Business Briefs – July 10, 2018

Business Groups and Unions Clash Over Supreme Court Nominee

WASHINGTON (AP) — Business groups and labor unions have lined up on opposing sides of the pitched battle shaping up over President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, whose approach to the law is widely seen as business-friendly. Kavanaugh’s rulings and written dissents generally convey skepticism toward government regulatory and consumer protection efforts — positions that tend to enjoy broad support among business organizations. He has also usually sided with employers in labor law cases.

European Exporters Shift Trade To Avoid Higher U.S. Tariffs

BEIJING (AP) — European companies that export from China are changing their flow of goods to avoid higher American tariffs in a sign of the spreading impact of the U.S.-Chinese trade war. Expanding the scope of its measures, China said Tuesday it was imposing anti-dumping duties on U.S. exports of materials used to make optical fibers. The Commerce Ministry said optical fiber preforms from the United States and Japan will face additional duties of 37.9 to 78.2 percent for five years.

Judge: Experts Can Testify That Roundup Linked to Cancer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A U.S. judge in San Francisco says evidence seems weak that Roundup weed killer can cause cancer, but experts can still make that claim at trial. The ruling Tuesday allows hundreds of lawsuits against Roundup’s manufacturer, Monsanto, to move forward. The lawsuits by cancer victims and their families say the agrochemical giant long knew about Roundup’s cancer risk but failed to warn them. Government regulators have rejected a link between the active ingredient in Roundup and cancer.

Cuba Lifting Freeze on New Private Tourism Businesses

HAVANA (AP) — A 16-month freeze on new private restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts will end in December when Cuba’s communist government implements new regulations meant to prevent tax evasion and the accumulation of wealth. Cuban officials who announced the change say that the private sector has become a necessary part of the island’s state-dominated economy but requires tighter controls.

National Trucking Industry Files Lawsuit Over Tolls

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A national trucking industry group is fighting Rhode Island over new tolls arguing that large commercial tractors are being unfairly targeted. The lawsuit has been filed in federal court by Virginia-based American Trucking Associations, and claims Rhode Island Department of Transportation tolls violate the U.S. Constitution. The plaintiffs are asking for an injunction to stop the tolls, and repayment of legal fees. The state’s transportation department says the lawsuit was expected.