Author: ovieoftoronto

Rampant identity theft puts a strain on the IRS (The New York Times) — Rampant identity theft has overwhelmed the IRS, causing a backlog of half a million unsolved fraud cases to pile up and leaving taxpayers without refunds and credits they deserve, the agency's watchdog said in a report to Congress on Wednesday. The national taxpayer advocate's report described the agency's slow response to identity theft cases as a “blemish” on its performance. The IRS is in the midst of a major modernization campaign aimed at improving taxpayer service. In a statement, the IRS said it was making “a…

Supported by a forward-thinking government and vibrant startup culture, Estonia is recognized globally for its advancements in technology and digital governance. The country's commitment to digital transformation is evident in initiatives such as e-Residency, which allows entrepreneurs from all over the world to set up and manage their EU-based businesses online. The capital, Tallinn, serves as a vibrant hub for tech start-ups, offering a supportive environment with access to skilled talent, favorable regulations and robust infrastructure. From fintech to cybersecurity and more, Estonia continues to foster a dynamic ecosystem where creativity thrives, making it a pioneering hub for tech innovation…

The Karnataka Health Department recently banned the use of artificial colours in chicken kebabs, fish and vegetarian foods across the state. This decisive move in the interest of public health and safety has drawn attention to dangerous levels of the artificial colours Sunset Yellow and Carmoisine found in some kebab samples.So let’s understand all about artificial colours and how to identify them. What are artificial colors? Artificial food colors, also known as synthetic food colors, are dyes used to enhance the appearance of foods and beverages. They are made from petroleum-derived chemicals and are designed to mimic natural colors. Dr…

The challenge in making the process clean lies, at least in part, in the fact that lava-like high temperatures — more than 1,500 °C (2,700 °F) — are needed to start the chemical reactions that make cement. Queens Carbon has developed a new process that reduces the required temperature to below 540 °C (1,000 °F), making it easier to reach that temperature efficiently using electricity while still keeping the material warm, Daniel Kopp, the company's CEO, CTO, and co-founder, said at a press conference announcing the award. Ideally, that power would be provided by renewable energy, potentially significantly reducing emissions.…

Taiwan's government on Thursday urged its citizens to avoid “unnecessary travel” to China after Beijing said “hardline” supporters of Taiwan independence could face the death penalty.China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and refuses to rule out using force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.Beijing last week issued judicial guidelines on criminal punishment for Taiwan independence supporters, including the death penalty for “particularly serious” cases involving “staunch” independence supporters, according to state media.As a result, Taiwan's top China policy body, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), raised its travel alert level to the second-highest level of “orange”…

Editor's note: Michael Ruhlman is a James Beard Award-winning author who has written or co-written more than 25 books of nonfiction, fiction, and memoir, primarily about food and cooking. His books include “The Soul of a Chef” and his most recent book, “Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America.” Opinions expressed in this editorial are his own. Read more opinions on CNN. Spanocchia, Italy CNN — I'm writing to you from Spanocchia, an organic farm and ecotourism site in Tuscany, and I've just made some molletto eggs, with cooked whites and soft-boiled yolks. It's delicious, but it's also…

Amazon's market cap hit $2 trillion for the first time this week. (Nathan Stirk via Getty Images)Amazon (AMZN)Amazon's market capitalization hit $2 trillion for the first time this week, becoming only the fifth U.S. company to reach that milestone. The bullish outlook reflects optimism about artificial intelligence and the possibility of interest rate cuts in the near future.The company's shares rose 3.9% to $193.61 on Wednesday, putting it in line with tech giants Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia and Alphabet.U.S. stock indexes have posted strong gains this year, fueled by continued enthusiasm for AI, optimism about the resilience of the U.S. economy…

Add a topic to an email alert Get emails when new articles are published Enter your email address to receive emails when new articles are published on . ” data-action=”subscribe”>Subscribe We couldn't process your request. Please try again later. If the problem persists, contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio About 1 in 11 women who gave birth by C-section at 34 weeks or older developed PTSD symptoms two months later, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The researchers reported that risk factors for PTSD included age, BMI, pain, negative memories, and…

Downward angle icon Downward angle icon. Louis Chan is a nurse in the Bay Area. Courtesy of Louis Chan Louis Chan started working as a travel nurse after two years as a low-wage nurse. Working as a travel nurse doubled her salary and gave her a new passion for the job, but she says it was lonely. Chan left travel nursing to become a full-time nurse coordinator, making more than $200,000 last year. This essay is based on a conversation with Louis Chan, a 30-year-old nurse who lives in the Bay Area. The following has been edited for length and…

CNN  —  Chicago native Jeffrey Odwazny says he has been addicted to ultraprocessed food since he was a child. “I was driven to eat and eat and eat, and while I would overeat healthy food, what really got me were the candies, the cakes, the pies, the ice cream,” said the 54-year-old former warehouse supervisor. “I really gravitated towards the sugary ultraprocessed foods — it was like a physical drive, I had to have it,” he said. “My parents would find hefty bags full of candy wrappers hidden in my closet. I would steal things from stores as a kid and…