DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Democratic U.S. Rep. Cicilline to resign, head Rhode Island foundation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In a surprise announcement, Cicilline, a former Providence mayor, said he will become president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, a major funder of nonprofit organizations in the state. "The chance to lead the Rhode Island Foundation was unexpected, but it is an extraordinary opportunity to have an even more direct and meaningful impact on the lives of residents of our state," Cicilline said in a statement. There are 212 Democrats, including Cicilline, and one vacancy that is expected to add another Democrat following voting in a special election on Tuesday. Officials in the Rhode Island governor's office were not immediately available for comment on when that special election might be set. Rhode Island's two U.S. Senate seats and two House seats are currently held by Democrats in this "blue" state.

☆ These 26 words ‘created the internet.’ Now the Supreme Court may be coming for them
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

This week, the Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on two pivotal cases dealing with online speech and content moderation. A set of rulings against the tech industry could significantly narrow Section 230 and its legal protections for websites and social media companies. If that happens, the Court’s decisions could expose online platforms to an array of new lawsuits over how they present content to users. Such a result would represent the most consequential limitations ever placed on a legal shield that predates today’s biggest social media platforms and has allowed them to nip many content-related lawsuits in the bud. “The massive social media industry has grown up largely shielded from the courts and the normal development of a body of law.

☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop 'war' on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Argentina found the virus in wild birds, while dead swans in Uruguay tested positive. The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said.

☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop "war" on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said. Berkowitz said he is bracing for March and April when migration season will pose an even greater risk to poultry.

☆ IRS says many 2022 special state payments are not subject to federal tax
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The Internal Revenue Service has good news for millions of taxpayers in 17 states who received a one-time special state payment last year to offset inflation and other negative economic impacts: Those payments won’t be subject to federal income tax. Prior to the conclusion of its review of state special payments, the agency had suggested recipients hold off on filing their 2022 returns until it made its determination. The IRS decision regarding the federal taxability of special state payments for residents of other states is a little more nuanced. On your 2021 federal tax return, you either claimed the standard deduction, or you itemized. So the amounts that potentially are subject to federal income tax may not be large.

☆ Do you owe federal taxes on relief checks? Not if you live in these 16 states
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

You probably don't need to pay federal taxes if you received state-issued inflation or tax surplus rebates this year, the Internal Revenue Service has concluded. On Friday, the IRS provided guidance that confirms most filers won't have to pay federal taxes, although there are some exceptions. For five other states it's a bit more nuanced — but again, the majority of filers in these states likely won't need to pay federal taxes on their rebates. In Alaska, tax filers won't pay federal taxes on 2022's extra energy-relief payment. If a filer's SALT deduction is larger than it would normally be because of a state's rebate, federal taxes would have to be paid on the difference created by the state's rebate.

☆ Here’s when you should expect to receive your tax refund in 2023, according to the IRS
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Jasmin Suknanan | Elizabeth Gravier | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

While we have yet to see how the average refund size Americans receive in 2023 will compare to last year's refunds, here's what you need to know about how long you might have to wait for your refund check. Jan. 23, 2023 marked the beginning of tax season as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began accepting and processing 2022 tax returns. Last year, Americans received an average refund of $3,253 for their 2021 tax returns, NBC News reported. This year, though, the IRS is urging caution to any taxpayer who received from their state last year any special inflation-related tax relief or payments. You also have the option to receive live assistance or have a tax professional file your taxes on your behalf, which can decrease the likelihood of a mistake delaying your refund.

☆ Tesla owners reveal the best and worst features of their cars, and what they really think of Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Insider spoke with more than a dozen Tesla owners to learn what they like most and least about their cars. We talked to more than a dozen Tesla owners to find out what they like most about their cars — and what they think needs improvement. Since electric cars don't experience the same acceleration lag as gas vehicles, Teslas jolt forward the instant you put your foot down. Con: Stiff rideSome Model 3 and Y owners told Insider their cars are too stiff and jittery over bumpy pavement. Tim Levin/InsiderOver and over, Tesla owners praised the company's extensive network of fast chargers, which is exclusive to Tesla owners in the US.

☆ IRS: Residents of more than a dozen states do not need to report 'special payments' for welfare, disaster relief on their federal return
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The IRS on Friday issued federal tax guidance for millions of Americans who received state rebates or payments in 2022. The announcement came about a week after the agency had urged those taxpayers to hold off on filing while it determined if the funds are taxable on federal returns. "The IRS has determined that in the interest of sound tax administration and other factors, taxpayers in many states will not need to report these payments on their 2022 tax returns," the agency said in a statement. The agency said taxpayers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island won't need to report these payments on their federal tax returns. Taxpayers in Georgia, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Virginia may also skip federal tax reporting for some payments.

☆ 22 attorneys general say pulling abortion pill from U.S. would have 'devastating consequences'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The attorneys general from 21 states and Washington, D.C., on Friday argued that the attempt to pull the abortion pill from the U.S. market would have "devastating consequences" for women. "This would have devastating consequences," the attorneys general told Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who is presiding over the case in the U.S. District Court in Northern Texas. He ordered one of the abortion pill makers, Danco Laboratories, to lay out its opposition to the lawsuit. New York led the coalition of state attorneys general and Washington, D.C., in arguing to keep mifepristone on the market. GenBioPro, the other abortion pill manufacturer, is suing to overturn West Virginia's ban.

☆ 7 House Democrats are moving to boot Republican George Santos from Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California is leading a small group of fellow House Democrats in pushing for the chamber to expel Republican Rep. George Santos from Congress amid a litany of scandals. The long-shot effort underlines the degree to which some of Santos' colleagues have a visceral disdain for his continuing presence in Congress. Nonetheless, Speaker Kevin McCarthy has remained behind the New York Republican. Alluding to ongoing investigations into Santos' actions, Garcia also said that Santos has "committed financial and campaign fraud. A small group of House Republicans, including some of Santos' New York colleagues, have called on him to resign.

☆ Why the IRS says to hold off filing your tax return if you received a relief check in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The agency is clarifying whether these special state tax rebates should be taxed federally, an IRS spokesperson tells CNBC Make It. The IRS recommends that tax filers who qualified for relief checks wait until "additional guidance is available or consult with a reputable tax professional." The IRS also recommended that those who have already filed a 2022 tax return not file an amendment. Each state relief program is run differently, too, which adds to the confusion. However, the site also says that the "department cannot comment on any federal tax consequences of the rebates and relief payments."

☆ IRS suggests waiting to file your taxes if you got a special payment from your state in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Millions of taxpayers in other states got different types of special payments from their state governments as well — such as income or property tax rebates. In the meantime, the agency advises filers who received special state payments to hold off on filing their returns until guidance is issued. “The best course of action is to wait for additional clarification on state payments rather than calling the IRS,” the agency said. Keep in mind, each state issued special payments for different reasons (e.g., inflation relief, surplus revenue rebates, disaster relief, etc.). So the amounts that potentially are subject to federal income tax may not be large,

☆ Revelers celebrate Carnival in Venice
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Dave Lucas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Wind-chill warnings were posted this weekend for most of New York state and all six New England states - Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine - a region home to some 16 million people.

☆ Earthquake piles misery on war-ravaged Syrians
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Jeremy Schultz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Rise in Homelessness Hits Several New England States
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Jon Kamp | Photography Philip Keith For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Inside a cavernous armory building in Rhode Island’s capital city, up to 185 people have recently gathered each night to get out of the cold. The federal- and state-funded site in Providence was slated to handle up to 66 people when it opened in mid-December to provide warmth for unhoused people. It has consistently seen much higher numbers, said Eileen Hayes , chief executive at Amos House, the nonprofit running the site. “More and more of our folks are falling behind and falling through the cracks,” she said.

☆ At least 24 dead in Chile as wildfires expand; foreign help on the way
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Fabian Cambero | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

International help was set to arrive on Sunday from a handful of countries that have pledged resources, including planes and expert firefighting teams, as the most intense wildfires torched forests and farmland clustered around three regions near the middle of the South American country's long Pacific coastline. The government of President Gabriel Boric has issued emergency declarations for the largely rural southern regions of Biobio, Nuble and Araucania in an effort to speed relief. The fires have consumed some 270,000 hectares, officials said on Sunday, or an area roughly the size of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Some 260 fires are active across the parched region, interior ministry officials said on Sunday, with 28 of them considered especially dangerous. Chilean officials have sought international assistance to battle the fires, with new ones sparking to life each day.

☆ New Hampshire Governor Sununu 'definitely thinking' about White House run
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Kanishka Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu speaks at the "Curbing the Opioid Epidemic" session at the National Governors Association summer meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, U.S., July 13, 2017. Sununu, who has served as governor of the small New England state since 2017, underscored the need for new leadership. His father John Sununu, himself a former New Hampshire governor, served as White House chief of staff under Republican President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1991. Describing his political philosophy, Chris Sununu told ABC: "I'm kind of that 'live free or die' individual liberty. And we've done it really, really well here in New Hampshire."

☆ Brutal cold seizes northeast U.S., shattering record lows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The air temperature at the peak reached minus 47 degrees F (-44 C), with winds gusting near 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour), according to the Mount Washington Observatory. In Providence, Rhode Island, the mercury dropped to minus 9 degrees F (-23 C), well below the previous all-time low of minus 2 degrees F (-19 C), set in 1918. Several cities took emergency measures to aid residents, including opening warming centers and conducting outreach to ensure homeless people were sheltered from the brutal cold. The frigid weather was expected to be short-lived, with temperatures forecast to be significantly higher on Sunday. The high temperature in Boston on Sunday will approach 47 degrees F (8.3 C), the NWS said.

☆ Covid Emergency Orders Live On in Some States, as Biden Winds Down Federal Declarations
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Elizabeth Findell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Governors in eight states have retained emergency powers related to the Covid-19 pandemic, three years after the emergence of the virus. California, Texas, Rhode Island, Delaware, Illinois and New Mexico still have governor-issued Covid emergency or disaster orders in place, which they have continued to renew over the past three years. Colorado has an active executive order focused on pandemic recovery and Georgia has a supply-chain-disruption emergency order focused on easing trucking restrictions.

☆ The first hour of a GOP-led House committee's meeting was a food fight over saying the Pledge of Allegiance
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Republicans and Democrats fell into a heated debate over reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. "I would oppose it simply on the grounds that, as members know, we pledge allegiance everyday on the floor," said Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, the highest-ranking Democrat on the panel. "And I don't know why we should pledge allegiance twice in the same day to show how patriotic we are." Gaetz shot back, claiming that Cicilline's proposal would disqualify several Democrats from saying the Pledge of Allegiance since they had objected to results in previous elections. The back-and-forth dragged on, prompting a seemingly exasperated GOP Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, who supported Gaetz's amendment, to acknowledge at one point: "Come on.

Jan 30 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Monday shot down Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ.N) attempt to offload tens of thousands of lawsuits over its talc products into bankruptcy court. The appeals court ruling revives those lawsuits. Monday's decision by the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia dismissed the bankruptcy filed by the J&J subsidiary in 2021. The appeals court decision could force companies considering the strategy to more carefully consider its risks, two legal experts said. The Texas two-step has garnered criticism from Democratic lawmakers in Washington, and inspired proposed legislation that would severely restrict the practice.

Organizations: & $

☆ 20 states that are better than Florida for retirees
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

But Rhode Island, Delaware, and Ohio may also be great states for retirees. That's according to Insider's analysis of various datasets to find the best states for retirees to live in. Based on our methodology, 20 states ranked above Florida. According to our analysis and methodology, there were 20 states that ranked above Florida. The following are 20 states that may be great for retirees.

☆ As egg prices climb, advocacy groups and politicians call on FTC to investigate possible price gouging scheme: 'Somebody needs to pay attention'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Advocacy group Farm Action and others have asked the FTC to investigate price gouging, pointing to record profits. Egg companies and some experts say a new strain of avian flu, packaging, and transport costs justify the price. While egg companies claim an outbreak of avian flu, combined with inflated transportation and packaging costs, justify record-high prices, others are calling foul. "Somebody needs to pay attention, and we didn't really see anyone asking why," Joe Van Wye, Farm Action's director of policy and outreach, told Insider. The FTC declined to comment on the letters, and Cal-Maine Foods and Sen. Reed did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ Hasbro warns of weak holiday quarter results, cuts 15% of its workforce
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Hasbro said Thursday it would eliminate around 1,000 employee positions and warned of weak holiday-quarter results. The layoff of around 15% of its global workforce comes as the company seeks to save between $250 million and $300 million annually by the end of 2025. Hasbro said it expects fourth-quarter revenue, which includes the holiday season, to reach $1.68 billion, down 17% compared to the same period last year. Estimates called for Hasbro to reach $1.92 billion during the quarter, according to data from Refinitiv. For the full year, the company foresees revenue hitting $5.86 billion, down 9% compared to 2021.

Search resuls for: "Rhode"

25 mentions found