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Bitter political fight in Bolivia is paralyzing the government as unrest boils over economic crisis None - Prices are surging in Bolivia, dollars are scarce and lines snake away from supply-strapped gas stations Bitter political fight in Bolivia is paralyzing the government as unrest boils over economic crisis By CARLOS VALDEZ Associated Press and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press LA PAZ, Bolivia -- Protesters streamed into Bolivia's capital, throats hoarse from chanting and feet blistered from a week of walking along the national highway. The throngs of street vendors in the South American country’s vast informal work force ended their nearly 100-kilometer (60-mile) march from Bolivia’s mountain-rimmed plains with a call that summoned years of growing anger over the nation’s dangerously depleting foreign-exchange reserves: “We want dollars!” With prices surging, dollars scarce and lines snaking away from fuel-strapped gas stations, protests in Bolivia have intensified over the economy's precipitous decline from one of the continent’s fastest-growing two decades ago to one of its most crisis-stricken today. “We can change the country because we are the engine of production,” Roberto Ríos Ibáñez, secretary-general of Bolivia's Confederation of Merchants, said as weary protesters broke for lunch around him in the capital's traffic-snarled center. “The government doesn't listen. That's why we're in the streets.” Bolivia's financial quagmire stems, at least in part, from an unprecedented rift at the highest levels of the governing party. President Luis Arce and his one-time ally, leftist icon and former President Evo Morales, are battling for the future of Bolivia's splintering Movement for Socialism, known by its Spanish acronym MAS, ahead of elections in 2025. The political fight has paralyzed the government's efforts to deal with the deepening economic despair and analysts warn that the social unrest could explode in the historically turbulent nation of 12 million people. Cracks in the governing party opened in 2019, when Morales, then Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, ran for an unconstitutional third term. He won a contested vote plagued by allegations of fraud, setting off mass protests that caused 36 deaths and prompted Morales to resign and flee the country. After an interim government took control in what MAS called a coup, Morales' chosen successor, Arce, won election on a campaign promise to restore prosperity to Bolivia, once Latin America’s mainstay source of natural gas. Arce had been Morales' finance minister who oversaw years of strong growth and low inflation, but assuming the presidency in 2020, he encountered a bleak economic reckoning from the coronavirus pandemic. Diminished gas production sealed the end of Bolivia's budget-busting economic model. Still hugely popular among Bolivia’s Indigenous communities, coca growers and union workers, Morales saw an opportunity. After returning from exile, the charismatic populist announced plans last year to run in the 2025 vote — setting himself on a collision course with Arce, who is expected to seek re-election. “Bolivia has an Indigenous majority and people will instinctively support someone like Morales based on what he represents,” said Diego von Vacano, an expert in Bolivian politics at Texas A & M University and former informal adviser to Arce. “Now they have the push factor, the lack of success of the Arce administration." Earlier this month, Morales drew tens of thousands of loyalists to Cochabamba southeast of La Paz, galvanizing his rural stronghold. “We're going to win the elections and we're going to save Bolivia,” a triumphant Morales bellowed in a stadium filled with cheering supporters waving wiphalas, the checkerboards of bright colors to represent Bolivia’s many peoples. Arce disputes the legitimacy of Morales' campaign, arguing a 2023 constitutional court ruling bars him from running. Legal experts say it’s not so clear-cut. “We've seen both the politicians manipulate the courts to decide political issues that have major bearing on the constitution,” said Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé, a Bolivian judge who served as president in 2005-2006. Morales, who proclaimed in his speech that “we have complied with the rules,” has threatened to unleash mass unrest if he is disqualified from running. Meanwhile, with the cash crunch denying access to dollars to pay suppliers abroad, Bolivian merchants have produced extraordinary scenes on the border with Brazil and Peru by clamoring to buy the U.S. currency at inflated prices in the neighboring countries. When exchange shops in La Paz ran dry last year, Bolivians waited in line all night outside the Central Bank to get hard currency. It's a striking contrast to Bolivia's boom at the turn of the 21st century. Buoyed by a windfall of export revenue, Morales' government pulled the poverty rate down to 15%, expanded the middle class and built up sprawling cities and roads. Trouble began in 2014 when commodity prices plunged and the government dipped into its currency reserves to sustain spending. Then it drew on its gold reserves and even sold its dollar bonds locally. “We ate up the savings and now we are scraping the pot,” said Gonzalo Chávez, economics professor at Bolivia's Catholic University. With the government forking out $2 billion a year to import heavily subsidized gasoline in an effort to quell public discontent, the squeeze has tightened. The Fitch rating agency in February downgraded Bolivia’s debt deeper into junk territory, assigning it a CCC rating. And the fight over MAS is exacerbating economic woes. Morales’ allies in Bolivia's Congress have consistently thwarted Arce's attempts to take on debt that would relieve the pressure. Bolivia sits on a treasure trove of lithium, but lawmakers won't give Arce approval to let foreign companies extract it. Arce calls the gridlock an “economic boycott" aimed at subverting his presidency. Seeking to ease investor fears, Finance Minister Marcelo Montenegro denies there is any crisis. But the long lines of frustrated motorists outside gas stations suggest otherwise. In recent days, angry truckers have blocked roads and burned tires. “Arce has dismantled our social organizations while abandoning his management of the economy,” said Jorge Cucho, an Indigenous leader and activist. “Prices have increased by 70%. Our salaries are no longer enough to go to the market.” The tensions tearing at MAS offer Bolivia's opposition its first real shot at power since Morales won an unprecedented electoral majority in 2005. Centrist and conservative politicians have jumped into the field. But the opposition is fractured and its legitimacy is in question, with dozens of its politicians behind bars. “The opposition has far more opportunities now due to the division," said Fernando Mayorga, a sociologist at Bolivia’s public university in Cochabamba. “So far, we've seen no signs that it can act on them.” Bolivians who are incensed by Morales but disappointed by Arce say the country stands at a perilous crossroads. “The people are asleep,” said Ibáñez, the union leader. “Soon they'll begin to rise up.” ___ DeBre reported from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
California Democrats agree to delay health care worker minimum wage increase to help balance budget None - Democrats in California have agreed to delay a minimum wage increase for about 426,000 health care workers to help balance the budget SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Democrats in California have agreed to delay a minimum wage increase for about 426,000 health care workers to help balance the state's budget. The agreement between Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders is part of a larger plan to close an estimated $46.8 billion shortfall — the second year in a row the nation's most populous state has had a multibillion-dollar deficit. Health care workers were supposed to get a raise July 1, part of a plan to gradually increase their pay to $25 per hour over the next decade. Now, if approved by the Legislature next week, they could get that raise Oct. 15 — but only if California's revenues between July and September are at least 3% higher than what officials have estimated. If that doesn't happen, the raise won't start until Jan. 1 at the latest. The delay preserves a hard-fought victory for one of the state's largest labor unions — and one of Democrats' largest campaign donors. Dave Regan, president of Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, said workers are disappointed they won't get raises this summer. “But we also recognize and appreciate that legislative leaders and the Governor listened to us as we mobilized and spoke out this year to insist that, despite a historic budget deficit, California’s patient care and healthcare workforce crisis must be addressed,” he said in a statement. The minimum wage for most people in California is $16 per hour, which is already among the highest in the nation. The minimum wage for most fast food workers in the state is $20 per hour, an increase that began in April and has had ripple effects statewide. But increasing wages for health care workers is trickier because of the budget impact budget. California employs some health care workers, and it also pays for medical benefits through the state's Medicaid program. The Newsom administration had previously said the minimum wage increase would cost the state about $2 billion. But if delayed until January, it will cost the general fund about $600 million — a figure that would rise yearly to reflect scheduled increases until it reaches $25 per hour for most health care workers. California's revenues, while declining for much of the past two years, have rebounded recently. “We are confident that the initial raise for workers who have not yet received it will happen in the Fall,” Regan said. In total, the budget agreement would approve $297.9 billion in spending over the next fiscal year that begins on July 1. Newsom and legislative leaders agreed to $16 billion in cuts, including $110 million to a program that helps students from middle-class families pay for college and $1.1 billion across various affordable housing programs. But Newsom and lawmakers agreed to abandon some previously proposed cuts, including one that would have stopped paying for people to care for some low-income disabled immigrants who are on Medicaid. Lawmakers agreed to lend $400 million to the utility Pacific Gas & Electric to help extend the life of the state's only remaining nuclear power plant — money that some lawmakers had opposed because they were worried it might not ever be paid back. And Newsom agreed to increase how much the state's Medicaid program pays doctors to treat patients — although the amount is far less than he previously agreed to spend. Meanwhile, doctors have qualified a measure for the November ballot that would force the state to pay them more for treating Medicaid patients. In addition to a nearly 8% cut across the board for state agencies, the agreement includes an additional $350 million cut for state prisons. It also includes a temporary tax hike — starting this year and running through 2026 — on businesses with more than $1 million in taxable income. “This agreement sets the state on a path for long-term fiscal stability — addressing the current shortfall and strengthening budget resilience down the road,” Newsom said. Lawmakers are likely to vote on the budget next week. Republicans, who don't control enough seats to influence legislation, say they were left out of the negotiations. Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire said it has been a “tough budget year” but elected officials were able “to shrink the shortfall, protect our progress, and maintain responsible reserves.” Democratic Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas said the Assembly “fought hard to protect the public services that matter most to Californians.”
Canadian airline WestJet begins canceling flights as mechanics threaten to strike None - Canadian airline WestJet is starting to cancel some flights as it braces for a possible strike this week by aircraft maintenance technicians Canadian airline WestJet has begun canceling some flights in anticipation of a strike by aircraft maintenance technicians, saying it wants to avoid having passengers and planes stranded if there is a walkout. WestJet said it expected to cancel about 40 flights from Tuesday through Wednesday, affecting 6,500 passengers. By Wednesday afternoon Eastern time, the airline had canceled 20 flights, or 4% of its schedule, after canceling five flights Tuesday, according to tracking service FlightAware. The low-fare airline said it was trying to find alternate arrangements for customers whose flights were dropped. WestJet and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association are locked in negotiations for an initial collective-bargaining agreement covering about 680 mechanics. Earlier this week, WestJet asked the Canadian Industrial Relations Board to order both sides into binding arbitration. The union responded by notifying the airline of its intention to strike as soon as Thursday night unless the company returned to the bargaining table this week in Calgary. Diederik Pen, the airline’s president, said the company’s most recent contract offer would have made WestJet maintenance engineers the highest paid in Canada and raise their take-home pay 30% to 40% within a year. The union says the airline is trying to impose a contract that its members rejected by a 97.5% vote, and that low pay is preventing WestJet from filling open jobs. WestJet was founded in the 1990s and modeled after Southwest Airlines in the U.S. It is Canada's second-largest airline.
U.S. regulators are investigating an unusual 'Dutch roll' of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max None - Federal officials are investigating an unusual rolling motion during the flight of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max U.S. regulators are investigating an unusual 'Dutch roll' of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max WASHINGTON -- Federal officials said Thursday they are investigating an unusual rolling motion on a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max that might have been caused by a damaged backup power-control unit. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was working with Boeing and the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the May 25 incident, which happened on a flight from Phoenix to Oakland, California. The FAA said the plane went into a “Dutch roll,” the name given to the combination of a yawing motion when the tail slides and the plane rocks from wingtip to wingtip. It is said to mimic the movement of a Dutch ice skater. Pilots are trained to recover from the condition, and the Southwest plane landed safely in Oakland. There were no injuries reported among the 175 passengers and six crew members. According to a preliminary report by the FAA, an inspection after the plane landed showed damage to a unit that provides backup power to the rudder. The FAA said other airlines have not reported similar issues.
Woke capitalism is not to be sneered at. Gen Z is a mighty force for change | Martha Gill None - Young people are used to being told they expect too much when it comes to the world of work. Judge Judy, Whoopi Goldberg and Jodie Foster were among the latest of their elders to give them a ticking off – accusing indulgent parents of setting them up to fail. Curmudgeonly employers would not pander to their requests for better hours, they said, or align themselves with their pet social causes, as young people seemed to think. But as generation Z starts to make up a chunkier portion of workers, another story is emerging. The “unreasonable” demands of this generation are in fact beginning to be met. Instead of giving young people a rude awakening, the corporate world is falling over backwards to accommodate them – you cannot, after all, fire a whole generation. A report in the Financial Times charts the rise of gen Z “whisperers”: advisers, among them big consulting firms such as Edelman, that are helping companies adapt to their young employees and ensure, too, that they appeal to younger customers. Managers feel particularly pressured these days, the report found, to take a stand on social causes. Activist young workers are not the only force pushing companies in a more socially liberal direction. There is investor pressure from above and customer concerns from without. Shareholders are aware that the market responds when companies take a stand: firms that pulled out of Russia as soon as it invaded Ukraine did better than those who only made the decision later, according to a study by the Yale School of Management. Consumers, meanwhile, increasingly expect companies to speak out on issues of social justice, and are quick to condemn them for perceived failures. PwC’s customer loyalty survey in 2022 recorded that gen X and millennial customers were more likely to support brands that signal progressive beliefs. SP Global finds a positive correlation between business outcomes and support for ESG – strategies that marry environmental, social and governance issues. Investments in ESG are predicted to grow rapidly. “Woke capitalism”, a term coined by the writer Ross Douthat, tends to be criticised from two directions. On the left, activists complain about hypocrisy – that companies do not always follow through on their so-called values. On the right, critics such as Jacob Rees-Mogg, who wrote about the issue in the Telegraph last week, claim that diversity hiring and spending money on environmental causes is bad for business. Both squabbles, though, miss the larger story, which is that this change in corporate signalling tracks and demonstrates a huge social shift. Companies, if they want to sell things and attract employees, must align themselves with the values of their time. Ours are changing. It might be easy to miss if you are focused only on Westminster’s turbulent politics and the past 14 years of Conservative government, but Britain, along with much of the western world, is becoming ever more liberal. It’s not just the young, although they are moving the fastest: the change is evident in every generation. Where we choose to work and what we buy reflects – perhaps more than other measures – our social preoccupations The gulf we have crossed in the last 40 years is astonishing. In 1981, just 12% of Britons thought homosexuality “justifiable”, according to a recent study at King’s College London. Now two-thirds of us think so. This change of heart mostly occurred very recently: in 2009, only a third thought being gay was acceptable. Around half of the public reckoned same-sex relationships were “always wrong” in 1983; when the question was asked again two years ago, it was 9%. What once were pressing moral concerns – divorce, casual sex, whether women with young children should go out to work – have become facts of life for most people. In 1999, just one in 10 Brits thought casual sex could be justified; in 2022, 42% did. In the last 30 years, there has been a similar shift on abortion, once tolerated by only 14%, and now by nearly half. The British social attitudes survey shows racism has rapidly declined, as has prejudice against those with Aids, along with support for the death penalty. Forty years ago, 75% of people thought that ironing, in a heterosexual relationship, was the woman’s job. That has dropped to 16%. This is what really underlies “woke capitalism”. Where we choose to work and what we buy reflects – perhaps more than other measures – our social preoccupations. In the 1880s, when it was founded, Unilever’s purpose was “to make cleanliness commonplace and lessen the load for women”. Now it is to “make sustainable living commonplace”. Political signalling on the part of big firms is not new. In 1969, not long after the Detroit race riots and the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, Coca-Cola showed an advert called “boys on a bench”, a group of black and white teens sitting together. It followed this with “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”, its famous ad promoting harmony between races. In the 1960s, some companies took positions against the Vietnam war, and some against apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Observed Free weekly newsletter Analysis and opinion on the week's news and culture brought to you by the best Observer writers Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Rees-Mogg, fretting about shareholder value, should remember, too, that firms tend to act in their best interest. If a “woke” advert or company mission statement goes down badly, or turns out to reflect a tiny pressure group rather than the views of most people, it is often withdrawn. Those objecting from the left should take heart too. Their side is winning. Where fights emerge, it is mostly over the pace of change, not the direction itself. When the activist group Fossil Free Books was pilloried over its campaign to make Baillie Gifford divest from fossil fuels, critics did not dispute that the planet needed saving. Instead, they pointed out that the target was wrong, and the strategy poor: Baillie Gifford was fairly woke already. It is in squabbles such as these that our politics, as a country, become clear. Values are not only recorded at the ballot box.
‘An unprecedented spectacle’: Trump and Biden take different approaches to prep for first debate None - Claire McCaskill, former U.S. Senator from Missouri, David Jolly, former congressman from Florida and Vaughn Hillyard, NBC News Correspondent join John Heilemann in for Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House to discuss the upcoming first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump and what are the goals for President Biden ahead of a debate with a counterpart who has been convicted of 34 felonies. June 24, 2024
Minnesota dam faces 'imminent failure' amid rising flood waters None - Residents living near Minnesota's Rapidan Dam are being warned that the structure is in "imminent failure condition" due to rising flood waters and heavy damage from accumulating debris. (June 24, 2024
Canada to start 30-day consultation to impose surtax on Chinese electric vehicles None - Canada's government is investigating whether to impose a surtax on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles TORONTO -- Canada's government is investigating whether to impose a surtax on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles. A 30-day consultation on the issue will begin on July 2 to counter what Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Monday is a clear effort by Chinese companies to generate a global oversupply. Canada’s move comes weeks after both the United States and the European Commission announced plans to impose higher import tariffs on Chinese EVs this summer. “Our automotive sector supports nearly 550,000 good paying Canadian jobs,” Freeland said. “Canadian workers and the auto sector are facing unfair competition from China's intentional state directed policy of overcapacity that is undermining Canada's EV sector ability to compete in domestic and global markets.” The consultation will seek input on what is driving China’s surging EV exports, including unfair market practices as well as labor and environmental standards. In addition to a surtax, the consultation will consider whether Canada should change which cars are eligible for the federal EV purchase rebate worth up to $5,000 Canadian ($3,661) per vehicle. It will also look at whether to expand investment restrictions in Canada. Right now the only Chinese-made EVs imported into Canada are from Tesla, made at the company’s Shanghai factory. There are no Chinese-branded EVs sold or imported at the moment. Freeland said Canada will act in concert with its allies in the United States and the European Union. She noted North America has an integrated auto sector, and said her government would ensure Canada doesn't become a dumping ground for Chinese oversupply. U.S. President Joe Biden has said Chinese government subsidies for EVs and other consumer goods ensure that Chinese companies don’t have to turn a profit, giving them an unfair advantage in global trade.
Off the TV screen and into real life: An MSNBC event illustrates the rise of 'event journalism' None - For one weekend day this fall in New York — and for a price — MSNBC fans can see many of their favorite personalities in real life Off the TV screen and into real life: An MSNBC event illustrates the rise of 'event journalism' NEW YORK -- MSNBC is inviting its fans to a one-day “Democracy 2024” event this September with live panels and a dinner with stars like Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes and Ari Melber, part of the company's entrance into the burgeoning field of events journalism. Live events are a growing business for many news outlets, forced to think of different ways to make money with readership, viewership and advertising revenue declining. MSNBC has ramped up its effort this year with the help of creative director Luke Russert. The journalism-centered events business has grown in fits and starts before accelerating in recent years. It is particularly robust in Washington, with the Post, Politico, Semafor, Punchbowl News and Puck all active. “The fact that we've seen others in the industry host similar events, that's been a bit of a precedent,” MSNBC President Rashida Jones said. “One of the benefits of our brand and our content is that there are a lot ways to engage with it.” When Semafor started two years ago, co-founder and CEO Justin B. Smith made it a central part of the business; the company held eight events before publishing its first article. He calls it “live journalism,” and it was quickly profitable through the sale of sponsorships. Semafor will hold about 70 or 80 events this year, with the centerpiece being the World Economy Summit in April, an annual meeting Smith has positioned as Davos on the Potomac River. “It's a great place to make news and a great place to make money,” he said. Before Semafor, Smith built up the live events business at Bloomberg and the Atlantic, the latter instrumental in the popular Aspen Ideas Festival. The New Yorker magazine has also built an influential festival that mixes news and culture. Overall, events journalism didn't catch fire quickly, in part because organizing them was a skill in short supply at news outlets, Smith said. There were also some notable missteps: A reporter for The New York Times quit under pressure in 2019 after using a racial slur in a Times-sponsored student trip to Peru; the newspaper doesn't host such trips anymore. And The Washington Post was embarrassed in 2009 when it was revealed it had planned to charge lobbyists as much as $250,000 to attend an off-the-record salon, hosted by its publisher, with newsmakers and journalists. That's a clear ethical transgression for selling access. But Thomas Rosenstiel, a journalism professor at the University of Maryland, said he didn't see a problem with an event like MSNBC's. “If the product is civic knowledge and debate, that's what news organizations do,” Rosenstiel said. “That's the business that they're in. It's just the delivery system is different.” MSNBC's “Democracy 2024” has faint echoes of the annual “BravoCon” run by its corporate cousin, although in this case news personalities are replacing real housewives and Andy Cohen. Last year's 3-day “BravoCon” in Las Vegas cost fans $550 for entry, with a special VIP package of $1,200 that included the right to move to the front of the line at the bar. “We do not have that feature,” MSNBC's Jones said. Ticket prices for the Sept. 7 MSNBC day at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, which also includes a film screening and reception, start at $119 per person, the network said on Monday. Hayes, Jen Psaki, Joy Reid, Alex Wagner, Andrea Mitchell and Katy Tur will lead one panel discission on campaign issues, and stat man Steve Kornacki will break down the latest poll results. Maddow, Melber, Lawrence O'Donnell, Stephanie Ruhle, Michael Steele, Alicia Menendez and Symone Sanders Townsend will run a second panel. Dipping its toe in the business, MSNBC held an invite-only event in Washington before the State of the Union address. Hayes went on a multi-city tour surrounding his “Why is this Happening?” podcast, and was joined by Maddow for a discussion at New York's Town Hall. “Any opportunity I can have in front of a live crowd I love,” Hayes told The Associated Press. “I'm a theater kid at heart. I probably feel more comfortable in a room with actual people in the audience that I do on live TV.” Hayes said it offered an unparalleled feedback mechanism. “You can tell when people are with you, when you've lost people," he said. "You can tell when people are laughing, when they're sighing in exasperation about something you've told them. You can navigate that. One of the hardest things when I started doing TV was not having that.” ___ This story has been updated to correct the title of an event held by Semafor. It is the World Economy Summit, not the World Economic Forum. ___ David Bauder writes about media for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/dbauder.
Car dealerships in North America revert to pens and paper after cyberattacks on software provider None - Car dealerships across North America are still wrestling with disruptions that started last week NEW YORK -- Car dealerships in North America are still wrestling with major disruptions that started last week with cyberattacks on a company whose software is used widely in the auto retail sales sector. CDK Global, a company that provides software for thousands of auto dealers in the U.S. and Canada, was hit by back-to-back cyberattacks Wednesday. That led to an outage that has continued to impact operations. For prospective car buyers, that's meant delays at dealerships or vehicle orders written up by hand. There's no immediate end in sight, but CDK says it expects the restoration process to take “several days” to complete. On Monday, Group 1 Automotive Inc., a $4 billion automotive retailer, said it is using “alternative processes” to sell cars to its customers. Lithia Motors and AutoNation, two other dealership chains, also disclosed that they implemented workarounds to keep their operations going. Here is what you need to know. CDK Global is a major player in the auto sales industry. The company, based just outside of Chicago in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, provides software technology to dealers that helps with day-to-day operations — like facilitating vehicle sales, financing, insurance and repairs. CDK serves more than 15,000 retail locations across North America, according to the company. CDK experienced back-to-back cyberattacks on Wednesday. The company shut down all of its systems after the first attack out of an abundance of caution, according to spokesperson Lisa Finney, and then shut down most systems again following the second. “We have begun the restoration process," Finney said in an update over the weekend — noting that the company had launched an investigation into the “cyber incident” with third-party experts and notified law enforcement. “Based on the information we have at this time, we anticipate that the process will take several days to complete, and in the interim we are continuing to actively engage with our customers and provide them with alternate ways to conduct business,” she added. In messages to its customers, the company has also warned of “bad actors” posing as members or affiliates of CDK to try to obtain system access by contacting customers. It urged them to be cautious of any attempted phishing. The incident bore all the hallmarks of a ransomware attack, in which targets are asked to pay a ransom to access encrypted files. But CDK declined to comment directly — neither confirming or denying if it had received a ransom demand. “When you see an attack of this kind, it almost always ends up being a ransomware attack,” Cliff Steinhauer, director of information security and engagement at the National Cybersecurity Alliance. “We see it time and time again unfortunately, (particularly in) the last couple of years. No industry and no organization or software company is immune.” Several major auto companies — including Stellantis, Ford and BMW — confirmed to The Associated Press last week that the CDK outage had impacted some of their dealers, but that sales operations continue. In light of the ongoing situation, a spokesperson for Stellantis said Friday that many dealerships had switched to manual processes to serve customers. That includes writing up orders by hand. A Ford spokesperson added that the outage may cause “some delays and inconveniences at some dealers and for some customers.” However, many Ford and Lincoln customers are still getting sales and service support through alternative routes being used at dealerships. “The people who've been around longer — you know, guys who have maybe a little salt in their hair like me — we remember how to do it before the computers,” said John Crane of Hawk Auto Group, a Westmont, Illinois-based dealership operator that uses CDK. “It’s just a few more steps and a little bit more time.” Although impacted Hawk Auto dealerships are still able to serve customers by “going back to the basics," Crane added that those working in administration are still “pulling out our hair." He notes that there are now stacks of paper awaiting processing — in place of orders that went through automatically on a computer overnight. Group 1 Automotive Inc. said Monday that the incident has disrupted its business applications and processes in its U.S. operations that rely on CDK’s dealers’ systems. The company said that it took measures to protect and isolate its systems from CDK’s platform. In regulatory filings, Lithia Motors and AutoNation disclosed that last week's incident at CDK had disrupted their operations as well. Lithia said it activated cyber incident response procedures, which included “severing business service connections between the company’s systems and CDK’s." AutoNation said it also took steps to protect its systems and data, adding that all of its locations remain open “albeit with lower productivity," as many are served manually or through alternative processes. With many details of the cyberattacks still unclear, customer privacy is also at top of mind — especially with little known about what information may have been compromised this week. If you've bought a car from a dealership that's used CDK software, cybersecurity security experts stress that it's important to assume your data may have been breached. That could potentially include “pretty sensitive information,” Steinhauer noted, like your social security number, employment history, income and current or former addresses. Those impacted should monitor their credit — or even freeze their credit as an added layer of defense — and consider signing up for identify theft monitor insurance. You'll also want to be wary of any phishing attempts. It's best to make sure you have reliable contact information for a company by visiting their official website, for example, as scammers sometimes try to take advantage of news about data breaches to gain your trust through look-alike emails or phone calls. Those are some best practices to keep in mind whether you're a victim of CDK's data breach or not, Steinhauer said. "Unfortunately, in this day and age, our data is a valuable target — and you have to make sure that you’re taking steps to protect it,” he said. ___ Associated Press writer Mike Householder in Detroit contributed to this report.
Average long-term US mortgage rate falls again; at lowest level since early April None - Home loan borrowing costs eased again this week as the average rate on a 30-year mortgage declined to its lowest level since early April LOS ANGELES -- Home loan borrowing costs eased again this week as the average rate on a 30-year mortgage declined to its lowest level since early April. The rate fell to 6.87% from 6.95% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.67%. This is the third straight weekly decline in the average rate, which has mostly hovered around 7% since April. Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing options. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also eased this week, lowering the average rate to 6.13% from 6.17% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.03%, Freddie Mac said. “Mortgage rates fell for the third straight week following signs of cooling inflation and market expectations of a future Fed rate cut,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Home loan rates are influenced by several factors, including how the bond market reacts to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy and the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. Yields have mostly eased recently following some economic data showing slower growth, which could help keep a lid on inflationary pressures and convince the Federal Reserve to begin lowering its main interest rate from its highest level in more than 20 years. Federal Reserve officials said last week that inflation has fallen further toward their target level of 2% in recent months and signaled that they expect to cut their benchmark interest rate once this year. The central bank had previously projected as many as three cuts in 2024. Until the Fed begins lowering its short-term rate, long-term mortgage rates are unlikely to ease significantly, economists say. Even then, mortgage rates “are likely to remain well above the 3.5% to 5% range that prevailed in the decade before the pandemic,” said Jiayi Xu, an economist with Realtor.com. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage remains near a two-decade high, discouraging many would-be homebuyers. The elevated rates contributed to a lackluster spring homebuying season. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in March and April as home shoppers contended with rising borrowing costs and prices. Another factor constraining the housing market is a tight supply of homes for sale. While it has risen this year, partly because properties are taking longer to sell, the inventory of homes on the market remains well below its pre-pandemic levels. A major factor is many homeowners who bought or refinanced more than two years ago are reluctant to sell now and give up their fixed-rate mortgages below 3% or 4% — a trend real estate experts refer to as the “lock-in” effect. As of the end of last year, more than 50% of homes with a mortgage had a rate that was 4% or lower, and 87% had a rate at 6% or lower, according to Realtor.com. "While it’s unlikely for mortgage rates to fall below 4%, a rate around 6% could strongly motivate many sellers to list their homes, thereby increasing overall inventory and exert downward pressure on housing prices,” Xu said.
Rebuilding Paradise: Nonprofit's $500 'defensible space' grants help cut residents' insurance costs None - Five years after the 2018 Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed 90% of the homes here, residents of Paradise, California, face a new struggle: Finding homeowner's insurance PARADISE, Calif. -- The letter from the insurance company arrived just before Brian and Morgan Gobba finally finished construction on their new house: Their homeowner’s policy was being canceled. The Gobbas were among the first families to return to Paradise after the 2018 Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed 90% of the homes here. The house where Morgan grew up burned in the fire. The couple wanted to be part of restoring the town, but the process has been exhausting and expensive. “A lot of people don’t realize that when you rebuild in a burnt-out town, you’re not starting at ground zero,” said Brian Gobba, who worked as a construction estimator and is now a fire prevention inspector for the town of Paradise. “You’re starting at negative five or 10, because you need to cut down the trees and get rid of a lot of things that are destroyed or toxic.” Facing the prospect of not having protection for the home they’d worked so hard to build, the Gobbas enrolled in the California FAIR plan last year, the state’s insurer of last resort. Their annual premium is now $6,000. “When you think you’re slowly gaining money and adding to your safety net and your bank account for your kids and family and future, and all of a sudden, ‘Hey, here’s a bill for $6,000,’ it really puts a hole in your heart,” said Gobba. Households throughout Paradise are confronting an insurability crisis as companies, reeling from unprecedented wildfire losses, raise premiums and discontinue policies in California. But a local foundation is trying to help those families find ways to qualify for and afford private insurance again by giving them money to make their properties more resilient to wildfire. The Rebuild Paradise Foundation opened applications last month for the Defensible Space Gravel Grant — a $500 voucher for enough gravel to create a 5-foot-wide buffer around a 2,000 square foot home, protecting the structure from vegetation or other combustible material. The foundation hopes the vouchers help homeowners qualify for discounts insurers in California are required to give to customers who take certain risk-mitigation actions, including creating defensible space. After years of enduring the financial and emotional strain of rebuilding, many fire survivors may lack the capacity to make modest improvements like this on their own, according to Rebuild Paradise’s executive director, Jen Goodlin. “People are just maxed out,” she said. “The new phase of the rebuild is landscaping, but there’s no resources to do it.” Creating defensible space is also a key part of fire safety, according to Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan, director of the National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise USA program. “When we look at how a wildfire spreads, it’s not often that big wall of flames that people think of,” she said. “It’s the little embers flying through the air.” Those embers can ignite vegetation, especially if it’s dry and overgrown. Having space between vegetation and the base of the house can prevent flames and embers from reaching the structure itself. Many new homes in Paradise haven’t been landscaped yet, leaving plenty of space for tall weeds to sprout in the spring and become highly flammable in the dry summer months. Gravel perimeters can prevent those weeds from growing, but they can be expensive and labor intensive to establish. The voucher is redeemable at a local rock business and includes delivery. If an applicant can’t lay the rock themselves, volunteers will come help. “This idea of a little bit of funding going a long way is what we hear all the time,” said Fitzgerald-McGowan. “Sometimes it’s just that little bit of a leg up, because these costs do add up.” Rebuild Paradise has doled out nearly $2.3 million since the fire, assisting households with construction costs not covered by FEMA or insurance like replacing septic infrastructure or surveying lots. The foundation was just winding down its largest grant program when, right before the five-year anniversary of the fire, insurance companies began raising premiums and dropping customers. “It made everyone a little crazy,” said Goodlin, whose own annual premium went from $2,500 to $12,000. “We have new homes built to the highest fire safety measures, yet we’re getting these astronomical increases.” Since 2017, California home insurance premiums have gone up an average of 35%. Seven of the 12 top home-insurers in California have paused or restricted new business in California since 2022, saying it’s become too risky to write policies in the disaster-prone state. The state’s insurance department is working on new rules to appease companies’ concerns in exchange for them writing more policies near areas prone to wildfires. Those rules are expected to be finished by the end of the year. Around 150 families have applied in the five weeks since the grant opened, and Goodlin said some insurance companies have even begun suggesting to their customers that they apply for the grant. The organization has received so much interest that it is pausing new applications while it reorganizes its processes. “We knew it would be a very popular grant program, but I don’t think we actually realized how extreme it would be,” said Goodlin. The foundation aims to help 1,000 families, but it will have to raise more funds to do so, which means Goodlin herself is in the process of applying for grants to expand the program. She said she’s even reached out to some of the insurance companies themselves for donations, though none have responded. Brian Gobba applied for the grant as soon as it opened. The Rebuild Paradise Foundation had already helped him with the costs of surveying and installing a new septic system. Without that kind of assistance, Gobba said many of his neighbors would not have been able to return to Paradise. “The help of the grant money in all its little forms, it’s helping people get back to the ridge.“ A Marine who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gobba knows how important being with people who have gone through similar experiences can be in overcoming trauma. “The people that have moved back after the fire have each other to lean on,” he said. “That’s really good for the healing process.” The gravel should be delivered this week. Gobba hopes that creating defensible space will not only allow them to landscape in a fire-safe way, but to also get off the FAIR plan. “Maybe somehow we could get our premiums and our yearly costs to go down,” he said. “It felt like it was grasping at straws, but we had to try.” _______ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.
China, EU are open to talks on plans to hike tariffs on Chinese EVs None - Officials say that China and the European Union are open to holding talks on the EU's recent decision to sharply raise tariffs on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles China, EU are open to talks on plans to hike tariffs on Chinese EVs BANGKOK -- China and the European Union are open to holding talks on the EU’s recent decision to sharply raise tariffs on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles, officials from both sides say. China’s Commerce Ministry and Germany’s economy minister said over the weekend that each side was willing to hold talks on the issue. Meanwhile, Chinese state media said Monday that Beijing is pushing for the EU to give up plans to sharply raise provisional tariffs on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles by July 4. Escalating a trade dispute over Beijing’s subsidies that Brussels worries are hurting European automakers, the EU plans to impose provisional tariffs of 17.4% to 38.1% on EVs from China for four months starting on July 4. That's on top of the 10% dutues for all imported EVs. They would apply to vehicles exported to Europe by both Chinese and foreign brands, including Tesla. The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said preliminary results from an investigation into Chinese EV subsidies showed the country’s battery electric vehicle “value chain” benefits from “unfair subsidization” that hurts EU rivals. Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a video conference with European Commission Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a notice Saturday on its website. “The two sides agreed to launch consultations on the EU’s anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles,” it said. “The doors are open for discussions. And I hope that this message was heard,” Germany's economy and vice chancellor, Robert Habeck, said Sunday while on a visit to China. In Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he had pushed hard for the EU to offer China further talks when it made its decision on the tariffs. “There’s still a bit of time until July 4,” Scholz said in a speech to the main industry lobby group in Germany, which has Europe’s biggest economy. “But it’s clear, of course, that we will also need serious movement and progress from the Chinese side.” “It’s important that the EU takes its opportunity until the end of the month, but also that the Chinese government takes its opportunity to bring about an agreement,” he said. “It’s not a small issue for us,” Scholz added, pointing to Germany’s export strength and its auto sales to China. “Our industry is confident in global competition; that’s perhaps the difference between the German business and industrial model and some others, where protectionist measures generate more enthusiasm.” China’s Commerce Ministry on Thursday accused the EU of making unreasonable demands in its investigation into imports of Chinese electric vehicles before it announced it was raising tariffs by as much as 38%. Ministry spokesman He Yadong said the European side had demanded excessive amounts of information from Chinese automakers and then unfairly accused the Chinese companies of failing to cooperate. Beijing said last week that it was opening an anti-dumping investigation into pork exports from Europe. In announcing that, the Commerce Ministry did not mention EV tariffs. But the investigation into various pork products was widely seen as a response to the EU measures on electric cars. The European side has said it wants to discuss the findings of its investigation with Chinese authorities to find ways to resolve the issues. ___ Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
Apple becomes first target of EU's new digital competition rules aimed at big tech None - European Union regulators are accusing Apple of breaking new rules on digital competition by imposing rules in its App Store marketplace that prevent app makers from pointing users to cheaper options on other venues LONDON -- European Union regulators on Monday leveled their first charges under the bloc’s new digital competition rulebook, accusing Apple of preventing app makers from pointing users to cheaper options outside its App Store. The European Commission said that according to the preliminary findings of its investigation, the restrictions that the iPhone maker imposes on developers using its mobile App Store had breached the 27-nation bloc's Digital Markets Act. The rulebook, also known as the DMA, is a sweeping set of regulations aimed at preventing tech “gatekeepers” from cornering digital markets under threat of heavy financial penalties. The commission opened an initial round of investigations after it took effect in March, including a separate ongoing probe into whether Apple is doing enough to allow iPhone users to easily change web browsers, and other cases involving Google and Meta. Apple has been facing pressure on both sides of the Atlantic to tear down some of the competitive barriers around its lucrative iPhone franchise. The U.S. Justice Department filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Apple this year, accusing it of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market and boxing out competitors, stifling innovation and keeping prices artificially high. By the time that case was filed, Apple had already started to comply with a U.S. court order enabling links to alternative payment systems within iPhone apps, but a judge has expressed frustration with the company's approach and has indicated may changes may be required. App makers such as Spotify had complained for years about Apple’s requirement that subscriptions only be bought through iOS apps, allowing the company to take a commission of up to 30%. Those grievances culminated in European regulators slapping Apple with a $2 billion fine for unfairly favoring its music streaming service over Spotify and other rivals. Under the DMA's provisions, app developers must be allowed to inform customers of cheaper purchasing options and direct them to those offers. The commission, the bloc's executive arm, said App Store rules “prevent app developers from freely steering consumers to alternative channels for offers and content.” Apple now has a chance to respond to the findings. The commission must make a final decision on Apple’s compliance by March 2025. The company could face fines worth up to 10% of its global revenue, which could amount to billions of euros, or daily penalties. The regulatory tensions prompted Apple to recently raise the specter of excluding the European market from a package of new artificial intelligence features coming to iPhones because the company believes the new rules within the region are too onerous. But the European commission is keeping the pressure on Apple, simultaneously opening a new investigation into contractual terms that it's offering app developers. Regulators zeroed in on a “core technology fee” of 50 euro cents (54 cents) that Apple is now charging developers for each time their apps are downloaded and installed from outside Apple's App Store. The DMA's provisions open the way for alternative app stores to give consumers more choice. The commission said the the new terms are a “condition to access some of the new features enabled by the DMA.” Rivals had criticized the fee, saying it would deter many existing free apps, which don't pay any fees, from jumping ship. “We are concerned Apple’s new business model makes it too hard for app developers to operate as alternative marketplaces & reach their end users on iOS,” the European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, said on social media. Apple Inc. said over the past several months, it “has made a number of changes to comply with the DMA in response to feedback from developers and the European Commission.” “We are confident our plan complies with the law, and estimate more than 99% of developers would pay the same or less in fees to Apple under the new business terms we created,” the company said in a statement. “All developers doing business in the EU on the App Store have the opportunity to utilize the capabilities that we have introduced, including the ability to direct app users to the web to complete purchases at a very competitive rate.” The company said it will “continue to listen and engage” with the commission. The EU had been carrying out a similar investigation since 2020 into whether Apple's in-app purchasing system and restrictions violated Brussels' antitrust rules. But “to avoid multiple investigations into the very same conduct,” that probe is being shut down to focus on the investigation under the DMA, which clearly spells out what Apple can't do, the commission said Monday.
Breaking down the high cost of child care None - Breaking down the high cost of child care A recent report found the average annual cost of child care in the U.S. was over $11,500 last year. In some areas, those expenses can be two or three times higher. CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger breaks down the costs.
Trump could make his VP announcement before the first presidential debate None - Trump could make his VP announcement before the first presidential debate Former President Trump could announce his vice presidential pick for the 2024 election sometime before the first debate against President Biden. NBC News' Dasha Burns reports on who some Trump's potential picks could be.June 25, 2024
What the Trump-Biden presidential debate on Thursday is really about None - With former President Donald Trump on the stage for this Thursday’s debate, no one should expect a deep dive into the issues. Inevitably, the theatrics of the event will overshadow the substance. But it’s important not to be distracted by the sound and fury, because Trump and the GOP are telling us quite clearly what they intend to do on everything from tariffs to mass deportations, to banning abortion pills and implementing Project 2025. Their agenda is neither secret nor subtle. So, cut through the bluster and take a moment to pay attention to what a Trump 2.0 presidency would mean. • Deporting millions of migrants. On MSNBC this weekend, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts — one of the architects of Project 2025 — explained: “We need to have the biggest mass deportation system ever in the history of America because it is unjust, illegal and evil that more than 10 million illegal aliens have come to this country.” • Imposing huge financial burdens on the middle class. Trump is floating the idea of eliminating the income tax and replacing it with trillions of dollars in new tariffs — most of which would be passed onto American consumers. The result would be massive tax cuts for the ultra-rich at the expense of middle- and lower-class Americans. • Turning the Department of Justice into a weapon of political retribution, against his critics and the news media. • Pardoning the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, including rioters who attacked police officers defending the Capitol. • Invoking the Comstock Act to criminalize abortion, even without a federal ban. • Appointing two more justices to the Supreme Court, solidifying conservative control for decades. • Purging the federal workforce. “The number needs to be more than 50,000, considering that there are more than 2 million federal employees,” Heritage’s Kevin Roberts told Symone Sanders and Michael Steele. “Ultimately, we have to devolve power from the imperial city of Washington back to the people.” • Deploying the active-duty military to cities run by Democrats. As The New York Times notes, “He came close to unleashing the active-duty military on racial justice protests that sometimes descended into riots in 2020 and remains attracted to the idea. Next time, he has said, he will unilaterally send federal forces to bring order to Democratic-run cities.” • Abandoning NATO and Ukraine. Just days ago, Trump echoed Russian talking points by claiming that the prospect of Ukraine’s entry into NATO was “really why this (full-scale) war started.” As you watch Thursday’s debate, remember to take all of this both seriously and literally. Sign up for MSNBC’s new How to Win 2024 newsletter and get election insights like this delivered to your inbox weekly.
Spain eliminates sales tax on olive oil to help consumers cope with skyrocketing prices None - Spain's government says it will temporarily eliminate the sales tax on olive oil to help cushion skyrocketing prices MADRID -- Spain will temporarily eliminate the sales tax on olive oil to help consumers cope with skyrocketing prices, the government said Tuesday. Spain is the world’s leading producer and exporter of olive oil, but its cost for domestic consumers has risen dramatically due to global inflationary pressures and a prolonged drought that decimated supplies. Prices have also surged in other Mediterranean countries. The price of olive oil has increased by 272% since September 2020, according to Spain’s agriculture ministry. A five-liter bottle of olive oil can cost over 50 euros ($53) at a Spanish supermarket. Spaniards use olive oil to cook and to garnish sandwiches, salads, vegetables and other dishes. Last year Spanish households consumed on average 6 liters per person, compared to 0.4 liters for international consumers, according to the agriculture ministry. But the rise in prices has made some switch to cheaper cooking oils. The government had already slashed the sales tax on olive oil from 10% to 5% as part of an anti-inflation package. No sales tax will be applied to olive oil from July through September, when it will be taxed at 2% until the end of the year. From then on, it will be taxed at 4% and be considered a basic food stuff. Spanish Treasury Minister María Jesús Montero said the decision reflects “the importance of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet and a healthy lifestyle.”
Norway starts stockpiling grain again, citing the pandemic, war and climate change None - The Norwegian government has signed a deal to start stockpiling grain, saying the COVID-19 pandemic, a war in Europe and climate change have made it necessary COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- The Norwegian government on Tuesday signed a deal to start stockpiling grain, saying the COVID-19 pandemic, a war in Europe and climate change have made it necessary. The deal to store 30,000 tons of grain in 2024 and 2025 was signed by agriculture and food minister Geir Pollestad, finance minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum and four private companies. The wheat, which will belong to the Norwegian government, will be stored in already existing facilities by the companies in facilities across the country. Three of the companies will store at least 15,000 tons this year. Companies “are free to invest in new facilities and decide for themselves where they want to store the emergency grain, but they must make the grain available to the state if needed,” the government said. Norway’s ministry for agriculture and food said, “the building up of a contingency stock of food grains is about being prepared for the unthinkable." “There should be an extra level of security in the event of major disruptions in the international trade systems or failure of national production,” Slagsvold Vedum said. “This is an important part of the government’s work to strengthen national preparedness.” Norway will sign further stockpiling contracts in the coming years, with the goal of building up the reserve until 2029. The aim is to have some 82,500 tons of grain in storage by the end of the decade "so that we then have enough grain for three months’ consumption by Norway’s population in a crisis situation that may arise,” Pollestad told Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Norway has 5.6 million people. Last year, the Scandinavian nation said it would spend 63 million kroner ($6 million) per year on stocking up on grain. Norway had stored grain in the 1950s but closed down its storage sites in 2003 after deciding they were no longer needed. However, following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Norway set up a commission to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of its emergency preparedness systems which recommended stockpiling grain products. The oil-rich country, which has supported Ukraine, also houses the Global Seed Vault in its Svalbard archipelago, some 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) from the North Pole. Since 2008, gene banks and organizations around the world have deposited nearly 1 million samples of seeds at the vault to back up their own collections in case of human-caused or natural calamities. The Norwegian government funded the construction cost, while an international nonprofit organization pays for operational costs.
Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines flights disrupted by pressurization problems None - A Korean Air flight to Taiwan was forced to return to Incheon airport west of Seoul after a sudden depressurization on the plane, a Boeing 737 Max 8 SEOUL, South Korea -- A Korean Air flight to Taiwan was forced to return to Incheon airport west of Seoul after a sudden depressurization on the plane, a Boeing 737 Max 8, the transport ministry said Tuesday. The ministry said 19 of the 133 people aboard the flight Saturday were sent to hospitals due to ear pain and nosebleeds, but none suffered serious injuries. The airline and the ministry said the cause of the problem was under investigation. The aircraft was grounded and the ministry ordered South Korea’s 11 airlines to examine pressurization systems in all their 400 aircraft. The sudden depressurization occurred about 50 minutes after the flight's departure. Separately, Malaysia Airlines said one of its flights en route to Bangkok on Monday made a U-turn back to Kuala Lumpur after the Airbus A-330 experienced a “pressurization issue.” Malaysia Airlines said its pilots initiated an emergency descent even though the aircraft had not reached the altitude of 8,000 feet and oxygen masks were not deployed. Flight MH780 was carrying 164 passengers and 12 crew members. An investigation was underway. The 737 Max has a troubled history. After Max jets crashed in 2018 in Indonesia and 2019 in Ethiopia, killing 346 people, the FAA and other regulators grounded the aircraft worldwide for more than a year and a half. Concerns over the company's best-selling commercial aircraft were renewed after a panel blew out of a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. No one was seriously injured in the incident.