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US box office in 2023 passed $9 billion, the best total since before the pandemic

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

New York (CNN) — The 2023 domestic box office surpassed $9 billion, the highest since the pandemic, Comscore said. However, it’s still $2 billion short of the yearly movie ticket sales reached before the pandemic.Despite a tepid fall season at the box office, the viral “Barbenheimer” phenomenon delivered a stunning boost to movie ticket sales this year. Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” brought in about $636 million domestically and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” raked in $326 million, according to Box Office Mojo.Comscore estimates that, once the past weekend’s box office numbers are in – which was led by “Wonka” – 2023’s total will be just over $9 billion. Compared to 2019, the 2023 box office had 17 fewer wide release films, which makes its numbers “all the more impressive,” said Paul Dergarabedian, chief Comscore media analyst. “Wonka” and “Barbie” were both distributed by Warner Bros., which is owned by CNN’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.“2023 was one of the mo...

Nigel Farage is a no-show as his party blasts ‘socialist twins’ Starmer and Sunak

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

LONDON — Nigel Farage didn’t bother showing up — but his Reform U.K Party is making a big pitch to “save Britain” from both the Tories and Labour.The right-wing populist party — led by the businessman Richard Tice with the arch-Brexiteer Farage as party president — set out its stall for the next election in a much-hyped press conference Wednesday morning, where Tice claimed a government led by Labour leader Keir Starmer would lead to “Starmergeddon.”There was speculation beforehand that Farage, fresh from his exploits in the reality TV jungle, would appear and announce his return to front-line politics.But Britain’s most prominent Brexiteer was nowhere to be seen. Asked if he would return to take on a front-line role with the party, Tice said Farage is “giving a lot of thought” but “still assessing” his future with Reform.“A good poker player does not show their hand too early,” Tice said. “Nigel is the master of poli...

Biden opens 2024 campaign push with planned January 6 speech near Valley Forge

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

(CNN) — President Joe Biden will use the backdrop of two historic sites in Pennsylvania and South Carolina in the coming week to lay out some of the central arguments of his 2024 reelection bid, including protecting democracy and personal freedoms, as he prepares for a possible rematch with former President Donald Trump in November.The January push, which will also include separate events for Vice President Kamala Harris, marks Biden’s first public campaign appearances of 2024 after spending most of last year traveling for official White House events and closed-door political fundraisers. It comes as campaign officials are eager to ramp up a contrast with Trump, who they view as the likely Republican nominee, as the GOP primary contests kick off this month.On Saturday, the third anniversary of the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol, Biden will travel to the battleground state of Pennsylvania to deliver a speech near Valley Forge, ...

Ford recalls more than 112,000 F-150s for roll away risk

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

New York (CNN) — Ford is recalling 112,965 F-150s pickup trucks because of a rear axel hub bolt that can be a roll away risk if it’s damaged.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the recall affects F-150 vehicles with model years 2021 through 2023 that are equipped with the Trailer Tow Max Duty package.The agency’s alert said that the rear axle hub bolt might “fatigue and break, which can result in damage to the axle hub splines.” As a result of the damage, it “can result in a vehicle roll away when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied, or cause a loss of drive power.”Those issues can “increase the risk of a crash,” the NHTSA said.A fix is “currently under development,” and the agency said that F-150 owners can take the vehicle to a dealership for an interim repair if they hear a clicking or rattling noise associated with the rear axle bolt.Letters to F-150 owners are going to be mailed at the end of January, and they...

Italy divided over new pineapple pizza

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

(CNN) — Anyone who’s set foot in Italy knows there are unwritten rules that one must abide by – and the most important of all revolve around food. Cappuccino after 11 a.m.? Only for tourists. Spaghetti bolognese? A horrifying thought. Pineapple on your pizza? Heresy – at least, it was until now.But 2024 might just be the year that pineapple pizza cracks Italy, thanks to Gino Sorbillo, the renowned Naples pizzaiolo (pizza maestro) who has added the dreaded “ananas” to his menu in Via dei Tribunali, the best known pizza street in the world capital of pizza.Sorbillo’s creation, called “Margherita con Ananas” costs 7 euros ($7.70). But this isn’t your regular Hawaiian: it is a pizza bianca, denuded of its tomato layer, sprinkled with no fewer than three types of cheese, with the pineapple cooked twice for a caramelized feel.Sorbillo, a third-generation pizzaiolo, told CNN that he created it to “combat food prejudice.”“Sadly people follow the crowd and condi...

Snoop Dogg is joining NBC’s coverage of the Paris Olympics

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

(CNN) — With the 2024 Paris Olympics now just a few months away, the world’s biggest and best sports stars are starting to gear up for one of the globe’s most prestigious events, where they’ll be joined by a slightly unlikely face: Snoop Dogg.This summer, the rapper, actor and entrepreneur will be headed to Paris with NBC to take on a role as Special Correspondent for NBC’s primetime Games coverage alongside Olympics host Mike Tirico, the network announced.Beginning July 26, he will “explore the city’s iconic landmarks, attend Olympic competitions and events, and visit with the athletes, their friends, and families,” according to NBC.“I grew up watching the Olympics and am thrilled to see the incredible athletes bring their A-game to Paris. It’s a celebration of skill, dedication, and the pursuit of greatness,” the musician said in a statement.“We’re going to have some amazing competitions and, of course, I will be bringing that Snoop style to...

Edmunds recommends the best vehicles for achieving your New Year’s resolutions

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

Many of us will renew our vows to self-improvement in the form of New Year’s resolutions. For many of us, those commitments will unravel before summer. But if buying a new car is in your plans, why not tie it to a goal to last all year? There may be no better motivation than a daily reminder — your car — to stick to your resolution. Whether you want to venture deeper into your local wild lands or just check out more happenings in town, the car experts at Edmunds have suggestions for cars that can help make those promises stick. All the prices below include destination and handling.1: GET IN SHAPE: 2024 TOYOTA GR COROLLAEveryone’s favorite New Year’s resolution is also the quickest one to fall off. But with a workout partner like the Toyota GR Corolla, you’re more likely to stick with your goals all year. You recognize the Corolla name, no doubt. But the GR Corolla is what results when the standard model has been in the gym, setting personal bests in the deadlift and bench press. The...

New PGA Tour season starts with renewed emphasis on charity with Lahaina in mind

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Collin Morikawa is making his fifth trip to Kapalua to start a new year on the PGA Tour at The Sentry. This was the first time he wore an apron and was shivering from cold.Before heading to the range, Morikawa drove up the mountain from the Plantation Course to work with Hua Momona Farms, which specializes in microgreens. It has been providing free meals of locally sourced ingredients to Maui families displaced by the deadly fires in Lahaina that killed at least 100 people.Zach Laidlaw, the chef, was among Hua Momona Farms employees who lost their homes.Morikawa and his wife clipped beet sprouts with a straight razor, peeled carrots and stepped into the freezer trailer to finish packing the boxed meals.“Some weeks mean more than others, but when you have a connection like I do this week it’s always going to mean more,” he said Tuesday morning.His grandparents were born in Lahaina and had a restaurant on Front Street, where all the restaurants, stores and homes...

Iran says at least 20 people killed, 40 wounded in blasts at ceremony honoring slain general

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Explosions at an event honoring a prominent Iranian general slain in a U.S. airstrike in 2020 have killed at least 20 people and wounded 40 others, state-run media in Iran reported Wednesday.The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Dr. Mohammad Saberi, the head of Kerman emergency services, for the figure.The blasts struck an event marking the the fourth anniversary of the killing of Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force. who died in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in January 2020. The explosions occurred near his grave site in Kerman, about 820 kilometers (510 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the blasts. Authorities said some people were injured while fleeing afterward.Soleimani was the architect of Iran’s regional military activities and is hailed as a national icon among supporters of Iran’s theocracy. His death has drawn large processions in the past. At his funeral in...

Why ‘bleisure’ travel gives short-term rentals like Airbnb a boost over hotels

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:17:55 GMT

Remote and hybrid work has affected many industries, from commercial real estate to downtown restaurants. And it has impacted how many workers, unfettered by office attendance requirements, plan their travels.Some call it “ bleisure travel,” “laptop lugging,” “workations” or simply “blended travel.” The gist is the same: Remote and hybrid employees extend work trips to include leisure activities or work during their leisure trips.Whatever it’s called, it could upend the traditional divide between leisure and business travel.The travel lodging industry is already seeing the trend’s impact. Because bleisure travelers’ needs differ from those of traditional vacationers or work trippers, existing lodging options — particularly hotels — can fall short. This has created an opportunity and appears to be fueling a boom among short-term vacation rentals such as Airbnb.Quarterly demand growth for short-term rentals has outpaced that for hotels since the first quarter of 2022, when travel bega...