Sale of leases for wind farms off New York raises more than $4B
The U.S. government netted a record $4.37 billion Friday from the sale of six offshore wind leases off the coasts of New York and New Jersey, a major step in the Biden administration’s goal of ushering in a future powered by renewable energy. The auction, of more than 488,000 acres in the Atlantic Ocean between Cape May, New Jersey, and Montauk Point, New York, was the Biden administration’s first offshore lease sale. When turbines are built and start working, the auctioned acres are expected to generate up to 7,000 megawatts, enough to power nearly 2 million homes.
Jan. 6 panel threatens to force Guilfoyle to testify
The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol said Friday that it would compel Kimberly Guilfoyle, the fiancee of former President Donald Trump’s eldest son, to testify after she abruptly ended a voluntary interview with the panel. Guilfoyle, who is engaged to Donald Trump Jr., met virtually with the committee’s staff investigators Friday. But she became agitated and cut off the questioning upon learning that members of the committee were participating in the session, according to people familiar with the situation who spoke about the confidential interview on the condition of anonymity.
Ballot rejections in Texas spike after new voting law
Local election officials in Texas have rejected thousands of absentee ballots based on requirements set by the state’s new election law, an alarming jump that risks potentially preventing some Texans from voting in Tuesday’s primary election. The state’s Republican and Democratic primaries will be the first elections held since the Republican-led Texas Legislature overhauled the state’s election laws. Election officials in the most populous counties have rejected roughly 30% of the absentee ballots they have received — more than 15,000 ballots — as of Wednesday, according to a review of election data by The New York Times.
A key inflation gauge is still rising, and war could make it worse
A measure of inflation that the Federal Reserve watches closely accelerated again in January, hitting a 40-year high and speeding up on a monthly basis as food and energy prices climbed sharply. The Personal Consumption Expenditures index, which the Fed targets as it aims for 2% annual inflation on average over time, rose 6.1% over the past year, the fastest pace of increase since 1982. Prices climbed 0.6% in January from December, up from 0.4% the prior month. The data, released Friday, was a reminder that inflation remains stubbornly high as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sends oil and other commodity prices higher and promises to continue to boost inflation.
US eases sanctions to allow routine transactions with Afghan government
The Biden administration moved Friday to relax sanctions that have contributed to the collapse of Afghanistan’s economy since the Taliban takeover in August, issuing a measure that makes clear that people can lawfully engage in transactions with the Afghan government in most circumstances. The measure says that people can lawfully transfer money to civil servants in government agencies — including ministries led by Taliban officials. Wally Adeyemo, the deputy Treasury Department secretary, portrayed the move as part of a larger effort to support the flow of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and facilitate commercial and financial activity there that could allow the economy to function — without directly benefiting Islamic extremists.
Pope told to sit out ceremonies because of knee pain
Pope Francis has abandoned plans for a trip to Florence, Italy, this weekend and will be unable to preside over Ash Wednesday services next week because of acute knee pain, the Vatican said Friday. The pope’s doctor had “prescribed a period of greater rest for the leg” because of “acute gonalgia,” or knee pain, the Vatican explained in a note. The note did not specify whether the problem related to Francis’ previous difficulties with sciatica, a chronic nerve condition that causes back, hip and leg pain, makes him walk with a limp, and has forced him to cancel or modify high-profile appearances in the past.
Russia says it will limit access to Facebook
The Russian government said it was partially limiting access to Facebook for restricting some pro-Kremlin news media accounts. The Russian telecommunications regulator, Roskomnadzor, said Facebook was “involved in the violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms” because it had limited access to four Russian media accounts, including that of the state-run news agency RIA Novosti and of the Defense Ministry’s television channel, Zvezda. Starting Friday, Roskomnadzor’s statement went on, “measures are being taken to partially limit access.” Nick Clegg, president of global affairs at Meta, Facebook’s parent company, said the move came in response to the social network’s warning labels on misleading content.