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US-China Climate Talks: Reviving Global Efforts And Addressing Bilateral Concerns

(CTN NEWS) – This week, the United States and China will seek to rejuvenate their endeavors in addressing the issue of global warming.

These bilateral meetings are anticipated to elevate the level of ambition in tackling climate change, a crucial step preceding the UN-sponsored climate talks scheduled for late 2023.

These discussions come on the heels of two previous significant visits by high-ranking US officials to China this year.

Both countries, being the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, are striving to stabilize their relationship, which has been strained by trade disputes, military tensions, and allegations of espionage.

US Climate Envoy John Kerry Holds Talks in Beijing to Address Climate Challenges and Bilateral Concerns

On Sunday, John Kerry, the US special envoy on climate change, landed in Beijing for a series of discussions with his Chinese counterpart, Xie Zhenhua.

The meetings are scheduled to take place from Monday through Wednesday and will concentrate on various topics such as the reduction of methane emissions, the limitation of coal usage, the mitigation of deforestation, and the provision of assistance to developing nations in dealing with climate change.

Having fostered a warm relationship through more than two decades of diplomatic engagement, Kerry and Xie are expected to delve into China’s concerns regarding US tariffs and other trade restrictions on the import of Chinese solar panel and battery components, according to observers.

The US government is aiming to safeguard American manufacturers from inexpensive rivals in China, even those suspected of employing forced labor, a claim that Beijing refutes.

David Sandalow, the director of the US-China program at the Center on Global Energy Policy, expressed his expectations for the meetings, stating, “I don’t anticipate any major breakthroughs during these discussions, but my hope is that they can restore a sense of normalcy and diplomatic alignment.”

During a House foreign relations subcommittee hearing on Thursday, Kerry outlined his objectives for the trip to China, emphasizing the goal of establishing stability in the relationship without making any concessions.

Republicans Criticize Biden Administration’s Climate Diplomacy Approach Toward Beijing

Republicans have leveled criticism against the Biden administration, accusing it of adopting a lenient stance towards Beijing in climate diplomacy.

They argue that while China’s greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, the United States is burdened with costly measures to address environmental concerns.

John Kerry becomes the third high-ranking US official, following Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, to embark on a visit to China this year, in an effort to restore a stable bilateral relationship.

Both nations assert that despite their other disagreements, they should be able to collaborate effectively on climate change.

Li Shuo, representing Greenpeace in Beijing, highlighted the significance of the scheduled talks, stating that climate change remains a pivotal issue in the most crucial bilateral relationship in the world.

US-China Tensions Impact Climate Negotiations and Bilateral Relations

Previous discussions between the United States and China have proven influential in advancing global climate negotiations, such as the pivotal role they played in establishing the groundwork for the Paris climate accord in 2015.

During those talks, governments reached an agreement to restrict the increase in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

However, tensions on broader issues have strained the relationship between the two countries in recent years. This includes the imposition of tariffs on Chinese products, including solar panels, during the Trump administration.

Other factors include the visit of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last year and the enactment of a US law prohibiting imports of goods from China’s Xinjiang region due to concerns of forced labor practices.

These developments have added a chill to the overall bilateral dynamics.

Following Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August, an island governed by a democratic system but claimed by China as its territory, Beijing declared a halt to all climate change discussions with Washington.

The resumption of informal climate talks between the two nations only occurred in November during the COP27 summit held in Egypt.

Tensions have further escalated due to the comprehensive Inflation Reduction Act passed by the United States.

This legislation includes tax credits aimed at promoting domestic clean energy production to counter China’s dominance in the sector and revive manufacturing within the US.

These measures have contributed to an increase in friction between the two countries.

While China has made significant progress in renewable energy deployment, surpassing the combined efforts of the rest of the world, it has also witnessed a significant resurgence in coal usage, which has become a major concern for Washington.

China’s Increasing Number of Coal Plant Permits Raises Concerns

In 2022, China granted the highest number of new permits for coal plants since 2015, as reported by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and the Global Energy Monitor (GEM).

Alden Meyer, a Senior Associate at the E3G think tank and an experienced observer of climate negotiations, expressed that although the US intends to address the cessation of new coal generation, it is improbable that China will provide any assurances on this matter.

Meyer also mentioned that China is expected to raise concerns about US tariffs imposed on Chinese solar technology, but it is unlikely that the US will announce any modifications to these trade restrictions.

In her recent visit, Janet Yellen made a public effort to encourage China’s participation in UN-managed funds aimed at supporting developing nations in combating climate change.

However, China, considering itself a developing nation, has been hesitant to engage in such initiatives.

Fang Li, the China director at the World Resources Institute, anticipates that the United States will also urge China to enhance its national climate commitment within the framework of the Paris agreement.

Nevertheless, the Chinese side may display reluctance due to its dissatisfaction with US trade barriers.

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Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding, But Still Accounting 48% Search Revenue

Google

Google is so closely associated with its key product that its name is a verb that signifies “search.” However, Google’s dominance in that sector is dwindling.

According to eMarketer, Google will lose control of the US search industry for the first time in decades next year.

Google will remain the dominant search player, accounting for 48% of American search advertising revenue. And, remarkably, Google is still increasing its sales in the field, despite being the dominating player in search since the early days of the George W. Bush administration. However, Amazon is growing at a quicker rate.

google

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

Amazon will hold over a quarter of US search ad dollars next year, rising to 27% by 2026, while Google will fall even more, according to eMarketer.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the forecast.

Lest you think you’ll have to switch to Bing or Yahoo, this isn’t the end of Google or anything really near.

Google is the fourth-most valued public firm in the world. Its market worth is $2.1 trillion, trailing just Apple, Microsoft, and the AI chip darling Nvidia. It also maintains its dominance in other industries, such as display advertisements, where it dominates alongside Facebook’s parent firm Meta, and video ads on YouTube.

To put those “other” firms in context, each is worth more than Delta Air Lines’ total market value. So, yeah, Google is not going anywhere.

Nonetheless, Google faces numerous dangers to its operations, particularly from antitrust regulators.

On Monday, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that Google must open up its Google Play Store to competitors, dealing a significant blow to the firm in its long-running battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games. Google announced that it would appeal the verdict.

In August, a federal judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly on search. That verdict could lead to the dissolution of the company’s search operation. Another antitrust lawsuit filed last month accuses Google of abusing its dominance in the online advertising business.

Meanwhile, European regulators have compelled Google to follow tough new standards, which have resulted in multiple $1 billion-plus fines.

google

Pixa Bay

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

On top of that, the marketplace is becoming more difficult on its own.

TikTok, the fastest-growing social network, is expanding into the search market. And Amazon has accomplished something few other digital titans have done to date: it has established a habit.

When you want to buy anything, you usually go to Amazon, not Google. Amazon then buys adverts to push companies’ products to the top of your search results, increasing sales and earning Amazon a greater portion of the revenue. According to eMarketer, it is expected to generate $27.8 billion in search revenue in the United States next year, trailing only Google’s $62.9 billion total.

And then there’s AI, the technology that (supposedly) will change everything.

Why search in stilted language for “kendall jenner why bad bunny breakup” or “police moving violation driver rights no stop sign” when you can just ask OpenAI’s ChatGPT, “What’s going on with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny?” in “I need help fighting a moving violation involving a stop sign that wasn’t visible.” Google is working on exactly this technology with its Gemini product, but its success is far from guaranteed, especially with Apple collaborating with OpenAI and other businesses rapidly joining the market.

A Google spokeswoman referred to a blog post from last week in which the company unveiled ads in its AI overviews (the AI-generated text that appears at the top of search results). It’s Google’s way of expressing its ability to profit on a changing marketplace while retaining its business, even as its consumers steadily transition to ask-and-answer AI and away from search.

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Google has long used a single catchphrase to defend itself against opponents who claim it is a monopoly abusing its power: competition is only a click away. Until recently, that seemed comically obtuse. Really? We are going to switch to Bing? Or Duck Duck Go? Give me a break.

But today, it feels more like reality.

Google is in no danger of disappearing. However, every highly dominating company faces some type of reckoning over time. GE, a Dow mainstay for more than a century, was broken up last year and is now a shell of its previous dominance. Sears declared bankruptcy in 2022 and is virtually out of business. US Steel, long the foundation of American manufacturing, is attempting to sell itself to a Japanese corporation.

Could we remember Google in the same way that we remember Yahoo or Ask Jeeves in decades? These next few years could be significant.

SOURCE | CNN

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2024 | Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

trump

Washington — Trump Media,  The Supreme Court announced Monday that it will not hear an appeal from social media platform X about a search warrant acquired by prosecutors in the election meddling case against former President Donald Trump.

The justices did not explain their rationale, and there were no recorded dissents.

The firm, which was known as Twitter before being purchased by billionaire Elon Musk, claims a nondisclosure order that prevented it from informing Trump about the warrant obtained by special counsel Jack Smith’s team violated its First Amendment rights.

The business also claims Trump should have had an opportunity to exercise executive privilege. If not reined in, the government may employ similar tactics to intercept additional privileged communications, their lawyers contended.

trump

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

Two neutral electronic privacy groups also joined in, urging the high court to hear the case on First Amendment grounds.

Prosecutors, however, claim that the corporation never shown that Trump utilized the account for official purposes, therefore executive privilege is not a problem. A lower court also determined that informing Trump could have compromised the current probe.

trump

Trump utilized his Twitter account in the weeks preceding up to his supporters’ attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to spread false assertions about the election, which prosecutors claim were intended to create doubt in the democratic process.

The indictment describes how Trump used his Twitter account to encourage his followers to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject the certification, and falsely claiming that the Capitol crowd, which battered police officers and destroyed glass, was peaceful.

musk trump

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

That case is now moving forward following the Supreme Court’s verdict in July, which granted Trump full immunity from criminal prosecution as a former president.

The warrant arrived at Twitter amid quick changes implemented by Musk, who bought the company in 2022 and has since cut off most of its workforce, including those dedicated to combating disinformation and hate speech.

He also welcomed back a vast list of previously banned users, including Trump, and endorsed him for the 2024 presidential election.

SOURCE | AP

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The Supreme Court Turns Down Biden’s Government Appeal in a Texas Emergency Abortion Matter.

Supreme Court

(VOR News) – A ruling that prohibits emergency abortions that contravene the Supreme Court law in the state of Texas, which has one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the country, has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States. The United States Supreme Court upheld this decision.

The justices did not provide any specifics regarding the underlying reasons for their decision to uphold an order from a lower court that declared hospitals cannot be legally obligated to administer abortions if doing so would violate the law in the state of Texas.

Institutions are not required to perform abortions, as stipulated in the decree. The common populace did not investigate any opposing viewpoints. The decision was made just weeks before a presidential election that brought abortion to the forefront of the political agenda.

This decision follows the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that ended abortion nationwide.

In response to a request from the administration of Vice President Joe Biden to overturn the lower court’s decision, the justices expressed their disapproval.

The government contends that hospitals are obligated to perform abortions in compliance with federal legislation when the health or life of an expectant patient is in an exceedingly precarious condition.

This is the case in regions where the procedure is prohibited. The difficulty hospitals in Texas and other states are experiencing in determining whether or not routine care could be in violation of stringent state laws that prohibit abortion has resulted in an increase in the number of complaints concerning pregnant women who are experiencing medical distress being turned away from emergency rooms.

The administration cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in a case that bore a striking resemblance to the one that was presented to it in Idaho at the beginning of the year. The justices took a limited decision in that case to allow the continuation of emergency abortions without interruption while a lawsuit was still being heard.

In contrast, Texas has been a vocal proponent of the injunction’s continued enforcement. Texas has argued that its circumstances are distinct from those of Idaho, as the state does have an exemption for situations that pose a significant hazard to the health of an expectant patient.

According to the state, the discrepancy is the result of this exemption. The state of Idaho had a provision that safeguarded a woman’s life when the issue was first broached; however, it did not include protection for her health.

Certified medical practitioners are not obligated to wait until a woman’s life is in imminent peril before they are legally permitted to perform an abortion, as determined by the state supreme court.

The state of Texas highlighted this to the Supreme Court.

Nevertheless, medical professionals have criticized the Texas statute as being perilously ambiguous, and a medical board has declined to provide a list of all the disorders that are eligible for an exception. Furthermore, the statute has been criticized for its hazardous ambiguity.

For an extended period, termination of pregnancies has been a standard procedure in medical treatment for individuals who have been experiencing significant issues. It is implemented in this manner to prevent catastrophic outcomes, such as sepsis, organ failure, and other severe scenarios.

Nevertheless, medical professionals and hospitals in Texas and other states with strict abortion laws have noted that it is uncertain whether or not these terminations could be in violation of abortion prohibitions that include the possibility of a prison sentence. This is the case in regions where abortion prohibitions are exceedingly restrictive.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which resulted in restrictions on the rights of women to have abortions in several Republican-ruled states, the Texas case was revisited in 2022.

As per the orders that were disclosed by the administration of Vice President Joe Biden, hospitals are still required to provide abortions in cases that are classified as dire emergency.

As stipulated in a piece of health care legislation, the majority of hospitals are obligated to provide medical assistance to patients who are experiencing medical distress. This is in accordance with the law.

The state of Texas maintained that hospitals should not be obligated to provide abortions throughout the litigation, as doing so would violate the state’s constitutional prohibition on abortions. In its January judgment, the 5th United States Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with the state and acknowledged that the administration had exceeded its authority.

SOURCE: AP

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