Lawsuit
Cascio Siblings Sue Michael Jackson Estate, Alleging Abuse
The siblings, described as part of Jackson’s “second family,” had stood by him for years while he faced accusations of child molestation
Latest News
Read the latest verified world, politics, business, tech, culture, and local news on BetaVoices.
- Google plans up to $40 billion Anthropic investment The agreement starts with $10 billion and could add $30 billion more if performance milestones are met, deepening a partnership around Claude and cloud infrastructure
- Media consolidation Warner Bros shareholders approve Paramount takeover valued at $111bn The vote moves one of Hollywood’s biggest proposed combinations closer to completion, but U.S. and European regulators still have to clear the deal
- Iran conflict Iran says war has cost two million jobs as Hormuz disruption bites A weakly captured live-update summary points to a continuing U.S.-Iran standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, while BBC reporting details widening layoffs across Iran’s economy
Israel
Netanyahu says he was treated for early-stage prostate cancer
The Israeli prime minister said a small malignant tumor was found during routine monitoring and removed, and that he delayed disclosure because of the war with Iran
Middle East diplomacy
U.S.-Iran diplomacy stalls after Trump cancels Islamabad envoy trip
Witkoff and Kushner had been expected in Pakistan for talks, but Trump said negotiations can happen by phone as Iran’s foreign minister continued a regional tour
Tariff refunds
UPS, FedEx and DHL seek tariff refunds. Customers may have to wait
The companies say they will pass along approved IEEPA refunds to customers who paid the duties, but only importers of record can file and CBP processing may take months
Bernstein’s Wall’ Frames Leonard Bernstein Through Art’s Unifying Power
Douglas Tirola’s documentary centers on the composer and conductor’s belief that art can lift people up and bring them together
Tech jobs
Meta to cut 8,000 jobs as Microsoft readies U.S. buyouts
Meta says the layoffs will begin May 20, while Microsoft is preparing voluntary buyout offers for thousands of U.S. employees as AI costs rise across the sector
Dental surgery backlog
N.B. children face years-long waits for dental surgery, specialist says
A Moncton pediatric dental specialist says limited operating-room time has left more than 300 children waiting, including complex cases that cannot be handled in a regular dental office