Fewer Americans file for jobless benefits last week

( ) -q-29- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “November 27, 2021.”

The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits fell last week but remain at slightly elevated though not troubling levels.

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Out-cue: November 27,2021]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Weekly unemployment claims are widely considered representative of layoffs, and though they have trended higher recently, they remain at historically healthy levels.

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VERBATIM: The Labor Department says jobless claims for the week of August 3 fell by 17,000 to 233,000 last week. That’s fewer than the 240,000 analysts surveyed by FactSet were expecting. Continuing claims, which represent the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits, rose by 6,000 to 1.88 million for the Week of July 27. That the most since the week of November 27, 2021.

Beyond Meat reports better-than-expected sales

( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “processed and unhealthy.”

Beyond Meat has reported better-than-expected sales in the second quarter despite continuing weak demand for its plant-based meat.

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Time: 27s
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Out-cue: processed and unhealthy]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Beyond Meat said its sales volumes fell 14% in the April-to-June period on weaker demand in the U.S. and international markets.

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VERBATIM: The El Segundo, California-based company says its revenue fell nearly 9% to $93.2 million for the April-to-June period. That was better than the $87.8 million Wall Street anticipated, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Still, it was Beyond Meat’s ninth straight quarter of year-over-year revenue declines as it continues to fight consumer perceptions that its products are overly processed and unhealthy.

Facing budget crunches, Chinese tax collectors descend on companies

( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “source of revenues.”

Chinese authorities are chasing unpaid taxes from companies and individuals dating back decades.

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Time: 22s
Title: CHINA-UNPAID-TAXES-house-q-THUam
Out-cue: source of revenues]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The ruling Communist Party has pledged to repair local cash woes, but it’s more easily said than done. Experts question how thoroughly the party will follow through on its broad promises to improve the tax regime.

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VERBATIM: The move comes as the government moves to plug massive budget shortfalls and address a mounting debt crisis. More than a dozen listed Chinese companies say they were slapped with millions of dollars in back taxes in a renewed effort to fix local finances. Those finances have been wrecked by a downturn in the property market that decimated land sales, a main source of revenues.

FAA has doubled its enforcement cases against Boeing since 737 door plug incident

( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “giant aircraft company.”

Federal Aviation Administration officials say the agency has doubled its number of enforcement cases against Boeing since a door plug blew off a 737 Max in midflight.

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Out-cue: giant aircraft company]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: The increase in cases was disclosed during a National Transportation Safety Board hearing into the accident, which happened during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. An FAA official says the agency has 16 open cases against Boeing, half of them since the accident. He says that’s far more than the normal number of investigations into the giant aircraft company.

Tesla is recalling more than 1.6 million cars in China

( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “the driver’s vision.”

Tesla is recalling more than 1.6 million cars in China for a remote software upgrade to ensure that they warn the driver when the trunk is not locked shut.

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Time: 22s
Title: TESLA-RECALL-house-q-WEDam
Out-cue: the driver’s visiion]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. U.S.-based Tesla will fix the problem through a remote software upgrade.

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VERBATIM: An announcement from China’s market regulator also said that vehicles with faulty trunk latches will be repaired free of charge. The recall affects some imported Model S and Model X vehicles and domestically made Model 3 and Model Y cars. The recall notice said that an unlocked trunk lid could open during driving, affecting the driver’s vision.

Weak spots in metal may have led to fatal Osprey crash off Japan

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show that a gear crack that led to a fatal crash of a V-22 Osprey last year may have been started by weak spots in a metal used to manufacture that part.

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Time: 24s
Title: OSPREY-CRASH-house-q-WEDam
Out-cue: different part failed]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The crashes have led to an aggressive effort by the V-22 program office and manufacturer Bell Flight to find fixes. This latest finding might hold some clues.

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VERBATIM: The 2023 crash off the coast of Japan killed eight Air Force Special Operations Command service members. It was the second time in less than two years that a catastrophic failure of a part of the Osprey’s proprotor gearbox, which serves as its transmission, caused a fatal accident. In 2022, five Marines were killed when a different part failed.

Dubai International Airport, busiest for global travel

( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “the next decade.”

Dubai International Airport has seen a record 44.9 million travelers pass through its cavernous terminals in the first half of this year.

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Time: 25s
Title: DUBAI-AIRPORT-house-q-WEDam
Out-cue: the next decade]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Meanwhile, a real-estate boom and its highest-ever tourism numbers have made the city-state in the United Arab Emirates no longer just a layover but a destination for even more travelers.

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VERBATIM: That puts the world’s busiest airport for international travel back on track to beat its all-time record as aviation booms after the coronavirus pandemic. The results follow a record-breaking annual profit for the long-haul carrier Emirates that calls the airport known as DXB home. They come as Dubai plans to move operations to a planned nearly $35 billion airfield in the next decade.

Witnesses to tell federal safety board about Boeing 737 Max blowout

( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “after more investigation.”

The National Transportation Safety Board is holding a two-day hearing into the blowout of a panel from the side of a Boeing 737 Max airliner.

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Time: 22s
Title: BOEING-NTSB-HEARING-house-q-TUEam
Out-cue: after more investigation]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: The safety board’s hearing will hear from witnesses, including its own investigators who have been looking into the January fifth accident that occurred during an Alaska Airlines flight. The board is calling it a fact-finding hearing. The NTSB will not vote on a probable cause for the accident. That step probably won’t happen for another year or longer after more investigation.

Saudi Arabia’s Aramco reports lower half-year profits

( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “five-billion higher.”

Saudi oil giant Aramco has reported half-year profits of $56.3 billion.

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Time: 25s
Title: ARAMCO-PROFIT-house-q-TUEam
Out-cue: five-billion higher]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Benchmark Brent crude traded around $77 a barrel on Tuesday after Japan’s Nikkei stock market plunged 12.4% Monday in its worst single-day decline since 1987.

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VERBATIM: That’s down from the year before due to weakening volumes sold amid worries about the global economy. Aramco, formally known as the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, says its overall revenue for the half-year was $220.7 billion. That’s up from $218.6 billion the year before. Profits in 2023 were $61.9 billion, nearly $5 billion higher.

CSX profit slipped after the Baltimore bridge collapse

( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “to other ports.”

CSX railroad’s second quarter profit slipped 2% as it scrambled to respond to the Baltimore bridge collapse that disrupted coal exports.

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Time: 27s
Title: CSX-PROFIT-house-q-TUEam
Out-cue: to other ports]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: The drop came even though the volume of CSX’s shipments was up by the same rate. CSX says it earned $963 million, or 49 cents per share, in the second quarter. Baltimore is the nation’s No. 2 coal export port, so the bridge collapse that closed the port caused significant disruptions. But CSX and its competitor in the east, Norfolk Southern, quickly worked to reroute shipments to other ports.

Drugstores are facing business challenges

America’s drugstores are testing smaller locations and more ways to offer care as more store closings loom. As these experiments play out, customers may see Walgreens stores that are one-fourth the size of a regular location. There may also be CVS drugstores with an entire primary clinic stuffed inside. Drugstores say they are reacting to customer needs and filling voids in care.  Analysts say these moves might improve access to care and create a more lasting connection with customers. But they also note health care is a tough market to crack.

A complicated recovery one year after Maui wildfire

Thousands of displaced residents on Maui have faced a year of anxious uncertainty since the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century devastated Lahaina.

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Time: 26s
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Out-cue: affordable, covenient housing]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: Government and nonprofit groups have offered temporary solutions, including providing hotel rooms and leasing apartments. But a housing market squeezed by vacation rentals is undermining attempts to find long-term shelter for survivors. Some estimates say members of at least 1,500 households have already left for other islands or other states. Locals fear more will depart if they can’t find stable, affordable, convenient housing.

Chinese businesses hoping to expand in the US face suspicion

A planned battery factor for Michigan is encountering turbulence. In 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer welcomed a Chinese battery company’s plan to build a $2.36 billion factory and bring a couple thousand jobs to Big Rapids. But now the project is in the crosshairs of some U.S. lawmakers and local residents. They suspect the Chinese company could spy for Beijing and work to extend China’s influence in the U.S. heartland.

“Outdated”: Senators Introduce Bill To End Military Draft

Rep. David Joyce: House Probe Must Focus On Secret Service Training

Political Analyst: Bias Barring Conservative Voices From Mainstream Platforms

US added just 114,000 jobs in July, unemployment rate hits 4.3%

( ) -q-23- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “rose to 4.3-percent.”

If you were looking for work last month, you likely didn’t do well.

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Time: 23s
Title: JOBLESS-RATE-house-q-FRIam
Out-cue: rose to 4.3-percent]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: U.S. hiring decelerated sharply in July in the face of high interest rates, with employers adding just 114,000 jobs. The Labor Department report showed a drop from the 179,000 jobs created in June. Forecasters had expected to see 175,000 jobs in July. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate rose to 4.3%.

Amazon reports boost in quarterly profits but misses revenue estimates

( ) -q-23- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “$148.67-billion.”

Amazon has reported a boost in its quarterly profits, but the company missed revenue estimates.

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Time: 23s
Title: AMAZON-PROFITS-house-q-FRIam
Out-cue: $148.67-billion]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Sales for Amazon Web Services, the company’s prominent cloud computing unit, saw a 19% jump in revenue  compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, revenue for the company’s core e-commerce business grew by 5%.

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VERBATIM: The Seattle-based tech company says it earned $13.5 billion for the April-to-June period. That was higher than the $10.99 billion industry analysts surveyed by FactSet had anticipated. But the company posted a revenue of $148 billion, which slightly missed estimates by analysts who expected $148.67 billion.

DoorDash sees record orders and revenue in Q2

( ) -q-24- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “of $2.5-billion.”

DoorDash set quarterly records for total orders and revenue despite slowing U.S. restaurant traffic.

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Time: 24s
Title: DOORDASH-REVENUES-house-q-FRIam
Out-cue: of $2.5-billion]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Circana, a market research firm, said U.S. restaurant traffic was down 2.6% in the first half of this year. But DoorDash says digital and delivery orders are still growing, and it’s also winning more business from non-restaurant retailers.

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VERBATIM: The San Francisco-based delivery company says its total orders rose 19% to 635 million in the April-to-June period. According to analysts polled by FactSet, that was ahead of the 625 million Wall Street was expecting. DoorDash said revenue rose 23% to $2.6 billion, which also exceeded analysts’ forecast of $2.5 billion.

Apple breaks out of recent sales slump as it gears up for AI

( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “after Labor Day.”

Apple snapped out of a prolonged sales slump during its most-recent quarter.

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Time: 25s
Title: APPLE-AI-house-q-FRIam
Out-cue: after Labor Day]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Apple boosted its sales from a year ago — a welcome reversal of fortune on the heels of five consecutive quarters of year-over-year revenue declines.

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VERBATIM: The results came as the trendsetting company is preparing to launch into the artificial intelligence craze with an arsenal of new technology that’s expected to juice demand for its next iPhone. The fiscal third-quarter results covered an April-to-June period that’s typically a sluggish stretch for Apple. Its loyal customer base is awaiting the next version of the iPhone that’s traditionally unveiled shortly after Labor Day.

Former Senator Jim Talent Blames Iran Attacks On Biden “Fantasy”

Former Israeli Ambassador Calls NYT Haniyeh Obit New Low In U.S. Journalism

Starbucks quarterly revenue falls on weak traffic in US and China

( ) -q-23- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “fell three-percent.”

Starbucks’ revenue fell one-percent in the April-to-June period as customer traffic weakened in the U.S. and China.

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Time: 23s
Title: STARBUCKS-REVENUE-house-q-WEDam
Out-cue: fell three-percent]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Same-store sales in China plunged 14% as the company struggled to compete with lower-priced rivals. U.S. same-store sales fell 2%.

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VERBATIM: Despite the revenue decline, the Seattle coffee giant is optimistic that successful new products and improvements in efficiency will help turn things around. Starbucks reported revenue of $9.1 billion for its fiscal third quarter. That was slightly lower than the $9.2 billion Wall Street anticipated. Starbucks said global same-store sales fell 3%.

Lawsuit says Norfolk Southern’s freight trains cause chronic delays for Amtrak

( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “of the country.”

The federal government alleges in a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern that the railroad has been causing chronic delays for Amtrak between New York and New Orleans.

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Time: 27s
Title: FREIGHT-TRAIN-DELAYS-house-q-WEDam
Out-cue: of the country]

TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: The lawsuit claims Norfolk Southern is forcing the passenger trains to wait while its massive freight trains pass. The Justice Department took the unusual step of filing a lawsuit because it says Norfolk Southern is consistently violating the federal law that requires Amtrak’s trains to get priority when they cross a freight railroad’s tracks. Amtrak relies on tracks owned by one of the six major freight railroads across most of the country.