EXCLUSIVE Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton has VANISHED after humiliating arrest and cryptic family messages
US gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton has sparked fears for her safety after 'vanishing' following her DWI charge in West Virginia last month, DailyMail.com has learned.
Concerned family members in the small town of Fairmont revealed they have not seen or heard from the Olympic gold medalist, 57 - who is based in Texas - since her arrest in her hometown on May 17.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie mum's warning after $15,000 Centrelink mistake
An Aussie mum has urged parents to apply for paid parental benefits early after she almost missed out on a $15,000 payment from Centrelink. Newcastle mother-of-two Lexi recalled how her claim was denied when she initially applied for the scheme following the birth of her first child three years ago. The 26-year-old and her husband had been relying on the money and was devastated to learn she was ineligible. It wasn't until weeks later that she realised that she made a common mistake on her application. She erroneously ticked a box applying for both paid parental leave and the family tax benefit – which she was not eligible for. The mix up meant that Lexi's application was denied and was advised in writing that her husband earned too much money. 'We were counting on that money, we knew it was coming, and honestly to be denied it, we were just in a spiral,' she explained on TikTok. 'Basically, this one wrong box gets ticked all the time. 'I can't imagine the number of people that are going around out there thinking that they're not eligible for this money when they actually were.' The second time she applied, she was approved. 'By the time that all happened and by the time I got approved, my son was about five months at that point,' she told Yahoo. 'I did get back pay from a certain date of my application. So I still ended up with 18 weeks.' The value of the claim was $15,000 – an amount Lexi may have never received had she given up on her rejected claim. The money made a 'big difference' in her household, despite having budgeted to live off her husband's income. Lexi was reminded of the 2022 blunder when she applied for paid parental leave following the birth of second child last year. Her video posted last week has since attracted more than 100,000 views. The mother-of-two urged eligible parents to apply early to allow time to correct any errors and avoid financial hardship. The mother-of-two urged eligible parents to apply early to allow time to correct any errors and avoid financial hardship. 'If you are denied the first time, make an appointment at your local Centrelink,' Lexi said. 'I made the appointment to make sure that I did everything correctly with my application, and while it did take a little bit more of my time, it meant that everything was correct.' Services Australia allows parents to submit claims pre-birth. Applications can be made up to three months before the baby is due. The process can be completed online and requires a Centrelink account linked to myGov. Eligible parents can claim the Parental Leave Pay government benefit to take time off to care for their newborn or recently adopted child. The payments are based on the minimum wage, equating to $916 per week for 22 weeks. From July 1 of this year, the duration will increase to 24 weeks and includes superannuation. On that same date in 2026, the payments will last 26 weeks. Applicants must meet income tests, work tests and residence rules to be eligible. However, Centrelink advised parents-to-be make an application and allow professionals to determine their eligibility.
Coin Geek
an hour ago
- Coin Geek
Coinbase was hacked by snarky teens; Circle upsizes IPO
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) was aware of its customer data leak far earlier than the digital asset exchange previously acknowledged, while its stablecoin partner Circle is supersizing its initial public offering (IPO) plans. On June 3, Reuters reported that the recently disclosed hack of Coinbase's customer data by customer support staff in India involved the local operation of a Texas-based business process outsourcing firm called TaskUs. In January, at least one TaskUs employee was caught using their phone to photograph Coinbase customer information from a computer screen. Four sources, including three TaskUs staffers, told Reuters that Coinbase was notified immediately of the security breach, and TaskUs promptly fired two staffers involved in the incident. Coinbase responded by cutting ties with TaskUs, resulting in over 200 staff in the city of Indore losing their jobs. The mass layoff was reported in Indian media at the time. And yet, it wasn't until May 15 that Coinbase acknowledged the breach in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Coinbase said at the time that it knew the contractors had improperly accessed customer data in 'previous months' but didn't realize the extent of the breach until May 11, when it received a ransom demand from individuals to whom the data had been forwarded. Coinbase estimated that nearly 70,000 of its customers have been impacted. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong later claimed that the exchange began notifying impacted users on April 11 but failed to explain why the SEC wasn't notified until a month later. Crypto journalist Molly White noted that Coinbase revised its user agreement on April 12 to limit customers' ability to participate in class action suits against the exchange. TaskUs has since been hit with a class action suit by Coinbase customers alleging negligence. TaskUs said it 'believes these claims are without merit' and will defend itself in court. Coinbase's customer support is notoriously glacial in its response to complaints, a bad reputation that shows little sign of improvement. Some U.S. customers have resorted to filing complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) based on its requirements for companies to respond within 15 days. That could explain CEO Armstrong's (incorrect) view that the CFPB is an 'unconstitutional' body that should be 'deleted' because it has 'done enormous harm to the country.' Coinbase has been the subject of over 8,000 complaints with the CFPB, a body that the current federal administration is in the process of dismantling. Insult to injury Fortune reported that Coinbase has used TaskUs services since 2017, but the latter firm's reliance on poorly paid staff in India opens up the potential for staff to supplement their wages with bribes. A TaskUs spokesperson told Fortune that its research suggests the Indore staff who leaked the Coinbase data 'were recruited by a much broader, coordinated criminal campaign against [Coinbase] that also impacted a number of other service providers servicing [Coinbase].' Fortune reported communicating with one of the alleged hackers, who went by the name 'puffy party' on Telegram. This individual claimed to be part of a loosely affiliated group of teenagers and twenty-somethings calling itself 'the Comm' or 'Com' (short for 'community'). This group has been linked to other notable exploits, including the blackmailing of some Las Vegas casino operators in 2023. 'Puffy party' also claimed that members of the Comm/Com perform specific aspects of a heist based on their individual skillsets. One team bribed the TaskUs staff, another performed the social engineering scams, with the spoils divided amongst the teams. In a reflection of this team's juvenile status, 'puffy party' shared screenshots of messages they'd exchanged with what they claimed was a member of Coinbase's security team. The messages show the hackers mocking Armstrong, saying they would use some of the proceeds of their blackmail efforts to 'sponsor a hair transplant so that he may graciously traverse the world with a fresh set of hair.' Back to the top ↑ No KYC, no hacks, no problem Incredibly, the crypto sector's collective response to Coinbase's data hacking scandal is not that the exchange needs to beef up its digital defenses and be more upfront with its customers. Instead, calls are mounting to lift 'know your customer' (KYC) requirements on digital asset operators based on the view that hackers can't steal data that companies don't possess. As some online critics have observed, traditional banks haven't been as supportive as they might of the digital asset legislation currently kicking around Congress because banks 'think it is unfair for a non-bank to do banking without any of the laws and regulations applicable to banks. And they kind of have a point.' Back to the top ↑ Coinbase v Oregon Coinbase responded at the time by claiming that Oregon was 'trying to revive regulation by enforcement,' the catchphrase popularized by digital asset firms that reject nearly all aspects of regulatory oversight with which they disagree. On June 2, Coinbase filed a petition in federal court asking for the suit to be moved out of Oregon and under federal jurisdiction. The petition calls the suit a 'regulatory land grab' and notes that Oregon's Division of Financial Regulation generally takes point on securities transactions, not the AG, calling into question Rayfield's authority to file the suit in the first place. Coinbase VP of legal Ryan VanGrack tweeted Tuesday that the petition was filed because 'the case is fundamentally about federal law.' VanGrack claimed Rayfield's suit 'would undermine recent bipartisan progress towards crypto clarity by creating a patchwork of state regulations that harms consumers, innovation, and economic freedom.' Coinbase's chief legal officer Paul Grewal added that '[b]ecause Oregon's claims raise fundamentally federal issues like the meaning of 'investment contract,' [as defined by the Howey Test] they should be resolved by federal courts.' Back to the top ↑ Circle supersizes IPO Coinbase's share price has ridden a roller coaster so far in 2025, hitting peaks of over $300 in January and troughs of less than half that sum by mid-April. But the company's inclusion in the S&P 500 index last month and the expectation of a major payday from its stablecoin partner Circle currently have Coinbase shares hovering just under $260. USDC-issuer Circle filed its IPO paperwork in early April, and the company has been dotting its i's and crossing its t's in anticipation of that magical Nasdaq debut later this week. On May 27, Circle announced plans to offer 24 million shares of its Class A common stock at an expected range of $24-$26, with Circle offering up 9.6 million of that total and selling stockholders accounting for the other 14.4 million. On June 2, Circle upsized that offer to 32 million shares at a range of $27-$28, allegedly reflecting 'strong investor appetite' for all things crypto under President Donald Trump's second go-round. The IPO is now expected to raise nearly $900 million, while assigning Circle a valuation of up to $7.2 billion. Coinbase holds 8.4 million shares in Circle after converting its equity in the now defunct Centre consortium that originally oversaw USDC's business. Should the IPO go off at the upper end of its expected price range, Coinbase's Circle stock would be worth over $235 million, ~$25 million more than Coinbase's equity in Circle at the time of the conversion. Coinbase is unlikely to be selling much of its Circle stake in order to preserve the sweetheart revenue-sharing deal it worked out when it negotiated its exit from Centre. With both companies now required to issue financial report cards, it seems Coinbase actually makes more money off USDC activity than Circle does, while Circle shoulders most USDC expenses. Last month, reports emerged that Circle was a potential acquisition target of both Coinbase and Ripple Labs, the issuer of the XRP token (as well as its own stablecoin RLUSD). Ripple's offer was said to be in the $4-$5 billion range, which Circle rejected as too low, a view now apparently confirmed by its IPO valuation. (Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently denied that his company had pursued a Circle deal.) A distinctly contrary view of Circle's prospects was presented in the Financial Times last month. The article called into question Circle's whole business model, as '98 per cent of Circle's revenue is interest on the securities holdings which back its stablecoins … although it issues USDC and holds the offsetting assets, it's not generating revenue from trading or staking transactions involving the stablecoins in either the cryptoverse or the real world.' 'Financially, Circle is a highly levered, uninsured narrow bank with nearly all of its revenue coming from a big bucket of short-term cash investments. It makes money when rates are higher, up to a point, and makes less or loses money when rates are low. That makes Circle a market play on—or a plaything of—volatile short-term interest rates … This then brings us to the unanswerable question at the heart of Circle's business: Does anyone know where short-term interest rates will be in the future?' Back to the top ↑ Coinbase left its keys in San Francisco Coinbase must indeed be feeling flush, as it just announced a deal to lease 150,000 square-feet of new office space in San Franciso. The new space will automatically become the company's single largest geographical footprint and marks a homecoming of sorts for Coinbase, albeit one that's a little hard to fathom. In 2021, as the pandemic forced offices to temporarily close and many tech-firms switched to a remote-first staffing model, Coinbase paid $25 million to break the lease on its former San Francisco office space. At the time, the move was pitched as the company embracing a 'no headquarters' philosophy but it seems times (and philosophies) have changed. CEO Armstrong tweeted that Coinbase was 'excited to reopen an office in SF,' adding that the company 'never left California' as many of its employees live in the state and '[w]e go to where the talent is.' Addressing San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, who was elected last year, Armstrong said the city was 'so badly run for many years, but your excellent work has not gone unnoticed.' Rival exchange Kraken also shut its SF headquarters in 2022 because founder/then-CEO Jesse Powell believed the city was 'not safe.' Efforts to reduce the city's crime rate got a potential boost from Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, whose nonprofit group San Francisco Police Community Foundation has offered the SF Police Department a $9.4 million donation to improve the SFPD's Real Time Investigation Center. The gift comprises a $2.15 million retroactive lease of office space and $7.25 million worth of new toys, including nearly $5.3 million in drone surveillance gear. Larsen, a San Francisco native, previously donated millions to expand the city's security camera network, but controversies surround how some of these funds were allocated. Mayor Lurie has indicated he's in favor of allowing the police to accept the donation. We suspect Coinbase's Armstrong is, as well. After all, there's some dangerous teenagers out there who've put a target on his head. Back to the top ↑ Watch: Teranode is the digital backbone of Bitcoin title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="">
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Saudi Arabia revamps safety plans for Hajj in bid to prevent deaths
Saudi Arabia has revamped its safety plans for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, hoping technology and tighter controls will help avoid a repeat of last year, when 1,301 people died in extreme heat. Some 1.4 million people arrived in the Kingdom to complete the sacred five-day journey around Islam's holiest sites, which began on Wednesday. The gathering of so many people in the Arabian desert presents a formidable challenge. Temperatures are again forecast to hit 50 degrees during the pilgrimage, and by Monday 44 cases of heat stroke had already been reported in Mecca. As well as the heat, there is also the threat of outbreaks of infectious diseases including Mers (Middle East respiratory syndrome), nine cases of which have been reported in the country in recent weeks. Saudi Arabia's annual Hajj preparations ranks among the most complex public health operations, but will the revamped plans be enough to prevent another disaster? Threat of disease With such large numbers of people coming together, Hajj can be a breeding ground for diseases including respiratory infections, meningitis and even cholera. Many worshippers come back with a 'hajj cough' contracted from fellow pilgrims. While the days of tens of thousands of pilgrims dying of cholera are long gone, there have been numerous outbreaks of meningitis in Mecca and it remains a threat this year. In 2004, polio was carried into Hajj by pilgrims from northern Nigeria. In a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, authorities closed Hajj to foreign travellers for the first time in modern history in 2020. Only Saudis and a limited number of expats living in the Kingdom were allowed to attend. This year, the Saudi authorities also have to contend with the threat of Mers, a much deadlier cousin of Covid spread primarily by camels which appears to be spiking in Saudi Arabia at the moment. Two deaths have been reported since March, prompting numerous national health agencies to issue warnings and guidance for travellers. To keep the virus out, camels have been banned from entering Mecca and the holy sites, even for slaughter, since 2015. Pilgrims must also present vaccine certificates for quadruple meningitis, polio and yellow fever before entering the country during Hajj season. An official from Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health source The Telegraph that the Kingdom is 'more than ready' to deal with a potential disease outbreak. Extreme heat But perhaps the most significant threat to worshippers is the searing heat. The authorities have planted 20,000 trees to create shade and cool the air, installed 400 water coolers, and thousands of misting fans at key points along the pilgrimage route, which runs from the city of Mina through a series of holy sites to Mecca. One of the world's largest cooling systems is used to keep temperatures in Mecca's Grand Mosque between 22 and 24 degrees. Roads on the pilgrimage route have been paved with reflective white material to reduce heat absorption. These so-called 'white roads' include a new four kilometre pathway leading to Mount Arafat, or the Mountain of Mercy, where pilgrims traditionally assemble on the second day of Hajj to pray and recite the Koran for hours. An official Hajj safety kit emphasises the importance of light-coloured clothing and umbrellas and has details on how to treat symptoms of dehydration and exhaustion. Saudi authorities have asked pilgrims to remain in their tents between 10am and 4pm during the 'Day of Arafat' on Thursday. There is little to no shade on the 230-ft hill on the outskirts of Mecca. 'You don't have to be outside your tent during [the climb of] Arafat. You don't have to climb the mountain,' Abdullah Asiri, Saudi's deputy minister for population health, told AFP, adding that there was no religious obligation to do so. A total of 50,000 healthcare workers have been mobilised, up 25 per cent from last year, as well as 7,500 paramedics. These health workers are spread between 71 emergency points and 15 field hospitals, each with a capacity of more than 1,200 beds. Last year, medical staff treated nearly 2,800 pilgrims for heat stroke and other related conditions, said the health ministry. They said they are expecting a higher volume of patients this year. Technology The Saudi authorities are keen to publicise high-tech ways of keeping pilgrims safe. Drones are being deployed for the first time across the holy sites, Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence said on Sunday. One fleet of drones will be used to monitor the large crowds, using AI to monitor video for signs of an impending crush. In 2015, a stampede during the 'stoning the devil' ritual in Mina killed around 2,300 people. A new 'falcon' drone, enhanced with AI and thermal cameras, will also be used to identify and extinguish fires. In one of the most significant policy changes in recent years, Saudi Arabia has also banned children under 12, who have proved vulnerable in crowd situations, from attending this year's Hajj. Hundreds of large-scale simulations and drills have been conducted, including training on how to cope with mass casualty events, fires and hospital evacuations. To further minimise the time pilgrims spend outside, hourly high-speed electric trains will also run from the main King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to Mecca. Pilgrims have also been given a smart bracelet, known as Nusk. The device monitors people's heart rate and blood oxygen levels in real time and sends automatic alerts to the authorities if abnormalities are detected. Tighter controls Extortionate prices – the cost of an official Hajj permit ranges from $2,000 (£1,480) to $18,000 (£13,300) excluding flights – means that many pilgrims arrive in Mecca on personal visit visas instead. But arriving without a permit means being unable to access facilities like air-conditioned tents, transportation and rehydration centres. Many of those who died during the pilgrimage last year are thought to have been unregistered attendees. Heat stress caused many of the deaths, which Human Rights Watch (HRW) called a 'completely preventable event'. In response to criticism, organisers have cracked down on unregistered worshippers. Saudi Arabia suspended issuing short-term visas to 14 countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt and Nigeria in April. Pilgrims caught without official Hajj documentation now face a $5,000 fine – twice as high as last year – and a 10-year entry ban. Saudi security officials say they have already stopped nearly 270,000 people from entering Mecca without permits and stripped licences from 400 companies offering unofficial Hajj packages.
