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☆ After school shooting, some trans Tennesseans face backlash
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Jonathan Allen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Mykul Coscia, who performs drag as Eazy Love at Play, a night club, poses for a portrait after a deadly shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. March 29, 2023. Even before the shooting, many transgender Tennesseans felt villainized by their state's efforts to regulate the lives of gay and trans people, and were increasingly fearful for their safety. Police identified the Nashville shooter as Audrey Elizabeth Hale, and initially referred to Hale as female. Every time there is a school shooting, Story VanNess said she has sleepless nights: she was a special education teacher in a Knoxville school for several years before becoming the director of trans and non-binary programs at Knox Pride. "We've had another school shooting but, because this shooter was trans, that's taken a back seat so politicians can demonize trans people.

Trump asked Raffensperger to "find" enough votes needed to overturn Trump's election loss in Georgia. Only the Justice Department can decide whether to charge Trump, who has called the Democratic-led panel's investigation a politically motivated sham. Trump has accused the Justice Department of engaging in a partisan witch hunt. NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL CIVIL LAWSUITNew York Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump and his Trump Organization last September for fraud. The second lawsuit could go to trial on April 25, after a U.S. judge in January called Trump's bid to dismiss it "absurd."

☆ TSX rises to three-week but caution remains on rate outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) ended up 180.12 points, or 0.9%, at 19,837.65, its fourth straight day of gains and its highest closing level since March 9. "Discretion is the better part of valor," said Joseph Abramson, co-chief investment officer at Northland Wealth Management, quoting the well-known proverb. Information technology rose 1.5% as bond yields steadied, while both energy and heavily weighted financials advanced 1%. Dollarama Inc (DOL.TO) shares added 2.5% as the company reported a surge in same-store sales. The utilities sector, which includes some renewable energy companies, was up 1.1%.

☆ Former Christian school student kills 3 children, 3 staff in Nashville shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sandra Stojanovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

He said the Covenant School was singled out for attack but that the individual victims were targeted at random. [1/5] A still image from surveillance video shows what the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department describe as mass shooting suspect Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, entering The Covenant School carrying weapons in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. March 27, 2023. Also shot dead were staffers Mike Hill, 61, a school custodian, Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher, and Katherine Koonce, 60, listed on the Covenant website as "head of school." "We have to do more to stop gun violence," Biden said at the White House. Monday's violence in Nashville marked the 90th school shooting – defined as any incident in which a gun is discharged on school property – in the U.S. so far this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, a website founded by researcher David Riedman.

☆ Footage shows police killing Nashville school shooter as investigators seek motive
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sandra Stojanovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department began receiving calls about a shooter at 10:13 a.m., police spokesperson Don Aaron told reporters. Investigators were examining a "manifesto" written by the 28-year-old former student at the Covenant School, hoping to learn what motivated the latest U.S. mass shooting. Monday's violence marked the 90th school shooting – defined as any incident in which a gun is discharged on school property – in the United States this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, a website founded by researcher David Riedman. He said the Covenant School was singled out for attack but that the individual victims were targeted at random. Also shot dead were Mike Hill, 61, a school custodian; Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher; and Katherine Koonce, 60, listed on the Covenant website as "head of school."

☆ Three children, 3 adults shot dead by ex-student at Tennessee Christian school
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Kevin Wurm | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, March 27 (Reuters) - A heavily armed 28-year-old fatally shot three children and three adult staffers on Monday at a private Christian school the suspect once attended in Tennessee's capital city before police killed the assailant, authorities said. Drake said the school was singled out for attack but the individual victims were targeted at random. [1/6] Students from The Covenant School hold hands after getting off a bus to meet their parents at the reunification site following a mass shooting at the school in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., March 27, 2023. Reacting in Washington to the latest school shooting, U.S. President Joe Biden urged the U.S. Congress again to pass tougher gun reform legislation. Nashville Mayor John Cooper expressed sympathy for the victims and wrote on social media that his city "joined the dreaded, long list of communities to experience a school shooting."

March 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether colleges can continue to consider race as part of their admissions decisions, a practice commonly known as affirmative action. Schools also employ recruitment programs and scholarship opportunities intended to boost diversity, but the Supreme Court litigation is focused on admissions. HOW HAS THE SUPREME COURT RULED IN THE PAST? The court has largely upheld race-conscious admissions for decades, though not without limits. A decision banning affirmative action would force elite colleges to revamp their policies and search for new ways to ensure diversity.

The country’s generous pension system and early retirement have long been a point of pride since they were enacted after World War II. Railway workers hold a banner reading "Until the withdrawal" during a demonstration a few days after the government forced the pension reform through parliament without a vote. Macron and his government have defended the retirement reform as necessary to keep the pension system funded. He also defended the decision to push through the reform as financially necessary, no matter how unpopular it was. Between opinion polls and the national interest, I chose the national interest,” Macron said.

☆ Joe Exotic is running a long-shot 2024 campaign for president, all while serving 21 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Joe Exotic of "Tiger King" fame is running a long-shot 2024 campaign as a libertarian. At press time, Exotic's 2024 campaign appeared to still need some staffers. Exotic listed several "celebrities and influencers" who he says have endorsed him, including a man named Seth Posey, whose occupation is listed only as "Joe's fiancé." Angela McArdle, chair of the Libertarian Party, slammed Exotic's campaign in an interview with TMZ on March 19. Exotic, McArdle, and Meester did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment outside regular business hours.

"Plaintiffs' general allegation that the merger may cause 'higher prices, less innovation, less creativity, less consumer choice, decreased output, and other potential anticompetitive effects' is insufficient," wrote U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Corley. The decision does not affect the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) regulatory challenge to the largest-ever gaming industry deal. Microsoft announced its bid last year, and it also faces competition scrutiny in the EU and UK. A spokesperson for Microsoft and lawyers for the company did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. The case is Demartini v. Microsoft Corp, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 3:22-cv-08991.

Joseph Cress/USA TODAY Sports via REUTERSMarch 20 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's lawyers on Monday asked a Georgia court to quash a special grand jury report detailing its investigation into the former U.S. president's efforts to overturn his 2020 statewide election defeat. The Georgia motion seeks to bar prosecutors from using any evidence or testimony derived from the grand jury's investigation. If charged in New York or Georgia, Trump would become the first former U.S. president to face criminal prosecution. At Willis's request, a special grand jury was convened last year to aid in her investigation. While the grand jury did not have the authority to produce indictments, it could issue subpoenas and heard testimony from 75 witnesses, including top Trump allies such as U.S.

A grand jury was expected to indict Trump late on Monday or on Wednesday, Politico reported, for arranging payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the White House again in 2024, had predicted he would be arrested on Tuesday. But on Monday, the grand jury still appeared to be collecting evidence before deciding whether charges were warranted. New York Mayor Eric Adams told reporters police were monitoring social media and keeping an eye out for "inappropriate actions" in the city. Trump faces two civil trials involving former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll, who claims that Trump defamed her by denying he raped her.

☆ Donald Trump could be charged any day - what happens next?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Trump has denied the affair, and his lawyer has accused Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, of extortion. Were he charged, Trump would become the first former U.S. president to face criminal prosecution. While serving as president, Trump reimbursed Cohen for the Daniels payments, and federal prosecutors who charged Cohen said in court papers that the payments were falsely recorded as for legal services. Trump's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, told CNBC on Friday that Trump would surrender if charged. If Trump refused to come in voluntarily, prosecutors could seek to have him extradited from Florida, where he currently resides.

The hearing in Raleigh took place after the state Supreme Court's conservative justices agreed to reconsider a 2022 ruling that found partisan redistricting, or gerrymandering, was unlawful under the state constitution. In the same elections, Republicans flipped two Democratic seats on the court, installing a 5-2 conservative majority that weeks later made the extremely unusual decision to rehear the redistricting case. Several conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the Republicans' arguments, while the court's two Democrats expressed skepticism. The Supreme Court's conservative justices appeared to agree during oral arguments in December. But after the North Carolina court's decision to rehear the case, the U.S. Supreme Court asked the various parties in the case to weigh in on whether the court still has jurisdiction over the matter.

The new court agreed along party lines to rehear the redistricting case, as well as a case in which the previous Democratic majority struck down a Republican-backed voter identification law. In court filings, Republican lawmakers argue that redistricting is inherently political and should be left to legislators, rather than judges. Last year's redistricting decision also prompted North Carolina Republicans to turn to the U.S. Supreme Court in what has become a high-profile case. The Supreme Court's conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the Republicans' argument during oral arguments in December. But after the North Carolina Supreme Court's decision to rehear the case, the U.S. Supreme Court asked the various parties in the case to weigh in on whether the court still has jurisdiction over the matter.

☆ 9 ways creators and influencers are using ChatGPT, from writing video hooks to drafting emails to brands
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Since then, some creators have been using it to make content creation easier and faster. Here are 9 ways creators are leveraging ChatGPT, from finding content ideas to drafting emails. Arujo is one of hundreds of millions of users who have tried their hand at using ChatGPT. "It's very accurate to what I've seen before," said creator Jade Darmawangsa, who used ChatGPT to help with putting together an NDA. Here are 9 ways creators say ChatGPT has helped them:

☆ Analysis: Declining U.S. bank reserves add wrinkle to contentious debt ceiling issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Bank deposits, which are part of reserves, also dropped with customers seeking higher-yielding alternatives for their cash. Lower reserves constrain banks' balance sheets, hampering their ability to lend to finance corporate growth and expansions, analysts said. As of March 8, bank reserves during the week averaged $2.999 trillion, Fed data show, falling around $1.3 trillion from a peak of $4.3 trillion in December 2021. Volumes on reverse repos have hit north of $2 trillion since June last year, even as bank reserves have dwindled. And cash assetsDeposit outflows, reverse repos, and bank reserves are all inter-related.

☆ 9 ways content creators are using ChatGPT, from writing hooks for videos to email drafting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

☆ TSX slides as investors brace for more Fed rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"We are seeing a pullback in risk assets as people start to discount the Fed keeping rates higher for longer," said Joseph Abramson, co-chief investment officer at Northland Wealth Management. The TSX has a 30% weighting in commodity-linked shares. The energy sector fell nearly 2% on Tuesday as oil settled 3.6% lower at $77.58 a barrel, while materials, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, was down 2.9%. Thomson Reuters Corp (TRI.TO) shares were a bright spot, rising 1.2%. Reporting by Fergal Smith; Additional reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Octavio JonesMarch 7 (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers in Florida filed bills on Tuesday to outlaw most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a ban that would severely undercut access to the procedure in the U.S. South if passed by the state's Republican-controlled legislature. Data from Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration showed that the number of out-of-state abortion patients rose 38% in 2022 compared to 2021. He has previously said he would sign an abortion ban as early as six weeks. Abortion rights advocates and Democrats, including White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, spoke out on Tuesday against the new bills, which would ban abortion before many women know they are pregnant. Reporting by Gabriella Borter and Joseph Ax; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ JPMorgan says this biotechnology stock can rally nearly 50% because of its drug pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Vir Biotechnology has an underappreciated opportunity in the flu prevention market, JPMorgan said. He shaved $1 off his price target to $34, which still implies an upside of 48.9% from Friday's close. "Vir Biotechnology holds long-term pipeline opportunities across multiple infectious disease indications including hepatitis B, and Influenza A," he said in a note to clients Monday. He said the stock could see upside when the latest Peninsula study data hits, given it's expected to be a linear read-through from the young adult-focused earlier study. The stock has whiplashed in its first years as a publicly traded company, recording advances of 113% and 56.4% in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

☆ US prepares new rules on investment in technology abroad- WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration's work on the new rules would in practice largely deal with U.S. investments in China though the report given to lawmakers did not identify any countries, the WSJ said. The new rules are expected to cover private-equity and venture-capital investments in advanced semiconductors, supercomputing and some forms of artificial intelligence, the WSJ reported quoting people familiar with the matter as saying. The Treasury and Commerce departments expected to finalize their policy in the near future, it added. Reuters reported last month that Biden administration was planning an outright ban on investments in some Chinese technology companies and increased scrutiny of others. Reporting by Jose Joseph and Anirudh Saligrama in Bengaluru; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ SoftBank's Arm rebuffs London by choosing U.S. listing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The company did not completely rule out an eventual London listing, saying it intended to consider a subsequent IPO there in due course, without providing further details. London worked hard to get the listing, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Arm Chief Executive Rene Haas meeting in Downing Street last month, according to reports. The loss follows a decision by Dublin-based building materials giant CRH on Thursday to move its primary listing from London to the United States. Arm has pushed into markets beyond smartphones, such as data center servers, where its low-power designs can cut energy use. It immediately identified New York as its preferred destination, where the company will join the likes of Intel, Qualcomm and Nvidia.

[1/2] New York Police Department (NYPD) officers are pictured as protesters rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Times Square in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., June 1, 2020. FollowNEW YORK, March 1 (Reuters) - New York City has agreed to pay millions of dollars to demonstrators who sued the police department, saying they had been mistreated during a June 2020 racial justice protest that followed the killing of George Floyd. In a statement, the New York City Police Department said the demonstration occurred at a "challenging moment" when officers -already dealing with the strains of the COVID-19 pandemic - attempted to balance the right of people to protest with safety concerns. The total payments could amount to around $7 million, not including attorneys' fees, but a precise accounting was not yet available. Some of the protesters pursued individual claims and reached separate settlements, making them ineligible for additional payments, according to court filings.

☆ Crime tops Chicago voters' concerns in mayoral election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks to children after a press event ahead of expected Thanksgiving travel at O'Hare airport in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., November 21, 2022. The Chicago race is technically nonpartisan, but every candidate identifies as a Democrat in the heavily left-leaning city. There were more than 800 murders in Chicago in 2021, the most in a quarter-century. Garcia, considered a liberal member of Congress, has said he would increase the number of officers on patrol and fund more community-based anti-violence programs. Reporting by Joseph Ax Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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