DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ How Trump’s Hush-Money Case Failed to Capture America’s Imagination - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

If I’d pictured Donald Trump’s first criminal trial a few years ago, I’d have imagined the biggest, splashiest story in the world. In a recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll, only 16 percent of respondents said they were following the trial very closely, with an additional 32 percent following it “somewhat” closely. When people were asked how the trial made them feel, the most common response was “bored.” TV ratings tell a similar story. “Network coverage of Donald Trump’s hush money trial has failed to produce blockbuster viewership,” Deadline reported at the end of April. I’m aware of no similar effort to dramatize this trial’s testimony, and I almost never hear ordinary people talking about it.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, ”, Yahoo News’s Andrew Romano, who’d, Robert Mueller’s, Robert DeNiro, Rosie Perez, Laurence Fishburne, you’re, you’ve, Trump, — Organizations: Republican, Yahoo, Cable, MSNBC

OpenAI’s fear factorThe tech world’s collective eyebrows rose last week when Ilya Sutskever, the OpenAI co-founder who briefly led a rebellion against Sam Altman, resigned as chief scientist. “Safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products,” Jan Leike, who resigned from OpenAI last week, wrote on the social network X. Along with Sutskever, Leike oversaw the company’s so-called superalignment team, which was tasked with making sure products didn’t become a threat to humanity. Sutskever said in his departing note that he was confident OpenAI would build artificial general intelligence — A.I. Leike spoke for many safety-first OpenAI employees, according to Vox.

Persons: Ilya Sutskever, Sam Altman, hadn’t, ” Jan Leike, Sutskever, Leike, —, Vox, Daniel Kokotajlo, Altman Organizations: OpenAI, C.E.O

☆ Scottie Scheffler was arrested, then came back to shoot 5-under par at the PGA Championship
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Ramon Sanchez | Ray Sanchez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

John Mills enjoyed working security at Valhalla Golf Club, his family says. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler was handcuffed by police Friday morning. When Scheffler exited the vehicle, the officer shoved Scheffler against the car and immediately placed him in handcuffs.”Darlington attempted unsuccessfully to intervene. “The police officers around the patrol car in which Scottie Scheffler was in had no idea he was even Scottie Scheffler,” Darlington said on air. He was proceeding as directed by another traffic officer and driving a marked player’s vehicle with credentials visible,” Romines said in a statement, referring to Scheffler.

Persons: Scottie Scheffler, Scheffler, didn’t, John Mills, ”, “, ” Scheffler, Mills, Craig Greenberg, ” Mills, Collin Morikawa, Bryan Gillis, Gillis, ” Scheffler “, abrasions, Jeff Darlington, Scheffler “, ” Darlington, Darlington, …, ’, Steven Romines, Romines, Scottie, Josh Abner, Mike O’Connell, Andrew Redington, “ Let’s, ’ ” Scheffler Organizations: CNN, PGA, Valhalla Golf, Louisville Metro Police Department, WDRB, Valhalla Golf Club, Lexus, ESPN, Police, “ Locations: Louisville , Kentucky, Shelbyville, Valhalla, ” Darlington, Louisville, “, Jefferson County

☆ PGA Championship: Xander Schauffele holds his nerve to clinch long-awaited first major
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —American golfer Xander Schauffele won the 106th PGA Championship on Sunday, holding off compatriot Bryson DeChambeau in a nail-biting finale to clinch a long-awaited first major title. A final round six-under 65 was just enough to clinch a maiden major title for Schauffele, shredding his unwanted title as one of the most talented golfers to never win one of golf’s four flagship events. Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesDeChambeau laments his ‘B’ gameA fired up DeChambeau played a near-perfect round to push Schauffele to the death, shooting a bogey-free 64 as he hunted a second major crown. 1 and tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler before Friday’s second round. Scheffler escapes a bunker during the final round.

Persons: Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, LIV Golf’s DeChambeau, Schauffele, Wanamaker, “ It’s, I’ve, ‘, ” “, ’, Andrew Redington, DeChambeau, Xander, ” DeChambeau, “, Norway’s Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, bogeying, Belgium’s Thomas Detry, Scottie Scheffler, Scheffler, Adam Cairns, Reuters “ I’m, ” Scheffler, Schauffele’s bogeyless, Hovland, lasering, ”, birdies, Scott Taetsch, LIV Organizations: CNN, 106th, Valhalla Golf Club, Masters, Reuters, PGA, Pinehurst, Country Club, America Locations: American, Louisville , Kentucky, Lousville, USA, Texas, North Carolina, Valhalla, Hovland

☆ PGA Championship: Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele top crowded leaderboard
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Gabherzig | Hugh Kellenberger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Scottie Scheffler has dropped off, but a crowded leaderboard still exists after Round 3 of the PGA Championship on Saturday. AdvertisementSchauffele, seeking his first major championship, has led after each round of the PGA Championship, but shares it for the first time with Morikawa, who is looking for major No. Shane Lowry (who shot a PGA Championship record-tying 62), Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland are tied for fourth at 13-under. Theegala ticking off his first major championship and contending on the biggest stage of his career. Justin Rose becoming the first Englishman to win the PGA Championship in 100 years.

Persons: — Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Schauffele, Morikawa, Sahith, Shane Lowry, Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre, Dean Burmester, Scheffler, bogeys, Ted Scott, Scott, Lowry, Hovland, Joe Mayo, MacIntyre, Hodges, Andrew Redington Organizations: PGA, Valhalla Golf Club, Ryder, Scheffler, Valhalla Locations: LOUISVILLE, Ky

☆ Former Augusta National Golf Club employee pleads guilty to stealing millions worth of Masters memorabilia and merchandise
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Samuel Joseph | Sam Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A former employee of the Augusta National Golf Club (ANGC) in Georgia has pleaded guilty to stealing millions worth of Masters Tournament merchandise and memorabilia. A view of a Members Only sign outside of Augusta National Golf Club prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament on April 7. The 11th green is prepared prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6. CNN has contacted Augusta National for further comment. Unlike the other majors, The Masters is played at the same course every year, with Augusta National hosting the event since the year it was founded.

Persons: CNN —, Richard Globensky, Globensky’s, Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Globensky, Bobby Jones, Andrew Redington, “, Maddie Meyer, Tom Church, Scottie Scheffler Organizations: CNN, Augusta National Golf, District of Illinois Eastern, Masters, Augusta National, United States Attorney’s Office, Prosecutors, Augusta National Golf Club, PGA, U.S . Locations: Georgia, Chicago, Augusta, Florida

☆ Scottie Scheffler: The new father and man of faith with the golfing world at his feet
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Scottie Scheffler is a man well-accustomed to making global headlines, but almost never for events beyond the confines of the golf course. In 2014, at 17, as an amateur he made a hole-in-one and the cut on his first PGA Tour start. Without a PGA Tour victory heading into 2022, by April of that year he was a four-time victor, the world No. 1’s image as the self-effacing star of the PGA Tour, a perception he is content to endorse. His 10th PGA Tour title, it made him the first golfer since Woods in 2006 to win a PGA Tour event the week after triumphing at a major.

Persons: Scottie Scheffler, Tiger Woods, Scheffler, Ryder, Scheffler coasted, “, Meredith, ” Scheffler, Ted Scott, ” Scottie Scheffler, David J, Phillip, Mary, Grandma, CNN Sport’s Don Riddell, Jared C, Tilton, Scheffler’s, Riddell, ”, I’m, I’ve, golf’s, Jamie Squire, Arnold Palmer, Andrew Redington, Bennett, Woods, triumphing, Rory McIlroy, Scott Organizations: CNN, Dallas, PGA, Augusta National, University of Texas, TPC, PGA Tour, Cowboys, Team USA, Ryder, Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage, Northern Locations: Ridgewood , New Jersey, Augusta, Ponte Vedra Beach , Florida, Dallas, Rome, Valhalla, Louisville

Regulatory warsThe Supreme Court lifted the existential threat hanging over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, rejecting a challenge to the agency’s funding. The decision could have huge consequences for a raft of conservative-led lawsuits involving administrative authority — but business groups and Republicans are vowing to fight on. A recap: Payday lenders had sued the C.F.P.B. over a rule that would limit the number of times they could withdraw money from a customer’s account for repayment. The companies and conservative groups argued that the practice wasn’t harmful, and said the way the regulator is funded — via annual allocations from the Fed’s profits rather than from Congress — was unconstitutional.

Persons: Congress — Organizations: Consumer Financial Protection, Congress

☆ Donald Trump's allies are doing his dirty work while tiptoeing around his gag order
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Geoff Weiss | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But while the former president has been uncharacteristically restrained recently, a cast of Republican lawmakers and Trump surrogates have traveled to court to rail about the proceedings. It's raised questions about whether the "surrogates" could be violating Trump's gag order. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who has been floated as a potential VP pick, told Newsmax one reason he attended was to "overcome this gag order." Under the gag order, Trump is not allowed to comment about Cohen. But Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, told BI that "practically speaking," Judge Merchan can do little to stop lawmakers from speaking on Trump's behalf.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Michael Cohen, It's, Mike Johnson, JD Vance, Ohio, Rick Scott of, Vivek Ramaswamy, Vance, Doug Burgum, Matt Gaetz, Michael M, Trump, Juan Merchan's, Andrew Rice, he'd, Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Lauren Boebert, Cohen, Boebert, Donald J, Andrew Lieb, Lieb, ANGELA WEISS, Laurie Levenson, Neama, Merchan, Rahmani, Jeff Modisett Organizations: Service, Republican, Trump, Business, Sens, Gov, Republicans, MSNBC, Caucus, Loyola Law, Former Indiana Locations: Rick Scott of Florida, Florida, Alabama, Colorado, Manhattan

☆ Looks like Elon Musk's belated 40th birthday present to Mark Zuckerberg is reviving that bizarre cage match bet
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Turns out, if you're Elon Musk, the biggest birthday present you can gift to a tech world nemesis may just be yourself. All of this is to say that one day after Mark Zuckerberg's 40th birthday, Elon Musk is back on their old beef, bringing up that fight he challenged Zuckerberg to last year. "I'm up for a cage match if he is lol," Musk said in an X post on June 20, 2023. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2023Zuckerberg, however, said Musk never made it clear when they were scheduled to glove up and face off in the ring. Advertisement"Zuck is a chicken," he wrote in an X post on August 13.

Persons: —, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg's, Zuckerberg, I've, Musk, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, I’ve, ake, lear, ince, ade Organizations: Service, Business, ust Locations: lon, usk, lade

Inflation euphoria goes globalStocks in Asia and parts of Europe rose on Thursday as investors bet that new data showing inflation easing would finally persuade central bankers to lower interest rates from multidecade highs. Another test comes on Thursday when Walmart, a bellwether for U.S. consumer sentiment, reports quarterly results. The market moves follow Wednesday’s Consumer Price Index report, which came in better than expected. Inflation remains well above the Fed’s 2 percent target, but traders were encouraged by the results. The futures market now sees two Fed rate cuts this year, the first most likely coming in September.

Organizations: Walmart Locations: Asia, Europe

Behind a big shake-upA day after OpenAI announced major updates to its ChatGPT chatbot, the company said its chief scientist and co-founder was leaving. There were signs that Ilya Sutskever would quit, six months after he helped lead the rebellion that briefly ousted Sam Altman as OpenAI’s C.E.O. But it also raises questions about the future of a leading developer of generative A.I. “OpenAI would not exist without him and certainly was shaped by him,” Altman told The Times about Sutskever. But Sutskever’s presence at OpenAI may have become untenable.

Persons: OpenAI, Ilya Sutskever, Sam Altman, OpenAI’s, “ OpenAI, ” Altman, Altman, Elon Musk, Sutskever Organizations: Times

The restrictions build on Trump-era measures, and many are likely to appeal to voters in battleground states ahead of the election. But it’s less clear if they are enough to rebuild America’s industrial base in a global race with China to lead in the new economy. The new duties will apply to about $18 billion of annual Chinese imports, the Biden administration said. Biden is at pains to say that he’s being smarter than Trump on China. Trump imposed sweeping trade barriers and has vowed to impose more if he’s re-elected.

Persons: Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, he’s Organizations: China, Trump Locations: China, American, U.S

Wall Street is increasingly divided over whether the Fed will cut interest rates by Election Day. New inflation data out this week will go a long way toward settling that question, as polls show that President Biden is struggling to convince voters that he’s done a good job on the economy. A first-quarter uptick in inflation has forced the Fed to keep borrowing costs at a 23-year high. Economists see a slight improvement, forecasting that April’s Consumer Price Index report on Wednesday will show that inflation moderated slightly last month. (Economists will also be watching Tuesday’s Producer Price Index and retail sales data on Wednesday.)

Persons: Biden, he’s, Sarah House, ” Organizations: Fed Locations: Wells Fargo

The “stretched” consumerBetter than expected quarterly earnings have helped propel the S&P 500 to within a whisker of a record high on Friday. But Wall Street and Washington are closely monitoring another worrying economic indicator: the struggling consumer. The split-screen view of the economy is becoming clearer as earnings season draws to a close. Mass-market brands, like the fast-food companies McDonald’s, KFC and Starbucks, have reported that a lot of customers are pulling back on spending as high inflation bites. This is “an economy of the haves and have-nots,” Michael Reid, an economist for RBC Capital Markets, told DealBook.

Persons: Biden, ” Michael Reid, DealBook Organizations: KFC, Starbucks, RBC Capital Markets Locations: Washington

Splitting the Paramount empireEver since Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management expressed interest in buying Paramount Global, a big question has loomed over the potential $26 billion deal: What would they do with the company? The answer: Break it up, write The Times’s Ben Mullin and DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch. Sony and Apollo would keep Paramount Pictures. Paramount Pictures would become part of a joint venture controlled by Sony, with Apollo taking a minority stake in the new entity that it could eventually sell to Sony or to another buyer. The venture would also keep Paramount’s library of films and TV shows, as well as the rights to characters like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Persons: Ben Mullin, DealBook’s Lauren Hirsch, “ Organizations: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Apollo Global Management, Paramount Global, Sony, Apollo, Paramount Pictures, Paramount

☆ Rory McIlroy says he won’t return to PGA Tour policy board after ‘pretty messy’ conversations
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Jack Bantock | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Rory McIlroy will not be returning to the PGA Tour policy board any time soon after some “pretty complicated and pretty messy” conversations, the Northern Irishman said Wednesday. “There’s been a lot of conversations,” McIlroy, speaking ahead of the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina, told reporters. “It got pretty complicated and pretty messy, and I think with the way it happened, it opened up some old wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before. “There was a subset of people on the board that were maybe uncomfortable with me coming back on for some reason. “I’ve had a pretty slow start to the season, especially over here in the States,” he said.

Persons: Rory McIlroy, ”, Webb Simpson, –, McIlroy, “ There’s, ” McIlroy, Webb, Andrew Redington, LIV Golf, LIV, weren’t, it’s, we’ve, “ It’s, that’s, Shane Lowry, “ I’ve, “ Organizations: CNN, PGA Tour, Wells, PGA, LIV Golf, “, Zurich, New Locations: North Carolina, Saudi, New Orleans

CNN —Israel’s attack in the southern Gaza city of Rafah has expanded from airstrikes to ground operations, new satellite images obtained by CNN from Planet Labs show. Satellite images suggest these strikes are continuing, with one picture showing smoke still rising from one location. Palestinians arrive at Al Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah, Gaza, after Israeli air strikes on May 8. Planet Labs, PBC Satellite images from May 6 and May 7 show damage in Rafah, Gaza. Planet Labs, PBC Satellite images show Rafah, Gaza, before and during an airstrike.

Persons: CNN —, Israel, Tal, Benjamin Netanyahu, Gazans, “, Jens Laerke Organizations: CNN, Planet Labs, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Al Kuwaiti, Al, PBC, ”, 401st Brigade Combat, Hamas, Food Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, Al Kuwaiti, Tal Al Sultan, ”, Geneva . Northern Gaza

☆ Palantir CEO Alex Karp: It's dangerous to allow discrimination on our college campuses
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPalantir CEO Alex Karp: It's dangerous to allow discrimination on our college campusesCNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin reports on the remarks from Palantir CEO Alex Karp at the Ash Carter Exchange on Innovation and National Security in Washington D.C.

Persons: Alex Karp, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Ash Carter Organizations: Ash, Ash Carter Exchange, Innovation, National Security Locations: Washington

The company argues that the law violates the First Amendment by effectively killing an app in the U.S. that millions of Americans use to share their views. Another problem: a divestiture within 270 days is practically impossible, Sapna Maheshwari and David McCabe report for The Times. DealBook spoke with Maheshwari about the lawsuit filed yesterday and what happens next. Do legal experts think TikTok has a chance at winning? Alan Rozenshtein, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, says that a victory is possible based on the “very, very substantial First Amendment challenge” involved.

Persons: TikTok, Sapna Maheshwari, David McCabe, DealBook, Maheshwari, Alan Rozenshtein, ” Organizations: U.S, The Times, University of Minnesota Law School Locations: Washington, ByteDance, U.S

☆ Gen. Mark Milley on Israel-Hamas war: Israel has every right to defend itself
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGen. Mark Milley on Israel-Hamas war: Israel has every right to defend itselfCNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin reports on the remarks from former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley at the Ash Carter Exchange on Innovation and National Security in Washington D.C.

Persons: Mark Milley, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Ash Carter Organizations: Joint Chiefs, Ash, Ash Carter Exchange, Innovation, National Security Locations: Israel, Washington

☆ Disney earnings top analyst estimates as streaming nearly breaks even in the quarter
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailDisney earnings top analyst estimates as streaming nearly breaks even in the quarterCNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin reports on the company's quarterly earnings results.

Persons: Andrew Ross Sorkin

The numbers behind a big fundOn Wall Street, one mystery has been whispered about for months: How accurate is the valuation of Blackstone’s flagship real estate fund? The speculation has arisen because the fund, the $59 billion Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust — more commonly known as BREIT — has managed to keep an “appraised” value of its assets that far exceeds virtually every other real estate fund. Many rivals have fallen in value, some quite dramatically, in the face of high interest rates and a flagging property market. BREIT’s performance has floated above its competition, and it has boasted a 10.5 percent annual return since its 2017 debut. (Those appraisals help to determine a firm’s management fees: The higher the appraisal value, the higher the fees.)

Persons: —, Blackstone, DealBook’s Andrew Ross Sorkin, Michael de la Organizations: Blackstone Real Locations: Michael de la Merced

But there’s an overlooked set of winners as well: utilities and energy companies. The power demands of the huge data centers that underpin the A.I. Wall Street is taking notice — but the climate effect isn’t getting as much attention. Tech’s energy needs are coming into focus as investors get to grips with how much of an “energy hog” generative A.I. Analysts at Wells Fargo see the A.I.

Organizations: Microsoft Locations: Wells

But this year’s event will be the first without Munger, who died in November at age 99 — and comes amid growing questions about Berkshire post-Buffett, who’s 93. Buffett will have a different crew answering questions alongside him on Saturday. Berkshire’s vice chairmen, Greg Abel and Ajit Jain, will be on hand for much of the day. Shareholders most likely will be focused on what Abel, Buffett’s appointed successor as C.E.O. In Buffett’s annual letter to investors, he noted challenges to Berkshire’s biggest businesses, including the BNSF railroad (falling shipment volumes) and its utility business (forest fires).

Persons: Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, Munger, Buffett, Greg Abel, Ajit Jain, Abel, Buffett’s Organizations: Berkshire, Shareholders Locations: Berkshire, Omaha, Woodstock, America

Search resuls for: "Andrew R"

25 mentions found