• Amex ups the ante. American Express has joined the ranks of companies expanding their parental benefits. The financial services giant is now providing employees (men and women) with 20 weeks of fully-paid leave after the arrival of a new child, as well as up to $35,000 worth of coverage for adoption, surrogacy, and infertility treatment. Fortune • Briefing or bust. Hillary Clinton advisor John Podesta says the Clinton campaign is supporting an effort by members of the Electoral College to request an intelligence briefing on Russian intervention in the presidential election ahead of their Dec. 19th vote. Politico • Christine's day in court. Behind on Christine Lagarde's negligence trial? Fortune's Laura Cohn put together an explainer that walks through everything you should know about the IMF chief's legal ordeal. Fortune • A fighter fight. Donald Trump tweeted that the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and cost is "out of control." The F-35 program is being developed by Lockheed Martin, the defense giant led by CEO and MPW Marillyn Hewson. WSJ • Friend of a farmer? Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) has emerged as President-elect Donald Trump's leading choice for agriculture secretary. Politico • Going solo. Viacom stock dropped more than 7% after Shari Redstone, who controls the voting shares of both Viacom and CBS along with her father, Sumner Redstone, says the family is no longer pushing for a merger of the two companies. Fortune MOVERS AND SHAKERS: U.S. Bank has named Gunjan Kedia vice chairman of its Wealth Management & Securities Services division. |