EU targets Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft in next phase of digital crackdown

( ) -q-23- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “new digital markets.”

The European Union is targeting six companies under new digital rules aimed at reining in their market power.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. The EU’s executive Commission says digital platforms can be listed as gatekeepers if they act as key gateways between businesses and consumers by providing “core platform services.”

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VERBATIM: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Google parent Alphabet, Facebook owner Meta and TikTok’s parent company were classified as online “gatekeepers.” The companies must face the highest level of scrutiny under the 27-nation bloc’s Digital Markets Act. The act amounts to a list of do’s and don’ts that seeks to prevent tech giants from cornering new digital markets.

Carmakers fail privacy test, give owners little or no control on personal data they collect

( ) -q-29- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “assessed since 2017.”

Cars are getting an “F” in data privacy.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: A new study by the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation finds most major brands admit they may be selling your personal data, with half saying they will share it with the government or law enforcement without a court order. What’s more, nearly all the 25 brands give drivers little or no control over the data they collect. The study found cars scored worst for privacy among more than a dozen product categories, including fitness trackers and smart speakers, that Mozilla has assessed since 2017.

Wanted…Police officers

( ) -q-25- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “disbanding their departments.”

America is in the midst of a police officer shortage.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Small-town residents from Goodhue, Minnesota, to Lott, Texas say giving up a police force Isn’t that bad. Most towns turn over law enforcement duties to county sheriffs, even as they struggle to recruit deputies. Disbanding can save money, though some sheriffs warn of longer response times for 911 calls.

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VERBATIM: Agencies of all sizes are struggling to fill open positions. Many in law enforcement blame the shortage on the two-fold morale hit of 2020. First, the coronavirus pandemic. Then criticism of police boiled over after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer. Small towns have such a hard time finding qualified candidates for job openings that some are disbanding their departments.

West Virginia University crisis looms as GOP leaders focus on economic development, jobs

( ) -q-21- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “the most ‘value.'”

West Virginia University is recommending slashing its language department and dozens of other programs amid a $45 million budget shortfall.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Many at WVU say foreign languages and other humanities offer students opportunities they might not be able to access — or afford — elsewhere that are just as valuable.

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VERBATIM: The crisis comes as the GOP leadership is pushing economic development and promoting innovative programs like cybersecurity that can’t be found almost anywhere else. All agree education is a tool to attract young people and improve quality of life in West Virginia. However, they disagree on what kinds of education add the most “value.”

Trial starts in Sweden of 2 oil executives accused of complicity in war crimes in Sudan

( ) -v-34- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “std.”

Two executives of a Swedish oil exploration and production company have gone on trial in Stockholm for securing the company’s operations in Sudan through their alleged complicity in war crimes in 20 years ago. Correspondent Jeremy House has more on the story.

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VERBATIM: Swedish prosecutors claim that former Lundin Oil chairman Ian Lundin and the company’s former CEO, Alex Schneiter supported the Sudanese government of former dictator Omar al-Bashir. Swedish prosecutors accuse the two executives of creating “the necessary conditions for the subsidiary’s operations. They argue the defendants were conducting warfare in a way that entailed the Sudanese military and regime-allied militia systematically attacking civilians or at least carrying out systematic attacks.”..JH reporting.

US will regulate nursing home staffing for first time, but advocates still concerned

( ) -q-22- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “to poor staffing.”

The Biden administration says U.S. nursing homes will, for the first time, have to comply with federal rules on staffing levels.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting. Federal officials say the staffing announcement will have a meaningful impact on residents’ lives and a majority of homes will be forced to hire additional staff.

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VERBATIM: It’s a move that’s been sought for decades by allies of older adults and those with disabilities. But the proposed staffing minimums are lower than many advocates had hoped. And the industry opposes staffing minimums. Some 1.2 million Americans live in nursing homes. More than 167,000 coronavirus deaths within their walls brought attention to poor staffing.

Microsoft to stop packaging Teams and Office software in Europe to head off EU antitrust action

( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “workplace messaging software.”

Microsoft will stop packaging its Teams videoconferencing app with its Office software in Europe in an effort to head off antitrust penalties by regulators.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: The U.S. tech company also said it would take steps to make it easier for competing products to work with its software. The announcement comes a month after the EU’s executive Commission opened a formal investigation over concerns that bundling Teams with Office gives it an unfair edge over competitors. The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed in 2020 by rival Slack Technologies, maker of popular workplace messaging software.

US employers added a solid 187,000 jobs in August in sign of a still-resilient labor market

( ) -q-27- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “continue to decelerate.”

The nation’s employers added 187,000 jobs in August.

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TAG: Correspondent Jeremy House reporting.

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VERBATIM: The job increase marked an increase from July’s revised gain of 157,000, but still pointed to a moderating pace of job growth compared with earlier this year. The unemployment rate rose from 3.5% to 3.8%, the highest level since February 2022. A decelerating job market could help shift the economy into a slower gear and reassure the Federal Reserve that inflation will continue to decelerate.

Fed’s preferred inflation gauge shows latest sign of slowing price increases

An inflation gauge closely tracked by the Federal Reserve remained low last month. The Commerce Department reports prices rose just 0.2% from June to July, the third straight modest increase. Compared with a year earlier, prices rose 3.3% in July, up from a 3% annual increase in June. The year-over-year figure is down sharply from the 7% peak it reached a year ago, though still above the Fed’s 2% inflation target. The latest figures raise the likelihood that the Fed will leave interest rates unchanged when it next meets in late September.

Japan’s Sogo & Seibu department stores are being sold to a U.S. fund

Japanese retailer Seven & i Holdings Co. is selling department store chain Sogo & Seibu to a U.S. investment fund.  The transfer to Fortress Investment Group will be completed Friday, according to Seven & i Holdings. The decision came at a board of directors meeting. The proposed sales price is $1.5 billion, but the final price won’t be decided until Friday. Prior to the announcement, some 900 striking employees were marching and handing out leaflets near the main Seibu department store in Tokyo. Disorderly strikes and protests are rare in Japan, and the strikers apologized on Japanese news programs for any inconvenience.

India is one of the world’s fastest-growing EV markets

( ) -v-40- UNDATED (Correspondent Jeremy House) “std.”

India is one of the fastest growing electric vehicle markets in the world. Correspondent Jeremy House has more on the story.

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VERBATIM: More than 90% of India’s 2.3 million EVs are the cheaper and more popular two- or three-wheelers — that’s motorbikes, scooters and rickshaws. Policies to encourage sales, like a $1.3 billion federal government program, plus rising fuel costs over the past decade and consumers’ awareness of the long-term cost benefits are driving up sales. But for the electric vehicles market to truly be successful, experts say moving electricity generation away from fossil fuels, managing critical mineral supply chains and boosting EV sales across different socioeconomic backgrounds in the country will be key…JH reporting.

Europe’s inflation held steady in August

Inflation paused its decline in Europe in August. The reading of 5.3% held steady from July. That’s down from the double-digit peak in October. But it’s still too high for the European Central Bank. The ECB has been steadily raising rates to push inflation down to its target of 2%. Bank head Christine Lagarde has said the decision at the Sept. 14 meeting remains open and will be decided based on incoming data – a switch from a year of steady, pre-announced rate rises.

FBI and European partners seize major malware network

U.S. officials say the FBI and its partners in Europe infiltrated and seized control of a major malware network. The network was used for more than 15 years to commit a gamut of online crimes including crippling ransomware attacks. The authorities then remotely removed its malicious software agent — known as Qakbot — from thousands of infected computers. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said the criminal network had facilitated about 40 ransomware attacks in the Los Angeles area alone over 18 months.

Russia earns less from oil and spends more on war

The Russian currency has stabilized after dipping below 100 rubles to the U.S. dollar. While the ruble has stabilized, that doesn’t mean the pressure is off Russia’s economy. Western sanctions have cut into oil earnings, while government spending is heating up the economy, threatening to increase inflation. Russia’s central bank can strongly influence the ruble exchange rate, and did that with a recent emergency interest rate increase. But long term, Russia’s dwindling oil earnings and higher spending on imports will keep downward pressure on the ruble.

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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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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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.