Disney wanted Fox, WeWork is going to kindergarten, and more trending news

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Disney was in discussions to buy most of 21st Century Fox. While those talks have “cooled substantially” due to disagreements over price and other terms, The Wall Street Journal says that those talks “could be restarted.” Nabbing parts of Fox would bring a giant library of movies, channels, and characters — from “The Simpsons” to X-Men to National Geographic — into Disney’s already formidable arsenal, as well as strengthen the Mouse House’s international presence. It would also allow Fox to focus on its news and sports offerings. The discussions come as competition heats up in the entertainment space, particularly with tech heavyweights like Apple, Netflix, and Amazon upping their content efforts. ? Share your thoughts: #Disney21FoxAcquisition

WeWork is going back to grade school. WeWork, the coworking startup valued at $20 billion, has started a private elementary school called WeGrow to teach young children about entrepreneurship. The seven-student pilot (which includes one of the children of WeWork’s cofounders) is taking place in New York City. “There’s no reason why children in elementary schools can’t be launching their own businesses,” said WeWork co-founder Rebekah Neumann. WeWork is increasingly moving beyond offices through initiatives like wellness and co-living spaces. ? Share your thoughts: #WeWorkWeGrow

Apple’s Paradise Papers revelations: The Paradise Papers, a massive leak of 13.4 million documents, exposed financial information for numerous high-level figures and corporations — including Apple, which has allegedly been sheltering billions of dollars in the Channel Islands. After a crackdown on Apple’s tax practices in Ireland in 2013, the company canvassed multiple new locations for its offshore profits and ultimately settled on the small island of Jersey — which doesn’t usually tax foreign income, according to The New York Times. Apple said its post-crackdown structure change didn’t reduce the company’s tax load; the California firm also said it’s still the world’s largest taxpayer, shelling out about $35 billion in corporate taxes over the past three years. ? Share your thoughts: #AppleParadisePapers

Obamacare enrollment has surged, according to multiple reports, although official figures haven’t yet been released. Over 200,000 Americans selected a plan on November 1 when open enrollment started, says The Chicago Tribune — more than double last year’s opening day count — and over 1 million visited HealthCare.gov, a 33% increase. Officials for state exchanges also said figures were higher than expected, according to The Washington Post. With uncertainty over the health law’s future and decreased promotion (outreach budget was cut by 90%), many predicted a signup drop: Standard & Poor’s forecast up to 1.6 million fewer than last year. Open enrollment ends December 15. ? Share your thoughts: #ObamacareEnrollment

Despite waves of store closures over the past year, retailers are looking to fill a record number of job openings ahead of the holidays. According to the Labor Department, there were 650,000 open retail jobs in August (just below the record high in 2000); and thanks to October’s 4.1% unemployment rate, the number of workers available to fill these positions remains low. Now retailers are considering candidates they turned away in the past, and hoping to lure new workers through training programs and higher wages. ? Share your thoughts: #UnemployedRetailJobs

Idea of the Day: “Workaholism is not something to boast about,” notes James Caan — but all too many managers make “a virtue out of being indispensable and too busy.” This is short-term thinking: In the long run, companies that encourage work-life balance have happier employees, better staff retention, and are more attractive to candidates.

“Where these people see virtue in their non-stop efforts, I see misplaced management and insufficient delegation. There’s a difference between a responsive ‘always on’ business, and a requirement for the individuals employed there to also be always working.”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories: #Disney21FoxAcquisition | #WeWorkWeGrow | #AppleParadisePapers | #ObamacareEnrollment | #UnemployedRetailJobs

From earlier: #SprintAltice

— Katie Carroll / Share this using #DailyRundown