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☆ 7,000 nurses on strike in New York want more coworkers — not just higher pay: 'If we get paid better, but the conditions don't improve, we won't stay'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Carabuena works in the neurological ICU at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. Juliana Kaplan/Insider"Nurses don't want to strike," the New York States Nurses Association, the union representing workers, said in a statement. Management has already offered a 19.1% compounded wage increase to the striking nurses, both Montefiore and Mount Sinai said. We're prepared to minimize disruption, and we encourage Mount Sinai nurses to continue providing the world-class care they're known for, in spite of NYSNA's strike." Scabby the rat at the nurses' strike.

☆ Travelers rush to take advantage of China reopening
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

After years of separation from his wife in mainland China, Hong Kong resident Cheung Seng-bun made sure to be among the first in line following the reopening Sunday of border crossing points. Those crossing between Hong Kong and mainland China, however, are still required to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within the last 48 hours — a measure China has protested when imposed by other countries. Hong Kong media reports said around 300,000 travel bookings from the city to mainland China have already been made, with a daily quota of 60,000. "I've been under isolated quarantine for six times in different cities (in mainland China)," said Ivan Tang, a Hong Kong business traveler. Meanwhile, more foreign governments are imposing testing requirements on travelers from China — most recently Germany, Sweden and Portugal.

☆ Some Florida homeowners have to wait a year to fix hurricane damage, and that's only one of the many struggles they face
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Hurricane Ian was the second-costliest hurricane in US history, causing up to $65 billion in damage. Florida homeowners face other challenges, too, from rising insurance costs to suffering home values. In December, about three months after Hurricane Ian struck the Gulf Coast of Florida, the sounds of construction rung out in one community. Meanwhile, roofers are overstretched, said Mike Silvers, the director of technical services of the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association. Out-of-state contractors both have to learn Florida's code and become licensed in the state in order to do any roofing work.

☆ The U.S. passed a historic climate deal this year — here's a recap of what's in the bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

The IRA's provisions have major implications for clean energy and manufacturing businesses, climate startups and consumers in the coming years. As 2022 comes to a close, here's a look back at the key elements in the legislation that climate and clean energy advocates will be monitoring in 2023. Taking aim at methane gas emissionsSome pumpjacks operate while others stand idle in the Belridge oil field near McKittrick, California. Mario Tama | Getty ImagesThe package imposes a tax on energy producers that exceed a certain level of methane gas emissions. And the bill has a hydrogen production tax credit, which provides hydrogen producers with a credit based on the climate attributes of their production methods.

☆ EPA is investigating Colorado for potentially discriminating against Hispanic residents with air pollution regulations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

DENVER — The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating whether Colorado’s regulation of air pollution from industrial facilities discriminates against Hispanic residents and other racial minorities, according to a letter released Wednesday. Since then she’s pushed for community air monitoring and stronger protections, but it all feels too late. “We would have moved.”Advocates say the Suncor refinery too often malfunctions, spiking emissions. Nevertheless there are some signs the agency chose Colorado because it could prove a willing partner. Ian Coghill, an attorney with Earthjustice that is challenging the Suncor permit, says the push and pull between the EPA and state hasn’t yielded major improvements.

☆ Texas Governor Abbott endangered lives with Christmas Eve migrant drop -White House
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 26 (Reuters) - The White House on Monday accused Texas Governor Greg Abbott of endangering lives after busloads of migrants from the southwest border in Texas were dropped near Vice President Kamala Harris' home in Washington, D.C., on a cold Christmas Eve. "Governor Abbott abandoned children on the side of the road in below freezing temperatures on Christmas Eve without coordinating with any Federal or local authorities," White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan said in a statement. The Republican Abbott, a vocal critic of Biden administration immigration policies, has not acknowledged the Christmas Eve drop and his office has not claimed responsibility. Abbott has said previously his state was purposefully busing migrants to sanctuary cities, where law enforcement is discouraged from deporting immigrants. Hasan said the Biden administration was willing to work with Democrats and Republicans on solutions to the migrant issue.

☆ EPA finalizes tougher pollution standards for big trucks and buses
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Biden administration on Tuesday finalized tougher pollution standards for heavy-duty vehicles like large trucks, delivery vans and buses starting with model year 2027. While the new rule is much tougher than current standards, environmental and public health groups have called for even more stringent standards. California’s new rule for heavy-duty vehicles, for example, is 90% stronger than current regulations. And earlier this year, state regulators in California critiqued EPA’s pollution rule for missing the bigger picture on the move to electric trucks. The agency is also expected to release new proposed light and medium-duty vehicle emissions standards for 2027 and beyond model year vehicles in the spring.

☆ Macau to allow home isolation for COVID infections
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Health officials said that infected patients would be able to stay at home and self-monitor for five days. Macau, a Chinese special administrative region, has directly followed the mainland's coronavirus strategy since 2020, given its huge reliance on Chinese visitors to fuel its gambling-dependent economy. The former Portuguese colony, home to more than 600,000 people, has recorded just over 900 COVID cases since 2020 and six deaths. Macau Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao said last week that up to 80% of the city's population would likely get COVID following a significant easing of pandemic isolation and testing rules. Officials have urged residents not to worry about contracting the virus since most cases involve mild or no symptoms.

☆ The managers of a $5.8 billion fund that's beaten 99% of competitors in the past 15 years share how to find winning value stocks in 2023 using this simple, timeless process
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Tweedy, Browne International Value Fund has outperformed 99% of peers over the past 15 years. Few funds have been a better bet than the Tweedy, Browne International Value Fund (TBGVX) over the past three decades. Perhaps most impressive is that the $5.8 billion Tweedy, Browne International Value Fund has topped 99% of funds in its category in the past 15 years, according to Morningstar. Insider spoke with Wyckoff, Shrager, and Hill about their investing process and where they see opportunities for international stocks in 2023. Value stocks and international companies should outperform their growth and US-based peers, in his view.

☆ Demand for hospital-grade cribs on the rise as viral illnesses continue to surge
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Carma Hassan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Pediatric hospital beds have been more full than usual for months. Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital has brought out both specialized and non-specialized cribs from storage to meet the demand of pediatric patients. Demand at Hard Manufacturing, which makes cribs, bassinets and youth beds for hospitals, has shot up, President Marjorie Bryen said. “At Nemours Children’s Health, these supply challenges are magnified due to pediatric populations needing more specialized equipment to accommodate different stages of growth. “The Administration has exercised regulatory flexibilities to help health care providers and suppliers continue to respond to COVID-19.

☆ Rail strike potential grows, threatening to worsen supply chain backlogs, inflation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Eli M. Rosenberg | Eli Rosenberg Is An Investigative Tech Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

That’s how much paid sick leave some freight rail workers are demanding from the rail companies before they sign new contracts. Rail workers say years of grievances about workforce cuts, coupled with new scheduling requirements, have pushed them to the brink of exhaustion. But if any of the unions decides to strike, all rail unions will honor the work stoppage. Kennedy said the union had never agreed to higher wages at the expense of a benefit like paid sick leave. “A rail strike, even one of short duration, would be catastrophic,” said John Drake, a vice president at the Chamber of Commerce.

Every day of the year on the homefront, however, active-duty military families leave behind neighbors and local ties to little fanfare as they relocate to other bases. Right now, military families are not getting enough financial assistance in coping with the cost of constant moves. Since military families move on government orders, they do not have the option of choosing less expensive regions or staying put. Supporting our military families shouldn’t fall solely to the Defense Department, however. Military families are part of our communities, and they need our support.

Nov 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. government will award state and local governments, housing authorities and non-profits on the front lines of air pollution 132 new grants totaling $53.4 million for air quality monitoring projects, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Thursday. The grants, which the EPA called the largest investment in air pollution monitoring in its history, come after federal investment in air quality monitoring has waned over several decades. President Joe Biden's administration has a target to cut pollution in poor and minority communities that often take the brunt of industrial emissions. "It's time that we empower American communities with the tools and the resources they need to track critical data about the air that they breathe," said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. Last year, the agency announced $20 million in grants to communities to help them monitor their air for pollutants.

☆ If a recession comes, don't count on unemployment insurance — states aren't ready to give you benefits
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The result: Many states pay little and for fewer weeks, and it takes over a month to get benefits. And, if you do need to access UI benefits, they might not arrive for a while. Right now, according to the TCF report, just 15 states are doing that. Black workers are more likely to live in states with lower benefits. Many states have cut how many weeks workers are eligible for benefits over the last decade or so.

☆ A secretive US special-operations base in Syria is taking fire from a shadowy Middle East war
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Rachel Nostrant | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

US troops at the al-Tanf outpost in Syria have been conducting counter-ISIS operations since 2016. Israeli, Syrian, and Iranian forces are also active around the base in southeastern Syria. The base was established in 2016, when US forces were in the thick of combat operations against ISIS in Syria. Al-Tanf — in southeastern Syria along the M2 Baghdad-Damascus highway and near the borders with Iraq and Jordan — was the ideal location. DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty ImagesRussia's war in Ukraine may create new problems for US troops at al-Tanf.

☆ The Columbus, Ohio, Warehouse Boom: How warehouses brought stifling dust and diesel fumes — and a chance for refugees to grab the American dream
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Emma Cosgrove | Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +27 min

What binds them, despite different nationalities, immigration stories, and languages, are warehouse jobs. As Columbus' warehouse development begins encroaching into residential areas, a consensus is gathering here — as it has elsewhere — that warehouses make for poor neighbors. Tariq Tarey for InsiderIn Canal Winchester, Halstead's efforts to put the question of warehouse development before voters were stymied. The town council bypassed her group's referendum by declaring a state of emergency to approve the warehouse development. There aren't clear lines between the winners and losers of Columbus' warehouse boom.

☆ Analysis: Lula, Bolsonaro and market look to cure Brazil consumer debt hangover
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Tatiana Bautzer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

With nearly 70 million Brazilians blacklisted by credit agency Serasa, owing 290 billion reais ($54.4 billion), debt relief is smart politics in a closely fought presidential campaign, ahead of an Oct. 30 runoff vote. Advisers say he would focus first on 95 billion reais of unpaid bills accumulated by families earning up to 3,600 reais ($676) per month. Later steps would focus on incentives to restructure bank debt, for this population. Looking to steal his thunder, right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro announced a program offering a sharp discount on bank debts. But the scope is far more modest, applying to some 4 million borrowers from state bank Caixa Economica Federal, which estimated about 1 billion reais of restructuring.

Instead, data and child welfare experts suggest the changes may have done the opposite. State child welfare officials say more vigilance in documenting severe cases of abuse likely contributed to the increase. Child welfare experts say these findings cast doubt on the effectiveness of the primary tool that states rely on to protect children: mandatory child abuse reporting. These policies, the bedrock of America’s child welfare system, were first implemented more than half a century ago in response to growing national awareness of child maltreatment. “We are continuing to tell mandated reporters, ‘Report, report, report,’ and nobody can handle it,” Berger said in an interview.

☆ NAACP says Jackson’s water problems are civil rights issue
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Brad Vest / Getty Images fileThe U.S. Justice Department is working to improve Jackson’s water system. There were warnings the Jackson water system was struggling before it failed. Tate Reeves, a Republican, has blamed Jackson’s water problems on mismanagement by city leaders. Reeves declared an emergency for the water system in late August and brought in out-of-state crews to help make repairs. Before the city’s latest water crisis, though, Reeves expressed his own opposition to state funding for Jackson water improvements, saying he wants to hold down Mississippi’s overall debt level.

☆ Youth activist Jerome Foster is skipping the UN's climate conference in Egypt because of the country's record on LGBTQ rights
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Jerome Foster is protesting the UN climate conference in Egypt, citing LGBTQ abusesThe young climate activist also advises the White House on environmental justice issues. Foster spoke to Insider as part of its Climate Heroes 2022 event. Foster spoke as part of an Insider event moderated by Catherine Boudreau, senior sustainability reporter. The event was part of Insider's series Climate Heroes 2022: Working Toward Solutions, which highlighted various leaders' efforts to address the climate crisis. "We shouldn't be scared to go to a climate conference, where we're trying to fight for the right for our planet, but putting our lives at risk just because we love someone," Foster said.

☆ U.S. EPA launches environmental justice office
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Valerie Volcovici | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced the creation of the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, which will be staffed by 200 EPA employees and led by a not-yet announced Senate-confirmed assistant administrator. He launched the new office at an event in Warren County, North Carolina, which was the site of protests 40 years ago that is regarded as the birthplace of the environmental justice movement. It was the latest move by the Biden administration to prioritize environmental justice in its policymaking. The Inflation Reduction Act signed by Biden last month created a $3 billion climate and environmental justice block grant program that the new office will oversee. Overall, the legislation will unleash a $60 billion investment in environmental justice across the government.

☆ 'Heavy lifting' needed to overcome opposition to permitting bill, Joe Manchin says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Valerie Volcovici | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) holds up a visual aid while speaking to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 20, 2022. Senator Joe Manchin on Friday warned that bipartisan opposition to his bill to overhaul energy permitting could derail his plan to attach it to temporary spending legislation and pass it by the end of the month. Manchin, who was interrupted by protesters opposed to the fossil fuel focus of his permitting plan, said that if Congress fails to reform the permitting process, it would jeopardize the clean energy investments the larger bill incentivizes. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Friday said the Biden administration continues to support congressional efforts to reform the energy permitting process. "We are very excited at DOE about the potential for streamlining permitting on clean energy projects," Granholm told reporters.

☆ Sick of political email spam? Gmail is offering a more prominent unsubscribe button to address all of our overburdened inboxes
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Gmail users are getting new tools to opt out of a political email test program. Developers whipped up a "more prominent unsubscribe button" to offset spam filter changes. The publicly contested program aims to loosen spam filter restrictions that previously kept Gmail users from having to manually purge political fundraising appeals from their inboxes. The policy change was sparked by conservatives complaining that Google automatically rerouted more of their emails to spam folders than others. Google maintains that its pilot program is "not intended to favor or disfavor any particular candidate, party or speaker, nor intended to influence the outcome of any election."

☆ Biden administration picks former Chicago, DC transportation leader to head EV charging program
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Matt Mcfarland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN Business —Gabe Klein, who has led transportation departments in Washington, DC and Chicago, will head the Biden administration’s $7.5 billion program to build out the country’s electric vehicle charging network. His leadership in DC and Chicago was marked by being among the first transportation departments to embrace emerging transportation trends like car-sharing, bikeshare and bike lanes. Gabe Klein, shown in 2015 in Washington, DC, will lead the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. Electric vehicles have much smaller carbon footprints than gas-powered vehicles over the typical lifetime of a vehicle. The federal government passed new tax credits for electric vehicles last month.

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