DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Elon Musk is a homeowner again, despite his claims of couch surfing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Grace Kay | Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

As recently as April 2022, the billionaire Tesla founder claimed in an interview that he was couch surfing and didn't "even own a place right now." In redacted court filings from December, Musk said he purchased the home in February 2022 and that he still lives there. In 2023, the Austin property was appraised at nearly $7 million, county tax records show. Less than a year later, in April 2022, Musk said again that he didn't own a home and rotated between friends' spare rooms. Eight weeks later, the LLC that purchased the Austin house was formed.

Persons: —, Elon, Tesla, Grimes, Musk, Stefan Cassella, I'd, he'd, they'd, I'm, Austin, Ken Howery, Walter Isaacson, Tesla's Austin Gigafactory Organizations: Service, Business, Texas, State, Department of Justice, SpaceX, Street Journal, PayPal, Austin, Montessori Locations: Austin, Texas, California, San Francisco, Colorado, Bastrop , Texas, Tesla's

☆ Diego Maradona’s Golden Ball trophy went missing in unknown circumstances for decades. Now it’s expected to sell for millions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Diego Maradona’s Golden Ball trophy from the 1986 World Cup, which had gone missing in contested circumstances for decades, has reappeared and is anticipated to sell for millions of dollars at auction next month. Argentina went on to defeat West Germany 3-2 in the final and win the second of the country’s three World Cup titles. Maradona controls the ball during the 1986 World Cup final against West Germany. Colorsport/ShutterstockThe history of the Golden Ball trophy awarded to Maradona in Paris after the tournament is shrouded in mystery. Maradona was unquestionably a household name before the 1986 World Cup, but after leading Argentina to the title, he became a global superstar.

Persons: CNN — Diego Maradona’s, ” François Thierry, “, ” Maradona, God, ”, Maradona, Thierry, there’s, didn’t, Aguttes, Asif Kapadia’s Organizations: CNN, England, CNN Sport, West, Maradona, Italian, Napoli, Argentine Locations: Paris, Argentina, Argentine, West Germany, Buenos Aires

☆ Atlantis The Royal, Dubai: Inside the Middle East’s ‘best’ hotel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Rebecca Cairns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Atlantis, The Royal Atlantis, The Royal: The double-height bar is perfect for sunset cocktails — although you won't be making your own drinks, as there's a 24-hour bartender ready to make your favorites. Atlantis, The Royal Atlantis, The Royal: The triple-height library provides a secluded space to work, read or relax. Atlantis, The Royal Atlantis, The Royal: The entertainment room is kitted out with a 98-inch LED screen for a home cinema experience. Atlantis, The Royal Atlantis, The Royal: Every room has stunning views — including the marble-clad bathrooms. Atlantis, The Royal Atlantis, The Royal: Guests can enjoy designer amenities made by French fashion house Hermès, as well as bespoke gold toothbrushes, combs and brushes.

Persons: Swedish House Mafia —, there’s, ”, Tom Roelens, There’s, Cabana, Rebecca Cairns, Kendall Jenner, “ We’ve, we’ve, Graff, bathrobes, Jay Z, Louis, Valentino —, “, it’s, Estiatorio Milos, Costas Spiliadis, — Organizations: CNN, Swedish House Mafia, Royal, Atlantis Resorts, Dolce, Gabbana, cabanas, Atlantis, “ Royal, Nobu, —, Chefs, Sky Locations: Dubai, Beyoncé, isn’t, Arabian, Atlantis Royal Dubai

☆ Andreessen Horowitz investor says half of Google's white-collar staff probably do 'no real work'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A general partner at Andreessen Horowitz is the latest to join the debate around "fake work" in Big Tech. David Ulevitch said "half the white-collar staff at Google probably does no real work." AdvertisementAn investor at famed Silicon Valley firm Andreessen Horowitz is the latest VC to get involved in the debate around "fake work" in the tech industry. Advertisement"I don't think it's crazy to believe that half the white-collar staff at Google probably does no real work," he said. Other VCs have also entered the debate around "fake work" and overstaffing within Big Tech in recent years.

Persons: Andreessen Horowitz, David Ulevitch, —, Emily Sundberg, Ulevitch, Marc Andreessen, Keith Rabois, Thomas Siebel, they've, overhiring Organizations: Google, Meta, Service, Cisco, Big Tech, Tech, PayPal Mafia, Facebook Locations: Big Tech, Silicon, America

☆ Palantir CEO says its unconventional boot camps are drawing crowds and driving sales: 'It's like a rock concert'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It's been putting on boot camps to attract customers, per Bloomberg. CEO Alex Karp has likened them to "a rock concert;" they've included perks like racetrack drives. The data mining company, cofounded by PayPal Mafia member Peter Thiel, has been holding software boot camps to recruit new customers, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. The company put on over 500 boot camps last year and expects to average five camps a day globally this year, according to Bloomberg. It's like, yeah, yeah, if you know somebody, we can get you backstage."

Persons: Palantir, It's, Alex Karp, —, Peter Thiel, Morningstar, Malik Ahmed Khan, Rishi Jaluria Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, PayPal Mafia, AIP, RBC Capital Markets Locations: Pontiac , Michigan

☆ Stone Age skeletons show women were likely sacrificed in Mafia-style killings, say archaeologists
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Ancient remains found in France reveal two women were likely tortured and killed Mafia-style. The women experienced "self-strangulation" using a ligature that bound their ankles to their necks. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAn archaeological discovery in France has revealed the Stone Age remains of two women thought to have been tortured and sacrificed in a form of murder associated with the Italian Mafia. The paper's authors believe the women could have died by "self-strangulation" using a ligature that bound their ankles to their necks.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Italian Mafia, Mafia, Business Locations: France, Europe

☆ Fossil found on a beach by tween reveals massive marine reptile
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. CNN —As Earth Day approaches and the Wonder Theory newsletter celebrates three years of arriving in your inboxes, I look to the future with hope. “And it’s up to you to choose what sort of impact you make.”Ocean secretsDr. Dean Lomax, (from left) Ruby Reynolds, Justin Reynolds and Paul de la Salle are shown with the fossil discovery in 2020. Dean LomaxIn May 2020, Ruby Reynolds, then 11, and her father, Justin, were searching for fossils on a Somerset beach along the English coast when she spotted something unusual. And when it came to sheer size, the marine reptile likely rivaled the blue whale, currently the largest living animal.

Persons: Jane Goodall, Goodall nurtures, Goodall, ” Goodall, Dean Lomax, Ruby Reynolds, Justin Reynolds, Paul de, Justin, ”, Gaia BH3, Nigel Raine, Dr, Matt Kasson, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Paul de la Salle, Indian Institute of Technology, ESA, West Virginia University, Explorations, NASA, International, CNN Space, Science Locations: Somerset, India, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Guatemala, France, Australia, Naples , Florida, what’s, Canada

☆ Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Alain BeechingThe researchers also reviewed skeletons found at other archaeological sites across Europe and identified 20 other probable instances of similar sacrificial killings. The practice may have been relatively widespread in Neolithic, or late Stone Age, Europe, according to the study, published in the journal Science Advances last week. The study said the actual number was probably higher but there was insufficient information about skeletons at other archaeological sites to draw firm conclusions. The three skeletons were buried in a grave built in the style of a silo, where grain is typically stored, inside a wooden structure and surrounded by a trench. At the other sites across Europe, men and children as well as women were also found sacrificed in this way, the study said.

Persons: CNN —, Alain Beeching, ” Éric, Crubézy, ” Crubezy, Châteaux, “, Nicolas Senegas, Ameline Alcouffe Organizations: CNN, Italian Mafia, Paul Sabatier University, Saint Locations: France, Saint, Europe, Toulouse, South America

☆ Ukraine isn't the only country Russia is trying to topple
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Even as Russian bombs pound Ukraine, Moscow's mercenaries and spies are busy trying to set much of the rest of the world afire. To Russia, the conventional warfare waged in Ukraine, and unconventional "gray zone" warfare waged around the world, are two sides of the same coin. Human intelligence operations are used to attempt elite capture through the offer of assistance to politicians who support Russian interests. "As the war in Ukraine protracts, Russia has an interest in creating crises further afield," said RUSI. "As a lot of Russia's unconventional operations are self-defeating, countering Russian unconventional warfare must be premised on careful, selective, and intelligence- driven targeting," the study emphasized.

Persons: —, RUSI, Vladimir Putin, Jack Watling, Oleksandr Danylyuk, Nick Reynolds, Britain —, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin, Ramzan Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Michael Peck Organizations: Service, Britain's Royal United Services Institute, Business, Kremlin, Soviet Union, NATO, Directorate, Staff of, Armed Forces, Getty, Russian, Central African, Wagner, GRU Expeditionary Corps, Convoy, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Europe, Africa, Central Asia, Soviet, Montenegro, Moscow, Moldova, Russian, Britain, Ukraine protracts, Balkans, Russia's, Libya, Mali, Sudan, Central African Republic, Chechnya, Forbes

☆ I once dissed Journey in a concert review. Man, was I wrong
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Brandon Griggs | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

This last scene in the June 2007 finale of "The Sopranos" featured almost the entirety of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." For such a massive hit, “Don’t Stop Believin’” is sort of a curious tune. A scene from the pilot episode of "Glee," where the singers did an a capella version of "Don't Stop Believin'." ‘Don’t stop believing, Jon.’”Over the past 15 years “Don’t Stop Believin’” has become a karaoke staple and a sing-along favorite. What I wrote in that review wasn’t fairIs “Don’t Stop Believin’” a good song?

Persons: CNN —, ”, Journey “, ” Oof, … Def Leppard, hadn’t, Steve Perry, David Chase, Journey’s, Tony Soprano, Carmela, Anthony Jr, Tony glanced, James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Robert Iler, “, Fox’s, Glee ”, Chris Colfer, Lea Michele, Amber Riley, Cory Monteith, Jenna Ushkowitz, Carin Baer, Jonathan Cain, ” Cain, ‘, Jon, ’, I’ve, It’s, it’s, Def Leppard, what’s, Neal Schon, Jeff Scott Soto, Tim Mosenfelder, Journey, Arnel Pineda, Forbes Organizations: CNN, HBO, Everett, Chicago White Sox, Century Fox, CBS News, Salt Lake Tribune, Def, Roll Hall of Fame, YouTube Locations: Salt Lake City, British, Europe, San Francisco, Meadow, Detroit, ”, Canada, Jersey, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, I’m, Salt, Mountain View California, Philippines

☆ Squatters took over a Beverly Hills mansion worth millions for 5 months
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Squatters who took over a Beverly Hills mansion for five months seemed to take the saying literally. The squatters made money off of the home by hosting parties with entrance fees from $500 to $1,500, Curbed reported. According to Curbed, Yamout purchased the home in 2021 from Notre Dame Properties, which is allegedly "controlled" by Uwaydah. AdvertisementYamout took legal action against the squatters, filing an unlawful detainer lawsuit to evict them, Curbed reported. Gargiulo told Curbed that he has no regrets about living in the mansion or the headaches he brought the residents of Beverly Grove Place.

Persons: —, Morgan Gargiulo —, Gargiulo, John A, Woodward IV, LeBron James, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Woodward, didn't, he'd, Adel Yamout, Yamout, Damon Dash, Munir Uwaydah, Michael, Harry, Harris, Donald Trump, I've Organizations: Service, Beverly Hills, Beverly, Los Angeles, Row Records, Notre Dame Properties, Uwaydah, Business Locations: Los, Los Angeles, Beverly, Beverly Hills, Beverly Grove, Woodward, California

☆ An Arms Smugger, a Daring Heist, and the Birth of Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( David Kushner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +35 min

Joining the Haganah, Schwimmer discovered, wasn't as easy as just strolling through the door. "He felt he had to do his part in creating a Jewish state, so this could never happen again," Schwimmer recalled. Rather than melt down the surplus weapons for scrap, Liff told Greenspun to take as much as he wanted — free of charge. "It went against the grain to buck the same government we had fought to preserve only a few years before," Hank Greenspun recalled. In 2001, at the urging of Brian Greenspun, Schwimmer received a presidential pardon from Bill Clinton.

Persons: Danny Schwimmer, They'd, Rina, Al —, David Ben, Gurion, Al Schwimmer, Schwimmer, Bugsy Siegel's, Meyer Lansky, Frank Sinatra, Sinatra, —, Boaz Dvir, Israel —, Danny, Al, I've, Hank Greenspun, Greenspun, Brian, Adolph, Dick Tracy, " Schwimmer, Wing Walker, America, Yehuda Arazi, Arazi, they'd, Schwimmer's, Sam Lewis, Leo Gardner, Milton, Milt, Rubenfeld, Paul Reubens, Herman, Reubens, Bugsy Siegel, Siegel, — Schwimmer, Nathan Liff, Liff, PhotoQuest, Bernarr McFadden, Pat, Ptacek, Rafael Trujillo, Teddy Kollek, Erwin Johnson, Bill Gerson, Gerson, Bud King, Gerson's, Ben, Joel Kimmel, Lewis, Lansky, hadn't, Tommy, Messerschmitts, David, Milt Rubenfeld, Israel, Charlie Winters, Winters, weren't, aren't, America's, Joseph McCarthy, John F, Kennedy, Brian Greenspun, Golda Meir, Bill Clinton Organizations: Israeli Air Force, TWA, Haganah, United Nations, Lockheed Air, Los Angeles Examiner, USC, Getty, US Naval, Schwimmer Aviation, FBI, UN, Customs Service, Palestine . Volunteers, Embassy, Israel, Service Airways, State Department, BI, Pepsi, Zionist, Nazi, Star, American, Avia, Messerschmitt, Pennsylvania State University who's, Las, Sun, Israel Aerospace Industries, IAI, they're, Israeli Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Connecticut, Palestine, New York, Copacabana, United States, Hungary, Auschwitz, storages, Arizona, Bridgeport, Rome, Burbank , California, Burbank, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Oahu, Santa Claus, California, Washington, Burbank ., Acapulco, Mexico, it's, Mexico City, Central, South America, Dominican Republic, China, America, Mexican, Panama, Panamanian, Corsica, Oklahoma, Detroit, Suriname, Brazil, Senegal, Casablanca, Sicily, Catania, Europe, Czechoslovakia, Czech, Egypt, Cairo, Los Angeles, American, Gaza, Iran

☆ 'America's greatest gift to Israel'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( David Kushner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +35 min

As the country's founder and first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, once declared, "America's greatest gift to Israel was Al Schwimmer." Joining the Haganah, Schwimmer discovered, wasn't as easy as just strolling through the door. "He felt he had to do his part in creating a Jewish state, so this could never happen again," Schwimmer recalled. Rather than melt down the surplus weapons for scrap, Liff told Greenspun to take as much as he wanted — free of charge. In 2001, at the urging of Brian Greenspun, Schwimmer received a presidential pardon from Bill Clinton.

☆ Ad insiders are buzzing about industry power broker Michael Kassan's messy split with UTA and what it means for the future of MediaLink
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

After falling out with Kassan, UTA may think twice about buying another agency. The media and ad industry will be watching to see what, if any, leadership changes UTA makes at MediaLink. The end of the ad industry schmoozefest? One industry veteran said they saw Kassan's exit as an opportunity to change how ad industry consultants operate and charge for services. At the center of the dispute between UTA and Kassan is the MediaLink founder's $950,000 annual expense account.

Persons: Michael Kassan, MediaLink, Kassan, Jeremy Zimmer, Kassan wasn't, Vianney Tisseau, headhunting, Jon Miller, Sanford Michelman, Michelman, Robinson, Ethan Miller, Julian Jacobs, David Anderson, WME, Kassan's, Wenda Harris Millard, wasn't, what's, There's, Lou Paskalis, Marc Sternberg's, Lady Gaga, Elton John, Mariah Carey, Tom Brady, Rob Norman, WPP's Organizations: UTA, Cannes Lions, Consumer, Business, Los Angeles Superior Court, Los, Judicial, Mediation Services, Variety Cannes Lions Studio, Integrated Media, Getty, Talent, Accenture, General Motors, Netflix, JUV Consulting, Madison, Endeavor, Writers Guild of America, Zimmer, Western Initiative Media Worldwide, Interpublic Group, Bank of America, AJL, Marc Sternberg's Brand, Kassan, Southwest, NFL Locations: MediaLink, Cannes, France, Madison, Droga5, Hollywood, Kassan, California, South, Austin

☆ Rupert Murdoch's new Russian fiancée ties him to a sprawling web of money — with some surprising connections
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

His fiancée, Elena Zhukova, was once married to Alexander Radkin Zhukov, a Russian oligarch. Her daughter, Dasha Zhukova, was married to Roman Abramovich from 2008 to 2017. Daniele Venturelli/WireImage via Getty ImagesZhukova shares a daughter with Zhukov, Dasha Zhukova. Dasha Zhukova is now married to Stavros Niarchos, the grandson of a Greek shipping tycoon. AdvertisementDasha Zhukova married Stavros Niarchos in January 2020.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch, Elena Zhukova, Alexander Radkin Zhukov, Dasha Zhukova, Roman Abramovich, —, Murdoch, Vladimir Putin, Zhukova, Wendi Deng, Zhukov, hasn't, Daniele Venturelli, Dasha, Abramovich, Putin, backchannel, Vladimir Putin's backchannel, Mikhail Svetlov, Stavros Niarchos, Lexie Moreland, Murdoch didn't Organizations: Service, The Daily Mail, Guardian, Times, Getty, Premier League soccer, Chelsea Football Club, European Union, Penske Media, News Corp, Business Insider Locations: Russian, Italy, London, Russia, Ukraine, New York, Switzerland

☆ ‘Io Capitano,’ Italy’s Oscar Nominee, Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Richard Braude | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Of all the offerings this Oscar season, one stands out: “Io Capitano.” A nominee for best international feature film, the film is a visually stunning and often harrowing account of the journey from West Africa to Europe. At a time when Italy’s far right is in government, introducing draconian anti-migrant laws amid a flood of poisonous rhetoric, “Io Capitano” represents an important intervention by its director, Matteo Garrone. Wolof dominates the script, claiming a place for a language that, though present in Italian society, has been nearly absent from Italian cinema. Yet for all its achievements, the film doesn’t tell the whole story. “Io Capitano” owes its title to the final scenes of the film in which the Senegalese protagonist, Seydou, is strong-armed into helming a rusty fishing trawler that takes him and hundreds more from Libya to Lampedusa, Italy’s southernmost island.

Persons: ”, Matteo Garrone, Garrone, Walt Whitman’s, — “ Locations: West Africa, Europe, Senegal, Senegalese, Libya, Lampedusa

☆ Where Old Vegas is still alive today
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Matt Villano | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

MuseumsMuseums are obvious celebrations of the past, and in Las Vegas, these two museums have direct links to the Vegas of old. At the Neon Museum, Old Vegas is showcased in the form of neon signs. Other attractionsSeveral other sights and destinations around Las Vegas keep the city’s past alive in this modern age. At one point every casino in Las Vegas had a machine like this one; today this is the only coin-operated iteration left. Finally, the most recognizable throwback to Old Vegas might be the neon “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip near Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

Persons: upstage Travis, Taylor, Usher, Jackie Gaughan, Kenny Epstein, Epstein, Gaughan, “, ”, you’ve, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, La Concha, Caesar, Chris Welsch, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Sinatra, Hugo’s, El Cortez, Barbara Streisand’s, Bauer, Griffin, Vegas Vickie, Vickie, Derek Stevens, Vic, Betty Willis, YESCO Organizations: CNN, Sin, Bellagio, Vegas, Eiffel, El, Fremont Street, National Register of Historic Places, Casino, Hotel, Museums, Mob Museum, National Museum of, US Post Office, Commerce, Neon Museum, Las, Virgin Hotels, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Italian American, Four Queens Casino, Las Vegas, Sigma Derby, Fremont Locations: Sin City, Las Vegas, Paris, Vegas, Hotel Nevada, Fremont Street, America, Old Vegas, Sahara, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Las, Fremont, Mandalay

☆ AI startup Perplexity is in talks to raise more money at a significantly higher valuation just months after its last round
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewOnly months after buzzy AI search-engine startup Perplexity AI raised its last round of funding, the company is yet again raising additional funds, as investors clamor to back tech's next big generative AI startup. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Perplexity is raising this additional money at a significantly higher valuation cap than its previous pricing of $520 million, according to two people with direct knowledge. A spokesperson told Business Insider that the details of the deal were incorrect but did not clarify when asked for further information.

Persons: —, clamor, Jeff Bezos, Perplexity, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Bard, Aravind Srinivas, It's, Elad Gil, Nat Friedman, Fred Wilson, aren't Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Institutional Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Bessemer Venture Partners, Nvidia Locations: OpenAI

Since the Dutch original, De Verraders, first premiered in 2021, English-language versions have spread across global television, most notably with The Traitors (US) and The Traitors (UK). Below, we'll show you all of your watch options for both versions, including where to watch The Traitors online for free. Shop at ExpressVPNWhere to watch The Traitors (UK) in the USPeacock is also the US home of The Traitors (UK). Shop at Peacock TVWhere to watch The Traitors (UK) in the UKThe Traitors (UK), hosted by Claudia Winkleman, airs on BBC One in the UK. Where to watch The Traitors (UK) free from anywhereIf you're not in the UK at the moment, a VPN (virtual private network) will be your best bet for access to free episodes.

Persons: Verraders, Pete, Alan Cumming, Peacock, ExpressVPN, Claudia Winkleman, you'll Organizations: Business, Mafia, BBC Locations: Australia, Australian

☆ Prison inmate led scheme swindling U.S. out of $550 million in Covid tax credits, feds say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A California prison inmate locked up on a gang-related murder conviction led a scheme that defrauded the U.S. government out of more than $550 million in Covid-era federal tax credits, prosecutors said. Five other people were charged with Thomas in the alleged drug trafficking scheme. The employee retention credits became a refundable federal tax credit for employers during the Covid-19 pandemic to encourage businesses to retain workers. "But that apparently was not enough: he also conspired to pursue over half a billion dollars in federal tax credits that were meant to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic," Talbert said. DEA agents intercepted those calls and also intercepted text messages showing Thomas communicating about the tax fraud scheme, prosecutors said.

Persons: Kristopher Thomas, Thomas, Kettisha Thompson, Dozier, Charmane Dozier, Sharon Vance, Philip Talbert, Talbert Organizations: Main Street Mafia, Attorney's, Eastern, Eastern District of, Drug Enforcement Administration Locations: California, Covid, Kern Valley, Waldorf , Maryland, Hawthorne , California, Los Angeles, Eastern District, Eastern District of California, Las Vegas, U.S, Delano , California, Hawaii

☆ An Alaska Airlines passenger stabbed an off-duty law enforcement officer with an improvised weapon made from pens, affidavit says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A man stabbed a fellow passenger with several pens bundled together, an affidavit says. It adds that Julio Alvarez Lopez told FBI agents he believed he was being followed by the mafia. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAn Alaska Airlines passenger stabbed an off-duty law enforcement officer with an improvised weapon, an FBI agent's affidavit says. The affidavit says Lopez admitted he made the weapon before the flight, by bundling pens together with a rubber band.

Persons: Julio Alvarez Lopez, —, Lopez Organizations: FBI, Service, Alaska Airlines, Business Locations: Nevada

CNN —An Alaska Airlines passenger accused of attacking another traveler with pens wrapped in rubber bands in late January has been charged in federal court with assault with a dangerous weapon, according to court documents filed in the US District Court of Nevada on Wednesday. Lopez is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court in Las Vegas on March 1, court documents said. The other passenger, who was seated across the aisle from Lopez, is a sworn law enforcement officer, court documents say. He also said that he felt the mafia had been chasing him for months, court documents said. One witness described Lopez as “fidgety” and said he was putting on and taking off gloves during the flight, court documents said.

Persons: Julio Alvarez Lopez, Lopez, “, ”, Aden Kahssai, “ We’re Organizations: CNN, An Alaska Airlines, Court, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, FBI, Alaska Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Nevada, Seattle, Las Vegas, Lopez, Aden

☆ Ex-Honduras president Juan Orlando Hernández, former US ally, to stand trial in NY for alleged cocaine smuggling empire
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Noah Hurowitz | Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Ex-Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández will stand trial in New York on drug trafficking charges. Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández in 2020. Juan Orlando Hernández, center in chains, is shown to the press at the Police Headquarters in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022. In this courtroom sketch, Juan Orlando Hernández, center, speaks into a microphone while pleading not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges in 2022. Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernández, the brother of Juan Orlando Hernández.

Persons: Juan Orlando Hernández, Hernández, —, Joaquín, Moises Castillo, Hernández's, James D, it's, Elmer Martinez, Hernández —, Juan Carlos Bonilla, Mauricio Hernandez Pineda, " Pineda, Bonilla, Pineda, Juan Antonio, Tony, Tony Hernández, Tony Hernández's, El Chapo, ledgers, Elizabeth Williams Hernández's, Pamela Ruíz, Rúiz, Cachiros, Hondurans, Devis Leonel Rivera Maradiaga, Alex Ardon, Fernando Antonio, Juan Orlando Organizations: Prosecutors, Service, AP, Embassy, of, Police, Honduran National Police, Central, International, Business, National Party, Sinaloa Cartel, Honduran Locations: Honduran, New York, Honduras, United States, America, Mexican, Manhattan, Tegucigalpa, Hernández, Southern, of New York, Washington, Brooklyn, Tigre, Miami, Colombia, El, Central America, El Paraiso, Guatemala, Sinaloa

☆ A better way to handle layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Aki Ito | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Out of everything that happens in the workplace, nothing underscores the harshly transactional nature of employment more than the way companies terminate their employees. To be sure, there are times when layoffs are necessary for the health — and even survival — of a company. In other words, the pitiless and coldhearted way businesses handle dismissals isn't just destructive to those who get dismissed. Is there a better way to handle layoffs? For starters, Herd says, managers should look the employees they're dismissing in the eye, rather than reading from a script.

Persons: TikTok, Brittany Pietsch, she'd, isn't, Pietsch, they're, you've, — they're, Slack, it's, Sandra Sucher, Sucher, pare, Ashley Herd, Herd, —, Reagan, Aki Ito Organizations: Mafia, Harvard Business School, Nokia, Business

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — World leaders and Russian opposition activists wasted no time Friday in blaming the reported death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny on President Vladimir Putin and his government. Navalny was “brutally murdered by the Kremlin,” said Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Other Russian opposition activists echoed him. “If it is confirmed, the death of Alexei is a murder. Organized by Putin,” opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on social media.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ Putin, —, ” Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz, ” Scholz, Navalny, “, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Ivan Zhdanov, hasn’t, Alexei, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Dmitry Gudkov, Garry Kasparov, ” Kasparov, Pyotr Verzilov, “ Navalny, Verzilov, Ursula von der Leyen, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Kremlin, EU, NATO, National, NPR Locations: TALLINN, Estonia, Russian, Berlin, Russia, Navalny, Germany

Search resuls for: "Mafia"

25 mentions found