US debt limit default could hit in early June to early August -think tank

By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. government will begin defaulting on its payment obligations between early June and early August without an increase in the federal debt limit, the Bipartisan Policy Center said on Tuesday, flagging pressure from a drop in tax revenue. The front end of the centrist think tank’s latest estimate for…

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Michael Cohen calls Trump’s $500 million suit against him “pure retaliation”

By Karen Freifeld and Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s onetime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen asked a court to throw out the former U.S. president’s $500 million lawsuit against him, calling it an “abusive act of pure retaliation and witness intimidation.”       Cohen’s lawyers in a filing late Monday in Miami federal court said…

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Explainer-Why the EU is restricting grain imports from Ukraine

(Repeats for additional subscribers) LONDON (Reuters) – The European Commission has announced restrictions on the imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed in Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria until June 5. The move led to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria lifting unilateral import bans they had imposed citing the need to protect…

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Duke Energy misses profit estimates as warm weather weighs on power usage

(Reuters) – Duke Energy Corp on Tuesday missed Wall Street estimates for first-quarter profit, as the gas and electric utilities firm was hit by unfavorable weather, higher interest expenses, and lower volumes. Warmer-than-normal weather in the states serviced by the company weighed on customers’ electricity needs for heating in colder months. Duke’s electric utilities, which…

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Imran Khan, the cricket star who ditched playboy image to rule Pakistan

(Reuters) – Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, a cricketing hero-turned-politician who was arrested on Tuesday, whipped up popular support amid decades-high inflation and a crippling economic slowdown before his ouster last year. The 70-year-old has since showed no sign of slowing down, even after being wounded in a November attack on his convoy as…

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Australia boasts rare budget surplus, before spending pressures intensify

By Wayne Cole SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia’s Labor government boasted the first budget surplus in 15 years on Tuesday, as strong jobs growth and bumper mining profits swelled its coffers, but it will quickly be swallowed up by spending on everything from health to energy and defence. In his second budget since winning power in May…

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