Bogus cryptocurrency investments led to an unprecedented increase in online scams last year, according to new data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Why it matters: Cryptocurrency is an easy target because while it's surging in popularity, there's still a lot of confusion about how it works.
When Axios broke the news Wednesday night that MSNBC was extending "Morning Joe" by an hour and replacing Brian Williams at the 11pm ET hour with Stephanie Ruhle, even top producers were caught off guard.
Network executives weren't planning to announce lineup changes for another few weeks in February. Negotiations were ongoing.
Why it matters: The leak sent leaders at MSNBC scrambling to address questions internally about what a fourth hour of "Morning Joe" would look like, including which producers would be responsible for the additional programming, and how a 9am hour would cater to a West Coast audience.
The four-day work week is nowhere close to becoming the norm, despite a flurry of corporate announcements, media coverage and intense interest from worker bees worldwide.
Why it matters: With the pandemic throwing work-family dynamics into chaos and a labor market favoring workers, there's demand for this.
For the first time since the start of the pandemic, most knowledge workers are in hybrid work arrangements, partly remote and partly in-office, a new survey finds.
By the numbers: 58% said they now work this way, in a survey of around 10,000 knowledge workers from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Japan, conducted last November by Future Forum, a research group backed by Slack.
The national median price of a one-bedroom rental apartment in January was up 12% year-over-year, to $1,374 — an all-time high, per Zumper, an online apartment rental site.
Why it matters: Inflation is taking a bigger bite out of people's paychecks these days not only in food and gasoline, but also in housing costs.
Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell said Friday that she will remove her music from Spotify "in solidarity with Neil Young" following a controversy over vaccine misinformation on the platform.
Driving the news: "I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify. Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives," Mitchell said in a statement posted to her website.
Over the last decade, global companies have put in place elaborate policies to ensure their suppliers protect worker safety and human rights. They're struggling to comply with those policies in the pandemic.
Driving the news: COVID-era disruptions have caused a spike in noncompliance with health and safety rules, according to new data from Qima, which audits supply chains.
Microsoft’s plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for a whopping $69 billion is the latest sign that consolidation in the gaming industry isn’t going to slow down anytime soon.
Why it matters: Convergence is at the center of this consolidation — hardware and software, mobile and PC, social networks and content, industry experts say.
