Seemingly everywhere in 2021, Bitcoin crosses $50,000 for the first time
NEW YORK (AP) — Seemingly everywhere in 2021, Bitcoin crosses $50,000 for the first time.
From 1 May, foreigners in Singapore on dependant's passes will need to secure a work pass, instead of a letter of consent, to work in Singapore.
Sinclair Broadcasting Group, one of the largest local station groups, is laying off around 5% of its staff amid a continued economic impact by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt across all sectors of the economy, something that can have a profound impact on a company as diversified as ours,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement. “From local businesses and advertisers to distributors and partners, no component of our business’s ecosystem has been fully shielded from the impact of the global pandemic. In response to this, we are currently undergoing enterprise-wide reductions across our workforce, including corporate headquarters, to ensure we are well-positioned for future success.” Sinclair, which acquired the regional sports networks that Fox sold off to Disney as part of its $71.3 billion sale, was particularly impacted by the sports shutdown last year. The company operates around 130 local TV stations. Also Read: Disney CEO Suggests There's No 'Going Back' to Pre-COVID Film Releases Though the majority of sports leagues were able to start back up, the number of games was far fewer than they would have been in typical years. For example, the 2020 MLB season was drastically reduced from 162 games to only 60 this year, while the NBA and NHL had fewer cancelations. Those sports, especially during the regular season, play out primarily on local markets’ regional sports networks. Both of the current NBA and NHL seasons are shorter than usual as well. Some cable operators have given its customers refunds over lost sports games. Read original story Sinclair Broadcast Group to Cut 5% of Staff Amid ‘Profound Impact’ From Pandemic At TheWrap
Marathon bail proceedings for 47 Hong Kong democracy activists charged with conspiracy to commit subversion enter the fourth day on Thursday, in a landmark case after the most sweeping use yet of the city's national security law. Hundreds of people were lining up at the court to show their support for the defendants, with the hearing due to start at 10.00 am (0200 GMT). The hearings have gone on late into the night for three consecutive days, causing several defendants to fall ill and be sent to the hospital.
Sinclair Broadcast Group is shrinking its workforce by 5%, letting go of several hundred employees as a result of the “profound impact” of the pandemic, said the company in a statement. The company employs over 9,211 people, meaning that approximately 460 staffers were affected by the downsizing. “The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to […]
For subtlety’s sake, it’s better if coming-of-age stories don’t feature subplots in which characters are asked to pen their own autobiographical tales of maturation, and then spend time debating the merits of J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” as well as their personal similarities to its protagonist, Holden Caulfield. That “Boogie” does this is […]
There are important stories in “Boogie” about young love, about abusive marital and parental relationships, and about navigating Western culture as the child of Asian immigrants, but the film seems determined to be about the rise of a promising high-school basketball player, even though the basketball storyline is the least interesting of the plotlines on display. Restaurateur and “Fresh Off the Boat” author Eddie Huang makes his feature debut as a writer-director, bringing a great deal of emotional honesty and cultural specificity to the table. But while his approach to the characters and their interactions feel fresh and personal, the entire basketball plot is cobbled together from countless sports-movie clichés. Japanese-American actor Taylor Takahashi debuts as Alfred, aka Boogie, a high-school senior who carries the hopes and dreams of his Chinese-born parents (played by Pamelyn Chee and Perry Yung) on his shoulders. The film opens with a flashback of his mother and father visiting a fortune teller, and while it’s clear that the two of them are already in near-constant conflict, the psychic advises them to be kind to each other, since their offspring will reflect their individual strengths. Also Read: 'Fresh Off The Boat' Writer Eddie Huang's Basketball Drama 'Boogie' Scores March Release Boogie has transferred to City Prep, whose basketball team he describes as “hot trash,” because he wants to be noticed by college recruiters. He’s gotten some nibbles, but no scholarship offers, and his debt-ridden parents are pushing him to get a free ride on his way to the NBA. (Recruiters admire Boogie’s skill while also noting that his brash arrogance makes him a terrible team player.) When a slick recruiter (Mike Moh, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) nabs a $750,000 deal for Boogie to play in China for a year, which would forfeit his college eligibility, Boogie and his parents have to deal with their conflicting dreams and expectations. This part of “Boogie,” from the star player learning to be humble and cooperative to his showdown with a fierce rival (a memorably indelible bad guy, played by the late rapper Pop Smoke, in his one and only film role), you’ve probably seen before. What genuinely resonates is the intensity of the love-hate relationship Boogie has with parents (and that they have with each other), Boogie’s burgeoning romance with Eleanor (Taylour Paige, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), and his bro-banter with best friend Richie (Jorge Lendeborg Jr, “Love, Simon”). Also Read: 'Fresh Off the Boat' Author Eddie Huang Responds to Steve Harvey's Asian Men Joke Takahashi — a first-time actor working with a first-time director — brings real depth to the character and makes his interactions with the people around him heartfelt and affecting. As a story about a high-school senior unsure about his future, coping with a volatile family and falling in love for the first time (for once, it’s the girl who talks the hesitant and insecure boy through a sexual encounter), “Boogie” is genuine while weaving Black, Hispanic, Asian and White teenage New Yorkers together with effortless ease. It’s only in assuming that we care more about Boogie’s athletic journey than his interpersonal relationships that the film falls short. Cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz (“Ready or Not”) and editor Joan Sobel (“Nocturnal Animals”), for their part, don’t find as much of interest in the basketball sequences (including the inevitable climactic Big Game) as they do in other aspects of Boogie’s story; the scenes with Eleanor are as romantic as the moments at home are stressful. One dinner sequence, in particular, is held in one continuous shot at a distance, tensing us for the violence we worry will erupt. Watch Video: 'Fresh Off the Boat' Reveals the Truth About Santa in Midseason Finale (Exclusive) It’s those moments of real specificity, be they tender or terrifying, that give “Boogie” its impact, and it’s that ability to access human moments that will make Huang’s next film one that will be eagerly anticipated. “Boogie” opens in select U.S. theaters on March 5. Read original story ‘Boogie’ Film Review: Eddie Huang’s Basketball Saga Plays Best Off the Court At TheWrap
Itching for a good time surrounded by books and yummy food? Check out these book cafes and bookstores around Malaysia! The post 12 Book Cafes & Independent Bookstores in Malaysia appeared first on Zafigo.
Guatemala's Pacaya volcano erupted on Wednesday, expelling lava for several hours and prompting the country's meteorological institute to warn that incandescent volcanic blocks could rain down on nearby towns. Officials stopped short of ordering evacuations following the so-called strombolian eruption, explosions that consist of relatively mild blasts but eject burning cinders and lava bombs. One of the Central American country's most active volcanoes, Pacaya began to expel lava at dawn, creating an immense column of smoke, video footage from the institute showed.
The man who plowed a rental van into dozens of people in Toronto, Canada in 2018 was found guilty of murder and attempted murder by a judge on Wednesday. Ten people were killed, and 16 wounded by the driver - 28-year-old Alek Minassian.Victims’ families – outside of court Wednesday - said they were relieved. ”Oh, well, it's like you're holding your breath for three years and you can finally breathe.” Nick D’Amico’s sister was killed in the attack - which Minassian had said was motived by a desire to punish society for his perceived status as an "incel" - otherwise known as an involuntary celibate. Minassian had pleaded ‘not criminally responsible.’His lawyers argued his autism spectrum disorder left him with no idea how horrific his actions were.But the judge dismissed that defense - and read a guilty verdict that was live-streamed on YouTube.Catherine Riddell was among those injured in the attack:"Oh, it was the best I could hope for. I think it was a fair decision. And he can spend the rest of his life in jail because he deserves it. I'm sorry he took lives and he didn't care. And you know what? You just have to be accountable for what you do. And he's going to have to be.”A sentencing hearing will be scheduled and - according to criminal lawyers following the case - Minassian is likely to get a life sentence.
Mexico's Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled in favor of the country's telecoms regulator over a label that aims to curb the dominance of Carlos Slim's telecommunications company America Movil. Mexico's Federal Institute of Telecommunications (IFT) acted within the constitution when it determined in 2013 that the America Movil Economic Interest Group, made up of Telcel and other subsidiaries, is a "preponderant agent" in 2013, the court said in a statement.
With NBA games back in Madison Square Garden and certain movie theaters reopening at the end of the week, New York could soon celebrate the resumption of the performing arts -- the governor announced Wednesday that theaters could reopen at limited capacity from April 2.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — The driver of a trailer who drove into a flyover still under construction along the Sungai Besi–Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) yesterday is being investigated for...
Hisae Unuma's home withstood the earthquake 10 years ago which unleashed a tsunami that wrecked the Fukushima nuclear plant and forced her and 160,000 others to flee their homes.She returned recently to check on her old house.Its roof is now close to complete collapse and a bamboo had penetrated through the former living room."I'm almost 70 years old, so I don't think it's possible for me to live here. There's no base for a life here. I can't go shopping and there's no hospital, so I can't imagine building a life here."Japan's government has turned Fukushima's recovery into a symbol of national revival ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games and is encouraging residents to return with financial aid as it decontaminates the land.But lingering worries about the nearby nuclear plant, lack of jobs and poor infrastructure is keeping many away."I want to say to the government: Please don't solve the problem with money. We should be treated like human beings, not animals. They feed us with money to shut us up. It shouldn't be like this. We want to live like human beings. That is what I really want to say."Unuma declined to claim her compensation, unwilling to be treated as a Fukushima refugee dependent on Tokyo Electric's handouts.She now lives as a vegetable farmer near the capital and insists on building a life with her own hands."There's nothing that lets me feel secure enough to continue making a living. But now since there are people who come to me to buy vegetables, that's the easiest way for me to make a living by delivering vegetables to them daily. That's a life with hope."
Most steer clear of Fukushima's restricted zone in Japan.But for Sakae Kato, it's the place of his life's mission: taking care of abandoned pets, which he refers to as 'kids.'"There were some frustrations in the past ten years that made me wonder why I was doing such things. But if humans have trouble making a living, the society will take care of them, and provide them social aid. If these kids are in trouble and no one is taking care of them, they will die." All of his family and neighbors fled after an earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear plant meltdown 10 years ago.But Kato vowed to stay on in a near-empty township and began taking care of stray pets.Kato and his 41 stray cats now live in a dilapidated house.Water is collected from a nearby mountain spring and Kato uses public toilets outside the restricted area."It's getting harder to take care of the animals so I think it will be even much harder in 10 years' time. I want to be around when the last cat dies, then I want to die after that, no matter if it takes a day or an hour, I want to take care of the last cat here before I die. Otherwise it would be cruel to leave it alone. I will not breed any more cats but it's also sad to see them go."Kato isn't technically allowed to sleep at his house and is officially a resident of Fukushima city which is a two-hour drive away.He says his family is opposed to his charitable, but costly, project.Taking care of the animals eats up around $7,000 a month for food, fuel and veterinary expenses.Kato estimates he has spent at least $750,000 over the past 10 years looking after the pets.But his kindness has not always received a warm welcome from onlookers.In February, Kato was arrested on suspicion of freeing wild boar caught in traps set up by Japan's government."People don't like wild boars and they say they're vermin. But the boars have come here in front of the garage since they were babies. They're getting bigger and bigger and now they also bring their children here with them, so to me they're like my children."Despite these obstacles, Kato insists he has permission to stay in the area and won't be deterred from what he sees as his life's purpose.
Mar.03 -- Sorare CEO Nicolas Julia discusses the $50M investment in his company by venture capital firm Benchmark, and how the fantasy soccer network sells and trades digital trading cards. He also talks about the sky-high prices some customers are will to pay for digital cards. He speaks to Emily Chang on "Bloomberg Technology."
Mar.03 -- Jesse Powell, founder and CEO of Kraken, explains how he believes that Bitcoin will eventually replace all of the world's currencies. He speaks to Emily Chang on "Bloomberg Technology."
The United States on Wednesday hailed plans by NATO ally Germany to sail a warship across the contested South China Sea, calling it welcome support for a "rules-based international order" in the region, something Washington says is threatened by China. German government officials said on Tuesday a German frigate would set sail for Asia in August and, on its return journey, become the first German warship to cross the South China Sea since 2002. "The United States has a national interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, respect for international law, lawful unimpeded commerce, and freedom of navigation and other lawful uses of the sea," a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department said.
SpaceX’s futuristic Starship looked like it aced a touchdown Wednesday, but then exploded on the landing pad with so much force that it was hurled into the air. The failure occurred just minutes after SpaceX declared success. The full-scale prototype of Elon Musk's envisioned Mars ship soared more than 6 miles (10 kilometers) after lifting off from the southern tip of Texas on Wednesday.
Mar.03 -- Emily Chang highlights Astra, the latest startup company trying to take part in the modern-day space race. Astra CEO Chris Kemp has decided to take the company public through SPAC to raise enough money to help the company get to space.
GCP Applied Tech (GCP) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of -8.33% and 0.00%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2020. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?