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☆ Wall Street trading firms aren't giving up on crypto just yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A bunch of high-profile Wall Street investors just piled into a startup that pledges to fix a major issue in the crypto industry. And while plenty of those bets blew up — the most spectacular of which was crypto exchange FTX — that hasn't stopped Wall Street. Click here to read more about a new crypto startup that's got backing from some of Wall Street's top trading firms. For a breakdown of all the key partnerships between Wall Street and cloud partners, check out our running list of more than 30 deals. Cheman Cheung left Wall Street after his father passed away to recover from a state of "mental chaos."

☆ The claim by a discredited journalist that the US secretly blew up the Nord Stream pipeline is proving a gift to Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Once-celebrated journalist Seymour Hersh made unproven claims the US blew up the Nord Stream pipelines. In Russia, Hersh's story was immediately greeted with a sense of vindication. Biden had said he opposed opening the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and saying the US could "bring an end to" it if Russia invaded Ukraine. The invasion did take place, and officials in Germany — where the pipeline was due to pump its gas — axed the project before Nord Stream 2 moved any gas. Nord Stream 1 kept pumping until the explosion.

☆ SoftBank's Vision Fund posts fourth straight quarter of losses as tech slump hits Japanese giant
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

SoftBank's Vision Fund, the brainchild of the company's founder Masayoshi Son, has faced a number of headwinds including a slump in technology stocks as a result of rising interest rates, a tough China market and geopolitics. SoftBank's flagship investment arm the Vision Fund posted its fourth straight quarterly loss on Tuesday as a slump in technology valuations continues to hit the Japanese giant. The Vision Fund segment posted a pre-tax loss of 660 billion Japanese yen ($5 billion) for the December quarter. SoftBank's Vision Fund's loss on investments came in at 730.35 billion yen over the three-month period. SoftBank Group overall reported a net loss of 783.4 billion yen, sinking back to a quarterly loss after posting a profit in the July-to-September quarter.

☆ Taylor Swift's 'Lavender Haze' music video is full of subtle references — here are 11 details you may have missed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The camera lingers over a vinyl titled "Mastermind," the 13th track on "Midnights." A screenshot of the "Lavender Haze" music video. Taylor Swift/YouTube"Lavender Haze" is the third music video Swift has released in her "Midnights" era, following "Anti-Hero" and "Bejeweled." Swift revealed on Twitter that "Lavender Haze" was the first video treatment she wrote "out of the 3 that have been released," clearly implying that more videos are on the way. The "Mastermind" vinyl cover features two constellations: Sagittarius and Pisces.

Catalano's brother, Agostino, was a policeman who died in a 1992 bomb that killed anti-mob magistrate Paolo Borsellino - a attack that prosecutors say Messina Denaro helped mastermind. The last confirmed sighting of Messina Denaro was in 1993, making it difficult for police to identify the most wanted man in Italy. Only one of them decided to collaborate with justice," said Roberto Piscitello, a prosecutor who tried to capture Messina Denaro from 1996 to 2008. FALSE IDENTITYPolice say they managed to catch Messina Denaro after learning from wiretaps of his relatives that he had cancer. BUSINESS CONTACTSMagistrates said they found evidence that Messina Denaro had visited Spain, Greece and Austria over the years.

☆ I've tested 15 electric cars — these 6 blew me away with game-changing features
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tesla's Model Y is incredibly easy to charge, while Pininfarina's Battista packs mind-bending acceleration. The Tesla Model Y's Supercharging abilityThe Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/InsiderTeslas are known for a lot of things — their minimalist interiors, their sporty performance, and, for better or worse, their boisterous mastermind, Elon Musk. But the one part of testing a Tesla Model Y that stuck with me more than any of that was Supercharging. The Tesla Model Y. Tim Levin/InsiderOnce you have a payment method set, Supercharging is as simple as pulling up to an available stall and plugging in. The Polestar 2's screensThe 2022 Polestar 2.

Former President Donald Trump has dropped the federal lawsuit he filed in Florida against New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump's lawyers filed a notice of voluntary dismissal in the case before U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks on Friday morning. The suit charged James — who's filed a $250 million lawsuit against Trump and his company in New York state court — has "repeatedly abused her position as Attorney General for the State of New York to pursue a vendetta against President Trump." Trump had made similar claims against James in state and federal court in New York, both of which were dismissed. "Mr. Trump is a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries.

☆ Judge sanctions Trump and his lawyer nearly $1 million for 'frivolous' lawsuit targeting Hillary Clinton
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A federal judge on Thursday sanctioned former President Donald Trump and one of his top attorneys nearly $1 million for filing a sprawling lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and other perceived political enemies "that should never have been filed." No reasonable lawyer would have filed it," Middlebrooks wrote, adding that the suit was intended "for a political purpose." He knew full well the impact of his actions,” Middlebrooks wrote. “As such, I find that sanctions should be imposed upon Mr. Trump and his lead counsel, Ms. Habba.”NBC News has asked Habba and a Trump spokesperson for comment. Such lawsuits, Middlebrooks said, undermined the rule of law, siphoned resources "from those who have suffered actual legal harm" and painted judges as partisans.

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☆ Trump and lawyer sanctioned almost $1 million for 'frivolous' lawsuit against Hillary Clinton
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A federal judge on Thursday imposed nearly $1 million in sanctions on former President Donald Trump and his lawyer for filing a since-dismissed "frivolous" lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and many others, which had claimed they tried to rig the 2016 presidential election in her favor by smearing Trump. Middlebrooks in his order Thursday noted that "Mr. Trump is a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries." "He knew full well the impact of his actions ... As such, I find that sanctions should be imposed upon Mr. Trump and his lead counsel, Ms. Trump, who is seeking the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, filed his suit in March against Clinton, who was the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee. Middlebrooks earlier dismissed the lawsuit against Clinton and all other defendants "with prejudice," which bars Trump from refiling the complaint.

☆ Election denial drove New Mexico Democrat attacks, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Andrew Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 18 (Reuters) - Election conspiracy theories drove a defeated Republican candidate in New Mexico with a criminal past to hire gunmen to attack homes of Democratic legislators, marking a dangerous new level of political violence, officials said on Wednesday. The string of shootings follows other recent acts of politically motivated violence, including the attack in San Francisco on the husband of then-House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Republican National Hispanic Assembly said it had backed Pena, a political novice, in the belief the former U.S. Navy medic and political science graduate had left crime behind. Under New Mexico law, felons can have voting rights restored after serving sentences. Reporting by Andrew Hay; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Losing candidate arrested in string of shootings at New Mexico Democrats' homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dennis-Romero-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Dennis Romero | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Police in Albuquerque on Monday announced the arrest of a failed candidate for state Legislature in a string of shootings at locations associated with high-profile Democratic leaders. Republican Solomon Peña is accused of conspiring with and paying four men to carry out four shootings at the homes of two Bernalillo County commissioners and two state legislators. But on Monday, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina described Peña as the initiator of the shootings. Ballistics evidence from one of the shootings connected the case to the suspect, Medina said. The Albuquerque Journal describes the suspect as unsuccessful candidate for New Mexico House District 14, which represents the Albuquerque area's South Valley.

☆ A failed GOP candidate accused of orchestrating shootings at Democratic officials' homes once called for 'civility' between the parties
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A GOP candidate accused of plotting shootings at Democrats' homes once called for political 'civility.' Albuquerque police accused Pena of being the 'mastermind' behind 4 shootings at Democratic officials' homes. Pena had approached politicians at their homes with what he claimed was proof before the shootings, police said. —Solomon Pena for NM (@SolomonPena2022) August 30, 2022Police previously said that four shootings at elected Democrats' homes took place from early December to early January. The city's Democratic mayor called the shootings "politically motivated," and accused Pena of being a "right-wing radical."

☆ 'MAGA King' candidate accused of plotting shootings of Democrats' homes went to their houses and was 'erratic' and 'aggressive' after he lost his election
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The New Mexico GOP candidate accused of plotting shootings of Democrats' homes was "aggressive" and "erratic." One official told NBC News that Pena appeared at his house after the election and spouted election conspiracies. Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa told NBC News that Peña showed up at her house right after the November election. O'Malley told NBC that he did not threaten her at the time but she quickly called the police after he came by. New Mexico police accused Peña of hiring four men to carry out the shootings; he may have also personally shot at one of the houses himself.

☆ A failed GOP candidate masterminded shootings at 4 Democratic officials' homes, Albuquerque police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Albuquerque police accused a failed GOP candidate of masterminding shootings at 4 Democrats' houses. Police arrested Solomon Pena, who lost a US House race to a Democratic rival last year. The head of the Albuquerque Police Department, Harold Medina, said during a press conference on Monday that police believe that Solomon Pena, 39, was behind all four shootings. At the Monday press conference, police said that five people were involved in the shootings, but did not clarify their alleged roles. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said at the press conference that the police investigation had "basically confirmed" that the shootings were politically motivated.

☆ Elon Musk questioned why Davos is 'even a thing,' and jokingly compared the annual meeting of the global elite to online forum 4Chan
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk doesn't seem to like Davos very much at all. Musk this week questioned how the World Economic Forum is 'even a thing' and compared it to 4Chan. He said in December he wouldn't be attending the annual meeting because it "sounded boring." Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops — delivered daily to your inbox. He further insulted the forum on Monday and compared it to online message board 4Chan, which is well known for spawning baseless conspiracy theories.

☆ Billionaire investor Bill Ackman says the public shouldn't 'rush to convict' Sam Bankman-Fried
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bill Ackman, known for his lucrative bet on COVID-19 crashing the market, extolled due process for SBF. He said defendants like Sam Bankman-Fried deserve the presumption of innocence at this stage. "Let's not sacrifice our core values in a rush to convict @SBF_FTX as it does no one any good," he wrote. After FTX's bankruptcy filing in November, Ackman tweeted in support of cryptocurrency, saying it could still "enable the formation of useful businesses and technologies." In his own Substack post this week, former FTX CEO Bankman-Fried insisted that he "didn't steal" from the company.

NEW YORK, Jan 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice forcefully rejected Bill Hwang's claim that it sandbagged him by concealing its plan to charge him with fraud over the collapse of his $36 billion Archegos Capital Management LP. In a Thursday night filing in Manhattan federal court, prosecutors said there was no basis to grant Hwang's motion to dismiss his indictment because of prosecutorial misconduct prior to his April 27, 2022, arrest. "Hwang's motion is predicated on a series of inflammatory claims about the government's conduct that are entirely baseless," prosecutors said. Archegos collapsed in March 2021 after failing to meet margin calls following trades through so-called total return swaps. In a separate Thursday night filing, prosecutors rejected the defendants' claims that they committed no crimes because Archegos' trading was legal.

☆ Iran video links detained British-Iranian to death of nuclear scientist
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Iranian state media published a video on Thursday in which British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari, sentenced to death for spying, said he played a role in the 2020 assassination of the country's top nuclear scientist. Iran sentenced the former deputy defence minister, who holds dual Iranian-British citizenship, to death on charges of spying for Britain, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday. British officials did not immediately comment about the video clips aired by Iran's state media. Iran’s state media often airs purported confessions by suspects in politically charged cases. "He was one of the most important agents of the British intelligence service in Iran who had access to some very sensitive centres in the country," Iran's Intelligence Ministry said.

Insider identified 75 of the most powerful execs at the streamer, in an interactive org chart. Product chief Greg Peters took on additional duties as chief operating officer and has since broadened his purview to include gaming. Former PepsiCo exec Sergio Ezama joined in 2021 to become Netflix's chief talent officer. Insider identified 75 of the most powerful executives now at Netflix. They include C-suite executives finance chief Spencer Neumann, as well as business leads like Bajaria and movie boss Scott Stuber.

☆ Rick Singer, Ringleader of College-Admissions Cheating Scheme, Sentenced to 3½ Years in Prison
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Melissa Korn | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

BOSTON—William “Rick” Singer, the mastermind behind a nationwide college-admissions cheating scheme that ensnared top universities, business executives and Hollywood celebrities, was sentenced Wednesday to 42 months in prison. He will also have to pay nearly $20 million in restitution and forfeitures of ill-gotten gains.

☆ Rick Singer, Mastermind of College-Admissions Cheating Scandal, Faces Sentencing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Melissa Korn | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

William ‘Rick’ Singer was the head of a scheme that prosecutors say brought in $25 million and corrupted an admissions process that was intended to be based on merit. BOSTON—William “Rick” Singer, the mastermind behind a nationwide college-admissions cheating scheme that ensnared top universities, business executives and Hollywood celebrities, is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court here Wednesday. Mr. Singer pleaded guilty in March 2019 to four felonies, admitting to running a complex operation that arranged for parents to fraudulently boost their teens’ ACT and SAT scores and to bribe college coaches to flag the clients as recruited athletes, all but guaranteeing their admission to schools including Georgetown University and the University of Southern California. Payments were often funneled through Mr. Singer’s sham charity, allowing parents to take tax write-offs for the bribes.

William Rick Singer, the mastermind of a nationwide college admissions cheating scheme, will be sentenced in a federal courtroom in Boston Wednesday. His sentencing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.Singer, 62, had pleaded guilty in March 2019 to charges including racketeering conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy in connection with the scandal, dubbed Operation Varsity Blues. The operation involved bribes, cheating on entrance exams, and fraudulently getting unqualified applicants into schools as elite recruited athletes. The cheating scheme ensnared Hollywood with actors Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman charged in the case. “For most of my life, if not all of it, I have thrived on winning at all costs,” he wrote.

BOSTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The architect of the largest U.S. college admissions fraud scheme ever uncovered will be sentenced on Wednesday for helping wealthy parents secure the admission of their children to elite universities through cheating and bribery. The former college admissions consultant played a key role as a cooperating witness in the "Operation Varsity Blues" investigation. Singer admitted in 2019 to facilitating cheating on college entrance exams and funneling money from wealthy parents to corrupt university coaches to secure the admission of their children as fake athletic recruits. The years-long investigation into the scheme resulted in the conviction of more than 50 people, including actors Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, two of the many wealthy parents Singer had as clients. Singer took in more than $25 million from his clients while running a California-based college admissions counseling service called The Key and a related charity.

☆ Mastermind of Banksy removal could face years in jail, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Valentyn OgirenkoKYIV, Jan 2 (Reuters) - The suspected mastermind behind the removal of a Banksy mural in a Ukrainian town could face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty, Ukraine's interior ministry said on Monday. The ministry announced on its website that the man it believes orchestrated the operation had been handed a "suspicion notice". The artwork by the renowned British artist had been valued at over 9 million hryvnia ($243,900), the ministry statement said. "The criminals tried to transport this graffiti with the help of wooden boards and polyethylene," it said. Banksy confirmed he had painted the mural and six others in places that were hit by heavy fighting after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

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