| Need to Know |
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| New Charges for Weinstein |
Los Angeles prosecutors unveiled new charges against Harvey Weinstein yesterday, alleging he raped one woman and sexually assaulted another in separate incidents over a two-day span in 2013. The indictment appeared to be timed to coincide with the start of a trial against Weinstein on similar charges in New York, where the former film mogul hobbled into the courtroom yesterday - aided by a walker - on the eve of jury selection. Weinstein's alleged history of sexual assault burst into the public eye in October 2017 following bombshell reports that he paid off victims for decades. Almost 100 women ultimately came forward with the revelations catalyzing the #MeToo movement which spread through Hollywood and into a number of other industries. Weinstein reached a $44M settlement with some, but not all, of his accusers in May.
Read the original reports exposing Weinstein here ($$, NYT) and here ($$, New Yorker). |
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| Gadgets Galore in Vegas |
One of the world's largest celebrations of cutting-edge technology kicks off today as close to 200,000 people descend on Las Vegas for the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show. Over the past five decades, CES has become the premier event for companies to showcase their newest innovations while shining a spotlight on the emerging tech trends for the year ahead (see photos). This year's lineup includes a number of technologies that weren't quite ready for prime time last year, like 5G devices and flexible phones, which now offer a range of production-ready options. A number of companies appear ready to go big on the nascent trend of ambient computing, which refers to the integration of electronics, touchscreens, and artificial intelligence into everyday environments. Finally, Apple returns to the show after a 28-year hiatus, pushing its privacy-focused smart home devices.
Samsung is set to reveal an incredibly lifelike - and somewhat unsettling - human AI program. |
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| Bolton Offers Testimony |
Former national security advisor John Bolton said yesterday he would testify in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial if subpoenaed by the body. Known as a prolific note-taker, Bolton did not testify before the House, instead asking a federal judge to rule on whether senior White House officials were obliged to comply (the suit was dismissed Dec. 30). Democrats have sought Bolton's testimony after other witnesses raised a number of conversations that Bolton was party to and may potentially clarify. Regardless of what information Bolton may offer, calling a witness during Senate proceedings would require 51 votes - meaning at least four Republican senators would have to support the move, assuming all 47 Democrats voted in favor. Should that happen, Senate leadership has broad flexibility in determining the scope of any testimony.
Bolton has also reportedly inked a multimillion-dollar book deal. |
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| Can falling interest rates affect my student loans? |
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| In the Know |
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| Sports, Entertainment, & Culture |
| > University of Alabama star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa declares for NFL draft (More) | Dallas Cowboys hire former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy as new head coach; team parted ways with Jason Garrett after nine seasons (More) |
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| > Former "Bachelor" contestant Jade Roper Tolbert accused of cheating to win $1M DraftKings fantasy football contest for allegedly colluding with her husband, a "Bachelorette" alum (More) |
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| > "Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time" kicks off tonight (8pm ET, ABC) pitting the three highest-winning champions against each other; Ken Jennings, James Holzhauer, and Brad Rutter will compete for $1M prize (More) |
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| Science & Technology |
| > SpaceX becomes world's largest satellite operator with launch of 60 new satellites last night as part of its Starlink space-based internet program (More) |
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| > Scientists develop nanoscale drug delivery process to boost the immune system response in the fight against late-stage sepsis; the condition is responsible for one in three hospital deaths (More) | What is sepsis? (More) |
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| > Viral video platform TikTok reportedly has unreleased face swap feature that lets users insert their face into others' videos; feature is built on top of powerful deepfakes technology (More) |
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| Business & Markets |
| > Borden Dairy Co. files for bankruptcy after 163 years, second major milk producer to file in recent months (More) | Retailer Pier 1 Imports to close half of stores and reduce headcount amid challenging retail environment, shares down another 5% (More) |
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| > American Airlines settles confidentially with Boeing for damages due to 737 MAX aircraft groundings (More) |
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| > Oil surges above $70 to highest levels since September amid Iran tensions (More) |
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| Politics & World Affairs |
| > Election 2020: In surprise move, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo turns down 2020 run for Kansas Senate seat (More) | Julián Castro, former Obama housing chief who recently ended presidential bid, endorses Sen. Elizabeth Warren (More) |
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| > A reported 35 people dead, almost 50 injured during stampede during funeral procession for Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in his hometown of Kerman; Soleimani was killed by US drone strike Friday in Baghdad (More) |
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| > A 6.4-magnitude earthquake hits Puerto Rico following days of seismic activity, including 5.8-magnitude quake on Monday (More) |
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| In-Depth |
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| An Interview With Iraq's President |
| New Yorker | Robin Wright. Following the US strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani at the Baghdad airport, Iraq finds itself at the frontlines of spiraling tensions between the US and Iran, while trying to free itself from the latter's influence. (Read, $$) |
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| The Wrong House |
| The Informant | Nick Martin. An international neo-Nazi organization showed up in the small town of Dexter, Michigan, in November on a mission to silence a podcast host who had spoken out against the group - except they had the wrong address. (Read) |
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| Refinance your loans today. |
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