Man who attacked author Salman Rushdie is sentenced to 25 years in prison
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Hadi Matar sentenced to 25 years for attempted murder; found guilty in February 2025 for stabbing Salman Rushdie during a lecture at Chautauqua Institution, New York, in August 2022; Rushdie, 77, left partially blind and with permanent nerve damage; Matar also convicted of second-degree assault for injuring a moderator; Matar's attack linked to a fatwa issued by Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989; Matar faces additional federal terrorism charges; Rushdie's memoir, 'Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder', published in 2024.
#SalmanRushdie #HadiMatar #Stabbing #AttemptedMurder #Fatwa #Terrorism #ChautauquaInstitution #Court #Sentencing #Memoir
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/16/g-s1-62464/rushdie-salman-attacker-guilty-sentence
Who is the new Pope Leo XIV and what are his views?
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Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Frances Prevost in Chicago in 1955, is the first U.S.-born pope and the first from the Augustinian order; he served as a missionary in Peru for two decades; he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo in 2014 and became a cardinal in 2024; during his first public address on May 8, 2025, he emphasized peace and outreach to families; he shares priorities with Pope Francis, focusing on the environment and support for migrants and the poor.
#PopeLeoXiv #CatholicChurch #RobertPrevost #PopeFrancis #Chicago #Peru #AugustinianOrder #Environment #Migrants #Peace
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/08/g-s1-65147/new-pope-leo-xiv-robert-prevost-views
Justice Department is being urged to protect researchers testing AI platforms
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Cybersecurity experts are urging the Justice Department to provide more federal protections for good faith security researchers, or "good hackers," who test AI platforms. They argue that the government should not prosecute these researchers for their efforts to find vulnerabilities. The call for protection comes as cybersecurity becomes increasingly important in the face of AI advancements. The article does not mention specific names, numbers, or dates.
After 26,000 public comments, FTC to vote on rule banning noncompete agreements
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to vote on a rule that would ban noncompete agreements after receiving 26,000 public comments. The rule aims to address the prevalence of noncompete agreements that many workers sign without realizing the implications until they try to change jobs. The FTC's decision comes as part of their crackdown on location data brokers and their efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. The vote on the rule is scheduled for April 23, 2024.
#Ftc #NoncompeteAgreements #Workplace #Employment
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/23/1246430110/noncompete-agreements-ftc-ban-lina-khan
Four 'American Indicators' share their view of the U.S. economy — and their politics
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The article discusses the views of four 'American Indicators' who represent different sectors of the economy in different parts of the country. Bhavesh Patel, a franchise hotel owner, is currently undecided on who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election. Lee Camp, a housing attorney, is concerned about high rents and limited access to housing, as well as the resumption of student loan payments. Brooke Neubauer, the founder of The Just One Project, wants a president who will invest in social services. Lisa Winton, co-founder of Winton Machine Company, is fiscally conservative but socially liberal and is currently undecided. The article highlights the importance of the economy as a top voting issue for many Americans.
#UsEconomy #Politics #PresidentialElection
Four 'American Indicators' share their view of the U.S. economy — and their politics
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The article discusses the views of four 'American Indicators' who represent different sectors of the economy in different parts of the country. Bhavesh Patel, a franchise hotel owner, is currently undecided on who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election. Lee Camp, a housing attorney, is concerned about high rents and limited access to housing, as well as the resumption of student loan payments. Brooke Neubauer, the founder of The Just One Project, wants a president who will invest in social services. Lisa Winton, co-founder of Winton Machine Company, is fiscally conservative but socially liberal and is currently undecided. The article highlights the importance of the economy as a top voting issue for many Americans.
#UsEconomy #Politics #PresidentialElection
What World War II taught us about how to help starving people today
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Lessons from World War II: The liberation of concentration camp survivors sparked the modern study of starvation. Starvation throws survivors' biological functions out of whack, making it difficult for their bodies to handle regular eating. This is known as the re-feeding syndrome. Severe acute malnutrition can cause volatile blood sugar and electrolyte levels, which can be upset by feeding regular foodstuffs. The Dutch "hunger winter" during Germany's occupation of the Netherlands revealed long-term impacts of extreme malnutrition, including stunted growth, cognitive deficits, poor school performance, and more health problems in adulthood. Young children are particularly vulnerable to lasting effects of malnutrition due to brain development. Aid groups have developed specialized care for malnourished children, including therapeutic feeding and medical interventions. However, ongoing conflicts in hunger-stricken areas make it difficult for aid workers to provide this care. Sudan and Northern Gaza are currently facing severe hunger crises, with millions of children at risk of acute malnutrition and life-threatening stages.
#Starvation #Malnutrition #WorldWarIi #Aid #HungerCrises
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2024/04/19/1245553753/starvation-malnutrition-holocaust
How Israel is likely to respond to overnight strikes by Iran
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with the Brookings Institution's Natan Sachs about how Israel's possible responses to the overnight attack by hundreds of Iranian drones and missiles.
U.S. drug makers see big profits — but many pay taxes far below the corporate rate
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Drugmakers in the U.S. are making big profits, but many are paying taxes far below the 21% corporate tax rate. For example, Pfizer's effective tax rate is so low that it is receiving a big refund despite booking $59 billion in revenue.
#DrugMakers #Taxes #CorporateTaxRate #Profits
The U.S. counterintelligence head says the list of threats is long and getting longer
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Mike Casey, the head of American counterintelligence, states that the scale of foreign spying operations and economic espionage against the United States is impressive and terrifying. The list of threats is long and getting longer, with China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea being the usual suspects. However, private sector entities and cybercriminals are also involved. China stands out for the ambition and scale of its espionage efforts, aiming to supplant the United States in key technology and establish an international regulatory scheme. Russia focuses more on government and military secrets. Smaller nations like Cuba cannot be overlooked, as demonstrated by the recent arrest of a former U.S. ambassador charged with spying for Cuba. Casey emphasizes the importance of counterintelligence and the need to remain vigilant.
#Counterintelligence #Spying #Threats #China #Russia #Iran #NorthKorea #Cybercriminals #PrivateSector #Espionage
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/12/1244101861/mike-casey-counterintelligence-spy-threats
NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust
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NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. The editor, Uri Berliner, criticized NPR's push for diversity and inclusion, claiming it has led to a lack of viewpoint diversity. NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, rejected Berliner's assessment and emphasized the importance of inclusion in their coverage. Berliner's essay has sparked internal arguments within NPR, with some colleagues questioning his trustworthiness and others defending the network's efforts to diversify its workforce and sources. Former NPR CEO John Lansing supported NPR's diversity mission and welcomed the argument against Berliner's critique. The new NPR CEO, Katherine Maher, also supports Chapin's response to Berliner's critique.
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/09/1243755769/npr-journalist-uri-berliner-trust-diversity
NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust
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NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. The editor, Uri Berliner, criticized NPR's push for diversity and inclusion, claiming it has led to a lack of viewpoint diversity. NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, rejected Berliner's assessment and emphasized the importance of inclusion in their coverage. Berliner's essay has sparked internal arguments within NPR, with some colleagues questioning his trustworthiness and others defending the network's efforts to diversify its workforce and sources. Former NPR CEO John Lansing supported NPR's diversity mission and welcomed the argument against Berliner's critique. The new NPR CEO, Katherine Maher, also supports Chapin's response to Berliner's critique.
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/09/1243755769/npr-journalist-uri-berliner-trust-diversity
NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust
==========
NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. The editor, Uri Berliner, criticized NPR's push for diversity and inclusion, claiming it has led to a lack of viewpoint diversity. NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, rejected Berliner's assessment and emphasized the importance of inclusion in their coverage. Berliner's essay has sparked internal arguments within NPR, with some colleagues questioning his trustworthiness and others defending the network's efforts to diversify its workforce and sources. Former NPR CEO John Lansing supported NPR's diversity mission and welcomed the argument against Berliner's critique. The new NPR CEO, Katherine Maher, also supports Chapin's response to Berliner's critique.
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/09/1243755769/npr-journalist-uri-berliner-trust-diversity
Using your phone to pay is convenient, but it can also mean you spend more
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Consumers tend to spend about 10% more when they adopt mobile contactless payment methods, according to research from Assistant Professor Yuqian Xu at UNC-Chapel Hill. The paper's lead author, Yuqian Xu, estimates that approximately 4.5% of total credit card usage in the US is due to the influence of frictionless payments, contributing to about $50 billion of the $1.13 trillion in current consumer credit card debt. The convenience of mobile payments, including the swift transaction process and the absence of the need to carry physical cards or a wallet, contributes to increased usage. However, Xu advises people to be aware of these dynamics and manage their financial resources to potentially reduce impulsive expenditures.
#MobilePayments #FrictionlessPayments #CreditCardUsage #ConsumerCreditCardDebt #FinancialTransactions
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/07/1241841908/apple-pay-phone-credit-spending-frictionless-payments
Chris Pine tells us where he ranks on the list of Hollywood Chrises : Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
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Chris Pine joins Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! to talk about his new movie, imitating William Shatner, and where he ranks on the list of Hollywood Chrises. He has starred in Star Trek, Wonder Woman, and Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement. He has also written and directed his own movie. The interview was published on April 6, 2024.
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/06/1198908680/wait-wait-dont-tell-me-draft-04-06-2024
Chris Pine tells us where he ranks on the list of Hollywood Chrises : Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
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Chris Pine joins Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! to talk about his new movie, imitating William Shatner, and where he ranks on the list of Hollywood Chrises. He has starred in Star Trek, Wonder Woman, and Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement. He has also written and directed his own movie. The interview was published on April 6, 2024.
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/06/1198908680/wait-wait-dont-tell-me-draft-04-06-2024
Addiction, Motherhood, and Jesus with writer Anne Lamott
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Writer Anne Lamott has garnered a cult following with her shockingly honest prose on love, death, faith, writing and more. This hour, her wisdom from a career that has spanned 20 books and 40 years.
#AnneLamott #Writing #Faith #Addiction #Motherhood #Jesus
Half a million California workers will get $20 minimum wage, starting today
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Starting today, half a million workers in California, including fast-food employees, will receive a minimum wage of $20 per hour, a 25% increase from the previous week. The law affects major restaurant chains such as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, KFC, Subway, and Starbucks. The increase in labor costs has raised concerns among local franchisees. Fast-food jobs are among the lowest-paying in the U.S. economy, and many workers, who are often women, immigrants, and people of color, live below the poverty line. However, some workers still feel that $20 is not enough to feel financially secure in expensive cities like Los Angeles. The minimum wage for jobs outside of fast food in California remains $16 per hour, but employers paying less than $20 per hour may face stiffer competition for workers. The wage increase has led to potential consequences such as higher prices, automation, reduced work hours, and even closures for restaurant chains and franchisees. Some restaurant owners have already laid off delivery drivers and plan to raise prices. The cost of eating out in the U.S. has been increasing despite overall inflation cooling elsewhere. The wage increase is a result of a deal struck by labor leaders and fast-food companies, and it applies to fast-food chains with at least 60 locations nationwide. A new council has been formed to develop standards, rules, and regulations for the fast-food industry in California. Advocates hope that the increase in fast-food pay will spread to other industries in the state and across the country. The federal minimum wage in the U.S. remains at $7.25 per hour.
#California #MinimumWage #FastfoodWorkers #RestaurantChains #LaborCosts #PovertyLine #WageIncrease #Prices #Automation #WorkHours #Closures #DeliveryDrivers #Inflation #LaborDeal #FastfoodIndustry
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/01/1241743207/california-fast-food-workers-20-minimum-wage-april
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step down, part of a shakeup after 737 Max problems
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Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of the year, along with the retirement of the president of the commercial airplanes division and the non-reelection of the board chairman. The shakeup comes after several difficult months for Boeing, including an in-flight door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max jet in January. The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into the incident. Boeing has been struggling since the 737 Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/25/1240652652/boeing-ceo-dave-calhoun-steps-down-737-max-investigations
Research balloons will watch the total solar eclipse from above
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On April 8, eclipse day, hundreds of student teams across the country will release hundreds of research balloons to study the atmosphere during the total solar eclipse. The effort, known as the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project, is backed by NASA and aims to make unique atmospheric measurements that can only be done during an eclipse. The balloons will carry scientific instruments into the path of totality, where the moon completely blocks the sun. The results will provide insights into how heat moves through the atmosphere and could improve predictions of weather and climate change. Over 750 students from 53 teams are participating in the project, which gives students an opportunity to gain real-world experience in aerospace engineering. Balloons are an ideal vehicle for this project as they can drift gently in the eclipse zone for minutes or hours, providing a unique vantage point at altitudes of 75,000 to 80,000 feet. The project also serves as a training ground for students interested in launching rockets and satellites in the future. The launch of the balloons will take place on April 8, and the students are prepared to launch multiple balloons in case of any failures or mishaps.
#SolarEclipse #Nasa #ResearchBalloons #AtmosphericMeasurements #NationwideEclipseBallooningProject #Students #AerospaceEngineering
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/25/1240017029/solar-eclipse-nasa-students-research-balloons-science