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☆ Modi’s ‘divine India’ vision threatens to marginalize millions
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“(Today) is the beginning of a new time cycle,” Modi said at the new temple honoring Hindu deity Lord Ram. “After centuries of waiting, our Ram has arrived.”Modi’s vision of a “divine India” is a far cry from the ideas of the modern country’s founding fathers. “India becomes a de facto Hindu nation, where the task of building national Hindu religious symbols falls to the state. And he reiterated his party’s desire to build the Ram Temple on the contested holy site. Hindu groups have for decades claimed the Mughals destroyed Hindu temples, building mosques and other monuments in their place.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, ” Modi, Lord Ram, “, Ram, ”, Gilles Verniers, officiates, ‘, Sachin Tendulkar, Mukesh Ambani, Modi’s, ” Modi fasted, ” Narendra Modi, Prakash Singh, Pratishtha ”, –, Sunita Viswanath, “ Modi, tramples what’s, Ravi Agrawal, it’s, Babar, Douglas E, Curran, ” Agrawal, Ritesh Shukla, Aurangzeb, “ Aurangzeb, Policy’s Agrawal, Gilles Organizations: CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Centre for Policy Research, Bloomberg, Getty, Indian, Human Rights, India’s, Ram Locations: Ayodhya, “, India, New Delhi, Babri, Delhi, India’s, Jammu, Kashmir, South Asia, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Varanasi

☆ Banks Sue Regulators Over Anti-Redlining Rule
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Emily Flitter | More About Emily Flitter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Some of the banking industry’s most powerful trade groups sued the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on Monday, claiming that the regulators overstepped their authority in updating a law meant to reverse the effects of redlining. In October, the regulators imposed new frameworks for assessing whether banks are abiding by the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act, which requires banks to do business in neighborhoods made up largely of racial minorities or low-income households that they typically shunned. The lawsuit said the rule was “a complicated and burdensome regime” and might “ultimately result in reduced lending to the very populations that the C.R.A. was designed to benefit.”The suit was filed by the American Bankers Association, the Independent Community Bankers of America and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, trade groups that represent virtually all U.S. banks. Several Texas groups joined as plaintiffs, allowing the Washington-based groups to sue in federal court in that state, where they have already won favorable rulings against the regulators.

Persons: “ Organizations: Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, American Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, Texas Locations: Washington

☆ How Supreme Court affirmative action decision is impacting college applicants. 'The barriers are already so high,' one legal expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The percentage of first-year applicants identifying as Black or Latino jumped 12% and 13%, respectively, year over year, outpacing other groups. At the same time, colleges are seeing an increase in first-generation applicants and international students, the Common App found. The financial aid factorFor many families, the price tag is the most significant sticking point when it comes to college access. Black households also tend to borrow more than households to finance a higher education. And because of historic racial and economic inequities, Black student loan borrowers struggle to repay their debt more than their white peers.

Persons: it's, Cara McClellan, Biden, Bryan Cook, Cook, Elise Colin, Colin, McClellan, Wells Organizations: Racial, Civil Justice Clinic, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Finance, Urban Institute, Urban, University of California, University of Michigan, Federal Student Aid Locations: Wells Fargo

The GOP’s South Carolina primary won’t be held until Feb. 24. Arguing that voters of color should play a larger role in determining the Democratic presidential nominee, Biden championed a calendar beginning in South Carolina. South Carolina was also where Biden reversed his fortunes with a resounding victory during the 2020 Democratic primary after defeats in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. “I wouldn’t be here without the Democratic voters of South Carolina, and that’s a fact,” Biden said at the state's Democratic Party’s “First-in-the-Nation” celebration dinner last weekend. Associated Press writer Ayanna Alexander in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, ” Harris, Jill Biden, Barack Obama, Jim Clyburn, “, ” Biden, Donald Trump, ”, LaJoia Broughton, Charles Trower, Still, don’t, Phillips, it's, Harris, Trump, ” Trump, ___ Weissert, Ayanna Alexander Organizations: COLUMBIA, South, Democratic, Black, Minnesota Rep, Democratic National Committee, South Carolina, AP VoteCast, Black Democrats, DNC, Republican, America, —, Capitol, Associated Press Locations: Iowa, South Carolina, GOP’s, Carolina, South Carolina State, Orangeburg, Nevada, Michigan, Iowa , New Hampshire, Columbia, Blythewood , South Carolina, ” New Hampshire, Florida, North Carolina, Washington, Columbia , South Carolina

☆ Supreme Court lets West Point continue considering race as part of admissions
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington CNN —The Supreme Court said Friday that the United States Military Academy at West Point can continue considering race as a factor in its admissions process while a legal challenge to the practice plays out. Last week, SFFA asked the high court to step in on an emergency basis to block West Point from considering race in its admissions process as the litigation unfolds. “For now, the only question is what should happen as this case proceeds – who should bear the burden of the status quo,” attorneys for SFFA told the Supreme Court. “Every year this case languishes in discovery, trial, or appeals, West Point will label and sort thousands more applicants based on their skin color – including the class of 2028, which West Point will start choosing in earnest once the application deadline closes on January 31. Or should West Point bear the burden of temporarily complying with the Constitution’s command of racial equality?” they added in part.

Persons: SFFA, Biden, “, midstream, Elizabeth Prelogar, Prelogar, ”, Philip M, Halpern, it’s, ’, Court’s, John Roberts, Richard Bennett, CNN’s Jamiel Lynch Organizations: Washington CNN, United States Military Academy, Fair, Harvard, University of North, US Naval Academy, Supreme, “, Army, West, Naval Academy Locations: University of North Carolina, “, New York, West, Maryland

Judge Kevin Newsom, a Trump appointee, pushed back against the Fearless Fund's argument that the grants are protected by the First Amendment because they are charitable donations. He asked the Fearless Fund's attorneys whether the same protection would apply to a contest open only to white applicants. “I think that's a pretty simple yes or no,” Newsom said, interrupting when the attorney for the Fearless Fund, Jason Schwartz, started to reply. They’re saying, no, we want all the pie,” Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney who is also representing the Fearless Fund Fund, said a news conference following the hearing. But since the lawsuit was filed, the Fearless Fund has had trouble securing new investment, said co-founder Arian Simone.

Persons: Donald Trump, Barack Obama —, Fearless, Kevin Newsom, Edward Blum, ” Newsom, Jason Schwartz, Schwartz, ” Schwartz, ” Ben Crump, ”, Morgan Chase, Arian Simone, “, ” Simone, Newsom, ______ Olson Organizations: MIAMI, American Alliance for Equal Rights, Trump, American Alliance, Black, Bank of America, Mastercard, “ Locations: U.S, Black, Miami, America, “, New York

☆ Russia's Putin Derides 'Russophobia' in Europe at World War Two Memorial
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin castigated Europe on Saturday for "Russophobia" and criticized the Baltic States over human rights at the unveiling of a World War Two memorial. Ukraine, which was part of the Soviet Union and itself suffered devastation at the hands of Hitler's forces, rejects comparisons as spurious pretexts for a war of conquest. In his speech, Putin also lambasted the Baltic States over human rights. "In the Baltic states, tens of thousands of people are declared subhuman, deprived of their most basic rights, and subjected to persecution," Putin said, referring to migration crackdowns. Moscow has repeatedly accused the Baltic nations of xenophobia and treating Russian minorities as "second-class".

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Kyiv exalts, Vladimir Soldatkin, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: European Union, NATO Locations: MOSCOW, Baltic States, Ukraine, Kyiv, Leningrad, Germans, Soviet, Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moscow, Baltic

“I feel comfortable.”Plaza del Sol is one of two dozen sites run by Urban Health Plan Inc., which is one of nearly 1,400 federally designated community health centers. Sometimes, it’s just that.”Fifty years ago, Dr. Acklema Mohammad started as a medical assistant in Urban Health Plan’s first clinic, San Juan Health Center. About 150 elders get at-home visits, said Dr. Manuel Vazquez, Urban Health Plan’s vice president of medical affairs who oversees the home health program. Building community trustOne of the nation’s first community health centers opened in the rural Mississippi delta in 1967, in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement’s Freedom Summer. Delta Health Center in Mound Bayou, Mississippi today operates the health center has 17 locations in five counties, including free-standing clinics and some in schools.

Persons: Elisa Reyes, ” Reyes, they’ve, Matthew Kusher, ” Kusher, “, ”, Kyu Rhee, Yelisa Sierra, “ It’s, Sierra, Acklema Mohammad, Mo, pediatricians, ” Mohammad, telehealth, Manuel Vazquez, isn’t, ‘, there’s, Temika Simmons, New York City’s, Angelica Flores, DaSilva, they’re, ” Simmons, You've, Kasturi Pananjady, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: del, Family Health, Urban Health, Inc, Associated Press, U.S . Health Resources, Services Administration, —, National Association of Community Health Centers, Urban Health Plan’s, San Juan Health Center, El Nuevo San Juan Health Center, Civil, Delta Health Center, Delta Health Center’s, Staff, Press, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: Queens, Sol, U.S, El Nuevo, Mississippi, Mound Bayou , Mississippi, Leland, Greenville, Jackson, Memphis, del Sol, Corona, New York, In Mississippi

☆ Right-wing commentators have a theory about plane safety concerns — and they say diversity is to blame
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A recent string of plane safety incidents has made many more concerned about flying. Right-wing commentators including Elon Musk have baselessly decided that DEI initiatives are to blame. AdvertisementRight-wing commentators have a new theory to explain the recent series of high-profile plane safety incidents — and they are claiming that diversity initiatives are to blame. Conservative commentators have converged around the idea that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are jeopardizing plane safety, baselessly claiming that underqualified minorities have been promoted in the industry. AdvertisementExperts say that it is not just misguided to blame DEI initiatives for a reduction in the quality of workers, but also that it is less entrenched than its critics imagine.

Persons: Elon Musk, —, Matt Walsh, Ian Miles Cheong, Charlie Kirk, pWp9YVRIym — Marc Xavier Adams, Candance Owens, TikTok, Rob Schneider, Bud Light, Matthew Florence, Rolling, Donald Trump's, Rachel Décoste, Joe Blow Organizations: Service, Conservative, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Aviation, Delta Air Lines, United, DEI, GOP Locations: States, Japan, Alaska, Canada

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The National Football League has urged teams for years to hire more minority head coaches. “The league has been struggling to raise the percentage of head coaches of color, particularly Black head coaches,” Lapchick told The Associated Press. Rivera believes the success of existing minority head coaches in the 2023 season “absolutely” impacted the number of minority hires this year. Rivera, like many minority head coaches, hopes that one day color won't be an issue. “There are enough good coaches now where we can start saying, 'Hey, let’s just call everybody a head coach, not necessarily minority head coach.

Persons: CHARLOTTE, Richard Lapchick, “, ” Lapchick, Rooney, Morris, Canales, “ I'm, ”, Ron Rivera, ” Rivera, — Morris, Pierce, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles, Houston’s, Mike McDaniel, Robert Saleh, Rivera, Bowles, Ryans, Tomlin, McDaniel, let’s Organizations: National Football League, The Institute, Diversity, NFL, Associated Press, Rams, Falcons, Buccaneers, New York Jets, Lebanese Locations: N.C, Carolina, Washington, Mayo, Tampa, Mexican American

☆ Opinion | We Are Normalizing Trump. Again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Thomas B. Edsall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Over the past nine years, Donald Trump has been variously described as narcissistic, mendacious, authoritarian, unbalanced, ignorant, incompetent, egotistical and racist — as someone who demonizes minorities and fans ethnic hostility. These assessments are a major reason roughly half of American voters, according to polls, say they will not vote for him. But even as Trump has steadily escalated his defiance of behavioral norms, a substantial share of the American electorate remains willing to cast a ballot for him. Approximately half of the electorate views Trump as a legitimate 2024 presidential contender, repeatedly demonstrating in surveys that they plan to vote for him in a matchup with President Biden. Followers granting political legitimacy to Trump go well beyond his hard core MAGA supporters.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Biden, MAGA Locations: U.S

Myanmar sank into civil war after the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. At least 107 religious buildings — including 67 churches and five Buddhist monasteries — have been destroyed by the military since the 2021 takeover in Chin state alone, the Chin Human Rights Organization said. Myanmar Witness cross-checks evidence such as photos, videos and witness accounts found on social media with satellite photo analysis and other methods to try to verify human rights abuses. Many human rights activists believe that the military aims for religious buildings. "I can think of 10 that I’ve already seen in ruins or big holes in them, direct airstrikes," Eubank said.

Persons: Chin, Aung, Suu Kyi, Matt Lawrence, ”, Benedict Rogers, Salai Mang, Lian, ” Lian, “, Ngun Thawng Lian, —, Karenni, Dave Eubank, I’ve, Eubank Organizations: Burman, United Nations, Assistance Association for Political, Information Resilience, Human Rights Organization, International Commission of Jurists, Myanmar Air Force’s, East Asia, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “, Myanmar, Free Burma Rangers, U.S . Special Forces Locations: BANGKOK, Myanmar, Suu, United Kingdom, Chin, “, Rakhine, Bangladesh, Australia, Thantlang, Philippines, Philippine, Kayah, Demoso, Karenni

☆ Elon Musk tells audience he is 'Jewish by association' following Auschwitz tour
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk attended a conference held by the European Jewish Association on Monday. "I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends," he told Ben Shapiro. The European Jewish Association organized the trip and held a conference later on Monday in the nearby Polish city of Krakow. Advertisement"I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends," Musk said as Shapiro laughed in the background. AdvertisementFollowing the row with the ADL, Musk described himself as "aspirationally Jewish" to Shapiro in a September X space.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Ben Shapiro, —, Shapiro, Tesla, I'm Organizations: European Jewish Association, Service, Defamation League, ADL, Apple, Disney, IBM, New York Times DealBook Summit Locations: Auschwitz, Nazi, Poland, Polish, Krakow, Israel

☆ Direct File is the most important tech product of 2024, helping you to finally file your taxes for free
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'll go further and say this offering is the most important tech product of 2024. Direct FileI'm talking about Direct File , a new way for many Americans to file their taxes for free. She also questioned the value of the new Direct File service in various ways. Give Direct File a tryWhich brings us back to the new Direct File service. When I searched for "free file taxes" this weekend, the top of Google's results page was full of ads.

Persons: —, Dan Grover, ChatGPT, It's, ProPublica, Tania Mercado, Mercado, Janet Yellen, Guess Organizations: Service, Business, Apple, Forbes, IRS, Intuit, Google, Internal Revenue Service, Revenue Locations: Silicon, Arizona , California, Florida , New York, Texas, ProPublica

☆ Native American communities have the highest suicide rates, yet interventions are scarce
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Cheryl Platzman Weinstock | Kff Health News | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

He spent more than a week in an inpatient mental health unit, but once home, he was offered sparse mental health resources. Despite decades of research into suicide prevention, suicide rates among Indigenous people have remained stubbornly high, especially among Indigenous people ages 10 to 24, according to the CDC. Experts say that’s because the national strategy for suicide prevention isn’t culturally relevant or sensitive to Native American communities’ unique values. Several tribal communities are attempting to implement a similar system in their communities, said Cwik. Pamela End of Horn, a social worker and national suicide prevention consultant at IHS, said the Department of Veterans Affairs “has a suicide coordinator in every medical center across the U.S., plus case managers, and they have an entire office dedicated to suicide prevention.

Persons: Amanda MorningStar, “, ”, MorningStar, Ben, Ben MorningStar, Mary Cwik, ” Cwik, Joseph P, Gros, Stephen O’Connor, Teresa Brockie, Brockie, Fort Belknap, It’s, Cwik, Pamela, Department of Veterans Affairs “, Robert Coberly, Coberly, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, ” Ben MorningStar Organizations: Health, Blackfeet, Centers for Disease Control, Montana Budget, Policy, . Montana, CDC, Indian Health Service, IHS, Center, Indigenous Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Harvard University, Division of Services, Intervention, National Institute of Mental Health, ”, NIMH, National Institutes of Health, Mental Health Services Administration, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, American Public Health Association, Department of Veterans Affairs, Oglala Lakota, Rural Behavioral Health Institute, CNN, CNN Health, Kaiser Health, KFF Locations: Heart Butte , Montana, United States, Heart Butte, Baltimore, Montana, Fort, Aaniiih, Fort Peck, Peck, Arizona, U.S, South Dakota, Tulalip, Washington

☆ Elon Musk, on Rehabilitation Tour, Calls Himself ‘Aspirationally Jewish’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Andrew Higgins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Pushing back against accusations of antisemitism, Elon Musk has in recent months visited Israel, hosted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a Tesla factory in California and repeatedly insisted he bears no animus toward Jews. On Monday, he took his penitence tour to a new level, declaring himself “aspirationally Jewish” after a visit to the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz in southern Poland, where he lit a candle in memory of the millions of Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Mr. Musk, the owner of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, stirred outrage — and an exodus of advertisers — in November when he endorsed an antisemitic post on X as “the actual truth.” The post accused Jewish communities of pushing “hatred against whites” and supporting the immigration of “hordes of minorities.”The White House denounced Mr. Musk for “abhorrent promotion of antisemitic and racist hate.”He quickly apologized for his intervention, saying “it might be literally the worst and dumbest post I’ve ever done.” He has been scrambling since to calm the outcry and halt the flight of advertisers.

Persons: Elon Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Musk, —, ” Locations: Israel, California, Poland

☆ ‘America Is Under Attack’: Inside the Anti-D.E.I. Crusade
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Nicholas Confessore | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +44 min

‘America Is Under Attack’: Inside the Anti-D.E.I. “In support of ridding schools of C.R.T., the Right argues that we want nonpolitical education,” Mr. Klingenstein wrote in August 2021. In a 2023 exchange, Dr. Yenor and two associates discussed how to defend Amy Wax, a conservative law professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Yenor and his allies bristled at the conventions of academic life as overly solicitous toward female and nonwhite students. Samuel Ginn, Claremont donor“The president then told him, ‘Things will change,’” a Claremont fund-raiser wrote to Dr. Yenor and other officials there.

Persons: “ wokeism ”, Chancellor Sharp, Sam Ginn, DeSantis, !, Searle, Scott Yenor's, Alabama Jeff Sessions, peter thiel, thiel, Dan Patrick, Patrick, Texas Long, Claudine Gay, Harvard’s, Trump, Ron DeSantis, Peter Thiel, Heather Mac Donald, ”, Scott Yenor, “, ” Scott Yenor, Claremont, Critics, George Floyd, Donald J, Trump’s, Thomas D, Thomas Klingentstein, ” Mr, Klingenstein, Yenor, Christopher Rufo, fromScott Yenor, Floyd, Mao Zedong’s, Ryan P, Williams, Jack Miller, Ryan Williams, Miller, zealots, Mao Zedong's, ” Claremont, Taube, tothe, Arthur N, Chris Ross, Dockweiler, Elizabeth Ailes, Roger Ailes, Daniel C, Searles, fromChris Ross Ryan, I'd, Dorian Abbot, Mr, Ross, Dr, Amy Wax, Wax, Wax’s, David Azerrad, . Azerrad, fromScott, Azerrad, —, ’, Mac Donald, Mac Donald1 —, fromDavid Azerrad Heather, that's, Thiel —, Thiel’s, bristled, Riffing, Bill Burr, hadn’t, Burr, George W, Bush, ” Tennessee’s, Susan Kaestner, Jeff Sessions, Samuel Ginn, Christopher B, Roberts, Roberts “, Ginn, ” Bowdoin, Thomas Klingenstein, Janet Mills, Mills, ‘, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kevin Stitt, he’d, fromThomas, Glenn, sputtered, retool, didn’t, Jim Banks, Banks’s, Banks, Gay, Elise Stefanik Organizations: MIT, Trust, Texas, Claremont, Republicans, Senate, The New York Times, Republican, Claremont Institute, Gov, D.E.I, New, Manhattan Institute, Maine Policy Institute, ”, Texas Public Policy Foundation, Equity, Jack Miller Family, Jack Miller Family Foundation America, Capitol, Freedom Trust, Rupe Foundation, Scaife, Fox News, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania, Hillsdale College, Boise State University, Boise, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Trump, Boise State, University of Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn University, University of Alabama, Auburn, Bowdoin College in, NAS, Bowdoin, Democratic, Mr, Maine Public Radio, American, Association, Maine Department of Education, Indiana Republican, Education, Harvard, New York Republican Locations: Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Maine, Montana , Utah , Oklahoma , Texas, South Carolina , Florida, Louisiana, America, defund, Alabama, Tallahassee, Union, California, Florida, Maine , Tennessee, Idaho, New York, Florida , Louisiana, North Carolina , Oklahoma , Tennessee, Wisconsin, Darling, Dallas, Utah, C.R.T, United States, Hillsdale, Eau, India, Boise State, Boise, Manhattan, Canadian, Dixie, Maine —, Bowdoin College in Maine, Colonial America, ”, Maine’s, la, Portland, Northern Maine, Arkansas, Yenor, Indiana, Israel

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN —Pakistan and Iran have both conducted strikes on each other’s territories in an unprecedented escalation of hostilities between the neighbors, at a time when tensions have risen sharply across the Middle East and beyond. Iran claimed it had “only targeted Iranian terrorists on the soil of Pakistan” and that no Pakistani nationals were targeted. In 2015, the group claimed responsibility for an attack that killed eight Iranian border guards, with militants reportedly crossing into Iran from Pakistan. Iran’s strikes on Tuesday sparked a diplomatic spat, with Pakistan recalling its ambassador from Iran and suspending all high-level visits from its neighbor. And after Pakistan’s strikes, Iran on Thursday demanded “an immediate explanation” from its neighbor, Tasmin reported.

Persons: Islam –, hideouts, Jaish al, ”, Karim Sadjadpour, Wesley Clark, “, Jaish, CNN What’s, Tasmin, Matt Miller, Washington, “ We’ve, –, Miller, ” Pakistan’s Organizations: Pakistan CNN —, Adl, Justice, Iran’s, Carnegie Endowment, International, US Army, CNN, Hamas, US, National Counterterrorism Center, US State Department, US State, Pakistan – Locations: Islamabad, Pakistan, Pakistan CNN — Pakistan, Iran, Balochistan, Sistan, Baluchestan, restive Baloch, Gaza, Here’s, Pakistan’s Balochistan, Iran’s, Iran’s Sistan, Baluchestan province, Islam, ”, United States, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Red, NATO, Afghanistan, Tehran, Pakistan’s, Iranian, India, ” China

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The director and producer of a banned Malaysian film that explores the afterlife were charged Wednesday with offending the religious feelings of others in a rare criminal prosecution of filmmakers, slammed by critics as an attack on freedom of expression. “As far as we are concerned, these are groundless charges and we will challenge those charges in court,” he said. The two filmmakers filed a suit challenging the government’s decision before they were charged. Human Rights Watch accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government of prosecuting the two filmmakers to win political support from Malays. Khairianwar has said this is likely the first time a filmmaker has been criminally charged in the country.

Persons: Mohamad Khairianwar Jailani, “, Tan Meng Kheng, Surendran, ”, Critics, Anwar Ibrahim’s, Anwar, hypocritically, Phil Robertson, Khairianwar, ” Khairianwar Organizations: Home Ministry, Islam, Human Rights Watch, Free, Free Malaysia Today Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Malaysian, Islam, Hong Kong, Malay, Asia, “, Free Malaysia

If those population-growth patterns continue for the rest of the decade, it could seriously imperil the Democrats’ long-term chances of winning the White House. The Week in Cartoons Jan. 15-19 View All 5 ImagesFor Democrats, the picture is grim. An analysis by the Brookings Institution found that the main factor driving population growth in 2022-23 was immigration. The two states Democrats are eyeing most urgently to become the new Arizona and Georgia are North Carolina and Texas. In particular, predictions of “Blexas” – a blue Texas – have taken longer to materialize than most Democrats had hoped.

Persons: Donald Trump, University’s, Joe Biden, ”, Alan Abramowitz, Christopher Cooper, Brennan, Biden, Mark P, Jones, it’s, Michael McDonald, Trump, Michael Bitzer, ” Bitzer, “ Biden's, Thomas Schaller, ” Schaller, –, Barack Obama, Cooper Organizations: White, Center for Justice, Biden, Emory University, Democrats, Western Carolina University, “, ”, Republicans, Rice University, University of Florida, Brookings Institution, Brookings, North Carolina’s Catawba, Northern Blacks, Brennan, University of Maryland, American Democracy, Senate, Democratic, Texas, Democratic Party, Electoral College Locations: South Carolina , Florida , Texas , Idaho, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, New, Texas, Florida, Idaho, South Carolina , Tennessee, California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota , Oregon, Rhode, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, U.S, That’s, North, Northern, Baltimore, Arizona , Colorado , New Mexico, Nevada, “ Texas, United States

☆ As diversity, equity and inclusion comes under legal attack, companies quietly alter their programs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

But others have targeted decades-old diversity programs that anti-affirmative action advocates have long tried to dismantle. said Danner-Okotie, who received $10,000 from a separate Fearless Fund grant. The Fearless Fund, Danner-Okotie said, grasped her mission of designing clothes for American women looking to celebrate their African heritage. The outcome of the case could be a bellwether for similar diversity programs. But some have made changes to diversity programs to try to protect them from legal scrutiny.

Persons: Sophia Danner, Okotie's, Fearless, Claudine Gay, Harvard Universitys, Erin Clark, Christopher Rufo, Harvard's, Rufo, George Floyd's, Danner, Okotie, Edward Blum, Morrison Foerster, Perkins Coie, Reagan, Dan Lennington, Lennington Organizations: Harvard, Harvard University, Boston Globe, Twitter, Black, Latina, American Alliance for Equal Rights, Disney, Pfizer, Comcast, Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, Wisconsin Institute, U.S . Department, Business Enterprise Locations: America, Atlanta, India, Nigeria

☆ The tech sector is pouring billions of dollars into AI. But it keeps laying off humans
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

More than 5,500 tech layoffs less than two weeks into 2024The latest rounds of tech job cuts are occurring across a range of roles and in both Big Tech companies and smaller startups. There were some 262,682 tech industry layoffs recorded in 2023, per Layoffs.fyi data, after 164,969 cuts the previous year. Against that backdrop, the tech industry went on a remarkable hiring spree. Disparate impacts of tech job cuts come under scrutinyAs the tech industry layoffs continue, labor advocates and even lawmakers are taking notice. “Recent findings have consistently shown that minorities and women are vastly overrepresented in industry layoffs,” the letter said.

Persons: Roger Lee, Lee, Dropbox, Goldman Sachs, Parul, Koul, ”, Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri, Barbara Lee of, Julie Su Organizations: CNN, Big Tech, Tech, Google, Unity Software, ”, Chegg, IBM, Alphabet Workers, CWA, Democratic, American, Labor, Department of Labor Locations: Silicon Valley, Barbara Lee of California

☆ State-run 'auto-IRA' programs aim to close retirement savings gap
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

They save about $165 a month, on average, said John Scott, director of Pew's retirement savings project. It's unclear how many other companies instead opted to sponsor their own 401(k) plan or other workplace plan. Why states are stepping inThere's a common thread here: A realization that people aren't saving enough for retirement, Scott said. The typical saver age 55 to 64 has just $71,000 of 401(k) savings, according to Vanguard data. Pew estimates that state spending will rise by $334 billion from 2021 to 2040 due to insufficient retirement savings.

Persons: John Scott, Scott, Pew, Washington —, Roth, they've Organizations: Auto, Workers, Trusts, Center for Retirement, Companies, Vanguard, Social Security Locations: Delaware, Hawaii , Maine, Minnesota , Nevada , New Jersey , New York, Vermont, Massachusetts , Missouri, New Mexico, Washington, U.S

☆ Opinion: Kamala Harris is not a liability. She may be Democrats’ best weapon
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-27 | by ( Opinion Basil Smikle | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Some within the party have complained that Harris is endangering the odds for victory at the ballot box this year. Happily, the Biden campaign seems to finally be coming around and embracing smart ways to make the best use of Harris’ talents and impressive resume. Her outreach will be particularly important among young voters. Harris’ portfolio of reproductive rights, voting rights and discrimination in education is tailor-made to appeal to this cadre of voters. The 2020 ticket of Biden and Harris stemmed the reclamation and retribution movement of Trumpism.

Persons: Basil A, Smikle Jr, Joe Biden’s, Basil Smikle Frank Gutierrez, Biden, Kamala Harris, Biden’s, Harris, they’ll, I’ve, it’s, Harris ’, Kamala, Jesse Jackson’s, Shirley Chisholm’s, It’s Organizations: Public, Roosevelt, Institute of Hunter College – City University of New, New York, Democratic Party, CNN, Republican, Biden, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, American, White House, Black, Democratic, Howard University, Freedoms, Convention, Republicans Locations: Institute of Hunter College – City University of New York, California, Washington, Siena, Flagstaff , Arizona, Israel

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The number of candidates on stage is shrinking, but the fundamentals of Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate may be familiar to anyone who has watched the previous three meetings. Here’s how to watch the debate and what to watch for:What time is the Republican debate? Political Cartoons View All 1277 ImagesWhat channel is the Republican debate on? Where is the Republican debate? Four Republicans will be on the debate stage, the smallest field yet as polling and donor benchmarks for qualification rise.

Persons: Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, It’s, NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas, Megyn Kelly, Kelly, Eliana Johnson, NewsNation, —, Jimmy Carter, Ramaswamy, Haley, Christie, Tuscaloosa . South Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Doug Burgum, Iowa’s Jan, Trump, it’s, DeSantis, Will, ”, ___ Meg Kinnard, ___ Peoples Organizations: COLUMBIA, Former United Nations, Florida Gov, New, New Jersey Gov, The Washington Free Beacon, Republican, CW, Republican National, GOP, Moody Music Hall, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa ., North Dakota Gov, Trump, Trump voters, Disney, ___ Locations: New Jersey, Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa . Alabama, Tuscaloosa . South Carolina, Florida, South, New York

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