Business

Texas to investigate lottery jackpots as questions swirl about online couriers

Feb. 25, 2025

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Rangers to investigate two controversial lottery jackpots amid growing scrutiny over the role of online ticketing firms in the state. Abbott asked the agency to investigate this month’s $83.5 million prize, which involved a lottery courier service, and a $95 million win jackpot from 2023 won by a group of investors. Both practices, according to government officials, affect the public’s confidence in the lottery.

Business

New York’s toll system is the kind of market solution Republicans should be rooting for

Feb. 25, 2025

Congestion pricing” is the stuffy-sounding name of a New York policy that is, by every available metric, a resounding success. Anyone, including lapsed New Yorker President Trump, saying otherwise is simply ignoring the evidence.

Business

Fabrics retailer Joann to go out of business and close all of its stores

Feb. 25, 2025

Fabrics and crafts retailer Joann, which has been a destination for generations of quilters, knitters and lovers of crafts projects for more than 80 years, is going out of business and shuttering all its stores. The announcement comes after the Hudson, Ohio-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, the second time in a year. It cited sluggish consumer demand and inventory shortages. At the time it vowed it would keep all of its stores open.

Business

Denny’s reportedly adds egg surcharge amid rising prices and bird flu shortages

Feb. 25, 2025

Denny’s, the popular American diner chain, has reportedly joined a growing number of restaurants responding to the nationwide egg shortage by adding a temporary surcharge to its egg-based meals at some locations. The egg shortage is driven by an ongoing bird flu outbreak that has decimated flocks across the US since the beginning of 2022. Egg supplies have dwindled and prices have soared as a result, forcing many businesses to adapt.

Business

Anthropic unveils advanced AI hybrid reasoning model

Feb. 25, 2025

Anthropic launched an advanced AI model on Monday that can produce faster responses or display its step-by-step reasoning process, as it looks to gain a competitive edge in the generative artificial intelligence industry. The introduction of Anthropic’s hybrid model, which combines multiple reasoning approaches to solve complex problems more effectively, comes amid fierce competition in AI development, with US tech firms vying against each other and Chinese companies such as DeepSeek and Alibaba.

Business

MSNBC announces major lineup overhaul, new Washington bureau as Joy Reid exits company

Feb. 25, 2025

MSNBC on Monday announced a major overhaul to its primetime lineup that will go into effect in April even as it shared that Joy Reid will part ways with the network. The overhaul comes as the progressive news network looks to maintain a jump in viewership in the first few weeks of the Trump administration. As part of a sweeping effort to consolidate production operations and add big names to woo audiences, the network is making major changes to its weekday and weekend lineups and canceling two Miami-based shows as it ends broadcast operations in the city and expands in others. The shakeup follows reports on Sunday that the network would cancel “The ReidOut,” which Reid has hosted since 2020.

Business

DOGE wants access to your tax and Social Security data. These two laws are supposed to protect you

Feb. 25, 2025

Reports of the Department of Government Efficiency’s so-called “tech bros” accessing federal systems that hold vast troves of Americans’ personal data have raised many questions about whether they can legally see – never mind copy, alter or share – such sensitive details on hundreds of millions of people. Efforts by DOGE to get access to the reams of “personally identifiable information” (PII) on individuals housed at the IRS, Social Security Administration, Office of Personnel Management, Department of Education and other federal agencies – not to mention the federal payments system at Treasury – are now the subject more than a dozen lawsuits. (And in at least two, judges have granted temporary restraining orders on DOGE getting access to some sensitive data.)

Science & Tech

New research upends theory about why Mars is red, scientists say

Feb. 25, 2025

With its iconic rusty hue, Mars has long been called the red planet. Now, scientists may have discovered the potential source of that distinctive coloring, overturning a popular theory in the process. Mars is one of the most well-studied planets in our solar system due to its proximity to Earth and the numerous spacecraft that have visited over the past few decades. Together, orbiters and landers have provided scientists with data showing that Mars’ red color comes from rusted iron minerals within the dust that coats the planet.

Science & Tech

How VR technology is curing loneliness in seniors

Feb. 25, 2025

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Seniors are proving that age is just a number as they dive into the world of virtual reality (VR). This cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing senior care, offering thrilling adventures and therapeutic benefits that are changing lives one headset at a time.

Health

Could bird flu vaccines help tackle high egg prices? Experts say it’s not so simple

Feb. 25, 2025

On her first day on the job last week, new US Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins held a meeting to review the agency’s options for controlling the bird flu outbreak and possibly help lower the price of eggs. In another meeting last week, Rollins met with two dozen farmers to hear their ideas about how to fight bird flu. She promised them relief.