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☆ Biden proposal limits bans on transgender athletes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Jarrett Renshaw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Thursday proposed a rule change that would prohibit schools from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes from teams that are consistent with their gender identities, but offered flexibility on exceptions for the highest levels of competition. The proposed change to Title IX is likely to revive debates about transgender rights, particularly in sports. Across the country, there has been a push by conservative U.S. lawmakers to prevent transgender women from participating in school sports. The proposal would also offer flexibility to K-12 schools and universities to limit the participation of transgender students when including them could undermine "fairness in competition" or potentially lead to sports-related injuries. Critics say transgender women who take part in women's sports are often bigger and stronger than their cisgender opponents and have an unfair advantage.

☆ Italy probes Meta over abuse of position in music rights case
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, April 5 (Reuters) - Italy's antitrust authority said on Wednesday it would investigate Meta Platform (META.O) over the possible abuse of its position in talks over the rights to music posted on Meta's platforms and potentially hurting competition in the sector. According to the antitrust regulator, Mark Zuckerberg's company may have "unduly interrupted the negotiations for the stipulation of the licence for the use on its platforms" of SIAE's music rights, it said in a statement. Last month, Meta, which owns Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram, failed to reach a deal with SIAE to renew the copyright license. Protecting the copyrights of songwriters and artists is an important priority for us," a spokesperson for Meta said on Wednesday. The investigation involves Meta Platforms Inc, Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Meta Platforms Technologies UK Limited and Facebook Italy S.r.l.

☆ Hard work just doesn't pay like it used to
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Ethan Dodd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Today's workers, especially gig workers, don't have the security that hard work once promised. Fueling the pessimism about hard work might be that Americans have "been doing nothing but hard work for the last two decades," Jennifer Klein, a Yale labor historian, told Insider. Blame the rise of gig work for hard work not paying offThough Americans work fewer hours now than they have in years past, they're working harder than ever. As a result, "people have experienced hard work and intensified work, but in very, very unpleasant and not particularly rewarding terms," she added. However, deregulation of employment and the dismantling of the New Deal structures of fair work have decoupled hard work and security, Klein said.

☆ Swim England updates transgender policy with 'open' category
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 3 (Reuters) - Swim England announced an updated transgender and non-binary policy on Monday with a 'female' category restricted to athletes with a declared birth sex of female and a new 'open' category for everyone else. Swim England said it saw a general consensus that post-puberty transgender females retained a biological level of performance advantage post-transition. The transgender youth charity Mermaids called on Swim England to reverse its decision. "Swim England's trans policy is disappointing. World Aquatics voted last year to restrict participation of transgender athletes in elite women's competitions and create a working group to establish an open category.

BERLIN/FRANKFURT, March 27 (Reuters) - A massive strike in Germany was set to begin early Monday, crippling mass transport and airports in one of the biggest walkouts in decades as Europe's largest economy reels from soaring inflation. But officials in Germany have made clear that their fight is only about pay. The Verdi union is negotiating on behalf of around 2.5 million employees in the public sector, including in public transport and at airports. Railway and transport union EVG negotiates for around 230,000 employees at railway operator Deutsche Bahn (DBN.UL) and bus companies. Employers are also warning that higher wages for transport workers would result in higher fares and taxes to make up the difference.

☆ 'Hotel Rwanda' figure Rusesabagina to be released from prison -government source
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Philbert Girinema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary * 'Hotel Rwanda' figure to be released on Saturday* Rusesabagina to be flown to Doha, and on to the U.S.* His release follows letter to president seeking clemency* Rebel spokesman Sankara to also be releasedKIGALI, March 24 (Reuters) - Paul Rusesabagina, who was portrayed as a hero in the Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda" and is serving a 25-year sentence in Rwanda on terrorism charges, will be released on Saturday, a Rwanda government source said on Friday. His release follows intense diplomacy by the United States, where Rusesabagina has permanent residency rights. Rusesabagina will initially be flown to Doha, and then on to the United States, the source said. "If I am granted a pardon and released, I understand fully that I will spend the remainder of my days in the United States in quiet reflection," he wrote. Earlier this month, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said there were discussions about "resolving" the fate of Rusesabagina.

☆ 'Hotel Rwanda' figure Rusesabagina to be freed from prison -Rwanda government
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Philbert Girinema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The announcement of his release follows intense diplomacy by the United States, where Rusesabagina has permanent residency rights. "This is the result of a shared desire to reset US-Rwanda relationship," Stephanie Nyombayire, spokesperson of Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, wrote on Twitter. Rusesabagina was sentenced in Sept. 2021 over his ties to an organization opposed to Kagame's rule. "If any individual benefiting from early release repeats offences of a similar nature, the commutation can be revoked and the remainder of the prison sentence will be served," Rwanda's justice ministry said. In a handwritten letter to Kagame released by the justice ministry, Nsabimana said he had apologised to all Rwandans and especially those affected by attacks by FLN fighters.

☆ Citi lays out the possible outcomes for First Republic after banking crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The path forward for First Republic after this month's banking crisis remains unclear, but Citigroup identified some possible scenarios for the embattled San Francisco-based bank. While the bank hasn't specified its deposit outflows, Citi noted that they've been substantial. In fact, CNBC's David Faber reported this month that JPMorgan is advising First Republic on strategic alternatives , including a capital raise or possible sale. Again, without knowing the actual level of deposit outflows, the underlying situation could vary quite a bit from our estimates," Cyganovich continued. "Given the challenges of the first two outcomes above, some form of government intervention seems increasingly likely, albeit in what form remains unclear," the analyst wrote.

☆ A Six-Month AI Pause? No, Longer Is Needed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Peggy Noonan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Peggy Noonan is an opinion columnist at the Wall Street Journal where her column, "Declarations," has run since 2000. She has been a fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, and has taught in the history department at Yale University. Before entering the Reagan White House, Noonan was a producer and writer at CBS News in New York, and an adjunct professor of Journalism at New York University. She was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up there, in Massapequa Park, Long Island, and in Rutherford, New Jersey. In November, 2016 she was named one of the city's Literary Lions by the New York Public Library.

☆ Democrats, Republicans, and companies all seem to agree: college degrees aren't the future
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Ethan Dodd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A bachelor's degree has become a common requirement for landing US jobs, even those that didn't previously require one. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order opening up 92%, or roughly 65,000, of state jobs to those without college degrees. They urged more states to follow to move the economy away from a preference for college degrees, restoring a sense of fairness many Americans feel is lost. Oregon also issued a temporary order in 2022 allowing those without bachelor's degrees to work as substitute teachers. A college degree may increase your earning potential, but it may not hold the keys to the middle class for much longer.

☆ Guillermo del Toro wins best animated feature film for 'Pinocchio'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

By Danielle BroadwayLOS ANGELES, March 12 (Reuters) - Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio" won the Academy Award for best animated feature film on Sunday, the third Oscar of his career. Del Toro, 58, reimagines the classic story of Pinocchio, a wooden puppet who dreams of being a real boy, who is cared for by carver Geppetto. However, the story of the Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) film is set in Fascist Italy during the interwar period and World War Two. "Pinocchio" prevailed over other popular nominees A24's stop-motion film "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On" and the Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) 3D animated film "Turning Red." Del Toro has many accolades, including his 2018 Oscar wins for best picture and best director for "The Shape of Water."

☆ Ron DeSantis Is Definitely Running
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Peggy Noonan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

☆ China says it's 'puzzled' after report Germany might ban Huawei from parts of 5G mobile network
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Huawei is back in the spotlight in Europe after a report suggested Germany may ban some equipment from the Chinese telecommunications giant in its 5G network. On Tuesday, Reuters reported, citing a government source, that Germany is considering banning certain components from Chinese firms in its mobile networks. The embassy spokesperson claimed that any ban of Chinese equipment in telecommunications networks "violates economic laws and the principle of fair competition." A Huawei spokesperson told CNBC that the company has a "strong security record" in Germany and globally for over 20 years. Any decision to block Huawei from its 5G networks would mark a major shift from 2019 when the country said it wouldn't make such a move.

☆ In economics, women's voices still struggle to be heard
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Maria Martinez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

There seems to be a lot to celebrate on International Women's Day in the field of economics. Women head the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, the U.S. Treasury and the European Central Bank. "The pervasive underrepresentation of women in economics is systemic and structural," Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman to head the World Trade Organization, told Reuters. "There are no women in the textbooks and most big names in economics are men," said Sandra Kretschmer, economics researcher and member of the Women in Economics Initiative. Women and men tend to have different research interests, said Alisa Weinberger, economics researcher at Goethe.

☆ Wall Street's bullish comments push Apple to a possible breakout zone on its chart
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Apple last closed above $156 in September. "The rally has lifted Apple up into strong resistance, creating a proving ground," said Katie Stockton, founder of Fairlead Strategies. AAPL 1Y line aapl Stockton said Apple could get to $158, the top of the resistance zone on its chart. If Apple were to make a move and hold at a higher level, it would be good for the overall stock market. "How Apple handles $156 to $157 will give us some clues as to whether this is just another bear market bounce," said Redler.

☆ Why a student-loan company's involvement in a case seeking to block Biden's debt relief might end up working in borrowers' favors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Student-loan company MOHELA played a central role in one of the cases seeking to block Biden's student-debt relief. All justices dug into whether the state of Missouri has standing to claim an injury to MOHELA is an injury to itself. Some experts said the company's involvement in the case could undermine plaintiffs' standing to sue. The states argued that Biden's debt relief would hurt their states' tax revenues, but that was an issue the Supreme Court justices barely questioned. "And two, that President Biden's debt relief plan would impact MOHELA such that MOHELA could not even start paying back its debts to the Lewis and Clark Fund."

☆ Common Sense Points to a Lab Leak
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Peggy Noonan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, March 3 (Reuters) - Donald Trump is seeking a six-month delay in the New York attorney general's fraud case against him and his company, which if granted would likely push back any trial until deep into the 2024 presidential campaign. "The complaint seeks to deprive defendants of their constitutionally protected right and ability to transact business," Trump said. Trump's request was joined by the other defendants, including three of his adult children Donald Jr, Eric and Ivanka. Trump, a Republican, has called James' case a partisan witch hunt. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nobel winner Bialiatski jailed in Belarus for a decade, sparking outcry
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Footage from the cramped Minsk court showed Bialiatski, who co-founded the Viasna (Spring) human rights group, looking sombre, his hands cuffed behind his back, as he and his co-defendants watched proceedings from a courtroom cage. Bialiatski, who was arrested in 2021, and three co-defendants were charged with financing protests and smuggling money. Belarusian state news agency Belta confirmed the court had handed down long jail sentences to all the men, including a decade in prison for Bialiatski. That, she said, placed human rights defenders at risk of criminal prosecution for their legitimate activities. Viasna, the organisation he co-founded, took a leading role in providing legal and financial assistance to those jailed.

☆ Biden says he's 'not confident' his student-loan forgiveness plan will be upheld by the Supreme Court
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Biden said he's "not confident" the Supreme Court will uphold his student-debt relief plan. The Supreme Court will make a final decision on the student-loan forgiveness by June. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court took on the two conservative-backed lawsuits that temporarily paused Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt at the end of August. If the Supreme Court finds the cases do not have standing, the cases will be dismissed — the court would not even have the authority to rule on the other issues of executive overreach after that point. Even with the conservatives in the majority, it's unclear how exactly the Supreme Court will rule.

☆ Inflation's direction will drive crypto's action in March now that the 2023 rally has faded
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Bitcoin and ether are starting the new trading month on a positive note – following a relatively flat month – each rising less than 1% Wednesday. In the near term, our bet is on the dollar pulling back," he said Wednesday. If we're right and more upside lies ahead in the near term, it's tough to think crypto isn't a major beneficiary." Long-term investors see regulation as a positive development ultimately, but it can put pressure on prices in the near term, Kruger said. Breaking past $25,000 Although bitcoin held up in February, investors are unsure when to expect a rocket ship rally .

☆ Sonia Sotomayor pushes back on conservative SCOTUS justices who questioned the fairness of Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan, saying the US is 'not a society of unlimited resources'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Azmi Haroun | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

SCOTUS Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned efforts to gut the Biden student-loan forgiveness plan Tuesday. Sotomayor was among a few justices pushing back on common GOP arguments on the "fairness" of the program. Sotomayor was joined by justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, and Amy Coney Barrett in scrutinizing the cases' standing to sue. Every law has people who encompass it or people outside it," Sotomayor said, adding that "that's not an issue of fairness. Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the liberal justices in challenging the standing of both of the cases, but it would require the vote of an additional conservative justice to uphold Biden's debt relief plan.

☆ The owner of Insider and Politico says AI is coming for journalists' jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —One of Europe’s biggest media groups has warned journalists that artificial intelligence (AI) could steal their jobs, and has provided tips for how reporters can avoid the chop. “Only those who create the best original content will survive.”AI raceDöpfner’s warnings come three months after Open AI opened up access to ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot. The bot is capable of providing lengthy, thoughtful responses to questions, and can write full essays, responses in job applications and journalistic articles. Its instant popularity has turbocharged a race among tech companies to bring their own AI products to market. Staff in journalistic roles, such as reporters and specialist editors, are not currently the target of cuts, Döpfner said.

☆ Bond yields are close to a major psychological level that could really spook the stock market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield is hovering close to a key level that strategists say could give stock investors a fright. The 10-year Treasury yield broke through resistance in recent sessions and is now a hair below the important 4% level. It's very much an inverse relationship between yields and the stock market," said Katie Stockton, founder of Fairlead Strategies. "That does suggest 4%, which is not a resistance level, but it's certainly a psychological level...It impacts people for nothing more than it's a round number. After the October high, Stockton said the next big level on the 10-year yield chart would be about 5.25%, a resistance level established in 2006.

☆ Biden's student-loan forgiveness plan is in jeopardy. Here are 4 major takeaways from the Supreme Court's oral arguments.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Biden's student-debt relief on Tuesday. The nation's highest court heard more than four hours of oral arguments in two high-profile cases that reviewed Biden's plan to cancel up to $20,000 in debt for federal borrowers, which lower courts temporarily paused in November. "We're talking about half a trillion dollars and 43 million Americans," Chief Justice John Roberts said, referring to the estimated costs of Biden's plan and the number of affected borrowers. Justice Elena Kagan raised a hypothetical national emergency of an earthquake and the education secretary responded by deciding to cancel student loans for those harmed. Still, even if Barrett and the court's three liberals find that the states and borrowers lack standing, they would need another conservative vote to uphold Biden's debt relief.

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