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☆ Thousands march in Brussels on anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] People hold a placard with pictures of, as Iranian call them, martyrs, during a rally of Iranian diaspora in Europe, on the eve of the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, which prompted protests across their country, in Brussels, Belgium September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Iranian emigres marched in Brussels on Friday, the eve of the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman whose death in the custody of Iran's morality police sparked months of anti-government protests. Thousands of demonstrators, holding up pictures of Amini and many others killed in the protests, called for the overthrow of Iran's theocracy and the establishment of a democratic republic. Organisers said they had also demanded a unified European Union policy to hold Iran's Shi'ite clerical rulers accountable for abuses. Over 500 people including 71 minors were killed, hundreds injured and thousands arrested, rights groups say, in unrest that was eventually crushed by security forces.

Persons: Mahsa, Yves Herman Acquire, Amini, Yves Herman, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, GV, Thomson Locations: Europe, Brussels, Belgium, Rights BRUSSELS, European, Tehran, United States, Israel, Iran

☆ UK sanctions more Iranian officials to mark anniversary of Mahsa Amini death
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People protest following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, in London, Britain October 29, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Britain on Friday imposed sanctions on four Iranian officials to mark the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran's morality police. The sanctions target senior decision makers enforcing Iran's mandatory hijab law and were coordinated with similar moves by the United States, Canada and Australia, Britain's foreign ministry said in a statement. Those sanctioned include Iran's minister for culture and Islamic guidance, his deputy, the mayor of Tehran and an Iranian police spokesman, it added. The sanctions impose a British travel ban on those named, block any of their British assets and prevent UK entities from doing business with them.

Persons: Mahsa, Henry Nicholls, James, Farouq Suleiman, Sachin Ravikumar, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: Mahsa Amini, Iran, London, Britain, United States, Canada, Australia, Tehran

☆ Mahsa Amini death anniversary sees heavy security in Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] A police motorcycle burns during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic's "morality police", in Tehran, Iran September 19, 2022. Over 500 people including 71 minors were killed in the protests, hundreds injured and thousands arrested in unrest that was eventually crushed by security forces, rights groups said. In Amini’s birthplace in Iran's western province of Kurdistan, a rights activist said there was a "heavy presence of security forces". Social media postings said weekly protests were held in Zahedan on Friday with slogans including "Death or freedom". Authorities have accused the United States and Israel and their local agents of fomenting the unrest to destabilise Iran.

Persons: Mahsa, Hengaw, BIDEN, Joe Biden, Biden, Nasser Kanaani, Amini's, Safa Aeli, Saleh Nikbakht, Parisa Hafezi, Mark Heinrich, William Maclean Kevin Liffey, Alistair Bell Organizations: West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, Rights, Social, Reuters, Iran's Foreign Ministry, Amnesty International, Security, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, WANA, Rights DUBAI, Mahsa, Iran's, Kurdistan, Norway, Saqez, Zahedan, United States, Israel, Britain, Dubai

☆ What has changed in Iran one year since Mahsa Amini protests erupted?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A photo of Mahsa Amini is pictured at a condolence meeting organised by students and activists from Delhi University in support of anti-regime protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, in New Delhi, India, September 26, 2022. Protests began soon after the Sept. 16 death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, 22, who had been arrested by morality police three days earlier for allegedly violating Iran's mandatory Islamic dress code. But as the protests fizzled they returned to streets and surveillance cameras were installed to identify and penalise unveiled women. Outside Iran, Western countries imposed new sanctions on security forces and on dozens of Iranian officials over the protests, further straining already difficult ties. Journalists, lawyers, activists, students, academics, artists, public figures and family members of killed protesters, especially among ethnic minorities, have been targeted in recent weeks.

Persons: Mahsa, Anushree, Mahsa Amini, Saqez, Amini's, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Amini, penalise, Parisa Hafezi, Angus McDowall, William Maclean Organizations: Delhi University, REUTERS, Rights, schoolgirls, Authorities, Security, Revolutionary Guards, Journalists, Thomson Locations: Iran, New Delhi, India, Rights DUBAI, Tehran ., Islamic Republic, Baluchis, U.S, Israel

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Rising U.S. business bankruptcies may raise a red flag in what otherwise appears like an economy now impervious to rising interest rates. Commenting on the numbers, insolvency research organisation ABI blamed elevated interest rates, price inflation and a resumption of student loan payments as just some of the headwinds causing stress. That partly mirrors some of built-in household resilience to rising rates related to long-term fixed-rate borrowings and still-high cash savings that now earn significantly higher rates of interest now too. And that 10% - accounting for more than 60% of index market cap - had seen no rise in net interest payments so far in the Fed campaign. But creeping insolvencies among the smaller firms - many of whom have been dubbed 'zombies' for years due to their survival solely on low interest rates - may be a better reflection of what's starting to happen at the coalface of the economy.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Albert Edwards, Edwards, Andrew Lapthorne, Russell, NFIB, Mike Dolan, Josie Kao Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Yellow Corp, P Global Market Intelligence, Reuters, Societe Generale, Fed, National Federation of Independent Business, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, midyear

☆ Oscar winner Portman praises Spain team's resilience amid kiss scandal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Bruna Casas Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Oscar-winning actress and soccer club co-owner Natalie Portman on Thursday praised Spain's World Cup-winning players, saying they showed great resilience against "harassment, abuse and assault". Rubiales has refused to step down, saying he did nothing wrong and is a victim of "false feminism". Portman said in a speech to the European Clubs’ Association General Assembly on Thursday that other teams had in the past had to fight for equal pay. "This time the Spanish team was fighting against harassment, abuse and assault," said the actor, who is co-founder and co-owner of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) team Angel City in Los Angeles. Reporting by Karolos Grohmann: Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Luis Rubiales, Jenni Hermoso, Bruna Casas, Natalie Portman, Spain's, Jenni Hermoso's, Rubiales, Portman, Karolos Grohmann, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Royal Spanish Football Federation, REUTERS, Bruna, Rights, Clubs ’, General, Spanish, National Women's Soccer League, Angel City, FIFA, Thomson Locations: Sant, Barcelona, Spain, Spanish, Sydney, Angel, Los Angeles, Australia

☆ Vilda says Spain sacking 'unfair'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MADRID, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Former Spain's women's team coach Jorge Vilda said on Wednesday that he didn't expect to be fired by the country's football federation (RFEF), adding it was "unfair" and "undeserved" weeks after winning the Women's World Cup. The RFEF later announced it had appointed Montse Tome to succeed Vilda. Considered to be a close ally, Vilda applauded Rubiales when he refused to resign on Aug. 25 but later issued statements condemning his behaviour. The suspended RFEF president praised Vilda for the World Cup triumph in his speech and offered him a new four-year contract, increasing his annual salary to 500,000 euros ($536,000) from 160,000 euros. Their explanation was that of 'structural changes'," Vilda said about how he learned he was being sacked.

Persons: Spain's, Jorge Vilda, Vilda, Luis Rubiales, Jenni Hermoso, RFEF, Montse Tome, Cadena, Rubiales, Pedro Rocha, Danae Boronat, Fernando Kallas, Christian Radnedge Organizations: RFEF, FIFA, Spanish, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Spain

☆ Spain women's national team coach Vilda fired after kiss furore
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MADRID, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Spain's World Cup-winning women's team coach Jorge Vilda has been sacked, the country's football federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday 10 days after FIFA suspended its president for kissing national team player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth. "The coach has been key to the remarkable growth of women's football and leaves Spain as world champions and second in the FIFA rankings," the RFEF statement said. The furore involving Rubiales has quickly spiralled into a national debate over women's rights and sexist behaviour. Vilda and Luis de la Fuente, the men's national team manager, applauded Rubiales when he refused to resign on Aug. 25 but later issued statements condemning his behaviour. Spain's top 58 female players said they would not play for the national team under the existing leadership.

Persons: Jorge Vilda, Jenni Hermoso, Luis Rubiales, RFEF, Rubiales, Pedro Rocha, Rocha, Vilda, Danae Boronat, Spain's, ”, Luis de la Fuente, Fernando Kallas, Inti Landauro, Charlie Devereux, Christian Radnedge, Ken Ferris Organizations: FIFA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Spain, Spanish

An unprecedented liquidity crisis in China's vast property sector is a major risk to a sputtering post-COVID recovery in the world's second-biggest economy, which has rattled global markets. Country Garden debt payment extension buys time for China's largest private developer to avoid default, and is good news for financial markets and the Chinese government, which has announced a raft of measures to support the property sector. In Friday's vote, 56.08% of participating Country Garden onshore creditors approved the extension, 43.64% opposed and 0.28% abstained, an official document shared with bondholders showed. Country Garden did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A default by Country Garden would have exacerbated the real estate crisis and put more strain on its onshore lenders.

Persons: spiralled, Junan, Zhou Hao, Moody's, Xie Yu, Kevin Huang, Li Gu, Sumeet Chatterjee, William Mallard Organizations: Reuters, HK, China Evergrande, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, China, Caa1, Hong Kong, Shanghai

HONG KONG/BEJING, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Country Garden (2007.HK) has won approval from its creditors to extend payments for an onshore private bond, two sources said on Saturday, in a major relief for the embattled Chinese property developer as well as the crisis-hit property sector. Country Garden was seeking approval from its creditors to extend the maturity for a 3.9 billion yuan ($540 million) onshore private bond in a vote that ended on Friday night. China's largest private property developer had proposed to repay the debt in instalments over three years instead of meeting its obligations by Saturday. Country Garden did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A default by Country Garden would have exacerbated the country's real estate crisis, put more strain on its onshore lenders and further delayed the prospect of a recovery of the property market.

Persons: spiralled, Xie Yu, Kevin Huang, Li Gu, Sumeet Chatterjee, William Mallard Organizations: HK, Reuters, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai

☆ Syrians rally in south against Assad, economic decline
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

shouted a large crowd in the southern Druze city of Sweida. Home province of most of Syria's Druze community, Sweida remained in government hands throughout the war and was largely spared the violence seen elsewhere. Open criticism of the government remained rare in the areas it controls but as the economic situation grew worse, the discontent has gone public. Some Druze sheikhs have criticized protesters' calls for Assad to step down and say that any improvement to the socioeconomic situation must come through dialogue. They carried the three-star flag emblematic of Syria's uprising, as well as signs criticising the role of Iran, a key Assad ally.

Persons: Bashar al, Assad, Bashar, Sweida, Maya Gebeily, Nick Macfie Organizations: Sky News Arabia, REUTERS, Rights, Ba'ath, Thomson Locations: Damascus, Syria, Syrian, Rights BEIRUT, Sweida, Home, Daraa, Iran, Tartus

☆ Factbox: Lebanon's Hezbollah rises from shadows into regional force
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Governments including the United States deem it a terrorist organisation. ORIGINSIran's Revolutionary Guards founded Hezbollah in 1982 to export its Islamic Revolution and fight Israeli forces that had invaded Lebanon. The United States estimates Iran has allocated it hundreds of millions of dollars annually in recent years. Hezbollah fighters took over parts of Beirut after the government vowed to take action against the group's military communications network. TERRORIST DESIGNATIONSWestern countries including the United States designate Hezbollah a terrorist organisation.

Persons: Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Aziz Taher, Imad Moughniyah, Bashar al, Assad, Nasrallah, Critics, Saudi Arabia spiralled, Syria, Rafik al, Hariri, Michel Aoun, Tom Perry, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Guards, Islamic, United, Marine, U.S ., POWER Hezbollah, West, European Union, Thomson Locations: Lebanon, Houla, Israel, Rights BEIRUT, Lebanese, United States, Syria, Beirut, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, LEBANON, Saudi, U.S, Arab, Argentina, Buenos Aires

[1/5] A security force trooper rides a vehicle on a highway at Torbung village in Churachandpur district in the northeastern state of Manipur, India, July 24. Modi's first comments on the violence in Manipur came last week, over two months after the trouble started in early May. The data show that in the first week of the violence in early May, 77 Kukis were killed compared to 10 Meiteis. According to government estimates, 2,780 weapons stolen from the state armoury, including assault rifles, sniper guns and pistols, remain with the Meiteis, while the Kukis have 156. Reporting by Krishn Kaushik in Manipur; Editing by YP Rajesh and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Modi, Narendra Modi, Ramachandra Guha, Guha, Jangminlun Touthang, Modi's, Biren Singh, Meiteis, Kukis, Haopu Gangte, “, ” Gangte, ” Pramot Singh, Meitei, ”, Krishn Kaushik, YP Rajesh, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Kuki, YP, Thomson Locations: Torbung, Churachandpur district, Manipur, India, India's Manipur, Kuki, Imphal, Manipur's, Bishnupur, Kangvai, Myanmar, “

"The culture wars are coming to UK businesses, including the financial sector," said Andre Spicer, dean of City University's Bayes Business School. It also cited "risk factors including... controversial public statements which were felt to conflict with the bank's purpose". However, data from watchdog the Financial Ombudsman Service showed complaints about account closures represented a tiny fraction of a bank's overall customer base. Experts say other banks will now be scrambling to ensure their own policies and committees are behaving appropriately, to avoid further scandals. The CEO of Britain's biggest domestic bank Lloyds said on Wednesday the bank's own policies did not include looking at customers' political or personal beliefs.

Persons: Nigel Farage, Coutts, Andre Spicer, Howard Davies, Alison Rose, Rose, Peter Flavel, Charles Dickens, Queen Elizabeth II, Spicer, Harriet Baldwin, Bill Winters, Samuel Gregg, Banks, Gregg, University's Spicer, Rupert Younger, ", Sinead Cruise, Iain Withers, Lawrence White, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Brexit Party, NatWest, Bayes Business School, Coutts, Treasury, Bank of England, BBC, Standard Chartered, Farage, American Institute for Economic Research, Facebook, Financial, Service, Barclays, Lloyds, Centre, Oxford University's Said Business School, Thomson Locations: America

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) cut its standing deposit facility rate and standing lending facility rate to 11% and 12%, respectively, from 13% and 14% previously. This follows a 250 bps cut at its last policy meeting in June. The central bank raised rates by a record 950 bps last year to tame inflation and by 100 bps on March 3. Sri Lanka's key inflation index peaked at 70% year-on-year in September and has come down gradually. "Now that they are bringing down rates fast, they will issue very long-term bonds and reduce borrowing costs for the government.

Persons: Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, CBSL, Sri, Dimantha Mathew, Uditha Jayasinghe, Swati Bhat, Sudipto Ganguly, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Central Bank of Sri, First, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Lanka's, Central Bank of Sri Lanka

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) cut its standing deposit facility rate (SDFR) and standing lending facility rate (SLFR) to 11% and 12%, respectively, from 13% and 14% previously, in line with expectations. The 200 basis point cut follows a 250 bps cut at its last policy meeting in June. The central bank raised rates by a record 950 bps last year to tame inflation and by 100 bps on March 3. Sri Lanka's key inflation index peaked at 70% year-on-year in September and has come down gradually. Analysts expect more rate cuts in coming months to aid economic recovery and reduce borrowing costs for corporates and the government.

Persons: Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, CBSL, Sri, Dimantha Mathew, Thilina Panduwawala, Sudipto Ganguly, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Central Bank of Sri, First, corporates, Frontier Research, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Central Bank of Sri Lanka

Kenyan shipments of tea - its major export - have fallen by a fifth over the last year, according to the local regulator. The spike in global interest rates has already tipped Sri Lanka and Ghana into defaulting. Reuters GraphicsBLACK MARKETAlthough the dollar's share as a global reserve currency has dropped to 59% from 70% over a decade, it continues to dominate global trade. Nigeria has long had a web of multiple exchange rates which it is now trying to untangle, having also devalued its naira currency again last week. A plunge of around 70% in Bolivia's reserves has spawned queues at banks and currency exchange shops as some merchants stopped accepting local currency.

Persons: Wilson Muthaura, KTDA, Charlie Robertson, Muthaura, David Willacy, Ojo, Chaucer, Ronal, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Kristalina Georgieva, William Ruto, Duncan Miriri, Marc Jones, Macdonald Dzirutwe, Monica Machicao, Mayela Armas, David Sherwood, Catherine Evans Organizations: Bank, FIM Partners, Reuters Graphics, Workers, REUTERS, La Paz, West, Reuters, JPMorgan, Monetary Fund, IMF, Fund, Thomson Locations: NAIROBI, LONDON, Pakistan, COVID, Russia, Ukraine, London, Islamabad, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Tunisia, teetering, Nigeria, Kenya, StoneX, Nigeria's, Lagos, British, Cuba, Venezuela, Githunguri, Kiambu County, United States, Lebanon, Turkey, Ethiopia, China, India, Johannesburg, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Argentina, Nairobi, La Paz, Caracas, Havana

"It was a collective decision of the people of El Geneina to leave", one resident told MSF from Chad. "Most of them fled on foot heading northeast of El Geneina but many of them were killed on this route." RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, said on Tuesday his force would investigate events in El Geneina. Sultan Saad Bahreldin, leader of the Masalit tribe, the largest bloc of El Geneina residents, said there had been "systematic" killing in recent days. Villages on the road from El Geneina to Adre used to be Masalit, but had been settled by Arab tribes since 2003, Ibrahim said.

Persons: El Geneina, Ibrahim, El, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Sultan Saad Bahreldin, Adre, Al Hadath, Eyewitnesses, Abdel Nasser Abdullah, Black, Nafisa Eltahir, Maggie Michael, Khalid Abdelaziz, Aidan Lewis, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: Rapid Support Forces, Reuters, Medical, MSF, Sunday, Thomson Locations: El Geneina, CAIRO, Darfur, Chad, Khartoum, Adre, El, West Darfur, Saudi Arabia, U.S, Cairo, Dubai

☆ Mali asks United Nations to withdraw peacekeeping force
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, June 16 (Reuters) - Mali's interim military authorities on Friday asked for a United Nations peacekeeping force to leave "without delay", citing a "crisis of confidence" between Malian authorities and the decade-long U.N. mission known as MINUSMA. MINUSMA was deployed by the U.N. Security Council in 2013 to support foreign and local efforts to restore stability. "This situation is begetting mistrust among the Malian population and also causing a crisis of confidence between Malian authorities and MINUSMA," he said. Security Council members must adopt a resolution to extend MINUSMA's mandate by June 30. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recommended this month that the Security Council extend MINUSMA's mandate for a year, maintaining the current authorized strength of some 15,000 troops and police.

Persons: MINUSMA, Abdoulaye Diop, Wagner, Russia's U.N, Vassily Nebenzia, Nebenzia, Nicolas de Riviere, de Riviere, U.N, Antonio Guterres, Michelle Nichols, Bate Felix, Alessandra Prenticel, Frank Jack Daniel, Grant McCool Organizations: YORK, United Nations, West, . Security, Foreign, Security, UN, Thomson Locations: France, MINUSMA, Russia, China, United States, Britain, Mali, al Qaeda, State, Sahel, El

☆ 'Enormous' needs as EU hosts conference to collect money for Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 15 (Reuters) - The European Union hosts an international conference on Thursday to collect money for Syria where an earthquake earlier this year aggravated the already dire plight of people who have been caught in war since 2011. About 5.5 million Syrian refugees live in neighbouring Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq as well as Egypt. The U.N. chiefs said they hoped for a similar level of pledges to the $6.7 billion offered for Syria and its neighbours at a similar conference last year. "Humanitarian funding for Syria is not keeping pace with rapidly increasing needs," said Janez Lenarcic, the conference host and the EU's top official for humanitarian aid and crisis management. Lenarcic also called for extended humanitarian access from Turkey to the northwestern part of Syria.

Persons: Martin Griffiths, Filippo Grandi, Achim Steiner, Janez Lenarcic, Bashar al Assad's, Assad, Lenarcic, Gabriela Baczynska, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: European Union, Three United Nations, UNHCR, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Russia, Iran, Turkish, U.S

☆ Syrians need 'way more' than pledged relief funds, ICRC says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Maya Gebeily | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A total of $5 billion was pledged in grants for 2023 and another $1 billion for 2024 and beyond. More than 6 million Syrians are displaced in their own country and 5.5 million Syrian refugees live in neighbouring Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq as well as Egypt. Donors scraped together an additional $1 billion in emergency relief funds following the devastating February earthquake that killed thousands in Syria. But trying to provide humanitarian help in Syria was "frustrating" without a political solution to resolve the protracted crisis. It's only politics, who can do that," Carboni said, adding: "we know that the solution is a political solution and that it's desperately needed."

Persons: Fabrizio Carboni, Carboni, Bashar al Assad's, it's, Maya Gebeily, Grant McCool Organizations: International Committee, Red, ICRC, Syrians, European Union, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Brussels, U.N, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, United States, Russia, Iran

☆ Morning Bid: Canadian cloud, rates markets checked
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike DolanWildfire smoke wasn't the only cloud from Canada that drifted over the United States this week. It was enough to nudge borrowing rates back up slightly across the maturity spectrum and served a shot across the bow to otherwise buoyant stock markets and subdued risk gauges. Futures markets still see the Fed skipping a rate rise next week, delivering one final quarter-point hike in July and reversing that move by year end. Two-year Treasury yields firmed about 10 basis points to 3.80% - and sovereign debt yields around the world edged higher in sympathy. With Fed policymakers in a blackout period before next week's meeting, and new data points thin this week, market edginess was dominated by shifting sentiment more than anything.

Persons: Mike Dolan, Russell, Jane Merriman Organizations: Federal Reserve, Weekly U.S, Fed, Stock, Treasury, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson, Reuters Locations: U.S, Canada, United States, Brussels

☆ NATO member Turkey to send troops to Kosovo amid unrest in the north
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ISTANBUL, June 3 (Reuters) - Turkey plans to send commandos to Kosovo on Sunday and Monday in response to a NATO request to join the alliance's KFOR peacekeeping force following unrest in the north of the country, the Turkish defence ministry said. In a statement on Saturday, the ministry called for restraint and constructive dialogue to resolve a crisis that it said could harm regional security and stability. "Our assigned unit (a commando battalion) is planned to be deployed to ... Kosovo on June 4-5," the ministry said. In violence on Monday, 30 peacekeepers and 52 Serbs who protested against the installation of the mayors were injured. The violence prompted NATO to announce it would send additional troops on top of 700 already on their way to the Balkan country to boost its 4,000 strong mission.

Persons: Ezgi Erkoyun, Giles Elgood Organizations: NATO, alliance's KFOR, U.S, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Turkey, Kosovo, Turkish, ., Kosovo's, Pristina

☆ Sri Lanka to remain on policy loosening course, next rate cut likely in August -analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Uditha Jayasinghe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Sri Lanka plunged into crisis last year as its foreign exchange reserves ran out, food and energy prices spiralled and protesting mobs forced the ouster of the country's then president. "With no inflation risk the central bank will cut rates aggresssively to push demand and target growth." The CBSL expects Sri Lanka's GDP to contract by 2% in 2023, slightly better than the 3% contraction predicted by the IMF. Five analysts backed CBSL and IMF estimates, two said Sri Lanka would perform better and one projected a steeper contraction of 4.8%. []Sri Lanka will begin rolling back import restrictions on 300-400 items from next week, as per a statement from the finance ministry which gave no further details.

Persons: CBSL, Dimantha Mathew, Kenji Okamura, Uditha Jayasinghe, Devayani, Swati Bhat, Toby Chopra Organizations: Sri, Citi Bank economists, International Monetary Fund, First, IMF, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Lanka's, Sri Lanka's, Sri Lanka, Colombo

Violence flared on Monday after Kosovo authorities, backed by special police units, installed ethnic Albanian mayors in offices in northern municipalities. Speaking after the meeting with Vucic, Osmani accused the Serbian leader of "whining and complaining and ... not telling the truth". But she said Kosovo could hold new elections in the north with Serb participation if they were triggered legally. Earlier in the day, neither leader had expressed any desire to meet with the other, before relenting under international pressure. Vucic said Kosovo authorities should withdraw "alleged mayors" from the north and declared the Kosovo special police units were there illegally.

Persons: Vjosa, Aleksandar Vucic, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz, Vucic, Osmani, Macron, Scholz, Mimi, Vladislav Culiomza Macron, Albin Kurti, Jens Stoltenberg, Fatos Bytyci, Ivana Sekularac, Sabine Siebold, Tassilo Hummel, Daria Sito, Edmund Blair, Daniel Wallis Organizations: EU, Kosovo, NATO, Political, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: BULBOACA, Moldova, Kosovo, Serbia, France, Germany, United States, Serbian, Belgrade, Paris, Berlin, Bulboaca, Oslo

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