Warren Buffett auction: Someone paid $19 million for a steak lunch ...

(CNN) There really is no such thing as a free lunch.

An anonymous bidder paid a record-breaking $19 million for a private steak lunch with legendary investor Warren Buffett. The sale was part of the 21st annual auction for a lunch with Buffett, produced in collaboration with eBay and the Glide Foundation, a San Francisco-based non-profit working on combating poverty, hunger, and homelessness.

The bidding started with $25,000 on June 12 and ended with $19,000,100 from an anonymous bidder on Friday, according to a news release from eBay.

This year's huge sum is more than four times the winning bid of $4,567,888 in 2019 — the last auction before a hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 2019's winner was cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun.

The mystery winner will enjoy a private lunch with Buffett and up to seven guests at Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse in New York City, says eBay.

Unfortunately for aspiring investors hoping to top this year's record, this is the last year of the "power lunch" with Buffett. The annual auction has raised over $53 million for Glide.

"On behalf of GLIDE and those we serve, I thank Warren Buffett for his unwavering generosity, partnership and dedication, and for his incredible contribution to our mission," said the organization's president and CEO Karen Hanrahan in the news release.

The auction was first started by the late Susie Buffett in 2000. Since 2003, eBay has managed the auction.

"We are incredibly proud that Warren Buffett's final Power Lunch has broken our all-time record of funds raised, with all proceeds supporting GLIDE's efforts to create pathways out of crisis and transform lives," said eBay CEO Jamie Iannone in the release.

Corrected: An earlier version of this article misspelled Warren Buffett.


Why New Jersey and Oregon still don't let you pump your own gas ...

New York (CNN Business) Most Americans facing record gas prices cringe when they fill up their tanks.

But not people in New Jersey and Oregon. They're not allowed to touch the gas nozzle. Seriously.

In New Jersey, it's been illegal for drivers to pump their own gas since 1949. A ban on self-service gas has been in place in Oregon since 1951, although the state relaxed restrictions for rural towns a few years ago. Violators can be fined up to $500 for breaking these states' laws.

So why don't New Jersey and Oregon let you pump your own gas? And what happened to the days of gas station attendants filling up your tanks in the rest of the country?

It's a strange, complex history that dates back more than a century.

Self-service bans

The United States has experimented with self-service gas since the first stations were built in the early 1900s. Yet it wasn't until about 1980 that self-service became the primary gas station model in this country.

"Their rise to the top was not a smooth one," write Ronald Johnson and Charles Romeo in a 2000 study on the growth of self-service.

The earliest self-service gas pumps in the United States appeared around 1915. They were designed primarily for emergencies or for after dark when gas stations were closed. People would pre-pay with coins to operate them.

Full-service gas stations adamantly opposed self-service. They saw cheaper, self-service gas as a competitive threat to their business and wanted to limit its spread.

Full-service gas stations with attendants to fill up drivers' tanks were the main form of gasoline retail for decades.

Fuel sales have slim profit margins. Gas stations made their money and distinguished their brands by offering a variety of services such as oil and battery checks, windshield wiping and vehicle repairs. Station attendants in full uniforms -- some wearing bow ties -- filled up customers' tanks, a key part of their larger service strategy to attract drivers in the first half of the 20th century.

Full-service gas stations played up safety hazards around self-service, arguing that untrained drivers would overfill their tanks and start a fire. With support from local fire marshals, gas stations lobbied state legislators to pass bans on self-service. By 1968, self-service was banned in 23 states.

It was not until the success of self-service internationally and a crucial change in gas stations' business model that self-service began replacing attendants in the United States.

"Modern self-service gas stations actually were pioneered in Sweden," said Matt Anderson, the curator of transportation at The Henry Ford museum in Michigan. "Drivers there paid less for self-service than for full-service. From there the concept spread through Europe."

Self-service gas stations, like this early one in 1948, became popular as stations lost their hold on the auto service and repair market.

At the same time, vehicle warranties began to stipulate that cars must be serviced at dealerships, a shift that eroded gas stations' service and repair business.

"Traditional full-service gas stations lost their profit center in automotive repairs and were forced to change their method of operation," said Wayne Henderson, the author of the book "One Hundred Years of Gas Stations."

Gas stations had to look for new ways to grow profit. They moved to self-service, which reduced their costs and increased volumes on gas sales, and they diversified into selling food, tobacco, coffee, snacks and other items with higher margins.

Self-service "ended up being more popular because it could create large volumes and opportunities for other profit," said Gary Scales, a doctoral candidate at Temple University writing a dissertation on the history of gas stations.

Gas station operators began pushing states to repeal their self-service bans. By 1992, around 80% of all gas stations nationwide were self-service, up from just 8% two decades prior.

'Political third rail'

Despite frequent legislative attempts, court challenges and opposition from the gas station industry, New Jersey and much of Oregon still don't permit self-service.

Oregon's law says it's in the public interest to maintain the ban. Allowing self-service would increase fire hazards, create challenges for elderly citizens and drivers with disabilities and lead to gas station attendant job losses, according to the statute.

In 1982, Oregon voters defeated a ballot measure to overturn the ban, but more recent polling shows attitudes in the state are split. A 2014 poll found that Oregon residents were almost evenly divided on the subject , with 44% backing a move to self-service and 46% in favor of keeping the ban.

Oregon relaxed its ban in 2018, allowing self-service for drivers in rural counties with populations under 40,000.

In New Jersey, the self-service ban, along with the state's reputation for low gas prices, is part of its culture. "Jersey Girls Don't Pump Gas," proclaims a popular bumper sticker.

Self-serve gas is a "third rail" of New Jersey politics.

Attempting to overturn the ban has been seen as a loser politically.

"On self-service gas, that's been sort of a political third rail in New Jersey," Gov. Phil Murphy said in April

But record gas prices and gas stations' struggles to find workers have led to renewed attempts by New Jersey gas station industry advocates to lift the ban. In May, 75 gas stations in the state lowered prices in an effort to gain support for allowing self-service gas.

It's unlikely that the state will allow drivers to pump their own gas anytime soon, however. The president of the state's Senate opposes a bill that would end New Jersey's ban.

The state's residents have little interest in self-service. A March poll found that 73% of them say they prefer having their gas pumped for them.

"There is apparently one thing all New Jerseyans can agree on nowadays," Ashley Koning, the director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, said when the poll was released. "And that's the time-honored Jersey tradition of having your gas pumped for you."

NJ coronavirus could have residents pumping their own gas

WOODLAND PARK, N.J. – Only during a global health emergency might New Jerseyans finally start handling a gasoline pump.

A group of gas station owners believe Gov. Phil Murphy should combat what they call a budding safety and financial crisis at the pumps by suspending a singular, seven-decade old Garden State tradition: the ban on drivers fueling their own vehicles.

In the past month, attendants across the state's 2,200 stations have quit in droves over fears of contracting the coronavirus from customers, forcing some businesses to close shop, according to an industry trade group. Others have shuttered for a week or more after their employees tested positive – all while sales have reportedly plummeted with fewer cars on the road leading to lower demand.

Murphy has remained mum on the issue, last remarking in late March that “we have no plans to turn our gas stations into self-service at this time.’’ His office didn't respond to a request for comment this week.

The gas station lobby, however, has proposed a solution, an executive order that relaxes the state law against self-service fueling, at least temporarily.

Ironically, the argument for the change is the same as the one that proponents have long used to justify a ban: public safety.

“Providing gasoline stations with this option would allow motorists in New Jersey to refuel their vehicles more safely by eliminating close contact with gasoline station employees," reads an April 2 letter sent to the Murphy administration on behalf of 183 stations. That would "contribute to the slowing of the spread of COVID-19 and minimize the risk to fuel supply lines within the state by the closure of gasoline stations.”

New Jersey and Oregon remain the only states with laws restricting self-serve gasoline. In late March, Oregon made the practice optional in response to the outbreak, leaving the Garden State as the nation’s lone holdout.

A change would shift attendants to a more supervisory role, allowing them to sanitize handles and buttons on pumps and to assist the elderly or disabled if needed, according to Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline-Convenience-Automotive Association. The group represents hundreds of independently owned gas stations across the state.

“You could pump your own gas and get back in your car after using your own credit card that you don’t have to hand to anybody,” Risalvato said. “I don’t see the sense in not permitting that when you are closing parks.”

Help can’t come soon enough for Kashmir Gill, the owner of 65 gas stations statewide, who helped author the letter to the governor. At peak employment, he enlisted 350 attendants across his Exxon, Mobile and BP locations, a majority of them immigrants. Within the last month, that number has dwindled to 150, forcing him to cut hours of operation, he said.

The problem, according to Gill, is that maintaining 6 feet of separation from a customer is “near impossible.”

Since the coronavirus outbreak, Wawa convenience stores in Old Bridge, South River and Sayreville have been forced to close temporarily because employees tested positive for COVID-19.

"That scared gas station attendants,” Gill said. “Imagine you have to give me change. You're giving me the previous customer’s cash and you’re putting the same money in your pocket, and then giving that to 500 other customers throughout the day.”

The effects have trickled down to smaller operations like the two-pump Mobile in New Milford, operated by Vikram Kumar. He said his sales dropped 75% almost overnight, with his current clientele comprised of mostly hospital workers, police and other government employees. All of his attendants are outfitted with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, but he still can’t keep a regular rotation.

“I can’t guarantee their safety, so how can I force them to come to work?” Kumar said. “I’ll be out of business in the next five weeks if things don’t improve.”

A majority of drivers wear masks and gloves themselves, according to Gill, and are sometimes hesitant to roll down their window.

“Customers have come and asked to pump their own gas. And we have to tell them ‘Ma’am, sir, it’s illegal’. They don’t understand that it’s a New Jersey law,” he said.

The ban has its roots in a Bergen County price war dating to 1949, when local gas station owners banded together against entrepreneur Irving Reingold, the last businessman to offer self-serve fuel in New Jersey.

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Reingold’s prices undercut the competition, and rival station owners reacted by persuading state lawmakers to outlaw self-service, citing public safety as the reason. The state statute reads, in part, “Because of the fire hazards directly associated with dispensing fuel, it is in the public interest that gasoline station operators have the control needed over that activity to ensure compliance with appropriate safety procedures.”

Through the decades, the prohibition in New Jersey has stuck, even as improvements in credit-card payment systems and pump safety technology helped make self-serve gas available across the country.

Former Governor Chris Christie talked about lifting the self-serve prohibition on the campaign trail in 2009, but later seemed to change his view, citing public opposition and the risk of losing part-time service-station jobs. The industry says it employs more than 5,000 attendants in the state.

The law has survived despite thawing support among station owners. The businesses had long argued that relaxing the ban would allow big oil companies to open high-volume self-serve outlets on the busiest highways, undercutting smaller competitors. But that fear receded as the larger players shed most of their properties, saying the profit margin was too low.

The gas station trade group estimates that full-service adds at least a 15-cent premium per gallon at the pump.

Still, some in the state Legislature remain dedicated to bringing New Jersey in line with the rest of the country.

Republican state Sen. Gerald Cardinale has introduced half a dozen bills since the 1980s to repeal the self-service law. None have reached a vote, even though advances in pump technology have rendered safety arguments obsolete, said Cardinale, whose district covers northern Bergen and Passaic counties.

The real obstacle, he said, is the belief that New Jersey residents are above self-serve, a cultural credo epitomized by the popular bumper sticker “Jersey Girls Don’t Pump Gas.”

“We’re the only state left with this idiotic notion that people cannot pump their own gas safely,” Cardinale said. “I’ve always maintained that they have a choice.”

Follow Tom Nobile on Twitter: @tomnobile

America is laughing at Oregon for having to pump its own gas

DETROIT -- Jan. 1 was a monumental day in the state of Oregon, and not just because it rang in a new year.

A brand new state law went into effect that day, and it's a big one. It's a first for the Beaver State. And it's sending shock waves across all 98,000-plus square miles and all 4 million residents as we speak.

For the first time — in counties with fewer than 40,000 people — Oregonians are allowed to pump their own gas.

Reread that last sentence. Take a moment to process it. Oregon didn't pump its own gas. And it still won't in its major counties. The only other state that doesn't allow you to pump your own gas is New Jersey.

What's so complicated about pumping gas?!

It gets worse.

At least several Oregonians are freaking out about the new law.

Case in point: KTVL CBS 10 News in Medford, Ore., posted this Facebook poll on Dec. 29, asking followers if Oregon should allow self-serve gas stations statewide.

Here are some of the, um, more concerned responses, and they're all quite serious:

♦ "Not a good idea, there are lots of reason to have an attendant helping, one is they need a job too. Many people are not capable of knowing how to pump gas and the hazards of not doing it correctly. Besides I don't want to go to work smelling of gas when I get it on my hands or clothes. I agree Very bad idea."

♦ "I don't even know HOW to pump gas and I am 62, native Oregonian.....I say NO THANKS! I don't want to smell like gasoline!"

♦ "I've lived in this state all my life and I REFUSE to pump my own gas. I had to do it once in California while visiting my brother and almost died doing it. This a service only qualified people should perform. I will literally park at the pump and wait until someone pumps my gas. I can't even"

So, to recap: Pumping your own gas is too difficult. It's too hazardous. It's too unsafe. And, heaven forbid, you might end up smelling like gasoline afterward. (Somewhere out there, Brian Fantana is smiling at that last one.)

To be fair, these Oregonians have a point: Pumping gas is a pretty difficult task, right up there with scraping your windshield and turning the heat on. And the fear of smelling like fuel is all too real when there isn't enough time in the day to shower.

Look, Oregon, if you're reading this, we're here to help. Here's a handy guide from roadandtrack.com on how to pump your own gas. It's only 13 steps long.

In the meantime, while the rest of us point and laugh, maybe don't proclaim you're a better state than the rest of us for a while. Okay?

Follow Brian Manzullo on Twitter: @BrianManzullo.

Oregon lifts ban against self-service gasoline stations for two weeks

This story is being offered free of charge as a public service. Please consider a subscription to the Statesman Journal so we can continue to offer stories like this. Thank you.

One of the most distinctive parts of being an Oregon citizen, never pumping your own gasoline, will change temporarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After lobbying by gas station owners in recent days, the Office of State Fire Marshal announced early Saturday the state’s ban on self-service of gasoline will be suspended from Saturday through April 11.

“During this unprecedented time of state emergency, we need to ensure that critical supply lines for fuels and other basic services remain uninterrupted,” said State Fire Marshal Jim Walker.

Only Oregon and New Jersey have bans on self-service gasoline.

In recent days the Oregon Fuels Association, which represents the state’s gas station owners, lobbied Gov. Kate Brown asking for the temporary change due to staffing shortages they are facing, according to Willamette Week.

“This is an emergency and we need immediate, temporary relief from Oregon’s self-service ban until the coronavirus public health crisis is over,” the group said in a letter to Brown.

Oregon has banned self-serve gas since 1951 — excluding diesel — but in recent years has relaxed its rules.

The state allowed motorcyclists to pump their own gas starting in 2002 if they are handed a discharge nozzle by an attendant.

Counties with a population of under 40,000, mostly in Eastern Oregon, were allowed to let consumers pump their own gas between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. starting in 2015.

Then a 2017 law allowed stations in those counties to allow self-service pumping around the clock.

To allow self-service gas under Saturday's order, the owner of the station must have documentation there are no employees available to work as an attendant, including documentation of absences, hiring and employee retention efforts, according to the State Fire Marshal.

If attendants are working, they must implement social distancing policies and conform with sanitization efforts, such as disinfecting pumps.

And station owners must post signs about how to safely operate a fuel pump and not allow self-service for over 10 hours consecutively.

Station owners needing help finding employees covering shifts are advised to contact Miriam Nolte at Miriam.l.nolte@oregon.gov and 503-612-4252 for assistance in finding workers.

The price of gasoline has plummeted in recent days, dropping to as low as $2.19 per gallon for regular at the Salem Costco and the Arco at Lancaster and Hayesville in Salem.

One gas station in Kentucky is selling gasoline for 99 cents per gallon, and predictions are gas prices couple plummet in the wake of shut downs across the United States.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler

Our gratitude list: 17 reasons to be thankful in Salem, Oregon

Family, health and friends are high on everybody’s gratitude list this time of year. So are personal freedom and safety and security.

Helping determine the latter are our surroundings, where there is much beauty and wonder to be thankful for. Even native Oregonians and permanent Mid-Valley residents tend to take it for granted.

So, on Thanksgiving Day 2017, here are 17 things for us to give thanks for …

1. Postcard beauty

The natural beauty around us is our greatest treasure. Breathtaking vistas can be seen from the ocean, the mountains, the forests and the desert. Around every bend are pristine rivers and lakes, majestic trees, fertile farmland, picturesque parks and vast vineyards.

2. Outdoor playground

With all that beauty comes oodles of opportunity for outdoor recreation. From hiking at Silver Falls and biking on the backroads to skiing on Mt. Hood and fishing at Detroit Lake, the options are endless in our expansive backyard.

3. Location, location, location!

Our proximity to the big city, the beach and the mountains is a bonus. From the heart of the region, we are about an hour away from attending the opera, 90 minutes from whale watching and two hours from playing in the snow.

4. U-pick flavor

Marion County, with its rich volcanic soil, is the top agricultural producing county in Oregon. During the growing season, you can find fresh fruits and vegetables just about everywhere, not only on farms but at markets and roadside stands. U-pick outings are fun for the whole family.

5. Tasting rooms

Grapes and hops thrive in our climate, blessing us with an insane number of wineries and craft breweries. Tasting rooms are as much about the experience as the wine and beer, a place where you can actually meet the makers. And the panoramic views from area wineries as good as the pinots and the Rieslings.

6. Green foliage

Trees are an important part of our economy, our environment, and our identity. They provide food, shade and cleaner air, and we have an abundance of them. They also provide beauty (visualize the cherry blossoms at the State Capitol), tell stories (look up the Heritage Tree Program), and symbolize the holidays (get a whiff of those fresh Christmas trees).

7. Thoughtful infrastructure

A pair of pedestrian and bicycle bridges connects three parks in downtown Salem, providing convenient access to more than 1,000 acres and 20 miles of trails in Minto-Brown Island, Riverfront and Wallace Marine parks. Someday we’ll be thankful for a third vehicle bridge to West Salem.

8. Seasonal bliss

Oregon is one of the few states that offers four distinct seasons while still allowing us to enjoy the outdoors all year long. The summers and winters are generally mild, and experiencing the changing of the seasons is cathartic, especially watching the leaves turn color in the fall.

9. Comfortable climate

Anyone who has spent time back east or in the south and now lives here cherishes our climate’s low humidity. Even the worst muggy day here can’t compare to a steamy summer day in Texas or Florida.

10. Liquid sunshine

Sure, we complain about the rain, but it makes our rivers flow and our lakes full and keeps our plants alive and our landscape green. Without it, we wouldn’t be Oregon. And who doesn’t love curling up on the couch on a rainy day and listening to the pitter-patter on the roof? It’s cozy. It’s home.

11. Disaster-free zone

Flooding is an occasional problem, and the threat of the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake looms, but we aren’t in the constant path of natural disaster. Tornadoes and hurricane-force winds are extremely rare. The forest fires were devastating this year, but no one lost their life, and our forests will grow back in time.

12. Gas jockeys

Some people find the smell of gasoline pleasant. I’m not one of them, which is why I’m eternally grateful for gas station attendants. Oregon is one of only two states (New Jersey is the other) where it's illegal to pump your own gas. Our law was passed in 1951 with 17 justifications, most revolving around safety issues. There are a few exceptions.

13. Tax-free shopping

Vacation out of state and you’ll be reminded how fortunate we are to not have a sales tax. All but five states tack on a tax to most purchases, from meals to souvenirs. We lament to having one of the highest personal income taxes in the country and middle-range property taxes, but no sales tax adds cheer to the holiday shopping season.

14. Food fodder

The restaurant scene is always changing in Salem-Keizer. Restaurants come and go, which means there’s always something new to try. But we can always count on the classics, from White's to Kwan's. One of our best-kept secrets is our selection of vegan and vegetarian cuisine options.

15. Givers and doers

Generosity and volunteerism are two of our strengths as a community. Mystery philanthropist Benny symbolizes our giving spirit and an active network of nonprofit organizations and neighborhood associations strive to improve and maintain our quality of life.

16. Casual Fridays

Mid-Valley residents, in fact most Oregonians, are very casual in the way we dress. It reflects our relaxed attitudes and laid-back personalities. Not all Oregonians wear Birkenstocks, but we do consider jeans dressy, something you can wear almost anywhere. Being comfortable is a priority for us.

17. Safe haven

Comparatively speaking, we live in a safe state. The violent crime rate in Oregon is lower than the national average, and our murder rate is among the lowest in the country.

So stay safe, be grateful for where we live, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

“Forward This” appears Wednesdays and Sundays and highlights the people,places and organizations of the Mid-Willamette Valley. Contact Capi Lynn at clynn@StatesmanJournal.com or 503-399-6710, or follow her the rest of the week on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.

Costco membership requirement for gas pumps might not be legal in ...

USA TODAY

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. – New Jersey residents are about to lose a unique perk that saved a few cents on gas.

Costco next month plans to restrict gasoline sales to club members at its 17 locations in the state, as it does everywhere else in the country.

Signs posted at Costco gas stations pumps in New Jersey this week carry the following announcement:

"Effective July 5, 2022, your active Costco membership card will be required for gasoline purchases."

On Tuesday at Centerton Square in Mount Laurel, six lanes of cars were waiting to get gas at multiple pumps at the Costco gas station, whose prices tend to be cheaper than many other stations.

The price for regular unleaded gas there was $4.83 a gallon, compared with $5 or more at many other stations.

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New Jersey's Costco card exception

In 2004, Costco and other warehouse clubs were told restricting gasoline sales to members would violate state law after the retailer posted signs at pumps requiring drivers to present a membership card. The membership-card requirement was ultimately abandoned.

While the state attorney general's office had not commented on Costco's move, a New Jersey Treasury Department spokeswoman told NJ Advance Media it has no restriction on gas sales, as long as motor fuels taxes are paid.

Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti confirmed the change to USA TODAY, saying the company now will have a uniform policy nationwide requiring a membership for gas purchases.

An industry association official said he saw nothing wrong with the policy.

"I am learning they (Costco) are taking a position that it is not illegal to limit their customers to members at their New Jersey gas stations and I see nothing in state law that prevents them from doing this," said Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store, Automotive Association headquartered in Wall Township.

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So I can't buy gas without a Costco card in New Jersey?

Regardless, customers under the impression Costco cannot legally can limit gas to only its club members were confused.

"I always had to use my Costco card in Ohio, but here in New Jersey they never ask for it," said Carnita Brown of the Pemberton area. "I wonder why it's going to change ... and I have no idea if it's legal to do that here."

Kelly Borreggine, a former Medford resident now living in Naples, Florida, and who is visiting New Jersey for a week, said she has no problem with Costco restricting gas to club members like her. She pulled in for a half tank of gas that cost her $46.33 for 8.7 gallons and saw the announcement sign.

The biggest concern with customers Tuesday, however, were the lines and gas prices. New Jersey and Oregon cities are the only places in the nation that ban self-service gasoline, which can slow the process of filling up.

Driver Jeff Rollins of Marlton, who remembers the gas crisis and lines in 1973, said he waited 20 minutes in line at Costco three weeks ago; last week he said he left after seeing much longer lines because "it's a waste of time to wait and save only a few cents."

He called the high prices "awful" but avoidable because, he said, the U.S. could produce more oil than other countries if it chose to.

5 things to know for June 20: Travel chaos, Covid-19, Ukraine ...

If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter.

(CNN) Juneteenth -- the federal holiday which commemorates the end of slavery in the US -- was celebrated on Sunday, but will be observed in many places today, June 20 . Non-essential federal, state and city government offices will be closed, along with most banks, schools, post offices, and stock markets.

Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

(You can get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here .)

1. Travel chaos

A combination of rough weather, staff shortages and infrastructure challenges have the left major airlines struggling to keep up with the surge in travel . Between Friday and Sunday, more than 3,200 flights were canceled and about 9,000 flights were delayed, according to the data group FlightAware . The increase in delays and cancellations comes just days after Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urged airline CEOs to improve their flight schedules and better respond to disruptions. This past Friday before Juneteenth clocked in as the most popular air travel day of 2022 , statistics from the TSA show. Airports haven't been that crowded since Thanksgiving 2021.

2. Coronavirus

The CDC signed off on Covid-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months on Saturday, clearing the way for vaccinations to begin soon. The announcement came shortly after the CDC's vaccine advisers voted unanimously in support of recommending the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines to the nation's youngest age group. President Joe Biden praised the CDC's decision, calling it a "monumental step forward in our nation's fight against the virus." While vaccinations may not begin until Tuesday in some places, health officials must now contend with a large number of parents who remain reluctant to quickly vaccinate . Just 18% of parents of children under 5 said they would vaccinate their child against Covid-19 as soon as a vaccine became available, an April survey found

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3. Ukraine

Ukraine's bid to join the European Union could bring "greater hostile activity" from Russia as the EU considers whether the country should be formally considered for candidate status , Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned. Leaders of the EU's 27 member states will meet this week to discuss the possible path forward for Ukraine. However, even though the EU and its members have broadly supported Ukraine in its war effort , Ukraine's ongoing fight raises several issues and could slow down the timeline. In fact, experts say it is highly unlikely that Ukraine will be able to meet the EU's criteria to start negotiations until after the war ends. The average time for a country to join the EU is four years and 10 months

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4. January 6

The House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol will hold a hearing Tuesday that will show evidence of then-President Donald Trump's involvement in a scheme to submit fake electors , Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff told CNN on Sunday. Federal prosecutors are reviewing the fake Electoral College certifications created by Trump's allies that falsely declared him the winner of seven states that he lost in 2020. The fake certificates were sent to the National Archives by Trump's allies in the weeks after the election and had no impact on the electoral outcome. Schiff, a member of the panel, also said the committee plans to show "courageous state officials who stood up and said they wouldn't go along with this plan to either call legislators back into session or decertify the results for Joe Biden."

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5. Colombia

Left-wing candidate Gustavo Petro won the Colombian presidential race on Sunday , becoming the first leftist leader to do so. The former guerrilla with a checkered past won by a slim margin with over 50% of the votes, against 77-year-old entrepreneur Rodolfo Hernandez. In this historic win, his running mate Francia Marquez will now become the first Afro-Colombian to hold executive powers . During his victory speech on Sunday, Petro called for an agreement to end violence in the country, saying, "What is coming here is real change, real change." Outgoing Colombian President Ivan Duque said he called Petro to congratulate him on his victory and will meet with him soon to initiate the transition.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Prince William shares heartwarming Father's Day photo

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Someone paid $19 million for a steak lunch with Warren Buffet

Well, as Warren Buffet once said, "The best investment you can make is in yourself... the more you learn, the more you'll earn ."

Why New Jersey and Oregon still don't let you pump your own gas

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TODAY'S NUMBER

4 million

That's how many people have been impacted by monsoon flooding in northeastern Bangladesh , according to the country's Ministry of Disaster Management. The situation could soon worsen, with heavy rain forecast in the next 24 hours. Officials said that 90% of Sunamganj -- one of the hardest hit districts -- is underwater and almost entirely cut off from the rest of the country.

TODAY'S QUOTE

"We are having to look out for slogans that violate the rules of Islam and public morals like promoting homosexuality colors, targeting the young generation."

-- Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Commerce, on the Saudi government's move to , on the Saudi government's move to seize rainbow-colored toys and clothing from shops in the country's capital, Riyadh, saying the items promote homosexuality. Authorities have seized items that were bright in color, ranging from children's hair accessories, pencil cases, and backpacks to rainbow stripes featured in crayon packets, all designed for children, according to Saudi state-run TV channel al-Ekhbariya. Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, which adheres to a strict interpretation of Sharia law.

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Natural gas bans: 20 states have laws that prohibit cities from ...

(CNN) In 2019, the city council in Berkeley, California, held a stunning vote: it would ban natural gas hookups in all new building construction to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the city's impact on the climate crisis.

No gas furnaces in new homes, the council said. No gas stoves or ovens

Other progressive cities followed suit with similar bans. San Francisco passed its own ban in 2020. New York City became the largest US city to pass a version in 2021, with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul vowing to pass a statewide law that would ban natural gas by 2027.

But other municipalities looking to take similar action are running into a brick wall. Twenty states with GOP-controlled legislatures have passed so-called "preemption laws" that prohibit cities from banning natural gas.

It's bad news for municipal climate action: Taking natural gas out of the equation and switching to electric appliances is one of the most effective ways cities can tackle the climate crisis and lower their emissions, multiple experts told CNN.

"Natural gas bans are kind of low-hanging fruit," said Georgetown Law professor Sheila Foster, an environmental law expert. Foster said cities can make a significant impact by moving away from natural gas and toward electricity, especially considering what little federal action there's been on climate, and the mixed record of states.

The climate stakes are high. Residential and commercial emissions made up 13% of total US emissions in 2019, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. About 80% of those emissions came from the combustion of natural gas, the fuel that heats homes or powers a restaurant's cooking stoves, and emits planet-warming gases like methane and carbon dioxide in the process.

But clean alternatives exist: Electric heat pumps can heat homes more sustainably than gas furnaces; induction ranges can replace gas stoves. And experts stress that to fully transition to renewable energy sources like solar and wind, homes and businesses need to operate on electricity -- not gas.

President Joe Biden's Build Back Better bill, which fizzled in the Senate after objections from Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, contained billions in tax incentives to help consumers switch to cleaner ways of heating their homes. But people who own and rent homes in big, multi-unit buildings depend on developers and city planners to make the switch.

Advocates worry these preemptive bills could stall impactful climate action at a critical time.

"We're afraid that's going to have a chilling effect on cities that want to take action," said Alejandra Mejia Cunningham, a building decarbonization advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Many cities and towns have small staffs, they don't want to be taken to court, being seen as going outside state law."

A 'new trend'

In November, a GOP bill to block natural gas bans in new buildings was passed in North Carolina but ultimately failed to make it into law when Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed it. Two more similar bills are being considered in Pennsylvania and Michigan this year.

"To me that's what's interesting about this new trend, it seems like states are trying to eliminate the possibility before cities try to catch onto this," Sarah Fox, an associate law professor at Northern Illinois University School of Law, told CNN. "The natural gas industry realized this was in the water a while ago and has been very aggressive in getting this passed."

The American Gas Association, the natural gas industry's powerful trade group, told CNN it lobbies at the federal level but isn't directly lobbying in any state.

But many of the association's members, including gas utilities, have gotten involved at the state level, according to an analysis by independent climate think tank InfluenceMap for CNN.

InfluenceMap "found high levels of engagement on preemption bills within the power sector, including its key trade associations." The American Gas Association and its members "appears to have played an early role encouraging these bills," according to the analysis.

There's also evidence that suggests the AGA is running the playbook for its members to lobby state lawmakers for the preemptive laws.

In audio of a private AGA call obtained by watchdog group Energy and Policy Institute and shared with CNN, the AGA's Vice President of Advocacy and Outreach Sue Forrester discussed the group's strategy modeling "preemptive legislation" in certain states.

"We launched in partnership with Southwest [Gas]. Well, they launched it, but we were helping on the back end: Energy choice language in Arizona that was passed and signed by the governor at the beginning of the year," Forrester said in the recording.

When asked about Forrester's comments, an American Gas Association spokesperson reiterated the trade association doesn't get involved in state-level legislation.

"Sue's comments make it sound that way, and that's unfortunate, but the American Gas Association is not set up with lobbyists on the ground in the states," the spokesperson said, adding the "we" Forrester was referring to is "we as the industry and all who have an interest in gas."

CEO of the American Gas Association Karen Harbert told CNN in a statement that "AGA is educating policymakers at every level about the supportive policy frameworks necessary for natural gas and our infrastructure to help achieve our nation's ambitious environmental goals."

While the AGA and other industry groups are messaging that they are advocating for more fuel choices for consumers, climate advocates say the preemption laws are having the opposite effect.

"I'd say the industry has put decades of effort and resources into fine tuning their messaging to the American public -- and they do it well," NRDC's Mejia Cunningham told CNN.

Some cities in the US want to ban natural gas hookups in new homes and buildings, to reduce their fossil fuel emissions and meet their climate targets. Natural gas is primarly made of methane, an extremely potent planet-warming gas.

Most cities and towns in the US that are pursuing natural gas reforms are not shooting for stringent bans like what Berkeley passed -- many are trying to find a middle ground that incorporate and encourage electrification and heat pumps as an alternative to gas.

Broadly written state laws can discourage that transition, Mejia Cunningham said.

"We don't expect Berkeley to be the right model for most of America," she said. "That doesn't mean we should completely slash out a whole bucket of policies that could work for communities across America."

An attempt to electrify gets quashed

In 2019, officials in Flagstaff, Arizona, were working on their city's plan to get to net-zero emissions by 2030. Building emissions were an obvious target; the built environment is the largest contributor to Flagstaff's greenhouse gas emissions, Nicole Antonopoulos, Flagstaff's sustainability director, told CNN.

Flagstaff's plan didn't include an explicit ban on natural gas; instead, it said the city would promote "aggressive building electrification," thereby decreasing reliance on fossil fuels.

That was still enough to get the attention of members of the Republican-controlled Arizona state legislature, which in 2020 passed a bill preventing cities and towns from passing their own natural gas bans.

"It was a huge setback, in a nutshell," Antonopoulos told CNN. "The state preemption threw a huge kink in our efforts towards carbon neutrality. This isn't the first time the state has preempted things that have made us go back to the proverbial drawing table and figure out how we get creative and innovative in a space where we don't have funding."

Arizona's 2020 law -- the first natural gas preemption law of its kind -- was a harbinger of what was to come. Since then, 19 other states have adopted them. These laws have largely been concentrated in red states in the Rust Belt and Southwest, a cluster of southwestern states including Utah and Wyoming, and New Hampshire.

And currently, there's not much favoring cities' ability to sue states. The 1907 US Supreme Court case Hunter v. Pittsburgh favored states' authority to craft laws for their cities, and gave cities little legal recourse to sue.

"It's not a very coherent line of case law, but that's the official stance," said Fox, who added she'd be very surprised if the current conservative Supreme Court majority allowed a challenge to the current law from progressive cities.

"There's a lot of legal uncertainty," Foster said, adding that there's not much current litigation to speak of around natural gas bans and preemption laws.

In Flagstaff, Antonopoulos said her office is trying to find ways around Arizona's law. It's meant a lot of active outreach to local developers building in Flagstaff, encouraging them to build all-electric housing developments. It's also reaching out to residents whose gas appliances are at the end of their lifecycles to consider buying electric.

"Our challenge here is we have a 2030 deadline" to get to net-zero, Antonopoulos told CNN. "The urgency is so great so sometimes we don't have that luxury in time."

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct that Mejia Cunningham was speaking on behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Oil prices: Biden turns to countries he once sought to avoid to find ...

Washington (CNN) President Joe Biden's urgent global search for help shutting off Russia's oil revenues is leading, in some instances, to regimes he once sought to isolate or avoid.

Biden administration officials traveled to Venezuela over the weekend for talks on potentially allowing the country to sell its oil on the international market, helping to replace Russian fuel. Biden may travel to Saudi Arabia as the US works to convince the kingdom to increase its production. And a looming nuclear deal could bring significant volumes of Iranian oil back to the market.

Caracas, Riyadh and Tehran would have been unlikely sources of relief for a Biden-led Western alliance before the start of the war in Ukraine. But Russia's invasion has upended international relations, forcing the US and other nations to seek out solutions in places they'd previously shunned.

In deciding the next steps, Biden administration officials are weighing a host of factors. Russia's invasion of its neighbor, which has left scores of civilians dead, has generated immense pressure on Western nations to cut their energy ties to Moscow, including from both Democrats and Republicans in Congress. In a videoconference call with American lawmakers Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for a ban on Russian energy.

US imports from Russia make up a small slice of the energy universe -- roughly 8% in 2021, of which only about 3% was crude oil. White House economic officials have been engaged for more than a week in how to manage any decision to cut off those imports, officials say. The Department of Energy reported that in the last two weeks of February, Russian oil imports dropped to zero as US companies cut ties with Russia, effectively implementing their own ban.

"Today I am announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia's economy. We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy," Biden said in remarks from the White House. "That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin's war machine."

In both public and private conversations, top American allies have said the US would likely be acting on its own should it target Russian energy imports. That has raised its own concerns, as US officials remain wary of pursuing any action that would fragment the carefully coordinated alliance that has served as the focal point of the response up to this point.

Russia has typically exported roughly 5 million barrels of crude per day, half of which goes to Europe. Venezuela, which has the world's largest proven oil reserves, could help make up the gap, but the country has suffered persistent output issues. Before sanctions were applied on Iran, it produced about 4 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia has spare capacity to ramp up production, though it has so far been unwilling.

For Biden, the effort to identify oil supplies -- even in autocratic regimes -- demonstrates the lengths he is willing to go to inflict serious pain on Moscow. He has long framed his presidency around defending democracy from creeping authoritarianism and accused his predecessor of cozying up to the world's strongmen. But reducing the world's dependance on one autocrat's energy supplies could mean turning to another's instead.

It's far from clear that the administration's efforts will yield results. Venezuela's socialist leader, Nicolás Maduro, is Russian President Vladimir Putin's top ally in Latin America. So far, Saudi Arabia has refused to increase production, though officials remain hopeful of a breakthrough. And a revived Iran nuclear deal remains elusive -- in part because of new demands by Russia, a partner in the international negotiations.

Still, Biden administration officials remain intent on identifying potential supplies of energy that could replace Russia's exports. While US officials have assessed it would not be in Russia's interest to weaponize its energy exports, the risk that it may come to pass and the need to protect European allies -- particularly when it comes to natural gas -- has factored into the efforts, officials said.

Gasoline prices skyrocketing over supply fears

Intensifying discussion of bans on Russian energy has already caused the price of oil to surge.

It soared to its highest level since 2008 on Monday . Brent crude, the global benchmark, briefly spiked as high as $139 a barrel -- a leap of more than 35% in just one month. The ramifications of significant price spikes have been a significant concern inside the White House, with Biden bringing up the need to mitigate the issue in private meetings.

Ron Klain, Biden's chief of staff, has also been a regular voice in meetings underscoring the need to limit the domestic pain to the extent possible as the administration seeks to maintain domestic support for its wide-ranging efforts, according to two people familiar with the matter. It's a reality Biden has publicly and repeatedly emphasized when he outlines the stakes and necessity of the US role in responding to Russia's aggression.

The President and some of his most senior advisers in the West Wing view high fuel prices as one of the most tangible economic pains for average Americans, according to multiple sources, and there is concern that the situation may get worse just as travel picks up heading into the summer.

With midterm elections around the corner, the White House is keenly aware of the political problems that sticker shock at the gas pump can pose for their party and has been strategizing for weeks on ways to try to contain the rise in gas prices while turning voters' attention to bright spots in the economy.

Some Biden officials also view attempts by Republican lawmakers to pressure the administration into banning Russian oil as cynical, given they are likely to pin higher gas prices on the White House should they inch up even more.

Intentionally quiet diplomacy with oil-supplying nations

Top US officials have engaged in a wide-ranging but intentionally quiet effort to rally major suppliers and states to meet any demand issues that came from a Russian invasion or the bite of the sanctions that followed, according to multiple senior administration officials.

Amos Hochstein, senior adviser for energy security at the State Department, has led the effort and has worked closely with Brett McGurk, the National Security Council's Middle East and North Africa coordinator. The efforts have included meetings with major energy producers in northern Africa, including Algeria, as well as the Middle East and Asia, and with key players in domestic production. Countries including Japan and Qatar have signaled they are willing to contribute to a broad-based effort to fill gaps in supply.

Hochstein and McGurk met with Saudi officials last month "to discuss a collaborative approach to managing potential market pressures stemming from a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine."

Biden had once sought to "recalibrate" the US relationship with Saudi Arabia, effectively refusing to speak to the Kingdom's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , who the US accused of authorizing journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Biden's direct conversations have been limited to King Salman, the crown prince's father, and included a call last month that reiterated a commitment from both countries to "ensuring the stability of global energy supplies."

The frosty reception Saudis have received from the US since Biden came into office has deeply irritated the Persian Gulf country, leading to a lack of willingness on its part to be helpful by pumping more oil into the market, US officials have said. While some US officials believe that the Biden administration should make an even more concerted effort to engage Saudi Arabia, Biden -- who called the crown prince a killer last year -- has been resistant, the officials said.

Some US officials are deeply wary of the prospects of Biden engaging the crown prince on energy production.

"Who's he going to call -- (someone) who he hasn't spoken to because he's a loathsome toad, because he dismembered a journalist?" said one senior Democratic official who asked to remain anonymous in order to speak freely. "I'm not expecting that to happen. I'm not recommending it."

But the war in Ukraine has caused its own global recalibration, and now Biden officials are weighing a possible presidential trip to Saudi Arabia in the coming months, three people familiar with the talks confirmed. Axios was first to report on the discussions around the trip.

"There's no current plans for the President to travel to Saudi Arabia," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday.

Still, she acknowledged that discussions with the Saudis had ramped up, both on oil and on regional security issues.

"It's in everyone's interest to reduce the impact on the global oil marketplace, and that was part of that discussion," she said.

So far, Saudi officials have remained steadfast in their commitment to the OPEC+ production schedule agreed to with Russia. But one official familiar with the conversations said the Saudis expressed an openness to addressing major market disruptions. What that would entail -- or what kind of disruption would lead to a shift in posture -- remains unclear.

"There are actions that energy producers can take in terms of their spare capacity and there are actions that energy producers can undertake to increase their production of energy in the current circumstance," a senior administration official said in describing the overall US effort in recent months.

While the official declined to give a specific timeline, "the collective power of those actions and all the other tools and authorities that are at our disposal, plus diplomatic maneuvers ... that are at our disposal, collectively, we think, will be effective in bringing down the price of gas and the price of oil."

Maintaining a tight-knit alliance

While minimizing price spikes has been central to the overall approach, so has the effort to maintain an alliance with countries that have far more acute concerns about the effects of energy sanctions on their respective economies.

In a call with European leaders on Monday, Biden discussed potential ways to limit Russian oil purchases. One of the leaders on the call, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said Europe cannot secure its energy supplies without imports from Russia. In a news release, Scholz said energy had been deliberately left out of previous rounds of sanctions, adding that Russian energy is of "essential importance" to the daily lives of its citizens.

Meanwhile, Hungary's finance minister, Varga Mihaly, said in a Facebook video posted Monday that his government would not support any sanctions on Russian energy.

Europe relies on Russia for 40% of its natural gas supply and a quarter of the crude oil it imports. Efforts to secure options to backfill natural gas supply have been seen as particularly crucial, officials said.

Engaging with the Venezuelans

The administration has made plain it won't leave options untapped, including in places where the US may have other concerns.

When senior Biden administration officials -- including the National Security Council's director for the Western Hemisphere, Juan Gonzalez, and the US special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Roger Carstens -- were dispatched to Caracas over the weekend for talks on the issue, they were the highest-ranking Americans to have visited the country in years.

Aside from sanctions relief and oil, they also discussed American citizens currently detained in Venezuela who the US wants to see freed. They include two Green Berets accused of plotting to remove Maduro and a group of energy executives arrested in 2017.

Washington imposed sanctions on Venezuelan oil in 2019 and closed its embassy in Caracas after deeming Maduro's election victory in 2018 to be a sham. A US official said Venezuela would need to take several steps before sanctions were lifted, though didn't specify the conditions.

Engaging Venezuela now could also isolate Russia from its top ally in South America, officials said.

One day before the trip, the US made a strange move: The Treasury Department quietly announced a general license -- allowing transactions that would otherwise would be prohibited -- for a Russian oligarch who is a big investor in Venezuela's energy market and has close relations with the Maduro regime, according to the announcement posted on the Office of Foreign Assets Control website. The oligarch -- Alisher Burhanovich Usmanov -- is also an ally of Putin.

Not sanctioning all of Usmanov's entities created the appearance, to some, of trying to grease the wheels before the trip to Caracas. But the Treasury Department said that all of his personal assets had been blocked and there would likely be more sanctions to come.

"We are going to work with our allies and partners to design a set of mitigations that allow us to target companies under Usmanov's control without driving up the price of commodities like nickel, which could inadvertently enrich him," said a Treasury Department spokesperson.

Already, however, the political costs of engaging Venezuela have been plain.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida -- a state that's home to a large population of Venezuelan Americans who oppose the Maduro regime -- has already criticized the discussions. He said over the weekend that "rather than produce more American oil," Biden "wants to replace the oil we buy from one murderous dictator with oil from another murderous dictator."

And Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who is the head of the Senate GOP campaign committee, said: "We should stop importing Russian oil, period. And we shouldn't be going to Venezuela. ... When are we going to learn that we can't be relying on these thugs?"

Rank-and-file Republicans had equally harsh words for Biden: Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, called it "kind of nuts" and warned it would "empower Venezuela" and "enrich Iran." And Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida said he was "speechless" and hoped the reports weren't true.

"I don't think anybody could be this much of an imbecile. And I say that painfully because it's too reckless, too stupid, too idiotic, too dangerous for it to be true," Diaz-Balart said. "This will do nothing, by the way. Venezuelan oil? They're barely producing right now."

It's not only Republicans who are criticizing the idea. Sen. Robert Menendez, the New Jersey Democrat who's the powerful chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he would "strongly oppose" any action that enriched Maduro.

"In the last month, the international community has come together in an unprecedented way to reject military aggression by Russia and stand up for democracy. But the Biden administration's efforts to unify the entire world against a murderous tyrant in Moscow should not be undercut by propping up a dictator under investigation for crimes against humanity in Caracas," Menendez said.

Kevin Liptak
Phil Mattingly
Natasha Bertrand
Mj Lee
Kylie Atwood

Climate change: Biden administration freezes new oil and gas ...

(CNN) The Biden administration has once again put a pause on new leases and permits for federal oil and gas drilling after a judge blocked the administration from using a metric that estimates the societal cost of carbon emissions.

Earlier this month, US District Judge James Cain of the Western District of Louisiana issued an injunction preventing the Biden administration from using what's known as the "social cost of carbon" in decisions around oil and gas drilling on public land, or in rules governing fossil fuel emissions. The ruling has consequences for a range of Biden administration actions on climate change, but especially on the Interior Department's federal oil and gas leasing program.

In an appeal filed by government attorneys on Saturday night, the Biden administration argued Cain's injunction necessitated a pause on all projects where the government was using a social-cost-of-carbon analysis in its decision-making.

The appeal is the latest in a legal battle in the courts between several Republican-led states and the Biden administration over the social cost of carbon, a metric that uses economic models to put a value on each ton of carbon dioxide emitted. The idea is to quantify the economic harm caused by the climate crisis like sea level rise, more destructive hurricanes, extreme wildfire seasons and flooding.

The metric was first implemented during the Obama administration and substantially weakened by the Trump government.

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