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☆ Book bans are accelerating across the country amid right-wing pressure campaign
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But, as they try to claim that mantle, many of those same forces in media and politics are behind a disturbing wave of book bans sweeping the nation. PEN America, a non-profit organization committed to protecting free expression, published an alarming report Tuesday indicating that the “book ban crisis” is only getting worse. “There were over 4,000 instances of book bans in the first half of this school year—more than all of last school year as a whole. In doing so, they have also disproportionately targeted books by women and nonbinary authors,” PEN America said. Ted Shaffrey/APSuch brazen book bans — unprecedented in modern American history — is at its worst in the red states of Florida and Texas.

Persons: New York CNN —, Nikole Hannah, Margaret Atwood’s, ” Amy Reed’s, Rupi, “, ”, ’ ‘, Ted Shaffrey, Ron DeSantis, Abdi Nazemian, I’ve, ” Nazemian, “ I’ve, ” Kasey Meehan, Read, we’re Organizations: New York CNN, PEN America, The New York Times, ” PEN America, Central Library, Brooklyn Public Library, PEN Locations: New York, USA, birthed, ’, New York City, Florida, Texas, In Florida, In Texas, Iranian, Iowa

☆ Terraform Labs and founder Do Kwon found liable in U.S. civil fraud trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A police officer escorts Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon after he served a sentence for document forgery in Podgorica, Montenegro, March 23, 2024. A jury in Manhattan found Singapore-based Terraform Labs and its founder Do Kwon liable on civil fraud charges on Friday, agreeing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that they misled investors before their stablecoin's 2022 collapse shocked cryptocurrency markets. The regulator is seeking civil financial penalties and orders barring Kwon and Terraform from the securities industry. Kwon, who was arrested in Montenegro in March 2023, did not attend the trial, which began March 25. Kwon designed TerraUSD and Luna, a more traditional token that fluctuated in value but was closely linked to TerraUSD.

Persons: Kwon, Terraform's blockchain, Laura Meehan, Meehan, Louis Pellegrino, Luna Organizations: Terraform Labs, Labs, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC Locations: Podgorica, Montenegro, Manhattan, Singapore, South Korea

☆ Terraform Labs and founder Do Kwon found liable in US civil fraud trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Kwon designed TerraUSD and Luna, a more traditional token that fluctuated in value but was closely linked to TerraUSD. The SEC is seeking civil financial penalties and orders barring Kwon and Terraform from the securities industry. Kwon falsely attributed the recovery to the reliability of TerraUSD’s algorithms, according to the regulator. Earlier in the case, Terraform argued that securities laws did not apply to the cryptocurrencies it developed. After a final judgment in the case, Terraform will be able to challenge that ruling on appeal.

Persons: Kwon, Terraform’s blockchain, Luna, Jed Rakoff, Terraform, Gurbir Grewal, ” Grewal, ”, Laura Meehan, ” Meehan, Terraform’s, Louis Pellegrino, ” Pellegrino, Rakoff Organizations: Labs, US Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, SEC Division Locations: Manhattan, Singapore, Montenegro, United States, South Korea

☆ Inflation is cooling, but small businesses in the U.S. say customers just aren’t spending like they used to
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

While cooling inflation and a robust GDP reading that smashed economists’ expectations are reasons to be optimistic about the US economy, one key economic engine seems to still be sputtering: small businesses. Small business owners say they’re still grappling with the hangover effects of inflation and a labor shortage, according to the National Federation of Independent Business’s most recent monthly survey, which was conducted in January. Dougherty said small businesses may be delayed in feeling the effect of easing inflation, but once businesses experience more prolonged stable prices, that may help their sentiment turn around. A recent survey of American Express small business customers indicated that some small business owners see strength in 2024. Half of the 557 US small businesses surveyed said they plan to grow or expand their businesses in the upcoming year.

Persons: Kevin Meehan, , he’s, ” Meehan, “, hasn’t, Kevin Meehan RJacobsonPhoto, we’d, that’s, Everything’s, ”, Charles Dougherty, Sarah Cash, Cash, Sarah Cash Elise Kutt, “ I’ve, ” Cash, it’s, they’re, doesn’t, Sunny, Dougherty, Meehan, I’m Organizations: CNN, Kali, National Federation of Independent, “, US Chamber of Commerce, American Express, Valentine’s Locations: Los Angeles, Wells Fargo, United States, Grand Rapids , Michigan

☆ The N.Y.C. Mayor’s Race Could Test the #MeToo Movement’s Staying Power
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Emma G. Fitzsimmons | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Roughly six years ago, as the #MeToo movement gathered steam, a credible allegation of sexual misconduct could end a political career. A Democratic colleague in the House, John Conyers of Michigan, was forced out days earlier. Three Republican congressmen also stepped down: Blake Farenthold of Texas, Trent Franks of Arizona, and Pat Meehan of Pennsylvania. The potency of a #MeToo allegation remained as recently as 2021, when Andrew Cuomo resigned as governor of New York after he faced multiple accusations of sexual harassment. But in New York, recent developments suggest that there may be a subtle re-evaluation of those accused of sexual harassment or abuse, and whether their political lives might be resuscitated.

Persons: Al Franken, John Conyers, Blake Farenthold of, Trent Franks, Arizona, Pat Meehan, Andrew Cuomo Organizations: Democratic, Pennsylvania Locations: U.S, Minnesota, John Conyers of Michigan, Blake Farenthold of Texas, New York

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada's attorney general is investigating six Republican electors who submitted a document to Congress falsely declaring Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential election, a person with knowledge of the case said Wednesday. But the probe adds to official scrutiny of so-called fake electors in several swing states won by President Joe Biden in 2020, including investigations in Georgia, Michigan and Arizona. So-called “fake electors” were charged in Georgia and Michigan, and Trump faces charges both in Georgia and in a federal investigation of his conduct related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. He told the Democratic Attorneys General Association last January he feared that making any comment would be seen as partisan. Efforts by AP to reach the other two fake electors, Durward James “Jim” Hindle III and Eileen Rice in northern Nevada, were not successful.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, Aaron Ford, Joe Lombardo, Michael McDonald, Jim DeGraffenreid, Jesse Law, Shawn Meehan, McDonald, Durward James “ Jim ” Hindle III, Eileen Rice, ”, Brian Hardy, Biden, State Barbara Cegavske, Cegavske, DeGraffenreid Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Associated Press, Politico, NBC News, Democrat, U.S . Justice Department, Trump, Democratic, Nevada Gov, Republican, Nevada GOP, AP, . House, State, Republican Party, Government, Biden Locations: Georgia , Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Clark County, Douglas, Las Vegas, Nevada, Carson City

☆ KPMG hit with record fine for 'textbook failure' in Carillion audits
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said the number, range, and seriousness of the deficiencies in the audits of Carillion were exceptional, resulting in the watchdog's highest ever fine. On occasions, KPMG audit partner Peter Meehan told his team to record his review of working papers without having done a review, the FRC said. Meehan, no longer with KPMG, was fined 350,000 pounds after a discount to reflect his cooperation and admission of failures. It would have been 30 million pounds, but was discounted due to admissions and co-operation by the auditor. KPMG was fined 14.4 million pounds last year after providing false and misleading information to the FRC during spot checks on audits of Carillion and outsourcing firm Regenersis.

Persons: Reinhard Krause, Carillion, Richard Moriarty, Moriarty, Peter Meehan, Meehan, Jon Holt, Holt, Huw Jones, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: KPMG, Canary, REUTERS, BHS, Council, FRC, PwC, Deloitte, EY, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

☆ Wealthy Vacationers Flock to a Man-Made Lake in Alabama
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Libertina Brandt | Sarah Paynter | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

“Anytime we have a newbie coming to the lake, they look at us and say ‘Alabama? Why Alabama?’” Meehan said. “But when they arrive at our home and they walk to our back veranda, sit down and look out to the lake they say ‘All right, I see why you like it here.’”Stacy K. Allen for The Wall Street Journal

Persons: ’ ” Meehan, ’ ” Stacy K, Allen Organizations: The Wall Street Locations: Alabama

☆ The Glamorous, Lonely Lives of Private Chefs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Amelia Nierenberg | More About Amelia Nierenberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Other chefs who live with their clients while working have to leave loved ones for months. He is welcome to have friends and family visit. “Those days that I’m alone and it’s just me here in the house, it’s psychologically not easy,” he said. And I can’t say anything but ‘I’m sorry.’”Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest. Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice.

Persons: Phoenix, Meehan, it’s, Younge, Noah Brown, don’t, ”, “ Organizations: Hamptons, New York Times, Facebook, YouTube Locations: San Francisco, New York, Houston , Los Angeles, Miami

☆ Charm gets $53 million to turn corn leftovers into oil and inject it into abandoned oil and gas wells
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

The 112,000 tons of carbon dioxide that Charm will remove is more than ten times the total quantity of carbon dioxide that has been removed so far with human techniques. "It's sort of a brilliant, but accidental, discovery," Reinhardt told CNBC. "It's a little it's a little odd or unusual, but uniquely American, in that we're basically pumping barbecue sauce into old oil and gas wells," Reinhardt told CNBC. There are about 2 million abandoned oil and gas wells in the U.S., and owner-operators are eager to find another use for them, Reinhardt told CNBC. We will run out of waste biomass long before we before we exhaust the subsurface capacity," Reinhardt told CNBC.

LLANO, Texas, April 13 (Reuters) - A rural Texas county's public libraries will remain open while a court battle continues over whether local officials can remove books deemed inappropriate, commissioners decided on Thursday. "Does Llano, Texas, want to be known as the town that closed the public library?" No state bans more books than Texas, according to PEN America. "Public libraries are not meant to serve particular ideological factions," said Kasey Meehan, who directs the "Freedom to Read" project of PEN America. Reporting by Evan Garcia in Llano, Texas, and Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas; editing by Donna Bryson and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Carillion Liquidators Say KPMG Missed Red Flags in Audits of Defunct Construction Firm
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Jennifer Williams-Alvarez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Big Four firm KPMG LLP missed multiple red flags when it audited the financial statements of Carillion PLC, the liquidators of the defunct construction and outsourcing firm said. KPMG received £29 million from Carillion without qualifying its audit opinions over the course of 19 years, according to the liquidators. The construction company’s liquidators also reject KPMG’s argument that the value of the construction contracts was concealed. The Carillion liquidators will rely at trial on findings from the FRC’s investigation, the filings show. If there is no settlement between the liquidators and the audit firm, the case against KPMG could go to trial in or around 2024.

There are now 15 total Centurion Lounges lounges around the world, with a few new additions on the horizon. Amex Centurion Lounge locationsAmerican Express Centurion Lounges can cover you in some of the largest international airports in the world, though the Centurion Lounge footprint itself is mostly focused in the United States. These are the full-fledged current Centurion Lounges and announced future locations, not including the international Amex lounges that are in the process of being rebranded as Centurion Lounges. Hong Kong (HKG)The Amex Centurion Lounge in Hong Kong has a "lounge within a lounge" for Centurion card members. It’s also currently the only Centurion Lounge to feature a “lounge within a lounge” exclusively for Amex Centurion card members.

Persons: you’ll, cardmembers, Charlotte Douglas, American’s, Charlotte Centurion, James Beard, Dean, Lachlan Mackinnon, Patterson, It’s, It's, Kim Canteenwalla, Emily McNutt, Assaf Granit, Amex, Julian Kheel, Tom Bradley, Anthony Giglio, L.A, Jim Meehan, New York John F, Kennedy, Natasha Hatendi, it’s, You’ll, McNally Jackson, there’s, There’s, DC’s Organizations: CNN, American Express, American, New, London Heathrow, Centurion, Delta SkyMiles ®, Delta SkyMiles, Express, Delta, Delta Reserve, DC, Charlotte, Charlotte Douglas International, American Airlines, Admirals Clubs, Dallas, Fort Worth, Denver Centurion, Visitors, Hong Kong, Cathay, Amex, Houston . American, Houston, McCarran International Airport, London Heathrow’s, Michelin, LAX, New York, JFK, TSA, JFK . New York, LaGuardia, McNally Jackson Books, LaGuardia ., Philadelphia, SFO, Seattle, Seattle Centurion, DC’s Reagan National, Newark Liberty International Airport, Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express, Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Locations: Las Vegas, JFK, Denver, Hong Kong, New York’s LaGuardia, United States, Charlotte, CLT, Dallas, DFW, Houston, Las, Los Angeles, Miami, York, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, Atlanta, Newark, Fort Worth, Rocky, Vegas, London, Exhale, South America, New, JFK . New, LaGuardia, New York City, LaGuardia . Philadelphia, Phoenix, PHX, Umbria, Manhattan

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