1. Telegram CEO Arrest Shakes Silicon Valley
Pavel Durov’s arrest in Paris is unsettling the tech world, fueling debate over free speech and social media’s responsibility to control harmful content. X billionaire Elon Musk posted #FreePavel hours after the Telegram CEO’s private jet landed in France and was met by police. Durov faces charges linked to permitting 'criminal activity' on the messaging app. His lawyer, Dmitry Agranovsky, argues it’s like blaming a car manufacturer for an accident.
2. Italy Yacht Disaster
Italy is investigating possible manslaughter after the tragic sinking of tech billionaire Mike Lynch’s superyacht off Sicily. The disaster claimed seven lives among the 22 aboard—including Lynch and Clifford Chance New York partner Christopher Morvillo. Guests were celebrating Lynch’s acquittal on fraud charges. Oddly, just two days earlier, Lynch’s co-accused Stephen Chamberlain was fatally struck by a car while jogging. It was a difficult few weeks for Clifford Chance, whose Amsterdam partner Bas Boris Visser also died “unexpectedly”.
3. The Paul Weiss Juggernaut Rolls On
What exactly is Paul Weiss up to in London? Observers have been reading the tea leaves for months, mulling over the firm’s U.K. hiring blitz hoping to glean hints about the firm’s strategy. Another clue dropped with the hiring of restructuring partner Kai Zeng, who joins from investment firm Blantyre Capital. The savvy move follows high-profile arrivals from Kirkland & Ellis and Akin Gump. Paul Weiss appears to be orchestrating a strategic endgame, positioning its pieces for a decisive checkmate. But is it wise to take on so many grandmasters at once?...
