A few weeks after UFC 300, the mixed martial arts promotion company returns with UFC Fight Night, which has Brazilian fighter Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1) going up against American Alex Perez (24-8-0) in the main event.   UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs. Perez takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.   On Saturday, April 27, the prelims began at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. The main card started at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. If you want to watch the event online, it livestreams with an ESPN+ subscription.   $503 and up BUY: UFC FIGHT NIGHT: NICOLAU VS. PEREZ TICKETS ON VIVID SEATS Last-minute ..read more

—  The spending that the industry’s giants expect artificial intelligence to require is starting to come into focus — and it is jarringly large.   Karen Weise / New York Times:     If 2023 was the tech industry’s year of the A.I. chatbot, 2024 is turning out to be the year of A.I. plumbing. It may not sound as exciting, but tens of billions of dollars are quickly being spent on behind-the-scenes technology for the industry’s A.I. boom. — Microsoft said generative A.I. had contributed to more than a fifth of the growth of its cloud computing business.Credit…Krisztian Bocsi ..read more

Nicole Kidman has been an international treasure going on four decades. Whether you’re tracking her many wigs (“The Undoing” is our favorite), admiring her textured and committed performances, or just standing up and saluting before every AMC Theatres showing, you’re probably honoring her in some way.   While five best actress Oscar nominations and one win (for “The Hours”) have been adequate markers of her success and endurance, conversations have been brewing for years about a lack of recognition for her remarkable artistic consistency.   “How many times does Nicole Kidman have t ..read more

UNION, N.J. — On April 25, former Senator Raymond J. Lesniak was inducted into the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni among four other influential Rutgers University graduates.   Lesniak was recognized at Stone House at Stirling Ridge for his exemplary work in the New Jersey Legislature and as President and Founder of The Lesniak Institute for American Leadership. This award is the highest achievement a Rutgers graduate can receive from the University.   He has been a persistent champion of social and criminal justice, animal welfare, women’s rights, and environmental p ..read more

EWING, N.J. — Congresswoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman has secured Trenton-Mercer Airport a $4.1 million allocation in Congress’s most recent appropriations bill. A press conference was held Thursday with Mercer County Exec. Dan Benson, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson-Coleman, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblyman Anthony Verrelli, Commissioner Chair John Cimino, Commissioner Vice-Chair Kristin McLaughlin, Commissioner Lucylle Walter, Commissioner Sam Frisby, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, and Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann. The project includes the full-depth reconstruction of 20,000 SY of ai ..read more

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insurance — AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) of “a+” (Excellent) of Symetra Life Insurance Company and its subsidiary, First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York (New York, NY), together referred to as Symetra Life Group. Concurrently, AM Best has affirmed the Long-Term ICR of “bbb+” (Good) and the Long-Term Issue Credit Rating of “bbb+” (Good) on $250 million 4.25% senior unsecured notes, due 2024 of Symetra Financial Corporation (Symetra). The outlook o ..read more

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insurance — AM Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) to A- (Excellent) from A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) to “a-” (Excellent) from “a” (Excellent) of Farm Bureau County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas and Texas Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company (together known as Texas Farm Bureau Casualty Group).   The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is negative. At the same time, AM Best has removed from under review with negative implications and affirmed the FSR of A- (Excellent) and the Long ..read more

“Baahubali” star Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media has teamed with Tinkle Comics to launch a graphic novel featuring Indian superhero Minnal Murali at the Mumbai Comic-Con.   “Minnal Murali” is a 2021 Malayalam-language film directed by Basil Joseph, produced by Sophia Paul’s Weekend Blockbusters and starring Tovino Thomas as the eponymous superhero.   Set in a village in Kerala, the film follows a tailor with dreams of emigrating to the U.S. and a social outcast who simultaneously get superpowers when struck by lightning (minnal means lightning in Malayalam) with the former using them ..read more

The directors and producers of the groundbreaking 1999 horror film release a separate statement in support: ‘We believe the actors deserve to be celebrated for their enduring association with the franchise’     Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams, stars of the seminal horror film “The Blair Witch Project,” released a public letter to Lionsgate on Saturday asking for more robust compensation for their work on the 1999 blockbuster, as well as “meaningful consultation” on any future “Blair Witch” projects that use their names or likenesses.   The statement comes ..read more

— TikTok has changed America   New York Times:     —  Has there ever been an app more American seeming than TikTok, with its messy democratic creativity, exhibitionism, utter lack of limits and vast variety of hustlers?   And yet, of course, TikTok is not American, which is the whole reason that in March, the House of Representatives passed a bill with broad bipartisan support that would force the Chinese owners of the video-app juggernaut to either sell to a non-Chinese owner or face a ban. Lawmakers say it’s a national security threat, and that the Chinese governme ..read more