Washington Financial News

The U.S. is lifting some financial restrictions on Cuba in a move designed to boost private businesses on the island

An international law enforcement team has arrested a Chinese national and disrupted a major botnet that officials said he ran for nearly a decade

Melinda French Gates plans to donate $1 billion over the next two years to organizations supporting women and girls around the world

The Cleveland branch of the Federal Reserve says that Beth Hammack, an executive at investment bank Goldman Sachs, would be its next president effective Aug. 21

Solar storms are expected to be back and this will bring back the northern lights. The European Space Agency had recorded an incident of a major solar flare on May 20. This was recorded by the agency’s Solar Orbiter Aircraft and it occurred right behind the Sun. It was rated as a X12 and it is believed that it hasn’t occurred since 2017. Scientists believe that it will lead to more solar flares in the coming days.

Consumer confidence in the U.S. rose in May following three straight months of declines, but Americans remain anxious about elevated inflation and interest rates

The U.S. State Department has set up an eight-person team known as “the firm” to provide help to countries cut off from Chinese trade

Tata Motors, the impact of commodity prices, sourcing, semiconductor costs and navigating the maze of sanctions was a challenge for each, except that one entity clearly benefited and made the most like no other - the airline.Also Read: Air India passenger receives broken seat despite paying extra ₹1,000; airline issues apologyAccording to data shared by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, exclusively for this article, there has been an increase of just four frequencies between India and the United States in May 2024, as compared to February 2020, the last month of operations before the COVID-induced lockdown. However, a granular look at the data shows that the American carriers have reduced frequency by 21 weekly flights while Air India has added new flights.

China’s engagement in the global system of commerce was roundly criticized by Group of Seven finance chiefs in a show of unity accompanied by a threat of further escalation. The club of rich-world ministers and central bankers concluded its gathering in the Italian lakeside town of Stresa on Saturday with a communique that cited the world’s second-biggest economy by name and accused the country of hurting the economies of its trade partners. “While reaffirming our interest in a balanced and reciprocal collaboration, we express concerns about China’s comprehensive use of non-market policies and practices that undermines our workers, industries, and economic resilience,” they said. “We will continue to monitor the potential negative impacts of overcapacity and will consider taking steps to ensure a level playing field.”

Presidential candidate Donald Trump was booed and heckled by many in a raucous audience at the Libertarian National Convention on Saturday night, a marked change from the adulation he receives at rallies from his fervently loyal supporters. Libertarians, who believe in limited government and individual freedom, blame Trump, a Republican, for rushing through the creation of a COVID-19 vaccine when he was president and for not doing more to stop public health restrictions on the unvaccinated during the pandemic.

The recent approval of Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has opened the doors for more crypto investment products, according to research from TD Cowen’s Washington Research Group.

India has recorded a trade deficit, the difference between imports and exports, with nine of its top 10 trading partners, including China, Russia, Singapore, and Korea, in 2023-24, according to official data. The data also showed that the deficit with China, Russia, Korea, and Hong Kong increased in the last fiscal compared to 2022-23, while the trade gap with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Indonesia, and Iraq narrowed. The trade deficit with China rose to USD 85 billion, Russia to USD 57.2 billion, Korea to USD 14.71 billion and Hong Kong to USD 12.2 billion in 2023-24 against USD 83.2 billion, USD 43 billion, USD 14.57 billion and USD 8.38 billion, respectively, in 2022-23. China has emerged as India's largest trading partner with USD 118.4 billion of two-way commerce in 2023-24, edging past the US.

Former President Donald Trump has made a promise to grant a presidential pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, if he is re-elected in November’s election.

Joint Sword-2024A military exercise around Taiwan, US experts analysed that Beijing has an intent to make large-scale military drills around the island a regular move with the China Coast Guard (CCG) to play a more important role in a blockade, reported Focus Taiwan. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a think tank in Washington, issued an article, where Bonny Lin, head of the CSIC's China Power Project, and fellow researcher Brian Hart analysed the two-day Joint Sword-2024A, which was launched on Thursday, three days after President Lai Ching-te was sworn in on Monday. Joint Sword-2024A was the third round of large-scale military exercises China has staged around Taiwan in recent years.

COVID-19 vaccine when he was president and for not doing more to stop public health restrictions on the unvaccinated during the pandemic.When Trump took to the stage in Washington, there were loud boos and jeers. A smaller section of the crowd, Trump supporters, cheered him.Shortly before he appeared, one Libertarian Party member shouted: "Donald Trump should have taken a bullet!"Trump's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the hostile reception.Trump, who was president between 2017 and 2021, immediately mentioned the total 88 felony charges he faces in four federal and state prosecutions."If I wasn't a libertarian I am now," he said.

The Last of Us, Jeffrey Wright, renowned for his role in Westworld, is set to return to the franchise. Wright will reprise his role as Isaac in the highly anticipated second season of The Last of Us. Let's understand what this casting means and what we can expect from the upcoming season. Wright Returns as Isaac

The Justice Department has sued Ticketmaster and its parent company, accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America

Vice President Kamala Harris is announcing the formation of a new partnership to help provide internet access to 80% of Africa by 2030, up from 40% now

Families of four of the five Marines killed when their Osprey crashed in California in June of 2022 have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the aircraft's manufacturers failed to address known mechanical failures that led to the deaths

President Joe Biden has unleashed a flurry of election year rules on the environment as he tries to secure his legacy

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has rejected a recommendation to cut a proposal for what would be the state’s largest wind farm in half, giving new life to the $1.7 billion project