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☆ 'Return of the Jedi' missteps: Five ways the 'Star Wars' sequel messed up, from a certain point of view
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That’s in part because those shortcomings have echoed through the years, as subsequent “Star Wars” mythology has contorted itself, sometimes messily, in order to accommodate them. Still, Episode VI ill-served some of the original trilogy’s significant characters, in ways that have been debated across the decades, yielding the kind of arguments that have become one of the “Star Wars” franchise’s most renewable resources. Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in "Return of the Jedi," which was released in 1983. Lucasfilm/Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock“From a certain point of view.” Let’s stipulate that Anakin Skywalker “became” Darth Vader when he turned to the dark side. “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” will play in select theaters beginning April 28.

☆ Trump Seeks to Have Intelligence Agencies Take Over Documents Inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Alan Feuer | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Lawyers for former President Donald J. Trump asked lawmakers on Wednesday to place the intelligence community in charge of assessing Mr. Trump’s handling of the classified documents found in his possession after leaving office, saying Congress should strip the Justice Department of authority to run the investigation. The 10-page letter to members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has little chance of leading to enactment of the legislation it seeks given that Democrats are in control of the Senate and the White House. But it seemed to serve a second function as well: It read like a trial brief of arguments that Mr. Trump could raise in his defense should the inquiry into his handling of classified materials being conducted by the special counsel Jack Smith result in criminal charges. from continuing to conduct ham-handed criminal investigations of matters that are inherently not criminal,” said the letter, written by Timothy C. Parlatore, one of Mr. Trump’s lawyers. The letter proposed that the Justice Department “should be ordered to stand down,” allowing the intelligence community to “conduct an appropriate investigation and provide a full report to this committee.”

☆ When M&A takes off, these are the 27 fintechs that could get scooped up, and the firms most likely to buy them
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Paige Hagy | Bianca Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Why it's on the market: SMB lenders saw valuations skyrocket during the pandemic years fueled by cash-strapped businesses struggling to secure loans amid tightening lending requirements. "These sorts of businesses almost certainly got way over their skis on valuation," a partner at a California-based venture firm, told Insider. SMB lenders are potential acqui-hires or acquisition targets unless they can raise more capital, according to one New York-based partner at a large venture firm. In November 2022, Pipe announced its three cofounders would step down and start the search for a "veteran" CEO. Both experts expect to see consolidation throughout the segment, with larger consumer and SMB lenders like Ramp and Brex as potential buyers.

Sudan was supposed to be moving away from military rule and toward democracy. But over the past week, the country has been thrown into violent chaos as two factions battle for control. Declan Walsh, chief Africa correspondent for The Times, explains how an explosive rivalry between two generals turned into a catastrophic conflict.

☆ Jim Cramer: This is what I learned from the real first week of earnings season
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

"Simply stated we're in a freight recession." That line, uttered last Monday by Shelley Simpson, president of J.B. Hunt (JBHT), the fourth-largest trucking company in the United States, was the most memorable of the real first week of earnings season. If so, it would know that we're dealing with much more than a freight recession. It's not enough to offset the immense deflationary pressure emanating from the regional banks and the freight recession described by J.B. Hunt. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

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☆ I use ChatGPT to write stories for my 5-year-old. It's fun, innovative, and makes bedtime less stressful.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Spriha Srivastava | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The challenge is coming up with new stories, so I used ChatGPT to come up with bespoke, fun tales. With the help of our son, we write prompts for ChatGPT and then read that story before sleep time. And so, I tapped my new friend for help – ChatGPT. They have pros and cons, but when ChatGPT can write a bedtime story for your kid and he loves it, it's a win-win. Spriha SrivastavaThe challenge now is to limit our bedtime creative exercise to one story a day.

[1/2] Alec Baldwin attends the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award Gala in New York City, U.S., December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew KellyTAOS, New Mexico, April 21 (Reuters) - New Mexico special prosecutors dropped charges against actor Alec Baldwin in the shooting death of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Friday, marking what legal experts said was a logical conclusion to a flawed prosecution. The move followed new evidence about the gun Baldwin was holding when it fired the bullet that killed Hutchins during the movie's filming, a person close to state prosecutors said. "The case is dismissed without prejudice and the investigation is active and ongoing," prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis said in a filing. Special prosecutors said on Thursday they might refile charges against Baldwin once new evidence was examined.

☆ NATO chief visits Kyiv: Jens Stoltenberg says Ukraine's "rightful place" is in the alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Sana Noor Haq Luke Mcgee Alex Hardie Zahid Mahmood Victoria Butenko | Sana Noor Haq | Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday “Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” in his strongest remarks reaffirming ties with Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visits the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv on April 20, 2023. Gleb Garanich/ReutersStoltenberg (left) and President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) meet during the alliance chief's historic trip to Ukraine on Thursday. Finnish public support for accession snowballed following the invasion of Ukraine, and also reignited calls from Kyiv to join. Speaking at a joint conference in Kyiv, Zelensky said he valued the support from the alliance but pressed Stoltenberg on when Ukraine would be invited to join NATO.

April 20 (Reuters) - New Mexico prosecutors have decided to drop criminal charges against actor Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western movie "Rust" in 2021, Baldwin's lawyers said on Thursday. Baldwin, 65, was charged in January with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Hutchins' death and the injury of "Rust" director Joel Souza, who was also shot. He pleaded not guilty in February after prosecutors downgraded the seriousness of the charges, reducing the potential prison time. Baldwin settled a lawsuit in October with the cinematographer's husband, Matt Hutchins, in a deal that made Hutchins an executive producer on the movie. Gutierrez-Reed has blamed the shooting on other factors including possible sabotage, Baldwin's lack of training and a failure by Halls and Baldwin to ask her for extra checks.

☆ Alec Baldwin: Prosecutors plan to dismiss charges against actor in 'Rust' shooting, Baldwin's attorney tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Chloe Melas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Prosecutors in the “Rust” fatal shooting case plan to file a notice to dismiss involuntary manslaughter charges against Alec Baldwin, his attorney, Luke Nikas, tells CNN. CNN has contacted the special prosecutor in the Santa Fe, New Mexico case for comment. Baldwin and “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed were both charged with involuntary manslaughter in January. An attorney for Gutierrez Reed has previously said she will plead not guilty. Prosecutors already removed a firearm enhancement charge against Baldwin and Gutierrez Reed, reducing a potential prison sentence from 5 years to a maximum of 18 months.

Baldwin, who is also a producer on the film, was charged with two counts of manslaughter in the death of "Rust" cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Though Baldwin's manslaughter case has been dropped, the actor still faces other legal woes as a result of the accidental shooting. In early February, Hutchins' parents and sister filed a lawsuit against Baldwin, "Rust" producers and other crew members, accusing them of negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other charges. Halls' hearing was the first to be conducted under the supervision of special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis. In her place, she appointed Morrissey and Lewis as special prosecutors.

☆ I.R.S. Official Is Said to Assert Political Meddling in Hunter Biden Inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Michael S. Schmidt | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As Justice Department officials weigh whether to indict Hunter Biden, the investigator overseeing the Internal Revenue Service’s portion of the case has come forward with allegations of political favoritism in the inquiry that stand to add to the already fraught circumstances facing the department. Congressional leaders learned of the investigator’s allegations on Wednesday when a lawyer sent them a letter asking for whistle-blower protections for his client. The letter stated that the unnamed client, identified as an “I.R.S. While the letter from the lawyer, Mark D. Lytle, did not name Hunter Biden, Senate and House Republicans put out statements specifying that it was referring to him. The disclosure fed claims by congressional Republicans that a Justice Department run by the president’s political appointees could not be trusted to make a decision about his son based on the facts and law.

☆ Appeals Court Delays Ex-Prosecutor’s Deposition on Trump Investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Jonah E. Bromwich | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An appeals court temporarily blocked congressional Republicans from questioning a former prosecutor with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, briefly pausing an order from a federal district judge. The prosecutor, Mark F. Pomerantz, worked on the district attorney’s investigation into Donald J. Trump for about a year, before resigning in 2022, and published a book about his experience. The office brought felony charges against Mr. Trump last month. Shortly after the charges were unsealed, Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio, subpoenaed Mr. Pomerantz, signaling that he intended to conduct oversight of the inquiry into Mr. Trump, his political ally. She said that Republicans on the committee had a constitutional right to question Mr. Pomerantz.

☆ Man United boost as Rashford, Shaw travel to Sevilla
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"They are available because that's why they're in the airplane, but I'll take my decisions tomorrow," Ten Hag told a news conference on Wednesday. Rashford missed the first leg due to a groin injury while Shaw has been nursing a hamstring problem. "We let them in the game, I think, in the first game," midfielder Christian Eriksen said. "I think defensively we're good, with I think most clean sheets in the Premier League. United are third in the Premier League on 59 points, three above fourth-placed Newcastle United.

☆ G.O.P. Immigration Agenda Faces Stiff Odds in Divided House
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Karoun Demirjian | Luke Broadwater | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — House Republicans, intent on pressing ahead with their top campaign promises on immigration, turned a hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas into an impeachment-focused interrogation and formally debated restrictive border security legislation on Wednesday, despite significant G.O.P. opposition that could kill both initiatives on the House floor. “You have not secured our borders — and Mr. Secretary, I believe you have done so intentionally,” Representative Mark E. Green, Republican of Tennessee and the Homeland Security Committee’s chairman, told Mr. Mayorkas during a hearing before his panel. But the more immediate obstacle facing House G.O.P. leaders lies within their own ranks: There are not enough Republican members yet on board with either impeachment proceedings against Mr. Mayorkas or the border security legislation to avoid potentially embarrassing defeats on the House floor.

☆ Gogoro says it wants to create a 'big scale' energy storage solution
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGogoro says it wants to create a 'big scale' energy storage solutionHorace Luke, CEO of Gogoro, discusses its partnership with Enel X and plans to create a "gigantic reservoir" for sustainable energy.

☆ MLB roundup: Phillies score 9 in first, bash 23 hits to rout Reds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

Lopez allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings. Both were 2-for-4 as Boston finished with seven hits. Alcantara (1-2) allowed seven hits and five runs (four earned) in six innings for the Marlins. Alek Manoah (1-1) allowed seven runs, nine hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings for the Blue Jays. Castillo allowed two hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out nine over seven innings.

The posturing between the United States and China has been intensifying in recent weeks — China responded with condemnations and military drills after Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, met the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy. Today, Edward Wong, who covers foreign policy at The Times, explains why China is so fixated on Taiwan, and how the U.S. got in the middle of it.

☆ Blue Jays end Rays perfect start to season with 6-3 win
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Apr 14, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jordan Romano (68) prepares to throw out Tampa Bay Rays catcher Christian Bethancourt (14) for the final out in the ninth inning in a 6-3 Blue Jays win at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY SportsTORONTO, April 14 (Reuters) - The Tampa Bay Rays perfect start to the season came to an ugly end with a 6-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday as the 1884 St. Louis Maroons all-time record remained out of reach. But Tampa's record chase was undone in a horrific fifth inning that saw the Blue Jays bust open a tight 2-1 contest scoring four runs with much of the Tampa Bay damage self-inflicted. "Everything just didn't go our way that inning," Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters. The Rays were playing from the back foot from the very start with Rasmussen serving up a solo home run to Jays leadoff man George Springer.

How to watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in the USFor Amazon Prime members in the US, watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a breeze. If you don't want a full Prime membership, Prime Video is available on its own for $9 a month. Amazon Prime Video Monthly Subscription Prime Video has thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular original series and films you won't find anywhere else. How to watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in the UKUK fans of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel can catch the final season with a Prime membership or individual Prime Video subscription. Amazon Prime Video Monthly Subscription Prime Video has thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular original series and films you won't find anywhere else.

☆ NHL roundup: Knights wrap up West's No. 1 seed
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Reilly Smith, Alec Martinez and Chandler Stephenson scored for the Golden Knights (51-22-9, 111 points), who closed the regular season with an eight-game points streak (5-0-3). Liam O'Brien led the Coyotes with a pair of goals and Nick Schmaltz and added a goal and an assist. The Stars, who are looking to win a division title for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign, are atop the division. The Bruins set NHL records for most wins and most points in a single season. Tage Thompson scored his 47th goal of the season for Buffalo, which improved to 8-2-1 over its last 11 games.

☆ Macron: France's 'tone deaf' president faces backlash over Taiwan comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In it, he said that Europe must not become “just America’s followers” when asked about the prospect of China invading Taiwan. One said that Macron is “simply tone deaf to everything happening in the world. They were surprised to see Macron’s comments so soon after that meeting. For all that Macron’s comments could be put down to a president under pressure at home doing things on the world stage to create a distraction, his comments on Taiwan have done real damage to the fragile transatlantic relationship. It might not have been his intention, but Macron’s comments have come at a yet unknown cost.

☆ JPMorgan just killed Wall Street's WFH dreams
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But do you think execs will be OK with their subordinates working remote while they are stuck in the office? Plenty of others, most notably Goldman Sachs' David Solomon, have touted the importance of being in the office (blah blah mentorship model blah blah). Now JPMorgan just laid the blueprint for everyone else to force their own employees back in. Here are more details, including the internal memo, on JPMorgan forcing MDs back into the office. Salt Labs wants to help low- and medium-income workers build wealth via an app that operates like a frequent-flyer program.

☆ It’s a Tough Time for Divorcing Couples Who Jointly Own a Home
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Nicole Friedman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

When Ashley Worsham was getting a divorce last year, she wanted to continue living in the Sarasota, Fla., home she purchased in 2020 with her then-husband, Luke Giaccone. But refinancing their current mortgage to take Mr. Giaccone off the loan would have raised her monthly payments by about $500 a month. “I noped out of that really fast,” she said.

☆ 27 fintechs that could be acquisition targets, and the firms that might buy them, according to VCs, investment bankers, and analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Paige Hagy | Bianca Chan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Why it's on the market: SMB lenders saw valuations skyrocket during the pandemic years fueled by cash-strapped businesses struggling to secure loans amid tightening lending requirements. "These sorts of businesses almost certainly got way over their skis on valuation," a partner at a California-based venture firm, told Insider. SMB lenders are potential acqui-hires or acquisition targets unless they can raise more capital, according to one New York-based partner at a large venture firm. A spokesperson for Pipe cited the fintech's hiring of Luke Voiles, a former Square and Intuit executive, as CEO earlier this year. Both experts expect to see consolidation throughout the segment, with larger consumer and SMB lenders like Ramp and Brex as potential buyers.

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