Activists are taking a life-sized statue of Ron Johnson plastered with cow dung around Milwaukee to call out the GOP senator for claiming climate change is "bullshit".....»»

NATO said that the leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines are the "result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage." Russian President Vladimir Putin.Getty Images Russia's President Putin likens the Nord Stream pipelines' damage to "international terrorism." NATO said the pipelines carrying natural-gas from Russia to Europe have been sabotaged. A Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said the US would benefit from the leaks. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the "unprecedented sabotage" to the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines "an act of international terrorism," according to a Thursday Kremlin statement.Putin made the comment over a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, according to the readout.Leaks to the key Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines transporting natural-gas from Russia to Europe were first detected on Monday in the Danish region of the Baltic Sea. More leaks have since been discovered, with Sweden on Wednesday announcing it detected a fourth leak.The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said in a Thursday statement, that the damage is the "result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage." It has threatened to retaliate, stating: "Any deliberate attack against Allies' critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response."The finger-pointing continues, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying the damage to Nord Stream appeared to be due to state-sponsored terrorism, Reuters reported on Thursday."This looks like an act of terrorism, possibly on a state level," said Peskov, according to Reuters. "It is very difficult to imagine that such an act of a terrorism could have happened without the involvement of a state of some kind."Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a pro-Kremlin online broadcast Thursday, the US would benefit from the leaks because it would be able to export more liquefied natural gas if the pipelines couldn't work, per Reuters.The leaks had happened in areas "fully under the control of US intelligence," Zakharova told Soloviev Live, according to the news agency. "It happened in the trade and economic zones of Denmark and Sweden. There are NATO-centric countries," said Zakharova. She did not provide evidence of this claim, according to Reuters.Denmark is a NATO member, while Sweden has applied to join the political and military alliance.Zakharova also demanded an explanation from President Joe Biden on "whether the United States acted on its threat" to "end #Nordstream," the Russian foreign ministry tweeted on September 28.She was referring to Biden's statement on February 7 that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would be halted if Russia invades Ukraine.White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a Wednesday press briefing, that Biden was referring to how the Nord Stream 2 wouldn't commence working and rejected allegations that the US is responsible for the leaks, according to an official transcript."The President said that NS2 wouldn't become operational and we would work with Germany on that," said Jean-Pierre. "And he was right, because Germany took the step in February to freeze it, which was widely reported by all of you. And so that is what the President was talking about at that time."The Nord Stream 2 has never started commercial operations because Germany shelved the project in February, days before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Google said it was shuttering Stadia because the gaming service 'hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected.' Phil Harrison, vice president and GM, Google StadiaJustin Sullivan/Getty Images Google announced on Thursday it was shutting down its cloud gaming service Stadia after two years. It said Stadia "hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected." Users will have access to their games through January 18. Less than three years after launching its cloud gaming service Stadia, Google is shutting it down.Stadia launched in November 2019 as part of Google's aggressive expansion into gaming. But on Thursday, the company said it had "made the difficult decision to begin winding down our Stadia streaming service."Users will have access to their games until January 18, 2023, and all hardware purchases made through the Google Store will be refunded, the company said. Google said Stadia "hasn't gained the traction with users that we expected."Google said that it still sees opportunities for the technology that powered Stadia, and that it would apply it to other sectors of its company like Google Play and YouTube.Signs of trouble had been bubbling up. Last year, Google said it was closing its internal Stadia game studio in favor of helping game makers "take advantage of our platform technology and deliver games directly to their players."Further, Insider's Hugh Langley reported earlier this year that Google had "deprioritized" the Stadia consumer platform — as in, the games — and was instead focusing on striking deals with companies like Bungie to "salvage" the technology.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Scott, who's worth over $27 billion, married Jewett in 2021, two years after she and the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos finalized their divorce. MacKenzie Scott in 2018.Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images MacKenzie Scott has filed for divorce from her second husband, Dan Jewett. The news came after Jewett was quietly removed from her online posts about her charitable giving. Scott, who's worth $27.8 billion, married Jewett in 2021 after divorcing Jeff Bezos. MacKenzie Scott and her second husband, Dan Jewett, are getting divorced.Scott, a philanthropist and the ex-wife of the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, filed a petition for divorce Monday in King County Superior Court in Washington. Scott and Jewett, a former science teacher, have been married since early 2021. The New York Times was the first to report the news Wednesday.News of the filing came after a report from The Times pointing out that Jewett had been quietly deleted from several of Scott's online posts about her philanthropic endeavors, including on the Giving Pledge website, in a Medium post about her charitable giving, and on her Amazon author bio.Scott is worth $27.8 billion, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates. Her divorce from Bezos in 2019 made her a billionaire, mainly because of her 3% stake in Amazon.Over the past three years, Scott has become one of the nation's leading philanthropists, a mission she appeared to share with Jewett, who was a chemistry teacher at Lakeside School, a Seattle-area private school that Scott's children attended. Scott and Jewett announced their marriage in March 2021 via a post on the Giving Pledge's site — Jewett had signed on to Scott's commitment to give away at least half her wealth during her lifetime or shortly after her death."I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know — and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others," Jewett wrote beside a photo of himself and Scott. Now, Scott's Giving Pledge page contains a new headshot of her and no mention of Jewett. Recent recipients of grants from Scott have thanked only her, while in the past, they thanked both her and Jewett, The Times reported. Scott announced in March that she'd donated about $3.9 billion to 465 nonprofits in the previous nine months, bringing her total to over $12 billion. She recently donated two Beverly Hills, California, mansions worth roughly $55 million to the California Community Foundation, a Los Angeles-area charity — in a statement about the gift, the foundation's CEO thanked Scott alone.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

It is too soon to know how the Nord Stream pipeline leak will affect the climate, but methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Danish military video of bubbles in Baltic Sea where Nord Stream pipeline leaked.Danish Defense Command A natural gas pipeline, which may have been deliberately sabotaged, is spewing methane in the Baltic Sea.  Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and leaks have been prime targets to slow the rate of climate change. It's unclear how much methane is reaching the atmosphere, but this could be "disastrous," an expert said.  Reports that a natural gas pipeline has ruptured in the Baltic Sea are causing fears that the methane leak could negatively impact climate change, experts said. Experts told various news outlets though it is too early to say how much methane from the Nord Stream pipelines will reach the atmosphere, the leaks have the potential to have a substantial effect on climate change."There are a number of uncertainties, but if these pipelines fail, the impact to the climate will be disastrous and could even be unprecedented," atmospheric chemist David McCabe, senior scientist at the non-profit Clean Air Task Force, told Reuters. Methane is a potent greenhouse gasThough carbon dioxide (CO2) remains the main long-term driver of the climate crisis, methane leaks have become a hot-button issue to help control the progression of the climate crisis in the short term.That's because methane is a greenhouse gas — it very effectively traps heat from the planet in the atmosphere instead of letting it dissipate into space.Though it is not as long-lived as CO2, which floats in the atmosphere for much longer after it is released, methane is much better at trapping heat: about 30 times better than CO2 over 100 years. Because of this, sharp cuts to methane emissions are a vital lever to curb the rate of climate change in the short term.If all of the methane contained in the pipelines were to reach the atmosphere, it could seriously set the world back. The equivalent of a third of Denmark's yearly emissions are contained in both pipelinesFour leaks have now been found along the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that cross the Baltic Sea. The leaks are thought to be the result of "deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage," NATO said in a statement Thursday.Though the pipelines were not being used when they were breached, they were full of natural gas — about 778 million cubic meters in total, per The Danish Energy Agency.Seventy to 90% of natural gas is methane. If it were all released from the pipeline, that would be the equivalent of 32% of the Danish annual CO2 emissions in 2020.But it's not clear how much of that methane will reach the atmosphere.Potential to be the 'one of the biggest gas leak' How much of the methane contained in the Nord Stream pipelines will reach the atmosphere is difficult to estimate, Cooper told Reuters. The rate of emission depends on how big the breach is and other factors, Jasmin Cooper, a research associate at Imperial College London's department of chemical engineering, told The Guardian.  Even without the pipelines emptying completely, the emissions could be substantial. Jean-Francois Gauthier, vice president of measurements at the commercial methane-measuring satellite firm GHGSat, provided Reuters with a "conservative estimate" of emissions at the time of the breach.He thinks altogether, the leaks likely released about 500 metric tons of methane per hour into the sea at first and are releasing less over time.By comparison, the 2015-2016 Aliso Canyon leak released 97,000 metric tons of methane into the air in total, CNN reported.That doesn't mean all of that methane will reach the surface. For instance, microbes are known to absorb some of the methane as it passes through the water, McCabe told Reuters. Grant Allen, a professor of Earth and environmental science at Manchester University, told the Guardian, however, this is likely to have little effect.  "My scientific experience is telling me that – with a big blow-up like this – methane will not have time to be attenuated by nature. So a significant proportion will be vented as methane gas," Allen said. "It has the potential to be one of the biggest gas leaks," Cooper told The Guardian.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

"Cyberpunk 2077" debuted two years ago with game-breaking bugs, but has seen improvements with major updates. Now, it's making a comeback. "Cyberpunk 2077."CD Projekt The video game "Cyberpunk 2077" is making a comeback after a disastrous launch two years ago. Game sales are strong and a new "Cyberpunk" anime is one of Netflix's top shows right now. The game had originally debuted with game-breaking bugs on last-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles.  The video game "Cyberpunk 2077" is seeing strong signs of life after a disastrous launch nearly two years ago.When it first debuted in December, 2020, the sci-fi role-playing game was nearly unplayable for many players on last-generation PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles thanks to rampant glitches, prompting Sony to even remove it from the PlayStation store for six months.But it's since seen improvements with major updates. Now it's making a comeback, with strong game sales and a popular new Netflix anime series pulling in a new audience.The Netflix anime, "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners," was in Netflix's own top 10 TV shows Wednesday and Thursday (the streamer bases its daily top 10 lists on the number of hours viewed the previous 24 hours).Last Wednesday, the game's developer, CD Projekt Red, announced that the game had seen 1 million daily active users each day that week. And earlier this week, it said that the game had sold 20 million copies. The developer last said in April it had sold 18 million copies.The game has also seen a surge on the PC game-distribution service Steam. Early on Thursday, it had over 90,000 concurrent players, according to SteamDB, a database that tracks Steam activity. That's more than double its peak from two weeks ago, according to Eurogamer."It's hard to express when you're putting so much heart and soul into something, and for some of us it's been six, seven, eight years sometimes, especially for those who started at the very beginning — so to have this moment of people liking something that we did, it's really feeling a bit unreal," Pawel Sasko, quest director at CD Projekt Red, said during a Twitch stream this week.He added, "It's fucking good to be back, honestly."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

"I can do everything right and still get injured from negligence by others," an NYC subway driver says. "Forty tons of steel is deadly at any speed." Fraser Hall/Getty Images Insider spoke with a train operator who has worked for the NYC Transit Authority since 2009. The operator had to memorize over 30 traffic signals and take an exam to get the job.  They said one of the biggest job challenges is knowing someone could jump in front of their train.  This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a NYC-based train operator. They spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their job, but their employment has been verified by Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I've been a train operator with the New York City Transit Authority, otherwise known as the NYCT, since 2009. My mother is a NYCT train operator herself, and she was insistent that I take the exam for it.At the time, I was working in IT making good money — about $65,000 per year. My mother was adamant that I take the test, but I declined when I realized that my starting pay with NYCT would be a $12,000 pay cut. She signed me up without my knowledge and paid the $48 testing fee. She gave me a choice: either take the exam or repay her $48. Her logic was that if I was going to have to repay her the fee, I might as well take the exam. After I passed the exam, I was put on a waitlist for a job openingThe first time my name was called for the position was in 2007, but I didn't want to take the pay cut and ended up declining. Years later, after my job did some downsizing, I decided to take the position with NYCT. My first day was exciting because working as a train operator was something new and totally different than any kind of job I had before. Training was tough. I had no previous knowledge, and all the new information was overwhelming. It was also stressful because before I could even begin moving a train on the mainline tracks, I had to memorize 30 to 40 train signals that are used to control traffic in the  subway system and pass a signal exam.One of my proudest moments was successfully operating an R68A model train on wet rails in the middle of autumnThis model train, especially during that time of year, is one of the most difficult to master because it has the most challenging braking system. The R68A requires knowledge of how the braking system works, attention to the movement and feel of the train, and proactive awareness of the environment to make a proper station stop. Learning how to master the operation of this train gave me a great sense of accomplishment. My days are very long, and I always have to be on high alert as a train operatorI work from 2:45 p.m. to midnight, and my commute each way is two and a half hours. For me to get anything personal done, I have to either go to bed late or wake up earlier.One of the biggest challenges as a train operator is going to work knowing that today could be the day someone jumps or gets pushed in front of my train. Every time I enter a station, it's an opportunity for such a tragedy to happen. The worst part of the job is the danger that comes with it. I can do everything right and still get injured because of the negligence of others. The work itself is inherently dangerous because 40 tons of steel is deadly at any speed. On top of  that, there's always the chance of experiencing the dangers of riding public transportation.Working during the COVID-19 pandemic added an additional layer of stressAs an essential worker, I was required to be at work. Many of us were afraid to be there, especially in the early days between March and June 2020. I am somewhat of a germaphobe, and the pandemic only increased that phobia. I don't share anything now, but that doesn't remove the danger of dealing with the public. I remember riders breaching the six-foot space, required for social distancing, to ask questions. Many were offended when I asked them to step back.I have approximately 12 to 13 years to go before retirement. The commute alone takes so much out of me, and I often think that there must be more to life. I'm looking forward to resigning on my own terms, because working as a train operator has made me realize that I want to live life more abundantly.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Blink and Ring are releasing new security cameras, while Eero is adding a feature that lets you back up your home internet with a mobile hotspot. When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.Amazon's 2022 5th-generation Echo Dot devices are also Eero mesh Wi-Fi extenders.Amazon Amazon announced several new smart home products and features during a launch event on September 28.  Highlights include a new Ring camera with radar sensors and Echo Dots that act like Eero Wi-Fi satellites. There's also a new Eero Internet Backup feature for home networks that can use your phone's connection during an outage. Amazon held its latest product launch event on September 28, and in typical Amazon fashion, the company took the opportunity to reveal a ton of new and updated devices.Among the long list of products announced were several smart home devices across the Echo, Eero, Ring, and Blink brands. New smart home security cameras and accessories were revealed, as well as new Echo devices that can act as Eero mesh Wi-Fi satellites. The company also detailed a new Eero feature that can use your phone's hotspot connection during an internet outageHere's a full roundup of all the smart home announcements made during Amazon's September event, along with preorder and pricing details.The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro uses radar for better motion detection, and hopefully, fewer alertsThe Ring Spotlight Cam Pro has better motion detection with built-in radar.RingThe new Spotlight Cam Pro by Ring with 1080p resolution and color night vision includes radar sensors that enable more accurate motion detection and alerts based on distance. Precise distance-based motion detection should improve on the current standard of setting zones and reduce the number of unimportant alerts you receive on your mobile device.Ring also added its Bird's Eye View feature that uses the Spotlight Cam Pro's radar sensors to create an aerial view of subject movements. For example, it could show you a map of a delivery driver's path from their truck and where they left the package around your home. The Spotlight Cam Pro starts at $230, and it's available for preorder now with a full release on October 26. It's available in battery, plug-in, hard-wired, and solar models.The Blink Mini Pan Tilt lets your Blink Mini see every corner of a roomThe Blink Mini Pan Tilt accessory lets your existing Blink Minis rotate 360 degrees.BlinkThe $30 Blink Mini Pan Tilt is an accessory for existing Blink Mini smart security cameras that lets the Blink Mini pan 360 degrees, which you can control through the Blink app. It's available to preorder now, and will be fully released on October 20.The Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is an affordable outdoor security solutionThe Blink Wired Floodlight Camera makes outdoor security monitoring more affordable.BlinkAt $100, the 1080p Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is an affordable outdoor security option. As its name implies, it's powered via wire, and it comes with floodlights. It also offers the usual array of smart home security camera features, like motion detection, person detection, color night vision, two-way audio, and a siren. The Blink Wired Floodlight Camera isn't available to preorder just yet, but it's set to launch later this year.Amazon's latest Echo devices can turn into Eero mesh Wi-Fi satellitesThe new Echo Dot can extend your Eero Wi-Fi network range.AmazonEcho DotEcho Dot with ClockAmazon is adding Eero's mesh Wi-Fi functionality to its latest fifth-generation Echo Dot and Echo Dot with Clock, as well as the fourth-generation Echo with a software update on October 20. The fourth-generation Echo Dot and Echo Dot with Clock will also get an update "in the coming months" to support built-in Eero functionality.The Echo devices with built-in Eero mesh Wi-Fi act as satellites for an existing Eero mesh WiFi network — they can't be used as a primary router. Each supporting Echo device can add up to 1,000 square feet of Wi-Fi coverage to your Eero network. They support speeds up to 100 Mbps, which might not make the most of faster internet connections, but is certainly enough to stream video in 4K and support general web browsing. The new fifth-generation Echo Dot ($50) and Echo Dot with Clock ($60) are available for preorder now.Eero Internet Backup will keep all your devices connected during an outage by using your phone's hotspotEero Internet Backup uses your phone's hotspot for internet when you're experiencing an internet outage.EeroEero Internet Backup is designed to switch your internet connection to a backup source, like your phone's mobile hotspot, when your internet service provider is experiencing an outage. Essentially, it'll take your phone's mobile hotspot connection and spread it throughout your Eero network so that all your home's connected devices stay connected. When regular internet service is restored, your Eero network will automatically switch back from your mobile hotspot. Eero Internet Backup will become a part of Eero's Plus subscription plan ($10/month or $100/year) when it becomes available "in the coming months."In addition to the new subscription feature, Amazon also announced two new Eero Wi-Fi routers for pro installers and businesses: the $300 Eero PoE 6 and $650 Eero PoE Gateway.The PoE (power-over-Ethernet) series of Eero routers get power over a single Ethernet cable instead of a dedicated power cable, which helps with cable management and removing clutter. To deliver power over Ethernet cables, you'll need an Ethernet switch that supports PoE, like the Eero PoE Gateway. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

"I do think it's a signal to Europe that Russia could reach beyond Ukraine's borders," former CIA Director John Brennan told CNN. Danish Defence Command Ex-CIA Director John Brennan thinks Russia is the "most likely suspect" behind the apparent sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. "This is clearly an act of sabotage of some sort," Brennan said during an interview with CNN. He added,"I do think it's a signal to Europe that Russia could reach beyond Ukraine's borders."  Former CIA Director John Brennan said that he believes Russia is the "most likely suspect" behind the apparent sabotage of the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines off the coast of Denmark and Sweden. "This is clearly an act of sabotage of some sort and Russia certainly is the most likely suspect," Brennan said during an interview on Wednesday with CNN while speaking about the suspected explosions that caused leaks in the underwater pipelines. Brennan noted that the  pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, lie "only" in about 200 feet of water. "Russia does have an undersea capability that would easily lay explosive devices by those pipelines," Brennan said, explaining that he believes the apparent sabotage is likely a Russian "'signal to Europe" that the Kremlin can cause damage beyond Ukraine."I do think it's a signal to Europe that Russia could reach beyond Ukraine's borders," Brennan said. The Russian submarine force is believed to have capabilities that could tap or even sever infrastructure on the seabed like communications cables, and at a depth of 200 feet it's even possible the charges could have been emplaced by a diver. CNN reported that Russian warships were seen near the areas where the pipeline ruptures occurred.Brennan, who served as CIA director under former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, continued, "This might be a sign that Russia is intent on doing whatever it believes it needs to do in order to weaken a European resolve.""This just might be the first salvo of some additional things that might be coming toward Europe," Brennan warned. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has threatened to retaliate against the suspected sabotage of the pipelines after several European leaders blamed Moscow for the leaks. Meanwhile, Brennan said that Russia is in a "downward spiral" amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's seven-month war with Ukraine as he pointed out how Moscow's forces have suffered recent defeats by the Ukrainians on the battlefield. The ex-CIA director called Putin an "autocrat" who is "feeling increasingly beset by problems and by the miscalculations that he has made as far as going into Ukraine.""He's isolated. He's also trying to hold on to power and I think we're seeing increasingly desperate steps that are being taken," Brennan said.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Moscow is hiding how it plans to spend billions of dollars for 2023 as it begins to plan out a budget for a prolonged conflict in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin answers a question about Mikhail Khodorkovsky after his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. AP Russia is obscuring roughly a quarter of its budget for 2023, according to Bloomberg.  A draft of its 2023 spending plan includes about 6.5 trillion rubles, or $112 billion, in unspecified spending.  The Kremlin continues to further hide its spending and economic data as the war in Ukraine drags on.  A draft of Russia's planned spending for 2023 showed about a quarter of its budget would be marked for unknown use, according to a Bloomberg report, continuing the trend of the Kremlin obscuring economic data as the war in Ukraine drags on. The budget plan included about 6.5 trillion rubles, or about $112 billion, of classified or unspecified allocations, per Bloomberg calculations. The total budget is about 29 trillion rubles. The Kremlin has increasingly shrouded its spending and monetary measures since February's invasion, and it has stopped publicizing economic details such as trade breakdowns. "We have closed off a lot of things right now," Anton Siluanov, Russia's finance minister, said during an online media session on Wednesday, adding that the cost of the "special operation" in Ukraine will remain hidden. According to The Audit Chamber, a budgetary watchdog group, Moscow spent approximately 19% on classified items in its budget. Last year, it was at a record-low of 14.9%, according to Russian media cited by Bloomberg. What is revealed in the budget, however, is an uptick in military spending. If the draft is implemented, defense spending would climb 43% above expectations. Meanwhile, officials announced this week that Russia will formally annex four Ukrainian regions, with President Vladimir Putin set to hold a formal ceremony on Friday. The secret spending portions of the budget plan could account for some maneuvers in the annexation process. All together, the regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia — make up about 15% of Ukraine's territory, according to Reuters. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US would never recognize the annexation of Ukrainian territory by Russia. "We are prepared and we will impose additional severe and swift costs on Russia for proceeding with the annexation," Blinken said. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

According to the Department of Labor, Locale illegally employed 78 teenage drivers for time-sensitive deliveries between July 2020 and July 2021. Locale co-founder Chris Clark says the company did their best to keep up with the company's growth as friends and family stepped in to fulfill orders.Jackyenjoyphotography/Getty Images Locale, founded in 2020, began making food deliveries at the beginning of the pandemic. An investigation by the Department of Labor found the company in violation of federal child labor laws prohibiting teen delivery drivers. The department says Locale employed 78 teenage delivery drivers between July 2020 and July 2021. Locale — a Cupertino, California-based food delivery start-up — has been fined nearly $140,000 for violating child labor laws after employing dozens of teenage drivers to deliver food. In a Wednesday news release, the US Department of Labor said Locale hired 78 teenagers as drivers to perform time-sensitive food deliveries between July 2020 and July 2021. According to federal child labor laws, 16-year-olds are banned from driving jobs while 17-year-olds are not allowed to perform time-sensitive deliveries. Although the department said it is not aware of any accidents involving the young drivers, Wage and Hour District Director Susana Blanco emphasized the safety risk of asking them to make deliveries."There are limits on what jobs young workers can perform," Blanco said in a statement. "In most cases, child labor laws prohibit minors from driving motorized vehicles as part of their employment, and specifically when it comes to making deliveries." The department says investigators also found the company misclassified the young drivers as independent contractors and, in turn, "deprived these workers of their rights, including minimum wage and overtime protections, and other benefits."Locale co-founder Chris Clark said the company's start during the pandemic may have contributed to its hiring practices."When we first started during the pandemic, we were entirely bootstrapped and still working other full-time jobs, while doing our best to keep up with the growth of Locale," Clark said in a statement.  "Our friends, family, and other members of our community jumped in to help fulfill orders."Founded in 2020, the company delivers from more than 100 restaurants and specialty item vendors across California and offers nationwide shipping for $5. In June, co-founder Jonathan Friedland told Mercury News about Locale's pledge to pay drivers 150% of what they may make at food delivery giant DoorDash, with open positions starting at a wage of $25 an hour.The Department of Labor says it's seen an increase in child labor violations since 2015. In 2021, employers racked up $3.4 million in penalties."Employers who hire young workers must know and abide by federal laws that govern their employment," Blanco said. "These obligations include ensuring minors are not employed in occupations that risk their safety, health and well-being."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Anna Codrea-Rado, a freelance writer, wanted to reduce the tension of emailing clients by sending voice notes via Gmail. Freelancer Anna Codrea-Rado felt awkward talking to her laptop in order to send audio messages with her emails.Chris Bannister Anna Codrea-Rado found her email inbox was a stressful mix of her work and personal lives. She decided to experiment with replying to work emails with voice messages for two weeks. She said she landed better-paying work and plans to pitch new work via audio messages. My inbox is my biggest source of stress at work.For starters, the volume of messages is untenable. As I'm a freelance writer with one email address, my inbox is a heady mix of press releases, commissions, and wedding invites.But what I struggle with the most is how emotionally charged I find emailing. I'm either asking for money, getting rejected, or waiting for work feedback. It's an anxiety minefield.On the other hand, you have the marvelous invention of the voice note — all the warmth and intimacy of speaking on the phone without the intrusion. I send them with joyful abandon.So when a friend who works for a startup recently extolled the virtues of sending voice notes in Slack, I wondered if I could do the same but with email.I wanted to see if by sending audio messages I could improve my relationship with email. Could I take the one comms method I love and use it to stop hating the other?I spent two weeks replying to emails with voice memos to find out.I found that the easiest way to send voice notes via Gmail was by downloading Vocal, a Chrome extension that lets you record and attach audio to emails. A microphone button appears in a draft that allows you to record. The recording is attached to your email, and the recipient can listen to it in their browser.While this was relatively easy to do, it wasn't as seamless as sending a voice note on WhatsApp. You can also use Vocal on your phone, but I don't email on the go, so I awkwardly talked into my laptop.My main concern was that people on the receiving end wouldn't like them. Voice notes are contentious even on WhatsApp, and while I love them, I was sending them on a platform where no one would be expecting them.So the first couple I sent were to people I'd sent voice notes on WhatsApp or with whom I had a strong enough professional relationship that I could take the chance.The first email voice memo went to my editor at Insider, pitching the idea for this very essay. Seeing as you're reading this now, it was a strong first attempt.Emboldened by my early success, I decided to pitch more work this way.Just before starting my experiment, I'd been approached by a new commercial client about some ghostwriting. They'd asked for a proposal with content ideas and how many days a month I could work on the project. I sent that over in an email.I attached an accompanying audio message in which I talked them through my thinking and threw in a few technical terms to highlight my expertise.I also quoted them a fee that was higher than what I usually ask for, fully expecting to get the usual pushback I get whenever I ask for money. I rerecorded the message a couple of times until I thought I sounded more confident than I felt.Before this experiment, I'd usually do my fee negotiating over email. I tell myself it's for the paper trail, but it's actually because I get so uncomfortable doing it over the phone that I stumble over my words.Giving a fee over voice note was a happy medium. More importantly, it worked. The client not only agreed to it but gave me more days' worth of work.Another client works for a remote company, so I figured they'd be open to all forms of asynchronous communication. I was sending them a mid-project summary and had some feedback about how we could improve our approach; I feared it could easily be taken the wrong way without the tone of my voice. Rather than ask them to jump on a call to explain — a request that always makes me feel tense — I sent a voice note.They emailed back to say that they loved the voice note and, more importantly, that they agreed with my notes. They asked if I was available for ongoing work with them.From now on, I'm going to send voice notes when pitching new work.Everyone I sent an audio message to said they'd never received one before. Perhaps the novelty is why it worked as well as it did. I landed new work without clients quibbling over my fee.Toward the end of the experiment, however, that new-toy effect did start to wane. This might have to do with the fact that no one replied with a voice note of their own. I had a couple of calls in response, both spontaneous and scheduled. But no one sent me an audio reply via email — and it's not fun sending a voice note and getting a text back. At least my Insider editor felt bad after reading a draft of this and sent me one.By the end of the two weeks, I'd sent six voice notes. That was significantly fewer than I'd expected, considering I send at least that many on WhatsApp before 10 a.m. each day. But I didn't find it to be such a natural fit for email. I had to face an uncomfortable truth: Voice notes will never replace email, merely occasionally complement it.However, I was sending them not to reinvent my working day but to lessen how fraught I feel when I open my emails.Adding in some audio made my otherwise cold inbox thaw a little.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

NATO on Thursday vowed a "united and determined response" to suspected "sabotage" of the leaking natural-gas pipelines. A Danish military image of a site in the Baltic Sea where natural gas from the Nord Stream pipeline is rising to the surface.Danish Defense Command NATO on Thursday threatened to retaliate against suspected sabotage of the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines.  The threat has escalated tensions with Russia, which some European lawmakers have blamed for the damage. All four of the pipelines comprising the damaged Nord Stream system are leaking gas into the Baltic Sea. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has threatened to retaliate against those responsible for the damage to the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines that run between Russia and Europe.NATO issued a statement on Thursday saying the leaks were of "deep concern" and would be met with a "united and determined response.""All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage. We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage," the statement read."We, as Allies, have committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors. Any deliberate attack against Allies' critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response."The statement came after the Swedish coast guard said a fourth leak had been discovered on the Nord Stream pipelines."Two of these four are in Sweden's exclusive economic zone," coast guard spokesperson Jenny Larsson told the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper on Wednesday night, adding that the other two breaches were in Denmark's zone, Reuters reported.The initial leak was detected on Monday in Nord Stream 2 as a drop in pressure was observed in both pipelines. Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary-general, met Danish defence minister Morten Bødskov on Wednesday and said he had "addressed the protection of critical infrastructure in NATO countries", per the Financial Times. "Russia has a significant military presence in the Baltic Sea region and we expect them to continue their saber-rattling," Bødskov told the newspaper. Europe is now bracing for more disruption as tensions escalate, with the FT reporting that Norway – now the EU's biggest gas supplier  – was deploying its military to protect oil and gas installations.On Tuesday, German lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter called the leaks "sabotage" by Russia, while former CIA director John Brennan told CNN on Wednesday: "This is clearly an act of sabotage of some sort and Russia is certainly the most likely suspect."Several weeks ago, the CIA told Germany that the Nord Stream pipelines could be attacked, Germany's Der Spiegel newspaper reported.The Swedish coast guard did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Planes belonging to Korean Air and Icelandair were involved in a minor collision on Wednesday evening, a Heathrow spokesperson said. A Heathrow spokesperson said the incident involved planes from Korean Air and Icelandair.Philip Pilosian/Shutterstock.com Two passenger jets were involved in a minor collision at London's Heathrow airport on Wednesday. An airport spokesperson told Insider that the incident involved Korean Air and Icelandair planes. There were no injuries and the incident is being investigated, Heathrow said. A collision between two passengers jets on a runway of London's Heathrow airport led to emergency services being scrambled.A spokesperson for Heathrow airport told Insider: "Yesterday evening our teams responded to a minor collision between two aircraft on the airfield. There were no injuries as a result of the incident and all passengers and crew were safely disembarked." The spokesperson said the incident involved planes from Korean Air and Icelandair and that an investigation is underway.Korean Air and Icelandair did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of normal working hours.A picture tweeted by Guardian journalist Dan Sabbagh, who was a passenger on the Korean Air flight, showed multiple emergency vehicles parked on the runway.According to The Guardian, the wing of the Korean Air plane destined for Seoul clipped the wing of the parked Icelandair plane while taxiing before its intended take-off at around 8 p.m local time. The Daily Star first reported the news. The Heathrow spokesperson said there was no significant impact on arrivals or departures on Wednesday and the airport continued to operate normally.Heathrow has handled more than 38 million passengers up to August this year, according to its website. Pre-pandemic passenger levels topped 81 million, making it one of the world's busiest airports. Travelers endured long queues and mass delays at the airport this summer. At one point, it was forced to cap daily passenger numbers at 100,000 to ease the disruption. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

A Kremlin spokesman said Russia would hold a signing ceremony on Friday afternoon. President Vladimir Putin is due to make a "substantial speech." Russian President Vladimir Putin.Ilya PITALEV / SPUTNIK / AFP) (Photo by ILYA PITALEV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images Russia said it will hold a ceremony on Friday to mark the annexation of four Ukrainian territories. Russia held sham referendums in those regions about becoming part of Russia. The regions make up 15% of Ukraine's territory, according to Reuters. Russia says it will formally sign agreements to annex four regions of eastern Ukraine on Friday.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Russia would hold a signing ceremony at 3 p.m. Moscow time on Friday.He said that the ceremony would be "on agreements on the accession of new territories into the Russian Federation," Reuters reported.It is not clear if Russia will formally consider the territories as part of Russia on Friday, or if the ceremony is the beginning of the process. The Russian president's spokesman told reporters that President Vladimir Putin would make a "substantial speech" during a ceremony signing "treaties" with Russia-appointed occupation officials, state newswire Ria Novosti reported.The four regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia — make up 15% of Ukraine's territory, according to Reuters.Russia-backed officials held referendums in those regions this week and said the results showed that people in those regions want to join Russia.But Ukraine and the West say the referendums are a sham, and their outcomes are not recognized.The Telegraph reported that armed soldiers were going door-to-door to collect votes and that they threatened to shoot Ukrainians who didn't take part in the referendums.NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned the referendums last week as a "sham" and "further escalation in Putin's war."And US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US will "never recognise the annexation of Ukrainian territory by Russia."He said before Russia's announcement of the ceremony that "We are prepared and we will impose additional severe and swift costs on Russia for proceeding with the annexation."Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia could use the annexation to force Ukrainian men in those regions to join Russia's army.Russia also used a referendum to justify annexing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Russia still controls the region today.Ukraine is still fighting to regain control of the four regions.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Insider spoke to a Russian man that was called up as part of Putin's partial mobilization and obtained a copy of the draft summons he was given. The draft notice.Ekaterina Bodyagina Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a partial mobilization after setbacks in Ukraine. The move has sparked protests across Russia, with many also leaving the country. Insider spoke to one Russian man that was called up and obtained a copy of his draft summons. This is an edited, translated version of an article that originally appeared on September 28, 2022.Thousands of Russians have begun to flee the country to avoid being drafted to fight in Ukraine after President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization, which will see 300,000 reservists called up.Protests have also continued to spread, with many facing arrest.One, who asked to be identified only as "Nikita" for security reasons, spoke to Insider about how he was handed military summons letters while still in custody.He told Insider he received it at a Moscow police station, where he had been taken after being arrested at a demonstration.The 29-year-old said he had no military experience beyond being drafted him when he was 19. He was classified as unfit for service a month later, he added."I am a pacifist and anti-militarist. During all these months of war, I've felt helpless, confused, and terrified. I've cried a lot," he said.The summons required Nikita to appear in person at the military commissariat.This is what it says:"According to the Federal Law of the Russian Federation dated 28.03.1998 №52-FZ 'on conscription and military service,' you are obliged to appear for mobilization from September 22 2022 to .... 2022 at the Military Commissariat ... address: ... telephone: ...Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Break from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Bring your passport, military ID, and this summons.Military commissioner of the military commissariat(Seal, Signature)"Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Popeyes said that when its latest site opened in Oxford it broke launch-day records, with people buying more than 2,000 chicken sandwiches. The brand seeks to uphold its focus on service and hospitality, with table service available at its restaurants.Josh Ong/Insider Popeyes said its Oxford site broke launch-day records, with more than 2,000 chicken sandwiches sold. UK sales are booming and its Stratford site has the chain's highest sales globally. Though its UK menu doesn't have shrimp or nuggets, it sells a plant-based, Creole-style red bean sandwich. Popeyes says sales are booming at its UK restaurants since it launched in the country last year.The fried-chicken chain said that when its latest site opened in Oxford on September 17 it broke launch-day records, with people lining up from 5 a.m. and buying more than 2,000 chicken sandwiches.The Oxford Mail reported that Popeyes opened the restaurant by offering free sandwiches to the first 50 visitors, and that some people joined the line without having gone to bed after going out the previous night.Popeyes first launched in the UK with a counter at a food court in a shopping mall in Stratford, London, in November 2021. The chain said that the store now has the highest sales of its 3,700 restaurants worldwide.A map showing Popeyes' current and upcoming UK restaurants. Those currently open (including ghost kitchens) are indicated in orange, while upcoming sites are purple.PopeyesPopeyes has since opened four full restaurants and four ghost kitchens, and has plans to open more. Unusually for a US fast-food chain launching in the UK, the first sites aren't congregated in London. While some are in the capital city, others are spread out across England. None have been earmarked for Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland yet, though.Popeyes also has signed a lease to open a 6,000-square-foot headquarters in Ealing Broadway, west London, which it said would "act as basecamp for its rapidly expanding team." The company aims to have 350 UK restaurants by 2031."We're experiencing strong sales, significantly above expectations, across all locations at the moment which is building an exciting energy in our business," Popeyes UK CEO Tom Crowley said in a statement.He said that the chain would open announce its first UK drive-thru sites "in due course." Popeyes was credited with starting the chicken sandwich wars in 2019, when its sandwich became an instant success following huge social-media buzz. It sold out just two weeks after launch, and the chain sold 250 million of the sandwiches within its first year of launch, the company previously told Insider.Though its UK menu doesn't sell shrimp, chicken nuggets, rice and beans, and chocolate beignets like it does in the US, it does feature a plant-based, Creole-style red bean sandwich which isn't available stateside.Popeyes was the third of fast-food conglomerate Restaurant Brands International's four fast-food chains to launch in the UK market, following both Burger King and Tim Hortons. RBI bought sandwich chain Firehouse Subs in 2021.Across its four chains, RBI owns more than 28,000 restaurants around the world.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Uniworld's nine-country river cruise itinerary will require several nights in various hotels, an airplane transfer, and five river cruise ships. Uniworld Los Angeles-based luxury river cruise operator Uniworld's 46-night Rivers of the World cruise will sail in May 2023. The itinerary will cross nine countries and two continents. The trip will require several nights in various hotels, an airplane transfer, and five cruise ships. River cruise fanatics who have considered booking a traditional monthslong around-the-world cruise will soon get their own global river cruise.UniworldBut instead of spending endless days at sea on a mega cruise liner, these travelers will have to hop from river to river …Uniworld… which will require several nights in various hotels, an airplane transfer, and five cruise ships.UniworldOn May 20, 2023, Los Angeles-based luxury river cruise operator Uniworld will launch its 46-night Rivers of the World cruise, the company's longest itinerary yet, according to a press release.UniworldThroughout the over one-month trip, travelers will sail in five ships across nine countries.UniworldSo while it's not a true around-the-world sailing experience, it'll still bring cruise goers across several destinations and two continents, which is rare for a river cruise.UniworldTravelers will start in Cairo, Egypt and travel across the Mediterranean Sea on a weeklong cruise aboard Uniworld's new 42-suite S.S. Sphinx.UniworldAfter this 11-day leg in Egypt, passengers will then fly into Lugano, Switzerland — which straddles Italy's border — for a two-night stay.UniworldFrom there, they'll move to Milan, Italy for yet another two nights on-land …Uniworld… before boarding the S.S. La Venezia for a week of sailing down Italy's Venice Lagoon and Po River.UniworldAnd the journey continues: After this 11-day Switzerland and Italy passage, guests will pack their bags again before transferring to the S.S. Maria Theresa in Budapest, Hungary …Uniworld… where they will then sail to Passau, Germany.UniworldAnd after a week of seeing Hungary, Austria, and Germany, passengers will yet again transfer to the S.S. Joie de Vivre for a cruise down the Seine with views of northern France.UniworldWe're almost done: The fifth and final leg of the trip will bring travelers down Portugal's Douro river on the S.S. Sao Gabriel …Uniworld… concluding with a three-night stay in Lisbon, Portugal.UniworldConstant travel can be a hassle.UniworldAnd traveling from ship to ship may sound exhausting and expensive.UniworldLuckily, the sailing — which starts at almost $39,000 per person — includes these additional airport transfer and flight fees along with onboard dining, alcohol, and other services.UniworldDespite the hassle, hosting a multi-week and multi-country itinerary may be a smart move for the cruise company.UniworldTravelers can't get enough of these monthslong itineraries, and some popular cruise lines like Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have seen their around-the-world ocean sailings sell out within hours.UniworldSource: Insider, Insider Like these ocean-based itineraries, travelers are quickly booking the upcoming 2023 nine-country river cruise, which only has a few spots available, the company told Insider in an email statement.UniworldAnd this popularity is holding strong into the future: Its 2024 Rivers of the World cruise, which only shares a handful of similarities with the 2023 itinerary, already has a waitlist.UniworldRead the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Here is Insider's annual list of the top traders, analysts, investors, and bankers who are making waves on Wall Street. This year we profiled people from Pimco, Barclays, and Morgan Stanley, among many other firms. Hi. I'm Aaron Weinman. Today I want to highlight Wall Street's brightest young talents who are navigating the choppiest market conditions they've ever seen in their short careers.The rising stars list is a mammoth effort from Insider's finance team that involved scrutinizing hundreds of nominations from banks, investment firms, and hedge funds, among other parts of the Street's gargantuan apparatus.After months of interviews and countless rounds of fact checking, meet 25 best-in-class investors, traders, and dealmakers under the age of 35, from firms like JPMorgan, BlackRock, and Apollo, among others.Insider's Alex Morrell, Alyson Velati, Asia Martin, Carter Johnson, Dakin Campbell, Danielle Walker, Hayley Cuccinello, Rebecca Ungarino, and Reed Alexander talked to this year's stars about their successes and challenges.If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.Fidelity; General Atlantic; Jefferies Group; Goldman Sachs; Rachel Mendelson/Insider1. Here is the latest crop of rising stars — Wall Streeters under the age of 35 who are pushing their teams to the top. Insider's stellar team of reporters scoured their source books, canvassed hundreds of people throughout the industry, and went through a ton of recommendations to determine this list.The end result celebrates people from all walks of life who are infusing new ideas at the biggest firms.Take Akash Pradhan, a 33-year-old principal at investment firm TPG. He leads investments in software and enterprise technology. He works across the firm's funds TPG Capital and TPG Growth, and also covers TPG's impact-oriented initiative called The Rise Fund.He's a big basketball fan — particularly the Golden State Warriors — and the 6'1 executive likes to shoot hoops to clear his head. When he's not working on his jump shot, he fancies a chicken tikka masala to break up his day of billion-dollar decision making.Get to know a little more about Pradhan and 24 other up-and-comers who are making waves on Wall Street.In other news:Robert A Tobiansky/Getty; Boris Zhitkov/Getty; Jake Wyman/Getty; José Miguel Hernández Hernández/Getty; Spencer Platt/Getty; Twitter; Anna Kim/Insider2. Silicon Valley venture capitalist Bill Gurley "hates" small rounds of layoffs. In an interview with a podcast, Gurley said small-scale layoffs bring more pain and "very little gain."3. The Bank of England is urgently buying bonds to stabilize markets and the British pound. Here is what has happened and what it means for investors.4. Digital-health startups are slicing their workforces after two years of record growth. From Cedar to Ro, here is every digital-health startup that has cut workers so far this year.5. The alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue could cost consumers $700 million, the US Justice Department said. The airlines, however, argued that the partnership has increased passenger capacity and provided them with access to more flight routes. The government's lawsuit could have a spill-over effect on JetBlue's proposed acquisition of rival carrier Spirit.6. HBCUvc's operating chief reviews hundreds of applications for the program that offers paid internships at VC firms. HBCUvc offers alumni from historically black colleges and universities paid internships and tackles issues like diversity and accessibility within the VC space. Chelsea Roberts, the non-profit's chief operating officer, shared what she looks for in successful applications.7. Chief revenue officers and sales officers can earn nearly $300,000 at a startup. Here is what the roles involve — and the key skills you need to land them.8. The luxury real-estate boom that characterized the pandemic is slowing down as interest rates rise. Homes in pandemic boomtowns like Denver and Austin are lingering on the market as pricier homes drop 28% nationwide.9. Kaleidoscope, a software startup, is trying to make scientific research faster, cheaper, and more transparent. Here is the 23-slide pitch deck it used to raise $6 million in seed capital.10. Home cheat home: Real-estate agents are ripping off homebuyers. Realtors operate as a monopoly that stifles competition and keeps commissions high — and it's costing Americans $72 billion a year.People moves:Deutsche Bank has promoted three bankers — Kent Penwell, Tim Wiedelmann, and John Anos — to be global co-heads of financial sponsors, a unit that covers private-equity firms, Bloomberg reported. The trio will succeed Michael Walsh, who has become a chairman.Penwell was US head of financial sponsorsWiedelmann ran the division in EuropeAnos will maintain his current role as global co-head of industrialsCurated by Aaron Weinman in New York. Tips? Email aweinman@insider.com or tweet @aaronw11. Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

President Joe Biden said the government would investigate sudden fuel price increases as Hurricane Ian approached the Florida coastline. US President Joe Biden speaks during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, September 28, 2022.OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP via Getty Images President Biden warned oil companies against hiking prices as Hurricane Ian approached Florida.  Georgia and the Carolinas will be affected by the storm, according to reports. The storm hit Florida Wednesday afternoon, cutting power in millions of homes.  President Joe Biden warned oil companies not to ratchet prices as Hurricane Ian approached the southwest coast of Florida on Wednesday. Biden discussed the hurricane at a White House conference Wednesday on hunger and nutrition and issued what he described as a "warning to oil and gas industry executives." "Do not — let me repeat, do not — do not use this as an excuse to raise gasoline prices or gouge the American people," said Biden."This small, temporary storm impact on oil production provides no excuse — no excuse — for price increases at the pump," Biden continued. "None. If companies try to use this storm to raise prices at the pump, I will ask officials to look into whether price gouging is going on."The government's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, which oversees oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, said that Hurricane Ian, which peaked as a Category 4 storm, had led to oil and gas companies reducing production by about 190,000 barrels a day, or about 2% of overall US daily output. Reducing spiking oil prices has been one of Biden's key priorities in recent months, with inflation one of the main concerns for voters as the November 8 midterm elections approach. Republicans have been hammering the Biden administration on gas prices as they seek to make the election a referendum on the Biden administration and its economic policies. Gas prices hit an unprecedented national average of $5 a gallon in June amid the war in Ukraine and surging demand for energy after the pandemic. But they have been in steady decline since. According to the Associated Press, gas prices in Florida had not spiked significantly as the hurricane approached, with the average in the state at just under $3.40 a gallon, six-tenths of a cent higher than a week ago.Hurricane Ian made landfall on Wednesday afternoon and has left millions of homes without power as it barrels through the state. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»