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Coal barges are pictured as they queue to be pulled along the Mahakam river in Samarinda, East Kalimantan province, Indonesia, August 31, 2019. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJAKARTA, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Indonesia will seek China's help for renewable energy and infrastructure projects when President Joko Widodo attends the upcoming Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, a cabinet minister said. Erick declined to share JETP talk details, saying only: "We cannot wait...there hasn't been any funding as yet." "We want this to fit our grand plan, the Indonesia blueprint, not the blueprint of other countries," Erick said. Indonesia also discussed the plan with Chinese Premier Li Qiang when Li visited Jakarta in September.

Persons: Willy Kurniawan, Joko Widodo, Erick Thohir, Erick, JETP, hasn't, Xi Jinping, Jokowi, Premier Li Qiang, Li, Gayatri Suroyo, Stefanno Sulaiman, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Forum, Indonesian, United, Premier, Thomson Locations: Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA, Beijing, China, U.S, United Nations, Jakarta, Jokowi, Surabaya

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON/TEL AVIV, Oct 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's White House is wrestling with a host of thorny security and political challenges as officials plot a potential trip to Israel that may hold longer-term diplomatic advantages for Biden. The White House declined to comment on any planning for the trip. Biden's trip could be interpreted as support for Netanyahu's political and military choices, but it could also give Biden fresh leverage to influence events on the ground. "It's very, very sensitive and the White House is working through very sensitive areas," Pinkas said. Biden has visited Israel 10 times, first as a senator in 1973, before the Yom Kippur War involving Israel, Egypt and Syria.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Kevin Lamarque, Joe Biden's, Biden, Adrienne Watson, Netanyahu, Richard Nixon, Olaf Scholz, Jon Alterman, Alterman, Mahmoud Abbas, Alon Pinkas, Ehud Barak, Pinkas, Trevor Hunnicutt, Jarrett Renshaw, Humeyra Pamuk, Steve Holland, Matt Spetalnick, Heather Timmons, Howard Goller Organizations: Israeli, General Assembly, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Biden, Israel, National Security, Ben, Presidential, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Democratic, Gaza, Palestinian, West Bank, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, TEL AVIV, Israel, Washington's, East, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ben Gurion, Lebanon, Ukraine, Egypt, Syria, Washington

Reuters reported in July that Indian refiners began using yuan to pay for some oil from Russian sellers, while continuing to use dollars and dirhams to settle most of their Russian oil purchases. Indian refiners buy most of their Russian oil from traders, while making some direct purchases from Russian entities. State-run Indian Oil Corp (IOC.NS), the country's top refiner, has used yuan and other currencies to pay for Russian oil, Reuters reported previously. Private Indian refiners have continued to pay in yuan and other currencies for Russian oil imports, sources said, with most Indian purchases of Russian oil paid in dirham. Indian Oil, BPCL and HPCL and the country's oil and finance ministries did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comments.

Persons: Tatiana Meel, Nidhi Verma, Tony Munroe, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Reuters, Gazprom Neft, Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp, Hindustan Petroleum, Thomson Locations: Nakhodka Bay, Nakhodka, Russia, DELHI, India, Moscow, Ukraine, United States, dirhams, Gazprom, dirham, Hong Kong, China

☆ Russia-China energy cooperation in focus as Putin visits Xi
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It insists the ties do not flout international norms, and China has the prerogative to collaborate with whichever country it chooses. According to China's customs data, the growth of China's exports and imports with Russia on a year-on-year basis quickened in September from August. China is Russia's second-largest buyer of Russian oil after India. Russia's main gas export route is a 4,000-km (2,500-mile) pipeline Power of Siberia that links East Siberian fields to northeast China. Russia aims to build a second gas pipeline to China, Power of Siberia 2, with capacity for 50 bcm a year to run via Mongolia.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, Wang Wentao, Vladimir Putin's, Russia's Novatek, Vladimir Soldatkin, Guy Faulconbridge, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Commerce, Vortexa, Russia's, Reuters, European, VEB, Supplies, CNPC, Thomson Locations: Siberia, Svobodny, Amur, Russia, China, United States, Beijing, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, India, Kpler, Kozmino, Baltic, Brazil, Urals, Oman, European Union, That's, Europe, Power, Mongolia, Sakhalin, Qatar

Box office receipts totaled 23.44 billion yuan ($3.2 billion) between June and September, the highest amount for that period in history, according to data from Dengta and Maoyan, China’s two major box office tracking apps. Ticket sales for the traditional high season between June and August soared to a record 20.6 yuan ($2.8 billion), smashing the previous summer peak of 17.8 billion yuan ($2.4 billion) recorded in 2019. “I’ve been a big fan of American and European movies,” Peng said. Powered by womenThat China’s recent box office boom has been driven by women is surprising given the gender imbalance in the country. So far this year, American films accounted for only about 14% of China’s box office, the second largest in the world, according to CNN calculations based on Dengta data.

Persons: Alibaba, ”, Stanley Rosen, Rosen, “, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, ” Perry Peng, she’s, “ We’ve, “ Barbie, “ I’ve, ” Peng, ” Pency Peng, Perry’s, Xuguang Chen, Chen, Kevin Tran, Tran Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, USC’s, China Institute, Warner Bros, CNN, School of Arts, Peking University, “, Morning, Hollywood Locations: China, Hong Kong, Dengta, United States, Shanghai, WarnerBros .

☆ Exclusive: Britain, South Korea agree to extend tariff-free trade for two years
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Union Jack flag flutters in front of the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, November 5, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Britain and South Korea have agreed to extend a period of low or zero tariffs on bilateral trade by two years, ahead of talks to forge a new trade deal, the British government said on Monday, in a boost for the car industry. Annual trade between Britain and South Korea is worth 18 billion pounds ($21.9 billion), and the two sides will begin talks later this year on a new trade deal. Britain's minister for international trade, Nigel Huddleston, said extending the tariff-free period would provide welcome certainty for businesses. "This is fantastic news for UK businesses who can continue selling their fantastic goods with confidence to South Korea," Huddleston said.

Persons: Hannah McKay, Nigel Huddleston, " Huddleston, Mike Hawes, Hawes, Sachin Ravikumar, William James, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, EU, Society of Motor Manufacturers, Traders, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, South Korea, British, EVs

☆ IMF steering committee calls for new funds, share plan by June 2025
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) chair Nadia Calvino leaves after a press conference during the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, following last month's deadly earthquake, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 14, 2023. A statement issued by the Fund's steering committee chair, Spanish economy minister Nadia Calvino, also called for proposals to change the Fund's shareholding formula by June 2025. The statement did not specify any funding amounts but left the door open to a potential near-term funding increase without changes in near-term shareholding. "In order to maintain the Fund’s current resource envelope until a quota increase becomes effective, we call on the Executive Board to propose transitional arrangements," the statement said. Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Nadia Calvino, Susana Vera, David Lawder, Diane Craft Organizations: Monetary, Financial, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH

☆ Singapore hopes for substantial IPEF progress by APEC
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong attends "Google for Singapore", an event celebrating the company's 15th year in the country, at Google's office, in Singapore August 23, 2022. REUTERS/Edgar Su Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Singapore's deputy prime minister said on Friday he hopes for substantial progress in the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) discussions in time for next month's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. "In areas like supply chains, green economy, digital economy; these are things that we are pursuing, and we hope certainly that there can be some substantial progress." The summit meetings of the 21-member APEC forum will take place in the week of Nov. 11-17 in San Francisco. "But I think we should maintain high ambition and hopefully down the road, in years to come, the conditions may change."

Persons: Finance Lawrence Wong, Edgar Su, Lawrence Wong, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Wong, David Brunnstrom, Michael Martina, Sandra Maler Organizations: Singapore's, Finance, Google, REUTERS, Rights, Prosperity, Economic Cooperation, APEC, Washington's Center, Strategic, International Studies, U.S, Thomson Locations: Singapore, U.S, Asia, China, Pacific, United States, San Francisco

☆ UAE and South Korea complete talks for bilateral trade deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Rachna Uppal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Trade and investment ties between the Gulf state and South Korea have been steadily advancing; in the first half of 2023, bilateral non-oil trade reached $3 billion, similar to the same period last year, but up 21% over 2021, a statement said. South Korea was one of the first countries with which the Gulf state launched talks for a CEPA in 2021. Three months later however, the Asian state revived dormant Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council bloc, of which the UAE is a member. "We resumed talks with Korea earlier this year as we were both keen to conclude a deal and advance our respective economic agendas," Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE minister of foreign trade, told Reuters, adding the GCC FTA talks remained ongoing. It has said it does not mix politics with trade, when asked whether the Israel-Gaza conflict would have an impact on the Gulf state's trade deal with Israel.

Persons: Yeo Han, koo, Zeyoudi, Rachna Uppal, Sharon Singleton Organizations: South Korean Trade, United Arab Emirates Minister, State for Foreign Trade, United Arab, . Trade, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Gulf Cooperation Council, Reuters, Israel, Thomson Locations: State for Foreign Trade Thani, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, DUBAI, South Korea, Gulf, Abu Dhabi, Korea, UAE, Thani, Zeyoudi, Israel, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Gaza

Zambia will pay about $750 million in the next decade compared to almost $6 billion that was due to official creditors before the debt restructuring. "The next step is to secure a comparable agreement with our private creditors," Zambia's finance minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, said. Zambia is committed to remaining in arrears to its commercial external creditors, the ministry said, until it secures a debt deal with comparable terms to the official creditor agreement. It is unclear how long the signing of the agreements between Zambia and each bilateral creditor is going to take. On Thursday, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Zambia had signed the MoU with official creditors, which was later walked back by Zambia's finance minister and the IMF.

Persons: Situmbeko Musokotwane, Susana Vera, Musokotwane, Kristalina Georgieva, Rachel Savage, Jorgelina, Giles Elgood Organizations: Zambia's, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Paris Club, OCC, Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH, Zambia, China, France, Africa, Rosario

REUTERS/Susana Vera Acquire Licensing RightsMARRAKECH, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Ukraine is finding it harder to secure financial support as the attention of officials in key donor countries shifts to upcoming elections and geopolitical tensions heighten, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko told Reuters on Saturday. As the war with Russia rages on, Ukraine needs to secure Western financial support to cover a $43 billion budget gap in 2024. Marchenko said "a geopolitical shift and internal political context in different countries" was dampening governments' appetite to support Ukraine, mentioning elections scheduled in the U.S. and the European Union next year. Marchenko said Ukraine is seeking 18 billion euros of that in 2024, matching the package received for this year. Ukraine's economy is set to grow 5% in 2024, Marchenko told the meetings earlier this week, and sufficient gas storage for the winter should buttress the economy from a potential rise in prices, he told Reuters.

Persons: Finance Serhiy Marchenko, Susana Vera, Serhiy Marchenko, Marchenko, Jorgelina, Rosario, Elisa Martinuzzi, Helen Popper Our Organizations: Finance, Reuters, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, Bank, European Union, IMF, EU, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH, Ukraine, Russia, Israel, U.S, Japan, United Kingdom, United States

China, whose economy is now three times the size it was in 2010, continued to push for more IMF shares. IMFC members agreed to add a third IMF Executive Board chair to represent African countries, a key sweetener for the U.S. "equi-proportional quota plan. Pan said China supported this move but it was a separate issue from the shareholding formula. It also called for the IMF's Executive Board to propose options for changes to the shareholding formula by June 2025. This would accelerate the next five-year review of quotas and meet IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva's call for a deadline on adjusting its shareholding to preserve its credibility.

Persons: Nadia Calvino, Kristalina Georgieva, Pan Gongsheng, Pan, Kristalina, Georgieva, David Lawder, Andrea Shalal, Sharon Singleton, Christina Fincher, Franklin Paul, Diane Craft Organizations: Monetary, Financial, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Monetary Fund, IMF, Fund, The U.S . Treasury, People's Bank of China, Beijing, IMF's, U.S . Treasury, United Arab, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, MARRAKECH, U.S, China, CHINA, The U.S, India, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, United Arab Emirates

☆ Key takeaways from the IMF-World Bank meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen arrives for a bilateral meeting on the third day of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meeting, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 11, 2023. Susana Vera | ReutersOvershadowed by fresh Middle East violence and hosted by a country still recovering from an earthquake, the week-long annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank wrapped up on Saturday. Global inflation is seen dropping from 6.9% this year to a still-high 5.8% next. Italian central bank governor Ignazio Visco said there was an impression markets were "reevaluating the term premium" as investors become more nervous about holding longer-term debt. One debt restructuring deal emerged: Zambia finally agreed a debt rework memorandum of understanding with creditors including China and France.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Susana Vera, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Italy —, Ignazio Visco, Joyce Chang, Vitor Gaspar, Mehmet Simsek, Murat Ulgen Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Bank, Reuters, Emerging, Research, HSBC, Export, Import Bank of Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Moroccan, Israel, Central, United States, China, Italy, Italian, Turkey, Kenya, Zambia, France, Sri Lanka, Import Bank of China

☆ Arthur hurt by absence of Pakistan fans in Ahmedabad
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Amlan Chakraborty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Soured political relations between the Asian neighbours has further complicated the issue and the Pakistan Cricket Board has asked the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) to sort out visa delays for their fans and media travelling to India. "It didn't seem like an ICC event to be brutally honest," the former Australia coach said after Pakistan's seven-wicket loss. "I didn't hear 'Dil Dil Pakistan' coming through the microphones too often tonight," he said referring to the unofficial anthem for the country. Asked if it was right for a World Cup, Arthur said: "Look, I don't think I can comment on that just yet. Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in Ahmedabad; editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Pakistan's Saud Shakeel, India's Kuldeep Yadav, Amit Dave, Mickey Arthur, Arthur, I'm, Arthur said, Amlan Chakraborty, Toby Davis Organizations: Cricket, ICC Cricket, DRS, Rights, Narendra, Pakistan Cricket Board, International Cricket Council, ICC, BCCI, Thomson Locations: India, Pakistan, Ahmedabad, Rights AHMEDABAD, Australia

☆ How US tax dollars have supported Israel and its military for 75 years — and what's next for American aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Biden said this week he will ask Congress to send Israel additional aid in the wake of Hamas' terror attacks. Between 2001 and 2020, Israel received more military aid from the US than all other nations combined. Despite concerns that Israel will continue killing civilians and children in Gaza, there is bipartisan support for aid to Israel. In 2016, the US signed its third 10-year Memorandum of Understanding on military aid to Israel, pledging to send it $38 billion between 2019 and 2028. In 2022, the US spent a total of $4.8 billion on military, economic, and missile defense aid for Israel.

Persons: Biden, —, Harry Truman, Israel, Joe Biden, Gerald R, he'll, John Kirby, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Kevin McCarthy Organizations: Democratic, Service, Saturday, US, Congressional Research Service, CRS, Israel, Hamas, Gazan Health, United Nations, White, National Security, Rep, Minnesota Democrat, Republicans, Taiwan Locations: Israel, Gaza, Washington, Alexandria, United States, Minnesota, Ukraine

☆ Chinese embassy criticizes Costa Rica for 5G company restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A sign for 5G is seen at the World 5G Exhibition in Beijing, China November 22, 2019. The Chinese embassy in San Jose criticized the remarks in a statement. "These comments gravely affect the confidence and expectations of Chinese companies to undertake economic-trade activities in Costa Rica and they erode the good energy to develop bilateral relations," the embassy wrote in a statement. In August, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves approved a decree aiming to regulate 5G mobile network development and banned firms from countries that have not agreed to an international cybercrime convention. Chaves issued the directive shortly after Laura Richardson, a senior U.S. military commander, visited Costa Rica, where she questioned growing Chinese investment in Latin American infrastructure development including ports and 5G networks.

Persons: Jason Lee, Costa, Rodrigo Chaves, Chaves, Laura Richardson, Alvaro Murillo, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, JOSE, Central American, Costa, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Costa Rican, San Jose, Costa Rica, South Korea, Russia, Brazil, U.S

☆ Yellen, China's top central banker talk about debt, economic developments -US Treasury
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen and People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng pose before holding a bilateral meeting on the fifth day of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, following last month's deadly earthquake, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Susana Vera Acquire Licensing RightsMARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct 13 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and People's Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng on Friday held a "substantive and productive" meeting that covered debt, financial architecture and future economic communications, a Treasury spokesperson said. "During the substantive and productive meeting, Secretary Yellen and Governor Pan exchanged views on macroeconomic and financial developments," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement after the meeting on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Morocco. "They also discussed the international financial architecture and debt issues, as well as how to make the Financial Working Group co-chaired by Treasury and the PBOC substantive and productive," the spokesperson said, referring to one of two new U.S.-China economic communications groups launched in September. Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Pan Gongsheng, Susana Vera, Yellen, Pan, David Lawder, Alex Richardson Organizations: People’s Bank of China, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, REUTERS, Rights, . Treasury, People's Bank of China, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Rights MARRAKECH, China

☆ China's economic partnership with Russia is so lopsided that Putin needs the help of the US — but he'd never admit that, think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's "no limits" partnership with China is hurting its own economy, one think tank says. The think tank says the relationship is so imbalanced that Russia may need the US's help — though Putin would never admit it. But the think tank argues that much of the partnership has been more to Beijing's benefit than it has been to Moscow. Though China is one of Russia's only reliable trading partners at the moment, the nation has neglected to make major investments in Russia, Graham noted. And Russia's economy now appears to be so dependent on China, that the nation needs the help of the US to counterbalance it, Graham said.

Persons: —, Putin, Thomas Graham, Graham, Xi Jingping Organizations: Service, Foreign Relations, Kremlin, Foreign Affairs, Russia, Administration of Customs, Central Intelligence Agency, US Defense Intelligence Agency, Economic Forum Locations: China, Russia, Beijing, Moscow, York, Ukraine, Asia, India, Western, United States

☆ China's export, import growth with Russia quickens in September
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Stringer/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The growth of China's exports and imports with Russia on a year-on-year basis quickened in September from August, China's customs data showed on Friday, as it urged deeper trade ties with its neighbour despite the disapproval of the West. Chinese shipments to Russia rose 21% to $9.6 billion in September from a year earlier, accelerating from 16% growth in August, Reuters calculations based on customs data showed. Imports from Russia rose 8% to $11.53 billion last month after rising 3% in August. Under Western sanctions, Russia has turned to China for economic support, benefiting from Chinese demand for oil, gas and grain. China also cleared the way for imports of pork from regions of Russia without African swine fever, Chinese customs said recently.

Persons: Stringer, Wang Wentao, Vladimir Putin, Ryan Woo, Ellen Zhang, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Imports, Chinese, Administration of Customs, Commerce, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Qingdao, Shandong province, China, Rights BEIJING, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, China's

☆ Sri Lanka president to visit China as debt talks progress - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Uditha Jayasinghe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCOLOMBO, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit China next week as the crisis-hit country makes progress on debt restructuring talks with its biggest lender, a source in his office told Reuters on Friday. The Sri Lankan leader could also meet China's finance and foreign ministers, the source added. The president's media office and Sri Lankan foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Sri Lanka owes Chinese lenders - bilateral and commercial - around $7 billion. Sri Lanka needs to reach agreements with creditors to push forward its first review of the IMF programme, which will release a second tranche of about $334 million.

Persons: Ranil Wickremesinghe, Brendan McDermid, Wickremesinghe, Xi Jinping, Xi, Uditha Jayasinghe, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Sri, General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, Monetary Fund, Forum, China's, Export, Import Bank of China, IMF, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Sri, China, Beijing, Lankan, Sri Lanka, Japan, India

☆ Taiwan urges progress on EU investment deal as bloc courts chip firms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Ben Blanchard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Taiwan National Development Council Minister Kung Ming-hsin poses during an interview with Reuters in Taipei, Taiwan, April 23, 2021. Taiwan has repeatedly pushed for the conclusion of a Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) with the EU, saying it would help encourage more Taiwanese investment, especially from chip companies. The EU identified Taiwan as a candidate for a BIA in 2015, but no talks have taken place on the issue. "On the basis of this mutual trust... can you tell EU headquarters, on the BIA, can it start, effectively moving it forward?" A Taiwanese government official said last month that Taiwan is seeking other trade agreements with the EU given the BIA is a "long shot".

Persons: Taiwan National Development Council Minister Kung Ming, hsin, Ben Blanchard, Development Council Minister Kung Ming, Tsai Ing, Tsai, John Stonestreet Organizations: Taiwan National Development Council Minister, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, European Union, BIA, European, EU, Development Council Minister, Trade Organisation, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, chipmaker, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Taipei, Rights TAIPEI, EU, Europe, Asia, China, Beijing, Germany

Quite a few of the hospitals have seen a sudden influx of patients booked in for check-ups involving a night's stay to coincide with the most anticipated match of the World Cup. The Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association has discouraged its members from accommodating such fans. India and Pakistan head into the showdown having both won their opening two matches at the tournament. The city has been declared a 'no-drone zone' on Saturday, and 11,000 security personnel will be deployed for the high-profile match, Ahmedabad police commissioner GS Malik said. On their first tour of India since the 2016 T20 World Cup, Pakistan were accorded a warm welcome in Hyderabad, where they played their first two matches.

Persons: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi, Amit Dave, Tushar Patel, Bharat Gadhavi, Hemish Patel, Patel, Airfare, Narendra Modi, Donald Trump, Anthony Albanese, GS Malik, Shaheen Afridi, Jasprit, Liyakat Khan, Samiya, Hasan Ali, Khan, Amlan Chakraborty, Ken Ferris Organizations: Cricket, ICC Cricket, Pakistan cricket team, India, India REUTERS, Ahmedabad Medical Association, Reuters, Nursing Homes Association, THREE, Control, BCCI, Australia, Pakistan, Asia, Indian Express, Thomson Locations: Ahmedabad, India, DELHI, AHMEDABAD, Pakistan, Indian, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Sri Lanka, New Delhi

☆ ECB's Stournaras interview with Reuters
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Member of the ECB governing council and Governor of the Bank of Greece, Yannis Stournaras talks during an interview with Reuters in Athens, Greece, October 11, 2023. The rise in bond yields means that financial conditions are even tighter Than before given monetary policy decisions. A: I think we should act only based on monetary policy reasons and justifications. And for the moment I see no reason why we should tighten monetary policy now because increasing the minimum requirements will imply monetary policy tightening. So, we have a pipeline of monetary policy tightening which has been decided in the past.

Persons: Yannis Stournaras, Louisa Gouliamaki, European Central Bank policymaker Yannis Stournaras, it's, I'm, reinvestments, Francesco Canepa Organizations: Bank of Greece, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, European Central Bank policymaker, ECB, European Commission, Governing, Thomson Locations: Athens, Greece, Palestine, Russia, Ukraine, Iran, China, Europe, Israel, Italy

☆ IMF says Sri Lanka debt talks ongoing, unaware of specific deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Jorgelina Do Rosario | Thomson Reuters | Jorgelina Do Rosario Is Emerging Markets Correspondent At Reuters Based In London | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A general view of the main business district as rain clouds gather above in Colombo, Sri Lanka, November 17, 2020. Peter Breuer told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Bank IMF annual meetings in Marrakech that talks between Sri Lanka and all its creditors were ongoing. "We will need to assess the entire package of agreements in its totality to assess consistency with IMF debt targets," Breuer said. Sri Lanka, mired in its worst economic crisis in 70 years, is in debt restructuring talks with a range of creditors, including China, its largest single creditor. Sri Lanka owed Exim $4.1 billion, or 11% of it foreign currency debt, at the end of 2022.

Persons: Dinuka, Peter Breuer, Breuer, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Jamie Fallon, Rosario, Libby George, Karin Strohecker, John Stonestreet, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Monetary Fund, Sri, Reuters, World Bank IMF, Export, Import Bank of, Paris Club, Tellimer Research, Thomson Locations: Colombo, Sri Lanka, Rights MARRAKECH, China, Marrakech, Import Bank of China, Japan, India, France

Disney+ Hotstar logo is seen in this illustration taken August 22, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUMBAI, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Private equity firm Blackstone (BX.N) has held preliminary discussions with Walt Disney (DIS.N) to acquire a stake in the Indian arm of the entertainment firm, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Blackstone-backed U.S. media firm Candle Media, founded by former Disney executives, led conversations between the two parties last week, one of the sources said. Indian newspaper The Economic Times first reported the talks earlier on Wednesday. Disney has also held talks with Indian billionaires Gautam Adani and Sun TV Network (SUTV.NS) owner Kalanithi Maran, Bloomberg News reported last week.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Walt Disney, Blackstone, Gautam Adani, Kalanithi Maran, Mukesh Ambani's, M Sriram, Aditya Kalra, Christian Schmollinger, Stephen Coates Organizations: Disney, REUTERS, Rights, Blackstone, Reuters, Candle Media, Economic Times, Sun TV Network, Bloomberg News, Indian Premier League, Thomson Locations: Rights MUMBAI, India, Mumbai, New Delhi

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