Business

REPORT: Musk Paid Off Sexual Misconduct Accuser

The Insider reports: SpaceX, the aerospace firm founded by Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, paid a flight attendant $250,000 to settle a sexual misconduct claim against Musk in 2018, Insider has learned. The attendant worked as a member of the cabin crew on a contract basis for SpaceX’s corporate jet fleet. She accused Musk of exposing his erect penis …

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Google’s Russian Subsidiary To File For Bankruptcy

Reuters reports: Google’s Russian subsidiary plans to file for bankruptcy after the authorities seized its bank account, making it impossible to carry on operations, a Google spokesperson said on Wednesday. Alphabet Inc’s Google has been under pressure in Russia for months for failing to delete content Moscow deems illegal and for restricting access to some Russian media on YouTube, but …

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Twitter Board Says It Will Enforce Musk’s Buyout Deal

Yahoo Finance reports: Twitter said it plans to complete its $44 billion merger agreement with Elon Musk, even as the Tesla CEO appears to dither on the deal. “Twitter is committed to completing the transaction on the agreed price and terms as promptly as practicable,” it said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing published Tuesday night, referring to Musk’s …

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Apple Extends WFH Option, Reinstates Office Mask Rule

From Apple’s memo to employees today: Based on current conditions, we have two updates to share: First, we are temporarily asking team members to wear masks in common spaces, meeting rooms, hallways, and elevators—in general, all areas outside of your personal workspace. Second, we are extending the phase-in period of the pilot and maintaining two days a week in the …

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Elon Musk Tries To Wriggle Out Of Deal To Buy Twitter

The Washington Post reports: Elon Musk said Tuesday his $44 billion bid to buy Twitter “cannot move forward” until the social media company’s CEO shows proof that less than 5 percent of the platform’s users are fake. The Tesla chief executive’s tweet comes a day after he said he might try to renegotiate to pay less and accused Twitter of …

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Abbott Reaches Deal To Reopen Baby Formula Plant

CNBC reports: Abbott has reached an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration to reopen its manufacturing plant in Michigan to help ease a nationwide shortage of baby formula, the company announced Monday. Abbott said it can restart the Michigan plant within two weeks subject to FDA approval. However, it would take six to eight weeks from the start of …

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Disney To “Deepen Support” For LGBTQ Community, Donate Pride Merch Profits To GLSEN, PFLAG, Others

Florida Politics reports: Amid the political backlash with Republicans over Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, Disney is donating all the profits from its pride merchandise to charities that help the LGBTQ community, the company announced Monday. “Disney has a long history of supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations and charities around the world,” Disney said on its parks blog. “This year, we are …

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JetBlue To Make “Hostile Bid” To Acquire Spirit Airlines

The Associated Press reports: Rebuffed twice, JetBlue is going hostile in its bid for Spirit Airlines and asking shareholders of the low-cost carrier to reject a proposed $2.9 billion acquisition by Frontier Airlines. JetBlue is going straight to shareholders with its offer in hopes of pushing the board of the South Florida airline to the negotiating table. Shares of spirit …

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McDonald’s To Sell Its Operations In Russia [VIDEO]

The New York Times reports: After more than three decades in Russia, McDonald’s — an icon of U.S. lifestyle and capitalism — is selling its Russia business as it looks to leave the country completely. Under growing employee and consumer pressure, many brands and restaurant chains have partly — or fully — paused their operations in Russia. But few have …

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Elon Musk Says Twitter Buy Is “Temporarily On Hold”

CNBC reports: Elon Musk announced Friday that his Twitter deal is on hold until he receives more information about how many fake accounts there are on the social media platform. Twitter’s stock plummeted 18% following the announcement. A spokesperson for Twitter did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment. Tesla CEO Musk announced last month that he intends …

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Biden Moves To Combat Baby Formula Shortage

NBC News reports: The White House announced a series of measures Thursday designed to address a baby formula shortage across the United States, after President Joe Biden met with key retailers and manufacturers. The steps announced by the White House on Thursday include an effort to reduce red tape and to speed formula production, to make it easier to import …

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Apple Discontinues The iPod After Over 20 Years

Engadget reports: Apple just marked the end to one of the most important product lines in its history. The company has discontinued the iPod touch, which will only be available in stores “while supplies last.” Not surprisingly, the company maintained that the “spirit of iPod” continues in other products, including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. The move has been …

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Grindr App To Go Public At $2.1 Billion Valuation

Bloomberg News reports: Grindr LLC, the dating app that specializes in connections for the LGBTQ+ community, has agreed to go public through a blank-check firm in a deal that values the combined company at $2.1 billion including debt. The predominantly male dating app is merging with Tiga Acquistion Corp., which debuted in November 2020. The special purpose acquisition company isn’t …

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NYC To Crack Down On Fast Delivery Grocery Apps

The New York Post reports: Mayor Eric Adams is moving to crack down on the proliferation of warehouse-like spaces that grocery delivery apps have created inside former Big Apple storefronts – ordering them to allow customers to shop there or move to the outskirts of the city, The Post has learned. Critics including City Council members Gale Brewer and Christopher …

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Tesla To Pay Travel Costs For Staff Seeking Abortions

NBC News reports: Tesla is covering travel costs for employees seeking out-of-state abortions, joining the ranks of major companies who’ve introduced a similar policy to benefit workers affected by new restrictions in the past few months. The company said in its 2021 “ Impact Report ” released Friday that it expanded its Safety Net program and health insurance offerings last …

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Larry Ellison Pumps $1B Into Musk’s Twitter Buyout

Axios reports: Elon Musk just reported some new friends — equity partners for his Twitter takeover, including some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley. Musk has raised $7 billion in funding for his $44 billion purchase of Twitter, according to a filing released by the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday. Musk said in the filing that he has …

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New Jersey Starting Today: No Paper, No Plastic [Video]

Bloomberg News reports: New Jersey became the first state to ban both plastic and paper bags on Wednesday, leaving companies and shoppers to find creative workarounds to get their groceries home. ShopRite, with more than 100 New Jersey stores, will charge a flat $1.50 per order for reusable bags. Instacart Inc., which fulfills shoppers’ lists for Aldi Inc., Lidl Ltd., …

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NYT: Wordle Brought Us Tens Of Millions New Users

Axios reports: The New York Times on Wednesday reported its second-best first quarter subscription growth since introducing a digital subscription in 2017, thanks in part to the acquisitions of The Athletic and Wordle in January. While a smaller investment than The Athletic, executives touted the success of Wordle, the viral online game that it paid “in the low seven figures” …

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Musk Proposes Charging Fees For Some Twitter Users

The Hill reports: Elon Musk said on Tuesday that Twitter could start charging a “slight cost” for government and commercial users in comments that come just over a week since he reached a deal to buy the social media platform. “Ultimately, the downfall of the Freemasons was giving away their stonecutting services for nothing,” Musk tweeted initially. “Twitter will always …

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WSJ: Grindr Sold User Location Data For Years

Engadget reports: Grindr’s past willingness to share sensitive data may have been more problematic than previously thought. The Wall Street Journal understands precise Grindr user location data was collected from the online ad network MoPub (once owned by Twitter) and put on sale through its partner company UberMedia (now UM) since “at least” 2017. The LGBTQ dating app curbed the …

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