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☆ This real estate developer is happy that new home construction is falling
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Recent headlines point to a slumping US housing market — as mortgage rates average near 7%, an increasing number of potential homebuyers are finding it difficult to finance homes. David O’Reilly, CEO of the real estate developer Howard Hughes Corp., told CNN that he’s “cautiously optimistic” that the residential housing market is rebounding after a downturn in the second half of 2022. Recent data point to doom and gloom for the housing market. Are you having issues attracting new buyers because of higher mortgage rates? On Thursday, Challenger, Gray & Christmas is set to release its job cuts numbers for February, and Friday brings the main show — the US jobs report for February.

☆ More rate hikes are needed, says Fed’s Mary Daly
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Federal Reserve policymakers will need to raise interest rates higher and keep them there longer to tackle the higher prices caused by sticky inflation, San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said Saturday. Daly does not currently vote on Fed policy decisions but is a member of the Federal Open Market Committee and participates in policy meetings. Her speech followed a week of similar warnings from the Federal Reserve. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic also said Wednesday that he believes the Fed needs to raise its policy rate by half a percentage point at the next meeting. On Thursday, Fed Governor Christopher Waller warned that painful interest rates could go higher than expected, citing a slew of recent stronger-than-expected economic data.

☆ Three Years Into Covid, We Still Don’t Know How to Talk About It
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jon Mooallem | Photographs Ashley Gilbertson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +53 min

It will play out and reverberate for years or decades, Hagen told me. “The pathological normal,” Hagen calls it: a patchwork of homespun, bespoke realities, each one invested in a different story about what exactly happened when Covid ruptured the story of our lives. garb.”More than once, life seemed to be attaining “an uncanny resemblance to normal life,” as one man put it. But because we don’t totally understand where that experience has delivered us, we don’t know the right gloss to give it. “The days are strange,” one public-school teacher told Milstein toward the end of his first interview, in May 2020.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Wednesday, a White House official confirmed to NBC News, amid Republicans’ debt-ceiling showdown with Democrats. McCarthy first announced that he'll meet Biden this week to discuss the debt ceiling in an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” earlier Sunday. The House speaker said Republicans would not allow the U.S. to default and expressed an interest in reaching an agreement with the president. House Republicans have been demanding spending cuts in exchange for lifting the debt ceiling and averting a default on U.S. debt. The White House previously said there won’t be any negotiations, and Congress must allow the government to pay its bills.

As in 2011, the GOP speaker runs a House majority full of ideologically-driven conservatives who want to use the debt limit as leverage to force budget changes on a Democratic-led Senate and White House. “It is possible we will eventually see House Republicans put forth a plan for dealing with both the debt limit and the spending problem. After 2011, the Obama White House drew a hard line when the debt limit deadline came up again in early 2013. Andrew Harnik / APAsked about Biden's position and the GOP criticisms, the White House said the president “takes a backseat to no one” on pursuing bipartisanship, but said that the no-negotiations stance from 2013 onward on the debt limit succeeded. “Everyone seems to have forgotten that there was a debt limit standoff in 2013 where Obama adopted the no-negotiation approach and prevailed with a clean debt limit,” he said.

☆ Sen. Joe Manchin criticizes Biden’s handling of classified documents: ‘Irresponsible’
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., on Sunday criticized President Joe Biden for his handling of classified documents after six additional items were found at the president’s Delaware home. In an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Manchin called Biden having classified documents in unsecured places “irresponsible” and voiced his support for Attorney General Merrick Garland’s decision to appoint a special counsel to review the materials. Biden, Manchin continued, should own up to making mistakes after batches of classified records were found in recent weeks at his residence and a Washington office he used. Biden's personal attorney said Saturday that six additional items, including documents with classified markings, were found at the president’s home after Justice Department officials searched the residence. The DOJ has appointed special counsel Robert Hur, a former federal prosecutor who has worked with many Republicans throughout his law enforcement career, to oversee the investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents.

☆ Prince Harry’s Pagan Progress
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Dominic Green | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Prince Harry ’s memoir, “Spare,” is among other things a spiritual autobiography—a New Age story of suffering and rebirth. Harry has said he’s “not religious,” but he is spiritual. Christianity leaves him cold, but he pursues enlightenment with a zeal that would have warmed the heart of a Puritan divine. He travels this path alone, guided by drugs, spirit animals sent by his late mother, Diana, and daily yoga and meditation. Yet the percentage of millennials claiming “absolute certainty” in God’s existence (53%) wasn’t far off the figures for baby boomers (59%) and Generation X (55%) when they were young.

☆ On King’s holiday, daughter calls for bold action over words
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Bernice King, who leads The King Center in Atlanta, said leaders — especially politicians — too often cheapen her father’s legacy into a “comfortable and convenient King” offering easy platitudes. The service, organized by the center and held at Ebenezer annually, headlined observances of the 38th federal King holiday. ... A prophetic word calls for an inconvenience because it challenges us to change our hearts, our minds and our behavior,” Bernice King said. At Ebenezer, Warnock, who has led the congregation for 17 years, hailed his predecessor’s role in securing ballot access for Black Americans. But, like Bernice King, the senator warned against a reductive understanding of King.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks to Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., in the House Chamber on Jan. 6, 2023. She said it’s a bad idea for the House to bring up those bills. Still, some of the more moderate Republicans acknowledge that they’ll have to make compromises with Democrats to get immigration bills signed into law. The GOP rules package adopted Monday identifies the seven bills that will get speedy votes in the House. “Many of their radical things will be stopped in the Senate because we have a Democratic majority,” Schumer said, vowing not to let ultraconservative lawmakers defund the FBI.

The world’s best-known female conductor, Marin Alsop, revealed that she’s “offended” by her best-known fictional counterpart: Lydia Tár. It’s about women as leaders in our society,” Alsop, the chief conductor of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and a MacArthur “genius award” winner, told the Sunday Times. Now, there is just one: Stutzmann, who took the podium at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in October. While “Tár” may have struck a nerve with Alsop, it appears to have had the opposite effect on film critics. Focus Features, the U.S. distributor of "Tár," did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment.

☆ Rep. Jimmy Gomez takes his baby to the Capitol during House speaker votes: ‘We have to normalize Dads'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Danielle Campoamor | Danielle Campoamor Has Been Published In Teen Vogue | Harper'S Bazaar | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., knew things could go awry during the House speaker vote on Tuesday. It was new for Gomez’s family members, who had plans to watch Gomez be sworn in for a fourth term and then tour the nation’s capital. “But that took another 30 minutes.”Gomez had planned on being on the House floor at 11:30 in the morning. “In the end, we have to normalize dads taking their kids with them, be it stay-at-home dads or working dads,” Gomez says. I mean, babywearing is cool now!”On Wednesday, Gomez and his family, along with Hodge, returned to the House floor as Republican members tried again to elect a speaker.

The Justice Department said Wednesday that has moved to seize millions of shares of Robinhood, the popular stock-trading app, whose ownership is disputed by several parties, including Bankman-Fried himself, his bankrupt crypto exchange FTX and another bankrupt crypto company. Four separate entities have laid claim to the approximately 56 million shares, worth about $460 million. That company, Emergent Fidelity Technologies, borrowed more than $546 million from crypto hedge fund Alameda Research, according to an affidavit Bankman-Fried filed in December. Also claiming the Robinhood shares are bankrupt crypto lender BlockFi and an individual FTX creditor. As of December 31, roughly $150 million of Silvergate’s deposits were from customers that have filed for bankruptcy.

☆ A TikTok creator’s homemade pickled products have sparked online conversation surrounding food safety
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

A TikTok creator’s recent apology after people accused her of improperly packaging her homemade pickled products before selling them online has sparked discourse surrounding influencers and whether they should be allowed to promote and sell homemade food items on the app. Britanny Saunier, executive director of the nonprofit organization Partnership for Food Safety EducationSocial media creates "enthusiasm" around homemade products, said Britanny Saunier, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Partnership for Food Safety Education. The backlash toward PickleMeEverything’s products comes several months after another viral product raised eyebrows over similar food safety fears. He said he’s concerned about the growing number of TikTokers who don’t know or use food safety while promoting food products. Food Science Babe pointed out in her video that several popular creators had promoted PickleMeEverything’s products.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried borrowed $546 million from his hedge fund to buy a Robinhood stake
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

In an affidavit that emerged Tuesday, Bankman-Fried said he and FTX co-founder Gary Wang borrowed more than $546 million from the hedge fund, Alameda Research, which they used to purchase the Robinhood shares via a holding company primarily controlled by Bankman-Fried. Wang has since pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud and conspiracy, in cooperation with US prosecutors investigating FTX’s collapse. Four separate entities have laid claim to the approximately 56 million shares, worth about $450 million. Also claiming the Robinhood shares are bankrupt crypto lender BlockFi, and an individual FTX creditor. BlockFi is suing Bankman-Fried for the Robinhood shares, which BlockFi claims it is owed after Alameda defaulted on $680 million in collateralized loan obligations.

☆ Congressman-elect George Santos faces increasing calls to resign
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Congressman-elect George Santos is facing increasing calls to resign following admissions that he fabricated parts of his resumé, including information about his education and employment history. “I’m not saying I’m not guilty of that.”Congressman-elect George Santos speaks during a press conference in Baldwin, N.Y. on Nov. 9, 2022. NBC News attempted to reach George Santos overnight but has not yet received a response. Public employment records only show one employer for Santos’ mother: Imports by Rose, a company based in Queens that shuttered in 1994. When asked about Santos’ claims regarding his mother, Santos’ attorney, Joseph Murray, referred NBC News to Kevin Connors, whom Murray said would be handling Santos’ press inquiries.

So yeah, I’m proud of it,” McConnell said, hailing it as an “extremely important” win for conservatives. He said it’ll mean they no longer “pay a ransom on the domestic side” in order to secure hefty military spending. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill.. said he’s “disappointed” in the unequal spending levels but argued that the Kentucky Republican was using his leverage. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks alongside Sens. Democrats say McConnell was pushing for deals due to the rising support in the Democratic Party in recent years to end the filibuster.

☆ Ellen DeGeneres ‘heartbroken’ over death of Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Sandra Gonzalez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Ellen DeGeneres has issued a statement regarding the death of her former talk show’s longtime DJ and co-executive producer, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, saying on Wednesday that she’s “heartbroken” over his passing. Boss began his DJ duties on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in 2014, eventually going on to become a co-executive producer and occasional guest host. Amid tribulations during the show’s run, stemming from allegations against DeGeneres from some employees about a toxic work environment, Boss publicly stood by his friend DeGeneres. “We can’t speak too much legally about it, but I’ll say this, there’s been love,” Boss told Us Weekly. “Obviously there’s some things to address, but from my standpoint and from countless others, there’s been love.

☆ 13 Unique Gifts for the Mom Who Doesn’t Want Anything
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

The woman forever insisting she doesn’t need anything for the holidays, her birthday or Mother’s Day. With 200-plus thoughtful prompts and quick-hitting questions (What food do you like to have made for you when you’re sick? For the fragrance fanThis cool subscription service makes a unique gift for any mom, delivering an 8 mL bottle of perfume to her door every month. For the mom who’s tired of getting flowersThink of succulents as the gateway into plant parenthood. For the mom who could use a pick-me-upDare we say this is the sort of offering that will have her buzzing?

CNN —Top congressional negotiators announced Tuesday evening that an agreement had been reached for a framework that should allow lawmakers to complete a sweeping full-year government funding package. The comments from McCarthy may even add more urgency to the effort to reach a deal before the new Congress convenes. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin warned about the prospects of the government funding fight moving into next year. If a broader bipartisan deal does come together, it would be poised to pass both chambers. The lawmakers are hoping to include the provision in the government spending bill that Congress is scrambling to craft.

Democrats both in Washington D.C. and Arizona spent the weekend processing Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s decision to leave the party and register as an independent. The Biden White House’s statement called her a “key partner” that they expect to continue to work with. A growing field in Indiana: Four Republicans could be running to succeed Indiana GOP Gov. This comes as Indiana GOP Sen. Mike Braun and the state’s GOP Lt. Gov. Fort Wayne businessperson Eric Doden has already announced his campaign, and the state’s Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers is expected to jump into the race as well.

Vindman first joined Twitter while working in the Trump administration because it was often the way his then-boss, the president, made policy. His wife, liberal activist and podcaster Rachel Vindman, has almost 400,000 followers, making them a progressive Twitter power couple. In a clubby city obsessed with status and information, Twitter delivers both, all from the comfort of one’s mobile phone. No one wants to leave Twitter until everyone else does, but there’s no obvious place to go next. Some think Musk will kill Twitter regardless of whether there’s a mass exodus of its users.

New York CNN —Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the failed crypto exchange FTX, has agreed to testify before the Senate Banking Committee next week as questions and confusion swirl about the collapse of his companies. One of the key questions prosecutors are likely to probe is whether FTX misappropriated customer funds when it made loans to Alameda. “I didn’t knowingly commingle funds,” he told The New York Times last week. The Times said the issue is part of a broadening inquiry into the collapse of FTX, and it’s not clear whether prosecutors have determined any wrongdoing by Bankman-Fried. In a statement to the paper, Bankman-Fried said he was “not aware of any market manipulation and certainly never intended to engage in market manipulation.”

We’re going to win Georgia,” Biden said in response to questions regarding his outlook on the Georgia Senate runoff contest as he exited Air Force One Tuesday night. Share this -Link copiedWarnock defeats Walker in Georgia Senate runoff, NBC News projects Sen. Raphael Warnock has won his second statewide runoff election in the last two years, defeating Republican Herschel Walker in the increasingly purple state of Georgia to capture a six-year term in the Senate, NBC News projected. Share this -Link copiedThe Senate runoff election is still too close to call, but Warnock leads The Senate runoff election between Warnock and Walker is still too close to call, but Warnock leads, NBC News' Decision Desk said just before 10 p.m. Share this -Link copiedPolls close soon in critical Georgia Senate runoff Polls are closing at 7 p.m. ET in the Senate runoff election in Georgia, where Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock is hoping to fend off a challenge from Republican Herschel Walker.

The turnout in the Senate runoff was nearly 75% to 80% of the entire turnout for the midterm election in November. Share this -Link copiedPolls close soon in critical Georgia Senate runoff Polls are closing at 7 p.m. ET in the Senate runoff election in Georgia, where Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock is hoping to fend off a challenge from Republican Herschel Walker. Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock has a massive ad-spending and fundraising advantage over Republican Herschel Walker in the runoff election. In the 2022 general election, Warnock grew his advantage in Henry County, winning it by just over 31 points.

CNN —England soccer star Raheem Sterling is returning home from the World Cup in Qatar after armed intruders broke into his home while his family were inside, a person with knowledge of the situation told CNN. The incident happened on Saturday evening, the individual told CNN, and Sterling is said to be “shaken” and “concerned” about the well-being of his children after the break-in. “Police were contacted just before 9pm on Saturday December 3rd after the occupants of the property came home and discovered a number of items including jewellery and watches had been stolen,” a spokesperson from Surrey Police told CNN. We’re obviously mindful of him being allowed space and privacy respected so we don’t want to talk in too much detail. The Chelsea forward played in England’s first two games in the group stages of the World Cup and scored in the team’s 6-2 victory against Iran.

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