Unbiased headline news for Thursday May 2, 2024- Federal Reserve officials announced they are keeping their benchmark rate steady, citing that the progress in controlling U.S. inflation has hit a roadblock.
The Fed stated that it is maintaining the federal funds rate within the range of 5.25% to 5.5%, the same level it has held since the central bank’s July 2023 meeting, which is the highest it has been in more than two decades. Economists had largely anticipated this decision given the uptick in inflation during the first three months of 2024.
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The United States imposed fresh sanctions targeting hundreds of entities and individuals linked to Russia’s weapons development program.
The actions by the Treasury and State departments aim to disrupt Russia’s military-industrial base, chemical weapons programs, and companies and individuals in third countries that assist Russia in acquiring weapons components as its invasion of Ukraine enters its third year.
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The British Home Office announced the initiation of efforts to detain migrants for relocation to Rwanda.
The goal is to facilitate flights to Rwanda within 9 to 11 weeks, as promised by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in an attempt to deter migrant boat crossings into Britain. The British government stated in a statement that Rwanda has a proven track record of successfully resettling more than 135,000 refugees and “stands ready to accept thousands more who cannot stay” in Britain.
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Walmart officials revealed plans to close all 51 of its health centers across five states and discontinue its virtual care services.
“The decision to shut down all 51 health centers in five states and terminate the virtual care offering was not an easy one,” Walmart officials said in a news release. “Through our experience operating Walmart Health centers and Walmart Health Virtual Care, we determined that a sustainable business model for us to continue does not exist.”
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Harvey Weinstein is scheduled for a retrial “sometime after Labor Day,” a judge stated, as the disgraced film mogul appeared in a Manhattan courtroom for the first time since the New York Court of Appeals overturned his rape conviction.
Court officers wheeled Weinstein’s wheelchair into and out of the courtroom in Manhattan Supreme Court Wednesday afternoon. He sat before Judge Curtis Farber in a dark suit and tie and made no statements during his 20-minute appearance.
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Maryland officials approved more than $3 million in compensation for a Baltimore man who spent 31 years in prison due to a wrongful murder conviction.
Governor Wes Moore apologized to Gary Washington during a Board of Public Works meeting where the compensation was approved. “On behalf of the entire state, I’m sorry for the failure of the justice system,” Moore said, adding that while no amount can make up for the injustice.
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Ford is recalling nearly 243,000 Maverick small pickup trucks in the U.S. because the tail lights may not illuminate.
The company says a computer can falsely detect excessive current on one or both of the tail lamps, causing them to remain dark while the trucks are being driven. This can increase the risk of a crash.
The recall covers certain pickups from the 2022 through 2024 model years.
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Martinelli’s has voluntarily recalled a single lot of its apple juice that was distributed to five major retailers after it tested for arsenic levels higher than U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards.
S Martinelli and Company stated in a recall notice dated April 16, 2024, that the recall was initiated as “a result of sampling by the State of Maryland that found samples from one production lot of Martinelli’s apple juice, sold in one-liter glass bottles, tested above the guidance action level for inorganic arsenic in apple juice set by the FDA in June 2023.”
