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☆ I switched my vegan restaurants to serving meat after realizing plant-based diets aren't the answer — here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She told BI the market is saturated with vegan options, making purely vegan restaurants obsolete. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mollie Englehart, executive chef at Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery in California. Last month, Englehart announced that her restaurants, which were called Sage Vegan Bistro, would now offer meat, dairy, and eggs to customers. It's almost like everybody adding a vegan option makes the vegan restaurant obsolete because there's no need for it. It's not just an epidemic of vegan restaurants closing; I think for restaurants post-pandemic, it was generally really hard to recover.

Persons: Mollie Englehart, —, Englehart, we're, BJ's, It's, I've Organizations: Service, Regenerative Locations: California, Pasadena, Beverly, Burger

☆ A hacker got 6 years in prison for stealing therapy notes and blackmailing patients
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Hacker Aleksanteri 'Julius' Kivimäki was sentenced to over six years in prison. He was found guilty of hacking a therapy company to steal notes and blackmail thousands of patients. AdvertisementA Finnish hacker has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison after he was found guilty of stealing confidential therapy notes to blackmail thousands of patients. According to BBC News, Kivimäki demanded a ransom of more than 400,000 euros, or $426,818, from the therapy company in 2020. A trove of confidential information then surfaced on the dark web, including patients' personal details, Social Security numbers, and sensitive therapist and doctor notes from sessions.

Persons: Hacker Aleksanteri, Julius, Kivimäki, —, Aleksanteri Organizations: Service, Western Uusimaa, BBC News, Associated Press, AP, BBC, National Bureau of Investigation, Health Technology, Informatics, US Department of Health, Human Services Locations: Nordic, France, Finland, bitcoin, Brunswick

☆ A Japan Airlines flight was canceled after the pilot got drunk at a Dallas hotel bar and police were called
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Japan Airlines flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled after the captain got drunk in a hotel. AdvertisementA Japan Airlines flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled after a captain got drunk at a hotel bar and received a warning from police, the airline said, according to Japanese media. The Mainichi, which cited a statement from Japan Airlines, reported that the captain dined in Dallas last week with other crew members. Japan Airlines did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. In 2023, a United Airlines pilot who showed up to work under the influence was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence by a French court.

Persons: —, Le Parisien Organizations: Japan Airlines, Service, Mainichi, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Federal Aviation, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Dallas, Tokyo, Europe

☆ Disgraced former Congressman George Santos says he's bringing his drag queen alter ego 'out of the closet' on Cameo
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

George Santos will be making Cameo videos as his drag persona, Kitara Ravache, he said. After being expelled from Congress, Santos has used Cameo to earn money. AdvertisementDisgraced former Congressman George Santos announced on Monday that he is bringing his drag persona Kitara Ravache "out of the closet" for a limited time. AdvertisementRochard said that she had known Santos as a drag queen and that he'd competed in drag in a beauty pageant as Kitara Ravache in 2008. AdvertisementFollowing his expulsion from Congress, Santos turned to Cameo as a source of income.

Persons: George Santos, Kitara Ravache, Santos, —, Y'all, I've, Roch, "Ru Organizations: Congress, Service, New, Acc, e, eni Locations: y

☆ A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat, Galena, in an Amazon return package. AdvertisementA Utah couple accidentally shipped their pet cat in an Amazon return package, trapping it in the box without food or water for six days. Advertisement"The anxiety and stress of not knowing what happened to her was excruciating," Clark told the local news outlet. "I didn't believe her at first and thought it was a prank," Clark told KSL-TV. AdvertisementAccording to the news outlet, the vet told Clark the cat was found inside an Amazon return package, alongside five pairs of steel-toed work boots.

Persons: —, Carrie Clark, Clark, Galena, Clark didn't Organizations: Service, KSL, Amazon, American Veterinary Medical Association Locations: Utah, Galena, California

☆ A high-powered NYC lawyer is suing his ex for custody of their poodle and $208K, saying the pet is 'more than a dog' to him
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A New York City lawyer is suing his ex-boyfriend, also a lawyer, for custody of a miniature poodle. The couple purchased the dog — Raven — together in 2020, but broke up last month. Taylor Leighton, who called the dog his 'child,' is also seeking more than $200,000 in damages. AdvertisementA New York lawyer is suing his former boyfriend, also a lawyer, for custody of their miniature poodle and more than $200,000 in damages, according to an affidavit published by the Daily Beast. AdvertisementIn the affidavit, Leighton argued that although Nathan Greess contributed $2,000 toward the purchase, it was only because he owed money for household expenses.

Persons: —, Taylor Leighton, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer, Feld, Countess Raven, Raven, Luann, Leighton, Nathan Greess Organizations: Service, Daily, Feld LLP, Housewives, New, Scripps News Locations: York City, York, Minnesota, New York City, Raven

☆ A vegan restaurant is switching to serving meat, saying plant-based eating isn't enough to save the planet
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The restaurant will instead support regenerative farming practices — a move condemned by PETA. AdvertisementThe chef of a Los Angeles vegan restaurant announced that her restaurant is rebranding and transitioning to serving meat, dairy, and eggs. Renamed the Sage Regenerative Kitchen & Brewery, the restaurant will instead focus on supporting regenerative farming practices, Engelhart said in an Instagram video. AdvertisementEngelhart told the LA Times that she was being "vulnerable" in announcing the move, and that she had braced herself for the "vitriol" to come. She also told the LA Times that financial considerations influenced her decision, with the newspaper reporting that the restaurants had not been profitable since 2020.

Persons: —, Mollie Engelhart, Engelhart, William H, Schlesinger, pushback, Jayde Nicole, Hannah Weseloh, Englehart Organizations: PETA, Service, Brewery, Los Angeles Times, LA Times, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Locations: Los Angeles, Echo Park, Culver City, Pasadena, LA

☆ A hospital in Australia is begging snakebite victims to stop bringing the snakes in with them
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

An Australian hospital is asking snakebite victims to stop bringing the snakes to the ER. The hospital's director said that having a live snake in the ER puts staff and patients at risk. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementA hospital in Australia is asking snakebite victims not to bring the reptiles with them to the emergency room, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. In one instance earlier this month, staff at Bundaberg Hospital in Queensland were handed a plastic container with a small Eastern Brown snake inside, according to the news outlet.

Persons: — Organizations: ER, Service, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Bundaberg Hospital, Business Locations: Australia, Queensland, Eastern

☆ Japan is sending a 'sugar baby' to prison for 9 years for defrauding men out of $1M and selling a manual on how to do it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A 25-year-old Japanese 'sugar baby' has been sentenced to nine years in prison. A court ruled that Mai Watanabe defrauded men she met on dating apps out of more than $1 million. AdvertisementA 25-year-old "sugar baby" was handed a nine-year prison sentence for defrauding men she met on dating apps out of more than $1 million, and selling a manual on how to carry out similar scams. Mai Watanabe, also known as "itadaki joshi Riri-chan," which translates as "sugar baby Riri," was sentenced by the Nagoya District Court on Monday, The Japan Times reported. Being a sugar baby can be financially rewarding.

Persons: Mai Watanabe, Watanabe, —, itadaki joshi, they're Organizations: Service, Japan Times, Nippon, Kyodo, Press, Federal Trade Commission, FTC Locations: Nagoya, Tokyo's Kabukichō, swindling

☆ Grindr shared the HIV status of users with ad firms, lawyers say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA class action claim filed against LGBTQ+ dating and hookup app Grindr alleges that "potentially thousands" of UK app users had their private information, including HIV statuses, shared with third parties. The claim, lodged on Monday by UK-based law firm Austen Hays, accuses Grindr of breaching UK data-protection laws by sharing sensitive information with third parties without users' consent. Austen Hays alleges that the data breaches occurred before April 2018 and between May 2018 and April 2020, "although they may extend to further periods," it said. With more of us finding love and connections online, the risk of extremely personal data being shared and potentially monetized is growing. In an email statement sent to Business Insider, a Grindr spokesperson said: "We are committed to protecting our users' data and complying with all applicable data privacy regulations, including in the UK."

Persons: —, Austen Hays, Grindr, Chaya Hanoomanjee Organizations: Service, Business, Norwegian Data Protection Authority, Data

☆ Israel planned a much bigger attack on Iran but scaled it back after intense pressure from its allies: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Israel planned a larger counterstrike on Iran, but scaled it back after pressure from its allies. The counterattack was in response to Iran launching over 300 missiles and drones at Israel. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementIsrael planned a much bigger counterstrike on Iran but dialed it back after intense pressure from its allies, including the US, according to senior Israeli officials who spoke to The New York Times. Three officials, speaking anonymously owing to the sensitivity of the discussions, told the Times that Israeli leaders had considered striking multiple military targets across Iran, including some near the capital, Tehran.

Persons: Israel, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, — Organizations: New York Times, Service, Times Locations: Iran, Israel, Tehran

☆ Israel's limited attack on Iran was to send a message that it can penetrate Iranian defenses whenever it wants, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Israel carried out a limited military strike on Iranian soil on Friday morning. Analysts said the strike was likely a demonstration of Israel's capacity to reach Iranian nuclear sites. Two unnamed Israeli defense officials also told The New York Times that the Israeli military had mounted the attack. Related storyReports said that explosions were heard close to an Iranian military base near Isfahan, with Iranian state media outlet IRNA reporting that air defense systems had been activated. IAEA can confirm that there is no damage to #Iran’s nuclear sites.

Persons: Israel, —, IRNA, @rafaelmgrossi, Jonathan Conricus, they've, Richard Goldberg, Ahmad Haqtalab Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Post, New York Times, Nuclear Threat Initiative, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Israel Defense Forces, White House National Security Council, Iranian Revolutionary Guards Locations: Iran, Israel, Damascus, Iranian, Isfahan, Ifsahan, Jerusalem

☆ A Florida man returned from Europe with a $143,000 phone bill after failing to set up international roaming
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Florida man received a $143,000 phone bill from T-Mobile after an overseas trip to Switzerland. The charges were due to his phone not being set for international roaming, according to ABC Action News. AdvertisementA Florida man returned from a trip to Switzerland with his wife last September to discover he was facing an unexpectedly massive phone bill, Tampa's ABC Action News reported. AdvertisementRemund had incurred thousands of dollars in daily roaming charges because his phone was not set up for international roaming, the report said. Related storiesRemund said he contacted T-Mobile, which confirmed the bill was indeed what he owed, per ABC Action News.

Persons: —, Rene Remund, Remund Organizations: Mobile, ABC Action, Service, ABC, Forbes, Federal Communications Commission, Ericsson, North Locations: Florida, Switzerland

☆ Iran doesn't want to get into a full-on war, but that won't stop it threatening one
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Israel and the US expect a potential Iranian attack following a strike on Iran's embassy in Syria. The incident has escalated the long-standing proxy war between Israel and Iran. Despite threats of a direct attack on Israel, Iran won't want a war involving the US. A long-standing proxy warThe airstrike on April 1 marked an escalation in the long-standing proxy war between Israel and Iran. Related storyIf ballistic missiles or drones do target Israel, Israel would respond, and the US has made it clear it would support it.

Persons: —, Ali Khamenei, Israel, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Axios, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Jake Epstein, Saeid Jafari, Ali Sadrzadeh, Sadrzadeh, Qassem Soleimani, Khameini, Hassan Rouhani Organizations: Service, Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, Iranian, Street Journal, Reuters, Atlantic Council, Israel, BBC News Locations: Israel, Syria, Iran, Damascus, Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Washington, Tehran, Iraq

☆ A decades-old burger joint closed after being sued over wheelchair access, saying its landlord wouldn't pay for a ramp
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A family-run business shut down after 38 years following a disability access lawsuit. The owners say they proposed adding a wheelchair ramp, but that the landlord said it was too expensive. AdvertisementA family-run burger joint in Richmond, California, closed on Thursday after 38 years of business, citing a lawsuit over a lack of wheelchair access as a contributing factor. In their closure announcement, the owners mentioned a recent lawsuit as having "taken a toll" on the burger joint. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Northern District of, Business Locations: Richmond , California, Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ A Vietnamese real-estate exec embezzled so much money it equalled 3% of the country's GDP. Her punishment is death.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Real estate tycoon Truong My Lan was sentenced to death by a court in Vietnam. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementA Vietnamese real estate tycoon was sentenced to death on Thursday by a Ho Chi Minh City court over her role in a multibillion-dollar financial fraud case. Truong My Lan, the chairwoman of real estate developer Van Thinh Phat Group, was arrested in 2022. The fraud trial, which began on March 5, was Vietnam's largest ever, and among Southeast Asia's most significant corruption scandals.

Persons: Truong, Lan, Prosecutors, —, Van Thinh Organizations: Service Locations: Vietnam, Chi Minh City

☆ New iPhone update suggests Palestinian flag emoji when you type in 'Jerusalem,' enraging Israel supporters
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A new iPhone update suggests a Palestinian flag emoji when users type 'Jerusalem.' Apple says the change was unintentional and promised to rectify it in a future update. AdvertisementA new software update means that iPhone users in Britain who type in "Jerusalem" are now presented with a Palestinian flag emoji. The change resulted from an Apple feature called predictive emoji, which suggests emojis based on typed words. According to Apple, the change was unintentional, and simply resulted from the update.

Persons: Apple, — Organizations: Service, Palestinian, Apple, BBC Locations: Israel, Britain, Jerusalem

☆ Strippers are suing an Alabama club for $100K, saying it forced them to share tips with other workers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Exotic dancers are suing an Alabama strip club, saying it made them share tips and pay 'house fees.' The dancers also argue that they were denied minimum wages, and subject to illegal kickbacks. AdvertisementExotic dancers are suing an Alabama strip club for at least $100,000 in compensatory damages, alleging that it forced them into giving up hard-earned tips to pay other workers. Last year, a federal judge ruled that former exotic dancers at another Birmingham strip club, The Furnace, had been employees, not independent contractors. The dancers at The Furnace had also argued that they were denied minimum wages and were forced to share tips and pay house fees.

Persons: —, Sammy's Organizations: Labor, Service, Northern District of, Sammy's Gentlemen's, Act, Fair Labor, US Department of Labor, Business Locations: Alabama, Northern District, Northern District of Alabama, Birmingham, East Coast

☆ A German art museum fired an employee for secretly hanging up one of his own paintings
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A technician at a German museum was fired for smuggling his own painting into one of its galleries. AdvertisementAn art museum worker in Germany was fired after he smuggled in one of his own paintings and hung it up on the wall, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported. According to the newspaper, the employee, a 51-year-old man, worked as a technician at the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich but also moonlighted as a freelance artist. The Pinakothek der Moderne contains works by the likes of Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse, which can sell for tens of millions of dollars. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: —, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse Organizations: Service, Zeitung, Business Locations: Germany, Munich

☆ Cambodia says YouTubers are tormenting monkeys for clicks, and it plans to punish them
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

YouTubers are abusing monkeys at the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, authorities said. The group overseeing the archeological site is prepared to take legal action, a spokesperson added. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAuthorities in Cambodia say YouTubers are tormenting monkeys at the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, and that they're prepared to take action against the worst offenders.

Persons: —, they're Organizations: Angkor UNESCO, Heritage, Associated Press, Service, Authorities, YouTube, Business Locations: Cambodia

☆ Harry Styles' childhood village is looking for superfans to give tours, covering his first kiss and the time he took Taylor Swift to dinner
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Harry Styles' childhood village, Holmes Chapel, is recruiting superfans as tour guides. Notable locations include a Chinese restaurant where Styles took Taylor Swift for dinner. AdvertisementThe English village where Harry Styles grew up is calling for superfans to work there as tour guides. Holmes Chapel, a village of some 6,000 people in Cheshire, has grown in popularity in recent years with fans of the pop star. According to a newsletter by the Holmes Chapel Partnership, a local nonprofit organization, about 5,000 visitors have followed the "Harry Styles Walking Map" since it was introduced last year.

Persons: Harry Styles, Holmes, superfans, Styles, Taylor Swift, — Organizations: Service, Holmes Chapel Partnership, Business Locations: Cheshire

☆ A Kentucky man admitted to faking his own death to avoid paying more than $100K in child support
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Jesse E. Kipf pleaded guilty to faking his own death to avoid paying over $100,000 in child support. He accessed Hawaii's death registry system and posed as a doctor to certify his own death. AdvertisementA Kentucky man admitted to faking his death partly to avoid paying his ex-wife more than $100,000 in outstanding child support, according to a plea deal filed in federal court late last month. Jesse E. Kipf pleaded guilty on March 29 to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of computer fraud. According to the plea agreement, Kipf admitted to accessing the Hawaii death registry system in January last year, using the name and password of a doctor living in another state without their consent.

Persons: Jesse E, Kipf, — Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Hawaii

☆ McDonald's is reclaiming all its Israeli restaurants, exposing the cracks in its global franchise model
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

McDonald's plans to buy back all 225 of its restaurants in Israel from its long-standing franchisee. Israeli stores stridently back the Israeli military, which sparked boycotts in other markets. It highlights a flaw in the global franchise model, where local strategies can become a liability. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementMcDonald's announced on Thursday that it would buy back all 225 franchise restaurants in Israel, taking direct control.

Persons: —, McDonald's Organizations: Service, Alonyal, Business Locations: Israel, Gaza

☆ Israel may have just hit a turning point in its war on Gaza — but not for the reason you think
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Mass protests are taking place in Israel, and even its closest global allies are turning critical. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Instead, it's demonstrations by Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jews, fearful of mandatory conscription that they have long avoided, who may pose the biggest risk to Netanyahu's already fragile grip on power. AdvertisementTo prevent his downfall, and continue Israel's course in Gaza, Netanyahu has only one job: keeping his far-right coalition government intact. A Netanyahu ouster would undoubtedly have huge consequences for Israel's operations in Gaza and could prove more decisive than any outside intervention.

Persons: —, Benjamin Netanyahu, it's, Netanyahu, He's, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, they've, Yoav Gallant, Benny Gantz, Gantz Organizations: Service, Israel's, Israel Democracy Institute, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Yeshiva, Justice, Netanyahu's Likud Locations: Israel, Gaza, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Netanyahu's

☆ Companies in Japan are offering workers with bad allergies subsidized trips to low-pollen destinations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementSome employers in Japan are offering "tropical escape" programs, where workers with bad seasonal allergies get subsidized trips to regions with lower pollen counts, according to The Washington Post. Such programs are seen as a way to enhance worker productivity in Japan, where hay fever is much more prevalent than in the US. It started in 2022 because its CEO has bad hay fever. In Japan, hay fever is not only a public health concern but also a challenge to the economy. In February, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described hay fever as a "national disease" that negatively impacts productivity.

Persons: —, Naoki Shigihara, Aisaac, Fumio Kishida, Mitsuhiro, Okano Organizations: Washington Post, Service, The Washington Post, Post, Business, The Japan, country's Ministry of Environment, Centers for Disease Control, Japan Times, Japan's, Chiba Prefecture's International University of Health, Welfare Narita Hospital, Nikkei Locations: Hay, Japan, Okinawa, Hawaii, Guam, Tokyo, Chiba, Nikkei Asia

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