Category Archives: Progress

BY THE NUMBERSIN THE NEWS TODAY

With the invasion now in its third week, the U.S. and its allies prepared to step up their efforts to isolate and sanction Russia. According to media reports, President Joe Biden on Friday, along with the European Union and the G-7, will move to revoke Russia's most favored trading status. (Reuters)

* Senate passes key funding bill that includes nearly $14 billion in Ukraine aid (CNBC)

Friday marks two years since Covid was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Since the novel coronavirus was found in China in 2019, there have been more than 450 million global infections and over 6 million deaths, with more than 15% of each in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University data. (CNBC)

Though the raging wave of omicron cases has subsided and more than 250 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine, according to the CDC, health officials are warning Americans not to get complacent.

* U.S. extends airplane mask mandate even as other Covid measures lifted (CNBC)

Ford (F) will collaborate with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. in California to evaluate the bidirectional charging capabilities of the electric F-150 Lightning to power homes and return energy to the power grid. The move comes days after PG&E announced a pilot program with General Motors (GM). (CNBC)

* Toyota to cut quarterly production to ease strain on beleaguered suppliers (Reuters)

Rivian(RIVN) fell 8.5% in premarket action after the electric vehicle maker reported a wider than expected loss, and said supply chain issues would limit its factory output this year. Rivian said reservations for its vehicles have reached about 83,000 as of March 8, up from 71,000 in December. (CNBC)

Major League Baseball and the players union have reached a labor deal that would pave the way for spring training games to begin, with Opening Day in early April. It also ushers in some changes, including a designated hitter in the National League, nearly 50 years after it was adopted in the American League. (CNBC)

Oracle(ORCL) fell 2.3% in the premarket after its adjusted quarterly profit of $1.13 per share fell 5 cents shy of estimates. Revenue was in line with forecasts. Oracle continues to see progress in shifting its customers to the cloud, with cloud revenue jumping 24% compared with a year ago.

Uber Technologies(UBER) rose 1.6% in premarket action after Deutsche Bank initiated coverage with a "buy" rating and a $50 price target. Deutsche Bank points to Uber's leading position in a fast-growing market as well as an attractive entry point for the stock.

Pearson(PSO) spiked 20% in premarket trading after private equity firm Apollo said it was in the preliminary stages of evaluating a possible cash offer for Pearson. Apollo said there was no certainty an actual offer would be made.

DiDi Global(DIDI) plunged 12.7% in the premarket following a Bloomberg report that the ride-hailing company was suspending plans to list its shares in Hong Kong. People familiar with the matter said Didi failed to meet demands by China regulators that it overhaul its handling of sensitive user data.

Toyota Motor(TM) slipped 1.7% in the premarket after saying it would cut production by up to 20% in April, May and June as it seeks to ease the strain on its suppliers, who are struggling to provide computer chips and other parts.

DocuSign(DOCU) reported adjusted quarterly earnings of 48 cents per share, 1 cent above estimates, with revenue also coming in above Street forecasts. However, the shares tumbled 17.5% in the premarket after DocuSign issued weaker-than-expected guidance for the full year.

Ulta Beauty(ULTA) rose 2.6% in the premarket after reporting better-than-expected profit and revenue for its latest quarter. Comparable-store sales also beat forecasts with a 21.4% increase, and Ulta announced a new $2 billion share buyback.

Blink Charging(BLNK) reported a wider-than-expected quarterly loss even as sales beat analyst estimates. The company said it continues to see strong momentum as the business community and government agencies continue to promote the benefits of a reliable EV infrastructure. Blink's shares slid 6.1% in premarket trading.

Zumiez(ZUMZ) plummeted 14.1% in premarket action after its quarterly earnings and revenue fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Current quarter guidance was also shy of estimates.

See original here:

What to watch today: Futures jump on hopes of progress in Russia-Ukraine talks - CNBC

In 2018, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg sparked a worldwide movement to meet carbon emissions targets when she protested outside the Swedish parliament holding a sign saying "School Strike for Climate."

That protest inspired students across the globe to hold similar demonstrations demanding action from their governments on climate change. The issue remains at the forefront, though measures to address climate change are stalled in Congress.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wisconsin, took to the floor of Congress to stake out a view that he says is rarely heard that the United States is already doing a better job than the rest of the world at addressing the issue.

In a Feb. 3, 2022 tweet that included a snippet of the floor speech, Grothman made this claim: "The US has made strides in reducing carbon emissions that other parts of the world have not. Meanwhile, @POTUS is trying to send taxpayer dollars to manufacturers overseas that do not abide by the same standards we do at home."

In an email to PolitiFact Wisconsin, Grothman expanded on the comment.

"I feel that many young people are being misled into thinking our country is polluting more than it ever has," Grothman said. "In reality, air and water pollution have decreased significantly in the last 40 years. I also feel that given the growth of the Chinese and Indian economies, people in the U.S. have to be conscious that changes in our laws can inadvertently push jobs to these other countries who do not have the same environmental standards we do."

Both parts of Grothmans claim caught our attention. We took a look at the overseas manufacturers claim and rated it Half True.

But what about the claim on carbon emissions and progress.

The U.S. vs. the world

The claim is that the U.S. is ahead of "other parts of the world" in terms of the strides it has made. Admittedly, the "other parts of the world" is a bit vague, but we interpret it to mean the US is doing better than many other countries that like it are among the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.

When asked for backup, Grothman staffers pointed to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report titled "Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 19902020."

The report said that CO2 carbon monoxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion fell by 8.4% in that 30-year period. Looking at just the 15-year period of 2005 to 2020, they fell 24.7%. (In the final year covered, from 2019 to 2020, the figure was 10.7%)

So, U.S. emissions have fallen, but Grothman stated that as a comparison to other parts of the world, so we need to look broader.

Researchers with the Rhodium Group, an independent research firm focused on global trends, have tracked that data back decades. Their data puts China as the worlds top emitter, followed by the United States. The data groups the European Union as one, in addition to listing its individual nations such as Germany.

According to the data provided, here are the worlds largest greenhouse gas emitters for the years 2010 and 2019, with total net emissions in million metric tons of CO2e (bundles of greenhouse gases):

2010 2019 Percent change

China 11,235 14,093 +25.4%

U.S. 6,241 5,724 -8.2%

India 2,504 3,422 +36.6%

European Union 3,868 3,334 -13.8%

Brazil 2,124 1,458 -31.3%

Indonesia 1,113 1,765 +58.5%

Russia 1,335 1,619 +21.2%

Japan 1,232 1,142 -7.3%

Germany 923 771 -16.4%

Canada 665 707 +6.3%

So when compared to the worlds top greenhouse gas emitters, the United States has made progress, decreasing emissions 8.2% from 2010 to 2019. China and India saw the biggest increases among those countries, 25.4% and 36.6%.

Of note: Brazil made the most progress for that time period among the top 5 emitters, with a decrease of 31.3%. However, by 2020-2021, as The New York Times reported Nov. 2, 2021, Brazils progress has stalled and the country is now seeing increasing emission levels, largely driven by a surge in deforestation.

Our ruling

Grothman said "The US has made strides in reducing carbon emissions that other parts of the world have not."

When compared to the worlds other top greenhouse gas emitters, the United States has made progress its emissions falling 8.2% from 2010 to 2019. While the US is not tops in terms of decreases, Grothmans claim was a relative one. And China and India are among countries that have seen increases, not decreases.

For a statement that is accurate with nothing significant missing, our rating is True.

Go here to see the original:

US is making progress on cutting greenhouse gas emissions when compared to the rest of the world - PolitiFact

As U.S. Senators representing Minnesota and South Dakota, we know how crucial it is for American businesses to be able to export throughout the country and across the globe. American farmers feed the world, and consumers and businesses look to them for in-demand agricultural goods like soybeans, corn, dairy, poultry, pork, and beef, just to name a few. And American manufacturers support so many of the essential parts and products that fill our homes, businesses, and store shelves.

Contributed

We need to get our supply chain moving again. Americans dont want to walk into the grocery store wondering if the items on their shopping list are on the shelf or stuck in transit and they dont want to pay inflated prices for the goods they need. U.S. businesses have to be able to get their goods out the door and into peoples homes.

Like many of you, we were alarmed by reports showing that foreign-owned ocean carriers are making it more difficult and more expensive to ship goods. We were also alarmed to see critical exports like grain being left at U.S. ports while these international ocean carriers return to Asia with empty containers.

Contributed / U.S. Senate Photographic Studio

We've heard from U.S. companies that have only been able to ship 60 percent of their orders because they cant access shipping containers. We need to get exports to those who need them, but its plainly obvious that the ocean carriers are prioritizing non-American shipments at the expense of both American consumers and American exporters. That isnt sustainable, and it isnt acceptable.

Since the pandemic began, these companies have also quadrupled the cost of shipping containers, and many U.S. exporters have been slapped with unexpected and often illegitimate fees with no easy way to dispute the charges.

In the last two years, agricultural exporters lost at least 22% of foreign sales, yet carriers are posting record profits, bringing in two-or-three-times the revenue they predicted. It may be good for their international owners, but its bad for American producers.

Its time to stop hoping the carriers decide to play fair.

Thats why we worked across the aisle to put forth a solution: the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. Our bill protects American manufacturers and farmers by making it harder for ocean carriers to refuse to ship ready-to-export goods waiting at our ports. It also builds on the success of past reform legislation to ensure the ocean shipping market remains free, fair, accessible, and competitive.

This bipartisan legislation would make a huge difference for our agricultural communities, manufacturers, and small businesses that have been impacted by these harmful practices. Our common-sense bill is supported by groups across the spectrum, including the American Association of Port Authorities, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, and the National Retail Federation.

The bottom line is this: Minnesota and South Dakota exporters need to be able to get their goods to market in a timely manner for a fair price. Were committed to getting it signed into law because whether you live in Sioux Falls, Saint Paul, or anywhere in the world, you should be able to buy American-made products.

(Sen. Amy Klobuchar represents Minnesota and Sen. John Thune represents South Dakota in the U.S. Senate.)

More here:

Klobuchar and Thune tout bipartisan progress on shipping - Agweek

On the narrow street in front of the house where we learned to hit up the middle, a scab of concrete served as home plate. There was no place to slide, no fence to scale, no crowd to roar. Only the occasional shout of Car! heightened the action. Between pitches, three houses down from the batter, we stood barefoot just off the curb in the cool, green grass, soothing our soles.

Summer days, wed play until it was time for supper, then wed turn on the lights in the backyard and play some more.

Back then, no one cared how long the games lasted. They never ended, really. Not for those of us who grew up loving them.

Baseball officially returned Thursday from its silly, self-imposed exile, the second-longest work stoppage in the sports history. In many corners, this is unforgivable. Only baseball has so much trouble getting its act together. Certainly the owners and players have done damage, some of it irreparable. You dont continue to inflict this level of greed and arrogance on the public without exacting a steep price. Fool me once, many fans say, shame on you.

Fool me 99 straight days? No chance, pal.

Baseball has real issues that need to be resolved. Too many walks and strikeouts. Not enough action. A hide-bound adherence to the notion that strike zones are the sole property of the umpire who happens to be working behind the plate on any given day.

Of the on-the-field matters, the best thing the owners and players could agree to immediately was a universal designated hitter. My condolences to National League fans mourning the passing of pitchers in the batters box and the ol double switch. No problem here with expanding the playoffs from 10 to 12 teams, either. Anything to speed up the Rangers pursuit of relevance.

As for the rules changes pushed back to 2023?

Thumbs up on banning shifts. Finally. The NFL and NBA have bent over backwards to help offenses in their sports while MLB allowed defenses to slowly strangle the game. All you strict constructionists, take a seat. Most of the stars you grew up following didnt have to face these radical shifts, and even if Ted Williams did and still beat it, he was the greatest hitter who ever lived. Guys like Joey Gallo dont have a chance. Dont tell me that hitters should just learn to hit to the opposite field. Everybody throws 95 or better these days. Theres no time to make mid-swing decisions. Not unless you want everyone to hit like Nathaniel Lowe.

Thumbs up on a pitch clock, which will do more than speed up the game. Pitchers are more effective when they work faster. Crisper paces generally mean crisper defenses, too.

Thumbs down on bigger bases. Theyre kidding, right? Bigger bases? Changing the most hallowed dimensions in sports? Whats next? Bigger baseballs? Geezus.

Everything else eating at players and owners this time around pretty much came down to money and leverage, as usual. Marvin Miller got one over on the owners a half-century ago, and theyve resented it ever since. The players have, in response, staunchly defended their status as the only effective union in sports.

Keeping up with negotiations has been a little like watching congress at work. No ones out for the greater good. Everyone simply wants to win. The fact that the rank-and-file players reportedly rejected that stance by overruling their own representation at Thursdays deadline stands as a fairly remarkable development.

Frankly, Im not even sure who won, but I can tell you who lost: Those of us who still feel a mid-winter spark at the mere mention of pitchers and catchers reporting.

Over my considerable lifetime, the purported stewards of baseball have seemed bent on wringing out any loyalty still remaining. The Astros and Rangers practically made it a mission.

But, even in times like these, when grievances arent worked out, theyre fed and nourished and cultivated, Im still optimistic about sports in general and life in particular. What can I say? The outlook helps when you work in this market.

No matter how many times the hope of spring has faded with the heat and humility of summer, baseball still holds its grip.

Would it help if the Rangers went out this weekend and signed Clayton Kershaw and another starter and maybe a decent outfielder?

Yes, it would, Jon Daniels.

Even so, no matter whos in charge or how much it hurts, you cant quit baseball. No, it isnt the same as it was when I ran barefoot in the streets. Little else even comes close. Thats the lesson. For good or ill, the world keeps changing, but diamonds are forever.

+++

Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Read this article:

MLB made progress in fixing on-field product with new CBA limiting shifts and implementing a universal DH, - The Dallas Morning News

To the editor: I am disappointed by the imbalanced framing in the article analyzing the amount of money spent by Los Angeles County on stormwater capture after voters approved Measure W in 2018. My organization, Heal the Bay, supported Measure W for equitable, multibenefit projects that clean up water while creating green space.

Multiple public bodies vote on projects to ensure responsible and equitable spending. This innovative program has never existed before, and it requires time to establish a process that includes deep community engagement.

Projects focus on water quality because we have 210 impaired water bodies in L.A. But projects are also scored on factors like water supply, community benefits and green solutions.

Since 2020, $623 million from the Los Angeles County Safe Clean Water Regional Program has been allocated to new infrastructure projects over the next five years, representing nearly $1 billion in total investments thanks to the programs requirements for leveraged funding.

We may not see projects in the ground yet, but that sure looks like progress to me.

Annelisa Moe, Santa Monica

The writer is a water quality scientist at Heal the Bay.

..

To the editor: Thanks to The Times for its attention to stormwater collection.

In December, all of us taxpayers with buckets in our showers watched with dismay as our winter rainwater washed into the ocean, yet again. I wondered then what had happened to the money we allocated to save this water through Measure W.

Heres a plan: Lets put in parallel channels of underground pipes and tunnels along our existing stormwater channels such as the L.A. River. Much like a bathtub with an overflow drain at the top, the channel could divert floodwater all along the way.

These pipes could ferry that water to our reservoirs, new holding basins or underground tunnels, golf courses, new community cisterns and deep into the aquifer of the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Basin. How hard is that?

Yes, several different cities and people own rights to the Los Angeles River water, but the federal government overrides them all.

Starting in the Great Depression, the Army Corps of Engineers was able to build dozens of dams and pave 200 linear feet of riverbed per day. If the Army Corps of Engineers did it once, it can do it again.

Sarah Starr, Los Angeles

Excerpt from:

You might not notice, but L.A. is making progress on water - Los Angeles Times

How's winter coming along The Winds of Winter,that is?

It's the question fans can't stop asking George R.R. Martin, author of the booksGame of Thrones was based on, after waiting more than 10 years for the next novel. Martin has now provided an update on the long-awaited book,The Winds of Winter, writing on his bloghe made progress on it in 2021 but less than the year prior.

"Yes, of course I am still working on The Winds of Winter,"Martin wrote. "I have stated that a hundred times in a hundred venues, having to restate it endlessly is just wearisome. I made a lot of progress on Winds in 2020, and less in 2021 but 'less' is not 'none.'"

The lastA Song of Ice and Firenovel was published in July 2011, and Martin has said he has two more planned. Heintended to finish his series before HBO completed its adaptation, but the show was forced to cover material he hadn't yet published due to the sixth book's epic delay. The series concluded in 2019.

While Martin said he's still writingThe Winds of Winter, he also noted this is just one of his "enormous number of projects," which also include HBO'sGame of Thronesspinoffs.In fact, he highlighted that he's quite involved in these shows, such asthe upcomingHouse of the Dragon.

"Those have taken a ton of my time and attention this year," Martin said. "I have seen some comments out there questioning how much I am involved in these new series. The answer is: a lot."

Martin also outlined the other book projects on his plate that aren'tThe Winds of Winter, telling frustrated fans desperate for him to finally finish the sixth book, "I know, for many of you out there, only one of those projects matters. I am sorry for you. They ALL matter to me."

Originally posted here:

George R.R. Martin made less progress in 2021 on next Game of Thrones book - The Week

The Russian invasion of Ukraine throws into sharp focus many urgent global problems that have been neglected for decades, including cybersecurity, disinformation, trade disparities, and dependence on unreliable and environmentally damaging fossil fuels (Hey Congress, blue and yellow ribbons wont save Ukrainian lives, Editorial, March 4). They are all related and all need immediate attention.

An overarching concern that touches on all of these challenges: artificial intelligence technology. This technology can make positive contributions to health care, commerce, and communications. However, in the wrong hands, AI can be used to distort reality, invade individuals personal space, and undermine democracy.

Through the Boston Global Forum and the Dukakis Institute, a global effort is underway to create an international accord on AI and digital rights. This accord would establish guardrails for the use and abuse of personal information to drive policy decisions that generate positive pressure and counteract efforts by malignant governments and private entities.

Dozens of heads of state and other world leaders are sharing ideas and recommending solutions to address growing concerns about AI. Without such protections, we are at the mercy of technologically savvy actors who can cause significant damage to our world.

Michael S. Dukakis

Cofounder and chairman

Nguyen Anh Tuan

Cofounder and CEO

Boston Global Forum

Boston

Dukakis is the former governor of Massachusetts. Tuan is director of the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation.

View original post here:

AI, a means of progress, can do harm if in the wrong hands - The Boston Globe

After eight embarrassing first-half minutes at Molineux, the game was gone. Watford had conspired to throw away any hope of a competitive encounter.

The slack marking that allowed Raul Jimenez to score Wolves first goal of the evening was repeated for their second, a clumsy Cucho Hernandez own goal, before a goalkeeping omnishambles from Ben Foster put the icing on the cake of calamity. Stick your GoPro up your arse, was one of the chants that a baying and quite frankly laughing Wolves crowd sang at the former West Brom keeper as their team cruised to a 4-0 win.

Put minutes 13 to 20 on YouTube under the title: Explained: How to lose a football match and people would think the examples given were too far-fetched. During the 2019-20 season, the 2-0 defeat to Wolves followed the 8-0 hammering at Manchester City, and at one stage Watford looked equally as shell-shocked. It was an unbridled nightmare.

There had been a hint of progress in Watfords home defeat against Arsenal, but not after Thursdays 4-0 drubbing. No redeeming traits, no positives to take. Perhaps the remarkable fact that the gap to the holy grail of 17th in the table is still only three points offers some solace, albeit

See the article here:

Calamitous first half dashes any hope that Watford are making real progress - The Athletic

There are conflicting reports about whether or not a new deal has been agreed regarding Iran's nuclear capabilities with Washington claiming an agreement will be signedwithin days.

White HousespokeswomanJen Psaki said at a press briefing:"Our view is that we are close," theWashington Timesreported.

She indicated the possibility of reaching an agreement on the nuclear deal with Tehranin the coming days.

Psaki added:"We have been close forsometime now. We also know from having been through these negotiations before that the end of the negotiations is always when the difficult and challenging parts of the conversation typically take place."

Her statement, however,contradicted Tehran's position, as the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani,announcedearlier yesterday that negotiations to revive the nuclear agreement with major powers"are gettingknottier by the hour."

READ: Iran suggests new obstacles hinder nuclear deal after Russian interruption

Diplomats from Iran, the US,and five other countries have been negotiating for months in Vienna a deal to reimpose restrictions on Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for liftingtheeconomic sanctionsthat former US President Donald Trump placed after Washingtonwithdrewfrom the 2015nuclear deal.

Last Saturday, theAtomic Energy Organisation of Iran announcedthat it had reached an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resolve issues related to the nuclear programme, as part oftheefforts to revivethe 2015 agreement.

The head of the organisation, MohammadEslami, said in a joint press conference with the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, in Tehran thatIran has agreed to provide the agency with documents related to outstanding issues by mid-June.

The nuclear agreement signed by Iran with the US, France, Britain, China, Russia and Germany in 2015, imposed restrictions on Tehran's nuclear programme to prevent the production of nuclear weapons, in return for lifting international sanctions.

View original post here:

US, Iran give conflicting updates progress of nuclear talks - Middle East Monitor

Since the currency dispute with shipping companies is causing problems in the delivery of goods passing through customs, Turkey should actively work to develop a mechanism to facilitate trade with Russia in rubles, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) head ekib Avdagi said Friday.

Avdagi stated that the companies working with Russia see the withdrawal of Western countries from Moscow as a new opportunity and emphasized that it is important to enable the use of the national currency of Russia.

The issue was also brought up during President Recep Tayyip Erdoans phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, he reiterated.

Erdoan told Putin that, apart from the euro and dollar, trade between the two countries can be carried out using the Russian ruble and Chinese yuan.

We can do it with gold, he was quoted as suggesting.

Stating that they also expect air transport to be made more competitive so they are able to deliver ongoing orders, Avdagi said, The brutality of the war is showing itself once again, and the humanitarian and geopolitical consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine overshadow its economic effects. The war, so to speak, has added yet another global humanitarian catastrophe. We share the approach put forward by our president, and we find it unacceptable that an independent country is occupied by another power.

He further noted that the measures taken by Turkeys government to mitigate the effects of geopolitical risks on the economy are very important, saying: We are following with appreciation the efforts put forward in this framework. The close monitoring mechanisms established by the economic administration during this period and the close dialogue it developed with all producers provided significant gains in the solution of problems and contributed significantly to the formation of appropriate policies.

Stating that Turkeys economic model is being implemented and the financial instruments developed within this framework have largely eliminated the volatility in the markets and played an important role in stabilizing the Turkish lira, Avdagi said, As the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and the Istanbul business world, they have made all efforts towards these goals.

Drawing attention to the developments in the marketplace of the Laleli district of Istanbul, which has huge trade ties with Russia, Avdagi said in the trade with Russia and Ukraine, extending the legal period for closing the export receivables will be very useful.

Almost all of the Laleli market produces for Russia, along with Eastern European countries and Caucasian countries, he said.

Some measures need to be taken to minimize losses and enable businesses to continue trade, the ITO head said, emphasizing that to find alternative export routes, countries such as Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Belarus and Tajikistan must be exempted from tax, which would decrease export costs.

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Turkish businesses expect progress on using rubles in trade with Russia | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah