Cinema revival takes the big screen and makes it enormous
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Chinese owners launch €2.5bn sale of Luxembourg’s oldest bank
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The Gulf cargo trade that vanished
The Strait of Hormuz was a transit hub for goods from helium to corn. Businesses have battled to find alternative routes
Heavy Rain Disrupts Trains in Japan as Tropical Storm Approaches
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Australia Home Auction Clearance Rates Fall Amid Rate Hike Fears
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MS NOW, CNN and Politico journalists blocked from White House after Trump ban
Livestream Menu Journalists from MS NOW, CNN and Politico were denied access to the White House grounds. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is banning the three news organizations from the White House over their coverage of him. Trump has previously sought to bar Associated Press journalists from the Oval Office and Air Force One. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with U. S. travel executives in the Oval Office of the White House on Sept. 2, 2026 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch | Journalists from MS NOW, CNN and Politico were denied access to the White House grounds on Saturday, one day after President Donald Trump said he is banning the three outlets over their coverage of him. S. government will continue regardless of any attempts to restrict physical access to the White House and other government buildings, or any other attempts to impede our journalism," CNN said in a statement. "We have a right under the U. Constitution to do our reporting without hindrance or interference from the government and this ban is an illegal assault under that right." The news organization reiterated it "stands fully behind our White House team." Politico's editor-in-chief, Jonathan Greenberger, emailed the newsroom: "A few minutes ago, our colleague Cheyenne Haslett attempted to enter the White House to do her job as a POLITICO reporter. Secret Service denied her entry to the complex and confiscated the pass that allows her access to the White House. As we said yesterday, we will vigorously defend our First Amendment rights." When asked to respond, the White House referred CNBC to the president's comments yesterday. On Friday, Trump said in a Truth Social post that those outlets "shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America." "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow," he added. Later that day, in the Oval Office, the president said he was imposing the ban in response to "cumulative stories" . "You get sick of it," he said. In 2018, Trump's White House briefly tried to suspend a CNN reporter's press pass, and it is currently being sued over an attempted ban of Associated Press journalists from certain spaces. The AP said on Saturday that it supports the banned media outlets. "No news organization — or person — should be retaliated against ," it said in a statement.
Consumer sentiment is in the dumps despite a solid economy. Goldman Sachs blames 'lower happiness'
Livestream Menu The consumer sentiment index tracked . Goldman Sachs is blaming weak consumer sentiment readings on broader feelings of unhappiness in society. The bank also drew a connection between lower happiness readings and decreasing trust in public institutions. A shopper browses near 'Sale' signs in the meats section of a grocery store. According to a new Guardian poll, 95 percent of Americans think that the United States is in the midst of an affordability crisis with many reporting trouble affording necessities like gas and groceries. Mario Tama | News | Goldman Sachs identified a potential culprit for sour consumer sentiment readings: A decline in happiness. The consumer sentiment index tracked . The index fell 13% year over year in September, due to a drop of almost 8% from August alone. Economists have widely questioned why sentiment has remained depressed since the Covid pandemic, even as the economy hummed along on paper. Goldman economist Joseph Briggs told clients this week that the downward pressure may stem from broader pessimism in society. "Low reported economic sentiment likely reflects a more fundamental, downbeat assessment of the state of the world rather than the economy," Briggs wrote to clients. To be sure, Briggs said inflationary pressures are likely also hurting confidence. But he said "lower happiness" at large can partially explain the continued disconnect between sentiment and other measures of the economy's performance, such as gross domestic product growth or stock market performance, that offer rosier views. Briggs pointed to data from the University of Chicago's General Social Survey illustrating how happiness never fully recovered from a drop during the pandemic. The share of respondents feeling "very happy" fell to 23% in 2024 from 31% in 2016, survey data shows. The percentage reporting responses of "not too happy" rose from 13% to 20% over the same period, per the data. Overall happiness saw a sharper decline than the perception of financial satisfaction also tracked in the survey, according to Briggs' analysis of the data. Briggs isn't the only economist pointing the finger at declining happiness readings. Joanne Hsu, the director of Michigan's survey, told CNBC earlier this year that the downtrend in sentiment mirrors readings showing both decreasing happiness and trust in public institutions. Briggs also cited a connection between lower overall happiness readings and decreasing trust in institutions. He found that lower trust in these bodies caused a "disproportionate amount" of the decline in net happiness in recent years. Given the connection to non-economic variables, consumer sentiment readings may not improve even if the economy continues chugging along, Briggs said.
Carney takes his investment pitch from ‘Maple Davos’ to Strasbourg
Canada’s prime minister appeals to Wall St and the EU in his effort to diversify the economy away from the US
Disney names CTO for the first time as media giant expands tech push
Livestream Menu Disney has hired Karandeep Anand as chief technology officer, a newly created role for the company. The position will report directly to Josh D'Amaro, who took over as Disney CEO earlier this year and has put technology advancements at the top of his agenda for the Mouse House. Disney has also been exploring advancements to its streaming service, Disney+, including the integration of consumer products, experiences and gaming into the platform. DIS Thomas Fuller | Lightrocket | Disney is looking to increase its foothold in the technology space with its latest hire. The media giant said Friday it hired Karandeep Anand, most recently CEO of Character. AI, effective Oct. 2 as senior executive vice president and chief technology officer. The newly created position in the Mouse House's C-suite will report directly to CEO Josh D'Amaro. The leadership expansion comes months after D'Amaro took the top post at Disney and emphasized the need to embrace technology to advance all parts of the company. Disney said Anand will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and artificial intelligence platforms, product and engineering at Disney, and will work across across various tech teams to "further modernize how Disney builds and delivers technology company-wide." "Karandeep brings a rare mix of experience across infrastructure, consumer technology and AI, and will be a vital addition to Disney's senior leadership team as we further our three priorities: great storytelling as our North Star, technology in service of creativity, and operating as One Disney," D'Amaro said in Friday's release. D'Amaro's immediate goal has been to maintain Disney's momentum in its core growth areas -- particularly streaming and parks, which have helped lift the company's earnings in recent quarters. In March D'Amaro outlined his strategy and focused on the importance of Disney's storytelling and intellectual property to all parts of the business, as well as expanding its concentration in tech to fuel growth. Since then, the CEO has made various moves to show his focus on that initiative. The company's streaming service, Disney+, has been at the center of such plans. D'Amaro has said Disney is considering a free, ad-supported tier for its Disney+ streaming service as a so-called "front porch" to get more consumers onto the platform. On Thursday, Disney also named Adam Smith as chairman of its direct-to-consumer for Disney Entertainment, overseeing the streaming business. Executives have also teased that streaming and shopping will be integrated on Disney+, and more details are expected to come in the spring.
Wendy's franchisee files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as burger chain struggles
Livestream Menu One of Wendy's biggest U. S. franchisees, Meritage Hospitality Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. For six straight quarters, Wendy's has reported same-store sales declines. Meritage operates 314 Wendy's restaurants across 15 states. WEN Close-up of fast-food packaging with Wendy's logo. Smith Collection/gado | Archive Photos | Meritage Hospitality, one of Wendy's largest U. S. franchisees, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday. The filing comes as the burger chain has struggled to win over diners who have become increasingly focused on value. For six straight quarters, Wendy's has reported same-store sales declines. A revolving door of chief executives in recent years has led to muddled turnaround strategies, and the company's stock has lost two-thirds of its value over the past three years. "Because the substantial majority of Meritage's restaurant portfolio operates under Wendy's brand, those system-wide pressures have had a significant impact on the Company's financial position," Meritage said in a press release announcing the filing. At an investor conference in June, Meritage CEO Bob Schermer Jr. said that store-level earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization had plummeted 48% in 2025. Rising beef costs and increased discounts weighed on the franchisee's profits. Meritage said it filed for bankruptcy to strengthen its balance sheet, and the company plans to keep its restaurants running during the restructuring process. Meritage operates 314 Wendy's restaurants across 15 states, as well as one Bojangles location and five independently branded stores. Meritage estimated that its assets are valued at $10 million to $50 million, with liabilities within the same range, according to a filing with the U. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan. Quality Is Our Recipe LLC, the legal name for Wendy's franchise business, is listed as its top unsecured creditor with a claim of $24.9 million for deferred franchise fees.