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BAMBERG, S.C. — Pamela Pinckney was in the hospital, bruised and in pain from several broken bones, when a lawyer named Alex Murdaugh offered his help. Pinckney estimates Murdaugh and his alleged co-conspirators pocketed $1 million owed to her family. Pamela Pinckney remained hospitalized as she endured several operations. Alex Murdaugh told me and my entire Pinckney family that he has our best interests, we don’t have anything to worry about and we’re like family to him,” Pinckney said. Alex Murdaugh is escorted out of the Collation County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., on July 20, 2022.

Elon Musk seems determined to remake Twitter in his own image — with some help from the men in his trusted inner circle. They are joined in Musk’s orbit by Alex Spiro, a trial attorney with a roster of celebrity clients who reportedly led the first round of Twitter layoffs. Bloomberg reported Wednesday night that Twitter is preparing to eliminate about 3,700 jobs, or roughly half its workforce. Musk's personnel decisions suggest a possible road map for the future of Twitter, one in which policies and internal rules are drawn at least in part from the views of Musk’s consiglieres. Sacks, Calacanis, Spiro and Birchall did not immediately respond to questions about the company’s future and the nature of their roles there.

Weird Al, known for taking famous pop and rock songs and sending them up by rewriting the lyrics. It began as a fake movie trailer that director Eric Appel made in 2013 as a sketch for Funny or Die. It featured Aaron Paul, Olivia Wilde, Gary Cole, Mary Steenburgen, Patton Oswalt and yes, Weird Al. Yankovic noted that the day after the trailer came out, “if you did a Google search for Weird Al, the first thing is, ‘Did Weird Al date Madonna?’ Everybody wanted to know. Weird Al Yankovic during a photo shoot in Los Angeles in 1984.

Hours later, his firm — Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrickhe — releases its own statement alleging Murdaugh had misappropriated company funds. Jan. 21, 2022A grand jury indicts Murdaugh on 23 new charges, including breach of trust with fraudulent intent and computer crimes. Jan. 24, 2022A legal claim is filed against the estates of Margaret and Paul Murdaugh by the mother of Mallory Beach, 19, who was killed in a boat crash in 2019. May 4, 2022Prosecutors announce that Murdaugh is facing four new charges related to financial crimes also involving Fleming and others. July 14, 2022A grand jury announces an indictment against Murdaugh on double murder charges in the deaths of Margaret and Paul.

☆ How U.N. climate conferences have tackled global warming
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Andrea Januta | Kim Harrisberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/File PhotoNov 2 (Reuters) - This year’s U.N. climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, marks the 27th time since 1995 that world leaders have gathered to confront global warming. Here are some key moments in the global climate conversation:1800s - Throughout the 1800s, several European scientists study how different gases and vapours can trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. 1990 - At the U.N.’s so-called Second World Climate Conference, scientists highlight the risks of global warming to nature and society. 2015 - Global warming passes 1 degree Celsius. Signatories promise to try to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees C of the preindustrial average.

☆ Greta Thunberg: COP27 an opportunity for "greenwashing, lying and cheating"
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Gloria Dickie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks with British journalist Samira Ahmed (not pictured) on stage at the Royal Festival Hall during the launch event of her new book "The Climate Book", during The Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival, in London, Britain, October 30, 2022. REUTERS/Henry NichollsLONDON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Climate activist Greta Thunberg on Sunday called out next month's United Nations climate summit in Egypt for being "held in a tourist paradise in a country that violates many basic human rights." Speaking at the London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre where she was promoting her new book, "The Climate Book", 19-year-old Thunberg dismissed the looming climate summit, known as COP27, as an opportunity for "people in power... to [use] greenwashing, lying and cheating." While Thunberg did attend protests in Glasgow last year for COP26, she said she won't attend COP27, scheduled to be held from Nov. 6 to Nov. 18 in Sharm El Sheikh. Thunberg rose to prominence in 2018 at the age of 15 by staging school strikes in her native Sweden, becoming the face of the youth activist climate movement.

☆ How 'trickle-down economics' backfired on Britain's shortest-serving prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

On October 20th, 2022 — after just 44 days in office — British Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned. Trickle-down economics, a term most closely associated with Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. So just why did the U.K. try to revive trickle-down economics? Watch the video above to find out why the U.K. attempted to revive trickle-down economics and how it caused the country's fiscal strategy to implode. Disclaimer: CNBC conducted the interviews in this feature prior to Liz Truss' resignation on October 20.

Average two-year and five-year fixed rates hit 6.65% and 6.51% on Thursday, according to Moneyfacts, the highest since 2008. FALLING PRICESA drop in gilt yields following Rishi Sunak's victory in the Conservative Party leadership race could potentially feed through to lower mortgage rates. But the number of loans available for first-time buyers remains at less than half those on offer before the mini-budget, according to Moneyfacts. NEW FIXESAs well as first-time buyers, brokers are dealing with thousands of people whose fixed rate mortgages are due to expire in the coming months. Redmond, who has had an offer accepted in east London, said it felt as though every turn of political event only made the fixed interest rate higher.

☆ Who Is Rishi Sunak, Front-Runner to Become Britain’s Next Prime Minister?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( David Luhnow | Max Colchester | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Rishi Sunak’s economic plans are seen as more pragmatic and less ideological than those of former U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss. In early September, Rishi Sunak narrowly lost a race to lead the Conservative Party and become prime minister. The person he lost to, Liz Truss , went on to have a tumultuous premiership and was forced to resign, becoming the shortest serving British prime minister in history and paving the way for a new leadership contest. Mr. Sunak’s rise to the top of British politics is one of the more spectacular “I told you so” stories in modern politics. To do that, she promised sweeping tax cuts, along with new spending, that she claimed would boost economic growth without damaging public finances.

Dozens of measles cases have cropped up in Gambia this year, a spike over previous years. The measles campaign was rescheduled for 2021, but in July of that year polio was detected in a water sample. Over the years, the success of the measles vaccine has numbed many to these risks, health experts say. At the time, 86% of children had at least the first dose of the measles vaccine worldwide, according to WHO estimates. FUNDS REJECTEDThe U.S. CDC has identified 12 African countries as having no clear plans or secured resources for their next measles vaccination drive.

Then, the former finance minister repeatedly described his predecessor's ideas as "fairytale" economics that would spook the markets. He will also be the first person of colour to become Britain's prime minister. "I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and I could not even imagine a non-white prime minister in my lifetime... COVID CHAMPIONSunak rose swiftly up the ranks of the Conservative Party, becoming, in 2020, one of the youngest finance ministers. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Britain, Sunak dropped the Conservatives' small-state instincts to borrow massively and stave off the risk of an economic depression.

House Democrats have unified as they fight to retain their fragile majority in next month’s midterms. But given Biden’s unpopularity and the GOP lead on the generic congressional ballot (which asks only which party people would support), the more likely scenario is a bad election night for House Democrats. If Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn head for the exits, the leadership matchups become pretty clear. Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., conducts a news conference in the Capitol Visitor Center on Sept. 20. The Massachusetts Democrat has significant support from fellow female members and has stayed close to the Black, Hispanic and Asian caucuses — big voting blocs in the diverse 220-member Democratic Caucus.

☆ UK's Channel 4 explores non-profit trust ownership, The Telegraph reports
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 22 (Reuters) - British publicly-owned broadcaster Channel 4 is exploring whether it could be acquired by a non-profit trust as an alternative to a commercial privatisation, the Telegraph reported on Saturday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFormer prime minister Boris Johnson's government was pursuing the sale of Channel 4, arguing such a move would ensure the future of the publicly-owned but commercially funded broadcaster. But the government changed tack after UK's Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said last month she was re-examining the case for privatisation. Channel 4 was created by Conservative former prime minister Margaret Thatcher's government in the 1980s to deliver an edgy alternative to the BBC and ITV, with a focus on under-served audiences. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Baranjot Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 401(k) contribution limits 2023: IRS increases amount you can save in your retirement account
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The IRS on Friday announced a record increase in contribution limits to 401(k) and other tax-deferred retirement plans for 2023. That’s $2,000 – or roughly 9.8% – more than the current $20,500 federal contribution limit. The jump is largely due to inflation, to which the contribution limits are indexed. Increases in IRA contribution limits tooContributions to traditional IRAs and after-tax Roth IRAs will increase as well – to $6,500 from $6,000 currently, an 8.3% rise. The retirement contribution limits weren’t the only inflation-related news from the IRS this week.

☆ Breakingviews: Delusions of grandeur are root of Britain’s chaos
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The immediate cause of the chaos Truss unleashed was her failure to heed the advice of her hero Margaret Thatcher. Truss might have got away with large tax cuts and a big increase in spending if central banks were still flooding the global economy with cheap money. Its supporters maintained leaving the EU would put rocket boosters under the UK economy. But delusions of grandeur meant this global phenomenon played out in the UK in a specific way. BRITAIN’S MANY STRENGTHSObservers such as former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers have described Britain as a bit like an emerging market.

☆ Delusions of grandeur are root of Britain’s chaos
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The book, "A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food," comes out Friday and aims to introduce commonly eaten Korean and Korean-fusion dishes to kids using colorful illustrations and brief trivia, such as their origins and how they’re prepared. I don’t think it was appropriate that she said that. “When the voicemail went viral, I was like, first of all, Korean food is not offensive, you know?” Li told NBC News. “I don’t want [my son] to be embarrassed about Korean food,” she said. “I don’t think anyone should be embarrassed about food because food is who we are.

☆ Lettuce 1, Liz Truss 0
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Henry Austin | Henry Austin Is A London-Based Editor For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON — Liz Truss lost to a head of lettuce. The leafy vegetable's decay was more gradual than Truss' crumbling tenure as British prime minister, which ended with her resignation Thursday. Her decision provided an unlikely victory for the lettuce, which had been pitted against her by a tabloid newspaper last Friday. Amer Ghazzal / Shutterstock“The lettuce outlasted Liz Truss,” the caption declared as a remix of “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang kicked in, lights flashed in the background and bottles of alcohol were added to the scene. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev tweeted “congrats to lettuce” shortly after Truss’ speech.

"I now expect the language of free markets and libertarianism to be consigned to scrap for quite some time. Truss had spent her summer campaign for the party leadership complaining about Britain's weak economic growth, productivity and low pay since the 2008 global financial crisis. Her solution was to challenge economic "orthodoxy" and demand faster, radical action to shake the economy out of its torpor. The Institute of Economic Affairs said of the economic plan: "This isn't a trickle-down budget – it's a boost-up budget." Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterEditing by Catherine EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"The prime minister is not under a desk," Mordaunt said in parliament, keeping a straight-face despite the jeers and laughter from the opposition Labour Party facing her. Mordaunt now has her second chance to run for the top job, after just missing out on the final two in the contest to become the leader of the ruling Conservative Party earlier this year. She also promoted her patriotism, talking about her memories of the Falkland's conflict that helped to define former prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Her first post came as a local government minister in 2014, followed by armed forces minister and disabilities minister. Truss appointed Mordaunt as the leader of the House of Commons, charged with setting out the government business with her no-nonsense attitude gaining admirers.

☆ Our lettuce outlasted Liz Truss, British paper declares, as PM quits
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - To the strains of Britain's national anthem, a national newspaper on Thursday declared a lettuce the victor in a race to see if it could outlast Liz Truss, after the under-fire prime minister resigned. The tabloid Daily Star set up a live feed on Friday showing the unrefrigerated iceberg next to a photo of Truss, asking readers: "Which wet lettuce will last longer?" Moments later, as viewer numbers hit 21,000, "God Save the King" rang out as a hand reached across the table and set Truss's photo on its back and the caption "The lettuce has outlasted Liz Truss" appeared. In a column published last week titled "The Iceberg Lady", the Economist magazine described Truss as having "the shelf-life of a lettuce". Truss's political role model, 1980s prime minister Margaret Thatcher, was widely known as the Iron Lady.

☆ After just 44 days in office, Liz Truss is eligible to collect a £115,000 allowance for the rest of her life
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Liz Truss will receive a yearly £115,000 allowance for the rest of her life despite her short stint as Prime Minister. Enacted in 1991, Truss becomes only the sixth Prime Minister to receive the lifelong allowance. To be eligible for the allowance, you only has to have been a former Prime Minister, meaning Truss qualifies, despite being the shortest-serving Prime Minister in the nation's history. She will receive the allowance yearly for the rest of her life. In addition, Truss is entitled to receive a pension allowance of up to 10% of the £115,000 allowance.

☆ 'Descendant' and 'The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks' review: Two documentaries provide new windows into chapters in Black history
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Two powerful documentaries explore different aspects of Black history this week, in each case shedding light on misrepresented or under-covered chapters. Presented by Barack Obama’s company under its Netflix deal, “Descendant” examines the discovery of a long-sunk ship that brought enslaved Africans to Alabama, while “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks” reclaims a figure whose legacy was too often characterized as the product of tired feet. Rosa Parks” highlights the selflessness of its subject and seeks to provide a detailed portrait of a woman who, through the vagaries of history, was frequently reduced to a symbol. Parks, rather, wanted – indeed devoted her life to fighting for – justice and equality. “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks” premieres October 19 on Peacock.

☆ Liz Truss' 'trickle-down economics' is dead. Now the UK faces an uncertain future
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Britain's Prime Minister Liz Truss holds a press conference in the Downing Street Briefing Room in central London on Oct. 14, 2022. Daniel Leal | Afp | Getty ImagesLONDON — Just six weeks into U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss' tenure and the political future of yet another Conservative leader looks to be in jeopardy. The approach has been sharply criticized by U.K. political opponents — and even U.S. President Joe Biden — at a time when Britain faces a deepening cost-of-living crisis. However, analysts at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group assign only a 10% possibility that Truss is able to hold on as prime minister. "The consensus at Westminster is now that that the Prime Minister is so weak that she can do nothing without the assent of her Chancellor.

☆ Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka wins 2022 Booker Prize
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Marie-Louise Gumuchian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka won the Booker Prize on Monday for his second novel "The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida," about a dead war photographer on a mission in the afterlife. Set in 1990 Sri Lanka during the country's civil war, Karunatilaka's story follows gay war photographer and gambler Maali Almeida, who wakes up dead. This year's shortlist of Booker Prize contenders included British author Alan Garner's "Treacle Walker", Zimbabwean author NoViolet Bulawayo's "Glory", "Small Things Like These" by Irish writer Claire Keegan, U.S. author Percival Everett's "The Trees" and "Oh William!" "It is an entirely serious philosophical romp that takes the reader to 'the world's dark heart' - the murderous horrors of civil war Sri Lanka," MacGregor added. Past winners of the Booker Prize, which was first awarded in 1969, include Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie and Yann Martel.

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