Cargo ships carrying Ukraine grain are anchored as they wait in line for the inspection on the Marmara sea, Istanbul, on Oct. 22. Photo: erdem sahin/Shutterstock Vladimir Putin is back using food as a political weapon, as this weekend he withdrew his cooperation with the United Nations’ Black Sea Grain Initiative. This is the agreement … Read more
Monday The European Union’s statistics agency releases third-quarter gross-domestic product information and the October consumer-price index. The 19-nation eurozone faces an uncertain outlook from the war in Ukraine and is struggling with high inflation. Tuesday The Labor Department releases September figures on job openings, hires, quits and layoffs. Job openings fell 10% in August to … Read more
WASHINGTON—Americans paid a greater share of the taxes they owe in recent years, according to new estimates from the Internal Revenue Service. In tax years 2014 through 2016, Americans paid 85% of their taxes on time, up from the agency’s 83.7% estimate for tax years 2011 through 2013, the IRS said Friday. That compliance rate … Read more
WASHINGTON—Federal prosecutors and securities regulators are investigating whether Tesla Inc. TSLA 0.13% misled consumers and investors about how its advanced driver-assistance system performed, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Justice Department is looking at statements that Tesla and its executives made about the safety and functionality of the system known as Autopilot, … Read more
TEL AVIV—Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a small advantage over his rivals in Israel’s leadership race, the last polls before Tuesday’s election show, but a deadlock in the fifth ballot in three years is also a likely outcome. Following the collapse of the government in the summer, Israelis must decide between a record third … Read more
October 28 is investors’ last chance to buy I Bonds that earn a 9.62% interest rate. Yet a surge in demand for the inflation-adjusted bonds has overwhelmed the TreasuryDirect site and the Treasury Department said it cannot guarantee orders will be completed in time. Investors must complete purchases and receive a confirmation email by Oct. … Read more
BAGHDAD—Iraq’s Parliament chose Mohammed al-Sudani as prime minister Thursday, aligning Baghdad more closely with Iran amid deep public unrest over rampant corruption and a lack of jobs. Mr. Sudani and his cabinet were approved under tight security, breaking a yearlong impasse between a bloc of Iranian-backed factions that endorsed him and supporters of Moqtada al-Sadr, … Read more
TAIPEI—For political and military leaders on this democratically self-ruled island, the view across the Taiwan Strait looks a lot more ominous. On Saturday, the Chinese Communist Party amended its charter to include the phrase “firmly oppose Taiwan independence,” amplifying language that had previously only called for strengthening unity among all Chinese nationals. The following day, … Read more
Photo: Arvin Temkar/Zuma Press Early voting began last week in Georgia, whose election laws Democrats have labeled “Jim Crow 2.0.” Yet turnout at present has exceeded that of the 2018 midterms and the 2020 presidential election. What should the public expect from the state’s Senate and gubernatorial races next month? The Opinion pages of The … Read more
PARIS—Geopolitical tensions, from Europe’s energy crisis to relations with China, are driving a wedge between Germany and France, straining ties between countries that have anchored the European Union’s economy and security for decades. The rift was apparent in the decision to scale back a summit Wednesday between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel … Read more