WHO

Top U.S. CEOs Reaped Billions From Stock Gains in Recent Years, Reuters Analysis Shows
The go-go stock market has soared since the entire financial system nearly collapsed in 2008. And so has CEO compensation. From 2009-2013, nearly 300 CEOs gobbled up about $22 billion in pay, bonuses and share and option grants. That comes to about $73 million each and it highlights the engine of wealth inequality fueled by the Federal Reserve’s “easy money” policy. Meanwhile, questions about the veracity of the tech and biotech bubbles persist, while the strong dollar is eroding the uneven recovery.

Bucking Industry Norms, Amazon Keeps Government Requests for Data Secret
In Amazon, Jeff Bezos has built a data-rich giant rivaled only by Google and Microsoft. Reading habits, financial footprints, addresses, phone numbers … all stored in Amazon’s system. But Amazon is the only company that refuses to release reports detailing government inquiries into its vast database. Oh yeah, and Amazon helps the CIA run its cloud.

Saudi Government Retains GOP’s Big Data Firms
The Kingdom just added two big tech firms—Zignal Labs and Targeted Victory—to its impressive team of U.S.-based lobbyists, lawyers and public relations professionals. Apparently, the Saudis want to escalate their efforts to influence American public opinion and policy. The two data crunchers will work with Qorvis Communications, a controversial lobbying firm specializing in Persian Gulf regimes.

Jeb Fundraiser Gets Special Guest: George W.
In American politics, cash is king. So, The Next Bush In Line is busy lining up piles of cash in advance of what may turn out to be little more than a dynastic struggle for the throne. But it is going to take heavy coin to beat Hillary … so, Jeb “My Own Man” Bush is trotting out Brother W to convince donors to drop bigger coins into his piggy bank.

WHAT

AP Investigation: Slavery Taints Global Supply of Seafood
There is a reason why food chains like Red Lobster can pour piles of seafood onto plates for pennies on the dollar. It’s down to the slavery-like labor conditions around Southeast Asian fisheries. The slave-caught fish funnels through Thailand to U.S. supermarkets, restaurants and pet food makers. Meanwhile, disgruntled Mexican farm workers who feed U.S. demand for strawberries are striking against their awful conditions. And Warren Buffet’s merger of Heinz and Kraft portends more industrialization of the food industry.

WHY

Crash Experts Face Mystery of German Plane’s Eight-Minute Drop Without a Mayday
Why did the Germanwings jet make a rapid descent spanning eight minutes without a single mayday call? That’s the central question facing investigators … and it has some refusing to rule out foul play. The investigation now hinges on the flight data recorders—one of which has been recovered, while the other is still missing.

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