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☆ Spanish police detain 23 for alleged soccer match-fixing in Spain, Andorra and Gibraltar
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID, Jan 31 (Reuters) - A group of 23 people, including soccer players, have been arrested as part of a probe into suspected match-fixing in non-professional Spanish, Andorran and Gibraltarian soccer leagues, Spanish police said on Tuesday. "A second layer of the scam comprised soccer players who took advantage of their position to organise the fixing in the teams under their influence," police said. No players were identified, but police said the ring targeted some 30 games in non-professional leagues such as Spain's third division and the local leagues of micro-state Andorra and British enclave Gibraltar. The investigation was carried out in 2021 and 2022 with the help of several organisations, including Spain's football federation RFEF, LaLiga, the Betting Market Global Investigation Service (SIGMA) and European governing body UEFA's Anti-Match-Fixing Unit. ($1 = 0.9246 euros)Reporting by Inti Landauro and Emma Pinedo; Editing by David Latona, Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ How the slang term 'rizz' became an internet obsession that stumped boomers (and even zoomers)
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Kieran Press-Reynolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The word 'rizz' originated with streamers Kai Cenat, Silky, and Duke Dennis. If you're chronically online or under the age of 25, you might know what "rizz" means. But it's a term so niche and siloed in certain streaming circles that even some zoomers are confused why it's suddenly everywhere. People have also invented an antonym of the phrase, negative rizz (or "L rizz"), to refer to someone so clumsy or awkward that they push people away. While Google Trends data still shows swaths of people searching and using the term, the official death of "rizz" may come when major corporations appropriate it.

☆ This a16z-backed startup wants to make it easier for designers to create interactive, animated graphics. Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck Rive used to raise $10 million from Two Sigma Ventur
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rive offers designers and developers a tool to create animated, interactive graphics. Brothers Guido and Luigi Rosso cofounded the graphic design startup in 2016. Currently, design processes are inefficient, with engineers forced to rebuild mockups that designers create in tools like Figma, Guido Rosso told Insider. To that point, Rive also offers open-source libraries to load and run Rive graphics across a variety of destinations, including apps, games, and websites. Here's an exclusive look at the 10-slide pitch deck Rive used to raise $10 million in Series A funding from Two Sigma Ventures:

☆ BlackRock's mighty tech unit is a silver lining in an awful market. But competition and a recession could test its momentum.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Rebecca Ungarino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In a tumultuous year for BlackRock, its powerful Aladdin business won record new mandates. "2022 was a good litmus test for the BlackRock model vis-a-vis Aladdin," said Cathy Seifert, a senior equity analyst at CFRA Research. Now Sudhir Nair, the longtime BlackRock executive who runs the Aladdin business globally, and his sprawling business face a test: Keeping that momentum. "To get new business, Aladdin may have to sharpen their pencils, despite the fact that I do think they still retain a best-in-class position," Seifert said. Influential rival money managers like Two Sigma, Pimco, State Street, and Amundi have been putting resources behind their own proprietary tech platforms.

☆ Connecticut lawmaker killed in tragic collision hours after being sworn in
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Connecticut lawmaker died hours after being sworn in as state representative. Lawmakers mourned state Rep. Quentin "Q" Williams following the announcement of his death. The collision occurred around 12:45 a.m. local time just outside of Middletown, Connecticut, on Route 9 in a town called Cromwell. The 39-year-old lawmaker, state Rep. Quentin "Q" Williams of Middletown in the 100th District, a Democrat serving in the Connecticut General Assembly, had been sworn in on Wednesday. The Connecticut State Police and Williams' office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

The killings of four University of Idaho students in mid-November at an off-campus residence stunned the small community of Moscow, Idaho, where investigators grappled with what the town's police chief would later describe as a "very complex" case. Nov. 13At about 1:30 a.m., Goncalves and Mogen are seen ordering from a nearby food truck, according to the truck's livestream. People place flowers at a memorial in front of a campus entrance sign for the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho on Nov. 16. Nov. 18Police say the victims were most likely asleep when they were slain, and some of them had defensive wounds. Nov. 30A vigil is held at the University of Idaho in honor of the victims, with some family members in attendance.

☆ Our best stories on financial tech in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Today, we're going to recap all the great stories we've done this year on financial tech, whether it's up-and-coming startups or the projects at the biggest banks and investment firms. Wall Street and sports have a long history together. How top Wall Street firms are testing out cutting-edge tech. Shaw, here are 10 of the most innovative tech projects at top Wall Street firms. And we also identified the top Big Tech executives who could get poached by Wall Street firms looking to do more in the cloud.

☆ Behind a Wall Street headhunter's rapid ascent lie accusations of harassment and abuse
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Alex Morrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +38 min

"It was a complete whirlwind, and it felt too good to be true," Morrison told Insider. "Everyone is given a calendar reminder of when they have to submit a review," one former employee told Insider. Durlston told Insider she wasn't a credible source given the acrimonious nature of her departure from Durlston. "Everyone gets pretty loose at these events," a former employee told Insider, noting the availability of alcohol throughout the day. Bahram told Insider this was not a prohibition but merely a suggestion that it would not be an appropriate arrangement.

MOSCOW, Idaho — Four college students who were fatally stabbed last weekend were likely killed in their sleep and some had defensive wounds, authorities said Friday. Each of the victims was stabbed multiple times, the Moscow Police Department said in a statement, citing autopsies completed by Thursday by the Latah County coroner. There was no sign of sexual assault in the Sunday killings of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, the department said. Authorities did not receive a 911 call until 11:58 a.m., when someone reported an “unconscious person” at the home, authorities said. I mean, Just nothing.’”More than two-dozen local patrol officers and detectives are investigating the case with the help of 22 FBI investigators and 35 officers from the Idaho State Police, the Moscow Police Department release said.

☆ What we know about the 4 Idaho college students found dead in an off-campus home
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Phil-Helsel-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Phil Helsel | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The killings of four University of Idaho students Sunday elicited shock and sadness on campus, in the college city of Moscow, Idaho, and beyond. Mogen planned to move to Boise after graduating this spring, family friend Jessie Frost told the Idaho Statesman newspaper. Chapin had just turned 20, and was a triplet, his parents, Stacy and Jim Chapin, told NBC affiliate KING of Seattle. “Everything we do, is all of us, together,” Stacy Chapin told the station. “I am lucky to have had her as a sister,” her sister, Jazzmin Kernodle, said in a statement.

Officers investigate the deaths of four University of Idaho students at an apartment complex south of campus Monday. The slain students were identified Monday as Ethan Chapin, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. In a memo to students, university President Scott Green said he and his wife were "heartbroken." Kernodle, of Post Falls, Idaho, was a junior and a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority majoring in marketing. And Goncalves, of Rathdrum, Idaho, was a senior and a member of the Alpha Phi sorority majoring in general studies.

☆ No clear answers in deaths of 4 Idaho students found dead near campus, mayor says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The mayor of a small Idaho town where four college students were found dead said the “senseless” killings could be blamed on "most any scenario." In a memo to students Monday, University of Idaho President Scott Green said he and his wife were "heartbroken" over the deaths. Kernodle, of Post Falls, Idaho, was a junior and member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority majoring in marketing. Mogen, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was also a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and a senior majoring in marketing. And Goncalves, of Rathdrum, Idaho, was a senior and member of the Alpha Phi sorority majoring in general studies.

☆ Two Sigma, Holocene added Tesla shares before fourth-quarter tumble
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( David Randall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Hedge funds Group One Trading LP, Two Sigma Investments LP and Holocene Advisors LP were among the largest purchasers of Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) stock during the third quarter, filings released Monday showed. Group One Trading added a new position of slightly more than 1 million shares, giving it a market value of nearly $276 million as of Sept. 30. Two Sigma, meanwhile, added nearly 323,500 shares for a stake worth $14.7 million as of the end of September, while Holocene Advisors added nearly 319,000 shares for a stake worth about $84.6 million. Tesla's shares have fallen significantly since the end of the quarter, dropping 16% compared to the 11.4% gain in the benchmark S&P 500 index. The Maryland State Retirement and Pension System and Abbot Financial Management Inc were among the few large investors who shed their full stake in Tesla during the quarter, filings show.

The increase in college tuition and predatory lending have created a situation where, unless you’re fortunate to get a full-ride scholarship or come from a lot of money, students are vulnerable. Though Biden’s debt relief focused on federal student loans, there have been problems with private lenders as well, including the suit against student loan giant Navient. Research has shown that student loans increase access to financing and add to student diversity, which is great, but data also shows that women and people of color are disproportionately more likely to have debt. Student debt relief is one way to let people be people, first and foremost, and loanees second. But we need to do these things because we choose to and not because our college system is broken.

☆ Meet 5 of Goldman Sachs' newest partners, including a top fintech dealmaker and a structured trader from Honduras whose 3 brothers also work on Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Dakin Campbell | Alex Morrell | Emmalyse Brownstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It also includes a star fintech banker and leading voice on the Black experience on Wall Street. Here are 5 top names who will help shape the Wall Street of tomorrow. In the 12 years that he's been at Goldman, Watkins has helped Goldman advise on some of the technology industry's biggest transactions. He has also been a leading voice in discussing the Black experience on Wall Street. After graduating in 2010, he went to work for the Global Electronic Trading Co., known on Wall Street as GETCO.

☆ White University of Kentucky student who repeatedly used racial slur and assaulted Black students will withdraw, lawyer says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The white University of Kentucky student who was caught on video assaulting Black students will voluntarily withdraw from the university, her lawyer told NBC News on Tuesday morning. University of Kentucky student Sophia Rosing, left, uses racial slurs while attacking two Black students, including Kylah Spring, right. At the rally, Spring said she would not cower to her attacker. University of Kentucky student Kylah Spring speaks at a rally following a racist assault on her and another Black student, captured on video Nov. 6, 2022. WLEXThe University of Kentucky has had several incidents of racism on campus that have targeted Black people in recent years.

☆ Ukraine looks to technology to help rebuild its economy amid Russia’s onslaught
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

An attendee passes by the Ukraine stand at the Web Summit 2022 tech conference in Lisbon, Portugal. Ukraine had a notable presence at Web Summit, where it sought support from the global tech community to bolster its fight against Russia. In 2021, Ukraine had a small booth at Web Summit, Krasovsky said. Ukraine Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov (right) and First Lady Olena Zelenska (center) attend the Ukraine booth at Web Summit 2022. SID Venture Partners, a venture fund set up by Sigma and fellow Ukrainian tech firms Ideasoft and Datrics, has so far invested in 10 startups with Ukrainian founders, Krasovsky said.

Those returns would come from "great trading opportunities", including placing long and short bets on Chinese equities, said Man Group CEO Luke Ellis, without giving any details. "I think the alpha opportunities in China are very attractive," Ellis told Reuters on Thursday, referring to the potential to generate returns that are higher than market benchmark gains. "We've been able to generate good alpha in the Chinese market. With China gradually opening up its markets to foreign investors, Ellis sees the potential for Man Group to expand its operations in that country when it relaxes its stringent COVID-induced border controls. Man Group launched a Chinese domestic private fund unit in 2017 that currently runs one fund with a macro strategy.

☆ Startups, Investors Bet on Remote Work Future
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Angus Loten | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Even as more employers signal an end to remote work, tech startups and their investors are betting that it is here to stay, offering a range of digital tools designed to support a permanent workforce outside of the office. “Investors are super-pumped on remote,” Mr. Salam said. “Remote work is a durable phenomenon,” said Ravi Gupta, a partner at Sequoia who led the firm’s investment in Remote. Mr. Riggs said Frameable currently has hundreds of commercial customers, who rent its software with rates varying by the number of users. “I may be a bit biased, but I absolutely believe remote work is here to stay,” said Remote’s Mr. van der Voort.

☆ Although the crypto hype is fading, 3 VCs say there's still 'low-hanging fruit' opportunities in Web3 security and compliance. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( April Joyner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Despite the crypto winter and a funding slowdown, several VCs remain interested in Web3 security. Like in most other areas of the market, venture funding for cybersecurity has dropped this year. These are prime areas, in his view, for security startups to step in. In September, Solidus Labs made Insider's list of the most promising crypto startups of 2022. Crypto security, according to Seewald, is not so different from security for other tech applications.

The watchdog's latest annual report said it had 72 open insider dealing cases as of 31 March 2022, compared to 71 the prior year. It had 88 open insider dealing cases as of March 2020, before the pandemic gripped Britain. Stamping out market abuse such as insider dealing – trading a company's publicly-quoted securities with access to confidential, market-moving information - is a key enforcement area for the FCA. The FCA said the insider dealing arrests and searches disclosed to Reuters related to suspect activity both before and after March 2020, when Britain first imposed COVID-19 lockdowns. The watchdog added they were unrelated to four insider dealing prosecutions it had commenced since March 2020.

☆ Laid-off Snap employees describe 'overwhelming' recruiter outreach from Facebook, Netflix, and TikTok. Some former staffers say they got reachouts from over 70 companies.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

While the recent layoffs at Snap came as a shock, former employees found themselves in high demand, describing the resulting volume of recruiter reachouts as "overwhelming." Snap laid off about 20% of its staff earlier this month. Several laid-off staffers told Insider that since then, their inboxes and LinkedIn posts had been swarmed by recruiters from top tech companies like Google, TikTok, Amazon, Meta, and Netflix. Other companies like Unity, Dropbox, and CrowdStrike have swarmed the comment sections of former Snap employees who shared on LinkedIn that they'd been laid off. At least 20 creator-economy companies have laid off staff recently, and even some of the largest tech companies like Google and Facebook have implemented hiring freezes or layoffs.

☆ Ethereum's massive software upgrade just went live — here's what it does
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The overhaul to the ethereum network fundamentally alters the way the blockchain secures its network and verifies transactions. But with the upgrade, ethereum has migrated to a system known as proof-of-stake, which swaps out miners for validators. "But the network as a whole — because of the redundancy across all this different software — will very likely be stable and fine." The rewards for validators are much smaller than those that went to proof-of-work miners, meaning that less ether will be minted as a result of this upgrade. Next few hours, days are keyThe next few hours and days will be key to gauging the health of the ethereum network post upgrade.

☆ Fear and loathing on Wall Street: Inside the paranoid, hyper-competitive onslaught to prevent quant traders from defecting to rivals
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-31 | by ( Alex Morrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +23 min

Current and former employees at prominent quant trading operations spoke to Insider anonymously for this story, citing fear of legal reprisals. "At the NSA, the penalty for leaking is twenty-five years in prison," Simons liked to tell employees, according to Gregory Zuckerman's book "The Man Who Solved the Market." In the early 2000s, quant noncompetes were narrower and shorter — six to nine months was industry standard, quant recruiters who had to navigate these obstacles told Insider. But it has aggressively pursued employees it believes have crossed the firm, according to court filings and media reports. Absent such changes, quant noncompetes will likely continue to proliferate with little resistance from employees.

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