Author: NY TIMES

A Sweetheart Reminder on Valentine’s Day“Hello?” Mom repeated into the phone. The caller began singing his college fraternity song. It had been almost 70 years since she was crowned Alpha Phi Alpha’s “Sweetheart” at Howard University. Widowed and living alone, Mom couldn’t place the song and had forgotten it was Valentine’s Day. Dinner dishes sat in the sink. News blared from the T.V. He sang into the second stanza before she remembered those “Sweetheart” years when she felt revered and cherished. Mom finally recognized her friend’s voice. He said he was blind now. “You can still carry a tune,” she…

Paramount, the owner of TV networks like Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central, is laying off hundreds of employees, cutting costs as it continues its painful transition away from traditional television.About 3 percent of the company’s roughly 24,500 employees will be affected by the layoffs, according to a person familiar with the cuts, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive corporate information.Bob Bakish, Paramount’s chief executive, said in a memo to employees that the cuts were part of a bid to “return the company to earnings growth.”“While I realize these changes are in no way easy, as I…

Another month, another try at the moon.A robotic lunar lander is scheduled to launch in the early morning hours of Wednesday. If all goes well, it will become the first American spacecraft to set down softly on the moon’s surface since the Apollo 17 moon landing in 1972.It is also the latest private effort to send spacecraft to the moon. Earlier attempts have all ended in failure. But the company in charge of the latest effort, Intuitive Machines of Houston, is optimistic. “I feel fairly confident that we’re going to be successful softly touching down on the moon,” said Stephen…

Bob Moore, the grandfatherly entrepreneur who, with his wife, Charlee, leveraged an image of organic heartiness and wholesome Americana to turn the artisanal grain company Bob’s Red Mill into a $100 million dollar-a-year business, died on Saturday at his home in Milwaukie, Ore. He was 94.His death was announced by the company, which did not cite a cause.Founded in Milwaukie in 1978, Bob’s Red Mill grew from serving the Portland area to become a global natural-foods behemoth, marketing more than 200 products in more than 70 countries. The company’s product line runs a whole-grain gamut, including stone-ground sorghum flour, paleo-style…

Vince Staples is not someone you would describe as “excitable.” During a recent conversation about his new Netflix sitcom, “The Vince Staples Show,” his deliberate drawl remained steady throughout. But his clear pride in the series, out Thursday, broke through his placid exterior a few times, such as when he talked about the cameo by the high-living rapper Rick Ross or the show’s Swedish film influences. He also knows that the mere fact of its existence is exceptional.“I don’t think there are many people who have been able to write and produce and star in their first television show, on…

A $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the Senate on Tuesday morning includes $14.1 billion for Israel’s war against Hamas, though the bill still faces uncertainty in the House.The $95 billion legislation also sets aside almost $10 billion for humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones around the world, including Palestinians in Gaza.President Biden has recently escalated his criticism of Israel’s campaign against Hamas, calling it “over the top.” Aid to Israel has also faced opposition from some Democrats, who have expressed alarm at the death toll in Gaza, which the territory’s health ministry says has passed 28,000, most…

Ukraine said it had evidence that Russia had used a new hypersonic cruise missile for the first time in an attack last week, a development that might, if confirmed, pose another challenge to the country’s already strained air defenses.A preliminary analysis of missile fragments by the government-run Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise concluded that a 3M22 Zircon missile had been used in a Feb. 7 attack that targeted cities across Ukraine. Markings typical of the missile were found on the debris, the institute said.“We see elements that are characteristic to the 3M22 Zircon missile. Parts and fragments of…

As an impending snowstorm loomed over New York City late Monday night, the bouncers at the Box filtered through a steady stream of musicians, models and internet personalities in fur coats (or no coat at all) for the designer LaQuan Smith’s after-party.The blowout, known for shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, fabulous looks and spectacle at every turn, is a coveted invite. It followed Mr. Smith’s fall 2024 show at Cipriani earlier in the evening, which featured fur bags, flowing sheer and satin silhouettes. (To close out the presentation, the musician Babyface left his front-row seat and performed on a grand piano in the…

For most of Mati Roy’s life, dating was far down on his list of priorities. Though he halfheartedly tried dating apps, and would have welcomed a relationship if it developed naturally, pursuing love didn’t seem worth the effort.But as Mr. Roy entered his 30s, his priorities began to shift. He spent a long time ruminating over the ethics of having children, then decided that he wanted some of his own.In December 2021, Mr. Roy put together an online dating bio, otherwise known as a “date-me doc,” and encouraged people to share it online. He noted that he was 6 feet…

When the Wiener Festwochen, a prestigious festival that brings leading international artists to Vienna, announced this spring’s lineup, the backlash was swift and fierce.The festival had planned to make the Russian invasion of Ukraine a focus of its programming, juxtaposing an appearance by the Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv with a concert by the maestro Teodor Currentzis, who has faced scrutiny over his connections to Russia. Critics, including Lyniv, had argued that the pairing was insensitive and ignored the suffering of Ukrainians.Now, after weeks of pressure, the festival has abandoned its plan, saying that it would cancel the appearance by Currentzis…