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The search for Vice President-elect JD Vance’s successor in the Senate is reinforcing a rift among Ohio Republicans, whose loyalties are divided between the establishment-friendly Gov. Vance has consulted with DeWine on the Senate appointment, two sources familiar with the discussions said. When asked if Trump’s Cabinet picks were a part of DeWine’s considerations, Tierney emphasized the governor’s wish that his pick be able to win the GOP primary that year. Moreno, for his part, singled out Gaetz, Gabbard, Hegseth and Kennedy this week in a statement pledging to support Trump’s Cabinet choices. “The American people delivered President Trump a mandate, and it is crucial that Senate Republicans confirm his nominees quickly,” he said.

Persons: JD Vance’s, Mike DeWine, Donald Trump, DeWine, Vance, ”, Dan Tierney, “, Trump’s, Trump, Pete Hegseth, shouldn’t, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Hegseth, “ We’re, Kennedy, Robert Sprague, Frank LaRose, they’ll, Dan Lusheck, Lusheck, Mike Carey, Carey, Justice Department “, ” Carey, “ I’d, Jay Edwards, ” Mehek Cooke, John Kasich’s, ” Cooke, Jane Timken, Jon Husted —, —, Tierney, Sprague, Dave Yost, Yost, Vivek Ramaswamy, Elon Musk, ” Tierney, Timken, Sen, Matt Dolan, Dolan, Bernie Moreno, Moreno, LaRose, Democratic Sen, Sherrod Brown Organizations: Ohio Republicans, Trump, NBC News, GOP, Fox News, Justice Department, “, U.S, Spectrum, Gov, Republican, Democrat, Republican National Committee, Senate, Democratic, America Locations: Ohio, Hawaii, Florida, Hegseth, Washington, DeWine

WASHINGTON — The House Oversight Committee announced Thursday that Republicans plan to create a subcommittee that would work with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on President-elect Donald Trump's recently announced advisory group, the "Department of Government Efficiency." Greene and the Trump team didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. The lawmakers have already met and are working with the team, including Ramaswamy, a person familiar with the effort said. "We’re going to work very closely with Elon Musk and Ramaswamy, Comer said during an interview with Fox Business on Thursday. Greene has served on the Oversight Committee since Republicans retook the House majority in 2023.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Donald Trump's, Marjorie Taylor Greene, James Comer, Greene, didn't, Trump, Musk, Ramaswamy, Comer, We’ve Organizations: Elon, Department of Government, GOP, Rep, Fox News, Trump, Ramaswamy, Fox Business, Wall Street, White, Office of Management, Budget, Republicans Locations: Ky

☆ HBO says 'Harry Potter' series will 'benefit' from J.K. Rowling's involvement
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

Two of the biggest Harry Potter fan communities, MuggleNet and The Leaky Cauldron, denounced Rowling’s views and severed ties with the author’s future projects. On Sept. 10, she posted the U.K. open casting call for the roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to her 14.2 million followers on X. “Every time we sit down to have a fun conversation about Harry Potter, the conversation becomes angry and depressing, and so we end up not publishing,” she says. “There are so many fans who deeply disagree with what Rowling is saying, but still want to engage in the Harry Potter fandom.”Ironically, while Rowling’s actions have undermined many Potter fans’ dedication to her, they also appear to have strengthened those fans’ solidarity with each other. We can love and enjoy that without the author.”The question now is whether HBO can cast the same spell.

Persons: J.K, Rowling, Harry Potter ”, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Eddie Redmayne —, Harry Potter, Francesca Gardiner, Mark Mylod, ”, Casey Bloys, Harry Potter —, “ J.K, Gardiner, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, “, Potter, She’s, It’s, Melissa Anelli, “ Harry, “ It’s, Maggie Smith, Murray, Kat Miller, MuggleNet, Miller, Radcliffe, “ Potter, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, traumatised detransitioners, rebuking John Oliver —, Lumos, Trump, ” Miller, —, Anelli, Tylor Starr, Starr Organizations: Warner Bros, Discovery, ” HBO, J.K, HBO, Potter Locations: “

☆ Police report details alleged sexual assault by Trump's defense pick Pete Hegseth
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Patrick-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Patrick Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A woman told police she was sexually assaulted by a man she identified as Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice for defense secretary, according to official records of a police investigation released in California on Wednesday night. John Lamparski / Getty Images fileHegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told NBC News that the allegation of sexual assault against his client is false. Hegseth is innocent, eyewitness and video evidence confirms that she was the aggressor, and years later, she extorted Mr. Hegseth for money. The report said the unidentified woman, who later went to a hospital for a sexual assault exam, confronted Hegseth at the event because "she did not appreciate how he treated women," the report said. She and a group of other women went to a bar attached to the hotel, where she had more drinks, while Hegseth was allegedly also present.

Persons: Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's, Jane Doe, Hegseth, John Lamparski, Timothy Parlatore, Mr, ”, —, JANE, “ JANE DOE’s, HEGSETH Organizations: Monterey Police Department, Fox, NBC News, Trump, NBC, Fox News, JANE DOE Locations: California, Monterey, New York City

An Alabama inmate convicted in a 1994 murder is poised to die Thursday in the state's third nitrogen hypoxia execution this year. Carey Dale Grayson asked to have his execution carried out by nitrogen gas. It refused to do so when Alabama executed Kenneth Smith, the first person in the U.S. to die in a nitrogen gas execution, in January and again in September, when the state executed Alan Miller in a second nitrogen gas execution. Since then, Alabama has become the first state to develop a nitrogen hypoxia execution protocol in addition to lethal injection. “The State of Alabama’s nitrogen protocol has been used twice and has not worked as they swore it would.

Persons: Carey Dale Grayson, Grayson, Vickie Deblieux, Kay Ivey, Carey Grayson, Kenneth Smith, Alan Miller, Smith, Miller, Dave Martin, John Palombi, ”, Palombi, Robert Overing, Overing, — Kenny Loggins, Trace Duncan, Louis Mangione —, Deblieux, Loggins, Duncan Organizations: Alabama Department of Corrections, U.S, Supreme, Protesters, Alabama, Montgomery Advertiser, Federal Locations: Alabama, Atmore, U.S, Pelham, Ala, The, Louisiana

Ukraine on Thursday accused Russia of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile as part of an overnight attack, in what would be the first use of such a weapon during the conflict. Ukrainian forces also used British-supplied long-range Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia for the first time on Wednesday, the Kremlin said. Moscow on Thursday launched an intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine for the first time, Kyiv said. But this kind of a strike might have a value as a signal,” said nuclear forces expert Pavel Podvig. Russian forces have seized the momentum in recent months and eked out a succession of territorial gains, particularly on the eastern front lines.

Persons: Dmitry, Lysak, Vladimir Putin's, ”, Pavel Podvig, “, Podvig, Kim Jong, Alexander Bollfrass, ” Bollfrass Organizations: Western, Dnipro, Emergency Service of, Getty, . Institute for Disarmament Research, Kremlin, Strategy, Technology, Institute for Strategic Studies, NBC News, Trump Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Dnipro, Moscow, Ukrainian, Astrakhan, Kryvyi, Emergency Service of Ukraine, AFP, Russia's Kursk, London, China

The suits were brought by the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, an advocacy group serving residents of 24 counties in the state. Federal prosecutors have also alleged that tenant screening checks can be discriminatory. Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana“I sent them my expungement records, but I kept getting denied,” Williams recalled in a phone interview. TransUnion settled the suit without admitting or denying the allegations and paid $15 million, the largest amount recovered in a tenant screening matter, the FTC said. “We want safe communities where people can contribute, can build their lives, and that’s what fair housing laws are here to do.”

Persons: Don Mullen, Goldman Sachs, ”, Amy Nelson, we’ve, Brady Ripperger, Ericka Fotsch, Blackstone, Tricon, Marckus Williams, Williams, ” Williams, TransUnion, Nelson, “ Organizations: Blackstone Group, New, Pretium Partners, Goldman, Fair Housing, of Central, ” Staff, of Central Indiana, Tricon, Blackstone, National Consumer Law Center, Progress, of, NBC News, Housing, of Central Indiana “, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial, FTC, Indiana Locations: Indianapolis, California, New York City, of Central Indiana, Indiana, Eastern, of Missouri, Kinloch

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly Wednesday night to reject three efforts led by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have blocked certain offensive weapons sales to Israel. In a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, Sanders argued that the resolutions "would not affect any of the systems Israel uses to defend itself from incoming attacks," focusing instead on offensive weapons. "As I have said many, many times: Israel had the absolute right to respond to that horrific Hamas attack, as any other country would. I don’t think anybody here in the United States Senate disagrees with that," he said in his floor speech. More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive into the dense enclave since the attack, according to health officials in Gaza.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ed Markey, Netanyahu, Martin Heinrich, Tammy Baldwin, “, Catherine Cortez Masto, ” Sen, Jacky Rosen, ”, Joni Ernst, Bill Cassidy, Israel’s Organizations: U.S, United States, Hamas, Democrats, Biden Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S, United States, D, Iowa

☆ Viral banana artwork has sold again — this time for $6.24 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But artist Maurizio Cattelan’s viral creation, titled “Comedian,” has proven a sound investment for one collector: One of the artwork’s three “editions” smashed estimates to sell for $6.24 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York on Wednesday. The auction house had estimated the work to go for between $1 million to $1.5 million; bidding began at $800,000. Prior to the sale, Sotheby’s confirmed to CNN that neither the tape nor, thankfully, the banana are the originals. The Miami installation was eventually removed amid public safety concerns, but all three editions were sold at the fair. In interviews given since the Miami installation, Cattelan has described “Comedian” as a work of commentary.

Persons: Maurizio Cattelan’s, ”, , Oliver Barker, Sotheby’s, Justin Sun, ” Sun, “, ’, Marcel Duchamp’s, David Datuna, David Galperin, ” Galperin Organizations: CNN, Art Basel Miami Beach, Guggenheim, Art Newspaper, Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul National University Locations: New York, Miami, Americas, Seoul, South Korea, London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, Dubai, Taipei, Tokyo, Los Angeles

☆ The Miss Universe CEO said crowning a winner with 'blonde hair and blue eyes' is the 'ultimate evolution' for the pageant
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Anneta Konstantinides | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But when a reporter asked Jakrajutatip about the evolution of the Miss Universe pageant, she fixated on Theilvig's looks. Hector Vivas/Getty ImagesJakrajutatip was in the audience at Miss Universe 2018 when Angela Ponce became the first transgender woman to compete. A month after the video was recorded, the 72nd Miss Universe pageant was held. AdvertisementMiss Universe's identity crisisThere have been subtle shifts in the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants since Jakrajutatip took over the organization. Theilvig shares many similarities with every past Miss Universe winner: She is cisgender, under 29, unmarried, without children, and not plus-sized.

Persons: Anne Jakrajutatip, Victoria Kjaer, Jakrajutatip, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, Theilvig, Kjaer Theilvig, Hector Vivas, Angela Ponce, Donald Trump, Josh Brasted, vitiligo, Osmel Sousa —, Raul Rocha —, —, Donald Trump Jr, Elon Musk, Trump, Rocha, Sousa, Musk, Barbies, CARL DE SOUZA, Alyssa Klinzing, I'm, Klinzing Organizations: Miss, Miss Universe, Miss USA —, BI, Miss USA, 72nd Miss, New York Times, WE, Trump Jr, USA, AFP, Miss Kansas Teen USA, Miss Kansas USA, Miss Houston USA Locations: Denmark, Nicaragua, India, South Africa

☆ A tiny Italian village wants to fast-track Americans unhappy with the election into buying an entire home for 1 euro
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementA small town in Italy is offering homes for 1 euro to attract Americans amid the recent election cycle. Ollolai's initiative is part of Italy's broader "Case a 1 euro" program started in the 2010s. There is also an option for digital nomads to work there for a month for only 1 euro. Ollolai started offering 1-euro homes in 2018, but other towns, like Sicilian commune Gangi, started giving away vacant houses in 2015. But if you don't want to commit fully to moving across the ocean, a redirect from the Ollolai website luring potential buyers offers an option for digital nomads.

Persons: Ollolai, Francesco Columbu, Columbo, Donald Trump, Ollolai isn't Organizations: Italian National Institute of Statistics, Business, CNN Locations: Italy, Sardinia, Italian, Europe

☆ Grimes says she was 'going bankrupt' during custody battle with Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementGrimes shared new details about her custody dispute with her former partner, Elon Musk. Grimes said she was "going bankrupt" during the dispute and had a "fraction" of Musk's resources. Grimes says she was "going bankrupt" during her custody dispute with Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk, with whom she shares three children. Grimes, whose real name is Claire Elise Boucher, became embroiled in a custody dispute with Musk in 2023 over X Æ A-Xii , Exa Dark Sideræl, and Techno Mechanicus. Related VideoGrimes and Musk have largely been quiet about the custody dispute, however Grimes on Wednesday shared some details about how going to court against her billionaire ex impacted her.

Persons: Grimes, Elon Musk, Claire Elise Boucher, Musk, hasn't, August Grimes, Donald Trump, group's Organizations: Tesla, Business, Department of Government Locations: California, Texas, , Texas, Austin , Texas

☆ Oops! OpenAI just deleted important legal data in a lawsuit from The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementThe New York Times and other newspapers are in a legal battle with OpenAI over using their content. Lawyers for the newspapers are searching OpenAI's training data as part of a discovering process. An unusual setback has happened in a lawsuit against OpenAI: the company just deleted a bunch of work by the lawyers representing its opposition. The lawsuit was filed by a group of news organizations including The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune. "Since November 1, 2024, the News Plantifs have spent over 150 person-hours searching OpenAI's training data for instances of the News Plaintiff's Asserted Works.

Persons: OpenAI, Sam Altman, Plaintiff's, hasn't Organizations: New York Times, OpenAI, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Microsoft, Business, News

☆ Bluesky CEO Jay Graber says X rival is 'billionaire proof'
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But CEO Jay Graber has some cautionary words for potential acquirers: Bluesky is "billionaire proof." Graber was referring to the way millions of users left Twitter, now X, after Elon Musk purchased the company in 2022. Bluesky now has over of 21 million users, still dwarfed by X and Threads, which Facebook's parent debuted in July 2023. Threads has roughly 275 million monthly users, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in October. Although Musk said in May that X has 600 million monthly users, market intelligence firm Sensor Tower estimates 318 million monthly users as of October.

Persons: Bluesky, Elon Musk's, Jay Graber, CNBC's, Graber, Elon Musk, Meta didn't, Mark Zuckerberg, Musk, Jack Dorsey's, Dorsey, Jack, we're, we've, that's, Nobody's, algorithmically, We're, That's, Trump Organizations: Twitter, Elon, Meta, Blockchain Capital Locations: Brazil

☆ Google's DeepMind and YouTube built and shelved 'Orca,' a 'mind-blowing' music AI tool that hit a copyright snag
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementGoogle's DeepMind and YouTube previously built and shelved Orca, an AI music tool. Orca could generate music mimicking artists. Google trained it on copyrighted YouTube music videos. In November 2023, DeepMind announced a music generation AI model named Lyria, which was a pared-down version of the Orca project. AdvertisementSome employees who worked on Lyria and Orca left to found a new startup named Udio, which makes an AI music creation app.

Persons: Lizzie Widhelm, Taylor Swift, Orca, OpenAI, DeepMind, John Legend — Organizations: YouTube, Google

☆ Elon Musk and Grimes have ended their custody dispute in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementThe Travis County clerk's office told BI Elon Musk and Grimes have ended their custody dispute. Musk sued Grimes in the Texas court last year, and Grimes countersued in San Francisco. Elon Musk and Grimes' legal dispute in Texas over their three children has been resolved. Related VideoRepresentatives for Musk and Grimes did not respond to a request for comment. Musk first filed the custody lawsuit against Grimes in September 2023.

Persons: Grimes, Musk, Grimes countersued, Elon Musk, Claire Boucher Organizations: Elon, Musk, San Francisco Superior Locations: Travis, Texas, San Francisco, Travis County

☆ Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are starting a 'Dogecast' podcast to chronicle their government efficiency drive
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementElon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are starting a podcast to chronicle DOGE's attempt to cut government spending. Musk and Ramaswamy have been using X to promote their new roles in government efficiency. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are planning on keeping federal workers and the American public up to date on their progress at the Department of Government Efficiency with a new podcast. Elon Musk added on X that the podcast would host guests and previously suggested the live streams would be weekly. Political scientists have questioned whether Musk and Ramaswamy's ideas, which include "deleting" whole government departments and mass layoffs of federal workers, are achievable.

Persons: Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk, Ramaswamy, Tesla, he'd, Donald Trump's, DOGE cryptocurrency, RTO Organizations: Department of, YouTube, Department of Government Locations: American

☆ Linda McMahon, Trump’s Education pick, was sued for allegedly enabling sexual abuse of children
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

As head of the WWE, Linda McMahon oversaw its transformation from a wrestling entertainment company into a publicly traded media empire. He also would often film his sexual abuse, according to the filing. Both Linda and Vince McMahon were aware of Phillips’ abuse, the lawsuit alleges. In 2023, the Maryland Child Victims Act, which repeals the statute of limitations in certain child sexual abuse civil lawsuits, became law. Linda McMahon worked in Trump’s first Cabinet as the administrator of the Small Business Administration before stepping down in 2019 to chair a pro-Trump super PAC.

Persons: Linda McMahon, Donald Trump, McMahon, Vince, McMahon —, Melvin Phillips Jr, Phillips, ”, John, “ Phillips, “, Linda, Vince McMahon, Laura Brevetti, ” Brevetti, “ Ms, Vince McMahon “, ” Jessica Rosenberg, Rosenberg, Phillips ’, —, ’, Philips, Greg Gutzler, DiCello Levitt, Murphy, Falcon, Trump’s, Katelyn Polantz Organizations: CNN, Department of Education, Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, Senate, Holdings, New York Post, Maryland Child, Small Business Administration, Trump, America, Policy Institute, TK Holdings, US, Office, of Locations: Connecticut, Baltimore County , Maryland, New York, Southern, of New York

☆ A startup making spy drones being used in Ukraine got a funding injection from NATO
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A dronemaking startup whose equipment is being used by the Ukrainian military got a cash injection from NATO. AdvertisementThe company has said its equipment is being used in Ukraine though not which of its models were sent. Drones are used for surveillance, to carry light supplies, for targeting assistance, and as weapons. AdvertisementThe battlefield features drones from around the world, spanning cheap consumer drones, high-end military hardware, and improvised systems. A new £60 million package of military support from the UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine will provide advanced new surveillance drones to support 🇺🇦's Armed Forces.

Persons: Ukraine —, tim e Organizations: NATO, NATO's Innovation, UK Ministry of Defence, Fund Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Portuguese

☆ Elon Musk says he's had little to do with Trump's cabinet picks — he just likes 'spending time' with the man
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said he's had little input on Trump's Cabinet picks. Elon Musk says he's had little input on President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks. He was a major contributor to Trump's campaign, spending just under $119 million on his pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC. Musk, according to multiple media reports, has joined Trump's calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Lutnick, Musk wrote in an X post on November 16, "will actually enact change," compared to another candidate, hedge fund CEO Scott Bessent.

Persons: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, he's, Musk, Donald Trump's, Haven't, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, cott, ott Organizations: SpaceX, Cabinet, New York Post, Trump's, UFC, Trump, Madison Locations: Lago, Palm Beach , Florida, usk

☆ McDonald's is bringing back cheap fast food with its McValue menu
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Nora Redmond | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementMcDonald's is launching a new value menu to attract budget-conscious customers in the US. The chain has raised prices in recent years in response to inflation, putting off some customers. McDonald's is preparing to launch its new value menu in the US to win back cash-strapped shoppers. The chain has touted this new menu in recent earnings calls, saying it plans to roll it out in Q1 next year. But McDonald's is investing $100 million to regain trust, per a memo sent to employees seen by CNN.

Persons: McDonald's Organizations: Bloomberg, US Centers for Disease Control, CNN

☆ Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg says the company's staff 'spend more time arguing' than strategizing about how to beat Airbus: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The CEO also spoke with President-elect Donald Trump about the impact of his potential tariffs. Boeing's CEO Kelly Ortberg has a stern warning for his staff — stop squabbling and get to work. During the meeting, Ortberg also told staff not to "sit at the water cooler and bitch about people," per The WSJ's transcription of the recording. AdvertisementThe WSJ also reported that Ortberg has spoken with President-elect Donald Trump about the impact of potential tariffs on Boeing. Ortberg told staff that a potential trade war with China might impact the company's plane exports to Chinese airlines.

Persons: Kelly Ortberg, Ortberg, Donald Trump Organizations: Airbus, WSJ, Boeing, Business Insider, Trump, Seattle Times, Society of Professional Engineering Employees, Aerospace, . Aviation, Avia Solutions, Max Locations: Boeing's hourlong, China, Washington, Oregon

☆ Trump’s social media company is exploring a crypto payment service called TruthFi
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Truth Social, the social media platform owned by President-elect Donald Trump, appears to be exploring a move into the crypto space. Trump Media & Technology Group filed a trademark application earlier this week for TruthFi, which it described as a cryptocurrency payment processing platform. It’s not clear how far along Trump Media is in evaluating a crypto payment service or whether the Trump-owned public company will ultimately launch such a platform. The trademark application illustrates the thorny conflict-of-interest issues raised by Trump’s election victory and his sprawling business empire. The trademark application for a crypto payment service comes just days after the Financial Times reported that Trump Media is in advanced talks to acquire crypto trading platform Bakkt.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Gary Gensler, Gensler, Bakkt, Cantor Fitzgerald, Howard Lutnick, Lutnick Organizations: New, New York CNN, President, Trump Media & Technology Group, Trump Media, Trump, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Financial Times, Liberty, Commerce Department Locations: New York, Washington, United States, Bakkt

☆ Elon Musk's startup xAI is now reportedly worth more than what the billionaire paid for Twitter
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementElon Musk's AI startup, xAI, has been valued at $50 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported. xAI's valuation has doubled since the spring, surpassing the $44 billion Musk paid for Twitter. Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, has reportedly been valued at $50 billion — $6 billion more than what the billionaire paid to acquire Twitter, the social media platform now known as X. AdvertisementThe new valuation means xAI has surpassed the $44 billion Musk paid for Twitter back in October 2022. xAI previously raised a $6 billion Series B from A16z and Sequoia Capital at a $24 billion post-money valuation.

Persons: Andreessen Horowitz, Elon, xAI, Musk, Sam Altman, OpenAI Organizations: Elon, Street Journal, Twitter, Sequoia Capital, Fidelity, The, Equity Partners, Qatar Investment Authority, Microsoft Locations: A16z

☆ Kenya drops over $2.5 billion of Adani deals after U.S. indictment
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Gautam Adani, billionaire and chairman of Adani Group, during an event at the Port of Haifa in Haifa, Israel, on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. Under the proposed deal worth nearly $2 billion, the Adani Group was to add a second runway at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport and upgrade the passenger terminal in exchange for a 30-year lease. Representatives from Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Adani Group denied the allegations and said in a statement that it would seek "all possible legal recourse". Senior government officials, including Ruto, had repeatedly defended the deals despite allegations made in 2023 by U.S. short-seller Hindenburg Research - denied by the Adani Group - of improper governance practices at the company.

Persons: Gautam Adani, William Ruto, Ruto, Opiyo Wandayi, George Kamau Organizations: Adani, Port, Kenyan, Jomo Kenyatta, Adani Group, Hindenburg Research, Energy Locations: Port of Haifa, Haifa, Israel, United States, Kenyan

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