Author: Alex Maschino

The hiring team at Kraken, a U.S-based crypto exchange, noticed immediately that something was off about “Steven Smith,” a would-be IT worker who applied for a software engineering job in early October. But it wasn’t until they compared Smith’s email to a list of those suspected to be part of a hacker group that their suspicions were confirmed: Smith was a North Korean operative. Kraken could have just tossed the application. Instead, Kraken’s chief security officer, Nick Percoco, decided to take a closer look at Steven Smith. He saw this as an opportunity to learn more about the infiltration tactics…

James Patterson may be the most prolific author of our time, but don’t expect him to rattle off his stats like a sports announcer.In a new sit-down with Graham Bensinger, the king of thrillers got real about his record-breaking career, future projects with some very famous names (hint: MrBeast and J.J. Abrams!), and why he doesn’t care if you think James Patterson is a literary “stylist” because he’s in it for the story.Article continues below advertisementJames Patterson Has ‘No Idea’ How Many Bestsellers He’s HadDespite holding the crown for the most #1 New York Times bestsellers in history, Patterson claims…

Ange Postecoglou admits he is not sure he could follow the lead of Wolves boss Vitor Pereira and go for a post-match pint with supporters.Pereira has made it a tradition that he shares a beer with fans after games – not difficult to do when you’re on a six-game winning streak – but with Tottenham mired in 16th place and on a run of one win in eight league games, Postecoglou says he may think twice.“I’d have to be careful what pub I walked in to at the moment,” the Australian said.“Would Ange Postecoglou go to the pub with the…

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of Uganda’s president, has confirmed the detention of an opposition leader’s bodyguard, who has been missing for five days. Edward Sebuufu, alias Eddie Mutwe, was reportedly picked up on Sunday by unidentified individuals in both civilian clothes and military fatigues in the central town of Kiwango, sparking public outrage and concern about his safety. In a series of posts on X, Gen Kainerugabai, who is also Uganda’s military chief, said Mr Sebuufu was “in my basement”, attaching the bodyguard’s photo with a clean-shaven head. He also threatened to use violence against Mr Sebuufu.Gen Kainerugabai’s remarks…

Welcome to Music Business Worldwide’s weekly round-up – where we make sure you caught the five biggest stories to hit our headlines over the past seven days. MBW’s round-up is supported by Centtrip, which helps over 500 of the world’s best-selling artists maximize their income and reduce their touring costs.Earnings season is upon us, and this week Universal Music Group reported 9.5% YoY revenue growth for Q1, with subscription streaming revenues up 9.3% YoY.Meanwhile, Spotify posted another record-high operating profit in Q1, at $535.6 million, while the paid subscriber base grew 12% YoY to 268 million.Finally, South Korea’s HYBE posted a nearly 39% YoY…

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images LeBron James has been a pillar of the NBA for over two decades, and the idea of retirement is inevitably coming into focus. The basketball legend was drafted No. 1 overall by Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. He joined the Miami Heat in 2010 before returning to the Cavaliers in 2014, helping the franchise win its first-ever NBA Championship in 2016. James moved to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, signing a two-year contract for $97.1 million in 2022. James — who has been married to Savannah James since 2013 — has a lot to look forward to…

After trouncing the Lakers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards dapped up LeBron James, who had just five words for him: “Make that next step now.” Minnesota dominated in the series, winning three out of their four dubs by double-digits, and putting the clamps on the Lakers’ offense. In the closest game of the series, Edwards delivered a signature 43-point performance in Game 4. Upon returning to the West Coast, the Timberwolves were still 5.5 point underdogs. In the closeout game, Edwards cooled off, scoring 15 points.nBut it didn’t even matter as Minnesota’s depth…

Syrian Druze leader condemns ‘genocidal campaign’ after dozens killed in clashes south of Damascus.A leader of Syria’s Druze minority has condemned attacks against his community after dozens of people were killed in two days of sectarian clashes south of Damascus. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri on Thursday denounced the violence in Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus earlier this week as a “genocidal campaign” against the Druze community in Syria. Syria’s Ministry of Information said 11 members of the country’s security forces were killed in two separate attacks. The United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a war monitor, said at least…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Apple chief executive Tim Cook has warned that Donald Trump’s tariffs will increase costs by $900mn in the quarter to the end of June, marking the latest sign of how the levies are cascading across corporate America. Cook said in a call with analysts on Thursday evening that “assuming the current global tariff rates . . . do not change for the balance of the quarter, and no new tariffs are added, we estimate the impact to add $900mn to our costs”.But he said the…

OnlyFans sensation Jameliz Smth, known for her jaw-dropping “Supercar Destruction” series, has revealed she’s giving away nine brand-new Tesla, after raking in a staggering $100 million from the viral mayhem that made her famous.Yes, you read that right. The woman who once chainsawed a Ferrari is now handing out luxury vehicles like Oprah.Article continues below advertisementShe Smashed A $1M Lambo, Now She’s Handing Out TeslasInstagram | Jameliz SmthThe controversial content queen, whose videos of herself annihilating exotic cars with axes, explosives, and construction equipment have racked up millions of views (and just as many hate comments), says she’s ready to…