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☆ Pedro Pascal says he got an eye infection from fans recreating his ‘Game of Thrones’ death scene
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —When it comes to weird fan interactions, Pedro Pascal wins. During roundtable with The Hollywood Reporter, Pascal had a chat with Jeff Bridges, Kieran Culkin, Damson Idris, Michael Imperioli, and Evan Peters. Talk turned to some interesting encounters with viewers of their shows. “And then I remember getting a bit of an eye infection.”Yikes! During the fourth season of the hit HBO series, Pascal’s character is killed by Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane (played by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson), who gouges his eyes out before cracking his skull.

In the month since the settlement, Fox has refused to comment in detail on the case or the many subsequent setbacks. That has left a string of unanswered questions: Why did the company not settle earlier and avoid the release of private emails and texts from executives and hosts? How did Fox’s pretrial assessment so spectacularly miss the mark? Repeatedly, Fox executives overlooked warning signs about the damage they and their network would sustain, The Times found. When pretrial rulings went against the company, Fox did not pursue a settlement in any real way.

☆ Netflix users slam streamer for password-sharing ban: 'I've literally never cancelled a membership so fast'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Users have taken to social media to call for account cancellations amid the $8 charge to add extra members. On Tuesday, Netflix announced that it would no longer allow American users to share an account between households. The policy shift is a far cry from 2017, when Netflix posted a tweet in support of subscribers sharing their passwords with others, writing "Love is sharing a password." Impacted users are sharing the message that appears onscreen when an account is accessed from outside of the membership holder's home. "Like no, you're not charging me to tell me who I'm allowed to share my password with fuck Netflix."

☆ Nigerian Food and Fashion Came Together at This Dinner Party in Brooklyn
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Camille Okhio | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2010, Busayo Olupona was working as a corporate finance lawyer in New York City when she began making dresses from traditional African textiles, both as a creative outlet and as a way to connect with her heritage. In 2013, she decided to turn her hobby into a business, launching Busayo, a collection of full-skirted dresses, voluminous pants and puff-sleeved tops, all produced in the country where she spent her childhood. Over the past decade, her designs have been spotted on celebrities like Lupita Nyong’o and Gwyneth Paltrow, and picked up by luxury retailers including Neiman Marcus and Moda Operandi. When she’s home in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Olupona jumps at any opportunity to host a gathering. “Nigerians love a good party,” she says, recalling childhood memories of her parents and their friends dancing to the jùjú music by Shina Peters and King Sunny Ade, dressed up in Nigerian lace and head wraps.

☆ Gap shares soar after retailer reports big improvement in margins
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Gap logo is displayed at a Gap store on April 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. On an adjusted basis, the company reported earnings of $3 million, or 1 cent per share. Shares jumped more than 15% in after-hours trading on the improvement in gross margins. In its most recent quarter, comparable sales were down 3% and store sales decreased 4% compared to last year. Gross margins increased by 5.6 percentage points year over year to 37.1%, and improved on the prior quarter, too, when margins were 33.6%.

☆ It’s Netflix’s world, rivals just stream in it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-24 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Cheaper streaming options with unique programming were luring viewers, leaving Netflix in a tough spot as it raised prices. Paramount+, started in 2021, is joining forces with sister Showtime to widen its offerings. Disney, Paramount and WBD also operate cable and broadcast networks, and don’t specify what portion of the expense is allocated to streaming. Its subscribers, worth $136 a year in revenue apiece, are also more valuable than those of its rivals. Warner Bros Discovery on May 23 rebranded its streaming service as Max, which will include HBO programming along with Discovery’s reality TV shows.

☆ ‘High Desert’ Review: Patricia Arquette, Chaotic Californian
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( John Anderson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Matt Dillon and Patricia Arquette Photo: Apple TV+‘High Desert” establishes itself right away as a feel-good series, because you feel so good that you aren’t Peggy Newman. When we meet her, federal drug agents are raiding her Thanksgiving, traumatizing the family party as her husband ( Matt Dillon ) tries to jam the evidence down the drains à la Lorraine Bracco in “Goodfellas.” A long 10 years later, Peggy is still kicking around Southern California, still trying to kick drugs, and working as an actress/re-enactor in an Old West theme park called Pioneer Town. Her mother, Rosalyn (Bernadette Peters), is dead. And she gets her way mostly because people want her to go away.

☆ The Fight to Protect the Joshua Tree
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Talal Ansari | Photographs John Francis Peters For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In Southern California, the fight between housing and the environment has burrowed down to a plant. Conservationists have for years tried to protect the Western Joshua tree, a twisty plant strewn across the desert landscape, with an unusual request. They sought a threatened-species designation from California that is typically used for rarer plants, saying climate change is an existential threat.

☆ Carlson, Still Under Contract at Fox, Says He Will Start New Show on Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Jeremy W. Peters | Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, declaring, “We’re back,” said on Tuesday that he was starting a new show on Twitter, a sign that negotiations to reach an amicable separation with the network, where he is still under contract, had broken down. Mr. Carlson offered no details of when his new program would begin or what kind of content it would have — questions that highlight the uncertainties surrounding his departure from Fox News, which ultimately could block any attempt by the host to return to a prominent role in conservative media. A representative for the Fox Corporation, which has been engaged in negotiations over the details of Mr. Carlson’s exit from the network since he was taken off the air last week, had no comment. Mr. Carlson’s remarks, posted on Twitter, consisted of a three-minute monologue delivered directly to the camera. The post itself could violate the terms of his contract with Fox, which prevent Mr. Carlson from hosting a show on an alternate network.

☆ London stocks fall on caution ahead of U.S. inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Shashwat Chauhan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blue-chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 0.3% after a holiday on Monday for the official coronation of King Charles over the weekend, while the FTSE 250 midcap index (.FTMC) was down 0.7%. "Travel stocks have had a really nice run for the last few days," said Christopher Peters, trading floor manager at Accendo Markets. "From mid-April, we've seen a decline in oil prices. That has an effect on costs for the airlines and travel stocks." Energy stocks (.FTNMX601010) dipped 1.2%, as oil prices relinquished some of the strong gains of the previous two sessions ahead of U.S. inflation data due on Wednesday.

☆ Tucker Carlson Wants to Return to TV Before 2025. Will Fox Let Him?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Jeremy W. Peters | Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Or Mr. Carlson and Fox News could work out a separation agreement that allowed the former Fox host to get back on the air before his contract expires. And Fox would be spared the threat of what a disgruntled Mr. Carlson might do to drive a wedge between his loyal followers and Fox News. Mr. Freedman has handled departure deals for numerous TV stars and is well known for his aggressive negotiation tactics. An agreement that allows Mr. Carlson to appear on a rival news network like Newsmax would be a considerable concession from Fox. In any agreement, Fox would most likely insist on prohibiting Mr. Carlson from joining a cable news competitor, said a person familiar with how negotiations with big Fox stars have unfolded in the past.

☆ Richardson storms to 100m win in Diamond League, Kerley wins 200m
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Like I said it before, I had to be kicked out from another 100 metres race, so I had to do my best no matter what. I am really happy with my race, third place is a good start and the time is decent," she said. "I feel really good, today was challenging for all athletes but I'm still satisfied with my result," Chopra said. The Czech Republic's Jakub Vadlejch, who won silver in Tokyo, finished second again -- four centimetres shy of Chopra's mark. "It was an exciting race but a little bit windy, so I decided to not push too much and just focus on winning the race," Kipyegon said.

A representative for Mr. Carlson said he had no comment. The contents of the text were disclosed in interviews with several people close to the defamation lawsuit against Fox. Image A page from the redacted document obtained by The Times that contains the text message from Tucker Carlson that led to his demise at Fox. In that text, Mr. Carlson described his own emotions as he watched the video of the violent clash, which he said took place on the streets of Washington. Mr. Carlson did not describe the race of the man being attacked.

☆ Trump Agrees to Return to CNN, Ending a Long Boycott
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Jeremy W. Peters | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Fox was the first network to do so. The move is also a way of drawing a sharp contrast with one of his expected opponents in the race, Gov. Lately, Mr. Trump has fumed about the release of private emails that show how Rupert Murdoch, chairman of Fox Corporation, expressed derision and contempt for him and his false claims of being cheated in the 2020 election. Mr. Trump lashed out at Mr. Murdoch and Fox for “aiding & abetting the DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA” on his social media platform, Truth Social. Mr. Trump also plans to skip at least one of the first two debates with his rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination, according to several people familiar with his plans.

☆ Times Asks Judge in Fox-Dominion Case to Rule on Redactions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Jeremy W. Peters | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The New York Times and a consortium of media organizations are asking a judge to rule whether Fox News improperly redacted portions of texts and email exchanges that were introduced as evidence in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against the network. Dominion and Fox settled the case last month for $787.5 million, in what is believed to be the largest out-of-court payout in a defamation case. But left unaddressed was a legal challenge filed by The Times in January that sought to unseal some of what Fox and Dominion had marked as confidential in their legal filings. On Monday, a lawyer representing The Times wrote to Judge Eric M. Davis of Delaware Superior Court saying that the issue was not moot simply because the case had been settled. There is strong legal precedent, the letter said, affirming the public’s right to understand what unfolded in cases that are resolved before they go to trial.

☆ Hakeem Jeffries is enjoying an early honeymoon leading House Democrats. But one day, he'll have to make 'hard commitments.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

House Democrats say Hakeem Jeffries is a better listener and is more consensus-oriented than Pelosi. There's one big reason for it: House Democrats can't pass any of their own bills right now. Pelosi and Jeffries on the House floor after she announced she would step down from party leadership on November 17, 2022. 'He gets it'Jeffries, 52, has enjoyed a rapid ascent to the top of the Democratic caucus. "There were always very different views within the Democratic caucus on people who voted their district," said Slotkin.

☆ Need More Light in the Kitchen? Here’s a Stylish, Adjustable Fix
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Nina Molina | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

DOUBLE DIP Landed Interiors & Homes, which is based in New York City, draped a couple of matte-black adjustable pendants above a kitchen island in Piedmont, Calif. Photo: Haris KenjarHAVE YOU ever yearned to yank the ceiling light in your kitchen closer to the radishes you’re julienning? Adjustable pendants can get you out of your own way. London designer Susie Atkinson thrifted a 1960s double adjustable pendant for a local Queen-Anne style kitchen. This discreet concealing trick is still available on some models, but Los Angeles interior designer Martha Mulholland, for one, admires the visible, “industrial meets decorative” look of those with visible ballast. “It’s a design born out of a practical function,” said Ms. Mulholland.

The day before Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation trial against Fox News was set to begin in a Delaware courthouse, the Fox board of directors and top executives made a startling discovery that helped lead to the breaking point between the network and Tucker Carlson, one of its top stars. Private messages sent by Mr. Carlson that had been redacted in legal filings showed him making highly offensive and crude remarks that went beyond the inflammatory, often racist comments of his prime-time show and anything disclosed in the lead-up to the trial. Despite the fact that Fox’s trial lawyers had these messages for months, the board and some senior executives were now learning about their details for the first time, setting off a crisis at the highest level of the company, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. The discovery added pressure on the Fox leadership as it sought to find a way to avoid a trial where Mr. Carlson — not to mention so many others at the network — would be questioned about the contents of the private messages they exchanged in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.

The blue-chip index (.FTSE) fell 0.3%, down for the third straight session, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 (.FTMC) shed 0.4% as of 0829 GMT. The FTSE 100 had a good run earlier this month, buoyed by strength in commodity stocks and defensives like pharmaceuticals. However, markets have taken to a wait-and-see mode as earnings kicked in, to assess the impact of monetary tightening on results. Oil and gas stocks (.FTNMX601010) rose 0.6% as crude prices gained on reports of falling U.S. crude oil and fuel inventories. Drax Group's shares (DRX.L) rose 3.8% after the power generator announced a 150 million pound ($187 mln) share buyback programme.

☆ Carol Burnett's birthday special' is an elegant (and hilarious) event
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Hulton Archive/Getty Images Burnett peeks at a portrait of herself that was being painted by artist Dmitri Vails in 1963. CBS/Getty Images Burnett interacts with the audience of her new variety show, "The Carol Burnett Show," in 1967. CBS/Getty Images Burnett, left, and Cher perform a skit on "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour" in 1972. CBS/Getty Images Burnett poses with her memoir "One More Time" at a book signing in Beverly Hills, California, in 1986. Will Hart/NBC/Getty Images Carol Burnett Square was unveiled in Los Angeles in front of her alma mater, Hollywood High School, in 2013.

☆ Netflix is already losing masses of customers over its password-sharing ban. Here's how it's clamping down around the world.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In Spain, users have gone on a canceling spree. Netflix is pushing ahead with its password-sharing clampdown — and research shows that scores of customers have gone on a canceling spree. In Spain, where password-sharing rules were enforced in early February, Netflix subscribers have been on a canceling spree, per Bloomberg. Citing research from Kantar, Bloomberg reported that Netflix lost more than one million users in Spain during the first three months of 2023. Netflix has tested other rules aimed at stamping out password-sharing, including temporary-access codes for traveling, Insider previously reported.

☆ Gap will cut more than 500 workers in latest layoffs, as struggling retailer tries to reduce costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A clearance sale sign is seen at the Gap retail store on September 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Gap is laying off more than 500 employees in an attempt to cut costs and become more efficient, as the company tries to move back to profitability, CNBC has learned. The cuts come after Martin told investors during a March earnings call that the apparel retailer's staff has been "dampened by a complicated organizational structure, bureaucracy, and outdated processes." It managed to turn an annual net profit in 2021, but reported net losses in both 2020 and 2022. As of Jan. 28, Gap employed about 95,000 staff members, 81% of which work in retail locations.

☆ A Chastened, Humbled Fox News? Don’t Count on It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Jeremy W. Peters | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mr. Murdoch said then that he wanted to make Mr. Trump a “non person.” And as recently as January, when he was deposed as part of Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against Fox, his feelings hadn’t changed. “I’d still like to,” Mr. Murdoch said. But Fox’s audience — the engine of its profits and the largest in all of cable — may not let him. And there probably won’t be much of a shift in the way the network favorably covers Mr. Trump and the issues that resonate with his followers. “You can’t tell people, ‘Do anything to get a rating, but don’t cover the most popular figure in the Republican Party.’”

☆ Manchester United: Despite $800 million squad, reality hits home for Erik ten Hag after another 'unacceptable' Red Devils meltdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In truth, Ten Hag will likely be counting himself lucky that his team only lost by three goals on a night United was second best in every department. “We have to face that we let ourselves down and we let the fans down,” Ten Hag told the club’s website. “We didn’t match the standards that you can expect from a team like Manchester United. Everyone can expect higher standards from Manchester United.”It was a night to forget for David de Gea and Harry Maguire. Erik ten Hag now turns his attention to a huge FA Cup semifinal against Brighton.

☆ Elon Musk is paying for a few of his favorite celebrities to stay on Twitter Blue, even after they dissed the new blue checks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk said he's personally paying for several top celebrities' Twitter Blue subscriptions. Billionaire Elon Musk says he's personally paying for several well-known figures to stay on Twitter Blue after they refused to fork up $8 for a monthly subscription. "My Twitter account says I've subscribed to Twitter Blue. James received an email from Twitter offering free verification "on behalf of Elon Musk," the outlet reported. Musk on Wednesday responded to the online discussion of celebrities receiving free verification, saying he is "paying for a few personally" to keep their Twitter Blue subscriptions.

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