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☆ Southern Baptist Leaders Quietly Seek Shield From Abuse Suits
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Ruth Graham | More About Ruth Graham | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For six months, almost no one took notice of the brief filed quietly by Southern Baptists in a case winding its way to the Kentucky Supreme Court. The woman later sued several parties, including the Louisville Police Department, saying they knew about the abuse and had a duty to report it. None of it appeared to have anything to do with the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. The brief, reported by The Louisville Courier-Journal in October, landed like a bombshell in Southern Baptist circles. The brief, abuse survivors and those critical of the church say, offers the first clear look at the church’s true position on whether its leaders can be held accountable for abuse.

Persons: “, ” Organizations: Southern Baptists, Kentucky Supreme, Louisville Police Department, Southern Baptist Convention, The Louisville Courier, Southern Baptist Locations: Kentucky, Southern

☆ The nonstop sparring match between Justice Samuel Alito and Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

CNN —Justice Samuel Alito is the tip of the spear for conservatives challenging the Biden administration during oral arguments at the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar is the Biden administration’s top lawyer at the court, defending the policies that are the source of much of Alito’s consternation. “I think our best example historically is the Customs Service,” Prelogar responded. The Biden administration was backing admissions practices that considered students’ race as a factor in admissions to achieve campus diversity. “No, Justice Alito,” Prelogar said.

Persons: Samuel Alito, Biden, He’s, Elizabeth Prelogar, Alito, Prelogar, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, Bush, George W, Sandra Day O’Connor, ” Prelogar, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Robert Mueller, Joe Biden, –, ” Alito, “, ”, John Roberts, Roberts, I’m, It’s, ” Alito interjected, ’ Jeffrey Wall, Trump, …, Wall, We’re, Justice Alito, Juliet, Friar Laurence, Brett Kavanaugh, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Friar, Taylor Swift, Friar Lawrence, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, Supreme, Princeton, Yale Law School, Department of Justice, Emory University, Harvard Law School, Miss, ahs, Senate, Republicans, Democrats, Consumer Financial, Federal Reserve System, Customs Service, Biden, FDA, OSHA, Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Harvard, University of North, America, United States, Fair, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Verona Locations: Trenton , New Jersey, New Jersey, Boise , Idaho, Miss Idaho, University of North Carolina, America, ”, Verona, Washington

☆ US Congress is on track to be the most polarized ever, data shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Jason Lange | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Kevin Wurm/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The current U.S. Congress is on track to be the most polarized ever, according to a running analysis at voteview.com, a tool widely used by political scientists that sorts lawmakers based on how their voting records overlap with their peers. The complicated math behind the analysis transforms a lawmaker's entire voting record into one number, with negative numbers for liberals and positive readings for conservatives. The most liberal have the least in common with the most conservative, while moderates from each party have more overlap and are given scores in between. * Currently, the gap in the House sits at 0.90, beating the 0.89 gaps for lawmakers elected in 2016 and 2018. The current 0.88 gap in the U.S. Senate is also at a record high for that chamber.

Persons: Kevin Wurm, Ralph Norman, Pramila Jayapal, Joe Manchin, Jason Lange, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Caucus, Democrat, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Republican Party, Republicans, U.S . Senate, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S

☆ The Maine gunman was a ‘textbook case’ for a state law designed to remove firearms from people like him. Why didn’t it work?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Emma Tucker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

Lewiston, Maine CNN —The signs were there: hearing voices, expressing paranoid thoughts and making threats so violent, extra patrols were sent to guard a military installation. Instead, law enforcement relied on the gunman’s family to keep guns from him after they tried without success to talk to the reservist. Sheriff Joel Merry told CNN on Saturday law enforcement officers weren’t able to make contact with Card during two visits. The Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office sent an alert to other law enforcement agencies saying they were trying to locate Card. The fact law enforcement in Maine didn’t utilize the yellow flag law in Card’s case could point to its shortcomings, Rocque said.

Persons: Robert Card, ”, Michael Rocque, Rocque, Shannon Frattaroli, ” Frattaroli, Sheriff Joel Merry, ’, Merry, “, Alex Piquero, Piquero, Card, Michael Sauschuck, hadn’t, ” Sauschuck, Robert F, Roque, Jack Clements, WMTW, Sheriff Merry, Card’s, Salwan Georges, Aaron Frey’s, ” Rocque, It’s, Janet Mills, Erin Clark, ” CNN’s Shimon Prokupecz, Mark Morales Organizations: Maine CNN, US Army, CNN, Bates College, Lewiston , Maine . Maine Department of Public Safety Authorities, D.C, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center, Gun Violence Solutions, “, Sheriff’s, University of Miami, US, of Justice Statistics, 3rd Battalion, Army, Public, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Explosives, ATF, Saco Police, New York Times, Army Reserve, ” CNN, Sheriff’s Office, An Army, Maine Department of Public Safety, Giffords Law, Washington Post, Maine Gov, Army National Reserve Unit, Boston Globe Locations: Lewiston, Maine, Lewiston ., “, Lewiston , Maine, Washington, Sagadahoc, Auburn , Maine, Saco, WMTW Maine, Lisbon , Maine, ” Maine, New York

(AP) — South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem has requested guidance from the state’s Supreme Court about conflict-of-interest rules for lawmakers, several weeks after a South Dakota state lawmaker resigned and agreed to repay $500,000 in federal COVID-19 relief that she received for her day care business. Doing so violated a state Supreme Court advisory warning state lawmakers that it is unconstitutional for them to accept federal pandemic funding. Noem, Attorney General Marty Jackley and two Republican lawmakers have sent letters to the court seeking clarity on what else is illegal, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reported Thursday. Schoenbeck added that, depending on the court’s ruling, a number of lawmakers may need to resign or pay the state back for services received.

Persons: PIERRE, S.D, Kristi Noem, Jessica Castleberry, Marty Jackley, Noem, Sen, Lee Schoenbeck, Schoenbeck Organizations: South Dakota Republican Gov, Argus, Argus Leader Locations: South, Dakota, Sioux, Watertown, South Dakota’s

☆ Legal tech startup Responsiv is bringing AI to in-house attorneys to help them save time and money. It just raised $3 million from Greylock.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But by building a program with "guardrails," a new legal tech company is working to bring all of the benefits of artificial intelligence to companies' in-house legal teams without the risks. Based in Chicago, Responsiv is an AI assistant for in-house legal teams. With Responsiv, in-house counsel can quickly get answers to legal questions that are easily verifiable, saving companies time and money. "There's a noticeable gap in innovation tailored specifically to in-house legal teams," Domash said. Funding for legal tech has fallen in 2023, according to Crunchbase, but many startups in the space focus on law firms.

Persons: ChatGPT, Mike Duboe, Nikita Solilov, Jordan Domash, Jordan, Nikita, Duboe, Domash, Responsiv, We'll, Darrow Organizations: Greylock Partners Locations: Chicago, Silver, Greylock

☆ New US House Republican speaker faces early test on government funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Newly elected Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) takes his oath of office after he was elected to be the new Speaker at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., October 25, 2023. "This will be a litmus test," said Representative Ryan Zinke, a Republican who sits on the House committee that sets spending priorities. With a similar use of previously allocated money, House Republicans would spend a net $65.2 billion on transportation, housing and urban development, 25% below current levels. Even if passed, the House Republican bills have no chance of succeeding in the Democratic-led Senate or being signed into law by Democratic President Joe Biden. While the House has focused on passing spending bills with only Republican votes, the Senate has worked on measures that have bipartisan support.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Elizabth Frantz, Republican Mike Johnson, Johnson's, Don Bacon, Johnson, Israel, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Ryan Zinke, Kevin McCarthy, Kelly Armstrong of, Joe Biden, Bob Good, Bacon, David Morgan, Scott Malone, Alistair Bell Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Republican, U.S . House, Department of, Hamas, Ukraine, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security, Democratic, Republicans, Environmental Protection Agency, Senate, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Louisiana, Nebraska, Israel, Kelly Armstrong of South Dakota, Virginia

The Thomson Reuters logo is pictured on a building in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Thomson Reuters Corp (TRI.TO) on Wednesday reported higher-than-expected third-quarter profit as its biggest divisions serving legal, tax and accounting professionals performed well amid economic uncertainty. Organic revenues in the Legal Professionals segment increased 6%, while total revenue fell 2%, reflecting sales of some divisions. Thomson Reuters has earmarked $10 billion for acquisitions and about $100 million per year in investments in AI capabilities. In August, the company closed its $650 million cash acquisition of Casetext, a California-based AI company that helps legal professionals conduct research, analysis and prepare documents using generative AI.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, Thomson, Steve Hasker, ” Hasker, Hasker, Helen Coster, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Thomson Reuters, REUTERS, Thomson Reuters Corp, ”, Microsoft, Elite, TPG, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, California

☆ Dagestan riot: Anti-Jewish protest in Russia’s Dagestan shows risks of Putin’s balancing act on Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“Threats to exterminate the Jews are the result of the work of Russian state propaganda, which for decades cultivated feelings of hatred towards other peoples among Russians,” he noted. Kadyrov has also provided footsoldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Gaza war adds one more match to the fire. Additionally, Russia’s war in Ukraine has impacted Dagestan heavily, with significant casualties. But an anti-Jewish riot in the southern region of Dagestan shows how quickly that model can backfire, particularly for those trapped inside the echo of Russian state propaganda.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, –, Matthew Miller, Israel, ”, Putin, ” Putin, “, Bashar al, Assad, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Benjamin Netanyahu, Strategic Communications John Kirby, “ we’ve, ” Kirby, Volodymyr Zelensky, Oleh Nikolenko, Ramzan Kadyrov, – Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Harold Chambers, Riddle, Yevgenia Albats Organizations: CNN, multiconfessional, Ukraine –, Kremlin, Red Wings Airlines, Tel Aviv –, Jewish, Authorities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamas, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sunday, Saudi, Israeli, National Security, Strategic Communications, ” Observers, Criminal Court, ICC, Russian National Guard, AFP, Getty, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Global Locations: Russia, Dagestan, Makhachkala Uytash, Ukraine, Gaza, Tel Aviv, ”, Russian, Makhachkala, Palestine, Beijing, China, Israel, Jerusalem, Moscow, Iran, United States, Chechnya, Chechen, Russia’s, Kremlin, East

☆ In some states, it's 'nearly impossible' to buy a home that isn't part of a homeowners association, expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Charlotte Morabito | In Charlottemorabito | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

These communities are usually overseen by homeowners associations. Homeowners associations, also known as HOAs, are self-governing organizations that implement rules for homeowners and renters within common-interest communities. The board may choose to hire a management company, many of which are for-profit, to help run day-to-day operations. Roughly 84% of newly built, single-family homes sold in 2022 belonged to homeowners associations, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. "But it seemed like [the deal] never got to the management [company] or homeowners association," Enrique Inostroza said.

Persons: Jewel Inostroza, Enrique, Gen Z, it's, Deborah Goonan, Inostroza, Enrique Inostroza, Mark Licea, HOA, Bradley, Tom Skiba, Skiba, Steve Horvath Organizations: Homeowners, Finance, . Census, Communities, CNBC, Management, HOA, Sentry Management, Community Associations Institute, Economics, Rocket Mortgage, HOA United Locations: Newnan , Georgia, HOA, U.S

[1/2] U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland gives a brief statement at the Justice Department in Washington, U.S., August 11, 2023. That puts the Biden administration's second year of corporate enforcement on par with the second year of the Trump administration's - the fifth-lowest corporate prosecutions on record. The new safe harbor program also "directly undermines" the Biden Administration's anti-monopoly efforts, they said. The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission have mounted an unprecedented number of legal challenges to mergers since Biden took office. A recently-departed DOJ official told Reuters in August that more big corporate settlements were coming.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Bonnie Cash, Joe Biden, Merrick Garland, Lisa Monaco, Monaco, Elizabeth Warren, Biden, Chris Prentice, Rod Nickel Organizations: U.S, Justice Department, REUTERS, U.S . Justice Department, Public Citizen, Democratic, Department of Justice, Public, Biden, Trump, The Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, DOJ, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Monaco

After Boebert won her last race by just 546 votes, she began revamping her campaign strategy. So-called ballot harvesting, which she's decried as an underhanded Democratic tactic, will be part of her campaign strategy. While campaigning in the district this election, Boebert seems “more empathetic" than her disruptive national profile. At events and debates in the last election, Boebert railed against then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who became a foil for bloated government, a broken system and Democratic demagoguery. After Colorado's largely city dwellers voted to reintroduce wolves to Colorado, Boebert has also proposed legislation to give ranchers greater recourse to defend their flocks.

Persons: Lauren Boebert, ”, Boebert, “, Beverly Cuyler, Adam Frisch, MAGA, Donald Trump’s, she's, Dave Williams, Frisch, ” Boebert, she’s, Drew Sexton, it’s, Cody Perkins, Perkins, Dusty Mars, ” Dennis Anderson, Nancy Pelosi, Donald Trump, Biden, Seth Masket, Boebert’s, Masket, Pelosi's, —, Joe Biden, Colorado's, you’ve Organizations: Washington , D.C, Colorado Republican Party, Republican, Boebert, Democratic, Center, Politics, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: SPRINGS, Colo, Washington ,, Colorado, Archuleta County, Rocky, American, Boebert, Denver, Archuleta

Sagadahoc County, Maine CNN —The US Army asked local police to check on the reservist who killed 18 people after a soldier became concerned he would “snap and commit a mass shooting,” according to information shared with CNN. The welfare report detailed to CNN repeatedly cited the Maine National Guard as the source of the concerns and the troubling information about the shooter’s actions. It should also be noted that no bulletins or assistance was requested from MSP’s Maine information and analysis center. Thirty-eight days later, the Army reservist walked into a bowling alley and started shooting. He was a US Army reservist.

Persons: Robert Card, “, ”, Ruth Castro, Mike Sauschuck, Joel Merry, Rick LaChapelle, Joseph Prezioso, Jack Clements, WMTW, Sagadahoc County Sheriff Merry, Merry, Brother, Robert Card's Organizations: Maine CNN, US Army, CNN, Army, Maine National Guard, US Army Reserve, State Public, Sunday, of Public Safety, Maine State Police, DPS, Coastal Defense Firearms, New York Times, Office, National Guard, Sheriff’s, Saco Police, Sagadahoc County Sheriff, Associated Press, Army Reserve, Kennebec Locations: Sagadahoc County, Maine, Kennebec County, Sagadahoc, ”, Lewiston , Maine, ” Maine, MSP’s Maine, Auburn , Maine, AFP, New York, West Point, “, Saco, WMTW Maine

The practice of citizen-originated ballot measures began 125 years ago when South Dakota became the first in the nation to enact a statewide initiative and referendum process. But some still invoke his name in their fight to preserve voters’ ballot measure rights. “It represents for me the fundamental idea of the equal dignity of every human being,” said Heidelberger, who blogs about South Dakota politics. The political conditions were brief but just right in 1897 for lawmakers to approve it; voters passed it the following year. In a memoir compiled by the state Socialist Party, Haire is credited with writing the amendment itself.

Persons: it’s, Robert W, Cory Heidelberger, ”, Heidelberger, Pierre, Haire, Ohioans, “ That’s, John Matsusaka, “, can’t, ” Matsusaka, ” David Schmidt, Drey Samuelson, Sen, Tim Johnson of, you’re, Samuelson, Janine Giordano Drake, Republican State Sen, Michael Rohl, Rohl, ’, Rohl didn’t, Sister Kathleen Bierne, Drake, ” Drake, Bierne, “ We’ve, Father Haire’s, Jesus ’, Eugene Debs, Liz May, Tom Heinz, Heinz, ain’t Organizations: Republican, Socialist Party, it’s, University of Southern California’s Initiative, Referendum, “ Citizen, U.S, Indiana University, Christian Socialist, Catholic, Republican State, Associated Press, Michigan, Aberdeen News, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: U.S, Ohio, South Dakota, Dakotans, Dakota, California, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, state’s, Brown, Aberdeen

Ron DeSantis' appointees is dragging its feet in providing requested documents to Disney in a lawsuit over who has design and construction powers over the company’s sprawling theme park resort in central Florida, Disney said in court papers. The new DeSantis appointees claimed the “eleventh-hour deals” neutered their powers, and the district sued the company in state court to have the contracts voided. Disney has filed counterclaims which include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable. Disney also is seeking from DeSantis’ office and several state agencies internal communications, including text messages and emails, and documents. DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District have asked a federal judge to throw out Disney’s First Amendment lawsuit, calling it meritless.

Persons: Walt, Ron DeSantis, Disney, ” Disney, DeSantis, Mike Schneider Organizations: Walt Disney, Florida Gov, Disney, Central, Improvement, “ Productions Locations: ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, Central Florida

☆ Who is Mike Johnson, the new Republican US House Speaker?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Mike Johnson has been elected by his fellow Republicans to serve as speaker of the House of Representatives, after three weeks of turmoil and three failed candidates. Prior to Congress, Johnson was a lawyer who mainly worked on religious freedom issues, successfully defending Louisiana's same sex marriage ban in 2004. U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), the latest House Republican nominee for House Speaker, reacts to former Speaker nominee and current House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) voting for Johnson during another round of voting to pick a new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., October... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreHe opposes same sex marriage and introduced a bill in 2022 that would have banned schools from promoting or discussing gender identity. LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCEJohnson served as chair of the conservative Republican Study Committee and was elected vice-chair of the conference, but otherwise has no leadership experience - a potential hindrance as he enters into negotiations with the Democratic-controlled Senate and the White House. RELATIONSHIP WITH TRUMPJohnson is an avowed supporter of Trump, as evidenced by his support for Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, CONSERVATIVE Johnson, Donald Trump's, Steve Scalise, TRUMP Johnson, Trump, Mike Johnson's, Moira Warburton, Alistair Bell Organizations: Republican, Louisiana Baptist Message, Louisiana statehouse, Congress, CONSERVATIVE, Trump, U.S . Rep, U.S . House, U.S, Capitol, Russia, Ukraine, Democratic, White, Thomson Locations: Shreveport, Louisiana's, Louisiana, Washington , U.S, UKRAINE, Ukraine, Washington

TRUMP ELECTION FIGHTFollowing Trump's defeat, Johnson crafted a legal brief, signed by 125 other House Republicans, that sought to persuade the Supreme Court to reject election results from several contested states Trump had lost to Biden. Johnson stuck with those arguments even after the Supreme Court rejected the case. Hours later, Johnson and 138 other House Republicans voted against certifying Biden's victory. Foley said a House speaker could, in theory, refuse to follow the law or even declare themselves acting president. A House speaker also would have the ability to influence proceedings if it had to declare a winner if no candidate won a majority of electoral votes.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Elizabeth Frantz, Donald Trump's, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Trump, Biden, Edward Foley, Johnson, Michael Thorning, Foley, Jan, Andy Sullivan, Andrew Goudesward, Alistair Bell Organizations: U.S . House, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, . House, Republican, Democratic, Senate Democratic, Electoral, Senate, Ohio State University . Democratic, Supreme, TRUMP, Republicans, Biden, Trump, Congress, Center, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, New, Louisiana, Kentucky

☆ Hitting the gym, dog-sitting, and actually showing up to meet constituents: Here's how House Democrats spent their 3 weeks without a speaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

House Democrats were mostly stuck in DC for 3 weeks as the GOP struggled to choose a new speaker. Some Democrats told Insider they found a silver lining, like hitting the gym or dog-sitting. That left Democrats, already lined up behind House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, scrambling to find other things to fill the time. "I almost forget what it's like to be in committee at this point," Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont told Insider on Tuesday. Balint said that a "personal source of joy" for her was getting to dog sit Rep. Sharice Davids' rescue dog, Peanut.

Persons: —, Kevin McCarthy's, Mike Johnson's, Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Becca Balint, It's, We're, we've, Marcy Kaptur, Jim McGovern, Abigail Spanberger, Chris Deluzio, Gabe Vasquez, he's, We've, I've, Vasquez, Balint, Sharice Davids, Angie Craig of, King Charles Spaniel, Dakota's, Craig, Lisa McClain, Angie Craig, Don Beyer, He's, Beyer, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Spanberger, she's Organizations: GOP, Service, Representatives, Republicans, Vermont, Republican, Massachusetts, Vermont Rep, Capitol, Michigan Republican, Rep, Biden, House Intelligence Locations: Washington, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Angie Craig of Minnesota, —, Northern Virginia, Israel, Alexandria, Cortez of New York

☆ Why this US couple swapped California for Spain
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —After a number of failed IVF rounds, health issues and the death of their beloved dog, US couple Jason Luban and Selena Medlen were in need of a change of scenery. The couple, then based in Oakland, California, had penciled in a trip to Andalusia, Spain, months before, but were unsure whether to go ahead with it when the health of Luban, who has torsion dystonia, a rare movement disorder, began to deteriorate. Spanish adventureAn aerial view of Puente Nuevo in Ronda, the town that stole the hearts of US couple Jason Luban and Selena Medlen. Selena Medlen and Jason LubanWhile they adapted to the Spanish lifestyle quickly, there were some aspects that they found difficult to get used to. For weeks.”While they’d initially planned to stay in Spain for a year, Luban and Medlen chose to extend their stay beyond this.

Persons: Jason Luban, Selena Medlen, ” Medlen, Luban, “, Medlen, ”, Ronda, they've, Jason Luban “, “ Selena, we’re, ’ ”, they’d, Feria de Pedro Romero, “ It’s, expats, ” Luban, I’d, Selena, Donald Trump, ‘ Don’t, they’ve, he’s, you’re, Lola Supernova, they’re, “ There’s Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, Granada, Feria de, “, ” Locations: Oakland , California, Andalusia, Spain, Puente Nuevo, Ronda, Spain’s Malaga, Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Seville, “, Oregon, Texas, California, Feria, America, United States

In some states, higher-income families can now use taxpayer money to cover private school tuition -- and more people than projected are taking the offer, which might force scrambles to shore up state budgets. It's especially an issue in states like Arizona and Iowa, where at least some families whose children were already in private school can now take advantage of public funding. Her state has a new education savings account program — which is paying for students from families of any income to switch from public to private school and for many already in private school to remain there. Opponents of the programs are bracing for lawmakers to attempt to make up for the higher costs by further cutting public school funding, even though lawmakers have not publicly threatened to do so. The plans are in doubt because of opposition from Democrats and some Republicans who live in rural areas where private schools are scarce and public schools are some of the most important institutions.

Persons: ”, Josh Cowen, it's, Ryan Cantrell, ” Aaron Galaz, “, Heather Stessman, Stessman, Beth Lewis, Katie Hobbs, Hobbs, Ben Toma, ” Toma, Greg Abbott, Matt Huffman, Hannah Fingerhut, Samantha Hendrickson, Isabella Volmert, Paul Weber Organizations: Michigan State University, American Federation for Children, Catholic, Our Schools, Arizona Gov, Republican, Republican Gov, Columbus Dispatch, Ohio, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: Arizona, Iowa, — Arizona, Florida , Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Arkansas, West, Phoenix, Waterloo , Iowa, Our Schools Arizona, Texas, Des Moines , Iowa, Columbus , Ohio, Indianapolis, Austin , Texas

☆ Ukraine not afraid to take on its oligarchs - justice minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Dan Peleschuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Ukraine’s Justice Minister Denys Maliuska attends an interview with Reuters in Kyiv, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, October 23, 2023. REUTERS/Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Ukrainian authorities feel newly empowered to prosecute the once-powerful tycoons known as "oligarchs" thanks to shifting political realities and the war with Russia, Kyiv's justice minister said. "Everyone was afraid of (the) consequences of indicting oligarchs, but this is no longer the case," he said. Ukraine had long struggled to shake off the influence of its shadowy tycoons, who used the huge industrial wealth they amassed after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union to gain political influence and power. A 2021 law aimed at curbing their political and economic influence also sent a clear signal, Maliuska said, and now oligarchs have become "quite accessible" to authorities.

Persons: Denys Maliuska, Ivan Lyubysh, Maliuska, Ihor Kolomoisky, Volodymyr Zelenskiy's, Dmytro Firtash, Vadym Novynskyi, Novynskyi, Dan Peleschuk, Tom Balmforth, Mark Potter Organizations: Ukraine’s, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Smart Holding, European Union, EU, National Security Council, Thomson Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, Russia, Soviet Union, United States, Ukrainian

☆ Blockchain Helps the Good Guys Track the Bad Guys
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Cryptocurrency makes up a small portion of thatBlockchain, the technology underpinning cryptocurrency, provides a public and transparent ledger of all transactions. Law enforcement is well trained to track, trace and apprehend illicit actors abusing this technology, and it has a strong record of doing so. While new technologies are often exploited by bad actors, they often serve as more valuable tools for law enforcement than for criminals. The blockchain makes concealing illicit funds through cryptocurrencies ineffective. The record must reflect that cryptocurrency isn’t the currency of choice for criminals.

Persons: Nikos Pekiaridis, Cryptocurrency Organizations: Zuma, “, Holdings, Crypto Locations: Jihad

☆ The Republican House speaker crisis is part of its identity crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Tuesday marks three full weeks without a House speaker and 24 days until the government runs out of money, to say nothing of aid packages many lawmakers want for Israel and Ukraine. Most Republicans voted for all three men as speaker, but the outside edges of the party were too big to get a majority. Only two of the current speaker candidates supported the 2020 election results: Emmer and Scott. Four of the current speaker candidates voted no, including Sessions. But Trump’s power within the House GOP is limited.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, Donald Trump’s, Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, Tom Emmer, CNN’s Stephen Collinson, Kevin Hern of, Jack Bergman of, Austin Scott of Georgia, Byron Donalds of, Mike Johnson of, Pete Sessions, Gary Palmer of, Dan Meuser, CNN’s Dana Bash, Scott, Sessions, Bergman, McCarthy, Johnson, Meuser, – Donalds, Palmer –, Trump, Jordan, Liz Cheney –, –, CNN’s Jake Tapper, “, ” Cheney, ”, we’re, Steve Womack, Tapper Organizations: CNN, Republican, Representatives, ►, Pro Tempore, GOP, Marine, Jordan, Caucus, Black Republicans, Pete Sessions of Texas, Trump, Republicans, Republican Party Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Minnesota, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Jack Bergman of Michigan, Byron Donalds of Florida, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Gary Palmer of Alabama, Pennsylvania, Hern, Wyoming

An armed group ambushed and killed more than a dozen law enforcement officers in southwestern Mexico on Monday, including a local security secretary and a police chief, adding to a soaring number of deadly attacks against the police in the region. Guerrero is now the second most dangerous state in Mexico for law enforcement officers, with more than 34 killed so far in 2023, according to Common Cause, a Mexico-based organization tracking the killings of police officers in the country. The group said more than 340 police officers had been killed so far this year in the nation, and more than 400 killed last year. Mr. López Obrador has said much of the violence in the nation is because of the United States’ inability to prevent guns from being trafficked south into Mexico. Leaders from both countries discussed the roots of such violence during high-profile meetings in Mexico City this month.

Persons: Coyuca de Benítez, Alfredo Alonso López, Honorio Salinas, Guerrero, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, López Obrador Organizations: United Locations: Mexico, Coyuca de, Mexican, Guerrero, Honorio Salinas Garay, United States, Mexico City

Some observers say his moves are largely consistent with both the views of California voters and the political tone that Newsom struck in his first term. While Newsom delighted labor advocates with many of his signatures, he also angered them with some vetoes. “It’s because that’s what Californians want their governor to be.”Newsom's actions reflect that he is “a consistently left-of-center Democratic governor,” said Wesley Hussey, a political science professor at California State University, Sacramento. Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, who heads the California Labor Federation, said “it's almost cruel” that workers who go on strike aren't guaranteed insurance benefits. Newsom signed legislation to make sure LGBTQ+ foster youth are placed with families able to support their well-being, train school staff to better support LGBTQ+ students and seal legal gender-change petition documents for minors.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, Newsom, Elizabeth Ashford, Robert Rivas, Jerry Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger, it's, “, ” Ashford, ”, Wesley Hussey, Mark Baldassare, Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, ” Newsom, Baldassare, Melissa Romero, Assemblymember Chris Ward, ” Ward, Sen, Shannon Grove, Grove, ‘, ” ___ Sophie Austin, @sophieadanna Organizations: —, Democratic, California State University ,, Public, Institute of California, Hollywood, California Labor Federation, Republicans, California Environmental Voters, Homelessness, California Legislative, Caucus, Republican, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, — California, California, California State University , Sacramento, ”

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