Russia and Saudis Fix Oil Output
Saudi Arabia and Russian oil ministers agreed to freeze — but not cut — crude oil output at near-record January levels, a highly unusual pact between the world’s leading OPEC and non-OPEC petroleum producers. Qatari and Venezuelan oil ministers also joined the agreement in a meeting Tuesday in Doha, but the accord did not include Iran, which is seeking to ramp up oil output after the lifting of sanctions related to its nuclear...
Money Talk: Settle Home Ownership in Divorce Agreement
Question: Our daughter was divorced in 2012 from her husband of 20 years. He still lives in the house they shared and she lives elsewhere. He pays the mortgage. When she asks him to remove her name from the mortgage, he says she is harassing him. What are her legal options and steps to accomplish this? Answer: The couple’s divorce agreement should have addressed this issue. If he agreed to take sole responsibility for the mortgage,...
U.S.-China: First Step on Cybertheft
Washington — China’s pledge to help crack down on hackers who steal commercial secrets from the United States, even coming as it did amid a bit of arm-twisting by President Obama, is a big breakthrough that could reduce U.S.-China tensions and end huge losses for American companies. Analysts say the agreement between the world’s two biggest economies is just a start but could lead to real progress on the cybertheft issue — depending...
Vermont Will Pay Insurer $1.6 Million
Montpelier — The administration of Gov. Peter Shumlin will pay Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont $1.6 million to cover past due premiums and incorrectly paid claims because of technical problems with the state’s once-beleaguered health care website. Lawrence Miller, Shumlin’s chief of health care reform, said Friday that the state and BCBS signed an agreement Thursday. Vermont Health Connect lacked a key function — automated change of...
