Aging prisoner crisis, Airbnb cameras, and a close call.

Adam Rogers
March 12, 2024

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Big Stories

The US prison population is rapidly aging, with inmates as young as 50 classified as "geriatric" in some states.

As prisons struggle to accommodate aging inmates, officials must pivot quickly to provide adequate healthcare and facilities. Some prisons have created nursing home-type units, but resources are limited and many facilities don’t have the staff to care for inmates with specific health needs.
Tough sentencing policies from past decades contribute to the growing number of elderly prisoners. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 incentivized states to build more prisons and keep people in those prisons for a longer percentage of their sentences. As of 2022, more than 186,000 people 55 or older are incarcerated.
Caring for aging inmates is costly and lawmakers are struggling with the dilemma of releasing elderly prisoners. They must somehow decide between public safety concerns and the need for compassion and cost-effectiveness.

After a settlement was reached Monday, Florida will allow students and teachers to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity freely in classrooms.

The settlement clarifies that while formal instruction on these topics is prohibited, students and teachers will be allowed to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in school.
The Parental Rights in Education Act was passed in 2022 by the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature. It restricted instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, leading to the ban of LGBTQ+ material in schools. Legal battles followed, including a dismissal of a case challenging the law's constitutionality.
The Florida settlement's broader impact extends to other states with similar laws restricting discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity. It clarifies that these laws don't prohibit conversations about LGBTQ+ topics, anti-bullying measures, or the formation of Gay-Straight Alliance groups. The ruling sets a precedent for how such laws may be interpreted and challenged elsewhere.

China utilized TikTok to influence recent US elections, per the American intelligence’s annual threat assessment.

The report found that the Chinese government used TikTok accounts to target candidates from both political parties during the 2022 midterm cycle. The warning came during ongoing legislative efforts to address national security concerns regarding ByteDance's ownership of TikTok.
Congress is considering legislation to force ByteDance, TikTok's parent company partially owned by the Chinese government, to divest from the platform due to worries about China's access to US user data and its potential for conducting influence campaigns through TikTok.
Alongside election worries, the report highlights broader global issues. It mentions tough competition between countries, regional conflicts, and new technologies. The report also notes the struggle between democratic and authoritarian governments and how new tech like AI will make working together harder.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a bill into law ending legacy admissions at the state's public colleges and universities. The law prohibits giving admissions preference to applicants with connections to alumni and donors. The law will come into effect on July 1 for the upcoming academic year. (More)

Narendra Modi's government has implemented a controversial law on Indian citizenship, which has faced criticism for discriminating against Muslims since its enactment four years ago. The Act offers expedited Indian citizenship to Hindus and members of five other minority religions from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, who arrived in India before 2015 and faced persecution in their home countries. But, it extends no such rights to Muslims. (More)

President Joe Biden's proposed 2025 budget includes benefits for millions of families, low-income workers, and senior citizens. To fund these tax breaks, Biden plans to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy, including reversing cuts from the Trump era. The budget aims to reduce deficits by $3 trillion over a decade while raising $4.9 trillion in new taxes to fund tax cuts for low- to middle-income families. (More)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged an additional $100 million for a multinational force deployment in Haiti, following talks with Caribbean leaders in Jamaica to address the country's violent crisis. Blinken also announced $33 million in humanitarian aid and endorsed a joint proposal for a "presidential college" to address Haitian needs. (More)

Airbnb announced on Monday that it will ban indoor security cameras in rentals worldwide by the end of next month. The decision aims to simplify the platform's security camera policy and prioritize privacy. Airbnb will still allow hosts to use doorbell cameras and noise-decibel monitors in common areas if disclosed in the listing. (More)

Two pilots fell asleep mid-flight with 150+ passengers on board.

The most and least active US states.

A lucky zookeeper barely escaped a silverback gorilla in Texas.

A 100-year-old WWII vet who found love.

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