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☆ China reopening is mixed blessing for inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Francesco Guerrera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

That adds to inflationary pressures for the gas-starved euro zone. Exports to the United States were down 25%. China’s absence from the gas market reduced competition, enabling big importers like the euro zone to buy at less inflated prices. Some 43% of euro zone inflation is driven by energy prices, according to UBS, compared to just 18% in the United States. Granted, euro zone exports would benefit from revived Chinese demand, but they only account for around 1.5% of the bloc’s GDP, Morgan Stanley calculates.

☆ Instagram is the new 'business card' for creators. Here's why industry experts say this could be Meta's secret weapon.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Instagram has become a "business card" or "Rolodex" for creators and business owners. Here's why creator industry insiders and experts say messaging is a big opportunity for Instagram. "I could not do my business without Instagram DMs," said Eric Wei, a former Instagram staffer who left to found creator economy fintech startup Karat. Meta's making moves to monetize messagingCracking how to monetize messaging isn't so straightforward. This year, Meta hosted "Conversations" in May, a developer event focused on business messaging, after canceling its annual and broader developer event, F8.

☆ Analysis: U.S. financial conditions have eased. So far the Fed is okay with it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Ann Saphir | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Fresh projections by Fed policymakers released after next week's meeting are expected to reflect that, along with a forecast for no cuts to the policy rate until 2024. Reuters GraphicsThat could feed into arguments that the economy and labor markets are poised to weaken next year, easing inflation pressures. And those drops came despite the Fed lifting its policy rate by three-quarters-of-a-percentage point, to 3.75%-4% in early November. Meanwhile, unemployment has stayed at a low 3.7%, below where Fed policymakers had thought it would be as tighter policy slowed the economy. Reuters GraphicsPart of the reason the Fed may be more comfortable with easing financial conditions now than in the summer is simply that the Fed has already raised interest rates by nearly 4 percentage points.

How to watch 'Better Call Saul' season 6You can watch "Better Call Saul" season six by purchasing episodes through digital retailers like Amazon and Vudu. 'Better Call Saul' Season 6 (Digital Purchase) The long-awaited conclusion to the harrowing “Breaking Bad” spin-off is available to buy digitally. Do Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul appear in 'Better Call Saul' season 6? Netflix is also home to lots of other great content, including every season of "Breaking Bad" and the sequel film "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie." "Better Call Saul" is critically acclaimed and currently holds a "98% Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on all six seasons.

☆ Wall Street activism is proving its influence on corporations. Just look at Disney's Bob Iger.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Investors are still digesting the news that Bob Iger will reprise his role as the chief executive of Disney. Bob Iger, CEO of Disney Charley Gallay/Stringer/Getty Images1. On Sunday, Disney announced legendary leader Bob Iger would return to his post as CEO and replace Bob Chapek, even though Chapek just months ago signed a contract extension. Disney stock had plunged 21% since Chapek's appointment in February 2020. As long as these headwinds batter the stock market, investors are likely not going to sit idly by and watch what they believe to be mismanagement by corporate leaders.

☆ Brandy is back as Cinderella in new ‘Descendants’ movie for Disney+
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Twenty-five years after she first played the role of Cinderella, Brandy is stepping into her glass slippers again. The singer and actress will reprise her role as the fairytale heroine, first seen in the 1997 television movie “Cinderella,” in a new installment of the “Descendants” franchise for Disney+, the Mouse House announced Monday. The first three films, which included “Descendants 2” from 2017, starred Dove Cameron, Booboo Stewart and the late Cameron Boyce. Brandy starred in the Emmy Award-winning late-90s retelling of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” opposite Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother, for ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney. Disney also announced Monday that “Descendants” fan favorite Melanie Paxson will reprise her role as the Fairy Godmother from the previous “Descendants” movies for “The Pocketwatch.”A release date for the film has not yet been announced.

"A Christmas Story Christmas" is a sequel to the 1983 holiday classic "A Christmas Story." You can stream the movie on HBO Max with an ad-supported ($10/month) or ad-free plan ($15/month). "A Christmas Story Christmas" is streaming exclusively on HBO Max, and it reunites several members of the original cast. How to watch 'A Christmas Story Christmas'You can now watch "A Christmas Story Christmas" on HBO Max. Before "A Christmas Story Christmas" was released, two earlier sequels were also made to the original movie: "My Summer Story" and "A Christmas Story 2."

☆ Jan. 6 committee staffers told preliminary plan for final report would focus largely on Trump, not on law enforcement failures, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dilanianmug.Jpg | Ken Dilanian | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

The final report — much like the committee’s hearings — seems to be shaping up to be “all-Trump,” one source said. The “blue team” examined the preparedness and response of law enforcement agencies. Some staffers remain hopeful that members of the Jan. 6 committee might push back on the current plan and incorporate their research into the final report. The committee needs to release its final report before a new Congress is seated in January. Congress has oversight over and controls the funding of federal law enforcement agencies.

☆ Emily Blunt is game for a 'Devil Wears Prada' sequel
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Emily Blunt would be more than game to return to the role that made her one of film’s most iconic fashion mean girls. Hathaway, whose career also skyrocketed thanks to “Prada,” shared a bit more hesitation around the prospect of a sequel when she visited “The View” just last week. Now, everything’s gone so digital, and that movie centered around the concept of producing a physical thing. It’s just very different now.”“Although, it is tempting to think about Andy and Emily needing to get Miranda her coffee and she’s somewhere in Europe,” she added. “And then along the way they pick up Stanley Tucci in Italy, who’s at a restaurant.

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" premieres in theaters on November 11. Though the original "Black Panther'' movie told the story of T'Challa, the late Chadwick Boseman will not make an appearance in the sequel. Check out the trailer for 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'Most of the star-studded cast from the first "Black Panther" will reprise their roles in "Wakanda Forever," along with a few new additions. If you're interested in catching up on previous Marvel films and shows that feature characters from "Wakanda Forever," we've got you covered. Below, we rounded up every Marvel title that we consider essential viewing before you see "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

☆ Stocks are being punished more harshly for missing Wall Street’s expectations. What the numbers show
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Karen Firestone | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Even the unfortunate roughly 5.3% decline for the S & P 500 in the third quarter belied the 12.8% cratering of equities between Sept. 12 and Sept. 30. October has followed the script, with all the major indices ahead for the month, led by the Dow Jones Industrial Average up nearly 14% and the S & P 500 ahead by about 8%. These stocks imploded about 13% and more than 30%, respectively, in the five days after the companies posted their results. Very little beyond that can move the needle for the S & P 500, but the current quarter has taught us something about market sentiment. Many stocks are oversold, but investors have extremely limited tolerance for disappointing expectations.

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’Even before making its way to theaters, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” — the long-awaited sequel to the 2018 film starring Chadwick Boseman — has birthed some of this fall’s biggest pop culture moments, including a Rihanna song drop. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 11. “The Inspection” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 18. “Bones and All” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 23. “Strange World” opens in U.S. theaters Nov. 23.

☆ 'Black Panther' sequel stars on late Chadwick Boseman: 'We made him proud'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, Oct 27 (Reuters) - The stars of the highly-anticipated sequel to Marvel’s "Black Panther" walked the red carpet in Hollywood on Wednesday night at the "Wakanda Forever" world premiere but there was one name hugely missed, their late co-star Chadwick Boseman. "But we had to just be strong, to follow through on the story and it got emotional at times. “Black Panther”, in which Boseman played the king of the fictional African land of Wakanda, became a global hit and was hailed as a milestone for racial diversity in Hollywood. "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" sees the protagonists working once again with the Dora Milaje, an elite group of female warriors, as they fight to protect their nation following the king's death. It sees actors Angela Bassett and Danai Gurira reprise their roles as T'Challa's mother Ramonda and Dora Milaje head Okoye, respectively, as well as the arrival of Michaela Coel as Aneka, a Dora Milaje warrior.

☆ The US and Canada are updating a Cold War-era system to keep an eye on Russian and Chinese missiles. Experts say they need to add a lot more territory too.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US and Canada are modernizing NORAD to watch for Russian, Chinese, and North Korean missiles. At the same time, some experts argue that the command should expand beyond North America to include Denmark and its North American territory, Greenland. North American Aerospace Defense Command, as it's now known, is also responsible for detecting and tracking North Korean missile launches. But the North Pole is still a dagger pointed at North America. The defense of North America is still on NORAD's radar.

Why do so many industries treat voice actors poorly?!?" Rather than having a set salary, Hayhurst said, video game voice actors often have an hourly rate that’s agreed upon before they begin recording. Video game voice actors are eligible to be represented by the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. In 2017, SAG-AFTRA reached an agreement with video game companies, after a nearly yearlong strike by the union against video game producers, developers and publishers, Variety reported. In some cases, video game voice acting is more than delivering lines of dialogue in a booth.

☆ 'Black Adam': Dwayne Johnson teases another superhero return in new film
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Did Dwayne Johnson just reveal a “Black Adam” spoiler? Johnson stars as the villain in the film alongside Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Aldis Hodge and Pierce Brosnan, but teased another possible big name. Johnson continued: ‘So, for years, audiences have been so passionate and vocal about – we’ve established Black Adam as the most powerful and unstoppable force on our planet. “Black Adam” is set for release on Oct. 21. It is a Warner Bros. Pictures film, which like CNN is part of Warner Bros.

☆ Shanghai lockdown fears return amid COVID case rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Dave Lucas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A worker in a protective suit sits behind a barrier at a sealed area following the coronavirus outbreak, in Shanghai, China, October 11, 2022. Keen to avoid a reprise of the economically and psychically scarring lockdown in April-May, Shanghai said...moreA worker in a protective suit sits behind a barrier at a sealed area following the coronavirus outbreak, in Shanghai, China, October 11, 2022. Keen to avoid a reprise of the economically and psychically scarring lockdown in April-May, Shanghai said late on Monday that all its 16 districts were to conduct mass testing at least twice a week until Nov. 10, a step up from once a week under a regime imposed after the last lockdown. REUTERS/Aly SongClose

Women with dogs chat through gaps in a barrier at a sealed area, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China October 11, 2022. Shanghai, a city of 25 million people, reported 28 new local cases for Oct. 10, authorities said on Tuesday, the fourth day of double-digit increases. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterNationwide, 2,089 new local infections were reported, the highest since Aug. 20. That's a step up from once a week presently, a regime imposed after the earlier lockdown was lifted. Checks on people travelling to Shanghai and places such as hotels, should also be strengthened, municipal authorities said.

☆ Showtime’s ‘Lincoln Project’ doc, like the super PAC, is noisy but not all that effective
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-09 | by ( Michael Arceneaux | Michael Arceneaux Is The Author Of | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Showtime’s five-part docuseries about The Lincoln Project, the super PAC founded by multiple well-known Republican strategists and operatives with a shared contempt for Donald Trump, reminds me a lot of the organization’s work in 2020: noisy but not necessarily all that effective in realizing its stated goals. It’s not that The Lincoln Project founders shouldn’t be proud of the house they built. We also definitely didn’t need so much footage of various fans — including celebrities — and Lincoln Project members talking about how cool, popular and great the organization is. At the time of that revelation, not even The Lincoln Project disputed it. And while I won’t deny the coverage The Lincoln Project garnered during and after the 2020 election, is it all that hard to troll someone like Trump?

☆ 'Hocus Pocus 2' review: Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker conjure the same old brew on Disney+
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

“Hocus Pocus 2” should benefit from that dynamic, delivering a breezy sequel – 29 years later – that should provide go-down-easy Halloween viewing for families in the less-demanding confines of Disney+. Then again, this kind of movie hardly needs to reinvent the cauldron, representing more of a cut-and-paste job. While the not-too-scary hijinks are acceptable for kids, those scenes will likely deliver more of a kick for parents who caught the movie way back when, helping turn it into a Halloween favorite. By that measure, “Hocus Pocus 2” finds what amounts to the streaming sweet spot, feeling just big enough, but not too big. “Hocus Pocus 2” premieres September 30 on Disney+.

☆ Hugh Jackman to reprise Wolverine role in next ‘Deadpool’ film
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Sandra Gonzalez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ryan Reynolds just broke some Hugh-ge news in the movie world. The actor announced on Tuesday that Hugh Jackman will be reprising his role as Wolverine in the next “Deadpool” film, slated for September 6, 2024. “Yeah, sure, Ryan,” Jackman replies nonchalantly. Deadpool was introduced in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” in 2009, but totally different than the smart-alecky take of the stand-alone movies. The duo’s team up will mark the third film in the wildly successful “Deadpool” franchise, which included two films released in 2016 and 2018.

☆ 'Reboot' review: Keegan-Michael Key and Judy Greer star in Hulu's comedy about the revival of a comedy from producer Steve Levitan
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The meta aspects of a Hulu comedy about the making of a Hulu comedy quickly pile up in “Reboot,” a fictional show about reviving a series from the early 2000s, reuniting the cast and crew with all their insecurities and old grudges. Created by “Modern Family’s” Steve Levitan, it’s a breezy and very-inside look at Hollywood, with a few too many rim shots but still a fair amount of laughs. She has her reasons, and finds the cast perhaps not surprisingly eager to reprise their roles, mostly for those sweet paychecks. Then again, that’s part of the latitude that streaming allows, and other elements, like the inter-generational conflict, prove frequently funny, and occasionally a little bit sweet. In 25 or 30 years, there might even be a “Reboot” reboot.

☆ Starbucks soars after its investor day. Here's what Wall Street analysts had to say
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

BTIG Starbucks' investor day "lived up to expectations," according to BTIG analysts Peter Saleh and Ben Parente. Ivankoe noted that, in December 2016, Starbucks released a five-year strategic plan that called for annual EPS growth between 15% and 20%. "We think investors had also expected more conservative guidance to provide room for the incoming CEO and return to a beat & raise story," the analysts wrote. Wedbush Wedbush analysts Nick Setyan and Michael Symington were more muted in their reaction to Starbucks' investor day. China, a view that, to us, seems equally out of place given ongoing global macro headwinds," the analysts wrote.

☆ 'Cobra Kai' Season 5 review: The 'Karate Kid' series sequel hasn't lost its kicks
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-09 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

(CNN) Crossing the streams with its sequels, the fifth season of "Cobra Kai" features heavy dollops of the second and third "The Karate Kid" movies while continue to carve out its own next-generation melodrama, all in extraordinarily nimble fashion. While it's not the best series on TV (OK, Netflix), there should be some kind of prize for the best revival culled from limited source material. Still, in order to battle the bad guy from "Karate Kid III," Daniel (Ralph Macchio) has enlisted the heavy from "II," Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), in an unlikely but utterly hysterical alliance. (A little fuzzy on his English, when Daniel suggests they need to cut off the head of the snake, the literal-minded Chozen pulls out a knife and is ready to go.) The kids, in fact, have as many shifting allegiances as the elder generation, whose AARP-eligible karate masters continue to prove remarkably spry.

The sixth and final season of "Better Call Saul" concluded on August 15. You can stream the last half of the final season on AMC Plus, and catch up on older seasons with a Netflix subscription. How to watch 'Better Call Saul' season 6You can watch the final six episodes of "Better Call Saul" season six with a subscription to the AMC Plus streaming service. Keep in mind, however, that "Better Call Saul" episodes only remain available on AMC Plus for a limited time. The show has received 46 Emmy nominations over its run, including seven for its sixth and final season.

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