Author: openjargon

• Trump has not complied with a British court order to pay $380,000 in legal fees, said a former spy.
• The fees stem from Trump's lawsuit against ex-MI6 agent Christopher Steele.
• Steele's dossier alleged Trump-Russia ties. Trump called it a "pile of garbage."

Donald Trump has failed to comply with a British High Court order to pay $380,000 in legal fees and has also ignored an offer to settle with a former British spy who compiled a document that claimed Russia had interfered in the 2016 US election, Sky News reported.

Christopher Steele, a former MI6 agent, produced a report commissioned by the Democratic National Convention and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign that made a series of mostly unsubstantiated allegations.

The most salacious claim in the dossier alleged that prostitutes visited Trump in the presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Moscow, and they performed an act of urination in front of him, a practice known as '"golden showers."

Trump has dismissed the claims as a "pile of garbage," saying that the Steele dossier contained numerous inaccuracies and breached his rights under the Data Protection Act.

The former president sued Steele's company, Orbis Business Intelligence, in the UK earlier this year, but the case was dismissed because it was filed after the six-year limitation period.

Trump was ordered to pay £300,000 ($380,000) in legal fees, said Steele in a tweet, on Friday.

Neither the Trump campaign nor Trump's office responded to a request for comment.

Thus far, Trump has only paid £10,000 ($12,700), ahead of the hearing as a security payment. This was transferred to Steele in February.

Speaking to Sky News, Steele said, "Cost is the key issue in all litigation, and particularly in what we call lawfare, which we think this is. It is an attempt to take vengeance against us or to keep us quiet."

Neither the Trump campaign nor Trump's office immediately responded to Business Insider's request for comment.

"I think he's trying to put off a lot of these legal cases and these fines and these costs until after what he thinks will be his reelection in November, in which case he will just tell us all to go and jump," Steele told Sky News.

It is the latest in Trump's legal battles coming after the former president and GOP presumptive nominee was found guilty of charges relating to a hush-money payment made to the porn star Stormy Daniels at the end of May.

The Steele dossier consisted of 16 separate reports that total 35 pages. It was leaked to and published by BuzzFeed in 2017 and alleged collusion between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia.

In 2022, the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Convention agreed to pay $113,000 to settle a Federal Election Commission investigation into whether hiding payments to Steele had breached federal campaign finance laws.

• I tried on similar linen-blend tank tops at Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Gap. 
• Of all the shirts I tried on, the one from Gap was my favorite.
• However, I thought the top from Old Navy provided the best value. 

Although I now prefer buying clothes from thrift stores and locally owned boutiques, I used to love shopping at mall staples like Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Gap.

All three stores are owned by the same parent company, Gap Inc., which has gone through many changes over the past couple of years.

Most recently, the company welcomed a former Mattel executive as its new CEO and designer Zac Posen as creative director of Gap Inc. and chief creative officer of Old Navy.

With all that in mind, I was curious to see which retailer would impress me most and offer the best value. While shopping for new clothes for the summer, I stopped at all three stores to compare similar linen-blend tank tops. Here's how it went.

My first stop was to Banana Republic.

Banana Republic is a global retailer with over 400 stores.

The store, which offers a range of workwear and elevated-casual styles, was my go-to shop for finding post-college interview outfits and business-casual ensembles.

I was drawn to a neutral, linen-blend top.

The $65 shirt I tried on at Banana Republic was made of a blend of 52% linen, 45% cotton, and 3% elastane.

I was first drawn to the simple cropped cut and neutral tone. It felt lightweight on the hanger, and breathable material is a priority in my summer wardrobe.

However, I didn't think the Banana Republic tank was worth the price.

Upon trying it on, the tank felt comfortable and fit well around my shoulders and chest. The silhouette seemed well-constructed and versatile for a variety of outfits. Was it worth $65, though? Not in my opinion.

It's also worth noting that a few weeks later, I found this same top on sale on the Banana Republic website for $39.

Next, I went to Old Navy.

Old Navy has over 1,200 stores worldwide and offers affordable yet fashionable styles for all ages.

It was my favorite store as a child, and I can vividly remember wandering through the department-store-sized building in search of a new shirt or swimsuit I'd wear repeatedly for months.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the pricing remained mostly consistent with what I remembered (based on the current inflation rates).

The prices also seemed pretty accessible throughout the store — almost all new arrivals cost less than $50 — but the quality did reflect the lower price point.

The Old Navy tank I picked out was thinner than the version I tried on at Banana Republic.

I found a similar linen-blend tank top at Old Navy but immediately noticed it was somewhat thin and feeble on the rack. In comparison, the Banana Republic version had a thicker lining underneath the shell.

However, at only $25, this top was available at a significantly lower price point. The shirt was made with a blend of 55% linen and 45% rayon.

I was surprised by how much I liked the top once I tried it on.

I loved the fit of this tank once I put it on in the dressing room — the thick shoulder straps and airy shape felt both comfortable and flattering. Plus, the square neckline would be easy to pair with accessories like necklaces and scarves.

I didn't end up buying the Old Navy tank, but I'd consider going back to browse the store's offerings in the future.

Finally, I stopped at Gap.

Gap has over 700 locations in North America and Asia.

The brand has come a long way since I was young, replacing some basic T-shirts featuring oversize logos with on-trend pieces that rival some luxury brands.

I ended up browsing the entire store when I walked in.

I went to Gap just to try on the linen-blend tank but ended up trying on at least 10 different pieces. Since then, I've also been browsing the brand's website.

The entire shopping experience at Gap felt organized and seamless, with easy-to-read labels and dedicated sections for various styles.

The linen-blend tank I found felt high-quality, and I felt confident that I could wear it consistently without tarnishing it.

I loved how the top from Gap fit me — but I was shocked by the price.

Of all the linen tanks I tried on, the one from Gap was my favorite.

The top fit perfectly and had the same square neckline and thick straps as the Old Navy tank, with a slightly more flowy bodice and a more structured overall look. I also loved the added button details on the back.

However, The Gap tank was $50, double the price of the Old Navy option, even though they had an incredibly similar material makeup (55% linen and 45% viscose rayon). For that reason, I'd only buy the tank from Gap once it went on clearance.

I always thought of Gap as a retailer that offered affordable fashion, but every piece I tried on or stopped to admire in the store seemed severely overpriced for what it was.

For example, a trench coat I liked in the store was $168. Personally, if I'm going to spend that much on a jacket, I'd prefer it to be from a vintage shop or boutique retailer.

Based on the value, fit, materials, and overall quality, I’d be most likely to buy the tank from Old Navy.

Although I loved how the Gap tank looked on me, based on the overall value, I'd be most likely to buy the option from Old Navy. This completely surprised me, as I assumed the quality would be much lower, especially than that of Banana Republic.

Although there was a slight difference, the price, similar enough condition, and comfortable fit made the choice a no-brainer.

This shopping experience reminded me that a fancy brand name and a higher price don't always mean a better product.

• Instagram boss Adam Mosseri is loving Mark Zuckerberg's new style.
• Mosseri said the Meta CEO is finally expressing himself after years of wearing "the same thing."
• Zuckerberg has been going viral online for adding a chain to his everyday look.

Adam Mosseri isn't taking credit for Mark Zuckerberg's new necklace-wearing style, but he's definitely into it.

The Instagram head appeared on "The Colin and Samir Show," where he briefly discussed Zuckerberg's shift from the standard tech bro uniform of jeans and t-shirt to a more accessorized version.

"I love it so much," Mosseri said.

Although he has his own personal style that departs from the traditional tech boss outfit, Mosseri didn't take credit for the Meta CEO's new look.

Zuck and his new chain have gone viral several times since they debuted on his Instagram in April. A stylist previously told Business Insider that the sartorial switch-up is a move that could "make him approachable and show that he's a fun guy."

Mosseri — who joined Facebook in 2008 — said that Zuckerberg spent a long time "not wasting any energy on deciding what to wear" and instead decided to wear "the same thing every day for a long time as a lot of tech execs have done."

Now, Zuckerberg is expressing himself in more ways, even if the style changes are subtle. He's still wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but his personal taste comes through in how he styles each piece (like trendy sneakers or graphic tees).

"I'm totally into it. I think clothes are fun, so I'm very supportive," Mosseri said.

• My fiancé and I splurged on a trip to Monaco for our very first Formula 1 Grand Prix.
• For about $20,980, we stayed in Nice, France, and attended the races all weekend.
• We also attended a luxurious yacht party and soaked in views of Monaco during the race.

My fiancé and I saved up to celebrate our recent engagement in style during one of the year's most iconic, expensive weekends: the Formula 1 (F1) Monaco Grand Prix.

The F1 Monaco Grand Prix is an annual race for drivers in the highest class of international racing for single-seater formula cars.

Though the sport is popular in Europe, it gained the attention of international audiences with the release of Netflix's Formula 1 documentary series, "Drive to Survive." In a 2022 poll from Morning Consult, 53% of nearly 1,900 F1 fans said the series contributed to their interest in the sport.

However, we've been dedicated F1 fans long before the series launched in 2019, and have always considered the Monaco Grand Prix the best race on the calendar.

Like many fans, we were willing to splurge to see some of our favorite drivers and were excited to attend the event this past May. We purchased a package from F1 Experiences for £15,220, or about $19,370, with a $1,610 yacht party add-on. The package for my partner and me included a hotel stay, two days of live racing, and transportation to and from the event.

From an unbelievable balcony view of the racetrack to cheering on a historic win, here's what the experience was like.

We stayed at a hotel in Nice, France.

We stayed four nights at the Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée on the French Riviera, a 30-to-40-minute drive from Monaco.

Our hotel-room balcony overlooked the stunning Côte d'Azur region, and we were within walking distance of Nice's historic and charming old town.

We prepared for the high-energy weekend by celebrating at a yacht party.

To fully experience the glamorous lifestyle in Monaco, we indulged in a yacht party on Friday night. This experience was an add-on to our overall package, and it cost £1,265, or about $1,610.

We boarded the boat and were greeted with glasses of Champagne. The bottomless drinks and canapés flowed as the onboard DJ pumped music, drowning out the sounds of nearby boats.

As dusk turned to nightfall, the partygoers seemed to buzz with anticipation for the excitement the weekend had to offer — and we couldn't wait.

On Saturday, I was excited to finally attend the main event, the Grand Prix. 

On Saturday, we boarded a coach bus to Monaco and headed to the Ermanno Penthouse to watch the race. There, we climbed up 12 flights of stairs for a taste of Monégasque luxury.

The Penthouse's balcony terrace — overlooking the Port Hercules marina, stacked with at least 250 yachts — gave us an unbelievable panoramic view of Monaco's shimmering blue coastline and at least two-thirds of the racetrack.

From our viewpoint, we could see the start and finish line, up the hill toward the Casino de Monte-Carlo, the racetrack's tunnel exit, around the marina, and even the champions' podium. 

We felt the thrill of the race from our balcony.

Saturday's qualifying session was electrifying. Throughout the day, we saw the Formula 3 and Formula 2 sprint races, which typically feature aspiring F1 drivers. Then, we saw the F1 free practice three, which served as a practice round for F1 drivers to fine-tune their skills.

Lastly, we saw the F1 qualifying race, which determined each driver's place on the grid for Sunday's event.

I did notice, however, that my fiancé and I seemed to be two of the very few true F1 fans on the balcony. Many of our neighbors appeared to be new to the sport and seemed more interested in selfies or sparkling wine.

We enjoyed food and drinks as well.

Not only could we see much of Monaco from the balcony, but also we enjoyed warm hospitality from the staff.

The staff members served various snacks and offered as much Champagne, spirits, and soft drinks as we wanted. For breakfast, we had croissants and pain au chocolat with coffee, followed by finger sandwiches, sliders, canapés, and tasty desserts.

We even had a few celebrity sightings.

Celebrating the same event as A-list celebrities like John Legend, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Kylian Mbappé felt like a real pinch-me moment — though we only caught glimpses of them in the VIP area on TV screens showing sports coverage, the same way viewers would see them on television.

The celebrities at the Grand Prix, which took place just after the star-studded Cannes Film Festival, made it feel like the spot to be.

We saw a race-car collision from our balcony.

Unfortunately, the weekend wasn't all positive. During the first lap of Sunday's F1 race, we saw a massive crash involving several drivers who couldn't continue in the event.

On a more positive note, we saw our favorite driver win the Grand Prix.

The highlight of the weekend was cheering Ferrari F1 driver and Monégasque Charles Leclerc on to his first-ever victory at the Monaco Grand Prix.

As Leclerc's bright-red Ferrari zoomed by with a clear lead on his last lap, a symphony of boats blared their horns, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Leclerc is also the first Monégasque driver to win the race in over 90 years.

We watched the Champagne showers and celebrations on the podium, and my fiancé and I shared a kiss (and a few happy tears). It was the perfect end to an unforgettable weekend.

Overall, we were so glad we got to attend the Monaco Grand Prix.

Overall, attending the Grand Prix in person was worth the money for us. We saw our favorite driver achieve a historic F1 milestone on a legendary track along a beautiful European coastline.

Though I wouldn't say it's worth the splurge for those who don't follow F1, plenty of guests on our balcony were there for the vibes, the flowing drinks, and the lush atmosphere.

We'd consider attending another F1 Grand Prix in the future. Still, our first taste of Monaco had our hearts racing — and the experience will be incredibly tough to top.

• A Kentucky woman said her family's cruise was canceled after they fell victim to identity theft.
• Tiffany Banks said the incident occurred after she shared booking information on Facebook.
• She claimed Carnival Cruise Line offered her $10,000 in onboard credit as compensation.

A Kentucky mother said her family's booking on a cruise was canceled just 48 hours before the ship was due to set sail after they fell victim to identity theft.

Tiffany Banks, her husband, and their children had spent a year planning their trip on the Carnival Celebration ship, which Carnival Cruise Line operates.

But in a post on Tiffany's TikTok account, she said she received an email from Carnival saying that two excursions she had booked had been canceled.

When she called the company to find out more, she said she was told that her entire cabin had been canceled.

"Full-blown panic," Tiffany Banks says in the video. "We'd been planning this vacation for a year, we booked on the Presidential Excel Suite," which she says is the biggest room on the Celebration ship.

Banks said a "lead" at the company told her the "online system had been logged into and it had been canceled."

She said that after talking with the employee for almost two-and-a-half hours, they offered two interior rooms in place of the suite.

"I just can't even fathom how that they think that that's right," Banks said, adding that the family had invested almost $15,000 into the vacation — $12,000 to $13,000 for the room and the rest for flights and excursions.

Nevertheless, The family decided to head to the port on the day the ship set sail, but they had to rent an Airbnb in Miami as the booking was still canceled.

Banks later posted an update to TikTok in which she said the family had been "victims of identity theft" after an apparent scammer targeted one of their Facebook posts that contained booking information. She said the person opened a fake Carnival profile, added the family's booking to their account, and then canceled the family's cruise.

Banks said that Carnival offered her $10,000 in onboard credit if she posted on social media that the problem had been resolved.

She said that she refused the offer and that the family was not interested in booking with Carnival again while also sharing what she claimed to be audio clips of conversations with a Carnival employee.

Business Insider approached Banks for comment but received no response.

In a statement to BI, a Carnival Cruise Line spokesperson said: "While we are not going to comment about any specific incident, most cyber and consumer experts consistently advise that it is never a good idea to post personal information about your travel plans, including a confirmation number for a booking, which could allow a bad actor or identify thief to use that information in inappropriate or even illegal ways."

It's not the first time such an incident has impacted prospective cruise-goers.

In January, BI reported that a tour operator had been accused of scamming customers out of more than $25,000.

Authorities said that Charles Johnson, the owner of Carolina Blue Tours in North Carolina, led five people to believe they had booked a summer cruise to Alaska. He is then said to have told them just days before departure that the trip was canceled and failed to give them refunds.

Following an investigation into the incident, authorities said that Johnson had never booked the customers on the cruise and instead boarded it himself.

Johnson was arrested in December, facing six counts of felony obtaining property by false pretenses.

• Israeli special forces rescued four hostages in Gaza by posing as displaced Gazans, reports said.
• Israel's elite Yamam unit took part in the operation, and one of its officers was killed.
• The raid resulted in 274 Palestinian deaths in the Nuseirat camp, said Gaza authorities.

Israeli special forces liberated four hostages held by militants in Gaza by disguising themselves as displaced Palestinians, reports said.

Two Israeli security sources confirmed to ABC News that Israeli soldiers posed as refugees from Rafah to carry out the rescue mission on Saturday.

According to residents interviewed by the Saudi Arabian-owned Asharq news channel, male and female Israeli soldiers impersonated Palestinian refugees from Rafah to infiltrate the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, per The Times of Israel.

They arrived in a white vehicle with mattresses. When questioned by residents, the disguised soldiers who spoke Arabic claimed they were fleeing the IDF's offensive in the south of Gaza, said the Saudi report.

They pointed out apartments where hostage Noa Argamani was held which they claimed they had rented, witnesses told Asharq news channel. Three other hostages — Andrey Kozlov, Shlomi Ziv, and Almog Meir Jan — were detained in a building nearby.

The Israeli sources who spoke to ABC News confirmed the disguised soldiers used the cover-story that they were looking for a place to live.

BBC News spoke to a witness who said the Israelis came in a truck filled with furniture.

"Suddenly, special forces came out of it and started shooting," Isaam Jameel Arouqi told BBC News.

Eye witnesses told CNN that some Israeli soldiers were also dressed as Hamas fighters.

The hostage rescuers included the elite Yamam counter-terrorism unit, and one of its officers was killed in the operation.

Yamam, which is part of Israel's Border Police, was supported by the special forces troops of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Intelligence from US sources was also used in the raid, The New York Times reported.

The four hostages were among 40 people kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7, where at least 260 people were massacred.

Noa Argamani's abduction went viral when she was taken hostage via motorbike eight months ago.

Meanwhile, Hamas-run Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 274 Palestinians in the Nuseirat refugee camp were killed during the operation, AP News reports.

The IDF said it launched an air attack when the hostage-rescue mission came under fire from gunmen, some armed with rocket-propelled grenades, AP said

In January, Israeli soldiers dressed as medics entered a hospital in Jenin on the West Bank and killed three alleged Palestinian militants.

The strategy of disguise used in the Gaza rescue raid echoed the Israeli political thriller series "Fauda." The hit Netflix show portrayed Arabic-speaking undercover agents impersonating locals to infiltrate West Bank Palestinian militant groups planning attacks on Israelis.

The creators of "Fauda" are developing a film about the events of October 7.

• Delta Air Lines topped The Points Guy's 2024 best US airlines list for the sixth consecutive year.
• TPG's rankings assess four broad categories: reliability, experience, cost and reach, and loyalty.
• Interestingly, ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air scored beat out Delta in overall reliability.

The busy summer travel season is here, and airlines are working hard to keep their planes and people moving without much headache to the customer.

However, some are better than others.

Travel website The Points Guy published its annual list of the 10 best airlines in the US on Wednesday. It used 2023 data from airlines and the federal government to analyze four broad categories: reliability, experience, cost and reach, and loyalty.

Delta Air Lines took the top spot for the sixth year in a row, followed by Alaska Airlines and United Airlines. This year, Delta carrier also earned titles from The Wall Street Journal, JD Power, and Cirium.

While Delta ranked first overall for its consistency across the four categories, TPG noted it lost points for affordability and loyalty — the latter likely resulted from its unpopular SkyMiles program changes.

Further, Delta only won in one area: timeliness. This was one of five factors under the reliability umbrella.

Interestingly, ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air won for reliability thanks to its low rate of cancellations and mishandled baggage and wheelchairs. It also tied with Delta for zero involuntary bumps.

Allegiant ranked seven out of 10 in the overall rankings due to its no-frills business model and poor delay rate. Still, it beat ULCC competitors Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines, which ranked last and second-to-last, respectively.

To their credit, the ULCCs have recently moved in a more premium direction, with Frontier offering "business" class-like seats and Spirit dropping all change and cancel fees.

Sitting in the middle of the pack are American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Hawaiian Airlines, which didn't see much movement to their rank from 2022.

"Overall, 2023 was a year of relative stability and continued recovery from the last of the post-coronavirus lockdown hiccups," TPG said.

Here's a closer look at TPG's airline rankings for 2024. It noted customer satisfaction data only reflects the first five months of the year due to reporting delays from the Department of Transportation.

10. Frontier Airlines

2022 Rank: 10

Best areas: Affordability

Worst areas: Timeliness, cancellations, involuntary bumps, customer satisfaction, and bag and change fees

9. Spirit Airlines

2022 Rank: 8

Best areas: Affordability

Worst areas: Mishandled baggage and mobility devices, family travel, and route network

8. Allegiant Air

2022 Rank: 8

Best areas: Involuntary bumps and mishandled baggage and mobility devices

Worst areas: Timeliness, cabin features, and family travel

7. Hawaiian Airlines

2022 Rank: 6

Best areas: Involuntary bumps

Worst areas: Route network

6. JetBlue Airways

2022 Rank: 7

Best areas: Cabin features

Worst areas: Timeliness, cancellations

5. Southwest Airlines

2022 Rank: 5

Best areas: Bags and change fees

Worst areas: Lounges

4. American Airlines

2022 Rank: 4

Best areas: Route network, award availability (flights that can be booked with points or miles)

Worst areas: Mishandled baggage and affordability

3. United Airlines

2022 Rank: 2

Best areas: Frequent flyer program, route network, involuntary bumps

Worst areas: Cancellations, affordability

2. Alaska Airlines

2022 Rank: 3

Best areas: Timeliness, cancellations, lounges, family travel, customer satisfaction

Worst areas: Mishandled baggage and mobility devices

1. Delta Air Lines

2022 Rank: 1

Best areas: Timeliness and involuntary bumps

Worst areas: Affordability

• A Chick-fil-A in Louisiana is hosting a "summer camp" for kids to get an inside look at the chain.
• The location is the latest to offer the three-hour event for children aged 5 to 12.
• Roughly 180 reservations costing $35 each were booked within a day of being announced.

A Chick-fil-A restaurant in Hammond, Louisiana, is hosting a "summer camp" for kids to get an inside look at the chain.

Promoted for kids aged 5 to 12, the event promises "a behind-the-scenes view of what it's like to work at America's favorite quick-service restaurant."

The restaurant said the roughly 180 reservations across six days were booked within a day of being announced for a cost of $35 each.

An earlier version of the event listing said that campers would "learn dining room host and customer service skills, learn how to take a guest order, learn how to bag a guest order, tour the kitchen and box your own nuggets, and make your own ice dream cone or cup," leading to some backlash on Facebook from critics who said the camp sounded suspiciously like work.

That listing was later revised, and a company spokesperson told Business Insider the location is one of several across the US that offer the three-hour event. Another location in New Orleans has a "camp" scheduled as well.

The idea started with a Houston-area restaurant owner-operator six years ago, and it has grown so popular that this year's 200 spots sold out within seven minutes, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also said the event is not a corporate initiative, the restaurants do not profit directly from it, and no child performs the work of an employee at any time.

A flyer for the event says that campers will receive a kids meal, T-shirt, name tag, and snack, and "spend some time with the Chick-fil-A Cow and Chick-fil-A Team Leaders."

Louisiana labor law requires teenagers to be at least 14 to work, but when it does come time for a summer job, former campers could do far worse than to work at Chick-fil-A, where they'd learn from the best in the business.

Customers consistently give the chain top scores in order accuracy, food quality, and staff friendliness, and the company is legendary for finding and cultivating a level of talent that is a cut above the typical service business.

• Gwynne Shotwell once accused a SpaceX employee of having an affair with her husband, The Wall Street Journal reported. 
• Shotwell became suspicious after the woman helped her husband plan a surprise birthday party, per the report.
• The Journal cited people close to the woman and emails it viewed.

Gwynne Shotwell, Elon Musk's second-in-command at SpaceX, once accused an employee of having an affair with her husband, The Wall Street Journal reported.

It cited the SpaceX employee's account to friends and family and emails she showed the outlet.

Shotwell, SpaceX's chief operating officer, reportedly became suspicious of the woman after her husband enlisted her help to plan his wife's surprise 50th birthday party.

The employee rang Robert Shotwell to arrange for him to collect boxes for the party from her house, which led to Gwynne Shotwell suspecting the pair of having an affair, the report said.

Robert Shotwell sent the woman an email in November 2013 with the subject line "Trouble," adding: "She accused us of having an affair …Be prepared when she gets in."

The employee reportedly told a human resources executive about Shotwell's accusation, which later got back to the COO. The report said that Shotwell appeared to retaliate against the employee. Musk is the CEO of SpaceX.

The woman told people close to her that she ended up in a tug-of-war between Shotwell and Musk. While Shotwell tried to push her out, Musk appeared to be trying to pull her in. The woman no longer works for SpaceX.

SpaceX representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider made outside normal working hours.

In response to the Journal's report, Musk's lawyers sent a sworn declaration from SpaceX's HR vice president stating he could not locate an HR complaint from the woman.

Shotwell told the Journal in a statement that its report did not reflect SpaceX's culture. She did not respond to its questions about the employee's claims.

The Journal's story also mentioned that a SpaceX employee who first met Musk when she was a summer intern had sex with him.

Shotwell is regarded by some as the secret to the company's success. According to an org chart reported by The Information, the executive leads operations and oversees most teams and projects.

Shotwell has 21 direct reports compared to Musk's four, and she oversees most of SpaceX's central business, including the teams working on Starlink, Falcon, and Starship.

• Leasing deals abound for EVs this month.
• Leasing an EV can get you more access to the $7,500 federal discount.
• If leasing isn't your style, look for financing deals.

If you want a deal on an electric car this summer, you just need to know where to look.

EV prices have come down from their peak in the summer of 2022, but remain volatile. Expensive new offerings like Tesla's Cybertruck drove up the average price paid for an EV last month, according to Cox Automotive.

But a closer look at the segment shows plenty of deals to be had among less flashy models, especially if you're willing to lease or are flexible with what you want. Many of these newer models have ranges above 300 miles and can often cost in line with a similar gas-powered car.

The automotive industry is facing a dilemma heading into the summer car shopping season. Electric vehicles are coming off the assembly line in greater numbers, while demand for battery-powered cars is cooling.

That leaves these companies looking to stoke demand without doing too much damage to their bottom line.

Rather than initiating fire sales on all of the EVs that have started to pile up on dealer lots, companies are being more targeted with their incentives. That means using tactics like leasing and financing deals over big cash-back offerings.

EV leasing deals

A lease can be a good option for someone who's curious about electric vehicle ownership but not quite ready to commit.

These deals usually include a lower monthly payment, lower maintenance costs, and bumper-to-bumper coverage for the duration of the lease.

Leasing deals can be found for almost every electric model right now, but the best value appears to be among mainstream brands like Hyundai and Kia which are both offering leasing deals with monthly payments below $300.

According to deals compiled by car shopping website CarGurus, this month you can lease a 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 for $242 a month for 24 months with a down payment of $3,507.

If you don't have three grand to drop on a down payment, the Ioniq 6 has a 24-month lease deal for $189 a month with $1,999 due at signing.

Thanks to a loophole, choosing to lease an EV also gives you more access to the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Automakers can apply to leasing deals on cars that have since become ineligible for the credit on a purchase because they're not built in North America.

Financing deals and the EV tax credit

If leasing isn't your style, you're going to want to look for financing deals. These incentives, which have become more popular as interest rates rise, can help bring down your monthly payment without extending the length of your loan.

This month you can finance a Kia EV6 or a Ford F-150 Lightning with a 0% interest rate for 60 months, according to deals compiled by TrueCar.

If you're looking to purchase an EV rather than leasing, you'll also want to make sure you know which electric cars qualify for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.

New rules that went into effect at the start of this year narrowed the list of cars that qualify for this government-funded discount, and you may be surprised what was knocked off the list.

Some of the most popular models lost their tax credit eligible status, including US-based brands like Ford's Mustang Mach-E and most versions of the Tesla Model 3.