China’s Xi invokes ‘threat’ of Taiwan independence in first cross-strait opposition talks in a decade

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kuomintang party chair Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, the first encounter between Xi and a sitting Taiwanese opposition leader in nearly a decade. In a readout released by Chinese state media, Xi said Beijing “welcomes any proposals conducive to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.” That’s according to…

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WTI, Brent, Saudi pipeline attack, Middle East war

A maze of crude oil pipes and valves is pictured during a tour by the Department of Energy at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in Freeport, Texas. Richard Carson | Reuters Oil prices edged higher in choppy trading Friday as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz deepened, with the vital shipping lane still largely closed despite…

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Stitch Fix, apparel retailers may benefit

Michelle Suter has worn mostly big and baggy clothing for years. The 63-year-old retiree who lives in a suburb of St. Louis gave away her favorite sundresses and other form-fitting outfits, thinking she’d never be those smaller sizes again. Now, after losing about 28 pounds while taking GLP-1 drug Wegovy, she said she has started…

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