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The top law officer in the US state of New York said Thursday she would seek hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties from 13 top e-cigarette makers, distributors and sellers for “fueling the youth vaping epidemic.”Attorney General Letitia James said a lawsuit had been launched against firms she accused of “illegally distributing, marketing, and selling flavored disposable vapes.”Her office said she was seeking “hundreds of millions of dollars” in financial compensation for what was described as “the havoc these companies’ products and marketing have wreaked on New York’s kids.”E-cigarettes have exploded in popularity around the world over the last decade. They do not contain tobacco but instead a liquid normally filled with nicotine that is inhaled as vapor.Because there is no tar, carbon monoxide or other toxic elements linked to smoking, the health risks of vaping are considered to be lower. But the World Health Organization and anti-smoking groups have refused to assert that vaping is less harmful than smoking, saying more evidence is needed.James’s office said there had been breaches of New York state and US federal laws and the penalties would include “damages and restitution for the public health impact of the companies’ illegal actions.”The state was also seeking “the recovery of all revenue made from unlawful activity; and the establishment of an abatement fund to address the youth vaping crisis in New York.”A New York state investigation had found companies were marketing “highly addictive, candy- and fruit-flavored nicotine products to underage consumers,” and that they were misleading consumers about the safety of their products.”The vaping industry is taking a page out of Big Tobacco’s playbook: they’re making nicotine seem cool, getting kids hooked, and creating a massive public health crisis in the process,” said  James.Product names and flavors such as “Blue Razz Slushy”, “Rainbow Rapper” and “Strawberry Cereal Donut Milk” were deliberately developed “to entice kids,” the statement said.It said companies were also directly targeting youth with social media and influencer campaigns, and with claims that their products were “safe” alternatives to cigarettes.In 2020, New York banned the sale of flavored vape products, restricted the distribution of nicotine products, and raised the legal purchase age for all vapes to 21.The state banned discounts on vapes, and began requiring certain companies to disclose  dangerous ingredients in vapes. “The vape companies named in this lawsuit have repeatedly and knowingly violated these laws,” the statement said.

Mitch McConnell, the powerful Republican lawmaker who was instrumental in steering the current US shift to the political right but had a tempestuous relationship with Donald Trump, announced Thursday he would not seek reelection to the Senate.At 83 and in increasingly unsteady health, McConnell’s announcement on the Senate floor that he would not seek to return to the chamber at the end of his term next year was not a big surprise.But after serving seven terms and earning a reputation as Congress’s ruthless master tactician, the Kentucky senator’s retirement will draw the curtain on a US political era — and underline the Republican Party’s growing radicalization.McConnell called his four decades in the chamber “the honor of a lifetime” and said “I will not seek this honor an eighth time. My current term in the Senate will be my last.”The Kentuckian was first elected in 1984, and reached the Senate Republican leadership in 2007. The ultimate Washington powerbroker, he remained as party leader for a record-long tenure until 2025, just as Trump came back for a second term.Concerns have been growing about McConnell’s health after repeated episodes in which he appeared to freeze during public events. He also suffered several falls.In addition to his physical frailty, he has seen himself increasingly sidelined by a resurgent Trump, who swept back to power in the November presidential election, demanding total loyalty from a Republican Party where dissenters have largely quit or been cowed.South Dakota Senator John Thune, an ally, was chosen to replace him as leader of the party’s new Senate majority.- Reagan Republican -Back in 2016, it was McConnell who helped Trump win his shock first election.Throughout Trump’s often chaotic and scandal-prone first term, the Senate mastermind was instrumental in advancing a right-wing agenda including the confirmation of three conservative justices to the powerful Supreme Court.The court’s ruling in 2022 to end the federal guarantee of abortion rights was a lasting monument to McConnell’s influence.The senator was equally effective in using his hardball tactics to wreck Democratic-led legislation, earning his nickname the “Grim Reaper.”But McConnell fell out with Trump after the former president led attempts to overturn the 2020 election that he lost to the Democratic Party’s Joe Biden, culminating with the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol.Like nearly all other Republican leaders, McConnell soon swallowed his pride and made up with Trump.But as the second Trump presidency dawned, it became clear the veteran political general was out of step with the radical populism and isolationism gripping the party.He was one of the rare Republicans to oppose a handful of Trump’s most controversial cabinet nominees — an ultimately futile gesture.At the Trump-friendly Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) near Washington Thursday, news of McConnell’s resignation was met with cheers. With a worldview rooted in the Ronald Reagan era of US global leadership, McConnell was a fierce backer for Washington supporting Ukraine’s desperate fight against Russia.Trump is currently pushing to restore relations with Russia while harshly criticizing Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he has blamed for the three-year invasion of his country.In his floor speech Thursday, McConnell warned that the United States was allowing the “hard power” it built up under Reagan to “atrophy.””Today, a dangerous world threatens to outpace the work of rebuilding it,” McConnell said. “So, lest any of our colleagues still doubt my intentions for the remainder of my term: I have some unfinished business to attend to.”

Donald Trump’s first month back in the White House has been “a hell of a lot of fun,” US Vice President JD Vance told a fired-up crowd of American conservatives Thursday as they celebrated the billionaire’s return to power.”The president keeps us on a pretty breakneck pace,” Vance told the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on the outskirts of the capital Washington.Trump “is acutely aware that the American people gave us a window to save the country and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. And thank God for that, because it’s been a hell of a lot of fun the past month,” Vance, 40, said.The Republican president has issued a blizzard of executive orders in the short weeks since his inauguration.They have targeted a slew of right-wing priorities such as cutting government spending, tightening immigration restrictions and ending programs meant to combat racism and inequality in the workplace.His partisan base has applauded the moves, and CPAC attendees reveled in his bombastic return.  “Everybody’s happier,” Gabriel Garcia, who was attending CPAC after previously being placed under house arrest over his involvement in the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol by Trump supporters seeking to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.”We got Trump back in office,” the 44-year-old told AFP jubilantly.- All about Trump -The annual conservative conference has become ever-more focused on celebrating Trump himself.Among his allies expected to attend are White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and House Speaker Mike Johnson.Trump himself is set to address the conference on Saturday.He gave a somber speech at the event in 2024, when he was running for president, describing the United States as a “nightmare” under Joe Biden.Several right-wing and far-right leaders from around the world will also speak at the convention, including Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.Conservative party leaders present at the convention range from France’s Jordan Bardella, Britain’s Nigel Farage to former Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki.Many are seeking inspiration back home following Trump’s successful comeback. Former British prime minister Liz Truss gave a speech on the main stage on Thursday in which she said “patriotic Brits… look across the Atlantic with envy.””We want a Trump revolution in Britain,” she said, lauding his ally Elon Musk. “We want Elon and his nerd-army of Musk-rats examining the British deep state.”We want to be part of the second American revolution.” 

Donald Trump’s national security advisor told Kyiv Thursday to stop hurling “insults” at the US president, while refusing to say that Russia was responsible for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. “Some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv, frankly, and insults to President Trump were unacceptable,” Mike Waltz told a briefing at the White House to mark Trump’s first month in office.”President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky, the fact that he hasn’t come to the table, that he hasn’t been willing to take this opportunity that we have offered.”Trump and Zelensky have been in a war of words since Washington opened talks in Saudi Arabia with Moscow on a potential deal to end the nearly three-year conflict.Zelensky has also rejected a deal that would give the US access to vast amounts of Ukrainian natural resources as the new president insists on getting a return on American aid.Trump branded Zelensky a “dictator without elections” on Tuesday after the Ukrainian complained about being excluded from the talks.Zelensky, who met Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv on Thursday, has warned the US president is living in a Russian “disinformation” bubble.Waltz pushed Ukraine to accept the minerals deal, saying it was a “historic opportunity… for America to co-invest with Ukraine in their minerals.” – ‘Step up’ -But the national security advisor skirted the question when asked who he thought was responsible for the war, and whether he viewed Russian President Vladimir Putin as a dictator too.US allies have reacted with shock after Trump said on Tuesday that Ukraine “started it” and then doubled down with his comments about Zelensky. “He’s focused on the fighting and moving forward, and we could argue all day long about what’s happened in the past,” Waltz said of Trump.Earlier Waltz had told Fox News that the Ukrainians “need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal.”He also denied that Ukraine has been cut out of Trump’s talks with Russia over ending the war, insisting that there was “plenty of engagement and dialogue” with Kyiv as well as European allies. “This is a common sense plan. They may not like it but we’re going to drive it forward and everybody will stop squawking when the fighting ends,” Waltz said.French President Emmanuel Macron will visit the White House on Monday followed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told the briefing.Both leaders have suggested sending troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers in the event of a deal.”We welcome that,” Waltz told the briefing, before adding that Washington had “made it clear for years, decades even” that it could not bear the financial burden for defending Europe.”It’s time for our European allies to step up,” he added.

EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said Thursday that reciprocity in tariffs should be made to work for both the bloc and Washington, after talks with his counterparts in US President Donald Trump’s administration.While the United States is planning “reciprocal tariffs,” the European Union is open to working with Trump officials towards lowering duties for industrial goods and stepping up purchases of US products, Sefcovic told reporters.”We will be ready to look (at) how we can lower the import duties for all industrial products,” he said, a day after meeting Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative nominee Jamieson Greer.Trump has taken aim at the EU and others over trade, announcing plans for sweeping duties tailored to each US trading partner, and taking into consideration non-tariff factors.But Sefcovic stressed after his four-hour meeting with trade counterparts that if Washington were seeking reciprocity, “it must work for both” sides.During Sefcovic’s three-day Washington visit, he pushed back against Trump’s claim of unfairness in US-EU trade ties.He said Thursday that one of his requests was to hold off US tariffs — avoiding tit-for-tat escalation — as both sides discussed their concerns.He said his impression was that the United States too would be “ready to consider” a reduction in its tariffs, adding that auto duties were a priority.Although the EU has higher tariffs for personal vehicles, the United States protects other areas like pick-up trucks, said Sefcovic, who is European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security.”While we protect European interests, we seek constructive dialogue to avoid unnecessary pain of measures and countermeasures,” he said.- Balancing trade -Brussels and Washington understand that they share common challenges such as “global overcapacities driven by non-market practices” — a concern involving China — he said.He said it would be beneficial if the transatlantic partners could tackle global overcapacity together.He also expressed optimism that the EU could allay US concerns about the trade deficit between both sides.The EU needs more LNG as it phases out Russian gas, he noted, adding that this is an area of potential collaboration.While Washington focuses on its goods deficit with the EU, he said this is somewhat offset by American firms’ surplus in services.Balancing both ends, if the EU had to resolve a 50 billion euro trade gap with the United States, he said, “we can really do it, if we put our mind to it,” adding that this could be accomplished “relatively quickly.”Sefcovic said Wednesday at the American Enterprise Institute that the EU saw “no justification for sudden, unilateral tariff increases” by the United States.”If we are hit by unfair import duties, then we will react firmly and proportionately. We’ll be prepared for it,” he added Thursday.Besides reciprocal tariffs, Trump has slapped an added tariff on Chinese goods and unveiled sweeping duties on imports of steel and aluminum to take effect in March.He has also threatened levies affecting specific sectors like imports of automobiles, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

Amazon MGM Studios will take creative control of the James Bond franchise following a landmark joint venture agreement with longtime producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the parties announced Thursday.The deal is a major shift in the governance of one of cinema’s most valuable properties, though Wilson and Broccoli’s company will remain co-owners of the franchise through the new venture, a statement said.It also comes four years after the last Bond film, in which Daniel Craig’s secret agent bowed out, with fans left to speculate about who will replace him.Now with Amazon at the helm, the audience may not have to wait too long, with company founder Jeff Bezos taking to social media to solicit opinions.”Who’d you pick as the next Bond?” Bezos asked followers on X.The agreement coincides with the retirement of Wilson and Broccoli from active production of the Bond films. Wilson, whose career with 007 spans nearly 60 years, said he would focus on “art and charitable projects,” while Broccoli announced plans to pursue other ventures following the conclusion of “No Time to Die.””We are honoured to continue this treasured heritage,” said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, noting the franchise’s six-decade impact on filmed entertainment.The deal builds on Amazon’s 2022 acquisition of MGM, which included distribution rights to Bond’s extensive back catalog.The new arrangement gives Amazon MGM Studios creative authority over future productions of the franchise, which has been closely guarded by the Broccoli family since Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman first brought Ian Fleming’s character to theaters.Barbara Broccoli, who has worked with four different actors in the role of 007 — Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Craig — described her tenure as “dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy” inherited from Cubby, her producer father.The pair were steadfast in preserving the integrity of the James Bond character and brand and resisted spin-offs and licensing that they felt might have tarnished the franchise.The financial terms of the joint venture were not disclosed.”No Time to Die” — the 25th James Bond film — was released in 2021 and earned $775 million.There have been no announcements regarding the timeline for production of the next film or Craig’s replacement.

Volodymyr Zelensky called for “strong” ties with Washington on Thursday, as he met US envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv a day after Donald Trump branded the Ukrainian leader a “dictator.” Tensions between Zelensky and Trump over the US President’s outreach to Moscow have exploded this week in a series of escalating barbs traded in press conferences and on social media.The United States is Ukraine’s most important financial and military backer, but the US president has rattled Kyiv and its European backers by opening talks with Moscow they fear could end the war on terms that reward Vladimir Putin.The spat has turned personal with Trump falsely stating Zelensky is hugely unpopular among his own people and the Ukrainian leader in turn saying Trump had succumbed to Russian “disinformation”.Amid the war of words, Zelensky said Thursday he had held a “productive meeting” with Kellogg.”We had a detailed conversation about the battlefield situation, how to return our prisoners of war, and effective security guarantees,” Zelensky said on social media after the meeting.”Strong Ukraine-U.S. relations benefit the entire world,” he added.However, there was no joint press conference or statements after the discussions, as would typically be expected be for a visiting foreign envoy.- ‘Unacceptable’ -In the United States, some of Trump’s team doubled down on their attacks on Zelensky.In a post on his X social media site, Elon Musk said Zelensky was “despised by the people of Ukraine.”Trump’s National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told Fox News that Kyiv’s criticism of the US president was “unacceptable” and urged Zelensky to sign a deal giving preferential access to Ukraine’s critical minerals and natural resources.”We’re getting all this pushback… they need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal,” he said.Trump is calling for Kyiv to hand over access to its mineral wealth as compensation for tens of billions of dollars in US aid delivered under his predecessor Joe Biden.Zelensky rejected a deal proposed by Trump as it did not include “security guarantees” — Kyiv’s key demand from its Western backers in any agreement with Russia to halt the fighting.The feud marks a dramatic reversal from US policy under Biden, who lauded Zelensky as a hero, shipped vast supplies of arms to Kyiv and hammered Moscow with sanctions.Trump has instead criticised Zelensky and blamed him for starting the war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago.”A Dictator without Elections, Zelensky better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday.Zelensky was elected in 2019 for a five-year term and has remained leader in line with Ukrainian rules under martial law, imposed as his country fights for its survival.While Zelensky’s popularity has fallen, the percentage of Ukrainians who trust him has never dipped below 50 percent since the conflict started, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).- Shock at Trump attack -Trump’s invective drew shock reactions from Europe.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was “wrong and dangerous” to call Zelensky a dictator.The White House said France’s Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s Keir Starmer will visit Trump next week after European leaders held emergency summits in recent days over how to deal with Trump’s threats to overhaul decades of transatlantic security ties.The Kremlin, buoyed by its rapprochement with Washington, has hailed Trump’s comments.Russia, which for years has railed against the US military presence in Europe, wants a reorganisation of the continent’s security framework as part of any deal to end the Ukraine fighting.Putin said Wednesday that US allies “only have themselves to blame for what’s happening,” suggesting they were paying the price for opposing Trump’s return to the White House.Neither Kyiv nor Europe were invited to high-level talks between Russia and US’s top diplomats in Saudi Arabia earlier this week, deepening fears they are being sidelined.burs-jc/oc/gv

Walmart reported solid fourth-quarter results Thursday behind higher US sales, but shares tumbled after its quarterly and annual projections missed estimates.The retail heavyweight, the biggest US private-sector employer, pointed to strength in grocery and pharmaceutical sales in its home market as more high-income shoppers are drawn in for its value proposition.But shares of the retail behemoth fell sharply after the company projected annual profits of between $2.50 and $2.60 a share in fiscal 2026, below the $2.77 expected by analysts.The company sees three to four percent annual sales growth, lower than the 5.1 percent last year.Executives said they were pleased with the just-finished quarter, alluding to heavy store traffic that made up for a shorter-than-usual holiday shopping season. The company’s muted outlook reflects uncertainty on macroeconomic conditions.”We’re one month into the year, so I think it’s prudent to have an outlook that is somewhat measured,” said Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey. “There is certainly some unpredictability in any environment that we have, but we feel really good about our ability to navigate that,” he said.Executives expressed confidence at the company’s ability to navigate the shifting international trade picture, with US President Donald Trump announcing myriad tariffs, some of which have been paused amid negotiations with other countries.”Tariffs are something we’ve managed for many years and we’ll just continue to manage that,” said Chief Executive Douglas McMillon.- Conservative outlook -In its US division, Walmart pointed to “broad-based sales momentum” with its biggest market share gains coming from upper-income households, extending a period of growth for this category. But in a sign that inflation has moderated, Walmart also said it achieved higher general merchandise sales as consumers boosted purchases of discretionary items.The company pointed to improving economics in its ecommerce business, which has received billions of dollars in capital investment in recent years.Walmart does not break out the financial performance of ecommerce on its income statement.Overall profits dipped 4.4 percent from the year-ago level to $5.3 billion, while revenues rose 4.1 percent to $180.6 billion.The results show Walmart’s momentum “is still going strong,” GlobalData analyst Neil Saunders said in a note.”We continue to track more switching to Walmart from other retailers — especially for products like household goods where consumers are eager to save money,” he said.Saunders acknowledged disappointment with Walmart’s sales projection, but characterized it as “a solid forecast which continues to build on a very successful period of expansion.”Shares of Walmart slid 6.7 percent shortly after midday.Walmart’s guidance “spooked investors and has prompted some investors to book some of the significant profits they have gained in recent months,” said a note from Briefing.com. “In fairness, a good chunk of the guidance shortfall seems to us like Walmart is just being conservative. They cited uncertainties, which is a bit vague and did not cite definitive changes in consumer behavior.”

Donald Trump said his administration was “looking at alternatives” to Boeing following delays in delivering two new models of the US presidential Air Force One plane.”I’m not happy with Boeing,” Trump told reporters late Wednesday aboard his current jet. “We’re looking at alternatives because it’s taking Boeing too long.”The US aerospace giant agreed in 2018 to supply two 747-8 aircraft by the end of 2024 for $3.9 billion — both ready to transport whoever occupied the White House at that time.But a subcontractor went bankrupt and the coronavirus pandemic disrupted production, forcing Boeing to push back the delivery date to 2027 and 2028.Trump said he was open to buying planes “from another country” but would not consider Boeing’s European rival Airbus to build the jets.Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg acknowledged Trump’s criticism and said billionaire Elon Musk was helping the aerospace giant address the problems.”The president’s clearly not happy with the delivery timing. I think he’s made that well known,” Ortberg said early Thursday at an investor conference.”Elon Musk is actually helping us a lot in working through the requirements… so that we can move faster and get the president’s airplanes delivered.”Air Force One is a highly customized plane that includes high-tech communication facilities, a medical bay, and a defense system.The current presidential jets face rising maintenance costs and use parts that are increasingly obsolete.Trump’s comments are the latest blow to embattled Boeing, which reported a loss of $11.8 billion last year.The company continues to experience a hit from a more than seven-week labor strike that shuttered two major assembly plants.Boeing’s performance was also marred by a troubled flight in January 2024 when a 737 MAX flown by Alaska Airlines made an emergency landing after the plane suffered a mid-flight blowout of a door plug.Following that incident, Boeing faced intensified scrutiny from US air regulators and slowed output.Boeing is also suffering from legacy fixed-cost defense contracts that have led to losses for the company.Shares of Boeing fell 2.2 percent in morning trading.