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"Jamie Dimon knew in 2008 that his billionaire client was a sex trafficker," attorney Mimi Liu told Manhattan U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff at a hearing late Thursday, referring to the year Epstein was first criminally charged with sex crimes. "If Staley is a rogue employee, why isn't Jamie Dimon?" The lawyer continued: "Staley knew, Dimon knew, JPMorgan Chase knew" about Epstein's criminal conduct. Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesA lawyer for JPMorgan disputed those arguments, "in particular the point about Jamie Dimon having any specific knowledge." Wexler also said, "Jamie Dimon has no recollection of reviewing the Epstein accounts."

☆ Brain Chips Like Elon Musk's Neuralink Can Change Your Personality
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Evan Malmgren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Musk's neurotech startup, Neuralink, has been working toward implanting its skull-embedded brain chip in a human since it was founded in 2016. Other researchers have been looking into using BCIs to restore lost senses and control prosthetic limbs, among other applications. Intervening in the delicate operation of a human brain is a sticky business, and the effects are not always desirable or intended. If a brain chip can change key parts of your personality, companies should not be rushing to put them in people's heads. Wexler told me that while most people in the industry aren't that open to using BCIs as a consumer product, they still think it's likely to happen.

☆ South Africa President Declares State of Disaster Over Power Cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Alexandra Wexler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

JOHANNESBURG—South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday declared a national state of disaster over the country’s rolling power cuts and said he would appoint a minister of electricity to oversee the response to the outages, which have reached new records in recent weeks. The power cuts—caused by constant breakdowns and lengthy maintenance shutdowns affecting South Africa’s aging fleet of coal-fired power stations—have left households and businesses without electricity for as much as 11 ½ hours a day over the past three months.

☆ Watch: U.S. Military Tracks Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In Africa, FTX Promised Stability and SwagAcross Africa FTX used brand ambassadors and glitzy events to attract new users. Many customers saw cryptocurrency as a way to protect against inflation in local currencies. But when the crypto exchange collapsed many lost their savings. WSJ reporter Alexandra Wexler joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how FTX grew in Africa and what happened to investors.

REUTERS/Alyssa PointerFeb 1 (Reuters) - As soon as next week, the Memphis City Council will consider a raft of reforms aimed at curtailing police violence after the brutal beating of Tyre Nichols by five officers following a traffic stop. But after Nichols' beating and subsequent death made Memphis the latest emblem of police brutality against Black Americans, city leaders are facing more pressure than ever to shore up police accountability and hiring standards. "We cannot allow this moment to pass us by when activism coupled with concern from the community is at its peak," Memphis City Councilman J.B. Smiley Jr. said. Memphis activist LJ Abraham said she hopes Nichols’ case will persuade the council to take demands for bolder reforms more seriously. In recent years, city leaders have sought to boost the department's officer ranks, which dwindled as violent crime spiked.

☆ South Africa Seeks State Power Chief After CEO Says He Was Poisoned
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Alexandra Wexler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

JOHANNESBURG—One Monday last month, the chief executive officer of South Africa’s state-owned power company Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., André de Ruyter , woke up for his 5 a.m. gym routine, then headed to an off-site meeting with the chairman of the board. Hours later, he lay shaking in a clinic bed. Blood tests viewed by The Wall Street Journal showed that he had ingested cyanide. Now, the South African government is looking for a successor to Mr. de Ruyter, who says he handed his resignation to the Eskom board chairman hours before he started feeling nauseous and confused in his office on Dec. 12. Mr. de Ruyter says he suspects the cyanide was added to a cappuccino he drank from his personalized mug at his office.

☆ In Africa, FTX Posed as Haven From Tumbling Currencies, Inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Alexandra Wexler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Weeks before cryptocurrency exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy, dozens of young Nigerians in skintight dresses and brightly colored suits shimmied under limbo bars, posed for photos in front of the company’s logo and sipped expensive liquor at a swanky beachfront venue. The party in Lagos, Nigeria, was part of the Bahamas-based exchange’s push into Africa, where, in the final days before its implosion, FTX was aggressively recruiting new customers whose funds are now stuck in bankruptcy proceedings. U.S. prosecutors have charged FTX’s founder, Sam Bankman-Fried , with fraud for allegedly stealing billions of dollars of customer funds from FTX and of defrauding investors and lenders to his trading firm, Alameda Research. He has pleaded not guilty.

☆ WWE confirms Vince McMahon is rejoining the board, stock spikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

World Wrestling Entertainment confirmed on Friday that former CEO and majority shareholder Vince McMahon will be reinstated to the company’s board. “Today, we announce that the founder of WWE, Vince McMahon, will be returning to the Board,” WWE executives said in a Friday press release. He also said he would bring back former co-presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios as board directors. Three current board members, JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey Speed and Alan M. Wexler, were removed from their positions. Even during his leave, McMahon maintained control over the company as a majority shareholder.

☆ Vince McMahon returns to WWE, less than 6 months after he retired amid sexual misconduct allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Vince McMahon, WWE's former CEO, has returned to the board, the company announced Friday. McMahon retired from the company in July amid misconduct allegations made against him. It comes less than six months after McMahon announced he was retiring from the company in July 2022, amid a board investigation into hush payments McMahon allegedly made to former female employees who had made misconduct allegations against him. But McMahon made clear that without his direct involvement, he would not approve any rights deals or a sale, WSJ reported. The board began investigating last year millions of dollars McMahon had paid several women who had made misconduct allegations against him.

Arizona Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs is taking the state’s child protective services agency in a radically different direction in the wake of a ProPublica-NBC News investigation into the racial disparities that have plagued the child welfare system here. This week, Hobbs, a Democrat, announced that she has selected Matthew Stewart, a Black community advocate, as the new head of Arizona’s Department of Child Safety. Arizona’s child welfare system has long disproportionately investigated Black families. After leaving DCS, Stewart formed the community organization Our Sister Our Brother, which has fought the department for more equitable treatment of Black and also low-income parents. Child welfare experts in the state and families affected by the system praised Stewart’s selection, though some wondered how much change he could bring about even in DCS’ top position.

☆ 11 ancient sites that are mysteriously aligned with the sun on the winter solstice, in photos.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Archaeologists have found many ancient sites that line up with the winter solstice sun. Here are 11 sites that line up with the winter solstice, and what experts think about them. Newgrange, County Meath, IrelandPeople celebrating the sunrise at Newgrange on the morning of the winter solstice in 2018. ShutterstockOne of the most famous examples of ancient architecture lining up with the winter solstice is in Machu Picchu, Peru. "From the winter solstice the days are longer, which was a metaphor of the rebirth of the deceased," he said.

☆ Forget the F-150 Lightning and Hummer EV. Ford and GM's real battle is for electric delivery vans.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But perhaps their real battle will happen with electric delivery vans. "But the electrification of the commercial vehicle market," he said, "I think is underappreciated." Now, government support through incentives has bolstered EV momentum, and as a result, companies looking for electric fleets will only ask for more. How electric delivery van-makers plan to nail this downFord and GM's inherent advantages over rivals include name recognition, robust supply bases, and ample resources. "We've seen over the decades how strong brand loyalty is in the commercial vehicle segment," said AutoPacific analyst Robby DeGraff.

How to watch 'Better Call Saul' season 6You can watch "Better Call Saul" season six by purchasing episodes through digital retailers like Amazon and Vudu. 'Better Call Saul' Season 6 (Digital Purchase) The long-awaited conclusion to the harrowing “Breaking Bad” spin-off is available to buy digitally. Do Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul appear in 'Better Call Saul' season 6? Netflix is also home to lots of other great content, including every season of "Breaking Bad" and the sequel film "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie." "Better Call Saul" is critically acclaimed and currently holds a "98% Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on all six seasons.

☆ 15 best skin care products for rosacea and redness
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Mili Godio | Mili Godio Is An Associate Reporter For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +20 min

SKIP AHEAD Best products for rosacea | How to best manage rosacea | What type of products should you avoid with rosacea? The best products for rosacea in 2022Our expertssaid that a skin routine with gentle, non-abrasive products is best for people with rosacea. Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleanser is recommended by dermatologists thanks to its gentle, non-foaming formula that helps hydrate and soothe rosacea-prone skin. Clinique’s Redness Solutions skin care line offers everything from cleansers to sunscreens that can be beneficial for those with redness and rosacea. Like Avene, La Roche-Posay is a French brand that makes gentle products for sensitive skin — our experts recommended this brand for both rosacea and acne-prone skin.

The world should mourn the loss of Angela Lansbury, a gifted actress who died this week at 96 after a career of more than seven decades. Angela Lansbury stars as mystery writer and crime solver Jessica Fletcher on the CBS television series "Murder, She Wrote" in 1990. “Murder, She Wrote,” however, featured not only a woman, but an older one at that. I remember well Lansbury’s character, with her constant bike riding and quick mind. While I’m sorry that Lansbury is no longer with us, I’m glad that the era of “Murder, She Wrote” has passed.

Instead, data and child welfare experts suggest the changes may have done the opposite. State child welfare officials say more vigilance in documenting severe cases of abuse likely contributed to the increase. Child welfare experts say these findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of the primary tool that states rely on to protect children: mandatory child abuse reporting. These policies, the bedrock of America’s child welfare system, were first implemented more than half a century ago in response to growing national awareness of child maltreatment. “We are continuing to tell mandated reporters, ‘Report, report, report,’ and nobody can handle it,” Berger said in an interview.

☆ Startup founders are panicked amid a market meltdown, but most VCs don't want to hear it. 'It's like don't ask, don't tell.'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

"It's like don't ask, don't tell," Josh Felser, a successful founder and outspoken investor, said. The following report on how startup founders are coping with the funding crunch was originally published on August 4. Seven Seven Six partner Katelin Holloway. Her investor, Seven Seven Six, pays for its founders to participate. Caleb Frankel, whose Seven Seven Six-backed startup, EarlyBird, helps families invest in their kid's financial future, wants desperately to have kids, but he and his wife have struggled with pregnancy loss.

The sixth and final season of "Better Call Saul" concluded on August 15. You can stream the last half of the final season on AMC Plus, and catch up on older seasons with a Netflix subscription. How to watch 'Better Call Saul' season 6You can watch the final six episodes of "Better Call Saul" season six with a subscription to the AMC Plus streaming service. Keep in mind, however, that "Better Call Saul" episodes only remain available on AMC Plus for a limited time. The show has received 46 Emmy nominations over its run, including seven for its sixth and final season.

☆ JPMorgan Chase says it won't give money to Biden's inauguration as the president-elect's team seeks $1 million corporate donations
▼ + stars: | 2020-12-16 | by ( Dave Levinthal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

JPMorgan Chase told Insider it wouldn't donate to President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. The Biden inaugural committee is soliciting corporate contributions of up to $1 million. Wexler declined to comment on whether the Biden inaugural committee directly solicited the company for a donation. Representatives for the president-elect's inaugural committee did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. But his inaugural committee has not revealed details of its plans.

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