U.S. and Iran conclude second round of nuclear talks in Rome
Tehran and Washington have wrapped up their second round of nuclear talks, aiming to revive stalled diplomacy and explore the path to a potential agreement.
Barclays has won a major legal setback for investors in two U.S. securities fraud lawsuits stemming from the bank's unauthorized sale of $17.7 billion in additional securities, a decision delivered by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan on Friday.
The lawsuits, targeting Barclays’ issuance of its iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Future exchange-traded notes (VXX), were dismissed after the judge ruled that investors could not sue based solely on the bank's general assurances regarding its internal controls. The decision also dismissed similar claims from investors adversely affected by a market squeeze when Barclays halted VXX sales in March 2022—an action that caused the price of VXX securities sold short to soar 140% above their indicative value.
Judge Liman’s 111-page ruling found no evidence of intent to defraud or conscious recklessness by Barclays officials, including former Chief Executive Jes Staley. The court noted that the bank’s remedial efforts—such as suspending sales, issuing timely disclosures to regulators and the public, and offering a buyback of the overissued securities—constituted a prudent response that weakened any inference of fraudulent intent.
The legal action follows revelations that Barclays had, over a span of five years, sold $15.2 billion more structured notes and exchange-traded notes than U.S. regulators permitted—a figure later revised to $17.7 billion. Barclays has described the overissuance as "entirely avoidable" and "self-inflicted." In response to the controversy, the bank reached a $361 million settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in September 2022, which included a $200 million civil fine, and later agreed to a $19.5 million settlement in a related shareholder lawsuit.
Investors had argued that the failure to adhere to regulatory limits and the subsequent disruption when VXX sales were suspended caused significant market distortions and financial harm. However, Judge Liman determined that the claims did not demonstrate a sufficient basis for fraud allegations.
With the dismissal of these lawsuits, Barclays has effectively closed another chapter in the protracted legal battles following its issuance blunder. Neither Barclays nor the investors' lawyers immediately responded to requests for comment.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
Tehran and Washington have wrapped up their second round of nuclear talks, aiming to revive stalled diplomacy and explore the path to a potential agreement.
Jordan's King Abdullah II and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held a phone conversation on Saturday to discuss ongoing efforts to end the Israeli war on Gaza, which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023.
President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a temporary Easter ceasefire in Ukraine has drawn strong criticism from Kyiv, as Ukrainian leaders question the sincerity behind Moscow’s gesture amid continued hostilities and deep mistrust.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denounced a Russian drone strike that occurred just hours after the start of a declared Easter truce, calling it proof of Vladimir Putin’s blatant disregard for both the holiday and human life.
Elon Musk announced on Saturday that he plans to visit India later this year, following a discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about potential collaboration in technology and innovation.
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