News 25

13/03/2025

Gasoline prices are coming down, and President Donald Trump is happy to take credit for that. But he has little to do with it, experts say, and his policies could make it more expensive to increase domestic oil production from already record levels.

The price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark used for US crude oil, is at $66.71, down 11% from the day after Trump took office. Gasoline prices haven’t fallen as fast, but they are approaching $3 per gallon. The national average for a gallon of regular stands at $3.08, according to AAA, down about 2% from when Trump took office but nearly 10% from a year ago.

“A very big thing that I’m very happy with is oil is down,” he said in remarks in the Oval Office on Wednesday. “We’re getting that down. When energy comes down, prices are going to be coming down with it.

Gasoline prices are coming down, and President Donald Trump is happy to take credit for that. But he has little to do with it, experts say, and his policies cou

13/03/2025

Low-income Americans’ financial condition has gotten worse over the last year and more shoppers are going without basic necessities.

That’s the worrying message coming from Dollar General, which sells inexpensive items and is thus considered a bellwether for low and middle-income shoppers’ health. Dollar General’s “core customers” earn under $40,000 a year, and the chain has more than 20,000 stores, primarily in rural areas.

“Our customers continue to report that their financial situation has worsened over the last year as they have been negatively impacted by ongoing inflation,” Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said on an earnings call Thursday. “Many of our customers report they only have enough money for basic essentials, with some noting that they have had to sacrifice even on the necessities.”

Inflation cooled in February for the first time in five months, but housing, health care and other costs remain high and are chipping away at customers’ budgets.

Low-income Americans’ financial condition has gotten worse over the last year and more shoppers are going without basic necessities. That’s the worr

13/03/2025

Plymouth recorded their first Sky Bet Championship away win of the season as they beat Portsmouth 2-1 at Fratton Park to boost their survival hopes.

The Pilgrims withstood a late Pompey onslaught to earn a priceless three points in their battle to avoid relegation.

Goals from Mustapha Bundu and Ryan Hardie put Argyle in command against a lacklustre Portsmouth who failed to hit the heights of their win over leaders Leeds at the weekend.

But a late red card for Argyle’s Matthew Sorinola sparked Pompey into life and a fine strike from Adil Aouchiche launched late siege, but Argyle doggedly hung on.

Portsmouth had the first sight of goal after three minutes when Connor Ogilvie met a near-post corner and flashed a header across goal.

Argyle carved out the game’s first real clear-cut chance after 12 minutes when a ball looped over a square Portsmouth back lie sent Hardie through on goal but Nicolas Schmid plunged low to his right to save.

Plymouth recorded their first Sky Bet Championship away win of the season as they beat Portsmouth 2-1 at Fratton Park to boost their survival hopes. The

13/03/2025

The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it completed its fourth review of Egypt’s economic reform program approving a $1.2 billion disbursement for the North African country.

The IMF said in a statement it completed its fourth review on Monday and Egyptian authorities can immediately draw the funds. The IMF executive board also granted Egypt’s request for an arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility with access to an additional $1.3 billion.

Egyptians have been grappling with soaring inflation as they navigate rising daily costs that reached another high last year. They included an increase in fuel prices, a hike in subway fares and a slide in the Egyptian pound against foreign currencies. A recent government decision to raise minimum monthly wages is yet to grant some relief.

The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it completed its fourth review of Egypt’s economic reform program approving a $1.2 billion disbursement for the N

13/03/2025

New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s decision to not seek reelection marks the latest bit of tough luck for Senate Democrats, who face an increasingly challenging midterm election map as they fight to climb out of the minority.

After losing four seats and control of the Senate in 2024, Democrats entered the 2026 cycle confronted by a 53-47 Republican majority and a daunting map with seemingly few offensive opportunities.

The retirements of three incumbents in Minnesota, Michigan and now New Hampshire have only further complicated matters. President Donald Trump has won Michigan in two of the last three election cycles, and all three open seats will require money and resources to defend against Republicans hoping to expand their majority.

It’s a challenging reality for a party that should be looking at a favorable cycle.

New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s decision to not seek reelection marks the latest bit of tough luck for Senate Democrats, who face an increasing

13/03/2025

Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday succeeded in a high-stakes House vote to pass President Donald Trump’s plan to fund the government into the fall, overcoming far-right opposition as the GOP scrambles to avert a government shutdown Friday at midnight.

The 217-213 vote to approve Republicans’ stopgap bill saw just one GOP defection, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and now amplifies pressure on Senate Democrats to decide whether to back the measure – or trigger a spending showdown with Trump and risk a potential shutdown.



The House plans to immediately leave Washington — an attempt to stick the Senate with a take-it-or-leave-it bill ahead of the March 14 deadline.

Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday succeeded in a high-stakes House vote to pass President Donald Trump’s plan to fund the government into the fall, overcoming

13/03/2025

At a White House summit last week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick spoke passionately about the Trump administration’s plans to embrace cryptocurrencies, a largely unregulated industry that has historically operated on the fringes of finance.

“Technology is at the foundation of the Trump presidency,” Lutnick said, addressing two dozen crypto CEOs. “We’re using the blockchain. We’re using bitcoin. We are going to use digital assets to pound forward, and Donald Trump is leading the way.”

The summit was remarkable in part because of the shift in tone from the White House, which under previous administrations, including Trump 1.0, largely kept crypto companies and their volatile digital tokens sidelined. Suddenly, with President Donald Trump’s re-election, the government is not only open to the industry — it’s actively cheering for it.

At a White House summit last week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick spoke passionately about the Trump administration’s plans to embrace cryptocurrencies,

13/03/2025

Ali Al-Hamadi scored as Stoke boosted their Championship survival hopes with a 1-0 win over play-off chasing Blackburn.

Hours after being called up for Iraq’s forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, loanee Al-Hamadi netted his second goal for the club after 19 minutes as the Potters won only a third league game under Mark Robins in 12 attempts.

But they were also indebted to two magnificent saves from goalkeeper Viktor Johansson, with his second denying Joe Rankin-Costello in stoppage time.

Starting the night one point above the drop zone, City’s victory lifted them up to 19th and four points clear of the bottom three.

In contrast, Rovers have taken a solitary point from a possible nine under new boss Valerien Ismael and their four-game winless run leaves them four points off the top six.

Both sides went into the game on the back of defeats last weekend.

Stoke, still smarting from their stoppage-time loss at Coventry, created the first chance in what soon became a tetchy encounter.

13/03/2025

Danish footballer, Patrick Dorgu, says he’s settling in to life at Manchester United after joining the team from Lecce in January.

The 20-year-old wing-back is currently serving a three-match domestic ban following a red card in February’s win over Ipswich Town.

He said this was obviously not a great experience.

“But yeah, it's part of football, and I just need to learn from this and improve my game. I've settled well into Manchester. The trainings are good and I'm going well with the team,” he says.

Despite the setback, Dorgu, who is of Nigerian descent, has impressed since joining the Red Devils.

He says that coach Ruben Amorim’s attacking style of play and the use of wing-backs are what attracted him to the team.

“Obviously I saw Ruben in Sporting before he came and I could already see the ideas he had.

13/03/2025

A shortage of dialysis centers in Kenya has long meant that patients with kidney failure must travel extensive distances to access treatment. However, an innovative mobile dialysis unit is beginning to ease that burden, bringing essential medical services closer to those in need.

Dialysis on Wheels

In Murang’a County, a 12-wheeled truck equipped as a modern clinic is offering dialysis services to patients who would otherwise struggle to access treatment. This mobile unit, spearheaded by healthcare organization Benacare, is a significant step towards bridging gaps in medical accessibility for those suffering from chronic kidney disease.

Eliud Mwangi, a 63-year-old farmer who has been undergoing dialysis since 2021, used to travel long distances twice a week for treatment. The journey was exhausting and costly, often leaving him feeling unwell after each session.

“Let me say that the distance that I had been traveling has been reduced to less than three-quarters.

13/03/2025

A contentious law that allows South Africa’s government to expropriate land – without compensation in some cases – has enraged the United States, triggering aid cuts by Washington and outbursts from President Donald Trump.

Many fear that the African nation could now potentially lose some of its US trade privileges as relations between the two countries deteriorate.

South Africa is the largest beneficiary of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), a US trade agreement that provides preferential duty-free access to US markets for eligible Sub-Saharan African nations.

Some US lawmakers want those benefits withdrawn when AGOA is reviewed this year.

What has angered the US?

In January, South Africa enacted the Expropriation Act, seeking to undo the legacy of apartheid, which created huge disparities in land ownership among its majority Black and minority White population.

13/03/2025

Intel has a new leader at the helm, hoping to change course after a challenging period for the chipmaker. The company announced today that Lip-Bu Tan will serve as its new CEO effective March 18. He assumes the mantle from interim Co-CEOs David Zinsner and Michelle (MJ) Johnston Holthaus, who took over after the abrupt retirement of Pat Gelsinger late last year.

"Intel has a powerful and differentiated computing platform, a vast customer installed base and a robust manufacturing footprint that is getting stronger by the day as we rebuild our process technology roadmap," Tan said. "I am eager to join the company and build upon the work the entire Intel team has been doing to position our business for the future."

As part of his appointment, Tan will also rejoin Intel's board of directors. He had previously been a board member, but quit after two years in August 2024.