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☆ Law firms accused of fueling Islamophobia, chilling free speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —A coalition of Muslim bar associations is accusing leading law firms of contributing to Islamophobia and a climate of fear in the legal community. In a letter to more than 100 of America’s top law firms, 13 national and regional bar associations called for the law firms to address Islamophobia and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian hate. The new letter, sent Monday, went out to leading law firms including Davis Polk; Dechert; Kirkland & Ellis; Paul, Weiss; and Sullivan & Cromwell. It notes that while some law firms issued statements of support for Israel after the October 7th attacks, in the weeks since some firms “refused to even acknowledge the killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians” even though employees have loved ones killed in Gaza. “Everyone at our law firms is entitled to be treated with respect and be free of any conduct that targets their identity and is offensive, hostile, intimidating or inconsistent with their personal dignity and rights,” the letter said.

Persons: ”, Davis Polk, Ellis, Paul, Weiss, Sullivan, Cromwell, Dechert, “, ” “, Joe Shenker Organizations: New, New York CNN, Kirkland, Israel, American Muslim Bar Association, National Association of Muslim Locations: New York, Israel, Dechert, Gaza

☆ Why oil majors Shell and BP are combining solar energy and agricultural production
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Katie Brigham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Stoffels owns this land, but leases it to Lightsource BP, a major solar energy developer that's 50% owned by British oil major BP. An emerging industry called agrivoltaics combines solar energy production with agricultural activities such as sheep grazing, beekeeping and crop growing. Today, the U.S. has about five gigawatts of agrivoltaic projects, encompassing more than 35,000 acres across over 30 different states. Shell is also involved in the space through its 44% stake in solar developer Silicon Ranch. While most solar developers opt to lease land, Silicon Ranch buys it outright, often purchasing degraded farmland that's no longer in production.

Persons: Amanda Stoffels, munch, Stoffels, Lightsource, Jordan Macknick, Macknick, Lee, Tom Koranek, Becca Jones, Albertus, Katie Brigham Lightsource, Reagan Farr, Farr, Exxon haven't Organizations: Elm, BP, Lightsource, Lead, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S, U.S . Department, Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office, Shell, Silicon Ranch, Ranch, Power, Chevron, Exxon Locations: Dallas , Texas, United States, Elm, Ellis County , Texas, Lightsource, U.S, Briar, Navarro County , Texas, agrivoltaics

☆ Brazil Aims to Expand Rail System With Funds From Prior Contracts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Lisandra ParaguassuBRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil plans to expand its railway network with a 40 billion reais ($8 billion) fund that will be financed by removing discounts given to rail companies by previous government contracts, Transport Minister Renan Filho told Reuters. The Federal Audit Court is now reviewing those extensions after the government of President Lula da Silva disputed the discounts. "We think that some procedures adopted in the contracts are unacceptable," Filho said in an interview on Friday. According to the government, the companies owe an additional 40 billion reais ($8.1 billion) in unpaid concession payments. The government's goal is to have 40% of Brazil's freight, which is mostly iron ore, transported by rail, up from 17% today.

Persons: Renan Filho, Jair Bolsonaro, Lula da Silva, Filho, Rumo, São Paulo, Vale, Lisandra Paraguasu, Anthony Boadle, Emelia Sithole, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Reuters, Transport, Federal Audit Court, Vale, Rumo, TCU Locations: Paraguassu BRASILIA, Brazil, Carajas, Vitoria, Espirito Santo, São

In the aftermath of the 2020 election, former President Donald J. Trump planned to refuse to leave the White House “under any circumstances” despite losing at the polls, a longtime Trump aide told one of the lawyers who is cooperating with prosecutors in Atlanta as part of a plea agreement. The lawyer, Jenna Ellis, described the aide’s statement during an interview with the district attorney’s office in Fulton County, Ga., parts of which were obtained and published on Monday by ABC News. Such interviews, known as proffer statements, have been conducted with Ms. Ellis and three other defendants who reached plea agreements in the Georgia election interference case against Mr. Trump and more than a dozen of his allies. ABC obtained excerpts from the interviews with Ms. Ellis and Sidney Powell, another lawyer indicted in the case.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Jenna Ellis, Ellis, Sidney Powell Organizations: Trump, ABC News, ABC Locations: Atlanta, Fulton County ,, Georgia

That position is opposed by the plastic industry and by oil and petrochemical exporters like Saudi Arabia, who want to see plastic use continue. They argue that the treaty should focus on recycling and reusing plastics, sometimes referred to in the talks as "circularity" in the plastics supply. In a submission ahead of this week's negotiations, Saudi Arabia said the root cause of plastic pollution was "inefficient management of waste." "The plastics agreement should be focused on ending plastic pollution, not plastic production," Kastner told Reuters in a statement. Countries will also be debating whether the treaty should set transparency standards for chemical use in plastics production.

Persons: Carlo Allegri, David Azoulay, Matthew Kastner, Kastner, Bjorn Beeler, Beeler, Christina Dixon, Valerie Volcovici, Katy Daigle, Aurora Ellis Organizations: United Nations, UN, REUTERS, Center for International Environmental, European Union, U.S . State Department, Reuters, The International Council of Chemical Associations, Network, Saudi, Environmental Investigation Agency, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Nairobi, Kenya, Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United States

☆ In UN Talks for a Global Plastic Treaty, Delegates to Face off Over Production Limits
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Persons: Valerie Volcovici, David Azoulay, Matthew Kastner, Kastner, Bjorn Beeler, Beeler, Christina Dixon, Katy Daigle, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Center for International Environmental, UN, European Union, U.S . State Department, Reuters, The International Council of Chemical Associations, Network, Saudi, Environmental Investigation Agency Locations: Nairobi, Kenya, Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United States, U.S

☆ Honda hikes production workers' pay 11% after UAW deals with Detroit Three
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado Acquire Licensing RightsNov 10 (Reuters) - Honda Motor (7267.T) said on Friday it was implementing an 11% pay hike for production workers at its U.S. facilities from January, days after the United Auto Workers (UAW) union and the Detroit Three automakers agreed to new contracts. Non-unionized automakers such as Honda have come under pressure to improve pay and benefits following record contracts the UAW won at the Detroit Three automakers. "Union auto workers own this victory," Biden said in a Friday post on X. Honda's pay hike comes after Toyota (7203.T) said last week it was raising the wages of its non-union U.S. factory workers. Honda had told Reuters it was evaluating the recent UAW deals with the Detroit Three automakers and would remain competitive.

Persons: David, Dee, Delgado, Joe Biden, Biden, carmakers Tesla, Priyamvada C, Nathan Gomes, David Shepardson, Anil D'Silva, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Aurora Ellis Organizations: New York, REUTERS, Honda, United Auto Workers, UAW, Detroit Three, U.S, Toyota, autoworkers, General Motors, Ford Motor, Chrysler, UAW . Union, Detroit, Tesla, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Illinois, America, United States

☆ Booking.com settles Italian tax dispute with 94-million euro payment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Emilio Parodi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Travel website Booking.com (BKNG.O) has agreed to pay about 94 million euros ($100.25 million) to settle a tax dispute in Italy, Genoa prosecutors said on Friday. Italy's Guardia di Finanza tax police alleged in June 2021 that Booking.com evaded 153 million euros of value added tax (VAT) in connection with holiday rentals from 2013 to 2019. Last November, Dutch magistrates accepted a European investigation order (OIE) sent by Italy allowing Italian prosecutors to question two former Booking.com chief financial officers as part of the investigation. Private accommodation sites which are not professionally run often have no VAT number, and Italian tax authorities believe the online travel agency should in such cases act as a withholding agent, collecting tax. In another similar case involving a company's responsibility to collect tax on behalf of tax authorities, an Italian judge on Monday seized 780 million euros from short-term rentals platform Airbnb (ABNB.O).

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Booking.com, Italy's, Toby Sterling, Alvise Armellini, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, Apple, Facebook, Italian Revenue Agency, Prosecutors, U.S ., Holdings, Union, Thomson Locations: Italy, Genoa, Booking.com, Netherlands, Friday's, Italian, Delaware, Amsterdam

☆ Biden registers for South Carolina primary, seen as first test of re-election strength
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Jarrett Renshaw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The filing marks a return to a state that Biden credits with catapulting him to the White House. Biden ousted Iowa and New Hampshire from the top spots on the party's nominating calendar in favor of South Carolina. The move forces any Democratic challenger to Biden to compete first in South Carolina instead of Iowa and New Hampshire, two largely white states which both rejected him in 2020. Biden did not register for New Hampshire's primary, slated for January, after the state refused the Democratic Party's request to move the date back. A CNN poll published on Oct. 31 found that Biden's overall approval rating in South Carolina was just 33%, lower than his national approval, which has hovered around 40% in most polls.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Biden, Dean Phillips, Marianne Williamson, “, Kamala Harris, catapulting, Joe Biden, Carol Fowler, Harris, Phillips, Williamson, Jimmy Carter's, “ We’re, David Ljunggren, Leslie Adler, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Friday, South Carolina Democratic, Black, Palmetto State, Biden, Democratic, Democratic National Committee, Iowa, New, CNN, Thomson Locations: Minnesota, Palmetto, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Iowa, Nevada and Michigan

☆ In 1916, the US began forcing Mexicans crossing the southern border to take kerosene baths. That tactic was later studied by the Nazis.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Dearbea Walker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

In 1916, the US began forcing Mexicans that crossed the border to bathe in a mix of kerosene and vinegar. A US immigration officer talks to Mexicans in El Paso, Texas, 1916. El Paso was considered to have the ideal dry, warm climate to combat tuberculosis, and so, multiple sanatoriums were built in the city. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs a result, Mexicans and Mexican Americans who lived along the border developed a deep fear of the baths, Levya said. In total, the government is thought to have bathed 127,123 Mexicans at the bridge between Juárez and El Paso.

Persons: —, Thomas Calloway Lea Jr, B.J, Lloyd, Bettmann, Carmelita Torres, Torres, PhotoQuest, Lea, David Romo, Tom Lea, Dr, Yolanda Chavez Levya, Levya, Leonard Nadel, Levya's, Torres –, Gerhard Peters, Peters Organizations: Service, Public Health, Riots, Mexican, Labor, Ku Klux Klan, Tom Lea Institute, The University of Texas, US, El, Public Service Health, Hidalgo Processing Center, Archives Center, National Museum of, Smithsonian, US Public Health Service Locations: Mexico, United States, El Paso , Texas, El Paso, Mexican, Hidalgo, Texas, East, Southeast Asia, Juárez, El Paso ., German, Nuremberg

☆ Dollar rises for third day before Fed Chair Powell speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Samuel Indyk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"The data side has been very quiet so the main drivers have been the hawkish comments from Fed speakers," said ING FX strategist Francesco Pesole. Focus now turns to remarks from Fed Chair Powell later on Wednesday. DARKENING GROWTH OUTLOOKThe euro fell 0.3% to $1.0670, further weighed by a darkening growth outlook in the euro zone. "The mixed outlook for consumer and investment spending leaves the euro zone very close to recession," said Wells Fargo economist Nick Bennenbroek. "Regardless of whether the euro zone falls into recession, we see enough growth headwinds to suggest that the European Central Bank's monetary tightening is done."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jerome Powell, Francesco Pesole, They've, Powell, Matt Simpson, Wells, Nick Bennenbroek, ING's Pesole, Luci Ellis, Samuel Indyk, Rae Wee, Lincoln, Christina Fincher, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Reserve, U.S, ING, Central, Reserve Bank of Australia, Thomson

☆ Abortion rights advocates, Democrats score wins in US elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Nov 7 (Reuters) - Democrats and abortion rights advocates notched a string of electoral victories on Tuesday, including in conservative Ohio and Kentucky, an early signal that reproductive rights remain a potent issue for Democrats ahead of the 2024 presidential race. In Ohio, a state that voted for Republican Donald Trump by 8 percentage points in the 2020 presidential election, voters approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion rights, Edison Research projected. He also ran on protecting abortion rights, though he is powerless to overturn the state's near-total ban. Last year, abortion rights advocacy groups scored a series of victories by placing abortion-related referendums on the ballot, including in conservative states. Anti-abortion forces campaigned against the Ohio amendment as too extreme, while abortion rights groups warned that rejecting it would pave the way for a stringent ban to take effect.

Persons: Republican Donald Trump, Roe, Wade, Glenn Youngkin's, Andy Beshear, Edison, Joe Biden's, Biden, Beshear, Daniel Cameron, Megan Jelinger, Youngkin, Trump, Tate Reeves, Brandon Presley, Elvis Presley, Presley, Reeves, Cameron, Joseph Ax, Jason Lange, Eric Beech, Nandita Bose, Costas Pitas, Gabriella Borter, Colleen Jenkins, Aurora Ellis, Deepa Babington, Lincoln Organizations: Republican, Edison Research, Democratic Legislative, Democratic, Trump, Democrats, Kentucky, REUTERS, Ohio, Senate, Republican Mississippi, Biden, Edison, Thomson Locations: Ohio, Kentucky, U.S ., Virginia, Columbus , Ohio, U.S, Arizona, Florida

☆ WeWork seeks permission to begin canceling leases in bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Dietrich Knauth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A WeWork logo is seen outside its offices in the Queens borough of New York City, U.S., November 7, 2023. WeWork managed to renegotiate 590 leases before filing for bankruptcy, saving about $12.7 billion in future rent payments. WeWork said it is seeking to renegotiate terms on other leases with 400 landlords. U.S. bankruptcy laws gives debtors enormous leverage to walk away from leases, according to Ann Chandler, a real estate attorney. WeWork entered bankruptcy with approximately $164 million of cash on hand, according to court filings.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, WeWork, Ann Chandler, Chandler, John Sherwood, Dietrich Knauth, Alexia Garamfalvi, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: Queens, New York City, U.S, Newark , New Jersey

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsNov 8 (Reuters) - Semiconductor company Arm Holdings (O9Ty.F), on Wednesday gave a fiscal third-quarter sales outlook below Wall Street estimates, with the company attributing the forecast to a large deal that will likely land later than expected. Arm became publicly listed again in September after Japan's SoftBank Group (9984.T), which still owns more than 90% of Arm, sold off some of its shares. For the current fiscal third quarter, Arm expects a revenue range with a midpoint of $760 million, below analyst estimates of $767.84 million, according to LSEG data. Arm said that royalty revenue for the fiscal second quarter declined to $418 million, below analyst expectations of $420.3 million, according to data from Visible Alpha. Child told Reuters that Arm's second quarter royalty revenues still reflected a chip glut that affected the chip industry broadly.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Japan's, Ben Bajarin, Jason Child, Child, Stephen Nellis, Max A, Yuvraj Malik, Aurora Ellis, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, - Semiconductor, Arm Holdings, Wednesday, Analysts, Creative, Reuters, Nvidia, Intel, Alpha, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, Bengaluru

☆ Dollar licks its wounds ahead of Fed Chair Powell's remarks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The British pound , which earlier in the week hit a seven-week top against the dollar, was last some distance away at $1.2286. Focus now turns to a speech by Fed Chair Powell later on Wednesday. The euro fell 0.07% to $1.0691, further weighed by a darkening growth outlook in the euro zone. "The mixed outlook for consumer and investment spending leaves the euro zone very close to recession," said Wells Fargo economist Nick Bennenbroek. "Regardless of whether the euro zone falls into recession, we see enough growth headwinds to suggest that the European Central Bank's monetary tightening is done."

Persons: Jerome Powell, Matt Simpson, We're, Powell, Simpson, Wells, Nick Bennenbroek, Luci Ellis Organizations: Federal Reserve, U.S, U.S ., Central, Australian, Reserve Bank of Australia, New Zealand

[1/2] Palestinians carry their belongings as they flee their houses, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza City November 7, 2023. In a letter to Biden, more than 100 Democrats led by U.S. The humanitarian protections would only be available to Palestinians already in the U.S., not those in the war zone or refugees in other countries. The lawmakers called on Biden to use the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) programs to provide the relief. Some Democrats, civil rights and immigrant advocates criticized the bill, with Democratic Representative Bill Pascrell calling it "absolutely despicable."

Persons: Mohammed Al, Masri, Joe Biden, Biden, Dick Durbin, Biden's, Donald Trump, Ryan Zinke, Bill Pascrell, Ted Hesson, Rami Ayyub, Mary Milliken, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Wednesday, U.S, West Bank, TPS, Republican, Republicans, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza City, United States, Gaza, Israeli, U.S, Oslo, Washington

☆ WHO warns of 'worrying trends' in disease spread in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"As deaths and injuries in Gaza continue to rise due to intensified hostilities, intense overcrowding and disrupted health, water, and sanitation systems pose an added danger: the rapid spread of infectious diseases," WHO said. "Some worrying trends are already emerging." It said that the lack of fuel in the densely populated enclave had caused desalination plants to shut down, which increased the risk of bacterial infections like diarrhoea spreading. WHO said that more than 33,551 cases of diarrhoea had been reported since mid-October, the bulk of which among children under five. "Disrupted routine vaccination activities, as well as lack of medicines for treating communicable diseases, further increase the risk of accelerated disease spread," it warned.

Persons: Hassan Zain al Din, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Aurora Ellis Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, United Nations, Thomson Locations: Israel, Deir ., GENEVA, Gaza

☆ Where are the 12 US gov't funding bills to avert shutdown?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

But first, the House and Senate would have to agree upon the overall dollar amount of spending for the 12 bills combined. The Senate passed its version as part of a three-bill package on Nov. 1 with strong bipartisan support. DEFENSEOne of the largest of the 12 bills funds the Department of Defense - the Army, Navy, Air Force and the CIA. The Senate's version passed out of committee on July 27. The Senate's version passed out of committee on July 27.

Persons: Jon Cherry, shutdowns, Joe Biden, Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Moira Warburton, Aurora Ellis Organizations: U.S . Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Democratic, Republican, Senate, of Veterans Affairs, Army, Navy, Air Force, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Housing, Urban, House Republicans, Amtrak, Department of Defense, CIA, Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory, of, of Indian Affairs, Land Management, Environmental Protection Agency, The, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of State, Agency for International Development, Peace Corps, Congress, Capitol Police, of Congress, Office, Treasury, of Columbia, Federal Trade Commission, COMMERCE, of Commerce, U.S . Census, U.S . Patent, Department of Justice, Republicans, HUMAN, of Education, Department of Health, Human Services, Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, National Labor Relations Board, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, New York, U.S, Washington

☆ First US polls close as contests in Ohio, Virginia offer preview of 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Beshear faces Republican state Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who would be Kentucky's first Black governor. In Mississippi, Republican Governor Tate Reeves is seeking another four-year term. Last year, abortion rights advocacy groups scored a series of victories by placing abortion-related referendums on the ballot, including in conservative states. Anti-abortion forces campaigned against the Ohio amendment as too extreme, while abortion rights groups warned that rejecting it would pave the way for a stringent ban to take effect. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin said he would pursue a 15-week abortion limit if Republicans take control of the legislature.

Persons: Ohioans, Andy Beshear, Republican Donald Trump, Daniel Cameron, Beshear, Tate Reeves, Brandon Presley, Elvis Presley, outraised Reeves, Joe Biden, Reeves, Cameron, Megan Jelinger, Glenn Youngkin, Trump, Biden, Joseph Ax, Jason Lange, Colleen Jenkins, Aurora Ellis, Deepa Babington Organizations: Abortion, Virginians, Republican, Kentucky, Beshear, Democratic, Trump, REUTERS, Ohio, Senate, Republicans, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Kentucky, Kentucky , Mississippi, Mississippi, Ohio, Columbus , Ohio, U.S, Arizona, Florida, Virginia, House

REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. regulator charged with overseeing the Federal Home Loan Banks said in a report on Tuesday the system is overdue for an overhaul in its mission and structure. The Federal Housing Finance Agency emphasized in the report that there needs to be a clearer distinction between the purpose of the FHL banks and the Federal Reserve, which is the primary emergency lender for banks. The agency said FHL banks were created by Congress in 1932 to provide liquidity to banks for affordable housing and other economic development. Tuesday's report was the culmination of a year-long project by the agency to review the FHL banks. FHL Banks are 11 regional government-chartered institutions that raise money for low-cost lending to their members.

Persons: Sarah Silbiger, Loan Banks, Banks, Ryan Donovan, Pete Schroeder, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Federal, Loan, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Reserve, of Federal Home Loan, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S

☆ Abortion rights at center of Ohio and Virginia elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Peter Range, the executive director of Ohio Right to Life, speaks to members of the Clark County Republican Party about the state's upcoming referendum on abortion rights, in Springfield, Ohio, U.S., October 26, 2023. In Mississippi, Republican Governor Tate Reeves is seeking another four-year term. Last year, abortion rights advocacy groups scored a series of victories by placing abortion-related referendums on the ballot, including in conservative states. In addition to Tuesday's amendment in Ohio that would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, similar ballot measures are advancing in several states for 2024, including swing states Arizona and Florida. Anti-abortion forces have campaigned against the Ohio amendment as too extreme, while abortion rights groups have warned that rejecting it would pave the way for a stringent ban to take effect.

Persons: Peter, Ohio, Joseph Ax, Andy Beshear, Republican Donald Trump, Daniel Cameron, Beshear, Tate Reeves, Brandon Presley, Elvis Presley, outraised Reeves, Joe Biden, Glenn Youngkin, Trump, Biden, Jason Lange, Colleen Jenkins, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Clark County Republican Party, REUTERS, Republicans, Democrats, White House, U.S, Republican, Kentucky, Beshear, Democratic, Trump, Voters, Senate, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Clark, Springfield , Ohio, U.S, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, U.S ., , Kentucky, Mississippi, Arizona, Florida, House

☆ Former Meta employee tells Senate company failed to protect teens' safety
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Katie Paul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Meta and Facebook logos are seen in this illustration taken February 15, 2022. The employee, Arturo Bejar, worked on well-being for Instagram from 2019 to 2021 and earlier was a director of engineering for Facebook's Protect and Care team from 2009 to 2015, he said. "Every day countless people inside and outside of Meta are working on how to help keep young people safe online," the Meta statement said. In his testimony, Bejar recounted that in one meeting Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox was able to cite precise statistics on teen harms off the top of his head. "I found it heartbreaking because it meant that they knew and that they were not acting on it," said Bejar.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Arturo Bejar, Bejar, Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Chris Cox, Katie Paul, Kenneth Li, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Meta, REUTERS, Facebook, Facebook's, Care, Privacy, Technology, Wall Street, Thomson

☆ WeWork, once valued at $47 billion, files for bankruptcy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The WeWork logo is displayed outside of a shared commercial office space building in Los Angeles, California on August 8, 2023. The bankruptcy filing is limited to WeWork's locations in the U.S. and Canada, the company said in a press release. The company reported liabilities ranging from $10 billion to $50 billion, according to a bankruptcy filing. Valued in 2019 at $47 billion in a round led by Masayoshi Son's SoftBank, the company tried and failed to go public five years ago. The company leases millions of square feet of office space in 777 locations around the world, according to its regulatory filings.

Persons: WeWork, Patrick T, Fallon, PATRICK T, FALLON, David Tolley, Masayoshi Son's SoftBank, Adam Neumann, Neumann, Kirkland, Ellis, Cole Schotz, PJT, CNBC's Ari Levy Organizations: Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Getty, New York Stock Exchange, CNBC, PJT Partners, C Street Advisory Group, Alvarez, Marsal Locations: Los Angeles , California, AFP, New Jersey, U.S, Canada

☆ Dollar rebounds, Fed officials take center stage
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Karen Brettell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Comments from other Fed officials will also be evaluated for signs on whether they expect further rate increases. “Next week’s CPI print is going to be the best adjudicator we have on whether or not the Fed needs to hike rates again,” said Rai. The dollar index was last up 0.13% on the day at 105.19 after earlier dropping to 104.84, the weakest since Sept. 20. The yen hit 151.74 per dollar last week, edging close to October 2022 lows that spurred several rounds of dollar-selling intervention by the Bank of Japan. The Australian dollar fell 0.34% to $0.6491, after earlier reaching a three-month high of $.6523.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jerome Powell, ”, Bipan Rai, Lisa Cook, “, Rai, Dane Cekov, Cekov, Karen Brettell, Samuel Indyk, Jonathan Oatis, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Federal, CIBC Capital Markets, Market Committee, Fed, Bank of Japan, Reserve Bank of Australia, Thomson Locations: North American, Toronto, U.S, London

The results show how Australia's retail banks are leaning into businesses outside their traditional earnings engine of mortgages as higher interest rates raise the cost of repayments, spurring competition which has flattened profit margins. Sydney-listed Westpac said profit from its consumer division, which has just over one-fifth of Australian mortgages, shrank 7% in its full-year to end-September. Westpac gave no profit forecasts but said April-to-September trading was "more challenging" than the previous six months and "this is expected to continue into 2024". "If that does eventuate, interest rates will probably need to be higher than what we're thinking," he said on a call with analysts and media. Westpac declared a final dividend of 72 Australian cents per share, up from 64 Australian cents a year earlier.

Persons: David Gray, Azib Khan, Peter King, We've, Byron Kaye, Roushni Nair, Upasana Singh, Andrew Heavens, Josie Kao, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, REUTERS, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, ANZ, Sydney, midsession, P Capital, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Ukraine, Bengaluru

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