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California poised for big climate moves after Gov. Newsom backs new laws

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

California is set to take major swings at boosting renewable energy, reining in corporate emissions, safeguarding wild places and ensuring livability amid worsening climate change after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed most of the environment-related legislation lawmakers sent his way this session.Among two dozen major climate and environment bills that landed on Newsom’s desk this year, he approved three quarters of them by the Saturday, Oct. 14 deadline.That “cements California’s climate leadership,” said Laura Deehan, executive director of the advocacy group Environment California. But it also matters “beyond our borders,” she said, with action by one of the biggest economies in the world likely to spur similar laws in other places.Newsom did veto six significant environment bills in recent weeks. These included proposals to make it easier for utilities to install power lines, require lead testing in some school water fountains, and prevent “forever” chemicals — known as PFAS — from spre...

How LGBTQ rights and parental notification bills fared in the California Legislature this year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

With school boardrooms becoming a dramatic front in the culture war over LGBTQ students and their privacy, California Gov. Gavin Newsom this fall signed a handful of bills intended to protect such students.School boards across California have begun debating new policies around transgender and gender non-conforming students and other LGBTQ issues. State lawmakers, meanwhile, engaged in their own debate with nearly a dozen bills in the California Legislature this session directly affecting the LGBTQ community, including one that was the model for many of the proposed school board policies this year.Newsom had until Oct. 14 to decide the fate of those bills. Here’s a look at how they fared:Assembly Bill 5Status: Signed by Newsom on Sept. 23.About the bill: AB 5, the “Safe and Supportive Schools Act,” sponsored by Assemblymember Rick Zbur, D-Los Angeles, requires the implementation of new “LGBTQ cultural competency training” for teachers and school staff in California.“AB 5 is the produ...

Jury awards daughter of man who died after encounter with LAPD $13.5 million for excessive force

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

A jury awarded the daughter of a man who died after a 2019 encounter with the Los Angeles Police Department in Van Nuys $13.5 million last week after finding two officers used excessive force while lying on top of him for more than four minutes.The two officers only got off of the 50-year-old Jacobo Juarez Cedillo after he appeared to lose consciousness while pinned to the ground in the 7200 block of Woodman Avenue on April 8, 2019, according to multiple videos of the incident.More than 10 minutes later, with Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics looking on, Cedillo suddenly appeared to wake back up and writhe on the ground. For about three more minutes, the officers resumed pinning Cedillo, with one pressing his knees into the man’s back and holding his head down as the paramedics prepared a gurney for him.The second instance of officers pinning Cedillo, captured via the dashboard camera of an LAPD cruiser that arrived at the scene after the initial arrest, was played for the jury...

Krugman: Why we should, but won’t, reduce the budget deficit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

Amid terrible events abroad and the takeover of the Republican Party by agents of chaos, the U.S. economy has been delivering lots of good news. All indications are that real gross domestic product is still growing fast; we’re adding jobs at an extraordinary pace, even as inflation continues to fall.There is, however, one piece of the economic picture that’s worrisome: Long-term interest rates have gone up a lot since early 2022, especially over the past six months.This spike in long-term rates is problematic in a couple of ways. It’s not a crisis, at least not yet. But in a better world we’d be taking action to bring interest rates down in a sustainable way. In particular, now would be a good time to rein in budget deficits.Why a problemHowever, the chances of serious action on the deficit anytime soon are near zero. And it’s important to understand why.First, why are high interest rates a problem? So far, there’s no indication that they’re about to cause a recession. In fact, the ...

Sunnyvale-based LinkedIn cuts over 600 jobs in second round of layoffs this year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

By Dina Bass | BloombergMicrosoft Corp.’s LinkedIn is cutting about 668 roles across its engineering, product, talent and finance teams. These are the second such cuts this year as fewer companies use the hiring platform and corporate social network.LinkedIn is “continuing to invest in strategic priorities for our future and to ensure we continue to deliver value to our members,” the company said in a blog post Monday.As fewer employees look for new jobs and fewer companies hire, LinkedIn is facing less demand for its services. In May, the social network said it planned to shutter its Chinese jobs app and cut about 716 roles.Related ArticlesBusiness | California’s job market: More firings – fewer hirings and quits Business | Chipmaker Qualcomm to lay off over 1200 California workers Business | San Jose eyes fresh initiatives to spur AI job and innovation hubs Business | Tech, non-tech firms slash hundreds more Bay Area jobs ...

Choice Hotels offers nearly $8 billion for larger rival Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as travel booms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

Choice Hotels International is asking shareholders of rival chain Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to sign off an a buyout worth nearly $8 billion after Wyndham broke off negotiations after six months, the company said Tuesday. “A few weeks ago, Choice and Wyndham were in a negotiable range on price and consideration, and both parties have a shared recognition of the value opportunity this potential transaction represents, said Choice CEO Patrick Pacious. ”We were therefore surprised and disappointed that Wyndham decided to disengage. While we would have preferred to continue discussions with Wyndham in private, following their unwillingness to proceed, we feel there is too much value for both companies’ franchisees, shareholders, associates, and guests to not continue pursuing this transaction.”Wyndham did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Tuesday. Choice, based in Rockville, Maryland, is offering $49.50 in cash and 0.324 shares of Choice common stock for eac...

Cambridge: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Cambridge Bancorp (CATC) on Tuesday reported third-quarter earnings of $6.5 million.The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based bank said it had earnings of 83 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to $1.15 per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.06 per share.The bank posted revenue of $84.3 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $39.2 million, also beating Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $38.2 million.Cambridge shares have fallen 28% since the beginning of the year. The stock has fallen 29% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CATC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CATCSource

El Tribunal Supremo de la India rechaza legalizar el matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo en una sentencia histórica para el colectivo LGBTQ

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

(CNN) — El Tribunal Supremo de la India rechazó reconocer legalmente las uniones entre personas del mismo sexo en una sentencia histórica que también subraya los derechos de la comunidad LGBTQ a no sufrir prejuicios ni discriminación.Los activistas habían intentado obtener el derecho a contraer matrimonio en virtud de la legislación india, lo que les daría acceso a los mismos privilegios que se conceden a las parejas heterosexuales. Aunque se les denegó, acogieron con satisfacción el reconocimiento de sus relaciones por parte del tribunal.Un tribunal constitucional de cinco jueces, presidido por el presidente del Tribunal Supremo de la India, emitió el martes el esperado veredicto, retransmitido en directo a todo el país y a multitudes que se congregaron fuera del tribunal para verlo con sus teléfonos móviles.Durante las dos horas que duró la lectura de la sentencia, el presidente del Tribunal Supremo, D. Y. Chandrachud, afirmó que la homosexualidad es un “fenómeno natur...

Millennial Money: The questions you aren’t asking (but should) during open enrollment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

Open enrollment is no one’s idea of a good time, but health coverage is a crucial part of your financial health. Whether you’re getting insurance through an employer or the Affordable Care Act marketplace, it’s important to ask the right questions before you choose a health plan for 2024.“Open enrollment is a great time to do a personal health audit,” says certified public accountant Charlene Rhinehart, a personal finance editor at drug savings site GoodRx. “Understanding your current and anticipated health care needs will help you decide which plan is the best fit.”Here’s how to weigh your options.ARE YOUR DOCTORS IN NETWORK?Plan networks change from year to year. If you love your doctor or specialist, make sure they’re still in the network of the plan you’re considering for 2024.You should also consider whether you want the option to go out of the network — which you can usually do in a preferred provider organization, or PPO, plan, although it will cost more. Health maintenance o...

Bank of America: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:08:22 GMT

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bank of America Corp. (BAC) on Tuesday reported third-quarter net income of $7.8 billion.The bank, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, said it had earnings of 90 cents per share.The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 12 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 81 cents per share.The nation’s second-largest bank posted revenue of $44.41 billion in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $25.17 billion, which also topped Street forecasts. Nine analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $25.08 billion.Bank of America shares have decreased 19% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P’s 500 index has climbed 14%. The stock has declined 15% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BAC at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BACS...