China’s Rare Earth Origin Story, Explained

NY Times - Sat, 07/05/2025 - 00:01
Low environmental standards helped China become the world’s low-cost producer of rare earths, but Beijing was also focused on helping the industry.

Mamdani Once Claimed to Be Asian and African American. Should It Matter?

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 22:48
Zohran Mamdani’s responses on a 2009 college application were criticized by his mayoral rivals. The blowback was dismissed by his supporters as a politically motivated attack.

There Is No Safe Amount of Processed Meat To Eat, According to New Research

SlashDot - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 22:00
A new study analyzing data from more than 60 previous research projects has found evidence that there is "no safe amount" of processed meat consumption -- so much so that even small daily portions are being linked to increased disease risk. The research, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, examined connections between processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages and trans fatty acids and the risk of type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer and ischemic heart disease. People who ate as little as one hot dog daily showed an 11% greater risk of type 2 diabetes and 7% increased risk of colorectal cancer compared to those who consumed none. Drinking approximately one 12-ounce soda per day was associated with an 8% increase in type 2 diabetes risk and 2% increased risk of ischemic heart disease.

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What Tourists in Martha’s Vineyard Showed Me About Being Indigenous

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 20:35
In my parents’ gift shop, I learned about being Native.

Court Rejects Effort to Keep Migrants From Being Sent to South Sudan

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 19:50
After the Supreme Court ruled that the deportations could move forward, a last-ditch attempt to block them with a new lawsuit faltered.

Moderna Says mRNA Flu Vaccine Sailed Through Trial, Beating Standard Shot

SlashDot - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 19:30
Moderna's mRNA-based seasonal flu vaccine proved 27% more effective at preventing influenza infections than standard flu shots in a Phase 3 trial involving nearly 41,000 people aged 50 and above, the firm said this week. The company announced that mRNA-1010 had an overall vaccine efficacy that was 26.6% higher than conventional shots, rising to 27.4% higher in participants aged 65 and older during the six-month study period. The 2024-2025 flu season hospitalized an estimated 770,000 Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Some Ways Fireworks Impact Animals and People

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 19:29
Firework displays can harm animals and create bursts of pollution with lingering effects, but there are ways to mitigate them.

Tropical Depression Forms Just Off the Southeastern U.S.

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 19:17
The storm is expected to bring heavy rain to South Carolina through the weekend. Forecasters expect it to become a tropical storm on Saturday.

Top Hochul Aide Resigns After Being Accused of Sexual Harassment

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 18:55
Avi Small, who had served as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s longtime press secretary, was accused of inappropriately touching another male aide.

States Brace for Added Burdens of Trump’s Tax and Spending Law

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 18:15
With the president’s domestic policy law signed, states will have to administer many of the cuts and decide how much they can spend to keep their citizens insured and fed.

Madre Fire Grows to 70,800 Acres, Prompting Evacuations in California

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 18:07
The blaze is burning in a rural area of San Luis Obispo County, in the central coast, but its smoke has spread to nearby counties.

UK Minister Tells Turing AI Institute To Focus On Defense

SlashDot - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 18:00
UK Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has written to the UK's national institute for AI to tell its bosses to refocus on defense and security. BBC: In a letter, Kyle said boosting the UK's AI capabilities was "critical" to national security and should be at the core of the Alan Turing Institute's activities. Kyle suggested the institute should overhaul its leadership team to reflect its "renewed purpose." The cabinet minister said further government investment in the institute would depend on the "delivery of the vision" he had outlined in the letter. A spokesperson for the Alan Turing Institute said it welcomed "the recognition of our critical role and will continue to work closely with the government to support its priorities." Further reading, from April: Alan Turing Institute Plans Revamp in Face of Criticism and Technological Change.

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Joseph Giordano, Surgeon Who Helped Save Reagan’s Life, Dies at 84

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 17:58
He had built one of the country’s leading trauma centers in Washington, which made it possible for his team to respond quickly after the president was shot.

Brief but Violent Storms in New Jersey Leave 3 Dead

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 17:54
Powerful gusts blew down trees in central New Jersey on Thursday, killing three people who were in their cars.

Fatally Injured Teenager Is Discovered on Top of a N.Y.C. Subway Car

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 17:37
A 15-year-old boy could be the latest victim of subway surfing, a dangerous practice of riding on the roofs of train cars that has lured New York City youth for decades.

Hamas Says It’s Ready to ‘Immediately” Return to Truce Negotiations

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 17:17
It was not immediately clear whether the group was demanding any significant changes to the plan for a 60-day truce, hostage-for-prisoner swaps and talks on a permanent end to the Gaza war.

Laid-Off Workers Should Use AI To Manage Their Emotions, Says Xbox Exec

SlashDot - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 17:00
An anonymous reader shares a report: The sweeping layoffs announced by Microsoft this week have been especially hard on its gaming studios, but one Xbox executive has a solution to "help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss": seek advice from AI chatbots. In a now-deleted LinkedIn post captured by Aftermath, Xbox Game Studios' Matt Turnbull said that he would be "remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances." The circumstances here being a slew of game cancellations, services being shuttered, studio closures, and job cuts across key Xbox divisions as Microsoft lays off as many as 9,100 employees across the company. Turnbull acknowledged that people have some "strong feelings" about AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot, but suggested that anybody who's feeling "overwhelmed" could use them to get advice about creating resumes, career planning, and applying for new roles.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Joey Chestnut Returns to Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

NY Times - Fri, 07/04/2025 - 16:02
Mr. Chestnut, who was barred last year over an endorsement deal with a vegan-meat company, and Miki Sudo easily won their respective contests but did not break records.

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