• President Donald Trump's media company sued a Brazilian judge in a Florida court on Wednesday.
• The lawsuit accused Justice Alexandre de Moraes of undermining First Amendment rights.
• The lawsuit comes after Moraes received an indictment related to former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

President Donald Trump's media company sued a Brazilian Supreme Court judge, claiming that he censored right-wing voices on social media.

Trump Media & Technology Group, the owner of Truth Social; and Rumble, an online video network platform, accused Justice Alexandre de Moraes of censoring political discourse in the United States and claimed that he undermined the First Amendment.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday and was first reported by The New York Times.

The legal action came as de Moraes was deciding whether to arrest former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro was charged with masterminding and attempting a coup to cling to power after losing Brazil's presidential election in 2022.

Brazil's chief prosecutor brought five charges against Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. They include allegations that he planned to kill de Moraes and poison President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

TMTG and Rumble, which say they are bastions of free speech and are popular with MAGA supporters, said in the lawsuit that de Moraes had "issued sweeping orders to suspend multiple U.S.-based accounts."

The plaintiffs said the judge wanted to remove accounts he labeled "anti-democratic" and targeted high-profile conservative social media users. They seek a jury trial and permanent injunctive relief.

De Moraes has styled himself as a protector of democracy with his rulings.

In August, the judge ordered Elon Musk's X to halt operations in Brazil until it complied with court orders and paid fines.

Martin De Luca, the Boies Schiller Flexner partner representing Rumble in the lawsuit, said: "We have asked the court to determine whether a foreign judge can unilaterally dictate what speech is allowed in the United States."

He added that the case was about "protecting America's digital sovereignty."

Joseph Russomanno, an emeritus professor specializing in First Amendment and media law at Arizona State University, told Business Insider by email that he couldn't comment on the part that international and Brazilian law might play in the case.

However, he said that the complaint "seems to have a good chance of succeeding largely because of the First Amendment element."

A key consideration would be the plaintiffs' ability to demonstrate that de Moraes' gag order lacks legitimacy, particularly regarding the First Amendment's protection of press freedoms.

The plaintiffs have argued that legitimate political discourse was censored — and "political speech generally has the highest level of protection," Russomanno said.

Another factor would be why de Moraes issued the orders, he said: "For example, does the content of these organizations endanger public safety?"

This type of lawsuit was not unprecedented, Russomanno said, pointing to a 1976 Supreme Court ruling — Nebraska Press Association v. Stuart — that could offer guidance.

• HSBC's new CEO Georges Elhedery aims to save $300 million in 2025.
• The bank also plans to reduce its cost base by $1.5 billion by the end of next year.
• HSBC stock dipped on Wednesday after hitting a 20-year high on Tuesday.

HSBC unveiled further details of its cost-cutting plans alongside its annual results on Wednesday.

The bank said it aimed to save $300 million this year and reduce its cost base by $1.5 billion by the end of 2026.

The plans would result in severance and other up-front costs of $1.8 billion over the next two years.

HSBC stock hit a 20-year high in London on Tuesday, up 40% over the past 12 months and 14% this year. Shares dipped 0.8% to £8.91 on Wednesday, valuing the bank at about £160 billion ($201 billion.)

"Plans to trim personnel expense by 8% over 2025 and 2026 are positive but I don't see a lot of new eye-catching overhaul or cost cutting measures in the release," said Michael Makdad, senior equity analyst at Morningstar.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing — increasing efficiency at a bank like HSBC is a matter of many small and midsize details that have to be well coordinated."

HSBC reported annual pre-tax profits of $32.3 billion, up $2 billion on 2023 but short of estimates by LSEG analysts of $32.63 billion. Revenues were $65.85 billion, surpassing forecasts of $66.52 billion.

The results are the first under former CFO Georges Elhedery, who took over as CEO in September from Noel Quinn.

Elhedery's cost-cutting plans include simplifying HSBC's structure. Its Asia-Pacific and the Middle East will form the "eastern markets" division, while its UK, European, and Americas business will be known as the "western markets."

He also unveiled a new international wealth and premier banking unit and will reduce its investment banker headcount.

"We are creating a simple, more agile, focused bank built on our core strengths," Elhedery said in a statement. "We continue to take deliberate and decisive steps."

HSBC said it would launch a share buyback worth up to $2 billion.

Richard Hunter at Interactive Investors said: "Changing horses midstream is never an easy task, and the previously announced transformation will have upfront costs which will delay the benefits of the anticipated savings.

"On the other hand, the rationale for a more focused operation is clear and should allow the group to reap the rewards of a higher focus on profit generation, while also keeping costs in check."

UBS analysts said in a note: "With the restructuring headlines in line with pre-results press we think the key question for investors given the strength in the share year-to-date and relative complexity of the group is whether HSBC offers premium long-term growth at an attractive price."

• Javier Milei is facing impeachment calls after he promoted a meme coin on social media.
• The Argentine president endorsed $Libra coin, which surged in value before crashing hours later.
• Opposition politicians have called the incident an "unprecedented scandal."

Argentine president Javier Milei is facing a legal investigation and impeachment calls after he promoted a cryptocurrency that quickly collapsed.

Milei endorsed the $Libra meme coin in social media posts on Friday. He said it would boost the country's economy by funding small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Milei's endorsement sent the token soaring from almost zero to above $4, before falling to less than 50 cents just hours later after the posts were deleted, Reuters reported.

Observatorio del Derecho a la Ciudad, an NGO in Argentina, said some 40,000 people had been affected, with losses above $4 billion.

Argentina's main stock index closed more than 5% lower on Monday.

Meme coins are types of cryptocurrencies that are sometimes based on internet jokes, such as Doge. Before his inauguration, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump even launched their own coins — $Trump coin and $Melania coin. The coins sparked anger in the crypto world, with experts criticizing the Trumps for making a mockery of the sector.

Lawyers in Argentina filed complaints of fraud in criminal court over the weekend. Some have speculated that the case against Milei could be classified as a "rug pull," when promoters of a coin attract buyers but then stop trading before it crashes to pocket some of the proceeds.

Jonatan Baldiviezo, one of the plaintiffs, told The Associated Press that the president's actions meant a "crime of fraud was committed."

A judge was assigned on Monday to investigate the case role.

Argentina's main opposition coalition said it would move forward with its push to impeach Milei, calling his involvement in the coin an "unprecedented scandal" in an X post.

Milei's office said in a statement on X on Sunday that the president "shared a post on his personal accounts announcing the launch of the KIP Protocol project, just as he does daily with many entrepreneurs who want to launch a project in Argentina to create jobs and get investments.

"Not having been part of any stage of the development of the cryptocurrency, after the repercussions that the launch of the project had and to avoid any speculation and not give it further dissemination, he decided to delete the post."

KIP Protocol said on X it was involved with distributing project funds to businesses in Argentina and did not have any role with the Libra coin itself.

Meteora fallout

Ben Chow, the cofounder of Meteora, the platform behind $Libra, has stepped down following the controversy, according to a statement on X from "meow" on Tuesday.

"Meow" cofounded Meteora and is behind Jupiter, which calls itself "one of the largest decentralized trading platforms and one of the most active governance communities in crypto."

The statement said Chow had "shown a lack of judgment and care about some of the core aspects of the project (given its current size and reputation) over the past couple of months," and had "chosen to resign."

"Meow" also said in the statement that "no one at Jupiter or Meteora committed any insider trading or financial wrongdoing, or received any tokens inappropriately."

The law firm Fenwick & West has been hired to investigate and would independently publish a report, "meow" added.

• Saudi Arabia's Neom has signed a $5 billion deal to build an AI data center.
• Neom, which was launched in 2017, is a key part of Vision 2030 to diversify Saudi Arabia's economy.
• Saudi Arabia and UAE have been competing to become the Gulf's AI superpower.

Saudi Arabia's futuristic Neom project has signed a deal to develop a multibillion-dollar artificial intelligence data center, per a Saudi Press Agency report.

Under the agreement with DataVolt, a Saudi-based international developer and operator of data centers, the first phase will receive an investment of $5 billion. The 1.5-gigawatt factory is expected to be online by 2028 and will be built in Neom's Oxagon industrial hub.

The Neom megacity, launched in 2017 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is a key step in achieving Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the country's economy away from fossil fuels and transform it into a luxury tourism destination and innovation hub.

Investing in the data center comes as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates compete to become the Gulf's AI superpower, with both boosting investments in data centers. Last week, the UAE and France said they would commit between $31 billion and $52 billion to build Europe's largest AI data center.

Estimates for Neom's overall cost have reached as high as $1.5 trillion, while official communications put the cost closer to $500 billion.

Its high-tech centerpiece, the Line, is expected to accommodate 9 million people — and even more robots. There are plans to build a year-round ski resort with artificial snow and a number of theme parks.

The project has come under international scrutiny for alleged human rights abuses against local tribespeople. In 2023, the United Nations said it had concerns about the possible executions of members of the Howeitat tribe, whose people live in the area in which Neom is being built.

Neom did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

• Sales to loyal McDonald's customers jumped 30% to $30 billion in 2024.
• Despite loyalty growth, revenue fell to $6.38 billion, missing estimates.
• The Accelerating the Arches strategy aims for 250 million active members by 2027.

McDonald's loyalty push is paying off, with sales to members of its Rewards scheme up 30% to about $30 billion last year.

The fast-food chain revealed the rise as it posted annual revenues that dipped slightly to $6.38 billion, short of analyst estimates of $6.45 billion.

US same-store sales decreased 1.4% in the three months to December 31 — during which a deadly E Coli outbreak sickened more than 100 people.

That decline was offset by a 0.4% increase in global same-store sales.

Net income for the full year dipped by $240 million to $8.22 billion.

McDonald's stock rose close to 5% in morning trading, but has largely tread water over the past 12 months.

Loyal members helped to drive McDonald's most recent quarter. There were more than 175 million 90-day active users of the service across 60 markets, with growth of about 15% year-on-year.

"Accelerating the Arches continues to be the right strategy as we focus on growing market share," said CEO Chris Kempczinski.

The strategy involves reaching 250 million 90-day active loyalty members and $45 billion in annual loyalty systemwide sales by the end of 2027.

MyMcDonald's Rewards was first introduced in the US in the summer of 2021.

• Mark Zuckerberg's net worth is up $40.7 billion this year, leaving him worth $248 billion.
• Meta stock is on a record winning streak, boosting its market value to $1.78 trillion.
• Zuckerberg is third on Bloomberg's rich list, but only $12 billion behind Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Mark Zuckerberg is now $40 billion richer this year after Meta stock continued its record winning streak on Tuesday, closing higher for the 12th consecutive session.

Shares in the Facebook and Instagram owner have risen more than 17% this year on investor enthusiasm for its AI ambitions. Meta has added $235 billion to its value in the 12 sessions, valuing the company at almost $1.8 trillion.

Zuckerberg is now worth $248 billion — just $12 billion behind Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has added $21 billion to his net worth this year, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Both are behind Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who's worth $424 billion, but ahead of Oracle's Larry Ellison and LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault — worth $194 billion and $191 billion respectively.

The Meta CEO took second place for the first time in October 2024 when he was worth just $206 billion. Since then Tesla stock has surged, helping Musk widen the gap between his nearest rival.

Technology fortunes are volatile, so there is no guarantee Musk will always be on top of the rich list.

After falling premarket, Meta was 1.6% higher on Wednesday at about $715.

• Diageo has scrapped its guidance due to uncertainty over Trump's tariffs on imports.
• Shares fell despite a return to sales growth.
• Tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports could affect Diageo's momentum in North America, its CEO said.

Diageo has scrapped its medium-term sales guidance, blaming macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump's tariff threats.

Shares in the Smirnoff and Guinness owner fell as much as 4% in London on Tuesday, bringing the decline over the past 12 months to almost 23%.

The dip came despite a return to growth for organic sales, which rose 1% to $10.9 billion in the six months to December 31. Four years ago Diageo set a target for organic net sales growth of 5% to 7% annually.

CEO Debra Crew said Trump's threat of 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico over the weekend — which have since been paused for a month — could impact Diageo's momentum in North America. That growth has been driven by Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal and Mexican premium tequila Don Julio.

"We are taking a number of actions to mitigate the impact and disruption to our business that tariffs may cause, and we will also continue to engage with the US administration on the broader impact that this will have on everyone supporting the US hospitality industry, including consumers, employees, distributors, restaurants, bars and other retail outlets," Crew said.

Analysts at UBS wrote in a note that better-than-expected growth in tequila was more than offset by weakness elsewhere, and also highlighted the potential negative impact of tariffs on sales.

Operating profit was $3.15 billion, lower than the $3.31 billion for the first half of 2024.

Guinness delivered double-digit growth of 17% for an eighth consecutive half-year, and Diageo said it had doubled investment in Guinness 0.0 to expand capacity to meet rising demand.

• Tesla's new updated Model Y is now available to order in the US, Canada, UK, and mainland Europe.
• The refreshed Model Y was first launched in China earlier in January.
• Tesla's sales fell for the first time in 2024 as EV competition intensified.

Tesla's updated version of the Model Y is now available to order in the US, Canada, the UK, and mainland Europe — weeks after it was unveiled in China.

In the US, the refreshed car, including the full self-driving feature, costs $59,990 without the Federal Tax Credit applied to EVs.

According to Tesla's website, deliveries will start in March in North America and mainland Europe and in May in the UK.

The new version of the Model Y has a longer range than its predecessor and features an updated design, including a Cybertruck-style light bar instead of more traditional headlights.

Elon Musk's automaker launched a long-awaited updated version of its most successful car in China, parts of southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand earlier this month to fight fierce competition from Chinese electric vehicle rivals.

Deliveries of the car are due to begin in March in China, where it will cost 263,500 yuan ($35,900), about $3,000 more expensive than the starting price of the existing model.

The move comes as no surprise as Tesla has struggled in recent months next to its Chinese competitors.

At the beginning of January, the automotive company BYD said it sold 1.76 million battery electric cars in 2024, a 12% increase from the 1.57 million cars it sold in 2023. Smaller EV makers Nio and Xpeng also saw strong sales in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, Tesla announced that it had delivered 1.79 million vehicles last year, a 1% drop from the 1.81 million vehicles it delivered in 2023 — the first sales drop in its history. Its decline in sales was particularly substantial in Europe, where sales fell 13%.

The release of the new Model Y comes as Tesla announced it would deploy a software update to about 1.2 million vehicles in China to fix problems with the car's steering and rear-view cameras. The issue poses a possible risk to safety, Chinese regulators said in a statement first reported by Bloomberg.

Tesla's update to fix the steering system will involve 871,087 domestically produced Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. According to Bloomberg, an additional 335,716 cars, including imported Model S and Model Xs and domestically produced Model 3 and Model Ys, will receive an update for the camera issues.

• Starbucks is holding three-hour training sessions to implement the CEO's 'back to Starbucks' strategy.
• The training focuses on customer service, new workflows, and reversing the chain's open-door policy.
• Employees are also being taught how to de-escalate conflict with customers.

Starbucks is teaching staff how to de-escalate conflicts involving customers breaking its new in-store policies.

As part of new CEO Brian Niccol's vision to make its stores places where people want to hang out again, Starbucks is giving three-hour training sessions for store employees in the US.

In a segment of documents from the barista training, seen by BI and verified by Starbucks, employees are told to "leverage de-escalation tactics" if regular customers refuse to comply with the company's recent reversal of its open-door policy. It previously let non-paying guests use store facilities, like bathrooms, indoor communal areas, and patios.

The Seattle-headquartered coffee chain said earlier this month that from January 27, these spaces will only be reserved for staff, customers, and people accompanying those making purchases.

According to the documents, as part of the training, baristas are given a scenario where a regular customer who frequently visits the store sits in it for a "prolonged" period of time without buying anything.

It continues to say that when the staff member tells the guest the seating space is only intended for customers who purchase something, they share that they don't think they need to make a purchase to stay in the store.

The training advises that if the regular customer refuses to comply, employees should "listen to the customer's concern and kindly reiterate the intended use of our space."

Staff should then "leverage de-escalation tactics to prioritize empathy and understanding."

"Ask the shift supervisor or store manager for help if the conversation continues," it says.

One partner at a store in Florida who has taken the training said it had clear guidance on how to handle difficult customers. "If there's a situation that's escalating, move it aside, get your manager," the partner said. The message was clear: "Don't take it on your own."

One of the documents also sets out what baristas should do if a regular customer who does not make a purchase asks for their water bottle to be refilled.

"Politely share that water is available to customers who make a purchase," the document states.

"Note that we have bottled water for purchase," it says. "Kindly share you'd be happy to provide water if they make a purchase."

The partner BI spoke to said that in some circumstances, the easiest way to avoid conflict would be to give patrons water. "Some of these people, it could set them off," the partner said.

A Starbucks spokesperson told BI that, like other orders, water should be asked for when making a purchase to avoid interrupting baristas as they're preparing drinks. They said this has been an issue raised by employees.

They added that stores that want to provide easy access to water or experience high volumes of requests have the option of setting up self-service stations.

Starbucks' new training meetings are being rolled out across the company this week. They are intended to help implement Niccol's "back to Starbucks" strategy, which corporate communications director Jaci Anderson told Business Insider means making "tangible changes" in stores "to create a welcoming environment and win back customers."

Store managers will receive 40 hours of training to learn the new standards of service and how to train staff to bring the new vision to life. Store employees, who Starbucks calls "partners," will participate in three-hour sessions to discuss customer expectations, new workflows, and service standards.

• SpaceX postponed a Falcon 9 launch over concerns an aircraft was flying near the launch site.
• It is unclear which aircraft, if any, prompted the aborted launch.
• Some outlets reported that a Delta flight from LA to Hawaii was to blame.

SpaceX aborted the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket with 11 seconds to spare on Sunday when a plane appeared to fly into restricted airspace close to the launch site.

The launch, to send Starlink satellites into orbit, was being broadcast live on Space X's X in its final five-minute countdown when a voice was heard saying "hold, hold, hold" at the 12-second mark.

Moments later, the same male voice said: "Held for a possible aircraft in the airspace."

Falcon 9's launch was then postponed, and the video ended.

It is unclear which aircraft, if any, prompted the aborted launch, as several flew close to the restricted area around the scheduled launch time.

Social media users and several media outlets suggested that Delta Flight 480, which flew from Los Angeles' LAX to Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport at around 7 a.m. on Sunday, was the culprit.

According to data collected by FlightAware, the Boeing 767 traveled northward during its takeoff, turning west just past the Vandenberg Air Force Base, which SpaceX uses for Falcon 9 launches.

In a statement to Business Insider, Delta said the crew on the flight followed instructions from air traffic control and proceeded to Honolulu with "no issue."

In audio of air traffic control communications posted on the YouTube channel VAS Aviation, an air traffic controller can be heard discussing the launch, and telling DL480's flight deck that it "looks like you're gonna have the best show for the rocket launch."

Soon afterward, the ATC notes that SpaceX had initiated a "countdown hold."

Another flight near the restricted zone at the time was Southwest Flight SWA1311 from San Diego to Honolulu. When contacted about the incident, Southwest directed Business Insider to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA told BI it had received no reports about the incident.

While it is unclear exactly which aircraft may have caused SpaceX to pause its launch, the incident highlights the issue of tensions between rocket launches and commercial aviation.

Just three days earlier, a Starship rocket owned by the Elon Musk-headed firm blew up over the Caribbean, resulting in dozens of planes diverting.

Last week, Australian airline Qantas said it has had to delay several flights between Australia and South Africa in recent weeks to avoid potentially flying through debris from SpaceX rockets splashing down in the Indian Ocean.

The Falcon 9 launch postponed on Sunday is now due to take place at 7:45 a.m. PST on Tuesday.

• James Clarkson won a $9 million lottery jackpot but plans to keep working.
• The 20-year-old from Carlisle, England. He aims to qualify as a heating engineer and will then go from there.
• Clarkson said he plans to travel and has bought a few designer items for himself and his girlfriend.

A 20-year-old trainee gas engineer from the north of England says he plans to keep working after winning a £7.5 million ($9.2 million) lottery jackpot.

James Clarkson, from Carlisle in Cumbria, near the Scottish border, found out at the start of January that he'd scooped £7,533,329 in the UK's National Lottery Christmas Day draw.

Clarkson said he was staying at his girlfriend's house when he woke up early to check the snowfall. It was then he saw a message from the National Lottery app saying that he won the jackpot.

Clarkson saw that his numbers — 16, 19, 22, 24, 27, and 35 — which were chosen at random, were selected.

When he turned to his girlfriend to show her his winning ticket, she took a "sleepy glance" and said "no, you haven't won" before going back to sleep, the 20-year-old said in a press release.

Clarkson then called his dad who told him to come home to be certain about his win.

At 9 a.m., he called the lottery line with his parents and older brother. Clarkson explained who he was as well as his ticket details, before being told he had indeed won.

"News spread fast and we all ended up celebrating later at my Grandma's and Grandad's with a roast beef dinner and Champagne," he said.

But by Monday, Clarkson had already returned to work with his dad.

"I was out in the cold fixing blocked drains the day after I found out I had won," he said, adding that it was slightly "grim" although that's "reality."

"I'm not going to stop working, I'm too young," Clarkson said. "I want to qualify as a heating engineer and then go from there."

"I need to have a purpose in life, plus Dad wouldn't let me not work anyway," he said, outlining that his father pointed out that many millionaires continue to work, and it's important to have a reason to get up in the morning.

Clarkson added: "I know people might think I'm mad to still work but I want to and, of course, there'll be some nice holidays in between."

The Manchester City fan has already booked a luxury vacation to Cape Verde, bought some designer jackets — and a Gucci handbag for his girlfriend.

Clarkson has also promised to pay off his parents' mortgage. "This win isn't just for me — I want to make sure we all benefit," he said.

In February 2024 accountant Richard Nuttall and his Debbie won $78 million in the EuroMillions lottery, but said he would keep working until he finished his clients' tax returns. His wife resigned from her job as a civil engineer, however.

Have you kept working after winning big? Get in touch with this reporter at [email protected]

• Marc Andreessen said DOGE will prioritize return-to-office for federal workers in Washington, DC.
• Andreessen criticized remote work, citing low occupancy rates in federal buildings.
• DOGE, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to cut government spending and increase efficiency.

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen has said pushing a return-to-office policy for government staff in the "ghost town" of Washington, DC, is a top priority for DOGE.

Referring to himself as the "unpaid intern" at the Department of Government Efficiency, the Silicon Valley billionaire and a cofounder and general partner of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz described the number of federal employees working remotely as a problem in an interview with the Hoover Institution earlier this week.

DOGE is a newly formed unofficial government department that President-elect Donald Trump created to cut federal government spending. Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were appointed to lead the agency.

While Andreessen has no formal position, he was involved in the early planning of DOGE.

"The Washington, DC federal government complex is basically a ghost town," he said, adding that these buildings have an average 25% occupancy rate. A 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office found that the offices of 17 agencies were at 25% capacity or less.

A September 2024 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget said government agencies should aim for occupancy of 60%

"The security agencies are still full-time, the other agencies are not," Andreessen alleged.

He said that federal workers have unionized in some government agencies, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, they struck agreements allowing them not to return to the office.

Andreessen claimed that in "extreme cases," federal agencies allow working in the office for just one day a month, and some of their employees are pairing their workplace days by showing up for two days every two months.

"You ask any CEO in corporate America, like how is this whole thing going, what are your employees doing," he said, "every CEO will tell you: 'What on earth is happening? Are these people working?'"

Andreessen continued by asking if Trump may have the legal authority as president to order people back to the office.

"Does it count to be an employee of the federal government if you're not in the office?" He asked.

• An Alaska Airlines crew member says she was fired after posting a video of herself twerking in uniform.
• She said she posted the video on TikTok to celebrate the end of her probation period.
• Alaska Airlines didn't comment on the incident but said it holds all staff to "high standards for conduct."

An Alaska Airlines flight attendant says she was fired after posting a video on social media of her twerking in an aircraft cabin.

Nelle Diala uploaded the dancing clip to TikTok in late November alongside a caption describing herself as a "ghetto bih."

"Don't let the uniform fool you," she added. It has since garnered more than 90,000 views and thousands of likes.

In the video, she wears an Alaska Airlines uniform while dancing to the song "Ghetto" by musician E.K.E.

Since her apparent dismissal, Diala has launched a GoFundMe page, on which she detailed the incident that led to her firing.

Diala explained that she posted the video to her personal social media account to celebrate the end of her six-month probation period. She said she filmed the video at 6 a.m. while waiting for the plane's pilots to arrive.

Diala said the airline told her she had violated its social media policy and that she was terminated without notice or an investigation.

"Although it was a poor decision on my behalf I didn't think it would cost me my dream job," she wrote.

"I explained that the video wasn't intended to harm anyone or the company, but they didn't want to listen."

Diala described losing her job as "devastating." As of Friday, her GoFundMe had raised just over $2,000.

Alaska Airlines told Business Insider it did not comment on personnel matters: "We hold all flight attendants to high standards for conduct and guest care. All new flight attendants are subject to probationary periods, just like all Alaska Airlines employees."

Diala did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

• Starbucks will host its first manager conference since the COVID-19 pandemic this year.
• The last conference was hosted in Chicago in 2019 and had over 12,000 attendees.
• New CEO Brian Niccol wants to stamp his mark and enhance in-person experiences at the chain.

Starbucks is bringing back a major conference for its store managers and senior staff for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic as it refocuses on in-person experiences.

Starbucks confirmed to Business Insider that thousands of store managers and other senior staff will be invited to the gathering this year. It will include training, development, and networking opportunities, the company said.

"As we get back to Starbucks, we must refocus on what has always set us apart — a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas," the chain said in a letter sent to invited staff.

"We know the power of in-person connection. We haven't met as a group since 2019, and we're excited to bring our North America retail leaders together again in 2025 to help us get 'back to Starbucks,'" it continued.

Starbucks declined to share details of the event's location and dates, though users on a Subreddit for Starbucks staff said they had been told it would be hosted in Las Vegas.

The last similar conference for senior retail staff was hosted in Chicago toward the beginning of September 2019, just a few months before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 1987, the Windy City was the location of the first US Starbucks store away from its headquarters in Seattle.

2019's three-day event consisted of learning and speaker sessions at McCormick Place Convention Center in the South side of Chicago. Over 10,000 store managers from the US and Canada were in attendance, along with 2,000 regional leaders, the senior leadership team, and staff.

New CEO Niccol looks to make his mark

News of the conference comes as the coffee giant's new CEO, Brian Niccol, looks to make his mark.

Since joining the coffee giant in September, Niccol has said he envisions Starbucks stores becoming places where people want to hang out again, focusing on the value of in-person experiences.

"Our stores will be inviting places to linger, with comfortable seating, thoughtful design and a clear distinction between 'to-go' and 'for-here' service," he said in an open letter.

Earlier this week, the firm said it would expand its free refills policy to all customers at participating cafés as part of its new code of conduct, effective January 27. Starbucks rewards members were previously the only ones who could get a free top-up of their order.

The coffee company also announced it would be reversing its open-door policy, which lets non-paying guests use store facilities, like bathrooms, indoor communal areas, and patios.

As a former boss of the Mexican grill chain Chipotle, Niccol attended the California-headquartered fast food chain's all-manager conference in March in Las Vegas.

Attendees included restaurant general managers, executives, and employees with more than 20 years of experience. Chipotle held a similar conference in 2022.

• An American Airlines passenger is suing the airline, saying he was racially profiled.
• The complaint says Anthony Williams was falsely accused of trafficking his own wife.
• Williams' lawsuit also highlights similar claims of racial profiling by the airline in 2023 and 2024.

A Black passenger is suing American Airlines, saying he was racially profiled and falsely accused of trafficking his wife on a 2022 flight from Phoenix to Miami.

Former police officer Anthony Williams and Katsiaryna Shasholka, who is white, boarded the flight to Florida for their honeymoon in September 2022.

According to the suit, filed in the Southern Florida District Court, a fellow passenger believed Williams was trafficking his wife, Shasholka, and reported this to American Airlines employees Michael Wilfong and Angel Rodriguez.

The lawsuit says that the employees did not question Williams or conduct any kind of investigation but instead "falsely reported to law enforcement that Plaintiff Anthony was human trafficking his own wife."

When the aircraft landed at Miami International Airport, Williams and Shasholka were "falsely imprisoned" by American Airlines staff who escorted them off the aircraft, the suit says.

The two then waited, "confused and embarrassed," as the other passengers disembarked the plane and walked past them before they were questioned by police officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department, and were "detained, falsely imprisoned, questioned, and humiliated," the suit says.

It says the biracial couple were "racially profiled, and discriminated against based on their race by employees and/or agents of American Airlines, at Miami International Airport."

Williams and Shasholka seek damages in excess of $75,000, not including interests and costs.

The complaint then lists three other instances between 2023 and 2024 in which Black passengers say they were mistreated by American Airlines.

In September 2023, singer-songwriter and guitarist David Ryan Harris — who played in John Mayer's band for two decades — was accused of trafficking his children on an American Airlines flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles.

Harris and two of his sons were met by an airline employee and police officers at the top of the jetway as they were deplaning.

"A flight attendant had called ahead with some sort of concern that his biracial children were not his children, because they were unresponsive during an interaction with her," the lawsuit says.

American Airlines declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.

• Starbucks is extending its free refills policy to non-rewards members with reusable cups.
• Customers at participating stores will be eligible for a top-up of many brewed coffee and teas.
• Starbucks is also reversing its open-door policy, limiting facilities to paying customers and staff.

Starbucks is expanding its free refills policy to all customers at participating stores as part of its new code of conduct, effective January 27.

Non-rewards members at the coffee giant will soon be able to receive refills at no extra cost as long as their beverage is prepared in a clean reusable cup or a for-here utensil. They also must order in-store and within the same visit.

The offer includes hot and iced brewed coffee and tea but excludes flavored iced tea, cold brew, nitro cold brew, iced tea lemonade, and its Refreshers.

Starbucks rewards members were previously the only ones who could get a free top-up of their order. From February 12th, loyal customers will also have to use a reusable cup or a ceramic in-house mug to be eligible for a refill.

The Seattle-headquartered coffee chain said on Monday that it would also reverse its open-door policy.

The policy was first introduced in 2018 after Starbucks faced widespread criticism over an incident in which two men having a business meeting were arrested at a Philadelphia location after they tried to use the restroom without purchasing anything.

The policy lets non-paying guests use store facilities, like bathrooms, indoor communal areas, and patios.

From January 27th, these spaces will only be reserved for staff, customers, and people accompanying those making purchases.

"Implementing a Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something most retailers already have and is a practical step that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our cafés or need to use the restroom during their visit," Starbucks' representative Jaci Anderson told BI in an emailed statement.

The changes come as new CEO Brian Niccol sets out his vision to make Starbucks cafés places where people want to hang out again.

• Ryanair wants authorities to restrict alcohol sales in airports to two drinks per passenger.
• The airline said a diversion caused by a drunk passenger cost it over $15,000.
• It says some passengers are drinking too much particularly when flights are delayed.

Ryanair, the world's third-largest airline by passengers, is calling on authorities to limit the sale of alcoholic beverages at airports.

The Irish airline wants airports to restrict the sale of alcohol in departure areas to two drinks per passenger in a bid to limit the number of incidents involving rowdy, intoxicated passengers.

Ryanair said in a statement Monday that some people consume excessive amounts of alcohol in airport bars particularly when flights are delayed.

"We fail to understand why passengers at airports are not limited to 2 alcoholic drinks (using their boarding pass in exactly the same way they limit duty free sales), as this would result in safer and better passenger behaviour on board aircraft, and a safer travel experience for passengers and crews all over Europe," Ryanair said.

The airline included the statement in a press release giving more details about a civil lawsuit it recently announced it was pursuing against a former passenger.

It says the passenger was so disruptive on an April 2024 flight from Dublin to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands that the flight was diverted to Porto, Portugal, where the passenger was arrested.

It's pursuing the civil suit to recover costs over the incident, which the airline says totaled more than $15,000.

In the statement Monday, it gave a more detailed breakdown of the costs it said it faced, saying that as a result of the disruption and regulations on staff working hours, the airline had to fund accommodations and meals for six crew members and 160 passengers to spend the night in Porto. It said it also provided an additional aircraft and crew to operate the return flight from Lanzarote to Dublin, which was also delayed.

The airline says overall costs came to 15,350 euros, or nearly $15,750 at today's exchange rate, including 7,000 euros on passenger and crew overnight accommodation, 2,500 euros on landing and handling fees at Porto Airport, and 2,500 euros on Portuguese legal fees to date.

"None of these costs would have been incurred if this disruptive passenger had not forced a diversion to Porto in order to protect the safety of the aircraft, 160 passengers and 6 crew members on board," a spokesperson from the European budget airlines said.

• Khabib Nurmagomedov says he was removed from a Frontier Airlines flight after a dispute.
• The former MMA star said the crew was rude and questioned his seating in the exit row.
• Frontier Airlines said Nurmagomedov ignored questions about whether he would assist in an emergency.

Former Russian mixed martial arts star Khabib Nurmagomedov was removed from a Frontier Airlines flight following a dispute with crew.

The UFC lightweight champion, who retired with a perfect 29-0 record, wrote in an X post on Monday that he resorted to flying with another airline after being deplaned.

In a video widely circulated online, Nurmagomedov is seen sitting in the cabin's emergency exit row and talking to a crew member.

The female crew member can be heard in the video explaining to him that flight attendants were "not comfortable" with him sitting in the exit row. She can then be heard saying he would have to either switch his seat or he would need to get off the plane.

"It's off of their [the flight attendants] judgment," the staff member can be heard saying.

"It's not fair," Nurmagomedov said, per the video, before choosing to be escorted off the plane.

Initial reports suggested that the incident took place on an Alaska Airlines flight, but Nurmagomedov later clarified on X that it occurred on a Frontier plane.

"Lady who comes to me with questions was very rude from the very beginning, even though I speak very decent English and can understand everything and agreed to assist, she still insists on removing me from my seat," he said in an X post.

"What was the base for that, racial, national or other one, I'm not sure," Nurmagomedov added.

In the video circulated online, the staff member can be heard saying that the crew's request is "not about the language" after Nurmagomedov says he speaks English.

The 36-year-old fighter said that after two minutes of conversation, the airline staff member called security, and he was "deplaned" from the aircraft.

After an hour and 30 minutes, Nurmagomedov, nicknamed "The Eagle," said he boarded a different flight and flew to his destination.

He wrote that he did his best to "stay calm and respectful," adding, "but those crew members could do better next time and just be nice with clients."

Frontier Airlines said in a statement sent to Business Insider that Nurmagomedov was "asked multiple times if he was willing and able to assist in the event of an emergency. According to the flight attendant, Mr. Nurmagomedov did not respond, despite repeated attempts, which placed him in non-compliance with FAA requirements."

"As a result, he was asked to move to a different upgraded seat which he refused to do. Therefore, in accordance with airline and FAA policy, he was asked to deplane. The decision to deplane the customer was in no way related to his ethnicity and we have refunded him and his traveling companions for their flights."

Frontier said the incident took place on a plane due to fly from Las Vegas to San Francisco. Multiple media reports had previously reported the plane was bound for Los Angeles.

• A US passport is not as powerful as it once was, according to the annual Henley & Partners Passport Index.
• The index ranks passports by visa-free access to 227 destinations, and the US is only ninth.
• Singapore holds the top spot, with access to 195 destinations visa-free.

A US passport is not as desirable as it used to be, according to the 2025 Henley Passport Index, which was first published 19 years ago.

The index, which ranks 199 passports based on how many out of 227 destinations they offer visa-free access to, has placed the US passport in ninth place, slipping from the top spot in 2014. This year, it allows American travelers to enter 186 countries and territories without a visa, not including Nigeria, India, and Russia.

Stemming from data provided by the International Air Transport Authority and updated using internal research and open-source online data, UK-based consulting firm Henley & Partners listed Singapore as the world's most powerful passport for the second year in a row. It has access to a total of 195 destinations.

Ranked in second place is the Japanese passport, with a visa-free score of 193. The third space is shared by six countries: Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Spain. The United Arab Emirates is the only Middle Eastern country to make it into the top ten. It has risen 55 places overall in the index since 2010.

A strong passport provides more freedom to travel without needing to apply for a visa.

Nepal, Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan are ranked in the bottom five spaces. Compared to Singapore, which allows visa-free access to 195 countries and territories, holding an Afghan passport only allows visa-free access to 26 countries.

• McDonald's is facing fresh scrutiny over sexual harassment claims in its UK restaurants.
• Hundreds of workers are taking legal action against the chain, a law firm said this week.
• McDonald's says ensuring staff are safe at work is its "most important responsibility."

Hundreds of McDonald's workers in the UK are taking legal action over claims of workplace bullying and harassment.

Law firm Leigh Day said this week that over 700 people who work at or have previously worked at 450 different McDonald's locations across the UK have joined the proceedings.

All the workers were 19 or under when working at McDonald's, Leigh Day says.

News of the legal action comes as the BBC published fresh claims of workplace harassment at the fast-food giant, around 18 months after a major investigation into the working culture at the Golden Arches.

The BBC investigation, published in July 2023, revealed that over 100 workers at a number of the Golden Arches locations had spoken of experiencing sexual assault, harassment, racism, or bullying. Since that investigation, 160 more people have approached the BBC with allegations, it reported on Tuesday.

The BBC's latest report on harassment and abuse at the fast-food behemoth comes over a year after its UK boss pledged to take action to improve working conditions.

Starting in February 2023, after the fast food chain signed an agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) promising to protect its staff from sexual harassment, the BBC spoke to staff about the working environment at McDonald's.

Of the over 100 allegations the BBC heard prior to publishing its initial 2023 investigation, 31 involved sexual assault, 78 involved sexual harassment, 18 were related to racism, and 6 were related to homophobia.

Alistair Macrow, the CEO of McDonald's UK and Ireland, told Members of Parliament in November 2023 that the company had received 407 complaints from employees since that July. He said it was taking steps to better protect staff.

Since the BBC's initial investigation in July 2023, 300 reports alleging harassment at the chain have been made to the EHRC.

"Ensuring the 168,000 people that work in McDonald's restaurants are safe is the most important responsibility for both us and our franchisees," McDonald's said in a statement sent to Business Insider.

"We have undertaken extensive work over the last year to ensure we have industry leading practices in place to support this priority. Any incident of misconduct and harassment is unacceptable and subject to rapid and thorough investigation and action."

Macrow, the UK McDonald's boss, said that 29 people have been fired over incidents involving sexual harassment in the past year.

The BBC heard that one woman said her shift manager, who was in his 30s, asked for sex in exchange for extra shifts when she was a 17-year-old employee. Another female staff member, who was 20 at the time, said her male manager sent her topless photos. A 19-year-old employee alleged he was bullied for having a learning disability and an eye condition, per the BBC.

McDonald's rolls back some DEI efforts

News of fresh claims of staff harassment in the UK comes in the same week that McDonald's announced plans to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

McDonald's said in a statement on Monday that it will stop "setting aspirational representation goals," pause participating in external surveys, no longer require its supply chain to commit to its DEI pledge and change the name of its diversity team to the Global Inclusion Team.

A growing backlash against DEI strategies has seen companies such as Nissan, Walmart, and Harley-Davidson scale back or cut programs altogether.

Much of the criticism has come from high-profile figures like Elon Musk and conservative activist Robby Starbuck, who have labeled such initiatives as "woke."