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☆ Elon Musk gives some advice to J.K. Rowling, suggesting she post 'interesting and positive content' on X
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewElon Musk thinks J.K. Rowling should stop focusing on transgender issues. In the comments of a lengthy X post by Rowling, the billionaire suggested the "Harry Potter" author could write more "interesting and positive content." Musk wrote: "While I heartily agree with your points regarding sex/gender, may I suggest also posting interesting and positive content on other matters?" This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Representatives for Musk and Rowling did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: —, Elon, Rowling, Harry Potter, Musk, I'm, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Eddie Redmayne Organizations: Service, Business, Sunday Times, Musk

☆ Harry Potter: Original cover art for ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’ to go on sale
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —J.K. Rowling’s 1997 novel “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was the beginning of what would become a worldwide phenomenon. Now, the original illustration for the first edition of the book is going on sale. Taylor’s cover was used for several translated versions of the book, the auction house said. The first edition of 1997 book "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" -- which Taylor illustrated. The manuscript is one of six handwritten by the British author that was originally intended as gifts for people closely involved with the publication of “Harry Potter,” according to the release.

Persons: CNN —, Harry Potter, ”, Thomas Taylor, Harry Potter –, Sotheby's, “, “ Harry Potter, Taylor, Shutterstock Taylor Organizations: CNN, Hogwarts Express, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft, Heritage Auctions Locations: Sotheby’s, London, Dallas , Texas, New York, American, British

☆ Daniel Radcliffe ‘really sad’ about J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans rhetoric
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Don’t look for Daniel Radcliffe and J.K. Rowling to reunite any time soon. Radcliffe found fame as a child actor starring as Harry Potter in the film franchise based on Rowling’s wildly successful book series. In a recently published interview with The Atlantic, Radcliffe talked about Rowling’s past comments that have been perceived by many as anti-trans. Radcliffe released a statement via The Trevor Project shortly after Rowling’s posts in 2020. “Transgender women are women,” he wrote in his statement.

Persons: Daniel Radcliffe, J.K, Rowling, Radcliffe, Harry Potter, ”, menstruate ”, Trevor, ” Radcliffe, Harry Potter ”, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, “, ” Rowling, Dan, Emma, “ celebs, ” “ Organizations: CNN, Atlantic Locations: British

☆ Scotland’s new hate crime law was meant to protect against prejudice. It ended up sowing further division
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Amy Cassidy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Scotland’s Hate Crime and Public Order Act came into force last week, a contentious law that expands existing legislation to include transgender identity as a protected characteristic from hate crimes. In the first week of the law’s enactment, a feminist group, “Let Women Speak,” organized a rally against the legislation in Scotland’s capital on Saturday. Another major concern for those who oppose the Hate Crime Act is the supposed lack of clarity on what type of behavior could constitute an offense under the new law. But 25-year-old Scottish trans student Lucy (who asked not to be identified by her real name due to concerns about continued online abuse), said the new law does not reassure her. Scotland’s proposed reforms would have allowed transgender people to self-identify, without the need for a medical diagnosis or certificate.

Persons: –, – Humza Yousaf, ”, JK Rowling, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Jane Barlow, ’, Susan Smith, “, ’ ” Smith, Siobhan Brown, Rowling, Harry Potter, Yousaf, J, Rowling waded, Angela Weiss, ” Vic Valentine, Lucy, Scotland’s, hadn’t, Musk, Ian Miles Cheong Organizations: CNN, ” Scottish, Reuters, Scottish, Women Scotland, Community Safety, Police Scotland, BBC, Getty, Scottish Trans, Public Affairs, Equality Network, Scottish Police Federation, ” Police, Courier, PA Media, Police Locations: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom, British, Scottish, Malaysian

☆ Billionaire golf fans' favorite tournament, the Masters, kicks off this week in Augusta
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Madeline Berg | Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Masters Tournament begins this week at Augusta National Golf Club. That's thanks to the Masters Tournament, the first in an annual run of major professional golf championships and a favorite of the superrich. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice became one of the first women to join Augusta National in 2012. But if you're not a member, you're not invited by a member, you're not getting on Augusta National." The names of Augusta National members are kept confidential, though their green jackets are a tell.

Persons: Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, —, Dirk Ziff, Stanley Druckenmiller —, Barnabas Carrega, Carrega, State Condoleezza Rice, Timothy A, Clary, weren't, Darla Dee Moore, Richard Rainwater, Augusta National's, Billy Casper, Horton Smith, Jamie Squire, Phil Knight —, Robert Rowling, Herbert Allen Jr, David Duffield, Ernest Garcia, Greg Mondre, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, that's Organizations: Augusta National Golf, Private, Service, Michelin, Golf, Bloomberg, State, Augusta National, Getty, Augusta, Augusta Regional Airport, Nike, reselling, Ticketmaster Locations: Augusta , Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, United States, Carvana

There's a pretty good chance you've already seen the Harry Potter movies, but it's never a bad time for a rewatch. How to watch Harry Potter in the USAll eight Harry Potter movies are available to stream on Peacock. Shop at Peacock TVHow to watch Harry Potter in the UKIn the UK, all Harry Potter movies are available to stream for free on ITVX, ITV's ad-supported free streaming counterpart. How to watch Harry Potter from anywhereIf you're currently outside the UK and want to watch Harry Potter for free, you might want to try a VPN (virtual private network). Shop at ExpressVPNHow to watch Harry Potter with a VPNSign up for a VPN if you don't already have one.

Persons: Harry Potter, J.K, Rowling, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Voldemort, it's, Peacock, Oppenheimer, Kung Fu Panda, They're, ExpressVPN Organizations: Business, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft, Netflix, ITV

☆ Scottish Hate Crime Law Takes Effect as Critics Warn It Will Stifle Speech
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Sopan Deb | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A sweeping law targeting hate speech went into effect in Scotland on Monday, promising protection against threats and abuse but drawing criticism that it could have a chilling effect on free speech. The protected classes as defined in the law include age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and transgender identity. Racial hatred was omitted because it is already covered by a law from 1986. The new law also does not include women among the protected groups; a government task force has recommended that misogyny be addressed in separate legislation. J.K. Rowling, the “Harry Potter” author who has been criticized as transphobic for her comments on gender identity, said the law was “wide open to abuse by activists,” and took issue with its omission of women.

Persons: ”, Rowling, Harry Potter ”, transphobic Organizations: Scottish Locations: Scotland

☆ JK Rowling hits out at reports calling a transgender cat killer and convicted murderer a woman
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Nathan Rennolds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewJK Rowling has hit out at reports calling a transgender cat killer and convicted murderer a woman. It is not the first time Rowling has aired her views on transgender issues. In a 2020 statement released via The Trevor Project, Daniel Radcliffe, who played the films' titular character, said: "Transgender women are women. AdvertisementTiffany Scott, also known as Andrew Burns, died on Thursday aged 32, the Scottish Prison Service confirmed, per The Telegraph.

Persons: —, Rowling, Harry Potter, Scarlet Blake, Jorge Martin Carreno, Blake, Jon Capps, Forstater, JK Rowling, I've, Daniel Radcliffe, Jo, Tiffany Scott, Andrew Burns Organizations: Service, Sky, Business, Spanish, BBC, Thames Valley Police, JK, Scottish Prison Service Locations: Scotland

☆ 'The NRA is not Wayne LaPierre,' gun lobby lawyer tells NY corruption jury, distancing the group from longtime leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThe National Rifle Association continued walking a fine line in fighting New York's civil corruption charges on Tuesday, praising outgoing leader Wayne LaPierre as "visionary" in opening statements while also calling themselves his victim. AdvertisementThe NRA told its membership in a surprise announcement on Friday that LaPierre will step down on January 31. Advertisement"You will learn from members of the NRA board that the NRA continues to honor the legacy of Wayne LaPierre," she told the jury, before repeating, "but the NRA is not Wayne LaPierre." New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the gun lobby, LaPierre, and three other longtime NRA leaders three years ago. The jury must determine if the NRA, LaPierre, Phillips and Frazer are liable for breaking state not-for-profit law, and what amount of money, if any, should be repaid to the NRA.

Persons: —, Wayne LaPierre, Sarah B, Rogers, LaPierre, Sonya Rowling, Wayne, Mr, Letitia James, Joshua Powell, Wilson, Woody, Phillips, John Frazer, Powell, Frazer, Joel Cohen, Nick Suplina, Suplina Organizations: Service, Rifle Association, Business, NRA, New, AG, New York, Safety, Chaos Locations: Manhattan, Texas, Lyme, New York, Wayne's, Orange

☆ British author A.S. Byatt, who won Booker prize for 'Possession' dies aged 87
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Man Booker Prize shortlisted authors Adam Foulds (L), Hilary Mantel (2nd L), A S Byatt (2nd R) and Simon Mawer pose for photographers in London October 5, 2009. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Booker-prize winning British novelist Antonia Susan Byatt, known most commonly as A.S. Byatt, has died aged 87, her publisher said in a statement on Friday. Byatt, whose career spanned nearly 60 years, was best known for her 1990 novel "Possession: A Romance". Seven years later came her breakthrough with Possession, which became a bestseller and won the coveted Booker Prize for Fiction the same year. Byatt won a number of awards and titles including a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) and DBE (Dame of the British Empire).

Persons: Booker, Adam Foulds, Hilary, Simon Mawer, Toby Melville, Antonia Susan Byatt, Byatt, Margaret Drabble, Antonia, Charles, Gwyneth Paltrow, Harry Potter, JK Rowling, Mike Collett, White, Kylie MacLellan, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Chatto & Windus, Penguin Random, Quaker, Cambridge, Oxford, Thomson Locations: London, British, English, Sheffield, York

NEW YORK (AP) — Britney Spears' memoir “The Woman in Me” has sold 1.1 million copies in the U.S. alone through its first week. On the day of publication, Spears posted on Instagram that her book had become “the highest selling celebrity memoir in history.” It is not, so far, even the highest selling memoir of 2023. But Prince Harry's memoir “Spare,” which came out in January, sold 1.6 million U.S. copies in its first week. In one day last week, from Monday to Tuesday, Spears’ catalog jumped 18.2% in on-demand streams, and 36.8% in album sales. According to Luminate, her U.S. streams increased 24% over the previous week — from 16 million to 19.8 million; her album sales were up 61.4% and digital sales 49%.

Persons: Britney Spears, ”, Spears, Simon & Schuster, Justin Timberlake, Prince, Luminate, Oscar, Michelle Williams, Williams, Barack Obama's, Michelle Obama's “, Harry Potter, “ Harry Potter, Maria Sherman Organizations: Books, Simon & Locations: U.S, ”

☆ The difficult task of verifying truth in a war zone, especially now
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A report of "40 beheaded babies" in Israel made the rounds last week as journalists worked to verify it. AdvertisementAdvertisementLast week, I was watching CNN and heard a someone describing the Hamas attacks on a kibbutz referencing 40 beheaded babies. The i24news' online story references "40 babies and young children" taken out on gurneys from the town of Kfar Aza. "I just wanted to clarify that I did not tweet 40 babies had been beheaded. Clearly fed up with the mess, BBC's Sardarizadeh, wrote on X, "War is not a game for retweets and likes on social media."

Persons: Claire Atkinson, —, Cooper, Nic Robertson, Robertson, Rashida, Kfar Aza, Marc Owen Jones, JK, Bel, Anna Botting, hadn't, Justin Peden, Sardarizadeh, Elon, Elon Musk, Thierry Breton, Musk, BBC's Sardarizadeh, Rupert Murdoch, She's, Atkinson Organizations: Media, Service, CNN, Fox, Fox News, The Independent, Sky News, Comcast, Times, The Media Locations: Israel, Kfar, Gaza

As a result, books like “Call Me Max” have been challenged or outright removed from schools and libraries in Florida, as well as other states — and though some believe book bans lead to more book sales, authors say the effect of those bans is devastating for their careers. These bans “overwhelmingly” target books about race and racism, as well as books with LGBTQ characters, PEN America said in its September study on school book bans. The MoveOn Banned Book Mobile stops for an event with local authors and teachers on October 1, 2023 in Decatur, Georgia. “(A book ban) would make news, and people would say, ‘I’ll buy this book just to show them,’” Lukoff said of the once-common result of book bans. Lukoff said his first high-profile bans occurred in early 2021, in Austin and Salt Lake City, when book bans first started to accelerate.

Persons: CNN —, Ron DeSantis, Max, ”, ‘, ” DeSantis, Max ”, Kyle Lukoff, Newbery, “ I’ve, —, ” Lukoff, “, ” Kyle Lukoff's, Marvin Joseph, Phil Bildner, ” “, Bildner, PEN America, Tasslyn Magnusson, Read, Derek White, Magnusson, ” Laurie Halse Anderson’s, George M, Deborah Caldwell, Stone, Angie Thomas, “ Maus, “ Maus ”, ” Magnusson, Lukoff, BookScan, Juno, Mike Curato’s “, John Green’s “, Samira Ahmed, Laura Gluckman, Armando L, Sanchez, Maus, ’ ” Lukoff, … that’s, they’re, she’s, haven’t, “ It’s, isn’t, Ahmed, ” Bildner, Caldwell, J.K, Rowling, Harper Lee, Art Spiegelman, ‘ Maus, ’ ”, Torrey Maldonado, ” Maldonado, who’ve, Eileen T, ’ ” Magnusson, ’, ” Ahmed, it’s, “ I’m, I’m, Maldonado, They’re Organizations: CNN, Florida Gov, Washington Post, PEN America, Liberty, Utah Parents United, Mobile, American, Association’s, Intellectual, ”, Association of American Publishers, Women, Chicago Tribune, Getty, America Locations: Florida, bookshelves, Rye, PEN, Utah, Decatur , Georgia, Tennessee, Alaska, Chicago, Sandmeyer's, Austin, Salt Lake City

☆ Daniel Radcliffe and other 'Harry Potter' stars remember 'magnificent' Michael Gambon
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Daniel Radcliffe, the lead star of the original “Harry Potter” film franchise, is remembering his late costar Michael Gambon after Gambon died of pneumonia this week at age 82. “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling also took time to remember the actor on Thursday, writing on X/Twitter, “I’ve just heard the awful news about Michael Gambon. Actor Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the “Potter” films, called Gambon “magnificent” in his tribute on X/Twitter, continuing, “I learned what acting could be from Michael in The Singing Detective - complex, vulnerable and utterly human. “We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon,” the statement issued by his publicist Clair Dobbs said, according to PA. Correction: A previous version of this story erroneously attributed a quote to Daniel Radcliffe.

Persons: CNN — Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter, Michael Gambon, Gambon, “ Michael Gambon, I’ve, ” Radcliffe, “, ”, Rupert Grint, Ron Weasley, Michael, ” Gambon, Dumbledore, Harry Potter ”, Richard Harris, “ Harry Potter ”, J.K, Rowling, “ I’ve, King Lear, you’d, I’d, ” “ Michael, Jason Isaacs, Lucius Malfoy, Potter, Sir Michael Gambon, Clair Dobbs, Daniel Radcliffe Organizations: CNN, Media, Radcliffe

☆ Michael Gambon, actor who played Dumbledore in 'Harry Potter' films, dies at 82
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Michael Gambon Arriving At The World Premiere Of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2, In Trafalgar Square In Central London. Actor Michael Gambon, known for playing Professor Albus Dumbledore in multiple "Harry Potter" movies has died, his family said in a statement Thursday. "We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon," said the statement issued on behalf of his wife, Anne, and son Fergus by publicist Clair Dobbs. He also won three Olivier Awards and two ensemble cast Screen Actors Guild Awards — for 2001's "Gosford Park" and "The King's Speech." But he was perhaps best known for his role as Dumbledore in the "Harry Potter" franchise, taking over the role from the late Richard Harris from the third installment in the eight-movie series.

Persons: Michael Gambon, Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, Sir Michael Gambon, Anne, Fergus, Clair Dobbs, Gambon, Laurence Olivier, Derek Jacobi, Maggie Smith, Cook, King George V, Lord Salisbury, Victoria, Abdul, Olivier, —, Dumbledore, Richard Harris, Rowling's, Anne Miller, Philippa Hart Organizations: Hallows, Central London, National Theatre, British Academy of Film, Television Arts Locations: Trafalgar, Central, Dublin, Britain

☆ The raw materials for creating AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Alistair Barr | Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The AI models behind this technology are built using high-quality datasets from millions of different sources. These are the raw materials for model "training," in industry parlance. Nvidia GPUs are the main hardware required for AI model training. AdvertisementAdvertisementOver 8,000 authors, including Margaret Atwood and James Patterson, signed an open letter demanding compensation from AI companies for using their works to train AI without permission. Got a tip or insights about the leading AI companies OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and Meta?

Persons: ChatGPT, Nat Friedman, Ben Thompson, Friedman, There's, OpenAI, Reddit, Sarah Silverman, Margaret Atwood, James Patterson, JK Rowling's Harry Potter, Alistair Barr Organizations: Service, Nvidia, Tech, Amazon, LexisNexis, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Twitter Locations: Wall, Silicon, abarr@insider.com

☆ Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

Jeffrey A. TrachtenbergJeffrey Trachtenberg covers the book industry and is part of the Journal’s Media and Marketing Bureau in New York. Other topics in Jeff’s coverage have included the popularity of political books, debates over “cancel culture” within publishing houses and other literary trends. Jeff co-authored a 2021 series on the succession drama at Scholastic, following the unexpected death of the children’s publisher’s longtime boss. Jeff has also covered the magazine industry for the Journal, chronicling how giants such as Condé Nast have sought to pivot from a focus on glossy print titles into online publishers. Previously, Jeff covered the retailing, consumer electronics and music industries for the Journal, reporting on such big retail chains as Federated Department Stores and Saks Fifth Avenue, and the music arms of Sony, Bertelsmann and Polygram.

Persons: Jeffrey A, Trachtenberg Jeffrey Trachtenberg, he’s, Barnes, Noble, Jimmy Carter, Philip Roth, J.K, Rowling, Jeff, Condé Nast, Barry, Meredith, Ralph Lauren, Jacqueline Bisset, Kirk Douglas, Lew Wasserman Organizations: Journal’s Media, Marketing Bureau, Scholastic, IAC, Better Homes, Gardens, Federated Department Stores, Saks Fifth, Sony, Bertelsmann, Polygram, Forbes, Franklin & Marshall College Locations: New York, Westchester, N.Y

☆ 'Data leverage' and the Harry Potter test: How much is a single book worth to a giant AI model?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

This month, serious AI researchers waded into this debate with 2 papers that seek to address various aspects of the situation. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Harry Potter testThen the researchers went deep into the weeds, using J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books to see if individual pieces of data influence AI model performance. The other datastore excluded all 7 Harry Potter books. Then they repeated the exercise, excluding the second Harry Potter book, then the third, and so on. Important legal benefitsHelping J.K. Rowling make even more money from her Harry Potter books was not the goal of the SILO study, though.

Persons: Nick Vincent, Vincent, what's, Benedict Evans, I've, I'm, Harry Potter, Rowling's Harry Potter, LLMs, there's, Rowling, Oren Etzoni, Etzioni Organizations: Morning, Simon Fraser University, University of Washington, UC Berkeley, Allen Institute, AI Locations: Vancouver, Google's, Seattle

☆ ByteDance AI researchers say OpenAI now tries to hide that ChatGPT was trained on J.K. Rowling's copyrighted Harry Potter books
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Companies like OpenAI are under growing scrutiny over their use of copyrighted material. Prompts about Harry Potter books have showed how common the use of copyrighted work is in LLMs. ChatGPT is trying to hide that it was trained on copyrighted material, according to new research. As do many other AI models, given they've been trained on huge swaths of copyrighted material. The researchers suggested that users who prompt these models to show copyrighted work are "misusing" the technology.

Persons: ChatGPT, Harry Potter, OpenAI's ChatGPT, OpenAI, Microsoft –, J.K, Rowling, Kali Hays Organizations: Google, Microsoft, Tsinghua University China, Twitter Locations: LLMs, Meta, khays

☆ Artists are losing the battle against AI. Glaze, a tool that's found a way to trick algorithms, is giving them a fighting chance.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AI would soon be better than human artists, Beverly was told. In October, Beverly checked a website, HaveIBeenTrained.com, that reveals if an artwork or photo was used to teach AI models. That image can still be fed to AI learning models, but the data gleaned from it would be inaccurate, Zhao told Insider. His team conceptualized the program when they were contacted by artists worried that AI models were specifically targeting their personal work. That could theoretically lead to a pseudo-arms race, where AI companies and the Glaze team continually try to one-up each other.

Persons: they've, She'd, Gigs, Beverly, I'd, Glaze, Ben Zhao, Zhao, Jackson, Autumn Beverly, Beverly Glaze, Celso Flores, Flickr, It's, Van Gogh, Sarah Andersen, Andersen, she's, you've, that's, Haibing Lu, Lu, Martin Senftleben, Senftleben, Harry Potter, J.K, Rowling doesn't, I'm, Midjourney Organizations: University of Chicago, Autumn Beverly, of Liberty, The University of Chicago, Santa Clara University, Tech, University of Amsterdam, Artists Locations: Ohio, —

☆ Warner Bros, NetEase launch 'Harry Potter: Magic Awakened' video game
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

June 27 (Reuters) - A Warner Bros Discovery Inc (WBD.O) unit and China's NetEase Inc on Tuesday announced the worldwide launch of role-playing video game "Harry Potter: Magic Awakened". The free-to-play title will let players experience life as a student at Hogwarts, the fictional school of wizardry in the popular "Harry Potter" series of books by J.K.Rowling. Players can learn magic spells and summon "Harry Potter" characters such as Hermione Granger and Rubeus Hagrid as allies to aid in their battles. The game can be downloaded for free on iOS and Android platforms from Tuesday, the companies said. Reporting by Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb ChakrabartyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Harry Potter, J.K.Rowling, Hermione Granger, Rubeus Hagrid, Tiyashi Datta, Saumyadeb Organizations: Warner Bros Discovery Inc, Inc, Tuesday, Thomson Locations: Hogwarts, Bengaluru

☆ Russian legislators are targeting transgender people. It's the latest move that copies GOP talking points from the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian legislators are targeting transgender people in a move that mirrors US GOP politics. A new bill in Moscow would ban gender affirming care for any reason other than birth defects. According to state media, the bill would also ban gender changes in public record information. The bill, put forward on Tuesday, would ban gender-affirming surgeries and care, according to Russian state media outlet TASS. Seventy-eight bills targeting transgender care have passed this year, while 373 bills are currently being actively considered, according to Trans Legislation Tracker.

☆ An LGBTQ+ creator got death threats after working with Target
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —When a Target distributor reached out to Erik Carnell last year about possibly placing his brand, Abprallen, in Target stores, he was thrilled. In the following months, Carnell pitched Target and came up with designs that would be appropriate for the big box store, he said. Ultimately, Target started selling three Abprallen items for adults: A sweatshirt, a tote bag and a messenger bag, each emblazoned with a different phrase. By Wednesday, Target had pulled Abprallen items from its US stores and online market, Reuters reported. Pride month merchandise is displayed at the front of a Target store in Hackensack, N.J., Wednesday, May 24, 2023.

☆ Researchers found a surefire predictor of success — and what separates those who find it from those who keep failing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Susie Allen | Kellogg Insight | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Using this insight, the researchers are able to successfully predict an individual's long-term success with just a small amount of information about that person's initial attempts. Indeed, in another recent study, Wang himself found that an early career setback often set up scientists for later success. In all three datasets, an individual's second-to-last attempt did tend have a higher probability of success than their very first effort. Rather, there's a singular learning threshold that separates eventual successes from the rest. "Thomas Edison said, 'people give up because they don't know how close they are to success,'" Wang explains.

☆ What to know about Bluesky, the Twitter alternative that some celebrities and journalists are joining
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

While Bluesky's beta was made public in February, buzz surrounding the platform grew in April as more Twitter users began posting about flocking there. Although the Bluesky app has many similarities to Twitter, its key difference is that it is organized around a decentralized system. One person even claimed to sell Bluesky invite codes for more than $190 on eBay. The Bluesky app racked up 375,000 downloads on iOS worldwide as of Wednesday, according to analytics firm Data.ai. Jordan Uhl, a progressive activist with more than 271,000 followers on Twitter, joined Bluesky on April 14.

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