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☆ Richard Branson says this decision helped build his $2.5B net worth: 'I don't think I would have gone to space' otherwise
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

He's referring to selling record label Virgin Records to Thorn EMI for nearly $1 billion in 1992. Branson needed the money to focus on a newer venture, Virgin Atlantic. CNBC Make It: How did you make the decision to sell Virgin Records? What I decided was: If I sold Virgin Records, all the people's jobs would be secure. I could then use that money to build and protect Virgin Atlantic.

Persons: Richard Branson, He's, —, Branson, Richard, Virgin, We'd, Janet Jackson Organizations: CNBC, Virgin Records, Thorn EMI, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Virgin Group, Forbes, Virgin Locations: London, Branson

Harvard University is among the latest institutions to announce it is reversing its test-optional policy and requiring students to submit test scores in their applications. For the writer Emi Nietfeld, it’s a positive sign. But one thing she did have control over was studying for standardized tests. In this audio essay, Nietfeld explains how Scantron sheets helped her unlock a better life. (A full transcript of this audio essay will be available on Monday in the audio player above.)

Persons: Emi Nietfeld, it’s, Nietfeld Organizations: Harvard University

☆ The SAT Gave Me Hope - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Emi Nietfeld | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Many schools have embraced the test-optional rule under the assumption that it would bolster equity and diversity, since higher scores are correlated with privilege. Many low-income and minority students withheld scores that could have gotten them in, wrongly assuming that their scores were too low, according to an analysis by Dartmouth. I was one of the disadvantaged youths who are often failed by test-optional policies, striving to get into college while in foster care and homeless. What these conversations overlook is the hope these tests offer students who are in difficult situations. I will always feel tenderness toward the Scantron sheets that unlocked higher education and a better life.

Organizations: University of Texas, Austin, ACT, Dartmouth

☆ Google X loses another team leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Monica Melton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Another project leader leaves Google X.Emily Kolawole oversaw a confidential moonshot project. Several Google X projects have either shut down or spun out of parent Alphabet. AdvertisementGoogle X recently lost another team leader. Emi Kolawole, a project leader at the Alphabet moonshot division since 2021, left the company in January, according to her LinkedIn. Kolawole oversaw project operations and kept its budget "lean by leveraging strong relationships across X and Alphabet," she wrote on LinkedIn.

Persons: Emily Kolawole, —, Emi Kolawole, Kolawole Organizations: Google, Service, LinkedIn

☆ This startup wants to find cancer faster with AI-powered full-body scans. See the 22-slide pitch deck that got Ezra $21 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewLast August, Kim Kardashian posted on Instagram that she'd gotten a full-body MRI scan from the startup Prenuvo, which sparked a national conversation about the merits of preventive imaging. With Kardashian's help, the scans were finally making headlines — and healthtech startup Ezra felt their impact. "The day that Kim Kardashian got a scan, even though it wasn't an Ezra scan, our day-over-day revenue spiked," Ezra CEO and cofounder Emi Gal told Business Insider. Those tailwinds have propelled growth for Ezra, which partners with radiology clinics to perform full-body MRI scans. And, with Ezra's scans, that startup has "helped hundreds of people find cancer," he added.

Persons: —, Kim Kardashian, she'd, Ezra, Emi Gal, Amir Dan Rubin, Anne Wojcicki, Vlad Tenev, David Prior, Esther Dyson, — Gal, Ezra Flash, radiologists, Gal, We've Organizations: Service, Business, VC, FirstMark, Firms, Allianz Life Ventures, Mana Ventures, Ventures, Seedcamp, LDV Locations: Gaingels, Republic

As of early Thursday, a vast roster of popular songs were disappearing from the social media platform's library. The complete removal of UMG-licensed music will likely take a few days — but chances are, avid TikTokers are already seeing the effects. Artists will also not be able to post the audio of their UMG-licensed songs on TikTok. “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters,” TikTok said. Mall stressed the overall consequences of pulling music from social media platforms like TikTok — particularly for younger developing artists.

Persons: —, Taylor Swift, Bunny, Drake —, TikTok, UMG, ”, Andrew Mall, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, ” UMG, ” TikTok, we're, “, UMG's Virgin EMI Records Ted Cockle, Cockle, Alexandra J, Roberts, SZA, Drake, Billie Eilish —, Jessica Henig, it's, Henig, Michelle Chapman Organizations: Universal, Group, Associated Press, “ Universal, Northeastern University, UMG, Universal Music, UMG's Virgin EMI Records, Music Management, ”, Associated, Virgin EMI, AP Locations: UMG, New York

☆ Brazil vs. Argentina: Historic World Cup qualifier is overshadowed by violence and chaos at the Maracanã stadium
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Brazil suffered its first ever home World Cup qualifying defeat on Tuesday, as Argentina earned a 1-0 win on a night of violence and chaos at the iconic Maracanã stadium. However, the match was overshadowed by violence in the stands which delayed the start of the World Cup qualifier. The Inter Miami forward first led his teammates over to the stand where the fighting was taking place and pleaded with both the police and Argentina fans – some of who were seen throwing ripped out seats at the security officials – for calm. “The truth is that this group continues to achieve historic things, once again,” Messi told reporters after the match, per Reuters. Wagner Meier/Getty ImagesThere are 18 rounds in South America’s World Cup qualifying system, with the top six teams progressing to the 2026 event while the seventh-placed country will go into the FIFA play-off tournament, which will involve six countries from other continents.

Persons: Nicolas Otamendi’s, Lionel Messi, –, Aston, Emi Martinez, Ricardo Moraes, Messi, “, ”, ” Messi, Lionel Scaloni, ” Scaolini, “ It’s, Fernando Diniz, Wagner Meier, CNN’s Duarte Mendonça Organizations: CNN, The Inter Miami, Aston Villa, Brazilian Football Confederation, FIFA –, CONMEBOL, CBF, RJ Military Police, Argentine, didn’t, Reuters, Argentina, Fluminense, Copa Libertadores, FIFA Locations: Argentina, Brazil

☆ Israel and Hamas agree to hostage deal in a major diplomatic breakthrough
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Jake Epstein | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Israel's government has approved a hostage deal — a major diplomatic breakthrough amid the war. The outline includes the release of 50 hostages who are in Gaza and the release of 150 Palestinians held in Israel. The deal comes as Israeli forces continue their extensive ground operations in the Gaza Strip. AdvertisementIsrael's cabinet approved a hostage release deal on Wednesday morning local time, a major diplomatic breakthrough that comes more than six weeks into the devastating war between the two sides. Hamas said in a Telegram post that it agreed to the deal and that 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would be released.

Persons: —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Haim Zach, Handout, John Kirby, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Emi Palmor, Herzi Halevi Organizations: Service, IDF, NBC News, Israel's, Biden, Government Press Office, US, National Security, Israel's Ministry of Justice, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, REUTERS Locations: Gaza, Israel, US, Qatar, Egypt, Tze'elim, Israeli, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Tehran

Luis Diaz lifted his Liverpool jersey to reveal a T-shirt with the words “Libertad Para Papa” (“Freedom for Papa”) after scoring a late equalizer Sunday in his first appearance for the team since his parents were kidnapped in his native Colombia. Diaz returned to training on Thursday after missing two Liverpool games and said he was ready to play against Luton, with manager Jurgen Klopp selecting him on the bench. "That’s it, for us a super important goal and for him very important and emotional.”Klopp said before the game that “positive” negotiations were taking place about the release of Diaz's father. Tahith Chong looked like being the match-winner for Luton, converting a finish at the end of an 80th-minute counterattack that came after a Liverpool corner. “We pushed a top, top team all the way and we can take a lot of confidence from that.

Persons: Luis Diaz, Papa ”, Diaz, Jurgen Klopp, Harvey Elliott’s, ” Klopp, Klopp, Tahith Chong, ”, Rob Edwards, “, Emi Martinez, Aston Villa, Martinez, Orel Mangala’s, Ola Aina, Unai, Steve Douglas Organizations: Liverpool, Luton, Premier League, National Liberation Army, League's, Luton's, ” Luton, Nottingham Forest, Forest, Villa Locations: Papa, Colombia, Barrancas, Liverpool, Argentina

Tokyo, Japan CNN —Evacuation warnings have been issued to more than 237,000 people across 11 prefectures in Japan as Typhoon Lan hit the west of the country on Tuesday, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency. At least 26 people have been injured in five prefectures across western Japan, according to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, citing police and fire officials. In two towns in Tottori and Okayama prefectures, rainfall over a few hours on Tuesday exceeded the average for the entire month of August. A swollen river as Typhoon Lan makes landfall in Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture on Tuesday. Typhoon Lan follows Typhoon Khanun, which lashed southwestern Japan with wind and rain earlier this month.

Persons: Typhoon Lan, Lan, Takumi Harada, Koji Ito, Khanun Organizations: Japan CNN, Disaster Management Agency, NHK, Japan Meteorological Agency, Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Tourism, CNN, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, ANA Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Shionomisaki, Japan’s Wakayama, Tottori, Okayama, Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Kansai, Chubu, Nagoya

☆ Terra Firma founder Guy Hands steps down from company's helm
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"When I founded Terra Firma over 20 years ago, I vowed that I would retire from the firm 'when I'm 64', as per the eponymous Beatles song. Terra Firma will be led by Guy's son and managing director Richard Hands and its chief operating officer Paul Hatter, the company said in a statement. Guy Hands founded Terra Firma in 2002 through the spin-out of Japanese bank Nomura's Principal Finance Group (PFG), which he used to lead. Terra Firma is now invested in 39 companies with an aggregate enterprise value of 51 billion euros ($56.7 billion), according to the company's website. Other business backed by Terra Firma include Australian cattle company CPC.

Persons: Guy Hands, Guy's, Richard Hands, Paul Hatter, Terra, Hands, Julia, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Iain Withers, Louise Heavens, David Holmes Organizations: Terra Firma Capital Partners, EMI, Terra Firma, Reuters, Sky News, Nomura's, Finance Group, Citigroup, CPC, Thomson

☆ Spain election: Trans youths' families fear for rights under a right-wing government
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Horaci García | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Members of Chrysallis (Association of Transgender Children and Youth Families) take part in a Gay Parade in Barcelona, Spain, July 15, 2023. REUTERS/ Albert Gea/file photo/file photoBARCELONA, July 18 (Reuters) - Ana Valenzuela and her 12-year-old trans daughter, like some other families with transgender children, fear that if Spain's conservative People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox take power in this month's election, they could roll back hard-won LGBT rights. "It's very sad that children are conscious of this," said Valenzuela, who advised the government during the drafting of the "Trans Law". Vox has vowed to repeal the Trans Law and has joined the PP in challenging it before the Constitutional Court, arguing it violates child protection rights and the right to bodily integrity. Olga Nadal, vice-president of trans youth rights group Chrysallis Catalunya, said the community could not afford to see the law repealed.

Persons: Albert Gea, Ana Valenzuela, Valenzuela, Vox, Olga Nadal, Mariano Rajoy, Emi Blanco, Horaci García, David Latona, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Chrysallis, of Transgender Children, REUTERS, People's Party, Vox, Trans, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Barcelona, Spain, BARCELONA, Sunday's, Chrysallis, Catalan

☆ I'm a millennial living in Bengalaru, the Silicon Valley of India. I have my dream job in tech and get to spend 30% of my salary on travel, but there's a lot of pressure to be married.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Ananya Vahal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Dangda has the exact job she wanted and loves being able to learn and grow in it. Bengaluru is known as the Silicon Valley of India and I work for a tech company there. In India, work experience is more important than degreesI got my Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from a public university in Delhi which was very affordable. In India, work experience is more important than degrees. Unfortunately, my starting salary was based on the salary I had at my last job with an LLB.

Persons: Kavya Dangda, Dangda, It's, that's, I'm Organizations: Service, EMI Locations: Bengaluru, India, Wall, Silicon, Valley, Noida, Delhi, Singapore, Cambodia, Angkor

☆ To the Conductor Claudio Abbado, the Orchestra Was a Collective
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( David Allen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Achieving that ideal was no simple task with orchestras of long traditions and routines, though Abbado remade the Philharmonic in his image, and lastingly so. Striving to fulfill that promise led him not only to embrace the energy of youth orchestras, but also to support and found ensembles of like mind: the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra Mozart. The most extravagant was the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, a coterie of colleagues and admirers with whom he gave critically sanctified summer performances from 2003 until just before his death. The breadth is extraordinary — what other conductor was as adept as Abbado in Rossini as well as in Webern and Ligeti? — yet it still excludes records he made for EMI, RCA and Sony, as well as most of his vaunted Mahler from Lucerne.

Persons: Abbado, Martha Argerich, Maurizio Pollini, Schell, “, ”, Karajan, Orchestra Mozart, Rossini, Webern, Ligeti, Mahler Organizations: Berlin Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Philips, Universal Music Group, EMI, RCA, Sony Locations: Lucerne

☆ What’s a President to Do When a Nation’s Capital Is Sinking? Move It.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Hannah Beech | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +38 min

A new capital city for a place with such disparities and diversity presents both a challenge and a chance for reinvention. Moving the Seat of Power From Java to Borneo Detail area Malaysia Nusantara Borneo Java Sea Indonesia Jakarta Java Indian Ocean Detail area Malaysia Nusantara Borneo Java Sea Indonesia Jakarta Java Indian Ocean Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, will be about 800 miles from the current capital, Jakarta. It cannot be overnight, it’s not like Aladdin comes with his genie,” said Bambang Susantono, the head of the Nusantara Capital City Authority. We have to prove that this will be a self-propelling city.” — Bambang Susantono, head of the Nusantara Capital City AuthorityCritics of I.K.N. Indonesia’s capital city faces sinking land and rising seas.

☆ Watch planes take off in Japan — from an onsen
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Emi Jozuka | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Opened last December, the Hotel Villa Fontaine Premier & Grand Haneda Airport has 1,717 rooms and is directly connected to Haneda International Airport Terminal 3. Tokyo has also announced plans to receive up to 60 million overseas visitors to the country by 2030. And as inbound tourism recovers, Haneda – which has been crowned the world’s most punctual mega-airport – hopes to ride that wave. Developers want to expand those routes to greater swathes of Japan as part of broader plans to help revitalize the country’s regions, according to Katsuyuki Tou, general manager of the Haneda Airport Garden. Tou explained that visitors to the multipurpose complex can already get a taste of what Japan offers.

☆ Nigeria Governing Party’s Bola Tinubu Declared President-Elect
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Gabriele Steinhauser | Gbenga Akingbule | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

ABUJA, Nigeria— Bola Tinubu , a longtime kingmaker in Nigeria’s governing All Progressives Congress and two-time governor of Lagos, has been elected president of Africa’s most- populous nation, the country’s electoral commission said early Wednesday, an outcome that was disputed by opposition parties. Mr. Tinubu, who ran with the catchphrase “Emi lokan,” or “It’s my turn” in the Yoruba language, won 37% of the vote, ahead of Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party, who received 29%, according to the commission tally. Peter Obi of the Labour Party, whose candidacy was propelled by young, social-media savvy Nigerians frustrated with an underperforming economy and rising insecurity, got 25%, with the balance going to candidates from smaller parties.

☆ France and Argentina bring multiple plot lines to mouthwatering World Cup final
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Standing in Messi’s way is his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappé, as France seeks to win back-to-back World Cup trophies. After a shock defeat by Saudi Arabia in its opening group game, Argentina’s World Cup campaign got off to the worst possible start. When asked whether Sunday’s game will be his last at a World Cup, Messi replied: “Yes. Like Griezmann, the 36-year-old Giroud has had a renaissance in this World Cup, after failing to score a single goal in 2018. We’ll enjoy it now and get ready for the last match of this World Cup.”

☆ Maradona is watching us from above and pushing us, says Messi
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Hritika Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

He is pushing us and I really hope this stays the same until the end," Messi told reporters. From the beginning it was a really tough match, we knew it would be this way. Argentina will take on Croatia for a place in the final, after the 2018 runners-up beat Brazil on penalties earlier. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said despite their second-half collapse, his team had no problem finding players willing to take penalties. This team had experience, pride, young players, and this is key, because we want to fight."

☆ Argentina beat Netherlands on penalties to reach World Cup semi-finals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Hritika Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

In a scrappy half-hour of extra time with the scores level, Enzo Fernandez rattled the post in the closing seconds while Martinez and German Pezzella also had efforts blocked or parried away as Argentina desperately pushed for a winner. The Netherlands had rarely troubled Argentina during the match before substitute Wout Weghorst's header in the 83rd minute sparked them into life and he rolled the ball past goalkeeper Emi Martinez deep into stoppage time to send the game into extra time. Argentina captain Lionel Messi had superbly set up Nahuel Molina for their first-half opener, threading a sublime pass through the Dutch defence, before coolly slotting in a penalty in the 73rd minute after Denzel Dumfries fouled Marcos Acuna. Argentina will next face Croatia, who beat Brazil on penalties earlier, on Tuesday for a place in the final. Reporting by Hritika Sharma; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Messi scores in milestone match as Argentina reach World Cup quarters
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Martin Petty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi scored his first goal in a World Cup knockout round on his 1,000th career appearance to beat Diego Maradona's tournament tally for Argentina as they beat off a late Australia fightback to win 2-1 on Saturday and reach the quarter-finals. Messi put Argentina ahead after 35 minutes with a coolly taken strike low into the corner for his 94th international goal to pass the great Maradona's eight World Cup goals, in a match where he was instrumental in almost every Argentine attack. Lifted throughout by rapturous, overwhelmingly Argentine support that sang and bounced in unison on all sides of the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Argentina pressed and finally made the breakthrough. After Goodwin's deflected shot found the net, there was a real prospect of extra time in a stadium where the Socceroos had booked their World Cup place via a penalty shootout in an intercontinental playoff earlier this year. Argentina looked dangerous late on as they battled for a third goal, with Lautaro Martinez firing wide before substitute Garang Kuol missed with seconds left in stoppage time.

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Tokyo (CNN Business) Japan tried to shore up the value of its currency Thursday by buying yen and selling US dollars for the first time in 24 years. The yen had earlier plunged to its lowest level since 1998 after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates aggressively while the Bank of Japan kept its rates in negative territory in a bid to boost its fragile economic recovery. The currency has lost about 20% this year against a surging US dollar"In the current foreign exchange market, we are seeing rapid and one-sided movements against the backdrop of speculative activities," Japan's vice finance minister for international affairs Masato Kanda told reporters on Thursday. "The government is concerned about these excessive fluctuations and has just taken decisive action," he added. Thursday's decision marks the first time since 1998 that the Japanese government intervened in the foreign exchange market by buying yen.

☆ Advertising for Latin American brands are pursuing more diversity in campaigns
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-14 | by ( Insider Intelligence | Matteo Ceurvels | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Many consumers in Latin America are no longer content to let brands sit on the sidelines of tough conversations. The following is a preview of one Media, Advertising, and Marketing report, the Analyst Take: How Brands in Latin America Are Addressing Diversity and Representation in Advertising. Latin America is a region of many paradoxes. Latin America companies promoting diversityLatin American ecommerce giant Mercado Libre is one example of a regional company that has embraced diversity in its marketing materials. The campaign also partnered with Young, Gifted, and Black (YGB), an image bank that offers photos taken by Black women, of Black women.

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