Fed starts inflation fight with interest rate hike, others to follow | Business news from St. Louis

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER – AP business writer WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve on Wednesday embarked on a risky effort to tame the worst inflation since the early 1980s by raising its short-term interest rate and announcing up to six more rate hikes this year. The Fed’s quarter-point hike in interest rates, which it had … Read more

March Madness: FrontPageBets best bets for Thursday’s NCAA tournament games | bets

By Mike Szvetitz and Gerry Ahern FrontPageBets Feeling lucky on St. Patrick’s Day? FrontPageBets gets you ready for a foursome of riveting first round matchups in Thursday’s NCAA tournament. Who do our editors most want to survive and advance? Check out our selection here and follow the best news from FPB and our partners around … Read more

Vietnam drops COVID-19 restrictions on foreign visitors | Health

From HAU DINH – Associated Press HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnam on Wednesday scrapped quarantine and other travel restrictions on foreign visitors to fully reopen its border after two years of pandemic-related closures, the government said. Visitors entering the Southeast Asian country only need to present a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival, according to … Read more

Today in sports history: March 16 | Archive after shipping

2001 – A record number of low-seeded teams advance in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Indiana State, Butler, Temple, Charlotte and Fresno State join 12th-seeded Gonzaga, meaning 13 of the tournament’s 32 first-round games have been won by underdogs. Gonzaga’s Casey Calvary, left, shoots over Virginia’s Travis Watson to give Gonzaga an 86-85 victory over … Read more

New Zealand will ‘welcome the world back’ as tourism restarts | Health

By NICK PERRY – Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Wednesday her nation is “ready to welcome the world back,” with most tourists expected to return by May as the nation continues to ease its coronavirus restrictions. The announcement has brought forward the date that tourists from … Read more

House and Senate pursue separate paths on Mississippi tax cuts | national politics

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS – Associated Press JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) – The Mississippi House and Senate are pushing for separate tax cut proposals, and leaders will hold final negotiations later this month. Spokesman Philip Gunn said Tuesday he remains firm on his desire to phase out the income tax over several years. “It’s a good … Read more