Updates: Supreme Court Backs Law Requiring TikTok to Be Sold or Banned - The New York Times
The decision came a week after the justices heard a First Amendment challenge to a law aimed at the wildly popular short-form video platform used by 170 million Americans that the government fears could be influenced by China.
Is the TikTok Ban a Chance to Rethink the Whole Internet? | The New Yorker
Read the Supreme Court Ruling Against TikTok - The New York Times
Biden Tightens Cybersecurity Rules, Forcing Trump to Make a Choice - The New York Times
The president’s latest executive order accelerates the move to mandatory compliance by software providers. It may run afoul of the Trump mandate to deregulate.
The executive order requires software companies selling their product to the federal government to prove they included ironclad security features that can thwart Chinese intelligence agencies, Russian ransomware gangs, North Korean cryptocurrency thieves and Iranian spies.
The proposed rules would have slowed more ships to prevent collisions with endangered North Atlantic right whales.
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| A right whale with its calf in Cape Cod Bay last year. There were an estimated 370 North Atlantic right whales left as of 2023.Credit...Grade Solomon |
David Lynch Dead: ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Mulholland Drive’ Director Was 78 - The New York Times
A visionary, his films included “Eraserhead,” “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive.” He also brought his skewed view to the small screen with “Twin Peaks.”
David Lynch, ‘Twin Peaks’ and the American Art of Television - The New York Times
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| Mr. Lynch at his studio in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles in 2002. In 2024, he announced that he had developed emphysema after years of smoking. Credit...Monica Almeida/The New York Times |
SpaceX’s Starship Has Setback During 7th Test Launch - The New York Times
While Elon Musk’s spaceflight company repeated a spectacular catch of its powerful booster stage, the upper stage was lost as it traveled through space.
Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn Rocket Lifts Off on First Flight - The New York Times (Thanks to Valerie for this one).
Blue Origin successfully launched the rocket after an attempt earlier in the week was scrubbed. The flight is a crucial test of the company’s ability to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
What is RedNote, the Chinese app that US ‘TikTok refugees’ are flocking to? | CNN Business
The app, which means “Little Red Book,” often shortened by US users to RedNote, surged to the top position on Apple’s US App Store on Tuesday.
“This could be a historic moment,” one Chinese user commented. “It feels like so much has changed in an instant. Ordinary people from our two countries have never really connected before … I hope everyone can take this brief chance to engage in meaningful exchanges of ideas.”
For a brief period in 2021, similar exchanges were also seen on the social media app Clubhouse, where Chinese and American users engaged in uncensored dialogue on sensitive topics in virtual chat rooms, before Chinese censors intervened to block the app.
TikTok Refugees Get Wry Welcome on RedNote, Another Chinese App - The New York Times
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| One RedNote influencer in China posted a video responding to comments from new American users, most of them attempting to flirt with him.Credit...高源Kaiko |
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| Xiaohongshu, a popular Chinese social media app, is headquartered in Shanghai. Yuyu Chen/FeatureChina/AP |
On a side note: Bob Dylan Joins TikTok in What May Be Its Final Days
Dylan seemed to be in on the joke, posting an old black and white clip of himself saying “Good God, I must leave right away.”
TikTok prepares to shut down app in US on Sunday, sources say | Reuters (Thanks to Sebastian for this one)
Michelle Obama Will Skip Trump’s Inauguration - The New York Times (Thanks to Arya for this one)
Mrs. Obama also declined to attend the funeral of Jimmy Carter last week, which would have put her face-to-face with Mr. Trump.
Lawsuits allege power company involvement in LA wildfires : NPR (Thanks to Trevor for this one)
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| At least two lawsuits have been filed against Southern California Edison power company, on the speculation that faulty power lines may have sparked the Eaton Fire, which has claimed at least 16 lives and destroyed over a thousand structures. |
Animal rescue groups help Los Angeles pets : The Picture Show : NPR
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| Two puppies brought to Best Friends Animal Society |
Middle East Crisis Updates: Gaza Cease-Fire to Start on Sunday, Mediator Says - The New York Times (Thanks to Brody for this one)
Gaza Cease-Fire Deal Brings Joy, but Is Shadowed With Uncertainty - The New York Times (Thanks to John for this one)
Israeli Vote on Cease-Fire Is Delayed as Diplomats Work on Details - The New York Times
Even though negotiators for Israel and Hamas reached a provisional deal for a truce starting Sunday, they continued to discuss outstanding issues through mediators.
Two pro-Palestinian journalists were ejected from the news conference after accusing the secretary of state of enabling “genocide.” Blinken, despite reports of last-minute snags, said he was confident about the cease-fire deal for Gaza.
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| Palestinians and Israelis react positively to the deal. Barring a last-minute collapse, it appears both sides will get some respite from violence, though the suffering will continue. |
FDA bans Red No. 3, artificial dye used in beverages, candy and other foods
It took decades (since the first studies in the 1980s), but the carcinogen will finally be out of the food supply in 2028.
South Korea President Yoon Is Detained for Questioning Over Martial Law - The New York Times
Yoon Suk Yeol became the first South Korean leader to be held by criminal investigators, ending a long standoff after he imposed martial law.
Key facts:
US removes malware allegedly planted on computers by Chinese-backed hackers | Reuters
US clamps down on AI chip export drawing pushback
Meet the Chinese 'Typhoon' hackers preparing for war | TechCrunch
The U.S. says Chinese government-backed hackers have — in some cases for years — been burrowing deep into the networks of U.S. critical infrastructure, including water, energy, and transportation providers. The goal, officials say, is to lay the groundwork for potentially destructive cyberattacks in the event of a future conflict between China and the United States, such as over a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
SpaceX to launch two moon missions on one rocket | CNN
The SpaceX rocket is on track to lift off as soon as 1:11 a.m. ET Wednesday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The federal agency will begin a livestream of the event on its website about 40 minutes prior to the launch.
Video of the recent SpaceX - Launches
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| Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander aims to carry 10 NASA tech demos and instruments to the moon. The spacecraft will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Firefly Aerospace/NASA |
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| A model of Ispace's Hakuto-R lunar lander is seen at a venue in Tokyo on April 26, 2023. Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters |
Jack Smith’s Accountability Effort Ends With More Freedom for Trump - The New York Times
The Justice Department now enters a second Trump administration with less authority to pursue a president than it has had in half a century.
Takeaways From Jack Smith’s Report on the Trump Election Case - The New York Times
Jack Smith wrote that Donald Trump would have been convicted had the case been allowed to proceed and explained why he didn’t pursue charges of incitement of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
Special counsel says evidence against Trump was enough to convict him : NPR
Pete Hegseth's views on women in combat, infidelity and more — in his own words | AP News
Takeaways From Pete Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing - The New York Times
President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for defense secretary said nothing that would alienate the Republican senators on the Armed Services Committee.
Joni Ernst Says She Will Vote to Confirm Pete Hegseth - The New York Times
The Iowa Republican’s decision dramatically increases the likelihood that Mr. Hegseth will have enough votes to be confirmed as President-elect Donald J. Trump’s defense secretary.
Baby gorilla rescued from cargo hold of Turkish Airlines plane | CNN (Thanks to Luca for this one)
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| Zeytin, a 5-month-old male gorilla who was rescued at Istanbul Airport, drinks milk in a specially created section of a zoo, in Istanbul, Turkey on Sunday, January 12, 2025. Khalil Hamra/AP |
Russia and Ukraine Battle Inside Kursk, With Waves of Tanks, Drones and North Koreans - The New York Times (Thanks to Aidan for this one)
Ukraine Launches ‘Massive’ Drone Attacks Inside Russia, Officials Say - The New York Times (Thanks to Taylor for this one)
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| Kazan, the capital of the republic of Tatarstan in Russia, in October. Local media in Kazan reported on Tuesday that a tanker at a liquefied natural gas base was struck by a Ukrainian drone. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Associated Press |
More Gusty Winds in L.A. Threaten Firefighters’ Progress - The New York Times (Thanks to Sabrina for this one)
California home insurance is at the mercy of climate change : NPR (Thanks to Lexi for this one)
Death toll rises to 24 as region braces for dangerous winds - The Washington Post (Thanks to Sara for this one)
Billionaire Frank McCourt Wants to Buy TikTok, but Selling It Could Be Difficult - The New York Times (Thanks to Arya for this one)
Selling the app could be difficult, given its scale and nine-figure price. Kevin O'Leary of Shark Tank is also interested and has secured debt financing.
Halloween Decorations in January? She’ll Go to Court for Them. (Thanks to Alana for this one)
A Tennessee woman’s plan to update her supersize skeletons for various holidays ran afoul of local law, but she has no plans to take them down.
TikTok Creators and Brands Are Bracing for a Potential Ban - The New York Times (Thanks to Valerie for this one)
Billions in advertising flows through TikTok, which could be banned in the U.S. as soon as Jan. 19. Brands and creators are racing to prepare.
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| TikTok’s lawyers will go before the Supreme Court on Friday to argue that a law signed by President Biden is unconstitutional. |
‘Completely Dry’: How Los Angeles Firefighters Ran Out of Water - The New York Times (Thanks to Taylor for this one)
Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, John Legend, Jamie Lee Curtis, and other celebrities impacted by California wildfires : NPR (Thanks to Elizabeth for this one)
Live updates: Los Angeles wildfires kill at least 10 as Palisades, Kenneth, Eaton fires burn | CNN (Thanks to Derrick for this one)
Why Does Trump Want Greenland? - The New York Times
Why would Trump want Greenland and the Panama Canal? Here's what's behind U.S. interest. - CBS News
Can Trump rename the Gulf of Mexico the 'Gulf of America'? | AP News
Gulf of America? More like ‘America Mexicana,’ Mexican president says - Live Updates - POLITICO
