Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

A market rout is testing the Bank of Japan’s upbeat assessment of financial conditions, placing renewed attention on the gap between the central bank’s view and developments in markets. The episode challenges the BOJ’s positive reading of financial conditions as investors contend with a sharp deterioration in market sentiment.

Simu Liu has shared a shirtless gym video as he gets back into superhero shape, using audio from fellow Marvel star Inde Navarrette’s recent Saturday Night Live monologue. The clip shows the Shang-Chi actor working out in short shorts while echoing a joke made during Navarrette’s appearance on the programme. Navarrette’s monologue followed a controversial remark by SNL host Shane Gillis, who said he had returned to the gym and “didn’t know women just dress like whores now.” Addressing the comment, Navarrette said: “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m going to be in a Marvel movie. And I…

The owner of an Arizona construction company accused of leaving customers with unfinished work has blamed a salesperson and an operations manager for the collapse of the business, during questioning at a bankruptcy hearing. Brandon Scott Holtzman, a 50% owner of Holtzman Construction, appeared under oath in Phoenix on Monday, November 9, alongside his lawyer. Customers and subcontractors questioned him about deposits, permits and projects which had not been completed. Holtzman said a salesperson had sold several large projects on terms that made them unprofitable, allegedly to secure commissions. He claimed an operations manager then allowed the jobs to pass…

During the Beau Lamarre-Condon trial, the accused denied stalking television presenter Jesse Baird after their first break-up, while acknowledging that he had looked at Baird’s social media and checked whether a man he was seeing had an active Grindr account. Lamarre-Condon was shown screenshots of Baird’s Instagram stories from May 2023. He told the court their separation had been amicable and rejected the suggestion that his online and in-person interest in Baird during May and June amounted to stalking. “Jesse and I had an amicable first break-up,” he said. “I may have been looking online … I definitely wasn’t stalking…

David Jones has recorded its strongest-ever sales and foot traffic since entering administration, while updating its refund and exchange rules for customers across Australia and New Zealand. The 188-year-old department store entered voluntary administration and receivership on Thursday after failing to pay rent owed to Scentre Group, the owner of Westfield. The collapse has left the future of its 6,000 employees uncertain. Customers who bought goods before November 7 will have 30 days from the date of purchase to request a refund or exchange. For online orders, the period is extended by a further five days. Returns will not be…

The US has extended its trade probe into Vietnam over intellectual property issues until the end of February. The investigation, focused on intellectual property, will therefore continue beyond its original timetable.

Robbie Williams has dismissed claims that Olivia Rodrigo copied his 2012 song Candy, saying he has no intention of pursuing legal action against the US pop star. Williams, 52, was responding to speculation that Rodrigo, 23, had borrowed from the melody of her new festive track, Take Me Home (4 Christmas). He said songs could naturally develop similar sounds after decades of music-making. “Music has been around for a long time. We’re all going to bump into each other eventually,” Williams said in a statement shared on Instagram. The former Take That singer said he was a fan of Rodrigo…

Federal prosecutors in western Washington have said they lack the resources to defend every immigration detention challenge, allowing judges to decide many cases without a government response. Acting US Attorney Charles Neil Floyd set out the change in an October 26 letter to US District Judge David Estudillo, saying the office was receiving dozens of habeas corpus petitions each week. Such cases allow detainees to challenge the legality of their detention. Mr Floyd said responding to the petitions often led to lengthy litigation involving hearings, written submissions, status reports and other motions. The workload, he added, had affected the office’s…

Prosecutors have failed in a bid to vary former CFMEU boss John Setka’s bail conditions, in a move that would have restricted his ability to post online. The proposed changes were rejected, leaving the existing bail arrangements in place.

Russell Brand is said to be considering replacing his legal team after becoming “furious” with the performance of his barrister during the trial that ended with his conviction for rape and sexual assault. Brand was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison and is understood to be looking for different representation if he faces further criminal charges, according to legal sources. His defence was led by Ian Winter KC, whose cross-examination of the women who gave evidence was criticised by some observers as coming close to victim-blaming. Mr Winter also faced criticism for arguments made during mitigation, including…