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☆ Banks Can’t Count on Loans for Growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Telis Demos | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Banks are looking at a more difficult environment for loans in 2024. Photo: etienne laurent/EPA/ShutterstockEven as the biggest banks have grown and diversified, lending remains a core part of their business. And it looks like that will get tougher this year. The outlooks that banks gave on Friday for 2024 net interest income—a measure of what they earn on yield from cash, loans and securities, minus what they pay in interest costs—were muted. JPMorgan Chase expects it to be about flat versus 2023, while Wells Fargo anticipates a potential decline of about 7% to 9%, and Citigroup expects their core net interest income to be “down modestly.”

Persons: Banks, etienne laurent, JPMorgan Chase, Wells, ” Organizations: JPMorgan, Citigroup

☆ White House announces new steps toward launching its climate corps for young people
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-19 | by ( Lucas Thompson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

US President Joe Biden speaks alongside Ritika Shah, award-winner of the first-ever National Climate Assessment Art x Climate competition, about his administrations actions to combat climate change in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House in Washington, DC, November 14, 2023. The highly anticipated first steps for the American Climate Corps, or ACC, were shared exclusively with NBC News on Tuesday, as the administration seeks to launch the first cohort by next summer. After facing setbacks in Congress, the Biden administration has unlocked funding to launch its American Climate Corps, a new federal program that looks to employ thousands of young Americans in the clean energy, conservation and climate resilience sectors. The White House now hopes to use funds for climate-minded programs across multiple agencies to carry out the vision of the American Climate Corps. Five states — California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan and Washington — have already launched climate corps programs, and the federal program will lean on them as implementing partners.

Persons: Joe Biden, Ritika Shah, Franklin, Alexandria Ocasio, Sen, Ed Markey, Biden, Bernie Sanders, Maggie Thomas, Washington —, hasn't, Thomas, Rosemary Enobakhare, Enobakhare Organizations: White, Civilian Conservation Corps, White House, ACC, Rep, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, AmeriCorps, American Climate Corps, NBC, U.S . Capitol, Washington, Corps, EPA Locations: Washington , DC, Puerto Rico, Alexandria, Cortez, Washington ,, — California, Colorado , Maine , Michigan

CHANNELVIEW, Texas — For nearly 20 years, Texas environmental regulators have kept a disturbing secret. AdvertisementTexas Community Health News; Texas Commission on Environmental Quality"Any exposure to a carcinogen increases your risk of developing cancer. AdvertisementTim Doty, a former TCEQ mobile air monitoring expert, at the industrial edge of River Terrace Park in Channelview, Texas. In fact, the agency rarely fines companies that violate Texas air pollution laws. Mark FelixHoneycutt's toxicology division soon took an even more dramatic step to weaken Texas' benzene guidelines.

Persons: Loren Hopkins, Hopkins, Mark Felix, TCEQ, AirToxScreen, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, Menefee, Tim Doty, Doty, Solv, He'd, Glenn Shankle, Kelly Keel, Todd Riddle, Riddle, Lopez, Joe Lopez, Dora, Joel Lopez, Randy Lopez, It's, Joel, Felix Benzene, wildcatters, Houston —, Forbes, Lorenzo de Zavala, Alison Cohen, Cohen, Tim Doty's, Houston Mayor Bill White, Shankle, Michael Honeycutt, Valerie Meyers, Meyers, Mark Felix Meyers, Richard Hyde, John Sadlier, Ryder, Hyde, hadn't, Russell Allen, Matt Baker, Jacintoport, Cloelle Danforth, Public Health Watch —, Danforth, Mark Felix Honeycutt's, Eric Schaeffer, Schaeffer, Honeycutt, Jim Tarr, polluters, upended, Mark Felix Fracking, Barnett, Glenn Shankle —, —, Rick Perry, Perry, Sadlier, David Bower, misstep, Baker, Bower, Michael Burgess, Greg Abbott, Abbott, Mark Felix Meanwhile, Randy, That's, Carolyn Stone, Stone, Carolyn Stone's, Mark Felix The, Cynthia Benson, Benson, Mark Felix Tim Doty, Mark Felix K, Jordan Gass Organizations: Public Health Watch, Texas Commission, Environmental, American Petroleum Institute, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, U.S . Navy, Geospatial - Intelligence Agency, General, Health, Public Health, Rice University, Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Community Health, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney, polluters, Mark Felix Public Health, TCEQ, Solv, Mark Felix Public Health Watch, myelodysplasia, Houston, Oil, Gas Watch, Texas, Houston Ship, University of California, Houston Mayor, ., . Texas Community Health, NASA, Exxon Mobil, Public, Watch, Environmental Defense Fund, Management, Civil, Air Alliance Houston, Republican, Fort, United, Texas toxicologist, EPA, Texas Tribune, Google, Land Office, . Geological Survey, National Oceanic, Firefighters, U.S . Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Channelview, Improvement Coalition, Health Watch, San Jacinto, K, Texas Legislature, Solv Group, Services Locations: , Texas, Texas, Houston, Channelview's Jacintoport, San Jacinto, California, Jacintoport, Channelview , Texas, AirToxScreen Harris County, Channelview, Harris County, United States, North Channelview, Gulf, Terrace, Joel's, Houston , Texas, Spindletop, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Port of Houston, San Francisco, . Texas, That's, polluters, lacquers, Dallas, Fort Worth, Fort Worth City, Austin, Round, Minnesota, Galveston, U.S

☆ The Supreme Court Will Finally Decide What ‘Income’ Means
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Hank Adler | Lacy Willis | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Wonder Land: Citing the president’s age lets Democrats off the hook for the political failure of his economic policies. Images: AP/AFP/EPA/Getty Images Composite: Mark KellyThe Supreme Court hears oral arguments Tuesday in the most important tax case in decades. Moore v. U.S. will answer the question of whether Congress can tax unrealized capital gains as if they were income under the 16th Amendment. The case has attracted a flood of friend-of-the-court briefs, mostly cheering for the tax collectors. Many argue outright that there is no requirement for profit to be realized—which usually means selling an asset at a profit—for a taxpayer to be hit with an income tax as the Constitution means it.

Persons: Mark Kelly, Moore Organizations: AFP, EPA Locations: .

☆ Congress Takes on the EV Mandate
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: EV dealers ask Biden where they're supposed to put the glut. Images: AP/Shutterstock Composite: Mark KellyHouse Republicans have teed up a vote this week on legislation to block President Biden’s back-door electric-vehicle mandate. Democrats are spinning the legislation as an attack on public health, innovation and free markets. The Environmental Protection Agency “is not imposing an EV mandate,” says a memo from Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee opposing the GOP legislation. But the EPA in April proposed tailpipe emissions standards for greenhouse gases that would effectively require that electric vehicles make up two-thirds of car sales in 2032.

Persons: Biden, they're, Mark Kelly, Biden’s, ” Organizations: Republicans, Environmental Protection Agency, Energy, Commerce, GOP

Those losses ended a nine-trial winning streak for Bayer, shattering investor and company hopes that the worst of the Roundup litigation was over. Her case will help test whether plaintiffs' recent victories were an aberration, or the payoff from favorable court rulings and a shift in plaintiffs' strategy. Plaintiffs' lawyers reject the notion that the evidence about regulators explains their wins. While plaintiffs' lawyers in earlier trials mentioned other chemicals, transcripts of recent closing arguments suggest they have become more prominent. More Roundup trials are expected in 2024.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Kelly Martel, Bayer, Martel, glyphosate, That's, Tom Kline, Jason Itkin, Ernest Caranci, Bart Rankin, Rankin, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Bayer AG, REUTERS, Bayer, U.S, Monsanto, . Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Union, Health, Thomson Locations: Wuppertal, Germany, Philadelphia, Pleas, Pennsylvania, Europe, New York

☆ EPA to Force Oil-and-Gas Industry to Plug Methane Leaks
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Eric Niiler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Methane is an odorless, colorless byproduct of oil-and-gas operations. Photo: David Goldman/Associated PressThe Biden administration is slapping tough new regulations on the oil-and-gas industry, requiring operators to plug methane leaks and stop burning excess gas with flares. The regulations also mandate regular inspections of facilities to make sure the planet-warming compound isn’t escaping into the atmosphere. Administration officials say the methane rule, which will be phased in over the next two years after two years of contentious debate, will cool the planet and improve public health.

Persons: David Goldman, Biden Organizations: Associated

☆ Global Leaders at COP28 Climate Summit Regulate and Cajole Nations to Cut Methane
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Eric Niiler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan explains the agency’s new methane regulations and the importance of reducing the greenhouse gas. Regan spoke at WSJ’s Journal House at the COP28 summit in Dubai. Photo: The Wall Street JournalFrom Texas to Turkmenistan, global leaders at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai are taking a big swing at cutting methane, a potent greenhouse gas produced by oil and gas drilling, livestock and rotting vegetation. On Saturday, the Biden administration announced a final methane rule for U.S. oil and gas producers, requiring them to plug methane leaks and stop burning excess gas with flares. The regulations also mandate regular inspections of facilities to make sure the planet-warming compound isn’t escaping into the atmosphere.

Persons: Michael S, Regan, Biden Organizations: WSJ’s Locations: Dubai, Texas, Turkmenistan

☆ COP28 Climate Summit Takes Aim at Powerful Methane Emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Eric Niiler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Michael S, Regan, Biden Organizations: WSJ’s Locations: Dubai, Texas, Turkmenistan

☆ Satellites are the new climate police for oil and gas polluters
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Fifty oil and gas companies pledged to zero out methane emissions by 2030 at the UN climate summit. Satellites are the next tool that will hold oil and gas companies accountable in their promise to cut methane emissions and slow global warming. Many state-owned oil companies signed on, including the UAE's Adnoc, as well as Saudi Arabia's Saudi Aramco. This, in turn, means oil and gas companies responsible for the plumes can be notified faster and potentially take action. The country's state-owned oil companies are also absent from the "decabonization charter" announced in Dubai.

Persons: Adnoc, Catherine Boudreau, Erin Snodgrass, Michael Bloomberg, Sultan Al Jaber, Peter Dejong, Fred Krupp, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Melanie Robinson, Robinson Organizations: ExxonMobil, Shell, Service, United, Saturday, Environmental Defense Fund, Bloomberg, UN, Summit, EDF, IEA, RMI, European Union, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, EU, Russia —, World Resources Institute Locations: Saudi Aramco, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Los Angeles, Saudi, Argentina, EU, Glasgow, Scotland, China, Russia

It is responsible for about one-third of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The new methane rule will help ensure that the United States meets a goal set by more than 100 nations to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels, Regan said. The EPA rule is just one of more than 100 actions the Biden administration has taken to reduce methane emissions, Zaidi added. The plan marks the first time the U.S. government has directly imposed a fee, or tax, on greenhouse gas emissions. The oil industry has generally welcomed direct federal regulation of methane emissions, preferring a single national standard to a hodgepodge of state rules.

Persons: —, Biden, Joe Biden, Michael Regan, Ali Zaidi, Regan, ” Regan, Zaidi, Harris, Harold Wimmer, Wimmer, David Doniger, ”, Obama, I'm, Fred Krupp Organizations: WASHINGTON, Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations, United Arab Emirates, Oil, UN, United States, Biden, Harris Administration, American Lung Association, EPA, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund Locations: Dubai, United Arab, U.S, Paris, Scotland, Egypt, United

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A small western Pennsylvania water authority was just one of multiple organizations breached in the United States by Iran-affiliated hackers who targeted a specific industrial control device because it is Israeli-made, U.S. and Israeli authorities say. The group targeted the Unitronics devices at least since Nov. 22, it said. The advisory notes that Unitronics devices ship with a default password, a practice experts discourage as it makes them more vulnerable to hacking. It says the hackers likely accessed affected devices by “exploiting cybersecurity weaknesses, including poor password security and exposure to the internet.”Experts say many water utilities have paid insufficient attention to cybersecurity. Americans must know their drinking water and other basic infrastructure is safe from “nation-state adversaries and terrorist organizations,” U.S. Sens.

Persons: Matthew Mottes, CISA, Unitronics —, John Fetterman, Bob Casey, Chris Deluzio, Av3ngers, Sergey Shykevich, Unitronics, Biden Organizations: FBI, Environmental Protection Agency, Infrastructure Security Agency, Directorate, Associated Press, Municipal Water Authority, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, ”, U.S . Justice Department, U.S . Rep Locations: HARRISBURG, Pa, Pennsylvania, United States, Iran, Israeli, Aliquippa, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Sens, Missouri , Arkansas, Iowa

Signing on to the pledge were major national oil companies such as Saudi Aramco, Brazil's Petrobras and Sonangol, from Angola, and multi-nationals like Shell, TotalEnergies and BP. The pledge is a “smokescreen to hide the reality that we need to phase out oil, gas and coal,” said a letter signed by more than 300 civil society groups. Still, Mena said that self-reporting didn't go far enough to push oil and gas companies to make changes. Earlier this year, European Union negotiators reached a deal to reduce methane emissions from the energy industry across the 27-member bloc. In his speech, al-Jaber said oil and gas companies needed to do more to research solutions to Scope 3 emissions.

Persons: Sultan al, Jaber, ”, Jean Su, Fred Krupp, Bill Hare, Hare, Marcelo Mena, Mena, John Podesta, Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Associated Press, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, Saudi Aramco, Brazil's Petrobras, Sonangol, Shell, Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental, Environmental Defense Fund, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, European Union, Gas, United Arab, Aramco, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, United Nations, Abu Dhabi, Saudi, Angola, COP28, al, fracking, philanthropies, Chile, U.S, United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia

☆ U.S. lays out plan at COP 28 to slash climate 'super pollutant' methane from oil and gas
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden administration on Saturday unveiled final rules aimed at cracking down on U.S. oil and gas industry releases of methane, part of a global plan to rein in emissions that contribute to climate change. The rules, two years in the making, were announced by U.S. officials at the United Nations COP28 climate change conference in Dubai. Methane tends to leak into the atmosphere undetected from drill sites, gas pipelines and other oil and gas equipment. It has more warming potential than carbon dioxide and breaks down in the atmosphere faster, so reining in methane emissions can have a more immediate impact on limiting climate change. The American Petroleum Institute, an oil and gas industry trade group, said it was reviewing the rule.

Persons: Biden, Michael Regan, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Jill Tauber, Dustin Meyer, Darren Woods Organizations: Saturday, U.S, United, Environmental, EPA, New, American Petroleum Institute, Reuters Locations: United Nations, Dubai, The United States, U.S, New Mexico, United States, COP28

The rules, two years in the making, were announced by U.S. officials at the United Nations COP28 climate change conference in Dubai. Methane tends to leak into the atmosphere undetected from drill sites, gas pipelines and other oil and gas equipment. It has more warming potential than carbon dioxide and breaks down in the atmosphere faster, so reining in methane emissions can have a more immediate impact on limiting climate change. The agency also tweaked the Super Emitter Program so that third parties send information on methane leaks to EPA directly for verification. The American Petroleum Institute, an oil and gas industry trade group, said it was reviewing the rule.

Persons: Liz Hampton, Biden, Michael Regan, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Jill Tauber, Dustin Meyer, Darren Woods, Nichola Groom, Valerie Volcovici, Diane Craft, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Saturday, U.S, United, Environmental, EPA, New, American Petroleum Institute, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New Mexico, U.S, United Nations, Dubai, The United States, United States, COP28

☆ At COP28, US announces rule to slash powerful planet-warming gas by nearly 80%
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The oil and gas industry is one of the main sources of global methane emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. The new US rule, which will be implemented by the EPA, is expected to slash methane emissions by nearly 80% through 2038, compared to what they would have been without the rule. The rule will crack down on methane leaks from industry in several ways. It will also rely on independent, third-party monitoring – using satellites and other remote-sensing technology – to find very large methane leaks. “The easiest way to stop that pollution is to stop sending it to flares in the first place.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Michael Regan, Ali Zaidi, Regan, Harris, Zaidi, Carrie Jenks, Jon Goldstein, ” Goldstein Organizations: CNN, White, International Energy Agency, Biden, Harris Administration, Harvard Law School’s, Energy Law, “, Environmental Defense Fund Locations: Dubai

☆ Chinstrap penguins survive on more than 10,000 naps a day, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The art of nodding off appears to have been mastered by breeding chinstrap penguins, who take more than 10,000 naps a day, with each nap lasting an average of four seconds, according to a new study. They observed that the penguins in the colony engaged in more than 600 bouts of microsleep an hour. A 1986 study found captive, nonbreeding emperor penguins to have fragmented sleep called “drowsiness,” which also resembles the microsleep pattern of the breeding chinstrap penguins. He added that through these short bursts of sleep the penguins could “sleep and remain vigilant” while incubating. “I think that’s why it’s important to study sleep.

Persons: King George Island, ecophysiologist Paul, Antoine Libourel, ” Libourel, Federico Anfitti, Libourel, “, they’d, ”, Christian Harding, Vladyslav Organizations: CNN, Neuroscience Research, of Lyon, University of California, University of Oxford Locations: France, South Korea, Germany, Antarctica, “, microsleeps, San Diego

☆ A Venezuelan vote on an oil-rich region of Guyana raises concerns of a South American military conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( David Shortell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The area in question, the densely forested Essequibo region, amounts to about two-thirds of Guyana’s national territory and is roughly the size of Florida. The recent discovery of vast offshore oil fields in the region has heightened the stakes of the dispute. Venezuelans in Caracas take part in a rally during the closing of the campaign for the Essequibo referendum, on December 1. It owns the congress of Guyana,” Maduro told supporters last week. Matias Delacroix/APOn Wednesday, Brazil announced that it was increasing its military presence with “defensive actions” along its northern border with Venezuela and Guyana.

Persons: Nicolas Maduro, Miguel Gutierrez, Shutterstock, Robert Persaud, Venezuela doesn’t, Matias Delacroix, ” Maduro, Maria Corina Machado, Maduro, ”, Phil Gunson, Irfaan Ali, Paul J, Angelo, Wazim Mowla, Adrienne Arsht, Vladmir Putin’s, Bharrat Jagdeo, “, ” Jagdeo, ” Gunson Organizations: CNN, Quarterly, Court of Justice, UN, International Court of Justice, ExxonMobil, AP, International Crisis, Venezuelan, Foreign Relations, Caribbean Initiative, Atlantic, America, Crisis Locations: Guyana, Essequibo, Florida, Venezuela, British, Venezuelan, Caracas, Ukraine, Guyanese, The Hague, Guyana's, Paris, Guiana, Georgetown, AP Venezuela, ”, Demerara, Brazil, Crimea, that’s

☆ How safe is tap water in the U.S.?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Lindsey Jacobson | Jason Reginato | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow safe is tap water in the U.S.? The U.S. ranks only 23rd in the world for safe drinking water, which is near the bottom of comparable nations. There are issues with both what is in tap water and how it is transported. Toxins like PFAS, arsenic and lead pollute some drinking water. Watch the video to find out how safe tap water is in the U.S., how to protect yourself and how investments can clean up U.S. water.

Organizations: U.S, EPA Locations: U.S

☆ Biden administration proposes biggest changes to lead pipe rules in more than three decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It is the strongest overhaul of lead rules in more than three decades, and will cost billions of dollars. The Biden administration has previously said it wants all of the nation's roughly 9 million lead pipes to be removed, and rapidly. Lead pipes connect water mains in the street to homes and are typically the biggest source of lead in drinking water. The Biden administration says investment is vital to fix this injustice and ensure everyone has safe, lead-free drinking water. A home with dangerous lead levels can be next to a house with no lead exposure at all.

Persons: Biden, Mona Hanna, Radhika Fox, Erik Olson, Fox, Donald Trump's Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies Locations: Flint, Flint , Michigan, U.S, Washington, Michigan, Benton Harbor , Michigan, Newark , New Jersey

It is the strongest overhaul of lead rules in more than three decades, and will cost billions of dollars. The Biden administration has previously said it wants all of the nation’s roughly 9 million lead pipes to be removed, and rapidly. Lead pipes connect water mains in the street to homes and are typically the biggest source of lead in drinking water. The Biden administration says investment is vital to fix this injustice and ensure everyone has safe, lead-free drinking water. A home with dangerous lead levels can be next to a house with no lead exposure at all.

Persons: Biden, ”, Mona Hanna, Radhika Fox, Erik Olson, “ We’re, Fox, Donald Trump's, ” ___ Matthew Daly Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, Washington , D.C, Associated Press, Walton Family Foundation, AP Locations: U.S, Flint , Michigan, Washington, Flint, Michigan, Benton Harbor , Michigan, Newark , New Jersey, Washington ,

☆ U.S. tap water has a $47 billion forever chemicals problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Lindsey Jacobson | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding some "forever chemicals" to the list of toxins that must be reported by drinking water utilities. That's why they got the nickname 'forever chemicals,'" explained Tom Neltner, senior director of safer chemicals at the Environmental Defense Fund. About 300 million people in the U.S. receive their water from a public water system, according to the EPA. At least 45% of tap water in the U.S. is known to have PFAS in it, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Watch the video above to learn more about how safe tap water is in the U.S.

Persons: Radhika Fox, they're, Tom Neltner, Cheryl Norton, Fox, Neltner, Sydney Evans, Evans, Norton Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA's, Water, CNBC, Environmental Defense Fund, Utah Department of Environmental, . Geological Survey, Environmental Locations: U.S

☆ GM Plans $10 Billion Share Repurchase in Bid to Assuage Investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Mike Colias | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

GM will fund its stock buyback in part by freeing up capital previously earmarked for development of EVs and autonomous vehicles. Photo: john g mabanglo/EPA/ShutterstockGeneral Motors plans to sharply increase cash return to shareholders, as Chief Executive Mary Barra seeks to reassure investors about the health of GM’s core car-making business after setbacks in fledgling pursuits like electric and driverless vehicles. GM on Wednesday outlined plans for an accelerated $10 billion share repurchase for next year, its largest stock buyback in recent memory. The company will fund it in part by freeing up capital previously earmarked for development of EVs and autonomous vehicles, which have been the main pillars of Barra’s growth strategy.

Persons: Mary Barra Organizations: Shutterstock, Motors, GM

☆ Elon Musk says he won't vote for Biden over Trump, calls Haley 'pro-censorship'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a fireside discussion on artificial intelligence risks with Rishi Sunak, UK prime minister, not pictured, in London, UK, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Photographer: Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesElon Musk said Wednesday that he won't vote for President Joe Biden in the 2024 election, even if former president Donald Trump is the Republican nominee. "I would not vote for Biden," Musk said during a wide-ranging interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the DealBook Summit in New York. When asked what he'd do if those were the two nominees, Musk said, "This is definitely a difficult choice here." When asked if he could support Nikki Haley among the Republicans, Musk said no and described the former South Carolina governor as a "pro-censorship candidate."

Persons: Elon Musk, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Tolga, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, Musk, Andrew Ross Sorkin, I'm, Barack Obama's, hasn't, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Sorkin, Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley Organizations: Tesla Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, Republican, Trump, Democratic Party, Florida, Republicans, South Locations: London, New York, South Carolina

☆ Why a Wisconsin county is dumping cheese brine on its roads this winter
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Some counties in Wisconsin have been using cheese brine or a beet juice blend instead. A few counties across the state have used cheese brine to melt icy roads in the winter. Green County is lucky enough to have a functioning cheese factory where it gets its cheese brine for de-icing. Other counties, like Polk County and Burnett County, have used cheese brine in the past but stopped when the local cheese factory halted operations. Bastian Parschau/Contributor/Getty ImagesIf you don't have access to cheese brine, then beet juice is a popular alternative, though it's not as cost-effective as cheese brine, Josh Kelch, the highway commissioner for Burnett County, told BI.

Persons: —, Andrea Bill, Bill, There's, Chris Narveson, Bastian Parschau, it's, Josh Kelch, Pat Gavinski, Gavinski Organizations: Service, University of Wisconsin's Traffic, Safety Laboratory, Anadolu, US Environmental Protection Agency, University of Minnesota, EPA, Green County Locations: Wisconsin, Green, Polk County, Burnett, Burnett County, Sauk, Sauk County

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