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☆ The Mississippi River's flow is the weakest it's been in 35 years. Seawater overtaking the river could make New Orleans' drinking water too salty for months.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Saltwater will soon rush into the Mississippi River, which hit its lowest flow rate since 1988. AdvertisementAdvertisementFor the second year in a row, the Mississippi River water level is at an extreme low. AdvertisementAdvertisementThat's because a low flow rate could allow saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico to push into the river and pollute the source of drinking water for thousands. AdvertisementAdvertisementUSACE officials beyond Louisiana are also working to mitigate the effects of low water levels and low flow rates. Ultimately, rain — and a lot of it — is what the Mississippi River will need to reach its average water level and flow rate again, Roe and Dell'Orco both agreed.

Persons: John Bel Edwards, —, We're, Matt Roe, Roe, Joe Biden, Edwards, Lou Dell'Orco, Louis District, Dell'Orco Organizations: Gov, Service, New, US Army Corps of Engineers, USACE, Louis Locations: Mississippi, Louisiana, New Orleans, Gulf, Mexico, Algiers, Plaquemines Parish, Missouri

☆ Ukraine needs to source new consumer drones that it can retrofit with explosives as China dials back sales to the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese consumer drones are essential to Ukraine's war effort. Ukraine is now trying to source consumer drones and their parts from elsewhere — no easy task. The move came more than a year after DJI, a major Chinese technology company, stopped selling drones to Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainians retrofit the consumer drones in all kinds of ways so they can deliver added payloads on Russian forces and territory. Nearly one month after the export restrictions went into effect, Ukraine is now scrambling to source consumer drones and their parts from anywhere they can.

Persons: —, DJI Organizations: Service, New York Times, Times Locations: China, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Boston

☆ Ukraine is retrofitting agricultural drones designed for farmers with 20-kilogram bombs that can be aimed at tanks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Ukraine is using drones meant for farmers to target Russia's tanks. They retrofit the drones with weapons and other components before sending them into battle. This resourcefulness is part of a larger Ukrainian reliance on low-cost consumer drones. Kolesnyk's efforts reflect a larger trend in Ukraine's drone strategy: turning low-cost consumer drones into military weapons. In addition to the farm drones, Ukrainian forces are also relying on low-cost hobbyist drones to take down Russian armored vehicles.

Persons: —, Oleksii Kolesnyk Organizations: Service, New York Times, Times Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian

☆ Government shutdown 2023 update: Fat Bear Week in Alaska could be canceled
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

And that would put a beloved past-time in jeopardy: Fat Bear Week. That means Fat Bear Week is a celebration of the health of these bears and their chances of surviving winter. Months of preparation go into each Fat Bear Week. Not all hope for Fat Bear Week is lost, however. AdvertisementAdvertisement"While I remain confident that Fat Bear Week will happen this year, I am unsure if it'll happen as currently scheduled," Mike Fitz, a former Katmai ranger who founded Fat Bear Week, told the Post.

Persons: —, Brooks, Mike Fitz Organizations: Service, Rangers, National Parks Service, Washington Post

☆ Ukraine's air force shot down 34 Iran-made Shahed drones overnight, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's air force shot down 34 Russian drones in an overnight attack, officials said. Ukraine is now using new air defense systems from the United States and Germany. Russia has used the Shahed-136 drones in a series of destructive attacks on Ukrainian cities in the last year. In one attack, Shahed-136 drones struck two energy facilities in Odesa, leaving 1.5 million people in Ukraine without power for several days. But while Iran is increasing its supply of drones like these, Ukraine has increased its air defense capacity to better defend against them.

Persons: —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, George Barros Organizations: Service, Reuters, Ukraine, Institute for Locations: Russia, Ukraine, United States, Germany, Iran, Odesa, Iranian, Washington

☆ NASA will preserve asteroid samples from OSIRIS-Rex for centuries to come so that scientists not even born yet can study them
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Maiya Focht | Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An asteroid sample collected by NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft landed in the Utah desert Sunday. The landing marked the end of NASA's first ever mission to collect an asteroid sample. The rocks and dust from asteroid Bennu will prove useful to scientists for centuries to come. It was carrying rock and dust samples collected by the spacecraft from the asteroid Bennu in 2020. The team had to pivot, storing the sample inside its return capsule straight away instead of weighing it first as planned.

Persons: NASA's OSIRIS, REx, NASA's, REx —, Noah Petro, Petro, Richard Burns, OSIRIS, " Burns, Dante Lauretta, hasn't, Lauretta Organizations: Service, NASA Locations: Utah, Wall, Silicon

☆ 9 orcas have died so far this year after they were trapped in fishery equipment off the coast of Alaska
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Nine orcas have died after becoming entangled in fishing equipment off the Alaska coast this year. Only five orcas died from fishing equipment in the region between 2016 and 2020. From 2016 to 2020, meanwhile, just five orcas were caught and killed by fishing gear off the Alaska coast, NOAA reported. These orcas likely aren't members of the Southern Resident species, of which there were only 73 individuals left in 2022. Orcas made headlines throughout this summer, but for a very different reason: killer whales began ramming into boats off the coast of Spain and Portugal almost daily.

Persons: Hannah Myers, orcas, Orcas Organizations: Service, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Anchorage Daily, Southern Locations: Alaska, Wall, Silicon, Anchorage, Northern California , Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Spain, Portugal

☆ A species of jellyfish carrying one of the most deadly venoms in the world is capable of learning despite not having a brain, new research shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Box jellyfish do not have brains — yet, a new study shows they are still capable of learning. Researchers over time managed to train box jellyfish to avoid obstacles in a low-light environment. That means they can learn and change their behavior using only their nervous system, the study shows. Now, researchers have discovered the killer creatures are actually capable of learning, despite not having brains. AdvertisementAdvertisementGarm told the Times this research could help answer the question of whether the learning is universal for organisms with nervous systems.

Persons: Anders Garm, Garm Organizations: Service, New York Times Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Can college sports teams unionize? We're about to find out.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The case for unionizing college sports teams is a precarious one, as athletes face significant barriers under federal labor law. The NCAA, along with the colleges that house sports teams, consider players amateurs and, therefore, not employees of their college. There is an NLRB case that an administrative law judge will hear this November that could open the floodgates for college teams to unionize. If the judge rules in favor of the National College Players Association, it would give both public and private college athletes the right to unionize under the NLRA, LeRoy said. Have other college sports teams tried to unionize before?

Persons: Cade Haskins, Romeo Myrthil, Michael LeRoy, LeRoy, —, Jennifer Abruzzo, Haskins, Myrthil, shouldn't, Northwestern, Irwin Kishner, Herrick Feinstein, Kishner, we'll Organizations: Dartmouth, Service, NCAA, Ivy League, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, University of Illinois, National Labor Relations, unionizing, National College Players, University of Southern, USC, National College Players Association, Ivy League Agreement, Northwestern, Sports Law Locations: Wall, Silicon, Urbana, Champaign, University of Southern California, Abruzzo, unionize, New York

☆ Ukraine's new defense minister says he wants to rebuild the country's military industrial complex
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's new defense minister says the country is focusing on increasing local arms production. In the meantime, the US has announced another boost to artillery shell production to aid Ukraine. Now, two weeks into the job, Umerov said one of his top priorities is to rebuild Ukraine's cache of ammunition by ramping up local production, using local manufacturers whenever possible, The Economist reported. Umerov said he plans to boost local production by reforming state enterprises and incentivizing private arms manufacturers, which make up between 20% and 30% of local production, according to The Economist. Under Umerov, those private manufacturers could eventually account for as much as 80% of local output within five years, Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukraine's minister of strategic industries, told the outlet.

Persons: Rustem Umerov, Umerov, Bill LaPlante, Oleksandr Kamyshin Organizations: US, Service Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russia

☆ Ukraine used US-provided Strykers to break through a key Russian defensive line littered with minefields and trenches
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine used US-supplied armored vehicles to break through a series of key Russian defensive lines. The vehicles, called Strykers, were first spotted in battle last month. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. Ukrainian forces broke through the Surovikin Line, a series of Russian defenses littered with anti-vehicle spikes and minefields, a commanding officer told The Washington Post. Ukraine first sent these US-supplied vehicles — called Strykers — into battle last month in the southern Zaporizhzhia Region.

Persons: Kyrylo Budanov Organizations: Fleet, Service, Washington Post, Street Journal Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Crimea, Wall, Silicon, Zaporizhzhia Region, Russia

☆ Ukraine is now flying so many low-budget drones on the front lines with Russia it is coordinating them using air traffic control
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian forces are using plastic drones typically sold to hobbyists. These low-budget drones are able to evade Russian air defense systems, operators said. They've proven successful, helping Ukrainian forces destroy two major electronic warfare systems. Drone operators are also switching between radio frequencies and forgoing GPS navigation to fly under Russia' radar. Ukrainian forces then ordered a strike that destroyed both.

Persons: They've, they've, Yevhen Popov, Hacker Organizations: Service, New York Times, Times Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia

☆ Apple informs journalists Russia is targeting them with Pegasus spyware
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia appears to be targeting journalists with spyware known as Pegasus. Pegasus is a "zero-click" software, hacking phones by sending texts that don't need to be opened. Tech and privacy experts later revealed that Timchenko, leader of independent media outlet Meduza, had been targeted by the "zero-click" spyware Pegasus, The New York Times reported. Several other journalists affiliated with independent Russian media outlets reported receiving similar warnings from Apple on Thursday, according to the Times. Later that same year, a report revealed several US State Department employees living in or focusing on Uganda had also been hacked by the software, Insider reported.

Persons: Galina Timchenko, Timchenko, — Yevegny Erlich —, Pegasus — Organizations: Service, Apple, Tech, New York Times, Pegasus, Times, Amnesty International, NSO, US State Department Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Russian, Uganda

☆ Here's how General Motors' CEO Mary Barra justifies her $29 million salary
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Auto workers are striking for a 40% pay increase from General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. General Motors CEO Mary Barra is so far offering auto workers a 20% pay increase. The United Auto Workers union is demanding, among other things, a 40% hourly pay increase over four years. General Motors CEO Mary Barra, meanwhile, is the highest-paid of the three CEOs, making about $29 million a year. AdvertisementAdvertisementThat 20% increase is still 14 percentage points less than Barra's was over the last four years.

Persons: Mary Barra, Barra, Barra's Organizations: Auto, General Motors, Ford, Service, United Auto Workers, CNN Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Russia is trying to auction off Zelenskyy's apartment in Crimea
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Now, they're auctioning them off, including Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's apartment. The news comes just days after Ukraine launched an offensive on a Russian naval shipyard in Crimea. Now, Russian-installed officials in Crimea — placed there by Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 — say they will soon auction off about 100 of these properties, Reuters reported. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussian officials first announced in May they would sell Zelenskyy's Crimea apartment and use the proceeds to fund their war in Ukraine, Insider previously reported. The announcement of the planned auction comes after Ukrainian forces launched a missile strike against a Russian naval shipyard in Crimea on Wednesday morning, Insider previously reported.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy's, Crimea —, Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Konstantinov, — Organizations: Service, Reuters, Authorities Locations: Russia, Crimean, Ukraine, Russian, Crimea, Wall, Silicon, Minsk, Crimean Tatars

☆ Kaiser Permanente workers vote to authorize a strike, setting the stage for what could be the largest healthcare strike in US history
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Last month, 85,000 Kaiser Permanente employees launched a strike authorization vote. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions represents workers in 95% of these facilities, meaning more than 11 million people who rely on Kaiser Permanente could be affected. If they fail and the workers walkout, it would be the largest healthcare strike in US history. Kaiser Permanente healthcare employees in the Coalition in Washington, Oregon, and Colorado have also voted to authorize the strike. This means the overwhelming majority of unionized Kaiser Permanente healthcare employees will strike, even as voting continues in three more states and Washington, DC.

Persons: California —, isn't, Kaiser, Keven, Miriam De La, Kaiser Permanente Organizations: Kaiser Permanente, Morning, SEIU, United Healthcare Workers West, Coalition, Kaiser Permanente Unions, Permanente, United Healthcare Workers, Miriam De La Paz, Kaiser Locations: California, United States, Washington , Oregon, Colorado, Washington, DC, Oregon

☆ Extremist attacks on US power grids are increasing and election seasons are usually a popular time for them, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Power grid attacks doubled from the first quarter of 2022 to the same period in 2023, Politico reported. One expert also told Politico that spikes have coincided with the 2020 and 2022 election seasons. Politico found that the number of power grid attacks in the first three months of 2023 had doubled compared to the same time period in 2022. Power grid attacks spiked during both the 2020 and 2022 election seasons, Manny Cancel, senior vice president at the North American Electric Reliability Corp, told Politico. The FBI has warned power executives to remain diligent and aware of threats to the grid, Politico reported.

Persons: Manny Cancel Organizations: Politico, Service, North American Electric Reliability Corp, FBI Locations: Wall, Silicon, United States, Virginia , North Carolina, South Carolina

☆ The former Russian arms dealer known as the "Merchant of Death" who the US exchanged for Brittney Griner is back in Russia and now learning to use a smartphone
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The US swapped Viktor Bout, a once notorious Russian arms dealer, for WNBA star Britney Griner, last year. Known as the "Merchant of Death," Bout spent 15 years in a US prison. Bout is now back in Russia, adjusting to modern life, and running for local office. Advertisement Advertisement Watch:The career pivot isn't the only challenge facing Bout, who was first arrested by police in Thailand in 2008 before his extradition to the United States. Since his release, Bout has been a vocal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

Persons: Viktor Bout, Britney Griner, Brittney Griner, Griner, it's, Bout, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: WNBA, Service, New York Times, Times, Kremlin Liberal Democratic Party Locations: Russian, Russia, Wall, Silicon, United States, Ulyanovsk, Moscow, Thailand, Ukraine, He's

☆ New Elon Musk biography confirms he has 3rd child with Grimes named Techno Mechanicus
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A new biography of Elon Musk confirms he has a third child with Grimes named Techno Mechanicus. Musk and Grimes had previously tried to keep the existence of their third child private. The child, whose age has not been made public, is named Techno Mechanicus and goes by the nickname, Tau. Accounting for Techno Mechanicus, Musk now has 10 known biological kids with three different women. Their first was born in 2020 and named X Æ A-Xii, or X.

Persons: Elon Musk, Grimes, Tesla, Walter Isaacson, Musk, Isaacson, Claire Boucher Organizations: Service, Tau, New York Times, Techno, SpaceX Locations: Wall, Silicon, Canadian, Crimea, Russia

☆ Photos show Kim Jong Un celebrating the launch of North Korea's new 'nuclear attack' submarine wearing a dapper cream suit, a sun hat, and really a big smile
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a celebration for a new 'nuclear attack' submarine on Friday. He watched the event and gave an address while wearing a cream suit, sun hat, and huge smile. North Korea state media reported that the submarine is meant to patrol the waters between Korea and Japan. Kim told event attendees that giving the North Korean Navy access to nuclear weapons was a priority. "Still, the design reflects Kim Jong Un's policy of increasing his nuclear force 'exponentially,'" Yang said.

Persons: Kim Jong Un, Kim, David Schmerler, James Martin, Schmerler, Joseph Dempsey, Yang Uk, Kim Jong, Yang Organizations: Service, North, North Korean Navy, James, James Martin Center, Nonproliferation Studies, Washington, Korean Central News Agency, Reuters, International Institute for Strategic Studies, BBC, Asian Institute for Policy Studies, New York Times Locations: Wall, Silicon, North Korea, Korea, Japan

☆ Kaiser Permanente patients are siding with its workers as they vote on whether or not to strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementVoting is underway among 85,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers on whether or not to authorize what would be the largest healthcare strike in US history. But despite the possibility of an interruption to their healthcare, some Kaiser Permanente patients are siding with the workers. What the strike could mean for Kaiser Permanente patientsThe Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions represents employees across dozens of roles at the company, including admissions staff, cleaners, phlebotomists, surgery assistants, and others. Mike Blake/ReutersShort staffing prevents quality healthcare, Kaiser Permanente patients and workers sayShort-staffing is the No. Dardon said the union effort has received a significant amount of support from Kaiser Permanente patients.

Persons: Kaiser, Mark Mason, Mason, Keven, Dardon, Mike Blake, Miriam De La, there's, De La Paz, Mason he'd, Kaiser Permanente, we've Organizations: Kaiser Permanente, Permanente, Kaiser Permanente Unions, Coalition, Healthcare, Miriam De La Paz Locations: Oregon, Kaiser

☆ The Ukraine War has accelerated research into lithium-ion battery alternatives, including ones made of sand
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The war in Ukraine has spurred more research into clean energy, including lithium-ion alternatives. Polar Night Energy says batteries made of sand could be as effective without the same risks. It has also spurred research into safer alternatives to the lithium-ion batteries used in the ever-expanding electric vehicle market. One of the key resulting innovations has been new alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, the development of which is tied to human rights abuses and environmental harm. Beyond the human rights abuses prevalent in the cobalt industry, lithium-ion batteries also present environmental hazards.

Persons: Olga Khakova, Khakova Organizations: Energy, Service, Research, The Washington Post, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council, Washington Post, Amnesty, Democratic, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Europe, Russia, Finnish, Democratic Republic of, Congo

☆ Texas is about to shut down an election office in a heavily Democratic county that includes Houston less than two months before the city's mayoral election
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Harris County, which includes Houston, must close its election administration office by Friday. Losing Republican candidates blamed the Harris County election office for their losses in 2022. But that election will no longer happen under the authority of Harris County elections officers. Harris County election office shut downLegislators passed the bill abolishing the Harris County elections office after so far unproven claims by losing Republican candidates that administrative issues at the office swayed the results of the November 2022 general election, the Texas Tribune reported. The Texas Office of the Attorney General did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.

Persons: Sylvester Turner, Greg Abbott, Christian Menefee, Menefee, Turner, Sheila Jackson Lee, State Sen, John Whitmire Organizations: Houston, Service, Democrat, Republicans, Democratic, Texas Gov, Republican, Texas Tribune, Houston Public Media, Texas Office, State Locations: Harris, Houston, Wall, Silicon, Harris County, Texas, Democratic Harris County

☆ A Texas judge has declared unconstitutional a law championed by Gov. Greg Abbott that limits the power of Democrat-led cities
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Texas judge declared a law that prevented cities from passing some local ordinances unconstitutional. Greg Abbott, a Republican, signed a bill into law in June that prohibited cities from passing certain local ordinances. "I am thrilled that Houston, our legal department, and sister cities were able to obtain this victory for Texas cities," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner wrote in a statement. "While the judge declared HB 2127 unconstitutional, she did not enjoin enforcement of the law by Texans who are harmed by local ordinances, which HB 2127 preempts," Willey wrote to Insider. "This is a HUGE win for the working people of Texas, local govs, and communities across our state," the Texas AFL-CIO posted in response to the decision.

Persons: Greg Abbott, Maya Guerra Gamble, Sylvester Turner, Gamble's, Paige Willey, Willey Organizations: Republican Gov, Democrat, Service, Republican, Houston, Legislature, Texans, Texas AFL Locations: Texas, Wall, Silicon, Houston

☆ NASA now has an instrument orbiting Earth that can see major air pollutants across North America, tracing them down to an exact neighborhood
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

NASA released test scans from TEMPO, a new Earth-orbiting instrument that measures pollution levels. It takes hourly scans of North America, tracking air pollutant levels down to the neighborhood. NASA has now revealed the first images from a new instrument launched alongside the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory that can track pollution levels with unprecedented precision. Thanks to the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution instrument, called TEMPO, NASA can now track air pollution across North America with enough detail to pinpoint pollutant levels in exact neighborhoods, according to a NASA press release. Credits: Kel Elkins, Trent Schindler, and Cindy Starr/NASA's Scientific Visualization StudioTEMPO will be especially helpful for improving studies on rush-hour traffic pollution, according to researchers.

Persons: Kel Elkins, Trent Schindler, Cindy Starr, Kelly Chance, Chance, Kevin Daugherty Organizations: NASA, Service, Smithsonian Astrophysical, Northeast, SpaceX Locations: America, Wall, Silicon, North America, Northeast United States, Angeles, Las Vegas, United States

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