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.

UK legislation would ban foreign state ownership of British newspapers

( ) -v-37- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “std.”

The British government says it will back legislation banning foreign state ownership of British newspapers and magazines. Correspondent Jeremy House has more on the story.

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VERBATIM: The move could upend a planned takeover by a United Arab Emirates consortium of the Telegraph Media Group. The development comes after numerous lawmakers from across the political divide urged for an explicit ban. The minister in charge of media, Stephen Parkinson, says the government will send an amendment to the “Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill” currently making its way through Parliament. The bill will prevent takeover of British publications by foreign governments. However, foreign individuals and firms will continue to be able to own papers and magazines…JH reporting.

Rep. Gallagher Says TikTok Bill Will Protect From CCP Propaganda

Republicans Divided Over New Restrictions On TikTok

Boeing promises changes after getting poor grades in manufacturing quality

Boeing received bad grades in a government audit of manufacturing quality, and the company says it’s making changes to address the situation. The president of the company’s commercial aircraft division says Boeing will work with employees found to have violated company manufacturing procedures to make sure they understand their instructions. A memo went out after the Federal Aviation Administration identified problems during a six-week review of Boeing’s processes for manufacturing the 737 Max jetliner. That’s the model of plane that lost a panel during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

Buttigieg scolds railroads for not improving safety enough since Ohio derailment

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has reiterated his concerns about railroad safety. Buttigieg has also scolded the industry for not doing more to improve since last year’s fiery Ohio derailment. In a new letter to the freight railroads’ main trade group, Buttigieg acknowledged that the railroads say they are committed to safety. But he said that too often regulators encounter resistance when they try to get the industry to do more to improve safety.

The New York Times is fighting off Wordle look-alikes

The New York Times is fighting off Wordle “clones.” The newspaper is arguing that numerous games inspired by the mega-popular word-guessing game infringe on its copyright protections. After Wordle skyrocketed to internet fame, hundreds of copycats have emerged over recent years. And the Times, which purchased the game in 2022, is now sending takedown notices to people behind some of the look-alikes.

Inflation up again in February as price pressures remain elevated

( ) -q-28- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “pressures this year.”

Consumer prices in the United States picked up last month.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so called “core” prices also climbed 0.4% from January to February, matching the previous month’s increase and a faster pace than is consistent with the Fed’s 2% target.

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VERBATIM: Prices rose 0.4% from January to February, a pickup from the previous month’s figure of 0.3%. Compared with 12 months earlier, consumer prices rose 3.2% last month, faster than January’s 3.1% annual pace. It’s a sign that inflation remains a persistent challenge for the Federal Reserve and for President Biden’s re-election campaign, both of which are counting on a steady easing of price pressures this year.

Power restored to Tesla German factory after suspected arson attack

( ) -q-17- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “standstill last Tuesday.”

A network operator says power has been restored to electric car manufacturer Tesla’s factory near Berlin after a nearly one-week outage believed to have been caused by arson.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Tens of thousands of residents, nearby hospitals, nursing homes and a big logistics center for a German grocery chain also were affected initially.

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VERBATIM: The grid operator says Tesla was reconnected to the network after days of repairs. There had been expectations that the factory, Tesla’s first in Europe, might remain without power until the end of the week. Production at Tesla’s plant just outside Berlin, came to a standstill last Tuesday.

EU to recommend members open accession negotiations with Bosnia

( ) -q-18- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “from Russian influence.”

The European Union’s executive arm says it will recommend that member countries open accession negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement Tuesday.

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VERBATIM: The Western Balkan country is among six nations that are at different stages of the EU accession process, following a period of wars and crises in the 1990s. Their memberships have been stalled for years. But EU officials are more keen on trying to lure them away from Russian influence.

Russian economy is key selling point in Putin’s reelection bid

( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “still rolling in.”

Russia’s economy is holding up despite massive Western sanctions and foreign businesses pulling out of the country.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: While some goods aren’t available, President Vladimir Putin can point to a stable, growing economy as he orchestrates his reelection to a fifth, six-year term this week. Granted, there’s inflation that consumers are feeling as they shop, and some favorite imported goods may be gone or much more expensive. But massive government spending on the military and other moves have been giving the economy a boost. Plus, oil income is still rolling in.

Japan’s economy avoids recession by growing in last year’s final quarter

( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “quarters of contraction.”

Japan’s economy managed to grow in the fourth quarter of last year, averting a recession.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Real GDP is a measure of the value of a nation’s products and services. The annual rate measures what would have happened if the quarterly rate lasted a year.

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VERBATIM: According to revised government data that had previously shown a contraction, real gross domestic product grew in the October-to-December quarter at an annual pace of 0.4% instead of a contraction of 0.4%. The revision reflects an improvement in private capital investment. It also means Japan avoided sinking into a technical recession, generally defined as two straight quarters of contraction.

China’s congress ends with a show of unity behind Xi’s vision

( ) -q-21- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “a top leader.”

China’s national congress has concluded its annual session with the usual show of near-unanimous support for the ruling Communist Party’s blueprint for the year.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The National People’s Congress approved a revised law that directs China’s cabinet to follow Xi’s vision.

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VERBATIM: The weeklong event has highlighted how China’s politics have become ever more calibrated to elevate leader Xi Jinping. The agenda lacked the usual news conference by the premier, who in the past was largely in charge of economic affairs as the party’s No. 2 leader. It was the one time each year when journalists could directly question a top leader.

Federal judge blocks labor board rule making it easier for workers to unionize

( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “the common law.”

A federal judge in Texas has blocked a new rule by the National Labor Relations Board that would have made it easier for millions of workers to form unions at big companies.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: The rule, which was due to go into effect Monday, would have set new standards for determining when two companies should be considered “joint employers” in labor negotiations. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups sued in November to block the rule. U.S. District Court Judge J. Campbell Barker granted the plaintiffs’ motion for a summary judgement Friday after concluding that the NLRB’s new rule exceeds “the bounds of the common law.”

US employers add 275,000 jobs in sign of continued economic strength

( ) -q-26- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “households and businesses.”

America’s employers delivered another healthy month of hiring in February.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Employers have continued to hire briskly to meet steady demand from consumers across the economy.

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VERBATIM: A surprising 275,000 jobs were added last month. That was up from a revised gain of 229,000 jobs in January. The unemployment rate ticked up two-tenths of a point to 3.9%. The Labor Department report reflected the job market’s sustained ability to withstand the 11 rate hikes the Federal Reserve imposed to fight inflation, which made borrowing much costlier for households and businesses.

Justice Department beefs up focus on artificial intelligence enforcement

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

The Justice Department is stepping up its focus on artificial intelligence. Correspondent Jeremy House reports.

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VERBATIM: Officials warn that companies and people who deliberately misuse AI technology to advance a white-collar crime like price fixing, fraud or market manipulation will be at risk for a harsher sentence. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco says the Justice Department will take into account how well a company is managing the risks of AI technology each time it assesses a corporate compliance program. Such a program is a set of policies and procedures designed to detect misconduct and ensure executives and employees are following the law..JH, Washington.

School shootings prompt more states to fund digital maps for first responders

( ) -v-32- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “std.”

Mass shootings at schools have prompted a growing number of states to encourage digital mapping to aid emergency responders. Correspondent Jeremy House has the details.

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VERBATIM: According to an Associated Press analysis, lawmakers in more than 20 states have enacted or proposed measures setting standards for digital school mapping. The analysis found companies specializing in such mapping have spent at least $1.4 million lobbying for legislation in recent years. The maps go beyond traditional blueprints to include aerial imagery and precise labeling of doors, hallways, utilities and numerous other features in buildings that could enable quicker responses in emergencies…JH reporting.

Alabama Senator Katie Britt Gives GOP Response To SOU

A big night for GOP Senator Katie Britt [R-Ala] who offered the GOP response to the president’s (State of the Union) address. At 42, Britt is the youngest Republican woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate. She says she was unimpressed by the President’s address. She says Biden proves he’s out of touch with problems facing American families..who she says are worse off, and less safe since he took office.