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Twitter Inc. is investing its resources towards providing users greater control over their data and the algorithms that govern their timelines. In a written testimony to the United States House of Representatives, the companys chief executive Jack Dorsey said that it is building new tools to counter misinformation; it will also enhance transparency around content moderation, advertising and data protection policies.

In his testimony, Dorsey said that Twitters policies are centered around three fundamental rights: freedom of expression, safety, and privacy. But since these rights can conflict with each other, at different times, the companys policies need to find a balance between these rights and should be adaptable to changes in behavior and evolving circumstances, he said.

Quite simply, a trust deficit has been building over the last several years, and it has created uncertainty here in the United States and globally. That deficit does not just impact the companies sitting at the table today but exists across the information ecosystem and, indeed, across many of our institutionsJack Dorsey, CEO, Twitter Inc.

To address this trust deficit, Dorsey said that the company needs to be more transparent, embrace procedural fairness and choice, and protect privacy. On Thursday, Dorsey will appear before Houses of Representatives Committee on Disinformation Nation: Social Medias Role in Promoting Extremism and Misinformation.Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg and Alphabets Sundar Pichai will also testify before the Committee on Thursday.

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Twitter is working on giving more control over data and algorithms, says Jack Dorsey - MediaNama.com

The Houston Arboretum carried out a prescribed burn of its meadow in 1999. Another controlled burn will take place soon, in partnership with the Houston Fire Department and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

The Houston Fire Department is planning to carry out a controlled burn within city limits, for the first time in more than two decades.

Firefighters will burn seven acres of the Houston Arboretum's savanna area, as part of its overall conservation strategy. The goal is to help prevent future fires and revitalize the land.

Once the burning takes place, ash created by the fire comes back down to earth, where it returns nutrients and rejuvenates the soil, according to Christine Mansfield with the Houston Arboretum. She added that there are numerous other conservation benefits to prescribed fires, such as removing invasive species and giving wildflowers room to grow.

"It also helps us take care of these landscapes, so it reduces invasive species that aren't used to dealing with fire," she said. "And then it creates those openings as well for both grasses and wildflowers to sprout up, so theres a lot of really wonderful benefits of doing prescribed burns."

Mansfield said controlled burns mimic fires that would naturally occur in the past from lightning strikes.

The last time the Houston Arboretum approved a prescribed burn was in 1999, she said.

"What they saw afterwards was a really, really wonderful fall wildflower season," Mansfield said.

The arboretum has been testing out natural conservation strategies to replace commercial mowing and herbicides. Over the past six months, the arboretum has brought in goats on several occasions to mow the grounds and remove invasive species.

Mansfield said the controlled burn will occur in one of the areas where the goats previously grazed.

"Were sort of hitting it with both the grazers and the fire this year to see how the landscape responds," she said. "This will hopefully knock back some of the things that the goats didnt eat all of, or that were already dormant and the goats werent interested in because there werent green sprouts on it."

The exact date of the burn will depend on weather conditions, but it's set to take place sometime between March 22 and April 2.

Justin Huddleston, the wildland coordinator for the Houston Fire Department, said for the burn to be safe, numerous weather conditions all need to line up things like temperature, humidity, wind speed and wind direction.

"When we light the fire we don't want the smoke to linger real low and impact the environment, impact traffic all those things," he said. "We write the prescription ahead of time to where we're looking for that smoke to travel up outside of the treetops into the air, and then at a certain height it dissipates and disperses."

Huddleston said if the burn at the arboretum is deemed a success, the plan is to work with Memorial Park Conservancy and the Houston Parks Department to do more prescribed burns in the future.

"It could become a partnership where we create a schedule for management of the Houston parks system inside the city and do this every so often," he said.

Originally posted here:
Houston Firefighters To Carry Out Controlled Burn At Arboretum For First Time In 20 Years - Houston Public Media

The international cricket schedule is indeed tight. Indian players will get busy with the Indian Premier League, which begins on April 9 and ends on May 30. They then travel to England for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, starting June 18 at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. However, the Indian team will have to reach there much in advance to undergo quarantine.

India will have over a month free after the WTC final. So, July could be a possible window for the India-Pakistan bilateral series.

India then play a five-Test series against England in England, starting on August 4. The team returns after the fifth Test ends on September 14.

Again, the Indian team will have a month free before the T20 World Cup, and this could be another window in which the India-Pakistan series can be slotted.

Just about two years ago, around the time of the Pulwama terror attack in early 2019, the sporting relations between the two countries also became cold, so much so that India declined visas to two Pakistani shooters who were to compete at the New Delhi World Cup, which started just a few days after the attack in Kashmir. The Delhi World Cup was staged from February 20-28, after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14.

However, the thaw in the relationship of the two neighbouring countries has been visible in sports in recent times.

The grant of visa to the Pakistani skeet shooter Usman Chand for the ongoing shooting World Cup in New Delhi and the recently visit of a Pakistani equestrian team could be part of the thaw, emanating from last month's ceasefire along the LoC.

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India-Pakistan T20 series in the offing: Report - National Herald

If you or someone you know is struggling, there are resources available that can help.

Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) is here to support undergrad and graduate students who may be experiencing impacts from the recent events at King Soopers, Atlanta and other mental health concerns. Students can access crisis services by calling 303-492-2277 or visiting the CAPS Crisis Support page.

CAPS is also providing drop-in services through e-Lets Talk, which allows you to connect with a counselor virtually for free. Due to the current influx of appointment requests, CAPS is encouraging students to call or use e-Lets Talk if youre not able to schedule a screening appointment right away.

Students can also build valuable skills related to stress management, mindfulness, distress tolerance, self-care, relationships and healthy living by signing up for one of CAPS free virtual workshops, which are available throughout the week.

The Office of Victim Assistance (OVA) provides free, confidential counseling, advocacy, information and referrals for all CU community members, including undergrad and graduate students, staff and faculty. They specialize in addressing current and past life-disruptive events, including but not limited to, crime, trauma, gender-based violence, experiences of bias, harassment, discrimination, abuse and violence.

For 24/7 support, same-day appointments and consultation services, please call 303-492-8855. OVA also provides free and confidential drop-in services virtually through their e-Ask an Advocate program.

The Collegiate Recovery Center (CUCRC) offers free peer-to-peer support meetings and community for students, staff and faculty who are in recovery, interested in recovery or who are recovery allies. The CUCRC is here to provide a space for CU community members to connect, find support and process traumatic events in a healthy and productive way.

Dont Ignore It provides resources for students, staff and faculty to explore your options and learn how to help a fellow Buff in need.

The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) provides free, confidential counseling services for CU Boulder faculty and staff through brief individual counseling, workshops and groups. They can also provide assistance to faculty and staff for personal and work-related concerns.

The Real Help Hotline provides access to professional counselors who can offer assistance finding local resources as well as immediate crisis counseling. This program is free, confidential and available to all employees 24/7 at 833-533-2428

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4 things you can do if you feel overwhelmed by the news or social media - CU Boulder Today

Fox News contributor and former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer on Wednesday predicted that Senate Democrats will move to nix the Senate filibuster on gun reform legislationafter multiple deadly mass shootings.

During an interview on Foxs Americas Newsroom, Fleischer, who served under former President George W. Bushs administration, said that gun control is one of the issues at the core of the Democratic Party.

I think this is going to be an issue that breaks the Senate, he said. It is so deep and fervent inside the Democratic Party that gun control is the answer.

Fleischer went on to predict that Senate Democrats will break the filibuster over this, adding, I dont think they have any choice.

The base demands it, they demand action, they say thoughts and prayers are not enough, he continued. Theyre going to try to get through whatever they can get through on 50 votes, and this will be the issue that they challenge the filibuster over.

Co-host Bill Hemmer pointed out opposition to nixing the filibuster among moderate Democrats, particularly Sen. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinThe Hill's Morning Report - Biden tasks Harris on border; news conference today Democrats face questions over agenda Democrats divided on gun control strategy MORE (D-W.Va.), who told CNNon Tuesday that he would still advocate against it even if removing the rule would allow the passage of his bipartisan bill with Republican Sen. Pat ToomeyPatrick (Pat) Joseph ToomeySasse rebuked by Nebraska Republican Party over impeachment vote Philly GOP commissioner on censures: 'I would suggest they censure Republican elected officials who are lying' Toomey censured by several Pennsylvania county GOP committees over impeachment vote MORE (Pa.), which requires background checks on armed sales at gun shows and over the internet.

The bill goes short of mandating background checks in private transfers of firearms, which the broader House gun reform bills have included.

However, Fleischer said, Manchin also said he would only support a bipartisan COVID bill, and of course, there was a partisan COVID bill and he supported it.

Manchin is always an open question, he added. Im not sure I would take him at his word, particularly when the pressure mounts on the core issue that defines the modern day Democratic Party.

Fleischers remarks come amid growing support among Democrats to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster needed to end debate on legislation. Ending the practicewould return the Senate to a talking filibuster, in which senators need to physically be on the floor to block legislation

Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerOvernight Health Care: Senate confirms Levine for HHS, first openly transgender official | Progressives up pressure on Biden to back COVID vaccine patent waiver | Former Operation Warp Speed chief fired over sexual harassment allegations Mississippi GOP senator says it's wrong to vote on Sunday for religious reasons Senate confirms first openly transgender official, approving Levine for HHS MORE (D-N.Y.) has pledged to put forth a series of bills on the floor, which will likely force Democrats to take a position on removing the filibuster in order to move forward their desired policy proposals in the face of Republican opposition.

President Biden on Tuesday called on Congress to enact meaningful gun control legislation, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as closing loopholes in background checks for firearms.

Bidens call for further reforms included a demand that the Senate immediately pass two bills approved by the House earlier this year that would expand background checks on gun sales, and Schumer has vowed to take action on the legislation.

Other lawmakers have signaled that they would support removing the filibuster in order to move forward a range of other legislative reforms.

Sen. Angus KingAngus KingSenators eye rollback of Trump methane rule with Congressional Review Act Manchin says Democrats should pay for infrastructure, raise corporate taxes Fleischer predicts Democrats will nix filibuster for gun control MORE (I-Maine) on Wednesday suggested he would support changing Senate rules should Republicans block voting rights legislation.

"All-out opposition to reasonable voting rights protections cannot be enabled by the filibuster; if forced to choose between a Senate rule and democracy itself, I know where I will come down," King wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post.

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Fleischer predicts Democrats will nix filibuster for gun control | TheHill - The Hill