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Senate Hearing To explore Need For AI Regulation, Privacy Law
Radio Hosts Say White House Sent Questions Before Biden Interview
New British PM seeks to improve on ‘botched’ trade deal with EU
( ) -q-24- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “with the E.U.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he would seek to improve the trade deal with the European Union.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Starmer added those talks had already begun as his top diplomat met his counterparts in Europe.
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VERBATIM: Starmer’s statement comes as he began a two-day tour of the U.K. as part of an “immediate reset” with governments in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Starmer says he thinks the U.K. can get a much better deal than the one negotiated by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Starmer said there were many discussions ahead to strengthen trading, research and defense ties with the EU.
The US housing slump deepened this spring
( ) -q-26- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “of this year.”
The nation’s housing market sales slump is dragging on into its third straight year, as evidenced by another weak spring homebuying season.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. A small decline in rates may not be enough to improve affordability, and may drive prices higher.
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VERBATIM: Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in the March-to-May period from a year earlier, and early June data point to another down month. The lackluster spring sales are a reflection of the affordability challenges many home shoppers face due to elevated mortgage rates, a shortage of properties on the market and record-high home prices. Economists are projecting mortgage rates will ease modestly by the end of this year.
Republican Bill Would Force Colleges To Protect Civil Rights On Campus
Former Israeli Ambassador Warns Regional War Could Be One Rocket Strike Away
Kansas’ top court rejects 2 pro-life laws, bolstering abortion access rights
( ) -q-21- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “the 2019 decision.”
The Kansas Supreme Court has struck down state laws regulating abortion providers more strictly than other health care providers and banning a common second-trimester procedure.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: The court’s decisions in two separate cases reaffirm its stance that the state constitution protects abortion access. The court declared access to abortion a fundamental right in 2019. The court rejected a suggestion from lawyers for the state that the justices should walk back the 2019 decision.
US employers added a solid 206,000 jobs in June in a sign of continued economic strength
( ) -q-20- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “to 4.1-percent.”
America’s employers delivered a healthy month of hiring in June, adding 206,000 jobs.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The department also sharply revised down its estimate of job growth for April and May by a combined 111,000.
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VERBATIM: The Labor Department says last month’s job growth did mark a pullback from 218,000 in May. But it was still a strong gain, reflecting the resilience of America’s consumer-driven economy, which is slowing but still growing steadily. The department report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4% to 4.1%.
China’s BYD inaugurates first plant in Thailand as it expands reach into Southeast Asia
( ) -q-29- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “of 150-thousand vehicles.”
Chinese automaker BYD has inaugurated its first electric vehicle plant in Thailand.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The new plant will make several BYD models and also batteries and transmissions. Thailand aims to have 30% of all vehicles made in the country be electric by 2030.
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VERBATIM: It’s part of the company’s effort to expand into Southeast Asia while also tackling wealthier markets in the U.S. and Europe. The factory’s opening comes on the same day that the European Union is expected to begin imposing higher tariffs on EVs made in China due to concerns over competition from the cheaper-priced imports. The new factory in Rayong, south of Bangkok, was built in just 16 months and has an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles.
New Zealand to ease zoning to try to relieve housing shortage
( ) -q-23- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “would not work.”
New Zealand’s housing minister says the country will drastically ease restrictions on land use in a bid to “flood the market” with land for homes and override the powers of local councils to curb development.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: Chris Bishop says the new measures would require local councils to make enough land available to accommodate 30 years of growth, rather than three. They would also bar the councils from imposing urban limits or restrictions on apartment size. New Zealand has faced a decade-long housing crisis. Analysts welcomed the zoning liberalization while the Parliamentary opposition said it would not work.
Germany’s government greenlights the country’s fiscal year 20205 budget
( ) -q-21- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “the political right.”
The German government has agreed on a budget for 2025 and a stimulus package for Europe’s largest economy.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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New-vehicle sales barely rose in Q2 amid still-high prices
( ) -q-29- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “do sales paperwork.”
U.S. new-vehicle sales rose only slightly in the second quarter, despite larger discounts and slightly lower prices.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Analysts say inventories on dealer lots is building, especially for pickup trucks and other higher-priced vehicles.
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VERBATIM: Auto industry analysts predict that still-lower prices are coming and suggest buyers consider waiting for better deals. Overall, Motorintelligence.com says U.S. sales were up only 0.1% compared to a year ago, as still-high prices kept many potential buyers out of the market. Sales were crimped in late June, when cyberattacks knocked out software from CDK Global that dealerships use to do sales paperwork.
Google falling short of important climate target, cites AI electricity needs
( ) -q-21- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “on data centers.”
Google, which has an ambitious plan to address climate change with cleaner operations, came nowhere close to its goals last year.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: According to the company’s annual Environmental Report, instead of going down, its emissions grew 13% in 2023. The tech giant’s total energy consumption has more than doubled since 2019. Google attributes the increase to artificial intelligence and the demand it puts on data centers.
Tesla sales fall for second straight quarter despite price cuts
( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “analysts had expected.”
Tesla’s global sales fell for the second straight quarter despite price cuts and low-interest financing offers.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Demand for EVs worldwide is slowing, but still growing for most automakers. Tesla, with an aging model lineup and relatively high average selling prices, has struggled more than other manufacturers but retained its title of being the electric vehicle sales leader in the U.S. and across the world.
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VERBATIM: It’s another sign of weakening demand for the company’s products and electric vehicles overall. The Austin, Texas, company says it sold nearly 444-thousand vehicles from April through June. That’s down 4.8% from 466,140 sold the same period a year ago. But the sales were better than the 436,000 that analysts had expected.
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Judge pauses Biden’s delay of consideration of gas export projects
( ) -q-21- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “natural gas projects.”
A Louisiana judge says the Biden administration can’t delay consideration of projects aimed at exporting liquefied natural gas while a legal challenge plays out in federal court.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: U.S. District Judge James Cain, Jr. has granted a preliminary injunction that puts the Biden administration’s delay on hold. He sided with 16 states that sued the federal government earlier this year, saying the states will likely succeed in their case. He cited evidence submitted by the plaintiffs that showed loss of revenues and deferred investments in natural gas projects.
Biden administration proposes rule for workplaces to address excessive heat
( ) -q-26- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “factories and kitchens.”
The Biden administration is proposing a rule aimed at addressing excessive heat in the workplace.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: The proposal comes as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories due to blistering temperatures. If finalized, the measure would protect an estimated 36 million U.S. workers from injuries related to heat exposure on the job. Those affected by excessive heat in the workplace include farmworkers, delivery and construction workers, landscapers, gardeners as well as workers in warehouses, factories and kitchens.
Inflation is down in Europe, but the European Central Bank is slow to cut rates
( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “inflation to land.”
Inflation is on the way down in Europe.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The central bank’s president made clear in a speech that it will take time to make sure inflation is headed down for good. The bank has made one rate cut to help the economy grow. But analysts say that more cuts are off the table at least until the bank’s September meeting.
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VERBATIM: Whiel the report is good news, it’s not good enough for the European Central Bank to cut interest rates just yet. The figure of 2.5% for June was down a bit from the month before. That’s well down from the peak in double digits. But it just shows how consumer price increases are stuck above 2%. And that’s where the ECB wants inflation to land.