AWSs program aims to prepare customers for societys shift towards quantum computing. Shares of companies that operate in the field jumped following the announcement.

Op-ed The good, the bad, and the ugly behind the push for more smart displays Opinion: Apple could really change the game here. Scharon Harding Nov 22, 2024 5:40 pm | 38 Amazon's Echo Show 21. Credit: Amazon Amazon's Echo Show 21. Credit: Amazon Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreAfter a couple of years without much happening, smart displays are in the news again. Aside from smart TVs, consumer screens that connect to the Internet have never reached a mainstream audience. However, there seems to be a resurgence to make smart displays more popular. The approaches that some companies are taking are better than those of others, revealing a good, bad, and ugly side behind the push.Note that for this article, we'll exclude smart TVs when discussing smart displays. Unlike the majority of smart displays, smart TVs are mainstream tech. So for this piece, we'll mostly focus on devices like the Google Next Hub Max or Amazon Echo Show (as pictured above).The goodWhen it comes to emerging technology, a great gauge for whether innovation is happening is by measuring how much a product solves a real user problem. Products seeking a problem to solve or that are glorified vehicles for ads and tracking don't qualify.If reports that Apple is working on its first smart display are true, there may be potential for it to solve the problem of managing multiple smart home devices from different companies.Apple has declined to comment on reports from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman of an Apple smart display under development. But Gurman recently claimed that the display will be able to be mounted on walls and "use AI to navigate apps. Gurman said that it would incorporate Apple's smart home framework HomeKit, which supports "hundreds of accessories" and can control third-party devices, like smart security cameras, thermostats, and lights. Per the November 12 report:The product will be marketed as a way to control home appliances, chat with Siri, and hold intercom sessions via Apples FaceTime software. It will also be loaded with Apple apps, including ones for web browsing, listening to news updates and playing music. Users will be able to access their notes and calendar information, and the device can turn into a slideshow display for their photos.If released, the devicesaid to be shaped like a 6-inch iPhonewould compete with the Nest Hub and Echo Show. Apple entering the smart display business could bring a heightened focus on privacy and push other companies to make privacy a bigger focus, too. Apple has already given us a peek at how it might handle smart home privacy with the HomePod. "All communication between HomePod and Apple servers is encrypted, and anonymous IDs protect your identity," Apple's HomePod privacy policy states.Apple's supposed smart display would also likely, and hopefully, leverage HomeKit Secure Video, which has already been adopted by non-Apple smart products and "ensures that activity detected by your security cameras is analyzed and encrypted by your Apple devices at home before being securely stored in iCloud," per Apple. This could help address concerns around the security of things like managing footage from smart doorbells.Looking further ahead, I'm curious how an Apple smart display could impact Google's efforts here. Google hasn't released a new smart home display since 2019's Nest Hub Max. And with voice assistants like Google Assistant losing popularity, Google has seemed more interested in Pixel Tablets lately than smart displays. Recent sleuthing, however, has spotted code pointing to a new Nest Hub Max amid suspicion that Google is canceling future Pixel Tablets.If Apple put out its own smart home display, how might Google respond? And how might generative AI impact interest or final products from either side? Surely, the Nest Hub Max isn't where smart home hubs max out. The badOver the past couple of years, we've seen more web-connected desktop monitors released. Some were driven by the growth of videoconferences boosted by the pandemic. Others are more about providing access to common consumer apps, like Netflix, without needing to connect to a personal system. Neither gives me enough reason to put another device on my network.Smart monitors for videoconferencing could be useful for workplaces or for someone less technically inclined to see loved ones. But for most, a monitor dedicated to web calls isn't practical or necessary. The demise of devices like the Facebook Portal and Lenovo ThinkSmart View Plus (which Lenovo is no longer selling) support that view.Meanwhile, smart monitors like Samsung's M-series or LG's MyView-series have the same ads and privacy concerns as smart TVs. As we've discussed at Ars before, smart TVs are increasingly used to push ads and track users, giving TV operating system (OS) owners, such as LG and Samsung, an alternative revenue stream from hardware sales. LG has a whole lineup of smart monitors like this one. Credit: LG Samsung and LG smart monitors use the same OSes as their respective smart TVs. LG and Samsung TVs are better at keeping ads to a respectable minimum than other, often cheaper, TVs. However, LG and Samsung have been seeking ways to grow their ad businesses.For the most part, smart monitors don't seem to fill a gap in demand like a well-executed, privacy-focused smart home hub might.Interest in tracking users and selling ads via TVs is what has caused dumb TVs to be exceptionally hard to find. I'd hate for dumb monitors to be elusive one day, too.The uglyAmazon markets its Echo Show displays as hubs for managing smart homes, calendars, and shopping lists. However, Amazon doesn't have a good reputation for maintaining user privacy. And with Amazon under pressure to make Alexa financially successful, it wouldn't surprise if more ads or subscription fees were eventually forced on Echo Show owners.This week, Amazon announced the Echo Show 21, its biggest smart display yet. The bigger size makes the device more appropriate for watching stuff on platforms like Netflix and (as Amazon would love) Amazon Prime Video. Since Amazon owns the Echo Show OS, it could track user habits to fuel its ad business to generate insight for its businesses. Additionally, Echo Shows encourage tasks like researching and saving recipes and making shopping and to-do listsall representing e-commerce opportunities for Amazon. Amazon can use its smart display to track streaming habits. Credit: Amazon Amazon can use its smart display to track streaming habits. Credit: Amazon Amazon says it doesn't sell customer data, but it also says it may use user data for targeted ads, to inform its own business decisions, and to share non-user-specific trends with third parties.Amazon has also been building a generative AI version of Alexa that is expected to require a subscription fee and seek more user information. However, Amazon hasn't done much to make Alexa easier to trust. As I wrote when Amazon first demoed gen AI Alexa:The use of visual IDs to enable using Alexa without a wake word heightens the dependence on cameras and microphones, yet Amazon hasn't disclosed any revamped approaches to customer privacy. The company was previously caughtkeeping recordings, includingchildren's, forever, and Amazon workers have been caughtlistening to Alexa audioandspying on Ring users. Alexa audio has even beenused in criminal trials. Amazon says it doesn't send images or videos to the cloud and emphasizes Echo Show devices' microphone/camera off button and integrated physical camera shutter.The free version of Alexa is expected to stay available when the generative AI alternative releases. But it remains possible that Amazon could eventually lock feature features behind a paywall or remove them.Smart displays pushWith smart home enthusiasts more excited than ever about Matter and with smart display talk already on the rise, I'm expecting more discussion around what makes a good, bad, or ugly smart display in 2025.As tech companies push these devices out, Ars will focus on whether those devices are solving problems and if they're doing so with privacy and other user needs at the forefront. Smart displays built around company needs rather than users' will see limited interest from technologists.Scharon HardingSenior Product ReviewerScharon HardingSenior Product Reviewer Scharon is Ars Technicas Senior Product Reviewer writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer technology, including laptops, mechanical keyboards, and monitors. Shes based in Brooklyn. 38 Comments Prev story

The Grants They Are A-Changin' Ted Cruz wants to overhaul $42B broadband program, nix low-cost requirement Cruz claims grant program is "boondoggle," urges Biden admin to halt activities. Jon Brodkin Nov 22, 2024 4:31 pm | 63 After winning reelection, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks to a crowd at an election watch party on November 5, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Credit: Getty Images | Danielle Villasana After winning reelection, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks to a crowd at an election watch party on November 5, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Credit: Getty Images | Danielle Villasana Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreEmboldened by Donald Trump's election win, Republicans are seeking big changes to a $42.45 billion broadband deployment program. Their plan could delay distribution of government funding and remove or relax a requirement that ISPs accepting subsidies must offer low-cost Internet plans.US Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued a press release titled, "Sen. Cruz Warns Biden-Harris NTIA: Big Changes Ahead for Multi-Billion-Dollar Broadband Boondoggle." Cruz, who will soon be chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, is angry about how the National Telecommunications and Information Administration has implemented the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that was created by Congress in November 2021.The NTIA announced this week that it has approved the funding plans submitted by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five US territories, which are slated to receive federal money and dole it out to broadband providers for network expansions. Texas was the last state to gain approval in what the NTIA called "a major milestone on the road to connecting everyone in America to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service."Republicans including Cruz and incoming Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr have criticized the NTIA for not distributing the money faster. But Cruz's promise of a revamp creates uncertainty about the distribution of funds. Cruz sent a letter yesterday to NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson in which he asked the agency to halt the program rollout until Trump takes over. Cruz also accused the NTIA of "technology bias" because the agency decided that fiber networks should be prioritized over other types of technology.Cruz: Stop what youre doing"It is incumbent on you to bear these upcoming changes in mind during this transition term," Cruz wrote. "I therefore urge the NTIA to pause unlawful, extraneous BEAD activities and avoid locking states into in [sic] any final actions until you provide a detailed, transparent response to my original inquiry and take immediate, measurable steps to address these issues."An NTIA spokesperson told Ars today that the agency received Cruz's letter and is reviewing it. The NTIA's update on the BEAD program earlier this week said the state approvals show that "all 56 states and territories are taking the next steps to request access to their allocated BEAD funding and select the providers who will build and upgrade the high-speed Internet networks of the future."Cruz's letter alleged that the agency "repeatedly ignored the text of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" when designing the BEAD program. "This past August, I sent you an inquiry regarding NTIA's decision to hoard nearly $1 billion in BEAD funding to build a central planning bureaucracy that proceeded to impose extraneous mandates on the states and prevent the expeditious delivery of Internet access to unserved communities," Cruz wrote. "Instead of working to reverse course on the botched BEAD program, your agency responded by doubling down on its extralegal requirements and evading congressional inquiries."Cruz said he "will monitor this matter" as Commerce Committee chairman. "Fortunately, as President-elect Trump has already signaled, substantial changes are on the horizon for this program," Cruz wrote. "With anticipated new leadership at both NTIA and in Congress, the BEAD program will soon be 'unburdened by what has been' and states will no longer be subject to the unlawful and onerous bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the Biden-Harris NTIA."GOP mad about low-cost plan ruleAs we wrote in July, Republicans are angry at the NTIA over its enforcement of the requirement that subsidized ISPs offer a low-cost plan. The NTIA countered that it followed the law written by Congress. The US law that ordered NTIA to stand up the program requires that Internet providers receiving federal funds offer at least one "low-cost broadband service option for eligible subscribers."The law also says the NTIA may not "regulate the rates charged for broadband service," and Republicans claim the NTIA is violating this restriction. A July 23 letter sent by over 30 broadband industry trade groups also alleged that the administration is illegally regulating broadband prices. ISPs pointed to NTIA guidance that "strongly encouraged" states to set a fixed rate of $30 per month for the low-cost service option."The statute requires that there be a low-cost service option," Davidson reportedly said at a congressional hearing in May. "We do not believe the states are regulating rates here. We believe that this is a condition to get a federal grant. Nobody's requiring a service provider to follow these rates, people do not have to participate in the program."With Republicans gaining full control of Congress, they could amend the law to require changes. The Trump administration could also make changes on its own after new leadership at the NTIA is in place.Cruz's letter referenced plans to eliminate the "rate regulation" and other requirements set by the Biden administration. That includes what Cruz called "extreme technology bias" in reference to the NTIA's preference for fiber broadband projects instead of other kinds of networks like cable, wireless, or satellite.Cruz wrote:Congress will review the BEAD program early next year, with specific attention to NTIA's extreme technology bias in defining "priority broadband projects" and "reliable broadband service"; imposition of statutorily-prohibited rate regulation; unionized workforce and DEI labor requirements; climate change assessments; excessive per-location costs; and other central planning mandates. In turn, states will be able to expand connectivity on terms that meet the real needs of their communities, without irrelevant requirements that tie up resources, create confusion, and slow deployment.Cruz alleges race-based discriminationWhile the FCC is not administering the BEAD program, Carr took aim at it today in a post on X. "VP Harris led the $42 billion program for expanding Internet infrastructure into a thicket of red tape and saddled it with progressive policy goals that have nothing to do with quickly connecting Americans," Carr wrote.Cruz separately sent another letter to the NTIA yesterday criticizing its plan for distributing $1.25 billion from the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. Cruz claimed that the NTIA's consideration of race when issuing grants violates the Fifth Amendment, writing that the "federal government is forbidden from engaging in impermissible race-based discrimination under the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause."The nonprofit Benton Institute for Broadband & Society urged the NTIA to stay the course. In a press release, the Benton Institute said the NTIA is following the law:The primary problem that Senator Cruz identifies in his letter is that the NTIA's notice of funding opportunity incorporates "covered populations" language which includes "individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group." But it was Congress, in its wisdom, that defined the covered populations the Digital Equity Act programs are designed to addressincluding "individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group." In fact, the law goes further to define covered populations to include low-income people, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and rural Americans (among others) and outlines the critical steps that NTIA must follow to advance digital literacy and improve internet adoption.It's the lawand NTIA is merely following the law as Congress intended.Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 63 Comments

Satellite image showing channels that formed part of an ancient fishery, and Mayan sites nearbyGoogle EarthArchaeologists have discovered a massive network of ancient fisheries in Belize constructed by hunter-gatherers some 4000 years ago.The system of earthen channels exceeds 640 kilometres in length and dates to the Archaic Period, which preceded the emergence of Maya civilisation centuries later. It is the oldest large-scale fish-trapping facility ever recorded in Central America.We were all expecting it to date to a period of sedentary Maya civilisation, says Eleanor Harrison-Buck

A Martian meteorite nicknamed Black BeautyCarl B. Agee (University of New Mexico)Crystals inside a Martian meteorite hint that there may have been plentiful hot water on Mars when the rock formed 4.45 billion years ago.The rock, nicknamed Black Beauty, was blasted into space by an impact on the surface of Mars before ultimately crashing into the Sahara desert. AdvertisementMuch has already been learned about Mars from studying the meteorite, which was discovered in Morocco in 2011 and is formally known as Northwest Africa 7034.Aaron Cavosie at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, and his colleagues have spent years studying a tiny fragment of it that includes a zircon crystal measuring 50 micrometres across.Cavosie describes Black Beauty as a garbage can rock because it was formed from hundreds of fragments smashed together. Its a wonderful buffet of Martian history, a mixture of very old and very young rocks, he says. But many of the fragments in it are among the oldest pieces of rock from Mars. Voyage across the galaxy and beyond with our space newsletter every month.Sign up to newsletterThe piece that Cavosie and his team have studied was crystallised in magma below the Martian surface. When they examined the zircon, they discovered that, unusually, it also contained the elements iron, aluminium and sodium, neatly arranged in thin layers like that of an onion.We wondered, where else do you find elements like this in a zircon crystal? says Cavosie. The answer was at a gold ore deposit site in South Australia, he says, where the zircon crystals were almost identical to those that had come from Mars, including their same unusual combination of additional elements.These kinds of zircons are only known to form where hydrothermal processes, hot water systems, are active during magmatism, says Cavosie. The hot water facilitates transportation of the iron, aluminium and sodium into the crystal as it grows, layer by layer.The zircon has undergone multiple massive traumas, including being hit by an ancient impact event, then later by a different meteorite that struck the Martian surface 5 million to 10 million years ago and blasted Black Beauty into space. In spite of these violent events, the rocks crystal structure is still intact at the atom scale.The absence of radiation damage means the extra elements were part of the crystal to begin with, rather than contaminating at a later date, says Cavosie.Eva Scheller at Stanford University in California says if the rock really did form in the presence of hot water and magma under the surface of Mars, that suggests the possibility of water vapour being released into Marss atmosphere before the formation of rivers and lakes.At such an ancient age of 4.5 billion years, we are placed at the timing of when Mars formed, says Scheller. So this would mark evidence of some of the earliest behaviour of water on Mars.Journal reference:Science Advances DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adq3694Topics:Mars

Trump nominated Scott Bessent, a billionaire investor, for Treasury secretary.Bessent spent years working for George Soros before founding a hedge fund.He's signaled support for many of Trump's proposals, including deregulation and tariffs.President-elect Donald Trump nominated Scott Bessent, a Wall Street veteran and campaign ally, for Treasury secretary, one of the biggest Cabinet prizes.Trump made the announcement Friday evening in a Truth Social post after multiple news organizations reported the plans. Trump's spokesperson did not immediately return Business Insider's request for comment."Scott is widely respected as one of the World's foremost International Investors and Geopolitical and Economic Strategists," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, "we will ensure that no Americans will be left behind in the next and Greatest Economic Boom, and Scott will lead that effort for me, and the Great People of the United States of America."Bessent, 62, founded and runs the macro hedge fund Key Square Group and emerged as a key economic advisor to Trump on the campaign trail. Bessent was a top choice for Trump early in the cabinet selection process. He widened his search, however, adding Kevin Warsh and billionaire investor Marc Rowan to the mix after growing frustrated by the "knife fight" jockeying between Bessent and Howard Lutnick over the position, The New York Times reported. Elon Musk chimed in during that time, throwing his support behind Lutnick for Treasury secretary. "My view fwiw is that Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas @howardlutnick will actually enact change," Musk wrote.But Trump nominated Lutnick for commerce secretary on Tuesday. Axios reported Monday that Warsh was eyeing Fed chair in the future.Bessent's journey to the top tier of the GOP financial world hasn't been entirely linear, though it includes years working for the liberal philanthropist George Soros and hosting a fundraiser for Al Gore, a former Democratic vice president.The billionaire investor spent his childhood in South Carolina. His father went bankrupt investing in real estate, which Bessent later said led him to get his first summer job when he was 9 years old, The Wall Street Journal reported. Bessent attended Yale and broke onto the investing scene after working for Soros' first partner, James Rogers. He joined Soros Fund Management in 1991.By 2011, Bessent was Soros' chief investment officer, and he was instrumental in the fund's hugely successful bets against the British pound and Japanese yen. In 2015, Bessent broke off to start Key Square. He hasn't talked to Soros in years, The Wall Street Journal said.In 2011, Bessent married his husband, John Freeman, a former New York City prosecutor. They primarily live in Charleston, South Carolina, with their two children. They spend their spare time preserving historic mansions and used to own an 1880s-era house in Southampton, New York.Despite his nomination that would put him at the center of Trumpworld, Bessent has a somewhat checkered political history. He disagreed with much of the work Soros did through his nonprofit and has primarily donated to Republican candidates, though he's helped Democrats on occasion. In 2000, Bessent held a fundraiser at his home for Gore's presidential bid.By 2016, Bessent was inching toward Trump, telling people they weren't taking Trump seriously enough as a candidate. After Trump won, Bessent donated $1 million to his inaugural committee. Though Bessent has known Trump's family for decades, the 2024 election brought him closer to the former and future president Trump has called Bessent "one of the most brilliant men on Wall Street" and "a nice-looking guy." Rather than slam Bessent for his previous connections to Soros, a favorite right-wing punching bag, Trump appears impressed by how successful he was at Soros' firm.Bessent donated $3 million to Trump-aligned PACs and Republican committees this election cycle. His support extended beyond his pocketbook, as he frequently conferred with campaign officials on economic plans. Known for his interest in niche economic data, Bessent helped draft speeches and write policy proposals for Trump's economic ideas. By the end of the race, Bessent was fully woven into Trump's orbit; he attended the last two rallies and watched from Mar-a-Lago as election results rolled in.As treasury secretary, Bessent would face a mixed economic landscape. While unemployment is low and the economy is growing at a healthy clip, Americans remain frustrated by high prices and what they see as runaway inflation. Dubbed a "Trump whisperer" by Forbes, Bessent has signaled support for some of Trump's key proposals.Among Bessent's top priorities is shrinking the country's significant debt, primarily through increasing growth and, in turn, boosting tax revenues. He has also supported Trump's tariffs proposal, telling CNBC that they should be "layered in gradually" to spread out any inflationary impact. At one point, Bessent floated the idea of a shadow Federal Reserve chair under his theory, Trump would nominate a replacement to lead the central bank before Jerome Powell's term ends in 2026. After facing blowback, Bessent walked back the idea.Bessent has advised Trump on a "3-3-3 policy," which the Journal described as "cutting the budget deficit to 3% of gross domestic product by 2028, spurring GDP growth of 3% through deregulation, and producing an additional 3 million barrels of oil or its equivalent a day."On November 10, the Journal published an opinion piece by Bessent that praised Trump's economic vision. The markets, he wrote, were evidently giddy about the former president's return to the White House. Beyond lavishing praise on Trump, he said that the US should slash bank regulations, overhaul the Inflation Reduction Act, and reinvigorate American energy investment."Mr. Trump has turned around the economy before, and he is ready to do so again," Bessent said.

On Friday, lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs asked a third judge to set him free on bail.Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries won bail on sex-trafficking charges, Combs' lawyers noted.On Friday, prosecutors said that Combs' case is more like R. Kelly's than like Jeffries'.Prosecutors compared Sean "Diddy" Combs to sex-trafficking convict R. Kelly during two hours of bail arguments in federal court in Manhattan on Friday.The bail hearing, attended by Combs' children and his mother, ended with the judge promising a decision sometime next week on whether the rap entrepreneur can remain free on bail pending a trial scheduled for May 5. Combs has been jailed since his September 16 arrest. King Combs, left, son, Janice Combs, right, mother of Sean "Diddy" Combs, arrive at Manhattan federal court, Friday, Nov. 22 2024, in New York. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura Combs is asking to post a $50 million bond and to remain on home confinement in a three-bedroom apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Prosecutors counter that Combs is continuing to obstruct justice by contacting witnesses and victims from jail, and can't be trusted to stop doing so if freed.Over the past two weeks, Combs' lawyers have pointed to ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries who was quickly freed on $10 million bail when arrested last month on federal sex-trafficking charges in arguing that Combs, too, deserves bail.Both Combs and Jeffries used the power of their brands and their wealth to force victims to participate in drug-fueled sex parties, federal prosecutors have alleged. Both men have pleaded not guilty and deny the allegations.When defense lawyers raised the Jeffries case again on Friday, prosecutors said that the charges against Combs are more like the sex-trafficking charges faced by disgraced R&B singer Kelly and sex-cult leader Keith Raniere, neither of whom were granted bail pre-trial.The "I Believe I Can Fly" singer is serving a 30-year sentence after being convicted on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges in Brooklyn in 2021 and in Chicago last September.Raniere, the former leader of the self-help organization-turned-sex-cult NXIVM, is serving a 120-year sentence after a federal jury in Brooklyn found him guilty of sex trafficking in 2019. Mike Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, is charged with sex trafficking and 15 counts of interstate prostitution. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell The former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO is 80 years old, halted his criminal behavior ten years ago, and suffered "certain other non-public health issues" that contributed to his getting bail, in contrast to the 55-year-old Combs, an assistant US attorney, Christy Slavik, told Combs' judge on Friday.And like Combs, Kelly and Raniere continued a pattern of violence and intimidation until their arrest, Slavik alleged."These cases are much more comparable, your honor," she told US District Court Judge Arun Subramanian. King Combs, center, son, D'Lila Combs and Jessie Combs, daughters of Sean "Diddy" Combs, leave Manhattan federal court, Friday, Nov. 22 2024, in New York. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura The judge asked both sides to submit one more set of written bail arguments on Friday, and said he'd issue a decision before week's end.Also Friday, the judge asked defense attorney Marc Agnifilo why he said in court on Tuesday that prosecutors improperly possessed copies of Combs' handwritten notes that had been clearly labeled "Legal."The word "Legal" had only been written on the notes after prosecutors received copies, the judge had pointed out. "As I sit here today, I'm not sure when 'Legal' was written on all of them," Agnifilo told the judge Friday, promising to look into the matter further.A spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office and an attorney for Jeffries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Combs, once one of hip-hop's most successful entrepreneurs, is accused of engaging since 2009 in a pattern of physical and sexual violence against multiple victims, including during elaborate, days-long sex parties called "freak offs."He has contended that the sexual behavior was consensual and that his accusers have a financial motive to implicate him.

Over the past few years, the public has stopped treating movie press tours like marketing fluff and started treating them like reality shows. These often tedious stretches of talk-show appearances, red carpets, and press junkets that have been part of the Hollywood grind for decades are suddenly getting as much attention on social media as the films themselves, with the stars interactions being picked apart by fans.Since the social media frenzy surrounding the 2022 film Dont Worry Darling, press tours have become sites of intense speculation often translating to full-blown scandals, from affair speculation from Anyone but You fans to the persistent rumors of everyone versus Justin Baldoni on the set of It Ends With Us.Its not surprising that this trend has struck the most anticipated (or unavoidable) movie of the year, Wicked. However, its manifested in a more uncomfortable way than rumors about Harry Styless spit. Its two stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, have become subjects of rampant online theories and scrutiny regarding their red carpet appearances, adding an icky element to an otherwise wholesome movie rollout.All of this press tour nonsense speaks to the free-for-all nature of the internet, particularly in the TikTok age. In its worst cases, this insatiable desire for controversy can override ethical or productive conversations. Inevitably, these narratives become seen as absolute truths. Wickeds press tour got the internets attention, for better or worseThe promotion for Wicked dates all the way back to March when Erivo and Grande presented at the Academy Awards together wearing green and pink gowns representing their respective roles as Elphaba and Glinda. Since then, themed dressing, a la Margot Robbie for Barbie, has been a significant feature of the press tour. The two have also been keen on highlighting their close friendship, one of the overarching themes of the musical. They often hold hands on red carpets and in interviews, in addition to complimenting one anothers talents in interviews. In a now-viral interview with reporter Jake Hamilton, they were asked how theyve been changed by one another, causing Grande to well up. Both actresses tendency to cry and be overly sentimental while discussing the film, about witches and talking goats, has become a bit of a joke on social media before the conversation around them became a lot more serious.Even separate from the press tour, Grandes appearance was already being put under a microscope on social media. In April 2023, the singer posted a video on TikTok urging fans to stop speculating about her body weight after Redditors and other social media users expressed concern about her thinness. Grande told social media users to be gentler and less comfortable discussing peoples bodies. Her response did little to quell those public chatter. In fact, the speculation around a potential eating disorder has torpedoed into a weeks-long discussion among both fans and detractors on social media in the months since Wickeds press tour began. Social media users have claimed Erivo also looks markedly thinner. Some have even accused the pair of costars of having competitive eating disorders.Meanwhile, others have expressed concern about the effects over Erivo and Grande being so hypervisible at their current state. Some even suggested the two are promoting eating disorders, if not inadvertently triggering people who have them. Others have put the responsibility on their teams for not intervening. In an op-ed for the Standard, India Block writes that the conversation around their appearance is more so an indictment of Grande and Erivos management, the Wicked team, and the entertainment industry as a whole. In the wake of an Ozempic fad thats taken over Hollywood and the concerns its raised, its not exactly a shock that we got here. Still, its unclear how this very public conjecture will benefit anyone. Maybe Grande and Erivos well-being was never really the point of the conversation.How press tours became bigger than the moviesConsidering the point of press tours is to generate press attention, Wickeds was a massive success, despite the controversies that dogged the film along the way. Compared to the laundry list of other movies from the past few years whose press tours eclipsed the impact of the film itself, Wickeds mess was positively tame. While the discourse around the Barbie press tour, perhaps the most famous in recent history, seemed solely focused on star Margot Robbies hyper-coordinated fashion moments and director Greta Gerwigs techniques to bring Barbieland to life, there was juicier drama behind the scenes of other films. When Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney were busy promoting Anyone but You, their palpable chemistry didnt go unnoticed. Both had partners going into filming, but Powell left single, after his girlfriend unfollowed Sweeney on Instagram and posted a cryptic breakup message (a source claimed they never hooked up). Related:This, of course, is what press tours are designed to do: Make audiences believe that the heat between its leads isnt just an act, that its real and if there are real-world repercussions, welp, thats showbiz, baby. (Who could forget Lady Gaga and Bradley Coopers year-long lovefest to promote A Star Is Born?). There are some cases where the on-set chemistry is, in fact, real whenever Zendaya and Tom Holland get to promote a Spider-Man movie together, the internet collectively squeals and some cases where its so real that peoples lives get blown apart (like when Kristen Stewart, then dating Robert Pattinson, had an affair with Rupert Sanders, the married director of Snow White and the Huntsman). But the most compelling version of press tour drama is when the cast seems to absolutely hate each other. Thats what thirsty fans were treated to in advance of this falls It Ends With Us, in which star Blake Lively clashed with director and co-star Justin Baldoni. Though details were murky and mostly seemed to center on a difference in creative vision between the two (not exactly the stuff of soap operas), it snowballed into fodder for all kinds of other discussions on the controversial themes of the film, which dealt with domestic violence, Baldonis previous life as a self-identified male feminist voice online, and Livelys husband Ryan Reynolds, who people tend to have strong opinions about. Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney at CinemaCon in Las Vegas n April 24, 2023. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for CinemaCon2022s Dont Worry Darling had both love and hate buzz about an affair between director and star Olivia Wilde and her lead actor, pop megastar Harry Styles, and rumors of tension between everyone from Wilde and actress Florence Pugh, Pugh and one-time co-star Shia LaBeouf, and, potentially, Styles and co-star Chris Pine, with whom he was alleged to have spit on at the premiere. (The spitting was roundly denied.)All of these films have been major box office successes, begging the question of how much the off-screen drama convinced people to buy tickets. This isnt always the case; when Joaquin Phoenix caused controversy for his behavior on the 2008 press tour for Two Lovers, which he later described as performance art, it didnt translate to tons of sales. Perhaps thats because audiences relationship to press tours is extremely different than it was 16 years ago. Thanks to social media, people now have unprecedented access into the lives of celebrities and industry insiders to the point where theyre absorbing the jargon of the business and speculating on the career trajectories of their favorites. Normal fans now regularly discuss whether a certain star is sufficiently media trained, congratulating those who are able to sidestep uncomfortable questions and seem unflappable. Youd think its counterintuitive dont people want their celebrities to be unfiltered and entertaining rather than brand-safe? Instead, they cheer on the performance of celebrity rather than the celebrity herself. In other words, press tours arent for the press anymore. Theyre for the general public, which has, in turn, become the press or at least the press that matters. What would once involve a trip to a couple late night talk shows and a glossy magazine cover now mandates appearances on a laundry list of shows, many of them online-only, whether that means shoving down chicken wings on Hot Ones, flirting with Amelia Dimoldenberg on Chicken Shop Date, taking a Vanity Fair lie detector test, or gabbing about your must-have products with GQ. Footage from these shows and red carpet interviews are then clipped and optimized to go viral on social media and become inescapable whether youre interested in seeing the film or not. Because so much of press tours now take place online, its even easier to feel like what youre seeing is an authentic portrayal of actors lives. It seems less manufactured (though of course the celebrities are there to work). Its easy to believe that Grande and Erivo really do share Glinda and Elphabas complex best friendship or even, perhaps, that youre their friend, too. A dramatic or intense off-camera dynamic among a cast now might be exactly what convinces audiences to shell out for movie tickets, because it feels like the stakes are immediate. Wait too long to see it, and you might have missed out on your chance to join in the discourse while its still fresh. In the case of Wicked, itll be interesting to see how Part One compares to next years promotional tour. How many more times can we see Erivo and Grande in theatrical green and pink gowns crying over how much they love each other? How much more and please excuse the Wicked pun popular could it even get? Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Editors note: In October 2024, the administration finalized a new rule making subscriptions easier to cancel the article below, originally published on August 13, 2024, explains how the rule works.President Joe Biden has made taking on junk fees hidden fees on everything from airline bookings to concert tickets a key part of his domestic agenda.His administration has already tried to limit fees on things like bank overdrafts and late credit card payments, and Monday, it turned its attention to making subscriptions and memberships easier to cancel. White House policy adviser Neera Tanden said in a call with reporters that new Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission rules should make it so Americans only need one or two clicks on your phone to end a service. Businesses often trick consumers into paying for subscriptions on everything from gym memberships to newspapers to cosmetics that they no longer want or didnt sign up for in the first place, a White House fact sheet released Monday reads. Consumers shouldnt have to navigate a maze just to cancel unwanted subscriptions and recurring payments.Americans regularly cite the economy as one of the USs most important problems. And the Biden administrations attempts to rein in junk fees are a way for it to make the case that Democrats are addressing Americans concerns about high prices before the election. Limiting fees is popular on a bipartisan basis: a December Data for Progress poll found that 77 percent of voters including 81 percent of Democrats, 78 percent of independents, and 72 percent of Republicans said they supported legislation banning junk fees. Essentially in all of these practices, the companies are delaying services to you or, really, trying to make it so difficult for you to cancel the service that they get to hold on to your money longer and longer, Tanden said. And what that means is, ultimately, consumers, the American public, is losing out.How the policy would workThe Biden administrations proposals would prohibit companies from billing customers without their consent, failing to disclose cancellation policies, and making cancellation difficult by, for example, requiring customers to cancel in person or endure long holds on the phone with customer service. Companies that fail to comply with the rule could face civil penalties, like those the FTC has sought in recent cases related to advertising. The FTC is currently reviewing public comments on its proposed rule, which would require companies to allow customers who sign up online for a service to also cancel that service online in no more steps than it took them to sign up. Companies would be allowed to make additional offers when a customer tries to cancel, but only if they first ask if a customer is open to hearing them. Companies would also have to provide reminders before subscriptions are automatically renewed if they are not for any physical good.That rule could go into effect in the coming months. Meanwhile, the FCC opened an inquiry Monday into pursuing a similar rule that would apply to the communications industry. If the FCC decides to do so, that rule might not go into effect before Bidens term ends, though if Vice President Kamala Harris wins the 2024 election, she would likely advance it.Bidens subscription cancellation policy is part of a broader pro-consumer agendaIn addition to his latest move on subscriptions, Biden has pursued a still-pending broad regulation to combat junk fees overall, as well as regulations aimed at industry-specific junk fees.Notably, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed a rule to curb overdraft fees incurred when consumers withdraw more than the available funds in their bank account a move that might save customers about $3.5 billion a year overall.The administrations efforts have hit some barriers, however. Airlines recently sued the Biden administration over a new final rule that requires airlines and ticket agents to disclose upfront any fees associated with booking a plane ticket. And a federal judge temporarily blocked a Biden administration rule that would limit fees on late credit card payments to $8 per month, which the CFPB said would cut costs for Americans by $10 billion a year. Bank and credit card company lobbyists, supported by some Republican members of Congress, had argued that the rule was unconstitutional.Though those lawsuits are meant to limit the administration, Biden has also used the courts in an aggressive antitrust pro-consumer strategy. His administration has filed a flurry of sweeping lawsuits against major companies, including four Big Tech companies, on the grounds that they are harming competition in their industries and, therefore, American consumers. The Biden administration recently won a major ruling against Google in which the judge found that the companys search business constituted an illegal monopoly. Other antitrust lawsuits are pending against Google over its ads business, Meta over its acquisitions of Instagram and Whatsapp, Apple over its alleged anticompetitive practices in the smartphone market, and Amazon over its restrictions on third-party sellers that have served to keep prices higher. The Biden administration has also filed a lawsuit seeking to break up Live Nation, Ticketmasters parent company, accusing it of operating an illegal monopoly through anticompetitive behavior that has harmed everyone from consumers to concert venues to artists.The durability of Bidens consumer protection initiative may depend in part on the November election. A Harris administration would likely uphold these policies and could continue to pursue these antitrust lawsuits and then some. But if former President Donald Trump wins the election, its probably a different story the Trump administration didnt make consumer protection a priority in its first term, and has not made doing so in a second term central to its campaign.Correction, November 22, 5:33 pm ET: Due to an editing error, the editors note misstated the date when the rule was finalized.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Diablo 4's next big update will add an armoury for build switching and much more. Here's when you can test out the PTR 2.1 and its surprising new Witch powers.