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What to know about the Bank of Japan's interest rate hike 12/19/2025 03:09am • The Bank of Japan raised its key policy rate to a 30-year high on Friday to help curb inflation, as widely expected, and financial markets took the move in stride. The 0.25 percentage point hike took the BOJ's benchmark short-term rate to 0.75%, its highest level since September 1995. It will raise EU talks stall on massive loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets 12/18/2025 08:58pm • BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders stalled early Friday in talks to provide a massive loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets, officials said, as Belgium sought ironclad guarantees from its partners that they would protect the country from any retaliation by Russia. The leaders want to use Kremlin envoy set to visit Miami for talks on US peace plan for Ukraine 12/18/2025 08:16pm • A Kremlin envoy will travel to Florida to discuss a U.S.-proposed plan to end the war in Ukraine, a U.S. official said Thursday, part of the back-and-forth diplomacy as the Trump administration pushes for a potential deal. Kirill Dmitriev, who heads Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, is set to meet w The Latest: Trump administration moves to cut off transgender care for children 12/18/2025 07:41pm • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday unveiled a series of regulatory actions designed to effectively ban gender-affirming care for minors, building on broader Trump administration restrictions on transgender Americans. The sweeping proposals — the most significant moves th The Salary You Need for a $500K House 12/18/2025 07:00pm • As of the third quarter of 2025, the national median sales price for a single-family home is $426,800, according to the Metropolitan Median Area Prices and Affordability and Housing Affordability Index from the National Association of Realtors. In the West, the median was $633,900, well above the $5 Spanberger makes affordability centerpiece of 2026 agenda as legislative session nears 12/18/2025 04:39pm • Less than a month before she takes the oath of office, Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on Thursday rolled out a comprehensive legislative blueprint she said will lower costs for Virginia families — from prescription drugs to utility bills to housing — in a session she framed as a turning point for Cloud lifts over cannabis companies' future amid push to reclassify the drug 12/18/2025 04:22pm • NEW YORK (AP) — Cannabis companies like Tilray Brands and Canopy Growth could soon face a more mellow path ahead following President Donald Trump's move to help reclassify the drug's status. The companies had a mostly muted reaction to Trump's executive order, though the sector has been gaining gr Under pressure at home, Belgium's leader treads a tight rope with EU partners over funds for Ukraine 12/18/2025 01:44pm • BRUSSELS (AP) — For decades, Belgium has been at the beating heart of the European Union. The headquarters of the 27-nation bloc’s main institutions and NATO are based there. EU leaders meet in the capital Brussels at least four times a year. But at Thursday’s EU summit of presidents and gover Average US long-term mortgage rate edges lower, remaining near its low for the year 12/18/2025 01:36pm • The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged lower this week, staying relatively close to its low for the year. The decline brings the average long-term mortgage rate to 6.21% from 6.22% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.72%. Borrowing costs on Russia has few legal options to challenge EU frozen asset plan 12/18/2025 11:15am • THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A core question for European Union leaders discussing whether to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine is whether the idea is legally sound. But even if they approve the plan, Russia has limited options for challenging it in court. The 27-nation bloc’s leaders a American winger Cade Cowell back in MLS with Red Bulls on loan from Chivas 12/17/2025 11:33pm • HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — American winger Cade Cowell returned to Major League Soccer on Wednesday when he was loaned to the New York Red Bulls from Chivas Guadalajara for one year. The Red Bulls say they have the option to purchase the 22-year-old Cowell's rights at the end of the loan. They sent $50 Founder of bankrupt subprime auto lender Tricolor Holdings is charged with fraud 12/17/2025 05:50pm • NEW YORK (AP) — The founder of Tricolor Holdings led other top executives of the subprime auto lender on a seven-year campaign to defraud its largest lenders out of nearly a billion dollars, authorities said Wednesday, as they announced two arrests and guilty pleas by two former executives. Daniel EU leaders prepare to take unprecedented steps to help Ukraine at a high-stakes summit 12/17/2025 06:53am • BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders are about to attempt something they’ve never tried before. The chances of failure are significant. Their actions this week could set dangerous precedents and a wrong move could undermine trust among the bloc's 27 member countries for years to come. At a sum Church altar featuring homeless man goes on display a stone's throw from his grave at the Vatican 12/17/2025 05:19am • VATICAN CITY (AP) — In 2018, German artist Michael Triegel asked a homeless man in Rome to pose for a drawing, thinking that he would make an ideal model for St. Peter if he ever needed to paint the first pope. Seven years on, the man’s likeness has gone on display in the Vatican, a reunion of s What Is Earnest Money? 12/16/2025 07:00pm • Earnest money is a "good faith" deposit the homebuyer provides with an offer, to show the seller an intent to follow through on a home purchase. The funds are typically held in an escrow account until closing. If you haven't budgeted for an earnest money deposit, this expense may come as a surprise.