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☆ US journalist Terry Anderson, held in Lebanon hostage crisis for nearly 7 years, dead at 76
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Melissa Alonso | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Terry Anderson, the former Mideast correspondent for The Associated Press who was kidnapped in 1985 and held captive for nearly seven years in Lebanon, has died at 76, his daughter told CNN. The cause of death was unknown, though his daughter told the AP he had recently had heart surgery. “You’re sorry, sorry for your family, sorry you were dumb enough to get captured,” Anderson told CNN once about his capture. In a 2016 interview, Anderson told CNN that he didn’t think about his captivity often. And you do it, day after day after day,” he said.

Persons: CNN — Terry Anderson, Anderson, Sulome Anderson, “, ”, Terry Anderson, Madeleine Bassil, Mark Lennihan, “ You’re, ” Anderson, “ There’s, He’d, Anderson’s Organizations: CNN, Mideast, The Associated Press, AP, Lions, Vietnam Children’s Fund, Protect Journalists, Marines, Marine, Iowa State University, Associated Press Locations: Lebanon, Greenwood Lake , New York, Kentucky, Tokyo, South Africa, New York, Ohio, Japan, Vietnam, Iowa, Lebanese, Beirut, Iran, Damascus, “

☆ Going once, going twice: How Trump's cash and properties would be garnished and auctioned to pay his NY fraud debt
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

AG Letitia James plans to go after Trump's cash and property if he doesn't pay his civil fraud debt. Is the ball in Letitia James' court? "The burden is on Letitia James to find Trump's assets" and decide what she wants garnished or auctioned, he said. D'Orazio predicts James would first target the cash that Trump and the Trump Organization keep in New York-registered bank accounts. He would then remit $95 million to the Attorney General's Office, and that would go toward paying Trump's judgment.

Persons: Letitia James, —, padlocks, Donald Trump's, Trump, James, Bernard D'Orazio, D'Orazio, — James, Mark, we're, doesn't, It's, she'll, Arthur Engoron, Jeff Greenberg, — Trump Organizations: Service, Trump, Trump Plaza, New, Social, Trump —, GOP, AP, Trump Organization, Radio City Music Hall, Forbes, New York, Fire Locations: New York, New York City, Manhattan, New, Westchester County, Trump, Americas

☆ Disney’s Bob Iger Plays Down Asset Sales, Vows to Build Modern Version of Company
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Joe Flint | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger. Photo: Mark Lennihan/Associated PressDisney Chief Executive Bob Iger told employees Tuesday that the task he faced after returning to the company a year ago was harder than expected, and he played down his previous comments suggesting major asset sales were on the table. “I knew that there were a myriad of challenges…I must say there were many more of them than I expected,” said Iger, who was interviewed by ABC News anchor David Muir at a companywide town hall at New York’s New Amsterdam Theatre.

Persons: Bob Iger, Mark Lennihan, “, …, ”, Iger, David Muir Organizations: Disney, Associated Press Disney, ABC News, New York’s New Amsterdam Theatre Locations: New

☆ Amazon Launches Free AI Classes in Bid to Win Talent Arms Race
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Sebastian Herrera | Chip Cutter | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Amazon’s effort reflects a growing awareness among companies that AI could change how millions of people do their jobs. Photo: Mark Lennihan/Associated PressAmazon.com is launching a program to train millions of workers in artificial-intelligence skills as the tech giant seeks to gain an edge in a pitched battle for talent with Microsoft , Google and other companies. Named “AI Ready,” Amazon’s new program aims to train at least two million people by 2025 on basic to advanced AI skills, including how to make use of the generative AI technology that has powered language-based models like ChatGPT. Amazon aims to fill a gap in AI talent as it has sought to generate interest in its generative AI efforts after falling behind rivals. In launching its program, Amazon is adding to a broader effort by the corporate world to get workers in various fields trained in AI.

Persons: Mark Lennihan Organizations: Associated Press Amazon.com, Microsoft, Google

☆ The hidden woes of being in a relationship with a startup founder
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In today's big story, a Business Insider reporter gives her unique perspective on navigating life as a startup founder's wife. The big storyA founder's other backerJosh Cochran for InsiderThe startup world is not for the faint of heart. Melia's account of her relationship with Kyle and his startup is equal parts entertaining, heartwrenching, and informative. AdvertisementJosh Cochran for InsiderAs if being a founder spouse wasn't difficult enough, Melia has the bonus of covering the space as a reporter. And while that's true of any relationship, it's especially pertinent in the volatile startup ecosystem.

Persons: —, Josh Cochran, it's, Insider's Melia Russell, Kyle, Melia, takeaways Melia, Lennihan, Alexander Spatari, Pete Weir, Weir, — it's, HENRY, Steve Irwin, Satya Nadella, Bolton Clarke, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Brandon Bell, Getty, Associated Press, Apple, Google, US, York City, Discovery Education, Australia, Microsoft, Cisco Locations: Brandon, York, New York City, San Diego, London, New York

☆ The wildest moments of WeWork’s rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

And many early WeWork employees, who worked at lower salaries because they were given stock options, ended up with nothing. WeWork’s wild rise and fall is the latest high-profile incident to shatter that myth. Here is a look at four of the wildest moments from WeWork’s rise, according to the company’s statements and a best-seller about the company. (Part of WeWork’s push to appeal to millennials included free-flowing beer and open bars set up within its coworking outposts.) That pre-IPO paperworkThe beginning of the end can perhaps be traced back to WeWork’s first attempt to go public back in 2019.

Persons: New York CNN — WeWork, Adam Neumann’s, Neumann, Son, Adam Neumann, Kelly Sullivan, Eliot Brown, Maureen Farrell, millennials, Darryl McDaniels, Mike Segar, ”, Rebekah, WeWork, Caitlin Ochs, WeWork’s, Neuman, Mark Lennihan, “, Tolga Akmen Organizations: New, New York CNN, WeWork, San Francisco, of Fine Arts, Gulfstream G650, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Getty, Nasdaq, City of Locations: New York, San, San Francisco , California, Israel, Manhattan , New York, WeGrow, WeLive, New York City, U.S, City, City of London, AFP

☆ Abercrombie Sued Over Former CEO’s Alleged Abuse of Male Models
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Khadeeja Safdar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mike Jeffries ran Abercrombie from 1992 until 2014. Photo: Mark Lennihan/Associated PressAbercrombie & Fitch was accused in a lawsuit of enabling former chief Mike Jeffries to run an alleged sex-trafficking operation for years. Jeffries ran Abercrombie from 1992 until 2014 and built the brand into a global fashion giant around sexualized marketing. The CEO allegedly used promises of a job at Abercrombie to lure young men to locations around the world and coerced them to have sex with him and others, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Manhattan federal court. The complaint follows a recent BBC investigation where several men made similar claims against Jeffries.

Persons: Mike Jeffries, Abercrombie, Mark Lennihan, Fitch, Jeffries Organizations: Associated Press Abercrombie, Abercrombie Locations: Manhattan

☆ Abercrombie Sued Over Former CEO’s Alleged Sexual Abuse of Male Models
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Khadeeja Safdar | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Mike Jeffries, Abercrombie, Mark Lennihan, Fitch, Jeffries Organizations: Associated Press Abercrombie, Abercrombie Locations: Manhattan

☆ There’s a Reason This Bull Market Feels So Weird
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( James Mackintosh | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

At the start of the past four bull markets, the rebound was led by banks and smaller companies. Photo: Mark Lennihan/Associated PressWe are now more than a year from the bear-market low of October 2022, and while the bull market isn’t exactly raging, stocks are still up more than 20%. The markets, though, aren’t behaving as they usually do at the start of long-lasting bull markets. In some respects, the past year looks more like the tail end of one than the beginning. This makes me worry it may not last.

Persons: Mark Lennihan

☆ This New York City Luxury Tower Has Been a Hard Sell
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Katherine Clarke | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Related Companies had a lofty goal when they set out to build Hudson Yards, a roughly 28-acre mega-project on Manhattan’s far west side. They wanted to turn a windswept railyard into the next hot destination for the global elite. Hudson Yards and the High Line on Dec. 1, 2013. Photo: Mark Lennihan/AP

Persons: Mark Lennihan Organizations: Companies, Hudson Yards

☆ Not every version of Barbie was a hit. Check out these flops
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Barbie’s pregnant sidekick, MidgePregnant Midge was featured in Mattel's Happy Family Barbie Collection that also included Alan (pictured here behind the stroller). Fast-forward to 2002, Mattel introduced a pregnant Midge doll, featuring a detachable baby bump with a toy baby inside. The Midge doll created ripples. Walmart (WMT) ended up pulling the pregnant Midge doll from its store shelves, citing customer complaints about the appropriateness of a “pregnant” doll. When the FBI came after this BarbieVideo Barbie doll with a built-in LCD screen and download port for videos.

Persons: New York CNN —, Barbie, She’s, who’ve, Barbie Fashionistas, “ Barbie, ”, James Zahn, “ There’s, Midge, Alan, Lawrence Lucier, Zahn, Allan, Ryan, “ Allan ”, “ Allan didn’t, Mattel, “ Alan ”, Tanner, Barbie’s, Mark Ralston, Tanner playset, Tanner playsets, Barbie Mattel, Martin James Brannan, Skipper, Skipper ”, “, Miguel Villagran, Barbie Mark Lennihan, Richard Gottlieb Organizations: New, New York CNN, Bel Air, Mattel, Walmart, “, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, OREO, Nabisco, Fairfax Media, FBI, Global Toy Experts, New York Times Magazine Locations: New York, American, Barbie, AFP

☆ These are the top 10 stocks held by 'Big Short' investor Michael Burry
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Michael Burry invested a lot of money into the stock market last quarter, according to 13F filings. The "Big Short" investor who has held a bearish tilt towards stocks initiated 17 new positions last quarter. These are the top 10 stocks held by Burry's Scion Asset Management as of March 31. Burry posted on Twitter on multiple occasions over the last few months that he had a bearish view on stocks. These are the top 10 stocks held by Burry's Scion Asset Management as of March 31.

☆ Elon Musk is giving Tesla shareholders reason for bullishness after his big Twitter announcement
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Wedbush maintained its outperform rating for Tesla, and shared a 12-month price target of $215, or about 27% higher than the current share price. The long wait times for vehicles, according to Piper Sandler, is a bullish sign because it means demand is robust. "The answer is complex, because wait times don't solely reflect consumers' appetite for buying Teslas vs. other cars." In effect, the lengthy wait times should be "interpreted favorably," in Potter's view. Piper Sandler's price target for Tesla is $280 a share, or more than 65% higher from current levels.

☆ Yum Brands Was Finger Lickin’ Good Enough
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Spencer Jakab | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

KFC recently turned a viral TikTok video with false information to its advantage. Photo: Mark Lennihan/Associated PressColonel Sanders probably would have shown the youngsters the door, but KFC met them halfway. In March a viral TikTok video falsely said the chain was offering free refills on a bucket of chicken to anyone who could finish it in 60 minutes, inviting many to try and be denied more food. The chain turned lemons into lemonade, though, offering a $10 bucket promotion on its app and coupons to disappointed carnivores. KFC parent Yum Brands ’ shareholders should probably view the bucket as half full even as the stock fell in early trading Wednesday.

☆ Big Tech is pursuing 'the year of efficiency.' It could get supercharged by AI.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

On the agenda today:But first: Why Big tech's new focus on efficiency could have far-reaching impacts. Tech jobs aren't coming backTech giants have been slashing jobs. Companies from Meta to Salesforce have cut jobs in the recent months in the pursuit of efficiency and profit margins. Also read:Whistleblower docs: Jane RobertsSupreme Court Justice Chief Justice John Roberts and his wife Jane Roberts arrive for a 2018 State Dinner at the White House. At least one of those firms argued a case before the chief justice after paying his wife hundreds of thousands of dollars.

☆ 'Oh Amazon, why are you making this issue so difficult?' Employees who can't commute to their assigned offices fear the consequences.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Change in remote statusSome Amazon employees hired during the pandemic said they were promised permanent remote work, through what they saw as a "handshake agreement." One employee shared their vice president's email in the Slack channel, saying this manager was willing to be more flexible. People walk into the lobby of Amazon offices in New York. Over 30,000 Amazon employees joined an internal Slack channel shortly after the RTO announcement and signed a petition to demand a reversal of the mandate. "Amazon, oh Amazon, why are you making this issue so difficult?"

☆ Amazon's rush to bring employees back to office stirs anxiety over badge tracking, relocation, and impact on performance reviews
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

this person asked in the Slack channel called "remote-advocacy," according to a screenshot seen by Insider. Change in remote statusSome Amazon employees hired during the pandemic said they were promised permanent remote work, through what they saw as a "handshake agreement." One employee shared their vice president's email in the Slack channel, saying this manager was willing to be more flexible. People walk into the lobby of Amazon offices in New York. Over 30,000 Amazon employees joined an internal Slack channel shortly after the RTO announcement and signed a petition to demand a reversal of the mandate.

☆ How Amazon’s flawed job posting process caused it to overhire
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Before I go check my remaining stash to make sure it's all real, let's dive into today's tech. Amazon's flawed job posting process. The company had little oversight of the hiring process until last year, Insider learned. Check out this leaked, all-hands message about "single-digit" percentage cuts to AWS)My colleague Eugene Kim breaks down Amazon's flawed hiring process. He shared the red flags he overlooked during the hiring process, including the hiring of a new chief revenue officer.

☆ Inside Peloton's rapid rise and bitter fall — and its attempt at a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"It felt like nothing could get in the way of all that," said a former engineer who attended the party. For this report, CNBC spoke with 16 current and former Peloton employees, the majority of whom declined to be identified because they are not permitted to speak publicly about the company. Foley, meanwhile, spoke briefly with CNBC by phone, saying that while Peloton's stock has fallen, the company has not. Peloton's stock price was slowly sliding down, and employees began to panic as they saw their paper wealth evaporate. By June 30, the end of Peloton's fiscal year, the company's full-year net loss ballooned to $2.83 billion.

Parafin, launched in 2020, works with so-called platform partners, or companies that other small businesses sell their products through. All the cofounders knew was that they wanted to build technology that would help small businesses. And they may not get their first contract payment from the government for as long as 120 days," Reed, the startup's CEO, told Insider. Helping small businesses manage their taxesComplYant's founder Shiloh Jackson wants to help people be present in their bookkeeping. HoneyBookWhile countless small businesses have been harmed by the pandemic, self-employment and entrepreneurship have found ways to blossom as Americans started new ventures.

☆ Convicted Fyre Festival cofounder Billy McFarland says the Netflix and Hulu shows about his disastrous party were screened in his prison — but he was 'too scared' to watch
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Convicted Fyre Festival cofounder Billy McFarland was interviewed by British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett. McFarland said he still hadn't seen the Netflix and Hulu shows about his disastrous party. He told Bartlett he was still not ready to watch the documentaries. Fyre Festival was touted as a luxurious music fiesta in the Bahamas and was promoted by influencers and models such as Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid. He told Bartlett he'd chosen the latter.

☆ Kindle’s 15-year anniversary is a reminder simplicity is king
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

It’s like holding nothing but the words.”Amazon (AMZN) launched the original Kindle on November 19 2007, pushing the publishing industry to further embrace digital books and also kickstarting the e-commerce giant’s hardware efforts. Amazon can keep Kindle prices relatively low because the business model is all about selling books, not selling hardware, McQueen said. Likewise, the original Kindle had access to 90,000 books in the Kindle Store compared to 13 million books now in the Kindle Store. Amazon’s current lineup of hardware devices includes the Fire tablet, the Firestick media streaming gadget and the Echo smart speaker. “The more interesting question is will Kindle be broadly considered retro tech like vinyl record players or arcade cabinets of today?”

☆ Billionaires like Elon Musk want to save civilization by having tons of genetically superior kids. Inside the movement to take 'control of human evolution.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Julia Black | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

"We are the Underground Railroad of 'Gattaca' babies and people who want to do genetic stuff with their kids," Malcolm told me. Ellison, meanwhile, who has two children in their 30s, has reportedly resumed having kids — with his 31-year-old girlfriend. "The person of this subculture really sees the pathway to immortality as being through having children," Simone said. The person of this subculture really sees the pathway to immortality as being through having children. Before she met Malcolm, Simone was convinced she wanted to live her life single and child-free.

☆ Consumers are looking to chocolate, Oreos, and Twinkies to 'not feel terrible all the time' — Hershey, Hostess, and Mondelez are cashing in
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Consumers are buying more chocolate and cookies as recession fears hang over the economy. But they are still buying smaller pleasures, including sweet treats like cookies and chocolate. Now, many of the same companies are seeing sales of chocolate, cookies, and other sweet snacks rise. "Our products remain an affordable treat for families and consumers," Michele Buck, the CEO of Hershey, told analysts on a call. While consumers cut back spending in many areas, such as travel, sales of lipstick actually grew.

☆ Why corporate leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and Evan Spiegel are all apologizing for the massive layoffs at their companies
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Sarah Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Since the pandemic, the largest tech layoffs have been at Meta, Getir, Booking.com, Twitter, Uber, Better.com., Peloton, and Groupon, Layoffs.fyi data show. Now companies in tech are reversing some of the huge hiring that they did in the past couple of years, Lee said. Mark Zuckerberg, MetaFacebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks about "News Tab" at the Paley Center, in New York on October 25, 2019. In the memo he wrote: "Many people predicted this would be a permanent acceleration that would continue even after the pandemic ended. Jack Dorsey, ex-CEO TwitterTwitter CEO Jack Dorsey testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in Washington, DC, in 2018.

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