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☆ Vietnam reportedly forfeits billions of dollars in foreign aid amid anti-graft freeze
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Vietnam forfeited at least $2.5 billion in foreign aid over the last three years and may lose another $1 billion because of administrative paralysis, the United Nations, the World Bank and Western donors told the government in a letter seen by Reuters. Vietnam forfeited at least $2.5 billion in foreign aid over the last three years and may lose another $1 billion because of administrative paralysis, the United Nations, the World Bank and Western donors told the government in a letter seen by Reuters. Two senior foreign officials interviewed by Reuters directly linked the administrative hurdles to the "blazing furnace" anti-graft drive, echoing similar comments from other diplomats and officials in recent months. The anti-graft drive has created a sort of paralysis, in which bureaucrats are slow to approve or advance initiatives because they fear accidentally violating complex regulations. The U.N. and the World Bank said they kept working closely with the government on projects, with the U.N. acknowledging in a statement to Reuters that there were "challenges" for the use of funding.

Persons: Pham Minh Chinh Organizations: United Nations, World Bank, Reuters, European Union, Japan, Asian Development Bank Locations: Vietnam, Communist, United States

☆ Singapore’s Lawrence Wong sworn in as new prime minister — the first leadership change in 20 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Lawrence Wong was sworn in on May 15 as Singapore's new prime minister, after Lee Hsien Loong stepped down following two decades in office. Edgar Su | Afp | Getty ImagesSINGAPORE — Singapore's Lawrence Wong was inaugurated as the city-state's fourth prime minister on Wednesday, taking over from former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, who has led Singapore for 20 years. Trade and industry minister Gan Kim Yong will be promoted to deputy prime minister and work alongside current DPM Heng Swee Keat. Lee, the eldest son of Singapore's founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, announced last month he will hand over power to the new prime minister in mid-May. Wong also served as principal private secretary to then prime minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2005 to 2008.

Persons: Lawrence Wong, Lee Hsien Loong, Edgar Su, Singapore's Lawrence Wong, Lee, Gan Kim Yong, Heng, Kim Yong, Swee Keat, Wong, Gan, Ong Ye Kung, helming, Singapore's, Lee Kuan Yew Organizations: Afp, Getty, SINGAPORE, Trade, Monetary Authority of, Party Locations: Singapore, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Gan

☆ Dollar droops to one-month low vs euro before key CPI test
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In this photo illustration, the new £10 note is seen alongside euro notes and U.S. dollar bills on Oct. 13, 2017 in Bath, England. The euro edged up 0.03% to $1.0823 in Asian trading hours, and earlier rose to $1.0828 for the first time since April 10. The dollar edged back 0.12% to 156.245 yen on Wednesday, but had pushed as high as 156.80 overnight. The dollar dropped 0.24% to 7.2232 yuan in offshore trading, after reaching the highest since May 1 at 7.2460 overnight. The New Zealand dollar climbed 0.37% to $0.6062, and earlier touched $0.6064 for the first time since April 10.

Persons: Alan Ruskin, Jerome Powell, Tony Sycamore, Joe Biden's Organizations: Reserve, U.S, Treasury, Deutsche Bank, Bank of Japan, CPI, IG, Australian, New Zealand Locations: Bath, England, U.S, China

☆ Russia's economy can't avoid a crisis forever and it's becoming more vulnerable to shocks, think tank researcher says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewRussia's economy is fragile and policymakers won't be able to stave off a crisis for very long, a think tank researcher argued in a post on Tuesday. AdvertisementRussia's economy has flashed key signs of weaknesses since the West first began imposing sanctions on the nation in 2022. And high interest rates, necessitated by all that inflation, stifle investment in productivity and further distort the economy," Kolyandr said. AdvertisementOther experts have noted that Russia faces a dilemma as it juggles managing its economy and prolonging its war against Ukraine. According to one European economist, the nation has become dependent on war for economic growth, and it can't afford to win or lose the war.

Persons: —, Alexander Kolyandr, Kolyandr, Putin Organizations: Service, Centre for, Kremlin, Business Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Central, Russia, West, Europe

☆ China is kicking off a $138 billion bond sale to help boost its flagging economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

China is about to start selling $138 billion in long-dated sovereign bonds, the finance ministry said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementChina will start selling bonds this week in a bid to boost its faltering economy. The finance ministry said it will issue 30-year sovereign bonds worth 40 billion yuan ($5.5 billion) on Friday in the first of several sales aimed at raising 1 trillion yuan ($138 billion) overall. Beijing revealed its plans to start selling ultra-long sovereign bonds in March.

Persons: —, Premier Li Qiang Organizations: Service, Premier, Business Locations: China, Beijing

☆ South Korea prepares support package worth over $7 bln for chip industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Samsung Electronics Co. 12-layer HBM3E, top, and other DDR modules arranged in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesSouth Korea is readying plans for a support package for chip investments and research worth more than 10 trillion won ($7.30 billion), the finance minister said on Sunday, after setting its sights on winning a "war" in the semiconductor industry. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said the government would soon announce details of the package, which targets chip materials, equipment makers, and fabless companies throughout the semiconductor supply chain. South Korea is also building a mega chip cluster in Yongin, south of its capital, Seoul, which it touts as the world's largest such high-tech complex. President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed to pour all possible resources into winning the "war" in chips, promising tax benefits for investments.

Persons: SeongJoon Cho, Choi Sang, mok, Choi, Yoon Suk Yeol Organizations: Samsung Electronics Co, Galaxy, Bloomberg, Getty Images, Finance Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korea

☆ UBS makes first profit since Credit Suisse rescue
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —UBS has reported its first quarterly profit since buying ailing rival Credit Suisse, marking a sharp turnaround from six months of losses that immediately followed the closure of the rescue deal. It also realized cost savings of $1 billion, adding to cost cuts of some $4 billion last year. On Tuesday, Ermotti said UBS was “on track” to achieve “significant integration milestones” this year, including the merger of the two banks’ operations in Switzerland in the third quarter. UBS has raised serious concerns about the proposals and on Tuesday Ermotti reiterated the bank’s view that it wasn’t lack of capital that left Credit Suisse needing to be rescued. He said UBS was already adding almost $20 billion to its capital buffers as a result of the takeover of Credit Suisse, in part because of the bank’s increased market share and balance sheet size.

Persons: Sergio Ermotti, Johann Scholtz, ”, Ermotti, Karin Keller, Suter Organizations: London CNN, UBS, Credit Suisse, Morningstar, Credit, bank’s Locations: Swiss, Zurich, Switzerland

☆ Yen clings to sharp gains after suspected intervention, Fed in focus
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The yen held its line against the dollar on Tuesday after making sharp gains the previous day in moves that traders said were sparked by suspected intervention by Japanese authorities. "There is clearly a possibility that the sharp and sudden lifts in the JPY were sparked by intervention. Official figures that would reveal whether intervention did in fact occur won't be available until late May. The Japanese currency still sits lower than it was before the Bank of Japan's policy announcement last week. The Fed is expected to strike a hawkish message, meaning more yen selling is likely, CBA's Kong said.

Persons: haven't, Masato Kanda, Carol Kong, bode, CBA's Kong, pare, Sterling, bitcoin Organizations: Federal, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Trading, Markets, Bank of, Fed, Traders, European Central Bank Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tokyo, Asia, Japan, U.S, Bank of England

☆ Asia markets mostly rise, tracking Wall Street gains; China factory activity data on deck
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

An editorial montage of the Japan flag and Japanese yen cash bank notes. Asia-Pacific markets were largely set to extend gains on Tuesday, tracking Wall Street moves, with investors awaiting China manufacturing purchasing managers' index for April. The currency weakened to its lowest level against the U.S. dollar yesterday at 160.03, before strengthening sharply to trade around the 155 level. The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reported that Japan had intervened to support the yen by selling U.S. dollars and buying yen. Traders will also assess economic data from Japan and South Korea.

Persons: Masato Kanda Organizations: U.S, Street Journal, Traders Locations: Japan, Asia, Pacific, China, South Korea

☆ Vietnam mounts ‘unprecedented’ $24 billion rescue for bank engulfed in giant fraud, documents show
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Foreign reserves were around $100 billion at the end of the year, according to the central bank. The central bank did not reply to requests for comment about the rescue effort. The finance ministry referred a question to the central bank. The central bank placed SCB under its supervision to stem a run on the bank sparked by the October 2022 arrest of real estate tycoon Truong My Lan. That was up from 478 trillion dong at the end of October, according to the SCB document that was sent to the central bank.

Persons: Truong My, Truong, Lan Organizations: AFP, Getty, Stock Commercial Bank, Reuters, ASEAN, Research, SCB, State Bank of, Bank Locations: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Saigon, State Bank of Vietnam's, People's

☆ Germany to give Holocaust survivors $236 payout to help them cope with October 7 attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Nadine Schmidt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Germany will provide a one-time payment of $236 (€220) to Holocaust survivors, to help them cope with the impacts of the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in southern Israel. Berlin will compensate 113,000 Holocaust survivors in Israel in the form of $27 million (€25 million), according to the German finance ministry. “Many Holocaust survivors were hit particularly hard by the Hamas attacks, whether through the loss of their homes, support systems in the form of care,” a German finance ministry spokeswoman said. The additional funds were aimed at helping the Holocaust survivors ”as quickly as possible (…) in this frightening and hopeless war situation,” the spokeswoman added. The payments are being distributed in Israel in cooperation with the Claims Conference and the Holocaust Survivors Rights Authority of the Israeli government, the German finance ministry said.

Persons: ”, Israel, –, Gideon Taylor, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Ministry of Health, Rights Watch, Oxfam, Conference, Holocaust Survivors Rights Authority, German Finance Ministry Locations: Germany, Israel, Berlin, Gaza

☆ China's policy to boost demand by $700 billion will have a 'bigger and bigger' impact, official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China's latest policy to boost demand will soon have a greater effect on growth, a top official at the economic planning agency told reporters Thursday. "We believe this work will achieve bigger and bigger results," he said in Mandarin, translated by CNBC. He noted that equipment upgrades account for 9% to 10% of total GDP. 'Strong' central government fiscal supportIn terms of fiscal funding for those upgrades, Zhao said the central government would provide "strong support." Part of the equipment upgrade and consumer trade-in policy also focuses on improving standards for the kinds of products that can be used.

Persons: That's, Zhao Chenxin, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Zhao, Bruce Pang, Fu Jinling, Fu, Francoise Huang, We're, JLL's Pang, Shan Zhongde Organizations: Visual China, Getty, BEIJING, National Development, Reform Commission, CNBC, Analysts, People's Bank of, Allianz Trade, Ministry of Industry, Information Technology, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Commerce, State Administration, Market, China's Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Global Locations: Qingzhou, Weifang City, Shandong Province, China, oversupply, Beijing, JLL, People's Bank of China

☆ Fitch downgrades China’s credit rating outlook over economic worries
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Juliana Liu | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Fitch downgraded its outlook on China’s credit rating on Tuesday, citing increasing risks to its finances as it faces economic challenges. Lowering its outlook from stable to negative does not automatically mean the ratings agency will downgrade China’s creditworthiness, but it increases the chances. Fitch has kept its rating on Chinese sovereign bonds at A+. Fitch believes the general government deficit will rise to 7.1% of gross domestic product in 2024 from 5.8% last year. In December, rival ratings agency Moody’s downgraded its outlook on China’s credit rating from stable to negative, citing risks related to “structurally and persistently lower medium-term economic growth” and ongoing troubles in its property sector.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Fitch, China’s, Fitch, “, Moody’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Finance, Fitch Locations: China, Hong Kong

☆ Fitch's negative outlook for China is more bad news for its stalling economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewFitch Ratings has cut its outlook for China, adding to the gloom surrounding the world's second-largest economy. It cut its outlook from "stable" to "negative," but maintained its overall rating at "A+." The move comes after Moody's Investor Services, another major credit-rating agency, also downgraded its outlook for China to "negative" in December. As a result Fitch expects economic growth to fall to 4.5% for 2024. The ratings agency said policymakers will probably have no choice but to borrow to address its economic woes.

Persons: —, Fitch, Fitch's Organizations: Service, Business, Moody's Investor Services, Analysts, St Louis Federal Reserve, CSI Locations: China, Beijing

☆ Japan's yen hits 34-year-low, heating talk of intervention
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Japanese 1,000 yen, 5,000 yen and 10,000 yen banknotes arranged in Kyoto, Japan, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. The contradictions in Japan's efforts to protect the yen while slowing the pace of rising bond yields are becoming increasingly clear in currency and debt markets. The yen was last at 151.22 against the dollar at 10:19 a.m. London time after paring back some losses. The yen hit a 34-year-low on Wednesday, weakening as much as 151.97 against the U.S. dollar and fueling market questions over potential government intervention to prop the Japanese currency. "There is now a higher chance of Japanese FX intervention.

Persons: Kentaro Takahashi, Shunichi Suzuki, Masato Kanda, Kanda Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, U.S ., Bank of Japan, Financial Services Agency, Reuters, FX, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Bank of America Global Research Locations: Kyoto, Japan, London

☆ India's inflation, growth at risk from Red Sea crisis-driven oil price rise, government says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

India's national flag flaps next to the 'National Emblem' at the newly constructed Indian parliament building after the flag hoisting ceremony in New Delhi on Sept.17, 2023. India's inflation and economic growth are at risk from the rise in oil prices caused by disruptions in the Red Sea, the government said on Friday, highlighting the need to diversify trade routes. A combination of high freight costs, insurance premiums and long transit times can make imported goods "significantly more expensive", India's finance ministry said in its monthly economic review. India's shipments of agricultural commodities, textiles, chemicals, capital goods, marine and petroleum products may be impacted due to the disruptions, and affect the price competitiveness of exports. "To effectively address these challenges, there may be a need to diversify trade routes and transportation options," the finance ministry said.

Persons: Yemen's Locations: New Delhi, Red, Europe, Suez, Africa

☆ Russia is eyeing big tax hikes after this month's election to pay for the war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Putin could raise taxes on high earners and companies after the country's election, Bloomberg reported. More tax revenue would pay for the war in Ukraine and fund some social programs. AdvertisementVladimir Putin could raise taxes after the presidential election this month to keep the money flowing to pay for the country's war in Ukraine. Russia's hefty spending on the Ukraine war since February 2022 is siphoning resources from the broader economy, with a 7.4% inflation rate and collapsing direct investment. Economists have warned that the country's economy cannot sustain the costs of either winning or losing the war in Ukraine.

Persons: Putin, —, Vladimir Putin, outflows Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Bloomberg Economics, Kremlin, Finance Ministry Locations: Ukraine, Russian

☆ China doubles down on manufacturing, leaving real estate behind
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

China News Service | China News Service | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China revealed this week it aims to spend more than a billion dollars to bolster manufacturing and domestic tech in a bid to remain globally competitive, while divulging little new support for the struggling real estate market. Industrial support clearly ranked first on Beijing's priority list for the year ahead, according to three major plans released this week as part of China's annual parliamentary meetings. Chinese authorities in 2020 intensified a crackdown on real estate developers' high reliance on debt for growth. Within that second priority, the finance ministry said it would allocate 31.3 billion yuan for improving vocational education. The government work report presented by Premier Li Qiang gave real estate a similar level of prominence.

Persons: Frederic Neumann, Li Qiang Organizations: Seres, China News Service, Getty, Ministry of Finance, HSBC, UBS, National Development, Reform Commission Locations: Chongqing, China, BEIJING, Asia, Beijing, U.S

☆ Russia played a card that nearly doubled its energy revenues in February
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Russia's February oil and gas revenues jumped by over 80% from a year ago. AdvertisementRussia played a card that nearly doubled its energy revenues ahead of the presidential elections later this month. In February, Russia raked in 945.6 billion rubles, or $10.4 billion, in oil and gas revenues, according to data from the country's Finance Ministry published on Tuesday. That's compared to 521.2 billion rubles in February 2023. This means the energy giant's takings from oil and gas jumped over 80% from a year ago, according to Bloomberg's records.

Persons: —, That's Organizations: Service, country's Finance, Business Locations: Russia, Ukraine

☆ 2024 is already straining the seams of China and Russia's 'no limits' partnership
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementRussia's finance ministry has been discussing yuan loans with its China counterparts — but a delayed decision suggests the two countries' "no limits" partnership may be under strain. Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told RIA state news agency in an interview published on Monday that Russia is discussing the issue with Chinese authorities. Russia's finance ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. However, two years after Russia started its ongoing war in Ukraine, Russia and China appear to be continuing to conduct business as usual. Three of China's Big Four state banks have halted payments from sanctioned Russian financial institutions, Russia's Izvestia news outlet reported on February 21.

Persons: Anton Siluanov, Siluanov, Vladimir Putin, Dong Jinyue, SCMP Organizations: China, Russian, Business, Beijing, Street, China Morning Post, BBVA Research, Russia Locations: Russia, China, Moscow, Ukraine, Madrid, Russian

☆ Nigeria customs confirms deaths in stampede for discounted rice
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Abuja, Nigeria CNN —The Nigeria Customs Service has paused the sale of seized bags of rice to needy residents amid growing hunger in the country, after confirming people were trampled to death during a deadly crowd surge at its Lagos office Friday. “The crowd became desperate and charged through our barricades in search of rice bags inside emptied containers. Nigeria is battling one of its worst cost-of-living crises that has seen inflation rise to nearly 30% - the highest in 30 years. ‘End hunger’ protestsFresh protests broke out on Tuesday as labor unions mobilized for nationwide demonstrations to rail against the economic hardships. The government also endorsed a 2012 recommendation from a presidential committee that recommended cuts to government staffing levels.

Persons: Abdullahi Maiwada, regrettably, ” Maiwada, EndHungerProtest, Bola Tinubu, Tinubu Organizations: Nigeria CNN —, Nigeria Customs Service, World Bank Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, Lagos, Africa’s, West, India

☆ The Kremlin has never been richer – thanks to a US strategic partner
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Nick Paton Walsh | Florence Davey-Attlee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It amounts to US strategic partner New Delhi stepping in to replace crude purchases by Western buyers, reduced by sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the analysis said. The United States led a coalition of countries in late 2022 that agreed to a “price cap,” undertaking not to buy Russian crude above $60 a barrel. Those nations also forbade their shipping companies and insurance firms – key players in global shipping – from facilitating the trade of Russian crude above that price. “The price cap was the real trigger for the creation of the shadow fleet,” said Viktor Katona, head of crude oil analysis at trade research firm Kpler. It will be $150.”India’s complex role in global oil trade is also reflected in the fate of the oil products Russian crude is turned into.

Persons: they’re, ”, David Tannenbaum, Viktor Katona, Tannenbaum, ” Ami Daniel, Vladimir Putin, Howard Shatz, Singh Puri, Rosneft, Daniel, I’m Organizations: CNN, Centre for Research, Energy, Clean, Star, Pole Star, US Treasury, United, Pole Star Global, European Union, RAND, India’s, Petroleum, Natural Gas, CNBC, Nayara, Kremlin Locations: Russia, Ukraine, India, United States, Delhi, Moscow, Laconian Gulf, Greece, Suez, Russian, Kyiv, Vadinar

☆ How Russia has avoided bankrupting itself after 2 years of waging war in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

1: By waging war outside its own bordersOne critical reason Russia's economy is still ticking is because of the location of the war. AdvertisementConsider the impact of the war on the economies of both Russia and Ukraine. In 2022, the first year of the war, Russia's economy contracted 1.2%, according to official statistics. Russia was facing a demographic crisis with a declining population and falling fertility rate even before its war with Ukraine. 4: By stimulating and steadying its economy with subsidies and policiesGovernment subsidies, spending, and policies are also propping up Russia's economy.

Persons: —, Hassan Malik, Loomis Sayles, it's, Malik, Vladimir Putin's, Sergei Guriev, Malik isn't, Alex Isakov, Putin, Alexandra Prokopenko Organizations: Service, Business, Reuters, US, Exchange, European Bank for Reconstruction, Bloomberg Economics, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies Locations: Russia, Moscow, Boston, Crimea, Ukraine, Russian, China, India, Austrian

☆ India’s main opposition party says tax authorities have frozen its funds, weeks before nationwide election
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Rhea Mogul | Vedika Sud | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New Delhi CNN —India’s main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, said Friday that its bank accounts had been frozen by federal tax authorities, just weeks before an expected nationwide election. He added that the Income Tax Department had issued a payment demand for 2.1 billion rupees ($25.3 million) in connection to the ongoing probe. Maken said the action taken against his party was equivalent to “freezing our democracy.”“The Congress party’s bank accounts haven’t been frozen. CNN has reached out to India’s Income Tax Department and Finance Ministry, and multiple leaders within the Congress Party for further comment. The Congress Party, a once formidable force in Indian politics, has been languishing in the polls since Modi rose to power a decade ago.

Persons: Ajay Maken, Maken, ”, “, Vivek Tankha, Tankha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Narendra Modi’s, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Gandhi, Modi, Modi’s Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, India’s, Indian National Congress, Income, Department, Party, CNN, Finance Ministry, Congress Party, ” Allies, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Former, Indian, Modi’s BJP Locations: New Delhi, India

☆ UN Agency Says Aid Shipment Blocked in Israeli Port
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The main United Nations agency providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza is facing growing administrative hurdles from Israel, with a shipment amounting to a month's supply of food blocked in port, the agency's chief said. UNRWA has dismissed staff accused of involvement in the attack and launched an investigation. He said UNRWA had been informed by a contractor that provided handling services in the port of Ashdod that it could no longer continue working with UNRWA, following instructions from the Israeli authorities. Last week, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on social media platform X that Israel was cancelling tax breaks previously offered to UNRWA. The decision was not formally communicated to the agency which only learned about it when the statement appeared on the platform, Lazzarini said.

Persons: Israel, Philippe Lazzarini, Lazzarini, Bezalel Smotrich, James Mackenzie, Steve Scheer Organizations: United Nations, United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA, Israel, West Bank Locations: JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, East, Ashdod, Turkey, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria

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