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☆ When Does Life Begin?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Elizabeth Dias | Bethany Mollenkof | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +19 min

“It is not black and white.”America’s fight over abortion has long circled a question, one that is broad and without consensus:When does life begin? The question of when life begins has been so politicized it can be hard to thoughtfully engage. Ancient Egypt gave the power to create new human life almost entirely to men. The scientific revolution, from Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution to reproductive science, disrupted centuries of thought on human life. “When does the responsibility for a life begin and end?”

☆ U.S. appeals court upholds Florida high school's transgender bathroom ban
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Dec 30 (Reuters) - A sharply divided federal appeals court on Friday upheld a Florida high school's policy forbidding transgender students from using bathrooms that accord with their chosen identities. Lawyers for the school board did not immediately respond to requests for comment. All seven judges in the Atlanta-based appeals court majority were appointed by Republican presidents, including six by Donald Trump, while the four dissenting judges were Democratic appointees. Two other federal appeals courts have ruled that transgender students can use bathrooms that accord with their identities. In June 2021, that court let stand one of the earlier appeals court rulings, in a case from Virginia.

☆ Pfizer's hemophilia B gene therapy succeeds in late-stage study
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) said on Thursday its experimental gene therapy for the treatment of hemophilia B, a rare inherited blood disorder, met its main goal in a late-stage study. The drugmaker licensed its hemophilia B gene therapy from Roche's (ROG.S) Spark Therapeutics unit in 2014 for a $20-million upfront payment. Pfizer plans to discuss the late-stage data with regulatory authorities in Europe and the United States and share additional data for the experimental therapy at a scientific conference in early 2023. According to government data, the estimated prevalence of hemophilia in the United States is 12 cases per 100,000 males for hemophilia A and 3.7 cases per 100,000 males for hemophilia B. In November, the U.S. health regulator approved the first gene therapy, CSL Ltd and uniQure's Hemgenix, to treat hemophilia B.Pfizer is also testing other experimental gene therapies in late-stage trials as potential treatments for the bleeding disorder hemophilia A and muscular disorder Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

☆ How analytics and AI can help you build a better customer experience
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Ibm With Insider Studios | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Organizations are fortunate today that technology tools such as advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are available to help them deliver enhanced customer experience. This notion of customer experience is the thing that creates competitive advantage for companies." Letting data be the guideCompanies in various industries could see benefits from investing in analytics to improve customer experience. Similarly, banks can work with IBM Consulting to improve customer experiences and build loyalty by improving the digital experience. Building better customer experiencesCandy says there are several best practices organizations should consider to help develop successful customer experience strategies utilizing data analytics and AI tools.

☆ A Texas superintendent ordered school librarians to remove LGBTQ books. Now the federal government is investigating.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Mike Hixenbaugh | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

The U.S. Education Department’s civil rights enforcement arm has launched an investigation into a North Texas school district whose superintendent was secretly recorded ordering librarians to remove LGBTQ-themed library books. The comments, combined with the district’s subsequent decision to remove dozens of library books pending a review, fostered a “pervasively hostile” environment for LGBTQ students, the ACLU wrote in its complaint. Last year, voters in Granbury elected a pair of school board members who campaigned against LGBTQ-affirming school curricula and library books. “These comments, combined with the book removals, really send a message to LGBTQ students in the districts that: ‘You don’t belong here. Lou Whiting, a student at Granbury High School, becomes emotional after speaking against the removal of LGBTQ books at a Granbury school board meeting in March.

☆ Nobel laureate economist faces sex harassment investigation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The findings in the early 1980s laid the foundations for regulating financial markets, the Nobel panel said. They’re among a group of seven former students Bloomberg reported it had spoken with who allege Dybvig sexually harassed them. The Nobel Peace Prize and Foundation didn’t immediately respond to email messages from the AP. University spokesperson Julie Flory told Bloomberg that the school doesn’t comment on specific cases but takes sexual misconduct seriously and will investigate any allegations. Miltenberg said it is his understanding that the investigation is in the preliminary stages and that the Title IX office wants to speak with Dybvig again.

☆ EU regulator backs gene therapy to treat rare bleeding disorder
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies CSL Ltd FollowUniqure NV FollowDec 16 (Reuters) - The European Union's health regulator on Friday said it had recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for a gene therapy by Australian drugmaker CSL Ltd (CSL.AX) and partner uniQure N.V. , to treat haemophilia B, a rare bleeding disorder which is caused by genetic anomalies. About one in 40,000 people are affected by the inherited disorder, caused by a gene mutation that hampers the body's ability to make clotting protein factor IX. If approved, the treatment, branded Hemgenix, will be the first gene therapy in the European Union for the condition that is usually treated by regular injections of factor IX, the European Medicines Agency said. CSL had acquired exclusive global rights to Hemgenix in May last year from uniQure N.V. Reporting by Amna Karimi in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita BhattacharjeeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Dec 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider how strictly to interpret the landmark Title IX civil rights law's protections for gender equality in college sports in a lawsuit challenging Michigan State University's elimination of its women's swimming and diving team. The high court rejected the university's appeal of a lower-court ruling in favor of former members of the team who say MSU violated Title IX by not providing enough opportunities for women athletes to participate in sports. At issue is how to determine whether a school has met a key benchmark in assessing if it provides equal opportunities to participate under Title IX, the 50-year-old law credited with expanding access to sports for female student-athletes. He said no court had ever held a gap of less than 2% violated the law. In a petition to the Supreme Court, MSU argued the 6th Circuit's approach was "unworkable" and conflicted with how every other federal appeals court that had examined the issued had approached Title IX.

☆ I called out my aunt, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, after she made a homophobic speech in tears. Since surviving conversion therapy, I want people to know they don't have to accept the hateful rhetoric of thos
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Andrew Hartzler spent years in conversion therapy and attended a religious institution. He called out his aunt, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, after she spoke out against the Respect for Marriage Act. During my second year of college, however, my perspective changed when I came across a HuffPost article that revealed my aunt hosted a conversion therapy group at the US Capitol in 2019. Attending a religious university and experiencing conversion therapy led me to a life of advocating for LGBTQ peopleThe first time I went to conversion therapy, I was 14 going on 15. Conversion therapy makes you feel like you're using 50% of your mind to hide a fundamental part of who you are, and you're told to hate that part of yourself.

REUTERS/Violeta Santos MouraCompanies Enagas SA FollowBARCELONA/LISBON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - An underwater pipeline to carry green hydrogen between Barcelona and Marseille will cost around 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion), according to preliminary estimates of the project agreed between Spain, Portugal and France, two sources told Reuters. Spain and Portugal aim to become clean hydrogen hubs and net energy exporters, causing tensions with France which plans to produce its own hydrogen using nuclear energy. The pipeline will only carry hydrogen in order to meet EU funding criteria, though "improvements" could be made in future to allow for some gas, a Spanish government source said. As a result, the industry source said, they have pushed their four grid operators to "speed up technical studies, potential pipeline layouts and cost assessments". "If you already have an overland pipeline why build an undersea pipeline?"

☆ A TikToker who 'consensually' doxxes people says it's easier than you'd think
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Today, I am introducing you to a viral phenomenon that certainly wasn't on my 2022 bingo card: "consensual doxxing." Meet a TikToker who's gone viral for her "consensual doxxing" content. But one TikToker has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers who want her to expose their secrets. Kristen uses her platform to "consensually dox" users and reveal their birthdays using just social media — and has become a data-privacy educator by proxy. Users are often shocked by how easy it is for her to find out their information, Kristen said.

☆ I drove BMW's $96,000 Tesla rival. Take a full tour of the luxurious — and polarizing — iX SUV.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

The iX has caught heat for its divisive, beaver-tooth grille. But chuck all the insults you want at it — it's made of a plastic that heals itself of any nicks and scratches. The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. Tim Levin/Insider

☆ Regulators have approved the world's most expensive medicine that costs $3.5 million per patient
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The FDA approved a treatment costing $3.5 million, making it the world's most expensive medicine. Hemgenix effectively treated several patients with the blood condition Hemophilia B in trials. An independent study said a fair price for the drug would be about $2.9 million. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyUS regulators have approved a hemophilia drug that will cost $3.5 million per patient, making it the world's most expensive medicine. However, the drug will have a list price of $3.5 million per dose, Managed Healthcare Executive reported, making it the world's most expensive medicine by some distance.

Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australian drugmaker CSL Ltd (CSL.AX) on Tuesday set the list price of its one-time gene therapy for hemophilia B at $3.5 million, making it the world's most expensive treatment, following its approval by the U.S. health regulator. The first gene therapy for the rare genetic blood clotting disorder offers a long-term solution for patients as against current treatments from Biogen (BIIB.O), Pfizer (PFE.N) and others that focus on regular infusions. The gene therapy consists of an engineered virus carrying a gene expressed in the liver to produce clotting factor IX. While Zynteglo was priced at $2.8 million, Skysona had a wholesale cost of $3.0 million. CSL shares were up 1% at A$300.62 on the Australian stock exchange, while UniQure stock edged up 0.9% in extended trading.

☆ Chinese carmakers target more European sales with five-star EVs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Nick Carey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

"All Chinese EV makers want to achieve Euro NCAP five-star ratings in order to be more competitive in the European market," said Brian Gu, president of Chinese EV maker Xpeng (9868.HK). Perhaps more importantly for sales, high safety ratings also open up the potentially huge corporate car fleet market for Chinese EV makers. European carmakers are also pursuing five-star ratings for their EVs and hybrids, from BMW's (BMWG.DE) iX to Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) ID.4 and ID.5. But almost half the Chinese cars sold were EVs, according to Inovev, giving them a 5.8% share of Europe's fully-electric vehicle market. Inovev vice-president Jamel Taganza said all Chinese cars sold in Europe would be EVs within a few years, with more lower-cost models on the way.

☆ UNC Charlotte updates policy to allow Sikh students to wear kirpan on campus
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte announced this week that it would allow Sikh students to wear a kirpan on campus, a religious article. The change comes about two months after a video was posted online showing a student who was handcuffed for carrying the ceremonial dagger. The university thanked Sikh leaders, including nonprofit organizations The Sikh Coalition and the Global Sikh Council, who provided expertise and perspective to help with the policy change. A video of the student being handcuffed was posted on the Twitter account @thatsamaan in September, and its user identified himself as the student in question. “I wasn’t going to post this, but I don’t think I will receive any support from @unccharlotte,” he tweeted along with the video.

☆ See the electric Lucid Gravity SUV, a Tesla rival that will have 7 seats and more range than any competitor
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

EV startup Lucid revealed new details about the Gravity, its SUV launching in 2024. The Lucid Gravity. Lucid MotorsThe Gravity will have a spacious interior and options for five, six, or seven seats. The Lucid Gravity. The Lucid Gravity.

Nov 11 (Reuters) - A federal judge in Texas ruled on Friday that President Joe Biden's administration had wrongly interpreted an Obamacare provision as barring health care providers from discriminating against gay and transgender people. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo ruled that a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2020 holding that a law barring workplace discrimination protects gay and transgender employees did not apply to the healthcare law. "Title IX's ordinary public meaning remains intact until changed by Congress, or perhaps the Supreme Court," Kacsmaryk wrote. The Obama administration introduced rules in 2016 that made clear that LGBT people would be protected under the healthcare discrimination provision. In June, the Biden administration proposed a rule to once again enshrine such protections.

Indiana's Republican-controlled legislature passed the law in May, overriding the veto of the state's Republican governor, Eric Holcomb, who had said it was unnecessary. Proponents of the law say that allowing transgender girls to play on girls' teams is unfair because they have a biological advantage. The mother of a 10-year-old transgender girl attending public school in Indianapolis then sued the school district in Indianapolis federal court, seeking to stop it from enforcing the law against her. The Indianapolis school district itself did not oppose the injunction, but the state of Indiana intervened to defend its law. A group of 19 Republican-led states filed their own brief supporting Indiana in September.

☆ In the college sports pay era, female athletes are emerging as big winners
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Kaitlin Balasaygun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

At a time of increased scrutiny about the pay gap between male and female athletes, the Nike deals show that female collegiate and amateur athletes are emerging as winners in the early days of the NIL era. "I think most people knew that women athletes in particular were going to see great opportunities," Rishe said. "That's why it's exciting to see, but not surprising to see a lot of female college athletes solidify various and sometimes lucrative NIL deals." Women's social media presence influences dealsClark ranks as the tenth most profitable college women's basketball player and Jones comes in twelfth, according to On3's "College Women's Basketball NIL Rankings." Female athletes already are doing their part in spreading the message about the future of women in sports and as public figures.

☆ Stanford students call for accountability after second alleged rape reported in two months
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Stanford University officials must do more to prevent sexual violence, support victims and hold perpetrators accountable, sexual violence prevention advocates on campus said this week, in the wake of the second alleged rape reported in as many months at the school. Student activists have also planned a protest for Friday afternoon, sponsored by the group Sexual Violence Free Stanford. The group also sponsored the resolution passed Thursday, along with two executive members of the Associated Students of Stanford University, which represents the student body. "Sexual violence is a very challenging issue that we and all universities have been working aggressively to address," Mostofi said. Thirteen percent of all students experience sexual assault, according to RAINN, which characterizes sexual assault on campuses as "pervasive."

☆ Michigan State University President Resigns Following Title IX Controversy
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Douglas Belkin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The president of Michigan State University resigned his position on Thursday after a tumultuous battle with the school’s board of trustees, making him the school’s third president to depart since 2018 amid accusations of mishandling sexual misconduct allegations. The resignation follows media reports of disagreement among members of the board of trustees over how President Samuel Stanley handled an alleged violation of Title IX, the federal law that bars sex discrimination in programs that receive federal aid.

☆ Why the Ukrainian tech company N-iX refused to quit working as Russia unleashed intense strikes that knocked out power across Lviv: 'The sector is banding together'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Sage Lazzaro | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

N-iX, an IT firm with a big presence in Lviv, described how it'd managed amid the latest attacks. But like many Ukrainian companies, N-iX was prepared with a contingency plan that allowed it to continue servicing clients in the attack's aftermath. "It started in the morning," Deshchynskyy told Insider. Ukrainian tech workers and companies have rallied to help the war effort, including by joining the "IT army" and providing tech services for the military. And just two weeks ago, N-iX was the main partner at the annual IT Arena tech conference, which was held in Lviv.

☆ Polestar unveils a new $84,000 electric SUV it's hoping will help cement its foothold in the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( John Rosevear | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Swedish EV maker Polestar on Wednesday unveiled a new electric SUV that it's counting on to expand its sales and presence in the United States. The new model, called the Polestar 3, is a five-passenger EV that the company describes as a "performance SUV." Priced at about $84,000, the car comes loaded with technology, including an Nvidia computer running advanced driver-assist software developed by Polestar's part owner, Volvo Cars. Another potential rival, BMW's all-electric iX SUV, starts at about $85,000. Polestar is a joint venture between Volvo Cars and Chinese automaker Geely, which has owned Volvo Cars since 2010.

☆ Stanford investigating report of a rape in basement of a university building
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-09 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Stanford University is investigating after a woman reported having been raped in the basement of a campus building Friday, the school announced Saturday, marking the second report of a rape on the elite Northern California campus in as many months. The alert indicates that the woman had made a report not with police but instead with a "mandated reporter," who then notified campus police. The university defines mandatory reporters as certain employees or people affiliated with the university, including contractors and volunteers, who are legally obligated to report specific crimes. Friday's reported assault follows another rape alleged to have occurred in a campus bathroom in August, according to an alert from that time. A spokesperson for the university did not respond to a question about whether the reported assaults Friday and in August might be connected.

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