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☆ Newsroom insiders are bracing for changes at The Wall Street Journal under its new top editor, including layoffs that could hit as early as this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Wall Street Journal staffers are bracing for layoff news as early as this week and other changes under its new EIC. Emma Tucker has shaken up the top editor ranks, and insiders expect changes to the editing process. Wall Street Journal staffers are bracing for layoffs and broader changes under new top editor Emma Tucker. One audio staffer was laid off last week, in keeping with Journal practice to quietly shed people in small numbers. "She's not afraid to ask questions that are challenging Wall Street Journal orthodoxy," a second insider said.

☆ Vice Media's bankruptcy has 'killed the ad pipeline' for the company, sources say, as questions about its future roil staffers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Vice Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 15, leaving current and laid-off staffers anxious over what's next. One advertising source told Insider, "The bankruptcy has killed the ad pipeline." Employees who were laid off in recent weeks are demanding answers about how the company's bankruptcy will affect the terms of their departure. One of the former execs told Insider they were just keeping their fingers crossed that payments come through. A person close to the company said Vice Media intends to pay severance and COBRA, subject to court approval.

☆ Belarus opposition told to 'be ready' for democracy push as rumours of leader's ill health swirl
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Exiled Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya speaks at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit, in Copenhagen, Denmark May 15, 2023. State TV later broadcast a clip of Lukashenko at what it said was a central air force command base. Dressed in a military uniform, Lukashenko appeared to have a bandage on his left hand and to be short of breath at times. "There are many rumours about the dictator Lukashenko's health," Tsikhanouskaya she tweeted to supporters. Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence agency, said in televised comments that Kyiv had information about Lukashenko's health, but said he would not comment for various reasons.

☆ Kentucky Derby Live Updates: Scratch of Favorite Forte Shakes Up Already Chaotic Derby
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Melissa Hoppert | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Secretariat, with jockey Ron Turcotte up, passed his rival, Sham, in the homestrech and ran away with the 99th Kentucky Derby in record time on May 5, 1973. Rumors swirled: he was injured, he lost a step during his 3-year-old season, he just wasn’t the superhorse everyone thought he was, his Wood rival Sham would be the true king of 1973. His rival Sham sat near the lead and made his move to catch the leader, Shecky Greene, at the top of the homestretch. Then, and only then, did Turcotte ask his horse for more, and Secretariat, like the finest of racecars, found another gear. Nearly half of the horses in Saturday’s Derby have Secretariat in their bloodlines.

☆ Forte, the Derby Favorite, Is Scratched Hours Before the Race
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Joe Drape | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky state veterinarians on Saturday morning scratched Forte, the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, after examining him and finding him unfit to compete. State veterinarians have reason to be cautious at the 149th running of the race after four horses died in six days at Churchill Downs. Forte was named last year’s 2-year-old champion and had won six of his seven races. He was to be ridden the by the nation’s top jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr.Now only 18 horses will compete in the Derby. In 2011, Forte’s co-owner, Mike Repole, had to scratch another 2-year-old champion, Uncle Mo, the day before the race.

☆ Here’s something most racing fans agree on: 50 years later, Secretariat is still the GOAT.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Melissa Hoppert | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Coming off a stunning loss in the Wood Memorial, Secretariat, who was named the 2-year-old champion, was suddenly the beneficiary of doubt among the horse racing faithful, despite having won 10 of 11 races going into the derby. Rumors swirled: he was injured, he lost a step during his 3-year-old season, he just wasn’t the superhorse everyone thought he was, his Wood rival Sham would be the true king of 1973. He broke a step slow, a Secretariat trademark, and settled in behind his 12 challengers. His rival Sham sat near the lead and made his move to catch the leader, Shecky Greene, at the top of the homestretch. Then, and only then, did Turcotte ask his horse for more, and Secretariat, like the finest of racecars, found another gear.

☆ Scientists used DNA to unlock who wore a 25,000-year-old pendant
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyA deer tooth pendant has revealed details about the woman who wore it between 19,000 and 25,000 years ago. The groundbreaking analysis by a team of European researchers marks the first time scientists have successfully isolated ancient human DNA from a Stone Age artifact. Gregory BretonWith large ears and adorable faces, sand cats went viral seven years ago when their kittens were photographed in the wild for the first time. Although smaller than domestic cats, sand cats live in harsh environments with scorching heat, hunt venomous Saharan horned vipers and rely on blood from prey as a source of water. To unravel the many mysteries of sand cats, researchers tracked 22 of the felines that had been fitted with radio collars for four years.

☆ Can Brandon Presley Help Mississippi Break from the Past? - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( David Firestone | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Mr. Presley, 45, is one of three elected members of the state Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, and is the former mayor of Nettleton, a small town in the bright-red northeast section of Mississippi. His most effective tactic is his unrelenting attack on Mr. Reeves and the welfare scandal that has swirled around him and the previous Republican governor, Phil Bryant. At the same time, the state was rejecting a large majority of requests from families for Mississippi’s meager $170 a month in welfare payments. Mr. Reeves was lieutenant governor when all this was going on, and several people at the center of the scandal have been his friends and supporters. That was all Mr. Presley needed.

☆ People Are Not Exactly Interested in Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell’s New Film
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Krystie Lee Yandoli | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Rumors of a possible romance between the actors Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell swirled online this week after a series of seemingly flirtatious moments catapulted them into the spotlight. The public interest in Ms. Sweeney and Mr. Powell may be heightened because they’re both romantically linked to other people. Ms. Sweeney, best known for her roles in “Euphoria” and “White Lotus,” is engaged to Jonathan Davino, a restaurateur, but has rarely publicly discussed her relationship. “I don’t date people in the spotlight,” she told Cosmopolitan last year. Mr. Powell, who starred in “Top Gun: Maverick,” was reported to be dating the model Gigi Paris.

☆ First Republic teeters on the edge — again
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —First Republic Bank’s fate is looking grim. The bank’s stock has plummeted about 75% this week, after a disappointing first-quarter earnings report Monday revived Wall Street’s fears about a banking crisis and catalyzed an exodus out of First Republic stock. About two-thirds of First Republic’s deposits were uninsured with the FDIC when the banking turmoil took hold in March, lower than the 94% at Silicon Valley Bank. But at the end of 2022, First Republic had a whopping ratio of 111% for loans and long-term investments to deposits, according to S&P Global. Déjà vuFirst Republic’s fight for survival comes just over a month after Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse on March 10.

☆ Here's where you can use Bed Bath & Beyond coupons now
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Bed Bath & Beyond’s competitors are coming to the rescue of customers looking to use expired coupons issued by the failed retailer. Big Lots said Thursday that it’s “assisting shoppers nationwide” by accepting expired Bed Bath & Beyond coupons until May 7. Bed Bath & Beyond coupons are being accepted at other stores. History of Bed Bath & Beyond’s couponsBed Bath & Beyond introduced its oversized coupon for 20% off a single item three decades ago. Now that the company is going through a liquidation process, Bed Bath & Beyond said it’s the end of the road for the coupons.

☆ Premarket stocks: Here's what we know about First Republic Bank
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —First Republic Bank has been teetering on the edge for weeks. The San Francisco-based lender could be next in the line to collapse, following in the footsteps of former competitors Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. The FDIC, Federal Reserve, White House and First Republic did not respond to requests for comment about those reports. The stock’s trading was halted numerous times both days as its rapid decline triggered volatility-triggered timeouts by the New York Stock Exchange. “It’s becoming clearer each day” that First Republic is “toast,” said Don Bilson at Gordon Haskett, in a note Wednesday.

☆ It’s Bready. It’s Cheesy. It’s One of Kenji López-Alt’s Favorite Breakfasts.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( J. Kenji López-Alt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The first time I tasted changua, a dairy-rich Colombian soup, my wife, Adri, a Bogotana from the heart of changua country, grimaced as I swirled the golden yolk of a poached egg through some half-melted cheese. She pulled a sour face as I sopped up the milky broth, seasoned with cilantro and green onions, with a chunk of bread. She pretended, I think, to suppress a gag as I ate it and continued until I finished. Changua, an Andean soup of Muisca origin, has a divided audience in its home departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá. (An informal poll I took in the group chat I share with my Colombian in-laws showed a near-perfect split between changua lovers and haters, as did a poll I took on Instagram.)

☆ Tucker Carlson’s departure won’t change Fox News
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But if history is any guide, there’s one thing we can count on: Cutting Tucker Carlson loose is not a sign that Fox is ready to change its ways. He regularly brought fringe, racist talking points such as the “great replacement” conspiracy theory into the mainstream. The content on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” made “The O’Reilly Factor” look like “Leave It to Beaver.”That strategy wasn’t a new one for Fox. “There will be a new Tucker Carlson, and it’s a good bet he or she will be even worse,” wrote David A. Graham in The Atlantic. Tucker Carlson, left, and former President Donald Trump, talk while watching golf.

☆ Got a stash of Bed Bath & Beyond coupons? You'd better use them soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Bed Bath & Beyond said it would sell off its merchandise and then go out of business. Instead, Bed Bath & Beyond expects to offer “deep discounts” on its products as part of its going-out-of-business sales. Bed Bath & Beyond, a staple of wedding registries for years, said customers who registered with Bed Bath & Beyond will eventually have their information transferred to a competitor’s service, where guests can purchase similar items. With stores closed for months, and consumers rethinking their nonessential purchases, Bed Bath & Beyond sales and profit took a hit. Now that the company is going through a liquidation process, Bed Bath & Beyond said it’s the end of the road for the coupons.

☆ Fetterman makes a video pretending to have a body double to address the conspiracy that has reached everyone from Melania Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

During Senator John Fetterman's stay at the hospital rumors swirled that he used a body double. The body double conspiracy is something many politicians deal with but spotting them is in the ears. "You know, during my time, during the hospital, the fringy fringies really came up with a conspiracy theory that I have a body double. A split-second later, the body double John Fetterman — who is actually just Fetterman, for those fooled by the camera work — walks into the room from a side door and asks the "real" Fetterman what event he was supposed to be covering for. Theories about political figures using body doubles often appear to correlate with rumors of illness or weakness — perceived or otherwise.

☆ Inside the Rise and Fall of Kittyhawk, Larry Page's Failed Flying Car Company
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Hugh Langley | Rob Price | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

Killing off projects had become something of a tradition at Kittyhawk, the secretive flying-car startup launched by the Google cofounder Larry Page. Larry Page has used his Google money to found a series of flying car companies with one common goal: "to free the world of traffic." "When Bloomberg did their original exposé, that's when urban air mobility became a thing," a former Kittyhawk employee recalled. Everyone thought: If Larry Page is in this space, there must be something here." Interpreting "Larry-isms" or "learning to speak Larry" were essential skills for any Kittyhawk employee who wanted to retain their sanity.

☆ Florida to allow death penalty with 8-4 jury vote instead of unanimously
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

If the Republican governor signs the bill into law, Florida prosecutors trying capital felony cases would need to convince only two-thirds of the 12-member jury that someone who is convicted deserves the death penalty, rather than a unanimous decision by a jury. It would have no effect on the requirement for a jury's unanimous vote to convict a defendant. Three jurors voted to spare Cruz, and by default his sentence was life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. If the bill becomes law, Florida would join Alabama as the only states where a unanimous jury decision is not required, the center noted. In 2017, Florida passed a law that required death penalties to be imposed only after a unanimous recommendation by a jury.

Credit Suisse's investment bankers are not waiting around to find out if UBS will give them jobs. UBS executives have pulled no punches when discussing the future of Credit Suisse's investment banking teams and trading desks. Jeff CohenA two-decade Credit Suisse veteran, Cohen heads up Credit Suisse's leveraged and acquisition finance business from New York. Previously, Cohen was Credit Suisse's head of global credit products and global head of leveraged finance capital markets. Marco SuperinaA Credit Suisse veteran since 1997, Superina heads Credit Suisse's M&A efforts in the firm's native Switzerland.

☆ Tesla's looks are getting stale, and Elon Musk can't ignore it forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rumors have swirled about Model 3 and Model Y updates, but nothing official yet from Tesla. "When you move to higher-volume vehicles, you have to start keeping up with the Joneses," one analyst said. Rumors have swirled online about incoming refreshes of the Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, but Tesla has yet to set a release date for these updates. "When you move to higher-volume vehicles, you have to start keeping up with the Joneses," Fiorani said. This year, Musk has said Tesla aims to build 2 million vehicles, nearly doubling its 2022 production capacity.

☆ The AI program used to generate fake viral images of Pope Francis and Donald Trump just suspended free trials — but professional photographers say they're still concerned
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AI image generator Midjourney is pausing free trials due to "extraordinary demand and trial abuse," its founder said. Prior to the free trial shutdown, fake images created using Midjourney were going viral on Twitter and other social media platforms. The platform has been used to create fake images of Twitter CEO Elon Musk and President Vladimir Putin in the past. Professional photographers are becoming more vocal about their concerns as AI-generated images become increasingly harder to recognize as fake. "Additionally, it can lead to the creation of work that is not representative of the creative's own artwork, as AI-generated images can easily replicate styles and techniques."

In the week ended March 21, money managers reduced their net long position in CBOT soybean futures and options to 110,786 contracts from 127,661 a week earlier. In the week ended March 21, most-active CBOT soybean futures fell 1.8%, new-crop November soybeans shed 3.2%, soymeal lost 4.3% but soyoil added 0.1%. GRAINSMoney managers were modest buyers of CBOT corn futures and options in the week ended March 21 after selling nearly 300,000 contracts over the previous four weeks. Managed money net position in CBOT corn futures and optionsIn CBOT wheat, money managers cut their net short for a second consecutive week, to 86,500 futures and options contracts from 95,257 a week earlier. In the week ended March 21, most-active CBOT corn futures rose 1.5% but CBOT wheat fell 1.9%.

☆ Walt Disney Co begins 7,000 layoffs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LOS ANGELES, March 27(Reuters) - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) on Monday began 7,000 layoffs announced earlier this year, as it seeks to control costs and create a more "streamlined" business, according to a letter Chief Executive Bob Iger sent to employees and seen by Reuters. Several major divisions of the company - Disney Entertainment, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and corporate - will be impacted, according to a person familiar with the matter. Iger said Disney would begin notifying the first group of employees who are impacted by the workforce reductions over the next four days. Josh D’Amaro, chair of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, sent a memo to theme parks employees in February warning that the profitable division would experience cuts. Officials for two of the unions representing cast members at Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando, Florida, said “guest-facing” services were not expected to be affected by the layoffs.

☆ Crisis communicators say Trump should smile for his perp walk. He may even want to stage his own.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Nicole Gaudiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump is reportedly wondering if he should smile for his perp walk and whether he can be handcuffed. Crisis communicators say "yes" to the smile and "no" to cuffs if he is indicted in New York. If prosecutors decide to march him in front of news cameras for a "perp walk," should he smile? But it's unlikely that the Manhattan district attorney's office will arrange a perp walk for Trump if he's indicted and turns himself in. In that case, Marcucci said he could see Trump organizing a perp walk on his own.

☆ DeSantis breaks his silence on the 'manufactured circus' around expected Trump indictment: 'I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ron DeSantis of Florida has ended his silence on former President Donald Trump's expected indictment by a Manhattan grand jury. Amid criticism from Trump and his campaign, DeSantis generally has stayed away from hitting Trump directly. "I don't know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. The Trump campaign hit DeSantis over the weekend when he failed to issue a statement as news swirled predicting Trump's expected indictment this week. You're not fooling anyone," tweeted Liz Harrington, Trump campaign spokeswoman, referring to DeSantis' promotion of his new book, "The Courage to be Free."

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