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☆ Here's what to know before withdrawing funds from inherited individual retirement accounts
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If you've inherited an individual retirement account since 2020, you could have a shorter timeline to withdraw the money, which can trigger tax consequences. But there are a few things to consider before emptying an inherited account, experts say. Under the Secure Act of 2019, so-called "non-eligible designated beneficiaries," have a 10-year window to deplete an inherited IRA. Non-eligible designated beneficiaries are heirs who aren't a spouse, minor child, disabled or chronically ill. Certain trusts may also fall into this category. They just want the money," said individual retirement account expert and certified public accountant Ed Slott.

Persons: you've, RMDs, Ed Slott Organizations: IRS, Finance

The Federal Trade Commission on Monday sued to block Tapestry’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Capri, a blockbuster fashion tie-up that would bring together Coach, Kate Spade, Michael Kors and Versace. The lawsuit is a rare move by the agency to block a fashion deal, given that the industry does not suffer from a lack of competition. In her time as the chair of the F.T.C., Lina Khan has prioritized taking on the power of big business in suits across industries. The agency has moved to block the supermarket merger between Kroger and Albertsons; Meta’s acquisition of the virtual reality start-up Within; and Microsoft’s bid for the gaming giant Activision. failed to block Microsoft’s deal and Meta’s acquisition, both of which closed last year.

Persons: Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Versace, Lina Khan, ” Henry Liu, ” Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Kroger, Albertsons, Activision, “, Competition Locations: Capri, ’

☆ The scourge of customer satisfaction surveys
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

— is devoted to customer surveys. Other metrics followed: the Customer Satisfaction Score, the Customer Effort Score, measurements of the entire Customer Experience. At the peak of the so-called sharing economy, customer surveys were all-powerful. The glut of customer surveys has created an additional problem for marketers. "We ask for customer feedback on these things all the time, but it's hard for a customer to give you immediate feedback, because a customer doesn't know what quality is yet."

Persons: you've, I'm, They're, Brad Anderson, Fred Reichheld, Nick Lee, James Wagner, It's, Christine Moorman, Lee, That's, it's, hasn't, Anderson Organizations: NPS, Warwick Business School, University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, Companies, Duke University, Institutional, Board, Health Service Locations: United States, Qualtrics, Bain, Warwick

☆ Voyager 1 regains communications with NASA after inventive fix
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Voyager 1’s flight data system collects information from the spacecraft’s science instruments and bundles it with engineering data that reflects its current health status. But since November, Voyager 1’s flight data system had been stuck in a loop. By investigating the readout, the team determined the cause of the issue: 3% of the flight data system’s memory is corrupted. Members of the Voyager flight team celebrate after receiving the first coherent data from Voyager 1 in five months at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 20. And younger engineers are coming onto the Voyager team and contributing their knowledge to keep the mission going.”

Persons: they’ve, ”, Linda Spilker, “, Suzanne Dodd, “ We’ve, we’ve Organizations: CNN, NASA, Voyager, JPL, Network, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech

☆ Israel Hasn’t Offered Evidence Tying U.N. Workers to Terrorism, Review Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Cassandra Vinograd | Patrick Kingsley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The review was announced in January, before Israel circulated claims that significant numbers of employees of the agency, known as UNRWA, were members of terrorist groups. Israel had also said that one in 10 UNRWA employees in Gaza was a member of Hamas or its ally, Palestinian Islamic Jihad. More than a dozen countries, including the United States, suspended funding to UNRWA in light of the allegations. It also announced an internal investigation along with the independent external review, which was made public on Monday. The review said that UNRWA had long shared lists of its employees with Israel, but that the Israeli government had not flagged any concerns about agency employees since 2011.

Persons: Israel, Catherine Colonna, ” Organizations: United Nations, U.N, UNRWA Locations: Israel, Gaza, New York, United States

☆ World Anti-Doping Agency defends handling of elite Chinese swimmers who tested positive for banned drug
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —Global sport’s anti-doping watchdog has slammed as “outrageous” and “completely false” allegations that it mishandled a 2021 case in which more than 20 elite Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) made the comments after US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) chief Travis Tygart accused the agency and Chinese officials of having “swept these positives under carpet” and failing to follow the rules around drugs in sport. The China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) said recent media reports about the cases were “misleading,” according to Chinese state agency Xinhua, citing a statement Saturday. In its statement Saturday, WADA said it was notified in June 2021 of CHINADA’s ruling on the swimmers who had tested positive earlier that year. “These are egregious failures even if you buy their story that this was contamination and a potent drug ‘magically appeared’ in a kitchen and led to 23 positive tests of elite Chinese swimmers,” Tygart said, referencing details included in The New York Times’ article citing a report from Chinese investigators.

Persons: “, WADA, Travis Tygart, CHINADA, Kamila Valieva, “ WADA, ” Tygart Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — Global, Doping Agency, New York Times, Tokyo Olympics, ARD, Tokyo Games, CNN, Chinese Olympic, Testing Agency, Xinhua, trimetazidine, “, TMZ, The New York Times Locations: Hong Kong, China, USADA, Xinhua, Russian

☆ Special Education, Inc.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Meghan Morris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +34 min

AdvertisementNate Smallwood for BITo some, private equity's business model appears antithetical to special education. (The average public school district in Pennsylvania, where New Story operates the most schools, spends about $23,000 per child across all types of public education. "Private equity has no place in education — especially special education," Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio told BI. For instance, two Pennsylvania education directors left in spring 2023, according to records obtained by BI — one after just months in the role. AdvertisementNickie Coomer, a Colorado College education professor who has written about the privatization of special education, told BI that this data gap is a major regulatory hole, one that private-equity companies are happy to exploit.

Persons: Emily, Sarah, Nate Smallwood, Sarah didn't, —, Mergermarket, Shanon Taylor, Taylor, Sen, Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Casey, Paul Volosov, Volosov, Jim Grinnen, Rachel Wisniewski, Christina Spielbauer, Spielbauer, Nathaniel Garnick, Garnick, sully, Craig Richards, He's, Richards, they're, " Richards, Judith McKinney, Grinnen, Donnell McLean, McLean, Natalie Stoup, Blackstone, haven't, Biden, of Education spokespeople, Nickie, …, that's, didn't, Hill, Amy Hall Kostoff, Kostoff, Green, she'd Organizations: Business, State College ,, New, BI, Audax Group, Kentucky, Pennsylvania State Employees, Schools, Audax, Rock Academy, University of Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Rock, Reading School District, River Rock Academy, Virginia's Department of Education, Green Tree, Pay, Tree, Autism, Forbes, NBC News, Federal Trade Commission, of Education, Colorado College, Tree School, Pennsylvania's Department of Education, Pennsylvania, In State College Locations: State College , Pennsylvania, Boston, Pennsylvania, Reno, —, Ohio, New Story's, Rock, Virginia, , Ohio, New Jersey , Pennsylvania, New Story's New Cumberland , Pennsylvania, CARD's Virginia, Philadelphia, Rochelle Park , New Jersey

☆ China sees foreign threats ‘everywhere’ as powerful spy agency takes center stage
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

But among the crowds you and I together are protecting national security,” the narrator concludes. Chinese soldiers look at a poster promoting national security in the southwestern city of Beihai on National Security Education Day on April 15, 2024. CFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty ImagesAccording to the MSS, foreign spies are omnipresent and infiltrating everything – from mapping apps to weather stations. But China’s spy agency has gradually stepped out of the shadows as Xi makes national security a key priority. “Shenyin Special Investigation Squad” is a comic series based on real-life counterespionage operations, according to China's spy agency.

Persons: –, “, ”, Xi, Xuezhi Guo, Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Xi Jinping, Greg Baker, Mao Zedong, Greitens, Chen Yixin, Chen, “ Chen, ” Greitens, Xi –, denigrate, Bain, Alex Plavevski, Guo, influencers, China’s, can’t, James Zimmerman, Perkins Coie, Zimmerman, ” Zimmerman Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, National Security Education, “, Ministry of State Security, National Security, Publishing, CIA, National, Education, Capitol, Guilford College, Asia, University of Texas, Getty, Communist Party, FBI, National Security Propaganda, CCTV, Ministry of State, China’s National Security Commission, Group, China Development Forum, Perkins Coie LLP, ”, MSS Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beihai, British, American, Beijing, Austin, AFP, Zhejiang province, Shanghai, New York, overreaching

☆ Oklahoma double murder: Why prosecutors accused the grandmother
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Rachel Clarke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Investigators say they were deliberately killed by Adams, Cullum and the Twomblys. Bottom row: Tad Cullum and Tifany Machel Adams Oklahoma State Bureau of InvestigationAt about that time, Adams did an online search for how to get someone out of their house. Adams told officers she had called Butler to check if she was coming for the usual Saturday visit. She said Butler told her that something had come up and she could not make it. And she said her mother told her the two couples were involved in the killings.

Persons: CNN — Tifany Machel Adams, Veronica Butler, Adams, Tad Cullum, Cole, Cora Twombly, Butler, Adams ’, Jilian Kelley, Tifany Machel Adams, Charles Laughlin, Laughlin, Kelley, Cullum, anvils, Cole Twombly, Wrangler Rickman, Rickman, Veronica Butler Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Kelley, Cheryl Brune, Brune, Melissa, Joey Padilla, KWCH, Matt Boley, “, ”, Hugoton, Heath Kelley, boyfriend Cullum, –, KFDA, sobs, Butler’s, “ She’s, ” Junia Butler, Veronica’s Organizations: CNN, Tifany Machel Adams Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Veronica Butler Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Oklahoma State, ”, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Kansas, Chevrolet, Christian, Christian Post, Courthouse, KFDA Locations: Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma’s, Kansas, Hugoton , Kansas, Tifany Machel Adams Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Hugoton, Veronica Butler Oklahoma, Texas County, Colorado, El Paso, Nebraska, Texas County , Oklahoma

☆ The GOP's got a growing beef with lab-made meat
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I know the legislature is doing a bill to try to protect our meat — You need meat, OK? "There's nothing about cultivated meat that is a conservative or a liberal thing," said Josh Tetrick, CEO of GOOD Meat — a cultivated meat company with the largest market share of the global industry so far. Other red-state politicians are also responding to the threat to their red meat, including Alabama State Sen. Jack Williams and Tennessee State Rep. Bud Hulsey, who have supported or proposed legislation to ban cultivated meat in their states. A nugget made from lab-grown chicken meat is seen during a media presentation in Singapore, the first country to allow the sale of meat created without slaughtering any animals.

Persons: —, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Josh Tetrick, Mark Post, David Parry, Reuters SB1084, David Marshall, Alabama State Sen, Jack Williams, Bud Hulsey, Williams, Hulsey, hasn't, George Peppou, Justin Sullivan, there's, OpenSecrets, Alabama Sen, NICHOLAS YEO, Tetrick, Lauš Organizations: Service, GOP, Business, Maastricht University, Reuters, DeSantis, Arizona, Alabama State, Tennessee State, Marshall, FDA, USDA, Cargill, Foster Farms, US Department of Agriculture, Getty, Alabama, Foods Locations: Florida, Netherlands, Singapore, Alameda , California, California, AFP, United States, Czech

☆ Trump’s first trial, Ukraine aid and other surprises from a major news week
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

House Speaker Mike Johnson arrives to speak with reporters to discuss his proposal of sending aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on April 17, 2024. Johnson, although a bona fide conservative and a skeptic at times of Ukraine aid, is finally on the cusp of getting the vote done in the House. This week, Iran responded to Israel’s strike on a Syrian diplomatic facility with its own strikes, which Israel responded to on Friday with a strike on Iran. Joe Biden is running hardWith all the Trump trial coverage, you might have missed that President Joe Biden is running a spirited presidential campaign. While Trump is spending most days at his trial, Biden is going all over the map.

Persons: Trump’s, you’ve, Donald Trump, Trump, Mike Johnson’s, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Gosar, Arizona –, Johnson, Mike Johnson, J, Scott Applewhite, he’ll, It’s, Israel, Here’s Tamara Qiblawi, CNN’s Nic Robertson, Read, Joe Biden, Biden, Andrew CAballero, Reynolds, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas Organizations: CNN, Trump, –, GOP, White, Getty, Monetary Fund, Federal Reserve Locations: Antarctica, New York, Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, Johnson, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Arizona, Iran, Syrian, CNN’s, Damascus, Qiblawi, Philadelphia, Wawa, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, AFP, Europe

☆ EPA designates two ‘forever chemicals’ as hazardous substances
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Mira Cheng | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The US Environmental Protection Agency designated two widely used “forever chemicals” as hazardous substances under the United States’ Superfund law on Friday. This ruling will allow the EPA to investigate and clean up leaks and spills of these harmful chemicals, according to the official news release. Exposure to “forever chemicals” has been linked to cancers, heart and liver disease and immune and developmental damage to infants and children, according to the news release. There are more than 12,000 forms of PFAS chemicals in the environment. The designation comes just weeks after the EPA announced new limits for “forever chemicals” in drinking water in the United States.

Persons: Michael S, Regan, Dr, David Andrews, ”, Sanjay Gupta, ” Lisa Frank, Harris, CNN’s Jen Christensen Organizations: CNN, Environmental Protection Agency, United, EPA, Environmental, CNN Health, PIRG, Fund, Environment America Research, Policy, Biden Locations: United States, U.S, Washington

☆ WHO chief scientist calls for increased monitoring and preparation for highly pathogenic bird flu
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The bird flu spreading through cattle in the United States is an “enormous concern” the chief scientist of the World Health Organization said Thursday as he called for more tracking and preparation for the virus. So far, there is no evidence that the highly pathogenic H5N1 flu virus can spread from person to person. Though H5N1 doesn’t spread from person to person, humans can catch it when they’re exposed to infected animals. They are only the second documented case of human H5N1 in the United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that while the current risk to public health from H5N1 is low, it is monitoring the situation carefully.

Persons: Dr, Jeremy Farrar, “, Richard Webby, ”, hasn’t, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, WHO, Research, Get CNN, CNN Health, US Department of Agriculture’s, Plant Health, Services, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC Locations: United States, British, Geneva, Texas, Colorado, St, — Texas, New Mexico , Kansas, South Dakota , Idaho , Michigan , Ohio, North Carolina

☆ What stalled this year’s seemingly infallible stock market rally
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Investors had hoped that corporate earnings would help revive the stalled rally, but a strong start to the season hasn’t been enough to excite investors. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.10% in the week ending April 18, up from 6.88% the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data released Thursday. Mortgage rates are climbing based on expectations that the Federal Reserve won’t cut interest rates anytime soon. The Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its actions do influence them, and persistently hot inflation readings are keeping the Fed on hold. If inflation stalls any further, or even worsens, mortgage rates could climb higher this year.

Persons: —, hasn’t, Jerome Powell, “, ”, Michael Landsberg, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Israel, Brent, Bryan Mena, Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Read, Anna Cooban, Tim Cook, Pham Minh Chinh, Cook, Apple “ Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Data, Employers, Fed, Landsberg Bennett, Wealth Management, Monetary Fund, Treasury, Investors, CNN, Federal, China Apple, Vietnamese, Apple Locations: New York, East, Iran, Israel, Syria, Vietnam, China, Hanoi, Beijing

☆ Tesla recalls Cybertruck over 'trapped pedal' issue seen in owner's viral TikTok video
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla's new Cybertruck is shown on display at a Tesla store in San Diego, California, on Dec. 9, 2023. Tesla has issued a voluntary recall of 3,878 Cybertrucks to fix a "stuck pedal" issue that had been depicted in a viral TikTok video posted last week by owner Jose Martinez. After assessing the problem, Tesla on April 12 decided to issue a voluntary recall of the Cybertrucks, the filing says. CNBC asked the NHTSA about the trapped pedal issue on the Cybertruck on April 14, after Martinez's video raised public awareness of the defect and unintended acceleration. The NHTSA said it "uses many data sources in its enforcement processes, including social media and vehicle owner and other related forums."

Persons: Tesla, Jose Martinez, Elon Musk Organizations: National, Traffic Safety Administration, CNBC, NHTSA Locations: San Diego , California

☆ IRS waives mandatory withdrawals from certain inherited individual retirement accounts — again
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The IRS has again waived required withdrawals for certain Americans who have inherited retirement accounts since 2020. Before the Secure Act of 2019, heirs could "stretch" retirement account withdrawals over their lifetime, which reduced year-to-year tax liability. Now, certain heirs have a shorter timeline due to changed rules for so-called required minimum distributions, or RMDs. Under the Secure Act, certain heirs must empty inherited accounts by the 10th year after the original account owner's death. The latest penalty relief only applies to certain heirs, known as "non-eligible designated beneficiaries," subject to the 10-year withdrawal rule under the Secure Act.

Persons: Biden, Ed Slott Organizations: IRS, Secure, Finance

☆ FAA will require more rest time for air traffic controllers amid fatigue concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday said the agency will increase the required amount of rest time for air traffic controllers in response to concerns over fatigue amid a staffing shortage. "In my first few months at the helm of the FAA, I toured air traffic control facilities around the country — and heard concerns about schedules that do not always allow controllers to get enough rest," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement. A shortfall of air traffic controllers, made worse by a pause in hiring during the Covid-19 pandemic, has led to forced overtime and packed schedules for staff at some facilities. Air traffic controllers in the U.S. are required to retire at age 56. The announcement came alongside an FAA-ordered report on air traffic controller fatigue, which recommended the new rest requirements.

Persons: Mike Whitaker Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Boeing, Air Locations: U.S

Asked for proof of his claim that Mr. Biden was personally directing the local cases against him, Mr. Trump pointed to purported ties between prosecutors and “Washington,” but provided no evidence that Mr. Biden had been involved in any of the hiring decisions, conversations or meetings that Mr. Trump cited. The writer E. Jean Carroll filed her first lawsuit against Mr. Trump in November 2019, accusing him of defamation. Faulty and irrelevant comparisonsWhat Mr. Trump Said“I got indicted more than Al Capone.”— in a rally in Ohio in MarchFalse. Mr. Hur described Mr. Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” who had “diminished faculties and faulty memory.” He did not declare Mr. Biden mentally incompetent to stand trial. Inaccurate attacks on judgesWhat Mr. Trump Said“Judge Juan Merchan is totally compromised, and should be removed from this TRUMP Non-Case immediately.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, President Biden, Trump’s, ”, Trump Said “ Biden, General Merrick B, Garland, Trump “, Biden, Mr, Doug Mills, Trump Said, Jack Smith, Merrick Garland’s, Fani Willis, Letitia James, Alvin L, Bragg, Matthew Colangelo, Colangelo, —, James’s, Colangelo’s, Bragg ramped, Willis, Willis — Nathan J, Wade, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kamala Harris, Harris, Crooked Joe Biden, James, Jean Carroll, Smith, Brittainy Newman, Alexei Navalny, Navalny, Letitia James ’, Hunt, PolitiFact, Trump Said “, Al Capone, Capone, Brad Schwartz, Hillary, Bill, Bush, Reagan, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, Bill Clinton’s, Taylor Branch, Branch, “, Barack Obama, George W, Bill Clinton, George H.W, Ronald Reagan, Robert K, Hur, Biden’s, Juan Merchan, Loren, Loren Merchan, Merchan, Merchan’s, Justice Merchan, Ahmed Gaber, Arthur F, Justice Engoron, Engoron Organizations: New York, Democratic Party, Trump, Justice Department, The New York Times, The, White House, Trump . Credit, New York Times, American People, Biden Administration, Prosecutors, Mr, Manhattan, Washington, Fox News, New, Times, White, Counsel’s Office, Supreme, Black, Trump Organization, Democrat, Companies, Exxon Mobil, Trump Foundation, Trump University, Associated, National Archives, Records Administration, TRUMP, Twitter, Credit Locations: Manhattan, Georgia, Trump ., Washington, New York, “ Washington, Fulton County ,, Russian, New, Ohio, Fla, South Carolina, Trump’s Florida, Beach

☆ Senators blast Biden administration’s staffing plans for veterans’ healthcare
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Curt Devine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The top two senators on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs called the Biden administration’s plan to reduce veterans’ health care staffing a “mess” that could undercut the timing and quality of care. Their letter, obtained by CNN, called VA’s apparent “zero growth” policy a “drastic” and “shortsighted” decision. Though the VA told the committee that critical staff and some others would be exempt, Tester and Moran wrote that has not been the case. The VA has long been plagued by delays in health care. A decade ago, the Obama administration’s then-VA secretary, Eric Shinseki, resigned following revelations of sometimes deadly delays for veterans waiting for care at VA facilities.

Persons: Biden, Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, Sen, Jon Tester, Jerry Moran, Moran, “, …, Shereef Elnahal, Dr, Jason Crow, Helen H, Richardson, ” Elnahal, ”, Terrence Hayes, ” Hayes, McDonough, Joe Biden, Obama administration’s, Eric Shinseki Organizations: CNN, Veterans ’ Affairs, Veterans Affairs, Montana Democrat, Kansas Republican, VA, Health, U.S . Department of Veterans Affairs, Wheeling, Denver Post, PACT Locations: Montana, Kansas, ”, VA, Wheeling St, Aurora , Colorado

CNN —Iranian authorities have warned that crocodiles are being forced from their natural habitats as floods devastate parts of the country’s southeast. Three road construction workers have died in the flooding, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Thursday, which came after a record-breaking storm hit the Middle East. Videos broadcast by state news media IRNA and Tasnim showed widespread floods with people using boats to rescue others. The weather conditions were associated with a larger storm system traversing the Arabian Peninsula and moving across the Gulf of Oman. In Oman, at least 18 were killed in flash floods triggered by heavy rain, the country’s National Committee for Emergency Management said.

Persons: IRNA, Christopher Pike Organizations: CNN, Mehr, of Environment, Iranian, United Arab, UAE, Emergency Management Locations: Bandar Abbas, Kerman, Sistan, Baluchistan, Rivers, Bahu Kalat, Dubai, UAE, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iran, Gulf of Oman

☆ Earthquake jolts southern Japan's Ehime, Kochi prefectures
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The epicentre of the earthquake was the Bungo Channel, a strait separating the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, the agency said, adding that no tsunami warning had been issued. Ehime and Kochi prefectures were hit by the quake with an intensity of 6 on Japan's 1-7 scale, the JMA said. No major damage has been reported so far, according to local media reports.

Organizations: Japan Meteorological Agency, JMA Locations: Japan, Kyushu, Shikoku, Ehime, Kochi

☆ America’s debt problem could spell higher interest rates in the rest of the world
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The IMF said Wednesday that increased government spending, growing public debt and elevated interest rates in the United States had contributed to high and volatile yields — or interest rates — on Treasuries, raising the risk of higher rates elsewhere. “Loose fiscal policy in the United States exerts upward pressure on global interest rates and the dollar,” Vitor Gaspar, director of the IMF’s fiscal affairs department, told reporters. Higher interest rates make it more costly for households and businesses to service their loans, which can lead to defaults that cause losses at banks and other lenders, increasing financial instability. That means that even if the Fed cuts interest rates later this year — the IMF’s central scenario — US government funding costs may not fall by the same margin, he added. The IMF expects US public debt to continue rising, helping drive government debt worldwide to close to 100% of global gross domestic product by 2029, from 93% last year.

Persons: ” Vitor Gaspar, ”, Jerome Powell, ” Tobias Adrian, Gaspar, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, That’s Organizations: London CNN, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Federal Reserve, Treasury Department, Treasury, US, Federal Locations: United States, Washington

☆ Cash, drugs and booze among record election bribes seized by India
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Dhruv Tikekar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A record quantity of bribes, including cash, booze, drugs and precious metals, has been seized by Indian election authorities in the run-up to mammoth nationwide polls that begin on Friday. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday revealed it had recovered inducements worth just over $550 million since March — the largest amount in the country’s 75-year electoral history. It marks a “sharp increase” on the more than $400 million in bribes seized by the ECI in the country’s last general election in 2019, the agency said. India’s political parties and leaders routinely preach against election corruption and inducements, but the level of monitoring and tackling of graft across such a vast nation varies widely. Anti-corruption groups had long complained that the system meant a lack of transparency in donations to political parties — allowing corporations to donate large sums without disclosure.

Persons: Narendra Modi, gratis, Modi, ” Organizations: CNN, of India, Bharatiya Janta Party, BJP, “, Indian National Congress, India, Kazakhstan, India’s, Bank of India Locations: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Lok, Maldives

☆ Series I bonds are ‘still a good deal’ despite an expected falling rate in May, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Jetcityimage | Istock | Getty ImagesHow the I bond rate worksThe U.S. Department of the Treasury adjusts I bond rates every May and November. The variable rate portion resets every six months starting on the investor's I bond purchase date, not when the Treasury Department announces rate adjustments. The 1.3% fixed rate "makes it very attractive" for investors who want to preserve purchasing power long term, according to Tumin. How the fixed rate could changeSince the variable rate for I bonds is based on six months of inflation data, experts agree it will fall from 3.94% to 2.96% in May. Enna looks at a half-year average of real yields for 5- and 10-year TIPS to predict fixed rate changes.

Persons: David Enna Organizations: Istock, U.S . Department of, Treasury, Treasury Department Locations: Enna

☆ Dept. of Homeland Security embraces AI and other federal agencies are likely to follow
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Bob Violino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during the third annual Axios What's Next Summit at the Planet Word Museum on March 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. When the White House issued an executive order last October to promote safe and responsible development and use of artificial intelligence in the federal government, one of the first agencies to say it was on board the AI train was the Department of Homeland Security. In one pilot, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will test AI to help in investigative processes focused on detecting fentanyl and combatting child exploitation. The unprecedented speed and potential of AI's development and adoption presents both opportunities and risks, according to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security. What DHS learns from the pilot projects will be beneficial in shaping how it can effectively and responsibly use AI across homeland security moving forward, he said.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden, Mayorkas, — Organizations: Word, White House, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, United, United States Citizenship, Immigration Services, Homeland Security, DHS, Mayorkas, Republican Locations: Washington ,, United States

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