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☆ Abu Dhabi's G42 and Israeli firm Viola partner up in new tech venture
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, June 15 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi's artificial intelligence firm G42 and Israeli technology investment company Viola Group, which manages $5 billion in assets, on Thursday announced Global Valley, a joint venture to set up a new platform to meet demand for high-skilled tech talent. Based in the UAE capital, Global Valley will employ specialised tech-focused workers from around the world providing a variety of services, as well as help develop Abu Dhabi's local tech sector, a statement from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, which provided support for the project, said. No figure for the value of the investments by any of the involved parties was provided in the statement. ADIO is a government vehicle tasked with expanding private sector investment into the emirate and helping diversify its economy. We are looking to diversify Abu Dhabi's economy, we want and are developing further platforms for growth.

Persons: Abu, Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Shamsi, Abraham, Rachna, Jason Neely Organizations: Viola Group, Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Tech, Reuters, Trade, UAE, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, UAE, Global, Abu Dhabi, Abu, Israel

☆ A.I. and crypto are in focus at the annual gathering of the Wall Street trading community
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

It's time for the annual gathering of the trading community. Here's a rundown of some of the hot topics: Crypto in focus: SEC Chair Gary Gensler will be speaking at noon on Thursday. Electronic trading changed the trading world 30 years ago, is AI poised to do the same? Two pioneers of electronic trading, Virtu Financial founder Vinnie Viola and Peterffy, will be speaking at noon today, reflecting on the past and future of trading and will certainly be asked about the role AI will play in future trading. Tradeweb CEO Billy Hult and MarketAxess CEO Chris Concannon will discuss the growth in Treasury trading and the increasing electronification of the bond market.

Persons: I'm, Piper Sandler, Gary Gensler, Gensler, Binance, Michael Novogratz, Jean, Marie Mognetti, Vlad Tenev, Doug Cifu, Thomas Peterffy, Vinnie Viola, Peterffy, Ed Tilly, Terry Duffy, Billy Hult, Chris Concannon, Rich Repetto's, Rich Repetto Organizations: Piper, Piper Sandler Global Exchange, New York City, NYSE, Nasdaq, Cboe, London Stock Exchange, SEC, Galaxy Digital, Virtu, Global, Treasury, CME, Citadel, CNBC PRO Locations: New York

☆ Ilya Kabakov, 89, Dies; Soviet-Born Artist Depicted Grimness With Wit
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Penelope Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

He had been struggling with a heart condition, his stepdaughter Viola Kanevsky said. For decades in Soviet Russia Mr. Kabakov was, by day, a well-known children’s book illustrator, a state-sponsored artist with his own studio and art supplies (which he shared with his underground artist friends). He created some 150 children’s books before 1988, when he left the country for good. Yet he was also leading a double life as a conceptual artist. His albums had titles and scenarios that recalled the work of novelists like Mikhail Bulgakov, the author of “The Master and Margarita,” a dark 1967 satire of life under Stalin.

Persons: Ilya Kabakov, Viola Kanevsky, Kabakov, Mikhail Bulgakov, Margarita, ”, Stalin Organizations: Soviet Union Locations: Mattituck, Long, Soviet Russia, Soviet

☆ Cannes 2023: All the Style on the Riviera’s Red Carpet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Kevin Huynh | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Cannes 2023: All the Style on the Riviera’s Red CarpetSee what Harrison Ford, Viola Davis and more stars wore to the annual film festival

☆ ‘Hunger Games’ prequel reveals first look
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —“Every saga has a beginning.”That’s part of the message in the newly released trailer for “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.”The prequel for the “Hunger Games” franchise tells the story of Lucy Gray Baird, played by “West Side Story” star Rachel Zelger, and a teenage Coriolanus Snow, played by Tom Blyth. Things get dark quickly in the trailer as Lucy and young Snow try to survive the deadly games. “With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute from the impoverished District 12. “With everything he has worked for hanging in the balance, Snow unites with Lucy Gray to turn the odds in their favor. Based on the book series by Suzanne Collins, the “Hunger Games” franchise has been extremely popular with the first film helping to launch Jennifer Lawrence’s stardom.

☆ 'Lilo & Stitch' live-action remake raises concerns about colorism
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Disney’s animated hit “Lilo & Stitch” is getting the live-action treatment, but a reported casting decision has set off a new conversation about colorism in Hollywood. Why some feel Nani’s skin color is relevantThe new “Lilo & Stitch” is based on an animated film and Nani is a fictional, animated character. But unlike “The Little Mermaid,” which is rooted in mythology despite receiving racist backlash over Halle Bailey’s casting in the live-action remake, “Lilo & Stitch” draws from a very real culture and people. The live-action “Lilo & Stitch” is only the latest in a long line of projects that have faced accusations of colorism. Though Connor is disappointed, she hopes the “Lilo & Stitch” remake will otherwise stay true to the original, which she loved so much growing up.

REUTERS/Lauren JusticeLOS ANGELES, April 3 (Reuters) - Actor Ben Affleck is hopeful for basketball legend Michael Jordan’s seal of approval after directing the biographical sports film, "Air," which is based on Jordan’s historic deal with the Nike (NKE.N) shoe brand. Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight and “The Woman King” actor Viola Davis portrays Jordan’s mother, Deloris Jordan. There was one key role that Affleck and Damon decided not to fill, and it was Michael Jordan’s. “The second you put the camera on an actor and say ‘Hey, it’s Michael Jordan’ and it’s not Michael Jordan, you’re going to lose the audience, so we knew. Michael’s just too famous and means too much to people to try to have someone else play him in a movie,” Damon said.

☆ How 2 Gen Z climate leaders turn their eco-anxiety into action: 'This isn't a fad. This is the future'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Jennifer Liu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The climate crisis impacts everyone, and young people feel especially stressed about the warming planet. In a recent conversation at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, tech founder and philanthropist Alexis Ohanian spoke with two Gen Z climate leaders about how they manage their eco-anxiety. Penn says the biggest way she confronts climate anxiety is by taking action, and her biggest motivator is using hope and joy as tools of resilience. Most recently, Penn says she channels her climate anxiety through art, namely through her first animated short film "Asali: Power of the Pollinators" with executive producer Viola Davis, which comes out in April. She also stresses the need to tap into Black, Brown and Indigenous communities to measure negative impact as well as seek solutions.

Germany wants Switzerland to sell some of the tanks back to arms maker Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE), which would allow the company to backfill gaps in the armaments of European Union and NATO members. Germany, Poland, Portugal, Finland and Sweden are among countries sending Leopard tanks to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian attack, creating gaps in their own arsenals. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Economics Minister Robert Habeck informed Swiss Defence Minister Viola Amherd about the project in a letter dated Feb. 23, the defence ministries in Bern and Berlin told Reuters on Friday. Under its neutrality laws and a separate arms embargo, Switzerland is prohibited from sending weapons directly to Ukraine. The Swiss military currently has 134 Leopard 2 tanks in service and a further 96 in storage.

☆ 'Everything Everywhere' vies for Hollywood's SAG awards on road to Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The movie starring Michelle Yeoh as an exasperated laundry owner trying to finish her taxes is the favorite to take best film ensemble at the SAG awards, according to experts polled by the Gold Derby website. If the movie wins big, that would give it a boost on the way to the Academy Awards on March 12. SAG winners are chosen by members of the SAG-AFTRA acting union, and actors make up the largest group of voters for the Oscars. In television categories, "Better Call Saul," "The Crown," "Ozark," "Severance" and "The White Lotus" will compete for best drama cast. TV comedy nominees for best cast are "Abbott Elementary," "Barry," "The Bear," "Hacks" and "Only Murders in the Building."

☆ 2023’s ‘It’ Marble: Six Affordable Ways to Work Calacatta Viola Into Your Decor
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Elizabeth Sweet | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

FOR MOST OF the 2000s, white Calacatta and Carrara marble, with their subtle colorations, reigned as interior design’s status stones. “Everyone” craved the gray and gold hints of color that ran through the marbles popular then, recalled Gabriela Cruz, vice president of operations with Nash Stone Group in Farmingdale, N.Y.What no one would have guessed at the time was that a marble shot through with wine-red veining would dethrone white marbles so handily in the 2020s. But Calacatta Viola, with its rivulets of aubergine and burgundy, has done just that. Today customers want marble with color and life, notes Ms. Cruz, who theorizes that a post-Covid desire for vibrancy is driving the passion for the stone. Chicago designer Caroline Turner, who recently installed a kitchen worktop and backsplash in the material, says demand for Viola has reached a “fever pitch.”

☆ And the winner is... London rolls out red carpet for BAFTA Film Awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Banshees", about two feuding friends on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, and "Everything Everywhere" each received 10 nominations. Bill Nighy ("Living"), Paul Mescal (Aftersun") and Daryl McCormack ("Good Luck to You, Leo Grande") complete the leading actor nominees list. "Woman King" director Gina Prince-Bythewood is the only woman in the running for the director award, but the outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer category features all female nominees. They’re one of the only big award shows that actually shares voting members with the Academy," Riley said. "The Screen Actors' Guild... obviously share some overlap... but BAFTAs really are first look at what the Oscars may be thinking."

☆ Amazon Studios is growing fast and spending big on shows like 'Citadel,' but insiders say unclear creative direction, leadership shifts, and tech bureaucracy threaten to drive away staff and talent
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +20 min

The dust has been settling at Amazon Studios after a big reorg in the fall that solidified Jen Salke's power. Yet Amazon Studios faces major challenges. Amazon Studios' Head of Global Television Vernon Sanders told Insider that the goal is to deliver content with global cultural relevance. Amazon Prime VideoWhile spending on such big swings has soared, some insiders see far less budgetary support for underrepresented casts. "I do think people wonder what's the commitment to Amazon Studios," the current insider said.

☆ From Beyoncé to Taylor Swift: 7 women who made history at the 2023 Grammys
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and more female artists broke records and saw historic wins across several categories at the 2023 Grammy Awards. The winners were announced on Sunday during two different ceremonies in Los Angeles, honoring the best music of the year across a wide range of genres. Here are seven women who made history with their wins at the 2023 Grammys:BeyoncéRobert Gauthier | Los Angeles Times | Getty ImagesBeyoncé is now the winningest artist in Grammys history thanks to a quartet of awards for her album "Renaissance." Viola DavisTimothy Norris | Filmmagic | Getty ImagesThe 57-year-old actress earned EGOT status at the 2023 Grammy Awards, making her the third Black woman in history to achieve the rare and coveted honor. Germaine FrancoJay L. Clendenin | Los Angeles Times | Getty ImagesGermaine Franco won best score soundtrack for visual media for composing the Disney animated film "Encanto."

☆ Actor Viola Davis achieves elite EGOT status with Grammy win
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Danielle Broadway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 5 (Reuters) - Actor Viola Davis on Sunday won a Grammy for her audio recording of her memoir "Finding Me," granting her entry into the elite ranks of EGOT winners with an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award. Davis is the third Black woman to earn this title, and the 18th person in history, and was thrilled to celebrate the moment on stage. as she won a Grammy for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording. "I wrote this book to honor the six-year-old Viola, to honor her, to honor her life, her joy, her trauma, her everything." Other EGOT winners include Jennifer Hudson, Rita Moreno, Audrey Hepburn and Whoopi Goldberg.

☆ DC's slate for its new movie and TV universe is bizarre, risky, and a bit confusing — but still promising
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

DC Studios announced the first wave of movies and TV shows for the new DC universe. There are also aspects of the old DC movie universe — but it still shows promise. The slate, titled "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters," is, to put it plainly, bizarre — and even a bit risky. If anything, it's still a bit of the old DC Extended Universe. If Gunn and Safran wanted to keep any aspects of the old DC movie universe, they picked the right ones.

☆ U.S. first lady Jill Biden to present at Grammy Awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 1 (Reuters) - U.S. first lady Jill Biden will attend this year's Grammy Awards as a presenter, the White House said on Wednesday. Biden is not the only first lady to appear at the Grammy Awards, the music industry's top honors. Hillary Clinton won a Grammy in 1997 while she was first lady for best spoken word album for her book "It Takes a Village." Nominations for the Grammy Awards, which take place on Sunday, were announced in November at the Grammy Museum. Beyonce and Jay-Z both have 88 nominations in total for the peer-voted music awards.

☆ DC Comics fandom celebrates return of 'Swamp Thing' to big screen
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Danielle Broadway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

His name is Swamp Thing, and he is returning to the big screen with his own horror movie on a revamped DC Studios slate. In DC Comics, Swamp Thing interacts with several other characters' storylines, making him a common thread throughout the greater DC Universe, often helping to save it. Fans on Tuesday reveled in DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn's plans to bring the superhero back into the cinematic mix. loading“Makes sense, if they want to cover the corners of established parts of DC, Swamp Thing is a must,” The Raven's Lofttweeted. loadingJosh Parker also tweeted: "I'm honestly really glad we're getting Swamp Thing back."

Despite a rich stable of characters from Batman to Wonder Woman, the DC film and television studio has failed to match the success of Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) Marvel hit factory. Also in 2025, DC Studios will release "Batman - Part II," a sequel starring Robert Pattison, a darker, more adult tale that is not part of Gunn's newly envisioned "DC Universe." While Marvel has become the highest-grossing film franchise in history, DC Studios has had mixed results. Four DC film projects that were completed before Gunn and Safran took over the studio will be released to theaters this year, "Shazam! Zaslav cut some costs by scrapping a third "Wonder Woman" film and a "Batgirl" movie that was headed to streaming.

☆ The Oscars snubs of 'The Woman King' and 'Till' shows why #OscarsSoWhite is still trending in Hollywood
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Marguerite Ward | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"The Woman King" and "Till" got zero nominations for this year's Academy Awards. The snubs show Hollywood still undervalues Black creatives, especially Black women. The film led box-office charts when it debuted in September, and had some in Hollywood expecting the movie to nab spots for best picture, best director, or best actress. And this is the second year in a row in which no Black woman was nominated for the best actress trophy. For critics, the snubs of "The Woman King" and "Till" are proof that the Academy still doesn't give Black talent, particularly Black women, a fair chance to be recognized.

☆ Some critically acclaimed films by and about Black people don’t make the Oscars list in a major letdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Michelle Garcia | Michelle Garcia Is The Editorial Director Of Nbcblk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

While the Golden Globes brought several notable nominations and wins for Black performers in television and film, this year’s Oscar nominations look very different. “Till,” starring Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Mobley, chronicles the 14-year-old’s mother during her quest for justice after her child was brutally murdered. The film earned no Academy Award nominations. “Wakanda Forever” also failed to match the best picture nod earned by 2018’s “Black Panther” — the first superhero movie nominated for the top Oscar. Bassett is also the second oldest Black woman ever nominated for an acting Oscar, behind supporting actress nominee Ruby Dee, who appeared in 2007’s “American Gangster.”

The film won nominations for best picture, best director and its stars Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan won nods for best performance by an actress and actor in a leading role. The nominations were announced by Allison Williams and Riz Ahmed on Tuesday morning at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Voting for the nominations concluded Jan. 17, and 9,579 members of the academy were eligible to vote, according to Variety. Neither women of color made it to the list for best leading actress. The Oscar nominations come just weeks after the Golden Globes returned to the airwaves.

☆ 'Avatar' director James Cameron, 'Top Gun' star Tom Cruise snubbed by Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Director James Cameron arrives at the world premiere of 'Avatar: The Way of Water' in London, Britain December 6, 2022. Cameron was joined - in omission - by another box-office standout, actor Tom Cruise, whose starring role in “Top Gun: Maverick” wowed audiences but was overlooked in the best actor category. Another notable snub from the best picture list was "Babylon," "La La Land" director Damien Chazelle's ambitious ode to old Hollywood. This year none of the nominees for best director are women. One of the most successful recording artists of the era, Taylor Swift, also was snubbed by the Academy.

☆ Factbox: Key nominations for the 2023 BAFTA Film awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Best Actor, Musical or Comedy, Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin holds an award on stage at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards® at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA, U.S., on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Earl Gibson for the HFPA/© HFPA/Handout via REUTERSLONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Nominations for the annual BAFTA Film Awards were announced on Thursday. Britain's top film award ceremony will be held in London on Feb. 19. Below is a list of the nominees in the main categories:BEST FILM"All Quiet on the Western Front""The Banshees of Inisherin""Elvis""Everything Everywhere All At Once""Tár"OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM"Aftersun""The Banshees of Inisherin""Brian And Charles""Empire of Light""Good Luck to You, Leo Grande""Living""Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical""See How They Run""The Swimmers""The Wonder"DIRECTOREdward Berger, "All Quiet on the Western Front"Martin McDonagh, "The Banshees of Inisherin"Park Chan-wook, "Decision To Leave"Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, "Everything Everywhere All At Once"Todd Field, "Tár"Gina Prince-Bythewood, "The Woman King"LEADING ACTRESSAna de Armas, "Blonde"Cate Blanchett, "Tár"Viola Davis, "The Woman King"Danielle Deadwyler, "Till"Emma Thompson, "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande"Michelle Yeoh, "Everything Everywhere All At Once"LEADING ACTORAustin Butler, "Elvis"Brendan Fraser, "The Whale"Colin Farrell, "The Banshees of Inisherin"Daryl McCormack, "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande"Paul Mescal, "Aftersun"Bill Nighy, "Living"SUPPORTING ACTRESSAngela Bassett, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"Hong Chau, "The Whale"Kerry Condon, "The Banshees of Inisherin"Jamie Lee Curtis, "Everything Everywhere All At Once"Dolly De Leon, "Triangle of Sadness"Carey Mulligan, "She Said"SUPPORTING ACTORBrendan Gleeson, "The Banshees of Inisherin"Barry Keoghan, "The Banshees of Inisherin"Ke Huy Quan, "Everything Everywhere All At Once"Eddie Redmayne, "The Good Nurse"Albrecht Schuch, "All Quiet on the Western Front"Micheal Ward, "Empire of Light"ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY"The Banshees of Inisherin""Everything Everywhere All At Once""The Fabelmans""Tár""Triangle of Sadness"ADAPTED SCREENPLAY"All Quiet on the Western Front""Living""The Quiet Girl""She Said""The Whale"FILM NOT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE"All Quiet on the Western Front""Argentina, 1985""Corsage""Decision To Leave""The Quiet Girl"DOCUMENTARY"All That Breathes""All the Beauty and the Bloodshed""Fire of Love""Moonage Daydream""Navalny"ANIMATED FILM"Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio""Marcel the Shell with Shoes On""Puss in Boots: The Last Wish""Turning Red"ORIGINAL SCORE"All Quiet on the Western Front""Babylon""The Banshees of Inisherin""Everything Everywhere All At Once""Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio"Reporting by Marie-Louise GumuchianOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ BAFTA nominations: German 'All Quiet On The Western Front' gets most nods
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] Crew from "All Quiet on the Western Front" attend the National Board of Review Awards Gala in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S., January 8, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew KellyLONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) - A German remake of the anti-war classic "All Quiet On The Western Front" led nominations for the British Academy Film Awards on Thursday, overtaking other award season favourites with 14 nods. That film and Steven Spielberg's coming-of-age story "The Fabelmans" were the two big winners at the Golden Globes earlier this month, but the latter received just one BAFTA nod, for original screenplay. Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic "Elvis" came in third with nine nominations, including best film and a leading actor recognition for Austin Butler. Drama "Tar", in which Cate Blanchett plays a gay conductor of a Berlin orchestra whose career comes tumbling down due to an abuse scandal, had five nods, including best film, director, original screenplay and leading actress.

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