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☆ SXSW may be in Texas, but Silicon Valley Bank's implosion is casting an uneasy cloud over the tech festival
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

As the South by Southwest tech conference began in Austin on Friday, Silicon Valley Bank failed. The annual festival is known for attracting hundreds of startup founders and tech investors. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops — delivered daily to your inbox. Later on Friday, Lessin shared an Instagram story post showing her SVB credit card being declined while she traveled to SXSW. "It seems likely that if the government does not step in to stop the contagion kicked off by SVB's bank run, we will see more regional (or even large) banks fail," Haugen told Insider.

☆ DeSantis, Trump to collide in key state of Iowa
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Iowa could be particularly crucial for DeSantis, who is expected to jump into the 2024 White House race later in the spring. The state will hold the first Republican nominating contest early next year, and a win there would show DeSantis is a viable candidate against Trump. DeSantis will appear at events in Des Moines, the state capital, and the river town of Davenport that will be moderated by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. Craig Robinson, a former political director of the Iowa Republican Party, believes Iowa voters are eager to hear from DeSantis, who polls show to be Trump's biggest rival for the nomination. But the Midwestern state will remain as the first electoral test for Republican presidential candidates.

☆ New York prosecutors indicate Trump criminal charges likely, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Two defense attorneys for Trump defense attorneys confirmed to NBC News that Trump has been told through his lawyers he can appear before the grand jury. The Trump attorneys said such an offer is standard, and that he was not issued a subpoena compelling his appearance. A spokesperson for Trump told NBC News: "The Manhattan District Attorney's threat to indict President Trump is simply insane." "The fact that after their intensive investigation the DA is even considering a new political attack is a clear exoneration of President Trump in all areas. President Trump was the victim of extortion then, just as he is now.

☆ Ben Savage of 'Boy Meets World' launches bid to replace Adam Schiff in Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ben Savage speaks onstage at the Boy Meets World 25th Anniversary Reunion panel during New York Comic Con 2018 at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 5, 2018 in New York City. Savage, 42, filed paperwork in January with the Federal Election Commission to run in the 30th Congressional District as a Democrat. The district Savage seeks covers a chunk of LA that includes Hollywood, Burbank and Glendale and is home to major players in the entertainment industry such as Disney Studios and ABC Studios. The biography on Savage's campaign website touches on his experiences in the entertainment industry as a child actor, though it does not specifically mention "Boy Meets World," the show that made him a household name for a generation of Americans. Savage is the younger brother of Fred Savage, who starred in another coming-of-age TV series, "The Wonder Years."

☆ At right-wing CPAC forum, Trump shows why he'll be tough to topple
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/4] Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at Gaylord National Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., March 4, 2023. The three-day conference illustrated the iron grip he holds over the right-wing, grassroots base of his party and how hard it could be for a challenger to deny Trump the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. DeSantis also attended a gathering for Republican donors in Florida held by the anti-tax group Club for Growth to which Trump was not invited. In his remarks, Bannon maintained that Trump should be the Republican nominee, saying DeSantis and other potential challengers lacked experience. Trump and DeSantis both are scheduled in the coming days to visit Iowa, which holds the first Republican nominating contest next year.

In North Carolina, party activists are seeking to punish Republican Senator Thom Tillis for his support for same-sex marriage rights. North Carolina State Representative Mark Brody, who supports censuring Sen. Tillis, says it is better to address differences directly. Law, who served as a senior member of Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns in Nevada, and the county party did not respond to requests for comment. Although Tillis retains support among the party establishment, Jim Womack, a county party chair, says the Senator’s critics are gaining strength. “The North Carolina Republican party will eventually be decentralized to the point where the grassroots will actually run the party,” Womack said.

☆ GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley met with loud chants of 'Trump! Trump! Trump!' after CPAC speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Nikki Haley was one of the few 2024 GOP presidential contenders to deliver a speech at CPAC. As she exited the conference following her speech, CPAC attendees began chanting Trump's name. And she was one of the few potential presidential contenders to attend CPAC amid allegations of sexual assault against Matt Schlapp, the chief organizer of the conference. But after her speech, as Haley walked through the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, she was met with loud chants of "Trump! Even as she's become the first to explicitly challenge Trump for the nomination, Haley has largely avoided directly criticizing the former president.

☆ Inside Peloton's rapid rise and bitter fall — and its attempt at a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"It felt like nothing could get in the way of all that," said a former engineer who attended the party. For this report, CNBC spoke with 16 current and former Peloton employees, the majority of whom declined to be identified because they are not permitted to speak publicly about the company. Foley, meanwhile, spoke briefly with CNBC by phone, saying that while Peloton's stock has fallen, the company has not. Peloton's stock price was slowly sliding down, and employees began to panic as they saw their paper wealth evaporate. By June 30, the end of Peloton's fiscal year, the company's full-year net loss ballooned to $2.83 billion.

☆ Tesla recalls 362,758 vehicles, says Full Self-Driving Beta software may cause crashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla is recalling 362,758 vehicles equipped with the company's experimental driver-assistance software, which is marketed as Full Self-Driving Beta or FSD Beta, in the US, according to a recall notice out Thursday. The FSD Beta system may also have trouble responding appropriately "to changes in posted speed limits," the notice said. Tesla lets thousands of drivers try new and unfinished driver assistance features on public roads in the U.S. through FSD Beta. Owners must obtain a high driver-safety score, as determined by Tesla software that monitors their driving habits, and maintain it to get FSD Beta access. FSD Beta can best be summarized as a host of new features that are not yet fully debugged.

☆ Rihanna plans highly anticipated return to stage with Super Bowl halftime show
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] Rihanna waves to media ahead of her Super Bowl LVII Apple Music Halftime Show at the Phoenix Convention Center, in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., February 9, 2023. REUTERS/Caitlin O’HaraPHOENIX, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Nine-time Grammy Award winner Rihanna makes her highly anticipated return to live performance at Super Bowl 57 on Sunday, headlining a halftime show that will highlight her Caribbean culture. It is the second time Rihanna has been asked to perform at the Super Bowl after she reportedly turned down an offer in 2018 out of solidarity for quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his protest against racial injustice. "I've been so focused on the Super Bowl I totally forgot that my birthday is coming up (on Feb. 20)," the singer added. I'm just like, Super Bowl, Super Bowl, Super Bowl."

☆ Hamlin accepts NFLPA service award, vowing never to take role for granted
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Feb 8, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin accepts the Alan Page Community Award during the NFLPA press conference at the Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsPHOENIX, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin accepted the NFLPA's Alan Page Community Service Award on Wednesday, appearing in Phoenix ahead of the Super Bowl a little over a month after suffering cardiac arrest on the field during a game. Hamlin credited his father, who was in attendance for the award ceremony, with inspiring him to serve the community. Hamlin overcame adversity to reach the NFL, losing three friends to gun violence growing up in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. "And for everything that he means to me and us, I think we'd move heaven and earth to get him here."

☆ Super Bowl Opening Night brings back eclectic style after hiatus
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PHOENIX, Feb 7 (Reuters) - The National Football League's Super Bowl Opening Night returned in full force on Monday in Phoenix, as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs prepared to face off for their sport's ultimate prize. At Phoenix's Footprint Center, cheers echoed through the arena and eclectic costumed characters rubbed shoulders with Sunday's upcoming Super Bowl stars. Kelce and his sibling, Eagles center Jason, will become the first brothers to face off in a Super Bowl when they take the field on Sunday. Feb 6, 2023, Phoenix, AZ, USA; The Super Bowl 57 logo at the Phoenix Convention Center. The Philadelphia Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

☆ New York mayor ending COVID vaccine mandate for city workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., November 10, 2022. REUTERS/Jeenah MoonFeb 6 (Reuters) - New York Mayor Eric Adams said on Monday that he was lifting a controversial COVID-19 vaccine mandate for municipal workers and the city's Department of Education employees. Adams noted that since more than 96% of the city's workers have taken the COVID vaccine "this is the right moment for this decision." The decision comes four months after New York ended a COVID vaccine mandate for private employers, and 10 months after the mayor lifted vaccine requirements for professional athletes and performers. The union representing New York City's 36,000 police officers, which has fought against the mandate in court, welcomed the mayor's decision, but said the "job is only half done."

☆ Robots could surpass workers at Amazon by 2030, Cathie Wood says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Jesse Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The growth of automation in the workplace will accelerate this decade, with robot workers possibly surpassing human employees at one of the world's biggest companies, according to Ark Invest's Cathie Wood. Amazon 's use of automated robots will dramatically change the company's workforce in the coming years, the portfolio manager said Wednesday. If you compare the number of robots Amazon has to the number of employees, it's about a third. And we believe that by the year 2030 Amazon can have more robots than employees," Wood said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." However, like many other tech companies, Amazon has begun to lay off workers in recent months.

☆ Artifact: Instagram's founders are back with a new app
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —More than four years after Instagram’s founders left the company, they’re back with a new app. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger on Tuesday announced the launch of Artifact, an app that promises “a personalized news feed” powered by artificial intelligence. Unlike Instagram, the app is more focused on articles rather than photos. A main feed will display popular articles from large media organizations down to smaller bloggers, and a user’s feed will grow more personalized based on what they click on. Jim Bennett/WireImage/Getty ImagesAfter launching Instagram together in 2010, Systrom and Krieger sold the app to Meta for $1 billion in 2012.

☆ Inside Ken Griffin's rise to one of Wall Street's most powerful people, and why politics could be next
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Dakin Campbell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +30 min

JB and I are not on speaking terms these days," said Ken Griffin, the billionaire hedge-fund manager, referring to JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois. As Florida rolled back pandemic restrictions more quickly than Chicago, even more Citadel employees migrated south. Ken Griffin's hedge fund has had a run of eye-popping returns since 2020. Others worry that it gives Griffin's hedge fund an unfair advantage. Hundreds of Citadel employees, partners, and families gathered at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Florida.

YouTube is taking back the reins from TikTok as the official title sponsor of VidCon, the biggest convention for social media creators and their fans. From 2013-2019, YouTube served as the primary partner of VidCon, which veteran YouTubers John and Hank Green created. Many on the featured creators roster, such as Charli D’Amelio and Khaby Lame, got their big breaks on TikTok, not YouTube. “We are thrilled to have them return as the title sponsor to help drive our mission of putting digital culture and its creators center stage. “The unique relationship and trust between YouTube creators, their fans and the digital industry is what sets our platform apart,” Stanford said in the statement.

☆ Miss El Salvador dons golden bitcoin outfit at beauty pageant
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Isabel Woodford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Alejandra Guajardo, Miss Universe El Salvador 2022 poses on stage in an outfit inspired by the country's use of Bitcoin, and previously the colón and cocoa beans as a currency, during the 71st Miss Universe National Costume Show at the Ernst N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. January 11, 2023. Jan 13 (Reuters) - A Miss Universe contestant from El Salvador strutted onto stage this week wearing a bitcoin-inspired gold bodysuit, a glittering tribute to her country becoming the world's first to adopt the crypto-currency as legal tender two years ago. Designed by fellow Salvadoran Francisco Guerrero for the "national costume" stage of the competition, the currency-themed outfit includes a staff topped with a golden bitcoin and a huge colon coin strapped to her back ringed by cacao beans. Guajardo's costume caught the attention of the online Bitcoin community on Thursday, with many pledging their support and rooting for her victory. Reporting by Isabel Woodford; Editing by David Alire Garcia and David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

There were new twists on foldable devices, cars that changed colors and smart ovens that live streamed dinners. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty ImagesBMW unveiled a wild color-changing concept car with 260 e-panels that can change up to 32 colors. During a demo, different parts of the car, including the wheel covers, flashed in varying hues and swirls of colors. A new look for foldable phonesSamsung's Flex Hybrid Display concept folds and slides SamsungSome companies offered a new twist on the foldable phone concept. The lock, which will cost $300, will be available for purchase late this spring, according to a company press release.

☆ Infrastructure innovation derailed: How Facebook's failed plan to turn a century-old railway into a commuter bridge may serve as a warning for The Boring Company
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Elon Musk's tunnel infrastructure company has completed just one known project. While reporters and consumers immediately questioned whether Musk was serious about creating The Boring Company, early progress on its development silenced critics for several years. It's unclear whether The Boring Company will submit additional bids for tunnel projects in the future or complete the scheduled additions to the Vegas Loop. Despite its failed plan to materialize the Dumbarton Rail Bridge project, Facebook has continued massive infrastructure undertakings, largely in the form of submarine cable acquisition and development. Representatives for Facebook and The Boring Company did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Doctors are calling on the public to familiarize themselves with lifesaving CPR techniques after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a football game Monday night in Cincinnati. Hamlin received CPR, which stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to restore his heartbeat on the field, the Bills said in a statement. The American Heart Association said it saw a 200% increase in web traffic to its CPR site after news of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest emerged. More than 30 states require public school students to learn CPR before high school graduation. Another possible solution, Toft said, is for the U.S. to require CPR training to obtain driver’s licenses — a strategy deployed in some Scandinavian countries.

☆ These were Warren Buffett's 10 best performing stocks held by Berkshire Hathaway in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway wasn't immune from the 20% stock market sell-off in 2022. These were Buffett's 10 best performing stocks owned by Berkshire Hathaway in 2022. The worst performing stocks owned by Berkshire Hathaway in 2022 included Nu Holdings and Snowflake, which both sank 57%. These were the 10 best performing stocks owned by Berkshire Hathaway in 2022. The list also includes a Berkshire holding value as of September 30, and is according to data from Whale Wisdom.

☆ The CEO of Elon Musk's Boring Company who reportedly slept at Twitter HQ with his wife and baby once owned a bar called 'Thomas Foolery'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Aaron Holmes | Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's Boring Company aims to build a network of road tunnels under major cities. Davis reportedly slept at Twitter HQ with his wife and baby after Elon Musk sought his help. Musk also owns The Boring Company, which has built a reputation for offbeat stunts. Before working for Musk, Davis founded a frozen yogurt shop and a bar that accepts bitcoin, among other ventures. Boring Company has faced scrutiny, especially in Chicago and Las Vegas, where it aimed to build its first tunnels.

EL PASO, Texas — The nation began readying for an arctic storm that could plunge temperatures around the country, but on the southern border many migrants say they didn't know they were in for colder, nastier weather. Random El Paso residents also brought by food and clothes to migrants. Ruben García, director of Annunciation House, which provides shelter for migrants, said the focus needs to be on “hospitality capacity” in El Paso and elsewhere. “It’s very important for people to understand this is not an El Paso need, this is a borderwide need,” he said. Andrés González, Guad Venegas and Julia Ainsley reported from El Paso, Texas and Suzanne Gamboa reported from San Antonio.

☆ 2 climate activists got kicked out of the world's biggest Earth-science conference for protesting, and one says the association is 'silencing scientists'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Two climate scientists were kicked out of a major science conference in Chicago on Thursday. They told Insider the American Geophysical Union told them they'd be arrested if they returned. "I interpreted that as basically a threat — which I don't know if it was a hollow threat or not — to try and get us fired," Abramoff told Insider. "AGU Fall Meeting year after year provides a wide-open space for debate and discussion around all issues in Earth and space science. "I love the AGU fall meeting, and I'm really grateful that the AGU exists," Kalmus said.

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