1. Deal reportedly will raise California minimum wage to $15 an hour
California lawmakers have reportedly reached a deal with labor unions to raise the state minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next few years, starting with an increase from $10 an hour to $10.50 next year. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) is expected to make a formal announcement as early as Monday. The tentative agreement would avert a potentially costly campaign to let voters consider a proposal to hike the state minimum wage this fall.
2. Al Jazeera announces job cuts
Al Jazeera announced Sunday that it will cut about 500 jobs, mostly in Qatar. The layoffs amount to just over 10 percent of its workforce. The news comes just over two months after the Qatar-based broadcaster decided to shut down its U.S. news channel. Qatar is a member of OPEC, and its economy has been hit hard by the sharp drop in oil prices over the last year. The network said the "workforce optimization initiative" was necessary to continue producing "high quality, independent, and hard-hitting journalism" in an evolving media landscape.
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3. Microsoft reportedly discusses backing bid for Yahoo sites
Microsoft is in early talks with private equity firms about helping to finance a bid for struggling internet pioneer Yahoo. The firms interested in buying Yahoo assets reportedly approached Microsoft, which made no immediate comment. The discussions are still in a preliminary stage. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has been trying to turn the company around for four years, with limited results. The company is auctioning its core search, mail, and news sites as Google and Facebook dominate the competition for online advertisers.
4. Dell reaches $3 billion deal to sell tech services business
Japan's NTT Data Corp. reportedly has agreed to buy Dell's IT services business for $3 billion. NTT Data, a unit of Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp., announced the deal in a statement to the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday. The deal will help NTT Data increase its sales outside Japan. Dell is selling some assets ahead of the completion of its record $67 billion takeover of software and storage systems provider EMC Corp.
5. Avon strikes deal with activist investors to head off proxy fight
Avon announced Monday that it had reached a deal with activist investors Barington Capital Group and NuOrion Partners to avoid a proxy fight. Avon will let Barington and NuOrion approve a new independent director for the embattled beauty-products company's board. Under the agreement, former FedEx executive Cathy Ross will join the company's board and the activist investors, which own 3 percent of Avon's stock, will not fight for board seats at the company's May 26 annual meeting.
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Political cartoons for December 13Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include saving healthcare, the affordability crisis, and more
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Farage’s £9m windfall: will it smooth his path to power?In Depth The record donation has come amidst rumours of collaboration with the Conservatives and allegations of racism in Farage's school days
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The issue dividing Israel: ultra-Orthodox draft dodgersIn the Spotlight A new bill has solidified the community’s ‘draft evasion’ stance, with this issue becoming the country’s ‘greatest internal security threat’
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Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
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Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
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Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
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Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
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Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
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Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
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Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
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China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
