Town Hall News

By Andreas Rinke, Sarah Marsh and David Brunnstrom BERLIN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will hold confidential talks on Friday in Washington with U.S. President Joe Biden about Russia’s war in Ukraine, China and other matters amid signs of strains between the transatlantic partners. Scholz set off on the one-day trip, which unusually will not include a press delegation, late on Thursday. His visit comes days after Biden’s security […]

(Reuters) – Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc will not dispense abortion pills in several U.S. states where they are still legal, Politico reported on Thursday citing the pharmacy. Last month, 20 Republican state attorneys general told Walgreens and CVS Health Corp that they could run afoul of federal and state law if they distribute the abortion drug mifepristone by mail. Walgreens has assured them it will not dispense the pills in […]

By Leonardo Bennasatto and Lisi Niesner CHASIV YAR, Ukraine (Reuters) -Ukrainian forces clinging to the eastern city of Bakhmut dug new trenches in an attempt to hold back Russian attackers, as the United States said new military aid for Ukraine would be discussed at a meeting with Germany’s leader on Friday. Russian forces have been attacking Bakhmut in Donetsk province for months, sometimes in waves and the site has become […]

By Scott Murdoch SYDNEY (Reuters) -GQG Partners Inc’s Australian-listed shares fell by as much as 3% on Friday after the international investment firm pumped $1.87 billion into four companies under embattled Indian conglomerate Adani Group. The Florida-based firm bought 3.4% of Adani Enterprises Ltd for about $662 million, 4.1% of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd for $640 million, 2.5% of Adani Transmission Ltd for $230 million, and 3.5% […]

By Farah Master and Casey Hall HONG KONG/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Investors are betting big on a major attitude shift among elderly Chinese – that they will warm up to retirement homes as the world’s most populous country ages and smaller families struggle to support parents and grandparents. Who takes care of the elderly in China, where pensions are tiny, is one of the major headaches policymakers face as they deal […]

By Nathan Layne (Reuters) -A South Carolina jury on Thursday found Richard “Alex” Murdaugh guilty of killing his wife and son, convicting the once-influential attorney of murder in a case that has gripped the nation’s attention for nearly two years. The 12-person jury declared Murdaugh, 54, guilty on two counts of murdering his wife Maggie, 52, and youngest son, Paul, 22, who were executed at close range near the dog […]

By Arshreet Singh and David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Thursday refused to back down on calls to make Starbucks Corp interim Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz, who is stepping down this month, testify at a hearing on the company’s compliance with labor law. Starbucks reiterated on Thursday it has no plans to send Schultz to a U.S. Senate committee hearing set for March 9. In response, […]

By Arshreet Singh and David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on Thursday refused to back down on calls to make Starbucks Corp interim Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz, who is stepping down this month, testify at a hearing on the company’s compliance with labor law. Starbucks reiterated on Thursday it has no plans to send Schultz to a U.S. Senate committee hearing set for March 9. In response, […]

(Reuters) -Sweden’s Ericsson has agreed to pay $206 million and plead guilty to violating a 2019 deal with U.S. prosecutors for failing to properly disclose information on its activities in Iraq, China and Djibouti, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday. The plea agreement follows a scandal over possible payments the telecommunications firm paid to the Islamic State militant group through its activities in Iraq. The Justice Department says the […]