US prosecutors probe tip about timing of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine, WSJ reports
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are probing a claim by GSK that Pfizer delayed announcing its COVID shot’s success in 2020 until after that year’s election, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The report said on…
Australia PM Albanese calls national election for May 3
SYDNEY – Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday called a national election for May 3, launching a five-week campaign that is set to be dominated by cost-of-living pressures. Albanese’s Labor party won a majority at the last federal election…
Russia’s Putin launches nuclear-powered submarine
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday launched a nuclear-powered submarine equipped with hypersonic Zircon missiles capable of travelling at several times the speed of sound. Russian news agencies, referring to a video link from the Arctic port of Murmansk, said Putin…
Judge orders Trump administration to preserve Yemen attack plan messages
WASHINGTON -A U.S. judge on Thursday ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to preserve messages sent on the Signal messaging app discussing attack plans against the Houthis in Yemen that became public after they were inadvertently shared with a journalist. The…
Fed’s Barkin: Extensive uncertainty could hit demand, policy in good place awaiting more clarity
LEXINGTON, Virginia – The Federal Reserve’s current “moderately restrictive” monetary policy is right for an environment with an abnormal amount of uncertainty and fast changes taking place in U.S. government policy, Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin said on Thursday. Barkin,…
Radio Free Europe says Trump administration rescinded its grant termination order
WASHINGTON – U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said on Thursday that its parent agency had rescinded an order terminating its grant funding, after the news outlet sued the Trump administration over the cuts. RFE/RL’s sister organization, Radio Free Asia,…
Lululemon forecasts annual results below estimates as newer styles fail to draw in shoppers
Lululemon Athletica forecast annual revenue and profit below estimates on Thursday as the lack of consumer appeal for its newer styles has been pushing customers to look for products from competitors such as Alo Yoga and Vuori. The company’s shares,…
Explainer-New creditors’ battle emerges in Citgo auction reboot
HOUSTON – A U.S. federal judge trying to move ahead with an auction of shares in the parent of Venezuela-owned U.S. refiner Citgo Petroleum is dealing with a fresh dispute between creditors after a lowball starting bid was recommended in…
Attack on Guyana or Exxon would be ‘bad day’ for Venezuela, Rubio warns
GEORGETOWN, Guyana -U.S. Secretary of State warned Venezuela on Thursday that it would be “a very bad day” for the South American country if it were to attack its neighbor Guyana or U.S.-based energy giant ExxonMobil, in comments that threatened…
Trump EPA invites companies to seek exemptions from air rules by email
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration invited companies to email the Environmental Protection Agency to seek presidential exemptions from nine clean-air regulations, including mercury limits for power plants and limits on hazardous air pollutants in plastic production by March 31, the…
Dua Lipa beats lawsuit claiming she copied ‘Levitating’
NEW YORK – Dua Lipa won the dismissal on Thursday of a lawsuit in Manhattan accusing the British pop star of copying her 2021 megahit “Levitating” from a 1979 disco song. U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla said L. Russell…
Moldova broadens probe into pro-Russian group after detention of ethnic minority leader
CHISINAU -Moldova broadened an investigation into the financing of a banned pro-Russian political grouping in the country, two days after the detention of the leader of a pro-Moscow ethnic minority. The detention at Chisinau airport of Eugenia Gutul, the leader…
US seeks to enforce transgender military ban while it appeals judge’s order
The Trump administration on Thursday asked a U.S. appeals court to allow it to enforce a ban on transgender people serving in the military while it appeals a federal judge’s order blocking the ban. In an emergency motion filed in…
Iran responds to Trump’s letter, voices readiness for indirect talks
DUBAI -Iran has sent a response through Oman to U.S. President Donald Trump’s letter in which he urged Tehran to reach a new nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was cited as saying by the official IRNA news agency…
Trump nominee says she would not administer internet program to benefit Elon Musk
WASHINGTON -The Trump administration’s nominee to oversee a $42 billion government fund to bring high-speed broadband internet to unserved or underserved parts of the United States denied on Thursday that she would administer the program to benefit Starlink owner Elon…
Argentina economic activity grows at fastest pace since 2022
BUENOS AIRES -Argentina’s economic activity increased 6.5% in January compared with the same month last year, its highest year-on-year growth since mid-2022, official data showed on Thursday. The economy of the Latin American country registered its third consecutive month of…
Bank of Mexico cuts interest rate as trade war stokes recession fears
MEXICO CITY -The Bank of Mexico delivered a unanimous 50-basis-point interest rate cut to 9.00% on Thursday, highlighting progress on inflation but warning of heightened uncertainty relating to trade tensions and a weakening economy. The move, which was expected by…
Euro zone consumers may be put off by inflation ‘misperception,’ ECB’s Schnabel says
LONDON – The euro zone’s economic recovery may have been held back by households’ “misperception” of inflation and income, which has made them reluctant to spend, European Central Bank board member Isabel Schnabel said on Thursday. Policymakers and economists have…
US beef sales to China skid after Beijing lets export registrations lapse
CHICAGO – U.S. beef sales to China have taken a dive, U.S. government data showed on Thursday, after Beijing allowed the expiration of registrations that had permitted exports from hundreds of American meat facilities. A tit-for-tat tariff dispute has also…
India’s Axis Bank, J.P. Morgan roll out anytime dollar payments for clients
MUMBAI – India’s Axis Bank has partnered with J.P. Morgan to offer real-time U.S. dollar payment capabilities to commercial clients in the country, facilitated by Kinexys, the U.S-based lender’s blockchain and digital assets unit. This is the first instance where…