Month: September 2021

LIVE: Pentagon Officials Testify to Senate Committee on Afghanistan Withdrawal


Canada’s Tax System: A Monstrous Labyrinth That Needs to Be Simplified

Commentary Do you have a grumpy accountant? If not, perhaps you don’t live in Canada. But if you do, you probably need one. You shouldn’t. I don’t just mean an accountant. But it’s incredibly hard to do your taxes without one. I mean a grumpy one. Because it’s incredibly hard to do your taxes even…


Delta Variant Casts Shadow Over East Asia and Pacific Economies in Long Term: World Bank

The World Bank said on Monday that the COVID-19 Delta variant is holding back the recovery in East Asia and Pacific (EAP) countries, which would give rise to economic recession and inequality in the long term. Testing, tracking, and isolation among the public have been less effective against the more infectious Delta variant, partly driving…


Voter Turnout in Federal Election About Average Despite Pandemic Challenges

OTTAWA—Sixty-two percent of eligible voters cast ballots in last week’s federal election—about the average turnout for recent Canadian elections despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Elections Canada says almost 17 million Canadians voted, out of 27.4 million eligible electors. That does not include voters who registered on election day so the final number could…


Georgia Using Federal Funds to Give First Responders $1,000 Bonuses

Firefighters and other first responders in Georgia are poised to get $1,000 bonuses, Republican leaders in the state announced Monday. The bonuses will be paid for by COVID-19 relief funding that was allocated by Congress in March. Law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and correctional officers are among those eligible for the bonuses, which…


World Bank China Rigging Scandal Highlights Beijing’s ‘Malign Influence’ at UN: Experts

Revelations that World Bank leaders pressured staff to rig an influential report to favor China have once again cast a spotlight on Beijing’s influence within the United Nations system. A recent investigation found that then-World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and then-Chief Executive Kristalina Georgieva had applied “undue pressure” on staff to boost China’s ranking…


US Soy Exports Hit 6-Month High as Gulf Loadings Rise After Ida; Lag Year Ago Pace

U.S. soybean exports jumped last week to a six-month peak, while corn shipments were the highest in a month as Louisiana Gulf Coast terminals steadily ramped up operations disrupted nearly a month ago by Hurricane Ida, preliminary data showed on Monday. The export pace remained well below normal for this time of year as some…


Man Charged With Murder of London School Teacher Sabina Nessa

A 36-year-old man has been charged with the murder of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa. Koci Selamaj, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, was arrested in the seaside town in the early hours of Sunday, and a light-coloured Nissan Micra was seized in a leafy residential street around half a mile away. He was charged on Monday,…


British Army Drivers on Standby to Deliver Fuel

A limited number of army tanker drivers will get ready to help deliver fuel to petrol stations if needed, the UK government announced on Monday amid mounting pressure. Earlier on Monday, ministers said they had “no plan” at the time to draft army drivers after media outlets reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been…


EasyJet Reports 93 Percent Take-Up of $1.6 Billion Rights Issue

LONDON—British airline easyJet said its investors had bought 93 percent of the new shares on offer in its 1.2 billion pound ($1.64 billion) rights issue, designed to help fund its recovery from the pandemic. The airline announced the cash call, its second during 18 months of COVID-19, earlier this month, at the same time as…