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☆ The long road to Northern Ireland's Good Friday Agreement
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff/File PhotoApril 3 (Reuters) - On April 10, Northern Ireland marks the 25th anniversary since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, which largely ended three decades of conflict in the British-ruled province. The new Northern Ireland parliament, at Stormont outside Belfast, is dominated by pro-British Protestant "unionists", who will control it for the next 50 years. Nov. 30, 1995 - U.S. President Bill Clinton visits Northern Ireland. May 30, 1996 - Elections held for a Northern Ireland forum ahead of all-party talks. April 10, 1998 - After negotiations continue through the night, the Good Friday Agreement, also known as the Belfast Agreement, is signed.

☆ Explainer: Why Lesotho parliament is debating reclaiming land from South Africa
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Carien Du Plessis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Even if the motion passes, its economically and militarily more powerful neighbour South Africa - which completely envelops Lesotho - is unlikely to cede the land. In fact, there are around twice as many Basotho in South Africa as in Lesotho. Historically, the seizure of Basotho land by Dutch settlers -- whose descendents, Afrikaners, now own most of the land in Free State -- is well-attested. Lesotho became a British protectorate in 1868, after the then king Moshoeshoe I appealed to British imperial authorities to prevent any more land being seized. Eswatini's King Mswati III has in the past similarly claimed that big parcels of neighbouring South African land were historically part of his kingdom and should be returned, but has never realised them.

☆ South African authorities arrest 87 ahead of anti-government protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JOHANNESBURG, March 20 (Reuters) - South African security forces said on Monday that 87 people had been arrested in the last 12 hours across the country over public violence ahead of planned protests by the Marxist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party. The EFF has called for a national shutdown to protest crippling power cuts and demand the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa. The party's main constituency are the poor and working class Black South Africans who feel left out of the country's prosperity since the governing African National Congress (ANC) ended white minority rule in 1994. Parliament said in a statement on Sunday that the South African military would deploy 3,474 troops for a month until April 17 to prevent and combat crime in cooperation with the police. "Law enforcement officers are on high alert and will continue to prevent and combat any acts of criminality," NatJOINTS said.

☆ South Africa's EFF marches to demand president's resignation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Members of the political party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), gather at Church Square after calling for a "National Shutdown" and demanding resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria, South Africa March 20, 2023. REUTERS/Alet PretoriusJOHANNESBURG, March 20 (Reuters) - Thousands marched through the streets of South Africa's cities on Monday to demand that President Cyril Ramaphosa resign, as security forces guarded malls and roads to prevent violence and looting. The Marxist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, whose supporters are mainly poor and working class Black South Africans who feel marginalised since the governing African National Congress (ANC) ended white minority rule in 1994, had called for a national shutdown. South African security forces said on Monday that 87 people had been arrested in the last 12 hours over public violence ahead of planned protests. Parliament said in a statement on Sunday that the South African military would deploy 3,474 troops for a month until April 17 to prevent and combat crime in cooperation with the police.

☆ DeSantis administration sent undercover agents to an Orlando drag show and they found nothing wrong with it. The state is still trying to punish the venue.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Undercover agents were sent by the DeSantis administration to spy on a drag show, the Miami Herald reported. Still, Florida is moving ahead with a complaint against the venue to strip its liquor license. Ron DeSantis to spy on an Orlando drag show — and they found nothing "lewd" about it, according to the Miami Herald. A Florida drag queen told Insider before the Miami Herald report was published that they were concerned about rumors of undercover state agents showing up at performances. The DeSantis administration recently targeted the Hyatt Regency Miami after one of its facilities hosted "A Drag Queen Christmas" with minors present in the audience.

☆ Tuesday Morning says it wants to close 265 stores as part of its bankruptcy filing. See if your local store is on the list.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +30 min

Camarillo: Camarillo Village Square, 2450 Las Posas Road, Ste HCamarillo Village Square, 2450 Las Posas Road, Ste H Roseville: Fairway Commons Shopping Center, 5771A Five Star Blvd. San Diego: Pacific Plaza Shopping Center, 1772‐D Garnet AvenuePacific Plaza Shopping Center, 1772‐D Garnet Avenue Woodland Hills: Pride Shopping Center, 22950 Victory Blvd. Winston-Salem: Whitaker Square Shopping Center, 1947 North Pease Haven Road, Space #1947Whitaker Square Shopping Center, 1947 North Pease Haven Road, Space #1947 Matthews: Windsor Square Shopping Center, 9945 E. Independence Blvd. ; Westhill Village Shopping Center, 7525 WestheimerWeslayan Plaza West Shopping Center, 5442‐A Weslayan Street; Westheimer Commons, 12568 Westheimer Rd. ; Westhill Village Shopping Center, 7525 Westheimer El Paso: West Towne Marketplace, 6450 N. Desert Blvd., Ste.

(Some partners also offer free state filing.) This is an opportunity many people overlook: About 70% of Americans qualified for IRS Free File in 2022, according to the Taxpayer Advocate,, but only 2% actually used it. Even if you meet the income requirements, Free File might not have the forms you need. If you don't meet the income requirement for Free File, you can still use the site's fillable forms. Bottom lineThere are lots of ways to file your taxes for free, whether that's with the IRS or a commercial tax software company.

Persons: TurboTax, Read, There's, isn't Organizations: CNBC Select's, Read CNBC, IRS, Social Security, Child Tax, Elderly, AARP, Department of Defense, CNBC, Facebook, Twitter Locations: Mobile, Arizona , California, Florida , Massachusetts, Nevada , New Hampshire , New York, South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas, Washington and Wyoming

☆ Where to Get Your Taxes Done for Free
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

Some don’t offer free filing if you have to record retirement income or self-employment income, for example, and other specific deductions and credits are sometimes excluded from free tax filing. What’s included:Wage and salary incomeLimited interest and dividend incomeEITCChild creditStudent loan interest deductionState returnFree File through the IRSIf you are a middle-income earner, even if you have relatively complicated taxes, you should qualify to file your taxes for free through the IRS’s Free File program. Eligibility for free state tax filing through Free File depends on your state and the Free File provider you choose. However, Free File is a separate program and distinct from these company’s free online offerings, such as the ones detailed above. You have to access Free File through the IRS.gov Free File portal and create an account through the program.

☆ Kamala Harris swipes at DeSantis using his 'vanguard of freedom' inauguration quote, on the governor's home turf, as she announces new moves on abortion pill
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

said Harris, who didn't use DeSantis' name but was quoting directly from his January 3 inauguration speech. The vice president, who has been at the forefront voice for the administration's on abortion rights, announced that President Joe Biden would be signing a memorandum to make abortion pills easier to access. Sunday would have marked the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that guaranteed a national right to abortion. Wilfredo Lee/AP PhotoFlorida has other ways of expanding abortion rightsAbortion rights proved to be a liability for Republicans in the November midterms. Reproductive rights groups are working to put the issue of abortion before Florida voters through a 2024 ballot measure.

☆ Kamala Harris swipes at DeSantis using his 'vanguard of freedom' quote, on the governor's home turf, as she announces new moves on abortion pill
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

said Harris, who didn't use DeSantis' name but was quoting directly from his 2022 State of the State address. The vice president, who has been at the forefront voice for the administration's on abortion rights, announced that President Joe Biden would be signing a memorandum to make abortion pills easier to access. Sunday would have marked the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that guaranteed a national right to abortion. Wilfredo Lee/AP PhotoFlorida has other ways of expanding abortion rightsAbortion rights proved to be a liability for Republicans in the November midterms. Reproductive rights groups are working to put the issue of abortion before Florida voters through a 2024 ballot measure.

☆ The 8 best states to win the $1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

After weeks without a winner, the Mega Millions jackpot is now $1.1 billion — the third largest in the lottery's 27-year history and the fifth-largest ever in the U.S. But depending on where you bought your ticket, those winnings can vary by as much as $120 million due to state taxes. State taxes are charged, too, but unlike federal taxes, they vary widely by state. The cash payout is much less than the annuity, but it's often chosen since it can be reinvested right away. The cash payout is nearly $63 million more in tax-free states than in New York, the most-taxed state.

☆ Ron and Casey DeSantis danced to the governor's campaign song 'Sweet Florida' at the state's inaugural ball, in final event of 2-day 'DeSantis-Palooza'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Casey DeSantis wore a gold embellished gown. Songs included "My Girl" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," two guests leaving the event told Insider. Bill Diamond of Palm Beach told Insider the food was "very good and very inventive" and raved about the lamb. "I have had clients coming back and saying that was very Kennedy-ish," one source who attended multiple inauguration events told Insider. Casey DeSantis and the couple's son, Mason, were also present, he said, as were Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez and her husband Adrian Nuñez.

☆ DeSantis casts himself as a national leader at his inauguration amid 2024 speculation, promising Florida will 'carry the torch' of freedom and fight 'woke'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Florida Gov. The Florida inauguration offered a split screen from the national conversation back in Washington, DC, where Republicans performed poorly in the midterms. Florida Gov. Zackary Atkins hangs a street sign with the name of Florida Gov. Retired broadcaster Gene Deckerhoff, who was the voice of the Florida State Seminoles for 43 years, was the MC for the event.

☆ DeSantis' second inauguration as governor will have a 'Free State of Florida' theme, an intimate candlelight dinner, and a toast to moms supporting the GOP governor
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The overarching theme is "The Free State of Florida," the Florida Standard first reported. "The Free State of Florida" is a motto mirroring DeSantis' 2022 campaign theme. Officials stand on stage during an inauguration ceremony where Ron DeSantis was sworn in as Florida Governor, Tuesday, January 8, 2019, in Tallahassee, Florida. This inauguration, DeSantis is considering turning down donations from Big Tech companies, The New York Times reported. "I support Governor DeSantis and am honored to have been invited to his inauguration," GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida told Insider.

☆ The not-quite-redemption of South Africa's infamous ultra-marathon cheats
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Ryan Brown | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +35 min

"A runner can always recognize another runner," Eugene tells me. Ryan Brown for insiderIn those days, they didn't run for South Africa, but for QwaQwa – one of ten "homelands" established for Black South Africans. Tiny, non-contiguous territories – supposedly, the original territory of different Black South African ethnic groups – dotted across the country. It didn't turn out like that, but it didn't turn out like that for most Black South Africans either. As I sat speaking to Sergio, South Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, was fighting for his political life after revelations that wads of cash, potentially ill-gotten, had been stolen from inside his sofa.

Another state court then replaced that map with one drawn by a bipartisan group of experts. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts wondered whether such broadly worded provisions provide proper "standards and guidelines" for state courts to apply. The Republican lawmakers argued that the state court usurped the North Carolina General Assembly's authority under that provision to regulate federal elections. Justice Brett Kavanaugh emphasized the "historical practice" that "nearly all state constitutions regulate federal elections in some way." David Thompson, arguing for the North Carolina lawmakers, said the Constitution "requires state legislatures specifically to perform the federal function of prescribing regulations for federal elections.

The position of others including Chief Justice John Roberts was harder to read, raising the possibility of a ruling less broad than the Republican state lawmakers pursuing the appeal seek. The Republican lawmakers are asking the Supreme Court to embrace a once-marginal legal theory that has gained favor among some conservatives called the "independent state legislature" doctrine. The Republican lawmakers have argued that the state court unconstitutionally usurped the North Carolina General Assembly's authority to regulate federal elections. Thompson also argued that state constitutions cannot impose substantive limits on the actions of legislatures on federal elections. A lower state court subsequently rejected the legislature's redrawn map and adopted one drawn by a bipartisan group of experts.

MIAMI — Florida Democrats are reeling and coming to terms with devastating Election Day losses, particularly among Latino voters who turned out solidly for Republicans in statewide contests. Most Republicans running in the state won by large margins, turning Florida into a solid red state. “Republicans became the real spokespeople for this community,” said Gamarra, referring to the governor, senators, and South Florida members of Congress. DeSantis always hammers down the message that Florida is a “free state.” Over 80,000 people have died of Covid in Florida. Meanwhile, the number of Democratic Latino registered voters decreased from 947,853 in 2020 to 901,481 in 2022.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire ran for reelection to a second term. 2022 General EmbedsNew Hampshire's Senate race candidatesHassan, a former state lawmaker and two-term governor, secured a second term in the Senate. Bolduc — who served in Afghanistan and received two Purple Hearts and five Bronze Stars — was the Republican standard-bearer in this year's Senate race. During the 2020 US Senate election that Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen won, more than 18,400 voters — about 2.3% — cast ballots for Libertarian candidate Justin O'Donnell. What experts sayThe New Hampshire race was rated as "tilt Democratic" by Inside Elections, "lean Democratic" by The Cook Political Report, and "leans Democratic" by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire is running for reelection to a second term. 2022 General EmbedsNew Hampshire's Senate race candidatesHassan, a former state lawmaker and two-term governor, is aiming to secure a second term in the Senate. Bolduc — who served in Afghanistan and received two Purple Hearts and five Bronze Stars — is the Republican standard-bearer in this year's Senate race. During the 2020 US Senate election that Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen won, more than 18,400 voters — about 2.3% — cast ballots for Libertarian candidate Justin O'Donnell. What experts sayThe New Hampshire race was rated as "tilt Democratic" by Inside Elections, "lean Democratic" by The Cook Political Report, and "leans Democratic" by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

☆ Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan vies against Republican Don Bolduc in the New Hampshire's US Senate race
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire is running for reelection to a second term. New Hampshire's Senate race candidatesHassan, a former state lawmaker and two-term governor, is aiming to secure a second term in the Senate. Bolduc — who served in Afghanistan and received two Purple Hearts and five Bronze Stars — is the Republican standard-bearer in this year's Senate race. Sununu was deeply critical of Bolduc during the GOP primary campaign and eventually endorsed state Sen. Chuck Morse, who narrowly lost to Bolduc in the September contest. During the 2020 US Senate election that Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen won, more than 18,400 voters — about 2.3% — cast ballots for Libertarian candidate Justin O'Donnell.

☆ South Africa mine dam collapse highlights patchy regulation
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Nelson Banya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A general view of the aftermath of a mine dam wall collapse in Jagersfontein, South Africa, September 12, 2022. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe disaster has raised questions about who should be responsible for tailings dams oversight in South Africa and across the world. The Jagersfontein dam burst follows the brumadinho tailings dam collapse in Brazil nearly four years ago, which killed hundreds when a Vale SA (VALE3.SA)-owned dam collapsed. South Africa's government, mining industry and experts are still in the process of updating the country's tailings code to align with the global standard, the Minerals Council of South Africa said. The experts say, for example, that the global standards require a clearer responsibility and accountability structure than the current mine residue code in South Africa.

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