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NEW YORK --- Technology stocks led Wall Street broadly lower on Tuesday as chipmaker Nvidia pulled back ahead of its highly anticipated earnings report this week. The S&P 500 fell 30.06 points, or 0.6 percent to 4,975.51. It is coming off only its second losing week in the last 16. The losses pushed the benchmark index further below the record it set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 64.19 points, or 0.2 percent, to 38,563.80. The Nasdaq composite fell 144.87 points, or 0.9 percent, to 15,630.78. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market, with chipmakers as a particularly heavy weight. Nvidia slumped 4.4 percent. It's still the S&P 500's bi...

Keep on reading: Tech stocks pull Wall Street lower, led by investor favorite Nvidia

    Moscow, Russia --- A Moscow court on Tuesday said jailed US journalist Evan Gershkovich would remain in pre-trial detention until at least March 30, ensuring he will spend at least a year behind bars, as a dual citizen was separately arrested in Russia. Russian prosecutors have charged Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich with espionage -- the first time such a criminal accusation has been leveled against a Western reporter in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. READ: Putin says he hopes for prisoner swap for Gershkovich, Whelan but talks are 'not simple' Gershkovich, his employers and the White House all reject the charges, which carry a maxim...

Keep on reading: Moscow court upholds detention of US journalist, Russian-American arrested

SINGAPORE ---Philippine budget airline Cebu Pacific will decide in May or June whether to choose Airbus or Boeing for an order of more than 100 narrowbody aircraft flagged last year, the carrier's CEO Michael Szucs said. Cebu Pacific is deciding whether to choose a combination of Airbus' A320neo and A321neo models or Boeing's high-capacity 737 MAX 8-200 and 737 MAX 10 for delivery from 2027, he said in an interview on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow. It will be a significant market test for Boeing following the latest in a series of crises when in January a mid-air cabin panel blew out on a MAX 9 jet mid-flight. Cebu Pacific needs a mix of shorter and longer plane mod...

Keep on reading: Cebu Pacific to decide Airbus vs Boeing for 100 jets order in Q2

BENGALURU - The U.S. Federal Reserve will cut the federal funds rate in June, according to a slim majority of economists polled by Reuters, who also said the greater risk was the first rate cut would come later than forecast rather than earlier. Reuters surveys since September have consistently predicted the first rate cut would come around the middle of this year. Markets, however, have gone from March to May, and now are priced for June as the most likely time for the first rate reduction. Although stock markets have surged to record highs, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield has jumped nearly 50 basis points to 4.28 percent this month alone, thanks to a series of releases showin...

Keep on reading: Fed seen cutting US rates in June, risks skewed toward later move

  MANILA, Philippines --- The eastern portion of Visayas and Mindanao may experience overcast skies and rain on Wednesday due to the effects of the easterlies, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). Easterlies are warm winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean. READ: Pagasa: Cool mornings to return on weekend due to amihan While this weather system may bring hot and humid conditions, Pagasa specialist Rhea Torres advised residents in some parts of Visayas and Mindanao that it will still bring rain over their areas. "The northeastern portion of Mindanao as well as the southern portion of Visa...

Keep on reading: Eastern part of Visayas and Mindanao to experience overcast skies, rains

BENGALURU -India's Zee Entertainment is making a final attempt to restart discussions with Japan's Sony Group to revive their $10- billion merger deal that was scrapped on Jan. 22, Indian business daily Economic Times reported on Tuesday, citing people aware of the matter. Representatives from both parties have been working to salvage the deal, with efforts to revive the merger gaining momentum over the past two weeks, the report added. However, there is a chance that the discussions might fail as significant differences remain unresolved and both sides are standing firm on their positions, it said. Zee denied being involved in any such negotiations in an exchange filing. So...

Keep on reading: India’s Zee Entertainment seeks to revive $10-B merger with Sony

  TAIPEI --- Taiwan on Tuesday drove away a Chinese coast guard boat that entered waters near its sensitive frontline islands, in a rise in tensions a day after China's coast guard boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat that a Taiwan minister said has triggered "panic". A Chinese coast guard boat, numbered 8029, entered Taiwan's waters near Kinmen on Tuesday morning, Taiwan's coast guard said, adding that it dispatched a boat and used radio and broadcast to drive away its Chinese counterpart, which left the area an hour later. READ: Possible scenarios for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan Taiwan's coast guard said it will continue to use radar, surveillance and patrols to ensur...

Keep on reading: Taiwan drives away Chinese coast guard boat as frontline island tensions rise

NEW YORK --- About 40 percent of small business owners in the U.S. think 2024 will be a "make or break" year for their business, according to a survey by messaging service Slack. After several years of dealing with the pandemic, rising inflation and a tight job market, some small businesses --- 32 percent of respondents --- aren't sure they'll make it through 2024. Still, others are feeling optimistic about the future. Seventy-one percent of respondents said they are optimistic about the state of their business this year. But many are still facing tough issues like a volatile economy, a polarizing election on the horizon and declining sales. In fact, 38 percent of small busi...

Keep on reading: Many small business owners see 2024 as a ‘make or break’ year

    On the Ukraine-Belarus border, Ukraine --- Eleven Ukrainian children crossed the border from Belarus to Ukraine Tuesday evening, in the latest return of children taken to Russia and occupied territories during the nearly two-year Ukraine war. Emerging from the darkness at a humanitarian crossing on the Belarus border, the children hugged family members who had been waiting for more than six hours. READ: 'Bring them back': Ukrainian orphans demand return of children in Russia Oleksandr, 16, is the oldest among those returned by Moscow through a Qatar-mediated scheme. "My new life is starting," he said, smiling shyly and describing the "joy and slight ne...

Keep on reading: Eleven Ukraine children returned from Russia

  UNITED NATIONS --- The United States on Tuesday again vetoed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution on the Israel-Hamas war, blocking a demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire as it instead pushes the 15-member body to call for a temporary ceasefire linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas. Thirteen council members voted in favor of the Algerian-drafted text, while Britain abstained. It was the third U.S. veto of a draft resolution since the start of the current fighting on Oct. 7. Washington has also used its veto to block an amendment to draft resolution in December. "A vote in favor of this draft resolution is support to the Palestinians r...

Keep on reading: US blocks ceasefire call with third UN veto in Israel-Hamas war

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said he would support the filing of a case in connection with the alleged use of cyanide in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) "if there is enough ground to do so." The Chinese Embassy in Manila issued a statement also on Tuesday describing as "sheer fabrication" an earlier claim by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that Chinese fishermen use cyanide to "intentionally destroy Bajo de Masinloc." There was no reference to those fishermen by Mr. Marcos or the media during his ambush interview with them, but he said, when asked by reporters about "cyanide fishing" that "If we feel that there is enough ground to do so, w...

Keep on reading: Marcos: Build case over cyanide use if there’s enough proof

The United States has sent a nuclear-capable bomber for its first joint patrol with the Philippine military over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), prompting China's military to send its forces there to monitor that activity. Three FA-50 light fighters of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Monday flew in tandem with a B-52H Stratofortress long-range strategic bomber deployed by the US Pacific Air Forces. The joint flyovers covered 90 nautical miles (166.7 kilometers) west of Candon, Ilocos Sur, and 50 NM (92.6 km) northwest of Lubang, Mindoro, within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, the PAF said in a statement. The B-52s---touted as a long-standing symbol of US military pow...

Keep on reading: B-52H bomber joins PH jets for WPS patrol, irks China

MOSCOW---Lyudmila Navalnaya, the mother of dead Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, demanded on Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin hand over her son's body so she could bury him. Navalny, 47, fell unconscious and died suddenly on Friday after a walk at the "Polar Wolf" penal colony above the Arctic Circle where he was serving a three-decade sentence, the prison service said. (See related story in World, Page A9.) Speaking in a video filmed in front of the prison as small snow flakes swirled in the air, his mother---dressed in black---complained she did not even know where her son's corpse was and demanded Putin give the order to release it. Up to 'you alone' "For a f...

Keep on reading: Navalny’s mother to Putin: Hand over my son’s body

  MANILA, Philippines --- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he wants to relax regulations on transportation network vehicle services (TNVS). In a post late Tuesday night, Marcos said that the government is working with TNVS company Grab. "We're working with Grab to legalize motorcycle taxis and relax regulations on TNVS," Marcos said in a Facebook post. READ: House spots holes in prolonged study on motorcycle taxis "More transport options will benefit commuters, drivers, and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises)," Marcos added. READ: LTFRB: New 100,000 TNVS slots are for motorcycles, 4-wheeled vehicles The government has long been studying the viabil...

Keep on reading: Marcos wants to relax regulations on TNVS

Only 10 players from Gilas Pilipinas' long-haul cast will be seeing action in the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) Asia Cup qualifiers this coming Thursday when the National Five finally takes the first step in its four-year quest to return to the Fiba World Cup and Olympic Games. Both young big man AJ Edu and seven-time Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo are going to be shelved due to injuries, with former skipper Japeth Aguilar coming in as the lone stopgap measure. While it's a bit disappointing not to see this new-look Gilas crew debut at full strength, national coach Tim Cone pointed out that injuries are one of the many hurdl...

Keep on reading: Cone to have just 10 healthy men vs Hong Kong as Fajardo, Edu out

Despite displaying a strong performance in a preseason tournament, Brooke van Sickle still felt the nerves in her first game in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL). "I felt like we're a little tense, not really flowing as well. Probably first game jitters a little bit," said the Filipino-American hitter after only contributing seven points in Petro Gazz's otherwise dominating 25-12, 25-20, 25-12 victory against league newcomer Strong Group Athletics (SGA) at PhilSports Arena on Tuesday. "It's still really good to start PVL with a win. [The] other team did really well, they blocked very well and they're really scrappy so it was a good win," she added. Chery Tiggo also welcome...

Keep on reading: Jittery Van Sickle, Petro Gazz still too much for SGA

A conference to remember is obviously not enough for CJ Perez to be considered a cinch for the biggest individual award left to be won at this point of the Philippine Basketball Association's (PBA) 48th season. That's because his San Miguel Beer teammate June Mar Fajardo is suddenly in contention for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy, the coveted individual plum the gentle giant has unprecedentedly won seven times. Ineligible to cop the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award that Perez claimed owing to a lack of games, Fajardo suddenly jumped into the lead of the MVP derby at the end of the recent Commissioner's Cup, which the Beermen ruled, as Perez sits in third spot b...

Keep on reading: June Mar on prowl for yet another MVP trophy

OTTAWA - Canada's annual inflation rate cooled much more than expected to 2.9 percent in January, largely on lower gas prices, while core inflation measures dropped to their lowest levels in more than two years, data showed on Tuesday. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast inflation to tick down to 3.3 percent from 3.4 percent in December. At 2.9 percent, headline inflation rate is back in the Bank of Canada's 1 percent-3 percent control range for the first time since June 2023. Month-over-month, the consumer price index was unchanged, compared with a forecast of a 0.4-percent rise. Two of the Bank of Canada's (BoC) three core measures of underlying inflation also edged do...

Keep on reading: Canada’s January inflation rate drops more than expected to 2.9%

MANILA, Philippines --- The Land Transportation Office (LTO) vehicle plate-making plant will shift to a 24-hour operation schedule so it can address its backlog, officials told a House of Representatives panel on Tuesday. During the hearing of the House committee on transportation, LTO Property Section Head Clarissa Ogsimer said that after the plate-making plant has finished all its maintenance works, the production will shift to a 24-hour operation, increasing the daily output from 38,000 plates to 48,600 plates. Currently, the plant is producing around 28,000 plates per day, but boosting it to 38,000 will mean that the agency can cover its 12.50 million backlog in plates by t...

Keep on reading: LTO plate-making plant to operate 24 hours to address backlog

One of the things Ricci Rivero loves about his girlfriend, Leren Mae Bautista, is her eagerness to help others. And seeing her do her job as a public servant, he said, inspires him to do better. "Yes, of course, [she inspires me]. Work-wise, sobrang hands-down ako sa kanya. She always stays up late and gets up early to serve or help other people. She does what she does to the best of her abilities," Ricci said of Leren, a former beauty queen who now serves as a municipal councilor in Los Baos, Laguna. "As for myself, I try to think of ways to help in any way possible, like giving out extra food. I have always had that in me, but she pushes me to do more," the basketball player-...

Keep on reading: How intrigues brought Ricci Rivero and GF closer together