Congressman Accuses China Of Spreading Lies About TikTok Bill

Senator Rand Paul Says He’ll Delay Passage Of Costly “Minibus” Bill

Senator Cotton Says Democrat Anti-Semitism Cause Of WH Tone On Israel

UK inflation falls by more than expected in February, triggering talk of lower interest rates

( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “and a quarter-percent.”

Price rises in the U.K. eased more than anticipated in February.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

GOP state attorneys push back on Biden’s proposed diversity rules for apprenticeship programs

( ) -v-33- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “std.”

Republican attorneys general in two dozen states are pushing back against a proposed Biden administration rule that seeks to expand diversity in apprenticeship programs. Correspondent Jeremy House has the details.

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VERBATIM: The proposed rule change would set new standards for registered apprenticeships that provide paid on-the-job training and education for skilled workers. The Republican attorneys general contend a requirement to recruit and hire people from “underserved communities” could amount to race-based discrimination. The proposal also would require state apprenticeship agencies to have plans for diversity, equity and inclusion. That could run counter to some new state laws prohibiting such initiatives in government and education…JH reporting.

French regulators fine Google $272 million in dispute with news publishers

( ) -v-35- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “std.”

France’s competition watchdog has hit Google with another big fine tied to a long-running dispute over payments to French publishers for their news. Correspondent Jeremy House reports.

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VERBATIM: The French Competition Authority says it issued the $272 million penalty because of Google’s failure to comply with some commitments it made in a negotiating framework. The dispute is part of a larger effort by authorities in the European Union and around the world to force Google and other tech companies to compensate news publishers for content. The U.S. tech giant was forced to negotiate with French publishers after a court in 2020 upheld an order saying payments were required by a 2019 European Union copyright directive…JH reporting.

Senator Lindsey Graham Proposes Interest-Free Loans To Ukraine

Unilever is cutting 7,500 jobs and spinning off its ice cream business

( ) -v-38- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “std.”

Unilever says it’s cutting 7,500 jobs and spinning off its ice cream business to reduce costs and boost profits. Correspondent Jeremy House has more on the story.

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VERBATIM: The London-based company that makes Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Dove soaps and Vaseline says its ice cream business, which also includes Magnum bars would benefit from separate ownership to increase growth. It says the split is expected to be completed by the end of next year. The British consumer goods company with 128,000 employees also says it’s launching a “productivity program” that’s expected to lead to a reduction of about 7,500 mostly office-based jobs worldwide and save $867 million over the next three years…JH reporting.

Average Wall Street bonus last year was $176,500, down slightly from 2022

( ) -q-23- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “the slight decline.”

The average Wall Street bonus fell slightly last year to $176,500.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: New York state comptroller reports the average bonus for employees in New York City’s securities industry was down 2% from 2022. The slight dip came even as Wall Street profits were up slightly. The comptroller’s office says that firms took a more cautious approach to compensation as more employees joined the industry, which accounts for the slight decline.

The Bank of Japan ends its negative interest rate policy

( ) -q-23- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “for tightening credit.”

Japan’s central bank has raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in 17 years, ending a longstanding policy of negative rates meant to boost the economy.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Tuesday’s decision allowed room for adjustments and the BOJ said the economy still faces ”extremely high uncertainties.”

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VERBATIM: The Bank of Japan’s call rate was raised to a range of 0 to 0.1% from minus 0.1% at a policy meeting that confirmed expectations of a shift away from ultra-lax monetary policy. It’s the first rate hike since February 2007. The bank had set a target of about 2% inflation as the key indicator for tightening credit.

Poll: Trump Endorsed Bernie Moreno Has Big Lead In Ohio GOP Primary

Emerson Poll: Trump Endorsed Moreno With Big Lead Heading Into Ohio GOP Senate Primary

United Airlines CEO tries to reassure customers about airline safety

( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “grabbed United’s attention.”

The CEO of United Airlines is trying to reassure travelers that the airline is safe despite a series of recent incidents ranging from a panel falling off a plane to an engine fire.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: CEO Scott Kirby says United will review safety training for all employees. Kirby says the airline was already planning an extra day of training for pilots starting in May and changes in training curriculum for new mechanics. In a message to customers, Kirby says the recent incidents are reminders of the importance of safety. He says while the flight issues are all unrelated, they have grabbed United’s attention.

Stores and restaurants use paid memberships to make customers feel special

( ) -q-24- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “cost $99 annually.”

Paid loyalty programs are all the rage in the restaurant and retail worlds.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. There’s also a shopping app called Long Story Short that will cost members $1,000 monthly for anonymous access to hard-to-get luxury goods.

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VERBATIM: If you’re looking for reliable sales in an unpredictable spending environment, look for companies which have extended their points-based loyalty tiers. They’re making their most dependable customers feel valued for an up-front fee. So how much does it cost to feel special? Target is taking on the Amazon Prime juggernaut with a paid loyalty program that will cost $99 annually.

Fallen British tech star to tell inside story of rotten Hewlett Packard deal in trial

( ) -q-19- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “a costly debacle.”

An $11 billion acquisition that backfired on Silicon Valley pioneer Hewlett Packard more than a decade ago is being dug up at a trial in San Francisco.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The alleged perpetrators in the trial are former Autonomy CEO Mike Lynch, who was once lionized as an example of British ingenuity, and Stephen Chamberlain, a former finance executive at Autonomy.

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VERBATIM: The trial is exploring whether the deal was an illegal rip-off or a case of botched management. The trial revolves around HP’s acquisition of British software maker Autonomy. It was a deal that was celebrated as coup when it was announced in 2011, only to blow up into a costly debacle.

Home sellers cut list prices as spring buying season

More homeowners eager to sell their homes are lowering their initial asking price in a bid to entice prospective buyers as the spring homebuying season gets going. According to Realtor.com, some 14.6% of U.S. homes listed for sale last month had their price lowered. That’s up from 13.2% a year earlier. The share of home listings that have had their price lowered is running slightly higher than the monthly average on data going back to January 2017.

Feds investigating a tire problem on an American Airlines flight to LA

The Federal Aviation Administration says it’s investigating an incident in which an American Airlines plane flying from Dallas to Los Angeles suffered a tire problem. American flight 345 landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport earlier this week. American says pilots got a warning of low pressure in one of the tires. The plane, a Boeing 777, has 14 tires to handle the pressure of takeoffs and landings.

Lyft, Uber threaten to leave Minneapolis after being forced to pay drivers more

( ) -q-28- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “all other workers.”

Lyft and Uber say they will cease operations in Minneapolis after the city’s council voted to override a mayoral veto.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Uber and Lyft say they will push for statewide legislation to counter the ordinance. State House Republicans have proposed a bill that would preempt local regulations of ride-hailing services.

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VERBATIM: The override means ride-hailing services would be required to increase driver wages to the equivalent of the local hourly minimum wage of $15.57. A statement from Lyft calls the ordinance “deeply flawed” and says it will pull out by May 1, when the ordinance takes effect. Uber has reportedly issued a similar statement. The measure’s co-sponsor says drivers “deserve dignified minimum wages like all other workers.”

Jim Talent: Talk Of “Red Lines” Prolonging War, Suffering In Gaza

Polls: Democrats Likely To Lose Support By Catering To Hamas Supporters

Schumer Takes Aim At Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

Wholesale prices picked up in February as inflation pressures remain elevated

( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “1.6-percent in February.”

Wholesale prices in the United States picked up again in February.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The figures could present a challenge for the Fed, which is counting on cooling inflation as it considers when to cut its benchmark interest rate, now at a 23-year high.

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VERBATIM: It’s the latest sign that inflation pressures remain elevated and might not cool in the coming months as fast as the Federal Reserve or the Biden administration would like. The government’s producer price index rose 0.6% from January to February. That’s up from a 0.3% rise the previous month. Measured year over year, producer prices rose by 1.6% in February.

Potential misuse of AI poses severe risks for elections worldwide

( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “a text prompt.”

Artificial intelligence is supercharging the threat of election disinformation worldwide.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. A wave of AI deepfakes tied to elections in Europe and Asia has coursed through social media for months, serving as a warning for more than 50 countries heading to the polls this year.

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VERBATIM: The threat makes it easy for anyone with a smartphone to create fake – but convincing – content aimed at fooling voters. It’s a big leap from a few years ago, when creating phony photos or videos required teams of people with time and technical skill. Now, using free and low-cost generative artificial intelligence services from companies like Google and OpenAI, anyone can create high-quality “deepfakes” with a text prompt.

Lebanese, French officials float a plan to rebuild Beirut port

( ) -q-24- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “to solar power.”

Lebanese and French officials have come up with a plan for the reconstruction and reorganization of the Beirut port.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Lebanon will need to come up with an estimated $60- $80 million to complete the reconstruction. It plans on using the port’s revenues.

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VERBATIM: The plan comes three and a half years after hundreds of tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate ignited at the facility, setting off one of the world’s biggest non-nuclear explosions. The French government funded the development of the plan presented by two French engineering firms. It will focus on rebuilding quays damaged in the explosion, reorganizing the port’s layout to streamline traffic, and shifting the facility to solar power.