FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Inflation in Europe edged lower in January to 2.8%, keeping alive that would lower borrowing costs for businesses and consumers — and help boost the stagnating economy.

The annual figure released Thursday by the European Union statistics agency Eurostat was down from and matched what market analysts expected.

Energy prices fell 6.3%, contributing to the drop in inflation in the 20 European Union countries that use the euro currency. The overall decline brings the European Central Bank closer to its goal

WARREN, Michigan (AP) — President chatted with a friendly union crowd inside a in Michigan on Thursday as pro-Palestinian demonstrators held back by police with riot shields voiced nearby at the president’s full-throated support for Israel in its war with Hamas.

The tension highlighted the challenges ahead for Biden in holding on to this critical battleground state in November over likely rival Donald Trump, and underscored the Democrats’ concerns about flagging enthusiasm among voters who have been key to their coalition.

Biden’s visit with autoworkers

SYDNEY (AP) — said Thursday it will contemplate sharing advanced military technologies with the United States and Britain as it pursues closer defense ties with Australia over an increasingly assertive China.

The defense and foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand met in Melbourne to discuss deepening security ties between the neighboring nations. It was their first joint meeting since New Zealand’s right-leaning coalition government took office last year.

Australia announced it will send officials to New Zealand this year to discuss the three-way defense partnership between Australia,

Israeli-made Pegasus spyware was used in Jordan to hack the cellphones of at least 30 people, including journalists, lawyers, human rights and political activists, the digital rights group Access Now said Thursday.

The hacking with made by Israel’s occurred from 2019 until last September, Access Now said in its report. It did not accuse Jordan’s government of the hacking.

One of the targets was Human Rights Watch’s deputy director for the region, Adam Coogle, who said in an

BERLIN (AP) — German beer sales dropped 4.5% last year, resuming a long-term downward trend, official figures showed Thursday.

German-based breweries and distributors sold about 8.4 billion liters (2.2 billion gallons) of beer last year, the Federal Statistical Office said. That figure doesn’t include non-alcoholic beer and beer imported from outside the European Union.

In 2022, beer sales increased 2.7% thanks to a recovery in demand at home

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Interference inquiry to hear from CSIS director

A commission of inquiry into foreign interference will hear from national security officials today as it looks for ways to be transparent about a highly sensitive subject.

David Vigneault, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, is slated to appear on the commission’s fourth day of public hearings.

Also scheduled to take part is Alia Tayyeb, deputy chief of signals intelligence

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s finance minister unveiled on Thursday a short-term budget to meet government expenditures until national elections are held by May, saying it will boost spending on infrastructure projects, build homes for poor villagers and cut the fiscal deficit by reducing subsidies.

Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to raise skills for young people and boost small and medium enterprises to create jobs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government faces criticism for not creating enough jobs despite offering billions of dollars in subsidies to boost manufacturing.

National

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway’s in more than three decades ripped off roofs, heightened avalanche risks, canceled flights and cut power as it raged in parts of the Scandinavian country Thursday.

Hurricane-force winds brought gusts of up to 180 kilometers (112 miles) per hour in some places. A new national wind speed record of 195.8 kilometers per hour (121.7 miles per hour) was recorded locally early Thursday on the island of Soemma,

LONDON (AP) — Just like the , the Bank of England is edging toward cutting interest rates — though not quite yet.

The United Kingdom’s central bank kept its main interest rate at a near 16-year high of 5.25% on Thursday and indicated that borrowing costs have probably peaked. However, with inflation still too high for comfort, it said it’s too soon to start cutting rates.

There had been “good news” on inflation in recent months, bank Gov.