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☆ Opinion: The chilling lesson of the Taylor Swift deepfakes
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Opinion Laurie Segall | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Sexually explicit AI-generated photos of pop superstar Taylor Swift have flooded the internet, and we don’t need to calm down. Now, you can digitally undress her or create your own explicit deepfake starring her. Imagine an immersive environment where a scorned ex invites others to collectively view a sexually explicit deepfake video of the girl who rejected him. They never taped a video, but due to advances in deepfake technology, it’s impossible to distinguish whether it’s real or fake. From a policy perspective, a handful of states have laws against the creation or sharing of these types of sexually explicit deepfakes.

Persons: Laurie Segall, Taylor Swift, Laurie Segall Angie Speranza Swift, I’ve, Swift, Mary Anne Franks, we’re, “ We’ve, ” Franks, —, Franks, Don’t Organizations: Tech’s Titans, CNN, George Washington University, ”, “ Locations: New York, Vermont

☆ Stream These 11 Movies Before They Leave Netflix in February
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jason Bailey | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Family fun, action epics, historical dramas, teen comedy — there’s a little something for everyone among the titles leaving Netflix in the United States in February. ‘Chicken Run’ (Feb. 14)Stream it here. With the long-awaited made-for-Netflix sequel “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget” having hit the service barely six weeks ago, you’d think Netflix would have licensed the original installment for a bit longer. ‘Prometheus’ (Feb. 14)Stream it here. ‘Real Steel’ (Feb. 14)Stream it here.

Persons: Wallace, Gromit, ’, Ridley Scott, James Cameron, David Fincher, Scott, Theron, Michael Fassbender, It’s, ‘ E.T, Rocky ’, that’s, Roger Ebert, Shawn Levy orchestrates, earnestness, Hugh Jackman Organizations: Netflix Locations: United States

☆ They Said They Weren’t Murderers. After Four Decades, the Courts Agreed.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Hurubie Meko | Anusha Bayya | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The couple, Jean and Renée Casse, were on 52nd Street when Mr. Casse was robbed, assaulted and thrown to the ground. For nearly the next four decades, Mr. Smokes, who was 19 when he was arrested, and Mr. Warren, who was 16, would try to clear their names without success. On Wednesday, under a new district attorney, the two men’s convictions were overturned and their indictments were dismissed. “Eric Smokes and David Warren lost decades of their life to an unjust conviction,” said Alvin L. Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, in a statement. “I am inspired by the unyielding advocacy of Mr. Smokes and Mr. Warren and hope that today’s decision can finally bring them a measure of comfort and justice.”

Persons: Jean, Renée Casse, Casse, Eric, David Warren —, Warren, David Warren, ”, Alvin L, Bragg, “ Locations: New York, Midtown Manhattan’s, Manhattan

☆ The Federal Reserve is fed up with data revisions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said large revisions in data are tainting his assessments of how the economy is doing. Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesThat’s well above the average month-over-month revised change in job totals from 1973 to the latest available revision data, according to the BLS. The official summary of what Fed officials said and discussed during their September meeting — also known as the Fed minutes — stated: “A few participants observed that there were challenges in assessing the state of the economy because some data continued to be volatile and subject to large revisions.”Spokespeople from the Federal Reserve declined to answer which data Fed officials were referring to. Frequent and large revisions to economic data are weighing on Federal Reserve decision-making, Governor Michelle Bowman said. “We want to be data dependent, but not data point dependent,” Williams said.

Persons: Christopher Waller, Waller, it’s, Al Drago, ” Waller, ”, Michelle Bowman, —, Spokespeople, he’s, don’t, Erica Groshen, David Wilcox, Laura Kelter, Kelter, Groshen, Wilcox, John Williams, ” Williams, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN — Federal Reserve, ”, of Labor Statistics, BLS, Federal, Bloomberg, Getty, Fed, Ohio Bankers League, Federal Reserve, Commerce Department, Department, Census, Labor, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Employment, CNN, Wilcox . New York Fed Locations: New York, Wilcox . New

☆ Bipartisan Illinois election board dismisses 14th Amendment case against Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Marshall Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The panel voted 8-0 on a bipartisan basis to dismiss the challenge, finding that it didn’t have jurisdiction to adjudicate a dispute involving the 14th Amendment. He said state courts – which have more power than the election board – should decide Trump’s eligibility. Trump attorney Adam Merrill, however, urged the state board to keep Trump on the 2024 ballot, pushing back against the findings from Erickson. This includes Missouri’s secretary of state and Texas’ lieutenant governor, though they weren’t involved in the Illinois case. CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct the vote tally by the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, “, Judge Clark Erickson, Erickson, Trump, Catherine McCrory, ” McCrory, ” Matthew Piers, ” Piers, Adam Merrill, “ Mr, ” Merrill, ”, can’t, Biden, Joe Biden, rebuffing, Biden “, Marni Malowitz, ” David Herman, ” Herman Organizations: Washington CNN, Illinois State, Trump, Capitol, Republican, United States Congress, Illinois, Citizens, GOP, Biden, United, Constitution Locations: Illinois, Colorado, Maine, Michigan , Minnesota, United States, Mexico, Texas

☆ ‘Old smoker’ stars revealed at the heart of the Milky Way
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A decade-long survey of the night sky has revealed a mysterious new type of star astronomers are referring to as an “old smoker.”These previously hidden stellar objects are aging, giant stars located near the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. This illustration shows an eruption occurring in the swirling disk of matter around a newborn star. They help the newborn star in the middle to grow, but make it harder for planets to form. Infrared images show a red giant star, located 30,000 light years away near the center of the Milky Way. Understanding how the old smokers release elements into space could change the way astronomers think about the way such elements are distributed across the universe.

Persons: Philip Lucas, Lucas, ”, Zhen Guo, Fondecyt, Guo, ” Guo, ” Lucas, Dante Minniti Organizations: CNN, Royal Astronomical Society, Astronomers, Survey, Cerro Paranal Observatory, Southern, University of Hertfordshire, University of Valparaiso, University of Hertfordshire Red, NASA, Andrés Bello University Locations: Chilean Andes, Cerro, Chile

CNN —The three US soldiers killed in the drone attack on a US military outpost in Jordan were identified Monday as Sgt. US Army Reserve Command, APSingh said more than 40 were injured in the attack, a number that could possibly continue to increase. The enemy drone also flew low, which may have allowed it to evade the base’s air defenses, officials said. A US official told CNN that there have been six attacks since Friday, including Sunday’s drone attack and a multi-rocket attack on Patrol Base Shaddadi in Syria on Monday morning. The consensus is that an Iran-backed militia group is behind the deadly drone attack, though the US is still working to determine which group specifically is responsible.

Persons: William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders, Breonna Moffett, Sabrina Singh, William Jerome Rivers, Kennedy Ladon Sanders, Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, AP Singh, Singh, Syria —, John Kirby, CNN’s Phil Mattingly, White, “, ” Kirby, weren’t, ” Singh, ”, Jens Stoltenberg, Lloyd Austin, ” Austin Organizations: CNN, Defense Department, 718th Engineer Company, US Army Reserve, Pentagon, US Army Reserve Command, Spc, Breonna, AP, Baghdad Diplomatic Support, Regional Medical Center, US, Patrol Base Shaddadi, National Security, Kataib Hezbollah, Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, NATO Locations: Jordan, Carrollton , Georgia, Waycross , Georgia, Savannah , Georgia, Fort Moore , Georgia, Baghdad, Landstuhl, American, East, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon

☆ After a Slow Start, Sundance Finishes With Plenty of Sales
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Nicole Sperling | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Talk of the demise of the Sundance Film Festival as an incubator for audience-friendly independent films appears to have been greatly exaggerated. The festival was no longer featuring independent films that could go on to be commercially viable, the thinking went. As has been the case in recent years, streaming services made the flashiest deals. Netflix paid a reported $17 million for the horror film “It’s What’s Inside” and Amazon/MGM bought “My Old Ass,” starring Aubrey Plaza, for $15 million. “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” a documentary about a Russian couple who save their marriage by scaling skyscrapers, was acquired by Netflix, while Warner Bros.

Persons: ”, Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Reeve Organizations: Sundance, Hollywood, Netflix, MGM, Warner Bros, Max, “

The enemy drone followed the American drone as it approached, but it is not clear whether the enemy drone intentionally followed the American one or if it was a coincidence, one of the officials said. US officials are also still assessing the enemy drone’s point of origin. The Wall Street Journal first reported the confusion over the enemy drone. A US official told CNN that there have been six attacks since Friday, including Sunday’s drone attack and a multi-rocket attack on Patrol Base Shaddadi in Syria on Monday morning. The consensus is that an Iran-backed militia group is behind the deadly drone attack, though the US is still working to determine which group specifically is responsible.

Persons: Syria —, John Kirby, CNN’s Phil Mattingly, White, “, ” Kirby, weren’t, ”, Jens Stoltenberg, Lloyd Austin, ” Austin, ” Stoltenberg, Austin’s, Biden, Tehran . Sen, Roger Wicker, Sen, Tom Cotton Organizations: CNN, Army, Sunday, Street Journal, Regional Medical Center, Patrol Base Shaddadi, National Security, Kataib Hezbollah, Revolutionary Guard, Pentagon, NATO, Republicans, Republican, Senate Armed Services Committee Locations: Jordan, American, Germany, East, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Congress, Tehran .

☆ Brock Purdy’s epic comeback etches his name in 49ers lore as Detroit’s hero Jared Goff is left wondering what could have been
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Kyle Feldscher | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“All he’s done since he’s been here is play at an elite level and everything starts with him. Facing skepticism after that first season, it wasn’t clear to Lions fans heading into the 2022 season if Goff was going to be around long. It started a wave of momentum that built into the greatest Lions season that most fans have ever experienced. Goff throwing the ball during the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship. Goff, meanwhile, made a few spectacular throws, a few dangerous ones and many safe ones to his playmakers.

Persons: Santa Clara , California CNN — Brock Purdy, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Colin Kaepernick, Jimmy Garoppolo, Brock Purdy, Purdy, Jared Goff, Goff –, Santa Clara –, Goff, Iowa State University –, he’s, I’ve, ” Purdy, God’s, David J, Phillip, Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, Moon, Trey Lance, “ They’ve, they’ve, Garoppolo, Lance, “ He’s, I’m, Kyle Juszczyk, “, Brock, ”, Christian McCaffrey, Alex Anzalone, Mark J, Terrill, Goff wasn’t, Matthew Stafford, Motown –, Dan Campbell’s, Stafford, Campbell, Ezra Shaw, you’re, didn’t, you’ve, ’ ” Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk, –, Juszczyk, ” Juszczyk, couldn’t, Dan Campbell Organizations: Santa Clara , California CNN, San Francisco 49ers, Super, Detroit Lions, NFC, Area, Levi’s, Lions, Motor City, Bay, Iowa State University, 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, ” San Francisco 49ers, Warner, Iowa State, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Chiefs, ” 49ers, Games, Los Angeles Rams, Rams, New England Patriots, Bowls, Motown, Detroit, ” Lions Locations: Santa Clara , California, Santa Clara, Motor, Ames , Iowa, alma mater, Vegas, ”, Detroit, Michigan, Purdy

☆ Trump seizes on US troops killed and border crisis to sell general election message
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Donald Trump’s core general election argument is that President Joe Biden is weak and incapable as events spin out of control at home and abroad. Instead, we are on the brink of World War 3,” Trump said in a statement. So Trump’s picture of a world in disarray as Biden stands by helplessly may have some political potency. It remains to be seen whether voters will buy into the image Biden and his team are trying to paint of Trump. But his reemergence as the GOP’s likely nominee is also highlighting the extraordinary liabilities that he would carry into a general election.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, ”, Trump, Biden, ” Trump, Joe Biden’s, Nikki Haley, Haley, Joe Biden weren’t, ” Haley, Republican Sen, Lindsey Graham of, Trump’s, – Trump, It’s, …, Mike Johnson, I’d, “, Democratic Sen, Christopher Murphy of, CNN’s Dana, Mitch McConnell, Johnson, it’s, Donald Trump, ” Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Shawn Fain, Jean Carroll, – Organizations: CNN, GOP, Trump, New, Democratic, Baptist, United, Republican, Republican Party, Christopher Murphy of Connecticut, Union, United Auto Workers, UAW, Washington Locations: Nevada, United States, Jordan, New Hampshire, South Carolina, East, Iran, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Louisiana, “ State, Ukraine, France, Trump

NEW YORK (AP) — N. Scott Momaday, a Pulitzer Prize-winning storyteller, poet, educator and folklorist whose debut novel "House Made of Dawn" is widely credited as the starting point for contemporary Native American literature, has died. “His Kiowa heritage was deeply meaningful to him and he devoted much of his life to celebrating and preserving Native American culture, especially the oral tradition." Like Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22,” Momaday’s novel was a World War II story that resonated with a generation protesting the Vietnam War. Addressing a gathering of American Indian scholars in 1970, Momaday said, “Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves.” He championed Natives' reverence for nature, writing that "the American Indian has a unique investment in the American landscape." Audio guides to tours of the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of the American Indian featured Momaday's avuncular baritone.

Persons: Scott Momaday, Momaday, “ Scott, ”, Jennifer Civiletto, “, Kiowa, John Joseph Mathews, Marshall Sprague, Scott Momaday's, Joseph Heller’s “, Leslie Marmon Silko, James Welch, Louise Erdrich, Joy Harjo, Robert Redford, Jeff Bridges, George W, Bush, Regina Heitzer, Cael, Navarre Scott Mammedaty, Momaday's, Fran McCullough, Billy the Kid, ” Redford, Scott, “ I’m, ” Momaday, Russell Contreras Organizations: HarperCollins, PBS, American Indians, New York Times, Stanford, Princeton, NPR, of, Academy of American Poets, Kiowa Nation, Smithsonian Institution's Museum, Indian, University of Mexico, Associated Press Locations: Santa Fe , New Mexico, New Mexico, Jemez Pueblo, Vietnam, American, Columbia, Dayton, Lawton , Oklahoma, Arizona , New Mexico, North Dakota, Wyoming

NEW YORK (AP) — National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre acknowledged at a civil trial Monday that he wrongly expensed private flights for his family and accepted vacations from vendors doing business with the nonprofit gun rights organization without disclosing them. The New York attorney general sued the 74-year-old CEO and three co-defendants in 2020, claiming widespread misspending and self-enrichment among certain NRA leaders. “I now know there was a limit of $25,” for NRA-sponsored gifts, LaPierre said. “They weren’t gifts; they were work items for me.”LaPierre also acknowledged authorizing private helicopter flights for NRA executives to and from the Texas Motor Speedway during NASCAR events. The attorney general’s office is calling for restitution and financial penalties for NRA officials who improperly profited from the organization's activities.

Persons: Wayne LaPierre, LaPierre, “, ”, hadn’t, ” LaPierre, Sandy, Andrew Arulanandam Organizations: Rifle, NRA, New, Texas Motor Speedway, NASCAR, NFL, Elementary Locations: Manhattan, New York

MANASSAS, Va. (AP) — It was President Joe Biden's first big campaign rally of the year, a chance to spotlight the issue of protecting abortion rights. Instead, at least a dozen times during Biden's 22-minute speech, demonstrators scattered throughout the audience rose to shout out demands for a cease-fire in Gaza. Joe!”“They feel deeply,” Biden said of the demonstrators, who were pulled from the room by security personnel. The Democratic president is increasingly contending with protests inside and outside his events from progressives upset about his administration's support for Israel in its offensive in Gaza. Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler said Biden's response to demonstrators shows he's “a president who understands and respects Americans' fundamental First Amendment rights to peacefully protest."

Persons: Joe Biden's, Joe, ”, ” Biden, Niki Thomas, Biden, Cornell Belcher, Donald Trump, Israel, John Kirby, “, Michael Tyler, he's “, “ Joe Biden, Tyler, Trump, Mother Emanuel, I’ve, Zeke Miller, Josh Boak, Michelle L, Price Organizations: Democratic, Israel, Health Ministry, Biden, UAW, Republican, House, AP VoteCast, Associated Press Locations: Va, Gaza, Virginia, Israel, United States, American, Tel Aviv, New, Iowa, New Hampshire, Indianola , Iowa, Rochester , New Hampshire, Manchester , New Hampshire, Palestine, Washington, New York

☆ Opinion: 17 syllables a day that are changing your lives
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Opinion Tess Taylor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —For me, writing a haiku a day began as a practice on my birthday, October, 2022. As my birthday rolled around that fall, the idea of writing a haiku a day was simply a way of promising myself that that day, I’d steady myself make note of — ha — just one thing. No matter the day, I was sure I could find a way to write down one sentence, one spattering of roughly 17 syllables. Tink Boord-Dill wrote in that liked that he loved writing haiku because it was daily creativity without performance pressure. Robin from Maryland wrote “the daily writing of seventeen syllables quickly created a rhythm to my thinking and even my walking….

Persons: Tess Taylor, —, Tess Taylor Adrianne Mathiowetz, Robert Hass, I’d, Basho, we’d, Tink, Dill, Elaine Questell, ” Carla White, ” Paul Nelson, Allen Ginsberg, Linda Neves, …, Candace Waldron, “, birdsong, — Linda Neves, Brad Taylor, Nancy B, — Philip Chan, Carolyn W, — Susan B, Karen Jacobs, Weren’t, — Stephen Schwei, Derek Thaczuk, I’m Organizations: “, CNN Locations: California, Maryland, Virginia, New York, Quebec, Bill, Alaska, Arizona, Guynn , Texas, Ohio, Derek Thaczuk , Ontario

“This is an extremely undemocratic way to harm access to reproductive health care," said Sofia Tomov, operations coordinator with Access Reproductive Care Southeast, a member of the Mississippi Abortion Access Coalition. The proposal comes days after a Missouri abortion-rights campaign launched its ballot measure effort aiming to enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution. Missouri abortion rights groups also have criticized Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, saying he is attempting to impede the initiative by manipulating the measure's ballot summary. Ohio abortion rights advocates have said last year’s statewide vote to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution was as much about abortion as it was a referendum on democracy itself. After Ohio voters approved the abortion protections last year, Republican lawmakers pledged to block the amendment from reversing the state's restrictions.

Persons: “ They’re, Laurie Bertram Roberts, we’ve, Mississippi, Cheikh Taylor, “, ” Taylor, Fred Shanks, Roe, Wade, ”, Jason White, Sofia Tomov, State Jay Ashcroft, Ed Lewis, Sam Lee, John Rizzo, Joe Adams, Deirdre Schifeling, ‘ Will, Summer Ballentine, Emily Wagster Pettus Organizations: CHICAGO, —, U.S, Supreme, Mississippi House, Democratic Rep, Republican Party, Republican, Republicans, Mississippi, Reproductive, Coalition, State, GOP, Democratic, Ohio Republicans, Ohio, ACLU, Press, Associated Press, AP Locations: Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, . Mississippi, ”, ” In Missouri, Nevada, Jefferson City , Missouri, Jackson , Mississippi

☆ Trump poses dilemma for Senate GOP leaders after years of battling with McConnell
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Manu Raju | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Watch CNN’s coverage of Senate GOP leadership and Donald Trump on ‘Inside Politics Sunday with Manu Raju’ at 11 a.m. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell hasn’t spoken to Trump in more than three years and tries to avoid uttering his name in public. As Trump steamrolls to the nomination, there are ample questions in GOP circles about how – and whether – Trump can rebuild Senate alliances that were critical in his first term but are nonexistent now. But Mullin said that the next Senate GOP leader and Trump need to move past the bad blood if they take back the majority and the White House. Asked last week if he could work with Trump as president, Thune said: “We can work with everybody.”Pressed again if he could do so as GOP leader, Thune said: “Well, that’s a hypothetical.”And the elevator doors closed.

Persons: Donald Trump, Manu Raju ’, Mike Johnson, Donald Trump ., Mitch McConnell hasn’t, John Thune of, hasn’t, Trump, “, ”, Texas Sen, John Cornyn –, McConnell, – Sen, John Barrasso, Kari Lake, Bernie Moreno, – Trump, –, there’s, Sen, J.D, Vance, Mitch McConnell, Chip Somodevilla, Johns, he’s, Rick Scott, Scott, —, Markwayne Mullin, Mullin, ” Mullin, they’re, ” Sen, Marco Rubio, Nikki Haley, Haley, Kevin Cramer, Mitch, Thom Tillis, Tillis, Josh Hawley, ” Hawley, Trump’s, Elaine Chao, ” McConnell, John Thune, John Cornyn, J, Scott Applewhite, Cornyn, Joe Biden, ” Cornyn, Barrasso, Joe Biden …, ” Thune, Thune –, Tim Scott of, Thune, CNN’s Morgan Rimmer, Lauren Fox, Christine Park Organizations: GOP, Trump, Team Trump, Republican, Capitol, Trump -, Republicans, Ohio Republican, CNN, Oklahoma Republican, White, Kentucky Republican, North Dakota Republican, North Carolina Republican, New, New Hampshire, Texas, Wyoming –, Thune Locations: New Hampshire, John Thune of South Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Arizona, Ohio, Ukraine, Washington ,, Florida, Oklahoma, Marco Rubio of Florida, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Washington, Tim Scott of South Carolina

☆ They fell in love on vacation but went their separate ways. Four years later, she sent him an email: ‘Remember me?’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

Long distanceAfter Dan visited Gabriella in Italy, Gabriella visited Dan in the US. Gabriella Vagnoli and Dan WatlingA couple of months later, Gabriella planned a trip to the US to visit Dan in Chicago. But despite being tired from the flight, Gabriella felt immediately welcomed by Dan’s family. Gabriella Vagnoli and Dan WatlingToday, Gabriella and Dan live in Seattle with their two teenage kids. While a love of adventure unites them, Gabriella and Dan insist they’re quite different in many other ways.

Persons: CNN — Gabriella Vagnoli, ”, Dan Watling, Dan, they’d, Gabriella, She’d, I’m, he’s, –, ” Gabriella, Gabriella Vagnoli, Bill Watling Gabriella, Loch, Bill “, He’d, ” Dan, Bill, “, ’, Gabi, Dan didn’t, she’d, Gabriella couldn’t, Skye, strode, Gabriella “, Read, Gabriella’s, he’d, Dan couldn’t, “ It’s, ’ ”, “ We’re, Dan Watling Gabriella, Siena, Dan’s, ‘ I’m, Dan Watling “, San Giuliano, who’d, “ Dan, ‘, Walter Moretti, “ Michelangelo, Dan haven’t, they’ve, they’re, He’s, it’s, we’re, Storr, ” “ Organizations: CNN, Google, CNN Travel, Scottish Highlands, Piazza del Campo, Italian, Chicago, Rio, “ Locations: Scotland, Italy, Loch Ness, Isle, Skye, Europe, Scottish, Germany, Portugal, Edinburgh, Chicago, Pisa, Rome, Urquhart, glens, 1111IESPDJ, America, Munich, Siena, Piazza, Bryce, Italian, Gabriella's, Galena , Illinois, Tuscan, San, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Rio, Seattle , Washington, Seattle

☆ What Do A.A., Burning Man and the Talmud Have in Common? This Guy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Madison Malone Kircher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

SUBCULTURE VULTURE: A Memoir in Six Scenes, by Moshe KasherAbout three-quarters of the way through his new memoir, “Subculture Vulture,” the writer and comedian Moshe Kasher warns that, right about now, readers might want to bail and head to YouTube: He’s about to explain the Talmud. The Mishna is a written version of collected oral law, he explains. If that sort of joke isn’t to your taste, he’s right: Abandon ship now. Talmudic studies à la Kasher offer the same solid balance he demonstrates throughout the book. You’ll probably learn something — unless you’ve lived an identical life to his, which seems statistically impossible — and laugh in roughly equal measure.

Persons: Moshe Kasher, Kasher, ”, à, You’ll, you’ve Locations: Oakland, Calif, Brooklyn

CNN —The Colorado voters trying to disqualify Donald Trump from the state ballot told the Supreme Court on Friday that the violence the former president provoked on January 6, 2021, qualifies as an insurrection under the terms of the Constitution and bars him from holding future office. In the early pages of their 60-page filing, they also countered Trump lawyers’ warning of the “bedlam” that could follow if the justices were to allow states to block his name from upcoming primary ballots. The voters’ lawyers wrote that the mob “infiltrated the (US Capitol) building through shattered windows” and “erected gallows” outside, while chanting “Hang Mike Pence.” They noted that video of the day was on file at the court. The Supreme Court agreed earlier this month to hear the case of Trump v. Anderson, accepting the former president’s appeal of the Colorado Supreme Court decision that removed him from that state’s ballot. The Colorado trial judge disagreed, and her findings were upheld by Colorado’s high court, which concluded that he “intended that his speech would result in the use of violence.”

Persons: Donald Trump, ’, Trump, Jason Murray, ”, “, Daniel Hodges, Mike Pence, Joe Biden’s, Anderson Organizations: CNN, The, Trump, US Capitol Police, Capitol, Pennsylvania, Supreme, Colorado Supreme Locations: The Colorado, United States, Colorado, West Terrace, Texas

☆ JetBlue Says It May Back Out of Deal to Acquire Spirit Airlines
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( J. Edward Moreno | More About J. Edward Moreno | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

JetBlue Airways said on Friday that it might back out of a $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines after a federal judge blocked the deal. The announcement comes just a week after JetBlue and Spirit had said they would appeal the decision, which was made in an antitrust case brought by the Justice Department. In a regulatory filing on Friday, JetBlue said that the deal could be terminated after Sunday if certain conditions weren’t met. Spirit said in its own filing that it disagreed with JetBlue’s contention and believed “there is no basis for terminating” the deal. A federal judge in Boston blocked the proposed merger on Jan. 16, ruling that Spirit plays an important role in keeping airline fares low and that a takeover by JetBlue would hurt travelers.

Persons: weren’t, Spirit, Biden Organizations: JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit, Justice Department Locations: Boston

☆ How America’s economy keeps defying expectations when the rest of the world is struggling
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Economists were convinced the last quarter of 2023 had to be the one where economic growth slowed significantly after the prior quarter’s gangbuster 4.9% annualized growth rate. Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic output, did slow last quarter to a 3.3% annualized rate. It’s remarkable given economists were expecting 1.5% annualized GDP growth last quarter. But what’s perhaps most remarkable about the US economic growth rate is how much it towers over similarly sized advanced economies. Covid stimulus money is helping Americans avoid cutting back on spending.

Persons: Larry David, that’s, rateaccording, Joseph Gagnon, David Paul Morris, Gagnon, That’s, Alicia Wallace, Hanna Ziady, he’s, I’ve, it’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Gross, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Federal Reserve, Bloomberg Locations: New York, Singapore, Europe, Ukraine

☆ Lion attacks: How to stay safe on safaris in Africa
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

It was July of 2022, and the co-founder of Discover Africa Safaris was out in the bush near the Khwai River in northern Botswana. African lions are fully capable of attacking, killing and even eating humans, and it’s generally estimated about 250 people a year die in lion attacks. WLDavies/E+/Getty ImagesOnly about 23,000 lions remain in sub-Saharan Africa, found mostly in Eastern and Southern Africa, Muruthi said. Before your trip, It's important to study up on safety tips -- such as remaining inside your safari vehicle when lions and other wild animals approach. Secondly, fleeing indicates to the lion you’re frightened and now possible prey, turning what might have initially been a mock charge to test you into a real attack.

Persons: Steve Conradie, Discover Africa Safaris, — “, ‘, ” Conradie, “, ”, ’ Steven Conradie, …, Conradie, Philip Muruthi, He’s, Muruthi, Masai, ’, ” Muruthi, Paul A, Andre Van Kets, Van Kets, Martin Harvey, It’s, you’re, don’t, they'll, Robert Muckley, There’s, Anup Shah, ” Van Kets, I’d, — Organizations: CNN, Discover, Lion Recovery, African Wildlife Foundation, Masai Mara, Reserve, East, ” Lions, International Union for, Nature, Sacramento Zoo, PLOS, Africa Tourists, Bank, Kenya Geographic, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Lions, … Locations: Discover Africa, Botswana, South Africa, Africa, Zimbabwe, Hwange, Kenya, Saharan Africa, Eastern, Southern Africa, Tanzania, East Africa, California, Namibia

☆ Robert Kraft is buying a Super Bowl ad to highlight the rise of antisemitism
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —A Super Bowl ad set to be shown during next month’s game will highlight the rise of antisemitism, with a 30-second spot from “Stand Up to Jewish Hate,” a campaign from the nonprofit organization founded by Robert Kraft, the billionaire businessman and owner of the New England Patriots. It’s the first time his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism (FCAS) is buying an ad during the “most visible platform,” which last year was watched by 113 million viewers and was the third most-watched television program of all time. According to FCAS research, 183 million posts on social media were related to antisemitism and Jewish culture in 2023 — a 330% increase from the prior year. The organization said Google searches for “Kill Jews” increased by 1,800% in the past three months. The Super Bowl airs on CBS on February 11, with ads costing a reported $7 million each.

Persons: ”, Robert Kraft, Kanye, FCAS, ” FCAS, Kraft Organizations: New, New York CNN, New England Patriots, Combat, “, CBS Locations: New York, Israel

Sen. Todd Young speaks to reporters before a Republican Senate policy luncheon at the US Capitol Building on September 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. Samuel Corum/Getty ImagesStatus of border talks remains unclearFrustration reigned inside the Senate GOP on Thursday amid lingering confusion over the status of a border deal. Pressed on whether it was realistic to pass a border deal with Trump opposing it, Young said: “It may be possible. This is about security for our own country and so let’s keep pushing to get this border deal,” she said. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, one of the Democrats involved in the border talks, expressed frustration about Trump seeking to inject chaos into the situation.

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