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☆ Mexican journalists, cultural commentators demand president end provocations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( David Alire Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Gustavo GrafMEXICO CITY, Dec 21 (Reuters) - A cross-section of Mexican journalists, columnists and cultural commentators demanded in an open letter on Wednesday that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stop harassing critical media, arguing he fans the flames of violence with his rhetoric. The open letter accused Lopez Obrador of being "politically responsible" for the attack on Gomez, adding that "practically all the expressions of hate against journalists, are born, incubated and spread" from the president's office. Lopez Obrador immediately condemned the attack, but then quickly pivoted to attacking elite journalists he dismissed as conservative pundits, including Gomez. According to Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Mexico is the world's deadliest country for journalists with 11 killed so far this year. The open letter, also signed by well-known figures in Mexican film and magazine publishing, warned that even more violent attacks on media are likely if the president refused to exercise more "self-control."

☆ Argentina’s World Cup heroes airlifted in helicopters as street party overflows
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

“It’s crazy, it’s incredible, it’s the best thing that can happen to you in life,” said 25-year-old metalworker Matias Gomez. People held up banners of Messi and late icon Diego Maradona, played instruments or climbed lamp-posts or bus stops. Roads started to clear after the players took to the sky in helicopters, with some people left disappointed not to see the team. The penalty shootout victory made the country world champions for the first time since Maradona hoisted the trophy in 1986 and the third in total. “I celebrate how the people took to the streets to pay homage to our national team,” President Alberto Fernandez said in a post on Twitter.

☆ Divided America will unite under economic duress
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

That will happen when a new term begins in 2023, making it difficult for American legislators to accomplish goals. But one thing needs to happen: Congress must raise the debt ceiling so the U.S. government can continue to chug along. The debt ceiling, currently at $31.4 trillion, needs to go higher for government employees to get paid and welfare checks to be delivered, among other things. If only because they are all vying for a win in the presidential election in 2024, Congress could unite under high inflation and economic duress. Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives in 2023, making a bipartisan solution necessary to lifting the limit.

☆ Apple finds a happy home in India
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Pranav Kiran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Helped by generous subsidies, Taiwanese Apple suppliers are starting to churn out more iPhones in India. Analysts at JPMorgan reckon India will have 6% of iPhone manufacturing capacity in 2022, and the rest will remain in China. Incentives and other subsidies partially compensate for inefficiencies in India, where demand for pricier devices is slowly picking up. HDFC Securities estimates that for an average smartphone, as little as 14% of the value is added in India. Whether or not India gets that far, Apple at least gets a happy new home.

☆ Buyout barons will court the panicking masses
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Jonathan Guilford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Since they’ve already scoured traditional funding sources like pension funds and insurers, they’ll make a priority of tapping wealthy individuals in 2023. Even those slower to embrace the trend, like Carlyle (CG.O), are getting about 10% of inflows from individuals. Pension plans and other stalwarts have seen their stocks and bonds slump in value, potentially leaving them overexposed to buyout funds, private credit, real estate and infrastructure. These investors don’t always have the resources or stomach to lock up their money for half a decade or longer. Third-party platforms like Moonfare are proliferating, pooling retail capital into vehicles that buy stakes in buyout funds.

☆ Netflix will be next on Microsoft’s shopping list
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Look for him to add Netflix (NFLX.O) to the list in 2023. Since his 2014 promotion into the technology titan’s corner office, Nadella has embarked on a pricey shopping spree. Later, Microsoft bought LinkedIn for $26 billion and the speech recognition and artificial intelligence software developer Nuance for $20 billion. Even if Nadella loses out on the video-game company for competition reasons, however, owning Netflix would make strategic sense and probably be an easier sell in Washington and Brussels. With a market value 13 times that of Netflix, as of early December, $1.8 trillion Microsoft can afford Netflix.

☆ Mexican president laments attack on journalist, then bashes media
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Just days after condemning an assassination attempt on a prominent journalist, Mexico's president on Monday criticized the media for allegedly protecting special interest groups, even singling out the targeted news anchor. "Now they play victim," added Lopez Obrador. "(But) they are the elite, from the most select media," he said, claiming well-paid media figures seek to protect interest groups he did not name. Lopez Obrador on Monday denied using his regular news conference to "stigmatize" perceived opponents, including the media. Mexico is the world's deadliest country for media with 11 journalists killed so far this year, according to Reporters Without Borders.

☆ Intrepid bankers will find Boutique Blvd jam-packed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Jeffrey Goldfarb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The situation complicates things for rainmakers considering their next steps in a weaker environment for mergers and acquisitions. Making the well-trod move from Wall Street to Boutique Boulevard will be much harder in 2023. The entrepreneurial spirit often hits investment bankers when times get tough, and their mega-bank employers start cutting staff or restricting access to the balance sheet. It's easy to see how the likes of Blair Effron’s Centerview, Robey Warshaw and Ken Moelis’ eponymous firm established themselves. Absent those kinds of industry-specific or geographic relationships, idle investment bankers may find themselves just spending more time with their families.

☆ Qatar's 2022 World Cup ends with modest ceremony, titans clash
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Andrew Mills | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

After 63 matches, the World Cup in Qatar comes to a close with reigning champions France taking on Argentina in a showpiece final with both teams looking to add a third star to their crest. France's Mbappe and Argentina's Messi, both playing for the Qatari-owned club, are also a reminder of Qatar's influence on global soccer beyond the FIFA World Cup organisation. CONTROVERSYQatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup, which has been marred by controversy, was part of a carefully built strategy by the tiny but rich state to bolster its global influence. "There is the Workers Support and Insurance Fund that will be looking into any matters relating to unfortunate deaths. And that will continue beyond the World Cup," Thawadi said.

☆ Father of Highland Park parade shooting suspect charged with reckless conduct
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dennis-Romero-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Dennis Romero | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The father of the Highland Park, Illinois, parade shooting suspect has been charged in connection with helping his son obtain a firearm and ammunition, officials announced Friday. The shooting suspect was 21 at the time of the attack but 19 when he bought the semiautomatic rifle and ammunition, they said. Crimo Jr. turned himself in to Highland Park police Friday afternoon. Authorities allege the shooting suspect climbed to the top of a Highland Park building, used that elevated spot as a sniper’s nest, and opened fire on people attending the town’s July Fourth parade. Crimo Jr. is a former Highland Park mayoral candidate who has voiced support for Second Amendment protections.

☆ Satellites can fly higher in private
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Dec 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Volatile revenue makes for a volatile share price. That’s one explanation for private equity firms Advent International and British Columbia Investment Management’s purchase of satellite firm Maxar Technologies (MAXR.N) for $6.4 billion, including debt. The chunky 129% premium suggests they think the company can fly higher off public markets. A decline in demand for construction of big projects, and the failure of a satellite Maxar built, hit the firm hard, as insurance only partly covered losses and customers shied away. Maxar plans to launch imaging satellites faster in private than it had when it was public.

☆ A solo Ticketmaster might attract financial fans
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

NEW YORK, Dec 15 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The drums are beating louder for a breakup of Live Nation Entertainment (LYV.N). For Live Nation, it’s not entirely clear that the flywheel is spinning smoothly. Live Nation says it is so dominant because it’s so much better than the competition. Putting the complicated legal and regulatory questions aside, there’s probably a financial case for Ticketmaster to become a solo act. Live Nation merged with Ticketmaster in 2010.

The kidnappings are a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants as they travel across Mexico, crisscrossing areas rife with drug violence and weak rule of law. The National Guard confirmed the details in a separate statement. Fernando Reverte, president of Mapimi, a municipality which the migrants passed through after their capture and release, said the group of kidnapped migrants totaled about 1,500. [1/6] Members of the security forces work on a rescue operation of kidnapped migrants, in Ciudad Lerdo, Durando, Mexico in this handout image released December 6, 2022. The migrants broke down the building's front door, and found members of the National Guard, the Army and the INM outside.

☆ Breakingviews: FTX sins don’t absolve its big-money enablers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, Dec 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission wants everyone to know that Sam Bankman-Fried was a bad actor. The financial watchdog and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Tuesday alleged that the founder of bankrupt currency exchange FTX committed fraud, while federal prosecutors made a criminal case. The U.S. government, meanwhile, has accused Bankman-Fried of eight criminal violations, ranging from wire fraud to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Follow @thereallsl on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSU.S. federal prosecutors filed a criminal lawsuit against Sam Bankman-Fried, alleging he committed fraud and violated campaign finance laws. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission also alleged Bankman-Fried committed fraud in complaints filed on Dec. 13.

☆ FTX sins don’t absolve its big-money enablers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, Dec 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission wants everyone to know that Sam Bankman-Fried was a bad actor. The financial watchdog and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Tuesday alleged that the founder of bankrupt currency exchange FTX committed fraud, while federal prosecutors made a criminal case. The CFTC focused on customers, whose money it says FTX sent to Bankman-Fried’s hedge fund Alameda Research, which allegedly used it for venture investments and loans to FTX executives. loadingCONTEXT NEWSU.S. federal prosecutors filed a criminal lawsuit against Sam Bankman-Fried, alleging he committed fraud and violated campaign finance laws. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission also alleged Bankman-Fried committed fraud in complaints filed on Dec. 13.

☆ Nuclear fusion triggers an overreaction
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Dec 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - A fusion breakthrough unveiled on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Energy is a scientific tour de force, and a commercial irrelevancy. It’s a notable feat that researchers produced more energy from fusing atoms together than they used to start the process. Unless there are more breakthroughs, fusion probably would take place in massive facilities like today’s fission plants. The cost of power from a new nuclear plant runs about five times more expensive than a solar equivalent, Lazard analysts estimate. Making fusion cheaper and practical could be as big a challenge as fusion itself.

☆ Golden Globe Awards 2023: See the full list of nominees
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The nominees for the 80th Golden Globe Awards were announced on Monday. Mayan Lopez and Selenis Leyva, two of the stars from “Lopez vs. Lopez,” announced the range of film and television nominees as selected by members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Favored Oscars contender “The Banshees of Inisherin” led the film categories, with nominations including best musical or comedy film. It stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. The ceremony, which was not broadcast last January over controversy surrounding the HFPA, will return to NBC on Jan. 10.

☆ Deal whiz Byron Trott suffers minor grill burns
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Dec 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Weber (WEBR.N) is a rare miscue for dealmaker Byron Trott, who typically serves up deals just right. It’s a reputational blemish for Trott just as he embarks on a major expansion. BDT, which focuses on family-owned businesses, did not sell down its roughly 60% stake at the time of the IPO, or subsequently. Outside investors may nevertheless recall Trott buying low – 43% below the IPO price, valuing Weber at $3.7 billion – the next time the firm brings a portfolio company to market, and wonder if they’ll get burned. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

[1/4] Cast members Jay Ellis, Miles Teller, Tom Cruise, Glen Powell and Greg Tarzan Davis, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer pose for photographs during a news conference to promote the film 'Top Gun: Maverick' at a hotel in Seoul, South Korea, June 20, 2022. REUTERS/Heo RanLOS ANGELES, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Nominations for the annual Golden Globe awards for film and television were announced on Monday. Winners will be announced Jan. 10 in a televised ceremony on Comcast Corp's (CMCSA.O) NBC. The broadcaster dropped the Globes telecast last year after a Los Angeles Times investigation highlighted the organization's ethical and financial failures and revealed that none of the then-87 members were Black. Following is a list of nominees in key categories:MOVIESBEST DRAMA“Avatar: The Way of Water”“Elvis”“The Fabelmans”“Tar”“Top Gun: Maverick”BEST COMEDY OR MUSICAL“Babylon”“The Banshees of Inisherin”“Everything Everywhere All At Once”“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”“Triangle of Sadness”BEST ACTOR, DRAMAAustin Butler: “Elvis”Brendan Fraser: “The Whale”Hugh Jackman: “The Son”Bill Nighy: “Living”Jeremy Pope: “The Inspection”BEST ACTRESS, DRAMACate Blanchett: “Tar”Olivia Colman: “Empire Of Light”Viola Davis: “The Woman King”Ana de Armas: “Blonde”Michelle Williams: “The Fabelmans”BEST ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICALDiego Calva: “Babylon”Daniel Craig: “Glass Onion: A Knives out Mystery”Adam Driver: “White Noise”Colin Farrell: “The Banshees of Inisherin”Ralph Fiennes: “The Menu”BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICALLesley Manville, “Mrs.

☆ 'Saturday Night Live': Steve Martin and Martin Short team up for hilarious 'Father of the Bride' skit
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Chloe Melas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Steve Martin and Martin Short brought the funny as co-hosts of “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. NBC/Getty Images Martin plays an IRS agent in a Coneheads skit in February 1977. NBC/Getty Images Martin and Dan Aykroyd, second from left, play the Festrunk brothers — "two wild and crazy guys" — in September 1977. NBC/Getty Images Martin performs with The Dirt Band, which was the show's musical guest when he hosted in January 1978. Alan Singer/NBC/Getty Images Martin puts a spin on traditional Christmas lists in his "A Holiday Wish" skit in 1986.

On Tuesday, for example, Fox News host Sean Hannity said Republicans “have been unwilling for whatever reason” to vote early and by mail. Ahead of the general election, registered Democrats held an 8-point edge over registered Republicans in Georgia in early voting. Now about to enter his seventh term, Schweikert said that Republicans in his state used to enjoy a robust early voting edge. Kirk, who had raised concerns about mail-in voting, changed his tune after the November midterms, tweeting that Republicans must recognize the “power of early voting.” But Johnson has called for a ban on mail-in voting. At the forefront of GOP concerns over early voting is Pennsylvania, where Democrats enjoyed an edge so substantial that Republicans did not come close to overcoming it.

☆ Lawsuit against doctor who defied Texas' abortion law is dismissed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

SAN ANTONIO — Lawyers for a doctor who intentionally defied a Texas abortion law that the lawyers called a “bounty-hunting scheme” say a court has dismissed a test of whether members of the public can sue providers who violate the restrictions for at least $10,000 in damages. Dr. Alan Braid published an opinion piece in the Washington Post last year revealing that he intentionally violated the Texas law shortly after it took effect in September 2021. The dismissal was announced from the bench, and no formal written opinion had been published as of Friday morning. He has said that he wasn’t aware he could claim at least $10,000 in damages if he won his lawsuit, and that if he had received any money, he likely would have donated it to an abortion rights group or to the patients of the doctor he sued. Braid has closed his clinics in Texas and Oklahoma, where abortion is also outlawed.

☆ Ronna McDaniel locked down votes for RNC chair despite the midterm debacle. Here's how she did it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Jonathan-Allen-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Jonathan Allen | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

An ally, Richard Porter, an RNC member from Illinois, met with her in Washington to make sure she wanted to run for another two-year term. And the most ardent Trump critics among RNC members say McDaniel, Trump's pick for the post six years ago, is too close to him. Bill Palatucci, an RNC member from New Jersey, said he opposes McDaniel's re-election for that reason. For McDaniel to lose, an opponent would have to win the remaining undecided RNC members and swipe nearly two dozen avowed McDaniel backers. Lori Klein Corbin, an RNC member from Arizona who hasn’t committed to any candidate, said McDaniel hasn’t asked for her vote yet.

☆ The ghost of Instagram haunts Microsoft’s future
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The FTC’s leader Lina Khan might be making up for regulators who waved through Mark Zuckerberg’s $1 billion purchase of Instagram. Though Microsoft’s deal is different, punishment under Khan’s regime seemed inevitable. Microsoft could try to corner the market by forcing consumers to not only buy the Activision games from Microsoft, but the platform as well. Microsoft’s rationale for buying Activision is to better compete in the gaming market against the likes of Tencent (0700.HK) and others. Streaming is the future, and in that way, Microsoft could easily be sidelined in the business if it doesn’t innovate.

☆ Rio Tinto’s Mongolian purgatory is finally over
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Finally, something has gone right for Rio Tinto (RIO.L) in Mongolia. Rio boss Jakob Stausholm squeaked home with 60.5% of minority votes cast, just over the 50% threshold. It’s a massive win for Stausholm and Rio copper boss Bold Baatar. Oyu Tolgoi still needs more than $3.5 billion of funding. Instead, Rio is handing them C$43 per share in cash – a 70% premium to the price in March.

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