DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Ex-Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan won't challenge Trump in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

He was Maryland's second Republican governor ever to be reelected. Some Republicans had hoped that Hogan, emerging as the new best hope of a small group of "Never Trump Republicans," would challenge Trump in 2020. In his first year as governor, Hogan went right to work on pocketbook issues. Hogan has long been upfront about his distaste for Trump as president. "I did not go out of my way to criticize the president," Hogan said.

☆ Florida courts could take 'emergency' custody of kids with trans parents or siblings — even if they live in another state
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Florida Senate Bill 254 would grant courts emergency custody of kids who receive gender-affirming care. The bill, introduced Friday, would also allow the courts to modify out-of-state custody agreements. The bill would grant officials authority under the law that protects kids from domestic violence. "The court must vacate, stay, or modify the child custody determination to the extent necessary to protect the child from the provision of such prescriptions or procedures." "The bill goes even further to violate interstate comity by authorizing the courts to vacate child custody determinations of other courts only if the child is trans.

Circuit Court of Appeals said an advocacy group, FlyersRights.org, had no right to force the FAA to adopt seating rules because it was not "clear and indisputable" that tight seating, while uncomfortable, was also dangerous. Congress had in 2018 given the FAA one year to establish minimum seating dimensions including pitch, the distance between seatbacks, that were "necessary" for passenger safety. "To be sure, many airline seats are uncomfortably small. "But it is not 'clear and indisputable' that airline seats have become dangerously small. Circuit Court of Appeals, No.

☆ School Vouchers Gain Momentum as States Look at Learning Options
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Ben Chapman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Kim Reynolds signed into law the Students First Act, which makes state education funding available for K-12 students who choose to attend private schools. More states are considering school vouchers after the creation last year of the country’s largest voucher program in Arizona, setting up new battles nationwide with educators who say vouchers drain money from public schools. States are proposing new voucher programs this year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced many families to reconsider schooling choices for their children.

☆ Schools Speed Up Covid-Aid Spending After a Slow Start
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Ben Chapman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Schools districts are spending the $122 billion in federal Covid-relief funds nearly twice as fast as they used to, and despite a slow start most are now on track to use the funds before they expire next year, according to the Education Department. Districts have spent about 27% of the education funding that was part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan disbursed in 2021, an increase from May when federal data showed 7% of the money was spent.

☆ Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Gives Democrats Full Control Over State’s Government
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Scott Calvert | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore will preside over a new Democratic trifecta—control of the state’s House of Delegates, Senate and governor’s office. BALTIMORE— Wes Moore , the new governor of Maryland, said he wants to fast-track a minimum-wage increase, replenish the ranks of short-handed state agencies and boost education funding in the heavily Democratic state, which for the past eight years was led by a highly popular Republican. Mr. Moore, a 44-year-old Democrat, has been a Rhodes scholar, an Army officer deployed to Afghanistan, a Wall Street banker, a bestselling author and the chief executive of an antipoverty foundation. Mr. Hogan left office with a 77% approval rating and the backing of 81% of Democratic voters, which Maryland pollster Patrick Gonzales, a Democrat, attributed at least in part to Mr. Hogan’s relatively moderate political profile and personal connection with voters.

☆ Purdue’s 1st Asian American president takes office weeks after school official mocks Asian languages onstage
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Chiang’s tenure comes shortly after Thomas L. Keon, chancellor of PNW mocked Asian languages during a winter commencement. A post published by nonprofit Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, written by writer Emil Guillermo, said that action from Chiang could send a strong message. The first Asian American president fires the racist chancellor who told a bad Asian joke.”Keon did not respond to a request for comment. “The Board has therefore issued a formal reprimand to Dr. Keon.”Thomas L. Keon, chancellor of Purdue University Northwest in Indiana. Instead, he said, it’s reflective of larger problems that Asian and Asian American students often faced.

☆ How Hasidic Schools Reaped a Windfall of Special Education Funding
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Brian M. Rosenthal | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

About 80 percent of requests for special education teacher support services last year came from the predominantly Hasidic and Orthodox districts, records show. But in Hasidic areas, more than a dozen parents told The Times that religious schools were driving the surge, including by paying for the lawyers who represent parents at hearings. Most parents spoke on condition of anonymity because openly criticizing Hasidic leaders can lead to being shunned by family and friends. Five hearing officers told The Times that in proceedings involving Hasidic children, some parents have not seemed to know what they were requesting, or why. “Please can you have her medical doctor write a prescription stating diagnosis of F84.0,” the email said.

Organizations: Times, Chabad Girls Academy, The Times Locations: Crown Heights

☆ Asian Americans heavily favored Warnock in Georgia runoff, exit poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Asian American voters in Georgia showed strong Democratic lean in the recent Senate runoff election, according to one exit poll. “I think there is a risk of losing folks if they take voters for granted.”For the exit poll, the organization surveyed 337 Asian American voters across DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties at five key, high-Asian American precincts. Nguyen emphasized that political opinions across the electorate are far from monolithic, pointing to the poll’s breakdown of Asian American voters by age. Polling occurred in areas with a higher-density Asian American voters, which tend to skew Democrat. Nguyen similarly noted that in the Atlanta area, voters heavily favored Warnock.

The answer is simple, according to more than a dozen Washington insiders, FTX employees, and crypto industry observers who spoke with Insider. I don't think anyone believed that he was going to fund candidates who were, quote unquote, committed to ending pandemics who were also hostile to the crypto industry." Alex Wong/Getty ImagesRebuffed by the SEC, Bankman-Fried turned his attention to Congress. "It's not that he was welcoming regulation," says the senior figure in the crypto industry who attended meetings with Bankman-Fried. But while Bankman-Fried was busy wooing Washington, FTX was about to become Exhibit A in the case for more effective oversight of the crypto industry.

☆ Biden's step toward allowing student loan discharge in bankruptcy is 'a step in the right direction,' director of new student loan documentary says, but 'the devil is always in the details'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"Loan Wolves," a documentary about the law surrounding bankruptcy and student loans, premiers Dec. 11 on MSNBC. Currently, two words inserted into a '90s law make it nearly impossible for borrowers to declare bankruptcy over student loan debt. The conversation surrounding the "undue hardship" clause and student loan discharge through bankruptcy has evolved in recent years, as the Biden administration has progressed on promises to discharge some student debt and address the growing debt crisis. Cancelation of student debt? Schumer has been pushing Biden to cancel student loan debt.

☆ Parents beware: Dangerous, recalled toys are still on sale
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The 37th annual “Trouble in Toyland” toy safety report by Washington-based US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) warned parents to be especially mindful of this hidden danger. PIRG said that in October it was able to buy more than 30 recalled toys from several US-based online sellers, noting that it is illegal for retailers and online marketplaces to sell toys that have been recalled. “None of the other sellers flagged, stopped or sent a warning about any of our other purchases of recalled toys,” the report said. Consumer watchdog group US PIRG warns that dangerous recalled toys are still available for purchase online. The recall covered a variety of the plush duck characters, including Accident Duck, Business Duck, Fishing Duck, Police Duck, PGA Duck, One Day Pay Duck, Heisman Duck and Lifeguard Duck.

☆ Texas GOP looks to restrict transgender health care and drag shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Texas Republicans introduced several bills this week that target the transgender community, including at least two measures seeking to criminalize gender-affirming care for minors and one bill looking to prevent children from attending drag performances. For minors, this type of care typically includes puberty blockers, which are recommended to trans youths before the onset of puberty, or hormone therapy for teenagers. The Texas bills come on the heels of a previous attempt this year by the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, to deem transition-related care for minors as child abuse under state law. Greg Abbott, the state’s Republican governor, subsequently called on citizens to report parents of transgender minors to the state if they suspect these minors are receiving gender-affirming care. The state’s current definition of “sexually oriented businesses” includes any venue where two or more people perform nude and alcohol is served.

☆ Asian Americans favored Democratic candidates in midterms, exit polls say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Kimmy Yam | Kimmy Yam Is A Reporter For Nbc Asian America. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

She’s among the many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who showed up at the ballot box on Tuesday. Surveys show that Asian Americans favored Democrats during the midterm elections, according to election night exit polls. According to that poll, 64% of Asian Americans voted Democrat in House races, while 32% voted Republican. Roughly three-quarters of Asian American voters in Pennsylvania, for example, favored Democratic candidates for governor, Senate and House. Roughly two-thirds of Asian Americans also favored the Democratic candidate in the House and Senate races.

This week, the final week of polling before the Nov. 8 election, shows Latinos backing Democratic candidates for Congress nationally. NALEO projects about 11.6 million Latinos will vote on Nov. 8 — about the same as in 2018. "I don't know if (concern about abortion) is going to be strong enough to overcome how important economic issues are to Latino voters," Vargas said. In that race, the Republican incumbent, Maria Salazar, is in a contentious race with Democratic challenger and state Sen. Annette Taddeo. On abortion, Democratic candidates are hammering Republicans on the rise in bans and restrictions following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in June.

Kathy O’Neil, 68, told NBC News at a campaign stop in Erie that she felt Shapiro has "done so much for us." His support from law enforcement, including the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association and Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police — two groups that have endorsed Oz in the Senate race — stood out to her, too. (Mastriano, 58, has said Shapiro has a “grudge” against the church, while some Catholic organizations believe Shapiro went too far). To take on Shapiro, Mastriano has struggled greatly to raise money and draw financial support from outside Republican groups to boost his campaign. During a campaign stop in Clarion, Shapiro pledged to advocate for "forgotten" parts of the state.

☆ Chase Pay Yourself Back gets you up to 50% more value when you redeem points for Airbnb, dining, phone, internet, and more — here's how it works
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Holly Johnson | Jasmin Baron | Freelance Writer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

You'll get 50% more value with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and 25% more with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. Here's what to know about Pay Yourself Back to help you decide if you want to redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards® points this way. Let's say for a moment that you have 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points in your Chase Sapphire Reserve® account. You'll also earn 10x points on Lyft rides with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and 5x points on Lyft rides with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card through March 2025. Pair Chase cards for even more valueIf you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you should also consider applying for another Chase card that could help you maximize this benefit.

The family of a retired U.S. Marine believe he is on life support in a separatist-controlled hospital in Ukraine after he went to fight back the Russian invasion alongside the Ukrainian military. Grady Kurpasi, 50, traveled to Ukraine shortly after the war began in February to help with evacuations and train Ukrainian soldiers. Courtesy Don TurnerA State Department spokesperson said the agency was “aware of unconfirmed reports regarding a missing U.S. citizen in Ukraine. The center has brought up the retired Marine in recent discussions with the Russian government, a spokesperson confirmed. A retired Marine Corps officer, Kurpasi was adopted by an American couple from South Korea as a young child.

☆ Here's how to avoid buying a flood-damaged car following Hurricane Ian
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sean Rayford | Getty ImagesIf you're planning to shop for a used car in the next few months, be sure to check for flood damage before signing on the dotted line. Flooded cars are 'rotting from the inside out'Floodwaters can destroy — sometimes slowly — electronics, lubricants and mechanical systems in vehicles. Not all titles will reflect flood damageThat's because not all flooded cars are recorded as such unless an insurance company is involved. Reselling them to consumers can get on the right side of the law if the title discloses the flood damage. So, with no insurance company involvement there may not be any official record of the flood damage.

“Thank you Bad Bunny, thank you for being who you are, thank you for representing us and having us in your heart and soul,” she wrote in a Facebook post. It’s excellent that Bad Bunny is raising his voice for Puerto Rico. He said Bad Bunny's video is a “clear description” of the reality that Puerto Ricans live day by day. The theme of displacement also connects to the last sentences in Bad Bunny's song, which are sung by Bad Bunny’s girlfriend, Gabriela Berlingeri. “We are proud and grateful to Bad Bunny,” Cruz said, “for giving a voice to the people of Puerto Rico during Hurricane Fiona.”Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

☆ How a rusted '60s Beetle is restored and customized
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Melissa Estrada | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Cate Culp: So today, we're going to be looking at Paisley, it's a 1960 Euro beetle and this car was built for our charity beetle promotion. Cate: Once it comes back from blast, we make a sort of a full list of the amount of metal work that needs to be done so any replacement panels that we need to purchase to go into metal work. So there was a bit of a bit of a process trying to work out how to engineer that. I think I bring a lot of that into the design work of the cars that we build. But at the end of the day, they're still a beetle, and they still have that same energy.

☆ Chase Pay Yourself Back gets you up to 50% more value when you redeem points for Airbnb, dining, phone, internet, and more — and some categories have just been extended
▼ + stars: | 2022-06-28 | by ( Holly Johnson | Jasmin Baron | Freelance Writer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

You'll get 50% more value with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and 25% more with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. These include dining, Airbnb, and the annual membership fee on the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (50% bonus), Airbnb on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (25% bonus), and internet, cable, and phone services on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (25% bonus). Let's say for a moment that you have 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points in your Chase Sapphire Reserve® account. You'll also earn 10x points on Lyft rides with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and 5x points on Lyft rides with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card through March 2025. Pair Chase cards for even more valueIf you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you should also consider applying for another Chase card that could help you maximize this benefit.

Search resuls for: "Education Fund"

22 mentions found