World economy

New omicron XE Covid variant first detected in the UK spreads to Japan as cases rise
As of April 5 2022, 1,125 cases of XE — a new scombinant subvariant — have been identified in the U.K., up from 637 on March 25. Dominic Lipinski | Pa Images | Getty Images Japan has reported its first case of omicron XE — a new Covid-19 strain first detected in the U.K. — […]
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War crime charges may not be enough to deter Putin — even as evidence of Russian atrocities mounts
The remains of a Russian rocket, one of two to be launched at a railway station in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, killing 30 and injuring 100 more. Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images In a week that uncovered the extent of Russian atrocities against Ukrainian civilians, an indiscriminate attack on a train station Friday appeared […]
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Senate votes to strip Russia of ‘most favored nation’ trade status
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia April 7, 2022. Mikhail Klimentyev | Sputnik | Reuters The Senate voted unanimously on Thursday to revoke Russia’s “most-favored-nation” trade status, an economic downgrade that opens the door to new damaging tariffs on Moscow […]
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UK has detected a new Covid variant. Here’s what we know so far about omicron XE
According to the Office for National Statistics, 4.9 million people in Britain, or 1 in 13, were infected with Covid-19 as of March 26 — a record high since its survey began in April 2020. Bloomberg | Getty Images LONDON — A new omicron sub-variant has been detected in the U.K. as the country faces […]
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European stocks fall amid hawkish Fed comments, new Russia sanctions; Stoxx 600 down 1.6%
LONDON — European markets declined on Wednesday against a backdrop of hawkish comments from U.S. Federal Reserve officials and further sanctions against Russia. The pan-European Stoxx 600 fell 1.6% by early afternoon trade, with autos dropping 3.5% to lead losses as all sectors and major bourses slid into negative territory. Fed Governor Lael Brainard said […]
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Global government debt set to soar to record $71 trillion this year, new research says
People wearing protective face masks wait at a bus stop with a display of the current national debt amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Washington, January 31, 2022. Sarah Silbiger | Reuters LONDON — Global sovereign debt is expected to climb by 9.5% to a record $71.6 trillion in 2022, according to a new […]
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EU’s new Russia sanctions to likely include steel, luxury goods, jet fuel and more, sources say
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during a plenary session of the European Parliament at the EU headquarters in Brussels, on March 23, 2022. John Thys | AFP | Getty Images LUXEMBOURG — The European Union is working on a new package of sanctions against Russia that is likely to restrict […]
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Photos show world’s largest cargo plane destroyed in Ukraine
A Ukrainian serviceman walks by the wreckage of a cargo aircraft at the military airport in the town of Hostomel, on the outskirts of Kyiv, on April 3, 2022. Narciso Contreras | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images New images have shown the destruction to what was the world’s largest cargo plane, the Antonov An-225, following […]
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U.S.-listed Chinese stocks audit dispute: China regulator tells auditors to consider preparing for inspections
The China Securities Regulatory Commission and U.S. securities regulators have been locked in a dispute over allowing U.S. review of Chinese company audits, threatening delisting in coming years. Costfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images BEIJING — China has sent another signal of progress toward resolving an audit dispute that’s threatened U.S.-listed Chinese companies with […]
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ECB will have to ‘think again’ on policy if outlook deteriorates rapidly, chief economist says
Christine Lagarde (R), President of the European Central Bank (ECB), and Vicepresident Luis de Guindos (L) Thomas Lohnes | Getty Images News | Getty Images European Central Bank Chief Economist Philip Lane on Friday acknowledged “very high” inflation in the region and said the Frankfurt institution might have to “think again” about its policy stance. […]
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