Author: NY TIMES

For more than a decade, the pioneers of the cryptocurrency industry envisioned digital coins as an alternate branch of finance, a renegade sector that would operate outside the reach of big banks and government regulators.But as digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ether became more mainstream, the crypto industry collided with a 1946 Supreme Court decision that created what is known as the Howey Test, a legal analysis that determines when a financial product becomes subject to the same strict rules as stocks and bonds.In recent years, regulators have seized on that legal precedent to argue that cryptocurrencies are just another…

Bill Hayes, an actor and singer whose 2,141 episodes of “Days of Our Lives” over five and a half decades constituted the daytime drama version of an ultramarathon, and whose top-selling 1955 single, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett,” remains seared into the memories of the baby boom generation, died on Jan. 12 at his home in Studio City, Calif. He was 98.His wife and longtime co-star, Susan Seaforth Hayes, confirmed his death.To soap opera fans, Mr. Hayes was a staple of weekday afternoons from the days of rabbit-ear antennas into the streaming era.He began his tenure on the long-running NBC…

Palestinian American plaintiffs asked a federal judge in California on Friday to force the White House to withdraw U.S. support for Israel pending a cease-fire in Gaza and accused President Biden and other administration officials of abetting a genocide of the Palestinian people.In more than two hours of testimony before Judge Jeffrey White in U.S. District Court in Oakland, plaintiffs in the unusual lawsuit expressed grief and outrage, choking back tears as they spoke of their loved ones who have been killed in Gaza.One Palestinian immigrant, who lives in Fairfield, Calif., said seven members of his family had been killed…

Germany, Britain and at least four other countries said Saturday they were suspending funding for the United Nations agency that provides food, water and essential services for Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, many of whom have been described as being on the brink of starvation after 16 weeks of war between Israel and Hamas. The countries joined the United States, which said on Friday it would withhold funding for the group, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, after a dozen of its employees were accused by Israel of participating in the Oct. 7 attacks. The United…

Let’s start with the drama, because what else comes to mind first when thinking about South Carolina star freshman Milecia Fulwili?You know the one. The season opener is in Paris against No. 10 Notre Dame. With just over two minutes left before halftime, Fulwilli caught an inbounds pass and began darting down the field. When she got to the three-point line, three defenders were inside, but nothing could stop her. Fulwilli dribbles, takes the ball from behind and lifts it. For a moment, it looked like she was going to attempt a tackle layup on the right side of the…

What differentiates limerence from a crush or love is the intensity, an emotional roller coaster that fluctuates from euphoria to despair. Giulia Poerio, a psychologist and mind-wandering researcher at the University of Sussex in England, said, “Any sign of rejection can make somebody hit a low, and any sign of interest can make somebody hit a high.” It’s an endless mind game of, “She loves me, she loves me not.”Limerents, deeply fearful of rejection, allow their self-esteem to rest in the hands of an LO who may not even know they exist. The LO is most often a friend, colleague,…

After beating Nikki Haley in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Donald Trump reaffirmed his position as the leading candidate to win the Republican nomination. That has business leaders facing the possibility of another Trump presidency, and their investors trying to figure out what it could mean for their bottom lines.The questions are, perhaps not surprisingly, coming from seemingly every corner of the economy.During Blackstone’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday, an analyst wanted to know if uncertainty over who would win a likely Biden-Trump matchup could freeze deal flow. (“I’d say transaction activity is going to be more tied to the Fed’s…

casey newtonThis transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email transcripts@nytimes.com with any questions. You see WWE is coming to Netflix?kevin rooseI did.casey newtonYeah.kevin rooseAre you excited?casey newtonYeah, I think it could be a good thing. I think it could make wrestling into a thing that people didn’t have to apologize for watching.kevin rooseNow, this is a thing, because I used to wrestling back when I was a teen. And then I would talk about it with…

Carley Calvi came to the second floor of a public library in suburban Milwaukee one morning this month without health insurance to cover the vertigo medication she needed. Worse, she said, was not having a doctor she trusted.“I want somebody to value me as the person I am,” said Ms. Calvi, a 35-year-old woodworker.With roughly 110 options and the help of a health insurance navigator, she selected a plan with a steeply discounted $221 monthly premium, placing her among the 21.3 million people who have signed up for coverage on the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces for 2024. The sign-up total,…

Prosecutors on Friday dropped all charges that had been brought against the country music singer Chris Young in connection with an altercation with an Alcoholic Beverage Commission agent at a Nashville bar.“After a review of all the evidence in this case, the Office of the District Attorney has determined that these charges will be dismissed,” Glenn R. Funk, the Nashville district attorney, said in a statement.Mr. Young, 38, had been charged with disorderly conduct, assaulting an officer and resisting arrest following the episode on Monday night.“Mr. Young and I are gratified with the D.A.’s decision clearing him of the charges…