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The personnel shake-up follows growing frustration among campaign staffers over the effectiveness – or lack thereof – of the PAC’s spending. “It’s not so good,” Carol Weissert, political science professor at Florida State University, says about the state of the DeSantis campaign. To be sure, DeSantis has put in the work in Iowa, having completed his 99-county tour this week. The polling average as of Dec. 4 shows Trump with 45% support in Iowa, with DeSantis at 17% and Haley at 15%. She eclipsed DeSantis for the first time this week in Iowa in a poll by Americans for Prosperity, which is supporting her campaign, showing Haley 1 percentage point ahead of DeSantis – 17% to 16%.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Christian Ziegler, Bridget Ziegler, Zieglers, –, “ It’s, ” Carol Weissert, it’s, “, Trump, ”, ” DeSantis, DeSantis, he’ll, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, he’s, Haley, Trump’s, Jamie Dimon, ” “ We’ve, Jacob Neiheisel, Neiheisel Organizations: Iowa, Florida Gov, GOP, PAC, Sunshine, Republican, Liberty, Florida State University, Trump, Republican Party, South Carolina Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, DeSantis, Koch, Prosperity, University of Buffalo Locations: Florida, Trump, New Jersey, Tuscaloosa , Alabama, Iowa, Georgia’s Fulton County

☆ CVS will change the way it prices drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Tami Luhby | Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —CVS is revamping the way it reimburses its pharmacies for prescription medications, a move that could make prescription drug pricing simpler and change how much consumers pay for their medicines. It’s a similar model to the one entrepreneur Mark Cuban is pushing with his Cost Plus Drugs company. This shift in payment models could change the cost of prescription drugs for some patients, although it will not necessarily make all medicine cost less. Some drugs may cost less, while others might rise in price, CVS executives said. Americans spend around $1,200 a year on average for prescription drugs — more than any other country — according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Persons: Mark Cuban, ”, Prem Shah, Nick Fabrizio, Fabrizio, they’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, CVS, Plus, CVS Pharmacy, CVS Health, Cornell University, Organization for Economic Co, Kaiser Family Foundation, Amazon Pharmacy, Cuban, Plus Drug, Blue Locations: New York, California

☆ Here are Tuesday's biggest analyst calls: Netflix, Apple, IBM, Coinbase, Nike, Domino's, Meta, Charles Schwab and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Goldman Sachs reiterates Nike as buy After a transfer of analyst coverage, Goldman Sachs said it sees improving growth for Nike shares. UBS downgrades United Rentals to neutral from buy UBS said in its downgrade of the equipment rental company that it sees a more balanced risk/reward. UBS reiterates Apple as neutral UBS said its analysis of Apple's App Store shows revenue increasing. UBS reiterates Netflix as buy UBS said it's standing by its buy rating on Netflix shares after hosting the company at a conference. William Blair reiterates Charles Schwab as outperform William Blair named Schwab a top pick for 2024, noting it's well-positioned.

Persons: Raymond James, Piper Sandler downgrades Albemarle, Piper Sandler, it's, Goldman Sachs, Roth, Roth MKM, TD Cowen, Bernstein, Mizuho downgrades Prologis, Wells, Wells Fargo, Oppenheimer, Domino's, Elliott, Morgan Stanley, Meta, Needham, Coinbase, JPMorgan, Raymond James downgrades Lululemon, LULU, Strong, William Blair, Charles Schwab, Schwab Organizations: Crescent Energy, Energy Company, Eagle Ford, UW, Nike, Bank of America, UBS, Credit Suisse, Yale, HY, United Rentals, Apple, Semiconductors, JPMorgan, IBM, Consulting, Mizuho, Marriott, of America, Netflix, Management, Integra, Financial, ISI, Disney, BR, Cargo Therapeutics, Citi, Travere Therapeutics Locations: Houston, Uinta, Eagle, LTHM, 2024E, 2025E, Argentina, Boston, China, Mexican

☆ Barclays shares slip after major backer Qatar cuts stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Qatar Investment Authority, the state sovereign wealth fund which owns Qatar Holding, did not respond to a request for comment. The share sale comes as Barclays embarks on a shake-up to cut costs and revive its share price, which has halved since Qatar first invested in 2008. Barclays' stock fell as much as 4.5% in early trading and was last down 2.5% at 1007 GMT. Qatar became Barclays' largest shareholder during the 2008 financial crisis when it injected 4 billion pounds into the UK bank in a deal that helped avert a taxpayer bailout. Britain's financial watchdog later fined Barclays $55 million for fees paid to Qatari entities in the 2008 fundraising, which Barclays said it would appeal.

Persons: Venkatakrishnan, Vekatakrishnan, Iain Withers, Sinead Cruise, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Lawrence White, Danilo Masoni, Andrew Mills, Kirsten Donovan, Emelia Organizations: Barclays, Qatar, Reuters, Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar Holding, Thomson Locations: Qatar, Germany, London, Milan, Doha

☆ Ozempic and a Protein Shake: Food Makers Prep Weight-Loss-Drug Side Dishes
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Jesse Newman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ozempic, Wegovy and other popular new drugs help people lose weight by eating less. Some food makers have spotted an opportunity. From startups to industry stalwarts, food companies are pitching their products as natural alternatives to the drugs or developing companion products for patients.

☆ A formfitting blazer and Chelsea boots, or jeans and high-top sneakers? Here's how the 2023 rising stars of VC put together their 'power outfits.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | Ben Bergman | Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Many of this year's VC rising stars told Business Insider that their go-to power outfits included apparel like tailored sport coats or Chelsea boots, and more casual pieces like hoodies and well-fitting jeans. Very few investors are wearing collared shirts with their jackets, opting instead to pair it with a t- shirt and jeans. Nmachi Jidemna told Business Insider that for her everyday wear, her go-to was "usually a structured blazer with a relaxed pair of jeans." Lori Harvey (left) and Heidi Klum (right) wearing red outfits. Black flowy trousers, black turtleneck, and chunky black boots."

Persons: that's, Laura Bock, Nmachi Jidemna, Javier Grevely, Ralph Lauren, Tobi Coker, Janelle Teng, Patron's Amber Atherton, Jason Yeh, Ashley Paston, Justin Williams, VCs, Mahati Sridhar, Grady Dick, Michelle Farsi, Pear, Vivien Ho, Lori Harvey, Heidi Klum, Valentina Frugiuele, Bauer, Griffin, Luci Fonseca, RTFKT, Brandon Hoffman, JL, Sarah Wu, Emerson, Fiona Huang, Demi Obayomi, Natalie Borowski, Daisy Wolf, Andreessen Horowitz Organizations: Business, Wellington Management, Converse, Seae Ventures, Getty, GV, Nike, Sunset Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures Locations: London, Chelsea

Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting the Republican’s White House bid, abruptly let go three key senior staffers that evening, including an interim CEO who had just been installed nine days earlier. The sudden departures sent shockwaves throughout DeSantis’ political operation, from Tallahassee to Des Moines. One of the dismissed operatives had appeared that day at a super PAC event in Sioux City, Iowa, that featured DeSantis. “They’re a laughingstock.”Jess Szymanski, a spokeswoman for the super PAC, dismissed the outside criticism. After months of watching ads and receiving mailers from the super PAC, voters seemed unaware – and unfazed – by the duplication.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Donald Trump, ” DeSantis, “ It’s, DeSantis –, –, David Polyansky, ” Polyansky, Kristin Davison, Adam Laxalt, caucusgoers, ”, canvasser, “, ” Jess Szymanski, Loren Reit, Reit, “ We’ve, NBD Organizations: Iowa CNN, Florida Gov, PAC, CNN, Republican, Iowa, Outsiders, Trump, GOP, Washington Post, Gov, Cody, “, Iowa - Locations: Newton, Iowa, Tallahassee, Des Moines, Sioux City , Iowa, Florida, DeSantis, Nevada, United States, Eldridge, Clive, Spencer, Iowa - South Dakota, “

☆ China's big pig breeders dig in as losses and debts mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dominique Patton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

BEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The biggest pig breeders in China, consumer of fully half the world's pork, seem to have bitten off more than they can chew. More huge losses are expected next year, putting China's pig enterprises under pressure to slim down their breeding herds and sell off farms, many of which are sitting empty. But now, especially given the companies' high debt levels, the analyst said: "It's hard for them to borrow any money from the banks." That follows a 17% surge in the first nine months of this year at China's 15 big market-listed breeders even as they reported 200 billion yuan in combined net losses. China's agriculture ministry has warned of heavier losses for the sector in early 2024 than a year ago and urged pig producers to cut output.

Persons: Lyle Jones, Hope Liuhe, they're, Flora Zhu, Dominique Patton, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Inc, Dalian Commodity Exchange, Tech - Bank, Jiangxi Zhengbang Technology, Analysts, Muyuan Foods, Foodstuff, WH, HK, Smithfield Foods, Hua'an Securities, China Corporate Research, Fitch, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Fujian Aonong, Jiangxi, Beijing

☆ Wall Street underscores why we're in Apple and Microsoft for the long haul
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A new batch of Wall Street commentary on Monday highlights exactly why we're bullish on mega cap tech stocks Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT). AAPL YTD mountain Apple (AAPL) year-to-date performance New data from UBS indicated that Apple continues to grab market share in India. That's one of many reasons why the Club continues to reiterate an "own it, don't trade it" stance on Apple stock. Microsoft also confirmed that the company has had consistent access and rights to all of OpenAI's intellectual property and technology. Microsoft stock, up over 53% year-to-date, was trading 1.49% lower Monday, at $368.09.

Persons: OpenAI, Apple, Tim Cook, We're, –, Sam Altman, Altman, Piper Sandler, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Brendan Mcdermid Organizations: Apple, Microsoft, UBS, Analysts, CNBC, Counterpoint Research, –, Huawei, U.S, Traders, New York Stock Exchange Locations: India, U.S, China, Europe, OpenAI, New York City

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A powerful earthquake that shook the southern Philippines killed at least one villager and injured several others as thousands scrambled out of their homes in panic and jammed roads to higher grounds after a tsunami warning was issued, officials said Sunday. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it expected tsunami waves to hit the southern Philippines and parts of Indonesia, Palau and Malaysia, but later dropped its tsunami warning. In Japan, authorities issued evacuation orders late Saturday in various parts of Okinawa prefecture, including for the entire coastal area, affecting thousands of people. My perfume bottles fell off a table, pictures on my wall swung and I heard people screaming outside: 'Get out, get out, earthquake, earthquake!”’ Isidoro said. Thousands of residents stayed outside their homes for hours in many towns due to the earthquake and tsunami scare, including in some that were drenched by an overnight downpour, officials said.

Persons: Shieldon Isidoro, Isidoro, ’ Isidoro, Gilberto Teodoro Jr, Teresito Bacolcol, Mari Yamaguchi Organizations: Geological Survey, Tsunami Warning, Associated Press, Defense, Philippine Institute of Locations: MANILA, Philippines, U.S, Indonesia, Palau, Malaysia, Japan, Okinawa, Tagum, Davao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Surigao del Sur province

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Three senior members of a super PAC backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis left the group on Saturday, the latest sign of instability within the 2024 hopeful's political operation just six weeks before the Iowa Republican caucuses. Longtime DeSantis ally Scott Wagner, who had been a member of the group's board, was named interim CEO and board chairman. DeSantis' campaign has relied heavily on Never Back Down for basic campaign functions, though the two sides cannot directly coordinate under federal campaign finance rules. Never Back Down has more staff working in Iowa, more than two dozen, than any campaign or super PAC and have been organizing ahead of the precinct-level caucuses since June.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Kristin Davison, Chris Jankowski, Erin Perrine, Matt Palmisano, Scott Wagner, Donald Trump's, Nikki Haley, DeSantis, Jankowski, Adam Laxalt, DeSantis ’, Jeff Roe, Texas Sen, Ted Cruz, Glenn Youngkin, Perrine, Matt Wolking, Jessica Syzmanski, Roe, David Polyansky, Polyansky, Casey, “ Scott Wagner, Trump, Ron DeSanctimonious, ”, ___ Peoples, Meg Kinnard, Michelle L, Price Organizations: DES, Florida Gov, Iowa Republican, Saturday, Politico, United Nations, Former Nevada, Republican, Texas, Virginia Gov, PAC, Florida, Gov, ___, Associated Press Locations: DES MOINES, Iowa, United States, New York, Columbia , South Carolina, Des Moines , Iowa

The super PAC supporting Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida in his presidential campaign, which has seen a series of changes in the last month, went through another shake-up this week when it fired its new chief executive officer who had stepped in just nine days earlier, according to two people briefed on the matter. Ms. Davison was not alone in being fired, according to the people briefed on the matter. A spokeswoman for the group, Erin Perrine, was dismissed, they said, with more departures possible. The changes come as the primary enters the intense final weeks before the first nominating contest, and as Mr. DeSantis was in the Iowa celebrating the final stop in his tour of the state’s 99 counties — an achievement made possible by the organizational muscle and money of his allied super PAC, which is suffering its third round of upheaval in recent weeks.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Kristin Davison, Scott Wagner, Mr, DeSantis, Adam Laxalt, Davison, Erin Perrine Organizations: Gov, PAC Locations: Florida, Iowa

☆ 3 things I wish I'd known before I tested out van life on an epic 13-day road trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Monica Humphries | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Finding parking spots was easier than I imagined and daily tasks took more time than expected. AdvertisementLike any trip or adventure, I went into my recent 13-day van trip across the American West with expectations, fears, and assumptions. Monica Humphries/InsiderAs I hit the road for my 13-day van trip, I couldn't shake my stress. AdvertisementI feared finding last-minute parking spots would be a nightmare. And out West, I relied on Bureau of Land Management land, which is land free for public use.

Persons: —, Monica Humphries, didn't, FreeCampsite.net, van, Joshua, pullouts Organizations: Service, Land Management, Walmart, of Land Management Locations: Joshua Tree , California, La, Arizona

Listen to and follow ‘Matter of Opinion’Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicStrongmen are making a comeback. The hyperlibertarian Javier Milei in Argentina and the anti-immigration Geert Wilders in the Netherlands are among a growing group of recently elected leaders who promise to break a few rules, shake up democratic institutions and spread a populist message. Or is there something else behind the appeal of these misbehaving men with wild hair? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts debate where the urge to turn to strongmen is coming from and whether it’s such a bad thing after all. Plus, young listeners share their formative political moments, even in the middle of class.

Persons: Javier Milei, Geert Wilders Organizations: Spotify Locations: Argentina, Netherlands

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The momentary bliss-fueled blackouts that used to consume T.J. Watt after every big play still come. So maybe it's best to let others — like older brother J.J. Watt — serve as his hype men. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin called Watt “the best defensive player on the planet” on Tuesday. Pittsburgh safety Minkah Fitzpatrick — himself a three-time All-Pro — laughed when asked if he took Tomlin's praise of Watt personally. “I just want to continue to be the best player I can be for myself and for this team.”___

Persons: Watt, It's, Bud Dupree, ” Watt, “, “ I’ve, I’m, ”, Matt Canada's, Alex Highsmith, Will Levis, J.J, Watt —, Mike Tomlin, Minkah Fitzpatrick —, —, Fitzpatrick, Tomlin, ” Fitzpatrick, James Conner, Conner, “ TJ, line’s, Cole Holcomb, It’s, Teryl Austin, Derek, He's, Nick Herbig, pang, I've, “ You've, Broderick Jones, you’re, Reggie White, hasn't Organizations: PITTSBURGH, Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL, Steelers, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Baltimore, Tennessee, Titans, Steeler, of Fame Locations: Pittsburgh, Arizona, Wisconsin

☆ One Costco employee at each new store can win $500 in cash if they correctly guess first-day sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In a company tradition, employees at opening warehouses guess their location's first day sales. AdvertisementNovember was a busy month for Costco, with 10 new locations opening up during the month, and seven of those within a ten-day span. A year later I am on the marketing training team and part of my job is traveling to new warehouse openings. This is my first official new warehouse opening and I am so excited to be part of this opening in Newark, California. I love new warehouse openings because there are items that we do not carry all the time, and some warehouse traditions as well.

Persons: —, you've, Maggie Perkins, Perkins, Maggie Perkins 🍉, dentities, ure, ince, ostco, ike, alf o Organizations: Service, Costco Locations: Newark , California, rize

☆ Exclusive: Activist investor Blackwells plans Wendy's board challenge -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Blackwells, run by Jason Aintabi, plans to nominate several directors to Wendy's 12-member board, said the sources, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential deliberations. It made no mention of any plans to challenge the Wendy's board. Wendy's reported adjusted third-quarter earnings per share of 27 cents last month, beating analysts' average estimate of 25 cents. Yet it posted same-restaurant sales growth of 2.8% globally and 2.2% for the United States that were lower than a year ago. In third quarter of 2022, Wendy's had reported global same-restaurant sales growth of 6.9% and U.S. same-restaurant sales growth of 6.4%.

Persons: Burger, Mario Anzuoni, Wendy's, Jason Aintabi, Nelson Peltz, Peter May, Matthew Peltz, Blackwells, Trian, Bob Iger, Peltz, Matthew H, McDonald's, Aintabi, John Foley, Foley, Svea Herbst, Bayliss, Chizu Nomiyama, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Trian Fund Management, Walt Disney Co, Disney, Restaurant, International Inc, Burger, Interactive, Svea, Thomson Locations: Monrovia , California, North America, Wendy's, Dublin , Ohio, New York, United States, Rhode Island

☆ The Tesla Cybertruck Is Almost Here. What Will It Cost?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Rebecca Elliott | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The launch of Tesla’s Cybertruck is one of the most anticipated electric-vehicle releases in history. Barclays analyst Dan Levy and AlixPartners’ Mark Wakefield weigh in on how Tesla’s first pickup could shake up the market. Photo: Frederic Brown/Getty ImagesAfter a two-year delay, Tesla is finally ready to start delivering its first Cybertruck pickups to customers. The big questions now for those who have endured the wait: How much will it cost and how far can it travel on a single battery charge?

Persons: Dan Levy, AlixPartners ’ Mark Wakefield, Frederic Brown, Tesla Organizations: Barclays

☆ Sweden expects Turkey to approve its NATO membership 'within weeks'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS — Sweden expects Turkey to approve its NATO membership "within weeks," the country's foreign affairs minister told CNBC after a months-long impasse over Stockholm's future within the alliance. Sweden sent a formal application to join NATO back in May 2022, alongside Finland. The latter became an official member in April 2023, but Sweden has been kept waiting by member nations Hungary and Turkey. During a NATO summit in July, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to let Sweden into the alliance. "I had a bilateral with my colleague the foreign minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan, where he told me he expects the ratification to take place within weeks," Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström said Wednesday in Brussels.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Hungary's, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Hakan Fidan, Tobias Billström, Billström Organizations: Swedish, NATO, BRUSSELS —, CNBC, Kurdistan Workers Party, Foreign Locations: Vilnius, BRUSSELS, BRUSSELS — Sweden, Turkey, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Turkish, Brussels

☆ Dow gains 520 points as US stocks notch their best month this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The Dow reached a new high for the year Thursday as easing inflation data and strong third quarter earnings from Salesforce shot the benchmark index 520 points, or 1.5% higher. The S&P 500 rose more than 8% this month and the Nasdaq was up about 10%, marking their best month since July 2022. The Dow, meanwhile, managed to shake off a three-month losing streak, also rising by about 8.8% and notching its best month since October 2022. October’s Personal Consumption Expenditures Index, the Fed’s favored inflation gauge, fell to its lowest level since the spring of 2021. Analysts expect that the stock market’s strong performance will continue through December in a so-called Santa Claus rally.

Persons: Dow, John Williams, it’s, Santa Claus, “, ”, Cory Mitchell Organizations: New, New York CNN, Nasdaq, Nvidia, Meta, of Labor, Federal Reserve, New York Fed, Saudi Press Agency, Analysts Locations: New York, United States, Saudi Arabia, Santa

☆ Just 1 minute of squats can boost concentration and improve decision-making
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Breaking up your day with a minute of squat exercise may keep your brain healthy, per a new study. Short bursts of exercise can improve your health and help extend your life, research has found. AdvertisementIf you're stuck in a midday slump, hitting a quick round of squats may help shake off the brain fog, new research suggests. But a growing body of research indicates that short exercise breaks can help offset the harm, both for your mind and your body. The researchers found that when participants took the exercise breaks, they had better executive function as well as faster reaction times.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Physiology Locations: Japan , North Carolina

☆ Nvidia CEO says he wakes up every morning worried his company might fail
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he wakes up worried his company might fail. Huang said the feeling he got from Nvidia nearly going out of business years ago has stuck with him. The fear of his chip empire tanking, Huang admitted, is a feeling he grapples with every morning when he wakes up. "I think during adversity you're more focused," Huang said. "I like going home and telling my wife I saved the company today," Huang said during the DealBook summit.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Huang, —, Andrew Sorkin, Sorkin Organizations: Nvidia, Service, New York Times DealBook, Yorker Locations: Nvidia's, Taiwan

☆ Israeli ex-hostage says she confronted Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in Gaza tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, an Israeli grandmother who was held hostage in Gaza looks on after being released by Hamas militants, at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel October 24, 2023. Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, was taken from her Kibbutz Nir Oz home in Israel to Gaza. She told the Israeli newspaper Davar she confronted Sinwar when he visited the hostages in an underground tunnel where Hamas was holding them captive. "Sinwar was with us three to four days after we arrived," Lifshitz told the Hebrew-language Davar newspaper. Speaking with reporters following her release from Hamas captivity last month, Lifshitz said that she "went through hell" during her two weeks as a hostage in the Gaza Strip.

Persons: Yocheved Lifshitz, Janis Laizans, Yahya Sinwar, Nir Oz, Sinwar, Lifshitz, Oded, Howard Goller, William Maclean Organizations: Hamas, Ichilov, REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel

☆ McDonald’s is bringing back iconic McNugget Buddies as limited-edition collectibles
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

McDonald's will roll out the Kerwin Frost Box, a collab with New York-based artist Kerwin Frost, on December 11. But the star of the limited-time collab are the McNugget Buddies, an assortment of anthropomorphic McNuggets that haven't been a part of McDonald's mascot rotation in decades. The McNugget Buddies were first introduced in a 1988 Happy Meal, according to McDonald's. They made appearances in McDonald's Canada comics in the early 1993, were available as Sports Buddies in the UK, Japan and Singapore in 1992 and were last seen in 1996 for McNugget Buddies Halloween. The six new McNugget Buddies are based on Frost's experiences growing up in New York City, including one that is designed to look like him.

Persons: McDonald's, Kerwin Frost, haven't, Frost, Grimace, Birdie, Warren Buffett Organizations: Sports Buddies, McNugget, Plant, eBay Locations: McDonald's, New York, Canada, Japan, Singapore, New York City

☆ Rakuten's mobile misadventure: from ambitious plan to millstone
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Anton Bridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

By any measure, cash-bleeding Rakuten Mobile is deeply troubled. Rakuten is set for another tough year in 2024 with investors keen to see if it can achieve its goal of having the mobile unit break even. Those steps have raised some 800 billion yen ($5.4 billion). Then in October, SoftBank Corp (9434.T), Japan's No.3 mobile network provider, began offering a generous reward campaign for most mobile users using SoftBank Group's (9984.T) PayPay online payment system. Without profits, the mobile unit is not likely to entice would-be suitors and competition laws would probably prevent the likes of SoftBank and Docomo from bidding.

Persons: Japan's Rakuten, Hiroshi, Mickey, Rakuten, Mitsunobu Tsuruo, Rakuten's, NTT Docomo, Mikitani, Amir Anvarzadeh, Anton Bridge, David Dolan, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Citi, Amazon Japan, Rakuten Securities, Rakuten Bank, SBI Securities, GUNNING, Rakuten Mobile, Reuters, NTT, SoftBank Corp, Asymmetric Advisors, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, ARPU

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