A Canada-based group is seeking to create a Farsi second-language program in British Columbia schools. The group also wants Farsi added to the list of approved second languages taught to students in grades five through eight.
Companies can take a whole-system approach to uncovering vulnerabilities by using a process known as "red teaming". Red teams conduct adversary simulations to spot issues and usually feature team members with distinct skill sets, writes Kelly Sheridan.
⋅ Patch
A bill introduced last week into the US House is aimed at addressing student-loan debt. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., would allow, among other things, the deduction of all of the interest on student-loan amounts up to $750,000 and the extension of repayment grace periods.
⋅ CNBC
The US economy is potentially strong enough to continue to grow at 3% or better in the future, according to JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon. Regarding US trade disputes with China, Dimon said "I worry about it, but I just don't know."
Walmart and Sam's Club will require that its suppliers of leafy green vegetables use blockchain technology from IBM to allow it to track shipments by Sept. 30, 2019, for safety reasons. The company hopes to improve the safety of lettuce, spinach and other greens and to speed up any needed recalls, said Frank Yiannas, head of food safety at Walmart.
⋅ Reuters
An analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the rate of arthroscopic knee surgeries among adults with painful arthritis or torn cartilage in Florida dropped 23% from 2002 to 2015, even as the nationwide prevalence of adult knee osteoarthritis cases grew from 6.6% in 1999 to 14.3% by 2014. The findings, based on analysis of 868,482 arthroscopic knee procedures performed during the period, showed declines were steeper after 2008 following the release of a major study showing the surgeries offer little benefit to patients.
Ad tech companies including Innovid are investing in connected TV products to help advertisers reach the 55.5% of Americans who will consume content via connected TVs this year, per eMarketer. "We believe that television in the future will be personalized, will be data-driven and will be interactive," says Innovid's Tal Chalozin.
Walmart's growing stable of e-commerce platforms has spurred an expansion in the retailer's fashion offerings, with about 1,100 new brands added since April, according to executive Denise Incandela. In addition to Walmart.com, the retailer's e-commerce sites include Jet.com, Shoes.com, Bonobos and Modcloth.
Despite increased access to digital games, console gaming continues to thrive, as evidenced by developer Rockstar's plan to release "Red Dead Redemption 2" for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on Oct. 26. The continued popularity of Nintendo's Switch, which sold 19.7 million units in its first 15 months, also demonstrates interest in console gaming.
⋅ NBC News
Oral flea and tick preventives containing isoxazoline can cause seizures, ataxia, muscle tremors or other neurological problems, and product labels should be updated, the FDA said. The agency said the products have been carefully reviewed and "continue to be safe and effective for the majority of animals."
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai criticized California's net neutrality bill passed by the state legislature, but still needs Gov. Jerry Brown's signature, calling it "illegal" and "anti-consumer." "California's micromanagement poses a risk to the rest of the country," Pai said, but the bill's sponsor state Sen. Scott Wiener countered Pai by saying, "California understands exactly what it takes to foster an open innovation economy with a level playing field."
The Seattle City Council has approved agreements to allow Oak View Group to tear down most of Seattle's KeyArena and build a $700 million facility that could serve as the home arena for future Seattle NHL and NBA teams. OVG wants to keep the facility's roof intact as it creates new arena that would accommodate up to 19,000 people.
Caesars Entertainment has committed to reduce carbon emissions by 95% of 2011 figures by 2050. Meanwhile, 60% of Caesars' suppliers will set science-based emissions reduction targets by 2023, according to the company.
American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker spoke during an opening presentation at the Airline Passenger Experience Expo, pushing back against some bad press and saying seats and lavatories on the airline's new Boeing 737 Max aircraft are comfortable. "The traditional measure of simply pitch, and comparing pitch to aircraft that have very different seats, doesn't really give the customer what they need to know about the amount of space they have," said Parker.
A provision in the FAA reauthorization bill would allow the Department of Transportation to police the cost of change fees. If passed, this provision would be one of the most significant checks on airline pricing since the Carter administration and could result in higher ticket prices for consumers. Half of reservation changes are made within 24 hours of scheduled departures, making it hard for airlines to anticipate the effect on their revenue and operations, said John Heimlich, Airlines for America's chief economist.