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Lisa Cook, governor of the US Federal Reserve, speaks at the Peterson Institute For International Economics in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe Trump administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to lift lower court rulings that have blocked President Donald Trump from firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.The request came a day after Cook participated in a meeting of the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee, which decided to cut its benchmark overnight lending rate by a quarter percentage point.”This application involves yet another case of improper judicial interference with the President’s…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved Thursday to shut down a Miami organ donation group, calling it “failing” because of underperformance, unsafe practices and paperwork errors.The Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency is one of 55 organ procurement organizations, or OPOs, nonprofit agencies around the country that coordinate the recovery of organs from deceased donors and help match them to patients on the nation’s transplant waiting list.The administration cited an investigation that found a 2024 case where an unspecified mistake led a surgeon to decline a donated heart for a patient awaiting surgery.In a news briefing, Dr. Mehmet Oz, who…

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Thursday sued Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, over what it called “illegal” ticket resale tactics.The lawsuit was filed in federal court in California. Seven states joined in the lawsuit, including Florida, Illinois and Virginia.In the filing, the FTC wrote that the companies “tacitly worked” with scalpers, allowing them to “unlawfully purchase” tickets to increase their profits.”[Ticketmaster and Live Nation’s] illegal conduct frustrates artists’ desire to maintain affordable ticket prices that fit the needs of ordinary American families, costing ordinary fans millions of dollars every year,” the lawsuit reads.The lawsuit alleged Ticketmaster…

As a result of Israel’s ongoing deadly bombardment of Gaza City’s infrastructure, nearly one million Palestinians have been left in a total internet and telecommunications blackout.  While network in a few parts of the city have been restored, such as in the Baptist Hospital area, internet access remains shut down across most of Gaza City.  The shutdown of communications in the city began on Wednesday, coinciding with the advance of Israeli army vehicles into the city’s northwestern neighbourhoods The situation is extremely tense, with widespread fears over what will unfold in the coming days. Palestinians on the ground told Middle…

Viewed through the prism of Gio Reyna, is it a Fluch oder Segen (blessing or curse) that his new circumstances at Borussia Mönchengladbach have immediately taken on a new dimension?We genuinely can’t say just a few days on from the unsurprising departure of Gerardo Seoane, who became the second Bundesliga coach to be removed from his position already this season after Erik ten Hag down the road at Bayer Leverkusen. The Swiss tactician was on decidedly shaky ground going into Sunday’s ill-fated 4-0 home Packung (thrashing) at the hands of Werder Bremen.Too many negatives had piled up for sporting chief…

Car prices are still hovering near all-time highs, but one of the main reasons is that automakers are stacking their lineups with high-end vehicles.As of August, the share of new cars sold over $50,000 was almost double what it was in 2019, according to Cox Automotive. There were about 33 models for sale with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price, or MSRP, above $100,000 and 18 below $30,000.Wealthier customers have been boosted by rising house values, stock market returns and favorable credit, while lower- and middle-income buyers find themselves locked out.”We either need a much more viable, lower cost alternative or something…

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and other crypto executives took to Capitol Hill this week as part of a regulatory showdown between the industry and banks with potentially trillions at stake.Banking advocacy groups are urging lawmakers to prohibit crypto exchanges like Coinbase from offering customers rewards that are structured like interest payments banks offer.”I’m not sure why the banks would want to bring that up again at this point, but they should have to compete on a level playing field in crypto,” Armstrong told CNBC on Wednesday.Coinbase currently offers a 4.1% reward for those holding USDC stablecoin. Kraken offers a 5.5%…

Kate_sept2004 | E+ | Getty ImagesThe IRS and U.S. Department of the Treasury this week finalized rules for certain provisions from the Secure 2.0 Act of 2022, including catch-up contributions for 401(k) and other plans, which apply to workers age 50 and older.Starting in 2027, catch-up contributions generally must be after tax (also called Roth), rather than pretax, for workers who made more than $145,000 from their current employer during the previous year. But some plans could make the change in 2026 “using a reasonable, good faith interpretation of statutory provisions,” the IRS said.In the meantime, those investors can pick…

Show host Jimmy Kimmel delivers his opening monologue at the 96th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 10, 2024.Mike Blake | ReutersPresident Donald Trump’s pressure on media companies is mounting.On Wednesday, the Walt Disney Co. pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air “indefinitely” from its ABC network after the host made comments linking the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.The move is drawing comparisons to CBS’ cancellation of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in July and raising questions about the protection of free speech in a Trump-era broadcast environment.”We hit…

For a reliable metric to assess the progressive decline of the European Union, and particularly its cognitive dissonance with regards to international politics, one should look no further than the recent statements of foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The type of relentless Russophobia that Kallas displays has become, sadly, essential to the resume of any official who aspires to a successful career within the EU’s institutions. Indeed, degrading the relationship between Moscow and Brussels is a top priority for the EU, even as its attention is needed on other important challenges, from the Middle East to Africa and beyond. To…