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Disney scraps plans for new Florida campus, mass employee relocation amid DeSantis feud

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[ad_1] Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company, pauses while speaking during an Economic Club of New York event in Midtown Manhattan on October 24, 2019 in New York City. Drew Angerer | Getty Images Disney has abandoned plans to open up a new employee campus in Lake Nona, Florida, amid rising tensions with the state's governor. Citing "changing business conditions" and the return of CEO Bob Iger, Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney's parks, experiences and products division, penned a memo to employees Thursday, announcing that the company will not move forward with construction of the campus and will no longer be asking more than 2,000 California-based employees to relocate to Florida. "This was not an easy decision to make, but I believe it is the right one," D'Amaro told employees. Many Disney employees balked at the company's relocation plans when they were first announced in July 2021 by former CEO Bob Cha

'Mandalorian & Grogu,' 'Toy Story 5,' and another 'Tron' coming to theaters from Disney

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[ad_1] The Mandalorian and the Child (Grogu) on Disney+'s "The Mandalorian." Disney The Walt Disney Company on Friday revealed its new theatrical schedule, which will feature a film about the Mandalorian and Grogu, a fifth "Toy Story" film, and another "Tron" flick before the end of 2026. The company's theatrical business has struggled in the wake of pandemic shutdowns and dual Hollywood labor strikes, as productions stalled and moviegoers' box-office habits shifted. All the while, Disney struggled to connect with audiences, which further exacerbated revenue woes. Since returning to the helm at Disney in late 2022, CEO Bob Iger has been working to right the ship. He's admitted that the quality of its films suffered in its bid to pump out a high quantity of entertainment content. He said brands such as Marvel, in particular, needed to be more selective about which sequels get made. Iger also said he would no longer tolerate his company

Why is Universal making a live-action 'How to Train Your Dragon'? These charts may explain

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[ad_1] Still from Universal and Dreamworks' "How to Train Your Dragon 2." Universal | Dreamworks Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation are taking a page out of Disney's playbook. For the last decade, the Walt Disney Company has been transforming its classic animated features into live-action theatrical and streaming features. Earlier this week, Universal said it would be doing the same for one of its own animated franchises: How to Train Your Dragon. The live-action adaptation based on the 2010 film about the friendship between a young man and his dragon is due in theaters March 14, 2025. Dean DeBlois, who wrote and directed all three films in the animated trilogy, is on tap to write and direct the live-action version. The films' story was based on the best-selling book series by Cressida Cowell. Universal's decision to translate the successful animated franchise to live action has precedent. Since 2010, Disney has released 11 theatrical live-acti

United, Alaska Air find loose hardware on some Boeing 737 Max 9s after grounding

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[ad_1] A United Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft lands at San Francisco International Airport in California on March 13, 2019. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images United Airlines said Monday that it has found loose bolts on door plugs of several Boeing 737 Max 9 planes during inspections spurred when a panel of that type blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight using that type of aircraft last week. Alaska Airlines later Monday said its initial inspections of the jets had turned up "loose hardware" and that, "No aircraft will be returned to service" until formal reviews are complete. "The safety of these aircraft is our priority and we will take the time and steps necessary to ensure their airworthiness, in close partnership with the FAA," Alaska Airlines said in a statement. The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday grounded dozens of 737 Max 9s after the panel blew out midflight on Alaska Flight 1282. Alaska has 65 of the Max 9 planes in it

Canada wildfire smoke again slows flights to the Northeast U.S.

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[ad_1] People walk in Central Park as smoke from wildfires in Canada cause hazy conditions in New York City on June 7, 2023.  Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images Smoke from Canada wildfires is set to disrupt flights again Thursday after hundreds were delayed a day earlier due to decreased visibility, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The FAA said it will "likely need to take steps to manage the flow of traffic safely into New York City, DC, Philadelphia and Charlotte due to reduced visibility from wildfire smoke." Traffic to Philadelphia International Airport was paused until 9:15 a.m., the FAA said. Hundreds of flights at LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport were delayed on Wednesday due to the heavy smoke. The FAA had briefly paused traffic altogether into LaGuardia during the day. As of about 9 a.m. ET on Thursday, there were nearly 800 flights delayed across the U.S., according to flight-tracker FlightAware . This story is developing

Disney posts mixed results for quarter plagued by streaming woes, restructuring costs

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[ad_1] Members of the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild walk the picket line outside of Disney Studios in Burbank, California, on July 18, 2023.  Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty Images Disney posted mixed results for its fiscal third quarter despite ongoing streaming woes and massive restructuring costs resulting from pulling content from its platforms. Subscriber losses continued over the last three months, with the company reporting 146.1 million Disney+ subscribers during the most recent quarter, a 7.4% decline from the previous quarter and a larger loss than Wall Street expected. The majority of subscriber losses came from Disney+ Hotstar, where the company saw a 24% drop in users after it lost out on the rights to Indian Premier League cricket matches. Facing dwindling users and falling revenue in its media and entertainment distribution segment, Disney announced Wednesday it would raise the price on its ad-free streaming tier in October and that it would crack

Arctic blast to bring 'dangerously cold' temperatures to Northeast

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[ad_1] People bundle up as they shield themselves from cold winds as the area is seeing record-breaking low temperatures on February 03, 2023 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images A powerful arctic blast will bring "dangerously cold wind chill temperatures" to the Northeast through Saturday evening along with blizzard conditions through northern Maine, forecasters have warned.  "Temperatures will be 10 to 30 degrees below average over parts of the Northeast into the coastal mid-Atlantic," the National Weather Service said in a bulletin early Saturday.  Wind chill warnings and advisories are across New York State and New England, it said.  The weather service added that high winds could bring power outages and damage property over the northern Rocky Mountain front and the High Plains.  It comes after temperatures reached perilously low levels across the region Friday. At New Hampshire's Mount Washington Observatory, where a wind chill of  minu

Apps show where travelers exercise most — and least — on vacation

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[ad_1] Ever pack workout clothes for a vacation — only to unpack them, unworn, upon returning home? Perhaps the destination matters. Data from exercise apps, which track users' physical locations and search history, show travelers tend to be more active in some locations more than others. Fitness app Strava shows travelers tend to exercise when they visit smaller cities in Europe. The app, which has 100 million users in 195 countries, shows travelers are more active than locals, in: Split, Croatia Dodecanese Islands, Greece Lagos, Portugal Las Palmas, Spain Nord-Aurdal, Norway All are warm, coastal cities in southern Europe, with the exception of Nord-Aurdal, which is part of Norway's Valdres region — a major draw for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy hiking, cycling, fishing and skiing. The small municipality of some 6,400 people is about 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Lillehammer, which hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics. Conversely, the company's data shows travelers ar

American Airlines pilots' union accepts sweetened labor deal

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[ad_1] American Airlines plane Silas Stein | picture alliance | Getty Images American Airlines pilots' union said Thursday that they agreed to a sweetened offer for a new labor contract, less than two weeks after a richer deal at rival United Airlines derailed voting at American. The new preliminary agreement includes pay matching with United, whose pilots are on track to get about 40% raises over four years, and at Delta Air Lines , whose aviators approved their contract in March , as well as other improvements. American CEO Robert Isom last week increased the company's offer by about $1 billion . "We appreciate the Allied Pilots Association for its collaborative work to reach an updated agreement on a four-year contract for American's pilots," American said in a statement. "It's a contract we're proud of and one our pilots deserve." American's pilots would start voting on the new deal in August. The deal is the latest in the trans

Warning labels in the U.S. seem to be everywhere. Here's why they may be pointless

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[ad_1] Warning labels are designed to inform consumers about potential risks of using a product, but they have become too prevalent to be beneficial. "Warning labels really were fairly rare until the 1960s," said W. Kip Viscusi, a distinguished professor of law, economics, and management at Vanderbilt University. "Beginning in the mid-1960's, cigarettes started to have a warning label. Since that time, other products have followed suit, trying to emulate the cigarette experience." related investing news Warning labels generally come in two forms: those that warn the consumer against buying the product, such as a cigarette box label that says, "This product can cause mouth cancer," and those that warn about the risks associated with incorrect use of a product and may say, " To prevent this furniture from tipping over, it must be permanently fixed to the wall ." One of the problems researchers have pointed out is people are desensitized t

High levels of a hazardous chemical polluted the air weeks after the Ohio train derailment, an analysis shows

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[ad_1] General view of the site of the derailment of a train carrying hazardous waste, in East Palestine, Ohio, March 2, 2023. Alan Freed | Reuters Soon after the  derailment of a Norfolk Southern  train in East Palestine, Ohio, a team of researchers began roving the small town in a Nissan van. It was February, less than three weeks after the disaster, and the van was outfitted with an instrument called a mass spectrometer, which can measure hundreds to thousands of compounds in the air every second. The team was searching for harmful levels of air pollution. At the time, a primary concern was a flammable substance called vinyl chloride, because Norfolk Southern intentionally burned off the chemical in an attempt to avoid the chance of an explosion. Some environmental health experts thought the chemical may have contributed to the  rashes, vomiting, bloody noses and bronchitis  some residents reported. But a  new study  from the team behind the research van — a group of scientist

Airline cargo revenue is cratering. Here's why that's actually good news

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[ad_1] An American Airlines 777 is loaded with cargo at Philadelphia International Airport. Leslie Josephs/CNBC Airlines' cargo revenue is slumping. That's a sign of good news for travel recovery. Delta , United and American this month each reported year-over-year declines of about 40% in their second-quarter cargo revenue. For the first half of 2023, Delta's cargo business generated $381 million, down from $561 million in the first half of 2022, while American's cargo unit brought in $420 million compared with $692 million in the first six months of last year. United brought in $760 million from cargo so far this year, down from $1.2 billion a year earlier. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Meanwhile, airlines are reporting record revenue , if not earnings , thanks to the rebound in travel demand. That means the business impact of cargo, which once helped prop up airlines' revenue during the Covid pandemic travel plunge, has faded. Cargo revenue at Unite

American Airlines raises 2023 profit forecast after strong second quarter

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[ad_1] Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, from American Airlines company, taking off from Barcelona airport, in Barcelona on 24th February 2023.  JanValls | Nurphoto | Getty Images American Airlines on Thursday raised its earnings outlook for 2023 after a strong start to the peak travel season, the latest airline to reap the rewards from the continued boom in demand. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier expects to earn between $3 and $3.75 a share for the full year, adjusting for one-time items, up from a forecast in May to earn about $2.50 to $3.50. That updated 2023 profit guidance falls in line with Wall Street expectations of $3.10, according to Refinitiv consensus estimates. American shares were down more than 6% in late-afternoon trading. Airline executives have been upbeat about travel demand, particularly for international trips. Some airfares have declined compared with last year, when airlines struggled to rebuild their schedules after the worst of the Covid pandemic , leaving tr

Where have all the billion-dollar movies gone? So far, only Mario's been super this year

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[ad_1] Chris Pratt and Charlie Day voice Mario and Luigi in Universal and Illumination's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Universal LOS ANGELES — It's the billion-dollar question: Why are mega blockbusters in short supply this year? Universal's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is the only movie released in 2023 to so far eclipse the $1 billion mark at the global box office. It doesn't look like there could be another one, even with some big titles on the calendar. related investing news "If you would have given 10 people a release schedule at the beginning of the year and said, 'We will have just one billion-dollar movie out of all of these and can you pick which one it will be?' I don't think anyone would have taken 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' as the one," said Mike Polydoros, CEO at cinema marketing firm PaperAirplane Media. The lack of billion-dollar grossers marks a dramatic change in the industry. In years before

High levels of a hazardous chemical polluted the air weeks after the Ohio train derailment, an analysis shows

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[ad_1] General view of the site of the derailment of a train carrying hazardous waste, in East Palestine, Ohio, March 2, 2023. Alan Freed | Reuters Soon after the  derailment of a Norfolk Southern  train in East Palestine, Ohio, a team of researchers began roving the small town in a Nissan van. It was February, less than three weeks after the disaster, and the van was outfitted with an instrument called a mass spectrometer, which can measure hundreds to thousands of compounds in the air every second. The team was searching for harmful levels of air pollution. At the time, a primary concern was a flammable substance called vinyl chloride, because Norfolk Southern intentionally burned off the chemical in an attempt to avoid the chance of an explosion. Some environmental health experts thought the chemical may have contributed to the  rashes, vomiting, bloody noses and bronchitis  some residents reported. But a  new study  from the team behind the research van — a group of scientist

Jenny Craig will be revived for e-commerce by the owner of diet meal maker Nutrisystem

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[ad_1] Jenny Craig is being revived for e-commerce in the coming months by the maker of a rival weight-loss meal provider that bought the defunct company's brand assets out of bankruptcy. Wellful Inc., a direct-to-consumer wellness business that also owns Nutrisystem, said it had acquired rights to Jenny Craig's intellectual property for an undisclosed amount. Court documents dated June 2 show the IP priced at up to $10 million. "People that have known the Jenny brand — the core aspects around the great food, the coaching, the overall program and the success they previously had — they can expect again," Wellful CEO Brandon Adcock said in an interview. Jenny Craig's website  has teased a reboot in recent weeks, saying it "will be coming to your home this fall." Adcock said all former Jenny Craig customers have been notified by email and in the brand's Facebook groups about the relaunch. "Our goal is just treat them as best we can to win back