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☆ Ralphie, the internet-famous French bulldog once called a 'fire-breathing demon,' seems to have finally found his forever home
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Aaron Mcdade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ralphie, who went viral earlier this year for a Facebook post that described him with brutal honesty, has been adopted. Ralphie spent time with the Niagara SPCA this year after two owners decided he was too much to handle. The 26-pound, one-year-old white French bulldog with black spots drew quite a bit of attention earlier this year after a January Facebook post described the temperamental pup as "a whole jerk." "Ralphie is a terror in a somewhat small package," a January Facebook post from the Niagara County SPCA read. However, as someone with experience training dogs, Jason knew helping Ralphie through his triggers and aggression would take time.

Members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church in Pattaya, Thailand, last month. A congregation of Chinese Christians seeking asylum abroad is traveling to the U.S. with plans to resettle permanently, capping a three-year quest for a new home outside China that was impeded by repeated legal setbacks and police detention. The 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, who were detained in Thailand last week for visa violations, have departed the Southeast Asian country for the U.S., a spokeswoman for the United Nations’ refugee agency and a Thai police official told The Wall Street Journal on Friday.

☆ Chinese Christians Detained in Thailand While Seeking U.N. Protection
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Pan Yongguang, pastor of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church, in Thailand last year. A self-exiled congregation of Chinese Christians seeking United Nations protection from religious persecution faces potential deportation from Thailand, where police have detained the group along with two Americans who were assisting them. Thai immigration police rounded up 63 members of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church on Thursday, taking them from their hotel in the coastal city of Pattaya to a police immigration bureau facility, according to the church’s pastor and an American activist who has been supporting the congregation’s efforts to seek asylum.

☆ How a Trump arrest would play out: Yes, he'll be fingerprinted. No, he probably won't be handcuffed.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Laura Italiano | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Trump is likely to be fingerprinted, swabbed for the state DNA database, and photographed for his mugshot. Trump has been indicted in the Manhattan district attorney's five-year investigation into his personal and business finances, Insider reported Thursday, but he'll be treated like any defendant moving forward — with many key exceptions. "That's called 'walking it through,'" explains Diana Florence, a former white-collar crime prosecutor for the Manhattan district attorney's office. That's what typically happens in white-collar indictments, said Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former chief assistant with the Manhattan district attorney's office. But even if Trump does need to surrender in person, Secret Service would likely give the perp walk a hard pass.

☆ Elizabeth Warren wants Biden's Education Department to go beyond broad student-loan forgiveness and crack down on the institutions that cause borrowers' debt loads to spiral
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to the Education Department with recommendations to better protect student-loan borrowers. Biden's Education Department has reformed the borrower defense to repayment, which are claims students can file if they believe they were defrauded by the school they attended. In her letter, Warren urged Cardona to ensure predatory schools cannot receive federal aid. It aimed to prevent students from borrowing federal loans for programs they probably wouldn't be able to pay off. But in 2010, former President Donald Trump repealed the rule, and Biden's Education Department pushed off reinstating it until 2024.

☆ An elite Russian brigade of 5,000 soldiers has been destroyed and reformed as many as 8 times after heavy losses, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The same Russian brigade has been destroyed and reconstituted 8 times since the start of the war. The Russian 155th Naval Infantry Brigade suffered heavy losses in attempts to take Vuhledar. At one point the entire brigade, which consisted of 5,000 troops, was reported to be destroyed near Vuhledar. Dmytrashkivskyi estimated at the time that Russian forces were losing 150-300 marines a day near the coal-mining town. Some of these military bloggers have criticized the Russian military command for ordering ineffective human-wave style frontal assaults in Vuhledar, according to ISW.

☆ Some student-loan companies are 'ignoring' court orders and continuing to collect borrowers' debt after they received relief through bankruptcy, a federal consumer watchdog finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The CFPB found some student-loan companies have continued to collect on debt that was discharged in bankruptcy. It comes after the Education and Justice Departments reformed bankruptcy guidance for borrowers last year. The student loan servicing industry should ensure that their collection practices are compliant with the law." The companies' unlawful misconduct only adds to the difficult process borrowers must face when attempting to get rid of their student debt through bankruptcy. The entire student loan industry should take notice—the days of cheating borrowers out of their legal right to bankruptcy are over."

☆ Here's how a Trump indictment would play out: Yes, he'll be fingerprinted. No, he probably won't be handcuffed.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Here are predictions for how this historic event would roll out, courtesy of some of Manhattan's top defense lawyers, former high-ranking prosecutors, and a retired Secret Service special agent. "They can tell the foreperson come back two weeks from Wednesday, or something," to sign the revised indictment, Florence said. There can always be a leak, of course, somewhere between indictment and arraignment, which is the court proceeding where Trump would plead not guilty. But even if Trump does need to surrender in person, Secret Service would likely give the perp walk a hard pass. "That walk is not going to happen," said Pickle, the former Secret Service special agent.

☆ China to raise retirement age to deal with aging population - media
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, March 14 (Reuters) - China is planning to raise its retirement age gradually and in phases to cope with the country's rapidly aging population, the state-backed Global Times said on Tuesday, citing a senior expert from China's Ministry of Human Resources. Jin Weigang, president of the Chinese Academy of Labor and Social Security Sciences, said China was eyeing a "progressive, flexible and differentiated path to raising the retirement age", meaning that it would be delayed initially by a few months, which would be subsequently increased. "People nearing retirement age will only have to delay retirement for several months," the Global Times said, citing Jin. China has yet to formally announce a change to its retirement age, which is among the lowest in the world at 60 for men, 55 for white-collar women and 50 for women who work in factories. The state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences sees the pension system running out of money by 2035.

☆ Saudi Arabia has announced a new airline to bring in tourists as it tries to attract 100 million visitors to the kingdom by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Saudi Arabia announced a new airline that will connect its capital city to over 100 destinations worldwide. On Sunday, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced Riyadh Air — a new national airline that will connect Saudi Arabia to over 100 destinations across the globe by 2030. But cultural clashes may deter tourists from entering Saudi Arabia's newly opened doors. However, some experts say travelers should look at the bigger picture before blacklisting Saudi Arabia as a leisure destination, and consider the opportunity as a learning experience. "Frankly, it would be hard to name a single destination with a clean record on the environment, animal welfare, and human rights."

☆ Jamaican court convicts gangster in landmark case
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KINGSTON, March 7 (Reuters) - Jamaica's Supreme Court convicted a well-known crime boss on Tuesday in a landmark trial, marking a win for the Caribbean island's recently reformed anti-gang laws. The ruling follows a series of judicial reforms aimed at reining in rampant gang violence. Dozens of other defendants are also on trial alongside Bryan, part of a 25-count indictment made up of charges including arson and murder. Five others have been released due to insufficient evidence since the trial began in 2021, while another suspect was killed. Recent judicial reforms allow judges to convict defendants based on a wider range of offenses, which could increase the length of prison sentences.

[1/2] Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, accompanied by IYI Party leader Meral Aksener and Felicity Party leader Temel Karamollaoglu, talks to media following a meeting of the opposition alliance in Ankara, Turkey March 6, 2023. A cost-of-living crisis amid rampant inflation and years of economic turmoil have eroded Erdogan's support, giving Kilicdaroglu another advantage. Recent polling showed Erdogan's support had edged up since last summer thanks to measures including a raise in the minimum wage. The following year, he was elected unopposed as CHP leader after his predecessor's resignation in the wake of scandal. His election fuelled party hopes of a new start, but support for CHP has since failed to surpass about 25%.

☆ Gulf states have given billions in aid to Egypt. Now they want to see returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

He was referring to the tens of billions of dollars in bailouts his country has received from the wealthy Gulf monarchies over the past decade. Many of those assets have long been under the control of Egypt’s military, an economic behemoth and the backbone of Sisi’s power. This time, however, Gulf Arab allies – especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – want to see returns. Last year alone, Gulf states pledged $22 billion to Egypt as it faced an economic crisis caused partly by the fallout from the Ukraine war, Reuters reported. Analysts say that Egypt was pushed by Gulf states to accept the IMF’s conditions, especially those on privatization.

Circuit Court of Appeals relied on another law, called Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, that protects internet companies from liability for content posted by their users. This case marks the first time the Supreme Court will examine the scope of Section 230. Many websites and social media companies use similar technology to give users relevant content such as job listings, search engine results, songs and movies. Legal experts note that companies could employ other legal defenses if Section 230 protections are eroded. Many conservatives have said voices on the right are censored by social media companies under the guise of content moderation.

Celsa España, part of the Celsa Group, is an industrial steel group founded in 1967 by the Rubiralta family. In June, Spain's government authorised 550 million euros in state aid to Celsa, approved by the European Commission. Click herefor an ANALYSIS on Spain's new lawDebtors can benefit from a three-month period to negotiate a restructuring plan with creditors that may be extended. Court approval would allow a restructuring plan to be extended within and between different creditor classes. As the creditor classes are approved, the next step will be to present a final restructuring plan showing Celsa's capital structure post restructuring.

☆ U.S. lawmakers focus on aviation safety after 2 near-miss crashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress needs to address serious concerns about the country's aviation system after recent incidents including two near miss crashes and the failure of a key pilot computing system, lawmakers said on Tuesday. "Right now the alarm bells should be going off across the aviation industry -- our system is stretched and stressed," Representative Garret Graves, the Republican chair of a subcommittee on aviation, said at a hearing. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure committee chair Sam Graves, a Republican, said the incidents showed the aviation system is in need of "urgent attention." David Boulter, the Federal Aviation Administration's acting head of aviation safety, said the two recent events were serious. The FAA has hired 200 new aviation safety employees in the last year and about 200 the year before, Boulter said.

☆ Taylor Swift's mega-producer Jack Antonoff breaks down 3 problems with the economics of touring: 'Don't turn a live show into a free market'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ticketmaster and Live Nation have faced scorn after ticketing chaos for Taylor Swift's Eras tour. Frequent Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff, who took home producer of the year for the second year running, shared some thoughts on the economics of touring and Live Nation. When asked by Variety Magazine for a comment on Live Nation, and their impact on the industry and touring, Antonoff said that the "whole thing is incredibly tough." Representatives for Antonoff and Live Nation Entertainment did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. Swift's legion of fans have prompted renewed scrutiny of Live Nation and its 2010 merger with Ticketmaster.

☆ New York police abused demonstrators at George Floyd protest, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

More than 600, or 43%, of misconduct allegations were closed after officers could not be identified, raising a big obstacle in the board's review, the report said. The New York Police Department (NYPD) objected to many of the report's findings, saying less than 15% of all allegations were substantiated. Hundreds of officers were injured and the department had already implemented many of the 17 policy changes recommended by the board, NYPD said. Of the 146 officers cited by the report, 89 of them should face internal charges, which can result in termination. The board recommended discipline, which can include the loss of vacation days, for the other 57 officers.

[1/6] People wait before Pope Francis arrives for a meeting with priests, deacons, consecrated persons and seminarians at the Cathedral of Saint Therese during his apostolic journey, in Juba, South Sudan, February 4, 2023. REUTERS/Yara NardiJUBA, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Church of Scotland Moderator will meet people displaced by war in South Sudan and hear their stories on Saturday in one of the high points of their visit to the struggling African nation. South Sudan, the world's newest country, broke away from Sudan in 2011 but plunged into civil war in 2013 with ethnic groups turning on each other. There are 2.2 million internally displaced people in South Sudan, out of a total population of about 11.6 million, and another 2.3 million have fled the country as refugees, according to the United Nations. In his own speech, Kiir said his government was firmly committed to consolidating peace in South Sudan.

☆ Activists urge Thailand's opposition to scrap royal insult law if elected
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Thailand has some of the world's strictest lese majeste laws, with punishments of up to 15 years in prison for each perceived royal insult. Eight activists met on Tuesday with the Pheu Thai party and said scrapping Article 112 must be a priority. "If the Pheu Thai Party want to win by a landslide, they need to revoke 112," activist Somyot Prueksakasemsuk said ahead of the meeting. No political party has ever called for it to be revoked, though several support debate on its enforcement or reducing punishments. After the meeting, Natiporn Sanesangkhom, one of the activists, said Pheu Thai gave no firm answer on abolishing article 112.

☆ Abuses Proliferate in Police Squads Like Memphis's Scorpion Unit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Katherine Long | Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +27 min

Street Crime Unit. Jon Naso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty ImagesMemphis police chief Davis also has prior experience with special street crime units. Street crime squads are popular among politicians who say only aggressive policing will reduce violent crime. In the late 1990s, the Street Crime Unit tripled in size, amid a panic over a rising number of homicides. In a city grappling with violent crime, authorities touted the Street Crime Unit as a bright spot.

☆ Billions of political text messages were sent last year — and there’s little to stop more from coming
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Alex Ford | Alex Ford Is An Interactive Journalist At Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

More than 15 billion political texts were sent in 2022 according to call-blocking service Robokiller — about 50 messages for every phone in the country. Political texts spiked last fall during the run-up to November’s midterm election. Republican campaigns and groups sent the bulk of political texts sent in 2022, Robokiller’s data shows. Even if they don’t recall consenting to political texts, voters have limited options for revoking it. Political texts are not subject to the federal Do Not Call registry, which allows consumers to opt out of telemarketing calls and text messages.

☆ Ukraine's 'iron general' inherited $1 million from a US software developer and donated it straight to the military
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Zaluzhnyi donated the full amount to Ukraine's military earlier this month, the reports said. Stepanets was born in the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia in 1938, according to the Ukrainian Pravda. He made his fortune after inventing a decoding system and selling it to Microsoft, the Ukrainian Pravda reported. A former soldier himself, Zaluzhnyi reformed Ukraine's military from a Soviet model into a modern fighting force. "His leadership enabled the Ukrainian armed forces to adapt quickly with battlefield initiative against the Russians."

☆ Taylor Swift ticket sales debacle manages to unite bitter rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Some people may even find a kind of beauty in the way the system was designed to keep special interests in check. “To have a strong capitalist system, you have to have competition,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar, who called the hearing. “You can’t have too much consolidation — something that, unfortunately for this country, as an ode to Taylor Swift, I will say, we know all too well.”(Nice one, Ames.) ICYMI, tickets for Swift’s Eras Tour, which begins in March, went up for pre-sale on Ticketmaster in mid-November. But the bigger question of whether Live Nation is a monopoly is up to the Department of Justice.

☆ This 'serial ghoster' says she cut off contact with a potential employer after checking out the CEO on social media
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

One-fifth of workers polled by ZipRecruiter said they ghosted an employer in their latest job hunt. In an October survey by ZipRecruiter, 21.6% of respondents said they'd "ghosted" a prospective employer during their latest job hunt. Before accepting a job, Gray always checks out company reviews on sites like Glassdoor and examines the social-media profiles of the senior-leadership team. Gray once ghosted a prospective employer after an initial interview. She told Insider she's trying to become a "reformed ghoster" and make a conscious effort to offer specific feedback if she felt a prospective employer wasn't the right fit.

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