Disney CEO Bob Iger has announced the company's plan to merge its streaming service, Disney+, with Hulu into one app. The shift to attach Hulu's general entertainment to the franchise properties of Disney+ is a reaction to the company's disappointing results in Q1 2023, which saw a 2% drop of subscribers to Disney+. The announcement comes after Iger had mentioned on previous occasion that everything, including Hulu, was up for discussion. The primary challenge now for Iger will be the ability to increase the company's subscriber base, which has been difficult to maintain for Disney+. As reported by Reuters, one rare success for Disney came from its theme parks division, particularly overseas. However, its broadcast and cable networks saw a decline in operating income and ESPN's separate reporting segment will need to show positive results to aid the company's bottom line. Comcast, which owns one-third of Hulu, will be the deciding factor in the final product, so it remains to be seen how the new app will be offered to viewers.

After going viral for displaying his undying passion during a recent Warriors game against the Kings, lifelong Warriors fan Christian Gamboa was gifted a pair of game-worn shoes by none other than Steph Curry himself. Gamboa, who waved his 2017 NBA Finals "strength in numbers" towel in the game, went on to attend the Warriors' Game 2 win over the Lakers at Chase Center, only to be gifted Curry's shoes after the game. Curry personally sought Gamboa out to deliver his gift, walking the floors in his socks after the game in search of the viral fan before having his security team track him down. Gamboa later expressed gratitude for the gift, calling it "a once-in-a-lifetime experience" and thanking his family for their support. With Gamboa's passion and energy becoming a key rallying point for Warriors fans this season, Curry's gift to the superfan further highlights the tight-knit relationship between the team and its supporters.

Austin Reaves, a former Oklahoma college basketball player who signed an undrafted, two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021, received a compliment from Hall of Famer Gary Payton after a game following a poor performance. Despite initially being upset about the loss, Reaves reflected on the exchange and realized the significance of the validation from such an established basketball player and defender. Since averaging double digits in his final two seasons at Oklahoma, Reaves has found himself playing important and often heavy minutes for the Lakers due to his ability to perform in the clutch. During Game 4 of the best-of-seven series against the Golden State Warriors, Reaves broke out of a shooting slump to finish with 21 points. At only 24 years old, Reaves seems to be trending towards becoming a valuable role player for the Lakers in the future, with validation from Payton and other Hall-of-Famers to back up his progress.

The Golden State Warriors lost their second straight game in their second-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers as they struggled to perform in clutch situations. In contrast, the Lakers with seasoned moves clutch onto games and not only held off Stephen Curry, they also gained a 3-1 series lead with two-in-a-row wins. One star player making defensive stops and an emerging player contributing offensively, both added icing to the Lakers' success. In a do-or-die situation, the Warriors are expected to bounce back. The Lakers will brace themselves for a showdown in San Francisco for Game 5 on Wednesday. Yet, the Lakers hold an advantage created by workouts with their players impersonating the Warriors in practice sessions. Ahead of the playoffs, the Lakers prepared with Dru Anthrop, the video coordinator to practice against the Warriors. Anthrop's familiarity with Warriors games made it easier to replicate the stars' moves in practice. The Lakers, with four championship runs in six NBA Finals appearances, intend to win the 2023 title.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the defending champs, Golden State Warriors, with a victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semi-finals. The Lakers are now leading the series 3-1 and are likely to progress to the next stage of the playoffs. Hollywood's famous celebrity and Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" star, Chris Pratt, attended the game and was greeted by LeBron James with a warm embrace. The Lakers crowd was ecstatic as the team excelled, taking a lead of one game over the Warriors.

Stephen Curry played well but lacked support from his teammate Klay Thompson, who struggled throughout the game. Several other notable celebrities were also present to witness the thrilling game, including Kim Kardashian, Jake Nicholson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Flea. As the Lakers hold a firm grip over the Warriors, the Dubs may lose their championship reign, much to Dub Nation's disappointment. With LeBron James leading from the front, the Lakers seem to be on their way to another NBA Championship.

As the Golden State Warriors face elimination in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, the question looms whether this could be the final game with the team's Big Three of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green playing together. However, head coach Steve Kerr seemed to dismiss such a suggestion, emphasizing that he has never entertained that thought and that the trio has "lots to give for years to come." If the Big Three's era does end, it would be considered too soon by some fans, just a year after the team's championship win. With Draymond Green the youngest of the trio at 33, and both Curry and Thompson turning 35 soon, the Warriors' aging core could face more questions about their future if they lose to the Lakers. While Curry and Thompson have contracts beyond this season, Green has a player option that could make him a free agent this off-season, giving rise to speculations about his potential departure from the team. Nevertheless, the Big Three has been considered as one of the most successful trios in NBA history, having won four championships as part of six trips to the NBA Finals in the past nine seasons.

The defending champions, Golden State Warriors, are one loss away from losing their 19-0 streak of playoff series wins in the Western Conference since 2014. This season, their fate hangs in the balance as the Lakers' 3-1 lead gives them a strong chance of progressing to the West Finals and ending the Warriors' dynasty. To make a comeback, Golden State needs to win the next three games against LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who have been dominating the series with their superior defense. The Warriors' slump in shooting and turnovers have hampered their chances. However, the Warriors have faced a similar scenario before in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, where they came back from 3-1 down against OKC and won the series. Head Coach Steve Kerr expressed confidence in his team's ability to bounce back: "You go home, take care of business, get a win, and the momentum is right back in your favor." Nevertheless, the Warriors will need all hands on deck to attempt a comeback as they head into Game 5 on Wednesday night with their season and dynasty on the line.

Los Angeles Lakers power forward, Mo Bamba, has been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 1 contest against the Golden State Warriors due to left ankle soreness. According to sources, Bamba received an injection to treat the soreness and was using a crutch to walk at the team's shootaround. This injury report has listed Bamba as questionable before the game, and he may return for the next game. Though the Lakers' backup centers are Wenyen Gabriel and Tristan Thompson, Bamba, who played just 88 minutes total in the regular season for Los Angeles, figured unlikely to get many minutes in the matchup anyway because of his defensive limitations. However, his absence meant that the Lakers would be more likely to turn to Rui Hachimura/LeBron James frontcourt that wasn't effective versus Memphis. This grouping is unlikely to do better against ace rebounder Kevon Looney. Although Bamba's absence may not have a huge impact on the rotation, it is still a significant loss for the Lakers and may affect their performance against the Warriors.

Andrew Wiggins has played a crucial role in the Warriors' playoff push, and he believes they're ready to defend their championship crown. Wiggins' return from a 23-game absence due to a family matter has given the Warriors a much-needed boost in scoring and rebounding. He's averaging 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in the series against the Kings. Wiggins' performance has been a welcome sight for the defending champions, who struggled with consistency throughout the regular season. His solid all-around stat line in Game 6 (13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals) proves that he's back to his pre-absence form.

According to Wiggins, "We've got the pieces. We know we got the coaching for it. We've got the fans. I feel like we're in good shape. I feel like this series has prepared us, because this was tough. It was a dogfight, every game. It was hard." With his impressive performance so far in the playoffs, Wiggins may just be the key to the Warriors' championship aspirations.

For the fifth time in six years, LeBron James and Steph Curry will find themselves facing off in the NBA playoffs. However, this time, the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers will be facing each other in the Western Conference semifinals, while in the previous four playoff meetings, Curry's Warriors and James' Cleveland Cavaliers faced each other in the NBA finals. The Lakers, the seventh seed in the Western Conference, won its play-in game to book its spot in the playoffs, while the sixth-seeded Warriors clinched their spot in the playoffs as a result of their being the fourth team in the Western Conference after 72 games. The series started on Tuesday night with the Warriors having the home-court advantage. James admits that the matchup excites him yet poses an immense challenge. In a press conference ahead of Game 1, he said, "We're playing against the MVP of our league in Steph. Like I said before the game, he's capable of getting hot at any moment, so...we've got to be on our toes."

The recent inflation numbers in the Philippines suggest that the country may be able to manage inflation to within the target range of 2% to 4% by next year. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to pause rate hikes for now in light of the hopeful news. However, House Deputy Minority Leader Rep. France Castro warns that low wage and rising food prices are still a problem for many Filipinos, and more needs to be done to alleviate their struggles. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, inflation remained elevated in April, declining slightly to 9.24%. In Greece, the EU-harmonised consumer price index reached 4.5% in April, the fourth-lowest inflation rate amongst eurozone countries. However, Greek food prices remain at high levels, and increases in service prices may further contribute to inflation. Though there are some hopeful signs of easing inflation in some countries, it is clear that more needs to be done to address the needs of low-income populations still struggling to get by.

Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) reported that retail prices in Istanbul rose 4.57% month-on-month in April, leading to an annual increase of 62.46%. The city-based increase in wholesale prices was also reported as being up 3.14% month-on-month in the same period with an annual rise of 70.58%. This is a pertinent issue for the entire country, which is expected to cause a correction in consumer inflation. However, interestingly, annual inflation in Turkey dropped to 43.4% in April, marking a further decline in CPI over six months, giving hope for a change in trend in the lead up to Turkey’s critical elections. The Turkish Statistical Institute also stated that the producer price index (PPI) eased in April to an 18-month low of 52.11%. With it being critical to the country's political and economic outlook, more accurate reading of Turkey’s inflation is important to understand what is pushing price growth and Turkey's economy. As forecasted inflation targets continue to be missed, it is expected that the Central Bank of Turkey will need to revise the inflation forecast in their upcoming inflation report on May 4.