Business

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday lowered its global growth forecast for 2019 to 3.3 percent in the newly-released World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, down 0.2 percentage point from its estimation in January.

The IMF said the world economy faces downside risks brought by potential uncertainties in the ongoing global trade tensions, as well as other country- and sector-specific factors.

GLOBAL GROWTH FORECASTS

LONDON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May returned to London on Tuesday night at the end of a day of whistle-stop diplomacy in her race to win a delay to the country's departure from the European Union (EU).

As May was holding talks in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, a team of her top ministers were negotiating in London with Labour's Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and leading shadow ministers from the main opposition party.

ZAGREB, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Croatia on Tuesday for an official visit to the country and the eighth leaders' meeting of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) in the Croatian seaside city Dubrovnik.

Upon Li's arrival, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and his wife Ana Plenkovic led a warm welcome ceremony at the Zagreb Airport. Children dressed in national costumes presented flowers to Premier Li and his wife Cheng Hong.

DALLAS (AP) — Boeing failed to win any orders for its 737 Max airliner in March as scrutiny of the plane increased following a second deadly crash in less than five months.

Deliveries of finished Max jets also tumbled, to 11 from 26 in February. That was not surprising — Boeing suspended deliveries in mid-March after regulators around the world ordered the plane grounded.

San Francisco (AP) - Airbnb is rescinding its plan to bar listings in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

The home-sharing company announced in November that it would remove about 200 listings in the West Bank, which is territory claimed by Palestinians. Airbnb said Tuesday it will now allow properties in Israeli settlements to be listed, but will donate all of its profits from properties in the West Bank to humanitarian aid organizations.

8 Apr 2019; DW: The White House on Monday threatened to impose new tariffs on European products over subsidies to aerospace giant Airbus.

Relations between the US and the European Union have dived under President Donald Trump, in part because of his "America First" approach that emphasizes protectionist policies aimed at shoring up American industry.

What the US Trade Representative said:

TEHRAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) started the installation of IR6 centrifuges on Tuesday, official IRNA news agency reported.

The installation of a chain of 20 advanced IR6 centrifuges began in the Natanz enrichment facility in central Iran, following a decree of President Hassan Rouhani, said the report.

"We are happy to announce the installation of the IR6 centrifuges. This will be a big achievement for the Iranian nation," Rouhani was quoted as saying at a video conference.

LONDON, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Proposals to force British Prime Minister Theresa May to delay the date of Brexit -- again -- on Monday were approved by both the House of Lords and House of Commons.

With just days to go before the Brexit deadline, April 12, the prime minister will now have to ask the European Union (EU) to extend Article 50 in order to avoid a no-deal Brexit.

The cross-party proposal was raced through the House of Commons in a single day last week and completed its journey through the House of Lords on Monday night.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrived in Malaysia on Monday for a working visit.

The visit is in conjunction with the 9th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders Retreat, an annual event held alternately in Malaysia and Singapore, and is the first between Lee and incumbent Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the Malaysian foreign ministry said in a statement.

MOSCOW, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Russia and Turkey will enhance investment cooperation and start more joint projects in various fields, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday.

"Much is being done to deepen the economic ties between Moscow and Ankara... Further activation of investment cooperation will be promoted by the launch of new joint projects in various sectors of the economy - industry, metallurgy, agriculture and the high-tech sector," Putin said following talks with visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.