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☆ Fact Check-No evidence COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are significant contributing factor to UK’s 30,000 excess cardiovascular deaths
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Millions of people have viewed a BBC News interview with a British cardiologist who used the broadcast to spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. Malhotra cites the British Heart Foundation (BHF) for reporting 30,000 excess cardiovascular deaths “during the pandemic or since the pandemic”. A BHF spokesperson told Reuters that there were indeed 30,000 excess deaths involving ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in England between March 2020 and August 2022. Reuters has addressed similar claims linking COVID-19 vaccines with excess mortality (here, here and here), cardiac arrests (here, here and here), and other heart issues. Experts say the 30,000 excess cardiovascular deaths reported since the beginning of the pandemic are due to COVID-19 infection and issues with healthcare services.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence COVID-19 vaccines are linked to athletes collapsing or dying
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

He suffered a cardiac arrest moments after making a tackle and had to have his heartbeat restored on the field (here). In the UK, Dr Steven Cox, chief executive of charity Cardiac Risk on the Young (CRY), also told Reuters via email that sudden cardiac death in young people “is sadly not a new phenomenon”. The authors also noted that this was “likely... a significant underestimate” of the true incidence of cardiac death in the young. Another study published in 2022 by PLOS medicine found acute COVID-19 was associated with a 5.8x increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including a 6.4x increased risk of atrial arrythmias in the month after infection. Experts say there is no research that shows a link between COVID-19 vaccines and athletes collapsing or dying from sudden cardiac arrest.

☆ One of America's largest homebuilders just opened its first community in the metaverse as more homebuyers in the real world cancel their orders
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The LA-based builder KB Home opened a first-of-its-kind community in the metaverse on January 17. KB Home's virtual community allows customers to personalize some of the company's model homes to their preferences, from changing the architectural style to customizing the interior design. Different customizable home types offered in KB Homes' metaverse community Courtesy of KB Homes"We know consumers are increasingly immersing themselves and spending more time in virtual spaces," KB Home's CEO Jeffrey Mezger said in the announcement. To combat these issues, Rob McGibney, KB Home's chief operating officer, told investors that the company is focusing on moving homes "as efficiently as possible through the construction cycle." The metaverse community can help alleviate some of these issues by allowing customers to design their new home online before KB begins building it in the real world.

☆ Trump says Democrats 'weaponized' his tax returns while simultaneously boasting that the records show what a clever businessman he is
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump accused Democrats of weaponizing his tax returns against him. But he simultaneously said the documents, released Friday, show he's a savvy businessman. The documents released Friday — which span thousands of pages — showed that Trump and then First Lady Melania Trump reported millions in losses from 2015 to 2020. The Trump Organization now has felony status and could be ordered to pay up to $1.6 million in fees when it's sentenced next month. That's in addition to the $250 million civil lawsuit that New York Attorney General Letitia James' office filed against Trump, his three eldest children, and the Trump Organization in September.

☆ Tree of Life Massacre Survivors Find Comfort and Joy in Episcopalian Sanctuary
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Kris Maher | Photographs Nate Smallwood For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PITTSBURGH—Rabbi Jeffrey Myers appeared as Moses at the Calvary Episcopal Church Christmas pageant this month, alongside a baby Jesus and a live camel. In the spirit of the production, the Tree of Life rabbi carried a Styrofoam likeness of the Ten Commandments up the aisle of the soaring Gothic church and then sang a verse from Deuteronomy. Afterward, both congregations ate latkes and Christmas cookies while he sang Hanukkah songs.

☆ 5 reasons to applaud the smart, speedy jury that convicted the Trump Organization of tax fraud
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

A Manhattan jury convicted Donald Trump's company of all 17 tax-fraud counts on Tuesday. But he would not implicate anyone named Trump — not Donald Trump, who he worked for since the 1980s. And not any of Trump's three eldest kids — Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, or Ivanka Trump, who have all served as Trump Organization executive vice presidents. Back during jury selection in late October, defense lawyers had the darnedest time finding Manhattan residents who didn't hate Donald Trump. They certainly did not look like Donald Trump's C-suite of well-paid, white-collar white men.

☆ Fact Check-Viral video promotes baseless vaccine depopulation theory
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +14 min

However, there is no evidence that mortality rates have surged or that stillbirths have increased as a result of COVID-19 vaccines. News reports about cardiac arrests and unexpected deaths are then shown on screen and are baselessly attributed to COVID-19 vaccines. There have been 55 deaths involving COVID-19 vaccines causing adverse effects in England between March 2020 and October 2022. While stillbirth rates remain constant, global birth or fertility rates, including in the U.S., have been declining for decades (here, here, here, here). The film does not provide evidence that the global elite are depopulating the world through COVID-19 vaccines.

☆ Political experts don't think the Trump Org's felony status is enough to kill Donald Trump's chances in 2024: 'At some point, the Republican party has to decide how much they're willing to overlook'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Lauren Frias | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But experts don't think the conviction is enough to tamp down his chances in the 2024 election. "But at some point, the Republican party has to decide how much they're willing to overlook before they just cut him loose," Crouse said. "That's not really a logical analysis, that's more a poetic analysis, but I think it does have symbolic significance in that sense." "Even though [Trump] wasn't a defendant, it's at his feet, and it can be portrayed that way by his enemies both inside the Republican party and outside the Republican party," O'Brien added. "And I think that's going to weaken his candidacy" in 2024, especially as his hold on the GOP is challenged by a potential presidential hopeful: Florida Gov.

☆ Trump Organization found guilty on all counts in Manhattan tax-fraud trial
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The verdict means Trump's company now risks up to $1.6 million in penalties when it is sentenced on January 13. The company also now has felony status, meaning a big black eye as Trump makes his third run for president. Defense lawyers promised to appeal the verdict; Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg thanked the jury and the prosecution team. The jury found that both subsidiaries — the Trump Corporation and Trump Payroll Corporation, both doing business as Trump Organization — were complicit in a decade-long tax-dodge scheme admittedly run by ex-CFO Allen Weisselberg and top payroll executive Jeffrey McConney. In Manhattan, no corporation is above the law," said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in a statement.

☆ Notes indicate Trump Organization tax-fraud jury may be zipping through deliberations on its 2nd day
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

tax-fraud trial in Manhattan. Jury notes have asked for readbacks of the law for counts 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9. A court officer sent in to the trial judge, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, a folded-over piece of white notebook paper. Prosecutors have also cited numerous documents signed by Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump as evidence they were aware of the scheme. But a tax-fraud conviction would cost the Trump Organization a penalty up to $1.6 million.

☆ Donald Trump says it's hard to be a 'Trump' in New York City in reaction to his organization's tax fraud conviction
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Trump Organization was found criminally liable for tax fraud committed by two company executives. Donald Trump denounced the jury outcome and claimed the trial was a "political witch hunt." "New York City is a hard place to be 'Trump,' as businesses and people flee our once Great City," the former President said in a statement. The Trump Organization was convicted of tax fraud on Tuesday after a Manhattan jury deliberated for a total of 10 hours, putting a close to a six-week trial. Two top executives at the Trump Organization are at the center of the conviction: ex-CFO Allen Weisselberg and payroll executive Jeffrey McConney.

☆ Deliberations have started in the Trump Organization tax fraud trial and the judge told jurors to 'set aside' any Trump biases
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Deliberations began Monday in the Trump Organization tax-fraud trial. Jurors must decide if the company is criminally liable for its top financial executives' tax crimes. 'Set aside any personal opinions or biases you may have against Trump,' the judge instructed. Three of the sworn jurors — a full quarter of the jury — said during jury selection that they don't like Trump or his politics. Prosecutors have said they did so to save hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes a year for the company's top executives, a half-dozen men one rung down the corporate ladder from the Trump family itself.

☆ 'Donald Trump knew exactly what was going on' in Trump Org. tax fraud, Manhattan prosecutor says in summations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Late Thursday, a prosecutor told jurors Trump "knew exactly" how his top executives dodged taxes. The "Trump was in on it" pronouncement, made in summations by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, prompted strong opposition from defense lawyers after jurors left the courtroom for the day. One defense lawyer, Alan Futerfas, objected that Steinglass violated an agreement not to speculate to jurors about what Trump knew or didn't know. "The first problem of the 'prodigal son' narrative," Steinglass told jurors Thursday, "is he didn't steal from the company. The two Trump Organization subsidiaries face a maximum $1.6 million in penalties if convicted of conspiracy, scheme to defraud, and tax fraud.

☆ Explainer: The Trump Organization trial is nearing its end. What's the case about?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here are answers to questions about the accusations the Trump Organization faces. WHAT IS THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION ACCUSED OF DOING? Trump Payroll Corp and the Trump Corporation have been charged with nine counts of scheme to defraud, conspiracy, tax fraud and other crimes. Lawyers for the Trump Organization have sought to shift the blame to Weisselberg, saying he cheated on his personal tax returns to benefit himself, not the company. Mazars cut ties with the Trump Organization this year.

☆ Trump Org defense closings feature a clueless Donald Trump and a big little loophole
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"Donald Trump was running a multi-billion-dollar corporate entity," one lawyer, Susan Necheles, told jurors of the Trump Organization's far-too-busy-for-fraud owner. But Weisselberg, she told jurors, hid his self-serving crimes from the Trumps, a family he'd worked for for more than 30 years. "You saw him on the witness stand almost crying" over betraying the Trump family, Necheles told jurors of the former finance chief, repeating for emphasis, "He was ashamed." "I ask you to remember that language," Necheles told the jury, reading it aloud. "The prosecution has been trying to convince you that Mr. Weisselberg's actions were done 'in behalf of' the company," Necheles said.

☆ Trump Org hopes to win its Manhattan tax-fraud trial with an 'ignorance' defense — a Trump hallmark
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Summations are Thursday and Friday in the Manhattan tax-fraud trial of the Trump Organization. Star prosecution witnesses with arguably mixed loyalties, the two told jurors they never let anyone named Trump in on the scheme. Jurors may well wonder how Donald Trump, or Eric Trump, or Donald Trump, Jr., could truly have been ignorant of the scheme when the three of them personally signed off on so many of the perks. "Donald Trump didn't know that Allen Weisselberg was cheating on Allen Weisselberg's taxes," as defense lawyer Susan Necheles told jurors in openings. In this trial, though, the ignorance defense goes into overdrive, and doesn't stop with a supposedly clueless Trump.

☆ Trump Org. rests case on sour note in NY tax fraud trial after judge scolds defense over 11th-hour evidence dump
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Lawyers for Trump's real-estate empire rested their case Monday at their Manhattan tax fraud trial. First, though, the trial judge scolded Trump Organization lawyers over an 11th-hour evidence dump. On Monday, defense lawyers told the judge that during summations, they'll tell jurors that although McConney and Weisselberg know now that they broke the law, they didn't know it at the time. Jurors were told to return on Thursday when they will hear the first of two days worth of closing arguments. Meanwhile, the two sides will appear before the judge Tuesday morning to fine-tune what jurors will be told by the judge just before they begin deliberations.

In the early 2010s, Mr. Mellow set out for still more distant shores, traveling to many famous surf breaks in the South Pacific. Mr. Abdul-Rashed and Mr. Danian traveled to Hawaii to connect with Mr. Mellow, their spiritual guide and Pacific expedition leader. Mr. Mellow posted an ad on Facebook and Craigslist offering $10,000 for passage to the South Pacific. Mr. Schmidt was in sync with the young seekers when it came to fear of Big Brother and vaccines, but dreading port officials brandishing nasal swabs struck even Mr. Schmidt as a little unhinged. When asked if he was at all responsible for what had happened to Mr. Danian and Mr. Abdul-Rashed, Mr. Mellow looked genuinely confused.

☆ Trump Organization's outside accountant testifies he 'would have had a heart attack' if he'd seen the 'secret' Christmas bonus lists
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

He testified Tuesday he "would have had a heart attack" if he'd seen how the company paid X-mas bonuses. Executives got bonuses in piecemeal checks signed by Trump, in what the DA says was a tax-dodge. For example, in 2015, the Trump Organization paid out $1.1 million in executive bonuses and paid Allen Weisselberg, its chief financial officer, a $300,000 bonus, according to documents. Careful records were kept internally of how company bonuses were paid, some titled "The Trump Organization Christmas Bonuses." The accounting firm severed ties with Trump and the Trump Organization earlier this year, citing a history of financial "discrepancies" at the company.

Trump, a Republican, has accused James, a Democrat, of suing him because she dislikes him and his politics. The Trump Organization is now on trial in another Manhattan courtroom on criminal tax fraud charges. Trump also faces a criminal investigation in Georgia into whether he interfered with the 2020 election results in that state. "Who stands to gain from this highly-politicized farse [sic], aside from the politically-compromised Attorney General of the State of New York?" Both testified as prosecution witnesses in the Manhattan criminal trial in which prosecutors accused the company of engaging in tax fraud spanning 15 years.

☆ Loyal ex-CFO Allen Weisselberg is done testifying at Trump Org tax-fraud trial that Trump calls 'VERY UNFAIR!'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Allen Weisselberg, Trump's ex-CFO, has finished testifying in the Trump Org trial. The Manhattan DA's case "has fallen apart," Trump grumbled, meanwhile, of the "VERY UNFAIR!" Still, his loyalties clearly remain with the same Trump Organization that is paying him. on salary that wasn't declared as salary, Susan Hoffinger, one of the two lead prosecutors, asked Weisselberg. "It was some benefit to the company," Weisselberg admitted, though he added, "but it was primarily through my greed."

But Weisselberg said Trump did not conspire with him on the tax fraud scheme for which the Trump Organization is on trial. Weisselberg pleaded guilty in August and agreed to testify as part of a plea deal. But under cross-examination by Trump Organization lawyer Alan Futerfas, Weisselberg said he conspired with McConney, but not with any member of the Trump family. McConney is immune from prosecution for the tax fraud because he testified before the grand jury that indicted both Weisselberg and the Trump Organization. The questionable practices eventually came to an end in 2017 when Trump became president, Weisselberg said.

Asked by Trump lawyer Alan Futerfas in cross-examination whether Trump or anyone else in the company gave him permission to "commit tax fraud," Weisselberg said, "No." Former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg and attorney Alan Futerfas in court in New York on Thursday. Former Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, left, arrives in court in New York on Thursday. He also agreed “to testify truthfully at the upcoming trial of the Trump Organization” or face up to five to 15 years in prison. He testified earlier Thursday that the Trump Organization cleaned up its business practices after Trump was elected president because of the extra scrutiny it was under.

☆ 5 reasons Trump's ex-CFO, testifying in the Trump Org tax-fraud trial, is the worst prosecution witness ever
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The Trump Organization tax-fraud trial is in its fourth week; ex-CFO Allen Weisselberg is testifying. But was Allen Weisselberg, Trump's first and only chief financial officer, ever really flipped? Or Trump's company, which is still paying him $1.4 million this year in salary plus bonus? Here are five reasons Weisselberg is shaping up to be the worst prosecution witness ever. Donald Trump or Eric Trump approved those executive salaries, bonuses and perks, Hoffinger, the prosecutor, told jurors, who have seen many of the signed checks and signatures that prove this.

☆ Trump Org ex-CFO tears up on stand while describing his 'betrayal' of the Trump family
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Donald Trump's ex-CFO is the key DA witness in the Trump Organization tax-fraud trial in Manhattan. Alan Futerfas, a Trump Org defense lawyer, asked the wistful witness in a courtroom in Manhattan. Futerfas asked Weisselberg. Futerfas asked. the lawyer asked.

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