Global News

[ad_1] Washington — Kati Morton was a reluctant adopter of YouTube. A therapist working toward her license in California, it was her then-boyfriend, now-husband, who first suggested that Morton explore posting videos on the platform as a way to disseminate mental health information. The year was 2011, and Morton, like many others, thought YouTube primarily consisted of videos of cats playing the piano and make-up tutorials. But after seeing other content posted on the site, Morton decided to give it a shot. Her audience started small, with her videos garnering a handful of views. But in the more than a decade since then, Morton's YouTube channel has grown to more than 1.2 million subscribers. Crucial to the growth of Morton's audience is YouTube's system for recommending content to users, which the company began building in 2008. It relies on a highly complex algorithm to predict what videos will interest viewers and keep ...

[ad_1] The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a concrete company could sue a union after striking employees walked out and left concrete running in trucks, a ruling that labor advocates fear could more broadly weaken worker rights. The 8-1 decision in Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 174 opens the door for employers to sue workers for damages if they believe that their activism hurt the business. The decision, which comes as strikes across the U.S. are at a  15-year high , could make walking out much riskier for workers, labor activists fear. Under the National Labor Relations Act, workers have a legal right to strike, except in cases that include deliberate property destruction and violence. The 1935 law puts most workplace disputes outside the reach of state courts and under the purview of the National Labor Relations Board. Noel Francisco, the attorney representing Glacier, said the decision "vind...

[ad_1] The conservative Supreme Court's unprecedented week The conservative Supreme Court's unprecedented week 04:48 "Sopranos" and "White Lotus" actor Michael Imperioli says he's not allowing "bigots and homophobes" from watching any of the work he's been in after the  Supreme Court sided with a Colorado designer opposed to making same-sex wedding websites. Imperioli, 57, wrote an Instagram post condemning the high court's decision over the weekend.  "i've decided to forbid bigots and homophobes from watching The Sopranos, The White Lotus, Goodfellas or any movie o...

[ad_1] The finances of about 40 million Americans with college loans may take a hit now that the Supreme Court has struck down President Biden's plan  to forgive up to $20,000 per person in student debt. Borrowers are now facing a double whammy this summer because the high court invalidated the plan just before the pause on debt repayment lifts in September. That means borrowers will need to start repaying their loans on September 1 without any debt relief, experts note. The Biden plan, announced last August, was aimed at wiping out the student-loan debt of 20 million Americans, while lowering the balances of 20 million others who qualified for the relief. On Friday, the court's conservative majority found  that federal law does not authorize the program to wipe out nearly half-a-trillion dollars in debt. With repayments resuming without any debt relief, more than 12 million borrowers could find it difficult to make their payme...