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☆ Tony Bennett, masterful stylist of American musical standards, dies at 96
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

US singer Tony Bennett (Anthony Dominick Benedetto) performs on stage during an invitation only concert at the newly opened Encore Boston Harbor Casino in Everett, Massachusetts on August 8, 2019. "No country has given the world such great music," Bennett said in a 2015 interview with Downbeat Magazine. The evening's performance resulted in the album, "Tony Bennett: MTV Unplugged," which won two Grammys, including album of the year. Bennett would win Grammys for his tributes to female vocalists ("Here's to the Ladies"), Billie Holiday ("Tony Bennett on Holiday"), and Duke Ellington ("Bennett Sings Ellington — Hot & Cool"). He also won two Emmy Awards — for "Tony Bennett Live By Request: A Valentine Special" (1996) and "Tony Bennett: An American Classic" (2007).

Persons: Tony Bennett, Anthony Dominick Benedetto, Bennett, Antonia Benedetto, Frank Sinatra, Lady Gaga, Sylvia Weiner, Bennett didn't, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Sinatra, Sinatra's, Cheek, Gaga, Carrie Underwood, Amy Winehouse, Winehouse, Oscar, Amy, Porter, George Gershwin, George Cory, Douglass Cross, Ralph Sharon, Ralph, Danny, David Letterman, Fred Astaire, Elvis Costello, Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, — Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Long, Susan Crow Benedetto, Anthony, Anna, James Infirmary, Bel, Miriam Spier, you'll, it's Bing Crosby, Art Tatum, Lester Young, Stan Getz, Joe Bari, Rosemary Clooney, Arthur Godfrey's, Pearl Bailey, Bob Hope, Mitch Miller, Hank Williams, Miller, Chuck Wayne, Chico Hamilton, Art Blakey, Count Basie, Harry Belafonte's, Martin Luther King Jr, Selma, Bennett's, Johnny Mandel's Oscar, Clive Davis, Tony, Bill Evans, Patricia Beech, Sandra Grant, Susan, Johanna, Antonia, Dae, —, Benedetto — Organizations: Associated Press, American, MTV, Ellington, New, Frank Sinatra School of, Arts, Armed Forces Network, Armed Forces Radio, American Theater, Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, Greenwich Village, Paramount Theater, Sinatra, Columbia Records, Count Basie Orchestra, Army, Civil Rights Movement, Carnegie Hall, Columbia, IRS, Kennedy, National Endowment, Arts Jazz, Smithsonian Museum of American Locations: Everett , Massachusetts, Francisco, New York, San Francisco, Little Rock , Arkansas, Astoria, New York City, Queens, Italian, Germany, Greenwich, Montgomery, Los Angeles

☆ Michael Cohen's involvement with Donald Trump racked up his legal bills. He wants the Trump Org to pay them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Michael Cohen racked up millions of dollars in legal fees because of his involvement with Trump. But we'll get the second-best thing: Donald Trump Jr.Daddy Trump isn't obligated to show up. Trump Organization lawyers have agreed to produce Donald Trump Jr., an executive at the Trump Organization, as a witness in the case. Donald Trump Jr. is expected to testify on Monday or Tuesday, or both, according to a letter filed by Trump Organization lawyers ahead of the trial. Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his criminal defense team in a Manhattan court.

Persons: Michael Cohen, he's, Mueller, Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump, Cohen, Trump, Cohen hasn't, Robert Mueller's, Stephanie Clifford, Donald Trump's, Lanny Davis, Mary Altaffer, doesn't, Daniels, He's, Will Trump, Donald, we'll, Donald Trump Jr, Daddy Trump, — Cohen, —, wasn't, it's, Joel Cohen, Judge Cohen, King, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Alex Wong, Hunter Winstead, Michael Cohen's, Alan Garten, Jay Sekulow, Alan Futerfas, isn't Cohen, Seth Wenig, Pool Cohen, Cohen's, Isn't Trump, Jack Smith's, Fani Willis Organizations: Trump, Trump Organization, Service, FBI, New York, AP, Republican Locations: Wall, Silicon, Manhattan, Florida, Fulton County, Georgia

☆ 30-year-old spent $0 launching a food photography side hustle—now he brings in $134,000 a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Megan Sauer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Sean Audet stumbled into photography as a career by accident, and nearly for free. Audet quickly realized he had a knack for the work and started taking on his own clients for a food photography side hustle two years later. "Every once in a while, I'll stumble upon something that gets me super excited," Audet, 30, tells CNBC Make It. "With no prompting, I'll just start working an extra 12 to 14 hours a day on something that interests me. Here's how Audet scaled his side hustle into a full-time job, and how he plans to use his interest in A.I.

Persons: Sean Audet, Audet Organizations: Red River College, CNBC Locations: Winnipeg , Canada

☆ Elon Musk is the gift that keeps on giving to Mark Zuckerberg
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —At the start of last year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was in the hot seat. But then, the attention of lawmakers, media and the tech world writ large abruptly shifted to another tech billionaire: Elon Musk. While Twitter users have lamented what Musk’s ownership has meant for the platform, it may be the best thing that could have happened for Zuckerberg. A billion-user opportunityThe distraction and chaos of Musk’s Twitter takeover could hardly have come at a better time for Zuckerberg and Meta. The Twitter-Threads battle has raised the stakes for another fight: a cage fight that Musk and Zuckerberg have spent the past several weeks planning.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Elon, Twitter, Musk, Zuckerberg, “, ”, Herbert Hovenkamp, —, he’s, Meta, Musk’s, “ Elon, Meta —, Donald Trump, Instagram, Adam Mosseri, Zuckerberg’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Facebook, Apple, Meta, Twitter, University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School, Instagram, SpaceX, YouTube Locations: New York, Cambridge

☆ Brad Pitt's F1 movie: Filming to get underway at Silverstone
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Apple Original Films has unveiled details of Oscar winner Brad Pitt’s eagerly awaited Formula 1 feature film, as crews begin filming scenes with the actor at Silverstone, where Sunday’s British Grand Prix is being staged. The movie is being made in collaboration with F1, and stars Pitt as a former driver returning to the sport with fictional team APXGP, alongside “Snowfall” actor Damson Idris as his teammate. And what better place to film such a feature than Silverstone, famously the first circuit to ever host an F1 race in 1950. The fictional team will even have its own pit-stop at the track, and filming is due to take place amid this weekend’s British Grand Prix. The fictional team will even have a space on the grid at Silverstone.

Persons: CNN —, Oscar, Brad Pitt’s, Pitt, Damson Idris, Andrew Boyers, lister, Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes, Joseph Kosinski, Jerry Bruckheimer, Chad Oman, “, ” Hamilton, we’ve, Hamilton, “ Joe, …, ‘, Brad, hasn’t, he’s, Billy Beane, ” Organizations: CNN, Silverstone, Prix, Hollywood, UK’s PA Media, Pitt, Apollo Films, Hamilton, Oakland Locations: Towcester , Northamptonshire

☆ Hamilton confident Brad Pitt can take F1 to new heights
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The movie cars are also set to feature on the grid, without driving a formation lap, and be on track in between the sessions. The Apple TV film is being directed by Joseph Kosinski, the director of "Top Gun: Maverick", with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Hamilton said the movie would also do justice to a sport where cars can hit top speeds of 370kph. I think it’s going to look faster than it does on TV," he said. "You already saw what he (Kosinski) has done with fighter jets, what he did with Maverick... bringing that technology into our world; I think it’s going to be amazing."

Persons: Brad Pitt, Ricardo Arduengo, Brad Pitt's, Lewis Hamilton, We’ve, Hamilton, Joseph Kosinski, Jerry Bruckheimer, Aston, Fernando Alonso, Pitt, Brad, he’s, hasn’t, Alan Baldwin, Clare Fallon Organizations: United, Prix, Silverstone, Netflix, Apple, Maverick, Thomson Locations: United States, Americas, Austin , Texas, U.S, England, Los Angeles, LA

☆ British actor Julian Sands confirmed dead, months after vanishing in California mountains
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The manner of his death remained under investigation, awaiting further test results, the department said in an statement. The large, slopping area below the crest of Mount Baldy is a popular destination for skiers, climbers and backpackers. But authorities warned then that heavy snow from weeks of winter storms had made the area treacherous for outdoor recreation. Several subsequent searches came up empty-handed, including a major sweep conducted days before Sands' remains were ultimately found in the Mount Baldy wilderness area, according to the sheriff's department. Cellphone signals detected on Sunday, Jan. 15, had showed Sands headed toward the ridge of Mount Baldy, apparently the last indication he was still on the move, the sheriff's department reported then.

Persons: Julian Sands, David W Cerny, Sands, Mount, Julian, Rob Lowe's, Helena Bonham Carter, Satan, Helena, Harold Pinter, John Keats, Percy Shelley, Oscar, Jodie Foster, Arianna Huffington, Evgenia, Sarah Harvey, Steve Gorman, Dan Whitcomb, Tim Ahmann, Diane Craft, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, San, Guardian, Lord Wandsworth College, Oxford, Academy, Thomson Locations: Boletice, Czech Republic, Southern California, San Bernardino County, Baldy, San Gabriel, Los Angeles, Mount Baldy, Sands, England, Hampshire, Cambodia, California, Italy, Las Vegas

☆ Maverick Mexican politician Xochitl Galvez throws hat in ring for presidency
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, June 27 (Reuters) - Maverick Mexican politician Senator Xochitl Galvez on Tuesday said she was entering the race for the presidency in 2024 as a struggling opposition tries to claw back the initiative from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's ruling party. Galvez, 60, made her announcement in a video posted on Twitter standing outside Lopez Obrador's office in Mexico City, injecting a dash of unpredictability to a burgeoning field of hopefuls for the election next June. Galvez contrasts her humble origins to those of the contenders of Lopez Obrador's leftist National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), whom she says grew up with more privilege. Galvez, a trained computer engineer elected to the Senate for the center-right National Action Party, could help counter the appeal of a female MORENA candidate, analysts say. Earlier this month, she created a media stir as she stood knocking on the doors of the presidential palace in protest at being denied entry to Lopez Obrador's morning press conference, where she was planning to criticize him.

Persons: Xochitl Galvez, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's, Galvez, Lopez, Lopez Obrador, MORENA, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, Dave Graham, Leslie Adler Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Maverick, Twitter, Regeneration, Mexico City Mayor, Senate, Action Party, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Maverick Mexican, Mexico City, Mexico

☆ Samantha McLemore, who worked with Bill Miller for 20 years, finds value in these 2 stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Samantha McLemore, Bill Miller's longtime co-manager who struck out to start her own fund, has her eyes on some of the most hated stocks in the market. McLemore said she is a classic long-term investor who studies companies' intrinsic value, but she also has a knack for finding underappreciated opportunities based on consumer behavior. However, McLemore believes that Delta differentiates itself from the rest by being a premium brand and it generates revenue from stable sources like loyalty programs. DAL 5Y mountain Delta "I think now you're getting another chance here," McLemore said. "Even in a recession, we have confidence that they can earn in the mid $4 a share," McLemore said.

Persons: Samantha McLemore, Bill Miller's, McLemore, Legg Mason, Miller, Ben Graham, DAL, OneMain Organizations: Capital, Trust, New York City . Delta Air, OneMain Holdings, Investors Locations: Baltimore, New York City, Evansville , Indiana

☆ Exclusive: How this under-the-radar VC landed a $27 million third fund and bets in some of the buzziest startups like Jasper and Motherduck
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Essence VC has raised its third fund of $27 million from LPs like Cendana and Sapphire Ventures. The fund has bet on buzzy startups like generative AI darling Jasper and a16z-backed Motherduck. And now, his firm Essence VC has just raised its $27 million third fund. The latest fund, backed by VC firms and funds of funds including Cendana Capital, Vintage Investment Partners, Sapphire Ventures, Level Ventures, and Crossover, follows a $7 million and $1 million fund. However, the "first-mover advantage" for startups also holds true in the land of VC, Chen says.

Persons: Jasper, Tim Chen, you've, Liz O'Sullivan, Vera, Chen, Scott Shi, —, Chi Zhang, Tim, Zhang, funder Chen, Christos Kozyrakis, Michael Huang, They're, it's, Ben Van Roo, Van Roo, Chen wasn't Organizations: Sapphire Ventures, Cendana, Vintage Investment Partners, Level Ventures, Founders, Stanford, Cloudera, Google Locations: a16z

☆ Kitt designs, builds, and manages office space for the likes of Oatly. Check out the 35-slide pitch deck it used to raise $8 million from Hoxton Ventures.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kitt, which designs, constructs, and manages office space, just raised $8 million. Instead, he was consumed by a quirk of his Kentish Town, London, office space: a leaky AC unit. It was this experience, and the subsequent chasing of the landlord for repairs, that germinated the seed of his next business: managed office space. Kitt has a marketplace of office space to connect landlords and commercial tenants. With the rise of remote work, office space is now seen as a strategic decision, Coulson said.

Persons: Steve Coulson, Coulson, Kitt Organizations: Kitt, Hoxton Ventures, Babylon, New Locations: Kentish, London, Deliveroo, Kitt, New York

☆ Lisl Steiner, Colorful Creator of Black-and-White Photographs, Dies at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Alex Williams | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Lisl Steiner, a flamboyant photojournalist who was celebrated for her intimate, emotive images of history-tilting figures like Fidel Castro, John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as luminaries of music, stage and sports, died on June 7 in Mount Kisco, N.Y. She was 95. Her death, at a hospital, was confirmed by her friends Ingrid Rockefeller and Vivian Winther, who had been collaborating with her on a documentary about her life. Shooting for publications including Newsweek, Time, Life and National Geographic, Ms. Steiner was known for her flamboyant attire, her trademark explosion of fiery red hair, her sassy personality and her uncanny knack for connecting with her subjects, whom she jokingly referred to as “victims.”

Persons: Lisl Steiner, Fidel Castro, John F, Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr, Ingrid Rockefeller, Vivian Winther, Steiner, ” Organizations: Newsweek, Geographic Locations: Mount Kisco

At his grooming salon in San Diego, anything is possible: Bernedoodles become giraffes and poodles become Pokémon. Feitosa, a native of São Paulo, Brazil, opened Gabriel Feitosa Grooming Salon in 2018, capitalizing on a $1.3 billion global pet grooming market. As a dog grooming artist, Feitosa combines traditional grooming techniques with unique designs, and uses vegan, pet-friendly dyes. Finding career inspiration while running an errandFeitosa's dog grooming career began when he was 12. He left high school right before graduating to pursue dog grooming as his full-time career, working at the salon and teaching dog grooming at a vocational school based on his real-world learnings.

Persons: Gabriel Feitosa, poodles, Feitosa, São Paulo, Tasia Jensen, it's Organizations: CNBC Locations: San Diego, São Paulo, Brazil, TikTok, São, Sacramento, Calif

☆ A Vegan Restaurateur and a Meat Connoisseur Find ‘No Ordinary Love’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Tammy La Gorce | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Aisha Kamaria Cole, who goes by the name Pinky Cole, has been called a visionary and a provocateur. She also has a knack for helping meat eaters step outside their comfort zones at her plant-based burger chain, Slutty Vegan. Stepping outside her own comfort zone became a priority when she met Derrick Jermaine Hayes, the founder of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks in June 2020. “Before I met him, I never would have talked to anybody that has a cheesesteak restaurant,” she said. Not in a romantic way, anyway, because of her vegan principles.

Persons: Aisha Kamaria Cole, Pinky Cole, Derrick Jermaine Hayes, Big, George Floyd, Hayes Organizations: ” Locations: Atlanta, Big

☆ This AI-based gig will be ‘the biggest new side hustle,’ says expert—and it can pay $100 per hour
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

It's amassed more than 100 million users since its November 2022 release, according to investment bank UBS. And many companies are turning to the tool to create content of their own. It's called an 'AI content assistant'These days, companies have to work overtime to build their brands. All of these constitute opportunities to create written content for blog posts, marketing material, newsletters, LinkedIn and social media posts. That's where the "AI content assistant" comes in, as Rewers calls it.

Persons: It's, Margaret Lilani, Angelique Rewers, it's Organizations: UBS, Twitter, Employees Locations: ChatGPT

☆ Man City edge closer to treble after FA Cup final win over Man Utd
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - Manchester City moved to within one victory of completing a momentous treble as they deservedly beat arch-rivals Manchester United 2-1 in the FA Cup final thanks to Ilkay Gundogan's record-breaking double on Saturday. City captain Gundogan scored the fastest goal in FA Cup final history with a stunning volley after 12 seconds and struck what proved to be the winner seven minutes after halftime. It is the 13th time the English league and FA Cup double has been achieved. The FA Cup is so nice." It eclipsed the previous fastest FA Cup final goal scored by Louis Saha after 25 seconds for Everton against Chelsea in 2009 and City threatened to run riot against a stunned United.

Persons: Ilkay, Gundogan, Nat Lofthouse, Bruno Fernandes, Pep Guardiola's, Alex Ferguson, Guardiola, Stefan Ortega's, Erling Haaland, David de Gea, Louis Saha, Rodri, Jack Grealish, Kevin de Bruyne, Aaron Wan, Paul Tierney, Tierney, Fernandes, Ortega, Raphael Varane volleyed, De Bruyne's, De, Alejandro Garnacho, Erik Ten, Martyn Herman, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Manchester City, Manchester United, FA, City, Bolton Wanderers, United . United, Inter Milan, Premier League, League, Champions League, Wembley, Everton, Chelsea, United, Grealish, Inter, Thomson Locations: Manchester, City, Istanbul

☆ How Elizabeth Holmes convinced powerful men like Henry Kissinger, James Mattis, and George Shultz to sit on the board of Theranos
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The reporters spoke with board members, who explained why they backed founder Elizabeth Holmes. Holmes' board going into the scandal included an unusual roster of names for a healthcare startup, with leaders who had more experience in politics and government than healthcare. For the most part, the board members seemed to be taken by Holmes and her vision. "Secretary Mattis was struck by the promise of technology and was looking for any technology solution to save lives on the battlefield," White said. Auletta in the documentary said the board members spoke about Holmes as if she were a visionary.

Persons: Theranos, Alex Gibney, Elizabeth Holmes, Holmes, John Carreyrou, Sunny Balwani, Balwani, George Shultz, Shultz, Gary Roughead, William Perry, Sam Nunn, James Mattis, Donald Trump's, Richard Kovacevich, Wells Fargo Henry Kissinger, William Frist, William H, Foege, Riley, Bechtel, Kissinger, Mattis, Ken Auletta, David Boies, Auletta, Axios, Dana White, White, Beethoven, Roger Parloff, he's, Parloff Organizations: Morning, Food and Drug Administration, Wall Street, US, US Marine Corps, Centers for Disease Control, Bechtel Group Inc, New, Mattis, Theranos, Securities and Exchange Commission, Fortune Locations: Texas, California, Silicon Valley

☆ An alcohol-free San Francisco mansion is now a hype house for developers making their own AI apps
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A wave of generative AI founders have reportedly found a venue in HF0 to develop their ideas. The New York Times reports the effort is a communal hub for founders and ex-Big Tech engineers. In an alcohol-free, work-hard, play-hard hotel environment, developers can revel and dine together while building their businesses, The New York Times reports. It's been steadily attracting developers with a knack for AI, according to The Times' feature, though it's open to aspiring tech founders in general. Read the full story at The New York Times.

Persons: revel, Hacker, It's, who've, Andreessen Horowitz, Lu, Jeff Chiu, Dave Fontenot, Emily Liu, Evan Stites, Clayton, HF0, Fontenot didn't, ChatGPT Organizations: New York Times, Big Tech, Morning, The Times, Google, Sequoia, Times, The New York Times Locations: HF0, San Francisco, San

☆ From Paul Rudnick, a Mismatched Couple but Perfect for Each Other
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( R. Eric Thomas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As a budding writer with a knack for shrewd description, Nate spends the length of Paul Rudnick’s life-filled rom-com trying to find ways to describe that man, Farrell Covington: He is a “blinding sun god,” a “blank check,” an “unhinged cipher” and more. In so doing, Nate also reaches for a new way of seeing himself and what he believes to be possible for two men in love. To Nate’s surprise, Farrell returns his gaze with an even stronger intensity. It supersedes the look of a crush — it’s an appraisal, a reverie. And of the pair, Farrell is the one with an eye for beauty.

Persons: FARRELL COVINGTON, Paul Rudnick Nate Reminger, Nate, Paul Rudnick’s, Farrell Covington, Farrell, aesthete Organizations: Yale University Locations: New Jersey

☆ 6 of the best side hustles for college students—some pay over $30 per hour
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Isabel Engel | In Isabel--Engel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

For college students looking to earn extra money — perhaps to offset rising costs during their undergraduate years — side hustles can provide an added source of income. College students, specifically, are turning to side hustles due to their general flexibility, M'Chelle Ryan, director of Upwork Academy, tells CNBC Make It. Ryan and Frana both shared their thoughts on the best side hustles for current college students. This side hustle option could be a fit for college students pursuing degrees in communications, English or journalism. Virtual assistant salaries vary, but the position is remote and may allow college students to work while enrolled in classes.

☆ Sam Zell, billionaire real estate investor, dead at 81
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Equity Residential, the company he founded decades ago, did not provide a cause of death but described Zell as an “iconic figure in real estate and throughout the corporate world.”Among his wide-ranging portfolio of investments were distressed assets in real estate and in media, including an ultimately disastrous bet on the Tribune Company. Zell had a personal net worth of $5.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Zell had a penchant for scooping up cheap real estate and selling it later at a profit, a strategy he outlined in a 1978 article titled “The Grave Dancer,” which became his nickname in the industry. But Zell’s impressive track record of successful bets was marred by a brief, unsuccessful foray into media in 2007 when he orchestrated the $8.2 billion leveraged buyout of Tribune Company. In 2018, during the rise of the #MeToo movement, Zell sparked outrage by making a lewd comment about hiring women.

☆ Peter Thiel Is Latest Billionaire Said to Have Met With Jeffrey Epstein
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | Ryan Mac | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In 2014, the venture capitalist Peter Thiel was gaining prominence as one of Silicon Valley’s most successful entrepreneurs and investors. That made him an ideal contact for Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender with a knack for cultivating the rich and powerful. Mr. Thiel apparently had several meetings with Mr. Epstein that year, according to scheduling records of the disgraced financier that were reviewed by The New York Times. The records — in the form of emails that Mr. Epstein’s assistant sent to remind him of upcoming events — show that in September 2014 Mr. Thiel was scheduled to meet with Mr. Epstein on at least three occasions, either in one-on-one meetings or with others over lunch or dinner. Two other times, Mr. Thiel was listed among more than a dozen other well-known people Mr. Epstein should try to see while at his New York mansion.

☆ Special counsel John Durham concludes FBI never should have launched full Trump-Russia probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Zachary Cohen Devan Cole Tierney Sneed Evan Perez Hannah Rabinowitz Jeremy Herb Marshall Cohen | Zachary Cohen | Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

“Strzok, at a minimum, had pronounced hostile feelings toward Trump,” Durham wrote, while quoting in a footnote previously known texts between Strzok and Lisa Page, then an FBI attorney. Witness testimony exposed the FBI’s overreliance on the dossier as it sought court approval to wiretap a former Trump campaign adviser in 2016. Mixed results over 3+ yearsBarr tapped Durham in 2019 to review the origins of the Russia probe, and the scope of Durham’s work grew over the years. Former special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, which inherited the initial Russia probe, released a detailed accounting of Russia’s effort to interfere in the 2016 election. Mueller found no evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but investigators documented numerous contacts between Trump associates and Russians.

☆ Record turnout projected as Thais vote in battle of old rivalries
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A voter casts their vote into a ballot box at a polling station on May 14, 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. Thais were forecast to vote in record numbers on Sunday in an election expected to deliver big gains for opposition forces, testing the resolve of a pro-military establishment at the heart of two decades of intermittent turmoil. Elsewhere in the capital, prime ministerial hopefuls for the ruling party and opposition groups cast their votes, including incumbent Prayuth Chan-ocha and Pheu Thai's Paetongtarn Shinawatra. "People need change," Paetongtarn said after casting her vote, expressing "high hopes" for a landslide victory. In 2006 the military toppled Thaksin, who fled into exile.

☆ Old rivalries, new battle as Thailand goes to the polls
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Chayut Setboonsarng | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/6] Electoral workers prepare ahead of the upcoming general election, in Bangkok, Thailand, May 13, 2023. The election again pits Pheu Thai's driving force, the billionaire Shinawatra family, against a nexus of old money, military and conservatives with influence over key institutions that have toppled three of the populist movement's four governments. We will change from a dictatorship to a democratically elected government," Paetongtarn told cheering crowds on Friday at Pheu Thai's final rally. The United Thai Nation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led the coup against Pheu Thai's last government, has pledged debt relief, cheaper electricity for low-income groups and subsidies for transport and crop harvesting. ($1 = 33.8500 baht)Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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