Pope Francis had a quiet night and is resting, according to the Holy See Press Office. The 85-year-old pontiff sat in his armchair after waking up, continuing his oxygen therapy. His medical update may include results from Tuesday’s pulmonary CT scan. The Pope’s clinical condition remains critical but stable, with no acute respiratory episodes reported. … Read more
San Francisco’s office market, which had hit rock bottom in 2023, is receiving a boost from Wall Street investors. The Financial Times had previously described the downtown area as spiraling into the abyss due to record-high vacancy rates and fire-sale prices for debt-laden buildings. The pandemic disrupted the industry, leaving investors and property owners uncertain … Read more
Apple has rejected an outside proposal to end its diversity, equity, and inclusion policies after President Trump urged investors to vote down the idea. The company said it does not have hiring quotas for specific demographics but may adjust its policies. President Trump criticized Apple on Wednesday, calling on investors to reject any proposals to … Read more
Researchers have found that deep sleep may play a crucial role in forestalling slow declines in brain health that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. A study published in May 2023, involving 62 older, cognitively healthy adults, suggests that individuals with brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s performed better on memory … Read more
Paramount Pictures has retreated from some policies aimed at increasing diversity among its staff, following a broader trend of companies in the entertainment industry rolling back diversity initiatives. The changes include eliminating staffing goals tied to race, ethnicity, sex, and gender, as well as stopping the collection of certain diversity data for job applicants. The … Read more
The US Food and Drug Administration has cancelled a crucial meeting with its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, originally scheduled for March 13. This decision comes as concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic take precedence. The committee was set to recommend strains for the upcoming 2025-2026 flu vaccine, a process typically overseen by … Read more
Google has been quietly installing an app called SafetyCore on Android devices, which scans incoming and outgoing pictures to detect potentially explicit content. The feature, set to roll out in 2025, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify images that may contain nudity before sending or forwarding them. SafetyCore is a system service launched in October … Read more
Jeff Bezos, the owner of The Washington Post, has announced a significant change to the newspaper’s opinion section. Under the new direction, the section will focus on advocating “personal liberties and free markets” instead of publishing opposing viewpoints on those topics. David Shipley, the current opinion editor, has resigned in response to the change. In … Read more
Bitcoin’s value has been plummeting for four days, with a drop seen as the largest since August. The selling trend is prompting investors and traders to hedge against further declines by buying put options with a strike price of $70,000. According to Deribit, a leading crypto options exchange, open interest for these contracts is at … Read more
NASA has released proposed science themes for its fifth New Frontiers mission, which aims to meet key needs of scientists while maintaining a balanced portfolio of missions. The report outlines several mission concepts, including a probe to Saturn, a network of sensors on the Moon, and an attempt to collect material from a dwarf planet. … Read more