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Bosses looking for an edge in the post-COVID remote work era have turned to a militaristic approach to team building — with some paying upwards of $100,000 for “Top Gun”-style simulations to rally their troops, according to a report.

The C-suite executives — from companies as varied as Nike, Pepsi and Bank of America — who “feel the need for speed” can adopt their own Maverick or Ice Man call sign and engage in missions “to rescue your teammate and bring them home, The New York Times reported.

If you lose sight of the airplane youre fighting against, you lose the fight, said Christian Boucousis, the CEO of Atlanta-based Afterburner. We use that as a metaphor if you lose sight of your business objectives, youre not going to achieve them.

Boucousis’ firm employs a team of former pilots, Navy SEALs and military commandos to train corporate executives to “execute with the same precision and accuracy as elite military aviators and special operations teams,” according to the company website.

Its Top Gun Experience training starts at $10,000 for a small team and can climb to $100,000 for a larger one, according to The Times.

“Bring out your team’s inner jet fighter pilot,” one of the company’s promotional videos states.

Afterburner offers companies “experiential team building” exercises that include “fighter pilot simulation” designed to “help your team strengthen relationships, build trust, and improve communication.”

Team members “adopt a real-life, fighter pilot call sign” while taking on roles such as “squadron commander” who are thrust into challenging scenarios that sharpen their decision-making acumen.

Afterburner is part of a trend of experiential trainings that lean on military precision as companies adapt to the work-from-home phenomenon sparked by the pandemic, experts say.

Another management training company based in the Financial District, The Squadron, uses advanced F-35 flight simulators — usually reserved for to train Israeli air force pilots — to teach corporate executives about business and life lessons.

The trainees have come from companies that include Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and Google, as The Post previously reported.

Leaders are trying to regain a sense of control they feel theyve lost over the last few years, Cali Williams Yost, a workplace strategist, told The Times. Theyre searching to reassert control and power in a way that feels familiar.

The lessons aren’t limited to metaphors dealing with flying at Mach-1 speed.

Over the Wall, a company founded by former NASCAR pit crew coach Andy Papathanassiou, charges at least $10,000 to train corporate teams to replace tires on a race car as if they were manning an actual pit stop at a NASCAR event.

Papathanassiou said the aim is to inculcate an “over the wall mentality” that aims to develop “the cognitive building blocks of what athletes are.”

Testimonials posted on the company website by CEOs who have had their teams participate in the drills report that it helped improve “communication, collaboration, teamwork, and strategic thinking.”

Kris Kovacs, the CEO of fintech firm Constellation Digital Partners, told the Times that his 30 employees were made to simulate a NASCAR pit stop in the company parking lot.

It sounds silly for me to say, but the hardest part is actually getting the tire on, Kovacs told the Times.

What that teaches you is youve got to preplan. Hard things, if you practice at them and preplan, become easier and easier.

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Wife of murdered Saudi journalist says ‘zero justice’ has been served after Trump dismisses US intelligence findings

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Wife of murdered Saudi journalist says 'zero justice' has been served after Trump dismisses US intelligence findings

The wife of murdered Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi says “zero justice” has been served over her husband’s death.

Mr Khashoggi, a strident critic of the kingdom, was slain by Saudi agents in an operation in Istanbul in 2018, and American intelligence agencies concluded Mohammed bin Salman had ordered his capture or killing.

The crown prince has denied ordering the operation, but acknowledged responsibility as Riyadh’s de-facto ruler.

He was hosted at the White House on Tuesday for the first time in seven years, and Donald Trump defended him and cast doubt upon his own country’s assessments.

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Saudi leader asked about murdered journalist

Mr Trump derided Mr Khashoggi as “extremely controversial” and said “a lot of people didn’t like that gentleman”.

Hanan Khashoggi told Sky News’ The World With Yalda Hakim she was “disappointed” by the remarks, as she demanded compensation from the crown prince.

He has described the killing of her husband as a “huge mistake”.

Addressing Mr Trump directly, Ms Khashoggi said she would be willing to meet the US president to tell him about the Washington Post writer, who she said was “a great man, and a professional, and he was a brave man as well”.

A vigil for Khashoggi outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where he was killed. Pic: Reuters
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A vigil for Khashoggi outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where he was killed. Pic: Reuters

‘They destroyed my life’

Ms Khashoggi said her husband was not controversial or unlikeable – but even if he was, “it doesn’t justify the action of kidnapping him, torturing him, killing him and dismantling his body”.

She also said she would meet the crown prince and “ask him to retrieve Jamal’s body, so I can bury him in a decent, good way”, as well as ask for financial compensation.

“They killed my husband, they destroyed my life,” she added. “They have to compensate me.”

Hanan Khashoggi
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Hanan Khashoggi

Trump defends MBS

Asked about the murder in the Oval Office, Mr Trump said: “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen.

“But he (Bin Salman) knew nothing about it, and we can leave it at that.

“You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that.”

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The prince and president: What happened?

Mr Trump even celebrated the Saudi leader for the kingdom’s human rights record, without providing specific details.

“I’m very proud of the job he’s done,” he said.

Human rights groups say Saudi authorities continue to harshly repress dissent by arresting human rights defenders, journalists and political dissidents.

They also highlight a surge in executions in Saudi Arabia they connect to an effort to suppress internal dissent.

The crown prince announced Saudi Arabia was increasing its planned investments in the US to $1trn, up from the $600bn the Saudis announced they would pour into the US when Mr Trump visited the kingdom in May.

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US

Epstein files: Bill to release documents gets all-clear from Congress

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Epstein files: Bill to release documents gets all-clear from Congress

A bill that would force the US Justice Department to release all of its files on Jeffrey Epstein will be sent to the desk of Donald Trump after both houses of Congress gave it the all-clear.

The House of Representatives was near unanimous in voting for the material to be released, with 427 in favour and one against.

Epstein votes as they happened – catch up on the latest

Hot on the heels of that vote, which was met with cheers in the chamber, the Senate said it too would pass the bill.

“As soon as it comes over from the House, we will pass the House’s bill without changes, without delay, and we will finally get this done,” said minority leader Chuck Schumer.

Once the Republican-controlled Senate has formally transmitted the bill – set to happen on Wednesday, according to majority leader John Thune – it will go to Mr Trump for approval.

Once the president signs it, the justice department has 30 days to release the files.

Mr Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday. Pic: Reuters
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Mr Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday. Pic: Reuters

How did we get here?

Sky News US correspondent David Blevins said “things are now moving very fast indeed”.

“It may be because of the scale of the result in the House,” he explained. “Or it may simply be because in the last few days, the president has sought to seize control of the narrative.”

Mr Trump has spent weeks decrying the Epstein files as a Democratic “hoax”.

His links to the disgraced financier, a convicted paedophile, have long been subject to scrutiny. The US president has always denied any wrongdoing.

Speaking at the White House ahead of the vote on Tuesday, he said: “I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert and I guess I would turn out to be right.”

In a later post on his Truth Social platform, he said he doesn’t care when the Senate passes the bill.

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Trump tells reporter ‘quiet piggy’

His change of heart on releasing the files came as a surprise over the weekend, as he called on Republicans in Congress to vote for the so-called Epstein Files Bill and indicated he’d sign it.

The issue has proved to be a major source of division within Mr Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.

‘Time to see who is listening’

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a long-time Trump backer who publicly fell out with the president just days ago, stood with Epstein survivors on the steps of the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon.

She said: “These women have fought the most horrific fight that no woman should have to fight. And they did it by banding together and never giving up.

“That’s what we did by fighting so hard against the most powerful people in the world, even the president of the United States, in order to make this vote happen today.”

One of the group, Liz Stein, added: “We have told our stories over and over and over. Now it’s time to see who is listening. We ask that you vote to release the files. All of them.”

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Survivors speak ahead of Epstein files vote

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Tuesday’s votes followed the release of thousands of files related to Epstein as part of an investigation by Congress’ House Oversight Committee.

Emails, messages, photos and other documents released in recent weeks have included references to Mr Trump, the UK’s since sacked US ambassador Lord Mandelson, and former British prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, who has faced calls from members of the committee to give evidence.

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‘Andrew does need to come and testify’

Read more:
Epstein files: New emails about Trump and Andrew emerge
Analysis: Trump and the Epstein questions that will not go away

Like Mr Trump, both Britons have denied any wrongdoing and expressed regret about their relationship with Epstein.

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UK

Scotland secure men’s World Cup spot for first time since 1998 after beating Denmark

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Scotland secure men's World Cup spot for first time since 1998 after beating Denmark

Scotland secured a place at the men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998 as stoppage-time goals by Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean secured a thrilling 4-2 win over Denmark at Hampden Park.

Scott McTominay’s spectacular third-minute bicycle kick had given the hosts a half-time lead.

Rasmus Hojlund equalised for the Danes in the 57th minute shortly before Rasmus Kristensen was sent off, but Lawrence Shankland restored Scotland’s advantage.

When Patrick Dorgu brought Denmark level again with nine minutes remaining, it seemed they would claim the point needed to top the group and book their place at next year’s tournament in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

However, Tierney fired an unstoppable shot past Kasper Schmeichel in the third minute of stoppage time

And then, with the Denmark goalkeeper up in attack at the other end of the pitch, McLean hit a long-range effort from his own half to spark delirious scenes.

Scotland's Kenny McLean celebrates scoring his side's fourth goal against Denmark. Pic: PA
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Scotland’s Kenny McLean celebrates scoring his side’s fourth goal against Denmark. Pic: PA

Read more from Sky News:
Congress clears release of Epstein files
Best and worst parcel delivery firms revealed

The victory saw Scotland top Group C and secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Head coach Steve Clarke had already led his country to back-to-back European Championships.

He told the BBC: “Scott McTominay scored the best overhead kick I’ve ever seen, and it might not have been the best goal of the night!”

Scott McTominay celebrates scoring the opening goal for Scotland. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Scott McTominay celebrates scoring the opening goal for Scotland. Pic: Reuters

Scotland captain Andy Robertson dedicated the victory to his former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota, who died earlier this year in a car accident.

He told the BBC: “We certainly put the country through it, but I’m sure it will be worth it.”

“I couldn’t get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head today,” he added. We spoke so much together about the World Cup. When he missed out in Qatar through injury and I missed out when Scotland never went.

“We always discussed what it would be like going to this World Cup. I know he’ll be somewhere smiling over me tonight.”

The draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place in Washington on 5 December.

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