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…
Reddit down for thousands of US users, X outage eases, Downdetector shows
Reddit was down for thousands of users in the U.S. on Thursday, as X’s services appeared to stabilize, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. There were more than 28,000 incidents of people reporting issues with Reddit as of 3:40 p.m….
EU expands sanctions against Belarus over political oppression
BRUSSELS – The European Union’s member states announced on Thursday sanctions on a further 25 individuals and seven entities over what the EU said was the undermining of democracy and rule of law in Belarus. Among those being sanctioned is…
Far-right European politicians attend Jerusalem antisemitism conference
JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned against “the fires of antisemitism” in Western Europe at a conference on Thursday overshadowed by a boycott by several Jewish speakers over the presence of a number of right-wing and far-right European…
French prosecutors request 18-month suspended sentence for actor Depardieu
PARIS – French prosecutors requested on Thursday an 18-month suspended sentence and a 20,000-euro ($21,588.00) fine for actor Gerard Depardieu in his sexual assault trial, Le Parisien and other media reported. Depardieu, 76, a towering figure of French cinema, is…
Rubio to discuss with Jamaica Cuban doctor program after US visa threats
(This March 26 story has been refiled to correct grammatical errors in paragraphs 1 and 2) KINGSTON – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday said that Jamaica and the U.S. will discuss the Cuban doctors helping the Caribbean…
Rubio says US may have revoked more than 300 visas
GEORGETOWN -U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday the State Department may have revoked more than 300 visas and warned that the Trump administration was looking every day for “these lunatics” after Washington this week detained and revoked…
US will deploy biometric capabilities with Colombia, Noem says
BOGOTA – The United States will deploy biometric capabilities in partnership with Colombia to help manage migration and disrupt criminal activity, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said during a visit to Bogota on Thursday. “Today we have signed a…
CBO sees US deficits rising over 30 years, economic growth slowing
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Congressional Budget Office on Thursday projected significant increases in federal budget deficits and debt over the next 30 years, in part due to rapidly rising interest costs, as it sketched out sluggish economic growth and a…
De-dollarisation could speed up with US isolationist policies, analysts say
LONDON – If the Federal Reserve, a bedrock of global financial stability, were to withhold dollar funding to allies during times of stress, the world could greatly reduce its reliance on the currency, creating “a doubled-edged sword” for the U.S.,…
DOGE team is not involved in FAA decision on Starlink terminals, acting chief says
WASHINGTON – The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday that members of Elon Musk’s DOGE government reform team did not make the agency’s decision to test Starlink terminals. Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau also said at…
Zelenskiy says Russia hit Ukraine’s power infrastructure, US should react
KYIV – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday Russian artillery had damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the front-line city of Kherson, two days after the U.S. announced that each side had agreed to a truce on energy strikes. “Two days…