Investments and Business

David Ellison’s Hollywood journey has been filled with high-energy, adrenaline-filled blockbusters filled with suspense, stunts and unexpected twists. But on Sunday, he achieved his most significant milestone by negotiating a merger with Paramount after months of discussions with the company and its largest shareholder, Shari Redstone. If the deal goes through, he will oversee a vast media empire that includes CBS, MTV and the Paramount movie studio. Although Ellison, 41, has been among Hollywood's elite for over a decade, he's only just now entering the spotlight. Here's a rundown of his career. Who is David Ellison and what is Skydance?…

Jane McAlevey, an influential organizer and labor scholar, died Sunday at her cabin in Muir Beach, California, at the age of 59. Her half-brother, Mitchell Rotbert, confirmed that multiple myeloma was the cause of death. McAlevey had previously undergone surgery for breast cancer. Throughout her career, McAlevey was a staunch advocate for the working class, emphasizing the importance of worker-led unions. She believed that member-led unions were the most powerful tools for combating economic inequality. In her numerous writings and media appearances, she criticized many U.S. labor leaders for what she saw as their complacency and collusion with corporate interests.…

Ray Kurzweil, a renowned inventor and futurist, continues to claim that humans will soon merge with artificial intelligence. During an interview at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston, Kurzweil showed a graph illustrating the exponential growth of computing power over the past 85 years. This steady increase, according to him, indicates that the so-called Singularity, when humans and AI become one, will occur within the next two decades. Kurzweil, who has made a career out of making bold predictions, reiterated claims in his 2005 book, The Singularity is NearWith the advent of AI technologies like ChatGPT and efforts to implant…

This article is part of Neglected, a series of obituaries about extraordinary people whose deaths, beginning in 1851, were not reported by The Times. For many fashionable women of the mid-20th century, a hat wasn't worth wearing unless it was made by Otto Lucas. Lucas was a London milliner famous for his elegant turbans, caps and cloches, often made of fine velvets and silks and decorated with flowers or feathers. Her designs have graced the covers of magazines such as British Vogue and have been worn by illustrious clients, including actresses Greta Garbo and Gene Tierney, as well as the…

In the spring of 2021, Chet Hanks, son of Tom Hanks, sparked controversy by declaring that it would be a “white boy summer.” Initially ambiguous, the phrase has since been co-opted by white supremacist groups, according to a report by the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. This year, the slogan has appeared in thousands of Telegram posts, used by far-right groups to recruit, organize protests, and incite violence, particularly against immigrants and LGBTQ individuals. The phrase now symbolizes an unabashed celebration of white heterosexual masculinity, often at the expense of women and people of color. Wendy Via, co-founder of…

"Inside Out 2," featuring Anxiety personified, maintained its position as the top film in North America for the third consecutive weekend. Meanwhile, "A Quiet Place: Day One," a suspenseful prequel, exceeded expectations with its strong ticket sales. However, Kevin Costner’s three-hour film “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” was largely ignored by moviegoers. Originally intended for streaming, this supposed start to an Old West series eventually made it to theaters, but failed to attract significant interest. Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” was projected to gross $57.4 million, reaching a three-week total of about $470 million in the U.S. and Canada,…

USA Today Editor-in-Chief Terence Samuel announced Monday he is stepping down after a year in office. Samuel, a veteran journalist, had joined USA Today in July of the previous year from National Public Radio, where he had been a senior executive overseeing all news programs. Neither Samuel nor USA Today gave a reason for his departure. In an email to the newsroom, Monica Richardson, a senior vice president at USA Today, said Samuel’s resignation was “effective today.” Caren Bohan, the political editor, will temporarily take over as managing editor while the publication conducts a national search for a new chief…

Anthony J.F. O'Reilly, a charming, ambitious, Irishman, former chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company, who also owned newspapers, luxury brands and trophy homes in France and the Bahamas, only to lose almost everything in his eighth decade, has died on May 18 in Dublin. He was 88 years old. The Irish Times and other Irish newspapers, quoting a family spokesman, said he died in hospital. The cause was not given. From his earliest days, Mr. O'Reilly, known as Tony, has shown awkwardness about gifts. He was a world-class rugby player while still a teenager: the “red-haired pin-up of Irish rugby”,…

The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation continues to show signs of cooling, accompanied by moderate growth in consumer spending — welcome news for central bankers seeking to control rising prices and dampen demand. In May, the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) index rose 2.6% from a year earlier, meeting economists' expectations and down slightly from April's 2.7% increase. Excluding more volatile food and fuel prices, core inflation also rose 2.6% year-on-year, down from 2.8% in April. On a monthly basis, inflation remained particularly subdued, with overall prices showing no significant increases. The Federal Reserve is likely to scrutinize this new…

Boeing is facing new criticism after the revelation of a January crash involving a 737 Max plane. During a factory tour, a Boeing executive revealed details about missing bolts that led to a panel coming off mid-flight . This sharing of information infuriated the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which called it a "blatant violation" of its investigation rules. The NTSB is investigating the crash and says Boeing is not permitted to discuss details or speculate about the causes. As punishment, they will limit Boeing's access to investigation information and prevent them from questioning others at an upcoming hearing. This…