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Janett and Erika Liriano, growing up in Queens as daughters of Dominican immigrants, were encouraged to dream big. By their late 20s, Janett had been named a Forbes 30 Under 30 Listmaker and was chief of staff at a biopharmaceutical firm, while Erika was making a name for herself in venture capital.However, feeling unfulfilled, they decided to leave their lucrative jobs and move to the Dominican Republic to start a chocolate company. Inspired by their parents' homeland and the country's rich cacao resources, they aimed to create a vertically integrated cacao company that would benefit local farmers.The Dominican Republic produces about 60% of the world's organic cacao, but most of its export is raw beans, with the majority of profit made in countries like Belgium, Germany, and the US. The sisters saw an opportunity to change this and create a more equitable supply chain.After months of research and planning, they launched Inaru Chocolate, a company that contracts directly with farmers and pays them a fixed rate, ensuring fair prices and better livelihoods. The company pays farmers 3% of every product sold, resulting in 30 to 50% higher earnings than what most other buyers offer.In 2023, they opened a 7,000-sq-ft chocolate factory outside Santo Domingo, employing 35 people and producing high-end chocolate. Their business model has attracted brands like the W Hotel and Zingerman's, with 80% of their business coming from B2B sales.The sisters' journey hasn't been easy, facing challenges like securing funding and navigating language barriers. Despite these obstacles, they have raised $12m in investments and are committed to creating jobs and empowering local farmers in their parents' homeland.

Max Verstappen's future in Formula One has been thrown into doubt after his long-time engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, announced that he will be leaving Red Bull to join McLaren in 2028. Lambiase has been a crucial part of Verstappen's team since 2016, playing a key role in his four world championships.The news is a significant blow to Red Bull, as Lambiase's departure comes at a time when Verstappen has been expressing disenchantment with the current F1 regulations. The Dutch driver has been vocal about his frustration with the focus on energy management, which he believes has made the racing less enjoyable.Verstappen's contract with Red Bull runs until 2028, but performance-related escape clauses could allow him to exit before then. The team has been going through a period of change, with several key figures leaving, including Christian Horner as team principal, Adrian Newey as chief designer, and Jonathan Wheatley as sporting director.Lambiase's move to McLaren will see him take on a role supporting the team principal, Andrea Stella. The British-Italian engineer has been a close ally of Verstappen, and their partnership has been highly successful. Their radio interactions during races have been closely followed, showcasing a strong professional and personal bond.The departure of Lambiase and other key figures has raised questions about the future of Red Bull and Verstappen's commitment to the team. With the current regulations and the competitiveness of the Red Bull car, Verstappen's future in F1 is uncertain.

Harry Magunei believes the relentless spotlight at Manchester United would have broken many players, noting that the club’s demanding environment can overwhelm even seasoned professionals.After signing a new one‑year contract with an option for a further season, the 33‑year‑old defender extended a tenure that began with a then‑world‑record £80 million fee paid to Leicester in 2019.During his 266 appearances for United, Maguire helped the club win the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, captained the side from 2020 under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and endured a dip in form that saw him lose his place after Erik ten Hag took over. He even flirted with a move to West Ham in the summer of 2023 before re‑establishing himself as a key figure.“I see a lot of players come into this club and, frankly, it’s just too big for them,” Maguire said. “The eyes on you, the scrutiny, the analysis… there are ex‑players commenting on every goal. That’s part and parcel of playing for this club.”He added that many would have quit early under such pressure: “Probably. I think there’ll be a lot who want to close the book and restart their career. It’s probably broken them a little bit earlier.”Reflecting on his own ordeal, Maguire described the period of intense mockery and abuse as a low point that forced him to adopt a “laid‑back attitude” and ignore outside noise to regain form.Since Erik ten Hag’s appointment, United have climbed to third place in the Premier League, reviving hopes of Champions League qualification. Maguire is optimistic about the club’s trajectory: “If we get the recruitment right and keep the momentum, there’s no ceiling to where we can reach. We have to be in the conversation for the big trophies.”On the international stage, Maguire hopes to feature for England at the 2026 World Cup. Although manager Thomas Tuchel currently ranks him behind Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi, John Stones and the injured Trevoh Chalobah, Maguire remains determined: “I’m desperate to go, whether I start or come on late. I still believe I’m arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes.”

Nike has entered exclusive talks with Uefa to become the official match ball provider for the Champions League from 2027 to 2031. The US sportswear giant outbid Adidas and Puma with an offer of around $45m per year, doubling Uefa's current fee.The iconic Champions League ball, featuring a star design introduced by Adidas in 2001, will be redesigned by Nike. Adidas is understood to hold the rights to the star design, meaning the 2027 Champions League final will be the last to feature the current ball.Nike previously supplied match balls for Uefa competitions from 1997 to 2001, using simpler designs featuring the company's swoosh logo. The company will work with UC3, the joint venture between Uefa and leading clubs that run the Champions League, to create a new design.The Champions League match ball contract is part of a larger deal in which Nike has also won the rights to supply balls for the Europa League and Conference League. The current suppliers of these competitions, Decathlon's Kipsta brand, will be replaced by Nike.The changes to the Champions League ball are part of a broader commercial shake-up in Uefa's club competitions. Relevent Football Partners, which won the contract for commercial rights from 2027 to 2033, has made significant changes, including selling Uefa's global beer partner package to AB InBev and securing TV rights increases of over 20% in major European markets.

Oil and gas markets rallied on Thursday as investors grappled with the shaky outlook for the two‑week Iran‑Israel ceasefire. Brent crude rose more than 2% to $96.77 a barrel, while New York light crude climbed nearly 3% to $97.23, still shy of the $100 threshold that many traders watch. The previous session had seen Brent plunge 13.29% to a four‑week low of $94.75. In the gas sector, the UK month‑ahead contract rebounded 1% to 115.35p per therm after a 15% drop the day before. European natural‑gas futures also recovered, edging toward €46/MWh from a five‑week trough of €45.30. The price uptick reflects growing scepticism about the durability of the ceasefire announced a day earlier by the United States and Iran, which included a pledge to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. UAE and Kuwait reported intercepting Iranian drones, and Iran’s parliamentary speaker accused the United States and Israel of breaching several agreement points. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned of a “regret‑inducing response” if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue. The latest Israeli barrage killed at least 254 people and wounded 837, prompting the Fars news agency to note that oil‑tanker traffic through the strait had been halted. Former President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to threaten that U.S. forces would remain in the region until a “real agreement” is fully honoured, warning that any non‑compliance would trigger “stronger than anyone has ever seen before” military action. Asian equity markets reacted negatively: Japan’s Nikkei slipped 0.7%, South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.7%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged down 0.4%. In Europe, the FTSE 100 dipped 0.1%, Germany’s DAX fell 0.6%, France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.3%, and Italy’s FTSE MIB slipped 0.2%. The pan‑European Stoxx 600 trimmed 0.1% after a near‑4% rally the day before, while U.S. futures pointed to a lower opening on Wall Street. Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid noted that market stress has eased compared with 24 hours earlier, as the ceasefire news generated renewed optimism and reduced fears of a stagflationary shock. On the diplomatic front, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Vice‑President JD Vance will lead a delegation to Islamabad, with initial talks slated for Saturday morning. Jefferies chief European economist Mohit Kumar argued that, despite its fragility, the truce is likely to hold because of the “mutually assured destruction” calculus. He added that both sides now see a ceasefire as the lesser‑evil, given the escalating costs of continued conflict and the strategic challenges of securing cheap drone interceptors and a reliable Hormuz passage.

In a revealing glimpse of the club’s ironclad exclusivity, a 2019 iMessage exchange shows Jeffrey Epstein pleading with Steve Bannon to secure a membership for Paul, Weiss partner Brad Karp. Bannon dismissed the request, describing Augusta’s governing families as "crackers" from the Old South who distrust lawyers and bankers, underscoring the club’s cultural gatekeeping. That anecdote illustrates a broader truth: money alone cannot buy entry to the Masters. Even former President Donald Trump has never been able to force his way onto the Augusta grounds, a rarity among high‑profile U.S. sporting events. Traditionally, most tickets are allocated to lifelong local patrons, a practice that has been frozen since the 1970s. The only official avenue for the public is an annual lottery, where the odds are so slim they make Tiger Woods’ chances of a sixth Green Jacket look generous. In practice, however, a lucrative secondary market emerged, with scalpers selling tickets for up to 50 times face value and operating just outside the 2,700‑foot anti‑scalping boundary mandated by Georgia law. Last year’s Masters turned into a "bloodbath" for the resale industry. An executive from a local hospitality firm reported that around 200 ticket holders were denied entry after the club began rigorously enforcing its anti‑scalping policy. Patrons were sometimes escorted to a room, asked for identification, and interrogated about how they obtained their tickets – a process likened to a police stop. According to insiders, the club’s four‑day tickets now contain RFID chips that allow staff to track each badge’s location nightly. The embedded barcodes allegedly store the buyer’s address, enabling staff to pinpoint resale activity. Some reports claim the club is even purchasing resale tickets en masse to uncover the identities of sellers, then sending a politely worded letter that permanently bans the recipient from the grounds. Ticket platforms have felt the impact. StubHub has introduced a new contract that makes sellers fully liable for any fees or charges if a buyer is turned away, while SeatGeek has ceased offering Masters tickets altogether. This decisive move by Augusta National signals a broader shift in how elite sports events manage secondary markets. Ultimately, the crackdown serves a dual purpose: protecting the club’s brand integrity and reinforcing its reputation as an institution that remains untouched by even the most powerful political figures. As the Masters approaches, the message is clear – the only way onto Augusta’s hallowed fairways is through its own tightly‑controlled channels, not through the influence of money, politics, or the resale trade.

Ballon d’Or prospects are wider than ever after more than a decade dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. This season’s Champions League quarter‑finals could tip the balance as the 103‑day run‑in to the World Cup final approaches. Harry Kane leads the conversation, having netted 54 goals across club and country – a tally that includes Bayern Munich’s recent 2‑1 win over Real Madrid. A Champions League triumph with Bayern and a World Cup victory with England would make him the first English Ballon d’Or winner since Michael Owen in 2001. Other candidates include Kylian Mbappé, currently the top scorer in both the Champions League and La Liga, and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, whose creativity for Barcelona and Spain adds a different flavour to the race. The field remains open enough that a surprise performer – perhaps an Arsenal double‑winner or a PSG‑Portugal combo – could leapfrog the traditional favourites. Folarin Balogun’s USMNT future is under scrutiny. The 24‑year‑old Monaco striker has scored in five consecutive Ligue 1 matches, highlighted by a spectacular chip against Marseille that showcased his peak form. Yet head coach Mauricio Pochettino opted to start Christian Pulisic at centre‑forward in the final warm‑up against Portugal, limiting Balogun’s chance to cement his role. While Pulisic displayed moments of flair, his hold‑up play was described as “more like a winger than a No 9”, underscoring the coach’s dilemma. Balogun’s club form, however, argues that the United States already possess a striker capable of leading the line. Roberto De Zerbi faces a seven‑game deadline at Tottenham Hotspur. Signed on a five‑year deal, the Italian tactician inherits a side that struggled to adapt to his possession‑based philosophy under previous managers. Tottenham rank 12th for touches inside the opposition box and 14th for big chances created (Opta), indicating a lack of the creative outlets De Zerbi favours. He achieved his first win at Brighton after six games and impressed at Marseille with four wins in five, but both successes came after a full pre‑season and targeted transfers – luxuries Tottenham lack at the moment. The upcoming Sunderland clash will be his first real test of whether his style can be implemented quickly enough to steer the club away from relegation danger. In summary, the next three months will decide not only who lifts the 2026 Ballon d’Or, but also whether Balogun can secure a starring role for the USMNT and if De Zerbi can reverse Tottenham’s fortunes before his contract’s short‑term clause expires.

Health‑service workers have voiced strong unease after it emerged that engineers from the controversial US tech firm Palantir were issued NHS.net email accounts. Those accounts unlock a directory containing contact details for as many as 1.5 million NHS staff members, as well as access to SharePoint file‑sharing and Microsoft Teams groups used by the service. Palantir’s engineers are supporting the rollout of the Federated Data Platform (FDP), a £300 million contract awarded in 2023 to link patient records across disparate NHS systems. The government touts FDP as a cornerstone of its plan to "reinvent the NHS" by moving from analogue to digital, promising faster diagnoses, better appointment allocation and more personalised treatment. While the use of NHS email accounts by external suppliers is not unprecedented, Palantir’s reputation for AI‑driven surveillance and military‑grade technology has amplified staff, patient and human‑rights concerns. Rory Gibson, a resident doctor, warned that his personal contact details should not be accessible to a company that also works on drone‑strike systems. The Guardian has identified at least six Palantir engineers who have been given NHS.net credentials. In response, a Palantir spokesperson argued that such access is "normal practice for government suppliers" and cited official guidance that government systems are more secure than external alternatives. Palantir claims its software has already yielded measurable benefits: 110,000 additional operations, a 15.3% reduction in discharge delays and a 6.8% rise in cancer diagnoses within 28 days of referral. The company stresses that it merely provides software, with data usage remaining under NHS control and subject to strict contractual confidentiality. David Rowland, director of the Centre for Health and the Public Interest, acknowledged that granting NHS email addresses may not breach rules but highlighted the "deep ethical concerns" that Palantir’s profit‑driven model clashes with NHS values. He called for a comprehensive review of which private firms receive public‑sector funding. Some NHS staff reported being placed in virtual Teams meetings with Palantir personnel who joined using NHS credentials, without any disclosure of their employer – a practice that further eroded trust. Under the NHSmail access policy, "independent sector organisations" delivering health and social‑care services nationally may use NHSmail. An unrestricted NHS.net account can reveal staff roles, locations, workplace details and even grant access to commercial "Blue Light" discounts. Palantir’s technology is already deployed by UK police forces and the Ministry of Defence, prompting critics to warn that its "drag‑and‑drop" interoperability could facilitate state overreach, including a potential British analogue of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The firm’s founders include US businessman and former Trump supporter Peter Thiel and CEO Alex Karp, both known for advocating aggressive surveillance tools. Its UK arm is led by Louis Mosley, grandson of historic British fascist leader Oswald Mosley. An NHS spokesperson reiterated that all suppliers, including Palantir, operate strictly under NHS instruction, with data access governed by robust contractual confidentiality obligations.

Harlequins have confirmed the acquisition of England full‑back George Furbank, securing the 29‑year‑old on a lucrative contract as they aim to revitalise a squad that finished second‑bottom of the ten‑team Premiership.Furbank, a long‑time stalwart of league‑leading Northampton Saints, arrives after two injury‑hit seasons but remains a 14‑cap England international and a strong contender for the World Cup roster. He described the move as a chance to step out of his comfort zone and “take my game to a new level” under a fresh coaching staff.Harlequins head coach Jason Gilmore praised the signing, calling Furbank “someone we’ve admired for a long time.” The club hopes his experience will deliver an immediate uplift to a side battling relegation threats.Saints’ director of rugby Phil Dowson acknowledged the financial reality that forced the departure: “We wanted to keep George, but the broader context – especially our limited budget – meant we couldn’t match the offer. There was no animosity, just hard decisions.” He likened the situation to Sir Alex Ferguson’s strategy of reshaping squads when necessary.The transfer adds to a growing exodus from Northampton, which has already seen the likes of David Ribbans, Lewis Ludlam, Courtney Lawes and Teimana Harrison depart in recent years. Saints are also contending with the challenge of retaining other England internationals as emerging talents such as Henry Pollock seek pay rises.Meanwhile, Saints are set to field fit‑again England half‑backs Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell for their Champions Cup semi‑final against Bath, while fly‑half Jamie Benson has opted to join Ulster next season.