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☆ U.S. and Europe Gird for Trade Spat Over Washington’s Push for Domestic Investment
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Bojan Pancevski | Noemie Bisserbe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Europe is bracing for a confrontation with Washington over a new law that encourages businesses to invest more in the U.S., an initiative European officials say threatens the region’s economy as it teeters on the verge of a recession. President Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the issue in Washington this week, and Mr. Biden signaled he was open to talks but made no commitment to amend the legislation. European leaders are now considering their response.

Lower courts ruled against Smith, prompting her to appeal to the Supreme Court. The remaining 21 states do not have laws explicitly protecting LGBTQ rights in public accommodations, although some local municipalities do. Alliance Defending Freedom, which also represented Phillips, has had success arguing religious rights cases at the Supreme Court in recent years. The court ruled on the baker case before the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who voted in favor of LGBTQ rights in key cases. In another major victory for LGBTQ rights, the Supreme Court in 2020, to the surprise of many court-watchers, ruled that a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in employment protects LGBTQ employees.

☆ Biden vowed 'consequences' for Saudi Arabia after oil production cut. But the U.S. has no plans to follow through.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Courtney-Kube-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Courtney Kube | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Nearly two months after President Joe Biden vowed "there will be consequences" for Saudi Arabia’s actions to cut oil production, the U.S. is not actively considering any significant retaliatory actions against the kingdom, according to two U.S. officials. U.S. and Saudi relations hit a low point after Saudi Arabia pushed OPEC members to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day at their Oct. 6 meeting. Officials, however, also anticipate calls for imposing a cost on Saudi Arabia to ramp back up if OPEC again cuts oil production. The Biden administration's about-face on the oil issue is not the first time it has failed to follow through on a threat to Saudi Arabia. In the lead-up to the 2020 election, Biden vowed to treat Saudi Arabia as a "pariah" state in response to the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

☆ Ex-trooper bought home, blacked out windows, weeks before allegedly killing family of teen he catfished, seller says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Tim Stelloh | Tim Stelloh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Property records from Smyth County, Virginia, list Austin Lee Edwards as the owner of the home on Allison Gap Road. “It still doesn’t feel real," Gordon told NBC affiliate WCYB of Bristol, Virginia. A fire that authorities believe was intentionally set broke out at their home and Edwards allegedly drove off with the teen. Gordon said Edwards told him that he moved to the area because he'd grown up in the region and wanted to return. The last time Gordon said he saw Edwards was Tuesday, Nov. 22, three days before the Wineks were killed.

Police officers check an area in Przewodow, Poland, where a missile killed two people in November. Ukraine’s initial claim last month that a strike fired by Russia—and not by its own forces—was responsible for the death of two Polish citizens revealed one of the sharpest public divergences between Ukraine and the U.S. since Russia’s invasion of its neighbor in February. The incident caused a moment of dangerous high drama, as the world watched to see if Russia had attacked Poland, a NATO alliance member, a possibility that was quickly discarded.

☆ Mexico, U.S. plan pitch by early 2023 to lure firms from abroad
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Mexico's economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro smiles during an event with business association representatives to discuss targets for "Black Friday" shopping season, in Mexico City, Mexico, October 19, 2022. REUTERS/Edgard GarridoMEXICO CITY, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Mexican Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on Friday agreed to set out a plan by early 2023 for the relocation of companies from Asia to North America, Mexico's government said. On Thursday, Buenrostro discussed efforts to resolve a bilateral spat over Mexico's energy policies with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. Tai also stressed the importance of avoiding disruptions in U.S. corn exports to Mexico. Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom Editing by Dave Graham and Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Putin not sincere about peace talks now, says top U.S. diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is not sincere about peace talks with Ukraine at this time, a top U.S. diplomat said on Saturday after meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other senior Ukrainian officials in Kyiv. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday he was prepared to speak to Putin if the Russian leader was interested in ending the war. This reaction from Russia, Nuland said, showed "how not serious they are". Nuland also met Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskiy's office, who expressed thanks for the billions of dollars worth of aid Washington has committed to Ukraine. "Ukraine's victory, which we are sure of, will be our joint victory," Zelenskiy's office quoted him as telling Nuland.

☆ A real-estate investor just walked away from a 6-figure day job and retired early thanks to his 16-unit portfolio. He says 4 strategies have prepared him to weather a recession.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Before Dion McNeeley quit his day job, he made sure he'd be prepared to weather a recession. So I'm saving around 10 grand a month to invest into future things that will add to the cash flow." Before McNeeley left his day job, which paid six-figures, he said, he made sure that his finances and investments were secure enough to weather a potential recession. In fact, he didn't feel comfortable quitting his day job until his rental income exceeded $16,000. When he quit his day job, he bumped that number up to $50,000.

☆ Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna reached out to Twitter as it suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop story to voice concerns about violating free speech and press freedom principles
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In October 2020, Twitter initially blocked users from sharing a New York Post story about Hunter Biden's laptop. Rep. Ro Khanna sent Twitter concerns about the decision, according to materials published Friday. Less than a month before the 2020 election, the Post published a story that claimed to contain emails retrieved from a laptop that belonged to President Joe Biden's son Hunter. Giving an example, Khanna said if materials uncovering a war crime were hacked and obtained by The New York Times, the Times should be able to publish them. New York Times Co. v. Sullivan established that public figures suing for defamation must establish "actual malice."

☆ If you're making at least $600 from Fantasy Football, the IRS wants to know about it – and you should tell them
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Starting in 2022, $600 and over in Fantasy Football gambling winnings must be reported to the IRS. The IRS defines a 1099-K form as an "IRS information return used to report certain payment transactions to improve voluntary tax compliance." The payment transactions include those from third-party payment networks. "Loan providers want to see copies of your tax returns, and if you're understating income, you're hurting yourself because you're not really showing all of your income," Bronnenkant said. It takes at least 40 credits to qualify for Social Security benefits.

☆ Countries split on plastics treaty focus as UN talks close
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Valerie Volcovici | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The High Ambition Coalition of over 40 countries, including EU members, Switzerland, host Uruguay and Ghana, wants the treaty to be based on mandatory global measures, including curbs on production. That approach contrasts with the country-driven pledges advocated by countries including the United States and Saudi Arabia. Critics say such an approach would weaken a global treaty. Industry representatives at the talks touted the essential role of plastics in daily life, calling for the treaty to focus tackling waste rather than measures to sap production. Environmental group Greenpeace said that without a strong treaty, plastic production could double within the next 10 to 15 years, and triple by 2050.

☆ The death of an American soldier fighting in Ukraine exposes chaos and dysfunction in the foreign legion
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The widow, alongside other soldiers, told Insider about mismanagement and dysfunction in the legion. A Foreign Legion fighter looks on at wreckage in Ukraine following a Russian attack. "When we were told to go out again, in my mind I knew someone was going to die," AJ told Insider. "How everything was handled, especially after his death, was scandalous," Lipka told Insider. Mavericks told Insider he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and still mourns the deaths of his comrades.

On Friday, G7 nations and Australia agreed a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil in a move to deprive President Vladimir Putin of revenue while keeping Russian oil flowing to global markets. OPEC virtually met on Saturday without allies such as Russia and discussed mostly administrative matters, sources said. The ministers did not discuss the Russian price cap. Five OPEC+ delegates said on Saturday the OPEC+ meeting on Sunday would likely approve a policy rollover. On Friday, two separate OPEC+ sources said a further output cut was not completely off the table given concern about economic growth and demand.

WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden's administration is mulling a proposal from Republican leader Kevin McCarthy to repeal the U.S. military's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the White House said on Saturday. But the White House said Biden had agreed only to consider the idea. "Leader McCarthy raised this with the president and the president told him he would consider it," said White House spokesperson Olivia Dalton. McCarthy presented the vaccine mandate deal as a sign of how he would lead the House as speaker. He also rebutted conservative criticism over his attendance at a White House state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron.

☆ American Airlines is closing its San Francisco crew base and asking 400 flight attendants to leave California or leave the airline
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

American Airlines is closing its San Francisco base, potentially displacing 400 flight attendants. The base is home to some of the carrier's most senior flight attendants, two-thirds of whom have been at the airline for 13 years or more, according to the union representing American Airlines flight attendants. In interviews, 10 SFO-based flight attendants told Insider that a myriad of factors make it difficult to leave the Bay Area. The decades of experience with the goal of achieving that lifestyle are now effectively lost, one flight attendant told Insider. Some employees expressed confusion on why they need to leave San Francisco if the carrier will still need to staff SFO flights.

☆ Ukraine urges tougher Western squeeze on Russian oil prices
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Saturday for a lower price cap on Russian oil than the one agreed to by Ukraine's Western supporters, while Russian authorities called the $60-per-barrel cap harmful to free, stable markets. The cap is set to take effect Monday, along with an EU embargo on Russian oil shipped by sea. "It would be necessary to lower it to $30 in order to destroy the enemy's economy faster," Yermak wrote on Telegram, staking out a position also favored by Poland — a leading critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. The Russian Embassy in Washington insisted that Russian oil "will continue to be in demand" and criticized the price limit as "reshaping the basic principles of the functioning of free markets." A post on the embassy's Telegram channel predicted the per-barrel cap would lead to "a widespread increase in uncertainty and higher costs for consumers of raw materials."

☆ U.S. defense secretary accuses Russia of 'deliberate cruelty' in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday accused Russia of "deliberate cruelty" in its war in Ukraine, saying Moscow was intentionally targeting civilians. "With deliberate cruelty, Russia is putting civilians and civilian targets in its gunsights," Austin told the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California. "Russian attacks have left children dead, schools shattered, and hospitals smashed," he said. Reporting by Phil Stewart and Eric BeechOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The G7 and Australia said in a statement the price cap would take effect on Dec. 5 or very soon thereafter. "The Price Cap Coalition may also consider further action to ensure the effectiveness of the price cap," the statement read. The G7 price cap will allow non-EU countries to continue importing seaborne Russian crude oil, but it will prohibit shipping, insurance and re-insurance companies from handling cargoes of Russian crude around the globe, unless it is sold for less than the price cap. Because the most important shipping and insurance firms are based in G7 countries, the price cap would make it very difficult for Moscow to sell its oil for a higher price. The initial G7 proposal last week was for a price cap of $65-$70 per barrel with no adjustment mechanism.

☆ Who in the U.S. gets paid sick leave, in four charts
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Danica Jefferies | Danica Jefferies Is An Intern With The Data Graphics Team For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Roughly 1 in 5 civilian workers in the U.S. don’t have paid sick leave, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Paid sick leave was at the heart of the dispute between rail workers and freight companies, with some workers demanding seven days paid sick leave. Many sick leave mandates allow workers to take 5 to 8 paid sick days, depending on how many hours they work and the number of employees in the business. Several states including these four have passed legislation blocking cities and counties from enacting paid sick leave. In 2021, Texas became the latest to ban municipal ordinances requiring businesses to provide paid sick leave.

WASHINGTON — Democrats advanced a plan Friday to reorder the early voting states in their presidential primary calendar, one that would put South Carolina first, jettison Iowa and demote New Hampshire. The overhaul calls for South Carolina to hold its Democratic primary on Feb. 3, followed by Nevada and New Hampshire on Feb. 6. Georgia would hold its primary on Feb. 13, with Michigan rounding out the early voting on Feb. 27. Democrats have spent months debating their primary calendar, aiming to increase the diversity of states that help select the party’s standard-bearer and to add more general election battlegrounds to the mix. "Our first-in-the-nation primary is part of our culture and has been in place for over 100 years.

The proposed principles detailed expectations for banks with more than $100 billion in assets to incorporate financial risks related to climate into their strategic planning. Those financial impacts "pose an emerging risk to the safety and soundness of financial institutions and the financial stability of the United States," the Fed said. The Fed's plan would require banks to consider climate-related financial risks in their audits and other risk management and add climate-related scenario analysis to traditional stress testing. Fed Governor Christopher Waller dissented against Friday's proposal, raising the question of whether it poses a serious risk to large banks' soundness or U.S. financial stability. "The Federal Reserve conducts regular stress tests on large banks that impose extremely severe macroeconomic shocks and they show that the banks are resilient."

☆ GM, LG joint venture to invest $275 million in Tennessee battery cell plant
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 2 (Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) and LG Energy Solution Ltd (373220.KS) said Friday they are investing another $275 million in their Tennessee joint venture battery cell plant to increase production by more than 40%. It is one of at least four U.S. joint venture battery plants planned to supply GM electric vehicles as the largest U.S. automaker ramps up production. The first Ultium joint venture plant in Warren, Ohio began production in August. GM and LG Energy are also considering an Indiana site for a fourth U.S. battery plant expected to cost around $2.4 billion. They are also building a $2.6 billion battery cell plant in Lansing, Michigan, set to open in 2024.

But Wray said the FBI continues to be concerned about Chinese government “talent programs” that sometimes pay American professors through secret relationships. “At the same time, you also stated, as you’ve just done, that this effort isn’t about the Chinese people or Chinese Americans. But of course, Chinese Americans are part of the U.S. society that you believe needs to be mobilized against China. He also returned to talking about Chinese government operations that have targeted Chinese Americans. “We view Chinese Americans here as being with us.

☆ Venezuela, Chevron formally sign oil contracts in Caracas
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Deisy Buitrago | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CARACAS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Venezuela's oil minister and top representatives of state-run company PDVSA on Friday signed contracts with U.S. oil firm Chevron Corp (CVX.N) intended to help revive the nation's oil output and expand operations. "This is an important step towards the right direction, but yet insufficient," said oil minister Tareck El Aissami after the signing ceremony. The event took place at PDVSA's Caracas headquarters and was attended by El Aissami, Chevron's President for Venezuela, Javier La Rosa, and PDVSA President Asdrubal Chavez. The authorization was required because of U.S. sanctions on PDVSA and Venezuela's oil sector. Earlier this year, OFAC authorized Chevron to hold meetings with Venezuelan officials, including people specifically sanctioned by Washington, like El Aissami.

A Florida sheriff stunned many of his constituents this week by appearing to endorse spanking students, his comments coming during a press conference in which county officials announced plans to tighten discipline in Brevard County schools. Sheriff Wayne Ivey spins the "Wheel of Fugitive" board at the Brevard County Sheriffs Office in 2017. And he is a Brevard County political powerbroker who helped get two Republicans, Megan Wright and Gene Trent, elected to the county school board. Shortly after they were sworn in Nov. 22, Wright and Trent teamed up with school board chair Matt Susin to oust longtime superintendent Mark Mullins. There was agreement among the Brevard County school officials interviewed that disruptive students are a problem in the system.

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