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☆ A $16 billion lawsuit payout is going to send this one stock soaring, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The payout is expected to be a significant win for Burford Capital , which funded the lawsuit brought by YPF's minority shareholders, Petersen Energia Inversora and Eton Park Capital Management. Investment bank Jefferies estimates Burford Capital is entitled to around $6.3 billion from the verdict, approximately twice the company's market capitalization. Jefferies analysts led by Julian Roberts said shares of Burford have "further to go" after the stock jumped by more than 6% on Friday alone. The $16 billion payout includes around $8.4 billion in damages plus about $7.6 billion in 8% pre-judgment interest since the April 2012 seizure date determined by the judge. "We will continue to defend energy sovereignty and our state company YPF against vulture funds," Cerruti said.

Persons: Jefferies, Julian Roberts, YPF, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Loretta Preska, Gabriela Cerruti, Cerruti, Numis, Burford, Jonathan Molot, Petersen, Molot Organizations: Burford Capital, Petersen Energia Inversora, Eton Park Capital Management, Investment, Jefferies, U.S, London, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner . U.S, District, International Monetary Fund, Argentina, Eton Park Locations: U.S, Argentina, Burford, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner ., Repsol

The payout includes the approximately $8.4 billion of damages Burford sought plus about $7.6 billion of 8% prejudgment interest running from May 3, 2012, about 2-1/2 weeks after the seizure. Argentina, which is in dire financial straits including a scarcity of foreign exchange reserves, pledged an immediate appeal. Shareholders' $8.43 billion damages estimate was based on Argentina's seizure of the YPF shares on April 16, 2012, which they said transferred "control." But the judge found it "telling" that Argentine officials treated April 16 as the seizure date, which stripped Repsol of its power to run YPF and distribute capital. The judge also called 8% interest "appropriate and equitable," and "well within the range" imposed by Argentine courts.

Persons: Loretta Preska, Burford, Preska, Axel Kicillof, Gabriela Cerruti, Cerruti, Nate Raymond, Jonathan Stempel, Adam Jourdan, Rodrigo Campos, Mark Porter, Will Dunham, Richard Chang Organizations: YPF, U.S, District, Burford Capital, Petersen Energia Inversora, Eton Park Capital, Jefferies, Petersen, Eton Park, Argentina, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Argentine, Thomson Locations: Argentina, U.S, Manhattan, Burford, London, New York, Buenos Aires, Qatar, China, Boston

☆ Video shows massive HIMARS strike on an ammo dump used by Russia's powerful Ka-52 attack helicopters, Ukraine says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine's military shared a video of a strike on a Russian storage site near Bakhmut. According to Ukraine's MOD, HIMARS took out a large store of 9M127 Vikhr laser-beam-guided missiles. Those missiles are used by the Ka-52, one of Russia's most deadly helicopters. The blast site served as a storage depot for 9M127 Vikhr guided missiles, which are used by Russian Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters, the MOD said. The Ka-52, known in Ukraine as "Putin's vulture," is considered one of the most powerful helicopters in the air.

Persons: HIMARS, Vikhr, Insider's Ryan Pickrell Organizations: Ukraine's MOD, Service, Ukraine's Special Forces, Ministry of Defense, Google, MOD, Mechanized Brigade Locations: Bakhmut, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Myronivs'kyi, Luhansk, Donetsk, It's, Russian

☆ Who Profits After Natural Disasters Like Hurricanes and Wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Anthony Dimauro | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

After Hurricane Michael struck Florida in 2018, home sales rose significantly, allowing disaster investors to reap the rewards. This venture has the potential to be even more rewarding given the increasing frequency of natural disasters in the US. But federal disaster relief is painfully slow to respond and often doesn't cover most of the costs. And while moratoriums on damaged land sales aren't a long-term, legally tenable solution, there are ways state officials might be able to deter disaster investors. As the threat of natural disasters increases, so will disaster profiteers.

Persons: Josh Green, Ian, Hurricane Michael, Hurricane, Joe Raedle, Hurricane Maria, Congress —, Hurricane Sandy, it's, Anthony DiMauro Organizations: Nashville Metro Council, FEMA, Hurricane, Centers for Environmental, Federal Reserve's Survey, Consumer Finances, Emergency Managment Agency, Small Business Administration, Urban Institute, Office, Congress, of Housing, Urban, Bloomberg, Newsweek, L.A Locations: Hawaii, Maui, Hawaii's, Tennessee, Nashville, Florida, Wilsey, New Orleans, California, Puerto Rico, Lahaina, New York

☆ 'Putin's vulture': Why the Ka-52 attack helicopter is one of Russia's most influential weapon systems
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Russia's Ka-52 attack helicopter has been imposing a high cost on Ukraine's counteroffensive this summer. AdvertisementAdvertisementIt can also serve as a surveillance platform and an aerial command center for a fleet of attack helicopters. While some military experts say the US Apache helicopter is superior to the Ka-52, the Russian helicopter gunship is highly rated. In its review of the top nine attack helicopters, Military-Today.com wrote: "The Ka-52 is one of the fastest and most maneuverable attack helicopters due to its two coaxial contra-rotating main rotors. A video appears to show one of the Ka-52 attack helicopters being downed, revealing Russia's weakness, a former US general told Insider.

Persons: Russia's Ka, Ukraine's, Today.com, ALEXANDER NEMENOV, Insider's Ryan Pickrell, Andriy Yermak, Maxym Organizations: Russian, Service, Kremlin, Kyiv Post, Kamov, Russian Helicopters, Airforce Technology, US Apache, Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, AP, Military Factory, Russia, Getty, UK Ministry of Defence, Twitter, Ukrainian, Russian Ministry of Defense, Royal United Services Institute, Forbes Locations: Ukrainian, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Ukraine, AFP, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, London, American, Russia

☆ Marvel's VFX artists become the first in their industry to unionize after months of speaking out about reported bullying and grueling work hours
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Marvel Studios' VFX artists became the first in their industry to file to unionize on August 7. "Turnaround times don't apply to us, protected hours don't apply to us, and pay equity doesn't apply to us," one artist wrote. "Turnaround times don't apply to us, protected hours don't apply to us, and pay equity doesn't apply to us," VFX artist Bella Huffman wrote in the press release. Rumors of Marvel Studios VFX artists' discontent and desire to unionize have been swirling for months. "She is known in the industry as a kingmaker," a former Marvel Studios VFX tech told Vulture.

Persons: —, Bella Huffman, who's, Matthew D, Loeb, Vulture, Govil, Marvel, Victoria Alonso, Alonso Organizations: Marvel Studios, International Alliance, Technicians, Artists, Allied Crafts, Marvel, Guild of America, SAG, Entertainment Locations: Hollywood

☆ Mark Margolis, ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ actor, dead at 83
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Marianne Garvey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Mark Margolis, a veteran actor known for his performances on “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” has died, his son, actor and Knitting Factory Entertainment CEO Morgan Margolis, told CNN in a statement. Margolis received an Emmy nomination in 2012 for portraying Hector “Tio” Salamanca in “Breaking Bad.” Tio, a fan-favorite character, was a former cartel enforcer who communicated using a brass bell attached to his wheelchair. The fact that he didn’t have any words was not an issue for me,” Margolis told Time in 2013 of the role. Insecure is probably the word.”Margolis joked about being known for his “Breaking Bad” bell-ringing skills when he was hired to be in a commercial for an Apple watch app. Later on Friday, Cranston posted a tribute to Margolis on Instagram, writing, “Mark Margolis was a really good actor and a lovely human being.

Persons: Mark Margolis, Saul, ”, Morgan Margolis, Margolis, Hector “ Tio ”, ” Tio, Tio, ” Margolis, “, Ventura, Oz, Darren Aronofsky, Stella Adler, ’, ’ ” Margolis, Vulture, Quasimodo, It’s, Saul ”, Jonathan Banks, Jacqueline, Cranston, Instagram, “ Mark Margolis, ” Cranston, ” Aronofsky Organizations: CNN, Knitting Factory Entertainment, Mount Sinai, Apple Locations: New York City, Hector “ Tio ” Salamanca, “, New Mexico, New York

☆ Mark Margolis, Scene Stealer from ‘Breaking Bad,’ Dies at 83
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Alex Williams | More About Alex Williams | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But no role made him as instantly recognizable to millions of viewers as his Hector in Vince Gilligan’s critically acclaimed AMC series “Breaking Bad,” starring Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn and Giancarlo Esposito, and its prequel, “Better Call Saul,” with Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn. The role, in “Breaking Bad,” brought him an Emmy nomination in 2012 for outstanding guest actor in a dramatic series. His Hector, or Tio, was indelible. Despite his lack of dialogue in “Breaking Bad,” Mr. Margolis proved a scene stealer from his wheelchair, his eyes bulging, his face trembling with rage, despite the nasal cannula pumping oxygen up his nose and his palm furiously banging his bell, taped to an arm of the chair, whenever he needed attention. “I tell people I’m the second-most famous bell ringer after Quasimodo,” he said in a 2016 interview with Vulture, New York magazine’s culture site.

Persons: Hector, Vince Gilligan’s, ”, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Giancarlo Esposito, Saul, Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Walter White, Cranston, ” Mr, Margolis, “, Quasimodo Locations: New Mexico, , New York

☆ When Spider-Man Met Jeff Koons
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Max Lakin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“When we talked about the Balloon Dog we said, ‘What could we do with it? Koons, he recalled, “was actually the one who said, ‘You know, one thing about the Balloon Dog is it’s this thing that has a lot to do with breath. But we’ve never actually seen the inside of one. (The scene brought to mind an episode earlier this year, where a collector visiting the Art Wynwood fair in Miami accidentally shattered a 16-inch edition. Koons considered the Balloon Dog’s presence in the film as “truly participating in a larger community where people can rally around it.”

Persons: ” Thompson, Koons, “, ‘, we’ve, Vulture lops, ” Koons, ” Organizations: Art Locations: Miami, Hydra, Greece

☆ I've traveled 18,000 miles in an electric car. Here are the 4 things that surprised me about long-distance EV road trips.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Gia Mora | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

She and her partner have traveled 18,000 miles in the electric car on multiple road trips. Here are four things people should know if they're planning to travel long distances in an EV. We arrange to fill up at an Electrify America station every 150 miles or so. More remote charging stations can be adventures in themselvesPlenty of charging stations look exactly as you'd expect, but when we ventured outside of major metropolitan areas, we discovered some unique stops. Green River, Utah, is home to 847 people, one Tesla Supercharger, and four Electrify America stations located beside the tiny, quirky Green River Coffee Company.

Persons: Gia Mora, Morris, it's, I'm, We've, we've, Lucky Buck Organizations: Hyundai, Walmart, Morning, Apple, Walmart Walmart, Sam's, Coffee, Yosemite National Locations: Los Angeles, Colorado, Scottsdale , Arizona, LA, San Diego, Nevada , Utah, New Mexico, America, Walmart's, Plenty, Green River , Utah, Yosemite

☆ How 50 Cent used 'one of the unwritten laws of power' to make $10 million a movie: 'I paid myself to learn'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Over the course of his decades-long career, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson has learned a thing or two about success. He's a Grammy-winning rapper, successful businessman and a prolific actor who stars and produces in both TV and film. "One of the unwritten laws of power is to appear not to need anything," Jackson said. Jackson met movie producer Avi Lerner when he was already a millionaire from his rap career. Jackson has since produced dozens of TV shows and films — like "Power" and "Power Book II: Ghost" — with plenty more on the way.

Persons: Curtis, Jackson, He's, Vulture, Avi Lerner, Lerner, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, DON'T, Warren Buffett Organizations: Hollywood, Cheetah Vision Locations: showbusiness

☆ How 50 Cent changed tactics and sold 'Power' after a string of rejections from networks like HBO and Showtime
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Nathan Mcalone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

50 Cent says HBO, Showtime, Paramount, and Hulu passed on "Power." He used music to help pitch the show after an initial round of rejections. Jackson said he and Courtney Kemp pitched the show to HBO, Showtime, Paramount, and Hulu — but they all passed. He said he got paid $17,000 an episode to act, executive produce, and make music for the show. Jackson is also a producer on the Starz show "BMF" and previously had an overall deal with the network.

Persons: Cent, Hulu, Curtis Jackson, Jackson, Courtney Kemp, Hulu —, Courtney Organizations: Showtime, Paramount, Starz, HBO, Fox

☆ What Steve Martin, Sigourney Weaver and Others Wore to Party
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Emma Grillo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As June ushered in warmer weather in New York City, guests at two garden-themed events left layers at home and wore their best florals. On June 1, the New York Botanical Garden hosted its annual Conservatory Ball. After cocktails, attendees made their way into the conservatory for dinner and dancing. The ball raised more than $1.3 million, according to organizers, and the guest list included Sigourney Weaver, a chair of the event. After dinner, attendees danced to performances by MUNA, Romy, and Coco & Breezy.

Persons: Ebony G, Sigourney Weaver, Barbara Chase, Ed Ruscha, Marlene Hess, Darren Walker, sipped, MUNA Organizations: New, Botanical Garden, Enid, Haupt, Museum of Modern Art, Party, MoMA, Ford Foundation . Artists, Coco Locations: New York City

[1/5] An eight-year-old male African lion rests on the plains of Kafue National Park, Zambia, September 19, 2020. In the recent assessment, scientists found that more lion cubs were born into Kafue prides from 2018 to 2021. A half-century of intensive poaching has decimated wildlife populations in Africa's third-largest national park, as it has across much of the continent, with Kafue's free-roaming big cats among the victims. Bushmeat poachers have targeted the lions' grass-eating prey, leaving too little behind for the park's 200 or more of these hungry carnivores. "African white-backed vultures will come in really large numbers," said Corinne Kendall, curator of conservation and research at North Carolina Zoo which is leading the program.

Persons: Sebastian Kennerknecht, Kim Young, Overton, Panthera's, Andrew Loveridge, Corinne Kendall, It's, it's, Kendall, Gloria Dickie, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Leopards, Africa Parks, Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife, North Carolina Zoo, Thomson Locations: Park, Zambia, Handout, Kafue, Africa, West Africa, London

In the recent assessment, scientists found that more lion cubs were born into Kafue prides from 2018 to 2021. A half-century of intensive poaching has decimated wildlife populations in Africa's third-largest national park, as it has across much of the continent, with Kafue's free-roaming big cats among the victims. [1/5] An eight-year-old male African lion rests on the plains of Kafue National Park, Zambia, September 19, 2020. But the carcasses also attract the critically endangered white-backed vultures, whose population has declined by more than 90% across West Africa in the past 40 years, largely due to poisoning. "African white-backed vultures will come in really large numbers," said Corinne Kendall, curator of conservation and research at North Carolina Zoo which is leading the program.

Persons: Kim Young, Overton, Panthera's, Andrew Loveridge, Sebastian Kennerknecht, Corinne Kendall, It's, it's, Kendall, Gloria Dickie, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, Leopards, REUTERS, Africa Parks, Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife, North Carolina Zoo, Thomson Locations: Kafue, Park, Zambia, Handout, Africa, West Africa, London

☆ Japan's Kitano says he held back in bloody samurai film 'Kubi'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CANNES, May 26 (Reuters) - Japanese director Takeshi Kitano said that he held back in showing too much blood and gore in "Kubi", his new ultraviolent samurai film that features beheadings faster than can be counted. Kitano said that the violence reflected how battles were fought at the time and that the film actually held back. "The way they fought ... it's very barbaric, so we tried to limit ourselves from showing too much," said Kitano. The samurai of "Kubi" are, in Kitano's eyes, not so different from the yakuza crime syndicate members portrayed in his previous film that showed at Cannes, 2010's "The Outrage". The samurai are trying to get to the top of the food chain by being the toughest fighters, "but they are not smart.

☆ World Bee Day 2023: 6 surprising things about bees
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Unfortunately, many bee species are under threat as a result of changes in land use, pesticides, intensive agriculture and climate change — but there are steps you can take to help them thrive. In honor of World Bee Day on May 20, here are six surprising things you might not know about nature’s hardest-working pollinators. “It marks the first report of honey bees of any species foraging for materials that are not derived from plants or water-based fluids. It is also the first clear-cut example of honey bees using a tool in nature.”Honeybees also signal an imminent attack by making a chilling warning noise. Bees are seen on a honeycomb cell at the Urban Bee Hive rooftop site in Woolloomooloo, a suburb of Sydney.

☆ Thai zoo breeds endangered vultures hoping to see them soar again
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Napat Wesshasartar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand, April 25 (Reuters) - Four times a day, Thai conservationist Watchiradol Phangpanya puts on a black, long-sleeved shirt, red gloves, and a red balaclava, hoping to imitate an endangered red-headed vulture feeding its baby. [1/3] A new born red-headed vulture is pictured at Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, Thailand, April 15, 2023. As a scavenger, the red-headed vulture used to play a crucial role in the ecosystem by consuming animal carcasses. After nearly two decades of trying to increase the red-headed vulture population, the zoo is starting to see results, with another egg being incubated by its parents in conservation. "We would like to see the Asian king vulture soar once again through the skies of Thailand," he said.

☆ Five Children’s Movies to Stream Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Dina Gachman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The “adorable animals on an epic journey” genre has enchanted young viewers for decades — “Homeward Bound” and “The Adventures of Milo and Otis” being just two beloved examples. Over in the United Forest of America, the evil Don Vulture is running for president against a bear, John Grizzly. (There is talk of “fake lies” and “big empty promises,” so you can probably guess which real-life former president the vulture is modeled after.) The law says no childless animal can become president, but the stork delivered Grizzly’s cub to the wrong home, so our heroes must race to return the cub in time for the election. Along the way they battle hungry hyenas and snowstorms, protecting the cooing baby bear so they can complete their quest.

☆ The trailer for the new 'BlackBerry' movie is here and former 'CrackBerry' fans are shocked at how entertaining it looks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The "BlackBerry" trailer dropped Wednesday, and it's trending at number 21 on YouTube only 24 hours later. Critics and nostalgic BlackBerry fans alike say they're thrilled by the cast and the chance to revisit the iconic phone. It tells the story of the rise and fall of Canadian tech company Research in Motion, the maker of the BlackBerry. "I'm shocked that BlackBerry actually looks like it might be pretty damn good," Canadian tech editor Patrick O'Rourke tweeted. Although the film might strike the hearts of BlackBerry loyalists or Y2K enthusiasts, the phones most likely won't be back.

☆ Bernie Sanders says Silicon Valley Bank's failure is the 'direct result' of a Trump-era bank regulation policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Bernie Sanders is blaming a Trump-era policy for the Silicon Valley Bank run. "Now is not the time for US taxpayers to bail out Silicon Valley Bank. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shut down the Silicon Valley Bank on Friday following a catastrophic bank run. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has now become the largest bank failure in the US since the 2008 financial crisis. However, startups with money in Silicon Valley Bank exceeding $250,000 are now in danger of not being able to make payroll next week.

LOS ANGELES, March 9 (Reuters) - Hot dogs for fingers, plastic googly eyes, and conversing rocks are hardly staples of mainstream movie-making. Yet, they have became cultural touchstones of "Everything Everywhere All at Once," the at-times baffling and absurdist film that has captivated Hollywood. "It is using all of this apparatus of big storytelling that we've been kind of very accustomed to," Willmore said. "Bringing that large scale to bear on this very small story, I think that is really what has swept people up," she added. Star James Hong alluded to the confusion when the movie was honored at the Screen Actors Guild awards.

☆ A major student-loan lender is putting millions of borrowers 'at serious risk of financial harm' by filing a lawsuit to end the payment pause, Biden's Education Department says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Student-loan lender SoFi asked a federal court to end the student-loan payment pause. The Education Department said the pause is legal, and the lawsuit puts borrowers "at serious risk of financial harm." On Friday, SoFi Bank and SoFi Lending Corp. — a student-loan refinancing company — sued the Education Department and asked the District Court for the District of Columbia to end Biden's latest extension of the student-loan payment pause. The White House has not yet commented on whether it will consider additional relief, such as a further payment pause extension if its relief gets struck down. It also claimed that it has suffered direct harm to its student-loan refinancing business, saying that the student-loan payment pause "has eliminated the primary benefits of student loan refinancing.

☆ Fox scores Super Bowl ratings touchdown with 113 million viewers, the third most-watched TV program ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —The Super Bowl delivered super ratings for Fox. That makes Super Bowl LVII the third most-watched television program of all-time. Fox Sports said that the Apple Music Halftime Show featuring Rihanna drew an average of 118.7 million viewers, making it the second most-watched performance in Super Bowl history. The numbers underscore yet again that while linear television might be in decline, live sports still command extraordinary audiences. Fox said Super Bowl LVII was the most-streamed Super Bowl in history, with an average of 7 million people watching via internet-based services.

☆ Judge could take months to decide case of Castro-era Cuban debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Michelle Caruso-Cabrera | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The trial ended last week, but it could be months before the judge, Sara Cockerill, renders judgement in the case of CRF vs Banco Nacional de Cuba & Cuba. Her decision is central to whether Cuba may finally be forced to pay back billions of dollars in unpaid debts. At one point the barrister for CRF cited a British property case regarding the lease of a fried fish shop. The question before the judge is of whether the fund has the right to sue Cuba. No matter how the judge rules, the Cuban government will still owe the money.

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