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☆ Sweden and Finland's NATO membership is a 'matter of time' amid Turkey negotiations, Swedish foreign minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sweden and Finland are firmly on course to become NATO members this year, Sweden's foreign minister said Wednesday, amid strained negotiations with Turkey over their admittance. Turkey's opposition to Sweden and Finland's NATO membership centers around what, it says, is their harboring of militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Hungary is the other ratification holdout, though local media reported Tuesday that its Parliament could ratify NATO membership for Finland and Sweden early next month. That included preparing to deliver new legislation to the Swedish Parliament in March, he said. He also said that Swedish membership at the NATO summit in July was the goal.

☆ Sweden NATO membership is happening, Swedish foreign minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSweden NATO membership is happening, Swedish foreign minister saysSweden has fulfilled conditions it agreed to at the NATO Summit in Madrid last summer, so it is time for the Turkish Parliament to begin the ratification process, Tobias Billström, Sweden's minister of foreign affairs, told CNBC.

☆ NBA roundup: Jayson Tatum's big 2nd half leads Celtics past Pistons
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Tatum had 24 points, including six 3-pointers, in the third quarter -- the most points he's scored in one quarter during his NBA career. Jalen Green scored 14 points before exiting in the second quarter due to a groin strain. Bane added 24 points and six rebounds, while Ja Morant tallied 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Utah's Kelly Olynyk had a double-double in the first half, and he wound up with 28 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Jordan Clarkson added 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Walker Kessler logged 10 points and 14 rebounds.

☆ East Germany's last Communist premier dies aged 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz/File PhotoBERLIN, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Hans Modrow, who as the last Communist prime minister of East Germany oversaw democratic reforms that opened the way to German reunification, has died at age 95, Germany's hard-left Die Linke party said on Saturday. With this, our party loses an important personality," the party, successor to the East German Communist Party, said in a statement. Modrow saw himself as a reformer who had wanted to change the communist party from the inside and make it more democratic. He also served in the East German parliament for more than three decades. Modrow became East Germany's de facto leader after Egon Krenz resigned as SED leader on Dec. 5, 1990, leaving Modrow holding the highest state post.

☆ Glacial lake floods threaten communities in Asia, South America
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Gloria Dickie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The risk comes when a lake overfills, bursting through its natural barrier and sending a torrent of water rushing down mountain valleys. In the high mountains of Asia, some 9 million people live near more than 2,000 glacial lakes. "The impacts are already visible as the glacier is thinning and retreating," said Farooq Azam, a glaciologist at the Indian Institute of Technology Indore who monitors Chhota Shigri. During the same time period, Himalayan glacial lakes increased by about 9% in number, and 14% in area. More than 200 lakes now pose a very high hazard to Himalayan communities, according to 2022 research.

☆ Sundance Movies: Brett Kavanaugh and Steph Curry Docs, "Cat Person"
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Alison Brower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Sundance Film Festival was back in person for the first time since 2020. In five days I saw eight films, and while I'm not a critic, I can affirm that not one of them was a clunker. Asked about the film's aspect ratio in an audience Q&A, Jalali said, "It was prettier that way." The bulk of the films I saw were more commercial, and four of them centered on relationships. And then there was "Cat Person," based on a 2017 New Yorker story about dating by Kristen Roupenian.

☆ NBA roundup: Knicks rally from 21-point deficit to beat 76ers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Miles McBride came off the bench to score 14 points while fellow reserve Isaiah Hartenstein had 14 rebounds. Joel Embiid (31 points, 14 rebounds), Tobias Harris (14 points, 10 rebounds) and James Harden (12 points, 12 assists) recorded double-doubles for the 76ers, who had their eight-game road winning streak snapped. De'Anthony Melton scored 14 points while Tyrese Maxey had 12 points and P.J. Scottie Barnes added 16 points and seven rebounds. Bruce Brown scored 16 and both Ish Smith and Zeke Nnaji scored 10 off the bench.

LONDON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - For all intents and purposes, financial markets think the brutal central bank tightening cycle is done. That may seem like a leap of faith after 36 hours in which three major central banks lifted their main policy interest rates yet again - and warned of more to come. Elsewhere, the Bank of Canada already signalled last month that it's pausing its rate rises. Jason Draho, head of asset allocation Americas at UBS Global Wealth Management, reckons "there's little investment value in over-analyzing a central banker's mindset." And if the central banks themselves seemed inclined to allow markets to do their own thing this time around, then it was left to the IMF to act as head teacher.

January saw just three meetings by central banks overseeing the 10 most heavily traded currencies with Canada delivering a 25 basis point hike while Norway and Japan stayed put. Policy rate hikes and cuts by central banks overseeing the 10 most traded currencies. Policy rate hikes and cuts by central banks overseeing the 10 most traded currencies. The January moves compare with five central banks hiking by 260 bps in December. "As we move through 2023, non-U.S. dollar central banks including most in emerging markets should become happier," he added.

In both the United States and Europe, the words of central bankers led investors to cut their estimates of the peak or "terminal" rate expected in the current tightening cycle. With financial conditions loosening despite rising policy rates, "central banks must...be resolute in their fight against inflation and ensure policy remains appropriately tight long enough to durably bring inflation back to target," Adrian and others wrote. The European Central Bank seems furthest from a likely stopping point. Combined, the statements mark the start of the endgame for central banks that were slow to recognize the onset of inflation last year before engaging in a record-setting round of rate increases. Central bankers long ago stopped using the word "transitory" in reference to inflation that proved faster and more persistent than any expected.

☆ NBA roundup: Magic rally to end Sixers' win streak
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

James Harden amassed 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Tobias Harris also had 17 points. Josh Giddey added 21 points for Oklahoma City, which has alternated wins and losses over the past six games. Patty Mills also finished with 21 points as he and Thomas combined to shoot 15 of 25 and hit eight 3-pointers. Bradley Beal added 21 points for the Wizards, with Kristaps Porzingis hitting for 17 and Kyle Kuzma scoring 16. Jeremy Sochan had 17 points, Zach Collins had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Stanley Johnson added 10 points.

☆ Russia's war in Ukraine backfired by uniting NATO, even as cracks emerged over nearly a year of fighting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Jake Epstein | John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

When Putin invaded Ukraine, he miscalculated the response from Western countries. NATO has been largely united in its response to Russia's war, consistently providing Kyiv with military aid. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively succeeded in remaking the Western bloc, Araud said, adding that "the Western alliance is back." After the Soviet Union collapsed, both Finland and Sweden became NATO partner countries but stopped short of pursuing full membership. Even under the intense pressure of war, the alliance is "holding the way that they have in the past," he said.

On energy, the ministry has “completely overhauled the previous government’s Russia-friendly policy” to reduce Germany’s dependence on Russian natural gas, it said. “That tells you something.”Germany consistently underestimated the Russian threat and gave counterintelligence work a low priority, but that is changing now in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, experts and Western officials said. Last April, Berlin expelled 40 Russian Embassy employees for allegedly working for Russian intelligence services. Germany’s intelligence services failed to anticipate that Russia would invade Ukraine, a failure that has yet to be the subject of any publicly released “lessons learned” review. Such a review would show Germany is serious about altering its approach, the Western official said.

The survey also shows that most credit card users are charging everyday expenses to pay for things they can no longer afford due to inflation. Instead, put yourself in the good graces of your credit card, utility, or mortgage company by reaching out proactively, she says. Consolidate your credit cards into one personal loanCollado also recommends taking out a personal loan to consolidate your credit card bills. When you carry a balance from month-to-month, it can be difficult to get out of credit card debt. A credit card that offers a 0% introductory APR can help you pay off your debt faster if you're carrying a credit card balance.

☆ The Sundance Film Festival stirs buzz, draws A-list stars, and screens movies that get you talking, but it can't hide the crisis facing independent filmmakers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Alison Brower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Sundance Film Festival was back in person for the first time since 2020. A-list stars like Anne Hathaway and Jason Momoa were present to promote their buzzy films. It was impossible not to feel optimistic about the state of independent film at the opening weekend of the Sundance Film Festival. In five days I saw eight films, and while I'm not a critic, I can affirm that not one of them was a clunker. At an event like Sundance, even amid some hand-wringing over the future, the excitement is contagious.

“There have been about 1,300 Russian tank losses … so the actual numbers of new tanks [for Ukraine] in a military sense are not that significant. There’s a lot of Ukraine and 20, 30, 40 tanks does not go that far,” said Ronald Ti, an expert in military logistics at King’s College, London. Nevertheless, the move to create a new “tank coalition,” as some officials called it, has been widely welcomed in Ukraine. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine requires around 300 tanks in order to successfully defend its territory from an expected Russian spring offensive, and to begin winning back territory ceded to Moscow since the invasion began last February. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, seen in Berlin on Wednesday, has faced prolonged criticism for a reluctance to send military equipment to Ukraine.

Under a Biden administration plan, married couples filing taxes separately could get student-loan payments eliminated altogether. When filing separately, you can use your lower AGI to get lower monthly payments. Married couples could lower their monthly payments even more by filing their taxes separately, Hornsby says. Use this equation to calculate your new monthly student-loan paymentsHere's an equation you can use to estimate your new monthly student-loan payments, factoring in the new proposed IDR regulations. When filing separately, married people are no longer eligible to claim the $2,500 student-loan interest tax deduction.

☆ NBA roundup: Damian Lillard scores 60, moves up 3-pointer list
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Jerami Grant added 19 points and Anfernee Simons had 16 points and nine assists, which won its second game in a row. 76ers 137, Nets 133Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points, Joel Embiid added 26 points and 10 rebounds and host Philadelphia defeated Brooklyn. Rui Hachimura scored 12 points in his Lakers debut after he was acquired in a trade with the Washington Wizards on Monday. Pat Connaughton had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Khris Middleton added 10 points for the Bucks. Mathurin went for a game-high 26 points, but Banchero's Magic came out on top thanks to a strong start.

☆ German recession 'very unlikely' given brighter business sentiment, Ifo head says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A January Ifo survey showed improved sentiment among German businesses. Tobias Schwarz | Afp | Getty ImagesGerman business sentiment improved in January, according to a widely watched survey from the Munich-based Ifo Institute — in a prospective sign that Europe's largest economy could swerve a recession. Ifo's Business Climate Index rose to 90.2 points from 88.6 points previously on "considerably less pessimistic expectations," a release said. "The expectation was that there might be a recession in the fourth quarter of '22 and the first quarter of '23. Fuest said a number of factors were improving within German manufacturing, including energy prices and supply chain bottlenecks easing.

☆ Finland’s top diplomat hints at joining NATO without Sweden
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Finland’s top diplomat appeared to suggest Tuesday that the country may have to consider joining NATO without Sweden after Turkey’s president cast serious doubt on the expansion of the military alliance. Haavisto later backpedaled, telling reporters in Parliament that his comment earlier Tuesday had been “imprecise” and that Finland’s ambition to join NATO jointly with Sweden remained unchanged. “But of course there have been raised concerns within NATO on how the (recent) incidents in Sweden will affect the schedule,” Haavisto said. Until now, Sweden and Finland have been committed to joining the alliance together, but Haavisto’s comment to YLE raised concerns that Finland was considering proceeding without its Nordic neighbor. “Sweden respects the agreement between Sweden, Finland and Turkey regarding our NATO membership.

☆ These are the key tax forms you need to file your return — and when to expect them
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

pcess609If you're expecting a refund this season, it's critical to file a complete and accurate tax return to avoid "extensive processing" and delays, according to the IRS. Whether you're working with a tax professional or filing on your own, here's what to know about your tax forms — and when to expect them. When to expect your tax formsWhile most tax forms have a Jan. 31 deadline, others aren't due until mid-February or beyond, said certified financial planner John Loyd, owner at The Wealth Planner in Fort Worth, Texas. Regardless of your situation, it's important to have all the necessary forms handy before filing your return, Loyd said. Review last year's return 'page-by-page'If you're not sure which tax forms to expect, experts say last year's tax return is a great starting point.

☆ Tax filing season has kicked off. Here's how to get a faster refund
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Drakula & Co. | Moment | Getty ImagesHow soon to expect a tax refund after filing your returnTypically, you will receive a refund within 21 days if you've filed an accurate, electronic return with direct deposit for the payment, according to the IRS. The timeline changes if you're claiming the earned income tax credit — a tax break for low- to moderate-income workers — or the additional child tax credit. While your finances may change from year to year, your 2021 tax return may provide a rough guideline of what to expect, she said. "Filing an accurate tax return can help taxpayers avoid delays or later IRS notices," the agency said in a recent news release. Always double-check your tax return

☆ Erdogan to Sweden: Don't expect Turkish support for NATO bid after Stockholm protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Sweden should not expect Turkey's support for its NATO membership after a protest near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm at the weekend including the burning of a copy of the Koran, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday. "Those who allow such blasphemy in front of our embassy (in Stockholm) can no longer expect our support for their NATO membership," Erdogan said in a speech after a cabinet meeting. "But Sweden will respect the agreement that exists between Sweden, Finland and Turkey regarding our NATO membership," he added. Sweden and Finland applied last year to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine but all 30 member states must approve their bids. Turkey had already summoned Sweden's ambassador about the incident, cancelled a planned visit by Swedish defence minister to Ankara and strongly condemned the event.

☆ NBA roundup: Celtics run win string to nine by edging Raptors
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Reserves Grant Williams and Malcolm Brogdon added 25 and 23 points for the Celtics. Gary Trent Jr. added 22 points, Precious Achiuwa had 17 points and 11 rebounds and Scottie Barnes scored 10 points. Jrue Holiday led Milwaukee with 28 points and 10 assists, while Bobby Portis Jr. had 23 points and 11 rebounds. Franz Wagner added 20 points, Paolo Banchero notched 15, and Wendell Carter Jr. went for 11 points and nine rebounds. Montrezl Harrell had 17 points and seven rebounds and Georges Niang also scored 17 points for the 76ers.

☆ Protests in Stockholm, including Koran-burning, draw condemnation from Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Permitting this anti-Islam act, which targets Muslims and insults our sacred values, under the guise of freedom of expression is completely unacceptable," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. The Turkish ministry urged Sweden to take necessary actions against the perpetrators and invited all countries to take concrete steps against Islamophobia. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said that Islamophobic provocations were appalling. "Saudi Arabia calls for spreading the values of dialogue, tolerance, and coexistence, and rejects hatred and extremism," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "We will continue our opposition to the Swedish NATO application," Thomas Pettersson, spokesperson for Alliance Against NATO and one of organizers of the demonstration, told Reuters.

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