German Elections, Beard Ban Dropped, and a Flying Car

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Judge vacates Eric Adams' corruption trial date, appoints counsel on next steps.

A New York judge Friday said he would not immediately dismiss charges against the Democratic New York City mayor and appointed an independent lawyer to present arguments against the Justice Department's dismissal request. The development comes a day after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said she would not remove Adams from office. See previous write-up on the corruption case here. 

Man accused of trying to kill author Salman Rushdie found guilty.

Hadi Matar was found guilty of second-degree attempted murder and assault for the 2022 knife attack on Rushdie during a speaking event in New York. The now 27-year-old New Jersey man stabbed Rushdie more than a dozen times, leaving him permanently blind in one eye. Matar faces up to 25 years in prison; sentencing is scheduled for April 23. 

DOJ investigating UnitedHealth's Medicare billing practices. 

UnitedHealth Group is America's largest healthcare conglomerate based on revenue, bringing in roughly $400B last year. The civil fraud probe examines whether the group routinely made diagnoses that triggered extra payments for its Medicare Advantage plans. UnitedHealth's shares closed down 7% on the news Friday.

Energy drink Celsius shares rise nearly 30% on Alani Nu acquisition.

Celsius bought health and wellness drinks brand Alani Nutrition for roughly $1.8B. The cash-and-stock transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of this year. It follows a string of similar deals in the beverage industry as functional drinks grow in popularity among young people; last year, Keurig Dr Pepper said it was buying a 60% stake in energy drink maker Ghost for $990M.

New York Yankees ditch their ban on beards after 49 years.

The team officially reversed a longstanding facial hair policy, allowing players and staff to maintain "well-groomed beards" moving forward. The change marks a departure from a rule imposed in 1976 by then-Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, which previously prohibited all facial hair except mustaches to help players instill discipline.

Soul singer-songwriter Jerry "Ice Man" Butler dies at age 85.

Butler died in his Chicago home after battling Parkinson's disease. He gained fame as the lead singer of R&B group The Impressions and later enjoyed a successful solo career with hits like "Only the Strong Survive" and "He Will Break Your Heart." Butler was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and also served as a Cook County commissioner in Illinois for over three decades.  

The History of Silicon Valley

This upcoming week, our 1440 Business & Finance newsletter will dive deep in Silicon Valley, including: 

> Its origin as a fertile agriculture region near Stanford University.

> The early history of the transistor and the "Traitorous Eight."

> Almost a full century of world-changing innovations.

... and much more. In recent weeks, we've explored Death Taxes, Cryptocurrency, Retirement Accounts, and many other topics. Sign up here to get the newsletter every Thursday!

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Today, we're sharing a story from reader Jennifer B. in Queens, New York. 

"While out with my elderly father, he accidentally cut his finger on a sharp key ring that was attached to his walker. We were already en route to a bakery to have our usual hot chocolate and chai tea, and he was unfortunately bleeding all over everything that he came in touch with. So I got him situated in the bakery and went to Frank's Pharmacy that's located in Jackson Heights and was just a few stores down and was looking for a quick fix kit to clean up his hand."

"I happened to see a woman that worked there and asked her for a bandaid and explained what had happened with my dad and she left me and came back with a couple of bandaids, alcohol wipes, and numerous paper towels, and didn't want me to give her any money for all that she graciously supplied. I was so relieved and grateful to her for just being so kind and supplying me with just what I needed to help clean my dad's hands so we could continue to enjoy ourselves."

What act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us here.