Jan 12, 2017

Merger looms over AT&T's visit to Trump Tower

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is at Trump Tower this morning with the company's top policy exec Bob Quinn, according to the pool.

Transition spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed the President-elect had met with Stephenson. Transition spokesman Sean Spicer said that the President-elect had met with Stephenson, and a company spokesman said they did not discuss AT&T's $85 billion proposed purchase of Time Warner. Bloomberg reported earlier in the day that would be a topic of discussion.

JUST IN: AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson arrives in lobby of Trump Tower. pic.twitter.com/mp8FoNAa9n— CNBC (@CNBC) January 12, 2017

The elephant in the room: Donald Trump is reportedly still opposed to the deal and is in the middle of a fight with the Time Warner-owned CNN.

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Fadel Allassan

Updated 29 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Biden: George Floyd's last words are "a wake-up call for our nation"

Former Vice President Joe Biden meets with clergy members and community activists during a visit to Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Del. on June 1, 2020. Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Vice President Joe Biden is calling George Floyd’s dying words “a wake-up call for our nation,” and criticized President Trump’s decision to unleash tear gas on peaceful protesters outside the White House, in a civil rights speech from Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Biden in the address drew a sharp contrast between himself and Trump, whose first remarks addressing nationwide unrest Monday highlighted law and order, extreme demonstrations of militarized “strength” and other blustery threats.

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Axios

Updated 37 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11 a.m. ET: 6,302,318 — Total deaths: 376,322 — Total recoveries — 2,716,924 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 11 a.m. ET: 1,812,125 — Total deaths: 105,192 — Total recoveries: 458,231 — Total tested: 17,340,682 — Map.
Public health: Protests against police brutality threaten coronavirus response.
Business: Coronavirus could lower GDP by $15.7 trillion — More than 1 in 6 black workers lost jobs between February and April.
Climate: The alarm over climate financial risk gets louder because of coronavirus.
Media: Interest in the George Floyd protests has soared past the coronavirus.

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Dan Primack

1 hour ago - Economy & Business

The business of tear gas

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

U.S. forces yesterday used tear gas on peaceful protesters outside the White House gates, prior to a declared curfew, clearing a path for President Trump to visit a riot-damaged church for a photo opportunity.

The state of play: Two of the largest U.S. producers of tear gas are owned by private equity firms, but those firms have no interest in discussing their ownership.

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