Trade
TPP deal 'unlikely' without Japan Radio New Zealand News ...He said while Japan has been reluctant to open its market fully, New Zealand continues to push for open access to Japan's markets for farmers...
TPP talks in full gear as chief negotiators join working-level meeting Mainichi ...the chief negotiators discussed legal and institutional matters as well as labor, and made some progress on forging a framework for curbing serious labor problems...
State Battles
Students Joining Battle to Upend Laws on Voter ID New York Times ...Under the North Carolina law passed last year, the period for early voting was shortened and same-day registration was eliminated. Beginning in 2016, voters will need to show photo identification, and student ID cards, including those issued by state universities, will not be acceptable. In most instances, neither will an out-of-state driver’s license...
War on Workers
As Jobs Surge, Hurdles Linger Wall Street Journal ...Consumer spending remains weak, a consequence of a labor market delivering new jobs but skimpy wage growth. And the share of Americans working or looking for work—the so-called labor-force participation rate—is near its lowest levels since the late 1970s, despite steady hiring...
Face of U.S. unions shifting more to public-sector workers, women Associated Press ...Unions representing government workers are expanding while organized labor has been shedding private-sector members over the past half-century...
Investors Are Pushing Starter-Home Prices Up New York Times ...WALL STREET is driving up home prices again, but this time it is not by granting mortgages to customers who cannot afford houses. Instead, institutional investors have been buying up relatively inexpensive homes, particularly in areas hard hit by foreclosures during and after the Great Recession...
Miscellaneous
Rail Traffic Is Growing Like Crazy Business Insider ...Year-over-year monthly carload growth averaged 4.9 percent from March 2014 through June 2014, the highest average for any four-month period since December 2010 through March 2011...
Enhanced security measures at certain airports overseas TSA ...During the security examination, officers may also ask that owners power up some devices, including cell phones. Powerless devices will not be permitted onboard the aircraft. The traveler may also undergo additional screening...
