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News reports from around the world.
One airline will test an adult travelers-only section
( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “passengers in back.”
One airline believes passengers will pay extra to sit away from babies and young children.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Sitting in the no-kids zone will cost the price of a ticket plus a reservation fee of $49 or $109.
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VERBATIM: Corendon Airlines says that it will sell an adults-only zone — no one under 16 allowed — on flights between Amsterdam and Curacao starting in November. The Turkey-based airline announced last week that it will set aside about 100 seats for adults on its Airbus A350 jets, which have 432 seats in all. A wall or curtain will separate the section from the rest of the passengers in back.
How PayPal is using AI to combat fraud, and make it easier to pay
( ) -q-28- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “next 120 days.”
Artificial intelligence has been the buzzword of 2023 ever since ChatGPT made its public debut earlier this year.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: Businesses, schools, universities and even non-profits have been looking for ways to integrate AI in their operations. John Kim, chief product officer for PayPal says the company is using the early proliferation of artificial intelligence technologies in its business, as well as PayPal’s future in payments when there’s so much competition. Kim say PayPal plans on launching three new products with ties to AI in the next 120 days.
London’s plan to charge drivers of polluting cars sparks protests and stirs political passions
( ) -v-33- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “std.”
London’s traffic cameras are under attack. Correspondent Jeremy House has more on the story.
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VERBATIM: Police say hundreds of license-plate reading cameras have been damaged, disconnected or stolen by opponents of an anti-pollution charge on older vehicles that has come into force across the city. The vandalism is evidence that emotions are running high over the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone. London’s mayor says the plan will cut air pollution that is linked to about 4,000 deaths a year in the British capital. Critics say it’s a cash grab that will penalize suburban residents who depend on their cars for work and essential travel…JH reporting.
Top Chinese official tells the US commerce secretary he’s ready to improve cooperation
( ) -q-29- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “curbs as necessary.”
The top Chinese official in charge of economic relations with Washington has told Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo he’s ready to “make new positive efforts” to improve cooperation.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: The comments from China’s Vice Premier follow an agreement to reduce trade tension. The agreement is the most substantial result to date out of a string of visits by American officials to Beijing over the last three months to revive relations that are at their lowest level in decades. The two governments would launch an “information exchange” about U.S. controls on technology exports that have been criticized by Beijing, though U-S Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo defended the curbs as necessary.
Broadband subsidy program to expire if Congress doesn’t act
( ) -q-20- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “need it most.”
One of the programs set up to ensure affordable internet for all is set to run out by the middle of 2024.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. With the clock ticking, the White House and advocacy groups are working to push Congress to extend the program this year.
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VERBATIM: The Affordable Connectivity Program’s primary allocation of $14.2 billion is projected to run out unless Congress takes steps to renew it. That could end access to affordable broadband for the more than 20 million households that use it. It also could hinder the Biden administration’s effort to bring connectivity to the people who need it most.
G20 host India invites African Union to become permanent members
( ) -q-24- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “can’t be resolved.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says his country’s role as the G20 host this year would focus on highlighting the concerns of the developing world.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. He made his remarks on Sunday at the Business 20 Summit in New Delhi, a conference of policymakers and business leaders who gathered to discuss themes like digital transformation, building resilient supply chains, debt distress and climate change goals.
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VERBATIM: Modi has also proposed the African Union become permanent members of the forum. As host of the G20 this year, India has consistently appealed for the fractured grouping to reach consensus on issues that disproportionately affect developing countries, or the so-called Global South. Officials are trying to reach a consensus even if the broader East-West split over Ukraine can’t be resolved.
Workers exposed to extreme heat have no consistent protection in U.S.
( ) — UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “in the U.S.”
State and federal agencies are scrambling to find measures to combat rising heat deaths and injuries of people who work in triple-digit temperatures.
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Out-cue: in the U-S]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: State and federal governments have long implemented federal procedures for environmental risks, namely drought, flood and wildfires. But extreme heat protections for workers have generally lagged. Complicating attempts to address the issue is the absence of one national standard for measuring heat deaths in the U.S.
Turkey’s central bank unleashes a big interest rate hike
( ) -q-18- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “inflation has surged.”
Turkey’s central bank has raised its key interest rate by an aggressive 7.5 percentage points, in a new sign of a return to more traditional economic policies.
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Out-cue: inflation has surged]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Central banks worldwide have been hiking rates to bring consumer price rises under control, but the Turkish central bank started cutting rates in late 2021 under pressure from Erdogan. He appointed a new economic team after being reelected in May.
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VERBATIM: The bank hiked its policy rate to 25%. The bank is backtracking from a rate-cutting course set by President Erdogan that’s been blamed for inflaming a cost-of-living crisis. Many households have been left struggling to afford rent and basic goods as inflation has surged.
Taiwan accuses China of using trade curbs to influence elections
( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “of Taiwan’s democracy.'”
Taiwan’s vice president and frontrunner in the presidential elections has accused China of using “unfair” trade practices to influence the elections.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Presidential elections are due to take place in January 2024.
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VERBATIM: William Lai says China has targeted Taiwan’s “agricultural products, potentially in an effort to undermine the coming elections.” China recently announced it would suspend mango imports from Taiwan after import authorities detected “pests” on the fruit. Lai said China would be “hoping to interfere in the elections with all sorts of tactics, but if they succeed, it will be an undermining of Taiwan’s democracy.”
Nordstrom’s results reflect cautious consumer spending
( ) -q-24- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “a year ago.”
Nordstrom says its sales and profits fell in its fiscal second quarter, joining its department store peers coping with shoppers’ cautious spending.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: Nordstrom’s sales were affected by the timing of the company’s anniversary sale, with one week falling into the third quarter this year compared to one day in 2022. Moreover, last year’s results included a full quarter of sales from its Canadian operations, which it wound down in June of this year. Nordstrom said it expects a revenue decline between 4% to 6% for the year compared with a year ago.
Fewer Americans apply for jobless benefits amid healthy labor market
( ) -q-19- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “the previous week.”
Applications for unemployment benefits fell again last week.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: The Labor Department says the number of Americans applying for jobless benefits fell last week by 10,000, to 230,000 for the week ending August 19. In total, about 1.7 million people were collecting unemployment benefits the week that ended August 12th. That’s about 9,000 fewer than the previous week.
Nvidia posts another stellar quarter propelled by sales of AI chips
( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “be even higher.”
Computer chip maker Nvidia has rocketed into the constellation of Big Tech’s brightest stars while riding the artificial intelligence craze that’s fueling red-hot demand for its technology.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: The latest evidence of Nvidia’s ascendance emerged with the latest release of the company’s quarterly earnings report. The results covering the May-to-July period exceeded Nvidia’s projections for astronomical sales growth propelled by the company’s specialized chips needed to power different forms of artificial intelligence. Nvidia’s revenue doubled from a year ago to $13.51 billion and the company projected sales are bound to be even higher.
California may pay unemployment to striking workers, but fund is already insolvent
( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “in the country.”
Some California lawmakers want to make striking workers eligible for unemployment benefits.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Labor unions say workers should not be punished for businesses not paying enough taxes.
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VERBATIM: The push in the final weeks of the California state’s legislative session is in response to multiple strikes. They includes hotel workers in Southern California, and Hollywood actors and writers. California does not have enough money to pay all of the unemployment benefits workers are owed today. The fund is filled by a tax businesses pay on their workers wages. But the tax has not changed since 1984 and is among the lowest in the country.
Facing Sept. 14, auto union chief says talks with Detroit 3 aren’t going well
( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “in good faith.”
With about three weeks until contracts expire with Detroit’s three automakers, the head of the United Auto Workers union says bargaining isn’t going well.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Members are voting this week on whether to give union leaders authorization to call a strike.
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VERBATIM: UAW President Shawn Fain told workers outside a Detroit factory that their walk to practice picketing would become reality if General Motors, Ford and Stellantis don’t start negotiating seriously. Contracts between the union representing about 146,000 workers at the companies expire at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 14. The companies say they’re bargaining in good faith.
Lebanon’s leaders hope tourism boom will help bypass IMF bailout reforms
( ) -q-30- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “bolster the economy.”
Lebanon’s political elites are pushing a recovery plan for the country’s financial collapse that would allow them to sidestep tough reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund.
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Out-cue: bolster the economy]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: Economic experts and former officials say the recovery plan would largely shift the burden of paying to bail out the financial system away from senior politicians, their families and associates — and onto ordinary Lebanese. The IMF plan would audit banks and force them to sell assets and merge, putting the losses on powerful shareholders. Instead, politicians are hoping a boom in tourism, remittances from abroad and, eventually, revenues from new gas discoveries will bolster the economy.
Foot Locker lowers full-year outlook again, pauses dividend
( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “were calling for.”
Foot Locker is cutting its full-year outlook again.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Same-store sales, a key indicator of a retailer’s health, dropped 9.4% in the quarter.
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VERBATIM: Foot Locker is also pausing its quarterly dividend as sales dropped in its fiscal second quarter with consumers continuing to be more cautious about their purchases. Shares tumbled more than 27%. The footwear and clothing retailer said quarterly sales declined to $1.86 billion from $2.07 billion. That’s short of the $1.88 billion that analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research were calling for.
Tanker collision disrupts traffic at Egypt’s Suez Canal
( ) -q-28- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “to global trade.”
Egyptian authorities say two tankers have collided in the Suez Canal, disrupting traffic through the global waterway.
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Out-cue: to global trade]
TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The Suez Canal authorities say they managed to refloat and tow away the BW Lesmes, while efforts are underway to remove the Burri from the waterway.
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VERBATIM: The Suez Canal authority says the BW Lesmes, a Singapore-flagged tanker that carries liquefied natural gas, suffered a mechanical malfunction and ran aground while transiting through the canal. The Burri, a Cayman Island-flagged tanker which carries oil products, collided with the broken vessel. Wednesday’s incident is the latest case of a vessel reported stuck in the crucial waterway over the past few years, causing disruption to global trade.
China fines US research firm $1.5 million in crackdown on info-gathering
( ) -q-26- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “without obtaining approval.'”
An American research firm has been fined $1.5 million by China’s government in a crackdown on information-gathering that has rattled foreign investors.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The notice gave no details of the violation. Mintz Group does background checks on employees and business partners and gathers other information for corporate clients.
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VERBATIM: Mintz Group was one of a series of foreign consultants that were raided starting in April. The raids took place after Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government announced expanded anti-spying rules that left companies unsure what they were allowed to do. A notice from the Beijing statistics bureau dated July 14 said Mintz Group illegally engaged in “foreign-related statistical investigation activities without obtaining approval.”
Dubai International Airport sees 41.6 million passengers in first half of year
( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “aviation industry worldwide.”
Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, says it served 41.6 million passengers in the first half of this year.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: That exceeds figures for the same period in 2019 as travelers return to the air after the lockdowns from the coronavirus pandemic. The new figures at the airport known as DXB reflect figures offering by the International Air Transport Association that traffic worldwide is at 94% of pre-COVID levels. The Dubai airport long has served as a barometer for the aviation industry worldwide.
Europe’s sweeping rules for tech giants are about to kick in
( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “terms of service.”
Google, Facebook, TikTok and other Big Tech companies operating in Europe are facing one of the most far-reaching efforts to clean up what people encounter online.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Some online platforms have already started making changes, and they could have worldwide effects.
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VERBATIM: The first phase of the European Union’s groundbreaking new digital rules will take effect this week. The Digital Services Act is part of a group of tech-focused regulations crafted by the 27-nation bloc. The biggest platforms must start following the DSA starting Friday. The law is designed to keep users safe online and stop the spread of harmful content that’s either illegal or violates a platform’s terms of service.
Russia, China look to advance agendas in developing countries
( ) -q-26- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “warrant against him.”
Russia and China will look to gain more political and economic ground in the developing world at a summit in South Africa this week.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.
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VERBATIM: Leaders from the BRICS economic bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will hold three days of meetings in Johannesburg. Chinese Premier Xi Jinping is attending to underline the diplomatic capital his country has invested in the bloc as an avenue for its ambitions. Russian President Vladimir Putin will appear on a video link after his travel to South Africa was complicated by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against him.
More hearings begin soon for Summit’s proposed CO2 pipeline
( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “for the pipeline.”
More hearings this month and in September are set for Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed $5.5 billion, 2,000-mile pipeline network.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Other CO2 pipeline projects are proposed around the country as well, with new federal tax incentives making the burgeoning technology of carbon capture an attractive enterprise.
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VERBATIM: The pipeline system would carry carbon dioxide emissions from dozens of ethanol plants in five states to central North Dakota for permanent storage deep underground. Iowa public utility regulators on Tuesday begin a weekslong hearing for Summit’s proposal, with South Dakota regulators set to hold their hearing in September. Landowners opposed to the project are concerned about a pipeline rupture and eminent domain, or the taking of their land for the pipeline.
Looking for a new car under $20,000? Your choice has dwindled to just one vehicle
( ) -q-28- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “under 20-thousand dollars.”
And then there was one!
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. With prices — new and used — having soared since the pandemic, $20,000 is no longer much of a starting point for a new car.
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VERBATIM: Just five years ago, a price-conscious auto shopper in the U.S. could choose from among a dozen new small cars selling for under $20,000. Now, there’s just one…The Mitsubishi Mirage. And even the Mirage appears headed for the scrap yard. At a time when Americans increasingly want pricey SUVs and trucks rather than small cars, the Mirage remains the lone new vehicle whose average sale price is under 20-thousand dollars.
U.S. jobless claims applications fall as labor market continues to show resiliency
( ) -q-19- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “to 234-thousand, 250.”
Applications for jobless claims fell again last week and remain at healthy levels despite high interest rates and elevated inflation.
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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Overall, 1.72 million people were collecting unemployment benefits the week that ended August 5.
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VERBATIM: The Labor Department says applications for unemployment benefits dropped by 11,000 to 239,000 for the week ending August 12th. That’s down from 250,000 the previous week. The four-week moving average of claims rose by 2,750 to 234,250.