Saudi reversal in benefits makes OPEC deal—and higher oil prices—more important

Saudi Arabia took steps to reverse some cutbacks on worker benefits and ministers’ salaries — a move that could make the kingdom even more reliant on getting a higher price for oil, analysts said. The move comes as oil flounders around $50 per barrel, and...

Futures point higher for Asia open after rally on French polls, North Korea eyed

As well, markets are keeping an eye on developments on the Korean Peninsula as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier-led battle group heads to the Sea of Japan. Following the news, the euro traded at $1.0866 against the dollar, off the five-month high of $1.0935 hit...

Jay Dickey, Arkansas Lawmaker Who Blocked Gun Research, Dies at 77

By SAM ROBERTS April 24, 2017 As a Republican congressman from Arkansas, Jay Dickey, through an obscure amendment, single-handedly prevented the federal government from investigating the public health effects of firearms-inflicted violence for the last two...

Alphabet and Facebook have to be regulated or they’ll ‘crush’ small players like Snap, says author

The dominance of Facebook and Google when it comes to advertising could “crush” smaller players like Snapchat — unless regulators step in, said one author and professor. “As the poor folks at Snapchat are finding, these companies can crush even...