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☆ Reports of Russia building nuclear space weapons have alarmed officials, but security experts aren't panicked — yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Cryptic intelligence reports this week of Russia building an unspecified nuclear space weapon stoked fear among Americans who worried escalating nuclear threats could mean global catastrophe is near. Experts on space security and the risks posed by nuclear weapons told Business Insider that rumors of Russia creating such a weapon are likely true but that it's not time to panic just yet. NPR reported the White House confirmed that Russia is working on a weapon that could threaten satellites in space but that nothing has been deployed. However, Russia has been developing anti-satellite weapons for years, John Erath, senior policy director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, told BI. But that's where this gets a little bit complicated because a nuclear weapon isn't really that."

Persons: US —, John Erath, They've, they've, Erath, Victoria Samson, Samson Organizations: Service, Business, CNN, NPR, White House, Soviet Union, US, Center for Arms Control, Prime, Station, Hubble, SpaceX, GPS, Starfish, Secure, Foundation Locations: Russia, Soviet, United States, Iraq

☆ Deepfake porn is a huge problem — here are some of the tools that could help stop it
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"The overall percentage is now lower, but the overall volume of deepfake content which is pornographic has exploded," Ajder said. Deepfake porn of pop superstar Taylor Swift has raised awareness of the issue. Criminal deterrentsThis has had an effect on legislation in the UK, where the Online Safety Act has made it illegal to distribute deepfake porn — but not to create it. AdvertisementThough hard to prosecute, criminalizing deepfake porn is still an important deterrent, in his view. In India, a deepfake porn scandal involving Bollywood actresses spurred the government to fasttrack legislation and pressure the big tech companies to prevent AI-generated content from being spread online.

Persons: —, Trace, Henry Ajder, Midjourney, Ajder, Taylor Swift, Bauer, Griffin, Elon Musk, Biden, ChatGPT, they're, it's, Ben Zhao, Joe Biden, Joe Morelle, deepfakes, criminalizing Organizations: Service, BBC News, Google, Meta, Coalition, telltale, University of Chicago, NPR, Anadolu, Getty, Associated Press, Federal Communications Commission Locations: Deepfakes, British, New York, New Hampshire, India

☆ My name is so common my husband even dated someone with the same name before meeting me
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Emily Grosvenor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Call it the John Smithification of naming: What was once a distinctive, literary-leaning name with nuanced shades of meaning has started to feel common and empty. AdvertisementEmily may mean “industrious, eager, ” but what I took from her is that to be an Emily (Emily Ratjakowski excluded) is to be a rule follower — at least publicly. AdvertisementMy husband dated an Emily before meBut once I joined the media world, they were everywhere — on all the magazine mastheads, in my ear as NPR reporters, sitting behind news desks, getting nominated for Oscars (Emma Stone is actually Emily, by the way). So, I’ve tasked myself with identifying a plural form for that moment when I discover several Emilys in one room.

Persons: —, Emily, “, It’s, John Smithification, I’ve, Susan, Emily Jean, ”, Karen, Emilys, Emily Dickinson, Emily Bartlett, Beverly Cleary’s, Emily Post’s, Emily Ratjakowski, Emily Good, Goods, Emma Stone, Smith ”, Em Henderson, Charitably, you’re Organizations: Service, LinkedIn, Facebook Locations: United States, America

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — World leaders and Russian opposition activists wasted no time Friday in blaming the reported death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny on President Vladimir Putin and his government. Navalny was “brutally murdered by the Kremlin,” said Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Other Russian opposition activists echoed him. “If it is confirmed, the death of Alexei is a murder. Organized by Putin,” opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on social media.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ Putin, —, ” Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz, ” Scholz, Navalny, “, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Ivan Zhdanov, hasn’t, Alexei, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Dmitry Gudkov, Garry Kasparov, ” Kasparov, Pyotr Verzilov, “ Navalny, Verzilov, Ursula von der Leyen, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Kremlin, EU, NATO, National, NPR Locations: TALLINN, Estonia, Russian, Berlin, Russia, Navalny, Germany

☆ The operator of Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid is being sued over claims it made them addictive and puts profit over love
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewThe operator of dating platforms Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid is being sued over claims it makes its apps addictive and puts profit over love. Match Group did not immediately reply to Business Insider’s request for comments. Speaking to the outlet, a spokesperson for Match Group denied the allegations, saying the case was "ridiculous and has zero merit." Match Group owns the largest global portfolio of popular online dating services, including Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, OurTime, and other dating brands, per its website . The group has hundreds of millions of reported users across its platforms, per its latest business overview, published in August 2023.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Court, Northern, Northern District of, Business, NPR, Match Group Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Bob Edwards, Longtime Host of NPR’s ‘Morning Edition,’ Dies at 76
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Trip Gabriel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Bob Edwards, the host of NPR’s “Morning Edition” for nearly a quarter-century, whose rich baritone and cool demeanor imbued his radio broadcasts with authority in reaching millions of listeners, died on Saturday in Arlington, Va. His death, at a rehabilitation facility, was from heart failure and complications of bladder cancer, his wife, Windsor Johnston, said. Mr. Edwards, a Kentucky native who knew from an early age that he wanted to be in radio, joined NPR in 1974, during the Watergate hearings. Its success led to the spinoff “Morning Edition” in 1979. Mr. Edwards began as a 30-day temporary host of that program before going on to serve as its anchor for 24 and a half years.

Persons: Bob Edwards, Windsor Johnston, Edwards, ’ Organizations: NPR Locations: Arlington , Va, Kentucky

☆ Bob Edwards, longtime host of NPR’s ‘Morning Edition,’ dies at 76
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Bob Edwards, the longtime National Public Radio host and a goliath of the broadcasting world, died on Saturday, his wife, NPR reporter Windsor Johnston, confirmed in a Facebook post. “Bob Edwards understood the intimate and distinctly personal connection with audiences that distinguishes audio journalism from other mediums, and for decades he was a trusted voice in the lives of millions of public radio listeners,” NPR CEO John Lansing said in a statement Monday. “Staff at NPR and all across the Network, along with those millions of listeners, will remember Bob Edwards with gratitude.”Edwards began his 30-year tenure at NPR in 1974, when the network was still in its infancy. He co-hosted “All Things Considered,” NPR’s evening show, before spearheading “Morning Edition” as its inaugural host in 1979, a position he held until 2004. “Morning Edition will continue to be my first source for news,” he wrote in a letter to listeners about his exit.

Persons: Bob Edwards, Windsor Johnston, “ Bob Edwards, John Lansing, ” Edwards, Ellen McDonnell, Edwards, Bob, ”, “, we’ve, It’s, Edward R, Murrow, Gabriel, Alfred I, du Pont, Red Barber, “ Edward R Organizations: New, New York CNN, longtime National Public Radio, NPR, “ Staff, Los Angeles Times, University of Louisville, US Army, American Forces Korea Network, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Catholic Association of Broadcasters, Columbia University Award, Radio Hall of Fame, Journalism Locations: New York, Kentucky, New Albany , Indiana

He said he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” with a NATO member country who did not meet its defense spending guidelines. How Did Trump Mischaracterize NATO Defense Funding? That stance is not tied in any way to the 2% defense spending target. Which Countries Meet NATO’s 2% Defense Spending Goal? They were:How Did Leaders and Lawmakers React to Trump’s Recent NATO Comments?

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, we're, ”, Kathleen McInnis, “, ” McInnis, aren't, it's, United States doesn't, Jens Stoltenberg, Trump’s, ” Stoltenberg, NATO Ally, Joe Biden, Nikki Haley –, –, Rand Paul of Kentucky, he’s, ” Sen, Marco Rubio, It’s, Lindsey Graham of Organizations: NATO, Trump, Press, Donald Trump View, Ukraine, Center, Strategic, International Studies, NPR, “, South Carolina Gov, Republican, CBS, Sen, GOP, CNN, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, The New York Times Locations: South Carolina, Russia, Germany, France, Norway, NATO, United States, U.S, ” U.S, Florida, Lindsey Graham of South

☆ Usher’s path to the Super Bowl: How the ‘hearthrob of R&B’ evolved over a 30-year career
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Antoinette Radford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Now, some 30 years later, the R&B singer will perform in his first Super Bowl halftime show. “He is one of the greatest displays of showmanship that we have ever seen,” Nicolas-Tyrell Scott, a London-based music critic, told CNN. His debut album — “Usher,” released in 1994 — barely caught the media’s attention. Musician Usher (aka Usher Raymond IV) records vocals for the song "U Will Know" on July 26, 1994 in New York City. “He is the heartthrob of R&B,” Scott said.

Persons: CNN — Usher, Usher, ” Nicolas, Tyrell Scott, Usher didn’t, “ Usher, ”, —, Usher Raymond IV, Al Pereira, Michael Ochs, Lil Jon, Ludacris, –, Nicki Minaj, Raymond, Raymond ”, will.i.am, ” Scott, There’s, ” Usher, Gareth Cattermole, Scott, “ Organizations: CNN, Super, “, Michael Ochs Archives, Billboard, O2 Arena, YouTube, Las, Morning Locations: London, New York City, England, Las Vegas

☆ With Border Deal Doomed, Schumer Pushes Republicans Into Vote on Ukraine and Israel Aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Annie Karni | Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

But with Mr. Trump’s intervention persuading congressional Republicans to abandon the border deal that they themselves had demanded, Mr. Biden finally has an opportunity to shift from defense to offense. “Joe Biden blamed President Trump for the border crisis that Biden himself created,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the former president. Mr. Trump made clear that he saw the deal not as a solution but a threat to his bid to reclaim his office. Image Mr. Trump ridiculed the idea that Mr. Biden could deflect blame after three years of failing to secure the border. For three years, Republicans had a clear story line when it came to the border — Mr. Biden either intentionally or incompetently opened the floodgates.

Persons: Biden, Donald J, Trump, Biden’s, “, ”, “ I’ll, MAGA, Donald Trump, ” Mr, “ Joe Biden, Karoline Leavitt, Joe Biden, John Moore, impeaching Alejandro, James Lankford, Christopher S, Murphy, Kyrsten Sinema, Don’t, Doug Mills, Geoffrey Garin, ” Margie Omero, Mark S, ” Scott Jennings, Mr, Jennings Organizations: Democratic, White, Trump, MAGA Republicans, MAGA Republican, CBS News, PBS, NPR, Marist, Republican, Democrat, Democrats, Republican Party, Border Patrol, Patrol, New York Times, Republicans, Center for Immigration Studies, Biden, ” Locations: New York, Illinois, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Arizona

☆ Like Her Parents, Michele Norris Is a Person of Letters
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Elisabeth Egan | More About Elisabeth Egan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

They read, simply, “Race. : “My beautiful Black boys deserve HOPE!” Eventually Norris created a website, The Race Card Project, where correspondents could share their stories. “The post office was full of people of color who were strivers like my parents,” Norris said. “They had stuff that didn’t get where it was supposed to go, and the post office would sell it if no one claimed it,” Norris said. “My parents would give us a small amount of money, which seemed like a lot of money to me.

Persons: Michele Norris, “, ”, ” Norris, Barbara Cooney’s, Norris, — Norris Locations: Starbucks, Bowie, Md, Minneapolis, Ames , Iowa

Learn moreBusiness Insider Reviews has been covering the best pet products for more than five years. AdvertisementWhat types of pet products we coverFood: After hundreds of hours of interviews and research, we carefully selected the best cat foods and best dog foods. We also put dozens of litters to the test for our guides to the best cat litters and natural cat litter. Veterinarians and professional groomers also helped us narrow down the best dog toothpastes, dog dental chews, cat dental products, dog shampoos, and cat shampoos. Her article on pet anxiety in Pet Sitting Magazine was also nominated for The PSI Professional Pet Care Award.

Persons: We've, Ollie, we've, groomers, shampoos, Lisa Sabatini, Lisa, basset, JoAnna Pendergrass, JoAnna, Emory University's, Janelle Leeson, Janelle, Dodo, Shoshi Parks, Shoshi, Phoebe, Christy Caplan, Christy, Sherman, Walter, You'll, Jackie Brown, Jackie, Dr, Julie Liu, Liu, — Organizations: Health, Animal Association, Association of American, Business, Wall Street, JPen Communications, Virginia - Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Emory, Emory University's Yerkes, Primate Research, Insurance, Rover, Shop, USA, Freelance, Shoshi Parks, NPR, Smithsonian, Atlas Obscura, Portland Community College, Dog Writers Association of America, Animal Wellness, Product, Pet Health, Service Locations: Virginia, Shoshi, Oregon, Austin , Texas, Austin

Watching her work teaches her kids curiosity, work ethic, and working toward long-term goals. Here are three important lessons that Adams says her children learned simply by watching her work. Her kids feel safe asking about money and businessAdams plays an NPR podcast called Marketplace Money in front of her kids. Her kids understand the importance of a strong work ethic"My kids understand that if I don't kill it, I don't eat," Adams says. Her kids understand that the hours their mom puts into her work directly translates into food on the table and a roof over their heads.

Persons: Ja'Net Adams, —, Adams, Jocelyn, Chick, I'm Organizations: Service, Business, Walmart, Self Locations: Kernersville , North Carolina, California, Hawaii

☆ Evangelical Christian voters say supporting Trump is all about abortion. It's more complicated than that.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Evangelical Christian voters often cite abortion as a key reaosn for supporting Trump. Experts say evangelical Christians appear to be motivated by their declining influence in the US. But increasingly, for those who identify as evangelical Christians, abortion is not at the top of the priority list, experts said. Even though, according to Burge, "immigration is as important as abortion for evangelical voters." AdvertisementWhen it comes to abortion, Trump did deliver on one of his biggest campaign promises: overturning Roe v. Wade.

Persons: Trump, —, Donald Trump, that's, Ryan Burge, Burge, Roe, Wade, it's, He's, he's, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Bob Vander Plaats, Michael Wear, Barack Obama, Tucker Carlson, RNS, Samuel Perry, Bruge Organizations: Evangelical, Trump, Service, Republicans, Eastern Illinois University, Supreme, Florida Gov, The Washington Post, Religion News Service, Fox News, University of Oklahoma, NPR Locations: Florida, Iowa, America

NEW YORK (AP) — N. Scott Momaday, a Pulitzer Prize-winning storyteller, poet, educator and folklorist whose debut novel "House Made of Dawn" is widely credited as the starting point for contemporary Native American literature, has died. “His Kiowa heritage was deeply meaningful to him and he devoted much of his life to celebrating and preserving Native American culture, especially the oral tradition." Like Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22,” Momaday’s novel was a World War II story that resonated with a generation protesting the Vietnam War. Addressing a gathering of American Indian scholars in 1970, Momaday said, “Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves.” He championed Natives' reverence for nature, writing that "the American Indian has a unique investment in the American landscape." Audio guides to tours of the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of the American Indian featured Momaday's avuncular baritone.

Persons: Scott Momaday, Momaday, “ Scott, ”, Jennifer Civiletto, “, Kiowa, John Joseph Mathews, Marshall Sprague, Scott Momaday's, Joseph Heller’s “, Leslie Marmon Silko, James Welch, Louise Erdrich, Joy Harjo, Robert Redford, Jeff Bridges, George W, Bush, Regina Heitzer, Cael, Navarre Scott Mammedaty, Momaday's, Fran McCullough, Billy the Kid, ” Redford, Scott, “ I’m, ” Momaday, Russell Contreras Organizations: HarperCollins, PBS, American Indians, New York Times, Stanford, Princeton, NPR, of, Academy of American Poets, Kiowa Nation, Smithsonian Institution's Museum, Indian, University of Mexico, Associated Press Locations: Santa Fe , New Mexico, New Mexico, Jemez Pueblo, Vietnam, American, Columbia, Dayton, Lawton , Oklahoma, Arizona , New Mexico, North Dakota, Wyoming

☆ I don't mind giving my kids screen time. But teaching them how to find what they want is time-consuming and frustrating.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Evan Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

However, giving my kids unfettered access also has its issues. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Didn't they know how simple it was to pull out a coloring book for your child and enjoy your meal in peace? I can't be the only one who's experienced a scenario like this:AdvertisementI'm driving my kids to school in the morning. There was no Spotify, no in-car Netflix, and we didn't know what we were missing.

Persons: —, I'd scoff, Siri, There's, Pig, SIRI, I've, I'm Organizations: Service, Spotify, YouTube, NPR, Netflix

NEW YORK (AP) — Lorrie Moore, Naomi Klein and the Egyptian writer Ahmed Naji are among the finalists for National Book Critics Circle awards. Honorary prizes are going to Judy Blume and to a longtime ally of Blume's in the fight against book bans, the American Library Association. On Thursday, the critics circle announced nominees in seven competitive categories, ranging from fiction to debut book to best translation. The other fiction nominees are Justin Torres' “Blackouts,” winner of the National Book Award last fall; Teju Cole's “Tremor,” Daniel Mason's “North Woods”; and Marie NDiaye's “Vengeance Is Mine,” translated from the French by Jordan Stump. The book critics circle, founded in 1974, consists of hundreds of reviewers and editors from around the country.

Persons: — Lorrie Moore, Naomi Klein, Ahmed Naji, Judy Blume, Blume's, Moore, “, Justin Torres, ” Daniel Mason's “, Marie NDiaye's, Jordan Stump, Grace E, Tina Post's, ” Nicholas Dames, ”, Myriam Gurba's, Naji, Katharine Halls, Matthew Zapruder's “, ” Susan Kiyo Ito's, David Mas, Patricia Wakida, Jonathan Coe's Martin Luther King, Gregg Hecimovich, Hannah Crafts, Anna, Rachel Shteir's, Betty Friedan, Jonny Steinberg's, Winnie, Nelson, Saskia Hamilton's “, ” Kim Hyesoon's, ” Romeo Oriogun's, Robyn Schiff's, Kareem Abdulrahman, Natascha Bruce, Dorothy Tse's ”, Don Mee, Kim Hyesoon's, ” Todd, ” Maureen Freely’s, Tiffany, Indonesian Norman Erikson Pasaribu's, John Leonard, Ariana Benson's, ” Emilie Boone's, ” Victor Heringer's “, ” Tahir Hamut Izgil's, Donovan X, Martin J, Siegel's, Blume, Becca Rothfield, Marion Winik Organizations: American Library Association, Rotten, PEN America, U.S, Washington Locations: Egypt, Indonesian

☆ Study estimates that 64,000 women have become pregnant from rape in states that put in abortion bans after the end of Roe v. Wade
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA study published on Wednesday in JAMA Internal Medicine estimated that over 64,000 pregnancies were caused by rape in the 14 states with abortion bans since July 2022. Samuel Dickman, Planned Parenthood Montana's medical director, along with his team, attempted to quantify the number of rape-related pregnancies in states with abortion bans triggered by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. As it stands, 14 states have implemented total abortion bans following the Dobbs decision. AdvertisementThe study found that in these 14 states, an estimated 64,565 pregnancies were linked to rape. AdvertisementThe researchers then apportioned the nationwide data among states, multiplying the state-level estimates by the fraction likely to result in pregnancy.

Persons: —, Samuel Dickman, Roe, Wade, Dobbs, Dickman, Rachel Perry, Perry Organizations: Service, Medicine, Business, Texas —, US Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, of Justice Statistics, City University of New, NPR, OB, University of California Locations: Texas, City University of New York, Irvine

☆ News industry off to brutal 2024 start as mass layoffs devastate publishers, raising questions about future of journalism
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Oliver Darcy | Jon Passantino | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The recent round of layoffs, while pronounced, are part of a much larger and unrelenting storm battering the journalism industry. Over the past 18 months, most news organizations have been forced to make difficult decisions to reduce their workforces. “I am sorry to say that I do not see turning around most legacy outlets,” Jeff Jarvis, the Leonard Tow Professor of Journalism Innovation at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, told CNN. Dan Kennedy, a journalism professor at Northeastern University, noted some local news outlets have found financial sustainability. “There are reasons to be optimistic given the hundreds of independent local news organizations that have sprouted up in recent years,” he said.

Persons: Condé Nast, ” Jay Rosen, “, Jeff Jarvis, Craig Newmark, ” Jarvis, ” Rosen, Steve Bannon’s, Margaret Sullivan, Sullivan, ”, ” Sullivan, Jeff Bezos ’, Patrick Soon, Dan Kennedy, Shiong’s, Jeff Bezos, ” Kennedy, Rosen Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Times, Business, Condé, Forbes, The New York Daily News, Washington Post, NPR, Vice Media, Sports, Vox Media, NBC News, CNBC, Gannett, Netflix, Columbia University, Google, Meta, New York University, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, America, Guardian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, “ Democracy, Jeff Bezos ’ Washington Post, Northeastern University, “ Billionaire, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Boston Globe, Journalists Locations: Covid, Jeff Bezos ’ Washington

☆ Department of Education makes another fix to the FAFSA, unlocking an additional $1.8 billion in financial aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Katie Lobosco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —The Department of Education said this week that it is making an additional adjustment to this year’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, that will make $1.8 billion more available in financial aid. The FAFSA determines eligibility for federal Pell Grants and federal student loans – and in most cases, the financial aid provided by colleges as well. But initially, the Department of Education did not tie the new FAFSA calculation to the latest inflation data, as required by law. It remains to be seen whether colleges can announce financial aid awards on their usual timeline. FAFSA overhaul will make more students eligible for financial aidSeparate from the inflation adjustment, the overhaul of the FAFSA makes the form easier to fill out and increases the number of families eligible for financial aid.

Persons: ” Justin Draeger, ”, Pell Organizations: Washington CNN —, Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, CNN, NPR, The Washington Post, of Education, National Association of Student Financial, The, Republican, Department of

☆ Katherine Maher Named C.E.O. of NPR
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Benjamin Mullin | More About Benjamin Mullin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

NPR announced on Wednesday that Katherine Maher would be its next chief executive, picking a leader with an extensive track record in the nonprofit world but without one in the realm of public radio. Ms. Maher was previously the chief executive of the Wikimedia Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the popular online resource Wikipedia by raising money and providing technology infrastructure, among other services. She is the chief executive of Web Summit, an organization that holds technology events around the world. Jennifer Ferro, the chair of NPR’s board, said in a statement that Ms. Maher stood out because of her experience tackling “issues around reliable and accessible information,” adding that the search focused on candidates who could “reach audiences on new and existing platforms.”Ms. Maher, 40, will take over at NPR during a critical period. Listenership of traditional radio is waning as Americans adopt alternatives like Spotify and other on-demand services, pressuring NPR to reach its audiences in new formats.

Persons: Katherine Maher, Maher, Jennifer Ferro, Ms Organizations: NPR, Wikimedia Foundation, Web

☆ Scientists discovered a new dinosaur species, and it could reshape the history of T. rex's evolution
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Scientists identified a new species of Tyrannosaurs that's likely a predecessor to T. Rex. The new species shows the dinosaurs got bigger a lot earlier than scientists originally thought. Upon reexamination, the scientists found that the bones belonged to a dinosaur that lived 6 million to 7 million years before T. rex existed. That means that Tyrannosaurus, "also got bigger a lot earlier than we thought," Longrich said. Despite what many scientists thought, the T. Rex wasn't the first Tyrannosaurus, but the last, Longrich said.

Persons: Rex, —, Tyrannosaurs, Nick Longrich, Longrich, Spencer Lucas, Dean Mouhtaropoulos, mcraeensis, Rex wasn't Organizations: Service, University of Bath, NPR, Asia Locations: North America, Asia, New Mexico

County lawyers had urged approval of the settlement in a letter to the board, the station said. In 2020, it won a five-year, $2.9 million contract with LA County for software to track election worker schedules, training, payroll and communications. Yu sued the county, alleging that District Attorney George Gascón had targeted him based on allegations of conspiracy theorists and election deniers. “Plaintiffs alleged Mr. Yu’s arrest and the seizure of Konnech’s property was without probable cause and a violation of Mr. Yu’s civil rights causing damage to Konnech’s business and Mr. Yu’s reputation,” according to the letter by the county lawyers. In legal filings for the lawsuit, Yu noted that Los Angeles County continues to use Konnech's services and is, in fact, its largest customer.

Persons: Eugene Yu of, Konnech, Yu, George Gascón, wasn't, Dean Z, ”, Mr, Gregg Phillips Organizations: ANGELES, Konnech Corp, LA, LA County, Attorney's Office, Associated Press, Attorney's, Chinese Communist Party, New York Times, Attorney’s Locations: Los Angeles County, Eugene Yu of Michigan, East Lansing , Michigan, Michigan, United States, China, Angeles, North America

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Times plans to lay off 94 newsroom employees — one-fourth of its newsroom staff — starting Tuesday, a number that is substantial but less than feared, the head of the journalists union said. The announcement comes after the LA Times Guild walked off the job last Friday to protest the imminent layoffs, the first newsroom union work stoppage in the newspaper’s 143-year history. Matt Pearce, president of the Media Guild of the West, which encompasses the Times' union, called it a “dark day.” He said the layoffs represent one-fourth of the Times Guild's entire membership. “Many departments and clusters across the newsroom will be heavily hit,” Pearce said in a statement Tuesday. Pearce said the union's bargaining committee would meet with Times management on Wednesday to start discussions about the layoffs as set out by the contract.

Persons: Matt Pearce, ”, ” Pearce, Gray, Dr, Patrick Soon, Kevin Merida, Pearce Organizations: ANGELES, Los Angeles Times, LA Times Guild, Media Guild, Times, Washington Post, NPR, CNN, Vox Media, LA Times, Tribune Co Locations: Challenger

☆ TikTok cuts about 60 jobs as January layoffs continue across tech industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

TikTok Music has launched on Wednesday in Australia, Singapore and Mexico to a small group of users. TikTok has cut about 60 jobs, CNBC confirmed, the latest tech company to downsize at the start of 2024. Tech companies like Amazon , Alphabet , Unity , Discord and Trend Micro have all cut staff in January, continuing a trend from last year, when the industry slimmed down and slashed costs following an extended boom. In November, ByteDance slashed hundreds of jobs in the company's gaming division, Nuverse. The layoffs indicated that ByteDance was scaling back its gaming efforts, an area where it's been competing with Chinese rivals Tencent and NetEase.

Persons: Dylan Jadeja, TikTok, ByteDance, it's, Tencent, we've Organizations: CNBC, NPR, Tech, Riot, Apple Locations: Australia, Singapore, Mexico, Los Angeles , New York, Austin , Texas, U.S

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