWayfair’s Way Day Sale is happening now, which means tons of furniture, decor, cookware and more home essentials are deeply discounted. All-Season ComforterIf you’re ready to upgrade your comforter, these two are part of the Way Day sale. Right now the light grey color is down to $700, well below the $1,250 price we’ve tracked in the past. And during Way Day the white version is marked down to $124, nearly 40% less than it was during Wayfair’s last big sale. Large, understated mirrorA strategically placed mirror is a great way to make your space feel larger, and this Ivy Bronx model is a great way to do so without drawing attention to the mirror itself thanks to the simple frame.

☆ How big was Bed, Bath's Beyond? Breaking down the weirdest merchandise of the iconic retailer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Alex Leeds Matthews | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The rest are spread among other home goods and retail categories, the largest being kitchen and home decor. Smaller categories included pet supplies, which had separate sections for bird supplies and pet furniture covers. The in-person store even has an entire section dedicated to “As Seen on TV” gadgets for the infomercials devotees, like ShamWow! As the company begins closing its remaining 360 Bed Bath & Beyond stores and the coupons expire, there will be deep-discount sales to get the remaining items off shelves. The silver lining: you may be able to finally get that 11-foot solar-powered cantilever patio umbrella or waterproof backseat pet hammock at a low, low price.

☆ Brits need to accept they are now poorer, Bank of England chief economist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON — Companies and workers are trying to pass the impact of inflation onto each other — and that risks persistent inflation, according to Huw Pill, the Bank of England's chief economist. "What we're facing now is that reluctance to accept that yes we're all worse off, we all have to take our share," Pill said on an episode of Columbia Law School and the Millstein Center's "Beyond Unprecedented" podcast, released on Tuesday. That has been followed by adverse weather and an outbreak of avian flu driving up food prices. The U.K. imports nearly half its food. "If what you're buying has gone up a lot relative to what you're selling, you're going to be worse off," Pill said.

☆ Explainer: South Korea's nuclear dilemma: Would U.S. trade Seattle for Seoul?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WHY IS SOUTH KOREA WORRIED? U.S. "extended deterrence" protection for South Korea rests on a simple, if grim, assumption: if North Korea were to attack South Korea with nuclear weapons, it would face devastating U.S. retaliatory strikes. Yoon vowed in his election campaign to seek redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea and possibly "nuclear sharing," meaning joint command over U.S. weapons. But his comments have driven a growing debate that one former senior U.S. defense official said threatens to normalize a once unthinkable concept of a South Korean nuclear arsenal. WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPLICATIONS OF A NUCLEAR SOUTH KOREA?

☆ Amazon, Apple and more: EU names the Big Tech platforms set to face tougher regulatory scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, in late 2020 presented new legislation on how regulators should keep a closer eye on tech giants. Under this Digital Services Act (DSA), which was implemented four months ago, regulators are able to police content to reduce harmful comments and set rules for the use of artificial intelligence. European regulators have previously warned Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, that his firm faces significant amounts of work to comply with the new rulebook. He added in a statement Tuesday: "The countdown is starting for 19 very large online platforms and search engines to fully comply with the special obligations that the Digital Services Act imposes on them." "The Digital Services Act is comprehensive and will be a challenge for online intermediaries to get their head around, with the largest players facing the biggest impact.

☆ Engagement ring sales slide due to pandemic lockdowns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

According to Signet Jewelers, the largest jewelry company in the United States, the pandemic dented sales of engagement rings as relationships faltered or never even blossomed in the first place due to the lockdowns. This created, it said, an “engagement gap.”“We’re still seeing it today,” Jamie Singleton, Signet Jewelers’ president and chief consumer officer, said during the company’s investor day last week. And it’s vital for Signet’s business, because 50% of the company’s merchandise sales come from the bridal segment. Meanwhile, the pandemic also walloped sales of wedding dresses as social gatherings of all kinds came to a standstill, and couples postponed their weddings. As dates were re-booked coming out of the pandemic, brides-to-be have had to contend with inflation and economic uncertainty bearing down on expenses.

☆ Consumer protection bodies urged to investigate ChatGPT, others
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, April 24 (Reuters) - The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has joined the chorus of concern about ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots, calling on EU consumer protection agencies to investigate the technology and the potential harm to individuals. BEUC, the umbrella group for 46 consumer organisations from 32 countries, set out its worries in separate letters earlier this month to the network of consumer safety authorities (CSN network) and to the network of consumer protection authorities (CPC network). It said younger consumers and children are more vulnerable to such risks. The group also called on the Consumer Safety Network to start an exchange of information and an investigation into the safety risks of these products. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Explainer: Why are Ecuador lawmakers trying to impeach President Lasso?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso participates in an interview at Carondelet Palace, in Quito, Ecuador April 26, 2022. REUTERS/Santiago Arcos/File PhotoQUITO, April 24 (Reuters) - Ecuadorean opposition lawmakers and President Guillermo Lasso - or his lawyer - are scheduled to testify this week in impeachment hearings that could see the conservative former banker censured and removed from office. Lasso has denied the charges, pointing out the contract was signed in 2018, three years before he took office. Estupinan is a key witness for opposition lawmakers, who say the former manager claims to have warned Lasso about contract irregularities allegedly committed by Luque, but got no response. Lawmakers from the Revolucion Ciudadana party of former President Rafael Correa, fierce opponents of Lasso, have pledged to cast their 47 votes for removal.

☆ S.Korea's Yoon to meet Biden as doubts grow over nuclear umbrella
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More than 64% supported South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons, with about 33% opposed. Yoon has been pushing to boost South Korea's say in operating the U.S. extended deterrence but exactly what that might entail has not been spelt out. A senior U.S. official said on Friday that Biden, during the summit with Yoon, would pledge "substantial" steps to underscore U.S. commitments to deter a North Korean nuclear attack. South Korea, a major producer of artillery shells, says it has not provided lethal weapons to Ukraine, citing its relations with Russia. South Korea tries to avoid antagonising Russia, due chiefly to business interests and Russian influence over North Korea.

☆ I lost my ID in another country and forfeited $2,500 when my trip was cut short. Here's what I learned and how I got home.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Crystal Raypole | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I lost my ID while traveling in Canada, which ruined my planned six-day, $2,500 trip to Churchill. I recently planned a trip to Churchill, Canada, — a tiny, frigid town that happens to be extremely remote and difficult to reach. But I had to cancel my trip when one of the worst things happened: I lost my ID somewhere on the streets of Vancouver, my first travel stop. If I'd lost either form of ID, I could have kept going with the other. I'm pretty sure showing Canadian customs a photo of my lost ID would have helped me get through the tense interview a little more smoothly, too.

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - At a summit next week with South Korean leader Yoon Suk Yeol U.S. President Joe Biden will pledge "substantial" steps to underscore the U.S. commitment to deter a North Korean nuclear attack on South Korea, a senior U.S. official said on Friday. In a poll released on April 6 by the Asian Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, 64.3% of South Koreans supported developing nuclear weapons with 33.3% opposed. The survey showed 52.9% of South Koreans were confident the United States would use nuclear weapons to defend South Korea in the event of a nuclear attack by North Korea. A second official said the United States welcomed the role South Korea had played in supporting Ukraine and would "welcome additional steps (It) might be willing to take." Biden will also commend huge South Korean tech investment in the United States since he took office, which was now approaching $100 million, the official said.

It is the second time in a year that the Supreme Court has considered a major effort to sharply curtail access to abortion. Less than an hour later, a federal judge in Washington State, Thomas O. The competing rulings meant that the matter was almost certainly headed to the Supreme Court. But the panel imposed several barriers to access, siding in part with Judge Kacsmaryk, while the lawsuit moved through the courts. Seeking emergency relief, the Biden administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene while a fast-tracked appeal moved forward.

☆ Name Above the Movie Title? How About in It?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Leah Greenblatt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

With “Pinocchio” and the 2022 Netflix horror-anthology series “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities,” the director joins a long line of auteurs, from Alfred Hitchcock to Tim Burton, whose presence not merely above the title but in it serves as a stylistic marker, even when it’s not strictly their hand guiding the material. (The horror godhead Wes Craven habitually did the same; see “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare.”) Few, though, can claim to be the one-man industry that is Tyler Perry, who retains full ownership of the projects produced under his personal shingle at his stand-alone studio in Atlanta. The multihyphenate creator has famously put‌‌ his signature on several movie and television titles released under its umbrella — including “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming,” the most recent iteration of the reliably raucous comedies that he also writes and stars in as a salty, well-cushioned matriarch of a certain age. While Madea is Perry’s wholesale creation, indubitably linked to the man who wears her wig onscreen, certain intellectual properties with roots that reach back centuries have tilted their brims instead toward a more literal (and literary) acknowledgment of the source. Neither he nor Christie is officially billed in the title.

☆ How 4 US health systems are using AI to tackle big challenges like managing patient emails and documenting visits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Leaders at four health systems shared how they use AI to manage emails or help doctors take notes. Some health systems also have experimented with using AI to help diagnose disease. But health systems are generally cautious about deploying the technology in clinical care, where the stakes are higher. Here's how four healthcare systems are using AI to tackle some of their biggest challenges. Sutter Health is using AI to manage patients' messagesDr. Albert Chan, the chief digital health officer at Sutter Health.

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