Canada wildfire crews try to control the uncontrollable
Hazardous smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed the skies in large parts of North America last week. The government says the country as a whole is on course for its worst year for wildfires on record. In the province of Quebec, over 120 fires are burning, and fire crews are battling an element that always surprises.
Six in the morning is not long gone, but work has already begun on Saturday in a nondescript two-story office building in Roberval, a town of some 10,000 people in south-central Quebec.
That's where the next 24 hours are being strategized in a fight against wildfires, a battle waged in increments and by the hour.
"A fire is alive, an uncontrollable element that we're trying to control," said Patrice Charest.
The 43-year-old, with a sleeve of tattoos, a canvas cowboy hat, and a bushy red beard has been fighting fires for 20 years. He has been working 12-to-14-hour shifts for 19 days straight, without a break.
Firefighting water bombers - planes fitted with large water tanks - stand at the ready outside, along with helicopters to ferry on-the-ground fire crews to blazes burning in the regions north, east, and west of the town.
Inside the building, about 100 people with the provincial firefighting agency, the SOPFEU, are tracking the behavior of each fire and the weather that could help or hinder their work.
That information will help them decide where to deploy strained resources like Mr. Charest and his crews. "I execute - I'm the soldier, they send me to war," the firefighter said.
His nemesis in recent days has been Fire 236, a 7,000-hectare (17,300-acre) blaze, now contained, that was threatening homes near the municipality of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.
He'd hoped for 25 crew, but with over 120 fires burning in the province - over 728,000 hectares have burned this year, compared to the 2,147-hectare 10-year average - he understands why he's forced to make do with just 12.
They've slowed the fire's progress - on an aerial image, there's a scar of blackened ground but no visual smoke and flames. But work on 236 is not done.
No flames do not mean the fire is out. Crews will be looking for fires that burn below ground in a layer of decaying roots, dead leaves, and bark, that produce little to no smoke.
With experience, a firefighter like Mr. Charest can detect the scent of the plumes of smoke produced by that type of fire.
"You look for it, put your nose to the wind," he said. It's a unique smell but one he struggled to describe.
A helicopter will scan the fire zone for hot spots and the crew will head to the scene later. "My guys will patrol the entire fire, inspect each square meter," he said.
Earlier this year, Mr. Charest was in the western province of Alberta, which declared a state of emergency in early May as fires prompted several evacuation orders.
Then overnight on 1 June, lightning in Quebec sparked around 200 fires overnight, said Frédéric André, the regional director at Roberval. Quebec was forced to call back its firefighters in other provinces and put out its own call for extra hands.
But with fires burning in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and other regions, "nothing was left in Canada", he said.
The country has now had to call on international help. Some 400 firefighters from France, the US, and Spain have already arrived or will soon in Quebec, the province's firefighting agency said.
The global network of firefighters is increasingly essential, Mr. André said, as fire seasons become more unpredictable with a changing climate.
"I have a very bad feeling now that each year, we break a [fire] record," he said. "Every year is the worst somewhere."
Mr. André knows first-hand how volatile and terrifying wildfires can be.
He was part of a Canadian team that traveled to Australia in 2019 to help fight the so-called Black Summer - a series of huge, uncontrollable, and intense bushfires that blanketed the eastern part of the country.
Fires of that size make an unmistakable grumbling sound, he said. For Mr. André, who has been fighting fires since 1987, that year in Australia was the worst he's ever seen.
It taught him that fires will always be stronger than the humans trying to fight them, he said.
He also learned the importance of making sure the public understands the danger of fires.
One fire this year chewed through 20km (12.5 miles) of brush in one day, he said, prompting speedy evacuations.
"If there is good wind and sunny conditions, the fire can go for a big run."
It's also important to know how to prepare for the worst.
It is a lesson that the Cree community of Ouje-Bougoumou has taken to heart, after being forced to evacuate for the first time ever early this week.
The roughly 650 residents have found refuge 392km (243 miles) away in the city of Saguenay, sleeping in makeshift shelters at local schools.
"We're just waiting for the OK and when it is safe to go home," Deputy Chief Lance Cooper said.
Fire marshal Lee-Roy Blacksmith said that since the evacuation, the community has created a fire break - a track carved around its perimeter to prevent the fires from burning through their town.
They have also cleared dead vegetation around homes to rob flames of any fuel.
Mr. Blacksmith said these measures are to protect both from this fire and future ones.
"That's mother nature, and we don't have control of mother nature," he said.
Wildfires are part of the ecosystem, Mr. André said, and remote ones are often left to burn. Firefighters intervene when the flames encroach on communities or critical infrastructure.
"Some tree spaces need fire to grow and renew," he said, as the flames help clear invasive pests and even promote new growth.
But this fire season has been unprecedented, in the number of fires, the early start to the season, and the number of fires burning dangerously close to towns.
As the battle on the ground continues, Quebec's firefighters remain unsure of what this season will bring. But they know there is a lot of work ahead.
For Mr. Charest, the smoke, the bugs, and the long hours away from home have not doused his passion for firefighting.
"The fire, when I see it from above, I circle it, I speak to it. It's an entity and I tell it: 'I'm coming for you, I'm going to break you," Mr Charest said.
Source- BBC
Police launch manhunt for St James most wanted
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has launched a manhunt in St James for Oshane Francis also known as 'Brukhand,' who is considered to be the most wanted man in the parish.
Francis was moved to the top of the most wanted list following the death of Nester ‘Zaddo’ Gallimore.
According to the police, the operation is focused around the Rosemount area, where authorities have already seized a vehicle known to have been used by Francis.
As the operation continues to unfold, the divisional commander and his team are encouraging all citizens within the Rosemount community to remain inside their homes for their own safety.
“The JCF remains committed to maintaining the peace and safety in the parish and the broader Jamaican community. We are urging persons to report any suspicious activities or individuals observed in and around the Rosemount area,” the JCF said in a statement.
Any relevant information can be relayed to the JCF through the NIB Tip Line at 811, Crime Stop at 311, Police Emergency at 119, or the nearest police station.
Source- Jamaica Observer
Australian airline relaxes gender-based uniform rules
Australian airline Qantas has relaxed its gender-based uniform rules, allowing male employees to wear makeup and have long hair.
Its new style guide means female employees will no longer have to wear makeup and heels while on duty.
Last year, an Australian trade union called on Qantas to move its "uniform policy into the 21st Century".
It comes after rival airlines eased their rules, with Virgin Atlantic adopting gender-neutral uniforms.
Along with being able to wear flat shoes, both women and men will be allowed to wear the same sorts of jewelry, including large watches.
The new rules also mean all employees, including pilots and flight attendants, can have long hair if it is worn in a ponytail or bun.
"Fashions change, and so have our style guidelines over the years," Qantas said in a statement on Friday.
"We're proud of our diversity as well as bringing our guidelines up to date," it added.
The new rules also apply to employees of Qantas' budget airline Jetstar.
Imogen Sturni from the Australian Services Union (ASU), which had campaigned for Qantas to change its uniform policy, said the move was a "big win for workers".
"Some of the dress code requirements were bordering on ridiculous, such as makeup style guides and a requirement for women to wear smaller watches than men," Ms. Sturni told the BBC.
However, under the new policy, Qantas workers will still have to keep tattoos covered. The rules also specify which items of uniform can be worn together, including requiring tights or stockings to be worn with skirts.
The announcement from Qantas came after some other airlines relaxed their uniform policies.
In September, UK-based carrier Virgin Atlantic said it would take a "fluid approach" to uniforms, which allowed staff to choose what they wore to work "no matter their gender".
However, the airline later said the policy did not apply to crew on board the England football team's flight to the World Cup in Qatar, which had been criticized for its treatment of LGBT people.
At that time, Virgin said it had rolled out the measure in the UK, US, and Israel, which were "more accepting of non-binary identities allowing more self-expression".
In 2019, Air New Zealand ended a ban on staff having visible tattoos, to allow "employees to express their individuality and cultural heritage".
Some New Zealanders with Maori heritage wear tattoos to mark their genealogy and heritage.
Source- BBC
Denver Nuggets beat Miami Heat to move to within one win of maiden title
The Denver Nuggets moved to within one win of their first NBA title with a 108-95 victory over the Miami Heat to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series.
The Nuggets dominated throughout in what was a superb team effort.
Forward Aaron Gordon proved a key figure with 27 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
The Nuggets can secure the championship with a home win in game five on Monday evening (01:30 BST on Tuesday).
"I thought Aaron was huge all night long," said Nuggets head coach Michael Malone. "He brought his hard hat tonight and was just a warrior on both ends for us.
"This is truly a team win. We've done our job but we're not celebrating like we've done anything yet.
"We know we're going to have to go home and turn off the TV, and the radio, don't read the papers, don't listen to everybody telling you how great you are because we haven't done a thing yet.
"We have to win another game to be world champions, and we're going to do that by simply taking it one quarter at a time. If we stay true to our identity, we'll give ourselves a great chance to do that."
There was a scare for the Nuggets when two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic tweaked an ankle in the first quarter and then had to sit out a five minute-spell in the fourth quarter because of foul trouble.
But Miami failed to take advantage of his absence and once the Serbian returned with 4:09 left in the game, Denver, who had led by four at the break and extended their advantage to 13 points in the third quarter, remained in control.
Jokic finished with 23 points, Bruce Brown scored three late baskets to end with 21 while guard Jamal Murray had 15 points and 12 assists.
"Every time we felt like we got it to six or eight, they were able to push it to 12," said Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra, who insisted that the series could still be turned around.
"We have an incredibly competitive group. We've done everything the hard way, and that's the way it's going to have to be done right now, again."
Source- BBC
Gladiator sequel crew members injured in stunt sequence on set
Several crew members filming the Gladiator sequel in Morocco have been injured in a stunt accident on set.
The film's production company Paramount Pictures said the injuries were non-life-threatening and happened while shooting a planned stunt sequence.
The crew members were "all in stable condition and continue to receive treatment", the statement said.
Earlier this week, the Sun reported an explosion and six people went to the hospital.
"It was terrifying - a huge ball of fire flew up and caught several crew members in its path. In years of filming I've never seen an accident so scary," a source told the newspaper.
"Everyone involved, from the lowliest runners to the star names, has been shaken up by this," they added.
A Paramount Pictures spokesperson said: "The safety and full medical services teams on-site were able to act quickly so that those who were impacted immediately received the necessary care."
They said it has "strict health and safety procedures in place on all our productions" and would take "all necessary precautions as we resume production".
According to Variety, no cast members were injured but six people received treatment for burn injuries and four remain in hospital.
Sir Ridley Scott, who directed the original 2000 historical drama film, is returning to produce the second installment, which is scheduled to be released in November 2024.
No title has yet been announced for the sequel, which stars Normal People actor Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Connie Nielson.
The original film won five Oscars, including best actor for Russell Crowe, who played Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius alongside Joaquin Phoenix as Emperor Commodus.
The movie, set during the height of the Roman Empire, sees Maximus start out as a war hero before being forced to become a gladiator.
Gladiator made $457m (£355m) at the box office and revived the historical epic drama genre, which had been out of fashion for decades.
Source- BBC
Facebook owner Meta plans to create Twitter rival
Meta has shown staff plans for a text-based social network designed to compete with Twitter, sources have told the BBC.
It could allow users to follow accounts they already follow on Instagram, Meta's image-sharing app.
And it could potentially allow them to bring over followers from decentralized platforms such as Mastodon.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed to the BBC that the platform was in development.
"We're exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates," they said.
"We believe there's an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests."
Meta's chief product officer Chris Cox said coding was underway on the platform. The tech giant aims to release it soon, although no date was given. Some speculation is that it could be as early as the end of June.
Screenshots have appeared online which were shown internally to employees, potentially giving an idea of what the app will look like.
Sources within the company have told the BBC that these leaked screenshots are genuine. If they are, the layout of this new platform will be familiar to anyone who has spent time on Twitter.
The text-based network - which has a working title of P92 - could turn out to be a greater rival to Elon Musk's Twitter than either BlueSky or Mastodon.
While both have attracted users disillusioned with Twitter, starting afresh on a new social network and rebuilding a community, is difficult.
But the Instagram community is enormous. Meta says it has around two billion users, which dwarfs the 300 million that are believed to use Twitter - although its figures can no longer be verified.
If even 25% of Instagram users can be coaxed into using P92 (it will undoubtedly have a sexier name when it launches), it will instantly become more prominent than its older rival.
Meta says it takes "inspiration" from other products, although others put it less kindly - Stories on Facebook was based on a Snapchat feature, and Reels on Instagram is unmistakably similar to TikTok.
Twitter has come under scrutiny over moderation on the platform in recent months, and in May withdrew from the EU's voluntary disinformation code.
Under Mr. Musk, Twitter moderation has reportedly been reduced - which critics say allowed an increase in the spread of disinformation.
But Mr. Musk says there is now "less misinformation rather than more" since he took over in October 2022.
Source- BBC
Old Buick City site is ready to rise again
Redevelopment of the Buick City site in Flint to provide in-demand industrial space has received Michigan Strategic Fund support, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced today. When fully completed, the project is expected to result in a 3.5 million square foot, state-of-the-art light industrial space and will represent the largest investment in North Flint in decades.
Altogether, this project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $300 million and consist of up to 3.5 million square feet of state-of-the-art, light industrial distribution space, and could eventually house between 2,000-3,000 jobs on the site.
“By investing in the Buick City site, one of the largest brownfields in the state, we are creating long-term economic opportunity in Flint, boosting the state’s inventory of industrial facilities, and securing future investments in Michigan for years to come,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “This project will transform an underutilized property into functional, available space that is vital for ongoing business attraction and expansion efforts in the region.”
The Flint Commerce Center, LLC, an entity of Ashley Capital, plans to redevelop the former Buick City Site in the city of Flint to prepare the site for a 275,000-square-foot industrial building that is expected to lead to further development at the site.
The proposed project will act as a catalyst to attract jobs to the area by providing critically needed, new speculative development as well as shovel-ready sites for future potential regional opportunities. In addition to cleaning up one of the largest and most significantly blighted and contaminated industrial sites in the state, the activation of the industrial space is critical in addressing the shortage of space in the city of Flint and the state.
“The redevelopment of Buick City is an important win for the Flint community and our state, and
signals our commitment to both growing our inventory of industrial sites and creating economic opportunity for our workforce,” said Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO of MEDC and President and Chair of the MSF Board. “We appreciate the hard work of Team Michigan, including our partners in the legislature, the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration, and our local partners to return the Buick City site to productive use and put businesses and residents in Genesee County on an even stronger path for future economic growth.”
Market analysis has repeatedly shown that large, move-in-ready sites are in demand. Supporting this type of property remains vital to retaining existing companies in the state as they grow and offers opportunities to attract new companies here to Michigan.
“Ashley Capital’s redevelopment of the Buick City brownfield is a game-changer for economic growth in the Flint community and the entire region,” Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said. “This will have a transformational impact on economic opportunity and quality of life for Flint residents. We’re taking one of the largest brownfield sites in Michigan and transforming this liability into an asset for economic development.”
The cost of the site preparation, including the removal of underground utilities and concrete slabs and foundations, is estimated to be $17 million. Flint Commerce Center today received Michigan Strategic Fund approval of an $8.5 million MSF performance-based loan with the ability to be forgiven if construction milestones are met.
In addition to MSF support, $3.25 million in ARPA funds from Genesee County and $3.25 million in ARPA funds from the city of Flint will be reimbursed to the project for work as it is completed. The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has also agreed to grant $2 million to the city to support the project.
“This project is a perfect example of the good things that can happen when the public, private, and charitable sectors work together,” said Ridgway White, president and CEO of the Mott Foundation. “I can’t wait to see the site cleaned up, steel rising and, ultimately, residents of Flint and Genesee County getting back to work at Buick City. The Mott Foundation is pleased to play a small role in making that happen.”
Established in 1984, Ashley Capital has a successful track record of utilizing available sites or remedying blighted properties to breathe life back into these sites, often before tenants are even secured to fill them. Learn more about Ashley Capital here.
“Ashley Capital is very excited about our plans to build a state-of-the-art industrial park on the former Buick City site. This development will be an economic driver for the area by increasing the economic base and providing employment opportunities,” said Ashley Capital LLC Senior Vice President Susan Harvey. “Construction activity will commence soon after the current property owner, RACER Trust, finalizes the necessary environmental agreements with EGLE. We are looking forward to getting started on this transformative project and becoming part of the Flint community.”
Today’s announcement builds on other recent MSF support for projects that create jobs and vibrancy in the Flint area. This includes recent support for Island Plastics, a plastics recycler that is building a state-of-the-art facility that will create 24 manufacturing jobs in the city and invest $8 million in the region. Meanwhile, in November 2021, Allegiant Air announced it was establishing a new operational base at Flint Bishop International Airport, which is expected to generate a total capital investment of $77 million and create 88 high-wage jobs as it brings new business and economic activity to the region.
Additionally, in July 2021, Governor Whitmer announced that a new co-op urban grocery store will soon be coming to the north side of Flint with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund. Intended to provide much-needed, affordable, healthy food options to area residents, the project is expected to revitalize a long-vacant building and help address health issues in the documented “food desert” of North Flint.
The Buick City site is one of the largest and most significantly blighted and contaminated industrial sites in the state. The property was the home of Buick Motor Company until 2010 when operations there ceased and the site sat vacant. Since then, redevelopment of the property has been a top priority for the state and the city of Flint.
In 2011, the RACER Trust took ownership and sold portions of the site to two companies; however, a large majority of the site remains vacant today. Ashley Capital, one of the largest privately held industrial real estate investment companies in the United States, has secured a purchase agreement with RACER for the remainder of the site. RACER is currently performing environmental clean-up activities at the site and Ashley expects to close on the property in early 2023.
“Buick City is important to not only the history of Flint but also its future,” said Tyler Rossmaessler, executive director of Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance. “The redevelopment of this site will allow our region to compete for new jobs and industry in the global marketplace and generate tax revenue that will be invested into our schools, public safety, and local infrastructure. The inter-governmental and public-private partnership supporting this project is innovative and can serve as a national model for effective economic development work.”
Source- City of Flint
GM aims to build EVs within existing factory footprint
However, automotive cybersecurity experts are still determining if digital keys are as secure as the industry claims.
Kent said a rash of recent car thefts in the U.K. targeting new cars with keyless systems that were hacked using relay attacks or “key cloning” demonstrates how the industry underestimates vehicle security.
Automakers have responded to key cloning attacks with keys that go into sleep mode. Vehicle owners have attempted a different strategy, such as keeping keys in a metal container like coffee cans or breath mint tins.
The Kia Boy attacks, which involve thieves popping off the steering wheel column of key ignition in Hyundai and Kia models and using a USB to hot-wire them, offer another example.
Kia and Hyundai — sibling companies — issued a software update to fix the problem, but Automotive News reported Hyundai Motor Group’s solution is not working perfectly.
“It’s not feasible or realistic to attack this key security head-on,” Tindell said.
Car thieves are moving on from key cloning because automakers such as Toyota are placing robust encryption systems between its keys and the smart key electronic control unit, a dedicated chip with software or firmware that controls security and access in its vehicles to authenticate the key, Tindell said.
He likened the hacks and countermeasures between car thieves, hackers, and automakers to an arms race.
Car thieves, for example, are developing an attack method called a controller area network injection, Tindell said. The CAN injection circumvents standard antitheft equipment by going around the back.
Car thieves and hackers must physically break into the internal network of a car, which they can do if it is somewhere easy to reach on the vehicle, Tindell said.
In a blog post, Tindell unwrapped how car thieves in the U.K. stole a Toyota RAV4 from Ian Tabor, a cybersecurity researcher and automotive engineering consultant for Switzerland’s EDAG Engineering Group.
Thieves broke into the RAV4’s CAN near the headlights to access its key security ECU for its engine and doors.
“In some ways, it’s like a castle with a drawbridge and portcullis and a barbican to secure the front entrance, and an unguarded back door with a cheap padlock,” Tindell said.
Automakers need to have authentication and encryption for the digital messaging between a car’s door and engine to defeat these CAN injection attacks, Tindell said. They need some sort of credential or token system.
“Having your phone say, ‘Are you trying to open the car’ is probably too much, but it’s leaning toward the direction I think it will go,” Kent said.
Source- World News Era
Twitch apologizes as streamers leave after adverts row
Twitch has apologised, after a backlash over new advertising rules.
The Amazon-owned live-streaming service had said it would restrict the size and type of ads used by streamers who create content on Twitch.
This would have substantially reduced the ways in which streamers generate income on the platform.
Twitch has now said it will rewrite the new policy after several prominent creators threatened to boycott the platform - and some moved elsewhere.
"Today's branded-content policy update was overly broad," it said in a tweet viewed 17.6 million times.
"This created confusion and frustration - and we apologize for that.
"We do not intend to limit streamers' ability to enter into direct relationships with sponsors - and we understand that this is an important part of how streamers earn revenue."
But UK streamer Marco, known online as Stallion, told BBC News he would still be leaving Twitch, following the original update.
"This is the push that I needed to get me off this platform," he said.
"This has been something that's been in my mind for the last two years... the problem with Twitch is it has next to no discoverability - it's one of those platforms where if you're not already at the top, you're not going to be.
"I get it that it's a business, but it's like there's no thought about the people who are on the platform... it just feels like it's all about the money now and nothing to do with us."
The new rules would have meant streamers were not allowed to embed ads, whether video, audio, or otherwise, directly into their streams, as well as limiting the size of any logos to just 3% of the screen size.
Streamers typically embed ads so they are visible at all times.
Twitch usually pays them 50% of the money it collects from its subscribers, though some of the biggest streamers receive a 70-30 "revenue split". But the platform receives none of the revenue streamers make from ads or donations.
In comparison, YouTubers receive 70% of the revenue from their subscriptions, known as memberships. But YouTube also takes a 30% cut of donations from fans.
The new rules also caused concern for charity events such as Games Done Quick, which in June announced it had raised $2.2m for Doctors Without Borders, as it relies heavily on logos that fill much of the screen.
Which of the new rules will now be rewritten remains unclear - but for some, the damage has been done.
"There's no thought about the people who are on the platform, whether they depend on it for their livelihood or not," Stallion said.
"This is a move I should have made years ago - but it's one that I've honestly been very scared to make because it's my full-time career.
"Long term, this is going to be the best thing for me."
Source- BBC
CNN chief Chris Licht out after just 13 months
The chief executive of CNN has stepped down after just 13 months in the job.
Chris Licht had been under pressure after a recent article about him in the Atlantic magazine, for which he provided an unusual level of access, raised questions about his leadership.
The news network has also seen falling ratings and was widely criticized for its handling of a town hall interview with former president Donald Trump.
Parent company Discovery said, "Things did not work out the way we had hoped".
Mr Licht was appointed head of the channel last year, when Discovery merged with WarnerMedia, home to CNN, HBO, and others.
Warner Bros Discovery boss David Zaslav said the company appreciated "Chris's efforts and dedication and [we] wish him all the best".
"This job was never going to be easy, especially at a time of great disruption and transformation, and Chris poured his heart and soul into it," he said announcing the change, which is effective immediately.
"Unfortunately, things did not work out the way we had hoped - and ultimately that's on me. I take responsibility."
Mr. Licht took over CNN as the Discovery takeover prompted big shake-ups, including the ousting of former chief Jeff Zucker, the abrupt cancellation of CNN+, a planned streaming service, and hundreds of layoffs.
Mr. Zaslav has also been pushing CNN to shift its tone, which he saw as having shifted to the left and become too combative during the Trump administration when the former president frequently dismissed it as "fake news".
Mr Zaslav had said that CNN should carve out a role distinct from rival news brands seen as being more partisan, such as Fox News on the right, and MSNBC on the left.
"Our view is there are advocacy networks on either side. We have the best journalists in the world. We need to show both sides of every issue," he said at an investor conference earlier this year.
But Mr. Licht's efforts to shake up programming - including the launch of a new morning show - had stumbled.
His standing had been in question after a new chief operating officer, seen as close to the Discovery boss, was named earlier this month.
Before CNN, Mr. Licht was an executive vice president of special programming at CBS and a showrunner for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert". He had also worked for CBS News and was a co-creator of MSNBC's popular morning news show "Morning Joe".
Mr Zaslav said the channel would be led by an interim group of leaders, while the company searched for a replacement.
Source- BBC