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☆ 'The Mandalorian' season 3 finale review: 'The Return' hits the reset button (SPOILERS)
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers about the seventh episode of “The Mandalorian,” Season 3, “The Return.”CNN —To borrow a line from another Disney+ series, it’s been the Empire all along. It was the kind of cinematic sequence that would surely play well in the planned movie that will capitalize upon this timeline of the “Star Wars” universe. That said, after resolving the fate of Mandalore, the finale essentially hit the reset button on the show’s central premise in the form of happy ending. That involved formalizing the central duo’s bond by having the Mandalorian adopt Grogu, before assuming a new bounty-hunting role focused on pursuing Imperial remnants across the galaxy. Overall, to say the third season wasn’t always neat or pretty would be an understatement.

☆ Doctors are building tech startups to help fix a healthcare system reeling from crisis after crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But with increasing patient demand and complexity, there are not enough doctors in the healthcare system to match that level of care, he said. With its promise of free universal healthcare, the UK's National Health Service has long been a source of national pride. A growing number of clinicians are becoming "doctorpreneurs," applying their first-hand experience in healthcare to build startups to help fill that gap. As clinicians in the UK expand their startups abroad, they predict the doctorpreneur trend will become a global phenomena — with health startups in other countries looking to the UK for inspiration. Selim noted that many doctors — across continents — are also incentivized by a unifying mission, which is to offer patients hope.

☆ Slovenia stage comeback to beat Romania in delayed BJK Cup qualifier
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Tennis - Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers - Slovenia v Romania - Sport Park Bonifika, Koper, Slovenia - April 14, 2023 Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek reacts during her singles match against Romania's Jaqueline Cristian REUTERS/Borut ZivulovicApril 16 (Reuters) - Slovenia pulled off a remarkable comeback to beat Romania and reach the Billie Jean King Cup finals in a qualifying tie that was held over to Sunday because of rain. The deciding doubles rubber in Koper saw home pair Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek come from a set down to beat Romanian duo Irina Maria Bara and Monica Niculescu 4-6 6-2 6-4. Slovenia joined eight other nations who qualified for the 12-nation final that will be contested in November. Romania looked in complete control after winning both of Friday's singles rubbers, but Slovenia hit back on Saturday. Zidansek beat Ana Bogdan 3-6 7-6(4) 7-5 and Juvan overcame Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets to take it to a decider.

☆ Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham FC surprise Rob McElhenney with an original song for his birthday
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s ownership of Welsh soccer club Wrexham has already produced a Disney+ documentary and earned the pair the city’s top civic honor – the Freedom of Wrexham. And now Reynolds has released a catchy song to celebrate his co-chairman’s birthday, enlisting all his “mates in Wrexham” to teach the world how to pronounce McElhenney’s last name correctly. “Would be a real shame if this became a Wrexham Racecourse chant,” Reynolds added. McElhenney simply tweeted: “This is…I mean… I don’t…Wow.”Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham in late 2020. Then, McElhenney retaliated by launching “The Ryan Reynolds Memorial Blimp,” complete with an unflattering picture of the Canadian actor.

☆ Mike Pence in pink boots, Ron DeSantis in a big ball gown. Here's how the 'RuPublicans' Instagram account uses AI art to call out GOP lawmakers — by dressing them in drag.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The "RuPublicans" Instagram account posts AI-generated pictures of GOP lawmakers in full drag. The images range from Mike Pence in sparkly pink boots to Ron DeSantis in a big ball gown. The images are the work of an Instagram account called "RuPublicans," which uses AI to dress Republican lawmakers in drag — complete with frills, feathers, jewels, and wigs. Some of the GOP lawmakers in drag have a history of pushing anti-trans rhetoricSeveral GOP lawmakers that the "RuPublicans" account called out have, in the past, pushed anti-trans messages. Representatives of Pence, DeSantis, Graham, Cruz, Hawley, and McConnell did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment sent outside regular business hours.

☆ Ukrainian troops blew up their own building to trap Russian forces after they blasted their way inside with a tank, commander says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian forces used a tank to blast their way into a building in the war-torn city of Bakhmut. Ukrainian troops in the building left and blew it up to trap them, The New York Times reported. He said in one instance, Russian troops used a tank to blast through the walls of an apartment building held by Kyiv's forces. He told the Times the Ukrainians placed explosives around the building, quickly left, and the blew up the apartment while the Russians were still inside. Captured German soldiers, make their way in the bitter cold through the ruins of Stalingrad, Russia, in 1943.

☆ How an OnlyFans creator has used a 'hot teacher' persona and heavy Reddit promotion to earn $827K in revenue
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Nhari Djan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Here's how the couple built their platform, with the help of pay-per-view content and Reddit. The wife and husband duo behind the "@Haute_for_Teacher" OnlyFans account were ahead of the curve when they signed up in September 2019. She uses Anne Bancroft's character in "The Graduate" as an alias, though she said people typically call her by her handle because Mrs. Robinson is a popular name among OnlyFans creators. You need a strong persona to succeed on OnlyFans without showing your faceIt's not easy to run a successful OnlyFans account without showing your face. Robinson also said OnlyFans creators can't take breaks or lose momentum because they risk losing money.

☆ China investment drowns out decoupling rhetoric
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, April 10 (Reuters Breakingviews) - International companies are reinforcing President Xi Jinping’s message that China is open for business. Japan Display’s (6740.T) shares soared 21% on Monday after the Apple (AAPL.O) supplier said it would provide its OLED technology to China’s HKC. And Europe’s Airbus (AIR.PA) just moved to double capacity in China, agreeing to push ahead with a second China assembly line despite failing to win any new orders during French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent state visit. The new commitments provide a reminder that multinational companies are making – and want to make more – money in the People’s Republic. At least some of the decoupling rhetoric is being drowned out.

☆ Five Children’s Movies to Stream Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Dina Gachman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The “adorable animals on an epic journey” genre has enchanted young viewers for decades — “Homeward Bound” and “The Adventures of Milo and Otis” being just two beloved examples. Over in the United Forest of America, the evil Don Vulture is running for president against a bear, John Grizzly. (There is talk of “fake lies” and “big empty promises,” so you can probably guess which real-life former president the vulture is modeled after.) The law says no childless animal can become president, but the stork delivered Grizzly’s cub to the wrong home, so our heroes must race to return the cub in time for the election. Along the way they battle hungry hyenas and snowstorms, protecting the cooing baby bear so they can complete their quest.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, AMC, FedEx and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Costco — The wholesale retailer's shares dropped 2% after the company announced sales dipped 1.1% year over year in March. Bed Bath & Beyond — The stock tumbled 7% after the retailer proposed a stock split as it attempts to avoid bankruptcy. Analysts covering the stock welcomed the news, with Raymond James upgrading shares to outperform from market perform Thursday morning. Leslie's , Pool — Shares of pool company Leslie's popped 5.4%, while Pool gained 1%, after both names were upgraded by Loop Capital to buy from hold. Craig-Hallum downgraded the stock to hold from buy and Rosenblatt pulled its rating to neutral from buy following the guidance cut.

Previously, the pranks had mostly affected the country’s famous sushi conveyor belt restaurants, prompting questions about their future. A video shared on social media shows a man, believed to be Shimazu, vigorously eating the ginger. Besides Kura Sushi, two other such chains — Sushiro, owned by Food & Life Companies, and Hamazushi — previously told CNN they had suffered similar disruptions. But the latest food pranks, magnified by social media, have sparked fresh debate in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic. In recent weeks, some Japanese social media users have questioned whether conveyor belt sushi restaurants and other communal serving practices can continue as consumers demand more attention to cleanliness.

☆ The Masters were caddied by only Black men for nearly 50 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Located just three miles from The Masters venue, the historically Black district lay adjacent to Augusta Country Club. Eventually, many would hop across Rae’s Creek to begin work at Augusta National. A “good bag” at Augusta National would pay up to $5, Maben said, offering $20 for a particularly lucrative day’s labor. The 1983 Masters saw the first White caddies walk the greens at the major, with just 19 Black caddies on the bag, Clayton said. This year, the Lucy Craft Laney Museum will put the legacy of Augusta’s Black caddies – quite literally – center stage.

Persons: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Willie Peterson caddied Nicklaus ’, Nathaniel “, ” Avery, Peterson –, –, Augusta, Nicklaus, Peterson, Augusta caddies, Leon Maben, Lucy, Lucy Craft Laney, Ward Clayton, “, ” Palmer, ” Clayton, …, Maben, Jerry ” Beard, caddie, Fuzzy Zoeller, John P, caddying, Willie “ Pappy ” Stokes, Stokes, Henry Picard, Ben Hogan, Hogan, Beard, Zoeller, Augusta “, Clayton, ” Maben, ” Beard, Heinz Kluetmeier, Tommy “, ” Bennett, Woods, scalding, John H, Stovepipe ” Gordon, Frank “, ” Stokes, Matthew “ Shorty Mac ” Palmer, Avery’s, Gordon, Gene Sarazen, Sarazen, Willie “, Perteet, Dwight D, Eisenhower, ”, ’, ‘, We’re, caddies, Jim Crow, Ron Townsend, Lee Elder, Elder, Andy Lyons, Townsend, ” Carl Jackson, Ben Crenshaw, Jackson, Crenshaw, “ Gentle Ben ”, Watson, Jamie Squire, Harvey Penick, ” Jackson, you’re, Andrew Redington, Avery, Palmer, Augusta caddies – Stokes, It’s Organizations: CNN, Augusta National, Bettmann, Getty, Augusta Country, Lucy Craft, Lucy Craft Laney Museum of, . Augusta National, ”, Augusta, ESPN, National, PGA, Augusta Country Club Locations: Georgia, Cedar Grove, Sand, Black, Augusta, caddies, Clayton, America, ”, Perteet

☆ PDD Holdings names Jiazhen Zhao co-CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 4 (Reuters) - PDD Holdings Inc (PDD.O), which owns discount e-commerce platforms Pinduoduo and Temu, on Tuesday named Jiazhen Zhao as co-chief executive officer of the company, effective immediately. Zhao, who is one of the founding members of PDD and has served as senior vice president since 2018, joins CEO Chen Lei to steer the company as it grapples with tepid consumer demand as China's post-reopening recovery remains patchy. "In the future, Jiazhen will concentrate more on supply chain management and China operations, while my focus will be more on globalization efforts," Lei said in a statement. Zhao was behind PDD's Duo Duo Grocery business and led the operations of some product categories in the Pinduoduo platform, including agriculture. Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Off-the-radar destinations every China visitor should consider
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Maggie Hiufu Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

JingdezhenLarge chimneys, used for firing porcelain, dot the skyline of Jingdezhen city. gui yong nian/Adobe StockDubbed the porcelain capital of the world, Jingdezhen has been firing quality pieces of “white gold” for more than 1,700 years. For a crash course in the city’s porcelain history, visit the newly built and photogenic Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum of China. LinhaiLinhai's historic city wall stretches more than 6,000 meters in length. Food aside, travelers should leave time to admire this historic city that dates back more than 2,000 years.

☆ This AI startup helps Big Tech firms compress videos while maintaining quality. Check out the 50-slide pitch deck Deep Render used to raise $9 million.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Video compression startup Deep Render just raised $9 million in fresh funds. The London-based company uses AI to reduce video size while maintaining video quality. A startup that uses AI to compress large videos for enterprises more efficiently has raised $9 million in fresh funds. Deep Render uses AI to imitate neural processes, which shrinks the video file size. With the cash injection, Deep Render will focus on growing its headcount from 25 to 60 and increasing the startup's presence in the US.

☆ Chloe Bailey makes solo album debut with 'In Pieces'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Alicia Powell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Chloe Bailey, also known by her stage name Chloe, sits for a portrait at Sony Music global headquarters in New York City, U.S., March 6, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon StapletonNEW YORK, March 28 (Reuters) - U.S. singer and actress Chloe Bailey, half of sister R&B duo Chloe x Halle, releases her debut solo album on Friday, a record whose message she says is: it is OK to show your vulnerable side. We all have scars but it's just who wears it the best," Bailey said in an interview. "The creative side didn't feel different, but (not) having the moral support and the validation from someone who's been my best friend since I was a little girl ... that was incredibly scary," Bailey said of doing the album solo. Bailey has faced a backlash over her covers of classic songs "Feeling Good" and "Lovin' You", as well as her revealing outfits.

☆ Xi and Putin share a deep resentment of the US, but China's new dominance over Russia could eventually shatter the alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia and China have formed closer ties to counter the power of the US. But China is the dominant one in the partnership, with Russia weakened by the Ukraine war. At last week's summit, Xi proposed a peace plan in Ukraine that critics said mainly reflected Russian demands. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. But despite such tensions, the Russia-China alliance will likely persist because of the deep resentment Putin and Xi share over the US' status as the world's top superpower.

☆ BP, ADNOC’s Mediterranean debut ticks three boxes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) - BP (BP.L) and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) are tying the knot. The duo plan to set up a joint venture to buy gas assets in the eastern Mediterranean. On the other hand, the $4 billion NewMed net asset value implied by BP and ADNOC’s bid is some way ahead of the $2.6 billion estimated by hedge fund Palliser during NewMed’s autumn dalliance with Capricorn Energy (CNE.L). And after rethinking the speed with which it’s cutting its oil and gas production, BP wants to show investors that it can identify suitable fossil fuel projects. NewMed shares only jumped 38% to around 10 shekels on Tuesday, implying doubt about whether the deal will happen.

☆ Warren Buffett missed out on a monster return by not investing in Tesla early on, Elon Musk says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Warren Buffett missed out on a monster return by not betting on Tesla early on, Elon Musk says. The famed investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO could have achieved a similar result by simply betting on Tesla early on, Elon Musk says. He was commenting on a video clip showing how Berkshire's stock portfolio has changed over the last three decades or so. Buffett won't be kicking himself too hard, given Berkshire's stock portfolio ballooned in value by more than 20-fold between 1994 and the end of 2022. Buffett and Munger might have made more money on Tesla stock, but they were never likely to join the ranks of Musk's shareholders.

☆ Indian skincare firm Mamaearth's parent puts IPO on hold - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( M. Sriram | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, March 27 (Reuters) - Indian skincare startup Mamaearth has put its initial public offering (IPO) on hold because of weak market conditions, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said, a month after two other Indian companies also scrapped their share sales. Mamaearth planned to start marketing the IPO and begin initial talks with investors by the end of January, but that has not happened yet, the sources said. The company has until December to receive approval for the IPO from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and file its final prospectus. He added that its largest investor, Sequoia, would not be selling any shares in the IPO and the founders would own more than 97% of their shares after the IPO. Last month, Indian apparel retailer Fabindia, backed by billionaire Azim Premji's fund, and jewellery retailer Joyallukkas scrapped their IPOs due to poor market conditions.

☆ A cryptic message that's been on Blockbuster's website for months has people wondering if it'll make a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Grace Mayer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

People recently noticed a message on Blockbuster's website: "We are working on rewinding your movie." The message sparked speculation of a possible comeback and nostalgia for the defunct rental stores. People recently noticed that a message greets you when you visit Blockbuster's website. Before that, the website showed a message from its current owner, Dish Network, directing people to Dish's on-demand service. So far, Dish hasn't commented on whether the message on the website means anything, and the company did not respond to Insider's request for comment ahead of publication.

☆ Gilbert & George to open London art centre with after-life exhibition
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Hannah Ellison | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Art duo Gilbert & George debut 'The Gilbert & George Centre' a permanent home for their artworks in East London, in London, Britain March 24, 2023. The Gilbert & George Centre, in the city's Spitalfields area, is less than 5 minutes from the life and work partners' home and studio. Normally it's limited what you can see in cities, here they can see an intense Gilbert & George feeling," Italian-born Gilbert, whose full name is Gilbert Proesch, told Reuters on Friday. "They're experiencing Gilbert & George art, that's what it is, our vision of the world, our morality, our behaviour and everything." British-born George, whose full name is George Passmore, added: "The Gilbert & George centre is going to be a cultural force."

Ever since it first released in 2021, it's been one of our top picks for the best smart display. If you're in the market for an Alexa smart display, the Echo Show 8 should be your first buy. Amazon Echo Show 8 Amazon's mid-range and mid-size Echo Show 8 is the best smart display in its current lineup. Everyone in your home will likely use a smart display a little differently. The Amazon Echo Show 8 is larger than the Echo Show 5, making watching videos a more enjoyable experience.

☆ Ben Affleck and Matt Damon shared a bank account as teens: 'As long as one of us had money, we knew the power wasn't going to get shut off'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Before they shared movie screens together, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon shared a bank account. The Oscar-winning duo have been friends since high school, where they both aspired to make it in Hollywood. "It was unusual, but we needed the money for auditions," Damon said, calling it "a weird thing in retrospect." "We were going to help each other and be there for each other," Affleck said. "It was like, 'You're not going to be alone.

☆ Hillary and Chelsea Clinton took in a Broadway show — and then someone pooped near them, per report
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Taylor Berman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Somone pooped near Hillary and Chelsea Clinton during a Broadway play last week, Page Six reports. "The house crew dealt with it very appropriately and quickly, and Hillary and Chelsea remained in the theater for the second act," one source told Page Six. A second source disputed the serial pooping claim and said it was a one-off accident. Both Clintons stayed for the second act of the play at the Shubert Theater, per one of Page Six's sources. Spokespeople for Hillary Clinton and the Shubert Theater did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider.

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