Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iran among six countries invited to join BRICS group

CNN  —  Oil powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to become members of the BRICS group of developing nations in its first expansion in over a decade. Also invited are Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and Argentina, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday as he wrapped up the annual summit of … Read more

New home sales rose to a 17-month high in July

Washington, DC CNN  —  New home sales rose in July from the month before, reaching a 17-month high, as buyers continue to look to new construction as an option in the face of a historically low supply of existing homes. Sales of newly constructed homes were up 4.4% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual … Read more

Retail spending fell in March as consumers pull back

Washington, DC CNN  —  Spending at US retailers fell in March as consumers pulled back after the banking crisis fueled recession fears. Retail sales, which are adjusted for seasonality but not for inflation, fell by 1% in March from the prior month, the Commerce Department reported on Friday. That was steeper than an expected 0.4% … Read more

Lovie Smith: NFL is again being criticised about its lack of diversity

CNN  —  When Lovie Smith was hired by the Houston Texans in February 2022 as the team’s new head coach, he said the NFL had “a problem” with hiring Black coaches and diversity. “I realize the amount of Black head coaches there are in the National Football League,” Smith told reporters just under a year … Read more