Author: Press Room

Cocoa prices surged almost 300 percent last year, making chocolate bars, easter eggs and cocoa powder much more expensive this year than last. In the US, retail chocolate prices were one-fifth higher this Valentine’s Day compared with last year, according to Wells Fargo Bank. The price of a king-size US-sold Reese’s Hearts chocolate bar was 13 percent higher in February 2024 than in the same month the year before. In the United Kingdom, meanwhile, a Twix white chocolate Easter egg rose in price from 5 to 6 pounds ($6.63 to $7.96) at Tesco supermarkets in the run-up to Easter (year-on-year)…

The following is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Britan Fitzpatrick, Republican of Pennsylvania, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 20, 2025.WEIJIA JIANG: Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war yesterday, the largest such swap since Russia launched its invasion more than three years ago. But despite hopes that a brief Easter truce might open the door to lasting peace, both Kyiv and Moscow are accusing each other of breaking the ceasefire. Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick is just back from a trip to Ukraine’s front line, and he joins us this…

With Reece Walsh out of action with a knee injury, Brisbane coach Michael Maguire will readjust the spine, and No.1 is not the only spot under scrutiny.

Reports come after defence chief attracted scrutiny last month over discussions of military plans in another group chat.United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared details about planned bombing raids on Yemen in a second Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer, US media has reported. The reports come after Hegseth attracted scrutiny last month when the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine revealed that the defence chief had shared details about upcoming air strikes on Houthi rebels in a Signal group chat that the journalist had been accidentally included in. Hegseth’s discussions in the second group…

President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to pull an additional $1 billion in federal funding from Harvard University amid his public battle with the institution, according to a report published Sunday.The Wall Street Journal reported that the $1 billion is related to the elite Massachusetts Ivy League school’s health research funding, according to sources familiar with the matter.The latest report comes just days after the White House asked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status over its alleged failure to address antisemitism on campus. In March, the Justice Department began a “comprehensive review” of the school’s federal contracts…

A pastor is recovering after being injured during a “freak accident” that killed his passenger on the way home from Bible study in Ohio.”It is with great sadness and sorrow of heart that we must pass along this information and update,” Northwest Baptist Church in Toledo wrote in a post on their Facebook page. The church said Pastor Andrew Edwards was driving another man home from a Bible study on Thursday, when tragedy struck while they were at a stop light, after a tree fell on top of their car.Toledo Fire and Rescue officials described the incident to WTVG as a…

LAS VEGAS – Dominik Mysterio etched his name in the WrestleMania history books on Sunday night.Mysterio defeated Finn Balor, Penta and Bron Breakker in a fatal four-way match to win the Intercontinental Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Dominik Mysterio celebrates after defeating Bron Breakker, Penta, and Finn Balor to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship during WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium on April 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.   (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)The match started like a car wreck. Penta somersaulted over the ropes to hit Mysterio and Balor. Breakker then jumped onto Balor’s back to punch Penta in…

Bruce Morcombe, the father of murder victim Daniel Morcombe, has thrown his full support behind Peter Dutton’s bold plan to create a national publicly accessible child sex offender register.Announced on Monday morning, the trial $21.3m scheme would be modelled on WA’s register, which permits members of the public to check on men and women who interact with their children to find out if they are convicted sex offenders.Mr Morcombe, speaking with NewsWire ahead of the announcement, said the proposal passed the “pub test” and would add an “extra layer of protection” for Australians kids and the carers who look after…

BEIJING: China on Monday (Apr 21) said it “firmly opposes” other countries making trade deals with the United States at Beijing’s expense, warning it would take “countermeasures” against them. China will take the countermeasures in a “resolute and reciprocal manner” if any country sought such deals, its commerce ministry said, addressing news about the Trump administration preparing to pressure other countries to limit trade with China in exchange for tariff exemptions from the US. While the rest of the world has been slapped with a blanket 10 per cent tariff, China faces levies of up to 145 per cent on…

Joseph Aoun makes the comment as the Lebanese army says it foils a rocket attack on Israel.Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says he will not be rushed to disarm Hezbollah under unfavourable circumstances as the Israeli military continues to launch deadly air strikes on the country in violation of a November ceasefire. In comments to reporters after a meeting with a Maronite patriarch to mark Easter on Sunday, the former army chief said he considers disarming the Iran-aligned group a “sensitive, delicate issue” that must be handled with consideration to preserve national peace. “Any controversial domestic issue in Lebanon can only…