In BriefPosted:3:43 PM PDT March 10, 2025Image Credits:AsanaAsana CEO Dustin Moskovitz is retiringDustin Moskovitz is retiring from Asana, the software company he founded in 2008.Asana, a task management platform, announced his retirement as part of the companys fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report, CNBC reported. Moskovitz informed the board he intends to move into a chair role when a new CEO starts.The company has raised more than $450 million in venture funding, from the likes of G Squared, Founders Fund, and 8VC, among many others, before going public in 2020. Prior to Asana, Moskovitz was a co-founder at Meta, formerly Facebook.TechCrunch reached out to Asana for more information and will update this post when we hear back.Topics

Speaking at the SXSW conference in Austin on Monday, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber said the social network has been working on a framework for user consent over how they want their data to be used for generative AI.The public nature of Blueskys social network has already allowed others to train their AI systems on users content, as was discovered last year when 404 Media came across a dataset built from 1 million Bluesky posts hosted on Hugging Face.Bluesky competitor X, meanwhile, is feeding users posts into sister company xAI to help train its AI chatbot Grok. Last fall, it changed its privacy policy to allow third parties to train their AI on users X posts, as well. The move, followed by the U.S. elections that elevated X owner Elon Musks status within the Trump administration, helped fuel another exodus of users from X to Bluesky. As a result, Blueskys open source, decentralized X alternative has grown to over 32 million users in just two years time.However, the demand for AI training data means the new social network has to think about its AI policy, even though it doesnt plan to train its own AI systems on users posts. Speaking at SXSW, Graber explained that the company has engaged with partners to develop a framework for user consent over how they would want their data to be used or not used for generative AI. We really believe in user choice, Graber said, saying that users would be able to specify how they want their Bluesky content to be used. It could be something similar to how websites specify whether they want to be scraped by search engines or not, she continued. Search engines can still scrape websites, whether or not you have this, because websites are open on the public internet. But in general, this robots.txt file gets respected by a lot of search engines, she said. So you need something to be widely adopted and to have users and companies and regulators to go with this framework. But I think its something that could work here.The proposal, which is currently on GitHub, would involve getting user consent at the account level or even at the post level, then ask other companies to respect that setting.Weve been working on it with other people in the space concerned about how AI is affecting how we view our data, Graber added. I think its a positive direction to take.

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WarzoneCredit: ActivisionA great deal rests on the return of Verdansk to Call Of Duty: Warzone. Players are growing increasingly frustrated with the modern iteration of the battle royale game. Many are upset with the changed mechanics, from how loot works to the omnimovement system, which makes engagement with the sweatiest players a nightmare for more casual fans.Cheating has also been a thorn in Warzones side for years now, with Activisions Ricochet system barely holding back the flood of cheaters in the game. Its a running joke in the community that even the cheaters are sick of how many cheaters are in these lobbies, and especially in Ranked lobbies where the problem is even more dire.Now, the original map is heading back to Warzone. Verdansk drops on April 3rd at the start of Season 3, which was delayed by two weeks. Heres the trailer, with the very fitting song choice of Unforgettable by Nat King Cole:Drop into the comments on that video and you see one thing repeated over and over and over again: Its not just the map we want back, its the original game engine with the original mechanics, movement, gunplay and graphics (which were astonishingly good at release).Ive already listed many of my complaints with the mismanagement of Warzone out, which you can read here. What I think Activision should do at this point is exactly what players are calling for:Revert Warzone back to the 2020 version. Return to the games original map and graphics, the floating loot system, the more basic movement and get rid of redeploys, making map traversal slower and more tactical. Ditch omnimovement, leaving that to Black Ops 6 where it belongs.Return to the MW2019 arsenal or some version of Warzone-specific guns that arent always the same as the yearly Call Of Duty multiplayer release. Guns should change seasonally, with some vaulted and others introduced. There is no point in the enormous gun variety in the game if only a handful are viable.Get rid of the zaniest skins or give players the option to turn off non-mil-sim skins so that the game feels more like a military shooter. Players who want to experience that and not fight against clowns and superheroes and giant rats should have the option. This would earn huge vats of good will within the community.Take drastic steps to solve the cheating problem. There are games that have achieved far better results such as Valorant, so we know it can be done.Return the graphics to the way they were in the beginning. This game used to look better. It also used to sound better. Colors and lighting were richer. The sound effects were more distinct. I mean look at this:This game looked great. It sounded great. The way bullets connected, and bullet casings hit the floor, this was just brilliant game design. Frankly, I dont know what Activision has to lose by just giving gamers what they want and releasing OG Warzone. Id love to see the re-release of Blackout also, which could be the Black Ops battle royale going forward.Regardless, Im still incredibly excited to dive back into Verdansk. Its a great map, and no large map since then has been as fun or varied. So many great locations and interesting engagements. Im curious how it will play, however, with all the changes that have been made since 2020.

Microsoft is preparing changes to its laptop battery charge indicators, which should be coming to future versions of Windows 11 in the coming months.The updates are set to make clear distinctions between the different battery states, such as an unplugged battery, a charging battery, or a battery with an unknown status. While all Windows 11 users are scheduled to get the new battery-level icons, Windows 11 Insiders are set to get first dibs. According to Windows Latest, Microsoft previewed the battery icons to pre-release users in a video conference in early March. This conference revealed the icon images but did not give much further information about the coming design changes, such as a release timeline.MicrosoftMany pundits note that the icons now resemble the battery charge indicators on mobile devices, with some considering they favor iOS products, and others thinking they resemble Android devices. Each battery design designates a specific battery state. Where the older icons are mono-color, some of the new ones are color-coded in accordance with the state of the battery, such as disconnected, charging, or low battery. The new icon is also longer and more slender. The battery itself will also be styled in accordance with the Windows theme. If Windows 11 is set in a dark theme the battery will be black, if in a light theme, the battery will be white.Recommended VideosHeres a rundown of the different battery states that will come with the updateBattery (when the PC isnt connected to the power supply)Energy saver (colored yellow when this feature is active)Charging (a lightning bolt icon with a green fill)Smart charging (to indicate battery charging protection)Slow charging (an error symbol with a solid color fill)Low battery level (a narrow red bar when between 1% and 5%)Battery unknown (a cross symbol indicating theres no battery) Windows Latest noted the update was set to be available to the public last month but was postponed because of an unforeseen bug. News of this update has been circulating since at least January when leakers found the feature hidden in a Windows 11 developer build. Enthusiasts are sure to be excited once it is finally available. Editors Recommendations

The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 arent going to appear with a discount from Beats headphone deals any time soon, but fortunately, theres a more affordable alternative. Check out the Treblab X-Open wireless earbuds, which are originally priced at $100, but are currently on sale from Amazon at 50% off for an even lower price of $50. Theres no telling when the the $50 in savings will end though, so if youre interested you should push forward with your transaction for them as soon as you can.For those who need budget-friendly wireless earbuds for their workout sessions, the Treblab X-Open wireless earbuds could be what youre looking for. Their adjustable ear-hooks ensure a secure fit during physical activity, but theyre also made of soft materials so theyll remain comfortable even after wearing them for a long time. The wireless earbuds also offer an IPX5 rating for water resistance, so they wont get damaged when you sweat or when theres sudden rainfall during outdoor exercises.The open-ear design of the Treblab X-Open wireless earbuds will keep you aware of your surroundings, so you can enjoy your music while staying alert for situations such as crossing the street. They promise excellent sound quality through their custom 14.2mm drivers, and crystal-clear calls with their dual microphones that also make them compatible with Google Assistant and Apples Siri. The Treblab X-Open wireless earbuds can last up to 10 hours on a single charge, plus an additional 30 hours with their charging case.RelatedIf you like the design of the Beats PowerBeats Pro 2 but theyre beyond your budget, we highly recommend going for the Treblab X-Open wireless earbuds, especially now that theyre on sale in the true wireless earbuds deals at Amazon for only $50. The $50 in savings on their original price of $100 isnt going to last forever though in fact, they may be back to their regular price as soon as tomorrow. If you dont want to miss out on the 50% discount, youre going to want to complete your purchase of the Treblab X-Open wireless earbuds immediately.Editors Recommendations

"micromanagement at the highest level" NCI employees cant publish information on these topics without special approval Communications involving controversial, high profile, or sensitive topics will get extra scrutiny. Annie Waldman and Lisa Song, ProPublica Mar 10, 2025 7:07 pm | 44 US Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. listens as President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2025. Credit: Getty | Jim Watson US Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. listens as President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2025. Credit: Getty | Jim Watson Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThis story was originally published by ProPublica.Employees at the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, received internal guidance last week to flag manuscripts, presentations or other communications for scrutiny if they addressed controversial, high profile, or sensitive topics. Among the 23 hot-button issues, according to internal records reviewed by ProPublica: vaccines, fluoride, peanut allergies, autism.While its not uncommon for the cancer institute to outline a couple of administration priorities, the scope and scale of the list is unprecedented and highly unusual, said six employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. All materials must be reviewed by an institute clearance team, according to the records, and could be examined by officials at the NIH or its umbrella agency, the US Department of Health and Human Services.Staffers and experts worried that the directive would delay or halt the publication of research. This is micromanagement at the highest level, said Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.The list touches on the personal priorities of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has repeatedly promoted medical conspiracy theories and false claims. He has advanced the idea that rising rates of autism are linked to vaccines, a claim that has been debunked by hundreds of scientific studies. He has also suggested that aluminum in vaccines is responsible for childhood allergies (his son reportedly is severely allergic to peanuts). And he has claimed that water fluoridationwhich the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th centuryis an industrial waste.In confirmation hearings in January, Kennedy said that he was not anti-vaccine, and that as secretary, he would not discourage people from getting immunized for measles or polio, but he dodged questions about the link between autism and vaccines.Another term on the list, cancer moonshot, refers to a program launched by President Barack Obama in 2016. It was a priority of the Biden administration, which intended for the program to cut the nations cancer death rate by at least half and prevent more than 4 million deaths.The list is an unusual mix of words that are tied to activities that this administration has been at war withlike equity, but also words that they purport to be in favor of doing something about, like ultraprocessed food, Tracey Woodruff, director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California, San Francisco, said in an email.The guidance states that staffers do not need to share content describing the routine conduct of science if it will not get major media attention, is not controversial or sensitive, and does not touch on an administration priority.A longtime senior employee at the institute said that the directive was circulated by the institutes communications team, and the content was not discussed at the leadership level. It is not clear in which exact office the directive originated. The NCI, NIH and HHS did not respond to ProPublicas emailed questions. (The existence of the list was first revealed in social media posts on Friday.)Health and research experts told ProPublica they feared the chilling effect of the new guidance. Not only might it lead to a lengthier and more complex clearance process, it may also cause researchers to censor their work out of fear or deference to the administrations priorities.This is real interference in the scientific process, said Linda Birnbaum, a former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences who served as a federal scientist for four decades. The list, she said, just seems like Big Brother intimidation.During the first two months of Donald Trumps second presidency, his administration has slashed funding for research institutions and stalled the NIHs grant application process.Kennedy has suggested that hundreds of NIH staffers should be fired and said that the institute should deprioritize infectious diseases like COVID-19 and shift its focus to chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity.Obesity is on the NCIs new list, as are infectious diseases including COVID-19, bird flu and measles.The focus on bird flu and covid is concerning, Woodruff wrote, because not being transparent with the public about infectious diseases will not stop them or make them go away and could make them worse.ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.Annie Waldman and Lisa Song, ProPublica 44 Comments

Fire and rescue services douse fires after a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship carrying sodium cyanideGetty Images EuropeScientists fear a major collision between a cargo ship and a fuel tanker in the UKs North Sea could cause a huge leak of toxic chemicals into delicate marine habitats, with potentially devastating consequences for local wildlife.A tanker called Stena Immaculate was moored off the coast of Hull, carrying 18,000 tonnes of jet fuel, when it was struck by the container ship Solong on 10 March. The Solong was carrying 15 containers of highly toxic sodium cyanide, according to Lloyds List Intelligence. Both ships also carried tanks of bunker fuel to power their journeys.AdvertisementErnst Russ, the owner of the Solong cargo ship, said in a statement that both vessels sustained significant damage. Huge fires spewing clouds of black smoke immediately broke out on the ships. One crew member from the Solong is still reported missing.We are extremely concerned about the multiple toxic hazards these chemicals could pose to marine life, Paul Johnston at Greenpeace Research Laboratories at the University of Exeter, UK, said in a statement.The crash happened in waters that are home to internationally significant populations of breeding seabirds, such as gannets, kittiwakes and puffins. Harbour porpoises and grey seals breed nearby, and the location is also on migration routes for wading birds and waterfowl.Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox.Sign up to newsletterChemical pollution resulting from incidents of this kind can directly impact birds, and it can also have long-lasting effects on the marine food webs that support them, said Tom Webb at the University of Sheffield, UK, in a statement. We have to hope that any spills can be quickly contained and pollution minimised.Crowley, the US-based firm managing the Stena Immaculate, told the Financial Times that jet fuel has leaked into the North Sea from a ruptured cargo tank. Jet fuel is made of light hydrocarbons and will therefore evaporate relatively quickly, potentially limiting its environmental impact.But the release of bunker fuel will have longer-lasting effects, said Alex Lukyanov at the University of Reading, UK, in a statement. Marine diesel can smother habitats and wildlife, affecting their ability to regulate body temperature, potentially resulting in death, he said. The environmental toll could be severe.The release of sodium cyanide could also pose severe danger to aquatic life, as it inhibits oxygen uptake. It is not yet clear whether any sodium cyanide has entered the water.Johnston called on UK authorities to take urgent action to contain the release of toxic substances from the ships. We must hope an environmental disaster can be averted, he said.The UK government said it was working closely with the coastguard service to support the response to the incident. Speaking in the UKs Parliament on 10 March, Baroness Sue Hayman, a minister in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said she was shocked and concerned at the news of the collision. She said work was under way to assess the scale and impact of any pollution from the collision.Topics:

The seaglider hybrid vehicle begins sea trials in Narragansett Bay, Rhode IslandAmory Ross / REGENTAn all-electric seaglider that can transition between floating and flying has begun sea trials in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The tests are a prelude to the vehicles first crewed flights, scheduled for later this year, which would make it the largest battery-powered flying machine in the world albeit one that must remain just above the waters surface.Electric aircraft are tricky because they must carry heavy batteries, which