Author: Clifton Nick Mccarthy

European shares traded higher on the final trading week of August, as traders weighed the prospect of higher interest rates from the U.S. Federal Reserve and looked ahead to upcoming economic data later in the week. EUROPEAN MARKETS TICKER COMPANY PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE .FTSEFTSE 1007435.3696.781.32.GDAXIDAX15837.6945.080.29.FCHICAC 40 Index7335.2610.550.14.FTMIBFTSE MIB28676.26131.70.46.IBEXIBEX 35 Idx9530.1400.42 Germany’s DAX 30 finished up 1%, France’s CAC 40 closed up 1.4%, and the Italian FTSE MIB was 1.3% higher by the end of the trading session. Markets were closed in the U.K. for a public holiday. It came as investors continued to reflect on a roundup of commentary from the Kansas City Federal Reserve’s…

Washington | Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell has warned the central bank stands ready to raise interest rates further if needed because of a threat of inflation resurging and becoming entrenched in consumer expectations. Mr Powell told the annual Jackson Hole symposium of central bankers that inflation remained too high despite falling from its 9.1 per cent peak last year. The Federal Reserve could still lift its official interest rate beyond 5.5 per cent to wrestle inflation back down to the bank’s 2 per cent target. The governor’s closely watched comments at the annual gathering in Wyoming come amid warnings from former US…

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Braum’s Ice Cream, the popular Oklahoma-based dessert parlor and fast food restaurant, is poised to make its central Arkansas debut soon. During their Monday meeting, the Conway Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit to allow an eating place with drive-thru service and food store. Developers hoping to bring Braum’s to Conway had their permit approved, which would make this their first store in central Arkansas and 14th in the state. There are currently 13 Braum’s locations scattered through the northwest portion of Arkansas. According to their website, Braum’s boasts over 300 stores in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas,…

On August 21, the Constitutional Court of the Central African Republic validated the results of the July 30 constitutional referendum, which, among other changes, removes presidential term limits, and undercuts the country’s democratic governance. We believe that regular peaceful transitions of power yield strong institutions and more stable and prosperous countries. The United States notes with deep reservations reports of low voter participation and concerns over secrecy of the ballot. Free and fair elections, with inclusive electoral processes are essential for any democracy. We call on the CAR government to announce a date for local elections in which all Central…

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Sign up here.Abu Dhabi, UAECNN — As oil-rich Gulf states seek to diversify their military partnerships, they are finding themselves ensnared in the intensifying rivalry for global dominance between the United States and China. One of America’s closest allies in the region, the United Arab Emirates plans to hold its first-ever military drill with China this month, the Chinese defense ministry announced late last month. The nation is a military partner of the US, having served alongside American forces six…

US officials are searching for Chinese malware hidden in various defense systems that could disrupt military communications and resupply operations, The New York Times reported Saturday. The administration believes malicious computer code has been hidden inside “networks controlling power grids, communications systems and water supplies that feed military bases,” officials told the Times. The discovery has heightened concerns that hackers could “disrupt US military operations in the event of a conflict,” according to the Times. The two nations have been increasingly at odds over Taiwan as well as over China’s actions in the Indo-Pacific. One congressional official told the newspaper that the…

Australia is a vital ally, partner, and friend of the United States. Our two countries have maintained a steadfast relationship underpinned by shared democratic values, common interests, and cultural affinities. Economic, academic, and people-to-people ties are vibrant and strong. Our partnership promotes peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world. The United States and Australia marked the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2020. Bilateral defense ties and cooperation are exceptionally close. U.S. and Australian forces have fought side-by-side for more than one hundred years, in every major conflict since World War I, beginning with the Battle of Hamel in 1918.…

At a recent fundraiser he said he’s ‘not big on’ abortion. It’s not pro-choice activists who are out of step with the mainstream; it’s Joe Biden Aclosed-door fundraiser for the very wealthy is a place where a lot of politicians really shine. Among their fellow elites, surrounded by people like them who like them – and are giving them money – Democrats and Republicans alike often become their truest selves. They drop the flesh-pressing affectations, the focused-group soundbites, the stiff smiles. They become something they’re usually not: honest. Honest is what Biden was at a similar fundraiser in tony Chevy…

Despite smaller opposition parties airing concerns about how the legal framework for coalitions could benefit the ANC and DA, Deputy President Paul Mashatile described his first meeting to seek a framework that would ensure stability within coalition governments a success. This after Mashatile invited political parties, which are represented in Parliament, to attend a coalition framework meeting to deal with the chaos infiltrating municipalities nationwide. The meeting, which took place on Friday, was to initiate discussions regarding the upcoming National Dialogue on Coalition Governments, scheduled for 27 July. Applauding the constructive interaction with the parties present, a statement issued by…

Prince Harry made an unannounced appearance at the Department of Defense’s Warrior Games Challenge in San Diego on Monday, 10 years after his first visit to the event inspired him to create the Invictus Games. The Warrior Games were founded in 2010 to provide a platform to celebrate the mental and physical achievements of wounded veterans. In 2023, the format of the event was adapted to the Warrior Games Challenge, which aims to expand its efforts to expose injured veterans to competitive sports. Ex-servicemen and women from the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and U.S. Special Operations Command…