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☆ U.S. detainee Whelan phones family after week of silence in Russia -statement
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - American detainee Paul Whelan phoned his parents from Russia early on Friday, his brother said, the first contact since last week that occurred after the White House expressed deep concern. Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine detained in Russia since 2018 and convicted on espionage charges in 2020, had been transferred to the hospital prison, his brother, David Whelan, said in a statement. On Wednesdsay, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the United States was "deeply concerned" about why they had not been able to get information on Whelan's whereabouts or condition from Moscow. Kirby addressed the issue after Whelan's family said this week that they had not heard from Paul since Nov. 23, but had seen reports he had been moved to the prison hospital. Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biden nominee to be ambassador to Russia pledges to prioritize prisoner release
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's nominee to be ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, pledged on Wednesday to make the release of detained Americans a priority if she is confirmed to one of most important, and challenging, U.S. diplomatic posts. Tracy, a career diplomat and current ambassador to Armenia, promised to visit detained Americans, including basketball star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan. It was not immediately clear when Tracy would assume the post, if she is confirmed as Russia must agree to accept her. A Russian speaker, she would be the first woman to serve as U.S. ambassador to Russia. "She's tested, she's eminently qualified," said Senator Rob Portman, who represents Tracy's home state of Ohio and introduced her at the hearing.

☆ U.S. deeply concerned about Whelan, American jailed in Russia -White House
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Doina Chiacu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The United States is "deeply concerned" about detained American Paul Whelan in Russia, and has not been able to get information from Moscow on his whereabouts or condition, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday. U.S. diplomats in Moscow were working to get details on what was going on with Whelan, Kirby said. "But yes, we are deeply concerned about the lack of information and the lack of contact from Paul," he added. It's highly unusual," David Whelan said. When transferred to the prison's hospital in the past, his brother had always mentioned the move in his phone calls, David Whelan said.

☆ Family concerned about whereabouts of Whelan, American jailed in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The brother of Paul Whelan, an American jailed in Russia, said on Tuesday his family is concerned about his whereabouts after not hearing from him for days and unclear messages from the prison staff that he was moved to the prison hospital. David Whelan, the brother of Paul, said that the family does not definitely know where Paul is. David Whelan added that when transferred to the prison's hospital in the past, Paul had always mentioned the move in his phone calls. David Whelan said in an emailed statement, adding that Paul appeared healthy and well to the diplomats. David Whelan said that the family has not been in contact with the White House, just with the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the State Department.

☆ Disney CEO Robert Iger at Town Hall Vows to Focus on Creativity
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Joe Flint | Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Walt Disney Co.’s Chief Executive Robert Iger told employees in a companywide town hall meeting that he will give priority to creativity and that he will chase profitability over growing subscriber numbers at Disney’s streaming services. The town hall is Mr. Iger’s first since he was reinstated to the top job about one week ago after the board of directors ousted Bob Chapek . Mr. Iger, who was Disney’s CEO from 2005 to 2020, was met with applause when he was introduced at the Monday town hall and he responded by saying he thought he might cry.

☆ Disney’s Theme Parks Are Sore Spot for Investors, Too
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Walt Disney’s theme-parks division, which includes Magic Kingdom in Florida, has posted record quarterly profits this year. Bob Chapek took heat over losses at Walt Disney Co.’s streaming business. But cracks were also showing at Disney’s crown jewel theme-parks division when Mr. Chapek lost his job as chief executive last week. Investors were spooked by shrinking margins at the parks division amid a softening economy, raising concerns about how long the parks can continue to produce the profits needed to help subsidize losses in streaming, now more than $8 billion since Disney’s flagship Disney+ service launched in late 2019.

☆ Disney CEO Robert Iger at Town Hall Vows to Focus on Creativity, Streaming Profitability
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Joe Flint | Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Walt Disney Co.’s Chief Executive Robert Iger told employees in a companywide town hall meeting that he will empower Disney’s creative teams and emphasize profitability over growing subscriber numbers at the company’s streaming serviceThe town hall is Mr. Iger’s first since he was reinstated to the top job about one week ago after the board of directors ousted Bob Chapek . Mr. Iger, who was Disney’s CEO from 2005 to 2020, was met with applause when he was introduced at the Monday town hall and he responded by saying he thought he might cry.

☆ U.S. and Russia continue discussing release of Griner and Whelan - RIA quotes U.S. diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, stands inside a defendants' cage during the reading of the court's verdict in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool/File Photo

Disney’s Robert Iger Loomed Over Bob Chapek After Ceding CEO Role, Creating Tensions Soon after he took the top job in 2020, Chapek was at odds with Iger and complained to deputies he had been undermined from the startLast year, Disney’s then-CEO Bob Chapek, in blue shirt, and then-Executive Chairman Robert Iger appeared at a Walt Disney World Resort event Florida. The two men had clashed over layoffs at the theme parks early in the pandemic. Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

☆ Disney’s ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Cleared for December Release in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A decision regarding ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ was awaited by Disney and movie-theater chains. Chinese authorities have notified Walt Disney Co. that “Avatar: The Way Of Water” will be released in China on Dec. 16, the same day it is slated to be released globally, according to people familiar with the matter. Executives at Disney and at movie-theater chains had been closely watching for a decision from Chinese censors on the movie, director James Cameron ‘s sequel to the 2009 science- fiction epic. It will be distributed by Disney-owned 20th Century Studios.

Behind the surprise change in leadership at Walt Disney Co. on Sunday was festering discontent among investors and top executives including Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy , who in recent weeks had expressed to directors her lack of confidence in Chief Executive Bob Chapek , according to people familiar with the matter. Disney executives and investors had been complaining for months to the prior CEO, Robert Iger , about the direction of the company under Mr. Chapek, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. Iger advised some of these executives to take their concerns to the company’s board, some people familiar with the matter said.

Bob Chapek’s position at the top of Disney had been shaky for months, according to people familiar with the matter. Behind the surprise change in leadership at Walt Disney Co. on Sunday was festering discontent among investors and top executives including chief financial officer Christine McCarthy , who in recent weeks had expressed to directors her lack of confidence in chief executive Bob Chapek , according to people familiar with the matter. Disney executives and investors had been complaining for months to the prior CEO, Robert Iger , about the direction of the company under Mr. Chapek, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. Iger advised some of these executives to take their concerns to the company’s board, some people familiar with the matter said.

Walt Disney Co.’s board of directors on Sunday night replaced Chief Executive Bob Chapek with Robert Iger , the company’s former chairman and CEO who left the company at the end of last year, according to a company announcement. “The board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the company through this pivotal period,” said Susan Arnold , chairman of Disney’s board, in a statement.

☆ Walt Disney Names Robert Iger CEO, Replacing Bob Chapek
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In an email to employees Sunday night, Robert Iger said he was returning to the company. Walt Disney Co.’s board of directors on Sunday night replaced Chief Executive Bob Chapek with Robert Iger , the company’s former chairman and CEO who left the company at the end of last year, according to a company announcement. “The board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the company through this pivotal period,” said Susan Arnold , chairman of Disney’s board, in a statement.

☆ Is Patagonia the end game for profits in a world of climate change?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Trevor Laurence Jockims | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

As far back as 1985, Patagonia deployed portions of its profits to the environment, via an "Earth tax." "The Patagonia model is a little more sophisticated." It often is very attractive from a corporate tax perspective, too, which has been noted of both the Ikea and Patagonia business models. One hundred percent of Patagonia profits are now committed to its new non-profit Holdfast Collective — which owns all of the company's non-voting stock (98% of the total stock). "What people fail to understand about Patagonia, both the past and the future, is that we are unapologetically a for-profit business, and we are extremely competitive," Ryan Gellert said.

☆ Disney Parks’ Ride Stoppages and Wait Times Grow as Ticket Prices Rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Robbie Whelan | Jacob Passy | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance has grown into a major draw for visitors to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.Amie Gasabyan was riding the Indiana Jones Adventure thrill ride at Disneyland with her 9-year-old daughter Ella on a recent weekday when it lurched to a halt in a pitch-black tunnel. Ms. Gasabyan told her daughter to stay calm and that this happens all the time. The ride started up again after about seven minutes.

LONDON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Russia hopes it can make a prisoner swap with the United States that would include convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, known as the "Merchant of Death", a deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying on Friday. Amid the deadliest war in Europe since World War Two, Russia and the United States are exploring a prisoner swap that would see imprisoned Americans including basketball star Brittney Griner return to the United States in exchange for Bout. "The Americans are showing some external activity, we are working professionally through a special channel designed for this," Ryabkov said. "Viktor Bout is among those who are being discussed, and we certainly count on a positive result." The possible swap includes Griner, facing nine years behind bars in Russia after being convicted on drug charges, and Paul Whelan who is serving a 16-year sentence in Russia after being convicted of espionage charges that he denies.

☆ Who is Viktor Bout, the arms dealer who could be swapped for Griner?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Russia wants the jailed arms dealer back in Moscow and is discussing a prisoner swap with the United States that could see him exchanged for Americans imprisoned in Russia including basketball star Brittney Griner. Reed was ultimately freed in return for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot jailed in the United States on drug trafficking charges. For some experts, the Russian state's continued interest in Bout, plus his skills and connections in the international arms trade, hint strongly at Russian intelligence ties. In interviews, Bout has said he attended Moscow's Military Institute of Foreign Languages, which serves as a training ground for military intelligence officers. “His case has become totemic for the Russian intelligence services, who are keen to show that they don’t abandon their own people,” Galeotti added.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Brittney Griner taken to penal colony in Russia's Mordovia region - source
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Filipp Lebedev | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool/File PhotoNov 17 (Reuters) - U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been taken to a penal colony in the Russian region of Mordovia, a source familiar with the case told Reuters on Thursday. In August, Griner was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony on drugs charges following her arrest at a Moscow airport in February with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She was moved from a detention centre near Moscow on Nov. 4 to be taken to an undisclosed prison location. Russian authorities have given no information on her whereabouts for nearly two weeks, but the source said she had been taken to Female Penal Colony IK-2 in Yavas, about 500 km (300 miles) southeast of Moscow. Inmates of Russian penal colonies are required to work long hours for meagre pay on tedious manual tasks such as sewing.

☆ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Earns $180 Million in Domestic Opening Weekend
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/black-panther-sequel-earns-180-million-in-domestic-open-bolstering-disney-11668377247

☆ Disney Details Plans for Cost Cuts, Layoffs and Hiring Freeze in Memo
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Disney earlier this week reported lackluster quarterly earnings and a $1.5 billion loss at its streaming business. Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Chapek announced Friday companywide cost-cutting measures and told division leaders that layoffs are likely, according to an internal memo viewed by The Wall Street Journal. The austerity measures, which include a ban on all but essential work travel and a freeze on new hires for all but a few critical positions, come days after Disney reported lackluster quarterly earnings and a $1.5 billion quarterly loss at its streaming business, significantly wider than Wall Street analysts had predicted.

American basketball player Brittney Griner, jailed in Russia in what the United States calls a wrongful detention, is being moved to a penal colony, her attorneys said Wednesday. “Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement Wednesday. Griner pleaded guilty in July, but said that she'd packed hurriedly for a flight and brought the canisters to Russia unintentionally. Griner treated injuries with medical cannabis, her attorneys argued at the trial. She had been in Russia to play with a Russian Premier League women’s team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, which she has done since 2014.

☆ Twitter battles wave of impersonators after launching new paid verification system
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN Business —Twitter appears to be battling a wave of celebrity and corporate impersonators on its platform who have quickly gamed the company’s new paid verification system, hours after its launch. CNN has confirmed multiple verified Twitter accounts have been suspended by the platform after other users posted screenshots showing misleading content from the accounts. The fake verified accounts had posed as former President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Nintendo of America, the basketball player LeBron James, the software company Valve and others. Before being suspended, the impostor Nintendo account tweeted an image of the video game character Mario giving the viewer the middle finger. In an interview with CNN, Whelan said he managed to impersonate Trump by repurposing an old, spare account.

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was transferred last week from a detention center outside the Russian capital and is on her way to a penal colony, her legal team said on Wednesday. She was sentenced on Aug. 4 to nine years in a penal colony on charges of possessing and smuggling drugs. Griner had pleaded guilty but said she had made an "honest mistake" and had not meant to break the law. The souring of ties between Russia and the West has complicated the talks to secure Griner's release. Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in an earlier statement, described Griner's conditions as "intolerable" and the trial she had to go through as "another sham judicial proceeding."

☆ Disney’s Earnings Report to Give Insight on Disney+’s Push to Profitability
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Disney’s theme parks division has raised prices but also introduced new technology to reduce crowd sizes and coax guests to return. When Walt Disney Co. reports its fourth-quarter earnings Tuesday afternoon, investors will be looking to see if the streaming business is making progress toward profitability and how well the entertainment giant’s theme parks did this summer. Disney beat expectations when it announced third-quarter results in August, reporting a 26% surge in revenue. That quarter included record results from the theme parks division, which has raised prices but also introduced new technology to reduce crowd sizes and coax guests to return following the worst of the coronavirus pandemic.

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