Kashmir avalanche: 'My baby's toy torch saved me from death'

Shakila was buried for hours under deep snow in Kashmir, hoping her daughter was alive.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37IwiXY

Lina Ben Mhenni: The woman who blogged Tunisia's revolution

"Freedom, better education and health: that's all we wanted," one of Lina Ben Mhenni's friends says.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/390TEsf

Australia fires: How a unique slug species survived

The bright pink species is only found in a small habitat in Australia, experts say.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3aXLYso

Amazon rainforest: The 90-year-old trying to stop destruction

Newsnight was given rare access to a once-in-a-generation meeting of indigenous groups trying to save the Amazon.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37Iq36u

Super PAC reveals the big donors bankrolling Biden onslaught in Iowa - POLITICO

1. Super PAC reveals the big donors bankrolling Biden onslaught in Iowa  POLITICO
2. 2020 Power Ranking: We asked for your ranking of the Democrats. Here's what you said.  The Washington Post
3. Biden campaign spokeswoman pressed by Ed Henry on Hunter Biden and Burisma  Fox News
4. Will Someone Break Out of Iowa Who Can Trounce Trump? Anyone?  The New York Times
5. Davis: My take ... as I leave for the Iowa Caucuses | TheHill  The Hill
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Mark Steyn: Impeachment trial a 'stinker' from beginning to end - Fox News

1. Mark Steyn: Impeachment trial a 'stinker' from beginning to end  Fox News
2. Trump impeachment: What happens next?  Reuters
3. Senate Impeachment Trial Of President Trump - Day 10 | NBC News (Live Stream)  NBC News
4. Senate impeachment trial Day 9: Senators gave their final question ahead of vote on witnesses  POLITICO
5. Watch LIVE: Impeachment Trial of President Donald Trump day 8 - ABC News Live Coverage  ABC News
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Justice Roberts refuses to read question from Sen. Rand Paul – updates - USA TODAY

1. Justice Roberts refuses to read question from Sen. Rand Paul – updates  USA TODAY
2. John Roberts stares down another possible legacy moment  CNN
3. Roberts visibly reacts to Warren's impeachment question about his 'legitimacy' without trial witnesses  Fox News
4. Warren's pathetic treatment of Chief Justice John Roberts  Washington Examiner
5. Rand Paul named the whistleblower and revealed the hypocrisy at the heart of the Republican Party  The Independent
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Trump's Mideast peace plan could have major long-term implications for ally Jordan - Fox News

1. Trump's Mideast peace plan could have major long-term implications for ally Jordan  Fox News
2. Palestinians push for UN action over Trump Middle East plan  Al Jazeera English
3. Trump’s Mideast peace plan is a farce  The Boston Globe
4. Palestinians don’t need the Trump administration’s peace plan or Jared Kushner to civilize them.  Vox.com
5. Trump’s Middle East Plan: Starting Point or Dead End?  The New York Times
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Super Bowl ads: Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant, and emotions - The Verge

1. Super Bowl ads: Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant, and emotions  The Verge
2. Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi will star in a cute Super Bowl ad  LGBTQ Nation
3. 8 things your Amazon Echo can do that Google Home can't  CNET
4. Save on an Amazon Fire TV Cube in time for the Super Bowl  The Verge
5. Amazon's insufferably smug Super Bowl ad is truly annoying  ZDNet
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Why Lori Loughlin and Husband Mossimo Are Selling Their MILLION MANSION (Exclusive) - Entertainment Tonight

1. Why Lori Loughlin and Husband Mossimo Are Selling Their MILLION MANSION (Exclusive)  Entertainment Tonight
2. Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli list house for $28M  msnNOW
3. Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli List $28 Million House  TMZ
4. Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli List Mansion as College Admissions Scandal Rages On  Realtor.com News
5. Lori Loughlin says new evidence shows she didn't bribe coach  New York Daily News
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Senate votes to approve final framework for Trump impeachment trial, scheduling final verdict vote for Wednesday of next week.

01/31/20 4:58 PM

Senate rejects witnesses in Trump impeachment trial, clearing way for acquittal

The U.S. Senate on Friday voted against calling witnesses and collecting new evidence in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, clearing the way for Trump's almost certain acquittal next week.

from Reuters: U.S. https://ift.tt/2S7BgXJ

U.S. Senate rejects witnesses in Trump impeachment trial, clearing way for acquittal

The U.S. Senate on Friday voted against calling witnesses and collecting new evidence in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, clearing the way for Trump's almost certain acquittal next week.

from Reuters: U.S. https://ift.tt/3b24Ian

Kobe Bryant helicopter firm was not allowed to fly in fog

Island Express Helicopters was restricted to flying in clear conditions, officials say.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2vFDiqy

Could you handle the most remote campsite on earth?

Take a look inside an Antarctic campsite and find out how they survive.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3b5OOMf

Philadelphia father faked home invasion, charged in death of 4-year-old son - New York Post

1. Philadelphia father faked home invasion, charged in death of 4-year-old son  New York Post
2. Philadelphia father's claim of 4-year-old dying in home invasion was made up, police say  Fox News
3. Man faked home invasion after 4-year-old shot himself  NBC2 News
4. Police: Father Who Made Up Home Invasion Story Charged After 4-Year-Old Son Accidentally Kills Self Playing With Gun  CBS Philly
5. Dad made up home invasion after son, 4, shot himself: cops  New York Daily News
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Trump made at least 27 false claims as Senate debated impeachment on Thursday - CNN

1. Trump made at least 27 false claims as Senate debated impeachment on Thursday  CNN
2. Trump supporters standing by their president, predict impeachment will ‘backfire on the Democrats’  Fox News
3. 5 things to know about the Iowa Caucuses  Face the Nation
4. Will Someone Break Out of Iowa Who Can Trounce Trump? Anyone?  The New York Times
5. Why Trump's Des Moines rally should make Democrats nervous  Washington Examiner
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Some Americans to leave China, many stay after US advisory - AOL

Some Americans to leave China, many stay after US advisory  AOL

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WHO Declares Coronavirus A Global Health Emergency, Praises China’s ‘Extraordinary Measures’ - Forbes

1. WHO Declares Coronavirus A Global Health Emergency, Praises China’s ‘Extraordinary Measures’  Forbes
2. First case of person-to-person transmission of Wuhan virus in the US confirmed  CNN
3. CDC confirms first human-to-human transmission of coronavirus in US  CNBC
4. Dr. Peter Hotez: What coronavirus means for the U.S., China and the world  Fox News
5. Coronavirus: Which countries have evacuated their citizens?  BBC News
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Stock market news live: Stocks walloped by rising coronavirus cases, which near 10K - Yahoo Finance

1. Stock market news live: Stocks walloped by rising coronavirus cases, which near 10K  Yahoo Finance
2. Exxon Earnings, Revenue Miss While Permian Surges; Chevron Earnings Beat  Investor's Business Daily
3. Exxon’s Growth Gambit Failing to Yield Higher Profits  The Wall Street Journal
4. Exxon Mobil and Chevron Help Fuel Investor Revolt  Bloomberg
5. Investing to boost crude output rewards oil majors with glut, slim profits  Yahoo Finance
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Wizards of the Coast reveals new studio headed up by BioWare veterans - GamesIndustry.biz

1. Wizards of the Coast reveals new studio headed up by BioWare veterans  GamesIndustry.biz
2. Wizards of the Coast announces 'story driven' RPG studio led by ex Bioware vets  PC Gamer
3. Wizards of the Coast teams with ex-BioWare devs on a sci-fi RPG  Engadget
4. Wizards of The Coast studio led by former Bioware devs is making a sci-fi RPG  VG247
5. Wizards of the Coast details new studio led by former BioWare developers  Gamasutra
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Just Imagine Professor Umbridge As the Queen - The Cut

1. Just Imagine Professor Umbridge As the Queen  The Cut
2. ‘The Crown’: Netflix Royal Drama To End With Season Five As Imelda Staunton Confirmed As Final Queen Elizabeth II  Yahoo Celebrity
3. Netflix 'The Crown' to End With Season 5; Imelda Staunton Set as Queen  Hollywood Reporter
4. Imelda Staunton Will Play the Queen in The Crown's Final Season | InStyle.com  InStyle
5. 'The Crown' set to end with Season 5  CNN
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Fans without tickets asked to avoid L.A. Live during Kobe Bryant tribute - ESPN

1. Fans without tickets asked to avoid L.A. Live during Kobe Bryant tribute  ESPN
2. Kobe Bryant's family says inaccurate reports are adding to the pain after his death  CNN
3. Shaquille O'Neal Buys Fan a Laptop After He Expressed Condolences for Kobe Bryant's Death  Yahoo Entertainment
4. Playing through grief can be therapy for athletes, but everyone is different  The Guardian
5. Vanessa Bryant Gets Heartbreaking Message From Ellen DeGeneres, and Social Media Weighs In  PopCulture.com
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Super Bowl Sunday 2020 uniforms: Why Chiefs' decision in historic red vs. red actually makes a difference - CBS Sports

1. Super Bowl Sunday 2020 uniforms: Why Chiefs' decision in historic red vs. red actually makes a difference  CBS Sports
2. Barnwell's Super Bowl LIV preview - What to know for 49ers-Chiefs, with predictions and more  ESPN
3. Should the Super Bowl Be Played on Saturday? And Other Really Important Questions  The Wall Street Journal
4. Super Bowl LIV betting advice: Smart money is on the 49ers and these prop bets  PhillyVoice.com
5. Thoughts on Super Bowl 54, and the Patriots’ season in review  Pats Pulpit
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook top All-Star Game reserves - ESPN

1. Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook top All-Star Game reserves  ESPN
2. Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook highlight reserves for All-Star Game 2020  NBA India
3. Ben Simmons isn’t holding the Sixers back. He’s pushing them forward  SB Nation
4. Sources: Chris Paul, 6 first-timers named All-Star reserves  Yahoo Sports
5. 2020 NBA All-Star Game reserves: Russell Westbrook, Ben Simmons in; Bradley Beal, Paul George miss the cut  CBS Sports
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Shane Fitzsimmons: 'Tireless' fire chief steering Australians through disaster

Fire chief Shane Fitzsimmons has worked tirelessly and "masterfully" to save lives, close observers say.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3195Lkb

Claudia Andujar: A glimpse of Yanomami life in the jungle

A gallery of Claudia Andujar's photographs of Yanomami tribespeople

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2U8uOlM

Iowa caucuses: Nine unusual things about the Democratic race

Democrats are deciding who they want to take on Trump - and it can be a noisy, chaotic process.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ObnxxK

Making beautiful colours without toxic chemicals

Dyeing clothes uses a lot of water and chemicals, but new tech is drawing on nature for colours.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2RHL2kv

Coronavirus: Why are we catching more diseases from animals?

Climate change is shifting our relationship with the animal kingdom and helping diseases evolve.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2UaUzSt

Hunter Biden ex-wife spotted dining with Michelle Obama at Georgetown restaurant - Washington Examiner

1. Hunter Biden ex-wife spotted dining with Michelle Obama at Georgetown restaurant  Washington Examiner
2. Rival campaigns say Trump Ukraine hits are a warning to Biden  NBC News
3. 'You've Got to Have Purpose.' Joe Biden's 2020 Campaign Is the Latest Test in a Lifetime of Loss  TIME
4. Aiming at Trump, Biden says a president's character matters  ABC News
5. 'Lies are the truth': Biden scorches Trump in fall fight preview  Washington Examiner
6. View full coverage on Google News

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US wants to put Patriot missiles in Iraq to counter Iran as it announces humanitarian aid channel - CNN International

1. US wants to put Patriot missiles in Iraq to counter Iran as it announces humanitarian aid channel  CNN International
2. Trump administration to renew Iran sanctions waivers amid worries over US nuclear supply  Fox News
3. US extends waivers for Iran nuclear program, announces new sanctions | TheHill  The Hill
4. Washington needs to anticipate Iran's next provocation | TheHill  The Hill
5. U.S. renews waivers on Iran nuclear work, sanctions Iran's nuclear organization and its chief  Reuters
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Expected to Sell 10 Million Units - IGN

1. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Expected to Sell 10 Million Units  IGN
2. EA Revenue Balloons Even Further Over Holiday Quarter  Hollywood Reporter
3. EA Made Almost $1 Billion From Microtransactions Last Quarter  GameSpot
4. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has sold around 8m units  GamesIndustry.biz
5. The Witcher: 5 Star Wars Characters Who Could Beat Geralt In A Fight (5 Who Couldn't)  Screen Rant
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Barstool Sports President Dave Portnoy Talks New Riches, Super Bowl Bets - TMZ

Barstool Sports President Dave Portnoy Talks New Riches, Super Bowl Bets  TMZView full coverage on Google News

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Amazon Christmas sales soar as rivals struggle

Sales were up 20% over the festive season in sharp contrast to weakness at other retailers.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2Ubwifk

Amazon quietly publishes its latest transparency report

Just as Amazon was basking in the news of a massive earnings win, the tech giant quietly published — as it always does — its latest transparency report, revealing a slight dip in the number of government demands for user data.

It’s a rarely seen decline in the number of demands received by a tech company during a year where almost every other tech giant — including Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter — all saw an increase in the number of demands they receive. Only Apple reported a decline in the number of demands it received.

Amazon said it received 1,841 subpoenas, 440 search warrants and 114 other court orders for user data — such as its Echo and Fire devices — during the six-month period ending 2019.

That’s about a 4% decline on the first six months of the year.

The company’s cloud unit, Amazon Web Services, also saw a decline in the number of demands for data stored by customers, down by about 10%.

Amazon also said it received between 0 and 249 national security requests for both its consumer and cloud services (rules set out by the Justice Department only allow tech and telecom companies to report in ranges).

At the time of writing, Amazon has not yet updated its law enforcement requests page to list the latest report.

Amazon’s biannual transparency report is one of the lightest reads of any company’s figures across the tech industry. We previously reported on how Amazon’s transparency reports have purposefully become more vague over the years rather than clearer — bucking the industry trend. At just three pages, the company spends most of it explaining how it responds to each kind of legal demand rather than expanding on the numbers themselves.

The company’s Ring smart camera division, which has faced heavy criticism for its poor security practices and its cozy relationship with law enforcement, still hasn’t released its own data demand figures.

Many smart home device makers still won’t say if they give your data to the government

from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2GzHKcF

Document shows Bernie Sanders’s team preparing dozens of potential executive orders - The Washington Post

1. Document shows Bernie Sanders’s team preparing dozens of potential executive orders  The Washington Post
2. What I learned watching Bernie and Biden for hours on end  POLITICO
3. The 2020 Democratic candidates, ranked  CNN
4. Can Bernie Sanders tackle the question of electability?  Washington Examiner
5. Why Having Hunter Biden Testify Would Be Bad for Trump  The New York Times
6. View full coverage on Google News

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House approves measure blocking funding for war with Iran | TheHill - The Hill

1. House approves measure blocking funding for war with Iran | TheHill  The Hill
2. House approves bills to limit Trump's ability to launch attacks on Iran  CBS News
3. White House threatens veto of Democrats’ Iran measures  POLITICO
4. View full coverage on Google News

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American Airlines pilots sue to halt US-China flights amid coronavirus epidemic - CNN International

1. American Airlines pilots sue to halt US-China flights amid coronavirus epidemic  CNN International
2. Coronavirus: death toll reaches 212 after WHO declares global emergency – live news  The Guardian
3. Coronavirus: Britons on Wuhan flights to be quarantined - BBC News  BBC News
4. Here are the 20 U.S. airports where health officials are screening for coronavirus  The Washington Post
5. British family allowed to board evacuation flight with Chinese wife  The Guardian
6. View full coverage on Google News

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You can now reserve your spot to pay for a Samsung Galaxy S20 - The Verge

1. You can now reserve your spot to pay for a Samsung Galaxy S20  The Verge
2. It's Time to Reserve Your Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra  Droid Life
3. The Galaxy S20 will be released on March 6th, reservations now live on Samsung's site  Android Police
4. UK Daily Deals: Register Your Interest for the Galaxy S20 and Get £50 Cashback - IGN  IGN
5. Samsung's crazy light Galaxy S book is finally available for pre-order  Mashable
6. View full coverage on Google News

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New emoji release to feature more gender-inclusive designs and a popular Italian hand gesture - CNN

New emoji release to feature more gender-inclusive designs and a popular Italian hand gesture  CNNView full coverage on Google News

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Taylor Swift Finally Invites You Into Her Narrative on Miss Americana - Vulture

1. Taylor Swift Finally Invites You Into Her Narrative on Miss Americana  Vulture
2. Is Taylor Swift Engaged?  Yahoo Lifestyle
3. Taylor Swift: ‘Miss Americana’ Director Talks Trauma, Courage and Her All-Female Crew  Rolling Stone
4. Taylor Swift Can’t Escape the Pop-Star Bubble in Her Netflix Documentary Miss Americana  Pitchfork
5. Taylor Swift Talks About Eating Disorders in New Netflix Doc  Healthline
6. View full coverage on Google News

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The Super Bowl Is Only Good for Appliance Sales - Lifehacker

1. The Super Bowl Is Only Good for Appliance Sales  Lifehacker
2. How to Bring the Food and Flavors of Miami to Your Super Bowl Party  Sports Illustrated
3. Thousands in Miami for Super Bowl week  FOX 2 St. Louis
4. Those two signs on Super Bowl stadium’s roof are illegal — and county officials know it | Opinion  Miami Herald
5. Here's How to Stream the 2020 Super Bowl for Free  gearpatrol.com
6. View full coverage on Google News

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NBA changes All-Star Game format, adds Kobe Bryant tribute - ESPN

1. NBA changes All-Star Game format, adds Kobe Bryant tribute  ESPN
2. NBA pays tribute to Kobe Bryant with All-Star Game changes  YESNetwork
3. NBA changing All-Star Game format, adding a Kobe tribute  The Associated Press
4. NBA All-Star Game Format Changes To Honor Kobe Bryant  NESN
5. The 2020 NBA All-Star Reserves Include Jimmy Butler And Damian Lillard  UPROXX
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Impeachment trial turns to whistleblower ahead of possible weekend finish

U.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday tried to shift the focus of President Donald Trump's impeachment trial to the unnamed government official whose whistleblower complaint about Trump's dealings with Ukraine spurred the drive to remove him from office.

from Reuters: U.S. https://ift.tt/2S162Bu

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

PROGRAMMING ALERT: Sen. Rand Paul talks impeachment fight on 'The Story,' 7 pm ET

01/30/20 3:52 PM

Britons give Brexit boost to idyllic French village

The share of property held by Britons may be falling in France, but the opposite is happening in Eymet.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2S4LPuu

African diaspora: Did Ghana's Year of Return attract foreign visitors?

Ghana's president has declared the Year of Return targeting the African diaspora a great success - but is he right?

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3aVYpVs

'American Dirt' Publisher Cancels Author Tour After Threats - NPR

1. 'American Dirt' Publisher Cancels Author Tour After Threats  NPR
2. 'American Dirt' book tour canceled by publisher because of safety concerns  NBCNews.com
3. ‘American Dirt’ Publisher Cancels Book Tour  The New York Times
4. Oprah needs to clean up her ‘American Dirt’ mess  The Boston Globe
5. 'American Dirt' book tour canceled over security concerns, 'vitriolic rancor'  USA TODAY
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Senate and John Roberts face possibility of epic tie on witnesses - POLITICO

1. Senate and John Roberts face possibility of epic tie on witnesses  POLITICO
2. Senators to begin asking questions in impeachment trial  CBS News
3. John Roberts will not be silent Wednesday. But the questions he asks will not be his.  CNN
4. John Roberts faces test of history with minimal history to guide him | TheHill  The Hill
5. The Senate has become a threat to democracy itself  The Washington Post
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Facebook's new metrics show it's still a one-trick pony - CNBC

1. Facebook's new metrics show it's still a one-trick pony  CNBC
2. Facebook Earnings, Revenue Beat Estimates But Stock Falls  Investor's Business Daily
3. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has a message for you: He doesn't care if you like him  USA TODAY
4. Facebook stock falls after showing 51% rise in expenses  CNBC
5. Houston judge blocks Facebook privacy tool  Houston Chronicle
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Boeing rethinking what its next all-new airplane will be - The Points Guy

1. Boeing rethinking what its next all-new airplane will be  The Points Guy
2. 'My stomach turned' — Boeing CEO outraged by internal 737 Max messages before deadly crashes  CNBC
3. Watch CNBC's full interview with Boeing CEO David Calhoun  CNBC Television
4. Why I Will Never Fly on a 737 MAX  CCN.com
5. Boeing posts first annual loss in more than two decades as 737 Max crisis drags on  CNBC
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Astros hire Dusty Baker to short-term deal as new manager - ESPN

1. Astros hire Dusty Baker to short-term deal as new manager  ESPN
2. MIDDAY UPDATE: Astros finalizing deal with Dusty Baker to become new manager, AP report  KHOU 11
3. Tipsheet: Astros target Dusty Baker to lead them back from scandal  STLtoday.com
4. ‘Astros finally strike the right cord.’ Reaction to Dusty Baker hire in wake of scandal  Fort Worth Star-Telegram
5. Report: Astros hire Dusty Baker to replace AJ Hinch as manager  Yahoo Sports
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Tesla closes Shanghai factory over coronavirus concerns

Tesla was ordered by the Chinese government to shut down its Shanghai factory over concerns about the coronavirus, a closure that will delay Model 3 production and ultimately put slight downward pressure on profits in the first quarter, the automaker’s finance chief Zach Kirkhorn said during an earnings call Wednesday.

Prior to the call, Tesla reported Wednesday $105 million in net income, or 56 cents a diluted share, compared with $140 million, or 78 cents a share, in the same year-ago period. Tesla earned $386 million, or $2.14 a share, in the fourth quarter when adjusted for one-time items. Tesla generated revenue of $7.38 billion in fourth quarter, just 1% higher than the $7.2 billion generated in the same period in 2018.

Model 3 production will be delayed by a week and a half, Kirkhorn said. Novel coronavirus, a new form of the family of viruses known as coronavirus first cropped up in Wuhan in late December 2019. Since then,  thousands of people have contracted the virus, causing the government to take measures such as shutting down transit and factories.

“We are in the early stages of understanding if, and to what extent, we may be temporarily impacted by the coronavirus,” Kirkhorn said. “At this point we’re expecting a one, to one and a half week-delay in the ramp of the Shanghai build Model 3 due to a government required factory shutdown. This may slightly impact profitability for the quarter, but is limited as the profit contribution from Model 3 Shanghai remains in the early stages.”

Tesla is also closely monitoring if the coronavirus will cause interruptions in the supply chain for cars built in Fremont. “So far we’re not aware of anything material, but it’s important to caveat, this was an unfolding story,” Kirkhorn added.

The first deliveries of Tesla Model 3 sedans produced at the Shanghai plant began in early January, one year after the U.S. automaker began construction on its first factory outside the United States.

The deliveries to customers was a milestone for Tesla and a critical step for the company in its aim to carve out market share in the world’s biggest auto market, as well as lessen the financial pain caused by tariffs.

from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2O85U1U

Facebook will pay $550 million to settle class action lawsuit over privacy violations

Facebook will pay over half a billion dollars to settle a class action lawsuit that alleged systematic violation of an Illinois consumer privacy law. The settlement amount is large indeed, but a small fraction of the $35 billion maximum the company could have faced.

Class members — basically Illinois Facebook users from mid-2011 to mid-2015 — may expect as much as $200 each, but that depends on several factors. If you’re one of them you should receive some notification once the settlement is approved by the court and the formalities are worked out.

The proposed settlement would require Facebook to obtain consent in the future from Illinois users for such purposes as face analysis for automatic tagging.

This is the second major settlement from Facebook in six months; an seemingly enormous $5 billion settlement of FTC violations was announced over the summer, but it’s actually a bit of a joke.

9 reasons the Facebook FTC settlement is a joke

The Illinois suit was filed in 2015, alleging that Facebook collected facial recognition data on images of users in the state without disclosure, in contravention of the state’s 2008 Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Similar suits were filed against Shutterfly, Snapchat, and Google.

Facebook pushed back in 2016, saying that facial recognition processing didn’t count as biometric data, and that anyway Illinois law didn’t apply to it, a California company. The judge rejected these arguments with flair, saying the definition of biometric was “cramped” and the assertion of Facebook’s immunity would be “a complete negation” of Illinois law in this context.

Facebook stalls in lawsuit alleging its facial recognition tech violates Illinois law

Facebook was also suspected at the time of heavy lobbying efforts towards defanging BIPA. One state senator proposed an amendment after the lawsuit was filed that would exclude digital images from BIPA coverage, which would of course have completely destroyed the case. It’s hard to imagine such a ridiculous proposal was the suggestion of anyone but the industry, which tends to regard the strong protections of the law in Illinois as quite superfluous.

As I noted in 2018, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce proposed the amendment, and a tech council there was chaired by Facebook’s own Manager of State Policy at the time. Facebook told me then that it had not taken any position on the amendment or spoken to any legislators about it.

2019 took the case to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where Facebook was again rebuffed; the court concluded that “the development of face template using facial-recognition technology without consent (as alleged here) invades an individual’s private affairs and concrete interests. Similar conduct is actionable at common law.”

Facebook’s request for a rehearing en banc, which is to say with the full complement of judges there present, was unanimously denied two months later.

At last, after some 5 years of this, Facebook decided to settle, a representative told TechCrunch, “as it was in the best interest of our community and our shareholders to move past this matter.” Obviously it admits to no wrongdoing.

The $550 million amount negotiated is “the largest all-cash privacy class action settlement to date,” according to law firm Edelson PC, one of three that represented the plaintiffs in the suit.

“Biometrics is one of the two primary battlegrounds, along with geolocation, that will define our privacy rights for the next generation,” said Edelson PC founder and CEO Jay Edelson in a press release. “We are proud of the strong team we had in place that had the resolve to fight this critically important case over the last five years. We hope and expect that other companies will follow Facebook’s lead and pay significant attention to the importance of our biometric information.”

from TechCrunch https://ift.tt/38JCAGS

Homero Gómez: Missing Mexican butterfly activist found dead

Activists fear that Homero Gómez may have been targeted because of his fight against illegal logging.

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New “Off-Facebook Activity” portal lets you know where you’re being followed - Ars Technica

New “Off-Facebook Activity” portal lets you know where you’re being followed  Ars TechnicaView full coverage on Google News

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Billie Eilish to Perform on the Oscars - Variety

1. Billie Eilish to Perform on the Oscars  Variety
2. 18-year-old singer Billie Eilish sweeps the Grammy Awards  PBS NewsHour
3. Billie Eilish to Perform at the 2020 Oscars  Billboard
4. Billie Eilish to Perform at 92nd Academy Awards  msnNOW
5. #MeToo accusations and identity politics circulate around 2020 Grammy Awards  World Socialist Web Site
6. View full coverage on Google News

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Three-Year-Old’s ‘Dinosaurs in Love’ Song Is a Real Tear-Jerker - Rolling Stone

1. Three-Year-Old’s ‘Dinosaurs in Love’ Song Is a Real Tear-Jerker  Rolling Stone
2. Toddler's adorable song about ill-fated dinosaurs in love goes viral  CNN
3. This 3-Year-Old Girl Wrote A Song Called "Dinosaurs In Love" And It's Breaking Everyone's Hearts  BuzzFeed News
4. British children are haunted  The Outline
5. View full coverage on Google News

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Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman dies at age 58 - Los Angeles Times

1. Hall of Fame defensive end Chris Doleman dies at age 58  Los Angeles Times
2. NFL Hall of Famer Chris Doleman dies following brain cancer battle | USA TODAY  USA TODAY
3. Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer Dies At 58  Eagan, MN Patch
4. Chris Doleman, Hall of Fame defensive end, dies at 58  CNN
5. Hall of Fame DE Doleman dies at age 58  KTTC
6. View full coverage on Google News

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