Asian stocks were mostly lower Wednesday even as investors wagered that the Federal Reserve will come ahead with a cut to interest rates, while Australia’s benchmark hit a new record. U.S. futures fell and oil prices advanced. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index gave up early gains to shed 0.4% to 41,097.69. Reports said the
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission did not allow the public enough access to information about COVID-19 vaccine purchase agreements it secured with pharmaceutical companies during the pandemic, the EU general court said Wednesday. The decision came a day ahead of a vote at the European Parliament at which European Commission President Ursula von der
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Authorities in Bangladesh urged all universities to close on Wednesday, after at least six people died in violent protests over the allocation of government jobs. Some universities quickly moved to comply, but others, including Dhaka University at the center of the violence, were still deciding how to respond. The University Grants
PARIS (AP) — After months of anticipation, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is set to swim in the Seine River later on Wednesday, fulfilling a promise she made in January nine days before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics. The swim will occur along the stretch of the river that passes by the imposing-looking City
NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA heads into its monthlong Olympic break following this weekend’s highly anticipated All-Star festivities. The Olympic team’s matchup with Team WNBA featuring Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will be one of the toughest games the American squad will potentially play over the month. In 2021, the WNBA All-Star team beat
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Major League Baseball players participating in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics remains a possibility, according to baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, though many obstacles remain to Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper playing for a gold medal. Baseball was a medal sport from 1992-2008, then was dropped until the 2021 Tokyo
BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that the Islamic State group is trying “to reconstitute” as the number of attacks in Syria and Iraq is on track to double those of the previous year. IS has claimed 153 attacks in both countries in the first six months of 2024, CENTCOM said in
LONDON (AP) — Inflation in the U.K. held steady at the Bank of England’s target rate of 2% in the year to June, official figures showed Wednesday, in a development that could be enough for policymakers to cut borrowing costs next month. The Office for National Statistics said the largest upward contribution to the annualized
The head of upcoming climate negotiations told world leaders Wednesday that a new financial aid package for poor and disaster-struck nations is the urgent, make-or-break goal of United Nations talks this fall. “Time lost is lives, livelihoods and the planet lost,” said Mukhtar Babayev, the Azerbaijan ecology minister and president-designate of November climate talks in
BANGKOK (AP) — In a year of major elections that will determine the destinies of many countries, China’s ruling Communist Party is holding closed, top-level meetings in Beijing to set strategies for reviving its slowing economy. State media likened the meetings that end Thursday to reforms started in the late 1970s that opened China’s economy
