Disney closed its headquarters in Burbank, while NBCUniversal shut its Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.
HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING
The Biden administration plans new export restrictions tied to artificial intelligence. The rules, which could be issued as soon as Friday, would restrict where producers of A.I. chips can ship their most advanced technology and where A.I. data centers can be built. Two dozen adversaries, including China, would be put on a block list, escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Dockworkers reach a tentative deal to avert a major strike. Their union, the International Longshoremen’s Association, agreed on Wednesday with the United States Maritime Alliance on the future use of automated machinery at ports on the East and Gulf Coasts. The sides faced a Jan. 15 deadline. In other labor news: The Service Employees International Union, which represents nearly two million workers, agreed to join forces with the A.F.L.-C.I.O., and a labor deal is set to end a ski patrol strike at a resort in Park City, Utah.
-Constellation Energy is reportedly closing in on a deal to buy Calpine. A transaction, which is expected to value Calpine at about $30 billion, including debt, would be among the biggest in the power generation industry, according to Bloomberg. The utilities sector has soared over the past year as electricity demand for data centers is forecast to soar in the coming years.
Donald Trump’s inaugural committee sells out of tickets. The president-elect’s team has told major donors that it was no longer offering access to Trump’s swearing-in and some related events, as its haul topped $170 million, The Times reports. (Some billionaires have even been placed on a wait list.) The restrictions reflect in part the rush of deep-pocketed donors and companies to curry favor with Trump.
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