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The Idaho law allows students to sue schools for $5,000 if they encounter a transgender student in a bathroom the law forbids. It effectively puts a "bounty" on transgender students and encourages others to search them out, the lawsuit says. The motion alleges transgender students would be irreparably harmed by being subjected to "profound stigma" and put at higher risk of depression, anxiety and self-harm. "In fact, for years Idaho schools have implemented inclusive policies without harming anyone and only helping to make transgender youth feel safer and more welcome at school." The new law says schools must provide a "reasonable accommodation" for transgender students unwilling or unable to use their assigned bathroom.

Persons: Brad Little, Raul Labrador, Kell Olson, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi, Howard Goller Organizations: Republican, Idaho, of Education, Lambda, Thomson Locations: Idaho, U.S, Boise, New York

The D.C. panel found that Giuliani made sweeping claims of voter fraud that he did not have evidence to support. “We are obviously disappointed with the committee’s recommendation but look forward to filing a vigorous appeal to the Board on Professional Responsibility and the court," said Giuliani lawyer Barry Kamins. The committee’s recommendation will now be considered by the full D.C. Board on Professional Responsibility, which oversees attorney discipline cases in Washington, D.C. The D.C. Court of Appeals will make the final decision on whether Giuliani should be disbarred. Trump put Giuliani in charge of the legal strategy to challenge the results of the 2020 election won by Democrat Joe Biden.

Persons: Rudy Giuliani's, Donald Trump, Giuliani, ” Giuliani, Barry Kamins, Trump, Democrat Joe Biden, Andrew Goudsward, David Bario, Leslie Adler Organizations: Columbia, Trade, Board, Washington , D.C, Democrat, Republican, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City, Pennsylvania, Washington ,

Crocs sued Joybees in federal court on Thursday, expanding on a separate lawsuit that the Colorado-based company filed in 2021. The new complaint, accusing Joybees and its chief executive of unfair competition, came a day after Joybees filed claims in the same court against Crocs. Joybees also said it was seeking a declaration that its shoes had not violated Crocs' intellectual property protections. Joybees, according to Crocs' lawsuit, hired key operations and manufacturing employees from Crocs. The cases are Crocs Inc v Joybees LLC, U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, 1:23-cv-01719-NRN and 21-cv-02859-PAB-MEH.

Persons: Crocs, Joybees, Kellen McCarvel, McCarvel, Porter Kaye Scholer, Jonathan Cooperman, Kelley Drye, Chad Nitta, Rock, Saul Rostamian, Sheppard Mullin, Mike Scarcella, Leigh Jones Organizations: Colorado Joybees, Crocs, Joybees, Investment, District of, Arnold, Warren, Thomson Locations: Colorado, Denver, Crocs, District of Colorado

July 7 (Reuters) - A former U.S. Army financial counselor from New Jersey was criminally charged on Friday with defrauding grieving military families out of life insurance payments, causing millions of dollars of losses while reaping big commissions for himself. The U.S. Department of Justice charged Caz Craffy, 41, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, through a 10-count indictment with wire fraud, securities fraud and making false statements targeting members of at least two dozen Gold Star families. Craffy "preyed upon these vulnerable families," U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger in New Jersey said at a news conference. Craffy, who is also known as Carz Craffey, also faces civil charges from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Gold Star families include people who have immediate family members who died in active duty.

Persons: Caz Craffy, Philip Sellinger, Craffy, Mark Berman, Sellinger, Gurbir Grewal, Grewal, Jonathan Stempel, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S, Army, U.S . Department of Justice, Gold Star, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Star, Authorities, SEC, Thomson Locations: New Jersey, , New Jersey, New York

[1/2] Activists take part in a tribute to the victims of the August 3, 2019 Walmart shooting in El Paso, at Ponder Park in El Paso, Texas, U.S., August 3, 2021. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/File PhotoCompanies Walmart Inc FollowJuly 7 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday sentenced a white supremacist to 90 consecutive life terms in prison for a 2019 shooting in which he killed 23 people and wounded 22 others at a Texas Walmart while targeting Hispanics, the El Paso Times newspaper reported. The shooter still faces Texas state charges that could result in the death penalty. Just before the assault, the shooter posted on the internet a manifesto that declared, "This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas. He's going to be serving 90 consecutive life sentences."

Persons: Jose Luis Gonzalez, David Guaderrama, Patrick Crusius, Genesis Davila, Thomas Hoffman, Alexander Hoffman, Prosecutors, Joe Spencer, Spencer, Daniel Trotta, Brad Brooks, Paul Thomasch Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, Texas Walmart, El Paso Times, U.S, District, Dallas Morning News, AK, Thomson Locations: El Paso, El Paso , Texas, U.S, Texas, Hell, Dallas, Romanian

The seven-member California Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously ruled that allowing so-called "take home COVID" claims could encourage businesses to adopt precautions that slow the delivery of services to the public, or to shut down completely during pandemics. "Even limiting a duty of care to employees' household members, the pool of potential plaintiffs would be enormous, numbering not thousands but millions of Californians," Justice Carol Corrigan wrote for the court. Circuit Court of Appeals last year asked it to decide whether California law recognizes negligence claims against employers when workers spread COVID to household members. The 9th Circuit is considering Kuciemba's bid to revive her lawsuit after it was dismissed by a California federal judge. Business groups had argued that allowing take home COVID claims could prompt lawsuits by an infected employee's family and friends, and anyone infected by that circle of people, creating a never-ending chain of liability.

Persons: Corby Kuciemba, COVID, Carol Corrigan, Woodworks, Thursday's, Daniel Wiessner, Alexia Garamfalvi, Richard Chang Organizations: COVID, Victory Woodworks Inc, Kuciemba, San, Circuit, Thomson Locations: pandemics, California, San Francisco

Lawyers for Dimon, the bank's chief executive, and Staley, a former private banking and investment banking chief, urged a dismissal in filings late Thursday in Manhattan federal court. Lawyers for Dimon and the directors said there was no showing that either knowingly ignored red flags about Epstein, or that Dimon was involved in keeping Epstein as a client. The so-called derivative lawsuit seeks to have the defendants or their insurers pay damages to JPMorgan, benefiting shareholders. It is also defending against a lawsuit by the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned two neighboring private islands. Staley has expressed regret for his friendship with Epstein and denied knowing about his sex trafficking.

Persons: Jamie Dimon, Jes Staley, Jeffrey Epstein, Staley, Epstein, Dimon, Jonathan Stempel, David Holmes Organizations: YORK, JPMorgan Chase's, Dimon, JPMorgan, Lawyers, U.S ., Barclays, Miami General Employees & Sanitation Employees, Court, Southern District of, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, Miami, Pittsburgh, U.S . Virgin Islands, New York, U.S, Southern District, Southern District of New York

The court's conservative majority has taken an expansive view of Second Amendment rights in a nation facing persistent gun violence including mass shootings. The court has widened gun rights in three major rulings since 2008. "The stakes are high for those experiencing domestic violence if violent partners can legally possess firearms," Lungwitz said. The National Rifle Association, an influential gun rights group, did not respond to a request for comment. "By removing those kinds of considerations, it makes constitutional law - and Second Amendment law, in particular - even more removed from the way that ordinary citizens think about constitutional protections."

Persons: Joe Biden's, Zackey Rahimi, Rahimi, Janet Carter, Bruen, James Ho, Donald Trump, Elizabeth Prelogar, Lungwitz, Jacob Charles, Charles, John Kruzel, Will Dunham, Scott Malone Organizations: U.S, Supreme, New York, Circuit, Appeals, Republican, University of Texas School, Law's, Violence, Democratic, National Rifle Association, Pepperdine University Caruso School of, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, Texas, New York, New Orleans

NEW YORK, July 6 (Reuters) - The National Labor Relations Board on Thursday sued Starbucks (SBUX.O) over the coffee chain's refusal to rehire 33 workers as it reorganized three downtown Seattle stores, including its flagship store in Pike Place Market. The petition seeks an injunction to block Starbucks from firing or disciplining workers, denying them higher wages and benefits, or forcing them to reapply for jobs because of their union activities. It also seeks to require Starbucks to offer jobs, with back pay and benefits, to the 33 people it let go. Starbucks ended its last fiscal year with 15,873 U.S. stores, of which 9,265 were company-operated and 6,608 were licensed. The case is Hooks v Starbucks Corp, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, No.

Persons: Jonathan Stempel, Daniel Wallis Organizations: YORK, National Labor Relations, Starbucks, Heritage, Starbucks Corp, Western District of Washington, Thomson Locations: Seattle, Pike, U.S, Western District, New York

July 6 (Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc (UBER.N), DoorDash Inc (DASH.N) and other app-based food delivery companies filed lawsuits on Thursday seeking to strike down New York City's novel law setting a minimum wage for drivers. The companies filed separate complaints in New York state court claiming the law, which takes effect next week, is based on a misunderstanding of how the food delivery industry works. Relay Delivery Inc also filed a lawsuit in the same court claiming the law will put the New York-based company out of business unless it raises the fees it charges to restaurants. The law will require that drivers be paid $17.96 an hour, which will rise to nearly $20 in April 2025. Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Daniel Wiessner, Josie Kao Organizations: Technologies, DoorDash Inc, Grubhub Inc, DoorDash, Companies, Thomson Locations: New York, York, Albany , New York

July 6 (Reuters) - Donald Trump aide Walt Nauta is set to enter a plea on Thursday in Miami federal court on charges he helped the former U.S. president hide top secret documents that Trump took when he left the White House in 2021. Trump, front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pleaded not guilty to 37 criminal counts for allegedly retaining national security documents without authorization and obstructing justice. Nauta, a former White House valet and now a Trump aide, faces six counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice, false statements, and withholding and concealing documents. Prosecutors allege Nauta hid boxes of documents from Trump's lawyers who were searching for classified material sought by the U.S. Justice Department. Legal experts have said the complexities surrounding the use of highly classified documents as evidence are likely to delay Trump's trial.

Persons: Donald Trump, Walt Nauta, Trump, White, Nauta, Prosecutors, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, Jack Queen, Jacqueline Thomsen, Amy Stevens, Howard Goller Organizations: White House, Trump, Prosecutors, U.S . Justice Department, U.S, Thomson Locations: Miami, Florida, New York

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

[1/2] Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram apps are seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File PhotoJuly 5 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Wednesday appealed a federal judge's ruling restricting some agencies and officials from meeting and communicating with social media companies to moderate their content, according to a court filing. The notice of appeal filed on Wednesday signals the government's plan to ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans to review the ruling in a lawsuit challenging the Biden administration's efforts to persuade social media companies to police posts it considered disinformation. U.S. officials have said they were aiming to tamp down misinformation about COVID vaccines to curb preventable deaths. Reporting by Tyler Clifford and Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Eric Beech and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Biden, Judge Terry Doughty, Tyler Clifford, Sharon Bernstein, Eric Beech, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Twitter, YouTube, REUTERS, ., Appeals, Fifth Circuit, Biden, Department of Health, Human Services, FBI, U.S, Western, Western District of, Republicans, Thomson Locations: New Orleans, Louisiana, Missouri, Western District, Western District of Louisiana

The central bank's first female governor, Erkan is also its fifth chief in four years, underlining the challenge she may face delivering a lasting policy turnaround after Erdogan has all but stamped out the bank's independence in recent years. Analysts now expect Turkey's central bank to hike interest rates to between 20% and 25% from 8.5% as soon as this month. ORTHODOX FINANCE MINISTERErdogan, a self-proclaimed "enemy" of interest rates, has pressed the central bank to deliver stimulus in recent years and has been quick to replace its governor. The central bank slashed its policy rate to 8.5% from 19% in 2021, leaving real rates deeply negative and the lira largely managed by dozens of regulations covering credit and foreign exchange. But the last central bank governor to raise rates, Naci Agbal, was fired in 2021 after less than five months on the job.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Goldman Sachs, Erdogan's, Erdogan, Kavcioglu, Selva Demiralp, Mehmet Simsek, Simsek, Erkan, Naci Agbal, Marsh, Kathryn Wylde, Wylde, Ali Kucukgocment, Jonathan Spicer, Daren Butler, Cynthia Osterman, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Lira, First Republic Bank, Official Gazette, Koc University, U.S . Federal Reserve, Princeton University, First, JPMorgan, Analysts, FINANCE, Greystone, Partnership, New, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, United States, unorthodoxy, Erkan, U.S, New York City

☆ First Republic's former co-CEO could be Turkey's next central bank chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Jeffrey Cane | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A former co-CEO of First Republic is said to be in line to be Turkey's next central bank chief. Turkey's central bank is expected to return to more orthodox policies. That's not stopping the Turkish government, which is considering Hafize Gaye Erkan, a former co-CEO of First Republic, to be the next governor of its central bank, according to reports. The bank would ultimately name the chief financial officer, Michael Roffler, to be CEO. Turkey's central bank has been a punching bag for Erdogan, who has forced out its leaders and pressured the bank to slash interest rates even in the face of surging inflation.

Persons: Hafize Gaye Erkan, Goldman Sachs, Recip Tayyip Erdogan, Erkan, Jim Herbert, Herbert, Graystone, Michael Roffler, Erdogan, Mehmet Şimşek Organizations: First, Morning, Princeton, JPMorgan Chase, Erkan, Reuters, First Republic, Financial Times, Bogazici University Locations: First Republic, Turkey's, Turkey, Republic

☆ Erdogan considering Erkan as Turkey cenbank chief, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Orhan Coskun | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Erkan met with Mehmet Simsek, Turkey's newly-appointed treasury and finance minister, in Ankara on Monday, one of the sources said. The two sources told Reuters she is set to meet Erdogan soon to discuss the possible role. Turkey's policy rate was cut to 8.5% from 19% in 2021, setting off a historic currency crash in late 2021. Erkan would be the country's fifth central bank chief in four years. The central bank has been the linchpin of Erdogan's programme of monetary stimulus and targeted credit to boost economic growth, exports and investments.

Persons: Erdogan, Tayyip Erdogan, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erkan, Mehmet Simsek, Sahap Kavcioglu, Goldman Sachs, Simsek, Kathryn Wylde, Wylde, Naci Agbal, Marsh, Jonathan Spicer, Daren Butler, Angus MacSwan, Emelia Organizations: Reuters, First Republic Bank, Treasury, Ivy League, Princeton, New, First, JPMorgan, Greystone, Thomson Locations: Turkey, ANKARA, United States, Ankara, New York City, U.S

☆ Stephen Schwarzman says Blackstone has dumped office investments. Another corner of the firm kept lending billions.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Daniel Geiger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Blackstone Mortgage Trust's $8.2 billion portfolio of office loans leaves it exposed to the sector. The Blackstone-managed firm issued about $3.3 billion of US office loans since the pandemic began. Even as clouds began to gather, Blackstone Mortgage Trust continued to lend to the office sector. In addition to managing the mortgage trust, Blackstone is among its largest shareholders. A Washington office complex shows how far values have fallenThere are ongoing issues, however, in Blackstone Mortgage Trust's portfolio.

"With loan terms tougher and tighter, the option for private credit providers is on steroids," said Drew Schardt, head of investment strategy at Hamilton Lane, one of the largest investment firms in private markets. Pietrzak sees "attractive" assets in auto and consumer lending. POISED TO GAIN SHAREInvestors providing private credit comprise 12% of the $6.3 trillion U.S. commercial credit market, according to Fitch Ratings. "The tightening of lending standards creates opportunities for private credit to gain share," said Lyle Margolis, Fitch's head of private credit. While private credit funds have grown swiftly, the risks they pose to the financial system appear limited, the Federal Reserve wrote in a report this month.

☆ Real estate leader on NY Fed board warns on commercial real estate risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The real-estate sector has also been hard hit by Fed rate rises and commercial real estate has also been hobbled by the shift away from in-office work during the pandemic. Rechler serves as what’s called a Class B director on the 12-person panel of private citizens who oversee the New York Fed. Each of the quasi-private regional Fed banks are also operated under the oversight of the Fed’s Board of Governors in Washington, which is explicitly part of the government. The boards overseeing each of the regional Fed banks are made up of a mix of bankers, business and non-profit leaders. Their most visible role is helping regional Fed banks find new presidents, although bankers who serve as directors are by law not part of this process.

☆ New York Fed board member warns of commercial real-estate risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

☆ 2023 is 'a generational buying opportunity' for real estate investing, says the CEO of a private equity firm. He shares which sectors offer the best returns and the REITs to buy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

For real estate, he recommends investing in REITs that are managed by major financial firms. The real estate market last year took a massive hit as interest rates increased at an unprecedented velocity due to the Federal Reserve's aggressive tightening. Ari Rastegar, the founder and CEO of Rastegar Property Company, says just looking at macroeconomic trends won't give investors the full picture. Real estate investment trusts, which are entities that own and operate income-producing properties, are on clearance, he said. He recommends looking at the Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT) and the Starwood Real Estate Income Trust (SREIT).

☆ In an income-obsessed world, dividends that are too high could turn into a dry well
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Scott Schnipper | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Income and yield, dividends and royalties. After all, analysts' forecast yield on the S & P 500 as a whole in 2023 is still only about 1.8% today. To find red flags among high-payers, CNBC Pro searched the S & P 1500 Index, consisting of the S & P 500, Midcap 400 and Smallcap 600 indexes. The result is five stocks with dividends ranging as high as 15.2%, but no lower than 5.5%. More optimistically, however, its dividend coverage ratio stands at a reasonable 2.0.

☆ The pandemic's real estate jobs boom is turning into a bust as layoffs hit
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Shannon-Pettypiece-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Shannon Pettypiece | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Some of the biggest players in the real estate industry, including RE/MAX, Redfin and Wells Fargo, have announced layoffs in recent months totaling thousands of jobs. Over that period, 200,000 people became real estate agents, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. Workers in the mortgage industry have been among the hardest hit as demand for refinancing and home sales tumble. Real estate brokers have also been affected, said Ken H. Johnson, a former real estate broker who is now an associate dean at Florida Atlantic University, where he studies the real estate industry. Even in the best of times, it can be a struggle for new brokers to be able to make a full-time living selling real estate.

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