Britain’s Hunt: GDP figures show there’s ‘no room for complacency’

LONDON (Reuters) – British finance minister Jeremy Hunt said on Thursday there was no room for complacency in tackling low growth and high inflation after data showed the economy stagnated in February, hurt by strikes among public workers. “The growth numbers show there is absolutely no room for complacency. Inflation is higher than we want,…

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Norway expels 15 Russian ‘intelligence officers’ from embassy

By Terje Solsvik and Nerijus Adomaitis OSLO (Reuters) – Norway is expelling 15 Russian embassy officials that the foreign ministry said on Thursday were intelligence officers operating under the cover of diplomatic positions, the latest such expulsion by a Western nation since Moscow invaded Ukraine. The Russian embassy in Oslo told Reuters Norway’s decision was…

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IMF chief says global economy mired in weak growth, sticky inflation

By David Lawder and Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday that the global economy has proven remarkably resilient to multiple shocks, but has yet to overcome a combination of weak growth and sticky inflation. The IMF’s projection of 2.8% global growth for 2023 “is not enough to…

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Biden administration unveils nearly $300 million for bridge projects around US

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration is unveiling on Thursday nearly $300 million in funding from its signature infrastructure law for nine bridge projects across the country, officials said. The infrastructure law, which the U.S. Congress passed with support from Democrats and Republicans, is one of President Joe Biden’s key legislative accomplishments and one his…

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Biden seeks expanded health insurance access for DACA participants

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration is seeking to allow immigrants illegally brought to the United States as children greater access to health insurance through federal programs, the White House said on Thursday. The proposal would allow participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, to access to health insurance under Medicaid and…

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Exclusive-Colombian armed groups and gangs have 17,600 members, intelligence reports find

By Luis Jaime Acosta BOGOTA (Reuters) – More than 17,600 people are members of the four major armed groups and 23 gangs with which the Colombian government hopes to reach peace or surrender deals, two security agency reports seen by Reuters show. The newly updated figures, which have not been reported before, are an effort…

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Core inflation to start improving before summer break – ECB’s Nagel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Core inflation rates in the euro zone will begin improving in the coming months, but the European Central Bank still has a way to go with monetary policy, ECB policymaker Joachim Nagel said on Thursday. “We expect core inflation will show first movements in the right direction before the summer break,” the…

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Half of Republicans say politics drove US abortion pill court ruling – Reuters/Ipsos

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Half of U.S. Republicans think a federal court was motivated by politics when it ordered the suspension of government approval for a widely used abortion pill, a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Wednesday found. Fifty-one percent of self-identified Republicans in the poll said they agreed that the ruling last week – which would…

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US IRS to unveil $80 billion 10-year spending plan this week, Yellen says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Internal Revenue Service will unveil its long-awaited 10-year spending plan for $80 billion in new funding to beef up enforcement and taxpayer services, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Tuesday, promising major investments in new technology and services. In prepared remarks at the swearing-in ceremony of new IRS Commissioner Danny…

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BlackRock calls on clients to rethink hedging strategy after UK pension crisis

By Tommy Wilkes LONDON (Reuters) – BlackRock’s liability-driven investment business is urging some smaller UK pension fund clients to stop splitting assets across multiple managers, as it tries to cut the complexity and risks of a strategy that imploded last year. Asset managers worry new rules to make LDI investing more robust could render the…

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