Mission Everywhere

Brian Krebs / Krebs on Security : Kazakhstan arrested Nikita Kislitsin, Group-IB's former head of network security, on June 22 for his alleged role in the LinkedIn and Dropbox hacks in 2012   —  Nikita Kislitsin, formerly the head of network security for one of Russia's top cybersecurity firms, was arrested last week in Kazakhstan … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/Vai4bM0

Art Cashin REUTERS/Brendan McDermid The current market upswing is largely sentiment driven, Wall Street trading legend Art Cashin said. "Short of going absolutely parabolic, this has been some dramatic, pyrotechnic run on this rally." But it will mean that small, future challenges could have outsized market reactions. Legendary trader Art Cashin is skeptical of the stock market rally and said a hiccup could quickly unravel investors' optimism. The warning comes as the market wraps up a strong second quarter that extended year-to-date gains. In the first haf of 2023, the Nasdaq is up 30%, and the S&P 500 is up 15.5%. "I can't overstate how strongly sentiment has taken over," Cashin, UBS director of floor operations, told CNBC on Friday, pointing to fear of missing out. "I think, short of going absolutely parabolic, this has been some dramatic, pyrotechnic run on this rally." Asked if there's an "unknown unknown" that c...

PYMNTS.com : Unit21, which helps businesses monitor fraudulent activities, raised a $45M Series C to expand its Fintech Fraud DAO data sharing consortium to identify fraud   —  Unit21 has raised $45 million in a Series C round to grow the Fintech Fraud DAO consortium.  —  The funding is being used … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/aJogUdD

A pod of orcas, or killer whales, with a baby orca among them. Getty Images Scientists say the orca White Gladis may have been pregnant when she started ramming into boats. Her unusual behavior in 2020 likely followed a moment of agony near the same time, one expert said. White Gladis later gave birth to her calf in 2021, following a 15- to 18-month pregnancy. White Gladis is among a pod of killer whales that have been ramming boats off the coast of Spain and Portugal, near the Iberian Peninsula, for several years. These encounters have become increasingly common and are reported to be happening almost daily . The animals have already sunk three boats and torn off the rudders of others in what's being called an " orca uprising. " White Gladis is just one among many orcas displaying this behavior . But what makes her special is that she's believed to be the orca who started it all. And now, recent reports suggest she was pregnant when it all began. Who i...

Bloomberg : Filing: Fidelity refiles for a spot bitcoin ETF with the US SEC, following similar applications from BlackRock, Invesco, WisdomTree, Valkyrie, and others   —  Fidelity Investments is the latest financial services heavyweight to throw its name into the race to offer the first US exchange-traded fund investing in Bitcoin. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/KPYl1rg

One of the most expensive mattresses on the market is made from natural latex. It's hypoallergenic, biodegradable, and more durable than memory foam. You can buy a memory-foam mattress for a few hundred dollars, but natural latex mattresses usually cost over $1,500 and can exceed $2,000. Latex sap from rubber trees is in high demand from dozens of industries, including car tires. This high demand has caused deforestation and displacement of farmers in Cambodia. Some mattress companies source their latex from organic- and fair-trade-certified farms in Guatemala, but the latex from these farms comes at a premium compared to the latex from noncertified plantations. We explored why natural latex mattresses are so expensive. Read the original article on Business Insider from Business Insider https://ift.tt/u3RTXVv

President Joe Biden speaks at the White House on January 12, 2023. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik A majority of Democrats now say the pandemic is over. This is the first time that group has said so since Gallup started tracking it. The opinion shift comes as the White House takes steps to show the nation is turning the page. A majority of Democrats now say the pandemic is over, further signaling that the US is trying to return to some sense of normal after COVID-19. According to a new Gallup online poll , 51% of Democrats agree the pandemic is over in the nation. While 84% of Republicans say the same thing, they crossed the majority threshold in April 2022. As for independents, they are, not surprisingly, in the middle, with 65% of such voters feel the pandemic is over. Gallup says that 64% of overall Americans agree the pandemic is over, the largest number since it began tracking the question. The polling firm also found that fewer than 2 in 10 Americans express concern about contr...

Carl Franzen / VentureBeat : New York-based Slang.ai, which offers an AI-powered phone answering service for restaurants and retailers, raised a $20M Series A led by Homebrew   —  Slang.ai, an AI-powered phone answering product for the restaurant industry founded by two former Spotify data scientists … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/BZEe9ht

The bright light of a solar flare on the left side of the sun in an image taken in June 2013. NASA/SDO The sun is entering a period of peak activity that will last several years, an expert said. This means the sun will produce more solar flares, powerful bursts of energy. Solar flares can disrupt radio communications and electric power grids on Earth. The sun is waking up after almost a decade of relative calm and could reach peak activity by the end of this year , scientists say — and that could cause problems on Earth . As more sunspots appear on the surface of our star during its active period , it may prompt more solar storms , creating bursts of electromagnetic energy that can affect everything from the power grid to GPS signals. These so-called solar maximums occur roughly every 11 years, and they haven't been much of a problem in the past. Scientists, however, fear that our reliance on electricity and interconnectivity could mean we're far more vulnerable ...

UBS' rescue takeover of Credit Suisse will lead to tens of thousands of job cuts Samantha Lee/Business Insider UBS is set to begin slashing jobs at Credit Suisse. New York bankers and traders are among those most at risk of the chop. Huge cuts follow layoffs by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and others. Everyone knew that deep cuts would be coming at Credit Suisse, the bank that was taken over by local rival UBS in an emergency rescue  one weekend in March. Yet the scale of the planned reductions are still eye-popping.  More than half of Credit Suisse's global workforce will be pruned beginning in July, Bloomberg reports, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. That's more than 20,000 people.  That's more than the headcounts of Blackstone, Jefferies, Lazard, and Moelis combined .  Credit Suisse bankers, traders, and support staff  in New York will be among those bearing the brunt of the cuts, Bloomberg says, in addition to those...

Seth Klarman, Baupost Group CEO. Scott Olson/Getty Images Seth Klarman is bracing for an economic slowdown as the Federal Reserve continues to tighten. The value investor highlighted real estate as the next opportunity he is evaluating amid stresses in the commercial sector. "We think real estate is an area that is full of so many challenges, but the challenges have caused urgent selling," Klarman said. Legendary value investor Seth Klarman is eyeing opportunities in real estate ahead of a potential economic slowdown, he said in a Tuesday interview with CNBC . "We think real estate is an area that is full of so many fundamental challenges, but the fundamental challenges have caused urgent selling. You can see a pullback in lending, you can see vacancies in office, troubles in retail for years and years. And so that doesn't automatically make it interesting. But it may mean that as other people abandon it... there may be opportunities to buy," he said....

View shows credit cards Thomson Reuters Tighter interest rates could lead to a spike in credit card defaults for young adults, Moody's said. Young borrowers have accumulated credit card debt to offset the effects of inflation. Credit card balances grew 16% for card holders under the age of 25 last year, more than any other age group. Defaults and delinquencies could spike among young adults who've racked up credit card debt, thanks to tighter financial conditions that are starting to impact how US consumer spend, Moody's Analytics said.  In a note on Tuesday, Moody's pointed to higher interest rates, which have raised the cost of borrowing and slowed down consumer credit usage. Outstanding balances across all consumer credit products grew just 0.2% in May, compared to 5.3% in May of last year. Meanwhile, accounts grew at a rate of just 0.1%, compared to 2.8% a year ago. But higher rates potentially spell trouble for young adults, some of whom have already rac...

Kif Leswing / CNBC : Unity's shares jump 14%+ after it announces its Asset Store will sell third-party “AI solutions” that can generate game dialogue, graphics, and more   —  - Unity shares rose 12% on Tuesday after the gaming tool maker announced a marketplace for AI software that positions … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/mnMP6RZ

Jesse Watters on the set of his show "Jesse Watters Primetime," which will take over Tucker Carlson's 8 p.m. slot on Fox News. John Lamparski/Getty Images Jesse Watters, known for his "Watters' World" segments, is taking Tucker Carlson's old slot. Watters' profile at Fox News rose through his work with the network's former star Bill O'Reilly. Carlson was pushed out from Fox News in April following the Dominion lawsuit. Jesse Watters, whose profile at Fox News rose due to his work with one of the network's former stars Bill O'Reilly, will be taking the coveted primetime spot that once belonged to former network anchor Tucker Carlson.  Watters' show "Jesse Watters Primetime" will take the 8 p.m. Eastern slot on July 17, Fox News said in a statement on Monday that outlined its forthcoming schedule. The statement did not reference Carlson. In its statement, Fox News described the show as Watters' "fresh ...

James Vincent / The Verge : AI is killing the web with spam sites, article-churning “AI editors”, “AI-generated junk” in places like Etsy and Reddit, exhausting forum moderators, and more   —  In recent months, the signs and portents have been accumulating with increasing speed.  Google is trying to kill the 10 blue links. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/rT4tUJg

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When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. Snag these Prime Day headphone deals while you can. Mark Knapp/Insider A good pair of headphones can be costly, so it's always better to try to look for a sale, especially during Amazon Prime Day . In previous years, we've seen excellent Prime Day headphone deals on AirPods, earbuds, and over-ear headphones.  This year, Prime Day will take place on July 11 and 12. We've rounded up the best current deals ahead of the sale event, as well as the top discounts from last year's Prime Day, so you know what to expect.  Today's best headphone deals  Best Prime Day headphone deals from last year  Amazon features a variety of headphone and earbud deals on Prime Day, with some of the top audio and electronics brands getting significant discounts. Last year's Prime Day deals included some of the platform's lowest prices on AirPods: AirPods 2nd Gen ( $160 $120) AirPods Pr...

Jesse Hamilton / CoinDesk : FTX bankruptcy team says the exchange owed customers ~$8.7B after commingling and misusing their deposits, and ~$7B in liquid assets have been recovered so far   —  Commingling and misuse of customer and corporate funds occurred from the inception of FTX, says current CEO John J. Ray III. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/o3uVb9N

The Burmese peacock softshell turtle hatchlings were captured on video by staff of the conservation group Fauna and Flora International Nyein Chan & Yae Aung / Fauna & Flora Staff at a conservation group captured the birth of 15 Burmese peacock softshell turtle hatchlings. The rare species, found only in Myanmar, is one of the world's most endangered freshwater turtles. The video of the turtles in their clutch is the first official record of the hatchlings in the wild. Fifteen tiny turtles in Myanmar just made waves across the scientific community after their birth was captured on camera by conservation workers in what appears to be the first official record of Burmese peacock softshell turtle hatchlings. The rare species, named for bright orange spots on its shell reminiscent of peacock feathers, are found only in Myanmar and are highly sought after in East Asian food markets. In addition to being overharvested as an ingredient for stews and soups in the region,...

New York Times : As the use of AI-generated ads in political campaigns increases, lawmakers, political consultants, and election researchers push for creating new guardrails   —  Gaps in campaign rules allow politicians to spread images and messaging generated by increasingly powerful artificial intelligence technology. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/LJGjh4Y

A Tornado fighter jet pilot with his hands in the air after landing at a base in northern Germany in October 2018. Rainer Jensen/picture alliance via Getty Images China's air force has been scrambling to develop its pilots and jets in order to counter the US. To give itself a leg up, China appears to be seeking out Western experience and technical expertise. China has long had a reputation for copying technology. Now it has gone a step further by copying Western air combat tactics — or rather, paying Westerners to teach them those tactics. China has recruited former pilots from NATO militaries to train its fliers, allowing the Chinese air force not only to take advantage of Western experience and replace rigid Soviet-style doctrine with more flexible Western methods but also giving it insight into how potential enemies would fight. In February, German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that former German fighter pilots had gone to China, where they appeared to have worked as...

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group, in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on June 24, 2023. Prigozhin Press Service via Associated Press As of Sunday afternoon, Yevgeny Prigozhin had not posted to Telegram for more than 24 hours. The Wagner boss normally shares multiple posts a day with his more than 640,000 followers. He last posted an audio message on Saturday announcing an end to his mutiny. Yevgeny Prigozhin is not a shy man. In the weeks leading up to his aborted mutiny, the head of the Wagner private military company posted often — and angrily — about the war in Ukraine and his feuds with Russia's military leaders, usually sharing multiple posts a day with his hundreds of thousands of followers on Telegram. But ever since announcing an abrupt end to his rebellion in a 58-second audio message, the normally outspoken Wagner boss has gone silent. Neither his personal account nor his official press channel on Telegram, with nearly 2 million foll...

Maria Heeter / The Information : Source: a group of investors led by Apollo Global Management plans to make a $1B+ debt investment in US chipmaker Wolfspeed, which has a $6B market cap   —  A group of investors led by Apollo Global Management is making a more than $1 billion debt investment in Wolfspeed … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/U3G9Sp5

Reed Albergotti / Semafor : Q&A with AWS Product VP Matt Wood on the generative AI boom, the escalating AI battle between tech giants, curating the best models for AWS, and more   —  Matt Wood, vice president of product for Amazon Web Services, is at the tip of the spear of Amazon's response in the escalating AI battle between the tech giants. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/rPgcipV

In this handout photo taken from video released by Prigozhin Press Service, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group military company, records his video addresses in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Saturday, June 24, 2023. Prigozhin Press Service via Associated Press Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin will move to Belarus and won't be prosecuted, a Kremlin spokesman said. Prigozhin and his mercenary group waged an uprising and marched across Russia on Saturday. The group stopped just short of Moscow as Prigozhin said he did not want to shed Russian blood. The Kremlin has forged a deal with Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin to defuse the mercenary group's uprising on Saturday. In exchange for Prigozhin's exile to Belarus, the mercenary leader won't be prosecuted, the Associated Press reported , citing a Kremlin spokesperson. The reported agreement comes after a paramilitary rebellion on Saturday in which the Wagner Group marched across Russia before suddenl...

Wagner forces were just hours from Moscow when they suddenly reversed course. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin said he wanted to avoid bloodshed. Stringer TPX/Reuters Russian forces spent Saturday preparing to defend Moscow from a paramilitary uprising. But Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin ordered his fighters to turn around just before reaching the capital. Meanwhile, officials in Ukraine said their forces made advancements in Russian-occupied territory. While Russia scrambled to defend itself from its own paramilitary forces on Saturday, Ukrainian leaders said their own forces managed to make advancements in Russian-occupied territory. The Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary organization led by Yevgeny Prigozhin — a former ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin — marched across Russia on Saturday, coming within hours of Moscow. Prigozhin then ordered his fighters to turn around , claiming he wanted to avoid bloodshed.  His point was apparently made. Meanwhile, far from the ...

Lisa O'Carroll / The Guardian : The EFJ and media experts condemn the latest European Media Freedom Act draft that would let national security agencies place spyware on journalists' phones   —  Move to allow spyware to be placed on reporters' phones would have a ‘chilling effect’, say media experts from Techmeme https://ift.tt/YL3T6VI

Servicemen of the Wagner Group military company guard an area at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Saturday, June 24, 2023. AP Photo Rebelling Russian mercenary forces marched all the way to the outskirts of Moscow on Saturday. Yevgeny Prigozhin then stopped short of entering Moscow to avoid bloodshed, he announced.  The Lithuanian prime minister compared the conflict between Prigozhin and Putin to 'spiders in a jar.' As the mercenary Wagner Group marched toward Moscow on Saturday — a move against Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Ministry of Defense — neighboring countries compared the uprising to a cage match.  Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group and a former Putin ally , said he was leading 25,000 soldiers on a "march for justice" to overthrow Russia's military leadership amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.  As all eyes were on Russia during the Wagner Group's stunning advance...

Russians are fleeing Moscow as the Wagner Group advances towards the city. Stringer/Reuters Russians are attempting to flee as Wagner Group forces approach Moscow. Images and videos from Rostov-on-Don showed packed crowds in the city's train station. Meanwhile, direct flights out of Moscow are sold out.  Russians are lining up in travel hubs as the Wagner Group advances towards Moscow, videos and photographs suggest.  One post showed the Rostov-on-Don train station jam-packed with travelers attempting to leave after the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary organization, captured the key Southern port city on Saturday. —Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) June 24, 2023 Meanwhile, outside the station, one video reportedly shows shoulder-to-shoulder crowds gathering along the train tracks at the Rostov-on-Don Central Station in order to flee the region.  —Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 24, 2023 Earlier Saturday, direct flights leaving Moscow sold out as Russians ...