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☆ US government begins preparations for a partial shutdown with one week until deadline – despite agreement
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Betsy Klein | Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

That standard guidance will be circulated Monday, seven days before a shutdown could occur. Should lawmakers fail to pass a funding bill, millions of federal workers and military personnel would be affected by a shutdown. Another 1.4 million federal employees may have to work without pay, though some of these positions are funded through resources other than annual appropriations, she said. All federal employees are guaranteed back pay, though contractors are not. Even the threat of a shutdown can disrupt the lives of federal employees, who could have to forgo their paychecks.

Persons: Mike Johnson, shutdowns, Rachel Snyderman, Snyderman, “, ”, Donald Trump, Trump, Chuck Schumer, aren’t, ” Doreen Greenwald, Everett Kelley, Joe Biden Organizations: Washington CNN, Louisiana Republican, Democratic, CNN, “, OMB, White, Management, Senate, Center, SAVE, GOP, noncitizens, Representatives, Social Security, National Treasury Employees Union, American Federation of Government Employees, District of Columbia Locations: Louisiana

☆ Opinion: Juneteenth, Haiti and the power of reinvention
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Opinion Nadine Pinede | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Juneteenth is a celebration of that hard-fought Black freedom, observed in honor of June 19, 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas, first learned from Union soldiers that they were free. Like my parents growing up in Haiti, she was used to seeing Black people in positions of power. She had freed herself from unjust rules meant to restrict education for Black Americans. Mark Felix/AFP/Getty ImagesIn Haiti, Hurston’s creative powers had the time and freedom to unfurl. As the author of “Barracoon,” a book based on interviews with one of the last enslaved Black Americans, Hurston almost certainly understood the significance of Juneteenth.

Persons: Nadine Pinede, ”, Nadine Pinede Sophie Kandaouroff, Lincoln, Juneteenth, “, Jim Crow, Zora Neale Hurston, Hurston, Lynne Sladky, she’d, Little, Barnard, Langston Hughes, Hurston unapologetically, Zora, Mark Felix, Lucille, Toussaint Louverture, Jean, Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe, Alice Walker, Walker Organizations: Scholastic Education, Haiti Noir, CNN, Union, Black, Black American, La Force, Howard University, Barnard College, Harlem Renaissance, verve, Guggenheim Fellowship, Guggenheim, Getty, La, Magazine Locations: Haiti, ”, Haitian, Galveston , Texas, Africa, Texas, Caribbean, France, United States, Black, American, Eatonville , Florida, Miami , Florida, Little Haiti, Baltimore, Washington, New York City, Jamaica, AFP, Long

One of the architects of that plan for a Trump second term said as much in a video last year for the Heritage Foundation. Reissuing Schedule F is part of a roadmap, known as Project 2025, drafted for a second Trump term by scores of conservative groups and published by the Heritage Foundation. The new rules would not fully block reclassifying workers in a second Trump term. Greene said she worries for federal workers who might face the same choice in a second Trump term. The project includes a personnel database for potential hires in a second Trump administration.

Persons: Donald Trump, it’s, —, Trump, Joe Biden, Donald Moynihan, Georgetown University's, ” Donald Moynihan, ” Moynihan, “ It’s, ”, Russell Vought, “, you’re, Doreen Greenwald, Moynihan, Kenneth Baer, Barack Obama, ” Kenneth Baer, Peter Orszag, Pete Souza, Robert Shea, Eva Shea, George W, Bush, Laura Bush, Tina Hager, ” Biden, Baer, George Frey, ” Trump, Max Stier, Verna Daniels, ” Daniels, Catherine Greene, ” Greene, Tom Bewick, NIFA, ” Bewick, we’ll, Greene, Biden, “ We’ve, He’s, Hillary Clinton, he’d, James Comey, Bill Barr, Barr, Jeffrey Clark, Clark, Mark Meadows, Stephen Miller, Peter Navarro, he’ll Organizations: CNN, United, Republican, Democratic, Trump, ”, Georgetown, Georgetown University's McCourt School, Public, Georgetown University, Heritage Foundation, Management, Budget, of Justice, FBI, Environmental Protection Agency, Vought, National Treasury Employees Union, OMB, White, Personnel Management, Land Management, Department of Agriculture, Kansas City, Partnership for Public Service, Government, Office, GAO, Economic Research Service, National Institute of Food, Agriculture, USDA, National Institute for Food, NIFA, Applied Economics Association, BLM, Getty, Department of Justice, Justice Department, Univision, Justice, Department, U.S . Justice, Center, Washington Post, National Security and Intelligence, of Homeland Security, of Education and Commerce, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission Locations: United States, Washington, Georgetown, , Colorado, DC, Kansas, Colorado, Virginia, America, Grand Junction, Washington ,, New York City, New York, Georgia

☆ Vietnam mounts ‘unprecedented’ $24 billion rescue for bank engulfed in giant fraud, documents show
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Foreign reserves were around $100 billion at the end of the year, according to the central bank. The central bank did not reply to requests for comment about the rescue effort. The finance ministry referred a question to the central bank. The central bank placed SCB under its supervision to stem a run on the bank sparked by the October 2022 arrest of real estate tycoon Truong My Lan. That was up from 478 trillion dong at the end of October, according to the SCB document that was sent to the central bank.

Persons: Truong My, Truong, Lan Organizations: AFP, Getty, Stock Commercial Bank, Reuters, ASEAN, Research, SCB, State Bank of, Bank Locations: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Saigon, State Bank of Vietnam's, People's

☆ Biden administration bolsters protections for federal workers, getting ahead of potential Trump moves
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Betsy Klein | Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington CNN —The Biden administration has finalized a new rule bolstering protections for career federal workers, marking a move to preemptively halt or significantly slow any efforts by former President Donald Trump, should he win in November, to reduce or alter the federal workforce. Critics warned that the order would allow the president to fill the federal workforce with his loyalists. Trump’s executive order created a new classification of federal employees titled “Schedule F” for employees serving in “confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating positions” that typically do not change during a presidential transition. It strengthens and clarifies existing rights for career civil servants by making clear that civil service protections cannot be taken away from employees unless they give them up voluntarily. “The threat of a politicized civil service is too great, and too real, for this to be the end of our efforts,” he said in a statement.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Biden, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Trump, ”, Bitsy, ” Skerry, “, Skerry, Gerry Connolly, Connolly, Brian Fitzpatrick, Biden’s, ” Everett Kelley, Doreen Greenwald, CNN’s Veronica Stracqualursi, Kevin Liptak Organizations: Washington CNN, “, Public Citizen, Customs, US Postal Service, Biden, CNN, Trump, Management, Virginia Democrat, Technology, Government Innovation, Republican, American Federation of Government Employees, District of Columbia, National Treasury Employees Union Locations: Washington ,, Virginia, Pennsylvania

☆ Factbox-The Big Topics That Will Define Congo's Election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

But despite its wealth of copper, cobalt and other resources, little is passed down to ordinary Congolese. Tshisekedi has sought to rein in China's 70% share of Congo's mining sector by re-negotiating that and other contracts. Risk-averse companies that had previously avoided Congo's mining sector due to instability are taking a second look as new opportunities to tap into its minerals emerge. Nearly 7 million people are displaced in Congo as of June, the International Organization for Migration said, up 17% from October 2022. Opposition parties said registrations were skewed by the national election commission to favour Tshisekedi's ruling coalition.

Persons: Edward McAllister DAKAR, Felix Tshisekedi's, Tshisekedi, Joseph Kabila, Zaynab Hoosen, Tshisekedi's, China's CMOC, Maja Bovcon, Kabila, Gecamines, Bovcon, Martin Fayulu, Moise Katumbi, Denis Mukwege, Edward McAllister, Ange Kasongo, Sonia Rolley, Bate Felix, Christina Fincher Organizations: Democratic, International Monetary Fund, Notre, Congolese, United Nations, International Organization for Migration, Oxford Economics, Islamic State, Allied Democratic Forces, Cooperative for, Senior, Catholic Church Locations: Democratic Republic of Congo, Saharan Africa, Kinshasa, Oxford Economics Africa, Congo, China, North Kivu, DR Congo

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s President William Ruto sought $1 billion more in loans from China Monday, despite rising public debt that has now reached $70 billion in the Eastern African country, according to National Treasury figures for 2022/2023. President Ruto was was one of a number of global leaders in Beijing to attend the tenth anniversary meeting of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the ambitious plan that aims to connect Africa, Asia and Europe through massive infrastructure and energy projects. Kenya has been struggling with ballooning public debt, with $6 billion owed to Chinese creditors, according to national data. However, it’s not clear if President Ruto and his delegation will be granted a restructuring or extension of the interest payments. Last week, legislators tabled a motion asking the government to reveal details of all the loans it had accumulated since President Ruto came into power in September 2022.

Persons: — Kenya’s, William Ruto, Ruto, Hussein Mohammed, “, ”, SGR, Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya SGR, Aly Khan Satchu, it’s, ” Satchu Organizations: National Treasury, Initiative, Kampala, Kenyan Locations: NAIROBI, Kenya, China, Beijing, Africa, Asia, Europe, Mombasa, Nairobi, Uganda, Central Africa, Turkish, Congo, Satchu

The Office of Management and Budget reminded senior agency officials Friday to update and review shutdown plans. Those plans can vary from shutdown to shutdown. The nearly 4 million Americans who are federal employees will feel the effect immediately. Essential workers will remain on the job, but others will be furloughed until the shutdown is over. For many of them, a shutdown would strain their finances, as it did during the record 35-day funding lapse in 2018-2019.

Persons: “, ”, Doreen Greenwald, Everett Kelley, Pell, disbursing Pell, It’s, treasurers Organizations: CNN, Management, National Treasury Employees Union, American Federation of Government Employees, Transportation Security Administration, Social Security, TSA, of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Business Administration, Futures, US Centers for Disease Control, Drug Administration, Safety, Health Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, ”, Smithsonian, National, National Archives, National Park Service, of Education, Federal Student Aid, Federal, Department of, Assistance, SNAP, US Department of Agriculture, Women, of Housing, Urban Development, Commission, Research, NOAA, Oceanic, Administration, National Science Foundation, Peace Corps, State Department, Defense Department Locations: United States, America, Washington, DC, shutdowns

WASHINGTON, July 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said on Monday it was ending its policy of unannounced visits to taxpayers by agency revenue officers, reversing a decades-long practise to "reduce public confusion and enhance overall safety measures for taxpayers and employees." "Effective immediately, unannounced visits will end except in a few unique circumstances and will be replaced with mailed letters to schedule meetings," the IRS said in a statement. Werfel also noted the security concerns around these unannounced visits and said they created "extra anxiety" for taxpayers. In place of the unannounced visits, revenue officers will instead make contact with taxpayers through an appointment letter, and schedule a follow-up meeting, according to the new policy. Such situations number less than a few hundred each year – a small fraction compared to the tens of thousands of unannounced visits that typically occurred annually under the old policy, the IRS said.

Persons: Danny Werfel, Werfel, Kanishka Singh, Mark Potter Organizations: Internal Revenue Service, National Treasury Employees Union, IRS, Thomson Locations: summonses, Washington

☆ IRS halts most unannounced visits to taxpayers, citing safety concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The IRS on Monday ended its controversial practice of unannounced visits to homes or businesses from agency revenue officers for most taxpayers. Part of a broader IRS overhaul, the policy change aims to lessen public confusion and improve safety. "The change reverses a long-standing practice by IRS revenue officers that goes back decades." "We have the tools we need to successfully collect revenue without adding stress with unannounced visits," Werfel said. Some Republicans have cited concerns about "new IRS agents" in a push to strip IRS funding.

Persons: Danny Werfel, —, Lesser, Werfel, Tony Reardon, Reardon Organizations: Finance, National Treasury Employees Union, IRS

☆ Taxpayers don’t have to worry about unannounced visits from the IRS anymore
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

These visits will only continue in a few special circumstances, the agency said Monday. “Changing this long-standing procedure will increase confidence in our tax administration work and improve overall safety for taxpayers and IRS employees,” Danny Werfel, IRS commissioner, said in a statement. “These visits created extra anxiety for taxpayers already wary of potential scam artists,” Werfel said. “At the same time, the uncertainty around what IRS employees faced when visiting these homes created stress for them as well.”Typically, tens of thousands of unannounced visits take place each year. It will continue to focus on high-income taxpayers with tax issues, the agency said.

Persons: ” Tony Reardon, Biden, ” Danny Werfel, ” Werfel, “, ” Organizations: CNN, IRS, National Treasury Employees Union

In a response to Reuters questions, South Africa's national treasury said it, along with President Cyril Ramaphosa's office, had appointed a consultant that it did not name to find ways to resolve the issue. It would also allow the decommissioning of three power plants, which the government is considering delaying because of the shortages of generation capacity. Rudi Dicks, the head of project management at the South African presidency, said there was a need to "clarify as a matter of urgency" whether the international loans could be accepted. Of the $8.5 billion pledged to South Africa, $3 billion is from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), a leading multilateral investor in developing countries. In a statement it said it remained "committed to supporting South Africa's just transition from coal to clean power".

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa's, Rudi Dicks, Promit Mukherjee, Carien du Plessis, Olivia Kumwenda, Barbara Lewis Organizations: European Union, Reuters Graphics, Reuters, Partners, Investment Funds, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Britain, France, Germany, United States, South Africa, Africa

☆ Financial crime watchdog adds South Africa, Nigeria to 'grey list'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS/JOHANNESBURG, Feb 24 (Reuters) - International financial crime watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said on Friday it was adding South Africa and Nigeria to its so-called "grey list" of countries under special scrutiny to implement standards to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing. Being added to the grey list is a reputational setback for the South African government, which has been trying to address shortcomings identified by the FATF. Analysts say it could also mean South African clients at international financial institutions will be subject to enhanced due diligence checks. It could also complicate South African attempts to access funding and support from multilateral development institutions and official lenders. The watchdog said it places a country on its "grey list" under increased monitoring when the country has "committed to resolve swiftly the identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframe."

Treasury said the government planned to take on 254 billion rand ($14 billion) of Eskom's 423 billion rand debt it said was at risk of default, to enable the utility to pay down the debt and interest obligations. South Africa has been struggling for years to overhaul Eskom, which is plagued by corruption and mismanagement and has received 263.4 billion rand in bailouts since 2008/09. Treasury said about 168 billion rand of Eskom’s debt relief will be in capital and 86 billion rand in interest payments over the next three years. Eskom's debt relief has strict conditions, Treasury said. A proposal to address the debt municipalities owe Eskom, at 56.3 billion rand as of end December 2022, was being finalised.

☆ Top U.S., Chinese and Russian officials tour Africa as global charm offensive gathers pace
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Janet Yellen, US Treasury secretary, during a news conference with Enoch Godongwana, South Africa's finance minister, at the National Treasury in Pretoria, South Africa, on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. Yellen met with South African officials including President Cyril Ramaphosa last week, just days after the country's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor stood alongside Lavrov and vowed to strengthen bilateral relations between Pretoria and Moscow. South Africa was one of 17 African nations to abstain from the U.N. vote in March to condemn Russia's war of aggression. As such, many African nations desire a strong relationship with both the U.S. and China, and U.S. diplomacy will be more effective when not framed as an "us-or-them" proposition. What's more, the BRI projects were "largely uncoordinated and unplanned," he said, with competing Chinese lenders offering credit to African nations, challenging the notion of a coherent centralized "debt trap" policy from Beijing.

SummarySummary Companies Auditors cite past 'financial irregularities'Utility reports $719 mln net loss for 2022Expects bigger loss this yearEskom says reliant on government supportJOHANNESBURG, Dec 23 (Reuters) - South Africa's Eskom said on Friday that auditors have questioned the utility's ability to survive as a going concern citing past financial irregularities. Auditors Deloitte & Touche LLP in a report said there is “a material uncertainty relating to Eskom’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the utility said in its annual financial report. [1/2] Locals walk past electricity pylons during frequent power outages from South African utility Eskom, caused by its aging coal-fired plants, in Orlando, Soweto, South Africa, September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo 1 2In response, Eskom said it was investigating the incident and was finalising a disciplinary process against an individual. Eskom CEO Andre De Ruyter resigned this month saying a lack of political support had made his position "untenable".

☆ Higher rates are leaving investors around the world with nowhere to hide
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Michael Santoli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

This is the daily notebook of Mike Santoli, CNBC's senior markets commentator, with ideas about trends, stocks and market statistics. Once again, nothing happening now is incompatible with this being a prolonged, messy bottoming effort longer term. Are equities still "too expensive" with bond yields here, the 10-year neat 3.5%? The S & P index, maybe, at 16.5x, with some cross-asset models saying it should be one or two multiple points cheaper. VIX getting puffed up 24 hours ahead of the Fed decision, near 27, mechanical stuff.

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