Richard Lipner, the accountant-turned-agent who boosted the careers of many television journalists, died Tuesday after a long illness. He was 85 years old.Jay Souris, vice president of the talent agency UTA (which acquired Lipner's company NS Bienstock in 2014), said in an internal memo that Lipner died at his home in Manhattan surrounded by family members.“Richard will be remembered as the agent who transformed the news world,” Souris said in the memo. “To say that Richard was creative and larger than life is really an understatement.”Over his nearly six-decade career, Lipner was known as a fierce negotiator for a number…
Author: ricardofrancois
During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of workers have become accustomed to working from home. Some have moved hundreds of miles from the cities where their companies are based to live a cheaper, less stressful life. But now that office work is back, an increasing number of people are looking to have their cake and have it too, combining good jobs in urban centers with peaceful rural life. To accomplish this, they have to “ultra-commute,” traveling hours at a time to get to the office. But why do they do that? Isabelle talks to Mo Maricar, who commutes from North Wales…
Open Editor's Digest for freeRula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.When something happens that could destabilize financial markets, the industry response is often just a reassurance that it is “not systemic.” This is a soothing and comforting line, but it is not very helpful. Readers now interpret the phrase “irregular” to mean “will not cause a repeat of the global financial crisis.” Yes, this is a good thing, but many financial market problems can occur without becoming “systemic” in the same way that the global financial crisis did – especially because regulators…
In some ways, it's heartbreaking at a place like CinemaCon — where no matter how much traffic the motion picture industry has had over the past year (and it's taken a lot), exhibitors from around the world come together tirelessly to show enthusiasm for the cinema experience and optimism for the future of cinema.Flag Bearers for the Motion Picture Assn., National Association. Theater owners and other top industry players gathered Tuesday at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to deliver their annual State of the Business address and officially kick off the event. Movie stars, filmmakers, and studio heads are expected…
Jerusalem – The holy month of Ramadan, which ends this week, is a time for spiritual renewal, community bonding, and reflection on one’s relationship with God and one’s fellow human beings. Worshipers listen to a sermon about the suffering in Gaza during noon prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque. But this year, in the Old City of Jerusalem and throughout the Muslim world, the evening feasts to mark the end of the fasting day were marked by sadness and frugality. 1. Muslims break their fast with an iftar picnic on Sunday on the roof of a house in Old Jerusalem. 2. Chef…
Gas prices are displayed at a gas station on March 12, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Scott Olson | Getty ImagesThe closely watched Labor Department report released on Wednesday is expected to show no significant progress in the battle to lower inflation.If so, that would be bad news for consumers, market participants and Federal Reserve officials, who are hoping rate increases will be slow enough that they can begin gradually lowering interest rates later this year.The Consumer Price Index, which measures the costs of a broad basket of goods and services across the $27.4 trillion U.S. economy, is expected to record…
Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. BlackBerry – BlackBerry shares rose nearly 7% after the company announced a partnership with Advanced Micro Devices on robotics systems. Moderna – The vaccine maker gained 6%. Moderna's cancer drug, which it is working on with Merck, has shown promising results in an early-stage study in individuals with a specific form of neck and head cancer, Reuters reported. Boeing – The plane maker's stock fell nearly 2% after a New York Times report said regulators were investigating allegations from a whistleblower about defects in the company's 787 Dreamliner plane. Alphabet –…
Open Editor's Digest for freeRula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.Rwanda's state-owned airline has rejected a UK government proposal to fly asylum seekers to Kigali as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's plan to move migrants abroad because it fears damaging its brand. The UK government approached RwandAir late last year about operating transfer flights from Britain to Rwanda, but it rejected the offer due to concerns about reputational risks, according to two people familiar with the situation.The airline, wholly owned by the Rwandan government, has expanded its operations in the UK…
Open Editor's Digest for freeRula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.The Venezuelan socialist government announced on Tuesday the arrest of former Oil Minister Tarek El Aissami, who was close to authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, on corruption charges.Former Finance Minister Simón Zerpa and Sarmark Lopez, a businessman and partner of El Aissami, were also arrested as part of the investigation into alleged corruption at major state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), an important source of government revenue.Tarek William Saab, Venezuela's attorney general, said in a press conference on Tuesday that El Aissami…
The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to temporarily stop issuing new dog breeding licenses due to overcrowding at city-run animal shelters.The city's six shelters have 737 kennels, but there were more than 1,500 dogs living in shelters in February, according to the most recent data available. Shelters exceeded more than 200% capacity, resulting in the number of dogs tripling in kennels or in crates in hallways for months on end.Dog euthanasia rates in the city are up 22% so far this year compared to the same period last year.The Times has chronicled poor conditions at shelters, including a lack…