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aTyr Pharma, Inc. engages in the discovery and development of medicines based on novel biological pathways. Its product pipeline includes ATYR1923, ATYR2810, NRP2 mAbs, and AARS-1, DARS-1. The company was founded by Paul Schimmel, Xiang-Lei Yang and Bruce Beutler on September 8, 2005 and is headquartered in San Diego, CA.
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As the extended 4th of July holiday weekend looms on the horizon severe storms are set to take aim across a wide swath from New York and Pennsylvania stretching down to Arkansas.
On Sunday, 51 million people in this area are at risk for severe thunderstorms from afternoon through evening. The risk area includes Nashville, Louisville, Philadelphia, Memphis, Baltimore, Charlotte and Washington D.C.
The strongest storms will target Kentucky and Tennessee, potentially bringing damaging wind gusts over 65 mph and ping pong size hail — although a tornado or two can’t be ruled out.
Scattered showers will persist throughout Sunday, with the strongest storms set to initiate in Kentucky and Tennessee after 2 p.m. CT. This threat will persist into the evening and overnight hours as the line of storms shifts into the Appalachians.
On Monday, this storm system will target the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic region, targeting 29 million in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charlotte, and Raleigh. Damaging wind, large hail, and a tornado or two will be possible.
As the July 4th holiday approaches, the Northeast and the Southeast can expect scattered showers and temperatures in the 80s and 90s respectively.
The Midwest and the Rockies regions may experience rainfall, while the West will have sunny and dry climbs with temperatures ranging from 70 to the 100s.
Around 63 million remain under heat alerts Sunday afternoon from coast-to-coast, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Tallahassee, Montgomery, New Orleans, Corpus Christi, Phoenix, Tucson, Bakersfield, Sacramento, and Portland.
More than 30 records will be threatened Sunday across eight different states, including the cities of Tucson, Tampa, Phoenix, Fresno, Palm Springs, Jacksonville, New Orleans, and Asheville.
On Saturday in Tallahassee temperatures reached a high of 100 degrees, tying a record high set in 1990, according to the National Weather Service. In New Orleans, a heat alert will be in effect on Monday.
“Heat indices up to 110 are expected,” the service said in a tweet. “Practice heat safety and take care of yourself!”
Like on Saturday, highs in the Southeast will soar into the 90s, with heat index values close to 115 degrees. Luckily, a passing cold front will help temperatures drop closer to seasonal highs for the remainder of the holiday week.
In the West, heat alerts continue through Tuesday as afternoon highs range from 100 to 120 degrees. Temperatures will drop to at or below average temperatures across California and Arizona for the second half of the week.
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Planes are seen on the tarmac as people wait for their flight reschedule inside of the Newark International Airport on June 27, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey.
Kena Betancur | Getty Images News | Getty Images
United Airlines‘ CEO Scott Kirby said that without more gates the airline will have to reduce or change schedules to handle frequent gridlock at its Newark, New Jersey, hub, a message that came after mass flight delays marred July Fourth holiday weekend travel. The carrier gave 30,000 frequent flyer miles to customers who were most affected by the chaos.
“This has been one of the most operationally challenging weeks I’ve experienced in my entire career,” Kirby said in a note to staff on Saturday.
He said that the airline needs more gates at Newark Liberty International Airport because of frequent aircraft backups there. “We are going to have to further change/reduce our schedule to give ourselves even more spare gates and buffer — especially during thunderstorm season,” he added. United didn’t provide more detail on the schedule reductions.
A day earlier, Kirby apologized for taking a private jet out of New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport while thousands of passengers were stranded, CNBC first reported Friday.
Problems began with a series of thunderstorms in some of the country’s most congested airspace along the East Coast last weekend, cutting off routes for aircraft. While most airlines recovered, United’s problems continued during the week, angering both customers and crews. United and JetBlue Airways executives said air traffic control problems worsened the disruptions.
Kirby laid out the weeklong troubles and said long-term changes were needed. He said that extensively delayed departures, which piled up at its hub at Newark since last weekend, hurt its operation. Takeoffs were delayed by as much as 75% for longer than 8 hours in some cases from Sunday through Tuesday.
“Airlines, including United, simply aren’t designed to have their largest hub have its capacity severely limited for four straight days and still operate successfully,” he wrote.
Aircraft and crews were then left out of position, something that happens often during severe weather and can spark a cascade of disruptions for customers.
Unions complained about hours-long waits for crew members to get assignments and get hotels, forcing them to stay at airports longer.
Kirby said the carrier must improve the platforms so crews can get assignments and accommodation more easily on its app, saying what happened over the past week isn’t acceptable.
Kirby called for more investment in the FAA and air traffic control to avoid delays and staffing shortages, some of which occurred after hiring and training paused early in the pandemic.
United sent the 30,000 miles to customers who were delayed overnight or didn’t get to their destination at all, a spokeswoman said. She declined to say how many customers received the email.
More than 42,000 U.S. flights arrived late from last Saturday through Friday and more than 7,900 were canceled — or more than 5% of airlines’ schedules — a rate that was more than triple the average so far this year, according to flight-tracker FlightAware. United fared worse than competitors with about half of its mainline schedule arriving late and almost a fifth canceled over that period, FlightAware data show.
United’s operation improved on Saturday but disruptions lingered. About a third of its mainline schedule, or close to 864 flights were delayed and 60 flights, or 2% were canceled, down from 1,327 delays and 252 cancellations on Friday.
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It’s Harrison Ford’s final bow as the boulder-dodging, whip-wielding, Nazi-punching Indiana Jones.
On Friday, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” arrives in theaters, marking the fifth and likely final chapter in the Lucasfilm movie franchise.
Disney spared no expense in bringing the film to the big screen, starting with a nearly $300 million production budget. Factor in marketing costs, which are typically equal to half the production budget, and a swanky premiere and after-party at the Cannes Film Festival, and “Dial of Destiny” has quite a hole to dig itself out of.
Box office analysts are predicting the film will capture between $60 million and $65 million during its first three days in theaters and around $90 million for the five-day holiday weekend. That would mark the latest mediocre opening in the summer blockbuster season, following disappointing bows for “The Flash,” “Elemental” and “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” earlier this month.
It would also fall well short of the $100 million “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” secured during its first three days in theaters in 2008. Previous Indiana Jones installments, released in the 1980s, saw significantly lower box office openings because tickets were significantly less expensive at that time and the films were released in fewer theaters.
For instance, “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was released in more than 4,200 theaters, while 1989’s “The Last Crusade” was released in 2,300 cinemas, according to Comscore data. In 2023, blockbuster features are generally opening in 4,200 locations, with some films, such as Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3,” opening in as many as 4,450 locations.
“Dial of Destiny” also marks the first time Steven Spielberg hasn’t directed an Indy movie, although the musical score was written by franchise stalwart John Williams. James Mangold, who helmed “Logan” and “Ford v Ferrari,” directed the new one.
The sequel comes 15 years after the “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” which ended up with a 77% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes but was widely panned by audiences. Despite a solid opening, the fourth Indiana Jones film tallied only $317 million domestically. It did manage to reach $786 million globally, according to data from Comscore.
The lackluster audience response resulted in a pause in future films, including the potential for a spinoff featuring Shia LaBeouf as Indiana Jones’ son Mutt Williams. In 2012, Disney bought Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion, eventually taking the franchise away from its previous studio partner Paramount Pictures. Disney kept the character on ice while it worked on new Star Wars and Willow content — two other franchises that came from Lucasfilm.
Now, in 2023, the fifth installment in the swashbuckling archaeologist’s movie adventures has generated a 66% “Fresh” score as of Thursday, with critics advising “Dial of Destiny” doesn’t quite capture the thrill of earlier adventures. Still, with Ford donning his iconic hat and whip combo, the film gives audiences a nostalgic rush.
It’s unclear whether that will result in a ton of ticket sales, however.
“The target audience of men over 35, who grew up on the entire series, will need to show up with their families and, perhaps, introduce the iconic character to their little ones who weren’t even around for the previous movie,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “The franchise has overcome stalled pop culture relevance before, but this time it also has to face that added challenge of winning back viewers who weren’t as keen on ‘Crystal Skull’ as they were for the original films.”
Hollywood has had mixed results with nostalgia plays in recent years. While “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” captured healthy box office sales, others have floundered on the big screen. “Blade Runner 2049,” “Independence Day: Resurgence” and “Terminator Genisys” came up short with old fans and new audiences in North America.
“Dial of Destiny” could benefit from audiences keen to see Ford, who will turn 81 next month, hang up his fedora and potentially even pass off the torch to a new generation.
Even with tepid reviews heading into Friday’s release, Robbins notes that critics and audiences don’t always agree.
“Indiana Jones’ nature as a traditionally less front-loaded franchise compared to the comic book blockbusters we’re used to seeing play with a short fuse also means a sizable portion of its audience could opt to see the film after the initial fan-driven previews and opening day,” he said.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal owns Rotten Tomatoes.
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Passengers wait at the Newark Liberty International Airport as more than 2000 flights were canceled due to the nationwide storm in New Jersey, United States on June 27, 2023.
Fatih Aktas | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Flight disruptions mounted Tuesday as severe storms and staffing issues kicked off a rocky start to summer.
Roughly 3,000 U.S. flights were delayed as of midday Tuesday and another 1,100 were canceled as thunderstorms that derailed thousands of trips over the weekend lingered. That’s on top of more than 8,800 U.S. delays and 2,246 cancellations on Monday.
The disruptions come ahead of the busy Fourth of July travel period, when millions are expected to fly. The Transportation Security Administration said it could screen more travelers than in 2019, before the pandemic, raising competition for spare seats.
The Biden administration has pressured airlines to improve their operations after widespread flight disruptions last spring and summer, which prompted carriers to trim their overambitious schedules. But the industry struggled to recover this past weekend from a series of thunderstorms that didn’t let up for days.
Thunderstorms are difficult for airlines because they can form with less warning than other major weather obstacles like winter storms or hurricanes. Rolling delays could force crews to reach federally mandated workday limits and further worsen disruptions.
Some airline executives have also blamed some of the disruptions on shortages of air traffic controllers.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told staff on Monday that “the FAA frankly failed us this weekend.” He said that during Saturday’s storms the FAA reduced arrival rates by 40% and departures by 75% at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the airline’s biggest hubs.
“It led to massive delays, cancellations, diversions, as well as crews and aircraft out of position,” Kirby wrote in a staff note, which was seen by CNBC. “And that put everyone behind the eight ball when weather actually did hit on Sunday and was further compounded by FAA staffing shortages Sunday evening.”
An FAA spokesman said in a statement: “We will always collaborate with anyone seriously willing to join us to solve a problem.”
The staffing challenges aren’t new. The Covid-19 pandemic derailed hiring and training of new air traffic controllers, and the agency is now trying to catch up.
The Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General said in a report last week that air traffic control staffing shortfalls puts air traffic operations at risk. In March, the FAA and some airlines agreed to reduce flights to help ease congestion at busy New York airports because of the staffing issues.
But the problems persist at a time when airlines are readying crews and schedules for a busy summer season, fueled by sustained travel demand.
And the disruptions frustrated flight crews who were left waiting on hold for reassignments.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents flight attendants at United and others said in a memo to members on Monday that hold times for crew scheduling were longer than three hours.
“There is an absolute recognition by Union leadership and Inflight management that something must be done in order to permanently address these adverse situations resulting from irregular operations,” the union said.
New York-based JetBlue Airways also faced high levels of flight delays over the past few days and acknowledged it can improve how it handles disruptions in a note to crew members Monday, which was reviewed by CNBC.
Don Uselmann, vice president of inflight experience at JetBlue, said the airline could have updated crew reporting times more efficiently so staff wouldn’t be waiting for flights and reducing wait times for hotel assignments.
“Summer peak is officially underway, and extreme weather events, ATC staffing constraints, and the resulting delays will put all airlines to the test,” he said in his note. “This weekend’s [irregular operation] won’t be our last, but the combination of events put acute pressure on the operation and made it more challenging than most.”
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From popping melatonin to making fists with your toes, passengers have long employed strategies to combat the negative effects of air travel.
But airlines can play a role too, according to new research from Qantas and the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre.
The research is part of Qantas’ Project Sunrise program, which plans to link Sydney to New York City and London via non-stop flights in 2025.
Qantas says that while it has the capability to fly the 20-hour flights, it’s studying ways — from lighting schedules to eating spicy foods — to make the journey less arduous for passengers and crew.
According to preliminary results released in mid-June, researchers used volunteer passengers on three test flights to analyze ways to reduce jet lag, including:
Volunteers were monitored using wearable tech devices during the flight, and their reaction times were measured through online tests, according to the press release. They also kept a daily health log before, during and for two weeks after test flights, it said.
The report concluded that, compared with other passengers, the volunteers “experienced less severe jet lag (self-reported), better sleep quality inflight [and] better cognitive performance in the two days after flight.”
Flight volunteers reported their jet lag wasn’t as severe and ended one to two days earlier than expected, according to a summary of the research released last week.
David Gray | Getty Images News | Getty Images
“Light exposure is critical for reducing jetlag,” said Svetlana Postnova, who studies sleep-wake cycles and circadian rhythms at the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre.
The flight departed New York City at 9 p.m., and the researchers kept the lights on for an additional six hours, she told CNBC.
Lights were turned off around 3 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, and the cabin stayed dark for 11 hours, before being turned back on for the final two hours of the flight, she said.
That was done “to nudge the body clocks towards the destination time zone,” she said.
Meals were aligned with the lighting, said Postnova, noting they were served after takeoff, before the lights were turned off and before arriving.
But the initial meal wasn’t dinner — it was lunch, said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.
“Night flights usually start with dinner and then lights off. For this flight, we started with lunch and kept the lights on for the first six hours, to match the time of day at our destination. It means you start reducing the jetlag straight away,” he said in a statement after the first test flight was conducted.
Qantas also monitored brain waves, melatonin levels and alertness of pilots who flew the 20-hour test flights.
James D. Morgan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Studies on the brightness and color tone of cabin lighting are planned for later this year, and more research on departure and arrival times and seasonal differences is needed, according to Qantas and the University of Sydney.
Findings from the test flights have not been published, but Peter Cistulli, professor of sleep medicine at the University of Sydney, called the early results “promising.”
For now, Postnova said, travelers shouldn’t wait until they land to combat jet lag — rather, they should start the process as soon as their flight departs.
The jet lag research is being conducted while Qantas awaits 12 Airbus 350 aircraft it ordered in May 2022. Delivery is expected to begin in late 2025, with the New York-Sydney route starting shortly thereafter, according to the press release.
Joyce said the new non-stop flights will reduce travel times between New York and London to Sydney by some three hours.
Passengers exercise during a Qantas test flight from New York to Sydney on Oct, 19, 2019. Flyers can do this in an onboard “Wellbeing Zone” once the airline’s new Airbus 350s are delivered.
James D. Morgan | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The new Airbus fleet will also have an onboard “Wellbeing Zone” where passengers can stretch and perform simple exercises.
“Our A350s will have about 100 fewer seats than most of our competitors, which gives us room for more space in all classes as well as a Wellbeing Zone for Premium Economy and Economy passengers to stretch,” Joyce said.
As for what passengers do on the flights, which will likely be the longest commercial flights in the world, Joyce said: “People can choose how they spend their time but we’ll make recommendations based on science.”
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Ezra Miller stars as Barry Allen in Warner Bros.’ “The Flash.”
Warner Bros. Discovery
Moviegoers spread the wealth over Father’s Day weekend across a diverse slate of new releases and lingering favorites.
The mixed results saw disappointing debuts from “The Flash” and “Elemental,” while “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” continued to attract ticket buyers.
Warner Bros.’ latest superhero film hauled in just $55 million during its first three-day weekend, a far cry from the $75 million to $85 million industry experts had expected. It also fell short of the $67 million debut of fellow DC film “Black Adam” last October.
“‘The Flash’ is a victim of numerous factors that stalled buzz for the once highly anticipated film,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com.
Robbins pointed to the ongoing controversy surrounding star Ezra Miller, a lack of consistency in the DC film franchise and a too-narrowly focused marketing campaign that only targeted die-hard fans for the lower-than-expected box office opening.
“Audiences have shown in recent months and post-‘Endgame’ years that they are being more selective about which comic book films are going to earn their box office dollars,” he said.
It wasn’t the only film to see a poor audience response over the weekend. Disney’s animation rut continued with the release of “Elemental,” which is expected to have the second-lowest opening of any wide-released Pixar film in the studio’s history. Estimates peg the film’s debut at $29.5 million, just higher than the $29.1 million “Toy Story,” Pixar’s first-ever theatrical release, which opened in 1995.
“[‘Elemental’s’] middling debut is less surprising,” Robbins said, noting that Pixar is in the middle of rebranding itself following a slew of pandemic-era streaming releases.
Pixar is also facing steep competition from rival animation studios. Universal’s Illumination and DreamWorks animation arms have dominated the box office with hits like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” and “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
And then there is Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” which has continued to attract audiences since its June 2 debut. The film generated an estimated $27.8 million over the three-day spread and has tallied $489.3 million globally since its June 2 release.
“Though there were no massive overperformances by the wide-release newcomers, this weekend was distinguished by the sheer number of movies and the wide variety of audience demographics drawn to the multiplex,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
Paramount’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” added another $20 million domestically, Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” secured another $11.6 million in ticket sales and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3” took in another $5 million.
Across Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Father’s Day weekend, the domestic box office is expected to tally just under $175 million in receipts. That’s 5% higher than the haul over the same period in 2022 and 28% higher than 2019, according to data from Comscore.
“Father’s Day weekend, while not boasting a record-smashing breakout hit, was a great one for movie theaters that saw their fortunes rise by virtue of an appealing assortment of films that powered a fantastic overall weekend,” said Dergarabedian.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.
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“Now Boarding” is a videocast about air travel and the business of flying. CNBC airlines reporter Leslie Josephs and CNBC senior producer Erin Black delve into topics like turbulence, airline status, boarding, jumbo jets and all things aviation. Watch this episode and others on CNBC’s YouTube channel.
On this episode of “Now Boarding” Leslie and Erin discuss turbulence: what causes it, whether it’s getting worse and why it’s usually nothing to worry about. While serious injuries from turbulence are rare, it’s always important to follow crew safety instructions.
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ELMONT, NEW YORK – JUNE 10: Arcangelo with Javier Castellano up wins the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 10, 2023 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Al Bello | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
Horses died in consecutive races at Belmont Park, dealing more untimely blows to the beleaguered sport which had little time to celebrate of its most uplifting events of the year.
Mashnee Girl, trained by Mark Hennig, broke down in the first race on Sunday, suffering a catastrophic injury to her left front leg at the storied race course just outside of New York City before she was put down.
“Despite the immediate response and best efforts of on-site attending veterinarians, the horse was humanely euthanized due to the severity of the injury,” New York Racing Association Vice President Patrick McKenna said in a statement on Sunday.
About 17 hours earlier, in the 13th race on Saturday, a similar fate befell Hennig-trained Excursionniste, was also suffered a fatal injury to the front left ankle.
Both tragedies happened on Belmont’s turf course as the field was nearing the top of the stretch.
“I’m not holding up very well,” an emotional Hennig told NBC News, sniffling throughout the conversation. “It’s been very emotional. I just can’t fathom this ever happening, two horses you run in a row. I mean I’ve run over 10,000 horses and have never had anything close to this.”
That tragedy unfolded just after the 12th race, when Arcangelo won the Belmont Stakes and made Jena Antonucci the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown jewel.
Animal rights group PETA was quick to blame Belmont for the twin tragedies.
“Two dead Thoroughbreds in two days with the same trainer on the same track means one thing: Belmont Park is failing to protect horses,” PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a statement. “Like Churchill Downs, Belmont must suspend racing immediately to avoid the same bloodbath. Anything less makes Belmont complicit in the fatalities.”
Including Mashnee Girl and Excursionniste, four horses have died during races at Belmont Park’s spring/summer meet, which began on May 4 and has encompassed 1,670 horses starting in 214 races, according to McKenna.
“NYRA’s comprehensive safety strategy is informed by the most advanced science and research in consultation with independent experts, veterinarians, and horsemen,” the NYRA rep said. “The health and safety of horses and jockeys competing at NYRA tracks is our highest priority and one that stands above all other considerations.”
Mashnee Girl and Excursionniste both had clean bills of health with no concern for racing, their trainer said.
“Neither one of them has been on a vet’s list, they’re clean-legged horses,” Hennig said. “It’s just horrible, horrible, horrible luck. These horses were in good, sound racing condition. These two horses never had issues with these ankles, the same ankles that fractured.”
Saturday’s Belmont Stakes capped a tumultuous five weeks of racing that normally shines a bright light on the sport of kings. Instead, a string of untimely death raised questions about the sport’s viability.
A week ago Friday, Churchill Downs, host of the Kentucky Derby, announced it had temporarily stopped racing there to investigate its recent fatalities.
And shortly before National Treasure won the Preakness, the ordinarily party-filled day at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore was overshadowed by tragedy when Havnameltdown broke down at the top of the stretch of the $200,000 Grade IIII Chick Lang Stakes and had to be put down.
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Travelers can avoid paying some of Bhutan’s daily tourism fees, as long as they stay at least five nights.
Last week, Bhutan announced changes to its Sustainable Development Fee which made headlines after it jumped from $65 to $200 a day when the country reopened its borders in September.
Travelers who pay the SDF for the first four days can stay an additional four days without paying the fee, according to an announcement on Bhutan’s Department of Tourism website.
Similarly, travelers who pay the fee for the first seven days can stay an additional seven days without paying for the second week, while those who pay for 12 days are exempt from paying it for 18 days thereafter, it said.
This equates to $600 in savings for tourists staying a week, and some $3,600 in savings for those staying a month.
The changes, effective June 1, are meant to encourage vacationers to stay longer. Bhutan’s Department of Immigration created a website where travelers can calculate potential savings under the different incentive programs.
Travelers who have already booked trips to Bhutan can take advantage of the new incentives by canceling their visas and re-applying for a new one, according to the announcement.
Government officials are quick to point out that Bhutan’s SDF has not changed however, and remains $200 per traveler per night.
The new fee incentives — which officials have called a “promotion” — are set to remain in place until the end of 2024, after which “the standard SDF will apply once again,” according to tourism department.
Spending at least $200 a day isn’t new to travelers to Bhutan.
Prior to the pandemic, tourists were required to spend a minimum of $200 to $250 per day, which was often wrapped into tour packages that included hotel, food and transportation charges as well as the SDF, which was $65 at the time.
Bhutan scrapped that spending structure in 2022 in favor of a set $200 SDF for all tourists except:
Additionally, Indian nationals are charged 1,200 rupees per night ($14.50), while day visitors to Bhutanese border towns do not need to pay the SDF.
Supporters of Bhutan’s $200 daily fee say it furthers the country’s goal to attract “high value, low volume” tourists who can afford the fees which will go toward upgrading infrastructure, protecting the environment and creating jobs that provide fair wages and working conditions.
But others argue the increased rates are “elitist,” and will harm the country’s travel industry that was already reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
News that officials were considering changing the SDF followed discussions between Bhutan’s Prime Minister Lotay Tshering and members of Bhutan’s tourism and business communities in April, according to a local media report.
After citizens argued the tourism fees were harming investment in the country and discouraging long vacations, Tshering assured community members that changes were in the works, the report said.
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Bob Iger, CEO, Disney at Apple program
Source: Apple
The Walt Disney Company has always been at the forefront of new storytelling technology. On Monday, it announced a new partnership with Apple to bring its streaming service Disney+ to the tech giant’s new augmented reality headset.
Dubbed Vision Pro, the headset will allow users to interact with digital content in mixed reality. It will retail for $3,499.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said the new tech will enhance the Disney+ viewing experience, noting that when the headset launches early next year, users will be able to access the streaming service.
“We’re constantly in search of new ways to entertain, inform and inspire our fans by combining extraordinary creativity with groundbreaking technology to create truly remarkable experiences,” Iger said during Apple’s WWDC 2023 keynote on Monday. “And we believe Apple Vision Pro is a revolutionary platform that can make our vision a reality.”
The demo reel for the collaboration between Disney and Apples included 3D visuals of a basketball court, showing how users could be immersed in sports contests from home, as well as immersive National Geographic content that placed the viewer in the middle of the ocean.
“It will allow us to create deeply personal experiences that bring our fans closer to the characters they love,” Iger said. “This platform will allow us to bring Disney to our fans in ways that were previously impossible.”
The sizzle reel also showcased Mickey Mouse springing to life in a living room, a fireworks show from Disney’s theme parks erupting in a kitchen and fans watching Star Wars content from a planet’s surface.
“We’re so proud to yet again be partnering the greatest storytelling company in the world with the most innovative technology company in the world to bring you real life magic,” Iger said.
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… how conflicting state and federal marijuana laws collide at U.S … Original Author Link click here to read complete … Read More
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Saudi Gazette report
JEDDAH — The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has thwarted two attempts two smuggle 1,029 kilograms of marijuana.
The authority said that the marijuana was found hidden in incoming consignments through both of the customs of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahad International Airport in Dammam.
ZATCA has indicated that this amount of narcotic marijuana was found during the detection and inspection process on a number of parcels coming to Saudi Arabia via express transport.
It has noted that the methods of reporting all attempts to smuggle contraband are through its official channels, from inside Saudi Arabia: 1910 — from outside the Kingdom: +966114208417 — or via its email: 1910@zatca.gov.sa
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In this photo illustration a Pixar Animation Studios logo is seen on a smartphone screen.
Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images
Walt Disney‘s Pixar Animation Studios has eliminated 75 positions including those of two executives behind the box office disappointment “Lightyear,” sources said on Saturday, the first significant job cuts at the studio in a decade.
The cuts included “Lightyear” director Angus MacLane, a 26-year animator who was part of the senior creative team on such acclaimed films as “Toy Story 4” and “Coco.” Galyn Susman, producer of “Lightyear,” also departed. Susman had been at Pixar since the release of the original “Toy Story” movie in 1995.
MacLane and Susman could not be reached for comment. Michael Agulnek, Pixar’s vice president of worldwide publicity since 2015, was also laid off, the sources said. He did not return a call seeking comment.
The cuts, which took place May 23, are part of Walt Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger’s previously announced plan to eliminate 7,000 jobs and slash $5.5 billion in costs. That restructuring combined the film and television groups into a single Disney Entertainment unit and eliminated a division charged with distribution.
While small compared to Pixar’s employee base of about 1,200, the layoffs are notable because the studio is a creative force generating franchises and characters that drive revenue across Disney.
Pixar is famous for cinematic franchises including “Toy Story,” “The Incredibles” and “Cars.” But “Lightyear,” released a year ago with a reported budget of $200 million, brought in a modest $226.7 million in worldwide ticket sales and received a mixed critical reception.
By contrast, Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” in 2018, which was reported to have had a similar production budget, had worldwide box office sales of $1.2 billion.
“Lightyear” could not be shown in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries because of its depiction of a same-sex relationship. This had an impact on its box office performance.
Disney has implemented layoffs in every division including film and television, streaming services and theme parks.
The last time Pixar cut jobs was in 2013, after the studio postponed the release of the 2015 film “The Good Dinosaur,” and removed its director, Bob Peterson. About 30 positions were eliminated.
Disney acquired Pixar in 2006 to revitalize its struggling Disney Animation.
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Large breed, adult dogs have a lot of love to give the right human, but they are often the last to be adopted, placing them at risk for euthanasia. The Dog Behavior Program at Austin Pets Alive!, however, may be their lifeline. The program has successfully supported thousands of large adult dogs in need of grace by providing the precious pets with tools to cope with past traumas as well as the gift of time to heal and learn.
Hudson is one of them. He entered our care in 2021, coming to us from Dogs Playing for Life. Our team has worked diligently with Hudson to create a path to adoption by learning his personality, how he interacts with other animals as well as humans. Our experienced staff has created a customized “Hudson Plan” that provides the tools that he needs to successfully, safely and happily navigate a full life. This plan, as does Hudson, relies on someone willing to advocate for him and confidently guide him through situations that make him nervous. Given an inch, he’ll go a mile, but ultimately, he’s a rules boy and really appreciates when everyone is following them – always!
Hearty and fit, Hudson looks like he’s up for adventure, however this pupper is more of a homebody. Simply seeing strangers is triggering for Hudson so going out into public is not a safe-zone for him. We suggest any walks take place in the early morning hours or later evening hours — just anytime foot traffic is lightest! And walks must always take place on leash. Even having “strangers” in his home can be hard for him so our behavior team has identified a safe routine for his future family to host guests and eventually introduce him to new people.
Sure, he’s got a lot of “don’ts” to follow. On the other hand, Hudson is really into couch snuggles with his very own trusted human, a warm bed and his own yard where he can get exercise and play a great game of fetch. He keeps a tight circle of friends and when you’re in, you’re in! In fact, he has his own dedicated team of people, staff and volunteers, who have pledged to support Hudson and his future family for life. Hudson needs a win. He’s done the hard work to find ways to trust the humans he loves and now deeply needs to find a home that will offer him structure, time and care.
Once Hudson finds the human(s) and home that will offer him the structure and care he needs, the adopter can guarantee that Hudson comes with a cheerleading section. Not only does APA! offer behavioral support for life, Hudson’s (human) pack of friends — staff and volunteers that have wiggled their way into his heart through trust and consistency, are pledging to be just a phone call away to support their “Huddy” and his family.
Saving the lives of dogs and cats has always been APA!’s goal. The Dog Behavior Program is one of the programs that has contributed to keeping Austin’s save rate well above 90%. Through focusing on treating the whole dog — mind, body and spirit, paired with seeking out homes appropriate for some of our more challenging dogs and offering tools and support for life, this program has successfully placed hundreds of dogs into loving homes and continues to innovate to give all pets their deserved chance at life.
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Large breed, adult dogs have a lot of love to give the right human, but they are often the last to be adopted, placing them at risk for euthanasia. The Dog Behavior Program at Austin Pets Alive!, however, may be their lifeline. The program has successfully supported thousands of large adult dogs in need of grace by providing the precious pets with tools to cope with past traumas as well as the gift of time to heal and learn.
Hudson is one of them. He entered our care in 2021, coming to us from Dogs Playing for Life. Our team has worked diligently with Hudson to create a path to adoption by learning his personality, how he interacts with other animals as well as humans. Our experienced staff has created a customized “Hudson Plan” that provides the tools that he needs to successfully, safely and happily navigate a full life. This plan, as does Hudson, relies on someone willing to advocate for him and confidently guide him through situations that make him nervous. Given an inch, he’ll go a mile, but ultimately, he’s a rules boy and really appreciates when everyone is following them – always!
Hearty and fit, Hudson looks like he’s up for adventure, however this pupper is more of a homebody. Simply seeing strangers is triggering for Hudson so going out into public is not a safe-zone for him. We suggest any walks take place in the early morning hours or later evening hours — just anytime foot traffic is lightest! And walks must always take place on leash. Even having “strangers” in his home can be hard for him so our behavior team has identified a safe routine for his future family to host guests and eventually introduce him to new people.
Sure, he’s got a lot of “don’ts” to follow. On the other hand, Hudson is really into couch snuggles with his very own trusted human, a warm bed and his own yard where he can get exercise and play a great game of fetch. He keeps a tight circle of friends and when you’re in, you’re in! In fact, he has his own dedicated team of people, staff and volunteers, who have pledged to support Hudson and his future family for life. Hudson needs a win. He’s done the hard work to find ways to trust the humans he loves and now deeply needs to find a home that will offer him structure, time and care.
Once Hudson finds the human(s) and home that will offer him the structure and care he needs, the adopter can guarantee that Hudson comes with a cheerleading section. Not only does APA! offer behavioral support for life, Hudson’s (human) pack of friends — staff and volunteers that have wiggled their way into his heart through trust and consistency, are pledging to be just a phone call away to support their “Huddy” and his family.
Saving the lives of dogs and cats has always been APA!’s goal. The Dog Behavior Program is one of the programs that has contributed to keeping Austin’s save rate well above 90%. Through focusing on treating the whole dog — mind, body and spirit, paired with seeking out homes appropriate for some of our more challenging dogs and offering tools and support for life, this program has successfully placed hundreds of dogs into loving homes and continues to innovate to give all pets their deserved chance at life.
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“Now Boarding” is a weekly podcast about air travel and the business of flying. CNBC airlines reporter Leslie Josephs and CNBC senior producer Erin Black delve into topics like turbulence, airline status, boarding, jumbo jets and all things aviation. Watch this episode and others on CNBC’s YouTube channel every Sunday.
On this episode of “Now Boarding” Leslie and Erin discuss how airlines are turning to bigger planes that fit more passengers to grow while airport congestion, high costs and a pilot shortage limit their ability to add flights.
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Should you check email on vacation or face a tsunami of messages once you’re back at the office?
For workers at war with their inboxes, neither is a great option.
That’s why many people choose something in the middle. But even monitoring email on holiday “is almost always a bad move,” said Zachary Weiner, CEO of the marketing company Emerging Insider Communications.
“Once that Pandora’s box is open, you usually find yourself having to respond, having to put out fires, unintentionally spending hours and hours of time,” he said.
Still, some 84% of white-collar workers do it, and more than 70% are triaging messages from three or more platforms — like Teams, Slack and WhatsApp — said work-life balance consultant Joe Robinson.
“Everyone is dog paddling out there in this tidal wave,” he said. “We’re doing everything wrong. That’s why everybody’s so frazzled.”
Robinson launched an “Email Intervention Campaign” earlier this month to deal with issues like “vacation email panic,” he told CNBC Travel.
According to a survey of workers he conducted in April:
One company doing it right is the Mercedes-Benz Group, which lets employees auto-delete incoming email messages while they’re on vacation, he said. (Out-of-office messages alert senders that messages have been deleted, too.)
“I encounter tons of people who are burned out from email,” said work-life speaker and consultant Joe Robinson. Managers and “the people at the top are … worse off.”
Source: Joe Robinson
According to Robinson, 95% of respondents said they would support a similar policy at their companies.
Robinson advises companies to create defined email policies, ideally ones which give workers permission not to check email on vacation.
Gates Little, CEO of the U.S.-based lender altLine Sobanco, agreed, adding leadership should set the example.
“If your boss is always answering emails while away, don’t you think you’d be expected to do the same?” he said. “Whereas a boss who preaches work-life balance will set an example by not responding to emails until they return.”
1. Pad the dates on your “Out of Office” autoreply
Set an autoreply with your vacation timeline and a colleague’s contact details for urgent emails — but turn it on a few days before and after your leave dates.
“When you extend your OOO auto-response to encompass the days before and after vacation, you can enjoy your time feeling less stressed,” said Shawn Plummer, founder and CEO of financial and insurance agency The Annuity Expert.
2. Select an “email partner”
An “email partner” solves two problems, said Jack Underwood, CEO of the delivery software company Circuit. You can leave with peace of mind and avoid “an endless backlog of emails to dig through” upon your return.
Joe Robinson advises “partners” tackle emergency emails only, to avoid overburdening them. And Emerging Insider’s Weiner recommends instructing your “partner” to text — not email — to discuss urgent matters.
3. Set filters
Stanislav Khilobochenko, a vice president at the customer services company Clario, uses filters to distinguish urgent emails from irrelevant ones. He said, “I set up as many filters as possible so emails that arrive while I’m away are already sorted by priority.”
Kim Rohrer, principal people partner at human resources company Oyster, said she discovered her top email pro-tip during her 24-day honeymoon in 2011.
She sets up two filters:
Via autoreply, she notifies senders she’s archiving all emails during her vacation dates. She refers urgent emails to a colleague, but asks that non-urgent emails “you’d like me to read … upon my return” be resent to her with “README” in the subject line.
“I once checked, and I had received over 3,000 emails after a two-week vacation, but only had four emails in my ‘read later’ folder,” she told CNBC Travel, which “just goes to show how much false urgency impacts our workloads.”
4. Mute notifications
To tune out work, mute email notifications and messenger systems, said Christy Pyrz, chief marketing officer of the supplement company Paradigm Peptides.
“Do yourself the favor,” she said. “Mute the apps.”
Mrigaa Sethi, pictured here with wife, Erin (left), in Sri Lanka, said both have a habit of working on vacations. “This time we deleted our email apps and turned off notifications and had the best time ever.”
Source: Mrigaa Sethi
But travel editor Mrigaa Sethi goes a step further. “Delete the apps! Email, Slack, Teams … be absolute. Don’t leave the door partway open.”
They said they understand the urge to check email daily to prevent email backlog, but “I know myself well enough that even the slightest bit of news will make my brain whir.”
If you can’t tear away from your inbox, follow these tips to minimize email time:
1. Set designated times
David Ly, the CEO of the Nasdaq-listed tech company Iveda, said he checks email daily on vacation.
“Whether I’m on vacation or not, I try to remain disciplined, setting specific time aside,” he said.
Jonathan Zacharias, founder of the digital marketing agency GR0, suggests doing “a quick check in just once a day.”
And Andrew Meyer, the founder and CEO of the digital energy advisor Arbor, recommends choosing either early mornings or late nights “so as not to miss any daytime activities.”
2. Don’t respond (if you don’t have to)
Emails proliferate like rabbits, said Joe Robinson. On average, every sent email triggers five more messages, and everyone takes three minutes of your time, he said.
“You save yourself 18 minutes with every email you don’t send,” he said.
And stop sending one-liner emails, like “thanks” and “got it,” he said. “People still have to open that up.”
For Brian Lee, founder and CEO of the tech sports card company Arena Club, not responding to emails while on vacation sets a clear boundary. “People will respect your time more,” he said.
Denise Hemke, the chief product officer at employee screening company Checkr, said her company blocks off time to catch up on email after vacations.
“We ask our employees to spend a few days focusing solely on their emails before getting back into the swing of things,” she said. “This helps them get caught up quickly and efficiently, without feeling overwhelmed with an overstuffed inbox when they return to work.”
Brian Binke, CEO of the recruiting company The Birmingham Group, said his company allocates time for employees to catch up on emails after trips, too.
“We want our people to relax as much as possible when they’re on vacation,” he said.
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