Author: News Room

Microsoft will invest $1.5 billion in Abu Dhabi’s G42, an artificial intelligence group that has faced questions over its ties to China. The companies will collaborate on AI and digital infrastructure, in a move that sees Microsoft’s AI empire expand into the Middle East for the first time. The move could attract sizeable scrutiny from regulators. G42 — led by Peng Xiao, a Chinese businessman and former CEO of Pegasus, a cybersecurity firm — has reportedly faced questions over its links to Beijing. In November, the New York Times reported that US officials were concerned G42 could be used to…

[The stream is slated to start at 1:15 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks Wednesday to the Wilson Center’s Washington Forum on the Canadian Economy, in what will likely be his last policy speech before the next central bank meeting.Joining Powell is Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem, and together they are expected to discuss “the economic outlook, monetary policymaking in their respective countries, and the enduring value of the Canada-US economic relationship,” according to a release on the Wilson Center site.The appearance comes…

When it comes to dating etiquette, one question seems to inspire more anxiety than most: Who pays for the first date?Dating experts think there’s a clear answer for heterosexual couples.”The man should pay for the first date,” said Blaine Anderson, a dating coach for men.Erika Ettin, an online dating coach, agrees.”I recommend my male clients pay and my female clients offer,” said Ettin, the founder of A Little Nudge. Men should politely decline that offer — unless the woman insists, in which case the man should accept it, Ettin added.The etiquette “shouldn’t be that complicated,” she said.Public opinion is more…

The chronic inflation crisis is hindering millions of Americans’ ability to prepare for their financial future, according to a new study published by Allianz Life. Findings from the Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America show that U.S. households are draining their retirement savings, taking on debt and reducing the amount that they are setting aside for the future to maintain their present-day finances.Nearly 7 in 10 respondents said they have not contributed as much to their savings due to higher prices for everyday goods, while 51% of Americans said they are racking up more credit card debt in order…

The political tug of war over student loan forgiveness registered a new chapter as 11 Republican-led states filed suit against President Joe Biden and the U.S. Department of Education to stop the SAVE Plan.  The Biden Administration introduced the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan after the Supreme Court struck down Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. The White House said in a statement that the SAVE plan could lower borrowers’ monthly payments to zero dollars, reduce monthly costs in half and save those who make payments at least $1,000 a year. Additionally, borrowers with an original balance of $12,000 or less…

Mortgage rates marched higher this week, nearing 7% with no relief in sight for the sluggish housing market. Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released Thursday, showed that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 6.88% this week from 6.82% last week. The average rate on a 30-year loan was 6.27% a year ago. The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage jumped to 6.16% from 6.06% last week. One year ago, the rate on the 15-year fixed note averaged 5.54%.US NEW HOME SALES FALL; MEDIAN PRICE LOWEST IN MORE THAN 2-½ YEARS “Mortgage rates have…

The legacy of late California Senator Dianne Feinstein was tarnished by a series of lawsuits filed before her death. The suits revealed rifts in the family and shortcomings in the estate plans of Feinstein and her late husband. Feinstein’s late husband Richard Blum, a wealthy investor, passed away in February 2022. Both Blum and Feinstein were in second marriages, and each had children from their previous marriages. After Blum’s death, the senator suffered several health setbacks before passing away in September 2023. Beginning a few months after Blum passed away, Feinstein’s daughter filed a couple of lawsuits in her role…

(Reuters) -China’s central bank is expected to leave a key policy rate unchanged when it rolls over maturing medium-term loans on Friday, a Reuters survey showed, amid uncertainty over the timing of expected Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Market watchers widely believe Beijing will continue to prioritise the stability of the yuan, despite widespread views that the struggling economy needs more stimulus. Cutting rates before a move by the Fed or other major central banks would widen yield differentials, potentially putting more pressure on the currency, which has depreciated 1.3% against the dollar so far this year despite persistent central…

House Republicans have lined up a slate of bills targeting Iran and showing support for Israel, but the exact path forward for aid to Israel remains unclear as Congress remains divided over the issue in the wake of Iran’s unprecedented retaliatory strikes on Israel. In the aftermath of the attack, Democrats have called on Speaker Mike Johnson to bring up a Senate-passed foreign aid package that includes aid to Israel and Ukraine, but hardline conservatives have urged Johnson against attaching Ukraine funding to any Israel aid package – a warning that comes as the Louisiana Republican faces the threat of…

The US and its European allies stepped up efforts to dissuade Israel from striking back against Iran on Monday, as Israel’s military chief vowed to respond to Tehran’s unprecedented attack on the country’s territory.US secretary of state Antony Blinken and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak both said western countries were preparing sanctions on Tehran as they sought to prevent escalation into a full-blown Middle East war.Blinken said Washington was “co-ordinating a diplomatic response to seek to prevent escalation” in the wake of Saturday night’s barrage of more than 300 Iranian missiles, rockets and drones on Israel. Sunak said the G7…