Inflation has helped decide elections worldwide. Here’s what that means for the midterms.

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(NEW YORK) — As the midterm elections begin, sky-high prices for essentials like food and gasoline have become a major line of criticism leveled at Democrats, who control the White House and Congress.

In fact, the issue may be enough to drive the incumbent party out of power — just as it has helped fuel government turnover across the globe, some experts told ABC News.

Global inflation during the pandemic era has helped drive public opposition toward incumbent parties and politicians, contributing to shifts in power across a host of countries over the past year, some financial experts told ABC news.

While experts cautioned against generalizations that diminish other issues or political dynamics at play within a given country, they noted how frustration over living costs has animated efforts to change political leadership in ways that resemble voter sentiment in the U.S. leading up to the midterm elections.

“This is a global inflationary shock – many countries are seeing inflationary pressure they haven’t seen since the 1970s and 1980s,” Robert Kahn, the managing director of global macro-geoeconomics at the New York-based Eurasia Group, told ABC News. “It’s driving a level of unhappiness among populations that’s definitely putting pressure on governments.”

“A lot of what we’re seeing and feeling is a U.S. manifestation of what everyone else is dealing with,” he added.

In Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro cut taxes on fuel and electricity in an effort to slash prices over the months preceding an election that concluded in October, the nation nevertheless replaced him with a leftwing challenger.

Meanwhile, in England, Prime Minister Liz Truss responded to the highest inflation in four decades with an economic policy centered on tax cuts and energy price controls. Her tenure in office lasted just 44 days before market reaction and political disarray led to her stepping down.

Over the summer, Colombia elected the first leftist president in its history as the inflation rate soared near 10%. While in Sri Lanka, a couple months prior, a mass uprising led to the removal of the country’s sitting president, as protesters cited frustration over the fastest inflation rate in Asia.

“When essential prices explode in ways that people can’t pay them anymore, it’s like some basic social contract breaks,” Isabella Weber, a professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, told ABC News.

“People go to work and earn money and they can buy stuff that covers their basic needs on the market,” she added. “If they feel their wage isn’t sufficient to cover these basic needs, then this basic contract starts to crumble for too many people, which brings social and political consequences.”

The pattern this year matches a high rate of leadership change amid inflation crises around the world over the last half century, according to research authored by Kahn and Eurasia Group CEO Maziar Minovi. Examining 57 inflation shocks since 1970, they found government turnover in 58% of cases.

Further, when there was an election during or within two years of an inflation shock, it led to a change in government in roughly three out of every four instances, the study found.

To be sure, at least one expert said it’s too difficult to discern the political impact of inflation alongside other potential factors driving voter sentiment worldwide.

Carsten Kowalczyk, a professor of international economics at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, acknowledged the role that inflation has played historically in contributing to government turnover, but he said the political implications of current price hikes remain uncertain.

“It’s not clear how much inflation has really affected the outlook of folks,” he told ABC News. “Inflation may affect people differently.”

As with other global economic problems, inflation comes down to an imbalance between supply and demand.

Billions across the globe facing lockdowns replaced restaurant or leisure expenditures with couches and exercise bikes. The surge in demand followed a pandemic-induced flood of economic stimulus. Moreover, that stimulus brought about a speedy economic recovery from the March 2020 downturn, triggering a hiring blitz.

But the surge in demand for goods and labor far outpaced supply, as COVID-related bottlenecks slowed delivery times and infection fears kept workers on the sidelines.

In turn, prices and wages skyrocketed, prompting sky-high inflation. The war between Russia and Ukraine has exacerbated the price hikes, worsening a global shortage of oil and food. Such price increases have bedeviled countries across the globe, some of which have suffered much worse inflation than the U.S.

“We made a tradeoff in 2020: We’re going to save the economy and save people’s jobs by pumping trillions into the economy,” Aswath Damodaran, a professor of finance at New York University. “This inflation is the tradeoff. They were effectively delaying the pain that COVID brought to the global economy.”

Despite the global nature of inflation and limited policy levers available to President Joe Biden to reverse it, Democrats are being held accountable for a cost of living crisis experienced while they’ve controlled Congress and the White House, some experts said.

The share of likely voters who say economic issues are the most important concerns facing America stands at 44%, a jump from 36% who said so in July, according to a New York Times/Siena poll released last month. Those economy-focused voters overwhelmingly preferred Republicans, by more than a two-to-one margin, the poll said.

In a similar poll, released by NBC News in September, voters favored Republicans by nearly 20 percentage points on the issue of the economy.

“If you’re an incumbent, you get credit for things that go well, even if they’re not your fault,” Kenneth Rogoff, a professor of economics at Harvard University who studies global inflation, told ABC News. “You get blame for things when they go badly, even if it’s not your fault.”

On the campaign trail, many Republican candidates have criticized Biden and Congressional Democrats for expansive spending, which Republicans say directly led to the spike in prices. Specifically, the Democrats have faced criticism for the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus measure signed into law by Biden in March 2021 in response to the pandemic.

While the Biden measure comprised a major spending package, former President Donald Trump backed even greater coronavirus-related spending, signing into law a package in December 2020 worth $2.3 trillion.

Inflation appears to fuel discontent with incumbents, regardless of whether they pursue liberal or conservative policies, said Kahn of the Eurasia Group.

“There is a tendency in the American economic debate to see what’s happening in the U.S. as unique to the U.S.,” Kahn said. “It’s right to say that it’s playing out differently in the U.S. than it is elsewhere but it’s a part of the same global phenomenon.”

“In the face of a global shock, there is a vote-the-bums-out element to this,” he added. “It punishes whoever is in power, whether left or right.”

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Retailers seek new ways to win over shoppers this holiday season

Shopify

(NEW YORK) — Holiday shopping is underway and retailers have already started offering additional sales and discounts earlier than ever in an attempt to win over consumers, who are facing near-record high inflation this season.

With 73% of consumers expecting higher prices this holiday season, many are planning to buy fewer gifts compared to last year, according to a recent holiday retail survey from Deloitte.

“Inflation is at the top of every consumer’s mind. In fact, we did a study with Oracle that said that around 77% of consumers are thinking about inflation when shopping,” Hitha Herzog, chief retail analyst at The Doneger Tobe Group, told ABC News. “Retailers know that there are less dollars that are going around and less chances for them to sell to the consumer so they’re going to be very specific about making sure that the consumer shops with them.”

One strategy to win over shoppers? Convenience. Aside from prices, another major indicator consumers cited as a top factor for whether or not they will shop in-store this season is checkout speed, with 41% of shoppers listing it as important, according to a holiday consumer survey by Sensormatic Solutions.

The department store Neighborhood Goods recently adopted a new method of checkout called POS Go, a point-of-sale device by the e-commerce platform Shopify that allows customers to pay from anywhere in the store. Previously out of reach for most brands, it’s something that Shopify has recently made available to the tens of thousands of small businesses that use its platform, and consumers will likely start to see it popping up more and more inside their favorite stores.

“The modern consumer is more hybrid than ever.” Harley Finkelstein, Shopify President told ABC News. “Commerce happens everywhere, and as we head into the busiest season for our merchants, they need technology…that gives them the flexibility to meet consumers however and wherever they like to shop.”

“We’re bringing it to all of our locations now. And I think what’s been really important about it for us is that we’ve always believed from a philosophical perspective that the customer ought to be able to dictate their own terms as to how they shop,” Matt Alexander, co-founder and CEO of Neighborhood Goods, told ABC News.

Brick-and-mortar stores aren’t the only ones making the shopping experience more seamless. Online retail giant Amazon recently announced that it will be offering Venmo as a payment option, and the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) market has become one of the fastest-growing alternatives to credit cards in the last few years. Used by hundreds of thousands of businesses, it allows consumers to pay off a purchase over a designated period of time, typically interest-free.

The number of BNPL loans in the United States grew from 16.8 million to 180 million — more than 970% — from 2019 to 2021, according to a September report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

“One thing that retailers are doing to make sure that the customer has a very easy purchasing experience is to make sure that there are different ways that they can go ahead and pay for that product, not just in the store, but also online,” Herzog told ABC News.

“One of the biggest issues for retailers is cart abandonment and having that change of heart when you’re in the store,” Herzog added. “If there are different places to pay for things … and different methods to not abandon that cart as you are online purchasing … that will ensure that the retailers are selling the product and that the customer is having a great experiencing experience purchasing the product.”

Alexander built Neighborhood Goods with customer experience in mind, offering restaurants, refreshments and events in store for consumers to make the shopping experience unique and more enjoyable. He said the company wanted to create “a sense of magnetism to give people a really good reason to come in.”

“Even in the event of a recession, people still shop,” he said. “It’s just they’re more considerate about where they do so. And so if you can offer a really great experience, that doesn’t go out of style regardless of what’s going on in the world.”

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‘Selling dreams’: Lamborghini CEO on perfecting the brand’s first electric car

Lamborghini

(NEW YORK) — Supercar maker Lamborghini cannot keep up with demand.

The Italian marque said Monday it has sold 7,430 vehicles in the first nine months of the year and is on track to beat its 2021 sales record of 8,405 units.

Deliveries rose in every market — U.S., China, Japan, Germany and the U.K. — with the V10-powered Huracan seeing the largest bump in sales.

The Urus, Lamborghini’s dynamic SUV that debuted in 2018, continues to be the brand’s No. 1 model, with 4,834 units delivered to customers so far this year.

ABC News spoke with Stephan Winkelmann, the CEO of Lamborghini, about the company’s latest roadmap.

He reminisced about the “end of an era” — the company bid farewell to its lustrous 12-cylinder Aventador supercar in September — and discussed the excitement surrounding Lamborghini’s first plug-in hybrid supercar that will soon enter production at the company’s factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy.

By 2028, the company will unveil an electric supercar — a 180-degree turn from the powerful, euphonious gas-powered engines that helped make Lamborghini a success. Customers are ready for the future and so is the company, Winkelmann asserted.

The interview below has been edited and condensed for clarity:

Q: Sales have been very strong this year. Will the company surpass its sales record of 8,405 cars in 2021?

A: We will be ahead of this number for sure. We have no slowdown in sales. Every month we’re selling more cars than we’re able to deliver.

Q: Some market watchers have been calling for a global recession. Has the company seen a change in demand?

A: We have two things to protect us if a crisis is coming. One, we have an incredible order bank, which is already exceeding 18 months. Two, in the next couple of years, we’re going to renew our complete lineup. A new car always creates positive vibes in the community of super sports car lovers. So these are things that are going to help us.

Q: If someone walked into a Lamborghini dealership in the U.S. right now, is there new inventory to buy?

A: There might be some used cars…but 99.9% you won’t find a new car.

Q: Let’s talk about the company’s plans for electrification. You said the entire lineup will be hybrid by 2024. Why not a fully electric car by then?

A: Things have to be done in the right time and with the right technology. The hybrid technology for us is the best in terms of performance and also in terms of technology. We will be the first super sports car brand to have a full hybrid lineup. The first [EV] model will come by the end of this decade, around 2028. By then we think our community of customers will be ready for buying fully electric super sports cars.

Q: Will the Urus be the first hybrid since it’s the brand’s bestselling model?

A: The first hybrid car will be the follow to the Aventador, which will have a completely new V12 engine and it will be a plug-in hybrid. We’re going to present the car at the end of the first quarter of next year.

Q: Are you accepting deposits or preorders for this hybrid car?

A: Yes, we already have preorders which are close to 3,000. This means the acceptance is very high even though very few customers have seen the car. So [customers] really believe we’re doing the right thing, which is a positive sign.

Q: Lamborghini bid farewell to the Aventador last month after more than a decade of production. How did that make you feel?

A: I was present on the first day we started the project. For me, this is an end of an era which in a way is quite sad, but there are also very good memories.

Q: What would Ferruccio Lamborghini, the company’s founder, think of Lamborghini’s new direction?

A: He would be proud of the development of Lamborghini. He was a challenger of the status quo — this is exactly what we are doing. We are safeguarding the DNA of the brand and the design and also what performance is all about. We’re not selling mobility. We’re selling dreams. He would appreciate this, I think, and he would also be happy at what Lamborghini has become.

Q: Is Lamborghini still impacted by the supply crunch and chip shortage?

A: It’s a constant challenge but so far we have managed not to lose any production capacity…we’ve actually increased our production capacity. Also the war in Ukraine was affecting us a little at the beginning because we have a big supplier in Ukraine but thanks to their courage and dedication this is solved and we recovered all the delays that were happening in the first couple of days of the war. We have no major constraints in terms of the supply chain. We never had the problem of parking cars with missing parts.

Q: An all-terrain Huracan will be the company’s final send-off to the internal combustion engine. How did this idea come about?

A: In 2015, we had the idea to do an all-terrain super sports car. We are the only super sports car company with a four-wheel drive system. When I came back to Lamborghini three years ago I said, ‘Guys, I want to do this car.’ It’s the last internal combustion car we’re launching and it will be shown at Art Basel in Miami.

Q: What will production be like for the all-terrain Huracan?

A: We will communicate the number at Art Basel. It will be a limited number and this will increase the value of the car even more because it’s the first time we’re doing a car like this. You cannot go on the dunes of the desert but you can drive the car on dirt roads. It’s about ground clearance — it’s higher than a normal super sports car but not as high as an SUV. So there is a limit to this but you can take it off-road for sure.

Q: There are complaints among some in the automotive world that electric vehicles can be mechanical and not as enjoyable to drive as gas-powered sports cars. How will Lamborghini handle that challenge as the company moves forward with electrification?

A: What makes a Lamborghini a Lamborghini is the design, the performance in terms of naked numbers — lap times, top speed, acceleration — and perceived performance, or how much emotion you experience when you drive our cars. Normally electric cars are very good at longitudinal acceleration but they’re not very pleasant to drive — i.e. cornering, braking behavior, the reaction on the steering wheel. This is something we have to prove and we’re working on this before the first electric car comes to market from Lamborghini.

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Apple iPhone models delayed by China’s COVID restrictions

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(NEW YORK) — Apple said on Sunday that COVID-19 restrictions at an iPhone factory in China have “temporarily impacted” shipments of its flagship phone.

The world’s most valuable company said a facility in Zhengzhou run by Foxconn, one of Apple’s largest suppliers, was “currently operating at significantly reduced capacity.”

“We continue to see strong demand for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models,” Apple said in a statement. “However, we now expect lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we previously anticipated and customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products.”

Foxconn, as Hon Hai Precision Industry is known, turned its Zhengzhou facility into a “closed-loop” factory because of concerns about COVID-19 in the surrounding area, according to a report last week by Morgan Stanley analysts.

About 60% of Foxconn’s iPhone assembly happens in Zhengzhou, Morgan Stanley analysts wrote in the report.

“However, we do believe the impact of the COVID situation in Zhengzhou is showing up in iPhone lead times, as iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max lead times have elongated by ~7 days in the last week, to 26 days as of Tuesday, November 1st,” the analysts wrote.

Taiwan-based Foxconn issued a current-quarter outlook on Monday, saying it was originally “cautiously optimistic,” but “due to the pandemic affecting some of our operations in Zhengzhou, the company will ‘revise down’ the outlook for the fourth quarter.”

The company said the local government had “made it clear that it will, as always, fully support” Foxconn’s local production.

“Foxconn is now working with the government in concerted effort to stamp out the pandemic and resume production to its full capacity as quickly as possible,” the company said in a statement.

Apple said it’s “working closely with our supplier to return to normal production levels while ensuring the health and safety of every worker.”

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The unintended consequence of electric vehicles: More demand for manual transmissions

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(NEW YORK) — When Nissan launched the all-new, seventh-generation Z sports car, company executives had a specific requirement: a manual transmission.

“In the more than 50 years of Nissan Z, we’ve never offered a Z without a manual transmission,” Brian Hoekstra, chief marketing manager of Z, told ABC News. “We recognize that for many Z and sports car enthusiasts, there is simply no alternative to a manual transmission.”

The coupe, which went on sale last summer, comes with a 3.0-liter V6 twin turbo engine that delivers 400 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 350 lb-ft of torque. Drivers have a choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a nine-speed automatic. Hoekstra said sales are equally split between the manual and automatic, with younger owners preferring the “nostalgic experience” of three pedals.

“The manual transmission offers that classic sports car experience — it’s the ultimate driver-car connection, where you really feel like a part of the vehicle and can control it in ways you wouldn’t be able to with an automatic,” he said. “As long as there are still new internal combustion engine vehicles on the market, there will be an interest in manual transmissions.”

The car community has been decrying the death of the manual transmission for nearly two decades, said Henry Catchpole, a longtime automotive journalist who now hosts videos for Hagerty. As more automakers allocate resources to building electric vehicles, drivers are choosing engagement over pure performance, he argued.

“People are reassessing what they want and are going back to analog cars. It’s a big story in the industry,” he told ABC News. “There’s a shift in terms of how we look at performance cars. We don’t wax lyrical about paddle shifters as we do about manual gearboxes. Drivers are enjoying the manual again.”

Electric vehicles like the Porsche Taycan, Audi RS e-tron GT and Tesla Model S Plaid post performance numbers that few traditional supercars and sports cars can match. Straight-line acceleration and 0-60 mph times, however, may not matter to every motorist, said Bob Sorokanich, editor-in-chief of Jalopnik.

“Tesla has the quickest car on the market — just floor the accelerator and hang on,” he told ABC News. “It doesn’t take any driver skill.”

Automakers like Nissan, Toyota, Porsche and Honda are continuing to extol the manual transmission, he said, a “last hurrah” before the industry completely goes electric.

“It’s inevitable EVs are going to take over and people are getting misty-eyed that the manual won’t be around forever,” he said. “That’s why people are flocking to these specialty cars. Young people are interested in the opportunity to experience them as internal combustion engines come to a close.”

When Toyota released the Supra sports car in 2020, enthusiasts had one objection: there was no manual gearbox. The automaker listened and decided to offer the 2023 GR Supra with a newly developed six-speed manual transmission that was engineered and tuned specifically for the coupe’s straight-six engine. At least 25% of GR Supra sales are expected to be the manual, a company spokesperson said.

Then, to much acclaim, Toyota revealed the GR Corolla, a lightweight, vivacious hot hatch that meets every enthusiast’s requirements. It’s also built exclusively with a manual. Sorokanich expects Toyota to sell every one.

“The GR Corolla is meant for engagement,” he said.

Lindsay Lee, a senior manager in vehicle marketing and communications for Toyota, said demand has been unprecedented for the GR Corolla.

“There is excitement in the market for a vehicle of this size with this amount of performance,” she told ABC News.

Porsche takes driver engagement so seriously that it offers 25 models with a manual transmission at no cost. Certain 911 models, like the Carrera T and GT3 with Touring Package, come standard with a manual gearbox.

“We see the highest degree of interest in manual transmissions on particularly enthusiast-focused variants such as the 718 Cayman/Boxster T, 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder or 911 GT3, where the manual take rate in the U.S. can reach 50% or more,” a Porsche spokesperson told ABC News. “We aim to offer the manual transmission as a choice as long as regulations permit.”

Stephanie Brinley, an associate director at S&P Global Mobility, said recent market conditions have dictated what automakers build, leading to less investment in manual transmission technology.

“Automakers are faced with difficult choices and manuals are things that have been sacrificed in the last two years,” she told ABC News.

Pleasing a dedicated group of owners who are willing to pay above MSRP for a niche product can, however, outweigh the costs, she noted.

“It’s a niche space but sometimes customer loyalty is a reason to keep it going,” she said. “EVs are here and growing. They do have a different feel and level of engagement. For people who want that manual transmission connection, now is the time to grab one before they go away.”

BMW’s head of M products confirmed that the German automaker would keep manuals around until the end of the decade. The S58 engine in the company’s new M2 coupe can be paired with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a dynamic eight-speed M Steptronic transmission.

At the unveiling of the seventh-generation Ford Mustang in September, company executives touted the Blue Oval’s commitment to the clutch pedal.

“Ford has saved the manual transmission for a new generation and the 5.0-liter V8 continues to offer a standard six-speed manual transmission for customers who want an uncompromised connection to eight-cylinder power,” according to a company press release.

The Dearborn automaker has also seen sizable interest among manual buyers in its Ford Bronco 4X4, with the take rate topping 20%, according to Brinley.

Honda’s latest Type R hatch is visually different from its predecessor, with an aggressive front bumper design, lower stance and a redesigned rear spoiler. What hasn’t changed? A manual transmission. Honda’s Civic Si, like the Type R, has been manual-only since its inception and the company sees “consistent interest from enthusiasts who want the engaging driving experience that can only be had by shifting your own gears,” according to a spokesperson. When Honda’s Acura brand premiered the fifth-generation Integra in March, enthusiasts lauded the return of the manual.

“At launch, nearly 70% of the Integra preorders were for the manual transmission,” the spokesperson said. “Since then, the mix rate has leveled out, but we’re still seeing high demand for the manual transmission, more than enough to justify its development.”

Catchpole said the unrelenting pressure on automakers to keep the manual alive has benefited an industry that’s rapidly closing the door on gas-powered vehicles.

“Some people see manuals as a chore but they’re not. They bring more color to life,” he said. “Porsche listened to enthusiasts and brought back the manual in the GT3. I hope other manufacturers will listen too.”

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US hiring exceeds expectations, as economy adds 261,000 jobs

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(NEW YORK) — The U.S. added 261,000 jobs in October, exceeding economist expectations and sending a positive signal for the economy days before the midterm elections.

The unemployment rate increased to 3.7%. However, the unemployment has stood between a narrow range of 3.5% and 3.7% since March, the government data said.

The strongest job gains came in health care, manufacturing and professional and technical services.

The report arrives two days after Fed Chair Jerome Powell announced another jumbo-sized interest rate hike, intensifying the central bank’s fight against inflation and stoking fears of a downturn.

The aggressive move is the latest in a string of borrowing cost increases imposed by the Fed in recent months as it tries to slash price increases by cooling the economy and choking off demand. The approach, however, risks tipping the U.S. into a recession and putting millions out of work.

While hiring has slowed from a breakneck pace earlier in the year, the labor market continues to defy recession concerns.

The number of job openings increased in September, a sign that the need for workers remains robust, government data released Tuesday showed. However, hiring and people quitting fell slightly in September, suggesting that the demand for labor from employers has begun to ebb.

While strong, the hiring in October falls well below the typical jobs added over a given month in 2022. Monthly job growth has averaged 407,000 thus far in 2022 versus 562,000 per month in 2021, the jobs data on Friday showed.

While some data points to an economic slowdown, a government report released last month showed significant economic growth over three months ending in September.

U.S. gross domestic product grew 2.6% over that period; by contrast, economic activity shrank a combined 2.2% over the first six months of the year.

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Twitter sends email to employees announcing layoffs to come Friday

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(NEW YORK) — Twitter will begin layoffs on Friday, the company announced in an email.

“In an effort to place Twitter on a healthy path, we will go through the difficult process of reducing our global workforce on Friday,” the company wrote in an email sent to employees on Thursday and obtained by ABC News.

“We recognize that this will impact a number of individuals who have made valuable contributions to Twitter, but this action is unfortunately necessary to ensure the company’s success moving forward,” the email continues.

The Washington Post was first to report the email to employees.

According to the company email, the layoff process will take place via email, and all employees will receive an email by 9 a.m. PT/noon ET on Friday with the subject line “Your Role at Twitter.”

Employees were told, via the company email Thursday, that they would receive a notification to their Twitter email if their employment was not impacted, and they would receive a notification to their personal email with next steps if their employment is impacted.

In the company email, Twitter said its offices are temporarily closed and “all badge access will be suspended.”

“We acknowledge this is an incredibly challenging experience to go through, whether or not you are impacted,” the company said in the email.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk closed the deal to acquire Twitter last week.

Musk — the richest person in the world, according to Forbes — reportedly acquired Twitter at his original offer price of $54.20 a share at a total cost of roughly $44 billion.

A source familiar with the matter confirmed Musk’s Twitter deal closure to ABC News on Oct. 28. Some of Twitter’s top executives were fired, including CEO Parag Agrawal, chief financial officer Ned Segal, chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde and general counsel Sam Edgett, and the company will likely be launching an internal investigation, according to the source.

Musk had said last week that he will forgo any significant content moderation or account reinstatement decisions until after the formation of a new committee devoted to the issues.

“Twitter will be forming a content moderation council with widely diverse viewpoints,” Musk tweeted. “No major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes.”

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AMC announces $5 ‘Discount Tuesdays’ deal through January

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(NEW YORK) — Every Tuesday, every movie, only $5.

In the latest effort to get movie-goers back into theaters, AMC Theaters announced Thursday that AMC Stub members can enjoy “Discount Tuesday” for all titles at every AMC location in the U.S. from now through Jan. 31, 2023.

The AMC Stubs program is made up of three different tiers that include a paid monthly movie membership, a paid yearly membership and a free-to-join membership — all of which include the Discount Tuesday perk this holiday season.

The company also said in a press release that, along with a $5 tickets (plus tax), members can enjoy a $5 combo that includes a small popcorn and a 21-ounce ICEE or small Coca-Cola Freestyle beverage on Tuesdays.

“$5 Discount Tuesday at AMC offers significant value to movie-goers in many areas around the country,” the company stated. “While a premium experience fee applies for movies in IMAX at AMC, Dolby Cinema at AMC and PRIME at AMC, the base fee for premium experience movies is also $5.”

The news comes ahead of AMC Entertainment’s quarterly earnings report that is set to be published on Nov. 8. The company reported in August that the theater chain earned $1.17 billion and that revenue was up 162.3% on a year-over-year basis.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic spurred the release of movies onto streaming platforms, in-person movie theaters have been slowly reviving to pre-pandemic levels.

Several highly-anticipated movies are on the holiday schedule this season, including Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans and a follow-up to Rian Johnson’s smash mystery hit Knives Out, titled Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

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“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Happy Meal hits the menu at McDonald’s

ABC News Photo Illustration, McDonald’s

(NEW YORK) — A taste of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is coming to the menu at McDonald’s with a new item inspired by the highly-anticipated Black Panther sequel.

Starting Thursday, a new Happy Meal with superhero toys based on characters from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be available for a limited time nationwide.

There are 10 characters from the movie available in the exclusive new Happy Meals, including fan favorites like Shuri, Okoye and newcomers like Namor and Ironheart. Customers can get their hands on one of the new Happy Meals at participating restaurants nationwide, while supplies last.

Jennifer Healan, vice president of U.S. marketing, brand content and engagement at McDonald’s, said in a statement that the first Black Panther film “set a whole new standard for representation on the big screen. And now, we’re excited to bring that experience to our restaurants and help fans see and celebrate their inner hero with this new Happy Meal — because seeing is believing.”

“The Happy Meal has brought millions of smiles to our customers for decades, and we’re excited to collaborate with Disney and give our fans one more way to experience the kingdom of Wakanda,” the company said in a press release.

Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News and Good Morning America.

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Civil rights leaders demand meeting with Elon Musk

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(NEW YORK) — The top executives of three civil rights groups are demanding a meeting with new Twitter owner Elon Musk following what they say has been a rise in racial and religious hatred on the social media platform.

The groups are asking for Musk to have “strong content moderation standards that foster a safe and healthy online environment.”

In a joint letter sent to Musk on Wednesday, the heads of the NAACP, Urban League and National Action Network say they are “alarmed by the rise in white supremacist propaganda and racial and religious hatred on the Twitter platform over the weekend.”

The civil rights groups say the purpose of their request is to “address our concerns and better understand your content moderation plan to protect our communities against abuse on Twitter by those who seek not simply to express controversial views, but who seek to harm us and undermine our democracy.”

They went on, “And as we have seen over the last several years, online behavior has offline impact, including leading to violence and harassment online and otherwise.”

Separately, NAACP President Derrick Johnson met with Musk on Tuesday “to express our grave concerns with the dangerous, life-threatening hate and conspiracies that have proliferated on Twitter under his watch,” according to an NAACP statement.

Johnson said, “Nazi memes, racial slurs, and extreme far-right propaganda do not belong in the ‘town square’ of any democracy or online platform. Taking the necessary actions is not rocket science, but failing to do so will put human lives at risk and further unravel our democracy.”

Noting the upcoming midterm elections, Johnson said he believes “it is critical that Twitter’s existing election integrity policies remain in effect until at the very least after the midterm elections have been certified.”

A new study from Montclair State University showed a dramatic increase in hate speech on Twitter immediately following Elon Musk’s acquisition of the social media platform.

Musk acquired the platform on Oct. 27 and promised to reduce Twitter’s content restrictions to promote free speech. He also said a “content moderation council” will be formed to review company policies.

“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,” Musk said in a statement when the deal was announced.

A spokesperson for Twitter did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

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