DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Mister Cee, ‘legendary’ New York City disc jockey, dead at 57
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“As a family at HOT 97 and WBLS, we’re deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved Mister Cee,” reads the statement posted on Hot 97’s site. LeBrun’s childhood friend Kevin “DJ 50 Grand” Griffin helped rapper Christopher Wallace record his demo, which launched him into infamy as The Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls. “The first time I met him was when his DJ 50 Grand, rest in peace, [DJ 50 Grand died in 2022] brought Big to my house. The plan was we were going to redo the basement demo that he and 50 Grand put together,” LeBraun told Rock the Bells last year. (Death of Auto-Tune)” by saying, “I made this just for Flex and Mister Cee.”

Persons: Mister Cee, Big Daddy Kane, we’re, ”, Cee, Calvin LeBrun, Kane, Kevin “, ” Griffin, Christopher Wallace, Biggie Smalls, “, ” LeBraun, don’t, Wallace, ” LeBrun, Jay, Funkmaster Organizations: CNN, DJ Locations: New, Bedford, Stuyvesant, Brooklyn , New York, New York City

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The shakeup of Walt Disney World's governing district more than a year after it was taken over by Gov. Ron DeSantis' appointees continued Wednesday with the departure of its board chairman who had been highly critical of Disney. In an email, DeSantis' communications director, Bryan Griffin, thanked Garcia for “successfully navigating” the transition of the district from a governing body controlled by Disney supporters to the current iteration controlled by DeSantis appointees. As punishment for opposition to the law, DeSantis took over the district through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and appointed a new board of supervisors. Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees, claiming the company’s free speech rights were violated for speaking out against the legislation.

Persons: Walt Disney, Ron DeSantis, Martin Garcia's, Glen Gilzean, DeSantis, Martin didn't, Bryan Griffin, Garcia, “, Garcia “, ” Griffin, Stephanie Kopelousos, Kopelousos, ”, Disney, Mike Schneider Organizations: Gov, Disney, Central, Republican, DeSantis, Florida Legislature, Straight Alliance Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Central Florida, Orange County, Orlando, Florida

☆ How using the 14th Amendment against Trump went from a ‘pipe-dream fantasy’ to the Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

‘A sheer coincidence’The journey to the Supreme Court unknowingly began even before the insurrection itself. (In the Cawthorn case, the group partnered with a retired GOP state Supreme Court justice.) CREW appealed to the Colorado Supreme Court, whose members were all appointed by Democratic governors, though they originate from a pool of candidates recommended by a bipartisan panel. Trump appealed the Colorado ruling to the US Supreme Court in early January and oral arguments are set for Thursday. “It’s embarrassing, and it shows the imbalance on our state Supreme Court,” Buck told CNN.

Persons: Donald Trump, “, –, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Madison Cawthorn, coalescing, ”, Donald Sherman, Gerard Magliocca, ” Magliocca, United States …, Trump, Donald Trump’s, Jack Dempsey, Mitch McConnell, ” He’d, hadn’t, James Bopp, Greene, didn’t, Ron Fein, resoundingly, Bopp, ” Fein, Couy Griffin, ” Sherman, Griffin, ” Griffin, Trump’s, William Baude, Michael Stokes Paulsen, J, Michael Luttig, ‘, Sherman, Winston Pingeon, Pingeon, Sarah Wallace, ” Donald Sherman, State Jena Griswold, FDR, Norma Anderson, “ I’ve, Wallace, Magliocca, disqualifying Trump, Carlos Samour, vindicating, Ken Buck, Ken Buck of Colorado, denialism, Buck, ” Buck, …, ” CNN’s Scott Bronstein Organizations: Washington CNN, Trump, Liberal, Rep, Madison, Citizens, Indiana University, United, Capitol, AP Police, National Guard, Republican, Republicans, GOP, Amnesty, ”, Cowboys, Trump Republicans, Federalist Society, Colorado Supreme, US Capitol Police, Responsibility, Ethics, Abaca Press, Colorado, State, Colorado Legislature, Court, Democratic, Dissenting, US Supreme, Supreme, CNN Locations: Colorado’s, Colorado, Thursday’s, America, Washington, United States, DC, Colorado and Maine, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, North Carolina, Cawthorn, Georgia, New Mexico, Denver, “ Colorado, Israel, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington ,, Dissenting Colorado, Oregon, Illinois, Ken Buck of

☆ Tex McIver — an Atlanta attorney sentenced to life — may walk out of prison after admitting he killed his wife
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Christina Maxouris | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Behind Diane sat her husband, Claud Lee “Tex” McIver, an attorney with powerful political connections, with a gun in his lap. Claud "Tex" McIver enters the courtroom holding a bible filled with papers before his sentencing at the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta in May 2018. A family photo of Tex McIver and his wife, Diane. “There is no doubt that Tex McIver depended on his wife’s money,” defense attorney Bruce Harvey said in trial. Tex McIver pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of his wife, Diane, on Friday, January 26, 2024.

Persons: Dani Jo Carter, Carter, Diane McIver, Diane, Claud Lee “ Tex ” McIver, “ Tex, ” Diane muttered, Claud, Tex, McIver, Alyssa Pointer, Fani Willis, retry McIver, Robert McBurney, McIver’s, –, he’s, Don Samuel, Diane chatted, Tex McIver, ” McIver, Seleta Griffin, Tex McIver’s, Griffin, Diane McIver's, Hyosub Shin, Zuma, ”, Clint Rucker, “, ” Prosecutors, ” Griffin, Bruce Harvey, Prosecutors, court’s, codicil, Adam Abbate, Samuel, Amanda Clark Palmer, CNN’s Jamiel Lynch Organizations: CNN, Ford Expedition, Georgia Supreme, WSB, Atlanta, TNS, ”, Prosecutors Locations: Atlanta, Fulton, Georgia, Fulton County, ” Fulton County, Putnam County, Buckhead, “, –

NEW YORK (AP) — After initially staying out of the 2024 presidential race, billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin has thrown his support behind Nikki Haley as she takes on Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination. Griffin made two contributions in December and January to a super PAC backing Haley's campaign totaling $5 million, according to Zia Ahmed, a spokesman for Griffin’s Citadel hedge fund. The second donation was made in early January, before the Iowa caucuses in which Haley finished third behind Trump and Florida Gov. “It's a narrower road than it was eight weeks ago,” Griffin said earlier Tuesday of Haley's path to becoming the nominee. Griffin was initially expected to support DeSantis, having praised him before he jumped into the race last year.

Persons: —, Ken Griffin, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Griffin, Zia Ahmed, Haley, Ron DeSantis, “, ” Griffin, ” Organizations: Republican, Citadel, Trump, Florida Gov, United Nations, “, U.S . House, Disney Locations: Iowa, Miami, New Hampshire, South Carolina, America, Florida

☆ $500 million Harvard megadonor halts donations, says elite schools produce ‘whiny snowflakes’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

At a conference in Miami on Tuesday, Griffin expressed deep frustration with the state of American universities, including the disastrous testimony before Congress by the presidents of Harvard, MIT and UPenn. Griffin, the founder of hedge fund Citadel, said he is no longer supporting Harvard financially but would like that to change. The donor backlash at Ivy League schools raises questions about the sway wealthy individuals hold over educational institutions. Just last April, Griffin made a $300 million gift to Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). Griffin suggested that students at elite schools are “just caught up in the rhetoric of oppressor and oppressee and… just like whiny snowflakes.”The billionaire also reiterated that he won’t hire students who signed an anti-Israel statement issued by Harvard organizations in October.

Persons: Ken Griffin, ” Griffin, Griffin, CNBC’s Leslie Picker, ”, “, “ Will, it’s “, Leslie Wexner, Len Blavatnik Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Harvard University, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, MIT, UPenn, Citadel, MFA Network Miami, Ivy League, Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, FAS, Harvard College, Bloomberg Locations: New York, Columbia, Miami, microaggressions, Israel

Casino magnate Steve Wynn spent the night of the New Hampshire primary alongside Trump. Ron DeSantis’ biggest financial backers and donated $20 million to the super PAC backing DeSantis’ presidential bid. While some of these high-dollar financiers are coming around to Trump, others have shifted to former South Carolina Gov. Her fundraising swing through New York City is expected to bring in $1.5 million in new donations, according to a Haley campaign official. We are anywhere and everywhere in South Carolina.

Persons: Donald Trump, Steve Wynn, Robert Bigelow, Las Vegas businessman Don Ahern, Trump, Ahern, Bigelow, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Rebekah Mercer, Nikki Haley, MAGA, Haley – Trump’s, –, Haley, Charles Koch, Susie Wiles, Ken Griffin, Paul Singer, Ricketts, Griffin, Haley’s, ”, “, ” Griffin, Zia Ahmed, Ahmed, Dave McCormick’s, Tim Sheehy’s, Ken Langone, Cliff Asness, Stanley Druckenmiller, Nikki, ” Asness, “ We’ve, CNN’s Ebony Davis Organizations: CNN, Casino, New, Trump . Aerospace, Las Vegas businessman, Trump, Florida Gov, GOP, Mercer, Politico, South Carolina Gov, Inc, South Carolina, Republican, Prosperity, American Opportunity Alliance, Chicago Cubs, Citadel, U.S . House, ”, Republicans, Wall, AQR Capital Management, South, CBS News Locations: Lago, New Hampshire, Las, Trump’s, Nevada, Palm Beach , Florida, Florida, Trump, Kansas, Palm Beach, Pennsylvania, Montana, New York, New York City, ”, South Carolina

Thoughts and prayers for the players who only kept full PGA Tour cards without guaranteed access to the signature events. And now the signature events will have $20 million purses (same as LIV) with $4 million to the winner (same as LIV). “How many golf fans actually know what the PIP on the PGA Tour is?” he wrote on Instagram, posting the results for all to see. “There’s 150-200 members of the PGA Tour and they just spent $100 million on 20 players. Lashley wasn’t criticizing the PGA Tour on behalf of everyone, but he’s not a lone voice.

Persons: won’t, Jay Monahan, LIV Golf, LIV, Barbara Nicklaus, Nate Lashley, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, pipping, Woods, McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, “, ”, Wyndham Clark, Clark, Lashley, Scheffler, Cameron Smith, Lashley wasn’t, he’s, Emiliano Grillo, ” Grillo, you’re, We’ve, Lanto Griffin, ” Griffin, Golfweek, I’ve, It’s, it's, ___ Organizations: Players, FedEx, Saudi, Sports Business, Lashley, PGA, PGA Tour, Wells, U.S ., Ryder, He's, Colonial, Torrey Pines Locations: Rome, Bahamas

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored an NBA season-high 54 points, but committed two turnovers after Tyrese Haliburton’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:29 left and the Indiana Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 126-124 on Thursday night. Myles Turner added 21 points for the Pacers, who shot 48% from the field, including a 20-of-48 performance from 3-point range. Khris Middleton, who had 19 points and made a 3 at the final buzzer, missed a 3 that would have tied the game with 7 seconds left. Bruce Brown, who had 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, sealed the win with two foul shots of his own in the final seconds. Antetokounmpo scored 26 points in the first half, including 18 in the second quarter, and then 20 more in the third period.

Persons: — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tyrese Haliburton’s, Bennedict Mathurin, “, Rick Carlisle, You’ve, ” Antetokounmpo, ” Mathurin, Zach LaVine, Myles Turner, Damian Lillard, soreness, Michael Redd’s, Khris Middleton, Mathurin, Bruce Brown, Antetokounmpo, Middleton’s, Adrian Griffin, Griffin, Giannis, ” Griffin Organizations: INDIANAPOLIS, NBA, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Pacers, Bucks, Detroit, Milwaukee, Magic, Philadelphia 76ers Locations: Haliburton, ” Indiana, Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo, Indiana, Middleton

The Associated Press has not yet called the race — one of four uncalled contests that will determine the final margins in each chamber. Senate Republicans conceded late Tuesday that Democrats had taken that chamber's majority. House Republicans had not issued any kind of statement as of mid-morning Wednesday. Also uncalled by the AP Wednesday morning was the Tidewater matchup between Democratic incumbent Monty Mason and his GOP challenger, Danny Diggs. And in a competitive race south of Richmond uncalled by the AP, Republican incumbent Kim Taylor held a narrow lead over Democrat Kimberly Pope Adams.

Persons: Glenn Youngkin, Joel Griffin, Tara Durant, ” Griffin, Youngkin, ” Susan Swecker, Monty Mason, Danny Diggs, Diggs, Republican David Owen, Democrat Susanna Gibson, Gibson, Kim Taylor, Democrat Kimberly Pope Adams, Taylor, Adams, Dave Rexrode, ” “ Organizations: Senate, Republican Gov, Democratic, Republican, Associated Press, Virginia Republicans, Commonwealth, Democratic Party of Virginia, Republicans, House Republicans, AP, Tidewater, GOP, House, Democrat Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Virginia, Virginia's, Stafford County, “, Richmond, Hampton Roads, ”

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo wanted to make sure his contract status didn't distract the Milwaukee Bucks as they made a run at another championship. Antetokounmpo, 28, explained his decision Tuesday, one day after announcing on social media he had agreed to the extension. Antetokounmpo signed the extension and then gave the pen to his mother, who owns the pens from all the contracts he has signed since joining the NBA. Antetokounmpo said he realized he could benefit financially by signing now and then again in 2026 when he's eligible for another extension. Antetokounmpo said he also followed some advice from his older brother, Bucks teammate Thanasis Antetokounmpo.

Persons: — Giannis Antetokounmpo, ” Antetokounmpo, Oh, Giannis, “, Antetokounmpo, Mike Budenholzer, Adrian Griffin, Damian Lillard —, ” Griffin, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis, — Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Lopez —, Lopez, Middleton, “ It’s, ” Organizations: MILWAUKEE, Milwaukee Bucks, Bucks, Miami Heat, Milwaukee, NBA, Portland Trail Blazers Locations: Greece, Milwaukee

None looked to have a reasonable birdie chance until List poured in his putt and slammed his fist in celebration. Still with a one-shot lead, he was in the left rough when he pulled his approach to the 18th hole near the grandstands. Mark Hubbard stood over a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to take the lead. He three-putted for bogey, took bogey on the final hole and shot 67 to miss the playoff by one shot. But he came up well short of the 18th hole, made bogey and shot 72 to miss the playoff by one shot.

Persons: JACKSON, Luke, Ben Griffin, Griffin, Ludvig Aberg, Henrik Norlander, Scott Stallings, “ It's, “, It's, ” Griffin, ”, Norlander, Stallings, ” Aberg, Mark Hubbard, Carl Yuan, ___ Organizations: Sanderson, Country Club of Jackson, PGA, Torrey Pines, The Locations: Miss, Swedish, Kapalua

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Court of Appeals on Monday asked the state's highest court to decide whether Republican state senators who carried out a record-setting GOP walkout this year can run for reelection. Oregon voters last year overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure that created the amendment following GOP walkouts in the Legislature in 2019, 2020 and 2021. They and Oregon Department of Justice attorneys on the opposite side of the case jointly last month asked the appeals court to send the matter straight to the state Supreme Court. The appeals court on Monday formally asked the Oregon Supreme Court to take the case, said Todd Sprague, spokesman for the Oregon Judicial Department. The senators insist that the way the amendment to the state constitution is written means they can seek another term.

Persons: LaVonne Griffin, Valade, “, Oregonians, ” Griffin, Griffin, Todd Sprague, Sprague, Sen, Bill Hansell, Tim Knopp, they’ve, ” Knopp, Ben Morris Organizations: Oregon, Monday, Appeals, Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon Supreme, Oregon Judicial Department, Oregon Republicans, Democrat Locations: SALEM, Ore, Oregon, Statehouses, Montana , Tennessee, United States, U.S, Rhode Island, Rutland , Massachusetts

☆ Flight attendants’ secrets for surviving summer travel
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

Navigating air travel at this time of year can be fraught, but it doesn’t have to be – and if anyone’s got intel on smoothly and successfully surviving summer travel, it’s the flight attendants who’ve seen it all. But the flight attendants say the lost sleep is worth it in the long run. Andrew adds that this advice is especially crucial if you’re flying internationally, suggesting that whatever you consider a “normal” connection time, you should probably double if you’re flying long haul. Consider whether check-in luggage is necessaryThe flight attendants always travel with carry-on luggage only and generally speaking encourage others to do the same. Rich Henderson, flight attendantOften flight attendants are just as clueless as passengers.

Persons: anyone’s, who’ve, Rich Henderson, Andrew Henderson, Rich, Andrew, Essence Griffin, who’s, ”, Griffin, “, hasn’t, There’s, you’re, that’s, you’ve, “ They’ll, it’s, ” Rich, she’s, they’ve, ” Griffin, she’d, They’ve, there’s, Andrew’s, Ying Tang, we’ve, Andrew points, Rich haven’t, I’ve, “ I’m, They’re, ’, –, ” Rather, what’s, “ We’re, It’s, aren’t, ” Griffin’s, ” Andew Organizations: CNN, intel, ”, Netflix Locations: There’s, Europe, Duesseldorf, Germany

☆ Ron DeSantis praised Anthony Fauci for Covid response in spring 2020 for ‘really doing a good job’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Andrew Kaczynski | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

And from Dr. Birx to Dr. Fauci to the vice president who’s worked very hard, the surgeon general, they’re really doing a good job. “Governor DeSantis would’ve fired Anthony Fauci.”In a news conference on Tuesday, DeSantis also acknowledged mistakes early in the pandemic. DeSantis, like Trump, later broke with Fauci over reopening Florida in July 2020, but he didn’t begin regularly harshly criticizing Fauci until spring 2021. Speaking at a news briefing on March 21, 2020, DeSantis made similar comments praising Fauci. “I would defer to people like Dr. Fauci,” DeSantis said on March 14, 2020.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Anthony, Fauci, DeSantis, “, ”, they’re, ” DeSantis, Birx, who’s, Trump, Bryan Griffin, ” Griffin, DeSantis would’ve, Anthony Fauci, I’ve, retweeting, Dan Scavino, didn’t, reopenings, we’ve, they’ve, we’re Organizations: CNN, Republican, “, National Institute of Allergy, Diseases, Trump Locations: Florida, Fauci, Iowa

☆ As Trump readies possible 2024 White House run, GOP megadonors back DeSantis, Youngkin, other Republicans
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sabin contributed $55,000 this year to a pro-DeSantis PAC, Friends of Ron DeSantis, which supported the Florida governor's successful bid for reelection, according to state campaign finance records. Trump, meanwhile, has scheduled a primetime announcement Tuesday night, heavily hinting that it will be his presidential campaign launch. Trump also endorsed dozens of winning House candidates, but many of those Republicans were in firmly red districts without a serious competitor. Ross hosted a fundraiser for Trump at his Hamptons home in 2019 to raise money for Trump's campaign and the Republican National Committee. While Levine didn't personally donate to Trump's races, he helped raise campaign cash for several other candidates Trump endorsed in the last cycle.

“Tim Ryan is running the best Senate race in the country and having to do it all by his lonesome,” said Irene Lin, an Ohio-based Democratic strategist who managed Tom Nelson’s Senate primary campaign in Wisconsin this year. After losing two presidential campaigns and a race for governor in the state since 2016, national Democrats are wary about spending in Ohio, once a quintessential battleground. The barrage includes a spot attacking Ryan, who has portrayed himself as a moderate, as a party-line voter beholden to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. Other national Democrats have tipped their hat to Ryan, noting how his moderate message has put the seat within striking distance, if not higher on the party’s list of priorities. “The national Democrats have walked away from Ohio prematurely,” Griffin said.

Search resuls for: "” Griffin"

17 mentions found