A grant program for Black women business owners is discriminatory, appeals court rules

NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. federal court of appeals panel suspended a venture capital firm’s grant program for Black women business owners on Monday, ruling that a conservative group is likely to prevail in its lawsuit claiming that the program is the discriminatory. The ruling against the Fearless Fund is another victory for conservative groups waging a sprawling legal battle against corporate diversity programs that have targeted dozens of companies. The case was brought by the American American Alliance for Equal Rights, a group led by Edward Blum, the activist behind the Supreme Court case that ended affirmative action in college admissions.

Technical issues briefly halt trading for some NYSE stocks in the latest glitch to hit Wall Street

NEW YORK (AP) — A technical issue caused the temporary halt for dozens of stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange Monday, including at least one whose price briefly fell nearly 100%. A New York Stock Exchange spokesperson said a technical issue related to some pricing data triggered trading halts on up to 40 ticker symbols listed on NYSE Group exchanges. The issue was resolved shortly before noon, Eastern time, and the New York Stock Exchange said it is reviewing potentially impacted trades.

With its top editor abruptly gone, The Washington Post grapples with a hastily announced restructure

NEW YORK (AP) — One of the nation’s top news organizations was in some turmoil following a hastily-announced restructuring plan that led to the exodus of the newspaper’s executive editor. Sally Buzbee’s temporary replacement met with staff members the day after a late-night email announcing the plan went out. Under new publisher Will Lewis, the money-losing newspaper is trying to halt an exodus of readers, and is setting up a new department primarily designed to think of ways to bring more people back. Buzbee had been in the job for only three years during tough economic times for the news business. She reportedly had concerns about how the new structure would work.

Meme stocks are roaring again. Yes, again

NEW YORK (AP) — GameStop and other meme stocks are roaring once again, surging to dizzying heights suddenly and sharply. Some things are different this time around versus the initial supernova for meme stocks that shocked Wall Street in 2021. The biggest change is it that it all feels a bit familiar now. Experts say that experience, plus some changes in the market, should allow Wall Street to more easily digest the sharp movements. But some things remain firmly the same. Chief among them is the risk of losing everything that accompanies the potential to make fast money playing such volatile stocks.

Musk’s X is allowing users to post consensual adult content, formalizing a prior Twitter policy

The social media platform X says it will now formally allow people to show consensual adult content, as long as it is clearly labeled as such. The move makes official a policy already in place when the platform was known as Twitter, before billionaire Elon Musk purchased it in 2022. In a recent update on its website, the San Francisco-based company says users should be able to create, distribute, and consume material related to sexual themes as long as it is consensually produced and distributed. It adds that sexual expression, whether visual or written, can be a legitimate form of artistic expression.