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☆ Chuck Todd: Is the rise of the independents coming? An experiment is brewing in a key battleground
▼ + stars: | 2024-12-11 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Chuck-Todd-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Chuck Todd | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +14 min

So to say Michigan Democrats were shocked by the mayor's decision to go independent is a bit of understatement. In my experience, most independent candidates who previously ran and won as Democrats or Republicans but then switch do so out of some political necessity. For the less politically engaged, a category that includes many key swing voters, this is a very appealing elevator pitch. But not every state party will be as desperate as Kansas Democrats were in accepting a party-switcher as its party savior. Ultimately, the national environment has never looked more enticing for independent candidates to disrupt the two-party duopoly.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Mike Duggan, he’s, Gretchen Whitmer isn’t, Jocelyn Benson, Garlin Gilchrist, Duggan, —, Harris, they’d, there’s, aren’t, Dan Gilbert, Jamie Dimon, Gilbert, Dimon, Benson, Gilchrist, Pete Buttigieg, Simone Biles, Sen, Angus King, Lowell Weicker, Joe Lieberman, Jesse Ventura, I’ll, Trump, MAGA, hewing, don’t, Dan Osborn, Don’t, GOP Sen, Pete Ricketts, Bill Cassidy, Cassidy, Steve Hilton, David Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, There’s, Thom Tillis, Tillis, Ted Budd, Laura Kelly Organizations: Detroit, Democrat, Democratic, Gov, Policy Conference, Biden, Michigan, Duggan’s, Rocket Mortgage, Republicans, JPMorgan Chase, ”, Republican, GOP, Senate, Trump, Fox, MAGA Republican, Kansas Gov, Kansas Democrats, Trust Locations: Washington, Michigan, Detroit, Maine, Connecticut, Jesse Ventura in Minnesota, Nebraska, Louisiana, California, North Carolina, Florida , Texas, New Mexico , Colorado , Iowa , Connecticut , Illinois, New Jersey, Kansas

☆ A family of Venezuelan migrants in Colorado found help in an unexpected place
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Catherine E. Shoichet | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

After lunch, the American family took Simaray, Samuel and Santi to a pharmacy to buy shampoo and other items they needed. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston poses for a portrait at the Denver City & County Building. Rachel Woolf for CNNA ‘crisis’ was hitting the cityAt first, Mike Johnston didn’t know about the Facebook message his wife had sent. In the weeks that followed, the Johnston family teamed up with another Denver family, who was trying to help Simaray’s sister, Saray, and her 5-year-old twins, Mathias and Laura. “Two or three people came up to buy it, and each time, she said, ‘No,’” Mike Johnston says.

Persons: Simaray Sanzo, Samuel, didn’t, Santi, Sima, bienvenidos, Simaray, who’d, Rachel Woolf, Courtney, She’d, “, ”, Ava, ” Samuel, they’d, Mike, Mike Johnston, ’, Mike Johnston didn’t, Johnston, ” Johnston, Courtney Johnston, she’d, he’d, ’ ” ‘, ’ Samuel, –, tugging, … That’s, don’t, —, ” Courtney Johnston, Mathias, Laura, Laura Sanzo, Mathias Sanzo, Santiago Castellano, ‘, Santi …, I’m, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, Samuel Castellano, who’ve, they’ve, who's, “ it’s, she’s, ” Simaray, hasn’t, they’re Organizations: Denver CNN, Facebook, CNN, de Denver, Google, Denver, Denver City, Denver Mayor, Democrat, Republican, “ Locations: Santiago, Denver, Venezuela, ”, “, Washington, Aurora

☆ San Francisco Fed President Daly sees interest rate cuts coming as labor market weakens
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-05 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mary Daly, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, during the National Association of Business Economics (NABE) economic policy conference in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. San Francisco Federal Reserve President Mary Daly on Monday said she expects that interest rates will be cut later this year but declined to provide a timetable or the extent to which the central bank will ease. At their meeting last week, Fed officials provided some hints that lower rates are coming but were short on specifics. Earlier in the day, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee told CNBC that the central bank's "restrictive" rates policy doesn't make sense if the economy isn't overheating, which he said it is not. If there are trouble signs with the economy, Goolsbee said the Fed will "fix it."

Persons: Mary Daly, Daly, we've, Austan Goolsbee, Goolsbee Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of San, National Association of Business Economics, San Francisco Federal, Market, Chicago Fed, CNBC Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Washington , DC, Hawaii

☆ Watch Fed Chair Powell speak live at Stanford policy conference economic forum
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks Wednesday to the Stanford Business, Government and Society forum. But he also said the timing isn't certain and policymakers need more evidence that inflation is moving toward the Fed's 2% goal. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said Wednesday he thinks there could be just one cut this year, though his colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee have indicated three. Markets expect the Fed to start down the path of easing in June or July, with a total of three cuts coming by the end of 2024.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, Raphael Bostic, Bostic, Steve Eisman Organizations: Stanford Business, Government, Society, Atlanta Fed, Federal, Read, Fed, CNBC, YouTube

☆ A bigger pool of American workers could continue to slow inflation even further
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Now, as the Federal Reserve faces the final stretch of its historic inflation battle, a bigger pool of workers could slow inflation even further. That then begs the question: How much more can better labor supply slow inflation? The US Labor Department releases January figures on job openings, quits, hires and layoffs. The US Labor Department reports the number of new applications for jobless benefits in the week ended March 2. China’s National Bureau of Statistics releases February inflation data.

Persons: Mary Daly, “, ” Sarah House, Michael Gapen, That’s, Jack Bantock, ’, ”, Richard Felton, Thomas, ’ ”, Patrick Harker, Ross, Nordstrom, Michael Barr, Campbell Soup, Foot, Jerome Powell, Loretta Mester Organizations: DC CNN, Federal Reserve, San Francisco Fed, National Association for Business Economics, Labor, CNN, Bank of America, White House’s Council, Economic Advisers, English Premier League, Chelsea, Burnley, Philadelphia Fed, Target, P Global, Institute for Supply Management, US Commerce Department, Abercrombie, Fitch, Financial Services, The Bank of Canada, US Labor Department, Broadcom, Costco, Eagle Outfitters, Potbelly, Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs, European Central Bank, Cleveland Fed, National Bureau of Statistics Locations: Washington, San, Wells, United States, London, JD.com, Kroger, Burlington, DocuSign

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that he plans to travel to North Macedonia later this week to attend a conference, a trip that would mark his first visit to a NATO member country since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine. North Macedonia, which holds the group's rotating chairmanship, last week invited Lavrov to an OSCE meeting that starts Thursday in Skopje, the capital of the small, landlocked Balkan country. NATO members banned Russian flights after Moscow launched its military action in Ukraine in February 2022. To reach North Macedonia, Lavrov's plane would need to fly through the airspace of Bulgaria or Greece, which also belong to the Western military alliance. Speaking at a foreign policy conference in Moscow on Monday, Lavrov said Bulgaria apparently has given permission for an overflight.

Persons: Sergey Lavrov, Lavrov, ”, “, “ They’ve Organizations: MOSCOW, NATO, Organization for Security, Cooperation, OSCE, Moscow Locations: Russian, North Macedonia, Moscow, Ukraine, Russia, Europe, Skopje, Balkan, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, “, Soviet Union, U.S, Israel, Ukrainian, rearm

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy ponders idea of 2024 election during war
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Yuliia Dysa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is weighing the pros and cons of a spring 2024 presidential vote, his foreign minister said on Friday, though there are major concerns over how to organise a free and fair vote during war with Russia. Ukraine was scheduled to hold a parliamentary election in October and a presidential vote in March 2024. Kuleba made his comment during an online appearance at the World Policy Conference in the United Arab Emirates when asked whether Ukraine would hold a presidential election in spring. Zelenskiy has said he wants to run for another term if an election happens. Opponents of holding a vote fear Russia would try to derail it while political jockeying would undermine national unity.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Lindsey Graham, Dmytro Kuleba, Kuleba, Zelenskiy, Yuliia Dysa, Olena, Tom Balmforth, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Republican, World, Conference, United, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, U.S, United Arab Emirates, Europe

☆ UAE warns against risk of regional spillover from Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Alexander Cornwell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Israeli soldiers drive in military vehicles by Israel's border with Gaza in southern Israel, October 10, 2023. "The risk of regional spillover and further escalation is real, as well as the risk that extremist groups will take advantage of the situation to advance ideologies that will keep us locked in cycles of violence." The UAE supported Egypt's current leader, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, when he toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013. The UAE has said it planned to treat 1,000 Palestinian children from Gaza, but did not clarify how they would leave the besieged enclave. The latest war in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict began when Hamas militants broke through the border on Oct. 7 and went on a rampage.

Persons: Ronen, Abraham, ABU, Al Kaabi, Abdel Fattah al, Mohamed Mursi, Kaabi, Alexander Cornwell, Maha El, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, UAE, Abraham Accords, United, Emirates, Brotherhood, Hamas, U.S . Fifth, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, East, UAE, ABU DHABI, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Manama, Gulf

☆ Two key Fed officials express support for keeping interest rates high
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Two Federal Reserve policymakers expressed support Friday for keeping interest rates elevated as the battle against too-high inflation continues. In separate speeches, Governor Michelle Bowman and Boston Fed President Susan Collins said there's still the possibility that the Fed will have to raise rates further if economic data doesn't cooperate. The commentary comes two days after the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee decided not to raise rates following its two-day meeting. While choosing not to raise rates, officials indicated they still see one more increase coming this year, then potentially two cuts in 2024, assuming moves of 0.25 percentage point at a time. "There are some promising signs that inflation is moderating and the economy rebalancing," Collins said.

Persons: Susan Collins, Michelle Bowman, there's, Bowman's, Bowman, Collins, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, National Association of Business Economics, Federal, Boston Fed, Market Locations: Washington , DC, Vail , Colorado, Maine

☆ State Department picks veteran diplomat Mark Lambert as top China policy official
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. State Department has picked veteran diplomat Mark Lambert as its top China policy official, five sources familiar with the matter said, bringing in new leadership for a part of the department that has faced staffing problems and criticism over its handling of China-focused initiatives. Waters had also served as the head of the Office of China Coordination — informally known as "China House" — a unit the department created late last year to meld China policies across regions and issues. Whether Lambert will assume the China House coordinator title is still being discussed, sources said. Lambert's appointment is unlikely to change the tone of Washington's China policy, which President Joe Biden's administration says is one of "intense competition" while trying to increase engagement with Beijing to stabilize ties. It was unclear when the State Department will formally announce the appointment.

Persons: Mark Lambert, Lambert, Rick Waters, Waters, Joe Biden's Organizations: U.S . State Department, of China Coordination, State Department, of Locations: Washington , DC, China, Taiwan, Beijing, East Asia, of China, U.S, People's Republic of China

☆ How should central banks coordinate when their economies are headed in opposite directions?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

So how should central banks coordinate when their economies are headed in opposite directions? And since the start of the pandemic, international monetary policy has looked striking similar. From the United States to Saudi Arabia to Malaysia, many major world economies slashed interest rates to historically low levels in March 2020 to stimulate their economies amid Covid lockdowns. Central bankers do “talk a lot, and we see each other quite a bit,” said Andrew Bailey, Bank of England’s president, at a June event hosted by the European Central Bank. “Adopting formal global monetary policy cooperation could plausibly erode central bank credibility and public support for central bank independence,” former Federal Reserve Vice Chair Richard Clarida said at a 2021 Asia Economic Policy Conference.

Persons: Jackson, —, Nick Bennenbroek, ”, Andrew Bailey ,, Richard Clarida, “ There’s, ” Bennenbroek, Jerome Powell Organizations: Los Angeles CNN, Kansas City Federal Reserve, Andrew Bailey , Bank of England’s, European Central Bank, Federal, Asia Economic Policy Locations: lockstep, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, United States, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, China, Wells, Asia

Change is afoot in the conservative city state with a softening of attitudes and growing tolerance of gay issues, which some members of the LGBT community and academics attribute to the November lifting of a ban on sex between men. But the historic lifting of the ban was not all welcomed by LGBT people. The repeal of the gay sex ban was not universally welcomed. LGBT issues are appearing in the typically conservative domestic media, known for toeing the government line. The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore this month advised teachers to "address socio-religious issues, including LGBT issues, with wisdom, kindness, compassion and mercy".

Persons: Yeo Sam Jo, Yeo, JoJo Sam Clair, Laavanya Kathiravelu, Carol, Dot, Nishanthiy Balasamy, Corinna Lim, Lim, Cally Chia, Ching Chia, Ching, Clement Tan, Pink Dot, We're, Tan, Xinghui Kok, Chen Lin, Robert Birsel, William Mallard Organizations: Nanyang Technological University, Institute of Policy, Islamic, Council of, Pink, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Council of Singapore, Instagram

Indeed a third U.S. central banker speaking early in the day, Governor Michelle Bowman, signaled she feels further policy tightening may yet be appropriate, unless inflation drops more convincingly. The Fed has raised its benchmark interest rate five full percentage points over the past 14 months - the fastest pace of tightening in 40 years. Yes," Fed Governor Philip Jefferson said at a monetary policy conference at the Hoover Institution. That's notable from a policymaker who was among the first and most vocal to push for sharp rate hikes to fight inflation, back in mid-2021. But since then, he said, the Fed's rate hikes have helped bring down what had been a worrying rise in inflation expectations that, if left unchecked, could have sent actual inflation spiraling out of control.

☆ Fed's Bullard: disinflation prospects 'good' but not guaranteed
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"Monetary policy is now at the low end of what is arguably sufficiently restrictive given current macroeconomic conditions," Bullard said in remarks prepared for delivery to a monetary policy conference at the Hoover Institution. Inflation expectations, which had risen last year, are now back down to levels Bullard said is consistent with the Fed's 2% inflation target. Accordingly, he said, "the prospects for continued disinflation are good but not guaranteed." Bullard said earlier this month he has an open mind about June, though rates may need to rise further. He did not specifically address the June meeting in his prepared remarks on Friday.

☆ TikTok represents 'strategic' challenge, says top US cyber official
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

RUTHERFORD, California, March 27 (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. National Security Agency's cybersecurity directorate on Monday said TikTok represents a "strategic issue" rather than an immediate "tactical" threat to the United States. Joyce said China could use its influence on TikTok to suppress information that might make the nation look bad to Americans. His remarks echo earlier warnings by Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray and National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone, who told U.S. lawmakers that TikTok could be used to carry out sweeping influence campaigns. U.S. President Joe Biden has signaled his support for legislation introduced by a dozen Senators that would give him the power to ban TikTok and other foreign technologies if they pose a national security risk. Reporting by Stephen Nellis in Rutherford, California; Editing by Chris Reese and Marguerita ChoyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fed's Mester says she has hope that inflation can be brought down without a recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said Friday that interest rates likely need to keep moving higher to get inflation back to acceptable levels. In a CNBC interview, Mester said she sees the central bank's benchmark interest rate having to rise above 5% and stay there for a while. Many economists expect the Fed won't be able to achieve its inflation goal without tipping the economy into a recession. She also expressed hope that the Fed can achieve its goal without crushing a labor market that has been surprisingly resilient despite all the rate increases. We can have a healthy labor market and we can get back to price stability," she said.

☆ UAE asks state entities to buy local in food security push
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The UAE, which imports 90% of its food, took the decision at an annual government meeting last month to support local production while continuing to embrace open trade policy, Mariam Al Mheiri told the World Policy Conference in Abu Dhabi. The Gulf Arab oil producer, which will host the COP28 climate conference next year, is making a big push on food security in the region and beyond. Among initiatives is a vertical farm producing leafy greens under a joint venture between Emirates Flight Catering and U.S.-based Crop One. Vertical farming uses a series of stacked levels to produce crops. The Emirati minister said berries, salmon and quinoa were also being farmed in the UAE, and that the country has ambitions to grow grains in closed-system farms where water is recycled.

☆ Saudi foreign minister: 'All bets off' if Iran gets nuclear weapon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Sunday that Iran's Gulf Arab neighbours would act to shore up their security if Tehran were to obtain nuclear weapons. Indirect U.S.-Iranian talks to salvage a 2015 nuclear pact between global powers and Iran, which Washington exited in 2018, stalled in September. "If Iran gets an operational nuclear weapon, all bets are off," Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said in an on-stage interview at the World Policy Conference in Abu Dhabi when asked about such a scenario. "The signs right now are not very positive unfortunately," Prince Faisal said. "We hear from the Iranians that they have no interest in a nuclear weapons programme, it would be very comforting to be able to believe that.

☆ UAE official says European ties with Gulf 'should not be transactional'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Dec 10 (Reuters) - A senior United Arab Emirates official said on Saturday it was encouraging to see greater European outreach to Gulf Arab states in the face of the Ukraine conflict and energy crunch, but that engagement should not be "transactional". "I think that language is partly driven by self-interest -- trying to find new gas providers, new oil providers," he said. Gargash reiterated a call for "explicit" security assurances from traditional Western allies, especially in dealing with the threat from Iranian drones that Gulf states have long warned about. Western states have accused Russia of using Iranian drones to attack targets in Ukraine, which Tehran and Moscow have denied. Gulf states have resisted Western pressure to break with Russia, a fellow member of the OPEC+ oil producer alliance which in October agreed cuts to output targets.

☆ Pope: migrant deaths 'unacceptable and almost always avoidable'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Migrant deaths in the Mediterranean are "unacceptable and almost always avoidable," Pope Francis said on Friday, renewing a call for policymakers across the region to address the issue in a manner "beneficial to all." "The inability to find common solutions [on migration] continues to lead to an unacceptable and almost always avoidable loss of lives, especially in the Mediterranean," Francis said in a message to Rome Med 2022, a foreign policy conference. Insisting that migration towards Europe "cannot be stopped", he urged all parties involved to find a solution that can be "beneficial to all, guaranteeing both human dignity and shared prosperity." According to data from the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, around 136,500 migrants have reached Europe via Mediterranean sea crossings this year, and more than 1,800 have died or gone missing. Reporting by Alvise Armellini Editing by Keith WeirOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Some experts argue that recognizing North Korea as a nuclear-armed state, something Pyongyang seeks, is a prerequisite for such talks. North Korea has rejected U.S. calls to return to talks. Asked if it was time to accept North Korea as a nuclear state, she replied: "Wording aside, we are committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We do not accept North Korea with that status. "She was acknowledging, as other officials in other administrations have, that North Korea does have nuclear weapons, but in violation of its commitments under the NPT not to pursue nuclear weapons," he told Reuters.

☆ Iran is an ever more 'relevant' problem, nuclear watchdog chief says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Iran is a problem that is ever more "relevant", the U.N. nuclear watchdog's chief, Rafael Grossi, said on Friday, in an apparent reference to the growing number of advanced centrifuges the Islamic Republic is using to enrich uranium. Asked in an on-stage discussion in Washington how he sees the world today, Grossi started with Iran rather than Ukraine and said it "continues to be a problem". "I see every day through my inspectors how this problem is getting more and more relevant, and I'm choosing a word which is neutral. It's an even more relevant problem every day," Grossi told the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference, without elaborating. He added later that he would not cave to political pressure over his investigation of the uranium traces and his efforts to obtain explanations from Iran on how they came to be there.

☆ Trump has failed to show he declassified docs seized from Mar-a-Lago, DOJ tells appeals court
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The DOJ lawyers added that Trump "is now resisting" a request by a court-appointed special master for him to provide evidence that he declassified records that were seized. But in Tuesday's court conference, Dearie expressed skepticism toward Trump's lawyers about which, if any, of the seized Mar-a-Lago records had been declassified, NBC News reported. Unless Trump's lawyers could provide evidence to dispute that stance, "As far as I'm concerned, that's the end of it," Dearie said. Court documents also revealed that the FBI found four dozen empty folders marked "CLASSIFIED" during the raid. "Those notes could certainly contain privileged information," Trump's lawyers wrote.

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