Forbes - The hunt for oligarch superyachts 🛳

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5 things we learned

Activists are getting creative to get news from Ukraine into Russia. Independent news on the war is being smuggled past the Kremlin’s censors using lottery numbers, blockchain technology, and cold calls.

The pioneer of mutual fund investing has died. American billionaire Edward C. Johnson III, revolutionized investing, and grew family-owned Fidelity International into one of the world’s biggest investmment companies.

The war in the world’s bread basket, Ukraine, threatens global food security. Tens of millions of people, from Europe to Asia, Africa to the Middle East, are expected to go hungry this year because of disrupted grain exports from Ukraine and Russia, drought and record-high fertlizer prices.

The hunt for sanctioned oligarch’s trophy assets continues. Authorities in Gibraltar detained Dmitry Pumpyansky’s 236-foot Axioma yacht as Russian opposition groups claim the $700 million superyacht Scheherazade is linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Lockdowns not only turbocharged the growth of digital businesses—they also gave a jolt to the world’s largest electric guitar maker. Iconic American rock brand Fender saw orders surge by more than 30% during the pandemic.

The good

Ukraine’s “hidden” tech heroes. In the rubble of bombarded Ukrainian cities, engineers and telecomms technicians are risking their lives to keep the country online.

The bad

Okta failed to tell its customers for months about a major hack. The security company that manages log-ins for major corporates and more than 100 million users only disclosed the incident after hackers posted photos of internal tools.

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Do this

Experience New York in all its glory. The iconic Circle Line cruise is launching a new experience, a spring fling day cruise up the Hudson; featuring live music, tasty food, and a fully stocked bar. April 16th - May 15th, from $49.00.

Watch

A new generation of robotics. Computer scientist Emma Hart explains how biological evolution can be replicated digitally to produce self-assembling robots capable of adapting to any environment. TED, available to watch worldwide.  

Listen

Necessity is the mother of invention. Early on in the pandemic, hospitals across the nation were stricken with PPE shortages. Listen to how one Massachusetts-based textile company found a DIY solution to supplying the nation with critical PPE. NPR, free to listen worldwide.  

Read

A memoir from the former CEO of PepsiCo. One of the first women of color and an immigrant to run an S&P 500 company, Indra Nooyi offers a first-hand account of her childhood, education and the relationships that shaped her legendary career. Portfolio, from $28.00.

Taste

Eat caviar guilt-free. We often assume the caviar we eat is from Russia, but worldwide Russian imports of these salty fish eggs are a fraction of what they were in the 1990s, and government sanctions have nothing to do with it.

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