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☆ The Weeknd has reverted to his birth name on social media
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The Weeknd is now officially known online by his real name – Abel Makkonen Tesfaye – after following through on plans to update his social media accounts. On Monday, the Canadian artist’s Twitter and Instagram accounts had updated to display his birth name rather than his artistic name. And the change is part of a wider plan to “kill The Weeknd,” Tesfaye told W Magazine in an interview published May 8. “It’s getting to a place and a time where I’m getting ready to close the Weeknd chapter. “The album I’m working on now is probably my last hurrah as The Weeknd,” he told W Magazine.

These publicists help bridge the gap between traditional media and the creator economy. They represent influencers on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. These high-profile influencers use PR professionals to help them craft their images and land them media appearances. In our fourth annual power list, Insider is spotlighting top publicists and PR pros working with creators on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. We chose the PR professionals based on factors like their roles, responsibilities, and impact on their clients and the creator economy broadly.

For the fourth year, Insider is recognizing the top PR reps for influencers and content creators. These publicists help bridge the gap between traditional media and the creator economy. These high-profile influencers use PR professionals to help them craft their images and land them media appearances. In our fourth annual power list, Insider is spotlighting top publicists and PR pros working with creators on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. We chose the PR professionals based on factors like their roles, responsibilities, and impact on their clients and the creator economy broadly.

HONG KONG, April 26 (Reuters Breakingviews) - If Japan is the next Macau, $16 billion MGM Resorts International (MGM.N) may be the only winner left at the table. After years of debate and delays, Japan has finally given approval for a resort in Osaka. But as diversifying from China becomes a popular mantra, this big bet looks smarter than it once did. The 1.08 trillion yen ($8.1 billion) resort is set to open in 2029. U.S. casino operator MGM Resorts International and local partner Orix will each own a 40% stake in the company set up to manage the complex.

☆ Inside the Wild World of Celebrity Keynote Speakers: Drugs, Alcohol
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( David Kushner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

"I never saw myself as a speaker, let alone a motivational speaker," Leonard tells me while his assistant irons his jeans. 'When I ramble," Hunter told me, "hit me in the leg!" Every plane had been grounded, including the one stuck on the tarmac with an increasingly inebriated Hunter Thompson trapped inside. But by far the most all-consuming task was booking gigs for Hunter Thompson. Just before a debate with G. Gordon Liddy at Brown University, Hunter demanded that Betsy Berg, whom I now worked alongside at GTN, score him some crystal meth.

HONG KONG, April 14 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Macau, once the world’s largest gambling hub, is far from a sure bet. For MGM China (2282.HK) and Sands China (1928.HK), the highest is two-thirds more than the lowest, for example. Uncertainty is compounded by onerous obligations companies have to help Macau reduce its dependence on gaming. Take $16 billion MGM Resorts International (MGM.N), whose Japanese resort received a green light on Friday. There’s also $13 billion Wynn Resorts (WYNN.O), which is pushing into the fast-growing United Arab Emirates.

HONG KONG, March 22 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Time may be on Richard Li’s side. By cobbling together acquisitions, Li has built a brand to sell life insurance across Hong Kong, Japan and Southeast Asia. The value of new business – a measure of the present value of future earnings from policies signed - rose around 30%. Follow @KatrinaHamlin on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSAsian insurer FWD has made a fresh application for a Hong Kong listing, according to stock exchange filings published on March 13. A first attempt to go public in Hong Kong in 2021 was refused owing to concern over its dual-class shares.

Now overseas demand is slumping amidst a local credit crunch and a corruption crackdown. A trade agreement and warmer relations with Washington spared its manufacturers from tariffs and sanctions applied to its northern neighbour. Now overseas demand is stuttering. Vietnam's exports of goods and services have been slowingFollow @KatrinaHamlin on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSVietnam's economy grew 8.02% in 2022, the fastest annual pace since 1997, according to data released by the country’s General Statistics Office on Dec. 29. Vietnamese exports were flat in February and fell 23.4% in January compared to a year earlier, according to Refinitiv data released on March 9.

The $108 billion group’s sheer size means it benefits from exceptional economies of scale in an immature industry. Last year, it tripled both production and sales of pure electric and hybrid cars to nearly 2 million vehicles. That is equivalent to roughly a quarter of EVs purchased in China in 2022. The group makes batteries too, accounting for almost a quarter of China’s total sales last year, Jefferies estimates. Overall passenger car sales, including electric vehicles and fossil-fueled models, slumped 38% in January, reversing a 2.4% gain in the previous month.

HONG KONG, Jan 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Macau is bounding into the Year of the Rabbit. Meanwhile arrivals from China and Hong Kong reached roughly 40% of 2019 traffic as of Jan. 13, per Morgan Stanley. That is remarkable given the mainland and Macau only relaxed restrictions less than two weeks ago. Melco Resorts & Entertainment , MGM China (2282.HK), Sands China (1928.HK) and Wynn Macau (1128.HK) have seen their leverage ratios swell. Ultimately to rebalance borrowings, Macau needs returning visitors to spend as much – or more – as they did in the past.

Follow @KatrinaHamlin on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSHong Kong-listed Apollo Future Mobility said on Jan. 12 that it had agreed to buy Chinese electric-car maker WM Motor Global for HK$15.9 billion ($2.02 billion). To fund the acquisition of its larger peer, Apollo will issue 28.8 billion new shares at HK$0.55 each. Apollo shares fell 8.6% and were trading at HK$0.23 by market close on Jan. 12. WM Motor Global filed for a Hong Kong initial public offering in May 2022, but the application lapsed in November. WM Motor Global’s owner, WM Motor Holdings, is the largest shareholder in Apollo Future Mobility, and WM Motor founder Freeman Shen sits on the latter’s board as co-chair.

Elon Musk’s will-they-or-won’t-they Twitter debacle kept readers on tenterhooks via Refinitiv’s platforms and our two websites, Breakingviews.com and Reuters.com. Another piece posing the hard-hitting question, “What is Morgan Stanley (MS.N) smoking in Twitter LBO?”, garnered plenty of clicks on Breakingviews.com and via Refinitiv. Almost a third of the best-read lists tackled the outbreak of war in Europe, and its terrible ramifications. Views on the rouble and the prospect of the country’s economic collapse demanded attention. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

If more female fans tune in, they will help Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali fuel revenue at his motor-racing division. Around 40% of F1 fans are now female, up 8% from 2017, and more women are attending races too, Domenicali said in November. One way to accelerate the trend could be featuring female drivers. She also boasts a fanbase of over half a million social media followers – more than the W Series itself. Unfortunately for Formula One, when financial pressures ended W Series 2022 early, she absconded to Andretti Autosport’s team for the U.S. IndyCar NXT races.

HONG KONG, Dec 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Vietnam is an unlikely home of the next Elon Musk. The 48-year-old is at the wheel of VinFast, a money-losing electric-vehicle maker racing the U.S. entrepreneur’s Tesla (TSLA.O) on Western roads. VinFast has made its name selling gas guzzlers in the Southeast Asian nation, where its parent Vingroup (VIC.HM) is the top conglomerate. CONTEXT NEWSVietnamese electric-car maker VinFast is planning a U.S. initial public offering, an initial prospectus published on Dec. 6 shows. Revenue fell to 10.5 trillion dong, down from 11.2 trillion dong.

Its dependency on parent Vingroup (VIC.HM) may be a turnoff, too. Success has yet to translate to returns for parent Vingroup, owned by Vietnam’s richest man, Pham Nhat Vuong. VinFast’s net loss nearly doubled to 34.5 trillion dong ($1.45 billion) for the first nine months of 2022 compared with the same period last year, while the top line shrank 6% to 10.5 trillion dong. VinFast reported a net loss of 34.5 trillion dong ($1.45 billion) for the nine months to the end of September, according to the prospectus, widening from 18 trillion dong a year earlier. Revenue fell to 10.5 trillion dong, down from 11.2 trillion dong in the same period last year.

☆ Mariah Carey’s twins were the stars of her Thanksgiving Day parade appearance
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Mariah Carey made the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade a family affair. Her twins with ex-husband Nick Cannon, Monroe and Moroccan, danced behind their mom while she sang. The 11-year-olds emerged from a pair of gift boxes to dance and sing along with the famed lyrics. She appears on the cover of the new holiday issue of W Magazine and spoke to the publication about the season. She’s, like, so festive and such a Christmas girl,’ or whatever,” Carey said.

HONG KONG, Nov 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - A Hong Kong stock market debut puts Jakarta at the centre of China’s electric-car boom. Lygend Resources & Technology (2245.HK), a Chinese nickel trader, is looking to raise up to $594 million in an initial public offering to expand in Indonesia. Lygend both trades and produces nickel products, essential for stainless steel and batteries. Around a fifth of the world’s nickel resources are located in the country, which accounted for nearly 40% of ore unearthed last year, according to the company’s prospectus. Hong Kong CATL is the largest cornerstone investor, according to the prospectus.

HONG KONG, Nov 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - As automakers hesitate to invest in legacy motors, China’s Geely and France’s Renault (RENA.PA) are teaming up to supply gas guzzlers and more to rivals. Founder Li Shufu wants new-energy vehicles to account for 50% of Hong Kong-listed Geely Automobile’s (0175.HK) sales next year. Renault boss Luca de Meo says European car sales at the company he leads will be 100% electric by 2030. By hitching itself to Renault, Geely can shift gears faster to make the most of the window of opportunity. Together, they sold nearly 5 million cars last year, most of which were internal combustion engines.

HONG KONG, Oct 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Tesla’s (TSLA.O) China price cut is a double-edged sword. China is increasingly important for Tesla and its investors, accounting for around a quarter of the electric-car maker’s top line in the first nine months of 2022. If sales reach nearly $120 billion next year as forecast by Refinitiv, a 9% cut would equate to around $2.5 billion in revenue. Chinese drivers, though, are starting to snub international badges in favour of home-grown alternatives, especially for electric and premium models. The company posted the price cuts on its China website on Oct. 24.

HONG KONG, Oct 24 (Reuters Breakingviews) - One day into President Xi Jinping’s precedent-breaking new term as leader of the ruling Communist Party, China’s financial markets are already in turmoil. Investors largely ignored rosier-than-expected GDP data to wipe almost 10% off the value of internet giants like Alibaba (9988.HK) and JD.com (9618.HK), amid a broader selloff. The government on Monday released a slew of delayed economic indicators after the Party Congress concluded on Sunday. They looked upbeat at first glance: GDP expanded 3.9% in the third quarter, up from the previous quarter’s 0.4%. Instead, he filled it with his own protégés including Beijing Party Chief Cai Qi and Shanghai Party Chief Li Qiang.

HONG KONG, Oct 20 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Automakers are hitting China’s growth limit. The industry achieved four consecutive months of double-digit growth in September when deliveries reached 2.3 million, 33% higher than a year earlier, per the China Association of Auto Manufacturers. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterAs incentives expire, cars could follow a similar route to China’s commercial vehicles. Truck tales: A boom in China's sales of commercial vehicles proved to be short-livedBattery powered: China's strong EV sales mask slower deliveries of traditional motorsFollow @KatrinaHamlin on Twitter(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. CONTEXT NEWSChina's passenger car retail sales rose 33.2% in September from a year earlier to 2.3 million, according to data released by the China Association of Auto Manufacturers on Oct. 11.

Nissan wants to reduce Renault’s 43% holding to 15%, on par with Nissan’s stake in the French group, Reuters reports. Free cash flow will turn positive to the tune of 388 billion yen ($2.7 billion) by 2024, Morningstar estimates. He could, for example, ask shareholders to buy some of Renault’s Nissan stock. Or he could consider borrowing more; even after buying back a chunk from Renault, Nissan’s debt-to-EBITDA multiple could manage it. Nissan’s Renault reshuffle will drive a capital raise; he just needs to pick a route.

☆ Elon Musk is reportedly friends with deadpan comedian Nathan Fielder, and tries to make him laugh at parties
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk is a fan of comedian Nathan Fielder, The New York Times reported. In 2016, Musk invited Fielder to have lunch with him at SpaceX after the two interacted on Twitter. Since then, Musk has invited Fielder to parties and tries to make him laugh, the report said. In 2016, the Tesla CEO and founder invited Fielder to have lunch at SpaceX, according to the Times. Since Musk and Fielder's lunch, Musk has invited Fielder to his parties to try to make him laugh, the Times reported, adding that one comedy writer said Musk wants to be known for being funny.

They accounted for 71% of arrivals before the pandemic, with another 19% coming from Hong Kong, according to the tourism board. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterCasinos have supported heady growth since 2002 when Macau opened the market to multiple operators. Macau’s tiny population of 680,000 was nearly 70% richer on a per capita basis than their peers in Hong Kong, per the International Monetary Fund. But their collective enthusiasm masks an awkward reality: Macau’s dependence on the gambling industry looks increasingly fraught. Gaming revenue, which peaked at $45 billion in 2013, has never recovered from the blow to VIP business, sinking to $36 billion by 2019, per Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.

☆ Former MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe looks back on the mistakes that led to the startup's collapse
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-06 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

Mitch Lowe, who has been a leader at Netflix, Redbox, and MoviePass, is releasing his book "Watch and Learn" on September 6. (L-R) MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe and Helios and Matheson Chief Executive Ted Farnsworth. I never tried to quiet people internally, if they said something wasn't going well I always embraced it. Like you wrote that you "didn't know jack shit" when you first started at Netflix. When I was offered to be CEO of MoviePass, I felt my whole career had led up to this moment.

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