The IRS is building its own free tax filing program that, if successful, would serve as an alternative to private tax preparation companies like H&R Block and Intuit’s TurboTax. A pilot version of the online program is set to launch in 13 states next year to see whether it’s feasible for the IRS to expand the program in the future.
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- Self-driving vehicles
- This is the world's new hottest chili pepper
- Economy
Self-driving vehicles
Federal auto safety regulators have opened an investigation into whether General Motors' self-driving unit Cruise has taken sufficient precautions to safeguard pedestrians from robotaxi collisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received two reports from Cruise of incidents in which pedestrians were injured and has identified two further incidents via videos posted to public websites. The probe comes just over two weeks after an incident in San Francisco in which a pedestrian was struck by a hit-and-run driver, thrown into an adjacent lane and hit a second time by a Cruise robotaxi, which was not able to stop in time. In parts of California, robotaxis from Cruise and Alphabet's Waymo are allowed to operate around the clock, despite strong opposition from residents and city agencies.
Self-driving vehicles
Federal auto safety regulators have opened an investigation into whether General Motors' self-driving unit Cruise has taken sufficient precautions to safeguard pedestrians from robotaxi collisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received two reports from Cruise of incidents in which pedestrians were injured and has identified two further incidents via videos posted to public websites. The probe comes just over two weeks after an incident in San Francisco in which a pedestrian was struck by a hit-and-run driver, thrown into an adjacent lane and hit a second time by a Cruise robotaxi, which was not able to stop in time. In parts of California, robotaxis from Cruise and Alphabet's Waymo are allowed to operate around the clock, despite strong opposition from residents and city agencies.
This is the world's new hottest chili pepper
Chili Pepper X has taken the spicy record as the world's hottest, Guinness World Records announced this week.
This is the world's new hottest chili pepper
Economy
US retail sales grew for the sixth-straight month in September, a sign that American shoppers aren't tapping out just yet. "With employment high, wages outpacing inflation, and recession talk quieter, consumer spending is growing and propelling the economy forward," said Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank. Gas prices also appear to be having a smaller effect on retail spending, recent data shows. But a respite from higher energy prices remains at risk if an escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas destabilizes the oil-rich Middle East, further tightening oil supplies. Some analysts say that could inflict more pain at the pump, pushing up inflation and eroding Americans' spending power around the holiday season.
Economy
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