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☆ New Caledonia riots: Australia, New Zealand send evacuation flights after week of deadly violence
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Sydney/Wellington —Australia and New Zealand said they will send government planes to New Caledonia on Tuesday to evacuate nationals from the French territory which has experienced a week of deadly riots, sparked by electoral changes by the French government in Paris. France’s High Commission in New Caledonia said on Tuesday the airport remains closed for commercial flights, and it will deploy the military to protect public buildings. There were around 3,200 people waiting to leave or enter New Caledonia as commercial flights were canceled due to the unrest that broke out last week, the local government has said. Theo Rouby/AFP/Getty ImagesNew Zealand, French and Australian foreign ministers held a call on Monday evening, after New Zealand and Australia said they were waiting for clearance from French authorities to send defense aircraft to evacuate tourists. “New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days – and bringing them home has been an urgent priority for the government,” New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.

Persons: Theo Rouby, Winston Peters, “, Penny Wong Organizations: Sydney, Wellington —, Commission, Getty, New, ” New Zealand Foreign, Australia’s Locations: Wellington, Wellington — Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Paris, France’s, France, Normandy, Noumea, AFP, Zealand, Australia, “, Zealanders, Nouméa, ”

☆ Election officials in battleground Michigan grapple with sweeping voting changes and a presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Fredreka Schouten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The state’s highly decentralized system of administering voting means that “Michigan has 1,500 elections every big election day,” said Kyle Whitney, the city clerk of Marquette in the state’s Upper Peninsula. ‘We’re all beginners’The new rules in Michigan flow from a constitutional amendment that state voters approved by a wide margin in 2022 that dramatically expanded access to voting. Miller was elected to succeed the previous, term-limited clerk and is overseeing her first presidential election. Deborah Pellow, the part-time clerk of rural Tilden Township in the Upper Peninsula, is also overseeing her first presidential election this year. The next big test for Michigan comes in August, when voters cast primary ballots for congressional, state and local offices.

Persons: Michael Siegrist, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, tabulators, Biden, ”, Kyle Whitney, ” Whitney, Brennan, ‘, “, ” Lori Miller, Miller, “ It’s, Deborah Pellow, Pellow, Adam Wit, –, Shira Roza, Carlos Osorio, Angela Benander, Joycelyn Benson, Jacqueline Beaudry, ” Benander, ‘ We’re Organizations: CNN, Ferrari, Republican, Trump, Brennan Center for Justice, Wolverine State, Biden’s, Michigan’s, Democratic, Michigan Association of Municipal, Michigan Locations: Michigan, Canton Township, Antrim County, Marquette, Wolverine, Livonia, Detroit, Wayne County, Tilden Township, Canton, Harrison, Warren , Michigan, Ann Arbor City, Tilden

☆ Brazil’s floods smashed through barriers designed to keep them out, trapping water in for weeks — and exposing social woes
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Vasco Cotovio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

“It’s heartbreaking.”The picture is a little different in Porto Alegre, the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul. Maxar Technologies Satellite images of the cities of Porto Alegre and Canoas before and after the floods. Maxar Technologies Satellite images of the cities of Porto Alegre and Canoas before and after the floods. “Floods, not with this volume but with considerable volumes of water, have taken place in Porto Alegre in the last few years,” Cortês explains. One volunteer was Fabiano Saldanha, a 48-year-old businessman from Porto Alegre, who used his jet ski to rescue people trapped in their homes.

Persons: Karine Pitana, there’s, ”, she’s, “, Pitana Flores da Silva, Karine Pitana Flores da Silva, She’s, we’re, Pitana, —, Renan Mattos, That’s, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Jairo Jorge da Silva, “ We’ve, Pedro Cortês, University of São Paulo, Cortês, Nelson Almeida, ” Cortês, Rio Grande do Sul wasn’t, Fabiano Saldanha, ” Saldanha, Saldanha, Carlos Macedo, ‘, ’ ”, ” Pitana, CNN “, Lula, ” CNN’s Mary Gilbert Organizations: CNN, Bank, Rio Grande do Sul Public Safety, Police, Reuters, ”, Globo, Environmental, University of São, CNN Brasil, Authorities, AFP, Getty, Research, Porto Alegre, Civil Defense, IMF, World Bank Locations: Canoas, Brazil, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre’s, Suriname, Northern Porto Alegre, Chicago, Dallas, “

☆ Helicopter carrying Iran's president 'crashed upon landing,' state media reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewA helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other senior Iranian officials "crashed upon landing" on Sunday, Iranian state media reported, without providing further details. The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) said President Raisi was returning from a ceremony to open a dam on Iran's border with Azerbaijan when his helicopter crashed upon landing. Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran's East Azerbaijan province, Malik Rahmati, and other officials were on board the helicopter, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. Video footage from the crash site reveals the state of the weather conditions. AdvertisementUPDATE - First images of #Iran president's helicopter's area of crash landing, weather conditions unfavourable for flying, search and rescue efforts underway.

Persons: —, Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Malik Rahmati, IRNA, UMQ1tVZzw0, Ali Khamenei Organizations: Service, Republic News Agency, Business, Iranian, Associated Press, Nagorno Karabakh Observer, Iran's Locations: Azerbaijan, Jolfa, Tehran, Iran's, Iran's East Azerbaijan, Iran, Nagorno, Iran's East Azerbaijan province, Iraq, Israel

☆ China pledges $42 billion in a slew of measures to support the struggling property sector
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

China announced "historic" steps to stabilize the crisis-hit property sector on May 17, 2024, allowing local governments to buy "some" apartments, relaxing mortgage rules and pledging to deliver unfinished homes. These and other measures announced Friday marked Beijing's latest efforts to address issues in the massive real estate sector. The real estate companies can then use funds earned from those sales to complete construction on other apartments, the central bank said. Pre-sold, unfinished homesFor years, many apartments in China tended to be sold before construction was finished. Nomura estimated last year there were around 20 million such pre-sold, unfinished apartments in China.

Persons: Zhu Ning, Tao Ling, Xiao Yuanqi, Larry Hu, Dong Jianguo, Lifeng, Zhu, Nomura Organizations: China, Nurphoto, Getty, Tsinghua University, People's Bank of China, National Financial Regulatory, Macquarie, CNBC, of Housing, Housing, Future Publishing Locations: BEIJING, Wanxiang City, Huai'an City, East China's Jiangsu, China

☆ Housing market: China unveils sweeping measures to rescue its crisis-hit property sector
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has unveiled wide-ranging measures to rescue its property sector, including asking local governments across the country to buy unsold homes from beleagured developers and easing rules on purchases. In a coordinated move, the People’s China of China (PBOC) announced that it will set up a nationwide program to provide 300 billion yuan ($41.5 billion) in loans to fund state purchases of unsold homes. The 300 billion yuan provided by the central bank could eventually underpin 500 billion yuan ($69 billion) worth of credit to support such purchases, she estimated. Expectations that Beijing was preparing a plan to have local governments across the country buy millions of unsold homes have successfully buoyed China stocks. On Friday, He also urged local governments to buy back or directly purchase land that has been sold to developers but not yet used.

Persons: Lifeng, Tao Ling, Larry Hu, ”, Société Générale Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist, China Real Estate Business, Macquarie Group, Reuters, provident Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing

☆ China Says It Will Start Buying Apartments as Housing Slump Worsens
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Alexandra Stevenson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Chinese officials signaled their growing alarm over the country’s worsening real estate market on Friday, unveiling a plan to step in to buy up some of the vast housing stock and announcing even looser rules for mortgages. The flurry of activity came just hours after new economic data revealed that Chinese authorities are staring at a hard truth: No one wants to buy houses right now. Policymakers have tried dozens of measures to entice home buyers and reverse a steep decline in the housing market that has shown few signs of recovering soon. On Friday China’s vice premier, He Lifeng, indicated a shift in the government’s approach to dealing with a housing crisis that has prompted households to cut spending. He told policymakers that local governments could begin to buy homes to start dealing with the huge numbers of empty apartments.

Persons: Lifeng

☆ China teases plan to buy unsold homes to fix property crisis. Markets are loving it
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The index has rallied nearly 30% from its January low, having entered a bull market earlier this month. Longfor Group, the ninth largest homebuilder in China, surged 11%, becoming the top performing stock on the Hang Seng Index. “We think this is a largely symbolic move to show support for the sector with a ‘national team’ for the housing market,” said Citi analysts. “We are cautiously optimistic about the ‘government-led buying on unsold units’ as it’s still being rolled out in more cities, “ said Jeff Zhang, an equity analyst at Morningstar. Nasdaq Golden China Index, which tracks Chinese companies listed on Wall Street, has gained 11% since the start of April.

Persons: ”, “, Jeff Zhang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Longfor, China Holdings, National Development, Reform Commission, ’, Citi, ING Group, Morningstar, homebuyers, Communist Party, Nasdaq Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Chengdu, Shanghai

☆ One of the wealthiest members of Congress spent over $60 million just to lose Maryland's messy Democratic Senate primary
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRep. David Trone, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, spent over $60 million of his own fortune to try to win a Democratic Senate primary. With nearly 40% of all votes in, Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks is projected to have defeated Trone in Maryland's Democratic US Senate primary, according to Decision Desk HQ. Schumer can't afford to lose the Senate seat if he wants to keep the party's slim majority in the chamber. Related storiesAnd Alsobrooks — who was endorsed by Maryland Democratic heavy hitters including Gov. Republicans see Montana and Ohio as their top Democratic Senate targets this year, while also looking to compete in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Persons: —, David Trone, Angela Alsobrooks, Trone, Alsobrooks, Larry Hogan, Hogan, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Alsobrooks —, Wes Moore, Sen, Chris Van Hollen, Steny Hoyer —, Maryland doesn't, West Virginia Sen, Joe Manchin's Organizations: Service, Democratic Senate, Associated Press, Democratic, Senate, Republican, Business, GOP, Democrat, Wine, Democratic Party, Maryland, CNN, Republicans, Maryland Democratic, Gov, CBS, WUSA9, The Washington Post, West Virginia, Maryland — Locations: Prince George's, Maryland, Trone, Washington, Montana and Ohio, Arizona , Michigan, Nevada , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin

☆ It will be even more expensive to borrow money for college this year—3 tips to cut down costs
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Kamaron Mcnair | In Kamaronmcnair | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The interest rate for direct federal undergraduate student loans disbursed after July 1, 2024 will be 6.53%, the Department of Education announced Tuesday. That's up from the current 5.5% interest rate, and the highest rates have been since 2008, according to ED data. New graduate student loans will have an 8.08% interest rate and parent PLUS loans will come with a 9.09% rate. Here are three ways to lower your overall college costs and reduce the amount you may need to borrow. Starting your college education at a community college or trade school is one way you may be able to cut down on costs while racking up course credits.

Persons: That's, Gabriella Carter, Ethan Nguonly, Nguonly hustled, Nguonly Organizations: Department of Education, Princeton University grad, CNBC, University of California — Locations: University of California — Berkeley

☆ China Is Raising Bullet Train Fares as Debts and Costs Balloon
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Keith Bradsher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

China is taking the rare step of sharply increasing fares for riders on four major bullet train lines, in its broadest move to address rising costs and heavy debts since construction of the system began nearly two decades ago. The higher prices for train tickets are part of a push to raise prices for public services. Public services in China are heavily subsidized by local governments. But huge municipal debts mean that these governments have less money on hand to keep prices down. And making consumers pay more helps offset the falling prices that are widespread in China’s economy as growth slows.

Locations: China

☆ Transgender Athlete Ban in a Long Island County Is Struck Down in Court
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Hurubie Meko | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A New York court on Friday struck down a Long Island county order that barred transgender women from playing on women’s sports teams at county-owned sports facilities. The case had raised questions about whether the ban was legal under the state’s human rights law. But the ruling on Friday by Justice Francis Ricigliano of Nassau County Supreme Court turned on a technical issue: The county executive, Bruce Blakeman, had “acted beyond the scope of his authority as the chief executive officer of Nassau County” when he imposed the ban, Justice Ricigliano said. The right to pass such laws is reserved for legislative bodies, and chief executives of local governments cannot “unlawfully infringe” on those rights, the ruling stated. Gabriella Larios, a staff attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said on Friday that the decision “deals a serious blow to county executive Blakeman’s attempt to score cheap political points by peddling harmful stereotypes about transgender women and girls.”

Persons: Justice Francis Ricigliano, Bruce Blakeman, Ricigliano, Gabriella Larios, Blakeman’s, ” Organizations: Nassau County Supreme, Nassau County ”, New, Civil Liberties Union Locations: York, Nassau County

☆ European companies in China are under pressure from slower growth, overcapacity
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesBEIJING — European companies in China are finding it harder to make money in the country as growth slows and overcapacity pressures increase, according to a survey released Friday by the EU Chamber of Commerce in China. Only 30% of EU Chamber survey respondents said their profit margins were higher in China than their company's worldwide average — an eight-year low. Jens Eskelund EU Chamber of Commerce in China, presidentChina's economy is now far bigger than it was in 2015 and 2016. More than one-third of EU Chamber survey respondents said they observed overcapacity in their industry in the last year, and another 10% expect to see it in the near future. "This is not just European companies whining," Eskelund said.

Persons: Carlo D'Andrea, D'Andrea, Jens Eskelund, Eskelund, overcapacity Organizations: Nurphoto, Getty, EU Chamber of Commerce, EU, of Commerce, U.S, Bureau, Statistics, Cosmetics Locations: Minhou County, Fuzhou, China, BEIJING, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Guyana: Nigel Dharamlall accused of sexual assault by another woman
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The accuser, economist Sarah Aneesah Hakh, told an online press conference held in the capital Georgetown that former Minister Nigel Dharamlall sexually assaulted her in 2020 and 2021. Hakh said the first alleged incident occurred during a business meeting when Dharamlall was Guyana’s senior minister of regional development. He has been photographed recently with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. In a March statement, Guyanese women’s rights group Red Thread criticized officials for failing the accuser. During their meeting, Hakh alleges Dharamlall tried to remove her clothes.

Persons: Sarah Aneesah Hakh, Nigel Dharamlall, Hakh, Dharamlall, ” Hakh, Irfaan Ali, Bharrat Jagdeo, “, ”, Ali, ‘, they’re Organizations: CNN, People’s Progressive Party, ” CNN, Anna Regina State House, Dharamlall, Guyanese Locations: Guyana, Georgetown, Guyanese, Cummings

☆ Big Chinese cities are making it easier to buy homes to boost depressed property market
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Last October it removed curbs in most districts, and in March loosened restrictions on purchases of second homes. Other cities have also taken major steps to make the process of buying property easier. Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province, has also lifted home purchase curbs since last month. “The April Politburo meeting set a more supportive tone for the property sector, prioritizing the reduction of existing home inventory,” they said. “This may suggest that more local governments may be allowed to purchase homes directly from the market for social housing purposes.”

Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Geely, Hangzhou Housing Security, Real, Administration, Getty Images, homebuyers, Communist Party, UBS Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Chengdu, China's, Sichuan, Getty Images Chengdu, Changsha, Hunan province, Evergrande, Beijing

☆ FBI watching if US support for Ukraine will spur Russian risk taking in 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —US intelligence officials are watching closely to see if the United States’ support for Ukraine will lead the Russian government to take more risks in potentially interfering in the 2024 presidential election, a senior FBI official told reporters Thursday. “We’re certainly… keeping our eye out to make sure that that’s not increasing [their] risk taking.”The FBI briefed reporters on the condition that the senior FBI officials not be named. The FBI official’s comments on Thursday echo those made by a senior National Security Agency official in March. “Russia can use their access to those government networks to undermine confidence in the US election integrity and bolster influence operations,” the second FBI official said. The FBI officials also singled out China and Iran as other governments that could be willing to interfere in or influence the 2024 US election.

Persons: Joe, “ We’re, ”, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, denigrate Biden, Trump, weren’t, Hillary Clinton’s, “, ” Rob Joyce, Joyce, ” CNN’s Marshall Cohen Organizations: CNN, FBI, Ukraine, GOP, National Security Agency Locations: United States, Ukraine, Russian, Ukraine –, Kyiv, Russia, China, Iran

☆ Here are Monday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Apple, Amazon, U.S. Steel, Micron, Disney, Citi & more
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Here are the biggest calls on Wall Street on Monday: Morgan Stanley initiates EHang Holdings as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's bullish on shares of the Asia autonomous aerial vehicle company. Morgan Stanley downgrades Victoria's Secret to underweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said it sees "underappreciated downside" for the lingerie company. Citi downgrades Peloton to neutral from buy Citi said in its downgrade of the stock that it has "limited visibility." Morgan Stanley upgrades U.S. Steel to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said in its upgrade of U.S. Steel that it likes the company's "transformational investments." Morgan Stanley reiterates Apple as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's sticking with its overweight rating on Apple after analyzing the company's quarterly 10-Q report.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, it's, Baird, Morgan Stanley downgrades, Wells, Bausch, Lomb, Apple, Johnson, MLCO, Moffett, Melius, inferencing, JPMorgan Organizations: EHang Holdings, EH, Deutsche Bank, Disney, Deutsche, Micron, Citi, Comerica, CMA, Steel, U.S . Steel, Apple, Services, UBS, JCI, Barclays, Resorts, Nvidia, Broadcom, AMD, Microsoft, JPMorgan, Group, Bank of America, Santander Brasil, of America Locations: Asia, U.S

☆ Escaped zebra captured after nearly a week on the lam
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Paradise Afshar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The zebra was one of four that escaped on April 28 from a trailer near North Bend in Washington state, Regional Animal Services of King County said in a media release. While the other three zebras were captured within a few hours, a mare remained on the loose. The mare “was safely rescued on Friday evening in the Riverbend neighborhood after being on the run for nearly six days,” animal services said. Shug’s owner reportedly had stopped just off Interstate 90 in the North Bend area to fix an issue with the trailer when the animals escaped, animal services said. The zebra’s days-long escape spawned memes and jokes, with local government agencies pitching in with edited images of the zebra around the state.

Persons: Shug Organizations: CNN, Regional Animal Services, King, County Department of Natural Resources, Parks Locations: North Bend, Washington, King County, Riverbend, Anaconda , Montana, County, Snoqualmie, Seattle

☆ Brazil floods: At least 29 people killed as heavy rain and flooding lashes Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Michael Rios | Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —At least 29 people have been killed and a further 60 are missing as heavy rain and flooding hit the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul this week. Residents and a dog are evacuated from a flooded area in the city center of São Sebastião do Cai, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, on May 2, 2024. Rio Grande do Sul has been increasingly hit by extreme weather events in recent years. Volunteers use a fishing boat to rescue residents trapped inside their houses in São Sebastião do Cai, Rio Grande do Sul state. The proportion of high-intensity hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, has increased due to the warmer global temperatures, according to the UN.

Persons: Cai, Carlos Fabal, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, “, ”, Eduardo Leite, Anselmo Cunha, Lizzy Yee, Omar Fajardo Organizations: CNN, Authorities, Getty, Volunteers, UN Locations: Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, AFP, Dubai, Asia, Kenya, São

☆ A mortgage advisor shares how to get the 3.5% down payment on an FHA loan fully covered — and the 3 best strategies real-estate investors can use to maximize leverage from government loans
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This was achieved by allowing first-time buyers to purchase a home with a smaller down payment — as low as 3.5%. The program is still around, and it's often a great way for real-estate investors to get started. Advertisement3 ways to make the most of government loan programsWelgan also shared two strategies that real-estate investors can use to maximize the leverage offered through government loans. Buyers can now purchase up to a four-unit property with a down payment of as little as 5%. "That's been a game changer for real-estate investors," Welgan said.

Persons: —, Jeff Welgan, Fannie Mae, Buyers, Welgan, Fannie Mae's, That's, ADUs, Dave Meyer, Fannie, I've Organizations: Service, Act, Business, Federal National Mortgage Association, Mortgage, Urban Locations: Los Angeles County , California, Michigan, California

☆ Russia's economic survival hinges on prolonging the Ukraine war, think tank expert says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia needs to keep its war with Ukraine going or risk an economic hard landing, Elina Ribakova wrote for the Financial Times. The country's military industry has been a major driver of structural economic strength during the war. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . But while this may look good on paper, the country is actually at risk of a hard landing if war efforts cease, Elina Ribakova said. For decades," Ribakova wrote.

Persons: Elina Ribakova, Ribakova, —, Vladimir Putin, That's Organizations: Financial Times, Service, Financial, International Monetary Fund, Peterson Institute for International Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow

☆ Highway collapse kills 19 people in southern China
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Nineteen people have been killed after a highway collapsed in China’s Guangdong province on Wednesday, according to the country’s state broadcaster, CCTV. A section of the express highway connecting Meizhou City and Dapu City in Guangdong Province collapsed at around 2:10 a.m. on Wednesday, leaving eighteen cars trapped, CCTV reported. Southern China has been bombarded with heavy rain in recent weeks. Guangdong province, an economic powerhouse home to 127 million people, has seen widespread flooding, which has forced more than 110,000 people to relocate, state media reported, citing the local government. The floods have killed at least four people in Guangdong, including a rescue worker, state news agency Xinhua reported Monday.

Organizations: CNN, Xinhua Locations: China’s Guangdong, Meizhou City, Dapu City, Guangdong Province, Guangdong, Southern China, Hong Kong

☆ My $500,000 Home Renovation Turned Into a Real-Estate Nightmare
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Christine Chitnis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

What was supposed to be a yearlong $140,000 renovation ballooned into three excruciating years that cost us more than $500,000 — and the work is still not finished. But as my husband and I soon discovered, unless you've made a plan, legal protections for homeowners are close to nonexistent. Every time our contractor turned up the temperature, we grimly adjusted to the reality of our demise. Knowing the cardinal rule of home renovation — never pay in full until the job is over and inspected — we grew suspicious. Despite completing several home-improvement and renovation projects with her husband over the years, she lacked the confidence to DIY the renovation of her newly purchased 6,500-square-foot home.

Persons: Arcadis, you've, Christine Chitnis, wasn't, It's, We've, Amanda Jane Jones, Jones, David Jensen, Greenberg Traurig, He'd, Jensen, Lisa DiAntonio, DiAntonio, hadn't, what's, Condé Organizations: Homeowners, Harvard's, for Housing Studies, Department of Business, American Institute of Architects, Vogue, The New York Times Locations: Rhode Island, North America, Northern Michigan, Michigan, Utah, New Jersey, Andover , Massachusetts

☆ Worker pay rose more than expected in Q1 in another sign of persistent inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Employee compensation costs jumped more than expected to start the year, providing another danger sign about persistent inflation, while consumer confidence hit its lowest level in nearly two years. The employment cost index, which measures worker salaries and benefits, gained 1.2% in the first quarter, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. The Fed watches the ECI as a significant measure of underlying inflation pressures. State and local government workers saw their compensation costs rise 4.8%, down just narrowly from the same period in 2023. The Consumer Confidence Index slipped to 97, a decline of 6.1 points that was below the Wall Street estimate for 103.5.

Persons: Dow Jones, Dana Peterson, Peterson Organizations: Labor Department, Dow, Fed, Committee, Conference Locations: State

☆ Goldman sees 10% downside for Tesla even after China self-driving progress
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla shares could cool following Monday's rally as obstacles remain to achieving full self-driving technology in China, according to Goldman Sachs. But Goldman analyst Mark Delaney has a $175 price target, which implies a 9.8% downside from the stock's last closing price. "Importantly, Tesla will also need to navigate government rules on data access, localization, and AI which could complicate technology sharing within/outside of China." Tesla shares opened down more than 3% on Tuesday. Despite Monday's rally, Tesla stock is still down almost 22% in 2024 as the company contends with sales challenges.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Mark Delaney, Delaney, Tesla Locations: China

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