Business

National

Virtual Schmoozing: How The Pandemic Changed Ways Businesses Seal The Deal

4:14pm August 14, 2020

by Ryan Kailath

The days of business lunches and sealing deals over drinks are gone. In place of face-to-face schmoozing, companies woo clients with virtual cooking classes and Zoom calls with famous athletes.

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California Assembly member Monique Limón (foreground) introduced a bill to create a financial watchdog agency for the state.

New California Financial Watchdog Would Take Aim At Predatory Lenders Amid Pandemic

10:40am August 14, 2020

by Chris Arnold

California may be on the cusp of creating a watchdog agency. Proponents say federal regulators aren't doing their job, leaving leaving millions of Americans vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis.

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A pedestrian walks by Saks Fifth Avenue as New York City continues relaxing more restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

Midsummer Shopping In Recovery Mode: July Retail Sales Rise 1.2%

9:07am August 14, 2020

by Alina Selyukh

People particularly stocked up on electronics and appliances, took more trips with stops at gas stations, and cautiously went out to eat as more stores and restaurants reopened.

Arts

Fortnite Uses Apple's Own '1984' Ad Against It In Dispute Over Payments

8:24pm August 13, 2020

Apple pulled the popular shooting game from its App Store, after its developer tried to get around the fee Apple requires from in-app purchases.

U.S.-China Trade Dispute Affects The Search For A New Head Of WTO

4:58pm August 13, 2020

by Jackie Northam

The ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute is spilling over into the search for a new head of the World Trade Organization. Candidates for the job are now trying to appeal to both Washington and Beijing.

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Pump jacks work in a field near Lovington, N.M., in 2015. The Trump administration is lifting an Obama-era rule aimed at limiting emissions of methane, a potent climate-warming gas.

Environment

Trump's Methane Rollback That Big Oil Doesn't Want

4:41pm August 13, 2020

by Jeff Brady

The rule ends Obama-era restrictions on emissions of methane, a potent climate-warming gas. The move could make it harder to argue that natural gas is a cleaner-burning fossil fuel than coal.

A sign advertises hiring of temporary workers at a Pier 1 store that's going out of business in Coral Gables, Fla. Last week, initial unemployment claims broke a 20-week streak of being above 1 million.

Economy

New Jobless Claims Dip Below 1 Million For 1st Time Since March

4:16pm August 13, 2020

by Scott Horsley

Initial unemployment claims had been above 1 million for 20 straight weeks. The total receiving unemployment also dipped, to 28.3 million, as of July 25.

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Tech companies are under enormous pressure from government officials to prevent their platforms from being used by foreign actors and others to disrupt the 2020 election, as occurred in 2016.

Top Facebook Official: Our Aim Is To Make Lying On The Platform 'More Difficult'

1:03pm August 13, 2020

by Ashish Valentine

Facebook's head of security policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said that the company is working harder than ever to counteract efforts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.

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Trump Executive Orders On Unemployment See States Footing Part Of The Bill

7:28am August 13, 2020

by Paul Braun

Louisiana and other states are struggling to keep unemployment state funds afloat, now the Trump administration wants them to contribute more money to federal benefits.

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Health & Safety

Why Some Restaurants Are Thriving In The Pandemic While Others Struggle

6:53am August 13, 2020

by Monica Eng

While most restaurants were hurt by the pandemic, certain types are going strong. It's not just drive-through fast food joints, but longtime stalwarts serving comfort foods people are craving.

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