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☆ China's trade war with the US is unlikely to cool down this election year, so it's working on Europe instead
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Xi is spending two days in France, meeting French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday before heading to Serbia and Hungary. "I'm calling for an 'aggiornamento' because China is now in excess capacity in many areas and exports massively to Europe," Macron told La Tribune Dimanche, per a Bloomberg translation. She said China's trade practices are leading to unfair trade that are "market-distorting" and "could lead to deindustrialization in Europe." China has pushed back on the West's claims of overcapacity, accusing the bloc of being protectionist and of trying to curb China's economic development. However, Europe — like China — isn't quite the same anymore, following years of economic malaise punctuated by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Persons: —, Janet Yellen, Olaf Scholz, Xi Jinping's, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Matt Geraci, Geraci, Ursula von der Leyen, Von, Leyen, Léonie Allard, Allard, Xi Organizations: Service, State Authority, European Union, Business, La Tribune Dimanche, Atlantic, Associated Press, European, overcapacity, Council's Locations: China, France, Serbia, Hungary, European, Germany, Europe, Beijing, Washington, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Maine Secretary of State to Appeal Ruling on Her Decision to Exclude Trump From Ballot
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jenna Russell | More About Jenna Russell | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Maine’s top election official said on Friday she intends to appeal the ruling by a state Superior Court judge this week that placed on hold her decision to exclude former President Donald J. Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot. In a statement, the official, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, said she welcomed the guidance of the U.S. Supreme Court, which is expected to hear arguments on a similar case on Feb. 8. But in the meantime, she said, she will seek the input of Maine’s highest court. “I know both the constitutional and state authority questions are of grave concern to many,” Ms. Bellows wrote in a short statement on Friday. The 14th Amendment disqualifies government officials who “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from holding office.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, State Shenna Bellows, “, ” Ms, Bellows, Ms Organizations: Court, Republican, State, U.S, Supreme, State Legislature, Capitol Locations: Maine

☆ Amazon drought: Floating village stranded on dry lakebed as extreme drought grips the Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A floating village now lies stranded on a lakebed in Brazil’s Amazon as severe drought leaves communities struggling to access food, fresh water and fuel. Lake Puraquequara is part of the Rio Negro river system, which has been near record-low since the end of September, according to the state’s civil defense authority. “There are many people already having difficulty accessing food, food security, drinking water and other important inputs,” he said in a statement at the time. Boats and houseboats stranded on Lake Puraquequara in Manaus, Brazil, October 6, 2023. Lake Puraquequara in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, on October 6, 2023.

Persons: Isaac Rodrigues, “ We’re, ” Ivalmir Silva, Michael Dantas, Wilson Lima, Bruno Kelly, It’s, El Niño, – Organizations: CNN, Reuters, Getty, Amazonas Gov, CNN Brasil Locations: Lake Puraquequara, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, Puraquequara, Rio, Amazonas State, AFP, Lake Tefé, Michael, South America

LONDON, July 28 (Reuters) - France's privacy watchdog CNIL said on Friday it is aware of ChatGPT-founder Sam Altman's Worldcoin project and that the legality of its biometric data collection "seems questionable". CNIL, the French watchdog, said in response to a Reuters question on Worldcoin "The legality of this collection seems questionable, as do the conditions for storing biometric data." The Worldcoin Foundation is a Cayman Islands-based entity which describes itself as a "steward of the Worldcoin protocol". "The Worldcoin Foundation complies with all laws and regulations governing the processing of personal data in the markets where Worldcoin is available," it said. The project is supervised in the European Union by the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision, the Worldcoin Foundation said.

Persons: CNIL, Sam Altman's, Worldcoin, Elizabeth Howcroft, Amanda Cooper, Jane Merriman, Louise Heavens Organizations: Reuters, Bavarian, Worldcoin, European Union, Office, Data Protection, Thomson Locations: Bavarian, Germany, Cayman Islands, European

WASHINGTON, July 5 (Reuters) - TikTok Inc on Wednesday asked a U.S. judge to block enforcement of a Montana state ban on use of the Chinese-owned app before it takes effect on Jan. 1. Chandlee said if the ban takes effect "we expect that additional advertisers and business partners will pull back from working with TikTok Inc (which is the entity that receives income from U.S. advertisers, including in Montana)." Montana could impose fines of $10,000 for each violation by TikTok. TikTok estimates 380,000 people in Montana use the video service, or more than a third of the state's 1.1 million people. TikTok's lawsuit names Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who is charged with enforcing the law.

Persons: China's ByteDance, Donald W, Molloy, Blake Chandlee, TikTok, Chandlee, Donald Trump, Austin Knudsen, David Shepardson, Himani Sarkar, Robert Birsel Organizations: Inc, Wednesday, U.S, District, TikTok, Business, Constitution's, TikTok Inc, HK, Montana Attorney, Thomson Locations: Montana

☆ How to Prevent Another Submersible Tragedy Like OceanGate’s Titan - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Salvatore Mercogliano | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The Polar Prince, the ship from which the submersible was launched, is of Canadian registry and based out of Canada. Both the United States Senate and the British Board of Trade led investigations into the loss of the ocean liner. The United States has not even ratified the U.N. convention. Meaning that if Titan was launched from a Canadian ship, from a Canadian port, Canada has jurisdiction. At present, it’s unclear which country has jurisdiction in the Titan investigation, as the craft was reportedly built in the United States but launched from a Canadian vessel.

Organizations: Canadian Transportation, U.S . Coast Guard, Marine Board of, U.S . National Transportation Safety, Titanic, United States Senate, British Board of Trade, Titan, United Nations ’ International Maritime Organization, Federal Aviation Administration, United Nations Convention, United, International Maritime Organization Locations: Canada, U.S, United States, Canadian

☆ Analysis: Nigeria's Tinubu faces daunting hurdles after reform sprint
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Macdonald Dzirutwe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Nigeria today faces record debt, unemployment is worryingly high, and power shortages have contributed to years of anaemic growth. "The path to political power in Nigeria, over time, has always been through these vested interests," said Bismarck Rewane, CEO at Financial Derivatives Company in Lagos. ENTRENCHED NETWORKSTinubu's ambitions to build a $1 trillion economy in eight years could come unstuck in part due to chronic power shortages. Getting the lights on would be a major win, but to do so some say Tinubu must remove grid subsidies and cut red tape. Tinubu suspended the head of the financial and economic crimes agency, but has yet to outline an anti-graft plan.

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Jason Tuvey, Bismarck Rewane, Tinubu, Tunau Taiwo, Nnamdi Obasi, Prince Ojeabulu, Muhammadu Buhari, jihadists, beholden, Joe Bavier, Conor Humphries Organizations: New, Capital Economics, Financial Derivatives Company, International, Rensource Energy, Nigeria Delta, Observers, Thomson Locations: Nigeria, LAGOS, New Nigerian, Lagos

☆ Factbox: Key facts on Kosovo, independent for 15 years from Serbia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Here are key facts about the small western Balkan republic:POPULATION: Around 1.8 million, according to the most recent census in 2011, which local Serbs boycotted. HISTORY & PEOPLE: Kosovo became part of the Kingdom of Serbia in the early 13th century, with a mixed population of ethnic Albanians, Serbs and Vlachs. Mutual expulsions and migrations to and from neighbouring Albania in the early 20th century changed Kosovo's ethnic makeup. He accused Kosovo Albanians of persecuting local Serbs and restricted their rights in education and local government. It backs nationalist minority Serbs in north Kosovo boycotting the state, creating a de facto partition.

CNN —The New York judge handling Donald Trump’s criminal case approved a protective order on Monday that limits the former president’s ability to publicize information on social media related to evidence in the investigation. The Manhattan district attorney’s office had submitted the protective order to restrict Trump’s ability to share information his attorneys receive in the discovery process in part because of Trump’s social media posts about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and witnesses in the case. Trump’s attorneys had opposed the protective order, arguing that it infringed on Trump’s First Amendment rights as he makes another run for president in 2024. On Monday, the district attorney’s office filed a request for a conference to discuss the process for a US district judge to hear the motion. In its filing Monday, the district attorney’s office noted that the defense team’s request to move the case to federal court did not pause the state court’s schedule.

☆ Inside a Kenyan starvation cult and its tragic end in a forest of death
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Duncan Miriri | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Mackenzie, 50, is in police custody and has yet to be required to enter a plea to any charge related to the mass graves, which are still being exhumed. HUNDREDS STILL MISSINGThe death toll stands at 109 so far, with 101 found in mass graves and eight people found alive who later died. On April 13, police acting on a tip-off returned to the forest and found 15 emaciated people lying in the forest, according to police who said four of them were so weak they died before reaching hospital. On April 21, they began exhuming mass graves. Charo said he was horrified last month when he learned about the mass graves found in the forest.

DeSantis told an Orlando radio station on Monday that the bill would "formally nullify" a development agreement Disney struck with outgoing members of the oversight board that ties the hands of DeSantis' appointees. "To do an end-run around the people of Florida shows how arrogant they are," DeSantis told the host of WFLA's "Good Morning Orlando." He and the Florida legislature have been working to eliminate the virtual autonomy the company enjoyed over Walt Disney World for more than century. Before the takeover by DeSantis appointees, Disney pushed through changes to the special tax district agreement that limit the board's action for decades. It also ensures that future boards would honor a commitment to $527 million in planned capital improvements to support Walt Disney World’s growth over the next decade.

April 17 (Reuters) - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday fired another shot in his battle with Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), saying the state's Republican legislature would take steps to nullify the company's effort to circumvent state oversight of Walt Disney World. DeSantis said the new bill, announced on Monday, would return control of the special district that is home to Disney World to a state oversight board run by the governor's appointees. [1/2] People gather ahead of the "Festival of Fantasy" parade at the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida, U.S. July 30, 2022. Before the takeover by DeSantis appointees, Disney pushed through changes to the special tax district agreement that limit the board's action for decades. It also ensures that future boards would honor a commitment to $527 million in planned capital improvements to support Walt Disney World’s growth over the next decade.

☆ California to require half of all heavy trucks sales to be electric by 2035
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday said it's granting California the legal authority to require that half of all heavy-duty truck sales in the state be fully electric by 2035, an ambitious standard that will go beyond federal requirements. The Biden administration's approval of California's Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Regulation comes after the state last year banned the sale of new gasoline-powered cars starting in the same target year of 2035. The California Air Resources Board had sought waivers from the Clean Air Act to set stricter standards for heavy-duty vehicles such as garbage trucks, delivery vans and tractor-trailers. The approval of the new rule will likely have greater impacts beyond California and pave the way for other states to follow suit. California, which has committed to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2045, has considerable authority over the country's auto industry.

☆ Mississippi Officials Clash With Jackson’s Leaders Over Crime, Water Supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Cameron Mcwhirter | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mississippi leaders and officials from its capital of Jackson are locked in a political battle over proposed legislation that would give the state control of the city’s troubled water supply and part of its criminal justice system. One bill, which passed the state Senate last week, would put the supply of water for Jackson’s 150,000 residents under the control of a regional authority headed by a nine-member board. Five of those members would be picked by state officials. Another bill moving through the Republican-led legislature would give the state authority to set up its own court system within part of the city, which legislators called necessary to increase public safety.

☆ Mississippi Officials Clash With Leaders of Its Largest City Over Crime, Water Supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Cameron Mcwhirter | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

"International companies that were supposed to arrive for the first time in Kosovo told us that they were delaying opening shops due to the unstable situation," Fatmir Zymberi told Reuters. The main, longstanding fount of tensions is the refusal of 50,000 ethnic Serbs in north Kosovo to recognise the government in Pristina or Kosovo as a separate country. The area of north Kosovo where ethnic Serbs form a majority looks in some respects like an extension of Serbia. The Kremlin denied influencing Serbia to stir up conflict, saying Belgrade was just defending the rights of Kosovo Serbs. "I am more worried than I have been in many years about the risk of conflict in north Kosovo that could then spill into reprisal attacks on Serbs in south Kosovo.

The pork industry has defended the size of the cages used at pig farms as humane and necessary for animal safety. A legal doctrine called the "dormant" Commerce Clause bars states from passing laws discriminating against commerce in other states. "If you're looking for an example of an unconstitutional law, this is it," said Michael Formica, chief legal strategist for the pork producers. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a district court's decision to throw out the lawsuit, finding no Commerce Clause violation. 'DRAMATIC EXPANSION'A ruling by the Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, favoring the pork industry would have major implications for Commerce Clause interpretation, according to some legal experts.

☆ Manchin’s Permitting Bill Has a Poison Pill
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Senate may vote as early as Tuesday on Joe Manchin ’s permitting reform bill, and the West Virginian says Republicans should accept incremental progress rather than nothing. But the main problem isn’t that his changes are too modest, though they are. Some of them would do tangible harm to U.S. energy security and constitutional federalism. Though it’s received little attention, one section would rewrite how transmission lines are permitted, and not for the better. The 1935 Federal Power Act preserved state authority over transmission-line permits while the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decides how to allocate costs.

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