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Nintendo sold more than 3.5 million units of its flagship Switch 2 gaming system in the four days following its launch, with online stores of major U.S. retailers putting up “out of stock” signs.

The record-breaking start for the company’s first new console in eight years, puts Nintendo on the path to realizing its aim of selling 15 million units of the Switch 2 console in the fiscal year ending March 2026.

However, analysts continue to believe that those expectations are modest, and forecast the strong initial demand to sustain.

“The market expected a record from Nintendo, and as it turns out, Nintendo delivered,” Serkan Toto, CEO and founder of gaming industry consultancy Kantan Games, told CNBC.

“All signals prior to launch pointed to significant demand, and I believe we will see further records broken over the next weeks or months,” he added.

Toto has maintains that the Switch 2 will sell over 20 million units in its first 12 months. David Gibson, senior research analyst at MST Financial told CNBC that he expects 20 million sales for the year ending March 2026.

The Switch 2, which was released on June 5, has been met with much fanfare, with people lining up for hours ahead of midnight releases at Nintendo stores.

“Fans around the world are showing their enthusiasm for Nintendo Switch 2 as an upgraded way to play at home and on the go,” Nintendo of America President and Chief Operating Officer Doug Bowser said in a statement, adding the company was thankful for the response.

Tokyo-listed shares of Nintendo, which have gained nearly 30% so far this year, were down 3.5% on Wednesday, LSEG data showed. The company has seen its shares rise nearly fivefold since the original Switch debuted in early March 2017.

It remains to be seen if the Switch 2 can recapture the magic of its predecessor, which had set the bar with 15 million unit sales in its first year. It went on to sell more than 152 million units to become the second-highest selling Nintendo device ever, behind the Nintendo DS.

The record initial sales of the Switch are in line with the strong demand analysts had predicted. However, the rush has put into question Nintendo’s ability to meet demand.

Retailers including Walmart, GameStop, Target and Best Buy were out of stock of the consoles, their online stores showed Wednesday.

In April, Nintendo’s Bowser told CNBC that the company had been working with “retail partners to ensure there’s ample supply for not only the launch weekend, but well beyond.”

However, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa stated the same month that 2.2 million people in Japan had entered the lottery to purchase the Switch 2 on launch day, exceeding expectations and what the company had initially planned to deliver to stores.

Kantan Games’ Toto said shortages in Japan were expected to persist, but would be less impactful elsewhere.

“Except for Japan where demand for Switch 2 is extraordinarily high, it looks like fans who really want the console and invest time in trying to secure one actually can get one,” he said. “It might take a while, but as far as can be monitored, supply seems to be more robust than around the launch of the original Switch in 2017.”

President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” on most countries around the world also present headwinds for the Switch 2.

In April, the company announced that it would delay preorders of the Switch 2 in the U.S. while it considers the impact of tariffs.

The Switch 2 retails for $449 in the U.S., which makes it Nintendo’s priciest console to date.

Nintendo’s Bowser said in April the company was going to “monitor where tariffs are going” before making any further decisions on price hikes.

MST Financial’s Gibson said that a resolution to Trump’s tariffs and lower duty rates could see the Switch 2 prices drop in the U.S.

The Switch 2 builds on the success of the original Switch, featuring a larger screen and improved performance. The system also introduces the new GameChat2 feature, which allows players to voice or video chat with friends online and share game screens.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

LAS VEGAS. — Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said Wednesday that he “did a cartwheel” in his living room when current chief executive Brian Niccol first coined his “back to Starbucks” strategy.

The enthusiasm from the 71-year-old Starbucks chairman emeritus is a key stamp of approval for Niccol as he tries to lift the company’s slumping sales and restore the chain’s culture.

Schultz, who grew Starbucks from a small chain into a global coffee giant, made a surprise appearance at the company’s Leadership Experience in Las Vegas and cosigned Niccol’s plans. The three-day event has gathered more than 14,000 North American store leaders to hear from Starbucks management as the company embarks on a turnaround.

Niccol took the reins in September, joining the company after the board ousted Laxman Narasimhan, Schultz’s handpicked successor.

Schultz had returned in 2022 for his third stint as chief executive, but it was only an interim role. He previously told CNBC that he has no plans to come back again. Schultz no longer holds a formal role within the company, although CNBC has previously reported that he’s forever entitled to attend board meetings unless barred by the company’s directors.

During Niccol’s first week on the job, he outlined plans for the comeback in an open letter, making the commitment to get “back to Starbucks.” More details on how the chain planned to return to its roots followed in the ensuing months, from bringing back seating inside cafes to writing personalized messages on cups. Under Niccol’s leadership, the company’s marketing has shifted to focus on its coffee, rather than discounts and promotions.

When Starbucks announced Narasimhan’s firing and Niccol’s hiring, Schultz issued a statement of support, saying that the then-Chipotle CEO was the leader that the company needs. However, the Leadership Experience marks the first time that Niccol and Schultz have appeared publicly together.

During Narasimhan’s short tenure as CEO, Schultz did not mince words when the company’s performance fell short of his expectations. After a dismal quarterly earnings report, he weighed in publicly on LinkedIn, saying the company needs to improve its mobile order and pay experience and overhaul how it creates new drinks to focus on premium items that set it apart.

But Schultz said Starbucks’ problems went further than just operational issues and lackluster beverages and food.

“The culture was not understood. The culture wasn’t valued. The culture wasn’t being upheld,” he said on Wednesday.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Syria issued a conservative new dress code Tuesday requiring women to wear burkinis or full-body swimwear on all public beaches, the latest cultural shift since Islamist-led rebels toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime last December.

The Tourism Ministry said the new guidelines were made in “the requirements of public interest.”

“Visitors to public beaches and pools, whether tourists or locals, are required to wear appropriate swimwear that takes into account public taste and the sensibilities of various segments of society,” Tourism Minister Mazen al-Salhani said in a directive posted to Facebook.

“More modest swimwear is required at public beaches and pools (burkinis or swimsuits that cover more of the body),” said the directive, adding, “When moving between the beach and other places, it is necessary to wear a beach cover-up or loose-fitting robe (for women) over swimsuits.”

Men are required to wear shirts under the new guidance, which says that “topless clothing is not permitted in public areas outside of swimming areas, hotel lobbies, and food service areas.”

“In public areas outside of beaches and pools, it is preferable to wear loose clothing, covering shoulders and knees, and avoid transparent or overly tight clothing,” according to the directive.

However, the ministry said that in resorts and hotels “classified as international and premium (4-star)” and in private beaches and swimming pools ”typical Western swimwear is permitted.”

It’s unclear what repercussions people who do not follow the guidelines will face, but the ministry said that “lifeguards and beach supervisors” would monitor people to ensure compliance.

The new regulations reflect the influence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist coalition now leading Syria’s transitional government. Formerly known as Al-Nusra Front, HTS is designated as a terrorist group by the US and UK.

Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who signed the dress-code directive, led HTS in the lightning offensive that led to the fall of Assad, whose regime had been in power for several decades.

In March, al-Sharaa signed an interim constitution mandating Islamist rule for a transitional phase of five years. Al-Sharaa said in December that rewriting Syria’s constitution might take three years, with elections potentially taking place within five years.

The US-based Human Rights Watch said in March that Al-Sharaa’s “broad authority raises serious concerns about the durability of the rule of law and human rights protections unless clear safeguards are put in place.”

Tourism Minister al-Salhani, who recently courted Qatari and Saudi investors for tourism projects worth “billions of dollars,” framed the rules as respecting Syria’s cultural, social, and religious diversity.”

The announcement comes amid a push to revive Syria’s tourism industry following the lifting of US sanctions in May 2025 – a move US President Donald Trump described as a “chance at greatness” for Syria.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Argentina’s top court effectively banned two-term former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner from office and upheld a six-year jail sentence, likely drawing a curtain on one of the country’s most flamboyant and divisive political careers.

Kirchner, 72, a polarizing opposition figure and leftist president from 2007 to 2015, was convicted by a trial court in 2022 for a fraud scheme that steered public road work projects in the Patagonia to a close ally while she was president.

The ruling scuppers Kirchner’s plans to run in Buenos Aires provincial legislative elections, but could galvanize her divided Peronist opposition coalition, which has been licking its wounds since being ousted in 2023 by current libertarian President Javier Milei.

The Supreme Court’s three judges rejected Kirchner’s appeal and left in effect an appellate court decision that had upheld the guilty verdict. A lower court will decide whether to grant Kirchner house arrest due to her age.

“The complaint is dismissed,” the Supreme Court said in a ruling. Kirchner has denied wrongdoing and claims she is a victim of political persecution.

In Buenos Aires, her supporters blocked roads across the city. Some banged on drums. Others carried banners with the image of Evita Perón, the wife of Juan Perón, the founder of the political movement who was known as a defender of the poor.

“A triumverate of unpresentables,” Kirchner said of the Supreme Court judges after the ruling, speaking before thousands of supporters who rallied in downtown Buenos Aires outside the headquarters of her Peronist Justicialista party.

Kirchner’s shadow looms large over the Peronist movement, which needs to identify a new generation of leaders.

“The fact that she goes to jail and can’t be a candidate doesn’t eliminate her political movement,” said political analyst Carlos Fara. “Obviously though it won’t be the same.”

A government source said that it could both weaken or strengthen the opposition. Peronism “can either entrench itself or break into a thousand pieces,” the person told Reuters.

Justice?

Prosecutors accused Kirchner of directing hundreds of millions of dollars to construction magnate Lázaro Báez. During her government and that of her late husband, Néstor Kirchner, companies tied to Báez were awarded dozens of government contracts for roadwork projects in Patagonia but nearly half of them were abandoned, prosecutors said.

Báez and other officials were sentenced to prison terms.

Peronism and Kirchner’s popularity have suffered in recent years. She served as vice president in 2019 under President Alberto Fernández, whose government oversaw a slide into economic crisis by overprinting pesos that led to sharp spike in inflation.

But she has still been able to maintain a hardcore support base, particularly from working-class voters who relied on government subsidies under her and her husband’s governments.

“As a figure she’s not been overshadowed on the political scene by anyone,” said Carolina Barry, an expert on Peronism at the Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires. “Her words resonate with many groups.”

Kirchner has been sharply critical of Milei’s austerity, accusing him of cutting pensions and defunding public education. Milei has shot back that he would “love to bang the last nail in the coffin of Kirchnerismo, with Cristina Kirchner inside.”

“Justice,” wrote Milei on X after the verdict on Tuesday.

Alejandro Carrió, a constitutional and criminal law expert in Buenos Aires, said that even if Kirchner serves the sentence under house arrest, it was unclear “if with time she’ll lose the clear leadership she’s held for years.”

Kirchner faces charges in several other criminal cases and is scheduled to stand trial in November on accusations that she led a large-scale bribery scheme.

She’s not the first Argentine president to face a criminal conviction, joining, among others, former President Carlos Menem, who was sentenced to over four years in prison for embezzlement of public funds during his presidency in the 1990s. As a senator, congressional immunity protected him from prison.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Hundreds of masked rioters attacked police and set homes and cars on fire in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena on Tuesday in the second successive night of disorder that followed a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the town.

Police said they were dealing with “serious disorder” in the town, which is about 45 km (30 miles) from the capital Belfast, and urged people to avoid the area.

Officers in riot gear and driving armoured vans responded with water cannon and plastic baton rounds after being attacked by petrol bombs, scaffolding and rocks that rioters gathered by knocking down nearby walls, a Reuters witness said.

One house was burned out and a police officer vomited after leaving another in a different part of the town that rioters had attempted to set alight, the witness added.

A number of cars were set on fire and one lay upside down in flames as police sirens blared throughout the town past midnight.

Four houses were damaged by fire and windows and doors were smashed in other homes and businesses in the first night of rioting on Monday, in what police said they are investigating as racially-motivated hate attacks.

Hundreds of protesters had gathered in Ballymena earlier on Monday in response to a case involving two teenage boys who appeared in court that day, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in the County Antrim town.

Local media reported that the charges were read to the teenagers via an interpreter.

Fifteen police officers were injured on Monday, with some requiring hospital treatment.

Separate protests on Tuesday had earlier blocked off some roads in Belfast, another Reuters witness said, but no unrest was reported in other parts of the British-run region.

The British government and local politicians condemned the violence.

“The terrible scenes of civil disorder we have witnessed in Ballymena again this evening have no place in Northern Ireland,” Britain’s Northern Ireland Minister Hilary Been said on X.

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In the heat of the Jamaican sun, where the wetlands glisten and buzz with life, an ancient predator is vanishing.

There are around 28 species of crocodiles found throughout the world’s tropical and subtropical regions. But there is only one species in Jamaica, found primarily along the southern coast from St. Thomas to Westmoreland.

Once revered and feared across the island, the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) has long ruled the mangroves and coastal lagoons.

But in recent years, its population has been decimated, due to illegal hunting, habitat loss and plastic pollution, as well as killings prompted by a lingering fear among locals.

Lawrence Henriques has made it his life’s mission to change that.

Known as “The Crocodile Guardian,” Henriques has spent the past four decades fighting for their survival.

He runs the Holland Bay Crocodile Sanctuary, a grassroots conservation project in the southeast of the island, perched on the edge of what he says is one of Jamaica’s last viable crocodile habitats.

From this remote corner of the island, he’s trying to undo years of damage: nursing sick crocs back to health, raising juveniles and restoring their numbers in the wild.

“There’s a real fear of crocodiles in Jamaica,” says Henriques. “They’re not tolerated by a lot of people. So if one turns up in someone’s backyard, it’s often killed for meat or just because people are afraid.”

Although crocodiles are often seen as aggressive and dangerous, attacks are few and far between. While reliable figures are hard to come by, according to the global database CrocAttack, there have been 11 incidents reported over the past decade in Jamaica, including one fatality in 2018.

That’s why Henriques is working to change the narrative about the animal and help people understand that they are far less threatening than their reputation suggests.

Born and raised in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, during the 1960s, Henriques always had a penchant for “creepy crawlies,” such as spiders, scorpions and snakes.

But it was crocodiles that truly captured his attention.

“We had a lot more crocodiles and a lot more habitat in those days,” he recalls. “I always had a half a dozen or so baby crocodiles rearing in my bedroom.”

That fascination eventually became a vocation. After studying overseas and learning more about reptiles when working with the Scientific Exploration Society, a UK charity, in Belize, Henriques returned to Jamaica in 1980. He was startled to find that despite crocodiles being classified as endangered in 1971 under the Wildlife Protection Act, there was little practical conservation happening.

“The laws were there, but nobody was doing anything,” he says. “The environmental agency was very under-resourced and still is to this day. And there was nobody really with expertise or knowledge on reptiles.”

A sanctuary on the edge

Henriques volunteered to assist the Jamaican government, carrying out crocodile rescues and providing rehabilitation, all while holding down a job in the citrus industry.

He continued like this for almost 20 years, before a brief relocation to London, UK. When he returned to Jamaica in 2010, he launched what would become the Holland Bay Crocodile Sanctuary — a facility dedicated to rescue, rehabilitation and public education.

The sanctuary, which lies on the edge of a wetland, is home to 27 adult crocodiles along with 18 baby crocs. The juvenile crocs have been bred on site and are typically released into the wild after three years, while the adults have been rescued and rehabilitated after being hit by cars, caught in traps, or found living in squalid conditions. Over the past three years, around 90 have been successfully released back into the wild according to Henriques.

One of the crocodiles living at the sanctuary currently is Xena, who was discovered guarding her eggs in an area littered with trash, her skin slimy and her teeth gray from pollution.

Savannah Boan, an international ambassador from Gatorland Global, the conservation arm of the Florida-based wildlife park which helps to fund the sanctuary, says that since being relocated, Xena’s skin has healed and her teeth are white again. Her babies have also been raised at the facility and released into safe areas, helping to boost wild populations of the species.

Black market

Despite legal protections, crocodiles in Jamaica face growing threats. Poaching is rampant, often driven by demand for meat or misguided fear, according to officers from the country’s National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).

“Poaching is definitely a huge problem,” says Leighton Mamdeen, an environmental officer at NEPA. “We try to limit it through enforcement measures such as regular monitoring and we partner with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Defence Force to do patrols.”

According to media reports, there is a thriving black market for crocodile meat and eggs in Jamaica, with the meat sold for as much as 5,000 Jamaican dollars ($31) a pound (450 grams) – more than 10 times the price of chicken meat.

This could stem from a widespread misconception in some rural communities that crocodile meat has aphrodisiac properties.

Damany Calder, another environmental officer at NEPA, says he has noticed a troubling pattern during callouts, when crocodiles are discovered with their tails removed.

“There’s a rumour about the crocodile tail… it’s (used) either for sexual performance, fertility or longevity,” he says.

In other cases, crocodiles have been found in backyard ponds, kept as pets, or used as props for TikTok stunts or music videos. There was even a time when a small live crocodile was found stuffed in a broken fridge, says Calder. He believes it may have been part of a ritual referred to as Obeah, a Jamaican religious tradition similar to voodoo.

Social media videos have occasionally resulted in prosecutions but only if culprits are caught in the act, Calder says. Individuals found guilty of killing crocodiles may be charged a maximum fine of $100,000 or face one-year imprisonment.

“The police are heavily involved, and they’re trying to improve the penalties,” says Henriques.

“But like everything else, it’s catching the person and proving it in court. It’s a very long, drawn-out process.”

Habitat erased

Development is another killer.

Jamaica’s mangroves and wetlands are currently being cleared for tourism and residential development according to The Forestry Department. This affects the country’s coastal resilience, as mangroves reduce wave energy and storm surges, helping to prevent flooding, and it damages biodiversity, as they are serve as nurseries for fish and provide essential habitat for species like crocodiles.

As this territory shrinks, crocodiles are forced closer to humans.

“These animals are ending up in places they’ve always lived,” Henriques says. “But now those places are towns and roads … We’ve taken their habitat.”

To Henriques, the crocodile isn’t a menace — it’s a keystone species that has been on the island for millions of years. It even features on the Jamaican coat of arms, which shows a crocodile perched atop a royal helmet and mantling, designed to symbolize the island’s unique wildlife and natural heritage.

“They’re like engineers of the ecosystem,” he says. “They dig channels, control fish populations and keep the wetlands healthy.”

He explains that the presence of these apex predators helps to regulate biodiversity within aquatic ecosystems by controlling prey populations and creating microhabitats that support various flora and fauna.

But Henriques warns that because of poaching and habitat loss, the island no longer has many large male crocodiles left along the coastline: “Most now are smaller. It’s a serious shift.”

“What’s happening in Jamaica reflects a global pattern — wetland species are disappearing, and with them, the health of the entire ecosystem,” he adds.

Changing minds, one school at a time

Despite the challenges, there’s a cautious sense of hope.

Henriques and NEPA have ramped up community outreach and education programs, especially in areas near crocodile habitats.

“One of the most impactful things we’ve done is visit schools,” says Mamdeen. “If you start with the kids, you’ll have a greater chance of securing the animal’s future.”

When reports of a crocodile in a pool of water near a school caused panic among parents and children, NEPA directed its outreach efforts toward local students.

“We told them: crocodiles would rather run (from you) than rush (towards) you,” he says. “If you’re near water at night, walk with a stick. If the animal is touched, it moves.”

Henriques added: “People are beginning to understand these animals have a place … They’re not pests. They’re survivors.”

Still, the sanctuary is one of only a few conservation efforts on the island, and without continued support, Henriques fears Jamaica’s crocodiles may not survive the next few decades.

“We can’t afford to lose them,” he says. “They’ve been here longer than we have. They’re part of this land.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

A rare, first-generation Labubu figure has sold for $150,000 in Beijing at an auction held exclusively for the toys that have taken the world by storm.

The 131-centimeter (51-inch) mint green figurine with a gremlin-like appearance, sharp teeth and puckish grin went for 1.08 million yuan ($150,325) at the Yongle International Auction house that normally specializes in selling jewelry and modern art.

“Congratulations to the online buyer on collecting the world’s only such one,” said the auctioneer at an exhibition center in downtown Beijing on Tuesday afternoon.

Labubus are currently the trendiest plush toys on the planet, created by Hong Kong-born illustrator Kasing Lung and retailed by the Chinese toy giant Pop Mart.

In recent months, the bunny-bodied, elf-faced creatures — equal parts grotesque and adorable — have soared in popularity, sparking buying frenzies around the world, and in some cases, brawls among fans outside shops selling them.

Even in China, where Pop Mart is based and most of its toys are made, people are struggling to get their hands on Labubus.

A total of 48 Labubus were auctioned at the special event, billed as the “World’s First” auction of first generation collectible Labubus.

A brown, 160-centimeter (63-inch) Labubu figure, sold for $114,086, the second highest hammer price at the event. The company said only 15 such figures exist around the world.

Other figures went for more than $1,000 each.

“As a trendy toy in China, Labubu is now becoming a global artwork as it has truly sparked a craze around the world,” Zhao Xu, the founder of Yongle Auction, told state-owned outlet The Beijing News.

Zhao said the company plans to hold monthly livestream auctions for Labubu and other trendy artworks.

A pair of Minions-like Labubus sold at auction for 10,000 yuan ($1,391).

Buyers at the auction also had to pay an additional 15% brokerage fee on top of the hammer prices.

And it’s not rare to see a price inflation of Labubus due to the crazy demand in China. For instance, a blind box from the latest Labubu 3.0 series, originally priced at around $81, has been selling for up to $278 on the second-hand market, state-owned outlet Cover News reported.

Labubu’s viral popularity has been a booster for Pop Mart. Annual results show that the Chinese company’s global gross profit surged by over 125% last year, while its revenue in mainland China reached more than $1.09 billion, 34% higher than 2023.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

President Trump’s tariffs will remain in effect for now after a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday to pause a lower court decision that had blocked them. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted the stay and scheduled an expedited review of the case, which centers on whether Trump exceeded his authority under federal law.

The case involves challenges from five small businesses and a coalition of states who argue that President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs was unlawful. 

The U.S. Court of International Trade sided with the plaintiffs earlier this year, issuing an order to block the tariffs. That decision is now on hold pending further review.

The Federal Circuit found that both sides raised substantial arguments and that a stay was appropriate under the legal standards used to evaluate such motions. 

The court’s brief order noted that the stay was necessary to preserve the status quo while the appeal proceeds. The case will now be heard by the full bench of active judges in an en banc session, a rare move reserved for matters of exceptional legal significance.

Oral arguments are scheduled for July 31 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 201 at the Federal Circuit courthouse in Washington, D.C.

The Liberty Justice Center, which represents the five businesses, criticized the court’s decision to allow the tariffs to remain temporarily but welcomed the accelerated review.

‘We’re disappointed the federal circuit allowed the unlawful tariffs to remain in place temporarily,’ said Jeffrey Schwab, Senior Counsel and Director of Litigation at the Liberty Justice Center. 

‘It’s important to note that every court to rule on the merits so far has found these tariffs unlawful, and we have faith that this court will likewise see what is plain as day: that IEEPA does not allow the president to impose whatever tax he wants whenever he wants. We are glad the federal circuit recognized the importance of this case, and agreed to hear it before the full court on an expedited schedule.’

The full opinion can be read here.

White House spokesman Kush Desai defended the Trump administration’s executive powers in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying it welcomed the US Circuit Court of Appeals’ stay order.

‘The Trump administration is legally using the powers granted to the executive branch by the Constitution and Congress to address our country’s national emergencies of persistent goods trade deficits and drug trafficking. The US Circuit Court of Appeals’ stay order is a welcome development, and we look forward to ultimately prevailing in court,’ Desai said.
 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., are pushing legislation that would hike the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and provide for annual increases to account for inflation.

The proposal would implement a dramatic increase from the current $7.25 per hour federal minimum wage, which has been in place for more than 15 years.

‘For decades, working Americans have seen their wages flatline. One major culprit of this is the failure of the federal minimum wage to keep up with the economic reality facing hardworking Americans every day. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that workers across America benefit from higher wages,’ Hawley said, according to press releases from both lawmakers.

The purchasing power of the U.S. dollar has eroded significantly over the years due to inflation.

Under the proposed legislation, the yearly increases to the initial $15 per hour federal minimum wage would be based on ‘the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (or a successor index), as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ and would be ’rounded to the nearest multiple of $0.05, if the amount … is not a multiple of $0.05.’

‘We’re in the midst of a severe affordability crisis, with families in red and blue states alike struggling to afford necessities like housing and groceries. A stagnant federal minimum wage only adds fuel to the fire. Every hardworking American deserves a living wage that helps put a roof over their head and food on the table–$7.25 an hour doesn’t even come close,’ Welch said, according to the releases.

‘Times have changed, and working families deserve a wage that reflects today’s financial reality. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to raise the minimum wage nationwide to help more folks make ends meet,’ the senator added. 

In post on X, conservative commentator Dana Loesch decried the idea of raising the federal minimum wage, pushing back against Hawley’s advocacy for the policy.

‘This is a horrible, progressive idea,’ Loesch asserted in the tweet.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

A national security-focused nonprofit organization has released a comprehensive report detailing the workings of a well-funded nominally U.S.-based organization that it says is undermining American energy, pushing left-wing green initiatives, and ultimately advancing Chinese interests. 

The report, published by State Armor, outlines the money trail of Energy Foundation China, registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is technically headquartered in San Francisco but with employees mostly based in Beijing.

‘Energy Foundation China used to be known as the Energy Foundation before it spun off most of its U.S.-based operations in 2019 into a separate organization called the U.S. Energy Foundation,’ the report explains. ‘While still formally organized as the Energy Foundation, since 2019, the organization has used the alias ‘Energy Foundation China’ or ‘EF China’ to differentiate from the now-separate U.S. Energy Foundation. The group was founded by Hal Harvey, a climate activist and entrepreneur with deep ties to numerous left-wing organizations and to China.’

State Armor found that EFC has ‘spent millions each year to bankroll climate advocates who promote phasing out fossil fuels and implementing green energy alternatives like the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the latter of which was the target of a 2018 Congressional inquiry into whether it should register as a foreign agent based on its Chinese funding.’

The Rocky Mountain Institute produced one of the most prominent studies used by many Democrats to justify cutting down on gas stoves and was cited by President Biden’s Department of Energy. 

Earlier this year, multiple committees joined to begin an investigation into EFC, and requested files from EFC President Zi Chou about financial resources given to American organizations after Fox News Digital reporting on the group funneling millions of dollars to fund climate initiatives and environmental groups in the U.S.

The report details how EFC ‘led a U.S. state-level legislative drive’ against Bayer, the leading Western fertilizer company, that pushed for lawsuits against the company over a potentially carcinogenic pesticide with the aim of driving the company out of the U.S. and in turn forcing reliance on Chinese suppliers. 

The report goes on to outline how the organization has ‘provided millions’ to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) to support ‘a clean energy future’ and how ICCT was an ‘active supporter’ of climate initiatives in the Inflation Reduction Act targeting increased battery electric trucking infrastructure. 

Fox News Digital reported in 2023 that The Energy Foundation sent $480,000 to the Washington, D.C.-based International Council on Clean Transportation, which advocates for widespread EV adoption and policies decarbonizing the transportation sector broadly. It also wired grants — one to the University of Maryland and another to the Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs — worth a total of $450,000 and earmarked for projects to phase out coal power reliance.

Josh Hodges, Commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission and former National Security Advisor to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and NSC Senior Director in the first Trump Administration, told Fox News Digital that EFC is a ‘textbook example of the CCP’s asymmetric warfare strategy and drive to deepen its dominance over American companies.’

‘Communist China is manipulating a supposed philanthropic network to steer the U.S. away from reliable domestic energy sources and into dependence on Chinese supply chains,’ Hodges said. ‘Whether it’s solar panels, mobile phones, electric vehicle batteries, or agricultural chemicals, Beijing’s fingerprints are all over the ‘green transition’ being pushed on America.’

The report quotes Chinese climate envoy Liu Zhenmin who suggested that Biden’s green energy policies will remain even under a more skeptical Trump administration and said, ‘even if the new Trump administration reverses climate change policies, it is unlikely to completely change the green transition actions that have already begun in various parts of the U.S.’

‘In other words, the CCP’s penetration of the U.S.’ political and industrial systems runs so deep that CCP officials believe that not even a skeptical White House could halt America’s growing dependence upon Chinese technologies,’ the report states. 

Will Hild, Executive Director of Consumers’ Research told Fox News Digital that the report ‘exposes a disturbing truth’ that EFC is part of a broader push to undermine American energy independence and ‘stifle’ the Trump energy agenda to benefit the CCP. 

EFC is weaponizing woke ideology to pull off this scheme and force American consumers to rely on the Chinese Communist Party for energy sources,’ Hild said. ‘Americans deserve to know the truth about our foreign adversary’s campaign that is poisoning our economy and reshaping our energy future. We applaud organizations like State Armor that are working to expose these grifts against consumers.’

In addition to the EFC’s climate activism, the report focuses on how, by ‘co-opting climate activism and dominating new so-called green supply chains, Beijing converts a domestic weakness into a global strength’ while also detailing the ties between EFC and the CCP. 

For example, EFC’s CEO Zou Ji has served in previous roles at top leadership positions in China’s official National Center for Climate Change Strategy within the National Development and Reform Commission of the State Council. 

‘He was so deeply tied into CCP leadership that he was included as a part of China’s delegation to the 2015 Paris Climate Talks,’ the report says. ‘Zou’s other affiliations include a position at Tsinghua University at a center where his colleagues include a retired senior PLA officer and a former deputy director of an MSS think tank.’

Zou is not the only EFC figure with ties to the CCP, the report says, pointing to EFC Board Member and Washington, D.C. based attorney Hongjun Zhang, who serves as a member of China’s Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development and was previously a legislative director for the China National People’s Congress. 

Zhang, according to his law firm’s bio page, spent ‘many years in the Chinese government’ that included work at the ‘Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), State Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), and National Development and Reform Commission.’ 

The report states that EFC’s operations in China are overseen by the CCP’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and that the organization’s Beijing headquarters are located in a building owned by a state-owned investment corporation tied to Chinese state media propaganda. 

Rep. John Moolenar, R-Mich., who is the chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, sounded the alarm over the report, telling Fox News Digital ‘This report confirms what we’ve long warned: the Chinese Communist Party is using seemingly innocuous nonprofits to influence American policy and undermine U.S. interests — in this case, our energy independence.’

‘Energy Foundation China operates at the direction of the CCP and is exploiting our charitable system to push policies that benefit Beijing, not the American people,’ Moolenar continued. ‘The Select Committee continues to investigate how CCP-linked organizations infiltrate U.S. institutions, shift critical supply chains toward China, and shape environmental agendas that aim to make America weaker while China gets stronger. We will continue to expose these influence operations and work with Congress and the Administration to safeguard U.S. energy security and national sovereignty.’

The report also points to examples of EFC collaborating with U.S. entities and officials including in 2023 when it ‘provided support’ for an event that featured California Gov. Gavin Newsom during a visit to China and then hosted a forum a month later for a discussion promoting ‘low-carbon cooperation between the two nations.’

Vance Wagner, the vice president for strategic partnerships at Energy Foundation China, pushed back on the report, telling Fox News Digital that ‘Energy Foundation China (EFC) is an independent grantmaking charitable organization that provides funding for research and capacity building related to climate change and China.’

‘Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing our world. Our work is currently focused on China given the scale of its energy sector and its role in global emissions. Despite geopolitical tensions, meaningful engagement with China on climate change and emissions reductions is in everyone’s interests,’ Vance continued. ‘All grants we make support projects related to climate change and China, and are in no way related to influencing U.S. energy policy. EFC does not accept funding from any government or political party.’

‘Neither the Chinese government nor the CCP fund, direct, or control EFC or our grant-making decisions,’ he added. ‘We are compliant with all U.S. and Chinese laws and regulations and do not lobby or support electoral activities in any country.’

The report states that between 2020 and 2021, EFC gave over $1 million to the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for funding ‘green energy research’ and laboratory training increasing the efficiency of China’s industrial sectors. 

The Biden administration, according to the report, gave $60 million in grants to the Institute for Sustainable Communities, which is a group ‘frequently in collaboration with Energy Foundation China.’

‘America’s energy security is national security,’ Jason Isaac, CEO of American Energy Institute, told Fox News Digital. 

‘The State Armor report lays bare how the Chinese Communist Party has co-opted climate activism to shift the U.S. onto so-called ‘green’ technologies that are manufactured, mined, and controlled by China. From solar panels to EV batteries and rare earth minerals, our supply chains are increasingly entangled with a foreign adversary that uses forced labor, ignores environmental safeguards, and openly aims to dominate the global energy future. This isn’t progress—it’s dependence. Real energy dominance means leveraging America’s vast domestic energy resources, not outsourcing our future to Beijing.’

Along with the report, State Armor has sent letters to Republican committee chairs in Congress, including Chairmen Grassley, Lee, Moolenaar, Comer, and Guthrie, that call for prompt oversight on the matter. 

‘Congress must act,’ the letter, authored by Lucci, implores. ‘Oversight is urgently needed to expose the full extent of this operation, beginning with Energy Foundation China. The EFC is not a passive observer; it is an active player in a geopolitical contest where America’s energy security and global leadership hang in the balance.’

Fox News Digital’s Thomas Catenacci and Joe Schoffstall contributed to this report

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