week ending Jul 29

Fed meeting July 2023: Fed approves hike, interest rates rise to highest level in more than 22 years --The Federal Reserve on Wednesday approved a much-anticipated interest rate hike that takes benchmark borrowing costs to their highest level in more than 22 years. In a move that financial markets had completely priced in, the central bank's Federal Open Market Committee raised its funds rate by a quarter percentage point to a target range of 5.25%-5.5%. The midpoint of that target range would be the highest level for the benchmark rate since early 2001.Markets were watching for signs that the hike could be the last before Fed officials take a break to watch how the previous increases are impacting economic conditions. While policymakers indicated at the June meeting that two rate rises are coming this year, markets have been pricing in a better-than-even chance that there won't be any more moves this year.During a news conference, Chairman Jerome Powell said inflation has moderated somewhat since the middle of last year, but hitting the Fed's 2% target "has a long way to go." Still, he seemed to leave room to potentially hold rates steady at the Fed's next meeting in September."I would say it's certainly possible that we will raise funds again at the September meeting if the data warranted," said Powell. "And I would also say it's possible that we would choose to hold steady and we're going to be making careful assessments, as I said, meeting by meeting."Powell said the FOMC will be assessing "the totality of the incoming data" as well as the implications for economic activity and inflation.Markets initially bounced following the meeting but ended mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average continued its streak of higher closings, rising by 82 points, but the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were little changed. Treasury yields moved lower."It is time for the Fed to give the economy time to absorb the impact of past rate hikes," said Joe Brusuelas, U.S. chief economist at RSM. "With the Fed's latest rate increase of 25 basis points now in the books, we think that improvement in the underlying pace of inflation, cooler job creation and modest growth are creating the conditions where the Fed can effectively end its rate hike campaign."The post-meeting statement, though, offered only a vague reference to what will guide the FOMC's future moves."The Committee will continue to assess additional information and its implications for monetary policy," the statement said in a line that was tweaked from the previous months' communication. That echoes a data-dependent approach – as opposed to a set schedule – that virtually all central bank officials have embraced in recent public statements.The hike received unanimous approval from voting committee members.

The Fed hikes interest rates by a quarter point and hints at another increase this year | CNN Business— The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark lending rate by a quarter point Wednesday, lifting interest rates to their highest level in 22 years. It’s the 11th rate increase since the Fed began its inflation fight in March 2022, and comes just one month after the central bank hit pause in order to assess the state of the economy after the failures of three regional banks since the spring.Fed officials are estimating one more rate hike this year, according to their latest set of projections. Inflation’s steady slowdown in recent months has been encouraging for American consumers and businesses, but officials reiterated in their post-meeting statement that “inflation remains elevated” and that the Fed “remains highly attentive to inflation risks,” suggesting that another rate hike remains on the table.In a news conference following the decision, Fed Chair Jerome Powell underscored that another rate hike remains an option — if the economy were to pick up strength and keep upward pressure on prices.“At the margins, stronger growth could lead over time to higher inflation and that would require an appropriate response for monetary policy,” Powell said. He also said that core inflation remains “pretty elevated.”The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge — the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index — rose 3.8% in May from a year earlier, down from the prior month’s 4.3%. Meanwhile, the core measure inched down to 4.6% from 4.7% during the same period, which was still its lowest level since October 2021. The Commerce Department releases June figures on Friday. Officials want to retain the option of another rate hike in case inflation proves to be more resilient than expected, but the timing of that final hike is still a question mark. It’s possible that a second hike never comes and the Fed decides to move on to the next phase of its inflation fight, which would be to hold rates steady until inflation is defeated. Powell said officials haven’t decided to consider hikes at every other meeting, and that future decisions will hinge on data.Still, investors are bullish about the end of rate hikes and the Fed’s chances of pulling off a soft landing, a scenario in which inflation slides to the 2% target without the economy sharply deteriorating. But Powell said Wednesday “we have to be honest about the historical record, which does suggest that when central banks go in and slow the economy to bring down inflation, the results tend to be some softening labor conditions — and so that is still the likely outcome here.”The Fed is highly attentive to the state of the job market, and whether it is coming into better balance. There are some signs that it has. Job openings are down from their peak last year, the rate of quitting has slowed to near pre-pandemic levels, and the share of prime-age workers (those between ages 25 and 54) is at its highest level since 2002. “The tightness in the labor market clearly has the Federal Reserve feeling uneasy. Even with another rate hike, I’m not sure we’ll see the underlying conditions moderate in the near future,” “There are fewer job openings, and fewer people are voluntarily leaving their job for new employment compared to the last few years, but we’ve yet to see the loosening that the Fed is searching for.”Powell said the Fed wants to see a “broad cooling” of the labor market, which includes wage growth slowing to pre-pandemic levels.

Fed Hikes by 25 Basis Points, to 5.5% Top of Range, Highest since 2001, More Rate Hikes on the Table. QT Continues -by Wolf Richter - The Fed’s FOMC raised its five policy rates by 25 basis points today, which pushed the upper limit of its policy rates to 5.5%, the highest since January 2001. The Fed had broadly telegraphed this move after the “very hawkish skip” meeting in June, when it projected two more rate hikes this year. The Fed has hiked by 525 basis points in 16 months, the fastest rate-hike cycle since 1980, to deal with the worst inflation in 40 years. The vote was unanimous. And the Fed also put another rate hike on the table for this year. Today it hiked:

• Federal funds rate target to a range between 5.25% and 5.5%.
• Interest it pays the banks on reserves to 5.4%.
• Interest it charges on overnight Repos to 5.5%.
• Interest it pays on overnight Reverse Repos (RRPs) to 5.3%.
• Primary credit rate to 5.5% (what banks pay to borrow at the “Discount Window”).

And amid all the hype about insta-rate-cuts that has been bubbling over for a year, we note that plateaus after a series of rate hikes are the rule: Leaves the door open for additional rate hikes. The statement repeated the language of the June statement, which leaves the door open for more rate hikes:“In determining the extent of additional policy firming that may be appropriate to return inflation to 2 percent over time, the Committee will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments.”QT marches on at the normal pace, with the Treasury roll-off capped at $60 billion per month, and the MBS roll-off capped at $35 billion a month, same as in the prior months.. The Fed releases its updated “Summary of Economic Projections” (SEP), which includes the “dot plot,” four times per year, near the end of each quarter. Today was one of the four in-between meetings when the Fed doesn’t release a SEP.In the SEP from its “very hawkish skip” June meeting, the median projection for the federal funds rate at the end of 2023 was raised by two rate hikes, to 5.625%, meaning an upper limit of the target range of 5.75%. The Fed now has the first of those two rate hikes in the can.And in that SEP’s projections, there was no rate cut for 2023; not a single member projected a rate cut this year. There was nothing in the statement today that changes that. In response to the banking crisis in March, the Fed’s statement on May 3 had discussed its impact on inflation; today’s statement repeats the same language for the second meeting in a row: That the “tighter credit conditions for households and businesses are likely to weigh on economic activity, hiring, and inflation.” And it repeats that “the extent of these effects remains uncertain.”-

FOMC Statement: Raise Rates 25 bp -Fed Chair Powell press conference video here or on YouTube here, starting at 2:30 PM ET. FOMC Statement: Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace. Job gains have been robust in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Inflation remains elevated. The U.S. banking system is sound and resilient. Tighter credit conditions for households and businesses are likely to weigh on economic activity, hiring, and inflation. The extent of these effects remains uncertain. The Committee remains highly attentive to inflation risks. The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run. In support of these goals, the Committee decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 5-1/4 to 5-1/2 percent. The Committee will continue to assess additional information and its implications for monetary policy. In determining the extent of additional policy firming that may be appropriate to return inflation to 2 percent over time, the Committee will take into account the cumulative tightening of monetary policy, the lags with which monetary policy affects economic activity and inflation, and economic and financial developments. In addition, the Committee will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities, as described in its previously announced plans. The Committee is strongly committed to returning inflation to its 2 percent objective. In assessing the appropriate stance of monetary policy, the Committee will continue to monitor the implications of incoming information for the economic outlook. The Committee would be prepared to adjust the stance of monetary policy as appropriate if risks emerge that could impede the attainment of the Committee's goals. The Committee's assessments will take into account a wide range of information, including readings on labor market conditions, inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and financial and international developments.

Without Actually Pronouncing “6%,” Powell Said 6%. Inflation Not Vanquished in June. Even if the Fed Cuts Rates Next Year, QT Could Continue by Wolf Richter - At the post-meeting press conference today, Fed Chair Jerome Powell managed to pull the rug out from under some widely held assumptions:

• QT could continue even if and when rate cuts begin next year.
• Additional rate hikes are on the table – “hikes,” plural, not just one more, as per dot-plot projections from the last meeting. Plural brings the top of the rates to 6%.
• No automatic pauses between hikes (hike-pause-hike-pause). Rate hikes could happen at any of the remaining three FOMC meetings this year, including at the next meeting in September.
• Inflation not vanquished. The “one good reading” of CPI (June) was nice, but “it’s just one reading as everybody knows. We’ve seen this before in the data.”

Powell’s press conference followed the FOMC announcement of a 25-basis-point rate hike to 5.5% at the top of the range, with plural rate hikes still on the table, rather than just one more (I discussed the details here). Neither the statement nor Powell pronounced “6%,” even though Powell seemed to be itching to, but plural means 6%.Rate cuts while QT continues “could happen”: He was asked if the Fed will cut rates next year while continuing QT. “That could happen,” he said. He referred to it as “normalization” of rates being cut toward some normal neutral level while the balance sheet gets trimmed to some normal level.“These are two independent things. The active tool of monetary policy is rates. But you can imagine circumstances in which it would be appropriate to have them working in what might be seen to be different ways, but that wouldn’t be the case.” “We haven’t made a decision to go to [a rate hike] every other meeting. We’re going meeting by meeting. As we go into each meeting, we ask ourselves the same question. We haven’t made any decisions about any future meetings including the pace at which we consider hiking. But we’re going to be assessing the need for further tightening that may be appropriate,” he said. Two more rate hikes to 6% over the next three meetings? “So a more gradual pace doesn’t go immediately to every other meeting. It could be two out of three meetings,” he said. And later he added: “I think it’s possible that we would move at consecutive meetings. We’re not taking that off the table. Or we might not. It really depends on what the data tells us.”“I would say it is certainly possible that we would hike again at the September meeting if the data warranted. And I would also say it’s possible that we would choose to hold steady at that meeting.”“Keep moving” at “the right pace” amid the “uncertainty”: “It’s not an environment where we want to provide a lot of forward guidance. There’s a lot of uncertainty out there. We just want to keep moving at what we think is the right pace. I do think it makes all the sense in the world to slow down as we now make these finely judged decisions. So that’s what we did.”“The worst outcome for everyone would be not to deal with inflation now. Not get it done. Whatever the short-term social costs of getting inflation under control, the longer-term social costs of failing to do so are greater. The historical record is very, very clear on that. If you go through a period where inflation expectations are not anchored, where inflation is volatile and interferes with people’s lives and economic activity, that’s the thing we really need to avoid and will avoid,” he said.People most hurt by inflation: “We think the single most important thing we can do to benefit those very families, especially families at the lower end of the income spectrum, is to get inflation sustainably under control and restore price stability. We think that’s the most important thing we can do and are determined to do that,” he said.“I would point out the people most hurt by inflation right away are people on a low fixed income. When you are talking about travel or transportation costs, heating costs, clothing, foods, things like that, if you’re just making it through each month on your paycheck and prices go up, you are in trouble right away. Even middle-class people have some resources and can absorb inflation. People in the lower end of the income spectrum have a harder time doing that. So we need to get this done. And the record is clear, if we take too long or if we don’t succeed, the pain will only be greater.”Resilience of the economy and inflation: “The strength of the economy overall is a good thing. It’s good to see that, of course. You see consumer confidence coming up and things like that. That will support activity going forward. But you’re right though. At the margins, stronger growth could lead over time to higher inflation and that would require an appropriate response for monetary policy. So we’ll be watching that carefully and seeing how it evolves over time,” he said.The “one good reading” of June CPI: “We did have the one good reading and we welcome that. But it’s just one reading, as everybody knows. We’ve seen this before in the data. Many forecasts call for inflation to remain low, but we just don’t know that until we see the data. So we’ll be focusing on that,” he said. “We’re going to be careful about taking too much signal from a single reading.”Long way to go, not restrictive enough: “What we see are those pieces of the puzzle coming together and we’re seeing evidence of those things now. But what our eyes are telling us is that policy has not been restrictive enough for long enough to have its full desired effects. So we intend to keep policy restrictive until we’re confident that inflation is coming down sustainably to our 2% target. And we’re prepared to further tighten if that is appropriate. We think the process still probably has a long way to go.”In his prepared remarks, Powell also mentioned the long way to go: “Inflation has moderated somewhat since the middle of last year. Nonetheless, the process of getting inflation back down to two percent has a long way to go.”: “We’re going to be looking at the incoming data to inform our decision at the next meeting if we need to do more. If it does tell us to do more, if that’s our view, we will do more.” “We think and most economists think core inflation is a better signal of where headline inflation is going. Headline inflation is affected greatly by volatile energy and food prices. So we would want core inflation to be coming down. Core is signaling where headline is going to go in the future.“Core inflation is still pretty elevated. There’s reason to think it can come down now, but it’s still quite elevated. So we think we need to stay on task. We think we’re going to need to hold policy at a restricted level for some time, and we need to be prepared to raise further if we think that’s appropriate,” he said.

Fed Favored “Core” PCE Price Index Rises 4.1%, Least since Sept 2021, on Drop in Durable Goods. But Monthly Services Inflation Accelerates by Wolf Richter - This is roughly what happened in June compared to May: Prices of motor vehicles, and of durable goods overall, fell in June from May. But gasoline prices rose in June from May, after plunging for seven months in a row. And services prices bounced off on hot inflation in housing, finance & insurance, recreation services, and other services, according to the PCE price index data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis today. So month-to-month, the core PCE price index, which excludes food and energy products, rose by 0.17% in June from May, the smallest increase since July last year, on a big drop in durable goods (-0.3%) and an acceleration of inflation in services (+0.3%). The month-to-month index (green line) is very volatile with big ups and downs. The six-month moving average (red) shows the trend. And the trend is moving in the right direction but remains high (0.34% in June, or 4.2% annualized). Year-over-year, the “core” PCE price index, the inflation measure favored by the Fed, rose by 4.1%, the smallest increase since September 2021, and the first significant deviation from the 4.6%-range that it had maintained over the past six months. The Fed’s target is 2%: The overall PCE price index rose by 3.0% year-over-year, pulled down by the 28% year-over-year plunge in energy prices, which caused the overall PCE price index (green in the chart below) to be under the core PCE price index (red) for the fourth month in a row. Food prices dipped in June from May (-0.12%), which reduced the year-over-year increase to 4.6%, the lowest since September 2021. The energy price spike had peaked in June 2022, and so the year-over-year increase in the overall PCE price index had also peaked in June 2022 at 7.0%. Year-over-year headwinds for the second half. The base effect. Today’s year-over-year comparison is against the base of a year ago, which was the peak of the year-over-year change in the PCE price index, after a very steep run-up of the index itself. And this high base of the index itself a year ago lowers today’s year-over-year increase. But this “base effect” will begin to become less favorable and then unfavorable in the second half of 2023, and will become one of the headwinds for the year-over-year readings later this year. In addition, energy prices stopped plunging and in June rose again from the prior month. Crude oil grade WTI is now back in the $80 range. So, combined with the base effect, energy prices (primarily gasoline) on a year-over-year basis will become an unfavorable factor in the price index in the second half. And then the overall PCE will revert to its normal place near core PCE. Services inflation in June accelerated from the prior month, to 0.28% (annualized 3.4%), driven by much sharper increases among the usual suspects, with a combined increase when annualized at over 5%:

• Housing costs: +0.44%, the biggest month-to-month increase since February
• Financial services and insurance: +0.40%
• Recreation services: +0.53%
• Other services: +0.54%.

What helped keep the services index from blowing out was the sharp drop in prices of transportation services: -0.37%.

Fed staff drop US recession forecast, Powell says (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday the central bank's staff no longer forecasts a U.S. recession, and "we do have a shot" for inflation to return to target without high levels of job losses. Powell told a news conference after the Fed's latest interest-rate hike that there was "a lot left to go to" see such a soft landing. "So the staff now has a noticeable slowdown in growth starting later this year in the forecast, but given the resilience of the economy recently, they are no longer forecasting a recession," he said. Fed staff last November introduced the notion that a recession might be "almost as likely" as their baseline outlook at the time for below-trend growth, minutes of Fed meetings show. In March, on the heels of the banking sector upheaval that had just been triggered by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank earlier that month, they shifted to outright forecasting "a mild recession" later this year. The shift by staff to a less pessimistic baseline outcome for the economy dovetails with outlook upgrades by a number of private-sector economists in recent weeks who have done the same in acknowledgment of the economy's resilience in the face of Fed 5.25 percentage points of rate increases since March 2022. Many who had placed a low probability on the Fed achieving a "soft landing" now see that as the likelier outcome than recession. Indeed, the consensus estimate among economists polled by Reuters is that Thursday's first reading of gross domestic product for the April-through-June period will show output grew at a 1.8% annualized rate, more or less on par with the 2% rate logged in the first three months of the year. Fed policymakers themselves slightly upgraded their assessment of activity alongside their rate hike decision on Wednesday. They described recent activity as indicating a "moderate" rate of growth, whereas in policy statements dating back to last September they referred to activity growth as "modest."

US economy unexpectedly accelerated to a 2.4% growth rate in April-June quarter despite Fed hikes - — The U.S. economy surprisingly accelerated to a 2.4% annual growth rate from April through June, showing continued resilience in the face of steadily higher interest rates resulting from the Federal Reserve’s 16-month-long fight to bring down inflation. Thursday’s estimate from the Commerce Department indicated that the gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods and services — picked up from the 2% growth rate in the January-March quarter. Last quarter’s expansion was well above the 1.5% annual rate that economists had forecast. Driving last quarter’s growth was a burst of business investment. Excluding housing, business spending surged at a 7.7% annual rate, the fastest such pace since early 2022. Companies plowed more money into factories and equipment. Increased spending by state and local governments also helped fuel the economy’s expansion in the April-June quarter. Consumer spending, the heart of the nation’s economy, was also solid last quarter, though it slowed to a 1.6% annual rate from a robust 4.2% pace in the first quarter of the year. Investment in housing, though, fell, weakened by the weight of higher mortgage rates. “This is a strong report, confirming that this economy continues to largely shrug off the Fed’s aggressive rate increases and tightening credit conditions,’’ said Olu Sonola, head of U.S. economics at Fitch Ratings. “The bottom line is that the U.S. economy is still growing above trend, and the Fed will be wondering if they need to do more to slow this economy.” In fighting inflation, which last year hit a four-decade high, the Fed has raised its benchmark rate 11 times since March 2022, most recently on Wednesday. The resulting higher costs for a broad range of loans — from mortgages and credit cards to auto loans and business borrowing — have taken a toll on growth. Still, they have yet to tip the United States into a widely forecast recession. Optimism has been growing that a recession isn’t coming after all, that the Fed can engineer a so-called “soft-landing” — slowing the economy enough to bring inflation down to its 2% annual target without wrecking an expansion of surprising durability. This week, the International Monetary Fund upgraded its forecast for U.S. economic growth for all of 2023 to 1.8%. Though that would be down from 2.1% growth for 2022, it marked an increase from the 1.6% growth that the IMF had predicted for 2023 back in April. At a news conference Wednesday after the Fed announced its latest quarter-point rate hike, Chair Jerome Powell revealed that the central bank’s staff economists no longer foresee a recession in the United States. In April, the minutes of the central bank’s March meeting had revealed that the Fed’s staff economists envisioned a “mild” recession later this year. In his remarks, Powell noted that the economy has proved resilient despite the Fed’s rapid rate hikes. And he said he still thinks a soft landing remains possible.

BEA: Real GDP increased at 2.4% Annualized Rate in Q2 - From the BEA: Gross Domestic Product, Second Quarter 2023 (Advance Estimate) Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.4 percent in the second quarter of 2023, according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the first quarter, real GDP increased 2.0 percent. The increase in real GDP reflected increases in consumer spending, nonresidential fixed investment, state and local government spending, private inventory investment, and federal government spending that were partly offset by decreases in exports and residential fixed investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, decreased. The increase in consumer spending reflected increases in both services and goods. Within services, the leading contributors to the increase were housing and utilities, health care, financial services and insurance, and transportation services. Within goods, the increase was led by recreational goods and vehicles as well as gasoline and other energy goods. The increase in nonresidential fixed investment reflected increases in equipment, structures, and intellectual property products. The increase in state and local spending reflected increases in compensation of state and local government employees and gross investment in structures. The increase in private inventory investment reflected increases in both farm and nonfarm inventories. Compared to the first quarter, the acceleration in GDP in the second quarter primarily reflected an upturn in private inventory investment and an acceleration in nonresidential fixed investment. These movements were partly offset by a downturn in exports, and decelerations in consumer spending, federal government spending, and state and local government spending. Imports turned down. PCE increased at a 1.6% annual rate, and residential investment decreased at a 4.2% rate. The advance Q2 GDP report, with 2.4% annualized increase, was above expectations.

U.S. economic growth defies forecasts, in boost for ‘Bidenomics’ - U.S. economic growth accelerated in the second quarter of the year, surpassing analysts’ forecasts and bolstering the Biden administration’s argument that the expansion is gaining strength. The government said Thursday that GDP grew 2.4 percent at an annualized pace from April through June, the latest good news for the White House this week after both Federal Reserve economists and the Congressional Budget Office predicted the U.S. would avert a recession this year. As President Joe Biden heads into the election season, his stewardship of the economy looms as one of the biggest issues, with polls showing voters giving him low marks even as the White House credits his policies for the surprising resilience of the job market and rising consumer confidence. “This is another one of those inside-Washington ‘Bidenomics’ wins — you get a very resilient household sector and a private domestic economy that looks actually quite solid,” said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at the accounting firm RSM. 'Middle out, bottom up': What does 'Bidenomics' really mean? SharePlay Video “If one was looking for the definition of resilience, it would be the American economy,” he said, adding that it “continues to defy expectations.” The rate of growth exceeded the 2 percent expansion notched in the first quarter of the year. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal expected GDP — the broadest measure of domestic production — to grow by 1.5 percent in the second quarter. The first estimate of second-quarter growth from the Commerce Department comes a day after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told reporters that Fed staff are no longer forecasting a recession this year. Still, the Fed hiked interest rates again on Wednesday, the 11th time since March 2022, to the highest level in more than two decades in a bid to tame inflation. Increases in consumer spending, nonresidential fixed investment, private inventory investment and government spending at the state, local and federal levels drove the increase in GDP, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Exports and residential fixed investment decreased. While a tight labor market has spurred wage growth and low unemployment, inflation — which hit its highest level in four decades last year before slowly starting to come down in response to aggressive Fed rate hikes – and high borrowing costs have dampened many voters’ view of the economy. Just over 38 percent of Americans approve of Biden’s economic management while nearly 58 percent disapprove, according to a RealClear Politics average of polls conducted over the last month. Overall inflation rose 3 percent on an annual basis in June — the lowest level since March 2021 — the government reported this month. Powell on Wednesday demurred on the pace of future rate hikes. “For a number of reasons, I think we’re going to see a meaningful improvement in the inflation path in the back half of this year, and I think that’s the decisive issue for the Fed,” said David Mericle, chief U.S. economist at Goldman Sachs Research.

Businesses, Governments Join the Drunken Sailors. Consumers Still in Party-Mode: Tough to See a Slowdown in this Scenario by Wolf Richter - GDP, adjusted for inflation (“real GDP”), jumped by 2.4% in Q2 from Q1, following the heavily upwardly revised 2.0% increase in Q1, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis today. All major categories, adjusted for inflation, increased:

• Consumer spending rose by 1.6%, after the upwardly revised 4.2% surge in Q1.
• Government spending rose by 2.6%, driven by surge at state and local governments.
• Gross private investment surged by 5.7%, the biggest increase since 2021, after a series of big drops, including an 11.7% plunge in Q1. That was a huge swing, driven by nonresidential investments.
• The trade deficit got a little less horrible, on a big drop in imports. So it subtracted a little less from GDP.
• Change in private inventory investment added a hair to GDP (+0.1 percentage points).

- “Nominal GDP” (not adjusted for inflation) jumped by 6.3% to $26.8 trillion annualized. This is the actual size of the US economy, expressed in “current” dollars. By contrast, “real GDP” (the inflation-adjusted figures here), expressed in “2012 dollars,” came to $20.4 trillion. All figures below are adjusted for inflation via 2012 dollars. Consumer spending on goods and services rose by 1.6% annualized and adjusted for inflation, after the upwardly revised 4.2% surge in Q1. So average them out, and that’s where this is going. Consumer spending accounts for 70% of GDP. Year-over-year, consumer spending rose 2.3%, adjusted for inflation, which is above the 2019 growth rates and right in the range of the Good Times years before the pandemic. Spending on goods still rose at 0.7%, after the 6.0% surge in Q1, despite the massive shift of spending from goods to services. Spending on services rose by 2.1%, adjusted for inflation, with consumers easily out-splurging inflation in services (with “core” services CPI at 6.2%!). Spending on services accounted for 62% of consumer spending. Government consumption and investment rose by 2.6% to a new record, and the fourth quarter in a row of increases, after five quarters in a row of declines. Federal government: +0.9% (national defense -1.1%, nondefense +2.5%). State and local governments: +3.6%, driven by an increase in wages for government employees. Government consumption and investment does not include transfer payments and other direct payments to consumers (stimulus payments, unemployment payments, Social Security payments, etc.), which are counted in GDP when consumers and businesses spend or invest these funds. Gross private domestic investment jumped by 5.7%, after the 11.9% plunged in the prior quarter. The plunges in the prior quarters had worked off the entire pandemic spike and overshot on the way down, which had dragged down GDP. In Q2, investment perked back up, heading back to trend. Gross private domestic investment jumped by 5.7%, after the 11.9% plunged in the prior quarter. The plunges in the prior quarters had worked off the entire pandemic spike and overshot on the way down, which had dragged down GDP. In Q2, investment perked back up, heading back to trend.

• Nonresidential fixed investments: +7.7%:
  • Structures: +9.7%.
  • Equipment: +10.8%.
  • Intellectual property products (software, movies, etc.): +3.9%.
• Residential fixed investment: -4.2% (-4.0% in Q1, -25.1% in Q4).

The Trade Deficit (“net exports”) in goods & services got a little less horrible:

• Exports fell 10.8%.
• Imports fell 7.8%.

Imports subtract from GDP. So falling imports in Q2 boosted GDP. Exports add to GDP. So falling exports subtracted from GDP. On net, the trade deficit – the negative “net exports” – is a negative for GDP. In Q2, it was just a tad less horrible than in Q1, so it subtracted just a tad less from GDP. The massive trade deficit during the pandemic was caused by a historic stimulus-driven buying binge of goods in the US, a lot of which were imported, or whose components were imported. The trade deficit is now back to its normal horrible trend: Change in private inventories added 0.1 percentage points to GDP. Changes in inventories count as a business investment. Inventories ticked up just a hair in Q2, to $2.94 trillion, in inflation-adjusted dollars. You can see the inventory shortages that had caused a spike in goods inflation and that ended in the second half of 2022, when restocking efforts began to bear fruit:

The federal government could shut down in October. Here’s how and why. - Congress managed to raise the debt limit this year to prevent a U.S. government default. Lawmakers are working to reach agreement on next year’s budget by Sept. 30 to prevent a federal shutdown. The House could begin voting as soon as this week on some of the spending bills to fund the government for next year; the Senate is working on the bills, too. The debt ceiling deal, reached in May by President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), specified that most of the federal government should be funded at essentially flat levels for the next two years. But some House Republicans say that bipartisan agreement only means the government won’t spend more than the caps — and that spending less is just fine. Many GOP leaders are pushing to limit funding for the 2024 fiscal year to what the budget was in 2022, which would mean a $115 billion cut that Democrats reject. “The agreement reached on the debt limit set a number for appropriations for upcoming fiscal year, but that number is looked at by the Senate as the floor and looked at by the House as the ceiling,” said Bill Hoagland, senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank. Republicans control the House of Representatives, while Democrats control the Senate. “There’s still a lot of differences.” A government shutdown would not be as calamitous as breaching the debt ceiling, but it would affect hundreds of thousands of federal workers and, depending on how long it lasts, potentially impact the broader U.S. economy. Roughly 800,000 federal workers missed two consecutive paychecks during the longest government shutdown in 2019, amid a rift between President Donald Trump and House Democrats over funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall. A government shutdown can also interfere with critical federal services, such as food safety inspections and the operations of the Internal Revenue Service. For now, aides on Capitol Hill of both major parties remain confident an agreement will be reached in time. But that could change if the deadline draws closer without a deal. Congress and the Biden administration have until Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown. That’s when the federal fiscal year ends, and the 2024 fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Lawmakers are trying to approve 12 appropriations bills, each of which funds a different part of the federal government. In many recent years, some or all of these 12 different bills have been rolled into a single “omnibus” package and approved together. But McCarthy promised conservatives that in return for their support for his bid to become speaker, the House would handle each bill on its own. Any parts of the government funded by appropriations bills that haven’t passed and been signed into law by the Sept. 30 deadline could shut down. So far, none has passed the full House or the full Senate.

White House says Biden will veto Republican-backed bills over spending cuts - (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden would veto Republican-backed defense, health and agriculture spending bills if he were presented with them, the White House said on Monday, alleging House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy was backing away from spending levels agreed to in a debt-limit deal. McCarthy and House Republicans were pushing cuts the Biden administration could not accept, the White House said in a statement on Monday. "The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 4366, making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year (FY) ending September 30, 2024 and for other purposes," the White House said. "If the President were presented with H.R. 4366, he would veto it." On a separate agriculture and health spending bill which Biden also threatens to veto, the White House said the legislation included provisions that would have "devastating consequences" like cutting access to reproductive healthcare, cutting climate change initiatives and curtailing the safety of the LGBT community.

House GOP notches early win in bid to unite party on spending — but pitfalls remain - House Republicans notched an initial victory on Wednesday in their push to win over enough conservatives to pass their slate of government spending measures — with a Sept. 30 shutdown deadline looming ahead. GOP leaders successfully appeased conservatives who hold the fate of the party’s spending bills in their hands, as the House voted to start floor debate on a package that would fund veterans programs and military construction. But the rest of Republicans’ spending proposals are in limbo as Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s leadership team tries to close out a deal with members of the House Freedom Caucus who are seeking austere cuts to bills that were already severely slashed and stocked with contentious policy changes. Conservatives huddled in McCarthy’s office ahead of the vote to tee up the veterans spending bill, which Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) called the “first test” of whether the Republican conference can unify on funding. “Like most things in Washington, everything goes down to the final minute,” Donalds said. As those talks continued, Republican leaders privately circulated a list of cuts that would bring the spending measures closer to the $1.47 trillion total for non-defense spending that conservatives are demanding. The cuts balance out billions of dollars GOP leaders want to claw back from money Congress already approved — a move that conservatives see as a ploy, not real spending reduction. It’s a risky overture for House GOP leaders, who could alienate as many Republicans as they appease. Senior House Republicans are starting to openly chafe at their leaders’ agreement to more draconian cuts. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) said if he’s forced to make those kinds of cuts to this own bill, he might as well “drop it on the floor and stomp on it.” “What else do you do? You can’t make logical cuts,” Simpson said. Asked if it was a realistic process, he said: “No, and besides that, why would you do it? It’s not going to become law.” And on the other side, some Freedom Caucus members say they’re still unconvinced about whether the bills can be further pared back. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a member of the conservative bloc, said a broader spending agreement still needs to be “consummated.” The conservative holdouts in the spending impasse have benefited from the ticking clock: They delivered their ultimatum on more cuts in the last days before the House is scheduled to adjourn for a six-week break. Before lawmakers leave Washington, GOP leaders are eager to notch passage of spending bills to show unity ahead of a September shutdown clash with the Democratic Senate.

House GOP approves first government funding bill amid intense spending fight --House Republicans on Thursday passed their first government funding bill, overcoming an initial hurdle in Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) attempts to wrangle the GOP conference to approve all 12 appropriations bills amid intense pressure from conservatives to lower spending levels. The bill — which allocates funding for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and related agencies — passed in a 219-211 vote. Two Republicans — Reps. Tim Burchett (Tenn.) and Ken Buck (Colo.) — voted with every Democrat against the measure. The package now heads to the Senate, where it is dead on arrival. Senate appropriators are marking up their spending bills at levels different from the House GOP measures, setting the scene for a chamber vs. chamber showdown in the fall. Lawmakers have until Sept. 30 to send President Biden legislation to fund the government or risk a shutdown. In an effort to appease conservatives, House GOP appropriations marked up their spending bills at fiscal 2022 levels, below the caps set in the debt ceiling deal struck by President Biden and McCarthy. The Senate, on the other hand, is considering its appropriations measures at levels in line with the debt limit agreement. Republicans have also pursued amendments Democrats have blasted as “poison pills” in the military construction bill and the other 12 annual funding bills, including policies targeting the Biden administration’s orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as restricting abortion access. While Republican leaders saw success Thursday in mustering enough support to pass the Milcon-VA bill, they were also forced to punt consideration of another appropriations bill amid internal divisions over spending and a controversial provision. The chamber was scheduled to vote on funding legislation for agriculture, rural development and the Food and Drug Administration this week, but party leaders scrapped those plans Thursday afternoon as disagreements continued to plague the measure’s passage. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) announced on the floor Thursday that the final votes this week would be in the afternoon.

Cori Bush yells at Steve Scalise on House floor: ‘Your bills are racist’ - Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) yelled at House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) on the House floor on Thursday, calling Republicans’ funding bills “racist,” after GOP lawmakers passed the first of 12 annual appropriations bills. “Your bills are racist,” Bush yelled out, as Scalise touted the passage of the legislation allocating funding for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs and related agencies. The comment was met with outcries from Republican lawmakers in the chamber and calls to strike Bush’s words from the official record. However, the Missouri Democrat remained unapologetic about the outburst, tweeting, “I said what I said,” with a shrugging emoji shortly after the incident. The Milcon-VA bill passed in a 219-211 vote Thursday, with every Democrat and two Republicans — Reps. Tim Burchett (Tenn.) and Ken Buck (Colo.) — voting against the measure. The House legislation is virtually dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where appropriators are marking up their own spending bills.

House GOP leaders to start recess early after being forced to punt funding bill - House Republican leaders punted plans to pass an appropriations bill to fund agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to September amid internal discord about funding levels and policy gripes, canceling Friday floor votes and starting August recess a day early. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) announced on the House floor that votes would no longer be expected Friday. “We will be finished for the August work period” after last votes Thursday afternoon, Scalise said. The move to punt the bill comes as House conservatives have pressured GOP leaders to further slash the funding levels in the bill — and in other funding bills. Moderate lawmakers, meanwhile, have taken issue with a provision in the ag-FDA legislation that would limit access to an abortion pill. Punting a bill sets up a September scramble to fund the government after the House returns from a six-week recess. The House is scheduled to be in session for just 12 days before a Sept. 30 funding deadline. Senate appropriators are also marking up spending bills at levels higher than the House GOP is, laying the foundation for a clash between the two chambers in the fall. Indications that the ag-FDA bill would be punted emerged Wednesday, when the House Rules Committee — which had been preparing the bill to come to the floor — did not come back to finish considering legislation Wednesday evening as negotiations between conservatives and leadership continued.Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House GOP appropriators had already agreed to set overall top-line spending levels lower than the caps set out in the debt limit bill that McCarthy negotiated with President Biden. That infuriated Democrats, who pledge to vote against the House funding bills — leaving McCarthy in the difficult position of getting the slim GOP majority on board with the bills to pass them alone.The House on Thursday passed its first appropriations bill to fund military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs largely along party lines. Another point of contention in the ag-FDA bill is a provision that would nullify a Biden administration rule allowing the abortion pill mifepristone to be sold in retail pharmacies and by mail with prescriptions from a certified health care provider. Moderate Republicans have been vocal in their opposition to the provision, warning that they will not support the bill unless it is stripped. But one GOP lawmaker suggested those who object to the mifepristone measure are in no hurry to take it out because it gives them a reason to “delay the whole damn thing” amid disagreement with the Freedom Caucus members and other conservatives pushing for cuts. “Freedom Caucus wants deeper cuts, we can’t possibly accept that,” the GOP lawmaker told The Hill.

US Government Shutdown Threatened as Congress Leaves for August Recess - The US House budget process ground to a sudden halt Thursday amid simmering conflicts over spending levels and hot-button social issues, raising the risk of a government shutdown ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline. Lawmakers in the House and Senate are leaving Washington this week for an extended August recess with budget disagreements entirely unresolved.

House to leave for August recess without resolving key spending fight, as government shutdown threat looms in fall -- The House will leave on Thursday for August recess without resolving a key spending fight that has exposed divisions among Republicans with the threat of a government shutdown looming in the fall. In a sign of how difficult the road ahead will be, House Republicans were unable to pass an agriculture funding bill this week as hardline conservatives pushed for deep spending cuts that even some members of their own party balked at, and moderates expressed concerns over a controversial provision related to abortion. The House had been expected to pass the bill – to fund the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and other related agencies – this week, but the internal GOP divisions derailed the effort. The House did pass a separate spending bill for military construction and veterans affairs before leaving town by a vote of 219 to 211.Asked by CNN about the issues with the agriculture funding bill, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said that “negotiations are ongoing, and we’ll have those through August. Conversations will continue.” Government funding is set to expire at the end of September – and the GOP-controlled House is already on track for a showdown with the Democrat-controlled Senate with House Republicans pushing for lower spending levels. Republicans acknowledge they’ll likely need to pass a short-term stopgap measure to give them more time to finish the work of funding the government this fall.And some hardline members are signaling that they’d be comfortable with the prospect of a government shutdown if it achieves their goal of slashing spending and driving down the national debt – though they insist that a shutdown is not the goal.“We should not fear a government shutdown,” GOP Rep. Bob Good of Virginia said at a news conference this week. “Most of what we do up here is bad anyway.”

Feinstein told ‘just say aye’ at vote - Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) had what appeared to be a moment of confusion Thursday as she began delivering a speech instead of voting during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing. During a roll call vote on the defense appropriations bill Thursday morning, Feinstein started to give a speech in support of the measure. Shortly after, a staffer and committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) cut her off, asking her to simply “say aye.” “I would like to support a yes vote on this, it provides $823 billion. That’s an increase of $26 billion for the Department of Defense and it funds priorities submitted…” Feinstein said as a staffer cut her off and told her, “Just vote ‘Aye.’” “Just say ‘Aye,’” Murray added. “Aye,” Feinstein said eventually. A Feinstein spokesperson attributed the moment to a markup that was “a little chaotic.” “Trying to complete all of the appropriations bills before recess, the committee markup this morning was a little chaotic, constantly switching back and forth between statements, votes, and debate and the order of bills. The senator was preoccupied, didn’t realize debate had just ended and a vote was called. She started to give a statement, was informed it was a vote and then cast her vote,” the spokesperson said.

US Marines Activate First Missile Battery Previously Banned by INF Treaty - The US Marines Corps has activated its first Tomahawk cruise missile battery, a system previously banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which the US withdrew from in 2019.The INF treaty banned ground-launch missile systems with a range between 310 to 3,400 miles. The new Marines Corps missile battery will use Tomahawk missiles with a range of about 1,000 miles.According to USNI News, the battery is the first of four Long-Range Missile (LMSL) batteries the Marines plan to procure. The first battery was activated at a base in California. The batteries will likely eventually be deployed in Japan or other areas in Asia where the missiles can reach China.The US withdrew from the INF treaty over claims that Russia violated the agreement by developing the 9M729 cruise missile. Moscow insisted the 9M729 complied with the INF, but the Trump administration denied Russia’s claim and tore up the treaty.Russia also accused the US of potentially violating the INF by establishing Aegis Ashore missile defense systems in Romania and Poland. The systems use Mk-41 vertical launchers, which can fit Tomahawk missiles.The new battery activated by the Marines uses an Mk-41 launch system cell, demonstrating that the Russian concerns about the Aegis Systems are not unfounded. The US formally exited the INF treaty on August 2, 2019, and began testing INF-range missiles with ground-based Mk-41 launchers just a few weeks later.

US Announces $400 Million Arms Package for Ukraine - The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a new $400 million weapons package for Ukraine that includes ammunition for artillery and air defense systems, anti-tank weapons, and other types of equipment.The arms are being provided through the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the administration to send weapons to Ukraine directly from US military stockpiles. The Pentagon said in a press release that the package is the 43rd drawdown from US stockpiles for Ukraine since August 2021.According to the Pentagon, the arms package includes the following:

• Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS)
• Stinger anti-aircraft systems
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)
• 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds
• 120mm and 60mm mortar rounds
• 32 Stryker Armored Personnel Carriers
• Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles
• Javelin and other anti-armor systems and rockets
• Hornet Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Hydra-70 aircraft rockets
• Tactical air navigation systems
• Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing
• Over 28 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades
• Night vision devices and thermal imagery systems
• Spare parts, training munitions, and other field equipment

The Pentagon also released a fact sheet that said the administration has pledged more than $43 billion in military equipment for Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. The funds for the new weapons package are being drawn from spending that has already been authorized for the war, which at this point totals $113 billion.The new package comes amid warnings from US and other Western officials that NATO stockpiles are running low, raising questions about the sustainability of President Biden’s proxy war against Russia. The US has provided Ukraine with an enormous amount of ammunition, including over two million rounds of 155mm artillery shells. The administration cited the fact that the US was running out of ammunition as an excuse to arm Ukraine with cluster bombs, which are widely banned due to the extreme harm they cause civilians. Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed Ukraine would be “defenseless” without the civilian-killing munitions.

Russia Accuses Ukraine of Killing Journalist With US Cluster Bombs - Russia on Saturday accused Ukrainian forces of killing a Russian journalistin the southern Zaporizhzhia region using US-provided cluster munitions, which are widely banned due to the harm they cause civilians.The Russian Defense Ministry said that Rostislav Zhuravlev, a reporter for Russia’s RIA news agency, was killed, and three other journalists were wounded by a Ukrainian artillery attack.Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the responsibility for the journalist’s death “will also be shared by those who have sent cluster munitions,” referring to the US.The US has said that Ukraine is already using US-provided cluster munitions, but the Russian claim that cluster bombs killed Zhuravlev is not confirmed. On Sunday, the Russian investigative Committee announced a probe into his death.The committee accused Ukrainian forces of “purposefully” firing at a group of Russian journalists but did not specifically mention cluster munitions in an announcement of the investigation on its website.There have been other reports from Russian and Russian-backed officials about Ukraine using US-provided cluster munitions. A spokesman for law enforcement agencies in Luhansk claimed Sunday that Ukrainian forces were using them in the region.“The enemy has begun to use foreign-made cluster munitions in the LPR. They hit the village of Zolotarevka. Data on casualties is being verified,” the official said, according to the Russian news agency TASS.The White House said on July 20 that Ukrainian forces were using cluster munitions “quite effectively.” In February 2022, the White House said the use of cluster bombs in Ukraine would “potentially be a war crime.”

It’s Not The Really Blatant Propaganda That Gets You – Caitlin Johnstone -- One of my favorite follows on Twitter right now is a smallish account run by an anti-imperialist activist who goes by “Left I on the News”, because he has a real knack for going through articles in the mainstream press and highlighting the mundane little manipulations we’re fed each day to shape our worldview in alignment with the US empire. One story he singled out recently was a New York Times article titled “Russia Fires Drones and Missiles at Southern Ukraine,” which opens with the line, “Russian forces launched drones and missiles at cities in southern Ukraine from the Black Sea early Tuesday, Ukrainian officials said, a day after Moscow blamed Kyiv for an attack on a bridge linking the occupied Crimean Peninsula to Russia.” Can you spot anything funny in that sentence? It’s not super obvious at first glance. “Look how the NYT phrases this subhead to make Russia sound extra evil,” Left I tweeted with a screenshot of the article. “Not ‘a day after Kyiv attacked the Kerch Bridge’, but a day after Russia blamed them for doing it (as if it’s just some wild accusation). Remember — the most effective propaganda is the subtlest.”“The most effective propaganda is the subtlest” is a phrase you should try to remember, because it’s so very true.It is indeed ridiculous to try to frame this as some wild accusation by Russia, as though Moscow should have remained open to the possibility that the bridge was struck by Bolivia or Nepal. CNN reports that Ukrainian officials have taken credit for the attack, and just days ago Ukraine’s deputy defense minister publicly acknowledged that Ukraine was behind last year’s attack on the very same bridge. No serious person doubts that Ukraine was behind the attack, including those who support Ukraine.But that subtle manipulation didn’t really stand out when you first saw it, did it?As we’ve discussed previously, these subtle little adjustments of perception are what constitutes the vast majority of the propaganda westerners ingest through the news media from day to day. This is because the really overt, ham-fisted propaganda isn’t what’s effective; what’s effective is those sneaky little lies that slide in unchecked underneath people’s critical thinking faculties.

State Department Says US Won't Cut Military Aid for Israel After Judicial Overhaul Vote - While the Biden administration has expressed concern about the judicial overhaul being pushed forward by the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it has made clear US military aid to Israel will not be affected. “There is not going to be any cut or stoppage of military aid, and that is because our commitment to Israel and our commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad. Our decades-long partnership with Israel is ironclad,” State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said Tuesday, according toYnet. The US provides Israel with $3.8 billion in military aid each year.Patel’s comments came a day after Israel’s Knesset voted to abolish Israel’s “reasonableness standard,” eliminating the Supreme Court’s ability to block government decisions it deems unreasonable. The law passed amid massive demonstrations against the plan in a vote of 64-0, as the opposition did not vote in protest.“It is clear that the legislation has consequences for people’s day-to-day lives, and that is why we said that such changes in democracy require a broad consensus,” Patel said.Last week, President Biden signaled the judicial overhaul could impact the “special relationship” between the US and Israel. But after the vote, the administration was quick to assure Israel that it had full military support from the US. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, by phone on Tuesday. “Secretary Austin made clear that US commitment to Israel’s security is steadfast and unwavering, and affirmed that the Department of Defense is focused on initiatives that deepen military cooperation,” the Pentagon said in a readout of the call. The Netanyahu government’s recent bombing campaign in Gaza and massive raids in the West Bank have also not impacted US military aid, as the US has supported the operations. The violence has killed over 200 Palestinians this year in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.

U.S. Sending More Warships, Marines to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions With Iran - WSJ - Washington has dispatched forces to region over past three months to discourage Iran’s ) The U.S. military said it was sending additional warships and Marines to the Middle East in an effort to deter Iran from seizing more ships in the region.

US Sanctions Blocked UN Earthquake Rescue System in Syria - A life-saving United Nations mapping system to coordinate rescue efforts was blocked in Syria by US sanctions following a devastating earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey on February 6, Middle East Eye reported on Wednesday.The system, known as the Insarag Coordination & Management System (ICMS), uses a cloud-based mapping platform to help rescuers log details of their efforts and share other information.The mapping platform the ICMS uses is called ArcGIS, which is provided by a California-based company, the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). According to ESRI’s website, its technology is prohibited in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, and Belarus due to US sanctions. It’s also blocked in Crimea and the Donetsk People’s Republic, and Luhansk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine.Rescuers could use the ICMS in neighboring Turkey, but the service was blocked in Syria during the critical first days of rescue operations. The USissued a 180-day sanctions exemption for “all transactions related to earthquake relief efforts” on February 9, but it’s unclear from the MEEreport if the ICMS ever became accessible in Syria.US sanctions are also impeding Syrian efforts to rebuild earthquake-damaged cities as they are specifically designed to prevent Syria’s reconstruction after over 10 years of war. While US sanctions technically have exemptions for humanitarian goods and services, companies typically cut off all services with sanctioned countries because they don’t want to risk running afoul of the US measures. The MEE report said that the ICMS is inaccessible in Iran, which is a very earthquake-prone country.Like in other nations, US sanctions on Iran have had a devastating impact on the country’s civilian population. UN experts said earlier this year that US and other Western sanctions are causing more deaths of Iranians with thalassemia, a congenital blood disorder that requires specialized medicine.

US, Australia Launch Largest-Ever Joint Military Exercise - The US and Australia on Friday launched the largest-ever iteration of their Talisman Sabre exercise as the US is increasingly focused on building alliances in the Asia Pacific against China.The Talisman Sabre started in 2005 as a biennial exercise between the US and Australia. This year’s iteration involves participants from 11 other countries and over 30,000 military personnel.US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro spoke at the opening ceremony on Friday and said the massive drills served as a warning to China. “The most important message that China can take from this exercise and anything that our allies and partners do together is that we are extremely tied by the core values that exist among our many nations together,” he said at a naval base in Sydney.In a symbolic gesture to demonstrate the growing military ties between the US and Australia, the US on Saturday commissioned a naval vessel in Sydney, the USS Canberra, an Independence-class littoral combat ship. It marked the first time the US ever commissioned a US Navy ship was commissioned in a foreign port.Del Toro has previously said that the US Navy envisions turning Australia into a full-service submarine hub for the US and its allies in the region under the AUKUS military pact that was signed between the US, Britain, and Australia in 2021 that will result in Canberra acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.The US and Australia were joined in the Talisman Sabre exercises by militaries from Fiji, France, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Britain, Canada, and Germany. Personnel from the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand are attending as observers.The exercises involve live-fire drills and will conclude on August 4. A Chinese naval vessel was spotted surveilling the drills, which Australian military officials said have happened since 2017.

Austin Meets With Papua New Guinea Leaders About Boosting Military Ties - Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with leaders in Papua New Guinea on Thursday to discuss expanding military ties after the two countries signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement that will give the US access to bases in the Pacific Island nation. The two nations also signed a maritime surveillance agreement allowing the US Coast Guard to patrol Papua New Guinea’s Exclusive Economic Zone, which extends 200 nautical miles from its coast. Austin announced that a US Coast Guard Cutter would be arriving in August.PNG Prime Minister James Marape has faced some domestic backlash for inking the DCA, which has yet to be ratified by the country’s parliament. At a press conference with Austin, Marape insisted the deal was not about the US preparing for a future war with China.Marape noted that the US has military bases much closer to China and Taiwan. “They have bases in Philippines, in Korea, elsewhere, much closer to China than PNG. My audience here in PNG are quite hyper-sensitive to these sort of questions, and they may misconstrue that Secretary Austin and the US defense is building up an offensive base,” he said.Despite Marape’s assurances, US military officials have made clear that they are expanding in the Pacific to prepare for a future war with China. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, commander of the US Pacific Air Forces, recently told Nikkei Asia that the purpose of expanding in the region was to give China more areas it would need to target in a potential conflict.

US Tests Cargo Plane Missile System in the Pacific in Message to China - The US Air Force tested a new missile system in the Pacific that gives cargo planes the ability to launch long-range cruise missiles that are normally fired by large bombers. The system, known as the Rapid Dragon, allows C-130 and C-17 cargo planes to drop a missile contained in a pallet with a parachute. The Rapid Dragon was tested by the US near Norway last year, which a US military official described as an “intentional provocation” aimed at Russia.The latest test of the Rapid Dragon was aimed at China as it was conducted during the Mobility Guardian 2023 drills, which were held across the Indo-Pacific, although it’s not clear where in the region the missile was launched. The large-scale exercises involved military detachments fromAustralia, Canada, France, Japan, the UK, and New Zealand.Gen. Mike Minihan, the head of Air Mobility Command, said the Rapid Dragon system means US cargo planes could be just as much of a threat as bombers. “Now the adversary has an infinitely higher problem to worry about. [They] don’t need to worry just about the bombers, [they] have to worry about this C-130 and every other C-130 on the planet,” he toldAviation Week.“C-130s can do it. All of our partners and allies fly them, so you can give the adversary an infinite amount of dilemmas that they need to worry about,” Minihan added.

Blinken Slams China as 'Predatory' and 'Problematic' in Tonga Visit - Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Pacific Island nation of Tongafor the first time on Wednesday and took aim at China, blasting Beijing’s activities in the region as “predatory” and “problematic.”“As China’s engagement in the region has grown, there has been some — from our perspective — increasingly problematic behavior,” Blinken said at a joint press conference with Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku.He warned against Chinese investments, claiming Beijing was behind “some predatory economic activities, and also investments that are done in a way that can actually undermine good governance and promote corruption.” Tonga is located about 1,000 miles north of New Zealand and consists of about 170 islands with a population of just over 100,000. Blinken’s trip marks the first official visit to Tonga by a US Secretary of State as the US is looking to boost ties with Pacific Island nations as part of its strategy against China.

US Forces in Niger Assessing the Situation After Coup - US forces in Niger are restricting their movement and assessing the situation following a military coup that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, NBC News reported Thursday, citing two unnamed Pentagon officials. A group of Nigerien soldiers appeared on TV Wednesday saying that they ousted Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021. “The defense and security forces … have decided to put an end to the regime you are familiar with,” said Maj. Col. Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the group that took power, which calls itself the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland.The following day, Niger’s military released a statement saying that it supported the coup. “The military command of the Nigerien armed forces has decided to subscribe to the declaration by the Defence and Security Forces in order to avoid a deadly confrontation between the various forces,” said a statement signed by Niger’s armed forces chief of staff, Gen. Abdou Sidikou Issa.The US condemned the military takeover and is backing Bazoum but has stopped short of formally calling it a coup as that would require cutting off aid to the country. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did warn that the US partnership with the country depends on “democratic governance and respect for the rule of law.”The US has a significant military presence in Niger, with at least 1,016 troops in the country. The US constructed a major drone base in Niger, Air Base 201, which houses armed MQ-9 Reaper drones and supports US counterterrorism operations across Africa.

The US Is War: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix – Caitlin Johnstone

• The US won WW2 and then immediately plunged into the Cold War. The US won the Cold War and then immediately set to work destroying the Middle East. The US destroyed the Middle East and then immediately started another cold war in preparation for another world war. The US is war.A normal country wages war with the goal of getting back to peacetime. The US wages war with the goal of getting to the next war.
• The “Uyghur genocide” narrative is a lie, the “debt trap diplomacy” narrative is a lie, the “social credit score” narrative is a lie, they’re lying about Taiwan, and they’re lying about China trying to conquer the world. They lied about every other disobedient nation, and they’re lying about China.
• You cannot understand the geopolitics and major conflicts of the 2020s without understanding that the US empire has been actively amassing military threats in the immediate surroundings of its top two rivals that it would never tolerate anyone else amassing near the US.
• How can anyone still support the idea of progressive reform in the Democratic Party after watching AOC transform into Nancy Pelosi before their very eyes?
• I used to dismiss the idea of lesser-evil voting because it causes people to vote for evil political parties, thereby ensuring they vote for continued evil. Now I just dismiss electoral politics altogether, because you’ll get evil no matter how you vote since “voting” is itself a fake diversion to help manufacture the illusion of freedom and control.

Tuberville signals he won’t release holds on military promotions before August recess -Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R), who is holding up more than 280 senior military promotions over the Pentagon’s abortion policies, said Tuesday he’s not likely to change his position before the Senate departs for a five-week August recess. “No, I’m not going to change my mind,” Tuberville told “The Hill on NewsNation” when asked whether he would drop his holds before the long break from Washington. “First of all, I’ve had almost zero communication with the White House,” he said, pointing to what he sees as the lack of serious engagement from the president and his senior advisers over the standoff. 6:02 Tuberville argued the Biden administration injected politics into the Pentagon by implementing a policy to pay for service members to travel across state lines to obtain abortions and family planning services. “There’s nobody more for our military than me, but I do not want our military to turn into a woke political military. Our military is not union for a reason. It’s not an equal opportunity employer, either. It’s for people that want to protect and defend the United States of America and its allies,” he said in an interview from the Russell Rotunda before the Senate resumed consideration of the annual defense authorization bill Tuesday. “If they really cared about readiness and the things that really need to be happening with our military, they’d change this back in five minutes,” he said of the Defense Department’s abortion policy. Tuberville says Congress should have to pass a law to allow the use of taxpayers’ money to pay for abortions, which he says is currently prohibited by the Hyde Amendment, which traditionally bars federal funding for abortion.

‘Non-human intelligence’: Schumer proposes stunning new UFO legislation --Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), along with a bipartisan group of five other senators, introduced extraordinary legislation on July 13, suggesting that the U.S. government or private contractors may secretly possess recovered UFOs and “biological evidence of living or deceased non-human intelligence.” According to the legislation, “non-human intelligence” is defined as “any sentient intelligent non-human lifeform, regardless of nature or ultimate origin which may be presumed responsible for” UFOs.Given the decades-long stigma associated with the UFO topic, such stunning language is not included in bipartisan congressional legislation on a mere whim, let alone proposed by the Senate’s top lawmaker.According to a statement accompanying the legislation, the 2017 disclosure of a previously unknown government UFO analysis program spurred a broad congressional investigation of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), the government’s new terminology for UFOs.The ongoing investigation “uncovered a vast web of individuals and groups” claiming knowledge of secret UAP-related programs and information.According to Schumer, “the sheer number and variety” of UFO-related claims “led some in Congress to believe that the [U.S. government] was concealing important information regarding UAPs over broad periods of time.” Moreover, as noted in the legislation, “credible evidence and testimony indicates that Federal Government [UFO] records exist that have not been declassified” as required by law.To that end, Schumer’s legislation establishes an independent nine-member agency to collect, review and declassify UAP records. If passed in its current form, the law would mandate that all government UFO documents “carry a presumption of immediate [public] disclosure.”The proposed legislation follows explosive allegations by a former intelligence official, David Grusch, that secret UFO retrieval and reverse-engineering programs were illegally hidden from Congress. Importantly, the powerful investigative body that oversees the nation’s intelligence agencies found Grusch’s allegations to be “credible and urgent.” Moreover, the intelligence community’s first inspector general — appointed by President Obama, confirmed by the Senate and now a high-profile attorney in private practice — represented Grusch as he proceeded through the formal whistleblower process.

Here’s what scientists say about whistleblower claims that Pentagon has evidence of alien crashes - Interesting. Frustrating. Potentially even “credible.” But nothing that science can work on in its current form. That was how physicists and astronomers interviewed by The Hill described recent allegations that the U.S. government has been hiding evidence of multiple alien crash sites. To take those claims beyond buzzy conjecture, the country needs a plan to acquire more hard data, scientists said. On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee will hold controversial hearings about “unidentified aerial phenomena,” or UAP. Those hearings will focus on eyewitness accounts by U.S. military pilots of what have appeared to be strange craft moving in ways that known human technology cannot, and on the broader claims of a cover-up made by former Air Force and intelligence official David Grusch. The hearings are part of a broader — and unusually bipartisan — congressional mainstreaming of a long-taboo question: Has the U.S. military made contact with craft or creatures from another world? In July, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced legislation that would require the Pentagon to release any information it has gathered around contact with “non-human intelligences,” among other UAP. But as an old scientific saying goes, the plural of anecdote isn’t data — and scientists told The Hill that the trouble with all these claims by Grusch and others isn’t that they’re impossible. It’s that while they are compelling, they give the scientific apparatus almost nothing to work with.

UFO hearing live updates: Lawmakers, witnesses accuse Pentagon of ‘cover up’ (includes 2:34 Subcommittee Hearing video) The House Oversight subcommittee on national security spent the morning hearing from witnesses who pushed for more transparency in how the government handles reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). Both the witnesses and lawmakers accused the Pentagon of covering up information about its UAP program, and called for transparent and centralized reporting databases moving forward. David Grusch, a whistleblower who has accused the government of withholding information related to UFOs, made a series of explosive claims but often told lawmakers he could only provide specifics in a confidential setting. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), who chaired the hearing, said he looked forward to collecting more information and drafting legislation to expose more of what the government knows.Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers will seek a closed meeting with Wednesday's witnesses to discuss confidential information. She said Republicans on the committee along with Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) signed onto the request for a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF). “Not only do we have the support of he chairman, but they're going to get a nice letter from Congress,” she said of the request, adding they would “defund” officials if their request was rejected. Former intelligence official David Grusch made a series of explosive claims about the government covering up evidence of UAPs, but repeatedly told lawmakers he could not share details in a public setting.

Democrat backs special committee for UFOs after high-profile hearing -- First-term Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) said Thursday that he firmly supports the creation of a select committee on UFOs with subpoena power. He made the statement on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, a day after the House Oversight subcommittee on national security held a hearing featuring witnesses who pushed for more transparency in how the government handles reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). Speaking to The Hill, Moskowitz said he believes Wednesday’s hearing was fair, and pushed for more transparency from the Pentagon on the issue. “I think it was serious. I think the witnesses, you know, presented well, and I think there’s interest from the American people. They want to know what the government knows about UAPs. Why are the American people being kept in the dark?,” the Florida Democrat told The Hill. His comments on the idea of a select committee on UFOs came after Republican Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) accused the Pentagon and intelligence agencies of hiding information on UAPs, and said the hearing would help reveal the “cover-up.” Burchett said in an appearance on Fox News’s “Mornings with Maria”, that the only way to get to the bottom of the UAP issue is with a select committee. “This is a cover-up. The American public understands it, and we’re trying to get to the bottom of it. The only way we’re going to do that is with a select committee on this issue, so that we can expose it to the public, because these three brave gentlemen that came forward, all veterans, tops in their field, impeccable credentials. So there’s something else going on,” Burchett said.

Are UFOs a national security risk? Hearing puts Pentagon on notice - Three former defense officials on Wednesday gave explosive testimony at a House hearing on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), warning that the sightings “potentially” pose national security risks. The witnesses before the House Oversight subcommittee — a former Navy pilot, a retired Navy commander and an ex-Air Force intelligence official — also stressed that the government has been far too secretive in acknowledging such incidents, prompting calls from lawmakers for the intelligence community to be more forthcoming. “If UAP are foreign drones, it is an urgent national security problem. If it is something else, it is an issue for science. In either case, unidentified objects are a concern for flight safety,” said Ryan Graves, a former F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot who founded Americans for Safe Aerospace, a non-profit group meant to encourage pilots to report UAP incidents. And all three witnesses replied “yes” when asked if the UAPs could be collecting reconnaissance information on the United States or probing the country’s capabilities. The hearing seemed to unite lawmakers in a push for answers on a topic that has largely been dismissed by politicians, who for decades have been hesitant to touch on UAPs — also known as unidentified flying objects, or UFOs — and other extraterrestrial life lest they become a laughingstock. A series of reports from The New York Times beginning in 2017 began to change that. The reports — exploring the Pentagon’s secretive Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program and DOD-documented UAP sightings. Lawmakers also worry that the sightings could be tied to military technology owned by adversaries but unbeknownst to most Americans. “UAPs, whatever they be, may pose a serious threat to our military and our civilian aircraft, and that must be understood,” said the subpanel’s ranking member, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.). “We should encourage more reporting, not less on UAPs. The more we understand, the safer we will be.” The Pentagon has only given tentative information on UAPs, in 2021 releasing a report which found more than 140 inexplicable encounters. Videos released by the Defense Department have also shown unexplained happenings, including the now famous “Tic Tac” video, taken in November 2004 on a routine training mission with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off the coast of southern California. During the encounter, Navy ships and planes used sensors to track an oval-shaped flying object that resembled a Tic Tac breath mint, with four pilots visually sighting the apparatus that flew at high speed over the water before abruptly disappearing. Former Navy pilot David Fravor, the commander of the mission and the individual who filmed the video, on Wednesday told the committee that the object “was far superior to anything that we had at the time, have today or looking to develop in the next 10 years.”

Bipartisan bill designates space as critical infrastructure sector. - A bipartisan group of House members introduced a bill Thursday to designate space as a critical infrastructure sector, a move aimed at ensuring the rapidly evolving industry gets adequate resources and future security protections. The Space Infrastructure Act would direct the Homeland Security secretary to designate space systems, services and technology as a sector of critical infrastructure. The bill was introduced by Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), co-chairs of the California Aerospace Caucus, along with Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.). The government currently recognizes 16 infrastructure sectors as critical, such as water, energy, communications and financial services. The space industry, consequently, has had to “rely on collecting threat and security information from a patchwork of the 16 existing sectors,” a press release from the lawmakers’ offices stated. The bipartisan bill is meant to ensure that space gets its own “cogent security analyses of the space-based assets upon which our society relies,” the announcement added. The bill follows a recommendation earlier this year from the Cyberspace Solarium Commission 2.0 that called for space systems to be designated as a critical infrastructure sector. Members of the commission, which is rooted in helping the U.S. defend against cyberattacks, wrote in a report in April that such a move “would close current gaps and signal both at home and abroad that space security and resilience is a top priority.”

Texas is using disaster declarations to install buoys and razor wire on the US-Mexico border — Wrecking ball-sized buoys on the Rio Grande. Razor wire strung across private property without permission. Bulldozers changing the very terrain of America’s southern border.For more than two years, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has escalated measuresto keep migrants from entering the U.S., pushing legal boundaries with a go-it-alone bravado along the state’s 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) border with Mexico. Now blowback over the tactics is widening, including from within Texas.A state trooper’s account of officers denying migrants water in 100-degree Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius) temperatures and razor wire leaving asylum-seekers bloodied has prompted renewed criticism. The Mexican government, some Texas residents along the border and the Biden administration are pushing back. On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department sued Abbott over the buoy barrier that it says raises humanitarian and environmental concerns, asking a federal court to require Texas to dismantle it.Abbott, who cruised to a third term in November while promising tougher border crackdowns, has used disaster declarations as the legal bedrock for some measures.Critics call that a warped view.“There are so many ways that what Texas is doing right now is just flagrantly illegal,” said David Donatti, an attorney for the Texas American Civil Liberties Union.Abbott did not respond to requests for comment. He has repeatedly attacked President Joe Biden’s border policies, tweeting Friday that they “encourage migrants to risk their lives crossing illegally through the Rio Grande, instead of safely and legally over a bridge.”The Biden administration has said illegal border crossings have declined significantly since new immigration rules took effect in May.

Texas trooper's accounts of bloodied and fainting migrants on US-Mexico border unleashes criticism (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s escalating measures to stop migrants along the U.S. border with Mexico came under a burst of new criticism Tuesday after a state trooper said migrants were left bloodied from razor-wire barriers and that orders were given to deny people water in sweltering heat.In one account, Texas Trooper Nicholas Wingate told a supervisor that upon encountering a group of 120 migrants on June 25 — including young children and mothers nursing babies — in Maverick County, a rural Texas border county, he and another trooper were ordered to “push the people back into the water to go to Mexico.”The trooper described the actions in an email dated July 3 as inhumane.Travis Considine, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Safety, said the accounts provided by the trooper were under internal investigation. He said the department has no directive or policy that instructs troopers to withhold water from migrants or push them back into the river.The emails, first obtained by Hearst Newspapers, thrust Texas’ sprawling border security mission back under scrutiny at a time when Abbott is expanding the mission by putting a new floating barrier on the Rio Grande. The Republican has authorized more than $4 billion in spending on the mission, known as Operation Lone Star, which has also included busing thousands of migrants to Democratic-led cities andarresting migrants on trespassing charges.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday that the trooper’s account, if true, was “abhorrent” and “dangerous.” Democrats in the Texas Capitol said they planned to investigate.“We are talking about the bedrock values of who we are as a country and the human indecency that we are seeing,” Jean-Pierre said. “If this is true, it is just completely, completely wrong.”A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security condemned the reported actions in a statement but did not say whether the agency was planning to investigate the allegations.Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose sprawling south Texas congressional district includes the border, tweeted, “Border security should not equal a lack of humanity.”

Biden administration sues Texas governor over Rio Grande buoy barrier that’s meant to stop migrants (AP) — The Justice Department on Monday sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over a newly installed floating barrier on the Rio Grande that is the Republican’s latest aggressive tactic to try to stop migrants from crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.The lawsuit asks a federal judge in Austin to force Texas to remove a roughly 1,000-foot (305-meter) line of bright orange, wrecking ball-sized buoys that the Biden administration says raises humanitarian and environmental concerns. The suit claims that Texas unlawfully installed the barrier without permission between the border cities of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Mexico.The buoys are the latest escalation of Texas’ border security operation that also includes razor-wire fencing, arresting migrants on trespassing charges and sendingbusloads of asylum-seekers to Democratic-led cities in other states. Critics have long questioned the effectiveness of the two-year operation, known as Operation Lone Star. A state trooper’s account this month that some of the measures injured migrants has put the mission under intensifying new scrutiny.

Judge blocks Biden administration’s asylum policy for migrants (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday blocked a rule that allows immigration authorities to deny asylum to migrants who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border without first applying online or seeking protection in a country they passed through. But the judge delayed his ruling from taking effect immediately to give President Joe Biden’s administration time to appeal. The order from U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar of the Northern District of California takes away a key enforcement tool set in place by the Biden administration ascoronavirus-based restrictions on asylum expired in May. The new rule imposes severe limitations on migrants seeking asylum but includes room for exceptions and does not apply to children traveling alone.“The Rule — which has been in effect for two months — cannot remain in place,” Tigar wrote in an order that will not take effect for two weeks.The Justice Department immediately appealed the order and asked for it to be put on hold while the case is heard. The agency said it’s confident the rule is lawful. Immigrant rights groups that sued over the the rule applauded the judge’s decision. “The promise of America is to serve as a beacon of freedom and hope, and the administration can and should do better to fulfill this promise, rather than perpetuate cruel and ineffective policies that betray it,” American Civil Liberties Union attorney Katrina Eiland, who argued the case, said in a statement.

110+ Dems Push Biden Admin to Enact New Worker Protections Amid 'Dire Threat' of Extreme Heat --More than 110 congressional Democrats on Monday implored President Joe Biden's administration to immediately enact a federal standard to protect workers from extreme heat.The demand for executive action comes amid weeks of record-busting high temperatures propelled by the fossil fuel-driven climate emergency, which continues to intensify as the U.S. and other rich nations fail to adequately slash greenhouse gas pollution. It was led by Rep. Greg Casar (Texas), who says a new Republican-authored Texas lawpreempting local governments from implementing many progressive policies, including measures to safeguard workers, has made the need for federal intervention indisputable."Protection from extreme heat is a matter of life and death for many workers and their families across the United States," says a letter the lawmakers sent to Julie Su, acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), and Douglas Parker, the DOL's assistant secretary for occupational safety and health.The letter calls for "the fastest possible implementation of an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) workplace heat standard to ensure that millions of people can go to work with greater confidence that they will return to their families alive and uninjured."Public Citizen estimates that exposure to extreme heat kills up to 2,000 workers and causes at least 170,000 injuries each year in the U.S. alone. The risks and consequences of heat stress are borne overwhelmingly by low-income employees, and farmworkers are particularly vulnerable to its deadly effects. According to the progressive advocacy group, an effective OSHA heat standard would save lives and prevent at least 50,000 injuries annually.

Health insurers are dodging mental health bills, White House says - President Joe Biden wants to force health insurance companies to pay for mental health care. Biden administration officials on Tuesday accused insurers of failing to comply with a 2008 law requiring them to put mental health care on the same footing as physical care. They proposed new rules that would ensure that insurers pay their share of the costs of psychological treatment. “This rule will stop the industry evasion that has led millions of people to pay for care even when they have insurance,” White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden said. “It will help ensure we finally fulfill the promise of mental health parity required under the law.” But the proposal could draw a backlash from the insurance industry and its allies in Congress, who could see the administration’s accusations as scapegoating that masks broader problems — the spike in mental illness and a dearth of providers trained to treat it. More than 20 percent of U.S. adults have a mental health problem, and more than 1 in 5 youth between ages 13 and 18 have had a “seriously debilitating mental illness” during their life, according to the CDC. W The regulations from HHS and the Treasury and Labor departments would mandate that insurers analyze their coverage to ensure equivalent access to mental health care based on outcomes. The companies would have to look at how they respond to requests from doctors to authorize treatments for mental illness, as compared to physical ones, as well as their provider networks and how much they reimburse providers out of network. The rule would also establish when health plans can’t require doctors to obtain the insurers’ prior authorization to prescribe a medicine or procedure, or otherwise put up roadblocks for patients seeking mental health, as well as substance use, treatment. Insurers could face fines for failing to offer comparable coverage for mental health. State of play: Tanden argued that insurers are making it harder for their subscribers to access mental health care from providers who take their insurance, forcing the subscribers to pay out of pocket. The administration contends that insurers sometimes fail to establish adequate networks of in-network mental health providers, leaving subscribers with “ghost networks” that force them to go out of network. The administration hopes the rule would force insurers to pay providers more in order to build their networks. An overall shortage of clinicians, exacerbated because many don’t take insurance, could dampen the regulation’s impact. Kristine Grow, spokesperson for AHIP, the lobbying organization for health insurers, acknowledged the difficulty some patients have in obtaining mental health care, but said the problem is rooted in the clinician shortage. She said insurers have worked hard to expand their provider networks and increase access through telehealth. She cited a 108 percent increase in claims for behavioral health from 2007 to 2017 as evidence that those efforts are paying off.

White House launches precision surgery initiative as part of ‘cancer moonshot’ effort - The Biden administration is launching a new initiative aimed at helping surgeons to distinguish and remove cancer cells without damaging surrounding tissue, in an effort to improve health outcomes for cancer patients. The initiative is the first cancer-focused program under the administration’s multi-billion-dollar Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), and just its second program overall. It’s paired with the administration’s “cancer moonshot,” which aims to cut the cancer death rate in half by 2047. ARPA-H and the moonshot are part of President Biden’s “unity agenda” announced during his 2022 State of the Union address to bring the country together on a bipartisan basis on issues such as combating cancer. The program will solicit proposals for devices and techniques to improve the visibility of cancer and healthy tissue during surgery. Multiple awards are anticipated, the White House said, and resources available will depend on the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds. “It’s an exciting horizon in cancer research and development that could save and extend many lives,” Biden said in a statement. Surgery is often the first treatment option for the more than 2 million Americans diagnosed with cancer every year. However, current surgical technologies do not allow doctors to easily and fully distinguish cancer cells from normal surrounding tissue in the operating room. United Airlines pilot has license suspended after turning up drunk to work Bipartisan bill designates space as critical infrastructure sector This can lead to repeat surgeries, a more difficult recovery, cancer recurrence and higher health care costs, the administration said. The precision surgical initiative aims to enable surgeons to successfully remove cancer through a single operation.

Supreme Court clears the way for pipeline construction favored by Manchin -- The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way to complete a controversial Mid-Atlantic natural gas pipeline, agreeing that Congress greenlighted the project as part of a behind-the-scenes deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling. The justices lifted a lower court’s halt on the remaining construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which will stretch 300 miles through rugged mountains in West Virginia and Virginia. Environmentalists claim the pipeline threatens lands, water resources and endangered species along the way, and have found some success blocking final approval at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond. The Supreme Court did not detail its reasoning or completely dismiss the challenges. But it indicated “that determination is without prejudice to further consideration in light of subsequent developments,” meaning it might do so in the future. Jamie Williams, President of the Wilderness Society, said in a statement that the group “will continue to argue that Congress’ greenlight of this dangerous pipeline was unconstitutional, and will exhaust every effort to stop it.” Much of the pipeline is already built, but legal challenges have put construction on hold since 2021. During the tense negotiations in the spring to keep the nation from defaulting on its debts, House Republicans and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia wrangled a deal with the Biden administration to cut the courts out of the process. Manchin said in a statement that the pipeline could move toward completion. “I am relieved that the highest court in the land has upheld the law Congress passed and the President signed,” he said. The bill at issue acted in three ways. It ratified and approved “all federal authorizations” for the project. It expressly stripped courts of jurisdiction to review “any action” by a federal agency granting authorization for the construction and operation of the pipeline. And it said that any claim about the constitutionality of the law could be heard only by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Nonetheless, a 4th Circuit panel on July 10 issued a stay on construction, which runs through the Jefferson National Forest in southwest Virginia. The panel of judges did not provide their reasoning, but environmentalists had argued that the action by Congress improperly cut out the judiciary and violated separation of powers.

The Supreme Court approves controversial fossil fuel pipeline construction — with Biden's support -- The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of allowing construction of a gas pipeline that will further exacerbate climate change, which is largely caused by the greenhouse gases emitted by burning fossil fuels. Even though the Mountain Valley Pipeline is staunchly opposed by climate activists, the Supreme Court, without elaboration, granted an emergency request to begin construction from the pipeline's backers with the support of Congress — and President Joe Biden himself.Biden's support of the Mountain Valley Pipeline is seemingly at odds with his larger climate change policy. Among other things,Biden has committed the United States to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% below its 2005 levels by 2035, and then altogether by 2050. He has also advocated accelerating the development of green technology, and his Inflation Reduction Act spends more than $391 billion to reduce carbon emissions. Yet that latter piece of legislation helps explain Biden's support for the Mountain Valley Pipeline; the key vote was cast by Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat who advocated for the pipeline. Because it will run from West Virginia's Marcellus and Utica shale areas to Virginia, the 300-mile gas pipeline is expected to create jobs and stimulate industry in Manchin's home state. It will also destroy national forest land and waterways in the process."The Supreme Court has spoken and this decision to let construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline move forward again is the correct one," Manchin's office said in a statement. "I am relieved that the highest court in the land has upheld the law Congress passed and the President signed."

AOC's Clean Energy Bill Would Repeal Fossil Fuel Giveaways in Inflation Reduction Act --U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among three House Democrats on Wednesday to introduce legislation aimed at undoing what climate advocates have called "unfortunate" and "absurd" provisions that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act under pressure from right-wing Sen. Joe Manchin, which locked the U.S. into continued fossil fuel development despite clear warnings from experts that oil and gas extraction is driving the climate emergency.Manchin (D-W.Va.) supported the historic $740 billion climate and healthcare legislation only after securing "poison pills" that mandated oil and gas lease sales be held anytime a permit for onshore solar or wind power production was granted or an offshore wind lease was sold.Those mandates would be repealed by the Comprehensive Legislation for Expanding and Advancing Nonrestrictive (CLEAN) Energy Act,introduced by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), and the Nonrestrictive Offshore Wind (NOW) Act, introduced by Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.) on Wednesday."The climate crisis is a national emergency for the United States and disproportionately impacts our most vulnerable communities, including Indigenous communities and communities of color," said Ocasio-Cortez. "In the midst of this crisis, there is no reason that we should require more oil and gas drilling as a prerequisite for building renewables. This legislation will help end the stranglehold oil and gas has kept on our country while enabling good, union jobs in renewable energy development.""In the midst of this crisis, there is no reason that we should require more oil and gas drilling as a prerequisite for building renewables."The legislation was introduced days after the American Clean Power Association reported that the IRA, which invested $369 billion in climate action and clean energy, has already led to accelerated development in the industry, with nearly 80 manufacturing facilities announced since the legislation was passed last August. The previous seven years combined saw the same number of facilities built."The Inflation Reduction Act is already supercharging clean energy investments and jobs, but has yet to reach its full potential due to mandatory oil and gas leasing that continues exacerbating climate change, polluting our communities, and endangering public health," saidLaura M. Esquivel, senior legislative representative for Earthjustice.The provisions that the CLEAN Energy and NOW Acts would repeal threaten to "hold clean energy development on our public lands hostage to continued oil and gas leasing," Esquivel added.

'Battle plan': How the far right would dismantle climate programs - A coalition of conservative groups has assembled a plan to systematically target most of the federal government’s work on climate and clean energy. It proposes a sweeping deconstruction of government programs that goes far beyond what former President Donald Trump attempted to do by targeting “deep state” employees in federal agencies. And it’s designed to be implemented on the first day of a Republican presidency. Called Project 2025, it would block the expansion of the electrical grid for wind and solar energy; slash funding for the EPA environmental justice office; shutter the Energy Department’s renewable energy offices; prevent states from adopting California’s electric car standards; and give Republican state officials more power to regulate polluting industries. It was written by hundreds of conservative policy experts, energy lobbyists, industry consultants and former Trump administration officials. If enacted, it could decimate the federal government’s climate work, stymie the clean energy transition and shift agencies toward servicing and nurturing the fossil fuel industry rather than regulating it. “Project 2025 is not a white paper. We are not tinkering at the edges. We are writing a battle plan, and we are marshaling our forces,” said Paul Dans, director of Project 2025 at the Heritage Foundation. “Never before has the whole conservative movement banded together to systematically prepare to take power day one and deconstruct the administrative state.” The comprehensive plan — which runs 920 pages and covers virtually all operations of the federal government, not just energy and climate programs — was compiled by the Heritage Foundation as a road map for the first 180 days of the next GOP administration. Its details were crafted by more than 400 people, including former Trump officials who could earn top spots in his next administration, if he is reelected. Republican primary candidates all pledged to go after President Joe Biden’s signature piece of climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden’s climate executive orders would also likely be rolled back the day he leaves office. But the ideas laid out in Project 2025 show that conservative organizations want to move federal agencies away from public health protections and environmental regulations in order to help the industries they have been tasked with overseeing, “What this does is it basically undermines not only society but the economic capacity of the country at the same time as it’s doing gross violence to the environment,”

Right-Wing Think Tank's Climate 'Battle Plan' Wages 'War Against Our Children's Future' - Close down the Department of Energy's renewable energy office. Cut cash flow to the Environmental Protection Agency's office of environmental justice. Stop the nation's electrical grid from expanding to include wind and solar. These are all items on a right-wing think tank's to-do list for the next Republican presidency.The Heritage Foundation's 2025 Presidential Transition Project releasedthe ninth edition of Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promisein April, and that mandate includes significant rollbacks to federal efforts to tackle the climate emergency, as E&E News reportedWednesday."Make no mistake: this is a battle plan," End Climate Silence founding director Genevieve Guenther tweeted in response to the news. "The war being waged is against our children's future."The Heritage Foundation, formed in 1973, has long been an influential player in conservative politics. It released the first edition of itsMandate for Leadership "policy bible" in 1981, and boasted that President Ronald Reagan implemented almost half of its suggestions within his first year in office. Former President Donald Trump's year-one uptake of the 2016 edition's advice was even higher, at 64%.The foundation is no stranger to delaying climate action. Between 1997 and 2013, it was a member of the Cooler Heads Coalition, the longest-running group of climate-denying organizations, according to the Climate Investigations Center. It has also accepted a total of $870,000 in grant money from ExxonMobil, $25,000 of which was designated for climate change-related activities.However, its current suggestions come at a particularly urgent moment in the effort to phase out the use of the fossil fuels cooking the planet: This month saw the hottest day in recorded history, deadly carbon-fueled heatwaves on three continents, and a new study finding that an important North Atlantic current could destabilize this century.

Congress unlikely to replenish disaster funds anytime soon - Despite mounting concerns about extreme weather and natural disasters this summer, Congress is not likely to deliver funds for emergency disaster aid before it leaves for August recess. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle acknowledge that boosting disaster relief funding is urgent, with peak wildfire and hurricane season around the corner and the Federal Emergency Management Agency slated to run out of reserves in August. “I don’t think there’s any way to get to it between now and Thursday or Friday,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), one of the Senate sponsors of legislation to bolster disaster aid funding for FEMA. Florida is particularly vulnerable during hurricane season and is still recovering from major storms in recent years. The most likely scenario, Rubio said, is that if there is a major disaster during that peak season in August, FEMA “will have to figure out … how to move money around.” “But generally that’s back ended money. Usually it’ll deplete the reserves, and then you have to back end and make sure that it’s there,” he said. Federal disaster aid helps communities rebuild after a disaster and provides temporary assistance for needs like emergency housing. FEMA’s most recent monthly report indicates the agency’s emergency aid funding will go into the red by mid- to late August, projecting an $8.6 billion deficit by September. And that is not accounting for any unexpected major storms or other extreme weather events that may occur before then. If Congress passes all appropriations bills before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, the fund would receive $20 billion to replenish reserves on Oct. 1. But that date will follow the peak of hurricane and wildfire season, and it’s far from certain that lawmakers will be able to pass their fiscal 2024 bills on time, given divisions within the House and between the two chambers. The most likely scenario, at this point, is that senators try to float an emergency supplemental funding bill, possibly attached to a continuing resolution, in September when they return as they race against the clock to keep the government funded. Right now, Senate appropriators say they’re waiting on the White House to request a disaster relief supplemental

Permitting Plan B: Democrats lean on FERC, DOE - As prospects remain murky for bipartisan permitting reform in Congress, top Senate Democrats are turning to new strategies.They are looking to the nation’s top energy regulator and action from the Biden administration to achieve their clean energy goals.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is calling on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to “strengthen” and finalize a slew of major rules that could help speed the deployment of clean energy and transmission lines. He laid out a series of potential changes to the rules in a letter to FERC last week. “The success or failure of this commission will be defined by how they address these critical transmission rules,” Schumer said in a news release Monday.The letter comes as Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a top climate hawk, is urging Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to encourage “advanced reconductoring,” a concept she’s keen on.The idea is to fix towers with new cables to boost renewables. It could be a way to avoid problems associated with environmental reviews in the permitting process.“To achieve our national clean energy goals we will need to expand grid capacity by 60% by 2030 and triple our capacity by 2050,” Heinrich wrote in a letter he plans to release this week.Executive actions mean Democrats wouldn’t have to meet Republican demands on fossil fuel deployment in a larger, bipartisan package.Still, there’s no guarantee such a gambit would achieve Democrats’ ultimate goal of building out transmission lines to connect to renewable energy sources.

House sends two resolutions overturning endangered species rules to Biden’s desk -- The House voted Thursday to overturn two Biden administration Endangered Species Act (ESA) rules, sending the resolution to the president, who has vowed to veto them. The two rules apply to federal protections for the lesser prairie chicken and the northern long-eared bat, respectively. The Senate voted in favor of both resolutions in May by a 51-49 margin in both cases. The prairie chicken resolution passed 221-206 with four Democrats voting in favor — Reps. Yadira Caraveo (Colo.), Henry Cuellar (Texas), Sharice Davids (Kan.) and Gabe Vasquez (N.M.) — and a single Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), voting against. The bat resolution, meanwhile, passed 220-208, with Cuellar and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) joining all Republicans but Fitzpatrick. In floor remarks, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) blasted the GOP majority as prioritizing rolling back environmental protections over economic issues. “My colleagues on the other side of the aisle spent two years shouting about things like inflation and public safety, but now, in power, they’re heading into a six-week recess focused on stripping protections from bats and prairie chickens,” Beyer said. The White House has already said it will veto both resolutions.

Education Department opens investigation into Harvard's legacy admissions (AP) — Opening a new front in legal battles over college admissions, the U.S. Department of Education has launched a civil rights investigation into Harvard University’s policies on legacy admissions. Top colleges’ preferential treatment of children of alumni, who are often white, has faced mounting scrutiny since the Supreme Court last month struck down the use of affirmative action as a tool to boost the presence of students of color. The department notified Lawyers for Civil Rights, a nonprofit based in Boston, on Monday that it was investigating the group’s claim that the university “discriminates on the basis of race by using donor and legacy preferences in its undergraduate admissions process.” An Education Department spokesperson confirmed its Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation at Harvard. The agency declined further comment. But White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has “made clear that legacy admissions hold back our ability to build diverse student bodies.” The complaint was filed earlier this month on behalf of Black and Latino community groups in New England. The group argued that students with legacy ties are up to seven times more likely to be admitted to Harvard, can make up nearly a third of a class and that about 70% are white. For the Class of 2019, about 28% of the class were legacies with a parent or other relative who went to Harvard.

Alito says Congress has ‘no authority’ to regulate Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said Congress has “no authority” to regulate the Supreme Court in an interview with the Wall Street Journal’s opinion section published Friday, pushing back against Democrats’ attempt to mandate stronger ethics rules.Alito, one of the high court’s leading conservatives, is just one of multiple justices who have come under recent scrutiny for ethics controversies that have fueled the renewed push.“I know this is a controversial view, but I’m willing to say it,” Alito told the Journal. “No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court — period.”Although the Constitution enables Congress to structure the lower federal courts, it explicitly vests judicial power within a singular Supreme Court. Alito and some legal observers argue that means Congress can’t prescribe certain regulations for the high court without running afoul of separation of powers issues.Chief Justice John Roberts has also questioned Congress’s ability to act, but not as definitive as Alito’s new remarks. Many court watchers who disagree with the premise believe that Roberts’ questioning has given fodder to Republican objections. “I don’t know that any of my colleagues have spoken about it publicly, so I don’t think I should say,” Alito told the paper. “But I think it is something we have all thought about.”Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) was among the Democrats who rejected Alito’s reasoning,writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, “What a surprise, guy who is supposed to enforce checks and balances thinks checks shouldn’t apply to him.”

Congressional Dems pile on Alito after he says SCOTUS ethics can’t be regulated -House Democrats are putting Justice Samuel Alito on blast over his comments that Congress does not have the constitutional authority to regulate the Supreme Court.On Friday, the Wall Street Journal editorial page published an extensive interview with the conservative justice in which he pushed back against a Democratic-led effort to regulate the Supreme Court’s ethics rules.“No provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court—period,” Alito told the Journal. “If we’re viewed as illegitimate, then disregard of our decisions becomes more acceptable and more popular.”Senate Democrats last week passed a bill in committee that would revamp ethics and transparency standards for the court’s justices. But the bill has little chance of proceeding any further in the Senate.The move responds to a series of news stories about luxury travel trips the justices have taken over the years, with many of the reports focused on Alito’s actions.“Congress has the authority to set the Supreme Court’s budget and to infinitely expand the high court. But, according to Justice Alito, Congress cannot require SCOTUS to have a code of ethics like the rest of the federal government,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday. “Does that sound remotely logical?”“Alito’s next opinion piece in the WSJ is about to be ‘I am a little king, actually. The Constitution doesn’t explicitly say I’m not,’” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) quipped.

McConnell episode alarms Senate GOP - Mitch McConnell’s sudden freeze during a Wednesday afternoon press conference jolted the Senate Republican Conference, eliciting hopes from allies, detractors that he will fully recover from any health issues.And President Joe Biden even called his old senatorial colleague to check on him.“I told him I got sandbagged,” McConnell said, a reference to Biden’s public fall over a sandbag earlier this year. “I’m fine. I’m fine, that’s the important part. Got to watch those sandbags.”The Senate minority leader abruptly stopped his opening remarks at an afternoon press conference on Wednesday, causing alarm when he left for a few minutes and then returned to answer questions. A McConnell aide said the senator was feeling light-headed. McConnell returned to the press conference and took questions from reporters. . The Senate minority leader only got through a few words of his speech about the chamber’s annual defense bill, then trailed off and stared straight ahead for a few seconds as his fellow senators asked if he was OK. A few minutes later, his office provided a brief explanation of what happened, though it’s not clear if McConnell received any medical treatment.“I just hope he’s doing OK. We really all hope he’s doing OK,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who was next to McConnell during the press event. “I was just concerned, I want to make sure everybody is well.” McConnell, 81, suffered a concussion in March following a fall and returned to his duties in April. He has since gone about his job as usual, though he has occasionally struggled to hear reporters’ questions at weekly press availabilities.

‘Jackasses,’ ‘little s‑‑‑‑’: GOP congressman curses out teenage Senate pages -- Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) is in hot water after he cursed out a group of teenage Senate pages in the Capitol rotunda early Thursday morning. According to a transcript written by a page minutes after the incident and obtained by The Hill, Van Orden called the pages “jackasses” and “pieces of s‑‑‑,” and told them he didn’t “give a f‑‑‑ who you are.” The pages are a group of 16- and 17-year-olds who assist Senate operations, and when the Senate works late — as it did Wednesday night on National Defense Authorization Act amendments — pages generally rest nearby in the rotunda. “Wake the f‑‑‑ up you little s‑‑‑‑. … What the f‑‑‑ are you all doing? Get the f‑‑‑ out of here. You are defiling the space you [pieces of s‑‑‑],” Van Orden said, according to the account provided by the page. “Who the f‑‑‑ are you?” Van Orden asked, to which one person said they were Senate pages. “I don’t give a f‑‑‑ who you are, get out.” “You jackasses, get out,” he added. The incident, which occurred just after midnight, outraged members of the upper chamber, with one calling the string of remarks “horrible.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) later on Thursday took to the Senate floor to defend the pages. “I understand that late last night, a member of the House majority thought it appropriate to curse at some of these young people — these teenagers — in the rotunda. I was shocked when I heard about it, and I am further shocked at his refusal to apologize to these young people,” he said. Van Orden did not dispute the exchange and defended his actions when asked by The Hill. “The history of the United States Capitol Rotunda, that during the Civil War it was used as a field hospital and countless Union soldiers died on that floor, and they died because they were fighting the Civil War to end slavery. And I think that place should be treated with a tremendous amount of respect for the dead,” he said.

GOP, McCarthy on collision course over expunging Trump’s impeachments -- House Republicans increasingly find themselves on a collision course over efforts to expunge the impeachments of former President Trump, a battle that pits hard-line conservatives — who are pressing for a vote — against moderates already warning GOP leaders they’ll reject it. The promised opposition from centrist Republicans all but ensures the resolutions would fail if they hit the floor. And it puts Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a no-win situation. If he doesn’t stage the vote, he risks the ire of Trump and his allies. If he does, the measures would be shot down, validating Trump’s impeachments just as his legal troubles are piling up. The issue is just the latest in a long string of debates challenging McCarthy’s ability to keep his conference united while Trump — the GOP’s presidential front-runner who’s also facing two criminal indictments — hovers in the background. The expungement concept is hardly new. A group of House Republicans — including Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) — introduced legislation last month designed to erase Trump’s impeachments from the historical record. But the debate reached new heights last week when Politico reported that McCarthy — after suggesting publicly that Trump is not the strongest contender for the GOP presidential nomination — raced to make amends, in part by promising to vote on expungement before the end of September. McCarthy has denied he ever made such a promise. But the denial only magnified the issue in the public eye — and amplified the conservative calls for the Speaker to bring the measure for a vote.

McCarthy: Biden probes ‘rising to the level of impeachment inquiry’ - House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that he expects the House GOP’s investigations into the foreign business activities of President Biden’s family to rise to the level of an impeachment inquiry “When Biden was running for office, he told the public he has never talked about business. He said his family has never received a dollar from China, which we prove is not true,” McCarthy told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night, referencing Biden’s previous statements that he did not talk to his son Hunter Biden about his foreign business activities. McCarthy also mentioned two IRS whistleblowers who alleged that prosecutors slow-walked an investigation into Hunter Biden tax crimes, and House GOP investigations finding that millions of foreign funds traveled through shell companies to Biden family members and associates. “We’ve only followed where the information has taken us. But Hannity, this is rising to the level of impeachment inquiry, which provides Congress the strongest power to get the rest of the knowledge and information needed,” McCarthy told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night. “Because this president has also used something we have not seen since Richard Nixon: Use the weaponization of government to benefit his family and deny Congress the ability to have the oversight,” McCarthy said. McCarthy’s impeachment inquiry tease comes days after Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) released an FBI form that documented unverified allegations of corruption stemming from Hunter Biden’s work with Ukrainian energy company Burisma.It also comes as the New York Post reported Monday that former Hunter Biden associate Devon Archer plans to tell the House Oversight and Reform Committee in a closed-door interview this week that Hunter Biden would put then-Vice President Biden on speakerphone during meetings with foreign business partners.

House Republicans line up behind McCarthy on the Biden impeachment seesaw - two forces when it comes to impeaching Joe Biden: conservative eagerness to target the president and the protection of their members in pro-Biden districts. Speaker Kevin McCarthy raised impeachment during a closed-door GOP meeting on Wednesday, cautioning his members that Republicans would launch a probe only when — and if — they secured the evidence to justify one, according to three lawmakers in the room who spoke on condition of anonymity. At the moment, McCarthy said, Republicans have not amassed enough evidence to start an impeachment inquiry, those three lawmakers said. The speaker further warned members not to overstate what they’ve uncovered so far against the president. It was the second straight day that McCarthy contained himself on impeachment after suggesting on Fox News that the House GOP’s work was nearing the threshold for a formal impeachment effort. The California Republican’s two-step on the topic underscores how combustible impeachment is for his five-seat majority, which runs through a dozen-plus Biden-friendly seats. McCarthy must placate his hard-right critics — whose support he’ll need in this week’s high-stakes spending votes — without alienating his most skittish members who face reelection on turf that Biden won. Some House Republicans are left to privately wonder how long the speaker can keep up that balancing act, though he seems to have mollified both sides for now. “It’s meaningful that he has broached the impeachment subject, and he has acknowledged that the evidence is mounting against the president,” said Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), a vocal McCarthy detractor who appeared satisfied by the speaker’s gestures this week. During Wednesday’s GOP meeting, McCarthy carefully outlined the difference between an initial impeachment inquiry and the official impeachment vote that might follow. One senior House Republican, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the conference is refining its message this way: The GOP is in an “investigation” of whether there’s enough evidence to launch such an inquiry, with no timeline or deadline.

Democratic memo takes aim at GOP-released FBI form with Biden-Burisma allegations Democrats on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee are poking holes in GOP arguments that President Biden is corrupt, claims that are founded on unverified allegations from an FBI form released in controversial fashion last week. The uncorroborated allegations of Biden corruption and bribery are related to his son Hunter’s business relationship with Ukrainian energy company Burisma and were part of an FBI form released by by Sen. Chuck Grassley(R-Iowa) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) last week. The form documents information that a confidential human source relayed to an FBI agent, but does not assess that information. While the GOP sees the document as key to its investigation of the Biden family’s business dealings, Democrats view the release as a stunning move that jeopardizes the FBI’s ability to work with confidential sources while offering no proof of any wrongdoing. The FBI last week admonished Comer and Grassley for releasing the form. “Chairman Comer’s and Senator Grassley’s decision to publicly release the form is in brazen disregard of the safety of FBI human sources and the integrity of its investigations,” House Oversight Committee Democratic staff wrote to Democratic lawmakers in a memo obtained by The Hill. “Contrary to Republican messaging, the form provides no new or additional support for their corruption allegations against the President or Hunter Biden. Instead, its release merely seeks to breathe new life into years-old conspiracy theories, initially peddled by Rudy Giuliani, that have been thoroughly debunked.” Republicans pushed back on the Democratic memo. “The Democrats’ latest memo is another piece of garbage that should be thrown in the trash. Senator Grassley acquired the unclassified FD-1023 form through legally protected disclosures by Justice Department whistleblowers,” a GOP Oversight Committee spokesperson said in a statement. “The record is based on a trusted confidential human source’s conversations with a Burisma executive, and it has nothing to do with Rudy Guiliani.” The tipster, dubbed CHS as short for confidential human source, relayed conversations he had with Mykola Zlochevsky, the CEO of Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Zlochevsky thought that having Hunter Biden on the board could help insulate the company from its problems with being investigated by Ukrainian authorities. The crux of the unproven bribery allegation has been pushed by allies of former President Trump for years: that then-Vice President Biden’s threat to withhold funding to Ukraine unless Prosecutor Viktor Shokin was removed was intended to benefit Burisma, which was paying his son.

Hunter Biden plea deal on hold --A plea deal between Hunter Biden and the Justice Department over tax charges is on hold after a federal judge said in a court hearing Wednesday that she was not ready to accept a revised agreement between both parties. Hunter Biden failed to pay between $1.1 million and $1.5 million in federal taxes before the legal deadlines and was poised to plead guilty to two tax charges with prosecutors agreeing to recommend a sentence of probation.But before the original plea could be entered, the deal began to unravel and a revised agreement reached during the hearing was not accepted by the judge.If you're just reading in now, here's what you missed from Hunter Biden's dramatic day in court:

• Two sides unsuccessfully tried to save the deal: As the plea deal began to unravel Wednesday the two sides convened to try to reach an agreement. After negotiations, Biden then agreed to plead guilty to the two tax charges in a deal that only includes conduct related to tax offenses, drug use and gun possession. The two sides agreed that this deal does not shield him from potential future charges. But the judge wasn’t satisfied. “What if it is unconstitutional?” District Judge Maryellen Noreika asked. “I’m trying to exercise due deliverance and consideration to make sure we don’t make a misstep.”
• Judge: “I cannot accept the plea agreement today": Noreika said she had “concerns” about the parties seemingly linking the tax plea agreement to resolving a felony gun charge. During the proceedings, prosecutors confirmed that the investigation into Biden was ongoing.
• Questions about the probe: Hanging over the plea hearing are recent claims from two IRS whistleblowers who helped lead the investigation that the Justice Department gave preferential treatment to Hunter Biden beginning when President Donald Trump was president in 2020. Their claims dovetail with the GOP-fueled narrative that Hunter Biden got a “sweetheart deal,” even though it’s fairly common for first-time offenders to avoid incarceration in a misdemeanor-only case.
• Biden pleads not guilty for now: The hearing ended with President Joe Biden's son pleading not guilty for the time being and the judge asking both sides to file additional briefs explaining the plea deal’s legal structuring.
• White House says it's a "personal matter": The White House again referred questions surrounding the legal proceedings in Hunter Biden’s case to his legal team after the hearing. The White House called the case “a personal matter.”

Hunter Biden pleads not guilty after plea deal is derailed — Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to federal tax charges Wednesday after a plea deal he struck with the government unraveled when the judge raised questions about the terms of the agreement. The surprise development came at a hearing in federal court here at which Biden had been expected to plead guilty to two charges of failure to pay taxes under a deal he struck with the government last month. Far from signing off on a done deal, he pleaded "not guilty" to those charges instead until the two sides can meet and address the questions posed by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika. At times, Noreika appeared almost upset that she believed she was being asked to act as a "rubber stamp" for the deal. The parties will reconvene later to hammer out the terms and provide Noreika more information, which could be within the next six weeks. "Without me saying I'll agree to the plea agreement, how do you plead?" Noreika asked Biden. "Not guilty, your honor," he responded. Biden is expected to reverse his plea if a new agreement or the new information eventually satisfies Noreika. Noreika, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, pressed both sides about the terms of the agreement struck with U.S. Attorney David Weiss of Delaware, another Trump appointee, whom President Joe Biden kept on to oversee the case. She expressed clear concern about how two separate deals, one regarding the unpaid taxes and the other about a gun possession charge, potentially intersected, as well as her purview over them. Noreika quizzed the lawyers about whether the gun charge would be diverted until Biden fulfilled certain terms. The agreement would have her act as an arbiter if he violated the deal over 24 months. She said that she did not believe that the judiciary would normally oversee such an agreement and that it was the responsibility of the executive branch to bring charges. Biden's lawyer, Chris Clark, said that because of tremendous political "Sturm and Drang" surrounding the case, that element of the agreement would help ensure it "wouldn't become more politicized" if the government targeted Biden again in the future. While Noreika said she understood his argument, she said she worried that there was no case law to necessarily support the terms of the agreement.

Hunter Biden pleads 'not guilty' as plea deal falls apart during Delaware court appearance - Hunter Biden's plea deal fell apart during his first court appearance Wednesday morning and he pleaded "not guilty" as federal prosecutors confirmed the president's son is still under federal investigation. Hunter Biden was expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax, as part of plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge. But Judge Maryellen Noreika did not accept the plea agreement, questioning the constitutionality — specifically the diversion clause and the immunity Hunter Biden would receive. Hunter Biden was also expected to enter into a pretrial diversion agreement regarding a separate felony charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance. The judge pressed federal prosecutors on the investigation and questioned whether there was the possibility for future charges, and asked prosecutors if Hunter Biden was currently under active investigation. Prosecutors said he was, but would not answer specifically what the president's son is under investigation for. Prosecutors on Wednesday, though, said Hunter Biden pleading guilty to the two misdemeanor tax offenses would not immunize him from future charges.

Hunter Biden Plea Deal Put on Hold as Judge Questions Its Details - A federal judge on Wednesday put on hold a proposed plea deal between Hunter Biden and the Justice Department that would have settled tax and gun charges against the president’s son, stunning the courtroom and raising legal and constitutional questions about the agreement.After moments of high drama in which the deal appeared headed toward collapse, the judge, Maryellen Noreika of the Federal District Court in Wilmington, Del., sent the two sides back to try to work out modifications that would address her concerns and salvage the basic contours of the agreement.Under the proposed deal, Mr. Biden would have pleaded guilty to two tax misdemeanors and averted prosecution on a gun charge by enrolling in a two-year diversion program for nonviolent offenders.Prosecutors and Mr. Biden’s team had both started the day confident that the proceeding would go smoothly and the judge would sign off on the deal immediately. As he entered the courtroom, Mr. Biden drew a deep breath and plunged forward to greet the prosecutors who investigated him for five years with handshakes and a smile.But Judge Noreika had other ideas, telling the two sides repeatedly that she had no intention of being “a rubber stamp,” and spending three hours sharply questioning them over nearly every detail of the deal.“I cannot accept the plea agreement today,” said Judge Noreika, who was nominated to the bench by President Donald J. Trump in 2017 with the support of Delaware’s two Democratic senators.Judge Noreika’s concerns appeared to center on two elements of the proposed deal. One was a provision that would have offered Mr. Biden broad insulation against further prosecution on matters scrutinized by federal prosecutors during the five-year inquiry, providing him with some protection against the possibility that Mr. Trump, if re-elected, or another Republican president might seek to reopen the case. The other had to do with the diversion program on the gun charge, under which she would be called on to play a role in determining whether Mr. Biden was meeting the terms of the deal.Judge Noreika said she was not trying to sink the agreement, but to strengthen it by ironing out ambiguities and inconsistencies, a view held by some former department officials.“The judge appropriately wanted to make sure that the parties were clear on whether Hunter Biden could be prosecuted for additional crimes in the future,” said Barbara L. McQuade, who was the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan from 2010 to 2017.Judge Noreika kicked off the hearing by telling lawyers that they did not need to keep “popping” up and down every time she asked them a question.It was a signal that she was about to subject them to a relentless interrogation over elements of an agreement she described, variously, as “not standard, not what I normally see,” possibly “unconstitutional,” without legal precedent and potentially “not worth the paper it is printed on.”Judge Noreika quickly zeroed in on a paragraph offering Mr. Biden broad immunity from prosecution, in perpetuity, for a range of matters scrutinized by the Justice Department. The judge questioned why prosecutors had written it in a way that gave her no legal authority to reject it.Then, in 10 minutes of incisive questioning, she exposed serious differences between the two sides on what, exactly, that paragraph meant.Christopher Clark, Mr. Biden’s lead lawyer, said it indemnified his client not merely for the tax and gun offenses uncovered during the inquiry, but for other possible offenses stemming from his lucrative consulting deals with companies in Ukraine, China and Romania.Prosecutors had a far narrower definition. They saw Mr. Biden’s immunity as limited to offenses uncovered during their investigation of his tax returns dating back to 2014, and his illegal purchase of a firearm in 2018, when he was a heavy drug user, they said.When the judge asked Leo Wise, a lead prosecutor in the case, if the investigation of Mr. Biden was continuing, he answered, “Yes.”When she asked him, hypothetically, if the deal would preclude an investigation into possible violation of laws regulating foreign lobbying by Mr. Biden connected with his consulting and legal work, he replied, “No.”Mr. Biden then told the judge he could not agree to any deal that did not offer him broad immunity, and Mr. Clark popped up angrily to declare the deal “null and void.”The disagreement over such a central element of the deal was remarkable, given the months of negotiations that went into reaching it.

Takeaways from the stunning Hunter Biden hearing and what happens now - Wednesday’s hearing for Hunter Biden was already poised to be a historic event, as the son of a sitting US president appeared in court to plead guilty to federal tax crimes, bringing a controversial investigation to a near close.But the three-plus hour hearing saw the original plea agreement nearly fall apart and leaves the son of President Joe Biden in limbo for the moment – and will only further brighten the spotlight on the issue as congressional Republicans pursue their own investigations into Hunter Biden’s actions. Hunter Biden failed to pay between $1.1 million and $1.5 million in federal taxes before the legal deadlines and was set to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors with prosecutors agreeing to recommend a sentence of probation. The deal was also meant to resolve a federal firearms offense.The proceedings kicked off in routine fashion. Hunter Biden was placed under oath and told US District Judge Maryellen Noreika – an appointee of President Donald Trump who was supported by Senate Democrats – that he wanted to plead guilty. Noreika began asking him a series of procedural questions that are asked at basically every federal plea hearing.But as things dragged on, and Noreika quizzed the lawyers from both sides about the particulars of the tax deal, she sussed out a disagreement between the parties on a critical question: Did the deal protect Hunter from possibly facing additional charges for illegal foreign lobbying, known as FARA (The Foreign Agents Registration Act)? The Justice Department said no, but Hunter Biden’s team thought yes. Without a “meeting of the minds,” as Noreika put it, there could be no deal. It appeared at that moment that the plea agreement was on the brink of collapse. But Chris Clark, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, asked for a short recess to consult with the prosecutors. After a break, he announced that he was accepting the Justice Department’s position that his client was still at risk of possible FARA charges, with an investigation still underway. Things then appeared to be back on track and Noreika pressed forward with addressing the separate gun deal. Noreika expressed frustration that the two sides structured the tax and gun plea deals in a way where she would need to approve the gun deal, but had no powers to approve or reject the tax agreement. The diversion agreement – which isn’t often submitted to a judge – has a provision that says if there is a dispute over whether Hunter Biden breached the terms of the deal, it would go to the judge for fact-finding. Noreika questioned why it would “plop” her in the middle of a deal she didn’t have a say in, and potentially block the Justice Department from bringing charges, a function of the executive branch. Biden’s attorney said given the politicization of the case, they wanted a neutral arbiter like Noreika to handle any potential disputes. The judge said she couldn’t decide on the fly if that was a legally workable plan. “I cannot accept the plea agreement today,” Noreika said.

Read the proposed Hunter Biden plea agreement - POLITICO has obtained the documents laying out the proposed plea deal that a federal judge blocked on Wednesday.Lawyers detailed aspects of the proposed deal in court, but the documents themselves have not been published on the court’s docket. POLITICO obtained them and is publishing them here. Hunter Biden’s plea deal is on hold after a judge raised questions Wednesday about the proposed plea agreement and a related agreement known as a pretrial diversion program.Lawyers detailed aspects of the proposed deal in court, but the documents themselves have not been published on the court’s docket. POLITICO obtained them and is publishing them here.Under the proposed plea agreement and diversion agreement, Biden would plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and would be able to avoid punishment on a felony gun charge if he stayed out of trouble for two years. But at a tense court hearing, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika questioned the constitutionality of the diversion agreement and refused to sign off on the deal, at least for now. Lawyers are due back in court in several weeks to revisit the issue.

Judge says member of Hunter Biden’s legal team ‘misrepresented her identity’ on eve of plea deal hearing - The judge who will review Hunter Biden’s plea deal on Wednesday accused a member of Biden’s legal team of misrepresenting herself in a phone call to the court — a bizarre episode that prompted the judge to threaten sanctions even as Biden’s lawyers insisted it was all a misunderstanding.In a brief order Tuesday afternoon, U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika wrote that an employee at Latham & Watkins, a law firm representing the president’s son, had called the court clerk’s office and falsely claimed to work for a Republican lawyer in the hopes of persuading the clerk to remove documents that apparently contained Biden’s personal tax information.Latham denied any misconduct, saying the firm’s employee identified herself as a Latham staffer and called from a law firm phone that typically displays “LATHAM” on the caller ID. The firm said there must have been an “unfortunate and unintentional miscommunication” between the employee and court staff. The documents in question had been submitted earlier in the day as part of an amicus brief by House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.). Smith complains in the brief that Biden’s plea deal on gun and tax charges is too lenient, and he alleges that federal prosecutors’ investigation of Biden was tainted by political interference.Under the plea deal, Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and enter a pretrial diversion program in order to avoid being prosecuted for a felony gun charge. Noreika, a Trump appointee, is scheduled to review the deal at a hearing in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday morning.On the eve of that hearing, a dispute arose over Smith’s amicus filing, which was signed and submitted to the court by Theodore Kittila, the managing partner of the Wilmington law firm Halloran Farkas + Kittila. Shortly after Kittila filed the brief, the clerk’s office informed the judge that a Latham employee, Jessica Bengels, had called the clerk and falsely claimed to work with Kittila. During the call, Bengels asked that Smith’s filing be removed from the public docket due to sensitive information in it, the judge wrote in her order.“It appears that the caller misrepresented her identity and who she worked for in an attempt to improperly convince the Clerk’s Office to remove the amicus materials from the docket,” Noreika wrote, before ordering Biden’s legal team to explain why Noreika should not issue formal sanctions “for misrepresentations to the Court.”

Hunter Biden Plea Deal Collapse: Dirty, Desperate Dealings in Delaware by Yves Smith - It’s troubling to see the press for the most part underplay the seriousness of the implosion of Hunter Biden’s plea deal on tax evasion and gun possession charges. Yes, as Glenn Greenwald stressed in his System Update show last night, the two sides will probably find a way to cobble something together that the judge, here Maryellen Noreika, will be hard pressed not to accept. But the much bigger issue as Greenwald also stressed is that it is close to unheard of for a judge to reject a plea agreement. And as too many commentators have glossed over, this one was so irregular procedurally as to have the judge force the prosecution to admit it was unprecedented, and according to Noreika, potentially unconstitutional.This development follows another incident in the Hunter case this week that is also so irregular that it may get the defense legal team sanctioned. Noreika filed an order demanding that Biden law firm Latham & Watkins explain in a hearing the action, alleged by one of Noreika’s clerks, that a Latham & Watkins staffer contacted the court and misrepresented themselves as instead from the law firm that had filed an amicus motion on behalf of House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith. That brief asking the court to consider the information from IRS whistleblowers that showed that Biden the junior had gotten kid glove treatment. The Latham & Watkins staffer purportedly sought the removal of the filing from the docket.We’ll return to the amicus motion later, but it is important to note that the media on a widespread basis has misleadingly referred to it as a “document” and not a bona fide filing. Worse some commentators have insinuated that it was improper for a Congressman to have made such a move. In fact, this document was a preliminary step to filing an amicus brief. while it may not be common on a search engine to find there is ample precedent for Congresscritters filing amicus briefs.Yours truly is not an expert on procedure, but this amicus motion was filed just days before the Biden settlement hearing, and if the judge entertained the motion and allowed an amicus brief to be filed and considered by the judge, the hearing would have to have been pushed back. So claims that this move was to “block” the plea agreement are an overreach, although it would be accurate to say it was a gambit to delay and influence the deal.Back to the plea deal. The 50,000 version is that the attempt to have a Schrodinger’s scheme collapsed. Team Biden not surprisingly wanted the agreement to draw a line under all potential actions against Hunter, including his failing to register as a foreign agent.This is the a compact statement of the legal issues in play and why the judge rebelled. I have yet to find anything remotely like this in mainstream coverage:

Trump urges pause on Ukraine aid until agencies turn in ‘every scrap’ of evidence in Biden probe -- Former President Trump called for a pause on all aid to Ukraine until several federal agencies provide “every scrap” of evidence they have on alleged “corrupt business dealings” from President Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.Trump said at a rally in Erie, Pa., on Saturday that Biden has been “dragging” the country into conflict with the war between Russia and Ukraine and referenced the copy of the unverified tip that congressional Republicans released last week purporting to show evidence of a scheme to bribe Biden. The form included secondhand allegations that the Bidens were sent millions of dollars from the CEO of Ukrainian energy company Burisma, which was being investigated by the Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office. Hunter Biden served on the board of Burisma at the time. Biden, while serving as vice president in the Obama administration, argued that Ukrainian Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin was corrupt and should be fired, threatening to withhold $1 billion in funding for Ukraine unless he was dismissed. No hard evidence has been shown to demonstrate that Biden pushed for Shokin to be fired to help his son, but Trump and other Republicans have repeatedly alleged a bribery scheme occurred.

Biden publicly acknowledges seventh grandchild, Hunter’s 4-year-old daughter, for first time - President Joe Biden on Friday publicly acknowledged for the first time his seventh grandchild, Navy Joan Roberts, the 4-year old daughter of his son Hunter.Biden said in a statement that he and the first lady “only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy.” “This is not a political issue, it’s a family matter,” Biden continued. “Our son Hunter and Navy’s mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward.”The statement was first provided to People magazine. As someone who frequently talks about his close-knit extended family, Biden has been under scrutiny for failing to publicly acknowledge the girl. Since becoming president, he and Jill Biden often refer to their “six grandchildren” but have never mentioned Hunter’s child from his affair with Lunden Roberts. In 2019, Roberts filed a lawsuit against Hunter, who was determined to be the father of her child through DNA testing.Roberts and her daughter live in Arkansas, where Navy has grown up.The public acknowledgement comes shortly after the bitter child support and paternity issues were resolved. As grandparents, Biden and the first lady were following Hunter’s lead during the proceedings, according to a source familiar with the situation granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive situation.The case settled in Arkansas last month after years of dispute. Court filings did not state the amount of child support but said she would also receive some of Hunter’s paintings.

Biden's dog Commander has bitten Secret Service officers 10 times in four months, records show (AP) — President Joe Biden‘s dog Commander bit or otherwise attacked Secret Service personnel at least 10 times between October 2022 and January, including one incident that required a hospital visit by the injured law enforcement officer, according to records from the Department of Homeland Security. The conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch on Tuesday released nearly 200 pages of Secret Service records that it obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. The group said it filed suit after the agency, a division of DHS, “failed to respond adequately” to its request last December for records about biting incidents involving the purebred German shepherd. The group said it filed the request after receiving a tip about Commander’s behavior. Commander is the second dog of Biden’s to behave aggressively, including biting Secret Service personnel and White House staff. They eventually sent the dog, a German shepherd named Major, to live with friends in Delaware after those incidents.The White House and the Secret Service appeared to play down the situation on Tuesday, but the latest incidents raise questions about why the Bidens brought another German shepherd to the executive mansion and why the attacks continued. Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for first lady Jill Biden, said in an email that the White House complex is a “unique and often stressful environment” for family pets and that the Biden family was “working through ways to make this situation better for everyone.”Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesperson for the Secret Service, said in a separate email that his agency has for the past several presidents “navigated how best to operate around family pets and these incidents are no exception. We take the safety and wellbeing of our employees extremely seriously.”

Five questions around Trump’s looming indictment -- It looks all but inevitable that former President Trump will soon be criminally charged in relation to the events that culminated in the Capitol riot of Jan. 6, 2021. Trump declined to meet with the grand jury investigating the matter late last week. An invitation for a “target” such as Trump to give grand jury testimony is often a precursor to the person being charged. The former president has himself predicted his imminent arrest over the riot, in which almost 150 law enforcement officers were injured. Trump said in a Truth Social post last Tuesday morning that the combination of the target notification and the offer to speak to the grand jury “almost always means an Arrest and Indictment.” Here are the biggest questions if that indictment does come in the next few days. What will the charges be? The biggest question of all — and the one that will be answered the moment an indictment is issued. Among the most intriguing possibilities is that Trump could be charged under a law that was enacted in part to try to curb the activities of the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction era. The offense is “conspiracy against rights” — Section 241 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code. Under the statute, it is a crime for two or more people to “injure, oppress, threaten or intimidate” anyone “with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege” the person enjoys under the U.S. Constitution. The theory is that alleged election meddling by Trump and his allies could be held to have oppressed those voters who cast ballots with every expectation that the legitimate result of the election would be upheld. But even the wording of the law shows its anachronistic nature. It in part sanctions those who would “go in disguise on the highway” to oppress others, for example. If prosecutors do bring charges but demur on conspiracy against rights, a more conventional template is offered by the four alleged offenses for which the House Select Committee that investigated Jan. 6 referred Trump to the Justice Department. The committee contended there was evidence of inciting or aiding an insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to make a false statement. Some legal experts also think it is possible Trump could be charged with witness tampering. Two points bear emphasis. First, it is still possible Trump will not be charged at all. Second, he himself expects that he will be.

Trump says attorneys had ‘productive’ meeting with DOJ -- Former President Trump on Thursday confirmed his attorneys met with special counsel Jack Smith ahead of a possible indictment in the Jan. 6 probe. “My attorneys had a productive meeting with the DOJ this morning, explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong, was advised by many lawyers, and that an Indictment of me would only further destroy our Country,” Trump said on his social media platform. He implied that his attorneys were given no notice that he would be indicted, contradicting reporting about the meeting. “No indication of notice was given during the meeting — Do not trust the Fake News on anything!” Smith’s office declined to comment on the meeting. The former president said last week he had received a target letter from the Justice Department (DOJ) as part of its probe into his efforts to remain in power after losing the 2020 election. A target letter is often a sign someone could soon face charges in a matter where prosecutors have gathered substantial evidence. Trump’s Thursday post on Truth Social hinted at a possible defense for his conduct in the aftermath of the 2020 election, which is that he was acting on the advice of attorneys who suggested the results could be overturned.

No Trump Jan. 6 indictment expected Thursday: court official -- Former President Trump is not expected to be indicted Thursday in connection with the federal investigation probing his efforts to block the transition of power following the 2020 election, according to a court official.The official said no indictments were returned and none were expected for the remainder of the day in D.C.’s federal district court, where the grand jury has been meeting to review evidence in special counsel Jack Smith’s probe.The grand jury met Thursday, and jurors appear to still be inside the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington behind closed doors.It remains unclear when the grand jury would convene again. It has tended to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays.Earlier in the day, Trump’s attorneys met with members of Smith’s office to discuss the investigation. A similar meeting occurred just days before when Trump was indicted in Florida in connection with his handling of classified documents.“My attorneys had a productive meeting with the DOJ this morning, explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong, was advised by many lawyers, and that an Indictment of me would only further destroy our Country,” Trump said on Truth Social.Attention on the grand jury intensified after the former president indicated he had received a target letter from the Justice Department, typically a sign that prosecutors are close to seeking an indictment.Trump on Thursday implied his attorneys at the meeting were given no notice he would be indicted, contradicting reports about the meeting.“No indication of notice was given during the meeting — Do not trust the Fake News on anything!”

Trump charged with trying to delete Mar-a-Lago surveillance footage in new indictment -- President Trump of attempting to delete surveillance footage at his Mar-a-Lago property in a new superseding indictment filed in the classified records case Thursday. The DOJ says Trump acted with a new co-conspirator to try to delete the footage, and also charged him with an additional Espionage Act charge. The superseding indictment brings to 42 the total number of counts facing the former president, and adds a charge based on the military documents Trump boasted of having in a meeting – warning he couldn’t share them since he failed to declassify them. It accuses Trump of acting with Carlos de Oliveira, the property manager of the hotel, and Trump’s other co-defendant Walt Nauta with trying to delete the footage. The indictment notes efforts from de Oliveira, 56, to determine how long security footage was stored on the Mar-a-Lago system. It says he later told another Mar-a-Lago employee that “‘the boss’ wanted the server deleted.” The indictment also described de Oliveira and Nauta organizing their plans secretly, apparently walking among the bushes around the IT office where the security footage was managed. The indictment notes calls between Trump and de Oliveira and also details a later discussion over his loyalty and ensuring that the property manager would get an attorney. De Oliveira has been summoned to appear in court Monday in Miami. The indictment accuses de Oliveira of lying to investigators about his involvement in moving boxes at the property, saying he “never saw anything,” relating to boxes moving in and out of the storage room. The indictment also adds a 32nd document to the tally for which Trump is facing charges of violating the Espionage Act, a top secret document on a presentation about military activity in a foreign country.

More say violence could be necessary to restore Trump to White House: survey -- A recent survey shows increasing support for the use of violence to restore former President Trump to the White House.The report, titled “Dangers to Democracy” and released by the Chicago Project on Security Threats (CPST) earlier this month, found that 7 percent of Americans from April 6 to June 26 agree that “the use of force is justified to restore Donald Trump to the presidency.”That number is an increase from 4.5 percent, or “the equivalent of an estimated shift from 12 million to 18 million American adults,” according to the survey, which was conducted by CPST and NORC.It’s the first bump in the number of Americans who agree with that statement since April of last year.The rise “likely reflects the response of more intense commitment to Trump following the announcement of the federal indictment against him for mishandling classified documents on June 9, 2023 — about two and a half weeks before our June 26, 2023 survey,” the poll said.

Seven Republicans made the August debate — but the stage is far from set - The August Republican debate is the first big chance for Donald Trump to face his rivals — if he decides to show up.Trump and six of his rivals have already met the qualifications to make the stage. How many more will join them — and whether so many candidates will qualify that the Republican National Committee will need to hold two debates to accommodate them all is still up in the air.A spokesperson for the party committee did not respond to questions about what, exactly, would trigger a second night of debates, which the party raised as a possibility in its rules. But there is some precedent: In 2016, some low-polling Republican hopefuls were relegated to a so-called “kiddie table” debate that took place before the main show. And in 2020, Democrats randomly divided up their 20-person field for their first debate over two nights.The candidates who’ve already cleared the polling and fundraising thresholds to make it, according to POLITICO’s tracking: Trump, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Chris Christie and Doug Burgum. But there are a couple of potential X-factors that could still scramble the first GOP cage match: Trump has mused publicly about no-showing the event, wary of giving lower-polling candidates a chance to take a shot at the frontrunner. And Christie, Trump’s most prominent critic in the field, has said he will sign a conditional RNC pledge to support the eventual nominee, all while also swearing he wouldn’t vote for Trump again. If the stage is split, it isn’t clear which candidates would even face off.

RFK Jr. fumes at Biden administration on Secret Service protection - Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign slammed the Biden administration Friday alleging politics was behind the Democratic presidential candidate being denied Secret Service protection. “Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection. But not me,” RFK Jr. wrote in a tweet. The Secret Service states on its website that “major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election” are protected by the Secret Service. After Democratic nominee Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, Congress changed the law to authorize Secret Service protection for major candidates. Major presidential and vice presidential candidates are determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security after consultation with an advisory committee. “The American people, no matter their politics, will find this decision shocking and repugnant,” Kennedy campaign manager Dennis Kucinich said in a statement. “This is obviously a political decision, not a legal one. As such, this is directly on President Biden. It is absolutely implausible that the President would try to claim that he was not consulted by his cabinet secretary on a matter as sensitive as this.”

RFK Jr. says he ‘should’ve been more careful’ after Covid comments criticized as antisemitic - Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged that he “should’ve been more careful about what I said” after he received backlash for suggesting that Covid-19 could have been genetically engineered to reduce risks to Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people.Hundreds of attendees — supporters, protesters and onlookers — came to hear Kennedy speak Tuesday evening in New York City on fighting antisemitism and supporting Israel with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, an author and commentator. The two-hour conversation was part of a presidential candidate series hosted by The World Values Network, which Boteach runs.Kennedy, who’s running a longshot campaign against President Joe Biden, said that there are interests who want “to damage my candidacy and want to silence me,” adding that anything he says is “going to be weaponized against me.”Earlier this month, the New York Post reported that Kennedy claimed without evidence that there is “an argument that [Covid-19] is ethnically targeted” at white and Black people, and that “the people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.” Jewish organizations criticized Kennedy for the comment, as did members of his family and the White House. Kennedy denied the comments and called the report a “mainstream media playbook to discredit me as a crank.” In a congressional hearing last week — one that more than 100 House Democrats tried to get him uninvited from, saying that he has “repeatedly attacked two groups that have long been subject to deadly discrimination” — he denied being anti-vaccine, antisemitic or racist.“These are the most appalling, disgusting pejoratives, and they’re applied to me to silence me because people don’t want me to have that conversation about the war, about groceries, about inflation,” he said at the Thursday hearing. “In my entire life, I have never uttered a phrase that was either racist or antisemitic. … I’ve fought more ferociously for Israel than anybody, and I am being censored here.” On Tuesday, he defended the comments he made at the hearing, saying it was important to him to not “react with vitriol.” “If we’re wanting to really heal the divide between Americans, which is one of the things that I’ve tried to do with this campaign, we can’t react even to hatred with hatred,” he said. Boteach asked Kennedy if he understood why people “reacted strongly” to his comments. Kennedy said yes, and pointed again to a Cleveland Clinic study on which he said he based his claims.

Cleveland Clinic Researchers Identify Genetic Factors that May Influence COVID-19 Susceptibility – Cleveland Clinic Newsroom – A new Cleveland Clinic study has identified genetic factors that may influence susceptibility to COVID-19. Published today in BMC Medicine, the study findings could guide personalized treatment for COVID-19. While the majority of confirmed COVID-19 cases result in mild symptoms, the virus does pose a serious threat to certain individuals. Morbidity and mortality rates rise dramatically with age and co-existing health conditions, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, even young and otherwise healthy individuals have unpredictably experienced severe illness and death. These clinical observations suggest that genetic factors may influence COVID-19 disease susceptibility, but these factors remain largely unknown.In this new study, a team of researchers led by Feixiong Cheng, Ph.D., of Cleveland Clinic’s Genomic Medicine Institute, investigated genetic susceptibility to COVID-19 by examining DNA polymorphisms (variations in DNA sequences) in the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 genes. These genes produce enzymes (ACE2 and TMPRSS2, respectively) that enable the virus to enter and infect human cells.“Because we currently have no approved drugs for COVID-19, repurposing already approved drugs could be an efficient and cost-effective approach to developing prevention and treatment strategies,” Cheng said. “The more we know about the genetic factors influencing COVID-19 susceptibility, the better we will be able to determine the clinical efficacy of potential treatments.”Looking at 81,000 human genomes from three genomic databases, they found 437 genetic variants in the protein-coding regions of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. They identified multiple polymorphisms in both genes that offer potential explanations for different genetic susceptibility to COVID-19 as well as for risk factors.These findings demonstrate a possible association between ACE2 and TMPRSS2polymorphisms and COVID-19 susceptibility, indicating that identification of the functional polymorphisms of these variants among different populations could pave the way for precision medicine and personalized treatment strategies for COVID-19.

House Republicans put contempt vote targeting Zuckerberg on hold - House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) put the panel’s scheduled vote on whether to hold Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress on hold Thursday after he said the social media company provided additional documents to the committee. “Based on Facebook’s newfound commitment to fully cooperate with the Committee’s investigation, the Committee has decided to hold contempt in abeyance. For now. To be clear, contempt is still on the table and WILL be used if Facebook fails to cooperate in FULL,” Jordan posted on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. The committee had scheduled a vote for Thursday afternoon over holding the CEO of the Facebook and Instagram parent company in contempt after alleging the company failed to cooperate with the panel’s investigation into how tech companies communicate with the federal government and make content moderation decisions. Meta had strongly pushed back on the allegations that it failed to comply. A spokesperson earlier this week, when the committee scheduled the vote, said in a statement Meta has supplied more than 53,000 documents to the committee. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone confirmed to The Hill Thursday the company sent additional documents to the committee.

Warren, Graham partner in proposing new agency to regulate tech giants - Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are teaming up on legislation to create a new agency that would have the power to regulate tech giants. The bipartisan Digital Consumer Protection Commission Act, unveiled Thursday, would create an agency charged with oversight of Meta, Google, Amazon and other large tech companies and seek to promote industry competition and consumer privacy online. The commission would work alongside the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ), the agencies that currently operate as antitrust enforcers, according to the bill. The legislation would also set regulations in place requiring “dominant platforms” to be licensed and allow for licenses to be removed for repeated anticompetitive and anti-consumer conduct violations. The bill is the latest effort from Congress to rein in the power of tech giants.

Twitter is now X. Here's what that means. - The internet is abuzz as the app formerly known as Twitter announced a name change over the weekend. X.com now redirects to Twitter.com, although the social media platform still invites users to "tweet." The rebrand is another step in the ongoing transformation of Twitter, an online watering hole for hyper-connected people that aspires to become an app that can do "everything," according to CEO Linda Yaccarino."Twitter was acquired by X Corp both to ensure freedom of speech and as an accelerant for X, the everything app," the company's owner, billionaire Elon Musk, posted on Monday."The Twitter name made sense when it was just 140 character messages going back and forth – like birds tweeting – but now you can post almost anything, including several hours of video. In the months to come, we will add comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world." Musk has been vocal about his goal of turning Twitter into a so-called super-app, something akin to China's WeChat. For now there's no American equivalent to such an app, but industry experts imagine an app that encompasses basically anything a person wants to do online. "Consumers of the app can do a lot of different things on the platform, whether it's listen to a podcast, shop, watch videos," said Nii Ahene, chief strategy officer of marketing firm Tinuiti. Twitter already lets users engage in live audio conversations, send longer text messages and broadcast video, such as the new show former Fox News host Tucker Carlson recently launched on the platform. If Twitter's push into paid subscriptions is successful, it could eventually expand into sharing some subscription revenue with users."In theory, they can become a more mainstream version of Patreon or other similar platforms," Ahene said. "Whether they succeed remains to be seen. It's not the reason people go to Twitter today, so to reposition the company … would take significant investment and time with what's really a skeleton team."

Elon Musk Has Quietly Primed Crypto For An ‘Absolute Game-Changer’ That Could Cause Chaos For The Price Of Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP And Dogecoin -- Bitcoin and ethereum, the two largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, have been thrust back into the limelight by first Ripple's XRPXRP and now dogecoin following a shock Wall Street crypto flip.The bitcoin price has slipped back, along with the ethereum price, as traders piled into XRP in the aftermath of its partial legal victory over the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Meanwhile, Tesla billionaire Elon Musk's rebranding of Twitter to X, part of a plan to make it into an all-singing, all-dancing super app, has rekindled hopes he'll somehow incorporate dogecoin, once again pumping the dogecoin price.Now, Musk has quietly added the dogecoin Ð symbol to his X account amid a flurry of interactions with dogecoin fan accounts—with bitcoin and crypto market watchers predicting Musk's plans for X could be an "absolute game-changer.""If we consider Musk’s vision for creating an everything app, it would be an absolute game-changer to incorporate cryptocurrency payments as part of that ecosystem,” Raluca Cherciu, the co-founder and CEO of Unpaired, an online community exploring how emerging technologies can foster real-world connection, toldCoindesk."This not only resonates with the hugely active crypto community on Twitter, but also echoes Musk’s well-known fascination with the cryptosphere."Musk's rebranding of Twitter to X, ostensibly part of a plan to turn the app into a one-stop shop powerhouse, has puzzled both users of the platform and business analysts who have questioned the wisdom of ditching such a globally recognized brand for a generic one-letter name.Musk first bought X.com, which now redirects to Twitter.com, for his online bank startup in 1999 before merging it with Peter Thiel and Max Levchin's Confitinity and rebranding to PayPal.The Twitter rebranding to X "does have implications for crypto in the short-term as it moves markets, and in the long-term as Musk looks to build out payment networks using his own platform that could soon compete with the likes of ethereum, bitcoin or others," Simon Peters, market analyst at eToro, said in emailed comments.

Crypto bill passes congressional committee in victory for industry (Reuters) - A key congressional committee on Wednesday advanced a bipartisan bill that aims to develop a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, a milestone for Capitol Hill in its efforts to codify federal oversight for the digital asset industry.The crypto industry has been in the regulatory crosshairs since investors were burned last year by sudden collapses of Celsius Network, Voyager Digital, FTX and other companies.The bill passed by the House Financial Services Committee would define when a cryptocurrency is a security or a commodity and expand the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) oversight of the crypto industry, while clarifying the Securities and Exchange Commission's jurisdiction, as many crypto advocates complain of the agency's perceived overreach.A handful of Democrats, including Reps. Jim Himes and Ritchie Torres, joined committee Republicans in voting for the bill. The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to consider the same bill Thursday."As other jurisdictions like the UK, the [European Union], Singapore and Australia have moved forward with clear regulatory frameworks for digital assets, the United States is at risk of falling behind. We intend to change that today," said Representative Patrick McHenry, the Republican chair of the House Financial Services Committee, at the markup.The markup - where legislation is debated and brought to a vote, paving the way for a full vote by the House of Representatives - is the first time a crypto regulatory bill was put to a vote in Congress, a victory for crypto lobbyists who have pushed lawmakers to provide regulatory clarity for the industry."Obviously we've had some important decisions come from the courts in the past, but this is by far the most significant legislative moment that we've had," said Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association.The bill has galvanized many in the crypto industry, who say that with Democrats' support, the bill could have a shot in the Senate.

‘Pro-crypto bill' passes out of US House Agriculture Committee Tact was pervasive in the United States House of Representatives Agricultural Committee’s consideration of the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act on July 27. With many references to bipartisanship and self-congratulatory mentions of the members’ cooperation and hard work, the committee plowed through a series of amendments calmly and quickly. The bill, co-written by Republican members of the Agriculture Committee and Financial Services Committee, seeks to create a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets. It wasdebated in the Financial Services Committee along with several other bills a day earlier.Ranking member David Scott introduced the Democrats’ concerns, claiming that consumer protections need to be strengthened in the bill. It does not provide for third-party auditing, he said.In addition, funding for the Commodity Futures Trading ommission (CFTC) was not increased in line with the new authorities the bill would give it, though it was later pointed out that the bill provides the CFTC with the minimum level of funding requested by Chair Rostin Behnam.The bipartisanship took a while to show through, as Rep. Alma Adams called the bill “a fast track to investor confusion.” Her amendment to guarantee diversity on the boards of market participants was later voted down.The provisional registration measures evoked comments from several legislators. Eventually, an amendment proposed by Rep. Yadira Caraveo to require provisionally registered parties to belong to a futures trade association was passed, with the purpose of providing some oversight of them while regulations were being worked out.

SBF Leaked Ex-GF's Diary to NYT to Fight 'Toxic Media' -Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal defense tried to convince a judge “nothing improper or impermissible occurred” last week when the disgraced crypto founder leaked former Alameda Research CEO and on-again-off-again girlfriend Caroline Ellison’s personal diary to The New York Times. The former FTX CEO’s defense says the leaked documents weren’t intended to “discredit a witness,” as the DOJ alleges, but was instead an attempt to respond to a “toxic media environment” he complains constantly casts him as a villain.In a colorful court filing submitted Monday, Bankman-Fried’s attorneys admitted their notorious blabbermouth of a client shared “certain documents” about Ellison to a Times reporter during a recent visit to his home.“We vigorously contest the Government’s allegation that Mr. Bankman-Fried attempted to taint the jury pool or influence a witness, or that the Government has been prejudiced in any way,” Mark Cohen, one of SBF’s attorneys, wrote in the letter. “None of what occurred was improper.”Bankman-Fried, better known by his initials SBF, faces a litany of criminal charges including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud for hisinvolvement in FTX’s sudden implosion last year.The diary, parts of which were published in a Times story last week, includes entries of Ellison discussing her contentious relationship with SBF and admitting she felt unqualified to lead Alameda. SBF’s attorney characterized the article as “favorable to Ms. Ellison and negative toward [SBF]” even though it repeatedly described instances of Ellison doubting her professional capacity and expressing concern over her ability to navigate her position while simultaneously dating SBF.“Running Alameda doesn’t feel like something I’m that comparatively advantaged at or well suited to do,” Ellison wrote in the journal. The Alameda Research CEO, who pleaded guilty to criminal charges earlier this year, is expected to testify against SBF as a star witness during his criminal trial later this year.The testy letter came days after U.S. Attorney Damian Williams boldly accused SBF of attempting to discredit Ellison and taint a jury pool in his fraud trial by releasing the documents. Willaims claimed SBF violated civil procedure rules which bar lawyers or their agents from releasing non-public information about criminal cases if there’s “a substantial likelihood that such dissemination will interfere with a fair trial.” Other rules prohibit the sharing of documents that could harm the credibility or testimony of potential witnesses. SBF’s attorneys countered that by saying some of the sentiments expressed in Ellison’s leaked dreary were already public knowledge and previously noted the government’s indictment against SBF.SBF claims the reporter reached out to him in regards to a story in the works about Ellison and that he handed over Ellison’s personal writings “in an effort to give his side of the story.” Presumably, the documents also give her side of the story. The former crypto darling claims he obtained those documents prior to his arrest last December in the Bahamas.SBF, his attorney’s letter continues, was well within his rights to air out Ellison’s dirty laundry, in order to respond to a deluge of “almost uniformly negative” media coverage about him in the press. The defense claims that the string of unfavorable coverage has been exacerbated by SBF’s major detractors, including acting FTX CEO John Ray who has routinely criticized the crypto founder in public filings and hearings. SBF’s defense alleged the DOJ “stood silent” as Ray “routinely and gratuitously” attacked their client.

Sam Bankman-Fried's Lawyers Defend Caroline Ellison Diary Leaks to NYT- It's totally fine for Sam Bankman-Fried to give his ex-girlfriend's diary entries to a New York Times reporter, his lawyers said in a court filing. On Thursday, the New York Times published a story featuring snippets from a journal kept by Caroline Ellison, a likely witness in the October criminal trial against Bankman-Fried and his ex. Prosecutors correctly surmised that the entries were provided to the Times by Bankman-Fried, who had access to the writings, which were kept on Google Docs. In their own court filing, they accused Bankman-Fried of trying to discredit a witness in the case, intimidating other witnesses by implicitly threatening to leak their secrets, and potentially tainting the jury pool. Bankman-Fried's lawyers fired back in a Sunday court filing, saying he was just telling his side of the story. "The Government has taken a set of circumstances where nothing improper or impermissible occurred and has unfairly recast the events as a nefarious attempt by Mr. Bankman-Fried to 'discredit' Caroline Ellison and 'taint' the jury pool," his lawyers wrote. "But Mr. Bankman-Fried did nothing wrong." Prosecutors allege Bankman-Fried defrauded customers of FTX, his now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange, in part by commingling funds with Alameda Research, a hedge fund he also controlled. Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research, pleaded guilty to her role in the scheme and is cooperating with prosecutors. She's expected to testify against Bankman-Fried, who pleaded not guilty to the charges. Bankman-Fried's lawyers said the Times journalist contacted him about a story that was already in process. "The reporter contacted Mr. Bankman-Fried about a story he was working on concerning Ms. Ellison and asked Mr. Bankman-Fried if he wished to respond," they wrote. "Mr. Bankman-Fried ultimately agreed to speak to the reporter and invited him for a visit at his parents' home pursuant to the procedures outlined in the bail conditions imposed by this Court." Following the Times story, prosecutors said they wanted US District Judge Lewis Kaplan, who's overseeing the case, to issue a gag order limiting what Bankman-Fried is allowed to say ahead of the trial. A proposed order, filed to court Monday, would prohibit him and any representatives "from publicly disseminating or discussing with any public communications media anything about the case which could interfere with a fair trial."

SBF’s Lawyers Say It’s Fine to Leak Your Ex-Girlfriend’s Diary to the New York Times - After getting slapped with a warning from the Department of Justice over the leaking of private and personal documents, lawyers for disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried have fired back and said that it's fine, actually. In a Sunday filing to the judge presiding over his federal case, SBF's attorneys Mark Cohen and Christian Everdell insisted that it wasn't actually bad for their client to leak his ex-girlfriend Caroline Ellison's diary entries to the New York Times even though the DOJ claimed the opposite in its request for a gag order. "The Government has taken a set of circumstances where nothing improper or impermissible occurred and has unfairly recast the events as a nefarious attempt by Mr. Bankman-Fried to 'discredit' Caroline Ellison and 'taint' the jury pool," his lawyers wrote. "But Mr. Bankman-Fried did nothing wrong." SBF was exercising his First Amendment rights, the filing claims, when he gave the NYT Ellison's writings. And anyway, the NYT story "was favorable to Ms. Ellison and negative towards Mr. Bankman-Fried," the lawyers wrote.Along with the assertion that it's not nefarious to share someone else's innermost thoughts with the media, the lawyers also admit in their filing that SBF was, in fact, the person who leaked the diary entries to the NYT, which did not same its source."A reporter contacted Mr. Bankman-Fried and asked if he wanted to respond to an article about Ms. Ellison that had been in process for months," the filing continues. "Mr. Bankman-Fried spoke to the reporter and shared certain documents that he had obtained prior to his arrest, and that were not produced in discovery, in an effort to give his side of the story about topics that have already been reported in the media."To their end, Cohen and Everdell did say that if presiding Judge Lewis Kaplin issues a gag order, their client will comply. They also asked that the same order be given to John Ray III, the former Enron exec who began running FTX during its bankruptcy proceedings last year and who has, as the lawyers note, "routinely made disparaging statements" while the government "stood silent."It was within the "hyper-toxic media environment" in the aftermath of the FTX crash that SBF leaked the documents, the lawyers wrote — an environment that was, they claim, made worse by Ray's repeated attacks.Claims of toxicity aside, the clapback does make for an interesting update in this seemingly never-ending scandal that has revealed way more than anyone would like to know about the participants' sex lives, thoughts on monogamy, and mental health issues. And the lawyers did get one thing right: in the NYT piece about Ellison's diary, at least, she does come off a lot more likable than SBF.

FTX’s Bankman-Fried seeks gag order for all witnesses in criminal case -- Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried has agreed to a gag order preventing him from making comments to third parties that may interfere with his trial — but argues other potential witnesses should be gagged as well, including current FTX CEO John Ray.The gag order against Sam Bankman-Fried was initially requested on July 20, when the U.S. government accused the FTX founder of attempting to interfere with a fair trial by publicly discrediting former business partner and witness Caroline Ellison in an interview with the New York Times.In a July 22 letter to United States District Court Judge Lewis A. Kaplan of New York, Bankman-Fried’s lawyer firm Cohen & Gresser LLP denied the accusations but agreed to accept a gag order as requested. In this case, Bankman-Fried will no longer be able to make comments that publicly discredit a government witness by sharing confidential information that may taint the jury pool. However, in accepting the relief, Bankman-Fried’s lawyers also want the same gag order to be applied to all parties and witnesses that could be involved in his criminal trial.“We respectfully request that any such relief, however, should apply not just to Mr. Bankman-Fried, but equally to all ‘parties and witnesses’ — namely, the Government and all potential witnesses in this case.”This would include the U.S. government, former employees of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, FTX Debtor entities, Alameda Research and other potential witnesses involved in the case, according to the attorneys.Explaining the request, the lawyers said there has been a “toxic media environment” surrounding their client since the collapse of the exchange, noting that FTX CEO John Ray was one of the bigger culprits.“Most notably, the current CEO of the FTX Debtor entities, John J. Ray III, who has routinely (and gratuitously) attacked and vilified Mr. Bankman-Fried in his public comments and filings in the FTX bankruptcy proceedings,” they said. “Mr. Ray’s repeated ad hominem attacks on Mr. Bankman-Fried — which have very little [to] do with his role recovering assets for FTX creditors and seem more directed towards publicly vilifying Mr. Bankman-Fried. [This] has left Mr. Bankman-Fried with little choice but to respond,” the lawyers added.

Sam Bankman-Fried should be jailed until trial, prosecutor says, citing bail violations (AP) — A judge is weighing whether to revoke Sam Bankman-Fried‘s bail after prosecutors said Wednesday that the FTX founder used the news media to harass a key witness against him and should be locked up until trial. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan didn’t immediately decide whether to put the cryptocurrency entrepreneur behind bars, instead giving defense lawyers and prosecutors several days to submit written arguments and more information.“I am certainly very mindful of his First Amendment rights, and I am very mindful of the government’s interest here, which I take very seriously,” Kaplan said. “And I say to the defendant, Mr. Bankman-Fried: You better take it seriously, too.”Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to charges that he cheated investors and looted FTX customer deposits. The 31-year-old, who was seen as a crypto whiz before the exchange collapsed last year, has been free on $250 million bond since his December extradition from the Bahamas. He is required to remain at his parents’ home in Palo Alto, California, and his electronic communications have been severely limited.Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon said Bankman-Fried should be jailed because he gave The New York Times some personal correspondence by Caroline Ellison. She was the CEO of Alameda Research, a cryptocurrency trading hedge fund that was an offshoot of FTX.“Having contact with the press alone isn’t witness-tampering” or grounds for revoking bail, Sassoon said. But, she said, by setting out to tarnish Ellison in an international publication read by many potential jurors in the New York-based case, Bankman-Fried “crossed a line toward inappropriately influencing jurors, intimidating that witness and sending a message to other prospective jurors.” She said equipment the government monitors as part of his bail conditions revealed that he has made more than 1,000 phone calls to various journalists, including over 100 calls to the Times reporter and over 500 calls to author Michael Lewis.

Campaign Finance Charge Against Sam Bankman-Fried Is Dropped - Federal prosecutors pursuing the criminal case against the cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried said on Wednesday that they were dropping a charge that he violated campaign finance rules. Mr. Bankman-Fried was charged with fraud and campaign finance violations in December after the sudden collapse of his company, the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. He was quickly extradited to the United States from the Bahamas, where FTX was based.But in a court filing on Wednesday night, the prosecutors said the Bahamas had informed them that the nation’s government had not intended to extradite Mr. Bankman-Fried on the campaign finance charge.“In keeping with its treaty obligations to the Bahamas, the government does not intend to proceed to trial on the campaign contributions count,” the prosecutors’ filing said. The removal of the charge is a victory for Mr. Bankman-Fried’s legal team, which had argued that the United States mishandled the extradition process. And it follows the prosecution’s decision in June to proceed to a trial in October without pursuing five other charges that were added to Mr. Bankman-Fried’s indictment in the weeks after his extradition. The authorities have said Mr. Bankman-Fried and others at FTX used customer deposits to make $90 million in campaign contributions to some 300 political candidates or political action committees. Months ago, prosecutors and bankruptcy lawyers for FTX began asking recipients of those donations to return them.A spokesman for Mr. Bankman-Fried declined to comment. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York, which is prosecuting the case, did not respond to a request for comment.In total, Mr. Bankman-Fried is now set to face seven charges at his trial in October, including accusations that he defrauded customers and lenders of FTX. Prosecutors have argued that he orchestrated a sweeping fraud, siphoning billions of dollars that customers had deposited with FTX to finance campaign contributions, charitable donations and real estate purchases.Prosecutors are planning a second trial on the five charges that were withdrawn in June, including an accusation that Mr. Bankman-Fried bribed a foreign government. They said they had to postpone a trial on those counts while litigation over the extradition unfolded in the Bahamas.

Latest court filings suggest Sam isn’t the only bad apple in the Bankman-Fried family - In the week’s after FTX’s implosion, many viewed Sam Bankman-Fried as a scamp who had gotten in over his head. As the full extent of his crimes became known, however, a much darker story emerged: Bankman-Fried was not a misguided young man, but a manipulative liar and narcissist who did not give a damn whom he hurt. When he leakedhis one-time girlfriend’s personal diary to the New York Times this month, no one was particularly surprised.Then there is the matter of his family. As with the FTX founder himself, recent court revelations have meant that any initial inclinations to give them the benefit of the doubt were ill-founded and naive.We learned, for instance, that Joseph Bankman has been paying for his son’s gold-plated legal defense with $10 million gifted to him by Bankman-Fried—money looted from FTX customers and that he should not be spending, according to the Justice Department. While any parent can understand the urge to help a child in trouble, Bankman is a law professor who knows what he’s doing isn’t right. It’s also hard to sympathize upon learning he blew at least a million of the funds on bad crypto trades.Then there is Gabe. Before it all came crumbling down, Bankman-Fried’s brother was a Democratic politico who ran a nonprofit funded primarily by FTX and was also an evangelist for effective altruism—the flim-flam philosophy that purported to be about helping humanity with money. As my colleague Leo Schwartz reported, Gabe Bankman-Fried wrote a memo proposing to buy Nauru, a tiny nation island in Micronesia: “The goal, according to the memo, would be to build a bunker that could be used in the event that ‘50%-99.99% of people die,’ with the aim of ensuring that most EAs, or effective altruists, can survive, as well as to develop ‘sensible regulation around human genetic enhancement, and build a lab there…Probably there are other things it’s useful to do with a sovereign country, too.'” All for the good of humanity, huh? Sounds like a great guy.

Lobbyist tried to buy entire nation to lab-create 'superhumans' for apocalypse, lawsuit says — The tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru nearly became a lab for a wealthy lobbyist to create a race of "superhumans" in a lab for his vision of creating a fortified apocalypse bunker state, a lawsuit states. Gabe Bankman-Fried is former a lobbyist for FTX — a failed cryptocurrency exchange — and he's also the younger brother of FTX creator Sam Bankman-Fried. Gabe Bankman-Fried is accused of trying to purchase Nauru "in the event where 50%-99.99% of people [worldwide] die" so he can protect his "allies" and so he can create a new species of genetically modified humans in a lab on the island. That's all according to a lawsuit filed in Delaware bankruptcy court against the Bankman-Fried brothers by attorneys from Sullivan & Cromwell, which is trying to collect billions from the collapse of FTX. Only two nations — Tuvalu and Vatican City — have fewer people than Nauru, which has a population of roughly 10,800 as of 2020. The same applies for size as only Vatican City and Monaco are smaller in area than Nauru. Nauru sits 2,793 miles northeast of Australia A representative from Nauru says the country is not and has never been for sale. Life in a bunker in case of an apocalypse is a common trend among the uber-wealthy. Sam Bankman-Fried was known to practice a concept known as "effective altruism" while he was running FTX. According to CNBC, those who practice "effective altruism" work "to maximize their income so they can give away their money in a fashion they see as most beneficial to humankind." Gabe Bankman-Fried was a well-known Washington, D.C. lobbyist for FTX, and along with an unnamed associate wanted to purchase Nauru to develop “sensible regulation around human genetic enhancement and build a lab there.” ) The apocalyptic base Gabe Bankman-Fried imagined would house other "effective altruists" if most of the world's population was to die off.

How do tech bros plan to ride out Armageddon? Living it up on their private islands -- Do you have a plan for the apocalypse? Have you sat down and developed a strategy to ride out a doomsday event? Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, and his younger brother, Gabriel, certainly seem to have done so. According to details of a new lawsuit filed against FTX, the tech bros weren’t content with a run-of-the-mill billionaire’s luxury underground bunker. Nope, they had big plans to purchase the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru as insurance against the world ending.How would that work? Alas, details are sparse. The court filings simply allege that Gabriel Bankman-Fried wrote a memo to an unnamed FTX official suggesting they buy the island “in order to construct a ‘bunker/shelter’ that would be used for ‘some event where 50-99.99% of people die [to] ensure that most EAs [effective altruists] survive’”. There were also plans to develop “sensible regulation around human genetic enhancement, and build a lab there”. The memo added: “probably there are other things it’s useful to do with a sovereign country, too”. Admittedly, I am not an expert in doomsday prep. Still, buying Nauru seems an unusual disaster-mitigation strategy. At its highest point the island is only 65 metres above sea level, making it vulnerable to rising tides and global heating. There are no streams or rivers, which makes procuring fresh water a challenge. Rampant phosphate mining a few decades back ravaged the soil, meaning much of the land is infertile and more than 90% of food consumed in Nauru is imported. And then there’s the small fact that it’s a sovereign nation – where more than 12,000 people live – that isn’t for sale.But what do I know? While the Nauru project may sound like a harebrained neo-colonialist scheme hatched after way too many beers in the pub (or, since this is Silicon Valley, too much LSD in the mindfulness room), it’s important to remember that the idea was devised by effective altruists.In his heyday, Sam Bankman-Fried was the most famous face of effective altruism: a movement started more than a decade ago by the now 36-year-old Oxford philosopher William MacAskill, which defines itself as “using evidence and reason to figure out how to benefit others as much as possible”. Before young MacAskill came along, you see, all previous altruism was ineffective. Nobody in the do-gooder space thought at all about evidence or reason; everything was just based on vibes.

Who Would Have Been Invited into Sam Bankman-Fried’s Doomsday Bunker? -In a bizarre turn of events, Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of now-defunct crypto exchange FTX, allegedly considered purchasing an island to use as a bunker in the event of an apocalyptic event, according to a memo included in a recent lawsuit filed against Bankman-Fried and his fellow FTX executives.Bankman-Fried, once one of the world’s youngest billionaires, saw his fortune wiped out after FTX collapsed last November amid claims it was mishandling customer funds. Arrested in December, he currently faces numerous charges including fraud and foreign bribery. Now, a new lawsuit is shedding light on the “misguided and sometimes dystopian” projects spearheaded by Bankman-Fried. The FTX Foundation, Bankman-Fried’s charitable organization attached to FTX, was interested in purchasing the island of Nauru, according to the current leadership team of FTX, which is suing Bankman-Fried for allegedly misappropriating $1 billion before the exchange filed for bankruptcy.The plan was described in a memo between Bankman-Fried’s brother Gabriel and an unnamed FTX Foundation officer, who aimed to use the island and “construct a “bunker/shelter” that would be used for “some event where 50%-99.99% of people die [to] ensure that most EAs [effective altruists] survive,” according to the complaint. Bankman-Fried was one of the most prominent voices of effective altruism, a philanthropic social movement that urges members to use reason and evidence to do the most good possible.The memo also supposedly discussed the possibility of developing “sensitive regulation around human genetic enhancement” and building a lab on Nauru, an island state located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean around 3,000 kilometers northeast of Australia. In 2002, it was designated as a money-laundering haven by the U.S. treasury. “Probably there are other things it’s useful to do with a sovereign country, too,” noted the memo.Other concerning FTX Foundation activities brought forward included grants of $300,000 and $400,000 authorized in June of 2022, which respectively funded an individual writing a book “about how to figure out what humans’ utility function is (are),” and an entity posting YouTube videos of “rationalist and [Effective Altruism] material,” including animated videos on “grabby aliens,” according to the lawsuit. A spokesperson for Bankman-Fried declined requests for comment.In light of his doomsday plans, Observer assembled a list of individuals who might have secured a ticket to Nauru in the wake of an Armageddon-style threat. These are some of the most prominent names associated with both Bankman-Fried and the effective altruism movement:

Missing crypto millionaire found dismembered in suitcase: Report --A missing cryptocurrency millionaire and Instagram influencer based in Argentina has turned up dead, with police suspecting murder after he was found dismembered in a suitcase.According to several local media reports, crypto trader and influencer Fernando Pérez Algaba was reported missing on July 18 when he failed to return the keys to a rented apartment and answer his phone.His remains were found less than a week later on July 23 by a group of children in the town of Ingeniero Budge, a province of the Argentinian capital.The suitcase contained amputated legs and forearms, authorities discovered a torso on July 24 after draining the stream where the suitcase was found. A head was found in a backpack a day later on July 25.Analysis of fingerprints and tattoos identified the body as the missing millionaire and an autopsy suggested he was shot three times before he was dismembered. Investigators have reportedly suggested it may be the work of a professional outfit and believe the motive behind Algaba’s murder was possibly debt-related. One possible suspect has already been arrested in connection to the case.Algaba is said to have been a crypto trader in Buenos Aires where he operated an office that employed 25 other traders.He had also amassed a sizeable Instagram following in his time, with over 917,000 followers. Most of the content revolves around luxury cars and his beloved dog.It was reported that Algaba had a 900,000 Argentine pesos ($3,300) debt in bounced checks, 1.2 million Argentine pesos ($4,400) owed to banks and another debt of $70,000 again related to a bounced check.In late 2022 a spate of mysterious and sudden deaths of crypto billionaires caused wild theories in the community.Between October and December 2022, MakerDAO co-founder Nikolai Mushegian, crypto broker Javier Biosca, Amber Group co-founderTiantian Kullander, Russian crypto billionaire Vyacheslav Taran and major Bithumb shareholder Park Mo all suffered seemingly untimely deaths.

Capitalism Is A Giant Scam – Caitlin Johnstone -- “Let the market decide” really means let the manipulators decide, because the markets are dominated by those who excel at manipulating. We’re taught that letting the market decide means letting supply and demand take its natural course, as though we’re talking about ocean tides or seasons or something, but in reality both supply and demand are manipulated constantly with extreme aggression. Manipulating the supply of diamonds. Manipulating the supply of housing. Manipulating the supply of oil. Manipulating people into wanting things they’d never thought to want before through advertising. Manipulating women into feeling bad about their bodies so they’ll buy your beauty products. Manipulating people into paying $2000 for a $20 bag using branding. Manipulating people into buying Listerine by inventing the word “halitosis” and convincing them to be worried about it. Manipulating people into believing Beanie Babies were prized collectors items when they were just standard stuffed toys.Capitalism gives us a civilization that is dominated by trickery. Those who get to the top are those who succeed in tricking as many people as possible. Tricking them into paying more. Tricking them into buying your product and not someone else’s. Tricking people who actually produce something of value into making you their middle man who gets paid despite producing nothing. Tricking competitors into making the wrong move. Tricking people into asking their doctor about your extremely lucrative pharmaceutical product. Tricking people into buying or selling certain stocks or cryptocurrencies or NFTs. Tricking people by using the legal system and your team of lawyers who understand it better than normal people do. Tricking people into letting you privatize their own drinking water and then selling it back to them in bottles.It’s a scam competition. Whoever scams the best wins. How can you save the planet from destruction by human behavior when all of human behavior is driven by a bizarre scam competition? And the biggest scam of all is the narrative that this system is totally working and is entirely sustainable. That’s the overarching scam holding all the other scams together.Proponents of capitalism often decry socialism as a coercive system that people are forced to participate in, but what the hell do you call this? Did any of us sign up to be thrown into the middle of a giant unending scam competition? What if I don’t want to spend my whole life being subjected to people’s attempts to trick me? What if I don’t want to live in a society where everyone’s trying to trick and scam each other instead of collaborating toward the greater good of our world? Guess what? I don’t consent to any of that. I am being coerced into this.Whenever you talk about the destructiveness and depravity of capitalism online you’ll get people saying “Hurr hurr, and yet here you are participating in capitalism” like that’s an own instead of the exact problem that’s being discussed. Yes! Yes I am coerced into participating in a capitalist society in order to pay the bills and stay alive. That’s the problem I’m trying to address here. It’s like prisoners complaining about the prison system and being called hypocrites because they are in prison.

Former Apollo Chief Leon Black Has More Jeffrey Epstein ‘Splaining To Do with Tax Evasion, Alleged Rape of Autistic 16 Year Old by Yves Smith - Shed a crocodile tear. Former private equity kingpin Leon Black is back in hot water thanks to his dealings with child rapist Jeffrey Epstein.. The disgraced private equity billionaire had a purported professional relationship with Epstein in which Black gave Epstein unseemly amount of money for tax advice….when Epstein was in no way, shape or form a tax professional and all of his ideas were rechecked by actual experts who were paid a pittance compared to the eye-popping $158 million Epstein received. Not only did that arrangement get a fair bit of eyebrow raised press coverage, but the Senate Committee on Finance is also, with limited success, trying to go proctological on the Epstein advice as a case study in how super rich men avoid, and perhaps evade, taxes. And just as the Senate publicized its probe into Black’s big tax savings and Black’s evident egregious overpay for Epstein’s tax services, and its dissatisfaction with how forthcoming Black has been, comes a new lawsuit alleging that Black raped an autistic 16 year old in 2002 at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse. Black claims that Epstein’s ideas saved Black $1.6 billion in taxes. But tax pros are not paid on a commission basis. And for $158 million, Black could have hired the very best tax attorneys in the world many times over.¹ This sort of generosity is particularly out of character in private equity, as is the fact that there was no fee agreement between Epstein and Black. The top dogs are very conscious of getting value for their money. And recall specifically that Black’s Apollo was extract due to the huge volume of legal fees paid by the funds Apollo managed. But the SEC sanctioned Apollo for hogging the discounts for benefit of Apollo, not the funds’ investors. [….] All of the detail above may be more than you wanted to know, but it should also make clear that what went on does not even remotely pass the smell test despite Apollo hiring a fancy firm to apply liberal amounts of porcine maquillage. And too few appear to have considered the idea that Black may have involved Apollo employees or those of investee companies in his scheming. Three scandals hit Black this week: the announcement that he paid $62.5 million to the Virgin Islands to buy his way of any potential Jeffrey Epstein litigation. That number suggests Black was very exposed and the Virgin Islands has a pretty good idea of that too. Then we have the revelation that Black’s woes with respect to his Epstein tax shelter dealings have not gone away by virtue of the Senate probe, launched last June but made public on Tuesday. From Reuters: The U.S. Senate’s Finance Committee on Tuesday revealed an ongoing probe into private equity billionaire Leon Black’s financial ties with disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein, and said the investigation “uncovered serious tax issues.” […] Now let us turn to the part you’ve been waiting to read about…the rape accusation! Yours truly is frustrated by so far not being able to read the filing, lodged in Federal Court in the Southern District of New York.However, as a mere watcher of the New York City sex crimes show Special Victims Unit, whose stories often revolve around how difficult it is to prove sex crimes in court, even if Black did 100% of what the filing alleges, it seems the odds of proving it in court, even to the civil suit standard of preponderance of evidence, are low. The filing says the rape took place in 2002. Time is the enemy of prosecutions, and this filing is essentially a prosecution even if in the form of a private suit. Memories fade and can therefore be discredited. Witness die or can’t be located. Evidence goes missing.The most detailed write up is in the Daily Beast. I have cut out a lot of the detail about how Jane Doe was groomed and then managed: On Tuesday, a woman identified as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court claiming that Epstein instructed her to give his “special friend Leon Black” a sexualized massage, during which he is accused of brutalizing her to the point that she began bleeding.Because of Doe’s condition, identified in the complaint as mosaic Down Syndrome, her developmental age was about 12 years old and …was “a perfect target” for Epstein and his girlfriend and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell…The lawsuit includes graphic details of Black’s alleged abuse, as well as allegations of Doe signing up for a cheerleading program only to be groomed and abused by an adult volunteer named “Elizabeth,” who eventually introduced her to Maxwell…In late spring or summer of 2002, Elizabeth informed Doe she would be heading to New York to meet Black..After she arrived at Epstein’s townhouse, Doe spotted Black—whom she described as “a huge older man” who is “6’ 4” and about 300 pounds” with a “bulbous nose” and “skin tags and moles”—having a conversation with Epstein. The lawsuit says Doe’s “initial impression of Black was that he looked like an ‘ogre,’ and she felt frightened.”Epstein ordered Doe to give Black “the same kind of ‘massage treatment’ that she gives Epstein —meaning that it would involve sexual intercourse and she was expected to strip naked,” the lawsuit alleges.According to the document, Black then led Doe to an upstairs massage room, gripping her hand “so hard that she thought he might have broken bones.”Once inside the room, Black allegedly tossed Doe over his shoulder and threw her onto the massage table, knocking the wind out of her. “She tried to scream but Black placed his hand over her mouth and leaned over her while ripping off her shirt and under her skirt pulling her underwear off,” the lawsuit continues.Doe claims Black called her “demeaning” names during the assault and laughed at her attempts to escape him, asking if she was “feisty.” She also alleges that Black penetrated her forcefully with sex toys. At one point, Doe says his assault was so painful that she kicked him, sending him into a rage where he called her a “whore” and “slut” and threw her to the ground

Court Filing: JPMorgan Chase “Actively Participated in Epstein’s Sex-Trafficking Venture” -By Pam and Russ Martens: July 26, 2023 ~The Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands, armed with highly effective legal talent from the law firm, MotleyRice – which stakes its reputation on its “boldness” – has filed new documents in its federal lawsuit against the largest bank in the United States, JPMorgan Chase. The new documents are, indeed, breathtakingly bold.The U.S. Virgin Islands’ attorneys have clarified to the court that they plan to show in a trial scheduled for October that JPMorgan Chase not only facilitated the sex trafficking of underage girls by Jeffrey Epstein but that the bank “actively participated in Epstein’s sex-trafficking venture from 2006 until 2019.”That is a very explosive assertion. For starters, it throws up a giant red flare as to why the American public has heard nothing from the criminal division of the U.S. Department of Justice about a criminal case against the bank for laundering money for Epstein. The case brought by the U.S. Virgin Islands is a civil case.The U.S. Virgin Islands filed hundreds of pages of new court documents on Monday and Tuesday. Most of the exhibits have been filed under seal. A Memorandum of Law arguing for partial summary judgment in the case, however, is only lightly redacted and makes the following points:“Even if participation requires active engagement…there is no genuine dispute that JPMorgan actively participated in Epstein’s sex-trafficking venture from 2006 until 2019. The Court found allegations that the Bank allowed Epstein to use its accounts to send dozens of payments to then-known co-conspirators [redacted] provided excessive and unusual amounts of cash to Epstein; and structured cash withdrawals so that those withdrawals would not appear suspicious ‘went well beyond merely providing their usual [banking] services to Jeffrey Epstein and his affiliated entities’ and were sufficient to allege active engagement.”The U.S. Virgin Islands has previously alerted the court to the unfathomable sums of hard cash that Epstein was able to take from the accounts he maintained at JPMorgan Chase without the bank filing the legally mandated Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to law enforcement. In the new filing, it has tallied up the giant pile of cash, writing as follows: “Between September 2003 and November 2013, or approximately ten years, JPMorgan handled more than $5 million in outgoing cash transactions for Epstein — ignoring its own policy discouraging large cash withdrawals….”The U.S. Virgin Islands’ attorneys cite to internal emails at JPMorgan Chase showing that employees at the bank were aware of Epstein’s “[c]ash withdrawals … made in amounts for $40,000 to $80,000 several times a month” while also being aware that Epstein paid his underage sexual assault victims in cash.JPMorgan Chase’s active participation in the Epstein sex trafficking ring was also alleged in a separate class action lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase brought by lawyers David Boies and Bradley Edwards on behalf of Epstein’s victims. At a March 13 court hearing in the case, Boies argued in open court that JPMorgan Chase had used a private jet owned by the bank’s hedge fund, Highbridge Capital, to transport girls for Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. A January 13, 2023 amended complaint filed by Boies’ law firm provided the following details on that allegation:

NYS Regulator Fined Deutsche Bank $150 Million Over Ties to Jeffrey Epstein but Says It Doesn’t Have a Scrap of Paper on JPMorgan and the Sex Trafficker By Pam and Russ Martens - On July 5, Wall Street On Parade filed a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request with the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), the state agency that investigates and penalizes financial institutions for engaging in illicit activities. We were curious as to why the DFS had fined Deutsche Bank upwards of $150 million on July 7, 2020 for its illicit dealings with the sex trafficker of underage girls, Jeffrey Epstein, but had remained silent on any investigations or fines against JPMorgan Chase. Our curiosity was heightened by the fact that Deutsche Bank had only a 5-year banking relationship with Epstein, from 2013 to 2018, while JPMorgan Chase had a 15-year banking relationship with Epstein, from 1998 to 2013. When we examined the details in the consent order that the DFS had filed against Deutsche Bank, our curiosity was heightened further. According to the consent order, over the course of Deutsche Bank’s relationship with Epstein, more than $800,000 in cold hard cash was withdrawn from Epstein’s accounts. On Monday, in a filing in federal court in lower Manhattan, the Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands revealed that “Between September 2003 and November 2013, or approximately ten years, JPMorgan handled more than $5 million in outgoing cash transactions for Epstein — ignoring its own policy discouraging large cash withdrawals….” Laundering $5 million in cash for a sex trafficking ring is 6.25 times that of laundering $800,000 for a sex trafficking ring, so we would have expected to see a fine by the NYS DFS of at least $937.5 million against JPMorgan Chase, especially given the fact that JPMorgan Chase is a recidivist criminal with five felony counts already brought against it by the U.S. Department of Justice and admitted to by the bank. The Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands is suing JPMorgan Chase in federal court and demanding more than $190 million in monetary damages as well as injunctive relief – meaning that the bank has to change the way it conducts its business. The federal court in Manhattan now has hundreds of internal emails, dozens of depositions, and thousands of documents backing up the claims being made by the U.S. Virgin Islands.The U.S. Virgin Islands is approximately 1,600 miles from JPMorgan Chase headquarters in Manhattan. The DFS headquarters in Manhattan is approximately 5.9 miles from the Park Avenue headquarters of JPMorgan Chase at the time Epstein was a client. The DFS main office at 1 State Street in Manhattan is approximately 7.2 miles from Epstein’s former mansion at 9 East 71^st Street where school-age girls were being sex-trafficked, raped and sexually assaulted for years by Epstein and his rich pals, according to lawsuits filed and settled using funds wired out of both JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank.With such proximity to the scene of the hideous crimes, why has the public heard nothing about any investigation or fines or injunctive relief being leveled against JPMorgan Chase by the New York State Department of Financial Services?Having filed our sunshine law records request on July 5, we waited anxiously for answers from the DFS. Yesterday, July 26, we received a one-page response from George Bogdan, Senior Attorney in the General Counsel’s Office for the DFS.We had asked for any documents that simultaneously included the phrases “JPMorgan” (or J.P. Morgan) and “Jeffrey Epstein” for the period of 01/01/2008 through 12/31/2019. Mr. Bogdan informed us that the DFS didn’t have so much as one scrap of a record responsive to our request; that it was closing our request; and it didn’t regulate or charter JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. But when we checked the DFS portal showing entities regulated by the DFS, we found eight separate subsidiaries of JPMorgan Chase that are regulated by the DFS.State attorneys general are empowered under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1581-1597 (‘TVPA’) to bring cases against sex traffickers and those that aid them. Why hasn’t this been done by the New York State Attorney General? Why is it being left to the Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands?More importantly, with the mountain of evidence against JPMorgan Chase that has been developed in the three separate Epstein-related lawsuits that have been filed in federal court in Manhattan, why hasn’t the U.S. Department of Justice brought criminal charges against the bank for money laundering? The DOJ brought two criminal felony counts against JPMorgan Chase in 2014 for laundering money for Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Why the hesitation now?

Banks to see capital increase by 16% under Basel III endgame proposal — The FDIC Board voted to issue a proposed rule that would impose higher capital standards on the biggest U.S. banks and with the most pronounced impacts on the largest firms. The FDIC estimated that the proposal would increase common equity tier one capital requirements by 16% for bank holding companies and 9% for other insured depository institutions. "Strengthening capital requirements for large banking organizations better enables them to absorb losses, with reduced disruption to financial intermediation and the U.S. economy," said FDIC Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg at Thursday's board meeting. "Enhanced resilience of the banking sector supports more stable lending through the economic cycle and diminishes the likelihood of financial crises and their associated costs." Gruenberg said the proposal aligns the calculation of regulatory capital for banking organizations with total assets between $100 billion and $700 billion with a standardized formula already applicable to the largest firms. For banks in this category, the proposed rule would replace banks' own risk models for market, credit and operational risk with standardized risk models and require firms to account for unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities when calculating capital. The proposal would institute new requirements for firms based on size and complexity. The proposal would extend the supplementary leverage ratio and countercyclical capital buffer to apply to banks with $100 billion or more in total assets. Banks with less than $100 billion in total assets may also face higher requirements if they have significant trading activity. The FDIC said this proposal will have no impact on community banks. Stricter capital standards would still apply to U.S.-based globally systemically important banks (GSIBs). The proposal would allow for a three-year phase-in period after it goes into effect on July 1, 2025, though the FDIC said it believes most banks are already able to implement the new capital requirements. For those facing shortfalls, the FDIC estimates they can achieve compliance quickly, though Gruenberg noted that the rules would not go into effect until the second half of 2028. Bank regulators have been signaling for months that they intended to raise capital requirements after the failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank earlier this year — the biggest bank failures since the global financial crisis of 2008. But support for raising capital has largely been limited to Democratic appointees, with Republican regulators — and some Democratic lawmakers — questioning the wisdom and efficacy of higher capital requirements.

Bowman, Waller vote against Fed's Basel III endgame proposal — Two Federal Reserve governors voted against a proposal to increase risk-based capital requirements Thursday afternoon.Fed. Govs. Michelle Bowman and Christopher Waller, the two remaining board members appointed by former President Donald Trump, expressed skepticism that the proposed rule charges — part of the so-called Basel III endgame — were necessary to preserve stability in the banking system."In my view, there is insufficient evidence that the benefits produced by this proposal would justify the costs," Bowman said in a written statement released before the board's official vote to issue the rulemaking proposal. "The proposed revisions under consideration have not been directed by Congress and are not compelled by a new evolution or identified weakness in the U.S. banking system."Bowman has been vocally opposed to sweeping changes to the capital framework since the topic came to the fore after the failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank this spring. She has repeatedly argued that the episodes were not indicative of systemic weakness, but rather individual mismanagement by bank executives and their supervisors. Waller has kept his opinions about regulatory reform closer to the vest in recent months. In his dissent on Thursday, he expressed a view that the new regulatory requirements would pass higher costs onto consumers or that certain lending activities would migrate outside the regulated banking system into less-regulated nonbanks. He also noted the proposals, which impose standardized risk-capital rules on all banks with at least $100 billion of assets, could be in violation of the tailoring rules called for by the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 and amended by the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018. "It is unclear to me whether this proposal meets that statutory bar," Waller said.The notice of proposed rulemaking, which is being rolled out by the Fed, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, would complete the Basel III international framework adopted by the Bank for International Settlements in 2017.The cross-agency package makes two primary sets of changes: it standardizes risk-weighting rules for credit risk, market risk, operating risk and credit valuation risk — which applies to losses on certain derivatives contracts. In doing so, it erases the $250 billion threshold for such requirements and eliminates the ability for banks to determine their own risk-based capital needs. The rule change would also amend the capital surcharge applied to global systemically important banks (GSIBs).

Fed's Jefferson voices concerns over Basel III capital proposal — The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday supported a proposed interagency rulemaking to impose additional capital requirements on large banks, but not without serious misgivings from a few members.Govs. Michelle Bowman and Christopher Waller both voted against issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking on the reform package, which would raise capital requirements for all banks with at least $100 billion of assets and some smaller banks with large trading portfolios. Gov. Philip Jefferson expressed concerns about the economic impact of the changes and questioned their relevance to recent bank failures, which Fed staffers cited as a justification for more stringent regulatory requirements. Jefferson ultimately supported the proposal — joining Fed Chair Jerome Powell, Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr and Gov. Lisa Cook in voting yes — but not without reservation."I will evaluate any future proposed final rules on their merits. My views on any proposed final Basel III endgame requirements for U.S. banking organizations will be informed by the potential impact on banking sector resiliency, financial stability and the broader economy stemming from the implementation," Jefferson said during an open meeting about the proposal. "I look forward to reading and digesting the comments we received from the public, which will inform my future decision on any eventual proposed final approvals."Jefferson has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the Fed's vice chair. His nomination is due to go before the full Senate for a vote sometime this year.Fed staffers said capital changes would have some impact on banking activity but argued that they would be offset by the increased resilience of the banking sector and fewer losses during periods of stress.

Bank groups petition Fed for stress test rulemaking | American Banker— Banking groups are pushing for more transparency around how the Federal Reserve stress tests large banks.The Bank Policy Institute and American Bankers Association submitted a petition to the Fed this week requesting that the central bank conduct a rulemaking process to determine the scenarios for its annual tests. They are also requesting that the Fed disclose all "models, formulas, and other decisional methodologies" used in the examinations.In a letter sent Monday, BPI and ABA urged the Fed to address "serious legal defects" in its stress testing regime, arguing that it had effectively created a set of "secret rules" for imposing binding capital requirements on banks. They also accused the Fed of violating the Administrative Procedures Act — also known as the APA — by not disclosing the models and formulas used in the test or detailing how it comes up with the scenarios in each year's test. "There is no legal justification for the Federal Reserve to continue to calculate large bank capital requirements with rules that are developed and applied in secret," BPI president and CEO Greg Baer said in a statement Tuesday. "No other agency of government operates in this way: the IRS sends out tax bills based on a published code, not a secret model that determines each taxpayer's liability; speed limits are posted and consistent, not hidden or constantly varying in erratic ways to force drivers to go much slower because they don't know what they are."A spokesperson for the Fed confirmed receipt of the letter but declined to comment on the request or any of the assertions made by the trade groups.The request comes roughly a month after the Fed released the results of the most recent stress test. In what has become an annual occurrence, every bank examined passed the test in the sense that their capital levels did not dip below the statutory minimum. But some banks saw their capital levels decline more than they did under the previous year's scenario, an outcome that will result in a higher add-on capital requirement — known as a stress capital buffer — for the coming year and therefore a smaller dividend payout to shareholders.Bank groups have grown frustrated with the stress testing regime in recent years, arguing that it has continually driven capital requirements up, despite banks demonstrating their ability to withstand adverse scenarios, both real and imagined.

Deutsche Bank, UBS see biggest stress capital buffer increases -The American subsidiaries of Deutsche Bank and UBS will see the largest increases to their regulatory capital requirements for the coming year. New York-based DB USA Corporation, the holding company for Deutsche Bank, will see its stress capital buffer increase by 4.8 percentage points for a total tier 1 capital requirement of 13.8%. Meanwhile, UBS Americas Holding, also headquartered in New York, will see its obligations increase by 4.3 percentage points to 13.6%.Capital One Financial Corp., based in McLean, Virginia, will see its capital burden tick up notably, with a 1.7 percentage point bump to 9.3%.The increases are the result of the banks' performance on the Fed's annual stress test. Both firms saw their minimum capital levels under this year's stress scenario decrease fall below the minimums registered in 2022. Banks must meet these capital requirements by October 1.Along with determining the final component of each examined bank's regulatory capital obligation, the stress test also determines how large of a dividend banks can pay to their shareholders.Overall, banks that were subjected to this year's test performed better relative to the year prior, resulting in capital requirements remaining unchanged and in some cases falling slightly. Boston-based Santander Holdings USA saw its capital requirement fall by 1.2 percentage points and Credit Suisse Holdings — which was acquired by UBS in a government-brokered deal earlier this year to avert the collapse of Credit Suisse — saw its stress capital buffer fall by 1.8 percentage points.Ten other banks also saw modest decreases to their stress capital buffers, while nine banks saw their obligations increase.

Fed, Bank of England fine UBS for Credit Suisse misconduct involving Archegos -- UBS will be on the hook for hefty fines for Credit Suisse's poor risk management practices related to a collapsed investment firm. UBS will pay $286 million as part of a consent agreement with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the central bank announced Monday. The bank also faces an £87 million — roughly $119 million — fine from U.K.'s Prudential Regulatory Authority on similar conditions. UBS acquired its Swiss rival earlier this year in a $3.25 billion deal that bank regulators brokered to prevent Credit Suisse from failing. The combination, which included the U.S. branches for both banks, was finalized last month.The regulators leveled the penalties for Credit Suisse's actions related to Archegos Capital Management, a New York-based family office that shuttered in 2021 and now faces criminal charges for racketeering and fraud. For years, Credit Suisse provided prime brokerage services to Archegos, including derivatives agreements known as total return swaps, which the firm used to make leveraged investments into single-name U.S. and Chinese stocks. At the time, regulators say, the bank failed to properly detect and manage the risks posed by the firm.

FDIC seeks buyers for $18.5 billion of Signature Bank loans -The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. launched the sale of an $18.5 billion loan portfolio from Signature Bank this week, a pool of debt tied to major private equity and investing firms. The portfolio is made up of 201 performing capital-call loans tied to firms including Starwood Capital Group, Carlyle Group, Blackstone, Thoma Bravo and Brookfield Asset Management, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified citing private information. The loans for sale "consist of subscription credit facilities to private equity funds," according to a notice from the FDIC. The FDIC declined to comment. A representative for Newmark didn't immediately return a message seeking comment. The sale, which launched July 25, is limited to FDIC-insured depository institutions, according to the FDIC's notice. The deadline for a bid is in September, with closing set for early October. Newmark Group is handling the sale. The sale of this debt is the most recent phase of the FDIC's offloading of about $60 billion of Signature Bank loans. The loans have been in FDIC receivership since earlier this year, when Signature Bank collapsed amid regional bank turmoil.

Dream First Bank assumes Heartland Tri-State Bank's deposits -The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. announced Friday that it had entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Dream First Bank of Syracuse, Kan., to assume all of the deposits of Heartland Tri-State Bank of Elkhart, Kan. The announcement came shortly after the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner shuttered Heartland and appointed the FDIC as receiver. The FDIC said the agreement will cause a $54.2 million hit to the Deposit Insurance Fund, which it says is the least costly resolution. FDIC said Heartland Tri-State Bank branches will reopen normally under the Dream First Bank name on Monday, July 31, and customer accounts will automatically transfer over to the new company. "Customers do not need to change their banking relationship in order to retain their deposit insurance coverage," the FDIC said in a statement. "Customers of Heartland Tri-State Bank should continue to use their existing branch until they receive notice from Dream First Bank, National Association, that it has completed system changes to allow its branch offices to process their accounts as well." As of March 31, 2023, FDIC said, Heartland Tri-State Bank had approximately $139 million in total assets and $130 million in deposits. Dream First Bank will assume virtually all of the failed bank's assets as part of the agreement. The FDIC and Dream First Bank say they have struck a loss-sharing agreement on the loans they purchased from the now-dissolved bank.

Bankers question regulatory crackdown on NSF fees -- Bankers are aggressively pushing back against efforts by regulators to punish banks for assessing multiple fees when a consumer doesn't have enough money in their bank account. Not so long ago, writing a check that bounced or making a purchase with a debit card on an overdrawn account was considered fraud, punishable as a criminal offense. But these days regulators have turned the tables and now are seeking civil penalties against banks for charging multiple nonsufficient funds fees when a customer overdraws their account. Often a merchant submits the transaction to a bank for a second time, incurring multiple nonsufficient funds, or NSF fees. Bankers say regulators never had a problem with NSF fees until the Biden administration took on the mantra of eliminating so-called "junk fees," and lumped all bank fees into the mix, including those that long considered to be legal. "This is one of the most challenging issues bankers face," said Joe Witt, president and CEO of the Minnesota Bankers Association. The Minnesota trade group sued the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and FDIC Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg last week for issuing supervisory guidance — instead of engaging in the formal notice-and-comment rulemaking process — on NSF fees last year. The bankers are addressing mostly procedural issues. "One of the major claims that we have with the FDIC is a question of whether they have authority to do what they did," said Witt.

Regulators issue guidance on Fed discount window, emergency borrowing - Washington regulators are encouraging banks and credit unions to test their ability to borrow from emergency lending facilities regularly to ensure they are able to access liquidity in a pinch.The Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and National Credit Union Administration issued guidance Friday on how depositories should "regularly evaluate and update their contingency funding plans."Both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank struggled to use the Fed's discount window in March amid significant upticks in depositors' withdrawal requests. Regulators have concluded that better preparation likely would not have saved the banks from failure, given the size of their respective runs, but their guidance notes that the episode "underscored the importance of liquidity risk management and contingency funding planning." Friday's guidance is the first formal recommendation on last-resort borrowing since the bank failures, but Fed officials have called on banks to be more proactive in their discount window preparations in recent months. On Wednesday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell discussed the topic during his post-Federal Open Market Committee meeting, noting that the process can be "clunkier" than banks anticipate. "Banks are now working to see that they are ready to use the discount window, and we are strongly encouraging them to do that — banks broadly," Powell said, adding that depositories should be "much more ready" to access liquidity than they have been.The guidance notes that banks should familiarize themselves with the operational steps required to borrow from the discount window as well as the NCUA's credit liquidity facility. It also calls for reviewing and revising contingency funding plans "periodically and frequently."

Powell: Banks are working to avoid 'clunky' discount window experience — Banks are taking steps to make sure they are prepared to use the Federal Reserve's last-resort lending facility, but Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that more can be done. Speaking during a press conference Wednesday following a meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, Powell said he has seen an uptick in banks double-checking their abilities to access the central bank's discount window if they ever need it after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank both struggled to do so before failing earlier this year. "Banks are now working to see that they are ready to use the discount window, and we are strongly encouraging them to do that — banks broadly," Powell said. Powell noted that this spring's ordeal demonstrated that borrowing from the facility — through which banks can pledge certain assets in exchange for short-term funding — is not as intuitive as some banks assume it to be. "We did find that, you know, during the events of March … that it's a little clunky or could be a little clunkier, or not as quick as it needs to be sometimes," he said. "So, why not be in a situation where you're just much more ready in case you need access to the discount window?" In the months since the failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank, Powell says conditions around banks have largely improved, underscoring the resilience of the sector. "Things have settled down for sure out there. Deposit flows have stabilized, capital and liquidity remain strong, aggregate bank lending was stable quarter over quarter and is up significantly year over year. Banking sector profits, generally, are coming in strong this quarter, and overall the banking system remains strong and resilient," Powell said. "Of course, we're still watching the situation carefully and monitoring the monetary conditions in the banking sector."

This Chart Shows How Wall Street Banks and the Fed Have Become a Match Made in Hell -By Pam and Russ Martens: July 24, 2023 ~Prior to Ben Bernanke being sworn in as Fed Chair on February 6, 2006, the United States had been through World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Vietnam War and the stagflation of the 1970s, without an explosion in the Fed’s balance sheet. But since Ben Bernanke, Janet Yellen and Jerome Powell have, in turn, sat at the helm of the Federal Reserve, there has been unprecedented growth in the Fed’s Balance Sheet.During the tenures of Bernanke, Yellen and Powell, the Fed’s balance sheet has exploded from $805 billion in February 2006, when Bernanke took his seat as Fed Chair, to the current reading last Wednesday, July 19, 2023, of $8.3 trillion. That’s an increase of 931 percent in just a little over 17 years. The trajectory on the chart above says it all.This unprecedented growth in the Fed’s balance sheet has come as a result of a Fed strategy known as “Quantitative Easing,” or “QE,” a wonky-sounding term that the Fed hoped would be incomprehensible to most Americans. What QE essentially boiled down to was the Fed artificially driving down interest rates by creating artificial demand for debt securities, which it bought by trillions of dollars and parked on its balance sheet. Beginning with Bernanke and his rollout of QE, the Fed morphed from lender of last resort to federally-insured banks (its mandate under the Federal Reserve Act) to buyer of last resort for what Wall Street regurgitated (not its mandate anywhere to be found in the Federal Reserve Act).Now the Fed is stuck with this monster balance sheet when it needs to be raising rates to fight inflation, not holding rates down.There are many reasons that the Fed openly operates outside of its statutory mandate. Among them are the following:The Federal Reserve Board of Governors has outsourced its open market operations to the New York Fed, which is, literally, owned by a handful of Wall Street megabanks. (See related articles below.) Congress has failed to separate the giant federally-insured banks from the Wall Street casino (trading houses), by restoring the Glass-Steagall Act, which has resulted in perpetual bailouts by the Fed. The advent of the 401(k) plan which incentivizes U.S. workers to save for retirement through investments in the stock market (or, to a smaller extent, the bond market). This removes much of the public outcry to Congress when the Fed bails out Wall Street, because tens of millions of workers feel that their retirement savings are also being bailed out. To fully grasp this concept, see our 2008 report on the “ownership society.” For how the average American is faring, see: PBS Drops Another Bombshell: Wall Street Is Gobbling Up Two-Thirds of Your 401(k). For an interactive look at our chart above, put your cursor at various points on the chart (at this link) for a weekly reading of the Fed’s balance sheet back to 1914.

Trillions of Dollars in Uninsured Deposits Are Now a Serious Albatross Around the Necks of the Mega Banks on Wall Street By Pam and Russ Martens: July 25, 2023 ~In June, Reuters reported that JPMorgan Chase was expanding the reach of its commercial bank into two additional foreign countries – Israel and Singapore – bringing its foreign commercial bank presence to a total of 28 countries. Those plans could potentially add billions of dollars more to its already problematic uninsured deposits.Why federal regulators are allowing JPMorgan Chase to continue to expand, despite it admitting to five criminal felony counts since 2014 and currently facing three lawsuits in federal court for facilitating Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking of underage girls is drawing attention from watchdogs.According to its regulatory filings, as of December 31, 2022, JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. held $2.015 trillion in deposits in domestic offices, of which $1.058 trillion were uninsured. It also held another $418.9 billion in deposits in foreign offices, which were also not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). That brought its uninsured deposits as of year-end to a total of $1.48 trillion or 60 percent of its total deposits.Under federal statute, the deposits held by U.S. banks that are located on foreign soil are not insured by the FDIC. Depositors in the Cayman Islands’ branch of Silicon Valley Bank found that out the hard way when their deposits were seized by the FDIC earlier this year after the bank failed in March. Deposits in domestic bank offices in the U.S. that exceed $250,000 per depositor/per bank are also not insured by the FDIC.After the second, third and fourth largest bank failures in U.S. history over the span of seven weeks this past spring, the FDIC has awakened to the dangers of U.S. banks holding large amounts of uninsured deposits – whether they are uninsured because they exceed the $250,000 insurance cap per depositor/per bank or are uninsured because the deposits reside on foreign soil. Large holdings of uninsured deposits contributed to the bank runs at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in March, which toppled the banks and forced an FDIC receivership at both banks.Because billions of dollars in domestic uninsured deposits were at risk at both failed banks, federal regulators issued a “special risk assessment” that allowed the FDIC to cover all uninsured domestic deposits. That action resulted in billions of dollars in extra losses to the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF).To wake up the mega banks on Wall Street to their own vulnerability with uninsured deposits as well as cover the DIF’s losses, the FDIC released a proposal on May 11 to levy a special assessment based on the individual bank’s holdings of uninsured deposits as of December 31, 2022. The assessment would amount to a charge of 0.125 percent of a bank’s uninsured deposits above $5 billion. The charge would be spread over eight quarters. If the proposal survives as planned, that’s going to mean a very large financial hit to JPMorgan Chase and other mega banks with large amounts of uninsured deposits. The proposal was subject to a 60-day comment period and, of course, the largest banks are howling through their lobbying organization, the Bank Policy Institute (BPI). In a letter dated July 21, the BPI argued that it wants to see some evidence that the biggest banks were the primary beneficiaries of the federal regulators’ “systemic risk assessment” that quieted things down during the banking panic. The BPI used the word “future” 13 times in its letter, repeatedly making the point that this better not be an assessment that the FDIC plans to make on an ongoing basis in the future. Dennis Kelleher, President and CEO of the nonprofit watchdog, Better Markets, countered the whines of the mega banks in his own detailed letter, writing in part: “The primary purpose of FDIC deposit insurance is to protect bank depositors. The standard deposit insurance coverage limit is currently $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category. At most banks, especially most community banks that conduct traditional banking services in support of their local cities and towns, most deposit accounts are insured. In fact, as of December 2022, more than 99 percent of deposit accounts were below the $250,000 deposit insurance limit. As stated in the FDIC’s May 2023 Deposit Insurance Study mandated by Congress, ‘Uninsured deposits are held in a small share of accounts but can be a large proportion of banks’ funding, particularly among the largest 10 percent and largest 1 percent of banks by asset size. Large concentrations of uninsured deposits, or other short-term demandable liabilities, increase the potential for bank runs and can threaten financial stability.’ ”

Sherrod Brown’s mission impossible - Sen. Sherrod Brown is trying to pull off a political magic trick: Winning reelection in a red state while clinching bipartisan deals with some of the very same people dedicated to defeating him. Take, for example, the long-stalled cannabis banking bill that Brown is trying to shepherd as Senate Banking chair. The Ohio Democrat’s primary Republican partner on it is none other than Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, whose mission as National Republican Senatorial Committee chair is ousting Brown next year. Brown and Daines, perhaps predictably, are already tussling over the cannabis bill — which is just one brick in an ambitious wall of bipartisan legislation that the Democrat is trying to finalize heading into what may be the toughest race of his career. Several of the bills which Brown advocates align well with the working-man’s liberal brand that he’s cultivated during 30 years in Congress: He wants to crack down on fentanyl traffickers, boost rail safety standards over the protests of corporations and claw back money from disgraced executives. Brown’s pursuit of bipartisan agreements during his reelection campaign could end with a Republican filibuster of some of his priorities. But if even a couple of his projects advance with buy-in from Republicans who want to beat him, it would give Brown the sort of accomplishment that every incumbent dreams of. And his party needs him to hang on in Ohio to keep the Senate majority next year. “I am working on lots of things. I’m not going to judge what [Republicans are] doing,” Brown said in an interview. He declined to predict whether his GOP colleagues would stop his legislative efforts in their tracks, but alluded to some concerns: “I think Mitch McConnell‘s not my cheerleader. I’ll leave it at that.” He’s not the only red-state Democrat in search of bipartisan wins while running a 2024 race that will determine Senate control. Two colleagues in a similar situation have encountered a GOP buzzsaw recently: Republicans filibustered Sen. Joe Manchin‘s (D-W.Va.) sweeping energy permitting reform bill last year and stopped Sen. Jon Tester’s (D-Mont.) marijuana research bill for veterans earlier this year. Manchin did manage to get the Mountain Valley Pipeline approved. It’s unclear whether Brown’s unique GOP roster of partners will help him break through or whether his bills will bog down in partisanship. “People are much more sensitive to giving policy wins [to people] they disagree with. And obviously, because Sherrod is a Democrat and my colleagues are Republicans … that motivates things much more than an election,” Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) said, dismissing the suggestion that the Senate race — and not garden-variety partisanship — was affecting Brown’s work. “Ask me six months before the election,” Vance added. “Maybe it will be a different answer.”

Treasury official: Brokered deposits 'may warrant greater attention' — Treasury Department Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Graham Steele zeroed in on brokered and reciprocal deposits — an area that thus far hasn't garnered much regulatory attention in the wake of this spring's bank failures — as an area needing new regulatory review. Steele, speaking at an event sponsored by consumer advocates Americans for Financial Reform Tuesday, said that capital regimes are supposed to be somewhat redundant and err on the side of higher capital levels precisely because risks are inherently subjective and imprecise. "No single measure will comprehensively capture the full range of potential risks, underscoring the need for a belt-and-suspenders approach to capital regulation," Steele said. Notably, Steele also called out changes to brokered and reciprocal deposit rules completed under the Trump administration, that he said "made it easier for some banks to accept reciprocal deposits and effectively excluded some bank-fintech partnerships from the brokered deposits rule." "Reciprocal and brokered deposits may warrant greater attention now that they are playing an increasingly important role in bank funding structures in light of the recent events," he said. "This recent episode can help to inform a broader consideration of how well the standardized liquidity frameworks are performing and if further refinements would be appropriate."

Banks must publicly disclose data breaches under new SEC rule --The Securities and Exchange Commission finalized a controversial rule on Wednesday that will require publicly traded companies to report material data breaches and other cybersecurity incidents within four days of determining that the incident was "material" — a term that may prove elusive to define.The rule, which the SEC proposed in March 2022, will give investors and the public at large a more consistent, comparable, and decision-useful way" to learn about breaches, according toSEC Chair Gary Gensler, who voted in favor of the final rule.The key difference between the four-day rule and the many state and federal cybersecurity reporting rules banks already have to follow is that now, public breach disclosures will happen weeks faster than before, and in all jurisdictions.Public companies do not have to disclose technical specifics of their incident response plans or the potential vulnerabilities involved in the incident by the four-day mark, according to the rule. Rather, they must provide a high-level overview of what took place.For example, companies must disclose what they do and do not know at the time about the date of discovery and status of the incident (i.e., whether it is ongoing or resolved), what data might have been compromised or altered, the impact of the incident on the company's operations and ongoing or completed remediation efforts.The SEC's final rule differs in at least one important manner from the proposed rule: It will allow companies to delay disclosure if the U.S. Attorney General determines doing so could pose "a substantial risk to national security or public safety," according to Gensler. The SEC may also exempt a company from the incident disclosure requirement, he said.The question that looms largest over the new rule regards what exactly the SEC means when it says "material" cybersecurity incidents, and how courts will interpret the phrase. Given that this is a new rule, there is not a lot of guidance about what is or is not a "material" cybersecurity incident

BankThink: The arguments over the CFPB's late-fee rule were settled a decade ago | American Banker -- Earlier this year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed a rule that would functionally cap credit card late fees at $8 per infraction, down from a range of $30 to $41. The CFPB estimatesthat banks' revenue from late fees is five times greater than the additional costs they incur, and that the excess penalties are not needed to deter late payments by consumers.With CFPB poised to finalize the rule, industry and other critics of the proposal have been pushing back, raising the alarm that a fee cap will lead to higher interest rates, reduced credit access and other unintended consequences.If this line of argument seems familiar, it's because it is. In 2009, Congress passed the CARD Act, which eliminated credit card over-limit fees and took steps to address some of the issues with late fees. In a failed attempt to torpedo the bill, critics raised an almost identical set of points.I was a graduate student in economics when the CARD Act was debated and followed the back-and-forth with interest. While I was worried that excessive fees were taking advantage of consumers, I was also concerned that regulation might have unintended consequences for interest rates and credit access. A few years later, as a young professor at the University of Chicago, I got the chance to work with data that could answer these questions. I jumped at the opportunity.Our study, which was published in one of our profession's most prestigious journals, used detailed data on over 160 million credit cards to examine the intended and possibly unintended effects of the CARD Act regulation of credit card hidden fees. The main findings, which were confirmed in follow-up academic and government studies, can be summarized as follows:First, we found that the fee caps saved consumers $11.9 billion a year with no corresponding increase in interest rates or other charges or fees. Intuitively, the reason was that credit card lending was highly profitable, allowing banks to absorb the losses out of their margins. In addition, banks were already charging the highest interest rates market forces would permit, limiting their ability to offset the lower fees with higher interest charges.The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau celebrates its 12th anniversary on Friday, prompting Director Rohit Chopra to discuss the agency's work including a proposal to set credit card late fees at $8 and the upcoming Supreme Court case that could defund the bureau. Second, we found no evidence of reduced credit access, either as measured by credit limits or approvals of new credit card applications. This was true even when we focused on lower credit score consumers, who are most exposed to changes in bank lending. Third, we found that the reduction in late fees had no impact on the frequency of late payments. Consumers pay late not because they strategically weigh the benefits of late payment against the cost of the late fee but because they forget or are unable to come up with the cash. This rejects the creative argument that high late fees could help consumers, encouraging them to make on-time payments and avoid any blemishes on their credit reports.

OCC fines American Express $15 million for third-party noncompliance — The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has hit American Express National Bank with a $15 million civil money penalty for violations related to its oversight of one of its third-party affiliates. The OCC said Tuesday that the bank did not ensure that its affiliate — which, according to American Express, refers to its Travel Related Services Company — implemented adequate call-monitoring controls and mechanisms for tracking customer complaints. The OCC also said American Express insufficiently collected and housed essential consumer data and records required to be in its customer identification program, a component of banks' anti-money-laundering compliance mandates. "In the period 2015 to 2017, as part of large-scale efforts to retain small-business customers … the bank violated CIP regulations and recklessly engaged in unsafe or unsound practices," according to the OCC release. As noted in its consent order to Amex, the OCC has supervisory authority over the national bank, and while it's been nearly a decade since the bank received an OCC consent order, Amex has faced fines for failing to manage third-party risks and for AML noncompliance in the past. The OCC noted in the consent order accompanying the release that the latest violations were part of a "pattern of misconduct" at the firm. American Express told American Banker that as of the OCC's announcement, it had fully addressed and remediated the agency's concerns, including by providing customers redress. "American Express will pay a $15 million civil money penalty to the OCC. We had fully reserved for the penalty in a prior period," they wrote in an email. "The matters covered by the settlement have been fully addressed, including updating card sales policies, enhancing training for sales employees, and providing customer remediation as appropriate."

Mastercard demands shutdown of marijuana purchases on its debit cards -- Mastercard has told payment processors and banks to stop allowing marijuana transactions on debit cards, in a blow to the struggling cannabis industry and a boon to transparency in the banking system. "As we were made aware of this matter, we quickly investigated it," a Mastercard spokesman said of the use of PIN debit cards on the company's network for pot purchases. "In accordance with our policies, we instructed the financial institutions that offer payment services to cannabis merchants and connect them to Mastercard to terminate the activity." Following cease-and-desist letters sent by Mastercard last week, companies that facilitated PIN debit payments for marijuana have been struggling to offer other solutions to dispensaries who use them, said a person familiar with the issue, asking not to be identified discussing private information. It remains unclear whether other digital options exist for marijuana shoppers. Visa, which has also made efforts to shut down cannabis purchases on its networks, didn't immediately return a call for comment. Nationwide card networks are reluctant to allow marijuana transactions because the drug remains federally illegal, despite being legal in many states. The crackdown means cannabis consumers will have fewer convenient ways to buy marijuana without cash. It's a hard-won victory for banks and credit-card companies, which have fought to stay ahead of technologies that present a risk to their controls against money laundering and fraud.

Property insurance disappears for Louisianans – but not for gas facilities -- Residents of coastal Louisiana are facing growing risks from flooding and extreme weather, with options for home insurance vanishing as insurers leave the state. But the fossil fuel industry operating nearby has no such worries.Liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals have been springing up along the fragile Gulf coast, securing insurance even as their product contributes to the climate crisis and its growing risks, including more intense hurricanes and increased coastal flooding that are driving away residents.For large projects such as LNG terminals, risk is spread among many insurers; no one company is exposed to all of a terminal’s potential losses. The same is not true for insurance companies whose business is built around residential policies where hurricane damage can lead to millions of dollars of claims at once.But that outcome is more than an actuarial calculation for residents: when Hurricane Ida made landfall in south-eastern Louisiana in 2021, an 8ft storm surge swept over a 6ft Mississippi River levee in Ironton, flooding and destroying much of the small town, even dislodging caskets from their tombs.Damage from Ida sent Louisiana’s property insurance market – already rattled by three major hurricanes in two years – into a full-blown crisis. By the end of 2022, nearly two dozen insurance companies had either left the state or gone under.Residents scrambled for new, dramatically more expensive coverage or went without.Meanwhile, just a few miles south of Ironton, a giant $20bn liquefied natural gas terminal is rising on a wedge of land between the Mississippi River and encroaching wetlands. Plaquemines LNG is one of eight terminals built or planned along Louisiana’s coastline. “The insurance situation is just horrible. People still haven’t been paid fully for the damage [from Ida],” Encalade said, adding with soaring costs, some homeowners are paying more for their insurance than their homes.

Fannie and Freddie: Single-Family Mortgage Delinquency Rate Declined, Multi-Family Increased in June -- Today, in the free Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Fannie and Freddie: Single-Family Mortgage Delinquency Rate Declined, Multi-Family Increased in June Brief excerpt: I’ve argued that there would not be a huge wave of single-family foreclosures this cycle since lending standards have been solid and most homeowners have substantial equity. That means we will not see cascading price declines like following the housing bubble. This is a high confidence prediction and is supported by the following data. However, there is some concern about some multi-family properties. ... Freddie Mac reports that multi-family delinquencies increased to 0.21% in June, up from 0.07% in June 2022. This graph shows the Freddie multi-family serious delinquency rate since 2012. Rates were still high in 2012 following the housing bust and financial crisis. The multi-family rate increased following the pandemic and has increased recently as rent growth has slowed, vacancy rates have increased, lending has tightened, and interest rates have increased sharply. This will be something to watch as rents soften.

Home equity loans searches hit record high as economy squeezes owners: analysis - High prices in the real estate market and the larger economy are leading homeowners to look for ways to leverage their home’s equity. An analysis of Google searches for “heloc,” a home equity line of credit, reached an all-time high, up 305 percent as of July 2023, according to a study from the real estate platform RubyHome. Searches were highest in Hawaii, Utah and Colorado. A home equity line of credit allows owners to borrow against the equity they have built in their homes, and they can use the money to cover larger expenses, such as a new roof or car payments. The uptick in search interest occurred amid the rate hiking cycle from the Federal Reserve that has trickled into the housing market and sent mortgage rates soaring. This is keeping potential sellers anchored to their homes instead of risking a higher mortgage rate when buying a new home. “Homeowners that bought a few years ago, at lower prices and at lower interest rates, can feel trapped. If they’ve considered buying a new home, they’ve looked around at today’s higher home prices and also know they can never replace the historically low interest rate they have now,” RubyHome CEO Tony Mariotti said in a statement. “Even though home equity loans carry a higher rate, a small loan for home improvement still works in their favor – the blended rate of the HELOC with their first mortgage is still below market rates for a new first mortgage,” Mariotti added. Mortgage rates remain stubbornly high after approaching recent peak levels just weeks ago as the Federal Reserve’s broader battle with inflation drastically impacted the housing market. The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage declined slightly last week to 6.78 percent, according to Freddie Mac.

Entire Housing Market, Buyers and Sellers, May Have Shrunk by 20% to 25% because of the 3% Mortgages - by Wolf Richter -- The exact numbers are hard to nail down, but we can guesstimate from the figures we have that the entire housing market, both buyers and sellers, has shrunk this year by about 20% to 25% compared to pre-pandemic years. Meaning 20% to 25% less demand and sales and 20% to 25% less inventory and new listings, with prices down a tad year-over-year, showing that the market is roughly balanced at this smaller size because buyers and sellers have vanished in equal number. And we know who they are: the homeowners in 3%-mortgage jail that now cannot buy, and therefore cannot sell. The 3% mortgages that a lot of homeowners now have after the huge refinancing boom during the pandemic prevent those people from buying a new home because they might have to finance it at about 7%, which would increase the monthly payment on the same size mortgage by 50% or more. So these people aren’t buying. They aren’t even looking. They have left the market as buyers, and so there may be 20% to 25% fewer buyers. At the same time, and in equal number, these people, who cannot buy a new home, therefore cannot sell their current home because they continue to live in it, and so they’re not putting their home on the market, and inventory shrinks by the same number as buyers have left. Less inventory and fewer buyers in equal amount. These homeowners with 3% mortgages don’t want to, or cannot, upsize or downsize, or move to a different location, move closer to the kids or parents, or whatever – unless they want to give up their sacred 3% mortgage that now increasingly looks like a gift from God. And for Realtors, the 3% mortgage – as much as they loved it at the time – has now turned into a gift from hell, because the real estate industry is making commissions coming and going: One, when these homeowners sell their old home, and two, when they buy a new home. Each household that is now prevented from changing homes because they’re locked in by this 3% gift from God subtracts two transactions from the market – one when they buy a new home, and the other when they sell their old home. And Realtors are losing both of those deals. The fact that Realtors are losing both of those deals is why the industry is so upset about these homeowners that refuse to sell – and it consistently blames them for the low inventory. But the industry fails to state the other half of this reality, though they all know it: That these homeowners who refuse to sell have also vanished as buyers, and therefore this portion of demand has dropped in equal measure with inventories. This is happening with a fairly large group of homeowners: They have left the market as both sellers and buyers at the same time and in equal number. Which explains in part why sales volume has plunged so far because those potential buyers with 3% mortgages have left the market. And it explains in part why inventories have dropped because the same people that cannot buy aren’t putting their homes on the market.That’s the big reason why we have this strange combination of plunging sales along with a national median price that has dropped year-over-year for the first time since the Housing Bust, with homes spending an increasing number of days on the market, amid growing but still tight inventory (all data here from the National Association of Realtors).

Case-Shiller: National House Price Index Decreased 0.5% year-over-year in May: S&P/Case-Shiller released the monthly Home Price Indices for May ("May" is a 3-month average of March, April and May closing prices). This release includes prices for 20 individual cities, two composite indices (for 10 cities and 20 cities) and the monthly National index. From S&P S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index Repeats Gains in May - The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported a -0.5% annual decrease in May, down from a loss of -0.1% in the previous month. The 10-City Composite showed a decrease of -1.0%, which is a tick up from the -1.1% decrease in the previous month. The 20-City Composite posted a -1.7% year-over-year loss, same as in the previous month. ... Before seasonal adjustment, the U.S. National Index posted a 1.2% month-over-month increase in May, while the 10-City and 20-City Composites both posted increases of 1.5%. After seasonal adjustment, the U.S. National Index posted a month-over-month increase of 0.7%, while the 10-City Composite gained 1.1% and 20-City Composites posted an increase of 1.0%. “Our National Composite rose by 1.2% in May, and now stands only 1.0% below its June 2022 peak. The 10- and 20-City Composites also rose in May, in both cases by 1.5%. “The ongoing recovery in home prices is broadly based. Before seasonal adjustment, prices rose in all 20 cities in May (as they had also done in March and April). Seasonally adjusted data showed rising prices in 19 cities in May, repeating April’s performance. (The outlier is Phoenix, down 0.1% in both months.) On a trailing 12-month basis, the National Composite is 0.5% below its May 2022 level, with the 10- and 20-City Composites also negative on a year-over-year basis. “Regional differences continue to be striking. This month’s league table shows the Revenge of the Rust Belt, as Chicago (+4.6%), Cleveland (+3.9%), and New York (+3.5%) were the top performers. The first graph shows the nominal seasonally adjusted Composite 10, Composite 20 and National indices (the Composite 20 was started in January 2000). The Composite 10 index is up 1.1% in May (SA) and down 1.6% from the recent peak in June 2022. The Composite 20 index is up 1.0% (SA) in May and down 2.3% from the recent peak in June 2022. The National index is up 0.7% (SA) in May and is down 1.0% from the peak in June 2022. The second graph shows the year-over-year change in all three indices.

Housing July 24th Weekly Update: Inventory increased 1.9% Week-over-week; Down 8.8% Year-over-year --Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 1.9% week-over-week.This inventory graph is courtesy of Altos Research. As of July 21st, inventory was at 479 thousand (7-day average), compared to 470 thousand the prior week. Year-to-date, inventory is down 2.4%. And inventory is up 18.2% from the seasonal bottom 14 weeks ago.The second graph shows the seasonal pattern for active single-family inventory since 2015. The red line is for 2023. The black line is for 2019. Note that inventory is up from the record low for the same week in 2021, but below last year and still well below normal levels.Inventory was down 8.8% compared to the same week in 2022 (last week it was down 7.5%), and down 50.1% compared to the same week in 2019 (last week down 50.5%). It appears same week inventory will be below 2022 levels for the remainder of the year. It is possible that inventory will fall below the record lows in 2021 and early 2022 later this year or in early 2024, but currently that seems unlikely.Mike Simonsen discusses this data regularly on Youtube.

Realtor.com Reports Weekly Active Inventory Down 8% YoY; New Listings Down 18% YoY -- Realtor.com has monthly and weekly data on the existing home market. Here is their weekly report from Danielle Hale: Weekly Housing Trends View — Data Week Ending July 22, 2023 Active inventory declined, with for-sale homes lagging behind year ago levels by 8%. This week marks a 5th consecutive annual decline in the number of homes actively available for sale. New listings–a measure of sellers putting homes up for sale–were down again this week, by 18% from one year ago. The number of newly listed homes has been lower than the same time the previous year for the past 55 weeks. The size of the gap has been large and fairly consistent over the past year, but as we pass the period in 2022 when new listings slowed sharply, we may see declines wane. Here is a graph of the year-over-year change in inventory according to realtor.com. Inventory was down 8.1% year-over-year - this was the fifth consecutive week with a YoY decrease following 58 consecutive weeks with a YoY increase in inventory. Inventory is still up from the record lows in the 2nd half of 2021 and early 2022, and it is unlikely we will see new record lows by this measure this year.

New Home Sales decrease to 697,000 Annual Rate in June; Median New Home Price is Down 16.4% from the Peak - The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 697 thousand. The previous three months were revised down.Sales of new single‐family houses in June 2023 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 697,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 2.5 percent below the revised May rate of 715,000, but is 23.8 percent above the June 2022 estimate of 563,000.The first graph shows New Home Sales vs. recessions since 1963. The dashed line is the current sales rate.New home sales are at pre-pandemic levels. The second graph shows New Home Months of Supply. The months of supply increased in June to 7.4 months from 7.2 months in May. The all-time record high was 12.2 months of supply in January 2009. The all-time record low was 3.3 months in August 2020. This is above the top of the normal range (about 4 to 6 months of supply is normal)."The seasonally‐adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of June was 432,000. This represents a supply of 7.4 months at the current sales rate." Starting in 1973 the Census Bureau broke inventory down into three categories: Not Started, Under Construction, and Completed. The third graph shows the three categories of inventory starting in 1973.The inventory of completed homes for sale (red) - at 72 thousand - is more than double the record low of 32 thousand in 2021 and early 2022. This is getting close to the normal level of completed homes for sale.The inventory of homes under construction (blue) at 260 thousand is very high, and about 18% below the cycle peak in July 2022. The inventory of homes not started is at 100 thousand - just below the record peak of 102 thousand.The fourth graph shows existing home sales for each month, Not Seasonally Adjusted (NSA), The next graph shows the months of supply by stage of construction. “Months of supply” is inventory at each stage, divided by the sales rate. And on prices, from the Census Bureau:The median sales price of new houses sold in June 2023 was $415,400. The average sales price was $494,700.The following graph shows the median and average new home prices. The average price in June 2023 was $494,700 up 5% year-over-year. The median price was $415,400 down 4% year-over-year. Both the median and the average are impacted by the mix of homes sold.

Prices of New Houses Drop Below Prices of “Used” Houses for First Time since 2005. Sales Languish, Inventories Sky-High by Wolf Richter -Cut the price, and they will come. Maybe. Homebuilders have been cutting prices, they’ve been building at lower price points, they’ve been buying down mortgage rates, and they’ve been throwing incentives into the mix, as their costs have come down from the spike in 2021 and 2022, and as the supply-chain chaos has largely faded and endless delays have ended. They’re doing this because the 7% mortgage rates have slashed demand at sky-high prices. And builders have to build and sell homes, no matter what the market conditions. The median price of new single-family houses sold in June dipped to $415,400, down by 16% from the peak in October 2022, and down 5% year-over-year (green line), according to data from the Census Bureau today. The three month-moving average, which irons out the monthly ups and downs and revisions of the median price, fell to $414,433, the lowest since October 2021, down by 14% from the peak in December 2022 (red line). But these prices do not include the costs to the builder of mortgage-rate buydowns and other incentives. These price cuts and lower price points pushed the median price of new houses just a hair below the median price of “used” houses – what the National Association of Realtors euphemistically calls “existing” houses, as if new houses didn’t exist. The last time this phenomenon occurred was in 2005, which tells us that the housing market is in for a reckoning. Builders, by offering homes that now compete on price with “used” homes, amid a very limited number of buyers for both types, are elbowing in on sales by homeowners and are pulling buyers out of that market and are taking share – and sales of “existing” houses have plunged 19% year-over-year and 29% from June 2021. So something is up. Homebuilders have to build and sell houses no matter where the market is. And in time-honored fashion, they responded with deals to address dropping demand. Homeowners haven’t figured out yet what is happening here. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales of new single-family houses fell in June to 697,000 houses, but was up by 24% from June 2022, which had been, along with July 2022, a multi-year low. Compared to June 2019, the seasonally adjusted rate of sales was down 7%. Actual sales, not seasonally adjusted and not annual rate of sales, also fell in June, to 60,000 houses, which was up by 25% from the beaten-down levels last year. But compared to June 2019, it was still down by 9%. This chart shows the not-seasonally-adjusted actual monthly sales – so despite the price cuts, sales volume remains sluggish, which gives us an indication that more price cuts may be needed.

NAR: Pending Home Sales Up 0.3% in June; Down 15.6% Year-over-year - From the NAR: Pending Home Sales Rose 0.3% in June, First Increase in Three Months - Pending home sales registered a modest increase of 0.3% in June from the previous month – the first increase since February – according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The South and West posted monthly losses, while sales in the Northeast and Midwest grew. All four U.S. regions saw year-over-year declines in transactions. "The recovery has not taken place, but the housing recession is over," said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, "The presence of multiple offers implies that housing demand is not being satisfied due to lack of supply. Homebuilders are ramping up production and hiring workers." The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI)* – a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings – rose 0.3% to 76.8 in May. Year over year, pending transactions fell by 15.6%. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001. ... The Northeast PHSI ascended 0.6% from last month to 67.1, a decrease of 16.7% from June 2022. The Midwest index jumped 4.3% to 77.6 in June, down 17.1% from one year ago. The South PHSI receded 1.4% to 93.3 in June, lessening 14.3% from the prior year. The West index fell 1.0% in June to 57.7, dipping 15.5% from May 2022. This is close to expectations of a 0.1% increase for this index. Note: Contract signings usually lead sales by about 45 to 60 days, so this would usually be for closed sales in July and August.

Hotels: Occupancy Rate Up 0.5% Year-over-year - From STR: U.S. hotel results for week ending 22 July - U.S. hotel performance increased from the previous week and showed improved comparisons year over year, according to CoStar’s latest data through 22 July. ...
16-22 July 2023 (percentage change from comparable week in 2022):
• Occupancy: 72.9% (+0.5%)
• Average daily rate (ADR): US$161.65 (+1.5%)
• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$117.91 (+2.0%)
The following graph shows the seasonal pattern for the hotel occupancy rate using the four-week average. The red line is for 2023, black is 2020, blue is the median, and dashed light blue is for 2022. Dashed purple is for 2018, the record year for hotel occupancy. The 4-week average of the occupancy rate is at the median rate for the period 2000 through 2022 (Blue).

Las Vegas June 2023: Visitor Traffic Up 1.5% YoY; Convention Traffic Down 2.9% YoY --Note: I like using Las Vegas as a measure of recovery for both leisure (visitors) and business (conventions). From the Las Vegas Visitor Authority: June 2023 Las Vegas Visitor Statistics - Punctuated by the Vegas Golden Knights' victorious quest for the Stanley Cup, Las Vegas visitation in June surpassed last year as the destination hosted more than 3.4M visitors, +3.1% YoY.Overall hotel occupancy reached 85.5% for the month (+2.8 pts YoY). Weekend occupancy matched last June, reaching 90.2% (+0.2 pts YoY), and Midweek occupancy reached 83.5%, surpassing last June by 3.5 pts.Overall ADR exceeded $165, +5.3% from June 2022 while RevPAR reached $141, +8.8% YoYThe first graph shows visitor traffic for 2019 (Black), 2020 (light blue), 2021 (purple), 2022 (orange), and 2023 (red). Visitor traffic was up 3.1% compared to last June. Visitor traffic was down 5.0% compared to the same month in 2019. The second graph shows convention traffic.Convention traffic was down 2.9% compared to June 2022, and down 11.4% compared to June 2019. Note: There was almost no convention traffic from April 2020 through May 2021.

U.S. consumer confidence jumps to a two-year high as inflation eases (AP) — U.S. consumer confidence shot to the highest level in two years this month as inflationary pressures eased and the American economy continued to show resilience in the face of dramatically higher interest rates. The Conference Board, a business research group, said its consumer confidence index rose to 117 in July from a revised 110.1 in June. The gauge beat the 110.5 that economists had expected and was the highest since July 2021. The index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. Both improved in July. The future expectations index rose to 88.3 in July, clearing the recession threshold of 80 recorded in June. Economists closely monitor Americans’ spirits because consumer spending accounts for around 70% of U.S. economic activity. The Conference Board index fell more or less steadily from mid-2021 to mid-2022 as surging prices ate into household budgets. But confidence has come back, in fits and starts, over the past year as inflation eased in the face of 10 interest-rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. Fed policymakers are expected to raise their benchmark rate again Wednesday to the highest level in 22 years. The U.S. economy — the world’s largest — has proved surprisingly resilient in the face of sharply higher borrowing costs. Employers are adding a strong 278,000 jobs a month so far this year; and at 3.6% in June, the unemployment rate is not far off a half-century low. Tumbling inflation and sturdy hiring have raised hopes the Fed just might pull off a so-called soft landing — slowing the economy just enough to tame inflation without tipping the United States into recession.

Personal Income increased 0.3% in June; Spending increased 0.5% -- The BEA released the Personal Income and Outlays report for June:Personal income increased $69.5 billion (0.3 percent at a monthly rate) in June, according to estimates released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable personal income (DPI), personal income less personal current taxes, increased $67.5 billion (0.3 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $100.4 billion (0.5 percent). The PCE price index increased 0.2 percent. Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index also increased 0.2 percent. Real DPI increased 0.2 percent in June and real PCE increased 0.4 percent; goods increased 0.9 percent and services increased 0.1 percent. The June PCE price index increased 3.0 percent year-over-year (YoY), down from 3.8 percent YoY in May, and down from the recent peak of 7.0 percent in June 2022. The PCE price index, excluding food and energy, increased 4.1 percent YoY, down from 4.6 percent in May, and down from the recent peak of 5.4 percent in February 2022. The following graph shows real Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) through June 2023 (2012 dollars). . The dashed red lines are the quarterly levels for real PCE. Personal income was slightly below expectations, and PCE was slightly above expectations.Inflation was below expectations.

Driven by the hurricane force disinflationary tailwind, real personal spending and income, and real sales, all increase nicely - In the current economy the personal spending and income report is just as important as the jobs report. That’s because, despite the downturn in manufacturing production and many parts of the housing market, consumer spending especially on services has continued to power the economy forward. Today’s report was more good news in that regard, as every important metric was positive. Let’s start with real personal income (red) and spending (blue), which in the below graph are normed to 100 as of the onset of the pandemic. Real income rose 0.1% in June, while real spending rose a solid 0.4%: One of the 4 important coincident measures for the NBER, real personal income less government transfer receipts, also rose 0.2% to another new high. It is now up 2.4% (vs. only 1.3% two months ago) YoY: As you can see, this is the kind of rebound you would expect to see coming out of a recession, not heading into one. On the spending side, here’s how goods vs. services spending compare: Real spending on services continued to rise at a steady clip (roughly 2.6% YoY), while real spending on goods, which had been flat, had a nice +0.9% pop. Outside of this past January, this is one of the strongest readings in 2 years. Real spending on goods can be decomposed further into durable (red) vs. no durable (blue) goods, showing that the big increase was in durable goods: We know that motor vehicle sales have recently finally increased to over 15 million annualized. My suspicion is that is what is reflected in the big increase in durable goods consumer spending in June. The personal saving rate - income that isn’t spent - declined -0.1% for the month, although it is still elevated compared to its 2.7% level at its low water mark last June: Consumers tend to get cautious and save more in the advance of a recession. That has occurred in the past year, but this month was a small positive. Additionally, the personal consumption deflator gets used in the calculation of real manufacturing and trade sales, which is another important coincident indicator monitored by the NBER. These rose 1.1% in May, but they are still below their recent January peak: Finally, note that almost all of the good news reported above had to do with “real” i.e., inflation adjusted metrics. The good news was greatly assisted by the continuing decleleration in the personal consumption deflator, up only 0.2% in June, and is up 3.0% YoY: This is a very sharp deceleration from its peak of 7.0% YoY twelve months ago. But as shown by the month over month % changes below: There will be much more challenging YoY comparisons beginning with next month’s report. To sum up: almost everything about this report was positive. If you are cheering on a “soft landing,” then this report is potent ammunition. And it is all-around good news for average American consumers. On the other hand, as noted above, last June was an inflection point. Gas prices in particular, along with a host of other commodities, declined in price thereafter. If that tailwind is ending - and I suspect it is - what happens next?

U.S. business activity growth slows as services soften -- (Reuters) - U.S. business activity slowed to a five-month low in July, dragged down by decelerating service-sector growth, closely watched survey data on Monday showed, but falling input prices and slowed hiring indicate the Federal Reserve could be making progress on important fronts in its bid to reduce inflation. S&P Global said its flash U.S. Composite PMI index, which tracks manufacturing and service sectors, fell to a reading of 52 in July from 53.2 in June. July's reading showed the sixth straight month of growth but was restrained by softening conditions in the service sector. Readings above 50 indicate expansion. Monday's tepid survey data supported evidence that the U.S. economy was still growing as the third quarter began, but at a slower rate from the April-through-June period. "The overall rate of output growth, measured across manufacturing and services, is consistent with GDP expanding at an annualized quarterly rate of approximately 1.5% at the start of the third quarter. That's down from a 2% pace signaled by the survey in the second quarter," said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

July Vehicle Sales Forecast: 15.8 million SAAR, Up Sharply YoY -From WardsAuto: July U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales Tracking to 15.8-Million SAAR; Q3 Volume Forecast for 17% Increase (pay content). Brief excerpt: The initial outlook for Q3 is a 15.5 million-unit SAAR, a slight decline from Q2’s 15.6 million but above Q3-2022’s 13.3 million. However, as with July due to its atypical fifth weekend, there is upside to Q3, as well as the rest of the year, though that depends on continued steadiness in the economy, no major geopolitical disruptions and the impact from possible labor walkouts.This graph shows actual sales from the BEA (Blue), and Wards forecast for July (Red). The Wards forecast of 15.8 million SAAR, would be up 0.7% from last month, and up 18.7% from a year ago.

U.S. Durable Goods Orders Surprised Again on the Upside in June - Haver Analytics -New orders for durable goods rose a strong 4.7% (8.9% y/y) in June, following a 2.0% (5.7% y/y) monthly gain in May, (initially up 1.7% m/m). June represents a fourth consecutive monthly gain. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had looked for a smaller monthly advance of 1.8%. Shipments of durable goods rose 0.3% (3.8% y/y) in June, up three of the last four months and following a 2.0% (3.6% y/y) rise in May (initially up 1.7% m/m). Transportation orders made another significant contribution to the rise in overall orders in June. They were up 12.1% m/m (26.0% y/y) after a 4.3% rise (18.1% y/y) in May (initially up 3.9% m/m). A whopping 57.1% m/m gain in orders for aircraft and parts provided a major boost to overall transportation orders, following a 12.5% rise in May. The June increase reflected a 69.4% m/m jump in nondefense aircraft orders and a 5.5% m/m gain in defense aircraft orders. Orders excluding transportation increased 0.6% m/m in May, after a 0.7% rise in May (revised up from a 0.6% m/m gain). Across other sectors, the June rise in orders reflected increases in major categories except for defense orders. Both orders for computers and electronic products and for electrical equipment posted monthly gains of 1.5%. Total defense orders contracted 17.1% in June, following a decline of 12.7% m/m in May. Excluding those, the remaining orders rose a robust 6.2% m/m in June, after a 3.2% rise in May. Shipments of all manufactured goods edged up 0.2% m/m (-2.6% y/y) in June, following a 0.4% m/m (-1.8% y/y) in May (initially reported as up 0.2% m/m). Shipments of durable goods rose 0.3% m/m in June, while shipments of nondurable goods edged up 0.1% m/m. Transportation shipments rose a mere 0.2% m/m in June and excluding transportation, other shipments of durable goods increased 0.3% m/m. Capital goods orders contained in this report provide important information concerning business spending on equipment. Orders for nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft (core capital goods) increased 0.2% m/m (1.9% y/y) in June, following a downwardly revised 0.5% m/m rise in May (initially up 0.7% m/m). Core capital goods shipments were barely changed in June (+3.3% y/y) following a 0.3% rise in May (revised from up rose 0.2% m/m). These data leave Q2 core capital shipments up an annualized 1.9%, down from 2.3% in Q1. Inventories of all manufacturing industries were largely unchanged over the month (-0.1% y/y) during June, following a decline of 0.3% m/m in May. Inventories of durable goods rose 0.1% m/m in June, while inventories of nondurable goods fell 0.2% m/m, their fifth consecutive monthly decline. Unfilled orders of durable goods rose 1.8% m/m (6.7% y/y) in June, after a rise of 0.8% m/m (5.6% y/y) in May.

TSMC delays Arizona plant because of US skilled worker shortage? - From reading this, the plant to be built and is behind schedule will make 4 nanometer chips. The later US plant will build three nanometer chips. The Taiwanese are already in R&D on 2 nanometer chips. Biden should be pushing for TSMC to build the 2 nanometer chips in the US. The 4 will become obsolete and the three will be at midlife. Someone needs to push them.The plant construction will be done as fast as TSMC wants it to be. Their worries and concerns should have been brought to bear much sooner. For all the $dollars the US is spending, TSMC should have been training the necessary Labor required for equipment installation early on and as one of the first steps. Working for the Germans, Koreans, Japanese, etc. required an introduction to their methods. Think the Toyota Production System, ERP, etc. It is convenient to bring such issues later as an excuse to change deadlines, etc. … TSMC, the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, has pushed back the planned 2024 start date of production at its Arizona factory by a year due to a shortage of skilled workers.The company is “encountering certain challenges as there is an insufficient amount of skilled workers with those specialized expertise required for equipment installation in a semiconductor-grade facility,” TSMC chairman Mark Liu said during a July 20 earnings call. In the interim period, the company said it’ll send over “experienced technicians from Taiwan to train the local skilled workers for a short period of time” to bridge the skills gap. Last month, Nikkei Asia reported a “task force” of more than 500 experienced workers will be heading to the US to help set up specialized equipment.Construction on the Arizona microchips manufacturing plant, which was supposed to start producing 4 nanometer chips next year, is now due to start in 2025. The opening of a second fab, which will produce smaller and more complex 3nm chips, is still on track for 2026.TSMC’s move deals a blow to president Joe Biden’s plans to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the US—currently down to around 10% of global output from 40% three decades ago—and triggered a wider controversy about labor issues.California congressman Ro Khanna tweeted yesterday (July 21) that he is “deeply disturbed that TSMC is replacing union workers with non-unionized workers from Taiwan.” Khanna called for the government to “condition grants on paying a prevailing wage and treating union workers fairly.”While the workers TSMC is sending over to train employees is only around for a short time, Khanna raised concerns about other TSMC labor practices, citing an article about TSMC cutting pay for its unionized American electricians, which led to 50 of them leaving, only to be replaced by 25 non-union workers from Taiwan.Morris Chang, TSMC’s 91-year-old founder, has previously stated companies succeed when they don’t have unions.

Remote employees work longer and harder, studies show -- Remote work became possible long before the pandemic. Many employers resisted it on a hunch that employees working from home might spend too much of their workday watching Oprah and shopping on eBay. Then came COVID-19, which launched a vast, forced experiment in telework. The results are in: As it turns out, most remote workers are not incurable slackers. Several studies suggest remote and hybrid employees actually work slightly longer hours than their office-bound colleagues, findings echoed by an avalanche of anecdotal evidence gathered from millions of teleworkers in the past three years. One of the most celebrated studies, which tracked more than 60,000 Microsoft employees over the first half of 2020, found that remote work triggered a 10 percent boost in weekly hours. Remote employees are working more, in part, because they are commuting less. Another landmark study, based on data from 27 countries, found that remote workers saved 72 minutes in daily commuting time. On average, employees spent about half an hour of that extra time engaged in daily work: more than two hours a week. Not only do remote workers log longer hours, but they also seem to get work done at a faster clip. An oft-cited, pre-pandemic study of workers in a Chinese travel agency found a 13 percent boost in performance for home workers. They worked more hours per shift, and each hour was a bit more productive. The success of America’s remote work experiment may have been a self-fulfilling prophecy. In the early pandemic months, some remote workers felt imprisoned in their homes. In hindsight, however, that ennui was probably more about the pandemic itself than remote work, which has proven wildly popular. Gallup polling shows a dramatic rise in the share of Americans who prefer to work at home at least part of the time, from 40 percent in 2019 to a near-unanimous 94 percent in 2022. Some workplace experts theorize remote workers have an incentive to work harder: They don’t want to lose the privilege of working at home. “I think it’s because people are motivated to keep the arrangement, and so that motivation drives the productivity. They want it to work,”

Ocasio-Cortez joins writers and actors on the picket line: ‘Direct action gets the goods’ -Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is taking part in what she’s dubbed “hot labor summer,” appearing on the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America (WGA) picket line Monday outside of Netflix’s Manhattan offices. “We have workers all across the country — either currently on strike or gearing up to be on strike — because at the end of the day we are all facing the same challenge, which is an unacceptable, unprecedented concentration of wealth and corporate greed in America,” Ocasio-Cortez said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.“But we know that the way that we bust that up is by standing together in solidarity,” Ocasio-Cortez said.Noting another potential strike after talks between shipping giant UPS and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters fell apart earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez exclaimed, “Your fight right here is what’s gonna bust this thing wide open.”“Direct action gets the goods, now and always,” she told the crowd to cheers.“The only way that we can do this is by showing them that we are stronger — that our solidarity is stronger than their greed, that our care for one another will overcome their endless desire for more,” the 33-year-old lawmaker said.The WGA strike began in May, while SAG-AFTRA, the actors guild, started its own in mid-July. Both of Hollywood’s two striking unions are attempting to gain wage increases and better working conditions for their members.

‘We’re going to see workers die’: extreme heat is key issue in UPS contract talks --As a UPS delivery driver in Dallas, Texas, Seth Pacic is intimately familiar with the dangers of extreme heat. After a long day’s work through record-breakingtemperatures in summer 2011, he found himself dry heaving in the parking lot, incapable of driving home until he spent an hour and a half in the air-conditioned office.“It was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever had in my entire life,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I fully recovered for a couple of weeks.”For some, the heat has had even more serious consequences. Last June, Pacic’sfriend and co-worker experienced heatstroke while driving home from work; he is still recuperating, Pacic said. That same summer, a 24-year-old UPS driver, Esteban Chavez, collapsed and died in California as temperatures soared into the high 90s; his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit and later settled with UPS. And the year before that, Jose Cruz Rodriguez Jr, 23, died of a heatstroke while driving a UPS truck in Waco, Texas.It’s a widespread issue. At least 143 UPS employees were hospitalized for heat injuries between 2015 and 2022, according to the company’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration records obtained by the Washington Post. As the climate crisis pushes up temperatures, the problem could get even worse.At the state level, only California, Oregon and Washington require heat breaks for all outdoor laborers, and during a record-breaking heatwave last month, the Texas governor, Greg Abbott, eliminated municipalities’ ability to mandate water and shade breaks for laborers.This summer, amid record-shattering heat across the US, Pacic and some 340,000 other unionized UPS workers have made heat a central issue of their ongoing contract negotiations with their employer.On 16 June, UPS’s 340,000 Teamsters union members said if their demands for improved working conditions – including heat protections – are not included in UPS’s new five-year contract, they will be prepared to hold one of the largest single-employer strikes in US history starting on 1 August.

DOT announces rule to make airplane bathrooms more accessible -The department announced a rule Wednesday requiring new single-aisle aircraft to have fully accessible lavatories. The department said it is making the change due to airlines’ increasing use of these aircraft for longer flights because of their improved “fuel efficiency and range” over time.“This final rule is intended to ensure that our air transportation system is safe and accessible to individuals with disabilities,” a statement by the DOT read. “This rulemaking requires airlines to make lavatories on new single-aisle aircraft large enough to permit a passenger with a disability and an attendant, both equivalent in size to a 95th percentile male, to approach, enter, and maneuver within as necessary to use the aircraft lavatory.” The DOT said while accessible lavatories have been “required on twin-aisle aircraft” for decades, the change “is necessary because the private marketplace has not met this basic need for accessible lavatories.”

Vice President Harris blasts Florida 'extremists' over education guidelines about slavery (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Florida "extremists" on Friday for backing educational guidelines that taught "revisionist history" about slavery in the United States. Florida's board of education approved new guidelines this week with "benchmark clarifications," including one for middle school students that states "instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit." Harris, the first Black and Asian-American woman to serve as vice president, flew to Florida, a political swing state whose governor, Ron DeSantis, is running for the Republican presidential nomination, to deliver a blistering speech condemning the new guidelines. "Adults know what slavery really involved. It involved rape. It involved torture. It involved taking a baby from their mother. It involved some of the worst examples of ... depriving people of humanity in our world," she said. "How is it that anyone could suggest that, in the midst of these atrocities, that there was any benefit to being subjected to this level of dehumanization?" she said. The board of education approved the new teaching guidelines for kindergarten through high school on Wednesday. Florida's education commissioner, Manny Diaz Jr., said during the board meeting in Orlando that the guidelines go in to the "tougher subjects" of slavery and racist violence, as appropriate by age.

Christie says DeSantis has only himself to blame for Florida education controversy - Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie slammed his GOP presidential primary opponent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday over his response to the new history standards the Florida Board of Education adopted last week.The new standards in Florida have been blasted by critics — including Vice President Kamala Harris — for rewriting and omitting key facts about slavery. Particularly at issue is one new policy that calls for instruction on “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”“Governor DeSantis started this fire with the bill that he signed and now he doesn’t want to take responsibility for whatever is done in the aftermath of it, and from listening and watching his comments he’s obviously uncomfortable,” Christie said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”DeSantis, who advocated the 2022 “Stop Woke Act” and other policies that led to curriculum changes in the state’s schools, addressed the backlash in response to a question from CNN last week, saying: “I didn’t do it. I wasn’t involved in it. … I think that they’re probably going to show some of the folks that eventually parlayed, you know, being a blacksmith into, into doing things later in life.”“‘I didn’t do it’ and ‘I’m not involved in it’ are not the words of leadership,” Christie told CBS’ Margaret Brennan on Sunday.Christie also criticized his party for focusing on “smaller issues” like “micromanaging curriculum in schools,” instead of concentrating attention on issues like inflation and falling test scores in schools.“If this was such a big issue for Governor DeSantis, he had four years to do this. He only started to focus on this when he decided he wanted to run for president and try to get to the right of Donald Trump,” Christie said. “I think people see this as politically manipulative.”

Florida Supreme Court reprimands judge in Parkland school shooting trial (AP) — The Florida Supreme Court publicly reprimanded the judge who oversaw the penalty trial of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz on Monday for showing bias toward the prosecution.The unanimous decision followed a June recommendation from the Judicial Qualifications Commission. That panel had found that Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer violated several rules governing judicial conduct during last year’s trial in her actions toward Cruz’s public defenders. The six-month trial ended with Cruz receiving a receiving a life sentence for the 2018 murder of 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after the jury could not unanimously agree that he deserved a death sentence.The 15-member commission found that Scherer “unduly chastised” lead public defender Melisa McNeill and her team, wrongly accused one Cruz attorney of threatening her child, and improperly embraced members of the prosecution in the courtroom after the trial’s conclusion.

Parkland massacre reenactment will be allowed as part of lawsuit (AP) — The 2018 Parkland high school massacre will be reenacted twice with the firing of about 140 blanks on campus as part of families’ lawsuits against the former sheriff’s deputy they accuse of failing to stop the gunman, a judge ruled Wednesday.Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips granted the motion from attorney David Brill, who says his video recorded reenactment will prove former Broward Deputy Scot Peterson knew the shooter was firing inside a three-story classroom building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018, but chose not to intercede.Phillips also granted the request by Peterson’s attorney, Michael Piper, who questioned the validity of such reenactments but said his side would also now need to conduct one. Peterson, the school’s on-campus deputy, was acquitted last month of criminal charges accusing him of inaction, but the civil case against him, the Broward Sheriff’s Office and others is governed by different laws and rules of evidence. It also has a lower standard of proof.The judge made it clear that she was not ruling on whether she will allow the reenactments to be played for the jury at the trial, which has not been scheduled.“That’s for another day,” Phillips said of that decision. She will have to review the reenactments’ recordings and hear arguments on whether they accurately reflect what Peterson heard.

Affirmative action for white people? Legacy college admissions come under renewed scrutiny (AP) — The next big fight over college admissions already has taken hold, and it centers on a different kind of minority group that gets a boost: children of alumni.In the wake of a Supreme Court decision that strikes down affirmative action in admissions, colleges are coming under renewed pressure to put an end to legacy preferences — the practice of favoring applicants with family ties to alumni. Long seen as a perk for the white and wealthy, opponents say it’s no longer defensible in a world with no counterbalance in affirmative action. President Joe Biden suggested colleges should rethink the practice after the court’s ruling, saying legacy preferences “expand privilege instead of opportunity.” Several Democrats in Congress demanded an end to the policy in light of the court’s decision to remove race from the admissions process. So did Republicans including Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is vying for the GOP presidential nomination.“Let’s be clear: affirmative action still exists for white people. It’s called legacy admissions,” Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, said on Twitter.For critics of legacy admissions, the renewed debate over fairness in admissions has offered a chance to swing public sentiment behind their cause. As colleges across the U.S. pledge their commitment to diversity following the court’s ruling, activists have a simple response: prove it. If schools want to enroll more Black, Hispanic and Indigenous students, activists say, removing legacy preferences would be an easy first step. “Now more than ever, there’s no justification for allowing this process to continue,” “No other country in the world does legacy preferences. Now is a chance to catch up with the rest of the world.”

Education Department opens investigation into Harvard's legacy admissions (AP) — Opening a new front in legal battles over college admissions, the U.S. Department of Education has launched a civil rights investigation into Harvard University’s policies on legacy admissions. Top colleges’ preferential treatment of children of alumni, who are often white, has faced mounting scrutiny since the Supreme Court last month struck down the use of affirmative action as a tool to boost the presence of students of color. The department notified Lawyers for Civil Rights, a nonprofit based in Boston, on Monday that it was investigating the group’s claim that the university “discriminates on the basis of race by using donor and legacy preferences in its undergraduate admissions process.” An Education Department spokesperson confirmed its Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation at Harvard. The agency declined further comment. But White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden has “made clear that legacy admissions hold back our ability to build diverse student bodies.” The complaint was filed earlier this month on behalf of Black and Latino community groups in New England. The group argued that students with legacy ties are up to seven times more likely to be admitted to Harvard, can make up nearly a third of a class and that about 70% are white. For the Class of 2019, about 28% of the class were legacies with a parent or other relative who went to Harvard.

Wesleyan University becomes latest school to end legacy admissions | AP News -- Wesleyan University in Connecticut announced Wednesday that it has become the latest school to end its policy of giving preferential treatment in admissions to those whose families have historical ties to the school. Wesleyan President Michael Roth sent a letter to the university community saying that a student’s “legacy status” has played a negligible role in admissions, but would now be eliminated entirely. “We still value the ongoing relationships that come from multi-generational Wesleyan attendance, but there will be no ‘bump’ in the selection process,” he wrote. “As has been almost always the case for a long time, family members of alumni will be admitted on their own merits.” Legacy policies have been called into question after last month’s Supreme Court ruling banning affirmative action and any consideration of race in college admissions. The court’s conservative majority effectively overturned cases reaching back 45 years, forcing institutions of higher education to seek new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. In recent years, several schools, including Amherst College in Massachusetts, Carnegie Melon University in Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University in Maryland have also eliminated legacy admissions. And a Civil Rights complaint was recently filed against Harvard University over its legacy admissions policy.Lawyers for Civil Rights, a nonprofit based in Boston, which filed the complaint on behalf of Black and Latino community groups in New England, argued in that complaint that students with legacy ties are up to seven times more likely to be admitted to Harvard, can make up nearly a third of a class and that about 70% are white.“Harvard is on the wrong side of history – but can change this by joining Wesleyan and scores of other institutions in eliminating donor and legacy preferences voluntarily,” the group said in a statement Wednesday.In addition to ending legacy admissions, Roth said, Wesleyan, a liberal arts school with about 3,000 undergraduates, is also increasing efforts to ensure diversity in the student body. Among other things he said the school: will create scholarships for students from Africa, better develop a pipeline for veterans to apply to the school, enhance community college recruiting and ensure the sustainability of the school’s degree program for prisoners.

The Admissions Game -- There’s a new paper by Raj Chetty, David Demin, and John Friedman on Ivy-Plus admissions that has been getting a lot of attention. The authors had access to anonymized admissions data linked to tax records and standardized test scores. This allowed them to examine how the likelihood of admission varies with parental income at any given point of the score distribution. The following figure shows that conditional on scores, those at the very top of the income distribution secure admission at significantly higher rates (see here for the source of this figure, and here for the original version by the authors): Undergraduate admissions at Ivy-Plus institutions is need-blind, and those making acceptance decisions do not have access to information on the parental incomes of applicants. So the pattern observed in the figure must arise from the use of selection criteria that value characteristics abundant among the very affluent. What are these criteria? The authors point to preferential admission for legacies, recruitment of athletes, and the value placed on certain non-academic credentials such as extracurriculars and leadership traits.Some of the discussion prompted by the release of this paper appears to suggest that the admissions criteria adopted by these colleges are designed to result in the over-representation of students from the highest reaches of the income distribution. It certainly appears that recruitment for fencing or sailing advantages a very thin slice of the population. But I think this has the causality essentially backwards. If colleges were to start recruiting students proficient at ten-pin bowling or darts, you would quickly find these activities proliferating in private high schools and among the economic elite. Similarly, if colleges sought proficiency in Malyalam or Mende, it would not be difficult for those with ample resources to adjust. Back in 1813, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams exchanged a series of letters on what would later come to be called metritocracy. Jefferson argued for a robust system of public education so that a “natural aristocacy” based on virtue and talents could be empowered, rather than an “artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth.” How, then, might one move towards a fairer system? Abandoning legacy admissions and making recruited athletes go through the same selection process as other applicants (as MIT does) would certainly help. But an exclusive focus on academic credentials would create its own difficulties. Elite colleges don’t just want people who will ace their classes, they want future leaders in all manner of fields—scientists and engineers, founders of companies, celebrated authors, distinguished jurists, elected officials, civil rights pioneers, and so on. Academic records are too flat a criterion to identify potential across so broad a range of human endeavor. Furthermore, even academic credentials are resource dependent, and their proper interpretation must take this into account.Recent work by Sandra Black, Jeffrey Denning, and Jesse Rothstein has examined the effects of the Texas ten percent policy, which guarantees admission to any state university to applicants graduating in the top decile of their high school class. The authors find that the gains to those who would not otherwise have been admitted are substantial, while the losses to those displaced by the policy are negligible. The implication is that there may be value to considering both absolute and relative performance as criteria for admission, in a manner that is difficult (though not impossible) to game.Another possibility is the use of lotteries. Elite institutions get many more exceptionally well-qualified applicants than they could possibly accommodate, and at some point admissions officers are surely left wondering whether they should just toss a coin. Literally doing so may not be such a bad idea, and those rejected would take it much less personally. Robert Frank has pointed out that even if the role of chance in determining performance is small on the whole, it looms extremely large for those at the very high end. Making the role of good fortune explicit would result in a more honest and transparent system.

Restart of student loans clouds White House ‘Bidenomics’ push -- Joe Biden has shielded more than 40 million Americans from having to repay any of their student loans for his entire presidency — so far. But as that hiatus nears its end, tens of millions of households are bracing for the resumption of student loan payments this fall, just as the White House ramps up its effort to sell Americans on the economy’s resilience. A range of economists and Wall Street analysts are predicting that consumer spending could take a hit as payments return for the first time since the pandemic reprieve began more than three and a half years ago. “This will be a significant additional obligation that could lead to broader credit distress among the household sector, and potentially change some spending patterns in certain segments of the population,” Rohit Chopra, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said in an interview. Millions of borrowers who are set to resume repaying were hoping to have their debts significantly reduced or eliminated completely by Biden’s student debt relief plan before it was struck down by the Supreme Court last month. That disappointment — and the financial sting of new payments — could undercut the president’s ability to convince voters that they’re doing better under his stewardship of the economy. “If you’re the incumbent, then ultimately, part of an election is just a referendum on the economy,” "If people are unhappy, then they’re going to take it out on the incumbent.” The full economic picture of restarting student loan payments remains unclear, but most economists and analysts don’t see the added stress on household finances translating into a major risk to the broader U.S. economy. Moody’s Analytics published a report earlier this month warning that restarting payments could represent a “major financial shock” for many borrowers, potentially trimming a quarter of a percentage point from GDP. Jared Bernstein, Biden’s top economic adviser, said the administration believes the effects of restarting student loan payments will be “small enough that they shouldn’t be felt in the overall macro economy.” He cited a 0.3 percent drop in annual consumer spending that reduces GDP by 0.2 percent as the “high-end estimate.” “We’ve looked at this pretty carefully, and we’ve found that the economy — which is manifesting some pretty solid underlying strength and momentum — can handily absorb the restart, especially given the ramp-up that the president put into place,” Bernstein said in an interview.

Democrats introduce bill to eliminate student loan interest for current borrowers -- Congressional Democrats on Thursday introduced legislation that would immediately cut interest rates to 0 percent for all 44 million student loan borrowers in the U.S. While the Student Loan Interest Elimination Act, introduced by Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), would cover current borrowers, future ones would still be on the hook for interest, though under a different system. The interest rates for future borrowers would be determined by a “sliding scale” based on financial need, leading some borrowers to still have 0 percent on their interest. No student would get an interest rate higher than 4 percent. Furthermore, the bill will establish a trust fund where interest payments would go to pay for the student loan program’s administrative expenses. “Students and families are already saddling the rising costs of a college education. The federal government should not exacerbate the problem by making money off borrowers’ federal student loans,” Courtney said. “In fact, the average public university student who takes out a federal student loan today would pay $7,800 over the standard 10-year period in interest. That’s the difference between making mortgage or car payments, affording medical care, or saving for a stronger retirement.” All the co-sponsors for the bill are Democrats, and it will likely have a hard time getting the needed support in the Republican-controlled House.

Almost 60 percent of Ohio voters back abortion rights amendment: poll - An overwhelming majority of Ohio voters back a state constitutional amendment that would guarantee access to abortion in the state. A new USA TODAY Network/Suffolk University poll conducted among Ohio voters found that 58 percent supported the abortion rights amendment that is likely slated to appear on the ballot next November while 32 percent opposed it and 10 percent were undecided. Among the supporters are one-third of Republicans polled, as well as 85 percent of independent women.Nearly two-thirds of women supported the proposed amendment, while about half of the surveyed men did. Support was also the strongest among young voters, with nearly 70 percent of those aged 18-34 supporting the measure.Support for the measure was largely divided along party lines, with 81 percent of Democrats in favor of it and 32 percent of Republicans in favor. Nearly 70 percent of independents also supported the measure, the poll found.

Ohio Secretary of State says contraception would not be banned if amendment threshold raised The Ohio Secretary of State said Tuesday that Republican lawmakers would not try to ban contraception if the threshold for passing a state constitutional amendment is raised.Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) made the comment during a debate, hosted by WCMH-TV in Columbus, over Issue 1, a ballot proposal that would raise the threshold for passing future changes to the Ohio Constitution from a simple majority to 60 percent. The move comes as Ohio is set to vote on a measure in November that would amend the state constitution to protect abortion rights.When asked about an advertisement against the passage of Issue 1 showing a Republican congressman taking a condom away from a couple, LaRose said he does not think Republican lawmakers in the state would use the threshold, if passed, to push through anti-contraception legislation.“I can tell you that every reasonable person I know thinks that people should be able to have access to that if that’s what they choose,” LaRose said.Earlier in the debate, Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D) said Republicans are trying to pass Issue 1 because of the November ballot measure to codify access to abortion and other reproductive health care in the state constitution. She said Republican lawmakers decided for the vote on Issue 1 to be held on Aug. 8 because they wanted to pass it before the November vote.

Cleveland Clinic Researchers Identify Genetic Factors that May Influence COVID-19 Susceptibility – Cleveland Clinic Newsroom – A new Cleveland Clinic study has identified genetic factors that may influence susceptibility to COVID-19. Published today in BMC Medicine, the study findings could guide personalized treatment for COVID-19. While the majority of confirmed COVID-19 cases result in mild symptoms, the virus does pose a serious threat to certain individuals. Morbidity and mortality rates rise dramatically with age and co-existing health conditions, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, even young and otherwise healthy individuals have unpredictably experienced severe illness and death. These clinical observations suggest that genetic factors may influence COVID-19 disease susceptibility, but these factors remain largely unknown.In this new study, a team of researchers led by Feixiong Cheng, Ph.D., of Cleveland Clinic’s Genomic Medicine Institute, investigated genetic susceptibility to COVID-19 by examining DNA polymorphisms (variations in DNA sequences) in the ACE2 and TMPRSS2 genes. These genes produce enzymes (ACE2 and TMPRSS2, respectively) that enable the virus to enter and infect human cells.“Because we currently have no approved drugs for COVID-19, repurposing already approved drugs could be an efficient and cost-effective approach to developing prevention and treatment strategies,” Cheng said. “The more we know about the genetic factors influencing COVID-19 susceptibility, the better we will be able to determine the clinical efficacy of potential treatments.”Looking at 81,000 human genomes from three genomic databases, they found 437 genetic variants in the protein-coding regions of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. They identified multiple polymorphisms in both genes that offer potential explanations for different genetic susceptibility to COVID-19 as well as for risk factors.These findings demonstrate a possible association between ACE2 and TMPRSS2polymorphisms and COVID-19 susceptibility, indicating that identification of the functional polymorphisms of these variants among different populations could pave the way for precision medicine and personalized treatment strategies for COVID-19.

U.S. sees biggest rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations since December -Weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations have risen by more than 10% across the country, according to new data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, marking the largest percent increase in this key indicator of the virus since December.At least 7,109 admissions of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were reported for the week of July 15 nationwide, the CDC said late Monday, up from 6,444 during the week before.Another important hospital metric has also been trending up in recent weeks: an average of 0.73% of the past week's emergency room visits had COVID-19 as of July 21, up from 0.49% through June 21.The new figures come after months of largely slowing COVID-19 trends nationwide since the last wave of infections over the winter."COVID-19 indicators, including hospital admissions, emergency department visits, test positivity, and wastewater levels, are increasing nationally," the CDC said in an update posted to its data tracker dated July 24, 2023.Only one part of the country did not record more hospitalizations last week compared to the week prior: the Midwestern region spanning Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.For now, hospitalizations remain far below the levels recorded at this time last year nationwide. July 2022 peaked at more than 44,000 weekly hospitalizations and 5% of emergency room visits with COVID-19 during a summer surge that strained many hospitals.Projections have differed over what the coming months will hold.An ensemble of academic and federal modelers said last month that the "main period of COVID-19 activity is expected to occur in late fall and early winter over the next 2 years, with median peak incidence between November and mid-January."They cautioned that there were considerable differences between models within the group, with some teams projecting an additional smaller peak elsewhere in the year.In the U.S., 2021 saw larger peaks in August and December, driven by the Delta and Omicron variants, respectively. In 2022, hospitalizations peaked at similar levels in July and January, driven by different descendants of the original Omicron variants.

US COVID markers continue slow summer rise -Though the nation's COVID-19 activity is still at very low levels, markers that health officials use to track illnesses activity continued to show small rises for the third week in a row, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).In global developments, only one world region experienced rising cases over the past month, with very few countries reporting rises in hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday in its weekly update.In the United States, hospitalizations—one of the CDC's main indicators—rose 10.3% compared to a week ago. A few counties in Arizona, Kansas, and Nebraska showed hospitalization at moderate levels. Deaths remained steady.Early indicators also showed more signs of a rise. Emergency department (ED) visits for COVID rose 17.4% compared with the past week, with several states in the Southeast and Northeast showing substantial increases.Test positivity, the other early marker, also continues to rise, up 0.9% and at 7.6% nationally. However, test positivity is highest in the South and Southwest.Caitlin Rivers, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in her "Force of Infection" Substack blog that wastewater levels are now up in all four US regions, and noted that levels at this point of the summer are similar to the point in the summer when the nation experienced the Delta variant wave.Given that the circulating variant mix mainly consists of XBB lineages, Rivers said she's hopeful that the updated vaccine, which targets XBB.1.5, will be a good match.The WHO said though cases are no longer a reliable marker of COVID activity, due to reduced testing and reporting, only the Western Pacific region showed a rise in cases over the past 28 days. The rise appears to mainly reflect modest upticks in South Korea and some Pacific island locations.It said hospitalizations and ICU admissions may be more reliable, but few countries report their data. Of countries that reliably report hospitalizations for COVID, the only ones seeing a rise of 20% or more over the past month are Bangladesh and Malta.No countries reported ICU admission increases of 20% or more during the same time period.Regarding its variant tracking, the WHO said only three are showing rising proportions: XBB.1.16, EG.5, and XBB.

Study: COVID wastewater signals more accurately predict hospitalizations - A new study in Nature Communications adds to the growing body of literature suggesting wastewater surveillance may be one of the most useful tools that can be used to predict when rising COVID-19 activity will result in increased hospitalizations.The study is published as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the latest wastewatersurveillance across the United States still shows low levels of the virus, but some hotspots are emerging in the Southwest (Arizona and California), Southeast (North Carolina), several communities in the Northeast, and in Nebraska.Since 2021, the CDC has used wastewater surveillance to monitor trends in COVID-19 incidence, as a rise of the virus in wastewater samples predates clinical spikes by roughly 4 to 6 days.In the study, a group of researchers from the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, used 20 months of past wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) data to develop a model that would predict COVID-19-induced weekly new hospitalizations in 159 US counties across 45 states. The counties covered a population of nearly 100 million.The data was collected from June 2021 to January 2023. The algorithm developed predicted the county-level weekly new admissions, allowing a preparation window of 1 to 4 weeks, the authors said.As the public health emergency phase of the pandemic is over, WBE will become the crux of predicting when COVID activity could spike in a given community, the authors said, especially as more people rely on at-home testing or no testing for mild cases."The WBE-based predictions more accurately captured the weekly new hospitalizations compared to the daily census average or census sum patient numbers in the week,” the authors wrote.

COVID-19 vaccine protects monkeys from new coronavirus, Chinese biotech reports -- For the first time, one of the many COVID-19 vaccines in development has protected an animal, rhesus macaques, from infection by the new coronavirus, scientists report. The vaccine, an old-fashioned formulation consisting of a chemically inactivated version of the virus, produced no obvious side effects in the monkeys, and human trials began on 16 April.Researchers from Sinovac Biotech, a privately held Beijing-based company, gave two different doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to a total of eight rhesus macaques. Three weeks later, the group introduced SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, into the monkeys' lungs through tubes down their tracheas, and none developed a full-blown infection. The monkeys given the highest dose of vaccine had the best response: Seven days after the animals received the virus, researchers could not detect it in the pharynx or lungs of any of them. Some of the lower dosed animals had a "viral blip" but also appeared to have controlled the infection, the Sinovac team reports in a paper published on 19 April on the preprint server bioRxiv. (A peer-reviewed version of the study was published on 6 May by Science.) In contrast, four control animals developed high levels of viral RNA in several body parts and severe pneumonia. The results "give us a lot of confidence" that the vaccine will work in humans, says Meng Weining, Sinovac's senior director for overseas regulatory affairs. . "This is old school but it might work. What I like most is that many vaccine producers, also in lower–middle-income countries, could make such a vaccine."

Biomarker may protect against severe COVID in people with obesity -Researchers have identified a protein biomarker that appears to protect against severe COVID-19 in people with obesity.A team led by Population Health Research Institute researchers in Ontario, Canada, conducted a genetic association study that used two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess 235 genetically determined circulating biomarkers, cardiometabolic risk factors (eg, obesity, type 2 diabetes [T2D], high blood pressure), and COVID-19 hospitalization in 2022. MR uses genetic associations with a causal factor and outcome to infer causality.The researchers analyzed blood samples from 22,101 people, including 4,147 with blood-glucose and cardiovascular risk factors participating in the Outcome Reduction with Initial Glargine Intervention (ORIGIN) trial. These conditions are risk factors for severe COVID-19, but the biological mechanisms linking them with infection severity haven't been completely elucidated, the study authors noted.The team also obtained genome-wide association study statistics from previous independent plasma proteome studies, genetic consortia for certain cardiometabolic risk factors, and the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative.MR analysis showed that, of the 235 biomarkers, only higher levels of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) were associated with lower odds of COVID-19 hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] per standard deviation [SD] increase in KIM-1 levels, 0.86).A meta-analysis validated the protective association, with no observed directional pleiotropy, or bias (OR per SD increase in KIM-1, 0.91). Of all cardiometabolic risk factors, only body mass index (BMI) was linked to KIM-1 levels (BMI; 0.17 SD increase in biomarker per 1 kilogram per square meter [kg/m²]) and COVID-19 hospitalization (OR per 1-SD biomarker level, 1.33).A multivariable MR analysis also showed that KIM-1 partially mitigated the association of BMI with COVID-19 hospitalization, decreasing it by 10 percentage points (OR adjusted for KIM-1 level per 1 kg/m², 1.23)."Individuals with obesity have a 2.1-fold increase in hospitalization, a 1.7-fold increase in admission to the intensive care unit, and a 1.5-fold increase in death as a result of severe COVID-19," the study authors wrote. "Similar odds were also reported for T2D and hypertension."

Study shows dogs can detect COVID-19 faster, better than most PCR tests - A new review of literature on COVID-19–sniffing canines shows dogs outperformed or matched reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests or antigen tests in detecting the novel coronavirus among humans or patient samples containing sweat, saliva, or urine. The meta-study, published in the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, included 29 studies in which dogs were used to detect COVID-19 using more than 31,000 samples. More than 400 scientists from 32 countries used 19 different dog breeds to conduct the studies. The number of dogs involved in the individual studies ranged from 2 to 15, with an average of 6. Labrador Retrievers and Belgian Malinois were the most commonly used dog breeds. Of note, the studies analyzed showed that dogs could detect asymptomatic people, those who had long COVID, and new COVID variants. Among the 29 studies were 10 scent experiments and 6 field studies conducted in the Helsinki International Airport, a Mexican health center, community pharmacies in Italy, four concerts in Germany, a metro system in Colombia, and a K-12 school in California. In the field studies, dogs performed comparably to RT-PCR tests, with sensitivity ranging from 68.6% to 95.9 %, with 3 of the 6 ranging between 92.0% and 95.9%. Specificities ranged from 75.0% to 99.9 %, with 3 of the 6 ranging between 95.1% and 99.9 %. And all dog-sniffing results occurred in a span of seconds to no more than 15 minutes, much faster than other forms of testing. "We believe that scent dogs deserve their place as a serious diagnostic methodology that could be particularly useful during pandemics, potentially as part of rapid health screenings in public spaces," said study author Tommy Dickey, PhD, of the University of California, in a press release. "We are confident that scent dogs will be useful in detecting a wide variety of diseases in the future."

Political party affiliation linked to excess COVID deaths - Today in JAMA Network Open, researchers published more evidence that personal political leanings may have contributed to excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research builds on previous work that has shown that right-wing "red" counties had higher death rates during the pandemic than more left-wing "blue" counties.The study looked at deaths in both Florida and Ohio during the first 22 months of the pandemic and found the overall excess death rate of Republican voters was 15% higher than that of Democrats. The gap widened further once COVID-19 vaccines were introduced.The cross-sectional study was conducted using data from voting records and death certificates between March 2020 and December 2021. Voter and mortality data from the counties from 2017 through 2021 were compared to calculate excess deaths, or the number of deaths that exceeded expected, typical numbers seen pre-pandemic.In total, the authors considered the deaths of 518,159 people between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2021. All were age 25 and older, and the median age at time of death was 78 years. All included deaths were among individuals for whom political party affiliation could be determined.According to the authors, political party affiliation in Ohio was defined by whether an individual voted in a party’s primary election within the preceding 2 calendar years, and in Florida, political party affiliation was based on party registration.In general, there was a 20.5 percentage-point (95% prediction interval [PI], 15.6 to 25.6 percentage points) increase in weekly death counts in Florida and Ohio between March 2020 and December 2021. Excess death rates were 2.8 percentage points (15%) higher for Republican voters compared with Democratic voters (95% PI, 1.6 to 3.7 percentage points). After May of 2021, roughly 1 month after COVID-19 vaccines became widely available, the gap between Republicans and Democrats further widened, to 7.7 percentage points (95% PI, 6.0 to 9.3 percentage points) in the adjusted analysis, or a 43% difference, the authors said. The difference was seen in Florida, but was most pronounced in Ohio. By looking at individual-level connections between political affiliations and excess deaths, the study highlights that the most significant divide occurred only after COVID-19 vaccines became widely available. "The results suggest that well-documented differences in vaccination attitudes and reported uptake between Republican and Democratic voters may have been factors in the severity and trajectory of the pandemic," the authors wrote.The authors concluded by noting that the official US strategy for COVID-19 vaccines has shifted to updated booster doses for previously vaccinated individuals, but 50 million adults in the United States have yet to complete a primary vaccination series, and these people remain at substantially increased risk of hospitalization and death."If differences in COVID-19 vaccination by political party affiliation persist, particularly in the absence of other pandemic mitigation strategies, the higher excess death rate observed among Republican voters may continue through subsequent stages of the pandemic," the authors concluded.

Long-COVID patients performed worse on cognitive tests for up to 2 years --Cognitive deficits equivalent to a 10-year increase in age were more common in COVID patients who still had symptoms 3 months or more after infection, according to a study published late last week in eClinicalMedicine.A King's College London-led team evaluated performance on 12 tasks that tested working memory, attention, reasoning, processing speed, and motor control among previously infected participants and never-infected controls with and without persistent symptoms (eg, psychological distress, fatigue, functional impairment) in the UK COVID Symptom Study Biobank.Round 1 of testing took place from July 12 to August 27, 2021, and round 2 occurred 9 months later (April 28 to June 21, 2022). A total of 3,335 participants completed round 1, and 1,768 also completed round 2. Participants were, on average, 57.5 years old, 81.2% were women, 96.5% were White, and 34.5% lived in lower-deprivation neighborhoods.During round 1, previously infected participants had lower accuracy on online cognitive tests (β, −0.14 standard deviations [SD]) than controls. The effects were greatest for previously infected participants who had symptoms for 3 months or more (β, −0.22 SDs) and those who were hospitalized (β, −0.31 SDs) and were equivalent to a 10-year age increase (60 to 70 years vs 50 to 60 years; β, −0.21 SDs) in the entire study cohort.Test scores didn't improve significantly between the two rounds, which took 2 years to complete. Effect sizes and/or strength of associations in infected participants were generally lower than in the second than in the first round. Cognitive deficits were detectable only in participants who said they weren't fully recovered from COVID-19.Tasks with the most consistent evidence of lower accuracy in COVID-19 participants included those that measured episodic visual memory, those that tested immediate and delayed recall of objects, and those that evaluated visual attention and processing speed in the 'target detection' tasks, in which participants found and chose target shapes from an evolving grid of shapes.

Rare link between coronavirus vaccines and Long Covid–like illness starts to gain acceptance COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives, and the world is gearing up for a new round of boosters. But like all vaccines, those targeting the coronavirus can cause side effects in some people, including rare cases of abnormal blood clotting and heart inflammation. Another apparent complication, a debilitating suite of symptoms that resembles Long Covid, has been more elusive, its link to vaccination unclear and its diagnostic features ill-defined. But in recent months, what some call Long Vax has gained wider acceptance among doctors and scientists, and some are now working to better understand and treat its symptoms. “You see one or two patients and you wonder if it’s a coincidence,” says Anne Louise Oaklander, a neurologist and researcher at Harvard Medical School. “But by the time you’ve seen 10, 20,” she continues, trailing off. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Cases seem very rare—far less common than Long Covid after infection. Symptoms can include persistent headaches, severe fatigue, and abnormal heart rate and blood pressure. They appear hours, days, or weeks after vaccination and are difficult to study. But researchers and clinicians are increasingly finding some alignment with known medical conditions. One is small fiber neuropathy, a condition Oaklander studies, in which nerve damage can cause tingling or electric shock–like sensations, burning pain, and blood circulation problems. The second is a more nebulous syndrome, with symptoms sometimes triggered by small fiber neuropathy, called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). It can involve muscle weakness, swings in heart rate and blood pressure, fatigue, and brain fog. Patients with postvaccination symptoms may have features of one or both conditions, even if they don’t meet the criteria for a diagnosis. Both are also common in patients with Long Covid, where they’re often attributed to an immune overreaction. Although more researchers are now taking Long Vax seriously, regulators in the United States and Europe say they have looked for, but have not found, a connection between COVID-19 vaccines and small fiber neuropathy or POTS. “We can’t rule out rare cases,” says Peter Marks, director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, which oversees vaccines. “If a provider has somebody in front of them, they may want to take seriously the concept [of] a vaccine side effect,” he says. But Marks also worries about “the sensational headline” that could mislead the public, and he emphasizes that vaccine benefits far outweigh any risks. Despite the uncertainties, German Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach acknowledged in March that though rare, Long Covid–like symptoms after vaccination are a real phenomenon. He said his ministry was working to organize funding for studies, although none has been announced so far.

Pfizer says supply of some drugs may be disrupted after NC tornado -- (Reuters) - Drugmaker Pfizer Inc said over 30 drugs, including injections of painkiller fentanyl and anesthetic lidocaine, may see supply disruption after a tornado destroyed a warehouse at its Rocky Mount, North Carolina, plant last week. The company sent a letter late last week to its hospital customers saying it had identified around 64 different formulations or dosages of those more than 30 drugs produced at the plant that may experience continued or new supply disruptions. The company has placed limits on how much supply of those drugs its customers can buy. It said the list was "based on Pfizer market share and inventory levels of less than 3 months across our Pfizer distribution centers and the wholesale chain." The tornado that struck the site on Wednesday completely destroyed the warehouse, but production facilities there do not seem to have suffered major damage, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said last week. The Rocky Mount plant is one of the largest factories for sterile injectable medicines in the world. Its products include anesthesia, painkillers and anti-infective medicines for use in hospitals. Nearly 25% of Pfizer's sterile injectables used in U.S. hospitals are produced there, according to the company's website. Michael Ganio, senior director of pharmacy practice and quality for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, said many of the drugs on Pfizer's list are already facing shortages.

Salmonella outbreak affecting multiple states linked to ground beef: CDC — The CDC is investigating a new salmonella outbreak that has led to multiple hospitalizations. In an alert issued Tuesday, the agency said at least 16 people have fallen ill — and six required hospitalization — as part of the salmonella outbreak. Illnesses linked to this investigation were first reported in late April, and the most recent was in mid-June. While investigators are still reviewing the incidents, they say nine patients reported eating ground beef before falling ill. Those who remembered the ground beef they purchased identified it as 80% lean beef purchased at ShopRite locations in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Among the 16 people who became ill, nine live in New Jersey. Five are from New York, and Connecticut and Massachusetts have each confirmed one case of salmonella that was linked to this outbreak. The CDC warns there could be more sick people, in these states or others, who recovered without medical care and are therefore not tested for salmonella. For those who are tested, it can take up to a month to determine whether they are linked to this specific outbreak. As many as three of those who became ill are under the age of 5, the CDC shows. The oldest patient was 97 years old. Salmonella infections are commonly associated with diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, according to the CDC. Symptoms can begin between six hours and six days after you’ve ingested the bacteria. Most people are able to recover without receiving treatment within four to seven days. Illnesses may be more severe for young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Some may require medical treatment or hospitalization, the CDC explains. Infections can only be diagnosed with a laboratory test of a person’s stool, body tissue, or fluids. Every year, salmonella causes roughly 1.35 million illnesses and 420 deaths. Other recent salmonella outbreaks have been linked to raw cookie dough, alfalfa sprouts, raw salmon, andbearded dragons – all CDC investigations into these outbreaks have been closed.

Israeli study links spread of resistant bacteria to hospital water sources--A single-center study in Israel highlights the roles that hospital sinks and showers may play in spreading carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), researchers reported yesterday in the American Journal of Infection Control.The retrospective analysis, conducted at a hospital in Haifa in 2022, examined environmental samples for CPE collected as part of epidemiologic investigations initiated whenever a patient acquired CPE during hospitalization. Samples were collected from various areas within the same wards where CPE acquisition occurred and included samples from hospital surfaces (like wheeled carts, beds, medicine cabinets, and portable x-ray machines), as well as drains and pipes.Out of 801 environmental samples collected, 337 (42.1%) were from sinks, 57 (7.1%) were from showers, and 407 (50.8%) came from various surfaces around the hospital. The samples were then divided into three categories, with Category 1 including all samples collected within 1 meter of a water source (sink or shower). Within Category 1, 166 samples (41.5%) were CPE positive, compared with 13 samples (11.7%) in Category 2 (1 to 3 meters from a water source) and no positive samples in Category 3 (more than 3 meters from a water source).Roughly one-fifth of all positive samples (20.6%) were linked to a shower, and positive samples were found in 16 wards, with a higher prevalence found in non-clinical areas like storage areas and staff rooms."Our study demonstrates that CPE associated with a water source may not be confined to a specific ward but can spread across multiple wards, potentially explaining the endemicity of CPE within a hospital," the study authors wrote. "This highlights the critical significance of implementing stringent infection control measures and thorough cleaning protocols, even in such non-clinical areas."

More TB transmitted via bone grafting - — Contaminated bone graft materials have been linked to three more patients testing positive for tuberculosis, POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein and Lauren Gardner report.The CDC announced the new cases Wednesday, adding to two cases — of which one was fatal — previously identified by health officials. But the materials suspected to be contaminated have been used in other surgical or dental procedures for patients outside of the known five cases, with at least 36 people being treated as if they have TB.The CDC said the materials were sent to California, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas and Virginia.Aziyo Biologic issued a recall earlier this month of its bone matrix products — materials made from human tissue typically used in orthopedic and spinal surgeries. Two years ago, Aziyo issued a voluntary recall for a different bone-repair product contaminated with the bacteria that causes TB after it was linked to the death of eight patients.Aziyo said in a July 13 statement that samples from the donor lot in question tested negative for TB at an independent lab. The company did not respond to requests for additional comment.An FDA spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday that the agency is collaborating with the CDC “to fully understand the impact of this recall.” The FDA can take “a number of enforcement actions” when human cell and tissue products don’t comply with its requirements, the spokesperson said, though it typically focuses on voluntary compliance first.

UAE reports MERS case -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported a MERS-CoV infection in a 28-year-old man from outside the country who is living in Al Ain, a city near the border with Oman, but it's not clear how he contracted the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement today.In the first week of July, the man sought care at a private medical center multiple times for vomiting and right flank pain. On July 8, he was hospitalized for gastrointestinal symptoms and was initially diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, acute kidney injury, and sepsis.When his condition worsened, he was admitted on July 13 to an intensive care unit at a government specialty hospital, where he was placed on mechanical ventilation. His conditioned deteriorated, and a nasopharyngeal swab collected on July 21 was positive for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).So far, it's not known how he contacted the virus. The man has no underlying health conditions, is not a healthcare worker, and had no contact with camels or camel products. Monitoring of 108 contacts for a 14-day period revealed no related infections.The UAE reported its last case in November 2021 and has now reported 94 cases. Globally, 2,604 cases have been reported, at least 936 of them fatal, since 2012.

Hepatitis C infection during pregnancy rose sharply during opioid epidemic --The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection during pregnancy increased 16-fold between 1998 and 2018, fueled by the opioid epidemic, which has increased the odds of poor fetal outcomes, researchers from Johns Hopkins University recently reported in JAMA Network Open. The group's goal was to gauge how common HCV infections in pregnancy are and flesh out maternal and fetal outcomes to help with health policy decisions against the backdrop of rising opioid use, including in younger women of childbearing age. For the analysis, researchers used the nation's largest publicly available database of all-payer inpatient care, which included more than 70 million births or spontaneous abortions. Along with increased prevalence over the two decades, the team found that 0.20% of the births involved mothers who had HCV infections. The level reached 5.3 per 1,000 pregnancies in 2018. Mothers with HCV infections were more likely to be White and low income, with the group more likely to have a history of tobacco, alcohol, and opioid use. Prevalence varied by age, with a threefold increase in women ages 41 to 50 years old and a 31-fold increase in women ages 21 to 30 years. Women who tested positive for HCV during pregnancy had higher odds of cesarean delivery, preterm labor, poor fetal growth, and fetal distress. However, researchers didn't find any significant differences in gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, eclampsia, or stillbirth. Researchers concluded that the findings support proposed recommendations for universal HCV screening during pregnancy and that pregnancy care may be the initial healthcare exposure for many women. "These touchpoints represent an opportunity for health care professionals to identify HCV infection and link women and their children to appropriate specialist care," they wrote.

CDC: Allergy caused by tick bites on the rise, but clinicians in the dark - Today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, authors from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a growing tick bite-associated allergy to mammal meat and milk.The condition can be life-threatening and is characterized by a hypersensitivity to the sugar molecule galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). Cases are increasing across the country along with the number of tests performed and suspected AGS cases. The number of persons who received positive test results jumped from 13,371 in 2017 to 18,885 in 2021.But despite growing incidence, in a survey of 1,500 US healthcare providers (HCPs), 42% said they had never heard of the condition. Among those who had heard of the condition, 35% said they were not confident in their ability to diagnose the allergy, and only 55 clinicians (6%) said they had treated 5 or more alpha-gal patients.The condition is primarily associated with the bite of the lone star tick (Ambylomma americanum) in the United States, with most cases recorded in the South and Midwest. Allergic symptoms develop within 2 hours of eating something containing alpha-gal and range from mild (rash) to severe (anaphylaxis)."More than one half of the respondents (502; 58%) correctly identified topics on which to counsel AGS patients, such as tick bite prevention, eliminating red meat from their diet, exercising caution when receiving new medications and vaccines, and recognizing and managing anaphylaxis," the authors said.More clinician education is needed, the authors concluded."The lack of HCP knowledge of AGS is likely to lead to undertesting, further hampering knowledge of the national prevalence of AGS," they said.

Up to 450,000 in U.S. have red meat allergies due to alpha-gal syndrome spread by ticks, CDC says - Thousands more Americans are now testing positive each year for alpha-gal syndrome — a condition spread by tick bites that causes allergic reactions to eating red meat. New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows up to 450,000 people in the U.S. may have been affected since 2010.These figures mark a steep increase in cases since alpha-gal syndrome was first reported among a handful of Virginians in 2008 after being bitten by ticks. Many cases are also likely going undiagnosed, the CDC now says, citing "concerning" knowledge gaps found in a separate study among American doctors surveyed about the red meat allergy."The burden of alpha-gal syndrome in the United States could be substantial given the large percentage of cases suspected to be going undiagnosed due to non-specific and inconsistent symptoms, challenges seeking healthcare, and lack of clinician awareness," the CDC's Dr. Johanna Salzer said in a release. Salzer is a senior author on the two new papers, which were published Thursday in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.In one study, researchers looked at data from Eurofins Viracor, the lab responsible "for nearly all testing in the United States before 2022" of suspected alpha-gal cases. Outside of a handful of academic or specialty clinics, the CDC says other commercial labs did not begin offering alpha-gal testing until 2021.Positive blood tests for alpha-gal syndrome generally climbed each year from 13,371 in 2017 to 18,885 in 2021, aside from a dip during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.While false positives are possible, CDC says separate unpublished surveillance data from New Jersey suggests around 90% of people who test positive had clinical symptoms consistent with the red meat allergy. Most cases were identified in southern and eastern states known to harbor the lone star tick, whose saliva is linked to the allergy. Lone star ticks have been spotted across a broad swath of the country, from Texas through Maine. However, positive tests also found clusters of cases in residents of counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where lone star ticks are not known to be living. Other kinds of ticks outside the U.S. have also been linked to alpha-gal syndrome.

"[C]ases outside the established range of this tick species need to be further investigated to better understand exposure history and contributing factors associated with the onset of this allergic condition," the study's authors wrote.A separate study surveying a panel of 1,500 primary care doctors, pediatricians, physician assistants and nurses found 42% had never heard of the syndrome, with another 35% saying they were "not too confident" in their ability to diagnose or manage patients who have it."The lack of [health care provider] knowledge of [alpha-gal syndrome] is likely to lead to under testing, further hampering knowledge of the national prevalence," that study's authors wrote of their findings. Combined with the survey findings, as well as previous testing results collected through 2018, the CDC estimates that up to 450,000 people in the U.S. may have been affected by alpha-gal syndrome since 2010. "If testing trends continue, and the geographic range of the lone star tick continues to expand, the number of AGS cases in the United States is predicted to increase during the coming years," the authors wrote.

Doctors often miss symptoms of meat allergy linked to lone star ticks, CDC finds - A potentially life-threatening allergy to red meat may impact almost half a million Americans, but many doctors have no idea what it is or how to treat it, according to research published Thursday.Two reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal significant gaps in knowledge about alpha-gal syndrome, even as the condition is rising in the population."Patients are out there, but the primary care folks, the health care providers, just don't seem to know about it," said Dr. Scott Commins, an allergy immunology specialist at the University of North Carolina Department of Medicine in Chapel Hill, and a co- author of both reports.Alpha-gal syndrome is a tick-borne illness that leads to allergic reactions from eating red meat, including meat of cows, deer, pigs or goats. Some people also develop allergies to dairy and other byproducts from processing those animals, like gelatin. The blood of cows, deer, goats and pigs contains a specific sugar molecule called alpha-gal. It is not found in humans, fish or birds. When ticks, usually the lone star tick, feed on those mammals, the alpha-gal gets into their saliva. Alpha-gal can then be transmitted to people through a tick bite. When that happens, the body recognizes alpha-gal as a foreign invader, producing antibodies that prompt the immune system to become allergic to it. Subsequently, an infected person can become quite sick after consuming something that contains alpha-gal. Symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome can be wide-ranging, including:Nausea. Stomach cramps. Diarrhea. Often, people will become itchy and develop hives. They may be short of breath and even develop anaphylaxis in extreme cases. Unlike other food allergies, hives, itching and other typical reactions are not immediate. Symptoms usually don't pop up until hours after eating meat because of how slowly the body digests it. That makes it difficult to diagnose, and is one reason the syndrome continues to fly under the radar of many doctors.In one of the new reports, 42% of 1,500 doctors surveyed had never heard of alpha-gal syndrome. A further 35% said they were not confident in their ability to detect or treat the illness."That complicates our understanding of the true number of cases," said Ann Carpenter, a CDC epidemiologist and co-author of the new reports.A second report found that cases of alpha-gal syndrome are rising. From 2017 through 2021, the CDC said, the number of new cases increased by about 15,000 each year.Dr. Erin McGintee, an allergy and immunology physician in private practice on Long Island, New York, said she has noted the increase in patients since she began seeing alpha-gal syndrome more than a decade ago. Since then, she has treated roughly 900 such patients. Nationwide, more than 110,000 cases have been detected since 2010, the CDC said. But that may be a vast underestimate.The agency suspects that the number of people affected may be as many as 450,000.

Michigan reports fair-linked variant flu case as new study underscores zoonotic threat - Michigan health officials yesterday reported a presumptive positive human variant H3 influenza case that involves an individual from Lapeer County who exhibited at the Oakland County Fair, which took place July 7 though16. In a statement, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) said a sample will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation testing.In related zoonotic flu developments, researchers who tracked 2009 H1N1 flu virus transmission from people to pigs found hundreds of introductions since 2009, with at least 5 jumps back to people.The patient was an exhibitor at the fair. If the CDC confirms the case, it would likely mark the first variant H3N2 (H3N2v) infection of the summer. While swine influenza viruses are known to circulate in pigs throughout the year, transmission to humans is relatively rare but can occur, mainly in those who have close contact with the animals. Limited human-to-human spread, though not sustained, has been reported in past years.The announcement about the human case comes after a July 17 announcement from Oakland County about the detection of influenza A (swine influenza) in several pigs at the Oakland County Fair. The pigs began showing illness symptoms on July 14, which prompted closure of the swine barn that evening and monitoring of people who were exposed, including exhibitors and fair staff. Officials also warned the public about potential exposure. Multiple fair-linked outbreaks were reported in 2012, which resulted in 309 cases. Similar sporadic cases continue to be reported, especially during county fair months. For the 2021-2022 flu season, the CDCreported five H3N2v cases.

Quick takes: Flu rises in some Southern Hemisphere countries, more polio from 2 African countries, raw milk linked to illness cluster in Minnesota kids | CIDRAP

• Global flu activity overall remained low, though some countries in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia and New Zealand, report ongoing rises, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its most recent update, which roughly covers the last week of June and the first week of July. Other locations reporting rises include Bangladesh, Iran, Hong Kong, some Central America countries, and West Africa countries. Of respiratory samples that were positive for flu during the surveillance period, 68.5% were influenza A, and of subtyped influenza A viruses, 66.2% were the 2009 H1N1 virus. Of characterized influenza B viruses, all belonged to the Victoria lineage.
• Two countries—the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria—reported more polio cases this week, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) said today in its latest weekly update. The DRC reported one more circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) case, pushing its total this year to 57. Nigeria reported two cVDPV2 cases, lifting its number for 2023 to 18. In other developments, the World Health Organization (WHO) today released in-depth reports on recently reported cVDPV2 cases from Tanzania, the country's first, and cases from Kenya, its first of the year, which involved patients from the world's second largest refugee camp and a virus linked to one circulating in Somalia.
• Minnesota health officials are investigating a cluster of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses in children that appear to be linked to raw milk. In a statement, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) said the families of two children said they consumed unpasteurized milk, but information couldn't be obtained from the remaining families. Lab analysis revealed that all five cases are related and came from the same source. Childrens' ages range from 3 months to 10 years, and one patient was hospitalized. The MDH said it is working to determine the source of the raw milk.

CDC weighs in on H5N1 avian flu in Polish cats - The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 21 issued its assessment of an unusual report of H5N1 avian flu deaths in cats in Poland across a wide geographic region, including some that were kept indoors.It said the source of the virus is still unclear. Some cats had access to the outdoors, while others were kept indoors. Some were fed raw poultry or poultry parts.No H5N1 infections were found in humans who had contact with the cats. Early genetic sequencing reveals that the virus hasn't changed to more easily bind to the cells in the upper airways of humans or to more easily spread to people.Also, sequencing suggests that the virus that infected the cats is a good match with a candidate vaccine virus against H5N1 that the CDC developed in 2022.The CDC said the H5N1 risk to human health from cats is low and that H5N1 continues to mainly be an animal health issue. And though human infections from contact with domestic pets is unlikely, it is possible. It urged people to closely monitor the health of their pets for symptoms such as fever, cough, and breathing difficulty.

South Korea detects H5N1 avian flu in shelter cats --South Korea's agriculture ministry today announced that tests have confirmed H5N1 avian influenza in two cats at a shelter in Seoul, according to a statement translated and posted by Avian Flu Diary (AFD), an infectious disease news blog. The cats were tested after they showed respiratory infection symptoms, and tests results today confirmed H5N1.According to a South Korean media report, since June about one or two cat deaths each day were reported from the shelter.The findings have triggered response actions at the shelter and stepped-up monitoring in people who had contact with the cats, according to the statement from South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA). So far, no symptoms have been identified in any contacts. Health officials implemented emergency quarantine measures at the shelter in Seoul and have expanded surveillance of animal breeding facilities within 10 kilometers of the shelter, with inspections planned for animal protection centers nationwide.An epidemiologic investigation is under way. So far, there are no details on how the cats may have contracted the virus. Also, it's not clear if the H5N1 virus is the same as the one that was recently detected in Polish cats.The new detections in cats, coming on the heels of an unusual outbreak in Polish cats across a wide geographic area, raise concerns about the risk of the pets passing the virus to people, which is unlikely but possible, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a recent risk assessment.Also, the infections in cats add to concerns about the rising number of H5N1 detections in mammal species, including at fur farms in Finland. Scientists are closely watching for genetic clues about whether the virus has changed to more easily infect and spread among mammals.Regarding the Finnish fur farm outbreaks, the Finnish Food Agency today expanded the transmission zone beyond the affected provinces to include four more provinces, according to a statement translated and posted by AFD. Designation of transmission zones imposes rules designed to curb avian flu transmission, such as a requirement to keep poultry and captive birds indoors. The country has continued to report H5N1 detections in wild birds, mainly gulls and other sea birds, over the summer months.

H5N1 avian flu strikes several more Finnish fur farms -In updates yesterday and today, the Finnish Food Authority reported eight more H5N1 avian flu outbreaks on fur farms, raising the total to 20. All are from the earlier affected regions.Most of the farms house blue foxes, but one raises minks, another has raccoon dogs, and others have mixed-breed foxes.The outbreaks began in the middle of July, and officials have said the animals likely contracted the virus from wild birds. Finland has reported several H5N1 detections in wild birds over the summer months. The events on the fur farms have heightened growing concerns about more frequent H5N1 detections in mammals and bolstered close monitoring for any genetic changes that would allow the virus to more easily infect humans.The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported an outbreak in poultry at a live market in New York, the first poultry event since the middle of May. The outbreak occurred in Kings County, which covers Brooklyn, and the market had 660 birds.Since November 2022, APHIS has reported eight outbreaks at live poultry markets from three states, mostly in New York at facilities in Kings and Queens counties.Elsewhere, the Netherlands reported an outbreak at a poultry farm, its first since May, according to anotification from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). The outbreak began on July 24 at a free-range layer farm in village in Flevoland province, located in the central part of the country. The virus killed 100 of 10,968 birds, and the remaining chickens were culled as part of the outbreak response.

Research identifies and tracks moth species that can destroy packaged food - Plodia interpunctella, better known as the Indian Meal Moth, is normally found where you store your grains. This means that it can move through tiny openings in plastic or cardboard packages in your pantry to feast on cereal, pet food, flour, cornmeal and other stored grains and dried fruit. It can also contaminate contents of larger food storage facilities and grain storage buildings.The moth is one of the top twelve moth species intercepted at U.S. ports and is closely related to many other highly destructive species that are not native to U.S. agriculture. This Indian Meal Moth, or its larvae, are commonly intercepted in commodities by other USDA agencies and sent to ARS' Systematic Entomology Lab, Once the lab receives the moth's larvae, ARS researchers compare the external diagnostic characteristics such as hair, and general color, so that it can be distinguished from other closely related non-invasive caterpillars. These diagnostic tools are then provided to other USDA personnel at U.S. ports to distinguish between species."This particular research permits the USDA to identify invasive species that may be introduced to the nation," said ARS researcher Alma Solis. "It also allows us to conduct research, identify, and exclude many other closely-related species that are potentially destructive species to the U.S. economy."Tropical climates are a popular habitat for the Indian Meal Moth, but infestations have occurred across the globe, including Antarctica. Even though they are not known to bite or sting, its contamination of food products is detrimental to U.S. agriculture and the economy. Once the moth settles into grain that has a temperature of at least 50 degrees, eggs are laid directly on the food source. A mature female may lay up to 300 eggs at a time before larvae begin to hatch within 14 days.

U.S. FDA denies petition on chemicals used in food packaging (Reuters) - The U.S. health regulator on Friday denied a petition urging the agency to reconsider its initial denial on a petition seeking a ban of some chemicals used in plastic for food packaging in May last year. The citizen petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sought a ban on the use of eight ortho-phthalates and revocation of the prior sanctioned uses for five ortho-phthalates in food based on alleged safety concerns. Ortho-phthalates, more commonly known as phthalates, are chemicals used in plastic products to make it more durable. The FDA currently allows nine phthalates in the production of plastics for food packaging. The health regulator said it has reconsidered the petition and its decision to deny the original petition remains unchanged.

A quarter of rural water systems likely contain ‘forever chemicals’ -- Since 2016, the United States Geological Survey has sampled water in taps nationwide, looking for the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS — common chemicals that accumulate in the body with devastating health effects over time. The agency’s findings, released last week, confirm just how widespread contamination has become, including in rural communities where little data has existed before. About a quarter of rural tap water is likely contaminated, their study suggests. Those communities frequently use small public utilities and private wells — systems that serve about a third of all U.S. residents but have long been ignored by most state and federal PFAS testing. Small public systems were not subject to testing by the Environmental Protection Agency until this year, when the EPA stepped up testing nationwide and began to weigh the first-ever federal regulation of these chemicals. Private wells are still left out; the EPA doesn’t monitor or regulate them. Without testing or research, these communities “don’t have really good information about the quality of their drinking water,” said Kelly Smalling, a USGS hydrologist and author of the study. This means that they’re often unaware of their risk, making them more vulnerable to the health effects of PFAS. She hopes that this study is one step in changing that. PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are extremely common. There are more than 9,000 types, and over the last 40 years, they’ve become ubiquitous in goods from nonstick pans to raincoats to microwave popcorn bags. They’re in textiles, climbing rope, paper plates, guitar strings — and the blood of 98% of Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Nearly indestructible, they accumulate in the body, and hundreds of studies have documented the results: cancers, thyroid and liver disease, infertility, high cholesterol, developmental problems. Even at near-zero concentrations, PFAS can hamper the immune system, limiting the body’s ability to fight infection.

Map shows the contaminated Superfund sites closest to your home – More than 1,300 sites around the country are suspected of being so contaminated, hazardous or polluted – or are at risk of becoming so polluted – that they have been deemed a national cleanup priority.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies places around the country that pose a risk to people’s health because they have been contaminated by hazardous waste.Since 1980, the agency has taken charge of cleaning up those sites under a law with the nickname “Superfund.” (Its full name is The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or CERCLA.)Superfund sites include poorly managed landfills, mining areas, or industrial facilities. As of June 27, when the National Priorities List was last updated, there were 1,336 sites, plus an additional 40 sites that were proposed as new additions. “It is a list of the worst hazardous waste sites identified by Superfund,” the EPA explains.As part of its effort to inform the public on potential threats and hazards in their area, the EPA maps out every site on an interactive map. Zooming in on the map (below) allows you to see more information about the Superfund sites in your neighborhood, city or state.Clicking on a site opens a pop-up window with more information, including the site’s Hazard Ranking System score. That score represents how likely a site is to release harmful substances into the surrounding environment, how toxic the waste on site is, and how many people are (or could be) impacted by the pollution, among other factors. The highest possible score is 100.Clicking on a site’s name also gives you more information on why a site ended up on the National Priorities List. For example, clicking around California’s Silicon Valley shows areas where semiconductor manufacturers contaminated groundwater below their buildings. In Oklahoma, an oil refinery polluted the surrounding soil and water. In Alabama, a company producing pesticides had been disposing of waste in open pits. Those chemicals ended up flowing into nearby rivers and wetlands.See the Superfund sites in your area on the map below:You can also view a full list of sites and explore the map on the EPA’s website.Once a site is put on the National Priorities List, the EPA investigates the dangers posed to human health and pursues the best way of cleaning up the problem. The EPA may force the person or company responsible for the pollution to finance the cleanup, or it may take charge of cleanup if no party can be found responsible.Once a site is fully cleaned up and the EPA determines there’s no further risk to people’s health or the surrounding environment, it can be deleted from the list. The site can then be redeveloped into something new.

Study shows glyphosate impairs learning in bumblebees -- What impacts do agrochemicals have on the ongoing global insect decline? Biologists at the University of Konstanz have found out that aversive learning is impaired in bumblebees exposed to glyphosate. Their study is published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. "With global insect decline going on at alarming rates, we have to examine the contribution of agrochemicals more closely, going beyond mere assessment of mortality rates," A year ago, Weidenmüller had discovered that the collective thermal behavior of bumblebee colonies that have been chronically exposed to glyphosate is affected when resources become scarce. Studying their ability to regulate the temperature of their brood, she found that these bumblebees cannot keep their brood warm for as long. And she warned that if they cannot maintain the necessary brood temperature, their brood will develop more slowly, or not at all. In their current study, the biologists tested more than 400 bumblebee workers. The Konstanz scientists demonstrate that bumblebees chronically exposed to glyphosate cannot associate a possible threat (aversive stimulus) with a visual cue during a differential learning task. "As far as we can see, they don't learn at all anymore," Nouvian says.In contrast, a control group of bumblebees that had not been exposed to glyphosate showed good aversive learning abilities. "The ability to associate a noxious stimulus with particular cues is a fundamental pre-requisite for survival," says Nouvian. "Through this adaptive behavior, animals have a better chance of avoiding encounters with poisons, predators and parasites. This is why the learning impairment that we have demonstrated, caused by exposure to glyphosate, could substantially increase the mortality rate of foragers. Such depletion of the workforce would have an obvious impact on colony success, although this remains to be confirmed experimentally," she says.As for the experiments on locomotion and phototaxis, glyphosate exposure slightly reduced the bumblebees' walking speed but only while they habituated to the training apparatus, and left the phototactic drive largely unaffected. However, it reduced attraction to ultraviolet light if compared to blue light.In their study, the biologists warn that even a slight shift in UV sensitivity could have broad implications for these pollinators, potentially affecting their navigation and their foraging efficiency.

Urban birds repurpose antibird spikes to craft imposing nests | Science | AAAS -- The metal spikes that bristle from city rooftops and balconies are meant to deter birds—but for some, they provide the perfect building material for a new home. Researchers have discovered nests that incorporate these antibird spikes at several sites across Europe, The Guardian reports. The nests were built by carrion crows (Corvus corone) and magpies (Pica pica), members of the corvid family known for their intelligence. The magpies—whose nest is shown above—used spikes mostly in their nests’ domed roofs and oriented them to point outward in an apparent attempt to protect their eggs from predators such as crows. Urban birds have been known to use litter and other debris—from barbed wire to hypodermic needles—to fashion nests in the past, the researchers write in Deinsea, the journal of the Natural History Museum Rotterdam. But this is the first time they have been observed repurposing a bird-repelling device for their own defense.

House sends two resolutions overturning endangered species rules to Biden’s desk -- The House voted Thursday to overturn two Biden administration Endangered Species Act (ESA) rules, sending the resolution to the president, who has vowed to veto them. The two rules apply to federal protections for the lesser prairie chicken and the northern long-eared bat, respectively. The Senate voted in favor of both resolutions in May by a 51-49 margin in both cases. The prairie chicken resolution passed 221-206 with four Democrats voting in favor — Reps. Yadira Caraveo (Colo.), Henry Cuellar (Texas), Sharice Davids (Kan.) and Gabe Vasquez (N.M.) — and a single Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), voting against. The bat resolution, meanwhile, passed 220-208, with Cuellar and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) joining all Republicans but Fitzpatrick. In floor remarks, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) blasted the GOP majority as prioritizing rolling back environmental protections over economic issues. “My colleagues on the other side of the aisle spent two years shouting about things like inflation and public safety, but now, in power, they’re heading into a six-week recess focused on stripping protections from bats and prairie chickens,” Beyer said. The White House has already said it will veto both resolutions.

Chicago air quality alert, heat wave temperatures prompt warnings in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin; Canadian wildfire haze descends - (WLS) -- An Air Quality Alert remains in effect for the Chicago area on Tuesday. The area is seeing hazy conditions due to smoke drifting down from the Canadian wildfires, causing lower air quality in Chicago. The alert is in effect for nearly the entire area until midnight. As of 11:34 a.m., AirNow.Gov had Chicago's air quality at 145, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Along with the hazy skies, temperatures climbed steeply Tuesday. They were in the 80s by early afternoon, with the humidity making it feel like the 90s. With the poor air quality and high temperatures, experts and doctors advise limiting your outside exposure and being wise about what kinds of outdoor activities you participate in. RUSH Medical Center emergency physician Dr. Scott Heinrich warns of heat exhaustion or stroke, where you may feel confused and dizzy. "This is not the best time if it's 100 out, to go do gardening or run a marathon," Dr. Heinrich said. "Try to just be smart about what you do to really try to avoid any heat exhaustion." The Chicago skyline was clouded by hazy skies as unhealthy air quality continues. "We see during the air quality alerts, patients having flares of their asthma, harder to breathe, harder to catch their breath, maybe some eye irritation," Dr. Heinrich said. "Try to limit your time outside best you can."

Risk of fatal heart attack may double in extreme heat with air pollution - Soaring heat and fine particulate matter in the air may double your risk of heart attack death, according to a new study. For the study, published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation on Monday, researchers analyzed more than 200,000 heart attack deaths between 2015 and 2020 in a Chinese province that experiences four distinct seasons and a range of temperatures and pollution levels. The findings? Days of extreme heat, extreme cold or high levels of fine particulate matter air pollution were all "significantly associated" with the risk of death from a heart attack — and the greatest risk was seen on days with a combination of both extreme heat and high air pollution levels. Results showed women and older adults were particularly at risk."Extreme temperature events are becoming more frequent, longer and more intense, and their adverse health effects have drawn growing concern," senior author Dr. Yuewei Liu, an associate professor of epidemiology in the School of Public Health at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, said in a news release. "Another environmental issue worldwide is the presence of fine particulate matter in the air, which may interact synergistically with extreme temperatures to adversely affect cardiovascular health."Risk of a fatal heart attack was 18% higher during ­2-day heat waves with heat indexes at or above the 90th percentile, ranging from 82.6 to 97.9 degrees Fahrenheit, the study found. The risk was 74% higher during 4-day heat waves with heat indexes at or above the 97.5th percentile, ranging from 94.8 to 109.4 degrees.During 4-day heat waves with fine particulate pollution levels above 37.5 micrograms per cubic meter, risk was twice as high. For context, the World Health Organization recommends no more than 15 micrograms per cubic meter for more than 3-4 days per year.Despite their small size of less than 2.5 microns, fine particulates — mostly associated with car exhaust, factory emissions or wildfires — can be inhaled deep into the lungs and irritate the lungs and blood vessels around the heart, the news release explains. "Our findings provide evidence that reducing exposure to both extreme temperatures and fine particulate pollution may be useful to prevent premature deaths from heart attack, especially for women and older adults," Liu added.

Canadian wildfire smoke blankets northern US cities with air pollution | CNN — Smoke from more than 1,000 wildfires burning across Canada has wafted over the northern US, bringing poor air quality and pollution that threaten residents’ health to northern US cities including Chicago, Illinois, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit, Michigan, were ranked among the most polluted cities in the world as of Tuesday evening, according to global pollution tracker IQAir. The smoke has drifted over the Great Lakes region, in particular, as about 1,090 active fires blaze throughout Canada, more than 670 of which are considered “out of control,” according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. That’s up from more than 880 fires there last week. The bulk of the country’s wildfires are burning in British Columbia, where more than 460 fires are ongoing, the agency reports. In the US, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued air quality alerts for millions of people across Michigan and parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. The blanket of hazy skies follows a belt of Canadian wildfire smoke which stretched across the US last week, triggering air quality alerts for more than a dozen states from Montana to Vermont, with some smoke reaching as far South as Alabama. The smoke is expected to shift eastward through the Great Lakes region through Tuesday and disperse by Wednesday – just as the upper Midwest is forecast to see some of its hottest temperatures so far this year. Minneapolis could reach 100° and Chicago will be in the upper 90s. The EPA in Illinois has declared an “Air Pollution Action Day” through Tuesday due to the “persistent” wildfire smoke causing elevated air pollution in the region. Similar advisories have been declares in Michigan and Wisconsin. The city is recommending that those with chronic respiratory issues limit their activities outdoors and is advising against strenuous activity for children, teens, seniors, people with heart or lung disease, and pregnant people. “All Chicagoans may also consider wearing masks, limiting their outdoor exposure, moving activities indoors, running air purifiers, and closing windows,” the city said in a release Monday.

White House panel urges stronger soot and smog standards -- A White House advisory panel is calling for much stronger soot and smog standards, potentially putting it at odds with the positions staked out by top EPA officials.Both pollutants are “major public health menaces” that disproportionately affect people of color and low-income communities, members of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council wrote in a recent letter now posted on its website.“We strongly recommend action that is sufficiently bold to address the gross inequities in how different communities are impacted by these pollutants,” they told Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in the letter. “Equally important, the administration must act on a timeline that does not delay alleviating the deadly burden that communities face.”The letter gives at least a symbolic boost to public health and environmental groups that are urging EPA to adopt the most stringent options previously recommended by another group of advisers during reviews of National Ambient Air Quality Standards for soot and smog.The two pollutants are more technically known as fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone, respectively; they are linked to a variety of health problems, including higher odds of premature death under some circumstances. Those reviews are intended to assess the adequacy of the existing standards in light of the most recent scientific research into their public health and environmental impacts.Although dated June 27, the letter was sent to CEQ just last week, according to a spokesperson from Appalachian Voices, a nonprofit advocacy group whose executive director, Tom Cormons, sits on the White House panel and initially recommended that members weigh in. White House press aides did not immediately reply to a request for comment Monday afternoon, as well as for confirmation that the letter had been received.

Canada wildfires devour land, vault CO2 emissions higher --The simultaneous, record-shattering heat in the U.S., Europe and Asia may be getting all the headlines (more on these events below), but hotter and drier-than-average conditions are fueling the disaster unfolding in Canada.As residents of the Midwest and East Coast have repeatedly learned this summer, Canada's devastating fires affect conditions elsewhere.Multiple rounds of smoke ejected from the massive blazes have caused air quality to deteriorate in some of America's biggest cities. The longer these fires burn — and the typical seasonal peak has not occurred yet — the stronger the climate feedback. That's increasing Canada's carbon emissions, and contributing to climate change. So far this season, 27.1 million acres have burned across Canada, and it's unlikely the fires will be extinguished until fall or winter when colder weather and precipitation arrives (this is a burned area larger than the state of Kentucky). Some blazes in Arctic peatlands may overwinter as so-called "zombie fires," smoldering just beneath the surface in organic matter such as mosses, only to emerge in the spring. Satellite monitoring does not produce precise measurements, since it involves estimating emissions via a metric known a "fire radiative power," which measures the heat energy emitted from a fire, and other techniques. With data going back to 2003, it provides a reliable comparison of carbon emissions from this fire season so far compared to the past 21 years. According to Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at CAMS, the data shows this year will be "more than double" the previous highest annual total in 2014, with emissions of 249 million tonnes of carbon through July 17. He noted that the massive wildfires in the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia in 2021 emitted about 290 million tonnes of carbon. This year, Canada is on track to match or top that. In terms of carbon dioxide equivalent, that is equal to about 914 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent so far.

Washington state wildfire threatens homes, farms, gas pipeline - (Reuters) - A fast-growing wildfire forced residents to evacuate a rural stretch of southern Washington state's Klickitat County on Saturday after it burned more than 30,000 acres in less than 24 hours.The Newell Road Wildfire has already destroyed several structures in the area and is threatening homes, farms, crops and livestock, solar and wind farms and a natural gas pipeline, county emergency officials said. The fire was also moving toward the Yakama Indian Reservation, Allen Lebovitz, a spokesperson for the state's Department of Natural Resources, said in an interview in Bickleton, a community of about 80 people about 120 miles (190 km) east of Portland, Oregon."It's very difficult terrain to fight fire," Lebovitz said. "We are under a red flag warning. That's a firefighter's worst nightmare because the humidity is dropping precipitously. The winds are picking up. And so the fire carries extremely fast."Firefighters from across the area have descended on the blaze that is burning just north of the Columbia River, which marks the state's border with Oregon. Officials have not said what caused the fire, and there have been no reports of injuries or deaths.

Deer take refuge near wind turbines as fire scorches Washington state land (AP) — Bjorn Hedges drove around the two wind farms he manages the morning after a wildfire raced through. At many of the massive turbines he saw deer: does and fawns that had found refuge on gravel pads at the base of the towers, some of the only areas left untouched amid an expanse of blackened earth. “That was their sanctuary — everything was burning around them,” Hedges said Monday, two days after he found the animals. Crews continued fighting the Newell Road Fire by air and by ground in rural south-central Washington state, just north of the Columbia River, amid dry weather and high wind gusts. Over the weekend, fire threatened a solar farm along with a natural gas pipeline and a plant at a landfill that converts methane to energy. Firefighters responded quickly and stopped the flames before damage was done to those facilities, said Allen Lebovitz, wildland fire liaison for the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Residents of an unknown number of homes, “maybe hundreds,” near the small community of Bickleton had been given notices to evacuate, Lebovitz said. Some residences burned, but crews had not been able to determine how many. The wildfire, which was burning in tall grass, brush and timber, also threatened farms, livestock and crops. It had burned about 81 square miles (210 square kilometers). The turbines typically shut down automatically when their sensors detect smoke, but that emergency stop is hard on the equipment, Hedges said, so workers pulled the turbines offline as the fire approached. They were back to mostly normal operations Monday, though the turbines likely needed their air filters replaced, he said.

The past twenty days have been the hottest ever recorded - Saturday marked the 20th consecutive day of the hottest temperatures recorded in human history. Since July 3, the average global temperature (the temperature over Earth’s entire surface, averaged over 24 hours) has remained above the previous high of 16.92 degrees Celsius (62.46 degrees Fahrenheit) recorded in August 2016, according to preliminary data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Several regional temperature records have been set concurrently. Greece, Italy and Spain have seen new record high temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius (113 F). Temperatures in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, have reached 49 degrees Celsius (120 F) and Algeria has witnessed temperatures of 51 degrees Celsius (just under 124 F). Much of the Mediterranean region is 5 degrees Celsius (9 F) above normal. In the United States, high temperatures in Phoenix, Arizona have stayed above 43 degrees Celsius (110 F) for 21 days and above 32 degrees Celsius (90 F) for the past 70 days. On parts of the US-Mexico border, where thousands of migrants are seeking refuge in the US each day, temperatures have soared to more than 50 degrees C (122 F). At least 167 Mexicans have died as a result of the heatwave in Mexico, and an unknown number of refugees have been left to die in the scorching desert as they are refused entry into the US by customs and immigration authorities. A digital billboard displays an unofficial temperature, Monday, July 17, 2023, in downtown Phoenix. [AP Photo/Matt York] The two major factors of the current global heatwave are the onset of El Niño, a semi-regular pattern that warms the Pacific Ocean, and the formation of four high-pressure regions known as heat domes, which simultaneously trap heat over a region and prevent cooler weather from moving in. The simultaneous heatwaves across the world are a direct result of global warming. The uncontrolled release of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide and methane, into Earth’s atmosphere by capitalist industry traps more and more energy from the Sun, increasing temperatures globally and causing weather extremes regionally. From longer and more intense heatwaves, wildfires and droughts, to more powerful hurricanes and, in contradictory fashion, to more frigid polar vortexes and torrential flooding. The ongoing heatwave in South Asia that peaked in April and May serves as an example of the stark dangers of climate change. In the past, the severe heat that caused temperatures to reach above 50 degrees Celsius (120 F) in Thailand and which killed 13 people in a single day in India would have been characterized as a “once-in-200-years” event. Now, such events are 30 times more likely to occur each year as they were before global temperatures began to rise. And if temperatures continue to rise as they have, such heatwaves could occur in South Asia once every two years. Heatwaves are among the deadliest extreme weather events. Tens of thousands of people worldwide die every year from dehydration and heatstroke. Extremely dry air can prevent sweat from forming on the skin, stopping one of the human body’s main mechanisms for cooling itself. Extreme humidity can prevent heat from properly radiating. And both are especially deadly for those who work in construction, agriculture and other essential outdoor jobs, where employers often do not provide adequate breaks, shade and water, all of which would eat into their profits, although these are absolutely vital for workers to stave off the many dangers caused by working in high temperatures. And while the dangers of spewing more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere have been known for more than a century, the world’s capitalist governments have proven completely incapable of resolving the crisis. It is not that the various ruling elites are incapable of seeing the crisis—though, of course, there are the particularly right-wing climate-change deniers in every country—but that global warming, a fundamentally international problem, cannot be resolved within the framework of the existence of rival capitalist nation-states.

Is it really hotter now than any time in 100,000 years? -- As scorching heat grips large swaths of the Earth, a lot of people are trying to put the extreme temperatures into context and asking: When was it ever this hot before?Globally, 2023 has seen some of the hottest days in modern measurements, but what about farther back, before weather stations and satellites?Some news outlets have reported that daily temperatures hit a 100,000-year high.As a paleoclimate scientist who studies temperatures of the past, I see where this claim comes from, but I cringe at the inexact headlines. While this claim may well be correct, there are no detailed temperature records extending back 100,000 years, so we don't know for sure.The most widespread archive going back many thousands of years is at the bottom of lakes and oceans, where an assortment of biological, chemical and physical evidence offers clues to the past. These materials build up continuously over time and can be analyzed by extracting a sediment core from the lake bed or ocean floor.These sediment-based records are rich sources of information that have enabled paleoclimate scientists to reconstruct past global temperatures, but they have important limitations. For one, bottom currents and burrowing organisms can mix the sediment, blurring any short-term temperature spikes. For another, the timeline for each record is not known precisely, so when multiple records are averaged together to estimate past global temperature, fine-scale fluctuations can be canceled out.Because of this, paleoclimate scientists are reluctant to compare the long-term record of past temperature with short-term extremes.

Rampant heatwaves threaten food security of entire planet, scientists warn -- After hottest day ever, researchers say global heating may mean future of crop failures on land and ‘silent dying’ in the oceans Successive heatwaves threaten nature’s ability to provide us with food, say researchers, as they warn of an “unseen, silent dying” in our oceans amid record temperatures scorching the Earth.Heatwaves are ripping through Europe, the US and China, with the global hottest day ever recorded at the start of July, endangering human life as well as the land and sea it depends on. “Our food system is global,” said John Marsham, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Leeds. “There are growing risks of simultaneous major crop losses in different regions in the world, which will really affect food availability and prices. This is not what we’re seeing right now, but in the coming decades that’s one of the things I’m really scared of. “As a human being, if you’re wealthy enough, you can get inside and put the air conditioning on. But natural ecosystems and farmed ecosystems can’t do that.” The 2018 European heatwave led to multiple crop failures and loss of yield of up to 50% in central and northern Europe. In 2022, record temperatures in the UK killed fruit and vegetables on the vine.Heatwaves are expected to become 12 times more frequent by 2040 compared with pre-warming levels. Although one heatwave might not kill an ecosystem, longer and more frequent events will mean nature does not have time to recover. Marsham said: “People are generally isolated from the effects of the weather on which we all depend. We go to shops to buy food – we don’t grow it ourselves. But if you talk to farmers anywhere in the world, they are extremely aware of what the weather is doing, and the impacts on their farming.” The climate crisis doesn’t just increase atmospheric heatwaves but oceanic ones too, harming coastal communities and threatening another key food source for humans. Heat stress causes dramatic die-offs, such as the 2021 “heat dome” along Canada’s Pacific coast, which killed an estimated 1 billion marine animals. “We often think about impacts on ecosystems on land because it’s easy to see – the plants wilt and animals get too hot. But people generally don’t think about marine heatwaves. That’s what really worries me – that unseen, silent dying.” Some of the most vulnerable ecosystems are the ones used to having a stable temperature year-round, such as species in the tropical oceans. Warming of 2C is expected to essentially wipe out tropical corals reefs. They have the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem globally, and support more than 500 million people worldwide, most of whom are in poor countries.

‘We’re going to see workers die’: extreme heat is key issue in UPS contract talks --As a UPS delivery driver in Dallas, Texas, Seth Pacic is intimately familiar with the dangers of extreme heat. After a long day’s work through record-breakingtemperatures in summer 2011, he found himself dry heaving in the parking lot, incapable of driving home until he spent an hour and a half in the air-conditioned office.“It was one of the worst feelings I’ve ever had in my entire life,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I fully recovered for a couple of weeks.”For some, the heat has had even more serious consequences. Last June, Pacic’sfriend and co-worker experienced heatstroke while driving home from work; he is still recuperating, Pacic said. That same summer, a 24-year-old UPS driver, Esteban Chavez, collapsed and died in California as temperatures soared into the high 90s; his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit and later settled with UPS. And the year before that, Jose Cruz Rodriguez Jr, 23, died of a heatstroke while driving a UPS truck in Waco, Texas.It’s a widespread issue. At least 143 UPS employees were hospitalized for heat injuries between 2015 and 2022, according to the company’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration records obtained by the Washington Post. As the climate crisis pushes up temperatures, the problem could get even worse.At the state level, only California, Oregon and Washington require heat breaks for all outdoor laborers, and during a record-breaking heatwave last month, the Texas governor, Greg Abbott, eliminated municipalities’ ability to mandate water and shade breaks for laborers.This summer, amid record-shattering heat across the US, Pacic and some 340,000 other unionized UPS workers have made heat a central issue of their ongoing contract negotiations with their employer.On 16 June, UPS’s 340,000 Teamsters union members said if their demands for improved working conditions – including heat protections – are not included in UPS’s new five-year contract, they will be prepared to hold one of the largest single-employer strikes in US history starting on 1 August.

Ocean temperatures around South Florida hit hot-tub levels (Reuters) - The surface ocean temperature in and around the Florida Keys soared to typical hot tub levels this week, amid recent warnings from global weather monitors about the dangerous impact of warming waters on ecosystems and extreme weather events. A water temperature buoy located inside the Everglades National Park in the waters of Manatee Bay hit a high of 101.19 degrees Fahrenheit (38.44 Celsius) late Monday afternoon, U.S. government data showed, while other buoys nearby topped 100F (38C) and the upper 90s (32C). Normal water temperatures for the area this time of year should be between 73F and 88F (23C and 31C), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which published the findings from the National Data Buoy Center. The readings add to previous warnings over Florida's warming waters in the southeastern United States as prolonged heat continued to bake other parts of the country. The growing frequency and intensity of severe weather - both on land and in oceans - is symptomatic of global, human-driven climate change that is fueling extremes, experts in the field say, with current heatwaves expected to persist through August. Earlier this month, the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said global sea temperatures have reached monthly record highs since May, also driven in part by an El Nino event. The WMO and NOAA say temperatures like those in South Florida can be deadly for marine life and threaten ocean ecosystems. That can also impact human food supplies and livelihoods for those who work is tied to the water. NOAA warned earlier this month that the warmer water around Florida could supercharge tropical storms and hurricanes, which build more energy over warmer waters. Rising temperatures are also severely stressing coral reefs, the agency said.

Florida ocean records ‘unprecedented’ temperatures similar to a hot tub - The surface ocean temperature around the Florida Keys soared to 101.19F (38.43C) this week, in what could be a global record as ocean heat around the state reaches unprecedented extremes. A water temperature buoy located in the waters of Manatee Bay at the Everglades national park recorded the high temperature late on Monday afternoon, US government data showed. Other nearby buoys topped 100F (38C) and the upper 90s (35-37C). Normal water temperatures for the area this time of year should be between 73F and 88F (23C and 31C), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa). The level of heat recorded this week is about the same as a hot tub.Records for ocean surface temperature are not kept, but a 2020 studysuggested that the highest temperature observed was 99.7F (37.61C) in the Persian Gulf.The extreme readings add to previous warnings over Florida’s warming waters in the south-eastern United States as prolonged heat continued to bake other parts of the country. The south Florida coast has been grappling with an extreme heatwave that threatens marine life and ocean ecosystems.“We didn’t expect this heating to happen so early in the year and to be so extreme,” Derek Manzello, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch, told CNN last week. “This appears to be unprecedented in our records.” Heatwaves are increasingly affecting the world’s oceans, destroying kelp, seagrass and corals and killing swathes of sea-life like “wildfires that take out huge areas of forest”. Research in 2019 found that the number of ocean heatwave days had tripled in recent years.

South Florida ocean temperature tops 101 degrees, potentially a record -- A buoy in Manatee Bay, Florida, showed an ocean temperature reading of over 101 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday evening, the latest sign of record heat in the coastal waters. The buoy is owned and operated by the Everglades National Park, part of the National Park Service, and the data from that buoy is recorded and distributed by the National Data Buoy Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The temperature was recorded about five feet below the surface off South Florida's east coast."This data is consistent with high water temps seen across Florida Bay in recent weeks," Allyson Gantt, communications director for Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks, told CNBC. "This station is reporting one of the highest temperatures currently, but it's only a few degrees higher than water temperatures at nearby stations, so we have no reason to doubt the measurement." It's a critically hot reading for an ocean, and is especially concerning for the coral reefs in the area, which typically thrive at temperatures between 73 and 84 degrees, according to NOAA. And while it may be an all-time high, the comparison to other top readings is tricky because of how it was recorded.The existing record for the hottest ocean surface temperature is 99.7, which was reached in Kuwait Bay in the Persian Gulf. Jeff Berardelli, Florida WFLA News Channel 8's chief meteorologist and climate specialist, said it's unclear if Monday's reading will be counted as a world record."These buoys that are inside Florida Bay — so that's to the north of the Florida Keys and to the South Florida peninsula — they're all in very shallow, murky, dark water," Berardelli told CNBC. "Because it's murky, and because it's contaminated with sediment, the water temperatures are reflective of the fact that darker surfaces absorb more heat."Berardelli said the unique qualities of the area mean that "it's not really comparable to most water measurements, which are in more clear water that may have a little bit more water movement — like tidal movement."

Experts say ‘cocaine sharks’ may be feasting on drugs dumped off Florida coast - In what could be the plotline for the next cheesy marine-themed disaster movie, scientists think crazed and hungry sharks could be feasting on bales of hallucinatory drugs dumped off the Florida coast. Yet while Cocaine Sharks – a highlight of Discovery’s upcoming Shark Week – does indeed examine if the ocean predators are chomping on floating pharmaceuticals cast overboard by passing traffickers, marine scientists who made the TV program say its purpose is beyond gratuitous entertainment. “It’s a catchy headline to shed light on a real problem, that everything we use, everything we manufacture, everything we put into our bodies, ends up in our wastewater streams and natural water bodies, and these aquatic life we depend on to survive are then exposed to that,” said Dr Tracy Fanara, a Florida-based environmental engineer and lead member of the research team. “We’ve seen studies with pharmaceuticals, cocaine, methamphetamines, ketamine, all of these, where fish are being [affected] by drugs. “If these cocaine bales are a point source of pollution, it’s very plausible [sharks] can be affected by this chemical. Cocaine is so soluble that any of those packages open just a little, the structural integrity is destroyed and the drug is in the water.”

Effects of “Unprecedented” Marine Heat Waves May Be Irreversible --Tens of thousands of dead fish are washing up on the Texas Gulf Coast, unprecedented numbers of seabird carcasses are showing up on beaches, and toxic algal blooms are growing in size and frequency: all signs of the calamitous impacts of warming trends for ocean waters that some scientists say may be irreversible.July marked Earth’s hottest temperatures ever, and heat waves are currently affecting over 44% of ocean area, making the current marine heat wave the most widespread ever recorded. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expect that number to rise to over 50% by this fall. Usually, about 10% of the world’s oceans experience a heatwave at any given time.The levels of marine heat waves this year are “unprecedented,” said Dillon Amaya, a scientist who studies climate extremes at the NOAA.The marine heat wave could lead to a redistribution of ocean species that may then also destabilize additional ecosystems, according to Jenn Caselle, a research biologist at the University of California, anta Barbara’s Marine Science Institute.“These marine communities that are reshuffling right now could stay in those reshuffled states and become our new normal,” said Caselle.Concern for coral is one example of the cascade of problems that can occur. Bleached corals can spell death for fish and invertebrates that rely on coral ecosystems for food and shelter. Once corals are bleached, they rarely recover. From 2013-2017, a heat wave wreaked havoc in the Pacific, driving large numbers of sea urchins north to cooler waters where they fed on kelp, ultimately decimating kelp populations in the waters off of Northern California. The current Pacific heat wave has a similar potential to cause a reshuffling of marine life, with wildlife that prefers warmer water replacing that which prefers colder water, said Caselle. The redistribution of species also effects humans. The kelp decimation during the 2013-2017 Pacific heat wave triggered a decline in abalone populations, cutting off the California abalone fishing industry. In the Northeast, the redistribution effect has meant that some species are moving outside of areas where fishermen are permitted to catch them, said Vincent Saba, a fisheries scientist with NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center. For example, populations of summer flounder, one of the most sought-after commercial fish in the Atlantic, have shifted northward and into deeper, cooler waters, threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities. Similar issues among commercial species are likely to arise as more widespread marine heat waves happen, said Caselle. “It’s going to take human communities some time to adapt.” While this year’s heat waves are extreme weather events compared to a few decades ago, they’re not actually abnormal compared to current climate conditions. Ocean temperatures have warmed about 0.12 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since pre-industrial times, meaning that ocean temperatures that seemed extreme decades ago are becoming common today, according to a paper published in the journal Nature in April.

Property insurance disappears for Louisianans – but not for gas facilities -- Residents of coastal Louisiana are facing growing risks from flooding and extreme weather, with options for home insurance vanishing as insurers leave the state. But the fossil fuel industry operating nearby has no such worries.Liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals have been springing up along the fragile Gulf coast, securing insurance even as their product contributes to the climate crisis and its growing risks, including more intense hurricanes and increased coastal flooding that are driving away residents.For large projects such as LNG terminals, risk is spread among many insurers; no one company is exposed to all of a terminal’s potential losses. The same is not true for insurance companies whose business is built around residential policies where hurricane damage can lead to millions of dollars of claims at once.But that outcome is more than an actuarial calculation for residents: when Hurricane Ida made landfall in south-eastern Louisiana in 2021, an 8ft storm surge swept over a 6ft Mississippi River levee in Ironton, flooding and destroying much of the small town, even dislodging caskets from their tombs.Damage from Ida sent Louisiana’s property insurance market – already rattled by three major hurricanes in two years – into a full-blown crisis. By the end of 2022, nearly two dozen insurance companies had either left the state or gone under.Residents scrambled for new, dramatically more expensive coverage or went without.Meanwhile, just a few miles south of Ironton, a giant $20bn liquefied natural gas terminal is rising on a wedge of land between the Mississippi River and encroaching wetlands. Plaquemines LNG is one of eight terminals built or planned along Louisiana’s coastline. “The insurance situation is just horrible. People still haven’t been paid fully for the damage [from Ida],” Encalade said, adding with soaring costs, some homeowners are paying more for their insurance than their homes.

Phoenix Records Three-Plus Weeks Above 110 Degrees: Here’s Where Else Daily Records Have Fallen -- An unrelenting series of summer heat waves have shattered single-day temperature records throughout the South and Southwest this summer, breaking longstanding records in major cities across the country, as “dangerously” hot conditions linger this week from California to Florida. Reno, Nevada, Helena, Montana, and Grand Junction, Colorado, set daily temperature records at 104, 103 and 105 degrees, respectively, while Miami set a daily record (98 degrees) according to the National Weather Service. Salt Lake City set a daily record high with thermometers reading 105 degrees, while San Juan, Puerto Rico, broke its daily record at 94 degrees and Phoenix set yet another daily record high at 118 degrees—marking 23 straight days with daily highs in the city above 110 degrees. El Paso, Texas, broke its daily record for the fifth straight day, with a daily high of 107, while Flagstaff, Arizona, set its third consecutive daily record at 90 degrees, and Tampa and Orlando, Florida set daily records at 96 and 97 degrees, respectively, according to National Weather Service data.

Heat Islands explained: How and why cities have hotter heat waves - Millions of Americans live in parts of cities where the "urban heat island" effect can significantly increase temperatures, especially during heat waves, per a new analysis by nonprofit climate research group Climate Central. Heat islands — wherein heat is trapped by heat-absorbing surfaces and structures — can make cities less livable and increase the risk of heat-related health complications.They can also amplify the effects of already-dangerous heat waves, like the one gripping an expanding part of the U.S. this week. 41 million Americans live in urban areas where heat islands raise local temperatures by 8 degrees or more, per Climate Central's analysis of 44 U.S. cities.In nearly 10 cities — including New York, Houston and Los Angeles, for example — at least 1 million residents are affected by heat islands that raise temperatures by at least 8 degrees. In five cities — New York, Detroit, Dallas, Houston and New Orleans — at least 70% of residents live Low-income neighborhoods tend to be more vulnerable to heat islands than wealthier ones, making this a key climate equity issue.Heat islands can also lead to increased energy usage and costs as residents keep cool with air conditioning.

Phoenix breaks another daily heat record on Tuesday — Phoenix has set another daily heat record as the city inches closer to the most 115-degree days in a calendar year. The daily mark of 116 degrees was broken at 2:05 p.m. on Tuesday when the temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport hit 118. It was the 26th consecutive day of 110 degrees and the 13th overall day of 115 degrees in 2023. The previous July 25 high temperature occurred in 2018. The most 115-degree days in a year in Phoenix history is 14, which happened in 2020. Phoenix, after Tuesday’s scorcher, sits one day behind tying the record. Wednesday’s high is forecast to be 119 degrees, so there’s a good chance it happens in 24 hours. An excessive heat warning has been in effect in Phoenix since July 1 and has been extended several times. It’s scheduled to end Friday evening. “Everyday this month has been above 110, many days above 115 degrees and I just don’t see that coming to an end until this weekend,” Meteorologist Mark O’Malley with the National Weather Service told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday. Phoenix is also pacing for its hottest month in history. The average temperature for July was 102.8 degrees as of Monday. The hottest month in Phoenix was August 2020, when the average was 99.1 degrees. Here’s one more record: Phoenix has seen lows in the 90s for 16 straight days.

Saguaro cacti collapsing in Arizona extreme heat, scientist says (Reuters) - Arizona's saguaro cacti, a symbol of the U.S. West, are leaning, losing arms and in some cases falling over during the state's record streak of extreme heat, a scientist said on Tuesday.Summer monsoon rains the cacti rely on have failed to arrive, testing the desert giants' ability to survive in the wild as well as in cities after temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) for 25 days in Phoenix, said Tania Hernandez."These plants are adapted to this heat, but at some point the heat needs to cool down and the water needs to come," said Hernandez, a research scientist at Phoenix's 140-acre (57-hectare) Desert Botanical Garden, which has over 2/3 of all cactus species, including saguaros which can grow to over 40 feet (12 meters).Plant physiologists at the Phoenix garden are studying how much heat cacti can take. Until recently many thought the plants were perfectly adapted to high temperatures and drought. Arizona's heat wave is testing those assumptions.Cacti need to cool down at night or through rain and mist. If that does not happen they sustain internal damage. Plants now suffering from prolonged, excessive heat may take months or years to die, Hernandez said. Cacti in Phoenix are being studied as the city is a heat island, mimicking higher temperatures plants in the wild are expected to face with future climate change, Hernandez said.

Phoenix's record heat is killing off cactuses -- At a botanical garden in Phoenix some cactuses can’t take the heat. Record-high temperatures in Arizona, combined with a lack of seasonal monsoons, have caused saguaro cactuses at the Desert Botanical Garden to become “highly stressed,” according to Chief Science Officer Kimberlie McCue. She said a saguaro can appear “fairly normal” or feel somewhat squishy before it suddenly collapses and reveals it has been rotting from the inside out due to heat-related stress. Every February, the Desert Botanical Garden takes inventory of its saguaro cactuses and assesses each one’s condition. McCue said since 2020, when record temperatures caused stress in many of the saguaros, she and her team have seen more of the garden’s cactuses die. Present-day heat records are sending some of those previously affected cactuses over the edge, causing them to lose limbs and even collapse. Saguaro cactuses, the largest cactuses in the US, normally grow around 40 feet tall and are limited to southern Arizona, according to the National Park Service. Wednesday night ended a record streak of 16 days above 90 degrees in Phoenix. The city is forecast to see temperatures over 110 degrees again on Thursday, which would make for the 28th consecutive day. Cactuses carry out essential functions at night. That’s when they open their stomata, or pores, and carry out a gas exchange in which they take in the carbon dioxide they use to photosynthesize during the day. But because nights in Phoenix have experienced record-high heat, McCue said this suffocates and stresses out the saguaros, which dehydrates them and makes them more susceptible to infections and insects. Phoenix is one of nine US cities where at least 1 million people live in neighborhoods that reach eight degrees higher than surrounding areas, a Climate Central analysis showed. But down in Tucson, where temperatures are slightly lower but still surpassing 100 degrees, plant admirers like Erik Rakestraw aren’t seeing the same distress in local saguaros. He attributes the perseverance of Tucson’s cactuses to the lack of a “heat island” effect that Phoenix is experiencing.

An Arizona city will use refrigerated containers to store bodies amid extreme heat wave -- An ominous sight has appeared in downtown Phoenix, where temperatures Wednesday were expected to top 110 degrees for a 27th straight day — refrigerated containers capable of holding bodies.Ten of the 8-by-20-foot coolers were trucked in this week to a parking lot near the office of the Maricopa County medical examiner, a county official confirmed.“While we typically see a surge in intakes in July, this year has been worse than prior years,” said Jason Berry, a Maricopa County spokesman.The M.E.’s office has what Berry called "standard capacity," which means room to store 224 bodies. And it has "surge capacity," which means extra space can be carved out to hold up to 358 bodies, he said."Right now we're between standard capacity and surge capacity, so we thought it would be prudent to bring in the refrigerated containers as a precaution," Berry said. No bodies are being stored in those containers now, Berry said.The M.E.’s office has recorded 25 "heat-associated deaths" this year, and 249 are still under investigation. Five of the victims were people whose bodies were found inside residences with air conditioners that either weren't working or weren't turned on, the M.E.'s report shows. The rest succumbed to the blistering heat while outside.The vast majority were ages 50 and older, the M.E.'s office said — 32% were 75 and older.Asked who they were, Berry said that "the deceased who are brought into the medical examiner's office are typically people whose deaths are considered suspicious or who die under unique circumstances, like heat-related deaths."A number of those "were likely people who experienced homelessness," Berry said. "I have also heard anecdotally about hikers who went out hiking without being fully prepared for high heat."

Evacuations remain in effect for Diamond Fire northeast of Phoenix– Evacuation orders remained in effect Friday for a wildfire burning northeast of Phoenix, authorities said.The Cross F and Diamond Ranch areas were moved into “GO” status Wednesday afternoon because of theDiamond Fire, which is active west of State Route 87, between Phoenix and Payson.Neighboring Sunflower has been under evacuation orders since Sunday night (July 23).The Diamond Fire was first detected Saturday (July 22) in the Mesa Ranger District of Tonto National Forest, near the Mount Ord lookout.As of Friday morning, it had consumed more than 4,600 acres with no containment.Thursday was mostly calm, with the bulk of activity occurring on the northern part of the fire. More than 340 personnel are assigned to combat the blaze. The cause of the Diamond Fire is undetermined.It’s the second wildfire in Maricopa County this season that was named the Diamond Fire, but it’s a completely different incident.Tiffany Davila with Arizona Forestry and Fire Management said fires can be named the same as long as they’re on different jurisdictions, forests or agencies.The first Diamond Fire started in late June and was fully contained after burning nearly 2,000 acres in north Scottsdale and McDowell Mountain Regional Park.Two other ongoing Arizona wildfires, both in Prescott National Forest, caused evacuations that have now been lifted.The White Horse Ranch was put into “GO” status Tuesday because of the Grapevine Fire, but the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office reverted the status to “SET” on Thursday evening.Lightning started the Grapevine Fire started last Friday (July 21) on the south side of Mingus Mountain, about 8 miles east of Prescott Valley.The Yavapai County community of Cherry was evacuated earlier this week because of the Racetrack Fire, but “GO” status has been lifted.Lightning started the Racetrack Fire on Sunday (July 23) 10 miles west of Camp Verde, to the southeast of the Grapevine Fire.

30K-acre California wildfire sending smoke to Las Vegas Valley -- An approximately 30,000-acre fire in the Mojave National Preserve was sending smoke into the Las Vegas Valley on Saturday afternoon. At around 12:10 p.m. Friday, smoke was seen coming from the New York Mountains inside the preserve. The wildfire was discovered near the Caruthers Canyon in an area made up of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland, according to the Mojave National Preserve. The fire spread in a northeast direction and was moving at a moderate speed. In a Saturday morning update, officials said the fire was 4,200 acres and that aircraft would be used for fire retardant drops. Crews on the ground were working to establish more direct access to the fire. Stephanie Bishop, a public information officer with Mojave National Preserve, said around 4:30 p.m. that the fire was approximately 30,000 acres and zero percent contained. No injuries have been reported and no evacuations have been needed as of Saturday afternoon. The National Weather Service said the fire will likely continue sending smoke into the area through Sunday. Around 5 p.m., air quality in parts of Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City was moderate, according to the Clark County Division of Air Quality. Some Las Vegas Valley residents posted on social media Saturday about how they initially thought the smoke was cloud cover.

Heat wave expected to expand, cover most of US -- A heat wave that has brought triple-digit temperatures to the Southwest for weeks is expected to expand this week to cover most of the country.“The main story this week will be the continued excessive summer heat across the U.S.,” the National Weather Service said Monday in its its forecast discussion.“For much of July hot dangerous conditions have been the normal in parts of the West, Texas and Florida. These summer conditions will build and expand across the Eastern two-thirds of the country this week, starting in the north-central states and Plains.”As of Monday, excessive heat warnings and heat advisories were issued for parts of the Great Basin, Southwest, Intermountain West, Great Plains and southern Florida, with more expected across the country later this week.Weather Channel meteorologists forecasted that the Midwest may see high temperatures near 100 degrees this week, and the Northeast will see highs into the 90s. The Weather Channel also predicted that by Tuesday, most of the Plains and Midwest will see at least 90-degree high temperatures.By Wednesday and Thursday, the Weather Channel forecasted, parts of the Midwest and “as far north as the Twin Cities,” could see high temperatures in the upper 90s to near 100 degrees.Phoenix has seen record-breaking heat recently, as the city hit its 24^th consecutive day with temperatures above 110 degrees Sunday. The excessive heat has prompted health concerns, especially in national parks in the Southwest, where at least four people have died from heat-related causes since the beginning of June.

Heat Wave Grips Midwest, Northeast And South To End Workweek - A​ heat wave will continue to grip the Midwest, Northeast and South to end the workweek, which in combination with high humidity, will boost the feels like temperature over 100 degrees in some areas. Heat alerts are in effect for tens of millions of people. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued heat advisories and excessive heat warnings and watches in the Northeast, Midwest, Plains and South. That means outdoor activities should be limited in these areas right now and in the coming days because of the possibility of heat-related illnesses.N​ew York City, Philadelphia and St. Louis are among the cities in excessive heat warnings.Sweltering heat has arrived in Midwest and Northeast. Highs ranging from the middle 90s to near 100 degrees are expected in the Midwest, from Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri to Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. In the Northeast, h​ighs will jump into the middle 90s from New York City to Washington, D.C., for a time as the week comes to a close. Hartford, Connecticut, New York City and Washington, D.C., will come within a few degrees of their daily record highs.Humidity will make the heat feel even worse in some areas. The heat index could peak near or over 100 degrees in portions of the Northeast and Midwest during the afternoon. T​he Deep South will also swelter into the weekend. Highs ranging from the middle to upper 90s to near 100 degrees will be common across the South over the next several days, from Texas and Oklahoma to the Carolinas. Heat index temperatures will easily climb over 100 degrees in the afternoon. Even by Desert Southwest standards, this heat wave has been record-smashing. You can find a full recap of all the records set this month at this link.That searing heat will continue to affect the Southwest and Great Basin to end this week, but temperatures will begin to lower back closer to average for this time of year by early next week.

Largest electric grid operator in US issues alert as temperatures climb -- The largest U.S. electric grid operator issued a level one emergency alert Thursday as millions of Americans face soaring temperatures amid a sprawling heat wave. PJM Interconnection issued a Maximum Generation Emergency/Load Management Alert for Thursday, which is an early notification that the conditions may need the operator’s emergency procedures. It also issued an Energy Emergency Alert 1 (EEA-1) to signal that all generating resources are already online or are scheduled to be online. “PJM has issued this series of alerts to help prepare generators for the onset of intense heat, acting conservatively in light of recent extreme weather events that have occurred within the region and across the country,” a PJM spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. PJM provides wholesale electricity in all or parts of 13 states — including most of the Middle Atlantic and part of the Midwest — and Washington, D.C. PJM also issued a hot weather alert earlier this week “to prepare transmission and generation personnel and facilities for extreme heat and/or humidity that may cause capacity problems on the grid.” PJM noted that this year’s forecasted summer peak demand for electricity is about 156,000 megawatts, which is higher than last year’s peak demand of 149,000 megawatts. “A dedicated team of operators uses sophisticated technology to balance supply and demand and direct the power grid 24/7 from PJM’s control rooms,” the hot weather alert reads. “They adjust resource output with changes in demand and ensure that no transmission lines or facilities are overloaded.” On Thursday, PJM predicted it will serve about 150,700 megawatts across its regional transmission organization (RTO).

Largest U.S. electrical grid declares emergency alert for July 27 | Crain's Chicago Business — PJM Interconnection LLC has declared a level one emergency for the 13-state eastern US grid and called on all power plants to operate at full capacity Thursday during a heat wave. The largest US grid issued an Energy Emergency Alert level one, meaning it is concerned about being able to maintain adequate power reserves on July 27 as consumers and businesses turn up their air conditioners amid scorching heat. Illinois is among the 13 states fully or partially served by PJM's grid. That includes all of the Chicago metro area as well as much of Northern Illinois which is managed by ComEd. By noon Thursday, the National Weather Service reported a temperature of 88 degrees at Midway with a heat index of 95 degrees. Temps across the area are forecast to remain hot the rest of today and tomorrow before rain cools things off late Friday night. Parts of the area remain in a heat advisory until Friday night. A portion of Southwest Michigan and parts of Northern and Eastern Indiana are also part of the grid. The other states are Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Washington, D.C. is also served by the grid. PJM has ordered all power plants to be online and for consumers enrolled in demand-response programs to be ready to curtail their electricity usage to keep power supply stable, according to a notice late Wednesday. Across the U.S., about 170 million people are under heat advisories or excessive heat warnings, said Bob Oravec, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. PJM, which serves more than 65 million people from Washington, DC to Illinois, warned of potential tight conditions earlier in the week and asked generators to prepare. Power suppliers that fail to show up when asked to by the grid may face stiff penalties.

A List Of US, Europe, Global Heat Records Smashed This Summer - Heat waves around the world have smashed records in parts of the southern United States, southern Europe, Africa and Asia in recent weeks this summer. These include all-time high temperatures, record hottest low temperatures and streaks of heat that set new standards even in places accustomed to stifling summer heat.W​hat follows is a sampling of some of the most eye-popping, noteworthy heat records we've seen in recent weeks, by location.

• -​ El Paso, Texas, crushed their previous record streak of 23 straight days of 100-degree-plus high temperatures from late June through mid-July 1994. They also tied their all-time record hottest daily low temperature of 85 degrees twice, on June 30 and July 15.
• -​ Phoenix, Arizona, smashed its previous record streak of 18 straight days of 110-degree-plus high temperatures from June 1974, and has reached the 110s every day this month, so far. They also obliterated their previous record streak of 7 straight days of 90-degree-plus daily low temperatures by nine days, finally dropping to 89 degrees on July 27. They set a new all-time record hottest daily low of 97 degrees on July 19. Finally, they have a chance of setting a record hot month for any city in the U.S., according to climatologist Brian Brettschneider.
• -​ Tucson, Arizona, tied its record 8-day streak of 110-degree-plus high temperatures from July 15-22. They also topped their previous record number of 10 110-degree high days in any year set in 1990 and 1994. Finally, they broke their previous record of 39 straight days of 100-degree-plus highs previously set in 2013, 2005 and 1987.
• -​ Winslow, Arizona, topped its previous record streak of 16 straight days of 100-degree-plus high temperatures set in 2020.
• -​ Las Vegas tied its record streak of 10 straight days of 110-degree-plus high temperatures from July 14-23.
• -​ Death Valley's Badwater Basin recorded a midnight temperature of 120 degrees twice, on July 17 and July 23. While the official observation at Furnace Creek didn't set an all-time record hot low, those 120-degree readings were thought to be the only occurrences of such extreme heat at midnight local time anywhere on the globe, according to weather records expert Max Herrera.
• -​ Albuquerque, New Mexico, had it hottest days on record, when considering the average of the day's high and low, on both July 20 and 25. They also tied their all-time hottest daily low (79) on July 20.
• -​ Among the all-time record highs tied or broken: Grand Junction, Colorado (107 – tied on July 17); Gallup, New Mexico (101 – tied on July 17); Las Vegas, New Mexico (100 on July 18); Kingman, Arizona (114 on July 15); and Reno, Nevada (108 – tied on July 16).
• -​ Among the all-time record hot daily lows tied or broken: Mineral Wells, Texas (84 on July 14); Palmdale, California (82 – tied on July 17); Reno, Nevada (77 – tied on July 17); and Salt Lake City (82 – tied on July 23).
• Miami and much of South Florida sweltered in what is the area's longest, most intense heat wave.
• -​ Miami tied its record hottest day on July 23, when combining the day's high and low temperature, with July 24, 1983, according to Brian McNoldy, research scientist at the University of Miami.
• -​ Among longevity records measured by both temperature and heat index, Miami also set a record for the most days with 95-degree-plus highs in any year, topping the previous record of 15 days from 2019.
• -​ In the Florida Keys, Marathon tied its all-time record of 99 degrees on July 13 and 24, and set a new all-time hottest daily low of 87 degrees on July 18. Key West also tied its all-time record hot daily low of 87 degrees on July 12 and 18.
• Both Kansas City (120 degrees) and St. Joseph, Missouri (122 degrees), set record high heat indices on July 26, in records kept since 1972 and 1944, respectively.
• A​ustin, Texas, is nearing its all time record streak of 100-degree-plus high temperatures.
• America's northernmost town, Utqiagvik – formerly known as Barrow – had its warmest five-day stretch in almost 103 years of records from July 19-23. T​hat included an all-time record-tying warm low of 53 degrees on July 19 and 23, and three days with highs in the low to mid-70s. Highs in the 70s only happened 35 other times since 1920 prior to this warm spell. W​hen taking into account the day's high and low, July 19 was Utqiagvik's warmest single day on record.

Blistering Heat Spreads to U.S. Midwest as Wildfire Smoke Lingers - The heat wave that has scorched much of the American South and Southwest is now spreading through the Midwest, bringing temperatures above 100 degrees, dangerous conditions for millions of people and pleas from state and local officials to avoid spending time outdoors.The extreme heat and humidity was expected to spread misery across the region for several days, meteorologists said, warning that there was also a risk of tornadoes in Indiana and Michigan. In cities like St. Louis; Wichita, Kan.; and Kansas City, Mo., temperatures could be 10 to 20 degrees above normal, and heat index readings, which consider both temperature and humidity, will reach into the 100s.And the blistering weather arrived just as another health menace swept in: Canadian wildfire smoke that has once again fouled the air over parts of the Midwest.Public health authorities in Detroit encouraged residents to go to libraries and recreation centers to avoid the double whammy of high heat and unhealthy air.Experiencing both skyrocketing heat and humidity and the smoky air from wildfires at the same time is not something that people in the middle of the United States are accustomed to, said Christina Floyd, the acting chief public health officer in Detroit.“That’s not normal in this region,” Ms. Floyd said. “The norm in the summer is high heat and humidity. But when you add that particulate air matter, that’s the unique situation. Most people are just not equipped to be in that kind of environment.”

Chicago area under another air quality alert, but wildfire smoke isn't the culprit -- An air quality alert has been issued for the Chicago area this week, but this time, the culprit is not wildfire smoke from western Canada.According to the federal government’s Air Quality Index (AQI) tool, the current pollutant level in the air in the Chicago area is at 179 as of 5 p.m., which is considered to be in the “unhealthy” range.While wildfire smoke has largely been to blame for the poor air quality in Chicago recently, the PM 2.5 particulates normally associated with that smoke are actually at a low level, according to AQI officials.Instead, the driving force is ozone pollution, which is being exacerbated by the hot temperatures in the Chicago area. The increased use of air conditioning is causing more pollutants to enter the atmosphere, along with typical pollution from cars and other machinery.The air quality alert is calling for Chicago-area residents to reduce pollution levels, which can be achieved in a variety of ways. The first is by running thermostats at warmer temperatures to lower the usage of air conditioning this weekend, a tall order when heat indices could exceed 110 degrees.Residents are also being urged to cut back on their car usage, carpooling to work or by linking trips instead of making one stop while out of the house, according to officials.

Watch: Roads, homes, businesses flooded in Chagrin Falls – Residents are cleaning up after storms flooded roadways, homes and businesses in Chagrin Falls Tuesday afternoon. The torrential downpour came as a flood advisory was in effect for Cuyahoga and Geauga counties. On South Main Street, the Chagrin Falls Fraternal Order of Eagles 2436 was forced to close its club due to flooding. “Our dining room is flooded, our kitchen is flooded and our patio is flooded. Our coolers are flooded,” said Michael Lawrence. A FOX 8 viewer took video outside of Winding River Consulting, showing severe flooding on Bell Street and Cleveland Street. Dispatchers earlier urged drivers to avoid Solon Road in Chagrin Falls through Bentleyville, as well as Chagrin Road in the area of Cedar Street and South Street. Another viewer captured flood video on East Washington Street. As seen from FOX 8’s weather camera, strong waters were also raging over the falls in downtown amid flood conditions. The weather is no doubt a double whammy for people in Chagrin Falls, with the threat of severe weather returning on Wednesday. Meanwhile, as residents are cleaning up and drying out, village officials are reminding people not to drive through flood waters.

Severe flash floods hit Lhuentse, Bhutan, leaving 6 people dead and 17 missing - At least 6 people died and 17 remain missing after severe flash floods and landslides hit the Lhuntse District of north-eastern Bhutan on July 20, 2023. According to officials, the victims were predominantly workers from the Druk Green Power Corporation’s nearby hydropower plant and volunteers stationed at a Desuup base camp. Over 100 personnel consisting of local officials, rescue teams, and volunteers have been deployed to conduct search, rescue, and relief operations. On July 21, Prime Minister Lotay Tshering visited the flood-stricken area and described it as one of the most devastating in recent memory that has profoundly affected the nation. “The tragedy is anything but comprehensible for the families, but I draw motivation from every Bhutanese who is feeling the losses and offering strength to the loved ones,” the Prime Minister said. “I thank you and everyone working hard on the ground for showing us hope.” Unfortunately, the weather forecast does not promise respite for the battered region, as Bhutan is set to experience additional rainfall over the next 24 hours. In particular, heavy rainfall is expected over the southern part of the country, raising concerns of further flooding and possible landslides.

Extreme rainfall triggers severe flash floods in Nova Scotia, Canada - (video) In the most significant downpour recorded in over 50 years, Nova Scotia, an Atlantic Canadian province, witnessed severe flash floods near Halifax on Friday, July 21, 2023. Up to 300 mm (4 – 12 inches) of rainfall fell on the region within just several hours, resulting in collapsed roads, compromised bridges, and inundated buildings. At least 4 people, including 2 children, are missing. Drawing comparisons to heavy rainfall events seen in regions such as Florida, the torrential downpour in Nova Scotia surpassed expectations and norms. Most notably, West Bedford recorded an unofficial total of 251 mm (9.9 inches) of rain on Friday evening (local time). According to radar estimates, some areas may have experienced more than 300 mm (1.8 inches) of rain within just 4 to 5 hours, a severe anomaly considering Halifax typically averages about 95 mm (3.7 inches) of rain during the entire month of July. Adding to the severity of the situation, these torrential rains hit areas that had been previously devastated by wildfires in late May and early June. The scars left by the fires likely amplified the flooding in the affected regions. The deluge was attributed to a large plume of tropical moisture moving into the region from the south. “Persistent thunderstorms tapped into this moisture like a reservoir, efficiently wringing out significant amounts of water over the area,” The Weather Network meteorologists explained. “These are unprecedented rainfall totals for the region, more akin to a heavy rainfall event you’d see somewhere like Florida instead of the Canadian Maritimes.”The flooding caused widespread devastation across the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), with many roads inundated, effectively isolating several communities. As a result, provincial officials urged residents to avoid roads and highways unless faced with an emergency. On July 22, the Nova Scotia Premier, Tim Houston, declared a state of emergency for the Halifax Regional Municipality, West Hants, East Hants, Lunenburg, and Queens. The declaration enables the release of funds and resources to expedite flood response and restoration efforts. The flooding has resulted in substantial property damage, with at least seven bridges needing replacement or extensive repairs. Amidst the ongoing efforts to manage the situation, authorities have launched a search for four individuals reported missing in West Hants, when their vehicles were submerged by floodwaters. Due to the flooding and subsequent road closures in effect across the HRM, officials are continually urging residents to stay away from floodwaters, likely contaminated by hazardous materials such as gasoline and raw sewage.

Subtropical cyclone implicated in unusually high penguin deaths in Uruguay - (videos) Around 2 000 Magellanic penguins have been found dead along the eastern coast of Uruguay over the past 12 days. The cause of the event is currently being investigated. The penguins, predominantly juveniles, died in the Atlantic Ocean and were subsequently washed up on the Uruguayan coastline. According to Carmen Leizagoyen, head of the Environment Ministry’s department of fauna, the majority of the deceased penguins arrived on shore without fat reserves, their stomachs empty. Notably, all the samples tested thus far have returned negative results for avian influenza. These penguins, natives to southern Argentina, typically undertake a migration northwards during the southern hemisphere’s winter, moving towards food sources and warmer waters, occasionally reaching as far as the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo. A certain degree of mortality during this period is considered normal; however, the current number of deaths has been flagged as unusually high. This event draws parallels with a similar instance in Brazil last year, the cause of which also remains undetermined. Hector Caymaris, director of the Laguna de Rocha protected area, reported that he found over 500 dead penguins within a stretch of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles) of the Atlantic coast. While the environmental advocates are attributing the surge in Magellanic penguin deaths to overfishing and illegal fishing practices, Richard Tesore, a representative of the NGO SOS Marine Wildlife Rescue, said a subtropical cyclone that hit southeastern Brazil in mid-July could have contributed to the demise of the weaker marine animals. He also mentioned that food scarcity among marine animals has been a growing concern since the 1990s and 2000s due to the overexploitation of marine resources. In addition to the mass penguin deaths, Tesore also reported finding dead petrels, albatrosses, seagulls, sea turtles, and sea lions on the beaches of Maldonado, a region situated east of Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital.

Severe flash floods hit Afghanistan, leaving 31 dead, 600 homes damaged or destroyed - (video) Afghanistan is grappling with a growing crisis as heavy rains continue to pummel the central and eastern regions of the country since July 22, 2023, triggering devastating flash floods. The provinces of Maidan Wardak, Khost, and the area surrounding the capital, Kabul, have been particularly affected. As of July 24, reports from Maidan Wardak Province indicate a mounting human toll, with 31 fatalities, 41 individuals missing, and 74 people injured across Jalrez, Saydabad, Chaki Wardak, and Maidan Shahr Districts. In addition to the loss of life, approximately 600 houses across the province have been severely damaged or destroyed by the floods. Moreover, the relentless rainfall has not spared the capital city of Kabul, which reported four fatalities. In Khost Province, another fatality was reported due to the flash floods. Weather forecasts predict additional rainfall over eastern Afghanistan in the next 24 hours, heightening fears of more flooding and increasing the urgency of rescue and relief efforts.

Tropical Cyclone “Doksuri” (Egay) intensifies near the Philippines, forecast track takes it toward Taiwan and mainland China - Tropical Cyclone “Doksuri” — known as Egay in the Philippines — formed on July 21, 2023, as the 5th named storm of the 2023 Pacific typhoon season. The storm is currently located east of the Philippines, heading WNW toward Taiwan while intensifying. Landfall in Taiwan is expected on July 27 and in China on July 28 (UTC). At 09:00 UTC on July 23, Severe Tropical Storm “Doksuri” was located about 1 335 km (830 miles) SSE of Taipei, Taiwan. Its maximum 10-minute sustained winds were 100 km/h (65 mph), with gusts up to 150 km/h (90 mph), while maximum 1-minute sustained winds were at 120 km/h (75 mph). The minimum central barometric pressure was 985 hPa, and the system was moving west-northwest at 11 km/h (7 mph), toward Taiwan. While Doksuri is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines, the system intensified Southwest Monsoon, which may bring significant amounts of rain over the next three days, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on July 23. As a result, flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps, and in localities that experienced a considerable amount of rainfall for the past several days. In a bulletin issued at 09:00 UTC today, PAGASA warned that areas in Catanduanes may receive between 50 and 200 mm (2 – 8 inches) of rainfall. On Tuesday, July 25, more than 200 mm (8 inches) are possible in Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte; between 100 and 200 mm (4 – 8 inches) in Apayao, Abra, the rest of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and the rest of Cagayan; and between 50 and 100 mm (2 – 4 inches) in Pangasinan, Isabela, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region.

Super Typhoon “Doksuri” moves through the Luzon Strait, heads toward southern China - (graphics, video) Typhoon “Doksuri” — known as Egay in the Philippines — intensified into a super typhoon on Wednesday, July 25, 2023, having reached a maximum sustained wind speed of 240 km/h (150 mph) — the equivalent of a category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic. The typhoon left at least 1 person dead and 2 injured in the Philippines and is now heading toward mainland China. The center of the typhoon moved through the Luzon Strait, bringing heavy rains, widespread flooding and landslides to the Philippines, and leaving at least 1 person dead and 2 injured. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said flooding occurred across five regions and caused more than a dozen landslides. Doksuri weakened from a super typhoon before it made landfall near remote northern Fuga Island in Aparri, Cagayan around 19:10 UTC on July 25, bringing up to 400 mm (16 inches) of rain to the region. Authorities also warned of tidal surges up to 3 m (10 feet). The typhoon made a second landfall over Dalupiri Island at around 03:00 UTC on July 26. The governor of Cagayan province, which suspended schools and closed offices, said more than 12 000 people were evacuated from coastal and mountain towns by Tuesday evening (LT). In addition, at least a dozen domestic flights from Wednesday through Friday, July 28, were canceled. At 09:00 UTC on July 26, the center of Typhoon “Doksuri” was located about 782 km (486 miles) east-southeast of Hong Kong. It had a maximum 10-minute sustained winds of 165 km/h (105 mph), with gusts up to 240 km/h (150 mph), while maximum 1-minute sustained winds were at 185 km/h (115 mph). The minimum central barometric pressure was 940 hPa and the system was moving northwest slowly. The current forecast track takes Doksuri northwest toward southern China. While it’s not expected to make landfall in Taiwan, heavy rain is expected across the island and the government has suspended annual military drills until the threat passes. China’s National Meteorological Information Center expects the system to make landfall somewhere between the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong on Friday morning (LT), July 28. As a result, Fujian has upgraded the typhoon emergency warning to the third-highest level and asked fishing boats to return to port immediately and farmers to speed up their harvest.

Extreme rainfall shatters all records in Telangana, Chityal receives a massive 616.5 mm (24.3 inches) in 24 hours, India - (video) A record rainfall of 616.5 mm (24.3 inches) in less than 24 hours hammered Chityal of Bhupalapally district in Telangana on July 26 and 27, 2023, with at least 50 locations across the state recording over 200 mm (7.87 inches) of rainfall. The torrential downpours disrupted normal life, leading to flooding in low-lying areas. After the downpour, Telangana’s Chief Secretary, Santhi Kumari, alerted all district collectors, police commissioners, and superintendents of police in response to a warning by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) of another 48 hours of heavy rainfall in Hyderabad and the entire state. Kumari urged officials to remain vigilant and implement preventive measures, as all streams, tributaries, minor irrigation tanks, and rivers reached their full levels. Authorities were advised to station officers at causeways, bridges, and bodies of water to warn residents about possible flooding. Furthermore, the state government ordered district officials to evacuate individuals from submerged areas and ensure their safety by providing shelter and food during emergencies. As infrastructure sustained damage from the rains, officials were directed to restrict public movement near unprotected waterfalls and conduct repairs on affected roads. With the situation worsening, the state government sought assistance from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to provide relief to those stranded. The Godavari River, near the temple town of Bhadrachalam, reached a critical level of 15.24 m (50.2 feet) due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas and flows from upper riparian states. Consequently, the Palvancha-Bhadrachalam road was closed as the Nagaram bridge was inundated by the overflowing Kinnerasani river. The Central Water Commission (CWC) issued flood warnings at Bhadrachalam and the first warning at Dowleswaram in Andhra Pradesh, with gates being lifted at Dowleswaram, and 1 020 000 cusecs of floodwater being released into the Bay of Bengal. Three teams from NDRF and four from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were involved in relief and rescue operations in Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, 80 tourists stranded at the Muthyaladhara waterfalls in the jungle of Venkatapuram mandal since Wednesday, July 26, were rescued by Mulugu District authorities with the help of rescue teams. The tourists were cut off from the mainland due to the surge in water at the falls. The rescue operation was completed by 04:00 LT on Thursday, with all tourists safely sent home, as informed by Tourism Minister Srinivas Goud.

Violent thunderstorms spawn unprecedented tornadoes, produce giant hail in Italy - Italy confronts contrasting weather extremes as violent thunderstorms, accompanied by giant hailstones, struck northern parts of the country on July 24, 2023, leaving two people dead and causing widespread destruction. In contrast, southern Italy grapples with persistent heatwaves, causing wildfires and the temporary closure of Palermo airport. Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci described the current conditions as some of the most complicated Italy has faced in recent decades. Northern Italy woke up to unprecedented weather chaos on July 24 when violent thunderstorms, accompanied by giant hailstones, swept across the region, causing extensive damage and claiming the lives of two individuals. A 16-year-old girl on a camping trip was one of the victims. The young girl lost her life when a tree, uprooted due to high winds and torrential rain, crashed onto her tent during a scout camp near Brescia. Similarly, a woman died in Lissone, north of Milan, after being struck by a falling tree. Milan suffered heavy disruption due to the storm, with roofs torn off, trees uprooted, roads blocked, parked cars damaged, and overground transportation severely affected. Furthermore, the city’s electricity network sustained serious damage, with the water supply in the historic center temporarily shut off. Firefighters reported receiving over 200 calls for help across Milan since 04:00 local time, terming the situation “very serious.” Residents of the town of Brescia, also in Lombardy, reported hailstones the size of tennis balls. The storm started around 21:30 LT on Monday, one of the residents told RTL. “The hailstones were the size of tennis balls. All the vehicles outside were dented, not a single one was spared,” he said. “We helped the injured, as my wife is a first aider. She assisted a person who was injured in the hand because their windshield had exploded. Outside, it was impossible to walk or drive due to the severity of the storm.” The storm that hit Italy yesterday comes just a couple of days after intense thunderstorms brought hail measuring 12 cm (4.7 inches) in diameter in the Veneto region and a destructive tornado in Milan.

Widespread forest fires wreak havoc in Algeria, 34 confirmed dead - (video) Destructive forest fires have been burning along Algeria’s Mediterranean coast over the past couple of days, leading to at least 34 fatalities. The fires, which were fueled by strong winds and intense heatwave, spread across multiple provinces and even extended to neighboring Tunisia. A total of 97 fires have been recorded across 16 prefectures and the worst affected are Béjaïa, Bouira and Jijel. According to national authorities, at least 34 people died and 26 have been injured. Fires broke out in several provinces on Monday, July 24, 2023, consuming vast expanses of forests, olive groves, and low-lying shrubland. With the winds fanning the flames, the situation escalated rapidly, prompting the deployment of over 8 000 firefighters. By the next day, Algerian civil protection services reported 15 fires were actively burning across eight regions, including Skikda, Jijel, Bouira, Bejaia, Tebessa, Medea, Setif, and El Tarf. Among the 34 victims reported on Monday were ten soldiers. In a measure to protect civilians, authorities evacuated approximately 1 500 people from their homes. Despite these efforts, the death toll continued to rise as the fires relentlessly advanced. Strong winds carried the inferno across the border into Tunisia, leading to the closure of two border crossings. Tunisia experienced fires in various regions, including Bizerte, Beja, and Siliana, with temperatures in some cities reaching a sweltering 49 °C (120 °F). In the northwest region of Tabarka, which borders Algeria, authorities evacuated around 2 500 people in the village of Melloula, Jendouba Province. The priority was to safeguard residential communities and prevent the blaze from reaching an airport in the area, according to Moez Tria, the spokesperson for Tunisian civil protection.

Three dead as Sicily counts losses from 'devastating' fires (Reuters) - Italy's southern island of Sicily has been devastated by wildfires that have killed three elderly people, its regional president said, as a heatwave and severe storms further north took a heavy toll. The charred bodies of a couple in their 70s were found in their burnt-out home on the outskirts of Palermo, the regional capital, according to Italian media reports. Another woman in her late 80s died in the Palermo province after an ambulance was unable to reach her home due to fires in the area. In an overnight message on Facebook, Sicilian President Renato Schifani said "scorching heat and unprecedented devastating fires" had turned Tuesday into "one of the most difficult days in decades". Italian firefighters said they battled nearly 1,400 fires between Sunday and Tuesday, including 650 in Sicily and 390 in Calabria, the southern mainland region where a bedridden 98-year-old man was killed as fire consumed his home. Fires were still burning on the hills around Palermo on Wednesday, with Canadair planes back in operation to try to douse the flames. Large areas of the Mediterranean have been sweltering under an intense summer heatwave on Tuesday, causing deadly blazes across the region. Sicily is a major tourist destination but a fire inside a terminal building last week caused the near-total closure of its biggest airport in Catania on the east of the island. Palermo airport was also closed for a few hours on Tuesday because of a wildfire nearby. The government was set to meet in Rome later Wednesday to declare a state of emergency in regions affected by natural disasters and introduce a special furlough scheme for workers most exposed to the heatwave. While Italy's south is battling with wildfires, the north of the country is reeling from severe storms that on Tuesday killed two people, including a 16-year-old girl scout crushed by a falling tree.

Violent thunderstorms spawn unprecedented tornadoes, produce giant hail in Italy - Italy confronts contrasting weather extremes as violent thunderstorms, accompanied by giant hailstones, struck northern parts of the country on July 24, 2023, leaving two people dead and causing widespread destruction. In contrast, southern Italy grapples with persistent heatwaves, causing wildfires and the temporary closure of Palermo airport. Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci described the current conditions as some of the most complicated Italy has faced in recent decades. Northern Italy woke up to unprecedented weather chaos on July 24 when violent thunderstorms, accompanied by giant hailstones, swept across the region, causing extensive damage and claiming the lives of two individuals. A 16-year-old girl on a camping trip was one of the victims. The young girl lost her life when a tree, uprooted due to high winds and torrential rain, crashed onto her tent during a scout camp near Brescia. Similarly, a woman died in Lissone, north of Milan, after being struck by a falling tree. Milan suffered heavy disruption due to the storm, with roofs torn off, trees uprooted, roads blocked, parked cars damaged, and overground transportation severely affected. Furthermore, the city’s electricity network sustained serious damage, with the water supply in the historic center temporarily shut off. Firefighters reported receiving over 200 calls for help across Milan since 04:00 local time, terming the situation “very serious.” Residents of the town of Brescia, also in Lombardy, reported hailstones the size of tennis balls. The storm started around 21:30 LT on Monday, one of the residents told RTL. “The hailstones were the size of tennis balls. All the vehicles outside were dented, not a single one was spared,” he said. “We helped the injured, as my wife is a first aider. She assisted a person who was injured in the hand because their windshield had exploded. Outside, it was impossible to walk or drive due to the severity of the storm.” The storm that hit Italy yesterday comes just a couple of days after intense thunderstorms brought hail measuring 12 cm (4.7 inches) in diameter in the Veneto region and a destructive tornado in Milan. Lombardy Governor, Attilio Fontana, stated that tornadoes that have ripped across Lombardy causing two deaths have never been seen before in the northern region. The governor also warned of the significant damage, which is estimated to exceed €100 million. He is presently collecting data to request a state of emergency declaration from the government. Less than a week after setting a new European record, a hailstone 19 cm (7.48 inches) in diameter was found in Azzano Decimo yesterday. “The previous record of 16 cm (6.29 inches) in Carmignano di Brenta from July 19 lasted for only five days,” the European Severe Storms Laboratory (ESSL) reports. On July 24, at about 23:00 LT in the evening, giant hail hit the town of Azzano Decimo, where the record-breaking hailstone was found. Azzano Decimo is located in the province of Pordenone in the Italian region Friuli Venezia Giulia. After a thorough examination of the reports and photos, the specialists of the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD) came to the conclusion, that the diameter of this hailstone can be confirmed as 19 cm (7.48 inches). The new hailstone already comes very close to the world record of a hailstone from July 23, 2010, in Vivian, South Dakota, with a diameter of 20.3 cm (8 inches). The high frequency of hail in Northern Italy is consistent with research results of the ESSL, showing, that this region has experienced the largest increase in the frequency of large hail, compared to other European regions in the past decades.

Hundreds of firefighters scramble to put out Portugal wildfire - (Reuters) - Aided by local residents, hundreds of Portuguese firefighters scrambled on Tuesday to put out flames sweeping across a natural park near the popular holiday destination of Cascais, with strong winds complicating efforts to tackle the blaze. The wildfire started at 5 p.m. (1600 GMT) in a mountainous area that is part of the Sintra-Cascais natural park, which covers around 145 square kilometres (56 square miles) of land and is located west of the capital Lisbon. Backed by 189 vehicles, more than 600 firefighters were brought in after the fire erupted. Water-bombing planes also battled the blaze but had to stop operating as the night set in. At one of the villages affected by the fire, desperate local residents took matters into their own hands as they tried to protect their homes with buckets of water and hosepipes, as strong winds fanned the flames. "The fear now is that it will get to the houses," said 34-year-old Ines Figueiredo as smoke filled the air. "We try to help as much as we can with buckets (of water)... but it's not worth much." Mayor of Cascais Carlos Carreiras said gusts of up to 60 kph were the biggest challenge ahead, and that a number of people had been evacuated as a precaution. Residents used wheelchairs to help evacuate those with mobility problems.

Fire still blazing on the Greek island of Rhodes as dozens more erupt across the country (AP) — Firefighters struggled through the night to contain 82 wildfires across Greece, 64 of which started Sunday, the hottest day of the summer so far.Their efforts were without the help of firefighting planes and helicopters, which do not operate at night. The most serious fire was on the island of Rhodes. Some 19,000 people had been evacuated from several locations on the island as wildfires burned for a sixth day, Greek authorities said. No further evacuations had been ordered as of Sunday night.The Ministry of Climate Change and Civil Protection said it was “the largest evacuation from a wildfire in the country.” Local police said 16,000 people were evacuated by land and 3,000 by sea from 12 villages and several hotels. Six people were briefly treated at a hospital for respiratory problems. A person who fell and broke a leg during a hotel evacuation and a pregnant woman remained hospitalized, the latter in good condition, authorities said. A number of tourists were waiting to fly back home from Rhodes International Airport. The package holiday companies TUI and Jet2 canceled flights to Rhodes. But the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport later announced that 14 TUI and Jet2 flights carrying 2,700 passengers would depart from Rhodes airport by 3 a.m. Monday (0000 GMT). On Saturday and early Sunday, 70,000 passengers traveled through the airport, with some being arrivals, the ministry said. The announcement did not break down the figures by arrivals and departures.

Decades after the Colorado River flooded the Chemehuevi’s land, the tribe still doesn’t have its share (Unfair Share) — High Country News – AY night, the lights of Lake Havasu City’s hotels, boat launches and neighborhoods reflect off the reservoir that gave this busy Arizona tourist town its name. The federal government dammed the Colorado River just downstream in the 1930s, providing the water and recreation opportunities that have allowed the community to flourish. The opposite side of the reservoir is dark and so quiet that water lapping on the shore and bats clicking overhead can be heard over the distant hum of boat engines. This is the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe’s reservation in California. The water that rose behind Parker Dam to create Lake Havasu washed away homes and flooded about 7,000 acres of fertile Chemehuevi land, including where tribal members grazed cattle. The communities across the reservoir reflect the vast divide in economic opportunities between Indian Country and the rest of the West, which has been perpetuated, in large part, by who received water and who did not. In 1908, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal government owed tribes enough water to develop a permanent home on their reservations, and that their water rights would hold senior priority, meaning they trumped those of others. In the Colorado River Basin, most tribes, even during a drought, should get water before Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and elsewhere. More than a century later, only a few basin tribes have benefited from this system. Of those that have, some live near federally funded canals and pipelines that can deliver water to their land; others received money to build their own water systems; and some negotiated for the right to market their water to other users. The Gila River Indian Community, for instance, recently struck a deal with the federal government to forgo using some of its water in exchange for up to $150 million over the next three years, depending how much water it conserves, and $83 million for a new pipeline. But most of the basin’s 30 federally recognized tribes have faced seemingly endless barriers to accessing and benefiting from all of the water to which they’re entitled. The Chemehuevi Reservation fronts about 30 miles of the Colorado River, yet 97% of the tribe’s water remains in the river and ends up being used by Southern California cities. The tribe never receives a dollar for it.The water that has already been guaranteed to basin tribes but remains unused totals at least 1 million acre-feet per year — nearly one-tenth of the Colorado River’s flow in recent years and nearly four times the Las Vegas metro area’s allocation. If sold outright, this water would be valued at more than $5 billion, according to a ProPublica and High Country News analysis. For the Chemehuevi, a tribe with about 1,250 members, that means the amount of water it has on paper but doesn’t use would have a one-time value of at least $55 million.

Study: The Colorado River Basin has lost water equal to Lake Mead due to climate change - From 2000 to 2021, climate change caused the loss of more than 40 trillion liters (10 trillion gallons) of water in the Colorado River Basin—about equal to the entire storage capacity of Lake Mead—according to a new study that modeled humans' impact on hydrology in the region. Without climate change, the drought in the basin most likely would not have reduced reservoir levels in 2021 to the point requiring supply cuts under the first-ever federally declared water shortage, according to the study, which was published in the journal Water Resources Research, which publishes original research on the movement and management of Earth's water. "While we knew warming was having an impact on the Colorado Basin's water availability, we were surprised to find how sensitive the basin is to warming compared to other major basins across the western U.S., and how high this sensitivity is in the relatively small area of the basin's crucial snowpack regions," said Benjamin Bass, a hydrological modeler at the University of California-Los Angeles and lead author of the study. "The fact that warming removed as much water from the basin as the size of Lake Mead itself during the recent megadrought is a wakeup call to the climate change impacts we are living today." The Colorado River Basin, which is the area drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries, covers about 647,500 square kilometers (250,000 square miles) in seven states across the U.S. West and supplies water to about 40 million people, as well as supports agriculture and natural ecosystems. The regional drought that began in about 2000 is the driest period in 1,200 years and has reduced river flow and shrunk reservoirs, increasing concerns about water scarcity as the climate continues to change. Previous analyses of changing water resources in this region have focused on the effects of climate processes alone, without considering the impact of plants' complex responses to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. The new study improves on previous hydrologic modeling of this region by including changes in runoff as a result of carbon dioxide-driven shifts in vegetation.

Drought-hit Panama Canal restricts daily crossings in water-saving move (Reuters) - The Panama Canal will extend restrictions on ships' maximum depth, it said on Tuesday, and it has limited average crossings at one of the world's busiest trade passages to just 32 ships a day as a prolonged drought continues. The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) will maintain a depth limit of 44 feet, or 13.41 meters, for neo-Panamax container ships. In June, the authority put off further restrictions that would have brought depth limits up half a foot, meaning ships would have needed to lighten their loads to float higher. During Panama's rainy season, an average of 35-36 ships typically cross the canal each day, the authority has said. Each crossing uses some 51 million gallons of water. About 3.5% of the world's maritime trade passes through the 80-kilometer inter-oceanic waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The depth limit will remain at the current level as long as weather conditions do not drastically change, the ACP said in a statement. "As part of a worldwide phenomenon, in the last six months, the Canal has experienced an extended dry season with high levels of evaporation, with a high probability of an El Nino condition before the end of this calendar year," the canal authority said. Panama typically sees heavy rains in July, and the canal authority called the current lack of precipitation "historically unprecedented." Since the beginning of the year, the canal has rolled out water-efficiency measures while bracing itself for the long-term effects of climate change, it said.

Gloomy climate calculation: Scientists predict a collapse of the Atlantic ocean current to happen mid-century - Important ocean currents that redistribute heat, cold and precipitation between the tropics and the northernmost parts of the Atlantic region will shut down around the year 2060 if current greenhouse gas emissions persist. This is the conclusion based on new calculations from the University of Copenhagen that contradict the latest report from the IPCC. Contrary to what we may imagine about the impact of climate change in Europe, a colder future may be in store. In a new study, published in Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute and Department of Mathematical Sciences predict that the system of ocean currents which currently distributes cold and heat between the North Atlantic region and tropics will completely stop if we continue to emit the same levels of greenhouse gases as we do today. Using advanced statistical tools and ocean temperature data from the last 150 years, the researchers calculated that the ocean current, known as the Thermohaline Circulation or the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), will collapse—with 95% certainty—between 2025 and 2095. This will most likely occur in 34 years, in 2057, and could result in major challenges, particularly warming in the tropics and increased storminess in the North Atlantic region. "Shutting down the AMOC can have very serious consequences for Earth's climate, for example, by changing how heat and precipitation are distributed globally. While a cooling of Europe may seem less severe as the globe as a whole becomes warmer and heat waves occur more frequently, this shutdown will contribute to an increased warming of the tropics, where rising temperatures have already given rise to challenging living conditions,"

When Greenland was green: Ancient soil from beneath a mile of ice offers warnings for the future -- About 400,000 years ago, large parts of Greenland were ice-free. Scrubby tundra basked in the sun's rays on the island's northwest highlands. Evidence suggests that a forest of spruce trees, buzzing with insects, covered the southern part of Greenland. Global sea level was much higher then, between 20 and 40 feetabove today's levels. Around the world, land that today is home to hundreds of millions of people was under water.Scientists have known for awhile that the Greenland ice sheet had mostly disappeared at some point in the past million years, but not precisely when.In a new study in the journal Science, we determined the date, using frozen soilextracted during the Cold War from beneath a nearly mile-thick section of the Greenland ice sheet.The timing—about 416,000 years ago, with largely ice-free conditions lasting for as much as 14,000 years—is important. At that time, Earth and its early humans were going through one of the longest interglacial periods since ice sheets first covered the high latitudes 2.5 million years ago.The length, magnitude and effects of that natural warming can help us understand the Earth that modern humans are now creating for the future.

Big oil quietly walks back on climate pledges as global heat records tumble -- It was probably the Earth’s hottest week in history earlier this month, following the warmest June on record, and top scientists agree that the planet will get even hotter unless we phase out fossil fuels.Yet leading energy companies are intent on pushing the world in the opposite direction, expanding fossil fuel production and insisting that there is no alternative. It is evidence that they are motivated not by record warming, but by record profits, experts say.“The fossil fuel industry has massively profited from selling a dangerous product and now innocent people and governments across the globe are paying the price for their recklessness,” Naomi Oreskes, a history of science professor at Harvard University who studies the oil industry, said.Oil majors have, over the past several years, rolled out pledges to decrease oil and gas production and slash their emissions, citing concerns about the climate crisis. But more recently, many have walked those plans back.Amid record-shattering warmth this February, BP scaled back an earlier goal of lowering its emissions by 35% by 2030, saying it will aim for a 20 to 30% cut instead. ExxonMobil quietly withdrew funding for a heavily publicized effort to use algae to create low-carbon fuel. And Shell announced that it would not increase its investments in renewable energy this year, despite earlier promises to dramatically slash its emissions.Climate-fueled extreme weather persisted through spring and summer. But fossil fuel companies have only doubled down on their oil- and gas-filled business models. Shell promised to cut oil production by 20% by 2030, but then this year said it already met that goal by selling off some operations to another oil company –thereby not reducing emissions in the atmosphere. BP has also expanded gas drilling. And Exxon’s CEO, Darren Woods, told an industry conference last month that his company plans to double the amount of oil produced from its US shale holdings within the next five years.

Major eruption at Shishaldin volcano, ash to 12 km (40 000 feet) a.s.l., Alaska - A major eruption is ongoing at Shishaldin volcano in Alaska, with satellite imagery suggesting the top of the ash cloud was approaching 12 km (40 000 feet) above sea level just before 08:00 UTC on July 23, 2023. As a result, the Aviation Color Code was again raised to Red. The level of unrest has increased at Shishaldin Volcano over the past 6 hours, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported at 00:53 UTC on July 23.1 “A steady increase in seismic tremor and intermittent infrasound signals consistent with small explosions are ongoing,” AVO said, adding that despite cloud cover obscuring the volcano, elevated surface temperatures consistent with lava erupting at the summit are evident in the latest satellite data. At 07:30 UTC today, an ash cloud from the volcano was reaching 9 km (30 000 feet) a.s.l., as observed in satellite data and reported by pilots, AVO said. In response, the aviation Color Code was raised to Red and the Volcano Alert Level to Warning. The National Weather Service has issued a SIGMET for this ash cloud, and a Special Weather Statement has been issued for possible trace ash on False Pass. “Pilot reports at 07:27 UTC confirmed height to 9 km (30 000 feet) a.sl. but satellite imagery now suggests the top of the ash cloud is approaching 12 km (40 000) feet,” the Anchorage VAAC reported in the Volcanic Ash Advisory issued at 07:50 UTC.2 Based on previous eruption cycles, significant ash emissions are likely to continue for an hour or more. Pyroclastic and mudflows are likely on the immediate flanks of the volcano, AVO said. The last three significant ash events during the current eruption resulted in ash clouds up to 12 km (40 000 feet) above sea level, similar to other historical eruptions. These events can occur with little warning. The symmetrically-shaped, ice-covered Shishaldin is the tallest and one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands, situated on the westernmost part of three large stratovolcanoes in the eastern segment of Unimak Island. Remains of a prehistoric volcano are visible on the western and northeastern sides at 1 500 – 1 800 m (4 921 – 5 906 feet) altitude. There are more than twenty pyroclastic cones on its northwestern slope, which is covered by extensive aa lava flows. Regular explosive activity, mostly consisting of Strombolian ash eruptions from the small crater at the summit, sometimes generating lava flows, has been documented since the 1700s.3

Magma intrusion at Trident volcano, site of the world’s largest eruption of 20th century, Alaska - Alaska’s Trident volcano has seen a significant increase in seismic activity and ground uplift over the past five months, leading to concerns about a potential volcanic eruption. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) has confirmed that this unrest is the result of magma intrusion beneath the volcano. The rising magma, which can trigger an eruption, has also caused increased seismic activity in the neighboring volcanoes of the Katmai volcanic cluster, including Katmai, Martin, Mageik, and the Novarupta vent. The unrest started in August 2022, with an unusual series of earthquakes migrating progressively from depths of about 25 km (16 miles) below sea level to shallower depths of approximately 5 km (3 miles). The earthquake activity has fluctuated since then, prompting the AVO to alternately raise and lower the Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code. By February 2023, the persistent seismicity led the AVO to upgrade the Alert Level to ADVISORY and the Aviation Color Code to YELLOW. From May 2023, the AVO detected a marked increase in low-frequency earthquakes in the region between Trident and Novarupta, often indicative of magma or magmatic fluid movement within the Earth’s crust. Concurrently, satellite data indicated ground uplift at Trident Volcano, with an estimated uplift of about 5 cm (2 inches) since October 2022, particularly on the volcano’s south flank. Although the current signs point towards magma moving upwards, it is important to note that such activity doesn’t always result in an eruption. Sometimes the seismic activity and ground uplift can cease without an eruption, or the unrest could persist for months or years before an eruption occurs. The type of unrest typically observed before eruptive activity would allow the AVO to provide advance warning. This includes changes in ground uplift pattern, increased earthquake activity, increased ground surface temperatures, and possible gas emissions. If an eruption occurs, the primary hazards would be volcanic ashfall and drifting ash clouds, which could disrupt air and marine travel and impact local communities and infrastructure. The areas impacted would largely depend on the wind direction during the eruption. Closer to the eruption site, additional hazards such as ballistics or pyroclastic flows could occur. The last eruption (VEI 3) of this volcano started on July 15, 1974, and lasted about 45 days. The largest eruption of the 20th century occurred in June 1912 near the base of the Trident volcano. The eruption occurred at a location known as Novarupta, close to a group of late Quaternary stratocones and domes that have released an estimated 140 km3 (33.6 mi3) of magma over the past 150 000 years. Despite the eruption occurring closest to the Trident volcano group and other nearby volcanoes, it was Mount Katmai, 10 km (6.2 miles) east of Novarupta, that experienced a significant collapse, forming a 5.5 km3 (1.3 mi3) caldera. The eruption was accompanied by many earthquakes, including 14 ranging from magnitude 6 to 7, which released 250 times more seismic energy than the 1991 caldera-forming eruption of the Pinatubo volcano in the Philippines. .

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on climate: ‘The Earth is screaming at us’ - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Sunday that this summer’s record-setting heat is proof that climate change is harming the planet. “The Earth is screaming at us,” the Democrat said on ABC’s “This Week,” adding that the impact of climate change is being felt two decades earlier than scientists had expected. June and July have seen scorching heat waves in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, with July 6th having been identified as the hottest day in the world’s history. “The fuse has been burning for decades and now the climate change bomb has gone off,” Inslee said Sunday. Despite the scorching heat and intense storms in so many places, Washington’s governor said the problem is a solvable one. “We need to stop using fossil fuels,” he said, adding: “We do have the ability to restrain fossil fuels.” Inslee said that individual states can be the leaders on the U.S. response to climate change, which needs to be “further and faster” than it has been. “States can act,” he said and added that his state has been a leader on the issue. When asked by host Martha Raddatz how to respond to those like former President Donald Trump who don’t see a problem, Inslee called Trump a “knucklehead” and said the world can’t wait for climate deniers to realize there is a crisis. “Let them go off and play golf,” Inslee said.

'Battle plan': How the far right would dismantle climate programs - A coalition of conservative groups has assembled a plan to systematically target most of the federal government’s work on climate and clean energy. It proposes a sweeping deconstruction of government programs that goes far beyond what former President Donald Trump attempted to do by targeting “deep state” employees in federal agencies. And it’s designed to be implemented on the first day of a Republican presidency. Called Project 2025, it would block the expansion of the electrical grid for wind and solar energy; slash funding for the EPA environmental justice office; shutter the Energy Department’s renewable energy offices; prevent states from adopting California’s electric car standards; and give Republican state officials more power to regulate polluting industries. Advertisement It was written by hundreds of conservative policy experts, energy lobbyists, industry consultants and former Trump administration officials. If enacted, it could decimate the federal government’s climate work, stymie the clean energy transition and shift agencies toward servicing and nurturing the fossil fuel industry rather than regulating it. “Project 2025 is not a white paper. We are not tinkering at the edges. We are writing a battle plan, and we are marshaling our forces,” said Paul Dans, director of Project 2025 at the Heritage Foundation. “Never before has the whole conservative movement banded together to systematically prepare to take power day one and deconstruct the administrative state.” The comprehensive plan — which runs 920 pages and covers virtually all operations of the federal government, not just energy and climate programs — was compiled by the Heritage Foundation as a road map for the first 180 days of the next GOP administration. Its details were crafted by more than 400 people, including former Trump officials who could earn top spots in his next administration, if he is reelected. Republican primary candidates all pledged to go after President Joe Biden’s signature piece of climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. Biden’s climate executive orders would also likely be rolled back the day he leaves office. But the ideas laid out in Project 2025 show that conservative organizations want to move federal agencies away from public health protections and environmental regulations in order to help the industries they have been tasked with overseeing, “What this does is it basically undermines not only society but the economic capacity of the country at the same time as it’s doing gross violence to the environment,”

Right-Wing Think Tank's Climate 'Battle Plan' Wages 'War Against Our Children's Future' - Close down the Department of Energy's renewable energy office. Cut cash flow to the Environmental Protection Agency's office of environmental justice. Stop the nation's electrical grid from expanding to include wind and solar. These are all items on a right-wing think tank's to-do list for the next Republican presidency.The Heritage Foundation's 2025 Presidential Transition Project releasedthe ninth edition of Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promisein April, and that mandate includes significant rollbacks to federal efforts to tackle the climate emergency, as E&E News reportedWednesday."Make no mistake: this is a battle plan," End Climate Silence founding director Genevieve Guenther tweeted in response to the news. "The war being waged is against our children's future."The Heritage Foundation, formed in 1973, has long been an influential player in conservative politics. It released the first edition of itsMandate for Leadership "policy bible" in 1981, and boasted that President Ronald Reagan implemented almost half of its suggestions within his first year in office. Former President Donald Trump's year-one uptake of the 2016 edition's advice was even higher, at 64%.The foundation is no stranger to delaying climate action. Between 1997 and 2013, it was a member of the Cooler Heads Coalition, the longest-running group of climate-denying organizations, according to the Climate Investigations Center. It has also accepted a total of $870,000 in grant money from ExxonMobil, $25,000 of which was designated for climate change-related activities.However, its current suggestions come at a particularly urgent moment in the effort to phase out the use of the fossil fuels cooking the planet: This month saw the hottest day in recorded history, deadly carbon-fueled heatwaves on three continents, and a new study finding that an important North Atlantic current could destabilize this century.

AOC's Clean Energy Bill Would Repeal Fossil Fuel Giveaways in Inflation Reduction Act --U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among three House Democrats on Wednesday to introduce legislation aimed at undoing what climate advocates have called "unfortunate" and "absurd" provisions that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act under pressure from right-wing Sen. Joe Manchin, which locked the U.S. into continued fossil fuel development despite clear warnings from experts that oil and gas extraction is driving the climate emergency.Manchin (D-W.Va.) supported the historic $740 billion climate and healthcare legislation only after securing "poison pills" that mandated oil and gas lease sales be held anytime a permit for onshore solar or wind power production was granted or an offshore wind lease was sold.Those mandates would be repealed by the Comprehensive Legislation for Expanding and Advancing Nonrestrictive (CLEAN) Energy Act,introduced by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), and the Nonrestrictive Offshore Wind (NOW) Act, introduced by Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.) on Wednesday."The climate crisis is a national emergency for the United States and disproportionately impacts our most vulnerable communities, including Indigenous communities and communities of color," said Ocasio-Cortez. "In the midst of this crisis, there is no reason that we should require more oil and gas drilling as a prerequisite for building renewables. This legislation will help end the stranglehold oil and gas has kept on our country while enabling good, union jobs in renewable energy development.""In the midst of this crisis, there is no reason that we should require more oil and gas drilling as a prerequisite for building renewables."The legislation was introduced days after the American Clean Power Association reported that the IRA, which invested $369 billion in climate action and clean energy, has already led to accelerated development in the industry, with nearly 80 manufacturing facilities announced since the legislation was passed last August. The previous seven years combined saw the same number of facilities built."The Inflation Reduction Act is already supercharging clean energy investments and jobs, but has yet to reach its full potential due to mandatory oil and gas leasing that continues exacerbating climate change, polluting our communities, and endangering public health," saidLaura M. Esquivel, senior legislative representative for Earthjustice.The provisions that the CLEAN Energy and NOW Acts would repeal threaten to "hold clean energy development on our public lands hostage to continued oil and gas leasing," Esquivel added.

Lights out for incandescent bulbs - The incandescent lightbulbs that have been illuminating American homes and businesses since Thomas Edison first unveiled them in 1879 are finally coming off U.S. shelves.After years of political and regulatory fights over everything from the bulbs’ costs to their effect on former President Donald Trump’s face color, the Department of Energy is starting this month to fully enforce rules that phase out nearly all the products.Along with prohibiting the manufacture, import and retail sales of most incandescent bulbs, the rules finalized last year authorize DOE to slap penalties of $542 on companies per each violation. That could mean millions of dollars in fines for large incandescent orders.DOE enforcement is expected to further entrench U.S. market dominance for more efficient, light-emitting diode (LED) lightbulbs. .“For the garden variety lightbulb, the era of the incandescent bulb has come to an end,” The lightbulb regulations, which DOE says could cut 222 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, are part of a wave of Biden administration efficiency rules on home appliances ranging from gas stoves to consumer water heaters. DOE says “past and planned” efficiency rules under the administration will, over the next 30 years, cut $570 billion from U.S. utility bills and avert 2.4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.Industry representatives say the sweep of regulations on various appliances will spike upfront costs for consumers in the market for appliances. Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill argue the Biden administration is waging a back-door campaign to ban gas stoves and other appliances.

Profit-Driven Systems Are Driving Us To Our Doom – Caitlin Johnstone -- I just read a disturbing paragraph in a New Yorker article about the Instant Pot, a popular electronic pressure cooker whose parent company recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy: “So what doomed the Instant Pot? How could something that was so beloved sputter? Is the arc of kitchen goods long but bends toward obsolescence? Business schools may someday make a case study of one of Instant Pot’s vulnerabilities, namely, that it was simply too well made. Once you slapped down your ninety dollars for the Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1, you were set for life: it didn’t break, it didn’t wear out, and the company hasn’t introduced major innovations that make you want to level up. As a customer, you were one-and-done, which might make you a happy customer, but is hell on profit-and-growth performance metrics.” Just think about that for a second. Under our current systems for profit generation, which is the primary driver of human behavior on this planet, making a quality product that lasts a long time instead of quickly going obsolete or turning into landfill will actually drive you into bankruptcy. An article in The Atlantic about the bankruptcy filing similarly illustrated this point last month: “From the point of view of the consumer, this makes the Instant Pot a dream product: It does what it says, and it doesn’t cost you much or any additional money after that first purchase. It doesn’t appear to have any planned obsolescence built into it, which would prompt you to replace it at a regular clip. But from the point of view of owners and investors trying to maximize value, that makes the Instant Pot a problem. A company can’t just tootle along in perpetuity, debuting new products according to the actual pace of its good ideas, and otherwise manufacturing and selling a few versions of a durable, beloved device and its accessories, updated every few years with new features. A company needs to grow.” This just says such dysmal things about why our planet is facing the existential crises it’s now facing. Corporations will die if they don’t continually grow, and they can’t grow without things like inbuilt planned obsolescence or continued additional purchases, which in a sane society would just be regarded as shoddy craftsmanship. Our entire civilization is driven by the pursuit of profit, and to keep turning large profits your corporation needs to continually grow, and your corporation can’t continually grow unless you’re manufacturing a crappy product that needs to be continually replaced or supplemented, and you can’t manufacture those replacements and supplementations without harvesting them from the flesh of a dying world.

Major automakers take on Tesla with US-wide EV charging network -The U.S. needs far more fast-charging stations for electric vehicles. Now seven of the world’s largest automakers are joining forces to increase their numbers on U.S. highways and at other public charging sites.BMW Group, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz Group and Stellantis NVannounced Wednesday that they’ll form a joint venture to ​“significantly expand access to high-powered charging in North America.” The companies promised ​“at least 30,000 high-powered charge points in urban and highway locations.”That would nearly double the roughly 32,000 fast-charging outlets now deployed across the U.S. as of July 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The automakers said the first stations are expected to open in the U.S. in summer 2024 and in Canada at a later date.Details on the joint venture are sparse. It has no name yet, and the automakers involved said that its creation this year remains subject to closing conditions and regulatory approval. But the automakers noted that the country’s existing fast-charging network remains woefully insufficient to support the millions of EVs likely to hit U.S. roads in the coming years.

Tesla’s secret team to suppress thousands of driving range complaints - About a decade ago, Tesla rigged the dashboard readouts in its electric cars to provide “rosy” projections of how far owners can drive before needing to recharge, a source told Reuters. The automaker last year became so inundated with driving-range complaints that it created a special team to cancel owners’ service appointments. In March, Alexandre Ponsin set out on a family road trip from Colorado to California in his newly purchased Tesla, a used 2021 Model 3. He expected to get something close to the electric sport sedan’s advertised driving range: 353 miles on a fully charged battery. He soon realized he was sometimes getting less than half that much range, particularly in cold weather – such severe underperformance that he was convinced the car had a serious defect. Ponsin contacted Tesla and booked a service appointment in California. He later received two text messages, telling him that “remote diagnostics” had determined his battery was fine, and then: “We would like to cancel your visit.” What Ponsin didn’t know was that Tesla employees had been instructed to thwart any customers complaining about poor driving range from bringing their vehicles in for service. Last summer, the company quietly created a “Diversion Team” in Las Vegas to cancel as many range-related appointments as possible. The Austin, Texas-based electric carmaker deployed the team because its service centers were inundated with appointments from owners who had expected better performance based on the company’s advertised estimates and the projections displayed by the in-dash range meters of the cars themselves, according to several people familiar with the matter. A Tesla logo shown outside a Beijing showroom. The automaker’s estimates of its electric vehicles’ driving range have been among the most aggressive in the industry. It has faced thousands of complaints from customers disappointed by the vehicles’ real-world performance. REUTERS/Thomas Peter Inside the Nevada team’s office, some employees celebrated canceling service appointments by putting their phones on mute and striking a metal xylophone, triggering applause from coworkers who sometimes stood on desks. The team often closed hundreds of cases a week and staffers were tracked on their average number of diverted appointments per day. Managers told the employees that they were saving Tesla about $1,000 for every canceled appointment, the people said. Another goal was to ease the pressure on service centers, some of which had long waits for appointments.

South Korea Emerges As Key Partner for America’s Energy Transition - On June 22, the U.S. The Department of Energy announced that it will grant a $9.2 billion loan to BlueOval SK LLC (BOSK), a joint venture between Ford and SK On, a Korean battery manufacturer. The loan will be used to construct three manufacturing plants in Tennessee and Kentucky. Once operational, the facilities have the potential to displace 455 million gallons of gasoline annually by propelling the shift toward low-carbon transportation.The loan, dubbed the “biggest government investment in the auto industry” since the 2009 recession, is evidence of the Biden administration’s efforts to strengthen the domestic supply chain for a clean energy transition. As the U.S. tries to kick off its renewable energy and battery manufacturing capabilities, it also needs help from overseas to quickly reach its net zero goals, and South Korea is emerging as a pivotal ally in America’s pursuit of an energy transition.According to the IRA Manufacturing Investment database compiled by Jack Connes, a policy analyst at Energy Innovation, over a third of the announced investments have been directed toward prominent South Korean companies such as Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solutions, SK Battery and Hanwha Q Cells. At more than $22 billion in total, Korea was a close second to America’s investment in its own companies, comprising 31 percent of all announced investments.Taking the third spot in the investment rankings were Japanese companies, with notable names like Toyota and Panasonic securing a 16 percent share of the total investment. While China, Germany and Canada also made the list, their investment allotments were smaller.

Carbon pipeline permit hearing kicks off with clashes on multiple fronts - South Dakota Searchlight — A multi-day permit hearing for a proposed carbon capture pipeline got off to a tense start Tuesday at the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center as participants clashed over the rules of procedure and aspects of the project including land access, county-level regulations, safety and data quality.Brian Jorde, the attorney for some affected landowners, expressed concerns about the fairness of the proceedings. “I hate to say it, but it seems like there is a foregone conclusion, at least in certain aspects of argument here,” Jorde told South Dakota Searchlight. He said he was referring to a perceived bias in favor of the project on the part of some Public Utilities Commission staff members. The staff is assisting the three elected commissioners, Kristie Fiegen, Gary Hanson and Chris Nelson, who will ultimately decide whether to grant the permit.The proposed 1,300-mile Heartland Greenway pipeline, with a projected cost of more than $3 billion, is proposed by Navigator CO2. The pipeline would link more than 20 ethanol plants and several fertilizer plants across five states. There would be 111.9 miles of pipeline in eastern South Dakota, crossing five counties. The estimated cost of the South Dakota portion of the project is $142 million.The pipeline would capture carbon dioxide emitted by the plants and transport it in liquefied form for underground storage in Illinois, and for commercial and industrial uses. The project would be eligible for up to $1.3 billion in annual federal tax credits, which are intended to help fight climate change by incentivizing the removal of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.The Heartland Greenway is one of two proposed pipeline projects that would pass through the state. But unlike the other project proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions, Navigator CO2 has not yet used eminent domain – a court process to gain access to land when an agreement can’t be reached with a landowner. During Tuesday’s hearing, Jorde asked a Navigator CO2 executive if the company will use eminent domain.“We strive to not go down that path,” said Jeff Allen, founding member and chief financial officer of the company.“So, the answer is no?” Jorde replied. Allen did not directly answer.Navigator has thus far struck access agreements — called “easements” — with about 30% of the owners of land the pipeline would cross. Jorde argued the lack of agreements with 70% of impacted landowners is a reason for regulators to deny a permit.

Drax Still Locked In Talks With UK Over £2 Billion Carbon Capture Plan -Drax has confirmed talks are still ongoing with the UK government over its multibillion pound plans to develop carbon capture and storage facilities at its flagship power station in North Yorkshire.Will Gardiner, chief executive of the London-listed energy giant, revealed Drax remains in “formal discussions” with the government to upgrade its biomass facilities so they can offset carbon emissions by the end of the decade.The company is prepared to invest up to £2bn into the bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) development, but is looking for a bridging mechanism to ensure revenues from its legacy renewable contracts for the power plant stay in place during the transition period.“Our plans could create thousands of new jobs in the Humber region, help the UK meet its carbon removals targets and support long-term energy security,” Gardiner said.Drax first revealed it was in talks with the government in March earlier this year, after the project missed out on so-called track one status – the government’s first approval round for subsidies and development.But it suspended funding plans for the BECCS (Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) project after warning support was needed to ensure Drax Power Station remained financially viable beyond 2027.Carbon capture and storage involves capturing and storing carbon dioxide before it is released into the atmosphere. The technology can capture up to 90 per cent of carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels in electricity generation and industrial processes, such as cement production. Drax’s power station was originally a coal-fired plant, but the company has converted four of the six units to burn biomass wood pellets, which qualify for renewable energy subsidies.

Lawsuit says US environmental agency ignores harm of biofuel production --The US biofuel program is probably killing endangered species and harming the environment in a way that negates its benefits, but the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is largely ignoring those problems, a new federallawsuit charges. *-The suit alleges the EPA failed to consider impacts on endangered species, as is required by law, when it set new rules that will expand biofuel use nationwide during the next three years, said Brett Hartl, government affairs director with the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), which brought the litigation. The agency has twice ignored court orders to study the impacts and is probably dodging the requirements because ethanol production “props up” the corn industry, which has a politically powerful lobby, Hartl added. “The Biden administration failed to even modestly reform this boondoggle and crumbled again in the face of political pressure from powerful special interests,” Hartl said. “Our streams and rivers will choke with more pollution and coastal dead zones will continue to expand.”The EPA said in a statement that it does not comment on ongoing litigation. About 40% of all corn grown in the US is used for ethanol production, and nearly half is used as animal feed. The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to set minimum levels of biofuel usage for the transportation sector. The new rule approved by the agency calls for about 15bn gallons (57bn liters) of conventional corn ethanol for each of the next three years, plus an increase from 5.9bn gallons to 7.3bn gallons of advanced biofuels during the same time period. While the fuels are designed to decarbonize the transportation sector, their production eliminates wetlands and prairie land that act as carbon sinks, Hartl noted. The EPA in 2018 estimated that up to 7m acres (2.8m hectares) of land had been converted to grow corn for ethanol fuel. Ethanol production also pollutes water. Regulations around pesticides and fertilizers used in corn grown for ethanol fuel are much looser, which means much higher levels of dangerous chemicals run into surface and groundwaters. The pollution probably plays a significant role in dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico after pesticides flow down the Mississippi River, Hartl said.Still, the EPA has failed to adequately scrutinize those issues, he added, and has failed to fully comply with the Endangered Species Act. It requires the agency to complete consultations with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service to address harm to endangered species from land conversion, pesticides and fertilizer use.

Stellantis to build second US electric vehicle battery plant in joint venture with Samsung — Stellantis says it will build a second U.S. electric vehicle battery factory in a joint venture with Samsung. The automaker didn’t disclose the location but said Monday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Samsung SDI under its existing joint venture called StarPlus Energy. The new plant will open in early 2027, joining a joint-venture facility in Kokomo, Indiana, that’s already under construction and scheduled to start production in early 2025. CEO Carlos Tavares said in a prepared statement that the second plant will help the company offer at least 25 new battery-electric vehicles in North America by the end of the decade. Stellantis is planning for half its U.S. passenger car and light truck sales to be battery electric by 2030. The company wants 100% of its sales in Europe to be electric in the same time frame. No financial details of the new venture were released. The Kokomo plant, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Indianapolis will employ up to 1,400 workers and cost about $2.5 billion. Earlier the company also announced a $4.1 billion battery plant in Windsor, Ontario, that would employ about 2,500 people. It’s a joint venture with LG Energy Solution.

China's Addiction to Coal Deepens in the Heat -- China has an answer to the heat waves now affecting much of the Northern Hemisphere: burn more coal to maintain a stable electricity supply for air-conditioning. Even before this year, China was emitting almost a third of all energy-related greenhouse gases — more than the United States, Europe and Japan combined. China burns more coal every year than the rest of the world combined. Last month, China generated 14 percent more electricity from coal, its dominant fuel source, than it did in June 2022.China’s ability to ramp up coal use in recent weeks is the result of a huge national campaign over the past two years to expand coal mines and build more coal-fired power plants. State media celebrated the industriousness of the 1,000 workers who toiled without vacations this spring to finish one of the world’s largest coal-fired power plants in southeastern China in time for summer.The paradox of China’s energy policy is that the country also leads the world in installing renewables. It dominates most of the global supply chain for clean energy — from solar panels to battery storage to electric cars. Yet for reasons of energy security and domestic politics, it is doubling down on coal.After three days of negotiations in Beijing, John Kerry, President Biden’s climate envoy, said on Wednesday that China’s coal program had been the hardest issue. “The question now is to shift from some of the coal dependency,” he said.The United States, which emits far less greenhouse gases than China, is headed in a different direction. It has not built a new coal-fired plant in a decade, while nearly halving its coal use and increasing natural gas use instead.No country has underground coal reserves as large as those in China, where officials see domestic supplies as essential to energy security. Zhang Jianhua, director of the government’s National Energy Administration, described coal as the “ballast stone” of his country’s energy mix.“Always regard the protection of national energy security as the most important mission,” he said at a news conference this spring.China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, said in April 2021, that his country would “strictly control coal power projects, strictly control the growth of coal consumption” through 2025 and then “gradually reduce it” through the next five years. In mid-September 2021, he separately banned any further contracts for China to build coal-fired power plants in other countries.

The Big Problem With Small Nuclear Reactors - In recent years, the nuclear power lobby and its advocates have begun to sing a new song. They have bailed on the monstrous reactors of the 20th century — not because of safety or toxic waste concerns, but because of the reactors’ exorbitant expense and ponderous rollout schedules. And they have switched their allegiance to a next generation nuclear fission technology: small modular reactors, which they claim will help rescue our warming planet, as well as the nuclear power industry— once they exist.Respected thinkers such as former U.S. president Barack Obama, French president Emmanuel Macron, and Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates have toasted the idea of small modular reactors, or SMRs, as a potentially reliable, almost-emissions-free backup to intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Advocates claimthat because SMRs will be smaller than the giants that currently dominate horizons, they will be safer, cheaper, and quicker to build. Although SMRs will have only a fraction of the power-generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors, proponents envision that they will, one day, be assembled in factories and transported as a unit to sites — like Sears’ mail-order Modern Homes of the early 1900s.Currently, half of the states in the EU, both major political parties in the U.S, and the five BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — have indicated that they want to split atoms for the purpose of generating energy. U.S. President Joe Biden included billions of dollars in tax credits for nuclear energy in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Gates has gone so far as to invest a chunk of his fortune in a firm he founded, TerraPower, a leading nuclear innovation company. But despite the prodigious chatter, the endeavor to blanket the Earth with SMRs is a Hail Mary pass that’s very unlikely to succeed.Granted, it is certainly a step in the right direction that most observers now see the postwar, giga-watt-scale water-cooled reactors as obsolete. When constructed new, these behemoths generate electricity at up to nine times the cost of large-scale solar and onshore wind facilities, and can take well over a decade to get up and running. Perhaps for this reason, there has been one, and only one, new nuclear power project initiated in the U.S. since construction began on the last one 50 years ago: a two-reactor expansion of the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia. The first of the reactors came online this year — seven years behind schedule. The staggering $35 billion cost for the pair is more than twice the original projection.But SMRs are just as likely to face similar delays and cost overruns. Currently, there are just two existing advanced SMR facilities in the world that could be reasonably described as SMRs: a pilot reactor in China and Russia’s diminutive Akademik Lomonosov. More small reactors are under construction in China, Russia, and Argentina, but all of them are proving even more expensive per kilowatt than traditional reactors.

Keeping contentious nuclear plant open could cost Californians $45B: report --Extending operations of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant through 2045 could cost California ratepayers as much as $45 billion, a new report has found.The state’s biggest utility, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), is currently in the process of seeking a license renewal that could enable the aging facility to run for another 20 years — with the widespread support of state legislators, but in opposition to environmental activists.If the plant ends up staying online for two more decades, total costs to run the site could range from more than $20 billion to nearly $45 billion from 2023 through 2045, according to a new analysis from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).“Keeping Diablo Canyon open past its closure date is a terrible idea for many reasons, including the staggering price tag that unwitting ratepayers will face for keeping the dilapidated and dangerous nuclear plant operating,” EWG President Ken Cook, who is also a Bay Area resident, said in a statement.While PG&E in 2016 had announced plans to retire the site and decommission its two reactors when their licenses expire — in November 2024 and August 2025, respectively — California enacted legislation last fall seeking to extend operations until 2030.About six months later, the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission granted PG&E an exemption that enabled the plant to stay open under its current licenses while the agency considers renewal application — whose terms would apply for 20 years.Located about 25 miles southwest of San Luis Obispo along California’s Central Coast, the Diablo Canyon plant first began operating in 1985. Both Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and state legislators have long advocated for the extension, arguing that the site provides critical support during California’s transition to a renewable energy economy.Environmental activists, on the other hand, have vehemently opposed the plans as both reckless and irresponsible with regards to public safety. The EWG analysis — based in part on testimony filed by the Utility Reform Network, a consumer advocacy group — estimated that keeping the plant open would likely require hundreds of millions of dollars every year.Because that cost would need to be passed on to the consumer, households could then expect an increase of between $55–124 per year on typical utility bills, according to the analysis.

Opinion: State should not allow fracking in Salt Fork State Park The Daily Jeffersonian -- The Ohio Oil and Gas Commission, empowered by state law, appears set to allow fracking in Ohio’s state parks. Salt Fork is the first and primary target for fracking companies. Environmentalists will tell you about the obvious threats to Guernsey County’s drinking water, air and ecosystem. However, you don’t have to believe in climate change or anti-frack science to oppose the plans to frack Salt Fork. This is about more than the environment. This is about eastern Ohio standing its ground and protecting its precious resources. Fracking has financially changed the lives of a few in eastern Ohio and Guernsey County. I don’t think one cent of financial gain is worth the devastation to the environment. The beauty of this movement is that you do not have to agree with me about the environment to fight with me and Save Ohio Parks (saveohioparks.org). Save Ohio Parks fundamentally believes fracking publicly-owned lands is wrong. Whether you are concerned about the environment or just want to have a nearby natural oasis untouched by human development, it doesn’t matter to Save Ohio Parks. You can join the fight. You can show the rest of the state eastern Ohio is tired of being treated as a money extraction tool for the rest of the state. The state legislature blessed fracking on public lands knowing that almost 100% of the fracking would take place east of Interstate 77. Most of the supporters in Columbus (and Oklahoma and Texas) will never have to see the rigs and truck traffic. What they knew was tax dollars would come back to for the big cities and wealthy counties to distribute to themselves. State leaders have made it clear they do not wish to invest in the future of eastern Ohio. The state was integral in pushing to have the Intel microchip plant placed in central Ohio. The state has created a plan to build out a vast network of EV charging stations. The state seems to know where the future of energy is headed: electrification. Despite this, the state has created a plan to continue oil and gas extraction in eastern Ohio without offering any plan for transitioning eastern Ohio into the future economy. If this sounds familiar, it should. It’s the playbook that left rural Appalachian communities devalued, deforested, and economically devastated when the world transitioned away from coal. If eastern Ohio wants to prevent a repeat of history, now is the time to act. Now is the time for eastern Ohio to demand it be included in the plan for the future and not left behind again. Now is the time for eastern Ohio to demand that its beautiful natural resources - - our state parks, forests, wildlife areas, and public lands - - remain natural oases for the people to enjoy, untouched by an unregulated industry that leaves a trail of clear-cutting, toxic chemicals, and more plastic in its wake.

Columbia Gas of Ohio to start work on new natural gas pipeline on W. 130th Street — Columbia Gas of Ohio is beginning work on a new natural gas pipeline on West 130th Street that will affect residents of Brunswick, Hinckley Township and North Royalton. Columbia Gas of Ohio Public Affairs Manager Ben Cutler gave an update on the project to Brunswick City Council on Monday. The new system will be constructed between Marland Drive and Boston Road on West 130th Street. He said there will be above-ground infrastructure on Marland Drive and Crestview Drive in Hinckley Township only. This week there will be small maintenance of traffic impacts, and next week the installation phase of the project is intended to begin, Cutler said. It will last approximately four months, and crews will be working 10 hours a day for six days a week. There will be rolling work zones in 500-foot increments, he said. In these sections, one lane of West 130th Street will be closed, and there will be flaggers. Rather than start at the northern or southern section of the project, construction will begin at Crestview Elementary School, which is a part of the Brunswick Schools district. Cutler said the goal is to get as much work done in that area before school starts again on Aug. 23, and then learn and work around the school’s peak times and bus schedule. “If we can clear even 1,000 feet or 2,000 feet in front of the school, that opens up parent pickup and drop-off," he said. Columbia Gas will pave both sides of the road within the project’s bounds, Cutler said. The plan is to do so before the asphalt plants close in the winter, but if that is not possible, the road can be temporarily restored and maintained throughout the winter and paved in the spring. Columbia Gas is building a new system because the upstream supplier is taking the current line in the area out of service, he said. In February, the use of the line will be changed, so a new system is intended to be in place before then to continue service to residents on cold winter days.

Biosurfactant Selected for Utica Shale Completion Program After Outperforming Top Surfactants in Third-Party Testing -- Marietta-Ohio based Utica Resource Operating LLC has selected Locus Bio-Energy^® (Locus BE) to supply a novel, biosurfactant-based solution for a multi-well completion program. The selection for Ohio’s Utica shale play of the Appalachian basin was made based on a combination of cost and performance. Results from Utica’s third-party qualification testing on 10 surfactants showed that Locus BE’s SUSTAIN^® line of multifunctional, sustainable biosurfactant-based hydraulic fracturing surfactants outperformed other established competitive surfactants at test loadings of both 1 and 0.5 gallon per 1,000 gallons of fluid (gpt). Testing began with Locus BE’s technology team in The Woodlands, Texas, conducting an initial surfactant assessment. Representative crude oil and produced water samples supplied by Utica Resource were used to identify the best performing product from the SUSTAIN line of biosurfactant-based solutions. Utica Resource Operating invited Locus to submit samples of SUSTAIN SF101 to participate in a larger surfactant third-party lab performance evaluation. The results were used to guide their selection process for the completion program. SUSTAIN SF101 was one of 10 surfactants submitted for independent, third-party testing. Its performance was tested versus surfactants provided by established surfactant suppliers in the industry, including incumbent chemistries Utica Resource has used historically. SUSTAIN SF101 was the top performer at a loading of 0.5 gpt of fluid. The performance metrics used for selection demonstrated the ability to mobilize more oil.

Study finds radioactive materials in Pa. waterways near treatment plants - A new study found higher levels of radioactive materials in rivers and streams near municipal wastewater treatment plants that handled runoff from landfills that accept fracking waste from Pennsylvania. Over 30 landfills in the state accept fracking waste like drill cuttings. The authors of the study followed what happens to the liquid waste from rainwater that trickles through these landfills. That liquid waste, called leachate, often goes to municipal wastewater facilities.Sediment in waterways downstream of those facilities was higher in radium, a radioactive material found in the Marcellus shale, than sediment upstream of the plants. “There were increases of two to four times the background level of radium in the sediment,” said Dan Bain, associate professor of geology and environmental science at the University of Pittsburgh and one of the study’s co-authors.The study appeared in the journal “Ecological Indicators.” While landfills must test leachate for radium and other markers of oil and gas waste, wastewater treatment plants don’t. He said the state should make the treatment plants test for markers of oil and gas waste, including radioactivity, but also salts and heavy metals associated with drilling wastes, to ensure they aren’t just passing pollutants into the environment. “We need to have a safeguard so we can say, okay, you need to do something else with that leachate,” he said. “It’s not acceptable to discharge it to waterways.” Fracking a well in the Marcellus or Utica shale creates thousands of tons of drill cuttings — basically, dirt and rocks excavated to build the well. Those cuttings are high in naturally occurring radioactive materials. A 2011 analysis by federal scientists found liquid waste from Marcellus wells had concentrations of radium roughly 40 times what the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission classifies as “hazardous” or “radioactive” waste.But a loophole in federal law means oil and gas waste is not considered hazardous and can be disposed of at a variety of landfills, though some states have tighter requirements.Study co-author John Stolz, director of the Center for Environmental Research and Education at Duquesne University, said this waste could accrue over time in landfills, causing problems down the road.“They are turning these sanitary landfills into toxic waste dumps that are going to need remediation in the future because of the build-up of this material,” Stolz said. The paper also found large data gaps in oil and gas waste reports in Pennsylvania and surrounding states. The researchers could not find reports for more than 800,000 tons of fracking waste sent to landfills in Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio. “Reporting of [oil and gas] waste receipt in landfill reports was inconsistent and incomplete,” the study found. This could make it difficult to assess environmental impacts, Stolz said. “It’s a problem because you really need to know how much of this stuff is being taken,” Stolz said. “If there’s more and more of this waste…it’s going to be around for a long time.”

Mariner East pipeline fined for environmental violations | StateImpact Pennsylvania – NPR -Sunoco Pipeline will pay $660,000 for environmental violations that occurred between 2018 and 2021, according to Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection.The penalties stem from water contamination across the state caused by the company’s Mariner East pipeline construction project. The pipeline carries volatile natural gas liquids from Ohio and western Pennsylvania to Delaware County.The project has been met with pushback from residents, and has faced multiple legal challenges.Last year, Energy Transfer, the parent company of Sunoco, was held criminally responsible for dozens of charges related to Mariner East and the 2018 explosion of the Revolution pipeline near Pittsburgh. Energy Transfer pleaded no contest to the charges, which covered damage to drinking water, wetlands, and waterways across the state during five years of construction.At the time, the project had received more than 120 violations. DEP documents did not specify how many violations were covered by the $660,000 consent agreement.“Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, we will continue to hold companies accountable for their actions and protect Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to clean air and water,” said Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Richard Negrin in a statement.Energy Transfer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.DEP said Sunoco will pay two separate civil penalties for numerous violations of the Clean Streams Law and the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act.One penalty will resolve civil penalty liability for various violations across the state, including discharging grout and drilling fluids into waterways, which impacted private wells, and constructing an impoundment and swales without a permit.Another penalty will resolve violations for releasing sediment into wetlands, Valley Creek, and Ship Road Run in West Whiteland Township, Chester County. That area is also where sinkholes have appeared as work on the line occurred there.Sunoco also placed concrete into wetlands and waterways, failed to obtain specific permits, and didn’t take the appropriate measures to prevent pollution, DEP said.Pipeline opponent Ginny Kerslake of Chester County said she believes the fines are insignificant. Since construction began, Energy Transfer has paid over $20 million in fines and assessments.“This is just another example of pay to pollute on this project,” she said.Kerslake and others spoke out against the contamination in West Whiteland Township, alleging DEP failed to take action against the company.“These violations were allowed to continue by the DEP over and over again,” Kerslake said. “If we had not been there documenting all of this and pushing the DEP, none of these notices would have been issued.”

$5M from Shell to be used to monitor air in wake of violations - The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection just announced finalized guidelines for what the office says is one of its largest environmental mitigation funds ever — $5 million. The funds come from a settlement with Shell Chemical Appalachia, LLC over air quality volitions at its Beaver County ethane cracker. In May, Shell agreed to pay $10 million for polluting the air around its cracker plant, which processes natural gas to make the base components of plastics. Half of that settlement was used to create the new mitigation fund.A recently released document outlines DEP guidelines for how the money will be handled and spent. The fund is meant for nonprofit-driven projects designed to improve the environment, health, or quality-of-life in Beaver County. The protocol says at least one project should improve air-quality testing near the plant. Another must focus on community education, so people in the region can come up with ways to improve the lives of those who live near the plant.“The Consent Order and Agreement includes a strong recommendation to fund a project that provides additional and independent air monitoring,” said DEP Secretary Rich Negrin in a press release. “We’re encouraged by the community feedback we received supporting that and the steering committee incorporated it in the final protocol.”The DEP put together a 17-member steering committee earlier this month to develop the rules. Committee members include representatives from Shell, DEP and members of local community groups like RiverWise and Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community. That group must now create an implementation plan.

The White House is pushing to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas wells - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - — The White House on Wednesday began a new effort to crack down on methane emissions, a major contributor to climate change. The first-ever White House Methane Summit came at a time of severe heat across much of the U.S., including in Pittsburgh, where temperatures are expected to approach or exceed 90 degrees until the weekend. President Joe Biden established a new methane task force to work with state and local officials to detect leaks and reduce emissions. The White House said billions of dollars of natural gas are lost to leaks every year.In Pennsylvania, methane accounts for 12% of all greenhouse gas emissions. It is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 20 year period, which scientists say is a critical time to prevent irreparable shifts in the global climate.Methane emissions have risen in Pennsylvania since companies began drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale, albeit at a much slower rate than production itself, according to the latest state greenhouse gas inventory, which includes data from 2005 through 2019.The amount of methane estimated to come from oil and gas production, transmission and distribution rose from 8.75 million tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent to 12.32 million tons during that period. The industry is the biggest contributor to methane emissions in the state, with coal mining a close second at 11.91 million tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent equivalent in 2019.The American Petroleum Institute, the trade group for the oil and gas industry, said the industry already was reducing emissions.“Tackling a challenge of this scale requires not just will and words, but action,” the group said in a statement. “We are disappointed that the industries driving the most reductions in methane emissions, including the natural gas and oil industry, were not included. API’s members are investing in advanced technology to detect and mitigate emissions.”The federal task force will use new technologies to identify leaks and has $4.7 billion set aside from the bipartisan infrastructure law to address the problem, including plugging abandoned wells. To date, about 3,000 such wells have been plugged, the White House said.Pennsylvania is one of the states eligible for federal funding to help plug wells and was set to receive $104 million from Washington last year. In first applying for federal help, the state reported 26,908 documented so-called orphan wells and estimated it would cost $1.8 billion to fix the problem.The state had estimated there are several hundred thousand in total, but it doesn’t know where most are located or how much methane they might be leaking into the atmosphere.

31 New Shale Well Permits Issued for PA-OH-WV Jul 17-23 | Marcellus Drilling News --New shale permits issued for Jul 17-23 in the Marcellus/Utica saw a nice increase. There were 31 new permits issued last week, up from the 23 issued the previous week. Last week’s permit tally included 13 new permits in Pennsylvania, 8 new permits in Ohio, and 10 new permits in West Virginia. The top permittee for the week was Coterra Energy, receiving 8 permits in Susquehanna County, PA. Coming in at a close second was Antero Resources, with 6 permits in Ritchie County, WV. ALLEGHENY COUNTY | ANTERO RESOURCES | ASCENT RESOURCES | COLUMBIANA COUNTY | COTERRA ENERGY (CABOT O&G) | ENCINO ENERGY | ENERGY COMPANIES |GUERNSEY COUNTY | INFLECTION ENERGY | LYCOMING COUNTY | OHIO COUNTY | RANGE RESOURCES CORP | RITCHIE COUNTY | SENECA RESOURCES | SOUTHWESTERN ENERGY | SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY | TIOGA COUNTY (PA)

U.S. Supreme Court lifts stays on Mountain Valley Pipeline - Virginia Mercury -- Work on the Mountain Valley Pipeline project is allowed to continue after U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Thursday lifted two stays, or pauses, imposed by a lower court in response to challenges from environmental groups. The lifting of the stays was issued while the Richmond-based U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals was hearing oral arguments on whether provisions of the federal Fiscal Responsibility Act ordering the pipeline’s completion were constitutional.Mountain Valley Pipeline, which got initial approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2017, has been embroiled for years in legal challenges from environmental groups like the Sierra Club, Wilderness Society and Appalachian Voices over issues including impacts to endangered species and waterways.The over 300-mile project is intended to deliver natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale fields through West Virginia to southern Virginia. The legal challenges have stymied completion of the project, which the company says is 94% done. Environmental groups dispute that figure.The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has consistently overturned permits issued to Mountain Valley Pipeline by the federal government over threats to wildlife and erosion and sediment harms.But in June, Congress passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act with a provision, introduced by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, that directed federal agencies to approve the pipeline’s permits within 21 days. The law also stripped jurisdictional authority from the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and transferred any legal challenges to the D.C. Circuit. Following passage of the FRA, Mountain Valley filed a motion to dismiss the legal challenges pending in the 4th Circuit, citing the authority given in the federal law. Numerous environmental groups then challenged the motion to dismiss, arguing the provision in the Fiscal Responsibility Act was unconstitutional because its stripping of authority from the courts breached the principle of the separation of powers of government.On Thursday, MVP attorney Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. argued before a three-judge panel on the 4th Circuit that precedent set in Klein v. United Statesallowed Congress to alter a court’s jurisdictional authority if there is a substantive change in the law. Verrilli argued that the Fiscal Responsibility Act provision granting Mountain Valley the permits irrespective of current law was such a substantive change.“It said it is approved,” Verrilli said.But the environmental groups argued that Klein found that Congress cannot dictate the winner of court cases.“There has to be a line, and, respectfully, that line has been crossed,” said Kym Meyer, litigation director at the Southern Environmental Law Center.

Supreme Court reinstates major gas pipeline in blow to environmental groups -The Supreme Court struck down a lower court ruling from earlier this month that blocked construction of the 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) from proceeding.In a short, unsigned order issued Thursday morning, the Supreme Court vacated the July 10 stay orders from the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, in which the lower court sided with plaintiffs — environmental groups Wilderness Society and Appalachian Voices, which had sued to stop the pipeline construction. The 4th Circuit ruling was opposed by the Biden administration, bipartisan lawmakers and the fossil fuel industry."Whatever benefit respondents or the court of appeals might believe would be gained by having the agencies again reconsider the challenged actions, Congress has determined that further reconsideration is unwarranted and has prioritized MVP’s 'timely' completion over interests addressed by any other federal statutes," the Department of Justice wrote in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court last week. "That judgment is for Congress alone," the brief continued.The Department of Justice brief was one of numerous briefs filed in the case. Opponents of the 4th Circuit ruling pointed to the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the recent bipartisan debt limit bill President Biden signed in early June, which green-lit all permits for the MVP project.The debt limit bill also shifted judicial review jurisdiction from the 4th Circuit, which has a lengthy track record of siding with environmental groups, to the U.S. District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals. Days after the lower court ruling, on July 14, the pipeline's developer asked the Supreme Court to vacate the stay. The high court gave plaintiffs until Tuesday to file a response."The Fourth Circuit judges are not supreme rulers and lawful orders issued by the legislative and executive branches must be followed," GOP Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., told Fox News Digital on July 19. "Congress was well within its power to restart the Mountain Valley Pipeline construction and usher in a new era of energy independence for the region." "Instead of halting the pipeline, I urge the Supreme Court to plug up the ludicrous activism seeping out of the lower court so American families can enjoy lower energy costs, substantial land royalties, and most importantly – law and order in America," he added.

Supreme Court clears the way for pipeline construction favored by Manchin -- The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way to complete a controversial Mid-Atlantic natural gas pipeline, agreeing that Congress greenlighted the project as part of a behind-the-scenes deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling. The justices lifted a lower court’s halt on the remaining construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which will stretch 300 miles through rugged mountains in West Virginia and Virginia. Environmentalists claim the pipeline threatens lands, water resources and endangered species along the way, and have found some success blocking final approval at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond. The Supreme Court did not detail its reasoning or completely dismiss the challenges. But it indicated “that determination is without prejudice to further consideration in light of subsequent developments,” meaning it might do so in the future. Jamie Williams, President of the Wilderness Society, said in a statement that the group “will continue to argue that Congress’ greenlight of this dangerous pipeline was unconstitutional, and will exhaust every effort to stop it.” Much of the pipeline is already built, but legal challenges have put construction on hold since 2021. During the tense negotiations in the spring to keep the nation from defaulting on its debts, House Republicans and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia wrangled a deal with the Biden administration to cut the courts out of the process. Manchin said in a statement that the pipeline could move toward completion. “I am relieved that the highest court in the land has upheld the law Congress passed and the President signed,” he said. The bill at issue acted in three ways. It ratified and approved “all federal authorizations” for the project. It expressly stripped courts of jurisdiction to review “any action” by a federal agency granting authorization for the construction and operation of the pipeline. And it said that any claim about the constitutionality of the law could be heard only by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Nonetheless, a 4th Circuit panel on July 10 issued a stay on construction, which runs through the Jefferson National Forest in southwest Virginia. The panel of judges did not provide their reasoning, but environmentalists had argued that the action by Congress improperly cut out the judiciary and violated separation of powers.

The Supreme Court approves controversial fossil fuel pipeline construction — with Biden's support -- The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of allowing construction of a gas pipeline that will further exacerbate climate change, which is largely caused by the greenhouse gases emitted by burning fossil fuels. Even though the Mountain Valley Pipeline is staunchly opposed by climate activists, the Supreme Court, without elaboration, granted an emergency request to begin construction from the pipeline's backers with the support of Congress — and President Joe Biden himself.Biden's support of the Mountain Valley Pipeline is seemingly at odds with his larger climate change policy. Among other things,Biden has committed the United States to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 52% below its 2005 levels by 2035, and then altogether by 2050. He has also advocated accelerating the development of green technology, and his Inflation Reduction Act spends more than $391 billion to reduce carbon emissions. Yet that latter piece of legislation helps explain Biden's support for the Mountain Valley Pipeline; the key vote was cast by Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat who advocated for the pipeline. Because it will run from West Virginia's Marcellus and Utica shale areas to Virginia, the 300-mile gas pipeline is expected to create jobs and stimulate industry in Manchin's home state. It will also destroy national forest land and waterways in the process."The Supreme Court has spoken and this decision to let construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline move forward again is the correct one," Manchin's office said in a statement. "I am relieved that the highest court in the land has upheld the law Congress passed and the President signed."

MVP Southgate Extension Request Gets Mixed Reception at FERC - Southward Extension of Project Tied up with Mainline Litigation - Mountain Valley Pipeline elicited written protests for asking FERC for a three-year extension to build the Southgate extension of the pipeline.

TC Energy's Columbia Gas Pipeline Explodes Near Virginia's Interstate 81 — A gas line explosion occurred near Strasburg, Virginia, in rural western Virginia, not far from Interstate 81. The incident took place on Tuesday morning and was promptly responded to by local officials, according to The Associated Press. According to TC Energy, operators of the Columbia Gas Transmission Pipeline were notified of a fire after a pressure drop was detected along the pipeline around 8:40 a.m. As a precautionary measure, the section of the pipeline near Strasburg was immediately isolated. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the explosion in a field off Interstate 81 shortly after 8 a.m. The Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office confirmed the location of the incident as near Battlefield Road and Copp Road. There were no reported injuries resulting from the explosion, and no structures were threatened. The interstate had to be briefly closed, but emergency services managed to contain the fire effectively. The gas line explosion comes just one day after the company's announcement of a significant sale to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). TC Energy had agreed to divest a 40% interest in both its Columbia Gas Transmission and Columbia Gulf Transmission pipelines for a staggering C$5.2 billion ($3.95 billion) as part of its asset reduction strategy to alleviate debt and fund various projects. The Columbia Gas Transmission and Columbia Gulf Transmission pipelines have been vital in delivering a substantial portion of daily U.S. natural gas demand, including a significant portion of the country's LNG export supply. Nevertheless, as TC Energy navigates this challenging situation, it must ensure the safety and reliability of its pipelines, especially as it continues to play a crucial role in the nation's energy infrastructure. Following the incident, TC Energy has been cooperating with local authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the gas line explosion. Strasburg, where the incident occurred, is situated approximately 80 miles (129 kilometers) west of Washington, D.C. As more information becomes available, updates on the investigation will likely be released to the public.

TC Energy to Spin Off Oil Pipeline Business, Focus on Natural Gas (Reuters) — North American pipeline company TC Energy, which has been seeking to sell assets and cut debt, said on Thursday it would spin off its oil pipeline business and focus on transporting natural gas, saying the businesses would be more valuable apart. TC said it expected to complete the spinoff in the second half of 2024. Calgary, Alberta-based TC previously disclosed plans to sell assets this year to reduce debt and fund its other projects such as the Coastal GasLink pipeline in British Columbia, which is grappling with major cost overruns. On Monday it said it would divest a 40% interest in its Columbia Gas Transmission and Columbia Gulf Transmission pipelines for C$5.2 billion ($3.95 billion) to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). TC's liquids business is best known for its Keystone pipeline, an oil conduit from Alberta to U.S. refineries that leaked in Kansas late last year. TC CEO Francois Poirier said in a statement the split would generate greater shareholder value by allowing each company to focus on its own growth and operations, while stabilizing TC's balance sheet. The company decided on the spinoff after a two-year review. Along with natural gas, TC's business will include its interests in power generation and energy storage, along with projects related to the energy transition such as carbon transportation and hydrogen. Bevin Wirzba, currently executive vice-president of TC's Canadian natural gas and liquids pipelines, will be CEO of the liquids company. TC also reported adjusted second-quarter profit of C$1 billion ($756.32 million) or 96 Canadian cents per share, compared to C$1 billion or C$1 per share a year earlier.

TC Energy Sells 40% Stake in Columbia Gas Transmission Pipelines to GIP for $4 Billion (Reuters) — Canada's TC Energy, best known for its Keystone oil pipeline, will divest a 40% interest in its Columbia Gas Transmission and Columbia Gulf Transmission pipelines for C$5.2 billion ($3.95 billion) to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). The Calgary, Alberta-based company has said it aimed to sell assets this year to reduce debt and fund other projects such as the Coastal GasLink pipeline in British Columbia, which is grappling with major cost overruns. TC was on course to deliver on its target to divest C$5 billion of assets by the end of the year, CEO François Poirier said in April. Columbia Gas and Columbia Gulf will be held in a new joint venture partnership and TC will remain the operator under the deal, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter. TC and GIP will jointly invest in annual maintenance and modernization of the transmission systems, the company said, with GIP funding 40% share of gross capital expenditures, which are expected to average more than C$1.3 billion annually over the next three years. The pipelines span more than 15,000 miles and deliver a substantial portion of daily U.S. natural gas demand, including about 20% of U.S. LNG export supply, according to TC Energy. GIP currently manages $100 billion in assets, as per its website. Last month, the firm partnered with TotalEnergies and NextDecade to become a majority investor in Phase 1 of Rio Grande LNG Project.

LG&E revising suspended permit for Bullitt County gas pipeline - Last year federal officials suspended Louisville Gas & Electric’s permit to build the pipeline through Bullitt County because utility contractors failed to complete a cave survey along the proposed path, even though it’s critical habitat for endangered bats.More than a year later, officials say LG&E and Kentucky Utilities are still revising a biological assessment that explores the pipeline’s potential impacts to threatened and endangered species.“We anticipate that will be submitted soon. Timing for construction has not yet been determined,” said LG&E spokesperson Natasha Collins in an email.Earlier this year, a Bullitt County judge ruled LG&E can seize conservation lands in Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest to build a natural gas pipeline, but construction can’t move forward without a permit.LG&E officials say the pipeline is necessary to expand natural gas capacity and reliability in northern Bullitt County. Opponents say the utility has repeatedly failed to address the full extent of the pipeline’s environmental impacts.The nearly 12-mile-long gas pipeline through Bullitt County would remove about 40 acres of forest including roost trees for the endangered northern long-eared bat and the Indiana bat. It would also cross at least six major waterways and impact wetlands, sinkholes and habitat for other threatened and endangered species, according to an LG&E stormwater pollution prevention plan.LG&E’s revised assessment will survey the pipeline’s path for critical habitat for endangered species including the Kentucky glade cress, several freshwater mussel species and the Indiana bat and the northern long-eared bat, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.The utility will then submit their findings to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which will prepare a biological opinion on the project. The final decision will be made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They could choose to reinstate, modify, or revoke the suspended Nationwide Permit 12, which is a national permit necessary to build any new oil and gas pipelines.

Enterprise Starts Up Poseidon Gas Plant in Midland Basin Enterprise Products Partners L.P. has started operation at its Poseidon cryogenic natural gas processing plant in Glasscock County, Texas, the company said in a news release. The new plant, which is Enterprise’s sixth in the Midland Basin, has a nameplate capacity of 300 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd) and can extract more than 40,000 barrels per day (bpd) of natural gas liquids (NGLs), the company said. Enterprise said it can now process 1.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd) of natural gas and extract more than 185,000 bpd of NGLs in the Midland Basin with the addition of the Poseidon plant, which is supported by long-term acreage dedication agreements. “For the foreseeable future, the Permian Basin is expected to drive domestic production of crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs, and the expansion of our midstream network will support producers as they meet growing demand in the U.S. and internationally. The Poseidon gas plant is among $3.8 billion of major growth projects expected to begin service and generate new sources of cash flow by the end of 2023.” Meanwhile, Enterprise is currently constructing its Leonidas cryogenic natural gas processing plant in the Midland Basin, located in Midland County, Texas. The Leonidas plant, scheduled to begin service in the first quarter of 2024, will add another 300 MMcfd of processing capacity and more than 40,000 bpd of NGL extraction capacity, the company said. The two Midland plants represent an expansion of the assets Enterprise purchased as part of the company’s acquisition of Navitas Midstream Partners LLC in February 2022, according to the news release. Enterprise said it is also expanding its Mentone cryogenic natural gas processing facility in Loving County, Texas. The second plant is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2023, and the third plant is expected to begin service during the first quarter of 2024. These projects will increase nameplate natural gas processing capacity at Mentone by 600 MMcfd and allow the company to extract an incremental 80,000 bps of NGLs, Enterprise said. When completed, these projects in the Midland and Delaware basins will give Enterprise the capability to process 3.8 Bcfd of natural gas and extract more than 520,000 bpd of NGLs throughout the Permian Basin, Enterprise said.

US natgas prices up 2% on drop in output, hot weather forecasts (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures climbed about 2% on Tuesday on a drop in daily output and forecasts for the weather to remain hotter than normal through early August, especially in Texas. That price increase occurred despite forecasts for less demand over the next two weeks than previously expected. Power demand in Texas hit a record high on July 18 and will likely break that record later this week and next as homes and businesses keep their air conditioners cranked up to escape a lingering heatwave, said the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the state's power grid operator. Extreme heat boosts the amount of gas burned to produce power for cooling, especially in Texas, which gets most of its electricity from gas-fired plants. In 2022, about 49% of the state's power came from gas-fired plants, with most of the rest coming from wind (22%), coal (16%), nuclear (8%) and solar (4%), federal energy data showed. Front-month gas futures for August delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 4.5 cents, or 1.7%, to settle at $2.730 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). Data provider Refinitiv said average gas output in the U.S. Lower 48 states had risen to 101.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) so far in July, from 101.0 bcfd in June. That compares with a monthly record of 101.8 bcfd in May. On a daily basis, however, output was on track to drop by 3.0 bcfd to a preliminary four-month low of 98.9 bcfd on Tuesday due mostly to declines in Texas, Pennsylvania and Colorado. Analysts have noted that preliminary data is often revised later in the day. Meteorologists forecast the weather in the Lower 48 states will remain hotter than normal through at least Aug. 9. With hotter weather coming, Refinitiv forecast U.S. gas demand, including exports, would rise from 105.8 bcfd this week to 107.0 bcfd next week. Those forecasts were lower than Refinitiv's outlook on Monday. Gas flows to the seven big U.S. LNG export plants have risen to an average of 12.8 bcfd so far in July from 11.6 bcfd in June. That is still well below the monthly record of 14.0 bcfd in April due to ongoing maintenance at several facilities, including Freeport LNG in Texas and Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass in Louisiana. Gas was trading around $10 per mmBtu at the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) benchmark in Europe and $11 at the Japan Korea Marker (JKM) in Asia. That puts global gas prices down about 60% so far this year after hitting record highs in 2022 due to mild winter temperatures that left northern hemisphere storage at above-normal levels. U.S. gas futures are down about 40% so far this year.

US natgas prices drop 7% to five -week low on less hot forecasts (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures dropped about 7% on Thursday to a five-week low on forecasts for less demand and less hot weather over the next two weeks than previously expected. That price drop came despite a slightly smaller-than-expected storage build last week when hotter-than-normal weather boosted the amount of gas power generators burned to produce power to keep air conditioners humming. In the spot market, meanwhile, power and gas prices in some markets rose to their highest in months as homes and businesses continued to crank up their air conditioners to escape a lingering heat wave blanketing much of the country this week. That extreme heat is boosting power demand to near-record levels and stressing electric grids across the country. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday removed an obstacle to completing the long-delayed Mountain Valley Pipeline, dealing a blow to environmental groups opposed to the West Virginia-to-Virginia pipeline led by U.S. energy company Equitrans Midstream. Mountain Valley is key to unlocking more gas from Appalachia in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, the nation's biggest shale gas basin. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said utilities added 16 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas into storage during the week ended July 21. That is a slightly less than the 19-bcf build analysts forecast in a Reuters poll and compares with an increase of 18 bcf in the same week last year and a five-year (2018-2022) average increase of 31 bcf. On its last day as the front-month, gas futures for August delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 17.3 cents, or 6.5%, to settle at $2.492 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), their lowest close since June 20. Futures for September, which will soon be the front-month, were down about 8 cents to $2.61 per mmBtu. In the spot market, next-day power prices for Thursday soared to their highest since December 2022 at the Palo Verde hub in Arizona and their highest since February 2023 at the PJM Western Hub , which covers an area from northwestern Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C. Next-day gas for Thursday at the Southern California Border nearly doubled to $12.55 per mmBtu, their highest since March 2023. Data provider Refinitiv forecast U.S. gas demand, including exports, would rise from 104.7 bcfd this week to 105.7 bcfd next week. Those forecasts were lower than Refinitiv's outlook on Wednesday. Gas flows to the seven big U.S. LNG export plants rose to an average of 12.7 bcfd so far in July from 11.6 bcfd in June. That is still well below the monthly record of 14.0 bcfd in April due to ongoing maintenance at several facilities. On a daily basis, however, LNG feedgas fell to a preliminary two-week low of 12.2 bcfd due to recent reductions at Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass in Louisiana and the shutdown of the Columbia pipeline to Berkshire Hathaway Energy's Cove Point in Maryland. The amount of gas flowing to Cove Point was on track to reach 0.6 bcfd on Thursday, the same as Wednesday, after dropping to 0.5 bcfd on Tuesday due to the Columbia pipe fire.

‘Vicious cycle’: Heat waves ramp up global burning of fossil fuels - There’s a big winner in the record heat waves baking the United States, China and other countries — fossil fuels. The United States is setting records for natural gas consumption this week at the power plants that keep the nation’s air conditioners humming, according to estimates from S&P Global Commodity Insights. In China, power plants are burning more coal to keep up with electricity needs, helping to feed a record pace in demand this year for the world’s largest source of carbon dioxide, the International Energy Agency said Thursday. That demand is feeding what the Paris energy watchdog calls a “vicious cycle” that further boosts world temperatures. As heat waves multiply and intensify, it creates more demand for fossil fuels, which add to the greenhouse-gas emissions that intensify extreme heat around the world. The world’s power grids are still too reliant on gas and coal, complicating efforts by the Biden administration and other governments to phase down their use. Despite climate commitments, governments face immediate imperatives to prevent power blackouts and skyrocketing energy prices to cool buildings and protect people from life-threatening conditions. “The projection for how much energy you need is higher and higher because the cooling needs to go up,” The problem could grow as the world’s poor add cooling systems. The IEA last week said that only a tenth of the 2.8 billion people who live in the hottest parts of the world already have air conditioning, a huge potential driver for new energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions that are already surging in the developing world. Last year, nearly a fifth of the global increase in carbon dioxide emissions came from increased energy demand during extreme weather, the IEA said in March. Its report on global carbon dioxide concluded that summer heat waves were the primary reason that the United States and China, the world’s two largest emitters, did not reduce their emissions for the year. In the United States, gas consumption was the culprit, rising to cool buildings as electricity demand peaked, the IEA said. The World Meteorological Organization declared July to be the hottest month on record, and last year’s trends are reemerging, amplified. The hottest weather of the summer is hitting parts of the United States, with more than 180 million people under heat alerts from the Northeast to the Desert Southwest on Friday. That widespread swelter led U.S. gas demand at power plants Wednesday to break a record set just a year ago — and then break it again Thursday, climbing 3.6 percent in one day to more than 52 billion cubic feet, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights. Its preliminary estimate shows that Friday’s usage is likely to be the second-highest ever.

Big Oil’s Big Bet On Petrochemicals Is A Flop -- A couple of days ago, we reported that Big Oil companies Exxon Mobil and Chevron were set to post huge profit declines mainly due to weaker oil and gas prices compared to a year ago. Analysts expect Exxon to post Q2 2023 earnings per share (EPS) of $2.04, a huge 50.4% drop from EPS of $4.14 in the second quarter of 2022. The company’s earnings dropped to about $7.8 billion from $17.85 in the year-ago quarter in large part due to lower natural gas prices and weaker oil refining margins. Its revenue is expected to decline 31.8% year-over-year from $115.68 billion to $78.85 billion.Chevron is not expected to do much better, with the company telling investors earlier this week that it expects its 2Q earnings to drop by nearly 50% from the year-ago quarter. In the company’s preliminary 2Q results released Monday, Chevron said it expects to report a profit of $6 billion for the quarter, good for a 48.3% year-over-year decline although ahead of Wall Street expectations per a Bloomberg survey of $5.5 billion.Well, it appears that low oil and gas prices are just some of the problems Big Oil has to contend with. It’s now emerging that their pivotal petrochemicals businesses will not save them, either. Sluggish consumer demand as well as a deluge of new factories coming online over the past few years means petrochemical margins face a protracted downturn. The situation is so dire that Cologne-based Lanxness AG has called it a “Lehman 2” moment for the chemicals industry.“It’s been a pretty dramatic downturn. With chemicals oversupplied right now, large oil companies will find other areas to invest in,” Joseph Chang, a New York-based analyst at ICIS, has told Bloomberg. Over the past decade, Big Oil has relied on petrochemicals as a growth engine, acting as a hedge when oil and gas prices drop and a long-term growth driver in the transition to clean energy. Several Wall Street analysts have predicted that oil demand will actually grow over the coming decades primarily driven by petrochemicals demand growth.

US oilfield service providers expect rig count recovery later this year on high prices (Reuters) - Oilfield service providers on Thursday signaled a recovery in rig count, an indicator of future production, later this year, citing an uptick in oil and gas prices. U.S. shale producers slashed drilling and well completions in the second quarter, cutting demand for equipment and services. However, with U.S. crude prices climbing back to $80 per barrel, service companies are betting on a recovery in demand. "Uncertainty around the macro outlook for crude oil and natural gas prices maintained an underlying sense of apprehension in the U.S. drilling market during the quarter," said Helmerich & Payne's chief executive, John Lindsay. "Recently however, some of this uncertainty has receded, and we are starting to see signs of optimism on the horizon," he added. Lindsay said he expects rig count activity to hit a bottom in the quarter ending September, and a recovery in the following quarter. Rival Patterson-UTI Energy also forecast a rise in rig count and fracking activity later this and next. "We believe the industry rig count is near a bottom," said Andy Hendricks, CEO of Patterson-UTI Energy, adding that the company expects additional rig releases in the next few weeks before drilling activity recovers later in the year.

U.S. Shale Challenges OPEC With Record Production In 2023 Last year, oil prices hit multi-decade highs shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, prompting the Biden administration to urge U.S. producers and OPEC to ramp up production at a faster clip so as to rein in spiraling oil prices. However, Saudi Arabia and its allies responded by doing the exact opposite, cutting production when oil prices started plummeting. Predictably, the United States and Europe were irked by the cartel’s defiance, with President Joe Biden’s administration accusing Saudi Arabia of colluding with Russia and supporting its war in Ukraine.Well, President Biden can at least thank his lucky stars that the U.S. Shale Patch paid heed to his clarion call: the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has forecast total U.S. output will hit 12.61M bbl/day in the current year, eclipsing the previous record of 12.32M bbl/day set in 2019's and easily beating last year's 11.89M bbl/day. U.S. crude oil output is up 9% Y/Y blunting OPEC’s efforts to keep supplies low in a bid to goose prices.There is little doubt the U.S. Shale Patch is largely responsible for keeping oil markets well supplied and oil prices low: Rystad Energy has estimated that whereas OPEC and its allies have announced cuts amounting to ~6% of 2022's production, non-OPEC supply has made up for two-thirds of those cuts, with the U.S. accounting for half of that.Energy experts have generally been bearish about U.S. crude supply with many arguing it has already peaked, “The projection suggests the pace of US shale growth, one of the few sources of major new supply in recent year, is slowing despite oil prices hovering at around $90 a barrel, about double most domestic producers’ breakeven costs. If the trend continues, it would deprive the global market of additional barrels to help make up for OPEC+ production cuts and disruption to Russian supplies amid its invasion of Ukraine,” Bloomberg said, Bloomberg cited comments by ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance that rising costs as well as limited supplies of labor and equipment were some of the problems that were hamstringing efforts by U.S. shale producers to quickly ramp up production. However, Bloomberg also noted that the biggest factor behind the slowdown is a change of the playbook by the majority of U.S. shale companies from focussing on growth and expansion to more capital discipline and returning more cash to shareholders.

US to spend $1.55 bln for oil and gas sector to cut methane emissions (Reuters) - The U.S. government will provide up to $1.55 billion in funding to monitor and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, two agencies said on Monday. The funding will be accompanied by technical assistance for companies to rein in emissions of the planet-warming greenhouse gas from leaks and daily operations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said. "The amount of methane emitted from oil and gas operations is enough to fuel millions of homes a year, and is a major driver of the climate crisis," said Joe Goffman at EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. States will get as much as $350 million through the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory to help companies voluntarily identify and permanently reduce methane emissions from low-producing wells. The EPA and the DOE said they will also invite bids from tribal governments, companies, and communities for the deployment of technologies and implementation of best practices in the oil and gas sector. The funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act as part of a set of Biden administration rules that tackle power plant and vehicle emissions as well as other potent greenhouse gases. The overall impact is expected to reduce the equivalent of 15 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions between 2022 and 2055, EPA Administrator Michael Regan has said.

New public-land drilling rules would overhaul the Western oil industry — High Country News –The last time the federal government raised the amount that oil and gas companies have to pay to drill on public land was in 1960 — the same year that four unknown, floppy-haired Brits formed a band called The Beatles. Other aspects of the Department of the Interior’s oil and gas leasing regime are more than a century old. Yesterday, the Biden administration proposed what would be a substantial overhaul of this system, a broad new set of rules that would dramatically increase the operators’ financial obligations, boost the royalties that companies pay and tighten permissive leasing regulations. Many Western environmental advocates and public officials praised the proposal as the much-needed and long-overdue restructuring of a system that has always favored industry. “Big Oil has been operating with an unfair advantage on our public lands for far too long,” Arizona Democrat Raúl M. Grijalva, ranking member of House Natural Resources Committee said, in a statement. The proposed rules would codify reforms that were laid out in the Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Biden last year. Reforming onshore federal bonding requirements has long been a priority for environmental groups, especially in the Western U.S., where a great deal of oil and gas production takes place on public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. If implemented, it would mean a substantial windfall for states like New Mexico, Alaska and Colorado. The proposal kicks off several months of public comment, during which advocates on all sides will weigh in and changes to the rules can be made. Here’s what you need to know as this process gets underway.

Nevada’s Oil Speculation Rush Fades as Interest Drops, Fees Rise -- This week’s federal oil and gas lease sale of just four parcels of land in Nevada shows that an Obama and Trump-era rush by drillers to lease land in a state with little oil has ended for now, even as it has inspired anti-speculation legislation in Congress.No land in Nevada has been nominated for oil and gas leasing since 2022, the most recent federal data show, and just 4,700 acres are up for bid on Tuesday when the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management holds the first oil and gas lease sale in Nevada in more than a year.Nevada, which has no major oil fields and little proven production potential, was the Wild West for oil and gas leasing through the Obama and Trump administrations. It was a rush that was the basis for legislation now before Congress that would bar the Interior Department from leasing lands with little or no proven oil and gas potential.Speculators say $5 per-acre leasing nomination fees imposed by the Inflation Reduction Act have ended leasing speculation for now.Before the climate law was passed last year, anyone could nominate federal land to be included in an oil and gas sale—anonymously and for free. The law also ended noncompetitive oil and gas leasing, the practice of offering drillers the rights to land that received no bids in a competitive lease sale. “You’re not going to spend $5 per-acre to nominate acreage. It doesn’t guarantee you anything. Who’s going to do that?” said Bill Ehni, a Carson City, Nev., geologist who was one of the last people to nominate Nevada federal lands for leasing, BLM records show. Between 2009 and 2018, speculators nominated the equivalent of more land than the federal government owns in Nevada—58 million acres. About 3.7 million acres were actually leased, but the land bureau only permitted 41 wells for drilling. By comparison, in oil-rich Wyoming during the same period, 3.9 million acres were leased and 12,212 oil and gas wells were permitted to drill, BLM data show.All those land nominations with so few resulting leased acres strained the BLM’s resources and staff as they spent time processing excessive land nominations, with little public benefit, the Government Accountability Office said in a 2021 report. The last parcels nominated for leasing in Nevada were submitted to the BLM in May 2022, according to the bureau’s National Fluids Lease Sale System data. Bureau officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment and confirmation that its data are current and correct. “Bulk” leasing nominations in Nevada from a few people were getting out of hand, and the new fees imposed by the climate law will prevent people from nominating excessive acreage because “it just gets too costly too quickly,” said Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance, which represents oil and gas companies operating on federal land.But members of Nevada’s congressional delegation say the climate law’s restrictions alone aren’t enough to halt speculative leasing once and for all.BLM oil and gas leasing regulations proposed July 20, if finalized, would require the agency to focus leasing in areas with proven oil and gas potential, avoiding areas that don’t. But legislation is needed to ensure a future administration doesn’t reverse those regulations, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) said in a statement.Cortez Masto introduced the End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act of 2023 (S. 1622) in May, which would codify some of the proposed new regulations and require the land bureau to analyze the oil and gas production potential for federal land before including it in a lease sale.A companion bill in the House (H.R. 3377) is sponsored by Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.). The legislation is now in committee and has uncertain prospects in that chamber.Speculative leasing wastes BLM staff time and allows “millions of acres of iconic landscapes and resources to go neglected and unprotected while idle leases are left to gather dust,” Lee said in an email.Speculators and the oil industry say the legislation will prohibit companies from discovering new oil fields.“

Department of Ecology cleaning diesel fuel leak into Minnie Creek — The Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) is working on cleaning the Minnie Creek River after a diesel fuel leak was reported. DOE told KREM that on Wednesday, July 19, the Cheney Fire Department (CFD) called them to report a spill in Minnie Creek River. At first, DOE thought it was a solvent of some kind but they later confirmed it was red dye diesel coming from a nearby Chevron station's vaulted tank. They discovered the diesel had gone through some piping, leaked into a culvert and into Minnie Creek. DOE has hired a contractor to help clean the spill. They have set up booms to help soak up the diesel and are doing water and soil testing. Thus far, DOE says 30,000 gallons of an oil and water mixture have been removed from the creek and 1,500 gallons of the oil-water mixture were removed from the vault. WDOE doesn't know how long the diesel has been leaking and if the diesel has reached the groundwater. They are still investigating. KREM 2 reached out to the Chevron gas station in Cheney and they sent the following statement: "We understand the Washington Department of Ecology responded to a fuel spill in Cheney, WA, and traced the source of this leak to an independently owned and operated, Chevron-branded station. Responders from the Department of Ecology, other emergency services and the station’s owner/operator have started cleanup and remediation efforts at the site," a Chevron spokesperson said in the statement. This is a developing story and will be updated as we receive more information.

Orange County to sue Chevron for Huntington Beach oil spill - The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to file a lawsuit against Chevron for the costs of cleaning up an oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach last October. The oil company owned the abandoned pipeline where the leak originated, according to O.C. Supervisor Katrina Foley. “While we were making some repairs to the flood channel, we hit the pipe, and it’s an abandoned pipeline that had oil in it, and it leaked,” Foley told KNX News’ Emily Valdez. Now Chevron could be on the hook to repay the cost of the cleanup, which the county estimates at $1.8 million. “Hopefully they will take responsibility and they will take care of the clean-up cost and take on the accountability for basically abandoning a pipeline a long time ago and not properly disposing of the oil that was in the pipeline,” Foley said. After the spill, the ruptured portion of the abandoned pipeline was removed, and there have been no further oil leaks.

Oil spill contained at Nanaimo Harbour, recovery work to begin - The Western Canada Marine Response Corporation was tasked to an oil spill in the Nanaimo Harbour on Wednesday morning. Michael Lowry, senior manager of communications for the organization says three vessels from the Nanaimo base responded, and two additional vessels from the Sidney and Vancouver bases were brought in as a precaution. “Most of the oil was confined on the deck of the M/V Maipo River and what did spill from the vessel was contained within log booms surrounding the vessel,” Lowry said in an email statement. “Initial reports indicate very little oil is outside of the containment zone. No exact numbers yet on volume.” On Thursday, crews began recovery of waste but there is no timeline for how long the work will take to complete. The Canadian Coast Guard says the spill occurred during a fuel transfer.

Court tosses EPA permit order for troubled St. Croix refinery - A federal appeals court said Tuesday that EPA went too far when it subjected an oil refinery in the U.S. Virgin Islands to a costly, multiyear permitting process in order to restart operations.The ruling issued Tuesday by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals deals a blow to the Biden administration’s efforts to ease the burden of low-income areas and communities of color that are disproportionately affected by pollution. After a temporary restart of the St. Croix refinery in 2021, an oily mist descended on the majority-Black community near the facility.Last year, EPA reversed course on prior determinations for the facility and notified the operator, Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation LLLP, that a lengthy and expensive prevention of significant deterioration permit would be required before the site could be reopened.Port Hamilton sued, arguing that EPA’s action went beyond the bounds of the agency’s power under the Clean Air Act.“We agree that EPA has exceeded its statutory authority,” wrote Senior Judge D. Brooks Smith, who was appointed during the George W. Bush administration.Judge L. Felipe Restrepo, a Biden appointee, and Senior Judge Theodore McKee, a Clinton appointee, joined Smith’s decision.EPA said it is reviewing the court’s decision and determining next steps.“EPA remains committed to ensuring that the refinery complies with environmental laws that protect public health,” said spokesperson Shayla Powell. “EPA will continue its efforts to prevent environmental harms in this community and disproportionate burdens to its residents.”The ruling came almost exactly two months after the panel heard oral arguments in the suit. It marks a direct setback for EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who had announced the permit order last November in a conference call with reporters.“We made this decision to ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act and to protect a community that has long lived in the shadow of harmful pollution,” Regan said. Another senior EPA official estimated that the accompanying cost of new controls on pollutants like hydrogen sulfide could amount to several hundred million dollars, or far more than the $62 million that Port Hamilton spent to buy the plant in early 2022 following a bankruptcy sale.

Mexico's Pemex says oil spill in Gulf of Mexico fixed by July 10 (Reuters) - The chief executive of Mexico's state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) on Wednesday said an oil pipelineleak in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this month was fixed by July 10. In a press conference at Pemex's headquarters, CEO Octavio Romero said the company never tried to cover up the leak, and disputed some media reports, which he called "inaccurate." Pemex on July 18 refuted reports by environmental groups of an oil leak covering 400 square kilometers (154 square miles), and Romero said on Wednesday that the leak's magnitude was much smaller than reported. Romero said Pemex alerted authorities of the leak on July 5, two days after first detecting it. Heavily indebted Pemex has suffered a number of accidents in recent years at its installations in the Gulf of Mexico, where the vast majority of its oil production occurs.

Mexico Backs State Oil Giant Pemex With $4 Billion Capital Injection --Mexico’s state-owned oil giant Pemex, the world’s most indebted oil company, has received a capital injection of $4.16 billion (70 billion Mexican pesos) from the finance ministry, sources with knowledge of the matter toldBloomberg on Friday.The Mexican government and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador are looking to support the company and help it pay off its huge debt, which was more than $107 billion as at the end of March 2023. Earlier this week, Pemex’s chief executive Octavio Romero said that it would be cheaper if the government refinanced the debt than Petroleos Mexicanos, as Pemex is officially known, going to the market to do it itself. “Pemex’s debt is the country’s debt, they go together. It doesn’t make any sense that Pemex would give away money to big financial companies, to big banks,” Romero said at a news conference earlier this week, as carried by Bloomberg.“The president of the republic has determined that now the bond issuances or refinancings be done by the Finance Ministry according to the financial costs of the sovereign, and this will save the country a lot of money.”Due to its huge debts and poor environmental and safety record, Pemex has come under increased scrutiny by credit rating agencies in recent weeks.Two weeks ago, Fitch Ratings downgraded Pemexsquarely into junk territory after several accidents and “weak operating performance”. Fitch slammed the company's safety record, which it said would prevent Pemex from securing financing from banks and investors. Last week, Moody’s changed the outlook on Pemex to ‘negative’ from ‘stable’, to reflect the rating agency’s view that “absent fundamental changes in PEMEX's business strategy the company is likely to face increased credit risks, given the inability of the company to increase capital investments and improve its financial and operating performance as a result of liquidity constrains.”

Oil spill offshore near the coast of Ecuador spreads to land - According to International news, an offshore oil spill near the coast of Ecuador has spread to land. On 19th July, it reached a popular beach and appeared in nearby waters. The spill is located close the city of Esmeraldas, about 200 miles north of the capital Quito, near Ecuador’s border with Colombia. State oil company Petroecuador, which runs the Balao maritime terminal where the spill originated, said that it had deployed workers to handle the spill, but did not reveal how much crude was unleashed into the ocean. A military helicopter survey of the affected area showed blackened waves stretching along the shoreline and depositing a viscous substance on the beach, according to a video that was posted on Twitter. In addition, Petroecuador said in its update that its export and fuel supply activities were not affected by the spill.

Europe’s Fuel Export Market Shrinks After Nigeria Scraps Subsidies - European refiners will lose a portion of a key export market for gasoline after Nigerian consumption slumped following the removal of the fuel subsidies in the African country.At the end of May, Nigeria implemented a major reform in the domestic fuel retail market after Nigeria’s new President Bola Tinubu removed the fuel subsidies the government was paying for years. The subsidy was a huge cost to the federal government, which last year paid as much as $10 billion for the difference between fuel imported at market prices and sold at discounts to Nigerians. The removal of the subsidy led to a 28% slump in average daily gasoline consumption in Nigeria in June, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said in figures released to Reuters earlier this month.The end of the government subsidies also decimated the black markets for gasoline in countries neighboring Nigeria such as Cameroon, Benin, and Togo. These markets thrived when cheap subsidized fuel was smuggled from Nigeria into neighboring countries.But the end of the subsidies now signals lower demand for smuggled fuel in Nigeria’s neighbors, further reducing demand for fuel imports into Nigeria.With more than a quarter of the Nigerian gasoline market wiped out, European refiners would lose part of their key export market. West Africa and North America have traditionally been the main destinations of European gasoline exports.The slump in Nigeria’s domestic fuel consumption is set to squeeze refining margins for the European refiners, analysts have told Reuters.The lower Nigerian demand is set to further pressure European refiners who have seen increased competition from refiners and new refining capacity in Asia and the Middle East in recent years. The winners, if any, from the lower Nigerian gasoline demand would be the recently started-up refineries in the Middle East, analysts told Reuters.

Asia Snapping Up U.S. Crude Oil In Near Record Amounts -- Asia has scheduled near-record volumes of U.S. crude oil to be shipped next month, according to trade sources who spoke to Reuters. Between 1.5 million and 1.9 million bpd of U.S. crude—most of which is WTI Midland—will make their way to Asia in August, just shy of the 2.2 million bpd record loadings of Asia-bound crude oil that the U.S. saw in April. WTI continues to be an attractive grade for Asia’s refiners, who see it as a bargain compared to the Middle East benchmark Dubai. The spread between the two grades stood at $5.40 per barrel as of Thursday. That’s down from $6.08 per barrel in June, but higher than the $3.93 Asian refiners saved in May. The influx of U.S. crude oil to Asia also follows two increases in Saudi Arabia’s crude oil official selling prices (OSP). “China requested less term supply from Saudi in recent months and is seizing crude from everywhere to fill in the supply gap,” a Singapore-based trader told Reuters. Consultancy Energy Aspects expects that the influx of U.S. crude oil into Asia will increase in the third quarter as well. “We forecast U.S. exports to Asia will increase quarter-on-quarter in Q3 23, with China and even Japan purchasing Midland cargoes in size,” Energy Aspects told Reuters. U.S. crude oil inventories fell by around 700,000 barrels last week, partly on higher crude oil exports. The news of Asia’s increase in U.S. crude oil purchases comes just a day after the U.S. Senate easily passed an amendment to the annual defense bill that would ban crude oil exports to China from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The amendment garnered widespread bipartisan support.

Indian Oil signs long term LNG import deals - Indian Oil Corp (IOC), has signed long-term LNG import deals with United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Co Ltd (ADNOC LNG), and France’s TotalEnergies. Reuters: Indian Oil signs long term LNG import deals The two deals were signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Visit to France and UAE last week. Supplies under the two deals would commence from 2026, the Indian company said in two separate statements. ADNOC LNG would supply up to 1.2 million tpy of LNG to IOC for 14 years, the Indian company said, adding India's trade treaty with UAE enable it to import LNG without paying a 2.5% import tax. This is the first time that an Indian company has signed a long term LNG import deal with ADNOC. TotalEnergies would supply 0.8 million tpy LNG to IOC under the 10 year deal, it said. TotalEnergies would supply LNG to IOC from its global portfolio. India companies are spending billions of dollars to boost their gas infrastructure and are scouting for long term LNG imports deals as the nation wants to raise the share of gas in its energy mix to 15% by 2030 from 6.2% currently.

Worries for Nigerians as Brent Nears $84 Per Barrel -- The price of Brent crude rose by 82 cents or 0.99 per cent on Wednesday to $83.74 per barrel after the market calmed on data which showed that crude inventories in the United States fell less than expected and the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point. Also, the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude increased by 85 cents or 1.1 per cent during the midweek session to quote at $79.66 per barrel. The rise in the price of Brent, which Nigeria prices its headline crude against, raises worry for Nigerians as it will likely indicate another increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, after President Bola Tinubu removed the subsidy in May. Since then, prices have been left to the mercy of market forces, as the federal government planned to save the trillions paid on making fuel cheaper for consumers to boost the struggling economy. The market had initially fallen when the US central bank raised interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday. The US Federal Reserve Chairman, Mr Jerome Powell, said the economy still needed to slow, indicating that will be further hikes to meet its 2 per cent inflation target. The hike, the Fed’s 11th in its last 12 meetings, set the benchmark overnight interest rate in the 5.25 per cent -5.50 per cent range, a level which has not been consistently exceeded since 2001. Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs for businesses and consumers, which could slow economic growth and reduce oil demand. The Energy Information Administration reported an estimated draw of 600,000 barrels in U.S. oil inventories for the week to July 21. This compared with a modest inventory decline of 700,000 barrels for the previous week that kept inventories slightly above the five-year seasonal average. Earlier this week, the American Petroleum Institute (API) reported an estimated build in crude oil inventories. Oil prices, however, remained relatively strong, stimulated by tighter supply and measures taken by Beijing to strengthen economic growth in China. After months of traders watching economic indicators and bracing up for a global recession, now the concern is trickling in about the security of sufficient oil supply, analysts note. This is buoyed by signs of tighter supplies, largely linked to output cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia, as well as Chinese authorities’ pledges to shore up the world’s second-biggest economy. However, Reuters reported that although Saudi Arabia will roll over its August output cuts to September, Russia is expected to significantly increase oil loadings in September, bringing to an end to recent export cuts.

UN begins extracting oil from tanker, mitigating risk of environmental catastrophe --The United Nations announced Tuesday morning that it began operations to remove oil from a deteriorating supertanker, the first step toward preventing a natural disaster from unfolding in the Red Sea. “In the absence of anyone else willing or able to perform this task, the United Nations stepped up and assumed the risk to conduct this very delicate operation,” U.N. Secretary–General António Guterres said about the project in a press statement. FSO Safer, the 47-year-old tanker, has been a burden on the U.N.’s shoulders since 2015, when Yemen halted maintenance on the vessel due to an outbreak of a civil war in the country. As a result, FSO Safer has been abandoned and stranded off the coast of Yemen for more than 8 years. Despite numerous reports over the years warning that the tanker’s structural integrity is failing, Yemen’s rebel group, the Houthis, continued to block foreign attempts to access and inspect the ship. The U.N.’s project to prevent a colossal oil spill by extracting the tanker’s 48 million gallons of oil was initially launched in 2019, but they also faced pushback from the Houthis when trying to access FSO Safer. President Biden’s foreign policy regarding Yemen also complicated the matter. Shortly after being inaugurated, Biden stopped U.S. aid to Saudi Arabia’s offensive against the Houthis, which was the strategy of the two previous administrations. This change, along with removing the Houthis’ designation as a foreign terrorist organization, signaled a shift toward diplomacy within U.S.’s approach to the country’s conflict. But Biden’s policy switch-up did not have any immediate effect on the effort to stop the oil spill, which is projected to be four times the size of the Exxon Valdez leak. On February 24th 2021, 20 days after the policy change, the Houthis made a new list of requests that delayed the U.N.’s mission. After a drawn out process, the U.N. was finally able to begin offloading oil from FSO Safer with the help of a $10 million donation from the U.S. The U.N. anticipates the operation will last 19 days.

United Nations starts removal of oil from decaying tanker in Red Sea – The UN-led project to prevent a massive oil spill from the FSO Safer supertanker off Yemen’s Red Sea coast began today with the removal of more than 1 million barrels of oil from the decaying vessel. The Safer has been at risk of breaking up or exploding for years. A major spill from the vessel would result in an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe. The oil aboard the Safer is being pumped into the replacement vessel Yemen (formerly Nautica) in a ship-to-ship transfer that is expected to take 19 days to complete. After its arrival at the site on 30 May, the leading marine salvage company SMIT, a subsidiary of Boskalis, has stabilized the 47-year-old Safer. The UN Development Programme (UNDP), which contracted SMIT, is implementing the operation to remove the oil. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “In the absence of anyone else willing or able to perform this task, the United Nations stepped up and assumed the risk to conduct this very delicate operation. The ship-to-ship transfer of oil which has started today is the critical next step in avoiding an environmental and humanitarian catastrophe on a colossal scale.” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said: “With every gallon of oil now being pumped off the Safer the threat of a potential spill that has loomed over the people of Yemen and indeed the countries and economies depending on the shared Red Sea ecosystem, recedes. The challenges on this project have been huge but the response by so many who have made this rescue operation possible has been equally huge. And it is a reminder of what the United Nations can achieve through its convening power and its capacity to coordinate a complex operation.” Speaking from aboard the salvage vessel Ndeavor, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, David Gressly, said: “The transfer of the oil to the Yemen will prevent the worst-case scenario of a catastrophic spill in the Red Sea, but it is not the end of the operation. The installation of a CALM buoy to which the replacement vessel will be safely tethered is the next crucial step. I thank donors, private companies and the general public for providing the funds that have brought us to this milestone.”

Russian ESPO Oil Price Surges On Strong Chinese Demand --Strong demand in China has sent the price of Russia’s ESPO crude blend surging to the highest in eight months as ESPO discounts to Brent are at their narrowest since the EU embargo on Russian oil imports came into effect in December, multiple trade sources have told Reuters.The EPSO crude going to China in September is trading at discounts of just $2-$2.50 per barrel to ICE Brent on delivered-ex-ship (DES) basis, according to the sources. This compares with discounts of around $4 per barrel for August. “August prices were already very expensive, but we were shocked to see that offers for September cargoes started at $2 discount,” one trade source told Reuters.Strong demand for cheaper Russian crude from China’s independent refiners, competition from Indian refiners, and the OPEC+ supply cuts, including from Russia, have all combined in recent weeks to lift the price of the ESPO crude.Early this month, the price of Russian ESPO crudejumped to the highest in seven months as Chinese buyers rushed to buy it ahead of a 500,000-bpd cut in exports Russia has pledged for August.ESPO has been trading consistently above the G7 price cap of $60 per barrel because it is the preferred Russian blend of Chinese refiners. The ESPO blend is lighter and sweeter than the flagship Russian blend Urals, which has normally traded at a more significant discount to Brent crude. Despite the recent jump in ESPO prices, the Russian crude grade remains the cheaper option for Chinese refiners because similar grades from West Africa and Brazil are trading at premiums over Brent for deliveries in September and October. If the OPEC+ group further reduces supply, the ESPO price could jump again and narrow the discount to around $1 per barrel, an oil trader told Reuters.

Oil markets to face ‘serious problems’ as demand from China and India ramps up, says IEF -- Oil prices are set to rise in the second half of the year as supply struggles to meet demand, according to the Secretary General of the International Energy Forum. Oil demand bounced back to pre-Covid levels quickly, “but supply is having a tougher time in catching up,” said Joseph McMonigle, secretary general of the International Energy Forum, adding that the only factor moderating prices right now is the fear of a looming recession. “So, for the second half of this year, we’re going to have serious problems with supply keeping up, and as a result, you’re going to see prices respond to that,” McMonigle told CNBC on the sidelines of a meeting of energy ministers from the group of the 20 leading industrial economies (G20) in Goa, India, on Saturday. McMonigle attributes the push in oil prices to increasing demand from China — the world’s largest importer of crude oil — and India. “India and China combined will make up 2 million barrels a day of demand pick-up in the second half of this year,” the Secretary General said. China and India's oil demand will rise by 2 million barrels per day in the second half of 2023: Asked if oil prices could once again spike to $100 a barrel, he noted that prices are already at $80 per barrel and could potentially go higher from here. “We’re going to see much more steep decreases in inventory, which will be a signal to the market that demand is definitely picking up. So you’re going to see prices respond to that,” McMonigle said. However, McMonigle is confident that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies — collectively known as OPEC+ — will take action and increase supply, if the world eventually succumbs to a “big supply-demand imbalance.” “They’re being very careful on demand. They want to see evidence that demand is picking up, and will be responsive to changes in the market.” Brent crude futures with September expiry last settled at $81.07 per barrel on the Friday close, while West Texas Intermediate crude with September delivery ended the trading day at $76.83.

Oil markets are still volatile, U.S. energy chief says, calling for more supplies - Volatility is still weighing on oil markets, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Saturday, reiterating calls for additional supplies. Asked to comment on the state of oil markets, she told CNBC’s Sri Jegarajah that “there’s no doubt that there is a volatile environment” — a situation that the White House is monitoring. “There is a lot of emotion in these markets and so we have deep concern about trajectories of where things are headed,” the energy secretary added. Granholm called for additional output to help curtail prices. “We want to see more supply … It gets dangerous when the prices are so high,” she said. “I think the prudent course is to ensure that transportation is affordable for people, and that of course means making sure that supply is stable.” Some members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies — collectively known as OPEC+ — are voluntarily cutting production by a combined 1.66 million barrels per day until the end of 2024. In addition to that, coalition heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Russia have announced further voluntary declines in July and August comprising 1 million barrels per day in output and 500,000 barrels per day of exports, respectively. High crude oil prices continue to be a challenge for the Biden administration, and lowering costs remains a priority. “We want prices to come down. The president is really focused on the impacts on real people who need to get to work and cannot afford that premium,” Granholm highlighted. The U.S. has historically vocally championed lower prices at the pump, in a bid to ease the strain on consumer households and curb inflation. Washington has repeatedly entreated OPEC+ producers to support this effort by lifting their output — culminating in a brief war of wards with Saudi Arabia in October last year. The U.S. is now facing lower inflation, with the consumer price index showing a 3% year-on-year increase in June. Renewables Granholm also discussed the importance of transitioning to renewable energy — a key topic in this year’s energy summit. “China and the United States are the biggest emitters in the world … Their citizens are feeling the impacts of these extreme weather events,” Granholm said, adding that the U.S. is keen to “find an oasis” by cooperating with China on deploying clean energy. “We have to do everything, everywhere, all at once. Deploy, deploy, deploy clean energy. Because if we don’t, our planet is on fire, and we must address it.”

Oil prices ease ahead of Fed, ECB rate hikes - Oil prices eased on Monday as traders awaited more rate hike cues from U.S. and European central banks, with tightening supply and hopes for Chinese stimulus underpinning Brent at $80 a barrel. Brent crude futures dipped 31 cents, or 0.4%, to $80.76 a barrel by 0644 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was at $76.74 a barrel, down 33 cents, or 0.4%. The benchmarks rose 1.5% and 2.2% respectively last week, their fourth straight of week of gains, as supply is expected to tighten following OPEC+ cuts. Fighting also escalated last week in Ukraine after Russia withdrew from a U.N.-brokered safe sea corridor agreement for grains exports. "While another Fed rate hike this week may drive some short-term price volatility, we expect tightening market conditions on OPEC's supply cuts and increasing market speculation of further stimulus in China to continue to push prices higher through 3Q23," analysts from National Australian Bank said in a note. Investors have priced in quarter-point hikes from the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank this week so the focus will be on what Fed Chair Jerome Powell and ECB President Christine Lagarde say about future rate hikes. Rising interest rates have dampened investments and strengthened the greenback, making dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies. "Another bearish piece of news worth considering is the UAE's view that the existing OPEC+ cuts are adequate to balance the market," said Mukesh Sahdev, head of downstream and oil trading at Rystad Energy.

Oil prices rise as tight supply counters expected rate hikes - Markets - Oil prices rose on Monday as tightening supply and hopes for Chinese stimulus underpinned Brent at well above $80 a barrel, even as traders expected more rate hikes from U.S. and European central banks. Brent crude futures were up 45 cents, or 0.6%, at $81.52 a barrel by 1228 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was at $77.55 a barrel, also up 48 cents, or 0.6%. The benchmarks rose 1.5% and 2.2% respectively last week, their fourth straight of week of gains, as supply is expected to tighten following OPEC+ cuts. Fighting also escalated last week in Ukraine after Russia withdrew from a U.N.-brokered safe sea corridor agreement for grain exports. Oil’s rise has reflected “tightening conditions as Saudi oil output cuts impact the market… even as summer demand has been somewhat stronger for gasoline and jet fuel”, Citi Research said in a note. The bank said it sees some upside for oil over the summer and forecast an average price in the third quarter of $83 a barrel. “While another Fed rate hike this week may drive some short-term price volatility, we expect tightening market conditions on OPEC’s supply cuts and increasing market speculation of further stimulus in China to continue to push prices higher through 3Q23,” analysts from National Australian Bank said in a note. Investors have priced in quarter-point hikes from the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank this week, so the focus will be on what Fed Chair Jerome Powell and ECB President Christine Lagarde say about future rate increases. Rising interest rates have dampened investments and strengthened the greenback, making dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies. In China, the state planner on Monday unveiled measures to spur private investment in some infrastructure sectors, and said it will also strengthen financing support for private projects. Market participants expect Beijing to implement targeted stimulus measures to support its flagging economy, likely boosting oil demand in the world’s No. 2 consumer.

Saudi Oil Output Cuts Impacting the Market and the Expectations that Further Stimulus in China Will Continue to Support Prices -- The oil market continued to trend higher on Monday as it remained well supported by Saudi oil output cuts impacting the market and the expectations that further stimulus in China will continue to support prices. On Monday, China’s state planner announced measures to prompt private investment in some infrastructure sectors. The oil market posted a low of $76.44 in overnight trading before it breached its previous high and extended its gains to over $2.20 as it posted a high of $79.28 early in the afternoon. The market erased some of its gains ahead of the close, with the September WTI contract settling up $1.67 at $78.74. The September Brent contract settled up $1.67 at $82.74. The product markets settled in positive territory, with the heating oil market settling up 2.48 cents at $2.7705 and the RB market settling up 9.33 cents at $2.8951. Citi Research said its short-term momentum model is pointing to higher price levels heading into late July for most commodities. Citi sees some upside for crude this summer, with its 0-3 month target of $88/barrel and an average of $83/barrel for the third quarter. Citi later expects downside for crude in the fourth quarter, with Brent crude averaging $78/barrel and a 2024 average of $73/barrel. Three trading sources said oil loadings from Russia’s Black Sea ports remained stable over the weekend despite increasing tensions in the area. Black Sea Novorossiisk port and nearby CPC terminal in Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka are two main oil export outlets located in the south of Russian loading about 2 million bpd. Loadings from Black Sea ports continued over the weekend in line with the schedule. Russia and Ukraine said late last week that all ships crossing the areas in the Black Sea may be considered targets after the grain deal expiry. Russia’s Energy Ministry said it is considering limiting the number of companies allowed to export oil products in a bid to cut illegal exports of fuel intended for the domestic market. The Kommersant newspaper reported earlier that Russia was looking at creating a list of approved refiners to combat so-called "grey exports" of subsidized domestic fuel. IIR Energy reported that U.S. oil refiners are expected to shut in about 155,000 bpd of capacity in week ending July 28th, increasing available refining capacity by 356,000 bpd. Offline capacity is expected to increase to 164,000 bpd in the week ending August 4th. Exxon Mobil Corp reported flaring at its 619,024 bpd Beaumont, Texas facility. Chevron Corp reported unplanned flaring at its 269,000 bpd El Segundo, California refinery. U.S. business activity slowed to a five-month low in July, dragged down by decelerating service-sector growth. S&P Global said its flash U.S. Composite PMI index fell to a reading of 52 in July from 53.2 in June. July's reading showed the sixth straight month of growth but was restrained by softening conditions in the service sector.

WTI Breaks Through Technical Resistance on OPEC-Plus Cuts - Oil futures nearest delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange and Brent crude traded on the Intercontinental Exchange advanced more than 2.5% on Monday, with West Texas Intermediate settling above a key resistance level as traders look to production cuts from the OPEC+ coalition and potential for China's stimulus to boost demand fundamentals in Asian markets. WTI August futures on Monday broke through the 200-day moving average for the first time since August last year to settle at $78.74 per barrel (bbl), potentially opening the next leg of the rally in the oil complex. International benchmark Brent for September delivery added $1.67 per bbl on the session to settle at a three-month high $82.74 per bbl. In refined fuels, RBOB August futures on NYMEX advanced 0.0933 cent to $2.8951 a gallon, and ULSD futures moved up 0.0248 cent to $2.7705 a gallon. A combination of lower supplies available from OPEC+'s largest producers, namely Saudi Arabia and Russia, along with chatter over China's stimulus may have pushed oil prices above the key resistance level, drastically improving the technical picture for the complex. Monday's move higher in the oil complex came despite growing skepticism over China's plans to invigorate their recovery after the Politburo unveiled vague measures to stimulate the economy. These steps include boosting domestic consumption of cars and electronics, addressing debt risks for the local governments and easing property policies. The measures are short on details, however, and it's unclear whether they will lead to broader stimulus investors are hoping for. China's post-pandemic recovery has been so far disappointing, plagued by inadequate domestic demand and a slump in manufacturing activity. Last week, several investment banks revised lower their forecasts for China's gross domestic product through the end of the year. Despite weak domestic demand, China is still the world's largest oil importer, bringing in around 12.67 million barrels per day in June -- the second highest on record as refiners were seen building up inventories. Should China reinvigorate its lopsided recovery in the second half of the year, the high pace of oil imports could be supported by actual demand rather than restocking. Capping gains for the oil complex is exceptionally weak macroeconomic data released overnight from the Eurozone, showing a sharper downturn in industrial output and a sustained slowdown in the services sector. The German manufacturing sector, in particular, has been hit hard, with the Purchasing Managers Index falling below the 40-point mark for the first time since COVID-19 lockdowns in April 2020. Meanwhile, business expectations across Germany toward future activity also turned negative for the first time this year, which is now being reflected in a weakening labor market. Manufacturers across Germany are beginning to react to the drop in business activity by trimming the workforce for the first time since the end of COVID lockdowns.

Oil prices steady near 3-month highs -Oil prices were steady on Tuesday, hovering near three-month highs as signs of tighter supplies and pledges by Chinese authorities to shore up the world’s second-biggest economy lifted sentiment, while weaker Western economic data weighed. Brent futures were unchanged at $82.74 a barrel by 1207 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up 1 cent, or 0.01%, at $78.75. The crude benchmarks have already chalked up four weekly gains in a row, with supplies expected to tighten due to output cuts from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies. Earlier-loading Brent contracts are selling above later loadings, a price structure known as backwardation indicating traders see tight supply, with the six-month spread near a two-and-a-half month high. “On the supply side, whilst remote for now, risks are growing following Russia’s escalation and bombing of Ukrainian port infrastructure along the Danube River,” ING said in a note saying attacks on grains assets could spill into energy markets. “The market is starting to become a little nervous over a potential supply disruption.” In China, the world’s second-biggest oil consumer, leaders pledged to step up economic policy support. In the euro zone, business activity shrank more than expected in July, a survey showed. In the United States, business activity slowed to a five-month low in July, a closely watched survey showed, but falling input prices and slower hiring indicate the Federal Reserve could be making progress on its bid to reduce inflation. Markets anticipate 25-basis-point rate hikes from both the Fed and the European Central Bank this week. U.S. industry data on inventories is expected at around 2030 GMT. Four analysts polled by Reuters estimated on average that crude inventories fell by about 2 million barrels in the week to July 21. Sending a bearish signal, a 110,000 barrel-per-day unit at the huge U.S. refinery in Baton Rouge will be shut for up to four weeks, sources said.

NYMEX WTI Near $80 as Traders Pare Bets on US Recession – West Texas Intermediate futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange and Brent crude traded on the Intercontinental Exchange resumed their rally in the afternoon session Tuesday propelled by market expectations for U.S. Energy Information Administration data to show commercial crude-oil inventories declined again last week as investors in financial markets pare back bets on U.S. recession this year. The consensus of analysts and traders surveyed by the Wall Street Journal showed commercial crude-oil inventories in the U.S. decreased by 2.2 million bbl from the previous week. Meanwhile, gasoline inventories are also seen decreasing by 1.7 million bbl from the previous week, while stocks of distillates are expected to fall by 600,000 bbl. Refinery runs are forecasted to rise by 0.1% from the previous week to 94.4%. Forecasts for across-the-board draws from U.S. petroleum inventories come as investors aggressively pare back bets on U.S. recession this year, with the labor market largely seen holding on to post-pandemic gains. The consumer confidence index, released this morning from the Conference Board, revealed Americans feel more optimistic about the economy than at any point since July 2021, reflecting improvement in both current conditions and expectations. Against this backdrop, the Federal Open Market Committee is set to raise interest rates again when it wraps-up policy meeting on Wednesday at 2 PM ET, followed by the press-conference held by the Chairman Jerome Powell 30 minutes later. Markets remain largely unconvinced that the Federal Reserve will follow through with further rate increases in the final months of the year after delivering a 25-basis point hike on Wednesday. Elsewhere, economic data released showed growth in the Eurozone and China has mostly weakened at the start of the third quarter, stymied by a manufacturing recession and weak labor market. At settlement, WTI August futures on the NYMEX added $0.89 bbl to $79.63 bbl and international benchmark Brent for September delivery advanced to $83.64 bbl, up by $0.90 bbl on a session. Moving in the opposite direction, RBOB August futures on NYMEX fell 0.0418 cts to $2.8533 a gallon and ULSD futures gained to $2.7776 a gallon, up 0.0071cts a gallon in afternoon trading.

Oil Prices Drop As Market Awaits Fed’s Interest Rate Decision Oil prices fell by 1% early on Wednesday ahead of the Fed meeting later today, which is expected to raise the key interest rate again in what could be the end of the aggressive money-tightening policies.As of 7:40 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, WTI Crude was down 1.04% to below $79 per barrel – at $78.79 – after hitting $79 and a three-month high earlier this week. The international benchmark, Brent Crude, was trading down by 1.03% at $82.77, off the three-month high of above $83 per barrel reached on Tuesday.At the July 26 meeting, the Fed is largely expected to raise interest rates, analysts concur. But many believe this could be the end of the money-tightening cycle. The oil market will be closely watching the Fed decision—and most of all, the comments by Fed Chair Jerome Powell accompanying the decision—for clues about the economy and the path to lowering inflation.Aggressive interest rate hikes in recent months have had the oil market concerned about a recession that would weigh on oil demand. However, the latest inflation print in the U.S. from two weeks ago showed cooling consumer prices in June, which made more analysts optimistic that the rate-hike cycle could be close to its end.Last week, Goldman Sachs cut its probability that a U.S. recession will start in the next 12 months further, from 25% to 20%, due to the fact that the recent economic data have reinforced the bank’s confidence that “bringing inflation down to an acceptable level will not require a recession,” wrote Jan Hatzius, head of Goldman Sachs Research and the firm’s chief economist.Commenting on today’s Fed meeting, ING strategistssaid,“Expectations are that the Federal Reserve will hike rates by 25bp, which could very well be the last hike in this cycle. However, any signal from the Fed that they have more to do will likely put some downward pressure on risk assets, including oil.”

Oil Softens on Smaller Crude Draw, Anemic Gasoline Demand -- Oil futures softened in post-inventory trade Wednesday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported total crude and petroleum product supplies decreased by a smaller-than-expected margin during the week ended July 21, as refiners scaled back run rates and demand for gasoline remained largely anemic despite being midway through the peak summer season. Further details of the report revealed U.S. commercial crude oil inventories decreased by 600,000 barrels (bbl) last week compared to expectations for a 2.2-million-bbl drawdown. At 456.8 million bbl, commercial stockpiles remained about 1% above the five-year average. The smaller-than-expected decline in oil stockpiles came as refiners decreased crude throughput by 107,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the reviewed week to 16.5 million bpd, bringing the national run rate to 93.4% of capacity. Earlier in the week, analysts expected run rates would rise 0.1% during the week. Oil stored at the Cushing, Oklahoma, hub, the delivery point for West Texas Intermediate, fell for the second consecutive week through July 21, down 2.6 million bbl to 35.7 million bbl, according to EIA data. In the gasoline complex, commercial inventories also declined by a smaller-than-anticipated margin, down 786,000 bbl in the reviewed week to 217.6 million bpd, missing calls for a 1.7-million-bbl decrease. Demand for gasoline failed to improve for the second straight week, averaging 8.939 million bpd after an 8% drop at the start of the month. Gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of demand, continued to trail the pre-pandemic level seen in 2019, averaging nearly 700,000 bpd or 7.3% below the comparable 2019 consumption rate during the first three weeks of July. On a four-week average basis through July 21, gasoline demand stood at 9 million bpd, up 2.6% against the comparable four weeks in 2022 while 5.2% below the same period in 2019. For distillate fuels, commercial inventories declined by 245,000 bbl to 117.9 million bbl compared with expectations for stockpiles to fall by 600,000 bbl. Demand for middle of the barrel fuels, however, added only 49,000 bpd in the reviewed week to 3.718 million bpd, bringing the four-week average to 3.5 million bpd, down 6.8% against a year ago. Jet fuel supplied to the domestic market was up 0.5% compared with the same four-week period last year. Total products supplied over the last four-week period averaged 20.5 million bpd, up 2.2% from the same period last year. Near 11:30 a.m. EDT, NYMEX WTI futures for September delivery slipped $0.30 to trade at $79.33 bbl. NYMEX RBOB August futures advanced $0.0644 to $2.9177 gallon and ULSD August futures gained $0.0568 to $2.8368 gallon.

A Mostly Bearish Oil Inventory Report and the Expected 25 Basis Point Interest Rate Increase Announced by the Federal Reserve - The crude oil market retraced some of its previous gains on Wednesday and posted an inside trading day following a mostly neutral to bearish oil inventory report and the expected 25 basis point interest rate increase announced by the Federal Reserve in the afternoon. The oil market traded to a low of $78.61 early in the morning as it continued to retrace some of Tuesday’s gains before it bounced off that level ahead of the release of the EIA’s weekly petroleum stocks report. It traded to a high of $79.77 following the EIA report, which showed draws across the board. However, the draws were smaller than expected, which pressured the market once again as it traded back towards its low in afternoon trading. The market remained rangebound following the expected Fed announcement. The September WTI contract settled down 85 cents at $78.78, its first loss in five sessions. The September Brent contract settled down 72 cents at $82.92. Meanwhile, the product markets ended the session in positive territory, with the heating oil market settling up 6.53 cents at $2.8429 and the RB market settling up 5.39 cents at $2.9072. The EIA reported that U.S. crude oil, gasoline and distillate inventories fell in the week ending July 21st, as net imports fell. Crude oil inventories fell by 600,000 barrels to 456.8 million barrels, less than expectations of a 2 million barrel draw. Crude stocks at Cushing, Oklahoma fell by 2.6 million barrels on the week. The EIA reported that net U.S. crude imports fell by 1.58 million bpd. The Association of American Railroads reported that its weekly railcar loadings on major U.S. railroads in the week ending July 26th fell by 1.3% on the year to 222,454. The number of railcar loadings transporting petroleum and petroleum products increased by 1.4% on the year to 9,151.Three industry sources said Russia will significantly increase its oil loadings in September, bringing an end to its steep export cuts in June-August, as peak refinery maintenance will free up more crude for sale outside the country. According to Reuters calculations, Russian refineries are expected to cut runs by some 195,000 bpd or 800,000 tons in September from August amid seasonal maintenance meaning that volume can be diverted to export markets. Industry sources stated that Russian oil exports from western ports in August are set to fall by 100,000-200,000 bpd on the month, but in September may recover to levels not seen since last May.IIR Energy said U.S. oil refiners are expected to shut in about 155,000 bpd of capacity in the week ending July 28th, increasing available refining capacity by 356,000 bpd. Offline capacity is expected to increase to 158,000 bpd in the week ending August 4th.Valero Energy Corp’s 180,000 bpd Memphis, Tennessee refinery was shut on Tuesday night by a power outage. Sources stated that no damage was found as of Wednesday morning from the power outage and shutdown of all units at the refinery. A full restart is expected to take several days. Chevron Corp’s 269,000 bpd El Segundo, California refinery reported unplanned flaring. The refinery experienced an operational issue at one of its process units. It said the temporary operational issue does not impact its ability to supply petroleum products to its customers.

The Market Continued to Trend Higher Remaining Supported by Supply Tightness and Optimism for Global - The oil market continued its upward trend on Thursday, breaching the $80.00 level and peaking at a level not seen since April 19th after it posted an inside trading day on Wednesday. The market quickly posted a low of $78.87 on the opening before it continued to trend higher remaining supported by supply tightness and optimism for global growth. The market is trading higher on hopes that central banks, such as the Fed are nearing the end of their monetary tightening campaigns. The oil market rallied to a high of $80.60 in afternoon trading. The September WTI contract erased some of its gains ahead of the close and settled up $1.31 at $80.09, while the September Brent contract settled up $1.32 at $84.24. The product markets settled in positive territory, with the heating oil market settling up 7.4 cents at $2.9169 and the RB market settling up 4.33 cents at $2.9505. Russia’s Energy Minister, Nkolai Shulginov, said the country’s 2023 oil output is forecast at 515 million tons, with the final figure dependent on further quota decisions to be taken by the OPEC+ grouping. Russia’s output in 2022 stood at 535 million tons, a 2% year-on-year increase.Russia's offline primary oil refining capacity has been revised down by 4.1% for July from a previous plan to 2.458 million tons. The idle refining capacity is also below June's levels by about 37.3%. For August, Russia's offline primary oil refining capacity is seen increasing from July by 46.5% to 3.601 million tons. An increase in idle oil refining capacity usually incentivizes exports, hampering Russia's plans to reduce its overseas oil supplies by 500,000 bpd next month.Colonial Pipeline Co is allocating space for Cycle 44 shipments on Line 20, which carries distillates from Atlanta, Georgia to Nashville, Tennessee.PJK/Insights Global reported that gasoline stocks held in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp independent storage hub in the week ending July 27th fell by 3.57% on the week but increased by 0.37% on the year to 1.351 million tons, while gasoil stocks increased by 3.22% on the week and by 39.01% on the year to 2.049 million tons and its fuel oil stocks increased by 4.67% on the week and by 17.6% on the year to 1.323 million tons. Its naphtha stocks increased by 16.88% on the week but fell by 30.41% on the year to 270,000 tons and its jet kero stocks increased by 1.41% on the week but fell by 12.29% on the year to 721,000 tons.The U.S. economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter as labor market resilience underpinned consumer spending, while businesses increased investment in equipment, potentially keeping a recession at bay. The U.S. Commerce Department said GDP increased at a 2.4% annualized rate last quarter. The economy grew at a 2.0% pace in the January-March quarter.

Oil: U.S. crude back to $80 on back of bustling economy - There less chance of a U.S. recession happening as the days go by — unless, of course, the oil price spike pushes the central bank to a new round of aggressive rate hikes that will slow the economy. U.S. crude finally got back to above $80 a barrel on Thursday, reprising highs from April, after gross domestic product growth for the second quarter came in at a surprisingly high 2.4% versus market expectations for just 1.8%. The advance estimate by the Commerce Department, the first of three for each quarter, was further proof that the world’s largest economy would likely dodge a recession despite many analysts on Wall Street being certain for months that a major slowdown was inevitable. The Fed itself was no longer forecasting a recession, given the robust pace of recent growth, Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday after the central bank returned to the path of monetary tightening with a quarter point rate hike after a pause in June. The second quarter estimate for U.S. GDP — along with lower weekly employment claims and positive durable goods data — was just the deal needed by oil longs trying to get U.S. crude to make the leap this week to $80 territory after it had stayed above $75 since Friday. The now near two-month rally in oil has its roots in production cut rhetoric that the Saudis and others in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries have drummed up since June. On top of cuts pledged by OPEC+, which groups 23 nations altogether, the Saudis have committed to cut an additional million barrels per day. Despite talk of extreme tightness in global oil markets from all those supply reductions, U.S. stockpiles saw smaller than expected draws last week for a second week in a row. But oil bulls appeared unfazed by the U.S. inventory data, saying the cuts will eventually show in upcoming weekly numbers. At Thursday’s close, the front-month contract for New York-based West Texas Intermediate, or WTI, settled at $80.09 per barrel, up $1.31, or 1.7%, on the day after peaking earlier at $80.61, its highest since April 19. If the U.S. crude benchmark keeps to its momentum — and there’s little to suggest why it wouldn’t — it would finish up for a fifth straight week that has already delivered a gain of 13% into the pocket of oil bulls for all July. The front-month for London-based Brent crude settled at $84.24 per barrel, up $1.32, or 1.6%, on the day after a three-month high at $84.51. Like WTI, Brent was headed for a fifth weekly gain that already put the global crude benchmark up 12% for this month. The only immediate downside to oil came in the form of the higher Dollar Index, which continued its rebound for a second straight week from the 15-month lows hit earlier in July. Longs plowed into the dollar — whose rise is always a negative to commodities priced in the currency — after the European Central Bank signaled that its rate hike on Thursday might be its last for the year ahead of a pause likely to begin in September. The ECB’s stance hammered the euro and pushed the dollar up instead, especially after the Fed suggested a day earlier that it would keep rates restrictive for as long as needed to bring U.S. inflation, now hovering at 3%, back to its long-term target of 2%. But some say the oil rally could bring its own antidote to the market if inflation spiked as a result, forcing the Fed and ECB to pile on more rate hikes that would eventually hurt demand across the board — including in oil.

Oil prices slip on demand concerns, remain on track for weekly gain -Oil prices slipped in Asian trade on Friday but were on track for a fifth straight week of gains following strong economic data in the US, and on speculation over Chinese stimulus measures and OPEC+ output cuts. Brent crude LCOc1 fell 42 cents, or 0.5%, to $83.82 a barrel by 0404 GMT, but was on track for a weekly 3.5% increase. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 fell 34 cents, or 0.4%, to $79.75 a barrel, but were heading for a 3.6% weekly increase. Oil rose in the previous session as strong earnings reports and data showing the US economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter eased fears of a global slowdown. US second quarter gross domestic product grew at 2.4%, beating the 1.8% consensus, the Commerce Department said Thursday, supporting Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's view that the economy can achieve a so-called "soft landing." The prospect of further Chinese stimulus measures, particularly in the embattled property sector, has also provided some support to prices, following a meeting of the Politburo - a top decision making body - on Tuesday. Markets are also looking to the next market monitoring committee meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, together called OPEC+, on 4 Aug for announcements on the continuation of voluntary output cuts. "We continue to see upside to oil prices through 3Q23, and expect pricing sustained above US$90/bbl (Brent) would likely be required to see a loosening in OPEC or Saudi Arabia's voluntary crude supply cuts," said Baden Moore, head of commodity and carbon strategy at National Australia Bank. But recent interest rate increases from global central banks seeking to tame stubborn inflation raised questions about long term demand. On Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve implemented another 25 basis point interest rate hike as widely expected, and the European Central Bank followed suit on Thursday. Earlier this week oil fell after data showed US crude inventories fell less than expected. "We are still not seeing much translation to increased product demand especially within the distillates that have been providing much of the upside lead of the past month,"

NYMEX WTI Oil Futures Top $80 on Weaker US Dollar as Recession Fears Ease - New York Mercantile Exchange oil futures and Brent crude traded on the Intercontinental Exchange strengthened on Friday, with both crude benchmarks notching their fifth consecutive weekly gain on a combination of a retreating U.S. dollar, unplanned refinery outages in the U.S. Gulf Coast amid extreme heat, and receding concerns over recession offset by largely supportive macroeconomic data. Friday's economic data further bolstered the case for the U.S. economy to achieve a "soft landing," a scenario where inflation falls as monetary policy tightens without inducing recession. The personal consumption expenditures index, the preferred inflation measure by the Federal Reserve, increased 0.2% in June from the prior month and 3% from a year earlier, the Commerce Department said Friday morning. That marked the smallest annual gain since March 2021. Food prices decreased 0.1%, services rose 0.3%, while the cost of energy jumped 0.6%. Data released Friday also showed labor costs in the second quarter rose at their slowest pace in two years as wage growth cooled. Surprisingly, an improving inflation environment comes at a time when the U.S. economy has picked up pace from the first quarter, with gross domestic product expanding at annualized rate of 2.4% from April to June, beating expectations for a 1.8% growth rate. Against this backdrop, the Federal Open Market Committee raised borrowing costs for an 11th time since 2022 by 0.25% on Wednesday to the highest level in 22 years at a 5.25% to 5.5% target range. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell during a news conference Wednesday afternoon following the rate announcement reiterated that the central bank would continue its data-dependent approach when deciding on its next policy move. Investors, however, project an 80% chance that the central bank will hold the federal funds rate unchanged during their Sept. 20 meeting, and only 29% of investors see a chance for another rate increase in November. In financial markets, U.S. dollar index pulled back 0.14% against a basket of foreign currencies to settle the session at 101.399, lending upside support for West Texas Intermediate futures, with the front-month contract settling $0.49 higher at $80.58 per barrel (bbl). U.S. dollar and WTI have an inverse relationship, in which a cheaper greenback typically makes the U.S. crude benchmark more attractive for overseas buyers. International benchmark Brent for September delivery added $0.75 per bbl for a $84.99 settlement -- the highest settlement price since mid-April. In refined fuels, NYMEX RBOB August contract added $0.0053 to $2.9558, parring an advance to a $2.9936-per-gallon nine-month high. August ULSD futures advanced $0.0417 to $2.9586 per gallon, the highest settlement on the spot continuous chart since Feb. 1. Underpinning RBOB and ULSD futures gains are unplanned disruptions at several refiners in Texas and Louisiana that have suffered from an extreme heat wave in recent weeks. Currently, a gasoline-making unit at ExxonMobil's 522,500 bpd Baton Rouge refinery in Louisiana, is shut for three to four weeks of unplanned repairs after tripping offline on July 20. PADD 3 refinery runs fell 1.5% to 93.3% of regional capacity during the week ended July 21, according to the Energy Information Administration, which compares with a 97.2% run rate averaged in July 2022. Domestic gasoline supplies currently stand at 7% below the five-year average and are likely to continue a destocking pattern amid refinery unit outages.

Oil posts fifth week of gains on signals of tighter supply (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Friday and notched a fifth straight week of gains as investors were optimistic that healthy demand and supply cuts will keep prices buoyant. Risk appetite in wider financial markets has been fueled by growing expectations that central banks such as the U.S. Federal Reserve and European Central Bank are nearing the end of policy tightening campaigns, boosting the outlook for global growth and energy demand. Bolstered by supply cuts from the OPEC+ alliance announced earlier this month, both oil benchmarks gained nearly 5% for the week - a fifth straight week of gains. The benchmarks are on track to gain over 13% for the month. Brent crude settled 75 cents higher to $84.99 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 49 cents to $80.58 a barrel. Both benchmarks fell by as much as $1 briefly earlier in the session, as investors took profits after WTI rose above $80 per barrel, Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn said. Bullish demand expectations were boosted on Thursday after U.S. second quarter gross domestic product grew at a forecast-beating 2.4%, supporting Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's view that the economy can achieve a so-called "soft landing." Investors are warming up to the idea of peak rates getting ever closer, while it is looking increasingly probable that the United States will avoid recession. Fresh data released on Friday showed some of the euro zone's top economies displayed unexpected resilience in the second quarter even as a raft of indicators pointed to renewed weakness ahead, as manufacturing ails and services slow. Meanwhile, policymakers in China have pledged to step up stimulus measures to invigorate the post-COVID recovery after the world's second-largest economy grew at a frail pace in the second quarter. In an interview on Friday, Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) chief Darren Woods said he expected record oil demand this year and next. On the supply side, U.S. oil rigs fell by one to 529 this week, their lowest since March 2022, energy services firm Baker Hughes (BKR.O) said on Friday. The data is an indication of future supply. Evidence of tightening is mounting, given declining U.S. inventories and Saudi Arabia's voluntary cut of 1 million barrels per day, Commerzbank analysts said, highlighting this month could have seen OPEC oil production plunge to its lowest level since the autumn of 2021. Saudi Arabia is expected to extend the voluntary oil output cut for another month to include September, five analysts said, to provide additional support for the oil market.

Iranian Oil Is Stuck off Coast of Texas, but U.S. Firms Won’t Touch It —U.S. federal prosecutors can’t auction off 800,000 barrels of seized Iranian oil sitting in a Greek tanker off the coast of Texas because U.S. companies are reluctant to unload it, according to people familiar with the matter. Prosecutors commandeered the Suez Rajan tanker carrying the oil earlier this year after charging its Greek owner with sanctions evasion, and directing the ship into the muddy-green waters 65 miles off Galveston’s coast. The U.S. Coast Guard cleared the tanker for unloading, but the companies that manage those transfers—known as lightering—say they are too worried about Iranian reprisal to handle the captured oil.“Companies with any exposure whatsoever in the Persian Gulf are literally afraid to do it,” said a Houston-based energy executive involved in the matter, citing worries “that the Iranians would take retribution against them.”The executive said that several of the companies contacted about unloading the oil declined.Another executive at a shipping company involved in lightering in the Gulf of Mexico also flagged concerns over retaliation. “I don’t know if anybody’s going to touch it,” the executive said. The impasse over the seized oil illustrates the difficulties the U.S. government faces when it comes to enforcing sanctions against Iran, which has ramped up attacks against Western shipping interests. Tehran uses those tactics to deter the West from interdicting Iranian exports, according to analysts and former U.S. officials. The question of how to deal with the Iranian oil comes amid quiet efforts by top U.S. diplomats to restart negotiations with Tehran over a nuclear accord that former President Donald Trump had pulled out of in 2018. President Biden took office pledging to revive the international pact that imposed limits on Iran’s nuclear programs, but those efforts had stalled last year.“That vessel’s emblematic of a much bigger drama that’s playing out about how we deal with Iranian threats,” said a former U.S. official. Tehran’s military forces have hijacked several Western tankers traveling through the shipping channel off the nation’s southern shores in recent months in what analysts say is retaliation for Western oil seizures. The Defense Department said earlier this month that Iran’s navy attempted to hijack two more tankers but were turned away by the Navy ships protecting international waters in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials said Monday that the Pentagon is deploying F-35 jet fighters and a Navy destroyer to the Middle East as part of an effort to deter Iran from attempting to seize oil tankers and to respond to Russian aggression in the region. Iran analysts say that the Iranian navy’s seizure in late April of the Marshall Islands-flagged Advantage Sweet was likely in retaliation for the U.S. commandeering of the Suez Rajan.“We categorically reject the U.S.’s baseless allegations of hijacking foreign oil tankers by Iran,” a representative for Iran’s mission to the United Nations told The Wall Street Journal. Iranian state media, quoting the government in Tehran, claimed that the Advantage Sweet was seized because it had hit a fishing craft. The owners of the Advantage Sweet didn’t respond to a request for comment.

U.S. Sending More Warships, Marines to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions With Iran - WSJ - Washington has dispatched forces to region over past three months to discourage Iran’s ) The U.S. military said it was sending additional warships and Marines to the Middle East in an effort to deter Iran from seizing more ships in the region.

Iran ranks 3rd in oil reserves globally: OPEC – Iran has the third largest proven oil reserves across the world, new figures by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) show. According to the data, Iran is in possession of a total of 208,600 billion barrels of oil, which remained unchanged between 2019 and 2022. The figure stood at 155,600 billion barrels in 2018, but it surged by 53 billion barrels the following year. Venezuela and Saudi Arabia had the world’s first and second largest proven oil reserves in 2022 with 303,221 and 267,192 billion barrels respectively, according to OPEC figures. OPEC’s proven oil reserves reached 1,243,523 billion barrels in 2022, rising by 0.1 percent when compared to the previous year. The world’s total oil reserves also stood at 1564.441 billion barrels at the end of 2022, showing a 1.1 percent increase compared to 2021. Iran is a founding member of OPEC, an organization enabling the cooperation of leading oil-producing countries in order to collectively influence the global oil market and maximize profit. The country is banned from international oil trade because of US sanctions, but its oil export revenues jumped by 67 percent to $42.6 billion in 2022. It is currently producing some 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and more than 1 billion cubic meters per day of natural gas. Iran has some 10 active oil refineries and 21 natural gas refineries while it also counts on massive hard currency revenues from its petrochemicals sector.

US Sanctions Blocked UN Earthquake Rescue System in Syria - A life-saving United Nations mapping system to coordinate rescue efforts was blocked in Syria by US sanctions following a devastating earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey on February 6, Middle East Eye reported on Wednesday.The system, known as the Insarag Coordination & Management System (ICMS), uses a cloud-based mapping platform to help rescuers log details of their efforts and share other information.The mapping platform the ICMS uses is called ArcGIS, which is provided by a California-based company, the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). According to ESRI’s website, its technology is prohibited in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, and Belarus due to US sanctions. It’s also blocked in Crimea and the Donetsk People’s Republic, and Luhansk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine.Rescuers could use the ICMS in neighboring Turkey, but the service was blocked in Syria during the critical first days of rescue operations. The USissued a 180-day sanctions exemption for “all transactions related to earthquake relief efforts” on February 9, but it’s unclear from the MEEreport if the ICMS ever became accessible in Syria.US sanctions are also impeding Syrian efforts to rebuild earthquake-damaged cities as they are specifically designed to prevent Syria’s reconstruction after over 10 years of war. While US sanctions technically have exemptions for humanitarian goods and services, companies typically cut off all services with sanctioned countries because they don’t want to risk running afoul of the US measures. The MEE report said that the ICMS is inaccessible in Iran, which is a very earthquake-prone country.Like in other nations, US sanctions on Iran have had a devastating impact on the country’s civilian population. UN experts said earlier this year that US and other Western sanctions are causing more deaths of Iranians with thalassemia, a congenital blood disorder that requires specialized medicine.

Mutinous soldiers claim to have overthrown Niger's president (AP) — Mutinous soldiers claimed to have overthrown Niger's democratically elected president, announcing on state television late Wednesday that they have put an end to the government over the African country's deteriorating security. The soldiers said all institutions had been suspended and security forces were managing the situation. The mutineers urged external partners not to interfere. .The announcement came after a day of uncertainty as members of Niger’s presidential guard surrounded the presidential palace and detained President Mohamed Bazoum. There was no immediate indication of whether the mutiny was supported by other parts of the military. It was unclear where the president was at the time of the announcement or if he had resigned. “This is as a result of the continuing degradation of the security situation, the bad economic and social governance," air force Col. Major Amadou Abdramane said on the video. Seated at a table in front of nine other officers, he said aerial and land borders were closed and a curfew was imposed until the situation stabilized. The group, which is calling itself National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country, said it remained committed to its engagements with the international and national community. Earlier Wednesday, a tweet from the account of Niger’s presidency reported that members of the elite guard unit engaged in an “anti-Republican demonstration” and unsuccessfully tried to obtain support from other security forces. It said Bazoum and his family were doing well but that Niger’s army and national guard “are ready to attack” if those involved in the action did not back down. The commissions of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States described the events as an effort to unseat Bazoum, who was elected president two years ago in the nation’s first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since its independence from France in 1960. Threats to Bazoum’s leadership would undermine the West’s efforts to stabilize Africa’s Sahel region, which has been overrun with coups in recent years. Mali and Burkina Faso have had four coups since 2020, and both are being overrun by extremists linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Niger in March, seeking to strengthen ties with a country where extremists have carried out attacks on civilians and military personnel but the overall security situation was not as dire as in neighboring nations. During a stop in New Zealand on Thursday, Blinken repeated the U.S. condemnation of the mutiny against Niger's president and said his team was in close contact with officials in France and Africa. Blinken added that he had spoken with Bazoum on Wednesday, saying that he "made clear that we strongly support him as the democratically elected president of the country.”

Niger's President Bazoum has been removed - soldiers - (Reuters) - Niger President Mohamed Bazoum has been removed from power, according to a group of soldiers who appeared on the West African nation's national television late on Wednesday, hours after the president was held in the presidential palace. Reading from a statement, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, seated and flanked by nine other officers, said defence and security forces had decided: "Put an end to the regime that you know due to the deteriorating security situation and bad governance." Abdramane said Niger's borders are closed, a nationwide curfew declared, and all institutions of the republic are suspended. The soldiers warned against any foreign intervention, adding that they will respect Bazoum's wellbeing. The military takeover, which marks the seventh coup in the West and Central Africa region since 2020, could further complicate Western efforts to help countries in the Sahel region fight a jihadist insurgency that has spread from Mali over the past decade. Land-locked Niger, a former French colony, has become a pivotal ally for Western powers seeking to help fight the insurgencies, but they are facing growing acrimony from the new juntas in charge in Mali and Burkina Faso. Niger is also a key ally of the European Union in the fight against irregular migration from sub-Saharan Africa. France moved troops to Niger from Mali last year after its relations with interim authorities there soured. It has also withdrawn special forces from Burkina Faso amid similar tensions.

US Forces in Niger Assessing the Situation After Coup - US forces in Niger are restricting their movement and assessing the situation following a military coup that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, NBC News reported Thursday, citing two unnamed Pentagon officials. A group of Nigerien soldiers appeared on TV Wednesday saying that they ousted Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021. “The defense and security forces … have decided to put an end to the regime you are familiar with,” said Maj. Col. Amadou Abdramane, spokesman for the group that took power, which calls itself the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland.The following day, Niger’s military released a statement saying that it supported the coup. “The military command of the Nigerien armed forces has decided to subscribe to the declaration by the Defence and Security Forces in order to avoid a deadly confrontation between the various forces,” said a statement signed by Niger’s armed forces chief of staff, Gen. Abdou Sidikou Issa.The US condemned the military takeover and is backing Bazoum but has stopped short of formally calling it a coup as that would require cutting off aid to the country. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did warn that the US partnership with the country depends on “democratic governance and respect for the rule of law.”The US has a significant military presence in Niger, with at least 1,016 troops in the country. The US constructed a major drone base in Niger, Air Base 201, which houses armed MQ-9 Reaper drones and supports US counterterrorism operations across Africa.

UN official says latest Russian attacks on Ukraine ‘signal a calamitous turn’ A top United Nations official on Wednesday called recent attacks by Russia on the city of Odesa and other southern Ukrainian port areas “the latest casualties in this senseless, brutal war.” Speaking to the U.N. Security Council in a briefing on Ukraine, Mohamed Khaled Khiari, an assistant secretary-general, called for such attacks to end “immediately” and suggested they “signal a calamitous turn” in the war.“These attacks targeting Ukraine’s grain export facilities, similarly to all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, are unacceptable and must stop immediately,” Khiari said inprepared remarks. “I must emphasize that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.”Khiari pointed to a Russian attack Sunday that damaged a historic cathedral in Odesa, which followed multiple nights of attacks targeting the city and other southern ports in Ukraine.“We have now seen disturbing reports of further Russian strikes against port infrastructure, including grain storage facilities, in Reni and Izmail ports on the Danube River – a key route for shipment of Ukrainian grain, not far from Ukraine’s borders with Moldova and Romania,” Khiari said.“Deliberately targeting infrastructure that facilitates the export of food to the rest of the world could be life-threatening to millions of people who need access to affordable food,” he added.Russia last week pulled out of a wartime deal negotiated by the U.N. that allowed for Ukraine to export grain to countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, a move widely condemned by the West. “In the wake of Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Initiative, these latest attacks signal a calamitous turn for Ukrainians and the world,”

Zelensky Says Ukrainian Offensive Was Delayed Due to Lack of Weapons - Ukrainian President Voldymr Zelensky said in an interview aired on Sunday that the Ukrainian counteroffensive started later than he wanted due to a lack of weapons and training. “We did have plans to start it in spring. But we didn’t, because, frankly, we had not enough munitions and armaments and not enough brigades properly trained in these weapons, still, more, that the training missions were held outside Ukraine,” Zelensky told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. During the lead-up to the counteroffensive, which was launched in early June, Ukrainian troops were being trained inside NATO countries. Zelensky said that the delay allowed Russia to lay more minefields, which Ukrainian forces have struggled to get through. “And because we started it a bit later on it can be said and it will be shared truth understood by all of the experts that it provided Russia with time to mine all of our land and build several lines of defense,” he said.Despite the massive amount of weapons and ammunition the US and its allies have poured into Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Western officials did not believe Ukraine had enough to dislodge Russian forces. Ukraine’s Western backers hoped the Ukrainians would have been able to break through, but the offensive is faltering.US officials speaking to the media have blamed Ukraine’s lack of success on its tactics, complaining Ukrainian soldiers are being too cautious and aren’t using the “combined arms” training they learned from NATO that integrates infantry, artillery, and armor. But the US and its NATO allies would never launch such an offensive without air superiority. When Ukraine did launch a major attack with armored vehicles in the first weeks of the counteroffensive, it resulted in heavy losses.

WSJ: Western Officials Knew Ukraine Didn't Have Enough Weapons and Training for Counteroffensive - The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that Western officials knew Ukrainian forces didn’t have enough training or equipment for their counteroffensive but hoped they would be able to break through anyway.The report reads: “When Ukraine launched its big counteroffensive this spring, Western military officials knew Kyiv didn’t have all the training or weapons—from shells to warplanes—that it needed to dislodge Russian forces. But they hoped Ukrainian courage and resourcefulness would carry the day. They Haven’t.”Leading up to the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which was launched in June,the Discord leaks and media reports revealed that the US did not believe Ukraine could regain much territory from Russia. But the Biden administration pushed for the assault anyway, as it rejected the idea of a pause in fighting.Ukrainian forces have struggled to push through Russia’s defenses, which include vast minefields, resulting in heavy Ukrainian armor losses in the first few weeks of the counteroffensive. US officials speaking to The New York Times and The Washington Post have blamed the lack of success on Ukraine, saying Ukrainian forces are not using the “combined arms” tactics they learned from NATO countries.But the Journal report noted that the US and its Western allies would never launch an offensive without air superiority, something Ukraine doesn’t have. Despite the situation on the battlefield for Ukrainians, the US wants Ukraine to try to push harder to break through against Russian forces regardless of the risk of major casualties. The Journal report said that the prospect of a stalemate and long war would require the US and its allies to provide a “huge new infusion of sophisticated armaments and more training to give Kyiv a chance at victory.”

Experts Say Demining Ukraine Could Take Hundreds of Years - Ukraine is the most heavily mined country in the world, and demining efforts could take decades or even hundreds of years, The Washington Postreported on Saturday.“The sheer quantity of ordnance in Ukraine is just unprecedented in the last 30 years. There’s nothing like it,” Greg Crowther, director of programs for the Mines Advisory Group, told the Post.The report said about 30% of Ukraine, or 67,000 square miles, has been contaminated by mines and other ordnance and will require demining. The area is larger than the US state of Florida.The situation will get worse as the US has provided Ukraine with cluster munitions, which the White House has said Ukrainian forces are already using. Cluster bombs spread small submunitions over large areas, and those that don’t explode can kill or maim civilians decades later.According to UN numbers, between February 2022 and July 2023, 298 civilians in Ukraine were killed, and 632 were injured by mines and other ordnance. Both sides in the conflict have used anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. Anti-personnel mines are more hazardous to civilians because they require much less pressure to detonate.Ukraine is a signatory to a treaty banning anti-personnel mines, butthere’s evidence that Ukrainian forces have used them. The US and Russia are not signatories to the treaty, known as the Ottawa Treaty.The US has provided Ukraine with two known types of mines, including the Remote Anti-Armor Mine System, which uses 155mm artillery and is designed to eventually self-destruct. The other type, M21 anti-tank mines, do not self-destruct and will be needed to be cleaned up.

Russia Accuses Ukraine of Killing Journalist With US Cluster Bombs - Russia on Saturday accused Ukrainian forces of killing a Russian journalistin the southern Zaporizhzhia region using US-provided cluster munitions, which are widely banned due to the harm they cause civilians.The Russian Defense Ministry said that Rostislav Zhuravlev, a reporter for Russia’s RIA news agency, was killed, and three other journalists were wounded by a Ukrainian artillery attack.Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the responsibility for the journalist’s death “will also be shared by those who have sent cluster munitions,” referring to the US.The US has said that Ukraine is already using US-provided cluster munitions, but the Russian claim that cluster bombs killed Zhuravlev is not confirmed. On Sunday, the Russian investigative Committee announced a probe into his death.The committee accused Ukrainian forces of “purposefully” firing at a group of Russian journalists but did not specifically mention cluster munitions in an announcement of the investigation on its website.There have been other reports from Russian and Russian-backed officials about Ukraine using US-provided cluster munitions. A spokesman for law enforcement agencies in Luhansk claimed Sunday that Ukrainian forces were using them in the region.“The enemy has begun to use foreign-made cluster munitions in the LPR. They hit the village of Zolotarevka. Data on casualties is being verified,” the official said, according to the Russian news agency TASS.The White House said on July 20 that Ukrainian forces were using cluster munitions “quite effectively.” In February 2022, the White House said the use of cluster bombs in Ukraine would “potentially be a war crime.”

No Joke: Ursula Von der Leyen’s EU Commission Just Received “World Prize for Peace and Freedom” --Few political figures have done more to keep Ukrainians fighting — and dying in huge numbers — in a bloody, futile proxy war of attrition than Von der Leyen.Last Friday (July 21), droves of high-profile international lawyers, NGO execs and politicians converged on the UN headquarters in New York to attend the closing ceremony of the 28th World Congress on Law, the flagship biennial event of the US-based World Jurists Association (WJA). During the event the King of Spain Felipe VI and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau* presented EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (whom I shall henceforth refer to as VdL) with the “World Prize for Peace and Freedom,” which she received on behalf of the institution she fronts.While the EU may have played an important role in fostering peace in Europe during its formative years, today’s EU Commission makes for a bizarre choice for a peace and freedom award, given:

1. It is a participant in the proxy war taking place in Ukraine and has been directly arming the Ukrainian forces through its Orwellian-dubbed European Peace Facility (more on that later);
2. It has imposed eleven rounds of largely self-maiming sanctions on Russia that have crippled German and Italian industry and are undermining the economic health of the entire EU bloc;
3. It has also not exactly been a staunch defender of freedom in recent years. For a start, in June 2021 it implemented the “Green Pass” vaccine passport, which was used by EU Member governments to deprive millions of unvaccinated EU citizens of their basic rights and freedoms on the basis of a vaccine that did not prevent transmission of COVID-19 and which the World Health Organization would now like to turn into a global standard. It is also about to declare all-out war on freedom of speech on the Internet.

The World Congress on Law is sometimes referred to as the “Davos of Law”. Its World Prize for Peace and Freedom is the WJA’s highest honour, given to individuals or institutions that have apparently distinguished themselves in promoting “peace through the rule of law.” It is sometimes described as the Nobel Prize of international law.

ECB scraps interest on reserves in $6 billion hit to banks -The European Central Bank will stop paying banks for the money they are required to keep at the institution as a minimum reserve, a surprise move that could cut billions from lenders' interest income. Europe's banks most recently were required to stash about 165 billion euros at the ECB as minimum reserves, according to data through June 20 on the central bank's website. The central bank paid 3.25% on that amount, translating into annual income of about 5.4 billion euros ($6 billion). The payment was tied to the deposit facility rate, which was raised to 3.5% on June 21. The ECB severed that link on Thursday, a change that will become effective on Sept. 20. European bank stocks reversed gains after the decision, with the Stoxx 600 Europe Banks Index little changed at 3:05 p.m. in Frankfurt after earlier gaining as much as 0.7%. Deutsche Bank AG saw one of the steepest declines, falling as much as 4.7%. The German lender yesterday gave an upbeat interest income outlook when it presented second-quarter results. Europe's lenders have benefited from the ECB's rate hikes over the past year as they were able to charge more for loans while keeping the amount paid on deposits near zero. That effect, however, is beginning to taper off as funding costs rise among competition for deposits, while demand for loans is fading. "Paying a zero rate on minimum reserves was unexpected," Deutsche Bank Chief European Economist Mark Wall said in a reaction note. "It's a slight further tightening of the stance." The ECB had already lowered the amount paid on minimum reserves before. The latest move "will preserve the effectiveness of monetary policy by maintaining the current degree of control over the monetary policy stance and ensuring the full pass-through of the interest rate decisions to money markets," the ECB said. "At the same time, it will improve the efficiency of monetary policy by reducing the overall amount of interest that needs to be paid on reserves," it said on its website. --