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☆ UK's populist right-wing party surges in popularity on Brexiteer Nigel Farage's return
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage walks to speak to supporters as he launches his election candidacy at Clacton Pier on June 4, 2024 in Clacton-on-Sea, England. Labour is expected to win 40% of votes to the Conservatives' 19% and Reform's 17%, the online polling showed. Farage's surprise return as Reform leader on Monday dealt a deadly blow to the party, threatening to steal a significant share of votes on the right. In the 2019 election, his then-Brexit Party agreed not to field candidates in hundreds of seats to safeguard a Conservative win. The announcement hurts Sunak's earlier efforts to win right-wing votes by hardening the Tories' stance on migration and the U.K.'s membership of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Persons: Nigel Farage, Rishi Sunak's, Farage, — Organizations: Clacton Pier, Reform, Sky News, Labour, Conservatives, Conservative, Brexit, Tories, Brexit Party, European, Human Rights Locations: Clacton, England, London

☆ Andreessen Horowitz investor says half of Google's white-collar staff probably do 'no real work'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A general partner at Andreessen Horowitz is the latest to join the debate around "fake work" in Big Tech. David Ulevitch said "half the white-collar staff at Google probably does no real work." AdvertisementAn investor at famed Silicon Valley firm Andreessen Horowitz is the latest VC to get involved in the debate around "fake work" in the tech industry. Advertisement"I don't think it's crazy to believe that half the white-collar staff at Google probably does no real work," he said. Other VCs have also entered the debate around "fake work" and overstaffing within Big Tech in recent years.

Persons: Andreessen Horowitz, David Ulevitch, —, Emily Sundberg, Ulevitch, Marc Andreessen, Keith Rabois, Thomas Siebel, they've, overhiring Organizations: Google, Meta, Service, Cisco, Big Tech, Tech, PayPal Mafia, Facebook Locations: Big Tech, Silicon, America

☆ King Charles praises 'kindness' and friendship 'in times of need' ahead of his first public appearance since his cancer diagnosis
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewKing Charles III spoke about friendship and kindness in a series of remarks before his first public appearance since announcing his cancer diagnosis. Charles, 75, shared his sentiments via a recorded audio message played at the Royal Maundy Service, an annual event that takes place on the Thursday before Easter Sunday, according to Royal Central. King Charles III and Queen Camilla attending the Royal Maundy Service in 2023. The Maundy Service has a very special place in my heart," Charles said in comments obtained by Royal Central. Related storiesCharles then addressed the people chosen to receive Maundy Money.

Persons: —, Charles III, Charles, King Charles III, Queen Camilla, CHARLOTTE GRAHAM, Jesus, King Charles, Christopher Furlong, Buckingham, Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, Andy Cheung, I've Organizations: Service, Royal Maundy Service, Royal Central, Business, Getty, Gentlemen, Coronation Service, Buckingham Palace, Associated Press Locations: Worcester Cathedral, Windsor, Middleton

☆ Formed in the Cold War, former members of Germany’s Red Army Faction are now fugitives
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —German authorities have been tracking down the former members of the Red Army Faction (RAF), a now-defunct Cold War-era militant group, who have been on the run for nearly 30 years. The RAF, he said, emerged in what was then West Berlin, at the “crossroads” of the Cold War. The first, and most prominent period from 1970-1977, saw the group murder public officials and US soldiers and take many hostages. In April 1975, six RAF members seized the West German Embassy in Stockholm in a hostage standoff with the goal of forcing the release of imprisoned RAF members. The Red Army Faction claimed responsibility for the assassination, but the perpetrators were never brought to justice.

Persons: Baader, –, Jürgen Ponto, Siegfried Buback, Daniela Klette, Burkhard Garweg, Ernst, Volker Staub, Klette, Claudia Ivone, Garweg, Staub, pouncing, ”, Ivone, Wolfgang Kraushaar, Kraushaar, Axel, Andreas Baader, Ukrike Meinhof, Meinhof, ” Kraushaar, Helmut Schmidt, Franz Josef Strauss, Axel Springer, Springer, Alfred Herrhausen, Willy Brandt Organizations: CNN, Red Army Faction, RAF, East, Stasi, Dresdner Bank, Germany’s Public, Office, Police, ARD, ” Reuters, Bild, Red Brigades, Nihon, Springer, Criminal Police, West German Embassy, West, Meinhof Group, Reuters, Democratic, Deutsche Bank Locations: Berlin, West Germany, Kreuzberg, Bonn, Weiterstadt, German, Italy, Japan, West Berlin, Vietnam, Lower Saxony, Stockholm, Bavarian, Cologne, GDR, Democratic Republic

☆ Sweden is exactly what the West needs to counter Putin's underhand tactics
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Sweden this week became the newest member of the NATO alliance. On Tuesday, Hungary's parliament voted to approve Sweden's NATO membership in a move that may be exactly what the West needs to counter Putin and his underhand tactics. Sweden has accused Russia of spreading misinformation about Koran burnings to damage its bid for NATO membership. NATO has some major challengesDespite the boost from Sweden's membership, NATO still faces some of the gravest challenges in its history. "The same is true for Finland and Sweden's NATO membership."

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, He's, Putin, Oscar Jonsson, JONATHAN NACKSTRAND, Nima Khorrami, St, Russia's, It's, Shawn Coover, Emmanuel Macron, Jonsson, Khorammi, Donald Trump Organizations: NATO, Service, Russia, Swedish Defence University, Business, Forces, Swedish Amphibious Corps, US Marine Corps, Stockholm Archipelago, Getty, Arctic Institute, Staff, US Locations: Sweden, Ukraine, Russian, Hungary's, Russia, Baltic, Europe, Stockholm, NATO, St Petersburg, Kaliningrad, USSR, Crimea, South Carolina, Western, Finland

How the Russian Government Silences Wartime DissentJust days after invading Ukraine, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia signed a censorship law that made it illegal to “discredit” the army. The indignities of the crackdown, and the long arm of the Russia law, is being lost in the numbers. Nanna Heitmann for The New York TimesIn dry legalese, the court documents recount the Russian state’s case against these statements and protests. People’s “negative assessment” of the Russian military could adversely affect its performance, the court said, presenting a national security risk. And I very much don’t want this.”Sergei Platonov at district court in Moscow listening to his guilty verdict in November.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, ”, — schoolteachers, —, That’s, Ukraine —, pollsters, Andrei Kolesnikov, Demyan, Aleksandr T, Olga V, ” Maksim L, Omsk Diana I, Denis V, Russia ”, “, Maksim P, Anna S, Maria V, people’s “, Russia’s, Zaynulla Gadzhiyev, Mr, Bespokoyev, Marina Tsurmast, scrawled, Nanna Heitmann, Tsurmast, Gadzhiyev, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Aleksandra Y, Skochilenko, Selimat, Vladimir A, Rustam I, ” Yelena L, Aleksandr K, Olga P, Dmitri D, Sergei V, Eve, Daria Ivanova, Ms, Ivanova, “ you’ll, Anton Redikultsev, Redikultsev, Jan, Marina, Sergei P, ” Yuldash, ” Dmitri S, Peskov, Putin’s, Sergei Platonov, Platonov, Russian Gestapo ”, Polina, Kolesnikov, Anna Sliva, Sliva Organizations: New York Times, Times, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, OVD, Penza Yuriy V, Russia, ”, Ukraine ” “, YouTube, Bucha, Ukraine, Police, The New York Times, Armed Forces, Russian Federation, VK, Russian Gestapo, The New York Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine, “, Omsk, Peace, Ukraine ” “ Ukraine, Bucha, Moscow, St, Petersburg, Iglino, ”, Novosibirsk, Siberia, Crimea, Ukrainian, Kalga, Russia’s, OVD, Coast, Primorye, Soviet

☆ Factbox-Attacks in France in Recent Years
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Here are some other attacks that have taken place in France in recent years:- Oct 13, 2023 - One teacher was killed and another wounded in a knife attack at a high school in northern French town of Arras on Friday. - June 9, 2023 - A Syrian national wounded four children and two pensioners in a knife attack in the Alpine town of Annecy. Francois Hollande, president at the time, said the hostage-takers had pledged allegiance to Islamic State. The attacker told police he was answering an appeal by Islamic State. Islamic State said it was responsible.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Samuel Paty, Prophet Mohammad, Charlie Hebdo, Mickael Harpon, Francois Hollande, Frenchman, Charlie Hebdo’s, Michel Rose, Frances Kerry, Nick Zieminski Organizations: PARIS, Syrian, Police, Paris police, Security, Islamic, Islamic State, Belgian Locations: Paris, Afghanistan, France, French, Arras, Alpine, Annecy, Reims, Nord, Kurdish, Nice, Pakistan, Islamic State, Tunisian, State

☆ Britain's Hunt broadens push to unlock pension pots for growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

By 2030, the majority of workplace DC savers will have their pension pots managed in schemes of over 30 billion pounds, and by 2040, all local government pension funds will be invested in pools of 200 billion pounds or more," Hunt told parliament. Hunt said such changes could help unlock an extra 75 billion pounds ($93.46 billion) of financing for high growth companies by 2030, and improve returns for pensioners. The British Business Bank will set up a new growth fund for schemes to invest in growth companies, and there will be a consultation on giving the Pension Protection Fund a new role to help consolidate direct benefit schemes, he said. The government also wants to allow certain portions of shares - fractional shares - within ISAs. ($1 = 0.8025 pounds)Reporting by Huw Jones Editing by Frances Kerry and Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Hannah McKay, Hunt, PIMFA, William Wright, Huw Jones, Frances Kerry, Bernadette Baum Organizations: REUTERS, British, London Stock Exchange's, Aquis Exchange, DC, British Business Bank, Local, ISA, Labour Party, Labour, New, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, New York, ISAs

☆ Greek economy seen growing by 2.9% next year on strong investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Lefteris Papadimas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The government expects economic output to rise 2.9% next year following a 2.4% expansion this year, partly with the help of European Union recovery funds. Investment is seen growing by about 15.1% in 2024 more than double compared with this year. Greece has recently regained investment grade status for its debt attracting investment as its economy strengthens after a decade-long economic crisis. Its strong economic performance is also reflected in higher than expected tax revenues. Athens also expects to raise 5.77 billion euros from state asset sales in 2024, the budget said.

Persons: Costas Baltas, Thanos Petralias, Lefteris Papadimas, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Investment, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece

☆ Italians face disruption as workers strike over government budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Remo Casilli Acquire Licensing RightsROME, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Italians faced disruption on Friday as transport workers and other public sector employees from two of the country's largest unions went on strike in protest over the government's budget plans for 2024. The CGIL and UIL unions have called a general strike in the central regions of Italy, as well as a walkout by public sector employees across the country. Salvini, who is also transport minister, said he was making sure Italians could still go about their business on Friday. "Yes there is the right to strike, but it's satisfying to protect the right to work for the overwhelming majority of Italians," he told broadcaster Rai's TG2 news programme on Thursday. Striking workers are expected to hold a rally in Rome's central Piazza del Popolo to protest against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing government.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Remo Casilli, Matteo Salvini, Maurizio Landini, Salvini, Giorgia Meloni's, Italy's, Keith Weir, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Italian, CGIL, UIL, REUTERS, Rights, la Repubblica, TG2, Union, Thomson Locations: Piazza del, Rome, Italy, Rome's, Piazza

☆ Moldova holds local elections amid Russian meddling allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Alexander Tanas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] People walk past election campaign posters ahead of snap parliamentary election, scheduled on July 11, in Chisinau, Moldova July 7, 2021. Pro-European President Maia Sandu has denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine and accused Moscow of plotting to oust her in a coup. "Thanks to your vote, Moldova has a chance to become a member of the European family. The national security service has accused Shor of helping funnel 1 billion Moldovan lei ($55.60 million) into Moldova to stage anti-government protests during the war in Ukraine and to "buy" voters. Shor said he was sending the money to Moldova to help pensioners, finance social infrastructure projects and some politicians.

Persons: Vladislav Culiomza, Maia Sandu, Ilan Shor, Shor, Ion Ceban, Lilian Carp, Sandu, Yuliia Dysa, Tom Balmforth, Ros Russell Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, funneling, of Action, Solidarity, PAS, Russian, Moldovan, Constitutional, Chance Party, Thomson Locations: Chisinau, Moldova, Rights CHISINAU, Moscow, Soviet, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Nigerians outraged over government spending plans as millions face hardship
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Lawmakers rejected the plans for a presidential yacht before approving the N2.1 trillion ($2.7 billion) supplementary budget on Thursday, following a public outcry. Local media reported Thursday that the Nigerian House of Representatives reallocated the amount for the presidential yacht to the student loan scheme before passing the spending bill. Onanuga, who is Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, did not comment on the government’s plan to acquire luxury vehicles for the presidency. Last month, Nigeria’s Senate unveiled plans to acquire luxury vehicles for its 469 members despite the country’s struggling economy. Anti-corruption activist Ogunsanya told CNN that Nigerians were yet to reap the benefit of monies saved from the removal of the fuel subsidy.

Persons: Nigeria CNN —, ”, Reno Omokri, Yomi Ogunsanya, Ken Eluma Asogwa, Bayo Onanuga, ” Onanuga, It’s, Tinubu, Karimi, Ogunsanya Organizations: Nigeria CNN, Lawmakers, Twitter, CNN, World Bank, Nigerian, Nigeria’s Senate Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, India, “, Nigerian

☆ Some Ukrainians Helped the Russians. Their Neighbors Sought Revenge.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( James Verini | Paolo Pellegrin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

It seemed obvious to me that some townspeople would have collaborated out of fear or the need to survive. (I could not reach any of the accused collaborators from Bilozerka or Volodymyr Saldo.) A researcher with a nonprofit government watchdog group in Bilozerka, Zelinska investigated Kozlyonkova for misusing state funds before the war. As far as I could determine, none of the accused collaborators had. The administrators of the partisan forums clearly wanted to raise suspicion — to let accused collaborators know that they were being monitored, too.

Persons: Bilozerkans, Putin, Anatoliy Korniev, John of Kronstadt, Korniev, weren’t, Oleksandr Guz, he’d, Volodymyr Saldo, Alyona Zelinska, Zelinska, Kozlyonkova, ”, ” Kozlyonkova, Andriy Koshelev, Koshelev, Oleksandr Shcherbyna, ” Shcherbyna, “, Andriy Dibrova, Alina, Bilozerka Organizations: Russian Orthodox Church, Telegram Locations: Soviet, NATO, St, Russia, Bilozerka, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Kherson

☆ It Might Be Time to Consider Timisoara
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Andy Trincia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Families stroll and savor gelato cones as bike couriers whiz by. Pensioners relax on benches near manicured flower beds while earbud-wearing hipsters walk dogs and children chase pigeons by a fountain laden with bronze fish. The scene in Victory Square in Timisoara, Romania, is quintessentially European — modern meets Old World. Romanians and history buffs know Timisoara for its leading role in the bloody Romanian revolution in December 1989, when local protests set off a nationwide wave that toppled dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. As I gaze at vibrant Victory Square, it’s hard to envision 100,000 anti-Communist protesters crammed together during those fateful days.

Persons: Nicolae Ceausescu Organizations: Pensioners, National Opera House, Metropolitan Orthodox Cathedral, Communist Locations: Timisoara, Romania

☆ The Netherlands named the best place to retire — here's how other countries compare
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Retirement income systems vary in different countries, and the U.S. does not come out on top. The additional concerns make one thing even more important: retirement income systems. They have some of the strongest retirement systems, according to the Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index for 2023, which was published Tuesday. A total of 47 different retirement systems were assessed in the report. Retirement systems in the latter have "major weaknesses," the report said.

Organizations: Mercer CFA, Global, U.S Locations: U.S, Netherlands, Iceland, Denmark, Israel, Kazakhstan, Colombia, France, Spain, Canada , New Zealand, Germany, Mexico, Indonesia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, India, Philippines, Argentina

☆ Attacks in France in recent years
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Here are some other attacks that have taken place in France in recent years:- June 9, 2023 - A Syrian national wounded four children and two pensioners in a knife attack in the Alpine town of Annecy. - Oct. 29, 2020 - An attacker with a knife killed three people and wounded several others at a church in the southern city of Nice. - March 23, 2018 - A gunman killed three people in southwestern France after holding up a car, firing on police and taking hostages in a supermarket. - July 26, 2016 - Two attackers killed a priest and seriously wounded another hostage in a church in northern France before being shot dead by police. - Nov. 13, 2015 - Paris was rocked by multiple gun and bomb attacks on entertainment sites around the city, in which 130 people were killed and 368 wounded.

Persons: Lycee Gambetta, Carnot, Pascal Rossignol, Emmanuel Macron, Samuel Paty, Prophet Mohammad, Charlie Hebdo, Mickael Harpon, Francois Hollande, Frenchman, Charlie Hebdo’s, Michel Rose, Frances Kerry Organizations: Lycee, REUTERS, Rights, Syrian, Police, Paris police, Security, Islamic, Islamic State, Belgian, Thomson Locations: Arras, France, Alpine, Annecy, Reims, Nord, Paris, Kurdish, Nice, Pakistan, Islamic State, Tunisian, State

☆ KPMG hit with record fine for 'textbook failure' in Carillion audits
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said the number, range, and seriousness of the deficiencies in the audits of Carillion were exceptional, resulting in the watchdog's highest ever fine. On occasions, KPMG audit partner Peter Meehan told his team to record his review of working papers without having done a review, the FRC said. Meehan, no longer with KPMG, was fined 350,000 pounds after a discount to reflect his cooperation and admission of failures. It would have been 30 million pounds, but was discounted due to admissions and co-operation by the auditor. KPMG was fined 14.4 million pounds last year after providing false and misleading information to the FRC during spot checks on audits of Carillion and outsourcing firm Regenersis.

Persons: Reinhard Krause, Carillion, Richard Moriarty, Moriarty, Peter Meehan, Meehan, Jon Holt, Holt, Huw Jones, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: KPMG, Canary, REUTERS, BHS, Council, FRC, PwC, Deloitte, EY, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

☆ Poland's toxic politics is splitting the country in two, one family at a time
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

“We always end up talking about politics,” Karolina says with an exaggerated weariness. An increasingly toxic politics has polluted kitchens and dining rooms in every region of the country. But the negativity of the country’s politics – arguments echoed each hour on state TV, which is almost always turned on – has worn her down, she says. The efforts sparked years of legal challenges, protests and international confrontations – and hardened the Polish public. Asked whether Polish politics is more divided than they remember it, three generations of this family explode in agreement.

Persons: Karolina, “, – Stella, Patrycja, – Stella’s, Stanisława –, ” Karolina, ”, Stanisława, Stella Martynowska, Rob Picheta, PiS, –, ” Stella, Rob Picheta “, “ That’s, Stella, billows, Piotr Buras, ” Women’s, Donald Tusk, patsy, Tusk, Lech Walesa, Poland’s, Jarosław Kaczyński, ” “, ” Jacek Kucharczyk, Ewa Majewska, I’m, Igor Konior, Konior, Wanda, … I’m, ” Lucyna, Aleksandra Lukasiewicz, Lukasiewicz, “ It’s, “ We’re, ” Aleksandra Lukasiewicz, they’re, they’ve, Michal, I’ll, gesturing, ” Patrycja Organizations: Poland CNN, Soviet, Justice, CNN, European Council, Foreign Relations, Civic Coalition, Warsaw’s Institute of Public Affairs, Tusk’s Civic Coalition, PiS, Union Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Rob Picheta Poland, Polish, Hungary, Russia, Western Europe, Brussels, Berlin, Lublin, “, Rotterdam, Łódź, Bonita

That's despite Congress recently passing a short-term funding package that averted a U.S. government shutdown but dropped $6 billion in aid to Ukraine. Political Cartoons View All 1199 ImagesOfficials from the Washington-based IMF also said Ukraine’s economy was showing surprising resilience despite widespread damage from Russia’s war. Ukraine is “making good progress” on passing legislation on a specialized anti-corruption prosecutor, said IMF Ukraine mission chief Gavin Gray. IMF loan agreements with Ukraine before the war had stalled due to lack of progress in curbing corruption and the influence of politically influential business moguls. ___This story has been corrected to show that the IMF loan package is over four years, not three.

Persons: It's, “, Biden, Uma Ramakrishnan, Gavin Gray, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Nathan Epstein, ___ McHugh Organizations: —, International Monetary Fund, Institute, IMF, Ukraine, Bills Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, United States, U.S, Kiel, Germany, Kyiv, Washington, Ukrainian, Frankfurt

[1/2] A general view of Polish shoe retailer CCC shop is pictured, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Warsaw, Poland, September 8, 2020. "Let me tell you, there was a time when I couldn't even afford to buy salmon, for example. Buczek has benefited from the fact that PiS has raised her pension as part of hefty welfare spending moves which, opinion surveys show, are easing Poles' concerns over high inflation. The Polish minimum wage, already the highest in central Europe, will rise by nearly a fifth next year. With many houseowners on variable loan rates, Warsaw recently extended a scheme for mortgage repayment holidays into next year.

Persons: Kacper, Jadwiga Buczek, Buczek, PiS, Steffen Dyck, Adam Glapinski, Fitch, Federico Barriga Salazar, Andrzej Kuzniak, Moody's Dyck, Kacper Pempel, Jan Strupczewski, Gergely, Mark John, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Justice, European Union, European Commission, National Bank of, Sovereign Risk, Moody's, International Monetary Fund, Civic Coalition, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, WARSAW, Poland's, Europe, NBP, Brussels

Benefiting from the highest interest rates since 2008, pension funds are better funded to meet future payouts than they have been in years. Because insurers hold a lot less government debt than pension funds, favouring higher-return assets such as corporate debt, they are expected to sell some of the gilts they receive. It is selling 240 billion pounds of debt this year, a record, save for 2020-21. Helped by the pension fund demand of past years, Britain's average debt life is around 15 years, more than double the U.S. and Germany's. Britain has already started skewing its funding towards shorter debt this year, citing high borrowing needs, a move investors reckon also reflects declining pension fund appetite.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, BoE, gilts, Chris Jeffery, Lane Clark, Peacock, Barry Kenneth, Van Lanschot, Arif Saad, Craig, Owen Davies, LGIM's Jeffery, Yoruk, Carolyn Cohn, Dhara Ranasinghe, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of England, Legal, General Investment Management, Fund, Investment, Royal London Asset Management, Investors, Yoruk Bahceli, Thomson Locations: gilts, Germany's, Britain, Amsterdam, London

HANGZHOU, China, Sept 21 (Reuters) - China hopes to make a splash with the Asian Games, opening on Saturday, but nationwide excitement has been muted as the economy sputters and some locals question the cost of the sporting extravaganza. Organisers this week expressed confidence in holding a "magnificent" games, thanks to President Xi Jinping’s "important instructions" and great, broad-based efforts. "People care more about their own lives, and the Asian Games are not on the top of their list of concerns," Yan said. [1/4]A woman poses for pictures in front of statues of the three mascots of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, near the Hangzhou Asian Games Village, in Zhejiang province, China September 20, 2023. "There's a saying online: 'The Hangzhou city government, when encountering even a dog, wishes they could catch it and give it a fresh coat of paint'."

Persons: Xi Jinping’s, Xi, Bashar al, Assad, John Yan, Yan, Jiang, It's, Mark Dreyer, Tingshu Wang, Wu Lili, Zhang, Jules Boycoff, it's, Dylan Martinez, Martin Quin Pollard, Xihao Jiang, William Mallard Organizations: Asian Games, COVID, Games, Sports, Beijing Olympics, Asian, Hangzhou, REUTERS, Pacific University, Thomson Locations: HANGZHOU, China, Hangzhou, Beijing, Zhejiang province, Zhejiang, Shanghai, U.S ., Oregon, West

☆ Higher pay makes life harder for Treasury and BoE
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, attends the Bank of England Monetary Policy Report Press Conference, at the Bank of England, London, Britain, February 2, 2023. Yui Mok/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - UK employees and pensioners can raise a glass. Average total pay, including bonuses, rose at an annual rate of 8.5% in the three months to July, faster than inflation. The average state pension will rise from 156.2 pounds to 169.5 pounds per week, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and finance minister Jeremy Hunt may, however, be crying into their beer.

Persons: Andrew Bailey, Yui Mok, Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, BoE, Bailey, Francesco Guerrera, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Bank of England, Press, REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, Institute for Fiscal Studies, X, UBS, Warner Bros Discovery, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Asia

☆ Argentina offers financial aid to crisis-hit workers and pensioners
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Eliana Raszewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Argentine one hundred peso bills are displayed in this picture illustration taken September 3, 2019. Massa said workers will receive 400 billion pesos in loans, while self-employed workers will be offered six months of tax relief and those on food benefits will receive additional stipends. "The goal is that every economic sector receives some state support," Massa said. Meanwhile, tensions have risen and a series of lootings have taken place across the country. ($1 = 350 Argentine pesos)Reporting by Eliana Raszewsi; Writing by Lizbeth Diaz and Sarah Morland; editing by Diane Craft and Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Agustin Marcarian, Sergio Massa, Massa, Javier Milei, Patricia Bullrich, Eliana Raszewsi, Lizbeth Diaz, Sarah Morland, Diane Craft, Chris Reese Organizations: REUTERS, Sunday, International Monetary Fund, South, Thomson Locations: BUENOS AIRES

☆ Russia’s ‘August curse’ sees war come home
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Matthew Chance | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Moscow CNN —In years past, the month of August was often greeted in Russia with a degree of caution, even alarm. Russians spoke in whispered tones of their “August curse” to explain the unusually high number of deadly accidents, terrorist attacks, or outbreaks of war. For a long time now that curse seemed to have been lifted and almost forgotten, reducing the month to just another hot summer interlude. In the Black Sea, Russia’s military and commercial fleets have come under attack from Ukrainian naval drones this month, threatening Russian supply and trade routes. There has been a strict crackdown on dissent in Russia, particularly around criticisms of the war in Ukraine.

Persons: We’re, ”, Russia’s Organizations: Moscow CNN —, CNN, Kremlin Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Sergiev

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