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An incumbent hasn't lost his party's presidential nomination since Democrats passed over Franklin Pierce in 1856. Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 marked the last time someone from a new party — in his case, the Republican Party — won the White House. But with the United States deeply divided and somewhat anxious about the prospect of another Biden-Trump campaign, third party candidates insist voters are restless enough to defy history. West announced last month that he no longer was running under the Green Party banner, but as an independent. Democrats assume that many of voters supporting a progressive environmental activist would likely have chosen Clinton if forced to choose between the major parties.

Persons: George Washington, hasn't, Franklin Pierce, Abraham Lincoln's, Republican Party —, ” Jill Stein, “, ”, Stein, Cornel, “ it's, Biden, Trump, Justice Department indicting Trump, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, umbrage, Dean Phillips, “ I’m, ” Phillips, ” Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Kennedy's, John F, Sen, Robert F, Joe Manchin, Utah Sen, Mitt Romney, Jennifer Franks, Romney, McKay Coppins, Manchin, invigorate centrists, he's “, Meg Kinnard, Leah Willingham Organizations: Republican Party, White, Biden, Trump, Green Party, West, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, Justice Department, Republicans, wariness, Trump's, Clinton, Democratic, Rep, Minnesota, Democratic Party, Children’s Health Defense, Electoral College, GOP, Manchin Locations: United States, Minnesota, renominating, South Carolina, Manchin, Utah, Arizona, Michigan, West Virginia, Columbia , South Carolina, Charleston , West Virginia

☆ Long-shot Biden challenger Phillips won't run again for House
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Reba Saldanha/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 24 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota, a long-shot challenger to President Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Friday said he would not run for reelection. The 54-year-old millionaire businessman and three-term congressman last month said he would run against Biden, seizing on the president's lackluster approval ratings and voter wariness over his age. The post linked to an interview in the Minnesota Star Tribune paper, in which he explained his move. Phillips, who first won his seat in 2018 and won reelection in 2020 and 2022, said it would be "unproductive and uncomfortable" to run again, given his nomination bid. Phillips is unlikely to affect Biden's chance of securing the party's nomination, given the incumbent's deep resources, official party support and reshaping of the party's nominating contest calendar to help fend off any early challengers.

Persons: Dean Phillips, Reba Saldanha, Joe Biden, Phillips, Donald Trump, David Ljunggren, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Democratic, U.S, statehouse, REUTERS, Dean Phillips of, Biden, Minnesota Star Tribune, Republican, Thomson Locations: Concord , New Hampshire, U.S, Dean Phillips of Minnesota

TOKYO, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Warren Buffett's vote of confidence in Japanese trading houses is helping Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T) overcome long-held investor wariness about its complex global business that covers everything from sausages to natural gas, a top executive said. "Until fairly recently, being an industrial conglomerate had negative connotations," Kobayashi said in an interview. Appointed as the trading house's first chief stakeholder engagement officer in April, Kobayashi is now focused on wooing investors who focus on growth, not just value. Berkshire first announced roughly 5% stakes in August 2020, with Buffett saying the trading houses "have many joint ventures throughout the world and are likely to have more". read moreStill, Mitsubishi is trading at a price-to-book ratio of just a little over 1, or at almost no premium to the value of its assets.

Persons: Warren Buffett's, wariness, Berkshire Hathaway, Kenji Kobayashi, Kobayashi, Itochu, outperforming, Buffett, Benjamin Graham, that's, Anton Bridge, Miho Uranaka, David Dolan, Miral Organizations: Mitsubishi Corp, Berkshire, Reuters, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Nikkei, Columbia University, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Berkshire, Japan

The bestselling spiritual author and one-time advisor to Oprah Winfrey didn’t make it to the 2020 primaries in a wide-open Democratic field. But Williamson worries that negative perceptions detract from her policy positions, which include financial reparations for Black Americans and creation of a Department of Peace. “The way to sell books is by going on a book tour, not a presidential campaign," she said. Williamson talks at times in religious and spiritual terms to describe America as a nation in need of confession and atonement. "To say, ‘We need a politics of love’ without explaining what that is,” he said.

Persons: Marianne Williamson, Oprah Winfrey, Joe Biden, Williamson, ” Williamson, it’s, ”, Oprah, “, Issac Bailey, “ I’m, Bernie Sanders ’, “ cringeworthy, Donald Trump, Galen Watts, Biden, Jose Serna, Serna, Marianne, Marie Griffith, Louis, ” Griffith, Jay Michaelson, Michaelson Organizations: Democratic, Black, Department of Peace, Davidson College, University of Waterloo, Williamson, Augustana University, Washington University, America, ”, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: America, New York City, Houston, North Carolina, California, Canada, Sioux Falls , South Dakota, St

☆ Australia-China: After seven years of strain, leader Albanese heads to Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Stakes are high for the four-day visit, which begins on Saturday and will see Albanese meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang and make stops in Beijing and Shanghai. Albanese’s trip also carries symbolic overtones, marking 50 years since the first official visit by an Australian leader to Communist China after the two countries established ties. James Bugg/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesUS relations loomAlbanese is heading to Beijing less than two weeks after he met with US President Joe Biden in Washington. As he aims to repair ties with China, Albanese will need to walk a line between these interests and China’s suspicions about the aims of these blocs, analysts say. “Beijing came to learn that the weaponization of trade did not force a close US ally to back down,” said Collinson.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Scott Morrison’s, Jingdong Yuan, ”, Cheng Lei, Yang Hengjun, Yang, ” Albanese, Elena Collinson, teeters, ” Collinson, James Bugg, Joe Biden, “ Albanese, Yuan, Xi, Biden, Collinson, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China’s Foreign Ministry, University of Sydney, Reuters, Huawei, Albanese’s Labor, Canberra, Albanese’s, University of Technology Sydney’s, China Relations Institute, Trans, Pacific, Bloomberg, Getty, Albanese, China, China - Asia Security, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Economic Cooperation, Australia Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Shanghai, Australia, Washington, Seoul, Communist China, Asia, Pacific, Darwin, Pacific Islands, South, University of Technology Sydney’s Australia, Europe, Yarra, Victoria, South China, United Kingdom, Japan, India, Sydney, Stockholm, San Fransisco

"I seeded my campaign with capital because I had to," Phillips, 54, told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of an event at Manny's, a meeting space in San Francisco. "I will be in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and I'll be going to New York and Chicago, and Miami and larger cities to raise resources and campaign," Phillips said. Phillips said he did not know exactly how much he had raised since launching his campaign. "I think Joe Biden is a good man but he's been doing this for 50 years," Phillips told a crowd of several dozen in San Francisco. (This story has been refiled to clarify that the loan is for Dean Phillips' campaign in paragraph 1)Reporting By Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dean Phillips, Reba Saldanha, Joe Biden, " Phillips, Phillips, Biden, Donald Trump, he's, Alexandra Ulmer, Leslie Adler Organizations: Democratic, U.S, statehouse, REUTERS, Thursday, Reuters, Republican, Thomson Locations: Concord , New Hampshire, U.S, San Francisco, Minnesota, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami

☆ Adam Kinzinger says he should've been 'worried' at how easily he was able to reach Marco Rubio before endorsing him in 2016: 'No presidential candidate should be that available'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In Adam Kinzinger's new book, he recounts some key moments from the 2016 GOP presidential primaries. Kinzinger backed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio after former Florida Gov. He said he should've been "worried" at how easy it was to text with Rubio about the endorsement. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs the 2016 Republican presidential field took shape, then-Rep. Adam Kinzinger made the decision early-on to get behind former two-term Florida Gov. Trump's campaign continued to gain steam, and by the time the GOP primary reached Florida, Rubio had not been to blunt the New York businessman's momentum.

Persons: Adam Kinzinger's, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, should've, Rubio, —, Adam Kinzinger, Bush, George H.W, George W, Bush —, Donald Trump, Kinzinger, Trump's, Marco, Kinzinger's Organizations: Florida Gov, Service, Republican, New, Florida, GOP, Trump, Capitol Locations: Kinzinger, Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Kinzinger's, Washington, York

☆ Dean Phillips, Democrat from Minnesota, challenges Biden in 2024 race
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Jarrett Renshaw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Even so, Democrats are wary of any challenge to Biden that could dent the party's chances against likely Republican nominee Donald Trump. He's a friend, someone I deeply respect and admire, but I have a deep disagreement with him on this," Minnesota Democratic Party Chairman Ken Martin said. Top New Hampshire Democrats expect a write-in campaign to kick off on behalf of Biden. Opinion polls show Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents want someone other than Biden, 80, to be the party's nominee, citing concerns about his age. Phillips in August said while he was tired of Trump's fearmongering, he thought Biden should step aside.

Persons: Dean Phillips, Ken Cedeno, Joe Biden, We've, Phillips, Biden, Donald Trump, “ I've, He's, Ken Martin, Martin, Trump's fearmongering, NBC’s “, Jarrett Renshaw, Heather Timmons, Jonathan Oatis, Susan Heavey, Diane Craft Organizations: Washington , D.C, REUTERS, U.S, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, Democratic, New Hampshire's Statehouse, Biden, Republican, Minnesota Democratic, MAGA Republicans, New Hampshire Democratic Party, New, Democratic Party, New Hampshire Democrats, Press, ”, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, America, New Hampshire's, Concord, Nevada, Hampshire, South Carolina, United States, New Hampshire

Worldline's (WLN.PA) stock slide, which saw around $4 billion wiped off its market value, is the latest wake-up call. COMMISSIONS CUTRevenue growth has suffered at payments firms as inflation has force European consumers to spend less, while investors fret about the euro zone slipping into recession. Some analysts say payments firms have also been caught napping, after a period of growth during COVID lockdowns. In a further sign of investor wariness, venture capital investment flows into European payment firms have also dried up. Now, it may leave private equity investors to pick up the pieces for payment service firms, analysts said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Paul Charpentier, Bryan Garnier, napping, Jefferies, Hannes Leitner, Leitner, Charpentier, wariness, Italy's Intesa Sanpaolo, Morgan Stanley, Worldline, Bryan Garnier's Charpentier, Elizabeth Howcroft, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, PayPal, Holdings, Companies, Barclays, Reuters, Spain's Banco Sabadell, Fidelity National Information Services, CVC Capital Partners, CVC, Thomson Locations: London, U.S, Nexi, Europe

☆ Breakingviews: Globalization woes create new winners and losers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Francesco Guerrera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Over the past seven decades, the world economy has grown 14-fold, powered by a 45-fold expansion in global trade, according to the World Trade Organization. World trade as a percentage of GDP peaked at 61% in 2008. The first is rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and China. The retrenchment is probably going to be gradual: global trade was still worth 57% of world GDP last year. For 2024, the WTO said growth in goods trade would pick up to 3.3%, virtually unchanged from its April estimate of 3.2%.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping “, ”, Caroline Freund, Aaditya Mattoo, Alen Mulabdic, Michele Ruta, Ursula von der Leyen, it’s, Laura Alfaro, Davin Chor, Dario Perkins, GlobalData’s Perkins, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto, Thomas Shum Organizations: Warehouse Union, REUTERS, Reuters, World Trade Organization, Economic, Reuters Graphics Reuters, HK, Amperex Technology, European Central Bank, GlobalData, Lombard, Companies, Bureau of Labor Statistics, ECB, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Netherlands, United States, China, Beijing, Washington, U.S, Taiwan, Mexico, Vietnam, People’s Republic, Latin America, Chile, Brazil, Ukraine, Geneva

[1/3] Simon Rubinstein, 17, casts his first vote ever, in the presidential primary election, in Buenos Aires, Argentina August 13, 2023. Argentina is one of a handful of Latin American countries that allows 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote. Kremenchuzky, nicknamed "Toto," 17, is part of that teenage electorate. In an August open primary vote, Toto voted for conservative Patricia Bullrich - which he puts down to influence from his parents - but says he could shift his vote in October to Milei if the libertarian convinces him in election debates. However, Milei's conservative social views and promise of sharp cuts to government spending are off-putting to some young voters.

Persons: Simon Rubinstein, Magali, Tomas Kremenchuzky, Kremenchuzky, Toto, Javier Milei, thieving, He's, Patricia Bullrich, Milei, Rocio Pozzetti, Sergio Massa, Massa, Pozzetti, Noelle Chab, Rubinstein, Magali Druscovich, Lucila Sigal, Adam Jourdan, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Peronist, Milei, Bullrich, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Argentine, Milei

☆ Globalisation woes create new winners and losers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Francesco Guerrera | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

☆ UK consumers hunker down as fuel prices climb
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A person puts fuel in their car at a filling station, at an ASDA supermarket in Birkenhead, Britain, July 3, 2023. Britain's high inflation rate has slowed but at 6.7% in August it remains more than three times the Bank of England's 2% target. The BRC's like-for-like sales measure - which adjusts for changes in store space - slowed to show growth of 2.8% from 4.3% in August. Seventy percent of consumers surveyed by Barclays said they were finding ways to reduce costs, up slightly from August. Jack Meaning, chief UK economist at Barclays, said the warning signs of wariness among consumers was filtering through into their spending decisions.

Persons: Phil Noble, Helen Dickinson, electricals, Dickinson, BoE, Jack, William Schomberg, James Davey Organizations: REUTERS, Consumers, British Retail Consortium, Bank of England's, Barclays, Rugby, Thomson Locations: Birkenhead, Britain, August's

☆ With eye on China, EU maps out de-risking, economic security strategies
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

EU also relied on China during the COVID pandemic for protective equipment and now for medicines and pharmaceutical raw materials. ECONOMIC SECURITY STRATEGYA reassessment of risk due to rising geopolitical tensions is also a key part of the European Economic Security Strategy unveiled in June. The strategy focuses on risks to supply chain resilience, physical and cyber security of critical infrastructure, technology security and leakage and weaponisation of economic dependencies or economic coercion. However, while the economic strategy does not name China, it talks of partnering with link-minded countries and de-risking, its policy of reducing reliance on China. The Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, has said the strategy, including the assessments, will be carried out with EU governments.

Persons: Philip Blenkinsop, Nick Macfie Organizations: European Union, EU, European Economic Security, European Commission, Commission, The, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, China, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, EU, Moscow, Brussels

☆ Morning Bid: This Fed's not for turning
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The U.S. Federal Reserve building is pictured in Washington, March 18, 2008. That thought was echoed by Cleveland Fed chief Loretta Mester, who said: "I suspect we may well need to raise the fed funds rate once more this year." Either way, this is not the sound of a Fed who thinks the inflation battle is won. Fed hawkishness, however, has kept futures markets pricing a 50-50 chance of another quarter point rate hike to the 5.50-5.75% range by year-end. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Jason Reed, Mike Dolan, they've, Michelle Bowman, Loretta Mester, Michael Barr, hawkishness, Raphael Bostic, Susan Fenton Organizations: U.S . Federal, REUTERS, Reserve, Cleveland Fed, Institute, Supply, Bank of Japan, Reserve Bank of Australia, Big Tech, Atlanta Federal Reserve, Treasury, McCormick, PMI, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington, U.S

☆ Exclusive: East Timor president says China military cooperation was 'never discussed'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The agreement also provided scope for funding from China including government and commercial loans to East Timor, he said. "It was never discussed in terms of military cooperation, never discussed, and the Chinese side also never raised this issue," Ramos-Horta said. East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, aims to join the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN by 2025 as it seeks to reduce high poverty rates. Australia has appointed an envoy to speed up negotiations between East Timor and Woodside; Gusmao's government wants gas to be piped to East Timor and not Australia. Australia's relationship with East Timor is "stronger than at any time in the last decade", Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Persons: Jose Ramos, Caitlin Ochs, Horta, Xanana Gusmao, Xi Jinping, heightening, Ramos, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: Sustainable, United Nations, REUTERS, Rights, East, Reuters, Southeast, ASEAN, Canberra, Woodside Energy, Greater Sunrise, Greater, Australia, UN's, Fund for Agricultural Development, Global Citizen, Pacific, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs, Thomson Locations: Horta, Timor, New York City , New York, U.S, East Timor, China, Australia, Indonesia, Canberra, Solomon Islands, 2,000km, Timor Leste, ASEAN, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor's, Dili, Greater Sunrise, Southeast Asia, Woodside, New York

☆ Exclusive: Timor president says China military cooperation 'never discussed'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The agreement also provided scope for funding from China including government and commercial loans to East Timor, he said. Some Australian politicians expressed concern after China's state media reported on Saturday that Beijing's agreement with East Timor, around 700km (450 miles) north-west of Australia, also covered military exchanges. "It was never discussed in terms of military cooperation, never discussed, and the Chinese side also never raised this issue," Ramos-Horta said. East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, aims to join the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN by 2025 as it seeks to reduce high poverty rates. Australia has appointed an envoy to speed up negotiations between East Timor and Woodside; Gusmao's government wants gas to be piped to East Timor and not Australia.

Persons: Jose Ramos, Caitlin Ochs, Horta, Xanana Gusmao, Xi Jinping, heightening, Ramos, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln, 私 Organizations: Sustainable, United Nations, REUTERS, Rights, East, Reuters, Southeast, ASEAN, Canberra, Woodside Energy, Greater Sunrise, Greater, Australia, UN's, Fund for Agricultural Development, Global Citizen, Pacific Locations: Horta, Timor, New York City , New York, U.S, East Timor, China, Australia, Indonesia, Canberra, Solomon Islands, 2,000km, Timor Leste, ASEAN, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor's, Dili, Greater Sunrise, Southeast Asia, Woodside, United States, New York

☆ Morning Bid: Bond crush stifles markets as $134 billion hits
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The yield spike has supercharged the U.S. dollar worldwide - both a reflection and aggravator of mounting financial stress far and wide. As Deutsche Bank notes, this is historically significant territory as the average of the 10-year yield going back to 1799 is around 4.50%. The Treasury sells $48 billion in two-year notes on Tuesday, $49 billion in five-year paper on Wednesday and $37 billion in seven-year notes on Thursday. Minneapolis Fed Bank President Neel Kashkari said on Monday the Fed probably needs to raise borrowing rates further. Private sector bankers are starting to brace for the worst, with JP Morgan chief Jamie Dimon reported overnight as warning: "I am not sure if the world is prepared for 7% (Fed rates)."

Persons: Jose Luis Gonzalez, Mike Dolan, South Korea's, Sterling, haven't, Neel Kashkari, Said Kashkari, Austan Goolsbee, JP Morgan, Jamie Dimon, Christine Lagarde, China Evergrande, Michelle Bowman, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Reserve, U.S ., Bank of Japan, South, Treasury, Deutsche Bank, Minneapolis Fed, Chicago Fed, European Central Bank, ECB, Dallas Fed's, Chicago Fed's, HK, Richmond Fed, Dallas Fed, Philadelphia Fed, Costco, Cintas, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, U.S, Wall St, Asia, Europe, Philadelphia, Washington

Pumpjacks are seen against the setting sun at the Daqing oil field in Heilongjiang province, China December 7, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Baker Hughes Co FollowLONDON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Oil prices held steady on Monday after Russia relaxed its fuel ban, taking the edge off earlier gains on a tighter supply outlook and wariness over interest rates that could curb demand. Russia approved some changes to its fuel export ban, lifting the restrictions for fuel used as bunkering for some vessels and diesel with high sulphur content, a government document showed on Monday. Crude prices fell last week after a hawkish Federal Reserve rattled global financial markets and raised concerns over oil demand. However, analysts flagged that oil prices face technical resistance at the November 2022 highs reached hit last week.

Persons: Stringer, Baker Hughes, Tony Sycamore, IIR, Goldman Sachs, Paul Carsten, Mohi Narayan, Florence Tan, Louise Heavens, David Goodman Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, . West Texas, Federal Reserve, Northern, IIR Energy, Thomson Locations: Heilongjiang province, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Moscow, United States, London

☆ China could do 'a lot' to reduce EU perception of risk - EU trade chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The European Union has no intention of cutting ties with China even as the bloc takes steps to lower economic dependencies and de-risk, but China "could do a lot" to help reduce the perception of risk, the EU trade chief said on Monday. The EU has long complained about a lack of level playing field in China and the politicisation of the business environment. Europe's economic ties with China are deep, but China "could do a lot to help reduce our perception of risk," Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said in a speech delivered at the Tsinghua University in Beijing. Dombrovskis is expected to share his concerns with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at a high-level economic and trade dialogue in Beijing on Monday. The EU's trade deficit with China widened to $276.6 billion in 2022 from $208.4 billion a year earlier, Chinese customs data show.

Persons: Valdis Dombrovskis, Dombrovskis, Ryan Woo, Bernard Orr, Yew, Himani Sarkar, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: European Union, EU, Tsinghua University, European Commission, Global Times, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Moscow, Ukraine, Beijing, Europe, EU

☆ EU trade chief seeks more balanced economic ties on China visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis will take part in a joint economic and trade dialogue, meet Chinese officials and European companies active in China and deliver two speeches during his Sept. 23-26 trip to Shanghai and Beijing. For the European Union, the visit is designed to renew dialogue with China after its COVID-19 closure and as EU wariness grows over Beijing's closer ties with Moscow following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The EU blames its 400 billion euro ($426.32 billion) trade deficit partly on Chinese restrictions on European companies and says the EU market is largely open. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said in a report on Wednesday that Chinese authorities were sending contradictory messages to foreign businesses. The EU is also expected to be asked during the visit to clarify what it means by "de-risk" in the context of China.

Persons: Valdis, Francisco Seco, Valdis Dombrovskis, Dombrovskis, Philip Blenkinsop, Barbara Lewis Organizations: European Commission, Rights, Beijing, Trade, European Union, EU, European Union Chamber of Commerce, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights BRUSSELS, China, Shanghai, Beijing, Moscow, Ukraine, EU

☆ Central bank interest rates: Is the global fight to tame inflation nearly over?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

London CNN —Central bankers have had to climb a metaphoric mountain over the past two years in the battle to control runaway inflation. The announcement came just hours after Switzerland’s central bank kept rates unchanged and a day after the US Federal Reserve did the same, holding its key lending rate in the range of 5.25% to 5.5%. “Central banks think they have raised interest rates enough to bring inflation down to their 2% targets in a couple of years’ time,” Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, told CNN. Key interest rates are now at levels that, if “maintained for a sufficiently long duration, will make a substantial contribution” to reducing inflation to its 2% target, the central bank said. “By this time next year, we anticipate that 21 out of the world’s 30 major central banks will be cutting interest rates.”

Persons: ” Paul Dales, “, Jerome Powell, Sarah Silbiger, Brent, Andrew Bailey, ” Seema Shah, ”, J.P, Morgan, Jennifer McKeown Organizations: London CNN —, Bank of England, US Federal Reserve, Capital Economics, CNN, European Central Bank, ECB, Federal, Washington DC, Bloomberg, Getty, European Union, EU, European Commission, Asset Management, “ Locations: United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Russia

In some ways, attaching Ukraine aid to other pressing matters could improve the odds of passing it quickly. Some lawmakers will be more inclined to vote for Ukraine assistance if it gets included with say, disaster relief for their home state. He said the focus needs to be on first passing an overall defense spending bill as well as the other spending bills. House Republicans hope to bring up for a vote this week a stopgap spending bill that doesn't include Biden's aid package for Ukraine. Still, Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, voiced confidence that Ukraine aid will continue.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy's, Joe Biden, ”, Kevin McCarthy, Zelenskky, “, Nancy Pelosi, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump's “, McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, ” McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Zelenskyy, Sen, Thom Tillis, ” Tillis, Putin, Ken Calvert, ” Calvert, Mike Garcia, he's, ” Garcia, ” Schumer, Michael McCaul, ” McCaul Organizations: WASHINGTON, Ukraine, Republican, Republicans, House Republicans, Washington, ”, Foreign Affairs, NATO Locations: Washington, United States, Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, U.S, R

☆ Sean Penn and Volodymyr Zelensky: 'Superpower' puts the two men in the center of the action
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Although Penn happened to be in the right (or wrong) place when he was scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, “Superpower,” which Penn directed with Aaron Kaufman, is the product of seven trips to and from Ukraine. Sean Penn and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in November 2022. His conversations with the Ukrainian people prove equally enlightening, both before the war – when many expressed doubts about Zelensky – and during it. Of course, there are those quick to deride or dismiss actors like Penn stepping off the soundstage and into such roles. Still, if you’ve read this far and might not have clicked on a review about another Ukraine documentary, guess what?

Persons: Sean Penn, ” Penn, Penn, Volodymyr Zelensky, Aaron Kaufman, “, Walter Cronkite, Steven Pifer, Vitali Klitschko, Alexander Vindman, Zelensky –, Sean Hannity’s, Penn doesn’t, Hannity, Will Smith Oscar, Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, you’ve Organizations: CNN, “, Penn, European Affairs, United States National Security Council, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Fox News, Paramount Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Haiti, Kyiv, Crimea, Ukrainian, –

☆ Kevin McCarthy plans to formally endorse an impeachment inquiry into Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Rebecca Kaplan | Summer Concepcion | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., plans to endorse an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden in an effort to seek bank records and other documents from the president and his son Hunter Biden, two Republican sources familiar with the speaker's intentions told NBC News. McCarthy has signaled for weeks that the House could take up an impeachment inquiry, which would provide additional legal power to the House's investigations into the Biden family. It is unclear whether there are sufficient votes within the GOP conference to open an impeachment inquiry into the president. The White House is ramping up a war room to lead a response to a Republican impeachment inquiry, NBC News previously reported. McCarthy's move to endorse an impeachment inquiry into Biden comes amid pressure from right-wing Republicans,who are pushing back against a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown at the end of the month.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, McCarthy, Hunter Biden, Jim Jordan, James Comer, Biden, Hunter, we're, we've, Devon Archer, Ken Buck, Buck, Jen Psaki, McCarthy's, Matt Gaetz, —, Kevin, Gaetz, Eric Swalwell, Marjorie Taylor Greene, he's, Matt Organizations: NBC News, GOP, House Republican Conference, Punchbowl News, American, Republicans, Freedom Caucus, NBC, Monday, Sunday Locations: Washington , DC, Ohio, Ky

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