Applications for state unemployment benefits fell by 8,000 from 206,000 applications last report to 198,000 for the week ending December 25, the U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists had predicted…
more ...2 US Stock Market Indexes Set Records as Omicron Worries Ease
The Dow and S&P 500 closed at all-time highs on Wednesday on a boost from retailers including Walgreens and Nike as investors shrugged off concerns on the spreading omicron variant. …
more ...US Goods Trade Gap Hits Record; Pending Home Sales Slip
The U.S. trade deficit in goods mushroomed to the widest ever in November as imports of consumer goods shot to a record ahead of the second straight COVID-19-distorted holiday shopping…
more ...Kenyan Slum Dwellers Evicted for China-Built Nairobi Expressway
Rights groups in Kenya are pushing authorities to resettle tens of thousands of squatters evicted just ahead of the holidays to make way for a Chinese-backed expressway. Kenyan Lucy Wangare, in her forties, cleans…
more ...Russian Gas Supplies to Europe Under Scrutiny
With the arrival of winter in Europe and energy prices soaring, tensions are running high over the provision of gas from Russia — especially through the Yamal-Europe pipeline that runs through…
more ...The Euro: How It Started 20 Years Ago
As Europe rang in the New Year 20 years ago, 12 of its nations said goodbye to their deutschmarks, French francs, liras and pesetas as they welcomed the euro single…
more ...Omicron Variant Causing Flight Cancellations Worldwide
Holiday travelers continued to experience widespread flight cancellations as the omicron variant causes airline staff to call in sick. According to FlightAware, which tracks delays and cancellations, there have been…
more ...Omicron Grounds Hundreds More US Flights over Christmas Weekend
U.S. airlines called off hundreds of flights for a third day in a row on Sunday as surging COVID-19 infections due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant grounded crews and…
more ...Wall Street Week Ahead -‘Santa Claus’ Stocks Rally?
Investors are closely watching the latest news on the rapidly spreading Omicron variant for signs of how much the virus could impact the U.S. economy and earnings as the market…
more ...Canceled Flights Snarl Holiday Plans for Thousands
Airlines continued to cancel hundreds of flights Saturday because of staffing issues tied to COVID-19, disrupting holiday celebrations during one of the busiest travel times of the year. FlightAware, a…
more ...Kenya Government Bails Out National Airline Kenya Airways
Kenya’s government recently said it will pay more than $800 million of the debt owed by the national carrier, Kenya Airways, and give it nearly half-a-billion dollars in budget support…
more ...China Expected to Fail Its US Trade Commitments by Year’s End
Sino-U.S. trade tensions could flare up again as it appears China will miss its obligations under a nearly expired agreement that emerged from a dispute during the administration of former…
more ...US Jobless Claims Unchanged at 205,000
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week, remaining at a historically low level that reflects the job market’s strong recovery from the coronavirus recession last…
more ...Trade Deals Raise Cambodian Hopes for a Brighter, Post-Pandemic Economy
Cambodia is basing hopes for a post-pandemic economic recovery on free trade agreements with China and South Korea, and membership in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. RCEP is a free-trade…
more ...Truckers, Experts: Too Little Coordination along US Supply Chain
As Americans enter the holiday season, the US supply chain is plagued with delays in moving goods from ports to warehouses, and on to stores and consumers. A shortage of truck…
more ...Ghana MPs Exchange Blows Over Proposed Electronic Payment Tax
Lawmakers in Ghana exchanged blows late Monday evening over a proposed electronic payment tax.The government says the new tax would boost revenue for development, but parliament has been split over…
more ...White House Says Democrats ‘Need to Work Together’ on Biden Safety Net Legislation
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration says it is looking to push ahead with work on a social safety net spending bill after a key Democrat in the Senate said he…
more ...Centrist US Lawmaker Announces Firm Opposition to Biden Safety Net Legislation
A centrist U.S. Democratic lawmaker, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, said Sunday he is definitively opposed to President Joe Biden’s roughly $2 trillion social safety net spending plan, likely…
more ...‘Flash Mob-Style’ Thefts Challenge Stores and Holiday Shoppers
A series of “flash mob-style” thefts in U.S. stores this holiday season is leading to higher security and a lot of finger-pointing. Matt Dibble reports. Michelle Quinn contributed to this…
more ...Charting the Future of China’s Infrastructure Projects in Africa After a Decade of Lending
China is financing the construction of four coal-fired power plants in southern Africa, despite its climate pledge in September to quit supporting such infrastructure overseas. But the new facilities taking shape…
more ...US Poised to Become First Country to Ban Goods Made by Uyghur Slave Labor
The U.S. Congress moved one step closer this week to making the United States the first country to ban the import of goods produced by Uyghur slave labor. After more…
more ...Rise in Fuel Prices Threaten Lebanon’s Ancient Forests
In Lebanon, a desperate economic situation has led to a rise in illegal logging. Local authorities are in a bind as they try to protect both a valuable ecological heritage…
more ...Nigerian Aid Groups Encourage Women to Learn About Blockchain Technology
Nigeria has been recording massive growth in its information technology sector, but only one-fifth of IT workers are women, according to government figures. Aid groups are trying to help women…
more ...South Korea Announces Intent to Join Regional Free Trade Pact
South Korea says it will formally apply to join a regional free trade agreement in an effort to boost trade and expand its presence in the global economy. Finance Minister…
more ...Cold Weather US States Struggling to Hire Snowplow Drivers
More U.S. drivers could find themselves stuck on snowy highways or have their travel delayed this winter due to a shortage of snowplow drivers — a reality that could hit…
more ...US Inflation Highest Since 1982
The price of U.S. consumer goods, such as food, fuel and rent, rose at the fastest pace since 1982 in November, according to a Department of Labor report Friday. The…
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