Security concerns heighten ahead of midterm elections - October 11, 2022

Portugal became the latest country to formally position itself as a haven for remote workers, introducing a “digital nomad” visa that will become available at the end of the month. Portugal’s tourism numbers have increased since 2020 but still remain low compared to pre-pandemic levels. Croatia, Iceland and Greece are among those already offering this style of visa in Europe and some countries in Southeast Asia have also launched similar incentives. The offers come as more U.S. companies push employees back into the office despite resistance from workers. The New Zealand government confirmed plans to tax agricultural long-lived gasses and biogenic methane that mainly comes from cow and sheep burps separately as part of its pledge to cut methane emissions 10% by 2030. The farm levy, which would be a world first, has angered some farmers and prompted opposing lawmakers to suspect the plan may actually increase global emissions by moving farming to other, less efficient countries. New Zealand is the world’s biggest dairy exporter, with agriculture not only playing a major role in the economy but also accounting for half the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Lawsuits, harassment, calls to change balloting procedures and demands for election records are adding pressure on U.S. election officials ahead of midterm elections. While providing information to the public is a part of the job of an election worker, election skeptics and deniers have occasionally become threatening and demanding. A new poll found four in 10 Republicans and one in four Democrats say they will blame election fraud if their party doesn’t win control of Congress in November. A deluge of threats and intimidating behavior, in battleground states particularly, has prompted increased security outside polling centers and election offices. Late-night talk shows, once a decades-long successful franchise for network television, have taken a hit amid the rise in streaming services. Some executives have concluded that the cost to produce some l