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☆ IRS aims to close 'inequity gap' for unpaid taxes. How the agency targets top earners for audit
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on April 19, 2023. The tax gap, or the difference between taxes owed and paid, was an estimated $688 billion for tax year 2021, the IRS reported in October. Instead, profits flow through to the business owners' tax returns. Other 'red flags' for higher earnersIn addition to complex partnerships, the IRS is watching for other "red flags" from higher earners, according to Hylton. Another area of for increased audits could be estate and gift tax returns, particularly those using "aggressive valuation discounts" for assets, Hylton said.

Persons: Daniel Werfel, Chip Somodevilla, Danny Werfel, Werfel, Eric Hylton, Hylton, Colin Walsh, Baker Tilly, Baker Organizations: Senate, IRS, Alliantgroup Locations: U.S, Hylton, Puerto Rico

☆ Opinion | The 17th-Century Heretic We Could Really Use Now
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Ian Buruma | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The Enlightenment philosopher Baruch Spinoza almost died for his ideals one day in 1672. Spinoza, a Sephardic Jew born in Amsterdam in 1632, was a passionate and outspoken defender of freedom, tolerance and moderation. Only one of his books, about the French philosopher Descartes, could be published under his own name during his lifetime. This is perhaps why new books about him are coming out all the time, including Jonathan Israel’s 2023 magnum opus “Spinoza, Life and Legacy” and even a best-selling French novel, “Le Problème Spinoza,” by Irvin Yalom. And all that for a philosopher who was denounced by Christians and Jews as the devil’s disciple long after his own time.

Persons: Baruch Spinoza, Spinoza, Johan de Witt, ”, rousers, hadn’t, Descartes, Thomas Hobbes, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, demagoguery, Jonathan Israel’s, “ Le Problème Spinoza, Irvin Yalom, George Eliot, unreservedly Locations: Amsterdam, Dutch Republic, British

The funeral of a renowned transgender activist in a New York cathedral elicited a denunciation of the event by a senior church official, who called the mass a scandal within one of the preeminent houses of worship in U.S. Catholicism. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York condemned the funeral of Cecilia Gentili, which was held in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan and drew a large audience on Thursday. Gentili was known as a leading advocate for other transgender people, as well as sex workers and people with HIV. Photos You Should See View All 33 ImagesThe cathedral held a Mass of Reparation following the funeral at the direction of Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, Salvo said. “New York’s LGBTQ+ community has lost a champion in trans icon Cecilia Gentili," New York Gov.

Persons: Cecilia Gentili, Gentili, Enrique Salvo, Saint Patrick’s, ” Salvo, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Salvo, ’, Lent, ”, Kathy Hochul, “, ” Gentili, Sen, Robert F, Kennedy, Babe Ruth, Edward Dougherty, CatholicVote, Billy Porter, ” CatholicVote, Porter, ” Porter Organizations: Roman Catholic Archdiocese, Patrick’s, HIV, New York Gov, FX, Conservative Locations: New York, St, Manhattan, ‘ America’s Parish, Rikers, “, Argentina, Patrick's

☆ AI-generated voices of dead shooting victims are sending gun-control pleas to lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Faith Karimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

We have tried almost every single way to approach gun violence in a way that people will pay attention. There have been 50 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Brett Cross says he's unfazed by critics who are against the use of AI-generated voices of children killed by gun violence. But earlier this month, it announced that robocall scams using AI-generated voices are a violation of telecommunications law. He says some parents who’ve lost children to gun violence were reluctant to take part in the project.

Persons: CNN — Joaquin Oliver’s, Marjory Stoneman, “ It’s, ”, ” Manuel, Patricia Oliver, Joaquin, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Cody Jackson, “, Manuel Oliver, Uzi, Garcia, Mitch Renfro Uzi Garcia, “ I’m, Brett Cross, he’s, he's unfazed, Nuri Vallbona, Ethan Song, Akilah Dasilva, Mike Baughan, Jaycee Webster, Uzi Garcia, Jordan Vonderhaar, Biden, ’ landlines, Oliver, they’re, Alex Quilici, ’ —, Robert Wahl, ” Manuel Oliver, who’ve, It’s Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Kansas City, Robb Elementary School, Reuters, Maryland, Federal Communications Commission, New, Telephone Consumer, Concordia University Wisconsin, Hollywood Locations: Parkland, Parkland , Florida, Florida, Kansas, United States, Uvalde , Texas, Connecticut, Tennessee, Maryland, New Hampshire

☆ N.Y. Archdiocese Condemns Funeral of Transgender Activist at Cathedral
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Liam Stack | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York condemned the funeral of a transgender community leader that was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Thursday, calling the event an insult to the Catholic faith and saying it was unaware of the identity of the deceased — or her vocal atheism — when it agreed to host the service. The funeral, which drew well over 1,000 people, celebrated the life of Cecilia Gentili, an activist and actress well known for her advocacy on behalf of sex workers, transgender people and people living with H.I.V. She was also a self-professed atheist, a topic around which she built a one-woman Off Broadway show. The service on Thursday was an event that most likely had no precedent in Catholic history. The pews were packed with mourners, many of them transgender, who wore daring high-fashion outfits and cheered as eulogists led them in praying for transgender rights and access to gender-affirming health care.

Persons: Cecilia Gentili, eulogists Organizations: Roman Catholic Archdiocese Locations: New York, St, Patrick’s

Maxar Technologies Visual Investigations The $2.8 Billion Hole in U.S. Sanctions on Iran A Times investigation reveals how lax government oversight allowed shadowy oil tankers, covered by American insurance, to fund Iran’s regime. The American Club is one of only 12 major insurers of its kind, and the only one based in the United States. By then, the tankers had transported at least $2.8 billion in crude oil, based on the lowest reported prices of Iranian oil in 2023. The Treasury office has publicly enforced sanctions on the American Club only once in the past 20 years. Ultimately, the office said the American Club did “not appear to have been willful or reckless” and the case was settled.

Persons: Biden, ”, penna gabrielle toyomi, penna selene gabrielle, gabrielle, selene, lisa marianne selene, Samir Madani, Maggie Hassan, Daniel Tadros, “, Mr, Tadros, Shipowners, ” Mr, Madani of TankerTrackers.com, David Tannenbaum Organizations: Maxar, Maxar Technologies, Sanctions, U.S, White, New York Times, Times, Treasury Department, American Club, Treasury, cathay kirin, Copernicus, Planet Labs, Star, American, The Times, Revolutionary Guards Corps, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Club’s, Hamas, Bloomberg, United Against Nuclear, Nuclear, Glory, United, National Iranian Tanker, Labs, Copernicus Sentinel, Club, International Maritime Organization, AIS, Spire Locations: Gulf of Oman, American, U.S, Iran, New York, New Hampshire, United States, Hong Kong, Kharg, Kpler, China, Israel, Yemen, United Against Nuclear Iran, Nuclear Iran, United Arab Emirates, Asaluyeh, Dubai, of Oman, Persian, Oman, Cuba, Sudan, MarineTraffic, SynMax, TankerTrackers.com

A day after Trump's visit last year, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg went to East Palestine. But soon after the East Palestine derailment, some local officials began to criticize the Biden administration for the lack of a presidential visit. Biden issued an executive order requiring Norfolk Southern to pay for any long-term cleanup efforts. At a White House briefing this week, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was traveling to East Palestine at the mayor's invitation. Deeter, a member of a local advocacy group, River Valley Organizing, hopes Biden's visit is more than a photo-op.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Trump's, Pete Buttigieg, Trent Conaway, Karine Jean, Pierre, Conaway, Jean, Pierre said, Alan Shaw, Timothea Deeter, Biden's, we've, He's Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Transportation, White, Norfolk Southern, Railway Safety, Commerce, Science, Environmental Protection Agency Locations: East Palestine , Ohio, East Palestine, Palestine, Southern

☆ More pedestrians were killed on Los Angeles' Vermont Avenue than in the state of Vermont in 2022 — and it's become an ad for a measure to make streets safer
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It's deadly — especially for anyone attempting to walk or bike the city streets. More people are killed in traffic accidents in LA than in any other city in the US — and things are headed in the wrong direction. A billboard on Vermont Avenue — a 23-mile long north-south thoroughfare — blasts a chilling statistic: more pedestrians were killed on that road than in the state of Vermont in 2022. Seven pedestrians were killed in the state, while eight people were killed on the LA road with the same name. Advertisementfact check: sad, but true pic.twitter.com/re4AZduiTK — Yes on Measure HLA (@healthystreetla) January 16, 2024The avenue is among the deadliest in LA and has a few of the most dangerous intersections in LA County.

Persons: —, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Michael Schneider, Schneider, Francine Orr, hasn't, that's Organizations: Service, Business, New York City, Vermont, City, Senate, LA's Locations: Los Angeles, LA, New York, Vermont, LA County, Hoboken , New Jersey, Northern Europe

☆ My name is Taylor Swift. Sharing a name with the pop superstar has been helpful, especially at work.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Alyshia Hull | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I was 15 years old when I heard about the singer Taylor Swift for the first time. Additionally, I had just moved back to Ohio to live with my dad, so I was the new kid at school, with the name Taylor Swift. To make them feel less weird about it, I pause, grab the microphone, and say, "Yes, my name is Taylor Swift. Please feel free to make jokes, I'll just shake it off, later," a Taylor Swift reference. For example, just this past weekend, I booked a dinner reservation for two under the name Taylor Swift.

Persons: Taylor J, Swift, Taylor Swift, she's, Justin Bieber, TJ, I've, Taylor, Manseen Logan Locations: Washington , DC, Ohio

☆ Wall Street cheers Coinbase after its first quarterly profit in 2 years, but skepticism lingers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Wall Street is celebrating Coinbase after the crypto exchange operator posted its first quarterly profit in two years. Late Thursday, Coinbase posted earnings of $1.04 per share on $954 million of revenue for the fourth quarter. "Happy days are here again" for Coinbase, as Raymond James put it, but it's not clear for how long. "That said, we maintain our U/P rating given crypto market unpredictability, lack of revenue diversification, valuation, and continued legal overhang." JPMorgan, neutral, PT $95 "Management calls spot bitcoin ETFs [a] net positive but, we're still unconvinced," said JPMorgan's Kenneth Worthington.

Persons: Coinbase, haven't, bitcoin, Raymond James, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Will Nance, revs, Jason Kupferberg, Benjamin Budish, EBITDA, underperform, Patrick O'Shaughnessy, we're, Kenneth Worthington, Keefe, KBW's Kyle Voigt, Oppenheimer, Owen Lau, Devin Ryan, Needham, John Todaro, Canaccord, Joseph Vafi, Michael Bloom Organizations: LSEG, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, " Bank of America, Bank of America, Barclays, JPMorgan, Management, SEC, Coinbase's, BTC Locations: U.S, Coinbase, Needham

They eat a lot.”Many states have rejected federal funds on principle or for technical reasons. Twenty-two states have turned down the mostly federally funded expansion of Medicaid eligibility to provide health insurance to more lower-income adults. Photos You Should See View All 33 ImagesThe Summer EBT program, a response to increased child hunger when school is out, involves much less money. Bill Lee's office said the initiative is a pandemic-era benefit and that other food programs already exist. But Crystal FitzSimons, director of school programs at Food Research and Action Center, cited research that families buy more nutritional food when their grocery subsidies increase.

Persons: Otibehia Allen, ” Allen, “, aren't, Thomas Vazquez, Bill Lee's, Megan Degenfelder, ”, Defenfelder, Allen's, Tate Reeves, Reeves, you’re, Jim Pillen, Lisa Davis, Kim Reynolds, Crystal FitzSimons, It's, ___ Mattise, Sean Murphy, James Pollard, Pollard Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, Texas Health, Human Services Commission, Texas, Republican Gov, Food Research, Action Center, Associated Press, “, Republican, Washington D.C, Democratic, Action, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: Clarksdale , Mississippi, States, Vermont, Texas, Tennessee, Wyoming, Louisiana, In Mississippi, Nebraska, Alabama, Alaska , Florida, Georgia , Idaho , Iowa, Louisiana , Mississippi , Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota , Texas , Vermont, Nashville , Tennessee, Cherry Hill , New Jersey, Oklahoma City, Columbia , South Carolina

☆ REDs: These young athletes were bound for stardom until a mysterious condition derailed their running careers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

CNN —They were two exceptionally promising athletes, seemingly bound for track and field stardom, when their careers were derailed by a condition that doctors and researchers say they are only now beginning to understand. ‘Instituional buy-in’REDs’ symptoms can affect anyone, particularly athletes training in a culture that celebrates overtraining and undereating – or that has an unhealthy relationship with weight. Eventually, her blog morphed into Project RED-S – a site filled with resources for athletes, coaches and supporters. Access to “dietician input … and appropriate psychological support if it’s needed,” can also help prevent and treat REDs, Dr. Jawad says. Woolven’s Project RED-S aims to provide that support she lacked and initiatives like this allow Cain to envision a future that “looks really bright.”“I’m hopeful,” Cain says.

Persons: CNN —, Mary Cain, Pippa Woolven, Martin Rickett, ” Dr, Farrah Jawad, wouldn’t, Dr, Kathryn Ackerman, Cain, Woolven, you’re, ”, “, Eric Draper, marathoner Alberto Salazar, “ It’s, you’re undereating, Salazar, Women’s, ” Salazar, Jessica Rinaldi, ” Cain’s, Dave Thompson, ” accidently, ‘ Instituional, Ackerman, ‘, Nobody, Jawad, Matt Dunham, “ it’s, ” Cain Organizations: CNN, Championships, Florida State University, REDs, British Universities, Colleges Sports, Pure Sports, CNN Sport, IOC, Harvard Medical School, Sports Medicine Division, Boston Children’s Hospital, Nike Oregon Project, Reuters, The New York Times, Nike, Oregonian, Oregon Project, Sports, Doping Agency, New York Times, Florida State, ’ REDs, Health, New, National Trust, Atalanta NYC Locations: London, British, Tallahassee, “, America, ”

☆ Analysis-Russia Seen as Highly Unlikely to Put a Nuclear Warhead in Space
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 ImagesAnalysts tracking Russia's space programs say the space threat is probably not a nuclear warhead but rather a high-powered device requiring nuclear energy to carry out an array of attacks against satellites. The Kremlin on Thursday dismissed a warning by the United States about Moscow's new nuclear capabilities in space, calling it a "malicious fabrication". Exploding a nuclear weapon in space would be another matter entirely. "If they do (detonate a nuclear device in space), they’d lose everything. James Acton, a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank, said for Russia to put a nuclear weapon in orbit would be a "blatant violation of the Outer Space Treaty."

Persons: Joey Roulette, Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON, Mike Turner, Antony Blinken, Daryl Kimball, Brian Weeden, Weeden, James Acton, Acton, Arshad Mohammed, Don Durfee, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S . House, Reuters, Washington, U.S, Arms Control Association, U.S . Defense Intelligence Agency, Secure, Foundation, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace Locations: Russia, Russian, United States, U.S, China, India, Ukraine, Washington, Saint Paul , Minnesota

☆ Mourning a Transgender Activist at a Cathedral That Once Drew Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Liam Stack | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The pews of St. Patrick’s Cathedral were packed on Thursday for an event with no likely precedent in Catholic history: the funeral of Cecilia Gentili, a transgender activist and actress, former sex worker and self-professed atheist whose memorial functioned as both a celebration of her life and an exuberant piece of political theater. Over 1,000 mourners, several hundred of whom were transgender, arrived in daring outfits — glittery miniskirts and halter tops, fishnet stockings, sumptuous fur stoles and at least one boa sewed from $100 bills. Mass cards and a picture near the altar showed a haloed Ms. Gentili surrounded by the Spanish words for “transvestite,” “whore,” “blessed” and “mother” above the text of Psalm 25. That St. Patrick’s Cathedral would host the funeral for a high-profile transgender activist, who was well known for her advocacy on behalf of sex workers, transgender people and people living with H.I.V., might come as a surprise to some.

Persons: Cecilia Gentili, — glittery, Gentili, ” “ Locations: St, Patrick’s

☆ Ozempic, Mounjaro and hundreds of other drugs become even more expensive in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Novo Nordisk boosted the list price of Ozempic by 3.5% to $969 for a four-week supply. Eli Lilly last month raised the list price of Mounjaro by 4.5% to $1,069 for a four-week supply. However, they may have to pay the list price if they are uninsured or have not yet hit their annual deductible. Former President Donald Trump, who is running for election again, also unveiled several proposals and issued executive orders aimed at lowering drug costs during his administration. Another factor is the recent policies that penalize pharmaceutical manufacturers for raising list prices faster than inflation.

Persons: Drugmakers, Eli Lilly, Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, Ozempic, Eli Lily, Marlene Foss, Foss, “, ”, Mark Rapp, Rapp, ’ ”, Mark Rapp's, grandkids, ” Rapp, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, We’ve, Antonio Ciaccia, we’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, CNN, Food and Drug Administration, Nordisk’s, Mounjaro, Medicare, ”, White House Locations: New York, Portugal, Doylestown , Pennsylvania, Italy, Mansfield , Ohio, Ohio, Idaho

☆ New York City Mayor Is Sued Over Refusal to Comply With New Rental-Assistance Laws
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Jonathan AllenNEW YORK (Reuters) - Lawyers representing New Yorkers facing eviction and living in shelters sued New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday to try to force him to comply with new local laws expanding access to rental assistance. The lawsuit by the Legal Aid Society comes after the mayor unsuccessfully vetoed the new laws expanding access to vouchers for low-income New Yorkers. The New York City Council, which had voted to override the mayor's veto last July, will soon join Legal Aid in suing the mayor after making the unusual move last week. More than 36,000 households already receive housing vouchers from the city, according to Adams' office. A spokesperson for the mayor said his office was reviewing the lawsuit and that his administration would focus on working with the city council to build more affordable housing across the city.

Persons: Jonathan Allen, Eric Adams, Adams, ”, Robert Desir, Donna Bryson, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Jonathan Allen NEW YORK, New, New York City, Legal Aid Society, The New, The New York City Council, City Fighting, New York State, Aid Society, Legal, Manhattan Supreme, Coalition, Homeless Locations: The New York, Manhattan, Bronx

The near-absence of laws criminalizing the practice of fertility fraud until recently means no doctors have yet been criminally charged for the behavior. In 2019, Indiana became the second state, more than 20 years after California, to pass a statute making fertility fraud a felony. He added some of his biological children have “expressed gratitude for their existence” to him and even sent him photos of their own children. Cline’s case spurred lawmakers to pass legislation that outlawed fertility fraud but wasn’t retroactive, meaning he was never prosecuted for it. “In fertility fraud, no parent is saying that – no parent is saying I would have gotten an abortion,” she said.

Persons: Hill, –, Burton Caldwell, “, ” Hill, we’ve, ”, Jody Madeira, Laura Oliverio, wasn’t, Eve Wiley, Marvin Yussman, Yussman, Victoria Hill, ” Yussman, Dr, Donald Cline, general’s, Cline, Stephanie Bice, Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Democrat –, Kelly Wilkinson, Katherine L, Kraschel, Julia T, Woodward, Laura High, we’re, ’ Let’s, it’s, let’s, OBGYN Narendra Tohan, isn’t, Tohan, ‘, Janine Pierson, Doreen Pierson, Caldwell –, Doreen, Alyssa Denniston, Caldwell, Pierson, ” Pierson, she’d, doesn’t, texted, Jamie LeRose, Maralee Hill, Victoria, Sean Tipton, Tipton, Caldwell “, didn’t Organizations: CNN, Indiana University, Savin Rock, CNN CNN, Netflix, Oklahoma Republican, New, New Jersey Democrat, Indianapolis Star, DC, Northeastern University, Duke University Health System, CNN Fertility, United, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Seagulls Locations: Connecticut, Savin Rock Beach, West Haven , Connecticut, Indiana, California, Kentucky, Wethersfield , Connecticut, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Indianapolis, Wethersfield, New Britain, Madeira, Yale, Victoria, Hartford , Connecticut, Victoria Hill's, Norwalk, Norway, Germany, United States, Cheshire, New Haven

☆ Billions in AI patents get new guidelines as regulators regroup
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But how will patent protections apply to inventions made with the help of AI tools, particularly generative AI? In connection with training an AI system, what level of planning will be required? “A natural person who only presents a problem to an AI system may not be a proper inventor” of something, the USPTO said. In that case, the USPTO had rejected the patent applications of an inventor who had given his AI system sole credit for the inventions. The inventorship guidelines will help everyone understand the boundaries of patent protections as AI is increasingly used in the inventive process.

Persons: ”, Jamie Nafziger, Dorsey, Whitney, Thaler, Vidal, Ryan McCarthy, Hall, It’s, Estill, John Bergmayer Organizations: CNN, Office, Biden, White, USPTO

All 11 House Democrats spoke during a lengthy debate Wednesday and voted against the bill. Fairness West Virginia, the state’s only LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, said the bill would ban transgender people from using government building restrooms that align with their gender identity. “But the problem with it is, it affects real people, real constituents of ours, real West Virginians.”From 2010 to 2020, West Virginia lost the highest percentage of residents compared to any other U.S. state. Republican West Virginia Gov. Another bill that would prohibit transgender students from using school restrooms that aligns with their gender identity advanced through the West Virginia House Education Committee last month.

Persons: “, ”, Democratic Del, Kayla Young, Mike Pushkin, JB Akers, ” Akers, Pushkin, ” George Orwell’s, ” Pushkin, ” Del, Diana Winzenreid, Winzenreid, Jim Justice Organizations: Virginia's Republican, GOP, Democratic, Capitol, Democrats, Democratic Party, West Virginians, Republican, Wheeling City Council, Republican West Virginia Gov, West Virginia House Locations: CHARLESTON, W.Va, Kanawha County, Kanawha County Del, West Virginia, Wheeling, Ohio County

☆ Hundreds of Adobe employees protest the company moving its MAX conference to Florida. Ron DeSantis thinks it's a 'stunt.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A group of Adobe employees are upset over the company’s decision to host its MAX annual conference in Florida, citing the state’s “hostile” laws against marginalized groups. Earlier this month, more than 500 Adobe employees signed an internal petition demanding the company reconsider the location of the annual conference, scheduled to take place in Miami later this year. As company leaders reiterated their commitment to Miami for this year’s event, some Adobe employees took to the Slack channel to express their dismay. “I’m shocked and disappointed at the lack of consideration in that call,” one of the employees wrote in the internal Slack channel. "Adobe MAX is a celebration of our community and a platform to showcase the incredible impact that creativity has around the world.

Persons: ”, Shantanu Narayen, David Wadhwani, “, “ I’m, Ron DeSantis’s “, DeSantis, Jeremy Redfern, Ron DeSantis, Charlie Neibergall ‘, ’, Adobe’s, Erica Warren, ” Warren, Slack, Amy White, “ It’s, ” White Organizations: Adobe, Business, Disney, MAX, ”, AP, National Association for, Advancement of Colored People, Human Rights, Las, ” Adobe Locations: Florida, Miami, America, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Tokyo, LA, San Diego, Las Vegas, ‘ Florida, “

“We come from a place where gun violence is a problem, but you will never see a 19-year-old with an AR-15 getting into a school and shooting people,” Manuel Oliver said. “There’s a reason for the gun violence in a Third World country. Joaquin's AI voice identifies him and then says, “Many students and teachers were murdered on Valentine’s Day ... by a person using an AR-15, but you don’t care. Other families who lost loved ones to gun violence will be allowed to add their victim's re-created voice to the project, which runs indefinitely. They call themselves “the rebel side of the gun violence prevention movement."

Persons: — Joaquin “ Guac ” Oliver, Oliver, Manuel, Patricia Oliver, Joaquin's, ” Manuel Oliver, “, Stoneman Douglas, ” Patricia Oliver, It’s, Joaquin, Critics, ”, “ Joaquin, Uziyah Garcia, Ethan Song, Brett Cross, “ I’m, Uzi, hadn't, Mike, Kristin Song, ” Kristin Song, —, ’, Manuel Oliver's, Joe Biden Organizations: National Rifle Association, Immigrants, NRA, Valentine’s, YouTube, Waffle House, Robb Elementary School Locations: Fla, Parkland , Florida, Venezuela, United States, Parkland, Tennessee, , Texas, Uvalde , Texas, Connecticut, Virginia

☆ Gen Z's 'Carrie Bradshaw' shares the rules older generations should be following for dating in the digital age
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Molly Mcguigan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But content creator and author Eli Rallo, nicknamed Gen Z's "Carrie Bradshaw," has the rules to change that. AdvertisementWith Valentine's Day around the corner, Business Insider spoke with Rallo about her top rules older generations (and Gen Z) should follow for dating in the digital age. Take a note from Gen Z and advocate for yourself"Dating is not just about other people, it's also about you," Rallo told Business Insider. Unlike the Gen Xers and the millennials of the "Sex and the City" generation, Rallo appreciates that Gen Z approaches dating — and life — from an advocacy lens. "If you want a relationship, not using dating apps is going to make that more difficult for you," she told BI.

Persons: —, Carrie Bradshaw, Eli Rallo, Gen Z's, Rallo, Gen Z, it's, didn't, Marisa Silva, that's Organizations: Service, HBO, Business Locations: Manhattan

☆ More than 60% of American Jews say they feel less secure than in the past year, new survey says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Nicole Chavez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —At least 63% of American Jews said their place in American society is less secure than a year ago, according to a new report released Tuesday by the American Jewish Committee. The share of American Jews who said the status of Jews in the United States has become less secure increased 22 percentage points when compared to last year’s survey. The American Jewish Committee has commissioned a survey on the state of antisemitism in the US annually since 2019. Nearly half of American Jews said they think antisemitism is taken less seriously than other forms of hate and bigotry, according to the survey. That’s compared to 38% of American Jews in 2022, according to the advocacy organization.

Persons: Ted Deutch, “, ” Organizations: CNN, American Jewish Committee, Antisemitism, American Jewish, Defamation League Locations: “, America, United States, Israel

☆ Russia used a Zircon hypersonic cruise missile for the first time in recent strike, Ukraine claims
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Ukraine claims it has evidence Russia fired an advanced hypersonic missile – one that experts say is almost impossible to shoot down – for the first time in the almost 2-year-old war. The government-run Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise said in a Telegram post that debris recovered after a February 7 attack on the Ukrainian capital pointed to the use of a Zircon hypersonic cruise missile by the Russian military. Ukrainian authorities reported four people were killed and 38 others injured in Kyiv during the February 7 attacks, but no casualties have been directly attributed to the alleged Zircon missile. Its hypersonic speed makes it invulnerable to even the best Western missile defenses, like the Patriot, according to the United States-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA). Additionally, the MDAA says the Zircon is “a maneuvering anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile” with a range of somewhere between 500 and 1,000 kilometers (310 to 620 miles).

Persons: Serhii, Gorshkov, Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, Yurii Ihnat, ” Sidharth, CNN’s Svitlana Vlasova, Mariya Knight, Andrew Carey, Jack Guy Organizations: CNN, Kyiv Scientific Research, Forensic, Ukraine’s, Ministry, Firefighters, Reuters, Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, Russian, Ukrainian Air Force, Royal United Services Institute, Zircons Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Kyiv, Holosiivskyi, United States, “, Ukrainian, London

ATLANTA (AP) — A Georgia Senate committee is advancing a long-stalled proposal aimed at stopping private school teachers from talking to students about gender identity without parental permission, but both gay rights groups and some religious conservatives remain opposed to the bill. Liberal opponents say the measure, which goes to the full Senate for more debate, remains a thinly veiled attack on LGBTQ+ students. Photos You Should See View All 22 ImagesSome conservatives say the law is a flawed attempt to regulate private schools that unwisely introduces the concept of gender identity into state law. "They are proselytizing this queer sex sexuality ideology to children,” said Jeff Cleghorn, a former board member of Georgia Equality. Private schools that violate the law would be banned from getting state money provided by vouchers for children with special educational needs.

Persons: Bill, ”, Sen, Carden Summers, Jeff Graham, unwisely, don’t, Jeff Cleghorn, ” Graham, Clint Dixon, didn’t, Democratic Sen, Elena Parent, “, Jan Organizations: ATLANTA, Georgia Senate, Senate Education, Republican, Liberal, Georgia Equality, “, Buford Republican, Democratic, Atlanta, Public, Georgia High School Association Locations: Georgia

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