Author: openjargon

• As the 2024 presidential election approaches, polled election officials said the threats are piling up.
• Seven in ten local election officials said they think the dangers have increased since 2020.
• It's led to many officials reportedly leaving the job entirely as a result.

With about six months until the presidential elections in November, more than a third of polled election officials said they've experienced "threats, harassment, or abuse" while on the job, a new report revealed.

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law published its yearly "Local Election Officials Survey" on Wednesday. The survey, which was filled out by 11,678 election officials between late February and March, revealed an increase in reported threats on the job.

Four in 10 respondents reported their offices had bolstered their physical security since 2020, with 41% noting they had "participated in or led security trainings." However, that didn't stop on-the-job dangers from continuing to stack up: 38% of officials still reported having been threatened, harassed, or abused because of their jobs.

Officials also believe things are getting worse, with 70% of those polled saying they think the threats have increased since 2020 election.

Among election officials who said they'd been threatened on the job, roughly 60% said the threat occurred in person, while 61% reported threats over the phone. Some also reported being concerned about the risk of their personal information being posted online in a threatening manner.

Twelve percent more respondents in 2024 said they know someone who left their job over safety concerns compared to 2023.

Threats against election officials and poll workers have been well-documented in recent years. The most high-profile example is that of Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, who received hundreds of threats after then-President Donald Trump's campaign spread lies that they had manipulated ballots.

Both testified before the House's January 6 Committee and later won $148 million from Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, though he's struggled to come up with the money.

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• The US Navy used its SM-3 missile interceptor in combat for the first time last month.
• Now, the sea service's top civilian official says the US will need more of them in the future. 
• His comments referenced the American "deterrence mission in the Indo-Pacific," a nod toward China.

The US Navy will need a lot more of its SM-3 missile, an interceptor that only recently scored its first-ever kill, to counter Pacific threats like China, the sea service's top civilian official said on Wednesday.

Last month, American warships operating in the eastern Mediterranean Sea fired the Standard Missile 3, or SM-3, to engage Iranian ballistic missiles that Tehran fired as part of a massive and unprecedented attack on Israel. The incident marked the first time that this interceptor was used in combat.

These "SM-3s will be needed in greater numbers in the future," Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday during a budget hearing for the coming fiscal year.

"Given the operations that took place in defense of Israel here recently, where some were fired, and very effectively so, I think given the future threat and our deterrence mission in the Indo-Pacific, we are going to need more SM-3s in the future," Del Toro added.

The SM-3 is an element of the Navy's highly advanced Aegis Combat System that can be fired from a warship's vertical-launching system.

The weapon uses a kinetic kill vehicle to hit and destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles during the midcourse phase of flight and is capable of exo-atmospheric intercepts. Kills in space are particularly difficult missions that the Navy's other air-defense systems aren't capable of achieving.

There are multiple SM-3 variants. Block I interceptors were first fielded nearly 20 years ago, and the missiles have seen dozens of tests over the past two decades.

The Missile Defense Agency's budget request for FY25 cuts procurement of SM-3 Block IB variant, which became operational a decade ago. During Wednesday's hearing, South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson referred to this variant as the Navy's "primary defense against tactical ballistic missiles for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense" weapons system.

Del Toro responded to Wilson's concerns by suggesting that decisions to cut production "were made before recent operations," saying he thinks "that we're going to have to relook that in order to add more SM-3s in the future."

The Navy secretary's remarks about the SM-3s and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region come amid fears that the US and China may clash one day as tensions between the two countries continue to rise.

Should Washington and Beijing go to war at some point in the future, the maritime domain would likely be a key battleground, putting the Navy at risk given China's theater missiles.

China is expanding its already formidable arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles, which could pose a tremendous threat to US aircraft carriers and other warships operating in the region during a potential future conflict. Interceptors like the SM-3 would allow American naval forces to counter some of these threats.

The Navy, however, is already getting a taste of what it's like to battle anti-ship ballistic missiles. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels became the first international actors to fire such weapons in combat last year as part of their ongoing attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. US forces have intercepted scores of these missiles over the past few months.

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• College students are increasingly targeted by job recruitment scammers, the FTC warned.
• Scammers use fake listings and pose as recruiters to steal money and identities.
• Major job boards like LinkedIn are adding steps to verify professional recruiters.

College students can feel a lot of pressure to join the workforce as soon as possible — and scammers have been increasingly trying to take advantage of that.

Students on the hunt for new jobs or internships, especially virtual ones they can work part-time during the school year, are being targeted by criminals posing as job recruiters, according to a recent warning issued by the FTC.

The agency warned that "if a new employer mails your first paycheck before you even start working, that's your cue to stop — it's a scam."

Those scammers use various tactics to lure in would-be applicants, using fake job listings, fraudulent email addresses and even dropping familiar names like that of a trusted mentor or faculty member.

Sometimes, the scammers are just looking for a quick cash payout. But they can also target a college student's identity or bank information.

Scammers often approach victims about remote positions, using the virtual communication as a front to obscure their identities, and the cost of setting up a home office as pretext.

"Scammers post ads for fake jobs for personal assistants on common job sites and social media. Or they might send emails that look like they're from someone in your community, like a professor or an office at your college," the FTC said.

"If you apply, they'll mail you a check to deposit at your bank. Then, they'll ask you to send some of the money to another account," the agency added. "They tell you a convincing story, but the check is fake and the whole thing is a scam. The check will eventually bounce and the bank will want you to repay the money you withdrew."

The Wall Street Journal recently interviewed students who had encountered scammers during their job hunts.

One college senior told the Journal that he received an offer for a data analyst internship, apparently from an email associated with a real company. But after a Microsoft Teams interview — conducted entirely over chat with the supposed "hiring manager" — he received a check to cover the cost of a laptop and software.

The student deposited the check into his bank account and sent the money to a vendor the company had directed him to pay, before realizing that the check had bounced and he had spent $1,745 of his own money, the Journal reported.

Major recruiting and staffing firms have issued warnings about the practice — especially since their names are being co-opted by scammers to make their "offers" seem more credible. One Houston-based company, Murray Resources, told the Journal that it had received over 100 complaints in March from victims of scammers claiming to represent the firm.

"Murray Resources does not use WhatsApp and we do not text candidates unless we have already been in contact and received their prior permission to do so," the company said on its website.

Earlier this month, LinkedIn took steps against recruiting scams by launching a verification feature for recruiters. Indeed warns that users should be on the lookout for positions that seem "too good to be true."

The FTC says that job seekers who are contacted for a prospective opportunity should always do their homework about the job and the recruiter — if it's a job at a university office, for example, they should contact the department directly to confirm the details.

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• As an interior designer, I have a few tricks to replace a lot of outdated living-room trends.
• Word art can look tacky and plastic outlet covers don't show much personality. 
• DVD collections and too much lighting can take away from the relaxed feel a living room should have.

Movie and book collections need to go — or be concealed.

Though your stack of limited-edition DVDs can be a great conversation starter, they're going to make your room look busy and overwhelming.

Giant stacks of books or movies can be visually distracting but a storage solution will give your space a less cluttered atmosphere and make the room more relaxing.

A good storage solution for movies and books is also a great way to visually conceal the items while keeping them in one desired location. Many bookshelves or media stands have closed fronts with drawers or doors to conceal miscellaneous items.

There's such a thing as too much lighting.

Though I love a well-lit room, I certainly have a pet peeve for too much lighting. Walking into a room that has a ceiling light, recessed can lighting, and accent and floor lamps can feel overwhelming and unnecessary.

I think lamps are a must in terms of function but not decor — you should have attractive lamps that serve a purpose, not overpower a space.

If you're worried your room isn't bright enough, purchase dimmable bulbs, which can be adjusted when ample light is and isn't desired.

Consider the scale of your room when you're getting a sofa.

It's important to consider scale when mapping out any space. If your living room has a sofa that's too large, it can make the room feel small. In turn, having a sofa that's too small will make the room look empty.

If you're concerned about selecting a sofa that's too big or small, gather some specs and tape where you'd want the piece of furniture to go on the floor to get an idea of how much space it will occupy.

You can also go with a modular-sofa option that can be reconfigured based on how you want to build your seating. Slightly moving smaller pieces around to change a layout or placing them in a whole new space would also be easier than moving an entire sofa around.

Get rid of outdated prints and colors.

Trendy prints and colors change yearly but you can stay up-to-date with neutral-toned furniture and finishes and different accent pieces.

Neutrals are relaxing so having them as the main colors in a room creates an opportunity to build some contrast and visual interest through colorful decor pieces. Replacing outdated prints through pillows and blankets is one of the easiest living-room face-lifts.

Refreshing a space with updated textures and layers is also easy and affordable, considering that buying a $25 pillow is much less taxing than repainting an entire room.

 

Word art and letters all over the wall can look too busy.

Who knew that words spelled out on a wall would be such a decor trend? I've seen just about every word in the English language spelled out on people's walls with letters from Hobby Lobby or HomeGoods but they can make a wall look too busy. 

If you're having trouble coming up with ideas for wall decor, check out Pinterest for unique solutions that don't involve spelling out your family's last name.

Consider a family photo collage, tapestries, macromeres, paintings, or mirrors.

You don't need overpowering window treatments.

Heavy window treatments are outdated and unnecessary, especially since sheer curtains are lightweight alternatives that still have some texture. If blocking out light is a priority, skip sheer curtains and go for black-out shades, which can be as thin as linen.

I also think valances scream 1970s and short or choppy curtains that float a foot or so off the ground cut the line of sight and make a wall seem shorter than it is.

I'm tired of seeing white plastic blinds as well since, to me, they scream "first college apartment." If you prefer blinds, roller shades or wood options are a much better look.

Plastic light switches and outlet covers can be updated.

Another pet peeve of mine is outlet and light-switch covers being an afterthought. I've seen homes that have thousands of dollars worth of renovations with outlets concealed by plastic covers you can find at a dollar store.

Updating plastic covers to something more luxe is one of the easiest things you can do to impact your living space. There are some great options on Amazon, or if you're like me and must see and touch items, Menards also carries a good selection.

I think covers that pair nicely with the current architecture and have a finish matching the trim used throughout the home would look more cohesive. I also like it when the covers are painted the same color as the walls because it gives a really seamless look.

Gray isn't always the answer.

Though all design trends come back, I hope the use of gray will take a while to make its next round. Homes with a gray sofas, plank flooring, curtains, and throw blankets and charcoal accent pillows can look dull. The color of a space can change your mood so why not have a color that promotes comfort instead of one that embodies dullness?

Gray can come off as stark and overly commercial but warmer tones feel relaxed and inviting. Luckily, I see a lot more browns and warm neutrals used in design projects lately. 

This being said, I appreciate gray tones with other contrasting finishes. Adding warmer colors next to gray pieces can create a contrasting yet refreshing color palette.

Invest in durable fabrics.

With today's technology, purchasing easy-to-clean fabrics is a no-brainer. Though classic linen and velvet are staples used for decades, you can achieve a similar look with treated fabrics.

For example, some fabric companies are plasticizing their materials to make them as stain-resistant and durable as acrylic and outdoor fabrics to give a classic look while being able to withstand kids and pets. 

Acrylic fabric options such as Sunbrella or Perennials are also great, durable options. Since they're easy to clean, these fabrics open the door up to bringing in light colors like whites and creams.

Steer clear of shiny paint finishes.

I think a high- or semi-gloss paint finish gives a shiny and almost oily look to a wall. Though this shiny paint is easy to clean, you can achieve similar results with a satin finish and avoid an overly reflective look.

A more subdued wall finish can let the furniture and art make a statement without competing with a shiny wall. Minimal sheen is also easier on the eyes and gives the overall aesthetic of the space a more relaxed tone, which, in a residential space especially, is necessary.

This story was originally published on October 1, 2022, and most recently updated on May 1, 2024.

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• I tested Tesla's brand new Cybertruck. 
• The electric truck is fun to drive and turns heads everywhere it goes. 
• But some small oversights made the expensive product feel rushed. 

The Cybertruck is unlike anything I've ever driven.

Even before I got behind the wheel, its metallic angles screamed uniqueness from across a parking lot. On the road, it drew gaping looks from other drivers, while pedestrians chased it down for photos.

Inside the truck, things only got more quirky. It had all the standard Tesla features, like a massive screen for controlling almost everything, a card (or phone) that acts as the key, voice control, and a yoke-shaped steering wheel.

But a few features stuck out to me and felt surprisingly rushed — especially in the company's newest and most highly anticipated product yet.

Are they all dealbreakers? Probably not. But for a price tag of more than $100,000, potential customers are allowed to be a little discerning, even if the main draw here is aesthetics and completely over-the-top specs.

These seven features annoyed me in my three-day jaunt around central Texas:

The Cybertruck's massive windshield doesn't mesh well with the Texas sun.

The Cybertruck's windshield is massive and more horizontal than many other vehicles. In the Texas sun, this didn't mesh well with the truck's all-black interior.

Driving in direct sunlight, any part of my arm or leg that was exposed and not getting direct ventilation was uncomfortable, and I knew cranking the air conditioning would drain battery life.

Inconveniently, the controls for the AC vents are buried in a settings menu on the main screen. No simple, one-motion adjustment of an air vent here — this is the future!

Charging also got hot. It was barely spring when I tested out the Cybertruck, and within three hours of charging in the direct sunlight, temperatures inside had climbed to more than 130 degrees.

Luckily, Elon Musk has tried to counter this somewhat with remote AC and window controls, and "dog mode."

I questioned whether anyone tested the sun visors.

Like most cars, the upper part of the Cybertruck's windshield has extra tint to help with glare. But unlike most cars, the Cybertruck's sun visor leaves some windshield exposed when unfolded for use — and plenty of sun can still wreak havoc.

Don't forget your sunglasses! They won't just be to look cool.

Want to fast charge on a non-Tesla plug? Good luck.

I learned the hard way that charging infrastructure in this country is still a long way from perfect. All Tesla cars come with an adapter for some slow charger plugs, as was the case in my Turo rental.

But newer fast chargers not run by Tesla usually feature a plug known as CCS, which was basically the industry standard before a big switch to Tesla's plugs last year by most automakers.

To charge at one of those, you'll need a different adapter that Tesla sells for $250. However, it specifically does not work with the Cybertruck because of its protruding plastic fenders. Some other Tesla models require a service appointment to make it work.

Of the more than 40,000 public fast-charging plugs in the US, more than 60% are Tesla, according to data from the Department of Energy. Tesla's plugs are the clear winner here, but not being able to use any others could certainly be a headache.

The truck lacks door handles in the ceiling.

What are nervous passengers supposed to grab while warning you of brake lights ahead?!

For a truck designed to excite, there's a surprising lack of "oh shit handles" for surprised passengers to grip during a terrified yelp while accelerating from 0 to 100-and-god-knows-what in a matter of seconds.

It's like a roller coaster, except there also isn't room to fully extend your hands in the air either.

To be fair, the backseat still has requisite hooks for hanging garments. No handle there, either.

You better hope the automatic suspension adjustment to "entry" height when parking is enough. These standard handles are about accessibility.

The wheel covers are easily damaged.

Wheel covers are a ubiquitous part of nearly every single electric vehicle. They improve aerodynamics by reducing drag, which helps range. In some cases, they look cool too.

But unlike in some other Tesla models, the Cybertruck's plastic wheel covers extend beyond the tire. Even the lightest scrape of a curb is noticeable.

Aesthetics aside, when you combine the truck's massive footprint and less-than-nimble maneuvering with tight spaces, it's a disaster waiting to happen.

Here's a close-up of the damage from the lightest of brushes with a curb.

Sure, the buyers of a $100,000 truck are probably going to have a garage. But what about the trendy restaurant downtown with only street parking? Are you going to trust the valet with this?

Traffic-aware cruise control was far from perfect.

This rental Cybertruck didn't have Autopilot or Full Self-Driving yet, despite having all the necessary hardware. Still, I'm not sure I would have trusted it based on one incident alone.

Let's set the scene:

I was cruising down a highway at more than 70 miles per hour when I approached a flashing yellow light that warned of an intersection ahead. The truck suddenly started beeping incessantly and braking, despite no actual change in the road ahead.

To be fair, Tesla does say in its manual that traffic-light and stop-sign control is a beta feature that "may also stop at green lights."

I appreciate the robo-concern, but the hiccup shows how many of these so-called edge cases will need to be conquered before true self-driving software can exist at any meaningful scale.

Beware, children, of the death frunk.

This frunk is not safe.

I placed a carrot on the open frunk's frame to test the sensitivity of the lid as it closed. The door sliced cleanly through the carrot.

I'm far from the first person to use a faux-finger carrot in the front-trunk's closing mechanism. It still was unsettling to see in person.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_TeO7F5vA?feature=oembed&w=560&h=315]

Most other cars have automatic sensors to detect a rogue body part in the way of a closing trunk or frunk, but apparently not the Cybertruck. Watch out for those fingers!

Hey, at least it has a button for opening from the inside in case you are stuck or kidnapped (as required by law).

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• Fisker employees are using parts from pre-production vehicles and inventory to fix some customers' cars, eight sources said.
• The practice has been ongoing since Fisker began deliveries in June 2023, some sources say.
• Experts say the practice can be acceptable to avoid long wait times, but customers should be informed of part swaps.

Fisker employees have been taking parts off pre-production vehicles and existing inventory to fix some customers' cars, according to several people familiar with the issue.

In response to a backlog of customer service requests and a shortage of available parts, Fisker technicians have stripped parts off what some have called "donor cars," which include Fisker Ocean pre-production and production vehicles that are sitting in the company's facility in La Palma, California, according to three current and five former Fisker employees. The workers spoke to Business Insider on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak on company affairs. Business Insider also viewed several photos of Fisker Oceans with missing parts that sources say were used for customer vehicles.

A spokesperson for Fisker told Business Insider the information was false.

"No parts have been taken off these vehicles for use in customers cars," the spokesperson said, adding that parts may have been taken off engineering vehicles "for analysis or to retrofit other engineering vehicles, but never customer vehicles."

One current Fisker employee with knowledge of the issue said technicians have resorted to taking parts off other cars to address customer service requests in about 10% to 15% of fixes over the past few months, particularly for customers near the company's La Palma site.

"It only happens if there's a dire need for the part," the worker said. "Technicians are just doing this to help customers. Customers are basically begging for parts, and the mentality is: If we have parts available, let's use them."

Typically, the parts are pulled from a back area at the La Palma site, where there is a lineup of pre-production vehicles that some have dubbed the "graveyard," five of the individuals told BI. Pre-production cars are made after prototypes and are essentially beta versions of the vehicle and are not intended for customer use, just testing and demos, while production vehicles are the final product that customers are delivered. Some of the vehicles at the site are Fisker Oceans that had been returned by customers, two current and one former worker said.

"It was a place where you just parked cars that were cannibalized. They were pushed into a space where it wouldn't cause traffic, and it became a place to check for parts," one former worker said. "It became evident at some point that you couldn't really put these things back together anymore," they added.

The company started taking parts off pre-production and production vehicles when it began deliveries in June of 2023, three former employees said.

When the company delivered its first 22 Fisker Oceans some of the cars had to be outfitted with outside parts after a pre-delivery inspection found at least four of the cars had some faulty parts, including new door handles, seat sensors, and a body control module, three former workers said.

'Every day was a fire drill'

One former worker said that parts swapping became a daily occurrence after the vehicle was launched in June 2023. Six employees close to the situation said that supervisors were aware that this practice was happening.

"Every day was a fire drill of what car has this part that I need," a former employee told BI. "The first or second time people were super careful about it and then eventually it was done so often that it became second nature and people weren't asking if they could do it anymore, they were just doing it."

One former worker compared the process to creating a "Frankenstein" car.

A Fisker spokesperson said: "The "Frankenstein" term was invented by our former CTO and applied to engineering vehicles that were testing multiple versions of software."

Two other workers said that technicians were careful to make sure the parts that were going between the vehicles weren't too different, especially if a part was going from a pre-production vehicle into a production car.

It's unclear whether every customer who received a car with swapped-out parts was notified of the switch. Patrick Burrell, a Fisker Ocean owner based in California, said he was told by a Fisker employee that the company would fix a minor paint and trim issue with his car by using a part that was taken off one of Fisker's other cars, but the repair has yet to be complete. Business Insider viewed an email exchange between a Fisker employee and Burrell that showed the employee offered to fix Burrell's car using a part off another Fisker car.

The email shows that a Fisker employee told Burrell and a repair shop employee that the company had "offered to have the mechanic install parts from another car that are good as new."

"These trim pieces are being pulled off a brand-new vehicle so they are basically brand new," the worker said in a later email to the customer.

A Fisker spokesperson declined to comment on the email exchange.

Burrell said his car has been waiting at a Fisker-approved repair shop for about 10 weeks.

The technicians have taken anything from door handles and windshields to tires, seat sensors, or body control modules out of the vehicles to put on customers' cars, according to three of the employees.

To date, no customer safety issues have been publicly linked to the issue.

The process of taking parts from cars off one vehicle to use for a different one is not unheard of in the automotive industry. Michael Crossen, an automotive technician at Consumer Reports, told BI he's seen it happen occasionally over the years — typically as a courtesy for customers to avoid long wait times for parts.

"It's certainly not a daily occurrence, but I've seen it a few times over the years," Crossen said, adding that parts that are coded to a car's Vehicle Identification Number or VIN would be more difficult to swap between cars.

Daniel Blinn, managing attorney of Consumer Law Group in Connecticut, told BI that depending on the situation, it can be acceptable for an automaker to use parts from another vehicle to avoid long wait times for customers. But, the process could become murky if the customer is not informed of the swap or a part is not matched perfectly to a vehicle, according to Blinn.

Fisker has been facing headwinds in recent months. The EV startup has delivered about 6,000 Fisker Oceans to date, according to an internal metric viewed by BI. Earlier this year, Fisker lowered its prices by as much as 39%.

The company has warned it could go out of business by the end of the year. Last week, Fisker said in a regulatory filing it had just $54 million in cash as of April 16 and the company is currently trying to pay off a loan that it has defaulted on. On Monday, the company notified staff that they could face layoffs in two months. Fisker's CEO previously told staff that the startup was in talks with four different automakers regarding a potential buyout.

Do you work for Fisker or have a tip? Reach out to the reporter via a non-work email and device at gkay@businessinsider.com

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• FTX's former head of Europe bought the most expensive Titanic relic ever auctioned.
• The gold watch sold for $1.5 million, and belonged to John Jacob Astor IV. 
• Gruhn bought the timepiece for $1.5 million, and plans to exhibit it in US museums, he told the WSJ.

The buyer of a gold-plated pocket watch owned by a wealthy Titanic passenger has been identified as former FTX executive Patrick Gruhn.

The timepiece sold at auction Saturday for roughly $1.5 million, the highest price a piece of Titanic memorabilia has ever fetched.

Gruhn is a German crypto law veteran who formerly served as the head of FTX Europe. The Wall Street Journal was first he was the watch's new owner.

Gruhn told Business Insider he wanted the watch because he felt a sense of connection with its owner, John Jacob Astor IV, the richest man aboard the ill-fated ship and one of the titans of industry in the 1910s.

Gruhn said his family, like the Astors, has German roots and found success in America. He purchased the watch as a gift for his wife. They met the same year the movie premiered, he told BI, and she has long been fascinated by the Titanic.

Gruhn added he wants "to ensure that this important piece of history remains in the United States where it belongs."

The Waltham watch is engraved with Astor's initials, and was found on his body when it was recovered a week after the crash, according to auction house Henry Aldridge & Son.

Astor, who died at 47, helped his pregnant wife (who would survive) onto a lifeboat and was last seen smoking a cigarette on deck as the ship sank.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said in a statement that auction prices of pieces like the watch reflect the "enduring appeal" of Titanic lore.

"112 years later, we are still talking about the ship, and the passengers and the crew," he said.

Gruhn told BI he bought the watch with money from the sale of two IT companies he sold in 2006 and 2014.

Gruhn is now readying the launch of a new crypto trading venue called Perpetuals, and said he plans to restart FTX Europe under a different name.

Gruhn said he wasn't interviewed by any law enforcement agencies or regulators about the FTX implosion, which led to former executive Sam Bankman-Fried being convicted of fraud and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

"From all the facts it was clear that FTX Europe did not and couldn't know about the fraud from SBF," he said.

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• Kids should be barred from using smartphones until 13 and social media until 18, a report said.
• The French government-backed report said social media should be limited to those with "ethical thinking."
• It said the tech industry is making children "commodities" and "targets of endless notifications."

Children should be barred from using smartphones until they turn 13 and social media until they are 18, according to a report commissioned by the French president.

The 142-page report was released on Tuesday, three months after President Emmanuel Macron asked a commission of experts to assess the impact of screen exposure on young people and to make recommendations.

The report, "Children and Screens: In Search of Lost Time," said that children should not be allowed to have cellphones before the age of 11, should be barred from social media before they turn 13, and that between 15 and 18, social media access should be "limited" to those with "ethical thinking."

As for toddlers, it recommended against exposing those under 3 and advised to move toward moderate, controlled exposure only after age 6.

The commission also "insisted" that the 29 proposals it issued must be taken as a whole and that it would be a "mistake" to consider only a few of them.

The Élysée Palace didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Policymakers around the world have tried to come to grips with technology usage by children, some by trying to impose bans on social media access or forcing kids to get parental consent.

Social media can have a strong impact on young people in particular, leading, in some cases, to suicide and exposure to dangerous content.

A recent study found that young people who owned smartphones in elementary school reported worse mental health in adulthood.

The 10-member French commission met with almost 150 youngsters and interviewed more than a hundred experts and professionals, including Google, Meta, TikTok, X, YouTube, Snapchat, and Samsung spokespeople.

The commission called on researchers to further their studies on the impact of screens on the neurodevelopment of children and addictive algorithms, saying the notion of "screen addiction" is not yet recognized by science.

It also said that kids need to be better protected from the tech industry's tactics to grab their attention and exploit their cognitive biases.

"We cannot accept that children become commodities, targets of endless notifications, glued to reward systems designed by behavioral scientists to be irresistible, with free time becoming highly digitized," the commission said.

It added: "Wherever children fall prey to enclosing mechanics, we must reject them."

It also said that its findings are meant to be a first step toward the emergence of an "offensive" and "coherent" public policy.

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• Reports that the US purchased 81 combat aircraft from Kazakhstan are likely false, experts said. 
• They cited Kazakhstan's deep economic ties to Russia and the report's sources.
• Kazakhstan has denied selling aircraft to Ukraine, saying foreign companies were not allowed to bid.

Reports that the US acquired 81 obsolete Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan are likely false, according to military analysts.

On Sunday, the Kyiv Post reported that Kazakhstan had auctioned off 117 Soviet-era fighter and bomber aircraft for a reported fee of one billion tenge, or $2.26 million, of which 81 were purchased by the US.

The outlet cited reports from the Ukrainian Telegram channel Insider UA and the Russian news site Reporter.

The Kyiv Post said the reason for the US purchase was not made public but that the aircraft would "likely" be transferred to Ukraine, which is fighting back against Russia's full-scale invasion.

But Kazspetsexport, Kazakhstan's state-owned weapons importer and exporter, denied selling military airplanes to Ukraine in a later statement, saying that foreign companies were not allowed to bid.

According to Francisco Olmos, a research fellow at The Foreign Policy Center specializing in Central Asian Affairs, it's "very" hard to establish whether the sale actually happened.

But he said that Kazspetsexport's denial "lends weight to the fact that such a purchase by the US did not take place."

He also said he doesn't see why Kazakhstan would indirectly provide spare parts for Ukrainian jets.

Given Ukraine's reliance on Soviet-era weapons, the Kyiv Post had suggested that the aircraft could either serve as a source of spare parts or be strategically deployed as decoys at airfields.

"Astana has kept a balanced stance during the conflict, and this would significantly change that," Olmos said. "Let's not forget Russia and Kazakhstan continue to have close ties, politically and economically."

Alexander Libman, a professor of Russian and East European Politics at the Free University of Berlin, said he would "seriously" doubt that such a deal could take place.

"Kazakhstan was extremely cautious about not creating tensions with both Russia and the Western countries, and supplying weapons to Ukraine would be a clear violation of this strategy," he told BI.

The Pentagon declined to comment.

The Embassy of Kazakhstan in the US told BI in a statement that Kazakhstan does not export or sell arms and military equipment to any country, including the US, under a moratorium in place since August 2022.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, its neighbors, including Kazakhstan, have trod a fine line, trying to keep an officially neutral position while, in some cases, strengthening their ties with the West.

Some Central Asian countries, like Kazakhstan, have even offered humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

However, out of fear of a backlash from Russia, they have declined to provide military equipment, Mark Temnycky, a nonresident fellow with the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, told BI.

He said these countries saw Russia's invasions of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and 2022, and with large ethnic Russian and Russian-speaking populations of their own, fear they could be next.

Russia has also deepened economic ties with the countries, especially Kazakhstan, with Russia-Kazakhstan trade valued at $26 billion and $27 billion in 2022 and 2023, record numbers.

Balancing economic ties with Russia and closer relations with the West puts Kazakhstan on an "increasingly difficult tightrope," Kate Mallinson, an associate fellow of Chatham House's Russia and Eurasia Programme, told BI.

She also suggested that reports of a US-Kazakhstan deal are likely part of a disinformation campaign from Russia aimed at "driving a wedge" between Kazakhstan and its neighbors, and putting more pressure on the country to toe the line.

Wednesday, May 1, 2024: This article has been updated to include a statement from the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the US.

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• In 2022, footage went viral of Mike Tyson repeatedly punching a fellow passenger on a JetBlue flight.
• Two years later, the passenger,  Melvin Townsend, is suing Tyson for damages
• Tyson's representatives told Business Insider he will "be 100% refuting these ridiculous claims."

A man who was punched repeatedly by Mike Tyson in first-class on a flight in 2022 has filed a lawsuit against the former boxing champion and airline JetBlue.

The incident occurred on a late-night flight from San Francisco to Florida on April 20, 2022 and went viral after video footage filmed by another passenger was shared by TMZ.

Tyson's reps told the Associated Press at the time that the man seated behind Tyson was "an aggressive passenger who began harassing him and threw a water bottle at him while he was in his seat."

In an episode of his podcast a month after the incident, Tyson said the passenger was "fucking with me," adding that he shouldn't fly on "public planes."

Around the same time, the San Mateo County District Attorney said it would not file criminal charges against the former world heavyweight champion, citing "the circumstances surrounding the confrontation."

"It is simply a case that does not belong in the criminal court. If they want to sue each other, that's their business," the DA said.

In December 2023, the passenger, Melvin Townsend, sent a "pre-litigation settlement demand" requesting $450,000 to resolve the incident without taking it to court, the LA Times reported.

Tyson's lawyer told the Times there would be no "shakedown payment."

On April 19, 2024, Townsend filed a complaint with the San Mateo County Superior Court, one day before a two-year statute of limitations came into effect for some of the claims.

Per Townsend's account of the incident in the complaint, he and a friend noticed they were seated directly behind Tyson as they boarded the plane.

Townsend, then 36, claims he initiated a conversation with the star, expressing admiration for Tyson's "illustrious boxing career" and buying alcoholic drinks for him and themselves.

He describes himself as "a fan of Mr. Tyson who was happy to be speaking to one of his childhood heroes."

Tyson offered them psilocybin mushrooms, the complaint claims, which the pair declined.

According to the court documents, the boxer then turned to his companion, a man he referred to as his manager, asking for some psilocybin mushrooms for himself. His companion declined to give him them.

"Suddenly and without warning or provocation," Tyson stood up from his seat, turned around, and began punching Townsend repeatedly while standing over him.

"Mr. Tyson punched Plaintiff numerous times in the head, face, and neck, tore the neck of Plaintiff's shirt, and caused Plaintiff to bleed from both sides of his head," the complaint says.

The boxer's companion tried to stop the attack by putting his body between the two men and taking some blows himself before Tyson eventually stopped, the suit says.

Townsend stated he was punched about 10 times.

Describing himself as 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds, he said he had no way to defend himself "due to Mr. Tyson's extraordinary strength and decades of professional fighting training and skill."

The incident has left Townsend with physical and emotional distress, according to the complaint.

The lists seven complaints for damages. Three are against Tyson, claiming assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Four are against JetBlue, claiming negligence, common carrier liability, premises liability, and negligent hiring, retention, and supervision.

Townsend is requesting a trial by jury to decide the outcome.

Tyson's representatives told Business Insider he "will be 100% refuting these ridiculous claims."

JetBlue did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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