Jeff Bezos will resume executive leadership through Project Prometheus, an artificial intelligence startup that has attracted $6.2 billion in initial financing, according to reports. The venture will operate under joint direction with Vik Bajaj, a former Google X executive who previously collaborated with Sergey Brin and contributed to establishing Verily, the Alphabet biotechnology subsidiary.
Project Prometheus aims to create artificial intelligence systems supporting advanced engineering and manufacturing operations across aerospace, computing, and automotive industries. The company has assembled approximately 100 employees recruited from OpenAI, Meta, DeepMind, and competing laboratories.
Bezos addressed concerns about inflated...
Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy cautioned Chancellor Rachel Reeves against increasing aviation levies, arguing that higher air passenger duty rates would disproportionately affect lower-income travelers and potentially make foreign vacations unaffordable for working families. The airline leader warned that additional taxes would inevitably translate to elevated fares and reduced consumer demand as speculation mounts about revenue measures in the upcoming budget.
Britain's largest package holiday operator reported revenues reaching 5.3 billion pounds during its half-year period, while pre-tax profit climbed to 780 million pounds despite a September warning about constrained forward bookings and cautious consumer spending. Jet2 reduced...
Hewlett-Packard filed a nearly $1.8 billion final damages claim against Mike Lynch's estate in a protracted corporate fraud litigation stemming from the technology giant's troubled 2011 purchase of Autonomy for $11 billion. The reduced figure remains substantially higher than the estimated £500 million value of the late entrepreneur's assets, with HP asserting that accrued interest alone totals $761 million following a judge's determination that Lynch fraudulently misrepresented his software company's financial performance before the acquisition.
Lynch perished when his yacht capsized off Sicily during celebrations following his acquittal in separate American criminal proceedings, leaving unresolved questions about ultimate payment...
Amnesty International demanded that Eswatini authorities unconditionally free former legislators Mthandeni Dube and Bacede Mabuza following King Mswati's conditional pardon that permitted Dube's supervised release while imposing restrictions on political activities and public statements. Deputy Regional Director Vongai Chikwanda stated that Mabuza continues serving an 85-year sentence despite both parliamentarians facing identical charges stemming from their advocacy for constitutional reforms.
Security forces detained the lawmakers after they endorsed democratic transformation initiatives, leading to terrorism and sedition convictions that resulted in decades-long prison terms under legislation criticized for vague language enabling...
A Dhaka tribunal convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her interior minister of capital offenses connected to their handling of student demonstrations that resulted in as many as 1,400 fatalities. International Crimes Tribunal chairman Golam Mortuza Mozumder found Hasina guilty of inciting violence, ordering lethal force, and neglecting to prosecute those responsible for abuses during protests against government employment quotas favoring descendants of war veterans.
Bangladesh's interim administration called for Indian authorities to honor extradition agreements following Hasina's flight across the border after resigning from office. New Delhi acknowledged the tribunal decision while emphasizing its commitment to...
A federal court blocked implementation of Texas congressional district boundaries that would have added five Republican seats, determining that legislators engaged in unconstitutional racial gerrymandering when replacing multiethnic voting areas with districts favoring single racial majorities. The Western District ruling imposed a preliminary injunction requiring the use of the previous electoral map for the upcoming congressional elections unless higher courts reverse the decision or lawmakers adopt alternative boundaries.
State officials justified the redistricting after receiving correspondence from the Department of Justice citing appellate precedent against coalition districts, though the court rejected this interpretation of...
Slovenia's parliament approved legislation expanding police authority to enter residences without warrants and conduct video monitoring in designated security zones, drawing criticism from human rights organizations concerned about potential discrimination against Roma communities. Prime Minister Robert Golob characterized the measures as preventive rather than punitive, emphasizing enhanced capabilities for rapid weapons confiscation and public order enforcement.
The legislation emerged following the fatal stabbing of Aleš Šutar in Novo Mesto, with a Roma suspect triggering protests that human rights groups describe as targeting an entire ethnic population. Amnesty International's Esther Major warned that government rhetoric suggests...
London-based law firm Ashurst will merge with American legal practice Perkins Coie to form a combined entity generating $2.7 billion in annual revenue, positioning the organization among the top 20 global firms. Chief Executive Paul Jenkins and Managing Partner Bill Malley will serve as co-leaders of Ashurst Perkins Coie following partnership approval votes scheduled for early next year, with integration anticipated during the third quarter of 2026.
The transatlantic combination enables Ashurst to expand its operations across 17 American cities, while providing Perkins Coie with access to 27 international locations spanning the Asia-Pacific markets and other regions. Ashurst recently achieved record profitability following a strategic...
Music Nation Copyrights Management appointed Aisha Salem-Howey to the newly established general counsel position at the United Arab Emirates music rights organization. Salem-Howey previously served as an intellectual property attaché for the Middle East and North Africa at the US Patents and Trademark Office, where she worked with regional governments and commercial entities to enhance protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.
The attorney will direct legal strategy, regulatory compliance, and governance operations while advancing international partnerships for the Abu Dhabi-based company that licenses music rights throughout the Emirates. Chief executive Amer Samhoun stated that her international expertise will...
